#they aren’t as close as they used to be because Diluc was away for four years and they had minimal contact

[doomedbythe-narrative]

Nobody understands Diluc and Kaeya like me and I’m taking away all of ur rights to talk about them

[fallinfl0wers]

hellooo! this is the first time i request something from a blog :D could i request headcanons of diluc, scara, kazuha and xiao when their s/o tells them they're pregnant and possibly how they'd get used to having a kid? tyy! dont forget to take breaks and relax!

Literally baby-sized trouble.

summary: you're pregnant! how does he react to the news and how do the get used to your child? includes: diluc (26 bullet points), scaramouche (24 bullet points), kazuha (17 bullet points) and xiao (35 bullet points) warnings: fem!reader, pregnancy, children, non-explicit/non described giving birth, mostly fluff with a little bit of hurt/comfort and angst. format: headcanons thank you for your request!! this was so fun to write! >< imagining the characters being soft with children is just so cute :") i specially like these four a lot >< when i wrote this i was in a xiao mood if it wasn't obvious that his turned out longer than everyone else's lol, and it's also the first time i write for kazuha so it was shorter than the others, but i think his is the sweetest ><! i hope you enjoy it! ps. the names and meanings- i got them from google, feel free to correct me if there's anything wrong with them ><

Diluc

He's going to stop functioning the moment he hears the news from you.

Literally, he's still as a rock and completely taken by surprise.

He... can't say he'd never wanted children. He's pretty traditional and, since he has this beautiful relationship with you, he assumed it might happen sometime in the future.

But oops guess it will have to happen in the close future, since you're already pregnant.

After staring at you with widened eyes for a while, he speaks up: "...is... is it true?" You hold his hands on yours with a smile on your face, nodding. "Yes, Diluc. We're going to be parents." Hearing your words, he starts to tear up as he hugs you, his touch almost hesitant, as if you were so fragile he could break you if he wasn't careful. "...thank you." He'd whisper between silent tears, hiding his face from your sight.

Very supportive and very protective!

You will have the most comfortable of pregnancies. He will make sure you don't need to move a single muscle to get anything you want.

If the two of you aren't married or engaged yet, he's going to propose to you very soon, keep that in mind ><

He starts reading every book he can find on pregnancies and babies so that he knows what to do to help you when you give birth and how to take care of his child once they're born ><

You have to convince him that yes, you can go and eat in the dining room and you don't need to eat everything in your room or stay in bed all day and yes, you can still do most things and no, he doesn't have to worry so much.

But yeah, in later stages of your pregnancy he gets more overprotective because he doesn't want anything to hurt you or your baby :(

He couldn't be calm enough while you gave birth and had to wait outside of the room, which only made him more nervous </3

But when he finally held your little baby on his arms for the first time, he broke down crying.

You two had a boy! He looked a lot like him, too... with the red hair and eyes... so cute...

He's not sure of what to name him, he'd thought of some names before, but they all disappeared when he saw the little bundle of joy in his arms;;

So you two will have to think about a name again!

In the end, you settle for Felix; name meaning "happy" or "lucky"!

Diluc is a very busy man, but he still does his best to be there for you and his son as much as possible!

He's also not very sure as to how he should interact with him...

But he does know he LOVES playing with him as soon as he starts to understand how to play with his toys.

But... there are not so cute parts about having a kid, after all.

At times, he worries whether or not he'll be able to be there enough for him.

He wonders if he can be a good father, given how awkward he is with his emotions.

What if when Felix grows up he starts hating him for being absent? He wouldn't be able to stand it.

You always reassure him as you both put the baby to sleep on his crib.

All Diluc wants is for his son to have a happy childhood and a loving family, but worries he won't be good enough of a father.

However, when Felix's first word is "'iluc!" as he stretches out his tiny arms towards him, he thinks that maybe, just maybe, he can do this right.

Scaramouche

He thought you were joking, so he laughed.

When you didn't laugh along with him and was met with your blank face, he understood you were serious.

He never even thought he'd be with anyone in a relationship before you came along, let alone have a child with anyone... So he's obviously very shocked and confused as to how to proceed.

After an awkward moment of staring at each other, he cleared his throat and crossed his arms, looking at you with an equally blank face. "So? What do you want me to do about it?" "H-huh?" "In the sense of- what do you want to do? Keep it or not." You huffed, and when he heard your determinated answer, he sighed and gave your head some soft pats. "Alright, alright, whatever you want, I guess."

Okay listen here- it's not like doesn't care but it isn't like he cares so much either...

This man would do anything for you, really, and that's what happens.

He does anything and everything for you, because he's worried about you and not necessarily about the baby you're carrying.

It's not like he hates children- because you can't hate anything you don't perceive as equal or superior to you and a baby ceirtainly isn't either for him-

It's more like he doesn't know what to do with them because he's never been around children enough to understand them.

He's overall very indifferent towards the child ngl.

Then he sees you cradling your baby -a girl- in your arms and his mind just... goes blank. Huh, so that's what a human looks like right after being born.

Your little daughter looks more like him than she looks like you, sorry. But he can clearly see on her face some factions that will look like yours as she grows up.

But...

"Now what?"

He'll help you look after her however he can, since he doesn't want you to be too tired because he never knows when he'll have to leave for weeks or even months without notice.

He's not entirely cold or indifferent towards her, even if sometimes he might resent her a bit for taking away some of your attention.

But like when you were choosing a name for her, he gave a few suggestions and in the end you choose one of the names he thought of!

Her name is Hikari, name meaning "light"!

Due to the nature of his job, he doesn't want to be seen around either of you at the moment in public. It would only put a target on your backs.

And it takes a long, long while for him to warm up to her.

It disheartens you a little, but when you see him looking down at Hikari's sleeping form on the crib, softly poking her cheek with a strangely child-like curiosity on his eyes, you feel at ease.

And he thinks that he can probably handle this parenting thing better than he ever expected. Maybe it's not that bad, after all.

Ceirtainly, he thinks, as he holds her in his arms one day after she spoke her first word to him, this parenting thing is not really that bad.

(Her first word was "papa!")

Be ready, because once he gets attached to your daughter he won't stop spoiling her!

Kazuha

"Are you sure, love?" "Yes, I'm sure. We're having a child!" A smile painted itself on his face as he leaned in to kiss your forehead. "I hope I can be a good father for them."

So the Kaedehara family is getting a new member, huh!

Not that there's much left to his name, especially now that he's a fugitive... but he's excited nonetheless!

Although he's not one to settle down for long, he will make an effort for both you and the child, since it's not good for someone who's pregnant to wander around.

He's very protective, but not in an overbearing way! He simply wants you to take it easy and relax, he can take care of everything else on his own!

That being said, he's not rich like Diluc or Scaramouche, so he's also going to work harder than ever to get everything you or the baby need in advance so that neither of you have to stress out!

He's the one who takes it better out of everyone here, he's not extremely worried or outright indifferent, he's simply worried enough, excited and happy!

He already knew you were the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, so the idea of having a child with you didn't scare him or intimidate him in the slightest!

He's still a bit worried, though.

He is a wanted fugitive in his homeland, after all...

He can only do so much and wish for the situation in Inazuma to change soon, so that he can take both you and his child to see the places he loved to spend his time at when he was a child.

But for now, he's happy enough simply holding his child on his arms, sitting next to you in your small shared home.

You have a girl too! She has Kazuha's hair color and your eye color, she's super adorable ><

He wants you to name her, and you both agree on naming her Izumi, meaning fountain or spring!

"Kaedehara Izumi... it has a nice ring to it." He'd say, smiling down at her.

While Kazuha enjoys travelling more than anything in this world, he's reticent to leave you and your daughter alone or even bring you along with him. So he stays around for as long as you need it.

He will talk a lot to her all the time, so don't be surprised when she picks up very complicated, flowery words from a young age!

He wants her to grow up to be free as the wind and be able to do whatever she wants without fear, so he wants to do his best to be a good father for her!

Xiao

You can practically see the panic on his face when you tell him the news.

It's the most scared you've ever seen him be, and you've been there to help him through his karmic debt.

So yeah, he takes it the worst out of everyone.

"I'm not mad." He manages to tell you before disappearing to somewhere else in a panicked haze, he needs to sort out his emotions quickly before he can properly talk to you about it. The last thing he saw before he disappeared was your eyes, glinting with sadness. And that only made him feel worse if that was even possible.

It takes him the whole day to come to terms with his feelings on your pregnancy and finally face you again.

He's really, really afraid of hurting you and your child. Not to mention he fears he might've passed some kind of curse from his karma to either of you through the pregnancy :(

Like he said, he isn't mad. He's just scared.

He... he literally never, never thought he would get to be a father.

Family was a foreign concept to him, as were a lot of other things you've slowly helped him understand throughout your time together, so knowing he can have one of his own now... makes him happy, and scared, at the same ime.

He's worse than Diluc when it comes to protecting you and worrying about you.

He won't let you do anything alone, even if he doesn't want to be near you because he doesn't want the karma to harm you or your child in such a vulnerable moment of your lives.

Okay so that aside-

How do people care for babies?

What is he exactly supposed to do?

And- do half-adepti babies need any sort of special treatment in comparison to human babies?

He has no idea on what to do if it doesn't involve a physical fight with a tangible foe, so he goes asking for advice to everyone he knows that could have knowledge on that field.

Verr Goldet and Ganyu are a great help for him. Xiao listens with attention to everything they have to say and asks everything he doesn't understand.

Ganyu tells him about her own experience growing up as half-human so that he can understand what raising a half-human, half-illuminated beast baby might entail.

He also goes to Zhongli for advice and he gets more of the same advice he's already heard, along with many, many reassurances that sound like everything you already tell him every day.

He's very worried, but as the months go by and your child's birth comes closer, he can't help but feel a little excited about it.

Everyone who knows him is happy to see him openly happy for a change on those small moments when he gets excited about his new family with you.

When your child is born, Xiao doesn't want to hold him. It took too much willpower to stay as close as he was right now, standing next to your bed as you held your baby in your arms.

He was so adorable, so small, so fragile, so pure- Xiao was afraid of touching him and breaking or tainting him--

He was already crying, he'd started crying the moment he saw you holding your son for the first time.

He feels so... strange. He's crying, but this isn't a painful, or sad feeling. He feels... happy, but scared, but...

The feeling starts to make some sense to him when he finally convinces himself that it's okay for him to hold the little boy in his arms, when he stares with awe at his face.

The baby looks a lot like the both of you. Arguably, more like him, since he has the same hair and the same bright eyes, but in his face all he can see is you.

And he cries more.

You both named him Liàng, name meaning brilliant!

Xiao does his best to try and get used to parenting, and it gets hard at times.

But he tries, and that's all that matters. He tries to be a good father, and is always there to protect both you and your son from anything trying to harm you.

Even though he was so scared at first, you know he loves the new family you've formed together.

Especially when you catch him trying to hold a conversation with your son, sitting down on the bed next to him as he toys with a soft teddy bear, the two of them surrounded by pillows.

The soft look and smile he wears while he does so tells you that everything is going to be alright.

The three of you are going to be alright, and Xiao wants to make sure of it.

His son will never have to live what he lived or see what he saw. He will make sure of that, no matter what.

[cantalouupe]

full

nsfw!!! diluc x gn!reader

a lot of cum, semi public sex, humiliation, degrading, mean diluc

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Diluc often fucks you in the back of The Angels Share. A spare room was something like an “employees only” space that you could find the entrance to right around the corner of the bar side. Mainly used for storage so it was rarely entered, which made if a perfect place for Diluc to take you when he needs to let out pent up stress from the day.

It seems to be his favorite spot and you aren’t sure exactly why, but you have a lingering suspicion it has to do with the fact that there are a bunch of people right in the other room. He carries that fact into his words, muttering things like “if you don’t keep it down, they’ll know you’re getting fucked in here” that makes you feel like you’re burning up.

Currently you two are in that room, bent over a spare table and stuffed full of his cock. Unbeknownst to everyone out in the tavern, you’d been in here for upwards of an hour, with Diluc behind you, slamming his hips into yours.

He seems to be on a mission because he’s now on his fifth orgasm, pushing to the hilt so he releases it all inside of you - as he’s done with the past four orgasms. Unfortunately for you, it doesn’t seem like you’ll be coming at all tonight, the red head making that clear when he said “Don’t fucking cum” in between thrusts.

Every time you get too loud or too close, he stops and his hand comes down into your ass, hard. He has to do it especially often because you won’t keep quiet - can’t keep quiet - not when he makes you hold back for so long. After a particularly loud moan he tells you that he wishes he could be fucking your mouth at the same time as your hole so he could shut you up which makes you squeeze tightly around him.

That clench pushed him over once again, filling you for the seventh time in a row. You shake with the feeling of him pulling out to scoop any dripping cum onto his cock head push it back inside you.

“It must feel so full inside,” he punctuates his words with deep hits of his cock. “You take my load so well.”

His praise makes you tense, right on the edge of letting go, eyes screwing shut and for a moment you actually think he’s going to let you. The moment dies quickly when he slips back out, hand cracking down on your already sore ass cheek, successfully cutting off your orgasm again.

More smacks are given for extra measure, showing his disapproval before he even started speaking.

“Didn’t I tell you not to come? You’re terrible at following directions.” You whimper against the wooden table under you - you didn’t want to be bad, but it felt so good, how were you supposed to hold on? He was dangling your release right in front of you, it was so difficult not to reach out for it.

You wanted to cry in frustration and fuck back onto his cock, impale yourself on his length so that you could finally come. He’d be even more mad at you though, so you don’t, instead choosing to give a small wiggle of your hips.

Hands go to pry your cheeks slightly apart, giving him a good look at your slick and fucked out hole. Your face feels hot while he looks and you clench around nothing, which accidentally pushes a glob of his cum out.

He tuts, using his fingers this time to scoop it up and shove it back inside. “Good cum sluts keep it all inside,” you hear the suck of his mouth on his dirtied fingers, before he speaks again. “You’re good, aren’t you? My personal cum toy?”

You nod, embarrassed but eager to please.

“Tell me.”

God, your voice is so shaky when you respond, “I’m your good cum slut.”

It’s good enough for him, though, and he doesn’t make you say it again. Focusing back to your used hole, it grows silent and you feel tense again in anticipation.

“You can still take one more,” His low voice decides from behind you, and you feel the push of his head. There’s no resistance and his whole cock slips in without a hitch because of how sopping wet it is.

You would protest against it but he’s already scolded you once, the pain blooming on the skin of your ass as a reminder. The pressure of holding on for so long, being pushed and pulled from the edge repeatedly has tears welling in your eyes and you do nothing to stop them.

“One more,” He tells you in warning, rubbing comfortingly along your skin while he fucks you for the last round.

You repeat that like a mantra inside your head, focusing on holding out just for a few minutes, just until he comes for the last time. You’ll be rewarded at the end, you’re sure of it.

Waiting for the supposed reward you though you would get was waiting for something that would never happen. Once he finishes for the eighth and final time, he makes no move to clean you up or begin any sort of aftercare. He instead helps you stand up straight, pulling your clothes back on you.

You blink at him, confused. “....what about-“

“I told you already,” he replies smoothly, cleaning himself off. “You have to keep it inside. Now come on, I’ve got work to attend to.”

Gaping at him and rooting your feet to the ground, you shake your head. “Theres no way i can.” You could already feel it, the slick leaking out of you - it would come out, surely, with nothing keeping it in.

“You can. Now let’s go.” A hand rests on the lower part of your back to guide you out and into the main part of the tavern. Luckily no one payed any mind to you, either too drunk or too busy chatting away to even notice you.

If you had been standing in that spot for a long time you wouldn’t be surprised. Moving made the cum leave your hole faster than it did just standing still. But, when a table of people from the adventure’s guild call you over with happy grins you’re forced to walk to them.

One of them questions if you’re okay, noting that you look a little flushed, but you deny it, sputtering out some sort of excuse while praying that you don’t get a wet stain from the slickness leaving you, feeling dirty. Diluc was right when he said you were his slut.

From across the room and behind the bar, a dark pair of eyes watch you shakily sit and speak with the others there - acting normal even though you were filled to the brim.

It made him feel restless for the remainder of the night, and by the end of it you were back in that restricted room, getting fucked until you were coming all over yourself.

[albaedhoe]

genshin ward

“modern hospital!au with the genshin characters as your patients and coworkers”

gender neutral reader

warning : mentions of blood, needles and death

feel free to send in your own thoughts and hcs!!

albedo definitely works as either a diagnostician or the in-hospital pharmacy technician. either way, i can see albedo giving advice on treatment and prescription that might help relieve a patient’s condition. works more for the children’s ward. you greet him with coffee every time you know he’s on shift, knowing that he probably hasn’t slept in a while. you cant convince me that he doesn’t experiment with the defective or expired meds. he shows you his own recent discoveries on certain combinations and you tell him to go to a proper research facility. you often wonder how such a genius ended up as only a pharmacist rather than a chemical engineer.

i think diluc would work as an adult nurse solely because of the fact that he’s patient, kind and the elderly aren’t scared of him unlike the children- though he doesn’t look like it, he enjoys listening to their stories and past. he’s the person you usually chat with during your breaks. you’re often seen re-doing his ponytail or just styling his hair at the break room. normally is the one who does the heavy lifting at his ward.

klee was sent to the hospital for cardiomyopathy, a disease where the heart muscles have been stretched or thickened, making it extremely hard for blood to pump through the body. though it’s very rare for children, klee was just unlucky. because of her rather rambunctious behaviour, you’ve put her on a strict rule of no extreme movement around the hospital and can only walk around with the supervision of a nurse. it makes you happier knowing she’s taken a liking towards albedo. you often see her colouring a book near where albedo can keep watch of her. if albedo isn’t on shift then she mostly clings onto you when she can. she claims that the other doctors are not as kind or forgiving as you are. because of her comment, you start to debate the employment of some of your fellow staff.

venti is a frequent visitor to your hospital. you see him perform some songs at the nursery, soothing and entertaining all the kids and babies. when he’s not performing for the children, he’s visiting his twin brother (nameless bard, not canon) in a private room, away from all the chaos and noise of the hospital. his brother has been in a coma for almost four years now. a car crash. you can tell that the anniversary of the accident is near when you can hear slow and melancholic music from the corridor leading to his room. you sometimes offer him a drink that he favours the day of the anniversary. in exchange, he would tell you his favourite childhood memories of him and his twin.

kazuha is for sure a children’s nurse. the children see him as a person they can really talk to without feeling intimidated or scolded for what they say. he’s so gentle and calm when giving the kids their injections, even going out of his way to hold them close if they’re really scared. gives them lollipops since they’ve been so brave! during playtime and he’s in charge of the activities for that day, he teaches the kids how to make haikus and expanding their vocabulary. at the end of the day the children give kazuha their haikus. he puts them into an album and cherishes them. when the two of you are on lunch break, he excitedly shows you all the new haikus he got from the kids. you laugh at his over excitement, you’re glad he’s finally settled into the hospital. you think back to the treatment he recieved at his former hospital but you shoved those thoughts aside and nodded along to the stars in his eyes.

bennett would also be a frequent visitor of the hospital, always covered with scratches, gashes and bruises everywhere. you nag at him to be careful next time, though, you know he’ll be rushing in in a few days, but you don’t say that. poor boy is the unluckiest person you’ve met. once, when he walks into the ER casually, you asked him what happened this time and he says that he was in the forest exploring, tripped down a hill and splashed into a river. you’re glad it isn’t as bad this time.

just because he’s a family man, i think that childe would also be a child nurse heh. he can easily give the children the same energy back at them without much effort, but he knows when to put his foot down once things get out of hand. because he builds such a close relationship with the kids, he’s absolutely devastated when he learns a child doesn’t survive a surgery. he thinks of his own younger siblings and it breaks his heart even more. you can find him in the laundry room, where it’s quiet and only the whirs of the washing machine can cover up his chocked sobs. you allow him to have some days off because you know that if you don’t, he’d be more snappy and impatient with the children. you tell him that he becomes like this because it’s a coping mechanism he’s developed after experiencing such an intense feeling of grief. his mind wants to cut all relationships he’s built with the children so he doesn’t have to experience such a thing again. he denies it but you know he’s saying this in attempts to convince himself that he’s okay. he’s not. you tell him that death is not something anyone gets used to but instead become stronger against, after all, it’s part of his job and if he ever wants to change professions you’re happy to recommend him to other wards.

my knowledge in health care and medicine is limited so sorry for any inaccuracies.

[stargazer-balladeer]

Setting: Kingdom AU

[King! Zhongli x Female! Reader]

Notes: At first, I didn’t know what to write for the Valentine’s Gift in Discord. I was about to just write a Diluc fic when I came across the Cendrillon video. I rewatch it and loved the idea. Zhongli fits the prince (im making him a king here-) perfectly, this is going to follow the Vocaloid Cendrillon version (because the actual Cendrillon is basically the Cinderella movie-), but I’m gonna tweak it a bit. I hope I manage to capture Zhongli’s personality, atleast a little- 😅. Hope ya’ll like this!

Warning: small mentions of being blackmailed, abandonment and blood.

Word Count: 4.7k

» A valentine gift for @zhonglisemptywallet,, I hope you like this- hshshs

“Say, Zhongli, do you know the story of “Cendrillon”?” “Hm… it doesn’t ring a bell, I’m afraid. May I ask why you ask of that?” “I used to read it when I was young. Since you don’t know of it, would you like to read it together? Or are you currently busy?” “I was about to ask you if you want to have tea with me, but since you suggested that, of course I would read it together with you.” 

The warm hue of the light that illuminated the room and the chatter of the people within greeted you immediately when you stepped foot inside. Your eyes darted from person to person, not familiar with any of them. The target isn’t anywhere in the vicinity it seems, perhaps later. The warm atmosphere made you sigh in relief, it was a great contrast to the coldness of night outside. Not wanting to be of disturbance to those entering, you quickly went away from the entrance. You were overwhelmed by the grand interior of the room, walls decorated with golden brown and amber designs, one you usually find in an antique item, waves, vines, flowers, all sort of design. Golden-colored chandeliers hanging in the ceiling in a row, making the room brighter. The golden curtain being tied to the side, revealing the full moon in its finest glory. 

The palace king really likes golden-colored stuff, you noted. Everything looks so ancient, like there’s a history in every design and every item inside. Glancing around, you adjusted your dress, making sure your dagger isn’t visible underneath your skirt. An assassin tasked to kill the king of the Liyue nation. A joke, you thought at first, a child’s play. This task is usually seen in a fairytale, but you suppose it’s inevitable when you have 7 kingdoms, each with their respective king and queens. Breathing out a sigh, you take a glance at the moon. Your task is due at midnight, when the moon is high above the skies. Precise exact hour, no seconds shall pass. If failed, execution shall be your punishment. 

Then a ring rang through the room, gaining many’s attention including yours. You gaze at the balcony-like booths on the second floor, seeing familiar faces of the members of the Qixing. Them being here isn’t gonna make your mission any easier, well, it wasn’t easy to begin with. Quickly switching your attention to the butler, making sure your actions aren’t suspicious. “We thank you for attending this royal ball, hosted by our beloved King. I shall now introduce you to the special guests tonight.” The butler’s voice rang, sounding young yet stern. He nodded to the area of the Qixing members. “Please allow me to introduce Lady Ningguang of the Qixing, miss Keqing of the Qixing and Miss Ganyu of the Qixing.” 

Many people started clapping for them, you decided to join in them in order to not appear suspicious. Ningguang, in her fullest glory, stood up and waved elegantly to the people below her. Her eyes, which reminded you of Rubies, scanned the crowd before befalling on you. You stiffened at the coldness within, was her eyes always this harsh? You thought she was about to call you out but she simply turned around and sat on the throne-like chair. You breathe out a sigh of relief, closing your eyes when you feel the tension on your shoulder being released. But you knew that her gaze on you was a warning. She knew your intention, she could’ve called you out right there but she didn’t. Why? Was she amused that there was an assassin in the ball, wanting to kill the king? It doesn’t make sense.

You tuned out the butler, who was introducing the four Adepti, the counsel of the king. You couldn’t care less about them, but you were still on guard. Although they all respect their king and would kill anyone who dares to threaten his life, the young-looking guy is the one you’re watching out for. The young adepti, Xiao was his name, Conqueror of Demons, swift like the wind. “Now..” Your ears pick up as you look at the butler once more. “The moment you all have been waiting for. May I introduce the host of this evening, please applaud to the king of Liyue, Rex Lapis!” 

And just like that, an applaud of cheers erupted into the room when the king was announced. You joined in with the claps, feeling nervousness rising within you. Now’s not the time to get nervous. This is an important mission. You shall not fail this one. The light in your eyes darkened when the king made an appearance, there in his crowning light was Rex Lapis. With eyes like the Cor Lapis, hair like the soil of the land, and clothes fitting for a ruler. He has a small smile present on his face, as he nodded to the crowd. “Thank you for coming to my ball on this humble night. Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest with the prepared banquet and dance.” His voice is so soothing…

He reached out his hand, snapping his index and thumb. “Let the feast begin.” 

“What?” You breathed out, staring at the man before you with eyes wide and face in disbelief. Not knowing whether to laugh or what. The mission you’re given, to kill the king of Liyue, Rex Lapis. How absurd. “You expect me to kill that wanna-be king?” You scoffed, letting out a few chuckles. You thought it was a prank, a funny joke, and that your superior was made to do by one of his subordinates. You bet your money that it was that “Childe”. You tried searching his face, any sign of him lying or joking, but there wasn’t. He was serious. 

Coughing lightly, you straightened yourself up again, staring at the eyes of your superior. He sighed before placing a document on his desk, facing you, with a dagger on top. “You should be grateful that the Tsaritsa decided to give you this task, if I were to choose, I’d choose someone else. But alas, she chose you. How unfortunate.” He scoffed, shaking his head in disapproval. You paid his indirect insult no mind as you stared at the dagger, which you noticed was laced with poison. The dagger was silver in color, with the hilt decorated with light blue and white snowflakes. The end contains a Cor Lapis gem. 

Hesitantly, your hand rose to reach the dagger. You can feel the sharp eyes of your superior on you, taking note of your shaky hands and hesitated moves. When you finally grasp the well-designed dagger, your superior’s voice rang through the room once more.

“Do not fail this mission.”

How are you going to approach this exactly? You felt your sweat drop when you realized you didn’t prepare a plan on how to kill the king. Which is pretty dumb, now that your thinking about it. Like, what did you expect to happen? You going up to him and just stab him? Before your dagger could hit the king, your head is already on the ground. You groaned in frustration, leaning back on the white-colored pillar. Great, now you're stuck. You sighed, rubbing the nape of your neck, as you gaze at the scenery before you. 

Gazing at the people dancing, you couldn’t help but feel the green of envy rising within you. Unlike you, they have the best life. Once living in the slums of Snezhnaya, many times almost freezing to death. One of those times is when you met the queen of the frozen land, the Tsaritsa. Many wondered why she took you in, a girl abandoned in the streets. From her patience and pitied love for you, she took you in and made you a member of the organization known as the “Fatui”. Trained under a strict teacher, you grew up to be an assassin. An assassin whose hands are stained with the blood of the victims you killed for the Tsaritsa herself. 

“Excuse me.” A voice so silk, maturity evident in it, one that you heard earlier. You look up from your gaze at the ground to meet the eyes like the sun. From the distance, you didn’t notice how his white iris looks sharp, but now upon closer inspection, you can see it clearly. He gave you a soft smile, moving his hand from behind his back and extended it to you. You stared at it, confusion dancing in your eyes before gazing at the man you were destined to kill. “Would you care for a dance with me?” He said, amusement clear in his eyes. You felt your cheeks warmed up at your obliviousness. “Uhm… sure.” You said in a low voice, placing your hand on his. Despite the gloves you two are wearing, you can feel the warmth radiating from within. 

Feeling albeit awkward, obvious tension in the air, he guided you to the dance floor, hand firmly yet gently grasping yours. You weren’t sure if he noticed the air of tension surrounding you two or if he was simply ignoring it. Twirling you around a little bit, he stops your mini twirl by placing his large hand on your waist. You, knowing the dance steps ever since you had to undercover in a masquerade party, placed your hand on his shoulder and took a step back, him following suit by stepping forward. A dance with the king of Liyue, what a cliche moment. You can feel his eyes on you, feeling embarrassed about his obvious staring at you (and the stares you were getting around you), you continued staring at the amulet on his chest. 

“You know, when dancing, one must look at the eyes of their partner. Not at their chest.” The king said in a low voice, chuckling a little. How is he amused at this situation? The king is really a strange person. Flushing in embarrassment for getting called out, you look up to meet his expectant gaze. Seeing his lips quirking up as your gaze met his, he tilted his head slightly as he spun you around in tune with the others and held you close when you faced him once more. “Tell me, where do you hail from? I don’t think I’ve ever seen your face before.” You knew that this was coming, so you rehearsed your answer while going here. “I came from Inazuma, being sent here by my father, Chief Haruki. I came as a replacement for him, he humbly apologizes that he cannot be here at the ball tonight.” It wasn’t technically a lie, chief Haruki was indeed a real person living in Inazuma and was secretly working for the Fatui. 

You noticed how his eyes narrowed slightly, yet his entire face still remains unchanged. Closing his eyes while sighing softly. “I see.” You stared at him a couple of minutes before opening your mouth. “The people around us.. They’re not all nobles, are they?” Asking softly, only reserved to the two of you. His eyes scanning the people around you two before leaning in your ear, his hot breath near your ear made shivers run down your spine. “Quite an eye you have, my dear. But nevertheless, you are correct. Some of them are the orphans I’ve taken in under my wing.” You let out a chuckle. “How noble of you, your highness.” “Call me Morax instead.” Leaning back, he lets go of your waist as he clasps his gloved-hands on yours, dragging you gently. 

You raised a brow at this. “And where do you think you are taking me, Mr. Morax? I have no intention of doing any frisky rendezvous with you.” You can hear him laughing in front of you, turning his head to the side to glance at you. “Rest assured, my dear. I have no intention to take you to bed. I just thought a fresh air is what we need.” He explained, chuckling at the end before facing forward again. Flushing a bit at his laughter, you pouted while glaring at him. “You could’ve just told me that.” You mumbled angrily. He simply ignored your complaints, using his free hand to push open a door leading to a garden. 

You marveled at the sight of it, it was beautifully decorated with glaze lilies and silk flowers. Adding to the beauty were neon-orange-colored butterflies flying around. While you were in awe at your surroundings, you didn’t notice the fond look that the king was giving to you. He lets go of your hand as he steps forward into the enchanting garden. Missing already his large hand against yours, you followed suit, resisting the urge to hold his hand once more. “What a beautiful garden.” “Thank you for your kind words.” He slightly leaned forward to hold a glaze lily in his hand. “Did you know that glaze lilies only reveal their beauty at the sound of music? A pure song, one that used to belong to someone who loved this flower more than any other.” He said, on his face is a gentle smile, yet you noted how sad it seems. 

His eyes and smile so captivating and warm, yet hiding so many secrets. It made you want to know more about the man in front of you, not as the ruler Rex Lapis but as Morax. You stayed silent as you gaze at the flower in his hand. “They used to be everywhere in Liyue, but now… there are hardly any of them left. They are now rare and almost to the brink of being extinct.” He said, not hiding or masking the sadness in his voice as he lets go of the flower. Straightening his back again, turning to look at you, smiling apologetically at you. “Apologies. It seems like I went into my infamous rants.” Morax said, bowing his head slightly. 

You shake your head, smiling in return. “It’s fine. Your voice is oddly.. soothing.” He chuckles at your comment. “Indeed. I have gotten comments about my voice being soothing to hear.” “That’s why I shall suggest that you continue your rant. I can see it in your eyes that you have much more you want to share.” You chuckled. His eyes widened a bit, surprised that you manage to see through him before shaking his head slightly while huffing in amusement. “You are an interesting girl, my dear.”

“Why should I have a ball to begin with?” The question left Rex Lapis’ lips before he could stop them, making every head within the room turn their heads to the king. He doesn’t need to host a ball when there is no special occasion to celebrate as. “Rex Lapis, you must understand that the nation needs two rulers. A king and a queen. It would not only be beneficial for the people, but for you as well.” Ningguang explained, spinning her smoking pipe around her fingers, her gaze sharp as ever. Her red eyes staring at Rex Lapis’ face, curious at what his reaction would be. Rex Lapis only sighed. “I see..”

Closing his eyes as he stands up from his chair, opening his eyes to look at his fellow Adepti and the people in the Qixing. “I think this meeting is over. I shall take my leave now. Good day to you all.” Without any wait for a reply, he quickly left the room. When the door closed behind him, he sighed deeply as he started walking to his sanctuary, the garden. The garden that used to belong to his previous wife, the previous queen of Liyue. Opening the doors, he smiled at the beauty of the garden. It was as if she never left. 

He sat down on a nearby bench, gazing fondly at the geo-Crystalfly, only landing beside him. He gazes at it before sighing once more, running a hand through his hair, messing up his front hair slightly. “‘A new queen’ they said. ‘Beneficial for both the people of Liyue and me’ she said. I don’t understand mortals at all.” Rex Lapis tried to understand the minds of his people, but he still can’t grasp how extreme their minds can be sometimes. And this makes Rex Lapis more intrigued with them even more. The growing desire inside him continues to grow each passing day. Since when did this desire to be one of the mortals began? Was it when his late wife used to speak so fondly of them? He’s not sure but a thought kept lingering at the back of his mind, his attention shifting from the butterfly to the silhouette of Liyue Harbor in the distance. 

Should he leave the crown for good now?

He gazes at the blue-colored sky above, silver linings around the clouds as they form various shapes. “... not yet.” He whispers to himself. “It’s not yet the right time.”

Your laughter breaking the silence of the night as Rex Lapis finished telling a tale. It seemed like his knowledge about many things concerning Liyue is unending, you didn’t mind listening to him ranting about how the Guhua Plains came to be, how the rocks formed in various places in Liyue, and so on. A blush dust your cheeks as you stared at Rex Lapis who was about to tell a story yet again. Suddenly a sudden gush of cold wind blew your way, making you visibly shiver, cursing in your head for not wearing something suitable for the cold. You blink when you felt something placed on your shoulder, looking up, you noticed that Rex Lapis wasn’t anymore wearing his coat. Connecting the dots, and looking at your shoulders, you felt your face become more warm when you realized he noticed you shivering and gave you his fancy coat. “T-Thanks..” You mumbled, clutching his coat tightly while giving him a shy smile. “It is only right for me to share my coat when I was the one who dragged you out in this freezing evening, no?” He chuckles as he picks up where he left off in his tale. 

You stared at his back, now noticing how well-built he is from behind. You tried your hardest to not stare at his lower area, it is sacrilegious afterall. You let out a loving sigh, but that made your eyes widened in horror. Deep inside you, you felt something unknown yet so familiar. It was welcoming and warm. Heart thumping widely in your chest, the warm feeling spreading, the warm smile and that sigh just now. Realization struck you hard, making you even more scared than before. The horrifying truth you’ve concluded when adding all of your symptoms. You were falling in love with him. 

Rex Lapis noticed that you stopped walking judging from the lack of footsteps behind him, his words trailing off as he turned around to see what was wrong only to be surprised at tears falling from your wide eyes. “Are you alright, love? Why are you crying? Did I say something that made you cry? If I did so, I apologize sincerely.” He was panicking. It was evident in his voice that he’s panicking as he walks to you and wipe away the tears flowing with his thumb. Worry etched his face as he gazed at your [E/C] eyes. You continued to sob, not anymore needing to hide the tears. Why? Why did you have to fall in love with someone you were meant to kill?

What made you even more surprised, and made your poor heart jump, is when Rex Lapis leaned in and kissed your eyes. “Shh.. Don’t cry. Tears don't suit your beauty afterall.” You felt your face heat up at his action, wanting to shy away from him but at the same time, wanting more of his gentle touch and lips. You sniffed as his hands wiped away your leftover tears. Looking at him, you were met with his gentle and reassuring gaze. A smile that says everything would be alright. Lies. You inhaled sharply as your eyes travelled from his face to the clock, conveniently placed, behind him. It was almost midnight. His death is almost due. 

Please don’t let the bells sound for midnight. Please no. 

But you knew you needed to. Despite the limited time you two have, he was able to give you unforgettable memories that you’ll forever cherish with all your heart. Who knew you were into this kind of cheesiness? Childe would always tease you about being secretly cheesy, it seems like he’s right about this one. “... Are you alright, love? Is there something still wrong?” Your gaze shifted back to Morax, who was looking at you with great concern. You take a deep breath. It’s now or never.

You gave him a smile, a smile holding regret and love for the king. Even if your feelings were mutual, it would still remain unrequited as you take his life. “Thank you for this night, my king. This has been a wonderful evening indeed.” Rex Lapis stared at you with a blank face, his smile that you were used to seeing isn’t anymore visible in his face. It was replaced by a hard and stoic face. Deafening silence surrounds you both in this chilly evening, the silence making you shift slightly. After what seems like forever, he opens his mouth to speak. “You sound like you’re saying farewell. The ball hasn’t reached its conclusion yet.” You can feel tears starting to build in your eyes again as you forced them back. “I’m really sorry.”

Before he could make a comment about your apology, you grab your dagger and try to stab him through the chest but thanks to his fast reflexes, he was able to dodge at the last minute. Your dagger grazing at his clothes slightly. His eyes wide, maybe he was surprised at your betrayal? Was he furious? Would he call for the guards now? You cannot hesitate, not now. Not when you’re so close in fulfilling your mission. You went for the kill again, and without missing a beat, he dodge, catching your hand in the process. “Stop this, my love.” He whispered in your ear. You inhaled sharply, feeling your heart fluttering from the closeness, but you shouldn’t let this feeling of yours get in the way of finishing the king. 

Summoning a dagger made out of water, using your ‘delusion’, on your other hand, you strike him with it. Rex Lapis eyes widened as he tried to dodge your incoming second dagger by jumping back, but he wasn’t fast enough as it stabbed him in the side. He groans, placing his hand on the wound. The blood was staining his shirt as he clicked his tongue. You huffed, breathing in and out before opening your eyes, clouded with bloodlust and nothingness. It was glowing beneath your bangs. “Target spotted. Killing target now.” Your voice resembles a robot, a mindless slave. 

His eyes saddened at the thought of what you have been through to be like this. He knew you were after his life, Xiao and his fellow Adepti warned him about this. But he was intrigued by you the moment he laid his eyes on your lonesome figure. Even though you tried to hide it, he noticed how your eyes shone with awe as you gaze at the ornaments decorated the room. Cute, that was his thought. A childish girl behind the cold facade. Interesting. He knew you were part of the ‘Fatui’. He knew that you were ordered to kill him before midnight. He knew and yet he didn’t care. The possibility of dying in your hands still lingers at the back of his mind, yet he can’t help but get drawn to you. You were special in his eyes. A glaze lily, so rare and beautiful. 

You could even say he was falling in love with you with each passing second he spent with you.

Rex Lapis lets out a chuckle at the thought of his fellow Adepti reprimanding him for falling for you, but he can’t do anything about it. A heart wants what a heart wants, he knew that perfectly. And from his foolish love for you, he allowed you to strike him in the chest, piercing the amulet in the process. Your eyes widened at what you did, not believing what you had just seen. Why didn’t he move? He could perfectly dodge it like he did earlier so why? While your mind is in a frenzy, he allowed himself to hug you in his chest as he bled out. 

“W-Why-? Why didn’t.. you dodge?” You whispered in pure disbelief. He chuckles, running his hand through your hair, destroying its style earlier. “Who knows..? Even I am wondering that.” Feeling himself weakening, he pulls himself away from you as he gaze tenderly in your wide, frightened eyes. He smiles gently, moving closer to kiss your forehead. “You should probably get going, my love.. You wouldn’t want to get caught by the Millelith now.” He whispered. You didn’t say anything as you pulled away from his hold. Looking at his eyes as he nodded his head, urging you to go. Without saying anything, you run away. Stumbling a bit with your heels, you felt it slipping from your feet but you could care less about it as you continued to run, leaving the shoe behind. 

Watching as your figure disappeared from view, he placed a hand over his wound, feeling himself healing from his wounds. He knew he wouldn’t just die from a simple stab. What he didn’t account for is that the dagger you used is laced with poison, making him weak, to the point he has to sit on the ground. Huffing and puffing his eyes landed on the forgotten glass slipper, chuckling a bit. “Maybe.. It is truly time to depart.” 

“Eh? What do you mean Rex Lapis disappeared?!” 

“Calm yourself, Keqing. There must be an explanation for this, I presume?”

“We don’t know, lady Ningguang. We tried searching for his highness everywhere but he can’t be found. But there was blood in the garden along with a glass slipper.”

“Hm… I see.”

“What should we do then? We can’t just tell the people that Rex Lapis just mysteriously disappeared.”

“I speculate it was an attempt of assassination. But the question is, where is he? Where is his body?”

“An assassination for the king?! Who would dare to do such a thing?!”

“Hm… let us think this thoroughly with the Adepti. Now that Rex Lapis is gone, we must take over as the Qixing of Liyue.”

“... alright.”

“You. Call the Adepti. An important meeting is about to happen.”

“Yes, lady Ningguang.”

“.. Your highness?” Appearing before you like the wind was the king himself, but you noted his appearance changed. Despite still appearing all regal, he seems more lax than the last time you appeared before him. Guilt consumed you when memories of that night came rushing to you, but it made you wonder. Why was he here before you? Why was he still alive? Weeks passed since you ‘killed’ Rex Lapis. But it appears you failed your mission since his highness is before you, looking healthy and alive. Questions filled your mind, making you more confused than ever. The Qixing and the Adepti have already announced his passing, his Rite of Passing was due a few days from now. So what exactly happened-?

“It seems my appearance has confused you, my dear.” He chuckled, calm as ever with the same amused glint in his eyes. You tried searching for anger or resentment in them, for ‘killing’ him but you couldn’t find any. All you saw was amusement and affection. “Why are you still alive..? Did the Qixing and the Adepti lie about your death..?” You asked, your voice barely a whisper. “.. may I at least come inside? I’ll explain it to you once we’re out of the public eye.” He said. You numbly nodded, still couldn’t wrap your head around Rex Lapis still being alive. Did the poison not work? Did I fail my mission-?

“By the way… you mustn’t call me Rex Lapis or Morax anymore.” He said, entering your humble home. Staring at you with the eyes you fell in love with, the same one glinting beneath the moonlight and under the light of the dozen chandeliers. “Call me Zhongli.”

[x] Main Page || [x] Liyue Page

[daddy-chiluc]

Inextinguishable Fire | Chiluc Week Day 1

Fake Dating/Accidental Confession/Roommates AU

Chiluc Fluff

Tw: Mentions of a Stalker

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“Ajax! I need your help!” He chimed, his pale knuckles knocking lightly on the door. The sound of creaking soaked through the door, floorboards cried under his weight as his shadow shifted beneath the door. The faintest sound of a groan resonated through the door as it was slowly opened.

The sunlight from the apartment began to creep into his dark room, it’s darkness swallowed around the tall, pale figure before him. The veins in his hands moved as he gripped at the door and it’s frame, his muscles stretching as he curved his back in a weak attempt to pop it. Whatever he had done last night must’ve been eventful, bruises littered his knuckles as cuts and scratches tore at his skin with every breath.

“What’s up Sparky?” He groaned, the sound reverberating through the quiet hallway as he yawned, his bed head unruly as it curled and stuck out in different directions, his sleepy tears rolling down his freckled cheeks.

“I have a problem and I need your help.” Diluc had muttered, determined to fix his gaze upon those ocean blues that drowned him shamelessly with every look. They’d look down at him, up at him, study him and care for him. An overwhelming tsunami sure to swallow him whole and send his head underwater, taking away every breath he took.

“What kinda problem?” Ajax was intrigued. A problem? Whatever this problem was it obviously stressed him out a great deal — his hair was a frenzied mess, curls displaced down his back and along his shoulders from where they had been agitated; probably from where he had been running his fingers through it. Even in his sleepy haze, he could see his fingers were irritated, most likely from scratching, and his lips were chapped, his bottom lip with patches of raw skin, swollen and bleeding. He’d been chewing and pulling at the skin of his lips.

“So you remember why we’re rooming? Because I had a stalker on campus?” He worried, starting to scratch at his neck, most likely from anxiety.

“Yeah…I remember very well. They tried to break into the dorm you shared with that Albedo guy. I chased ‘em off,” he groaned, rubbing at his face, trying to rub his drowsiness away, “What about ‘em? Do I need to beat the shit outta them?” He murmured as he studied the man before him.

“Well…no, not yet I don’t think. That’s not…”

“What’s wrong Diluc?” He whispered gently, his voice deep and raspy from having just woken up. His voice alone was enough to send a shiver down Diluc’s spine.

“I’ve been invited to a double date and the people who invited me think I’m dating you and I don’t know what to do so I came to you thinking you’d know what to do and even though I know how to protect myself I’m still not comfortable knowing there isn’t a restraining order on that stalker so I figured —,”

“Diluc, slow down. You’re rambling, I need you to have mercy on me here,” he laughed as he reached for a t-shirt, “Look, I get this is making you anxious. Why not just tell them you don’t feel up to hanging out right now? Better yet, invite them to the apartment, I don’t care.” He slipped the tee on, the collar hang forward from where it had been stretched out.

The idea of ‘asking another friend’ really wasn’t much of an option for Diluc. He had far too many trust issues and the only reason why he’d hung around Ajax was because he was there the night the stalker had broken in, talking pictures of him and stealing precious items. Had it not been for Albedo’s attempt to stop him, Ajax wouldn’t have heard the ruckus.

“Look, I need you to calm down before you tell me. I can’t keep up when you anxiety ramble,” he smiled softly, nodding to the living room, “Go sit on the couch and wait for me, I’ll brush your hair out and you can go from there okay?” For someone as flamboyant as Kaeya — maybe even more so — he was rather calm in the mornings whereas Kaeya would be loud and dramatic.

Striding along their shared apartment, he sat on the couch as he listened to the winds howl and the birds chirp. He remembered telling the pair he had online classes to worry about, the classes becoming stressful, only adding to his exhaustion after the stalker incident. Feeling the sofa dip behind him, he relaxed instinctively as he sat behind him, pulling his hair behind him before he gently brushed at the hairs, careful not to snag a single strand.

“So start from the beginning for me,” he said calmly, his fingers carding through his hair with each stroke of the hairbrush.

“I was invited to a double date…,” he whispered, slumping forward just a bit as he fiddled his his fingers.

“By who?”

“By Albedo.”

“You’re old roommate?” Diluc nodded as best he could, his weight sinking into the cushions beneath him.

“Why not just invite him and his partner here?”

“I tried but he said he doesn’t want to be a bother and he’d rather pay for coffee down the road.” He sank into his touch as he lightly massaged his scalp.

“And you said he thinks we’re dating?” Diluc hummed, tilting his head back, melting under his touch.

“Yeah, I couldn’t get a word in over the phone, I tried to tell him we weren’t and he didn’t believe me.” He sighed, some of his tension leaving his body.

“And you’re worried about that stalker again?” Diluc hummed again, his eyes closing as Ajax braided the sides to pull into a small ponytail, draping the rest if his tamed hair over his shoulders and down his back.

“Then we’ll go and just call it a fake date.” He shrugged, his hands leaving the tamed red locks his fingers were busied with.

“The two of us on a fake date?” Diluc had thought of it, he just hadn’t expected for him to have the same idea, “What would we even do, how would that —,”

“Dont stress about it too much, just follow my lead,” Ajax soothed, brushing a piece of his hair behind his ear. It was brief when Diluc looked away, Ajax’s eyes stealing a glance at his red lips, his gaze lingering a moment longer than he would’ve liked as the other stared off at the pristine, white wall.

“Look, if it bothers you that much then I’ll just go as company alright? No need to worry your pretty head Aphrodite,” Diluc’s skin burned violently as his mind began to crash, he could feel himself drowning once more, water filling his lungs and his throat as a light kiss was pressed to his temple.

“Why did you —,”

“We’re fake dating right? We gotta make it believable Rosebud, might as well get a head start,” he chuckled as he walked back to his room to get dressed, “Let me know what time we’re leaving,” he called down the hall, his voice bouncing and echoing down the cramped space as Diluc sat mindlessly on the sofa. God, he could be so insufferable sometimes. His fingers feathered over his temple, the ghost of his lips setting his heart aflame as he scoffed. Sure, he helped when he was needed and slept most of the day because of his night classes, but he could be so…so annoying.

An hour had ticked away along the clock’s hands, Diluc looking on in severe distaste at the basic tee and jeans Ajax had chosen. It was so basic Diluc couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he drug him back to his room, rifling through the other’s wardrobe, desperate to find something better for him to wear.

“Take that off, before I rip it off you,” Diluc’s tone was bitter, as he glared at him.

“So forward Diluc,” Ajax snickered, pulling the t-shirt off slowly, teasingly, loving the irritated noise that squeezed itself past Diluc’s throat. His touch against his skin was scalding as he took his shirt off for him. It made his heart flutter and burn like a forest fire in his chest with each breath, becoming far more dire with every inhale — dire for the need to touch him delicately, to let his fingers gingerly trace the underside of his jaw and press chaste kisses to his neck. He swallowed thickly, knowing his pale cheeks were burning with his hidden passion, the tips of his ears must have been burning as bright as the other’s hair. If they had, Diluc had chosen to ignore it, surely.

“Put this on.” Clothes were pushed to his chest, an assortment of colors that worked beautifully together, “I think a slate grey would look better, it’s softer,” he started to ramble, right, he was studying to be a fashion designer, he was also a minor in art, “No, no wait,” he went off, fingers gently skimming against his clothes, “Try this instead,” he handed him another outfit, taking away the sweater and pants he had handed him previously.

“Diluc, it’s a fake date…,” he whispered slowly as Diluc went back to looking through his clothes, “Why are you dressed like it’s a fancy outing, wearing heels, and going so in depth with clothes?”

“Well, Ajax,” he hummed with a swift turn of his heel, his hair spinning as he lifted the other’s chin with his finger, sending Ajax reeling from his spot on his bed. Don’t even get him started on the way he said his name like that, “One, it’s called having a taste in fashion and being a minor in art. Two, they aren’t heels, they’re dress shoes,” he leaned in closely, a smirk danced uncharacteristically along his features as his breath fanned over his lips, “We gotta make it believable…Seerose.” Had it not been for rooming with him for four months his German would have been rough. He…he called him Water Lily in German. The perfect payback really. Ajax laughed lightly as the finger slipped from his chin as he stood up.

“Alright alright, I’ll be out in a moment.” Diluc had been grateful he had the other by his side, his heart hammered in his chest.

“How do I look Firefly?” He chimed, a cheesy grin on his face as he walked back into his room.

“Better,” Diluc was pleased with the outfit. It had gone silent rather quickly, the incessant buzz of the AC being the only noise that had filled the room, “Hey…I have a question.”

“Shoot Sparky,” Ajax relaxed, slouching back just a bit as Diluc eyed him, watching his every move like a hawk.

“Did you want to go on the double date with me?” Ajax’s face flushed. Yes, yes he absolutely wanted to…but how could he admit that so casually?

“Just thought it’d be a cool idea, that’s all.”

“A cool idea?” Diluc had doubted that with every fiber of his being. He could tell by the way he spoke and the way his body had tensed up there was something up.

“Yeah, pretty much.” He shrugged, his body going rigid.

“You’re lying.”

“What?”

“I said you’re lying.”

“Yeah, I heard you the first time but what makes you think I’m lying?”

“You’re too tense.” He said simply, stepping closer eyes cut to examine every bead of sweat that formed on his face, every freckle and every line in his forehead, “Why did you propose the idea of a fake date, and be honest.”

“I am being honest!” He panicked, he could feel his body begin to flare with heat as Diluc walked closer and closer.

“No you aren’t Ajax.”

“Why does it matter?” Ajax argued, as he took slow, consistent steps back.

“Because I’m the last person you should love—,”

“So what if I do?!” Ajax’s voice echoed within the dark room as sunlight streamed through the curtains as he was backed into the wall. His heart raced in his chest as it clicked. He…he just admitted to loving his roommate. The very roommate he saved four months ago and offered to go on a fake date with. He hadn’t meant for it to be so raw, so unromantic that he himself had to groan at his own stupidity.

“…So you’re actually in love with me?” Ajax’s lips pursed shut, as he looked away, embarrassment settling in his bones, flooding every crevice of his body.

“Ajax?”

“Yes, Diluc, I’m in love with you, for fuck sake.” He groaned, his head thumping against the wall as he threw his head back. He was dizzy, his eyes wide as warm hands cupped his cheeks with a forceful kiss pressed to his lips — desperate. Everything in this moment was a blur to him, he just knew he tasted sweet, like sugar and pastries. He could feel the quiver of his lip and it felt right. It felt so, so right.

“C-call, call it off,” he groaned, melting into the kiss with every touch as his lithe fingers traced the veins in his neck, “Call off the meet up—,” he whispered thinly, pulling him impossibly closer as he kissed him feverishly, passion burning in each press of their lips. Diluc gasped as he was suffocated with every gentle kiss pressed to his skin. He pulled at the hairs of his neck, allowing himself to be dragged down to the bottom of the ocean. Lightly, he pushed him away to breathe, laughing lightly at their disheveled state as he cleaned them both up as best he could.

“Or, we could actually make it a date instead of a fake one,” he proposed, hands busying themselves with bronze curls.

“Yes. Fuck yes, I would absolutely love that,” he whispered as he went back to kissing him over and over, grateful for his stupid mouth talking too much.

“A date it is then,” Diluc mumbled against his lips as he allowed himself to be devoured by the other’s warm embrace, “A date it is…” Ajax sank into his touch, feeling his fingers hold him closely by his jaw as his lips met his over and over, his warmth scorching his skin, a fire that could never be extinguished…a fire that could never be extinguished.

[yan-genshin]

- a/n: i’ve already written for kaeya in a very similar scenario here [x]- which was of the traveler leaving mondstat- so just to kinda specify the difference here, this is about the darling just leaving teyvat as in leaving the world- it doesn’t have to be the traveler really (let’s just... assume there’s other outlanders), but just thought i’d specify the difference! after all, leaving a country has much lower stakes than leaving the world. 

- warnings: general yandere content, nonconsensual use of drugs, implied physical violence

♥︎ diluc ragnvindr

diluc is stubborn. he doesn’t want to face his feelings- he’s too busy, he has priorities, he can’t let himself get too close to someone like that; he tries to suppress his “crush”, and it festers and grows unchecked, spiraling out into an unhealthy obsession wherein diluc doesn’t even notice how suddenly all he seems to think about is them

he should be concentrating on keeping mondstat safe. he should be putting his energy into doing what the knights seem to fail to do- and yet even when he’s slashing down enemies or getting information, his mind invariably always settles on thoughts of them. are they safe right now? are they in the city, or traveling the roads? if they’re out, are they staying clear from hilichurl camps? they aren’t hurt, right?

“master diluc, you called for me?” they come into the winery, weapon slung over their back. he frowns- they look disheveled, as if they’d gotten into a scuffle before getting there. he knows that slimes tend to frequent around the winery, much to his distaste- in theory, he’s well aware that they’re capable enough to fend off against some slimes, but it still leaves a bitter taste in his mouth to think of them being attacked by monsters. still, the sight of them calms his heart- he’d been gone for some weeks chasing down some information from some abyss mages, and the only thing he’d been able to think about was whether his... “friend” was safe. he’d never admit it if asked, but he didn’t actually have a real reason to have summoned them here; he just... needed to see them. it was fine; he could just say he wanted to discuss something. anything. it didn’t matter, as long as he could keep them close for a while.

even if he refuses to think about his own emotions, they keep growing. past crush, past love, morphing into obsession, stalkerish, feverish obsession. it’s not hard for him to get information of their whereabouts, but it’s just not enough. what can he do if he’s far away and they’re in danger? there’s nothing he can do by just knowing that- and he’s running out of excuses to invite them over and make them stay the night in one of the guest rooms, he’s running out of excuses to make them stick by him

he’s so caught up in his own dilemma of trying to keep them close, of keeping them safe (despite them being able to hold up on their own- he can’t trust anyone to keep them safe, not the knights, not themselves, if he’s not the one to protect them he can’t rest) that the thought of them simply not... belonging on teyvat never crosses his mind. not until they mention how they’ve found a way to leave

leave teyvat. just- leave the world, take flight and go far beyond where any archon- where diluc- can reach. and something in him breaks. it’s no longer him just wanting them to be safe; it’s something much more selfish, much more simple- he doesn’t want them to leave. and yet he tries to cover it up, to justify it: he needs to stop them for their own good. he needs to stop them; surely, they don’t understand what they’re doing, he’s right, he’s reasonable and calculated, he’s doing what he has to-

“i can’t let you leave.” diluc’s words are scarily serious. in his table, it’s just him and his beloved (that’s the word, that’s what they are; he’s in too deep to try and fool himself they’re anything but, not with the way his heart speeds up with them, not with the way his jealousy flares when they as much as speak to someone else). their eyes widen for a second, and then they seem to try and relax, perhaps trying to tell themselves diluc is cracking a joke. but diluc isn’t the type to kid around- and as his gaze digs into them, they’re suddenly painfully aware of the fact their weapon isn’t with them, their bag with all their belongings stashed away in a guest room. diluc notices their rising panic- he understands, he really does, but this is for their own good. “don’t try to stand too fast- you’re not making it too far. don’t worry, the drug in your drink isn’t dangerous. i just need you asleep so you don’t do something stupid and hurt yourself.”

if the people of mondstat knew their beloved darknight hero, knew that the handsome bachelor and wine tycoon diluc was capable of this- of drugging someone so he could lock them inside his own home- they’d be horrified. and he’s horrified, too; diluc isn’t even given the respite of deluding himself into thinking his actions are correct, but he can at least tell himself they’re justified. he isn’t- it’s not as if he’s forcing himself onto them, or hurting them, he’s just keeping them safe. he’s doing what he has to do.

diluc becomes almost condescending. at first he just takes away all weapons (if his darling has a vision he’ll be taking that too), keeping them in a windowless, but furnished, room. and then he takes away all objects he deems “dangerous”- perhaps he can see how depressed and hurt they are, how badly he’s destroyed them, and he fears they’ll try to hurt themselves in retaliation- any vaguely sharp or heavy object is taken away, furniture bolted to the ground, utensils taken away after every meal. “keeping them safe” may be what he claims he’s doing, but in reality, he’s almost infantilizing them, his twisted obsession and desire to protect them culminating in an almost bizarre behaviour in which he doesn’t show affection towards them but almost seems to expect them to all of a sudden give him the much-desired attention he craves

“you- why won’t you cooperate and understand? quit being so immature- i’m trying to keep you safe, don’t you get it?” the frustration in diluc’s voice is almost palpable as he looks at his darling. they’re huddled in the bed, refusing to speak or move. it shouldn’t be shocking- it’s been what, four months? maybe five, six? since he crushed their dreams of leaving the land, since he essentially took their life into his hands. he knows that what he did wasn’t good, but he just doesn’t understand why they’re acting like this. he’s decorated their room perfectly, no dangers and no sharp corners, highly-expensive furniture bolted to the ground, he’s given them books and harmless gadgets to entertain themselves with, he’s done everything he can to make a small safe heaven for them, and yet they’re so... ungrateful, flinching when he walks in, always crying. they’re lucky that diluc’s obsession doesn’t run a more violent course; he doesn’t consider using violence to finally make them answer, despite how easy it’d be to heat his hands just enough to hurt with his vision, despite how easy it’d be to finally make them realize how hard he’s working for them by reminding them how pain feels and how he’s making sure they don’t feel it- but no, he won’t. or at least, not yet.

♥︎ kaeya alberich

kaeya isn’t subtle about his attraction to them, but he never sends a clear signal- if there’s one thing he is not, it’s easy to read. when he first begins to find his mind full of thoughts about them, when he finds himself staring at them, throwing flirty comments with the intent to actually flatter and not fluster, kaeya takes it in stride as well as he can

... which is, shockingly, not was well as one would think. for all kaeya plays around as a “playboy” or “big flirt”, when it comes to actual feelings, he’s not experienced. in fact, he finds himself almost... hurting. he never gets too close to people, never leaves an opening for himself to get hurt, and yet he can tell he’s fallen hard for the outlander

feelings of jealousy and possessiveness seem to come in clutch, a rather ironic thing considering that while kaeya won’t tolerate even a compliment towards them, always stepping in and whisking them away, he seems to still be freely flirting with anyone he pleases- but really, it’s just a feeble attempt to keep up the normalcy. kaeya knows better than anyone how easy it is to form rumors, and he doesn’t quite want people speaking because he’s suddenly stopped his flirty behaviour and always hangs around one specific person

“could i perhaps bother you for a second? you see, jean asked me to go investigate some ruins near starsnatch cliff, but all the knights are busy right now. it’ll be a quick job, just come and go- care to accompany me? of course, i’ll treat you to a hot meal afterwards, as thanks.” kaeya is smooth and doesn’t falter as he speaks to them, watching as their face brightens at the mention of a warm meal. perhaps it’s mean of him to use that for leverage- as an outlander, they don’t have any home to call their own, often camping outside or paying for inns when the can afford to- and he knows very well a proper warm meal isn’t common for them. also, he’s lying through his teeth. he knows damn well there’s a ruin guard laying dormant in the ruins (that’s actually the reason why he’s supposed to go there, to get rid of it)- and with only two people, who knows how long it’ll take for them to get rid of the machine. but it’s fine- it’s just a little danger, it’s worth it for some time with them

the habit of lying to his darling to get them to do as he pleases is one kaeya can’t shake off. they aren’t naive, per se, but they can’t help but be a bit lost when it comes to cultural or historical things to do with the land, something kaeya is more than willing to use to his advantage. he doesn’t mind danger- doesn’t mind leading them right into a hilichurl camp so he can “save them”, doesn’t mind treking out right before a storm so they’re “stuck with him” on a tent while the weather clears out

there’s no formal relationship- kaeya never confesses, never decides to call them his partner- and yet it almost feels like he’s singlehandedly decided he’s dating them now. pet names, dates, affection; it’s all too much at once, and yet his smooth and tricky demeanour makes it almost impossible to turn any of it down. it’s as if he’s suddenly speeding up, going faster than before; perhaps because he fears they’ll soon try to leave mondstat- but oh, wouldn’t it be awful if the people began to talk about how they came in, seduced the cavalry captain, and then left? that’d be quite horrible, wouldn’t it? perhaps they’ll have to stay just a bit more- to clear things up and whatnot

“now, now, don’t be so hasty. where are you going now? you wouldn’t be thinking of leaving without me, would you?” the outlander seems to almost jump out of their skin as kaeya seemingly pops out of nowhere, sliding his arm around their shoulder. they’re at mondstat’s gates; they’d truly just meant to go out and train, to have a breather (to try and get some alone time, before kaeya dragged them off to do some weird quest or job), and yet the blue-haired captain had somehow caught them at the gate. they weren’t sneaking out; they had all the right to come and go, and yet dread pools in their gut, feeling as if though they’d been caught doing something wrong. kaeya chuckles, but the look in his eye isn’t quite as entertained. “i can’t say i’m a fan of you doing this, darling.”

when did his little lovesick fantasies evolve from just dreaming of kissing them and holding them to wanting to see them cry? when did the emotion he thought was love morph into the dark, unsightly obsession that churned in him, spurring him to keep manipulating and bending his darling to his will? it’s perhaps tragic that kaeya has never been one to bother himself too much with having good morals; he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get the results he wants in any scenario

and so hearing his darling shakily admit that they’re trying to figure out how to leave just spurs him on. oh, it breaks him, don’t get him wrong; kaeya’s had enough of being abandoned, of being tossed aside. and even though he rarely lets his heart be seen, in that moment, his darling sees him as vulnerable as he can be- crying, clinging to them. are they going to abandon him too, huh? toss him aside and leave him to fend for himself? it’s miserable and shocking; perhaps enough to temporarily stun his darling, to make them falter. it’s so easy to forget months of manipulation and pain seeing kaeya’s tears and hearing his sobs- it’s... too easy to tell themselves they “can stay a while more”

and that “while” might turn longer than they think. there’s nothing for kaeya to lose anymore; he can’t “move too fast�� now, because he can either pounce or he can lose his darling forever. it’s a high stakes situation, and even if it takes destroying their weapons and any sort of power they have, even if it takes him locking them away in the basement to his home, it’s ok. it would have ended in this anyways and he knows it; eventually he’d have cracked, he’d have taken them for himself anyways. they just sped up the process

“you’re so cold to me, baby.” his tone is almost mocking as he tugs on the chain that’s connected to their neck, forcing them to look up to him. they’re wearing one of his dress shirts- he kindly gave them the option to either wear that or go shirtless, and then proceeded to coo over how adorable they looked, about how lovely and domestic it felt to have them wear his clothes.  as if there was anything domestic about keeping them locked in a basement, the heavy collar around their neck with a chain that connected to a sturdy metal bolt on the wall. one of his hands moves to caress their face- it’s cold, and his vision flashes, as if to warn them that if they try to jerk away or upset him, he isn’t above using his ice to make them sorely regret that. he relishes in the look of panic in their eyes (he’s so far gone from the version of himself he used to be, no longer entertained by the thought of regular affection, having now had a taste of how intoxicating it was to be in power, to see the fear in their eyes and to taste salty tears running down their cheeks). “won’t you give me a kiss? of course, i’d be glad to help you get... cooler, if you’d prefer to keep giving me the cold shoulder...”

[enigmaticengima]

When He’s Alone

Character(s): Diluc

Authors Note: This was inspired by a personal project, please enjoy!

[ MASTERLIST ]

Edit (1/16/2021): At the bottom of the post I’ve included a beautiful piece of artwork! Tags, Credit and Links are under the cut at the end!

Edit (1/18/2021): I just noticed the two missing paragraphs. It has been fixed!

Diluc has a natural talent for music and has a deep love and respect for it. When he was younger, before he became a Knight and when he wasn’t training, he could be found humming melodies and playing the Piano. However, after his father died, he stopped playing. Only on the rare occasions when he has time, is feeling sentimental, and he’s sure that he’s alone will you hear the lost, somber melodies echoing in the air.

          It was raining outside, a heavy downfall that filled the air with painful memories. It was a storm not dissimilar to that terrible night four years ago. Diluc was alone in the Winery, dim lights casting shadows on the wall as he read a book. The book in question was a biography, a tome recounting the tales and exploits of some well-known adventurer. He was finding it increasingly harder to focus, the loud bangs and occasional flashes of light were distracting him. After rereading the same paragraph on the same page several times, he gives up and closes the book.

           When he reaches his destination, placing the book back on the shelf, he spots something in the corner of the room. Dusty burgundy fabric haphazardly thrown over something. Giving into his desires, he walks over and removes it, shaking it out before placing it neatly on the nearby table. He remembered that fabric from when he was younger, the heaviness of it to the musty smell, it was the protective covering of his father’s Grand Piano. He could recall the countless hours he spent sitting on that bench, pressing the keys and making music. He smiled a small smile at the fond memories. Music was his guilty pleasure, and quite frankly, it still is. However, he never let himself indulge because... it was too painful. His father had taught him how to play, how to read music and cemented into him early on a deep love for the craft that held to this day. It was something that they did together, it was a major reason as to why they were so close.

He ran his hand over the lid, a buildup of dust over the parts that hadn’t been properly covered. Gently lifting it he checks pins and hammers, everything seemed okay inside. He props it open before moving to the bench. He lifts it, finding pages and pages of old forgotten melodies, music that he’d written, incomplete lyrics with half written harmonies that hadn’t seen the light of day in years.

          He sits on the floor and looks through every single one. He remembers a few, what his intent was when composing them and how he wanted them to sound, old lyrics that were the missing pieces to half completed projects - it came back so fast that it scared him. It was like it never truly left him, bubbling and bubbling up after being suppressed and pushed down to the point where it couldn’t. It was overwhelming. Trembling hands flipped through the now yellowed pages, these were his oldest works with some of his fathers old compositions having been mixed in. He stopped at a page, he’d written this melody specifically with Kaeya in mind - something easy enough for him to play when he had tried to teach him. It wasn’t too long, three pages in the key of C, incredibly simple rhythms compared to what he usually wrote.

Placing the rest of the old music back and closing the bench he placed his desired piece on the music stand. He sits down and lifts the Fall Board, revealing the keys underneath. There’s a pang in his heart as he readies himself to play. He starts slow, playing a simple scale after a while. Having not been used in four years, it was out of tune. Not too badly out of tune, but just enough that anyone with a trained ear could pick up on it. He takes a deep breath, and once he is ready, he begins.

          It was a rather melancholic melody, the feelings that he first felt when he met Kaeya. The tempo was slow, the notes were low to start. In addition to those young and innocent feelings it reminded him of the color blue, which was very much one of his brother’s colors. If he was going to be honest, he never really hated his brother. All he did was bring up a touchy topic at a bad time, and he’d tried to maim him. He was sure Kaeya hated him, and he had every right to. He’d accept the fact and just bear it, gritting his teeth when the cuts and jabs dug too deep.

          At some point he stopped playing what was written on the page, and played what he felt in that moment. Slow antagonizing melodies, harmonies that would haunt anyone listening. It wasn’t very loud, rather quiet and reserved. Expressing himself this way felt the most natural, in this moment he truly felt that he was himself. His frustration, his sadness, his grief, his fear... it was all there. After a while he stops, his impromptu ballad coming to an end. He takes a deep breath, lifting his hands from the pearly white keys. He surprised himself, he hadn’t expected to get carried away like that. He felt... better though, as if he’d just opened his heart to an old friend.

          Making a decision he gets up off the bench and puts the music away. He leaves the room, only to come back a few moments later with the proper materials to restore the piano. He cleans and dusts it off before tuning it. When he’s satisfied he shakes out the cover once more before placing it correctly over the piano. He lightly pats the top before putting away his materials, looking at the instrument longingly before leaving the room.

          Sometimes when it rains, somber melodies can be heard. Melodies cradled by the winds in such delicacy that they’re seldom heard by those who aren’t listening.

This art is posted with the permission of it’s illustrator, @bluepapermints​! Please check out their Twitter, @aldreichd, and their Instagram, @Aldreichdark, for more of their beautiful artwork! If you’d like to check out the original post from Twitter, click the link! 

This illustration is part of a set called The Silence/Between Us

https://twitter.com/aldreichd/status/1348817367757832193

[abysslarchiving]

a random mix of meta and headcanons that are left behind from when i was finishing kaeya’s dossier.

i tend to be a very? instinctive roleplayer? i don’t know to explain it, but when it comes to aspects of canon that are up in the air, i don’t really hesitate to stray away from it if it suits my vision. i’ve been known to stray from hard facts as well as if i don’t like them. anyway, kaeya’s going to be no different apparently.

it’s of my belief that the only reason kaeya is a knight is because of diluc. i cannot express how important diluc still is to kaeya despite the fact that they’re estranged. immediately after being abandoned by his father, of course he’s going to latch onto the first two people to take care of him.

everything that i’ve learned about kaeya leads me to believe that he didn’t go into the knights because he shows a lot of knightly virtues, but because he wanted to remain close to dliuc. kaeya very much idolised him, and saw him as an older brother of sorts, someone with the actual protectiveness and virtues of a knight, while kaeya was just playing pretend.

so when diluc left the knights, kaeya might have stayed behind but it was never the same after that. kaeya’s idolisation of diluc, as well as being in a household that he felt he never belonged in, not truly, left him with an inferiority complex and some level of imposter syndrome ( this might have actually worsened by ascending to the role of cavalry captain. ) i really believe that he did that out of some level of spite, where trying to grow out of his brother’s shadow just made him step back into it.

ergo, kaeya ... doesn’t really like his job. he’s incredibly good! at the tracking-down-criminals part. not so good at the rest of it. it’s revealed in the manga in a thought bubble when kaeya is meant to be escorting fussy merchants as per a knights duty. he quite literally thinks “i hate my job”, but i think there was definitely more to it than him having a rough day.

kaeya is incredibly reckless with his job. he’s a thrill seeker, he likes puzzles, he only likes his job when it’s interesting. i think one of the reasons that he doesn’t always tell jean and amber what exactly he’s doing is because he has questionable methods of gathering his intel. he’s been known for fraternise with the enemy constantly, which i think is an integral part of his character considering that he is a khaenri’ahn spy. but besides that, whether out of boredom or what ? sometimes he intentionally puts his men in danger, sometimes he lets criminals go if they’re interesting enough.

it amazes me sometimes that kaeya still has a job because of these traits. they’re not knightly at all. by letting criminals go he’s endangering more people and i find it hard to believe that knights haven’t quit because of the leadership he puts them under. now, situations like activating ruined guards are probably a rarity, but they’re frequent enough. and kaeya’s methods of leadership aren’t uncontroversial. but he’s still captain, many people have questioned this: amber, paimon - and many other characters find kaeya suspicious.

i believe that kaeya was chosen as cavalry captain primarily because of diluc. kaeya managing to stay cavalry captain despite the questionable way he works is a mix of nepotism, his charismatic / charming / manipulative personality, wealth, and power. were it not for those things, i think that someone would have removed him from the position a while ago. more than that though, i don’t think kaeya would mind losing his job ? i really don’t.

he regarded a young knight with a mocking smile when pointing out that there’s a correlation between kaeya’s favourite drink and a high crime rate. when kaeya said he was going to look into it, i surmise that he absolutely didn’t. kaeya strikes me as very selfish, seeing people as game pieces, wanting to win at all costs, kind of guy. while kaeya is excellent at his job, he’s a very “ the ends justify the means ” kind of person, which has included deceiving allies, putting his own men in danger, using people as pawns, spreading propaganda, etc. those that do follow him are put through a kind of hazing, to see if they’re willing to follow him in these reckless decisions that seem to be both impulsive and planned.

kaeya’s mask has become so integral to his character because he has come to associate the act of being honest with loss. diluc is the only person who knows the full extent of kaeya’s past, and because of the timing, because of how long kaeya kept that a secret he lost the two most important people in his life in the span of twenty four hours. it wasn’t the right lesson he learned, but the events of that night reenforced the idea that kaeya cannot be genuine to be liked. many people adore him as he is, a chronic liar.

diluc is one of the only people that have been able to see past kaeya’s charm and mask ( oh, jean too maybe, actually. ) ah but he’s definitely the only one to know that kaeya was supposed to be a khaenri’ahn spy. he sees through it easiest because he was the one who grew up with kaeya before that mask was put into place. this is probably one of the reasons that kaeya is so passive aggressive with diluc, despite how much he misses his brother, because he’s one of the ones willing to call kaeya out on his bullshit. it really hurts kaeya that diluc doesn’t want much to do with him anymore unless it involves protecting mondstadt, even going so far as calling him “sir kaeya” to further that separation between them, which is why kaeya tends to hide that behind a veil of arrogance and smugness.