genshin brainrot

You were always a light sleeper.

At least, you used to be.

He didn’t know what was harder for him- losing you? Or having you here, when nothing could ever be the same as it was before?

You’d lost yourself when you went into the fire.

When he did what he did to make sure you came back. 

He dragged you out of the fire and back into the living world.

Only Asra didn’t realize that the one coming back wouldn’t be the whole…. you.

Of course it wouldn’t have been. He was naive to think otherwise- the whole you died in the fire, afterall.

The you who was with him - even with the same face, the same voice, the same appearance - the you who was with him just simply… wasn’t… you. Physically and outwardly, it might have been. A perfect replica even. But personality-wise? And on the inside? You were… different.

Different from what you used to be.

The puzzle pieces weren’t quiet there.

He could see so much of the you from before the fire, in the you that lay beside him every night but it wasn’t the same. Try as he might, it just wasn’t the same.

Sometimes he’d lay awake at night - his mind far too jumbled to allow his headspace to clear. The thoughts and theories in his head struggling to find a home for themselves - constantly buzzing and moving and regurgitating in and of itself. 

It wouldn’t allow sleep to claim him. 

And so on those nights, Asra would simply lay beside you - wanting nothing more than to reach out and tuck the stubborn lock of hair behind your ears, to wrap his arms around you as he sought refuge in your warmth, to whisper words of affection into your ear that would ultimately lead to your waking -

But he never does that.

Instead, the man simply lay there, observing the sleeping you who was oh so familiar and yet so different from the person who existed in his memories.

He missed you sometimes. Not you who was in front of him, but the you from the past.

The you who would startle awake when he was forcefully dragged from his slumber- nightmares nipping at his reality and causing him to be thrown into panice.

He missed the you who would wrap your arms around him, whispering soothing words into his ears until his breathing evened and his heart rate calmed.

He missed the you who would pamper him, pushing him back under the covers as you busied yourself to take over his task for the day. Sweet smiles and heavenly laughter falling from your lips as you handed him a cup of warm tea. Murmurs of affection, a press of the lips and the drifting scent of your shampoo as you headed to open up shop.

It was unfair.

Truly, wholly and wholeheartedly unfair.

Not only of the world for taking you away from him - but of him to you; for his constant comparison of who you were in the past and who you are in the present.

You were still you, after all. Regardless of how you looked or how you acted, everything was still tied to you. After all the pain and trouble the both of you had went through, you were here and he should be happy.

He should be happy.

Asra reached a hand out, brushing your bangs away from your face as he stared at your sleeping visage. He didn’t know how long he was staring for - the prick in his eyes and the ache in his heart both not being an indicator of time. His eyelids - heavy with sleep and mired with fatigue- however, was.

As he slowly closed his eyes - as he slowly let his arms fall - his last thoughts echoed once more in his brain.

He should be happy.

Zhongli

* I firmly believe this man is touch starved you cannot convince me oTHERWISE

* He fully leans into this trait of his, not shying away from physical affection even when the two of you are still friends

* Whenever you’re with him, you’ll find his hand gently circling your wrist - guiding you forward to a place that he wants to show you. A hand on your elbow as he gently pulls you up from  a rocky cliffside climb. A hand on the back of your waist, careful not to lose you in the crowds of Liyue.

* Zhongli is and has always been gentle with his touches - a trait that collided with his archon title but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

* His favourite way of greeting you is torn between pressing his lips on the back of your hand or kissing strands of your hair as he smiles up at you

* The love this man holds in his heart is simply too much for him to bear alone so every chance he gets, he expresses his affection through physical touches - even before the two of you were an item

* It gets worse (?) once you become his partner though

* He’s clingy when the two of you are in the confines of your own home - preferring to have you in his lap as he presses his lips against your skin

* its nothing sexual really- he just likes the feel of your warmth against his. So much so that he sometimes just speaks against your skin, hoping the words are audible enough so that he wouldn’t have to part from your warmth

* He likes having you in his lap - its easiest for him to bury his face in your neck and circle his arms around your waist, posture relaxing as you run your hand through his scalp.

* he wraps around you so much that when he has to go a certain period of time without your touch or your presence around, he starts instinctively reaching into the spaces where you would be; looking around the crowds to see where you had gone, waiting for you to wrap your arms around him whenever he came home early from work, expecting you to be in bed when he came out of the shower-

* Needless to say, you’re not gonna be leaving his embrace for a while after :’) just until he gets his fix :’)

 Xiao

* Xiao, like Zhongli, is also touch-starved but, unlike the old archon, he does not lean into it. Or rather, he thinks he hates being touched but he subconsciously does lean into it and if your eyes are sharp enough, you can pick up on his little habits.

* For the longest time, Xiao wont want to bother with things like affection or physical touches. He prefers to keep his hands to himself and prefers you do the same.

* It isn’t until one day, when you forcefully grabbed his hand to give him the little merchandise you picked up on your travels that reminded you of him, did he got thrown for a loop

* the feel of your warmth seeping through the fabric of his gloves has him????

* But alas, the feeling was fleeting and Xiao didn’t get the chance to process his feelings right up until you fell asleep against his shoulder

* Xiao stares at your sleeping form, hand subconsciously moving to brush the hair out of your face - the back of his hand slowly gliding across your cheek and, again, the familiar warmth of you seeping into his skin

* and then he freezes.

* Realizing that he, perhaps, likes the feeling of having you close a little too much.

* He’s so caught up in his own turmoil that he doesn’t notice you waking - you opening your eyes to the sight of him staring directly at you, hand on your cheek and head leaned close.

* He tenses when you call his name, pupils dilating as he stares into your eyes. A beat. Two beats. He mumbles a quiet apology but his movements is sluggish - almost reluctant to part from your warmth as he sits back and clears his throat.

* Things change slightly after. He becomes more open to physical touches - never initiating, but always lingering. Slow parting movements, eyes staring a little too long, very very subtle hints of acceptance.

* It’ll take a while for you to pick up on the change but please shower this man in affection when you do - even if he denies that he wants such a thing :’)

 Kaeya 

* The definition of the “At first I was like mMmHhmM physical affection as a joke but bro….I don’t think its a joke anymore,,,,,” meme

* Unlike the two, Kaeya is indecisive on where he stands. Its hard to grasp what he really wants unless he’s the one initiating it and even then you still have to decipher what it is he wants

* Playful, fleeting touches - touches that are meant to draw attention and to invoke a flutter in your chest is Kaeya’s game. He knows very well how to use his charms and will use it when necessary - so it isn’t a surprise that he would do this with you at the beginning of your acquaintanceship.

* “its to get you to warm up to me” he says, cheeky smile on his handsome face and your heart just jumps to outer space rip you

* He’s super casual with how he touches you - respectful, yes, but still very casual. And if you squint, very suggestive.

* a brush of a hand against your thigh, fingertips dancing across your skin as he moves your hair away, pulling your closer to his person by the waist - every touch of his is calculated so that he can make you the most flustered he can while feigning innocence

* it isn’t until he realizes his feelings for you does he put on the clown wig and reels his touches back

* Suddenly he’s aware of every brush of your skin against his; losing his composure and his sanity everytime you accidentally brush against him

* He doesn’t realize this, but sometimes his gaze lingers on your hand - its his most favourite part afterall. He wonders how close he could stand beside you while the two of you walked - just close enough so your hand would brush against his. Close enough so he could grab them and intertwi-

* “Kaeya?” he blinks. Oh. O h. He was already standing at your front door. When did that happen?

* “You okay? You’ve been dozing out the whole time,” you reach out to touch his cheek, wondering where his mind went to. His eye - eyes that were hazy with thoughts of you - suddenly cleared and Kaeya felt his muscles tensing at your touch

* He inhales shakily, staggering backwards as a he presses a hand to his lips - he’s losing his composure he’s losing his composure he’s losing his composURE

* Gone is the charismatic cavalry captain - the person who stands before you is none other than Kaeya - sweet genuine Kaeya whose heart swells with affection for you. So much so that he couldn’t stand it

* He leaves, a stuttered ‘good night’ falling from his lips as he basically ran away from the scene; he disappears for a bit after too and when he returns, he disregards your yells of concern and just-

* falls

* falls into your arm and into you embrace, burying his face in the crook of your neck and holding you impossibly close to his own person. A mumbled confession, a sheltered apology, a gentle press of his lips-