Things They Did That Made You Question Your Entire Relationship

cocky bastard vibes - zhongli

ship: zhongli x reader

synopsis: in which reader shares their free thoughts on the liyue statue of seven

notes: standalone snippet part of the bookkeeping!verse

It was a beautiful day in Liyue. The grass was a luscious green and the birds were singing a beautiful song. After a nice stay at the Emerald Maple Inn, you and Mr. Zhongli decided to have a cup of tea next to the Statue of the Seven before heading on your way to Qingce Village. You were to accompany him to pick up supplies for the next funeral rite, and with the way the morning was going, you knew nothing would ruin this peaceful day.

"So how much do you want to bet that Rex Lapis was hot and knew it?”

You ignored the choked sound that came from your side as you gazed up at the picturesque statue. Though your companion would probably consider your question quite out of the blue, you couldn’t say it was the first time you wondered such a thing. Whenever you passed by one of them in Liyue, the thought always plagued your mind for a few hours after. Judging by Mr. Zhongli’s reaction, though, it seemed he did not share your sentiments.

"Ehem… That… certainly is an interesting thought. I can’t say whether or not previous records touched on such a topic."

You hummed, gazing up at the statue. Really? That couldn’t be true. Why wouldn’t anyone talk about a statue looking like that?

“Well there are many reasons why I’d say I’m right. First off, his outfit. He has a hooded cloak on while also being shirtless. There’s absolutely no logical reason to dress like that unless they’re from the deserts of Sumeru, wouldn’t you say? It obviously was a conscious fashion decision. If you pair that with the seductive way he’s sitting, I’d be inclined to assume he’s quite clearly feeling his look.”

Silence came from your side. Hm, Mr. Zhongli still wasn’t convinced? Then you would go on.

“You do see it, right? His posture is relaxed, yet confident. Not to mention the way he’s looking at that cube in his hand with practically bedroom eyes. His knees are apart too. My friend from Sumeru told me that when a man sits like that, he’s displaying his dominance.”

Still silence.

"You can't sit in a seductive pose like that without on some level being aware you look good doing it. I mean look at him! He's shirtless and everything! I've heard even macho fishermen say that they pray to the statue for a good night before coming home to see their wives. You can’t blame them, right?"

A hesitant cough.

"I-I'm sure it was a younger time when those statues were sculpted."

You groaned.

"Maybe, but you’re not even looking! If you did, you’d agree with me that Rex Lapis is clearly exuding such massive 'cocky bastard' vibes!" You countered.

For some reason, the more you spoke, the more flustered he became.

"C'mon, Mr. Zhongli! Why are you so embarrassed? It's not like I'm slandering his good name! I mean, if Rex Lapis didn't want us talking about him like this, maybe he shouldn't have made a statue with abs clean enough to eat off of!"

Okay, maybe at this point, you were piling it on a bit thick. Could anyone blame you? His face was in his hand as if he had a headache, and were his ears tinged the slightest hint of red? It was an interesting sight. Never had you seen him look so completely flustered. Sure you were rather blunt, but you didn't think your words were that provocative. Mr. Zhongli really was practically a 65 year old man.

"I thought you respected the Geo Archon…" He muttered weakly.

You gasped in offense.

"I do! I’d even consider my words the utmost of pious behavior. In Mondstadt, the sisters of the church consider themselves married to Barbatos, the Anemo Archon. So finding the Geo Archon to be a sex god is pretty much the same thing, right?”

“No, it is not.”

JJK CAST REACT TO A KISS ON THE CHEEK

Author’s Note: Here is Part two. For yuji, stuff might be wrong as I am not familiar with baseball. I tried my best to get them right. Mentions of attack on titan (levi).

Members: Kento Nanami and Yuji Itadori

Megumi and Gojo version

NANAMI KENTO

Kento had gone on a trip to Tokyo. A long trip. You knew that he had to go on a lot of trips outside the city owing to his job, but that did not make it any harder. Nights seemed to be even longer, reminding you of the empty space beside. You missed his rants about work, his food, and lastly, himself. That’s why anyone would be surprised to find you angry at nanami who had returned after almost a month.

“ hello, love” 

“ Do not speak to me Kento” you grumbled, continuing to watch the latest episode of Attack on Titan. You couldn’t completely concentrate whatsoever as you felt the man sigh.

“ I am very sorry, you know I can’t control my bosses” Nanami grumbles, wrapping his fingers around the tie and loosening it. “ I’m really sorry” 

You could hear all the pleas, but did not respond. Kento’s trip had extended to another two weeks in addition to 10 days. You knew it wasn’t his fault, but you were childish. Sometimes silent treatment works best for either party. Did you forgive him? Yes. There was nothing to forgive him in the first place.

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random headcanons w/ some genshin boys

ingredients/serving size: random hcs + modern au + fluff + 529 words

calories: childe, diluc, kaeya, xiao + gender neutral reader

contains: lots of mentions of being flustered

childe would purposely turn the clock back or forward a few hours just to confuse you. he loves seeing your reaction for feeling embarrassed that you actually believed the prank (ever since then you always looked at your watch or phone to check the time instead of the clock)

sometimes childe will ruffle your hair and won't even realize it. it became a habit from doing it to his younger siblings (almost even rufffled zhongli's head once too but would never tell you that). he also accidentally calls you "kiddo" sometimes and will immediately laugh if you get flustered by it.

diluc would probably pull you closer to him if he sees someone suspicious or feels even just a little bit odd while the both of you are taking a walk. if you two weren't already holding hands, he would then reach for your hand and intertwine your fingers with his to make the both of you feel safer.

diluc also sets up a quiet alarm that rings a bit earlier than yours does (if you use one). he shuts it off really quickly to prevent you from waking up; he does all this because diluc wants to watch you sleep. no, not in a creepy way! he likes seeing you taking a rest after a tiring day and enjoys the peaceful atmosphere of his lover and the start of the day.

whenever you try to step out of a pool, kaeya almost always grabs your ankle and pulls you back in (don't worry he doesn't do it harshly, he always makes sure you fall into his arms). kaeya finds it cute on how you whine that the water is cold. he doesn't let you know that he wants to step out first so he can hold out your towel for you :)

you and kaeya have this thing where whenever he opens doors for you, he always says "for my dearest" and you say back "thank you my prince". sometimes you say "my knight in shining armor" and his heart flutters knowing that you always trust him enough to save you if you ever needed it one day. (if you're confused, usually the phrase "knight in shining armor" symbolizes a hero)

xiao barely sleeps and doesn't wake up early but when he does, he makes it a point to pull the curtains wide open and let the sun rays almost blind your eyes. he finds it cute on how you complain and tell him to close the curtains but of course he will never let a single soul know about that. bonus: xiao says that he will close the curtains if you cuddle with him and that request alone makes you flustered. (like the haughty xiao is initiating physical affection?? YESSIR)

xiao purposely leaves his gloves and other small articles of clothing around hoping you'll wear it. the first time he comes home to you wearing his gloves and commenting about how it looks on your hands, he is the one who's flustered this time. now, xiao usually offers his hoodies to you and softly smiles when you put them on and show it off to others/your friends.

𝑾𝑯𝑬𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬𝒀 𝑨𝑪𝑪𝑰𝑫𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑨𝑳𝑳𝒀 𝑯𝑼𝑹𝑻 𝒀𝑶𝑼

— Bakugou Katsuki, Todoroki Shoto, Todoroki Toya, Kirishima Eijiro x f!reader

cw. mild suggestive — rbs are appreciated — m.list

BAKUGOU KATSUKI

“Stop it brat” he wrinkles his brow as he pins you against the wall, your wrists in his big hand as he tries to lift you onto his shoulder, “I don’t feel like playing, it’s been a long day.”

“I’m tired, please” he says more softly as he walks into the bedroom, and he really is tired. So tired that he takes his measurements wrong and drops you way too much on the edge of the bed.

You wince as you end up on the floor. His eyes snap open before he flops down beside you himself, “shit, baby” he hisses through clenched teeth bringing one hand behind your back to gently stroke you and the other to your head studding your hair with kisses, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

When he pulls you up this time he’s more careful, he sits on the bed with you in his lap, “you okay, baby?” he asks holding you tight, his chin on your head and he’s so cute when he’s not acting like an angry Pomeranian that you pretend it still hurts just to be cuddled a little more.

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bokuto as your boyfriend

request:  The type of lover fic is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever read 🥺 could I request relationship headcanons with bokuto?

a/n: AH thank you for loving it!!! i like writing those types of things whenever im in a mood to write but not write *seriously*! and yes i LOVE bokuto he’s such a HIMBO my BABY GOD – also i’m trying a different layout for hcs! i think i like my old ones better than making a separate header for each character but,,,,we shall see

[bokuto boyfriend headcanons]

-bokuto, obviously

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Once upon a time, in the heart of a dark and rainy night, a creature appeared at an abbey, climbing through a window to into the room where the abbess was writing notes. It was a wretched beast, not quite human but neither did it resemble any animal that the abbess could name. It was dripping wet, with scarred skin and odd patches of thin, sparse fur, long cracked claws that scraped the stone floor, and sharp teeth so haphazardly scattered that it was hard to say whether there were two rows of teeth or one.

"What do you want, creature?" the abbess asked it calmly.

"I want to become a nun", the creature said. And there was no rule in the books that the abbess could remember that would prohibit a strange beast from becoming a nun, if it so desired. So, the beast was accepted into the abbey, and it took to life in the order as naturally as a shepherd dog to herding. She was a meticulous beast, first to wake and rise at dawn, neat and tidy with all tools and tasks she was given, dutiful and devout in all things.

No nun nor novice dared to question the creature's right to be there after the first time the she demonstrated that her teeth are not merely for decoration, and then apologised to the novice who had tried. The beast even graciously offered to mend the habit she had torn. After the incident, she was never bothered again. A handful of other postulants, novices and even a few of the nuns flocked to her, knowing that the creature would not allow anybody to be mistreated in her presence.

Watching the creature wolfishly lope across the abbey courtyard, with her ill-fitting, haphazardly placed cowl flopping as she went, the abbess contemplated the strange being. Despite of her sloppy, haphazard appearance, the beast really did have great potential to become a nun. A being so gentle and friendly could have done well just about anywhere, as would anyone so devout, but what made the creature such a good fit for monastic life was her love of routine. Waking up each morning at the same time, performing the same tasks and duties at the same time, the beast was not only tireless in her work, but actively delighted in regular routines. Which was why the abbey was such a good place for her, and she would one day make an excellent nun.

She was, without a doubt, a creature of habit.

Night strolls

Ayato x reader

Warnings: none, just fluff <3

A/n: did yall see Ayato? I'm actually about to pass out because of how he looks AND HIS VOICE OH MY GOD 😳💗

"Good evening my lady." Ayato said with a soft voice as he glanced at you.

"Greetings Ayato, enjoying the evening?" you said with your fan at your lips and he smiled.

"Now even more because of you." he told you and you blushed.

"Ah yes indeed, how have you been lately?" you said as you started to walk next to him. He just chuckled and looked down at you.

"Do you really wish to know?" he said and you looked at him.

"You are a dear friend of mine Ayato, of course I wish to know, plus, your sister would worry if she wouldn't know how you are, you need to open up a little." you said and he gave a defeated sign.

"Fine fine, I surrender myself to your mighty judgement!" he said and you laughed.

"How can such a serious head of the Yashiro Comission and head of the Kamisato clan be so playful sometimes?" you asked and he just smiled.

"I must admit that this is just the effect you have upon me my lady." he said and looked down at you once again.

"Still the same charmer I see." you said with a small grin and he got closer to you.

"Only for you my dear." he said and you tried not to die there from how flustered you got. Right now you were at the bridge from Inazuma city, near the water and that small shrine for the kitsune. As you looked at the sky, you sighted.

"Ah its such a beautiful night, I wish we could stay like this, no clan affairs, no etiquette lessons or way to act before everyone, here we can be ourselves." you said.

"Indeed very beautiful." he said and you looked at him only to see that he wasn't looking at the sky, oh no, quite the opposite, he was looking at you with such an adoration.

"Ayato-" you tried to say but he held your hands so you would look at him.

"Look, I know that maybe you think it would be complicated for us to start something, after all we both rule over clan's with big duties, but, believe me, we can make it trough together." he said and looked at you in the eyes.

"But... What about the others? If we get together, they will expect us to marry, have heirs, and our whole relationship will be public..." you said and he took your cheek in his hand.

"You don't have to do all that if you don't feel like it, we are the own rulers of our lives, so why care about what the others think?" he said and you looked at his blue orbs. They were charming, just like his sister's eyes.

"I- alright, if you really think it could work, I'm willing to give it a chance." you said and he smiled at you slowly approaching you. When you were at centimeters away from his face, he connected your lips with his, kissing you sweetly. You felt as if this was the right thing to happen, a lot of thoughts invaded your head and all you could think of was him, the one you loved soo much.

When you broke, he looked at you and caressed your cheeks with his fingers.

"What about you come and have dinner with me and my sister? I'm sure she would enjoy your company as much as I do." he said and you chuckled.

"How could I refuse to see Ayaka and Thoma, I missed them so much, but I missed you even more." you added and he smirked.

"I didn't expect anything else my dear, after all I'm your soul mate." he said and you rolled your eyes.

"As you say "lord" Kamisato. "you said and he grabbed your waist pushing you into him.

"You will get to see me as lord Kamisato too one day, dear, just wait and see." he said and grinned as you blushed hard.

And with that, you both headed to the Kamisato Estate.

Hope you enjoyed! :D

Requests are opened, just text me or request me stuff, I write about genshin characters, bsd, jjk, mha and aot characters tho <333

And don't forget, Ayato wanters will be Ayato havers, hopefully me included 🤣

JJK BOYS’ REACTION WHEN YOU RECIEVE AN ANONYMOUS LOVE LETTER !

an. pls take this shit while i work on reqs ok ty ly

ft. itadori, fushiguro, gojo, nanami, inumaki, junpei x gn!reader

wc. 1.2k

genre. fluff

► MASTERLIST ► TAGLIST ►

ITADORI YUJI — it’s not that yuji doesn’t care, but he’s just so… casual about it?? he sees you pick up another letter on your desk and he’s like “oh cool, another one?” bro. what. idk why but himbo yuji<3 just popped into my head if he catches your secret admirer placing the letters on your desk, it’ll be a complete accident like nanami’s. yuji will just tell them - “hey, you know that’s my s/o’s desk, right?” SO plainly and casually LOL, might even ask if they want him to pass on the letter to you, yuji. baby. ..however! if at any point you’ve expressed that you really don’t like these letters or just feel uncomfortable because of them, yuji will go out of his way to stop it - he cares about your feelings more than anything. i don’t see yuji as a jealous or insecure person, and plus, he thinks his s/o’s beautiful, he obviously knew other people would see and feel the same way. again, at the end of the day, all he cares about in this scenario is your feelings.

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Can you please do zhongli/rex lapis x fem shy reader. The fem reader is extremely shy and doesn't have any friends cause of her quiet and timid nature and she lives in liyue with her parents and an only child. She loves to story of rex lapis and the history of liyue and accidentally meet zhongli and sometime later he revealed to be rex lapis to the reader. Also, the fem is a villager of liyue and doesn't have super powers to fight just a weak villager.

fateful meeting

pairing : zhongli x shy f!reader {fluff}

warnings : none

word count : 2.6k

a/n : thank you for this request! I apologize for the wait, I dont think i made the reader as shy as you requested jshdjd sorry, i hope you enjoy !

Even as a child you had been fascinated by the stories of Liyue, or rather, a specific figure in its history. Perhaps, the archons have heard your passionate nature regarding Liyue, for a fateful meeting one day will change your peaceful life forever. 

Life was everything you could’ve ever wished for.

Only the soft, consistent chopping of a knife against a wooden cutting board and an occasional quiet flip of a page in a book could be heard in one of the many homes in Qingce Village. 

Sunlight seeps through the cracks of the window you sat by, casting a bright glow on the words inside the book in your hands, seeming as if the story itself was coming to life.

Well, not that the story wasn’t coming to life, it had already come to life, for you were currently reading about the history of your beloved nation, Liyue.

The book you were so engrossed in was not an unfamiliar story, having already read it a couple times. You would never grow tired of this one.

A smile played on your lips as you approached one of your favorite parts of this specific chapter. 

Softly fiddling with the corner of the thin page, your eyes scanned over the familiar words slowly.

Wielding a spear so sharp no blade could even hope to compete against, he emerges from the shadows, illuminating a golden aura around his built figure. In one swift motion, the polearm-wielding fighter sends a rumble through the ground beneath him, ridding of any enemies around him in a flash. A sigh leaves his lips as he removes his hood, examining his surroundings. A long ponytail of golden-brown hair trails down to his waist, flowing softly in the wind. His eyes the same shade, if anything more golden, slowly fluttering shut, head turning upwards, immersing himself in the soft breeze.

You pause and gaze out the window, sighing at the scene of hundreds of miles of tall mountains spread out all around, all thanks to one person. One archon, to be more specific.

About to flip the page once more to continue, you were interrupted by your mother’s voice calling out from the kitchen. 

“Y/N, dear, could you fetch me some berries down the river if you aren’t busy?”

You tear your eyes away from the book begrudgingly, calling back, “Fine, anything else?”

“Some sweet flowers and fowl would be great, thanks honey!”

You shut the book, placing it down on your table as you stand up to stretch, bones cracking at the movement.

As much as you wanted nothing but to snuggle back into your chair and immerse yourself back into the story, your parents were the most important people in your life, and you knew it was mainly up to you to take care of them.

Being an only child isn’t as lonely as people make it out to be, you get peace and quiet in the home, and you wouldn’t change it for anything else.

Kicking on your shoes you wore when you ventured outside, you picked up the basket that was used to collect food, as well as your hunting bow for the fowl.

You didn’t know how to fight, having spent your whole life secluded in the village, but you had enough hunting experience, at least.

About to head out, your eyes landed on the book now laying on the table and pondered for a moment, before grabbing it and placing it into the basket.

Despite your mother’s scolding about dangers reading outside, you just wanted a change of scenery while you lose yourself in Liyue’s history.

“I’m heading out now, Ma!” You call out as you push open the wooden door to your home, earning a hum from her in response.

The heat in Liyue would be pretty unbearable to outsiders, however having lived in the same village for almost all your life, it wasn’t anything new.

You hummed, greeting your neighbors occasionally with a wave, walking down to your usual place to fetch ingredients.

Finally reaching your destination not too far from the village, you crouch by the river as you picked the sweet flowers and berries your mother had asked for.

“Mmm, what else did she ask for again?” You thought out loud, forgetting the last ingredient, eyes landing on your bow.

“Oh right, fowl!”

You scan your surroundings, looking for any signs of birds, when suddenly you hear a sharp rustle of a bush behind you. 

Not having time to even turn around and investigate, a heavy weight pounced on you from behind, causing you to tumble forward.

You let out a yelp, feeling a pain through your arm that you had landed on, turning around to see the attacker.

Your eyes widened, seeing it had been a hilichurl that was currently standing above you, however, it didn’t feel like a regular hilichurl.

It had black smoke emitting around it, as if some type of curse had been placed on it, enhancing its strength.

The hilichurl spurt out some unintelligible words, before raising its bat and lunging at you once again.

You grab your bow beside you quickly, aiming at its head before completely missing due to your shaking hands.

Cursing under your breath, you pick up a rock and throw it weakly at the creature, causing it to stop only briefly before charging towards you again, seemingly more angered this time. 

This was it, you thought. All the time spent not learning how to fight, this must’ve been your punishment. 

You shield your face with your arms, hoping to at least lessen the impact, before hearing the hilichurl shout followed by a thud behind you. 

Moving your hands away from your head, you turn to see the hilichurl now lying unconscious a few feet away from you.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” 

A deep, masculine voice brings you out of your shock, as you turn slowly to meet your savior, instead met by a hand held out in front of you, offering assistance. 

Your eyes trailed up to the mysterious man’s face, before your breath caught in your throat.

A long ponytail of golden-brown hair trails down to his waist, flowing softly in the wind.

The man looked back at you curiously, hand still reached out toward you.

His eyes the same shade, if anything more golden.

Why were you suddenly reminded of those words in the book?

Your mouth gapes at the sight of the man above you, his presence bringing a strange feeling you didn’t recognize.

Your eyes widened. Could it be..?

“...excuse me? Are you alright?”

His voice brings you out of your daze once again, a worried look cast upon his handsome features. Wait, what?

It was only then did you realize how good looking the man was before you, turning red as you took his hand and stood up, wobbling a tiny bit.

“Thank you for saving me,” you bow slightly, quickly picking up your forgotten belongings on the ground, still flustered from the incident.

You were about to say goodbye and leave as quick as you could, before your book fell out of your basket and landed on the ground next to the man’s feet.

“Ah—“

The man bent down and picked up the book, about to hand it back to you, when he suddenly stopped and examined the cover.

You swore you could’ve been seeing things, but a small smile grazes his lips as he faces you.

“Are you also interested in the stories of Liyue?”

You stop in your tracks, turning to the man who was now flipping through the pages of the book to the section you had bookmarked prior.

His golden orbs now held an unreadable expression behind them, almost...nostalgic.

You felt a small surge of confidence as your favorite topic was brought up.

“Ah--yes, I am quite informed of the history of Liyue myself,” you smile softly to yourself, causing him to look up and chuckle.

“Is that so?” He hums, tilting his head upwards to face the blue sky, closing his eyes slowly. 

...slowly fluttering shut, head turning upwards, immersing himself in the soft breeze.

Your eyes widened at the sight.

There was no way.

But, there was no other explanation for it.

“May I...ask your name?” You ask carefully, awaiting his answer.

He shuts the book with a soft thud, handing it back to you to which you take back happily.

“I go by Zhongli.”

He offers you a smile, making your heart skip a beat and blood to your cheeks, as you stutter back your name in response.

“Be careful around these parts, monsters have been affected by some sort of spell here, making them stronger than usual,” he explains while putting away his spear he had used earlier.

Wielding a spear so sharp no blade could even hope to compete against.

There was no mistaking it.

“Are you perhaps--” 

You start to ask, gaining a curious gaze from him, however stopping in your words after realizing how bizarre you’d sound if you’d ask him the question you had been aching to voice since your meeting.

“Nevermind, I should get going,” You shake your head, thanking him once more before starting to walk away.

“If you’d like me to answer your question, meet me back here tomorrow, at the same time.”

Zhongli spoke behind you, making you turn and meet his eyes, which gazed back into yours almost knowingly. 

“But you don’t know what my question is,” you question, confusion evident on your features.

He chuckles again, the sound making you melt on the spot.

“Do not underestimate the geo archon.” 

With that, he disappears into the other direction, leaving you frozen in your place.

Did he just…?

A million thoughts were coursing through your head at the moment. But one thing was for sure, you couldn’t wait until tomorrow. 

--

That night, sleep did not come to you like usual.

With your head filled with thoughts about Zhongli, and his last words before departing, you were basically shaking with excitement.

Had you really met him?

Nevermind, your questions would all be answered the next day.

--

“I see you’ve arrived.”

Zhongli smiles at you, to which you return the gesture, still mesmerized by his delicate features to speak.

You had practically jumped out of bed this morning, making some jumbled excuse about fetching more berries and fowl to your mother, who was left dumbfounded.

Zhongli pats the spot beside him on the grass, and you notice his spear laying next to him on the other side.

Carefully sitting down next to the tall man, both of your backs leaned against the tree with its leaves above you providing minimal cover from the sun. It was then that you noticed the close proximity of your bodies, making you flush.

“So, would you like to ask me your question from yesterday?”

You bit your bottom lip nervously for a moment, before shaking your head and reaching next to you into the bag that you had brought. 

“Ah-- before that, Mr. Zhongli, you mentioned you are also interested in Liyue’s stories?” You pulled out the book from yesterday. 

He nods, as you flip open the book to the chapter you had bookmarked. The same chapter describing Rex Lapis’s first appearance.

“Just Zhongli is fine. And yes, I am also well-informed of the stories of Liyue. Would you like me to tell you some?”

You nod, showing him the marked section. “That would be nice, but could you answer this one question of mine first?”

He takes the book from your hands, bright pupils scanning over the words. A small breeze blew by just that moment, causing his long hair to lift slightly. The sunlight shone softly on his pale skin, giving him an almost ethereal aura.

You never thought someone could appear so calm and peaceful while reading a book.

“Yes, ask away.” 

He lifts his head up to meet your eyes, making you clear your throat, embarrassed you had been admiring him so openly.

Although that chapter remains your favorite chapter of all times, there had been one question that had stayed in the corner of your mind each time you read it.

“In that section, when Rex Lapis lifts his head and immerses himself in the wind, what do you think he was feeling? Satisfaction from eliminating his enemies? Or perhaps, tired from all the fighting in the Archon War?”

Zhongli hums, smiling gently at nothing in particular as he closes his eyes, lifting his head up towards the sky.

A small breeze passes by again, and you smile at the sight. You no longer questioned his true identity. You knew.

“That all may be true, however, I’d say he was feeling quite…” He pauses, as if trying to search for the right word.

“...saddened, almost.”

You tilt your head curiously, “Saddened?”

He nods, facing you, “Perhaps mournful, even. Have you ever wondered if Rex Lapis wanted to kill at all? Although those evil should be eliminated, they are still living souls, and perhaps he wished for everything to return to normal.”

Zhongli’s voice trailed off, as he held a sad feeling behind his eyes, making you unconsciously reach for his hand laying on his lap.

He looked at you in surprise at the sudden contact, and your eyes widened at your own actions, making a move to quickly retrieve your own hand, when he stops you.

 He brings the both of your hands together, now laying on his lap as red spreads through your cheeks.

The both of you sit in silence as a few beats pass, when he breaks the silence once again.

“I’d like to share with you some of my favorite stories of Liyue, would you be interested?”

You smile, nodding as he starts speaking again.

And he shares stories you’ve never heard before, or even some that you have, but a different version of. The difference in stories that you had believed your whole life made you surprised, not sure what to believe.

No, scratch that, deep down, you knew what to believe. Or, who to believe.

Zhongli shares his stories until it starts to become dark, to which he finally stops and suggests you return home.

“I’ll walk you home, it’s quite dangerous at night.”

You thank him, and you two start to make your way back, continuing to talk about Liyue and its fascinating history.

“Ah, it’s just right down there. Thank you for today, Zhongli.” You smile at him once again, ready to return before he stops you.

“Are you not going to ask me the question you had yesterday?” It was quite dark, so it was a bit difficult to tell, but you swore there was a slight smirk on his lips.

You laugh, shaking your head. “I’ve got my answer already.”

He raises his eyebrows, a teasing hint in his voice, “Are you sure, Y/N?”

Hearing your name roll off his tongue sent shivers through your body, smirking back at him.

“I’m quite sure, Rex Lapis.”

Zhongli opens his mouth to speak before closing, as deep chuckles ring through the night. Not long after, your own quiet giggles joining him. Finally, you both recover from your laughter.

“Goodnight then, Morax, you still have to share your stories with me tomorrow.”

He smiles at you, golden eyes shining even through the dark. “Same time?”

You grin back, before turning to return back to your home. “Same time.”

Maybe you’d ask him to teach you how to fight tomorrow.

On second thought, perhaps your lack of experience in fighting was a good thing. For because of it, you had met the man who only existed in books that you’d read everyday.

Your once peaceful life, although disrupted by the appearance of the one and only geo archon you admired so dearly, had now offered you something to look forward to each day.

"we should consider marriage."

you blink. nanami's knife never loses its rhythm.

you put down your pen and cushion your chin on one hand, eyeing him. he's unbothered. he keeps prepping the ingredients for dinner, his forearms flexing with each pass of the knife. the tight ridge of his broad shoulders always loosens in the kitchen.

"for us or for someone else, kento?" you ask, biting back your little smile.

he levels an unimpressed look your way. "for us."

"it took me a year to convince you to date me," you say. "you can't blame me for checking."

(i don't want you to get hurt, he says on a humid summer day. he gazes out into the campus courtyard, eyes hidden beneath the gleam of his sunglasses.

you suck the watermelon juice off your sticky fingers. i'm aware, you say, nonchalant. but sometimes being hurt just means you've lived well.

he looks at you differently, after that.)

nanami hums; the oil sizzles as he adds the vegetables to the pan. the steam wisps around him. there's the smallest upward tilt to his lips, and his dark eyes make you think of warm summer nights, heavy and honeyed.

he sets a lid over the pan, rinses his hands, and pads over to you. you open your legs to let him press between. he lays a heavy hand on your thigh, his thumb slipping under the hem of your shorts.

"so," you say, "we're considering, huh?"

"yes," he says. "i'd like to know that when something happens to me, you'll be taken care of. being legally married helps ensure that."

you wind your arms around his neck, pull him further into the cradle of your hips.

"oh, is that all?"

"yes," he says, deadpan. he tugs you closer still. "that's the only reason."

you laugh and hook your legs around his hips. "you realize that with you, this is basically an actual proposal, kento."

nanami leans down, catches you in a deep, aching kiss.

"basically."