Date Me, Please. Oh, We're Already Dating?

Some Ragnvindr Brothers doodles

hii congrats on ur 3k milestone!! :3

this is my first time requesting so i’m super excited here’s my order hehe

shunshine sprat + five pickled treasures + sakura mochi and pops teas + dango milk anddd mustard!

thanks so much :D

right where you left me. — albedo x gn!reader

‿୨♡୧‿︵ BON APETIT MY FELLOW CUSTOMER ! ︵‿୨♡୧‿

name of order. RIGHT WHERE YOU LEFT ME.

date. albedo ( w/ gn!hanahaki-disease!reader)

receipt. sunshine sprat (albedo kreideprinz) + five pickled treasures (hanahaki disease) + sakura mochi and pop’s teas (angst with comfort) + dango milk (normal) + mustard (drabbles) with extras of reader having the hanahaki disease

spices. angst/comfort, hanahaki disease, mentions of blood, mentions of fainting, ooc (?), mentions of death

ingredients. in which you suffer a rare disease and have to choice between your love or your life.

vip list. @scaraslover @saving-for-xiao @dawgimsohot @kazu-topia @chiruru @aqualesha @renamichii @hoshikistarlight @shenhesl0ver @serami00 @serenareiss @hiqhkey @emperatris-rinaka @bystander36 @irisxiel @coleluuviida @034ven @dear-dairiess @luv3rxcha @hadesaedes @chiro-chiro-kun @hersscherofyatta @mariusvonhangme @yuzuricebun @nejibot @hoshikistarlette @solaaresque

chef’s note. hope you like this, comrade !! im honored to be the first blog u requested to <333

3k milestone masterlist | main masterlist

you always liked flowers.

there was always something about them that pleased your eyes. maybe it’s the colors that make each flower stand out from the rest on display whenever you walk past floral whisper, the way it makes mondstadt beautiful during festivals where people use them as decorations, or how they remind you of someone.

they remind you of albedo.

he’s pretty, just like them. he stands out, just like them. he grows, just like them. he’s admired, just like them. instead of its aesthetic that you admired from flowers, it’s the fact that they all reminded you of the chief alchemist that won your heart, just like how they too won your heart.

you were grateful that there are a lot of commissions from the adventurers’ guild that can take you to dragonspine, the place where the alchemist often goes to for his personal laboratory. you honestly could care less about the fact that the region is also one of the most dangerous ones known around mondstadt, but you didn’t care. besides, you have your pyro vision with you to help you warm yourself up from the freezing temperatures.

on occasions when you’re doing the commissions in the mountain, you often mine starsilvers and pick resources that you think would be helpful to both albedo’s paintings and experiments, using that as an excuse to stop by and chat with him.

he’s quite a charmer, you thought. though, not in a way like the cavalry captain that could make most ladies around the city swoon from it, but in a way that made you all the more fall in love with albedo more.

even if he’s just talking about the ways of life, paintings, or even his experiments, when you asked him to indulge himself with that soft-spoken voice of his, it charmed you completely.

he’s undeniably nice as well if need be. whenever you come by, he’ll immediately offer you a chair nearby and let you sit by the fire, knowing that you’ll be staying with him for a while to keep yourself comfortable from the cold. he also sometimes cooks up food for you if the both of you stayed longer than intended in the laboratory, and you could instantly hear wedding bells as soon as you first tasted his foods. how could a man be so perfect?!

you didn’t mind if his feelings for you were unrequited, your crush was just a small one anyway so it wasn’t a big deal.

until it became one.

it was one morning when you found yourself instantly waking up from something that’s rising towards your throat before you rushed towards the bathroom and tried to puke it out, only for you to be horrified at the sight of blood-covered cecilias on the sink.

it can’t be, you thought to yourself, covering your mouth in disbelief. how is this possible? how did i get the disease – wasn’t this just a small crush?!

it wasn’t, unfortunately.

as gods and visions exist in this world, so does the rare disease called the hanahaki disease: the disease of unrequited love. it’s not a common case to get it, but it’s one of the most severe ones that can be easily gotten for someone who falls in love with someone so badly. it doesn’t happen unless the love that the victim has is that strong and if the victim is unsure if the person receiving such affection returns the feeling.

due to this, this led to many people trying not to think about being in an unrequited love in fear of getting the disease.

you feel like a fool for assuming that the disease won’t get to you.

after the discovery of your hanahaki disease, you decided to go for easy commissions from the guild to collect your thoughts.

you cringed to yourself when you felt the flowers inside of your body whenever you inhaled, the petals and leaves brushing your ribs and lungs. you couldn’t help but shudder when you thought of the possibility of getting those prickly flowers instead of cecilias.

more importantly, was your crush on the alchemist not as small as you thought?

you genuinely thought it was. though, you can’t blame yourself for it since you never had a long-lasting crush on anyone with intentions of confessing since you never had such affections for anyone else until now.

that’s why you can’t bring yourself to try and go to the cathedral to get rid of the cecilias that began to sprout in your body.

you’ve heard of the consequences if one were to choose the removal of the cecilias. you either die from the flowers, or get it treated with the price of losing your feelings forever. how cruel could this world be for such a tragic fate?

you can’t afford to lose your feelings that just made you the person that you are. wouldn’t this mean that you’ll never get to experience the happiness you feel from flowers and from albedo? how could you fall in love with someone else after this?

that’s why you have decided to confess to someone about your condition.

“...oh.” is the only thing that came out of kaeya’s mouth after you told him about the hanahaki disease.

you let out a sigh, leaning back to your seat as the both of you wait for your meals in good hunter. “yeah… i didn’t know who to talk about this with since i’m sure they’ll just be too worried about my health to not answer my question, so i want your honest opinion about my situation.” you explained.

“so, what should i do if i don’t want to lose the only thing that makes me feel human?” you asked.

the cavalry captain stays silent for a moment to think deeply, his face unreadable.

“i’m not one to fall in love so easily,” he spoke casually, placing an arm around his chair. “though if i were to be in your shoes, i’d confess to the person first to see if there’s hope for me to let my feelings stay.”

“..and if the person doesn’t reciprocate your feelings…?”

“then i’ll have the surgery,” he answered. “there’s nothing else left to do than to either die or lose, and i’d rather lose than to lose my own life from something like this.”

you nodded slowly in understanding, though his answer doesn’t satisfy you.

before you could let the words come out from your mouth, you suddenly felt a cecilia rising up your throat once more, causing you to immediately cover your mouth with wide eyes.

kaeya seems to be taken back from your reaction. “are you alright?”

you didn’t manage to reply, feeling yourself dropping to the concrete floor from your seat as you cough out more cecilias, not caring about the sounds of people around you gasping at such a gorey sight.

you suddenly felt a cold hand on your back as well as a large shadow looming in front of you, and you realized it was kaeya who was covering you from people who were watching, causing you to continue coughing out more bloodied flowers to the ground.

unnoticed by you, however, a certain man was watching the scene from afar with his mouth open agape.

as days flew by, your condition and worries started to grow.

the current gossip around mondstadt is how the hanahaki disease has now been reported after not hearing the case for more than twenty years. if it weren’t for the cavalry captain talking to every single person who had witnessed your embarrassing outbreak, your identity would’ve been leaked as the poor victim who’s in an unrequited love.

just like the first day of your disease, you continued to do easy commissions that didn't require you to do much physical combat, and you couldn’t find yourself to visit dragonspine for albedo. what if he sees the flowers and finds out that you like him? wouldn’t he just lie about how he liked you back out of pity?

of course not, you knew albedo too well to not do that. he’d probably try to find something that could help you tolerate the disease if he were to find out about it. but you’re honestly too scared to test it and confess, not when you could risk both your feelings and your friendship with the alchemist.

how could you live without being able to feel and without someone such as albedo to make you feel happy?

it didn’t help that kaeya’s answer started to haunt you when you lay down on your bed at night to slumber, your stomach sinking whenever you thought about it.

there’s nothing to lose when you’re about to lose everything, but it’s scary to take the leap.

when a week had long passed, you started puking out flowers more frequently than ever, tears started to form in your eyes from the pain of cecilias coming out from your mouth one by one until you could breathe properly again. it was starting to become more brutal and you hated it.

it led you to no longer be able to do commissions peacefully without puking out flowers. you couldn’t hold the petals in like back then, and you could not afford to let people see your crisis again, not when those pity and horrified gazes made your stomach feel sick.

you still haven’t visited dragonspine either.

you assumed albedo must’ve been relieved that you’re no longer visiting his laboratory to bother him, because now that you have nothing else to do much, you realized how a nuisance you must’ve been to the busy alchemist.

it hurts your heart to think about him.

“stop thinking about him,” you mumbled to yourself, placing your hands on your heart as you stared at the ceiling with an empty expression. “you’ll only continue to hurt yourself in the end.”

even when you tried your best to not think about him, you couldn’t escape even in your own dreams, a reality where you’re with albedo and not suffering from the disease that you despise. deep down, you dearly missed visiting the cold region and its quiet atmosphere. you missed the feeling of a welcoming cottage that’s in the middle of nowhere when you arrived at his laboratory, the sight of the light from the fire nearby that illuminates albedo so beautifully that made you smile, the random topics you could think of for you to talk about, you missed it all.

“you should tell him,” kaeya told you one day when he visited your home, the usual smirk plastered on his face was no longer there. “you’re getting sicker and sicker everyday, you have to do i–”

“i can’t.” you spoke, your voice cracked as you looked down at the ground in shame. “i… i can’t bring myself to tell him. he must’ve been happy i’m no longer bothering hi–”

“he recently came up to me yesterday,” he interrupted. “he was looking for you.”

your breath hitches, looking at the cavalry captain in surprise. “why? does he need me to look for some–”

“he said you haven’t seen him for weeks. he wanted to see you to check up on you.” you immediately noticed how the blue-haired man brought out a wrapped item from his pocket, gesturing you to take it. “you should open it. it’s a gift from him.”

your heart beats in anticipation, and you hesitantly took the gift away from his cold hands.

kaeya then faces sideways. “i’ll leave you alone to open it, but i suggest you to meet him and tell him the truth before it’s too late,”

“because for as long as i know that man, i had never seen him being so worried until that day.”

the gift is a brooch. a handmade one.

made with perhaps the finest ores of mondstadt, albedo managed to create a beautiful brooch that matches you a lot. you honestly felt teary-eyed when you first saw such a magnificent jewel displayed.

it was the final push that made you finally decide to talk to albedo.

it seemed as though celestia’s on your side, because when you went past good hunter on your way to dragonspine, you came across to albedo, who was chatting with timaeus by the alchemy stand nearby.

“y/n?” he called out, the words he was supposed to tell to the man across from the alchemist died in his throat when he saw you.

you try to smile. “can we talk privately?”

albedo nodded without hesitation. “of course, i apologize for the sudden excuse, timaeus.”

the brown-haired man smiled reassuringly, giving you both a thumbs-up. “it’s no problem for me, i’ll be waiting for you.”

the chief alchemist nods in gratitude before he gestured to you to take the lead.

hence how you find yourself sitting by good hunter once more across albedo, who’s been staring at you ever since the both of you sat down.

“...listen,” you spoke up softly. “i.. i’m sorry that i didn’t visit you for weeks. i’m going through something that i want to talk to you about.”

“it’s alright,” he replied with a gentle look on his face. “i’m just glad i get to see you again. you can tell me anything.”

you hesitated for a moment, staring down at your lap. there’s nothing to lose, you reminded yourself.

“...i love you, albedo.” you said, looking back at the blonde-haired man with a serious look on your face. “i realized it way too soon, and.. i-i understand if you don’t return the same feelings, i just want to continue this friendship if you allow it.”

you could hear your heartbeat beating so loudly, you thought albedo could hear it too. you just hope those stupid cecilias in your body won’t ruin the time right no–

“i’m sorry, y/n,” he said after moments of silence.

your breath hitches, feeling your heart dropped.

you knew it.

“i’m sorry but i– Y/N!” albedo immediately stood up from his seat as you felt light-headed, your vision fading to black as you found yourself slowly leaning to the side. ah, you must’ve been at your limit now.

i’m sorry albedo, you thought to yourself as your body hit the ground with a loud thud, feeling the flowers starting to creep up to your mouth once more. i’m sorry you had to see me like this.

i’m sorry i wasn’t brave enough to do this sooner and sacrifice my feelings.

you slowly regained consciousness after feeling like you’ve been in the sea for so long.

the first thing you saw was the light, then it was the white ceiling, to be followed by the light coming through the stained glass windows of what appears to be the cathedral.

how are you still alive–

“y/n?” you flinched when you heard the familiar voice of the man that you last saw before everything went black, causing you to look at the doorway and see the disbelief chief alchemist standing there.

“..albedo?” you called, wincing when your voice was hoarse. “what happened?”

“why didn’t you tell me you had the hanahaki disease?” he asked, walking towards you. “you should’ve told me sooner–”

“i didn’t want you to pity me like everyone else.” you said, your hands slowly rose to your throat when you realized you could no longer feel the flowers inside your chest. “did you–”

before you knew it, you felt his arms wrapped around your upper body, causing you to gasp in surprise.

“you shouldn’t have scared me like that.” he spoke in a tone you couldn’t recognize. “you had no idea how… how worried i was when you fell down before i could even finished what i said – i thought i was going to lose you when i didn’t had the chance to say i love you back.”

your eyes instantly widen from his words.

“...you…” you stumbled on your words, trying to process what he had just said. “you love me back?”

he nods without a question. “of course i do.. i didn’t realize it sooner until i found myself missing your presence when you didn’t come by for a week.”

you shut your eyes closed. “i thought i was bothering you…”

“never,” he said as sincere as he can. “you could never bother me. not when i always looked forward to your visits. i even learned many recipes just so i can cook any food you want.”

your heartbeats grew loud as you feel your cheeks warming, and you slowly wrap your arms around him as well with a relieved sigh. “...i’m sorry i scared you like that.”

you feel him hugging you tighter, but not enough to make you feel like you’re suffocating. “just don’t do that again.. i don’t want to lose you.”

and at that moment, you felt like you can finally breathe now.

after last night | dong sicheng

actor!sicheng x actress!reader (+18 mdni)

summary: acting alongside your rival was supposed to be just another one of the competitions you play out in your mind, but after a brief heated moment between the two of you, you began to question your true feelings toward him.

a/n: @winwintea..... i'm finally here, pookie.... im like, so so so so so sorry it took sooooo long for me to finally finish this. but i put a lot of love care blood sweat and tears on it, i hope you like it, if you dont, then ill disappear from earth and no one will ever see me again 😫

cw: smut, fluff, more of one-sided rivals to situationship, alcohol mention and consumption, fingering, edging, unprotected sex.

with a frustrated huff, you sank into the chair, allowing the makeup artist to work their magic. the studio was filled with an almost tangible tension, as everyone seemed to expect a blow-out fight between you and sicheng at any moment.

it’s been a constant issue since the start of filming this drama. working on the same project as your long-time rival sicheng has made every day stressful, the constant tension and friction have made filming the drama a more difficult and uncomfortable experience for everyone involved.

the undeniable chemistry between you and sicheng on camera despite the constant tension backstage has led to the difficulty of finding another pair to match your on-screen chemistry. as the main characters of the drama, the romantic aspect of the show requires a certain level of connection and synchronization that only you two seem to possess, as ironic as it may sound.

but today, the prolonged shoot further strained everyone on the set, not only due to the physical exhaustion, but also the weight of the tense atmosphere that loomed over everyone. the frustration and fatigue were palpable, and the constant back and forth between you and sicheng only added to the mounting pressure.

the problem was the dreaded kissing scene. despite everyone’s expectations, you and sicheng can’t do it — and unfortunately, you’re the only one to blame. every time the distance between your faces closes, you instinctively pull away, much to everyone’s frustration.

“um, excuse me,” the staff member poked her head into the dressing room and announced, "the director said it's getting late, and it would be best to continue tomorrow, so… everyone is dismissed for today,” she gave a small, apologetic smile before closing the door gently.

"of course this would happen," you mutter under your breath, trying to contain your frustration. you dismiss the makeup artist with a polite nod, then tilt your head back in irritation as you let out a heavy sigh.

“can you please calm down a little, boss?” your assistant, haneul, places a cup of hot chocolate in front of you and steps into your view, her voice gentle as she pleads with you.

you glare at her and snap, "don't ask me to calm down when i’m perfectly calm, haneul,” grabbing the drink, you take a big sip before continuing. "dong sicheng is such an idiot.”

haneul lets out a deep sigh, rolling her eyes at your response. "he might be an idiot, but you're not much better when you act like this all the time," she says, crossing her arms. "just suck it up, get the scene done, and then you can go back to hating each other."

her firm words cause you to flinch, and you allow your shoulders to drop, acknowledging her point. you're aware that you've been more irritating than usual lately, and her straightforward approach hits home.

you sigh, slumping into the chair and admit, "i know, i know. i'm sorry. i'm just in a really bad mood today. everything is going wrong, and sicheng... i just want to punch that annoying face of his so bad.”

haneul couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes crinkling in amusement as they watched you scrunch your face like you had just tasted something sour.

"you two should get a room," her tone was playful, yet there was an underlying suggestion in her voice that betrayed her mischievous thoughts.

"what?!" you exclaimed, your voice tinged with disbelief and shock, you were offended even. the mere thought of having something like that with sicheng gave you the creeps.

haneul continued with a sly smile on her face, her tone now tinged with a hint of amusement, "i’m just saying," she began, "that we can all see the tension between you two. it's like you're just waiting for the moment to pounce on each other."

"is that your way of asking to be fired, huh?" your eyebrows raising slightly out of disbelief. "cut the nonsense – where the hell did you even get that idea?" you shook your head, dismissing the absurd thought, clearly annoyed by your friend's outlandish assumption.

haneul just laughed even more, enjoying the reaction from you. she had always assumed that deep down, you were only pretending to hate sicheng, because she could sense that there was secretly something more than just dislike. the imaginary game you played in your mind, of trying to outshine each other, was something she thought had made the actual attraction to him more intense.

"yeah, you can keep telling yourself that, boss," she placed her hands on your shoulders, giving them a slight squeeze. "but your bad mood would improve a lot if you just let him hit it.”

haneul was caught off guard as you suddenly grabbed the pillow from your lap, not having enough time to react. she grunted as the pillow hit her face with a soft thud. she stumbled back, rubbing her face where the pillow made contact, failing to hide her giggle and act offended.

she was about to continue with her tease when the sound of the door opening interrupted her, as if a greater force was saving her from provoking your wrath even further.

"sorry to interrupt," sicheng's deep voice reached your ears, his gaze fixing on you with a small raise of his eyebrows. he was the last person you wanted to see. "are you free right now?"

“for you?”

“mhm.”

“then no.”

sicheng let out a deep sigh in response, already expecting this reply from you. your name came out of his lips with a different, pleading tone compared to the annoyed one he had used for you all day.

"i’m serious," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of sincerity. "we need to talk, please?"

you were usually a stubborn person, but perhaps today you were simply too drained and the memory of haneul's words from before suddenly echoed in your mind, reminding you that maybe making things difficult wasn't always the right way to go, you knew you had already caused enough trouble.

so with a reluctant sigh, you relented, “fine,” your tone slightly annoyed. “what is it?” you gestured for haneul to give you some space alone with him and she immediately made her way to the door, despite her curiosity about what you would talk.

sicheng moved closer, taking a seat in front of you. you expected him to bring up the topic of the messed-up records and give you his usual sweet and annoying words of reassurance, mentally prepared to roll your eyes and respond with snark.

"i've noticed how stressful it was for you today," he started, his tone sympathetic. "and since this is your first romantic role, i've been thinking about what i could do to make this process easier for you. then, i realized the solution was right in front of us.”

you raised an eyebrow skeptically, not liking where this was going.

“we just need to practice,” he smiled.

"you're saying we should practice... kissing?"

“exactly!”

“absolutely not.”

his smile faded away instantly.

he let out a slight whine, trying to persuade you to comply. "oh, come on," he pleaded, "don't be like that now.”

“i said no. this is so stupid, sicheng,” you crossed your arms, looking away from him.

“why are you making such a big deal out of this?" even though he already knew that acting like this was part of your nature, he still asked.

you felt overwhelmed at the thought of having to kiss him on set even more, let alone practicing it multiple times. it was already a challenge for you, and you were unsure if you could handle it.

you responded with a nonchalant shrug, trying to downplay it. "i’m not making a big deal out of it," you said dismissively. "i just think this idea is stupid. that’s all."

"have you thought about something better then?" he asked, his tone tinged with a slight annoyance. “there's no way we can keep going with the show if you don't overcome this problem." his eyebrows furrowed as he continued, "you know we'll have to perform even more 'spicy' scenes in the future, right?”

ugh... of course you know. you were already starting to regret your stupid decision to accept a show for a mature audience just to compete with sicheng.

“and i fear they might replace you for this scene," he continued, his tone serious. "not that it's a problem per se, but i know you don't like stunts.”

his words made you flinch a little. it’s not that you dislike stunts themselves, you actually think they are pretty cool and that their work is impressive. you just don't like the idea of not seeming capable of doing your own work, and feeling inadequate when you know you're so skilled in it. it leaves you feeling disconcerting.

overwhelmed? unsure if you could handle it? regretting your role choice? replaced by a stunt double? bullshit! you were a top-notch actress, and a simple kiss wouldn't change that. you had the skills and confidence to tackle any role thrown your way.

sicheng knew he had struck a chord as he observed your expression. he knew well that bringing out your competitive side would effectively motivate you. the slight frown that appeared on your face, coupled with the defeated sigh and the rolled eyes, only confirmed his assumption that he had achieved his goal.

“okay, let's do that.”

hah.

he got you.

haneul couldn't resist making suggestive remarks toward you upon hearing that she could leave first because you had things to do with sicheng. it wasn't until you played the "threaten-her-paycheck" card that she finally decided it was time to head home.

now it was just you and sicheng in the studio. as you stood leaning against the table set for the scene, your eyes briefly skimmed over the script once more. you knew that it wasn't to ensure you did it right, but rather to prolong the inevitable moment of kissing him.

“are you done?” sicheng's voice cut through your thoughts, prompting you to lift your head and meet his gaze. he stood a short distance away, his arms crossed in a manner that signaled his patient but slightly impatient attitude.

as you cleared your throat, a subtle attempt to buy a little more time, you glanced back down at the script. "almost," you replied, keeping your gaze fixed on the paper. "i just need to read through it one more time."

but contrary to what you insisted on saying, sicheng wasn’t an idiot.

a flicker of surprise crossed your face as sicheng abruptly grabbed the papers from your hands and tossed them aside. the unexpected move caught you off guard, and before you could react, he had placed his hands on either side of the table, effectively cornering you.

“what are you doing?” your frown deepened as he leaned closer, his body nearly touching yours. the proximity making it difficult to ignore the rapid thuds of your heart and keep your feigned annoyance.

“you needed time," he said, "and i think i've given you enough."

"don't be an idiot," you scoffed. “we need to re—”

“we're not here to rehearse the lines," he interrupted you quickly. "we both know you can recite this backward by now."

you couldn't argue with sicheng's words, he was right; there wasn't a need to play the entire scene when you could easily jump straight to the main part.

you had been attempting to buy time, and sicheng had allowed you some grace in doing so. but he had finally reached a point where enough was enough. there was no escape now.

"alright," you responded with a confident gaze, your expression indicating a readiness to proceed. sicheng's brow twitched slightly at your response, a subtle sign that he was either surprised or intrigued by your sudden change.

his agreement followed swiftly:

"great."

“great.”

with those simple lines, the stage was set.

you were in the correct position, just as the script dictated. in this moment, the male lead had devised a plan to kiss the girl, saying that her wishes would only come true if she kissed him, and he had locked her in the exact position where sicheng was holding you now.

all it needed was the pivotal moment — the kiss.

sicheng's hand cupped your face once more, replicating the same intimate gesture as before. the familiar sensation of his thumb on your cheek triggered the erratic beating of your heart.

you reassured yourself, attributing the sudden rush to the invested nature of your role. easy now, easy, you thought, repeating the mantra in your mind. it was only natural for your heart to race in this moment due to the intimacy required by the character you were portraying — that’s all.

as he leaned even closer, your instinct to push him away resurfaced once more. yet, you resisted the urge, your hands tightly grasping the edge of the table instead.

sicheng's eyes roamed over your lips, and you caught yourself replicating the action unknowingly. those plump lips of his were undeniably inviting, and it was challenging to deny the magnetic attraction you felt.

his lips caressed yours gently and softly, their subtle touch sending a shiver down your spine. the script called for a quick, chaste kiss, and that's precisely what you received as his lips pressed against yours. it was a brief moment, but it was enough to make your legs tremble in response.

ok, first part done. now comes the rest.

with a swift, fluid motion, sicheng leaned in for a second kiss, his hands cupping your face as his thumb subtly guided your chin downwards. you felt your lips part instinctively, granting him access to explore the depths of your mouth with his warm, skilled tongue.

you know, there's no such thing as a "technical kiss" in acting.

you either kiss, or you kiss.

it has to be real.

that's why you were so reluctant before because, right now, only god knows how much you are enjoying this. and no matter how much you triy to deny it, the way your tongue move against his is proof enough.

you found your hands reaching out to grasp his shirt, pulling him closer as you responded to the kiss with a new sense of eagerness.

sicheng was surprised. this wasn't in the script at all. now it seemed like you were just... making out.

not that he's complaining. he likes it.

he very, very much likes it.

as if they had a life of their own, his hands found the hem of your shirt, playing with the cloth for a few moments before sliding them under your clothes. his fingers came into contact with your skin, caressing it gently and making you shiver slightly.

and then, walking a little further, his hand trailed down to the waistband of your pants, sneaking into your panties. the gasp that escaped your lips served as a jolt to your consciousness. quickly, you broke the kiss and grasped his wrist, preventing any further advancements from him.

you locked eyes with sicheng, both of you panting. his hooded eyes, slightly flushed face, and his swollen, reddened lips were a sight to behold.

sicheng's voice, soft and low, echoed softly, asking, "what?" just as he leaned in for another kiss. you almost, almost gave in, your lips yearning to meet his, but you fought the urge, tilting your head back to avoid it.

you pushed him away quickly, fixing your slightly disheveled clothing while attempting to regain composure. your voice trembled a little as you speak.

"i think we did pretty good already. it's getting late too." you hastily handed him the studio keys before adding, "um, thank you for the practice. you can close up. see you tomorrow!" with those words, you hurriedly made your way towards the exit.

things happened so fast that sicheng barely seemed to process what was going on.

"hold on, wait!" his voice rushed after you, trying to catch up. "calm down," he called out, his words coming out quickly. "you didn't come by car today, did you? let me drive you home, i just need to—”

"no! it's fine,” you shook your head adamantly, cutting him off. "i can catch a taxi. thanks anyway.”

and just like that, you left, running away like a cat while closing the door in sicheng's face. the man let his shoulders fall and sighed loudly as he looked at the closed door in front of him, a small smile appearing on his face.

“cute”.

you haven't slept a wink all night.

the scene from the previous night replaying in your mind along with haenul's damned words like a broken record.

no. you do not want to fuck dong sicheng.

this is what you've been repeating in your mind since the moment you got up from your bed until the entire drive to the studio.

he's a bad kisser.

he's terrible.

that was the worst kiss you've ever had.

learning how to kiss with an orange would be better than this.

that's what you repeated in your mind as he kissed you again, but this time in front of the cameras. and you still had to tell yourself that it was your character who was enjoying it, not you. you definitely don't want to take him to a secluded place and make out until your mouth are sore. no.

"and... cut!" the director's voice rang out, followed by a chorus of applause. everyone on set was thrilled with how effortlessly the scene had come together, a stark contrast to the tension-filled atmosphere that had enveloped it lately. the air was charged with positivity, making it clear that this was the best mood the set had experienced since the project's inception.

despite the apparent positive change in the atmosphere, it was clear that there was something... different going on, for lack of a better word, between you and sicheng.

suddenly, you weren't bickering anymore and were even being uncharacteristically polite, thanking and apologizing for the smallest minor matters, which wasn't like your usual self at all.

everyone noticed this, but decided to just accept it as a positive development in the co-workers' feelings between you. at least, it was better than all that tension from before.

as haenul handed you a bottle of water, her words echoed with admiration. "wow," she exclaimed, "that was like, the best kiss scene i’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

“oh, really?” you laughed a little awkwardly, your eyes briefly darted towards sicheng, who stood on the opposite side of the room. as your gaze met his, you hastily averted your eyes, taking a sip of water.

"of course! this episode will be an absolute banger; everyone has been waiting for this!" she nodded fiercely and continued. "i've been checking the social media, and..." her words were met with your inattentiveness, as if your mind was preoccupied elsewhere. "and you're not listening to me!" she furrowed.

"oh, sorry about that," you shook your head, snapping back to attention. "i got distracted for a moment. you were saying…?”

haenul's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized you momentarily, following your gaze to where sicheng stood on the other side of the room.

"did you and sicheng finally hook up last night?"

you nearly choked on your water, coughing as you fumbled with the bottle in your hand. your assistant quickly patted your back, trying to help you recover.

once you were fine again, you glanced around nervously to check if anyone had overheard, then turned back to haenul with a sharp glare.

“can you stop blurting stuff like that?!” you hissed at her.

haenul gasped dramatically. “oh my god! you totally did it!”

“i did not!” you snapped, lightly smacking her arm.

“but something happened between you two!” she insisted, her voice dropping to a whisper, just loud enough for you to hear after the scolding. “you’re acting all weird around him. if it wasn’t sex, then what was it?”

“is that seriously the only reason you can think of?” you replied, your tone edged with disbelief. “when did you turn into such a pervert?”

“i mean, you were obviously kissing for real earlier, and now we’re finishing the day without your usual sulking. after spending the night alone with him, what else am i supposed to think?”

you frowned at her explanation. “well, maybe that we’ve become, i don’t know… friends?” haneul looked at you as if you’d just told her the funniest joke she’d ever heard. “pff. yeah, right. friends. sure,” she said, shaking her head.

before you could even attempt to explain that she was partially wrong, everyone’s attention shifted to the director as she clapped her hands to speak.

“since we’ve successfully wrapped up the first part of our series — thanks to everyone here in the studio who made it happen, especially our two stars,” she gestured toward you and sicheng, “doesn’t this call for a celebration? drinks on me for everyone!”

her words were met with cheers from the crew, and even you felt a sense of relief. a good dose of alcohol might help clear your mind, especially since you knew sicheng wasn’t exactly a fan of these kinds of social gatherings.

“we’re going, right, boss?” haneul asked, clasping her hands together in mock prayer. “please, please, it’s the weekend!”

“yes, haneul, we are,” you said, rolling your eyes with a chuckle. “but don’t overdo it, okay? i’m not in the mood to hear you sobbing your heart out while singing sad songs on karaoke again.”

“yes, boss! I’ll treat it like a work meeting,” she replied with a playful salute. “i’ll grab your things so we can head out!” she added enthusiastically before dashing out of sight.

you took a deep breath, relishing the brief moment of solitude. sometimes, it felt hard to breathe with haneul’s constant energy. she could be... intense. but the peace didn’t last long.

“i didn’t know you drink,” sicheng’s voice came from behind, making you turn to face him. “you used to hate the taste of alcohol.”

honestly, you were tired of seeing his face and hearing his voice more than usual. you didn’t like the way it made you feel, not after what happened. it was as if you were suddenly too aware of the strange, tangled emotions brewing inside you.

“well, a lot has changed since our younger days,” you shrugged, your voice casual. you didn’t feel like diving into it any further. “now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to socialize,” you said, turning on your heels, eager to escape the uncomfortable moment.

“i agree. let’s not keep them waiting,” he replied, his footsteps closing in behind you. you froze in your tracks, his sudden presence unsettling.

“you’re coming too?” you asked, confused.

“of course,” he said with a soft chuckle. “you heard the director, can't have the stars missing out."

“but… you don’t like social events,” you said, your tone almost questioning, as if you were trying to figure him out.

“well,” he said with a small smile, “a lot has changed since our younger days.”

it was awful.

you had been hoping for some space from sicheng, but it seemed like life had other plans. you tried to find a seat as far away from him as possible, but he followed, completely at ease, as if he had no intention of leaving your side. and of course, the table quickly filled up, leaving you both sitting side by side, while you anxiously awaited the drinks.

the mood at the table was light, everyone chatting away. haneul took a seat on the other side, eager to be closer to the staff she was interested in, which meant you wouldn’t be on her radar for a while.

you turned your attention to sicheng as he exchanged a few words with the director, and suddenly, it hit you: why were you freaking out about him? it was just a kiss. a brief, heated moment between two adults that didn’t mean a thing. there was no reason for you to keep acting so weird about it all day. after all, he was still sicheng, your rival. you just happened to kiss him.

sure, a few other things almost happened, too, but... it didn’t mean anything. you were just practicing, after all. yeah. you weren’t affected by it. not even a little. mhm.

you couldn’t help but smile to yourself as you made these sharp observations, feeling a bit more at ease.

“why are you looking at me like that?” sicheng raised an eyebrow, noticing the way you were smiling at him, as if you were staring at someone who’d just failed a basic math test.

“nothing, it’s just too much for your mind to handle,” you waved your hand dismissively, taking a sip of your drink that had just arrived. your words, along with the casual shrug, made him smile and shake his head.

“oh, i’m actually curious about something,” one of the co-actors began, snapping his fingers at you and the man beside you. “do you two really know each other from high school?"

sicheng’s face lit up at the question, clearly happy. then he looked at you, who wasn’t exactly sharing his enthusiasm, and his smile grew even wider. “yes! yes, we do. we were inseparable back then.”

you furrowed your brows at his words. “you mean you followed me around.”

“isn’t that basically the same thing?”

“it’s not."

“anyways,” he shrugged, “it was because of her that I started to get into theater.”

“and i’ve been regretting that ever since,” you added with a smirk.

a few giggles spread through the table at your playful banter, the lighthearted atmosphere catching everyone off guard. it was clear they were starting to see you both in a new light.

“so, all this time you were actually friends? and here we thought you didn’t get along when it’s just your way of showing friendship,” one colleague commented, raising a curious eyebrow.

“no, that’s not—”

“right? that explains why they have such great chemistry!” another colleague cut you off. “i mean, the kiss scene? that must’ve been awkward with a friend, but it probably makes it easier too, doesn’t it?”

“oh, it’s not that,” sicheng began. “it’s because last night we—”

a loud thud echoed as sicheng’s knee slammed into the table, his words cut off mid-sentence. he turned to you, confused, after you had stomped on his foot under the table.

“oops, how clumsy of me,” you said with a saccharine smile, your voice light but your eyes burning into his. “sorry about that.”

he blinked, clearly perplexed, but nodded slowly and turned back to the group. “anyway, as i was saying, we had a—”

this time, you pressed your heel down on his foot with deliberate force. he hissed in pain, snapping his head back toward you. but you didn’t even flinch, your gaze fixed ahead as if you were entirely innocent.

he narrowed his eyes slightly, then leaned closer, sliding a hand onto your thigh. His grip was firm, not enough to hurt, but enough to stop you from trying anything else. the sudden contact made you tense, and your head snapped toward him, your wide, confused eyes locking with his.

“we just had a little talk and came to an agreement,” he said smoothly, his voice calm and convincing.

“oh, that makes sense,” one of your colleagues hummed, nodding as if it all clicked. “that’s why everything worked out so well in the end. you should have done it since the beginning tho!”

sicheng’s words were deliberate, as if he’d sensed your discomfort from the start and had chosen his lie to protect the fragile truth you wanted to hide. but you couldn’t even focus on what he was saying anymore.

your mind was too preoccupied with his hand placement. his thumb was now tracing slow, deliberate circles on your thigh, hidden under the table. your stomach tightened at the warmth spreading through you, that annoying, fluttery feeling you wished you could suppress.

without a word, you picked up your drink and took a long, steady sip, as if the alcohol could somehow cool the heat in your chest.

god, this was going to be a long night.

oh, you were right.

after managing to wrangle sicheng into the passenger seat of your car, you slammed the door shut and made your way to the driver’s side.

sliding into your seat, you shot him an annoyed look, letting out a long, exasperated sigh.

driving a drunk sicheng home was definitely not part of your plans for the night. but somehow, the crew had unanimously decided to throw him at you because, apparently, the two of you were now best friends. all because you shared some ancient history, and probably because he’d grown unusually clingy after a few too many drinks.

you tried to refuse, insisted that you didn’t want to be responsible for him, but they’d waved you off with the ultimate argument: you were the only one who knew his address.

fantastic.

“you stupid idiot,” you hissed, leaning over to fasten his seatbelt. “if you can’t handle alcohol, why did you even come?”

his eyes, half-closed and heavy with sleep, fluttered open as he turned his head toward you. “because you were coming too,” he slurred, his voice barely above a whisper. “i wanted to be with you.”

you froze, his words catching you completely off guard. your surprised gaze met his drunken one, and you hated how fast your heart was racing. this was absurd.

a small, lazy smile tugged at his lips as he murmured your name, so soft it almost sounded tender.

“you’re so pretty,” he mumbled, his head lolling slightly as he leaned closer. “i want to kiss you.”

to say you were malfunctioning from all this sudden talk was an understatement. the way he said it — soft, unguarded — made it far too tempting to close the small gap between you. for a split second, you almost gave in again. almost.

but with a sharp shake of your head, you snapped yourself out of it. instead of letting your lips meet his, you shoved your hand against his mouth and pushed him back firmly.

“as if i’d do something like that,” you scoffed, leaning back into your seat and starting the car.

from the corner of your eye, you caught the way he pouted, looking like a sulky child.

“you’re always so mean to me,” he mumbled, his voice muffled but unmistakably petulant.

“it’s your fault for being like that,” you shot back, your eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead. “now shut up. i can’t focus on driving with your annoying voice in my head.”

“yes, ma’am,” he murmured softly, his tone almost obedient. he didn’t even try to argue, instead leaning back against the seat and drifting off to sleep. the car fell into silence, broken only by the steady rhythm of his breathing and the erratic pounding of your heart.

“god, i must be crazy,” you muttered under your breath, gripping the steering wheel tighter as if it could steady your own thoughts.

the peaceful silence during the drive to his house was doing wonders to calm your racing thoughts and your heart. you kept repeating to yourself that he was just drunk, that his words didn’t mean anything. even you, who hadn’t had much to drink, were clearly feeling the effects of the alcohol.

that was the only explanation you could cling to, the only thing that brought you any comfort in the moment.

a relieved sigh escaped your lips as you parked in front of his apartment. the street was quiet, the dim glow of the streetlights casting soft shadows over the building. turning to him, you called out in a firm, loud voice.

“we’re here. wake up.”

no reaction. not even a flinch.

“sicheng,” you tried again, leaning over to tap his shoulder. still nothing.

“come on,” you grumbled, grabbing his shoulder and giving him a light shake. “wake up!”

absolutely no response.

with a growing sense of irritation, you grabbed both of his shoulders and shook him with all the frustration of someone at the end of their rope. “WAKE UP!”

but it was pointless. he remained blissfully asleep, the alcohol rendering him completely oblivious. you let out a defeated sigh, releasing him as he slumped back into his seat, and pinched the bridge of your nose.

this night just kept getting better.

you couldn’t just leave him passed out on the street — though you seriously considered the idea for a good few seconds. but, in the end, you had no choice but to do something you absolutely didn’t want to do.

“dong sicheng, you better be ready for your death sentence tomorrow,” you muttered through gritted teeth, adjusting his limp body onto your back. he was surprisingly heavy, and you were giving it everything you had to carry him while he, of course, enjoyed the sleep of his life, his soft breaths tickling the back of your neck.

staggering inside the building as quickly as you could, you headed straight for the elevator. you only knew exactly where he lived because, back when you were hunting for a new apartment, you’d toured this building. of course, you’d had the misfortune of running into him that day. sicheng had happily joined your tour, turning it into his personal showcase of his apartment. at least it made it easy to cross this building off your list.

reaching the elevator, you pressed the button, only to stop cold when you noticed the maintenance notice taped to the door.

“you’ve got to be kidding me,” you groaned, staring at the sign like it might change its mind.

sicheng lived on the 11th floor.

this was going to be a nightmare.

to sum up the nigh, believe it or not, you actually climbed the stairs to the 11th floor with sicheng slumped over your back. every step felt like a herculean effort, but you kept telling yourself this was the fastest way to be rid of him.

when you finally reached his door, breathless and drenched in sweat, life decided to have one last laugh at your expense. a keypad lock blinked back at you mockingly.

you stared at it, utterly defeated.

after a moment of recovery, you tried every password you could think of: his birthday, his acting debut date, his mom’s birthday, even your birthday. nothing worked. each failed attempt pushed you closer to a breakdown.

which is how you ended up here: sicheng sprawled out comfortably on your bed, snoring softly, while you stood there, glaring at him with the fury of someone who had well and truly hit their limit.

getting mad wouldn’t do you any good right now. it wasn’t like you could argue with someone who was completely knocked out. all you could do was accept the situation and leave it for the morning, when he’d hopefully be conscious enough to face the consequences.

taking a deep, calming breath, you laid down beside him. there was no way you were sleeping on the couch. too uncomfortable. and besides, the only reason he was in your bed to begin with was because the living room felt like it was miles away, and you absolutely refused to carry him any farther than you already had.

so here you were, stuck sharing a bed with dong sicheng.

“unbelievable,” you muttered, turning your back to him as if that would help you ignore the fact that he was there at all.

but it didn't take long for you to turn to look him, letting your eyes linger on his sleeping face. his chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, and his hair fell messily across his forehead, brushing against his soft features. you had to admit, he was ridiculously handsome. there was a princely air about him, something in the elegance of his delicate features that always seemed to catch your attention no matter how hard you tried to look away.

your gaze wandered, tracing the curve of his nose, the sharp line of his jaw, the faint lashes resting against his cheek. and then your eyes stopped on his lips, plump, rosy, and slightly parted.

you swallowed hard.

okay. maybe you wanted to kiss him again.

and maybe, just maybe, you could finally admit that the kiss had affected you far more than you’d been willing to let yourself believe.

your gaze drifted lower, trailing down the curve of his neck. the first few buttons of his crisp white shirt were undone, teasing you with a glimpse of his collarbone and the faint rise and fall of his chest. your eyes wandered further, catching on his hands, broad and elegant, resting lazily by his side.

your brows furrowed slightly as your mind betrayed you, flashing back to the feeling of those hands on your skin.

okay. maybe you wanted to fuck him too.

you quickly looked away, dragging a hand over your face before resting your arm across your eyes, as if that would block out the whirlwind of thoughts spiraling in your mind.

“god,” you muttered under your breath, “i must really be losing it.”

the shrill sound of your phone alarm jolted you awake, your face twisting in irritation as you blindly slapped around the bed. after a few failed attempts, your hand finally found the device buried under your pillow, and you silenced it with a hiss.

groaning, you kept your eyes shut and your head buried in the mattress, hoping to reclaim the comfort of sleep, but it was useless. letting out a defeated sigh, you blinked your eyes open and... froze.

the bed was empty.

you shot upright, the sudden absence snapping you fully awake. your eyes darted around the room, searching for any sign of life. nothing. quickly, you got up and began pacing through your house.

sicheng was gone.

“you stupid bastard,” you hissed, gritting your teeth as a wave of disbelief hit you. “i even carried his dead weight all night for him to leave without so much as a thank you?!” your fists clenched as you let out an incredulous scoff. “dong sicheng, you are so damned.”

a small, frustrated scream left your lips as you stomped toward the bathroom. a nice, scalding shower, it was the only thing that could save both your sanity and sicheng's life at this point.

but, contrary to what you imagined, the bath only cleared your mind enough to make you even more irritated with the situation. it was an affront, an insult! you were going to make sicheng pay for this humiliation! a great outrage! you could already see your hands wrapped around his neck and—

a knock on the door cut through your murderous thoughts. taking a deep breath, you walked over to open it, only for your eyes to widen at the sight of the man you’d been cursing standing there with that infuriating smile.

freshly dressed and looking nothing like the disaster he’d been before, sicheng radiated ease. but you couldn’t care less about his annoyingly perfect face right now.

“i’m gonna kill you with my own two hands, so get ready,” you growled, stalking closer with your fingers curled as if ready to strangle him.

“hey, hey, calm down,” he said, laughing softly as he caught your wrists in his hands, his touch warm and steady. his smile grew wider, completely unfazed by your murderous intent.

"are you seriously asking me to calm down?" you snapped, attempting to push forward again, but he held your wrists tighter, his grip firm yet gentle.

"i know you're mad," he said softly, leaning down to press a kiss to your wrist. the warmth of his lips brushing your skin sent a jolt through you, your resolve faltering. disoriented, you found yourself staring at him, momentarily forgetting why you were even angry. "and i'm here to apologize, of course," he added, his tone dripping with sincerity, though that playful glint in his eyes made you suspicious.

"i climbed up and down eleven floors with you on my back," you managed to say, your voice carrying a hint of annoyance despite your disoriented state. his surprised expression told you everything: he didn’t remember half of what happened last night. "an 'i'm sorry' isn't enough to save your ass."

"i know," he nodded, resisting the urge to ask for a full recap. "which is why i already reserved a table for us at your favorite restaurant."

"what?" you blinked, confused. "how do you even know what my favorite restaurant is?"

"because i’m interested in you," he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "any other reason would just be an excuse, don’t you think?"

your jaw nearly dropped. this was exactly what you liked and hated about him: he was always unapologetically sincere.

you stood there, at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond. but he, of course, didn't miss a beat and took your silence as an answer.

“then it’s settled!” he said with that all-too-confident smile. “let’s go.”

and once again, your silly heart betrayed you, too caught up in the moment to resist.

the place was near your house. it wasn’t anything extravagant, but it had its own charm. cozy, inviting, warm, it felt almost like a safe haven for you. a perfect find for your new place, tucked away from prying eyes.

“and that’s everything you put me through,” you finished recounting the events of last night to him, carefully omitting a few details, like the part where he said he wanted to kiss you or when you accidentally knocked his head on the door frame while trying to get him into your bedroom.

sicheng’s face turned a deep shade of red as he fanned himself with one hand, the other clutching his glass of water. he avoided your gaze for a moment, clearly embarrassed, before stealing a quick sip.

he only remembered bits and pieces of last night, but from what you described, it was worse than he had imagined. guilt settled heavily on his shoulders as he listened.

“i’m really so sorry,” he said, his voice soft and genuine, his wide, puppy-like eyes locking onto yours. “i’m not usually like this. i overdid it yesterday, and i caused you so much trouble. i’m sorry.”

you finished your meal, casually listening to his concerned words. honestly, seeing that guilty, almost childlike expression on his face was oddly satisfying. if you were being fair, dealing with him drunk wasn’t that bad, he was mostly well-behaved. but it was part of your nature to make a big deal out of things, especially when it came to him. besides, a free lunch at your favorite spot had done wonders to smooth over your irritation.

“you’re lucky i’m a very nice person,” you said, shrugging with a mock air of superiority. “i’ll accept all that and forgive you… this time.”

his shoulders relaxed, the tension visibly draining from his body. since the moment he woke up and found you sleeping soundly against his chest, he knew he had messed up. the guilt had weighed heavily on him, and he’d spent the entire morning running through a million different ways to make it up to you. seeing you willing to forgive him so easily was a relief he hadn’t expected.

“thank you,” he said softly, his gaze warm and sincere. “i promise i’ll be more careful next time.”

you raised an eyebrow, your tone teasing. “next time? you think there’s gonna be a next time?”

he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. “okay, bad choice of words.”

you chuckled at his words, resting your chin on your palm as you leaned closer, a curious glint in your eyes.

“by the way,” you began casually, “you said a couple of funny things last night too.”

“hmm, really?” he raised his brows slightly, feigning ignorance while signaling the waiter for a dessert. “like what?”

“like going to the meeting just because i was going,” you replied, narrowing your eyes slightly, testing if his drunk words held any truth.

“oh, yeah,” he nodded nonchalantly, turning his attention back to you. “i heard you mention it, so i thought it’d be fun to tag along.”

“saying you're interested in me all of a sudden, still following me around like a lost puppy…” you trailed off, lips curling into a faint smirk. “do you have a crush on me or something?”

“what do you think?” he shot back, mimicking your posture as he leaned in, resting his chin on his palm, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

“you know it’s stupid to answer a question with another question, right?” you gave him a bored look, but your tone was far from serious. “but if you do like me, i can only assume you’re a masochist.”

his laughter bubbled up before he could stop it, bright and genuine “what? i’m not a masochist! where is that coming from?”

“well, I’m not exactly nice to you,” you shrugged, feigning indifference. “like, I kinda hate you, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“you do not hate me.”

“yes, i do?”

“no, you don’t.”

“yes, i do.”

“do you kiss everyone you hate?”

your smugness evaporated in an instant, replaced by embarrassment. “shut up,” you muttered, leaning back in your chair, refusing to meet his eyes as he grinned victoriously.

“now that this came up,” he tilted his head, studying you intently, “we never really talked about that, did we? you’ve been avoiding it all day, then i had that little… drunken incident, and we just never addressed it.”

“well, that’s because there’s nothing to talk about,” you shrugged, doing your best to sound casual and unaffected, even as your grip tightened slightly on your glass.

“hmm, is that so?” he clicked his tongue, a mischievous glint in his eyes as his tone turned teasing. “going through all that trouble to get me home safe, kissing me, sleeping all cuddled up on me… you know, i’m starting to think you’re the one who likes me.”

your head snapped toward him, eyes wide. “excuse me?”

“oh, don’t look so shocked,” he chuckled, leaning forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand again. “i mean, actions speak louder than words, don’t they? and your actions…” he trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air as his grin widened.

“first of all, and most importantly, i did not sleep cuddling you,” you said, your tone sharp as if he’d just told you the worst joke of the century.

“oh? but you did,” he replied smoothly, nodding with absolute confidence. “when i woke up, you were hugging me like i was your favorite teddy bear or something.”

“i would never—”

“oh, our dessert, finally!” he interrupted, his face lighting up as the waiter placed the sweet tart on the table. “it looks delicious,” he added, completely shifting gears, as if your denial wasn’t the least bit convincing.

“are you seriously gonna end things like that?” you asked, disbelief heavy in your voice.

“here, say ‘aah,’” he said, raising a spoonful of pie toward your mouth like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“i'm not doing it.”

“say aah.”

“i said i'm not.”

he didn’t budge, just kept looking at you with that infuriatingly cute and bright smile that you couldn’t seem to resist. with an exasperated sigh, you crossed your arms and rolled your eyes, turning your head away. but, of course, you leaned in slightly, opening your mouth just enough for him to slide the spoon past your lips.

your frown quickly softened into an expression of pure delight as the flavors burst on your tongue. the bittersweet tang of the strawberry, the velvety richness of the custard, and the flaky crust of the tart all mingled perfectly. you couldn’t help but sigh and hum in satisfaction. it was that good.

“now that’s a great reaction,” sicheng said, amusement dancing in his voice.

you raised a brow at him, narrowing your eyes slightly.

“besides the faces you make when you’re acting, this has to be one of the most charming expressions i’ve ever seen you make. and those little sounds you’re making? delightful,” he added with a teasing grin.

you nearly choked. “what is wrong with you?”

“i’m just being honest,” he chuckled, clearly enjoying your reaction. “i want to see it again,” he said, holding out the spoon toward you. “open your mouth for me.”

“…no.”

“oh, really?” he raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. “do you really not want to?”

you couldn’t help but think that maybe you were the one with something wrong, because before you even realized it, you silently opened your mouth again, earning a satisfied smirk from him.

“hmm, so greedy.”

“by the way,” you glanced at him, who was walking beside you as you both made your way to your place. “why did you go home so early?”

“why? were you upset that my face wasn’t the first thing you saw in the morning?”

“forget i ever asked anything and just die for all i care.”

sicheng laughed at your annoyed expression. “it’s nothing much,” he shrugged. “i just couldn’t take you on a date smelling like alcohol, right? i wanted to apologize in nice clothes, at least.”

“this was not a date,” you said quickly, hoping to shut him down.

“yes, it was.”

“don’t even start,” you lifted a hand to stop him from going any further, making him laugh once again.

“here we are, safe and sound,” he said as you both stopped in front of your door.

you cursed yourself when you suddenly felt a pang of disappointment at the thought of the moment with him coming to an end. you wouldn’t mind spending a little more time with him, to be honest…

“finally, this infernal time beside you is over,” your words were at odds with your feelings as you looked at him.

“whatever you say, sweetie,” he responded with a fond smile.

it should be illegal for someone to look at you like that, your chest tightening at the soft, affectionate smile he gave you. you hated it. hated how his gaze made everything inside you stir, how it made your heart skip a beat against your will. you wanted to be angry, to push him away, but all you could do was stand there, feeling something you didn’t want to feel.

“you’ll burn a hole into me if you keep staring like that,” he teased, tilting his chin slightly as if silently telling you to come inside, and only then would he head home.

you couldn’t quite understand what had gotten into you when you cupped his face and pulled him in for a kiss. you just wanted to feel his lips again, even if just for a moment, just one more time, that would be enough.

sicheng was caught off guard, but didn’t pull away, letting you lead. you froze, eyes wide, your gaze meeting his.

“i-i’m sorry,” you muttered, suddenly feeling foolish. why had you kissed him just like that?

as you tried to step back, his hands locked around you, holding you steady. he gripped your waist, his eyes burning with desire.

“if you cling to me like this, all i can do is kiss you,” his voice was low, soft. “and that’s fine… if all you want is kisses,” he gave you a meaningful look.

if only kisses were enough to throw your mind and body into disarray… maybe you were greedy, as he’d said, but you weren’t satisfied.

“i want more…” you whispered, barely audible.

that was all he needed to hear before pulling you into another kiss, his tongue urgently invading your mouth as you responded with equal intensity.

you fumbled with the door handle, trying to opem it, while sicheng pushed you inside, never breaking the kiss. he closed the door behind you, his hands guiding you toward your room without hesitation, already knowing the way.

you both nearly stumbled as you hurriedly kicked off your shoes, chuckling against each other's lips. With a quick movement, sicheng laid you down on your bed, his lips trailing kisses from your jaw down to your collarbone. his hands slipped under your shirt, gently caressing your skin.

"i can't believe we're doing this," you murmured, a soft whimper escaping you.

“i told you," he mumbled back, his lips sucking lightly on your skin, peppering the area with soft kisses to soothe you. “you like me.”

well, it's not like you're in any position to argue right now.

he wasted no time in pulling your shirt over your head, exposing your bare torso. “fuck, you're so hot,” he hissed, sucking on his bottom lip as he couldn't help but admire the sight of your hardened nipples, feeling his cock twitch inside his pants.

“stop staring and do something,” your needy voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he was quick to obey your words.

sicheng leaned down to wrap his lips around your breast, his warm, wet tongue swirling around your nipples and sucking hard. your toes curled at the sensation and you moaned softly as you closed your eyes, your fingers tangling in his hair.

as he continued his ministrations on your breasts, his hands found the waistband of your pants. you lifted your hips a little to help him pull them down along your lacy panties, kicking them to somewhere else.

you opened your eyes to look at him, feeling even wetter as you watched him sucking on your tits like he was having a feast. you held his face and made him release your breast, a soft 'pop' sound was heard as he pulled away, looking at you with half lidded eyes.

you shiver slightly as you feel the cool breeze hit your wet breasts, already missing the feeling of his warm tongue on you, but you really wanted to kiss him even more and that's exactly what you did as you pulled him up to attack his lips.

“you taste so good,” he groaned into your mouth, his hand caressing your inner thigh and squeezing it lightly to emphasize his words. his fingers moved up to find yoyr dripping pussy, sliding along your slit and coating his fingers with your juices. “so wet already, you were really waiting for this, huh?” he buried his face in your neck, smoothing your skin with kisses.

it was too embarrassing to admit it and it wasn't like you needed to since your body had been betraying you enough for quite some time now, so all you could do was move your hips down, trying to get his fingers inside you.

“oh, eager, aren’t we?” he teased, lifting his head to meet your gaze, his smirk growing as he noticed the way you bit your lip, your brows furrowed, and your breath coming in short, uneven gasps.

“please, don’t start teasing now,” you murmured, your voice soft but edged with a hint of urgency. you held back from saying anything too daring, not wanting to give him more fuel to prolong his playful torment.

he only chuckled softly, pressing a warm kiss to your cheek before capturing your lips again. this time, he didn’t hold back, finally giving you what you wanted.

a sharp intake of breath escaped your lips as he slid two fingers inside you, thrusting them steadily. he could feel your tight, warm heat clasping around his digits, letting him even more anxious to bury his cock deep inside you.

he began to rub soft circles on your clit with his thumb as he took your breast into his mouth again, the combined actions making you squirm beneath him and moan louder.

he curled and scissored his fingers inside you, soon feeling the way you clenched around them. "close already?" he asked as he raised his eyebrows, and your response was just a fierce nod followed by soft whimpers.

your confirmation made him withdraw his fingers and you whined almost in despair, feeling empty and unsatisfied as he wouldn't let you finish.

"calm down, princess," he lightly slapped your thigh. "i want you to cum on my cock, hm?" he kissed the tip of your nose as he finally got rid of his own clothes and quickly positioned himself between your legs. he collected some of your fluids to spread along his shaft, hard as a rock, twitching with need. "i'm gonna fill this pussy up so good,” he was as impatient as you, so he only teased your entrace with his tip and entered you slowly, grinding against your sensitive clit.

your hands gripped the sheets tightly as you felt him stretching you, filling up any remaining space in your pussy, while he groaned and closed his eyes, enjoying the way your pussy gripped him tightly as if it never wanted to let him go.

"god, you feel so good," he began to thrust his hips against your pelvis slowly, he could feel your tight heat enveloping him, pulling him deeper. one of his hands gripped your hip, holding you in place as he fucked you. "that's it, taking me so well," he encouraged, his pace slow and steady, letting you feel every inch of him.

he’s played with you a lot already, so it didn’t take long for you to feel your climax building again, and he seemed to notice it as he picked up the pace, leaning down to bury his face in your neck.

“cum for me, baby,” he bites you gently and pull away from your neck to watch your face, using his fingers to pinch your clit and bring you to the edge. wrapping your legs around his waist, your breath hitched in your throat as you clenched around him, feeling the knot in your stomach unravel as you creamed his cock.

he wasn’t that far behind you, the whole intense moment was enough to bring him to the edge too, he kept pounding into you and pulled out just in time to empty himself, covering your stomach with his release.

you looked so hot like that that he had to hold back the urge to bury himself inside you again immediately. he let a bit more of his weight press against you, his lips finding yours once more in a lingering kiss.

"okay," you murmured against his lips, slightly breathless, making him chuckle softly. "maybe I like you... just a little bit now."

"just a little?" he teased, nibbling your lower lip with a playful smirk. "didn't seem like 'just a little' to me."

you tilted your head, a mischievous glint in your eyes. "i think we need to try it all over again so i can decide for sure.”

❀ minsan | eraserheads 🥛 — sano shinichiro

❝lahat ng bagay ay mayroong hangganan. dahil ngayon, tayo ay nilimot ng kahapon. ‘di na mapipilitang buhayin ang ating pinagsamahan.❞

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and then they shared a single brain cell

[4:08 PM] + superheroes + “what? you think I care?”

part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8 masterlist

“let him go.” you’re the first to get there, light on your toes as you land in the rubble of what was once a cute cafe you were meaning to visit during your downtime. that only angers you more, and somehow that helps the nerves crawling along your skin.

your eyes are pinned on the him, the blue flames that burn at the tip of his fingers, that seem to burn in his dark eyes, his long hair pulled back in a ponytail. his fingers are wrapped around a boy’s throat and, thankfully, the victim hasn’t been set on fire. yet. 

the moment you flew over the center square after receiving the alert, you knew this was different from the usual villain fights you’ve built your entire career on. heroes and villains were something of a capitalist ploy - you’ve spent plenty of dinners choreographing fights with your supposed rivals. it was supposed to be something of a morale boost for the general public, especially after people with powers began to emerge in extreme numbers and fear ran rampant. hongjoong told you it was to quell those who wished to cause serious harm, scare them with theatrical displays of the Good Guys beating the Bad Guys. affirmations really that would stop any real bad guys from attempting to destroy the world as they knew it. yunho always said hongjoong was a bit of an idealist.

an underground surge of real villains began to emerge and the delicate balance the hero-villain alliance managed to salvage for the past decade started to crumble. you figured it was bound to happen sooner or later - the hero-villain alliance was built on the backs of deception and money - it was never meant to last. yunho also tended to call you a pessimist.

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︵͡︵ 💬 what i gotta do 뜨거운 손이 ° 𓈒 𓏸

Genshin men bus and fieldtrip hcs

Pairings: Childe, Itto, Scaramouche, Kaeya, Ayato, Thoma, Albedo, Xiao, Diluc, Zhongli x reader

Synopsis: Going on a fieldtrip with the genshin men and classroom dynamics

Tags: fluff

a/n: tried to do a different hcs format (paragraph forms) but I ended up rewriting this because it didn't feel right. exam week so updates will be quite slowww.

Childe

noisy clown #1

obviously seated at the back of the bus with his friends so you try to avoid them as much as possible

pretty close with him actually ever since you two became seatmates. already labeled as best seatmate in your mind from the numerous laughter sessions you've experienced beside him

from the 'bond' you two formed, he submits to you almost immediately making you feel like a girlboss

just throw him a look, he shuts up. scold him, he shuts up. feels like a dog on a leash and you're secretly loving it

tries his best to crack jokes on the bus loudly (much to the dismay of the officers) so you could laugh at him

and when you do, his day is completed and he feels like he won the lottery

glances at you facing the window because the backseats of the bus is elevated and smiles unconsciously until he gets hit by Itto

buys random snacks, souvenirs and whatever cute thing he can find to give to you

when a bad weather happens during the fieldtrip, he covers you with an umbrella and goes back to the bus together

pls he feels like it's a movie when you two shared an umbrella under the rain (forgot he left his friends stranded because their screams were muted to him)

"thank you, wait here I'll get some of our classmates umbrellas." you say as you enter the bus and he waits at the door. you can't help but smile and shake your head, feeling giddy at the rain scenario.

Itto

noisy clown #2, class clown and the ultimate chatterbox

you don't know if you want to rip your ears out or stapler his mouth

talks really loud, he doesn't know how to whisper! laughs like there's no tomorrow and everyone has to hear how happy he is

teases you from time to time because you're smaller than him and he's the tallest in the class

gets the butterflies when you poke his stomach in revenge. the first time you did it your finger bent from the rock hard abs and you were flustered.

yes he's the kind of guy who has open polo/open blazer inside the classroom

had the audacity to take off his shirt during field trip break time and you couldn't take your eyes off him because he just looks too good. you're with the females that time and it kind of irks you when they're giggling and talking about Itto

approaches you casually during walks and chats with you, he's surprisingly bearable to be with! that was until he points out random things in the museum that looks like a dick and you wanna cry because his sentence echoed in the quiet place making everyone look behind at the two of you

you're confused af when you settle down on the bus, because he's seating right next to you and you ask your friend with a questioning glance and she just nods

Itto proceeds to tease and ship classmates in the bus and you can't help but smile and laugh

deadass ships himself with you but the class laughter dies down because they would not believe you would go out with him

if it was you, you would be embarrassed and hurt from the jabs of your classmates about how you're out of someone's league. Itto being Itto just laughs it off but you know he's still human so you speak up for him.

"I kinda like Itto, maybe I'll give him a chance." you retort at an insult and the whole bus roars and howls in "OHHHHHHHH"

Scaramouche

part of the noisy squad but always gets teased by his friends because he's the only short one in the friend group

you sometimes stare at him and picture a chihuahua because he looks like that when he fights back on exclaims about his height

Scaramouche was about to go inside the bus but he bumped into Childe who suddenly turned around, blocking the doorway

"Dude, what the fuck is your problem?" Scaramouche tries to push Childe but the ginger doesn't budge.

"Scara bro, you should be left the elementary students are staying." "You fucker!" Childe immediately dashes inside the bus and Scaramouche chases after him while the officers settled at the front yells.

that one time where you two were the only ones doing a group activity in a seven member group, streams of insults and curses came out of his mouth for making you two suffer, especially you.

hates seeing you having a hard time and always helps you quietly

so when he sees you fanning yourself from the heat and the strenuous activity, he immediately buys chilled water bottles for you and him (so you can drink water together)

your heart can't help but skip a beat and mutter a shy thanks to him in which he replies with a shy "you're welcome" making you smile

you two talk while taking a rest until his friends ruin the moment and you feel Scaramouche burning up

you don't how his friends suddenly backed out and said they were gonna buy water bottles themselves.

"goodluck with your date" Childe doesn't miss the chance to tease him and you look over to Scaramouche to see his ears heated red.

Kaeya

the school playboy who has a new girlfriend each week but as months go by, his antics toned down for some reason

has already slid in your dms a few times but you don't entertain a guy with a reputation like him

never really got to know him except that he's friends with the noisy group, his brother is the vice president and he's a pretty chill dude

"coincidentally" gets on the same team with you in the group games and carries the team from being athletic

you're so embarrassed falling behind and struggling to go up the spider net until his hands rests on your ass and pushes you up

you could only croak and crawl on the next with shaking legs to the next set of obstacles

actively participating in the games that got everyone a question mark above their heads because he's known for skipping training

flexes his arms, ass, muscles during games and your cheeks heat up because why does it feel on purpose?

your gaze hovers to his friends and brother who has weirded out and disgusted looks on their faces as they watch him. then your gaze lands on female classmates who are glued to the motion of Kaeya's body

"nice one (y/n)!" Kaeya jogs over to you, skin shining in sweat, hair sticking to his forehead. how could someone look so good sweating? he has a hand raised asking for a high five from you.

you jump a little to catch his hand and Kaeya smiles sweetly at you. maybe you could give this guy a chance...he's pretty decent.

Ayato

poor Ayato (he's rich) who's part of the officers but his heart belongs with his friends and is always separated from them because of his duties

leaks some supposed to be classified information to his friends like schedules, events, plans, etc.

unfortunately for him, he's seated at the front with his fellow officers and often looks back to his friends having fun at the back and them waving mockingly at him

he's like a child who has been told to go sleep in the afternoon instead of playing with his friends

Ayato looks back for the hundredth time with a pout wanting to join his friends who are now sharing chips at the back

destiny or whatever you can call it; you two catch each other's gaze when he pouts and his lips instantly straighten and his face turns from puppy to daddy with his gaze that makes you so uncomfortable you turn away

you're laughing so hard inside because you just caught him looking like that but you hide your mouth from anyone in case he's still looking at your expression

yes he's still looking at you until Diluc snatches him back to seat properly

dude fell in love with you but doesn't interact during fieldtrip because he's so bothered at the fact you saw him acting like a child. he's so stressed.

after gaining some balls to talk to you, he approaches you asking you to be his partner in math class while shamelessly promoting his math skills. "let's be partners, I'm very good at math!"

you actually become close with him on the duration of this partnership by frequenting his house and that his family knows about you now

Ayato texts you goodnight while laying down and you send a goodnight back to him. He clutches his phone, looking at the chat full of hearts despite being just friends.

Thoma

the classroom crush, no the campus crush who has female juniors asking for him during class breaks to give a gift

also friends with Childe, Itto, Scaramouche, Kaeya, Ayato but you always find it unbelievable because he's so different and responsible!

if his friends are walking the hallways being rowdy, he's at the back walking very chill and apologizing to passerby

the mom of the friend group and the whole class. a very reliable guy which earned him the respect of your classmates.

he's leading the barbecue preparations for lunch with some female classmates who's also skilled in cooking. when the meat were done, you shyly asked your friend to get some for both of you

Thoma unexpectedly gives you special treatment by giving a large portion of meat, side dishes and some grilled veggie skewers

"thank you Thoma!" "you're welcome, come to me if you want some more." He smiles at you and you giggle as he winks secretly at you. let's pretend you weren't going feral inside at that moment.

a male classmate who once asked Thoma for on how to get 'bitches' sees this and exclaims. "I thought bros before hoes!"

everybody freezes at the sudden tension and murderous aura coming from Thoma's back as he faces the guy who insulted you.

the usual sweet guy has now changed in a matter of seconds, his friends also stop eating to look at the scene

"she's not a hoe. maybe you don't get bitches because you treat women like that." He spats out with malice and you blush, butterflies forming in your stomach after him defending you

he's angrily tossing meat into the grill but quickly calms down as he sees you enjoying his food with your friends

Albedo

the class representative in each and every art competition

really aloof so you don't bother to talk to despite him being attractive, just a few secret glances here and there

you always see him have a sketchbook in hand, even during this fieldtrip he brought it. he must really enjoy drawing for him to have an attachment

surprisingly, Albedo left the sketchbook on the table while going to the restroom. curiosity filled you and now you're flipping the pages slowly; taking in the marvelous art made by your classmate, only for it to get snatched out of your hand by a breathless, flushed Albedo.

"Y-you cannot see that." he says tone a little cold and you mutter an apology as you continue to eat in silence. how dumb could you be? of course he's gonna get uncomfortable from his privacy being disturbed

a few pages more and you'll see yourself on the sketchbook *sighs*

your mind is extremely bothered from a classmate harboring ill feelings towards you until albedo notices your expressions and assures you it's okay

you're so wrong, because albedo has the fattest crush on you!

he only thought he was attached to you because you looked beautiful in his eyes and that he liked you to be his subject. but as time goes by, his pages are now filled with sketches of you and often getting frustrated when a mistake stains your beauty

afraid of you finding out about it because he feels like he's a creep

well, the universe had other plans because you caught him sketching you in class and he almost jumped out of his skin

"is that me?" you point at the woman looking to the side with some trees as background. "yeah" albedo wants to take his little sister, go out of the country, change names and never look back because his world was crumbling down as soon as you found out

"I like it." silence fills in between as albedo falls down the chair and you scramble to help him

Kazuha

kazuha the quiet kid who's insanely good at literature and is a genius

often seen all by himself or with his friend Xiao but mostly alone

gives you papers before you even ask for one and it always ended up with your heart jumping and beating

the next stop was a newly built planetarium and it was evident everybody was excited for this place

surprise surprise you're seated with Kazuha and just the way he turns his head to face you makes your legs feel wobbly

the show starts and the chairs recline for people to lie down while watching the playing video on the ceiling

"this feels so romantic" you freeze as you heard your seatmate speak and it was none other than Kazuha. you're screaming inside while you bit your lip to hold it all back in because he's right about this being romantic

"yeah, it's like stargazing." "do you like stargazing?"

you let out a little "mhm" as you continue to watch the video and let your mind wander off, stomaching all the information relayed through the speakers

you always thought Kazuha was this shy, timid kid but that assumption was thrown out the window the moment he dared to hold your hand

you're trying so hard not to squirm in your sit from the jitters you got! you try to calm you and your heart down but as you're finally getting better, your head feels lightheaded as shivers travel throughout your body as his fingers play with yours

what is he doing to you???

Kazuha was just testing if you liked him! he looks over to you and his smile signifies his test was successful

you're leaving the planetarium awfully close with each other much to the confusion of others

Xiao

lol this is the shy, timid kid

super cold and aloof, avoids Childe's group at any cost

you had a few interactions with him in class but all of those were just short and silent works

sits in class with earphones in both ears, taking them off when a teacher comes in

you're heading to the café with your classmates scattered on the food hall as everyone decided to have a snack break

you were surprised to see Xiao dressed in a leather jacket, headphones resting on his neck; buying at this pastel cutesy place that had a stark contrast on his outfit

the urge to get close with him took over you as you quickly fell in line before somebody could take the place

"hi Xiao" he paused taking money out of the wallet and slowly looks at your beaming face. you look to the cashier's hand and saw two packs of almond tofu. Xiao realizes you're looking at his order and pays, walking fast away from you

you frown and order with a pout, trying not to dwell on it too much. the food's gonna make you feel better anyway

you're exiting the shop and then froze as you caught Xiao waiting. he's leaning his head back against the post and straightens his posture right away when he sees you

nevertheless, you smile and approach him while Xiao feels cornered

"how about we eat we together?" you ask him and Xiao stiffly follows you as you two sit down beside each other. chatting, making small talk feels so surreal to him especially that the girl he had his eyes on was doing this with him

Diluc

the strict vice president of the class but turns soft when you appease him??

another campus crush who often gets called to other classes because someone wants to see him

returns with a sour look on his face and mumbles "what a waste of time"

no.1 Kaeya and friends hater

he looks so stressed even more so than the president who always has a calm look on his face

when students enter the bus, he's doing a headcount and checks if everybody is settled down

turns out you're missing and panics swells deep inside him. "Zhongli! (y/n)'s missing!" he reports to Zhongli who almost spits out the hot tea in his mouth

"who's missing?" you beam at him as you pant before you climb the bus. to your surprise, Diluc stops you from going back to your seat and asks "where have you been?"

"I was at the restroom" he sighs and tries to calm himself down until he sees the plastic you've been hiding behind you. uh oh looks like you're caught.

"grape juice!" you hand him the cool refreshment before he could complain and you scurry back to your seat

he looks at the drink with a note sticked into it "don't be too stressed vice prez :(( <3"

his gaze travels to where you are but you're staring at the window, refusing to look at him so he sits down and takes out his phone

"thanks" he types and a smile forms on his lips, Ayato who's curious leans over to peek just in time Diluc sneers and elbows him

Zhongli

the president of the class who's very laidback and chill

feels so ahead of everyone and so mature, naturally the father of the class

some girls were giggling calling him "daddy" and you can't help but let a chuckle out of your lips

you can't forget that one encounter when you thought you bumped into a teacher who was Zhongli

he was wearing an eyeglass and an outfit so formal you could mistake him as a young teacher. "I'm sorry sir!" you bow down and repeatedly apologize but then stop as you heard the laugh that made your breath hitch

"it's okay, I'm a student like you." Zhongli says with a bright smile, hands on his pockets, and the afternoon sun shining over him

"oh" that was the only thing you could mutter before embarrassment fills your whole being

he's the one who announces the itinerary, makes sure everything goes according to plan and checks if everyone's feeling okay and no one's sick

very worried about everyone's wellbeing *cough* especially yours

he's the one Kaeya asked to put you two in the same team and Zhongli finally understood Diluc's distaste for this bastard

agrees to Kaeya and joins in your team but the previous teams had an injured person so he had to take care of said person begrudgingly

never got to interact with you the whole day so he's upset. not until you thank him for today

"thank you for today, we really enjoyed the trip." Zhongli nods and acknowledges your thanks, then a clever idea popped into his mind. he clears his throat and prevents you from walking away.

"hey do you mind if you go to dinner with me? we didn't really get to be with each other this day, and I want to spend time with you."

this meme gives me: "goodnight sanity and money and welcome genshin impact!"