CLOSER THAN HE MEANT TO !! ft. Wanderer, Varka, Lohen, Illuga, Flins.
TOGETHER?! : Someone assumes the two of you are together, when you’re not (yet), how does he react? ft: Al-Haitham, Wanderer, Wriothesley, Xiao
What do we have here…? ft Mondtadt men
Feining for cyno
Being in a relationship with Skirk HCs
- DILUC -
Incendiary : you and Diluc are not quite a couple, but he's always keeping an eyes on you because of your hardworking habit
let's pretend we're dating" : Your sister's wedding is coming up, and after so many years of rivalry, you can't possibly turn up single. Thank goodness your best friend is such a gentleman.
TEASING: After the wedding, Diluc was teased throughout the whole night with your sexy bridal pictures.
diluc’s infatuation with you begins at the angel’s share.
Thirds of a Whole : Technically. Technically. Diluc is not in Shneznaya. He’s on a boat in a port in Nod Krai. He himself has not set foot in that Archon’s awful frozen land. Technically. He’s not breaking any laws (diluc x reader x albedo)
don't call me that! : stop calling him 'master,' or 'sir,' or anything along those lines. his heart can't take it.
Raging Confession : After listening through your struggles once more, Diluc realizes he’s had enough of hiding his true emotions.
Lonely Embers : in the quiet halls of the dawn winery, a love struggles against the crushing weight of duty,diluc repeatedly prioritises his roles as master of the dawn winery and darknight hero, leaving a fragile relationship to flicker in the shadows.
- CYNO -
shyno; our limited edition tcg card gains the attention of the general mahamatra himself, Cyno. Though Cyno is only interested in the card, it turns out, even tcg cards can loose their value when faced with someone he develops feelings for.
consume: cyno your lover, was not the man that you'd thought he would be or cyno showing you his true form once he knew that you were in danger
- VARKA -
Big muscles: varka has big muscles to choke you.
an ode left unfinished ; when griefing is already bad Varka get to do it twice.
DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME: for the longest time, varka’s dreams have always been just that—dreams. he returns to mondstadt and faces the possibility that maybe they can be more
training; Somewhere in Mondstadt, several knights-in-training gathered for an intense yet rare physical training session under the watchful eye of their seasoned mentor and the infamous Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, Varka.
routine : in which your daily routine consists of waking up, setting up your stall to sell fruit, conversing with the locals, packing up the stall, and heading back home. oh. and entertaining that incorrigible grand master.
home : the grandmaster is coming back home to mondstadt, so what better way to welcome him than with a soul-snatching hug with his two most favorite people in the world?
- WRIOTHESLEY -
A Favour for a Friend ; You never considered being a late bloomer something to be ashamed of. Waiting for the right person always seemed like the logical thing to do, but when you come across a problem you're convinced can only be solved by losing your virginity, there's only one man in your life you're comfortable asking for the favour.
Your Lips, My Lips — Apocalypse : Even when everything seems to be unstable, Wriothesley naturally tends to seek a connection — be it with a kiss or with your hands adorning his neck.
All Out : Wriothesley's strength easily came in handy for a thing or two.
Sweet Punishment : Beneath Fontaine’s veneer of law and order lies a far more intimate tribunal, one where rules are bent, and the sentence is pleasure itself. When a defiant streak lands you in the crosshairs of both Chief Justice Neuvillette and the Duke of the Fortress of Meropide, justice becomes a game neither intends to lose. Between Neuvillette’s unshakable authority and Wriothesley’s dangerous charm, you’re caught in a slow-burning tug-of-war where every ruling drips with temptation. The only question is: whose verdict will you obey… and how sweet will the punishment be?
ebb and flow ; little excercise of reading won't hurt wrio will it?
DISCONNECTED: it’s not that wriothesley has been neglecting you. but god forbid a woman misses her boyfriend a bit too much.
- Wanderer -
THE WEIGHT IN HIS PALMS : we love wanderer’s hands here
upset: Wanderer was upset. The rain in Sumeru was pouring down heavily that afternoon.
Make me Bleed : you tell your Harbinger boyfriend that you're a masochist, and from that day on, everything changed.
- FLINS -
The Azure Flame / part 2 : After discovering your dear Flins' true identity, you now have to determine the meaning of his confusing and unconventional actions towards you. Perhaps he harbors deeper feelings for you? Or perhaps you're thinking into it too far...
an eye for an eye: fucking your friend’s ex is not okay, that’s for sure. but if she’s slept with yours, and you haven’t slept with hers, where does that place you on the leaderboard? under her, probably, and that won’t do. your best remedy, at this point, is to get under flins instead.
gossamer : you haven’t seen flins in almost a week. when he’s unexpectedly taken a week off his duties, you want answers why—the answers come in…a rather interesting form. or: flins is not human, and his non human form happens to come with a rather interesting condition
Healthy Work Environment : It’s 9 PM and you need to work a lot and in a short time scale. But Flins needs you to leave the office more and stresses you out more than already are. In compensation, he decides to send you off home relaxed.
- Arlecchino -
𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐬! ; Arlecchino arrived from work at midnight, you waited for her with two gifts. Finding out what they were: she couldn't possibly resist the temptation her wife put out before her very eyes.
past : arlecchino sees clervie in reader, reminscing, she accidentally calls her name instead of yours
happy birthday, arlecchino
- Rerir -
shoot your shot! : not even almost dying in rerir's hands could stop you from fawning over psychos like him.
𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 𝟏 : our fresh start is everything you wanted after the messy breakup. But when the phone rings and a masked murderer plagues the campus, your past comes back to haunt you. As the popular sorority brat, you’re his prime obsession — and he’s never far. Caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse, you realize his motive isn’t revenge, but an obsessive desire to reclaim what he believes is his
- Capitano -
His wife : Where the Traveller is saved by a woman in black (Thrain)
The Things I'll Never Say : For the last five hundred years, Il Capitano’s nights have been long, draining, and lonely.
MEMORIES OF THIS LIFE : Thrain's love for you is pure and filled with a depth he cannot explain. Simply bask in his love before he has to go off to work, or so it seems he would be. The truth is far more devastating.
- XIAO -
desire : xiao has come to the conclusion that human desires are quite enjoyable when they're shared with you.
If you don't like this, then just ignore but I kinda have a specific and odd request🥹
Yknow those asmr scalp scratching / massage videos?? I was wondering if you could do xiao, wanderer, kaveh and tighnari with a s/o who always plays with their hair and does those asmr scalp massages on their head. And ofc it feels SOOO relaxing for them.
☁️ IF YOU GIVE THEM A HEAD MASSAGE
PREMISE . . . In which you notice him looking unusually tired, so you give him a head massage until he finally relaxes and let himself be cared for.
ꫂ᭪݁ STARRING . . . wanderer, xiao, kaveh, tighnari + gender neutral! reader
⚠︎ WARNING . . . › sfw, brief mention of xiao accidentally hurting you, mild emotional exhaustion, mentions of fatigue, stress, physical affection, established relationship, comfort and caretaking, fluff
note . i'm so sorry this took a while to make anon.. i hope the writing makes up for the long wait! :")
── ( 𝒘. ) Wanderer would initially tense the moment your fingers slipped into his hair, his shoulders drawing up almost instinctively. He'd been sitting on a chair with a book open in his hands, so absorbed in whatever he was reading that he'd barely registered anything happening around him. His hat, which he usually kept firmly on his head, had been set aside on the table nearby, leaving his hair completely uncovered as he leaned slightly forward over the pages.
He hadn't noticed you getting up, quietly walking around behind his chair, and he certainly hadn't realized you'd stopped directly behind him. His attention remained fixed on the lines of text, one hand supporting his cheek as his elbow rested against the arm of the chair, while his other hand held the spine of the book loosely.
It was only when your fingers finally slipped gently into his hair that his entire body would tense in surprise. His eyes would immediately lift from the page, and he'd turn his head sharply to look over his shoulder, clearly caught completely off guard by the sudden touch.
"What are you doing?" he'd mutter, staring up at you with that familiar irritated expression, though the surprise in his eyes would make it obvious that he hadn't even realized you'd been there. Despite the question, he wouldn't move away. If anything, he'd remain perfectly still beneath your touch, watching you from the corner of his eye as your fingers slowly combed through the strands, separating them gently before returning to his scalp.
The moment your fingertips began massaging small circles against the tension gathered there, his expression would falter. The irritation in his eyes would gradually lose its edge, his shoulders sinking little by little as the pressure beneath his skin finally began to ease. He'd let out a quiet breath through his nose, almost like a reluctant sigh, and close his eyes for only a second before opening them again as though he'd caught himself being too comfortable.
You'd continue anyway, occasionally brushing your fingertips along his temples or lightly scratching his scalp, and each time you'd find a particularly tense spot, his head would subtly tilt toward your hand before he realized what he was doing.
"You could've warned me first," he'd mutter, his brows drawing together as he glanced back at you, clearly still displeased by how suddenly you'd touched him. He'd try to return his attention to the book, but your fingers continuing to run gently through his hair would make that increasingly difficult.
"Do you always sneak up on people like that?" His tone would carry the usual irritation, though there'd be far less bite behind it than he wanted you to believe. If you teased him with a small smile and pointed out that he clearly liked it despite all his complaining, he'd go quiet.
He wouldn't answer, his eyes simply dropping back toward the page as the faintest warmth crept across his cheeks. You'd continue massaging his scalp, watching him become increasingly comfortable despite himself, before teasing him again about how he'd surely tell you to stop if he genuinely disliked it. That would earn you a long silence.
When you teased him again, asking why he hadn't told you to stop if he disliked it so much, he'd click his tongue and turn another page with exaggerated concentration. "You seem awfully determined to keep talking about it."
He'd pause for a moment before quietly adding, "Just keep doing what you're doing." He'd immediately pretend to become engrossed in his book again, but the slight way he'd lean back into your hand would tell you everything he refused to say aloud.
As the minutes passed, the change in him would become impossible to miss. His posture would gradually soften until he was leaning against you without even seeming to notice, and if you were sitting comfortably enough for him to rest against your lap, he'd eventually give up whatever pretense remained and settle there, his head resting against you while your fingers continued to drift through his hair.
His eyes would eventually fall completely shut, and after another few moments of trying to follow the words on the page, he'd finally give up on reading altogether. The book would slowly lower from his hands before coming to rest open across his lap, forgotten as his attention shifted entirely toward the feeling of your fingers moving through his hair. With nothing left demanding his concentration, he'd gradually relax into the chair, his head tilting back slightly to give you easier access.
The moment your fingers paused for more than a few seconds, his eyes would open again. "Why did you stop?" The question would come out so naturally that he'd only realize afterward how obvious he'd made himself. If you smiled at him, he'd immediately avert his gaze and grumble something about how you were reading too much into it, but when you moved away, he'd reach up, catch your wrist, and gently guide your hand back into his hair.
He'd hold it there for a moment, his fingers lingering around your wrist before finally letting go. "...Don't stop." His voice would be quieter this time, almost embarrassed by the admission. He'd settle back against you again, allowing his eyes to close as your fingers resumed their slow rhythm.
"You started this," he'd mutter, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "So you don't get to stop until I tell you to." And beneath all the grumbling and reluctant attempts to preserve his dignity, he'd quietly cherish the gentleness of your touch, the way you cared for him without asking anything in return, and how easily your affection could make the world feel a little quieter.
── ( 𝒙. ) Xiao would arrive at Wangshu Inn after dealing with a group of monsters that had gathered in the area, appearing at the rooftop with the faint sound of his landing barely audible over the night wind. He'd be breathing a little harder than usual, his shoulders rising and falling as he finally allowed himself a moment to recover from the fight.
His mask would already be off, held loosely in one hand as he wiped away the faint traces of sweat from his brow, his expression noticeably more tired than the one he usually wore when he appeared in front of others. He'd be so focused on catching his breath that he wouldn't immediately notice you standing beside the table nearby, waiting in the usual spot you'd claimed whenever you met at Wangshu Inn.
He'd take a few steps toward the table before noticing a presence behind him. When you reached out and touched his shoulder, his body would react before his mind could catch up. He'd turn sharply, immediately catching your arm and gripping it far more tightly than he intended, his instincts still sharpened from the battle.
The sudden pressure would hurt, a loud yelp escaping your throat and the moment Xiao realized who was standing in behind him, his eyes would widen. He'd release you immediately, his expression shifting into unmistakable regret.
"I— I'm sorry." His gaze would fall toward your arm, checking where he'd grabbed you before looking back at your face. "I thought you were..." He'd stop himself, clearly dissatisfied with the explanation, and lower his head slightly.
"I should have been more careful." You'd reassure him that you were alright, and he'd remain quiet for a moment, still looking faintly guilty.
The exhaustion in his expression would suddenly become much more apparent to you, the slight heaviness beneath his eyes, the way his shoulders hadn't fully relaxed even after the fight, and the way his fingers still loosely held his mask as though he hadn't yet remembered what to do with it.
Seeing how tired he was would give you an idea. You'd gently tell him to sit down for a while, pointing toward the empty chair beside the small wooden table at your usual spot near the rooftop. Xiao would follow your gesture, then look back at you with a faint crease between his brows, as though he couldn't quite understand what you were trying to do.
He'd quietly insist that he was fine, that the monsters had already been dealt with and there was no reason for him to rest, but the slight heaviness in his voice would betray how exhausted he actually was. You'd remind him that he'd just finished fighting and that sitting down for a few minutes wouldn't hurt, especially when the inn was quiet and neither of you had anywhere else to be.
He'd hesitate again, his gaze lingering on you before finally giving a small sigh of resignation. "Very well." He'd sit down and resting his hands loosely against his lap. Without the mask covering his face, the fatigue he'd usually conceal would be much easier to see.
When you moved behind him, Xiao wouldn't pay much attention at first. He'd assume you were simply moving around the table, still gazing out over the rooftops while the quiet of the inn settled around the two of you.
Then your fingers would gently slip into his hair. His entire body would stiffen. His shoulders would rise slightly, and his head would turn just enough for him to look at you over his shoulder, his expression caught somewhere between surprise and confusion. "What are you doing?" There would be no irritation in his voice, only genuine uncertainty, as though the gesture were something he had never quite encountered before.
He'd remain still when your fingers continued, carefully combing through his hair before your fingertips began gently massaging his scalp. At first, he'd seem unsure of where to look, his gaze shifting toward the table and then back toward the scenery as though he were deliberately avoiding your eyes.
"You don't have to do this," he'd murmur after a moment, though there'd be no real insistence behind his words. If you quietly told him that you wanted to, he'd fall silent again, his eyes lowering as though he didn't quite know how to respond to such a simple expression of care.
Gradually, though, the tension in his shoulders would begin to disappear. His breathing would slow, and his head would unconsciously tilt ever so slightly toward your hand when your fingers found a particularly tense spot. He'd blink in quiet surprise at his own reaction, but he wouldn't pull away.
The sensation would be unfamiliar, almost strangely intimate, and yet there would be something soothing about it that made the exhaustion he'd been holding back all evening finally catch up with him.
His eyelids would grow heavier, his posture softening against the chair as he allowed your hand to continue. He wouldn't know what to call the feeling, only that it was warm, peaceful, and strangely comforting to have someone notice that he was tired and simply decide to take care of him.
Every so often, his head would subtly lean into your hand, betraying how comforting he found it despite himself. "Thank you. This feels.. nice." He'd admit it quietly, almost hesitantly, the unfamiliar tenderness would leave him strangely peaceful, and although he wouldn't have the words to explain why, there would be something deeply comforting about knowing that after spending the evening protecting everyone else, he could return to you and simply be allowed to rest.
── ( 𝐤. ) Kaveh would react with immediate, almost comical relief the moment your fingers slipped into his hair, especially if he'd been sitting beside you in the middle of one of his particularly exhausting rants about work.
He'd have spent the last several minutes complaining about an unreasonable client, some ridiculous deadline, or the latest disaster at the construction site, gesturing dramatically as he tried to explain exactly why everyone else was making his life unnecessarily difficult.
He'd be so absorbed in his own frustration that your hand slipping gently into his hair would completely interrupt his train of thought. "Wait— what are you doing?" he'd ask, looking up at you with genuine surprise, his brows still slightly furrowed from whatever he'd been complaining about.
But the moment your fingertips began slowly combing through his hair and massaging his scalp, the irritation in his expression would start to melt away. He'd blink several times, almost as though his mind needed a moment to catch up with the sensation, before his shoulders gradually dropped and the tension around his face softened.
"Oh..." A quiet sigh would escape him, and he'd immediately realize just how badly he'd needed the gesture. He'd still insist that he wasn't that stressed, of course, muttering that you were fussing over him unnecessarily, but his body would betray him completely. He'd lean closer without thinking, his head gradually settling against you as your fingers continued moving through his hair.
If you were sitting beside him, he'd eventually shift until he could comfortably rest his head against your shoulder or lap, his eyes fluttering shut as another quiet sigh left him. Every time your fingers found a particularly tense spot, he'd subtly tilt his head toward your hand, practically guiding you without realizing it.
The man who had been loudly declaring how much work he had to do moments ago would suddenly become remarkably quiet, his only response being the occasional contented hum whenever you massaged his scalp.
Once he'd become comfortable, getting him to admit he liked it would be another matter entirely. He'd keep trying to preserve whatever dignity he had left. "You know, I'm perfectly capable of relaxing without all this," he'd mumble, despite making absolutely no effort to move away from you. If your fingers paused for even a few seconds, however, his eyes would immediately open and he'd look up at you with an almost offended expression.
"You— Why'd you stop?" And when you laughed and reminded him that he'd just spent several minutes insisting he didn't need you to fuss over him, he'd become adorably defensive, his cheeks warming as he tried to justify himself.
"I never said I didn't like it!" Eventually, he'd simply give up arguing, reaching for your hand and gently placing it back into his hair himself. His expression would soften as he looked at you, all the frustration he'd been carrying earlier replaced by a tired, affectionate smile.
"Just... stay like this for a while, alright?" He'd probably become noticeably flustered once he realized just how quickly he'd gone from complaining to practically melting beneath your touch. When your fingers found another particularly soothing spot, he'd let out a quiet sigh before suddenly noticing your giggle.
"Don't look at me like that," he'd mumble, turning his face slightly away from you despite making no attempt to move. If you teased him about how relaxed he looked, his cheeks would warm even more. "I am not that easy to spoil, you know." The fact that he was already resting comfortably against you would make the denial especially unconvincing, and he'd eventually give up trying to defend himself, reaching for your hand and guiding it back into his hair with a sheepish little smile. "Just... don't make a big deal out of it, alright?"
He'd close his eyes again and settle more comfortably against you, letting himself enjoy the quiet without feeling obligated to fill it with another complaint. The longer you continued, the heavier his head would become against you, until he'd eventually drift off without even realizing it, one hand still loosely holding onto yours.
── ( 𝐭. ) Tighnari would notice what you were doing almost immediately, because despite being absorbed in his work, he was far too observant to miss the subtle change in your presence beside him.
He'd been sitting with his notes spread across the table, several pages covered in his neat handwriting while a few reference books remained open around him, their pages weighed down by small objects to keep them from turning in the evening breeze.
His ears were slightly lowered, and his tail had gone unusually still behind him, lacking its usual subtle movements that tended to betray his mood. His eyes continued moving over the same few lines, following the words from beginning to end before returning to the start again, yet nothing seemed to be sticking. Every now and then, the tip of his pencil would hover above the page for several seconds without making a mark.
The fatigue was subtle enough that someone unfamiliar with him might overlook it, but to you, the signs were unmistakable, the slight furrow between his brows, the faint heaviness around his eyes, the way his ears weren't as alert as they usually were whenever he heard a sound nearby, and the occasional little sigh whenever he reached another sentence that required more concentration than he had left to give.
He'd been trying to convince himself that he could finish just one more section before resting, then another, and another, until he'd gradually stopped making any meaningful progress at all.
You'd quietly move closer, careful not to interrupt him outright, before letting your fingers slip gently through his hair. His ears would immediately twitch beneath your touch, one flicking backward before relaxing again, and Tighnari would pause mid-sentence.
He'd glance up at you with a small, knowing smile, already understanding what you'd noticed without needing you to say anything. "You noticed, huh?" he'd murmur, amusement softening his tired voice. He'd try to continue reading anyway, stubbornly keeping his eyes on the notes while your fingers slowly combed through his hair, but the steady rhythm of your touch would make maintaining his concentration increasingly difficult.
His ears would gradually relax beneath your hand, occasionally twitching whenever your fingertips brushed a particularly sensitive spot, and his shoulders would begin to lose the quiet tension they'd been carrying. You'd continue gently massaging his scalp, occasionally scratching lightly near the base of his ears, and each time you did, his eyes would linger on the same line for a little too long.
Eventually, he'd exhale through his nose, lower the page, and let his hand rest on the table rather than attempting to turn it. He'd glance at you with a mildly exasperated expression that was completely undermined by the softness in his eyes.
"You're distracting me, my dear." There'd be no genuine complaint behind it. In fact, he'd shift his chair slightly closer until his shoulder rested against yours, making no effort to hide that he was enjoying the attention.
His tail would give one slow, lazy movement behind him before curling loosely around your leg, and he'd allow his eyes to close for just a moment beneath your hand, as though he'd finally accepted that finishing his notes could wait.
When your fingers began gently massaging his scalp, he'd let out another quiet breath, his eyes closing for a moment as the tension gradually left his face. His tail would eventually curl loosely around your leg almost unconsciously, the fluffy tip giving an occasional lazy twitch whenever your hand moved through his hair.
Once he'd stopped pretending he could continue working, Tighnari would allow himself to fully settle against you, his head resting comfortably against your shoulder. His ears would remain relaxed, no longer held tensely upright, while your fingers moved slowly through his hair.
If you asked whether he was stressed, he'd give you an honest answer rather than trying to brush it aside. "A little more than I'd like to admit." He'd pause, then give a quiet laugh.
"I've been staring at the same notes for the past ten minutes and somehow convinced myself I was still being productive." Your continued attention would make him smile, and when you teased him about finally admitting he was tired, he'd open one eye to give you an amused look.
"Don't sound so pleased with yourself. This doesn't mean you're always right." He'd close his eyes again almost immediately, though, completely undermining his own argument as he relaxed further beneath your touch.
After a while, he'd quietly murmur, "I suppose this is considerably more effective than pretending I'm not tired." His fingers might loosely catch around your wrist for a moment, not to stop you but simply to keep the connection there, and his tail would curl a little more securely around your leg.
Eventually, he'd look up at you with a fond, almost sleepy smile. "Thank you. You always seem to notice before I do." He'd then settle back against you without another word, letting you continue stroking his hair while the unfinished notes sat forgotten nearby. For someone as responsible and practical as Tighnari, there would be something deeply comforting in being allowed to put his work aside for a while and simply receive affection.
You spent the entire afternoon speaking when spoken to, nodding at the right moments, laughing when others joked. You’d smiled until your cheeks hurt. Nothing was even wrong, that was the problem. Today was a good day, by most standards. Nothing went wrong, no one had gotten angry—not visibly, at least. Work went smoothly.
So why, on the walk back to your room at the Wangshu Inn, did the silence feel heavier than anything? Why now, staring at the cracks on your ceiling, was there a hollow, aching emptiness in the center of your chest?
Did you talk too much? Too little?
Were you interrupting?
Was that pause earlier after you spoke out of annoyance?
You replayed every single interaction like a broken record. Like a new favorite song you can’t stop listening to until you finally get sick of it. Over, and over, and over again. You were already sick of it. Always speaking and wishing you hadn’t immediately after, picking it apart, wondering if that look on their face was one of irritation with you, if you seemed interested enough even while your mind was elsewhere, if you softened your tone enough, made eye contact enough. Nobody had gotten angry, not visibly, but you could still feel it. Maybe you were overthinking, or maybe you really were cursed for the rest of your life to constantly map out invisible rules that everyone else but you appeared to just have somehow popped out of the womb knowing.
It was exhausting.
On the bright side, you did have friends! That is, if you count people you don’t even know the favorite color of, are probably just as annoyed with you as you are with yourself, and whose lives would still carry on if a lawachurl were to storm in and crush you right at this moment, sure. You envied people that could connect with others so effortlessly, honestly. You had to just face it. You had no one, and no one had you. They all had other people and you were just an insignificant stain on their lives.
Sleep didn’t come to you that night. each time you closed your eyes, those agitating, unrelenting voices started again.
You’re annoying.
You’re too much.
You don’t belong.
You’re a burden.
Just shut up.
You pressed the heels of your palms into your eyes until stars burst behind them. Perhaps it would be better if you didn’t harass anybody and their ears with your disruptive presence and grating voice anymore.
—
It didn’t take very long for someone to notice.
You had always been loud, however, not in an unpleasant way. You’d arrive at the Wangshu Inn like a ray of sunlight, all bright and beaming, rambling before you even fully stepped onto the balcony. Complaining about customers, maundering on about some new hobby you picked up, a cute animal you saw today.
Lately, you’d been enveloped by quiet instead, like a ghostly cloak over you.
You still showed up at first. But each time, you’d just sit near him, no tangents about your day like usual. Simply staring out at Dihua Marsh with that faraway look in your eyes, disappearing even though you were still sitting right there.
Before you stopped coming entirely.
Xiao had caught wind from Verr Goldet that you had “not been feeling well.” Holed up in your room, sleeping at odd hours, declining visitors, hardly even coming out for food.
“They’re probably just tired.” Verr Goldet had said kindly.
But Xiao’s senses have been honed for millennia to pick up on disturbances in the air. Karmic debt, demonic activity, calls of his own name no matter how near or far, the restless stirrings of the world. He could sense that something about this, something about you, was not right.
—
The air was cool that night. Xiao stood upon the highest beam of Wangshu Inn, observing Dihua Marsh stretched beneath him, ever vigilant. Until he sensed it—soft footsteps on the balcony below.
You were hunched over at the railing, shoulders slumped, all your weight resting on your elbows that were propped up against the wood.
“What are you doing up at this hour?”
You jolted before whipping your head around to see Xiao stood behind you, arms crossed, those familiar piercing amber eyes peering at you.
“Oh.” You breathed. Of course he was here. “Hi. I couldn’t sleep. Is it just your thing to always jump-scare people like that?”
“You cant sleep? Why?” Xiao asked, dismissing your comment. If there were nightmares plaguing you, this was something he could fix like clockwork, what with the dream devouring thing and all. It would explain your sudden change in behavior, as well.
“Just…couldn’t.” You shrugged. Truly, the reason you couldn’t sleep was due to your racing thoughts, but Xiao didn’t need to know that. You’re already burdening everyone around you enough, you don’t need to add Xiao to that list of people. That is, if he isn’t already on that list with you constantly disrupting his peace storming into the balcony with your loud mouth every single day. You really were pathetic.
“Are you well?” Xiao suddenly asked, cutting through your self-deprecating spiral. Those were frequent for you as of late. You didn’t even notice you were going into one again anymore.
“Am I well?“ you blinked, then forced a smile. “Uh, I’m fine, thanks for asking. Why?”
“You… have not been yourself. You avoid the inn, you’re distracted when you do appear, and your energy is diminished.”
“Well, I guess I am tired. But aside from that, I’m fine.”
Xiao’s eyes narrowed. “I can clearly see you are not fine. Do not insult me by pretending otherwise.”
That was unfortunately true, Xiao was not stupid, far from it. But you really weren’t up to dumping your problems onto him right now. Though it seemed like he wasn’t up to dropping this subject anytime soon, either.
“Why do you even care?” You huffed. There it is again. You flinched at your own tone. That came out sharper than you intended it to. This is why people don’t want to be around you.
Xiao did not relent, stepping closer instead. “If something is amiss, you will tell me. I am responsible for the safety of all those who reside in Liyue, and your condition concerns me.”
Here he goes with the whole “I must protect Liyue” spiel. Does he really think this is because you’re in danger? You want to laugh at the idea, but don’t have the energy. The only thing endangering you is the thoughts in your own head. If you can’t fool him, the least you can do is keep refusing to talk until he gets tired and forgets about it, even if just for another day.
“It’s nothing.”
“You are a poor liar.” Xiao said, voice low but firm. “You and I both know you will not bring me to believe that this is nothing, so you might as well save us both the time and inform me as to what’s going on.”
Xiao’s tone was laced with an unyielding stubbornness. Okay, great, so he really was not going to drop this. You could just walk away right now to avoid this entire conversation, but he’d probably just teleport after you, so scratch that.
This back and forth was pointless.
Overwhelmed, all of the fight drained from you at once as you sank to your knees, onto the floor of the balcony, head dropping into your lap. Your breath hitched and tears began to stream down your face as you pressed it further into your knees, embarrassed, hiding.
Xiao crouched down so that you were level. “What is wrong?” he asked, softer now.
“I’m so tired, Xiao.” You whimpered. He said nothing, waiting for you to elaborate.
“I just- I just don’t know what’s wrong with me. I feel so alone despite being surrounded by people.” You continued. “I don’t do anything right. I don’t get social stuff. I miss cues, I don’t get when people are joking, I talk too much, or too little, and I don’t notice that I’ve upset someone or that I was being annoying until it’s already too late.”
Your voice trembled. You buried your face even further into your lap if that was even possible at this point.
“I don’t fit in anywhere, nobody actually likes me and they’re all just tolerating my presence.”
Xiao stared at your curled up form in pure disbelief. How could you speak of being alone and nobody wanting to be around you so casually as if he isn’t sitting right infront of you? He was almost offended.
“And my work—gods, my work. Theres so much to do and I’m always the incompetent one needing everything explained to me just making things harder for everyone and disappointing everyone...”
The words poured out now, messy and frantic.
“It would be better if I just disappeared!” Your breath came faster, panicked, spiraling.
“I just want it to stop.” You whispered. “I just want it to stop, I want it to stop, I want it to stop—!”
You broke down entirely, your words dissolving into loud sobs, repeating over and over.
Xiao’s eyes widened instantly. He felt his blood go cold. You, bubbly and upbeat you—who everyday, continues to dismantle the quiet, isolating existence he’s curated, was now curled up on the ground wailing and begging for an end right infront of him. How long have you felt like this for?
“Stop. Look at me.”
You didn’t.
“Please look at me.”
You couldn’t deny him, hearing the rare tinge of desperation in his voice. You drew in a shaky breath, and reluctantly, you lifted your head a fraction and turned to look in his direction, eyes red and puffy.
“You believe you are a burden,” Xiao began, carefully. “That your presence irritates others.”
You averted your gaze, ashamed.
“You are wrong.” he stated. “You… are my companion. You come to this balcony everyday, disrupting my solitude. If I disliked your presence, you would know.”
A faint huff escaped you. That was true. Xiao was not one to hide when he dislikes someone. Your literal first meeting, he immediately brushed you off, lecturing you on how it’s unsafe to be around him and you must leave now, before vanishing in a flicker of teal. You shake your head fondly at the memory.
“And, I would notice if you stopped.”
Your gaze flickered back up.
“If you stopped coming, if you disappeared, Liyue would feel your absence. I would feel your absence. I have lived for thousands of years, I do not grow attached easily. And yet, I’ve grown accustomed to your presence. To your voice.”
It was your turn now, to look at him in disbelief. Xiao’s pride told him to stop, retreat into silence, leave, but he kept going.
“You matter to me, and I do not wish to lose you.”
Your eyes stung with tears all over again.
“You say that you feel alone, as though you do not belong. I understand that feeling better than most. I do not fit amongst humans. Human interaction is… troublesome. But you have a place in Liyue.”
You managed a weak smile, the corners of your mouth barely twitching upward. “And here I thought you found me insolent.”
“I do. You are insolent.”
Your mouth fell open.
“But,” he added. You swore you saw a touch of pink adorning his cheeks now. “What would I do without your insolence? What would I do without you storming into the inn all of the time and filling it with noise?”
Fresh tears spilled over your cheeks now. Before you could stop yourself, you were lunging forward, attacking Xiao in a tight embrace, arms wrapping around his waist.
Xiao stiffened, not used to the contact, but he’d allow it this once. A gloved hand rested on the small of your back, the other beginning to rub small circles between your shoulder blades, albeit awkwardly, in an attempt to soothe you. A gesture he had witnessed humans do.
“I meant it,” He murmured. “When I told you to call my name. When you are having these thoughts again, call my name. Immediately. I will come.”
“You don’t have to—“
“I will.”
There was no arguing with that. For a while, you two stayed like that. Your breathing gradually evened out as you rested against Xiao’s chest, fully slumping into him and your grip on his shirt loosening.
“You’re falling asleep.”
“M’not.” You mumbled, voice muffled against him.
Xiao pulled back enough to see your face. Your eyes were half-lidded, cheeks stained with the dried remnants of tears, the tension in your brow now smoothened out by exhaustion. He cringed at the feeling of his shirt, damp with your tears, but chose to ignore it.
Carefully, Xiao slid an arm around your back and the other under your knees. Any other time, you’d be protesting, squirming, demanding to walk on your own two feet. Lucky for Xiao, you didn’t have it in you right now, instead opting to press your face further into his chest.
You suddenly felt the world around you warping before coming to a stop. You opened your eyes, as much as you could with how heavy they were, to the sight of your dim inn room. Xiao carefully stepped over the crumpled heap of clothes strewn across the floor, which you’d be humiliated by him witnessing if you weren’t practically half-asleep, and crossed over to your bed.
You were placed onto the mattress with a surprising gentleness. Xiao hesitated for a brief moment, before pulling your blanket up over your chest.
He gave you a final once over then prepared to leave—
“Xiao…”
Your voice was heavy with sleep, Xiao’s name on your tongue stretching out into a long, slow sound.
Xiao paused before turning back towards you. “Hm.”
“…Love you.”
Xiao’s body went rigid. He instantly felt heat rushing up his neck, to his face, then to his ears. He quickly averted his gaze as though his heart would leap out of his chest if he looked at you for a second longer.
“Hmph.” He muttered brusquely. It was the only sound he trusted himself to make.
Without another word, Xiao vanished in a flash of teal light.
The room fell silent again, but rather than oppressive, it was peaceful this time. As you drifted off that night, a faint, contented smile lingered on your lips.
You’re in your room laying on your bed, your hands beneath the covers. You’ve been chasing your release for the past 20 minutes but your hands on their own just weren’t enough.
Earlier that day you had gone to visit xiao at the wangshu inn and he looked incredible, not that he doesn’t look amazing any other day. You’ve been crushing on xiao since archon knows when and now you’re alone in your room touching yourself to the thought of him.
“Ughh how has it gotten to this…. Nevermind i can worry about that later, but first”
You close your eyes and imagine it is xiao’s hands instead as your fingers trail lower down your stomach. You fingers circle your folds slowly and you let out a soft, involuntary whimper. You slide one finger inside your pussy, and you can hear the slick, wet sounds echo throughout the quiet room.
“Mmnhh aagh-hgh”, you moan softly when your fingers find your clit and you circle it gently before pressing down on it more firmly with your thumb. it shoots a spark of pleasure through your entire body. You continue circling your clit and your folds with your fingers coating them in your wetness.
“Mmmnh~ x-xiao”, you mutter softly as your finger slowly stretches you out whilst your other finger circles and presses down on your clit overwhelming yourself with the pleasure.
Xiao suddenly appears in your room at the call of his name, “you calle-“ he begins but is cut off when he witnesses the scene in front of him. Your eyes flutter open after a few seconds and your cheeks flush a deep shade of pink in embarrassment. You remove your fingers and try to cover yourself with the blanket.
“W-what are y-you doing here?” You stutter, barely managing to get your words out.
“I heard you call out my name”, xiao says, turning his head to the side as he looks everywhere in the room but at you. You notice the slight tinge of pink to the tip of his ears and the way his feet shifts nervously on the floor.
He’s so cute, you think to yourself. WAIT, Why are you thinking that now? How can you be admiring him when he just caught you masturbating.
Despite your thoughts, your eyes drift over to him taking in the way his dark-green hair frames his face, with a few stray locks that fall down the side of his face. Your eyes travel down the swirling green tattoos that stretched around his right arm and across his abdomen that was slightly see-through against his shirt. His shirt hugs his body tightly outlining the toned, slender physique underneath. You were embarrassed from having just been caught but that didn’t stop your core from throbbing achingly with need.
You don’t know where the sudden wave of boldness comes from but you push the blanket away and invite xiao to join you.
“Do you wanna help me?” You say softly. Xiao’s eyes travel down your body to your bare pussy on display before he’s eyes snap back to yours. His restraint breaks as his climbs onto your bed and his lips crash down onto yours. You instantly part your lips for him and he takes that as permission as his tongue enters you mouth and explores your mouth hungrily like a man starved. The kiss is far from perfect but you can still feel his desperation.
While you were focused on his lips on yours, xiao’s hands travel down your body and his fingers play with your folds. The sudden contact makes your breath hitch against his lips. His fingers circle your clit, shooting pleasure through your body before he inserts his finger inside you. He swallows your moan as he lips move hungrily against yours.
Your back arches off the pillow as be inserts a second finger inside stretching you further. He doesn’t stop kissing you as his fingers pump in and out of your pussy. He continues scissoring his fingers inside of you stretching you wider. His finger curles inside of you hitting the spot that makes you see stars. You feel heat pool low in your abdomen as you whine, “x-xiao nnghh I’m g-gonna-“. his free hand palms your breast through your shirt gently pinching the sensitive peaks which sends you over the edge. Your orgasm crashes over you as you cum all over his hands. He continues pumping his fingers in and out of you while you come down from your orgasm before removing his fingers. He brings his fingers to his mouth and sucks your release off which makes you clench your thighs.
“Mmmh you taste so fucking good”, He says, he’s blushing really hard, the pink tinge at the tip of his ears had spread to his face blooming across his pale cheeks. You feel a warm flutter in your chest and can’t stop the smile that begin to form on your face
You notice the obvious tent in his trousers and offer to help him out. He hesitates at first before removing his trousers and pants. His cock springs out standing hard as he lines up the tip with your entrance.
“Are you sure?”, he asks nervously for the second time before slowly pushes his cock inside of you slowly. Despite preparing you with his fingers, his cock still fills you up completely. He waits for you to get adjusted with his size before inching deeper. After you adjust to his size, he moves his hips back and forth thrusting inside of you at a steady thrust, each time his tip kissing the back of your cervix. He fingers slide down, finding your hands and intertwining his fingers with yours.
You feel your second orgasm approaching. He feels your body tense slightly and his thumb finds your clit between your bodies and rubs it between his fingers which makes your vision blur as tears prick the corner of your eyes due to the overwhelming sensation. The heat that was pooling in your abdomen turns into a urgent tightening coil that unravels as your orgasm washes over you. He feels your walls tighten around his cock and he lets out a whine as his face buries in your neck. Your walls spasms around his cock inside of you driving him over the edge and milking him for what he’s worth. The swirling green tattoos stretched across his arm and lower abdomen create a bright glow casting a shadowy light within your bedroom
After he’s orgasm, he stays buried inside of you for a few seconds with his face buried in the crook of your neck. He lifts himself up slowly and you can see the loose strands of his hair sticking to his forehead and you gently use your hand to brush the pieces of his hair aside. His eyes flutter shut and he purrs into the palm of your hand.
He gets up and heads to the bathroom before returning with a damp cloth. He cleans between your legs, and being extra cautious and gentle with his touch. After cleaning you up he cuddles up to your side and wraps his arm around you firmly, as if he’s scared you’d disappear if he lets go. You fall asleep resting your head against his chest.
He kisses your forehead softly and whispers, “i love you”, as he fingers brush a stray lock of hair from your face.
characters ─ xiao, al haitham, scaramouche, varka, kaedehara kazuha, kyryll chudomirovich flins x f!reader
content ─ fluff, modern au, xiao's one was written like 2 or 3 years ago, not proofread, everyone is stupid here, projecting my girlfailureness onto reader, mention of blood in varka's part, a slight hint of angst if you squint enough. the prompts aren't mine!! i got them from different posts here years ago but i can't find them anymore. if you recognize any, please let me know so i can properly credit them !! hope you guys enjoy <3
genshin m.list ♡ each part is about 800-950 words long
until this day, you still had barely any clue on how you found yourself in a fake relationship with the famous drummer of the 6REEZE band.
a famous rockstar and a worldwide known actress.
the simple idea was ridiculous, you thought. your worlds had nearly nothing to do with each other.
his was a whirlwind of ear-deafening concerts, endless band practices and makeup so dark it made the amber shades of his eyes seem a little too hypnotizing for your heart to handle. on the other hand, yours was a soft and gentle lifestyle that included playing in heartwarming rom-coms and comforting yet soul shattering movies that left the deepest impressions in the viewers’ hearts.
the shock that nearly broke the internet on a global scale at the news of your relationship was nothing compared to the way you had nearly screamed while jumping out of your seat when your manager informed you of the next step in your career.
a break you had taken in the middle of your peak had awakened baseless rumors and provoked a decrease in your fame. and the solution was to date one of the most loved celebrities in liyue. and you still haven’t decided whether you hated your manager or not, yet.
not that you had the time.
between interviews, trying to get to know each other as fast as possible with xiao and luring the paparazzis into your supposedly “private” dates to keep appearances, you couldn’t help but catch a tiny teeny amount of feelings for the rockstar.
xiao was a bit too good at his role.
the arms around your waist, the hand at the small of your back and the occasional kisses you’d receive on your cheek or forehead to please your fans – sometimes enraging some. it all felt like a bunch of arrows being shot one at a time in your direction, piercing your chest open and urging you to hand your heart over to your fake boyfriend.
and this whole act was definitely getting to you.
after attending one of his concerts in the vip section, cheering for him and sending each other smiles, flying kisses and other cheesy displays of affection to one another to keep your fans entertained, you found yourself visiting him backstage.
the members of his band didn’t know that your relationship was a play. so, seeing you arrive, it was only natural for heizou to prompt everyone else to exit the makeup room, leaving you and xiao alone.
“you did amazing,” you told him with a soft smile, sitting beside him on the couch.
you handed him the cold bottle of water in your hands. stupidly enough, your heart clearly didn’t seem to manage getting used to the little touches or affectionate gestures. it hammered against your chest when his fingers brushed yours. nearly leaped out of your ribcage at the grateful smile he gave you, the sharp edges of his face softening and the paleness of his cheeks turning a light shade of pink.
you sat there in silence, enjoying each other’s company.
unconsciously, your head ended up resting on his shoulder. but none of you dared to make a move, scared that the slightest twitch would have the other pull away.
even after you had realized what you were doing. you didn’t budge. his head rested on top of yours and your heart did a little somersault in its cage, jumping all the way to your throat and resting on the tip of your tongue.
so close to make you spill all the unspoken feelings you couldn’t contain within yourself to him.
“i have to go back on stage,” xiao whispered gently.
you masked your disappointment, lifting your head from his shoulder and watching him as he stood up.
your eyes raked over his back, admiring how the deep v-cut of his shirt revealed a large portion of the skin beneath.
smooth. pale. slender and toned. and you couldn’t look away when you noticed the way his muscles moved as he arranged his hair and in-ears. how could you, really.
when xiao turned back towards you, he handed you back the bottle of water, leaning down to plant a tender kiss on your forehead. his lips slowly wandered all the way down your lips, leaving a trail of shivers and heat behind them. your brain didn’t process what was happening fast enough. at least, not before xiao had stormed out of the makeup room, realization befalling him.
you sat on the couch. speechless. unmoving. paralyzed in your seat as reality dawned on you.
did the play you were entertaining your audience with get to him to the point he kissed you out of habit?
but he never kissed your lips before!
did xiao hold some sort of affection for you that went beyond the limits set by the contract?
you shook your head frantically, not allowing yourself to go any further with that dumb, delusional, silly reasoning of yours.
and while you tried to compose yourself before going back to the concert, xiao was leaning against the other side of the door, a hand pressed to his mouth while his face glowed a bright red.
“what the hell,” xiao mumbled to himself, crouching on the floor.
𝖠𝖫 𝖧𝖠𝖨𝖳𝖧𝖠𝖬 - 𝗃𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌𝗒 𝗃𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌𝗒 !! | 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗈𝗋 𝗑 𝗆𝗈𝖽𝖾𝗅
haitham was a rational man. he knew it. you knew it. and so did the entirety of sumeru.
he’s never acted on impulse a day in his life, never made any decision that would ever impact his career in a negative way. he kept a respectful distance between him and his co-stars, easily evaded intrusive questions regarding his romantic life and just did everything possible to avoid scandals.
it was never enough, seemingly.
he’d like to blame it all on kaveh, but really, it was mostly your fault.
after another tiring, early shoot, he caught his friend chatting away with an unfamiliar person. and although he didn’t really care about socializing, he could hardly escape the both of you when you signaled him to approach. so, with a sigh, he made his way towards and you both introduced yourselves.
“i got coffee,” you told the two men, watching them perk up.
it only took your manager tapping on your shoulder for you to startle and spill the scalding hot liquid all over haitham’s shirt. after much insistence, and seeing how apologetic you looked, he handed you over the dirty clothing while you promised to bring it back in a pristine condition.
you never imagined such a small incident would impact your modelling career on a large scale.
truth be told, you were a bit to blame for the lack of precaution you took, despite being so painfully aware of paparazzis following the both of you. sure, you visited him in the middle of the night to hand him back his clothes. and sure, you may have overstayed your welcome, slipping inside his apartment after he’d offered you a glass of water. and maybe you shouldn’t have stayed there for a few more hours, not noticing the time slip by as you both chatted away.
you surprisingly got along pretty well, despite the terrible first impression he had of you.
the next day, you were the talk of the nation. several tabloids and social media posts showing pictures of you going into his residence, scandalous captions discussing how you hadn’t come out for several hours.
so, of course, the only way to appease the morbid curiosity of both your fans was to confirm the dating rumors.
at least, according to your managers. they didn’t give you much of a choice, posting announcements and leaving you both staring at each other blankly.
it was a simple arrangement. fake date for a few months and break up because your schedules go too busy.
haitham knew it couldn’t be too hard. his whole career revolved around acting, he could easily fool everyone that you two were madly in love with each other without it affecting his personal life.
and haitham was a rational man. he knew that.
he had absolutely no valid reason as to why he was glaring from the other side of the room, nose scrunching in disgust as your coworker’s hand slid down your arm and wrapped around your waist. you followed the photographer’s instructions, the both of you executing pose and after pose under his loud praise and encouragement.
as the perfect boyfriend he was (fake, of course), haitham had come to visit you with a well deserved ice cold drink. the thought of having to reign himself in and avoid making the cup explode in his hand never crossed his mind while he was in line at the coffee shop earlier.
he was the perfect picture of control, leaning against a wall while his eyes never left you, a few staff members gawking at him. thankfully for him, none of them seemed to notice the murderous intentions behind his eyes and the way he glared at the man leaning way too close to your face.
the very sight made him want to puke his guts on the floor.
and while nothing slipped through his permanently stoic facade, you had no trouble reading through him. you pecked his cheek as you grabbed the drink he brought you, a small huff of laughter escaping you as he just wouldn’t relax his face.
gently, you traced the slope of his nose, caressing the little wrinkles forming between his furrowed brows. “you look upset,” you remarked calmly.
haitham scoffed. “he looked stupid next to you.”
his words made you snort. so much emotions for someone claiming that this was purely contractual. in the months you’d pretended to be a loving couple, he’d always kept a distance between the both of you in private. yet the walls he’d built around himself were beginning to crack and crumble.
not that you didn’t like it. it was simply amusing to watch him try and fail to rationalize the current situation.
“oh, i’m sure you’d make a better fit,” you giggled, leaning on the wall beside him.
you pretended to not notice his insistent gaze above you, ignored the little sparks of hope burning away in your mind. when your coworker waved at you from the other side of the room, haitham placed himself in front of you before you could smile back.
your eyebrows shot up, a playful smile pulling at your lips. “are you jealous, or something?”
you noted the way he frowned again, confusion morphing his face, his mouth opening and closing a few times. haitham sighed, resigned.
“as if.”
his curt response made you laugh aloud, drawing attention from the busy staff around you. none of them stopped him when he gripped your wrist and dragged you away, your laughter muffled by the door he closed behind him and his lips crashing against yours.
scaramouche stared at his manager like he grew a second head.
“hell no.”
“hell yes,” heizou insisted.
there was no way his star actor would refuse such an offer. yet no arguments seemed to make him budge, looking at the red-head with nothing but disgust plastered on his face. the fact that he already convinced him to play in a romance was a miracle to begin with. but heizou really needed a second one right now, if scaramouche would just be merciful enough.
while he was known on a global scale, no thanks to his incredible talent and his mother’s connections, you had only gotten into the acting scene a few years ago.
and a dating scandal between two leads of a romance movie was bound to not only attract a bigger audience, but also get you under the limelight.
unfortunately for scaramouche, it was working before anyone made it official. stupid tabloids about how lovely and oddly attentive he seemed to be with you behind the scenes were already emerging. clips of him wrapping his jacket around your shoulders during late shoots circulated quickly on the internet. the way he peered at you in concern when you sneezed far too many times in a row having people questioning his relationship to you.
and those dumb edits with even dumber songs. can a man not worry about his coworker anymore?
“you never worry about coworkers,” heizou deadpanned at his complaint.
and so, scaramouche surrendered to his fate.
the announcement dropped like a bomb above everyone’s heads, your socials exploding with a sudden overflow in followers, comments and intrusive questions filling up your private messages. although you trusted your manager’s plans, you never imagined it’d work in such a short time. part of you was afraid that your fake relationship would only attract negative attention and an overwhelming amount of scaramouche’s – sort of obsessive – fans banging at your door with pitchforks and murderous intents.
instead, they thought it was hilarious.
and maybe you agreed a little. you had to suppress a laugh at the almost robotic way in which he approached you, extending his arm for you to take to walk down the red carpet. the premiere was taking place today and it was only customary for the lead actors to be present today.
you could already picture thousands of comments mentioning how stiff scaramouche looked beside you, standing before hundreds of flashing lights. his hand was hovering over your waist, his spine so straight and his smile so forced. it was a bit ridiculous, given the fact that you two kissed at least a dozen times before your director was satisfied with the result.
it seemed like scaramouche’s professionalism didn’t follow him outside the set.
you turned sideways, peering at him. “you look awkward, y’know,” you muttered through a smile.
his head whipped towards you and you could see him fighting back the urge to frown.
“yeah, it’s because this is awkward," he retorted, his lips quirking downwards.
you couldn’t help but huff out a laugh. he was oddly endearing for someone so known for being bossy and rude. your hands went up to his collar, carefully adjusting the slightly crooked fabric. you didn’t think he could get any stiffer than this and yet. as your fingers brushed the skin of his neck, you noted how he’d gone completely still, the apples of his cheeks turning redder by the second.
scaramouche could barely look at you, the slight contact of your skin against his making embarrassment crawl down his spine, so painfully aware of the public setting you were in. and the photographs immortalizing the, possibly, most mortifying moment of his acting career. he couldn’t bring himself to look at you, eyes fixated on the large crowd of paparazzis in front of him.
you hummed, guiding his hand to rest properly on the curve of your waist. his throat bobbed, nerves eating at him. your laughter reaching his ears sounded like a death sentence to him.
“you’re not a very good actor,” you giggled.
that seemed to offend him more than anything else today. more than heizou, who was standing behind the crowd of paparazzis, capturing the moment on his phone like a proud mother, ever did.
scaramouche turned towards you, a pout pulling at his lips. “i have four oscars,” he protested, almost petulant.
the sight made you bring a hand up to your mouth, hardly stifling your giggles. scaramouche frowned, his face turning into an even darker shade of red. you didn’t have the brain cells to even wonder how he even managed that, unable to contain your laughter any longer.
his hand suddenly wrapped around your wrist, pulling you along with him and away from the blinding flashes. and you followed straight behind, grinning and waving at the paparazzis.
you never expected your peaceful days of modelling and travelling around the globe to be so rudely disrupted by a man, of all things. then again, you should have seen that coming.
no amount of softening your speech and keeping your feelings inside was going to save your doomed relationship. and although it’s been months since your messy breakup happened, dozens of headlines still followed you around, claiming and lying about your mental state.
“he tried to ruin my career!” you whined to no one in particular, throwing your phone across the room. “why would i miss him!?”
and maybe you were paranoid but you were almost sure he was the very reason behind why paparazzis and interviewers still bothered to ask you about him. with him being the rich heir of the most influential company in mondstat, it wouldn’t be surprising for you to discover his bribing.
while you didn’t have the power to turn the tables on him, you sure did have enough pettiness in you to hit where it hurts.
and yeah, sure, getting with your ex’s favorite athlete might be a bad look. and maybe dating his favorite boxer made it seem like you were the bitter one. but it wasn’t like you had the time to care, really, far too busy entertaining the media and your fans with more lies than you could count.
you didn’t know why varka even agreed to fake a relationship with you, and you didn’t care to know. all that mattered was your private messages blowing up with your ex’s rage.
strong hands wrapped around your waist, pulling you against a sturdy chest. “looks like it worked,” varka said behind you.
the corners of your lips curled up as you turned to look at him, avoiding the blinding flashes capturing this tender moment.
“told you it would,” you chuckled.
with his match starting soon, and feeling the attention on the both of you, you turned to face him fully, arms wrapping around his neck. you didn’t let your eyes linger too long on his, ignoring the little somersaults your heart did at his insistent gaze and the lack of his usual cheerfulness. your fingers raked through his unruly hair, fixing up golden strands that refused to stay in place.
it was a temporary arrangement. there was no need for you to search for a deeper meaning behind the longing swimming in his bright pools. or the quiet desperation in the way his lips pressed against yours.
and there was certainly no reason for you to feel your heart sink at the sight of his bloodied face and the fire burning in the blue of his eyes. despite trying to remind yourself that he was an exceptional boxer, nothing could stop the tears gathering at your waterline when he was crowned, yet again, victor, bruises and cuts all over his proud expression.
you couldn’t bring yourself to talk to him as he drove you home. varka didn’t say a word either, teeth pulling at his split lip. he didn’t think you’d care this much about the injuries he’d sustain in his matches when you first presented him with the setup. and he always tried his best to not overwhelm you with feelings that went beyond the limits set by the contract.
yet varka, in the past few months, has discovered that he never had the strength to refuse you anything. so he didn’t protest when you pulled him into your apartment and sat him down on the edge of your bathtub. nor when you pressed a little too harshly on his cuts and when you didn’t bother being gentle while applying ointment to his bruises. he didn’t have it in him to crack a joke when you threw towels at him and practically slammed the door behind you.
he’d also realized that it took so little for you to melt into his large hands. so when you walked past him, his fingers gently grabbed your wrist, pulling you into a warm embrace.
“i’m sorry,” he muttered, lips pressing against your forehead.
stubborn, you didn’t ease your frown, burying your face into the crook of his neck. you burrowed yourself in his lap, his arms wrapping around your form, rocking the both of you forward.
“shut up.”
a small smile played on his lips, his cheek pressing against the top of your head. despite the harshness of your words, you refused to let go of him, any attempt of his at moving rendered useless when you dug your nails into his forearms. with a laugh, varka guessed that it wouldn’t hurt to spend the night on your couch, with you clinging to him.
when the first rays of the sun pulled you out of your slumber, none of you addressed what had occurred.
it was necessary, you tried reasoning with yourself.
obviously, it wouldn’t make sense that two renowned actors, who were dating nonetheless, would appear so stiff while kissing on camera. it would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it?
maybe not as ridiculous as your current predicament. as if sensing some hesitation from your side, kazuha tilted your chin so you’d look at him.
“we don’t have to,” he told you, his tone far too sweet for you to handle.
he wasn’t completely wrong. the arrangement your managers had put you in was fairly recent. if anything, it would only endear the crew to see the both of you shy away from such displays of affection.
you’d barely registered the reason why yoimiya was so adamant on making you fake a relationship with kazuha. the only thing you’d processed was his name and the fact that he was going to pretend to be your boyfriend for a few months.
the very actor you’d set your eyes on since the beginning of your career – and even before then. the same one you’d admired for years and years. the one you were filming a show with, playing as each other’s love interests while the wide public was hit with the news of your supposed relationship.
you hardly believed the situation you somehow ended up in until today. you wondered if he had to go through the same mental gymnastics you did before showing up at your doorstep. you couldn’t help but hope that maybe, just maybe, him revealing the reason behind his presence as wanting to practice your lines together was but an excuse.
after all, you were under no obligation to play pretend behind closed doors. yet his attempt at easing your nerves only alarmed you.
“no, it’s fine!” you blurted out.
when kazuha chuckled at your eagerness, you slapped a hand over your mouth, deflating like a balloon. you felt a bit stupid, so easily baring your feelings to him unprompted. sure, it wasn’t a direct confession. but kazuha wasn’t dumb enough to miss the meaning behind enthusiasm. you hid behind your hands, the AC not helping the state of your burning cheeks.
you felt the mattress dip beside you, gentle fingers wrapping around your wrist and prying your hands off of your face. “don’t hide,” kazuha whispered.
he was so insistent on your eyes meeting his, peering and searching for your gaze until you relented. the softness of his smile felt like a dozen arrows were shot straight through your heart. just as gentle, his fingers trailed up your arm, leaving sparks in their wake, tracing the column of your neck, cupping your jaw.
kazuha inched closer to you until you felt his leg press against yours. “i’ll kiss you now, okay?”
your eyes were screwed shut, your entire being nearly vibrating with nerves and anticipation, fists clenching on your lap. maybe it was a good idea to practice before your shoot tomorrow, given your predicament.
kazuha didn’t close the distance immediately, a fond smile drawn on his features at the sight of you. you looked just so nervous that a little, cruel part of him wanted to toy with your current state. his hand rested on one of your fists, thumb caressing soothing circles on your skin until you allowed his fingers to interlink with yours.
a beat passed. a quiet moment in which your ears couldn’t perceive anything beside the erratic beating of your heart.
hot puffs of air fanned over your lips. before you could stop yourself, you flinched away from the sensation, wide eyed. a moment passed by as you simmered in your own mortification before you muttered a quiet apology, looking down at your lap. you couldn’t help but feel a bit irritated at yourself.
“it’s okay”, kazuha chuckled, his knuckle caressing the burning skin of your face. “relax for me, yeah?”
you didn’t bother complaining about how his presence was anything but relaxing. it felt like every hair on your body was standing straight just from the proximity. any and every contact of his skin against yours lit a fire within the pit of your stomach, flames growing and licking at the little frustration you felt.
when kazuha leaned in again, he didn’t linger too long on the cute look on your face.
his lips were as sweet as he was, you thought, sitting straight and unmoving for a few seconds. when he moved them against yours, you felt like putty in his hands, pliant and so quick to follow the pace he set. your fingers gripped at the fabric of his shirt, nails digging into his shoulders when his tongue traced your bottom lip.
your mouth parted instantly, the small noise of surprise you made quickly swallowed by kazuha. his hand slipped to your nape, angling your head in a way that let him lick into your mouth. you pulled away for a second, your mind spiraling at the suddenness of his actions.
“don’t do that,” kazuha tutted playfully.
you felt your mouth dry up when your eyes met his half-lidded ones, the ruby shade of them barely visible through his dilated pupils. you wouldn’t be too shocked if they suddenly turned into hearts.
and he was so mean, pushing his lips against yours and swallowing your protests and shy mutters, claiming that you could do so much better for him. you didn’t have it in you to deny him or disprove his words, growing dizzier and dizzier with every lungful of air he stole from you.
so light-headed that you’d forgotten the reason behind his hunger.
you collapsed onto your hotel bed. every muscle of your body was screeching in pain, sore and exhausted with all the running and fighting you’d done today. the steaming, hot shower you’d taken did nothing to soothe the ache, nor did any of the stretches you quickly looked up.
with a sigh, you surrendered to your fate, burying yourself in the covers of your bed.
your loving manager, nefer, had deemed that you’ve done enough romance shows and movies for a lifetime. and of course, what better way to change the trajectory of your acting career than by having you play in an apocalyptic show. really, she could have had you participate in a survival reality show and you wouldn’t have noticed the difference.
the only thing that helped you pull through was flins playing a role alongside you. despite the contractual nature of your relationship, there was no helping your traitorous heart and its inability to not fall even deeper for him. the arrangement was set purely to draw attention to the show. yet, with every day that passed and with its end nearing, you couldn’t help but hope that, perhaps, flins wouldn’t want this to be over.
you rolled around in your bed, trying and failing to ignore the restless state of your mind.
but there was no logical explanation behind his endless flirtations and tender attentions. you hoped that there was a meaning behind the hands around your waist when no one was present to witness them. that you didn’t imagine the small flickers of affection in the depths of his hypnotizing eyes. there had to be a reason as to why he was so adamant on kissing your knuckles as a greeting, right?
the sky roared, making you sit straight on the mattress.
you could nearly feel the building shake with the intensity of the thunder, raindrops close to breaking the windows.
just your luck.
for a split moment, you stared into the darkness of your room, refusing to look at the bright flashes of light slipping through the glass. you contemplated staying up and falling asleep until the storm passed. maybe watch a show to take your mind off of it until your exhaustion would get the best of you.
another deep, rolling rumble made you scramble towards your bedside table, turning on the dim light.
you felt a bit stupid, getting so spooked by something so normal. but you were so wide awake at the moment, arms crushing your poor stuffed bunny. and you were so hyperaware of every little noise, all the alarms in your brain going haywire when you heard a rattle from your door.
you stared at the wooden surface for a long moment, hoping that whoever was behind it would just leave you alone. better yet, that you simply imagined the sound.
all those thoughts flew out of your mind when a familiar voice called out your name. “it’s just me,” flins added, raising his hand to knock again.
before he could do so, you opened the door, looking at him through a small crack. your lips jutted out into a pout as flins smiled down at you, taking in the messy state of your hair and the plushie glued to your chest.
“thought you’d be scared,” he told you.
something in your chest melted into a pathetic puddle at his words. of course he would think so. despite all his teasing and playfulness, flins was so terribly attentive it made you want to pull out your hair. instead, you opened the door wider, letting him slip inside. you noticed how he’d braided his hair and the near translucent paleness of his skin. his eye bags looked even more pronounced, you thought, guilt twisting your guts.
he probably sacrificed his well-deserved rest just to check on you.
“i couldn’t sleep either.”
you blinked at him, any remorse you’d felt evaporating instantly. “you’re not good at lying,” you deadpanned, locking the door behind you.
flins only laughed at your words. he took a seat on the edge of your bed, eyes crinkling, small sparks of joy animating his gaze. you looked away, feeling your heart take on a faster pace. yet when his hand urged you closer, you followed through almost immediately, wishing that he wouldn’t feel the erratic pace of your heart as his thumb caressed the skin above your pulse.
“do you want me to stay?” flins asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
his lips traced the inside of your wrist, awaiting an answer you couldn’t provide. when you only gave him a nod, he nipped at the sensitive skin, eliciting a hiss from you. “hm?” he pressed.
your eyebrows furrowed, frustration painting your features.
“i do,” you muttered, looking down at the way you shifted on your feet.
a small huff of laughter tumbled out of flins’s lips. you never looked sweeter to him, he thought, pulling on your wrist and into his embrace. you burrowed yourself into his chest, the both of you buried into the covers. you were deaf to the distant rumbles, ear pressed against his wildly beating heart, eyes widening in disbelief.
you didn’t dare say anything that would disturb the peacefulness of this moment. when he pressed a kiss to the top of your head, you tried your best to succumb to the fatigue you felt earlier.
and so, the both of you laid there sleeplessly, praying you’d find a way to extend the contract. at least, until either of you found the courage to put a word on your feelings. or three.
You thought joining the school's Mystery & Investigation Club meant spending your afternoons solving crimes.
You were expecting...
Brilliant deductions, Clever suspects and perhaps a dramatic corkboard or two.
What you got instead was:
One detective who takes everything way too seriously.
One who joined for reasons nobody fully understands.
One who somehow solves mysteries while looking like he's barely paying attention.
One who insists he doesn't care about the club while somehow being at every single meeting.
One who may or may not be here primarily for the snacks.
One who was the most approachable, until chaos finally gets to him.
And one exhausted club president who is beginning to question every decision that led her here.
Then there's you, the newest member.
You were told the club was looking for someone "observant."
Nobody mentioned that you would also need the patience of a saint.
Or the survival instincts of a stray cat.
Or the ability to walk into a room and immediately determine which one of them caused the problem this time.
Between suspicious notes, missing belongings, questionable theories, after-school investigations, and at least one incident that probably should have been reported to a teacher..
Your perfectly ordinary school life is about to become anything but ordinary.
And the strangest part?
You might actually start enjoying it.
So come in, take a seat. Don't touch the evidence, and whatever you do...
Please leave your common sense at the door.
Because the club members certainly did.
Just a mini teaser, trying to see if anyone would be interested 😊
My headcannon is that majority of the calm and stoic men in genshin are actually really clingy when drunk.
Like, you're sitting on the edge of your mattress, waiting patiently in the dark, moonlit room for your boyfriend to return from work.
When suddenly the door swings open in an unusual manner. The echoing footsteps oddly sluggish despite the familiar rhythm.
"Babe? What took you so long?" You tease as your eyes shift towards the doorway, only to be greeted by your very drunk, messy haired boyfriend. his face is flushed a deep crimson, eyes barely open and glossy, but the moment they land on you, you can't help but notice how they practically sparkle.
Without saying another word, he quickly closes the distance with whatever energy he has left. Walking - and almost tripping - on his way to you at the edge of the bed. kneeling down when he's close enough before resting his head right on your lap. The heat of his flushed face lingering on your skin, along with his warm, uneven breaths.
His strong arms wrapping protectively around your waist as he snuggles closer, almost as if he were afraid you might disappear.
You shift slightly. "Hey-"
"Don't.." he cuts you off, voice rough and muffled by your legs.
"I'm sorry for staying out late... I drank too much..." He admits honestly, a certain rare vulnerability he only ever shows you seeping into his words. "don't leave..."
Carefully he looks up at you with tired, pleading eyes that completely shatters the whole stoic persona. "Stay...please." he mumbles.
And when you eventually reassure him that you're not going anywhere, a soft pleased hum escapes him. Resting his head back on your lap and holding you a little closer into the night.
---------------
Lowk has been so long since I've written 🫤
Also why does my mind draw a blank when I think about men in genshin impact???? I can't think of any
