UH TW(s) MENTIONED CHILD DEATH AND HYPOTHERMIA IG IDK
ok i am being starved of icedagger so icedagger hcs! ( secret word is bomb as of writing this)
he is not blood related to the other deities - he like got caught in a blizzard as a newspawn and froze to death or smthg and uh boom now he is the embodiment of cold/winter somehow
2. while mostly know as a myth, there are still some shrines like wishing well or fountains and if give something ( like a few coins, some candies, a cool rock, that sort of thing. he might help you with what you where there for idk
3. when demons get lost in blizzards ( especially newspawns ) he will guide them home and keep them company until they are four while also giving them like a little bell or something as a good luck charm
i unfortunately can't think of more :(
Snowdrop Anon--
(if it isn't taken that is)
him not being blood related to the others is actually pretty neat, i'm taking that i think. him guiding lost inphernals... awww. love him
Cyno x Reader (actually platonic, in a way I guess, study partners, but possibly romantic in the future)
*Lore dump warning; Spoilers for all the Archon Quests and speculations of Teyvat; Really it’s all serious talk
XXX
“Hey Cyno,”
The said male turned away from the book he was reading, and focused his attention on you instead.
“What’s the matter?”
“Do you believe in eternity?”
Surprised at your sudden question, the male went quiet for a few moments.
“You want my own opinion or an objective one?”
“As much as I would like to hear both, it’s almost lunch time. So I would like to hear your opinion first.”
Sighing at your carefree reply, Cyno closed the book he was reading shut.
“Well, I simply don’t. After all, all living things will come to an end, it is the law of the universe and the reason why they say time is money.”
“Well yeah, I mean, our former archon did die five hundred years ago...”
Puzzled at your deflated mood, Cyno realised that this question didn’t simply popped out of your mind, but rather something that you had been thinking hard about for quite some time.
“Why’d you ask, by the way? You worried about the future?”
“It’s normal to be worried or even sacred okay? This is the very reason why we seek knowledge in the first place. To survive is the natural instinct of humans, and curiosity stems out of it as we can predict the future with more known about the world...”
“And yet the world is so vast, and our lives are so short, but we can pass down our knowledge through our legacy... That is the most basic right of humanity...”
“Yet don’t you think that it is strange? The fact that it has been thousands are even more years that we humans had been existed, there isn’t much we know about the pre-archon war era?”
Cyno looked down as he realised what you said was true.
“Indeed, but there isn’t much we can do about it isn’t there?”
“That’s the problem!! Nobody questions about it and that’s what makes it fishy!”
You are... Quite the special type of student at Sumeru Academia, even though you do seek knowledge about the world you all reside in. Due to the lack of Mysticism studies you didn’t take part in, you were the type to question everything, even the principles that had been decided by the Academia for centuries.
But that’s what allows your breakthroughs in your findings in the past few years here. Rather than focusing on a particular study or field, you tackle anything that comes in your way. Becoming one of the people who had read the most books in this grand library of Sumeru Academia.
Cyno liked that part of you, new perspectives shed more light to the field and it never gets boring when you suddenly throw questions at him for no absolute reason.
“The part where you go ‘seeing is believing’ is the easiest way to deceive someone?” He guessed, letting out a small chuckle.
“Exactly!! ‘Show not tell’, because people believe in what they see so when they try to deceive someone they show what they want them to see.”
“Illusions, mirages... People get tricked so easily without asking their own rationality!”
“So what you’re trying to say is-“
“That we should question this world in the first place!”
‘Here we go again...’ Cyno thought, but he didn’t actually mind your rambling.
“First! Why do we have to trust the gods in the first place? *All we can do is observe the chess game that the gods are playing, we don’t know the rules of the game, but as soon as we speculate it long enough, we’ll be able to guess what the rules are.”
“But in the end, we won’t know if we understand all of the rules cause who can predict what happens in the future anyways?”
“But with Astrology-“
“Do. not. interrupt me.”
Ah, you were getting heated up.
“With enough information, anyone can predict the future, they say. But can we actually do it? We can’t! We’re human after all.”
“Which leads to the question of, why don’t the gods spill the beans if the really care about us so much? But they didn’t.”
“I know it’s hypocritical to judge gods through mortal standards, but I have evidence.”
“If the gods truly care for each single human being of Teyvat, then shouldn’t everyone have a Vision if they’re supposed to be the grace from the gods?”
“You’re saying that those without Visions are not important in the eyes of the gods?”
“Hah, as much as I prefer that they care for both, my instincts tell me that they don’t care for either of them for some reason...”
Cyno narrowed his eyes at your slightly hesitant answer.
“Is this about you not able to obtain a Vision for yourself?”
“Cyno, how many times have I told you? If I were to receive a Vision, I would have went all the way to the archon responsible and politely give it back to them.”
“Politely?”
“Alright, maybe throwing it in their faces before telling them off that I don’t need it.”
“Violent as always, my dear.”
“Elemental energy is not magic anyways, we all know that, and the Hexenzirkel doesn’t often share their findings about Irminsul either...”
“Your point is…?”
“What’s ’free’ is the most expensive, even hilichurls are a problem for normal humans, yet Vision holders see them as eyesores more than anything… Everything comes with a price, Cyno, and I believe that you understand that well.”
“Indeed,” he agreed with a sigh. “For knowledge, we sacrifice time and our energy for it. And the culmination of many scholars forms this very library we are in.”
“The crystallisation of human knowledge, or so I recalled,” you agreed with a huff “but what if that’s the gods want us to believe in? Away from their true purposes in order to keep humanity under the reigns?”
“…”
“You angry? Sorry, I know that it’s disrespectful to judge on people’s faith like this, but I just can’t help but worry about the future when something big is about to happen…”
“N-no, I don’t mind, it’s just-“
“Explaining is concealing and concealing is the truth, go on.”
Cyno realised something, despite you knowing he has a Vision himself, you had come up with theories about the secrets about Visions, mostly concerning ones actually. But he understands it is a way of you caring for him, there are rumours about those who have Visions would one day disappear from the world.
You were scared that one day he would go somewhere that you cannot follow.
But as your partner, he has no intentions of it until you finally seek the answers you had longed for.
“The Geo Archon’s passing, Mondstadt’s Knights of Favonius incapable of fully stopping the Fatui, the electro Archon Baal stopped giving out Electro Visions since last year… Not to mention the Fatui following the Tsarista’s orders by any method of sort…” Cyno listed out. “Yes… It is all quite alarming…”
“But that promise we made the day we met, I have no intention of breaking it.”he reminded with a soft smile on his face.
“I am, your partner in crime after all.”
…
“Here you are again, saying things like that so easily…” you huffed, trying to contain your happiness from his words.
“Until the day I make the gods confess their intentions, I’m not letting you go anywhere without me!”
Seeing you back in your normal mood, the male smiled in relief, all that’s left is to lift your spirits up a bit more.
“I’ll treat you something sweet for lunch, what do you want?”
“W-Wha?! Umm…”
Seeing you flustered at his sudden question, Cyno knows that he had succeeded as you mumble under your breath about what you should pick.
‘Don’t worry too much about the future, try focus on what we have right now, alright?’
‘We are raging treason against the very laws of this world after all, so please allow me to enjoy such little time with you, my dear.’
XXX
I don’t know what I’m writing… QAQ
Exiled, if you want I can make a few more short dribbles about this (well mostly about how they meet and other stuff they think about-)
-lies on ground-
-and dies out of embarrassment-
-snowdrop, out
ANY CYNO CONTENT IS GOOD CONTENT, BUT THAT LORE DUMP WAS NICE AND REFRESHING. YES SNOWDROP, I DO WANT EM GIMME
The same logic as love makes the smartest people into idiots, fatigue also makes the smartest people into idiots.
XXX
You stared intensely at the item you placed on the counter.
Apron equipped, knife in hand, your eyebrows furrowed as you continued to stare at it.
“How in the world did I made enough for two...?”
XXX
Cyno thinks that there’s probably something wrong with you for the past few days.
You had been ignoring him? No, that’s not the case.
If you’re really trying to ignore him, then you won’t do all of ‘this’.
What is ‘this’, you ask?
Well, in actuality it is a result of the lack of brain juice you have since you had been reading the books in the Academia’s library for the past two weeks.
And since your subject, well, or more exactly ‘self-study’, you don’t have an exact timetable. And Cyno realised it too much to be of a coincidence for you to be in the library every time he went there.
Every time when the male tried to drag you to your dorm, you would often mutter “Let me up... I-I can still read...”
It is to the point Cyno banned you from entering the library for a few days.
And when you finally wake up from your 13 hour power nap, you weren’t exactly that energised as you expected to be.
That, Cyno did not know off.
All he knew that is you had been extra thoughtful to him for the past few days.
Examples such as making him a sandwich during his quick lunch break, buying him a cup of coffee at the night before his big assessment and etc.
Though all of these are done neatly placed at his working spot with a note attached, he hadn’t seen you face-to-face at all.
‘... At least they’re not angry at me, I guess...’ Cyno sighed in relief as he settled down and picked up the nicely packed sandwich.
‘I had been busy for the past few days after all... I’ll go check on them later.’
XXX
You were not okay.
For the past few days you had been going autopilot due to the lack of brain juice, and it was probably one of the worst scenarios you had set yourself in once you realised.
Screaming into your pillow as you reflect on what the heck you had done.
And your actions reflect how much you had missed him during the beginning of the new school year, seniors get busy at this time of year after all.
But when you were scanning through the books in the library, you asked him questions without looking up despite the fact that there’s nobody else there.
And while on autopilot you allow your thoughts overflowing and evaporated all the sanity you had and did all of ‘that’.
Embarrassment is one thing, but what you’re most afraid of is that Cyno might feel uncomfortable with how ‘clingy’ you had been.
Burying your head further into the pillow, you wondered perhaps suffocating yourself to sleep would make you forget all you had done.
‘I hope that he doesn’t find out about me asking his teacher for his timetable...’
XXX
Cyno knocked on your door and when nobody answered, he pushed open the door as he realised it was not locked.
He let out a small smile as he saw you resting despite it being sunset.
“You’ve really outworked yourself, haven’t you?” he asked softly despite knowing that you won’t answer as he walked towards the bed.
Cyno then fixed your blanket before sitting on the side of the bed, making sure he didn’t sit on you accidentally.
“Sorry for not freeing any time for you... Being busy with work isn’t an excuse, yet you still worry for me that much...” he cooked as he gently patted your head, scarlet eyes softening. “I’ll make it up to you when you wake up, okay?”
If only you can see how the sunlight shine on his coat making him look ethereal... Along with that smile on his face.
“Sweet dreams, my dear.”
XXX
A few moments after he left your room, there was nothing but silence.
Of course, knowing all this, you were awake all this time.
You internally screamed as you tried to calm down.
Despite your efforts, the blush on your face wouldn’t disappear.
Oh, you were definitely not getting sleep any time soon.
XXX
I think I’ll go with the one lore dump chapter then story focus chapter formula
Stuff escalates and Cyno finds it cute in his own way
Cyno x Reader (platonic at first, romantic in the future)
Lore dump and speculations
XXX
“Hey Cyno, you know how to play chess?”
“Yes? Well sort of, what about it?”
And here he was, the first section of the duo’s hangout, or ‘meeting’ his partner in crime insisted was a game of chess at her dorm room.
The male couldn’t help but sigh as the two of you started your game.
“You never cease to surprise me no matter how much time I spend with you, my dear.”
“Is that so? I’m flattered, I do hope to become somebody who piques your interest and not you see as a chore to accompany with.”
“There is no such thing, I assure you. So, what would you like to talk about?”
“Let’s start with the basics shall we?” You asked as you made your move.
“Ah yes before that,” Cyno added as he remembered something he wanted to ask you. “How did you manage to make that bet with our archon in the first place anyways?”
“The Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing once said this, ‘Gamblers always place their bets on the next dice roll... But the bankers always have the last laugh, and they never touch a single die’, I agree.” You referenced as Cyno made his move, one that you had expected.
“However, that only applies at a fair state, where everyone is at the same starting line. Thus, more extreme measures must be taken in order to let humanity get to the starting line that the gods are on before the race begins.”
“Hence this bet of yours?”
“Correct, and as for your question...” You began after making your move once more. “I just simply flipped the trump card that I had in my hands.”
“Trump card?” He repeated.
“Your turn, Cyno.” You reminded, making the male flinch before focusing on the chess board once more. “Well, I guess as long as I don’t directly say what it is, it’ll be fine...”
“Cyno, everyone has something that they want to hide from others no matter the cost, no?”
“Perhaps some do…” The male pauses once more, after thinking of his next move.
His scarlet eyes widen at realising what your words meant.
“You mean- No, how did you-“
“Including the method of how I got hold of this information is used for this bet in order to keep my lips sealed.” You replied as intended. “As much as it’s crucial , it wasn’t enough to tip the scales of the question I wanted to ask... Thus I exchanged my trump card with the bet instead.”
“But throwing your trump card at the very beginning... I guess this was the only solution you had?”
“You catch on quick, indeed.” You smiled as you continued with the strategy you had in mind.
“All I have to do is to ‘Check’ him, meaning we understand the rules.” You continued as you placed your piece, announcing check while explaining.
Cyno let out a grunt as he realised that he had been toyed in this game of chess from the very beginning.
“As for the ‘Checkmate’,”you began as you knocked over Cyno’s King. “Is something I leave for the rest of humanity to accomplish.”
You then placed both hands on your lap as you smiled brightly at the man in front of you.
“It’s a big step for sure, but I have faith in humanity to succeed.”
Cyno chuckles bitterly at his defeat. “Explaining all that to me while forming a strategy... No wonder the Academia sees you as a force to be reckoned of, my dear...”
“It’s done through what we call ‘simulation’, my friend.”
Cyno sipped the cup of tea that you had ordered from Liyue before pointing out a part he was curious about.
“Though... I was surprised on what he decided to bet on... I mean, he knows the reason behind the alchemist Gold’s fall for sure...”
“Or...” You pondered as you crossed your arms. “He’s trying to show us something through this.”
“Like?”
You chuckled. “Who knows what the gods scheme of anyways?”
XXX
“Once they found out the truth... They would find themselves at a dead-end and perhaps would give up on their foolish actions...”
“But the children of men are stubborn... If survival is what you seek, then stopping here is the best option.”
XXX
OwO
It’s short and I fluffing know it... QAQ
The romantic stuff gonna happen soon, so...
-snowdrop
With this being a series, I'm gonna start putting numbers on it now to help with navigation haha
