Xiao Fluff - Tumblr Posts
꒰ 𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆 ✩࿐
pairings: kazuha, wanderer, and xiao x gn!reader (separate)
content: fluff, mutual pining, cuddling in kazu and scara's, a bit of a confession in kazuha’s, tranquil beach scenery with kazu, scara is in his wanderer era, you travel with the wanderer, watching fireworks with xiao
summary: under the cover of an enchanting night, romance blossoms.
a/n: i love mutual pining. also, the idea of xiao and scara being soft towards only the reader makes me melt. anyway, i hope you enjoy reading!
Tonight, waves lap at the shore, ebbing and flowing in a steady rhythm, creating a repetitive beat — a baseline for nature’s songs. The sea reflects the darkening skies above, displays of vivid blue and violet lined with subtle shades of rose gold. Sand shifts as you walk barefoot along the shoreline with your closest friend, each grain absorbing the remnants of daytime warmth.
“KAZUHA, hurry up!” you yell, rushing ahead despite the resistance of the miniature dunes beneath you. Playful giggles fill the air as you run and Kazuha chases after you, trying his best to ensure that you remain within his sight.
“Ah, wait!” he calls back, following after you.
Although your legs carry you far, you eventually begin to pant, and your body feels far too heavy to continue on. In a single motion, you dramatically fall to the ground, thankful for the sand below acting as padding. You crash, but fortunately, you’re not injured.
Seconds later, Kazuha catches up. He stands above you, gazing down at your breathless face and smiling softly. Embers of adoration ignite in crimson eyes reminiscent of autumn leaves, burning brightly as he offers a hand to you.
“Are you alright?” he asks, grabbing one of your hands firmly. In one swift motion, he pulls you to your feet, and you nod.
“I’m fine,” you manage to say between gasps for air. You’re still tired, and you suppose you should have conserved some energy instead of attempting to run at the speed of light. However, you know you’ll recover eventually.
Kazuha stares at you for a second, irises mirroring shades of sunset flickering over your each and every feature before he shakes his head.
“You look like you need a rest,” he tells you.
He sits down on the sand and pats the spot next to him, gesturing for you to take a seat next to him. You do as he instructs, and soon enough, you find yourself on the ground beside Kazuha, your shoulders nearly touching.
You glance over at him, admiring the way his snow white hair, highlighted by the dying crepuscule, billows in the sea breeze. Autumnal pools of molten rubies fill with small flecks of gold as he keeps his gaze fixated upon the tranquil sea before you. But nothing rivals the smile that comes to adorn his features — full of wonder, an encapsulation of the sun’s brilliance and the moon’s serenity.
Ethereal. That’s the word that comes to mind while you stare at the beautiful boy next to you, and yet, you fear it’s still not enough to describe him.
He’s perfect. His allure rivals that of the panoramic scenery before you.
You wish you could stay in the moment forever — or at the very least, permanently etch every last detail of today into your memory.
Soon enough, the last threads of warmth are pulled from the earth with the disappearance of the sun, and a chill begins to radiate as the cold light of the moon overtakes the sky. Every hint of marigold, coral, and canary completely vanishes. In their place, a deeper midnight blue ebbs into the heavens. As the wind passes by, you feel a slight shiver run down your spine.
And your discomfort doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Are you cold, my dearest?” Kazuha asks you.
The term of endearment causes a warmth to rise to your cheeks. Although affectionate words aren’t rare with Kazuha, your friend is making it sound as though the two of you are a couple.
However, your embarrassment fades as another gust of glacial fervor drifts by to steal the heat from your face, you force yourself to nod. You know that even if you lie, Kazuha will be able to see right through you. You’ve been friends for a while now, and given Kazuha’s attunement to nature, it’s nearly impossible to deceive him.
The wandering samurai wraps an arm around you, igniting a warmth akin to the caress of golden sunrays. His embrace is so warm… so comforting…
You feel your eyelids becoming heavy, and your head involuntarily falls to Kazuha’s shoulder. Slumber begins to overtake you. Tendrils of tantalization pull you deeper into a realm of oneiric euphoria, blurring out the waking world in the process.
But through it all, thoughts of the boy beside you, the one who embodies transient autumns in both looks in personality, never leave your mind.
Just as you feel yourself falling into a plane of enchanting fantasies, you hear six soft words spoken in tandem, whispered by a voice more delicate than the marine zephyrs surrounding you.
“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Wow, you’re really bad at this,” the WANDERER huffs. “At this rate, we’ll freeze to death.”
You can feel the Wanderer’s indigo gaze, a flawless mimic of the night sky, piercing into the depths of your soul, scrutinizing your every move. At the moment, the only illumination is provided by phantasmagoric stars dotting a canvas of murky navy and violet, but it seems to be enough for him to make out your silhouette against the surrounding shadows.
You sigh, tangible frustration permeating the otherwise serene evening air as you exhale.
“I’m sorry,” you say. “I guess I’m just tired or something.”
For a few seconds, a defeaning silence fills the atmosphere, transforming the ambience into one of awkwardness.
And then you feel the Wanderer sit down beside you.
“Whatever,” he mutters. “You’re clearly exhausted and in no state to be starting a fire.” For some reason, his tone of voice is far less pointed than usual, changing from an embodiment of everwinter storms to something more akin to a honeyed warmth — a tranquil portrait of summer’s joys.
You open your mouth to apologize again, but before you can speak, you hear grass rustling as the Wanderer stands up. Your gaze follows his barely-visible figure as he walks a short distance from where you’re sitting back to the small tent you set up earlier. He rummages around for a second before returning and draping a blanket around your shoulders.
“Don’t bother thanking me,” he says, sitting back down next to you.
Your traveling companion looks up at the star-speckled sky, and you swear you can see galaxies full of vibrant magenta and ocean blue reflected in his irises.
“Aren’t you cold too?” you ask, breaking the fragile, short-lived silence into fragments with words that echo in the midnight air, seemingly amplified in the midst of a peaceful moment.
The Wanderer simply shakes his head in response.
“There’s no need to worry about me,” he says.
And yet you still can’t help but feel guilty. You’re nice and cozy underneath the protection of a velvety blanket, safe from the frigid fingers of encroaching night. Meanwhile, the Wanderer is left to fend for himself.
What if you just share the blanket?
The idea is certainly tempting, but you’re a little too scared to follow through with it. Throughout your time with the Wanderer, you’ve gotten the feeling that he’s rather unfond of touch. After all, with his snarky attitude and unfriendly demeanor, he’s the antithesis of a cuddly person.
However, as you shift to sit in a more comfortable position, your fingers accidentally brush against his, causing you to flinch.
He’s cold. Incredibly cold.
And yet not a shiver runs down his spine.
Is he pretending to be alright for your sake?
The mere thought is enough to send another wave of warmth through your body, and suddenly, you feel less alone in the midst of enigmatic darkness. You realize that although he doesn’t outright show it, the Wanderer cares about you. Your heart flutters with the delicacy of a butterfly’s iridescent wings.
“You’re looking out for me,” you whisper under your breath. A small smile dances across your lips, and you decide to take a risk, jumping off a ledge of certainty and into an abyss filled with unknown feelings and fragile bonds.
With one swift movement, you take the end of the blanket closer to the Wanderer and wrap it around his shoulders. Now you’re sharing, and you can feel him pressing up against you. You swear you can feel the tempo of your heartbeat intensifying, each thump resounding in rapid succession.
To your surprise, the Wanderer doesn’t try to push you away. Instead, he scoots towards you.
“You don’t mind this?” you ask him, anticipating his response with bated breath.
For a second, silence fills the night, sending your mind into a polarizing frenzy and your heart into a panic. However, when the Wanderer speaks, you feel the tension leave your body.
“I don’t…” he starts, pausing briefly to consider his next words. Perhaps the surrounding darkness gives him courage, or perhaps he simply can’t suppress his feelings anymore because his next words are entirely unexpected, “but only because it’s you.”
Petals of red and gold bloom into voids of darkness, illuminating endless night in a display of phosphorescent flowers. But the sky isn’t the only thing that undergoes a stunning metamorphosis due to the luminous grace of the fireworks painting the shadows. In the edges of your vision, borders frayed from staring at the breathtaking sight before you for far too long, you catch an spark blaze alight within the honeyed amber of XIAO’s eyes. A subtle smile graces his features.
It’s barely noticeable, but it’s there.
You turn your attention to the beautiful boy beside you, absolutely captivated by the grin adorning his face. Displays of happiness from Xiao are rare, occurrences rivaling the convergence of sun and moon — a total eclipse. Your heart beats erratically, creating an exhilarating backing for a nocturne composed of the crackling of fireworks.
“You’re smiling,” you whisper.
Xiao grunts dismissively.
“Nonsense,” he says, wiping all traces of childish wonder and carefree bliss from his face. “The foolish antics of humans mean nothing to the Adepti.”
You feel the corners of your lips turn down. It’s almost like Xiao’s mood is infectious at the moment. When he’s smiling, you’re smiling, and when the euphoria fades from his expression, a certain lightness seems to vanish from the atmosphere.
“Oh, I see.” Your voice comes out meek, dulled by the immense disappointment filling your heart.
You want nothing more than to see Xiao happy. Throughout your time together, you’ve grown to care about him — admittedly a little bit more than platonically — and yet despite your concerns, you feel like Xiao doesn’t share the same sentiments. Xiao doesn’t quite care about his joy as much as you do. He’s far more content with protecting you, and although his actions never fail to cause giddiness to overwhelm you, you can’t help but want to see him smile for once.
Perhaps he’s scared of shattering the cold and distant image he’s crafted, despite the fact that you already know it’s all a fragile illusion formed from jagged shards of the most delicate crystal. Deep down, you know Xiao is caring and warm, akin to a flawless summer day, complete with golden rays of sunlight beaming down at you and a honeyed caress.
It seems that Xiao has noticed the negativity radiating off of you because as you avert your gaze, staring at the wooden floor of Wangshu Inn’s balcony, you hear Xiao’s voice once again.
“Wait,” he interjects, cutting through the thick silence with a singular pointed word, sharper than a dagger constructed from the toughest of diamonds. “I… should explain myself,” he mumbles.
Although you look up once more to make eye contact with Xiao, you’re unsuccessful. Now he’s the one avoiding your stare, and he looks nothing short of endearingly shy. Gilded lamplight illuminates his features, making the sunset blush dawning on his cheeks all the more apparent to you.
“I wasn’t…” Xiao manages before pausing once more. “I wasn’t only smiling because of the fireworks,” he forces himself to say.
His words pique your interest. Although the rest of the night is exceptionally beautiful, the various acrylic hues burgeoning across a canvas painted a dark obsidian shade are the most noteworthy sights of the evening. When you try to think of anything that even closely parallels their beauty, nothing comes to mind.
“I felt at peace,” he says, his voice softening, “because you were beside me.”
You inhale sharply. The air feels far too electrifying at the moment, shocking you with an unexpected elation. You didn’t expect Xiao to be so forward, and yet, here he is, more or less telling you how much you mean to him. Many words remain unspoken, but you already know Xiao well enough to understand the weight of that one sentence.
As you glance over to the adeptus once more, a grin dances across your face. Aureate galaxies meet your gaze, sparkling with the subtlest hints of adoration.
The blush across Xiao’s cheeks only intensifies as the corners of his lips turn up once again in a shy smile.
It’s luminous. His expression, a true embodiment of equanimity and contentment, turns even the most breathtaking of fireworks more vibrant and the brightest of stars more radiant.
It’s at that moment that an epiphany strikes.
Contrary to what you had believed just moments prior, there’s one thing that rivals the stunning nature of the rainbow-infused pyrotechnics before you: the soft grin adorning Xiao’s features, accentuating each part of his face with a light brighter than that of an imploding supernova.
thank you for reading! i have a few more drafts that are close to finished, so i might post again soon (no promises though because i tend to procrastinate on my writing).
just relax
alt title: giving your stressed boyfriend a massage :((
warnings: anxiety? idk if thats a warning
you know exactly what is happening when u hear the front door to you and your boyfriend's shared apartment slam shut, the muffled sobs and uneven breathing nearing your bedroom also gives it away.
xiao's home
running to greet him at the doorway to your bedroom, you throw your arms around his neck and smother the man in your love, leaving little kisses all over his face.
leading him to your soft, clean bed, you push him down and lie down next to him, not giving the man a chance to speak yet. 'tough day baby?', all you get in return is a small whine while the short man burying his face in the crook of your neck. 'thought so already' you mumbled, shoving your face in his hair, taking in his scent.
he always smells of clean linen and, inevitably blood.
you trail your skilled fingers down his back, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. he whimpers, the fatigue getting to him and controlling his body and soul. "don't tease me Y/N.." he whispers, no actual anger in his voice. you smile, too engulfed in the love you feel for your boyfriend to tease him any longer. he sighs of relief when he feels you push him till his chest is flat on the bed, straddling his waist, you start working your soft fingers down his back. his moans filling the room. "you needed this, didn't u baby?" you smile at him, feeling the small man relax under your hands.
he is of no response, just giving a simple hum in response. domestic moments like these were the times you felt the pure adoration towards your boyfriend run through your veins. you were in love and so was he, even if he has trouble saying it sometimes.
just relax
alt title: giving your stressed boyfriend a massage :((
warnings: anxiety? idk if thats a warning
you know exactly what is happening when u hear the front door to you and your boyfriend's shared apartment slam shut, the muffled sobs and uneven breathing nearing your bedroom also gives it away.
xiao's home
running to greet him at the doorway to your bedroom, you throw your arms around his neck and smother the man in your love, leaving little kisses all over his face.
leading him to your soft, clean bed, you push him down and lie down next to him, not giving the man a chance to speak yet. 'tough day baby?', all you get in return is a small whine while the short man burying his face in the crook of your neck. 'thought so already' you mumbled, shoving your face in his hair, taking in his scent.
he always smells of clean linen and, inevitably blood.
you trail your skilled fingers down his back, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. he whimpers, the fatigue getting to him and controlling his body and soul. "don't tease me Y/N.." he whispers, no actual anger in his voice. you smile, too engulfed in the love you feel for your boyfriend to tease him any longer. he sighs of relief when he feels you push him till his chest is flat on the bed, straddling his waist, you start working your soft fingers down his back. his moans filling the room. "you needed this, didn't u baby?" you smile at him, feeling the small man relax under your hands.
he is of no response, just giving a simple hum in response. domestic moments like these were the times you felt the pure adoration towards your boyfriend run through your veins. you were in love and so was he, even if he has trouble saying it sometimes.
just relax
alt title: giving your stressed boyfriend a massage :((
warnings: anxiety? idk if thats a warning
you know exactly what is happening when u hear the front door to you and your boyfriend's shared apartment slam shut, the muffled sobs and uneven breathing nearing your bedroom also gives it away.
xiao's home
running to greet him at the doorway to your bedroom, you throw your arms around his neck and smother the man in your love, leaving little kisses all over his face.
leading him to your soft, clean bed, you push him down and lie down next to him, not giving the man a chance to speak yet. 'tough day baby?', all you get in return is a small whine while the short man burying his face in the crook of your neck. 'thought so already' you mumbled, shoving your face in his hair, taking in his scent.
he always smells of clean linen and, inevitably blood.
you trail your skilled fingers down his back, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. he whimpers, the fatigue getting to him and controlling his body and soul. "don't tease me Y/N.." he whispers, no actual anger in his voice. you smile, too engulfed in the love you feel for your boyfriend to tease him any longer. he sighs of relief when he feels you push him till his chest is flat on the bed, straddling his waist, you start working your soft fingers down his back. his moans filling the room. "you needed this, didn't u baby?" you smile at him, feeling the small man relax under your hands.
he is of no response, just giving a simple hum in response. domestic moments like these were the times you felt the pure adoration towards your boyfriend run through your veins. you were in love and so was he, even if he has trouble saying it sometimes.
just relax
alt title: giving your stressed boyfriend a massage :((
warnings: anxiety? idk if thats a warning
you know exactly what is happening when u hear the front door to you and your boyfriend's shared apartment slam shut, the muffled sobs and uneven breathing nearing your bedroom also gives it away.
xiao's home
running to greet him at the doorway to your bedroom, you throw your arms around his neck and smother the man in your love, leaving little kisses all over his face.
leading him to your soft, clean bed, you push him down and lie down next to him, not giving the man a chance to speak yet. 'tough day baby?', all you get in return is a small whine while the short man burying his face in the crook of your neck. 'thought so already' you mumbled, shoving your face in his hair, taking in his scent.
he always smells of clean linen and, inevitably blood.
you trail your skilled fingers down his back, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. he whimpers, the fatigue getting to him and controlling his body and soul. "don't tease me Y/N.." he whispers, no actual anger in his voice. you smile, too engulfed in the love you feel for your boyfriend to tease him any longer. he sighs of relief when he feels you push him till his chest is flat on the bed, straddling his waist, you start working your soft fingers down his back. his moans filling the room. "you needed this, didn't u baby?" you smile at him, feeling the small man relax under your hands.
he is of no response, just giving a simple hum in response. domestic moments like these were the times you felt the pure adoration towards your boyfriend run through your veins. you were in love and so was he, even if he has trouble saying it sometimes.
Im not sure if you’ve done this already, but do u mind doing a dating xiao (genshin impact) moodboard?
Dating Xiao <3
=͟͟͞͞ ⌧ : bbygurl <3
💚🩵🖤
heaven on earth ✭ ˎˊ-
ft. social media au ⸝⸝ idol!xiao x reader
synopsis ; — in which you befriend your next door neighbour who, unbeknownst to you, was apart of a soon-to-be one of the most popular bands throughout liyue. you're unable to tell if cupid was helping you or not when things with xiao keept going up and down. will he continue to keep his secret from yours truly?
genre — 5wirl band au, next door neighbour (apartment but same thing), slow-burn, fluff, crack, angst (at some point yea), modern au, flirty x shy trope, sfw, includes writing ✰
staus — on-going
PROFILES — sleep deprived workaholics / an(emo) qties
table of contents !
00. prologue .. once upon a time ✮
01. cupid meter !
02. information acquired !
03. gift from stranger !
04. communication is key ✮
05. gift for stranger !
06. pride or nice !
07. unwinding !
08. a new number !
09. out of character !
10. unfamiliar warmth ✮
11. yet !
12. surely a dinner !
13. who he really is !
14. free tickets !
15. hint of the past !
16. arrivals !
TAGLIST [OPEN] — @mikctp @ghostlysyntaxed @kazemiya @nnasv @gojoandelsalovechilde @candy-purple-cyanide @kissingkzuha @zyilas @lunaavity @luminescent-light @mave-in @rizakari @riikyu @kokoscutie @starsxnight @sketcheeee @softlie @izakyun @xiaxilia @the-sweet-madame
(ask to be added or removed)
MAYBE IM IN LOVE ?!
— "what's the problem baby? what's the problem i don't know well maybe im in love ! think about it everytime i think about it, can't stop thinking about it."
synopsis — xiao, the so called 'face of the music department' , or your crush, bumped into you! the 'beauty of the music majors'. for forgiveness, you give him a flower and run off. only for him to tweet about the incident and blow up! does the world really need to know about everything?
tropes — strangers to lovers, meet cute, kind of rom com, uni au, slightly ooc xiao (hes not that brooding and is actually open to making friends!), questionable humor and knowledge of universities. one sided love at first, fluff fluff fluff!!!
started — 7/3/2023
completed —
taglist — open! send an ask to be added :)
notes — bg au finished now for my lil pooks xiao. this is going to be mostly fluff and maybe little to no angst 💪🏻 do not look at the timestamps they are not important!!! taglist is open! send as ask/dm to be added. all eps will be tagged with #maybe im in love?!
profiles
— the mentally ill | xiao's only friends
chapters
preview
01 - accepted!
02 - thank you for the flower?....
03 - l word
04 - too much information
05 - study hard, love hard
06 - xiao's girl
07 - one eye open
08 - trust 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
09 - new bff
10 - operation : love !
11 - does he like her?
12 - hot chocolate
13 - i miss yn
14 - shes high
15 - libraries and games
16 - oh 😅😅
17 - man up
18 - thanks hutao
19 - beach night
20 - too much stuff
21 - that bad
22 - quiet*
tba
taglist : @soobin-chois
"Hold on, you have something on your cheek." -5wirl +Tighnari
Synopsis: How the 5wirl boys + Tighnari react when you move their hair aside to kiss their cheek. Otherwise known as you shamelessly flirting with them.
Disclaimer: This is some adorable fluff to unscrew up my tired porn ridden brain. No gender/pronouns used. Enjoy!
Venti
It'd been a while since Venti had last invited you out to lunch. Whether the reason had been work related or just a need for space you weren't sure. Though today you felt a surge of confidence. A sort of push like every cell in your body was telling you to finally admit your feelings. As though you'd never get the chance again if you didn't. So you bit the bullet.
"Oh hey, you've got something on your cheek." You stop him in his tracks brushing his braid aside and trying not to physically combust at his cute little hm?
He leans in a little closer, just enough for you to press a quick peck against his cheek. His eyes enlarge for just a quick second and you're almost ready to spurt out some apologetic words when he mutters,
"What's on your lips?" His kiss is soft yet fleeting. Cold from his drink and yet sends heat roaring through your body.
His grin is shitty when he pulls back, a chorus of raucous laughter soon falling off his lips. "You should see your face, it's so cute!" He soon devolves into breathy giggles stopping when he realizes you haven't said a word. Or blinked or.. wait were you even breathing?? "Wait! Name, breathe!"
Your head rests against his knee while he summons calming breezes to your side. "Geez, you kissed me first and yet you could barely handle reciprocation." He tsks teasingly.
"I didn't know you would kiss me back!" You pout
"Ugh the point is we're even now." He retorts with a playful roll of his eyes.
"I guess.."
"So, wanna kiss again?"
Your heartbeat slams against your rib cage. One hand sliding up to your chest entangling your shirt in your fist. "I-I need a minute.."
Heizou
You'd been waiting for what had to have been a full month for Heizou to come back from vacati- his private investigation. And the second you'd heard the rumors that he'd been found and was returning. You knew you had to snag him up before you didn't see him again for another couple months.
"Look at this beautiful view." He cycled on as you rested your face in your palms. "I took this picture the moment I set foot on the island. It truly is a sight to behold. This picture doesn't quite do it justice either because during the night time when the water is bathed with glowing moonlight.. ugh it's quite majestic."
"Hei, you've got a little something on your cheek." You tap your own face with the palm of your index finger.
"Oh." He slides a hand across his face, eyebrows creasing as he looks at his fingers.
"No, right-"
You shift your face to the side, brushing long red strands aside quickly taken aback when your lips are snagged. Pressed against his so suddenly that you nearly snap your head back. But he doesn't allow it, keeping you close with a hand on your cheek. His kiss so firm yet gentle. Before you can even get used to his taste however he's leaving you high and dry.
"There?" He finishes
"Wha-" You ask or well try to as he continues to hold your face. His breath fanning the bridge of your nose as he chuckles.
"I believe your next question is, how long have you known?" He remarks "The definitive answer would be: I've always known. I notice your little lip bites when I make corny jokes. I've noticed the way you absolutely must rub your knee against mine whenever we're sitting close, just as we are now. And I've seen the way your eyes flicker to my lips when you think I'm not watching. I assumed you'd just come out and tell me you like me. I mean I have been waiting for so long, my heart was starting to break." His chuckle is far deeper this time. Far more teasing than the first.
"You're such an annoying little tease." You hiss, shakily entangling his shirt in your grip.
"Come now, you must find some enjoyment from it." He pecks your lips. "Otherwise you wouldn't be clinging to me like this."
Aether
The two of you had finally made plans for the first time since he'd left Inazuma. While you'd always felt like the two of you had a not dating but acts as though you are, kind of relationship today you wanted to take it a step further. Before you'd met up he'd shooed Paimon off to the teapot and prepared a basket of food fit for a banquet. He wanted you to try all his new favorites after all.
"Ae, I think you've got something on your cheek."
He blinks in between bites before leaning closer to your hand. Your thumb slides beneath strands of silky blonde hair brushing them aside before pecking his cheek with a quick kiss. His eyes dart towards yours and without warning he pulls a tissue from the basket bringing it up to his cheek with a quick swipe.
"The wind wiped away your kiss, you have to do it again."
"Why can't you just ask for another kiss like a normal person."
"Lips this time please." He retorts puckering up.
Xiao
Not seeing Xiao for a couple weeks was pretty normal usually but you found yourself missing him these past few days. Which soon lead you to the Wangshu Inn kitchen to prepare a bowl of almond tofu for his return. Once you'd finished and tidied up the space you'd used, you headed back to the balcony. The view swept you away for a moment, quickly entranced by the way the landscape could stretch for miles. Almost so taken in that Xiao's entrance nearly caused you to tip over the bowl in your hands.
"You're here." He greeted simply taking the bowl from your grasp.
"Mhm, How was your patrol?"
He simply huffed heading downstairs to grab a spoon. No surprise there, Xiao never had been ready to conversate after a long patrol.
"Oh hey Xiao, what's that on your cheek?"
You could feel the roll of his eyes despite his back being to you. "I've told you not to dote on me." He stops at the bottom of the staircase, halfway facing you.
"Well you should want to get cleaned up right?" You reply curling a handful of strands around his ear.
"I can do that on my own. Just leave I-" A sound you'd never believed Xiao could make escaped the adeptus in front of you. His face soon hung, the bowl of tofu hanging between shaky fingers. You giggle as you watch his cheeks flush with red, briskly rushing to the tips of his ears.
"Xiao.." You mummer close to his ear unsurprised by the faintest shiver being his only reply. "Thank you for all you do for Liyue." You whisper, without another word you head back upstairs to allow Xiao the space and comfort to eat in peace.
Kazuha
When Kazuha came back to Inazuma he always made sure to spend at least a week at your place. A time in which you'd found that Kazuha took up very little space, he'd always kept his area neat and if he was gone the whole day he'd make sure he'd bring you back some goodies.
This time had been no exception: It was only twelve am when he'd arrived home but he quickly insisted that he whip up a, "thank you for letting him stay" dish. You sat a ways away allowing yourself to become swept up by the intoxicating aroma wafting into the living room.
"It should be ready soon, Name."
Suddenly an idea floated into your head. You stood from your seat softly inching up behind Kazuha. Though it soon proved to be worthless as Kazuha's eyes quickly drifted behind him. A small smile brightening his features.
"Oh, have you come to sneak a taste?"
"Actually, you've got a little-" You smooth his hair back and before you can hesitate further you give his cheek a quick peck leaning back to anxiously take in his expression.
"Hm so that's why you've been so distracted tonight?" He places the spoon in the pan before removing it from the fire. He slowly turns back to you deep crimson eyes filled with adoration. "Is it ok if I kiss you too?" He asks
"Sure.." You're not sure how loud you said it but you soon find Kazuha's lips pressed to yours. The only description you could come up with to describe the way his lips felt against yours being airy, light almost feather-like. As though he had some internal fear he could break you with a single touch.
Before long he's leaning away and you can't help your childish huff. "Don't worry, we can continue once you have dinner." He smiles softly.
"I eat all the time. Kiss me."
Tighnari
Today was kind of special. Tighnari wasn't busy with the usual training of forest rangers and he'd finished his patrol early which meant the two of you had time to take a leisurely stroll. Which for Tighnari meant he could point out random flora and facts about them as you walked. While for you it just meant you could bask in his every word while barely keeping pace because he walks surprisingly fast.
"Are you still listening? I was on a roll there and you missed it."
You trot along till you catch up to his side. "Sorry Nari, hasn't anyone ever told you, you walk super fast?"
"No, I don't believe I've heard that until now actually." He retorts with a small lift of his chin.
"Well anyway for your information I actually was listening. You were explaining the temperatures at which Sumeru roses grow the best in." You reply
"Exactly, excellent!" He perks up, smile broadening "I don't think I'll ever understand why you didn't come with me after we graduated. I don't really need to explain this stuff to you the way I would a rookie forest ranger. Plus you're so skilled with medicinal remedies you'd be such a big help to me and Colliel."
"The akademiya begs for you to come back and you try to talk me into becoming a forest ranger someday. Somethings never change."
His chuckle is dry and you soon realize just how close you're standing. Your elbow resting on his shoulder. The tips of his ear twitching as your breath flutters against them.
"Hey Nari, what's on your cheek?" A small hum leaves his throat as he checks his left cheek with two fingers.
"Huh, did I get it?"
"No I mean this cheek." You whisper, his hair is silkier than you'd thought it would be and when you press a kiss to his cheek you make a mental note of his deep shudder. "There it's off now." You giggle immediately pleased at how quickly his entire face blooms pink.
"Wh-what was that for?"
"Consider it my thank you for a lovely afternoon."
GODDAMN THE XIAO ONE HAD ME IN A CHOKEHOLD :( <3
Parental
Characters: Childe, Diluc, Kaeya, Kazuha, Xiao (separate)
Genre: Fluff + Scenarios
Summary: Snippets of the Genshin men with their pride and joys <3
CW: afab!reader + pregnancy + birth mention but no pronouns or descriptions for these present, spoilers for Childe’s real name, Xiao has a daughter, Childe has twins (boy and girl), Kaeya and Kazuha have a son, unspecified for Diluc, unspecified nightmare in Childe’s, petnames towards reader (darling -> Kaeya, my dove -> Kazuha), some self-doubt in Kaeya's and Xiao's, I don’t think Diluc’s is that good and Childe’s may appear rushed in one part but meh
a/n: I have the cutest ideas that make me the softest. I just hope I was able to get across that cuteness here <3
Childe
“Papa…” At the poking and shaking against his back, Childe sleepily blinks his eyes open. The room is dark, moonlight painting the walls a faint blue-white colour. Tilting his chin down the male catches a look at the top of your head, face nuzzled into his chest with his arms wrapped around you securely.
Again, small hands try to gain his attention, "P-papa...please."
There's a sudden surge of urgency that tightens his chest, the watery call of his name throwing him into protective mode. Slowly, as to not disturb you, Childe pulls his arms from you before turning over. The moment ocean-blue eyes meet teary ones of the same colour he's up and out of bed, kneeling in front of his children.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" he rushes, worry clear in everything he is and does - from his eyes to his voice and even to the way his hands fuss over the twins, one palm cupping each of their heads as he tries to soothe them. Though, when all that answers him is continued sniffles, Ajax's concern only grows. Left with the last course he can take, the male pulls the two into a hug, pouring every ounce of love and warmth he can into it. Quiet whispers of 'you're okay' and 'I'm here' fill the air, uncaring of the tears that stain his shirt.
Never before has he felt so useless as his children continue to shake and sob in his hold. What else is there for him to do? What would take away their tears? Archons he’d do anything to make sure they don’t cry like they are now,Ike their world is ending.
Instinctively Ajax’s embrace tightens, and somewhere along the line he began gently swaying the two, pressing comforting kisses to their foreheads.
Finally, after what felt like a heartbreak Ming eternity, their cries begin to fade. He waits a moment before trying again, "can you tell me what's wrong now? Why are you two crying?" Though he fears their answer the make bats them down, hoping to be the one they can fall back on.
His daughter hiccups, wiping at her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt, "W-We had a nightmare. Y-you-!" His eyes widen, hearing enough to grasp the situation. His shoulders slump just a little, glad that it’s not the worst of the worst that could’ve happened.
"Hey now, shhh, it’s alright. Nothing will happen to me or you or to anyone else, okay?" Ajax is quick to cut her off, seeing her start to choke on her sobs again. Never does he want them to think he or you would leave in any form, something he truly believes won’t happen any time soon.
His little girl nods, face planting back into his shoulder with another fresh wave of tears. He makes sure to pull his son back in as well, rubbing his hands up and down their backs. He smiles, even if they can’t see it, "Papa's got you, okay? I promise, and you know me, I never break my promises."
The three spend a little while more in their comforting hug before Ajax pulls back, effortlessly picking them both up and setting them down on the bed. "You two can sleep with us tonight. We'll keep the scary dreams away. And, as a treat, I'll make your favourites for breakfast tomorrow. Sound good?"
Though he has to shush his children's cheers in fear of waking you, he wouldn't have it any other way. It's a sign that they're feeling better after all. And as he pulls the blanket over the three of them, grateful that his kids are feeling better while wrapping his arms back around you all, Ajax thanks the gods and you for the tiny family he's been blessed with to love, protect and be loved by, intending to forever keep you all safe.
Diluc
The silence within the winery was not something new to its inhabitants and workers. Well, before the newest addition to the Ragnvindr family it was the norm at least. Now, such peace is a welcome blessing. So, when you returned one evening to a dead quiet home, your curiosity quickly peaked. Even when the baby wasn't making noise there was always at least some finite noise - the crackle of a fire, the almost silent footfalls of the winery's workers, the scribble of a pen. None of that could be heard though, and it was no later than six in the evening.
Toeing off your shoes, you take care to remain quiet. Your first thought is to check the living room. Ever since the birth of your child, Diluc could be found with the little one all over the house. It would be surprising to not see the two together in all honesty. One of the areas that's frequented more than the others is the main lounge space, the wide open section the perfect place for playtime.
Or, perhaps, it’s also the perfect place for nap time.
There, leaning back against the couch was the man himself, mop of red hair released from its usual confines and splaying everywhere. The male's ability to fall asleep even upright never fails to surprise you (you find this usually happens when he wants to rest his eyes for 'just a moment'). Before him lay a stack of papers, the smallest you've ever seen, pen laying unattended not too far. Though, above all other observations, the main eye catcher is the way your two most precious people are sleeping.
Your child, strapped safely in their carrying pouch (originally a gag gift from Kaeya, though proven very useful for when Diluc wants to work and spend time with his little one) has their head resting on their father's chest, cheek smooshed and mouth slightly parted. Diluc remains protective even while asleep, a hand placed securely against your child's back, keeping them close. What was important though was how at peace they were and who were you to ruin this calmness?
So, you take a seat on the matching chair, quietly waving Adelinde over and asking for something to drink before picking up a book. Really though, with how cute they are, you're sure you'll be focusing on the two redheads more than the novel.
Kaeya
When you presented the idea of going into town, Kaeya couldn't help but grow nervous. Shouldn't you rest more? You'd been extremely tired lately and on top of that the baby had been even more of a handful the last few days.
“Darling, I can go get groceries for us,” your husband offers, adjusting his son in his arms. There’s a smile on your face as you glance up from putting on your shoes. Joy blossoms in your heart at the sight of the man you love holding the product of your shared love. What makes the image all the more heartwarming is how alike your son is to his father.
Cooing his name, you straighten up, waking until you’re right in front of the pair, “I’ll be okay, I promise. Some fresh air would do me some good. Besides, it’s not like I’m going very far. I’ll be back in a couple hours, max.” For once at a loss on what to say, Kaeya reluctantly lets you go, now left alone with just his son for company.
He hates to admit it, even to you, but truth be told the male hasn’t the faintest clue what to do. Taking care of Klee or Bennett is one thing, but his own? The mere fact changes everything.
After lingering awhile longer at the door, Kaeya breathes in, turning to walk into the living room. "It seems it's just you and me now little guy." He smiles, gently bouncing the tiny human in his arms. Kaeya's shoulders relax just a little when he gets a happy giggle in response.
He's got this.
. . .
He does not got this.
After taking a seat on the ground Kaeya had spotted a picture book discarded across the room. Figuring that you must have been entertaining the little one with it the male grabs it, deciding that it would be a good start. All his confidence went down the drain though when he couldn't pull a single reaction from his carbon-copy son. Page after page, the boy would just stare at the pictures, not a thought behind his tiny eyes. Kaeya swears to the Archons above that at one point his kid even looked up at him once, a face that could only be read as 'what are you doing?' painted on it.
Sighing, Kaeya stares down at the picture in the book. For a while he just maintains eye contact with the woodland rabbit, cartoonish and with a carrot sticking out of its mouth. He thinks it's rather cute, something babies would definitely like. So why isn't his reacting?
"Almost done," he mumbles, slipping his eyes shut and flipping the page, turning the book back around for his son to see. The male already knows the one line printing in the book, ready to recite it and receive nothing in response.
He's interrupted before he even starts.
Kaeya's eyes fly open, locking on the little human sitting in front of him. There, clear as day, is his son, hand stuck in his mouth but with an undeniable smile plastered on his face. He does a double take, gaze flicking between his son and the picture in the book. "Do you like the snowflake, little one?" Again, louder this time, is a confirming coo, hand slipping from his toothless mouth to clap. Like he understood what his father was asking.
It's a shame you weren't there to see the brightest, most genuine smile Kaeya's ever had. Now, whenever he says 'snowflake' the little baby instantly smiles.
Kazuha
"Please... please..." you're close to tears at this point, a broken record of pleas falling from your lips. Nothing seems to work, feeding, changing, walking around, nothing will settle the poor little fussy baby of yours. You’re so close to giving up, about to settle into the chair within the nursery and just hope the little one tires himself out when approaching footsteps catch your attention.
Stepping through the doorway, that familiar head of white with a sole streak of red appears, an all too knowing smile on his face. "Good evening, my dove. Having some trouble?" Silently you nod, passing the little one over to him when asked nonverbally. "That's no good. I can't have my two favourite people crying, now can I?"
Calm as ever, Kazuha walks towards the crib, eyes never leaving the glossy red ones of his baby. Even as he sets his son down, his cries growing louder at the loss of his parent's warmth, Kazuha never loses that pleasant smile of his. The faint clank of the wooden mobile catches his attention, an idea coming to mind.
"Hush little one, look," he mutters. All at once you can feel the spring breeze coming through the window pick up, the vision clipped to Kazuha's shoulder blade lighting up. With the wind came the brightly coloured leaves Inazuma offers, the colours dancing around in a way much like when the male jumped high into the air, nature his aid.
Eyes closed in concentration, the gust swirls around the room before settling to the area around the crib and mobile. A shift occurs, and it's like the tiny wind becomes a being of its own, playful as it nudges against the hanging wood carvings. It appeared surprised at first, the sensations foreign. It tried again, and again another clank sounded, this time exciting the tiny wind. By now the baby's cries have stopped, tiny red eyes staring up, mouth agape. Leaves fall from the cluster as the elemental energy floats down, now face to face with the little one. It gently brushed against the child's face, something like rubbing noses together. But that's all it took; it was all giggles and clapping from there, and you, you finally got to relax, sinking into the chair more.
A tired smile spreads on your face, the sight of your bundle of joy happy heartwarming. That, and the smile on your husband's face doesn't go unnoticed by you either. Even with his eyes remaining shut, the sounds of delight alone are music to his ears, spurring him to continue his magic trick.
Xiao
Long after you retire for the night, finally gaining the much needed rest you deserve, the yaksha continues to stand guard. Gold eyes shift from the open balcony to where the little one rests, any noise or shift in the air unable to go unnoticed under his watch. He keeps his distance from the crib, fearing his karmic debt will harm the tiny baby you two created. Yet the moment Xiao's keen ears pick up the slightest whine, the beginning of his child's cries piercing the silence of night, it's like some other force far more powerfully takes control.
In a blur of green Xiao's beside his daughter, hands already reaching in to pick her up like he's seen you do many times before. There’s a rush of emotion coursing through his veins - his first desire is to let you sleep more, you’ve done a lot and he just wants to share the workload between the two of you. Secondly, there’s this ache that rings in his chest, it only hurts more and more the longer his child wails. Her cries are different from the piercing screams of babies in town. Instead of wincing and growing irritated, Xiao worriedly stares down at the bundle in his arms, wondering how to soothe her.
“It’s alright, I got you,” he whispers. There’s a tiny part of him that feels stupid for saying that, the phrase foreign on his tongue and unfitting of his usual character. You’ve said it before though and it worked, so the greater whole of him pushes past the self-served embarrassment.
However, as his daughter refuses to settle Xiao feels the hope he had that he had this dwindle. He begins to run through all the tricks he's seen you do and in his flurry of thoughts, his eyes dart to you. By some miracle you still managed to remain asleep, blankets draped up to your gently rising and falling shoulders.
You would've calmed her by now... he thinks, deflating further. Just as he's about to give up and wake you, accept that he's just not fit for the job as a dad, an idea finds its way into his thoughts.
Mixed in with the silence of the night and the tiny cries of his child, faintly the melody of Xiao humming can be heard. It takes a couple beats but the tune catches the tiny baby's attention, her sobs dying down into happy giggles and gurgles. Relief fills him as he unconsciously smiles softly, rocking his arms as he begins to walk around the room. His feet, with a mind of their own, take the two to the balcony, a gentle breeze ruffling his hair.
No longer in a state of despair, bright yellow eyes much like her father's gaze up at the star-littered sky, wonder in her expression. Maybe he does have the capability to be a dad.
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Them as Vampires
Characters: Blade, Nikolai & Xiao
Event Masterlist Here: Short n’ Sweet
Warnings: Blood, cutt*ng yourself to give blood,
- Now, as a vampire he must consume blood especially a lot more often
- If he doesn’t, it won’t kill him but it’ll make him very sick and crave blood (he knows, hes tried and hated it)
- As for whos blood he drinks it varies, usually Kafka or Silver Wolf brings him blood, he also drinks blood of people before he kills them (fresh blood is better than dead blood)
- Taking your blood? He isn’t completely against it but he rather wouldn’t hurt you
- The only way he actually would take it would be if there was no other option and you forcefully sliced your wrist to give it to him
- He hates hurting you by taking your blood though
- Other than that, obviously he can’t eat garlic but he isn’t too bothered by it
- Blade does get bothered if you wear any Silver jewelry though, he can’t enter jewelry stores because of that too
- Blade lets you take his card to purchase something, that or he buys something online for you
- Nikolai, actually loves tasting your blood
- He actually doesn't care that much about if it hurts you-well he knows its only a small prick to drink him
- Nikolai only stops after hes satisfied, or when you forcefully get him off your shoulder
- Don't worry though, he isn't so cruel-you both have a safeword when he knows to stop
- Other than you he doesn't feed on anyone
- Hes loyal to your and only your blood
- Similar to blade if you wear jewelry he won't let you wear any pure silver
- Cheap knockoffs are fine though-since they don't affect him
- Its a shame to you because he loves the color of silver
- But he loves the color of your blood more
Xiao is...more shy when taking your blood
He refuses to take blood from people so on many chances Xiao is left all alone, starving to death
Only when morax cuts himself and forces him to drink it is when he finally has blood
And then hes left again until the cycle repeats
So, only when your well into the relationship and pretty much force him to drink it, then he finally will
Not from your neck though, he only drinks blood from your wrist or arms, occasionally your thigh
Xiao is very gentle while taking your blood and never takes too much (but again, you both do have a safeword).
Other things don't trouble him too much
Except well, he can't use silver blades so he has to use other ore alternatives
—drunken mishaps—
character(s): xiao
request: heyo 👁👁 can I request Xiao taking care of drunk reader but they are so drunk that they don't recognise Xiao and are just rambling like "Mister I have the sweetest lover ever! His name is Xiao and he is so handsome and cute and I'm so in love with him!" by @fatuifucker
tw/cw: drunk reader (if there’re more lmk!)
XIAO, CONQUERER OF DEMONS
♡ you decided that it was a good idea to head to mondstadt and drink some of the well known dandelion wine, you didn’t expect to get drunk out of your mind, but one glass turned into two, and so on
♡ when you stumbled out of angel’s share, you slurred out your lovers name. xiao didn’t expect for you to be drunk, he thought that you got ambushed by hilichurls and couldn’t handle them all by yourself
♡ sighing, xiao walked up to you to pick you up bridal style, only to be stopped by you placing your hands on his chest, which low key flustered him, you then proceeded to say something that made him extremely flustered
“mister... I have the sweetest lover ever! his name is xiao and he is so handsome and cute and I’m so in love with him. he deserves the world, I would die for him!”
♡ xiao turned away from you so that you wouldn’t get a chance to see his tomato red face. sober or not, xiao didn’t want you seeing his flustered face, he was an adeptus for crying out loud!
♡ once xiao managed to calm down and de fluster himself, he turned back around and quickly picked you up then teleported you both back to wangshu inn. he placed you down on your shared bed (even though he doesn’t have to sleep) and turned around to leave, only for you to grip onto his hand, giving him puppy dog eyes
♡ he decided to comply to your begging, so that you wouldn’t become restless, and so that he could receive hugs and maybe some kisses, he placed your head onto his chest so that you could go to sleep which the help of his steady heartbeat. once he was sure you were knocked out, he placed a small kiss onto your forehead, humming in content
—overwhelmed—
character(s): xiao
gn reader
genre: fluff
cw/tw: none
summary: you’ve noticed that xiao has been quite overwhelmed recently, deciding to visit him, you see something unexpected...
XIAO, CONQUERER OF DEMONS
you decided to give xiao a visit, after being told by verr goldet that he’s seemed quite overwhelmed recently, and hasn’t been acting like himself
you also brought his favourite dish, almond tofu, thinking that maybe it would help him cheer up, even slightly
heading up to the balcony, you looked around for the adeptus. there was no sign of him anywhere, which confused you. usually he would come right up to greet you
turning around, about to head back downstairs, you halted hearing a cry. the cry sounded like a baby or a small toddler. parental instincts kicking in, you searched for the source of the sound
almost dropping the dish of almond tofu in surprise, in front of you was a very small yaksha, who you recognised as xiao
looking around, you picked him up. he only babbled in response, his small hands reaching for your face. you melted on the spot at the sight of him, he was so cute!
you had to find someone who knew xiao well from a young age, somehow managing to find zhongli
telling him what happened, he nodded his head in understanding. zhongli then explained how sometimes when xiao gets very overwhelmed or stressed out, he will revert back into an infant. it eventually wears off, but it’s unknown when that’ll happen
don’t worry, you won’t be alone looking after the now infantized yaksha, zhongli will also help when he can. he’ll also spend a ton of his childe’s money on a pretty massive morax plushie, which xiao seemed to be attached to the hip to
miraculously, a few weeks later, xiao turned back into his normal self. unfortunately it happened whilst zhongli was feeding him with him in his lap
xiao apologises profusely when that happened, zhongli obviously didn’t care, he’s been through worse after all
you now have your boyfriend back to normal. try not to tease him too much or remind him of certain stories zhongli told you about xiao when he used to actually be younger. if you do end up teasing him too much, he will either dissapear in a puff of smoke, or he will be burning up in the face, and will hide his face in the crook of your neck
© all content (minus characters and pictures) belongs to @urcatbf, pls don’t palgiraze, re-post or claim as your own
liyue.
XIAO, CONQUERER OF DEMONS
headcanons
> overwhelmed
summary: looking after xiao when he turns into an infant
> drunken mishaps
summary: taking care of their drunk partner, their partner blurts out how they feel about them
> being the youngest adeptus
summary: what it’s like being the youngest adeptus
scenarios
> touchy
summary: their partner thinks they’re a burden
being the youngest adeptus
feat xiao and adeptus reader, mentions of the other adepti and zhongli
genre fluff
tw/cw mentions of death, spoilers to the other yakshas(?) lmk if there are more
• xiao is a very protective older sibling, but he won’t mention it
• because he watched the other yakshas die due to their karmic debt, he is quite hesitant to go near you at times, fearing his karmic debt will affect you and give you karmic debt
• he’s envious of your innocence and childlike wonder at times, wishing that he could turn back time to when he was happy like that with the other yakshas
• whenever you want to be held by him, he’s very hesitant since he’s worried that he’s too strong and he’ll somehow end up crushing you
• if you ever give him a little present (like a flower crown) he will wear it, even if he has important business to attend to eg. defending liyue against monsters
• one time he wore the flower crown you gave him when he met up with zhongli, safe to say that zhongli slightly teased him for being so soft for you
• whenever he’s unable to look after you/keep an eye on you, he usually gives you to zhongli or the other adepti
• cloud retainer absolutely loves telling you stories about shenhe and ganyus’ childhoods (don’t tell them tho)
• cloud retainer also just talks about random subjects at times, which can be quite fascinating at times
• she’s also low key glad that she gets the chance to look after a child again, she enjoys it very much (just know that she will definitely tell trustworthy travelers/people about your childhood when you’re older)
• zhongli is a grandpa, change my mind
• he absolutely loves telling you stories too
• enjoys taking walks with you around liyue, will even help you pick flowers if you’d like to make him a flower crown
• he won’t hesitate to tell you about xiaos’ younger years, if you ask
• the best at telling bedtime stories
• enjoys carrying you/holding you if you’re comfortable with him doing so
• he will also kiss you on the forehead whenever he has the chance to do so
• overall, being the youngest adeptus isn’t that bad. plus, you have a lot of family members that are cool and powerful
period pain
ft ganyu, zhongli, xiao
reader— gn (afab)
cw/tw— periods, cramps
🥥 | GANYU
she’s able to relate to having periods, so she understands how painful they can be at times
sadly she’s very busy so you won’t get to see her often :(
good thing is whenever she does come home she’ll bring you your fave snack, a hot water bottle etc. anything you need she will get
if your cramps are very bad and you want to snuggle, then don’t hesitate to tell her, she will gladly snuggle with you <3
expect to be somewhat spoiled by her when you’re on your period (but expect her to still work way more than she needs to cause she’s a workaholic)
🐲 | ZHONGLI
we all know that zhongli has taken the form of a female before, which means that he’s most likely gone through the pain of having a menstural cycle
zhongli may be technically human but his dragon instincts/senses are still there, which means he can sense when your period’s going to come before you do
as soon as you start groaning in pain about the cramps, he will not hesitate to run to bubu pharmacy to get all your needs taken care of
he will also brew you some tea to help with the cramps, which is just HFGGDJGH
will also buy you as many sweets/snacks as you want (poor childe’s mora)
if you want to, then he’s alright with laying with you and purring to help ease the pain in a way (I’ve heard that cats purrs are healing to people, so I decided that zhongli does the same thing, u can’t change my mind)
luckily hu tao let him off for a bit to take care of you, cause she too knows how agonising periods can get. she told him he’s going to have to work during some of the holidays in return but anything for u <33
🐚 | XIAO
when you’re on your period, there’s only one way to explain how xiao reacts
panic
he doesn’t know how to deal with the pain you’re in, which low key makes him feel useless and like he doesn’t deserve you in his life :(
even tho you’re the one in pain, you’re going to have to reassure him and try to show him the ropes
he surprises you with some pain medication and a heat pad along with some sweets and snacks
also he asks if he can brush your hair to help you relax a bit more
which is super soothing, he’s surprisingly good at brushing your hair
dw tho he eventually gets used to your periods and what to do in certain situations, he’s a fast learner
content belongs to fluffyganyu on tumblr, DO NOT REPOST ON ANY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WHATSOEVER
the only content that doesn’t belong to me is the characters, they belong to hoyoverse
flower crowns
character(s) — most of the adepti in genshin
reader — gn
summary — the youngest adepti (you), makes all the other adepti flower crowns/bracelets in a way to show your love
cw/tw — none, lmk if there are any!
GANYU
she loves the flower bracelet you gave her so much! wears it whenever possible
you made her a bracelets instead of a crown due to her horns, they’re made of quinxen flowers
she does eat flowers but she will never think of eating the bracelet, it means so much to her
once ninnguang pointed it out, causing ganyu to fluster and ask if it was inappropriate to wear. ninnguang just said that it was cute
cloud retainer lowkey gets jealous, but no need to worry, cause you made her a flower crown not long after :)
XIAO
when you gave him a flower crown, he accepted it, he seemed confused at first, muttering about ‘human influences on adepti nowadays’, but he actually wears it whenever possible (just not in front of people, he doesn’t want them knowing he’s actually a big softie)
once accidentally forgot to take it off when he had a small meet up with zhongli, safe to say, xiao was a flustered mess after that encounter. whenever he sees zhongli he can’t stop thinking about that encounter, still haunts him till this day
appreciates that you made flower crowns for his adepti friends that passed centuries ago, he placed them in places that they used to frequent
ZHONGLI
he wears it 24/7, you can’t change my mind
like he appreciates it so much you don’t even know-
hu tao relentlessly teases him for wearing said flower crown during work, teasing him by saying how soft he’s gotten
whenever he meets up with the other adepti (moon carver and mountain shaper), he will wear the flower crown with pride
he also noticed that the other two adepti had flower bracelets on, courtesy from yourself, he chooses not to point it out
SHENHE
initially thinks you’re giving her a snack, but then when you explain she’s suppose to wear it, she does so
she asks you how to make flower crowns/bracelets cause she’s intrigued by their existence
she’s a quick learner so she quickly learns how to make a flower crown. sadly she sometimes breaks them due to her strength
when she manages to make one perfectly, she gives it to you, which is just so aghvjgihjjh
GENSHIN BOYS WITH A SHORT S/O (LIYUE)🐉
character(s) — zhongli, xiao, baizhu
reader’s gender is not specified, nor is their race. I always try to make my fanfics as inclusive as possible
tw/cw — none ig, lmk if there are any
note(s) — everyone seemed to like my previous post with sumeru boys with a short s/o, so here’s the liyue boys (it’s short ik) #justiceforliyueboys
ZHONGLI
man’s tall asf
like he towers over the majority of liyuen citizens
doesn’t really talk about your height difference
low key likes it tho tbh
like he’s a protective man over things he loves, and the fact ur short makes his protective nature go 📈
he’s not gonna make fun of your height, he’ll maybe tease you now and again, but never make fun of you
he’s got a son who is also very short (if yk yk)
XIAO
man’s short™️
so if ur shorter than him, bro ur like toddler height I’m sorry-
gives him a little happiness knowing that there’s at least someone who’s shorter than him
he likes the feeling of overtowring someone in height, even just a little bit, he’s so use to being shorter than everyone around him
he will not hesitate to beat anyone up who makes fun of you for your height, it’s on sight-
short s/o for a short king, he deserves that and more🛐🛐🛐
BAIZHU
this pretty boy snake man is tall
like probs the same height as zhongli, maybe slightly shorter
so it’s no wonder ur shorter than him
does he comment on it? yes
does he tease you for it? yes
dw tho he does this out of love, changsheng also now and again makes comments about ur height
she loves you too tho dw :))
sometimes he likes to use you as an arm rest, he will stop tho if u ask him to
whenever he asks for kisses he says that you have to reach him urself, so good luck-
if he sees you can’t make it then he’ll lightly crouch down and give u a small smooch himself so <33
I love this man sm u don’t understand-
content belongs to @huboi on tumblr, DO NOT REPOST ON ANY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WHATSOEVER
FOOLISH LOVE
pairings: xiao x f!reader
plot: y/n is a simp for xiao and loves him with her whole heart but will never let him know because she is convinced he is never going to return those feelings so she continues to stab herself in the heart by hanging out with him and falling more and more in love, full of happiness and sadness that he isn’t hers. spoiler: he is hers.
genre: angst, but also fluff
A/N: oh my god this is a repost of the first fic i ever wrote... um yea this is an interesting writing style.. but i kinda like the innocence so i'm just going to keep it!! we'll see how it goes.
--
“hey, i got this for you,” you were a little out of breath from the climb to the highest floor of the wangshu inn. you’d think days after days of trudging up and down the stairs would have you used to the burn in your calves but here you were sighing heavily as you place the warm bowl of almond tofu in xiao’s hands.
he shoots you a look halfway between concern and disdain, “you’re late.”
you scoff, plopping down on the rock beside the railing where xiao was settled, “you’re welcome.”
this was a routine for the two of you — every wednesday evening (because according to xiao “wednesday is when the sun is the wArMeST”) you would usurp smiley’s place in his kitchen and whip up almond tofu for a certain ungrateful adeptus and while he ate the dish (with a small smile that he always denied when you brought it up), you would narrate the happenings in your life as an employee of the wangsheng funeral parlour.
“the boy had this entire ‘good riddance’ attitude the whole time he was making negotiations but zhongli and i just knew he was trying to act strong,” you pause for half-giggle, “and guess what? as soon as he thought he was alone in hu tao’s office, he basically broke down.”
“that sounds revolting,” xiao places the now empty wooden bowl between the two of you, “why bother putting up such elaborate facades of strength if they’re so fragile?”
silently, you run your fingers through your hair, wondering if xiao was hearing what he was saying. it sounded too much like he was trying to provoke you.
you look away, choosing to ignore whatever the strangely pointed look on his face meant, and offer an unearnest hum.
“well, how about you?” you fiddle with xiao’s chopsticks, a little restless, “what adepti business have you been upto?”
a beat passes as xiao shifts, throwing his legs over the edge and swinging them. the uncharacteristically childish movement made you smile; you find that the more time you spend around xiao, the more you realise just how young he was.
“nothing of interest,” you roll your eyes at his curt reply.
“alright, i know you hate talking about your very confidential duties,” you’ve tried for weeks to get him to say something about what he does while you’re away and the best you ever received was an unsatisfying tale about a little girl interrupting xiao’s solitude in the mountains. and yes, you are aware that xiao just isn’t built to share things easily, or at all, but it doesn’t help the slight sting you feel everytime he declines.
well, at this point, it must be apparent: you are helplessly in love with the man with the softest teal undertones and the hardest walls to break, the adeptus who refuses to meddle with human world and thus, refuses all of your love. you know he does not think of you any more than a mortal and yet, every wednesday you ignore the warning in hu tao’s farewell and find yourself mesmerized by the enigmatic diamond on his forehead and the red around his eyes.
simply put, you are an idiot.
--
“honestly, i never imagined you to be so dramatic, y/n.”
hu tao is ridiculous. everything about her is far from the world of common sense and it reaches beyond the comprehension of any sane human being. perhaps, that is why zhongli is able to get along with her so well.
you gape at her, “i don’t understand — you’re asking me to consummate with a man i don’t even know and i’m the one you’re accusing?!”
“oh, for the last time, all you have to do is take him around liyue! and after you’ve dined on the finest dishes — which i’ve ensured xiangling will be responsible for — you will lead him to his chambers at wangshu inn!”
you raise an eyebrow, “and?”
the next words are whispered, “and maybe accompany him for the night...”
“HU TAO!”
the girl clap her hands together in plea and you feel a sense of dread creeping up your neck. there’s no way out of this, is there?
“is everything all right?”
“ZHONGLI!”
the tall man enters hu tao’s office, probably hearing the racket the pair of you have been creating, with an alertness, ready to face whatever monster was haunting you.
you raise a finger at hu tao who had her head in her hands, afraid zhongli would take your side. (which, surprise, he did.)
“zhongli! help me! hu tao is taking advantage of my maiden nature to ship me off with some gnarly man who will be sure to have the worst of intentions!”
the panic on zhongli’s face morphs into a frown of confusion as he protectively steps in front of you, “is this true, hu tao?”
hu tao sighs from her place, “no, of course not! i am y/n’s friend, her employer — what makes you think i would want to give her away to an unknown man? but the problem is that my family has sent what they call a ‘marriageable’ man and want me to keep him company on his trip to liyue.”
“he is from snezhnaya, yes?”
“correct, but the trouble is that i despise my family’s choice in partners, especially partners that you can’t easily get rid of. i wish not to be involved with him in any way.”
you step next to zhongli, “so you want me to suffer? you would rather see me writhe in—”
“all right, ladies, calm down,” you huff as you sit back down in the chair across from hu tao, “i see the entire matter now. i understand.”
“so? are you going to allow her to do this injustice to me, zhongli?”
years of working with zhongli had granted you quite the soft spot in his books and you knew just how to utilize his kind nature when times required.
“no, i agree with y/n. it would be a purely vile thing to leave her with this man in your stead,” hu tao visibly wilts and you feel a tiny bit bad, “however, we mustn’t allow hu tao to go off on her own either, for that would be irresponsible of us.”
“oh?” hu tao’s interest and your dread spike back up as zhongli scratches his chin for a moment before outlining his plan to get out of this tight spot.
“you want us both to go? do we look like a bunch of concubines to you, zh—”
“no! that is not what i mean! i suggest that y/n goes with hu tao and this man with… a date of her own.”
“so… like a double date?”
hu tao lights up, “yes!! yes!! that sounds marvelous. this way she can finally get out of her infatuation with that gloomy adeptus—”
you glare at hu tao, your hands lighting up with your electro vision threateningly.
“the question remains, who will take with you?” hu tao’s question is sickeningly full of innuendo and you want to distance yourself as far from it as you can.
you jump up to your feet, “zhongli!” you hook an arm around his elbow, having to stand on your toes in the slightest from the gap in your heights.
zhongli appears conflicted at your declaration, coughing awkwardly, “f-forgive me, y/n, i view you much more like a sister.”
you gasp when you realise what he means, “no! no! what- no! oh my archons, i have absolutely no feelings for you, that would be criminal. i meant that you should pose as my date.”
“why him?! i am exhausted of seeing the same two people all the time!”
“oh, come now. why not? after all, zhongli will be able to put the man down in a second if he dares to make an unrequited move.”
zhongli clears his throat, recovering from his misunderstanding, “oh, i suppose that is an intelligent proposal…”
“i know! great,” you nudge zhongli, throwing a wink at hu tao, “let’s get ready for the double date then!”
--
there is a skip in your step as you rush up the stairs toward xiao as fast as you could without spilling the contents of the bowl in your hands.
you were excited!!! xiao would be so amused!! you managed to turn a situation of possible suffering into one of appropriate tolerance!!
you almost trip as xiao comes into sight.
but you slow down when you realise he’s not alone.
oh! ganyu!!
the two of them seem to be engrossed in conversation and xiao looks... calm. nothing like how he usually appears when he meets people. in general, he has a weirdly distressed look that you would proudly notice softening whenever you were with him
it was one of your achievements in life, you felt, one of the only hopes that made you cling onto the dream that perhaps, you would be loved back. but you feel nothing but disappointment when xiao seems to easily chat (!!) with ganyu.
you shouldn’t be surprised really.. she was an adeptus after all. what gave you the idea that xiao would prefer to be with you, an ordinary human, when he had fellow adpeti like ganyu who could understand him in ways you couldn’t ever dream to parallel?
the excitement you felt moments ago is now far from your reach even as you try to smile back at ganyu when she notices you, waving at you happily. xiao tilts his head to look at you, nodding in acknowledgement.
you almost want to turn back and leave, as you feel your ears redden from something like humiliation.
“y/n!” ganyu beckons you toward the two of them and you reluctantly move closer. “hello, ganyu. i haven’t seen you for a while.”
“ah, i apologize. ningguang has been keeping us quite busy off late,” ganyu scratches her neck, “oh! which reminds me i have to collect some iron chunks for her! i will see you later, then.”
“goodbye,” you mutter as she flies off the railing, leaving you alone with xiao. it is now you notice that xiao has something in his hands.
“ganyu cooked a special variation of almond tofu for my trial,” the bowl is ingrained with golden details, much bigger and more elegant than the one you clutch in your hands.
“sounds interesting,” you hold up the bowl in your hands awkwardly, “i suppose i can take this one back then.”
xiao frowns, “why would you do that? it’s not as if i have a limit for how many bowls i can eat.” he takes the dish from your hands and waits for you to take your seat on the rock.
but you remain standing, taking support against the railings, “you should.”
you don’t fill the silence that ensues with your ramblings and instead listen to the wind as it picks up. xiao doesn’t take notice of this until he’s finished eating and clears his throat to bring attention to himself — his way of asking you to speak.
“we didn’t work much at the parlour today.”
“oh? is it because of hu tao’s incompetence or perhaps, zhongli wanted to recount one of his endless encounters?”
despite everything, you crack a smile at xiao’s comments. this was your weakness — a curse really. it would take everything in you and you would still be incapable of resenting xiao.
“no, we had to solve the case of hu tao’s marriage, one she wants to avoid so badly that she would have me sleep with a completely unknown man.”
xiao coughs in surprise, “what?!”
you are not naive enough to read much into the hostility in xiao’s eyes, “luckily enough, zhongli came up with a plan that would preserve everyone’s dignity.”
briefly, you explain the plot to corner hu tao and her potential husband with your and zhongli’s disguise as a couple.
“why would you go to such lengths to avoid a mere man? you could just take him out when he appears.”
“xiao, you do know that no matter his character, he is a guest of liyue.”
“if he is willing to force a lady into marriage, then he hardly is. and killing him would profit your business. a much better solution.”
you examine xiao to decipher whether he is being serious or not. he never does joke about hurting people but his eyes have a dangerous glint as if he means every word he says.
“i wish you would take these matters more seriously,” you look at the scenery one last time before springing away from the ledge. “anyway, i should leave. zhongli wants to meet before the date. see you, xiao.”
you leave swiftly, knowing if you stayed any longer, you’d find yourself convinced by whatever xiao had to say. you wouldn’t let yourself be swayed by your hopes anymore.
but this is what you miss when you turn your back to him: the clenching of xiao’s jaw because he doesn’t deem it possible take you any more seriously.
--
“ahhh, this is too much, zhongli!!”
“it is but some mere jewelry. i am sure if we were to crystallise your knowledge into gold, it would outshine these pieces brilliantly.”
you cringe at his words, “please, zhongli, save the flattery for later and help me put this on.” you hand him the delicate string of pearls he produced minutes ago (“i would never allow any lover of mine roam around bare-necked”). you admire the bracelet with the matching pearl in its center, smiling (“what’s with the bracelet, then?” “it comes in a set. you must look complete or it would be an insult to my affection.”)
“i mean it nonetheless,” zhongli fingers are warm against your neck as he slides the necklace snugly against your neck, clicking the ends closed. you praised yourself for opting to wear the wide-necked dress today which allowed the pearls to stand out against your skin while complementing the white with its smooth lilac.
for a minute, you let your imagination wander, replacing zhongli with a shorter man who would no doubt be commenting about his disdain for trifles such as accessories.
“it looks wonderful, y/n,” zhongli smiles at you, eyes filled with friendly appreciation and you feel a little empty even as he slides an arm around your waist, wondering when you would be looked at with something more intense than camaraderie.
the night progresses better than you expect. the man, whose name is lee, turns out to be less of a dignity-snatching gremlin and more of a light-hearted merchant who was tricked by tao family’s influence into coming all the way to liyue.
zhongli and you don’t need to pretend to be in love, but for the sake of meticulousness, he pats your head in the middle of his monologues as reaffirmation anyway.
hu tao has made a little effort to dress up, her staple hat nowhere to be seen and her pigtails traded for open hair that bellows around her fiercely. you smile at her as the two of you trail after the two men who are too occupied in their chatter to notice you straggling, “not so bad, is it?’’ hu tao shrugs but doesn’t deny it.
the three of you show lee to wangshu inn when it’s late enough, hu tao even offering some of her time in the morning to see him off at the harbour. when lee has left for his chambers (much to everyone’s relief, he made it clear that he had no intentions of forcing hu tao to spend the night with him. you kept a finger on your hidden polearm anyway), zhongli offers to watch the moon for some time.
“the moon is always quite remarkable from here, isn’t it?” you nod as hu tao sets off with an exclamation of “i’m getting us milk!” and sigh in relief. this night could have ended much, much worse.
“oh!” you remember the cold weight around your neck, “i’ve to return your jewelry.” you reach for the clasp, meaning to remove it but a hand on yours stills you.
“no, you should wear it for now. return it to me at the parlour later,” you giggle at zhongli.
“oh? i thought you said i’m like a sister to you, zhongli?” you tease him with a smile.
“of course, i meant that. however, it would be a pity to leave it in my pocket idle when it looks so fascinating in the moonlight.”
“archons, i wonder how you’ve stayed single for so many long decades, it’s creepy when you talk to me like that.”
zhongli chuckles and opens his mouth to retort but stops halfway, jerking his head to look at something behind you, expression alert for a moment and then familiar.
“what is it?” you look over your shoulder and find hu tao returning to you.
“nothing, i thought i saw someone familiar for a second.”
“i treat you to dinner and this is how you thank me? by pretending like i’m a stranger?” you laugh as hu tao launches at zhongli with the tray of milk in her hands, your heart shedding some of its pain unknowingly.
--
xiao doesn’t easily taking liking to things, but he does draw upon a list of his favourites, a list of items that make him feel something akin to happiness.
in the List, one of the higher positions was occupied by moonlit nights; nights where the moon was unapologetically enormous, filled to its brims, flooding and invading.
but today he finds himself resenting the moonlight, for you look so tempting under its touch, temptingly out of his reach.
now, xiao didn’t mean to follow you after you left him miserable and guilty of something he didn’t do. he couldn’t help it: his curiosity got the better of him when you mentioned zhongli.
and everything went downhill fast when he caught sight of zhongli figure bent against you, tying a necklace around your neck that seemed too precious to be a mere prop in the plans you spoke of.
xiao hated it, all of it. the way you easily touched zhongli, who leaned into your touches; the way he towered over you protectively; and the way your delicate features were only emboldened in the lilac dress you adorned.
just as quickly as he came, xiao left, his mood worse than ever before. he’d seen enough.
he returned with the intention of sparing the burn in his heart no more heed but there came the tinkling of your laughter from within the inn, and once again, xiao finds himself perched behind a pillar watching you from a distance, something he was doing more often than he liked.
and there you are, giggling against zhongli’s shoulder, sparking something feral within xiao.
he remembers your carefree giggles from a long time ago, when you just met him. why was it that they, your smiles and your brushes against him, had grown more and more sparse in time?
--
“xiao?” you frown when you don’t find xiao by your usual spot, placing the hot bowl on the rock to look for him.
maybe he was in his chamber?
you head deeper into the inn, stopping outside the chamber that xiao had mentioned in passing and knock thrice, lightly, almost afraid that he was inside. “xiao?”
you hear a few thuds from inside the room, before the door creaks open, giving way to xiao, who looks… unusual.
there is nothing off about his clothes, everything perfectly — eerily so — in place, but his expression gives him away. you are used to his disgruntled demeanour but today his eyes held something darker.
“hey, are you okay?”
xiao didn’t expect you to show up at his door (albeit he did hope dearly that you would, just so he could feel something), but he scoffs when he sees you, against his will. you look at him in slight shock and xiao wonders why you should find his rudeness out of place.
“what is it?”
you continue to pin him with that gaze of yours, disbelieving, “y-you didn’t show up on the terrace… it’s wednesday.”
“i see. i must have lost track of time.”
“you’ve never done that before.”
“well, you’ve never shown up empty-handed like this so i suppose we’re even, no?”
xiao can sense that you’re trying to control yourself as you pause. then, “xiao, seriously, what happened?”
“i am serious, nothing happened. if you’re looking to be entertained, maybe you should seek zhongli out, i’m sure he can help you out.”
“what?” you throw your hands in ridicule, “please, would you stop attacking me for a moment and tell me why you’ve holed yourself up like this?”
“and what makes you think i have any compulsion to inform you of my thoughts?”
xiao doesn’t know what he’s doing but he wants to hear you say something, anything that can hurt him. he wants to be rejected, to be pushed away. a bad habit he can’t seem to put away, especially when you persist so strongly.
you sigh, “okay, since you’re clearly not in the headspace to hold a proper conversation, i’m going to leave. i’ll see you tomorrow if you’re feeling better then.”
just as you spin to leave, xiao feels himself mumble, “coward.”
you stop in your tracks, “what did you say?” when you turn around, xiao can see a flicker of optimism, hope that you misheard him.
“i called you a coward. you pretend to be strong and tell me you’re my friend, that no matter what, you’re capable of creating a relationship with me, even if i’m just a bitter, forgotten adeptus. but the second it gets hard, you run.” he laughs mirthlessly, feeling his heart bleed when a tear falls onto your cheek, “leave, you’re as selfish as they go.”
the world stills when the last words fall of his tongue — the words all lies, meant to be weapons, meant to injure. and by the crestfallen expression you pin him with, he’s sure it’s worked.
but instead of leaving like he asks you to, like he expects you to, he swears your feet dig deeper into the wood of the inn.
“you have no idea, xiao, do you? selfish, you say? do you think i cook almond tofu for you every single week, after an entire day’s of work because i have something in it for me? is it your pleasurable company i come here for, or your willingness to open up for me, even after all these days, these years. do you think i like it? no, i hate it. every single day i spend near you, it hurts. do you know what else is on wednesdays? the parlour’s weekly outing. i miss it for you, xiao, i give up time with people who would actually talk to me. and in the beginning, i was glad to have someone who listened so well. until i realised i don’t actually have you.”
you’re breaking down slowly, tears falling faster by the second, “and you know what? all of this would have been fine. but… i feel so much for you, xiao,” your voice is thin and desperate, your hands clawing at your leg. xiao’s throat is dry as you continue, “i— these feelings i have for you make it all the more painful to be near you. they’re so heavy and so overbearing and it just hurts so much because— because i know— i know you.”
xiao wants to ask what you mean — what feeling? what do you mean you know him? what about him? a shiver creeps up his shoulder but before his words are formed, you’re gone and suddenly, he is overwhelmed by the smell of almond tofu.
and this is what he realises: all this time he thought it was his love for almond tofu that made wednesdays so special, but no, it was your scent that he was looking forward to.
--
the night was cold and harsh
or maybe you just weren’t wearing enough layers to keep it away.
but either way, your cheeks felt especially cold as if they had been sunburnt. you did cry a lot, after all.
after managing to keep it together for the past week, you finally felt yourself sobbing when you unconsciously had made your way to wangshu inn. it was wednesday.
running as fast as your legs would take you, you thanked the archons that your house wasn’t too far.
now, about three hours later, you finally come out to the silent porch of your little cottage. you love watching qingce village in the night because besides the occasional anemo slime, it was serene and you could lie down in the privacy of your porch, watching the stars.
and like the countless other times you did this before, your hand reaches out to rest beside you, yearning for touch, to hear anything besides your own breathing.
“ah, fuck,” another tear trails down your face. you expected to feel numb by now but the realisation you had after your breakdown with xiao remained the same: you’re lonely. you didn’t expect to be lonely. you were friends with the loveliest of people, and your job was of many joys, once you ignored the initial suffering of death.
but either way, you couldn’t change the fact that it had been two long years since you’d felt a man’s touch, all thanks to your stubborn infatuation for xiao.
you found it hard to think about anyone else even when touching yourself at night but now, knowing you were no longer anywhere close to having a chance to be granted your desire for him, your mind wanders to the many offers from men you ignored.
one such proposal was prominent in your mind. kaeya was his name, you think. you suppose you could travel to monstadt. it wasn’t that late. before you can steel your conviction to move, you hear a rustling behind you.
soft footfalls followed by an even softer whisper of “y/n?” and you feel your breath pick up, the voice triggering pain and affection all at once.
you stay still, clutching the blanket around you tighter as you feel the figure approach you.
“xiao,” you acknowledge him as he enters your vision, fighting your instinct to shut yourself up in your room.
xiao looks relieved and he’s a little breathless, “y/n. you’re here.”
“i am.”
“i— i was worried when you didn’t come. it’s not like you to miss two of our meetings.”
you know he’s making you curious on purpose, making you overlook your fight, but you cave in, “two meetings?”
xiao lips lift in a smile when you take the bait, “yes. you said you were willing to talk on thursday when i wasn’t acting so... foolishly.”
“your words, not mine,” you refuse to offer him a smile, simply looking at him. he’s uneasy today, squirming but honest, eyes cast away and hands fidgety.
when silence falls, you don’t fill it even when he clears his throat and after two long minutes of looking at each other, he finally speaks first.
“about what you said that day... the— the feelings?”
the question rings clearly in his voice and you bite the inside of your cheeks, “i meant it. whether or not either of us likes it, i love you, xiao.”
you aren’t sure why you feel this confident — perhaps the surety of your last rejection affirms you or the bitterness powers you instead — but you say it clearly. clearly enough that you know that xiao’s ears turn red not from the cold, but from your words.
“i’m sorry for everything i said to you last week, but i meant it. i can’t promise everything will be the same but i need some time… away to gather my thoughts and take care of these feelings.”
“you don’t have to.”
you breathe a chuckle, “i have to try, xiao, not only for your sake but also mine.”
“no, there’s no need… there is nothing wrong with your feelings for me.”
this is when you finally raise your eyes to look at xiao and are stunned into a half-mouthed gasp at the sheer passion he offered up in his gaze. it was not different from the array of intense glares he would often arrest you with but this specific one was… disarming in the most un-xiao-like way. it was charming, gentle. vulnerable.
as if this isn’t enough to convince you that either xiao is testing some mystic adepti art on you or that you’re stuck inside some sickeningly realistic dream, xiao pads closer to you and falls to his knees, deliberate and meaningful.
“xiao? what—”
“the words i said to you that day were void of any truth. i couldn’t for a second muster the ludicrous thought that you’re selfish or cowardly. i… i am accustomed to seeing people leave, willingly or not, and without considering how you felt, i wanted to see the same happening to us.”
you are reeling from this entire situation — xiao is closer to you than he’s ever been in years and he’s speaking… a lot. like entire sentences!!!
“i am a fool. but i care about you… and not only platonically. these feelings you speak of — they seem to have settled in my chest as well.”
his breathing is heavy when he finishes and you find yourself getting breathless as well as you drop the blanket from around you.
“b-but,” you swallow against your dry throat, “but i’m mortal… i’m so weak. why—?” you seem to be unable to finish your question when xiao’s fingers hover over your palm in your lap.
distantly you realise that you’re both facing each other, knees folded and expression mirroring a look equal parts misery and adoration.
his index finger brushes your knuckles, “may i?”
you nod, allowing your colder hand to slip into his. a rush of blood bursts into your cheeks when his other hand follows, enveloping your hand.
“your mortality is not a sign of weakness. for eons, i’ve been daunted and seduced by solitude, because with the serenity follows darkness in the form of my past.”
“stupid karmic debt,” you don’t stop the bitter remark form slipping, genuinely annoyed at the unfair punishment xiao suffers.
his thumb rolls into circles on the back of your hand, “but i’ve been feel myself getting better, as if i were getting healed. and do you know what i think? you. you’ve been making me lighter, somehow making me feel something i never imagined myself capable of.”
you’re speechless and hot from the weight of his words, squeezing his hand in reply.
“i adore you, y/n. and i wish to heal you, too. the heaviness of your feelings—”
“is no longer,” you smile, hesitantly placing your free hand over his stacked ones, “if you return these feelings even in the smallest way, i am happy to embrace them at last.”
xiao is silent and then, he embraces you: a promise.
“thank you.”
everything doesn’t go back to normal. and you’re glad.
you still meet with xiao every week — now on saturdays, because no matter how many times you tell xiao you would rather feel the wind next to him, he insists you go out for drinks with hu tao and zhongli.
he sits by the table in smiley’s kitchen now and watches you when you make almond tofu — two portions this time. and when you’ve finished eating, you shift closer to xiao, knees touching and hands brushing so softly that the touch is more of a tickle, and watch as the sun disappears, dimming the world around you till you can feel nothing but xiao’s breathing, lulling you into a blissful sleep.
𓆩 ☆ 𓆪 . . 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚 !
𓆩 ★ 𓆪 . . xiao x reader ⁝ wc. 1.2k ⁝ fluff to angst
𝐗𝐈𝐀𝐎 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐘𝐎𝐔, orders given by the geo archon himself.
zhongli saw how his eyes sparkled when he looked at you, when you smile too hard and your eyes crease and crinkle, when you laugh a little too hard at his bluntness and you lean against his chest for support.
it will only end in disaster, zhongli once warned. believe me, i am simply looking out for you.
but what did he know?
xiao wasn't a good person, he was quite aware of that. he was like the moon, he only brought light upon the darkness situations. but you, he thought, you were definitely the sun.
"yeah, that sounds about right," you hummed when he brought it up, earning a tilt of the head and squinted eyes from xiao.
"what do you mean?" his eyes fluttered when you started to kiss the now visible part of his jaw, before he scrunched his eyebrows and forced them open.
"people can't stand to look at the sun. it's too bright, annoying. the moon is quiet and beautiful," you kissed him on the lips, once, twice, thrice. i love you. you pressed your lips against his gemstone before pulling back to look into his crystalline amber eyes. "do you know how many pray to the moon each and every night, thanking it for it's light and beauty?"
"the moon," he questioned, bringing a hand to not-so subtly cover up his fiery cheeks. "but why not a god?"
you chuckled and cupped his cheek, gently swiping across his freckle as if it were dirt that could be wiped away. "the gods are nothing compared to your beauty, my moon."
"if... if i am your moon, that would make you my sun, no?" xiao swallow a lump in his throat, his heart beating all too quick from him to focus on anything other than your eyes, or hands, or how close you were. unable to focus on anything other than you.
"indeed it does."
xiao kissed his teeth and tore his gaze from you, albeit reluctantly. the glaze lilies suddenly became of interest to him.
if you were his sun, that would mean you were just a measly little star, right? just a burning ball of gas. and he, apparently to you, was the moon. a natural satellite that shined a light upon billions, something people pray to.
and you're just a star.
you're so much more than that.
you're so compassionate towards him, not to mention how devoted you are. you're amorous in his eyes, dreamy and unreal. you were an angel, but you weren't. because angels and heaven and a holy cloud space was all fictionalised story to xiao. his life was this, an adeptus. his life was you.
he would say you're perfect, but you aren't. he has seen you lash out, and bark meaningless and empty insults at him only to apologize right after. he has seen you sob and sniffle and bleed. perfection is so quick to bore, he thinks. especially when your imperfections are more beautiful when you show them to him as a whole, when you trust him with all it. all of you.
"you're more than a star." xiao admits on a cloudy night, hands laced together while the scent of rain and qingxin flowers poisons his senses.
"hm?"
"a couple months ago," he coughed into his hand, golden band fading into a mere rusty yellow in the dark of the night. "you said i was your moon and you were my sun. but what is the sun but a star?"
you blinked at him, before creasing your eyes and giggling, your smile widening with every second he looked at you. "you're right. the sun is just a star."
you sit up and dangle your legs off of qingyun peak, instantly alerting xiao to straighten up next to you. "stars are most beautiful when they explode. they reach the end of their lifetime and burst into this magnificent shockwave of light. it's breathtaking."
"a supernova." xiao recognises. you nod, squeezing his hand a little bit tighter.
"one day i'm gonna explode. and then, it's gonna be absolutely enthralling. fucking angelic, i tell you." you laugh, a sound xiao could and would die happily listening to. "i will be angelic when i die."
mortals die, xiao is more then aware than that. he has had dozens die in his hands, more often than he can count. he isn't always there on time. it's never your fault, you would tell him, and he would agree. he cannot be there for every beck and need liyue has. you taught him that he has concerns and needs, too.
this time, however, was definitely his fault.
just a moment too late, he was. time had slipped through fingers. you had slipped through his fingers.
he could've been quicker. he could've been there. he could've taken the hit. you couldn't.
a low blow has been taken on you, a harbinger's blade had sliced straight through your stomach. and he was too late. he was to blame.
"no, no no no no no." this couldn't be. his spouse was not leaving him. you could get through this. he'll take you to that one pharmacist, what was his name again? baihua, baizhong? whatever the hell it was.
he was doing everything in his power to save you. he was ripping off articles of clothing from both himself and you, attempting to soak up the blood. your dainty hand grabbed his wrist, shaking.
"it's okay," no it wasn't. "i'm okay with dying like this. with you." but he was not. he wanted you. he needed you.
he shook his head and drew blood from his lip until iron filled his mouth, choking on his sobs. you nodded in contrast, allowing tears to fall. "it is. because xiao, when you live for somebody, you are prepared to die."
your words were hushed, like a child's secret. like a teenagers first kiss with their highschool sweetheart, vowing to not tell a soul only to gush about it to your friends later.
he was afraid. he didn't want to lose you. he pulled you into a tighter embrace, hugging what was left of you and squeezing the remaining oxygen in your lungs.
"please. i can't. not without you. please, please, please." he sobbed. tears mixed in with the harsh rain that punched at his skull. he was the saddest little baby in all of liyue.
he kept kissing you, savouring your taste even if all he got was blood and salt. you kissed back, light and almost unconscious, like how used to kiss him during early mornings. he watched your eyelids grow heavy and he felt how your body went limp. he squeezed you harder and begged, pleaded, prayed. barbatos, rex lapis, raiden shogun, tsarsita, anybody. not my darling. not my love. not yet.
"i told you so." a disembodied voice spoke, thick of pity, yet so low and flat.
the glass broke. xiao sobbed, and screamed into your shoulder. he couldn't breathe. he didn't want to, if it meant he would have to live without you.
you said it would be fucking angelic when you died. you lied to him, looking straight into his eyes and said it would be enthralling. yet, when he looks at you now, all he can see is the devil's work.
zhongli approached him and hugged him gently, a father's embrace. he was so cold compared to you. you were so warm and welcoming.
you were his sun, but now all you were is a supernova.