“WELCOME TO COTEA CAFE!”

JUST KISS ALREADY

childe × gn!reader, fluff, drabbles, no warnings, childe is a bit of an idiot ( but a lovable one )

“hey, hey, y/n!” someone you instantly recognize as childe calls. you turn, and he's panting slightly, flushed but a blazing smile on his face. he's being followed by some off his friends, they try to be discreet but you already recognize the striking purple of scaramouche and some others.

“what's up?” you ask, amused.

he smirks coyly. “you know the next week's term break?”

you nod, a growing grin on your face though you're rather unsure on what he's up to now.

“so,” he declares with an air of feigned importance. then he freezes. “ah shit, what was the next line?”

you snort, and he blinks, a flush blooming on his cheeks and ears. “wait, it was... i, wait no-”

you cross your arms, glaring at him with an impatient raised eyebrow. this caused him to panic even further, and his speech was reduced to incoherent stuttering. the more he stumbled the more he panicked, and the more he panicked the more he blabbered and now he resembled a ginger tomato.

taking pity on him, you dropped the glare and adopted a more playful demeanor. “well?” you snark, “you're using a whole lotta words to say a whole lotta nothing.”

he turns bright red instantly, shutting up.

“oi! screw the script!” scaramouche yells all the way from the wall he was hiding behind to stalk the both of you, “hurry up and kiss already! it's burning over here.”

you both look at each other, and he shrugs, quirking a lopsided grin.

“okay, why not?”

Masterlist

Disclaimer: The Reader is usually female, if they’re not it will most likely be noted somewhere in the summary, and/or author’s note.

Supernatural - Series/One-Shots/Drabbles

Apple Pie Life - Dean x Reader (One-shot)

Breakfast - Dean x Reader (Drabble)

Cabin Fever - Dean x Reader (One-shot)

Cuddles - Dean x Reader (Drabble)

“I Don’t Know If I Can Do This Anymore” - Dean x Reader (Drabble)

“I’m Not Coming Home” - Dean x Reader (Drabble)

I Only Followed Orders - Dean x Reader (Mini-Series)

“I’ve Got You” - Dean x Reader (Drabble)

Late Night Research - Sam x Reader (Drabble)

Not The Same - Dean x Reader (Drabble)

Run Buddies - Sam x Reader (One-Shot)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Series/One-Shots/ Drabbles

The Fear Of Losing You - Jake Peralta x Reader (One-shot) 

Hold Me Please - Jake Peralta x Reader (One-shot)

Ten Fingers and Ten Toes - Jake Peralta x Reader Platonic (Drabble)

Marvel - Series/One-Shots/Drabbles

Out of Time - Peter Parker x Stark!Reader (Mini-Series)

Overthrow - Loki x Reader (Drabble) 

Rainy Days - Peter Parker x Reader (Drabble)

Study Date - Peter Parker x Reader (Drabble)

Taking Care Of You’re Wounds - Steve Rogers x Reader (Drabble)

Harry Potter - Series/One-Shots/Drabbles 

I Love You, No Matter The Outcome - Cedric Diggory x Reader (One-shot)

The Best Day Of Our Lives - Draco x Reader (One-Shot)

Why Is She Not Good Enough? - Draco x Reader (One-shot)

“You’re A Great Mother” - Draco x Reader (Drabble) 

Knives Out - Series/One-Shot/Drabbles

A Cover Is Not The Book - Ransom x Reader (One-shot)

Get Out Of Our House - Ransom x Reader (Drabble)

Outer Banks - Series/One-Shots/Drabbles

Bruised Not Broken - JJ Maybank x Reader (One-shot)

Don’t Touch Her - JJ Maybank x Reader (Drabble)

I Got In! - JJ Maybank x Reader (One-Shot)

I Love You, Don’t You Know That! - Rafe x Reader (One-shot)

It’s Not Fine - JJ Maybank x Reader (One-shot) 

The Witcher - Series/One-Shots/Drabbles

Day Drinking - Jaskier x Reader (Drabble)

My Hero Academia/Boku No Hero Academia - Series/One-Shots/Drabbles

Caught - Hanta Sero x Reader (Drabble)

Early Mornings - Keigo Takami x Reader (Drabble)

Exam Season - Keigo Takami x Reader (One-Shot)

Goodnight - Dabi x Reader (Drabble)

If I Catch Fire - Touya Todoroki x Reader (Complete Ao3 Series)

Misdemeanor - Dabi x Reader (One-shot)

Mistletoe Kisses - Shota Aizawa x Reader - (Drabble)

Nowhere I’d Rather Be - Keigo Takami x Reader (One-Shot)

Safe In Your Arms - Keigo Takami x Reader (One-Shot)

Small World After All - Keigo Takami x Reader (One-Shot)

Surprise Visit - Keigo Takami x Reader (Drabble)

The Darkness That Follows - Dabi x Reader (One-Shot)

Valentine’s Day - Katsuki Bakugo x Reader (Drabble)

Walking In The Snow - Shoto Todoroki x Reader (Drabble)

Where’s My Love - Keigo Takami x Reader, Dabi x Reader (Complete Mini-Series)

Haikyuu - Series/One-Shots/Drabbles

I Remembered - Tobio Kageyama x Reader (Drabble)

Let’s Get You To Bed - Tōru Oikawa x Reader (Drabble)

Making Up for Lost Time -  Tetsurō Kuroo x Reader (Drabble)

Please, I Insist - Kōshi Sugawara x Reader (One-Shot)

Please, Mr. Ghost Face -  Tetsurō Kuroo x Reader (One-Shot)

They Did It - Keishin Ukai x Reader (Drabble)

Worth More Than This -  Tōru Oikawa x Reader (One-Shot)

Genshin Impact - Series/One-Shots/Drabbles

Autumn Breeze - Kaedehara Kazuha x Reader (Drabble)

Out Of Reach - Childe x Traveller!Reader (One-Shot)

Recharge - Zhongli x Reader (Drabble)

Jujutsu Kaisen - Series/One-Shots/Drabbles

Numb The Feeling - Satoru Gojo x Reader (Drabble)

Real Actors/Actresses - Series/One-Shots/Drabbles

Chris Comfort - Chris Evans x Reader (Drabble Series[ish])

Early Flights - Tom Holland x Reader (Drabble)

zhongli ▪︎ beloved

pairing: zhongli x traveler!(f)reader (in 2nd PoV - "you") or Lumine if you wish

genre/theme(s): angst with happy ending + jealousy, fluffy as fuck, midst-of-a-slow-burn-romance type, mutual pinning, misunderstanding

word count: 5.9k+ (omg sorry didn't really plan for this fic to be THIS LONG)

summary: rex lapis has plenty of time on his hand ever since he stepped down from his former seat as the geo archon. currently as zhongli the mortal, it is not so rare for him to accompany her on her commissions now and then. over the time spent together, the feelings she harbored for the man were no longer as simple as one would hold for a good friend — it took one interesting commission for her to realize that. if only she knew she was not alone in this. — | m.list

a/n: I'm finally back after LONG hiatus. i'm very thankful for this break; my inspiration was as dry as the desert. picking up where I left off, i've decided to release this long overdued fic rotting in my drive. i needed the warm-up hence here is that fic. I decided to give writing in 2nd PoV (You) a try, and I have to say I enjoyed writing this fic in that way! You could pretend the reader to be you (the traveller) or simply Lumine (i mean, Lumine IS the traveler which is YOU - if you play female MC ofc.)

enjoyyyy. i look forward to reading feedback <3 please do me a favor and reblog this too! :)

Canopied by the overhanging trees, golden eyes squinted against the sunlight shining down at them through the leaves, then lowered their gaze.

Back to the soft breathing by his right shoulder where his lips met the crown of your head with an accidental brush at the turn of his head — one that he made no move to pull away from.

The edges of his lips lifted as incoherent words were murmured against him in your slumber.

A surge of wind tugged his eyes up and onto the glistening ocean beyond the green, grassy hill they sat on.

Liyue Harbor was right across, bustling and busy as ever.

Even from the hill across the city, he could hear the hollers of the dock crews and see the locals milling along the wharf. Ships were departing and docking, in and out.

Strong and prospering on its own feet, Liyue Harbor ran like clockwork.

There was nothing more he could do for the city he had built.

His archon days were long over.

Morax, Rex Lapis — he had abandoned these names and every meaning behind them.

No longer the Geo Archon, he was simply Zhongli the mortal now, and truly enjoyed everything about this mundane life.

Strolling leisurely while taking in the sights around the city, listening to stories told at Third-Round Knockout with tea to accompany him, and watching businesses unfold between merchants and their customers in the lively market.

These were the many things he grew fond of as Zhongli, but what he found himself looking forward to the most...was your company.

Whether it was just a mere chat over tea or out on adventures in the wilderness every now and then, your presence seemed to brighten his mortal days even more.

As a gust of wind blew at the hilltop, Zhongli raised a hand, his eyes focused on the lock of your hair blown into your face by the wind.

Only to pause as you stirred.

Fingers on your face dropped back onto his lap as he watched you open your eyes, with a small frown between his brows.

"Sorry, did I wake you?"

You met his apologetic gaze drowsily. "No..." A yawn escaped your mouth.

Your head shifted against his chest. Since when were tree trunks this comfortable to lean on?

You moved your gaze away from his with groggy blinks—

Then jolted upright with a sharp gasp, flinching away from him like you were scalded.

Flustered blush colored your cheeks. How did you end up sleeping on Zhongli?

Your eyes sprang wide.

—oh no!

What if you snored? Or worse, drooled?

Your hand flew to your lips to check, horrified at the absurdity of that thought; it was ghastly to even think about salivating all over a former archon.

Thankfully there was none, you dropped your hand back to your lap as relief left you.

"My apologies," Zhongli's voice turned your head. "I didn't think you would be uncomfortable being this close to me."

There was a strange expression on his face, "I just thought you would sleep better against me than this tree." — a faint smile that made him look somewhat...disappointed.

You broke into a smile, laughing. "No no, I was just surprised," Another yawn was stifled, "Thank you, Zhongli, I had a really good nap."

Your eyes darted to the trees behind theirs, in time to see distant figures among them, moving in their direction.

"...Looks like they're here." You turned your head to watch Zhongli climb to his feet. "It still puzzles me why they made such a request; I'm afterall just an ordinary funeral parlor consultant."

You stood as well, brows raised in incredulity at his words but said nothing.

Ordinary? Nothing about him was ordinary.

Even as a mortal, he makes heads turn.

Almost every single woman they met on your commissions seemed to be enamored with him. It was hard to tell whether he was ignoring their obvious advances or was simply oblivious to the attention he got.

You couldn't blame them though.

Zhongli was a gentleman known for his vast knowledge and talents. His speech and mannerism were sophisticated enough to charm anyone on the streets albeit not intentional, or at least you thought so. Even as a close friend, you weren't immune.

He was like...a natural ladies' man, so much so that you often felt like a third wheel whenever they traveled the lands with female clients.

And from these experiences, it had not been pleasant being on the receiving ends of suspicious glares and calculated stares despite being introduced by the man himself as a mere good friend.

A sigh left you as you stepped forward with Zhongli, silently hoping for none of those this time.

Grass and dirt crunched under its wooden wheels as the horse carriage rolled towards them.

There were intricate signs of wealth all over the vehicle.

The roof of the carriage had an edge rimmed with gold and carved dragons in the polished wood. Guarded by the back of the horseman, the carriage hid its occupant away from the world behind its sturdy wooden doors.

The horseman himself wore a short robe of black and blue, armed with a metal plate across his chest and a sword on his back.

Unmistakably, this whole picture was a telltale sign of their client — a daughter of a rich man; whoever this Lady Wen was.

Even the stallions pulling it wore expensive cloths marked with a symbol around their necks.

In an anticipating silence, they watched as the carriage finally slowed to a stop.

The man at the front hopped off the carriage with ease, robes fluttering with his movements as the grassy ground met his feet with a rustle.

You two watched him begin to move, fully expecting him to pull open the door for his passenger to step out.

But instead, he started walking towards you two, almost eagerly, with his hand raised and extended before him. When he came closer, you noticed he was a young man with dark hair long enough to be tied loosely in a semi-ponytail and a face decent enough for ladies to take interest in.

Zhongli was the first to mirror his gesture with legs moving forward and a hand raised to meet the man's, but for it only to fall back to his side when he realized that the man was fixated on something else.

Not on him.

His brows rose.

…but on you.

"You must be her," with admiration on his face, and hand around yours. "...that woman."

Did he mistake me for Zhongli…? He does know that Zhongli is a man right —

Shock elicited a surprised gasp out from you when he suddenly brought his lips down to the back of your hand in a greeting kiss.

You could only stare back at the stranger with wide, blinking eyes, unsure what to do.

Next to you, Zhongli’s golden eyes narrowed as a feigned cough ensued from his throat.

You jolted at the same time with the man. "Oh right! How can I forget my manners?" he released your hand, eyes darting briefly over to Zhongli.

"Forgot your manners, indeed." You thought you heard Zhongli mutter under his breath,

"I'm Young Master Wen." the man introduced, “You may call me Jun instead.” as he returned his attention, hopeful gaze back to you under Zhongli’s furrowed scrutiny, just as you were bringing your offended hand behind your back, afraid he would kiss it again.

You wiped your hand hastily against your clothing as subtly as you could, not expecting his next line. "...I've heard of what you've done for both Mondstadt and Liyue — definitely a woman of power and beauty!"

—you coughed, spluttering on choked saliva in your surprise.

You were aware of the many praises about you.

Strong, yes. Cute, yes. Pretty, maybe.

But a woman of beauty? Never.

You could only manage an awkward thank you as Jun finally turned to Zhongli. Thank god, the overly passionate gaze on you was getting a bit too much.

"And you must be Mr. Zhongli!"

"Ah yes, Young Master Wen." Zhongli merely said, shaking his hand.

You looked over at Zhongli in mild surprise.

There was something different about how he greeted the man — almost grudgingly if you were to squint. His usual cordial enthusiasm was lacking.

You swore you saw a dagger-like glint flash across his golden eyes, just as the man turned his head back to you, about to step towards you with the same fascinated look on his face.

Zhongli moved fast so you didn’t realize until you suddenly found yourself blocked by a broad back and peering over Zhongli’s shoulders at Jun instead.

“Enough, Young Master Wen, I’m sure she understands quite clearly that you admire her.” Zhongli intervened, feeling the coil of frustration in his chest tightened. “—now, where’s this Lady Wen who seeks me? Your sister, I assume, going by your title?”

You felt the tension in your shoulders leave with your silent sigh when Jun finally pulled his gaze off you. Weirdo.

“Oh, my sister—”

“It's been a long time since we met, Zhongli."

All eyes swiveled to the carriage to watch a lady emerge from its confine.

So this was Lady Wen, your eyes widened.

So she was the one who asked for Zhongli in the commission letter Katheryne passed to you?

Though siblings, the Lady Wen standing in person before you was not what you had expected. Apart from her wealth, her face also sets her apart from other women; for she bore a face men would compare to a goddess.

Mesmerized by the flowery grace and gentle sweet smile of the approaching woman, you knew you were right to doubt the compliment the man sang of you.

You? A woman of beauty? No way.

It was Lady Wen.

So what did this beautiful lady want with Zhongli? You wondered glancing between the man standing before you and the woman.

Then you caught the quiet admiring gaze on Zhongli, and a faint sign of recognition on the said man’s face. “—Wen Rong.” You heard him utter.

“It's been a long time since we met, Zhongli." Her greetings echoed back in your memory, then it clicked.

Ah, you understood now.

Night fell over like a curtain of darkness, just as the carriage arrived at a distance five hours away from your destination.

Shadows lurked in every corner of the campfires, behind the trees and the bushes.

The fire crinkled and sizzled in the soft breeze, dancing lightly on the firewood stacked atop of each other. Over the warm light it emitted, you could hear their laughter.

Hers and his.

Despite not seeing each other in years, their friendship rekindled almost instantly.

You sneaked a glance at them, to where you previously sat before you realized you were too dumb to understand what they were saying.

You weren’t sure what they were chatting about, but you knew they were subjects Zhongli loved to share with you when you two hung out. Most of the time, you would either end up nodding and feigning understanding, change the subject or just zone out completely.

Things were definitely different from the other commissions you two have taken on. You weren't on the receiving end of suspicious glares and calculated stares this time round.

There was no one vying for Zhongli's attention; it wasn't necessary when the female client was his friend and someone like Lady Wen.

Lady Wen was not only the definition of beauty; she was grace and wisdom too, with a soft, friendly personality like a cherry on top.

Every aspect of her seemed to compliment the former archon so well.

This was one of the few rare times you had seen Zhongli so immersed in conversations with someone on a commission. But of course, it was because they met before.

And perhaps, the only commission Zhongli had barely spoken a word to you, or you to him — you didn't see why you should interrupt them.

A bitter sense of helplessness and frustration curled like a tight knot in your chest as you hugged your knees closer to your chest, nails digging into your palms.

...but why does this bother you so much? Zhongli and you were just good friends after all.

As a good friend, shouldn't you be happy for Zhongli if he found someone he could spend his mortal life with?

You were afterall a mere child to him…or at least that was what you felt sitting with these two.

Enough.

You fought, begged the strange twinge inside your heart to stop.

The Wen Mansion was just five more hours away from here, and you will be done with this commission. Why should you care? It was so silly.

For whatever reasons Lady Wen's father wanted to meet Zhongli, it was not your business to care. It was Zhongli’s.

Staring at the fire, your jaw clenched as their laughter reached your ears once more.

Maybe you should go help Jun out?

For a young master, he was pretty adapted to the outdoors. He reminded you of a puppy — a nice, weird puppy that was a little overboard with his admiration for you.

He was a bit strange and a little too enthusiastic for you to handle but c’mon, you practically fought both humans and monsters for a living. What was so scary about this man anyway? Besides, you needed fresh air to clear your head.

You rose to your feet and stepped over the log you sat on. The voices of the two grew faint as you entered the vegetation around the camp, in the direction you knew Jun headed for.

Jun insisted he should be the one carrying back your share to their camp despite occupied arms, but you walked ahead before he could grab the ones in your grasp.

Following you into the camp like a shadow, you saw him walk away in a different direction, to the fire closer to where Lady Wen and Zhongli sat from the corner of your eyes as soon as you two broke into the edge of the camp.

You shrugged, returning to the one further away. The one you left behind to find Jun.

The bundle of sticks and branches gathered in your arms was placed by the fire as you kneeled down to the dirt ground. The warmth of the flame instantly engulfed you; you felt a sheen of chill on your skin vaporize in its heat as you drew near to feed it more wood.

Nights in Liyue, especially in areas dense with trees, were often dewy and cold and this night was one of them. You could feel the cold penetrating your usual traveling cloak and nipping at the skin your dress underneath failed to cover.

The fire crackled and jumped as you fed it the last stick from your finding. Just as you leaned away and settled on the log behind you, you felt a presence hovering beside you.

“It wasn’t wise to go off into the woods alone with him.” His voice answered your question before you could turn to find out who.

There was a tinge of disapproval on his face when you looked up to find Zhongli gazing down on you.

A small ball of anger curled inside you at that face. “I don’t see why not.”

Your eyes flitted behind him, wandering to where Lady Wen was, and found her glancing over while saying something to Jun.

Shuffling feet and the shift of the log beneath you moved your gaze to your side in time to watch Zhongli settling down beside you.

There was a frown on his face.

“Didn’t you see how he looked at you this afternoon?” His gaze seemed to cut into you from the way his piercing eyes dug into yours. “You made me worried sick just now when I looked over and you were not there.”

You looked away; his eyes on you always set your heart pounding. Staring into the fire, you threw out a careless laugh. “Jun isn’t so bad. He’s just a little excited about me, but he is actually pretty nice.”

“A little excited?”

You couldn’t see Zhongli’s face but you could hear the incredulity and exasperation in his voice.

“Anything could have happened among those trees. I’ve lived long enough to know what perverted minds would do and I can see right through him.”

Your breath hitched when you felt the tip of his leather glove graze your hand, but you snatched it away before he could hold it. “Please, could you stay away from him?”

Quite often when you two talked side by side like this, you would always find your hand in his, fiddled absentmindedly as his voice coated the air, but you weren’t up for it this time.

“I’ve fought long enough to be able to handle them.” You hated the way he lectured you like you were a child.

Maybe you were indeed one to him, and this possible fact in your head brought up the memories of Zhongli and Lady Wen’s laughter, the silent look of adoration on Lady Wen’s face, and how clueless you felt sitting around them.

You stood up. “Stop treating me like a child, I don’t need your concerns, Zhongli.” Your voice was icily calm. “Your priority should be Lady Wen, not me.”

You saw something flash across Zhongli’s face but you had too much inside to care and ran for the woods.

Morning came, and this meant it was time to hit the road once more.

You avoided him as much as you could until the carriage was loaded and ready to go. You could feel his eyes on you the entire time you helped to prepare the carriage. You spared no glance at him through it all, but you could sense it off him; his desire to speak to you.

And even more so when you settled yourself beside Jun at the front of the carriage instead of inside.

Jun appeared oblivious, happy you chose your place beside him, not noticing the tension between you two, while Lady Wen glanced between you two but said nothing before politely beckoning Zhongli into the carriage with her.

Zhongli seemed to have resigned himself to your silence and stopped glancing over. The troubled crease between his brows softened as he helped Lady Wen onto the vehicle with a steady hand around hers like the gentleman he is.

Once everyone was settled, Jun beside you turned his head back to the front.

At a flick of his wrists, the horses began to move. The wooden wheels beneath clattered out of their campsite and onto the main path.

You squinted against the filtered sunlight as you cast a glance up at the forest’s canopy, and back down to find a clearing ahead.

The dirt path grew bumpy near the mouth of the forest; you had to resist shooting your hand out to hold Jun who was indifferent to the jerks under them. The path along the forested area eventually led the carriage out into a vast field, instantly greeted by the warmth of the morning sky.

You breathed a sigh of relief as you fell back against the wooden wall behind you the moment the bumpy path ended, connected to a man-made road paved through a small village.

As you were about to straighten away from the wall behind, you caught laughter. Familiar laughs from last night coming from the confines of the carriage behind you.

Zhongli was sure laughing a lot — you couldn’t help noticing as your heart sank with sadness — even he doesn’t laugh this much around you.

Then you grew curious.

“Young Master Wen,” You tried to block out the muffled voices behind you as you turned to Jun, “I hope you wouldn’t mind me prying...but may I know what did your father want to meet Zhongli for?”

You hesitated. “I mean, you know Zhongli is a funeral parlor consultant right? Sorry if I’m being too insensitive, but does anyone require that kind of service in your home?”

Jun didn’t look offended at all, in fact, he burst out laughing at your question, his eyes amused as he flickered a glance over at you.

“I’m not supposed to reveal this yet, but…” His voice dropped even lower, so soft you almost had to lean over to capture his next line. “Mr. Zhongli is being invited over for marriage.”

Your eyes flew wide while your heart dropped. What? Marriage?

“You mean as a guest to witness a wedding?”A sudden fear hammered in your chest. Why were you so scared? It could just be a harmless wedding invitation?

Jun shook his head. “No, as my sister’s husband.”

You blinked in shock at him. Husband ??!

A burst of laughter barked from Jun once more at your reaction. “My sister had loved Mr. Zhongli ever since their encounter. Wen Rong’s birthday is coming up and my father wanted this marriage to be a surprise gift to her.”

Jun turned his eyes back onto the galloping horses before them. “She doesn’t know about this herself; she only thought it was for business, so could you help me keep this a secret?” He threw a grin over and winked.

“Hahaha, sure.” You forced a smile back at him.

Marriage, huh.

This came out of nowhere, but it somehow made sense to you. You’ve seen the chemistry between those two. When they chatted, it was like there was no one else in this world.

You were forgotten by Zhongli the moment this commission started.

Lady Wen Rong and Zhongli.

They were a match made in heaven or what Teyvat has as heaven. Celestia? Whatever.

Perhaps…

You watched as the carriage climbed a gentle hill towards a compound of prestigious-looking houses. Their roofs colored dull green could be seen from where you sat.

…this was where all it ends with Zhongli. He had found a better place, a better person to spend his mortal life with. And you should stop holding him back.

The Wen residence was exactly how you had imagined it to be when you saw it from the hill. The carriage itself was a reflection of all that would greet you.

The corridors stretched far and wide across the large courtyard, around manicured gardens, and connected to the many houses owned by the family.

Perched on the railing dividing the corridor and the trimmed grass beneath your dangling legs, your eyes were once again drawn to the closed doors a small distance away.

—to where Zhongli was enthusiastically escorted into by the Head of the Wen family himself, with Lady Wen treading on their heels.

It happened the moment they stepped through the main gate. Quick gratitude from Lord Wen was all you were given with a generous bag of Mora before he swept the former archon in with his daughter in tow.

Jun had offered you tea and food but you politely rejected them. Your appetite had vanished the moment you heard the news from him on the carriage.

Now, you were caught between wanting to leave and wanting to listen in about their marriage. But the latter quickly won, and you found yourself sneaking over with the stealth you learned from your travels.

Lightly pressing your head to the wooden door, muffled voices penetrated but you had to listen hard to understand them.

Golden eyes pondered over the steaming cup of tea on the table before him, as the memory of the sadness on your face flashed by in his head once again.

It was subtle and he only managed to catch a glimpse of you over his shoulders while he was being whisked away by Lord Wen — but he had watched and memorized you long enough to read you.

It never sat right with him whenever he saw sadness in your eyes. This time, it was unbearable because he was aware he was the cause of it.

But why? Was it wrong of him for wanting you to be safe?

He wanted to apologize, but he knew he shouldn’t until he understood what he was doing it for. It wasn’t because he was prideful; he simply believed an apology should be sincere and not for the sake of it.

Zhongli dropped his shoulders quietly with a soft sigh at the thought of you, eyes flickering over to the doors as he raised his gaze to Lord Wen who had finished giving his servant orders.

Beside her father, Lady Wen was quiet and gazing at her own cup, occasionally stealing glances at him.

“Thank you for coming all the way here, Mr. Zhongli.” The lord finally turned his attention to them, his fingers locking together on the table between them.

Zhongli simply nodded. “Thank you for your invitation, Lord Wen.”

His eyes strayed to the doors for a quick second, along with a silent question about your whereabouts. It felt weird not having you around, especially since this was your commission.

“Right,” He was quick to catch himself from drifting away and cleared his throat, “As much as it’s an honor to be invited here, may I know the purpose of this invitation?”

Zhongli found himself itching to stand and leave this room to search for you, but he could only eye the father-daughter pair with calculated patience.

Lord Wen let out a hearty chuckle, stroking his long beard. “Before we get to the point, what do you think of my daughter?”

At his question, Zhongli glanced over at Lady Wen for a quick second to find her sharing a similar puzzlement on her face.

“She is a wonderful friend.”

A cough ensued from the lord. “No no, what do you think of my daughter as a woman ?”

Lady Wen’s face went red at that question but her reaction went unnoticed.

“Ah, as a woman.” Zhongli’s hand paused in the midst of a sip. The cup was set down as he blinked in bemusement and thought carefully. “...Wen Rong is a woman of wisdom and many talents. Also, with beauty comparable to a glazed lily.”

He didn’t quite expect Lord Wen to burst out laughing as if he was told a joke. “Wen Rong? First-name basis already eh?”

Zhongli looked at him strangely. “I’m not particular about formalities between friends.”

“Nonsense!” Lord Wen waved his hand dismissively at his reply with a wide grin, “Alright, let’s cut the chase. What do you think about marrying our Ah Rong?”

“Father!” Lady Wen looked horrified and extremely embarrassed, glancing over at Zhongli with silent hope among her bashfulness.

But Zhongli did not notice, caught off guard by the sudden marriage proposal.

No wonder. Understanding dawned on his face. He should have realized where all that odd, rather awkward questions were leading to.

Zhongli found himself ready with a clear response to the proposal; he knew his answer right away. His mind went straight to you the moment this question was sprung on him; it has been clear to him for a long time.

Cup to his lips, Zhongli tilted his head back in one sip. He could feel their anticipation on him.

Golden eyes glinted decisively as the cup, now empty, was set down on the table in a quiet, yet firm manner.

“Thank you for your offer in marriage.”

He mirrored Lord Wen, gloved fingers locking together on the table.

“I’m very flattered to be presented with such a priceless offer, given that Wen Rong is a dream to, I’m sure, many men in this world.”

He watched Lord Wen’s face brighten. “But I—”

A muffled shuffle of footsteps outside the room snatched his gaze away from the father and daughter; their eyes followed his.

Zhongli caught a flicker of silhouette behind the paper screens of the windowed doors. Could it be…?

Alarmed, he quickly climbed to his feet and threw open the doors, much to Lord Wen’s protests. His head turned in the direction of where he saw the movement and—

And his heart sank.

…No.

Then Zhongli broke into a run.

“Thank you for your offer in marriage.”

Zhongli...He was going to accept it, huh.

“I’m very flattered to be presented with such a priceless offer, given that Wen Rong is a dream to, I’m sure, many men in this world.”

You rose from the crouch you were in. Tears were flooding your eyes and you were frustrated.

Frustrated at yourself for feeling sad instead of happy for your friend. Frustrated that you could not compete with Lady Wen for Zhongli. Frustrated that you accidentally gave yourself away with that loud shuffling of your feet. Frustrated at the tears for nearly blinding you as you hurried away.

Hurry to where?

You didn’t know. All you wanted was to get as far away as you can. Somewhere you could disappear to, so that you could just make sense of yourself and all these crazy emotions inside you.

But, you heard the doors you left slam open before you could get any further.

Shit.

Your heart hammered in your chest and your mouth went dry. You did not need to turn around to know who burst through those doors.

—and he was the very person you wanted to get as far away from.

So you ran.

Your legs were carrying you down the hallways the fastest they could to outrun the longer pair behind you. You didn’t want to be a drama queen, but you just couldn’t stop.

Where was the main gate again?

You did not know where the hell you were running to. You just ran blindly, turning into any corner the winding vendettas led you.

There was a chance you could end up in a dead-end but screw it, you will find a way out of this maze-like compound even if it meant climbing over the walls fencing around it.

You could hear him calling out your name in a voice you’d never thought you would hear from Zhongli.

There was desperation leaking through the cracks in his voice— why was he even desperate? Desperate to tell you he was sorry that he was going to leave you?

You skidded around a bend and—

well, SHIT.

— your hands palmed against the wall curled into fists. Just your luck to really meet a dead end. You glanced up, hoping that it was a fence wall, but only to find no opening.

You needed another escape route.

You spun around and gasped instantly to find that Zhongli had blocked off your only way out. Unlike the voice you heard him speak in, he did not look desperate at all.

The tension in his shoulders and the unreadable look in his golden eyes made him look…almost menacing as he approached. Step by step.

He did not look like the Zhongli, the funeral parlor consultant you hung out with — your breath shook with your heart as the sight before you intimidated you with a creeping fear.

—from the way his golden eyes blazed amber at you, he looked like the Rex Lapis he was instead. The Geo Archon of this land.

Spending so much time with Zhongli has made you forget that he was an archon, he was a god everyone in Liyue worshipped.

And this made you realize how much more inferior you were—

You didn’t have the beauty, comparable enough to a goddess like Lady Wen or the wisdom to keep up with him.

What were you? You’re just a traveller who only knows how to survive in the wilderness, all just to take back your missing brother from some unknown god.

What did you have to offer?

…foolish of you to think that you could stand beside him when you didn’t even belong in Teyvat. You were unworthy.

Tears were starting to well up in your eyes once again at these thoughts.

Shit.

You could not bear to meet his eyes, knowing the tears in them were obvious. Your eyes dropped away from his, looking for an opening, anything so you could just…just...

A resigned sigh left you, your shoulders falling slack as you felt energy leave you.

“—let me go.” your voice was thick with falling tears as you finally spoke. You brought your eyes back to his. “I’m leaving, and you’ve got a wedding to plan for.” You wiped your tears away.

Your gaze lingered on his in the brief silence.”...I’ll wait for your invitation.”

Then you moved forward, trying to sidestep him.

But before you could make it past him—

Your eyes widened. ...!!!

—he met your lips forcefully, slanting his lips over yours dominatingly.

You felt the air knocked out of you and your heart missed a beat as Zhongli backed you up onto the dead-end wall behind, with a hand caressing the back of your head and your mouths connected by the onslaught of his lips.

Over your head, his left arm propped against the wall behind you as his mighty figure bent over your smaller one, with a sound similar to a growl coming from the back of his throat.

Quickly losing foot against his demanding lips, you found yourself unable to resist as you melted at the feel of his lips pressed over yours. You were weak for him; you always were.

The aggressive force behind his lips grew faint the moment he felt you relax into him. His kiss was now tender, almost a delicate dance of twisting and turning over yours, and eventually inside after he coaxed you to open.

As if you were the dearest thing to him, treating you like you could break if he was any rougher like he did seconds ago.

Short, heavy breaths accompanied your locking lips as he hoped the affections behind his kiss were enough to tell you what you needed to know.

After a few lingering seconds, his lips on yours slowed as Zhongli made a move to end the kiss, reluctantly pulling his lips away. 

Disbelief crashed like a wave upon you the instant your lips lost the warmth of his. Things still seemed surreal to you.

Why did Zhongli…?

How could he…?

Hand raised, its warm, bare palm cupping against your cheek cut off the doubtful thoughts in your head before it could drown you.

Your eyes hesitantly turned to his as he tilted your face up to his — then your breath was caught in your throat at the softest look you’d ever seen in his eyes.

In the sea of gold and amber, there was worry in the midst of his affection that was beaming down at you just like the sun.

“Wen Rong is just a friend to me,” His voice was firm but gentle, “so I will not be accepting her father’s offer.”

A frown creased between your brows.

“But…” Doubt clouded your heart.

Despite sensing his love from the kiss, stubborn doubts still continued to whisper about yourself. It was no longer about Lady Wen and him.

“Are you sure?” … about me? You wanted to voice that, but your fear held your tongue.

There was a pause of silence before Zhongli chuckled. “Not that I mind, but are you trying to get me to kiss you again?

You flinched with bashful blinks, not expecting his reply.

Zhongli suddenly regarded you seriously, the amusement in his eyes gone.

“...Or perhaps I should just marry you.”

His hand released your chin and went to his own as he stepped back with a thoughtful face.

“What? Tha-That’s too sudden!”

You two haven’t even officially dated!

There was another pause of silence from Zhongli before he cleared his throat, hiding his laughter behind a cough at how red you got.

“But would you want to?” He was serious again.“I meant, get married to me.” Zhongli added as if he wasn’t clear enough.

Silence.

“...yes, of course, eventually.”

Zhongli smiled. “Good.”

You felt your heart flutter in your chest at that smile; he was truly happy about your answer.

Your eyes caught movement below and flickered down to watch his hand envelope yours. “Come,”

With that said, Zhongli gently tugged you to walk with him, his hand releasing yours as soon as you fell in step beside him.

You have always suspected Zhongli was a romantic, being a gentleman and all he was.

But knowing and being the receiving end of his affection was worlds apart, so you found yourself surprised again when he pressed a chaste kiss to your temples.

“...Let’s reject their offer properly together.”

.

.

.

—published on 28.01.2022

all rights reserved ©justgenshin

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.

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.

asking them / getting asked to watch the fireworks by them

inc. zhongli, ningguang, xiao, beidou

a/n. tfw lantern rite is so good it inspires you to write

zhongli

when zhongli turns around a corner in the wangsheng funeral parlor, he is delighted to see you. “hello, (y/n). i wasn’t expecting to see you here. i thought you’d be enjoying the festival.”

nervously, you twiddle your fingers. “yes, about that… i was just wondering if you’d like to watch the fireworks together…?” you suggest.

zhongli is quiet, eyes on the floor. you suddenly regret asking. “but, ah… if you’re too busy, or just don’t want to…” your voice slowly trails off as your face gets hot.

zhongli suddenly looks at you. “oh, no, it’s not that.” he clears his throat. “i’d love to watch the fireworks with you. i just was just trying to think of the most ideal location to watch them from.”

“oh,” you chuckle. “i mean, we have a nice few even from here. we don’t need to travel far.” you tell him.

zhongli shakes his head. “i appreciate the offer but uh… if we stay here, we’ll have an uninvited guest,” he nods towards hu tao, who has completely turned in her chair to watch you and zhongli.

you nod, grinning. “right. then what do you think about heyu tea house?” you ask. “that also has a nice view…”

zhongli smiles, stepping past you and opening the door to the funeral parlor. “that sounds wonderful.”

you step outside and into the commotion of the festival. you can hear people laughing and talking, children running around with liyue delicacies in their hands, and couples walking hand in hand.

zhongli lifts his arm slightly, and you intertwine your arm with his. he can’t help but smile. “alright, to heyu tea house we go.” he says.

ningguang

since you had been such a great help with restoring the jade chamber, you had recently been tasked with helping lady ningguang herself. it was truly an honor, and it also brought you closer to ningguang.

after a day of running around and meeting with people and overlooking the festivities, you finally returned to the jade chamber with ningguang. after helping her out with a few more things, you no longer had any reason to stay with her.

“well, lady ningguang, i believe that’s it for me…” you tell her.

the tianquan simply nods. “thank you for all of your help today. i don’t believe i would have returned to the jade chamber so early if it wasn’t for you.”

you smile. “thank you.” you turn to leave but suddenly stop, turning back to ningguang, who hasn’t moved from where she was standing. “um, lady ningguang, if you’d like to see the fireworks, i’ll be just outside, so…”

after a few moments, she smiles. “thank you for the invite.” and then she turns and walks away, quietly slipping into her room.

you rush out of the jade chamber, cringing at yourself in embarrassment. what gave you the courage to say that to ningguang? why would you even ask? you had only been working for her for a few weeks, so why—

you’re pulled out of your thoughts when you hear the familiar clicking of heels behind you. you turn to see ningguang, beautifully dressed in a navy blue evening gown. for a moment, you swear that she seems almost… shy?

“not to ask this so suddenly, but… what do you think of this gown?” ningguang asks.

you realize your jaw has dropped slightly at the sight of her. you quickly close it. “um… you look… beautiful, ningguang.”

she sighs in relief. “i’m glad. i wasn’t entirely sure if this fit me.” she smiles. “but i trust your judgement.”

“i thought you’d be too tired to join me for the fireworks, but i’m glad you’re here,” you tell her.

ningguang shakes her head slightly and she walks closer to you. “even if i was, i would never miss the fireworks of the festival for the world, especially if it’s with you,” she says, a playful smirk on her face.

xiao

you had spent the day with xiao, however you hadn’t

bothered to ask him to watch the fireworks with you. he wasn’t a fan of crowds, and you didn’t want him to feel obligated to join you. so once the sun began to set, you decided it was time to head back to liyue harbor.

“well, i should get going… it’ll be time for the fireworks by the time i get back to the harbor,” you tell xiao. “are you going back to wangshu inn? we can take the path that goes past there.”

“oh,” xiao says. “…yeah. we can do that.”

you two walk hand in hand in silence, listening to the surrounding nature and the distant commotion from liyue harbor. as you grew closer to wangshu inn, xiao suddenly stopped.

“hm? xiao, everything okay?”

xiao nods. “i was thinking…” he looks past you. “maybe we could watch the fireworks together.”

you stand still for a moment, before quickly nodding. “yes! that would be really nice, xiao.” you say softly.

xiao starts walking again and you quickly walk to catch up with him, grabbing hold of his hand again. “i swear i wanted to ask you,” you say. “but i know the festival isn’t exactly the most… inviting place for you.”

xiao shrugs. “i know. but i just really want to watch them with you…”

you smile. “thank you, xiao.”

beidou

you stand on the crux, resting your elbows on the ledge and looking out to the sea. you had been helping beidou with some things, and it ended up taking all day. you were still on the crux, and you surely wouldn’t make it back to the harbor in time to see the fireworks as you had planned.

“what’s up? you haven’t said a word in hours. catfish got your tongue?” you hear beidou’s voice growing closer. you feel her arm around your shoulders.

you sigh. “it’s nothing. i just wanted to see the fireworks… i made plans and everything but…”

“you’re here on the ship,” beidou speaks as if she can read your thoughts.

you nod. “yeah,” you say softly.

beidou laughs, patting your back. “well, you’re in luck! it may not be what you had planned, but little do you know, we have the best seats in liyue!” she says.

you give her an unsure look.

“hey, come on! think about it! we’re a pretty good distance away from the docks so we won’t miss a thing! no trees or buildings blocking our view!” she tells you, grabbing your shoulders and leading you to the other side of the crux.

you realize that she’s correct — you really do have the perfect view.

“hmm,” you say. “you’re right.”

“you know it! i’ve spent more time than anyone on this ship!” she retorts. “i know all the tricks.”

“then, will you stay and watch the fireworks with me?” you ask softly.

beidou looks flustered for a moment, but she quickly pulls herself together. “of course! who do you think i am?” she wraps her arm around your waist. “i would never let you watch the fireworks all alone.”

JJK BOYS’ WHEN YOU CALL THEM BY THEIR LAST NAME !

an. ur so cute when u reblog aha

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

wc. 0.6k

genre. fluff

► MASTERLIST ► TAGLIST ►

ITADORI YUJI — POUTY. think he’s done something wrong or something to make you angry, so he subtly acts more affectionate throughout the day, makes sure not to piss you off in any way, etc - and you have to hold back your laughter all the while. yuji isn’t the type to be confrontational about but if you do decide to keep up the act for a while, he’ll nervously ask you later on - “are you mad at me?” - he looks like he might cry with those puppy dog eyes of his, please tell him it’s a prank and shower him in affection as an apology <3

Keep reading

listen….kissing kaeya to sleep…….cradling him softly and all…………….

(warning --> alcohol usage mention) 

Your house is so quiet now when several minutes before it was chaos, stumbling chaos. Kaeya, and his decorated self, practically tripped through the door and into your living room. It wasn’t graceful, it was more pitiful and startling than anything else but he assured in hysterical laughter that it was fine. 

“Kae-Kaeya --?” You moved to catch him before he accidently hurt himself, your hands pressing against his chest while his rested on your sturdy shoulders. “Are you ...?” 

He laughed so hard when the door burst into life but the smile that he wore seemed to be slowly fading with every passing second. “I got what I *hick* needed.” His head came to rest in the crook of your neck, the weight of his body nearly sending you to the floor. 

“Y-yeah? You also may have done a bit much too, don’t you think?” 

“H-had too, darlin’. They almnst leffp.” His body continued to sway, his words mumbled. How was it possible for him to gather the intel he needed when he could barely talk to begin with. You hoped he’d be able to remember what was so important tomorrow morning. 

“Well we couldn’t have that happen now could we.” You chuckled at the disoriented shake of his head. 

“Mmm.” 

Rubbing your hand over his back, you shifted to angle yourself toward the hall half wondering if you’d make it. “Let’s get you to bed, okay?” Suddenly, his wobbly self became controlled as he wrapped his arm around your neck so tightly it made you groan. “H-hey.” It wasn’t like Kaeya to act this way after a night out and while you hadn’t seen him every evening, you knew him well enough to identify this was out of the norm. Confused but accepting, you returned his hug which, after a tight squeeze and slight hand adjustment toward you, he seemed satisfied with. 

Just as quickly as his demeanor changed, it switched right back. “You wanned -- to takme to bed?” He mumbled, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“Yes yes, let’s go.” Carefully, slowly, you ushered him down the hall. When he reached the bedroom his feet shuffled him onward toward while you did your best to help him out of some of his clothes. First came his white cape, then his jacket and gloves and finally, as he face planted into the mattress, his shoes. “I can’t believe Diluc really let you drink this much.” You stated, arm flinging the heavy leather boots toward the dresser. 

“Wsnt thr -” 

“That explains it. Turn over, you’ll suffocate.” Uncoordinated hands slammed into the bed, it took him a few tries but he was eventually successful. His eyes were already closed and his breathing was quick, most likely from his pounding heart and the rushing energy flowing through him. “I’ll get you water.” You leaned forward, lips pressing against his brow before slipping out of the room. 

“Dnt leave --” Kaeya’s hand reached for you but his reaction was far to slow. His twirling, tumbling mind did it’s best to replay the events of the evening but they came back in flashes too fuzzy to put in order. His arm draped over his face and he willed himself to remember. Why were you coming up so frequently in his mind, you weren’t at the tavern. It was all so confusing. 

“Here.” Your voice seemed to pull him from whatever he was doing with his arm rolling around his face. Laughing, you placed the cup on the bedside table before turning to leave. Just as you were about to get yourself ready for bed, Kaeya’s hand reached out to grab you. 

“... where you going? ...” His furrowed brow and turned down lips caught you off guard but his strength never did. 

“I’m just going -” 

“stay...” He pulled at you until you were standing right next to him. You were about to explain to him you weren’t really leaving but the way he looked at you made you pause. 

“I’ll stay.” You whispered, lips connecting with his cheek, heart fluttering at the feeling of his sigh against your skin. 

With ease, you crawled into the space beside him, but not after you got him to take several drinks of the water, even if he did fuss about it. You weren’t even settled when he turned to face you and placed his head against your chest, his arms coiling around your body, legs nearly doing the same. 

“Are you comfortable?” You chuckled, shifting under him and doing your best to get the pillows to support your strange position. He nodded and while you were happy to be this close to him you couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. His normal talkative, playful, flirty self was muted and in it’s place was something far lonelier. 

“mmm sff ...” 

“What?” You asked, tilting your head to better hear him. 

“I’ll kepmf safe...” He huffed against your chest, arms getting tighter, fingers curling into the back of your shirt. “I’ll keep you safe.” He repeated, a bit clearer.

“I know you will. Try to get some sleep.” You adjusted, leg pushing out from under him so you could bend it. 

Slowly, you ran your hands up and down his back taking care of his long hair and pulling it over his shoulder. When the back of his neck was exposed you ran your fingers over it, along the edge of his hairline, slightly down his back as far as the loose shirt would let you go. 

Kaeya’s breathing slowed with every gentle kiss you pressed to the top of his head, with ever touch of your lips to his brow. He was slipping into the sleep he desperately needed while you cared for him and held him close. 

I’ll keep you safe, he kept repeating in his head as his dreams began to craft the pieces of his memory he couldn’t put together.

I’ll keep you safe, he thought as the images of the frightened treasure hoarders running through the alleyways of Mondstadt played in reverse.

I’ll keep you safe, was the last thing that drifted through as he recalled the conversation that caught his attention and had no reason uttering your name but suddenly demanded his full attention.

SAYING SOMETHING OUT LOUD. multi

it's been on my mind quite a while. ( or, genshin characters + accidental confessions when they think you don't hear them.)

ft. diluc, kaeya, albedo, childe, xiao, kazuha x genderneutral reader

warnings : fluff, slight angst, blushy blushy, me bullying kazuha but its affectionate !1! i wrote this at 2 am editing tomorrow :]

DILUC RAGNVINDR. noctua

"i want to marry you someday." are the words he mutters when all he can do is stare at you, when he thinks you aren't looking. where diluc ragnvindr's entire mind goes blank — not a thought behind those pretty, red eyes besides 'oh god oh fuck' when you eventually catch him. diluc doesn't want you to know about all the ugly sides of him, about how rough he is around the edges. he doesn't want you to get caught up with him—he can't let the fire burn you like it has burnt everything else in his life.

he coughs, and refuses to acknowledge it ever happened despite your countless jabs to get him to say something—to say anything. it's quiet and diluc wants so badly to pretend it never happened, to pretend he never said anything because he doesn't want to ruin it—to lose you too. you huff slightly in frustration, and diluc resists the urge to laugh despite the situation he's put himself in. it's strange how you can make him smile even when it feels his mind is crumbling.

the silence settles and diluc can feel the anxiety ripple through his body as he steals a glance in your direction. just as he can get ready to apologize, your finger pulls his hand into yours. "we don't—we don't need to get married now, but in the future ... will you marry me?"

KAEYA ALBERICH. pavo ocellus

"i don't know if i love you yet, but if this isn't love then i don't know what is." are the words he whispers into your hair, on nights where he thinks you're asleep. where kaeya alberich is at the breaking point, teetering on the line between loving you and keeping you out.

on nights where all he wants is to say i love you without the fear of you understanding. the fear of you loving him because how can you love someone you don't really know? how can you love him if even he doesn't know who he is? you're a breath of relief to him and kaeya wants nothing more than to be able to breathe without guilt. his fingers rake through your hair, and kaeya knows—he knows he doesn't deserve to have you in his arms like this, but he can't help but be selfish when it comes to you.

you turn your head, your face only inches away from his, before kissing the tip of his nose and holding him tighter. it's there that kaeya finally let's himself close his eyes. there's so much you want to say, but for now, it'll have to wait till morning, when he can be completely sure you know what you're saying when you say you love him.

ALBEDO. princeps cretaceous

"you're my muse." are the words he replies with, nonchalantly when you ask why you have to sit still, instead of working like jean had told you to. on the days where he finds himself unconsciously writing your name in his notes, sketching your face in the margins. albedo doesn't even realize he's said it, he doesn't realize how the words affect you until he looks up from his sketch book to find you staring at him in surprise.

albedo doesn't understand love, he hasn't even fully grasped the idea of it, but it's obvious to everyone with the subtle reminders to take care of yourself because albedo doesn't know how to express his feelings any other way. "is something wrong?" he asks, concern laced into his tone before you shake your head, a smile growing on your face. "muse? did you mean that?" and his mind blanks, before the realization hits him.

"ah i didn't—well, i did mean that, but it doesn't need to mean anything if you don't want it to." he says in a panic, even if it's not obvious to most. his voice trails off before he finally exhales. you laugh, crouching infront of his sitting figure before pushing the bangs out of his face. his gaze remains focused on you the entire time, an eyebrow raised. his eyes widen, before muttering a quick "oh." against your lips. albedo doesn't understand love, but he thinks he can try if it's for you.

CHILDE. monoceros caeli

"i don't care about the fatui—about work, about my reputation, just—tell me to stay, tell me to come home and ill come home as long as it's you." are the words he whispers the night before he has to leave, again. childe knows he has to—it's his job, his responsibility as a harbinger, but when he sees his family, when he sees you, he can't help but feel like throwing it all away.

on nights where he can't let you go, his siblings having to physically pry him off to eat breakfast, on nights where he thinks if he doesn't hold you now he won't remember what your hugs feel like. childe doesn't cry—he doesn't want to cry in front of you, in front of his siblings because he's supposed to be strong, but he can't stop it when you make him weak.

he buries his face into your neck, promising to give you anything, despite him being the only thing you want. childe interlocks your pinkies, he promises a future. one where he won't have to worry about not being there to kiss you goodnight, but for now, you can only whisper your declarations of love till the brink of dawn. "i promise, ill be here when you come back, ajax."

XIAO. alatus nemeseos

"till the day i die—im not going anywhere, not without you." in response to a question you'd asked him earlier that day, one he was too afraid to answer. "are you leaving?" you asked, rubbing the tiredness from you eyes, strands of hair sticking out as you watch him from the bed. he knows—xiao knows that's not what you meant, not in that context, but the question struck enough fear in his heart that he had left without warning.

you lie asleep on his shoulder and xiao wonders if he ever really will leave. if one day the guilt that scratches at his throat whenever he says your name will be the last sign needed to push you away, for your own good. the sun is warm on your skin, and xiao hopes that somewhere in the depths of your mind, you'll hear the words he's too scared to say while you're awake.

xiao doesn't make promises, because he knows that there's always a possibility he wouldn't be able to keep them, but as the sun falls on your figure, xiao can't help himself. he never can when it comes to you. "you've stayed ... you've stayed this long, no going back, okay?" he sighs, and xiao can only hope you'll let him stay with you as long as he can. you hand finds it's way into his, interlocking them as you absentmindedly trace shapes into his knuckles. "no going back." you mumble into his shoulder before going back to sleep, and xiao freezes in shock, before slowly holding your hand tighter, tapping 3 times on the back of your hand. a silent 'i love you.'

KAEDEHARA KAZUHA. acer palmatum

"you're everything. everything compared to whatever this world has to offer." are the words he says when you ask how his travels went. kazuha has never been able to stay in one spot for too long, be it because of the price on his head but because he's always been homesick for places he's never known, for places he's never been to. he's traveled so much, yet he's never been truly at home anywhere, because every time he says he's homesick, he really just misses you. kazuha would bring you with him if he could, because atleast that way he'd always be home with you.

kazuha plants kisses into your shoulder, trapping you in his arms the second he gets home. early in the morning when you've barely gotten ready for the day, adrenaline coursing through him because he's finally home in your arms. kazuha talks about the places he's been, wishing he'd brought a kamera so he could show you everything he saw, everything that reminded him of you while he was away. he talks about the people he met—stories that sound so bizarre you have to poke his cheek and ask if he's exaggerating.

"huh, they really .. don't come close to being here with you." kazuha chuckles. he talks like he's in a daze when he looks at you, and it's probably because he is. "you're everything. everything compared to whatever this world has to offer" he whispers, before laughing in an attempt to distract you from the blush on his cheeks and the things he just said. "wait what did you say? i couldn't hear you." you ask incredulously, while he only smiles, planting soft kisses on your neck. "nothing, nothing."

you roll yours eyes, fighting the smile tugging at your lips. "for the record, you're my everything too."

© scaramew — do not repost, translate, copy, etc.

Hello! Congratulations on 600 followers! May I take part in the event, please? Viola + Bonten!Mikey + Angst. Despite the fact that Mikey tried to protect his friends, fem!reader dies.

❅ manjirou "mikey" sano & fem!reader.

❅ event: viola: “you’re very warm.”

❅ warning(s): mentions of bl**d, d**th, g*ns/g*nfire.

❅ note(s): hi, sorry it took so long! hope you like it :') mikey, esp bonten mikey, has always been someone i have a little difficulty writing for, so i deeply apologize for his ooc-ness (and apologies for any grammar mistakes...it's nearly 3 am for me :'))

“what the fuck do you think you’re doing?!”

you hold back a hiss of pain as the man in front of you slams you against the stone wall, the cold muzzle of his gun pressed against the side of your head.

“sniffing around like some fuckin’ bitch! people like you get us in trouble with the higher-ups.”

“so, you are associated with bonten,” you conclude, smiling up at the man.

the man flinches, looking back at his associates as they share glances of surprise. “how did you—”

just as i predicted.

you duck at the sound of gunfire, shouts and screams intermingling with screeches of agony and blood splattering all over the walls. they echo throughout the abandoned building, sending shivers down your spine.

well, at least you got what you wanted—if you couldn’t get to mikey, then get mikey to come to you.

“you’ve always been pretty sharp.”

you smile, catching sight of the man you’ve been hunting for the past couple of years. here he is, in the flesh—instead of seeing him in pictures. well, just barely; most of them either showed his side profile or the back of his head, bonten tattoo in display.

“s’nice to see you too, manjirou,” you greet, taking a seat on one of the worn-out chairs. “you look handsome. pathetic, but handsome.”

“you can’t speak to boss like that, bitch,” a pink-haired man sneers, cocking his gun at your temple. “friend or not.”

“leave her, haruchiyo. that’s how she’s always been,” mikey orders, taking a seat across from you. “i want to talk to her in private.”

the man leaves without a word.

you grin, warmth bubbling up in your chest. “my honesty has always been your favorite part about me, actually—”

“you shouldn’t be here,” mikey interrupts, shifting his gaze from the ground to you. “after everything i’ve done to keep everyone safe, you come here, looking for me? i don’t want to be found. forget about me.”

“so, keeping everyone safe is pretending to go against them and severing all contact, huh? that’s pretty fucking selfish of you, leaving everyone and me so abruptly like that,” you force out a laugh, bottom lip trembling as you stare into his blank obsidian eyes—the ones you’ve always loved, the ones that reminded you of the moonless night sky. “then again, that’s how you’ve always been.”

“you’ve never asked for help. you’ve always kept your personal demons to yourself and look where that’s gotten you—leading a life that you would’ve never even thought of leading, without your true friends by your side,” you close your eyes, tears dripping down your cheeks. “shin—shinichiro-san would be sad to see you like this.”

“don’t talk about my brother,” is all you hear, along with the cock of a gun.

you clench your fists.

if this is the last time i'm seeing him, then i need to say what i've always wanted to say.

“manjirou, i—”

you pause for a moment, blinking owlishly at the sound of gunfire ringing in your ears.

huh. mikey didn’t fire at you...

ah.

one of those men must’ve still been alive, then.

strangely enough, you don’t feel a thing, even when there’s a hole in your stomach.

you keel over, mikey catching you before he’s firing shots at the corpses behind you. your ears ring as he brings you closer to his chest, just barely hearing his shouts for that pink-haired man to come.

“heh...mikey, you’re very warm. c-can’t believe a twig—twig bastard like you can re-retain body heat, b-but here you are,” you splutter, blood spilling past your lips and trickling down your chin.

“stop talking, (name). just for once in your life, stop fucking talking.”

you hold back a laugh. as morbid as it sounds, hearing him telling you to shut up was mildly funny to you. so, instead, you rest your head against his chest, listening to his erratic heartbeat. it was going so, so fast—in contrast to your own, that was slowly beginning to calm and eventually…

“i—i was interrupted earlier, y’know. i was going—going to say that i—”

“don’t.”

mikey doesn’t want to hear it. he doesn’t want your final words to him be that—he doesn’t deserve it. after threatening to shoot you, of all things, you still wanted to tell him.

how could you have such strength to do such a thing?

how could you?

it’s something he deeply wishes he had. a strength like yours, like takemitchy’s.

like his brother’s.

he flinches at the sensation of your cool hands wiping his tears, the back of his throat burning as you smile up at him.

“my d...my death isn’t y-your fault, okay? i br-brought this upon myself, going around a-asking about one of the worst crime—crime organizations in japan,” you reassure him, trying to gather as much energy as you could to keep your hand on his cheek. “if you bl-blame yourself, i will haunt you.”

you laugh feebly at your own joke, only for more blood to spill from your mouth. you curse in your head, your mouth already beginning to numb—as if there was cotton filling up in your mouth.

you let out a ragged exhale, weakly clinging onto his shirt.

“h-hey...hold—hold me closer, p-please. your warmth is the last thing i want...i want to feel.”

he obliges, bringing you closer to his chest as he presses on the wound on your stomach.

mikey doesn’t want to believe you’ll die. he wants to cling to that faint sliver of hope that help will come on time, one last time.

but what can he say as he feels your body slowly beginning to lose its warmth? the rise and fall of your chest slowing? the way you’re struggling to keep your eyes open, to talk?

he knows better. he let go of that hope a long, long time ago.

that help will come for him.

...he—he hears it.

it’s quieter than a whisper, just barely managing to catch it.

he half-wishes he never heard it come from you as you took your final breath, a small smile on your face.

a smile, of all things.

for him.

i love you, manjirou sano.