Down the Otome Hole

He needs a lot of convincing before he agrees to adopt a cat. And I mean a lot!

Claims to not be a cat person at all - but let’s be real, the man is half a cat already with his attitude. Cats are territorial and need their time to warm up to their kind. So of course this applies to Alhaitham (Mr. Cat himself) as well.

At first, the cat hates him and he hates the cat. It hisses at him and you did catch him hissing back a couple of times already, too (although he vehemently denies ever doing such a thing).

Fast forward a couple of weeks and he buys toys and treats for the cat. It sleeps on his lap now while he reads and even lies next to him in bed while purring loudly, too.

He can't get enough of it. Constantly pets it and treats it like a princess. They genuinely love each other and you slowly begin to feel like the third wheel here for real.

Boasts about being the cat's favorite person now. You just knew he’d come around eventually.

“Uhhh, what is that?” You ask as you questioningly raise an eyebrow at your boyfriend who walks through the door with yet another bag from the local pet shop.

“This? Cat food, toys, a brush, catnip–”

“I thought you hated the cat?” You inquire with a teasing smirk. To which Alhaitham responded with a barely noticeable eye roll.

“First of all, I never said I hated the cat,” he pauses throwing you a judging side-eye as the cat runs his way and tiptoes between his legs, bumping its head into his calf. “And second of all, it seems to be attached to me the most so, since I am aware of the responsibility that comes with caring for a living being, I have to make sure it is adequately given the care it needs.”

Yeah, sure… whatever he says, you think to yourself as you silently suppress a chuckle while you watch how he kneels down to pet the cat and gives it a treat.

AYATO

He’s just convinced he is a dog person through and through. He loves loyalty - so of course he thinks that.

Just goes to show he knows absolutely nothing about cats if he thinks they can’t be loyal. Everyone can be converted to a cat person, full-stop!

As soon as you spontaneously come home with a cat one day he wants to tell Thoma to take care of it so it’s out of the house. He shouldn’t count the chickens before they’re hatched though. The cat is there to stay.

Side-eyes the cat suspiciously more than once and is very reluctant towards it at first.

Absolutely doesn’t allow it to sleep on the bed whatsoever either.

Eventually, you notice that he starts to crumble though. It starts sleeping in his office while he is working and he starts to allow it to sleep on his lap too.

It now follows him around the Estate - one was almost inclined to say, it followed him like a dog. He was rarely seen without the cat in tow now.

I don’t think I need to mention that it is now sleeping in your shared bed every night cuddled to his chest as well, do I?

“Have you seen the cat, it’s not in my office?” Ayato rushes to your side, looking genuinely distraught. “I left the door open earlier… you don’t think it ran away, do you?”

“I have not seen the cat and even if it did escape through the window; Cats have an excellent sense of orientation, it will be back in no time.” You calmly explain while trying your hardest not to laugh at his facial expression.

“I hope so, I can’t focus on work if I worry about its whereabouts.” He stems his hands on his hips and looks around the garden in search of the cat. 

At that point, you can’t hold back your laughter anymore. The hilarity of him claiming he can’t stand cats at first and then, as expected, becoming entirely obsessed with the little rascal.

“What’s so funny?” he asks slightly exasperated.

“You’re so predictable, 'Yato. Do you know that?”

“Pardon?”

ZHONGLI

Your wish is his command. A cat it is!

He never really kept pets (well aside from his giant pet rock frog - uh, I mean Azdaha) but he thinks it's a good idea!

Turns out he is a born cat dad. He gets up early to feed it, sits down with a cup of tea to read, cat on his lap, and a content smile on his face.

It’s so adorable you could screech.

Very rarely you even find him napping with the cat on his chest and you think you can make out two sources of purrs. Don’t mention it to him though! 

As usual, when you get up in the morning, Zhongli is up and has brewed a fresh pot of tea already. 

He is sitting in the armchair by the window with a cup of steaming tea in his hands that fills the air in the living room with a wonderful homely aroma. Unlike a couple of months ago he isn’t sitting there alone, however.

The cat is sleeping on his lap, purring lightly and he is carding through its soft fur with his hands. He looks up to you with a handsome smile that makes the corners of his eyes crinkle upwards.

“Good morning, my Love.” He coos and the cat too lifts its head looking your way drowsily.

“Meow”

“Look who is also happy to see you.” He remarks while scratching the head of the cat lovingly.

KAVEH

He loves both cats and dogs, although he never owned a pet.

Is immediately on board with the idea of getting a cat.

After all, he hates it when the house is empty. And a pet can bring some life and happiness in even the most desolate homes.

Needless to say, he absolutely loves it to death.

Whenever he is sketching the cat sits next to him on a chair and follows the movement of his pen on the paper in fascination.

He talks to the cat. No doubt about it. Full-blown conversations at that, too. And yes, the cat replies as well.

The minute you walk through the door to your shared home, Kaveh lifts his head up from his sketches with a smile – along with the cat which has its soft paws placed on the edge of the table next to him and watches him work.

“Mrow.” the cat chirps, jumping down from the elevated position and darts towards you to welcome you back home.

“Looks like someone is excited you’re home,” Kaveh remarks with a chuckle.

“Oh, and does that mean you’re not?” You tease.

“I– uh, what?! Preposterous! Tell them, kitty!”

“Meow Mrrrow–” the cat replies promptly, rubbing its head cutely against your leg.

“See. Listen to the cat!” He exclaims exasperated, stemming the hand holding the quill on his hips

Getting a cat definitely was one of the best ideas you’ve had. The dynamic between him and the cat was to die for.

XIAO

Neither a cat nor a dog person. Actually not really a living creature person in general.

When you propose adopting a cat to him he looks high-key worried and says he doesn’t want to hurt it with his karmic debt.

You assure him that he won't since he doesn’t hurt you either. So he might as well try.

As it turns out, cats absolutely love him!

The cat is all over him and follows him around everywhere. The minute he sits down it plops down on his lap and starts purring.

He may complain outwardly, but he secretly loves that the little thing is so attached to him.

“No, you– ugh, but of course you do it anyway.” Xiao sighs in defeat but smiles ever so slightly, staring at the little fluffy creature that just lay down on his lap. He carefully starts stroking over its fur and not too long after a loud purr could be heard.

This is how you would often find him these days. Ever since you adopted the cat it was practically glued to him. It didn’t come as much of a surprise to you though.

Cats are highly sensitive and empathic creatures, even if a lot of people don’t think they are. Their purring is proven to ease pain and ailments. If they love you, they cuddle with you and start purring in order to make you feel better when they sense you’re unwell. 

Taking Xiao’s karmic debt, which often causes him pain, into consideration it only makes sense the cat sticks to him so much. 

What also doesn't help him was that he tried to avoid it as much as possible at first. And the more you ignore cats, the more they seemingly want to be with you. You’d be the last to tell him about that though. After all you enjoy seeing him so at ease with the little purring furball on his lap.

THOMA

Dog or cat person? Why not both? He loves all animals equally.

If he isn’t the one proposing it to you instead, he will be head over heels for the idea the minute you suggest it.

He’s so excited he rushes to the shelter with you the same day.

Do not believe you’re only going home with one cat - if anything you probably have to stop him from buying the entire shelter.

And of course, you end up with not one, but two cats - one for each of you. Or so he claims.

Both sleep on his side of the bed at the end of the day and absolutely snuggle him to death at any given time.

“So, how about this one? Oh, or this one? Love… This is the worst,” Thoma groans while visibly in a pickle. “They’re all so cute I don’t know how we should decide on only one of them!”

You knew it wouldn’t be hard to convince him to adopt a pet, in fact, it would be harder to only walk home with one in the end. Currently, Thoma is sitting on the floor with at least a dozen cats surrounding him.

The poor man only has two hands and each cat seems to want their own crumb of attention from the pyro wielder.

“How about you choose one for each of us? I don’t think I will be able to do that…”

“I was already waiting for you to ask,” you giggle. “I don’t want to bring home the entire shelter after all."

A slight shrug and a crooked smile from him let you know that that would be indeed what you would end up with otherwise.

DILUC

Cat or dog, it doesn't really matter to him because he is away from home a lot anyway and therefore never considered adopting a pet before you asked.

He agrees and thinks it would do you good as well if you had some company whenever he was away for business (or "business" as the Darknight Hero).

Funnily enough, as soon as the cat moves in, he finds himself at home more often too.

He loves the little fuzzy cuddlebug and it loves him. He generally exudes warmth due to his pyro vision and that is something cats can never get enough of.

It immediately darts in his direction every morning when he walks down the stairs with a chain of loud meows, demanding his attention while he looks at it smiling from ear to ear. 

Animals have a therapeutic effect as well. So whenever he feels bad, like when his past is catching up to him again, the cat is immediately there to bump its head against his arm or leg in an attempt to cheer him up.

You are surprised to find Diluc at home already when you arrive home in the late afternoon. Usually, he would be out until well after the sun has set.

Yet, right now, he is lying on the couch in front of the window, with the cat curled up on top of his chest.

As you approach, the cat lifts its head and gazes in your direction, slowly standing up and stretching with a quiet purr.

“Meow.” it squeaks, jumping down from Diluc’s chest and tiptoeing towards you.

“No, stay with Diluc!” You whisper quietly in order to not wake your boyfriend up. Too late though.

“Welcome home.” he drowsily greets through half-lidded eyes.

“Hi, I'm surprised to see you’re already home.” You remark with a loving smile.

“Well someone had to feed the cat.” he explains, closing his eyes once more.

You know as well as he does that the maids could take care of the feeding as well. The truth is that he is home already because he simply wanted to spend time with the cat and relax a little. And you don’t mind one bit.

CYNO

Definitely not opposed to getting a cat when you ask him.

Not directly a cat person though. He prefers dogs, but he has nothing against cats generally.

You frequently find him talking to it. He leads full-fledged conversations with it

Another man who leads conversations with the cat as if it’s the most normal thing in the world.

Cyno is sitting at the table with the cat on the chair next to him.

“Meow”

“I agree, it is indeed most peculiar.” Cyno huffs and crosses his arms in front of his chest while looking at the cat as if it just said something groundbreaking.

“Mrrrow”, the cat chirps happily. 

Cyno nods slowly, putting his hand on his chin as if deep in thought. “You have a good point there.”

You snort out a laugh when you enter the room and see the scene in front of you. It prompts both Cyno and the cat to look your way with puzzled expressions.

“What is so funny?” Cyno inquires.

“Oh nothing, just keep going.”

You were just about to walk on again when you heard him call your name. Inevitably your heart euphorically skipped a beat in your chest. Yet you were aware that harboring the feelings you did for your employer wasn’t right or appropriate so you tried to limit your interactions with him as of late. You knew being too hopeful about it would just end up in a heartbreak.

“I see you’re enjoying your day off.” he remarked with a kind smile. “Care to join me for a cup of tea?”

“Oh, uhm. I’d love to Lord Kamisato but I’m somewhat occupied right now.”

“A pity.” he hummed taking a sip out of his teacup before speaking once more after he set it back down on the table. “I had a package brought over to your house earlier. Make sure to open it today, I have extended an invitation for my birthday banquet later today and I want my most trusted staff to be there as well this year.”

You had not been aware that today was Ayato’s birthday, as he was a man who usually kept his cards close to his chest. So it wasn’t a surprise you didn’t know about it. Yet for some reason you felt guilty about not knowing as well.

“Oh, I had no idea, my apologies. Happy Birthday, my Lord.” you bowed your head in reverence to which he was quick to lift his hand.

“No need. I appreciate the birthday wishes. And I hope to see you later at the Estate.”

“Of course.” you agreed excitedly, unable to stop the corners of your mouth from crinkling upwards in anticipation. You knew you shouldn’t read into it too much but he did say he wanted his most trusted staff to be there as well, which meant, you were amongst them. It made your heart swell with pride as well as hope. Although you didn’t want to admit the latter.

You rushed home to retrieve whatever package he sent to you, only to find it leaning on the stone steps in front of your home. 

It was a small package with a pastel blue envelope stuck to it. Your name on it, as well as the letter itself, was written in Ayato’s elegant penmanship. 

The thought that the man of your dreams sat down to carefully pen your name on this very envelope you were holding, made heat rise to your face and a tidal wave of emotion wash over you, enveloping you in a cozy and soft warmth that radiated throughout your entire body.

The feeling however would prove to be fleeting as soon as you saw what the package contained that the letter was attached to. You carefully unwrapped it with an erratically beating heart, fantasizing about what the package could contain. But instead of what you envisioned, all you found were… radishes?

Was this supposed to be some kind of joke you didn’t get, a custom you never heard of, or perhaps a secret message? You were puzzled beyond belief but quickly decided to make some radish salad out of them to bring to the banquet later. Maybe everyone invited got some sort of vegetable they were supposed to prepare something with, right?

A couple of hours later as the sun was already setting on the horizon. And with a bowl of freshly made radish salad in hand, you found yourself standing in front of the Kamisato Estate. 

Your heart was beating fast as you knocked on the big front door. You were sure you could even hear it, no thanks to how quiet it was at the Estate today overall.

Additionally, it seemed to stay quiet inside. After waiting a couple more minutes you knocked again without success before deciding to walk to the garden of the Estate to see if you’d find anyone there.

Were you too early?

Walking along the stone path you soon spotted Ayato who seemed to be in the midst of sword practice.

Entranced by his fluid movements, you found yourself slowly sneaking closer to him in order to not disturb his focus.

“Lord Kamisato?” you ushered as soon as he halted his movements for a moment.

He visibly flinched, turning around in just the blink of an eye with the Katana in his hand extended in your direction, the blade turning into liquid blue with only a flash of his vision. 

“My apologies. I did not realize it was you.” he exclaimed, his eyes widened in shock as he put the katana back into its sheath before walking over to you.

“No please, I should apologize. I didn’t mean to startle you, my Lord. You must’ve been focused.” you shook your head slightly before extending the bowl with the radish salad in his direction with a sheepish smile. “I made this. It may be nothing special but I didn’t know what else to do with the radishes.”

“Radishes?” he questioningly raised an eyebrow while training his eyes on the salad.

“You sent me radishes. The package?”

The confusion on his face made your heart drop. You must’ve misunderstood the message and had now embarrassed yourself beyond belief in front of him.

“There was nothing else in the package?” he inquired.

“No. Nothing, my Lord.”

“No necklace?”

“No neck– w-what?” you stammered. What did he mean by necklace? Why would he send you a necklace?

He inched closer to you, gently taking the bowl out of your hands to place it on the stairs next to you, before leaning on the fence next to you with one arm.

His face was now hovering so close to yours that you could see the sheen of sweat from his training glistening in the evening sun. His enchanting lilac eyes trained on yours as a soft smile played around his lips.

“You heard me. I had a camellia necklace made just for you. It reassures me to know that this is why you’re not wearing it right now, my dear.”

He carefully tipped your chin up with his hand, brushing along your cheek with the back of his hand. You practically melted at the sensation as you felt the heat rise to your cheeks. The fluttering of your heart was so loud in your chest that you were sure he must be hearing it as well. You closed your eyes as you hesitantly leaned into his touch.

He watched your reaction before playfully biting his lower lip and almost boyishly smiling to himself.

When you opened your eyes again his face had become so close to yours, you could feel his breath fan over your lips and smell his aftershave. His long eyelashes accentuated his half-lidded eyes he had now trained on your eyes once more.

“I have a favor to ask of you… Please, call me Ayato from now on.” he whispered and with that closed the remaining distance between your faces, sealing your lips with his in a silent confession.

Giving a little hum, you gathered the pile and moved across the study once again. Crouching next to the large box, which was already half full, you started placing the new additions neatly inside. One of the books fell from your grasp and hit the floor with a dull thud, and the sight of a page slipping free had you on the verge of a heart attack. Donating or not, Alhaitham wouldn’t be happy if you destroyed one of the books.

You quickly picked up the book and page to assess the damage. Surprisingly, the page didn’t belong to the book at all. The colour of the parchment was off, and the words on the fallen page were written in familiar handwriting, not typed.

𝒱𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝑒𝓍𝓅𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝓁𝑒 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔

𝒫𝓇𝑒𝒻𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝓈𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈

𝒬𝓊𝒾𝑒𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒹𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔

𝒮𝓂𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓈𝑜𝒸𝒾𝒶𝓁 𝒸𝒾𝓇𝒸𝓁𝑒

𝑀𝒶𝓀𝑒𝓈 𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 / 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝓃𝑜𝓎 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓈𝒽𝑒’𝓈 𝒷𝑜𝓇𝑒𝒹

The list went on, taking up both sides of the paper. You knew this list was about you - too many of the traits and habits lined up for it to be anyone but you.

Feeling a little stunned, you slowly stood up and approached your boyfriend. “What’s this about?”

Alhaitham glanced at the paper. You don’t know what reaction you were expecting, maybe something along the lines of flustered or embarrassed, but he remained as straight-faced as ever. “If you have to ask me that, then you don’t know yourself very well.”

Your eyes narrowed a little. “You’re avoiding the question. Why? Does this make you shy?”

You wiggled the paper for dramatic effect, but he wasn’t bothered in the slightest. “There’s nothing to be shy about. Those are merely observations I made while I was getting to know you, that’s all. Why are you getting so excited about this? Does it bother you?”

“No, I’m not bothered at all. I just can’t believe you wrote this stuff down, or that you were paying any attention to me back then. I mean,” You pointed to the fifth bullet point. “I only did this once, and it was before we formally met. How did you even know about it?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The House of Daena, although normally a quiet place, was even more so today. There were only a handful of scholars using the facility, most of which where on the other side of the library. Alhaitham had the back all to himself… mostly to himself. There was a girl sitting a table over, but she was working quietly and the scribe had gotten so engrossed in his book he forgot she was there entirely.

Until…

“You have a lot of nerve to turn down my offer.” A heated voice caught his attention. The speaker wasn’t shouting, but in the quietness of the library, it echoed pretty clearly.

“Will you keep your voice down? If you don’t know how to behave in a library, don’t wander in here.”

Alhaitham’s gaze shifted from his book, eyes narrowing as he glared at the source of the disturbance. The girl’s head was turned away from him, and standing at the edge of the table she sat at was a scholar wearing an angry expression.

The scholar huffed and crossed his arms. “Give me one good reason why you won’t join this project.”

“I’ve given you plenty of reasons already. The physical and mental strain of your research isn’t worth the reward, and if that doesn’t satisfy you, here’s another reason: I don’t like you.”

The corner of Alhaitham’s mouth twitched with an urge to curl from the amusement of her response.

The man looked offended and even more upset. “What’s wrong with me?”

The girl reached into her bag and held out a rolled up sheet of paper. The scholar took it, but the second it changed hands, the paper unrolled and kept rolling until it hit the floor and continued on for a few more feet.

“What the hell is this?” The scholar questioned.

“A list of all the reasons why you get on my nerves. Educate yourself.” The girl said, gathering her things and swiftly departing from the scene.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You were there? I had no idea.” You said, searching your memory for a glimpse of the scribe but to no avail.

Alhaitham crossed his arms. “I’m not surprised, given your lack of awareness in regards to your environment.”

Rolling your eyes, you took a step back. “I’m not that- Ow.”

Flinching, you stepped forward and placed a hand on your lower back, rubbing the spot that got jabbed by the corner of the wooden table. Having just proved his point, you couldn’t help but feel a little flustered.

The man sighed a little. “And that is why ‘lack of awareness regarding your surroundings’ has made it to the list, right under your inability to recognize sarcasm.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The desk in his office never failed to be empty, granted such a thing came with the territory of never being present to receive the applications and other documents when they were turned in. It never usually took him long and he would be out and on his own before more paperwork showed up, which would be left to suffer the same fate as the papers before.

If being present in his office during operational hours wasn’t rare enough of an occurrence for the day, the soft knock on the open door was the icing on the cake. Alhaitham looked up, spotting a young woman that struck him as familiar but he couldn’t place his finger on where he had seen her before.

“Sorry, is now a bad time? I can come back later.” She said, sounding a little nervous.

She wasn’t holding anything, so she couldn’t have been here to submit an application. Perhaps she needed to pick one up? “No, now is fine. Are you here to fill out an application?”

She nodded and Alhaitham silently pointed to the folder hanging on the pin board. The girl thanked him and went to retrieve one, and it wasn’t until she turned on a certain angle that the scribe remembered where he had seen her before: the library. He couldn’t find a trace of the wit and attitude she carried several days ago.

“Um,” Her timid voice made him look up again. “Any advice on filling this out?”

Her question confused him. His brows pulled together as he tried to decipher what she was trying to say, but his expression must have made her more anxious because she suddenly rushed out an explanation.

“I-I’ve heard that it’s difficult to get your approval for these things, so I figured I’d ask what exactly you look for. I’d rather not have to write it out twice.”

Alhaitham both understood why she was nervous, but at the same time, didn’t have a clue. Most people were weary of approaching him, this he knew, but the anxious waves rolling off of her felt a little much. Again, his thoughts jumped back to the version of her from the library.

“Just make sure all the necessary information is there and that it’s written correctly and professionally.” By the time he finally answered, the girl looked like she was ready to melt into a puddle of nerves. “Prove to me that you are serious about this. As long as your research follows the rules, I won’t have a reason to reject your application.”

“P-Prove it? How should I do that?”

Maybe a joke would ease her anxiety. If her act in the library was real, then she also has a sarcastic sense of humour. “That’s for you to decide, but I’d say raiding a Hilichurl camp and stealing a shield is a good way to go.”

Alhaitham’s joke didn’t have the impact he thought it would, because when he entered his office several days later, he found a fully completed application and one of the largest stone Mitachurl shields he’d ever seen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The snicker on his face made you scowl. “Don’t laugh. I barely knew you back then - how was I supposed to recognize your sarcasm when you were so stone-faced?”

“Believe me, if I had known you were going to take me so seriously, I wouldn’t have picked something so dangerous.” Alhaitham said. His eyes narrowed a little. “Regardless if you thought I was being serious or not, you shouldn’t have put yourself in harms way like that. It was reckless and foolish.”

You shrugged. “It’s not like I did it alone - I hired some experienced adventurers to come with me. Sure I got a couple scratches and bruises from the ordeal, but I came out of it with a pretty cool shield and an application good enough to earn your approval.” You poked him in the chest. “Don’t act like my little stunt didn’t charm you. You couldn’t stay away from me after that.”

He raised a brow. “Really? That’s not how I remember it. To my recollection, it was you who kept finding every opportunity you could to invade my space with your presence.”

“Oh please, if you didn’t like my company, you would have told me off ages ago.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The bench Alhaitham sat on was tucked away beneath the shade of a tree, protecting the scholar from the hot sun that shined over the city. The Akademiya’s garden was quiet, though many students were attending class at this hour.

“Hey, stranger. Mind if I sit?” A feminine voice asked.

Alhaitham didn’t look up from his book - he didn’t need to. He recognized the voice, and only one person would approach him so confidently for no particular reason. “Just don’t disturb me, alright?”

(Y/N) giggled and joined him on the bench, turning to sit across it lengthwise with her back leaning against his side. “You won’t even know I’m here.”

She fell into silence, the only sounds of her presence being the occasional turning of pages. Alhaitham wasn’t one for socialization, much less unnecessary physical contact. The girl sitting next to him, however, was the opposite. He noticed long ago that she took every opportunity she could to give and receive contact, but at the same time, she respected boundaries and never forced her affection on anyone. He asked about it once, and her answer was simple: physical contact brought her comfort. After that, he was more willing to tolerate her coming into his space to a certain extent.

Thinking back on the months he’s gotten to know her, Alhaitham realized that he still wasn’t sure who she really was. The first time he noticed her, she had the fearlessness of a rishboland tiger. The first time they spoke, she had the timidness of a desert fox. Now, as this… whatever it was between them has progressed, she reminded him of a domesticated dog with her happy-go-lucky attitude and tendency to track him down when she wanted attention.

“Alhaitham, do you know what this word means?” She suddenly asked after a long silence.

The scribe turned his head towards her, the smell of her hair filling his next breath with the faint scent of fruit as he read the word she was pointing to. “Onomatopoeia. It’s a term to refer to words that are similar to sounds.”

“So it’s just a fancy way of referring to sound effects?” (Y/N) huffed. “I hate when authors throw in big, complicated words like this. It pulls me out of the story.”

“Maybe if you read something other then fiction all the time, you’d be able to expand your vocabulary.”

She shushed him. “Hey, my books are off limits for your sarcasm.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that all the romance novels you read will pollute your brain and obstruct your view from reality?”

“If that’s true, then I don’t mind walking through the world blind.” The sudden tenderness in her voice caught the scribe off guard. He expected her to retort in a biting tone, not to speak with such fondness. “Growing up, I never got to witness a clear concept of what love looks like. All I’ve seen from my mother was failed relationships, and my father… well, he taught me all the ways a romantic partner can screw me over. Maybe my experiences should have turned me off of love, but instead, it left me with a desire to find a healthy one. Sure, the characters and the worlds they live in aren’t real, but the love they share? I believe it is. The author couldn’t have written something so passionate if they haven’t experienced or desired such a strong love themselves. Is it so wrong to crave such a basic human emotion?”

“No, it’s not wrong, but it’s not necessary for survival either. I’m a prime example.”

The girl laughed quietly. “Just because you choose to live the lone wolf lifestyle doesn’t mean you’re incapable of giving or receiving love, Alhaitham. You choose to avoid it because not having to deal with those things makes your life easier in your eyes, and that’s fine. For me, though, I’m an emotional person. I can’t imagine living my life without feeling, even if those feelings bring a hassle with them.” He felt her head rest against his shoulder. “You know, I believe only true evil is incapable of feeling love. The way I see it, love and emotions go hand in hand with morals - feeling these things means each person has a line they won’t cross. Those who can’t? They’ll never know when too far is too far. I mean, that’s why the cardinal sins exist, isn’t it? To keep scholars from getting so invested in their research that they forget emotional boundaries.”

And just live that, the scribe had her figured out. (Y/N) was smart in her field of study but her true wisdom lied in her emotional intelligence. Her words were pretty but what she said wasn’t hard to believe. Biologically, she required more emotion for survival more then he did, and her view of the link between emotion and morals was the foundation in her concept of right and wrong. Alhaitham lived his life through logic and reasoning, aiming for a simple existence. (Y/N) lived hers through emotion, aiming for an existence filled with unquestionable love.

She was his polar opposite, and yet, this new knowledge didn’t deter him from keeping her around. Oddly enough, it made him feel something else entirely. The urge to protect her suddenly coated him, a feeling he both wanted to push away and act on.

(Y/N) closed her book and sat up, the heat and pressure of her body against him vanishing. The exposure of his side should have been a relief, but it annoyed him instead. “I’ve bothered you enough for an afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your book, Alhaitham.”

He didn’t look up from the page, but he wasn’t reading the words either. He was too focused on the sound of her footsteps growing distance to take in any new information. When she disappeared completely, Alhaitham closed his book and stared at the bush thriving a few feet across from him. The unopened flower buds gave him an idea of what was happening to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Taken completely by surprise, you blinked up at the man. “You’re joking. That’s when you started having feelings for me?”

“Yes. Is there something wrong with that?” Alhaitham asked, crossing his arms again.

You shook your head. “No, I just never expected you to be the one to fall first. You hid it so well.”

“You, on the other hand, didn’t.”

Heat attacked your cheeks. “Oh, come on! Do we have to bring that up?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was another rare day where Alhaitham could be found in his office during appropriate hours. The workload he had to complete was light, much so that he had more then enough time to address the disaster pacing around the room.

The scribe was blunt and to the point with social interaction, but he wasn’t negligent to the emotions of those around him. Thanks to (Y/N), his ability to read people was better then ever. He noticed how jumpy she had been the past few weeks, how her eyes would widen whenever he got close and how she seemed to stumble over her words more frequently while speaking. It was clear something was making her nervous, and whatever it was only seemed to apply to him.

“Um, Alhait- never mind.” She spoke his name but backed out halfway through, seeming to grow flustered as she turned away from him.

Alhaitham looked up from the paperwork he was sorting through. “If it’s really nothing, you wouldn’t have brought it up. You’ve been acting strange lately.”

“No I haven’t!” She exclaimed. “Y-You’re imagining it.”

He raised a brow. Him? Imagining anything? Ridiculous. He knew what he saw. “You feel guilty about something.” Her head snapped towards him so fast he was surprised she didn’t break her neck. “You won’t look me in the eye yet you keep staring at me like you want to say something. You’ve been fidgeting, you jump every time I call your name, and you only exhibit this behaviour in front of me. So, whatever it is you’ve done wrong-”

“I have feelings for you, okay!”

Her voice echoed in the office and if not for the closed door, it would have reached the hallway too. She wasn’t looking at him anymore - her head was turned to the side and her eyes were squeezed shut, hands balled into fists.

Alhaitham leaned back in his chair. “Is that all?”

She turned to him again, jaw falling open in shock, glassy eyes widening. “That’s it? I just blurted out my feelings for you -which I’ve been desperately trying to hide, by the way- and that’s all you have to say?”

The scribe picked up the book sitting on the edge of his desk and stoop up. “Something like that isn’t worth making a fuss over. If you were at a point where hiding it was making your life more difficult, then you should have come to me about it sooner.”

Walking around his desk, Alhaitham headed towards the bookshelf placed against the wall behind her. But first, he stopped in front of the girl, pinched her chin between his thumb and index finger, and tilted her head up higher so he could reach her lips. A muffled squeak escaped her, the look on her face as he pulled away priceless.

Alhaitham carried on towards the shelf and placed the book back, taking another that he needed to reference.

“Wait… what just happened?” She asked, very much in disbelief. “Did you just… not reject me?”

He sighed and turned back to her. “I think my actions were pretty clear. If you’re still not understanding, allow me to spell it out for you.” Pinching her chin again, he drew in close until his lips were just above hers. He noticed how her breath hitched. “I’m not rejecting you, (Y/N).”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I still think you could have been a little nicer to me. I really believed you were making fun of me.” You said, wrapping your arms around the scribe’s waist.

Alhaitham bent his neck so he could kiss the top of your head. “You know I don’t like to see others in misery, but I was being honest. If you had told me how you felt sooner, you wouldn’t have had to worry for so long.”

Nuzzling your cheek into his chest, you closed your eyes and breathed him in. He smelled like crisp morning air and parchment. “What’s your excuse for not saying anything to me sooner? You felt the same way I did. You could have saved me the hassle and come clean earlier.”

“You’re right. I could have.” He said, resting his chin on the top of your head. His hands found your upper arms, thumbs drawing little circles onto the skin. “I didn’t say anything because I was unsure if a romantic relationship was something I wanted to pursue.”

“Because you thought it would complicate your simple way of life?” Alhaitham hummed, and you could feel the vibrations in his chest. “What changed your mind?”

He pulled away just enough to be able to look you in the eye. “Kaveh said something that bothered me.” He cupped one of your cheeks in his hand. “He said watching another man love a girl he wanted would be more complicated then loving her himself.”

You blinked in surprise, picturing his roommate. You considered Kaveh a friend but you knew his relationship with Alhaitham was strained. “Seriously? He gave you that advice?”

The corner of the scribe’s lips curled up. It only noticeable because you were standing so close. “He had a few drinks in him.”

Throwing your head back, you laughed towards the ceiling. “Of course. Regardless, remind me to thank him for knocking some sense into you.”

Your giggles filled the quiet study, and as they finally began to quiet down, the melody of gentle kisses took over. The softness of his lips made you sigh, your arms releasing his waist to wrap around his neck instead.

Pulling back with what you were sure was a dreamy look on your face, you played with the silver hair at the back of his head. “I love you, Alhaitham.”

His teal-brown eyes softened, a gentle expression reserved only for you appearing on his handsome face. “And I love you.”

linguistics major alhaitham! who merely grunts at your enthusiasm, but your one innocent question about his current book instigates a discussion. he never intended to give you more than a minute worth of his time, but a minute turns into two, then five, and blends in with the hours as he buys you another cup of tea. talking to you is easy, like a puzzle piece finally clicked into place.

Huh.

linguistics major alhaitham! who doesn't quite want the day to end. you don't, either, but life can be as cruel as it is beautiful. he has a class, and you have a consultation booked.

don't worry! before he leaves, alhaitham purchases a bag of cookies and tea leaves at the counter while you're in the restroom. he slips a piece of paper, torn from his well-loved journal, into the bag, and sets it right on top of your closed laptop

linguistics major alhaitham! is secretly a romantic.

meeting you at the cafe soon becomes routine. it even evolves. invitations of talking about books over coffee slowly morphs into invitations to your abode for a movie. as much as linguistics major alhaitham loves analysing highly-accredited literary movies, he finds that he likes challenging you in mario kart, too.

the reality tv programs that play are... interesting, as well.

haitham invites you to his favourite bookshops around the city when you tell him you're searching for a particular book. the days once spent alone were now spent with you as he explores the city with you tucked against his side.

linguistics major alhaitham! likes objective facts. facts like how the sun is in the sky, how the waves of the sea will crash against land, and how when he runs, he feels the wind against his face. they are worldly laws, not a matter of happenstance; a natural state of progression.

so when alhaitham develops feelings for you, he's not at all surprised. he thinks that from the day he met you, it was bound to happen.

linguistics major alhaitham! writes you love poems because it's 'the only ways he'll get poem-writing practice in for his writing electives'. you receive one every week, without fail.

it's a silent push and pull whenever you and haitham meet, the both of you dancing back and forth the fine line of friendship and the possibility of something more.

it's a line that haitham is determined to cross. eventually.

for now, he bides his time.

"Hey."

You twist around, blinking at him once before taking a glance at your watch. A pout appears on your face. "You're late."

"I'm aware," he hums, offering you his arm. "Ready?"

You swat his bicep.

"Hm?"

"Not so fast, Haitham." Palm open, outstretched towards him, you make a grabby motion. Ah. He knows what you're after.

"I'm afraid I can only understand you if you use words."

Your eyes twinkle with what Alhaitham thinks must be stars.

"My poem," you request. Then, coyly, "Or did you forget?"

How could he ever?

"Someone's eager..." Alhaitham opens his book bag, unable to hide the fond smile on his face as you nose your way in to look. Your eyes take in his penmanship, tracing every curve of every letter, every space between each word. Suddenly,

Try as he might, it still unnerves him when you read his work.

"Good?" He asks, clearing his throat.

"Mm," you nod, and Alhaitham thinks he sees a flush across your cheeks. "It's very good."

Paper now in hand, you keep it securely in your purse, hiding it away in a zipped compartment to be read again in the comfort of your room.

"Haitham?"

He carries your purse. "Yes?"

"What if someone already bought the book?"

The story itself isn't a rare find by any means, given the many times the story has been redone. What made it difficult was finding the particular design you wanted. That had gone out of print a long while back.

"I doubt so," he answers swiftly. It's akin to looking for a needle in a haystack. The book might be rare to find, but it's even rarer to find someone that knows of the version you wanted. Besides, "We can just talk them into giving it to you. I'm sure they'll agree."

"How are you so sure?"

Because I still have one last poem to give to you. And forgive him, but a beautiful edition deserved beautiful prose. Alhaitham was still penning it into the front matter of the very book you had so desperately wished to find.

He had inadvertently found the book while going through his late-grandmother's collection. It was dusty, but in good shape. You would love the book well, just as how his late-grandmother would have wanted.

It would be an honour for you to be its new owner.

"Call it intuition."

He just needed a bit more time.

A/N: i tried a new way of styling my writing :> if i get it down i might be able to write more because writing this way feels easier + faster but we'll see how it goes

&& . kamisato ayato · ( is he a asleep or awake ; that's the question )

ayato lives within the uncanny valley of him napping and not napping. sometimes you catch him shutting his eyes and dozing off and on others, he stubbornly stays awake and forces himself through his work.

an undeniable fact though, is how graceful he is. his posture is still maintained save for the slight slump in his shoulders and the bow of his head, and his hands usually come to rest on his lap.

he's a light sleeper too, easily woken if you pass by and your footsteps ae too heavy, so you take care to avoid the creaks on the wood floor and opening the shoji screens with little control. maybe you'll be lucky enough to watch him from a distance with a soft smile on your face.

the first time you did sneak close and approach him, funnily enough, he showed no signs of stirring. you find it strange, but you cup his cheeks in your hand and you sneak a kiss on his forehead. then you quickly shuffle away, stifling back a giddy giggle.

it happens again and again and again till it was a ritual of sorts. a kiss on his forehead while you cradle his face before you exit.

one day you were too busy, too distracted and you could only linger a moment, stroking your thumb over his skin. when you ready yourself to leave however, you did not expect ayato's hands to wind around your wrists or his eyes to crack open and look at you with playful sadness.

"no kisses for me this time, love?" he asks.

you're silent for a moment.

"dammit ayato-" you groan, feeling embarrassment and exasperation and affection all at once. this schemer, this little UGH-

ayato only laughs and kisses you properly. "don't skip out next time." he whispers. from then on, you don't.

&& . zhongli | rex lapis · ( he purrs guys ; he purrs and it's adorable )

if seeing al haitham take a nap is rare, it's even rarer to see zhongli take one. a part of it is being an ex-god and a part of it has to do with his schedule. but being a mortal meant doing mortal things that this mortal vessel enjoys.

a few months in and he's taking quick naps around the house. you know, just old man vibing, laying back on the couch with his hands tangled with whatever he was doing last. sometimes it's a pen and a notepad, and if you tilt the paper just a bit, you'd see a detailed list ( ranging from important dates and appointments and financial dealings to chores ).

other times it's a rock settled in his fist and you notice a trend where those rocks somehow finds itself on your desk ( zhongli would be smiling his little smile at the kitchen if you dare peek. he was not subtle at all ).

sometimes it's a book with the edge of the bookmark tangled around his finger tips. those were the constants, where zhongli always seemed to be grasping something when he dozes off.

and should you touch his hands, by some ancient instinct, he engulfs it in his own. that, is where the purring starts. easy to miss at first till it steadily grows louder and louder and suddenly you can feel his vibrating chest down to your toes.

but another quirk of his genuinely terrified you.

zhongli...does not move when he's napping. in fact, he doesn't even look like he's breathing. so when you walked in on one of his sessions for the first time, you thought he was dead and reacted like any normal human being : by panicking.

all things considered though, he's actually a pretty heavy sleeper unless he assumes he's in immediate danger. and yes, unfortunately you screaming is just the thing that gets him off the couch with a frantic look on his face.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD-" you cried when he wrapped his arms around you in comfort.

"and i thought you were dying." he mutters in turn.

( the two of you laugh about it over tea now. )

❪⠀🎬⠀❫ AINE SPEAKS ;;

FIRST POST OF 2023!! hey look guys i have some fluff and more fluff for you!!! maybe dust is beginning to take me down the fluff route and i won't be posting pain and torture any more : D *nervously glances at the two oneshots and two series drafts in store* NOPE NO ANGST.

but seriously, thank you for the prompt! i really loved the fluffy concept and i seriously needed an excuse to start writing more for al haitham and ayato. who knew you'd swoop in XD!

if you’d like to be added to the taglist, fill this form up!

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AINE © 2023. do no plagiarize, repost or rework this piece.

kaveh ♡

it threw for him a loop the first time. you were both walking down the port at sunset when he asked if you liked him, and you said of course you love him and you couldn’t ask for a better friend.

he thought you had rejected him when and was genuinely heartbroken for a day, until you visited the next day acting as if everything was fine.

he did not know how to proceed, but he did with caution… when he realized, you genuinely did not understand, he decided to build up the romance before asking you again.

he started making it known to you (and everyone else in the room) that he wanted to spend time with you.

“alhaitham, if you could give us a moment or tw-” “no.” “we’re having dinner out then, dear, lets go.”

of course, he would never do anything that might make you uncomfortable, the moment you express any discomfort or hesitance, he backs off.

that being said, you have never really done such, most times you’re even encouraging him

“kaveh… hugs now please :( “

and how can he not deny you?

speaking of which, he also tried to make more gentle subtle touches, taking your hand when you both walked, placing a hand on the small of your back, hugs that lasted just a second too long.

by the end of it he was extraordinarily clingy, one of his favorite moments is when your head is on his lap and he gets to caress your head.

he acts nonchalantly about it, and so do you. little did you know was that he never did that with anyone else.

“what do you mean kaveh doesn’t like hugging? we spend hours cuddling on the couch..”

to be honest he doesn’t really think much of it either, touching you is like second nature to him. you don’t mind either, because for some odd reason, it just feels right.

he’s almost certain that you like him too, but he’s too afraid to confirm it. he’d much rather stay like this in some sort of limbo between friends and lovers.

but eventually, it eats him up. he needs some sort of closure, even if it meant the collapse of his lovey-dovey facade.

everything’s in place. he had gone through all the scenarios, he knew you were in a good mood, and alhaitham was all the way in sumeru city. everything was perfect for him to make his move, all he needed was you.

“kaveh, what’s all this?”

a picnic blanket was spread out on the grass, a strawberry shortcake, sandwiches and wine laid on top. kaveh stood before it, his familiar smile inviting you to come closer. “ah, i have to admit, it is something a bit special so, please have a seat.”

you follow his advice and gently rest on the blanket, careful not to disturb kaveh’s work. he does the same and sighs. “hm… is this an anniversary or celebration of some sort? did you finally pay off your debt?” you start to ask excitedly, getting a bit ahead of yourself. kaveh simply shakes his head, chuckling softly.

“no, dear. on the contrary, if this all falls through, it could be my funeral.”

you give him a curious glance, tilting your head. he takes both his hands in yours and squeezes them gently.

“nothing that serious, do you remember when i asked you if you liked me?”

“yes… and i still do, if that’s what your concerned about.”

“when i said that, i meant to ask if you liked me as more than just a friend.”

…

…

“you mean… like family? like sibli-”

“no, no, dear god no. i mean like… lovers.”

your face turns red at the mention of that word, lovers. it implied romantic love, of course; you weren’t that dense. he’s looking straight into your eyes, awaiting a response, but your lips feel as though they’ve frozen in place. a few more seconds of silence pass, and his lips purse into a heavy frown.

“ah, i’m sorry, if you don’t… i just couldn’t go on like this, pretending that we were something more, living in ignorant bliss. i truly am sorry.”

“no, wait. kaveh…”

you finally build up the courage to speak, letting go of his hands and caressing his cheek. if there’s something you can’t ignore, its the way he’s putting himself down.

“i-i like you that way too, i just didn’t want to believe it either. i… i didn’t want to delude myself into that, so i never entertained the possibility that-”

his tender lips find yours in a kiss, interrupting your rambling along with any doubt the two of you had left. just like all of his other touches, the kiss felt right, familiar, and simply satisfying.

alhaitham ♡

feelings, specifically love, are a far too strong force that many times they most certainly overcome any logic of even the most robotic of personalities; enter alhaitham.

normally, he would be upfront about these sorts of things, giving them the ultimatum. letting them choose to accept or reject his feelings.

but this time, he didn’t want to give you that chance. he needed you to accept him, he couldn’t imagine any other possibility.

so what does he do? he takes a chance with the whole concept of “romancing” in order to win your heart.

he makes an effort to be around you more, he’ll listen to your long winded rants about the most random topics.

“so, why do you care about this again?” “i just do, i’m not quite sure why honestly.” “that’s understandable, please go on.”

he’s never been one to care about how others might perceive him, how others might react to his actions, but he cares so much about you and he wants you to trust him.

once he notices the way your lips curl up when he enters a room or the way you look at him when you feel a bit overwhelmed, he takes this as a sign that he can try being a bit more touchy.

he never really understood the appeal of it, until he felt how warm you were, how your skin brushing against his made him feel a bit more understood and loved.

and you don’t mind one bit, in fact, you’re happy that he has you to lean on (literally and metaphorically)

but you imagine his roommates' surprise to find alhaitham on the couch cuddled up with someone he had never even met.

“wake them up, and you will sleep outside.”

he truly believes he’s being subtle, but everyone (well those who have the courage to) teases him about it.

he brushes it off, but warns them not to tell you or else…

however, when he starts moving onto more overt and blatant shows of affections, he is sorely disappointed to realize that you are not catching on.

he’d gift you flowers before every outing, call you cute nicknames, and even be more honest with his own feelings.

a polite smile, a thank you, and enthusiastic nod was all you ever responded with.

he was disappointed in himself, he thought he must’ve done something wrong, that he must’ve made you uncomfortable.

he needs to confront you about this in his own way, for his sake and yours.

“it’s you…”

his voice rings out like a bell in a cathedral, snapping you back into reality. he had requested for you to meet him at one of the gazebos near the akademiya. stars had been showered upon the night sky, and it was all you could look at, until alhaitham’s voice, of course. you turn around and chuckle at his awe-stricken face.

“glad to see you too. your letter sounded quite urgent, is something the matter?”

upon seeing you, he can’t control his movements, rushing towards you and taking you into a dramatic hug. you’re quick to hug him back, offering him any and all support he might need. he buries his head into your shoulder, taking in your scent, and touch, enjoying it while it lasts. his voice almost cracks as he speaks.

“yes. i’m sorry for making you uncomfortable with my… advances. i understand if you never want to see me again.”

the shock is almost enough to knock you over, but you simply pull away and look at him with deep concern. you didn’t know where he was coming from, and you had never seen him like this.

“advances? what sort of advances?”

“the romantic ones?”

“oh! towards who? i don’t mind at all, really.”

its his turn widen his eyes, he closes his eyes and pauses. he needs to pick his next words carefully, he really wants this to be a swift death, no point in dragging his heart against the pavement.

“towards you…? the one i love is you.”

he finally admits, hoping you finally understand. he’s run out of words to say, ways to express his unwavering love for you. you flicker between his eyes and lips, confirming if what he says is true, and what he feels is real; after a moment, you speak up.

“i’m sorry, i never… i knew you were opening up, but i didn’t stop to think…”

you calmly take him back into your arms, letting his head rest back on your shoulder. you stroke his hair slowly, trying to soothe him. “i was already so happy that you seemed to be opening up to me, i didn’t realize you meant it in that way. i didn’t want to push it any further than necessary.” he allows you to touch and pamper him, allowing himself the privilege of your tender care.

“i see. so you weren’t comfortable with it? you’re not comfortable with me…?”

“no, alhaitham. i’m more than comfortable with you, and i’d do all those things with you again.”

you blush, understanding the implications of what you had just said. you just opened yourself to him, laid yourself out for him to accept or reject. you close your eyes, bracing for what comes next, when you suddenly feel yourself being lifted up and spun around gently.

“alhaitham!”

“that’s all i needed to hear, darling. from this day on, we can do all those things and more… again and again, everyday.”

kaeya ♡

he likes to tease, that is no question. making others red in the face, in anger or embarrassment, is a pastime of his.

but why is it that you of all people, his one and only crush, remain unaffected?

its not like you even have a snarky remark back or try to hide your embarrassment, you simply let it pass as though it was the cool summer breeze against your skin.

“oh my… shouldn’t you take me out to dinner first?” “uh why?”

you surely enjoyed his company and the silly jokes he’d make, even though there would be times you just didn’t understand what he was talking about.

other than that, he’d often be extra chivalrous towards you, holding the door for you, taking your hand as you walk down the stairs… but i mean that’s how knights just are, right?

though you can often feel his overprotective step out, especially when it comes to your safety, you once again chalk it to him in his cavalry captain mode.

only his closest friends and allies can detect the minor difference in his behavior around you, except you, of course. it doesn’t bother him, because it only solidifies his love for you, how serious he is about you.

sometimes he truly is just amazed with the way your mind works to rule out all romantic possibilities, its like the notion of love does not even exist to you.

he doesn’t mind it one bit, though. if anything, he wishes to be the person who introduces you to love.

he knows he can reveal his feelings at any moment, but he wants you to figure it out for yourself, that epiphany of love is something he feels everyone should experience…

that is until he catches you blushing with another person.

“oh yeah! they’ve been talking to them the entire night… they’re really hitting it off, i don’t-”

every word after that is just muffled noise to him. he didn’t understand the feeling coursing through his vein. it was a poignant mixture of jealousy, sadness, and disappointment in himself.

he immediately steps out of angel’s share, not even bothering with a drink to drown his feelings. he thought he was special to you, the way you were to him.

that’s when the creaking of the tavern doors catches his attention, revealing you.

“oh, hi.”

your voice was timid in the chilly night atmosphere, the silence between you and kaeya almost deafening. he huffs and crosses his arms, trying to pretend as if he hadn’t just felt his heart rip, shatter and

“hey, so what are you doing here? i know you’re not one for taverns, most specially on a wednesday night.”

he doesn’t miss a beat, starting his investigation. your eyes widen at his unusually stern demeanor; its not like you haven’t seen this side of him, but you don’t know have a clue as to where it's coming from. you start to sober up, feeling the excitement and adrenaline of the bar leave you. “honestly, i had nothing better to do… and i was trying to get out of my comfort zone.”

he raises an eyebrow at your seemingly simple explanation; you didn’t have any reason to lie, and to be fair, it wasn’t like he had a right to know anyways. his posture relaxes as gives you his arm, gesturing for you to take it; you, having no reason to deny him, take his arm in yours. you both start walking down the streets, no definite destination in mind.

“Is something wrong, kaeya?”

the glazed look in your eyes is something he can’t ignore, and he knows you won’t ignore his furrowed eyebrows either. he sighs letting the cold air entering his lungs, as if numbing himself before the storm truly begins.

“yes, actually there is. could i be a burden to you?”

“kaeya… you know you can always talk to me about your feelings, you’re no burden to me.”

a bitter chuckle escapes his lips, acting as if he truly had nothing left to lose. “that’s why i love you, you know? ah… i thought i’d be saying this in a drunken stammer or you’d hear from rosaria or lisa, but i’m more sober than ever and… i love you so much it hurts.”

suddenly, his touch feels much colder than it ever has, sending a shiver down your spine. you pause for a moment, the adrenaline and heat rising back up.

“k-kaeya, wait… i love you too. i’m-”

“you needn’t spare my feelings or lie. perhaps it was my fault for letting my pride get the best of me, and now you’ve been swept away by someone else, someone who makes you blush.”

your eyebrows curved into a straight line, clearly baffled by kaeya’s assumptions. yes, you were a bit oblivious when it came to love, so you feel like you’d take note if “someone swept you away”.“kaeya, i have no idea what you’re talking about, but if you’re referring to my demeanor in the bar, i was…” you face only gets redder by the moment. “i-i don’t hold my alcohol very well…”

kaeya pauses for a second, his lips parting in a small o-shape. he feels like such a fool for jumping to assumptions so quickly, but he quickly regains his composure realizing something far more crucial, a smirk plastered onto his face.

“i see. so you like me after all? and i’ve finally managed to fluster you”

“n-no, you didn’t! the alcohol just hasn’t-”

“aha, so you do love me? dear, just say the word, and i’m all yours.”

“Exhausting day?”

“Mhm.”, you hum.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“No.”

You pause looking up at him with a soft smile that always made his knees turn weak. And he knew what you were about to say. Instinctively he had already begun carding through your hair and massaging your scalp, knowing full well it was the fastest way to calm you down and make you feel better.

“Can you read me from your book?”, you ask with doe eyes.

“This is a book about advanced physics, I don’t think it will be interesting to you, love.”

“I just want to listen to your voice, I don’t care what it is you’re saying, Haitham.”, you say with a sleepy smile.

“Wait, does that mean you’re not listening to me?”, he asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

“Oh shut up you doofus, I know you love it as much as I do. You just don’t want to admit it.”, you giggle. And you were absolutely right. And how could he ever deny your wish?

AYATO

Usually comes to bed really late.

You’re asleep most of the time he finally lays down and he hates it as much as you do. He’d love to go to bed and fall asleep with you together but most of the time it is outside of his ability to do so because of his work as the Yashiro Commissioner.

Yet every night when he comes to bed and sees your sleeping form he lies down next to you and cups your cheek with his palm. 

He softly brushes over it with his thumb with his lips curved into a fond smile.

Like most of the time, Ayato leaves his office when the rest of the estate has already fallen quiet. He sneaks down the hallway to your shared bedroom and slowly slides the door open.

You were already lying in bed and were fast asleep. Comfortably cozied up in the blankets and breathing shallowly and calm.

Ayato smiled to himself as soon as he spotted your sleeping form. He slipped into bed next to you and cupped your cheek with his palm. It felt warm underneath his hand and you smiled in your sleep as soon as you felt his familiar touch. If it wasn’t for his self-restraint and unwillingness to disturb your sleep he’d impulsively nuzzle into your chest.

He intertwined his long-slender fingers with yours, squeezing your hand with his, and just lay there for a while, taking in every single one of your features. Observing how your chest rose and fell slowly, how your eyes moved below your lids and how your lips formed into a faint smile whenever you felt his tender touch on your skin.

He smiled and slowly closed his eyes and felt himself drift off into slumber. Maybe he was rarely able to go to bed with you together, but all he needed was to have you by his side.

ZHONGLI

Sometimes you don’t know what you did to deserve Zhongli in your life since he always makes you feel so unconditionally loved.

He is always showing you his love in more ways than one. There are just so many little endearing things he does that make you fall in love every day anew.

One of the many things he does is unpromptedly bring a cup of steaming, freshly-brewed tea to your desk while you are working.

The tea is always brewed with the utmost precision and care. Zhongli has perfectioned brewing your favorite blend down to a T.

You heard a faint knock on the door to your office before it was slowly opened. 

You half expected the person walking through the door already but it never failed to bring a smile to your face nonetheless. In his hand, Zhongli was holding a fresh cup of tea and it smelled divine. As usual.

He walked up to your desk and carefully put the cup with the golden liquid down in front of you.

“Thought I’d bring you something to destress.” He donned his handsome signature smile before brushing over your shoulders with one hand. Leaning down he tenderly pressed his lips to your temple.

The little gesture always made your heart flutter in your chest and hold onto the cup as if it was a gift from the gods themselves.

“Let me know if you need anything, my love. I’m just next door.”

“Mh-hm. Will do. Thank you, Li.”, you mused with a content smile

He made sure to press another kiss to your temple before wordlessly heading out of your office again in order to not disturb your workflow further.

As soon as you heard the door click shut you lifted the cup and took a sip from it. The warm liquid spread evenly across your tastebuds and not only did it warm your from the inside out but the thought of Zhongli always pouring his heart into a simple little gesture such as making tea for you made your heart swell as well.

You truly considered yourself the luckiest person in the entirety of Teyvat for being able to call him yours.

HEIZOU

He’s a total tease and that’s what you love so much about him! You never fully know what is going on behind those cheeky eyes.

Frequently sneaks up to you to tickle your sides before hugging you from behind

Honestly, it’s amazing how quiet he can be when he walks.

If you had to guess, both his anemo vision and his profession probably contribute to that.

You were standing in the garden of your home, gazing into the distance where you could make out the faint shoreline in the distance. There was a mild gush of wind blowing in your direction and you closed your eyes, surrendering your senses to the breeze.

Due to that, you missed how the little menace you called your boyfriend snuck up behind you. With a mischievous glint in his eyes and an up-to-no-good smirk plastered on his lips, he lifted his hands up to your waist. He let them hover there for a while before he finally clasped down on your waist and started tickling you with fervor.

Your reaction whenever he did it is what he lived for. You let out a loud squeak and tumbled backward against Heizou’s chest. Unable to control your laughter you felt breathless and tears soon started pooling in your eyes begging him to stop the tireless onslaught on your midriff.

“Hei-Heizou… haha, st-stop it, please. I ca-can’t breathe… hahaha!”

“Hmmm, what did you say, sweetheart? I don’t think I can understand what you’re saying when you’re gasping like that.”

“St-Stop please.”, you shriek. While laughing tears you hopelessly wriggle in his arms. You were desperately trying to get away from his hands until he suddenly stopped and slung both of his arms tightly around you for an embrace. Pressing his face in the crook of your neck and placing a soft kiss there with a mischievous smile. You could feel it despite not actually seeing his facial expression.

“Why didn’t you say so immediately?”, he teased.

“I will make you pay for this later!”

DILUC

Loves being near you and wordlessly lets you know that he is there for you.

At the same time, he doesn’t want to overburden you with his physical touch so it will just be fleeting touches throughout the day.

May it be a short brush with his hand along your waist as he walks past you, grabbing your hand in passing for a little squeeze, or simply pressing a quick kiss to your temple.

He also regularly hooks his pinky finger into your belt loop when you’re in a crowded place with him. Just to make sure you’re staying near so that he can keep you safe.

Today had been an exceptionally busy day at the Dawn Winery. If not the busiest of the entire year for Diluc. The Windblume festival was coming up so he had to take care of all sorts of goods, trading, and setting up a stand at the festival plaza.

You barely got to see him at all throughout the day, but of course, you didn’t mind. You knew he had a lot of things to do. Yet despite that every time he saw you, he let his hand linger on your hip for a while as he passed by you, pressed a quick kiss to your lips before heading out again, or simply gave your hand a little squeeze.

Now it was nearing the end of the day as you finally heard the familiar clink of the door and steps down the hall that you would recognize any time of the day.

“I’m home!”, Diluc yelled.

You promptly rushed towards the foyer and down the stairs and basically jumped straight into his arms. He slung his arms around your shoulders and placed a kiss on the crown of your head with a fond smile. Archons, he hasn’t even been away for a day and his heart already yearned to be close to you.

“I’m glad you’re finally home.”, you cheered, burying your face in his coat. His familiar scent filled your nostrils and made you nuzzle deeper into his chest.

“I’m glad I am, too. I hope I didn’t bother you today by just giving you attention in passing.”, he mumbled with his lips still half-pressed against your forehead.

“Nonsense. I appreciate it more than you can think.”

XIAO

Keeps looking at you full of love every now and then throughout the day.

Grabs your hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze every now and then as well.

A small fond smile forms on his lips and a sparkle appears in his eyes.

Whenever you catch him looking at you he always quickly averts his gaze and a blush starts to bloom across his cheeks.

Xiao and you sat together in silence, watching the sundown enwrap the surroundings of Liyue Harbor in a golden glow. He glanced over at you and watched how you basked in the setting sun with closed eyes and your signature smile painted on your lips. He once again found himself entranced by your beauty. He considered himself to be the luckiest man in the entire world to be able to enjoy such a sight.

Xiao smiled to himself while continuing to watch your sunkissed form beside him and he could feel his heart swell in his chest. He loved you like he never loved before and he wished he could be by your side like this forever.

Silently he scooted a little closer to you and carefully grabbed your hand. He gave it a reassuring squeeze and diverted his attention back to the sunset to prevent you from seeing his flustered expression.

It’s a habit he had formed. No matter if it was because he sensed danger because he sensed you were unwell, or simply because he wanted to be close to you. His hands now naturally found their way to yours. Interlocking your fingers and squeezing them lightly. It was his way of telling you he would always be there for you.

CYNO

You’re the first one he wants to tell his newest jokes to.

Cyno frequently comes up to you to crack another one and it always ends in the same manner.

Nonetheless, it always fills you with an incredible amount of joy… despite how bad they usually are.

You have to admit, the funniest part about his jokes is his reaction to your response to them and not the actual joke. But to be fair, you think that’s the special charm that made you fall for him in the first place.

“A biologist, a chemist, and a statistician are out hunting.”, Cyno recited proudly. His signature smirk was plastered on his face that let you know that he was putting forward a new joke again. “The biologist shoots at a deer and misses 5 feet to the left. The chemist takes a shot and misses 5 feet to the right. The statistician yells, ‘We got 'em!’”

You stare at him with a deadpan expression. The joke was so bad you didn’t even know how to respond and arguably, most people wouldn’t even understand it. 

He seemed to mistake your expression for not understanding the joke and began to explain it in lengthy detail.

“See this is funny because statisticians calculate averages and the average of minus five and plus five is zero and–”

“Cyno, stop! It’s already dead!”, you groaned with a giggle.

“No, actually the deer survived because that’s–”

“Honey…”, you interrupted with a half-sigh half-laugh. You walked up to him and put your palm on his chest. “I understood it the first time.”

“Oh.”

THOMA

Regularly leaves already way before you wake up in the morning due to his work obligations.

But despite that, he always makes sure to prepare some breakfast for you.

He knows you often dawdle around in the mornings and forget to eat - not on his watch though.

Whenever you wake up you can be sure he left a little note on the fridge 

He also always draws smiley faces or hearts on them. 

You shuffled from the bedroom to the kitchen. Slightly cranky you rubbed your eyes and yawned before you sat down at the table. 

Out of your peripheral, you spotted a yellow sticky note on the fridge that immediately brought a smile to your face. Thoma may already be at work but he always made sure you felt loved by him. And if you were honest, his little notes always made the start to your day a little easier and happier.

You got up from your chair and peeled the little note off the fridge to read it.

“Good Morning, Angel. There is a little surprise for you today. Love you xoxo.”

In anticipation, you opened the fridge and wondered what breakfast would greet you today. Porridge? Fruit salad? Or maybe… his signature fluffy pancakes? 

But as soon as you opened the fridge you couldn’t help but feel disappointed. There was nothing in there. Of course, you knew he didn’t have to make you breakfast but you always looked forward to it. 

You couldn’t help but pout and were just about to turn around to get ready for the day in instead when you felt a pair of familiar arms sling around your waist.

“Disappointed?”, Thoma said from behind you with a teasing lilt in his voice.

“Thoma? I thought you were at work.”, you uttered in surprise and turned around in his arms to hug him tightly.

“I got today off. Now then… pancakes?”

“Yes!”