what are your thoughts on the hc that childe has a breeding kink bc i’ve seen a lot of people hc that 👀
Fun fact, I did partly write about Childe with a breeding kink back in Cinnamon Girl! which you can only find on AO3 bc I despise my characterization of him back then.
The thing with this headcanon is that it feels like one of those that the fandom agreed on only because he has a plethora of siblings, and is probably the character with the biggest biological family; I believe he has at least seven siblings. But it happens to fit his character so well that it might as well have been intentional.
He's not the one to do it fully with the intention of getting his partner knocked up; he's not checking your cycle calendar to make sure he gets you pregnant from the get go.
This man is very good at hiding how fixatedly possessive he is until he is balls deep inside you. And the only thing he is good at in that moment is just to come inside of you as many times as he physically can to make sure you're still stuffed with him by the time he pulls out.
He takes it so seriously that the way he is bending you into a mating press and sometimes even pulling your hips up as he fills you up to make sure nothing goes to waste feels nearly compulsive, like an uncontrollable urge born out of obsession for you he can't help but satiate every time.
The thrill that comes with knowing that he could knock you up is an extra to his main fixation. He is repeating this process at any phase of your cycle; throughout menstruation, before, during, or after ovulation. He does not care to do it exactly or only when you're the most fertile.
Pregnancy being possible at any time after you stopped taking birth control is the russian roulette that tingles his spine in the best way possible when he feels you squeeze him for dear life before he releases inside of you for the first time out of many that night.
All while his hot breath comes out in short, controlled puffs that make your whole body shiver as he lets you know how good you are doing, and how pretty you look, taking all of him like you were made for him and only him.
His voice trembles with barely composed desperation as he does everything in his power to drag himself slowly out of your warm, spasming tunnel with a nasty squelch before slamming right back in, thinking on how even better you'd look once you're growing the baby he placed inside of you; soft, with a curve on your stomach, and unquestionably his, a sight he cannot wait to delight in.
Content: Petnames chars use for reader when in a relationship, SFW, fluff, featuring all the Genshin men I got inspo for: Venti, Diluc, Albedo, Kazuha, Childe, Scarampuche, Tighnari, Xiao, Cyno, Thoma, Zhongli, Al Haitham, Kaveh, Wanderer, Kaeya, Gorou, Itto, Ayato, Heizou, Lyney, Wriothesley, Neuvillete, Kinich, Ororon.
Venti:
Windblume, my love, my warrior, my darling, my sweet dove, my cecilia. My, my, my. The God of Freedom is more possessive than he likes to admit.
Diluc:
Darling, love, honey. He comes home late after a long night of protecting Mondstadt and leans over the bed to kiss your forehead and whisper in a deep voice a “Hullo Darling” like an old English gentleman ❤
Albedo:
He prefers to call you by your name or a shortened version of it. He will sometimes add “love” or “dear” at the end of sentences to refer to you. His voice silkier than ever.
Kazuha:
Dove, love, beautiful, songbird. Likes to talk about you as if you were a haiku.
Childe:
Girlie <3, beautiful, baby, babygirl. He is always trying to rizz you up and flex all of his skills in front of you, from his strength to his art of seduction.
Scaramouche:
He’s got a lot of issues when it comes to relationships. He desperately needs to be loved but he’s also terrified of being abandoned, and at the same time he doesn’t like to show he loves because that will be showing vulnerability. So once he’s head over heels for you and unable to run away from his love, he will unpredictably jump between intense emotional reactions that go from worshipping you to address you sarcastically. He will call you things like angel, princess (evilly), gem (gently), doll (thirstily), kitten (sorry this is only for modern AU discord mod Scara🥵)
Tighnari:
Will call you just by your name with a soft tone and Dear if you’re close. He deeply loves you it's just that he loves saying your name 💚
Xiao:
Gets beyond flustered by nicknames, so he’s too shy to call you any. Loves and worships your name and uses it to call you with all his love and devotion. If you ask him to call you a cute pet name he will try just to make you happy and will call you ‘love’ with the cutest red face, flushed up to his ears.
Cyno:
Very serious when it comes to how much he loves you, will call you by your name when in public but gets cornier when you’re alone. Will call you love, baby and dear. If he comes up with a pun with your name he will use it as a nickname. Also he will call you the corniest strings of words he can put together. Like “Sweet round buttered pumpkin full of the sweetest candies for Halloween” or something cringe like that. But he will do it with the sweetest uwu face ever. You choose if you accept the compliment or not.
Thoma:
Love, honey, dear, baby, puppy. When with noble!reader will always call them my Lord or my Lady even when reader insists he doesn't need to when they're alone.
Zhongli:
My love, my dear, my darling, my jade, Silkflower. Very solemnly.
Al Haitham:
Doesn't like sappy nicknames so he'll call you by your name most of the time. But he still loves you so a sweet "babe" will always end up slipping past his lips when he lets his guard down.
Kaeya:
Loves to rizz you up with endearments using his sexy voice. Sugar, babe, little one, cutie, sweetie, honey pie (this last one is with a patronizing intention when you’re bickering tho).
Gorou:
dear this, dear that, dear, dear, dear. The general is a lover boy who is always trailing behind his loved one like a puppy with separation anxiety 💕 The words that first come to his mouth are dear, love and darling.
Itto:
This mf will always be “bro this, bro that” all the fricking time. It’s not that he doesn’t love you, it’s that he genuinely pours affection into that word, it’s an expression of care and trust. “Bro but like romantically”. Don’t worry, during your heated and lovey dovey times, he’ll spoil you with sweet nicknames like sweetie, precious, beautiful, and most importantly, baby. He’ll be “oh my little baby girl/boy” all the time, endeared by the size difference between you two. He feels the need to shield you and protect you.
Ayato:
Will be super formal in public, addressing you as my lord or my lady, but will relax when you’re in private. He’ll call you by your name when things are chill and when the seductive beast wakes up, you’ll notice how the tone and pitch of his voice change, and how he’ll start calling you sweet nicknames like baby, darling, my dear, my prince/princess…until things take a spicier tone 👀
Kaveh:
My darling, my love, my dear, my queen/king, the love of my life, the apple of my eyes, my warmth and sunshine, the reason I wake up everyday, the most beautiful being on Teyvat I kiss the ground your feet step on :3. This dude is precious, take care of him.
Wanderer:
The Wanderer isn’t much of nicknames, or names in general, but he’s deeply devoted to your name and the one you gave him. He will use your name reverently even if he’s teasing and being his sarcastic bratty self. But when in kissy cuddly time he will coo sweet thingies in your ear like love, baby and whatever corny thing you tell him makes you happy to be called. He will take note which ones make you happier to use them more often.
Heizou:
Trouble. He’ll literally greet you “Hey there, trouble” with one of his many suggestive smirks. He also tends to call you handsome, eye candy, sugarplum, and the things he likes to call you when the situation gets heated have been censored for the sake of the SFWness of this post :3 He’s totally capable of popping one of those during the day right out of nowhere though, keep your guard up with this one.
Lyney:
Mon amour, mon cœur, mon petit chéri/ma petit chérie, my adored, rainbow rose, etc. He will always be trying to rizz you up with a sweet voice and eyes and magic tricks.
Wriothesley:
Babe, baby, dear, sweetheart, queen/king of Meropide.
Neuvillete:
My beloved, dearest, my lord/lady regardless of your social status. If you become his spouse, you’ll be as precious as water. He will sometimes ramble about how your beauty resembles a pristine lake bathed by the sunlight at dawn and things like that, whether he’s with you or alone.
Kinich:
Dear. He’s pretty straightforward and isn’t a big fan of nicknames, but some of them will come naturally to him with time, especially shortened versions of your name. But the tone reserved for you is more important than the actual word.
Ororon:
This is a precious creature that you have to take care of. He will call you normal things like babe or darling, but then sometimes strange nicknames will pop out, things related to his interests. And the most normal is “honey”. Then they will progressively advance from “pumpkin” and “carrot cake” to things like “my dear homegrown cucumber” real quick. Don’t give him a weirded out look, he loves you and that came from the bottom of his heart.
Happy Valentines day! A post from me? Shocking, I know. A SFW post from me? Double shocking. A post about someone otver than Kuni? Triple shocking! But well, always expect the unexpected, cuz I've been writing a lot but I haven't had much motivation for editing. Sorry if there are characters missing but I couldn't come up with ideas for them and I didn't want to force it. Also, what other characters would you like to read about other than Kuni?
when diluc walked into the classroom and didn’t spot you eating your lunch with your friend group, he already had a pretty good idea of where he could find you.
as exam season was approaching faster than most students could catch up on months and months of studying material, diluc knew that you were, as per usual, over-exerting yourself to get the results you oh-so desired.
which eventually led to sleepless nights and terrible eating habits.
diluc wasn’t close enough to you to know about any of that. he just so happened to hear that from your friends when he couldn’t find you anywhere last semester, realizing that this might be more of a routine than he had imagined.
diluc, in fact, barely ever talked to you.
he was satisfied with being a simple bystander, admiring you from afar. as far as possible, given the fact that you were in the same class for the next couple of years. but diluc never imagined he would be foolish enough to dismiss the greed that was slowly growing inside of him, seeking out your presence in every setting until the simple habit of staring at you from across the room wasn’t enough for him anymore.
“of course it wouldn’t be,” his brother had sighed at him after a rare moment of vulnerability during which he opened up about the storm his heart was braving.
“God, i could count the amount of times you’ve talked to her on one hand, diluc,” kaeya had pressed, pinching the bridge of his nose, as if his aggravated him more than his sibling. “a single hand.”
diluc had only brushed him off with a snarky remark.
it was frustrating. how he couldn’t find the same comfort he’s always been content with, watching you cheerfully chat away with your circle of friends or study in the library while he’d get too distracted to complete his own work.
the realization that he desired nothing else but your attention had befallen him a few days ago, all thanks to his dear brother who had no difficulty reading him.
it felt a bit stupid. a bit pathetic. a bit lamentable. how he was seeking something so close yet so out of reach. and the only obstacle in his way being himself and his damn self-loathing, preventing him from taking any unnecessary, risky steps.
and while he knew why he wasn’t stepping out of his comfort zone, he’d rather die than admit it to kaeya. death would be sweeter than admitting that rejection was a word that inspired more fear in him than any math test their cruel teacher could ever concoct.
it was terrifying, really. rejection was an unwanted guest that could visit him if he even dared to come any closer than he had already allowed himself to - which wasn’t a lot, truth be told.
and despite it all, despite all those thoughts raging in the depths of his mind, diluc still found himself walking up to the storage room at the last floor of the building.
stepping into it quietly, he couldn’t help the small smile painting his lips as he found you exactly as he had pictured you’d be. sat on the floor, asleep, lips parted while your chest rose up and down slowly with every breath you took. a few strands of your hair fell over your face, the necktie of your uniform loosened up.
carefully, diluc closed the door behind him before making his way towards you, crouching next to your peaceful form. gently, he draped his uniform’s jacket over your shoulders. while it wasn’t this cold, he knew you weren’t taking enough care of yourself to risk sleeping on the floor with nothing to protect you from the chilly breeze.
and maybe it was how unfamiliarly close he had gotten. or maybe it was the endless months of pining after you. but diluc had, for once, allowed his heart to dictate his actions before his mind cound interfere.
tender, callused fingers brushed soft strands of hair away from your face. and he found himself, yet again, enamored by the very sight of you.
you were just too pretty for his poor teenage heart.
so pretty that his hands itched with the urge to cup your face. to caress the plushness of your cheeks. to trace the sweetness of your features.
that was definitely his cue to leave the room. not if he wanted to do something extremely stupid.
carefully, making sure you wouldn’t wake up from your slumber, diluc brought the strand of hair he was playing with to his lips, closing his eyes, as if to cherish the moment a bit longer.
you threw a quick glance to the presence by your side, all the feelings you had stored in the depths of your heart crawling up your neck and painting your cheeks in shades of shyness. you prayed that he didn’t catch the shortness of your breath, shutting your eyes closed almost as fast as you had opened them.
it took everything within you to not move or dare speak up, waiting until the person you were so infatuated with had finally stepped out of the storage room.
and it took everything within diluc to not step back into that damn room, leaning against the door as he shut it behind him. cluelessly staring into nothing as both your hearts raced in unison.
he knew your patience ran thin every time you could spot his ginger hair somewhere in the crowd - and how easy was it to spot when he was the only one in the damn school with such a fiery hair color.
it was so easy to get on your nerves and ajax loved nothing else more than watching your cheeks burn red with anger – maybe embarrassment – as you found the most creative ways to insult him without ever letting a single swear word slip past your lips.
you were so cute, he thought, craning your neck just to glare at him and trying to appear as threatening as you could.
but ajax could only deem every attempt of yours as a failure. you resembled a small angry animal.
“you’re like a kitty,” he had once told you, earning himself a well-deserved slap to his arm.
it wasn’t enough to deter him from continuing, claiming that the way you were so cold yet so affectionate was just so adorable.
nothing was ever enough to deter him from playing with your last nerve.
“aw, c’mon, you must have a crush,” ajax said playfully, looking down at you with that stupid smirk of his.
you didn’t know what brought this on. you didn’t care to know either.
and so, you only rolled your eyes, turning your back to him as you walked away from him.
but of course, the stupid ginger was, as always, following you around in the hallway. it was such a familiar sight to your classmates that none of them dared interfere with your daily banter and disputes (although mostly one-sided).
“i don’t,” you grumbled under your breath, mourning the peace you had been dreaming about since, well, this morning.
God forbid a girl wants to eat alone.
and besides, there was absolutely no way in hell you were ever going to admit to ajax of all people that you were hopelessly in love with him.
that your stupid heart beat at the simple sight of him. that every waking moment of yours was spent thinking about him and what you two could be if you would just be more open about your feelings.
“i mean, if you could stop being so mean and stubborn with him, maybe that whole mess would progress,” your friend had told you when you were grumbling about the gingerhead.
and of course, you ignored her advice.
it was just too scary, you reasoned. what if he didn’t reciprocate your feelings? what if the constant teasing and nagging and clinging to your side was nothing but a pastime for him?
“liar,” ajax said in a sing-song voice, bringing you back to the present moment.
he nearly bumped into you when you stopped walking.
“you’re a terrible liar,” he teased, watching with amusement how you needed a second to close your eyes, take a deep breath before turning around to, once again, glare at him.
so cute.
“what do you even know, tartaglia?” you spat back at him, folding your arms over your chest.
you hated him.
how his pretty looks had your mind reeling. and the teasing tone in his voice was enough to make you want to puke your guts out. you felt too much around him, a whirlwind of anger and longing and irritation and yearning.
“even if i had one,” you added, cocking your eyebrow mockingly at him, “you’re not even close to finding out.”
you tilted your chin up, almost defyingly.
and you’ve never looked sweeter to ajax.
your heart stopped beating for a dangerous second when a low chuckle spilled past ajax’s lips, making your expression falter for a split second.
your ears burned red with embarrassment at your reaction.
so mortifying, you thought, getting affected by such a small thing.
seemingly, ajax wasn’t satisfied with simply toying with your very sanity using a few words and glances.
seemingly, ajax had decided to take his little game a step further.
a huge step further.
he pushed onto your shoulder lightly, his arm snaking around your waist, preventing you from falling backwards and successfully trapping you between his taller frame and the wall behind you.
you found yourself speechless, unable to even form a single thought.
your eyes were as wide as saucers, cheeks hot and scorching.
ajax could have sworn this was the cutest expression he’d ever seen you wear since you’ve met one another.
and his face was just so, so close to yours you could count the constellation of freckles on his dusty pink cheeks. it was so easy to notice how long his lashes were, how soft his lips seemed to be. and you wondered if they tasted as sweet as they looked for a split second.
noticing where your gaze went, ajax could only huff out a laugh, his finger caressing your red cheek.
you flinched a little, your usually irritated expression melting into a shyer one as a taunting whisper slithered its way into your mind.
with his yearly magic shows during school festivals since middle school, his popularity and how easygoing he was, lyney was quite literally born to be on stage. his ability to keep the crowd on its toes with his breathtaking stages and thrilling performances was truly commendable and his number of admirers never ceased to increase.
lyney was good with words as well. flowery words spilled past the barrier of his lips like second nature, captivating the crowd with both his honeyed voice and his pretty face, leaving them speechless and - almost like hypnosis - prompting them to give him nothing but a standing ovation at the end of each and every show he gave.
lyney, despite his incredible talents, was, at the moment, wordless.
this year’s school festival has come to an end, the last hours reserved to the students only. while the sun burned away in the horizon to leave its place for the moon, the guests left the school grounds. a campfire burned in the yard, music flowing through the chilly night air. while couples and friends danced around the flames burning away, lonelier souls gathered together a bit afar from the light to discuss this year’s events and reminisce on the fun they had or missed out on.
on the rooftop, lyney stood before you, eyes wandering anywhere but towards your figure. he looked at the night sky, gazed at the stars with anxiety swimming in his lavender pools. his hands were a bit clammy - a sensation he wasn’t used to. he shouldn’t be nervous, he told himself. it wasn’t the first time he felt this way around you though.
sweaty palms, racing heart, shortness of breath, nervousness and butterflies flocking around the pit of his stomach. all of the symptoms pointed towards lovesickness.
well, lovesickness was a bit dramatic.
lyney was smitten, more accurately.
he caught the love bug as his sister, lynette, had put bluntly while they were rehearsing a couple of weeks ago.
but it felt like a fever. spending his dreams with you until he woke up confused and alone in his bed, staring up at the ceiling with shame covering his cheeks in shades of red. your name spiraling in his mind until he was too dizzy to focus on his homework.
lyney thought that the far-fetched words people used to describe him would be more believable if they were employed to talk about you instead.
bewitching, enthralling, enchanting, mesmerizing, charming- and the list went on and on.
so, spellbound and forced into silence by your presence, lyney could only stare at the sky to avoid your eyes in fear of falling into a pit he’d never find his way out of. not that he really minded, if he thought about it a bit longer.
“lyney?” terrible choice of words.
the magician caught his bottom lip between his teeth, his ears tingling as the melodious sound of your voice reached them. his name sounded so sweet on your lips. and he wondered if they could be sweeter.
he shook his head, feeling heat slowly crawling up his neck.
“i’m sorry i-” a gulp. a pause.
what was he even supposed to say? magically make his heart appear in the palm of his hands and offer it to you? maybe he should’ve simply sent you a letter with a dove he could make appear with a simple flick of his fingers. perhaps a small letter and his signature rainbow rose on your desk would have sufficed.
but now that he was trapped here with you, lyney decided to simply clutch onto the last threads of his courage, finally uttering the three little, heavy words.
as if on cue, fireworks erupted behind him, casting pink and orange lights over your confused expression and he cursed yoimiya at the back of his mind.
“what was that?” you asked, tilting your head to the side with a small chuckle, “i didn’t get a word.”
it was no secret to anyone that you had a crush on xiao.
well, maybe only the star basketball player of your high school had no idea of the feelings you bore for him.
he wasn’t dense per se. in fact, he was not only an amazing athlete but he also scored amongst the top grades in the entire campus, second only to albedo.
yet, he didn’t seem to have caught onto your very obvious infatuation for him. he was used to having girls flocking around him during his practices and breaks, barely addressing any of them and it sometimes led you to think that he probably viewed you the same way.
you shook your head, trying to get those thoughts out.
you had an advantage : not only were you best friends with his step-sister, hu tao, but you also became friends with him! something hu tao had to reiterate to you a couple hundred times because he doesn’t bother with people he doesn’t care about, so you might actually have a chance with him!
with those thoughts in mind, and a little smile curling your lips up, you walked into the gymnasium where the high school’s team was practicing for an upcoming inter-school tournament.
you swung around your little bag, filled with cookies you had baked this morning before almost missing your bus.
not wanting to be too obvious about your intentions (although everyone in the damn club knew the reason behind your diligent attendance to their practice), you made sure to pack enough for the whole team – and even for the coach!
the air was a little colder as winter was approaching and you started regretting not wearing the scarf your mom was chastising you about for the past week. the only excuse you had found to not wear the ridiculously long neckerchief was because ‘it wouldn’t match the aesthetic of my fit mom!’
exasperated, especially since said ‘fit’ was just your school uniform styled in a cuter way, she had only rolled her eyes and let you go. at least, if you ever caught a cold, it’d be during the upcoming holidays.
you hummed a happy tune, joyfully ignoring the little voice screaming in your head that you probably should go back home and study for your midterms that would take place in less than two weeks rather than waste your time trying to woo the unwoo-able.
as you pushed the doors open, the sounds of sneakers hitting the linoleum floor became clearer.
you could spot the team’s coach, beidou, blow into her whistle when venti messed up yet again, pulling a smile on your lips.
it didn’t take too long for you to spot xiao, in the background as usual, observing everything that was taking place on the terrain before making any move.
he was very calculating in his actions, never jumping in the face of anything before taking a second to think it through – and he was a quick-thinker, easily making decisions that have always brought his team to victory.
he wasn’t the team’s best player for nothing, often going toe to toe with scaramouche who was just as competitive, making the practice matches a bit more passionate and a bit more intense than they should be.
it worked in their favor though, attracting students from all classes to their training sessions and, eventually, to their matches, keeping the club and its reputation amongst other schools alive.
you looked away when a pair of amber eyes caught yours, boring into you in such a destabilizing way, it nearly had you tripping over nothing.
you spotted the bench next to the coach, deciding that maybe you should take a seat and share some sweets with her.
but of course, nothing happened as planned. and everything occurred in such a fast-paced way you could barely register all of it.
the only thing you were able to process was the arm wrapped tightly around your waist, the toned chest you were pressed against, the way xiao was glaring at venti – who only offered a wink, sticking his tongue out while scratching the back of his head as an apology – as a basketball laid in his hand, the sound of the impact resonating around the gymnasium.
the bag in your hands had fallen to the floor unbeknownst to you and you could hear a pin drop from how silent everyone was, big eyes staring at the both of you.
“are you okay?” xiao finally asked you.
and maybe you were crazy but it was almost as if his eyes had softened and his tone was laced with concern.
stupidly, you nodded without a sound.
the star player smiled down at you, huffing out a small laugh at the cute expression on your face. and you were way too enamored to even care about your crumbled cookies.
scaramouche has never been this irritated in his life.
the simple sound of heizou’s stupid voice had him clenching his teeth and his fingers gripping at the pen in his hand hard enough to almost bend and break it. and the sound of your laughter following whatever that dumb red-head was saying didn’t help his case.
“y’look like you’re about to kill someone,” mona commented, looking up from the report they were working on.
scara didn’t reply, simply rolling his eyes – whether at her or the scene occurring behind her, it didn’t matter. he should be focusing on his group project. he should be wrapping up his part of the report so they could put everything together and hand it to their history teacher.
but despite his best effort, he couldn’t help the way his eyes were drawn to your direction, how claws dug their way up his ribcage and grabbed ahold of his heart and squeezed.
hard enough to puncture it.
it felt childish, really, how he was always left with a bitter taste whenever he spotted you walking alongside the bane of his very existence. ever since professor zhongli took the liberty of forming the groups himself, and ever since you had befriended heizou, kunikuzushi couldn’t help the whirlwind of emotions crashing onto him.
he didn’t like how close the two of you have gotten, didn’t like how it was so easy for heizou to have you smile and laugh, how you were practically glowing around him.
most of all, he didn’t like the way the very sight of the two of you together had a lump forming in his throat, feelings crawling up to the tip of his tongue, ready to spill them out at your feet.
he wasn’t sure what it was. anger and irritation and sadness and-
“you’re jealous,” kazuha commented after observing his friend for the past half hour.
“what!?”
scara’s exclamation drew attention from all of their classmates – from you – as well as their teacher who had been busy sipping on his coffee and grading some papers. ashamed of his outburst, he muttered a small apology before lowering his head into his arm, glaring up at his platinum-haired friend, who was sitting next to him.
said-friend simply shrugged his shoulders, smiling down innocently like he didn’t just open the doors of realization that scaramouche was stubbornly keeping closed and locked.
and maybe it was because scaramouche had never been the most patient person to walk this planet, or perhaps it was the way his stomach turned and churned when he caught heizou pushing a strand of hair behind your ear. he didn’t really care how he even found the courage to do something about how he was feeling. all he cared about was your hand in his and finally, finally, hearing your voice calling it out to him.
it was so easy to see how confused you were, eyebrows scrunched together as you called out to your friend, wondering what the hell was up with him this time.
you weren’t blind, nor deaf. you had noticed how nasty he was being to your group project partner, how he commented on everything he said or did, how he glared in his direction any chance he would get.
and while you weren’t one or the other, you were certainly dense because you had no clue why kunikuzushi would even act this way for no reason.
“what the hell, kuni!” you yelled, stumbling on your feet as he dragged you to the back of the school, not uttering out a single word the entire time.
the sun was already setting, barely anyone roaming the hallways of the establishment, let alone the courtyards and gymnasium. it felt like it was just the both of you left.
“what is wrong with you!?” you asked again, this time even louder, glaring at the back facing you.
you heard a sigh coming from him as he turned around and was about to protest about his attitude. but the look he gave you, the hurt flashing in the depths of those indigo pools of his, the vulnerability painted all over his porcelain-like features nailed you in place. rendered you speechless. and you wondered for a second if you weren’t being too harsh with him. if, maybe, you’d soften up your demeanor, he’d open up to you this time around.
“i should be the one asking you that,” scaramouche muttered back, hurt turning to anger, his defenses shooting up from the ground, the crack he had opened up for you sealed tight once again.
as he finally came to a stop, his hand that was wrapped around your wrist pulled you, making you stumble on your feet. your face bumped onto his chest, a small pained noise escaping you.
before you could begin to complain, kunikuzushi spoke up again.
“what’s up with you and that dumb red-head, anyways?” he questioned, the irritation in his voice noticeable.
he didn’t let you respond to him, didn’t let you follow up with the snarky remarks that could rival his own. something inside him was about to burst, something he couldn’t hold back anymore. he couldn’t handle the idea of losing you to anyone, couldn’t bear the thought that the feelings he had been harboring all of these years for you were in vain.
and kunikuzushi wasn’t stupid. he wasn’t dumb. he’s seen the way you looked at him. there was no mistaking the affection in your gaze, the gentleness in your words (at least, when you weren’t butting heads), the tenderness of your touch, although rare.
you handled his heart with such care, like it was precious to you.
“when are you going to finally pay attention to me!?” kunikuzushi exploded, his voice loud enough to scare the little birds perched atop the trees surrounding the school building.
the sudden outburst had your eyes widen in shock, looking at him like he’s grown a second head. you were met with a look mirroring yours, shock written on your friend’s features like he hadn’t expected those words to tumble out of his mouth. the back of his hand came up to his face, covering the bottom half of it in an attempt to hide the shame that had his cheeks burn red.
yet he didn’t back away, didn’t let up.
“what the hell, kuni!” you yelled back at him again, feeling embarrassment crawl up your neck as well.
it was almost comical, the way the both of you were just yelling back and forth, as if the volume of your voices would ever be able to mask the vulnerability spilling out of the cracks of the useless walls you had built around yourselves.
“do you… do you like me or somethin’?” you asked after a few beats of silence.
kuni didn’t answer, simply blinking dumbly at you.
he opened his mouth, before closing it.
he tried again, but his voice didn’t come out, yet again.
instead, his eyebrows furrowed, the furious blush coloring his cheeks spreading all the way to his ears and down his neck.
cute.
“shut the hell up,” he muttered, turning his back to you. and yet, despite his words, his hand slid down your wrist, fingers intertwined with yours, deciding that, maybe, you two should go home for today.
you didn’t say anything back, following along, looking down at your hands, a little self-satisfied smile playing along your lips as you heard him whisper his answer to you, as if the quietness of his voice would prevent his feelings from reaching you.
not that you’d blurt them out at any given chance or that you’d spill your friends’ secrets when they weren’t around, no. you just happened to be an extremely open book, so easy to read with a simple glance. while you hated it, your friends thought it was a cute trait, how honest and how incapable of lying you were.
you’d disagree with them if they weren’t so stubborn.
you hated how you were never able to hide anything from your parents as a kid – and even now. how you couldn’t lie about not doing your homework to your teachers. and you especially despised how you couldn’t do anything about your feelings spilling out of you before you could utter a word out.
it just so happened that kaedehara kazuha was especially perceptive. it just so happened that he was very much observant. and it just so happened that he found you particularly interesting to watch.
the first time you had piqued his interest was due to your clumsiness.
you were running in the hallways while a member of the disciplinary committee yelled at you for doing that. but you couldn’t care less. you were late to your club activity and the president, albedo, had warned you enough times for you to fear for your life despite his usual kind behavior.
without noticing, you had bumped into kazuha, dropping a few art supplies as you did so.
“oh my- i’m so sorry,” you had scrambled to apologize, awkwardly half-bowing, half-trying to get to the floor and pick up your tubes of paint and brushes.
a simple chuckle had answered your apology before you realized who exactly you had bumped into in your hurriedness. and a simple look up had you meeting eyes with amused crimson ones, hand extended to hand you a brush.
blinking a few times, you had cleared your throat before grabbing ahold of the supply, your fingertips tingling as they brushed against his, the heat of the graze traveling through your arm, crawling up your neck and nestling in the apples of your cheeks.
kazuha had noticed how you couldn’t utter a single word out, eyes catching onto the way your lips parted in failed attempts to thank him before you closed them, deciding to focus your energy on collecting your items. he hadn’t commented on it, helping you and telling you to be careful before watching you leave, running in the hallway while keqing yelled behind you to not do that, once again, to kazuha’s amusement.
safe to say albedo was not pleased with your late arrival.
the second time he questioned his feelings, kazuha knew he was not so indifferent to you.
that day, he had stolen the chance away from hu tao – who was torn between hating him for keeping you away from her, and feeling happy for you to finally get closer to your crush – to pair up with you, this time in home ec class. and for this class, you were making brownies.
given your skills in baking, and your love for it, you had taken it upon yourself to do most of the job. not that you hated it, really, quite the opposite. and kazuha, accepting his fate of washing dishes and preparing the dish for the batter, didn’t mind watching you do something that you were passionate about.
you looked adorable, blabbering about random facts about how to make the perfect fudgy brownies, discarding the terrible recipe your teacher had given you (your words, not his). while he adored the shyness in the way you interacted with him – cruelly enough – he couldn’t help but prefer this more comfortable, carefree version of you.
you weren’t as self-conscious in his presence, weren’t as fidgety.
“want some?” you had interrupted his train of thoughts, extending a wooden spoon coated in chocolate.
he accepted it with a smile, noting the little stain on the side of your mouth. noting the trace your lips had left on the utensil. noting how realization slowly morphed on your face as his own lips wrapped around the chocolate-coated spoon.
the remainder of the class, the way you’d keep some distance between the both of you wasn’t lost on him. nor was the way you’d shift on your feet, unable to stand still. or how you couldn’t meet his eyes.
and kazuha wasn’t sure which version he preferred anymore.
the third time, kazuha wished he wasn’t such a coward.
befriending you wasn’t the hard part. going up to you in class whenever the teachers would require you to form groups, to your absolute bewilderment and friends’ surprise. or finding excuses to talk to you. pairing up with you during P.E class before hu tao could even think of getting with you.
you didn’t mind, not at all. he was easy to talk to, carrying conversations most of the time and recounting stories of his travels, no thanks to his very adventurous adoptive mother, beidou. and while you prided yourself in knowing a lot about him, it was to your great surprise that you discovered how he’d take the same subway as you.
which wasn’t true, he’d started taking it only to spend more time with you, although it was a longer way back home.
but you didn’t need to know that.
on a particularly busy evening, the both of you found yourself at the back of the train, your back against the cold surface while kazuha was holding onto the metal bar next to your head for dear life. the constant push, push, push, of the people behind him had led you both to your current predicament.
you hadn’t dared look up for too long, eyes suddenly finding the tie of his uniform very much interesting.
red, like his eyes, that were boring into you. like the color of embarrassment spreading all the way to your ears.
your eyes followed the fabric up to the collar of his white shirt. up to the way his throat bobbed, nervous. up to meet his eyes and find him already staring back at you. you had noted the quiet intensity behind them, the slight nervousness in his chuckle, the pink hue his ears had taken, hidden behind strands of platinum.
but before you could allow yourself to even fantasize about your feelings being reciprocated, a strong shove from behind him had him fumble to find some support, his hand crashing beside your head, your face shooting up only to find his a bare inch away from yours.
time came to a stop for a second. a shaky breath spilled past your parted mouth. you felt the brush of his lips against the edge of yours. whether he did it on purpose or not, you didn’t have the functioning brain cells to figure out anyway.
kazuha could swear he felt the flutter of your lashes against his burning skin as you looked at him and away and at him and away and he was so tempted to just cup your face and keep you still. but he didn’t do none of that. he didn’t let the moment linger for more than necessary before he found support on his legs, standing straight once again.
as if on cue, the train emptied out a bit, allowing him to take a few steps back. his fingers found his tie, pulling it down, weirdly unable to breathe comfortably despite the space left by the leaving passengers.
“sorry about that,” he apologized, offering you a kind smile.
you didn’t answer, weren’t able to. if you so much as opened your mouth, you’d just tell him about how you wished he hadn’t stepped away, regardless of the public setting you were in. you’d just spill out how you wished he had taken the leap.
and for once, kazuha was too busy simmering in his own mortification to notice the dejected look on your face.
various genshin impact men being silly while drunk. (includes: childe, kaeya, diluc, kazuha, itto, ayato, thoma, wriothesley, zhongli)
Childe
It’s rare for you to see Ajax actually drunk. He’s usually too careful, too practiced in keeping himself sharp for missions and appearances. But tonight, with the weight of Fatui business lifted for a few hours and you by his side, he’s had a little too much wine.
He leans across the tavern table, cheeks flushed and eyes glassy with that mischievous spark. “Can you be my girlfriend?”
You blink at him. “…Ajax. I already am.”
His mouth drops open like you’ve just gifted him a miracle. “You are?!” He throws his arms around your shoulders, nearly knocking the empty bottle onto the floor. “Oh, lucky me! I must be the happiest man in Teyvat! Do you know how long I’ve dreamed about you saying yes?”
You laugh, patting his back. “About two years ago, when you asked the first time?”
He pulls back, frowning in exaggerated shock. “Wait. Don’t tell me this is a dream. Because if it is, I’ll just have to—” He clenches his fist dramatically— “punch the dream until it’s real!”
“Ajax, that’s not how dreams work.”
“It is in Snezhnaya.”
⸻
Kaeya
You were only supposed to be sharing a quiet drink with Kaeya at the tavern. Somehow, three drinks became six, and Kaeya’s usual smooth composure is… looser now, his smirk lazier, his laugh louder.
He leans heavily against the bar counter, gazing upward. “Oh, look at the stars! Ursa Major… so beautiful.”
You follow his line of sight, only to deadpan. “Kaeya, we’re inside. Those are ceiling lights.”
He tilts his head, long lashes fluttering as though he’s truly considering your words. Then, with a grin, he props his chin in his palm. “Then I must say… Mondstadt’s interior decorators are criminally underrated. Almost as dazzling as you.”
You snort into your drink. “You flirt like this sober, too. What’s your excuse now?”
“My excuse,” he says smoothly, though his hiccup ruins the effect, “is that wine makes me honest.”
⸻
Diluc
Diluc doesn’t drink much. In fact, he usually avoids it. But Kaeya had been in one of his pestering moods, and against all odds, the brooding owner of Dawn Winery had agreed to join in. Three glasses later, he is swaying slightly in his seat, brows furrowed like a scolded child.
You stand to leave for just a moment. “I’m going to the restroom.”
His hand shoots out, gripping your sleeve with surprising desperation. “Please don’t leave me!”
You freeze. “Diluc, I’ll be gone for two minutes.”
His red eyes widen, glassy and dramatic. “Two minutes is long enough for tragedy to strike.”
You raise an eyebrow. “What kind of tragedy could possibly happen in two minutes?”
He leans forward, voice low and serious. “…You might not come back.”
You sigh. “Diluc, do you want to come with me?”
He nods solemnly. “Yes.”
“…No.”
⸻
Kazuha
The night air is cool, carrying the smell of sea salt. You sit with Kazuha on a grassy hill, a bottle of sake long since emptied beside you. He’s lying flat on his back, watching the drifting clouds, an uncharacteristic grin plastered on his face.
Suddenly, he lifts his arm above him and lets it flop uselessly to the side. “My arm is floppy. I’m like a puppet.”
You laugh. “You’re supposed to be a disciplined swordsman, Kazuha.”
“Disciplined puppet,” he corrects, rolling onto his side to look at you, his eyes bright in the moonlight. “Would you still travel with me if I were just… strings and wood?”
You tilt your head, pretending to consider. “Hm. Only if you recited poetry in a funny puppet voice.”
Kazuha bursts into laughter, clutching his stomach. “Then I’d be the happiest puppet alive.”
⸻
Zhongli
Zhongli rarely indulges in wine, but tonight Hu Tao had insisted he “live a little,” and the usually composed consultant has… softened.
You sit with him on a bench, the glow of Liyue Harbor’s lanterns surrounding you. He gazes at one of the posts nearby, eyes distant and thoughtful. “You look almost as pretty as this moon.”
You follow his gaze. “…Zhongli, that’s a street lamp.”
He hums, lips quirking slightly. “Indeed. And yet, somehow… you are almost as pretty as that.”
You blink at him. “…Are you seriously comparing me to a lamp?”
He nods sagely, like he’s reciting scripture. “A lamp, too, guides the lost traveler home.”
You pinch the bridge of your nose. “Drunk Zhongli is just poetic nonsense with worse metaphors.”
⸻
Wriothesley
You never thought you’d see Wriothesley drunk, but someone smuggled strong wine into the Fortress, and he hadn’t refused. Now, sitting across from you, he’s slouched in his chair, arms crossed, looking far too pleased with himself.
“Have you ever thought about penguins?” he asks suddenly.
You choke on your drink. “…Penguins?”
“Yeah.” He points at you, deadly serious but clearly tipsy. “I think we should think more about penguins. They’re small, stubborn, walk around looking like they’re wearing suits…” He grins. “Kinda like me, right?”
You burst into laughter, nearly crying. “You are never living this down.”
“Good,” he says, resting his chin on his hand. “Then I’ll be your favorite penguin forever.”
⸻
Arataki Itto
Itto is not new to being drunk. He is new, however, to realizing he’s dislocated his shoulder mid-drinking game.
“Let’s go play baseball!” he bellows, holding an empty sake bottle like a bat.
You gape at him. “Your shoulder is dislocated, maybe not right now.”
He looks at his arm like he’s just noticed it hanging at an odd angle. Then he grins wide, teeth flashing. “Hah! You’re right—Arataki ‘One-Armed Wonder’ Itto, swinging for the fences!”
You groan. “Archons save me.”
“Don’t worry, babe! I’ll hit a home run with one arm and a hangover. That’s the Itto promise!”
⸻
Ayato
Ayato is one of those people who looks elegant even when drunk. But his words… well, his words betray him.
“You have a stupid face,” he says smoothly, sipping his wine like it’s fine tea, “and it’s my favorite one to stare at.”
You nearly choke. “…Did you just—?”
He tilts his head, smirking, the tipsiness only evident in the slight pink of his cheeks. “Don’t make me repeat myself, darling. I meant every word.”
You cover your face with your hands, groaning. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Ridiculously in love with you, yes,” he says without missing a beat.
⸻
Thoma
You’ve lost track of how many cups Thoma has had, but his cheer hasn’t dimmed. If anything, it’s doubled.
“I will definitely remember this tomorrow!” he declares, pointing a little unsteadily at you. “How could I ever forget?”
You cross your arms. “You never remember when you drink.”
“That’s slander. Absolute—hic—slander.” He leans forward, eyes already drooping. “Tomorrow, I’ll prove you wrong.”
Tomorrow: he remembers nothing.
“See?” you tell him, arms crossed. “What did I say?”
He stares at you blankly, still nursing his headache. “…Did I propose to you or fight Itto last night?”
“Both.”
⸻
i found these “drunk dialogue” prompts on Pinterest and decided to make the about my favorite sillies
5/31/2026 ; in which childe finds himself confronting you as he realized he had no right to call you his.
𖥻 ׁ ׅ character/s : childe x gn! reader
𖥻 ׁ ׅ genre ; suggestive, fluff ⋆ MASTERLIST ˎˊ˗
Soft gasps, half-lidded eyes, and kissed lips whispering his name—those were the things that Childe did to you.
Your eyes gazing into his deep blue ones, how your lips pressed against his skin, or how you clung to him while his hand traced the arch of your back—it drove him wild.
Yet when he whispers, “Stay for the night," and you reply under your breath, “I will," he holds you tighter—not quite how friends should, and yet, you weren’t quite lovers either.
Childe never took affection lightly; each touch that he had made you feel was all driven with purpose. So when he asked you to stay after a night of intimacy and the day after that and the next day after that, he truly believed that your heart was his to hold.
You and Childe had seen each other’s scars and vulnerability; both of you had shared beds and warmth and touched each other with terrifying familiarity.
But neither of you brought up the topic of what are we?
There was no confession or a proper discussion.
And neither of you had asked each other to be each other’s lover.
So when you kept staying and kept coming back to him, he thought he didn’t need to ask because it had been implied already that you were each other’s, no? It’s implied in the way both of you slipped into each other’s arms, beds, and lives.
It’s implied in late nights, in love-bitten necks, and in intimacy that felt tender.
Childe never thought about it too hard, he didn’t worry over it.
But he saw you somewhere near a food stall, cloak clinging onto your figure to keep you warm from the cold air in Snezhnaya, leaning over towards a man he deemed irrelevant.
It shouldn’t have made his blood boil, it shouldn’t have made him clench his teeth in annoyance and he took a step forward but when he heard your laugh from where he was standing— he froze.
At that moment, he told himself— if he were to step in between you and the man you were laughing with, what would he say?
That he was your boyfriend and he didn’t like the way that guy is looking at you?
Your body may be mine to hold but your heart isn’t. And he didn’t like the thought of that, his feet moved— walking away.
What right did he have to feel betrayed when you were acting so familiar over someone he didn’t knew about? Childe clenched his teeth so hard he thought it might crack because the jealousy arrived anyways— hot and humiliating.
And now a thought creeps into his mind:
that all those intimate moments are nothing but temporary comfort, intimacy without obligations to you, while he’s here going crazy because, for him, it was dangerously close to love.
Ajax had treated all of those nights with a devotion that was meant only for you.
But now your eyes bore into him as the silence felt too loud in the room where both of you held each other for many nights. You frowned when you just saw him there standing, because Ajax would already be annoying you.
“What’s wrong?” You asked, placing your cloak on the couch before turning towards him fully.
Ajax’s lips twitched, forcing himself to smile before laughing softly. It sounded wrong. “Funny thing actually, baby," he said quietly, his tone sharp around the edges and it made your heart beat faster.
“I realized I have absolutely no right to be jealous.” He ran a hand through his ginger hair and took a deep breath. “I realized you’re not mine," He whispered under his breath.
You froze. Ajax was looking at you with his dull blue eyes staring at you and you saw it— the hurt behind his eyes, the way his brows furrowed subtly.
“Were we not—“ The question didn’t even make it out before he exhaled sharply and looked away. “I thought… we belonged to each other.”
The silence was deafening. Ajax sounded so wounded— he looked at you again and his voice sounded raw. “The thought of you with someone else makes me sick.”
He let out a laugh, quieter now. The honesty of his words lands heavy— Tartaglia never feared losing fights but losing you?
It terrified him.
“It’s ridiculous. I’m sorry—”
“Ajax.”
He looked at you when you called his name, how it sounded like it was trembling at the edges made his heart clench. You stepped closer when your eyes met and reached out, “I.. didn’t think you were waiting for me to say it.”
His eyes never looked away from you even when you closed the distance between you.
But confronting something like this needed time.
Things become careful, which was worse in your—not because Childe hesitates before touching you, but because the two of you were stuck in between friends and lovers and don’t know how to confront it without the fear that something might change even when people around them has already assumed they were together.
It had been days after the confrontation, it was late at night with you in Ajax’s room again as the harbinger wiped off the blood on his knuckles from a mission.
Everything felt achingly familiar.
“You know, most people would call this dating.” He said without looking up, as if he was testing the words he had just spoke out.
You looked at him and whispered with a light tone, “Would they?” You heard him laugh at your words.
“Baby, we sleep in the same bed.” He paused before saying, “Repeatedly.”
You shifted on the bed and slowly sat up, “I thought you hated labels.” You said softly.
He finally looked at you and was quiet for a second but when he spoke— it was quiet. “I do.” His eyes softened, “But I hate uncertainty more.. because I’m certain I want you to be mine and I want to be yours.”
“Can I .. be your boyfriend?”
“Yes.” You said immediately that even Childe looked surprised, and there— you had a smile blooming on your face.
Because you had been waiting for him as well.
So now when people ask what both of you are, Childe was already there grinning and saying shamelessly, “That’s my baby.” With unbearable pride.
TW/CW: nightmares, reader is under emotional distress and claws at their skin when stressed
A/N: happy 2026 we r so back folks!!! (doubt) also this is a vvvv self indulgent sequel to this one fic that I wrote bc everyone was so mad abt the ending. my bad yall here's the apology fic like *checks notes* 4 years later pls don't kill me lol
on a more serious note, thank you to everyone who's stuck with me on this goofy blog. I hope we all continue look forward to more tomorrows together :>
It was a dark and stormy night— ah, perhaps it sounds a bit cliché to just end there. Let us begin again.
It was a dark and stormy night, and the room was cold as ice when you jolted awake. Your entire frame trembles as you press your palm to your chest, your neck, nails scratching at your skin as if to purge the dregs of a dream most unwelcome.
Cold-numbed fingers, an overcast sky with only one source of warmth to serve in place of the sun. A blade as clear and pure as water, its translucent surface stained red with...
Your nails dig deeper, biting sharp crescents into the flesh; in panic, you reach out for something, anything to anchor yourself—
"Ow!" The other occupant of your shared bed curls away from you, clutching his nose; Ajax, who had been peacefully asleep — and hogging all the space on the mattress, for that matter — was now groggily awake.
"Ugh..."
Your brain takes a moment to reassess the situation, the gears slowly dialling down in your head.
"Sorry," you mumble hoarsely, the grip on your throat loosening just a bit. "Nightmare."
That gets his attention, and in your darkest hour you can vaguely make out the silhouette of Ajax, his hair all squashed to the side and sticking out at odd angles — he must've been sleeping on it — crawling from his place on the opposite side of the bed, his eyes still half-squinted from sleep.
"Wha haffen?" He mumbles as he draws close, his blue eyes blinking almost owlishly; somehow in spite of your shuddering, it takes all your willpower to smother a giggle at how silly he looked in the moment.
Unfortunately, it does not go unnoticed.
"Ah, you're laughing at me. My own beloved." Shaking his head, Ajax flings the rumpled blanket over the two of you anyway. "First you smack me in the face and wake me up in the middle of the night, now you laugh at me. Woe is me."
"I didn't mean to," you snicker right into your sleeve. "You just looked so funny."
"Funny? Me? Funny?" His arms enfold you, drawing you right into the crook of his neck as he pulls you back into the mound of pillows. In this moment, Ajax is naught but all-encompassing warmth, seeping into your frozen bones as he cradles your head close. "I am the one and only apprentice of my master and the only one who has grasped the reins of the Foul Legacy. And yet you think me a clown?"
You press your lips together tightly to suppress yourself, allowing the silence to speak for you— in response, Ajax throws his hands up in despair.
"I thought you looked like an angel the day we first met. Who knew angels could be so cruel?"
You finally give up on any pretenses and laugh out loud — right into the side of his neck — as you snuggle close, an unspoken gesture of appeasement; he twitches ever so slightly as your arms wrap around his shoulders.
"...Well, I suppose it's fine to be a clown every once in a while, if angels can laugh like that."
"Yes, yes," you hum. "Such a loyal jester I am blessed with."
"Well, since I conveniently happen to be awake at this hour, this loyal jester wants to know what kind of dream bothers your noble mind."
His fingers gently trace constellations between your shoulder-blades, patterns from an unfamiliar sky that he'd once seen a glimpse of, very long ago— you knew because he'd told you little bits and pieces here and there over the years, tracing them into the lines of your palm till they settled right into the cracks.
"Well, for starters, it was an awful one."
"How bad? Did I eat the food you'd carefully hidden away for another time?"
"No." You shuffle uneasily. "Not that awful."
"So tell me then. What's on your mind?"
For a moment you freeze, your vision flooded with the colours of recollection. White snow shining like moonlight, crimson blood spilled like a thousand rose-petals. A haunting blue gaze that pierces through your soul and doesn't see you as you anymore.
You pull away to look Ajax in the face; he stares right back, concern already pooling in the corners of his eyes.
"I dreamt that I did something very bad." Your voice cracks— oh, you cannot lie to that face, no matter how hard you try. "Punishable by death, even. And I was on the run."
"Now that's a bit hard for me to picture." His voice is light, though the slight furrow of his eyebrows betrays him. "But what happened next?"
"You were searching for me." Your resolve dwindles with every word. "You were my executioner."
One heartbeat.
Two heartbeats.
Outside, the rain slows its downpour, holding its breath as if to hear his response. Ajax gazes at you for a little longer, the pads of his fingers pressing into your shoulder a little firmer than before.
"Just so you know," you begin, wondering if you should even finish your train of thought. "If something like this ever happens to us—"
"Don't." His voice trembles, ever so slightly. "Don't say things like that. Not even as a joke."
Unable to bear the weight of his gaze, you curl deeper into the blanket, tucking yourself into his side to slot in like a puzzle-piece. "I'm sorry. I know it's not fair."
"It's not that."
"I know."
"I'm not angry at you either."
"I know that too."
"It's just a dream." Ajax says firmly, though it sounds more like reassurance for his own ears rather than yours. "A bad dream, that's all. It won't happen to us."
The words die in your mouth, and you can only trace circles into the crook of his arm in silence.
In truth, you really didn't have many precious things left in your life; the cold had taken much from you, and it was only the nature of winter to soon take everything else you held dear. It was something everyone — be it travelling merchant, wandering adventurer, child of the Hearth or scholar of the Forest — prepared for as soon as they stepped foot in Snezhnaya. Such was the gift of the Tsaritsa to her people— here in her lands, the lost would always find what their hearts yearned for, but there was always an equally dear price to pay.
And yet you could do nothing to suppress the way your heart trembled at the thought of the vast debt you accumulated day by day. Unease weighed down on your chest every morning you woke up to joy, the insidious whispering in your head that knew things wouldn't last, and that someday the Great Snow would come to claim its payment. With creeping fingers of ice, it would split this temporary bliss open like a pomegranate, and claim what you treasured most within.
On the day of reckoning, would you even surrender willingly? Would you be able to let go of him?
"Ajax, listen to me. If I ever..."
Your grip tightens on his sleeve, tense and desperate. "I want you to choose your life more than anything. It'd break my heart if something happened to you, and– and— I don't think I could..."
In the darkness, his hand makes its way to yours and clasps it tight, callused fingers threading through your own like a woven tapestry.
"Shh, shh." Ajax soothes. "I won't let that happen. I promise."
"...Sorry."
"For what?"
"For waking you up. For this."
"No, no. I could feel you shaking already; even if you hadn't smacked me—"
"I am so sorry."
"— I would've woken up anyway. And besides..." The curve of his Adam's apple bobs up and down as he speaks. "We still have much to do, don't we?"
"...We do?"
"Of course we do. Great and mighty foes for me to defeat, fantastical stories and tales from other lands for you to collect as we travel." His voice takes on a teasing note. "And don't forget, the trophies from the monsters I hunt shall all be dedicated to you."
"No thank you." You grimace. "If we bring them home and you go gallivanting on your own, I'm going to be the one left wiping them. Do you know how much dust gathers on scales and horns?"
"Very well, I'll only bring home the ones that are easy to clean."
In the dark, you can almost reach out to trace the curve of his smile with your finger. His eyes shone even in the darkest abyss, glowing with an eagerness to seize tomorrow's bounties with his own two hands– a trait of Ajax that you always secretly admired, yet could never dream to achieve.
"Oh, and I can't forget how many sights we must see– there are so many places I must take you, all of them beautiful. And with good food too! I'm sure you will love it."
"I'm sure I will," you whisper, hardly daring to break the spell.
"And of course we'll come home to go ice-fishing in the winter, just the two of us."
"Must it be in winter?" Your gloom is quickly dispelled to be replaced with horror; a shudder runs down your spine at the thought of yourself swaddled in beast-furs and huddled by a tiny hole, a fishing pole sticking out of your frozen hands while Ajax laughs, clearly unbothered by the endless snow. "The lake is frozen all year-round. Can't it be in summer instead?"
"In the summer, then." Ajax only smiles wider at your predicament, and rough, battle-scarred fingers gently brush the hair out of your face. "We'll go fishing in the summer, and I'll catch a big haul for us to eat for dinner."
"And maybe I'll catch some too." You murmur softly. "Not as many as you, though."
"Of course not. I can't be beaten at fishing."
"Always so competitive." In spite of your complaint, you can feel a smile growing again. "And then after that, we'll invite the family over for dinner."
"Yes," he breathes, almost like a prayer. You silently agree with his unspoken plea— to live the simple and quiet days together, and nothing more.
"I'll keep the little ones entertained while you prepare the food."
"What story will you tell them this time?"
"A new one, maybe. One with a happy ending— Anthon was so upset when I finished 'The Nightingale and the Rose' last time."
"I was, too." Strong arms shift to cradle you close, tugging at the blanket to wrap about your face. "Heroes' tales always deserve happy endings. The Nightingale should've had one."
"Hm," you mumble drowsily. "I think you're right."
Your thoughts drift away to another time — be it dream, daydream or perhaps even a distant memory — Tonia's fingers skillfully weaving strands of your hair into clumsy, uncertain braids, the weight of Anthon leaning on your shoulder and the warmth of Teucer curled up in your lap before the fireplace. A familiar mop of reddish-orange hair brushing your forehead as Ajax leans close, his blue eyes reflecting the gentle flicker of the fire, freckled nose scrunched up as he smiles all the brighter. And of course, his energy is infectious— so you cannot help but to give him a smile in return. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow would come for you both— tomorrows laden with laughter as golden as honey, tomorrows filled with the sorrow that came with parting and tomorrows bursting with the joy of reunion as you found each other again. No matter what came to pass, Ajax believed in a tomorrow with you by his side— to him that was the absolute truth, and so that was what would always be.
The rain completely stops, allowing the sound of deep breaths to fill the empty space where the pitter-patter of raindrops once had been; Ajax lies still as your racing heartbeat eases in your chest, the sound of his own heart lulling you to a now-dreamless sleep.
You are safe, after all; you are safe, warm, and loved. Could there be any happiness beyond such bliss?
𖤐 Lyney, the magician of Fontaine, with his charming and easygoing personality. I don't think he would become jealous easily (but you can think of it as you want, this is only my opinion).
If he felt jealous when someone grabbed your attention, taking his love away from him, he would try and take it easy, not overreacting even if deep in his mind and heart a bunch of emotions and doubts crashed together.
He would say something like "Oh, I see this gentleman is quite popular now, should I take notes for our next conversations?" along with a quiet laugh, but he would expect you to deny it.
𖤐 Childe, you wouldn't think he could be so protective of people, but you already saw how caring and protective he was with his younger brother. It wouldn't be a surprise if that was the same with you.
When he sees someone talking with you, making that sweet laugh of yours escape your lips, he would try and step in. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything" he would start saying, carefully looking his way in search of any unpleasant intention with you. When the person left, he would lightly joke with you, trying to make you see him as better "That was awful, made me even cringe with those lame words!"
𖤐 Kinich feels jealousy, I really think so, but he's not someone who would express it openly or with words. Instead of letting you know, he would experience jealousy inside, and follow you from the tops of the trees trying not to be seen by you or the person who dared to even try making you laugh. Pathetic.
The introvert member of the Scions of the Canopy. At first, Kinich would see you from a distance, thinking and assessing if the feeling was one of jealousy, caution or something else. After that, he would observe, silently and measuring if you were starting to get a little too friendly for his liking.
I'm just sure that after that conversation he would get down from the tree and act as if he didn't see anything, just found you there, then he would accompany you in whatever you wanted to do for the rest of the day.
𖤐 Xiao is the type who would experiment jealousy and insecurity. Seeing you so carefree with someone, making him feel things foreign for him.
His chest tightness, and those repressed feelings would just crash heavier. He didn't understand, how could you, a mere mortal, make him feel such horrible sensations. But it was not your fault and he knew it.
His internal conflict would make him do and say things he wouldn't say normally, he wanted you close and secure. He wanted you to be with him, he didn't want to experience those unknown feelings, it was the only time he felt so vulnerable in a long time.
