#zhongli..... we'd be friends

[isekyaaa]

I'm still thinking about that post that asks if you think you'd be able to bag your fictional crush bc like there are so many characters I like conceptually and have crushes on conceptually but would never like in real life so like what is a crush what does that word mean what does it imply wh

[undermine-the-instinct]

Neuvillette doesn't have a voice like Zhongli--meaning one that is smooth and deep, something that effortlessly sounds expensive and rich. Zhongli sounds like a story teller reading a grand epic, or a lawyer reviewing all their forms, knowing they're in order and that they'll win, no need to rush-- but he's checking again nonetheless.

Neuvillette sounds like the governor your parents hired to teach you history and arithmetic. He sounds like the sound a book makes when you shut it and smoothly slide it back onto the shelf it came from. His voice sounds like the feeling of slipping into a warm bed after a lovely shower.

I might be stoking some flames here, but Zhongli sounds rich and dignified (like those dark chocolates with the alcohol inside), Neuvillette sounds cultured and sophisticated and nice (and not in the asshole way).

[dragon-ascent]

Zhongli feels like things are getting serious with you, so he decides to reveal to you his true identity. He'd initially wanted to wait for the perfect opportunity to do so, but this is the kind of band-aid that needs to be ripped swiftly. So, he sucks it up, sits you down one fine evening, and tells you his secret.

To say you're stunned is a grossly massive understatement. You look like you're about to combust, with the way you're shaking like a leaf.

"Oh, god..."

"Yes, precisely." Zhongli squeezes your hand calmly.

"Oh god oh god oh god..."

"Indeed a god, dear. But fret not-"

"You're here to punish me, aren't you?" you whine, crouching to the floor.

"Punish you?!" Zhongli raises an eyebrow, crouching to your level and placing a hand on your shoulder to steady you, though it barely helps with the way you're vibrating right now. "Whatever for?"

You're practically hyperventilating now. "So like, when I was in grade three, I promised my friend I'd lend her my color pencil, but I ended up not lending it because I didn't trust her clumsy ass not to misplace it! D-does that count as a contract unfulfilled?!"

Zhongli stares at you. "What..? No, that is hardly a-"

"Or," you wail, "that time I told my cousin we'd split a big cookie 50-50, but it was actually 55-45 in my favor on purpose?! Fairness was lost, wasn't it?! The contract became proof of my deception?!?!"

The poor ex-archon shakes his head. "No, emphatically no!"

It's like you're not even listening to him as you shamefully list off all the times you told lies, failed to make good on deals, and the like. "Please...forgive me! Don't punish me! I'm too young to face the Wrath of the Rock and die!"

Zhongli rocks you gently all night, reassuring you that he does not punish people for having not done homework when they were young.

[trashcanwithsprinkles]

Hi!!! poppin in to say hey. guess who reread your stories again. me. i did for like the thirtieth time. i love them so much, they’re gorgeous. you glorious creature <333

anyway, i read the gekkan shoujo nozaki-kun manga. i saw your chapter 19 note on ‘i think youre so good.’ do you, perchance, have any notes or ideas you’d be willing to share abt what you’d write in a zhongchi gsnk au??? people don’t talk enough about that series and god the idea of that au is already brewing comedy across my mind. Love you(r writing and art), hope you had a great christmas and new year!!! <3

well obviously it'd have to be nozaki = zhongli and mikoshiba = childe. i'm very tempted to say it would then be sakura = lumine? aether? aether would be funnier. of course we'd completely ditch sakura's massive crush on nozaki and focus on whatever the fuck nozaki and mikoshiba got going on there. the rest of the characters i don't have a clear "this one would be this one" idea, so it could be whatever.

but i think instead of being a gsnk au it'd be more like.... a gsnk-inspired modern au. so like i said in the notes, the premise would be zhongli is a romance novel writer who goes under a woman's pseud bc he's fluid like that, and his pseud is hailed as like this marvellous writer, the spokeperson for women's hearts and all that – half the fanbase have giant crushes on him/her and generally portray him as like this all-knowing poet woman. zhongli-jiejie is what i'm saying. and the only one who knows zhongli is the author behind that pseud would be his editor, which i'm so tempted to say would be hu tao bc it'd be hilarious; but idk that hu tao would be able to keep such a funny detail private among her own friend group? so maybe it could be literally anyone else. ningguang idk why i feel like it'd fit. i think editor ningguang would be funny. so the only other person who'd know besides ningguang would be beidou, who CAN keep it a secret.

anyway- other than that, the main Funny of the au would be that most of the main characters in his famous ongoing novels would be genderbent versions of the people around him. main character soft dainty delicate heroine would be childe, sweet overworked nice young man would be ganyu, strict responsible workaholic boyfriend of previous nice overworked man would be keqing, scarred quiet serious Complex(tm) young woman would be xiao, beautiful gentle mildly-menacing doctor lady would be baizhu, etc.

we would need a sakura for this though, which is why i think we'd have to have like- someone else beyond beidou and ningguang find out that zhongli is the author. maybe we could pull a ysmms and like- make it someone entirely random. like- xiangling. or yunjin. and have the entire thing be an outsider's pov on the whole mess. maybe we could have it be xingqiu, and instead of it being a 'sakura has a crush on nozaki and tries to confess' situation, it could be a 'xingqiu is a fanboy of zhongli's pseud and started writing because of him/her' and ends up finding out via the writing world or smth.

idk it was just a mess of thoughts i had back then but it was too funny an idea not to point it out. not sure i'd ever write it though, unlikely.

but it is pretty funny to think about so thank you!! i hope that was interesting;,,

[daily-dose-of-imagines]

Hello, I hope you've had a good day so far :) if it doesn't make any of you uncomfortable, may I request Zhongli (Genshin Impact) with an s/o who cries when given affection? For example, they smile at people just to be polite, but when someone wants to get closer to them, they'll become very quiet, and when someone does something nice for them and genuinely cares for them they end up crying? You can choose the gender of the s/o (but a gender neutral s/o would be preferred so that others can read it (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)) please and thank you! (・∀・) (I'm very sorry if this is too much information..)

Hello hello anon~! It's been quite a day, but nothing too bad~! So sorry that it's been so long, but here is the long awaited request you've made~! I hope it lives to your expectations~! As always, thank you so much for your support to our blog~! We greatly appreciate it~!

» » Admin Ko

ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ, ᴡʜᴏ ᴅᴇꜱᴇʀᴠᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ | Zhongli x GN!Reader [ONE-SHOT]

»»————-　➴　————-««

To many, the words "I love you." hold a semblance of adoration, love, and adoration, but for some those words can hold the weight of the world. A strong sense and urge of responsibility that not many are quite accustomed to, and for someone who isn't well versed in receiving such terms of affection it can become quite overwhelming.

A sort of stimulant that can have one's mind reeling with overbearing thoughts and emotions. Thus, before a crowd of their closest friends, (y/n) sat meagerly eating their food as the rambunctious sounds from the acclaimed Paimon and Traveler echoed throughout the open dining hall. Beside them sat the renowned Zhongli, a consultant who carried himself as though he ruled over the lands-- and someone whom (y/n) held a strong affection for.

"(Y/n), is the food not to your liking? Does a dish displease you?"

A deep voice whispered into their ears, a flush of red dusting their features as they stiffened in their seat. A sense of urgency captivated their heart at the gentle concern that laced itself within the consultant's voice as amber eyes gazed into their form.

"Ah...yes-- I mean, no... nothing is wrong..."

A forced smile made it's way across (y/n)'s features as they hoped the expression sufficed in alleviating the worry that began to capture the consultant's face.

"...would you like to step aside for some air then? I wish for nothing more than your mind to be at peace..."

Zhongli's brow furrowed as he already made a move to stand up. An arm was already offered out towards the other as the consultant refused to budge from his stance.

Seeing as there was no choice in the matter, (y/n) hesitantly placed their hand on the taller man's forearm. Allowing themselves to be whisked away into the beautiful Liyuen night. The refreshing breeze and the soothing sound of the ocean crashing against the harbor brought a sense of clarity to them as they were able to calm down.

"Before you fret, I let our companions know that we'd momentarily part."

Zhongli offered a small smile, the adoration for (y/n) dripping from his amber hues like honey as he gently rubbed his thumb over the back of their hand that rested on his forearm. At this, (y/n) was suddenly hyperaware of the state that they were in. The close proximity and warmth they felt as Zhongli walked alongside them had their brain working on overdrive as they attempted to quell the raging thoughts and emotions that crossed their mind.

Without even realizing it, their breathing quickened as they felt the pinpricks of tears breach at their eyes as they tried whatever they could to withstand the sudden onslaught of emotions they felt. Suddenly, (y/n) found themselves seated near the docks. The salty sea breeze brushed against their face as Zhongli sat patiently beside them. Never once relinquishing his hold on the other as he could feel the air prickle with unease.

"No need to rush. Take your time, for I am always here awaiting you."

He added with fervor as he let the natural sounds of Liyue whisk the duo into a state of peace. Though they wished to explain themselves, (y/n) found that there was no need. The atmosphere and the silence gave the former archon enough information as the continuous gentle caress to their hand began to slowly dissipate leaving only raised arm hairs.

To (y/n) this was all...so much. With the patience and understanding Zhongli provided, they allowed themselves to be momentarily vulnerable. As they curled within themselves to allow frustrated and overwhelmed tears to shed, the former archon ensured their respect and privacy from those who dared to peek. The strong gaze he held deterred all that dared to even near the duo as the soothing deep rumble of his voice served as a beacon of light to (y/n). A steady anchor that helped ease their rambunctious emotions.

At that moment, as the stars gently watched over the duo; (y/n) knew that despite everything, Zhongli would be there for them. A consistent medium and reminder that it was okay to be overwhelmed. That they would work through it together one step at a time. Step by step, day by day.

[zhongrin]

Hi Miss Rin! *excitedly waves at you as I order and pay for a drink*

Usually i pop by here with thoughts on ZhongWrinTh and I am here with more thoughts about you all… no surprise there oh but this time I do have another question not exactly related to ZhongWrinTh.

What’s some interactions you’ve had with the boys close friends? Do you play pranks on Zhongli with Hutao, do you visit Xiao together with Zhongli? Has Kaveh ever visited the teahouse? I get the feeling Kaveh, Cyno, Tighnari and Al-Haitham would play Genius Invokation TCG in the teahouse if you ever opened a Sumeru branch! As for Wriothesley… i like to think Sigewinne’s passed you makeup before, maybe even some in a shade or color Wriothesley likes! Clorinde hm… i can see her stealing you away into the city if Wriothesley’s busy and even introducing you to Navia.

It’s pretty amazing to see how many more people you could meet!

OH MY GOD TUMBLR IS HIDING THIS ASK FROM ME IT'S NOT APPEARING IN PC I AM SO SORRY STORM HAIFHWOFKSLDJSLJF

hu tao is my beloved granddaughter (and so is yaoyao and ganyu and nahida and furina and sigewinne and-)!!! she drops by the teahouse every now and then to scout for clients lol let's be real here most of my patrons aside from my friends are probably older people so-

xiao drops by too every now and then, but most of the time you won't see him. HOWEVER, you will be able to spot little trinkets all around the teahouse which emits some adeptal energy. we have a special 'magical' vase which sometimes suddenly 'sprouts' fresh qingxins. definitely not the work of an adeptus, yep!

the only reason why we'd have some wine in the house (aside from my hubbies (read: al haitham) bonding together by drinking glasses of wine sometimes) is because of kaveh! we get along a little too well. wdym that's a sumeru desert fox in our backyard? surely you jest haha haha hah- ahem. anyway. he's like a brother to me. i'm looking for a rich spouse for him. anyone interested- /smacked

the 4ggravate boys playing tcg on the teahouse's sumeru branch i'm shdflksjdlkfjsld dear gods. that's adorable. maybe i can talk to the manager there so they can organize monthly tcg tournament nights for the masses. we can sell 'tea blends that stimulates the mind and makes one's senses sharper' for the players and the spectators.... hmmmmmmmm.

sigewinne making a makeup for me i will cry hsdfusjdklf that sounds like something she would totally do, yes. i'd love to doll her up and send her some cute dresses or onesies ueueue she's so adorable.... clorinde and navia oh my god i don't know if i am considered cool enough to hang out with these two queens. i will just. i will just admire them from afar.... they're so pretty and badass..... adopt me big sisters..........

wriothesley: you know i can always introduce you to them, ri- mei: NO STOP I AM UNWORTHY I WOULD PERISH wriothesley: ok fine but must you drag me here then-

[immobiliter]

❔!!

send ❔ and i’ll list a couple muses that i’d like to throw at yours

okay charlie i'm gonna try to make these separate from the black sails au stuff that we're cooking so that we can have MORE things~

sigewinne for furina and/or navia - admittedly i haven't done her sq yet, but her voice line for navia is soooo cute that i have a need for these two to interact. as for furina, i really just want her to interact with melusines in general since in canon she apparently has nothing to say on this entire race that neuvillette brought to fontaine all those years ago and i call bs lmao

freminet for navia - both with the house of the hearth helping the clean up operation in poisson and arlecchino's sq further integrating the two groups, i would love to see these two interact !

hu tao for furina - i think you might have mentioned these two a while back but after this year's lantern rite i still absolutely want to flesh out furina's trip to liyue and i also think these two would be really good friends ? they can be a double menace to poor zhongli lmao

heizou for navia - this one is more of a wildcard plus we'd need to figure out how to get them on the same continent BUT i just think these two would be a ridiculous amount of fun together 🤭

[risustravelogue]

Imagining how my parents would react to bringing my hubbies home as boyfriends. Modern AU.

Alhaitham

First meeting risk level

Very low. He'd get an instant warm acceptance.

Analysis

They already know our long history from my stories, our journey from classmates to friends to lovers. And since he's the most unlikely to take me out until past midnight due to his introverted nature, he's perfectly safe to bring home. The fact that he's a highly accomplished scholar helps, too.

Dating preferences

Prefers home dates with us lazing about reading books together. Would sometimes bring me to TCG game nights with the Sumeru boys since Tighnari is also my best friend.

Me and his friends

Would introduce me to his friends after a few dates... if I don't know them already.

First kiss

I initiated it in the second month. A chaste peck on his lips, which he returns passionately.

Wriothesley

First meeting risk level

Medium. They'd question my taste with an "... Are you sure?"

Analysis

My parents are conservative, so they'd question all things unconventional. They'd totally think he's a bad boy who'll bring me home past midnight due to his scars and piercings. But Wrio would work very hard to get them to accept him—he'd regularly bring gifts over, be fussy over curfews, and show them how sweet he can be (which is easy for an extrovert like him). Verdict: complete and total victory.

Dating preferences

He likes to take me out to dining and movie dates. We'd discuss the movie in a nice café afterwards. On holidays, he would ask my parents if he could take me sightseeing to another city. Or, when he's tired from work, he'd be content just cuddling at home.

Me and his friends

Would introduce me to his friends right after we become a couple.

First kiss

He initiated it within the first month of being a couple. A nice surprise kiss which starts slow and grows heated with passion.

Zhongli

First meeting risk level

Low. He's a charming gentleman, after all.

Analysis

My parents are quite perceptive, so they'd question me because they just KNOW he's way older than I am. But since he's such a polite sweetheart, he'd win over their hearts in a short time.

Dating preferences

Museums and art performances, duh.

Me and his friends

Would introduce me to the adepti on our first date as a couple.

First kiss

We agreed on it. A nice slow kiss to savor each other's taste.

© @risustravelogue 2024 • FEEDING THIS WORK TO GENERATIVE AIs IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. • do not repost. • reblogs are precious. • feel free to send an ask to suggest, chat, etc. 💖

[multifandom1writer]

Genshin Impact brainrot!

I've had this idea for years and I'm gonna write it now cause I wanna and I have free time.

2nd person cause I realized I hate writing in 1st person (thanks to the previous post, go check that out btw, also, STOP SCREAMING AT ME IM WORKING ON PART 2 GODDAMINT)

You had been a bounty hunter since you knew how to walk, your parents taught you everything there was to know, how to haunt, stalk, attack and kill.

You knew every way of killing and how to kill.

From rabbits and frogs, to beasts and humans, there was not a single thing that could escape your hands.

Therefore you made your way up in the ranks till you became part of the top 3.

However you did have a more kind and caring side to you.

You found love and raised a family, and now you've had a lovely husband and son for hundreds and thousands of years, being inmortal had its perks.

You had your job and your love, two things you'd like to keep very far away from each other.

Your husband was none other than Mora- I mean, Zhongli, former god of contracts and archon.

You met him hundreds of years ago in the aftermath of a mission

You were wounded and hurt, walking for miles and miles of snow in a deserted mountain.

Gripping your arm in a futile effort to stop the intense bleeding in your arm.

Wounded and hurt you walked and walked, not any closer to home than when you started your journey.

Your immortality only made the travel harder, walking and walking the blood in your veins never ending.

You felt it, deep in yourself, your soul, it wasn't ever going to let you go.

Suddenly, a man came out of the mist of snow, he was dressed in beautiful golden and white robe, beautiful long hair tied behind him.

You knew the man before you was no shorter of an Archon.

You could feel it in the way he just looked at you.

Suddenly he reached his arm forward, signaling for you to take it, so you did

Slowly all the pain seemed to flow out of your body, warmth enveloping your every being, overstimulating your mind and brain, fainting from the calloused feeling of peace.

Slowly you had woken up back home, everyday since then he came and visited you.

Shortly after, he started talking and soon enough you guys became friends.

Friends to partners, partners to lovers and lovers to soulmates.

You readied your matching sickle blades and stored them in your pockets.

-"I'm heading out"- you spoke and kissed your husband's forehead as you walked to the door.

-"best of luck"- said Zhongli from behind you, drinking some tea.

-"Where's Xiao?"- you asked, fixing your black collar.

-"Who knows where he is these days..."- sighed your husband.

You chuckled at him and gave him one last kiss before heading out.

You spent your day picking out bounty's and picking up your reward, sometimes being hired for a small job or two.

You were walking home when a Fatui guard stopped you.

-"Anything I can help you with?"- you murmured while glaring at the guard.

He only handed you a note and spoke

-"if your still interested meet me tomorrow at 6pm here."- he spoke in a low voice before walking off.

You simply hid the note in your pocket and walked home.

You didn't really have any grounds to reject him, hence you've worked a lot of jobs for the Fatui before, much to your husbands, and sons, dismay.

You opened the door and was greeted with a lovely smell of tea and food.

-"I'm home!"- you yelled out, maybe for now you can forget about the note.

You had a lovely dinner with your husband, surprisingly your son also stopped by so it was a great time all around.

Now came the dreadful moment where you'll have to read the note.

You hated working for the Fatui because normally it can get very messy.

(Plus your husband would kick your ass when you got home)

You opened it and read it carefully.

"Dear Bounty Hunter,

Greetings, how have you been?, We have another job we'd like to hire you for, surely you've heard all about the traveler, recently their missions and request have gotten in the way of our plans, and as much as we didn't want it to come to this, we decided we want you to end his life, as always the details will arrive later, but so that you decide this is worth your time, the pay will be much higher than any other job you've received from us.

All the best, Bounty Hunter.

- Fatui Harbingers"

You sweat dropped as you fisnihed reading the note, you knew exactly who they were talking about, after all he had made quite a name for himself, but to the point they want you to kill him?

It was insane, what's also insane is the thought of you actually considering it, the Fatui have always paid you high amount of mora, so much so that it came to the point you didn't have to work for a month or two.

And with that much of a raise, and how they pride themselves on how they pay in full everytime, you had no doubt in your mind they would follow through on their promise.

You sighed and put the letter away weighing the cons and pros of this whole thing, tomorrow you made your final desición.

Sooner than you would've liked morning came and you were getting ready to leave.

You heard Zhongli in the shower and sneakily grabbed the letter, making your way outside, screaming a -'See you later!'- to Zhongli before heading out.

You let the day run it's course and soon enough 6pm rolled around.

You tapped your foot impatiently waiting for the guard from yesterday to come around.

He came into view and you stood up straight.

He bowed and spoke -"sorry for being late, they didn't think you'd show"- he said.

You scoffed and replied -"whatever, just show me the details"- this was the last test, the last guarantee on wether you should take the job or turn the other way.

You read the letter and you knew, your brain had made a choice in no less than a second.

'1,600,000 Mora as payment'

You put the note away and looked at the guard, stretching out your hand.

-"Deal, lead me to him"- The guard smirked and shook your hand leading the way.

The traveler was wondering alone, he got a mystery commission and decided to take it.

He was walking in a humid cave, Paimon behind him commenting on every thing she saw.

He heard footsteps coming closer, and turned around pulling out a sword.

Soon enough you came into view, the traveler looked at you slowly.

You had messy brown short hair, black under liner, a sleeveless black turtleneck, with a chain going from shoulder to shoulder, Morax's sigil on each side, black military pants and matching combat boots, deadly sickle blades rested on each side of your waist hanging on by your belt.

You looked at him up and down, his grip on his sword never wavering or flattering.

-"Who are you"- he spoke as he looked at your unresponsive self.

-"I don't think it'll matter"- you muttered, getting closer to him

-"Why won't it matter?"- he spoke stepping away as you took a step closer

-"When your dead."- you spoke in a raspy voice, blades coming down on his sword, breaking it.

He cursed under his breath and threw the sword away, Paimon grabbing him by his side and lead him away, having realized who you are.

You grumbled lowly -"I hate it when they run"- you muttered and chased after them.

You chased him through the cave, coming close a few times, cuts and bruises littered his form, yet his pace never stopped.

Soon enough you reached the end of the cave, he fell and Paimon fell to the floor crying into the travelers chest.

You clinked your weapons together, sparks flying off because of the friction.

-"This was fun, sadly it won't be happening again"- you said, bringing your blades down.

He yelled something however, a name, as you went for the kill, one you didn't hear that well.

When your blades were supposed to meet with flesh they collided with another weapon.

You didn't bother looking at the travelers saviour before kicking them away.

Glaring as you stood straight, the figure helping the traveler up.

You decided to glare at them ready to attack.

However your moves came to a stop as you recognized the saviour of your enemy.

-"Xiao...?"- you murmured lostly as he took your moment of weakness to teleport somewhere inside the cave.

You grunted as your hunter senses came back, sickles out and looking for the two boys, almost like a predator stalking their prey.

Xiao looked around at the place he teleported them in, he couldn't think straight and he was looking around nervously, just trying to find a way out.

Aether stopped his raggedy movements, worry filled his being at the sight of his friend in such a state.

"Xiao what's wrong? How did that guy recognize you?" Spoke the traveler, softly holding his friends wrists

Xiaos breathing was fast and uneasy as his eyes centered on Aether.

He hugged him tightly, tears spilling.

-" your alive! Oh my archons your alive"- he spoke, worry and anxiety filled his very being at his words.

-"what do you mean?"- Asked the traveler pulling away from him.

-"The man you encountered is no one short of a god, he's powerful, fast, strong, smart and most importantly, he can never be killed."

-" He's had many names through the pass of time, Bounty Hunter, Karma's blade, Blood god, many many names, he's killed thousands, kings, Gods, beasts, creatures, everything, if you ever encounter him, you aren't getting out alive,"-

Worry filled aether's veins as he stared wide eyed at him.

-"But we may have a chance of getting out of this alive"-

-"If all those people you spoke of died how do we have a chance?!"- whisper-yelled Aether.

-"Because..."- He stopped in his sentence before making eye contact with Aether, his breathing finally calming down

-"Because he's my dad"- he spoke, eyes directed to the floor in sadness.

-"but isn't Zhongli your dad?"- asked aether.

Xiao held his hand up and pointed at his middle finger, aether slowly realized.

-"You have two dad's?!"- spoke the traveler at Xiao astosnihed.

Xiao shushed him aggressively putting a finger to his lips.

-"yes! Yes I do!"- he spoke trying to shush the screaming boy.

-"and one of them is trying to kill me.."- dread filled aether's body, the world coming down and crashing on him.

-"Yeah, but the other may be able to help"- murmured Xiao.

Suddenly a bang was heard and you were seen walking through destroyed rocks, eyes red, walking closer to the two of them.

Xiao stepped Infront of aether, getting his weapon out, his mask covering his face.

-"Move aside, you know I'll never hurt you, so don't force my hand"- you muttered gravely at your son, however his stance protecting his friend never moved.

You came closer and closer with each step.

-"C'mon, we even had a lovely dinner the other day, don't make me do this"- soon enough you were face to face with Xiao, your blood colored eyes having died down back to your normal brown ones.

You looked at him with such love Aether would've never believed you were the same person attacking him earlier.

-"please..."- you muttered gently, hand coming up and stroking his cheek through his mask, gentle tears ghosting your eyes at the thought of even hurting your son.

And just for a second, a slim second, Aether thought he might get away with his life after all.

However that hope was broken as Xiao slowly whispered

" 'm sorry...", He jumped and got in a fighting stance.

Your eyes went wide and brown was infected with red as you stared up at him, unsheathing your sickles.

He kicked you away with all his force and ran with Aether .

You had blocked the hit but the rocks around you had not been so lucky, you had bloodshot eyes and sharp fangs adorned your teeth.

You let out a low groan, almost growl like and ran after them in unimaginable speeds.

Destroying everything in your path, not a single nook and cranny left unbroken.

-"XIAO! WHERE ARE YOU?!"- you spoke loudly, voice booming around the cave, panting like a crazy man and acting like an animal.

You heard a clatter and ran over and destroyed the wall from which it came from.

It opened up to a whole new room, crystal shards littered every corner of the place.

Drop!

You looked around, it was silent for a few minutes and you just stood in the center of the room.

You closed your eyes and listened to everything around you.

Silence

Drop!

Silence

Clink

Silence

Crack!

Silence

Got ya'

You turned around and met the fearful eyes of Aether, you turned and ran to them, Xiao's voice cutting through your ears.

-"Move aether! Move!"- he yelled in a futile attempt to save his friend, however it was to late, your blades ran closer and closer, his demise and your reward only a second away from reaching your cold, merciless hand.

Closer and closer.

-'Goodbye Traveler, it was a gun hunt'- you smirked sadisticly at Aether.

-"DAD DON'T-'" spoke your son but you didn't listen to him, he had his hand reached out, tears falling down his face, hoping for his friend to grab it.

Everything seemed to go in slow mo.

BOOM!

It echoed through the room and the cave.

You stood up, out of it, while holding your head.

Your weapons laid coldly at your side.

You picked them up but didn't look the other way.

-"Teaming up against me now?..."- you spoke lowly, almost hurt and broken.

You knew that blast no matter where you went, the gentle sprinkle of gold around you only proving you right.

-"Zhongli, my love, why are you defending this boy?"- you spoke, turning your head and glaring at your husband and son, defending the traveler.

Your hungry, bloodthirsty red eyes met his own brown, calm and collected ones.

-"What curse has befallen you to the point you'd hunt a lost boy looking for his sister?..."-

Zhongli spoke, disbelief in his words as he looked at you wide eyed.

-"Why should I care? I don't even know his name..."- you grumbled slowly walking towards Zhongli.

-"and yet you hunt him like a wild dog...what happened to my husband? Because you are not him"- he spoke firmly, tears in his eyes.

-"I don't tend to mix work and my personal life, but don't worry darling, once I kill that stupid boy you'll never have to see this side of me again, and with the pay I'm receiving I'll be able to help out around the house for months!, Doesn't that sound lovley?"- you chuckled darkly walking closer to him, fangs and eyes on show as you walked closer to him.

You stopped Infront of him, looking down at his face, him looking up at you.

-"let's just forget about this yeah? Go home, I'll be back later."- you smiled intoxicatingly sweet at him.

-"no..."- he said.

-"no?"- you wondered at him.

-"then why waste my time."- you spoke bitterly at him, smile dissapearing as you looked down.

-"To distract you."- you turned around and aether and Xiao we're no longer there.

Turning to see Zhongli only to find he was no longer there as well.

You screamed out of frustration and looked around to see any sign to where they might have gone.

-"MORAX!"- echoed through the cave.

-"Traveler, I am trying to understand but the chances of this happening were almost impossible."- spoke Zhongli as he slowly helped the two of them up the cave and outside.

-"I'm just as lost as you are..."- spoke aether, his brain still processing everything.

-"We need to help him! If it wasn't thanks to us he would be dead!"- spoke Xiao running ahead of Aether and to his dad.

-"I am aware, but I do have a plan, my husband is very strong, stronger than the whole world, we may not be able to defeat him, but we may be able to get Aether away from here with his life."-

To which Aether responded to Zhongli

-"I'd think if I want to get away it'd be with my life thanks"- he muttered looking down at the ground wide eyed.

-"I won't promise anything, let's draw him in once we get to the top of the cave, there we'll hide the traveler and me and Xiao will try to speak with him"- said Zhongli guiding the group, decing on the plan.

You had been looking for a hot minute yet there was no sign of any of them.

It was moments like these were you cursed Zhongli's sneakiness.

Suddenly you heard some steps above and smirked.

'Rookie mistake'

You climbed your way on top, fast and unscathed

You landed on the hard rock and looked at the night sky, looking for any of the three.

-"Dad."- you turned around quickly and Xiaos form came into view.

-"Got tired of running from dear old dad?"- you laughed bitterly at him.

-"Don't patronize our son dear"- Zhongli spoke from beside you.

You laughed and walked backwards.

-"What, you came up with some amazing plan to take me down? Is that what this is?"-

You chuckled bitterly running a hand down your face.

-"Why?"- you spoke, both Xiao and Zhongli staying quiet and looking at you.

-"Why are you wasting so much time and effort on this- this- this boy!"- you spoke, disgust and surprise in your voice.

-"That 'boy' helped me and saved me, I owe him everything"- spoke Xiao, standing up to you.

You looked at him but before you could respond Zhongli decided it was his turn to speak.

-"He's right you know? That boy is powerful, he is a person with a lot of value and will, he's the means to an end! And your willing to throw that away just for a few more Mora in your pocket?"- spoke Zhongli staring at you in disbelief

-"I've killed millions and thousands, little boys and little girls, father's and mother's, grand parents and even Gods..

What does one gifted boy have that they didn't?"- you muttered through gritted teeth and hate.

Not at your family but at everything else that made you fight against them

Zhongli scoffed and looked at you.

-"you think all those kills are something to be proud of? I love you, I truly do, but the demise of someone is not something even the darkest of monsters are proud of..."- muttered Zhongli at you, tears pricking his eyes.

You looked down at him and murmured -"Then I guess I'm a monsters nightmare.."-

Silence enveloped the both of you.

Till you spoke up.

-"Both of you!"- you yelled out

-"You have 5 hours to decide, that boy or me, depending on your answer, this could turn for the better....or the worse."- you muttered walking over to a rock and sitting on it.

Making both Zhongli and Xiao tense up, you smirked and reached down, Aether's long hair in your hand as he was pulled out by your string hand.

You scoffed at him and threw him on the ground.

-"5 hours, that's all you get"- muttering you started sharpening your blade while they went off to talk about what to do.

The time went by painfully slow, slow strokes in order to sharpen your blade were everything that met your ear

Once 5 hours hit you stood up and walked over to them.

-"made your desicion?"- you said looking down at them.

Xiao and Aether straightening their back, Zhongli giving you the same calm and collected look.

-"Yes we have"- spoke your son.

You made a 'Well?' look and Xiao sucked in a breath before speaking.

-"We choose Aether."-

Well shit.

Your eyes widened but you collected yourself

Nodding at the two of them before walking and taking out the letter from your pocket.

They all stared at you in question, wondering what your next move was gonna be.

You pulled out the Fatui card and then a lighter burning it.

It dropped to the ground, slowly creating ashes.

You looked down and shut your eyes tight, bracing yourself for the pain.

The sound of a sword reached your ears, but you didn't even try to fight it.

The sharp object bit through your skin and chest.

You dropped to the ground and coughed up blood, you knew this wouldn't kill you, it couldn't kill you.

But Archons did it hurt like hell.

You looked down to see your blood covered hand and the screams of your son and husband.

You were shaking and while you knew you were going to survive, it did not stop the underlying anxiety.

You felt as two guards came and picked you up, passing out from the pain.

You told them whatever they choose, the outcome would change drastically

Zhongli's eyes widened and he stared at his husband, on the ground in pain, he yelled out to him but Fatui guards came and held him back.

He screamed for you to get up while Xiao was trying to get past them, Aether helping how he could.

Zhongli didn't want to resort to violence, but when he saw two guards have the audacity to grab you and try take you away.

He

Saw

RED.

The battle field was broken and bloody, Xiao laid bloody on one side, helping an innured Aether.

Zhongli softly sang while holding your unconscious body, treating and healing your wounds, just how he did a hundred years ago.

All the Fatui soldiers that had come to take you away now laid dead and bloody around the peaceful man.

His humming just became more tranquil once he finishes his job.

Stroking your cheek with love, looking down at you in his lap with adoration.

He kissed you in the forehead, staying there for a few seconds before rising up and carrying you in his arms.

Mumbling something about 'having a serious talk about your jobs later'

Both of the boys just smiled at the figure of a walking Zhongli, lovingly holding his much larger husband in his arms as he sang and talked with him, even if he was unconscious.

The two of them were clearly made for the other, just a simple interaction and it was clear as day how destiny had aligned their paths.

A God and A killer.

Both of their souls entwined, no matter what happened, what fights and battles they got into.

They were always going to love each other.

Always.

How sweet.

[niepancityrp]

Other wanted characters in our Genshin Impact college town AU include:

Zhongli

Raiden Shogun

Hu Tao

Mona Megistus

Kamisato Ayato

Come check out our group; it will be fun and friends all the way down. We'd love to meet you!

[pinkseas]

[parasocial bestie] sorry i got passionate. it may or may not b them in ur post but thats my automatic thought.

anyway wanna hear that i had zhongli xiao went to fishing once it was crazy i was thinking abt them Finding Solace thrugh another personal brainrot i have where xiao gets thru pretty rouch repercussions from the chasm and now chasm crew AND zhongli gets involved in his recovery its sad it hurts like shit that xiao contemplates more abt his existence to Keep Living and the chasm crew emphasizes that thru different perspectives and zhongli pops in and out for narrative purposes thats got him even more Mixed and they had a Necessary talk for the story. a talk that xiao finally breaks. i think. yeahgh. they reconcile they find a Little peace esp for xiao who finally mourns properly abt bosacius' loss and zhongli is there to comfort him and i break everysay thinking abt that brainrot i thinj and like

Anyway zhongli gets stupidly giddy with the lil progress theyre having and then outta nowhere afrer xiao is Okay he invites him to go fishing. the dude does Not Get it. is that a lumine influence or is he actually succumbing into karmic insanity he doesnt know but he follows the Geo Archon Definitely Not Fisherman to the marsh thats got fishes and just waits. for an hour probably sitting with a fishing rod waiting in silence he feels stupider by the minute but doesnt wanna point that to zhongli. turns out they forgot the worm bait and the Scrutinization the Seriousness they both have to stick the worm onto the hook is a detail all details i have there makes me crazy. anwyay even with the bait it takes another hour. zhongli goes ok fuck it then Remember when bonanus used to do this (goes knee deep into the lake, sleeves up pants rolled) and guess what the very formal very elegant funeral consultant reverts into a feral uncle just catching fish witg his hands and XIAO DOESNT FUCKING GET ITTT like shishou my lord mr zhongli why are you doing that and hes like TRY THIS KIDDO ITS SO FUN as he gets slapped in the face with jumping fish. xiao gets in but a lot more soaked cus hwo cares abt his outfit in the water bro hes anemo. then hahahwhrshhehehehehe uh oh xiao gets fish slapped next and guess whst happens zhongli goes full on guizhong to splash more water at him xiao gets SO SUSPRISED BUT HESITANT SO ZL SPLASHES MORE and gets absolute destroyed when xiao made up his mind getting over respecting him as his lord to a mere friend of his level. they splish sploosh splash water wars it was fun it was hAPPY theyre both smiling squealing xiao has almost never done this before neither did zhongli but he's seen how parents get to be playful with their little kids and xiao is No Little Kid but he wants to take the chance to introduce a little fun to xiao anwyay even if it gets them Soaked as Hell and theyre dumping themselvws under the water kicking it to their faces coughing when their noses get filled too much of it THEY STILL CHASE THE JUMPING FISHES TOO that rlly spices up the whole scene bcno one forgets theyre Supposed to get fish but theyre doing it caveman style and THEN THERES A HUGEASS FISH JUMPING OUT AND XIAO IMPULSIVELT JUMPS FOR IT but gets carried down into the water zhongli was like XIAO NO and plucking him out bc xiao doesnt let the big fish go AND IS STILL HOLDING IT it keeps slapping his face getting them both even wetter when zhongli lifts them both above the surface xiao gets irritated likr STOP FUCKING MOVING HE KARATE CHOPS IT DEAD so anyway thats how verr goldet gets there absolutely horrified at zhongli xiao standing at the reception soaked to the core and the former was holding an abnormally big fish and the latter going "do u have any spare clothes and towels? also we'd like to give this to yanxiao as thanks" and the inn staff has a nice buffet of a big ass fish grill while zhongli xiao chills in their room drying and doing lil comfy dad son things (explodes into a million pieces)

crying shaking bawling sobbing i dont even know what to SAY i love every single little thing about this dear LORD. this is so fucking perfect the time spent waiting the Forgetting the concentration before zhongli finally says fuck it we ball. THE TWO OF THE GETTING SLAPPED... THE WATER FIGHT.......... im genuinely going to fucking explode oh my God. this is everythign to me. they are everything to me.

thinking so hard about xiao chasm repercussions now ive thought about it short term (obviously) but never really long term......... eyes Wide Fawking Open right now ESPECIALLY with both the full crew And zhongli being involved in his recovery mgngnfgmmnfnmgmnfnmfnm god. God.

[idyllic-affections]

ya know, back when i thought genshin was a good game, i thought we'd go back to venti after the liyue archon quest to talk to him ab zhongli, i just always wanted more zhongli&venti (sidenote but i wish we had actual platonic ship names, it would make my life so much easier) talking about eachother

i think venti would say something like this after hearing about what happened in liyue:

venti: so morax chose to live his life as a mortal now, eh? way to steal my idea..but i am glad he realized what was best for his children...OH, right! next time ya see him tell the old man tell him he should stop by his dear friend barbatos' for a drink, rather than sit on his ass all day

also please give him this :3 *he hands the traveler a old looking letter that just say "FUCK YOU LOL" in blue ink*

aether: .....

(i love venti, but man is his tone hard to replicate even for a joke)

🐌.

NO I THINK THIS IS ACCURATE.... (1) venti deserves to swear (2) HE WOULD SO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT I JUST KNOW HE WOULD........

[dragonhcrt]

Zhongli's words actually set off a lightbulb right above Marcellus' head, and when that happens, he's dipping his dance friend carefully. A hand is placed on Zhongli's back and then he brings the guy back up, "You should stop by the station sometime." Now that the song is over, Marcellus releases his hold on his dance partner and takes a bow.

"If you're looking for adventure and a job, I can say that we'd love to have you within our force as well."

"Mm, you do have a point," Zhongli replies. In the end, he does have to agree. As much as he longs for the familiar, there is also something about this new environment, with its countless unmapped possibilities-- the sky above filled with different stars-- that almost makes him feel young.

And that... is both frightening and admittedly a little fun, especially for one whose every move has been defined by fate for so long.

"I've seen my share of crises and catastrophe-- and I can say that when one has allies to lean on, there is little that cannot be overcome," he smiles once again, "I will gladly lend my assistance."

[zhongrin]

Rin here is an idea that has given me brainrot. You know the mafia au I made what if you were the person . I thought this about Cyno and Childe. I thought about these two being detectives. These two are investigating murders but they're actually the ones causing these murders. What happens is that Rin you get kidnapped by a third party. Cyno and Childe had fought with each other thinking you were kidnapped by the other both of them working under the hire of zhongli and Alhaitham respectively. You were in a cage just there. The two called their bosses to make a deal as both of them were evenly matched. The two bosses made a deal that the other must concede if you chose one of them Rin, you and said could you would try both. The Zhongli and Alhaitham arrived and both made a deal to share you and to merge their groups into one. Rin Do you want the reason why you were chosen? Rin you were chosen by zhongli is that you helped him in his time of need and weakness. You were there at a funeral of a friend of his because you were brought along with a friend of yours. You reminded him of guizhong someone whose heart is like jewel that he must have. Zhongli has a petname for you, Rin, his jewel. With Alhaitham, He actually remembers his past as a king and someone who looked like you but a bit older. He was also related to the king. He asked kaveh about this discovery. Kaveh said that about the legend of the king about how his male children will all have a curse. The king's curse was that he broke a promise with his wife. The king who was once a benevolent king had become corrupt and mad. As the search for his wife had happen he met his wife who was dying because of the corruption he has caused. He was cursed that every male in his family will forever have an obsession if they ever break a promise. Alhaitham was your a friend of yours since childhood. Alhaitham actually broke a promise with you. You confessed you liked him since childhood. He said no. It was the promise that he would always love you. That sparked the curse of his blood. Alhaitham then gave you the petname of his queen. Rin this leads to you being stuck between a marriage between a a dragon and a mafia lord of an entire nation.

ok i am. laying on the floor screaming at this concept jskdjskdjlsjfls oh to be the darling of both zhongli and al haitham ;w; i love the petnames, they fit both of them so well, and the backstory aaaaa *screams*

perhaps for zhongli, we bonded over the death of our mutual friend. i see him as someone who doesn't really fall in love at first sight but the moment he gets to make an emotional connection he's all in. we'd probably meet on the funeral and started talking about said mutual friend, reminiscing memories and telling each other how we met them, all the happy memories and sad ones, and before we knew it we're both crying in grief. by the time he needs to go we've exchanged phone numbers and beneath the solemn smile he probably already have a plan set in his head on how to kidnap me lol-

as for al haitham... oughhh.... the whole thing about his past is reminding me of the king deshret theory and i love it. also the childhood friend trope, my weakness hdlsjdls you know what i like brosch... whelp serves him right for rejecting my confession HAH- i love the concept of al haitham having a sweet spot for his childhood friend so much. he's less snarky and he'd take off his headphones whenever i speak. would probably let me pat his head too hehe

anyhow i love this concept a lot... hhhh you're fueling my selfship brainrots, thank you 🙏🏻 sorry i took so long with this, it's just a really nice setting and i wanted to indulge in it lol

[genshinarchives]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐇. 𝟑

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑 : 𝐀 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 : Diluc is suspicious of you and wants to know why you’re in Mondstadt, but the answer you give him was not the one he expected. Like him, you also lost something very important to you a very long time ago.

𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐒 : Aether, Albedo, Baizhu, Bennett, Chongyun, Dainsleif, Diluc, Kaeya, Kazuha, Osial, Razor, Venti, Xiao, Xingqiu, Zhongli

𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄 : Romance, hurt/comfort, reverse harem

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 : N/A

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 : N/A

𝐍𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐

The walk back to Dawn Winery was pretty quiet. (Y/n)'s not much of a talker but neither was Aether; fortunately, the silence wasn't awkward to the point where it was suffocating.

(Y/n) silently munched on the Fisherman's Toast Aether had bought for her. While the taste wasn't anything too spectacular, it made a good snack and the texture complimented the onions' sweet and mild taste. Paimon floated next to her, enjoying her own share of Chicken-Mushroom Skewers. As the Traveler trailed slightly behind the two, his thoughts drifted back to the exchange he witnessed between (y/n) and Kaeya earlier. He wasn't dumb; he could tell that the Cryo user somehow knew her yet at the same time didn't, which puzzled Aether.

Is (y/n) not who she appears to be?

"Aether?"

He snapped back to reality when he heard her call his name and halted in his tracks. "H-huh?"

"You were spacing out just now. Is everything alright?" (y/n) asked. She had stopped walking when she noticed that Aether was not keeping up with her pace, and when he didn't answer her, she felt like she knew what he was thinking about. A muted sigh slipped past her lips as she turned her gaze back to the path in front of her. "Are you wondering if I'm good or evil?"

Her sudden question made him falter.

"I- No, of course not. You haven't done anything wrong..." he replied, trailing off towards the end.

(Y/n) could hear the hesitance in his voice. She was aware that she couldn't avoid suspicion no matter where she goes since nothing about her is normal, and she's living in a world that feared anything deemed "different".

"You know... there is no such thing as good and evil, because a hero will always be a villain in someone else's story," she said as she began walking again, "I promise that I have no motives. I simply want to live." Putting humanity in danger would be going against the meaning she had given to her own life after all.

I simply want to live.

Those words resonated deeply in Aether. It was a simple wish that would only manifest after so many losses, and this made him more curious about her past.

When they made it back to Dawn Winery, Diluc was already anticipating their arrival outside. He folded his arms over his chest upon seeing Aether and (y/n) enter his property.

"You returned a little earlier than I expected," he commented.

"Yet it looks like you knew we'd be back early," Paimon pointed out.

The Traveler rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "We bumped into Kaeya earlier, and... I didn't want her to hang around him for too long."

The memory of her interaction with the bold Cavalry Captain lingered in (y/n)'s mind. She hoped that she could avoid him the next time she visits Mondstadt with Aether, or she might end up breaking his thumb accidentally.

The redhead's eyebrow twitched at the mention of his adoptive brother. "You made the right choice of pulling her out before he could influence her. Anyway, my servants have finished the preparations for her stay." He then looked at (y/n) expectantly. She hesitated for a second and threw a glance at Aether, as if she was silently asking him for his permission to follow Diluc inside his manor. Aether smiled at her encouragingly before gently pushing her towards his friend.

"I'll see you tomorrow, (y/n)," he said while waving at her. As he turned around to head back to Mondstadt, Diluc stopped him.

"Aether, wait. I'd like to speak with you for a moment."

The (h/c)-haired woman watched the two men put some distance between her and themselves. They spoke to each other in hushed whispers with their backs facing her, so she couldn't make out what they were saying - but she had a feeling she knew what they were discussing. It was painfully obvious, considering the context of the situation. She sighed quietly.

Once Aether had finally left, Diluc led her inside his home to show her where her room is. He opened the door before beckoning her inside.

"There's a change of clothes for you to sleep in on the bed," he told her, "One of my servants will also bring supper to your room later, so wash up and take a rest for now."

"Understood," she replied. He paused for a moment, finding her manner a bit odd. Formal and obedient... Like a creation made to serve someone.

The meal Diluc's servants have prepared for her was beyond delicious. The menu was comprised off crab, ham & veggie bake, calla lily seafood soup and berry & mint burst - things that she had never tried before. As (y/n) was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling blankly, she tried to occupy her mind with random thoughts to prevent sleep from taking over. She was afraid that if she fell asleep, she wouldn't be able to wake up again, and she also didn't want to have those dreams. She rolled on her side, pulling the blanket tighter around her body.

They didn't bother her at first, but as they became a reoccurring thing, the dreams were haunting. Every time she drifted away from reality, she would see a man with dark hair that had teal undertones sitting next to her on top of a mountain, holding a chaplet made from what appeared to be crystal cores. His face was a blur, so she couldn't identify who he was. From the way he called her name though, she could tell that they were very close and this compelled her to find him after Khaenri'ah was destroyed by the gods.

"Who are you...?" she whispered to herself. She eventually trained herself to function on minimal sleep, and never told anyone about her problem despite how much it mentally exhausted her. Weapons do not complain nor do they get tired, she always reminded herself.

After a few more minutes of lying in bed, (y/n) decided to have a stroll around Dawn Winery until the sun rises. Then she'll return to her room and sleep for an hour. Nodding at her own plan, she sat up and planted her feet on the floor, before shuffling towards the door. She quietly walked through the hallway, and when she stood on top of the stairs, she noticed Diluc awake downstairs, sitting by the fireplace with a book.

"Are you struggling to fall asleep?" he asked, his gaze never moving away from the page he was reading. The way he quickly noticed her without looking back caught her off-guard.

"Yes," (y/n) replied as she made her way down the stairs.

"I see. Come sit here, there's a spare cup for you to pour yourself some tea," he said, turning a page in his book, "Perhaps your room was too cold to sleep in. I'll ask Adelinde to warm it up for you every night starting from tomorrow."

He seemed to be expecting her from the way everything was prepared. She cautiously approached the chair next to the small table beside him and sat down, ignoring the tea he offered to share with her. It could be drugged or poisoned, and although Diluc appeared to be a man of integrity, she wasn't going to take any chances.

"Thank you for letting me stay here for the time being," she uttered, gazing at her folded hands on her lap.

The redhead hummed in response. "You're welcome. I did owe Aether a favour."

An awkward silence soon fell upon them. (Y/n) didn't know what else to say since she never found the need to start a conversation with anyone before her petrification, so she chose to stay silent. Meanwhile, Diluc was replaying his conversation with Aether earlier in his head.

"Where did you find her?" Diluc interrogated once they were out of earshot. Aether scratched his cheek nervously.

"Well... I found her in the Spiral Abyss on a hidden floor..." he answered, opting to omit the part where he found her as a stone statue and unpetrified her; the redhead's suspicion of (y/n) might skyrocket if he was aware of that important detail. After all, there must be a reason why she was sealed away, and Aether felt as if it was a reason he wouldn't want to know.

Diluc's eyebrows furrowed. "Spiral Abyss? There's a chance she might be in cohorts with the Abyss Order."

"No! She's definitely not," the blond hurriedly said, slight panic beginning to settle in, "She protected me and Paimon from the abyss mages when we found her. I don't think she's a bad person."

"You're suspicious of me, aren't you?" (y/n) suddenly asked, snapping Diluc out of his thoughts. With a long, drawn-out sigh, he closed his book and placed it atop the table.

"There's no point in hiding it from you, I suppose," he solemnly replied, turning his head to look at her, "Where are you from, and what are your reasons for being in Mondstadt? I need to make sure that you won't pose as a threat to us, with the Abyss Order causing all sorts of problems across Teyvat."

She didn't waste a single second in answering him, "I was born in an ancient kingdom underground, and I don't have a particular reason for being in Mondstadt. Why do you make it seem like it's wrong for me to be alive?"

"Look me in the eyes when answering my questions, (y/n)."

His authoritative tone made her feel as if she was back in Khaenri'ah, about to pledge her loyalty to the Eclipse Dynasty. She slowly lifted her gaze to meet his crimson hues. Diluc was taken aback by her unique eyes, and it showed in his expression.

(Y/n) continued, "The greed of an ambitious alchemist took down my king. The only friend I had faith in left me. My country doesn't exist anymore because it was destroyed by the gods. Those gods also believed that I shouldn't be alive and hunted me down to the ends of Teyvat." She then clenched her fists against her thighs. "There's nothing left for me here, not even my right to live."

Diluc opened his mouth, but he wasn't sure what to say. Her answers sounded abstract, like something you'd read in history books; however, it didn't seem like she was lying. The vehement look in her (e/c) eyes confirmed it for him. After a short pause, he nodded before rising to his feet. The other question he wanted to ask regarding the tattoo on her back will have to wait.

"I believe we've spoken enough for tonight. Please get some rest," he said, spinning on his heels to return to his bedroom.

The next morning, the winery owner decided to bring (y/n)'s breakfast to her himself. Balancing a plate of his special dish, "Once Upon a Time in Mondstadt" on one hand, he knocked on her door twice and then waited for a response. When he heard nothing come from the other side of the door, he quietly opened it and peered inside, only to find the room empty and the bed neatly made. He arched an eyebrow.

Where could she have disappeared to so early?

Setting the dish on the floor beside the doorway, he went off to search for her. He was surprised to see (y/n) watching the sunrise when he stepped outside, surrounded by anemo crystalflies as the light of dawn shrouded her form. He was about to call her back inside but something stopped him from doing so.

Her expression never looked so sad until now. Loneliness and longing were prevalent in her eyes, and it was obvious to him that whatever happened while he was sleeping reminded her of the things that she had lost. Memories of their midnight conversation flooded his mind, and he couldn't help but slightly emphathise with her. Diluc knew very well how it feels to lose something or someone important in your life, and how bitter it can make you feel once the cruel reality dawns on you.

For once, he wants to be there for someone - to let (y/n) know that she's not alone.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟒

[chocoenvy]

Ok so I have this little game that I don’t know if someone already has done but let’s do this!

Tell me your genshin team (or like your 4/8 most used characters) and tell me if they realistically would get along with you! It just came to me like;; I use Ayato and FOR SURE he would dislike me for being lazy 🙂

The tiers I would use are: Besties (practically that, this character would 100% vibe with you), sorta friends (is like that weird space between knowing someone for a long time, but not much about them), someone I know (that’s it, not really deep communication or interaction) and no (they wouldn’t interact with you/you wouldn’t interact with them at all)

Like, for example, I think I would realistically be sorta friends with Fischl!

Hope you will like this game AAAAAAAAAAAAA

OOOO OKAY UHM

I'll do my main abyss teams and a few extras (cause i use/have built quite a few characters)

Ei: Besties (would probably bond over trauma)

Miko: Besties (she would have a blast flustering me, i think hsadflkasjdfdsaf)

Tartaglia: Sorta Friends (not like it's awkward I just think it'd take a while for us to really click)

Xiangling: BESTIES <33 (SHE'S MY BABY!!!)

Yelan: Sorta friends (I don't think I'd ever get close enough to her for her to let me know much abt her)

Xingqiu: Sorta Friends (I'd probably know him bc of Chongyun)

Bennett: Sorta Friends (we're both kinda awkward so the awkwardness would probably multiply, unless we're with a group of friends. In which case I think we'd vibe really well<3)

Venti: BESTIES (People will see us two in a room and run >:))

Albedo: Sorta Friends (I'm shit at conversation starters and so is he me thinks, so unless someone was there to help the flow of conversation we'd both be in a sorta polite limbo)

Zhongli: Besties (I'd always ask him to tell me stories)

SORRY I THOUGHT IT WAS FUN THANK U LASKJFAKLDSFJA

idk if im supposed to tag ppl but if u wanna do this feel free