alhaitham has an account dedicated to his books. his feed is filled with aesthetic photos of his bookshelves, and videos include updates on his reading list, monthly favorites, and book reviews. might also post his favorite quotes and explanations as to why they are his favorite.
kaveh makes DIY tutorials on home projects. he’s surprising thorough in explaining the projects and showing his audience how to do them. such projects include home gardens, bookshelves (he definitely made alhaitham’s), birdhouses, and fixing repairs around the home.
itto has a workout account. he is a gym bro and definitely records all his sets, personal records, favorite workout routines. definitely a couple more than a couple pictures of him flexing his muscles, and he definitely forced members of the arataki gang to film him.
ayato posts get-ready-with-me’s. his channel is filled with morning and night routines, and he has one for every season and occasion. some are a little too specific—did he really need a “get ready with me for bed after a long day working and then going out to dinner with friends?” maybe, but his viewers eat it up anyways.
zhongli is a lifestyle influencer. he’s not necessarily a vlogger, but definitely makes videos highlighting his daily routine, favorite products he uses throughout the day, and sometimes restaurant and store reviews. his videos definitely have either soft piano or clam lofi beats playing in the background.
childe is a vlogger, but like an extremely hot-mess of a vlogger. his videos are mostly unedited and include him just living his life. you will see his highs and lows in his videos, and even a glimpse into what he does for work—it’s cute, if you can ignore that he’s literally filming himself beating someone up!
wanderer has an account dedicated to his travels. he refuses to show in face in his videos, but he will document his journey around teyvat. it’s more of a pet project than anything else, and some of his videos are genuinely interesting; him filming what the sky looks from each nation, for example.
kaeya is a beauty influencer. posts range from doing his eyeliner to picking out his outfits to shopping and reviewing new products. his makeup tutorials are very well informed and he has amassed a base of loyal fans who wait for his approval on certain products and brands.
diluc has a cat (yes he does) and has an account dedicated to said cat. his feed is filled with pictures of the feline, sprinkled in with some videos diluc filmed of the cat being particularly cute and/or getting into trouble. diluc never intended to become a pet influencer—he just of just started posting his cat on his main and it took off from there.
you both wander the world — kazuha, KAVEH, itto, bennett, TARTAGLIA, kaeya, xingqiu, heizou
Even as years and decades go by, you and him travel the world in order to really feel its beauty. And the best part? Even as your hair color turns gray, you both were still together. And it was the most beautiful part in all your adventures.
Seeing every single part of the world and cherishing all it's glory. You were glad to do it with him, his smile never really changed after all these years. In some cheesy way, in all your adventures his utter joy is the best view.
settling in and starting a family— alhaitham, DILUC, ayato, thoma, TIGHNARI, gorou, tartaglia
It probably is adopting or other means, but with him you finally have family. Full of cheers, full of parenting but always full of love. Every day you were never alone, there was never an instance where you felt unwanted. Home. That was one word to describe it.
But watching all your little babies grow up was the hardest part, and as they all go on and live their lives he was still there. Doing the same lovey dovey gestures he did when you first fell in love, when you married, and when you grow old in each other's arms.
living a quiet life— kaeya, xiao, THOMA, tighnari, CYNO, dainsleif, SCARAMOUCHE, KAVEH, albedo
Both of you have gone through so much, and this domestic bliss is really the heaven. The happy ending. Everyday growing the plants to eat, doing laundry, cleaning the dishes. These little mundane tasks, just being in each other's presence. No one to bother you, no more pain. Just... peace.
Even as time fades by like sunsets in the afternoon, it never really got boring. Just living in a simple house, sleeping in an always disorganized bed. Playing with the little kids in the farm. You couldn't ask for anything else, with him by your side you couldn't ask for anything more. Because what else can you even ask for when this is enough.
still acts like young couples— kaeya, ALHAITHAM, xingqiu, VENTI, heizou, itto, cyno, ZHONGLI
It doesn't matter even if wrinkles cover your face, he would still kiss every part of you. The same over the top pet names. Still twirling you around like your first date. Still sharing the same straw in your favorite drink. Sometimes people would share a look of judgment but he really didn't care.
Dancing in the rain, the water droplets as your very own music. Laughter as your melody. 5 years.. turned to 20 years turned to 30 years. Even then the dance never had actual steps, more so the tapping and intimacy of two soulmates in the comfort of the rain.
Knowing that one day his immortality would catch up, he cherished every single day with you. And for a very long time he never had been so happy—so content. Looking at your grave, one that he himself carved your favorite flowers. Making a garden surrounding it. It became more of a haven for him, rather than a mouring spot.
He was grateful for everything, the memories, the time even if finite, and you. His mind always full of war for a minute... finally became happy. He finally learned to be grateful for what he had. And even years after your death, he was still so glad... that you grew old with him.
tags: modern au, established relationship, endearments, first smau, kinda(?) ooc, no tone indicators, swearing, I FORGOT TO GIVE CHILDE A PROFILE PICTURE, the timestamps aren't significant
a/n: i'll try posting a lot tn before i go mia again <3 'm sorry i haven't been writing much, i have so much work to do + i can't seem to fight off the extreme writer's block :') thank u guys so much for liking my writing, i appreciate it so much :( thank u for being patient as well! i will fight the writer's block to the end .. enjoy !
+ contents: fluff, scara being annoying as fuck, cursing, modern au | notes: im in my genshin + scara era once again also i have no idea what this is this was so bad im so sorry
“i hate you so much, did you know that?”
“really? i didn’t know.”
“fuck you.”
scaramouche only looked at you with a smug smile on his face, arms crossed. he leans his body against the doorframe, cocking his head to the side. “do you really hate me?”
“you’re the most annoying person ever to exist did you know that?” you frowned, grabbing the trash bah from the floor. “all i asked you was to throw away the trash and instead of bringing it outside where it’s supposed to be, you brought here. into my room.”
“your room might as well be a dumpster based on how dirty and untidy it is,” scaramouche replied, making a disgusted look on his face. “do you ever clean your room?”
“just because it looks dirty in your eyes doesn’t mean it’s dirty to me! i at least know where my things are. isn’t that what defines a clean room?” you defended yourself, pushing scaramuche out of the way. “now if you’ll excuse me, i have to throw this trash out that you oh so kindly left in my room.”
scaramouche watches you leave with amusement written all over his face, and lets out a small chuckle when he sees you practically slamming the plastic bag near the trash can outside. you stomped your way back into the house, slamming the door shut and glared at scaramouche. “i hate you.” and you made you way to the living room, where you flopped down onto the couch, turning on the television.
scaramouche hums in reply, obviously not buying it. “so then why are we roommates? why are we dating?”
“just because we’re dating doesn’t mean i don’t get to find you annoying. now shut up, let me watch my movie in peace. i don’t need a scaramouche annoying me right now.” you waved him off, and scaramouche let out an offended sound.
he immediately sits down next to you and grabs the remote control from your hands. “what the fuck? you’re just going to wave me off like that?”
“yes, thank you for your ‘annoying scara’ service. you can go now,” you replied in a teasing voice. “now please give me back the remote.”
“you-” scaramouche pursed his lips. “if you don’t stop being petty to me i’m taking away your television rights.” he hides the remote control behind his back, not allowing you to take it back.
“excuse me?!” you exclaimed. “you can’t just do that! i have rights in this house as well!”
“yeah well you will no longer have it if you’re just going to stay angry at me like this.” scaramouche replies back with a huge grin on his face that you’re so tempted to just smack him.
“god you really are the most annoying person in the world,” you groaned, and yet you still give in. “fine, fine! i won’t be angry anymore over you practically calling my room a dumpster.”
“you sleep with me every night anyway. you shouldn’t care about your room that much,” scaramouche says so casually that you stared at him in disbelief. “what? why are you staring at me like that?”
“no, nothing to worry your pretty little head about,” you said in a sweet tone, enough to make scaramouche cringe. “now, let’s watch a movie together, yeah?”
“if that’s what keeps you quiet, then please do continue the movie.” scaramouche hands you the remote control and you gladly unpaused the movie.
“i still hate you by the way.”
“love you too, y/n.”
taglist: @kouyun @lazyalani @aiixen @seehaven @peachesncats @saesins @beanxiv @starzzrin @kiyumiya ♡ (send an ask if you want to be added!)
2023/byizoyas. — pls do not plagiarize or repost and claim as yours ! thank you very much
✘ sfw. random boyfriend texts ✘ scaramouche x gn!reader
a/n. - second pic was a stupid trend BTW LMAO I didn’t say it in the pic but now that i reread it i think it’s AMBIGUOUS but /y/n/ is messing w scara that’s all !
WARNINGS/ TAGS: Hurt no comfort, character death, angst, reader knows how to sing [0.3K WC]
── I LOVE YOU.
A/N: 1AM writing (Again) Idk what made me do this either. But me personally, I sound like a dying chicken when I sing. Maybe that's what inspired the fic in general
HSR MASTERLIST
Blade was laying in your lap, eyes closed as you stroked and played with his hair, sighing in relaxation when he heard your voice, softly singing a tune you had made up to him. His scarlet eyes fluttered open when you stopped singing.
“Why’d you stop?” Blade couldn’t help but sound just a little disappointed, even though he tried his best not to show it in his voice. You responded, “It’s nothing. I just… Had a thought.” “Is there something bothering you?”
You blinked a few times, wondering how you could word and voice your thoughts to him. “If one day, I lost my voice, and I weren’t able to sing as ‘beautifully’ as you liked anymore, would you still love me?”
Blade didn’t hesitate to answer, “You told me before that you would love me even if I were a monster.” Both his hands reached up to cup your cheeks before he continued his sentence. “So naturally, I would love you too… My dearest.”
“It’s a stupid question. Please do not doubt my love for you.”
That was… Quite a lot of years ago. It’s raining now, and you were staring at a gravestone, Blade’s name engraved onto the tomb. The man buried under the land was a human turned monster that you fell in love with. How you wished he were standing in front of you right now, you wanted to sing to him, to run your hands through his hair…
He wanted this, maybe it was for the better?
You knew he seeked the embrace of death, but still…
What did he say to you before he passed again? Something about not regretting that he loved you?
It’s been months since his death. Yet, you still can’t get over the fact that he’s already left you. You tried opening your mouth to sing the tune that he had loved so much, but you found your voice cracked as tears left your eyes. Your voice was coarse and small, escaping your throat like pained cries and whines instead of the usual sweet voice he loved.
You eventually whispered under your breath as it hitched, “I’m sorry, I can’t sing for you anymore.”
If he were still alive, would he have really loved you if you were like this?
hiii ! I saw that your requests were open :) could I request a scenario with scaramouche and xiao. Where their lover is a super cheerful person, but someone makes fun of them and they get super protective. p.s I really like your writings ^^
𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔
synopsis: how they defend you, their cheerful lover, after hearing other people talk bad about you
characters: scaramouche, xiao x gn!reader (separately)
warnings: fluff, a pinch of angst, hurt/comfort, insults, physical violence (not toward reader), swearing, insecurity, xiao may be a little ooc
notes: thank you so much for the request, anon! these are a little short, but i did enjoy writing this. i also tried my hardest to capture the reader as very cheerful, but it was a little difficult to do without it being overbearingly cheerful, so i hope it turned out okay. and i’m very happy you enjoy my writing, it means so much to me <3
Scaramouche:
A trip around Sumeru City was not what Scaramouche had planned to do that day when he offered to spend time together — of course, he couldn’t admit that what he really wanted was to go on a proper date, but he settled for this nonetheless. As long as you’re happy, he thought.
All day you had been pulling him around to various little shops and sights around the city. Even though many of them had existed for many years, you felt as though they were hidden gems amongst all of Teyvat. And with both of you originally being from Inazuma, neither of you had really had the chance to experience all of Sumeru together.
Scaramouche didn’t mind it to be honest — you dragging him around, to be specific. As soon as he saw that stupid big smile on your face, any ounce of resentment for his inability to communicate what he wants drained from his body. Naturally, he still put on the mask of boredom, but with you being your excited self bouncing around the city, you hadn’t even noticed. So he dropped the act, and just let himself live for once.
Just before the sun was about to set and conclude the day’s fun, your hand quickly grabbed his as you dragged him over to a flower shop. When you had first arrived in Sumeru, the very first thing you ever took notice of was all the different plants and flowers. And ever since, you’ve tried to get flowers or other little plants whenever you can.
Scaramouche picked up his pace to match yours, although still dragging a bit behind, his hand held on tight to yours. But as soon as you arrived at the front of the shop, your hand moved to the flowers and away from him. Quietly, he moved to the side and watched as you admired the flowers.
“Wow, these are so beautiful! Did you grow them yourself?” you excitedly asked the man at the shop. There were an array of bright and colorful flowers in front of you, each one carefully tied among others to create stunning bouquets.
The man, who appeared to be the shop owner, furrowed his brows and gave you a light scoff, “Pfft, of course I did.”
To that, Scaramouche snapped his eyes over at the man who hadn’t seemed to pay him any mind. His arms crossed over one another as he eyed the man, not pleased with his attitude, but not saying anything just yet. As Nahida had taught him, he can’t just go around accusing everyone of having malicious intent. So for once, he would wait and see, maybe give him the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he was just having a bad day or something or didn’t mean to come across like that.
“Oh, Archons. Those vases are just as beautiful as the flowers. I saw some really pretty ones at another shop, but these are even better! You really have a good eye, sir!”
The man rolled his eyes and ignored your comment. Meanwhile, Scaramouche sent him a subtle glare from the other side of you. The guy was giving him a bad feeling that he just couldn’t seem to shake.
After a few more minutes of you pointing and beaming at different bouquets and individual flowers of all different kinds, compliments pouring out of you left and right, the man finally snapped.
“Would you just shut up already? I’ve had it up to here with how much you talk. You are so annoying, I mean my god, I get it! I have nice flowers and I’m a talented gardner, just pick some and go!” he yelled out, flaring his arms around the air.
“Screw what Nahida said,” Scaramouche grumbled.
In a split second, you were behind your boyfriend and his arm was held tightly onto the shop owner’s, “Are you done? Cause let me tell you, you have to be a real piece of shit to yell at someone who’s just excited about flowers.”
“Let me go, damn it!” He tried yanking back his arm, desperately trying to pull Scaramouche’s off of him. If only he had known he was messing with an ex-harbinger and a being created by a God.
Scaramouche spoke in a dangerously low tone, “You don’t get to talk to them like that, you hear me? Do it again, and I’ll ruin your fucking life.”
The man backed up quickly, hitting the side of his shop and falling backward. A few people stopped to snicker at him, but Scaramouche paid no mind. His hand slipped into yours and he eagerly pulled you away from the chaos.
He gagged and wiped the hand that grabbed the man against his shirt as the two of you walked to a quiet area, “People like that disgust me.”
You nodded quietly and sat down on the bench he had brought you to. His eyes filled concern for a brief moment before he blinked it away. Sighing, his hand squeezed yours and he nervously gulped, unprepared for situations that involved any form of comfort, “Are you…are you okay?”
“Yeah,” you spoke softly, not quite meaning it, “Thanks for sticking up for me back there.”
Gently, he pulled you into him, “Don’t listen to people like that, you hear me? The only annoying one out of the two of you was that ugly piece of shit. So don’t go all sad on me, okay? I mean it.”
Xiao:
“Hello, my love!” you loudly called out at The Inn, happily marching in to greet him on the upper floor. A few people on the deck below looked up quickly, startled by your bold introduction.
Xiao nodded at you, a small blush on his cheeks and small, “Hi.” Even after nearly a year of dating, you still managed to fluster him.
Your arm looped around his, pulling him closer to you. You sent him a bright smile and tilted your head toward his, “Are you ready for our lunch date?”
Xiao nodded and moved your hand off his arm and down to his hand where he softly clasped his fingers around your own.
When you arrived at Liyue Harbor, the two of you began walking to your favorite restaurant. It was really nice with all the outdoor seating that allowed the both of you to enjoy the fresh breeze from the ocean while you ate. It also allowed Xiao to be more comfortable instead of being cramped up inside some restaurant with a bunch of people he was unfamiliar with.
If Xiao was being honest, the restaurant itself still was not something he particularly enjoyed. Not because he disliked the service or the other people who ate there, but because he wasn’t a huge fan of their food being an adeptus and all. However, you raved about it all the time and got super happy whenever you got the chance to go, especially if it was with him. Xiao could never bring himself to say he didn’t enjoy it when it made you so happy.
“So, have you done anything super interesting lately?” you excitedly asked your boyfriend, eagerly awaiting his weekly stories.
“Not really. I went to the Chasm recently, but I was unable to find what I was seeking,” he answered and nodded at you, “What about you?”
“I went to this really cute tea shop the other day with Yun Jin! You know, my friend from the opera we saw last year? They had the cutest cups and the tea was so good. We should go together some day!”
Xiao smiled ever so slightly as you spoke, not even focused on the food on his plate, but instead entirely focused on you, “That sounds nice.”
You went back and forth for around thirty more minutes, updating each other on the week, laughing about silly jokes you heard from Hu Tao, and talking about some future plans. Xiao had barely touched his food, but you hadn’t noticed with how caught up with him you were.
Nor had you noticed the snickering behind you.
“Oh my god, is that the Yaksha?”
“I think it is!”
“Woah he’s kinda hot, what’s he doing with a person like that?”
“I know right!”
It was hard for Xiao not to hear them, and he really wished he hadn’t. Of course he wanted to defend his relationship, but he always hated how people seemed to stare at the two of you.
Polar opposites.
To be clear, you were not the one that made him feel insecure, but rather the thoughts in his head. Xiao already had such a hard time believing someone like you could even like someone like him. You were so happy and cheerful and brought the best out in him. Xiao didn’t feel like he deserved you at all, not when he is the way he is.
Insecurity and all, it didn’t stop him from glaring past your shoulder. The more they talked, the worse he heard about you. It was like all they could talk about was your personality and how much it seemed like you didn’t deserve him. How you “couldn’t seem to shut up,” or “wipe the smile off your face.” Or that you “probably had to pay him to date someone like you.”
Xiao was already seething, but what set him off the most was when one of them made a comment about wanting to physically hurt you to take your smile away.
“Xiao?” You shot up out of your seat when he suddenly teleported away from you. When you turned around, you found him at the table behind you.
His hands were grabbing a guy by his shirt collar, holding him up into the air until he began to choke, “Shut your mouth before I shut it for you.”
The guy rapidly nodded up and down. Meanwhile, the two girls at the same table were gawking at the scene in front of them until one of them began yelling for Xiao to put the guy down.
“Stop it! You’re hurting him!” She screamed out.
“You said you wanted to hurt my partner. I am only returning the favor,” he said calmly before slamming the guy to the floor and walking to the girls behind him, “leave before I do something worse.”
Your jaw dropped as you watched the scene play out in front of you. Within seconds, the three of them had scrambled away. Xiao walked back over calmly and sat down. You were still stood up in your seat, confused at what had just occurred, “What the hell was that!”
“They were not saying nice things about you.”
Your eyes widened. You were happy he had defended you, but concerned for the consequences that could follow, “You can’t just go beating up random people like that, you could get in trouble!”
“That does not concern me. Any one that says anything bad about you does not deserve to be in your presence.”
“Xiao…” your voice softened, unable to think of anything to say. You knew he was protective, but it was rare for you to see that side of him up close and in person.
His hand gestured to the table, “Now please sit. I would like to hear more about your week.”
Decoding Scara. Scaramouche x fem!reader. Fluff. Some humor. Soft Scara. AU
a/n: I wrote this cause we all want someone to take care of us when we are sick. One of my dad's girlfriend's kids gave me this gnarly awful cough. Kid doesn't even cover his mouth 😭 I don't want this shit, no one does. Next on deck is Diluc smut. I should be on the last legs of this shit.
Achoo!
Scaramouche cringed.
You'd sneezed. You were sick. You had been for a few days now. Thing is, you were too proud to admit it. Sometimes, he thought you were more stubborn than he was.
Your cheeks looked flushed with fever, you sounded congested. You hadn't slept all that much because of it.
And Scaramouche had had enough of your shit. It ends now.
"Tch. Stop it, it's painful to watch you," He scoffed as he watched you from his spot on your bed, crossing his arms.
Up for a game of decoding? When you are dating someone like Scaramouche, you had to really listen to hear what he means when he talks. It's a weird thing for you to explain.
Decode: Please come rest, you are very sick and I am worried for you.
You rubbed your eyes before you looked at him. You looked so tired. "No, I still have things I need to get done," You said, giving him a soft smile before turning back to your laptop.
Scaramouche promptly got up, and closed your laptop. He rolled his eyes when you sputtered in protest. "No you don't. You look like you are going to drop dead any second now. "
Decode: It can wait. It's more important for you to get better.
You tried to open your laptop again, but Scaramouche kept his hand on your laptop to hold it closed. He picked you up bridal style and carried you over to your bed.
It really really freaked Scaramouche out when you got sick. He'd lost someone who he considered a younger brother to illness. He would be damned if he lost you like that too.
He wouldn't be able to bear it.
"I'm taking this," He picked up your laptop, and tucked it under his arm before he walked over to your bedroom door. "And I am locking the door from the outside while I am gone at the pharmacy."
Decode: Please stay in bed and sleep while I go get you medicine.
You knew there was no use in protesting. Scaramouche tucked the blankets around you, giving you a quick kiss before heading out to the pharmacy. He really did lock the door.
This boy, as soon as he got to the pharmacy, he grabbed one box of every cold medicine on the shelf. If one didn't work for you than you had others to try. The cashier gave him an odd look. He knew it looked totally shady.
"Fuck off, my girlfriend is sick," He snapped, glaring at the cashier. Unfortunately, the cashier didn't know how to decode Scara at all cause he didn't know him.
There was no reason to decode that one though.
After some coaxing and bickering, the cashier rang him up just so he would leave. That was fine with Scaramouche. He didn't like idiots holding him up, especially if they were preventing him from getting back to you.
Next he went to the grocery store. He bought various soups that would help sooth your throat, and a variety of teas, scoffing when he took a box of hot chocolate mix off the shelf. He despised sweet things, but he knew it would make you feel better.
The only sweet thing he didn't despise was you.
"Sc-Scara, what did you do? Buy the whole pharmacy?" You asked with wide eyes when he tossed the bag full of cold medicine onto your bed.
"Practically, just shut up and take your medicine. I also got you that mud you like to drink," He said, sitting down on your bed.
Decode: Take your medicine. It will make you feel better. I also got you hot chocolate because I know you like it.
Scaramouche spent the next few days hardly letting you get up for anything, making sure you took your medicine, and making you soup. He watched movies and TV shows with you, he would never admit it but he absolutely ate up reality shows for their drama.
Needless to say, once you recovered, you had your hands full taking care of Scaramouche when he caught what you had.
synopsis. You are a singer-songwriter. Music has always been a part of you, it's a part of your identity that no one can ever take away. However, there's always a catch: you are diagnosed with a chronic illness that puts your life on a timer. Those who have heard your countless melodies have grown to notice that the notes on the sheet played a gloomier tune. Would the snarky and capable medical student you've met be able to bring life back into these melodies? Even as your life begins to seep out of your own body? A reboot/rebranded version of Autumn Leaves.
tags. gender-neutral reader, angst, fluff, crack, heavy contexts of death and illnesses, friends to lovers, slowburn, profanities, drinking (characters are in college), suggestive themes but no nsfw.
status. ongoing (06.07.23)
taglist. (status: open) — @beriiov @alatusorrow @br0oke96 @ohmyfinggod @itzblazekun @featuredtofu @sketcheeee @lazy-sanns @sakurapeach @sheraffim @vxmp-loml @sukunasrealgf @sleepning @yukiipc @thenightsflower @aqvvas @scaramoo (comment/send an ask to be added or removed, please let me know if i forgot to add you since my notification feed can be flooded sometimes!)
notes. using the 2023 calendar for the dates, timestamps don't matter unless stated, grammatical errors and typos here and there, slow updates but ending is already planned out, overall would have a heavy atmosphere for the duration of the runtime! will retain the taglist of autumn leaves along with the new ones that can be requested for this smau ! would be adding bonus episodes from time to time.
★ playlist. click here!
☆ cameo requests [open]. click here!
★ kuni's circle | reader's circle
TEASERS 📹
01. guess who's back
TRACKLIST 🎐 ( expected run-time: 20 chapters )
01. salt air 02. room 613
03. who i see in the corner of my room at night
04. the day i died once 04a. the day i died once pt. 2
05. tinsels around the tree 06. sugar cookies & diabetes
07. when the clock strikes 08. wash my back
09. ping pong 10. blue hour
11. graduation blues 12. i'm free!
13. new year, old me 14. tightrope 15. ring the alarm
16. tell me you don't care 17. forget them, i want him instead
IN THE SOUND OF THE DRUMS ! ✧ — wanderer and xiao x gn!reader ; lion dance troupe au !!
WANDERER
he was never picky with his partners. in a lion dance, he knew that both of those donning the costume needed a perfect rhythm and balance. a mutual understanding and appreciation. he didn’t see the need for a friendship with the one who shared the lion.
that is, until you came. at first, he saw you as a tryhard — always upbeat and enthusiastic, following and executing his instructions perfectly. he’d just scoff and reply with a begrudging ‘good job’. he didn’t know you well, and it wasn’t like he wanted to, right?
the question came out on impulse: “why do you dance?”
and you replied. it wasn’t out of trying to impress him that you worked hard, but simply because it was your passion. he had never met someone with such a… fire inside of them. he couldn’t believe that a simple performance you watched in elementary school would lead to you joining the troupe. he was… impressed. not like he was ever going to admit it, though.
practices passed and continued. he found himself slowly getting more attached to you, asking you other things about yourself. no, of course he wasn’t curious. he was trying to build a mutual understanding. you’d answer all his questions, no matter how weird they were. in return, he answered your questions too.
the costume was painstakingly hot. your nerves didn’t help either, instead making you sweat even more. your role was easier, as the person in the back. basically all you had to do was mirror the wanderer’s movements and twerk your tail. you remembered laughing when he mentioned that, only to realise he was extremely serious.
“ready?” the wanderer’s voice came out in something just above a whisper. you nodded, even though you knew he couldn’t see you. “hold on.” he reminded.
you placed your hands on his waist firmly. perhaps you were beginning to hallucinate, but did he tense against your touch? whatever it was, it disappeared in a millisecond. you waved those thoughts away. now was the time to focus.
welcoming applause echoed from all sides as the two of you stepped out onto the stage. you couldn’t see — thus, needing to depend and trust the wanderer completely. you did, and so did he.
the drums began, a symbol of the lion’s heartbeat. you found your own beating in tandem with every thump. the cymbals followed; the lion’s thoughts, your cue. and right on time, the wanderer jumps.
you start performing the moves, synchronizing with the wanderer as if you were one being. the crowd cheers and claps, and you feel a sense of happiness and joy that you've never felt before. this was it, wasn’t it? that same feeling you felt during that one performance. you broke into a wide grin.
as the music reaches its climax, the drums banging with all their might, you both leap into the air, landing gracefully as one. the crowd's screams reach a fevered pitch, and you can feel the energy zapping through the air like electric waves.
you breathe heavily, your heart racing with adrenaline as you take a bow. you almost miss the wanderer’s quiet ‘you were amazing’ amongst the erratic applause of the audience. but you heard it anyways. he turned to you with a smile as you paraded the lion backstage, a genuine one. you liked it. it made his eyes sparkle and your heart skip a beat.
and this time, he didn’t turn away.
“you did great, (name).”
“couldn’t have done it without an amazing partner like you.” you grin, your hands moving from his waist to his shoulder. “you’re the best.”
any other time he would have turned away from you with an eyeroll or scoff, saying that he was just doing what anyone else would. but this time he countered you with a grin of his own.
“you know… i think i like the way you call me partner.”
XIAO
playing the suona drums meant a lot of things to xiao. his heartbeat synchronised with every thump he hit upon its surface. it helped to hone his feelings into one, just like the force and energy in the lion dance. through his craft, he could find peace even in the rowdiest cymbal playing and applause. it was the only thing able to calm him. or so he thought.
why was his heart starting to deviate from its usual rhythm when you joined his troupe? at first, he saw you as a distraction, regarding your incessant and curious questions as foolish and irritating. you didn’t stop, no matter what he did. it made him frustrated, yet at the same time, intrigued.
he watched you dance, moving with such precision, passion and power in every single jump. his hitting of the drum never changed, but his heartbeat followed your rhythm. a beat every time your feet left or touched the ground.
you never gave up on getting him to open up, and he was glad for that. xiao didn’t think he could bear seeing your retreating back, and leaving him forever. so when you asked, he answered.
you had to be the nicest person he knew — buying drinks and snacks for everyone, and memorising their likes and answers to your weirdly charismatic questions. sure, you did the same for everyone, but you always came to him first. surely that meant something, right?
xiao caught the soda you had tossed him deftly. once you walked within earshot, he muttered a word of thanks. you flashed him a smile and passed him a small styrofoam package.
“you said you liked it and the food court had a one-day promotion, so i decided to get it for you!” you explained cheerfully. he eyed the package skeptically before opening it with a small ‘snap’. he smelt it before he actually saw what it was.
“you got me… almond tofu?” full of golden blocks of creamy deliciousness, topped with chopped almonds. the scent of the brown sugar syrup was enough to make xiao smile. “you remembered. thank you, (name).”
you returned the smile. “of course! play your loudest for me today, will you?”
xiao nodded, a soft smile still present on his lips, a stark contrast to his usual stoic nature. maybe you should get him almond tofu more often. “i will.”
after you waved goodbye and headed off, xiao watched you leave. his eyes were on your feet moving across the backstage floor. tap, tap, tap. he found his heart following your rhythm.
cymbals crashed around him. it would’ve made anyone else’s ears ring for the rest of the day, but not xiao. his hands were clenched firmly around the sticks as he beat the drums just like he always did. his face remained indifferent, not a single smile curving on his lips. yet his eyes weren’t on the crowd, but on you.
he watched as you owned the performance, moving just like an actual lion would. every jump, every twist, every shake, every single action you made captivated him. you told him to play his hardest, and he did, pouring his soul into what he drummed.
and as the troupe took a bow, he realised that he should stop denying the truth that stood in front of him, clad in a costume and holding up a lion head.
you headed over to him backstage, still donning your costume though your partner was already chatting with the cymbalists, costume off. he had to peek his head through the lion’s mouth to see you. you gave him a cheeky grin. “how’d i do?”
“amazing as always.” he breathed. in this close proximity, he didn’t dare raise his voice. his heart raced.
“thank you! i heard you playing louder than usual.” you noticed that? what a keen eye you had.
he smiled. “i kept my promise… and (name)?”
this was a perfect moment, wasn’t it? he tried to calm his racing heart.
ft. alhaitham, bennett, ganyu, kaveh, kazuha, scaramouche & xiao.
tags : hurt/comfort, fluff, established relationships, very self-indulgent, crying, they’re all so soft your honor, ooc mayhaps, no proofread, bits of angst (kaveh, xiao), lmk if i missed anything else!
a/n : teehee i’m not doing so well :D
alhaitham.
the moment he sees you, the book in his hand snaps to a crisp close. the couch and cushions underneath him crinkle as alhaitham stands, and it takes but a few strides for him to make his way over to you - his arm stretched out, and when it just barely grazes your hair, you fell into his arms on your own volition. he stiffens, albeit a bit used to your touch, and softens for your sake when he feels your body shivers along his.
he doesn’t ask why; there’s little to no meaning to try to ask for something that’ll in no way benefit either person, especially you. the silence, along with the gentle crackle of a candle nearby, your stuttered sobs, and the faint rustling of your clothes as his hand rubs your back in smooth, small motions, is enough for you.
more than enough with him near. you take in a breath and find yourself breathing in his scent - heavy on cedar, mint, parchments and so. it’s his scent; it’s comfortable, familiar. it’s nice.
bennett.
a look of panic is one and the only look you’re able to pinpoint on him through your eyes, albeit misty, burning like fire alike. bennett stumbles on his own feet trying to reach to you, and holds your cheeks in the palm of his hands almost a bit too harshly, to which he profusely spews apologies as if there’s no tomorrow, as if the sun will never wake up.
it might as well never, not with the way that you tightly hold onto the back of his hands with yours, nails biting into his skin. he doesn’t even mind the ache, another numb jolt of pain that he’s accustomed to, and more so for you. he himself almost seems to be biting back his own tears.
he tries to wipe away yours with the pad of his thumbs, drifting over the edges of your eyes as his hands cups your face. you try to wear a smile for his skin, and it’s half apologetic, half grateful, and he finds himself mirroring the same look - quiet chuckles is shared between the space you two share.
ganyu.
she’s hesitating, her hands hovering over you, every part of you, not sure what to do, say - ganyu doesn’t want to make you as fragile as you already are. she feels your whimpers wrack along your body, trembling; it’ll take a bit until you can calm down.
her hand softly rested on the side of your head, slowly, tentatively, and guided you to rest on her shoulder. her other hand held one of yours, fingers locked and tight, although trembling - neither of you two knows where it starts or ends. the cold draft of air that came from her hands, both on yours and atop of your head, cooled you from the uncomfortable heat overwhelming your chest.
you turned your head slightly into hers, nestled in the nook of her neck, and although she finds herself a bit flustered, now acknowledging how close you two are, it’s more than something she’ll do for you if it means bringing any means of comfort to you. even as small as it is.
kaveh.
there’s little to no air your chest, your lungs. not with the way kaveh holds onto you, arms locked around your waist, space nonexistent between the two of you as you can feel his heartbeat as much as hear your own chiming on and on in your ears.
you can feel locks of his sun-kissed hair graze along your skin, and it brings in some sort of warmth to you, the nice kind, as you try and smoothen the shiver in your breath, trembling every time you try and take one in and let it go. his hands clutched onto your back, and it’s since then that you start to feel him quivering as well.
his body caves into you, taking in all of you that he can and he still feels as though that’s enough. you can hear his thoughts, you can hear them as your own wishing to take your fears, thoughts, worries as his own, although he has enough for him in life in and of itself.
and so, you pecked the corner of his eye - salt is all you taste, the bitterness of his feelings coalesced with his tears. you feel him subtly jolt, a shiver slithering through his spine. he leans off of you, and seeing the slight light in your eyes, the wet chuckle that pushes itself out of your lips only wants him to settle a kiss of his own to reach of the corners of your eyes.
kazuha.
he doesn’t let you lift even a finger as kazuha wipes away your tears, leaving the tips of his fingers a bit moist, as he sits up at the edge of the bed to try and make you a cup of tea, to try and settle you back in a stage of tranquility and familiarity.
tenderly resting you against the sheets of the bed once more, he takes your hand in his, yours clasped together in an attempt to try and calm yourself, and intertwines them. there is every bit of airy softness to it, skin against skin, and with how cool his is, coaxes you into a simpler stage of mind.
“please,” he presses his lips against your fingers, each and every one of them doted with a bit more affection than the last. “your feelings… are valid. no one, not even yourself, is able to say otherwise.”
“it is alright to feel this way, [name]. it is alright to feel as if the world is ending, to feel that there is nothing left for you to do… as long as you are with someone you understand, and i shall keep that spot occupied for whenever you want me to.”
scaramouche.
his hands covered your eyes, and a world of darkness, an dim illusion, is all you see for a few minutes. your hands rested atop of his, fingers trying to pry them off of you - he simply doesn’t budge. scara settles his head atop of yours, just close enough that he can feel how you’re quivering against him, a jolt here and there, a hiccup, and with each second, he caves in further around you.
a force a bit too brittle to be one to reckon with loosened, and he feels you rest your head on his shoulder as you lean a bit back. a sigh he didn’t even know he was holding was let loose from how much you melted into him… vulnerable, fragile in every way, as much as you didn’t want to admit it.
there’s nothing much he can do for you other than act as a presence, and, once in a while, whisper quiet reassurances into the shell of your ear, echoing out the very things he’s always, through thick and thin, kept close to his heart and true.
xiao.
dripping fear is all he feels as his fingers twitches, not an inch near you - to touch you, to tend to you, to somehow make you feel better. xiao ends up combing your hair, awkward, small strokes, and yet, he sees you subtly melting into his touch here and there as he brushes your scalp.
you can barely catch a breath of air, shallow takes of breath choking you, tight in your throat, before he placed a small peck on your temple. you froze. he did it again, only at your other temple. tepidness seeps its way into your skin, and makes the world around the two of you feel… lighter, airy.
“…you’re alright,” he murmurs, and his words don’t seem to carry its usual weight to it. “i am right here, [name]. whenever you are in need of me, speak my name. do not hesitate.”
“…at the very least, whenever it concerns matters as this. i’d… prefer… to be there. for you.”
( ? ) wanderer proves that he can fluster you. 640 words
“—and, well, you haven’t failed me before. i know i can trust you with this.”
you grin, holding his gift closer to your chest like it’s your newborn. “tighnari, you flatter me. look, i’m blushing.” tighnari doesn’t bother pointing out that you aren’t at all.
“as if anything could fluster you,” tighnari laughs lightly. he must be referencing all the moments you were shameless with being playful with all of them, doubling down when they try to do the same. (it never works when they try—you’re relentless.)
“oh yeah?” the grin you’re wearing shifts into something more sly. “wanna try and prove that wrong?”
he makes a face, almost haunted. “i’m not asking for a death wish.”
you snort, finally looking up from where you’ve been tending to tighnari’s gift—a potted plant with a species of flower you aren’t quite familiar with. “general watchleader, why would that be a death wish?”
tighnari clears his throat, his smile twitching into something more irked upon the nickname you gave, yet his eyes are elsewhere. somewhere over your shoulder. “speaking of,” he mumbles. before you can turn to follow his gaze, tighnari speaks up again, “cyno and collei might be looking for me. i’ll see you around, okay?”
“oh, um—” startled by his sudden urge to leave, you manage a quick wave with one hand, “—okay, bye, tighnari!”
your hands grow tired quickly, so you bend down to place his gift carefully by your feet. the leaves look as if they have curled toward you.
you turn around to see what tighnari was staring at earlier and nearly jolt out of your skin upon seeing wanderer a foot away from your back. if puppets could breathe, you would have heard it.
“what the— fuck, why do you make no noise? don’t you know how creepy that is?”
wanderer does not care in the slightest, and it shows on his expression: blinking, unaffected. surprisingly, he gives no snarky reply to that. just keeps staring.
“hello? malfunctioned in there?” you wave a hand in front of his face.
he catches your wrist, using it to pull you closer to him until your chests are almost touching.
you gape, alarmed by the sudden proximity. “have you gone mad?” he keeps silent, still, only moving closer and closer. you take a step back; he takes two steps forward.
before you know it, your back is against a tree, your hand pinned next to your head, and the other being wanderer’s own hand. your breath hitches, aware of how this must be looking to bypassers.
to make matters worse, he breathes. it’s intentional—one he rarely does unless he’s overheated or he’s just doing it for his amusement, like what he’s doing now. you feel it on your face, a sharp sensation bolting down your spine.
“hey, you— you’re really—” inwardly, you curse yourself for stammering, but you’re too weak to sharp eyes and cold, artificial skin, “w-what are you…”
finally, he makes a noise after closely watching your face. it’s a self-satisfied one, accompanied by a smug grin.
and finally, finally, he frees you from his hold, never faltering from his pleased expression.
“you— what the hell? what was that about?” you’re pretty sure that the rainforest has gotten exceptionally hot today; you feel its effects on your face.
“don’t worry about it,” wanderer says airily. so he can still speak, after all. “you said that it was going to be quick; what a bold-faced lie. are you done dilly-dallying with your friends?”
“are you going to explain?!”
you watch as he whirls around wordlessly as if that was his answer. and then he keeps walking, and walking, and—
he’s actually leaving and expecting you to follow after him.
you feel the urge to throw the pot at his head. “i have to take this back home, asshole!”
“leave it, then!” he yells back.
looked at the 3.8 scara art again and my fingers did this on their own idk what happened either SJDJSJJ
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