Lights, Camera, Action!

lights, camera, action!

premise. in which you get yourself involved in a lot of unscripted drama. (genshin celebrity au.)

includes. xiao, childe, albedo, ayato, scaramouche, thoma & kazuha.

next episode. unavailable.

note. i surprised myself with how much plot this actually has.

零 ; you, the typecasted “passerby a”

the path to stardom is an arduous journey, but you've already abandoned your dreams not even halfway down the road.

you are far from the fresh newbie you once were. maybe you hoped to be famous at some point, your name sung in ardent praises and joint with stellar performances, but you've never received major roles that strayed from “classmate b” or “the protagonist's best friend” who only ever appears to give advice.

the closest you've been to getting a main character role is being part of the second pairing of a cheesy romance drama that never became a hit, a series with a generic plot and a bland cast of no name actors.

but you can't deny the spark of hope lighting your heart when you receive word of an audition for an upcoming drama adaptation of a well-loved webtoon series, a series you are an avid fan of. it's a murder mystery following a genius detective striving to solve a serial killings cold case, with snippets of romance and the occasional comedy, grim as the premise may be.

once the drama adaptation was confirmed, it quickly became a hot topic; fans are anticipating the casting and filming crew, expecting nothing less of perfection to honor the brilliant source material. by all accounts, it's big news, and snagging even a minor role would definitely earn you more recognition.

if you're chosen to act as the victim in the first murder, you would already be beyond satisfied—being part of such a masterpiece is enough to make you overjoyed. you don't have too high hopes but there's no harm in trying for the audition, right?

yes. no harm at all.

that's if you don't count the brain damage you suffered when your head slammed against the wall from complete shock as you received an e-mail from the staff confirming your admittance to the project.

as the protagonist's love interest, no less—a journalist investigating the serial murders to enact revenge on their younger brother's stead, the third victim in the killings.

一 ; xiao, the celebrity crush

acting practice is generally considered a casual affair in every project you've taken on, yet you couldn't help but spend hours trying to make yourself look presentable (and avoid looking like a beggar compared to your shining idols when you stand side by side). you may be a tad bit overdressed, but you'd hate to make a fool out of yourself on day one.

except that is exactly what you do. because you're a walking disaster.

in your defense, it's not even your fault! the moment you step foot in the venue, you're ushered by the staff to a row of waiting rooms... without any nameplates attached by the doors and no indication of where you're supposed to go. left with no other choice, you mentally count eeny meeny miny moe and surge forward for the chosen room.

you can't tell if you're tremendously lucky or the most unfortunate person on earth, but you come face to face with a person you never thought you'd see in the flesh.

the thing is, the staff never informed you of your future colleagues. the casting is a well-kept secret, even from the actors themselves, to prevent information leaks to the media before the official announcement.

you really wish you had time to prepare yourself before you had to meet xiao, though.

he's lounging by the sofa, curls of dark hair sprawled on the cushions. his face is obscured by an eye mask, fashioned in a cute design you wouldn't expect him to take an interest in at all. if you took a picture of him right now and printed them as merchandise, you're sure they'll sell like hotcakes, but a selfish part of you wants to keep this sight to yourself.

yes, because... because you've been crushing on him since forever!

you've seen his growth as an actor as far back as five years ago, when he only just started his career! he made the perfect mysterious pretty boy male lead, and the romance film he starred in was such a good classic! but he didn't get typecasted, no no. he went beyond his pretty boy persona to work in other productions, where he acted as the crazed antagonist in a horror movie. that, too, eventually became a classic film for any horror movie fan. his murderous glare is just too damn scary!

he's excellent in action-packed movies as well, there's never a need for stunt doubles with him. you've seen his behind the scene clips, and they're just awesome. he doesn't speak much in interviews, his replies clipped and hardly substantial, but you try to catch each piece of precious footage.

oh fuck i shouldn't be here. you snap back to your senses and reach for the doorknob, but the creaking sound of the door prompts xiao to twitch.

a pale hand drags down the eye mask to his chin, and his dazed golden eyes pin you in place.

“...who are you?”

it's a simple question, but it's like you're trying to prove your innocence to court. you begin to ramble, introducing yourself in a series of stutters, and explaining how you got to his room. you insist you aren't there to peep on him and it was a complete accident.

“...so you entered my room by mistake,” xiao summarizes your ten paragraphs-worth of explanation into a single concise sentence. he doesn't look angry, but doesn't look pleased by your presence either. “it's fine. i could guess the staff was too busy to show you your room.” he sits up properly, fixing his hair messy from his nap. “you're the journalist, right? i look forward to working with you.”

rather than a job, filming feels more like a reward. you get to see xiao everyday, get to talk to xiao even if it's just you commenting on the weather, get to eat with him in lunch breaks (you're seven seats away from him but that counts, right?) and get to act alongside him-

and xiao is the second male lead. you get to act romantic scenes with him. you get to act lovey-dovey with xiao in a police uniform because he's a policeman in this show.

each brush of your hands together sends your heart racing in a speed too fast to be healthy, but as an actor, you're expected to keep your composure and deliver your lines properly.

(the makeup artist is always wondering why you look so red on screen when she swears she didn't put much blush on you, though.)

“don't you need to ask something of me?”

you blink innocently as you peel off the heavy costume, the last scene for the day finally wrapped up. xiao must be feeling hot too because he's also wearing a huge coat in the middle of summer—his face is beet red.

“ask you for something...?” your cheeks burn bright. “oh no, was i too obvious?”

xiao awkwardly looks away. “you could say that.”

how mortifying! you fan your face, hoping your makeup isn't too melted. you already feel like an idiot, no need to look like one.

but xiao already thinks you're stupid. no turning back now.

“o... okay... since the cat is out of the bag, then...” you pull out a pen and a piece of paper, holding it out to him. “please give me your autograph!”

“...what.”

“i've been your fan for the last five years! i don't know who ratted me out, actually i'm about 87% sure it's childe, but since you know-”

“wait- what? five years?”

“.........if that's not what you're talking about, then what is?”

“no, i thought you wanted me to ask me ou-”

he seals his lips at the most crucial moment, horrified at himself. “sorry. i'll ask you another time.”

... and then he walks away. just like that.

“xiao, what about my autograph?!”

“forget it!”

“why all of a sudden?!”

二 ; childe, the scandal magnet

notorious for the massive number of scandals under his belt, it's a surprise to find ajax (with a stage name of childe) in the set of this major production. you're advised by your manager to steer clear of him and avoid unnecessary contact to prevent sullying your reputation, but you can't deny his acting prowess—he shines on the stage, a performance you can't tear your eyes away from.

he's incredibly versatile, capable of taking on any role and absorbing the character to make it come to life, almost as if he is its incarnation.

it starts as a simple game before actual practice, each actor asked to draw lots from pieces of paper scribbled with different roles, and given an accompanying script to base off of.

everyone laughs when childe, ironically enough, draws the “womanizer who cheats on his lover.”

unfortunately, you couldn't laugh along with them because you picked the “lover” role. your incredible (read: atrocious) luck astounds you.

it goes just about as well as everyone expects it. childe, seemingly in his element, plays the part of a perfect scumbag. it's easy to hate him like this, all flamboyant gestures and empty promises of “you are my one and only.” his performance inspires you to try harder, and so you raise your voice, your passionate screams of indignance almost sounding heart-felt, like you truly are experiencing a severe betrayal.

when childe sweeps you into his arms, whispering platitudes dripping with honey, you're nearly fooled into forgiving him.

it's hard to get yourself out of the role when the director ends the scene, satisfied with the act. childe's expression returns to its usual lazy grin, a far cry from the smug smirk prior, and he pats your head to wake you up. “nice work. i really felt like i was getting scolded by an angry girlfriend.”

dazzled by his brilliance, you barely have enough coherence to return the compliment.

your awe doubles when he performs his next act.

much to xiao's horror, he picks the “dying younger brother” role, a direct accompaniment to childe's “grieving older brother.” they make an... interesting pair, but they're also professionals, and the scene they perform almost makes you weep real tears.

xiao lays limp on the floor like a lifeless doll, and childe cradles him to his chest, delivering his lines with sobs and cries that sound too real to be an act. his heart-wrenching wails bounce from the walls, going straight to strike your heart. his voice cuts through the air, demanding your attention, as if telling you to keep your eyes on him and to never look away.

it's nothing like the sleazebag character he was playing twenty minutes ago, and you have to remind yourself your scripts are only given once you've drawn lots; he had a maximum of five minutes to read through it, process the information, decide how to deliver his lines, and visualize himself performing it in the best way possible.

like this, he doesn't look at all like the scandalous man everyone makes him out to be. he's just an earnest man who's good at pretending to be someone else.

it's terrifying to think about. did he ever act like his true self when the cameras stopped rolling, then? was he just playing the part of a “good co-worker” when he was talking to you earlier? was the whole “scandalous womanizer” image something he set up for himself? a reputation he deliberately made to attract the media's attention? it isn't unusual for actors to cause drama as a publicity stunt, after all.

no, that doesn't make sense. no matter how desperate, nobody would like bad rumors circulating about them. as much as your name is spread around, it also goes hand in hand with distasteful gossip. childe is plenty famous, even before the scandals began popping up, so he never really needed them and they would only further ruin his image...

...on the contrary, if there's anyone getting famous from those scandals, it's...

...the girls he supposedly hooked up with?

rather than making those scandals for fame, doesn't it make more sense if those girls fabricated stories and took advantage of his reputation?

it's no secret that meddlesome paparazzi and hardcore fans obsessively pry into celebrities' personal lives. if they sniff a hint of dating scandals, they don't stop digging. furthermore, once the media releases information to the public, people will take it as fact. in actuality, it doesn't matter what's true or not; what the public wants to believe becomes the “truth.”

if the people deemed it plausible, if they thought “childe would definitely do something like this, so of course if the girl says they hooked up in the dressing room, they did”...

...even if childe denied those claims, nobody would believe him. not even you. you didn't think about it until now. in fact, at the very beginning, you already had assumptions about him, devouring the media's lies.

childe laughs when you apologize to him. it was certainly a shock when you suddenly knocked on his door, then the instance he opened it, you began to bow deeply, nearly slamming your forehead to his chest.

“i'm used to it, don't worry.” he smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. “you were so stiff around me, it was pretty obvious what you thought of me. but you didn't have to apologize.”

“no, i do! i was being disrespectful!” you insist, taking him by surprise when you grab the lapels of his jacket. “you're nothing like what they say! i'm sure you've been through a lot just because everyone keeps saying whatever they want, without thinking of your feelings... and everyone laughed that one time we played the acting game... i... i can't take back the time i've spent being suspicious of you, but i want to change that!” you stare directly at his widened eyes, determined. “i want to know you better, ajax!”

the use of his real name stuns him and for a moment, all he can do is gape at you.

then he narrows his eyes, his lips shaping to a firm line, and he tugs you inside the room.

a yelp unwittingly escapes your mouth when you're pressed against the door, his arms caging either side of you. his expression is unfamiliar now, unlike anything you've ever seen before; uncharacteristically stern, harsher around the edges, spiteful gaze boring holes into your skull.

“you want to know me better... some pretty words you just said. what do you actually want?”

your breath hitches when his hand caresses your cheek, but the striking glare he's giving you makes you think he wants to sink his nails deep into your skin instead.

“this isn't the first time someone tried to approach me, you know. what, you want to be friends with me? you're going to ask if i can invite you to my house? then you're going to tell people how i took advantage of you while you were sleeping?”

“what- no! of course not!” you yell, face heating up just by the thought of it. “nevermind lying to the media, i don't have the guts to sleep over a guy's house i barely even know!”

his expression falls to a deadpan. “oh. my bad. you're quite pure, aren't you. of course you wouldn't.”

“that's what makes you believe me?!”

the arms caging you falls to his sides as he walks away, leaving you dumfounded. “right, right, sorry for scaring you. can't you let me off easy? it's pretty hard to trust someone when you're in my position. if i treat you to dinner, will you forgive me?”

“i... i came here with good intentions... now i feel as though i was harassed...”

his usual smile falls on his face, like he's a completely different person from the man who trapped you just seconds prior. “what do you think about seafood? i'll let you eat as many crabs as you like. i really am sorry, promise. if you were saying the truth earlier, then i'd be glad to know you better too, [name].”

you give him a look. “...if they saw us entering a restaurant together, wouldn't that attract rumors?”

“hm? is everyone so narrow-minded they think anyone who eats together is in an illicit relationship?”

the answer is no, so you eat as much crabs and shrimp as you want to your heart's content. you're getting your food's worth for that fright he caused earlier. childe isn't complaining anyway, only impressed with how much dishes you're practically inhaling.

in any case, it isn't a date. there is no ambience or heart-pounding romance of any sort. not when you're overtly taking advantage of his money and childe's taking ugly pictures of you mid-bite.

but then, of course, the media takes note of it; the topic of your outing is brought up at an interview, to which you fret and panic because you were never popular enough to be interviewed before, and they're asking if you're fucking childe, of all things-

“what are you talking about?” childe pops up behind you, unhelpfully wrapping an arm around your shoulders as if he wants to add fuel to the fire. he chuckles, tilting your chin to lean closer to his face. “i'm just pursuing [name]. nothing's happened yet. unless [name] wants to...”

you take it back. he's definitely at fault for having this many scandals.

三 ; albedo, the male lead

the first day of rehearsals, the protagonist of the drama isn't even there.

to your astonishment, nobody complains about it. twenty minutes into practice (most scenes skipped due to the protagonist's absence), the director gets a call and excuses himself outside. less than a minute after, he informs everyone the star of the show won't be able to make it.

the actors trade unsure looks, wondering what the hell is going on, but the rest of the staff remain unfazed. the director notices and explains, “it's albedo. his busy schedule can't be helped. his manager called me to let me know his flight got delayed.”

and then it makes much more sense.

albedo is well-renowned in the film industry, an extraordinary talent who first came into showbiz three years ago. it's not at all a long time, but it's long enough for him to receive countless awards and bountiful movie offers—he was just born for the stage. if anything, this drama is lucky to have him in it, not the other way around. a late arrival for a rehearsal is nothing. he could probably disappear for two months without telling anybody and when he comes back, the director would beg him to act for the drama for twice the pay. (an exaggeration, but you get the point.)

and... you're expected to partner with him? you? a speck of dust compared to the sun that is albedo? you have to match his brilliance and not look like a turd beside him on screen? you have to be equals with him and- and you actually get to- you get to hold hands with him, kiss him, and- those couple stuff? everything? his fans would murder you if your mother doesn't kill you first! you know she likes his movies a lot!

the fourth day of rehearsals, he finally comes to the set. not with an air of arrogance or excessive pride. he just exudes confidence, strutting to the room in an elegant poise you can't hope to replicate. he gives his sincere apologies for the inconvenience to the staff, all polite bows and offer of recompense.

“but there's no reason to worry,” he declares, gaze steely. “i won't make any more trouble for you.”

he refuses when the director suggests taking it slowly and instead goes straight to practice. but it doesn't look like he needs any of it at all.

as if he's been here all along, he falls into place with the other actors, not a single awkward pause in their scripted conversations and everything smooth sailing. he delivers a flawless performance, like the cameras are already rolling and he's practiced for tens of thousands of times already, not read through a portion of the script in the car ride towards the set.

there is one thing he's struggling with, however.

“you're too stiff with each other,” the acting coach comments, frowning slightly at the two of you and cutting the scene short. “rather than bickering, it's like you're actually arguing, and that's not what we want to portray.”

you blink, exchanging a look with albedo, and look down at his collar you're still gripping.

maybe you do look like you're trying to strangle him instead of pulling him closer to your face for some good ol' sexual tension.

originally, the characters you play didn't get along well in the beginning of the webtoon; the genius detective didn't like to rely on others, conceited enough to believe he can solve the case on his own, hence seeing the journalist as a hindrance since they kept pestering him to let them help him, and he help them in turn so they could work together. the detective didn't deem them “useful” for the investigation, and it was only much later that he (begrudgingly) admitted the journalist can be helpful... sometimes. thus officially starting their partnership for the investigation, and later on, partners in the romantic sense.

there were quite a lot of bickering scenes before the actual romance commenced, and you're struggling with finding a delicate balance to that—where exactly do you draw the line between petty squabbles and severe disputes? how do you show the chemistry between these two characters while butting heads in every instance? the enemies to lovers trope is harder to act than it seems.

“try to get familiar,” the director suggests. “you're stiff because you don't know each other well. you're too shy to touch or get closer. why not leave early and go on a little date by yourselves to fix that?”

“is that really okay...?” you say, unsure. besides being hesitant to leave earlier than the rest, you're also nervous to be alone with your co-actor.

“if he says it's fine, then it's fine.” albedo shrugs, starting to walk towards the dressing room and tugging you along. “but if we're going outside, we should wear disguises. it's also fine if we borrow some of your clothes, right?”

“of course, of course~” the director indulges him. “have fun, kiddos.”

as it turns out, albedo is a master of disguise. he doesn't even have a wig or anything but you almost can't recognize him clad in casual attire. he also almost looks like a stylist while figuring out what outfit to give you, and you're left in awe when you look at yourself in the mirror wearing clothes you wouldn't normally pick out yourself but they look really, really good on you, and they do a good job changing your image too. not that you think anybody would recognize you anyway, unpopular and all.

“where do you want to go?” you trail after him on the way to the bus station, always a step or two behind. albedo makes a humming noise, subtly slowing his pace to match your strides.

“why not just go wherever our feet takes us?” he pipes up. “as long as it's not teeming with people, of course.”

so with zero preparation at all, you do just that. you stop by a bookstore, with you showing him around the comics section and him adamantly insisting the plain hard-cover literature he's picking up is a thrilling epic that will definitely pique your interest, [name] stop yawning-

you pay a visit to the arcade, where you find albedo is clumsy with his feet and can't play dance dance revolution to save his life, but also unnecessarily adept with claw machines because he has a little sister who loves getting stuffed toys. you compete over who gets the most points in the basketball game to decide who pays for dinner, end up in a tie, and move on to a zombie shooting game. you win by a narrow margin and albedo tells you so, but you point a finger at the results and tell him to cough up the cash. then you play around in the photo booth using the craziest filters, and you take the liberty of pasting stickers everywhere.

dinner is a simple affair. albedo looks ready to go to some michelin star establishment but you introduce him to a sushi restaurant that's relatively cheap. he's impressed by the way you swipe at the conveyor belt so quickly. okay, so you may look like an utter glutton right now, but it's fine. not the first time you embarrassed yourself in front of a co-actor.

lastly, you stop by an ice cream shop to get gelato. your appetite is “awe-inspiring,” as albedo put it, but you argue there's always room for dessert.

“will this actually help us, though...?” you sigh, eating a spoonful of gelato. “i don't understand the difference between bickering and arguing.”

“we've done it the whole day,” albedo reminds you, using a tissue to clean the residue of cream on your cheek. “we'll do just fine.”

you stare at him in disbelief. “...is this also one of your habits from taking care of your sister?”

“ah. you could say that.”

just as albedo said, filming goes a lot more smoothly. the playful air is a huge improvement compared to last time when they said you looked ready to beat him to submission. the romantic tidbits are coming along well, too, spun between action-packed scenes where you're pressed against albedo in a slim locker to hide from the murderer lurking nearby or sweet slice of life moments outside of the investigation.

at last, the confession scene is upon you. just a while back, the two main characters got into a full-blown argument; the detective was irritated by the lack of progress in the investigation, and deduced his feelings were distracting him. he decided to keep the journalist at arm's length, never allowing them to go close. of course, they didn't react well to this, and so they pester him again, but the argument became heated and it eventually peaked to “you're an inconvenience to me!” which led them to separate ways.

the journalist, desperate to solve the case on their own, approached people who seemed to be in the know. they were nearly pulled into bed by an attractive yet suspicious man, who's genuinely interested in the journalist romantically and used intel on their younger brother's murder as leverage, but they get interrupted by the detective pounding on the door.

he dragged the journalist out, thoroughly upset at the notion of selling themself, but they deny the accusations and claim they were tricked.

the argument stretched longer, the both of them airing out everything they dislike about the other, but the detective accidentally slipped and confessed his real feelings. the journalist, who never thought of him that way, was frozen on the spot.

it's a long scene requiring much preparation. aside from the amount of lines you have to memorize, there's also a hotel suite you have to borrow for the shoot, the cameras they need to set for the “dragging” scene that has a lot of movement, the really awkward half-bedroom scene you have to act with your co-actor, and the fact that you have to take the confession scene before the sun completely set.

it's truly a busy day. anxiety plagued you the moment you came out of the makeup room, knowing what comes next.

but it's a job, and one especially you couldn't afford to slack on. the kind-of-but-not-really-bedroom scene goes without a hitch, but albedo interrupts you a tad bit too early; the top of your shirt is barely unbuttoned but he's already storming in, ripping you out of the other man's grasp.

the director doesn't chide him for it however, and he drags you out of the hotel as planned. you're a bit frazzled by the suddenness of it all, clothes still rumpled, but it adds on to your acting and your stuttering questions make the scene look more natural.

albedo's fury seeing you in such a disheveled state seems almost genuine, too.

“why are you acting like this?!” you pull your wrist away in an effort to make him let go, as described in the script, but albedo refuses to. an improvisation, perhaps? but now of all times...? “you didn't care about me before! are you trying to be nice now? didn't you say you were sick of putting up with me? you hated me for being stupid, right? guess what, then! i was stupid enough to get almost taken advantage of! if you're just going to lecture me, let go. i don't want to hear any of it. i already know how much of a fool i am.”

you're supposed to back away now, but he doesn't let you do that either. for one step backward, he takes two forward, nose nearly brushing with yours in the close proximity. your face heats up in a combination of confusion and embarrassment, your ears barely registering his lines.

“...never listen to me. you always go off on your own and i still think you're a reckless idiot. you're noisy and brash and you annoy me to no end,” he says in one breath, staring deeply into your eyes. “but seeing you with someone else annoys me even more. to the point i'd abandon everything just to get you back.”

“w...” your throat is incredibly dry. “why would you...”

“whether i like it or not, you've become important to me. i love your stupid laugh and your stupid smile. i love the way you look at me, and i don't want you to look at anyone else. you drive me crazy when you put yourself in danger because i don't want to lose you. i want you so badly that i want you to only think about me, spend time only with me, only love me. i-”

you're fairly certain this is nowhere near his lines in the script.

“i love you so much that it scares me.” his voice trembles as his hand lifts to cup your face, something that finally bears semblance to the original scene. “it was wrong of me to say those horrible things. not just last time. i've been terrible to you, and no amount of apologies can make up for it. but i ask only one more chance.”

his finger hovers at the corner of your lip.

“[name], won't you only look at me?”

you gape like a fish out of water, unable to reply. you're trying to remember your lines, flipping through the mental script in your head, but the director's “cut!” pulls you back to reality.

albedo blinks, getting himself out of the role, and he lets go of you reluctantly, the heat of his fingers lingering on your skin.

“the scene was good, but you said the wrong name.” the director laughs. “it's alright. we can still shoot where we last left off. return to your positions.”

as told, you go back to your previous position. you give a furtive glance at albedo, whose cheeks flare in humiliation. he's probably never done such a rookie mistake before. there's no reason to be that flustered about it; you've made the same error plenty of times.

“i apologize. i won't do it again next time.”

(if he's going to confess, the least he can do is make his own lines for the occasion.)

next episode ; unavailable. preview →

四 ; ayato, the cannon fodder

五 ; scaramouche, the best friend

六 ; thoma, the former male lead

七 ; kazuha, ???

.˳⁺⁎˚ cw use of aphrodisiacs + mention of male penetration. gn reader.

thoma was curious. too curious and now he was regretting it. his figure, now flushed pink and glistening with sweat beads, trembled under your grip. he was bucking his hips into the tips of your fingers as you toy with whatever’s in your reach—thumbing at his reddened almost purpling cock. it was drenched from the swollen tip to his clenching ballsack.

“f-fuck me!” he bawls, fat tears rolling down his swollen cheeks and throat ache from the frog wedged in it. his messy blonde hair sweeps across his forehead and that alone felt like it was too much on his sensitive skin.

and gods, he couldn’t think to save his life. thoma didn’t expect the glass of red wine from his own home, mondstadt would have him jackrabbiting the air like a mad man or leave his entire being lit aflame. the only thing he knows, the only thing the thoma could conjure up is that he needs it. thoma would die without it. his cock was ready for anything. his puffy entrance was too, it twitched with the need to be probed and nicely stretched…

cupid’s troubles?

when playing wing-mate for a generously paying classmate turns out more differently than you’d expect.

character/s: albedo, childe, diluc, kaedehara kazuha, thoma, scaramouche, xiao

“so…since when have you enjoyed playing cupid?”

you almost choke on your saliva at the girl’s direct statement. “me? playing…cupid? huh, what decides to give you that impression?”

“were you not?” ganyu clarifies with a strange look on her face. “i mean, i’m not entirely sure, but lately it feels like he knows me really well, and i get the sense that you’ve also been pushing me towards…”

“isn’t that just by coincidence though?” you question with scrunched features of confusion. “maybe he just ends up wandering in the same places we do. maybe he’s just generally nice to you.” you shrug. “and clearly he’s liked you for quite a while if he knows you well enough, to see what kinds of gifts you like.”

you don’t miss the blush that settles across her face. “but anyway, shouldn’t you be happier since you’re the one who likes him?”

“i am,” she hastily argues with a flustered expression. “it’s just, i feel like you have something to do with this too.”

“other than being a really supportive friend?” you snicker, elbowing her in a teasing manner. “it’s the course of fate, and i’m happy that you’re happy. does that convince you enough?”

“sure,” ganyu defeatedly smiles, lazily waving a hand in the air in hopes of letting the topic go.

“whatever helps you sleep at night, y/n.”

xiao, the boy asking you to play wing-mate.

him suddenly approaching you for help, was quite frankly the least situation you expected transpiring within the school year.

“you…almost got caught again, didn’t you?” “i—well, does it matter? she said she liked it.”

and him requesting you to play wing-mate for your shy friend? twice the astonishment.

“…you know i’m going to have to deduct the price again because of this—” “ugh, that’s the third time already—and don’t you dare say it’s because i suck at being discreet! you’re the one who came to me!”

but some part of you couldn’t exactly…pin the blame on the guy for developing some sort of secret crush on her.

sure, ganyu always preferred to keep to herself rather than stand out in a crowd…however, it was also an unequivocal fact that she was happened to be the reserved version of every guy’s ideal type.

and you supposed…it suited someone like xiao as well.

so there was the gist of possibly making your well-deserving friend happy, and then there was even an extra bonus of getting paid generously for your provided aid? you didn’t even bat an eye to hurriedly agree with the proposition.

(and yes, you ended up on the receiving end of his judgmental stare in that awkward moment…but you knew he wouldn’t have hesitated to do it too, were he offered the same deal.)

which is why you’ve been diligently working your ass off for the past five months, slowly but surely doing your best to get those two together!

albeit you’ll have to admit, it’s rather arduous and…perhaps even a bit embarrassing to constantly put yourself out there, and act as a middleman for the both of them. there were even instances when you pushed yourself as far as to go shopping with xiao, in an effort of pursuit for the gifts your friend considered nice and thoughtful — or circumstances where you and him would practice on how to handle “certain” moments — such and such were given much attention and detail, that part of you started to wonder at some point if it would ever be enough to get the two of them together.

but the fruits of your labor have sprouted for blossoming, and it’s all you can bask in while you slowly watch as ganyu begins to fall in love with the green-haired boy as well.

as for xiao himself…perhaps it’s nothing other than a figment of your imagination, but for the past month you’ve noticed how the boy seemed to act a bit more…unconstrained around you. almost as if he was getting used to feeling comfortable with your presence.

which is what you’ve expected in the long run together, of course. after all, you were the person he would turn to for inquiries about gifts, mindful choices of flowers, movies that you both later on discovered had a similar taste in, together planning as occasional lunch-mates when ganyu would be accomplishing other school-related priorities, fraternizing with unexpected enjoyment in arcades over the weekend (respectfully, as friends!)…

okay. so maybe the list grows longer (and slightly deviates from your initial relationship) day by day. so maybe he sneaks in a pale-red carnation or two for you, even though you’re almost certain you’ve only gushed about your love for the pretty blossom to the boy behind the counter of the flower shop. so maybe he even makes jokes and smiles at you now — none of this clearly has anything to do with such gestures past borderline friendship!

this is just xiao learning how to open up, xiao beginning to enjoy himself in your (sort of) long-time company, xiao showing his gratitude in little actions rather than brave words,

and maybe even xiao absentmindedly drowning in your eyes, while realizing that you playing wing-mate for him was clearly one hell of a shitty mistake.

thoma, his best friend.

contrary to the green-haired boy you (surprisingly) began to “work” for within your senior year, his later introduced best friend is so unexpectedly and infuriatingly,

“good morning, y/n! is that a new skirt? that looks really pretty on you today!” “oh…thoma, good morning! i’m…surprised you’ve noticed, thanks for the compliment!”

nice.

you met the blonde during the first few weeks of playing wing-mate for xiao, some time around the period where his words remained brusque and the boy preferred to be indifferent towards you. so it came as evidently shocking news, when you soon realized that his best friend was just somehow the complete and exact opposite of him.

thoma was sociable — or rather, the highly sociable one among them, considering there was always a flock of people who would follow him around hallways, and there were far too great numbers of heads turned with his mere presence and warming smile.

but how could you blame anyone for being so mesmerized by him? he was, by far, perhaps the most charming boy you’ve met all year without consciously even knowing it — and, he was such a freaking gentleman to every one of his professors and classmates! god knows who raised him, but they sure as hell did it right.

and since you were naturally required to spend more time with xiao, it also paved the way for more timely opportunities to run into the courteous blonde. (so maybe working for xiao was not all that bad…)

when he finds you dawdling by the school gates to wait for his best friend during dismissal, he pretty much had a rough estimate of how long it takes for xiao to finish up his other priorities — so he takes these chances by proposing to buy you something to eat in a nearby restaurant, instead of pitifully standing outside with nothing else to do.

you enjoy taking him up on his offers, because it gives you more freedom and time to get to know him better as a friend! and he’s (unsurprisingly) cordial with the store owners, so anytime you would both decide to share snacks and a hotpot together, you either received a generous discount for the food, or the meals were simply on the house.

sometimes, he even makes spontaneous appearances during weekends with xiao, whether for shopping or heading to arcades and cinemas, depending on what was planned for the day.

he, more or less…also understands what exactly is going on between you and the green-haired boy, so he’s not exactly skeptical with how close the both of you have gotten after some time. in fact, he happened to be one of the people who actually encouraged him to pursue other means of capturing ganyu’s attention, and still remains supportive with the idea of it.

which you later on found a bit weird…after eventually discovering from xiao that thoma specifically recommended you to act as his wing-mate, out of all the other people in school. but you are her best friend, so it sort of makes a lot more sense when placed in such context.

still…you’ve never expected somebody like thoma to notice, since you were never really the popular type in school. it’s almost flattering, if you were being candid about it.

but what the blonde never really admits about the bigger reason for mentioning you to xiao was that…he’s always noticed you. and frankly, it was too difficult for him not to, because you were always just there. if anything, he thought you were the one who never actually noticed him since…he was only someone who liked you from afar.

so when the astonishing opportunity soon came up with xiao’s wing-mate, thoma thoughtlessly took it with a giddy smile, wondering how he became so fortunate to have somehow hit both birds with one stone.

or at least…that’s what he thought. before he noticed the lingering glances. before he saw the occasional flowers in your hand. before he realized how much more you smiled when you were with him. before he understood that you were cautiously falling for somebody else,

only that person was not him.

(and maybe it never really was.)

kaedehara kazuha, the boy you’ve always had a crush on.

playing wing-mate for xiao was bound to attract some unwanted attention from onlookers.

“so, what’s been going on with you and xiao lately?” “uh, what do you mean?”

for instance, it’s worked rather wonderfully to capture the curiosity of the boy you’ve always liked from afar.

“i mean, in the sense that the both of you have looked awfully friendly lately? since when did you two get so close?” “oh…that! well…”

sure, you and kazuha were good friends. you’ve known each other since elementary, and managed to get along well throughout the years. it just so happened that halfway through your tightly-knot friendship, you’ve slowly realized that you were beginning to like him a lot…only in a different and somewhat more passionate manner.

so…those feelings aged well.

but this, this accusation with xiao was frankly off the point and a completely irrelevant matter! and you had honestly hoped he would be the last person to hear and question you about it…

although you were fairly certain you had no other choice but to fish for a convincing excuse rather than the embarrassing truth. after all, xiao stipulated very clearly in your initial stages of agreement, that you were absolutely prohibited to disclose to anyone else regarding the matter of you playing wing-mate for him, and therefore sworn to utmost secrecy (hence, the generous payment to keep your mouth practically sewed shut).

shrugging worked well. saying you wanted to get to know him worked even better. yet the suspicious gaze in his eyes meant to convey that it didn’t sound good enough. after all, why would you be fraternizing with someone, clearly all your close friends had some sort of slight inkling that ganyu liked…

oh. maybe that’s why.

“it’s not like that.” you fumble around with your words in a hurry. “no, wait — you know i would never do that.”

“i know.” he grins, elbowing you lightly. “i was kidding. i think it’s nice that you’re getting to know more people too.”

other than ganyu, the person you would spend most of your time with was kazuha. since he lived in the same neighborhood, the two of you would be frequently seen by other classmates walking home together in your later years…which originally sparked rumors at first, but eventually died down with the truth and your bitter smile.

he also had a habit of accompanying you out to the nearby park on weekends — sitting on the half-dilapidated swings you both used to enjoy as young adolescents, dazedly nibbling on ice cream cones as vanilla trickles down each of your fingers, bouncing in excitement as you talk about everything and nothing, while watching the sun set for perhaps the thousandth time together.

well…except now, even his role has been replaced by that taciturn man — the one who slowly consumed much of your time during the long weekends, the one who discreetly slid you pretty carnations while kazuha quietly witnessed the expression of shock and the smile that eventually followed across your face, the boy who unconsciously began looking your way with an inexplicable fondness in his lonely amber eyes.

you did nothing but behold, as kazuha grew to love and have his heart broken through the last few years. and now, kazuha wonders how long these intimate emotions have breathed and fostered in the tightness of his chest, as he stands aside to watch how you carefully fall the same way he did (for you) all those years ago.

albedo, the quiet boy who’s always liked you.

it came as a startling revelation for ganyu when you directly admitted to her that kaedehara kazuha was not actually the first boy you loved.

“hi,” you whisper, almost breathlessly after you accidentally run into the boy, stunned at how his crystal blue eyes have never changed despite how long it had been since you last felt lost in them.

“hi.” he murmurs back softly, and that’s all it takes for you to be thrusted back into that distant morning of december — bitter snow gnawing on your vulnerable and ice-bitten fingertips, your skin raw and red and his eyes as beautiful as ever.

albedo has always been born brilliant. even as a little boy, professors have sang the highest praises for his intellect and astonishingly adept knowledge in the field of science. the precocious child — that was what all the adults preferred to call him, because perhaps they believed that was the only valuable aspect worth knowing about him.

but unlike the rest of them, you found something past albedo’s giftedness. you saw a boy unafraid of charcoal fingertips and pigmented colors dancing across his pale complexion. you saw a boy who had an adorable habit of pushing up his loose glasses, and how he had the most special dream of all. you saw a boy who was isolated because he was too perfect that he became different, someone who had forgotten (or perhaps was always unaware) how it felt to love and be loved.

you saw a boy with crystal blue eyes on that wintry morning, how they matched the shade of the blue rubber band that always dangled from your wrist, the blue of your freshly painted nails carefully tucked beneath your thick black coat, and the blue of the woolen gloves that he courteously offered for your inadequately capped hands.

you saw all of albedo, and how you loved him on that frosty day.

so when no one was looking, you stood on your tiptoes and puckered your lips to plant an innocent kiss on the young boy, his mouth soft and dusted with blue sugar crystals from the warm cookies given by your shared homeroom teacher.

and despite his initial astonishment at the unforeseen gesture, albedo kissed you back.

from that day, you dreamt of blue eyes and blue gloves and first kiss lips dusted with sugar blue crystals.

but alas, the universe mercilessly continued to push him towards something else, something far greater and worth more than the stolen kiss beneath snow covered cherry blossoms.

so. that was that. and the day after, the boy you knew never came back.

or, maybe you liked to think he was still there, masked behind lackluster eyes and the never ending enumeration of priorities that practically secured the direction of his successful future.

you almost never ran into albedo anymore — and it was perhaps around the same timeframe you began to befriend other people like kazuha.

and even during your senior year, while you mindlessly scurry around the entire campus running school errands together with xiao, as you busily discuss plans over the movie you were both interested in seeing over the weekend, you only catch the solitary blonde buried in textbooks and advanced homework, and sometimes find him doing tasks accompanied by a shy-looking green haired girl. so maybe…maybe things were better for the both of you this way.

but he hasn’t forgotten you, not one bit ever since that day which grew as old as time. he remembers your skin, bruised and raw from the numbing cold. he remembers your lips, soft and hesitant as you tenderly pressed your mouth against his. he remembers your warmth, your gloved hands finding his face and his wandering to your waist. and then he remembers how much he cried the following day, and the day after that, and then for every single day he saw you and wondered how much would have changed if he chose you instead.

and when he closes his eyes, he still sees blue rubber bands and blue nails and first kiss lips dusted with sugar blue crystals.

childe, the jackass friend for dating troubles.

when xiao first came to you with his daunting request, you were puzzled as to why he would decide to approach someone who knew absolutely nothing about the world of dating.

“oh my god, i can’t believe that fucking worked.” you remark with a bewildered expression, almost losing your balance as the branches of the bushes scrape lightly against your face.

and thus, it was only right that you’d make the effort to learn how to play wing-mate better with someone more…knowledgeable in such a perplexing field.

“see,” you hear the boy crouching beside you snicker, clasping your arm softly so that you don’t founder from behind the leaves, and interrupt the passionate moment gingerly brewing between your best friend and xiao. “have some more faith in my experience, y/n.”

childe was someone you’ve only had the privilege of meeting and getting close with, during the period of first year in high school.

yes, it was infuriating to agree that he was attractive back then (even until now), and frankly even more humiliating to admit that you used to have a crush on him for his pretty looks. but that was all before you got to know him better as an overall person, and…needless to say, his initial appeal towards you had drastically plummeted by then. now, it almost sickens you to recall why you used to like him in the first place.

he was brazen and shamelessly audacious — and while you normally despised that sort of behavior brewing in a guy, other girls seemed to develop a profound liking towards it.

so, there you had it. you had a jerk for a friend who was somehow more proficient in the language of mutual attraction than most decent boys.

and now, he was finally putting that fucking mastery of his to use.

during the period where you accepted xiao’s deal and was relatively new to the situation, the ginger-haired boy agreed to help you out with some preliminary training. apparently, he claimed that before you could properly play your role well, you needed to place yourself in the same situation as the person, to better understand how to take the next steps of action forward. in other words…

“i’d rather not have us put ourselves in their shoes, and have you pretend that you’re secretly pining for me,” you shudder, recoiling in disgust at the mere thought of it.

it’s a stupid philosophy, but it makes so much sense despite how abhorring it could be. besides, you’ve never really thought of bouncing the absurd idea to xiao, more or less actually executing it with someone like childe. still, you promised you’d do your best — and if this is the only way to succeed, then so be it.

he was actually the one who planted the idea of sending bouquets of flowers in your head, when he once bought you a posy of daises and gifted it to you during the early morning (which you dazedly accepted…but later on admitted to him that you had a stronger preference for a different blossom). allegedly, he even claimed to know a friend who worked in a nearby flower shop, and thus suggested that it would work as a pleasant gift.

regrettably, you’ve also become a victim to his flirty remarks and horribly cheesy winks (for ‘courting inspiration’, he says). and while the past you would have cluelessly fallen for his charm, you only began to feel nauseated the more you stared at him.

childe does it to tease you at first. after all, he kept finding much amusement in your repulsed gaze and creased eyebrows. a part of him even thinks your confused expression is a bit adorable — but then again, it’s done purely for the purpose of satiating his twisted entertainment.

then a few weeks pass, and it feels so…normal to flirt with you, because even you decided to become bolder and jokingly flirt back with him. it was like the gesture had been ingrained in the back of his mind ever since he met you. like it was the only way he’s ever spoken with you, after all this time. like he has always looked at you in a different light, except that he’s never chosen to acknowledge the recurring butterflies in his stomach until today.

he refuses to admit it until you’re finally finished with his ‘training’, and you’ve put your shamelessly newfound skills to use with xiao. and childe realizes he doesn’t want to see you flirt or turn red with anyone else but him.

so. he was fucked.

scaramouche, the boy who works in the flower shop.

you met him during the first few times you went shopping with xiao for a bouquet of flowers.

“tch, you again.” “oh…it’s your shift.”

the only issue was that during the days you came back alone to peruse the pale-red carnations tucked inside the quaint flower boutique, they also coincidentally happened to be the hours that he was on his shift.

“um, did you want me to leave…?” “…there’s a fresh delivery of those flowers right at the back. and come inside already you idiot, it’s fucking freezing out there.”

well, he doesn’t really bother you that much unless you approach him first. which…clearly doesn’t settle great with him when you did so to ask about the blossoms, so you choose to avoid the boy during your stay instead.

on some days he looks rightfully pissed, and others where he seems unfazed — but then again! you’re not exactly in the best position to question his mood swings or changes in demeanor.

and there are some days where you actually come inside bearing little gifts for him (despite the fact that he probably hates you for always coming in to peruse, but never actually purchase flowers). once, it was a warm cup of black coffee, and on another you brought him a chocolate croissant. it’s weird and clearly out of line as strangers…and yet it still manages to do the trick, because you notice he doesn’t tend to glare at you as much as before.

saturdays inside the shop were understatedly your favorites of the week. the batches of carnations always seemed to be delivered fresh during this day, and you’d make it a point to come extra early on the weekend to shamelessly admire them and…occasionally share a civil conversation with the boy on shift.

you appreciate the rare moments when you can just…talk to him, no matter how strange that sounds. because the more you talk to him, the more you realize that he’s not even as horrible of a person as you remembered. (and he slowly begins to think the same of you as well.)

on days when xiao tagged along with you to the boutique however, that was a different story. he’d end up acting cold and, sometimes going as far to be a bit rude if you were being honest. it felt like you were back to square one and hating the boy you were beginning to know, all over again.

and then the time eventually came when you wandered inside the shop, perhaps in an endeavor of adoring your favorite blossoms again…except this time, you would be clutching at least one or two of them with a giddy smile on your face.

“you finally have them.” he commented with a scoff from behind the counter, raising an eyebrow to scrutinize your seemingly thrilled expression. “so you can probably stop your broke ass from coming back here, and continue gawking at them from the confines of your home.”

“then it wouldn’t be the same, you asshole.” you roll your eyes, sliding a neatly packaged chocolate chip cookie over the counter towards him. “it’s not like i would have a pissed boy with me at home.”

“you only ever come for the flowers anyway.” he mutters in a low breath, a foreign tone laced in his words as he glares down at the steamed pastry. “why are you still here?”

“because,” you shrug with a mere smile, before leisurely retreating to the rear shelves of the cozy boutique you’ve grown heavily accustomed to. “i like the company.”

and he’s beginning find it difficult to deny that he likes it too.

diluc, the boy who knows your secret.

never, in those five extensive and troublesome months of working behind the shadows, did you ever expect for somebody to figure out what the hell was actually going on between you and xiao.

“you’re two minutes late.” “the um, coffee line today was a bit long…”

and yet, here the unfazed man sat anyway, cocking his head to the side as he stares at the coffee you’ve jutted towards his chest with a tinge of disappointment.

“hmm, i’ve been wondering…are you not that desperate for me to keep your secret?”

that fucking menace of a ragnvindr! if only he hadn’t caught you mumbling how long it would take for ganyu to accept xiao! why did he have to be there past dismissal? why did he have to be so fucking smart?!

and how the hell did you end up multitasking for two people at once?!

while diluc was someone you had originally looked up to, for his natural-born prowess and how he had easily acquired the title of student body president — now, he was nothing more than an atrocious personality you’ve had the misfortune of ever getting involved with.

you remembered shamefully pleading to him that day, swearing that you would do anything — anything for him to pretend like he hadn’t heard what you had just admitted. that you have been working under xiao for the past five months, and that you didn’t want ganyu to realize what you’ve been doing behind her back.

and now, in the span of a single day, you were forced to leave your friends or xiao during random periods or points of discussion, with the soft yet threatening buzz of your phone.

his commands usually varied on a day-to-day basis. sometimes he’d ask for the coffee close to the school, and others you were forced to sprint to the takoyaki shop on the third neighboring street. so to say you were suffering was a bit of an understatement — it was almost like pure torture when his crimson eyes beheld mischief and mirth, and you just knew what exactly would come next.

but the weirdest aspect of your coerced relationship was when he would occasionally order something extra that you knew he couldn’t finish by himself. maybe an extra cup of coffee, or twice the savory snacks from the restaurant thoma introduced you to — whatever seemed to make your baggage heavier, you presumed in spite.

except, it’s the exact opposite of what you maliciously assumed, because he actually offers the food to…you.

“you want…me to eat this?” you stutter, perplexed by his uncharacteristic generosity and the meal pushed towards you.

“you’ve been running around all day,” diluc says, casually taking a sip of coffee while reviewing some documents at hand. “you should have some before you leave. you look like you’re about to faint.”

and when you take a cautious seat expecting him to play it off as some twisted joke, he doesn’t even mind the vigilant gesture, clearly engrossed in his own papers.

thus, you began to spend some days with diluc like this. sharing food and the infrequent small talk, before it soon shifted into a comfortable silence — and some part of you thinks you prefer him better this way. when he’s not fiendish and diabolical with his demands, when he’s not subtly threatening with what he has over you — when he’s quiet, and easy to share a conversation with after a long day.

so you stay. (and he hopes you do, for longer and then.)

bts x netflix originals  ↳ thank-you for 10k followers ♡

I just wanna share the idea of yandere!Ayato Kamisato having a childhood friend he was in love with but couldnt pursue either cuz his parents couldnt get darling’s prents to agree or there was too big of a difference in status or darling simply didnt love him that way and rejected him the first time he proposed. Either way, he’s pining and overprotective/posessive and darling is uncomfortably aware why (as is the rest of Inazuma- after all, no one could forget how lovestruck Ayato was as a child and even as an adult he orders ridiculous amounts of presents for the simple reason of pleasing you) so Darling plans to take a trip abroad. Unfortunately for her, the Kamisato parents die and Ayato and Ayaka terribly need that support and stability so she stays.

Everyone believes she’s officially Ayato’s woman now. Too many people call her Lady Kamisato even aftrr her many attempts to correct them. Heck, even the Shogun called her “Yashiro Commission’s Lady” in front of the nation that one time she gave a public address and you just so happened to have been tasked with handing her the ordinances. No matter what you cant escape Ayato, and he’s not even really doing anything that’s forcing you by his side- everyone else is! Its maddening. Especially when he plays innocent as if he didnt have a hand in orchestrating it all as he asks how your day went during the private dinner the servants prepared for just you two in his private quarters.

Darling gets desperate and hears of an interesting rumor. The fatui. A plot ? Of some sort? To turn Inazuma into a land of solitude? Cut off communication with the outside world....? Darling doesnt really understand and she KNOWS she should report this to someone but... why should she? When everyone’s been practically forcing her to Ayato’s side against her will? But its still her home...

But her mind is made up the moment she returns to the kamisato estate and hears the servants gossiping, gossiping about Lord Ayato purchasing the best gemstones straight from Liyue itself and the services of the best jeweler in Inazuma to craft a special gift for her. A ring.

And Darling feels the dread explode and she turns heel and runs to her room to cry. Awful, so damn awful. Then once all the tears have dried, she plots. She becomes more... accepting. She’s slightly warmer to Ayato’s advances which brings him so much joy that he overlooks too many of the strange ongoings in Inazuma. She asks him for small things, a nice brocade of silk for a kimono there, a pretty hairpin there, some exquisite writing utensils...

It’s on Ayato’s next business trip away from Narukami and after kissing him farewell in the morning she sets off to visit Ritou to procure her escape route. By nightfall, she is long gone with only the clothes on her back and a handful of jeweled adornments in her pack as she’s off to Liyue. She sells everything, then changes her name and clothes and travels as far as she can.

Ayato’s business trip ends in two weeks.

The Sakokou Decree is announced the next day, and she can’t believe how good her timing was to be able to escape Ayato and how he’s now trapped in the Land of Eternity without her.

She builds a life for herself in Liyue from the ground up. It’s humbling work after years of being pampered by Ayato, but its honest and its invigorating. Once delicately soft hands are now roughened by days of hard labor and soon you’re a part of the community that once looked at you as an oddity. You got to witness some amazing things too, like Lantern Rite, the Rite of Descension, you even travelled to Mondstadt so you could experience the Windblume festival! You brought home trinkets and smiled and shared with the kids who always were enraptured by your stories.

But... who knew the God of Eternity would ever rescind a decision she’s made? Only a year after its been decreed Inazuma reopens its borders.

And Ayato appears at the doorstep of your home, a placid smile that does not reach his infuriated eyes as he asks how you’ve been, a satchel in his grip before he dumps out all the jewels he gave you and you sold at the beginning of your freedom from him.

Anon!!!! :O This idea is an entire feast aaaaa!!

SAYING SOMETHING OUT LOUD. multi

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

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

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

DILUC RAGNVINDR. noctua

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

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

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

KAEYA ALBERICH. pavo ocellus

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

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

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

ALBEDO. princeps cretaceous

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

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

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

CHILDE. monoceros caeli

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

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

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

XIAO. alatus nemeseos

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

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

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

KAEDEHARA KAZUHA. acer palmatum

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

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

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

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

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