Giggles. . . Tighnari Likes Being Close To U When He Fucks You And He Subconsciously Wraps His Tail Around

#what was that, darling? what did you call me?

—how do they react when you call them an endearment for the first time? 

CHARACTERS. Aether, Albedo, Ayato, Childe, Diluc, Gorou, Kaeya, Kazuha, Scaramouche, Thoma, Venti, Xiao, Zhongli; gn!Reader

THEMES. fluff, new relationships kind of, nah just cute stuff

NOTES. i was honestly just inspired to make part 2 of this work of mine. it’s also similar to this one too (i just realized this now). i hope you’ll like it! i kinda had a difficult time writing nowadays ngl, i think i’m becoming rusty… or just burnt out

Send a Kofi || Writing Commissions

┌───────── ·  ·  ·  · ꒰⚘݄꒱₊

ZHONGLI had always been a calm and composed person through and through. With all that he’s been through in the millenia, there is very little that could surprise him by now. But it seems that the same couldn’t be said as he gets accustomed to the ways of mortal life. It was then that he begins to realize that humans—mortal life is full of unexpected events. 

“Dear, can you come here for a minute?” 

He supposes he should not have been surprised. After all, you two had been going out together far more often than not. It is safe to say that you both have mutual feelings towards each other. 

Yet the calm touch of your voice lets the barriers he had put up in his soul slowly fade away as if the numbness of his scars had begun to recover from its wounds. 

His hand finds your waist as he cracks a smile, “What is it, dearest?” 

┌───────── ·  ·  ·  · ꒰⚘݄꒱₊

XIAO feels a rush wave of warmth travel to his face and his chest hammers almost in an instant. You said “that word” so very smoothly, like it was made for your lips to utter to him. 

Keep reading

can i order a fluffy smutty yandere male housewife x CEO darling?

cw. delusion, sexual themes, surveillance, yandere themes

is a dog in human form. he could be seen more as your caretaker rather than your partner. with the way he does everything and anything for you. gently, though reluctantly, wakes you on weekdays for your work. prepares meals and drinks for you, all of them containing his saliva and other fluids of his. cleans your room, not before drowning his senses in your smell, this usually results in him lying belly down on your side of the bed with his face smushed against your pillow as his hands work his member. spending the day cleaning the house, the clothes, redoing certain areas that are in need of organising and all the while he’ll do that while listening to you going about your day through the hearing device stitched in your clothes.

if he has spare time, he’ll reward himself by making a small lunch while watching recent tapes that he’s recorded of the two of you lovemaking. when your day of working is done, you’re greeted by a table full of your favourite meals, your husband sitting and happily watching you eat his food. don’t forget to compliment his food and give him a headpat, or else he’ll delude himself into thinking you had eaten somewhere else, by the hands of another, and you enjoyed theirs more than his.

your househusband is a very…devoted man. easily jealous of anyone who speaks to you, which is why the hearing device comes in handy. he knows he can trust you, you’ve proven it to him multiple times without your knowing. but those revolting fiends that you are forced to deal with has his body fuming with anger. you returning home is one of his highlights of his days, he becomes absolutely bubbly and doting, sticking to you like gum that won’t come off no matter how hard you try. and his most favourite thing of all, the one thing he looks most forward to, is your reward for his good work. inviting him to love all over your body, to take care of your tired body, let him work the stress off from work. allow him to lick and clean you before dirtying you all over, inside and out. he’ll beg and whine throughout, good thing he has a new tape to listen to on his free time now.

playing hard to get [pt. 1]

as you were a person of bubbly character, he'd gotten used to your bright and cheerful nature, and the ridiculous shenanigans that came along with it. that included your numerous tries to woo him into dating you, with each attempt ending in failure. you weren't too depressed by it, returning to your usual jovial personality even after rejections... and he'd taken that for granted. he didn't expect you to do the “push-and-pull” tactic on him, and neither did he expect it'd work so well.

includes: diluc, xiao & childe

pt. 2 - zhongli, albedo & kazuha

pt. 3 - ayato & heizou

DILUC wasn't too pleased to see you at angel's share so often at the beginning, but he eventually got used to your presence — begrudgingly, of course. there would be no way he was anticipating your visits, that's plain absurd. he just so happened to be the bartender that time, and you were the one coming to see him, not the other way around. that said, you don't approach him the moment you step foot inside; you made it a habit to converse with other customers first before taking a seat on a bar stool, showering DILUC with the usual compliments and idle chatter. it never seems like he listened properly to whatever you were saying, too busy mixing drinks and wiping glasses, but you knew he was. on what basis? a hunch. which wasn't all that trustworthy, but you wholeheartedly believe in it.

this night didn't start out differently from the rest. the door swung open, and his eyes flickered to the newcomer. ah, it was you, strolling up toward a table with your acquaintances. nothing out of the ordinary. but time passed: half an hour had gone by, then another, and then... huh, it's awfully late. it was right about the time you usually left- hey, wait, you're already leaving? DILUC was nearly startled into dropping a glass, and it wasn't his proudest moment. why were you going when you haven't said a single word to him?

“you're leaving?”

you knew you'd won the second he uttered those words. you spun on your heel, looking almost smug, and DILUC had never felt so defeated before. “yes, i have an early start tomorrow, so i'm afraid i don't have the time to chat right now.” he wanted to argue that you had enough time to chat with the other patrons, he really did, but he'd only look like an immature fool.

he placed down the wine glass in his hands, sighing. “would you allow me to accompany you home?”

oh, you've won, alright.

XIAO was often the receiving end of your pointless chatter, ranging from complaints from an exhausting day at work to trivial matters like what you were planning to have for dinner that evening. it was an arrangement XIAO never signed up for — somehow, you'd gotten a hold of his usual spot at wangshu inn and made it a habit to sit next to him whenever you were free and proceed to fill his ears with useless blabbering. he thought of it as a mild inconvenience, and told you as such: “your presence is irritating.”

you seemed a little shaken then, frozen in shock for a split second. but your expression warmed into a sheepish smile, and it looked somewhat stiff, but XIAO made no move to comment on it. “is that what you really think?” he didn't feel inclined to nod, nor did he deny it.

perhaps he should've.

you didn't visit the next day, or the next, or even the next after that. XIAO thought nothing of it at first, since it wasn't odd for you to miss visits on consecutive days. but you didn't come for a week, and then another, and-

he was tired of turning around to look behind him each time he heard footsteps padding against the floor, only to be devasted to not see the person he was expecting. it was certainly strange... how come you never paid him a visit? you've never gone for so long without seeing him, which obviously meant the same for him, and he'd been feeling antsy without the assurance you were alive and well. verr goldet had told him you were only busy with your job, but he needed to confirm it with his own eyes.

he was just about ready to give up waiting for you that day and head off to his own room when his ears picked up on the sound of creaking from the stairs. he glanced at its direction, mentally prepared to be disappointed, only to see... you, hesitant to step closer. oh. it was actually you.

his heart fluttered in glee and you nervously laughed, “oh, sorry, i didn't think you were still here... yanxiao asked me to fetch a couple of things for him and it was late so i didn't assume you'd still be around.”

your words were deaf to his ears as XIAO himself approached you with his own feet. and, well, if he'd walked with hurried strides or accidentally slipped a smile or two, then nobody could blame him.

CHILDE could be described as mean. not a total douchebag, but pretty close to it — even scaramouche had dubbed him as such, and it wasn't just because he disliked the fellow harbinger.

CHILDE was fully aware of his own charm, and though he wasn't one to boast about it, he knew how attractive he was: physical features aside, he was good at fighting, and he knew how to cook, not to mention he had an overwhelming wealth to brag for. it wasn't unusual for people to flock over him to curry his favor, and he'd be lying if he said he disliked it.

he had a terrible hobby, you see. CHILDE would set his eyes on a particular person that piqued his interest, shower them with attention, gift them with whatever they could ever ask for, and treat them with nothing but kindness. but then he'd act distant the next moment, indifferent to their advances, until that person would become impatient and take the initiative themself. he found satisfaction in the way someone would beg for his affection, the way they clung to him so desperately... and yet he'd grow tired of them once the fun was over, and he'd repeat the process again. a heartbreaker at his core.

at the beginning, you were just that — another pitiful victim to CHILDE's whims. you were so, so gullible, so easy to please. you smiled at every insincere compliment, gasped at even the cheapest of presents. “thank you,” you'd say each time, genuine gratitude plastered all over your expression, and CHILDE would feel the tiniest twinge of guilt squeezing his heart. his conscience was screaming at him to stop.

but more than anything, he wondered what you would do if he ignored you altogether.

he thought you'd be adorable, shyly grasping the back of his shirt to ask him out on a date yourself. he wanted to see that, to tease you for being so straightforward. and maybe he'd even take you seriously, something he'd never done before. you were a special case, after all; the idea of dating you was... nice. he'd treat you even better than before, treasure you to the best of his abilities. he'd give you anything you asked for.

but you didn't seek him out. no, you never paid him any mind, batted an eyelash at his sudden absence. you weren't bothered by his disappearance at all, just as cheerful as you've always been, and he didn't like that. he didn't like that at all. he didn't want to see you being fine without him, when he'd been aching from distancing himself from you. it was unfair. he wanted you to long for him the same way he longed for you.

and at his wit's end when he knocked on your door at late evening, coming face to face with your knowing smile, he knew he got a taste of his own medicine.

Hi! Could you write yandere headcanons for a mountain of smiling bodies?

⸸ T-01-75 (The Mountain of Smiling Bodies Yandere Headcanons) ⸸

(No Face went through rough times to be in Lobotomy Corporation...)

"From the death of hundreds, a single monstrosity was born."

⸸ The countless faces covering its body would appear inconceivable to anyone who looked at them. Withering, eyeless, and pale with death, it would be a miracle if anyone recognizes any of them to be their colleague's.

⸸ But just because humans couldn't, it didn't mean that the creature couldn't recognize any them. In fact, T-01-75 knew every single agent working in the facility, including the ones covering its body.

And you might just be the new addition to its collection.

⸸ T-01-75's obsession with a specific person would be rooted in the sole fact that it cannot eat them.

⸸ Try as it might, they were too durable, somehow always managing to best the Abnormality before it could pin them down and devour them.

⸸ Nothing says true love like wanting to be your darling's only killer.

⸸ T-01-75 would know its darling's scent, and would recognize it the moment another Abnormality dares to hurt them.

⸸ It's already bad enough for any and all agents to come to its containment unit injured (doing so will definitely lower the Qlipoth Counter).

⸸ But if you were someone T-01-75 is particularly attached to, it is 100% guaranteed that seeing any sort of injury on you will immediately send it on a roaring rampage of revenge (after it eats you, of course).

God forbid it if you were to die.

⸸ Will give you it's 'Smile' gift solely because it thinks your body is too weak. His gift gives you extra HP, and regardless of how your fortitude is, T-01-75 will always see you as fragile and fleeting.

⸸ Fleeting, because even though it can be hurt, maimed, and reduced to nothingness, T-01-75 will always live on.

⸸ So long as there are corpses, so long as there is meat and blood in this world, it will always come back.

⸸ But what about you? You, who is more than just the blood and flesh and bones that make up your body?

⸸ You would be gone.

⸸ Is it really difficult at all to understand why it wants to keep as much of your remains for itself?

Title: Pliant.

Pairing: Yandere!Scaramouche x Reader (Genshin Impact).

Word Count: 1.0k.

TW: Implied Improvement, Mentions of Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Slight Degradation, Slight Codependence, Manipulation.

“Again.”

He looked less domineering than he sounded, all parted lips and disheveled hair and pink dusted lightly over pale skin, a slight blush that betrayed the even cadence of his voice. His hands were still on your hips, slid underneath below your open tomesode, and you could feel his nails digging into your skin, his grip far too tight to be romantic, as if you still had to be held in place to reciprocate his sparse affection. You liked him when he was like this, quiet, flustered, his abrasive shell not completely broken and done away with, but fractured, the cracks just wide enough to expose the deprived, trembling creature that dwelled within its protective walls.

“Are you listening? Why am I even asking? Of course you're not.” An edge, now, a note half-hearted anger. His eyes caught in the dull light, dark irises momentarily lined with silver, and you dropped your gaze to your neck, to less treacherous territory. “Again, you empty-minded whore. Before I lose by patience.”

You liked him even more, when he wasn't talking.

“That’s really no way to ask for a kiss, my love.” From your position, forced to straddle his waist, you were above him, allowed (possibly for the first time) to look down on Scaramouche, if only for his own convince. He liked to think of himself as something strong, something powerful, and more often than not, he was. Letting you tower above him was only a testament to that strength; it was only something he could do because he had so much power to give away. You were aware of that, and yet, it was nice to let your knuckles brush over the side of his neck, to card your fingers through his hair and watch him keen, leaning into your palm with only the slightest trace of reluctance. It was nice to pretend you had power, even if you knew you were only borrowing his. “I really don’t like it, when you talk to me like that. Do you want to try again?”

A scoff, accompanied by a dismissive frown. You leaned forward, and Scaramouche pulled back, his hands falling away from you and curling around the silken sheets. “You’re babbling nonsense. Should I assume you’ve taken one too many blows to the head?”

He’d never hit you, never been the type to resort to measures so blatantly violent. Scaramouche preferred bloodless punishments, methods that wouldn’t break what he’d rather preserve, what he knew he's want to cling to and clutch later on. Burns, sometimes, hot coals piled onto your cupped hands until the pain threatened to overwhelm you conscious mind, or isolation, whenever he deemed you ungrateful for his love and care, days upon days spent locked inside of your empty bedroom, your absentee captor serving as your only source of company. No broken bones or choking collars, nothing that might get out of hand, nothing he might get carried away with. He wouldn’t risk letting you escape from him so easily.

You cupped his chin, attempting to tilt his head back just a little further, but he batted you away a second later, already glowering. “Don’t treat me like a child. I don’t need you to coddled me."

“But, that’s what you want me to do, isn’t it?” Arms strung over his shoulders, instead, your chest nearly touching his. This time, he didn’t draw back. “I’m not asking for much. Just a few nice words. That’s all I want.” You found the nape of his neck, the small, purple mark just below it. You traced your thumb idly over the faded tattoo, and he stiffened, going rigid beneath you. “Can you do that for me?”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve forgotten your place.” A stoic expression, a show of his oh-so-unshakable composure. As if he honestly thought you were so naïve. As if you couldn’t read him just as well as he could read you. “Keep talking like that and I’ll—”

“You’ll what? Brand me, again? Whip me, again? Lock me in my room and threaten to leave me there, again?” You couldn’t help yourself, letting out a dry, breathy laugh, curling into him, burying your face in the dip of his shoulder. He was cold to the touch, unpleasantly so, in a way that seemed to sap the warmth out of your body wherever it made contact with his. Another trait that made him all the more unbearable to be around, even if you couldn’t seem to bring yourself to mind it, anymore. “We’ve been doing this for months. I know all your tricks, and I know you’re getting tired. I know you don’t really want to have this fight. I know you don’t to want to put me away, right now.” You paused, letting your lips ghost over his skin. “Can’t you just be nice for me? Just for tonight? Please?”

He didn’t respond. You straightened your back, cupping his face, kissing the top of his head gingerly.

“Please, Scaramouche?”

Silence. You felt his hands on your thighs, his movements now trepidatious, unsure.

“Please, Kunikuzushi?”

His mouth opened, then closed again. He bowed his head, shutting those awful, awful eyes. You were thankful for it, in some quiet, sickening way, and when he began to speak, pride bloomed inside of your chest, far brighter and far more vibrant than any dull, panicked fear he’d ever managed to provoke. “I…” Slow, shaking, hesitant. More of a sound than anything else, meaningless to everyone and anyone but you. “I don’t care. I’ll do whatever you want.”

“That’s not good enough, Kuni’.” Another kiss, this one to his forehead. “One more time, alright?”

“I can.” Then again, slightly louder. “I can.”

You didn’t chastise him, or praise him, or say anything at all.

You only kissed him, softly, as intimately and as lovingly as you could. He melted against you, wrapping his arms around your waist. There was no permission, no approval, no power to be bargained away or borrowed or returned, as soon as he decided he had to take it back. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. It was something, even if it was still something small, something just beginning to take a form you recognized, a form that he didn't, a form that you could only hope he wouldn't. No tonight, at least. Not until he was something softer, something more eager to be adored than to be hated.

Not until it was too late for him to take a drop of that power back.

𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 || 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: when you get injured tighnari has no one to help him when he’s in heat, at first

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: tighnari x gn!reader

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: smut (minors + ageless blogs dni!! you’ll be blocked)

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: mentions of being in heat/mating, masturbation, sex outdoors, handjob, oral (m!receiving), throat fucking, implied unprotected sex

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 0.9k+

𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐈 𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄. sometimes at the expense of himself. you sometimes scolded the forest watcher for this habit but it was rare that he listened to you. this included the time you got injured while dealing with a withering zone.

luckily at the time other rangers had been with you so they were able to take you back so tighnari could tend to you. the other good news was that your wounds weren’t very serious. they would be healed with proper care but still, you were too hurt at the time to realize what time of year it was.

it just so happened that you had gotten sick around mating season. meaning that tighnari was in intense heat. normally at this time you’d give him some relief and take care of him but there was no way tighnari could ask you for help in the state you were in. so he suffered quietly.

sometimes he would be so pent up to the point where it was painful for him. naturally tighnari didn’t want you to worry so he’d finish giving you your medicine then snuck out while you were resting. with you sleeping in his bunk tighnari couldn’t satisfy himself there so he retreated to the woods.

going to a secret spot by a waterfall that only you and himself knew about, tighnari would pull out his aching cock. the only sound in the area would be water running, birds chirping, and tighnari’s breathy moans as he stroked his length. eventually he’d finish in his hand. unfortunately his balls would feel just as heavy as before. frustrated tighnari would have no choice but to clean himself in the river before returning back to you.

this routine continued until you finally got better. maybe it was because he was still concerned for you or perhaps he was embarrassed. whatever reason, tighnari hasn’t reminded you of his mating cycle. you had to find out by yourself after you followed tighnari out into the forest.

with your energy back you wanted to go for a walk with the forest watcher but he was nowhere to be found. when collei informed you that tighnari had gotten out you knew exactly where to go next. the place he always went to clear his head. it’s a good thing you went to find him too.

when you find him tighnari is struggling to cum. he doesn’t hear you approaching as he spits on his hand. his palm was starting to become too familiar. it wasn’t enough to relieve the tension anymore. poor tighnari needed more. thankfully for him you were there the oblige.

the moment you catch him you remember. initially you’re filled with guilt. the whole time he was caring for you tighnari was dealing with this on his own. the next emotion the overcomes you is annoyance with him.

startling him by appearing behind him, tighnari gasps when your hand replaces his and wraps around his girth. “you’re so stubborn” you whisper in his ear, making tighnari’s ears twitch. “you should have told me about this”.

his voice goes up an octave as tighnari responds. “you’re still recovering. i-i couldn’t trouble you” he stutters as you start flicking your wrists. fuck, your hand feels significantly better than his own. “i-i’m alright”.

“no you’re not” you retort, using your other hand to cup his balls. you’re taken aback by how much they weigh. “it hurts doesn’t it? you can be honest”.

tighnari hesitates but there’s really no denying it. his neediness overcomes his stubbornness in the end. eventually he’s nodding frantically in reply. “yes, please. h-help me through this heat. i’ll do anything”.

“you don’t have to repay me” you reassure. suddenly you let go of his cock, earning a whine from tighnari. promising that you’re not done with his, you move him to a nearby tree so he can lean against it. “you took care of me, let me take care of you” you hum, dropping to your knees.

the next thing tighnari knows you’re kissing his tip. you give his cute pink head a few kitten licks before your lips fully wrap around his cock. a hiss echoes from his mouth immediately. it’s drowned out by the waterfall to the rest of the jungle but you still hear it loud and clear. it makes you take him deep down your throat until you’re nearly choking.

your gagging rings in his pointy ears, making tighnari feel like he’s going even more wild. he holds back the feral side of him for as long as he can, letting you bob your head along his dick, but soon enough the animalistic urges take over. his mind becomes set on nothing but cumming. when his hips start to buck into your mouth there’s no stopping him.

you let him use your throat as if it’s his own personal fuck hole. how could you deny him when the moans he’s letting out are so beautifully pornographic? even with your eyes glossed over with tears you can still make out tighnari’s blushing face as he chases his orgasm.

his end approaches faster than either of you could have predicted. it’s a relief to your abused throat when his buts his load. you gulp it down like you’re dying of thirst, moaning at his salty taste. when tighnari pulls out of your mouth his breathing is erratic as he tries to collect himself.

“i-it still hurts” he confessed after a few minutes passed by. you’re not offended. it honestly doesn’t surprise you when he’s had no outlet for his uncontrollable desires. “want to take you back home” tighnari adds, fucking himself back into his pants before scooping you up. “need to fuck you properly. 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄”.

2022 © httphaitani — do not repost or translate my work. likes, reblogs, and comments are welcome

Hi, this is my first time requesting even though I really want to say to you that the Xiao fic you wrote entitled Lament was so good that I am biting my tounge while reading to prevent me from (s)creaming because it was such a chef's kiss.

May I ask if you plan to write a yandere Kazuha? I just really love him. A praise-deprived Kazu which his desire enhances whenever his darling (reader) praises him with no idea of what effect she does.

I just thought that if he's a yandere it would fit if he's a bit younger like 2 or 3 years as the reader would treat him as her younger brother and have known each other as kids which that the reader dotes on him.

Praises him on little things like starting a fire or getting her a sweet fruit in the middle of the forest as we could see Kazu's eyes turning in the shape of heart and she has no idea of what effect she has on him. :)

thank you so much for reading that fic! I still feel somewhat unsure of that fic sometimes, so this comment really helped ease my fears :)

content warning: female reader, stalking tendencies, yandere behaviour—read the tin. you get what you come for, after all.

Late getting around to this since I've just returned from a hiatus, but yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Love the idea of an older darling that’s very much the big sister type. I imagined a bit differently, with darling being the member of Beidou’s ship who has a big family that she’s had to leave behind to follow Beidou. 

And your heart is always so soft for pitiful things, especially since seeing such a lonely, sad young man like Kazuha when Captain Beidou first introduces him to the rest of the Crux members. He doesn’t speak, eyes always downcast whenever you approach him and ask him if he’s well, whether he’s comfortable, what you can do to ease his journey on the ship. Nothing, but he glances away when you approach. 

Well, no matter. You’re one of Captain Beidou’s, and you’re made of sterner stuff. You stop asking questions, even as the rest of your crewmates keep questioning him. What you do is take care of him, coming and going with water, warm soup, little snacks you’ve managed to haggle from the stingy chef on the Alcor. He accepts your offers without a word, only a nod in thanks, the red of his eyes soft, and it warms your heart to see the young man getting more lively in the way he’s moving about the ship. 

He starts opening up a lot more, telling you and Beidou of imminent storms, predicting weather as though he were the Raiden Shogun herself manipulating the storms. The flurry of compliments makes him turn away from you in embarrassment as he would give his thanks. You delight in the sound of his voice, taking to keep him next you and under your wings, determined to have him close. It’s been a long time since you've been really able to take care of anyone like this, and you relish in the opportunity.

The day that he reveals his name is the day you take it upon yourself to use it as often as you can. Kazuha, you’d say, let me do this for you. Tell me about this. And when you ask him whether you could change the bandage on his hand for him, Kazuha looks at you from under his lashes and nods. The lad’s been through so much, you could tell, from the worn calluses on the pads of his fingers and the angry red burn at the centre of his palm. The wound has healed long ago, but there must be a reason he still wears it, so you take the most attentive care in wrapping it.

And as you both travel to and fro, according to whatever whims Captain Beidou feels like following, Kazuha sticks close to you. You praise him as you would your younger siblings at home, a note of compliment never far whenever he does anything of note, whether it be raising the sails, telling the weather, reciting poetry, practicing his sword. You’re not a fighter, being the supplies manager and quartermaster to Juza, but you knew a little here and there. Whenever you’d cross blades with Kazuha, he’d never go easy on you, saying something about there’s honour in giving one’s all against a worthy opponent. You always laugh and ruffle his hair, gushing about how he’s so strong. He always smiles, crimson eyes sparkling as he soaks in your words, a little hum as you bump shoulders with him. Thank you, he tells you, and his answer is airy, as though he were struggling to breathe.

It’s great, having such a mild-mannered young man to fuss over. Nothing like your own rowdy siblings at home who whine at the slightest hint of you ruffling their hair or scolding them about finishing their foods. Kazuha is so considerate too, always leaving you the best cut of the fish that he finds or the most perfect of all the apples he gathers whenever the Alcor docks close to the forests of Mondstadt. Nowadays, whenever you show the slightest discomfort, Kazuha’s always the one speaking up for you, suggesting for you to take a break. 

It’s perfect, having Kazuha as a friend. There’s just one thing… Just one small oddity. He follows you a little too closely. Listens a little too carefully. Whenever you go run your errands, to restock the supplies, to ask for repairmen, Kazuha—even though he’s been assigned his own duties—always appears a few minutes later, breezily saying that he’s done his own tasks and came to see if you were having troubles. Left or right you look, Kazuha is always there. He always finds you.

It gets a little too much, even with your casual nature of always being so warm and inviting. And when you bring it up to Kazuha, a question of, “Maybe we should meet up later, Kazuha? I’m sure you’d like to spend some time by yourself.”

Kazuha shakes his head. “No need,” he says calmly, crimson eyes a little too bright against the sunlight. “I like being close to you.”

You swallow. Not that you didn’t enjoy it, but it was frazzling your nerves, his eyes ever-present in your peripheral, never moving an inch from you. Not even your own siblings had ever been this clingy in their younger days. “Boys your age…” you trail off. “Don’t they prefer to be alone? I’m sure you don’t want me to ruin your fun.”

“Why would you say that?” Kazuha tilts his head, inspecting the way you furrow your brows. He places his fingers over yours, bandages ghosting over your skin. Raises your hand and presses a kiss to the back, the touch of his lips sending up warning shivers. Kazuha says softly, “I’m only worried about you. That’s why I’m here. Is that a problem…?”

“No, no,” you hurry to say, afraid of hurting his feelings, squeezing his hands tight and forcing a smile on your face. Kazuha smiles back, and for a second, the world seems alright, the breeze gentle and soft against your neck. 

But you still couldn’t shake off that feeling, as though the autumn wind had arrived a season earlier than anticipated, its airy blade ready to trim all the green leaves from a summering tree.

5 (+ 1)

or five times you attempted to pet tighnari's ears and the one time he let you

tighnari x gn! reader rated: t wc: 9k+

a/n: i swear i'm not a genshin writer. every now and again one just really hits me and won't leave me alone. i'm shaking at the prospect of meeting cyno.

|1|

when you had taken up the life of a very luxurious forest ranger, you hadn’t done so with any grand goal in mind. growing up you’d never been enticed by the prestige of the akademiya. the too tight robes warded off any appeal of unlimited knowledge. 

you weren’t much of a haggler either, so market trading had never been much of an option. to be honest, in most cases you couldn't be bothered and would give away something for free if it meant getting the person out of your face.

maybe as a child you’d dreamed of theatre. promises of dancing in front of a crowd. or performing a sincere song of gratitude in honour of your generous archon. but there was a reason why only the children of sumeru dreamt. because it saved you the reality of embarrassment. 

ultimately it made sense for you to be a forest ranger. you were blessed with a vision and had the aptitude for conflict when needed. you didn't mind being outside. sumeru was a beautiful land of bountiful vegetation and fauna. you were proud to be part of the force protecting it. 

so naturally, you were destined to join their ranks. you would fit in splendidly as long as you followed the basic code of conduct.

the rules were simple:

execute every possible strategy to ensure the safety of the public

do not engage in any withering zone excavation without first reporting it

do not under any circumstances attempt to touch master tighnari’s ears.

you believed that honour should be given where it was due, and tighnari certainly earned a bulk of it in sumeru. he was as tenacious in his research as he was in his determination to cull the withering.  

it was admirable. unquestionably gave his subordinates something to look up to. it helped that he made an easy guy to work for. tighnari was an abundance of knowledge, never failing to deliver relevant facts about any form of botany in sight. 

during your initial interview he completely sidetracked himself from testing your competency in favour of dumping the equivalent of a knowledge capsule on the entire forest on you. and during the whole time all you could think was how cute.

those fluffy, distractingly soft ears he had that twitched with every emotion. you noticed that sometimes they swayed unprompted, as if they had a mind of their own. the man himself seemed oblivious to your obsession, or just so immune to the attention at this point that it hardly phased him. 

it was a shame really. 

because by the time he realised you were out of your seat, he had a split second to snatch your offending hand before your fingers to reach the fur. the utterly adorable culprits seemed to tease your failure, flickering invitingly just out of reach of your wiggling fingers. 

at least you had enough integrity to smile in the face of defeat as your future boss leered at you unimpressed. 

he spent the remainder of your now orientation laminating over the very extensive punishment policy to be expected of any broken infractions. 

|2|

it was safe to say the threat of punishment didn’t weigh too heavily on your consciousness. what you did learn, was everything more the life of a ranger had to offer. it wasn’t as though you belittled it to a simple forest guide. you were well aware of how each and every one of your colleagues put their life on the line to protect the gifts from the first of the dendro goddess. 

but you never expected your contribution to feel so satisfying. 

every day your body got stronger, gaining the resilience and stamina to endure long treks through the forest. you became more in tune with your vision, able to protect not only yourself but others from harm. unexpectedly, tighnari’s long winded tangents began sounding more appealing as you absorbed the information rather than repel it. 

with each passing day you grew into the role of a proper forest ranger.

though there was one thing you hadn’t grown out of. 

“you two will be assigned with me. we’ll patrol the southeast canopy.”

tighnari was always so serious when delegating assignments. archon’s bless him. given it was a momentous occasion as it was imperative to understand everyone’s role so that their was a fair opportunity to return home safe and sound. 

it was just he way his ears followed each command. the adorable quiver not at all equivalent to his resolute voice. even after over a year under his command, it was still so distracting. to be fair, you’d learned to control your urges. after the second attempt and a week of making sure the long row of lamps remained glowing, you had at least accepted the pressing issue of testing his patience. 

your respect didn’t go unrewarded either. over time, you learned that under those cute ears was a very interesting man. you always knew he valued his time in the forest and that the publications were not just for show like some of the akademiya graduates. but to witness his unfiltered passion for the forest was … kind of refreshing. 

it made for genuine conversations that allowed you to feed off one another. while you’d never quite match his never ending knowledge for botany, you accompanied it well with your growing love for fauna. 

in short, tighnari had become an unexpected friend. 

with very endearing ears that you still felt the urge to touch after many, many months of barely held restraint. 

it was admirable. 

worth the gained friendship. 

and yet.

collei’s shoulder knocked comfortably into yours as she hopped with glee. her joy made her unaware to the sharp gazes watching her exuberant movements for any signs of fatigue. being around collei had eventually led you to believe that something was different about her.

as a fellow trainee for a time, the two of you had grown close enough for her to feel secure in delving into more of her past. her illness wasn’t necessarily rare but it wasn’t often you met many affected with as much optimism as she had. 

there was no doubt she had bouts of pain. sometimes you would cover her patrols to give her extra days of rest. tighnari was the most observant, always knowing when she needed a break. still the girl was a refreshing take on life in these darkening days. 

it helped that you both shared a fixation with a certain pair of furry ears.

whereas she was more timid in her appreciation, you had yet to shed your bold approach. 

well, maybe you got a little smarter. 

“but i already know about the sweetwater mushrooms,” collei whispered back, confusion staining her voice. there were times like this that her charmingness rivalled tighnari. 

you resisted the urge to pat the crown of her head. 

you all knew about the infamous fungi. upon its discover, tighnari had spent nearly a month after submitting his entry into the new rainforest guide speaking all about its elements; to anyone or anything regardless how responsive. 

if it was a botanical topic the fox found it hard to resist engaging. 

leaning closer, you kept a close eye on the leading man.” i know you do but tighnari always has something more to say. i just need you to ask him about it.” you refrained from using the word distract. 

collei’s ability to lie wasn’t a favourable skill. more often than not she caved in on herself before being able to spin a convincing tail. you’d learned fairly quickly the first time you convinced her to test a new route. the two of you hadn’t found any trouble but the slight delay in return roused a few questions. and of course tighnari had been the investigator. she never had a winning chance. 

“i still don’t get why i have to ask.”

“because i need an opening to try to touch his ears.”

the sharp gasp she left out was enough to shatter the gossip bubble as tighnari turned with a suspicious frown. his gaze fell heavily on you as the culprit. 

“what are you two muttering about?”

laughing sheepishly, your hip checked subtly against the younger girl’s as you took the lead. “just about the dusk birds. their mating season is approaching.”

tighnari raised a brow, but didn’t question further. one of the ways you’d managed to bond with collei had been over the observation of the bird hatchlings. they were one of the safer offsprings you were allowed to track in your earlier days, making you very familiar with their nesting grounds. it was one of the few areas he allowed you both to wander together without supervision. 

“uh huh, well unfortunately i doubt we’ll get many sightings this low. please try to stay vilgint for any threats.”

tighnari rolled his eyes at your comical salute but was unable to hide his small grin. it only fed into your wider one. 

good. he was in an amicable mood today. you’d both need it. 

collei managed to remain cool headed despite your hanging plan as the three of you ventured through the more worn paths. travellers and students alike tended to frequent these parts, fending off most wildlife who didn’t want to be bothered. it was mostly flora that flourished, taking up any available space. 

the perfect conversation starter. 

the green haired trainee squeaked when you cleared your throat and nudged her softly. the noise caused a flicker to tighnari’s ear but he otherwise left the two of you to your devices as he examined the population of fungi. 

your gaze darted to the seemingly preoccupied man and back, to which collei gulped but carefully approached. “um, master tighnari. do you mind going over the procedure for warning travellers about fungi again? sometimes i stumble with the more insistent ones.”

you could hear a bit of truth bleed into the ploy. it was certainly convincing enough as tighnari gestured for her to come to closer as he plucked a few samples. “certainly! it’s always good to familiarise yourself. sometimes they can get a little tricky. like this one, the bell-shaped and conical caps can often confuse people. you have to really pay attention to the arch…”

archons bless him, it didn’t really take much. 

tighnari’s eyes darted briefly to you as you settled near them. his body turned to welcome you into the discussion, but he otherwise continued his deep analysis of proper measurements of cap width. the fleeting eye contact was enough for you to witness the undeniable brightness as he conversed. 

as much as you liked to tease him, the jest hardly had any weight when the man was as serious about his research. he often responded with a chide about the importance of understanding and how it promoted coexistence. and then he would give you editions of his publications for you to study. 

the first few times, after you’d baulked at the depth of the information, you’d actually managed to discover a few interesting elements. despite his ability to drone on, the passion he felt was undeniable when reading through this material. even if you didn’t retain much of the actual reading, the smile you developed lingered. only to widen when you’d witnessed the excited flicker of his tail when you’d returned the books with a few inquiries of your own. 

tighnari took your interest in the fauna populating the forest seriously, cultivating the bud of fascination and furthering it. you hadn’t developed enough academic discretion to attempt a article- not that it would have been credible without the proper education- but tighnari baubles your insights all the same, often using your tracking skills to help develop new routes during various mating and hibernation periods. 

it … really helped you feel at home. valued amongst the other forest rangers. 

so what if you occasionally found your cheeks warming whenever he complimented your new discoveries. 

“when people ask, it's important to point out as many examples as you can to help them identify. in most cases you only have their attention for a few minutes so you need to capitalise.”

you had to give it to collei, she was either fully immersed or integrating very well into the diversion. though when tighnari got like this, it was nearly one in the same. 

rolling onto your knees, you paused as those endearing astute ears twitched in your direction. tighnari hadn’t skipped a beat, however instinct was so inherent. it made for an unfair advantage, however you had desensitisation on your side. the next disturbance you made as you leaned closer hardly got a reaction as his second nature focused on the world outside your bubble. 

it was a flattering downfall that you’d happily exploit as your hand neared your objective. 

“- actually that’s a common mistake. some of the gills look similar but if you notice here..:”

oh no. 

in one fluid motion, tighnari managed to capture your hovering hand, dragging it forward under his arm to come in contact with his other. the motion dragged you flush against his back as he manipulated your fingertips against the underside of the mushroom. 

“-… there’s a coarser distinction. of course, you have to be careful when encouraging other to touch freely as some can still be poisonous.”

naturally you doubted tighnari would use you so freely as an impromptu demonstration, punishment be damned. though the way he kept your appendage hostage implied that you weren’t free from reprimand. 

poor collei chuckled nervously as tighnari held out the fungi for her to try, eyes wondering anxiously between the two of you. from your imprisonment, you were unable to see what expression tighnari was giving off, but if the tight grip was any indicator it was safe to hypothesise that it wasn’t in your favour. 

“i um- see. thank you, master.”

tighnari didn’t appear to have any ill will towards the girl which was a small grace. his tone, however, was noticeably pinched as he directed the conversation over his shoulder. 

“do you have any questions, ranger?”

yep. 

there’s the wrath. 

accepting defeat, your head careened forward into the hollow of his shoulder as you mumbled your negative with the shake of a head. Immediately you felt his posture stiffen in responses to your relaxed submission. the proximity awarded you a personal showcase of the heat crawling up the back of his neck. 

interesting. 

“well then!” tighnari forced a cheerful bravado as he brought you both to an abrupt stand, releasing you in favour of stepping forward to lead. “collei, listen closely as they recite every classification as we finish our patrol. we can make note of their mistakes so that they don’t make them again when they extensively copy them onto the new pamphlets for next release.”

it didn’t evade you how the fox refused to face you as he pressed forward. you dared to guess that the rosy hue of his neck might match the roundness of his cheeks.

perhaps some discoveries were worth the failures. 

|3|

“I really want to feature the spinokrok in my next story but I’ve never really seen one up close. dad says it’s too dangerous though.”

“he’s right. they’re at the very bottom of the ravine.”

“oh…”

“but sometimes i pass through on patrols. if you’d like, i can snap a reference photo for you!”

“really? that would be awesome, thanks so much!”

children’s happiness was truly a unique fruit of motivation, both gratuitous and frankly slightly treacherous to consume. tighnari might liken it to one of the colourful sprouts that populate the banks near the cliffside; beautifully cunning but sure to leave you with a nasty surprise.

—okay, maybe that was a little dramatic. 

but you were certainly going to be in for quite the scolding if tighnari found out that you derailed your patrols for the sake of taking a leisure photo of wildlife. in the defence of safety, the fox wasn’t as easily swayed by a childish promise. 

fortunately, you were adept enough with just about any patrol path through the rainforest by now. your experience often persuaded tighnari to give allowance for you to tend to the paths along the outskirts of the village solo. 

which you were totally doing. 

just from a view a couple hundred metres below. 

the path towards the wetland ravine was a muddy line in the undergrowth, a quieter trail that rarely gathered much traffic: traveller or wildlife. to be honest, you hardly ever saw anything other than the spinokrok’s down here. though given their diet, it wasn’t much of a surprise. 

you carefully neared the bankside, watching the position of the sun in between the treetops. you’d already bartered away a lot of your time venturing this low. while you were known for a bit of wandering, if you took too long to check-in someone would end up alerting tighnari before long. the sky was already beginning to bleed into a light orange, the beginning shades of the setting sun melting into the blue above. 

not your first nighttime return, but the light scolding would be easy enough to shake off. 

the sudden splash drew your attention to the winding river as a crane took flight. the skittish fowl wouldn’t have been alerted to your presence this early which meant that your targets weren’t far off. 

tugging the kamera from your knapsack, you followed the line of the water through the lens. 

“there you are…”

razi would be pleased with the prints of the small brood of three. highlights from above complimented the red scales nicely. curious, you swung the lens further upstream in an attempt to capture a few more. known for their meat, if undisturbed it would be easy enough to find at least another two or three. 

however as the slithering vines stretched norther further, twisting through branches on its congest to conquer vegetation, you found the rapidly darkening view to be concerning. sure enough, the once plentiful flora was beginning to shrink on itself and take on a dull shade. the distinctive red flow of the withering zone was seated right in the apex of the blistering landscape. 

“here too?”

the area was small, but this route was part of the weekly assignments rather than the more frequent. had you not come here in search of fauna, it likely wouldn’t have been discovered for a few more days. unfortunately, locating it yourself was tantamount to giving away your private detour. 

for a brief moment you debated taking the chance to report, weighing the pros and cons. ultimately, the loss of independency once tighnari tracked your impromptu route was too great of a squander. besides, it was a small devastation. you were qualified to handle it.

—except for the corrupted machina lingering just out of sight. 

the narrow lens of the kamera hadn't been able to capture the additional dangers before you neared. had you been aware, you would have attempted to at least down one before you got too close. it was a tight battle, suffering under the thick miasma while trying to cut off the source. 

you’d managed to down the bulkier of the two, but the swindling snake-like projection had been doing an annoying job of evading your strongest attacks. with your hp at threatening level, coupled with low energy regeneration, you were starting to regret your choices just a little bit. 

you briefly wondered if tighnari would scold you through the eulogy. 

the darkness blanketing the forest worked against you, as the remaining threads of daylight faded. the red glow of the withering was the least comforting form of light to rely on as you made a hasty dodge away from the blasting beam. 

“oh, crap.”

a miscalculation saw your foot caught on a fraying vine, careening your forward as you landed heavily onto the ground. the threatening wind of the machina generating energy had you sucking in a harsh breath as you attempted to stand, resulting in a sharp jolt of pain as your ankle protested. a cold chill numbed your body in the worst way as the unsettling realisation of your actions weighed in. scrambling feebly for your weapon, you attempted to shield the next blow though you knew it wouldn't be enough. 

“enshroud!”

your body jerked in alarm as a cloud of green circled the earth around you. the lack of visibility should have been worrying, had you not been very familiar with it’s caster; and the inevitable reckoning that would come. 

the first half came in the form of a series tanglevine shafts trained to track and devastate. the secondary wave wiped out the last of the threats before your savour was able to focus on the bleeding blooms. you’d never been more grateful to witness a successful clearance, as the suffocating effects of the withering abed away. it gave you just enough clear air to breath a grateful sigh of relief before it all soured. 

the second half of your retribution, was a quieter approach of wraith then you were use to. tighnari refused to look you in the eye as he kneeled before your injured limb. not that that you were trying to see the reflection of your guilt staring back at you. it gave you the opportunity to observe that he’d come alone, making you wonder if he’d been informed or had simply stumbled upon you. 

neither option was beneficial. 

the fox was obviously simmering, that much was clear even in his silence. he’d produced a small aid kit from his belt and was examining your ankle. the first sounds of annoyance permeating the air when you squeaked at the firm pressure against the joint. 

it was obvious that you wouldn’t be walking out of here. 

as if you weren’t in enough trouble. 

tighnari’s reticence preserved as he tied a stiff bow at the end of your wrapping before turning to offer his back. sighing, you accepted your fate and looped your arms around his neck. tighnari waited until your knees settled at his sides before he rose to his feet, added a second security under the weight of your thighs. 

at first you hoped to construct a plausible excuse in his silence, but after you’d practised the same redemption for the twelfth time you were starting to become more concerned about his resilience. you dont think you've ever witness tighnari hold back a scolding this long. 

unable to hold out any longer, you poked the hornet’s nest. 

“so razi has this new story idea.”

yeah you were throwing the kid under the bus, sue you. 

the first flicker of his ears was a subtle warning, but you pressed through. 

“he wanted to use the spinokroks as his next character but he’d never really been able to see one up close. and naturally it wouldn’t be safe for a child to traverse the forests. even with his father.”

there goes the second ear. 

“so being the helpful forest ranger i am under your tutelage, i offered to secure a reference photo for him. which of course—”

tighnari’s voice came quiet and strained. “please stop talking.”

you waited for him to say more, sure that he’d have more to tack on, but no other words left his lips. it was disconcerting in a way you hadn’t experienced before. you'd suffered through annoyance, frustration and some rage. 

but rarely disappointment. 

it was bitter tasting. 

it was rather telling when even the wildlife seemed to avoid the pair as you ascended out of the ravine. tighnari managed to not only reach the outskirts of the village, but did so without cracking under the pressure of your culpability. 

unfortunately you weren’t as robust. 

“tigh—”

“for every word, i’m adding a week of lamp maintenance duty.”

you squeezed your arms and legs around him in a hug, seeking out a thread of comfort through the throbbing pain of your ankle. 

“i’m sorry.”

tighnari sucked in a sharp breath as his steps halted. you could see the first glow of the lamps in the distance, no doubt a night crew lingering near to welcome the late returners. 

“you’re an idiot.”

a tight fist squeezed your heart as you shuddered against his back. 

“i know.”

“another week! i cannot believe your absolute disregard for your welfare. not only in straying from your patrols but to attempt to clear a withering zone without reporting it first. what were you thinking?”

your lips parted, voice small,” well i thought given how far off it was that no one would come across it before it spread.”

the fox was quietly shaking under you,” i’m tempted to bench you for a year for this alone. you could have been killed.”

“but i wasn’t.”

tighnari didn’t acknowledge the crackled excuse as he resumed the ascent towards the heart of the village. the conversation was over, at least for tonight. you almost felt bad for those hapless to witness the quiet fury as the leader trudged through the canopy. though the arrangement surely painted a telling story no one dared to stop or question.

upon entering your bungalow, tighnari silently backed into your bed until you took the hint.

as your arms slipped from around him, your fingertips brushed against the furry cartilage. though the action went ignored by both parties.

“rest, we’ll discuss this in the morning.”

|4|

the discussion did not come the following morning, or the rolling day as the sun rose and set. given your ailment you weren't exactly able to seek out your punishment, though the waiting game felt like the precursor. 

for the first three days, your only visitors were collie and one of the local healers. tighnari likely hadn’t banned the nervous girl, allowing her to stumble in at first light to assess your injuries. it seemed as though he also didn’t inform her of much as she tired to glean what she could. 

unfortunately, your mood hadn’t really improved from the night before, nor had your pain levels. you managed a tight smile at best, gritting through a scarce overview. the overhanging rumours were that you finally pushed tighnari to his limits. which was not too far from the truth. 

your medicine came in three intervals, and each visit was just that. umm only offer a genial knowing close-lipped smile as she applied the numbing cream and rewrapped your joints. the only news came from collei with each meal. it was never what you wanted to hear, but the sound of a voice other than your thoughts was welcome. 

you were able to keep up with light chat, the both of you doing an amicable job at avoiding the shaggy sumpter beast in the room. if the flightiness she gave off was anything to go by, then tighnari hadn’t completely cooled off. initially, you’d only probed subtly. asking about her patrols to see who accompanied her. questioning new withering zone reports to gauge who might be assigned. either tighnari had instructed her to be tightlipped or she was on as much of a lockdown as you were because the information gleaned was inconsequential. 

it wasn’t until the fifth day, when you were able to balance on your injured ankle for longer than a minute that you dared to try for more. 

umm had just finished, stepping clear of the doorway to allow collei to maneuver freely with the two bowls of lunch. the younger girl was in a lighter mood, giving you the extra confidence to push. 

you took a bite of the leftover stew first, before testing the waters. “has tighnari taken you on any deeper patrols lately?”

the girl stiffened but otherwise did not show any signs of distress. 

“not really, he’s been kind of strict with patrols lately. only seniors have been assigned to the forest floor. i patrolled the understory with nasrin yesterday though! the dusk birds are starting to nest.”

you could resist a soft smile as the girl lead comfortable into a short tangent about the different locations she’d tracked in her notebook. she loved to watch the hatching process from the birth to first flight. tighnari was often more lenient with her during this season. you were pleased to know your mess up hadn’t resulted in that being taken away.

“hopefully i’ll be healed enough to catch one of the hatchings.”

collei’s gaze flickered to your freshly wrapped ankle, “master tighnari wouldn’t say but he’s been pretty testy about ranger etiquette lately. well more than useful.”

“yeah, i was pretty stupid,” you muttered, quoting the fox’s words from that night. 

collei sat upright on the chair by your desk, responding to your despondent mood. “he’s not nearly as bad as before though. i mean that morning after he was really mad. not like loud angry, but everyone knew not to test him. but he’s calmer now”, she assured.

you assumed as much. avoiding you was likely the best way to keep his temper in check.

you watched as the green haired trainee squirmed in her seat, no doubt uncomfortable at the idea of being between the brewing conflict. tighnari no doubt tried to ease that predicament by withholding information. the least you could do was honour your half to keep from setting her off. 

“umm said i should try walking around more. i got permission to pace the platform if you want to join.”

the girl jumped at the chance, nearly losing her bowl in the process. laughing, you quickly took hers and set it on the desk with yours before standing to your feet. collei was at your side, urging your arm over her shoulder. it wasn’t really necessary but you’d never turn down the girl’s assistance. 

carefully the two of you ambled through the leaves shrouding your entrance. it wasn’t the first time this week that the sun warmed your skin. umm had urged you to test the distance from your bed to your porch on the second day with each visit there after. it helped tp press your limitations while keeping the joint from getting too stiff. but this was the first time you’d been able to venture far enough out to interact with more than the same two people for the last few days. 

collei remained diligent as she led you down the straight path, attention not straying from your gait as you greeted faces you haven't seen in awhile. the reception was overall positive, your health and wellbeing superseding the wraith that had hung over the encampment for the past week. it narrowed down the list of those you’d need to apologise to at least. 

“oh it’s master tighnari!”

your gaze snapped to her extended finger, noting the tall tuff of ears before anything else. his back was turned to you, a fortunate thing as you still weren’t sure how to face him just yet. he appeared to be conversing with a group, though it wasn’t the usual collection of rangers waiting for assignments. 

you recognized the garments however. 

collei groaned as she sagged under your arm. “its the akademiya again. when will they ever learn?”

likely no time soon, as the pressure from both the forest and threat of the ‘scarlet king’ followers continued to rise. the first time you witnessed the prestigious envoy attempting to recruit the fox, you’d been in awe. it was somewhat of an honour to be approached by anyone doning the gowns. next to the archon herself, they were the reigning power. however the prestige lost a light grace, when tighnari scoffed at the invitation. 

it was one of the occasions that you’d really come to appreciate more than just his vast knowledge. of course, you respected him as a leader but it was different to consider his understanding of plant life on a scholarly level. his tangents that he loved to rattle your ear with were published and very popular articles. 

he was something of a celebrity. a fact that you loved to tease just to see the tops of his cheeks grow warm at the admission. 

now, even at this distance, you could see a similar red dusting his fair skin. but not in the pleasant way that warmed your chest. 

no it seemed that an inkingly of your excursion still peaked his heart rate. and this wasn't making it any better.

that wasn’t good.

“collei, please help me.”

“huh? oh, wait! not too fast.”

tighnari grit through a tight smile, barely hanging onto his fangs to keep them from showing. at a young age his mother taught him that human could find it threatening. frankly, right now he wished to find out how much of a truth that was if it got these nuisances out of his hair. 

this was the last thing that he wished to deal with right now. the institution had taken a different route it seemed, sending students under the premise of studying under his tutelage. something he would maybe consider any other time than now. 

his foot tapped irritably as one of the bolder ones spoke his piece, spouting words of prose that meant nothing to him. they were all weak and obvlivious children wandering aimlessly. he had enough of those under his own watch. 

“master tighnari, i've read all your publications intensively and feel that i would be a valuable asset in your further research of the withering zones. i believe that together we can find a cure.”

tighnari barely resisted rolling his eyes. it was almost laughable. the withering had plagued them for centuries and they were still no closer to curbing it. no amount of research at this point was going to factor in. all they could do was contain, and that was a skill the akademiya didn’t teach.

breathing audibly through his nose, the fox attempted to remain cordial. “i appreciate your determination, however, i'm not in a position right now to allocate more rangers to facilitate your safety. the forest—”

“—i’ve also read intently on the local fauna and proper was to track warning signs of predators…”

tighnari really hated when he was interrupted. 

“i’m confident in my ability to spot danger before it becomes a problem.”

especially by know-it-alls who were overstepping in his domain.

the student continued on unware of the growing dangers, “i’ve brought a few of my manuscripts with me if you’d like to browse some of my speculations and hypotheses…”

tighnari's brow twitched as the student droned on. for someone who boasted about extensive research on understanding predators he was rather obvious to the one standing before him. the same couldn't be said about his colleagues who were carefully edging back. 

“if i could just get a few samples—”

the student had sense enough to notice as the plant scholar suddenly flinched, hand coming up to grasp the wrist of the hand threatening to touch the tip of his ear. it was the first time since opening his mouth that he’d taken into account the strained curl to the lips of the botany researcher. 

his gaze then flickered to the more relaxed, if not slightly sheepish smile of the forest ranger behind. they seemed otherwise unconcerned despite the death grip they'd been trapped in for … attempting to touch master tighnari’s ears?

the student felt a shudder wrack his body as the fox’s grimace smoothed into … something that he would one day recognize as a reckoning he’d be fortunate to survive in years to come. 

“apologies, you’ll have to excuse me. it appears one of my rangers feels well enough to venture off their bed rest and is due for some new assignments.” with that, the lead ranger looped the still trapped limb over his shoulder before assisting the injured ranger back up the canopy. 

“you can give your manuscripts to my trainee, collei.”

the green hair trainee in question waved timidly, unsure of how she got in this position but willing to help.” hello, im forest ranger trainee collei. please let me assist you safely out of the forest.”

|5|

“it’s master tighnari!”

believe it or not, forest rangers did get off days. while it was still heavily frowned on to use that time to exploit certain privileges to free roam the forest, there were other activities that some could get up to. 

some would use the opportunity to travel to the city or port for the market or to visit family.

others utilised their freedom to work on personal research. 

then there was tighnari who used the opportunity to research the local flora … via oral experimentation. 

your small project had been tossed aside in favor of darting out of your bungalow at the cry of fright from the green haired girl. it wasn’t the first time you’d witnessed tighnari taking his passion … to the next level. that time, curiosity had thrown him into a rather long slumber that he’d conveniently woken up from after a gratuitous amount of panicking on collie’s part and just in time for you to return with the rescue aid party. 

it was safe to say that was not the last occassion, and tighari had treated you both to several lunches to make up for the scares. 

but it wasn’t often that he was brought back to the village in a state. more often than not the ailments resolved in the time it took someone to find him or simply shaken off with no concern. 

it was enough to have you barreling unannounced through the head ranger’s door with apprehension. firm but fraying hands caught you as you stumbled through, righting your body before you could embarrass yourself. 

“don’t worry, tighnari is fine. it’s a harmless reaction to one of the fungi he consumed.”

umm brought her hands to a comfortable leisure behind her back as you peered over her shoulder. 

tighnari was lain out across his bed. it looked as though he had been tucked away intentionally, but the man had fought away the sheets in a fit. there was a light coat of perspiration doting his forehead and his skin had taken on a rosy flush. it hardly looked harmless. you’d never seen the lead forest watcher look so … unravelled. 

when was he going to learn to stop experimenting so freely?

umm gave a passing pat to your shoulder,“with a bit of rest he’ll be just fine.”

you had hoped as much but it eased some of your worries to see him at least home safe. though his predicament still tested your resolve. you would distract yourself for the time being concocting your own chiding speech. seriously, someone needed to hold him accountable. as it seemed, you were the only one daring enough to challenge the fox. 

heavily a relieved sigh, you turned to leave. collie would likely need a second dose of comfort now that you’d taken your own inventory of the indisposed ranger. umm, bless her soul, wasn’t a very convincing source of comfort. having collie help prepare your speech would do some good for her as well.

“wait, don’t go yet.”

you stiffed at the unexpected plea. the voice behind you sounded a bit stronger than it should be in this predicament, more like the fox you recognized. umm hadn’t left you with any instructions, but it was safe to assume he was meant to rest as not to rile up his heart rate anymore. something you were very good at doing.

you liked to think that the two of you were on agreeable terms thus far. you’d been a textbook ranger over the last few weeks. not testing the limits of your privileges or boundaries. it allowed for the two of you to have some nice conversations. though you doubted anything very articulate would come from his mouth right now. 

it was unfair, how adorable he looked with mussed hair, heavy eyes and creased clothes. umm had taken responsibility to rid him of the more decorative parts of his uniform, leaving him in a simple shirt and pants. the said shirt appeared to have been tugged open, revealing the lean muscles of his chest and abdomen. 

that was decidedly leaning away from cute, as you tore your gaze away and scolded yourself. 

“you should really lay back down, tighnari, i need you to be yourself when i deliver your scolding later.”

“tigh.”

“huh?”

you were shaken out of your stupor when he stood, concern triggering your fight reaction as you quickly huddled him back onto the bed before he fell. he allowed you to do so, however when he glanced up at you his olive eyes showed annoyance.

“i prefer when you refer to me as tigh.”

your mouth open and closed silently at the admission. you could never recall tighnari outright scolding you for the curtail of his name. you used it so sparingly, and only ever in the comfort of just yourselves or collei. 

he never really showed any emotion other than surprise the first time he’d realised what you said. you never assumed he’d catalogued the occurrences to feel any ownership over the name.

you fidgeted under the scrutinised of the fox, unsure of how to proceed from there. it was obvious that he was still mildly effective if the rose of his skin was anything to go by. but there was undeniable clarity cutting through the fog in his eyes. it was enough of a relief to have your shoulders sagging slightly. 

if it got him to comply and rest through the remainder of the effects, you could concede. 

“okay, … tigh. please stop eating flora so carelessly.”

it wasn’t your intention to start the chastising prematurely, but if he wanted you to talk, you’d do so. you weren’t sure what all of this he would recall, but you hoped the echoing nag of your voice would hover like a hangover next time he considered experimenting alone. you knew he only tested things with vague assumptions, just enough to ensure that he wouldn’t perish on sight. but it was still close enough calls for you to worry. 

you thought nothing of the way he snared your hands, too used to having them detained in pursuit of your goal. maybe another time you would be the one to catalogue just how frequently the two of you help hands. certainly enough to suffer from desensita-

your speech cut off with a choke as the fox brought one of your hands to the crown of his head. it was the closest you’d ever gotten to your prize, just a simple flex of your fingers and it would be yours. 

and he was just allowing it. 

“um, tigh…?”

you swallowed as his hold slid to your wrist, thumb caressing the inside. 

“it’s what you want, right?” unintentionally your finger flexed under the strain of resisting, just the casual brush against the ear causing the body to shudder. tighnari managed an even breath through his nose, but you suspected his heart was creating as much of a racket as yours was. “ i want you to. i don’t mind if it’s you.”

you sucked in a sharp breath at the omission.

it took strength that you didn't think you had, and stupidity you’d likely reflect on later that night as you regrettably pulled your hand away. firmly not thinking at all about the soft whine that left the fox’s lips at the action. 

your smile was wobbly, frail under the weight of emotions teetering at the edge. you gave his bicep a comforting squeeze before you urged him to lay back in bed. thankfully he didn’t put up much of a fight as you tucked him in. 

his lashes fluttered closed against the cool caress of his cheek.

“next time, promise.”

between one breath and the next, he fell asleep.

|+1|

tighnari woke to a low hanging sun and a heavy head. despite the warnings he opened his eyes, then immediately shut them. though blurry and out of sequence, the master ranger was able to piece together the majority of his last coherency. 

he’d been experimenting with the effects of the moonshade mushrooms. there had been reports of unaware travellers losing consciousness in the middle of the forest and waking in a fevered state. naturally, he’d taken it upon himself to test the outcome in order to properly assign warning labels in his next publication. 

the initial bout of slumber had been brief, broken by a wave of nausea and the sensation of his body overheating itself. he then recalled umm stripping away his uniform in order to help him cool down.

and then there was you.

he remembered the sound of your concern and the inkling of berating though he couldn't exactly call back the wording. he was sure to get an encore either way; well deserved. 

there was a gaping absence in his recollection, but the sensation of your hand settled between the space of his ears hadn’t escaped him. when had he gotten bold enough to daringly reach out like that? sure you’d done the same on multiple occasions but it had been in pursuit of a singular goal while he—

tighnari stared at the leaf drawn entrance of his chamber, face burning. 

but surely that could not have all occurred before noon. 

“oh good you’re awake. that mushroom managed to down even you for a full day. it's certainly something to be aware of.”

the elderly woman peered briefly through the cut of the door before granting herself entrance. tighnari sat obediently still as she flittered over his vital signs, ensuring his temperature and heart rate were within agreeable boundaries. 

she scribbled the notes like clockwork into the parchment on his desk. while his methods weren’t often agreed upon, umm saw the value in the repercussions. her diligence had help assist in multiple breakthroughs. tighnari would be sure to deliver a nice basket of her favourite tree sap candies once he was back in working order. 

amir would have certainly taken initiative to oversee assignments for the day. he would certainly owe collei a visit as well to assure her fears. he vaguely remembered her putting up a fuss when he’d been carried in, shortly before she’d been directed out leading to her alerting you. 

tighnari’s cheeks grew hot again. he refused to acknowledge the rising blush even as umm chuckled quietly while gathering up her kit. instead, he kept his eyes on the entrance as he pinned his sashes in place and equipped his vision. 

it wasn’t as if the two of you weren’t already rather close. it was safe to say he gave you more allowances than most. sure, your futile attempts to touch his ears could be frustrating at times, but more so because of the opportunities you took than the actual actions. 

despite popular belief, tighnari didn’t truly hold his ears in that high regard. it was more out of proprietary that he shied away from strangers acting out of curiosity. to be honest, he really wouldn’t mind too much if a ranger asked to pet them. but it seems as if their own misconceptions had fed into the unspoken rule that his fox-like features were out of the question. 

except for you. 

over time, the two of you managed to lapse into a comfortable game of cat and mouse. tighnari knew if he’d shown any true signs of anger you would have backed away from the start. but his tolerance had permitted you to try again and again. 

so what if the occasional punishments he placed on you deterred the others, it never snuffed your fire and that was all that mattered to him. 

it was only natural that over time constant exposure would ignite his own interest. he could recall with vivid memory the way it felt to have you pressed against his back that time in the forest when you attempted to claim your prize in the middle of his lecture. he’d made you wait there while he finished the lesson, all the while relishing in the heat permitted his back. 

had it been just the two of you, he would have let you. 

yet when he finally caved and gave you the permission you'd been seeking all this time, you’d backed out. 

‘next time’ you’d promised. 

“if you’re done laminating, once you've finished eating you can go find them. i  believe i saw them returning not long before i came here.”

umm didn’t wait for a response as she saw herself out, her amusement audible even as she descended the ramp to her own domain. 

tighnari didn’t rush the act as he finished his meal and the provided water. once he finished, his lips turned at the dimming sunlight. his schedule was all but thrown out the window for the day, though he doubted anyone expected him to contribute much. still it stung his consciousness as a leader to leave his subordinates hanging , even if they were all self-sufficient adults. at least the headache had disappeared with proper nourishment. there would be time to salvage his routine later.

the sun was positioned late in the afternoon, but the dim light still irritated his eyes. he blinked through the sting as he welcomed the sight of the quaint village operating adequately in his absence. 

he returned any passing waves and gave brief responses to their questions. for the most part everyone seemed confident that he’d make a full recovery, though he still harboured the guilt of worrying them. 

brow pinched, he waved nasrin closer. “have you seen collei?”

the purse of her mouth didn’t spell anything good. tighnari hoped her illness had not acted up in his absence. “she had trouble sleeping last night so someone swapped patrols with her. she just set off not too long ago.”

the girl sometimes had trouble sleeping when plagued with anxiousness. tighnari settled that he would confront her upon her return, for now he had one more stop. he had a feeling he knew who offered to adjust their schedule to accommodate the girl.

he found your bungalow with practised ease, delivering a single knock before you offered entrance. he found you seated at your desk, no doubt detailing the report of your finding before submission. it was a relief to see that you took a break from your typical mischievousness to conduct a seemingly uniform patrol while he was indisposed. 

“i don't suppose you came across any new interesting flora on your patrols?”

tighnari watched as your shoulders stiffened at the unexpected sound of his voice. your head whipped around, eyes assessing him carefully before you gave a timid, relieved smile. 

“i think we can all agree that you’ve had enough adventures for one week,” you noted with light scolding. 

grinning, tighnari cared little if his fangs showed, knowing you wouldn't find them threatening. your gaze followed him as he secured the leaves behind him before approaching your desk. he leaned comfortably against the wooden structure as he browsed the report. it had been routine indeed, not a single withering sighting. 

“are you sure you’re alright? you had me worried for a bit.”

tighnari’s brow rose,” only a bit?”

scoffing, you rolled your eyes,” it’s not the worst thing you’ve eaten but seeing you down for so long was concerning. collei will be relieved to see you back on your feet.”

tighnari braceed his palm against the dest and leaned into the posture,“and you?”

“i owe you a scolding. you always get onto me about being aware and careful of my surroundings. yet here you go testing unknown fungi alone in the forest. at least bring it back before you test it out so we can be there if you need us.”

tighnari waited for you to finish, eyes shining with thinly veiled amusement. you seemed to recognize it as well, huffing as you realised your scolding didn't have as much weight as the seasoned scholar. 

unable to resist, the fox reached out to run is fingers along the side of your face before letting them rest against your shoulder. he watched as your chest expanded to take in the small gasp of surprise. it was a rare moment for him to initiate contact like this, especially given the recent occurrence only yesterday. while his recollection was misty, yours was clear as day. 

“i think you owe me something else too.”

tighnari watched your reactions carefully, from the flutter of your lashes to the rapid thrum of your heart beat against the pulse under your jaw. he never shied away from a discovery the promise of a satisfying understanding driving him from one revelation to the next. 

admittedly, you’d been a gradual observation. the question at the tip of the scale all this time while he’d unknowingly researched you thoroughly with each new interaction. day and day again, you prompted him with new variables both under his control and not. it was only today that he managed to form a working hypothesis. a hesitant theory that he knew would shift everything.

tighnari watched with growing fascination as the initial shock meddling into purposefulness as your hand came into view. impatient, he couldn't resist ducking his hand to meet you halfway. the first careful touch was equally inquisitive and hesitant. each time in the past, your hand had darted out with such certainty. yet now with it all willing at your fingertips, you allowed yourself the time to explore.

he hadn’t realised his head had come to rest against your collar bone until he felt the rumbled of your laughter. you didn’t simply just touch his ears, you caressed the length form the widest part to the tip. your fingertips tickled the tufts of fluff at the base. and the light scratched you delivered against the firm cartilage had him all but melting into your hold. the burst of new stimuli tickled his nerves and left pleasant sensations.

later he would analyse the data but he was already certain about his conclusion. 

your words mussed the top of his head as you spoke, humour bleeding into your intrigue. “can’t believe it took you a year to crack, tigh.”

tighnari sagged further at the uttering of the name. you flinched, not expecting the words of response to be mumbled into your skin. gratefully, it didn't cause you to pause.

“what was that?”

your touch slid from his ears to the curve of his jaw as his head rose to meet your gaze. 

“i actually had two hypotheses I wanted to test.”

though he didn't speak more than that, he could tell you were well aware of the implications. your lips parted to respond, but no words could pass the lump in your throat. tighnari tested the waters, leaning closer enough to brush the tup of his nose against yours. when you didn't pull away, he leaned down and pressed your lips together, firmly but briefly. as he breathed in deeply,  the smell of lush forestry, sweet flora and you invaded his scenes. the scent of familiarity minding with the aroma of what he called home was intoxicating. 

your eyes shone bright with mischief as tighnari pulled away, no doubt observing the rosy hue spreading across his face. 

“i think we need to experiment a little more before we can come to a confident conclusion.”

tighnari leaned back in and nuzzled you affectionately. 

“i agree.’’

tagging upon request: @lott-the-otter @uhohitsemmy

iii. to the enduring emperor: pity, pity... | yan zhongli x reader

part i: glory, glory! | part ii: mercy, mercy. | part iii: pity, pity...

content warning: yandere behaviour, unhealthy relationship, unequal power dynamic. reader discretion is advised.

notes: heavy hints of guizhong x reader and zhongli x guizhong. good things come in threes, after all, and i'm always soft for a triangle. finally, all the bird imagery tie back together. part iv will probably swing back into the present, but no promises because sometimes the plot bunnies hold me hostage. feedback and comments very much appreciated!

word count: 3.8k

Your memory may not be as good as that of Rex Lapis, but you will forever remember this: your Vision, its muted glow a stuttered heartbeat. And all of this, clenched in his hand, awaiting his judgement.

The Archon War ends, and the Lord of Geo ascends to take his seat among the Seven. A close final encounter, close enough to brush upon the borders of even the ever-safe Liyue Harbour. No matter your sovereign’s original plans, you had to take up your sword and fight—shielded under his wings, perhaps, but at least you have played your part.

And after it all, when Morax is called to Celestia, your exhausted body crawls toward Guili Plains. Your first home was here, before the demise of your Lord of Dust. Under the swaying shade of its familiar trees, the croon of songbirds lulls you into a fitful sleep, into dreams of old and melancholic memories.

With a start, your eyes fly open. You wake to the cacophony of birds, peaceful melodies morphed into warning screeches. The flap of wings as they take flight by the dozens, dots disappearing into the horizon. Stray feathers float down, drifting absentmindedly. The dreams slip through your mind, dust through sieve, lost to the void.

But. There is a weight on your forehead. A feeling of suppression. Not unlike the breath that catches in your throat, when your sovereign pins you down with his amber irises.

Strange. You look up toward the heaviness. The glimmer of a clear, teal gem. It is balanced perfectly between your eyebrows. Placed right above the diamond of your third eye.

You pluck it off your face, holding it against the sun. It sparkles, almost blinding you as you peer into its depths. The incandescent light of the Anemo Symbol from its centre greets your scrutiny.

A Vision. An acknowledgement from the Celestial gods.

But the Archon War has just concluded. The dust has already settled long ago. A Vision, but too little, too late.

Celestia has always had a twisted sense of humour. They had already taken so much from you, and now, to grant this? What had you done to earn their favour? Slaughter and kill and watch as others die in your place. That’s all you’ve accomplished in this millennia-long war.

It’s a heavy little thing. You would discard it into the depths of the ocean, never to be seen again… if not for one thing. The only reprieve you find in the sudden appearance of your Vision is its symbol. Its colour. The teal of Anemo—not the yellow of Geo.

Not amber.

The glowing pulse of your Vision sings the truth: you were not his. Not completely.

The adepti have no need for Visions. The inner eye is a sort of vision by itself. A third eyes that roots deep within the soul, it was more than enough to manipulate the elements. After all, the misty clouds already obeyed your every whim. A crook of your fingers, and vapours become docile and obedient, warping and bending to your will.

You were not always an adeptus. But all those years of cultivation in search of immortality… they have not been for nothing. The journey toward becoming an immortal had been long and arduous, but it was worth it.

If only to see the smile on Guizhong’s face.

After all, it is her who finds you first. A little oriole, injured by the wild winds that slammed you into thorny wood, ripping your wings into shreds. You can barely see anything, eyes having been slashed by the sharp branches. So you are left to your fate on the ground, trying to hide your injuries. To show weakness was to invite predators. With every howl of the wind, your little heart flutters in fear.

When a particular strong gust of wind blasts into your injured wings, a weak screech of pain accidentally escapes. You gather your leftover strength, puff your feathers up for a fight, regret so heavy in your breast.

But then. A sudden swirl of dust. You’re scooped up in warm hands. When you begin to struggle against their hold, a soft voice croons in your ears, as melodious as any birdsong. A woman. “Be still, little one. I only seek to help.”

Her voice is mesmerizing. You’ve never heard anything like it. Its notes resonate into your hollow bones. Trust me, it said, and you chirped your agreement. Settled as still as a corpse into her hands. Folded your wings and obeyed. Folded yourself into her keeping. A docile, tamed songbird.

“To have understood me so well,” the voice murmurs, “you’re a clever little thing, aren’t you?”

You meet your other lord soon after, after being carried away by dust. In those days, he was a little less contained. A little less tempered by time and experience. Still rough around the edges when it came to emotions and tact.

The one who first found you cups her hand around you, a soft and gentle force hiding you from view. As she approaches him, she calls out, “Guess what I found in my outing among the glaze lilies, my lovely Morax?”

A long silence. And then finally, the one who calls himself Morax says, “I have a million guesses, but they are just that. I do not know, Guizhong.” Words deep and grating, as if it were stone rumbling. Groundbreaking. It is only your saviour’s—Guizhong’s—firm hold that prevented you from thrashing and pecking.

You did not like his voice. Its low pitch is the sound of a songbird’s nightmare: the gaping earth opening to swallow you whole, feathers and bones and all. No, you did not like his voice—and in particularly trying times, millennia into the future, you still don’t.

Guizhong opens her hand, and you stare blearily into the light. Vision blurred, all you can make out is a tall, shadowy figure leaning closer and closer. And then you see it. Glowing, sunset eyes. Diamond pupils. A heavy, scrutinizing stare. The eyes of a predator, appraising the weakness of its prey.

You burrow deeper into Guizhong’s palms, a warning cry jerked out of your weak lungs. “Shhh,” she says, stroking your head, before scolding, “Do lessen your glare, Morax. The poor thing is so frightened already, and you are not helping.”

“I do not glare,” he states, but backing away from you.

Relief bubbles in your chest from his retreat. Guizhong laughs at his words, pealing bells ringing in your ears. “You do. You just don’t realize it, for you are always glaring.”

“Hm. I will keep your advice in mind.”

“Then I am glad. Now come and help me figure out how to bandage these wings. I’ve never been good at tending to wounds.”

He quirks an eyebrow. “You plan on keeping it?”

“Just until it learns to fly again, Morax.” She shakes her head at his words. Protests quietly, “And it is not so much keeping, as it is sheltering. There is a difference.”

He stares at you long and hard, contemplating Guizhong’s words. You shrink back, and he finally says, “I see.”

Years later, when you are once again suppressed under his gaze, you will wonder if he was telling the truth. If he truly did see.

Under the protection of two gods who complement each other as the sun complements the moon, the Guili Assembly in those years were prosperous and peaceful. And under Guizhong’s—and Morax’s—gentle care, you soon recover your strength. But when it comes time to set you free, when it comes time to leave, you merely stare at Guizhong.

Her words are encouraging. “Go on. I know you have fully recovered. Learning to fly again is not so difficult, for those destined for the skies. And I know you to be cleverer than most of your kind.”

You feel Morax’s gaze more than you see it. It was not so heavy in those days, moderated by Guizhong’s admonition. Not heavy enough to deter you, at least. In fact, there was a burst of fondness in your chest for the man who had wrapped your wings, rough hands so nimble yet cautious in its touch.

So you do not leave. Instead, you take to the air. Wings flap above Morax’s head, and then Guizhong’s head, before folding as you land on her shoulder. You nuzzle your head into the crook of her neck, trilling a song of gratitude. You stare into Morax’s eyes, the first time you felt courageous enough to do so, and it is also the first time you see him soften.

Guizhong smiles in response. “You do not wish to leave, little songbird?”

You hop from one leg to the other. Tilt your head a little in confusion. You let out a cry, quiet and mournful. Did she not want you? Did she have no need for an oriole? No need for your song? It is the only thing you have to offer.

Guizhong chuckles. “Rest your imagination. I did not say anything of the sort. However, while I do not mind your company, you will have to ask Morax too.” She lowers her voice conspiratorially. “We come in a pair, you see. The Guili Assembly is named as such for a reason, after all.”

You consider her proposal. And then you brace yourself. A determined look in your eyes as you take flight toward the stony figure. You do not rest on his shoulder as you do Guizhong. But when you flap your wings in front of him, waiting for a response, Morax raises his hand.

Fingers curl into a makeshift perch, and you land your talons on his flesh, taking care not to dig. Not that it would have mattered to stone. A songbird’s claws would have tickled rather than hurt. “Hello there,” he says carefully, eyes less piercing than you remember from your initial meeting.

You chirp back. His voice is not so grating now. Stone can also sing, you find. Beneath the dissonance, there hides a harmonic hum, waiting to be polished.

His other hand, hesitant and unsure, moves to touch your head. You lean into his gentle caress. “You wish to stay with us?” he asks.

An excited trill.

A careful consideration. Then an answer. His words are simple, but with finality. “Then stay.”

It is the first command you receive. And it will remain in effect for centuries. For millennia. But you did not know it then. You also did not regret it then.

Instead, there is only ecstasy at having received his permission. You dart back into Guizhong’s palms from his fingers, and she laughs at your excitement. “If you are to stay with us,” she says, “then allow me to bestow a gift upon you, songbird.”

“Guizhong,” Morax says sharply, his voice a warning as he crosses his arms. “Know what you are doing, before you do it.”

“I know very well,” she reassures him. “You have praised my wisdom before. Let your faith hold true.”

And then she covers your body with her hands and squeezes. A half-strangled pitch pushed past your beak, and then a strange sensation rushes over you. Initially, it feels like specks that burrow past your feathers and under your skin. But eventually, it morphs into the coolness of the morning dew, the dampness of misty clouds, and you shiver. It keeps pushing through your veins, and you hear it—a sound of sifting particles, as if dust has been kicked up by the wind. Still, though the feeling is enough to freeze blood, you do not resist. Your faith in Guizhong holds true.

Through your perseverance, time stops having meaning. It may have been seconds. It may have been years. Finally, after an eternity, Guizhong lets go, and you—

You can feel everything. The caress of the wind upon your feathers, the precipitating waters upon the grass beneath Guizhong’s feet, the rolling mist high in the mountain air.

“Well!” she marvels, as you shake off the chills. “Seems like it worked, Morax. The clouds are moving because of our little friend here.”

“So they did,” he observes impassively.

“Guizhong, Guizhong,” you cry, wondering what she did. And then snap your beak shut. There are words coming from your lungs.

“How the oriole cries! Prettily, just like the poets say,” she says, eyes mischievous. Morax sighs at her tone. “How do you feel, little songbird? Try using your words.”

“G-“ You shudder at the strangeness of the foreign vibrations, and stutter out an answer. Was your tongue supposed to twist this way? “Go-Good. Wh-What—?” What happened to me? You couldn’t finish the sentence, but Guizhong seemed to know what you meant.

“You were already more conscious than any bird I’ve seen,” she answers with a thoughtful look. “You must have a soul capable of cultivating into an adeptus. So I tried infusing some of my elemental energy into you—and opened your third eye in the process. The feeling in your body is the resulting adeptal energy that’s coursing through you.”

“I wish you were more considerate before making the decision. It could have been dangerous,” Morax mutters, shaking his head in exasperation.

“It worked out in the end, did it not?” Guizhong waves his concerns aside. At your questioning look, she says, “So, little songbird. Let’s see how long it takes for you to become a true adeptus, shall we?”

Not very long, it turns out. You take to the adeptal arts with alarming enthusiasm. To the combats arts with even more zeal. After Primus comes Secunde, your fellow adepti all said of your fighting skills. Morax had personally taught you the art of the blade—though you could never defeat him, no matter what tricks or techniques you pulled. It always ended with his spear at your throat, at your heart, you pinned beneath him. But you hadn’t minded, back then. Had even appreciated his overwhelming victory. This is my master, you had thought with pride. My lord is no-one’s equal.

You think back to those days sometimes, of the better times, before everything collapsed with the coming of the Archon War. Lord Guizhong had been so, so proud to see your human form—the final step in your cultivation toward becoming an adeptus. Beautiful, she had murmured, one hand to her chest, as if dazed. Don’t you think so, Morax? What an accomplishment from our little songbird.

And Morax… He had the same look as Guizhong. Mesmerized. Yes, he murmured. Beautiful.

Fingers at his side twitched, as if holding something back, but you shied away from his gaze by hiding behind Guizhong. Peeled yourself to her side in your new form, the warmth of her body diffusing into your own. The Lord of Dust was… safe. The Lord of Geo was not. You were reminded of when you first met him, his voice the earth rumbling as it swallows a songbird whole.

Even so, after her death, you never shed your human form. Never had the heart to shift hair and flesh back into feathers. You’d considered it, especially when Morax—Rex Lapis, after you swore your loyalty in the contract all adepti are bound to—became so overbearing.

However… Guizhong’s pride. You could not abandon it. Could not bear the thought of more of her pieces, more of her memories lost to wind and time. Guizhong did love the mortals so, after all. So while your external appearance changed from time to time, the inner essence of human flesh remained. It’s a reminder of your duty to the people of Liyue. Of her love.

But oh, sometimes, you wish you could just fly once more. Like right now, as your Lord of Geo glances at the Anemo Vision resting at your hips. The wind that has scattered Guizhong, now represented in your element. A unique sense of humour, you decide. Cruel irony. But then again, Celestia has always been carelessly cruel.

"Glory to Rex Lapis, and may his reign surpass millennia." The familiar greeting falls from your lips, devoid of all cheer.

“A lot has happened since my departure,” he says. A subtle disdain in the curl of his lips. You’re glad to see it—there was a reason the Anemo Vision was placed at your hips. On display for all to see… Especially the Lord of Geo.

“That it was, my lord.” You stare at anything but him. “I hear Cloud Retainer has retreated back into isolation. Perhaps you should pay her a visit. She will become a hermit again, if my lord does not coax her from her abode.”

“That is not what I refer to. You know that.” Stiff annoyance in his normally placid voice. This time, Rex Lapis' gaze does not shift from your Vision. “Celestia has saw fit to grant you their favour too, it seems.”

“Indeed.” Your answer is short. There is nothing to say that he doesn’t already know.

“Anemo,” he says, brows furrowed in concentration. In annoyance. A vein in his forearm pulses, and for a second, you see golden cracks. “I suppose it’s not too strange, for your nature.”

“The winds are crucial for flight, after all,” you agree. “At least, for someone like me. A dragon has no need for the winds, of course, but a bird does. Anemo makes sense. Does Xiao not also possess a Vision like mine?” There were many similarities between you and Xiao—except the Yaksha has not known his sovereign’s possessive gaze. Xiao was so very young, compared to you.

“Anemo… Should Geo not be more suitable? I do not understand this choice. After all, were you not once infused with dust?”

The sharpness in his tone makes you wince. It was underhanded, to bring up old memories like this. He means for you to lose your composure. So you cannot. “Even then, I suppose,” you choke out. "It is up to Celestia, after all."

“An Anemo Vision for a little songbird,” he say flatly. “How fitting, dear friend.”

Your breath hitches, but you refuse to crack. But how you wished to scream. To beat your fists against his unfeeling heart. To weep. “My lord,” you say, voice gone quiet. Firm. “Do not call me that.”

It sounds a command, but you will not apologize. Little songbird. Dear friend. None of these phrases should pass from his lips. They were not his to use.

A long, drawn-out silence, as his eyes linger near your Anemo Vision. “I apologize, beloved subject,” Rex Lapis says finally, a fake innocence in his lilting voice. “May I see it, then? I’d like a brief inspection of this new… development.” He opens his palm, expectant of your cooperation. As much as it could be called cooperation, when it comes coerced. When it is an order. Do it. You must, his eyes say, boring into you.

You hesitate. Something seems wrong. His calmness... but a vision cannot be destroyed, you console yourself. So you surrender it to him, silent and unsure. When he brushes his skin against yours, as you lay the Vision in his palm, the Geo markings wrapped around his arm flicker.

“You had the setting made in Liyue Harbour,” he notes, thumb brushing over the sharp edges of its square shape. A teal gem, inlaid in an octagonal and diamond metal border. As is typical for a Vision of someone from Liyue.

“I did,” you admit.

“A fine craftsmanship.”

“I will pass on your praise, my lord.”

“I would have done it for you, had you but waited for my return. Had you but asked.” His voice is light, but his words accusing.

“I did not wish to bother,” you mutter. As if you would let him set your Vision into a base of his own making—and let him assert his claim even more? No. Only a fool would allow it.

“Hm.” Rex Lapis turns the trinket around, examining it with a careful eye. And then he suddenly asks, “Visions are indestructible, are they not?”

“…Yes, I believe so,” you say, a sinking feeling in your gut. Chills snake up your spine, as if phantom fingers were tracing a path toward your neck. If he was going to do what you think he was… But not even he could succeed at such a thing… Right?

He stares at the Vision, as if he could conquer it with his will alone. The eyes of Morax are the sunset. Amber lit on fire. Diamond pupils glowing. It whispers of unfathomable strength. Incalculable power.

“I wonder…” he whispers, and then, to your horror, your prediction comes true. His arm turns to the darkness of Geo. Scattering geometric veins of gold, snaking around his skin, begin to burn bright as his fingers curl around your Vision and squeezes.

Your heart stops. Everything becomes still. And then the adrenaline floods your veins, and you almost topple from the blood rushing to your temples. Your head throbs. Stop him. You must stop him.

"What are you—" you rush to knock it out of his hand, but rock does not bend, for all your desperate clutching. His fingers remain clenched around your vision, and he does not let go. Your nails scratch at unyielding stone, but nothing, nothing. You had not wanted to believe your own predictions, thinking that there may be some kindness left in him, but to wring mercy from Geo is a futile endeavour. A wail cuts its way out from your throat, the warbling of an oriole as it chokes to death. “Rex Lapis! Morax! My lord, stop it, stop it, please—”

The glow fades away as he relents. Without his Geo powers, you can at last pry his stiff fingers open. A breath held in anticipation, eyes wide-eyed, hoping, hoping. At the centre of his palm lies broken pieces of what used to the metal borders of your Vision. Crushed to dust.

But among it, a teal gem. It remains whole and sparkling, unaware of the dangers it had just weathered. Dizzying relief in your mind as you snatch it away, staggering back and clutching it to your chest. You had no use for it, true, but it is still a part of you. It is a piece that differentiates you from him.

“I apologize, but it seems you will have to set your Vision again,” he says, sounding anything but sorry. It is casual malice instead. Amber eyes hardened into flint. “As recompense, I offer my services. You will find it inferior to none.”

“I know very well, my lord,” you say hollowly. “Thank you for the generous offer.” If you were to find another jeweller instead of letting him do as he wills, who knows the consequences. But still. “Why did you—!” A protest slips out, and you bite your tongue to stifle it. There was no use asking for answers you already have.

"I just wanted to test the claim." His face is expressionless—as if he didn't just try to destroyyour Vision, to crush it into nothingness under Geo. “It held true. A Vision truly is indestructible.”

“Right,” you croak. “Of course it is.”

"…Pity," Morax says mildly, voice so low it’s almost a murmur.

But you hear it. Of course you do—he expected it. Counted on it.

After all, a warning is meant to be heard.

From then on, you wear the Vision in a band around your forearm, for the sole purpose of hiding it within your billowing sleeves. The Anemo Vision sits tight and snug against your skin, out of sight and out of mind. You rarely use it, afraid to remind him of its existence.

You fear the day your lord lays eyes on it again—just as you fear him.

Headcanon

Scenario: Sees another person flirting with you

Characters: Diluc, Kaeya, Albedo, Childe, Zhongli, fem!reader

Want more? Here’s the masterlist:  https://primofate.tumblr.com/post/651259258829225984/masterlist-requests

Consider following me so that you don’t miss anything! :D

Diluc

Would watch from afar. Trusts you not to do anything stupid.

Starts tapping his foot when the guy doesn’t leave you alone.

People next to him or passing by him are wondering if the temperature rise is from his pyro vision or just the pissed off vibes emanating from him

Finally uncrosses his arms when he sees you walking away

Small smile when he sees you waving and approaching him

Smile disappears when other guy grabs your wrist

He did not just fucking do that

Appears next to your side in a split second, giant sword in his hand. Fire in his eyes.

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