Nanamu@nanam_sk

nanamu@nanam_sk 霓裾の舞

Midnight ★ Alatus

— ★ Scry: Ecliptic Umbra + Alatus + SAGAU (Cult AU) (Villain AU) — ★ Genre: Romance + Fluff & Angst — ★ Concept: In the time of dusk, he always returns. But he comes with a mystery to unravel, one that you will seek out when he comes at midnight. — ★ T/W: Mentions/implications of blood and death — ★ Words: 3k A/N: HAD AN ABSOLUTE BLAST WITH THIS ONE, DEARS! There is a small headcanon In this particular bit that I'll go through in the end :>

Teyvat is without a doubt, a lovely place, that is—if you aren’t being hunted twenty-four-seven by those who spoke ill of you and wished misfortune.

Death is a mercy and a reprieve that they aren’t willing to give.

So, what other option do you have than to run for your life?

Teyvat is not meant for an ‘impostor’ such as you.

Yet, Teyvat is the same world that aids you in fleeing.

When you race through the fields of Mondstadt, saplings grow into thick, curling into thick fir trees that block an angry mob’s way.

In the snowcaps of Dragonspine, the blizzard of snow and ice will veil your form as you’re whisked away by snow-covered creatures.

Currents of air will lift you from the ground as you flee from the chase of adventurers, and the same breeze will push you back from teetering to the edges of a cliff.

The epiphany of being this world’s creator—at least, that had been a previous life of yours—came after your own investigation.

Whilst hiding in solitude, away from the rancor of humans and other creatures alike, Teyvat aided you in discovering ancient lore pertaining to your past.

It hadn’t been difficult, considering there are ancient ruins still erected in your name.

The only issue was getting to it safely, since now that an ‘impostor’ has graced the land bearing the likeness of their beloved creator, many had come to join hands in prayer and ask for necessary divine punishment.

It’s laughable, truly, how they come to spit fire and poison upon you, claiming you to be an impostor—when they haven’t seen their creator in millenniums.

Weren’t they supposed to revel and rejoice?

Or has their simple-minded consciousness deemed that their divine beloved has truly fallen in the ancient war from long ago, and will cease to exist, only to be remembered and worshipped through stories, texts, and prayers?

Incapable of returning to a vessel?

If you had the courage to walk back to them announcing that you are their one and only, you would’ve—but you’ve little evidence to provide.

They are all blind—Archons, the Knights, the Adventurers, everyone—to Teyvat’s reverence of you.

And what more, your powers are forgotten. This mortal vessel of yours is yet to adjust to this world like it did on Earth. It will not spare you of death for it bleeds crimson, unlike the divine form you once bore.

It will take time… for you to reawaken them, both your powers and regal vessel.

But that is alright.

You will not go down this way, pushed to the limit because of the once previously, characters you adored.

The light of the blue moon peers past the hanging vines that hid the entrance to your alcove, your simple refuge.

If you are to close your eyes and listen to the nearby sound of the rushing waterfall and let the luna caress you, you’ll be fooled into thinking that you’re not being hunted like prey.

Adjusting your position so you’re comfortably nestling against the anemo slimes that wholeheartedly inch closer as if welcoming your action, you hiss, feeling the sting of a wound caused by an arrow.

The bandage has a faint dye of pink and the radius of your wound emanates a dim, barely noticeable teal glow.

Courtesy of Venti’s arrows.

If Teyvat’s winds hadn’t intercepted in the right moment, he would’ve been able to shoot through your chest—and you wouldn’t be here now. Well, if it wasn’t for Teyvat and someone.

The vines to your hiding place parts and you stiffen, holding your breath as if you’ll be able to conceal your presence away.

But the sight of chartreuse eyes makes you sigh in relief instead.

“I’ve returned, your Grace—how are you faring?”

“I’m fine,” you’re really not, but a little sting isn’t going to kill you, “Thanks for dropping by, Alatus. How have you been?”

Truly, when you’re sent to this world, you aren’t expecting the Vigilant Yaksha to be—well, his beta version.

But you suppose that’s alright, you met Subject Two as well, who is in the form of someone new and went with a new name.

The Yaksha told you that he went by the name ‘Alatus’ instead of ‘Xiao’, though the latter was proposed to him by Morax, he refused.

But what surprised you the most is this Adeptus’ lack of hostility from when you first saw him; all he did was gasp, eyes as wide as they possibly could be, before making haste to escort you someplace safe.

He’s the only one out of everyone to not raise a weapon against you.

“Nothing new, your Grace, simply purging the marshes and feigning subservience to Morax.”

Oh, right, he frequently tells you of the Archons’ plans and investigations, acting two-faced in front of the revered sovereigns of each nation to keep you safe.

Also, you don’t think you’ll get used to seeing his tiny smile every now and then, as well as his much more vocal personality, but you’re getting there.

Seeing it distracts you from the clawing horrors past this small sanctuary.

“I see, thank you, but don’t endanger yourself because of me.”

His smile twitches and for a moment, you swear you see his expression crumbling.

Ah, yes, you always did wonder how he knew you to be the creator when even the Archons thought otherwise.

“Excuse my disobedience, but I will have to turn you down… whether that be an order or a request, I will put my life on the line for you, your Grace.” His voice has gotten somber and so does his smile.

The greens of his eyes are lit with woe as if imageries from times long forgotten—at least to you—are playing in his head.

“You mustn’t concern yourself over me… instead, please focus on recovering. Then, I will join you in your quest to reawaken your powers.”

He always repeats that—joining you wherever—whenever he comes to visit, like he wants you to depend on him because no matter what, he will be there.

And for someone like Alatus, you know that he means every single bit of what he vowed.

Watching closely, you observe his tense shoulders and wandering eyes. He isn’t fidgeting, but he’s giving off telltale signs of hesitance. He’s been like this after finding you.

“… If you’ll excuse me, your Grace, I will be patrolling the nearby areas to be safe. Please, rest.”

He saved you—smiled your way, brought food and essentials, yet- why does it feel like he’s so distant? Is it because of your status? It doesn’t feel like that, though.

There has to be some reason why each time he smiles at you, it’s strained like he’s holding something back. You want to know.

Just as the Yaksha moves to leave through the vines, you stand, lips pursed. “Alatus—”

But then the sting of your wound returns with an impact as twice as strong—and you’re gasping out of pain, unable to make out any words as you begin to stumble.

You hear a panicked cry.

“[Name]!”

What’s that? Eyes wide open as the warrior swoops in to catch you before you can fall, you blink, trying to make out what you heard. Did he just…

Wounded you may be, you aren’t hearing things. You aren’t.

Remaining speechless in the wake of surprise, your figure is compliant, carefully being guided down to sit by the wall next to the panicking slimes.

He’s fussing over your wound, but thankfully, it didn’t start bleeding from your abrupt movements.

But I never gave him my name… nor is my name recorded in scholarly articles. So how did he—?

“Don’t move around too much, the wound is still fresh-“

“You said my name.”

He flinches, slowly lifting his head only to meet your [c] eyes. Seeing this, he hastily, in a graceful second, kneels before you in a knightly fashion.

The stance appears normal to him like he’s done it for so long.

“It’s wrong to utter her Grace’s name, please unleash any form of punishment that will appease you.”

“It’s not like that,” you shake your head, trying to connect the dots. “I never gave my name to anyone… so how did you know?”

“…”

Teyvat couldn’t have—it literally cannot speak… but even then, this world only ever does things when you are in danger, or you command it to.

Not once have you thought of giving your name to someone lest they use it against you in rituals.

“You never told me why you helped me, as well. Were you faking? Hiding me away so you can end me yourself?”

“I will never!” the way he looks at you with raw denial and rage is shocking.

It’s an expression you haven’t seen on his face even when you were playing the game.

He realizes what he’s done a second later, seeing you spooked and—and probably reminded of how the livid people rose against you. He’s then shamefully casting his head down with a meek apology.

“I-.. I’m sorry… your Grace.”

Oh, you could care less about how he had gotten hysteric. You needed answers.

Inching closer, you place a hand on his shoulder, “Tell me, Alatus. Why did you not raise your spear against me—when I am an impostor to the eyes of the people?”

“You aren’t.” his response is immediate, tone as certain as it could be and it’s baffling, almost touching, even.

“You’re far… from being counterfeit. Even if you are in the vessel of a mortal, I can’t possibly mistake you for an impostor.”

Gentle and meticulous, he takes your hand from his shoulder and looks your way as if asking for permission to hold you. You answer by squeezing his hand, and he does the same.

The action casts a watery gleam in his eyes as he sighs—and unveils the truth.

“… I was your protector since ancient times, your Grace. Your shield and your sword,” he licks his lips, most likely reassuring himself that he can do this. It feels like even telling you this is hurting him for some reason.

“But in the discord and war amongst the powerful, and your clash against the gods that have invaded Teyvat… I had failed to protect you.”

Oh.

His hold on your hand quakes ever so slightly, recalling a time of anguish that he has buried deep in his memories.

“I watched as your divinity is stripped away, your halo fragmented asunder, and your very life fade like the transience of stars… still, when I held you as you were dying, you did not blame me,”

Something cold drops on the back of your hand as he continues, “You said that perhaps it was meant to happen, that it will be Teyvat and your people who will turn against the marauders. And we did.”

Alatus takes a moment to pause and, after regaining his bearings, musters up a smile.

“In the end, you said—no, you vowed, that one day, you will come back to this world… when it’s free of strife and everyone is happy. And you are here. You’ve returned..”

The silence is loud. Which is to be expected… how would you respond to that?

He was someone who undoubtedly was at your side at all times.

Feeling bitter, you weaken your clasp on his fingers, saying, “I see.. my apologies, then, for doubting you. It must’ve pained you a lot.”

“My pain matters not, your Grace,” he insists, letting go of your hand—and consequently, its warmth.

Not knowing how to salvage the conversation any longer—if it can be salvaged in the first place, anyway—what with the gloomy-turned atmosphere, Alatus stands, arranging his crimson breastplate with a clear of his throat.

“Then.. I will go—”

“No.” your voice is firm, “Stay here for the night,”

His eyes are wide and his lips are gaping as he takes in what you said to him, “Your Grace, I can’t possibly leave the surrounding area unpatrolled. Your safety-!“

“Then leave when I have fallen asleep.”

He splutters.

You think a hue of pink is decorating the Adeptus' face, but you can’t say for sure—the interior of the alcove is rather dark and the only source of light is coming from the spaces between the vines.

Yet even that is only faint.

It is clear that he’s still against your order, but still, Alatus stiffly sits down next to you, discreetly wetting his dry lips and chewing on them as if it’ll abate his nervousness.

You don’t understand it, perhaps it’s because he’s still wrapping his head around the fact that you have returned?

Shaking your head, you push him down, leaning your head over his chest and wrapping your arms around him. You hear him stammer, “Your Grace… can I ask… what you’re doing?”

Alatus or not, Xiao or not, a part of him remains the very same—good heavens he needs a hug.

“Cuddling,” you say in nonchalance, adjusting your position. “You need an embrace. And—it gets cold during these hours.”

He sounds bemused as he responds, “I see.”

That’s a good thing, at the very least he’s no longer dwelling much on the tragic past between the two of you.

Little sounds coming from the surrounding slimes prompt you to turn towards them, smiling.

They seem to get the message you’re trying to deliver with a flick of your hand, and they begin to bounce towards the exit with the intent to observe the area in the stead of the warrior.

Pleased, you sigh, nestling closer to the Yaksha, trying not to chuckle at the way he shifts, unsure where to place his hands. Your composure breaks when you see his hands in midair, and you laugh.

“Silly, what are you doing? It’s fine, you can hold me,” gently, you guide his hands down to your back before pausing, “Unless you are opposed to this, of course? I don’t want to force you to do this.”

He lowers his hands immediately.

“It’s not like that, your Grace, it’s just… please rest,”

You laugh, “Alright.”

Closing your eyes, you hum, grateful for the warmth he’s providing. Subconsciously, you pull him closer, finding his small grunt to be adorable.

For a moment, you’re drifting off to the sleeping realm—in a dream where you are safe from the tides of malice and misunderstanding, but something rips you away from it. A sound. A beat.

The beat of a heart.

Opening your eyes, you listen closely. His heartbeat is…

It’s racing. Rather abnormally, might you add. And he’s gotten awfully warmer…

Bringing your head up, you ask.

“Were you just a protector?”

Alatus’ face immediately delves right into a deeper shade of pink, his stammers serving enough as answers.

Something tweaks your chest as you rose with the use of your elbows, resting your cheek on your fist.

Oh? In interest, you hum, “So you weren’t,”

His heartbeat just raced even faster and you think it had to do with your close distance, so, you withdraw, parting with a laugh.

“Were you a partner in romance, maybe? A husband? Consort?” you tap your chin, whispering, “Mm, perhaps someone I had benefits with?”

He jerks, spluttering with a red face. “Do tell me what her Grace means by that!”

“Oh, it's just a saying from where I’m from.”

It grows quiet again, only the echoes of your short giggles heard in the alcove.

This time around, you didn’t bother saying anything, choosing to sit instead of cuddle him again. The results of your minor teasing have resulted in this awkward ambiance, or maybe you’ve also gotten a tad shy.

You didn’t know what came over you for a moment, but it felt right, the tiny banter and teasing.

It’s like it’s happened plenty of times ago.

“… I confessed a long time ago, but I was never given an answer,” not expecting him to open up this many times in the span of an hour, you look his way, studying the nostalgia in his face.

“I suppose that’s alright, though. It was my mistake to speak of it moments before the war.”

No wonder he had received no answers, because by the end of the war… he was left alone.

A lump on your throat has come unknowingly, so you swallow it down, feeling oddly nervous.

“Do you still… ?”

His response is as swift as ever.

“Not once has it waned, your Grace,”

Ah—

Trying not to think much of the intensity of his emerald stare, you mutter, “[Name]. Call me [Name].”

You’re unable to keep track of the various emotions that flood his face, but you manage to make out bewilderment and evident fluster.

“But—your Grace, to refer to you so casually-“

Ah, that, you can understand.

In the now scary streets of Mondstadt and Liyue, no one really refers to the beloved creator by her name, only by epithets and titles. You assume that having him call you by your name means a lot.

A trust—a sort of special connection.

“I don’t mind, besides, I have a feeling I had you call me by it back then. You wouldn’t have said my name earlier if not.”

Your astute reply causes him to avert his stare, feeling the prior weight of his slip-up bounce onto him.

Alatus can’t speak for a few seconds, only taking shy glances every now and then—which is new to you but all the more adorable—but when he reclaims his vigilance, he nods.

“I understand, alright.. [Name].”

“That sounds better, come, let’s rest.”

This time, snuggling closer to the Yaksha comes like a breeze for he’s no longer restrained with thoughts that prevent him from gaining comfort.

As he holds you close without any warning, you feel warmth coming to your cheeks.

Somehow.. it felt right.

You do not know what you would’ve said to his confession all those years ago—but by the way your own heart is fluttering in your chest, you’re certain you returned his feelings. Perhaps this time, fate will smile upon you both.

Maybe this time, soon, you’ll learn to love him again.

a/n: for this one, Alatus was MC's bodyguard in the past. This was a small challenge to write since I'm so used to writing Xiao being all chill, cool, and the exact opposite of Alatus who's more expressive- so I had to do tons of reread for once-

But I'm glad with the results! I hope you all enjoyed :>> PS. A tiny alteration is how I kept MC's blood to be red than gold. This says that she's still in mortal form, and the journey she'll take is one that will help reclaim her power + divinity. Eventually leading to gold blood~

@cherryflushz @e7t3 @scarlet-halos @lordbugs @koi-chairowo @uwu-dreams

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭'𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬

For the 700 followers i wanna submit Xiao with fluff dialogue 15 (what a surprise) and general scenario uuuuuuuh 7 because 700 followers

Congrats on the milestone!!!

Hehe, thank you! <3 Ngl, the combination of prompts left me a bit at a loss when I first looked at them but I hope I managed to combine them in a way that makes sense. Anyway, have fun reading! <3

Prompts: fluff, 15: “There’s something missing when you’re not by my side.” + general, 7: jealousy (700 followers event: Mystery Prompts)

Happy Lantern Rite – Xiao x gn!reader (fluff)

The Lantern Rite had always been your highlight of the year. But this time, it was even more amazing. The whole city seemed to be engulfed in this soft, golden light, illuminating the various food stalls and different activities the Ministry of Civil Affairs had organized. Children were playing around with the Shadow Lanterns while their parents indulged in delicious foods and drinks. Everyone around you was smiling and laughing, enjoying the festivities and the buzzing atmosphere. But your favorite part, the actual highlight of this year’s Lantern Rite, was yet to come – and you still hadn’t found the perfect spot to watch the fireworks that everyone had been talking about since the festival had started.

Originally, you had planned to go to Yujing Terrace but you knew that it would be way too crowded for your liking once the show started, so it definitely wasn’t your favorite option, no matter how nice the view would be from there.

With a sigh, you leaned against the railing. Surely the fireworks would look really pretty from here too, when they would reflect in the water of the ocean that seemed to be particularly clear today, a deep, twinkling blue that would be the perfect backdrop for the bright lights of the firecrackers. But you still weren’t completely satisfied with your choice. Maybe it was because the area surrounding the stars that led up to the Ministry of Civil Affairs was beginning to get crowded as well or because the smell of the various dishes people were enjoying started to overwhelm your senses or-

You sighed again. Who were you trying to fool? You knew exactly why you were feeling like that, and there wasn’t a point in denying it. You were still upset because Xiao, that stubborn adeptus you fell so hopelessly in love with, had outright refused to accompany you on your trip to Liyue Harbour. Too many people, he had said when you had asked him for a reason, disappointment written all over your face.

You knew that he preferred to keep to himself, and usually, you didn’t mind it too much but today, it really bothered you. Even more so when you had to see everyone around you gathering in groups of two, three, sometimes more to watch the firework show together. They all were laughing and joking around, enjoying their time together while you slowly started to feel like the loneliest person in the whole city. Of course, you weren’t the only one who was here alone, and it also hadn’t bothered you the whole day, but now you wished you could share that special moment when the fireworks would illuminate the night sky with Xiao.

And especially in moments like this, you couldn’t help but be deeply jealous of the solitude he surrounded himself with. He never thought twice about being alone, gladly choosing it over any other option while you always had to persuade him for what felt like an eternity to go somewhere with you. There were no doubts that he loved you and enjoyed to be with you, but sometimes you wished that he was a bit less hesitant about accompanying you. But then again, you respected his decisions and his boundaries and would never ask him to change anything about himself – especially not when he’d feel uncomfortable with it. It was just that you felt almost incomplete when he wasn’t with you. Like you were desperately trying to find something you lost, knowing very well that you’d never be able to figure out where it was. It was pathetic to miss him like that, and yet there was nothing you could do about it.

You stared down into the water, lost in your own thoughts as you tried to fight back that awful mixture of utter disappointment and jealousy that threatened to overwhelm you. It only got worse when you heard the giggles and sweet words from a pair of lovers nearby, no matter how hard you tried to just ignore them. It was unfair to grudge them their happiness simply because your boyfriend wasn’t here, and you really shouldn’t get annoyed by them so easily – but just the sight of them made you feel so damn lonely that you wanted to scream.

And then, all of a sudden, a pair of arms wrapped around your waist and the ground beneath your feet disappeared. Startled, you closed your eyes, your breath hitching in your throat, your heart skipping a beat. Only a few seconds later, you were set back down.

When you opened your eyes again, the hustle and bustle of Liyue Harbour around you had disappeared, as well as the cheerful voices of the other festival-goers. Instead, you found yourself high above the city, at the top of Mount Tianheng where one had the most stunning view over Liyue Harbour and the adjacent ocean.

“I figured we could see the fireworks better from up here,” someone behind you said quietly, slowly releasing you from their embrace, only to tumble a few steps backwards when you threw your arms around them in an impetuous hug. “Xiao!” you exclaimed. “You’re here!”

He huffed, awkwardly patting your back. “Obviously.”

“What made you change your mind? I thought you wanted to spend the day alone.”

“I never said that. I just said that I didn’t want to go to the city today,” he replied, holding you at arm’s length as an unusually soft smile flashed over his face. “I could sense that you were feeling upset and – I thought it wouldn’t be too bad to watch the fireworks together. Um – if you still want my company, of course.”

You couldn’t help but smile back at him. Gone was the disappointment that had been on your mind almost the whole day. “You came here because you sensed that I was upset? I didn’t even know that was possible.”

He turned his head away to avoid your gaze but you could still see the rose-tinted blush that crept up his cheeks. “To be completely honest, I always keep an eye on you when you’re out alone. I noticed you looked awfully sad earlier, so I – I thought it would make you happy if you didn’t have to be alone for the rest of the day.”

“Oh.” You were pretty sure you had hearts in your eyes at this point. It was rare that Xiao said something like this because sweet-talking didn’t make much sense to him but that only made moments like this more precious. “Thank you.”

He nodded, allowing you to pull him into a tight hug once again. “I have to admit that I, too, feel a lot better now that you’re here with me.”

“Why’s that?”

“I don’t know how to explain it,” Xiao said, hesitatingly locking his gaze with yours. His golden eyes were filled with so much devotion that it sent a shiver down your spine but you could also see a hint of insecurity as he looked back at you. Reassuringly, you cupped his cheek, your heart skipping a beat when he leaned into your touch ever so slightly. “Try it,” you replied softly. “I’ll listen.”

A sigh escaped his slightly parted lips. “Fine. You know that I don’t like Lantern Rite – that’s why I didn’t want to do go Liyue with you, and in that moment, it felt right to make that decision. But as soon as you had left – well, let’s say I wasn’t so sure about that anymore. It’s like – it’s like there’s something missing when you’re not by my side. I feel lonely when you’re not with me.”

The blush on his cheeks had deepened with every word but this time, Xiao made no effort to hide it. It would have been pointless anyway because your hand was still resting on his cheek, your thumb softly caressing your skin. “I feel the same way, you know,” you admitted. “The festival was beautiful today and I really enjoyed it but it would have been even better with you by my side. I missed you.”

He didn’t reply, at least not verbally. Instead, he brushed his lips against yours in an almost chaste kiss, only to let out a quiet, surprised gasp when you pulled him closer, carefully deepening the kiss, right as the sky over Liyue Harbour exploded into bright colors and all kinds of shapes. The firework show had started.

You leaned your forehead against Xiao’s, smiling softly back at him. “Happy Lantern Rite.”

He rolled his eyes but wrapped his arm around your waist as you turned around to watch the fireworks in silence. Maybe mortals had been right all along, Xiao thought to himself. Perhaps fireworks could indeed fight off evil. Or maybe he was just feeling this way because you were here, snuggled up against him as you watched the colorful explosions with bright eyes. In any case, he hadn’t felt so much at ease in a long time.

“Happy Lantern Rite, (Y/N).”

Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed it please consider reblogging. I'd really appreciate the support. <3

Taglist: @the-gayest-sky-kid @shanmie @somemothgoingferal @the-fifteen

刻雨清々@kokuusinsin 

Does this fanfiction make sense? Hold water? Not an ounce! Does that mean I’m going to stop writing it? Not an ounce! I’m a moron with a keyboard and half an idea and that’s your problem now. God couldn’t stop me and neither could my dad, and now I’m on your screen with another thousand words of whatever the fuck this is. Bon appetite bitch!

[attempting to flirt] if i was stuck in a timeloop id desperately explain my situation to you every single reset