🌧️

20+ | she/they | here to lurk but i may write fics sometimes

[ulanulanulan]

im in a difficult situation lately and it's draining me so bad, everything i attempt to do just comes out not good enough 😢 so, the xiao fic will be put in hiatus. i put so much thought on it, but man, im just v tired aghh so sorry

[ulanulanulan]

it feels strange writing a long-ass xiao fic when i honestly never cared much about him before (i am, in most cases, a childe main, you can see it in my blog asdhdksjk).

the more i write abt him, the more im starting to like him?? also bc i have started reading avidly abt his lore now just so i can write him properly. (i hope im doing a decent job, forgive me xiao mains if im butchering him hhhh🙏🙏🙏 your critiques will be heard if you ever give it to me)

part 4 soon!! lots of talking again bc im still building up the mystery deets side, but we'll get to the spicier parts soon (which is uh slowburn pining lingering physical touches and more yearning i. like that. heehhe) thank you very much to those who stayed tuned. my fics are p long so i really appreciate yall guys 😭😭

[ulanulanulan]

you offer almond tofu to xiao!! and you solve a case together like cool detectives~ part 3

note: i hope my brain can keep all these details.

no specific warnings, just lots of talking Again

part 1 - part 2

wangshu inn - third floor balcony

"xiao!"

when you visited the balcony that afternoon, you were beaming. wei followed you from behind, holding a piece of tuna that you gave it a while ago.

you didn't have a plate of almond tofu on your hand this time. just a cat and yourself.

you called him again, but still, no answer.

the cat next to you stared at the empty space near you. you eyed it with suspicion.

"i know you're here," you said, raising a hand towards the space.

there were burn marks on your hand, xiao noticed, and the idea to meet it with his own fingers crossed his mind. it was a strange feeling to have towards a human, for only the dead and demons received his contact, and more so, it was done with a prayer and exorcism in mind. not curiousity.

he appeared to you before you could even touch him, before he could even touch you, a dangerous thing to think about.

your eyes widened, one that reminded him of a child's. it's an extraordinary phenomenon, a child's eyes. they held the same shine in them even when they have passed away that, at times, it was impossible to distinguish a living child to the wandering spirit of one.

you took your hand away, a look of triumph crossing your features.

you said, "i need your help." your tone was respectful but the glee in your entire posture was perceptible. there was composure in your excitement, but he could sense that you can just burst anytime, like yesterday.

"you seem to think adepti can be called at your whim, adventurer. this is unwise," he said disdainfully. "i do not interact with humans nor heed to their meaningless affairs. you will be crossing a line if you continue this. there is a reason why my kind do not simply mingle with yours."

you said, "you told me to call your name if i'm ever in trouble. "

"your state appears to be the opposite of troubled," he replied, trying hard not to look at your eyes. it reminded him of everflame, seeds born from pyro regisvines. such a tiny thing yet their flame just as strong and dangerous, even more so when they grow.

"ah," you started, a small blush crossing your face. red suited you, he thought. yesterday, hurt enveloped your spirit, but now you were ablazed. these differences from before and the present baffled him. they were minute details, but intensely felt all the same.

"i remembered something important. and it's, well, you probably don't care." you shook a hand, laughing a bit. "i need your help.

"i was inlove," you said, unable to stop yourself. you covered your mouth with a hand, as if it could push back the overwhelming emotions about to burst out of you.

xiao could see you were trying to keep a serious face but you could barely hide the smile peeking out of your lips nor the happiness in your eyes.

xiao turned to leave, confused by your expression. "i am not a confidant you could simply spill your human emotions with. i have no need for this."

and, like yesterday, you pulled his arm and your touch heeled him back to you. in his mind, he shrugged it away, but he did no such thing, for your grip was firm and hard.

your hands were also warm. it was quite alarming.

something was different about you, unlike yesterday when you could barely keep yourself together. he had listened to you out of pity. yet, even at your most miserable state, there was unexpected strength in your touch.

now, you were so different. it was like you have come alive.

"last night, i dreamt of the cold. i was in a mountain and it was freezing. it scared me so much.

"yet i also dreamt of a song," you said.

"it helped me remember. i remember just the tune but i know there were words behind it, a promise i made. i remember my vision, the strong feeling inside of it.

"i think i was inlove because i was so happy and frustrated and excited and terrified and--"

"it does not matter to me," he said, pushing you off. "get to the point, human. i have no time for your quips."

a small smile crossed your face, "of course." you shook your head, and the gleam in your eyes turned hard, as if you had come to a decision.

"i shall ask you to make a contract with me."

he glared at you, anger bubbling inside him. "you are making a contract with an adeptus? are you a fool? do you understand how impossible this is?"

"perhaps. but right now, meteors are falling from the sky and losing my vision is the least of anyone's worries," you said, your voice rising quickly.

"because i'm that fool who lost their vision. it is nothing compared to people losing their loved ones because of a piece of rock that sent them sleeping, with no inkling if they'll ever wake up or not," you said, and xiao was shocked to see the tears in your eyes.

he could see you were sad and angry, but he was having trouble understanding why.

"but that memory inside my vision, it is the entire world to me," you said. "i forgot someone i loved. so, yes, i am a fool who's making a contract with an adeptus."

your tone was manic, almost as if you couldn't believe yourself what you were about to do next.

"what could a human give to me, pray tell me?" said xiao, spatting the words. "even if i accepted your contract, what equal value could someone like you return? i am bound to the geo archon himself, and he is a god. a human cannot possibly compare to that."

"no," you said. "i can't compare myself to your archon. i'm not that great of a human. but i can negotiate with you, xiao. just you.

"you must understand, right? you have lived hundreds and thousands of years," you repeated.

"i do not, mortal," stressing the word, stressing how different a human's mind worked from his. xiao was getting impatient. he didn't understand a thing, and what you were saying made even less sense.

"that yearning to remember someone precious to you, like trying to catch the tune of a song, or capture the feeling that reminds you of sweet almond tofu," you said.

with this, his eyes widened, and he began to grasp what you meant, of seeking something. someone.

but most of all, he found himself drawn to the fire in your eyes. he wondered what your vision was, then, what ambition it must have held.

"a dream, xiao," you said, your hands finding his and your eyes fiery as ever. "i will feed you a dream."

---

wangshu inn - hallway

"and you lost a wooden box of petals?" you asked the couple, bai and ming.

the couple were both residents from qingce village, and they planned to visit mondstadt to sell their wine. bai was a big man, and the big scar on his arm stood out. ming was a plump lady with a stern face, her dark hair tied in a tight bun.

when you told them that you were from the city of freedom, they agreed to answer your questions, inexchange for information about your hometown of course.

"the box wasn't even that attractive nor expensive-looking," said ming, leaning at the hallway's wall. the couple wouldn't allow you inside their room, so you suspected they kept something else besides wine.

"if i may ask, why do you collect petals, exactly?" you asked

"my husband likes to mix it with the wine sometimes," said ming, glancing at bai.

bai nodded cheerfully. "most of them were sweetflowers, since they are so common. but also plenty were the glaze lilies from my village, which gives the wine a distinct smell and flavor.

"i pick them out of a whim. they're not necessary ingredients for our wine. but sometimes, it doesn't hurt to experiment a bit."

"it is a necessary ingredient," said ming, glaring at her husband. "they're not just flowers. they are more than that."

the man only sighed. "ming insists i use it as a main ingredient for our wine. but i don't think mondstadt would like wine that is distinctly liyue. they like the mondstadt kind, the ones from dawn winery."

you couldn't help yourself. you asked, "then why are you going to sell to mondstadt a type of wine that tastes exactly like their own? doesn't that undermine what you're doing in the firdt place?"

"that's exactly what i tell him everyday," said ming, and she and her husband began to argue.

while they fight over wine and flowers, you quietly whispered a name. the door to the couple's room was slightly opened, and you could see a shadow suddenly moving inside.

when ming's gaze turned to the door, you asked, "where were you before the box disappeared?"

"i was-- we were watching the meteor showers," said ming, glancing at her husband. you noted the suspicious looks the two shared.

"at the balcony," added bai. "we heard about the sudden commotion and decided to check it out. like everybody, we got swept up with the meteor's beauty. i think plenty of people started praying to it, then. ming certainly did."

"well, it doesn't hurt to have more help from the heavens, especially when we're heading off to foreign land," said ming.

"anyway, i quickly realized i was wrong," she continued, "because a bunch of shards started raining on us. a lot of spectators began dropping to the ground. i started worrying and ran away to look for my husband."

"i thought both of you were together when the incident happened," you said, tilting your head.

"well," started bai quickly, "we got separated. i mean, i returned inside because she was praying and all. i didn't want to bother her."

"where did you go?" you asked.

"he did not go inside," interrupted ming. "you stayed around the balcony, remember? you're getting confused." she said, holding her husband's arm.

both of them were confusing, to be honest. and becoming obviously suspicious. the reason behind it, well, you still had to figure that out.

ming looked back to you. "i apologize, but that night was a mess, you have to admit. our memories of it is very fuzzy."

"of course," you said, smiling. "i honestly find it difficult to remember that night clearly myself. you've illuminated me plenty, to be honest."

you turned to the husband, noting the shifting glances he sent to his wife. "if you could refresh my memory, what color were the meteor showers that night?"

"uh, bl--"

"what use are all of these questions?" asked ming all of a sudden. "will this help look for our box of flowers?"

"details will help me a lot, miss ming," you explained. "if i can have a clear picture what happened that night, then it'll help us find who stole your box."

"why don't you just look at the other guests' rooms. maybe one of them took it," said ming, annoyance showing in her tone. "that kid from inazuma certainly had been eyeing us since we got here."

you did not point out that they were one of the reasons verr goldet and her husband were hesitant to investigate the rooms in the first place. they had been against to the idea that it applied to them as well.

"the inn's prioritizing attending to the victims of the meteorites. they don't want to cause unnecessary distress, especially in these delicate circumstances," you replied.

"but can you really find our box? you're not the millelith. you're just an adventurer," said bai.

"yes, but i have a powerful friend that helps me," you said. you raised your voice. "it's been nice talking to the both of you, mister bai and miss ming."

the shadow behind the door vanished.

"we'll do our best to look for your box," you said, walking away.

---

wangshu inn - sleeping quarters

you sat inside the room of hana and kaito, mother and son who came all the way from inazuma. the mother was asleep on the bed, fallen victim to the meteorite catastrophe, leaving her ten-year old son alone in the inn.

huai'an had been checking on kaito, but mostly, he's alone in the room, waiting for his mother to wake up. the child looked so exhausted that he seemed to have aged ten years.

"xiao," you whispered, and the adeptus appeared. when he saw kaito, he looked slightly confused, probably wondering what sort of aid you needed from him.

kaito looked at him in wonder, awed about the magical man who just popped out of the shadows.

"um," you started, pulling xiao to the corner of the room "i don't know how to speak to kids."

xiao looked at you quietly. it was rather unnerving when he does that.

"what?" you asked.

"why are you telling me this?" he said, closing his eyes. he seemed genuinely perplexed.

"because," you said carefully, "i am asking you to talk to him. you're good with children."

xiao glared at you and then to the child, who flinched when he saw him looking.

"i am not going to speak to a child for you," he said.

you couldn't blame him. your irrational fear for children didn't made sense to you as well, but everyone has their own weaknesses. it just happened you couldn't stand kids. it was the same with people fearing bugs or water.

you did speak to that little girl yesterday, you thought. she even held your hand and you didn't explode or anything, but you weren't too eager to try it again.

"i have this strange fear in children," you admitted.

xiao stared at you again and back to the child, who turned his head away after getting caught peeking.

"okay," said xiao, perhaps pitying the distress on your face. "i want to get this over with as quickly as possible anyway. tell me about the child."

when xiao approached kaito, the kid curled on the floor beside his mother's bed, his gaze cautious but curious.

xiao sat in front of him, his legs crossed. the two looked at each other quietly, waiting for the other to speak.

"are you an adeptus?" asked the boy, the excitement in his tone obvious.

xiao nodded, and the boy's eyes gleamed.

you smiled. huai'an said that the kid stopped speaking since yesterday. the last time he did hear anything from him was when he started crying about his missing toy.

seeing an adeptus for real, especially from one who has taken a liking to liyue's god enough to keep a toy of it, could perhaps help him overcome his silence.

"i've heard about you from the tales!" cried kaito, his hands turning into fists out of excitement. "your kind often fought and dined with morax, you fought beasts and gods together with him, like cloud retainer and moon carver. the bard next door told me so much about you adepti."

xiao coughed. "be wary of your tone, child. most adepti do not take lightly of your disrespectful way of saying their names.

"but, yes, we did fought with rex lapis in countless battles. but you fail to remember that rex lapis is an adeptus himself."

"oh, i know he is! but he's bigger than all of you. that makes him so strong."

"not necessarily," said xiao, frowning. "rex lapis can take all sorts of forms and sizes. plenty of adepti are able to do this as well. however, the geo archon is just as powerful as he is in any shape. his strength lies within himself, not in his size."

"and what form do you have?" asked the child. "can you grow ten times your size? can you turn into a crane? can you make horns grow out of your head?"

that was a lot of forms to carry, you thought. was the child expecting xiao to suddenly turn into a giant bird with horns?

you watched xiao, waiting. you never know.

xiao gave you an unhappy glance, before turning back to the kid. "you do not have the right to a--"

"he can fly," you interrupted, afraid he'd begin scolding the kid.

the boy gasped. it looked terrifying. xiao glared at you, which was even more terrifying.

"i had a geo archon toy before," said kaito. "it went missing. i would have shown it to you if i still have it. the bard gave it to me."

this was it, you thought, motioning to xiao to ask more questions. the adeptus sighed.

"where were you before the toy disappeared?" he asked.

"here. in this room."

what? you wondered, confused.

"elaborate, child," said xiao. "what happened to you that night?"

"my mom and i were sleeping when we heard noises. she told me to stay here, so i did," said kaito, looking at the ground.

"but i was really curious about what was going on, and she didn't return immediately like she said. so, i left the room to look for her.

"it was even noisier outside, and a lot of people were running around. i went to the balcony but she wasn't there. i found the bard though. he said he saw my mom downstairs."

you whispered a question to xiao's ear.

"did you see the couple next door at the balcony?" he asked the kid.

"i think i saw the lady," said kaito. "i don't think i saw the big guy though."

"what did you do next?"

"i climbed down. i found my mom near a shard with other people. it was so," he said, sniffing. "it was so scary. i didn't know what to do. they were all lying on the ground. i thought they were dead.

"when i touched her, she was still breathing. i tried waking her up. but she wouldn't.

"someone helped me carry her here. i think it was a soldier? he warned me not to go outside or touch any of the meteorites if i see one.

"i still had my doll then. but after i fell asleep, it was just gone. i couldn't sleep without it, so now, i'm just.." he trailed off. he suddenly looked tired again.

"didn't you say you just received it from the bard? it must have only been recently," said xiao.

"yeah, but," kaito started, scratching his head. "ever since we got here in liyue, i haven't been sleeping well. um, it feels weird here. i don't know."

"weird?" you asked. the child looked uncomfortable now, which you couldn't understand.

"i believe he means that our land is very new to him," said xiao.

oh, yeah, you remembered. the boy was from inazuma. he must have been feeling displaced after leaving his country, making it difficult for him to fall asleep.

"when the bard gave me that toy and told me stories about the geo archon, i was able to sleep. i had these dreams where i joined him fight too!" said kaito. "so, i brought it with me everywhere. it was nice to have around. it made me everything, um, less scary."

"you held it with you when you were searching for your mother?" asked xiao.

"yeah," he replied.

your mind began turning. then, the thief must have stolen the toy while he was sleeping? why would one take such a risk?

why would somebody steal a child's toy in the first place? only a kid would do that.

"did you join him in his battles too?" kaito turned his attention back to xiao, who looked like he wanted to disappear right now. he'd been staying too long with human company, he was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

xiao nodded and the boy gasped again. you gasped too.

---

wangshu inn - hallway

"you didn't say you personally knew morax," you said, as the two of you left the room.

"it was not necessary," he said, turning his back on you. "and did i not make the rule of minimal talk between us? our conversations are growing longer, and rapidly so. it is not right."

"but you met a god," you exclaimed, stepping in front of him. you were too close, xiao noticed. yet for some reason, he did not found it crucial to push you away. perhaps he was getting used to your lack of consideration to his personal space.

which was not right too.

"in mondstadt, we never just meet our archon. we mostly hear his songs through drunk bards. and maybe, with a bit of wine, you can probably hear his voice too. but it's very rare to see barbatos in general."

"pitiful," said xiao, trying to hide his curiousity about your archon. "i do remember mentionting i have a contract with the geo archon. in liyue, it's common respect for different parties to meet in person when contracts are made."

"yeah, but my archon speaks to his people through wine and music and the wind. it's not like we personally see him when he wants to speak to us.

"i know that the geo archon is totally different," you continued. "he actually visits his people! but to fight alongside with him? that's quite amazing.

"it must make you proud," you said. a small, warm smile crossed your face, making your entire face glow in his eyes.

xiao quickly turned away, preparing to leave. "just call me if you need me again. i have important things to attend to," he said.

"i may need you again soon," you replied.

xiao only scoffed. "of course," he said.

you backed away as well, walking to the next door. it was convenient that the thief chose to stole from rooms in the same hallway. you didn't have to walk too far. just that, he had to steal your things as well, to your dismay.

"see you soon," you heard, but when you turned back, xiao was already gone.

i'll edit this later!! hhh

[ulanulanulan]

started on the xiao mystery fic part 3. im not sure when i'll be able to post it bc i'm still busy planning for a trip hmmm perhaps the end of the week? let's see!!

[melabspork]

cant wait for part 3 but ofc take ur time!!

[ulanulanulan]

thank you very much!! pls stay tuned 🥳🥳🥳

[ulanulanulan]

started on the xiao mystery fic part 3. im not sure when i'll be able to post it bc i'm still busy planning for a trip hmmm perhaps the end of the week? let's see!!

[ulanulanulan]

you offer almond tofu to xiao!! and you solve a case together like cool detectives~ part 2

i'm not even going to explain how long this had turned into.. it just did

utc so much plot and talking. fluff and a little bit of angst bc this is xiao we're talking abt

part 1

wangshu inn - kitchen

you weren't sure why xiao had brought you in the kitchen. was he that hungry? you asked yourself, still holding the plate of almond tofu. perhaps adepti need nourishment before protecting their lands, or doing anything at all.

you wanted to ask him about it, but stopped yourself. you didn't want to make him angry again, not when he could just disappear in a poof and never to be seen. you needed his cooperation, however difficult he could be.

xiao was looking for something, you guessed, as he walked around the kitchen. thankfully, smiley yanxiao wasn't around to see you there or else he might do more than point a knife at you. you didn't want the adeptus to see that.

"there you are," said xiao, talking to someone.

when you turned your head, there was no one.

he bent on one knee, seemingly speaking to someone invisible at child's height. what was even more surprising was that his voice was gentle, unlike the grudging tone he used to you.

"have you seen anybody suspicious near the rooms earlier?" he asked.

had he gone mad, you wondered, as xiao nodded and gestured to the invisible figure in front of him. had almond tofu been a crucial element in keeping an adeptus' sanity?

you began to look around, wondering if you could use the kitchen to make another dish when you heard the adeptus said:

"they joined the crowd afterwards," he said, placing a hand under his chin. "i see."

xiao's voice was so low that you felt like you were prying into a secret. this was must he have meant about having uncomfortable methods and somehow, you couldn't look away. he interviewed the air with steady precision that it was actually quite impressive, if it wasn't... air.

when he finished, he stood up and started to walk away. you followed him quickly, curiously looking back at the kitchen.

---

wangshu inn - third floor balcony

the two of you were back in the balcony. the sky had gone dimmer as time went by, and looking down, a bunch of millelith were guarding the meteorite that had fallen earlier.

the incident caused more victims because another line of stretchers started to arrive, carrying more unconscious people. you recognized the scholar complaining earlier, his sleeping body now being carried by two volunteers.

you could sense that a storm was coming.

"your thief was one of your pesky treasure hoarders, it seems. the rooms were entered at dawn, during the hours when everyone went outside to watch the meteor shower.

"as expected, he took advantage of the situation, entering unlocked rooms to steal valuables. when he was finished, he hid himself with your volunteers, pretending to be of aid."

you were starting to remember that. you had been part of the crowd that hurried to the balcony to watch the sudden arrival of meteors in teyvat.

nobody knew it would turn into an onslaught. the sight-seeing marvel quickly turned into a nightmare as shards from miles away began to fall from the sky as well. those who were hit lost their unconsciousness. others who touched the shards just fell to the ground without much of a sound. everybody thought people were suddenly dropping dead, and it caused a lot of panic.

it seemed like the end of the world then.

you had helped with carrying the sleeping victims to a safe place all morning. it didn't cross your mind to go back to your room to check your locks. a couple of guests had helped as well, likely to have forgotten about their unlocked rooms during the confusion.

you looked at xiao, questions at the back of your throat.

he stared at you. "you can speak, mortal. i didn't say that you're not allowed to use your voice. i only requested the bare minimum," he said. "there are things that you must confirm for me, or else this investigation will be futile."

you nodded. "the thief must have hidden the stolen items somewhere inside the inn," you muttered. "he stole quite a number of valuables, i believe, and if he were to pretend helping out as a volunteer, he couldn't have possibly kept them with him. he would have been caught red-handed immediately."

xiao nodded, gesturing for you to continue.

you gave him a question. "what makes you sure he was a treasure hoarder?"

"my witness says that she caught a glimpse of a suspicious man near the rooms. he was wearing a treasure hoarder insignia with a drawing of a glazed lily as a tattoo on his ankle," he replied.

you nodded. “that's incredibly helpful information but," you said, frowning. "it would be quite difficult to check people who have a tattoo of a treasure hoarder insignia and a lily on their skin. he would have hidden it if he wanted to blend in with a crowd."

more so, you couldn't just go around lifting people's pants to check.

xiao crossed his arm. "it is unfortunate that my witness did not get a good look on his face, which would have been very helpful. she had been busy trying to calm down the cat and so.." he trailed off, shaking his head.

"it does not matter. this human's face remains to be seen. she had only seen him leaving the rooms in a hurry."

"he wasn't carrying anything when he went out?"

"no, it appears he had not, atleast, my witness thinks so. "

"does your.. witness know which room he went last?" you asked.

"no," he said. "she did not pay any attention to those details."

you looked at xiao, fixing him with a serious gaze. "is it possible i can speak to your witness?" you asked, trying to not sound like he was insane. you did not want to offend him again.

"your soul is blind to the spirits, human. not an ounce of you can detect misaligned forces, so i'm afraid you will not be able to contact her no matter what you do."

"i see," not seeing at all.

"you try to pretend this does not bother you, but i can see the questions in your eyes the moment i spoke in that kitchen. what you did not see is a spirit, mortal. one of a child's if you desire to pry further," he explained, in a tone that said that he didn't want you prying any further.

you were good at that, not minding people's secrets. so, you merely nodded and asked nothing else.

"i understand. thank you very much, xiao," you said, genuinely happy for his help. "perhaps one day, my offering would be good enough for you. you really helped me a lot." you looked him in the eye, smiling.

he only looked dowm, staring at your hand. he seemed to be in deep contemplation for a moment, before taking your plate.

"ah, wait," you said, but before you could stop him, he had eaten a slice of your dish already.

it crunched under his teeth. almond tofu wasn't suppose to do that.

you watched as he chewed carefully, then he swallowed.

"mortal," he said, after a long beat. his eyes were closed so you couldn't really read his reaction.

"was it good?" you asked, your heart beating so fast. has adepti perished people who served them burnt offerings of their favorite dish?

weren't offerings always served burnt? you wondered.

will he accept that as a reason to not throw you off the balcony?

"this is actual tofu," he said, opening his eyes.

you blinked. "oh."

oh.

---

wangshu inn - front desk

"you think a guest was the thief?" exclaimed huai'an. "and he's still inside the inn?"

his wife only nodded. "that makes sense. with the meteorite disaster, it would be difficult for him leave the premises after his crime," she said, fingers under her chin. "the place is surrounded by millelith and they have received a list of my guests' missing things."

verr goldet looked terribly exhausted. small lines had formed on her forehead and her best customer service smile had transformed into a grimace. it rather scared the cat, which has decided to lounge on top of your head for the meantime.

"can i have a copy of this list?"

verr goldet handed you a piece of paper, missing valuables scrawled hastily. there were seven in total, including yours.

"this is.." you started, scanning the page.

"completely inexpensive objects," said verr goldet, as if she had accounted their values already.

your dagger was quite expensive but you didn't tell her that. and your vision was invaluable.

"most of them are toys and trinkets," she said. "yours were the only weapon stolen."

"well, it's a rather nice-looking dagger," you said, though you were beginning to forget what it looked like too. was it somehow connected to how you got your vision?

"we should search the rooms," you said. "it's likely we'll find the missing items inside one of the guests' room."

huai'an said, "actually, we asked the guests if we could investigate their rooms, in case the thief accidentally left something that could help us move forward. but they won't let us.

"people are becoming extra cautious too, now that something like this had happened. some even threatened to send a message to their lawyers if we persisted!" he grumbled. "they don't even own the rooms, for archon's sake."

"anyhow, i don't want to cause even more disarray to the situation. it's bad enough that a new meteorite just fell from the sky. everybody's in distress." said verr goldet, slumping her shoulers.

"i haven't really got the time to ask all the guests proper questions. some of them had fallen into a coma, and most of the rooms are now used as relief stations. some of the guests wanted to leave, but the millelith won't allow it for their safety.

"i want this to be handled quietly as much as possible. as you could see, too much is happening at the same time and i'm nearly at my wit's end trying to keep the peace," said verr goldet, running a hand through her hair. her husband rubbed her back.

"perhaps you can handle this for me, adventurer? i promise to compensate you generously. ask questions, see what you can find. do it as silently as possible. no big scenes, i have enough of those."

you nodded. "yes, boss." mora was mora and you needed to see through the end of this yourself.

verr goldet pressed her hands on the table. the conversation was over. for now.

as you pried the cat off your head, she turned an eye on you and said, "are you planning to work with xiao for the next few days?"

"well, i may need his help, i believe. i hope he could accompany me to visit some, uh, people tomorrow. he said he wouldn't, but i think i'll try asking him again later."

a stunned expression crossed to the lady's face. "you asked him that?"

"well, i think he's curious about the entire ordeal. he just doesn't want to admit it. and i need all the help that i can. he has, um, a way with ghosts."

huai'an bellowed. verr goldet stared at you as if you just turned into a slime.

you glared at them, unamused by their strange reactions. meanwhile, the cat settled itself on your shoulder like a rag.

"what?" you asked.

"xiao is just.." verr goldet started.

"difficult?" you continued.

"in a sense. he can be intense but adepti always have that kind of presence, even the meeker ones."

"i think i'm getting used to him," you said, stroking the cat. the worst thing that he did was to disappear on you, which was acceptable, since you just turned his favorite meal into a sacrilege.

"i'm happy you think that way. he may not show it, but he appreciates conversations, even if it's in the most mundane or technical sense. it's not always he gets to talk with anybody, despite already living for millennia," said verr goldet, smiling warmly.

she was genuinely fond of the adeptus, you could see it in the way her eyes twinkled when talking about him.

then her expression turned grave. "still, i want you to be careful, y/n. an adeptus' strength cannot be possibly matched by a human."

"i'm not going to challenge him to a duel or anything," you said, scoffing.

"no. you won't," replied verr goldet sternly. "but as i said earlier, i don't want big scenes. xiao is often the center of such.

"if you do find yourself in a middle of a battle with xiao on one side,

"run."

---

wangshu inn - third floor balcony

xiao told himself that human affairs should be of no interest to him. the best he could do for mortals was to leave them alone. he was too dangerous and unstable, and humans are too weak and fragile.

and yet, here you were, almond tofu on one hand, and the wangshu cat, wei, on the other. you could not be possibly offering the inn's cat to him, or were you?

"i'm sorry about earlier," you said, calling out to the night. he watched you place the plate on the ledge.

"the chef did this for you. the proper almond tofu," you said, a small blush on your face. he found himself staring at it, at the redness on your cheeks. "i'd like to thank you again for your help earlier. and for saving me too when i fell."

he glanced at the hole on your clothes, the wound on your waist bright red. you still haven't healed yourself up. foolishness.

"uh, if it's okay with you, i'd like to ask for your help again tomorrow," you said, hugging the cat close to you. it slipped away and began climbing your face.

"ow," you said, as a drop of blood slid to the side of your head. the cat had scratched you, and a part of you had turned red once more. it reminded him of the silk flowers scattered around the inn.

xiao had always been curious about how humans bled, how easy it was for them to get hurt, how red blood could be unlike the shadows he hunted in the night, all dark and, at times, colorless. life eaten away by impurity, their colors lost.

you were so alive, he thought, somewhat mesmerized by this mundane, common fact. you were human.

"let's work together," you said, your expression stern. "let's find the things people have lost."

and then you left. and wei the cat stayed.

when he appeared from the shadows, the cat jumped next to him and began to purr. he rubbed the soft skin under its neck and he eas rewarded with a happy meow.

as he ate the dish you had brought, he wondered, for a brief moment, if it was possible for him to still find the things that he had lost,

then quickly shook the thought,

for he deserved none of it at all,

not a tiny bit.

---

wangshu inn - sleeping quarters

when you woke up, it was already the middle of the day.

you glanced at your pocket watch, wondering if it was broken. even when you were dead tired, you always woke up early. it was part of your body clock for adventurers always need to catch the daylight.

strange.

you remembered sleeping restlessly, of your vision shining bright and the cold it brought with it. you hated the cold, but you also longed for it, because warmth often came next, like an embrace after the tears.

you remembered a song, warmth, and a smile, how it made your heart beat uncontrollably fast.

you remembered love, your eyes widening at the memory. you pressed your palms harder against your heart, as if you could catch the feeling with your hands.

you didn't want to lose it again. you hope you did not have to forget it again.

you had been inlove, you thought, and it made you inexplicably, wonderfully, and terribly happy.

part 3 is up here

[ulanulanulan]

you offer almond tofu to xiao!! and you solve a case together like cool detectives~ part 1

note: another fic.. that went out of control.. sequel to that bed sharing fic but no need to read it. tho i may allude to some stuff from there.

this is mainly xiao and xiao and more xiao. heavily inspired by the reconciled stars event, but no need to see that too ha ha ha unless..

utc plot heavy things and my bad sense of humor. nothing alarming really

wangshu inn - front desk

"there doesn't seem to be any sign of forced entry. but my staff will be onto it," said verr goldet, putting down a cup of tea in front of you. you must have looked quite miserable because she even added a serving of almond tofu next to it.

free of charge, you assumed.

"but i can't promise to find your stolen items immediately. as you very well know, the millelith has turned the inn into a relief station for victims by the meteorite incident. my staff is quite stretched thin, even at this moment."

"i understand," you said, sighing. you tapped you finger on the plate, too anxious to eat the dish on it. "curiously, they did not steal any of my mora," you said, though, technically, there's wasn't much mora to steal in the first place.

she took out a paper and pen. "what exactly got lost? it's doubtful, but i'll try my best to be on the lookout around the harbor, in case somebody sells or trades any of your personal items there."

"um," you started, not knowing how to say it. "a sweater. i embroidered my name on it."

"okay," said verr goldet, nodding.

"a dagger. it has varunada fragments around the hilt. it also has my name on it."

"i see," she replied. "is there anything else?"

"my cryo vision," you said, quietly.

the owner of the inn stopped her pen. "excuse me?" she said, her eyebrows raising. "excuse me for asking, but you don't usually have it in your person?"

"no," you replied curtly, refusing to explain any further.

she drummed her fingers on her chin, deep in thought. "it's highly likely that the culprit took advantage of the current disaster to enter your room." then, she sighed.

"it's also possible they stole other items from our other guests. i won't be surprised if i get complaints in the next few hours. what a nightmare."

and, as if on cue, a couple approached her desk, frantically reporting about their missing valuables. another minute, a scholar appeared, crying about his missing tools. a little boy also came in, wailing about his missing rex lapis doll.

verr goldet tried to calm them down as you faded in the background, taking the plate of almond tofu with you. it was free food after all.

you started to walk away, thinking of doing your own search when verr goldet called your name, gesturing you to come closer.

she told the growing crowd to wait for a moment and pulled you to a corner, her voice hushed. "i don't usually ask for his help, but this is an emergency," she said, looking worried.

"at the third floor, there's someone who might have an idea about what happened earlier," she whispered. "he's always on watch by the balcony, so he can practically see every person who goes in and out of the inn. he could help you, and perhaps, help us save this place from falling into pure chaos."

"someone?" you asked, and realization dawned in you. rumor was it that wangshu inn keeps a lone adeptus that protects liyue from demonic forces.

it must be true then.

so, wangshu inn's chef was indeed an adeptus, you thought.

you have seen, more than once, the chef scuttling around the topmost balcony on evenings, always bringing a plate of almond tofu while watching the sun disappear in the horizon. you presumed he just wanted to rest after a long day of work, but you've always suspected there was more than what meets the eye.

as darkness and constellations covered liyue like a blanket, here was one chef that kept the lands at peace, fighting demons in the shadows in his lonesome at night and cooking delicious food for tired travellers during the day.

it made you a bit sad.

you've always found the chef a bit rude to you. but now, finding out that he was a neglected hero, you were beginning to understand why he would point a knife at you whenever you sneak in his kitchen to cook your meals during his off hours. he must have been keeping vigilance.

an idea dawned on you. "oh, he must like almond tofu," you exclaimed, thinking about the times you caught the chef cooking and bringing one with him everyday. you looked down at your own plate, beaming at it.

verr goldet's eyes widened. "oh, so you have met him. well, i guess there won't be much of a problem then."

"of course i met him. i see him everyday, actually." you said. "he's a cautious person. once, he pointed a knife at me."

"you mean his weapon? oh, i hope that didn't terrify you," exclaimed the woman. "he's a good person, a bit rough but he's reliable," verr goldet quickly explained. the crowd behind her was getting impatient and she needed to attend to their complaints soon.

"just bring him his favorite dish and perhaps he'll talk to you. if he has shown himself to you before, then he must trust you."

you were confused for a moment. the chef had always been around, it was normal to see him.

but instead, you said, "don't worry. i understand." you patted her shoulder. "i got you. i'll talk to him." you prayed to the geo archon that he urge her to give you a discount for your meals after you help her fix this mess.

verr goldet thanked you before returning to her guests, whose concerned looks were swiftly turning into anxiety, and eventually, anger. you didn't want to be around when it came to that.

you hurried away and climbed to the topmost floor, holding the plate of almond tofu in your hands.

---

wangshu inn - third floor balcony

you weren't exactly sure how to summon an adeptus. the chef was always present and when you called him, you just said his name. he usually ignored you but it should still work. you just needed to ask Respect.

closing your eyes, you stretched out the plate to the view, almond tofu and liyue in perfect balance.

"master chef smiley yanxiao," you called out. "i humbly ask for your help. here is my offering of your favorite meal."

no one answered. you opened one eye for a peek, and saw nobody.

you shut your eyes again. "i know it's a bit too early for dinner," you continued. "but i really, i mean, we, verr goldet and i, need your help. perhaps you could adjust your schedule for today?"

you opened your eyes, and still, nothing.

"okay, i'm sorry i kept using your kitchen without permission, master chef smiley yanxiao," you said impatiently. you walked near the balcony, leaning down to see if he was purposely hiding. maybe he could actually fly, who knows.

"please come out. your meal will be all dusty by the time you appear," you said, turning around. still no response.

you waited for a moment. "okay, i'll throw this if you don't show up," you threatened, holding the plate beyond the ledge. "i just need to ask some questions. it's your almond tofu in the line for this."

suddenly, you heard a loud crash and the ground started to shake.

the entire inn shook.

you staggered, and a sense of drowsiness washed over you. all you wanted to do was close your eyes and dream a long dream, but what kept you awake was the sudden flash of pain on your waist, as if something sharp had sliced you.

you lost your footing, and went over the ledge, almond tofu and adventurer falling together.

---

wangshu inn - outside

when you opened your eyes, you were flying.

you watch the sky swerve above you. it looked ominous, as if a storm was about to arrive. you could see specks of light stain the sky, almost like fireworks in the distance.

"am i dead?" you asked groggily.

"no," said a quiet voice.

you turned your head, and met golden eyes that reminded you of a cat's. a very innocent-looking face stared back at you, skin as pale as the moon and hair that reminded you of the pines in mondstadt dancing with the wind.

you quickly pulled off your arms from his neck, feeling embarassed and panicky all of a sudden. he was carrying you like a bride at mid-air, and you felt lighter than ever.

it terrified you.

you closed your eyes and took deep breaths. you were no stranger to heights. as an adventurer, it was part of your routine to climb tall mountains or use a wind glider to travel long distances. but you felt queasy being carried this way, with no control of your bearings and your legs and arms unable to do anything.

you were afraid that he'd drop you.

when you finally sense the ground beneath you, you opened your eyes. you felt yourself lose balance but the short man held a hand to steady you, before hastily pulling away as if he'd just touched something hot.

you gaped at him, at his strange clothing and tattoos, and you knew that he wasn't entirely human at all.

"you're not a chef," you muttered disappointingly.

he glared at you. "no, i am not."

"i mean, you're not chef smiley yanxiao. you're an entirely different person." then, you quickly said, "unless you can actually change faces? adepti do that, right?"

the man closed his eyes, turning to leave. "i did not appear to you to answer your meaningless questions," he said.

"wait," you said, touching his arm. "forgive my manners, but i need your help."

he stared at your hand with utmost curiousity, saying nothing.

from behind, you could hear people screaming. a few feet away, a crowd had formed around a crater where, apparently, a meteorite had fallen once again. that must be what had caused the tremors earlier.

"your hand," said a voice. you looked back at the adeptus and noticed your hand still on his arm.

you pulled away quickly. "i called you because verr goldet asked for your help.." you stated. "but we should get away from here first. more people are coming," you said as a couple of millelith soldiers began to arrive.

you were about to leave when you heard a little girl crying near the crash site, her pleas left unheard by the soldiers. they were too busy prioritizing the victims and keeping the crowd away from the meteorite.

you watched the girl for a while. no one was helping her.

"i'm sorry," you said to the adeptus. "i'll summon you again later."

you rushed to the little girl, leaving the adeptus under the cool shade of the inn, his figure unnoticed by the panicking people around him.

---

xiao glanced at your leaving figure, before stepping away to leave. then, he noticed something on his arm.

it was blood.

he was about to call your name but stopped. he shook his head and let the shadows take him away from this human chaos.

mortal affairs shouldn't matter to him in the first place, he told himself, turning an eye to see you go.

---

wangshu inn - crash site

"hey there," you said to the crying girl, your hands raised.

the girl looked at you curiously. atleast she stopped crying.

"did i say something scary? " she asked, sniffing.

"what?

"that's what people do when my dad talks to them," she said, pointing at your raised hands.

you put them down. you had no idea why you did it in the first place. the girl was harmless, she wasn't going to mug you or anything, you told yourself, laughing nervously.

children, in general, made you uneasy for some reason. they were unpredictable and noisy, and stubborn as heck too. and really sweet at times that it confused you. you always felt as if you needed to be on guard with them all the time.

"is your dad a millelith soldier?" you asked.

"i think so, yes. he always has a weapon with him," she replied. "and he scares people away. "

"i see. that sounds right," you said. "your dad must be very busy right now scaring people away. it's these meteorites." you gestured your hand towards the most recent crash. "if you touch any of them, you'll get knocked out. scary, huh?"

the kid stayed quiet, watching you with unnerving eyes.

"we should get you out of here, kid," you said, trying to make yourself smile warmly. "it's dangerous. your dad will cry if he finds you here."

you weren't sure about that but this was a life-and-death situation after all, and bursts of emotions were common during these moments.

"but i don't know you," said the girl.

"my name is y/n. i'm an adventurer," you said, showing her your handbook and identification.

the child looked at it like an inspector, fingers tapping her upper lip and an arm folded behind her back. it felt as if you were being judged by this snotty little girl right now, and it made you unreasonably nervous.

the kid stood up and held your hand, coming to a decision. "you remind me of a toy i have," she said. "it's very pretty. i should show it to you some time."

"cool," you said.

"you have blood on your clothes, y/n," said the little girl, her voice worried.

“oh, this?" you said, yawning." it's nothing. just a scratch."

---

wangshu inn - third floor balcony

the adeptus stared at the plate of almond tofu on your hand. his expression looked pained.

"i'm sorry if it took me some time. i had to bring this kid to a doctor," you said.

the adeptus did not seem to care.

"more so, the chef was too busy to talk to me, what with the meteorites and angry guests pouring in," you explained further. "i had to cook the dish myself. i think i did well, considering i've never done it before."

the adeptus's eyes seemed to burn a ghastly gold. "is this a trick, mortal? you seek for aid, and yet you attempt to deceive me?" he spatted.

"no," you said, trying to keep a calm voice. he was being difficult and you were beginning to lose your temper

"this is almond tofu," you added carefully.

he frowned at the offered plate. "the dish is suppose to be white, like snow and dreams. yet what you hold has the same hue as the curses and nightmares i fight daily. i cannot accept this offering, mortal."

you glared at him. "that's not a very nice thing to say," you said, unable to keep your tone respectful anymore.

"i may not be familiar to how liyue cuisine must be cooked, but i tried my best. the ingredients even came from my stock. it may be burnt a little but it's edible, i swear."

the adeptus turned his back to you, wanting to hear no more.

you bursted. you pulled his arm and the look he gave you was so vicious, you almost faltered under it.

"i lost my vision, and i need your help finding it," you said, the words coming out too fast. "that vision, right now, it means a lot to me, because.. because.."

for some reason, you couldn't remember why you needed it in the first place.

you didn't like your vision, it was the reason why you didn't have it near you all the time. and yet, you couldn't let it go. so, instead, you hid it safely. even though it wasn't in your hands, you knew it will always be there when you needed it.

yet, now that it was truly gone you just..

"only a fool would lose their vision," said the adeptus, shrugging your hand away. "are you not aware what happens when a vision is gone from its owner for too long?"

you shook your head. "no," you said shakily but you were beginning to understand what he meant.

you were starting to forget how you got it in the first place.

---

your vision was one that belonged to the cold and made you cold. you despised it, carrying it like a curse instead of a blessing from the heavens. it was a vision born out of hate, until someone had changed that recently.

but why in barbatos' name couldn't you remember? weren't you just searching for it earlier, shouldn't there be a reason why?

and yet..

"a person's will, desire, or ambition, as you humans call it, is tied to their vision. it may vary with other people, but a vision gone is as good as a dream lost forever.

"this is how grave your loss is, human. mortals need dreams more than they need a vision's power to live, and to lose a dream is no different to one's death," said the adeptus and you could sense a hint of pity in his tone.

you blinked, feeling terribly sad. "i need to find it before it's gone forever. i made something out of it, i think, something deeply important," you said. "i can't remember, but it feels as if i'm breaking a promise if i forget."

you stared at the dish, watching it shake in your hands.

the adeptus looked at you for a while, his thoughts unreadable. even without looking, you could feel his gaze penetrating through you, and you raised your head, returning it with equal weight despite your growing anxiety.

"i will help you," he said, finally.

you exhaled. you've been keeping your breath waiting for his decision.

"but," he crossed his arms, "you follow my lead. and our conversations must be the bare minimum. you humans need to. speak all the time, it's unbearable."

"okay," you replied. he didn't like loud people, which was absolutely fine. you weren't fond of them either.

"there are things i may do that can be uncomfortable to mortals, so i suggest you just close your eyes and look away."

"okay." you weren't sure what he meant, but you merely agreed. an adeptus was going to help you and you really can't complain about his methods much.

"if you ever you come upon trouble, just call my name," he said. he appeared to hesitate for a moment, before saying,

"my name is xiao."

you gave him a thumbs-up, a small smile on your face.

he stared at your thumb, and only nodded.

read part 2 hereeee

[ulanulanulan]

xiao fic is almost done and it ended up being too long for one post so there will be a part 2 (and hopefully no ff sequels bc i don't want it to become another 20000 word fic i write until 3 am in the morning). pls stop my brain from over complicating fluffy stories hhhh

[ulanulanulan]

okay but i tried to make the bed sharing fic ending as open as possible so i could still go back to it in case i wanna write a sequel. hinted abt ur interest with the traveller bc i wanna see adventurer reader and lumine work together someday asgdjsksls also zhongli 😭😭 i tried to subtly include him in the last two chapters!!

i also want to write more adventurer reader stuff, so i may still explore it again. like, ur adventures before meeting childe and the strange commissions you had back in mondstadt but more like one-shot things and can be read separately from the bed sharing fic

for now, the next fic will be abt xiao 🤡🤡 i know what i said in my previous updates but yeah.. i started it already but i'll take it slower this time, need to work with some zine stuff hhh

anyway, thank you so so so much for the wonderful comments and tags (i see them!! they're so funny and heart-warming). i don't think i would have reached that far if you guys didn't put those comments tbh 🥺🥺🥺 all of u are so sweet

[ulanulanulan]

oh no there is only one bed!!! or you and childe have to share a bed FINAL!!

utc mentions of violence, suggestive stuff, strong language. thank you for reaching this far. this has been a blast to write.

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6

stone gate

"oh, stop that, y/n," said tartaglia as you pulled off his clothes. "aren't you being too brash? we're still outside."

you pinched his cheek, pulling so hard that tears fell from his eyes. "can you please shut up for once? you're bleeding."

tartaglia watched as you checked his wound, your face gone from angry to serious. it wasn't anything to be honest, merely a scratch. he had far worse injuries than this, and funnily enough, you had been trying to stab him just a few moments ago.

he smiled, finding it refreshing to be cared by you again.

tartaglia didn't even had the opportunity to fight the hillichurl. before he could stand up, you had already grabbed it by its neck and begun scolding it using its language.

it was shocking to witness, to say the least, and it brought him back to that time when he first met you, when he was the receiving end of your spitefulness. in retrospect, he still received that look of yours everytime you met, but that hillichurl sure will be shocked seeing it for the first time.

he could only pity the hillichurl, and perhaps, maybe, a side of him felt envy too. you left quite a horrifying impression, but still lovely all the same.

you started to wrap his wound with a bandage, your hands slow and gentle. he never did see you use them on yourself, always for other people. he noted the cuts on your face and the bruises on your hands, all left unattended.

he brought his thumb to your jaw, studying your wound.

"what?" you asked, looking up at him. when you spoke, his eyes fell on your lips, still swollen from his kisses. drops of water slithered temptingly at the corners of your face, to your neck and collarbone, sliding to the inside of your shirt like a tease.

"a bit hungry, that's all," he said, licking his lips. "i should fix up your bruises too." he brushed a thumb on your skin and it delighted him to see you shiver under his touch.

"they're nothing. they're just scratches," you said, turning back to his arm.

"i know," he said, smiling. "i just want to do it for you."

---

the two of you sat next to each other by the bonfire, cuts and bruises all cleaned and bandaged now.

you had made the fire using the hillichurl's bow as kindling, and childe cooked some of the fishes he caught earlier. he said he'd prepare one of his specialties from his hometown, but when you checked the pot, it look like a monstrosity entirely out of this world.

"the ingredients aren't right, but this would do," he said, pouring you some soup in a bowl. the fish that floated on it still looked alive, eyes and mouth opened so wide that you could almost hear its screams of agony.

"you dropped these," he said, bringing you back from your growing nightmarish thoughts about his dish.

childe handed you your vision, and jia's delusion as well, both glowing bright under your presence. "you ought to be careful next time," he added.

you glanced at them for a second, before grabbing the vision and putting it in your pockets, somewhere far away from your skin. you placed the delusion around your neck, its strange, menacing buzz vibrating against your chest. childe looked at it with a small smile, but said nothing.

"it seems like a waste to throw it away," you murmured, stroking jia's delusion with your fingers. "i mean, after jia spent all his life trying to find it."

you didn't need to explain anything to him, but the words just came out of your mouth. "and having an anemo element helps me a lot with my travels."

you actually used the delusion more often than your vision, and it felt like a sin against the heavens. the effects were bad at first and you almost threw it away along with your vision, but your body eventually gotten used to it, unlike with your vision.

you also had a bit of help on how to utilize it more safely from that fatui spy that always frequented the church, inexchange for quality snacks and trinkets. though he still did advise using caution.

"it's as if i'm bringing jia with me in my travels too. he always wanted to be an adventurer, you know," you added, before sipping the soup. it didn't taste bad, it was rather well-seasoned.

"and you keep your vision in your wallet?" he said, chuckling. he lounged next to you, listening to you speak.

"it's annoying, that one. i don't like it being near me," you said. "it makes me think of you, which is even more annoying."

childe's expression looked proud, as if you wanting him dead was an achievement. "i don't mind it."

"what the fuck are you talking about?" you asked, almost sputtering your soup.

he beamed at you, sitting straight. "i think it's cute that you think about me all the time. you shouldn't feel bad about it," he said. "a lot of people want me dead, you're one of the few who actually tried."

"that's messed up," you said, but not entirely surprised. "well, i mind. i feel horrible about it."

"because you love me?" he said, and the way he spoke about it so casually made you almost drop the bowl.

you looked at him incredulously. "because it's murder? are you insane?" you cried, yet your heart was beating fast, and it quickly dawned on you that asking childe if he was mad was like asking if fishes could swim.

"that doesn't matter," he said, his mental condition of no apparent interest to him. "i love you too, so any attention from you works for me."

a strange noise started emerging out of your throat. it sounded terrible.

"are you choking?" he asked, patting your back. "the fish still has bones, comrade. you should be careful when eating it."

"you just said something weird," you said, still coughing.

"really?" he asked, innocently. "care to repeat it for me?"

you put down the bowl and glared at him, the back of your ears burning. "i swear to the gods, i will erase you with my own hands." you tried to sound threatening, yet your voice sounded too small in your ears.

"i'm beginning to see a pattern here. are you going to fight me again?" he leaned closer to you, a teasing grin on his face. "perhaps a kiss will follow? "

you knew he was trying to fluster you and it was working, much to your irritation.

"but before you do that," he said, watching as you start to pull out your dagger again, "i have news about the person who had sold your friend fake delusions."

---

childe was brief about the news and didn't hide the implication that he had punished the culprit severely. it sent a chill on your spine, how he spoke about it as if it was an ordinary thing, taking someone else's life.

you were afraid to ask any further. you never even thought about the man that tricked your friend. when you look back to that night, you knew jia understood what he joined in the moment he made a deal with the fatui. the search for a delusion was the only thing that made him feel truly alive, and while it angered you that he had to be a fool, he was aware of it all.

"they won't be deceiving anyone anymore, " said childe, a frigid smile on his lips.

"this entire thing, it runs deeper than a single person tricking another person," you started. you hesitated to point it out, not when childe thought he was serving some twisted sort of justice.

"one might say," you said carefully, not entirely looking childe in the eye, "creating delusions in the first place is the problem. isn't the fatui the root cause of this?"

you watched childe's reaction, a part of you hoping he had the heart to agree. "isn't your tsarita behind all of this? why people fall under the delusion's warped power?" you added.

childe’s face didn't betray anything but you knew you struck a nerve. his eyes looked.. empty, depthless, and you finally got a glimpse of a part of him that actually terrified you, because right now, you knew he was too far off to be saved.

he reached for the delusion wrapped around your neck, the tip of his forefinger touching it. "perhaps," he said, his tone severe. "but is this problem no different to the heavens not granting visions to people like your friend?"

he leaned closer to you, until his lips pressed against the skin under your ear, just next to your pulse. "do you know what delusions are made of? what my god is capable of, my young adventurer? her ambition runs beyond any of us."

his hand slid through your hair, grasping a handful. it didn't hurt but his hold was firm. he tugged at it, gaining more access to your neck. you could sense that he was very, very angry-- the way he tried to control his breathing, how his kisses felt so deliberate, the way his teeth hovered dangerously against your pulse.

and still, it made you impossibly warm. perhaps, this was what your late friend felt upon touching his perfect delusion for the first time. the feeling couldn't be possibly described by words alone.

you laughed, and he stopped, his breaths like a threat touching your skin. you were such a huge, fucking fool.

"what?" he asked. how did he feel so cold now, and you so, so warm?

"you hate it when i talk badly about your god," you said, cupping his face and looking at him in the eye. you brushed your thumb against his lips and he stared at you, his body so rigid that he looked like a doll stuck behind glass windows.

"what did she ever do you, childe?" you asked breathlessly, as you leaned towards his mouth.

it was your turn to make him all hot and flustered now, you thought, as you parted his lips with your tongue. he opened almost immediately, letting you taste him this time.

he tasted like the meal he cooked, peculiar yet rich, terrifying but surprisingly delightful. yet, it felt as if you're only hitting the surface of his true identity. your movements were gentle, your kisses slow and long as your fingers traced lazy patterns at the back of his neck, trying to pull him back; your friend who always shared his warmth with you, who comforted you when you cried, and unabashedly told you that he liked you everytime you met.

you drew out a short gasp from his lips when you scratched his scalp. you noted this in your mind, mapping his noises and sensitive spots so you could find these treasures anytime you wanted.

you tried to ease him with your soft licks and soothing touches, and when his shoulders relaxed, you moved to his jaw, nuzzling your nose into it, trailing slow, wet kisses down to his neck. you feel him hitch his breath, his arms wrapping around your back.

you kissed him as if you were caressing him. where was your friend who shared such uncanny kindness beneath his fake smiles?

"y/n," he called your name feverishly, rubbing his face in your hair, embracing you tight. "what are you doing to me?"

and once more, he was back from the cold, your impossibly warm friend warm again.

---

"where are you going after this?" asked tartaglia after packing up his things. he still had plenty of work to do, and it was time to return to the harbor.

"after my commissions? liyue harbor," you replied, putting out the fire. "the rite of parting is coming soon and adventurers always receive generous commissions there during the event. it's the perfect opportunity to earn a lot."

"you shouldn't go to the harbor," he said, hastily. "it's unsafe there." he did not want to elaborate any further, but there may not be a liyue harbor anymore if his plans did not go smoothly, and he couldn't tell you that.

"it can't be unsafe, it's liyue harbor," you said, frowning. "and i want to see the geo archon myself. jia thought highly of him. perhaps he could grant me wisdom on how to save more money.

"i also heard that the traveller and her little friend are on their way towards there. i want to meet her again."

"you've met the traveller?" he asked, genuinely curious. he had heard plenty of reports about the traveller named lumine, how she rescued monstadt from stormterror and harnessed powers despite not having a vision. she had skirmished with the fatui a couple of times too and defeated them all, to his growing interest.

a stranger and a warrior, he'd like to meet her someday.

"once," you said, "i asked her to pick some apples and acorns for me even though they were right next to me. i wasn't really serious, but she did it anyway.

"she's a kind person though i can't say the same about her floating friend. she wants to explore teyvat to look for her brother, and i thought, here's someone i could look up to," you said, your eyes glimmering. it was cute.

"can't you believe it? she's a foreigner in these lands and yet i could feel that she'll travel the entirety of teyvat before i even could. she's awesome."

tartaglia chuckled. "i'll look out for them. they seem to be a fun bunch."

then, his expression turned serious. "but, really, i advise you not to visit the harbor for the mean time. there are," he started, trying to find a good explanation, "rumors that something serious is going to happen concerning the arrival of the geo archon."

you looked at him, your eyes narrowing in suspicion. "the geo archon is a god. threats are nothing to him." he could sense that you knew that he was going to be involved, that he was the threat, but did not want pry.

"okay, but don't miss me too much," he chirped, trying to distract you. "i'll be very busy too, running errands and doing shady fatui stuff, as you call it. so you won't see me at all," he laughed teasingly. "i'd hate to see you sad and lonely because of me."

you closed your eyes, taking the bait. "i'm not going there for you, dumbass. i'm there for money," you said, "and the geo archon, the traveller, the good food. why should i be looking for you?"

"because you like me," he said, grinning.

you turned away, a small blush on your ears. you fell silent for a moment, taking deep breaths.

then, you turned back, that stubborn, determined look in your eyes that drove him madly inlove with you. "so? what if i decided to look for you?"

"huh?" he said, surprised you even admitted it.

"what if i want to see you?" you said. "and try to fight you again? and kiss you afterwards and argue with you again? what if i want to do all of them?"

tartaglia could feel his heart flutter again. it's not like it stopped beating so fast everytime he sees you in the first place. he just learned how to ignore it, because then, he won't be able to talk with you like this. he'd just start kissing you out of nowhere and it would only piss you off.

"i'm sick of running away, you know. jia told me i was a coward and you told me i wasn't. you were right," you said, turning his words into your weapon.

"if i'm going to travel the entirety of teyvat like a true adventurer, then i could face my feelings for you." you looked so annoyed saying it that he almost howled in laughter seeing your face.

"is this a confession?" he asked, trying to make you falter but no, you glared at him straight on.

"no. this is a promise," you said, pointing your dagger at him. your face was all red and your hand shook as you spoke the words out loud.

he could feel the smile on his face cracking, and his heart felt strangely lonely.

"i may not even see you ever again if you go there, comrade," said ajax, smiling sadly. he did not want to hear a promise from you. you were too kind to carry a burden like that, and he knew how heavy promises were. he carried so many of them already.

"so, instead, promise me you won't go there," he said.

tartaglia began to walk away, wanting to hear no more. why do you stubbornly resist him everytime he was being genuinely worried about you?

then, you started crying.

---

you always cried when your emotions got too heavy inside that they just burst forth into tears and overt passionate confessions, much to your humiliation.

besides seeing pigeons die, childe always got you crying like a toddler. it was as if his face was made to be a towel to catch up all your pent-up frustrations when things get too confusing for you. right now, you wanted to kill him and kiss him at the same time, and it was just too much.

"childe!" you yelled at his back. "i will find you and fight you and i will kiss the living shit out of you, out of pure spite. i swear and promise this to the seven gods, you bastard. you can't do anything about it."

your heart was in your mouth and here you were, making the weirdest promise to the most maddening man in teyvat who won’t even spill any of his own secrets. you wouldn't be surprised if the archons decided to strike you with lightning at this very moment. this was downright blasphemy.

was this was jia felt when he tried to seek for something he couldn’t have?

you watch childe, his shoulders shaking before he turned around and let out a loud laugh. a big, long laugh that made his entire face crinkle upwards, a laugh that made you forget that he was a cold-blooded harbinger with empty eyes, someone who had too many scars and blood on his hands for his youth.

and, for a moment, you did not see him as childe with his different masks and deceiving smiles, but just a boy, laughing his heart out because of you.

when he finally stopped laughing, he wiped the tears off his face and took deep breaths. he was so far away from you now, and the distance seemed like a prelude to a farewell.

"my name is tartaglia. i don't wanna see you make promises to my codename. it's a bit unfair," he said, smiling.

"perhaps someday, i can tell you my real name but that's enough for now. i'll tell you once you've kept your promise. this is my own promise to you.

"in liyue, contracts are set in stone. in snezhnaya, we keep our promises close to our heart, and we keep it at all cost," he said, raising a hand, his pinky up. you raised yours as well, copying the gesture.

he started chanting a song in his language and you listened carefully, he sounded so far away that you had to tilt your ear hear to his voice, whispering the foreign words so you could remember it.

after he was done, he said, "now go, y/n. find me, fight me, then kiss the living shit out of me out of spite. i hope we meet again someday."

then, he turned, and he was gone. and for once childe, no, tartaglia, he was the one running away, and you were the one going to seek him.

you wiped your tears with your knuckles and turned to the marshes. the bastard didn't even said goodbye.

for now, you needed to collect some horsetails, you thought, heading deeper within dihua marsh's fields, the statue of the geo archon glowing bright nearby.

[ulanulanulan]

Masterlist and Rules

MASTERLIST

childe x reader

— oh no there is only one bed!!! or you and childe have to share a bed || Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Final (fluff, suggestive, angst, humor, plot-heavy)

— you ask childe to teach you how to give hickies (fluff, suggestive, humor)

— making out with childe  (fluff, suggestive)

diluc x reader

— you ask diluc to lick your nipples (nsfw, fluff)

rules and some warnings:

this blog contains nsfw, r18 stuff and lots of suggestive stuff (on my stories only!!) so, please take caution, especially minors.

i accept requests but they’re not a priority because i write only when i feel like it. i want this blog to be a super casual hobby for me so i may write them after a long time.  i’ll reply privately if i couldn't do your request. i’d feel bad to leave anyone hanging

when making requests, please add what sort of reader they are. i find it difficult to write abt reader/s without a personality bc i like my fics to have some sort of rapport and dynamic with the characters. and i like writing dialogues too!! so, the more detailed the reader’s personality is, the better, and perhaps, has a higher chance of getting accepted!

i don’t accept smut requests atm. fluff and suggestive stuff are ok. angst with comfort is ok. no angst endings, i want these characters to be happy uwu. i like stories where characters are forced to work something out together??? does that make sense? 

i write smut, but for me only sorry >< (in retrospect, smut is so hard for me to write so you won’t see much of it from me, so yeah..)

readers i write are generally gender-neutral, unless stated otherwise. but if i ever, ever make a mistake writing abt our gender-neutral reader, please point it out so i could fix it immediately.

i only currently write for the liyue (excluding patch 2.4 characters) and mondstadt cast (excluding patch 2.3 characters and above). this is because i haven’t really read in depth about the more recent characters yet, nor am i interested to atm.

i like tossing ideas with people so my dms/asks are open if you have genshin headcanonons/theories or suggestions about my stuff. just be chill, okay???

i mainly write on my phone so formatting/links and even spelling may look weird on desktop hhh editing on a phone is dang hard!!!!

about me:

hello, i’m ulan. i mainly write genshin x reader fics and hopefully, other genshin ship/platonic fics someday. i made this account to lurk but i may write fics sometimes. posting time can be very random but i post updates when i’m working on something. i speak english & tagalog. my pronouns are she/they. i like to draw and consume all sorts of media, mainly anime, films, and books. i like reading mystery and fantasy stuff.

[ulanulanulan]

oh no there is only one bed!!! or you and childe have to share a bed part 6 (the bed isn't even there anymore 😔😔)

note: ok this really is the last chapter before the epilogue!! it got too long so i had to make 2 posts. utc minor violence, strong language, and um, i dont wanna elaborate but you know 🤭🤭🤭

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

dihua marsh

when the gods gave you your vision, it was precisely the moment you tried to stab childe. blame and hatred had coursed through your mind, so intense and uncontrollable, that you even dared to kill someone, more so, a harbinger who was far more powerful than you.

if the gods recognized you in that very moment, violence in your heart, then does this mean they approve of your sudden bloodlust? what does that make you then?

you didn't think the gods granted visions from a burst of human emotion. you believed the gods, the archons, and the power of celestia itself. you were an adventurer after all, and you often prayed for their guidance in your journeys. if the gods approved of your will, then you must see through it, right? aren't visions the culmination of a person's ambition?

everytime you met childe, you felt a hint of frost touch your heart. initially, you thought it was just because he was loud and annoying. but whenever you touched him, the cold would spread further and the noise in your mind grew louder, more unbearable, and the urge to see him gone surfaced inside you like a storm.

stranger still, it was also his touches that thawed the cold away.

you had thought of getting rid of your vision so many times now. you tried throwing it at the lake near dawn winery, almost tossed it away from starsnatch cliff, but it was as if your hands were glued to it, and you feared the heavens would punish you if you threw their gift away.

you should get rid of him, you thought, just so the cold in your heart could disappear and perhaps you could be free of this.. this thing.

instead, you ran away. you were better at doing it

you opened your eyes and unclasped your hands, gazing at the tall statue of the geo archon. you had finally arrived at liyue. you've been praying to it, whispering the things that bothered your mind.

you absently stroked the necklace around your neck, hidden under your shirt. your journey had been quick because of it.

it had almost been a year since you stepped into morax's terrain, felt the country's warm breeze and rough roads. there was a sense of harshness in this land, as well as beauty and strength, a perfect balance so different from mondstadt's more buoyant atmosphere. you breathed in the air, appreciating the change of scenery.

then, a hillichurl shot an arrow at you.

it didn't hit you, so it attempted to try again. but before it could, the look you sent it made it pause, and it quickly hopped away to bother other adventurers.

you ought to reserve a room at wangshu inn now, you thought, watching the running hillichurl. you just got back from a fever and it didn't do you good to keep walking around, especially in dihua marsh. it was too vast, too open, and too dangerous, and it was common to get attacked by treasure hoarders around here, even though the sun was still high up.

you began to walk.

---

wangshu inn

well.

you threw your bag out of frustration, then hurriedly picked it up back. you hunched down, buried your face on it, and screamed, grabbing the attention of the guests scattered around the inn's balcony.

you had lost your wallet.

you turned over the contents of your bag and it still didn't popped out. you patted your coat, checked your pockets and still, you couldn't find it.

you couldn't have left it back at the inn, you thought. but then, you were in a hurry when you left so it was likely it was still there.

you groaned. first thing that happened to you at liyue was to forget your wallet. the geo archon must be laughing at you right now.

you hear your stomach growl. you still haven't eaten breakfast yet and it was already near lunch. you didn't have a coin in you to buy anything from the inn or anything valuable to trade yet.

maybe you could sell childe's sweater at a decent price. you took it from your bag and stroked the soft, quality fabric with your fingers. it was a nice sweater, you thought, burying your face in it. you stayed like that for a moment, nuzzling it to your face, trying so hard not think about its owner who looked good wearing it.

you stood up, threw the sweater back to your bag, and began your march back to mondstadt.

---

dihua marsh

"you're all fucking idiots," you muttered under you breath.

the treasure hoarders have surrounded you, armed with their shovels and hammers as if they were about to build a fort instead of robbing you in broad daylight.

one of them pointed a crossbow towards you. "c'mon, raise your hands, adventurer."

you slowly raised your hands, glaring at her. "i just told you. i have nothing to give you," you said, keeping your tone composed. your patience was quickly running thin. you were in a foreign country with no money and a ragtag of thieves chose to bother you of all people. more so, you haven't had breakfast yet, and your stomach growled in hunger.

the crossbow lady grabbed your bag, the bow still aimed at you. "we'll see about that." she tossed the bag to one of her friends, the hammer man, and he immediately shook the contents out.

"looks like a bunch of junk," said one of them. the shovel man fell down to his knee and clawed your valuables with a hand. "typical adventurer's pack."

"i have no money there," you informed them, so they could hurry up and leave you alone. "i've been telling you over and over again."

they ignored you. it seemed as if they were looking for something.

the crossbow lady toed the gray sweater. "check this out," she said. the hammer man reached for it and stretched the sweater out.

"perfect," he said, pushing himself up. you eyed them suspiciously. "let's go. we're done here." they began to leave, only bringing the sweater. they left your bag on the ground, the contents already dirty with dust and soil.

you watched their backs, suddenly feeling lost. it was just a sweater, you told yourself. it wasn't even yours in the first place.

you didn't even need it anymore.

"wait, " you started, but the treasure hoardeds continued walking, ignoring your calls.

"i said wait!" you yelled, angrily. the crossbow lady turned around. she looked at you, mockingly. "go home kid. you should be thankful this was the only thing we took from you."

"give it back," you said, quietly.

the lady tilted her ear to you. "what?" she asked, grinning. her friends laughed, as if she just said something funny.

one of your hands stroked your necklace and it began to glow. "i said give it back."

you were so far away and to the treasure holders, you seemed so small and weak. your voice even trembled, and it looked like you were about to cry.

they laughed at your misery, like the bullies that they were.

when the crossbow lady looked back from giggling, you were already right in front of her, your fist punching upwards. she cried as her chin connected with your fist.

the crossbow lady flew up, the blue sky crossing her vision, before her mouth filled with dirt as she fell head first on the mud. her weapon crashed heavily on the ground.

the other treasure hoarders were stunned in silence. you turned your eyes to them, shaking your hands. you had used too much force and now your knuckles hurt.

"i said," you repeated, your tone too calm, "give it back."

then, awaken from their stupor, all five treasure hoarders charged at you, arms and weapons raised.

---

stone gate

you found childe sitting by the stone bridge connecting dihua marsh to stone gate, holding a fishing rod. a bucket was beside him.

he was tossing a pouch with his other hand, its contents noisily jiggling inside.

he was smiling. he'd been waiting for you.

"rough day?" he asked, still tossing the pouch up and down. when you came closer, it glowed.

you were all muddy and dirty from beating up the treasure hoarders. the bruises on your knuckles stung and the side of your jaw bled a bit.

you dragged your bag on your way here, too tired to even carry it.

his sweater draped over your shoulders, the fabric all dirty and bloody too.

"you sent those treasure hoarders," you said, glaring at him. you had interrogated the crossbow lady and she said that a fatui gentleman had commissioned them generously to find you, and take back what you had stolen.

"is the fatui collaborating with thieves now?" you asked, scowling.

"if you look at it in another way, i turned them into honest, hard-working men," he said, huffing his chest. "i asked them to take my sweater back. i never did tell them to hurt you. i specifically said they shouldn't, for their safety. unless, well, they tried to defend themselves from you, that is."

you threw his sweater at the ground and grabbed his collar, pulling him close to you. "i'm going to kill you, you mad piece of shit," you said, and the words felt so easy to say, now that childe was being the biggest bastard you've ever met.

"go on," he said, his eyes glinting. "let's see you try."

you punched him hard but he dropped his fishing rod and quickly caught your fist with his hand. you pushed. he pushed back. "i have been thinking," he said.

"good. you should really practice that," you gritted, grabbing your dagger from behind. you swiped at his face but he threw his head back, the blade an inch away from his skin, before kicking your chest with his boot. the blow sent you backwards, your feet sliding against the cobbled stone.

"you're too slow, comrade. it's quite disappointing. but we can work on that," said childe. he jumped down from where he was sitting, still holding your wallet.

the necklace under your shirt began to glow and you felt air rush into you. you felt lighter, faster, and you sent him a high kick without much effort.

childe blocked it with an arm, fist closed. his other fist swung towards your face. you folded your legs and ducked before it could hit you.

you slid back, clenching your dagger hard. you tried to gauge his next moves.

there was manic glee written all over his eyes when he said, "so, you kept it. i didn't expect that." he spread his arms as if he was welcoming you to a hug. "you're always so full of surprises, young adventurer. i'm so happy i met you."

he suddenly charged at you, a hydro blade forming inside one of his fists. you dodged his quick attacks but just almost. his blade glinted dangerously, and even though they were made of water, you could feel their sharpness as they sliced through the air.

"you're open here," he said, going for your neck, but you brought your dagger up just in time, blocking the blade before it could cut you. you felt you back hitting the stone bridge as he pressed forward. your dagger clattered to the ground.

he squeezed your wallet, before tossing it to you.

you didn't catch it and it fell to the ground, your mora scattering. your vision also dropped out of it, its glow similar to lamp-grass, and it rolled roughly on the stone. you looked at it hatefully.

when you didn't take it, childe leaned down and picked it up, his blade disappearing in thin air. he dusted away the dirt before he grabbed your hand. the cold inside you drifted back again as he thrusted the vision to your palm.

you shoved it away and, as always, childe pushed back, gripping your hand tight. you felt the stone behind you dig through your clothes, and it wobbled dangerously. childe laid his hand on the bridge, completely cornering you.

"you're neither weak nor a coward, just because you couldn't kill me, y/n. your strong because you wouldn't," he said, leaning close to you until both of your hands pressed on his chest. "you had so many times to do it last night. more so, when we were at dunyu and i was bleeding to death. you told me you'll save me. you did that to jia, too.

"you're no murderer, you're an adventurer. you always took risks. and you save the people you love," he said, looking at you wistfully. "you're like a hero in the stories."

"but i will kill you, childe. the gods will it so," you said, your expression determined as if you were stating a fact. "my vision twisted me, i think.

"i feel it everytime we're together. see? my hands are cold again. if i lean closer," you said, bringing your face near his, your noses touching, "i could create a blade and push it through your heart."

you could feel his breathing against your lips, feel him gasp sharply as frost covered your hand. the cold didn't seem to affect him at all. the hand he had wrapped around yours was unyielding, and you could feel his heart beating so fast against your wrist. he only pressed closer, his warmth against your cold.

the closer he was to you, the colder you felt, and the noise in your mind doubled until you couldn't hear what he was saying anymore. his lips were so close to you, but you couldn't hear his voice, and you felt as if you were about to cry again.

all you could think about was stabbing him, thus, your will finally achieved. it made you so sad and so angry, because, after all,

"i want to save you," you said, because he was right. you try to save the people that you love, even if it's saving them from you.

then, childe kissed you.

and the noises inside your head vanished.

---

when tartaglia pressed his lips against yours, the cold in your hand went away, and once more he could feel how warm you are, how warm you could be.

your lips were slightly chapped and he could feel your shock against him. he brought his other hand to your cheek, and you felt so hot that he just wanted to bask in it. he swiped a tongue against your bottom lip, tasting you, and a small sound came out of your throat that made his heart beat even faster. he did it again, slowly tracing your lips with his tongue, urging you to make the noise again.

"y/n," he said, breathily. "i want you."

when you opened your lips, he dived in, exploring the inside of your mouth with his tongue, yearning to taste more of you.

you had no idea how long he had dreamed about this, how many times he had imagined himself kissing your lips. it took all his patience and training not to do it last night because you weren't feeling well, and you looked downright miserable too.

but now, nothing could ever stop him from savoring your mouth.

the noises in his head didn't die out, it never did, but now, it was replaced by you. he was acutely aware of the sounds you made-- your ragged breathing, the moans you tried so hard to suppress in your throat, the wet noises your kisses made-- they sounded so loud to his ears and he drank it all up, so thirsty and hungry for all of you.

you began to kiss him back, and the small movements you made with your chin drove him insane. you dropped his grip and placed your hands on his neck. tartaglia could feel your vision cold against his skin, and he shuddered.

you hadn't let your vision go, and you pressed it against him as if his heat could completely thaw its cool. he was used to the cold but this felt utterly different, it felt more intense, pointed.

when he felt your tongue sliding against his, he surged forward, trying to catch it with his lips. you leaned back, pulling him by his neck, as if your body was trying to mold itself onto his.

your kisses became more heated, more rough, and hurried, as he pushed you harder against the bridge, trying to close the gap between you as much as possible. he could feel the strong beating of your heart against his chest.

when he sucked your tongue, you let out a long moan, and he swallowed it with his mouth, as if he could eat your noises too. he could feel your fingers play with his hair, your nails just lightly scratching his scalp, and he thought could just melt.

"childe," you said hoarsely against his lips. gods, he loves hearing you say his name. what must it feel if you called him by his real one?

then, he heard a crack and you fell backwards, pulling him with you as well.

---

you shrieked when you felt cool water against your skin. you had fallen off the bridge, bringing childe with you. you wiped your face, trying to calm your ragged breathing.

the water made you wake up from the dream that you were kissing childe. that was a relief.

no, it was real, you thought, bringing the tips of your fingers on your swollen lips.

it did happen.

you have just been kissing him.

and it felt so good, you admit, grittingly.

gods, what have you done?

you turned your head, looking around for childe, but he was nowhere to be found. he couldn't have drowned, the water was only waist high. perhaps he drowned himself out of embarassment? because right now, you just wanted to lie back to the water and do it yourself.

then, he bursted back to the surface, spraying water towards you. you watched as he shook his hair, splashing more water to your direction. he looked like a dog.

"you look like a dog," you remarked.

he looked at you dazedly. "huh?" you didn't overlook the way his eyes scanned your wet clothes. the daze in his eyes turned into hunger, and it made you feel very warm despite being soaked through your clothes.

you repeated. "i said you look like a dog. a very wet one," you said, also eyeing his very wet clothes and the way drops of water slid beautifully on his neck.

you looked at each othrt for a while, waiting for the other to make the next. move.

the next second, he pulled you close to him, wrapping his arms around your waist. you were on his lap now, his legs between your knees. you tried to push him off, tossing about like a fish.

"hold still," he said, trying to kiss you again, but he slipped and instead, his smooches fell on your jaw. he started making small licks on it, his hands roaming around your body.

"childe," you said, closing your eyes as his hands began to slide on your thighs.

"childe," you called again, as he nuzzled his nose on the skin under your jaw. you tugged at his hair, and he let out a whine that sent you reeling.

when he bit your jaw, the part that got cut from your encounter with the treasure hoarders earlier, you let out a cry of pain. "childe!" you shouted, slamming your forehead on his'. the blow was so hard that he flinched, his head thrown aback.

then, you felt something whiz next to you, and you froze. you stared at the arrow that was now on childe's arm.

he also stared at it quietly, his eyes blinking questioningly for a moment.

you both turned to the hillichurl standing at a small, wooden makeshift boat, bow pointed at you two.

FINALLY. i wrote 6 chapters just for This Moment!!! i'm so happy we made it!!!!

epilogue coming up soon for real!! let's end this!!

last chapter here!!

[ulanulanulan]

haha i'm almost done with the epilogue chapter. it's chapter six (🤡) AND an epilogue bc it got too long 😅😅 i still need to trim it down bc i don't want it to be too tedious to read. hopefully i could upload it tomorrow. let's go chu

[ulanulanulan]

how my writer app looks rn 🙂🙂 so many childes

[ulanulanulan]

oh no there is only one bed!!! or you and childe have to share a bed part 5 (final??)

note: gosh am i in the zone this week. utc death and some minor violence again

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

dunyu ruins

a spark of flame lit through the darkness. childe watched you cautiously as you brought a match stick to your cigarette, tucked between your lips, lighting it.

you inhaled as if your life depended on it, your legs still around the ruin grader's now unmoving body.

"y/n," he said.

you exhaled, the small flame at the tip of your cigarette glimmering against your face. your expression was composed, too relaxed, he noted, and it almost seemed like you were having a nice smoke on a very nice day. but the way your hand shook didn't go unnoticed by him.

"childe," you called him back. your empty eyes stayed hooked at the cigarette between your fingers. you kept still for a moment, savoring the stinging in your lungs.

"i'm going home," you said, finally.

you leaped from the machine, walking and scanning the ground for your valuables. you found your bag. you reached down to get it. a few feet away were the snacks that had fallen out of your bag. beside it was your handbook.

you picked them up. you dusted away the dirt from the handbook. it seemed okay. you depended your life on it, and you were glad it didn't get stomped or desintegrated by the ruin grader.

you turned around and saw your extra clothes lying around. you picked them up too, stashing them carelessly inside your bag.

then, you saw jia.

you ignored the body and walked away from it. yet, your head began to whirl, the world becoming unsteady once more.

you dropped your bag. you focused your eyes at the tip of your cigarette, burning the small light inside your mind so you could forget everything else.

you inhaled again, and a sense of warmth flowed back inside you.

"hey," called out childe again. he was now next to you, holding out jia's delusion towards you. you stared at it.

"you dropped this. this belonged to your friend, right?" he said and the warmth inside you dissipitated. you started to feel cold again, and you directed the foreign feeling to the harbinger.

"gods, i want to kill you," you said under your breath. you spit out your cigarette.

you raised your fist towards him, dagger in hand, and swung. your shoulder hurted like hell but it did not matter. all you wanted to do was to kill this man right now.

this was all his fault.

childe stepped aside and you missed. it was as if your attack was nothing but a little nuisance to him. he glared at you, his eyes glinting in the dark.

you gripped the dagger with both hands and charged forward. he stepped backwards, sliding his other foot aside. his hand reached out to your wrist, grasping it tight.

you dropped your weapon, crying in pain.

your foot aimed at his legs, hoping you'd trip him, but he was faster. he twirled and you felt the ground leave your feet. it only took a moment's breath before he carried and tossed you to the floor, knocking the air out of you.

you lied there, still panting. his face loomed above you.

childe said, "that was fun. we should do it again." he reached out a hand towards you and you looked back at it incredulously.

you felt yourself turn colder by the minute. cold sweat dripped behind your neck and a strange noise rang inside your head. like ice cracking and winter storms, you thought, reaching out to childe's hand.

you grabbed his arm and pulled him towards you. he froze when you leaned your face near his. you took this moment to push him to the ground, pinning him with all your weight.

you were so close to him and you felt acutely aware of his warmth, how different it was to the cold sensation overpowering you inside. how could a monster be this warm, you wondered, and how was it possible that you felt this cold?

"you got me," he said, scoffing. your mind became a blur and your hands felt cold. so, so cold. you raised an empty fist at him and striked his shoulder, wanting to hit him so bad.

childe moaned in pain as you felt warm blood stain your fist. you looked at your hand in shock, unable to stop yourself from shaking.

around your grip was a blade made of ice.

---

when jia dropped you to the ground, you knew it was all over.

you watched as the ruin grader's beam hit half of his figure, his body jerking from the force that struck him.

both of you fell on the ground at the same time. you lied very still, closing your eyes and waited for everything to stop. god, barbatos, you were so exhausted. you just wanted to disappear from this place, return home, and pretend that none of this has ever happened.

facing this was beyond you capability. you weren't prepared for something like this.

nothing could prepare you for anything like this.

"y/n," jia's voice called out to you. you opened your eyes, listening to it.

"you're such a martyr," he said as if he hadn't just sacrificed his life to save you. "but i'm so glad you found me instead of that bastard.

"i wish we could go to inazuma together," continued jia, his voice dying away.

he said something else but you were already closing him off as you felt tears stinging your eyes. you wished you could turn back time right now, just erase it all away.

then, he was gone. forever.

--

you threw the icy blade away, horrified. you looked at your hand, childe's blood still on it. along with the burn marks, a touch of frost had formed around it. your hand looked so foreign to you, as if it did not belong to your body, and you found it difficult to breath all of a sudden.

tears began to fill your eyes. you covered your face with your bloody hands, trying to stop them from falling. you hated crying because, then, you couldn't stop yourself from wailing like a kid, and all your feelings poured out of your mouth along with the wave.

you told childe everything.

you told him you were sorry, that you hated him so much, about jia and his delusions, how the fatui tricked him. you told him how much you hated the fatui and ruin graders, and most especially, him.

he couldn't count how many times you told him you hated him.

he told you how cold you felt inside now, and how it did not seemed to go away. and it scared you so much, feeling cold and empty.

it all poured out of you like a torrent and all he could do was ride through the flow, your tears dripping on his face.

tartaglia closed his eyes, listening to your words as he bled out. your voice was like a song to his ears, and it drowned the neverending noise in his mind.

when you stopped talking and the storm had subsided, he slowly pushed himself up, ignoring the wound on his shoulder. you were still shaking. he gently pried your hands off your eyes and wiped your face with his gloved hand.

you were right. underneath the tips of his fingers, your skin was as cold as snow.

"comrade," he whispered and you turned at the new nickname he gave you. "y/n, " he said so tenderly. his hold on your wrists was tight as he tried to grab your full attention. your noses were touching and he could feel your rapid breathing against his mouth. "breathe with me."

childe pressed his forehead against yours, as if he was trying to share his body heat with you. you followed the rise of his chest with your eyes, listened to sound of his slow, steady breathing, focused to the sensation of his warm hand touching your wrists, until your breathing matched evenly with his.

"when i first got my vision, i felt so scared," he said, watching you breath. "but i also felt power, unimaginable to me back then. i thought it saved me, but no, it was my own will that saved me."

you began to calm down, listening to the lull of his voice. the cold inside you gradually thawed.

you started to feel human again.

"that's it, my dear," said childe, laughing hoarsely, before dropping his hands from your wrists, his head falling on your shoulder.

you were about to push him off, flustered and irritated at the same time, when you noticed his shirt was wet. his breathing slowed down, almost imperceptible, and his warmth began to disappear.

you carefully pushed yourself away from him, and finally, noticed the blood seeping through his clothes.

---

liyue

when tartaglia regained a bit of his consciousness, you were carrying him, his arm hanging over your shoulders. you had dressed his wounds but it wasn't enough to stop the bleeding.

"comrade," he muttered. he winced as you dragged him roughly.

"i'm going to carry you," you said, heaving him behind your back. you stumbled but forced yourself up, trying to keep your balance despite his weight.

he groaned. "this is humiliating. i thought you were going to kill me." he decided to to keep to himself that he was perfectly fine being carried, most especially when it was by you.

you moved your legs with all your strength. "you're pretty close right now," you grunted. "i don't want to overdo it, you know. who knew you still bled."

he wanted to laugh but his head felt light from the blood loss so all he could do was reply with a grimace.

"i saw a bunch of your comrades around here on my way to the ruins," you said. "i don't know why they chose to camp in the middle of the wilderness but i think i could bring you there."

he exhaled, wanting to stay awake and watch you carry him, but his mind started to fog again. he didn't want to sleep. he hoped you stayed with him. he hoped you were still there when he woke up.

he didn't want you to run away from him again.

"i'll save you," you whispered, as tartaglia drifted back to his dreams.

---

liyue - fatui camp

the fatui tried to attack you but when you showed them their master bleeding out, they tried to kill you.

there were three of them, one with a purple hammer, another one with a blue hydro cannon, and a brown-clad figure that held a shotgun. they held different delusions and different elements, and your mind raced on how to overpower them.

beating the fatui was no easy task, especially when you were heavily injured, but your will was stronger, and your vision shined brighter than ever.

all you had to do was to point your cryo blade on childe's neck to stop them from doing anything to you. you threatened the trio that childe would cut off their heads if he finds out they hurted you.

you were unsure about this of course, considering you almost had killed him, but it made them think twice about beating you up.

so, they locked you inside a cage instead, taking their master and giving him his needed medical attention. they seemed so used to treating him, you noticed, as the purple fatui brought out a first aid kit that seemed to hold a pharmacy's entire wares.

the blue fatui tended to childe's wounds with a practiced arm, muttering how the young master must have thrown himself into a lawachurl again.

the brown-clad one shook his head, saying it must have been a geovishap. "the young master liked those. he liked how they turned into a ball."

"it was a ruin grader," you interrupted from your cage. you didn't mention about you stabbing him.

the trio glanced at you, then returned their attention back to childe's bleeding figure, nodding sagely.

you had wondered why the fatui were stationed in the middle of nowhere on your way over. but now, it all made perfect sense, you thought, watching the trio heal their boss.

---

liyue harbor

it was childe who ordered the fatui to bring back jia's body from the ruins, so he could be given a proper funeral.

it was childe who told the news to jia's parents and faced their anger and sorrows. he generously compensated them, paying back the fake delusions your friend had spent his entire life savings for.

it was also him who paid for jia's funeral. he knew some people in the business, he said fondly, and you didn't ask about it any further.

you didn't attend the service.

when childe woke up from unconsciousness, the first thing he did was to call your name. when he learned you were locked up in a cage, still injured, he furiously barked at his subordinates, and the trio hastily took you inside their tent and fed and treated you.

the blue fatui advised against travelling as he wrapped a bandage around your shoulder and ribs. you had a few broken bones and it would take some time to heal.

"two weeks should be enough. but after that, you still shouldn't be doing strenuous work," he said, applying ointment to your burned hand.

you grimaced, wanting to leave the country immediately. you wanted to forget everything so bad. but now you had to face liyue harbor and the memories of your friend-- the shops the two of you frequented, the harbor where both of you always met at, the restaurants he brought you to.

it was all too much to heal in the city where you had fond memories with jia, with nothing to do but to rest and drown in your own thoughts. it messed you up.

"comrade!" cried childe as you lied lazily on one of the boats in the harbor. you shut your eyes, hoping the noise went away. it was still too early in the morning to have your mood already soured. didn't you pay the kids to bother him away? where the heck were they?

when you sensed he wasn't going away, you opened your eyes, and found him hunched to his knees, his cheek resting on his hand as he watched you. it was as if he was oggling a cat.

"what?" you asked, tilting your head up. he sat on the dock, observing you with a lopsided smile.

he looked much better now, his eyes less bloodshot and his movements back to its usual spring. he was still healing when he started working again, doing his shady fatui deeds probably. he looked terrible whenever he challenged you to a duel. and still, every, single time he came across you on the streets, he called you out for a match, his chirpy voice piercing through the common city noises and the dark thoughts that haunted you.

other than those times, you haven't really spoken to him. he was too busy and you were still grieving.

"you wanna--"

"no," you answered quickly, turning to your side to get back to your nap.

"-- have breakfast?" he continued, his voice bright as the sun. "my treat."

you turned back to him, eyeing him suspiciously. "what game are you playing?"

"you remember when we first met? you made a contract with me." he said.

you closed your eyes. you did your best not to remember that night but here he was, unearthing it back so casually.

"yes, i may have did," you replied, trying to not let him bother you. "asshole," you added. the word didn't have any bark on it as you felt yourself slowly sag. you stared at your hands, tracing the marks on them with your eyes.

"you wanted to be treated to dinner if you won," he said, his tone earnest. "i'm here to fulfill my part of the deal."

you sighed, trying to blot out the memories.

"you got to him first, y/n, " he said softly. "it seems only fair i treat you breakfast."

"i did find him first," you whispered. "he told me you were a bastard." the memory slowly came back to you and you felt a stab of pain in your heart.

you had tried to bury jia's death deep within your mind but now, his final words began to surface from its depths.

"he said.. i did my best," you said, slowly, finally remembering jia's last words. you had completely forgotten it after he died.

"he wished to go to inazuma with me. and..

"and he said i did my best," you repeated the words like a chant, basking at the small comfort it gave you. gods, what an idiot, you thought. both of you were idiots. it was him who did his best. you wished you had told him that before he died.

you loved him.

you wiped the tears before it fell off from your eyes. you sniffed before looking back at childe.

"you owe me money, too. times three." you raised three fingers.

he laughed so hard that you thought he was going to lose his breath. "of course, of course. i'll give you your due," he replied, still wheezing. he looked so much younger when he was like this.

"and we have to eat at the most expensive restaurant," you added, sitting up. you tried to shake off the peculiar warmth growing inside you, tried to ignore how his laughter made you feel lighter, happier even.

“yes, i remember that as well," he said, his eyes crinkling to the biggest grin he has ever made. it did not feel menacing this time.

it made you smile too, rather.

when you grinned, childe's expression suddenly changed, his eyes blinking hard and his mouth forming a small 'o'. a small blush tinted his cheeks and for the first time, he was the one who first looked away.

it looked so strange on him and you couldn't stop yourself from laughing. "gods, you look so weird," you said, wiping the tears off your eyes.

the young man pouted, pushing himself up. "let's go, i'm starving," he said, patting his uniform. he reached out a hand towards you, and you grabbed it, pulling yourself up from the boat.

then, you froze suddenly, looking at your hand clasped on his.

tartaglia stared at you. you looked so lost then, the humor disappearing from your eyes. your hand, which had been warm when you touched, swiftly felt cold in his.

"y/n?" he queried. your body was so still. it reminded him of that night, when you first received your vision, the way you body seemed to turn into ice as you cried.

he pulled you towards him but you let go. you stepped back to the harbor on your own, your face turning pale.

"are you alright?" he asked.

"yes," you said, looking at him as if he was a ghost. "i just felt dizzy all of a sudden."

you began to walk ahead and for a moment, he felt as if he had lost you again. it was so strange, and he felt the strongest urge to stop it.

he rushed towards you and slammed your back hard. you almost tripped at the impact but he caught you immediately.

you glared at him, life returning in your eyes. "what the fuck was that? are you trying break to my bones again?" you scowled, shrugging his hands off you.

"i was just.." he started, trying to think why he did that himself. "just a feeling," he said, trying to brush the strangeness off with a grin.

"well, because of that, i'm going to order the most expensive meal this morning. i don't care if it makes you broke or whatever."

he only chuckles as he leads you off to liuli pavilion. "did you pay the harbor kids to annoy me everytime they see me or.."

the two of you walked side by side, the sun casting a shadow on your figures. it was a good day.

---

mondstadt

when tartaglia woke up, you were already gone. your things were gone-- the map you pinned on the wall, the wet clothes you left on the table, the handbook you hung at the back of the chair. the dagger on the floor was gone as well.

the only reminder that you were here was that his sweater was missing. you had taken it with you.

the sun shined through the windows, warm and bright as if a storm hadn't passed by. it reminded him of you, the way you would quickly appear and disappear in his life. somehow, you always took a part of him with you, and he felt lonelier than ever everytime you left without as much as a goodbye.

when you left for mondstadt, he had challenged you to a duel. the two of you have completely healed then and he wanted to see you fight one last time. he wasn't challenging you to kill him, no, he just wanted a spar, that's all.

and yet, it all seemed twisted from your point of view.

he sat on the bed, knees hunched to his chest. he buried his face in his arms, feeling much troubled.

he went all this way for you, he thought. he wanted to tell you that he visited the country for you. that he hoped to see you again, that he'd buy you drinks and food, and join you with your adventures even.

he wanted to tell you that he found the person who tricked your friend and that he had already paid for his sins. he had personally visited them and the punishment he gave was well-deserved.

yet, when you told him that you didn't want to see him, he felt a pang of pain as if you just really stabbed him. he didn't mind if you wanted him dead. a lot of people wanted it too, anyway. and he liked your passionate attention and fiery spirit when you attempted to kill him.

but then, had he thought you differently the entire time?

it was the fact you tried to avoid him that bothered tartaglia so much, he realized. and, for the first time, for so long, he felt unsure of what he was doing.

did he missed something, he wondered. your words were scattered that night, gripped by your emotions, and as he reflected on them, his conceived feelings about you made it all more confusing.

he tracked back to everything you confessed, running his fingers through his hair. he remembered how his mind had raced when you said that he, childe, tartaglia, was on your mind when you received your vision. it elated him.

and heavily disturbed him too.

when you received your vision, what had happened to you?

he groaned loudly. "this sucks," he said, his heart aching once again. he wished he could fix it with a battle but this was beyond his usual methods. something about it did not make any sense.

he pushed himself up from the bed and grabbed his clothes. the morning was too nice to stay indoors and nurse a broken heart.

today, he was going to catch some fish.

there will be an epilogue chapter!! thank you for reaching this far 😊😊

part 6 is out

[meomeimeo]

2022.02.06

[rubikor]

autumn stroll