#inanthesis

perhaps it's the ambiance that set the tone for the evening— after a few more than just a few drinks with boothill, jing yuan was feeling as light as could be. the gentle flush of the general's cheeks a stark contrast to his snow white hair that had fallen out of its usual style and all but surrounded his face. whether that was because of the cold, or his current company remained to be seen. it was a bit surprising how much fun it was to spend time with someone who was so unfailingly forthright with everything he did, everything he wanted, that jing yuan found himself in no mood to retire for the right. between cheeky grins and even cheekier comments, there was no doubt that something was starting between them.. right?

at times, it was hard to tell exactly what boothill was thinking, but half of his charm rested in his ability to take him by surprise.

' you know.. ' the thought came to him suddenly, unexpectedly that he wanted to catch boothill off guard for once. the galaxy ranger had been surprising him all evening with his directness, his charm, the way he made jing yuan feel more at ease than he had in centuries. it seemed only fair to return the favor. ' i think i could get used to this. '

The closer they got the more anticipation of being right in front of Zhongli was making the Harbinger antsy, memories were all well and good for the weeks and months apart, and Zhongli's ability to visit Childe's dreams also helped somewhat dispel the longing, but nothing compared to holding the former Archon in his arms and hearing his voice in person. Childe knew there would be no letting go of Zhongli for the entire rest of the day once he stepped off the boat and had even a single hand on Zhongli.

The decorations for Lantern Rite were easy to spot as soon as the harbor itself was visible, the familiar lanterns hanging in the air by the dozens and the massive tree amidst the boats was clearly the symbol for this years celebration, Childe didn't doubt Zhongli would be able to tell him all about it when he asked.

But nothing beat the best view of all for Childe to spot on the docks, a familiar spot of brown in the distance that was the man who had so thoroughly captured his heart over a year and a half ago. He couldn't see the smile on Zhongli's lips until the boat had all but stopped at the dock and he could see Zhongli's handsome features up close, but for Zhongli there was no mistaking the eagerness in Childe's eyes and smile as he hopped off the boat before it was tied off so he could step right into Zhongli's space and wrap arms around his shoulder.

Once she had time to spare after her commission, she decided to visit one of the local artisans and examine their wares… And now here she is, at a potter's wheel and crafts table. Kimiko notices Zhongli, her old friend and mentor, as she works. 'Oh, hello!' Kimiko waves, her hand sticky with clay. 'I was about to make something, but would you care to join me? Perhaps we can work together.' It is his birthday, if her memory is correct, so perhaps she could gift him a work of art?

there are often times that hearing zhongli recounting a fond memory brought him peace, content just to listen to his lover as he spoke and aired out his thoughts about his past experiences. even if he spoke for hours, diluc could be enthralled enough in his storytelling that it could feel like mere minutes, and even lead to him falling asleep at his lover's side. tonight, however, diluc decided to take up the storytelling mantle, finding himself a bit more than pleased that his beloved felt so comfortable with his arms wrapped around his waist, face resting against the young master's thigh. in truth, he looked perhaps a bit too comfortable and uninhibited to reasonably still be listening to his tale. how could he be blamed for such a thing when diluc's fingers gently carded through his soft locks?

Today marks day 3 since Puss in Boots arrived in Teyvat. He spent the first two days camping out in Whispering Woods. Wanting to see more of the new world he was in, Puss found the City of Mondstadt. Walking through the city, he found some people staring at him with surprised and confused looks. He couldn't exactly blame them. After all, who's ever seen a a cat wear boots in Teyvat?

Puss's thoughts about how to survive in the city were interrupted when he heard a commoner call out "Stop, thieves!" The cat saw some treasure hoarders in the distance, so he leaped onto the city rooftops and ran after them. It didn't take him very long to catch up. Once he caught up with the treasure hoarders, Puss leaped in front of them and drew his sword, ready for battle.

"....Big brother." Livio looked his elder up and down, scanning Nichholas's features with a light snort.

"You look like shit."