I WANT THIS LIIIIFEEEEE

first kiss hcs w/ the veterans

» feat. Erwin, Levi, & Hange +Jean

» warnings for suggestive content(!)

» can be read as gender-neutral

ERWIN SMITH

––––––––––––– first kiss:

He would 100% ask permission first - not a doubt in my mind. The epitome of a proper gentleman, this one. I don’t see him as being very nervous at all beyond a few flutters bc after all, Erwin wouldn’t dare to make a move before he’s certain you’ll reciprocate (ever the strategist..)

A coy smile peeks at his cheeks. “Would you mind if I kissed you?”

What a man - very likely to take over leading you the first time, gently guiding your lips in a sensual, slow kiss that leaves your head fuzzy and your stomach spinning out of control. Perhaps Erwin is even so daring as to swipe his tongue across your puffy bottom lip right as he pulls away 😵‍💫

where they like to be kissed:

More than anything?? On his lips, sweet and simple. No matter if it’s the traditional way to kiss someone, a peck on the lips makes Erwin’s heart warm :(( It means that you’re dedicated to each other, that you two are more closely tied than anyone - Erwin more than anything needs a partner who understands him and a deep, sensual kiss is a big reassurance that you do.

Also, his chest - specifically right over his heart 😽 Not only is that where he carries his pride, but he has a thick, hulking chest and sensitive nipples. I said what I said.

Pepper kisses up and down his strong jawline too, his strong nose, and this magnificent smile will crease at his lips.

where they like to kiss you:

Your chest - for many of the same reasons. Erwin keeps his large palm graced over your heart and will press wet, open-mouthed kisses straight down the center, paying special attention to the pretty peaks of your nipples. He loves tracing the arc of your shoulderblades with his lips too, right where the bones resemble wings.

As a more traditional man, he feels a glowing feeling unfurl in his chest to mold your lips with his. Not to mention! gently taking your hand and kissing it like he’s cradling a butterfly wing :(( He’ll do such a smooth, gentlemanly move in the middle of a public street, in the privacy of his office, right after he dicks you down,,, no exceptions.

JEAN KIERSTEIN

–––––––––––––––

first kiss:

Jean talks a lot of big game and he puts on the facade of a total lady’s man - but, this is the same man whose train of thought will totally jam that first heart-stopping moment when you lean in to kiss him; barely has the mind to reciprocate with the slightest tilt of his head, his palm landing on the small of your back as he practically launches you back with just how eager he is.

He wanted to respect your space and was too chickenshit to just ask - even though he’s been craving a kiss forever now, to the point where he makes more eye contact with your lips more than, well, your eyes.

So passionate, a little hesitant until your noses are bumping in hasty desire to deepen the kiss. He’s got the faintest of a blush dusting his cheeks once one of you thinks to finally pull away.

where they like to be kissed:

The palm of his big hand :( especially when he's cradling the apple of your cheek. And his sharp jawline where his stubble tickles your lips.

The nape of his neck! Brush his sandy-colored hair out of the way and he’ll shiver under the press of your silky lips ok. He adores it… and his neck in general. He gets such a warm, fuzzy feeling when you approach from behind and (him being a whopping 6’2 / 190cm) reach up on the tips of your toes to buryyour face in his neck. perhaps your arms sling around his waist?? he gets a kick out of it.

where they like to kiss you:

Jean strikes me as such a man willing to please … but he has a teasing streak. He likes smack soft, wet kisses over both of your hipbones right before his heavy tongue lands between your legs yk..

If we’re talking more SFW?? He loves peppering your collar with kisses, tracing the ridges with his tongue. Anything for the thrill of your reaction, which means the spot just behind your ear when he’s coming up from behind …

and these soft, fragile forehead kisses so he has an excuse to watch your lashes flutter and get a look at the features he admires so much up close.

LEVI ACKERMAN

–––––––––––––––

first kiss:

Very little chance of him initiating - infinitesimal actually, almost 0%. He needs your palm to drift over his cheek and guide him towards you, close enough for your lashes to kiss each other’s skin even.

“What… are you doing?”

Levi would be quiet, frozen stiff - but only because his mind is going haywire and there’s at least a million butterflies fluttering around his stomach. The blush on this man’s face so warm and sweet that you may be close enough to feel the heat radiating off his skin :((

Levi has these full, baby-pink lips too.. so soft and plush bc there’s no way he’d neglect personal hygiene in any way. He goes all out :((

And then when he first feels that brush of your lips against his? His eyelids flutter and he may not even react. He needs a moment to collect himself because you, wanting to kiss him? God he’s so nervous.

It’s easy to interpret his clamming up as disgust or lack of desire - but Levi will gently catch the nape of your neck and tug you back in.

Your first kiss is so light, barely a peck; he needs to test the waters, and his mind is so jammed by all these fuzzy flutters that he can do nothing but take it slow. So sweet :(

“Hey—why'd you stop?"

where they like to be kissed:

Levi pretends to loathe sweet little pecks and loving passes between your lips but in reality?? Kiss him just about anywhere and he’ll be flustered and fuzzy and warm :((

Smooth his bangs off his forehead (bc Levi loves his hair being touched) and press a dainty kiss on his forehead, or that spot just below his ear while sparing sweet words to him… Take his hand and kiss his fingers too :(( he will melt.

His inner thighs!!! Over his navel! That little junction between his jaw and the slope of his neck - all these sensitive, fiery spots Levi has never ever experienced such tender love. A warm blush will stretch across his cheeks, and he’ll go totally bashful, mind empty.

where they like to kiss you:

Where he likes to give you kisses is almost… innocent in a way, tho he’s the furthest thing from that. But Levi needs time to warm up to physical affection yk? Let alone initiating it.

He’ll kiss your cheek when you’re just waking up with hopes you won’t notice :(( Truthfully he’s super shy... he likes a small, reassuring kiss to your shoulder where the hem’s slipped down + right over your heart in your more passionate moments (similar to Erwin).

He could spend a whole hour just idly playing with your fingers, kissing your knuckles, putting a peck on your fingertips. Very sweet :(

HANGE ZÖE

–––––––––––

first kiss:

Hange gets so excited okay - a little absent-minded too. Maybe you’re doing the smallest, kindest favor for them, like handing over a beaker when they’re in a jam and on the verge of a breakthrough. They don’t particularly think about it when they launch up from where they’re stooped over their things by the heels of their hands, giggling excitedly, “That’s it! You’re perfect, my dear,” and plants a hasty kiss on your lips.

Not that kissing you doesn’t send them into cardiac arrest, but it feels so natural around you ! Everything has always came so easily, and they feel so unabashedly like themself that it doesn’t really cross their mind that you’ve never kissed until it happens??

Both your eyes would go wide like saucers, but yours are wider. “Hange!?”

“Oh.” They can’t help but smile despite themself. “Oops..! Wasn’t thinking.”

where they like to be kissed:

The nape of their neck. It isn’t just because of their fixation on Titans, either - it's such an intimate place to kiss someone, especially if you’re spooning them from behind. At once, little shivers tickle up and down their spine; they feel so safe in your arms. Don’t even get me started on mouthing over that special spot when you have them ass-up in bed 😵‍💫

where they like to kiss you:

In the most unconventional of places?? For some reason? Hange just wants to catalogue every part of you to memory, and all your reactions to things—a little giggle, your muscles locking up in a shiver, a raised brow… They would literally kiss every inch of you if they knew they could get away with it <3

Between the wings of your shoulderblades ! The shell of your ear (where a smile prodded at Hange’s lips at the goosebumps that rose up on your skin) ! Launching onto the bed and smacking kisses on both of your Achilles’ heels. Hange loves to leave kisses in places most people normally wouldn’t think of.

multi. masterlist | main masterlist

The Phone Call

Pairing : Bakugou x Reader

You were staring at your TV. There was nothing anymore. You couldn't believe it.

- It seems like we're having a problem with our drone.

You had been in front of the TV since your friend texted you, asking you to do it. You saw the headline.

"Dynamight fighting with an unknown threat"

You were horrified. You saw a huge explosion and even heard it from the room you were in. The drone stopped functioning and the TV went dark. You remembered this morning. You woke up earlier than usual because you wanted to see him before he left for work. You were barely awake while he was already ready to go.

- Can I have a kiss before you go ? you asked sleepily.

He only scoffed and said :

- Just sleep, I'll see you tonight.

You were almost asleep when he kissed your forehead before leaving.

You didn't tell him you loved him this morning. There was a lot of things you had yet to tell him. You remembered a conversation you had months ago.

- Do you wanna move in with me ? he casually asked you while you two were eating at his place.

You froze. He must had seen the panic you felt in your eyes because he quickly added :

- It's fine, pretend I didn't say anything.

You were scared. Waking up next to him, eating with him, playing with him, laughing with him in this place you could call home, just thinking about it would make your heart beat faster. But you were so scared to give up on your comfort. He never bought it up again, probably patiently waiting for you to make the first move. It was weird to see your boyfriend being patient, with a personality that explosive, but he always seemed to be careful not to hurt or scare you because of it. You loved him so much, and you were ready to try. So you slowly brought all your important stuff one by one. And today was finally the day you gave back the key of your apartment. Today was officially the day you were moving in. Today was supposed to be a good day.

You remembered the first time he apologized to you. His quirk suddenly activated and it startled you. He quickly apologized even though it didn't hurt you. You remembered how surprised you were. He wasn't the kind to apologize. You quickly reassured him, telling him you weren't hurt.

You remembered your first kiss. It was sudden and you didn't even think before initiating it. It was the first time you saw him blush that hard. But he initiated your second kiss right after.

You remembered everytime you laughed, everytime he smiled, every single moment of happiness you had.

- It's now been 15 minutes and there is no sign of Dynamight. It seems like the threat has been neutralized but we haven't heard from the hero yet. Witnesses say that the buildings surrounding the area collapsed but they were all already evacuated.

You couldn't breathe. You barely ever thought about this situation. You only ever talked about it once. It was one night, right before going to bed. He didn't tell you much about his work but you could see it had been a hard day.

- I put a new contact number on your phone in case something happen.

Your grip tightenend on his waist.

- Nothing is gonna happen, Katsuki.

- If it does and this number calls you, consider it's me breaking up with you.

Your hand started shaking and you moved away from him.

- Why are you talking about breaking up ?

Your voice was shaking too, unable to hide your emotions.

- If it's because I'm dead, then I'm letting you go. If I'm not dead... I don't wanna put you through this.

- Katsuki, we're a couple, I don't wanna leave you. I can handle it.

- I know you can, Y/N. I just don't want you to.

He didn't let you object.

- I put a different ringtone, he said. So you know.

You hadn't been able to sleep that day. With time, you understood why he did that, why he said that.

- We sent another drone and it seems like the paramedics are in the zone of the explosion now.

You couldn't stop saying :

- Please be ok.

Maybe he had already been evacuated. Maybe he was just fine, but the drone was destroyed by accident. Maybe he was already at the hospital. Maybe...

You heard a ringtone you never heard before and you felt your phone vibrating in your hand. You looked at it. The contact was only called "Emergency". You remembered your conversation with him. You remembered how he talked about his own death. You remembered what this call meant.

You took a deep breath.

And you picked up the phone.

Before you could hear anything, you asked :

- Is he alive ?

𝐑𝐄𝐂 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓!

what is this? this post is an opportunity to recommend your favorite accounts, like a tag game. you don’t have to be tagged to join and if you aren’t still try to interact!

why does this exist? because tumblr’s algorithm isn’t the best at boosting accounts/posts, plus it’s a good way to self promote your work and others.

who i’m recommending are: @ughgojo @faeaura @izukulus @shoberri @xysthe @hoshiikos @happygoluckyalexis @dejwrites @itadores @a-blue-secret @jkoo-njoo

Ayato boyfriend headcanons;

✰ Characters: Kamisato Ayato/reader.

✰ Words: 1k.

✰ SFW ; slightly sug//gestive, but not much. gn!reader.

Warnings: LE//AKS, speculation here and there, since he isn’t released yet.

A/N: sigh. 

Okay, so… Ayato. Ayato Kamisato.

From what I understood from Itto’s voice lines, he’s.. part himbo. Like, yes, i think he’s extremely intelligent, cunning, but also kinda himbo-ish. Like, a smart himbo. Do you get me? Please say yes.

So, i think he loves, LOVES to tease you. He’ll lie on his side on the floor, waving his fan and seemingly do his job more or less. But his attention is divided between actually doing his work and hiding his smirk behind the fan and winking at you.

In this household (aka blog), Kamisato Ayato has long hair. MHY,, don’t disappoint me. Speaking of, in his free time or whenever he’s able to do his work at the Kamisato estate, he has his hair down. He might melt if you play with his hair during that time - either braid it, gently scratch his scalp or plainly brush it. Once he feels your soft hands in his hair, he’ll lean into your touch, let out a small “mmm” sound, and then come back to work. He wants you to know that he appreciates your presence and acknowledges your efforts to relax him.

So, from leaks, he’ll apparently have admiral-like clothes. But i’m the new mihoyo CEO and i shall announce that Kamisato Ayato wears kimonos whenever he doesn’t need to go out. But wait, there’s nothing special about japanese man wearing japanese clothes, right? Well, yes, but this man is too lazy to properly wear it so his ti/ddies are on display. He WILL take advantage of it and call you out if you stare. EVERY time.

“Fufu~ my eyes are up here, angel,” he moves closer to you and whispers to your ear, “it’s quite rude to stare, hmm?” You can feel his lips grazing your ear softly, as well as his hair on your arm; if you look closely, you can see slightly more than just his chest.. but will you dare to answer his question?

His favorite places to kiss you are: your neck and temples. Yes, while i know that the first one is cliche, he just can’t help but wrap his arms around your waist and nuzzle into your neck after placing a chaste kiss on it; he does like to leave marks, sometimes more intense or less, but he just wants to show who you belong to. Also, he thinks that Thoma getting startled every time he notices a mark on your neck is funny, so yeah.

Speaking of temple kisses, he’s.. doing that in a very cute way. He gets closer, one hand intertwines with yours, the other cups and caresses your cheek gently while his lips tenderly kiss your temple. Those kinds of kisses usually happen whenever you two greet.

Since he’s the head of shuumatsuban, he’ll always sneak up on you and hug you from behind whenever you least expect it. Ayato comforts you when you jump a little, but his teasing doesn’t stop - “ah, i apologize, my precious. I did not mean to frighten you; did you, perhaps, except someone else?” He chuckles and kisses your hair, leaving you flustered… Again.

He’s the man that’s very, very respected by those who work for/with him, always serious, until he gets his precious free time. Just think about that 780 onikabuto fights with itto. You can not convince me he isn’t a little shiet deep down. At some point, he was so invested in those fights that he even challenged you when itto wasn’t around.

(he won btw. Both you and itto went to the shame corner as your punishment.)

But, BUT! underneath all that teasing is also a man whose heart did not have time to mourn. Since he became the head of the Kamisato family at young age, he had little to no time to properly let his emotions out - thus, he probably has that bad habit of bottling things up until one night he cries into your shoulder like a baby for hours. He grips you tight, tears slip down his wet cheeks from his crystal-blue eyes, until he shakily whispers, “please, don’t leave me.”

Alright, on a happier note - he’s the best person to be around. Meaning, he doesn’t judge you in any way, Ayato is literally the second-best hype man in Inazuma just after Itto. Always tries to give you the best advice, if you need guidance - no need to say it twice. In fact, he’s just happy that he can be here for you and that YOU want to spend YOUR time with him; it never fails to make him smile.

He buys you a TON of gifts every time he leaves for a business trip anywhere. Oh, you’re interested in painting? Look, he just came across this very expensive paint. How could he just ignore it knowing that his little honey bun loves painting? Or, perhaps, you like makeup? Now, you have to forgive him - once he laid his eyes on that eyeshadow palette, he knew he had to buy it. Also, that gorgeous kimono AND bracelet you both could match with? Dear lord. Thoma has more trouble carrying all these gifts to the house than ayato’s luggage…

He’s that kind of person who yells “Shoo, shoo! I’m very busy right now!” but all he does is make out with you.

Man of many talents, one of which includes holding the conversation whenever you don’t feel like talking much or you’re just shy! He never pushes you, instead, he complains how boring his meeting was that day or… Tells you gossip. I mean, being the leader of shuumatsuban certainly has its perks… But on the other hand, he also doesn’t mind if you talk a lot. He’s a great listener as well; encourages you especially when you talk about something you’re passionate about.

Writes you letters. You keep every single one. His handwriting is so, SO pretty if he puts his time into it. But also, there have been letters that were written so beautifully, yet the messages were along the lines of “today, my eyes laid upon a pigeon. It reminded me of you.” In full cursive, each letter written with care.

Ayato never elaborated about that pigeon letter afterwards.

“bruh” ~ ayato

figure skater! oikawa torū that looks like an angel on the ice, practically floating. he has this bright smile that shines brighter than the sun even while indoors. on occasions, he’ll offer you to come on the ice with him. and although it’s a bit intimidating considering he is godly at ice-skating, he takes his time.

if you don’t know how to ice-skate, he holds your hand, having you step on his skates just to get a “feel for the ice.” and reminds you it is “just like learning to dance.” with this saccharine tone. if you become scared or frightened, he’ll place a hand on your back, assuring you there is no one more ready to keep you from falling than him.

there was one night that you became determined you were going to ace ice-skating once and for all. yet that night you ended up in torū’s arms, his lips pressed to yours under the dimmer evening light.

of course, moments like that apparently didn’t come for free. on ice, he just so happens to love taunting you over how pink your face becomes from the cold whilst he’s perfectly adjusted thanks to the thin clothing he wears during competition.

step by step he teaches, teaching you everything there is to know about the world of figure skating. good and bad. you are the first person to attend his shows and the first to get the best tickets in competitions. sometimes, his performances are based on his feelings for you, whether that be subtle or ultimately provocative. you can’t help the crimson dancing on your cheeks when his eyes meet yours on center stage.

however the ice may be one of his favorite places, but you are the home he looks forward to seeing the most.

-maak

plagiarism, repost, and editing is prohibited

"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."

Now I’m curious, what kind of blackmail would prof Zhongli have on us? If so would we tell a close friend around it, not in the sense that they could do something but just being a source of comfort during the situation?

hi nonnie!! this is something I've talked about a bunch before throughout different posts (though you can most notibly see it in my series the color blue (specifically this chapter) which you should totally read if you haven't already hehe (^:<, as well as in this drabble), but because I've never given a clear, one hundred percent answer elaborately on here, I'll take the chance to do it now! also I've decided to change the way scholarships work in this universe for my own benefit simply because it works for me.

professor zhongli's blackmail isn't the traditional sort of blackmail you'd think it'd be. even more notably so, reader doesn't even realize they're being blackmailed at first due to just how subtle he is about it. dear, poor reader, is a scholarship student attending one of the most notoriously elite colleges the nation has to offer, one that, without afformentioned scholarship, they wouldn't be able to attend. additionally, part of the scholarship also allows and helps reader pay for reader to live off campus with their bestfriend in a tiny apartment. that scholarship is truly what reader is practically living on at this point. and, subsequently, professor zhongli, as someone who can easily be a driving force behind getting (forcing) reader off of that scholarship, holds their life and future in his hands.

zhongli is well known in your school, and is one of the reasons so many students each year apply. professors like zhongli, who've accomplished a lot and have decided to teach at the school, have so, so much power over you in the grand scheme of things. failing his class could easily jeopardize your scholarship in the school. and that's where zhongli's manipulation truly comes to play.

there's two major things that he does. the first one is that he lowers your grades and purposefully (and unjustifiably) fails you consistently just so that you're forced to either spend special alone time with him, or with his teachers assistant, xiao, who essentially acts as a mini-spy for him. the second thing is either convince other professors to treat you as ruthlessly, or to simply put you under so much pressure that you genuinely have to wonder whether or not continuing your education is worth the amount of stress you're put under, especially when, no matter how hard you try, you simply cannot meet zhongli's harsh standards.

this is where he fully lays the blackmail and manipulation in thick. he asks you if the stress you're putting yourself under is truly worth it, and makes you wonder, wouldn't it be just so sweet if you, instead of constantly teetering on the edge of failing and losing your scholarship, could just stay at home all day and be properly taken care of, if you could just never have to worry about a single thing again?

he essentially gives you a choice: continue to struggle not to fail and lose everything you've worked so hard for, or live a quiet, sweet, peaceful life with him where you wouldn't have to worry about a single thing anymore. it's up to you.

You Accidently Hurt Yourself

Pairing(s): Izuku Midoriya x Reader, Bakugou Katsuki x Reader, and Denki Kaminari x Reader

Character Count: 2218

Warning(s): Fluff, blood mention but nothing too graphic, worried boys

Summary: read title

The smell of food cooking was obvious at this time of day. It’s noon and you’re preparing lunch. You stand by the stove, listening and watching the food sizzling to make sure it doesn’t overcook. Your boyfriend is sitting in the living room, eyes casting from the tv to you every now and again. Grabbing the cutting board, you line  the vegetables together and begin to dice them. As you begin to cut up the vegetables, you space out, totally unaware and forgetting that you’re holding a knife. A sharp pain brings you back to reality, gasping quickly as you drop the knife, looking down at your now bloody finger.

🥦Izuku Midoriya🥦

he’s up in a second as soon as he hears you gasp

when he rushes in and sees you bleeding he quickly begins to help

“Are you okay?”

he’ll hold your hand as he runs your bloody finger under the tap, getting rid of all the blood

when he wraps the band-aid on your finger, he’ll give it a little kiss and smile at you

he’ll insist on helping you finish so you don’t have another mishap

“Try to be careful next time, okay, hon?”

100% cutie

💥Bakugou Katsuki💥

ready to kill but there was no need for that

He’ll come in and see the blood on your finger and the knife, he knows what happened

he’ll grab the medical ointment and you quickly go shake your head

“I’m fine, really.”

he’ll hold your hand tightly, trapping you arm in between his so you can’t pull away

you quickly feel the stinging of the ointment on the fresh wound

by the time he’s finished and wrapping your cut finger, you’re glaring at him

he knows you don’t like it but he only did it because he cares. He doesn’t want it to get infected

“Pay attention next time, moron.”

⚡Denki Kaminari⚡

he’ll pause his video game and pop his head up in search of clues as to what happen

When he sees the blood, he’ll stand and ask if you’re okay

you’re quick to assure him you’re fine and that the cut is actually quite small, it’s just a lot of blood

he’ll ask if you need any help and he’ll hover you, just kinda watching

“I’m okay, Kaminari.”

Of course you are, you’re a big girl and you can handle yourself

he’ll remind you to “Pay more attention, dummy!” and give you a kiss on your forehead

also gives your wrapped finger a kiss too

“Is the food ready yet?”

AN: I'm not dead just very, very unmotivated to write/post anything. Give me time to get out of this uncomfortable mindset and I'll be back. I also forgot how to add the 'read more' option so if anyone could remind me that would be great!

trapped together

Characters: Diluc, Zhongli

Contains: Skinship, not really suggestive(?) but it gets pretty intimate

Note: lowkey remembered how I was trapped in a stall with a group of people. dont ask how. that was terrible. have a small drabble!

masterlist || kaeya, thoma, gorou version

Diluc

You don't understand how it happened but it happened. You're stuck in a cramped wine closet with the owner of the winery himself: his chin resting on your head, your hands on his chest, you stood awkwardly between his legs.

You try to move back in an attempt at having more space but he's quick to wrap his arms around you.

"Don't move. There are wine bottles behind you," He warns, holding you close, "I don't care for the wine themselves but you might get hurt if they shatter."

You nod along, blush growing at his subtle way of caring. It was getting hot in the closet and you wonder whether the heat was coming from the cramped room or his naturally warm disposition as a pyro user.

"Can't you um... kick the door open?" You suggest but he shakes his head.

"Wine bottles. And I'm sure Charles would have noticed our absence by now and check." Unknown to you, Diluc thanks the archons for the dark room. It helps him hide his flustered face as he embraces you closer, muttering some excuse about checking behind you for anything that could be useful.

Of course, he's fully capable of getting you both out of the room without risking the wine. It'll be difficult, but not inherently impossible. Forgive his touch-starved self but this situation might be the only way he gets to embrace you like this — so can you really blame him for wanting to prolong it just a little bit longer?

Zhongli

Don't ask how you ended up in a coffin with the God of Contracts himself but there you were. Thank archons you weren't actually buried alive and that Hutao should be on her way to check on the supposedly empty caskets.

"Are you alright?" Zhongli inquires and you're not quite sure how to answer. You're laying on top of him, head resting on his shoulder. Had this been any other moment you would've deemed it as romantic but (1.) You weren't dating, (2.) You had an undeniable crush on him, and (3.) His deep voice next to your ear was making you - almost literally - melt.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," You say, voice unusually high pitched, "This is fine. I mean, not that the situation is okay but we're okay, right? Yeah."

His deep chuckle reverberates through the hard wood of the casket and you gulp nervously.

"You know, I can feel your heart beating quite loudly."

'Archons, kill me now,' You think before realizing how one of the archons is doing exactly that to your heart. He'll be the death of you if you don't leave this casket soon.

"O-oh? Is that so..." You gulp nervously, a silence falling between you. You start fidgeting again only for him to hold you still.

"I suggest you avoid moving on top of me so much," He mutters, hands on your waist now.

"Ah I must be heavy, right? Sorry for pushing-"

"No, it's not that. Just- let's try avoid any awkward scenarios while we're trapped here."

You tilt your head, only to notice the slight pressure on your thigh. A dark blush crosses your face as you noded quickly, keeping yourself still.

In the silence, you hear the way his heart beats louder than usual.

💋Single Dad Zhongli | A Beautiful Beginning

Warning: None (SFW)

Pairing: Single Dad!Zhongli X Fem!Reader

Mia's notes: wtf...I wrote 8,314 words for something. Like it took me weeks to write 10k words for a project I'm working on and I speed wrote this in 2 days fufufu. Anyways here is the first part of Single Dad Zhongli!! First part...I have to go through this a good 10 more times for the other characters...fuck. Anyways hope you enjoy reading this! Reblogs are appreciated! Love you guys!!

WC: 8.3k

When you get a look at him walking down the street in his turtleneck sweater and blazer, with his hair flowing in a perfect low ponytail, amber eyes practically glowing golden in the sunlight and that dashing smile on his lips, you’d think he was a god who had descended upon the earth to grace everyone with his presence.

He’s the ideal man; well mannered with his gentlemanly gesture, a silky deep voice that had you entrapped in his knowledgable talks of history and the sort, and how can we forget about his tall build and great looks? Really a one in a million kind of man.

Men and women admired how he carried himself during formal events, a wine glass in his hand and a warm smile on his face as he entertained the crowd, even though it wasn’t him hosting, most of the time.

During the day, he’s usually deep into his work, analysing various rock samples and writing down his reports, pushing the thin metal reading glasses up the bridge of his nose without his concentration flickering the slightest. Sometimes his eyes would flicker to the felt framed picture standing on his desk, him with two little kids in his arms, the three of them grinning widely.

When Zhongli is in job mode, stopping him is almost an impossible feat since he’s always so engrossed in the rocks that lay on the table.

His job as a lead geologist, working at the Natural History Museum never felt like a job to him, since his passion was in understanding the mysteries and beauties of Earth. History had always interested him ever since he was a child.

He’d often been invited to various exhibitions with other well-known people, and whenever he opened his mouth to talk of the beauty of the cor lapis or the noctilucous jade, a crowd gathered around him.

His job was well paying, really well paying. He had an apartment in one of the richer parts of town and if anyone ever had the pleasure of being invited to one of the parties he hosted, they’d be in awe of the sleek interiors and various geodes that decorated the rooms.

Everyone loved him for who he was, loved him so much that they’d even offer to pay for his meal if he ever forgot his wallet at home, an event that occurred one too many times. Of course, he would send a gift basket to their homes as a form of thanks.

Out of all the people who loved him, there were two little angels whose love surpassed everyone else’s, and who he loved in equal -possibly greater- amounts. His daughter of 7, Ganyu and his younger son of 3, Xiao.

He tries his best to balance his job and kids, and it shows. He always tried to take out time for his two children, making sure to come home on time to eat dinner with them and tuck them in, reading them their favourite bedtime stories and kissing them goodnight.

If ever he couldn’t make it home due to reasons, his assistant and kind-of babysitter, Aether was always there to take care of the kids. He was practically their elder brother by now, with how often he was with the kids, having known them for over 2 years.

Xiao, his little son, was a very naughty boy. Always throwing a fit and making life harder for Zhongli, and Aether whenever the poor man was left to care for the child. He wants the same book read to him every night, he wants 3 kisses before he sleeps and he must have his dragon stuffed toy or else…

Zhongli made a note to start disciplining Xiao since he was to start going to daycare soon, and he would have to behave well over there. Maybe he needs a little motivation. Something sweet…

To stop Xiao from crying about how the green paint didn’t colour his hair green permanently or how his feet were Missing when he put on his shoes, simply pass him a bowl of sweet almond tofu. In an instant, his sobs would dissipate as he starts stuffing his tiny mouth with the dessert. Zhongli would find it so amusing at times, giggling while wiping the syrup off of Xiao’s little lips.

Ganyu, his elder child, was mature much beyond her age. She loved drawing, loved doodling flowers and deer, like sketches littering her art books. Zhongli was always filled with pride whenever she showcased some of her artworks to his guests, enjoying how they gushed over her skill.

She loved playing with her dolls and dressing them up, saying that when she grows up, she’s going to make pretty dresses for her dolls to wear. She even promised her papa that she would make him a pretty princess gown and Zhongli laughed heartily, patting her head and telling her that he’d be looking forward to that day.

Ganyu was a quiet child and didn’t really like going to school since there were so many kids everywhere. Zhongli was there to comfort her, dropping her off at school and telling her to have a great day. He would also personally ensure that her lunch is packed and her bag has her homework.

First grade went smoothly, she even made a friend, Keqing. Zhongli was happy for her, seeing her open up and enjoy school. On a random day during second grade, she went in all excited, brighter than the sun that morning. But when Zhongli came to pick her up in the afternoon, a little(much) later than usual, his heart broke to see her crying figure curled in the lap of some woman sitting on the stairs at the main gate of the school. A really…pretty woman.

With work and his children, the question of finding love again… never came up.

Well, he did get tricked into going on blind dates, all thanks to his stupid friend Childe. But it just never worked out. All the women he met were peculiar. Some of them very obviously wanted him for his wealth, some of them just wanted to have a good time, and then some who he thought were nice, they just couldn’t handle taking care of children so fresh into the relationship.

Maybe he just wasn’t meant to have a lover again. Well, he did think he needed one nor did he think he could add romantic relations to his tight schedule. He had his sweet angels, he had his work. That was his life.

The desire to find love had long flickered away, all being left was the smoke coming from a dying candle.

But something sparked in him when that pretty woman raised her head and made eye contact with him, her smile so warm and serene.

“Hello. Do you happen to be Ganyu’s father?” You softly smiled at the man as he approached you in long, hurried strides. The school grounds were empty and the sun was almost setting down the horizon. Zhongli was very, very late that day. He gave a quick nod and kneeled in front of you, reaching to touch the shoulders of his quivering daughter.

“Angel? What’s wrong?” He tried prying her off you but all she did was shake her head and dig her nose deeper into your neck, clutching the neckline of your lilac tee in her small fingers. Zhongli was taken aback. His daughter was refusing his embrace?

His eyes searched yours for an answer as you shushed the crying child and patted her hair. “She’s upset that you arrived…later than the other parents. She thought you forgot about her.” Your brows furrow when her crying increases at your words. Zhongli sighed, a small smile appearing on his lips a second later.

He mouthed a thank you while sitting beside you so that his daughter could get a better view of him. “Ganyu, my little angel. I’m sorry for coming late, I promise I’ll buy you some ice cream to make up. Don’t you want to go home now?” He whispered, dropping his head down for him to look into her eyes, something he couldn’t do because of how snuggly she had been wrapped in your arms, face hidden against your skin. When he reached to cradle her red cheeks, Ganyu swatted her father’s hand away and vigorously shook her head against your neck. “No! I don’t want to talk to papa ever again.” She spoke, cries muffled.

Zhongli was at a loss for words. He was really sorry for his mistake and forgetting to tell Aether to pick Ganyu from school. He wanted to express his apology but what was he supposed to do now? He’s never had to encounter a situation when his perfect daughter acted out.

Again he looked at you with a desperate expression, pleading for some help. You gave him a subtle nod and looked back at Ganyu who was huddled up in your lap. You brushed away her falling tears with your thumb before talking to her in a hushed tone. “Ganyu, can you look at Miss Y/N for a moment? Please?” Zhongli felt his heart skip a beat at your honey-like voice, his astonishment increasing further when Ganyu pulled away to look into your eyes, occasionally hiccuping and wiping away her tears with the back of her sleeves.

You looked at her with a gentle understanding gaze, pulling out a handkerchief from your pocket for her to blow her nose. “Are you angry at papa?” You ask her, puffing your cheeks in exaggerated crossness, rousing a little giggle from her.

“Yes…papa forgot about me.” She sniffled, messily wiping her face with the cotton cloth. You tilt your head to the side and look at her questioningly. “But if papa forgot you, then why is he here to pick you up?” Your question made the little girl dart her gaze to Zhongli, who still had an ashamed smile on his face.

“Papa didn’t forget about Ganyu! How could he forget about his sweet little angel!” You make reference of the pet name Zhongli used for her, quickly catching his expression to see for any discomfort. Thankfully all you got in return was a charming smile. You poke Ganyu in her tummy, the ticklish feeling causing her to fall into a fit of laughter.

Seeing his daughter much calmer now, Zhongli tried again to pull her into his arms and this time she let him do so. He picked her from your lap and brought her in his own, hugging her tightly like he had never before, giving her the warmth and fatherly reassurance she needed. “I am so sorry Ganyu. Papa will be careful from next time, promise.” He vowed, giving her a kiss on her forehead.

You couldn’t help but feel your heart melt at the father-daughter bonding the two of them shared. The way he held her like the most precious being in the universe, it made you smile. Feeling the weight of a gaze upon him, Zhongli glanced at you, your eyes meeting and holding contact for a second too long.

“Oh, I am extremely sorry for coming late today. I assure you this is the first and last time this is happening. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble for you to stay and look after her.” Zhongli stood up and bowed slightly, holding Ganyu on his hip. He felt really bad for having put you in a position where you had no choice but to care for his daughter. Being a teacher, you surely had lots of work and other things to do, and he really appreciated you looking after Ganyu in his absence.

You laugh and wave your hands in front of you, brushing off his worry. “That is alright sir. Ganyu is a student of mine, and she’s no less than a daughter to me. Taking care of her is second nature to me.” You walk closer and pinch the girl’s cheeks and give her a wide smile, pulling a similar one from her.

When you took in a breath, the subtle smell of pinewood filled your senses, the smell of Zhongli’s cologne. Your face tipped up to see how close you were standing to the male and to respect his personal space, you took a step back, blushing profoundly. Only, Zhongli didn’t mind you standing so close to him, he quite liked it. But it wasn’t appropriate for him to voice those thoughts so he stayed silent on the matter.

Zhongli sighed in short-lived relief. “Though I am going to have to scold you for being late. Ganyu how do people who come to class late apologise?” You cross your arms playfully. Ganyu’s eyes light up as she tugs the lapel’s of her father's jacket. “Papa you will have to write on a paper ‘I am sorry for coming late’! You have to write it 20 times!” She exclaimed.

“Of course angel, I’ll get right to it when we get home okay?” He promised, giving a little oomph when Ganyu hugged his neck out of the blue. When you giggled softly, Zhongli peeked at you. That laugh of yours pulled his heartstrings and he joined you, the two of you giggling together.

“If that is all, then I should be bidding you farewell, Mister…” You trailed off, wordlessly asking the male in front of you for his name. He coughed and extended his free hand for you to shake. “Zhongli. Please, just Zhongli is enough.” Your smaller hand wrapped around his and your fingers felt so soft, Zhongli wondered if you’d held the clouds in your hands at some point during the day.

“I am Y/N. It is a pleasure to meet you, Zhongli.” His name coming from your lips felt so perfect. Never before had he felt warmth blooming across his face when someone spoke his name. This feeling was so strange yet so right at the same time.

The beginning of something wonderful and memorable.

Zhongli gazed at you warmly, “The pleasure is all mine Y/N.”

Aether was the most surprised, seeing Zhongli return with Ganyu in his arms and a giddy grin on his lips. You could practically see the halo of pink hearts floating around his head. “You look like you’re in a good mood. What’s up?” Aether chuckled, setting little Xiao in his seat and walking to take Ganyu and give her supper.

Zhongli snapped back to his original self, trying to gather his composure while walking into his house. “Nothing much, just met Ganyu’s teacher today.” Aether didn’t think much of it, brushing it off as a parent-teacher meeting, but sweet angel Ganyu had to open her mouth.

“Aether, Miss Y/N is the best teacher ever! She is so pretty and she makes me laugh and she even made papa laugh today. If Y/N didn’t help papa then I would still be mad at him. Even papa thinks Miss Y/N is pretty, right papa?” She blurted out, then proceeded to stuff her face with mashed potatoes.

The younger male glanced at his superior, smiling in amusement at the scarlet red blush that covered his embarrassed face. “Oh, is that so Zhongli?” He teased, giving him a knowing look.

To ease a forming lump in his throat, Zhongli walked to the fridge to grab himself a glass of water. “Yes, she is quite…beautiful and sweet. She was really nice to Ganyu when she started crying and it was very kind of her to take care of Ganyu when I reached to pick her up late and…I’m not going to speak any further for I don’t wish to embarrass myself more.” Zhongli gulped down the liquid and averted Aether’s gaze, one filled with mock and tease.

Days later Zhongli was still thinking about the attractive, kind teacher he met. Did he say attractive? Well, you definitely were, since he did find himself get attracted to you. Your smile and gentle eyes peering at him had etched themselves into his daydreams. It was quite strange, he never felt this sort of tightness in his chest before whenever he met another woman. But you, oh dear you, you had stained every vacant thought of his ever since that afternoon.

A knock on his bedroom door snapped him out of his thoughts. “Ahem, come in!” He called out, expecting it to be Aether with some reports or something of the sort. Only to his surprise, his daughter walked in, a sheet of paper and a bright red crayon in her hands.

“Hello angel. What’s the matter.” Zhongli spun in his chair and leaned down to lift his daughter in his arms, seating her on his lap. She laid the paper on top of his work and handed him the red crayon. “Papa you still have to write the apology to Miss Y/N! You have to write ‘I am sorry for coming late’ 20 times! Papa you promised!” The little girl huffed.

Zhongli laughed, but upon seeing Ganyu’s serious expression, his jest died down. She really did want him to write the apology. “Of course angel, I’ll start right away.” Even when he said that she refused to move from his lap until he started writing.

For his comfort, he used his own pen, the ink gliding across the sheet in his calligraphic handwriting. Whenever he finished writing down one sentence, his daughter cheered and counted down, a method of motivation which she had learnt from her teacher, she informed. Zhongli smiled to himself. Beautiful and smart. This woman kept surprising her.

“Andddd done!” He announced, putting a full stop at the end of his 20th sentence. He had to admit, even though he writes pages worth of writing in a single sitting, this punishment felt very taxing.

“Yay! Congratulations papa! Now when you give it to Miss Y/N tomorrow, she will surely give you a gold star.” His eyes widened and his cheeks warmed. “You want me to come to give it to her?” He inquired, making sure he heard her right the first time. Ganyu rolled her eyes dramatically, “Of course papa. If I give it to her, then she will think that I wrote the apology.”

Her reasoning was very valid for a 7-year-old, so Zhongli shrugged and decided to go along with it. “Then I shall come with you tomorrow.” He smiled. What a perfect opportunity to get to meet you again.

The next day when Zhongli woke up to take Ganyu to school, he felt…more eager to do that daily task. While getting ready, he spritzed on his favourite cologne, one which he saved for special occasions, he wore one of his better coats and sweaters and he made sure his hair looked better than it usually did. He thought to himself, ‘why am I dressing up so much? What is going on with me?’

And all his questions were answered when he walked into the school grounds and saw your smile as you greeted the other children and parents. You were practically glowing, shining brighter than a diamond in the moonlight. You walked to the children who were reluctant to leave their parents and you encouraged them, gave them the confidence to join you in your classroom.

“Papa come! We need to meet Miss Y/N before you go!” Ganyu’s excited figure pulled Zhongli through the crowd of adults and kids until he found himself standing a few feet from you. He froze up when Ganyu left his hand and darted towards you, engulfing your leg in a bear hug. He should also greet you, it’s polite to do so.

“Good morning, Ganyu! How are you today?” You kneeled to her eye level and conversed with her, grinning at her enthusiastic replies. “I am very good! I was a big girl yesterday and I made papa write the sorry note for you. Please give him a gold star!”

Your E/C trailed up to the man who stood behind Ganyu, his lips turned in a lopsided grin. “Oh is that so?” You look at him with a playfulness in your tender gaze, he couldn’t stop his heart rate from increasing.

He pulled out the slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to you, praying that when you take it from him, your hands would meet. He really wanted to feel your feather-soft touch once again. And thankfully the archons above heard his prayers for when you reached out to grab the paper, you lightly touched his warm hand, your touch sending waves of homeliness through him. Was it too soon to describe that feeling as homeliness? Maybe, but that word was just perfect to describe the sensation taking over him.

A delighted giggle escaped your lips as you unfolded the paper to find that he had indeed written the apology 20 times. You were amazed by his beautiful handwriting, almost finding it hard to believe that he wrote it and it wasn’t the product of a professional calligraphy artist.

“Ganyu, why don’t you go join your friends in class? I am sure Keqing is waiting for you.” You wink at her, seeing her bubble excitedly. She gave her father a quick hug and ran inside, leaving you and Zhongli standing in front of each other.

“She never stops talking about you.” You beam at him starting a conversation as the other students started crowding into the main building. The pride that filled his amber eyes beckoned you to speak further, wanting to see more of his handsome expression.

“She admires and idolises you, Zhongli. She always tells all her friends bout how her papa knows everything about the earth and she even told us stories about how the Liyuan Canyon was formed as a result of years of erosion by the river. She had the whole class captivated, I’ve never seen the students so quiet and interested in history.” You giggle as he sheepishly laughs and rubs his neck.

“Thank you for your kind words. Though I must express, you are a role model for her as well. She always talks about the pretty teacher who pays attention to all the students’ needs and encourages her to perform her best” He complimented, only realising he called you pretty when he recalled his words after seeing you blush. “Oh dear, I am really sorry. That was not professional of me.” He spluttered. ‘What happened to the calm and composed Zhongli?’ He cursed himself.

“I don’t mind the compliment Zhongli. Thank you.” You looked to the side to avoid his eyes, but when you noticed the emptiness around you, you realised that you had a class to take care of. “I should probably get back to my students.” You patted your clothes out of instinct as you waved at him and turned to walk away.

Zhongli mistook your hurry as discomfort from calling you pretty. Just as he was about to scowl at himself, you looked over your shoulder and grabbed his attention. “And about your gold star, how about I give it to you when you come to pick Ganyu in the afternoon?” Your offer to hang out with him for a while longer did not go unnoticed.

He stood tall and fixed his blazer, mirroring your gentle smile. “I’ll be looking forward to my reward.”

That afternoon he was greeted with you waiting to put a gold star sticker on the breast pocket of his blazer, Ganyu getting excited at how her father got his first sticker. All day that day, he subconsciously ran his fingers over the smooth star-shaped sticker, smiling to himself.

From that day, your relation progressed from father and teacher to some sort of friends.

In the crowd, his face was the one you’d always be most eager to see and he yours.

The two of you would talk of trivial topics before the school bell rang and you had to leave for your respective job; and in the afternoons he would stay back a little longer, your conversations drawing him in as Ganyu played in the grounds.

Your nightingale like voice and childlike expression whenever you spoke of something that excited you made him sigh in happiness. His mind was all fuzzy and he felt like he could spend hours just hearing you talk and admiring your beautiful features.

Conversations with you were never dull, you always kept Zhongli on his toes with the tales you had to offer about your teaching experience and he entertained you with historical stories that had your interests piqued.

One day you told him that Ganyu mentioned during a presentation that she had a little brother and you were hoping to see a picture of him. Happy to fulfil your request, Zhongli pulled out his phone and swiped through the gallery, showing you various pictures of him, Ganyu and Xiao.

He laughed heartily when you snatched his device and gushed over his younger child, commenting about how much he resembles his father. You even requested to meet him someday and Zhongli was more than excited for you to meet Xiao.

The first time you met Xiao, Zhongli was slightly nervous, constantly reminding Xiao to be on his best behaviour. He knew it would be hard for a toddler to follow such strict instructions, but a man could dream.

To his surprise, Xiao was much more mannered when you walked over and greeted him in your baby voice. His eyes were wide and head tilted to get a better look at your face from his father’s arms.

Looking at Zhongli for perMission to hold him and receiving a nod in return, you opened your arms, getting ready to hold him. Zhongli expected his son to shrink back, but Xiao’s eagerness to jump into your arms startled him.

Picking up the 3-year-old on your hip, you asked him questions such as his name and age, cooing whenever he answered. Your praises embarrassed him and he hid himself in your hair, softly playing with your H/C ends.

“I’ve never seen him this quiet. Are you sure you’re not a divine being?” Zhongli’s eyes lidded as he exhaled deeply, a lovestruck expression drawn on his face. You blushed at his words and gave your much more accurate reply. “I guess I am just good with children. I like them and they like me, isn’t that true little Xiao.” You booped his nose and he snorted a laugh in return, proving your claim.

The 15 minutes he stayed back turned into an hour, the three of you walking to a nearby park and sitting on a bench while Ganyu tried catching butterflies in her little fingers.

Often Zhongli would buy you some coffee or tea from a local cafe, whatever is your preference. Many a time you told him that he had no need to, but he insisted, saying that it was a treat, from one friend to another.

In the chilly autumn afternoons, with the sun’s dim light shining between the withering leaves, Zhongli came to fall in love with you, staring at your features as you cradled Xiao in your lap, poking his nose and laughing with Ganyu whenever he sneezed cutely.

But, what was he to do with these feelings?

“Papa! Papa!” His little daughter burst into his room, with Aether and Xiao trailing behind her. Zhongli’s eyes darted up from his work and he took off his specs, jumping from his seat to kneel in front of his frantic daughter. “Ganyu? Is everything alright?” His eyes scanned her for any injuries, raising an eyebrow when he saw her with an ear to ear smile.

“Papa it is Miss Y/N’s birthday tomorrow! We have to specially meet her tomorrow! We have to make her a card and buy her a gift! We need to buy her a pretty diamond necklace.” Ganyu rambled on, various gift ideas pouring out her mind. Zhongli smiled and shook his head. “Yes, we do need to buy her a pretty gift. Why don’t you go put on some shoes and we’ll go shopping right now?” Ganyu squealed and ran out of the room.

“Ah is this the reason you declined day after tomorrow’s invitation to the Historian Meet?” Aether wiggled his eyebrows at Zhongli, causing him to roll his eyes at Aether’s childishness. “It’s nothing like that. Y/N invited us to her house for her birthday dinner and I thought it would be quite rude to decline her offer over something that happens every second month.” He tried justifying himself. A simpler reason would have been, ‘I like her and I want to spend more time with her.’

That year her birthday fell on a Saturday and she had invited Zhongli and his children for a celebration dinner on Sunday, just the 4 of them. When she asked him over the phone if he could make it, Zhongli nodded like an eager child and then slapped his forehead in realisation that she couldn’t see him.

In the afternoon, Zhongli and Aether took Ganyu and Xiao to the shopping complex, and the two children who would usually be so engrossed in buying for themselves, their only goal for today was to find the perfect gift go you.

“Papa should we buy her a dress? I want to pick a dress for her!” Ganyu whined and pulled the others into a boutique. “I’ll take care of Xiao while you help Ganyu select a gift.” Aether declared, leaving the father to fend for himself.

A good 20 minutes it took for the 7-year-old to select a dress, with the assistance of her father and a store clerk. Zhongli was in awe of the floor-length mermaid shaped silver dress that Ganyu tugged from the shelves, proclaiming that it was the perfect gift for Miss Y/N. He sure hoped that his estimate of her dress size was accurate enough to fit her.

This is a very good choice Angel. You really like Miss Y/N, don’t you?” Zhongli gave her a close eyed smile, paying for the dress at the check out counter. She nodded vigorously, “Yes! Miss Y/N is my favourite and I know she’s your favourite too!” Zhongli choked on air as the cashier subtly smirked, having overheard their conversation.

“Ganyu! You don’t speak like that in public!” Zhongli spoke sternly but didn’t deny her statement. “Sir, I know it’s not my place to say, but would you like to check out our selection of pendants? Maybe you could find something of your liking.” The cashier offered, gesturing to the display of necklaces and gems aplenty.

Zhongli hummed to himself. A pendant would be a nice gift, holding great emotion and even hints of intimacy. He felt a tug on his pants and his daughter was having thoughts that overlapped with his. Maybe a necklace would be a perfect gift along with the dress.

Finally, the night of the dinner came. You were getting restless, repeatedly smoothening your knee-length dress while checking your make up in the mirror. How this night would end, you had no knowledge. But you really wanted to try your best, hoping to woo the man you had been developing feelings for.

When the bell rang, your heart pumped faster in your chest as you darted across your small apartment to open the door. There on the other side was Zhongli, Xiao on his hip and Ganyu standing beside him, clinging to his pants. Behind them was a blonde man you’ve never seen before, who you assumed to be Aether by the description Zhongli had given you in the past.

“Good evening Y/N. Wishing you the happiest birthday.” Zhongli leaned forward and pressed an air kiss to either of your cheeks in greeting. Seeing the way his father kissed your cheeks, Xiao reached forward and wrapped his hands around your neck, the suddenness of his action making you jolt forward to catch him and Zhongli scrambling to catch you with his free hand, in case you fall. Xiao cutely pressed a big kiss to your right cheek and then your left, mumbling a small hello.

Your face turned ruby red. But not at the child’s kiss. Zhongli’s hand was firmly gripping your waist as he held Xiao, the boy leaning on you in a very awkward position. The tension was thick, your eyes stayed fixed on Zhongli’s bright eyes as even he found it hard to tear away from his gaze from yours.

Thankfully, a deliberate cough from Aether helped snap you back to reality. “Let me hold him. And please! Do come in.” You took Xiao from Zhongli’s arms and opened the door wider, letting the 3 of them in. “I hope you don’t mind me calling Aether along, I required some assistance with the children.” He apologised.

“Nonsense! I am so happy to finally put a face to the name. It is great to finally meet you Aether. Zhongli doesn’t stop talking about how helpful you are, be it with his kids or in general.” You extend your free hand to shake his, getting a cheeky smile from him in return. “It is wonderful to finally see the Y/N that has Mr Zhongli daydreaming and-.”

“Oh by the way, here is your present. Ganyu selected it herself.” Zhongli grinned and took a well-wrapped box from Aether, preventing him from talking any further. You giggled at his obviousness and walked to the couch, sitting down and pouring some drinks for everyone, handing the kids a carton of fruit juice each.

“Come on Miss Y/N! Open your present!” Ganyu bounced on the couch in excitement, pushing the box further up your lap. Zhongli was ready to tell her off for misbehaving, but you quickly puller her to your side and together started ripping off the nicely done wrapping paper. Zhongli hissed internally at how messy the two of you were being, but seeing to smile at Ganyu’s elated figure, he guessed that you did that for her happiness.

“I hope you like it Miss Y/N!” Ganyu played with her fingers as you lifted the lid of the box. Even Zhongli sat on the edge of his seat, waiting to see your reaction. He was more than pleased when you gasped and squealed, pulling out the sequinned fabric of the dress. You stood up and pressed the clothing to your chest, the dress draping in front of you. Zhongli imagined you in that dress, looking absolutely stunning with your current makeup and hairdo. He could hear the drumming of his heart in his ears, but that wasn’t able to drown out the sounds of you thanking him for buying you such a wonderful present.

“Please, I wanted to treat you. A wonderful person such as yourself only deserves the best.” He beamed as you folded the dress and carefully put it back in the box, ready to store it to be worn on a special occasion.

After a little more talking and laughing, the children started complaining about feeling hungry. Seeing the clock, you clapped your hands and announced that it was indeed time for dinner.

Once you seated everyone at the dining table and disappeared into the kitchen to bring dinner, Aether kicked Zhongli from under the table. Aether’s wide eyes and curled lips along with his head tilting towards the kitchen struck Zhongli as an instruction to go help Y/N. Not only out of politeness but also for some alone time.

He left the table and walked into the kitchen to see you gathering plates and bowls for everyone. He offered to help and even after you denying, he was resilient. Finally, you gave up and let him lend a hand, setting the plates and cutlery on the table.

He helped you carry all the dishes you prepared by hand. He wasn’t very happy that you went through the pain of cooking everything, especially since it was your birthday celebration, but the flavourful smell wafting through the air made him look forward to the meal.

At one point during the set up, the two of you reached for the same pot of curry sitting atop the counter, your fingers making contact. Like lovestruck teenagers, you stared at each other and started blushing, both offering to take it out instead. Using your ‘my house, my rules’ ability, you went and placed the final serving bowl on the table, with Zhongli trailing behind you only a breath away, bumping into you when you suddenly turned.

“Dig in!” You announced and everyone started eating. Moans of satisfaction and exclamations of ‘so yummy!’ filled the dining room, making you bashful.

Zhongli praised your cooking, telling you how he’s never tasted such delicious home cooked food and if he had a choice, he would eat such food for the rest of his life. Only when he was drinking water did he realise the implied meaning of his words. When he looked at you, he was relieved to see you smiling at him, in a way that showed that you accepted that hidden meaning. Could it be…

Dinner went by as smooth as it could. Yes, Xiao did start crying about how he did not want to eat his vegetable because they were yucky. Aether and Zhongli tried their best to convince him to eat, using methods such as the aeroplane and the chop chop train, but all in vain. Thankfully you stepped in to save the day.

Only when you did the aeroplane did Xiao agree to eat! He was happily eating the beans from your fork as if that was his plan all along, to be fed by you. You laughed at how Zhongli’s mouth was hung open. His own son had betrayed him, he wasn’t going to forget that ever.

Zhongli seemed to find more and more things about you to admire, from the way you were able to keep his children well behaved and still joyous with your humorous anecdotes to how you gelled well with Aether, laughing with him about Zhongli’s embarrassing parenting moments.

Eventually, dinner came to an end. Xiao very conveniently crawled into his father’s lap during dinner and fell asleep against his shoulder and Ganyu’s head was lolling around as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

Aether announced that it was time for him to take the children home since it was much past their bedtime and they had school the next day. As you went to shake Ganyu awake, she grabbed your hand and pulled your face down so that she could whisper in your ear.

“Papa has a special gift for you. I hope you like it.” And she was out like a light bulb.

You smiled to yourself and carried her downstairs, not wanting to bother the father or his friend with the task. Aether was quite thankful and once you were walking down the stairs, he caught Zhongli’s eye and winked at him teasingly, enjoying the reawakening blush on his face.

You and Zhongli set his kids in the backseat and buckled them up snuggly. Aether and Zhongli spoke a while and you not wanting to pry in their conversation continued to make the kids feel comfortable in their seats. A smile graced your face and their sleepy figures as you closed the door.

Aether stepped into the car and waved at you and Zhongli, the male finding his spot beside you.

“Are you staying a little longer?” You asked, hoping that he wasn’t going to head off for some last minute meeting or anything. Zhongli turned around to face your apartment building, lifting his arm and sticking out his elbow for you to grab. “I’ll stay if you want me to.”

You beamed at his offer and grabbed his forearm, walking with him back to your house. “Ah, I completely forgot about the cake!” You walked to the kitchen with Zhongli trailing behind you. From the fridge, you pulled out a small chocolate cake with Happy Birthday frosted on in royal red icing. “My cousin is a baker and she sent it for me. I was really hoping to share it with you and your kids.” You chuckle nervously, placing the cake on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“Well, maybe you can cut it in my presence and bring it over tomorrow to my place. We can have it along with a nice cup of coffee if you’ll accept my invitation.” He spoke while lighting up the birthday candles, both of you sitting side by side on the couch, your bodies almost touching. All either of you needed was a little encouraging push.

You nodded at him and picked up the knife. “Well, time to blow out the candles and make a wish!” You exclaim, closing your eyes and leaning forward. You were silent for a second, making your wish and once you opened your eyes, you blew the candles. Zhongli clapped as you cut a slice and before you could pick it up, he beat you to it, lifting the confectionary to your lips. “Birthday girl gets the first bite.”

You couldn’t deny the tension in the air when you wrapped your fingers around his wrist to guide the cake to your mouth. He couldn’t deny the feelings bubbling in his heart when you laughed with a face full of chocolate. Both of you could read the others eyes when he leaned forward to swipe some frosting off your lips.

“I…I umm brought you a gift. Apart from the dress.” He blushed and reached into his blazer pocket, pulling out a long velvet box. He sat up in front of you and opened the box to reveal a pendant- a gorgeous pearl-shaped one, the gem of a soft pink shade sparkling in the lighting of your house.

“Zhongli…this is so beautiful.” You hesitated to touch the gift, not knowing its monetary worth, but with his encouragement, you reach forward to brush your fingers against the silver chain and the glistening gem. You looked away from the necklace and saw his gentle eyes on you, taking in your fascinated expression. “Zhongli…can you help me put it on?”

He was taken aback by your request. Asking him to help you with your necklace, it was a direct request to be touched, for him to brush his fingers in butterfly soft motions over your skin. A request for intimacy.

He gulped and nodded, carefully picking the necklace out of its case while you turned around and lifted your hair, exposing your neck. The sweet smell of your perfume hit his nose and it was a lucky coincidence that you were unable to see his shaking fingering and red ears.

“This gem, it’s a rose quartz. And it does have some…meaning, if you wish to put it that way.” You shivered when the cold metal touched your collarbone, it sliding up your skin as Zhongli tried to clasp it behind your neck. You could feel his breath fan over the nape of your neck. “What’s its significance.” You whispered, the tone of the rooming dimming down.

“It…It’s a symbol of unconditional love. Of the purest and sincerest of emotions, from one person to another.” The click of metal signalled that the necklace was locked around your neck. You looked down to admire it in your fingers, giving great attention to how Zhongli’s hands dropped down to your waist. He shuffled closer, closer enough for your back to hit his chest and his chin rest on your shoulder, his burning cheek right up against yours.

You allowed his faint embrace, leaning back to rest your weight against him. He hummed in your ear softly. You could feel his Adam’s apple bob nervously as if he was itching to speak. A moment later, he found the courage to pour out his feelings.

“Y/N...I have a confession to make.” He pulled from you, causing you to shift in your seat and face him. You smile at his gentle smiling, feeling his hand reach up to cradle your cheek. Relaxing against his warmth, a satisfied breath escaped your lips as you slowly nodded your head, giving him to go to speak on.

“The reason I chose this gem was…as a confession of my growing feelings for you. I don’t know how or when it happened, but now when I look into your eyes, I…there’s no way around this.” He blushed bashfully and looked to the side, unable to collect his thoughts and convert them into words.

“Zhongli…just tell me what you’re feeling. Who knows, maybe I’ll reciprocate your feelings…” You lift your other hand to cover your pink cheeks. He chuckled lightly at slanted in your direction, till you could see the golden threads of his irises.

“Well then if I may be so bold to confess…Y/N, I have developed romantic feelings for you. My confession is in no means a way for you to feel obligated to feel for me back-“ He was going to ramble out a long apology after his small confession.

Your smile grew and you threw yourself into Zhongli’s arms, rubbing your nose against his neck. The overwhelming feeling of happiness was intoxicating as you giggled into his shoulder. “I like you too Zhongli. Like a lot.” Your confession, so simple yet filled with so many emotions, Zhongli laughed in relief hearing your words.

“I am so happy you feel that way.” His arms tightened around your waist, squeezing you in a bear hug. You squeal in his hold and pull your face away to see his soft happy smile. His smile faltered when he noticed how close your lips were to his, he could feel your warm breath on his lips, the sensation quite ticklish.

“May I…may I kiss you Y/N?” He gulped. Your lips brushed over his when you nodded and a wild part of him came to life.

His hands flew up to cup your cheeks as he pulled you in, placing his lips on top of yours with such gentleness, it made your head feel dizzy. His soft lips danced with yours in harmony, parting and meeting yours again and again. He delicately brushed his thumbs over your cheekbones, drawing you deeper into the kiss. Your hands dropped to his sweater, clutching the wool in your fingers. His kisses had you feeling drunk, and with every breath and gasp for air, you pulled him in for more.

You shifted closer to him till your thighs touched, every contact had electricity zooming through your nerves. Your fingers found the ends of his well-kept hair and shamelessly you tangled your digits in his soft chocolate locks, bringing him even closer if possible. His hands trailed down to your lower back, arching you closer to his body, till the warmth of your chest pressed against his. Your warmth… radiated that home like feeling again, and Zhongli welcomed that with open arms, holding you like the most precious being in the world.

Thoughts ran crazy in Zhongli’s head. He knew that if he ever had the opportunity to kiss you, your lips would feel so smooth against his, but he never expected it to feel so…perfect. As if his lips were made to kiss yours, fitting together like puzzle pieces. Butterflies flew crazily in his stomach, a sensation he’d completely forgotten about before he met you. You entered his life and gave him the love he didn’t know he missed and now that he had a little taste, he craved more and more of you.

Separating for real this time, you panted, feelings his heavy breath against you. You lifted your head and bite your lip, stopping that huge grin from appearing on your face. Zhongli didn’t want to hold back his happiness. He laughed and hugged you tight, peppering kisses on your cheeks.

“I am so happy you’ve agreed to accept my feelings Y/N. So very happy.” He cheered, words trailing off as his eyes fell upon you again. He pecked your lips, once then twice, making sure the events that just happened weren’t a dream.

“So what does this mean for us? Do you think Ganyu and Xiao will be fine with you having a lover?” You hesitated with your words, trying to voice out your concerns. He understood your worries and grabbed your hands, bringing them up for him to place gentle kisses on your knuckles. “I think they’d be quite welcoming. They love you already and having you join our little family would bring them great happiness. That is, if you’re ready to?” Zhongli whispered softly, knowing the responsibility you would be agreeing to if you accept.

You think for a minute, then flip your hands to place Zhongli’s on top, giving butterfly kisses to his nervous hands. “I don’t know if I can think that far ahead. But what I know is that at this moment, I want to be with you, I want to be with Ganyu and Xiao. I want to see your face, first thing when I wake up and I want to kiss the children before they sleep. If you’ll have me, the way I am?”

Zhongli didn’t even need to give it a second thought, he was already nodding his head and pulling you against his chest, kissing you all over again. Hearing your angelic giggles and feeling your electrifying touch, Zhongli knew that for the first time in a long time, he was ready to love again.