"So beautiful. So pretty." He mumbles into your skin, loud enough for you to hear. 

You let out a laugh, turning your body so you could embrace him back. "Thank you, love."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"I can't believe someone as beautiful as you is mine."

You laugh at his words, completely taken aback, yet still endeared by the affection in his words. "You're flattering me, baby."

"'M not." He protests, pulling away for a moment to gaze at you. "You truly are beautiful. So beautiful that I don't want to leave you every morning." 

Thoma holds you to him, leaving sweet kisses on your face as you giggle. "You are so beautiful, love, don't think I'm just flattering you." 

You sigh, a flustered and adoring smile on your lips as you nod. He proudly smiles, before nuzzling his face into the side of your neck again, his arms tightening around you as he pulls you closer. You just smile, and rest your head on his, basking in the complete love and adoration Thoma has for you.

ZHONGLI

He has always appreciated the  beauty of life and the beauty of the world around him. With so many years that he lived, Zhongli is not new to the concept of beauty.

But you? It was like his whole idea of beauty was made into human form. He loves you as you, in all your glory, your beauty, and he thanks Celestia for the honor of meeting who he calls the Goddess of Beauty.

You are not a stranger to his musings. His constant praise, and everytime you refuse those praisings, he simply listens to you, patient and gentle, before offering that soft smile of his.

Today is no different.

The evening sun paints Liyue Harbor gold as the two of you sit together over tea. Zhongli speaks calmly about the stories behind the buildings nearby, about old traditions and forgotten history, and you listen with fond amusement. You always loved hearing him talk.

But eventually, his amber eyes drift toward you once more, and his words come to a stop.

"...What?" you ask with a small laugh.

Zhongli blinks, almost as though he had forgotten he was staring. "Forgive me. I was merely admiring you again."

You feel heat rush to your face immediately. "Again?"

"Mm." He lifts his teacup gracefully. "No matter how many years I may live, I do not believe I shall tire of it."

"Zhongli—"

"You doubt me still?" His tone is amused, warm. "My dear, I have witnessed mountains carved by time and seas shaped by the heavens themselves. I know beauty when I see it."

You avert your gaze, flustered beyond belief while he chuckles softly at your reaction.

"It's unfair when you say things like that..." you mumble.

"And yet they are true."

His gloved hand reaches for yours carefully, thumb brushing over your knuckles with such tenderness it makes your chest ache.

"You are beautiful in ways that surpass appearance alone," he says quietly. "Your kindness, your patience, the way you continue to love others so openly... those are things I cherish most."

Your expression softens, heart swelling from the sincerity in his voice.

Zhongli brings your hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss against your skin.

"And selfishly," he murmurs, golden eyes half-lidded with affection, "I am grateful that such beauty chose to stay beside me."

You can only laugh softly through your embarrassment, squeezing his hand as he watches you with enough fondness to make even the oldest stone in Teyvat seem fragile.

KAVEH

He looks up from his plates and sketches, neck strained and his back hurting from how long he sat there, but it seemed to go away when he sees you, and the exhaustion fades almost instantly.

You're sitting across the room, quietly reading while the warm light from the windows spills over you. Your expression is relaxed, peaceful, completely unaware of the way Kaveh is staring.

His pencil slips from his fingers.

You glance up. "Hm? What's wrong?"

"...Nothing," he says absentmindedly, still looking at you.

You narrow your eyes suspiciously. "You're doing that thing again."

"What thing?"

"The staring."

Kaveh scoffs dramatically, leaning back in his chair. "Can you blame me?" He gestures toward you as if presenting a masterpiece to an audience. "Look at you."

You blink. "What about me?"

"What about you?" he repeats incredulously. "You're beautiful. Distractingly beautiful, actually. I was trying to work."

A laugh escapes you as you set your book down. "And somehow that's my fault?"

"Absolutely." He points accusingly. "You sit there looking all pretty and then expect me to focus on architectural calculations?"

You snort, shaking your head while he rises from his desk with a groan, stretching his sore muscles before making his way toward you.

Despite his teasing, the moment he reaches you, his expression softens completely.

Kaveh kneels beside your chair, resting his chin on your lap as he looks up at you with tired but adoring eyes.

"I mean it, you know," he says quietly. "Sometimes I look at you and think maybe the gods spent too much time on one person."

Your face warms instantly. "Kaveh..."

"No, seriously." He smiles lazily. "It's unfair. You're beautiful when you wake up, beautiful when you're tired, beautiful when you're laughing at me—"

"I always laugh at you."

"And you always look beautiful doing it."

You roll your eyes fondly, fingers brushing through his hair. He melts immediately beneath your touch, sighing contentedly.

For someone so expressive and dramatic, Kaveh's affection never feels exaggerated.

Every word he says comes from somewhere painfully sincere.

He tilts his head into your hand and smiles softly.

"You know," he murmurs, "I think you're my favorite thing I've ever seen."

AYATO

Often, he wonders how he was able to be with someone such as yourself. Quite a partner he has, with a beauty unmatched in his eyes. All your flaws, he adores, and all your imperfections, he tells you are what makes you the beauty he loves.

Ayato has always been composed. Elegant. Refined. But around you, those carefully maintained walls become softer.

It happens during quiet moments most.

Like now, with the two of you sitting in the estate gardens beneath the evening sky. You speak absentmindedly about your day while Ayato listens, chin resting against his hand, a small smile on his lips.

You pause mid-sentence.

"...Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you've fallen in love with me all over again."

His smile widens ever so slightly. "Perhaps I have."

You stare at him for a moment before groaning softly, already flustered. "Ayato."

"What?" he asks innocently, though amusement glimmers clearly in his violet eyes. "Am I wrong for admiring my partner?"

"You say these things too casually."

"And you grow embarrassed too easily."

You huff while he chuckles quietly, reaching over to brush a stray strand of hair away from your face.

His touch is gentle. Careful. Reverent.

"You are beautiful," he says simply, as though it is the most obvious fact in the world. "Not because you are flawless, but because you are you."

The teasing in his voice disappears entirely, replaced with something softer.

"Sincerely, I think your imperfections are my favorite parts of you."

You blink at him in surprise.

"The way you frown when you're concentrating. The way you get irritated over small things. The moments you doubt yourself despite being wonderful..." Ayato's thumb brushes against your cheek. "Those are the parts that make you real. Human. Precious."

Your heart aches at the tenderness in his gaze.

He leans closer, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

"I spend much of my life surrounded by masks," he murmurs. "So when I am with you, and I see every honest piece of who you are... I cannot help but think you are the most beautiful person I've ever met."

You laugh softly to hide your embarrassment, but Ayato only smiles knowingly, pulling you closer against him as if he intends to keep you there for the rest of the night.

modern! Aether who lets you try all the trendy hairstyles you find on the internet without a complaint. Who gives you permission every time you ask, even if it's simply to occupy your hands while you're out with friends. 

He lets you sit him down on your bed before spending what feels like hours doing his hair – not even for him to keep it ! 

"You don't even have that much hair," he complains as you pull a little too harshly.

"Not yet," you spat, frowning at him but loosening your hold in the process. 

You love playing with his hair, and he loves having you doing so, but you know you have to be careful to keep this privilege. Instead, you entangled the difficult braid buns you just tried with your fingers, taking a moment to scratch your nails gently against his scalp in a small head massage to ease the tension building in his nap. 

"But that way I'll know how to do it when I do," you added on, taking in how his eyes open a second to side eye your form in the mirror before closing it again.

"Stop cutting your hair every three months, then we'll talk– ouch!"

You pulled again gently, but consciously this time, making him turn around with a small frown. 

"It was damaged," you scolded gently.

"No shit," he said, playfully this time as he turned around to the edge of the bed, pulling you to him so you stay between his legs. "I told you not to dye it the last time you did." 

His fingers gently grabbed the end of your hair, there was still some dye left, but not so much, and your hair was visibly less dry than it has been for months now. 

"I know... I'll listen next time," you murmured as your hands slowly left his hair to hold his cheeks instead, holding back from leaving kisses all over his stupid face.

"I know you won't," he answered, pulling you even closer. "But I still love you." 

With that, he's the one who takes the last step it takes to leave a kiss on your lips.

modern! Al Haitham who helps you study despite the fact that you've already given up on this subject. Who sits with you through it, through and through, stays up late with you and explain again and again, just so you don't feel unworthy. 

"You should go now," you whispered to him, your chin resting in your hand.

Your eyes are heavy, dressed with purple and green eyebags that you just seems to carry all the time. There's no will to fight in them, no fire that he can try to lights up again. There's only resilience in your, you think, coming failure that can't be undone with a night of studying. 

"You still need help, right ?" he was stating it, with gentle eyes that made you feel uneasy and cared for at the same time. You didn't knew how to deal with that. 

It made you scoff. "Yeah, but it's wayyy past your bedtime," you added with sarcasm. 

It was true, he couldn't deny you that. He couldn't deny anything in fact, but you didn't figured that out yet. Even with that tough exterior, he could see how you didn't wanted to be alone. The way you leaned onto his side without realizing it, how your arm keep on touching his while you write but never pull back right away. 

"I can make an exception," he said then, calmly to not disturb the quietness of the library late in the night. 

Your eyes widened at his worlds. You hate the softness in his voice, lingering in his eyes as he careful study you reaction.  

"Why..?" you proceeded to ask, bur not without looking away from him. 

"Because you asked ?" he answered as he leaned in, enough for his shoulder to rest comfortably against yours. 

The silent stretch between you two for a moment, but he doesn't move and neither do you, making his heart beats a little faster without meaning to. Just like that, he started explaining you once again the same thing he just told you another hour earlier, without raising his voice or a condescending tone. Because he knew you were trying your best, and he was there to help you bring the best out of you. Even if you couldn't give him anything in return. 

modern! Wanderer who never stop speaking about how soft you are without everyone and how it bothers him. How he hates the way you never tell a stranger off when someone's bothering you, how you never raise your voice and how delicate you are even with people you barely know. But who also cave under any soft touch you give him, who can't seem to resist the touch of your hands on his cheeks. 

"You need to stop doing that, something is gonna happen to you sometimes," there's a tint of harshness in his voice, but mostly, he's just worried about you and your safety. 

"But nothing happened," you defend gently. 

He sends you an unsure side eye, along with a frown. All this because you helped a stranger with direction while he was, his words, being "weird". The man sure did look disoriented, making him kinda unpredictable, maybe high, but everything was fine. 

"Until it does," he was talking ahead of you now, barely waiting or looking back. 

It didn't changed a thing though, you knew he would never left without you. That if you even squeal under your breathe, he would turn back and check on you immediately. Because he was always like this, harsh but caring. 

So you take the few steps missing and slipped your hand in his without a word, just a smile on your lips like nothing happened. Like he didn't took a small halt in his steps, like he didn't even hesitate to hold it tight and you know it. No-one talk for a moment, enjoying the soft breeze as you walk down the street to your place, before he comes to an halt and pulled you closer. He wasn't much of the pda type, but he couldn't help but lean into you, leaving a small kiss on your temple. 

"Please stop doing this with anyone," he whispered into your hair before pulling away and acted like nothing happened. 

When all you could hear was 'keep it just for me'. 

modern! Kaeya who come pick you up at anytime, anywhere. It can be from an appointment, uni, your job – anywhere. You just have to ask and he'll be there, always a little early, waiting in his car as he search for you outside. If he can, he'll have something for you in the car, but nevertheless, he's always taking you somewhere to eat if you're hungry. 

He made sure to stop right in front of the door of your job, just so you wouldn't have to walk outside in the rain. It was raining cats and dogs, he could barely see a meter away from his car – there was no way he was letting yah coing back home alone. He saw the gasp when you when you meet face to face with his car, and he couldn't help the proud smile that showed on his lips. You didn't asked, but he was still there. 

"Today was horrible !" you groaned as you sat beside him quickly. "I'm so glad you're here." 

"Of course," he said gently, his hand finding yours before giving it a quick squeeze. "Wanna eat something ? I  drive." He added, as if it wasn't obvious, with a silly smile. 

Before you can ever answered, he's already putting the playlist he made based on what he's heard you listening the most, but still named like it had nothing to do with you. He knew you would tease him for it. 

"I'm dying for some fried chicken," you exhaled dreamily, already tasting it on your tongue. 

"So that's decided."

He can't let his hand on your thigh for too long when he drives in town, but he'll put it back there every time. This or holding your hand, because he knows you like it better. He's driving slowly, comforted by the sound of the rain hitting the glass. 

"So, your day ?" 

And just like that, you started to rant about it and how the customers were absolutely insufferable. Your huge raising, you started talking fast and telling unspeakable insults to them and their family line – which only made him laugh. Because never once did you let go first anyway, despite all the movements your free hand was doing. 

modern! Kaveh who cut your hair for you, following a random girl's tutorial on tiktok as if it couldn't go wrong at any time. He watched them several times, different one for each haircut you asked until he was confident enough to tell you yes. 

“You're sure about it ?” he asked one last time as your wet hair lay in his hand, scissors in the other one. 

He already sectioned your hair and watched the tutorial at least twice. Not that it was the first time he did it, and until now, he never truly failed, but he still preferred to check twice before cutting. 

“Yes, oh my god ! Just do it !” you whined, tired of waiting. “You're stressing me out every time.” 

He frowned at your reaction, but still started to cut your hair as you assured him one last time. 

“I want to be sure so you can't blame me if I fail !” he defends, but without hesitating a second longer, he cuts right after he left his voice, like he did multiple times now. 

There's a content smile on your lips when you feel him move his fingers skillfully through your hair, the tutorial playing behind. You can't miss the serious expression on his face reflecting in the mirror in front of you, the way the tip of his tongue brushes his bottom lips, or the knit creating between his brows from time to time. It makes you giggle every time without a fail. It feels like he's working on a piece of art – or like he really doesn't want to mess up his partner's hair. 

"What are you smiling about ?" he asked, shifting his eyes to your reflection a few times in a row. 

"You," you answered gently, shrugging but not without smiling at him. "Thanks again, Kaveh. You're the best." 

Again, you don't miss the way his gaze shook in the mirror before he went back to business, finishing the last few stands, getting busy around a few that don't need anything you're sure, just so you don't notice the obvious pink on his cheeks. 

"Anytime," he mumbled in the end. "I mean it." 

Tighari is the kind of man to help calm you down by pulling the threads from your hair and reminding you the spider is most likely out hunting, no where near its web, so you have nothing to fear. Only then does he smack the spider off your back while your distracted. "Thank Archons it wasn't venomous..." he whispers once the two of you are inside your shared dwelling, he spent the night dusting to ensure no other spiders could hide in your home.

Cyno is the kind of man who will delicately clean the threads from your face, kindly reassure your saftey alongside him, and pluck the spider from your head before proceeding to throw it as faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar away as possible. "Out of sight, out of mind." He says as you walk further away from the webs. You almost felt bad for the spider.

Kaveh is the kind of man who will laugh at you for walking into a spiders web, only to fall into an even bigger web a few feet away. He screams once the realization sets in that he has three spiders in his hair. "Don't- STOP LAUGHING AT ME! KILL THEM! HELP! He screams as you and Mehrak carefully remove the spiders from his long, blonde locks. It is only later that night, as Kaveh has been banished to the couch, that he realizes with horror...there was a fourth.

Alhaitham is the kind of man who watches you freak out over having a spider in your hair for a bit before plucking it out and tossing it toward a tree. He finds no reason for you to have freaked out that much over, "such a small thing."

"Besides, that one wasn't even that venomous...at worst you would've had a mild headach-"

With that rousing speech, Alhaitham joined Kaveh on the Couch of Banishment. Mehrak was more than willing to take their places as your cuddle buddy for the night.

"Is it still there, did you get it out!?" Kaveh whimpered as the spider escaped under the door. He was still unaware that the beast had fled after being smacked by a Claymore.

Alhaitham, however, did notice the spider flee from the home. However, the scholar was too preoccupied to make that fact known. "Would flowers make them feel better or would chocolate be better?"

Kaveh spun around and smacked Alhaitham with a pillow, "I'm gonna banish you outside if ya don't get the damn spider out of my hair!"

Wanderer is the kind of man who will blow away the spiders web before the two of you walk into it. You'll just freak out if you see it, so, it's best to save the two of you the worry and hassle. Practical and sweet, only for you and Buer of course, you wouldn't have even known the web was there if he had not told you about it. As you pass the remains of the web, a large, angry spiders rears uo on its legs and hisses at the both of you before being blown away with a flick of Wanderers wrist. Before you know it, there is an angry spider plotting revenge against the puppet.

Wanderer shrugged off the spider the size of your head, he's seen worse, he reassures. "I'm not hollow, so the worst that thing could think of doing is biting into my arm and breaking its fangs...why are you making that face?"

"It's alarming the first thing you thought of was that it would crawl inside you."

Wanderer grimaced, scratching at his arm nervously. "I had to pull eggs of Nahids favorite doll last week, it wasn't a pleasant experience i wanna repe-"

The first thing you noticed about Kaveh was that he never slept.

At least, that's what it looked like.

Every night, long after the lamps of Sumeru City had dimmed, a single golden light remained burning from the drafting room.

And every morning, without fail, Kaveh would insist he was perfectly fine.

"You look exhausted."

"I'm inspired."

"You haven't slept."

"I closed my eyes for several minutes."

"That isn't sleep."

"It counts if you think about it."

You stared at him.

Kaveh stared back.

Then he promptly walked into a bookshelf.

It wasn't the first time.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't be the last.

"You see?" you sighed.

"I'm fine."

"You just lost a fight against furniture."

"The bookshelf moved."

"The bookshelf has been there for three years."

"Exactly. Suspicious. Did you do it?"

You laughed despite yourself.

Kaveh beamed.

And there it was.

The dangerous thing.

Not his beauty.

Not his talent.

Not even the way that half of Sumeru seemed incapable of talking about architecture without mentioning his name.

It was that smile.

Warm enough to melt steel.

Bright enough to make you forget your own thoughts.

Entirely unfair.

You hated it.

You adored it.

Mostly the second one.

Never the first.

Probably.

—

This evening, the rain arrived without warning.

Dampening your attire without mercy. How rude!

One moment the streets were crowded.

The next, merchants were scrambling to cover their stalls as water poured from the heavens.

By the time you reached home, you were soaked.

The front door opened before you could reach for the handle.

Kaveh stood there.

Hair tied back.

Sleeves rolled up.

A dish towel draped over one shoulder.

You froze.

He blinked.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

"What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You look..."

You gestured vaguely.

"...domestic."

Kaveh's ears immediately turned pink.

"I always look domestic."

"You absolutely do not."

"Whatever, I made soup."

"You're proving my point."

"Just come inside."

The smell hit you immediately.

Fresh bread.

Herbs.

Something simmering gently on the stove.

Home.

That's weird.

Home?

Not the building.

Not the walls.

Not the furniture.

Him.

You watched Kaveh move around the kitchen.

Complaining about measurements.

Muttering about ingredients.

Trying —and failing— to pretend he wasn't checking every few seconds to make sure you were warm enough.

Something tightened in your throat.

Before you had time to consult it, dinner was ready.

Tonight was unlively. Nothing much to do than play around with the tablecloth tonight.

"Kaveh."

He looked up.

You reached across the table.

Took his hand.

Simple.

Easy.

Dinner was mostly quiet.

Silence.

More silence.

The room became very still.

It's pretty quiet, just in case you were wondering.

The aforementioned rain tapped softly against the windows. It had calmed down by now.

Kaveh stared at your joined hands. They were still together.

Then at you.

Then back again.

Something inside him shattered. He really adores you. It hurts.

Not painfully.

Relievedly.

He was staring at you, seemingly distracted as you play with your hair.

A few more seconds pass and pretty soon, you're staring at the corner of your dining room.

"You seem lost."

"What?"

"You're doing your thing where you stare off. Cute."

"Just cute?"

He blinked. He had to backtrack a couple sentences.

The realization hit him first.

His face immediately turned scarlet.

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"Oh."

A wonderful symphony of "oh"s played out before you absolutely lost it.

You couldn't help it.

You laughed.

And somehow that made him even redder.

"Don't laugh!"

"Interesting. Only cute?

"Excuse me?"

"How disappointing..."

You sigh dramatically.

Kaveh buried his face in his hands.

You reached over.

-you slap his shoulder. just kidding-

As you're gently pulling his hands away, his eyes met yours.

Warm.

Hopeful.

Terrified.

Tired.

The distance between you disappeared slowly.

Like silk slipping through careful fingers.

Like starlight finding its way through a window.

Soft.

Patient.

Certain.

You both approach, feeling his breath on your lips. You stay there for a moment. It feels a lot less like "I'm about to kiss my crush" and more like you're competing in the world's hardest staring competition.

When he finally kissed you, it felt less like the beginning of something.

And more like coming home.

Exactly where you'd both been trying to find your way all along.

final note: this was actually changed so much last minute because i hated it omg. sorry if it sucks i promise im usually okay at writing. hope you enjoyed alalala <3