Hospital Au Continuation [scaramouche Ft. Albedo]

ikigai. [0.1]

the reason you wake up in the morning; your life's purpose. + your "firsts" with scaramouche.

pairing: scaramouche + gn!reader

warnings: zombie apocalypse au. fluff, hurt/comfort, kind of enemies to lovers? very brief mentions of death and "face warming up", not visible blushing. also mentions of zombies biting but it's not descriptive. not completely proofread but i might [definitely] edit it later on

author's note: help i think i posted this late and converted the timezones wrong,, sorry about that :') thank you @favoniuscodex for letting me join the first "favorites with friends" collab! also so much apologies,, i didn't write the "first dance at the wedding" prompt because i didn't think it would work out with the current plot for the zombie apocalypse reader & scaramouche T_T however i still enjoyed writing this so much, i hope you all enjoy!

— the first kiss.

if someone told you before that your first kiss would be during a zombie apocalypse, you would've laughed and played along with the joke.

if they told you that it would be with scaramouche, the very one who loathes you and calls you a disappointment on the daily, you would've deadpanned and flat out stated that they weren't being funny.

he kissed you because he thought you were going to die.

—obviously, you didn't think you were going to die right then and there.

the two of you were trapped inside a closet after patrolling the inside of an abandoned house with zombies slowly banging on the other side of the door, and you being the stubborn person you were, thought about kicking down the door itself and possibly and a little bit obnoxiously fighting with it.

scaramouche calmly spoke your name, and you could feel the vibration of his voice from being shoulder to shoulder together. it wasn't like you couldn't acknowledge him; his scent felt stronger than ever despite the horrible smell of zombies outside, and your heart beat felt louder than ever too from the closeness of your figures.

you shush him as quiet as you possibly can. "i'm trying to think of a way to get out," you visibly wince as a zombie pushed onto the door harder, against your feet propped against it to keep it up and stable. "got any ideas, mr. complainer? cause i definitely don't see you doing anything to help!"

"i didn't complain about anything," he scoffed almost as if there wasn't only a piece of wood between you two and the zombies growling harshly for food. "but if i did, it would be about us dying right here and now."

you snorted and reached out to prop the door up with your flat palms. "well, gee, maybe if you tried with me we could live." a grunt escaped you from the feeling of the zombies leaning against the closet door. "yet here you are, doing absolutely nothing!"

"shouldn't you be quiet too?" scaramouche hissed between whispers, the sounds of shuffling meeting your ears from beside you and you assumed he was sitting up to help you hold up the door.

"there wouldn't be a point since the zombies already noticed us in here," you confidently retorted. you turned your head to the side to look at what he possibly be doing, hopefully not causing a ruckus. "have you even been paying atten—"

your eyes abruptly widen— and your face warms up at the sudden feeling of the jerk of a guy beside you kissing you.

your mind and thoughts trace all the way back to the hideout you and a particular group of people (childe, signora, scaramouche, you, and a few more others) took shelter in, and everyone but scaramouche had welcomed you in warmly when you joined from being solo since the zombie apocalypse started—even the sarcastic and confident la signora. he was the only person that had made it obvious that he didn't want to talk to you at all, with his brash behavior and negative words to you. everyone told you that he was like that towards anyone, but you don't see scaramouche indirectly insulting childe in his crude words during meetings or sending glares in la signora's directions almost all of the time.

yet here you are—absolutely kissing scaramouche back because you cannot deny at all that you found him dead-ass attractive since day one, even if you were sending glares back everyday and wondering what the hell he was doing kissing you during a life-or-death situation.

— the first "i love you".

yes, because dating during a zombie apocalypse was a perfect idea for two seemingly bloodthirsty rivals who were actually and completely infatuated with each other.

but surprisingly, you were here, trying not to cry and constantly shaking scaramouche's shoulders because you thought he was going to turn into a zombie.

it was supposed to be completely alright— you two got out of that zombie-filled abandoned house together just with the knives in scaramouche's pockets (which you wondered why he didn't mention them to you before the kiss happened), and you two also fought a zombie bare-handed together after one snuck into the hideout and almost bit childe.

you guys survived months of the zombie apocalypse together, even with risky patrols and break-ins of houses far from the hideout for just rations of food and spareable supplies. he hugged you close when you couldn't sleep at night, and you kept him company every time he was supposed to guard the hideout alone.

but look at you now; trying to heave scaramouche's unconscious form onto your back as you ran back to the hideout with rain heavily pouring onto the both of you.

you two had gotten into a new building downtown, and while you were distractedly going up some stairs, a zombie had suddenly sat up from laying idly on the staircase.

of course, scaramouche being the protective person he was of you, immediately pulled you back into his chest and accidentally let the zombie bite into his ankle in the process.

"you better not fall asleep!" you currently yelled out, fighting back any possible escaping tears while also praying that scaramouche would hear you over the rain and respond. you wouldn't even mind if he replied with one of his stupid, brash insults he didn't really mean—you just wanted him to talk, to prove that he was okay. "you better not be losing to a dumb, measly zombie!"

you could hear your heart pounding loudly in your ears, your pants of exhaustion getting more consistent and constant. you lifted your head up a bit higher as you ran, your rushed steps into puddles risking a harsh fall but not even the thought of it existed in your mind as you only focused on getting scaramouche to safety. you could only pray and beg to the gods that you didn't even believe in that dottore finished his project of the zombie antidote—even if it wasn't fully ready, you were not about to have your boyfriend turn into a zombie anytime soon. you wouldn't allow it.

"i'm sure the hideout is close by," you gasped out, trying to soothe scaramouche although you were mostly trying to convince yourself... and failing. panic flowed and coursed even faster throughout your body. "it has to be. it has to. we didn't go that far downtown, i'm sure of it."

you gulped anxiously and let out a breath you didn't even know you were holding. oh god—what if scaramouche turned into a zombie right here and now and bit into your shoulder? the wet strands of his hair stuck to your face and you erased the thought immediately as it came. you knew he was better than that, there was no way that could happen... right?

and low and behold, almost just to prove you wrong— a gasp escaped scaramouche from behind you and he started coughing into one of his hands that you had. looped around your neck so he would stay on your back. your relief was evident on your face as you skidded to a halt, turning your head to the side and your eyes meeting the purple eyes you loved and admired so much.

"there's," he tried to rasp out, then breathed a few deep breaths before trying to continue his sentence. "there's no way i can sleep anyway if— if you... keep hollering at me, [name]."

"oh— oh my god," you breathe, your shoulders trembling as you start to sob and kneel down to let scaramouche get off your back. you watch with blurry eyes as he cautiously and slowly hops off and crouches down beside you, you in too much of the feeling of relief to notice him patting and rubbing circles onto your back. "you're awake, you're actually okay— but— but a zombie bit you! a-and i thought you were going to become infected—" you stop talking as broken sobs interrupt your sentence, your cold hands reaching up to shakily rub your eyes.

"i'm probably fine for now," he whispers beside your ear, and you can hear the tired ache in his voice as he tries to speak. "we just need to go back to base— about now."

you can hear it in his tone that he's trying to comfort you, but he's also trying to urgently remind you that he could still turn into a zombie if you guys don't heal anything.

but you feel too emotional right now from the relief— you want to desperately stand up, but the feeling in your knees are too weak. you're not even sure if you're strong enough right now to hold up the both of your figures. the pressure is too heavy on your shoulders; you need to get up desperately, but you feel like you can't—

"i love you." the hands wiping at your eyes completely freeze in movement at his words, and you slowly look up at scaramouche in the feelings of complete confusion and shock mixed together. you don't move at all as his face softens and his own hands wipe at your face, his fingertips cold against your eyelids but you currently don't have time to care.

at your loss of words, he continues. "anyone else would've left me—you know that?" his hands move down to your jaw as he holds your face gently in his palms. "yet you still carried me... even with the chances of me turning into a zombie and getting you infected too."

and there it is, the sight that gets you the confidence to want to stand up and do almost stand up: his smile.

it's such a small smile, the tips only curved ever-so slightly. his eyes are half-lidded with the tiring exhaustion on the both of your shoulders, and strands of his hair stick to the side of his face from his wet hair.

but it's the best smile you've ever seen in your life— even if it's an optimistic smile during the zombie apocalypse.

— the first time getting a key to their place.

patrols with scaramouche are usually quiet and full of action— rather than words, you guys are creeping around the corners, avoiding zombies slouching in the streets, and looking for new buildings for supplies while strolling together on the sidewalks.

there are only small words exchanged here and there and most of the time you are the one starting the small talk. however, sometimes (although rarely) scaramouche will be the one who starts up the conversation.

you're in the middle of trying to peer into a window when you jolt at scaramouche suddenly asking, "you know how my apartment is in the next few streets over, right?"

"holy crap," you breathe out, turning around and shooting scaramouche a dirty look. "did you have to suddenly talk like that?"

blankly ignoring your question, he continues. "ever since dottore succeeded in the antidote, the number of zombies have died down a lot. do you want to go check out that side of the neighborhood?"

suddenly at his words, you perk up and grin. "wait, really? do you even have your keys with you?"

your face brightens up with curiosity when he pulls a key out of his pocket, swinging the chain back and forth in front of you.

"this apartment complex looks way too nice for surviving a zombie apocalypse," you mention, your hand carefully touching the outside wall of the building as you walk towards the main entrance with scaramouche. you turn your head towards him, but also keep your eye open to be wary of any remaining zombies, even if dottore got most of them with his work-in-progress antidote.

"the landlord was able to lock the door to the stairs that only the residents have the key to, but when the apocalypse started it wasn't like we were going to take our time and unlock the doors with zombie roaming around," he explained, stopping in front of the bottom floor entrance and opening it. there were no zombies in the first floor when you guys walked in. "i was out during the time the apocalypse started, so some people might still be in their apartments."

"oh god, i hope they're still alive if that's even possible," you say, following scaramouche to a a locked door (which you suppose is the door one of his keys can unlock). "how'd you know the landlord originally locked the door?"

"dottore and i ran into him during a patrol a while ago before you joined our hideout." you watch as he unlocks the door and lets you go first, also reminding you to still be careful with a nod of his head. "he explained that he locked the door in a panic for the safety of our residents, but didn't think about the fact of them running out of resources later on."

you hummed in acknowledgement as you climbed up the stairs, scaramouche not too far behind you. "maybe we can save some of the residents if there are any left," you say. "what floor is your apartment on?"

"the third, right here." one of his hands go to hold your shoulder still while the other reaches to open the door to the third floor in front of you. you peek your head in, taking careful note of how quiet it is. "my apartment should be the second to last one down the hallway, if i remember correctly." you cautiously step onto the floor and follow his instructions, looking for his apartment door.

when you find it and scaramouche confirms that it's his, you grin and spread your arms. "well here we are," you speak, standing in front his door. some part of you wonders if he feels a bit solemnly nostalgic seeing his old apartment again after all those months, but the other part of you also knows he's especially good at not showing his emotions. you turn to him, the key in his hand and his face as expressionless as ever. "are we gonna head in?"

"actually," you raise your eyebrows in confusion as scaramouche turns towards you, key in his hand and almost an amused type of look now on his face. "want to unlock it and take a look?"

your mouth opens and closes in slight surprise. you keep a composed face on as you say a small sure, but your heart undeniably races as you take the key in one hand and hold the doorknob in the other.

although you have been dating scaramouche for a few months now, you don't know much about him; he doesn't talk much about himself and seems to rather ask you about yourself more. what would his apartment look like? is he neat or a leaving everything around type of guy? does he decorate the walls and his room? what's his style of design? what would he even decorate his room with?

"what would you do if childe or la signora was here?" you can't help but curiously ask, hesitantly entering the key into the lock and unlocking the door—you can't help but wonder if he would trust the others into his apartment too, despite you being his romantic partner. the unlocked door makes a click sound and you wait for scaramouche's answer to unlock the door.

your mind races and your face heats up a bit as he simply states, "nothing. i wouldn't let them in unless it was only the two of us here. why?"

"just wondering," you quickly hum and nudge open the door, walking inside and hoping for a change of topic as you observe his home in awe.

but the thought of liking the sound of "only the two of us" remains on your mind.

— the first time waking up next to them.

during the zombie apocalypse whenever you couldn't sleep, scaramouche always sat down next to you while giving comforting touches here and there to get you to sleep. whenever you woke up in the morning, though, he was never there; always being the up-and-early morning person he was and talking with dottore outside the hideout.

now that the zombie apocalypse is over, though, you wake up ecstatic instead of tired—because you have never seen scaramouche look so peaceful, and now you can after the wreck of months you guys have been through.

his slight mess of bed hair makes him look more adorable rather than his usual attractive type of look. his eyelashes cascading a shadow over his close eyelids make him look more tranquil and restful. you can see his chest calmly heaving up and down with slow breaths, and his hand holding the blanket to his side.

you carefully reach out your hand and tuck a few of his hair strands to the side so you can admire his face even better, and you don't even jolt in surprise like you usually do around him when his eyelids slowly open and catch you in the act. you still brush your hands gently through his hair before pulling your hand back, tucking it underneath into the warmth of the blanket.

"i didn't say stop," he tiredly spoke, and your heart melts at hearing the sound of his sleepy morning voice for the first time. you can only sheepishly grin like an idiot in return, hugging the blanket closer as well and wrapping your mind around the fact that this is actually happening.

"nice bed hair," you speak gently, with a small additional yawn. "it looks cute on you, maybe even perfect."

"i can say the same about you," scaramouche chuckles in return. he can only watch in adoration as you yawn again and close your eyes, while tiredly speaking.

"that was the best sleep i've ever had since the start of everything," you speak, stretching your arms out to relax your limbs. "i can't believe it's finally over after everything—dottore must be having the time of his life on the news for creating the zombie antidote. so happy for him."

"you're tired, just go back to sleep," scaramouche blankly states, but there's definitely a smile on his face as he watches you talk practically in your sleep. "we can talk about it later."

"yeah, yeah, whatever," you tiredly mumble and rub your eyes, trying to keep them open. your urge to stay awake to admire a peaceful looking scaramouche runs incredibly strong, but the weight on your shoulders from the exhaustion of the whole situation still idly remains on your shoulders.

scaramouche can't help but chuckle when you open your mouth to try to talk again, only to snore away.

Is this where you request? Sry if not but

Can I get a fem! Or Gn! Reader spoiling Azul or Ruggie after a long day of work?

I believe in equally spoiling each other supremacy 😼😼😼

Ty!

Yes These two DESERVE to be spoiled!!

@mmmsleep

-You spoil Azul on a normal daily basis

-in return he buys you gifts the will out do yours

-he doesn’t let you think that though he loves the gifts you give him!

-if it’s not gifts spoil this boy with affection

-one day Azul had walked into your shared room looking exhausted and worn out.

-you put down the book you were reading and opened your arms beckoning him to com over

-like a moth to a flame he came over quickly and buried himself into your body

-he was out like light

-Play with the boys hair and you’ll have a very happy Octopus

-Ruggie is very busy with taking over most of Leona’s duties. All while working a job at Mostro.

-This boy is tired 24/7

-let him burrow his head into your chest and he’ll be fine.

-Male? Doesn’t matter. Female? Just means more cushion

-Ruggie doesn’t matter where you are Let. Him. Cuddle. You.

-After a long day Ruggie comes to his and your room to see you fast asleep.

-He’s sad that he didn’t say goodnight to you but he wasn’t gonna wake you.

-He gets into bed after getting his pjs on and basically spoons you digging his head into your neck.

-once he is out of your a light sleeper you’ll roll over and hug him going back to sleep

-deep sleeper? You’ll unconsciously do it.

my girl yanfei serves only the LAW in the court of JUSTICE 🏐🔥

"Well, is it just me, or were they also waiting for the winery's grapes to turn into fine alchohol?"

Happy (late) birthday Kaeya dearest!! ❄️🤺

who is the secret admirer?!?!

okay so i already wrote the part 2 for "yours truly" where we get to know his identity but!!!!! i wanted to talk about the little hints i left (well.... looking back on it, they weren't much)

spoilers for my fic so the explanation will be under the cut <3

OKAY. so. let's start by process of elimination, it's pretty easy to tally down the candidates.

characters from part 2 are immediately eliminated bc i NEVER planned to write a part 2 and left the secret admirer in part 1 for sure, so it can only be childe, xiao, diluc, kazuha, albedo, thoma or gorou. i thought the secret admirer not being one of the boys i wrote for would be kinda,,, redundant?? like the point of the fic was trying to find "whodunnit" and if it turned out to be someone random like.. idk. dainsleif? it'd be anti-climactic. like you spent all this time wondering who it is but it turns out to be someone the author didn't even introduce. you'd be disappointed right??? so yeah i didn't do that.

anyways

we know a few things about the secret admirer: 1) he gave flowers, 2) he knows your specific coffee order, and 3) he should be in your university in order to place the gifts on your desk (would be kinda wild if he was a neighbor of yours and he had to go to your university just to give you gifts lol)

important note: when the boys tell you something, it's better to take their word for it. only xiao has lied throughout the entire fic!

firstly, we should remove the guys who have explicitly stated they are not the secret admirer: childe and gorou. though they both admitted to having feelings for you, it's not them. they're very mopey, knowing someone else loves you and is actively trying to woo you :(

second, we'll remove the guys who aren't in your university. it's been established that thoma and kazuha are from a different school, whereas i never mentioned diluc anywhere near your uni and you only meet him through the cafe, so he's implied to not study there!

which consequently leaves us with xiao and albedo. ive brought up xiao many times during part 2, some readers were even misled into thinking he's the secret admirer. but there's really nothing to it lol i just wanted to stick him into the story :P

xiao is sus as fuck in part 1 though. he's in a bad mood when he learns someone else likes you. he wouldnt have to be so upset about the gift on your desk if he was the secret admirer! he lied about not seeing the person who placed it there, too. (which is the only lie in the fic. believe me when i say everyone else isn't feigning innocence or lying about not knowing/seeing the admirer)

LASTLYYYY albedo!!!!! he never openly expressed hostility towards the secret admirer, and only said he couldn't help you find out his identity!!

he's offended you don't consider him a possible candidate :(

and like. did no one think this random mention of a garden was suspicious. it came out of nowhere

kazuha told us outright nobody went to buy carnations at the flower shop. why? because albedo already has carnations at home!

also he's been described as observant

it's not a hint you'll understand from just this, but i'll explain a little more. remember how you first met albedo at the library and more or less studied together? well you do study dates more often after that and of course, coffee is often involved when you're cramming information into your head if you want to pass that biology final. albedo is observant enough (and has the good memory for it) to note down your special order when the barista asks for it. (diluc never denied that someone ordered with your recipe too)

also

fun fact: the ending for part 2 was supposed to be a confession scene and not a lil pov from albedo. couldn't figure out how to go about it and i also felt bad for scaramouche who was supposed to suffer through it

like. you were supposed to leave the room when albedo chickens out from confessing, hand twisting around the doorknob. but he panics when he sees you trying to leave so he places a hand to cover yours, chest nearly pressing against your back.

you turn to his direction, releasing the grip on the doorknob and is startled to see his expression so near, a gap of mere inches separating your lips. your breaths mingle as he leans even closer, words spilling out of him not on his own volition.

then the doorknob twists.

neither of you have your hands around it.

scaramouche pulls open the door and is met with an armful of you.

... he walked in on you. because that's his thing. being the eternal third wheel.

Genshin Fic Recs

so… i ventured into the vast world of Google looking for some good GI fic recs… only to find such a pitiful amount that i was promptly devastated. therefore, the solution is to make my own! :D

keep in mind most of these will be ChiLi or XingYun, and yes, i will try not to include smut unless it was one i really really liked. if anyone wants a separate list for just smut (though that will most likely be shorter) i can try to make one later.`

ft. my bookmark comments :)

Keep reading

yours truly,

premise: as a friend of the most attractive students in school, you're more than used to acting as the middleman between them and the people vying for their affection, often tasked with delivering presents or handing out their love letters. however, when you chance upon a small bouquet of flowers on your desk without a note indicating the sender or who you're meant to give it to, you start to wonder if this one's supposed to be yours.

includes: childe, xiao, diluc, kazuha, albedo, thoma & gorou !

a/n: hahaha why is this so long... anyways this is a college au + reverse harem of some sorts. enjoy. i really don't want this one to flop so likes and reblogs are appreciated thx

“Do you think it's a prank?”

“Why is that the first thing that pops into your mind?” Keqing sighs as she fixes her makeup in front of a compact mirror, smacking her lips to spread the color evenly. “You're really cute, [Name]. why wouldn't someone like you by now?”

Your face burns at the offhand comment. “You're only saying that because we're friends.”

Ayaka giggles, twirling a lock of your hair with her finger. “Of course not. You're very adorable! If anything, it'd be more surprising if nobody likes you.”

“Who do you think it's from, though?” Ganyu quietly asks from beside you, observing the handful of carnations laying on your desk. Scanning the students currently present in the room, she thoughtfully adds, “maybe someone on the shyer side since they couldn't give it to you directly?”

“Or someone who did it to be romantic,” Kokomi suggests, scrutinizing the flowers with keen eyes. “That's quite nice of them.”

You hummed in contemplation, trying to figure out who placed it on your table. “Are you sure it's not a prank... or a mistake? You all sit beside me, so maybe they mistook my seat for yours-”

“You're the only one who faithfully sits there, [Name]. We don't even have assigned seats so most of us sits wherever,” Keqing clarifies, staring at you with a disapproving look. “Don't deny it. You know it's yours.”

“But I can't think of anyone who would like me!” you exclaim in defeat. “I am curious about who gave it, though... I should try to find out who it is...”

“More importantly...” Ganyu smiles at you, noticing the blush dusting your cheeks. “Who do you want it to be?”

childe:

in all honesty, he's your first guess.

not because you think he likes you or anything! he's just a huge flirt.

at the beginning of the school year, you hardly got along. you know he's a friendly guy, but it's in the way that... intimidated you. he's part of the “mood maker” clique, attracting attention wherever he goes, and you're not sure if you could handle his energy...

you preferred to stay away from the spotlight though that's a bit hypocritical considering you're friends with the prettiest group of girls in your year, and he relished in it. you didn't know if you could get along.

you didn't become friends until you were assigned partners for a project that meant a lot for your grade, and you vowed to yourself if you couldn't be close to him, you should at least be close enough to work together without trouble.

in the end, you surprisingly hit it off, childe easing the awkward air between you with jokes and random stories to tell about his weird friends. your friendship didn't end when the project did, and you continued to hang out outside of school. you're sure he didn't approach you to get closer to your friends, either; though you had some doubts at first, he was nothing alike with the jerks who tried to use you.

you're no stranger to the pranks he pulled, nor were you unaware of his flirty nature; he occasionally entertained the lot who fancied him when he attended drinking parties. so it made perfect sense if it was childe who gave those flowers, along with the gifts that followed after. it would just be him messing around again, right? oh, definitely! it wouldn't be the first time he spent his money in reckless abandon, bragging that he has the cash to spare for it.

but unexpectedly when you bring up the topic, his expression darkens, showing no sign of joking around. he looks a little shocked, too, to know someone was pursuing you.

“it's not from me,” he admits, gently taking your hand. “but it's true that i like you.”

xiao:

xiao is one of the people you deliver presents to lol

due to his intimidating disposition (and the endless amount of nasty rumors swirling about him, thanks to said intimidating disposition), hardly anybody would dare to approach him, daunted by the perpetual scowl etched on his face. he remains as eye candy, but an entity no one could reach.

you avoided him at first, too. his face is admirable, you can say that much, but you've become somewhat desensitized from having been surrounded by pretty faces 24/7 so you can't really say it's anything new... and yes, you are scared of him to a certain degree. you could never guess what he's thinking.

you weren't sure if he's as scary as people make him out to be though, since people tend to exaggerate gossip for the sake of shock value. he once defended a middle schooler from high school delinquents (through persuasion and not with fists), but the story somehow twisted into another tale entirely detailing how xiao had brutally wiped the floor with their faces and painted the concrete floor with blood...

but as intimidating as he might seem, you don't think he's that kind of character. if you overlook his piercing glare and sharp tongue, he's quite decent.

... you thought that way until you caught him tailing you on your way home.

he crept up behind you, maintaining a natural distance, but after numerous twists and turns in hopes of leading him away, he had yet to cease heading towards your direction. you wouldn't be so suspicious if you hadn't purposely gone in circles around town, leading back to where you came from — which meant he didn't have a particular destination in mind, and fully intended on being hot on your tail.

tired of having bated breath waiting for his next move, you gathered all your courage and confronted him directly, cornering him to the nearest wall to assert dominance. xiao seemed startled by your forwardness, and you took his moment of vulnerability as an opportunity to interrogate him.

unexpectedly, he sheepishly confesses, “i'm not a stalker, i got worried since you're going home this late. haven't you heard about the crime rate these days...”

from there on, you suppose you could say you understood him better. though he's snappy and stern, he's not that terrifying, even sweet at times. when you become proper friends (and you stop suspecting him as your stalker), he saves you a seat next to him, or brings you coffee that you like when he notices you're sleepy in class.

it wasn't long until everybody came to know you were friends and a girl finally — you guessed it — asked you to send a love letter to xiao in her stead.

when you gave it to xiao, he was unusually flustered, flushed pink to the tips of his ears. his expression falls flat once you tell him it's from someone else, badly containing the disappointment to show on his face.

nevertheless, you continue to be friends, and xiao has learned not to expect much from you.

he's the earliest to arrive in class, so you ask him if he'd seen the person who gave you flowers. with a cold, hard look, he says no.

he's acting kind of weird, isn't he...

diluc:

the barista in the coffee shop near your university that has to put up with so much bullshit flirting everyday.

he has to reject people in a roundabout way, and you know he hates it, but of course he has to provide great customer service if he still wants customers right... directly breaking their hearts would only make problems.

but he takes no shit from rude customers.

no, you weren't one of them. in fact, diluc quite liked you a bit. first of all, you don't have any romantic interest for the staff, you genuinely enjoy his drinks (he knows because your face is like an open book), and you mind your own business. he tolerates you enough that he can make small talk with you and it doesn't upset him in the slightest.

so it really ticked him off when some idiot was bothering you in the cafe, starting an argument over a trivial matter that shouldn't be fussed over.

in normal circumstances, diluc would've done the usual protocol — reason with the angry customer, offer free products, and let them leave the premises peacefully. but the moment he saw the man grab your shoulders and you winced in pain as a result, he didn't even have to think of what to do next.

cold coffee rained down on the ill-mannered man's head, evoking a surprised scream out of him. his fingers left your body in favor of patting away the sticky liquid from his clothes, and you stared blankly at the seething figure behind him.

“your order,” diluc announced, his voice tinted with rage. then he pretended to remember something, looking at the empty cup in his hand. “oh, i apologize. you ordered it hot, didn't you?” he forced a smile on his face. “would you like me to brew another one for you?”

the man erupted to a new screaming fit, but he was promptly dragged aside. diluc immediately questioned if you were hurt anywhere, his voice a total 180 from before and turning into a soft tone you nearly didn't recognize.

“that stunt you pulled...” you nervously said. “will you be okay...? won't you get, er, dismissed because of it?”

“...you don't know i own this place?”

“???”

in any case, you've become good friends ever since that incident. so when your secret admirer gives you your customized drink from diluc's shop (that even xiao doesn't know the recipe of!), you ask him if there's a customer who ordered your exact drink that morning.

strangely enough, he changes the subject.

“he only gave you coffee?” diluc wrinkles his nose. “he's not fit for you.”

he proceeds to shove you a plate of pancakes for breakfast and won't let you talk about that topic again.

kazuha:

the soft-spoken boy working part-time as a florist. as one would expect, his good-looking features attracted customers left and right, just like how a flower allures bees with its colorful petals and sweet nectar.

he studies in a different university from you, but it's relatively close by and you run into each other a lot. you could say you're pretty good friends; you exchanged contact information and text every other day, phone each other up to have a meal together whenever you're both free, and hang out over the weekend.

he stirred up some drama with you once. on a rainy day, he invited you to eat lunch together, but you've forgotten to take an umbrella before leaving for school so you told him you'd be a little late 'cause you had to run to the convenience store first. however, he told you not to worry about it and abruptly ended the call.

fast forward to the afternoon: the glass doors to leave the corridors had a few people lurking by, covering what was beyond. you cocked up an eyebrow in question, confused over what was all the fuss, but then you see that familiar pale hair streaked with bright red.

kazuha stood innocently by the school gates, a crimson umbrella in hand, and a small bouquet in the other. he checked his wristwatch every few minutes, seeming to be waiting for someone. he completely ignored the gawking stares pinned on his frame, busying himself by humming a quiet tune.

you hesitantly pushed open the doors, approaching him with wary steps. he immediately perked up once noticing you, beaming brightly to greet you with enthusiasm. he offered you the bouquet, telling you it's nothing more than a small gift the owner had let him craft for free (who mistakenly thought kazuha had a lover, since he was always on his phone texting someone).

you might have known the reasons behind the present, but nobody else did. and what general implications could gifting a bouquet of flowers have?

thus, the school's online forum exploded with questions, asking for the identity of the pretty boy standing by their university, and the lucky person he'd given flowers to.

needless to say it was hard to convince your friends that no, he isn't your boyfriend.

but that was another issue! the issue NOW is the other bouquet you received, much more recent in nature. after suspecting childe, your next thought was to ask kazuha if he had any buyers who purchased the same flowers you had.

his lips twitch for a moment, faintly looking displeased. but he flashes a flawless, award-winning customer service smile, covering his initial expression easily.

“no such customer ordered for those flowers that day. but i am curious about this matter... could you humor me and explain more in detail, by any chance?”

albedo:

the med student fawned over by students and teachers alike. he's simply brilliant, idolized by the entire student body. though he's mainly studying science, he's been praised for his art as well, his paintings hung in the art room proudly.

you're not very familiar with him, only knowing him through hearsay. you don't know what he looks like, so you've never confirmed for yourself if he's as beautiful everyone says he is.

he's well-known but you haven't heard anything bad about him, which is an impressive feat. his name is only ever mentioned in concert with endless compliments.

you meet him by chance in exam season. unsurprisingly, the library is filled to the brim, tables stacked high with books and each chair occupied by agitated students sipping energy drinks and coffee to stay functional. amidst all the chaos, one student remains radiant and carefree, leisurely flicking pages through his notes. he's situated by a corner table, unbothered by the mindless zombies despite having plenty of free seats beside him and everyone else is squished together like canned tuna.

and you, carrying binders, books and stationery, are visibly desperate for a place to rest. his eyes leave the words in his notes briefly, beckoning you to come closer. and you, still unaware of his identity, gladly plop on a chair and heave your heavy supplies atop the table. it shakes for a moment as it bears the new weight, rattling his items, and the zombies gape at you in question. ironically, the person you've been bothering is not offended at all.

you sneak glances at him when you need to freshen your eyes from studying, nauseated by the letters that never seem to come to an end no matter how many paragraphs you've read. you're at awe by his fair skin, not a single blemish in sight, and he doesn't even have dark circles under his eyes. truly mysterious. either he has a magical skincare routine or he's not human. if anything, you'd think he just came from a relaxing vacation, not in the middle of hell week.

you snap out of your trance, and you scold yourself for being bewitched. you have more pressing concerns, and so you grill more information into your brain, oblivious to the turquoise eyes that begin to stare at you.

the next encounter comes when exams are finally over, and you celebrate by buying the pricey food set in the cafeteria. the crunch of golden breading is rewarding for your taste buds and you shovel more food towards your mouth, minding your own business.

the seat next to you is pulled back, and you pause from chewing. it's that guy again, his refined beauty easy for you to recognize. he places his tray on the table, smiling amiably as he asks if it's fine with you should he sit there. you nod, but there's plenty of vacant tables around. it's also pretty weird that he sat next to you, not across...

well, strange as it is, that's how you befriend albedo. you've yet to learn why he came on so strong, almost aggressive. like he really wanted to talk to you. but whatever.

the more you learn about him, the more his image of “golden boy” withers away. picture of elegance? the standard of sophistication? sure. but this guy doesn't hesitate to do the weirdest shit sometimes.

he doesn't fear anything. he puts anything edible in his mouth. one school trip to the countryside taught you a few things. if he's offered fried bugs, he'll eat it. if he's given frog legs, he'll eat it. he doesn't care. he'll eat seemingly anything. because of this, you worry his admirers will put something strange in the food they give him, but that possibility doesn't cross his mind at all. (well. not that he eats it. he rejects gifts most of the time. exceptions are when they come from you.)

you're starting to think he really doesn't fear anything. when you start to scream in fright like a headless chicken while watching a horror movie, he calmly studies the anatomy of whatever horrifying creature is on screen, questioning their ability to walk when half of their body is split apart. why is he questioning horror movie logic. “ghosts are supposed to be transparent and can pass through walls, how come she can grab the main character's hair and drag him to the incinerator?” “albedo, please.” (he comforts you when you get scared, hiding your face in his shoulder as he wraps his arms around you. he softly whispers in your ear to tell you when the scary parts are over.)

he's also an overprotective older brother. for good reason, actually. his little sister, albeit cute and outwardly harmless, is an explosive child who likes to make trouble. if he takes his eyes off her for more than two minutes, she will undoubtedly set fire to his little garden.

but aside from being a pain in the ass, his observation skills can help you — surely albedo can make a few guesses for your secret admirer's identity?

she's the reason why he's so observant. he can tell you trimmed your hair because he's all too used to klee chopping off her own hair with craft scissors. he also notices when you feel a bit under the weather. klee is the type to hide her sickness so she could play outside, and albedo would often have to forcibly tuck her back to bed. you're no different. he will, quite literally, drag you to your house and make you rest.

albedo blinks at you, uncharacteristically silent. he purses his lips, and gives you a small smile. he asks a few unassuming questions, things like what traces your secret left behind, or if they'd sent a love letter and he'd check the penmanship to see if he found it familiar.

he's not the most eager to help, you know that, but you're still slightly disappointed when he says, “sorry, i can't help you with something like that. it'd be better if you figured it out yourself.”

thoma:

the cute neighbor living in the apartment next door. just like kazuha, he studies in a different university, but you run into each other a lot because... well. obviously.

you find him rather silly. he'd signed the lease not knowing pets weren't allowed in the premises, and tearfully waved taroumaru goodbye when he moved in. to cope, he started staying at the park near the apartment building, playing with the dogs there and getting hit on by their owners in the process, but let's not talk about that.

despite being a newcomer, he fit right in with the tenants. he made effort to learn everyone's names and chatted with them whenever presented a chance, thus winning their favor. it isn't a strange sight to see him with middle-aged ladies and looking at home, listening earnestly to their complaints about their husbands or rowdy children. (his hard work pays off when they give him their special recipes and inform him of supermarket deals lol)

he seems to get along well with old men too, invited to their drinking parties. except thoma isn't good at rejecting alcohol from older adults, so when you save him from such situation — pulling him away from the old men prying into his love life, because surely a good kid like him would have someone to love him dearly — he's become eternally grateful.

he's honestly too good for his own good.

exhibit a: thoma is prone to cooking too much food for one person to eat in one sitting, so he tends to invite you to eat his hotpot with him or bring you packaged food you can easily pop into a microwave. after your one act of goodwill, he's become strangely attached to you, pronouncing you best buds. he then admits he used to live with a larger group of people (hence his cooking habits), and he's thankful for your company. (you'd argue you're getting the better end of the deal, receiving free food like this)

exhibit b: he's always available to help you in your troubles. need a hand with heavy groceries? he's on his way! ran out of soy sauce? just wait a bit, he's gonna grab some from the cupboard! forgot your key inside your apartment? then stay at his place for the meantime before the locksmith comes! your shower isn't working well?... he promises he won't peek in the bathroom, so feel free to take a bath h a h a h a. need someone's opinion on what outfit to wear for a date? sure, he's- wait.

YOU'RE GOING ON A DATE?

his face twists weirdly as you showcase two different shirts, asking which one he likes better. you raise an eyebrow when he doesn't dare to utter a single word. “are they both bad?”

he blinks rapidly, then shakes his head laughing. he half-heartedly points to the shirt in your left hand, but you can tell he doesn't really think much of it. he excuses himself fairly quickly, saying he had chores to do, and scurried back to his own home.

(you were only going to a date with ayaka's older brother because she insisted you both needed a love life, but it's not like you actually feel anything for him.)

it doesn't end there. thoma acts weird sometimes. he's strangely cold when he sees you inviting kazuha to your apartment to hang out. he also stiffens when he spots xiao walking you home.

but by far, he acted the weirdest when your phone number called him, but when he answered, he heard a different voice respond.

it's childe, whom you went drinking with. he doesn't know where you live, and you're not nearly sober enough to return home on your own, and it's not like you'll agree to staying over childe's house. you also refuse telling him your address, so childe is left with no choices but to call for someone he knows.

he uses your fingerprint to unlock the password in your phone, heading straight for your contact list, and dialed thoma.

it doesn't take long for thoma to arrive where you are, panting after running for a while, and childe is almost impressed. thoma hoists you up and you obediently wrap your arms around him.

“sorry for the trouble. [name]'s dead drunk as you can see,” childe comments, chuckling to himself. thoma doesn't look amused and replies with, “it's no trouble at all. i'd be glad to help [name] anytime.”

then in a way that almost seems possessive, thoma leaves childe behind.

so now when you arrive home, bouquet in your arms, red dusting your features, thoma is displeased once more.

(yet he is envious of those who can freely profess their affections, because he's certain if he were to ever admit his feelings to you, things can never be the same.)

gorou:

you first suspected childe because you thought the bouquet of flowers was a joke, but if it wasn't and it was real with the intentions of sweeping you off your feet...

then you might have another suspect in mind.

gorou is... a funny guy. can you put it like that? you don't know what to think of him. he's nice, you already know that very well, kokomi's good friends with him and told you a few stories about him, all of which are sweet and amusing. your first impression of him was that of a pure-hearted boy that can do no wrong.

he's younger than you by a year, and kokomi was fairly excited when she first told you he would be attending the same university soon. she promised to introduce you to him in hopes you'd be friends as well.

and okay, you could get behind that. there's nothing wrong with meeting new people. gorou sounded like a great guy too, and it'd be nice to take care of someone younger. you've been coddled by your seniors the past year as a freshman, and you thought it would only be right if you did the same to the new batch of students.

so you attended the welcoming party kokomi dragged you into. it was just a small gathering to get the freshmen familiarize themselves with older students, and she told you you'd get to meet gorou there, her eyes carefully scanning the crowd in pursuit of a specific face.

just as you were reminiscing over the past where your sadistic seniors encouraged you to drink a lot in the last welcoming party, shuddering in fright, kokomi tapped your shoulder and gestured to the brown haired boy standing before you.

it must be him. per courtesy, your lips curled into a practiced smile, exuding an amicable air. kokomi briefly exchanged a few words with him, but it looked like she was doing all the talking, the male frozen in spot as if he'd seen something strange.

he stared at you blankly, eyes slightly widened, and you slowly became unnerved with his vacant gaze, your smile faltering. you made eye contact with kokomi, silently questioning her, but she gave a subtle shrug of her shoulders, also confused by his behavior.

then, completely out of everyone's expectations, he'd dropped to the floor.

gorou had knelt on the ground with one steady knee, solemn in his endeavors. in an instant, your hand was seized, fingers enclosed in his warm palm. his piercing stare was impassioned, sincere at its core. heat shot up to the tips of your ears.

“marry me!”

his voice resounded in the entire room, earning unwanted attention. the chatter halted immediately, all eyes dedicated to the spectacle that was the both of you, and your mind began to spin, cold sweat dripping down your forehead.

your voice was caught in your throat, not knowing what to say, and all you could formulate was a garbled string of incoherent mess. undeterred, the grasp on your hand was unrelenting, gorou committed through this act until the very end.

everyone was thinking the same thing: we haven't even started drinking yet, but this little guy is drunk already??

shameless. crazy. a head with loose screws. you're probably the only one who'd describe gorou that way.

but what kind of sane man would say that upon first meeting???

kokomi quickly tried to mediate the situation for him, pulling him away and patting his back to knock him out of his dazed stupor, and pushed you to the farthest corner.

she vouched for him when she saw your puzzled expression, thinking of him as a weirdo, and she insisted he's normally not that odd. she swears he was never interested in dating before, and she isn't sure what changed for him to... propose... all of a sudden... to you, who he'd barely seen for ten seconds, no less.

naturally, it feels strange for you to see him. after that disastrous encounter, gorou — who did feel embarrassment for what he did, horrified at his own impulsiveness — tried to make amends, backtracking steps (he skipped way too many and immediately went to propose lol) and treating you normally like a friend of a friend, slowly trying to make the atmosphere between you casual instead of a freezing blizzard that kills off the amicable mood.

in spite of all that, however, you do feel as if his feelings are actually genuine. he can be clumsy, and incredibly so, you don't know who else could propose to another person within a span of a minute meeting them for the first time, but he means well! you started off on the wrong foot, and maybe this bouquet of flowers is him trying to curry your favor... or something...

yet all he gives is a disbelieving look, and that's enough to provide a clear answer: it's not from him, and he's upset.

it,, probably wasn't a good idea to ask someone who likes you about another person who likes you.

but if it isn't him, who else could it be?!

drop your guesses in the comments but im pretty sure it's already obvious lol

modern/college au with the genshin boys (preferably Scaramouche, Kaeya, Xiao, Albedo, Childe, and Kazuha) x gn!reader who's their roomate and the pair slowly fall in love? headcanons are fine! (maybe a small drabble at the end of each if you want tho ehe)

Genshin Boys as Your Slowburn Roommate

featuring: Scaramouche, Kaeya, Xiao, Albedo, Childe, Kazuha

[Genshin Masterlist]

anon i LOVED writing these so much thank u so much for requesting them!! modern roommate au is one of my absolute favourites to write and I've already had brainworms for a lot of these before so the excuse to write them all down at last has been amazing lmao

the drabbles are just short lil scenes between 150-250 words each bc I was quite inconsistent w the ideas and the way I planned this out lmfao - also little warning childe's drabble is a bit ✨spicier✨ than the rest but it's just kissing lmao

Scaramouche

This man would be an insufferable roommate, but you’ll be damned if he wasn’t the most efficiently organised person you had ever had to share a living space with.

Everything has its place and everything is spotless, just be careful not to mess with his organisation because you will have hellfire rained upon you for it. 

Disappears for days on end with no explanation, but you get an apology and a frustrated sigh every single time he comes back as he explains that he was dragged into another weekend-long bender by his friends, whom you only know as ‘the loud brat’ (who seems to be a few years younger) and ‘the other one’ (you’ve figured he likes her best).

You’re almost certain he’s only nice to you because he has to live with you, and he’d rather keep you sweet than be at odds with you, but that doesn’t explain the nights you’ll spend taking silent walks together just to enjoy the outdoor air. Nor does it explain the moments when you first come home, where he’s clearly busy but he takes time out from whatever it is he’s doing just to make sure he’s welcomed you back, even if it’s just with a simple observation of “you’re home” as he looks up from his work.

Your slowburn, one tempered through those quiet moments you share, would likely come to a head by mistake. Through an argument of some sort, perhaps you had come home late or something similar, a state wherein Scaramouche had (though he’d never dare to admit it) actually been worried about you. 

“I don’t get why you’re so damn annoyed about this,” you huff exasperatedly, throwing your arms into the air. 

“Because I love you, you stupid idiot!” He snaps, making you flinch. You blink for a second as his words process, still a little too high-strung from the sudden adrenaline rush of the argument. “Fuck, just… I didn’t say anything, okay?”

He makes an attempt to leave, to barge his way past you, but you’re stood in the doorway and you’re holding strong. You place your hand on his arm and ask him to look at you, which he does- reluctantly. Scaramouche looks in that moment like he’s desperate to be genuinely mad at you, but as though he can’t find the heart to follow through with it. 

“For what it’s worth,” you begin, tone soft and kinder as you try to placate the situation. “I’m particularly fond of you as well. Stupid idiot.”

He kisses you there and then and you can’t say you ever regretted it.

Kaeya

Literally acts like you’re married already just on account of you living with eachother. All jokes of course and he’d shut up about it if you asked, but he will introduce you as his ‘house spouse’ to his friends. 

He’s incredibly comfortable with sharing a living space with somebody, though he politely requests that you just let him have his own space when he asks of it- which works out beautifully as you request the exact same. 

If one of you plans to be home later than the other, you’ve already sent a text and the other is already making dinner for you both if you need it. He’s a surprisingly good cook, but you beg him so many times to just stop adding mushrooms to everything.

He will absolutely fall in love first and it comes as a surprise to both of you, but you suppose you can only joke about being married to someone so many times before you actually fall for them. 

This slowburn would culminate in a scene like something out of a movie, with him confessing to you somewhere so beautiful that the entire moment just feels so perfect 

And you know, in that perfect moment, that he’s the one for you.

The snow is falling so delicately over you, dusting your shoulders and the top of your head in a thin layer of white. You bundle your warm outer layers closer around yourself as you look out over the city. The park that Kaeya has brought you to is empty, but it provides the most stunning overhanging view of the college campus below- not to mention the sight of the shoreline just beyond that. It looks a little more dull and lifeless than you’re sure it would in the summer, but there is a quaint beauty to it all the same. 

“It’s pretty,” you comment, smiling up at him. 

He smiles back, nudging your shoulder in that soft playful way you’re so used to. “Not as pretty as you.”

“Flatterer,” you scoff, rubbing your arms as you watch the breath you exhale cloud up in front of your face. 

“I mean it,” Kaeya affirms, tone more serious now. His arm wraps around your shoulders and holds you closer to him and you can’t help looking up at him in curiosity. 

The air around you is palpable, your face feels so incredibly warm. He’s never been this close to you before, with your noses practically touching. You almost miss the quiet request for permission before his lips are pressed sweetly against your own and you’re losing yourself in the moment, throwing your arms around him to kiss him harder. 

Xiao

Somehow incredibly popular despite his seeming reluctance to make friends. There’s always another story for him to tell you about how he’s been confessed to out of the blue, or another mysterious package for him at the doorstep from a ‘secret admirer’. 

You’re not quite sure how he manages it, and from what he’s told you he’s equally as bemused by it. But you like that he’s open about it with you at all, because he’s told you time and again that he doesn’t really ‘do’ friendships. 

It seems that you’re his exception to a lot of things, however. He’s developed a strong sense of respect for you over the time you’ve lived together, to the point where he will just gladly exist around you without the air feeling awkward. 

The moment you first fall for him is when he comes home late one night with a small bundle of fur cradled close to his chest, purring lightly, and a heavy shopping bag slung off his arm. A stray cat, he’d rescued it on his walk back from classes and promptly stopped at the nearest store to grab everything he possibly could to look after it. You can’t say no to keeping it, especially when both it and Xiao himself look at you with the most irresistible little pouts. 

This kitty pretty much becomes your baby, as you even start to work around your routines with how best to care for it, and eventually you’re settled into such a perfect familial routine that it ends up hitting you like a brick that this is really all you want- to spend your life with Xiao like this, even if you just adopt a bunch more pets. 

The sweet fluffball curls itself up in your lap and you pet it absently, leaning back on the sofa and hanging your head back to watch Xiao as he paces around trying to collect what he needs for classes the next day. 

“You’ll hurt yourself doing that,” he notes, tapping your forehead as he passes you by. You frown and sit up, craning your neck round still to watch him as you try your best not to jostle the cat too much. 

“You’re no fun,” you pout. 

He laughs, a heavenly sound you hear far too rarely, and walks back over to you, placing a kiss atop your head. You melt into the feeling, before you realise exactly what had just happened and freeze in your tracks. It seems he hadn’t quite acknowledged what he was doing either, as he stares back at you with equal shock. 

“So, we should talk, huh?” You offer, patting the sofa next to you.

He nods, moves next to you, and you almost forget about the cat in your lap as you pull him into a soft embrace. Though you’re reminded rather harshly as the poor creature leaps up off of you to try and escape being trapped between the two of you. 

Albedo

You are not going to see this man during regular human hours. He’s essentially a cryptid at this point, leaving in mid-afternoon to go to the labs and not coming back home until the early hours of the morning (sometimes entire days later). You’re concerned about how much he eats and sleeps in this time, but he waves you off with an excuse about some new energy bar he has learned helps your motivation and efficiency levels.

However, he never fails to come back on time if you promise to cook dinner for the two of you. 

He will be there early sometimes, just to help you out. Sometimes, he will even bring you some of your favourite snacks, or a new set of notebooks if you’re running low. Just little things he has picked up on. Though he likely won’t say it outright, it is his way of thanking you for taking care of him.

This romance blossoms so very slowly, possibly one of the slowest out of any others here. 

It is one of mutual respect and trust, growing from such a beautiful symbiosis of the two of you existing around one another that suddenly not living together seems like the worst thing in the world. 

If one of you were to have plans to move out, that would prompt the other to confess abruptly. However, otherwise, you pretty much just settle into the sweetness of a romantic relationship over time as you grow more comfortable around each other. 

It is some time into the late evening when you finally hear the door unlock, but you have conveniently just finished plating up dinner for the night. 

“Honey, I’m home,” Albedo calls out to you and your heart races at the nickname. It isn’t the first time the phrase has so casually slipped from him when he has returned of an evening, but you’re almost certain you’ll never get used to it. 

“Welcome back,” you smile, bringing the plates out to the table in the makeshift living/dining room. “It’s just pasta tonight I’m afraid, we’re on a budget this month.”

“Anything you make is perfect,” Albedo hums, carefully dropping his bags at the door and kicking off his shoes. He makes his way across to you and drapes an arm across your shoulders, pressing a grateful kiss to your forehead. 

You discuss anything and everything across the small expanse of that dining room table, be it the experiment that Albedo has been working on for his thesis or the work you have been up to for your own. The conversation flows naturally, amicably, as it always has done for the few years you have lived together now. It feels as though time itself stills when you’re in Albedo’s company, as if the world doesn’t need to exist until you’re done. 

You’ve already lived lifetimes on end in the sanctuary of a home you have created together. 

Childe

Childe listens to 80’s hits and musical soundtracks on full blast from a speaker he stationed in the living room with absolutely zero shame about it, do not look at me and tell me he does not

It’s annoying as hell at times, especially if you want to study, but on occasion it’s hard not to fall into the infectious energy that he radiates as he grabs your hands and spins you around the living room with him, both of you laughing until your sides hurt

Despite most people painting Childe as a typical frat boy type I really do not see it. This man would enjoy a good party don’t get me wrong, but he’d be far too busy focusing on maintaining his physical health for wrestling club meets and events. (You’ll catch him just casually shirtless in the living room one too many times and have to walk back out before it becomes obvious to him that you’re pretty much having a heart attack at the sight). 

Not to mention the downtime he spends on the beginner tier of the archery club. To top it all off, he’d spend weekend mornings down at the swimming pool. Man’s got too tight of a schedule to party 24/7.

Your romance would be very cliche for the typical roommates-to-lovers trope. Gentle brushes of shoulders as you pass each other in the hallway, sidling around one another whilst you complete your morning routines (occasionally bickering as you do, until one or both of you cave a part of your own routine to improve the dynamic). 

Eventually, there would be this overwhelming moment that hits you, whilst you’re doing the most mundane of things together, probably just sat watching TV at the end of a long day, as he leans over and wraps his arm around you and draws you close, letting you cuddle up to his side. You crane your neck up to face him and he’s smiling down at you and in that moment you know you have to kiss him or you’ll explode. 

The rest is history.

The sound of the television across from you has devolved into static in the back of your mind as you focus on how hot Childe’s body feels against yours, the pressure of his hands on your waist as he shuffles you into his lap to kiss you with more fervour. You may have made the first move, but he’s frantic and hungry as he tries to taste as much of you as you will allow. 

“This,” he manages between breaths, between kisses, as he can’t help himself going back for more and more, “isn’t what friends do.”

“Then fuck it, we aren’t friends.” Your hands dip to the hem of his shirt and explore along his chest underneath and Childe simply can’t find it in himself to argue as he falls prey to you for the night.

In the morning, you sit down and talk things through properly, discussing where your feelings stand and what boundaries this means you should set. But that doesn’t stop you from being distracted by the handful of red marks now littering Childe’s neck as you try so hard to focus on the conversation. 

Kazuha

Very sweet roommate, you literally can’t find a complaint about him even if you try.

Leaves little messages across the refrigerator in those bright coloured letter magnets, sometimes a little poem that came to mind as he was having breakfast and sometimes just a simple ‘hope your day goes well :)’

You end up rearranging them to make little messages back, which ends up just snowballing into becoming the primary way you two communicate anything important about the other’s plans for the week. 

Falling in love with Kazuha is another that happens incredibly slowly, though a little more noticeably than with Albedo. Those little messages on the fridge end up having a little ‘x’ at the end of them to signify a little kiss, you can’t quite remember which of you started it now but you fall into the routine with it easily. 

Eventually, and by which it has been years, you come home one day and that same little fridge message is there as always- though you expect to find the same one from this morning so you can change it ready for Kazuha to see (as he returns later than you). Instead, there’s something new already. 

“I think we should date x”

Below, are the letters set up in a jumble for either ‘yes’ or ‘no’. 

You shuffle the letters for ‘yes’ into place below the message, a rush of heat finding its way to your cheeks and your heart beating erratically. As you turn to rush back to your room, hoping Kazuha doesn’t see before you’ve had the chance to calm your nerves, you crash straight into him. 

The yelp you let out is met with a lighthearted chuckle as he holds your shoulders gently and peers around you to check the refrigerator. 

“I’m glad,” he speaks after a moment. “I was almost worried you’d say no.”

“How could I?” You manage, heartbeat still pounding as you become hyper-aware of the feeling of his hands on you. “I like you a lot, you know.”

“I like you too,” he smiles, cupping your cheek in one hand and pressing such a tender kiss to your lips that you’re sure you’ve ascended into a higher plane of existence at the sheer bliss. 

anyways while im halfway through this fic, here’s a random flashback to that time a xiao main suddenly entered my world

player: I’m here

player: I’m finally home

me: um hi??

player: Hi

me: do u need anything in my world?

me: ur free to get whatever you need :>

player: You

(me inside: what the ✨faq✨ well that escalated quickly)

i got you!