#this is the /hydro/ archons story there is no family in here

[catboyneuvillette]

i do not know where the idea came from but focalors and furina are no where NEAR mother/daughter.

they are one in the same person, two "sides" of one whole being not family!

furina literally referred to focalors as 'mirror-me'. you wouldnt do that to your parent would you? no

[draconic-desire]

A Dance With the Dragon I — The Tides Beckon

Yandere Neuvillette x Reader

[Part I — You are here] [Part II] [Part III] [Part IV]

The last thing you expected was to have caught the eye of Fontaine’s Chief Justice. You have no choice but to be swept into the dragon’s dance.

Warnings: Yandere tendencies, possessive behavior, forced imprisonment, unrequited relationship

It all started with your realization that Fontaine has some rather intriguing laws.

For as long as you could recall, you had aspired to become a marine biologist. Though you hailed from Mondstadt, you forged your curiosity in the tide pools and lakes around the edges of the region. You scoured over any novel you could find on marine ecology and animal behavior, spending endless hours lost in the Knights of Favonius library. On your thirteenth birthday, your parents bought you a Kamera, which launched your career in wildlife photography and research. You even went on to publish a book cataloguing pictures of your nation’s aquatic life. It came to no one’s surprise, then, when you were gifted with a hydro vision.

Although you loved your life in Mondstadt, the vast waters that surrounded the Land of Hydro beckoned you like the pull of a tide. So, on your twenty-fifth birthday, you parted with your family and homeland, traversing across Teyvat and experiencing its many wonders. You relished in the culture and cuisine in Liyue and marveled at the natural architecture of Sumeru’s forests. Yet nothing would ever be as breathtaking as your first glimpse at Fontaine, at the granite peaks rising above the crystalline waters teeming with life of all forms.

You had secured employment with a group researching the sudden uptick in seal strandings across the nation, taking you across Fontaine’s many beaches. Your main base was located near Romaritime Harbor, which prompted you to spend your lunch breaks exploring the Court of Fontaine.

You made quick friends with the Melusines, some of whom were still a bit nervous being around humans; however, you found their stories of the ocean fascinating and often invited them to join you for lunches or strolls through the city.

One in particular, Carole, had become your close friend after you encountered her being pelted with rocks by a mob of Fontainians. You didn’t hesitate to use your vision to immobilize the rocks and create a barrier around Carole, quickly ushering her to safety. You couldn’t comprehend the prejudices directed towards her and the other Melusines, but after that incident, you made sure to keep an eye out for all of your little friends.

One day, on one of your walks, you ran into said Melusine. She seemed despondent that only a handful of citizens were interested in her hand painted posters, so you decided to treat her to lunch and pastries to cheer her up. That’s when you first caught wind of the Hydro Dragon.

“Well, if you’re worried about the seals, you might call upon the Hydro Sovereign himself!” Carole chirped.

You tipped your head curiously, lowering the cup in your hands onto the cafe table. “Don’t you mean herself? Although I’ve never met the Hydro Archon, I’ve heard others refer to her as ‘Lady’ Furina.”

Carole shook her hands back and forth in front of her. “Oh, no, I mean the Hydro Dragon! He is responsible for keeping watch over Fontaine, which includes all of its resources and residents. I’ve heard that with every sea creature that passes, the heavens open and the dragon sheds his tears in mourning.” She took a bite of her croissant. “I have a feeling he’d be willing to help.”

You tapped your chin in thought. “You don’t say. Well, we are in a bit of a drought, which could be contributing to the beachings… Perhaps I’ll ask this Hydro Sovereign for his favor.”

On the days you were dispatched to Fontaine’s eastern beaches, you opted to sit by the Fountain of Lucine to wish for the Hydro Dragon’s help. It had become a tradition for you to do so ever since your conversation with Carole, for you swore that every time you prayed to his name, rain would grace the shores the next day.

During those research trips, your coworkers would invite you to attend trials at the Opera Epiclese, though you politely declined each time. You had no particular interest in the Opera and were much more inclined to spending your time outside and uninvolved with the court’s theatrics. Besides, you considered yourself to be a model citizen, so the proceedings of the court were beyond your worries.

Or so you thought.

~*~

The incident that led to your arrest was the violation of the order “no domestic pets shall be named after Furina”. Apparently the otter that paddled around the Harbor each morning was undignified of the title of “Focalotter”. You had thought the name quite clever and humorous—that is, until a horde of Gardes surrounded you during your shift one afternoon.

You were detained and led into the Opera immediately, which was where you currently found yourself. You frowned at the relatively large crowd—which, much to your dismay, included most of your coworkers—dispersed throughout the hall. Had they all come just to spectate your trial? Standing alone on the isolated balcony, you felt like an insect under a magnifying glass, an insignificant pest to be probed at for entertainment.

“And how do you plead?”

The deep, commanding voice above you wrenched you from your thoughts. Turning your eyes up, your (e/c) orbs were met with a penetrating gaze.

Pinning you with his lavender and silver eyes from atop his chair at the center of the court was none other than the Chief Justice of Fontaine, the Iudex himself, the face of the law in the Court. Monsieur Neuvillette.

This wasn’t your first interaction with the man.

Shortly your move to Fontaine, you had stumbled across his path. At first, it was just sightings from afar; he would be leaving the Opera, or purchasing a drink (Wait, is he paying for water?) from your favorite cafe. Your favorite flowers also began to appear at your doorstep, each time with a brief, cryptic note, usually something along the lines of To my little pearl —Sincerely, your guardian dragon. You didn’t think anything of it; if anything, it confirmed that your prayers to the Hydro Sovereign had been heard.

Then, however, Neuvillette began to periodically show up around your research stations, claiming to be investigating a court case. Even though the Iudex’s public appearances were supposedly rare, none of your coworkers, yourself included, thought to question his authority, answering his inquiries regarding the base’s activities to the best of your abilities.

You noticed that he tended to speak to you the most, even asking personal inquiries like your favorite drinks, foods, books, and hobbies, and about your marine photography especially. It must be part of the investigation, you rationalized. He was nothing but gentlemanly and always kept conversations curt and to the point, offering you a gentle smile as he departed.

If only you knew the true extent of his desires.

~*~

Naturally, he first caught wind of you from the Melusines. As his closest advisor, Carole regularly joined him for afternoon tea, and though he was not one for idle talk, the manner in which his friend spoke of you sparked his intrigue.

“And when those meanies were throwing rocks at me, (Y/n) was the only one who intervened! If it weren’t for her, I don’t know what would have happened…” Carole rubbed her head, as if remembering the sharp pain.

Neuvillette placed a hand over his heart. “I am eternally grateful for her presence. I cannot stand the thought of any harm befalling you.” The hydro dragon looked out the window of his study to the ocean, deep in thought. “Perhaps you could introduce me. It appears I have much to thank her for.”

“Oh, that’s right!” Carole raised a finger. “She mentioned lots of seal beachings recently, so I suggested that requesting rain from a certain dragon could assist her work!”

Neuvillette nodded, a slight smile pulling at his lips. “Ah, so that is why I’ve been hearing Hydro Dragon, Hydro Dragon echoing throughout my mind the past few weeks. You have quite the imagination, my friend.”

Carole shrugged playfully. “Hasn’t it been raining more often lately? Seems like her prayers worked!”

That they had, as Neuvillette could attest to.

The first time he heard your soft voice calling to him, he had sent rain the following morning—not for you, but for the seals. His position barred him from forming close relationships with humans, so the notion of attending to your inquiry face-to-face was eliminated immediately.

But when you returned again and again to implore for rain, he couldn’t deny his interest. The day after Carole informed him that his little supplicant and Carole’s hero were one in the same, he knew he had to meet you. He had actually left the Opera to see you for himself; whether he would actually converse with you was still uncertain, but your voice tickled an itch that he needed to scratched.

Neuvillette was an experienced and composed man, but setting his sights on you for the first time stole his breath. This, he thought, must be what it feels like to drown.

Your smile shone brighter than a Beryl conch, and your scent floated around him, sweeter than any marcotte. The light shimmering from the hydro vision on your hip reflected back in your eyes, giving them the appearance of twin pools of blue. You were sitting on a bench by the Fountain, a Kamera in hand as you gestured excitedly towards the screen. To your right was a Melusine he knew well, Kiara, who was clearly enraptured with the technology.

Though he knew of your kindness towards the Melusines—jumping in to save Carole alone was grounds for a medal of peace—seeing it before him sent the waters around his heart roiling. The Iudex was moved by the fact that, despite being a foreigner to Fontaine’s customs, you treated them with the utmost respect, going out of your way to befriend and include them in your daily life. Many citizens of Fontaine still harbored prejudice against the Melusines, but you… You even used she/her pronouns when referring to them, implementing the very law that he set forth.

“I use this for my research on seal behavior and conservation,” you explained to Kiara. “Having pictures of each individual helps us identify them in the future. We even give them silly names sometimes. See this one here? We call him Mr. Sealie, and this otter I like to call…”

When the pink Melusine started giggling over the nickname of your otter, a plan formed in his mind.

Whether attributable to his sense of justice or his draconic instincts, he knew one thing for certain. Like a shining pearl, you must be cherished and protected—and who better to serve than the Hydro Sovereign?

~*~

Those eyes will be my downfall.

Purple and silver locked with (e/c). Despite being newly appointed to the court, Neuvillette was the embodiment of both poise and intimidation. The very air around him seemed to shimmer with power and unyielding authority. His breathtaking eyes swirled with emotions—was that desire or disinterest?—you could not even begin to decipher in your current position.

Archons, help me.

You cleared your throat, hoping you didn’t appear too nervous in front of the judge. “Although I admit to using a version of the Hydro Archon’s name when referring to that otter, I was unaware of such a law against doing so. I’m not originally from Fontaine, so some of its, uh…lesser discussed laws are new to me.”

Neuvillette gazed around the courtroom as the crowd devoured the trial before them. It was baffling how naive humans could be sometimes; of course there was no rule against applying a silly nickname to a pet.

That is, until this morning when he had signed it into law.

Seeing you frightened and alone in the defendant’s box, however, was torture. It took all of his willpower to not to engulf you in his strong arms like waves around sand. But he had to maintain the facade of immovable judicator for a bit longer in order to mold you to his tide. Retaining his mask of composure, Neuvillette continued, “You do realize that previous defendants have been jailed for far less, correct?”

Frustration and fear flared within you. “But I—”

“Desecration of Lady Furina’s name is of the highest offense. Your behavior will not be excused, neither by myself nor the Oratrice.” Neuvillette raised the paper with your verdict, barely glancing over the words before he spoke. “The verdict stands: you, (Y/n) (L/n), are guilty.”

You clenched your fists heatedly. There was no arguing with the Iudex. Clearly, the polite and considerate version of Neuvillette that you had encountered earlier was an anomaly, for the figure looming above you was the complete opposite. Cold, calculating. Distant. A whirlpool cresting a bottomless sea.

Had this been his plan all along? Had you been the subject of his investigation? But why?

“However, because you are not from Fontaine, I will offer you a choice.”

You blinked up at the Justice, a knot of unease forming in your stomach. A choice? What choice did you truly have here? You pursed your lips warily but nodded for him to continue.

Neuvillete raised a gloved finger. “The first: you will serve a life sentence in the Fortress of Meropide.”

A wave of despair seared your insides like a brand. That was your fate? To be trapped beneath the region where you had always longed to live, never to feel the salty wind on your face or hear the calls of seals and gulls again? Surely, the second option was less cruel?

“Or, alternatively: you will dedicate your life to the court. You will abide by its laws without question and with unwavering commitment. You will relinquish your freedom; you will not be permitted to leave Fontaine and will be bound to this place for eternity.”

A choked sob escaped your lips. No matter what you chose, your life’s work and passion would be extinguished. You would be forced to either become an actress in the court’s performance or resign your soul to a watery grave.

Both option chained you to the Region of Hydro forever.

But one option at least granted you a semblance of freedom—a notion that you soon learned was as transitory as a bubble in water.

The crack of a cane against wood resounded through the Opera, quickly silencing the crowd’s mutterings over your sentence. “What is your decision?”

You could have heard a pin drop as the audience waited in rapt anticipation for your answer.

“I…I choose the latter,” you declared, tilting your chin up. You maintained direct eye contact with the Iudex all the while, holding onto your last bit of pride.

You could have sworn you saw Neuvillette release a breath of relief. “Very well. I hereby adjourn the court. Gardes, please escort the defendant to my office for further instruction.”

Two Gardes led you out of the Opera and onto an Aquabus to the city. They informed you that you would now be living in the Palais Mermonia and your duties would begin immediately. When you asked about retrieving your belongings and notifying your family, the Gardes exchanged glances.

“That won’t be necessary,” one said cryptically. “Monsieur Neuvillette will page your relatives and have your possessions seized.”

You frowned, wishing to object, but the Palais doors loomed before you like the entrance to a monster’s lair. You gulped but swallowed your fears, straightening your back pridefully as you were ushered inside and into the Chief Justice’s office. The bolting of the lock from the outside set alarm bells off immediately.

Neuvillette stood from his seat as you walked in. He coughed awkwardly, red dusting across his pale complexion. “Ah, Lady (Y/n). I do apologize for such a fast-paced series of events. You must be exhausted.” He motioned towards the sofa adjacent to his workspace. “Please, sit.”

You blinked at him in surprise. What happened to the unwavering judge from the court? Why was he suddenly treating you kindly? And why in the Archons’ names was he blushing of all things? Unsure how else to react, you obeyed and settled into your seat, with Neuvillette taking his own on the sofa across from you.

Neuvillette poured you a glass of what appeared to be plain water into an exquisitely ornamented cup. You took it wordlessly, noticing his eyes flare with a silver glow when your fingers brushed his own. Gripping his own cup, he raised the chalice towards you. “To a long and dedicated future together.”

You sketched a brow curiously but raised your glass in tandem to…whatever that was supposed to mean. “To not being in prison, I guess.”

“Indeed.” A breathy chuckle followed. “Now, I’m sure you’re wondering as to what this whole business regarding your sentence is.” Neuvillette took a long sip from his chalice. He frowned slightly when you simply placed yours on the coffee table separating the two of you. “Although you may have thought you’d be completing droll office work, your duties will be a tad unorthodox.”

At this, your brows furrowed. Wasn’t that what all those employees you had passed in the Palais foyer had been doing—pushing papers? You had cringed at the dark bags under many of their eyes, at how many were asleep at their desks, imagining how similar you’ll look once your sentence was completed. But based on Neuvillette’s words, it sounded like you would be doing something very different.

Oh, Archons. I’m fucked.

You braced yourself to speak, but Neuvillette beat you to it.

“You are to be my wife.”

You blinked once, twice, waiting for the punchline of the joke.

Neuvillette merely stared at you with his hands folded across his lap, waiting for your response.

After a pregnant pause, you couldn’t help the stunned scoff that escaped your lips. “You can’t be serious.”

“Quite, I’m afraid.”

You shook your head. “With all due respect, Monsieur—”

“Please, call me Neuvillette.”

Ignoring him, you continued, “I did not agree to be your wife.”

The Chief Justice leaned back against the posh blue cushions of the sofa. “Although that may be the case, you are in no position to refuse. In fact, your sentence mandates that you follow my orders.”

You stood abruptly, sending your goblet toppling over and spilling its contents across the table. “Marriage was not a part of that sentence.” Which was ridiculous to begin with, you added to yourself. I mean, a life sentence for a pet name? It’s almost like he wanted me arrested.

Neuvillette sighed and flicked his wrist, causing the chalice to right itself and the water to refill. “Marriage is the highest form of dedication, no? Is that not what you pledged to?”

“I dedicated my life to the court,” you clarified.

“My dear, I am the court.”

You emitted a low hiss, turning to the door. “I’m leaving.”

Before you could take more than a step, Neuvillette moved towards you faster than a crack of lightning across the sea. His large frame straddled yours, pinning you against the sofa. He grabbed your dominant wrist, a foreign bubbling under your skin erecting the hairs on your arms. Your mind reached out for your hydro powers to defend yourself, only to be crushed with the realization that your vision had been confiscated at the court.

Despite your struggles, you could only watch in terror as a glowing silver-blue mark in the shape of a dragon burned across the length of your arm. The leviathan’s scaly body twisted in ringlets up your forearm and bicep, ending in a slender head with twin horns that crested your shoulder.

As soon as Neuvillette loosed his grip, you shoved him away, panting heavily. The mark had already disappeared, but you could still feel the ghost of it under your skin.“What have you done?” you whispered breathlessly.

In total contrast to your own contorted expression, Neuvillette appeared completely calm. He smoothed out his robes and adjusted his jabot. “I have lived for centuries, and I have many centuries more. I’ve merely gifted some of them to you.”

Your body began to shake, from fear, sadness, or rage you did not know. “I don’t want them.”

“You do remember that you promised to serve the court for eternity, don’t you? How do you expect to persist by my side otherwise?”

Eyes locked on the exit, you tried for a different tactic. “Take me to the Fortress of Meropide.”

Neuvillette’s expression darkened, his patience clearly thinning. “I will not.”

Your eyes shifted back to his. Although Neuvillette intimidated you beyond belief, you’d be damned if you didn’t go down without fighting for your life’s hard work. “I want to change my sentence.”

He glanced down at your arm. “It’s a bit too late for that, my dear.” Taking your hand in his, he pulled you to his chest. His form towered over you, capable of resting his chin on the top of your head. “Please, understand. I mean to keep you from harm, even if it means being your jailor.”

“You’re insane,” you hissed, futility attempting to pull away. “Let go of me!”

Neuvillette’s grip was relentless. You stilled when you felt claws ghost up your back in a silent warning. “That is one thing I will never do.”

The fight in you slowly ebbed away—for now. Your resistance was clearly moot, like a gnat trying to down a dragon. You’d have to play the long game to learn how to get under his skin—and how to rid your own of this new mark. “I will find a way out of this,” was all you could promise, refusing to meet his eyes.

A deep sigh sounded above you. Neuvillette took a step back, looking at you with such longing you thought you’d combust on the spot. With one last stroke of your cheek, he strode towards the office’s exit and unlocked the door with a flick of his wrist. Looking over his shoulder, he fixed you with a forlorn gaze. “By the time you realize your place here, there will be nothing for you to escape to. Only I will remain.” He once more turned his back to you and stepped out of the room.

You suddenly paled, realizing the implication of his words. If his declaration was true and you were to live as long as him, then your family, your career, the world as you know it would be completely gone. Your only company, your only solace, the only one who would remember your name, would be him. “Wait, no, you can’t—!”

He closed the doors.

~*~

Neuvillette was many things, but a liar was not one of them.

True to his word, you remained locked almost exclusively in the Palais Mermonia. On the rare occasions he let you outside, the Iudex served as your only company, diligently making sure you were hidden. Your vision was permanently taken, supposedly to prevent danger to yourself. It didn’t go unnoticed when he would wear it on his hip at important or potentially volatile trials. When you finally asked—or growled at him, really—why he kept it on his person, he had merely frowned and replied, “I originally thought the idea of a fake vision preposterous, I admit. I have no need for one. Yet having it feels as if you are constantly by my side.”

The draconic tattoo he had branded onto your arm not only extended your lifespan but also gave you a minuscule drop of his abilities—though only when you were in his presence (and most definitely not against him—you had tried). That allowed the two of you to transport to and breath in the depths of Fontaine whenever you begged to go out. In his mind, it was perfect—not only was the sea his realm, but no one and nothing could touch you. You were his alone to hold, to see, to have.

Those trips were torture for you. Free, but trapped; floating, but tied down to the man who was supposed to be the symbol of justice.

You, on the other hand, had tried a variety of (fruitless) tactics to convince the judge to free you. Any attempt at conversation or advance in his part was met with either vitriol or indifference on your part. You had once tried to charm him into letting his guard down, hoping you could sneak away while he was preoccupied at the court. This plan epically backfired on you when he mistook your subtle touches as permission to devour you with kisses and love bites, covering you in bruises from his sharp teeth for the next week. You wouldn’t so much as let him tap your shoulder for the next month after—the spark of silver in his eyes while he kissed you foretold of a deep, overwhelming desire that far surpassed simple kisses. You feared what might occur if the composed Chief Justice were given the opportunity to release his more primal urges.

And so, each day was passed much in the same:

1) Wake up on the floor or couch of his suite in the Palais—like hell you’d be sharing a bed with him. Oh, how he had tried in the beginning to usher you into bed, into his arms. It was childish, yes, but at least your refusal have you some semblance of autonomy.

2) Ponder on how you would greet Neuvillette that day.

3) Choose between fury or pretending he didn’t exist, typically the latter.

4) Look for a way to escape after he left for the Opera. Fail.

5) Spend most of the day scouring court cases in his office for clues to overturn your cause. Fail again.

6) Look out the window pitifully at the water beyond the Court of Fontaine (were the levels rising?). You often thought of your family back in Mondstadt; what were they told of your imprisonment, if anything? How long had you been stuck with the Chief Justice? The days blurred like ink in water.

7) Immediately exit the office towards his attached suite the moment he returned—any other room was preferable to his suffocating presence.

Today, though, he had chosen to interrupt your musings out the window before you could make your exit.

“You know, I find the beauty of the bright sunlight is best appreciated from the indoors through a window.”

Turning your head from the glass pane, your attention was brought to the figure standing in the doorway. He was wearing nothing but a simple pair of dark blue slacks and a white tunic, his robes hooked over his arm. At the start of your captivity you had mused how strange it was to see him without his normal ornamentation; now his comparatively plain appearance was a daily sight for you.

You crossed your arms and leaned against the window, relishing the heat from the coastal sun against your back. It was nothing like the dark pits he practically dragged you to now that you could breathe underwater. “Personally, I prefer to enjoy it with the company of a cool breeze by the shoreline.”

The Chief Justice loosed a deep sigh as he approached you. He extended his palm, caressing your cheek gently. “If you desire it so, I will rearrange some meetings and escort you—”

Below the waves, where he clung to you like a Lumitoile to a rock? “No need. Present company would ruin the experience. I prefer to be above water.”

Neuvillette had the audacity to wince at your retort. “So you instead choose to wallow in your self-inflicted solitude?”

You wanted to laugh at the hurt edge to his voice. Self-inflicted your ass—every moment of your life now centered on him, depended on his permission. Solitude was a disguise for any reprieve you could get from his constant attempts to court you.

The ironic part was that, if he had approached you normally, you could have seen yourself falling for him. He brought and cooked your favorite foods and beverages, showered you with gifts and books on photography, and tried his utmost to make you comfortable.

But you knew it was as nothing but glitter in a gilded cage. Neuvillette had drowned your whole world. So no, you wouldn’t act like any of this is normal.

Resisting the urge to bite his bare hand, you glared at your captor. “You could simply, oh, I don’t know, let me go.”

Neuvillette’s jaw tightened. His patience might run deeper than the Trench of Elton, but it was not everlasting. “We’ve discussed this.”

At that, you shrugged his hand off. “Can I at least speak with my family? My friends?”

A pained look flickered across Neuvillette’s face. “That isn’t possible.”

Your lip curled in response to his expression. “Don’t act like you actually care.”

Pursing his lips, he settled onto the window seat next to you. Though you were twitching with the urge to escape, he placed a large hand on your thigh, a gentle warning. “(Y/n), there’s something we must discuss.”

You narrowed your eyes, though your heart rate spiked. By now, he recognized your silence as a sign to continue.

“Do you wish to walk around the Court of Fontaine with me?”

Blinking, your throat dried. You swore you heard him wrong. “I’m sorry?”

Neuvillette squeezed your leg in what he thought was a comforting manner. His eyes—fuck, you had to admit they were wickedly beautiful, silver and sharp as a sword—never left your own. “You have been justified in your anger with me. I have restricted you for far too long. I would like to extend an olive branch, if you will—an agreement that we will both retain civility. I will grant you freedoms, but you must adhere to your sentence. Any deviation will not be tolerated.”

Your head was spinning, so you didn’t even consider the implications of his words. He was letting you out. “Can we go now?”

Neuvillette smiled softly. “Of course.” Standing, he offered you a hand. You tentatively took it, more awestruck than anything as he unlocked the doors to the outside. You’d finally get to see your family, your colleagues, the sun—!

Fontaine was unrecognizable.

The last time you seen the square of the Statue of the Seven, the roads were cobblestone. Now, strange machines roamed the paved streets, clearly serving as sentinels. None of the shops or restaurants were familiar—your favorite coffee shop, where you had so many chats with Carole, was now boasting signs for upscale fashion. A Melusine hopped by, wearing a Garde’s uniform, something that you remembered as being rare due to the increased chances of them being targeted. Your heart rate spiked in worry when the Melusine approached a group of children and their parents, only for a stunned expression to hit you when the creature was hugged by a little girl, her parents cooing in delight.

“Where…what?” you stammered. Fontaine had seemingly changed overnight—at least in your experience of time. Dread pooled in your stomach.

You attempted to pull your arm away from him, but his grip on you was steadfast. That same pained look from before marred his handsome features. “I did not lie when I said you have nothing to return to.” The Chief Justice sounded melancholic—he wished it hadn’t come to this, but he had to eliminate any prompts for you to leave.

“No, no.” Your heart dropped. “What… What year is it?”

The silence that followed was all you needed to know.

“How many years has it been, Neuvillette?” you repeated, your voice cracking with a desperate tone.

For once, Neuvillette avoided eye contact with you. He simply gestured towards a bulletin board, where the latest issue of The Steambird (at least one thing was consistent) was posted. You tore it from its pin, choking back a sob as you read the date.

Hands shaking, the issue fell to the ground. It landed in a puddle, its edges slowing soaking and blurring the ink. A steady rain had started to fall, quickly turning into a torrential downpour.

It had been over four hundred years since Neuvillette had taken you.

If it weren’t for Neuvillete’s hand on your hip, you would have crumpled to your knees. “H-how?”

Neuvillete looked to the skies solemnly. “Time passes differently for us long-lived species.” You cringed at his use of us, and how he actually sounded remorseful. “But this is our opportunity for a fresh start.”

Silent tears streamed down your face. For what could you do? Everyone and everything you knew was gone. Lost to the sea of time forever. You had nothing.

He wrapped his arms around your waist from behind, placing a delicate kiss on the top of your head. “Cry not, my little pearl. No matter how many centuries pass, you will always have me.”

~*~

Neuvillette was many things.

And now, just as he dreamed since the moment he set his eyes on you, he was your everything.

And yet, you refused to drown.

As the years flowed like water through a stream, you began to learn the beat of Neuvillette’s dance. His emotions, his moods, his thoughts, all reflected themselves within the waltz of his life, and soon maneuvering around the steps became second nature to you. The balance of power laid within the count, and you were determined to be the one leading,

The dragon wanted to dance? So be it.

You’d give him the most challenging dance of his life.

[dustofthedailylife]

Hihi! I just read ur befriended a slime post and o would love to see more characters react to you befriending a slime! I love ur writing so much💛💛 I don’t have specific characters in mind so any you want to do is fine🥰

Hey! Thank you so much for the compliments, I'm glad to hear my silly little stories brought you joy! I too absolutely adored the concept so I added some more I could come up with something for. I hope you like them <3 P.S.: I also love how your username is very fitting for this specific fic request. I love it! 😭

"That Day I Befriended A Slime" (II) ft. Ayato, Itto, Kaeya, Kaveh, Albedo x Reader [Fluff, Crack]

→ Part I (Xiao, Zhongli, Tighnari, Alhaitham, Childe, Diluc) → Masterlist || → Taglist

→ Ayato didn’t anticipate returning home from his meeting to find you sitting in the small pond in front of the Estate. You are drenched from head to toe and are just about to be tackled by the hydro slime in front of you.

"Oh, Archons no!", Ayato yells, dropping everything he is holding to rush towards your position and practically dives into the water to shield you from the attack of the slime. He pulls out his sword and tells you to get behind him. Slightly nervous he looks around because he knows he will have trouble defeating it alone. A hydro vision is useless against hydro slimes. He hates feeling so helpless but he might have to rely on someone else here. "Thoma! Ayaka! Get here quick!" "Ayato...", you giggle, placing a hand on his shoulder and brushing a strand of drenched pastel blue hair behind his ear. "It won't harm anyone. I found it in Chinju Forest and it followed me back here." "...w-what?"

He watches in disbelief as the slime slowly crawls into your arms and nuzzles into your chest before it closes its eyes and starts emitting gurgly purring noises.

→ Itto is faced with your beaming smile before you pull him by his hand, prompting him to follow you. All you had told him was that you need to show him something and he is practically bursting with excitement about what it was.

"What, what, what?! Come on, tell me. What do you want to show me?!", Itto beams. "Patience! We're almost there!" You lead him to a small enclosed garden behind one of the shops in Hanamizaka, taking a little glass jar out of your bag that contains some rocks. You shake the glass a couple of times and Itto looks around, seemingly waiting for a reaction. His eyes widen in surprise as soon as a small geo slime crawls out under the hedge and in your direction. "Do you want to give him a treat?", you ask teasingly, but you don't even have to wait for an answer as he is rushing straight towards the little slime with open arms already. "Oh by the gods, look at the little dude!! We gotta give him a name. Itto the Second? Itto Junior? Whadda'ya think?"

Needless to say, the slime is now a new addition to your little family. And another upside is that Ushi seems to get along with it as well.

→ Kaeya meets up with you at your apartment after being done with work for the day. He was thinking about your homemade dinner all day already and is ready to melt into your arms as soon as he is able to. What he does not expect today is walking into your apartment bathroom and finding a sleeping cryo slime in your bathtub.

"Uuuuh... sweetheart?", he chuckles with unease in his voice. "Yes, Love?" "You are aware that there is a cryo slime peacefully taking a nap in your bathtub, yes?", he inquired and scrunched his eyebrows in concern. "Yes." "Yes?!", he exclaims in disbelief. "Yes.", you reassure. "I bonded with it when it was hot outside and we both took shelter under the same tree. Poor thing looked scared to death. It probably thought it would melt. So... I put it in my bag and put it in the bathroom because it's cold there.", you satisfy his curiosity. "Plus... it kind of reminds me of you." You have never seen him that quiet before. What a rare moment to see the Cavalry Captain lost for words.

And as much as finding the little slime flabbergasted him. He soon warms up to it and you sometimes even find him napping on your sofa with the slime pressed flush to his chest.

→ Kaveh comes home only to find a dendro slime on his desk, happily chewing away on his blueprints. Taking a few seconds before processing what is happening he darts forward to push the slime off his desk and pull the saliva-drenched remnants of his blueprints out of the slime's mouth.

"No, no... noooo.", he groans, pulling on his hair. He has no idea how it got in here but there is only one possible explanation for it. Angrily he marches into the living room with his fists balled on his sides. "Alhaitham! Why did you put a slime into my room?!", he fumes. "Because your partner dropped it off here earlier even though I told them you're not here yet. They said something about a... pet? It wanted to chew on my books so I threw it into your room.", he explains without looking up from the book in his hands once. "Oh grand. And you didn't consider that it would continue to chew on my things there?" "I fail to see how that is my problem."

However, it sort of starts to become his problem as soon as Alhaitham finds out you and Kaveh named the slime "Hai-Hai" in reference to the sprouts on its head that apparently share similarities to his own hair.

→ Albedo finds you and Klee kneeling in the grass just outside of the Mondstadt city gates. A beaming smile on the little girl's face and reaching down towards something that he is unable to make out at first, due to your backs blocking his vision. As soon as he steps closer he identifies what you are kneeling next to. A little geo slime is nuzzling into your lap while Klee pats its head.

"Mr. Albedo!!", Klee cheers. "Look what we found. Klee made a slime friend!" "Ah, that is wonderful, Klee!", he smiles in her direction. "So that's the project you were working on the past weeks I assume?", he inquires directed at you. "Bingo. Turns out my slime-tamer elixir is a success. With this, we might be able to domesticate them. As you can see, this little guy over here turned from a little feral blob into a snuggly little pet.", you explain. He eyes the slime with curiosity. This is certainly a most amazing find. As expected of you. He never had any doubt you wouldn't succeed with anything you had set your mind on. "Fascinating. You've got to show me your notes on this-" "Mr. Albedo! Can we keep it? Please, please, please!", Klee interrupts and excitedly jumps up and down clutching onto the Alchemist's coat. "I don't see any reason why we shouldn't." "Yaaay!"

Watching you and Klee play with the slime and seeing your proud smile makes his heart swell in his chest. You are truly the most gifted person he has ever met.

Do not repost, copy, translate or edit - © dustofthedailylife || reblogs, comments, and asks about Genshin or my fics are always appreciated!

[libraryraccoon]

A Traumatized Raccoon

For : @idkfitememate

Messages for them : It was supposed to be in a message but I thought this will be too long (guess i'm not an anon anymore-), I have create a past and give a trench coat to Raccoon Creator, I hope you don't mind. Gender : Raccoon Pronouns : they/them TW : Bad english, english isn't my first language. Wriothesley story quest spoiler.

_____________

The fact that a prisoner in Meropide have a stone that can show your trauma and that he used it directly on other prisoners, making it enter in their brain when they aren’t listening him, were already bad, but now that the racoon of Metropides was touch by that ? That was horrible.

They were trying to stop Dougier, when he had the splendid idea of, with a syringe probably stolen from the infirmary, plant it in the head of the Raccoon of Meropide and inject in them the black liquid made from the rock of fears (name given by the raccoon.. Wriothesley doesn't know how they manages to write, poorly, but always writing, with their paws... He doesn't want to know).

And now, he have to take care of the Raccoon of Meropide, or Hellion (Wriothesley named them like that because that what they are, an hellion, and also because he was tired to always say "Raccoon ! No !" everytime they try to kill fight another prisoner), that is running away from everyone and seems having fear of every persons they sees..

…

Can a raccoon have trauma ?-

Wriothesley already know Hellion isn’t a normal raccoon, I mean, they are the first raccoon criminals and they have stoled the Mécanique D’Analyse Cardinale.. But does that mean they have trauma too ?

…

Wriothesley can already feel the headache of all of that..

----------------

They were running.

They have to run.

It was all red, all was burning, the houses were burning.. They don’t know where they go, but they have to leave that place, leave Khaenri’ah-

This place the Raccoon Creator have love, the place they lived, was burning, destroyed by the Archons and Celestia.

Raccoon Creator hate them. They hate humans, Celestia, Archons.. And every living creatures that exist. They hate what they have done to them, to their family.

It was supposed to be a normal day, Raccoon Creator going to annoyed RhineDottir, playing with the kids… Not this.

They never wanted Khaenri’ah to be destroy. They never wanted all that people, all that kids, to die.

‘A creator, huh..’ think the Raccoon, looking at the corpse of one of the kids they used to play with, the same that made them their little trench coat. ‘More like a failure.. I can’t even protect those I love.’

All the Creator can do was running, running away from this chaos.

But then, they were in front of boots. They look at the person, praying for not being kill, when they realized that it was-

“Wriothesley ?” ask the Raccoon, all that came out was a raccoon sound.

Yeah, that’s right. They are at Meropide. With Wriothesley. The chaos was finish. Khaenri’ah was destroyed. Some of them were alived. They were alived.

And The Mécanique D’Analyse Cardinale ! Think the Raccoon Creator. They can’t stay here ! They have to destroy it, to kill Foçalor, like that they will have avenge the members of their people killed by the Archon Hydro.

“-ey, Hellion, you’re with me ?” ask Wriothesley, making the Raccoon focused on him.

‘What’s that look ?’ ask mentally the Raccoon, looking at Wriothesley that seemed tired, exhausted and worried.

‘Worried.. They never saw him worried about anything. That doesn’t feet him well.’ Decided the Raccoon Creator.

“What’s wrong ?” ask the raccoon, even if all that came out was raccoon sounds, Wriothesley seemed to understand.

“Nothing bad. We just have to go to my office.” Said the human, taking the raccoon in his arms.

-----------

Hellion was tense in his arms, thing, Wriothesley thought, normal given that the latter hated being touched by humans, or even Melusines.

Wriothesley thought that maybe have something with their path..

He’s not used to the fact that a raccoon have a path and is traumatized. But again, they aren’t a normal raccoon.

Wriothesley walked to his office, glancing at the raccoon only to see blood leaking from their wound, golden blood.

The same as the creator.

Something that didn't make sense because the creator was supposed to be the Otter who stays with Neuvillette and Furina..

Does that mean there is two creators ?

And, more importantly, does that mean that creator have a bad past with humans and melusines ? A bad past with their own creations ?

Wriothesley want, no, he need answer. But before, he have to take care of Hellion- no, the creator.

------------

Little drawing of Raccoon!Creator running away from Khaenri'ah but I can't draw :

I wanted to make Wriothesley realized the raccoon is a creator that was traumatized by their own creations, and after I remembered I can't write good angst.

3 little hc of Raccoon!Creator (bc I'm bored) : -Raccoon Creator used to love caresses and good attention, but after Khaenri'ah's trauma, they start to hate it. -Raccoon Creator let no one touch their trench coat, and every time the trench coat is a little unstitched, they put it back together because they don't want to change it, even if it's worn, because it's the last thing they have from Khaenri'ah. And they wear it always, never put it away. -The Raccoon!Creator hate being call a creator because of Khaenri'ah (They will fight every person who call them like that).

[ellitx]

Chapter 20: Wind's Soliloquy

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁

previous || next

art belongs to: srr_yo

word count: 6.3k

           The rain had been pouring ever since. It never seemed to stop but it was not strong and heavy, fortunately. Yet the frequent raindrops made the land so gloomy as if the Hydro Archon was crying for days.

           A young maiden ran towards a nearby shelter, her shoes stepping on the muddy field and forming a small splash with each stride. Alas, she shielded herself from the cold droplets.

           The flowers in her arms were wet yet they still retained their shape and form. As much as she wanted to complain and scream at the sky for ruining her journey, she feared the Anemo Archon may hear her and punish her for saying such unthinkable things.

           She sighed disappointingly. Her fingers buried against the bouquet and held it tightly close to her. Her trip near the tower’s entrance had a purpose. She wasn’t aimlessly wandering, nor was she just a citizen passing through.

           No, she was here to ask for blessing from her nation’s god and his beloved. Legend has said if you offer an offering near the entrance, your wishes will be heeded. Of course, at first, she had doubts. There was no such thing as miracles. But she took back her word when an unbelievable and impossible incident became possible.

           Shortly after Ludi Harpastum, a festival of joy and celebration, a calamity struck. A massive storm surged. Houses were damaged, and the once vibrant fields lay ravaged. The disaster had devastated her family's home. Thankfully, the Knights of Favonius offered to let the victims stay at their headquarters for the meantime while they restore the city. And one thing she noticed, in particular, was how frequently the villagers are going outside the city to travel to the old broken tower.

           At first, she thought of it as simply gathering materials and the like. And her friends were tagging along with them, so she didn’t pay too much attention to it. But when those expeditions had become nothing with no result, she had grown suspicious.

           Everyone was bringing flowers, wines, and food.

           What were those for? That was the first thing she asked her mother after she returned to her “expedition”. Her mother smiled tiredly, patting her head affectionately before she motioned her to sit next to her.

           It seemed the offerings were meant to seek favor from the Anemo Archon.

           “By offering gifts and prayers to Lord Barbatos and his beloved, the city will be restored.”

           The daughter’s eyebrows scrunched together, her doubts growing further. “But will that really work? We can’t just simply sit still and pray then— poof!” She raised her arms, motioning them slowly like acting out an explosion, “Everything will magically return to normal,” she continued before flopping back to the edge of the bed.

           “Oh, you silly girl!” Her mother pulled her to her chest and playfully messed her hair which earned her a huff, but a lighthearted one which the mother fondly recognizes.

           The giggles and laughter died shortly as the dawn of silence took over the room. The candle was their only source of light and despite the poor lighting, she could easily notice there’s something on her mother’s mind that’s been distracting her.

           “Mom?” She called out. Her mother’s eyes flickered before snapping her gaze to her and forcing a smile.

           “It’s getting late, love. Do you want to hear a bedtime story?”

           It was ridiculous. Laughable even, that her mother just offered to tell her bedtime stories when she’s already in her teens.

           “I think I’ll pass. I’m too old already for bedtime stories,” she replied, trying to lighten the atmosphere with a playful grin. “Who said you’re too ‘old’ for bedtime stories?” The mother feigned shock, her tone higher than before.

           She chuckled, shaking her head at her mother's antics. “Mom, you know what I mean. I’m sixteen!”

           Her mother's expression softened, a flicker of sadness in her eyes that didn't go unnoticed. “You'll always be my little one, no matter how old you are.”

           The daughter’s heart tugged in guilt then sighed in defeat. Whether it’s because her mother was manipulating her feelings or not, she’s unable to resist her pleading gaze. “F-fine, I wouldn’t mind hearing another story as long as it’s you telling me.” The woman smiled widely and supported her weight by resting her face on her palm.

           “Legend tells of a corner of the city that has been forgotten by the wind.”

           Her fingers brushed over her hair, tucking it behind her daughter’s ear whilst lovingly gazing at her, taking notes of the changes in her features. She knows her mother is being sentimental again over how quickly she grows. She understands those sentiments yet it’s best not to speak of the topic and make it depressing when the blitheness was there a minute ago.

           “To reach that place, one must stand before the fountain and close their eyes, then wait for thirty-five heartbeats, then walk seven circles clockwise around the fountain followed by seven further circles anticlockwise. Upon opening one's eyes, one will find they have arrived at a little shop…”

           The daughter closed her eyes and let her ears envelop the tune of her kin’s soft voice. Time had slowed down between them. It was only her and her mother together in this lone room with a single stalk of candle. She didn’t mind. After all, her voice was calming and soothing.

             She didn’t exactly remember when and how it happened. Because by the time she woke up and heard ruckus and clamor outside of the Favonius’s Headquarters, her eyes couldn’t believe what she saw.

           Everything was restored. As if the aftermath of the storm wasn’t there from the beginning… Everyone was cheering, crying, applauding, and gathering at the plaza where the statue of the nation’s god stands. She didn’t bother changing her clothes and doing her morning routine.

           She needs to understand— know— what in the world just happened. Pushing and squeezing her lithe frame against the closely packed multitude, she looked for any familiar faces to answer her horde of questions that began to bubble over her head.

           She called out to her friend and finally freed herself from the applauding audience to stand next to her friend.

           The girl's friend turned with a wide grin, their eyes reflecting the joyous atmosphere. "Can you believe it? It's like a miracle! The city is restored!"

           "But how?" she questioned, her eyes scanning the crowd for anyone who might have answers.

           "Rumors say it was the Anemo Archon himself," they replied, pointing towards the statue of the god. "They say he granted our prayers and restored our home."

           She gazed at the statue, still skeptical of the sudden turn of events. “Wh-what are you talking about?” Her lips stuttered, unable to fathom their collective and unanimous praise.

           The corner of the friend's lips trembled. Their hands were shaking even if it was already on the girl's shoulder. She could feel them shaking— shaking like a scared dog but there was a big grin on their face.

           “The Anemo Archon forgave us of our sins.”

           That was the last thing she heard. The mutual and unified cries of the civilians, priests, and nuns, all together as they clasped their hands to one to honor and pray for their lord.

            But something felt amiss, a whisper of doubt amidst the jubilation. Why would the Anemo Archon intervene now? What sins were they being forgiven for? The questions swirled in her mind, leaving a lingering unease.

           If it was indeed the Anemo Archon's doing, she couldn't help but feel grateful. Yet, she wondered what had truly transpired. The mystery of the sudden restoration only deepened her curiosity.

           But days after days of trying to uncover the truth, all of those doubts are nothing but a disguise for her lack of faith in her god. She was just being an unfaithful devotee of Lord Barbatos. How could she? And she truly felt remorseful and guilty for having doubts of the Anemo Archon’s capabilities.

           He had saved their nation more than once aside from the recent events of the storm, and that was enough for her to be grateful to him. If it truly was a blessing from the Anemo Archon, a miracle of wherein she can believe in it, then please…

           The bouquet in her hold was settled on the concrete flooring. She ignored the raindrops collecting into the fabric of her blouse, focusing on her prayers and her prayers alone. Her fingers clasped together, intertwining into a tight grip as she muted out every noise, every raindrop.

           “Oh, Anemo Archon. I do not wish for anything but for the good health of my mother. I implore you to please guard her against illness and adversity,” she whispered fervently, her voice barely audible over the patter of the rain.

           Her mother had always been her pillar of strength, her unwavering support. The thought of losing her was too much to bear. So, with her heart heavy with worry, she offered her prayers to the divine, seeking protection and healing for her loved one.

  —

             The tempest of the snowstorm was undoubtedly so cold that even his cloak was not enough for him to provide the warmth he sought. Venti peeked over the window of his room, watching over the tower looming over them so ominously.

           A little jingling was heard next to him and it was enough to recognize who it was even if he was not looking where his little friend was.

           “We are so close to the outside world…” He mumbled to himself, vigilant eyes unfaltering as if he was fighting against the mere stack of bricks. “And tomorrow we’re going to face Decarabian…” He shifted his gaze to the figure sleeping on the other side of the bed.

           The little wisp levitated over to him slowly and tilted its head before letting out another chime of jingle. Venti chuckled and lightly patted the two little sprouts sticking out of its head.

           “I’m not afraid,” He replied. “But I am afraid of losing her…”

           He glanced at the sleeping figure once more, a wave of emotions crashing within him. The weight of the impending battle was heavy on his shoulders, but his love for her, and his determination to protect her, was even heavier. The wind stirred outside, a reminder of his responsibility to liberate the nation, but in this quiet moment, his thoughts were only for her.

           Barbatos’s two dotted white eyes squeezed, reassuring his friend as he twirled over to you and gave another set of ringing. He patiently waited if he had another word to say, but it was enough of an indication when the wisp returned to lodge next to him. Venti easily deciphered what he was saying:

           “I may be a wisp, but I will do everything in my power to protect the both of you.”

           His eyes creased before he cupped his hands and gently lifted Barbatos so they could see each other eye to eye. “Thank you. That means a lot. I started this rebellion myself and I’d be willing to do anything. However…”

           The young bard briefly paused, staring absently at where you lay and Barbatos followed his gaze. It was not unusual for Venti to be deep in his thoughts. With how they have often been together, it’s one characteristic of him that Barbatos took notice of.

           But unlike his deep pondering, within his deep blue eyes he could see swirls of uneasiness. Eyes of worry lost in contemplation, reflected a storm of concern. The furrowed brow framed windows into a troubled mind, where the weight of thoughts etched delicate lines around the eyes. In their depths, shadows danced, revealing a tumultuous sea of unease. The gaze, once bright, now carried a subdued flicker, like embers struggling against the encroaching darkness.

           Barbatos was quiet but he slowly approached his friend and flew over his shoulder. The wisp already knew what was bothering him, but he didn’t break the silence. Rather, he let the silence consume them.

           He already knew this war would be a matter of life and death. Full of bloodshed and ruthless crashing of swords and greatswords all for the sake of freedom. They had lost several allies, what more if Venti loses you?

           What more if you lose him?

           Venti bitterly laughed to himself, catching Barbatos off-guard. He wanted to soothe his friend, but the cold sweat running over to the nape of Venti’s neck and the clenching of his fist over to his shorts was enough to come to a conclusion: Venti was scared.

           How come when he’s this close— they’re so close, he began to cower? He prepared himself in and out. From days to weeks, weeks to months, he led and planned everything with precision. Did he doubt his capabilities? Or was he scared they would never obtain freedom? Perhaps the weight of responsibility pressed harder than he let on.

           The impending battle with Decarabian, a foe of colossal proportions, bore down on him. The prospect of facing an archaic power, an entity that once ruled over Mondstadt, sent shivers down even the god of freedom’s spine.

           Venti cast a sidelong glance at the peacefully slumbering figure beside him. In the quiet of the room, the rhythmic rise and fall of your chest served as a stark reminder of what he stood to lose. The very thought of harm befalling you awakened a vulnerability he tried to bury beneath the bravado.

           He sighed, a mix of frustration and self-awareness. The war-torn history and the battles fought in the shadows, all led to this moment. Yet, the proximity of his friend, the one who anchored him, uncovered a layer of trepidation he never fully acknowledged.

           The little wisp fluttered near him, its tiny form a manifestation of loyalty. It chimed softly, a melody of encouragement. Venti managed a rueful smile, realizing that even Barbatos wasn’t immune to the currents of fear and doubt. The approaching conflict, an inevitable clash with the remnants of a bygone era, hung heavy in the air.

           Perhaps it was fate upon meeting two important people,  in Barbatos’s life; and never did he foresee he’d forge a deeper relationship with them.

           Amidst the raging storms, he thought he would never be heard but alas there a boy clad in a dark cloak with a lyre in his hand appeared in front of him.

           “Barbatos,” he called. “If anything happens to me, protect [Name] for me, alright?” Venti stood up from his seat and discreetly walked over to your bed. Barbatos watched from a distance. The bard’s hand gently brushed over your tousled locks as he lovingly smoothed the disarray of strands.

           Venti's eyes held a tenderness, a silent promise etched within the gentle caress. The room was filled with a hushed intimacy, interrupted only by the soft rustle of hair beneath his fingers. He delicately gathered a handful of your hair, the strands flowing through his fingers like silken threads. Holding them close to his lips, he pressed a tender kiss upon them.

           “Watch over her. Promise me that. Please…”

           Barbatos, observing this silent exchange, nodded in understanding. The air in the room seemed to shimmer with an unspoken bond, a connection that transcended the uncertainties of the impending conflict.

  —

             Freedom. That’s all that matters. That’s all that matters to the people of Mond. Freedom is everything to them, and if it were to be taken from them, they would rebel and fight for it to get what is rightfully theirs.

           That is what everyone fought for. That is what Venti fought for when the tyrant locked them up. And that freedom is what he promised to seek for his dearly beloved.

           The promise… That’s right, the promise.

           Barbatos made a promise to his friend: to guard and keep you safe from your father’s wrath. That he achieved. He did not need any of those extravagant praises from everyone, or a luxurious celebration that he protected the last survivor of the royal family. Your love and attention were enough for him as his honorarium, and if his plans went smoothly, then he couldn’t ask for more than your presence.

           But what about his promise to you? Not as Venti, not as Barbatos the Anemo Archon, but as Barbatos the wind wisp. He faintly recalled from his memories, vague echoes of your voice ringing in his head to protect your dear. He could hear your cries, he could vision your tearful face, and he could smell the faint aroma of smoke and blood from the past.

           “Barbatos, please. Protect Venti…”

           He stood at the precipice of conflicting roles, torn between the weight of his promise to the girl he cherished and the duty he bore as the Anemo Archon. The memories of her pleas echoed through the chambers of his mind, each word a poignant reminder of the sacrifice she had made.

           As he prepared for the impending battle against Decarabian, Barbatos couldn't shake the dual nature of his existence. The freedom he had fought for was now intertwined with the personal pledge he made to safeguard Venti—the mortal guise he wore to be closer to you.

           The wind wisp, a manifestation of his divine essence, hovered beside him, a silent witness to the internal struggle. Barbatos knew that protecting Venti meant more than shielding the bard from physical harm; it meant preserving the essence of the person he had become through his interactions with you.

           The wind wisp chimed softly, a comforting melody that seemed to say, "I'll protect what you hold dear." At that moment, Barbatos made a silent vow to honor both promises—to secure the freedom of Mondstadt and to shield the vulnerable heart of the bard who had become an inseparable part of his divine existence.

           Yet no matter how much he convinced himself that he still preserved the life of Venti for all these years, those were merely pathetic excuses he gave to himself that he was unable to protect him. That was the harsh truth he wished to never know. The harsh truth he often ran away from. The harsh truth is the least he wanted you to know. And because of that harsh truth, you will never be able to uphold your promise to Venti to travel the world with him.

           You were living a life of lies.

           “I hate you,”

           Such vile words escaped from your delicate lips, coated with nothing but hatred. All love was lost and diminished. Resentment smoldered within you, a slow-burning fire that refused to be extinguished.

           “I hate you!”

           Three venomous words stung into his heart and soul. His eyes, once alight with the sparkle of mischief, were now dimmed by the torrent of tears that streamed down his ethereal face. He reached out his hand to you as tears cascaded down like a torrent.

           “[Name], no… Don’t leave me, please!”

           His voice cracked, carrying the weight of a thousand heartbreaks. His outstretched hand trembled, fingers desperately reaching for something that was slipping away.

           The once carefree Anemo Archon was now a broken deity, his essence shattered by the cruelty of your hatred.

           “No, no, no!! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me here!!”

           His chest heaved with sobs, each tear a testament to the agony that consumed him. The celestial realm seemed to weep alongside him, mirroring the storm within his soul.

           Barbatos jolted upright in bed, gasping for breath. The echoes of your anguished words still reverberated in his ears, a haunting melody that refused to fade. The room felt oppressive, shadows dancing on the walls like spectral remnants of the nightmare that had gripped him.

           His chest heaved as he tried to dispel the lingering emotions from the dream. The remnants of your hatred clung to him, a weight that threatened to drown him in a sea of regret. The moon cast a soft glow through the window, a stark contrast to the turmoil that had unfolded in the dream.

           With trembling hands, Barbatos wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, realizing that he had been pulled into the depths of a waking nightmare. The images of your tears and the venomous words hung in the air, a phantom reality that felt too close for comfort.

           He whipped his head and cast his eyes promptly into the quiet room until they landed on a maiden deep in her slumber. Barbatos sighed in relief and for a moment, he simply sat there, the silence broken only by the erratic rhythm of his heartbeat. The nightmare had been a cruel reminder of the consequences of his choices, a vivid manifestation of the fears that lingered in the recesses of his heart.

           The lies Barbatos had forged for years were now haunting him. The lies that shielded you from the brutal reality all for the sake of selfish love. Barbatos had meticulously woven a tapestry of deception to protect you from the burden of his divine obligations, but mostly from his growing sick and obsessive love for you.

           You still haven’t discovered he was the new Anemo Archon until the blonde traveler told you everything about him during the night of the Ludi Harpastum festival. Barbatos scoffed, recalling how you were so caught off guard when the truth finally surfaced after you were separated from him. If only that pesky traveler and his fairy companion just minded their own business, he wouldn't need to cast you into a deep yet tranquil slumber.

           With great reluctance, he drew himself up and looked at the girl who held a very special place in his heart. You’ve brought so much joy and happiness to his life, not to mention more laughter than anyone else ever could. To see you seething with anger and searing pain would bring a weight on his chest like nothing else.

           Barbatos slowly embraced your hand to his, slipping his fingers in between, and softly brushed his lips along your knuckles, kissing each of them one by one. His vision blurred as his gaze wandered towards your angelic features, but a sudden pang of panic gripped his heart.

           “I didn’t knock her hard, have I?” he asked himself, his mind suddenly clouded with worry. The archon sighed deeply, berating himself over his unplanned actions. It was fortunate he still knew how to wield his powers and put you to sleep. He just hoped he didn’t dose you too much where it’ll take you years for you to wake up. He could only hope you’ll wake up soon, otherwise he might throw another outburst in Mondstadt.

           You've always brought light into his world and filled him with warmth. In a matter of minutes, you've managed to affect him in ways he never thought possible. He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes tightly, replaying the many times he found comfort in your arms or gave him a loving smile. There were many things he would like to say, but for now, his turbulent state of mind is not helping him.

           Barbatos groaned in frustration, ruffling his head in sheer irritation. It took every ounce of strength within him to restrain himself from throttling some ignorant traveler. Those ungrateful bastards deserve to pay dearly for ruining his precious morning.

           His rigid frame softened and he shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts. Barbatos slumped on the floor next to you and hugged his knees.

           As if afraid to wake up, it feels like a waste to even blink within this dream. And to think that the other side of the sky is so vast… Does he deserve this ending?

           Sometimes some things can’t be helped. While wounded by his own helplessness, the present in all its clumsiness, is changing into a brilliance of fabric reality.

           The more I protect it, the more it looks fragile. And the more I steal it, the more I want it…

           Barbatos sighed, the weight of his internal conflict bearing down on him. You’re everything to him—his source of strength, his light in the darkness, and the light at the end of the tunnel he was always seeking. The guilt that slowly piled upon him like countless millstones on a tree of regret and the past memories won’t let him move forward, hindering him from doing what’s right.

           He knew you deserved better than what he had given you. He’s been hiding a lot of things from you: his identity, his status as an archon, and even the death of Venti.

           Barbatos tugged his hair tighter, his frustration palpable in the agitated movements. He couldn't escape the relentless truth that bound him — because to you, Barbatos was merely your wisp friend. He was not the Anemo Archon, and certainly not the free-spirited bard.

           It frustrates me because I can’t be him and it begins to burn at my throat.

           Biting his lips, blood drew out. How cruel was he to decide to pose as your lover? He only wanted to be loved, cherished, and adored. To hide behind masks of illusions and cruelty? It’s not what you deserve.

           He clutched at his chest as if trying to quell the searing pain that echoed through his heart. The memories of carefree days as Venti taunted him like elusive specters. The laughter, the music, the unburdened joy — they felt like distant echoes mocking him in his current divine form.

           Barbatos needs you. Venti needs you. He fumblingly sauntered to your bed and gently opened his palms, caressing your soft skin. He felt a newborn warmth along him.

           The deceptive dance of his identity left him feeling vulnerable. The looming possibility that you might leave him once you wake up and still remember the truth was a haunting specter. Every moment spent with you was tinged with the fear of losing the connection he so desperately craved. For now, everything is falling into place. He'll continue to act as him even if it means to deceive you. But that won't ever happen again, he'll be careful— cautious— about everything he does around you. The past will never haunt him anymore. It will never touch you.

        You will never know. It was all a dream. A nightmare. But it's better not to mention anything of what happened that night, isn't it? It's the best and safest option. The world that should be smiling kindly to you and his friend reverted to his direction, taking their wishes that were never his from the beginning.

           There’s a place he yearns for but can never reach. The place he wants so much but can never grasp. He almost forgot to wish when he gazed in the distance.

           In his tightly clenched fist, his heartbeat is heating up again. Leaning down, he rested his head against your stomach and closed his eyes, breathing in the same pattern as yours in rhythm.

           “I love you,” he whispered, fluttering his lashes to where you lay and gazing at you oh so lovingly. His fingers trickled to your arm, clinging and clutching, before traveling to your bare neck. “You love me too, right, [Name]? You’ve always said you love me.”

           He crawled over you, his physique looming over your comatose state. His teal irises glittered as he peered closely at your sleeping face. His lips curved upwards in a smile before pressing a soft kiss on your forehead.

           That dreamless sleep, the veil between worlds will fall aside. His lingering touch, beaming with emotions he wasn’t aware of, glistening with affection, reverence, and lust all at once, creating a warm nimbus aura around his body. All while his unguarded words formed something like a prayer.

           “Oh love, you’re so pretty… so tender, and so beautiful.”

           His slender finger gently traced the contours of your face, tracing every outline of the contour of your nose, cheeks, and lastly lips. It lingered for more than a few seconds. He leaned in, slowly and carefully. He stared at you and let them blur as he stroked your cheeks.

           There was no response, not even an inkling of recognition or reaction.

           He exhaled shakily, taking off any remorse or guilt left in his conscience, and pressed his lips against yours. He savored the sweet taste that lingered on your dry lips.

           I love you, I love you, I love you…

           Despite their parched state, he paid no mind, lost in the intoxicating essence of your embrace. His kiss was light and soft, yet it held a fervent passion as if the dryness of your lips only intensified the craving for the delectable flavor he found there.

           I love you so much, [Name]. The things you do to me…

           With a happy sigh, he closed his eyes and relished every bit of your breath, wanting nothing more than to get drunk on its sweetness. Barbatos slowly pulled away, his lips tugging your bottom lip before it bounced back to its place. He panted, blinking for a few moments.

           A kiss with you has always been his favorite, and it didn’t take too long for him to know he wanted more because shortly he went back and connected his lips with yours again.

           A kiss here, and another kiss, and another, and another. It went on a cycle, an endless loop that he didn't even know how long he had been kissing you repeatedly. So sweet. So enticing. One short kiss after another, he wanted to engrave this in his mind.

           With every passionate lip-lock, he became more obsessed. In all honesty, he felt that he would die if he stopped, the taste still lingering in his mouth and permeating through his whole being. You’re the ethereal drug, a celestial intoxication that transports him to heavenly realms.

           Barbatos, feeling an unsettling shift in the air, abruptly sensed an intruder nearing the ancient ruins and broke the kiss. He gritted his teeth and summoned swift wind spirits to investigate the entrance. Their ethereal forms swirled with urgency as they darted towards the source of the disturbance.

           Whoever dared to step foot in here will not be spared. He already warned them if they wish to be spared from his wrath. The archon's eyes, usually serene, now flickered with an intensity born of both irritation and vigilance as he awaited the wind spirits' report.

           Upon checking, a lone maiden was standing near the wind barriers. She placed the bouquet of Cecilia flowers on the altar created by the Church for their offerings.

           "For Mondstadt, as always. For the verdant plains, for the hills, and for the forests of Mondstadt. May they continue to flourish, as always. For Mondstadt, as always. For the everlasting freedom of Mondstadt from the blizzard and the tyrant, whose coldness and oppression are one and the same.”

           What a peculiar girl letting herself drenched in rain. The rain was strong and despite the bad weather, she still offered her prayers to him.

           “Oh, Anemo Archon. I do not wish for anything but for the good health of my mother. I implore you to please guard her against illness and adversity,”

           Her prayers echoed in his ears. Barbatos crossed his arms and watched her from afar through the eyes of the spirit he cast. A lot of things have changed in Mondstadt. The city, the village, and even Stormterror’s Lair where he currently resides with you.

           He didn’t pay any particular attention to the changes outside of the ruins. But he did notice many of his people frequently visited this area to pray and ask for their blessings. Perhaps someone from the Church must have noticed him and thought this was his abode, and decided to create a shrine here, but also making sure it won’t ever disturb him.

           It’s been a while since Ludi Harpastum ended. He didn’t want to admit it but he’s been counting the days since you’ve been asleep. From minutes to hours, hours to days, and days to weeks, he never left your side. But he didn’t merely sulk in the corner, waiting for signs of you waking up. Unlike before, he decided to terraform the ruins to make it more to your liking.

           He remembers very well that you love the garden of the manor, so he made a special area for you. He remembers you love your library in the tower, so he prepared lots of books for you to read. He remembers the fountain you’d always whisper your wishes at, so he built it for you. All these things he had done, he did it for you while he waited for you to open your eyes.

           The very essence of his being intertwined with the elements, breathing life into the desolate ruins. As he lifted his hands, a harmonious dance of nature began.

           The once crumbling tower regained its majestic stature, rising from the ground as if it had never suffered the scars of time. Petals of vibrant flowers cascaded in a gentle descent, wrapping around the structure like a colorful embrace. An intricate tapestry of blossoms adorned the surroundings, replacing the debris and rubble with a carpet of nature's beauty.

           The Anemo Archon had woven a tapestry of renewal and growth, turning the dilapidated ruins into a sanctuary of life and vitality. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of blossoms, and the ambiance echoed the melody of his power, a testament to the god's ability to shape the very fabric of the world.

           He made the once rubbled, stormy lair into a sanctuary haven for his dear. It’s his gift for you that once you’re awake, you’ll dance around with him and live the life with him you’ve always dreamed of.

           He must admit though, the shrine built by the Church of Favonius was exceptionally well made and further enhanced the beauty of this sanctuary. Barbatos sighed, contemplating if he should aid the young girl by sheltering her. He never meant to become a ruthless archon and that is far from his ideals.

           His drastic change was all because of Aether. Of course, it was him. He’s too smart for his own good and Barbatos hates how quick he is to catch on to his relationship with you. But he’s here to change everything. So if he wanted to make a good image as an archon to his people, then so be it. After all, he only wanted your perception of him and that’s all he cares about. Nothing more, nothing else.

           He’ll make everything right this time. If you see him as reliable and trustworthy, then he’ll be loved by you. Finally taking his decision, he ordered his little spirits to guide the girl to find shelter. As for her prayers…

           Barbatos is no genie. He couldn’t guarantee all of his followers’ prayers. He’s not like the Dendro Archon who could cure illnesses…

           He sighed, the weight of his responsibilities settling on his shoulders. Being an archon was not a walk in the park. The expectations of the people, the intricacies of diplomacy with other nations, the constant struggle to maintain balance—all of it took its toll. Barbatos couldn't afford to let his guard down.

           News about his rampage must have reached his neighboring countries and he doesn’t want another burden to be added to his already tumultuous situation. As he watched the wind spirits guide the girl to safety, he couldn't help but feel the isolation that came with his position.

           The tower, now restored, stood as a symbol of his power, but it also harbored the secrets he desperately wanted to keep hidden. Aether's presence had disrupted the delicate equilibrium he had crafted, forcing him to confront the challenges that came with being both a god and a man.

           His thoughts circled back to you. Would you ever understand the complexities of his existence? The burden he carried for Mondstadt and its people? As the archon, he had to maintain an image, but beneath the divine facade, there was a being struggling with the desire for love and understanding. He also wanted you to see him as Barbatos.

           Not the Anemo Archon, but simply Barbatos, a young man who loves you through Celestia and Teyvat. Who harbored feelings for you for millennia.

           He shook off his inner turmoil, his eyes focusing on the horizon beyond the borders of the sanctuary. The wind carried whispers of prayers, and he knew he couldn't fulfill them all. The duties of an archon were exceptionally hard, and the struggles were his to bear. The winds howled in response, a melancholic melody echoing the challenges he faced.

           He sighed for the nth time, exhaustion began to creep over him. He placed the back of his hand over to his head to ease the throbbing pain of a migraine. The constant internal conflict and the strain of maintaining appearances were taking their toll.

           As he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he summoned a gentle breeze to soothe his troubled mind. The rustle of leaves and the familiar scent of the wind helped him find a moment of peace amidst the chaos. He turned his back and returned to where you were.

           Barbatos kissed you on the lips and it calmed him, more effective than the breeze he used to himself. You’re always his cure, the one constant that brought tranquility to his turbulent existence. The soft touch of your lips against his was a momentary escape from the weight of his responsibilities. As he pulled away, a faint smile played on his lips, grateful for the solace you unknowingly provided him.

           “I promise you, I’ll make this our sanctuary.”

           At the end of his lonely world, maybe he’ll arrive at his true world with no regrets or remorse.

taglist: @trust-the-oxygen @so-uncute

sorry for the delay on the update. i announced on my tumblr that i would be posting this chapter in late august or early september but a lot of things happened and i self-sabotaged this sob

[fontainefanatic]

Even Ice Melts | Chapter One

A/N - Hey there! This is my first time writing for Genshin Impact, and thats what this blog is gonna be, starting with this series. I'll most likely eventually create a masterlist and taglist if this gains traction, but in the meanwhile, enjoy!

Taglist | Masterlist |Chapter Two

----------------------------------------------------

Despite having a female Archon, the Ton of Fontain, or at least the higher society of Lords and Ladies, remained as sexist as could be. I knew this, the other women knew this, hell even the Hydro herself knew it. So, when my father announced his retirement and promptly announced that my hand was up for marriage, I was unsurprised. 

I mean, after all, how was a little lady like me- despite my advanced training and having already done so- supposed to take over his company? Surely I needed a man, no, a lord to guide me in this troublesome endeavor of running the most successful food production companies in Fontaine.

That's what brought me here. To this eerily lit elevator of rusted metal descending beneath the depths of the Hydro nation. The ever-illusive Fortress of Meropide. Truth be told, I’m surprised that Neuvillette allowed me to go to the Fortress, but something about owing my family a favor let me slip through the secure cracks of this place. 

Two guards greeted me once I arrived at the bottom of my journey, and a short ferry ride later I was standing in front of a desk. A rather grumpy looking lady looked up at me from her seat. “Name?” She asked, barely glancing at me before filing papers on her desk.

“Oh, I’m not here because… I’m here to visit Duke Wriothesley.” I responded as she looked up at me, abandoning the papers beneath her. Her eyes glanced at the two guards behind me who confirmed my statement.

She rolled her eyes before groaning, “Fine. Down that hallway and to the right. The center building, you can’t miss it.” She reluctantly instructed as I gave a brief nod of thanks before setting off on my way.

The stares and whispers of inmates were eerie as I approached the… office? Two guards stood outside of the doors and looked at me as I approached. “I’m here to see the Duke.” I stated as I stopped before the door. The two guards looked at one another, almost uncertain as they opened the doors to me.

I wasn’t expecting to be greeted to an empty room, spare the spiral staircase that followed the circular room and a few boxes here and there. The guards that were my escorts had decided to wait outside, so the doors closed behind me and left me alone in the room. “I thought I told you to knock.” A male voice called from the second story.

I bit my cheek in thought before responding, “You never told me anything.” I called back and was met with silence for a moment. I debated going up the stairs, but instead a man appeared at the top. Duke Wriothesley. I had seen him before, albeit briefly, at certain social gatherings, but he looked more disheveled at his place of work. His shirt unbuttoned at the top, a loose fitting tie, his hair a mess, and his blazer being swapped out for a black and red coat lined with fur.

He looked me over for a moment. “You’re not a convict.” He declared, perking an eyebrow. “And you’re not a guard either. What are you doing here?” He questioned, his icy blue eyes almost penetrating a hole through me.

Almost. “Monsieur Neuvillette sent me.” I half lied as he stared at me unimpressed. “Well, he let me down here. Truth be told, I’m here to speak to you, your grace.” I curtsied formally as this seemed to pique his interest.

He folded his arms and looked interested. “Well, then by all means, come up and let’s talk.” He motioned to the bottom of the staircase before heading up himself. I walked up to find an office, and the Duke with his back turned to what looked like a makeshift bar cart behind his desk.

“Do you drink tea?” He asked, reminding me of the package that was held within my coat’s pocket. I nodded as he made a pot. He turned around, deciding it had steeped enough as he poured a cup for both me and himself before sitting down.

He brought the porcelain up to his lips, taking a sip before smiling to himself as he looked from the cup at me. “So, what’d you want to meet about?” he asked, this time his tone was far less interrogative.

I huffed a small laugh before grinning and taking a sip of my tea, all in attempts to reassure myself. “As I’m sure you know, or maybe you don’t,” I commented before placing my tea cup back onto the table, his eyes not moving from mine, “My hand is up for marriage. While I understand that you are one of Fontaine’s top…” I trailed off in thought, biting my cheek as I searched for the word.

“Bachelors?” He offered before taking another drink from his porcelain teacup. 

I met his smirk with my own smile. “Yes.” I nodded, picking up my own drink but not bringing it to my lips, “You aren’t exactly in the best of favor with the ladies and lords of Ton.” I informed him as he nodded with a certain admittance on his face.

“So, why are you here then?” Wriothesley asked, not necessarily in a rude tone, but rather defensive without aggression. “I’m not exactly looking to repair that relationship.” He spoke, his eyes now holding a certain fire to them.

I took this time to sip my tea and spoke as the ceramic left my lips, “I’m aware. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the people of the court are not exactly the… easiest… to get along with, however they do hold a certain power here, in Fontaine.” I nodded, looking from the brown liquid to the Duke. 

His icy eyes not leaving mine for even a moment. “To put it plainly, they don’t like you.” I admitted as he took in the information without shock. Or without anything, really, he had been stoic since his last speech. “They haven’t made any plans yet, but there has been talk about finding a new Duke of Meropide, one that may observe their traditions.” 

The man before me folded his arms and leaned back in his chair, looking at me with a certain amusement. “So, that’s why I’m here. To put it plainly, I hate the other Lords that are vying for my hand in marriage, and you need to be in favor of the Ton.” I spoke firmly, placing my teacup on the table as if it was the final piece in a game of chess. 

He puffed out a small laugh. “You’re here because you want me to marry you?” He asked, a playful smile now evident on his face.

“I’m here because you’re the best option. This can be a mutually beneficial affair.” His smile didn’t leave his face as he drank his tea. “As I’m sure you know, my hand is only up for marriage because my father is retiring. That leaves me to take over the company. I see no reason why Cafe Lutece cannot have a partnership with the Fortress, given your welfare meals are… Well, we can supply you with better ingredients at least.” I informed as he seemingly thought it over.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but typically the Lord is the one who will take over the company, what’s to stop me from doing that?” He posed, setting his teacup down. 

“You seem happily occupied here in your fortress.” I commented, looking at the walls around me before setting my eyes on his, the smile dropping from my face. “But make no mistake. If you decide to take me up on my offer, and take advantage of me, I have no problem with saying what I need to in order for the Ton to turn on you.” I spoke coldly as Wriothesley’s happiness seemed to fade, being replaced with the Duke’s coldness and strength.

He narrowed his eyes at me as I smiled at him. “Relax, your grace.” I commented, picking up my teacup before taking a sip. “You asked me what I’d do if you’d betray this deal. I have no intention of doing any of this.”

He takes a moment to think before going to speak, “I-” He was interrupted by the door downstairs closing. We both looked to the stairwell and saw a Melusine. Neuvillette told me about her, if I remember correctly her name is- “Sigewinne.” Wriothesley addressed her. 

The melusine looked surprised to see me, as she moved her startled gaze from me to Wriothesley. “I can come back at a later time.” She responded as I stood up, causing the pair to turn to me.

  “No need, I was just taking my leave.” I spoke before grabbing the sticker book in my coat pocket. “This is for you.” I spoke, handing the book to the melusine, much to the Duke’s dismay. 

She smiled up at me. “Thank you.” Sigewinne then turned to the Duke, “I like her.”

Wriothesley lifted his eyebrows in amusement, nodding. I then turned towards him, pulling out the neatly wrapped purple package that had been sitting in my pocket as well, placing the item on his desk. He looked up at me, confused as a small smirk held place on his face. “What’s this?”

“Well, I figured if I wanted you in my favor, I’d come down bearing gifts, your grace.” I smirked back as he responded with ease.

“Call me Wriothesley.” 

“Alright then, Wriothesley.” I tested the new word on my tongue, “This is a package of Sakura Blossom Tea from the Grand Narukami Shrine in Inazuma. The best you’ll find on the market.” I nodded, before walking to the staircase. 

“Goodbye Wriothesley, and do think about my offer.” I smiled as he gave a nod and I left, the doors closing behind me.

<*>

“Who was that?” Sigewinne asked, placing the drink she had made for Wriothesley on his desk, still staring at the spot where the woman once stood.

Wriothesly didn’t look up from where he sat, staring at the package while he smiled. “My future wife.”

[kaiser-author-san-iii]

In Pursuit of Happiness | Various Genshin Men x Reader SAGU AU

A/N: Hello everyone and sorry for the extremely late update. Real life has really decided to kick me in the butt. At this point, I’m not sure where the story is going to lead us because I don’t know where we’re going. I’m going to need a beta reader later or something. But in other news, I’ve been trying to make a discord server for anyone that’s interested in this story and sharing ideas, getting along, Simp for genshin characters share tips for the game. :3

Not beta read/proofed, we die like Signora

Word count: 3381

Tags/Warnings: Female!Reader, Child! nephew Reader, God!Reader, Cult AU, Fluff, Romance, Found Family, and many references to other fandoms

Masterlist

First>> Next>>>

Summary: The task of an aunt is no easy thing, especially towards a rambunctious and curious nephew who can not sit still. After a bad car accident, the two of them awaken in the world of Teyvat where Y/n must do her best to not only keep herself and her nephew alive to find a way back home but to also beat back all kinds of suitors and become the pseudo mother to every child she meets and her nephew befriends.

CHAPTER 3 – Meeting the Geo Archon

It wasn’t a good day to wear a skirt as the cool breeze was blowing more than normal. But that didn’t stop Y/n from wearing any shorts underneath. Little else mattered as she heard her nephew laugh, hearing it echo with the winds and making the lands of Liyue and Tevvat glow with joy as the two waltzed through the skies.

She had always wanted to try this out ever since she saw Howl’s Moving Castle, but it would be better to try it out with a handsome partner. One can only dream.

“Weee!” her nephew’s cries of joy and his glee were heard by Teyvat as it hummed. The land, skies, and seas were calm and watched their beloved creator and her heir slowly descending towards the ground, flowers and leaves moving to bloom fully to soften their landing. Thanking the plants and the winds, Y/n knelt to fix [Nephew’s name] clothes and hair, avoiding the childs playful swats.

“Auntie! I can do it myself!” he pouted and continued to push the young woman’s hands away as she smoothened the ruffled-up hair, earning a small chuckle.

“I know, but I want to. There’s going to be few chances left that I could do this when you grow up. You’ll grow big and won’t need me anymore.”

They might have struck a lot towards the child as he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, enveloping her in a hug as his face reached only to her stomach, surprising the woman but welcomed the affection, gently stroking his hair and back.

“I think I’ll always need you.”

Living with him as made Y/n think he was a son to her. Out in public both back home and here, many thought they were mother and son. The amount of times she corrected people was laughable, but she couldn’t deny the warmth in her heart – how highly the boy thought of her.

Pulling away, she held his hand once more as they made their way back towards the Hilichurl camp hideout where the Hilichurls and Billy were waiting for them.

The first to notice their arrival was a Lawlchurl Y/n had affectionately called Mufasa. He made a slight noise that alerted the rest of the camp and saw the two as they all cheered and started to give out food even before the announcement.

“Well, it seems you’re all celebrating already but he’s in good health, everyone. Thank you so much for helping me take care of him.” The entire camp cheered, Billy the Hydro slime bounced up and down as he nuzzled against the young boy who was giggling. Teyvat showed their happiness by glowing and emitting more flowers that the boy enjoyed.

It was a blessing to hear the laughter and joy of the Divine Creator and their heir.

Amber eyes followed them, watching from a distance as he didn’t want to startle the Hilichurl camp. It was one of the biggest ones he’s seen, with towering huts and homes, platforms, and towers as tall as some cliffs he made during the Archon Wars. How was this able to escape detection, he wouldn’t know. He noticed that his camp was far from the main paths that led to the nearest villages and Liyue Harbor. It would have been easy to pass by the camp without knowing its existence. But he could understand the mass attempting to protect Her Eminence and her Heir.

For thousands of years, he has seen and cared for the numerous statues of the creator all around Teyvat (mainly Liyue) – one of the perks of being the oldest of the Archons. He has visited the shrines dedicated to their benevolent god. He had once been in their divine presence before and after so long of their absence, he could never forget the radiating warmth or the glowing of Her Eminence when she bestowed blessings or created life. He had seen her fight numerous times when otherworlders or even outer Gods attempted to take Teyvat for theirs – he wondered how it would be to fight alongside her.

He was Morax.

But…

How could he face her when he took part in the Archon Wars, the destruction of Khaenri’ah… events that he knew His precious Creator vehemently protested against. The death of so many of her creations by his hands due to misplaced grief…

“Auntie! Let’s play! Or we can go out again with the Hilichurls! Or better yet! Let’s hold a party!”

“Oh? What kind of party would it be?” Tilting her head to the side, the young woman decided to entertain her nephew, smiling as she knelt down to his height, right before he wrapped his arms around her, the woman picking him up with ease and spun around, earning a few laughs and giggles.

“A dance party! One with music and food! Lots and lots of food!” Though he was ecstatic, [Y/n] could see the sadness on his face and in his voice, looking back at the slimes and Hilichurls sensing the young boys want for friends to eat with them. This world wasn’t kind to monsters like them..

They disliked seeing the boy saddened by anything, he greatly valued their company and friendship from what the young woman noticed.

They’d have lived among cities and towns once but… she couldn’t accept how people treated the Hilichurls and slimes, some saying that they were simply monsters with no thoughts.. living among other people also meant that she accepted being a part of this world. Half of her did want to since she didn’t want to go back to such a mundane life where her life was just… average. Doing the same thing every day all year round and repeat. It wasn’t appealing. The other half wanted to go home as she missed many things, one of them being her family. And her nephew had to go back too for he sorely missed his parents even as he put on a brave face for his aunt.

Holding him close again, she hummed gently as Billy and a small Dendro Slime hopped alongside her as she walked towards their hut.

Zhongli smiled at the child’s desire. And frowned at the lucky Hilichurls and smiles that were around the Creator. It was natural for all creatures to gravitate towards the Creator, he was one of the lucky few that got so close long ago. He remembered her showing unconditional love and though some wished to be considered a favorite, she never chose anyone. These actions made everyone instantly love their Creator and dedicated themselves to follow them. He remembered during those times how he wanted to prove his loyalty to their World, their Eminence. What could he do to prove to them that he was faithful and loyal.

Some feared being selfish but would it really be bad to be selfish just once?

He saw an opening to get close and he made his move, making sure to be unnoticed as he had to have the two in his vision in fear of them leaving again.

“Auntie, why do we keep moving? I want to stay in Liyue.” The young boy laid his head against the womans lap, pouting as the said woman giggled, her hand running through his hair gently.

“Because soon people of this nation… the Qixing, the Millilith, and even possibly the adeptus will know that we’re different. Before we came here, I read stories where though some people appeared like their god, they were chased away despite being the real one. It’s my job as your guardian and aunt to keep you away from danger.”

He wouldn’t dare!

The thought that he or anyone in Liyue could turn away their Divine Creator would be preposterous. To dare harm or turn away the Creator was blasphemous!

“Do they think we’re bad people? Is it because we’re those Gods they talk about?”

“That’s part of it. But even if you are, don’t let it get to your little head. Remember, with great power-

“Comes great responsibility. I know, Auntie.”

The young heir was intelligent – a hope for the future. Though it was the desire of everyone to have him live happily, live innocently and never let him see the hardships that Teyvat has seen.

Seeing his chance, he made himself known as he quickly stepped in front, knowing that he’ll shock his beloved creator and her heir as they audibly gasped, the woman quickly holding her nephew close while the two slimes appeared in front and were waiting for their word to attack and defend – even going so far as to even let the Hilichurls know of the intruder before the man suddenly knelt to the ground, his forehead touching the ground.

This was his chance!

To show his unwavering devotion, his adoration. His love for the Divine Creator that helped him keep sane for so many years. And the glee to be the first of the seven to find her.

“Your Grace! Though I’m unworthy to be in your presence, please hear me out.”

[Y/n] held [Nephew’s name] close to her as the mysterious man appeared. Billy and the Dendro slime didn’t waver as they were serious in their job. [E/c] eyes stared down at the man that was basically kowtowing in front of her – the man was quite tall though she couldn’t be too sure just yet. His skin was fair, short dark hair with a long fringe to his right and amber tips. There was a section of his hair that ends towards his waist. But [Y/n] knew one thing….

HE WAS SEXY SEXY MAN!

He was handsome.

And [Nephew’s Name] knew it too as he was willing to hear the man out. Besides, he was a mission and he was sure that he may have found a worthy person to make his aunt happy. Wiggling out of his aunts grip, same as when they first met the Hilichurls, he hopped down and slowly walked towards the man as his head was still touching the ground. But [Nephew’s name] was quite certain that the mysterious man wasn’t going to hurt them. He raised his hand slowly and [Y/n] was behind him, watching with batted breath and to ensure nothing happened to the boy. The small hand gently touched the mans hair, curious as he ran his fingers through it slowly and patted him gently, the man moving to look up at them.

Seeing them this close, it was there that Zhongli finally shed tears.

His despair for many years have now been rewarded in seeing his God, his beloved.

Her glow, though dimmed by her mortal form, he could clearly see it – the envy of the stars and the moon in the night skies. Her stare – it was said to hold mass kindness and wisdom, a far away look that knew about the past, present, and the future and even beyond worlds.

Standing before him was the very God that he devoted his victories to in his younger years, the very God that made all of Teyvat and Celestia mourn from their disappearance.

[Nephew’s Name] was cheering in his mind as the man was indeed handsome. Gorgeous even! If he wanted to, he could set him up with his aunt! He had to play his cards right!

“Mister, are you okay?”

It wasn’t the words of his beloved but the voice of the child that brought him back.

The Heir.

The Divine Creator talked constantly about their relatives, about their siblings and how one of them gave birth to a child, the very child that was in front of him. A child that everyone agreed to be the God of Youth and Innocence.

He truly fit the role as he was bestowed with perfectly as there was childlike innocence in his eyes but he could see a hidden mischievousness too. How easy it was for him to see through his sorrow and the Divine Creator just standing behind the child and looking at him with concern. Concern for him, a lowly Archon that has worshiped her for millennia.  

The Geo Archon felt tiny fingers wipe away the tears from his eyes as he stared gently at the boy who smiled widely.

“There now! Hey, do you want to hear a story? Auntie always said that the tears always turn to gems or even become stars. I like stars so when I cry, I wish that they soon go so high up and hope that they shine the brightest so people can wish on them or even be homes to others!”

This wishful thinking earned a giggle from the woman, making the two slimes then relax a little as they then nuzzled against the boy who giggled as well.

“Well, its bad for a growing boy to hold back your emotions. Ah, sir, you may stand. I’m sure it must hurt your knees being in such a position.” Her Grace was benevolent just as he remembered!

He stood just as he was told, though amused by the child’s pout before he went back to his place beside his aunt, holding onto her skirt and hand as the two slimes stood at each side of the two.

“I’m sure you have plenty of questions, oh man of Liyue. Or… could I call you Morax? Or… what name are you comfortable with?”

In the year of being in Teyvat, there has been access to public libraries like in Mondstadt, and Sumeru. There was also the people of Liyue talking animatedly about the history and culture of the land and even the Gods that once roamed everywhere, but not so much as the Lord of Geo, Rex Lapis. But others tend to call him Morax as well and if her research was correct, the Mora of Teyvat was named after him.

One other thing that [Y/n] learned was that the Geo Archon was known to have many disguises but one tell of his was that each disguise had his signature Geo Amber eyes.

“Your Grace…” Though it shouldn’t surprise him, Zhongli was speechless. But then again, she was the Divine Creator. The Lady that created All should be the last one he should be surprised in their actions.

“I am still the governing Archon of Liyue. Rex Lapis will do. But I also go by the name of Zhongli.”

“I see. Well then. Zhongli, there is something I must ask of you.” [Y/n] smiled gently, the Geo Archon looking almost hopeful.

“Anything.”

“You must pretend you never saw us here today.”

He didn’t think it was possible to hear one’s own heart break until today. Could he have done something wrong? Surely not. He couldn’t have when he has been a faithful follower all these centuries. Could Barbatos and Baal say the same? Or even the others? Well, he could see the Dendro and Cryo Archons, but to his degree of devotion?

“Your Grace. I can’t do that. The people of Liyue… the people Across Teyvat. They are searching for you and the young Heir. Surely, someone of your stature and his deserve comfort and a safe haven other than in the wilds!”

[Y/n] sighed as she held onto her nephew, closing her eyes to think for a moment. She was sure now the Hilichurls heard their voices but she didn’t want a fight to break out.

“Yes. I understand that but…” Could she play around with the people’s faith here? This sounded sacrilegious. It could be just a coincidence that she happened to share the same face – the same likeness – as the great God of this world. If she waited long enough, maybe the real one will come and she could even ask if they could send her and her nephew home.

“But… I am not ready to take the mantel of being Teyvats God. It has been a year, yes. However I must think of my nephew. He is still young and confused of the responsibilities he will have one day. I don’t want to rush him towards that blind. Though I have full faith in all of you, there are just something where it needs to be me to tell him.”

‘Okay, that sounded mature and reasonable. Not sacrilegious either. Maybe he’ll take this answer.’

“But, Your Eminence! We are your faithful creations. Your burdens are our own and if there’s any way we can help, then we’ll gladly do so!”

‘Fuuuuuck!’

Faith is said to be strong, also depending on the person or being. Reading more, Morax or Rex Lapis was said to be one of the most, if not the most, faithful of all the Gods that still live among Teyvat. If anyone that was still alive in the time of the first appearance of the Creator that was faithful to the God, it would be Morax.

“And I am grateful for such loyalty. However, my nephew is my top priority. As I said before, pretend that you never saw us. But, that doesn’t mean that I have forgotten you and the others. May we meet again, oh Great Geo Archon.” Carefully holding onto her nephew, [Y/n] swiftly ran out of the hut, Billy and the Dendro slime following behind as the two soon took to the skies like earlier.

It didn’t seem right to give the Archon hope, but it were the words that might give him comfort. The following days, she has noticed that some powers were coming to her. And though she was in denial, that first day with the Hilichurls starting in Mondstadt with her blood being gold was an indicator that she was who the people of Teyvat say she is.

“Auntie, why did you leave him? He seemed so nice!” [Nephew’s name] cried out as he climbed onto her back and held on tightly. She glanced back and smiled gently.

“Because what he was asking of me was something I’m not ready for. Besides, the day that we must go home might be here sooner than you think.”

Isekai anime and manga taught her much to be weary of who to trust and how much to reveal. And if worse comes to show that she must be cunning to enact revenge. Hopefully it won’t come to that, but it never hurts to prepare.

“We’re going far away, nugget. We’re going to have to work on a disguise for each other. Think of it as Halloween all over again.”

“Yay! Halloween!”

The next stop of their adventure was the nation of Sumeru, where the green forests met with their vision and made them audibly gasp. They have been here before but every time they step foot in the forests, there was a singing being heard either by Teyvat themselves or the beings that inhabit the forest.

Unbeknownst to the two, a certain amber eyed Archon was running around Liyue in hopes to find the Divine Creator and her nephew. How could he take his eyes off of them and let them leave after he just discovered them?! Though he wasn’t in touch with Celestia, he was certain the higher powers that his beloved God was a part of would surely punish him.

He hasn’t been this frantic since the Archon wars, protecting his people and sheltering more ever since Havria was killed and her followers fearful for their lives. Every second mattered, every second with every action meant the difference between life and death as sought protection for the mortals he was caring for as well.

Though he was certain that Teyvat would care for his beloved God, there was the voice in his mind that spoke of the untold dangers that might come from extreme devotees or even, dare he say, sacrilegious zealots – people that were adamant that the Creator never existed. To them, he would show them the Wrath of the Rock. How dare they when he himself has seen Her. And he has seen Her with the Heir this time.  

He will remain hopeful of seeing her again. And the next time he will come across Her path, he will be sure that Liyue will be the home that they deserve – for it is said that wherever the Creator decides to descend will be showered with grand favor other nations will gladly go to war for.

A/n: Zhongli is going to be a simp but that's okay UwU What will happen next? Btw, I just now made it to Sumeru sooo~ will we meet Al Haitham? Cyno? Nahida? Kaveh? Who's to say~ We still got the men in Mondstadt, Inazuma and Childe. And the rest of Liyue cause we only met Baizhu and Zhongli. Everyone, good luck pulling for whoever you want! I'm pulling for Al Haitham~!

TAGLIST:

I tried tagging most of who I could but it wasn't letting me qwq

@axolotlboo

@crazypriestess

@gallantyss

@catjsjs

@lonelysoup

@yuii-v

@memema-exists-here

@sweetbills

@catjsjs

@shizunxie

@esthelily

[tteodoroki]

persistent [tartaglia x hydro!reader]

cw: childe is a warning himself, violence, slight suggestive themes, not beta-read we die like Guizhong

notes: I love this skrunkly fucker. Also Alexa, play Obsessed by Mariah Carey.

“How are you today, comrade?” Childe asks, a bright smile on his face as he strolls up to you with a few quick steps. You have to resist the urge to roll your eyes. It’s not even midday and you can already feel a headache approaching. Archons, all you wanted to do was run a few errands today in peace.

You choose to nod in acknowledgement of his presence. From past experiences with the ginger haired man, you knew that ignoring him all together would prove more of an annoyance than engaging in conversation with him. If there was anything that got under his skin, it was you ignoring him. As tempting as it seemed, you had little patience to deal with his shenanigans.

“Ah, well, you’re probably wondering what I’m doing here, huh?” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as you glanced at him out of the corner of your eye before continuing your walk around the docks. You knew exactly what he was doing and exactly why he was there. The same reason he’s been following you for the past few weeks; your damn vision.

“I just wanted to remind you that the invitation to join me and the rest of the Harbingers is still on the table.”

And there it is. If you had a mora for every time Childe brought up joining the Harbingers to serve the Tsaritsa, you would have enough mora to leave Liyue and flee to Inazuma of Sumeru to get away from Childe and his incessant proposition. Sighing, you stop walking, the Harbinger quick to follow your lead.

“Look, Tartaglia,” You start, your hands inching to grasp the hydro vision that rested comfortably on your hip. A nervous habit of yours, but it never failed to ease your anxiety. “I have told you a hundred times that I am not interested in joining the Fatui. I am not going to leave Liyue for Snezhnaya, and I am not going to serve the Tsaritsa. I do not care how many times you ask, my answer will always remain the same.” Somehow, you manage to keep your voice even and calm, despite your growing agitation and desire to physically make him leave you alone.

For once, Childe was at a loss for words. For as long as he’s known you (which to your dismay has been quite some time) he has never seen you become this annoyed with anyone. Not even Bolai whenever he tries to up-charge you on his goods which are never nearly as good as he makes them out to be. Maybe his plan to convince you to join the Harbingers was a little too plain. He’s tried to charm you through gifts and stories, with promises of being able to see the world as a Harbinger. Any of these approaches surely would have won any regular person over within a heartbeat. But, Childe knew better than anyone that you weren’t a regular person.

Given his lack of response and far off look, you roll your eyes before walking away to continue with your errands. Archons, how did this mess even begin with?

As a child, you were blessed with a vision. It was no surprise to you or your parents, as the both of them are respected vision holders themselves. You were never a rowdy or reckless child, so your family never thought you would use your vision to fight. With a hydro vision, you would probably go on to work with Baizhu at Bubu Pharmacy to help heal the people of Liyue. A noble purpose, you suppose, but not very exciting. You heard stories, tales from Madam Ping about vision holders of all kinds hailing from all seven nations in Teyvat. Her stories sparked something in you, and one day you decided that you too would be like the vision holders from Madam Ping’s stories. Strong and adventurous. You too would save people.

Oh if only things were that simple.

One night, years after your received your vision, you found yourself among the brilliant pools of water of Luhua Pool. It was quite a travel from your home, but you heard from others that vision holders would travel days to sacred spots in order to connect with their vision. People blessed with pyro visions traveling to active volcanos or people with cryo visions traveling to the heart of Dragonspine. The closest thing you could think of was the crystalline water in Luhua Pool. So, you meditated. You prayed to the Hydro Archon, Focalors, to grant you the strength and wisdom to accomplish something great with your vision. You spent hours, praying, meditating, and even mimicking movements of other vision holders you’ve seen within the pools. The best you were able to achieve was a few waves and accidentally shooting yourself in the face with a stream of water.

As you continued to practice training with your vision, a stray treasure hoarder appeared. He saw your vision strapped to your side and made an attempt to take it from you by force. Everything happened in such a blur. You faintly remember screaming and then all of a sudden the treasure hoarder was no longer charging at you, but instead was on the ground, his limbs dislocated and mangled, bent at horrifying angles that would take a miracle to put back into place. He thoroughly looked like he had been attacked by a wild boar, and the mere sight made you want to pass out. You looked around, trying to figure out what had happened, until you saw it; your vision, it was glowing. It didn’t take a genius to put it all together, and the horrifying thought of you hurting this man to this extent made your heart threaten to beat out of your chest.

You didn’t know what to do or who to talk to so you did the first thing you could think of; you ran.

You ran all the way from Luhua Pool to Liyue Harbor in one night. You just prayed to Rex Lapis that the adepti did not see that it was you that hurt that man, even if it was in self defense. You shivered at the thought of being stared down and judged by one of the adepti.

Madam Ping was the first person you talked to after the incident. You omitted some of the details, such as maiming the man and leaving him for dead, but you were able to find out more information about what it is that happened.

Hemokinesis, or blood manipulation. That was the basis of what happened. According to Madam Ping and many of the books she gave you regarding hydro vision users, it is a very rare skill amongst hydro vision holders, with only 2 recorded vision holders in history. Madam Ping told you that not even the Hydro Archon is capable of such an ability, and that this subversion of the hydro vision was gifted by Celestia in order to protect the innocent when the Archons cannot.

You sat in Madam Ping’s home, staring silently into the cup of ginseng tea she poured to ease your troubles. As you sat there, you made a silent vow to use your new abilities to keep Liyue Harbor safe. Celestia blessed you with such a skill for a reason, and Madam Ping assured you that even if it wasn’t clear now, it will be in the future. Archons, why did she have to be so cryptic?

The Gods do not make mistakes, she insisted. Your young mind had believed her then, and you prayed to the Archons that she was right.

Ever since that day, you never hid the fact that you had a hydro vision. In fact, you were proud of it despite your initial apprehension. You were one of the few blessed with a vision in Liyue, which was a high honor. But, you still could not figure out why Childe was so insistent on you joining the Fatui. It had nothing to do with your natural Liyue citizenship, as the Fatui have deep connections within the harbor through the Northland Bank. You weren’t a high ranking official or someone with status and influence like Lady Ningguang and you weren’t a leader in the Millelith. To the average Liyue citizen, you were just you; someone from a well respected family that had a long line of vision holders. That was it, and only one person knew the extent of your true power, and she would never divulge such a secret to anyone else, especially not to someone like Childe.

Whatever the reason was, you tried not to think too much of it. Even if Childe miraculously knew of your talents, it wasn’t as if the Tsaritsa herself could force you to join. The Fatui had no diplomatic leverage over you, so you would just have to deal with Childe’s constant proposals, as annoying as they were.

“Hello there, comrade!”

You inhaled sharply at the sound of the annoyingly familiar voice. Archons, didn’t he have anything better to do?

“Don’t you have people to intimidate and corrupt, Childe?” You ask, your face scrunching up in distaste as you continued to walk towards your home.

“There’s nothing more important to me than seeing your beautiful face, [Y/N].” Tartaglia chuckles, offering you a boyish smile. You could feel your blood start to boil, your hands clenching into fists at your side.

“Childe, what the hell will it take for you to leave me alone, huh? I’ve told you for months now that I will not join the Fatui, and you are so persistent on pursuing me and I don’t understand why!” You seethe, your eyes narrowing at the man in frustration.

Unfazed by your anger, Tartaglia looks at you with a gleam in his eyes that is almost unsettling. If not for your pent up anger, you would have been cautious of the look of excitement that flickered across his face.

“Fight me.”

Two simple words made your body tense and your mind spin. He wanted you to fight? What for?

Sensing your confusion, Tartaglia smiled. “If you beat me, then I will leave you alone. Even if I win, I won’t even ask you to join the Fatui, I’ll just take you out for dinner!”

“Childe, I’m not going to fight you.” You roll your eyes. It’s not that you couldn’t fight him, Madam Ping trained you throughout your life. Even if he was a Fatui Harbinger, you knew that your vision would protect you. No, if things went south, you knew that it would end up with Childe finding out about your abilities, and you didn’t want to think about the headache that would cause you in the long run.

“[Y/N], c’mon!” He whines, giving you a pouty look. At his grown age? How ridiculous.

“Childe, I’ve already said no! What’s so hard to understand?”

“But why not?”

“Because I don’t want to!”

“Why not?”

“I already told you!”

“It’s not-“

Before Tartaglia can speak, you feel something inside you snap. Your patience long gone and by the Archons all you wanted him to do was shut up. You feel the basket of produce you purchased earlier slip from your fingers, and all you can hear is the blood rushing through your ears as suddenly Tartaglia is thrown backwards, body smacking straight into a sunsettia tree.

“I said no.”

Tartaglia had no idea what happened, but suddenly he’s pinned to a tree, vision blurry, the familiar taste of blood in his mouth as he tries to gather his bearings. Through his blurry vision, he makes out your form, your body positioned in a stance he vaguely recognizes as a form of Liyue martial arts, your vision that rested on your hip now glowing. Tartaglia wants to speak, to say anything, but he feels as if a Mitachurl is sitting on his chest and finds it hard to even breathe at the moment.

“I don’t know why you have been so annoyingly persistent, but it ends now.” He hears you speak, but the ringing in his ears makes it difficult. He feels the blood that has been pooling in his mouth suddenly vanish, and in return feels jagged spikes pressed against his face and neck. Tartaglia considers that he has a severe concussion, and that his mind is playing tricks on him, but another part of him knows that this is real. That it’s you doing this. It sends a chill down his spine, knowing that you could end his life with a simple flick of your wrist. How invigorating.

“Consider this my final warning, Childe. If you cross my path ever again, I will not be as kind.” With that being said, you reach down and grab the basket that fell from your hands and continue your journey back home, praying to the Archons that this was the last you’d see of the Harbinger.

But oh, if only you knew that this merely spurred Tartaglia’s desire to have you by his side. To make you his. This was merely the beginning.

[elysiaishere]

Genshin Impact Thoughts/Theories No One Asked For, Part 2 (Spoilers)

The Genshin brainrot is particularly stubborn this time around, even with last night's post. So, here is even more inane rambling, courtesy of my garbage brain:

I don't think Kaeya expected Diluc to fly off the fucking rails like he did when he told him the truth about his origins—in fact, I think Kaeya trusted in their relationship so emphatically, he never imagined a single scenario where Diluc would have lost his temper to such an extent, that he would raise arms against him

Throughout Mondstadt's history, there have been numerous people of interest who have struggled for freedom and liberation. Among them: Venessa, the Falcon of the West, and the Red-Haired Warrior mentioned in the tale about Decarabian's fall. I theorize that Diluc and the rest of the Ragnvindr family are descendants of either Venessa or the Red-Haired Warrior

I like to believe that Old Hu and Zhongli were once close friends. And, at some point, Old Hu asked Zhongli to watch over Hu Tao once he passed, and that's one of the many reasons why he assumed the role as consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor

Despite his voiceline about her and their apparent differences, I like to believe Zhongli and Hu Tao enjoy each other's company—enough so, they still choose to spend time with each other outside of Funeral Parlor-related business

Hu Tao totally knows Zhongli's true identity

I care more about Paimon than the Abyss Twin. So, if the "Paimon is the Unknown God" theory comes true, just know—I'm throwing myself into traffic. Controversial, I know

Speaking of the "Paimon is the Unknown God" theory, I'd like to express a take on it that I personally haven't seen across the internet. It did, however, come to my attention via my best friend. She proposed that Paimon is a fragment of the Unknown God. As in, Paimon is a small percentage of the Unknown God's power and/or personality. Which, to some extent, might explain the similarities in their designs. In particular, the star-shaped hairclip Paimon wears—which resembles the star-shaped portals seen in the opening cutscene of the game

Since 4.0 dropped, I often find myself wondering: what was Focalors/Furina before she became the Hydro Archon?

After all, the other Archons we have met so far have all had some kind of association with their respective element before they ascended.

Barbatos was a wind spirit

Morax was described as the "Lord of Geo" long before he became the Geo Archon

Baal and Beelzebul are described as "personifications of lightning"

Buer was born from Irminsul

So, it stands to reason that Focalors was also something non-human before she was initiated. But, what? Right now, we know nothing. In fact, at this point in time, we know more about Neuvilette than Focalors. As has been the theme throughout Fontaine, we have more questions than answers.

With that being said, I have two (inane) theories about what Focalors was prior to her ascension:

Firstly, I think it's possible that Focalors was born from the Primordial Sea. As in, she is a humanoid manifestation of the Sea itself. Possibly even created by Egeria, the previous Hydro Archon, in an attempt to create a being capable of preventing the Fontaine Prophecy.

Secondly, and here's where I really lose it, it might be possible that Focalors is somehow connected to the previous Hydro Dragon Sovereign. In particulsr, a humanoid manifestation of it's tears. I mean, I have no solid or even debatable evidence of this—except for Neuvillette. Maybe. In his Story Quest, we learn that he and the Melusines arrived in Fontaine sometime after the Cataclysm (and Egeria's death). This means he has served as Chief Justice under Focalors and Focalors alone. To me, the timing is interesting. What could have possibly compelled him to serve under an Archon? Let alone an Archon with some distinct, err, character flaws. Especially, since, it's implied that Neuvillette wishes to hold both the Archons and Celestia accountable for overthrowing the Dragon Sovereigns. Maybe the reason he puts up with her antics is because she's the only connection he has to his predecessor

[pitxroxas]

ive been writing for visionstars for funzies so heres some hcs

Tsukasa Suou: His hydro horse thingy is a mare and her name is Iris. Tsukasa could be a reverse childe, uses sword in normal combat and then mounted on Iris he switches to hydro bow bc why the hell not. (also bc he’s canonically good at mounted archery and theres a really cursed [!] era card for that + story) He’s from Fontaine and his family works under the Archon. They’re the head of the Archon’s defense for her and the region and Tsukasa is going to be the next general. Tsukasa is very fond of Inazuman treats (loovess dango milk). Also Tsukasa sleeps on Iris when they camp out

Arashi: Arashi is from Liyue and is a model in Liyue. Arashi may as well be related to Zhongli and may as well be an Adepti, but that isn’t confirmed :) (In Enstars Canon she has a big bro, maybe Xiao could be hers??) Arashi’s burst is similar in form with Zhongli’s (big object be hurled + stun) but instead of it being a big boom boom rock its a bunch of star-shaped shards of geo that skewer said enemy and explodes, giving stun. oh. and killing them. Arashi is also the mom of the group, completely against her will and its not certain to say she likes it or not.

Leo: Leo is a flaming piss weasel and that’s literally it (/j) he cannot control his powers whatsoever, so whenever he gets an emotional spurt of energy expect everything to be on fire. Fires comes out from him EVERYWHERE. It’s usually his hands within his control, his nose and maybe his mouth outside of control. Leo has totally made a claymore out of pyro and showed it to Ruka. Ruka was not pleased when half the kitchen was burned to shreds. He also is very good at woodworking (mostly the burning thingy) and sets wood on fire specifically to compose.. yippee!! Leo is also from Mondstat btw. Also, Leo’s burst is much like Yanfei’s, a birthday of music!! Boom boom!!

Izumi: Traveling model from Snezhnaya who would rather be home. He freezes everything because he hates everybody (actually just his insecurities talking) he’s like Elsa but if Elsa skipped therapy at any given moment. Izumi actually knew Leo when he went to Mond for a modeling gig and they became friends there and then never met again. Until now. Izumi is also hella good at ice skating and thats his entire fighting style. Skid skid boom deaded. Like op said, he works like yelan. I think his burst should just be a wall of ice. Defense!!! ahahah!!!!

Ritsu: Personally nobody knows where he’s from and no one is allowed to touch his vision (bc he said so) but everyone speculates Sumeru. Ritsu is not from Sumeru but I’ll keep you wondering. Ritsu sleeps on everything and everybody. One time he slept on Iris and Tsukasa has been angry since. (“How many times have I told you, Ritsu-Senpai!! Iris is not a pillow!!! You can’t sleep on her!!!”) (“But.. you do…”) (“Thats not the point!!!”) Ritsu has honestly found a great attraction to Arashi (in a platonic way) he sees her as a big sister and Arashi is sooooo validated by that. Ritsu’s burst may as well be something like Mona’s or Layla’s, a debuffer / debuffing field for the boss and a buff for the knights.

Unit: They do actually go around and sing and dance and they also go around and cause problems…. on accident?? Tsukasa and Arashi are usually damage control

They’ve actually set some important landmarks on fire.

Izumi has froze some people before and got away with it.

Despite their crimes, Knights is pretty popular for their music and choreography!! Also how they add elemental powers within their performances!! Except for Leo he isnt allowed.

and thats it for my visionstars hcs!!! Thank you so so SOO much @flcarius and your gf for the ideas that sparked the au!!! I love it so much that i. write. teehee :3

[kitsunebby-exists]

Nobody asked at all, but here’s my miscellanious thoughts on Fontaine so far.

I wasn’t expecting to like it, but I did! I’m looking forward to getting to explore more and see where the story goes

The melusines caught me so off-guard when I first saw them

The Archon Quest is literally Danganronpa

I didn’t expect for human trafficking and drugs to be mentioned. I’m not upset, just surprised

On an unrelated note, I’ve realized an uptick in ‘Paimon/Traveler thinks NPC is going to commit suicide but it turns out the NPC is just going swimming’ moments

Also unrelated, but the diluted Primordial Sea drug being a reference to absinthe and its reputed hallucinogenic properties was interesting :)

I didn’t expect to like Neuvillette, and I don’t think he’s attractive, but I’m warming up to him! He’s a dragon man! A father! And he cries in his room when people yell at him!

[Edit 8/22/23: when I first wrote this, I mistook the giant skeleton in Fontaine and father of the Melusines for the primordial Hydro dragon. I was wrong. The skeleton is a younger, entirely different being called Elynas. Please forgive me for my misinformation]

I like Navia. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because of all of her family drama that I witnessed. Also she looks super cool, and I love her hat

I may be a pervert for this, but did anyone else notice how lovingly modeled Clorinde’s buttons were?

The swimming stuff is great. I love swimming around with no restraints in video games. My true home is the fucking sea

My husband is in jail. We have to break him out.

Aaaaaaaaand Paimon’s mustache and glasses were absolutely fantastic

[bunni-v1]

ONG UR TWST OC CAN BE APART OF MY TWST STORY PERHAPS

Here’s Frost- they/them

they fancy Malleus and formally attempt to adopt Idia and Riddle and

everyone that’s not Malleus or Lilia <3 - but mostly idia and riddle.

They’re pretty blunt and nonchalant, in their world they’re a district attorney so they’re extremely justice inclined and smart when it comes to that department. very much studies all the laws in Twisted Wonderland so they can get a sense of the differences there and from where they’re originally from.

they handle overblots pretty well and mumble frequently to themselves abt how they should sue some of the character’s family members

I actyally created them as a genshin/twst au thing :3 theyre the hydro archon alongside furina, two hydro archons and they’re siblings. Frost disappears so furina steps up more to take their place until their return! Frost tended to handle things in the background and stayed away with things that didn’t relate to court, law, and diplomatic relations. They do have a good relationship w furina and neuvillette- alongside trying to keep diplomatic relations with shneznaya peaceful.

then they entered TWST- so now they actually have to…talk to people…as not diplomats. and it’s kind of difficult for them since they’re very used to being a bit strict and cold- and able to manipulate…water. but i say their abilities disappear once they enter this world bc i need a plot for them to be upset!!

thats most of that down but i can send more info <3

They're very pretty!! It's funny you mention genshin cause my OC, (her name is Mitsumi, btw, sorry for being vague with her for so long), also technically exists in genshin.

She's my "one size fits all" girl, so I shove her in just about anywhere lol. She has her own lore independent of Genshin and twst, but it's super complex and a lot to get into so I won't bore you with details about her lol.

Anyway, your OC is super pretty and really cool! I think she'd get along with my other OC Jingyi a lot. She's also (technically) a diplomat, and also technically a god-like being. She's complex, but I think they'd get along well!

If you wanna hear about my OCs I can go into detail with them, but there's.... A LOT of lore, because I'm very hyper-fixated on these two (Mimi and Jingyi).

[lowkeyclueless5137]

what’s the double genshin isekai AU?

ANON I EVEN HAVE DRAWINGS DONE, TRUST ME-

In here, for the rarepair week, I made a smol backstory of how Idia came back to twst and what role it has to the main story

Now, mind u, my sister insisted that I get genshin. I got the game like 2 days ago...

So behold! My first 20 pull:

I just wanted the penguin boi :'3

Now, under the cut, I'll explain the whole thing, top to bottom+ the drawings.

Also, please don't expect top notch loke knowledge. I'm not that invested in genshin... I only play just to unwind a bit. :'3

So... At base, it's your generic double isekai. Idia gets yeeted off twst due to the ✨ incident✨.

Except that he finds himself on a rainy day in a big city, running for some coverage. He finds a safe spot, unknowingly being at the entryway of the courthouse, where he gets found by Nevilette. Since the rain was getting worse and this kid was wounded and shivering, Nevilette takes him in the court house and treats him. Naturally, this priquires Furina's attention. The kid seems to not know anything that might give a clue about his family. He could just say his name: Idia.

So congratulations, kid, you got adopted! :D

Idia was a freakishly fast learner for his age. Nevilette wanted him to go to normal school, but Idia's fear of strangers urged both Nevilette and Furina to take the home schooling route. Wrio(I can't spell his full name for the life of me) is the occasional babysitter U_Ub

Idia, much to Furina's dismay, proved himself eligible for a vision when he intercepted an attempt at the archon's life. He was still around 9, so him taking most of the hit ended up with a long time in bed and his Shroud curse coming back.

Nevilette almost had a fricking panic attack that day, lemme tell ya. Everyone remembers that day. 030

But, when Idia wakes up, he's asked why he did what he did. He says that Furina is his big sister and he can't accept her or his papa(Nevilette) getting hurt. He maybe wasn't as great as them, but he will do his very best to protect his family.

That's when his vision appears. And it's pyro. :'3

So, as a congratulations for getting his vision, Furina purchased the finest fabric in all of Teyvat and she handmade a big bow for Idia where he could attach his vision. But because he was smol, if the bow was on the hip or back, it would incapacitate him. Instead Idia had it attached to the back of his neck, from where he braided his hair. He cherishes it because Furina went through all of that effort for him after all. While he was strapped to a bed and Nevilette was tiredlessly working at both the courthouse and towards nursing him back to health.

From there on, Idia did his best to train as the bodyguard of the hydro archon. Nevilette was at first against the idea, insisting that Idia should focus on his passions and prioritise an education before settling onto something. But Idia already made his mind and off he was. Wrio trained him, but Idia wasn't really made for punching. Thus he had to use a weapon, mainly a sword. For now, his job as a bodyguard is rarely needed when no more attempts at attacks were made, so Idia had to throw in the towel and focus on something else: schedule manager and prop management.

Idia's job is to keep track of every case and event that goes in the courthouse. He is the guy through which all the events pass first before being actually put in motion. He makes the schedule and he makes sure that everyone is up to date. Naturally it seems like a lot of talking has to be done, but Idia has his ways around, mainly putting a big panel of notes where he changes the schedule every day. People have to actively seek him out if they want a schedule change, hence why things usually run like clockwork in there. Idia manages props and tools for the more drama part of the cases after all. Not more than once did he end up dismembering smith for his curiosity needs. He knows how to build props from scratch by now. :'3

Unlike Furina, Idia is much more reserved. He hates crowded places and would do anything to pin the spotlight on someone else. He is Charlotte's biggest enemy, for the mere fact that he's impossible to even catch a proper photo of him.

And all of that reflects on his abilities as a character. For the game technicalities, he would be a pyro sword character. His basic attacks are fluid at first with a final rough strike, while for the long hold he can dash as a small flame before bursting out with a small surrounding fire damage.

His elemental attack is film cut: long strips of movie are tying 2 to 7 enemies so that if you inflict damage on one, that damage gets evenly split in between the others.

For his burst, I wrote it in the oneshot: lights. Camera. Action. Is a burst that creates a big range field (the spotlights signal it) as in there Idia and the rest of his party members become invisible to mobs unless they take damage, a projecto\movie camera taking place as the main target (basically a small turret). The burst does give a massive pyro explosion too, but ultimately it helps with dodging or health recovery.

The thing with Idia is that his fire is blue. His vision turns blue when he uses more powerful attacks and patterns appear on the back like blue bubbles. That was the hydro dragon's favour, a blessing Nevilette gave to Idia once he started to pursue his wish of being a bodyguard. U-Ub

Now... The events of the oneshot linked above occur. Idia now possesses the pair of scissors that can help him jump in between Teyvat and twst. Naturally, during the summer holiday at NRC, he invites Azul and Malleus over, while Furina and Ortho try to be wingmen. These 2 are besties and their only scope in life is to tease Idia with his luv life. They live for the drama™ :'3

So, seeing that Idia longed for closure with these 2, along with him actually being interested in attending proper school and Furina being down to explore the world, now free of the archon burden, Nevilette indulges in actually talking with crow man and enrolling these 2. I mean... It took a few pretty crystals and mama and papa Shroud(they are on actual good terms) to persuade Crowley into enrollment. Although he specified that he cannot arrange for dorms out of the dark mirror's decision. (BCS they obv didn't pay as much as the asims)

So cue high-school! Furina was obviously more excited than Idia. In there no one knew who she was or what she did. It was basically a new beginning. She already was dreaming of making friends, having tea-parties together and all that sunshine and rainbows.

Meanwhile, Idia was actually preparing to fill in his bodyguard duty, since he already had some experience with the NRC students. :'3

Cue first day of school! and Nevilette ugly crying for his beloved kids finally getting outside to learn and explore. :'3

And the ceremony goes ablaze. Literally!

Well, at first Furina was sorted into ramshackle, which came as a suprise since Idia was sorted in Ignihyde. Then here comes Yuu and your cannon fiasco with Grim. Idia had to stay behind with Furina due to the ramshackle situation. So now with Yuu, there are 2 people who are going to stay in there.

And Furina wants this challenge, despite Idia reasoning that the place is definitely unliveable. She's older, now shush and go to bed! >:v

Cue 1 half a prologue and Idia finds himself chasing after this 1 braincell squad and Furina down in the mines. It turns out the ginger brat has a geo vision and uses a bow, which raises even more questions! :'3

Ace does explain to the 2 that his family has the ability to pass through the abyss from twst to Teyvat. His big brother resides in Teyvat atm along his little siblings too. His grandparents tho are in the queendom of roses. :v

So now you have 3 vision users, one magicless hooman, one cauldron mage and 1 magic fire raccoon cat.

What a lovely team :'3

Now for my drawings:

First up, I really tried to experiment with diff tools, so you have this idea of how this 5⭐ mf would look like if you even wanna pull for him. There are 2 variants bcs I couldn't decide. :'3

There's also one page of memes and one of how the le Fontaine kids look like in NRC.

And ✨tsum Furina the almighty ✨. U-Ub

And finally, my personal favourite: a smol oneshot scene:

Welp... That's all for now on this au :3

[caldeiras-random-fandom-thoughts]

Uses of Deception: He Xuan and Shi Wudu (TGCF) and Furina/Focalors (Genshin impact)

*Spoilers for TGCF/Heaven Official’s Blessing novel and Genshin Impact Archon Quest: Masquerade of the Guilty*

*Note: This is merely an opinion piece. Take what I say with a grain of salt. Also it said it has mature content but it may not seem that way as the way it was written. I just put it there just as a precaution*

If I had a nickel for every time a character with some kind of relation with water and used deception to hide something from a high power, I had three nickels. It isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened three times and two of them were in the same fandom.

Shi Wudu's use of deception.

Let's start with Shi Wudu from TGCF. If you're not familiar with who he is or haven't read the novel, he's Shi Qingxuan's older brother and the water master. He is also the water tyrant and part of the three tumors alongside Pei Ming and Ling Wen. He hasn't made an official appearance in the donghua yet.

The reason why Shi Wudu uses deception is because of Shi Qingxuan. When both brothers were mortal, Shi Qingxuan was haunted by a creature called the Reverend of Empty Words and was cursed with an ill fate and misfortune. As a way to protect Shi Qingxuan from the Reverend of Empty Words, Shi Wudu switches Shi Qingxuan's fate with someone (He Xuan) with the same name and birthdate as Shi Qingxuan to deceive the Reverend of Empty Words. By doing this, the Reverend of Empty Words is tricked into going after He Xuan, making his life a living hell while Shi Qingxuan lives He Xuan's fate and ascends as a god and lives happily and is safe and sound. What Shi Wudu had done was keep hidden from almost everyone in the three realms (the ghost world, the mortal realm, and heaven), even from Shi Qingxuan, until the Black Water Story Arc, which resulted in his death.

He Xuan's use of deception

Next, we have He Xuan, another character from TGCF. As previously stated, He Xuan's fate was switched with Shi Qingxuan's, which resulted in the Reverend of Empty Words going after him. Before that, he was a promising scholar that was destined to ascend into heaven. But with the Reverend of Empty Words haunting him, his life falls apart. To sum up: he failed his state exams because the officials hid his test scores and replaced them was blank exams, his sister and fiancé were kidnapped by a very wealthy person and forced the be concubines (which ended up with them dying), He Xuan try to get justice and accused them for adultery, it backfired and he got thrown in jail instead, while he was in prison, he was beaten and starved, his mother (age 70+)died while he was in prison while his father (also 70+) work to support the family and was barely hanging in there by the time He Xuan got out, when He Xuan decided to go into business to help his father, the other merchants ganged up on him and he got drowned debt. He died from exhaustion after he decided to kill everyone who harmed him. After he had died, Shi Wudu confirmed He Xuan's death and after He Xuan spent some time as a ghost, he learned who Shi Wudu was. Eventually, he became the supreme, Black Water Sinking Ships ( or Ship-Sinking Black Water or Black Water Submerging Boats depending on which version you may have come across).

Here's where He Xuan's use of deception comes in. Deception was used in his revenge plot to get back at Shi Wudu for what he did. He infiltrated the heavens, going undercover as the Earth Master and waiting for centuries to gather information and plan his revenge while having Hua Cheng as an accomplice and acting as a spy for him while maintaining his cover in the heavens. He even had many clones set up in heaven to gain information. He used deception to help him get revenge and justice for his family for Shi Wudu's actions.

Furina's / Focalors' use of deception

In Genshin Impact ( a video game), Furina/ Focalors is the Hydro Archon ( a god that can control water) of the nation of Fontaine and is the god of justice. Originally, Furina and Focalors were one being ( the original Focalors when she gained a human form and later became the Hydro archon).

Focalors' deception was part of a plan to deceive the Heavenly principles and save Fontaine from doom. Like many Genshin players who reached the Masquerade of the Guilty Archon Quest, Focalors' predecessor, Egeria, used the power of the Primordial Sea to create a new race of humans in Fontaine, and the action was deemed sin and the people sinners from the Heaven Principles. It also leads to a prophecy of the destruction of Fontaine, where the people will be dissolved in water and leave the hydro archon weeping on the throne. To save the people of Fontaine, Focalors split her being into her divinity (still named Focalors) and her human self, Furina. Focalors had Furina be an actor to pretend to be the god of justice and Hydro Archon to fulfill the Hydro Archon’s role in the prophecy and let it play out to trick the Heavenly Principles into thinking the prophecy will be/ has been fulfilled. Furina was also placed under a curse so she could not die as long as Focalors' divinity still existed so she could stay alive long enough until the prophecy was fulfilled, the people of Fontaine were safe and she could live a happy life afterward. Furina maintained her role for 500 years and never told anyone about it. Although she didn't know Focalors' full plan, except to play her role as an Archon. While Focalors hid in the Oratrice Mecanique D'analyse Cardinale to create enough energy to destroy the Hydro Archon's divine throne/place among Celestia while sacrificing herself in the process. Doing so will return the Hydro Archon's authority to whom it was originally stolen from, the Hydro sovereign/Hydro Dragon, Neuvillette (the current one) so he could forgive the people of Fontaine's sin, saving them from being dissolved in the water.

Conclusion:

Everyone here uses deception as part of their own plans and they have similar motives to one another. Shi Wudu and Furina/ Focalors wish to protect/save someone ( Shi QingXuan and the people of Fontaine) While Furina/ Focalors and He Xuan wish to bring justice to someone they care about (He Xuan's loved ones and himself and give back Neuvillette's full power and the continuation of existence for the people of Fontaine (Fontaine's original Justice)).

However how they put their plans into action somewhat differs, especially in what they chose to sacrifice. Shi Wudu chose to sacrifice He Xuan to trick the Reverend of Empty Words into going after him in order to protect Shi Qingxuan. In He Xuan's case, he sacrifices his time to thoroughly plan out his revenge scheme. Although his relationship with Shi Qingxuan could count as a sacrifice I feel like it would depend on how you look at it. When He Xuan started his revenge plan, he gave Shi Qingxuan many outs so he could just go after Shi Wudu alone and adjusted his plans so that Shi Qingxuan would be relatively alright. But in the end, He Xuan still killed Shi Wudu. While Furina sacrifices her time for 500 years, she also sacrifices her sense of identity for pretending to be someone she’s not, and ultimately her happiness until her role ends to trick the Heavenly Principles. While behind the scenes, Focalors sacrifices herself to give her authority back to Neuvillette so the people’s sins can be forgiven and Fontaine can be saved.

Another thing I want to point out is the morality of these situations. Furina/Focalors' use of deception is on the righteous side of things as everything they did was to save their nation. While Shi Wudu’s and He Xuan’s use of deception was in more gray areas. Shi Wudu wanted to protect Shi Qingxuan from the Reverend of Empty Words but he chose to use an innocent man who wasn’t even involved in the first place and let him experience all kinds of hell. While He Xuan seeks vengeance against Shi Wudu, it can be easily justified as Shi Wudu was the one to change He Xuan’s fate and let misfortune befall him and his loved ones. But let’s face it, they both have justifiable reasons for doing what they did, it was just their actions in the situation were fucked up.

Actually, all three of them were in fucked up situations and they were doing what they feel was right for them to do.

Anyway, it was really interesting how each of them was related to water and they had used deception in some way or another. I wonder if they have some mythology related to or something about it culturally as the author of TGCF, Mo Xiang Tong Xiu or MXTX, and the game company that created Genshin Impact, Hoyoverse, are from China and elements in their plot in the lore/stories are based on the culture.

That’s all for now

- Ria

*Note: This is merely an opinion piece. Take what I say with a grain of salt. Also it said it has mature content but it may not seem that way as the way it was written. I just put it there just as a precaution*

[cantarella]

I love essays, thank you for responding! Some of my own (wlw) mutuals have been rting/reblogging ship stuff for them, like it’s their token “good hetero ship” and I just…. :(

I’ve also seen a number of ppl refuse to acknowledge that Furina and Focalors are the same person. Like, that’s one bitch. Not recognizing that Focalors is Furina’s divinity (now laid to rest) is such a disservice to her character imho. Like, immortality as a kind of “youth” that dies when you finally breach adulthood is what I keep thinking about, among other things. Atp, with Focalors gone, all her memories independent of Furina (I assume this is because of the curse, and a final note of kindness from Focalors so that her humanity doesn’t have to process 2 sets of memories at once. Though the latter is a head canon I guess), Furina and Neuvillette are so horrifically incompatible with each other.

Even IF they didn’t look like father and daughter and even IF the mental age difference wasn’t terrifying… Furina has so much of the world left to learn. She’s still the same person and yet she’s different, that transition is traumatic actually! Not to mention the literal trauma of having the lives of ALL your kin in the palm of your hand that you mentioned.

As for her sq, I thought I was pretty clear that one of the takeaways, after reading the director’s journal, was that Furina is like a big sister/sibling/familial-linkage-of-some-kind to all Fontainians. Despite everything, they are her family, she’d do it all again, because “to be human is to be part of the greatest opera ever known,” and there’s beauty in this life to preserve etc etc. Idk if I’m making any sense tbh, but it’s nice to know at least a few other people understand how to consume media critically 🥹

(Also! When shippers go on and on abt Neuvi paying for Furina’s apartment/things…Clorinde offers to do the same fucking thing. Like, literally offers to find her a new apartment with the apparent fortune she makes from being the champion duelist I guess. But they refuse to acknowledge that. Given, they probably don’t read her character stories or flavor text, but still)

yw! and ouch I can feel that, I'm very picky with who I follow so that didn't happen to me but this pairing is quite inescapable

anyway, that's an interesting take on focalors and furina, which I agree with but only on a symbolic level. yes they're of the same origin, but they're the same only in the way jesus and the holy father are both god. idk if you're familiar with christian doctrine but the focalors furina and neuvillette dynamic is based on the father-son-holy spirit trifecta. maybe I'll do a post on that eventually but in the meantime here's a chart to make it easier

the father (focalors) created the son (furina) in his image, they're both incarnations of god but they're not one or the same being. rukkhadevata explained how this works in the context of teyvat and the irminsul also

furina and focalors share the same nature, though not in the same way rukkhadevata and nahida do as they are reincarnations, but the fact focalors died while furina lives and they don't share memories and experiences proves that in the eyes of the irminsul they're two separate beings with different "fates". which obviously makes furina even more incompatible with neuvi as she was never anything but a frightened young girl and the power and maturity imbalance is so steep it's at a 90° angle

that said, I do believe symbolically focalors' death put an end to furina's adolescence, as a death of the immortal self and of a physical manifestation of the idealized youth

in a similar symbolic way furina is an older sister type of figure to people of fontaine now. she ruled over them for 500 years she obviously cares for them, but only now she can actually learn to know and understand them as herself, and help them in ways furina, not the hydro archon, can

trying to find her own place in the world, distancing herself from her guardian figure and getting help from her friends, achieving enough power to protect herself alone, and literally going out drinking for the first time in her character stories (not that #those people read them anyway I'm sure) which is literally what hyv has been using from the start to show if someone is of age or not, are all steps of someone just stepping into adulthood. trying to ignore all this and say she should go back to working with neuvi and that the vision is him protecting her or putting a claim on her (writing that made me suicidal for half a second) for the sake of a fuckass m/f pairing is an actual insult to both of their characters. it's actually vile to me

anyway I hope the fans explode and die bc they're both illiterate and fans of heterosexuality. like pick a struggle

[montammil]

Genshin Impact? Genshin Impact!

Now I cant stop thinking about Lawrence as some fogotten archon (maybe god of the family?) who survived  Archon War but gone mad. And now wandering over the world looking for son or something idnk...

What do you think, dear author? In what regions characters of cold cold eyes would live in genshin world? Who would they be? Would they have powers?

Feel free not to answer if you not intrested , you are always great anyway (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

Omg I'm so glad I get the opportunity to share my love for this godforsaken game (I'm so addicted my bank once called me to check up on me T-T) I also love this premise!!

Firstly, Lawrence would totally be native to Fontaine, so I could definitely imagine him with a hydro vision. I could imagine the people would've loved him until The Archon War, where he had gone mad. He lost many of his people, and on top of that, his own fiancée.

Slowly but surely, Lawrence started to be feared by his own people, being more feared than even the Raiden Shogun (who isn't Archon of Inazuma yet, just for clarification).

When he heard the rumors that the people would stage a coup, he left with his Gnosis in a panic, knowing that was the first thing they'd take-- Fontaine being known for justice, after all.

He left to Dragonspine since hardly anyone inhabited it, built a small home there, and didn't leave for hundreds of years, being left alone with his grief and rage.

Until one day, as he left to do his daily routine and hunt, he saw a certain young man drawing a hilichurl from afar (I guess Marshall is the new Albedo lolol)

He felt a pang of parental possessiveness for him. It reminded him of how he desperately wanted children with Nadia, how he was robbed of that.

After he came over a few times, Lawrence started to stalk him from the mountains. He learnt that his name was Marshall, and became obsessed with him.

Surely this was a sign sent from his deceased love, right?! This had to be! No way this could've just been a coincidence. Surely not...

...so after Marshall visited enough times, he kidnapped him and revoked him of his vision and weapon. Visions are pointless and dangerous, anyways, his child doesn't need them! Why have one when he's there to protect him?

And of course, now that his vision had been revoked, Marshall clearly stands no chance escaping the grasp of an ex-Archon, a literal God.

...and when Sadie and Nathan come looking for their friend, knowing how often he'd visit Dragonspine... well, Lawrence decides this is just fate to have three children now!

...

Woo, that was long, I just got so into it, haha. I hope you liked this, I really want to right a whole story on it now. If you wanna see this, please let me know!!

Here's their stats because I'm having way too much fun with this:

Lawrence

Vision: Hydro

Weapon: Sword

Role: DPS/support

From: Fontaine

-

Marshall

Vision: Anemo

Weapon: Spear

Role: Healer

From: Monstadt (moved from Inazuma)

Affiliation: Apprentice to one of the Knights of Favonius, perhaps? I'm dying just thinking of Marshall and Kaeya interacting

-

Sadie

Vision: Pyro

Weapon: Sword

Role: Support

From: Monstadt

Affiliation: Alchemist who graduated early from the The Akademiya

-

Nathan

Vision: Electro

Weapon: Claymore

Role: DPS

From: Liyue (travels to Monstadt often for work)

Affiliation: Bounty hunter