I Had A Hurt/comfort Thought Where Tartaglia Just Snaps And Says Something Hurtful When His S/o Tried

I had a hurt/comfort thought where Tartaglia just snaps and says something hurtful when his s/o tried to help him while he was upset, but rather than leaving immediately she just sits there and listens. Letting him just release it out of his system, sorta. O wO ofc she's deeply hurt by it and says she understands when he starts to apologize about it. But if he was going too far then she would snap back, and leave him be for a bit until things settle down.

I’m Sorry (Tartaglia x fem!reader)

Hello anon! Thank you for the lovely request. I was running on like four hours of sleep when I wrote this so it’s probably not the best, but enjoy~

Warnings: Cursing, fem!reader

Masterlist

You had decided to bring Ajax lunch at the Northland Bank, and lo and behold, Signora had been there not too long before you. Needless to say, he was pissed, because she had taken the Geo Gnosis and tricked him into buying her time to do so. However, that didn’t mean that he should’ve let that anger out on you.

You knocked on his office door, hearing him say a faint “enter” from the other side. His blue eyes flicked up from the document he was reading to see you. You smiled, bringing out a box of warm dumplings. “Hey, I know you said you were working late, and that I shouldn’t bother you, but I brought you dinner.” You said, walking in and setting the box down on an unoccupied part of his desk. You sat in one of the chairs next to his desk, noticing how he fidgeted with his gloves. He looked angry, very angry, and though you knew better than to pry, you still asked what was going on.

Tartaglia looked back down at the document and sighed deeply when you sat down, before feeling your hand against his. He let you hold it, his glare deepening. “Hey, can you look at me for a moment, please?” You asked. He stared over at you with the same look. You knew he was angry, knew he didn’t want to talk, but you persisted nevertheless. “What’s wrong? Why are you so mad right now?” You asked, he slammed his hand on the tabletop. “You wanna know what’s wrong? I’ve been here with you for well over a year, away from my family because of my mission here. My bitch of a coworker just completed it right as I was getting ready to myself. She stole that opportunity the moment I got my chance, and not only that, but she also took the Anemo Archon’s Gnosis, so that’s two right under her belt. I failed my mission, and now I have to sit here dealing with these people for another month as I wait for another mission before I can go home! I’ve been working my ass off for a year, and she took my limelight like it was hers!” He yelled, stalking toward you as he let go of your hand. You took a step back, but then decided to hold firm. “Ajax, please calm down, you’re yelling.” You mumbled, watching as his look grew even angrier. “Are you kidding me? After everything I’ve done for you, your words of comfort are for me to calm down? I can’t calm down when I just failed one of the most important missions of my lifetime! I’ll probably never get another opportunity like this ever again. You know what? Get out.” He demanded, pointing to the door. “Ajax…” things were getting worse. “Get out!” He yelled. Your eyes widened slightly as he raised his voice at you, since arguments between the two of you were so rare. You glared at him, before drawing your hand back and slapping him square across the face. You stormed out, slamming the door behind you. Fine then, he wants to yell at you? So be it, but you won’t be talking to him for a while until he apologizes.

After he calmed down a little more, Ajax realized exactly how bad what he’d just done was. He knew how you felt whenever you were yelled at, and he’d yelled at you because there was no one else to take that frustration in the room. He crossed his arms and banged his head against the desk. “Way to go, Ajax. She’s going to ignore you for the rest of the week.” He mumbled to himself. He didn’t know how to apologize when it came to you, he wasn’t good at it, and he certainly wasn’t good at admitting he was wrong. However, what he did know was that you needed space for a bit so that the two of you could cool down, and he respected that. He just didn’t think you’d find comfort in one of the people that caused his anger in the first place.

You ate dinner alone that night, thinking about what happened earlier. You decided to let things cool down for a few days, to give your lover some space, and went to sleep early that evening. You slept peacefully with a clear vision in your mind of how you were going to handle this argument with him. “Things will get better, I’m sure of it. This is just another hiccup we have to get through.” You told yourself, closing your eyes and drifting off to sleep.

Childe closed the door to his home and locked it behind him, walking to the kitchen. He was about to call for you when he remembered that you weren’t there. “Why did I yell at her? It wasn’t even her fault in the first place.” He mumbled. He shook his head, before grabbing some ingredients and making dinner for himself. “I’ll apologize tomorrow.” He muttered, before getting dressed in his nightclothes. Ajax didn’t sleep well that night, his mind full of nothing other than you.

The next day, you woke up early to take commissions from the Guild, and quickly made your way to Wangshu Inn. Smiley Yanxiao sent in a request earlier, and you were the one who got it. You walked there, taking your time, and quickly got him the crab meat he needed for the kitchen. You then made your way to Mount Tianheng to complete a time trial and then to Cuijue Slope to deal with some Treasure Hoarders that had been causing trouble for the Guild for a while. You took a break to eat lunch, taking out the food you’d made earlier and eating it as you looked around at the beautiful cliffs and mountains.

By the time you got home, you were exhausted. You collapsed on the bed and fell asleep almost immediately. However, when you woke up the next day, you saw a note on the kitchen counter, which was addressed to you from Ajax. The note said: meet me at Liuli Pavilion for lunch, please. I want to talk- Ajax. You decided to take him up on the offer, and got ready to go out.

Ajax nervously fidgeted with his gloves as you walked up, before looking at you. “Hey, I-” “Follow me, I’m not talking to you here in the middle of the harbor.” You interrupted him, taking his hand and leading him to a more secluded spot. He didn’t know what to say, how to apologize, so he took a deep breath before looking at you. “I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you like that, I wasn’t thinking straight yesterday because of Signora’s actions, and-” he stopped when you hugged him, wrapping your arms around him and squeezing him tightly. “I just wanted to help, I’m sorry.” You mumbled, causing him to shake his head. “No, please don’t apologize to me, I’m the one who yelled at you. That was on me, not you. Please don’t try to take the blame for this.” He pleaded, hugging you back. “We can spend the whole day together if you want, just please don’t try blaming yourself for my actions.” He whispered, lifting his hands to cup your face. He pressed his forehead against yours, holding you there. “Can you forgive me for saying those things to you?” He asked, smiling softly as you nodded. When he tried to pull away, you kept him there, before leaning in close to him and stretching on your tiptoes to press your lips against his, kissing him. “The whole day, huh? In that case, how about we just head home? I’m exhausted from commissions yesterday, and I still have injuries. Besides, I’m feeling selfish today, do you mind if I have you all to myself?” You asked, causing him to shake his head. “Home it is.” He replied, sweeping you up into his arms and carrying you to your place. “How about I cook dinner tonight, too? I have a really good recipe for dumplings that Zhongli taught me a few weeks ago.” He suggested, watching as you nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good.” You replied, leaning against him.

The rest of the day, he took care of you, tending to your injuries and cooking for you. By the time the two of you settled down for the night, you had a soft smile on your face. “Thank you, Ajax.” You whispered, laying down against him as you spoke. “I’m sorry we fought, I’ll try not to yell at you again.” He mumbled, resting his head on top of yours. “Thanks for taking care of me today.” You muttered, pressing yourself against him. “It’s no problem, thanks for forgiving me.” He replied, closing his eyes. “I love you.” You whispered, looking up at him. He smiled, pressing his lips against yours. “I love you too.” He said, holding you close to him as the two of you fell asleep.

The results are in, and Childe is the winner of the poll! Thank you, everyone, for voting!

Memories (Diluc x reader NSFW)

No thoughts only Diluc with his lover and how they met each other. Enjoy~

Masterlist

Warnings: NSFW, unprotected sex, missionary (sex position), slight spoilers for the Ballads and Brews event and for Diluc's backstory utc.

NSFW Content below, by scrolling further past this point, you have chosen to read the content below to your own accord.

Notes: I’m more than likely going to make a series out of this for all of the men. I’ll probably make a poll to see who I should write the next one of these for.

Summary: Diluc despises talking or thinking about the Knights of Favonius and anyone who associates with them. However, that completely excludes you, his lover and Varka’s only child. In all fairness, your history with him runs deep, all the way back to when he first started out as Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius.

The first time that Diluc can recall hearing your voice and seeing your face was when Varka introduced the two of you at the party that the Knights of Favonius hosted to celebrate his becoming Cavalry Captain. His father was there with him, a hand on his shoulder as he spoke to him. That was when you walked up, holding a glass of a drink he can’t recall now, but one you liked at the time.

“Congratulations on becoming Cavalry Captain. It’s very difficult for even the senior knights to impress the Grandmaster.” You said, taking a sip of the drink. “Oh, thank you.” He said, causing you to hum softly. “I’m sorry, I don’t recall ever meeting you. Do we know each other?” He asked. You shook your head, smiling softly. You were about to say something when Varka walked up, clapping him on the back. “Diluc, there you are, my boy. Ah, and I see that you’ve met (Y/N) as well.” He said, ruffling his hair and yours. “Is that your name?” He asked, causing you to nod. “I’m their father.” Varka explained, a big grin on his face as he spoke. “Sorry, I was about to say that.” You said, hiding your face in your hands. “There’s no need to be embarrassed, my father is the same way.” He said, patting your shoulder. The two of you talked until the late evening, when Diluc had to return home for the night.

The next memory Diluc remembered clearly was when the two of you were fifteen, and you were in the middle of a commission, dealing with a group of Hilichurls. One of them tried to throw a pyro slime at you, but Diluc jumped in front of you and hit it with his claymore. You turned back and looked at him after dealing with the other Hilichurls, smiling. “Thanks, that might have been bad if it had hit me.” You said, checking off the commission on the list you had. “Alright, one more, and it’s in…” you groaned. “It’s in Dragonspine, lovely.” You sighed deeply, before feeling a hand on your upper back. “Let’s get going then.” You heard Diluc say. “What about you? Aren’t you on patrol?” You asked. He shook his head. “I finished everything I needed to do today early, so I was headed back home for the day, but I don’t mind. Besides, it’s better to go with someone in case one of us needs to get help.” He said, causing you to nod in agreement. “Alright, I’m convinced, come on then.” You said, grabbing his hand and leading him toward the towering mountain.

You’d gotten to the foot of the mountain with him when it got much colder, causing you to shiver. “Are you cold?” He asked, causing you to nod. “Even though I have a jacket on, it’s still pretty cold.” You said, before feeling a sudden warmth wrapped around your shoulders as Diluc guided your arms through the sleeves of his jacket. “Wait,” you said, stopping him, “won’t you be cold, though?” You asked, worried. “I have a Pyro Vision, so my body temperature usually runs warmer than most other people.” He explained, buttoning up the jacket to where you would still be able to move. “Come on, it should be up ahead.” He said. The commission was a simple time trial, and you got your gliders ready and stepped on the pressure plate, triggering the timer to start. You both ran as fast as you could toward the slimes on the way, cutting them down swiftly together. By the time you both got to the bottom of the mountain, you were exhausted, panting softly. “Sorry, I’m a bit out of breath.” You said. “You should get back, it’s getting a bit late.” He said, helping you down the mountain. It was only after he left that you realized that you still had his jacket on. Your father noticed, but he decided against saying anything to spare you the embarrassment.

The next day, you walked to the Dawn Winery to give him back his coat, now smelling of you. Crepus was the one who answered the door, and he invited you in for some tea and something to eat, since it was lunch. You accepted, hanging the coat on the coat rack and taking a seat at the table in the dining room. A few minutes later, Crepus brought out the teapot and poured you a cup of tea, setting it in front of you along with a few various sweets on a plate as well. “They’re from Good Hunter, in case you were curious. Apparently, they have a dessert menu.” He said, taking a sip from his own cup as you put a cube of sugar in your tea and stirred it to mix it. “So, if I may ask, why did you have Diluc’s jacket with you?” He asked, a smug grin on his face as he spoke. “It’s not like how you’re thinking. We went to Dragonspine yesterday, and we got done with the commission pretty late in the evening. It was cold, so he gave me his jacket.” You explained, trying to hide the red that dusted your cheeks as you took a sudden interest in the teacup in front of you. “You know, you may think you’re good at it, but you’re horrifically bad at hiding your feelings about people.” He said, taking another sip. “Gee, thanks.” You said sarcastically. He laughed. “Don’t be embarrassed, it’s perfectly normal to be like this when you catch feelings for someone, take it from someone with experience in that matter.” He said, ruffling your hair and setting down his tea cup. He walked off and went to his office, inviting you to stay for dinner at the winery. You decided to take him up on the offer, and sat in the living area of the winery while waiting for the sun to set. You were drawing in your sketchbook when the front door to the winery opened, revealing Diluc and Kaeya.

Kaeya hung his jacket next to Diluc’s, noticing that it was there almost immediately. “Keep it with you next time, you might just need it.” He said, handing it to Diluc. He noticed you in one of the chairs at the dining table the moment he walked into the dining room. “Oh, (Y/N), what are you doing here?” He asked. “I came here to return your jacket, and your father invited me to stay for dinner.” You explained, fiddling with your shirt sleeve. He nodded, taking a seat across from you. The room was awkwardly silent, and you didn't know what to talk about. Diluc coughed. "So, Weinlesefest is next week, are you also helping to set up for it?" he asked. You were thankful for the opening, and nodded. "Yeah, I help set it up and take it down every year." you said, noticing how the awkward tension still lingered. Diluc tensed up slightly, looking to the side, before remembering something. "Oh, yeah, thanks for returning my coat. I forgot that I gave it to you, and assumed that I just lost it." he said, causing you to nod. You were thankful for the fact that Kaeya came back down the stairs and sat next to Diluc, alleviating some of the tension. "Wow, who died in here? Why are the two of you so tense?" he asked, smiling over at you. "Oh, it's just been a long day and I can't really think of anything to talk about." you said, hiding your face in your hands. Crepus joined the three of you shortly after, sitting beside you. "So, how have you been? It's been a while since I last saw you." he asked, looking over at you. "I've been well, although the preparations on the Knights' part have been unfortunately delayed because of the fact that my father is sick." you said. "Really? I saw him at work today." Diluc said. You looked over at him with wide eyes as your face paled. "Are you ok?" he asked. "He fainted yesterday and he was burning up, there's no way he was at work today." you said. "I can ask if he's alright when I see him for night patrol if you want." he offered. "It's fine, I'm going back after this, anyway, I'll tell him to get some rest when I see him then." you said, pinching the bridge of your nose. "You know he works so hard because he wants to make sure he can keep Mondstadt safe, right?" Crepus asked, causing you to nod. "Yeah, I know. I just wish he'd take care of himself and not go into work while he's sick." you said. "Try telling that to this one." Kaeya said, pointing a thumb at Diluc. You looked over at him. "Ok, that was one time, and I didn't even know if I was sick or if it was just really hot that day." he said. "Yeah, sure, anyways, he had a high fever and he felt light headed for the rest of the week because of that, by the way." Kaeya continued. You were about to say something when Adelinde set the food on the table, nodding before leaving the room once again. The four of you ate in relative silence, with a few words being exchanged between the four of you. You got up and started to take the plate to the kitchen when Crepus asked what you were doing. "Taking my dish to the kitchen to clean it." you said, grabbing your cup and taking it with you. You washed and dried the plate and the cup, setting them beside the sink. You turned around and saw Adelinde, who was staring at you. "What is it? Also do you know where the plates and cups go?" you asked. "Nothing and here, I'll take them." she said, picking them up and putting them away, before looking back at you. "Yeah, you're a good one." she said, smiling softly. "What do you mean by that?" you asked. She shook her head. "You'll just have to find out, won't you?" she said, ushering you back to the table. You sat back down and nodded curtly, suddenly becoming interested in the table. "Well now, Adelinde, thank you, it was wonderful as always, and thanks for getting the dishes." Crepus said, causing her to nod. "Of course." she said, stacking the plates and cups. "Heading out already then?" he asked Diluc, who was buttoning up his jacket. "Yes, I'm walking them back now. I might as well, since my shift starts in about an hour." he said, opening the door.

You both left and walked in relative silence, admiring the scenery of the winery around you. You were confused by Adelinde's words to you earlier in the kitchen, but brushed it off and sighed. You heard noises in the bushes, and instinctively grabbed onto Diluc's arm. He went tense almost immediately, looking down at you as his face heated up. He was never more thankful for the cover of night than he was now. "Did you hear something?" he asked, drawing your attention back to him. You noticed that you were still clinging onto his arm, and immediately let go of him, apologizing. "Sorry, I thought someone was watching us, and when I heard something in the bushes, I just kinda acted on instinct." you mumbled, causing him to chuckle softly. "It's fine, I know you didn't mean to." he said, putting a hand on your shoulder. You sighed, continuing to walk with him until you got to the city gates. The moment you saw Varka, you stormed over to him. "Oh boy, here we go." Diluc muttered under his breath. "Sir Diluc, is everything alright?" Swan asked, looking at him. "Yeah, everything's fine, I'm just watching (Y/N) yell at Grandmaster Varka for not calling out sick today." he said, watching concernedly as you did so. He felt a sort of pang in his chest, and suddenly wished that you would worry about him like that. He shook his head, walking up and telling you goodbye for the evening as he went to get ready for his shift. "And you should- oh, goodnight, Diluc, be safe out there." you said, before going back to speaking to your father. Varka's gaze followed him as he left, before returning to you. "What is it?" you asked, slightly annoyed that he wasn't fully listening to you. "Did Diluc walk you back here?" he asked, his expression one of surprise, before morphing into a smirk. "It's not like that." you said. "And yet something in your tone says that you wish it was." he said, causing your face to redden. "Please stop." you mumbled. "Come on, tell me, what did it for you? Is it the way he treats you? Is it his looks? He is the best bachelor in Mondstadt, you know." he said, elbowing you lightly. Meanwhile, your face kept getting redder and redder. "Stop it." you said, hiding your face in your hands yet again. "Alright, I'll stop, but you should tell him. Like I said, there are plenty who want his hand in marriage, you don't want to lose your chance to tell him because you're nervous." he said, smiling as you nodded. "Wait, I'm not done telling you off. Go home, there's no way you aren't still sick." you scolded, watching as he shrugged his shoulders and nodded, leaving to go home. You, meanwhile, had some emotions and thoughts to sort out with a certain someone the next time you saw him.

When Diluc got home that evening, his father was in his office when he saw him. "Hey, (Y/N) left their sketchbook here. Can you take it back to them tomorrow?" he asked, causing him to nod. "Yeah, I will." he said, his face reddening at the mention of your name. He took the sketchbook and stood there, holding it in his hand and looking at his father. "Is something wrong?" Crepus asked, looking up at him. Diluc shook his head, frowning, before he spoke. "Actually, can I ask you something?" he asked, closing the office door behind him. "Sure, go ahead." he replied, continuing to sign documents. "When you said that you fell first for mother, did you know when it happened? Could you tell that you were in love with her?" Diluc asked, looking at him. Crepus' hand stilled on the paper, and his eyes shot up to look at Diluc. He slowly cleaned his pen and put it away, his owlish gaze locked on him. "You like (Y/N), don't you?" he asked, looking at him. "Yeah, I just didn't really know until now." he confessed, his face flushing at the thought of telling you how he felt. "Have you told them?" Crepus asked. Diluc shook his head vigorously. "I don't know how to tell them. Did you see how I was at dinner? I was an awkward mess. They probably think I'm an idiot." he said, looking at him. Crepus motioned for him to calm down. "Relax, it's ok to be nervous. Do you think I was any different when I told your mother I had feelings for her?" he asked, shaking his head and chuckling softly. He hummed, thinking, before looking back at him. "Well, Weinlesefest is coming up, so why don't you make them dinner? Starsnatch Cliff is a good place to go for a picnic, you know. And it's far away from the city in case things... escalate." he said, watching as Diluc glared at him. He laughed. "Come on, that was funny. Besides, that's where your mother and I went on our first date, and look, we have you and Kaeya now, even if she never got to see Kaeya, but we still had you, didn't we? So I'd say that that date went rather well if she was willing to put up with more dates with me and marriage on top of that." he said, his gaze falling to the ring on his finger that sat behind a diamond encrusted wedding band, the one that Crepus' wife had worn since the moment he put it on her finger, and until the day she died. "Your mother and I were happy together, I want you to feel the same way with whoever you choose to be with that I did with her." he said, looking up at Diluc. Tears stung at the corners of Diluc's eyes, and he nodded wordlessly. Crepus got up and ruffled his hair, before hugging him tightly. "Now then, we should prepare, since setting it all up is going to take some time, something we don't have much of, and you still have to help out with setting up for Weinlesefest with the Knights of Favonius on top of that." he said, causing Diluc to nod. With that, the two started planning what to do when the time came.

Diluc remembered the entirety of that year's Weinlesefest like it was yesterday. You carried a few boxes of supplies to Springvale, putting them down near where the Knights of Favonius were setting up their stall. You turned around and came face to face with Diluc, who was smiling at you. "Are you alright? You seem a bit out of breath." he commented. "Nothing I can't handle. I carry heavy stuff all the time during commissions, I've just been doing it for two and a half hours, and it's starting to take its toll." you said, laughing. Archons, he loved your laugh. The outfit you were wearing complimented your hair and your eyes perfectly, and his gaze couldn't help but linger on you for a minute before he spoke. "I was wondering if maybe, after this, you wanted to join me for dinner. I planned a picnic for me and Kaeya, since we don't really get to see each other that often other than when our shifts end, but he wanted to enjoy the festival, so I have enough food for the both of us." he said, smiling softly. You gave him a smile of your own. "Of course, I would love to." you replied, before going back to helping out with the tent for the stall.

He thought that the time to stop working for the day would never come, and worked rather slowly, but everything was finished by the time the sun had barely started to set. He walked over to you while you were conversing with Varka, clearing his throat. "Hey, are you ready?" he asked, holding out a hand to you. Varka stared over at him, confused, and then looked at you. "He invited me to a picnic at Starsnatch Cliff." you explained quickly, before taking his hand and letting him lead the way.

The sun was just meeting the horizon when the two of you arrived at Starsnatch Cliff, overlooking the Archipelago and the sea. "It's beautiful at this part of the cliffs, I swear it gets prettier every time I see it." you said, gazing out at the ocean. You thought that Diluc was looking at the ocean with you, but when you turned to look at him, you saw a bouquet of Cecilias in his hands. He handed them to you as he spoke. "In all honesty, I was somewhat untruthful when I told you the reason I had enough food for both of us. Kaeya never actually knew I was planning a picnic, I was just looking for an excuse to speak to you alone." he said, his face flushing slightly. "Diluc..." Could this really be happening right now? He wasn't confessing to you, there was no way he was, right? He set the plates down on the blanket and gave you your share of the food. "Why did you want to speak to me alone? We could have talked down there." you said, but he shook his head. "No, we couldn't have. Your father would have interrupted, or mine would've. I wanted this to be special, even if your answer isn't what I hope it is." Diluc took off his gloves and held your hands gently in his own. "I- Archons, where do I even begin?" He smiled softly, sighing. "I don't know how, but I've fallen hopelessly, completely in love with you." he said, kissing your knuckles gently. "I don't really know how to put it into words, but I do know that you're the only one who makes me feel so weightless and happy like this just by being around me. I understand if you don't feel the same, and I will not force you to say that you do, but I wanted you to know how I felt." he said, letting your hands fall back onto your lap. When he looked up at you, he saw that your face was completely red, but you didn't hide it in your hands like you usually did. Instead, you grabbed his hands and interlaced your fingers with his. You got closer to him and pressed your forehead against his, cupping his face in your free hand. "You moron, why didn't you tell me sooner?" you asked, giggling softly. "I only recently realized what exactly it was that I was feeling, to be honest." he replied, wrapping you up in his arms, the food having been long forgotten and cold beside the two of you as he held you in his arms. Your eyes caught the last few rays of sunlight as they faded over the horizon, giving them an enchanting glow of sorts as you spoke.

"Kiss me, Diluc Ragnvindr." you whispered, looking up at him as his eyes went wide. He didn't waste a second, and slowly pressed his lips against yours. Your eyes slipped closed, his doing the same, and you gently held his face in your hands. "And to answer your confession, in case it wasn't clear by now, I love you too, Diluc." you said, leaning in and kissing him again. Needless to say, your and Diluc's absence from the festivities was to be expected, and it wasn't very surprising when Diluc came back at the ungodly hour of midnight and had you with him, asking Crepus if you could stay in the guest room. "Fine, but they stay in that guest room until the sun rises or Kaeya's awake, got it?" he asked, causing your face to redden. "I was going to, but may I ask why you're saying this?" you asked. "You two spent a while up at Starsnatch Cliff." he said, smirking. "Oh, very funny, we didn't do anything like that." you said, crossing your arms. "Just making sure." he said, holding his arms up. You did not, in fact, stay in that guest room, and when Crepus checked early the next morning, he sighed, smiling when he saw you asleep in Diluc's arms. He decided to let the two of you sleep for a little longer, since Diluc didn't have work today, anyway.

Another memory Diluc loved recalling was a few years later, he was just shy of turning eighteen, when he proposed to you. He proposed to you at Starsnatch Cliff, the location of your first date with him and where he had confessed to you years ago. He knew the two of you were still very young then, but he loved you, and you loved him dearly. Of course, Varka had his own qualms about you marrying Diluc, but Crepus eased his worries when he spoke about how you would be welcome to choose to stay in the city or at Dawn Winery, and would still be accepted with open arms in either place, which made him feel better. He agreed on the condition that Diluc promised to protect you, a condition he agreed to immediately. The ceremony was short, but the party at the Angel's Share was quite a long one, filled with drinking and congratulations to Diluc from plenty of his friends and his family. You had agreed to move into the Dawn Winery, something that your father couldn't exactly fault you for, but this time, Adelinde welcomed you to help her with dinner and with cleanup, making your transition to living there smooth. Diluc felt as though things couldn't be any better than they were now.

The next memory Diluc remembered, and the clearest one of them all, was the day Crepus died. You were the first to arrive, having ditched a commission the second one of the Knights told you the news. He remembered you holding him in your arms like he'd break, crying with him as he hid his face in your neck. He remembered you taking his side when Eroch tried to get him to cover up the matter, your rage almost matching his. You refused to help or let any of the other Knights cover up the truth behind Crepus' death. In fact, you told everyone who asked you what actually happened, and although they were confused, the news of Crepus' death and what he did to Ursa the Drake caused quite a bit of unrest and contempt toward the Knights of Favonius, namely, of course, Eroch, for trying to cover the matter up.

It got worse from there, of course it did. Kaeya came to Diluc that evening and told him the truth behind his being in Mondstadt in the first place, and where he was from. You tried to hold him back from hurting him, but Diluc threw you to the ground, and in a moment of desperation to stop Diluc from making an irreversible mistake, a large wave cut between them and knocked them both off of their feet, and they turned to look at you, who now held a glowing Hydro Vision in your hand. "I said cut it out!" you yelled, blocking Diluc's next attack with your sword. You were crying now. You didn't want this, you didn't want things to be like this. You didn't want that unrivaled hatred in his gaze to be directed at you. Without knowing what else to do, you collapsed into a sobbing heap on the muddy ground. Kaeya ran off, leaving you alone with him. Realizing that he almost hurt you, he immediately fell to his knees and wrapped you up in his arms, tears of his own streaking down his face. "I'm so sorry, I didn't... I wasn't going to..." but he didn't know what to say. He could only hold you as you cried, and cried, and cried in his arms.

The next thing he remembered was leaving you to go look for people with answers to where the weapon he used came from. You were begging him not to go, not to leave you, but he'd already made up his mind. Just as he was getting ready to walk out the door, you spun him around, grabbing him by the collar and slamming your lips against his, pouring your emotions into kissing him. You pulled away and sighed, tears welling up in your eyes as you spoke. "Please come back to me. I can't handle losing anyone else, please." you begged, before letting go of his jacket and watching him disappear past Stone Gate. You remember crying until you passed out that night. That, and you remembered the crushing feeling of loneliness that filled your chest and pressed against your lungs, making it hard to breathe sometimes whenever your heart felt particularly heavy at the thought that you may never see him again.

He came back, three long years later, but he wasn't the same as when he left. His body was now littered with scars that traveled up and down his body, but not a single one was on his face, he made sure of that. Eroch had been caught as the mole in the Knights of Favonius, and he had been punished accordingly by Jean. Varka had left on an expedition to Snezhnaya with Seneschal Seamus of the Mondstadt Cathedral and a majority of the Cavalry, too. Kaeya had taken over as Cavalry Captain, despite there being no Cavalry to, you know, captain, but he did make short work of doing the paperwork that came with the position. He held no animosity toward you, and spoke to you the same way he had before. It was Diluc who had changed, and you were worried that he didn't love you anymore. However, he proved it to you the night he returned, he proved that his heart, guarded as it was, belonged to you only.

The next thing Diluc remembered was that night, when you begged him to give you all of him. You didn't hate his flaws, or despise the way he didn't smile or talk as much anymore around everyone else like he used to. No, you loved and embraced him as he was, pulling him closer as your need for him became clear. "Please, it's been so long since I saw you last. Please, prove that it's really you, I'm so tired of my mind playing tricks on me." you whispered, tears rolling down your cheeks as you spoke. You covered your eyes with your forearm, before feeling him pull it away from your face as he kissed you, gently wiping away your tears. "Please," you kept whispering, breathless as he kissed you over, and over, and over again. His lips trailed down to your neck as he gently tugged at the hem of your nightshirt, pulling it over your head and undressing himself. He put his jacket on the coat rack by the door, before unbuttoning his shirt and undoing his pants. He pulled off any clothing he still had on, pulling his unruly red hair out of its ponytail. Diluc then rejoined you under the covers, helping you undress completely. “May I?” He asked, making sure you were comfortable with what he was doing. He didn’t want to end up doing something you didn’t like. You nodded, your face heating up at the gentle tone of his voice. His hands roamed your body, memorizing every curve and edge you had, before his hand dipped down between your legs. He used his fingers, thick and calloused, to stretch you and prepare you to take him. He didn't want to hurt you during your first time with him, after all. He went slow, dragging his tip over your hole before slowly sliding in, his grasp on your hip tightening to the point where you squirmed under his touch. However, you let yourself relax, and let him take over. At this point, you knew you weren't dreaming, only a real person could make you feel as good as he was making you feel that night. His hips jolted slightly against yours as he pushed himself deeper. You whined softly, rocking your hips against his as he bottomed out deep inside of you. “Tell me when I can move.” He said, looking down at you. At this point, you just needed to be close to him. You pulled him down and kissed him, bucking your hips up against his desperately. You tangled your fingers in his unruly red hair, tugging at it as you moaned into the kiss. You held onto him tightly as he started to move, your nails scratching up and down his back, leaving little red lines in their wake. He didn’t care, so long as you stayed just like this with him. He hit deep, his thrusts slow but hard as he looked down at you. He couldn’t even begin to describe how much he’d missed you, but that was nothing compared to how much you must’ve missed him. He pulled his hips back and snapped them against yours, watching as your eyes rolled back a little and you moaned loudly. He pressed his forehead against yours as his thrusts slowly gained rhythm, his hips pistoning against yours as he made you into a mess of moans and whimpers. “Ahhn~ feels s’good, ‘Luc- Mng~ r-right there, please!” You could only tighten your grip on him as he sped up, the knot in his lower abdomen getting tighter and tighter the faster he went. However, he refused to finish first, opting instead to make you feel good. “Are you- Ngh~ are you close?” He asked, gently threading his fingers with yours as you squeezed around him tightly, dragging a low groan from him. “Mhmm~ you feel s’good, I can feel you in my tummy.” You slurred, pushing your hips up against his. He twitched inside of you, feeling your tight walls spasm and clench as you got painfully close to your orgasm. “AHh~ Diluc, m’cumming, cumming- ahHng~!” You wailed his name as you came, before feeling him press his hips up against yours as he came. His big warm hands held your thighs as his cum filled you up in thick spurts of white that made you feel so, so full. You clenched around him, milking him for all he was worth, until he finally stopped moving, and curled his body around yours.

He waited a few minutes before slowly pulling out, watching as his cum dribbled out of you. He could only look at you, picking you up and carrying you to the bathroom to clean you up. “You did so good for me, let me take care of you.” He mumbled, running the water to the bath and getting in with you. He grabbed the soap and lathered it all over his hands, rubbing your sore body and massaging your shoulders. You sighed softly, leaning into his gentle touch as he washed you. He took the shampoo and slowly massaged it into your hair, moving on to do the same to his. He then gently washed it out of your hair and his, before grabbing the conditioner and doing the same. After he was done, Diluc started to get out, and told you to stay in the bath, but you grabbed his arm, your eyes trained on him as you spoke. “Don’t go.” You pleaded, your grip tightening as your gaze grew frantic. You were so scared that he was going to disappear again, that you’d never see him again, but he gently took your hands into his and pressed his forehead against yours. You leaned against him, before hearing him speak. “I’m just going to get some towels, I promise. I’ll come back as soon as I get some towels, ok?” He asked, causing you to slowly let go of his hands as you nodded. He quickly went and got the towels as you curled up and wrapped your arms around your knees. When Diluc got back, you calmed down, and let him pick you up. He wrapped you in one of the soft towels and slowly dried you off, before setting you down in the recliner beside the bed. “I’m going to get some new sheets, I’ll be right back.” He said, getting some new sheets after he tied his towel around his waist. He quickly grabbed a set of sheets and went back to the bedroom, quickly changing them. He then pulled back the covers and set you down under them, getting in the bed with you. “Are you ok? Was I too rough?” He asked, looking down at you. You shook your head. “It was wonderful, and don’t worry about me, I’m ok.” You mumbled, pressing yourself against him and wrapping your arms around his neck. You leaned in close to him and kissed him, feeling his arms around your waist as you pulled away. You were exhausted, and fell asleep soon after. Diluc held you close to him and fell asleep soon after, finally home in your arms.

The most recent memory he recalled was when you and him celebrated Weinlesefest together that fall. You and Adelinde had teamed up and made a ploy to get Kaeya to come over for dinner, since he needed to help Razor, anyway. You gladly invited them in, nodding to the Traveler as they explained the situation after Kaeya had had enough of teasing and taunting Diluc. “We have a barrel specially treated for durability, despite its age. Even a flaming flower couldn't leave a scratch on it if you left it right next to it all day.” You said, looking over at Diluc. “I'll go look for it, then.” He said, disappearing down the hall to the storage room. You turned and looked at Kaeya, opening your arms wide. “Come on, bring it in, it’s been a while.” You said, hugging him tightly. “That it certainly has. How have you been?” He asked, watching as you smiled softly. “I’m just happy that he’s here to stay, although I do wish he’d make an effort to try and get along with you. He may not show it, but he does care about you, Kaeya.” You said, turning to face him. “Well, when he stops being such a stiff all the time, I’ll-” “You also need to make an effort to forgive him for his brash actions that night. You know better than anyone how he gets when he’s angry. Not even I know the full extent of that anger.” You said, sighing deeply. “I also wish he’d spend a little more time with me over the holidays, but he’s so busy all the time, and I don’t have the heart to interrupt him when he’s working.” You said, crestfallen. “If you really care about him, you’ll tell him to rest for a bit. At this rate, he might just work himself to death.” He said, looking at you as your face paled. “I’d prefer it if he were alive and well, instead of meeting the same fate that father met.” He said, watching as you nodded softly. “I’ll tell him then.” You said. Diluc emerged from the wine cellar with a small barrel in his hands, setting it on the counter. "I did some digging, and found this one. Do you think that it's big enough for your friend?" he asked, looking at the Traveler. They nodded, taking the barrel. Diluc's eyes wandered to the clock, where he saw that it was almost seven in the evening. "Oh, it's almost dinnertime, would you care to stay for a meal?" he asked, looking at the Traveler and Paimon. "How time flies, I'll be on my way then." Kaeya said, waving and turning slightly to leave. You shook your head, pinching the bridge of your nose as you muttered a soft "coward" under your breath. Adelinde was the one to stop him. "How did you put it? Right, "taking a trip home is a custom during the festival season, celebrated by all cultures of Teyvat." Since even Master Diluc has risen an offer, are you quite sure you can't stay for dinner?" she asked. Kaeya glanced over at you, who simply smiled at him, nodding softly. However, he was a bit hesitant. "I couldn't possibly. I wouldn't want to trouble you, Adelinde." he said, scratching the back of his head. However, she persisted. "How often is it that I get to indulge you, Master Kaeya? Tea for the Cavalry Captain when you visit for business reasons doesn't count. I only get to spoil you if you let me cook for you." Adelinde said, a warm smile on her face. "Oh, uh..." Kaeya couldn't make a comeback, nor could he particularly disagree with her. She was right, it had been a while since he last visited. Diluc saw the opportunity to get back at him. "What happened to your swagger? Lost for words?" he asked, sarcasm lacing his voice. "Diluc, you..." he sighed. "Surely you wouldn't dream of disappointing Adelinde, would you?" he asked. "It would be fun with you here." the Traveler said. "Very well then, Adelinde, one more set of cutlery, please, if you'd be so kind." he said, causing her to nod.

The meal went smoothly, with you sitting next to Diluc and looking at Kaeya. He kept taunting and teasing Diluc, so you decided to intervene. You all but slammed your palms against the tabletop. "Traveler, have I told you about the time when Kaeya got stuck in the tree in Windrise?" you asked, causing him to stare at you. "(Y/N), I thought-" "Ah, you did think I'd keep it a secret, but since you've told quite a few embarrassing stories about Diluc, I think that one embarrassing story about you is only fair, right?" you asked, causing him to sigh, resting his face in his palms. "And elbows off the table, it's not polite." you scolded, causing him to begrudgingly oblige. You watched his face turn redder and redder as you kept recounting the embarrassing memory for him, while the Traveler and Paimon laughed at the funny story.

Once Kaeya left, and you and Diluc said goodbye to the Traveler and Paimon after dinner, you turned and looked at him. "It's not much, but it is progress." you muttered, causing him to look at you. "What?" he asked, confused. "I said that it's not much, but it's progress. You didn't kick him out when he got here, and you invited him to stay for dinner. You also didn't say that the Winery wasn't his home like the other years, so yeah, it's progress." you said, looking down at your Vision. Diluc noticed where you were looking, and got up before pulling you into a tight hug. You rested your head against his shoulder. Adelinde happened to be walking back out to finish getting the dishes and saw the two of you. "Shall I prepare a second set of sheets for tonight, or did you want to do that?" she asked, giving you a knowing look. You hid your face in your hands as she laughed. "Only kidding, but I should get back home. Good night, Master Diluc, and to you as well, (Y/N)." she said, grabbing her things and leaving for the night. Elzer had left by now, having decided to walk Moco and Hillie back to their homes, which left the two of you alone. "Hey, can I talk to you about something?" you asked, causing him to pull back slightly before nodding. "Sure, what is it?" he asked, a worried look on his face as he spoke. You shook your head, leading him upstairs to your shared bedroom. The two of you got ready for bed in relative silence, with few words being exchanged between the two of you before you both settled down in bed for the night. After you were sure he was comfortable, you spoke. "I know you tend to bury yourself in your work, but you've been pulling all-nighters a lot lately, and I'm starting to get worried about you." you muttered, your eyes meeting his. He looked away. "You shouldn't worry about me." he said, causing you to stare him down. "Diluc, as selfish as I am, I really should." you said. "You're not selfish, what do you mean?" he asked. You kissed him, before pressing your forehead against his. "Oh, but I am. I'm so selfish when it comes to you. Your time, your attention, your love, I'm selfish for those things, and yet I never seem to get them. You're always so busy, and I never really see you anymore, but I wish I did, so yeah, I'm selfish, Diluc. The more you stay away and stay out late and shut yourself away in your office, the more selfish I become." you said, cupping his face in your hands. "There are so many desires I've let go unfulfilled for the past few years because you've been so busy." you whispered, tears welling up in your eyes. "Like what? There's no reason to cry like this." he said, thumbing away your tears gently. He sighed deeply. "I want to know what those desires of yours are, because if I can't even fulfill those desires, then what's to say that I will ever be able to in the future?" he asked, an encouraging smile on his face as he looked down at you. You took a deep breath, letting your mind wander as you spoke.

"I want to travel all over Teyvat with you. I want to see the Seven Nations in their entirety, excluding Snezhnaya, of course, with you. I want to see the Thunder Sakura trees in Inazuma with you, and I want to go to the deserts of Sumeru and look at the ancient ruins there with you. I want to see the festivals each and every nation celebrates outside of just Mondstadt and Liyue, and I want to see them with you. I want to see the tall cliffs of The Chasm, and I want to see every mountain in Liyue with you. I want to see Watatsumi Island in Inazuma, and the Avidya Forest in Sumeru, but not if I'm not there with you." you said, leaning against him. "Is there anything else?" he asked, looking down at you as tears started welling up in his eyes. "When we finally stop traveling Teyvat, I want to come back here and stay for good. I want us to start a family of our own and have children of our own, regardless of whether they're adopted or ours. I want to watch them grow up and then spend the rest of my life with you here when they move away and go on their own adventures. I want to do it all with you." you whispered, looking up at him with so much love and adoration that it almost made him breathless. "I love you so very much, Diluc Ragnvindr, and I'm so selfish when it comes to you. I know those adventures will take us who knows where and Celestia knows how long, but I want so badly to see those places with you instead of reading about them in a book while I wait for you alone at night. It's so dreadfully lonely without you here by my side, and I love you so much." you said. When he didn't say anything, you thought he wasn't really listening, but the moment he leaned closer and spoke, you knew he heard you. "Then why don't we start planning those adventures this week? You've been there for me for years, even when I wasn't there for you when I should've been. I want to make it up to you, even if I have to spend the rest of my life doing so. I love you too much to put it into words and have them do my feelings justice, but you've always been so patient with me. You didn't hate me or resent me when I left you here alone to go find answers about a weapon that I should have known more about in the first place. You've been patient with me every day whenever I've had a long day and want to be alone, despite what you just told me. You're not the selfish one, I am." he said, causing you to smile softly. "Then why don't we be selfish for one another together?" you asked, causing him to nod. "I think I know what Adelinde meant when she said that I was a good one." you said, looking down into his crimson eyes. "What do you mean?" he asked. "When she said I was a good one that night your father invited me to stay for dinner, when I returned your coat after you left it with me. She said as I was putting my plate in the sink that I was a good one. I didn't know what that meant then, but I do now." you said, looking at him. "What did she mean?" he asked, already knowing the answer. "She knew I was in love with you then, but she chose to keep it mostly to herself." you said, pinning him down by his wrists. "Oh, speaking of returning things, I never gave you this back, mainly because I forgot, but also because I didn't know that I was your source of inspiration most of the time." he said, pushing himself up onto his forearms and holding you as he rummaged through his nightstand drawer. His hand met leather and he knew what it was before he pulled it out of the drawer. He handed you your sketchbook, smiling as you looked over your old drawings of him. "They look almost nothing like my style now." you said, causing him to chuckle softly. "That just means your style has improved." you heard him say. "Yeah, it has." you smiled fondly at the drawings, before looking back and kissing him. "I meant those things I said earlier, by the way. I want to start those travels as far away from here as possible, so that we can end up right back where we started." you said, letting his hands gently grasp yours. "Inazuma then?" he asked, causing you to nod.

The two of you talked until the moon hung in the middle of the night sky, signaling that it was midnight. You, however, didn't care how late it was, and talked until your sentences were slurred by drowsiness. You fell asleep against his chest as he gazed down at you, a smile on his face as he felt true peace for the first time in what felt like a long, long time.

No matter where these adventures would take the two of you, home for you both was in each other's arms, and neither of you would have it any other way.

I refuse to miss another one

flat fuck friday

Wish me luck. 😔

Got a looooooong way to go 🫠

( not complaining )

PROGRESS IS PROGRESS YOU’VE GOT THIS!

Memories (Xiao x reader NSFW)

I finally got around to writing part two of the "Memories" series. I will likely be doing another poll in the future so stick around for that. For the time being, I will probably focus on Mondstadt and Liyue characters before moving on to Inazuma, Sumeru, and the other nations. Anyways, enjoy~

Warnings: reader has draconic anatomy (tail, horns), spoilers for Xiao’s backstory and the Archon quest in the Chasm, NSFW, riding, belly bulging, creampie, marking (fangs, claws)

NSFW content, Minors DNI, by scrolling down past this point, you have chosen to read the content below of your own accord!

Masterlist

Summary: The world is cruel to those who are weak, Xiao knows this, and has seen it countless times. His one and only comfort in this cruel world is you, a fellow Adeptus, and the only child of Morax.

Xiao remembered the day he first met you very clearly. He had just been freed from his former master by Rex Lapis, and was now joining his side of the Archon War. It was the day that he first joined the other four Yakshas for the first time.

“So, who’s this?” A voice asked behind him, causing him to turn around quickly to find the owner of that voice. When he turned around, he saw a pair of horns that looked much like Morax’s did. Xiao looked down at your tail, noticing how it was the same color as your hair, with a cloud tip at the end. He looked at your face next. You gave him a gentle smile as you spoke. “This is Xiao, he joined us a few weeks ago while you were gone.” Bosacious explained, watching as you nodded. “I’ve heard of you. Guizhong and Cloud Retainer vaguely mentioned you. It’s nice to meet you, Xiao.” You said, looking over at the other Yakshas. “Anyways, what’s the move for today?” You asked. “There’s a group of serpents near the foot of Mount Tianheng. We’re going to go get rid of them.” Bonanus said, looking over at Xiao as she spoke. “However, this one was put on bed rest for the week, and the same goes for Xiao.” Indarias said, pointing to Menogias. You crossed your arms and looked at Menogias, sighing deeply. “You should know better than to push yourself, it’s important to rest when your body needs it.” You looked over at Xiao. “The same applies to you, regardless of how well you think you can fight.” You scolded lightly. He shook his head. “I’ve rested enough, I’m tired of being bedridden, and I want to help to repay Rex Lapis for his kindness towards me.” Xiao explained. “You think you can handle a fight against what’s out there?” You asked, watching Menogias leave to get more rest. “Yes, I am positive of this.” He said. “Alright, then that must mean that you can hold your own in a fight against one of us, since we’re stronger than these creatures we’re about to fight.” You said. “In fact, I’ll make you a deal. If you can beat me in a fight, you won’t need any more bed rest.” You said. Xiao summoned his polearm and gripped it tightly, glaring at you as he nodded. You summoned your own weapon, a claymore, and held it at the ready. “Bonanus, care to count us down from three?” You asked, your tail twitching in eager excitement. “Alright, three, two, one, go!” She called, with Indarias pulling her back as Xiao launched himself at you. You easily blocked his strikes with your claymore, before swinging it and cutting his side. “Feel free to forfeit any time you wish, you will not win this.” You said, your eyes boring into his as you launched yourself at him and landed a punch against his jaw, sending him flying. You watched as he tried to get up, only to fall back down on his face. He looked up at you as you approached, before seemingly giving up on fighting. However, he yanked you down and pinned you against the ground when you got close enough for him to grab you. Xiao pinned your arms behind your back, before feeling himself being yanked upside down by something. Your tail was wrapped around his ankle as you spun in circles, smirking as you threw him to the ground and pinned him down completely. “Like I said, you need rest, and you won’t win this. Give up, already.” You said, teeth gritted as you spoke. Xiao let himself go limp, watching as you got off of him. He slowly stood, before stumbling forward, right into your waiting arms. “I told you that you needed rest.” You scolded, picking him up and hoisting him over your shoulder. Xiao could only watch as you carried him back to the camp, leaving shortly after to attend to your own duties.

During the next few weeks, while Xiao healed from the injuries he’d sustained from his time serving under his former master and the injuries you’d given him, Morax practically dragged you back to get you to apologize to him.

“Father, you must be joking. He was literally asking for it!” You protested. “However truthful that may be, I’m insisting that you apologize to him, and that you oversee his recovery yourself.” Morax hissed, lightly shoving you through the tent flap before he left. Moon Carver was tending to Xiao’s injuries, wrapping them in fresh bandages. “Good evening, (name). One is pleased to see that you have returned safely.” He said, looking back at you. You nodded in response to his comment, and waited for him to finish dressing Xiao’s wounds and leave before speaking to him. “I… ok, where to start? First of all, I’m sorry for, you know, hurting you. I didn’t mean to let go that much and use that much strength.” You said, looking at him. Xiao glared at you, before reluctantly speaking. “It’s… fine. You only wished to make sure that I was able to properly fight. It’s more than I’m used to.” He said, watching as you looked at the bandages. “Are you in any pain?” You asked, looking him over. He slowly nodded, pointing to his side. You hovered your palms over the spot he’d pointed to and called forth your Adeptal energy to numb the area. “Is that better?” You asked, watching as he nodded again. “Alright then, I’ll check on you at dinner and bring you something to eat. Get some more rest, or at the very least lay down. It puts less strain on your muscles.” You said, getting up and walking towards the tent flap. “Wait.” He called hoarsely. You looked back at him. “Yeah?” You asked. Xiao braced himself on his forearms. “…Thank you.” He muttered, watching as you smiled softly before exiting the tent.

The next memorable time Xiao could recall with you was when everyone was celebrating the first Lantern Rite together. You had dressed up in one of your favorite outfits, which was a gift from Menogias, and sat beside him as the two of you watched the lanterns together. You could tell that he wanted to be alone, but you decided to keep him company, anyways. He was perplexed by the fact that he actually enjoyed your company, and more so by the fact that you enjoyed his. He shouldn’t be enjoying your company, but you were the only person whose company he genuinely enjoyed, save for the other Yakshas. His Karmic Debt felt much lighter whenever you were around, and you always asked him how his day went before asking anyone else. He decided to sit on these feelings, and think about them further to find why he enjoyed your company so much more than anyone else’s. Turning his attention from the lanterns to you, he saw that you were also looking at him, your face reddening when you saw that he returned your gaze. You smiled shyly, turning away to look at the lanterns again. Perhaps he’d ask Morax about these feelings on a later date.

The day he asked Morax about these feelings, he had never seen someone more surprised in his life. “The way you describe how you feel about them almost makes me think that you’re developing feelings for them.” He said, giving him a look. “Could you explain that, please?” Xiao asked. Morax gave a gentle smile. “Tell me what you think it means, first.” He said. Xiao racked his memory for the words to say, but words failed him now. “I don’t really know how to describe it. It feels like my Karmic Debt is lighter whenever they’re around, and I look forward to their visits every day. That’s all I can think of.” He said. The Geo Archon could only smile as he spoke. “Karmic Debt accumulates thanks to negative emotions and hatred. The counter to those things are positive emotions like joy or happiness, or in your case, love. You’re falling in love with them.” He explained. Xiao thought for a moment, before the realization that he was right finally hit him. His face flushed at the realization, and he could only sigh deeply as Morax smirked at him. “A word of advice, if you’ll listen.” Morax began, looking at him. The moment Xiao’s eyes locked with his, it felt as if he couldn’t look away. “Treat them well, a heart of stone is a heart, nonetheless.” He said, getting up to leave.

You noticed that Xiao had been acting differently ever since he went to speak to your father last week. He was more distant from the others, preferring to spend more time with you. Of course, every time you tried to ask him why this was the case, he brushed it off and told you that he just felt like your company helped relieve him of his Karmic Debt. You, however knew that wasn’t his only reason to be around you. Eventually, you decided to confront him properly about it.

The next evening, you walked up to him in the middle of dinner and sat beside him, eating with him. After you were done eating, you turned to look at him. “Hey, Xiao, would you mind joining me on a walk?” You asked, watching as he nodded. You smiled and got up from your seat, motioning for him to follow you. Once you were a considerable distance away from everyone else, you turned and looked at him, pulling back the leaves to reveal a waterfall that ran into a pool of sorts. “What is this place?” He asked, causing you to giggle. “This is my favorite place to go and relax. It helps me to focus on things that are happening in my life around me, and to process the things that I need to mentally unpack. Since you like the quiet, I was hoping to take you here to tell you something you may need time to think over. If you need time to yourself after this, that’s fine, but- why are you staring at me like that?” You asked, smiling softly as you saw the gentle look he was giving you. He knew he’d been caught staring at you, and his face turned red as he tried to come up with an excuse. “I- um- I’m-” he stopped trying when you giggled softly, looking at him. “Xiao, are you… embarrassed?” You asked, watching as he hesitantly nodded before looking down at the ground. “I feel like you’re far ahead of me, and that I don’t deserve your attention, and yet you give it to me anyways. I feel like you should be spending more time around people more worthwhile to you, and yet you choose to spend your time with me. Why is that?” He asked, looking up at you. You looked down at him and smiled softly, walking over to him and gently cupping his face in your hands. “It’s because you’re worthwhile to me, Xiao. I don’t know how you can’t see that.” You whispered, watching as he leaned into your touch. While he wasn’t looking, you gently wrapped your tail around his waist, pulling him close to you. He jolted slightly, looking back at the scaly tail, before looking up at you. “I can’t believe I have to say this aloud, I figured I was being obvious, but…” you gently pressed your forehead against his, closing your eyes as you spoke. “I’m in love with you, Xiao.” You whispered, gently cupping his face in your hands. “And I want you to know that no matter how much you push me away, or try to ignore me after this, I will always love you.” You continued, before eventually pulling away. You opened your eyes again and watched as he looked at you, awestruck. “You… what?” He asked. “I love you, Xiao.” You repeated, looking at him and gently grasping his hands in your own. His face went completely red as he fully processed what you said. He then frowned slightly, before looking at you again. “There is so much blood on my hands from people who didn’t deserve to die. I’ve done terrible things in my life, things I cannot even begin to justify. You deserve someone better than that.” He said, pulling his hands away from yours.

You looked at him, crestfallen, before gently grabbing his hands and lacing your fingers together with his. “I know my worth, Xiao.” You tried to reassure him, but he pulled away from you, getting up. You got up as well, and rested your forehead against his as he looked at you again.

“If blood is what these hands are covered in, then I’d rather be stained crimson for the rest of eternity than live a moment without you in my life.” You said, sighing softly as you cupped his face in your hands. “You should think higher of yourself. Morax wouldn’t have let you join us if he didn’t trust you. If he trusts you not to hurt any of us, then so do I.” You said, wrapping your arms around him and hugging him tightly. Xiao’s eyes widened slightly, and he went stiff as you hugged him, before he hesitantly raised his arms and hugged you back. He rested his head against your shoulder, not meeting your gaze. “We don’t have to do anything other than this, but I love you far too much to lose you, even to yourself.” You said. And although you couldn’t see it, for the first time in a long while, Xiao smiled slightly against your shoulder.

Just when he thought things were getting better, when he felt like he had finally found people he could trust, Indarias’ Karmic Debt got the best of her. He could only watch as she screamed at the top of her lungs, tormented by the hateful wrath of bygone gods and monsters. She went mad with fear, going on a rampage that lasted days, before bursting into flames. You held Bonanus back from running at her to try and put the flames out, knowing it would do no good for anyone involved. Even after you all mourned her death, there was a deafening silence in the days following her death, especially anytime someone needed cheering up after a particularly rough day.

Next was Menogias, who died in your arms after Bonanus went mad and stabbed him in the chest. She had tried to go after you, but Menogias refused to let you die, and used himself as a distraction to hold her off while you got Xiao and Bosacius to safety. He died with a smile on his face, knowing a peaceful afterlife awaited him. You were the one who buried him with the help of the other Adepti, and you held onto Xiao as he shook with silent sobs that evening. The next day, Bonanus had come back again, trying to attack you once more. However, Xiao was the one who protected you, and the one who fell dead at the end of the fight was Bonanus.

Bosacius disappeared next, his Karmic Debt having made him go mad as well. However, he didn’t try to attack anyone, and instead left one evening after mumbling to himself in a corner of the encampment. Even after searching for him for days on end, you never found any trace of him. Guizhong was the one who comforted both you and Xiao, since you both viewed him as family in a way. After his disappearance, there was a distinct lack of enthusiasm as Morax finally told Xiao that he was the last Yaksha alive.

Guizhong’s death hit everyone the hardest. You and Xiao had arrived just as she was saying her last words to Morax, a smile on her face as she crumbled into the finest dust, carried off by the wind. Everyone mourned her the longest, since she had been so kind and caring towards everyone she knew. All that she had left behind for Morax was a stone dumbbell that she had created alongside the other mechanisms and such she had made. You remember very distinctly that your father had looked at the dumbbell for a long time, before eventually giving up on opening it. You knew you should comfort him, Guizhong was his closest friend, and yet, you still stayed beside Xiao, comforting him and making sure he was alright.

The day of your wedding with him was the happiest day Xiao could remember in his lifetime of sadness and loss. It was a small ceremony, but a meaningful one, nonetheless. He was ecstatic when he finally slipped the ring on your finger, smiling softly when you slid the ring onto his finger. The rest of that evening, you both danced together, and he smiled almost the entire time, although it was a smile reserved for your eyes only.

Your honeymoon with him was very peaceful, having spent it with you in your Sereniteapot. He remembered helping you decorate, thinking how peaceful things could be if you were both mortals, or if you both didn’t need to protect Liyue all the time. Perhaps if he hadn’t made that contract with Morax, he would’ve been able to spend more time with you. However, this month away from everything related to his duties as a Yaksha, while the other Adepti gladly helped keep Wangshu Inn safe, was… different. It wasn’t the bad kind of different, but the kind of different that made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Xiao was about to get in the bath for the evening when you asked to join him, causing him to nod. “Why do you want to join me, anyways?” He asked, looking back at you as you both undressed. You smiled softly. “Because I like spending time with you, and couples bathe together all the time.” You reasoned. He shrugged, before looking at you again. “Your tail would be too big for the bath, but we could bathe in the hot spring, if you don’t mind.” He suggested. “The outdoor hot spring? Ooh, actually, that would be good for stargazing, sure!” You replied. “The stars in the Realm Within are fake, you know that, right?” He deadpanned. “It’s supposed to be romantic, Xiao, I know they’re fake and that they’re just based off of the actual night sky outside of the abode.” You said, before getting dressed again and grabbing some towels. You also grabbed the shampoo and conditioner, as well as some soap, too. You then walked with Xiao to the hot spring and closed the door, locking it behind you. Even though the two of you were alone, you still took extra precautions when it came to privacy. You slowly stripped of your clothing, keenly aware of the pair of eyes burning into your back as you did so. “Like what you see?” You asked teasingly, watching as his face went bright red. He looked away, coughing awkwardly, before he started to remove his own clothing. He got into the warm water of the hot spring and waited for you to join him, jolting slightly as your tail made contact with his bare waist, pulling him closer to you. “Hey there, why so far away?” You asked, smiling at him. He was lost for words, and looked away, not quite sure how to handle the situation despite bathing with you in the waterfall pools of Jueyun Karst many times before this. “No need to be so nervous, Xiao, you can look at me, I don’t mind.” You cooed, causing him to look back at your face. “You know I’m not used to doing these things in this type of setting, (name).” He said, seemingly annoyed at your actions. However, you knew that he thought they were endearing, and that he didn’t mind you doing this sort of stuff, so long as it didn’t make him uncomfortable. With his words in mind, you gently placed your hand against his chest. “Well, we don’t have to do anything like that tonight if you don’t want to.” You said, smiling at him gently. However, he wanted to, he just didn’t know how to tell you. After a couple of minutes, Xiao pulled you into his lap, letting you straddle him. You gently grasped his shoulders, looking down at him as he looked at you. “Please.” He whispered, telling you what you needed to know. “Are you sure?” You asked once more, receiving an almost breathy “yes,” in return. You nodded, before lining him up with your entrance and dragging your hand up and down his shaft, pumping him a few times and then slowly sliding him inside. He gasped softly as you lowered yourself on him slowly, squeezing around him as you adjusted to the feeling of his thick girth dragging against your walls. Xiao gripped the edge of the hot spring tightly, letting himself relax as he bottomed out inside of you. The two of you stayed like that for a little bit, giving yourselves time to adjust before you slowly rocked your hips against his.

He tried to cover his mouth with his hand, only for you to swivel your hips and move them faster. You watched as his hands flew to your hips to still them. “Don’t cover your mouth like that, I want to hear you.” You cooed, gently grabbing his shoulders as your eyes drifted to gaze at his neck. It was as if he knew you wanted to do something, because he sighed softly, before slowly tilting his head to the side to expose more of his neck. You took the opportunity, leaning in and sinking your sharp fangs into the skin of his neck. You sucked on the skin until it was purple, and pulled away after a few long seconds. Xiao panted softly, leaning against the rim of the hot spring for support as you started moving a little faster. There was a warm sensation in his lower stomach as he felt you squeezing around him tighter. “Nh~ feels s’good, Xiao~” you gripped his shoulders tightly as he bucked his hips up against yours. “Ah~ right there, please~” you gasped softly when his spongy tip hit the sensitive bundle of nerves deep inside of you. He pulled out to where only the tip was in, before he angled his hips to where he would hit that spot again. He slammed his hips against yours, watching as you squeezed his shoulders tightly, digging your nails into his skin hard enough to draw blood. He didn’t mind, though, and kept bucking his hips up against yours as he leaned up and kissed you. You moaned against his lips, whining softly whenever he slowed down. He trailed kisses up from your shoulder to your neck, before biting into the soft skin and tugging at it lightly with his teeth. His yellow eyes gazed into yours before he hid his face in your neck, his thrusts starting to get sloppier. He twitched slightly inside of you as you felt your own orgasm getting closer. “M’so close, please don’t stop- Anh~” you moaned softly, reaching up and tugging at his soft hair. He twitched harshly inside of you as you continued tugging on his hair, before he started fucking into you at a brutal pace as you continued to do so. You wailed his name as you came, tugging hard on his hair as you rode out your high. You clenched and squeezed around him as he slammed his hips into yours one last time and came, thick spurts of white filling you up and making you tremble from how full you felt. You wrapped your legs around his waist, doing the same with your tail as you kept him inside of you. After what felt like hours more, he slowly pulled out, causing you to whine quietly as he grabbed the soap and cleaned you up. He then shampooed and conditioned your hair, taking great care to be gently with you while he did so. After he was done, he did the same to his hair, before grabbing the towels and drying you both off. He wrapped you up in one of the towels and wrapped his waist with another. Xiao then carried you in his arms back to the house, stopping to grab your clothing and his along the way out of the outside hot spring area.

When he got back to the house, he took you to the bedroom and laid you down under the covers, before getting under them with you after putting the towels and clothes away. He fell asleep easily that night, holding you close as the two of you slept.

When Xiao started to succumb to his Karmic Debt, he knew even you wouldn’t be safe from him. “Xiao, what’s going on? Are you ok?” You asked. He used his last threads of sanity to scream at you to run, run far and run fast. You refused, using a shield to protect yourself as he launched himself at you. Even after the shield broke, you fought back against him as best you could. But you were losing your strength, unable to keep up with his fast attacks and his immense strength. Eventually, he had you pinned down, his polearm pointed at your neck. He was about to stab you when the sound of a flute pierced the air, calming him as the wind blew calmly around the two of you. His eyes, once glazed over and filled with hatred, softened, and the light in them returned. When he saw you, and the way you had been pinned down by him, tears filled his eyes as he dropped his polearm to the ground and stepped off of you. He stepped back when you got up, falling to his knees as he sobbed. However, he stopped when you wrapped your arms around him, pulling him close to you. “It’s alright, I know you didn’t mean to.” You whispered into his hair, gently rubbing his back as you cradled him against you. “I’m sorry.” He whispered, over and over, repeating the sentiment like a mantra. He eventually passed out, leaving you to carry him somewhere safe, but he never forgot the fact that he’d almost killed you that night.

Xiao saw true terror during his time in the Chasm, when he spoke to Bosacius. It was obvious that he was a malevolent spirit now, making the space they were in chaotic with the Karmic Debt he once held running rampant. It had taken what felt like centuries for him to get through the rift to everyone, but things gradually played out from there, and he discovered that Bosacius had fought to the bitter end for Liyue, even after his Karmic Debt had driven him to madness. When he teleported the others to safety as he ran out of Adeptal Energy to work the Fantastic Compass, he pictured you, smiling at him whilst standing in a field of Glaze Lilies as his eyes slipped closed. He still loved you dearly, he knew you knew that. He just wished he could say goodbye to you before being trapped in the Chasm forever like this as he fell into the seemingly endless darkness below…

But there was no darkness, only blinding golden light as two forces pulled him out of the Chasm together. When he opened his eyes again, he saw everyone around him who had been in the Chasm. When he looked up at the ledge, he could’ve sworn that he’d seen Zhongli standing there. And when he looked back, he saw you again. You ran to him, fighting back tears as you tackled him to the ground and hugged him tightly. “Don’t you ever do that again. I could’ve lost you.” You whispered, holding onto him like it was your last chance to do so.

You didn’t let him walk back by himself to Wangshu Inn, you teleported the two of you to the balcony, walking inside with him in your arms. You carefully tended to his wounds, healing them until he was properly patched up, before cupping his face in your hands. “Why do you insist on sacrificing yourself so often for the sake of others?” You asked quietly. Xiao knew it was a rhetorical question, and let you continue. “Please stop throwing yourself in dangerous situations like that. You’re lucky me and my father got there in time. You could’ve…” you didn’t finish the thought aloud, but he knew what you were thinking. “I… I didn’t mean to upset you, and I’m sorry, but it is my duty as a Yaksha to protect the people of Liyue from danger.” He reminded you. He held his constant glare until you looked up and he saw the tears in your eyes. He rushed forward and wrapped his arms around your waist, letting you lean against him as your knees went weak. You went limp in his arms as he held you, gripping his shoulders tightly as you sobbed into the crook of his neck. Xiao picked you up bridal style and carried you to your shared bed, sitting down under the covers after taking his and your shoes off. “I’ve already almost lost you once, please don’t make me lose you for real this time.” You whispered, wrapping your arms around him and hugging him tightly. Your tail wrapped around his waist, keeping him close to you. He sighed deeply, hugging you back as you started to relax. After you’d slightly calmed down, your grip loosened a little, and he pulled away slightly to wipe away your tears. “I still must protect Liyue, but I will try to be more careful if it means that your worries will be eased.” He said, reaching up and running his fingers through your hair. You leaned against him, melting into his touch. “Thank you.” You whispered, looking at him. His gaze locked with yours, and his eyes went half lidded as he spoke. “I love you, you know that. I will continue to do so until we’ve both crumbled into the finest dust, and all of Liyue has forgotten our names. Never forget that.” He said, cupping your face in his hands. He leaned forward and kissed you, pressing his lips firmly against yours as he held you there. You smiled tiredly at him, resting your head against his shoulder as you started to doze off. Xiao did the same, having decided to get some much desired rest after today’s events. However, just before he fell asleep, he heard a soft “I love you too, Xiao,” fall from your lips, as he, for the first time in millennia, fell asleep peacefully.