I really do love that people have legitimately always just been people. Like how many angry breakup texts have their been that end with “Come get your stuff or I’m donating it to goodwill”? People never change.
“pick up your flax shawls and sandals or else I will donate them to the temple of the moon god” idk why but this bit in particular is SENDING me humans have literally always been the same
summary: esteemed noble meets dumbass oni, oni sweeps them off their feet..... literally.
(note: in this fic itto can make ushi can grow and shrink in size)
You stretched out your joints as you left the academy. By the shogun, the professor truly knew how to make a class exceptionally boring. The sky was clear today, perhaps you should miss out on your father's daily lectures on how you weren't 'elegant' unlike your status.
So you wrote a note, asked a passing little boy to deliver it to your manor and began going on your merry way. You hum a little tune and walk around, doing your own thing. That was, until you see a small cow charging straight at you! Who let a cow out?! You dodge to the side clumsily and fall on your butt with a grunt. How rude! You dust yourself off and get up. If your father saw that, he'd even criticise the way you fell. "Sorry!"
A man--no--an oni with white hair and a bulky build was in front of you. Not to mention he was tall as hell. You look upward, scowling. Was he the one who let that cow out? "Your cow made me fall over!" You say, exasperated. That little bit of commotion had ruined your image of a peaceful walk. "It was an accident! Ushi was just startled that's all!" He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Who grabbed your horns.." You heard him mumble that under his breath in an annoyed tone. "I heard that." You respond. "You can't even lower your voice enough." He put his hands on his hips. "How dare you!" You narrowed your eyes back at him. Whatever, you didn't want to spend much time on this guy. You sighed and simply walked away. "Ushi's gone off by now." You say.
He grunted and stormed off in the direction of the tiny cow. You heard him mutter something about you under his breath and continued on his journey. "My noble!" A servant from the manor rushes to you, out of breath and on the brink of death. "Lord L/N is expecting you." A bad feeling crawls into you and sits there. You knew this was going to happen. "Fine, let's g--" Before you could finish, you were swept away by a speeding.. cow?! You were snatched up by that oni but he's riding on Ushi now! Was Ushi much bigger?
Though, you can't get mad, since he's technically saving you from an earful from your dad. But still!! He grabbed you and now you're over his shoulder! Your butt was technically in his face! "Hey! Put me down Oni!" You slam his back repeatedly but it was hard as stone! Seriously, this guy works out!
"Thank me later, idiot!" You hear shouts of alarm and see that people from your manor were chasing after you! "Bear with this for a while, yeah?" He and you sped off through small alleyways, twisting and turning this way and that until they couldn't follow any longer. He skidded to a stop. You burst into giddy laughter. That was so exciting! Scary, but exciting! "Thank you!" You say.
He grunted in response. "I saw some scary lookin' guy sending that other guy out to get you. I thought you were mean but you don't deserve that." He spoke quietly this time. Your heart softened a bit. You were frustrated from your family's restraints and the academy, that was why you were so hard on him earlier. "I'm sorry about being so mean earlier. I was.. tired." He looked at you sideways. "Didn't know you had that in ya." You smiled. "I do."
Ushi huffed. "Right right, sorry!" The Oni said, and with a grunt, Ushi-- disappeared? "Ushi's a friend I can summon from time to time, thanks to this little vision I have." He has a vision?
"I'm Arataki Itto by the way!" He sticks out a hand. "The one and oni!" He flashed a toothy grin. You noticed your heart beat faster. You gave a toothy grin back. "Y/N L/N." You took his hand and shook it. "The strongest in my clan."
Title explanation (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS,SO YOU CAN OPT TO READ LATER)
1/3
It can cover many meanings.
Venti seeing the visage of his departed friend from the statue, serenely smiling as he always remembers it, and
2/3
(Disclaimer 2) What if it weren't Mondstadt's citizens who sculpted the largest Barbatos statue as widely believed, but his friend Morax? Thus,title also refers to how Morax views Barbatos as his friend. Morax certainly knows how to sculpt, since he sculpted Azhdaha.
3/3
And thus,the third meaning of the title,is how Morax made the statue to reflect the visage of both Barbatos and his best friend.
warnings - crying, slight gore and harm, skinship, spoilers for everyone's backstories (lol), suggestive lines and actions and negativity towards baal in kazuha's
summary - you just happen to be the dendro archon, no big deal to him, right?
a/n - i kid you not this idea has been living in my head for like a week LOL. (my xiao favoritism is absolutely BEAMING right now with how much i wrote for him here: three hcs + scenarios instead of the normal two, HA) volume two and three for other characters are in the process of being written! i decided to move kaeya into volume two with scara and dain :P
disclaimer - i literally know nothing about the dendro archon or how the dendro element works asides from the fact that it's susceptible to pyro PFBFBT- so this is my interpretation of what both the personality of the dendro archon, their powers and the dendro element itself could be like!
you're a plant consultant that albedo often requests for while working on his various experiments
most of your time is spent cooped up in his lab, studying the various effects of genetic enhancement in different types of flowers
he's not focused on you at first, after all you're merely there to provide slight consultation on the different varieties of plants and such that he's working with
but as time goes on, albedo realizes that the soft hum of your voice and the tender nature in which you handle his research and him in itself have begun to make his heart hammer against his chest
from them on, he requests for your assistance only to have you sit perched on a stool while he documents his findings and simply basks in your presence
obviously, you're confused at first and ask why he's requested for your assistance if all you're going to do is sit and watch as he works
nonchalantly, he'll reply "i simply enjoy your company," and carry on with his work, leaving you a flustered mess of emotions
it's clumsy and a little less organized than he would've hoped, but albedo finally asks you out on a date (klee helps him out by scribbling "go out with mister albedo!" on a piece of paper in crayon except "mister" is missing the e and there's an apple juice stain in the corner, but you reward her regardless with a pink tulip that bursts from your hand, and a warm hug)
albedo loves seeing you use your vision, he finds it mystical and enchanting
but, he's a very perceptive man and immediately catches on that you seem to be more than you make yourself out to be
it's evident especially in the way that you can name ancient flower and plant types like you'd seen them yourself
your powers additionally far surpass that of any dendro user he'd ever seen before
not only that, but it has become obvious to him that you are well versed in the ancient art of khemia: one that is secret only to alchemists of khaenri'ah
albedo isn't confrontational, but he manages to get the answer for your immense power out of you in a meticulously planned and organized manner
scenario + more utc!
"love, would you mind lending me your eyes for a moment?"
you perk your head up from the many papers that littered albedo's desk and nodded with a smile, eager to help as always. what you didn't know, however, was that albedo had sketched out a principle rooted in the practice of khemia: just a simple five step plan to create a small flower field, and yet this kind of alchemical practice hadn't been seen by any other practitioners of alchemy outside of those who were well versed in khemia.
"i believe i've come to a halt in my studies, would you care to demonstrate this practice?"
albedo felt wrong for placing you in such a scenario, after all it forced your hand and would unintentionally make you reveal to him whether or not his suspicions were correct. though calm and collected, albedo couldn't stop the feeling of sheer horror from rising up within him when you easily understood the instructions and mimicked the procedure, going as far to correct the mistakes he deliberately placed in the instructions and adding a few comments of your own.
"(y/n)," you froze, he rarely ever called you by name now, "just...who, or what are you? how is it that you are able to understand the practice of khemia?"
the truth tasted bitter on your tongue in fear of rejection, and yet you found the courage to look him in the eyes and utter the words that might forever change your relationship.
"i'm an archon. the dendro archon."
emotions are odd for albedo to decipher, but this amalgamation of reactions, the conflict between the screams of his mind and the cries of his heart, combined with your apprehensive look was all far too much for him to comprehend. his legs screamed at him to run far, far away and seek out his master for answers, but he knew that it'd do him no good.
"i...understand. i do wish you told me sooner."
you sagged in relief and approached him with cautious steps, "may i?" your arms stretched themselves out towards him, and who was he to say no to a god?
albedo felt odd holding one of the many beings that had laid to waste his home so long ago, though he doesn't recall ever seeing the glow of dendro among the carnage.
"khaenri'ah was a very lovely nation," you mumbled into the fabric of his shirt, and when he remained quiet you carried on, "i often visited under the guise of a mortal and soon came to learn of the art of khemia. being the dendro archon, i can form life from my hands with just my will," you rose and unfurled your hand, letting a lotus bloom from your palm as if to reiterate your point, "so when i learned that khaenri'ah had found a way to create life through alchemical properties, i was in awe!"
despite the serious atmosphere, albedo couldn't help but crack a smile; he truly found you adorable beyond words. but as your face fell, the gravity returned to his lungs and reality came swooping in.
"i briefly studied khemia, but the fall of khaenri'ah prevented me from learning any more. i tried to reason with the gods from celestia, but to them i was no better than a mortal."
he nodded once, then twice, and you felt yourself be pulled flush against his body with your thundering hearts pressed up against one another.
"i believe i understand what happened, i apologize for forcing your hand, my flower." albedo finalized his words by intertwining your hands and pressing a kiss to the knuckle. "these hands have crafted so much life," another kiss, this time more tender and gentle, "and it is these hands that hold within them my heart."
albedo came a little closer to understanding what his master meant by the purpose of this world, and all he had to do was look into your eyes. the same eyes that held the love of his practice, the love of his people, and love for him, simple albedo.
upon discovering your status as an archon, albedo will first revel in the fact that his hypothesis was right (nerd lmao/j)
but despite the past, he acknowledges that you are not at fault for what happened to khaenri'ah
your archon powers interest him very much!
especially your inability to control the flowers that bloom around you when your emotions are intense
albedo experiments to see which kind of reactions will produce which kinds of flowers (of course, with your consent)
the reactions are usually flustered-based (kisses to your cheek, face, and lips especially are most effective as well as romantic compliments and remarks, he notes), given that albedo refuses to do anything to upset or anger you in any regard, and thus, many times will sucrose have to sweep up rose petals from the lab floors after another one of his experiments
but albedo loves the tender moments you spend with him, barren of experiments and tests, and he marvels in seeing you put your powers to work
days off were rare for albedo, but not unwelcome in the slightest. the gentle chilly breeze that ruffled through his ashen locks and the warmth of your weight pressed against his side while both of you sat huddled at his workdesk in dragonspine was a feeling he embraced with open arms.
yet, his worker's mindset truly never left him even on his days off.
"i've been pondering," he began, looking towards you who leaned your head on his shoulder, "would you like to be a subject in another one of my experiments?"
your lips curved upwards into a curious smile as you nodded thrice. "of course! but whatever for?"
albedo glanced downwards and pulled out his leather bound notebook and charcoal pencil, "a simple test of your powers, i wish to study them more, and, consequently, understand you better." the gentle, feather light touch of his knuckles grazed away the stray snowflakes that had scurried their way into his base and landed on your cheek and hair.
though you knew albedo meant business, you couldn't help but let a giddy, lovestruck smile cross your features at his words.
"well, i can't say no to that can i?"
once you had bundled up in your snow gear, albedo took you by the hand further into the woods of dragonspine. snow dribbled gently from the sky and landed on your upwards glancing face, right on the tip of your nose.
"albedo, look!" you pointed with a gleeful smile to the snowflake on your nose, which quickly dissipated into a thin droplet. albedo chuckled and paused his steps to wipe away the water from your face, and press a gentle kiss against your nose.
"adorable," he murmured and continued to walk with your palm in his hand. he knew for certain if he looked back at this very moment, you'd be covered in roses and thornless vines and the very thought had him smiling affectionately to himself.
you on the other hand, made haste with your free hand to swipe away the growing rose buds and vines that had begun to wrap around your body. "so many years i've had these powers and i still can't control this." you mused to yourself, watching the last rose petal disappear under your glowing, green touch.
not paying attention, you nearly stumbled forwards over a rock had albedo not caught you in time.
"for an archon, you are most clumsy though endearing." it was rare to hear a lighthearted lilt to albedo's voice, but never rare for you. his arms carefully steadied you to your feet, and despite his sweet actions an evident pout remained on your face.
"i am certainly not clumsy, excuse you." though he nodded his head at your retort, you almost definitely felt the playful smile that lingered on his face like the sugary aftertaste of honey.
after walking for a bit, hand in hand, albedo finally pulled you into a snowy clearing surrounded by thick fir trees and devoid of any other plant life.
"i am interested in seeing if you can summon forth some common flowers in a different climate, especially one that poses natural challenges," he paused to gently pull you body closer to him and peer into your eyes, "if that is alright with you, of course."
you beamed with affection and nodded with a confident smile, "of course! i'd be more than happy to test it out."
notebook in hand and pencil ready to record any valuable information, albedo remained at your side and quickly sketched the clearing as a "before" picture. "alright, at my word please summon forth a field of cecilias." you nodded and knelt down to the barren, snowy ground, placing your palms on the thick blanket of snow.
"oh," he paused to lean closer to your ear, "and you must ignore my presence, no matter what." confused, you nodded anyway and once given the signal, you let the rivers of your dendro energy surge from your palms into the ground below.
concentrated on your task, you barely noticed when albedo knelt down to your level. only when he begun to pepper kisses across your face did you falter in your work. "you are so beautiful, absolutely radiant. your beauty rivals the break of dawn and your sweetness triumphs over that of the sweetest sugars. i love everything about you, my flower." he mumbled into your ear with a tone you'd never heard before, but a tone you definitely wanted to hear more of.
you felt your face heat up, and instead of cecilias, from the snowy ground burst forth a large bushel of bright red, blooming roses and sparkling asters. mortified, you turned back to albedo with apologetic eyes only to be met with the satisfactory glint in his irises as he stared back at your work.
"marvelous job, my darling. exactly as i had predicted too." he mumbled while scribbling some notes down in his notebook. albedo set aside the items and pulled you close into his arms.
"though, i meant every word of what i said even if they were used for an experiment," his lips found their way to your temple and gently pulled back to brush his nose against yours, "i love you, and all of you."
you swore you felt the roses behind you grow in size and double in number and the tips of the fir trees began to dip inwards to where albedo held you like a gentle flower.
he's absolutely whipped for you, and the fact that you're an archon doesn't change that
you're his muse, to put it lightly
he loves sketching you and making attempts to understand you better
you're also one of the only people he can outwardly discuss khemia with, given that it's an ancient practice belonging exclusively to khaenri'ah
albedo hadn't fathomed that he could possible spend a lot of time with someone and yet feel as though his energy levels hadn't depleted
but whenever you stop by and he manages to get your assistance in an alchemic experiment, he hopes you never leave his side
albedo swears he can feel every flower petal brush against his heart when he manages to fluster you enough into a state where you've covered in flowers, even unintentionally
but whether or not you could summon entire fields with a single whip of your hand or not, albedo would love you all the same
xiao already knows who you are the minute you step foot into liyue
rex lapis never fought you during the archon war as you had proven yourself by offering aid to injured gods and goddesses
but xiao remembers clearly, the way you looked at him with kindness in your eyes as blood seeped from a wound in his head
a wound that you had healed with the warmth of dendro energy from your palms
he'd never met a god quite like you: the gods he knew were either power-hungry or righteous beings who cast away evil shadows, much like rex lapis in his mind
you, however, seemed to seek nothing from him but his well being
many historians argue that it was rex lapis that saved the young yaksha from the grips of the evil god who commanded him to shed innocent blood and devour dreams until hope ceased to exist
however, not many know that it was the dendro archon who pulled him from the depths of his oblivion and left him in the aid of the most reliable of the bunch: morax
alatus hadn't seen light nor had he known warmth for centuries. head to toe, his body was coated in sticky, irony blood. 'whose blood was it?' he wondered to himself. the likely answer he knew, was that this blood on his skin was blood that was never meant to be shed. the bitter taste of dreams lingered on his tongue and felt slimy in the caverns of his mouth. he felt vile, the most disgusting being to ever exist in teyvat.
no matter how far he looked ahead, there lay bloodshed and a sky tinted red and charcoal black. with every step he took, glancing back would reveal a pile of bodies in the wake of his path.
even now as he stumbled aimlessly through the desolate village tarnished by war and devoid of life, hope ceased to exist in his heart. his eyes fell upon a tattered pile of limp bodies, sagging with the weight of death.
as normal as blinking, or taking a deep breath on a quiet summer's night, alatus walked past the corpses with his head bowed to the ground. that was until the toe of his boot caught on something small, and squishy. he looked towards the ground to see that he'd stepped on what looked like a hand-sewn fabric doll with black yarn for hair, brown button eyes, and a tattered, lime green dress made from cotton. and right beside it lay a small, chubby hand, extended towards the doll as if reaching for it. the little girl's body was marred beyond comprehension, there's no doubt that whatever caused the injuries that littered her body was something she received the brunt of.
but alatus didn't care about how she died. he dropped to his knees, weak from sheer terror, and pulled the little girl's limp corpse out from the pile of bodies discarded like trash. she breathed no more, and yet alatus held her against his hammering heart as if she would suddenly wake up and her cold, bruised hands would once again turn soft and warm: full of life.
his bloodied fingers scooped the doll up from the ground and placed it in her drying fingers. and he sat, eyes empty and heart pained, and held her lifeless corpse while he listened to the thunderous roars of nearby battles and the ominous hum of what he could only think was the wrath of a god from just over the mountain tops.
"did you know her?"
alatus lifelessly looked behind him to the source of the voice, meeting your concerned gaze. just when had you appeared? he hadn't heard the gentle crunch of your feet under the crumbling dirt, too lost in his thoughts. he didn't recognize you, but your attire made it known of what exactly you were, as did the emerald lines that ran up your arms that most likely thrummed with dendro energy.
he didn't respond, for fear that you may unleash your wrath if he gave an answer that wasn't to your liking: the gods were not to be trusted, the gods were not to be taken lightly. he knew this, and he was reminded by the invisible jingle of his metaphorical shackles that bound his wrists and cuffed his neck not unlike a dog.
alatus hardly moved when you stooped down to sit beside him, though he held the girl closer to his body. "you're hurt," you gently chide and, almost unconsciously, your fingers find their way up to the pulsing wound near his temple. despite having no reaction to your presence, your touch, however, had him flinching away and holding the girl's corpse tighter to his body as if to shield her from you.
your heart dropped at how fragile he looked, despite boasting the blood of what you assumed were his victims and a scary-looking polearm.
"come, allow me to clean you." alatus looked at your hand, outstretched and waiting in front of him, with tired and dead eyes. you managed to take the dead little girl from his arms with a genuine promise to return and bury her and her family, and took him by the hand to a nearby spring.
alatus followed limply, your hand being the only thing that kept him upright and walking. even as the cool, spring water brushed against his skin and hair, all he could see was the once pure, blue water stained a horrid maroon: no matter how hard he scrubbed, he'd never be absolved of his sins.
you hadn't managed to coax a name out of him, not even as you gently washed the sticky blood out of his lovely, thick locks or healed the gash by his forehead with a light press of your palm to his skin.
alatus, on the other hand, began to feel strange. the shock of bathing in snow only to step into warm water was vivid and bright, and he's confused beyond belief. why was your touch so incomprehensibly warm? why had you treated him like a gentle glass figure that would break if handled too rashly. why did you bathe him like a child and heal his wounds without asking for a single thing in return? he realizes he must have asked the last question aloud because you respond with an airy laugh and, "because one should never expect anything in return when offering help from their heart."
he sat in silence and continued to watch the blood form clouds in the spring water.
"alatus." he whispered.
you couldn't stop the smile that formed across your face, "alatus," you parroted, letting the taste of it sit in your mouth; it tasted of sweet sugar with a bitter, burnt aftertaste, "what a lovely name."
"i am (y/n), the dendro archon." you murmured just as your cupped hand, filled with clear water, swiped away at the remaining blood from his cheek.
but you understood that alatus would not receive protection under your wing, so instead you hurried to the strongest god you knew: rex lapis, who was a rigid soul but you knew he could be trusted. with your cloak draped around his head and shoulders, you gently led alatus by his shoulders to the ominous-looking man who had his polearm speared through an enemy.
alatus' heart began to race as he got a better look at the figure who had succumbed to morax's spear: his master.
"morax..." you hesitantly called out to him, squeezing alatus' shoulders with your palms.
"i believe this is the master of that boy you hold." morax's voice boomed with authority and power. alatus shrunk back into your touch, preferring your much more docile and soft voice.
"they've made him to slaughter, innocent or defiled. a weapon." with a yank of his arm, morax drew his weapon out from the chest of his victim and whipped it to the side so the blood flung off from the golden metal.
"you are free now." the god uttered with what looked like pity swirling in his golden irises.
alatus never thought he'd hear those words, or understand them fully. but the gentle coax of your hand on his back and a reassuring smile had him stepping forward and realizing the true gravity of what rex lapis had done for him. the glint began to return to his eyes as he dropped down to one knee, placed a hand over his heart and bowed his head down respectfully to morax. "my lord, i am forever in your debt. you may use me as you see fit."
he expected to once again receive the same shackles his master had placed on him, but instead, your gentle hand dipped under his chin and tilted his head up to look at morax, who surprisingly looked down at him with gentle eyes and a kind yet firm smile.
"you will be now known as xiao, and assist me in protecting liyue."
and he accepted.
he'll never forget the day the dendro archon bathed him of his sin and led him to his new master
you had later taken him back to the desolate village you found him in and helped bury the little girl and her family, placing her doll on top of her grave
you also summoned a beautiful ginkgo tree that towered over their graves and covered their tombstones in white lilies and roses
it was the closest xiao had ever come to crying in a long time
you left the battlefield that day and xiao never saw you again, not until recently that is
your aim was to visit the city of liyue as you'd been recently hired at bubu pharmacy as its personal medical and plant consultant, healer, and resident substitute doctor in case baizhu was unable to work
oddly enough, you decide to take up residence in wangshuu inn despite the long commute to liyue (verr goldet must be having tons of fun, having her hotel host a famed adeptus and the dendro archon themself, even if she doesn't know it)
wangshuu inn had such a peaceful aura, but you also sensed a familiar presence and decided to investigate
you find xiao purely by chance while he's bandaging his wounds after a fight out on the upmost balcony
he seems to recognize you immediately, and you him
you offer to heal his wounds but he shies away from your touch and declines
xiao is still apprehensive about gods that aren't rex lapis, considering his past treatment
he practically folds in on himself upon seeing you and recognizing who you are
instead of leaving him without a word, you end up leaving behind a glaze lily by his side imbued with healing properties that heals him from afar
you repeat the same routine each day: work in liyue, return to the inn, and head up to the balcony to see if xiao had returned
you weren't sure what had you checking up on him so often, and xiao wasn't exactly partial to your concern
perhaps it was the brief history the two you held, but there was an inexplicable connection between the two of you that you desired to strengthen, and xiao desired to break in fear of being hurt, or, even worse, hurting you
but as time went on, he found himself expecting your visits, and at times he'd indulge in your conversations and let you come stand beside him
it takes a long while for him to catch feelings, partly because your status as an archon secretly intimidates (and slightly frightens) him, and also because he's emotionally constipated/j
initially when he begins to feel different in your presence, he requests that the connection be cut before it becomes too strong, much to your dismay
"we should...cease whatever this is."
if your heart could physically drop, it'd be in your stomach right about now.
"xiao-"
"this is not up for debate, leave." before he could step away from the balcony, you caught his wrist with a gentle yet firm grip.
"i won't leave you, xiao." you mumbled.
xiao scowled and attempted to yank his wrist away, but you stood firm and kept a determined look on your face. "i know this isn't what you truly want, is it?"
and it wasn't, xiao knew this and he knew it well and yet he knew that if he stayed anymore that he'd never want to leave. and what would happen should you turn on him like the god before? he was no more than a tool to the divine, someone like him was incapable of forming a bond, and yet here you were. a god, pleading with a divine tool to stay.
the words he wanted to say got caught by the needles in his throat, instead he shied away from your touch and mumbled, "you make me feel...incomprehensible things. i do not understand why it is that my heart pains when you are near. or why everything feels so...calm, and warm when you're around. i feel as though i am back in that spring and you've cleaned me of blood. i do not understand..." defeated, his arm went limp in your grip as did his shoulders.
relief hit you in waves and you moved your hands to hold his face before speaking quietly, only to him, "that's love, xiao. you're feeling love."
of course, your remark was met with an indignant scoff and the crossing of his arms as he ripped his golden irises away from your own, "ridiculous, i don't concern myself with such mortal emotions. i am incapable of such mediocrities."
you laughed before replying with a wistful tune to your voice, "xiao, i'm an archon and yet i know what i feel for you is love. love transcends mortality, and you are most capable of feeling such a wonderful thing."
blown open in shock, his eyes could only stare straight back at you who patiently smiled at him. "you are no tool, nor are you human, but you deserve to love, and feel loved. i would be honored if we could discard the idea of ceasing relations," you paused to tuck a stray strand of hair behind his ear, let a green zinnia form from your hands, and placed it behind the tucked part of hair behind his ear, "for i know i wish not to cease relations with you, even if you desire to remain just as companions."
xiao swallowed thickly, raising a hand to gently brush against the thick, dewy petals of the zinnia behind his ear. his mind was screaming at him to run, and get as far away as he could before he hurt you, or you hurt him.
but his heart commanded his arms to wrap around your figure and pull you close against him, and it was his heart that hammered ferociously against his chest when he murmured a "please don't go," against your temple.
there's no official label on your bond and you've never forced xiao to label it, but as time goes on he begins to like the idea of being called your lover, and you his
courting xiao has its ups and downs but everything is a learning process
initially, xiao will be very quiet and servant-like
you'll have to reassure him that just because you're an archon doesn't mean he needs to serve you: that you're his equal
drill it into his head until he's able to be totally at ease around you
the patrons at the inn often muse about the young, odd couple on the highest balcony
xiao appears to be intimidating and stoic outwardly, whereas you carry a gentle aura and a kind smile wherever you go
on days when his karmic debt is overbearing or he feels himself slipping into oblivion, all you have to do is take him into your arms and gently shush him while stroking the top of his head
when in a vulnerable state, it comforts him to see you use your vision: creating flower crowns out of qingxins and silk flowers has helped the most, and you're always around to give him guidance and praise his work
LOVES to be called alatus by you, and you alone. he cherishes the name "xiao", but can't help but let you call him "alatus" because it makes his heart sing
xiao shows his affection through actions more than words, but when he does speak it takes time for him to find the right words, especially with having to push down any formalities given your status as an archon
he'll bring crystalflies to you just to see your elated reaction and awestruck gaze as he unfurls his hands and the sparkling creatures flutter away into the night
he won't admit it aloud, but he loves when you form flowers in your hands and tuck them behind his ear
the simple action of tucking a flower behind his ear, kissing his cheek and wishing him well when you set off to liyue each morning never fails to fluster him
pale, morning light began to trickle onto the balcony where he stood in solitude, watching with steady breaths as the sun rose again once more over the liyuen horizon. so lost in the view and his own swirling thoughts, he nearly jumped out of his skin upon registering the touch of your arms around his waist. you noticed his startled expression and began to retract your arms with a quiet "sorry", but not before xiao's hands caught your wrists and gently tugged them forward to rest in the position you had before.
"forgive me, for startling you." you hummed against the flesh of his cheek.
he shook his head and turned to the side to hide the faint blush that coated his cheeks. "it's fine. don't concern yourself about such troubles." he mumbled, leaving you to quietly laugh to yourself and squeeze tighter around his torso.
it was as if your touch could unbind him from the black, slithering tendrils of his karmic debt that kept him in place no matter how hard he thrashed. with each hug, each kiss, or even a kind smile and loving glance in his direction, the binds would begin to loosen and slip. even now as you held him from behind and pressed gentle, feathery kisses from his shoulder blade, to the crook of his neck, to the line of his jaw, the weight on his shoulders began to lift.
"what flower shall it be today, love?" you pulled away and let him turn himself to face you, watching as your raised hands thrummed with verdant dendro energy.
cocking an eyebrow up, xiao crossed his arms and stared at your glowing hands, "whatever you pick will be the same for me regardless, it is your choice to make."
"aw, come now. just pick one!" you raised your palms, eagerly awaiting xiao's request. defeated, he conceded with an exasperated sigh before mumbling, "a rose."
from your fingers bloomed a blood red rose, fresh and humming with vivacious life and energy. you'd manifested many flowers in his presence before, but xiao loved seeing you conjure up roses the most.
before you had an opportunity to nestle the thornless rose behind his ear like you normally did, the flower was snatched from your hand and instead placed behind your ear. xiao's nimble fingers gently brushed over the shell of your ear, tracing downwards from your jaw, to your chin, before finally settling to cup your face. the pad of his thumb ran against the bottom of your parted lips, absorbing each of your quiet, bated breaths.
"may i kiss you?" he mumbled, barely above a whisper. if you hadn't trained all of your focus onto him, you wouldn't have heard him at all.
you answered his question by leaning in and softly connecting your lips against his. his arm snuck around to hold your body in place against his as your mouths worked in tandem with one another. the kiss was so innocent and sweet, yet held within it an unmistakable desire and craving for each other that he couldn't help but indulge in.
"intoxicating," he panted once parting from your lips, taking a moment to brush aside the stray locks from your face, "absolutely addicting. you do not understand what you do to me."
from your hands bloomed a rose identical to the one in your hair. you gently placed it behind his ear and kissed the tip of his nose. "i believe i do understand what i do to you, but it is you who has a god weak in the knees for your love."
he'd deny the furious blush that covered his face at your comment for weeks to come, no matter how much you teased him for it.
when it comes down to it, there's no denying that xiao loves you
and you love him just as much
his relations with gods and archons has been tumultuous to say the least
but you've managed to start the process of mending his wounds, even if they leave scars
you're kind of opposites, but there's no denying that xiao absolutely loves everything about you
from your caring nature to your gentle aura, you're akin to the light at the end of his tunnel and he's let himself accept that he'll stay by your side no matter what
he knows you as the god who helped saved him from oblivion so long ago and feels that he owes so much to you and morax
at the end of the day, whether you were a mortal or a god, he'd still give all of himself to you
you first meet kazuha aboard the decks of the alcor
you'd befriended beidou in liyue and came at her request for an on-board medic in case of any emergencies
though you had initially come on board as hired help, your eyes slowly began to wander to the mysterious stranger who constantly sat atop the ship's bow
you weren't the only one whose eyes were wandering: kazuha had been wary of your presence the moment you stepped foot onto the alcor
his connection to nature allows him almost inhuman insight and from your aura alone he concludes that you're much more than a simple dendro healer
but he pushes the thought to the back of his head and continues onwards
you first get a chance to speak with him when you're bandaging up a wound he received while fending off treasure hoarders from the ship
he tries to play tough, but you see right through his act and he conceded with a small laugh and asks for your name
kazuha wins you over quite easily, and it's not hard to see why
you both are gentle in nature and have a strong connection to the environment around you
that, and you have the ability to understand him at his most poetic, beidou often waves you over to decipher his words when she can't understand what the heck he's saying
but as said before, kazuha knows that you are more than you appear to be
from your almost inhuman capability to revive a person from near death, to the omnipotent power of parting fields and raising trees from nothing, it's hard to believe that you're just a regular dendro user
he understands, however, that you must have your reasons for keeping a secret and will wait for you to tell him yourself if you should ever choose to
you'd been hesitant to tell him since he revealed to you the circumstances of his joining of the crux but ultimately decide he's better off knowing what exactly he's getting himself into
"the stars are most brilliant tonight, are they not?"
your legs dangled from the edge of the alcor's crows nest, eyes far too interested in the air below your feet rather than the night sky above. kazuha glanced to your side when you hadn't responded to his question, concern written on his calm features.
"there's..." you paused to stop dangling your feet through the wooden bars and turned your gaze to the man beside you, "there's something you must know about me."
the rest of the crew had departed into the quarters for the night, so you felt no trouble nor hesitance in unfurling both of your fingers to reveal your floating gnosis. kazuha's normally gentle and composed eyes were blown wide open, any more and they'd go flying right out of his head.
"i'm the dendro archon."
archons are creatures he's familiar with, all too familiar with. but you must be different, right? your eyes desperately searched the conflicting emotions on his face for an answer, one he knew he didn't even have right now.
"i...understand," he swallowed dryly and looked to his bandaged palm, "i just am in need of some time to...process it."
he leaves you with those words and nothing more. you were aware of what baal had done to his friend, and to her nation which had festered into the hesitance to reveal your identity to him. being an archon meant carrying the bias that you sought an ultimate goal and would stop at nothing to achieve it, even if more harm was being done than good. and while you sat in the crow's nest that night with you knees hugged to your chest as you hiccup sobs into the fabric of your clothes, you couldn't help but wish that you were born a mortal.
kazuha's mind is filled with thoughts of all kinds, but the one that stands out the most is the fact that you, his kind, gentle lover, bore the same status of the god who slayed his best friend and stole the life out of her citizens. he contemplates this while leaning his forearms against the wooden rail of the ship, uncharacteristically throwing back mug after mug of beer, and thinking about the revelation you'd given him nearly a week ago. he hadn't seen much of you, and he suspected that you had cooped yourself up in your office and busied yourself with work.
"woah there, chief! didn't take you for a boozehound like me, easy on the drinks or you won't be able to walk straight tomorrow!" beidou sauntered up beside him and clunked her own full mug of beer down on the wooden edge of the ship. "something happen?"
kazuha wanted to bite his tongue, after all captain beidou didn't need to be bothered with his internal storm. yet, he found the words slipping out without even realizing it.
"(y/n)...they've told me something about themselves recently. something crucial, and it conflicts against all i know."
much to his surprise, beidou huffed a laugh and knocked him on the shoulder with the back of her hand. "and? if it goes against all you know, then learn about it so it doesn't go against all you know. simple, yeah? is that all you were worried about?"
kazuha let her words swim around his mind for a bit, hazy from the alcohol and lack of sleep. "learn about it so it doesn't go against all i know, huh?" he mused and took one final swig from his mug. beidou had a point: what he knew about archons was that they were cruel, and heartless. but upon further inspection, baal was the one he had attributed as defining the characteristics of an archon. and suddenly, he felt terrible for generalizing your status down to his own biased perceptions.
"e-excuse me, captain." he slurred while pushing himself away from the banister.
"make sure you remember to give them an apology kiss!" she called out after him with a teasing lilt to her drunken voice.
his wobbly feet managed to find their way to your quarters, with the small medic sign hanging from the wooden door. knocking was out of the question, as was announcing his presence: this was too important after all.
kazuha stumbled in just as you rose from your small corner desk. before you could get a chance to even process what was happening, the ship rocked with an abnormal wave which sent him catapulting straight into you, sending both your bodies to the wooden floors.
"kazuha?! are you okay?" you pressed your hand against his forehead upon seeing the flush of his face and the gloss in his eyes, but the fan of alcohol on his breath had you retracting and staring up at him in awe.
his arms caged you in on the floor, yet he made a point not to tower over you and instead leaned down to press a gentle kiss to your lips. he moved to pull away but your fingers found refuge in combing through his locks and brought his head down to drag out the kiss for just a moment longer. you tasted the words on his lips and let him part from your body this time.
"i realize how wrong i was, to leave you alone to stew in your thoughts like that. i apologize, how sorry i am cannot be conveyed purely by words. i had minimized you to the terrible perception i had of archons in my mind, and yet you are so different." his eyes searched your face for any semblance of understanding, and when he finally found it, he began to crack.
the gentle splatter of a single tear dropped onto your cheek from his eyes as he tried his best to hold in his regret. "i'm sorry, i'm so sorry!" but the alcohol had let his dams lose and composure thrown out of the window.
you helped yourself sit upright and took him into your arms, gently shushing his cries and stroking his back while you held back tears of your own. "it's alright, i understand that you've been hurt by one of my kin. but i promise you," you paused to pull his face away from your shoulder to look him in the eye, "i would never harm you, or anyone you love. you have my word, and my utmost protection and love."
and he believes you with all of his heart.
the death of his friend and baal's transgressions are still fresh in his mind and in his heart
but kazuha begins to realize that not every archon seeks what baal does, and will not use the same means to achieve their goals
his best example is you: who cares not for power or glory but rather for a simple life as a healer aboard the alcor, and to be his lover
your relationship is absolutely adorable and full of love and gratitude
the crew members of the crux often slap kazuha on the back and send him cheeky grins when he walks around the ship with his hand entangled in yours
despite boasting no visible injuries, kazuha stops by your medical quarters at least twice a day just to see your face and press a gentle kiss to your knuckles
he loves the feeling of your fingers in his hair, and even more so when you take the time to form little flowers from the tips of your fingers and thread them through his locks
how was it possible for someone to have such silky and rich hair? you'd never understand how kazuha kept his locks so tame and so healthy despite months out at sea. his strands felt heavy and lush on your fingers, like dewy blades of grass in the wee hours of the morning. combing his hair had become sort of integrated into your routine, and you loved to sit him down on the edge of your bed and help detangle his luscious locks.
your lips found their way onto the scarlet streak of hair that adorned his otherwise pearly locks and placed feather light kisses to the dawn colored area. his hair had been let down for once, ruffled only by the gentle sea breeze and the heavenly touch of your fingers.
"your hair is so lovely, kazuha. like thick silk..." you mused with a soft smile, one that grew when you felt the man in front of you further lean his back against your chest and sigh into your warm touch.
"not as lovely as you, my darling." you'd never tire of hearing his dove-like voice coo affectionate words in your direction, nor would you ever tire of staring into his pools of vermillion that seemingly never ended. he craned his neck up to gaze into your eyes, and you met his actions with a kiss to the tip of his nose.
with careful hands, veins of glowing, dendro energy began to pool from your hands and weaved through kazuha's pale, pearly locks. from your fingertips bloomed tiny, pale blue followers with ripe, lemony centers which found solace nestled in his downy locks.
you hadn't missed the fond smile that crossed his face upon reaching his hand up to come in contact with the small flowers.
"you spoil me far too much. such lovely flowers do not belong trapped in my hair." he mused with a forlorn smile as he plucked one of the sky colored flowers from his hair and twirled the verdant stem between his forefinger and thumb.
"nonsense," you gently chided and tickled his face with sparkles of dendro, "you deserve the world and i plan on giving it to you, one flower at a time."
kazuha was a gentle soul with equally gentle hands, so when you found the world spinning and the grip of your lover's hands keeping you immoveable under him as he flipped you over onto the bed, least to say your heart was in quite the tizzy.
"allow me to return the favor, my most beloved archon." with the gentle purr of his words, the flowers in his hair hummed with life and burst out in greater numbers and larger sizes in tandem to your flustered face and stuttering responses.
he'd never tire of the reactions you gave when flustered, but he truly meant that there'd be no end to his journey to give you the world.
you've always been fond of the gentle breezes that flow through your cultivated flower fields or lumbering forests of trees
kazuha is similar in that regard, where you bloom he nourishes
the two of you work in sync and you truly feel like yourself around him instead of your title
it takes a little while for kazuha to come around about his apprehensions about the archons, but he trusts you with all his heart
if there ever is a problem, he's sure to come straight to you and discuss it in a calm manner
should you one day choose to leave the crux, kazuha will be right behind you despite his close attachment to the crux and beidou
but he knows that he is happiest by your side and wishes for nothing but a peaceful life for the both of you
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