The Price Of Love

old xian #19天# 番外小短篇。(#19days# side story)

English translation - extra chapter

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cleaning typesetting and translation by @about19days (on insta) and me, with the special collaboration of @wtfit.i (insta)

A/N: I’m so mentally ill about him. 80 pulls and his lim hasn’t come home yet pls akito I love you your dinner is getting cold. Once again, this is very self indulgent I just love Akito

*ೃ༄ Waking up with Akito

You could only register two audible sounds as you slowly blinked your eyes open—the soft buzzing of the ceiling fan, and the gentle breeze of Akito’s quiet breaths against the nape of your neck.

This was a rare occurrence. On the weekdays, Akito got up early for school, and on the weekends, he got up early to practice for whatever event was upcoming. For these two reasons, whenever he slept over, he’d always leave as soon as he woke up—not without giving you a wordless kiss on the forehead, and pulling the covers up to rest snuggly beneath your chin, of course.

Somehow, by the will of some god, Toya had convinced Akito to take the Saturday off, telling him that even the hardest of workers needed to take rest days every so often. He’d had an event the night prior, and a particularly taxing school day—so to say he was spent would be an understatement. Your poor, exhausted, sleepy boy.

You were roped back into reality as Akito nuzzled himself further into the nape of your neck, strands of whispy ginger hairs tickling your jaw and cheek. You took a deep breath, gently bringing a hand to scratch lightly at his scalp, and bringing the other to rest on the small of his back.

Typically, Akito preferred that you were the one laying on him, but somehow, you woke up like this quite often. You found it amusing—how he always tried his hardest to be cool and stoic, when in actuality, he really was a big baby. It was endearing, as much as it embarrassed him whenever you brought it up.

In an attempt to get more comfortable, you tried your hardest to wriggle your body into a better position without scooting Akito off of you—quickly prompting a huff and a groan.

“Stop moving...”

“You’re awake?”

“I am now.”

You craned your neck to kiss his forehead, mumbling an apology for waking him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.” You whispered, noticing the sun had still yet to rise, as your eyes flickered towards the window. It must’ve been 5 am or earlier.

“Nah, it’s fine.” The ginger sighed, “Why are you even awake this early, anyway?”

“I don’t know, I just randomly woke up.” You yawned, nuzzling your cheek into the crown of his head. “It’s weird that you’re still here, huh?”

He huffed against your skin. “Do you want me to leave?” The boy deadpanned.

You sucked your teeth, your hand stroking his hair slowly. He could be such a shithead when he wanted to be. “Of course not, I’m just saying. I don’t usually get to cuddle you like this in the mornings…”

He chuckled breathily, lazily pecking at the juncture of your neck. “Lucky you, then.”

Akito had a tendency to be more tender than usual in the early morning and late night, his affection at an all time high from 10pm-6am. Perhaps being tired made him clingy—not that you minded whatsoever. It was a welcome habit.

The boy pulled the covers tighter around you both, sighing with content. “I’m goin’ back to sleep,” He muttered against your skin, “It’s not everyday I get a full eight hours.”

“Okay then,” you answered, “Guess I will too.”

Akito leaned upwards to place a gentle kiss to the corner of your lips, scooting closer to you as he rested his head back down once more.

You smiled, embracing his warmth as your arms squeezed him tightly. “I love you.”

Akito shut his eyes, feeling his consciousness slowly leaving him. “Yeah, yeah. I love you too.”

hello ! i hope ur doing good, can i ask for mikey, chifuyu, sanzu and anyone else of ur choice reacting to their s/o never had / celebrate their birthday cuz their parents think its a waste of time and money ? and how toyorv boys will try and plan a birthday party and surprise their s/o?

SURPRISING S/O WHO'S NEVER CELEBRATED THEIR BIRTHDAY

characters — mikey, chifuyu, sanzu

extras — gn!reader

a/n — I actually really liked doing this request and I hope you're doing well also. I didnt make sanzu’s surprise a party per se, it’s more of a one on one kinda thing then a party... hope that’s ok and thx for requesting. hope you like it<3

「 Mikey 」

Mikey’s baffled at the fact that you’ve never celebrated your birthday. 

It’s painful just thinking about no one wishing him happy birthday, seeing as he's an attention whore.

This birthday is going to be the best birthday you ever have, well it’ll be the best with anything he does seeing as you've done absolutely nothing for the past ones.

He came to you the morning of your birthday to tell you happy birthday and you thanked him with a kind smile. It was the first time hearing that for the day and it’s already 11am. 

Your parents left without a word that morning, they seemed in a hurry from the way they passed you on their way out as if you didn't exist.

He was good at distracting you for the day as the others prepared the party for you back at his place.

They also complained, not because they had to prepare the party, but because mikey wasn't doing any hard work. He left them to do everything, offering to distract you.

At exactly 8pm on the dot, mikey offered you to sleep at his place. On your way there, you were both silent, the only sounds being heard were the cars driving by and the slight gust of the wind dancing around you.

From the corner of your eye, you saw mikey’s lips converting to a soft smile. What’s he smiling about?

It didn't take much to see the lights up ahead, they were practically blinding. No doubt they’ll attract moths if they happen to fly by. 

If it weren't for the not so quiet, they’re here, and mikey's displeased sigh, you wouldn't have the slightest clue of what's behind the gate. “Baji’s an idiot.”

Opening the gate, your friends, both the ones apart of toman and the ones you made through them, jumped out from their hiding spots and shouted, happy birthday.

They looked ridiculous due to the tiny party hats on their heads, every one of them, the only exceptions being luna and mana because of their small selves, but nonetheless, you felt a surge of gratitude towards everyone there.

Luna, mana, emma and hina were the firsts to pull you in for a hug, followed by hakkai, mitsuya, and the others. You were overflowing with happiness and they all knew it by your eagerness when taking part in all the activities they planned.

Mikey following right behind you, same eagerness in tow, matching your own, all to see you that smile on your face.

In the comfort of his bed with his right hand holding you to his chest and his left intertwined with your own, you broke the silence by softly saying, “I had a lot of fun today mikey.”

「 Chifuyu 」

When your birthday came around the corner, chifuyu was extremely excited, it being your first birthday as a couple.

He had everything planned for your birthday a week prior, although it wasn’t much he had planned, it was extremely cute.

The first stop was at a bakery then he’s taking you to the carnival that was in town for the day and at the end, at the top of the ferris wheel, he was going to be all sappy and tell you how much he loves you.

But you weren't as ecstatic about it as him which was concerning leading him to ask the question.

“Why aren’t you in the birthday mood? It’s tomorrow y’know?” 

“You see babe, my parents think it’s unnecessary and a waste of money to throw birthday parties or give gifts, so I've never really celebrated my birthday?” Your answer came out more of a question than a solid response.

“Never?” He asked in disbelief and you simply nodded. He thought your parents were odd for not doing that, the bare minimum, it’s not like they were struggling financially or some other thing came up.

“Not even when you were little? Do they even tell you happy birthday?” You laughed at him, his face clearly surprised by the fact. “Never chifuyu and no they don’t tell me happy birthday. None of us do, we just go on with our day whenever someone’s birthday turns up.” 

He doesn't exactly know what to say at the moment other than he’s sorry, but you reassure him that it’s honestly ok, it’s really not his fault and there’s nothing he can do about it. You’re also used to it by now so your birthday is considered to be just another day to everyone around you, nothing special.

Sure, he couldn't do anything about it in the past but he’s your amazing boyfriend who can do something about it now. Yes, he already had the day planned but wouldn’t it be better for you to experience a small get together with all your friends who were in toman to show you even more love?

Truthfully he preferred his original plan. The idea of spending the entire day with you sounded like heaven but baji convinced him to do otherwise, wanting to celebrate your birthday also.

They both planned everything with slight help from their friends, and on the day, chifuyu did in fact take you to the carnival, he even won a giant teddy bear for you, but you didn't stay too long because he had a big surprise.

Covering your eyes, he has the widest smile on his face as he shuts down all your objections of not wanting any more surprises for your birthday.

"No I can't tell you. It's a surprise for a reason."

"I don't want a surprise though."

"I never asked but we're here." Chifuyu could be so rude sometimes, but he brought you to a party, a birthday party, with all your friends present.

"My favourite person!!" You knew all too well who that was.

"Hi baji." You knew he has a soft spot for you, he just doesn't want to admit it.

"Happy birthday [nickname]."

"Thank you baji." He took you in for a bear hug practically crushing you in his arms, only letting go when you gasped out, I can't breathe.

Chifuyu on the other hand was anxiously awaiting your response to his little surprise, but it never came. You were dragged away by emma and a few of the others before you could say anything, but guessing by your smile that never faltered, not even once, he knows he did a good job.

Until later that evening when everyone left, leaving both you and your boyfriend behind.

"Did you–"

"I loved it! I didn't get the chance to tell you earlier but I loved it!" Practically tackling him, you both fell onto the floor with a hard thud. The pain rushing through him was burning, but seeing and hearing your happiness made him forget about that.

「 Sanzu 」

Upon hearing about this, sanzu didn't say anything. He gave you a curt nod and left. It’s convenient that you never expect much from anyone, and it being your birthday and all, his cold response didn’t shift your mood or hurt you in the slightest. 

After all, you weren’t remotely new to this sort of reaction around this time of the year.

Your day went like it usually would, the only difference being, you haven't seen your boyfriend since earlier that day but that wasn't out of the ordinary considering his loyalty towards toman or more specifically a certain leader.

You haven't been dating that long either, you knew each other for a fair amount of time before that though.

To your surprise, before you could get into bed that night, you got a phone call from non-other than your boyfriend informing you to meet him at a location he’s about to send to you. 

Was he calling for another late night conversation? But he would’ve come by here like he usually does. Or is he injured again? 

While on your way, you couldn't help but overthink all the possible things he called you out to this unknown place for, but the figure in a toman uniform up ahead stopped your train of thought.

There he was, standing idly, his back facing you as he looked out into the quiet sea ahead of him.

You couldn't help but notice a small gift box wrapped in your favourite colour behind his back. Despite you both knowing each other for a generous amount of time, you never told him your favourite colour. Coincidence maybe?

“Why did you call me out here?” Facing you, he gave you a closed eye smile, the same one you would often see whenever he saw you first thing in the morning. “Happy birthday y/n.”

Taking the box in hand, you unwrapped it to find a jewellery box. He gifted you a silver necklace with a pendant of your favourite animal. “I thought you didn’t care?”

“Who said that?” He scoffed at you, you really thought he didn't care? Although he hasn’t said it outwardly yet, he loved you too much to not care about your birthday and just let it pass by as if it never existed.

“It just seemed that way by your response.” Taking the necklace from your hand, he turned you around and placed it around your neck. “It’s a locket.”

Sanzu opened the locket from behind you and you came to see a picture of the two of you from your first date. You laughed at the memory, remembering what you had to do to get the picture. Shower him with kisses. That was one of the few times he acted remotely affectionate towards you.

“You said you never celebrated your birthday, so I wanted to give you a gift.” His motive is what made a few tears slip past your eyes and down your face, dropping onto the back of sanzu’s hand.

“Why are you crying?” He giggled, finding you adorable for crying about something so simple as a birthday gift.

“This is my first time– I’ve gotten a birthday gift and it’s so... beautiful.” You were babbling as tears cascaded and made a path down the sides of your face. Taking a look at your horrible state, sanzu pulled you into his chest and stroked the back of your head lovingly. “I hope you take care of it.”

“I will.” Of course you would. After all, it was your first ever gift, to top it off from your boyfriend who you couldn't help but love too much to the point it was sickening at times.

“Come. I hope you didn’t have anything to do tonight, we’re going to your favourite to get food with mucho and a few of the others.”

❥ ⟆ masterlist

baji is pretty but gross IK that man has a million icks

i’m finna get disrespectful.

tw: milo getting in baji’s ass.

baji keisuke is one dirty ass person. first of all, i have a feeling he sniffs his boxers to rewear them.. even after a fucking fight.

second, you know when guys get mad to the point they’re swinging at the air? him. ik he’s slipped and busted his ass in the shower and tried to grab onto the water, something, cheeks clenched with a growl leaving his lips bruh

third, he picks at his toenails. sorry not sorry. he’ll sit on the edge of the bed, scrolling through whatever while his other hand is picking at his toes.

finally, his pillow smells. he doesn’t wash his pillowcase and he drools all fucking night long so now he’s sleeping on a germ infested pillow that smells like morning breath.

i love baji though that’s my bae fr

Why is he ginger 😧

I found this blessing picture of lee and I just felt the need to share it. UGH the amount of detail in this... HEART FUCKING EYES MY GUY

[ 𝟏:𝟓𝟕 𝐀𝐌 ] — 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐈 𝐓𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐀

it’s cold.

that’s the first thing kisaki thinks when he wakes up, eyebrows furrowing when the bed is empty and devoid of you and your usual warmth beside him. sitting up, he groans as he stretches his muscles out, hastily climbing out to find you. he tries to convince himself not to panic.

the bathroom lights are off—he notes all your things are thankfully still there—and so are the hallway lights, and so are the living room lights, but the kitchen seems to be lit. sighing, he walks in, watching from the entrance as you sit at the table, swirling a cup of tea around in your mug glumly.

“you should be in bed,” he says dryly. you don’t even blink, staring off ahead.

“what’s it to you?” you scowl. he grits his teeth, eyes narrowing as they stare down at you. it’s scrutinizing—everything seems to be when it comes to kisaki. he’s always got something to say, and it’s grown tiring for you.

“watch it,” he warns, making you roll your eyes. staring up at him, there’s a small pool of tears at the corner of your eyes, and his anger slowly ebbs away. for the first time, he takes in how hallow your eyes seem and how disappointed you are. and he feels himself fearing your withdrawal from him—the rejection seems unbearable if it comes from you.

“you go back to bed,” you wave off. “i’ll come in a bit.” you try to hide the shakiness of your voice, but he catches it immediately. and as scrutinizing as kisaki can be, as nit-picky to every detail as he can seem, as hard to please and even harder to decipher as he is, he’s always known exactly what you needed and exactly what to do.

“won’t be able to fall asleep,” he mutters quietly, sitting beside you at the table. he snatches your mug from your hand, taking a long sip of your tea.

“tetta, seriously?” you groan. his lips curl into a smirk, the mug meeting his lips again as he finishes the contents in one large gulp. you should kill him, you think, he’s gotten away with enough anyway.

but his smile is pretty, and the messy bed hair that frames his face is prettier. it makes you smile despite yourself.

“i see you grinning, dumbass,” he says cooly. “you’re not mad.” reaching over, you take the mug from him, giving his shoulder a good shove in the process. it’s halfhearted and it wouldn’t do anything, but he leans his body to the side anyway, his theatrics giving you the satisfaction of seeing him lose his balance slightly.

“i won’t forget the things you said to me,” you whisper. the words underneath are clear. they’ve left a scar. his heart cracks a little, and he wonders if you’ve realized you have the power to batter it until it’s weak. it wouldn’t be hard—one foot out the door and kisaki’s lost all that makes him a man, but he hopes it doesn’t come to that.

“they weren’t true,” he mumbles. “nothing i said was true.” his hair falls onto his eyes, and even though you’re mad, and hurt, and incredibly tired, you find it second nature to reach forward and brush the strands out of his face.

he immediately presses his own palm to the back of your hand, holding it in place and leaning his face into it. and it’s rare to see a small bit of vulnerability from kisaki, to see him so openly hint that he wants—that he needs an ounce of affection, but you know he craves it, and he’s lost without it on most days.

so, with a sigh, you brush your thumb over his cheek, shaking your head at how soft you are for him. loving him’s not easy, but perhaps that’s why you do it. the difficult tasks are always the most rewarding ones in the end.

“tetta—”

“baby,” he corrects. a small grin etches across your lips.

“how about gumdrop?”

“don’t push it,” he purses his lips, and you laugh. and it’s beautiful, he thinks, the soft glow of your face as the dimly lit kitchen illuminates your skin. your head thrown back in your laughing fit sends waves that crash over his heart. he’s casted away from everything else for a moment, all he can focus on being you. and he’s not mad, couldn’t ever be.

“okay, fine,” you agree. the smile on your face slowly falters, but his grip on your hand doesn’t. “baby, i’m just…i can’t deal with the things you say sometimes,” you whisper. “i’m not cut out for this,” you admit.

“you don’t have to be,” he soothes. “i’m working on it. i won’t say things like that anymore,” he promises. and it’s hard to tell if it’s the truth or not, but he sounds determined. and kisaki’s never given a reason not to believe him, he’s always gone great lengths to give you what he promises. so, with a shaky sigh, you lean into his embrace, hearing the beating of his heart in his chest. it’s the same heartbeat that soothes you to sleep each night and matches the rhythm of yours. he kisses the crown of your head, and nothing has ever made him feel as whole and seen and complete as the feel of your skin against his.

“promise?” you whisper.

“yeah, whatever. i promise,” he mumbles. pulling away, you cup his cheeks, taking in the sleep that’s still laced in his eyes, smiling gently at the sight. kissing his nose, then his cheeks, then finally, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips, you stroke your fingers through his hair as he leans into your palm.

“okay,” you nod. he glances at you expectantly. “what?”

“and…?”

“and…?” you tease.

“say it,” he glares. rolling your eyes, you hug his waist, feeling his hand rub over the small of your back.

“i love you,” you murmur. and with an equally as demanding tone, you add, “say it back.”

and it’s his turn to roll his eyes as he mumbles “i love you too.”

Red Carnations

Pairing: Childe x GN! Reader

Warnings: it’s just angst

A/N: i’m exhausted but i really wanted to write this. slightly based off Olivia Rodrigo’s song Driver’s License

Word Count: 3,127

Another letter, another batch of lies. The crisp pale paper sat on the table, delicate letters that spelled your name staring up at you. The red wax stamped with his insignia burned into your mind, filling every thought in your head, despite trying to go on with your day. Was it really worth it to open the parchment? Every letter that arrived on the doorstep, with the same handwriting scribbled onto it felt like another push out of his life. Paragraphs describing the beautiful blonde outlander traveller that had caught his heart made your chest hurt with every word that he wrote. How long had it been since you had last seen the young ginger Harbinger whose lopsided smile made your heart skip a beat. Though he had been sent away on a mission to Liyue, you stayed behind to manage your parent’s business in Snezhnaya. Everything could only go downhill from there. You took the seat in the back as you watched letters arrive at your doorstep with pages of Childe’s handwriting describing the new nation he was exploring and the people who he met. But in every letter, he never failed to mention the golden eyed beauty who was Lumine. In the darkest parts of your heart, you wished that Childe would stop sending you letters, that he would just forget about the best friend who remained smitten by him. Rapid knocks on your door interrupted you from your thoughts. A chorus of giggles erupted from behind your door and you bit back a sigh, knowing exactly who was standing out in the cold.

“Did big brother send you a letter too?!” Teucer greeted you the moment your door cracked open, his bright blue eyes looking up at you with excitement and curiosity swimming inside of them. Tonia apologized for the lack of courtesy from her brother, but you could tell that she too, wanted to know if you received anything. A part of you wanted to lie to the two young children, and tell them that Childe didn’t send you anything. But there was no way to deny the two pairs of ocean eyes that twinkled with curiosity. You could tell Tonia was hiding something behind her back yet you didn’t pry, instead, forcing a smile to your face and admitting that their elder brother had sent you a letter.

“Have you read it yet?” Tonia giggled and pulled out the object behind her back. It was another letter, but addressed to her instead. You opened your mouth to reply, but the young ginger haired girl was already speaking rapidly, explaining all that her brother had written in his latest letter. You watched in silence as Teucer stood up on his tiptoes to peak over at the words his sister was reading off and your breath caught in your throat. Teucer was almost exactly like Childe, in his actions and looks.

Keep reading

Tears Of Themis | Click And Drag

This is my first try on a click and drag game so I hope you enjoy it!

If you post your results please reblog or mention where you can find the game that would be very kind! C: ~

no bc- i just read “snowball” and cuddly childe + winter/cold + his family has found its way into my hard and now i’m in need of comfort scenarios now that it’s so cold pls 😭 if you want ofc! this is just a suggestion as a very touch starved reader and fan of ur work :,)!!

home for the holidays

✧ synopsis: [fluff] headcanons and drabbles; childe brings you to his home for the holiday season :) ✧ ft. childe x gn!reader (+some of childe’s family!) ✧ warnings: slightly suggestive towards the end but nothing serious, mentions of food, spoilers for childe’s real name ✧ a/n: not super wintery, but i'm in the mood for family bonding and cuddles; i hope this is alright!! (sorry it took me forever to get to this btw lmao)

»»————-　 ✦ 　————-««

✧ okay, so, harbingers don’t really get time off- including for the holidays, buuuut- childe was finally given a chance to oversee some recruits in snezhnaya, and it just so happens to line up with the holiday season, aaaand… well, he can handle some work and still get to see his family, right? right, of course, he is tartaglia after all, there’s nothing he can’t do!! ✧ plus… he’s managed to convince you to come along with him. so, it’s like he’s killing three birds with one stone! hell yeah!

✧ as eager as he is, childe can’t help but feel oddly anxious about bringing you to meet his family for the first time (despite the fact that he has been begging you to come to snezhnaya with him ever since you two have gotten together. and probably way before that, too. he’s just been very excited to share the part of himself that isn’t completely tainted by the abyss and fatui with you) ✧ he’s aware that they’re going to love you, of course-why wouldn’t they?- but what if you don’t like them? what if his siblings annoy you (or worse, embarrass him) or his parents say something offputting? he adores you, but he doesn’t know if he could handle you and his family not getting on. ✧ though, if he’s nervous, you’re an emotional wreck, whether you show it or not. childe’s told you about his family before, and the fond smile and sparkle in his eyes when he thinks of them has always made your heart flutter- they sound so sweet. you’re excited, but perhaps a bit too eager to please. you’ve spent a lot of your time recently trying to find clothing and supplies that will both protect you from snezhnaya’s freezing temperature while also giving the impression of “really-good-partner-for-your-son-please-accept-me.” oh archons, you really hope that they approve of you. ✧ both of your worries are quickly swept away when you reach his family home-more of a manor if we’re being honest, the lad is rich and he keeps his mf family taken CARE of and one of childe’s sister’s opens the door before squealing happily and calling out for the rest of the family. ✧ childe’s mother absolutely gives you the biggest, warmest hug in the entire world- definitely hugs you first before hugging her son. she might also cry; it’s been a while since she’s gotten to see him in person, and look! he’s so grown up now! he even has a lovely partner!! :’((!!! she has chosen pointedly to not count being a harbinger as maturing. ✧ it’s honestly quite lively for the first few hours of your visit; the younger ones are bouncing around you in their excitement, the older siblings are discussing new happenings with childe (and teasing him about you, of course), childe’s mother is rushing around trying to clean their already very nice house, and childe’s father is… absent. he did not come down to greet you or his son. ✧ if you start to feel overwhelmed, childe is quick to notice, and will usher you to a different room away from everyone else for a bit to make sure you’re okay.

Childe tells his family he’s going to give you a “tour of the house”, taking you by the hand and leading you down the hall before anyone can say anything. He takes you to what must be a study, walls lined with bookshelves (save for the space where a stuffed bear head is mounted on the wall) and a desk in front of the window. Outside, the snow is blowing across the frosted ground in swirling clouds, a frozen howl echoing against the glass.

“You alright?” He asks, pushing to close the door behind him. You nod, working on maintaining control of your breathing. Childe’s hand reaches to brush just in between your shoulders, tentative at first, but as you lean into his touch, he snakes his entire arm across your back and pulls you into his side. He lets you recline against him, allowing you to take however much time you need to calm down. Ever so faintly, you can hear the relaxing rhythm of his pulse mixing with the winds outside.

Once you’ve been grounded and are feeling a bit better, you move from his arms to sit atop of the desk. There’s not much you need to brush aside, though you do spot an interesting paper reading, “Gifts for the kids”. You try to spot Childe’s name, curious about what his family would get him, but a clear of his throat summons your attention before you can.

“So…” He starts, taking a step toward you. His eyes wander away from you, and there’s an air of feigned nonchalance that you’ve come to know all too well.

“Sooo?” You mimic.

“Are they… My family, I mean, do you…?”

He’s cute when he’s stumbling over his words, you think. It’s rather rare for your boyfriend’s smarmy, talkative ass to be at a loss of what to say. You know Childe really values your opinion, but is worried about it at the same time.

“Your family is wonderful, ‘jax.” You smile reassuringly, and his eyes light up. “They’re a bit excitable and energetic, but… I like it. They remind me of you.”

Now you’ve done it; Childe immediately descends upon you to steal a kiss, causing you to laugh a bit at how abrupt he is. His kisses are excitable and energetic, just like his family, just like him.

You two are, however, interrupted by a chorus of “Ooo”s, “Eww”s and “Aww”s. You both part early, glancing over at the door to see his little siblings' pairs of eyes peeking through the doorway, watching your antics in amusement. Childe narrows his eyes at them while your composure flusters, before he puts his lips back on yours. The children shriek with giggles as they scurry off, chanting some Snezhnayan version of “kissing in a tree.”

✧ when the two of you return from your, ahem, departure, you notice a tall, tired looking man in the living room. childe’s mom is discussing something with him in hushed, adamant tones, falling silent when she spots you. the once vibrant atmosphere in the room seems to have vanished. childe’s hand stiffens against yours, but his gaze remains steady. the other man does not speak, merely allowing his eyes to wander from Childe, to you, and then back to Childe. He gives a small nod, before turning to kiss childe’s mother on the forehead and leaving through the front door. ah. that must have been childe’s father. ✧ you want to say something, ask about what the hell that was, but his mother prevents you from speaking with a cheerful announcement that dinner will be served soon. she’s already making her way to the kitchen as she calls childe to come and help set up, leaving you in the now all-too-cold living room by yourself. ✧ big families mean big meals, but your added presence apparently means childe’s mom is going to pull out all the stops. i need you to imagine a 7-course meal with all 7 courses served at once. an entire damn restaurant spread out on the dining table. roasted ham, pirozhki, salmon pie, olivier salad- you couldn’t even name some of the dishes. it kind of amazes you that she not only managed to cook all this, but was able to fit it all in one space. ✧ also. yes you can make your own plate but don’t even try to be coy or modest. you’re a part of this family now and they’re gonna make sure you eat like one.

“Here, sweetie, have some more ham.” Childe’s mother is already slicing pieces off and dropping it on your plate before you can respond.

Your plate is already piled as high as it can go. But, you are nothing if not polite and desperate to get on your boyfriend’s family’s good side. “Oh, uh, thank you, Mrs.-”

“Just call me ‘mom’, dear.” She speaks with a giggle. You nod.

“Oo! You should try the cabbage rolls, me and Anthon worked on those!” Teucer chimes toward you.

“Anthon and I,” Tonia corrects her little brother gently.

“Huh? No, you didn’t- you weren’t even there!”

The warmth had returned with the chattering and merriment of Childe’s family. You steal a quick glance at your boyfriend, who is being abnormally quiet, and see him smiling down at his plate. His blue eyes have an almost melancholic wistfulness about them, one you’ve often noticed when the two of you were in Liyue- always apparent when he’s talking about how much he misses his family. But, he’s here with them now, isn’t he?

You won’t pretend to know what he’s thinking about, but you do want him to enjoy these moments while they’re here. They mean a lot to him. You reach beneath the table to lace your fingers with his. He snaps out of his reverie at your touch, turning his head to look at you. His smile widens as he squeezes your hand.

“Oh, by the way, Ajax, where are you gonna be sleeping?” Childe’s older brother asks, covering his mouthful of food to avoid spitting.

Childe tilts his head. “Uh, the guest room?” Beneath his breath, you can hear him add, almost solemnly, “As usual.”

“But that’s where Y/N is going to sleep.” His older sister comments.

“Yeah?” Childe picks up a spoonful of borscht and guides it to his mouth. “The beds big enough to fit both of us.”

His mother looks absolutely aghast. “Ajax, you know how I feel about funny business under my roof!”

He sputters on his soup, quickly grabbing a napkin to dab the beetroot that spilled out and waving his hand. “Mom-”

“Oh, but, what the hell. It is the holidays!” She chuckles, before switching to a stern mutter, “but you two better keep it down, okay? Teucer’s room is right across-”

“MOM.” Your boyfriend’s face is a deep red, his freckles standing out against his tinted skin, and you can’t help but giggle. He buries his face in his free hand with a groan.

“Wait, so Ajax gets to sleep with his partner, but when I bring my girlfriend over, she has to sleep alone?” His older sister scoffs with disappointment. “It’s not like WE were gonna do any ‘funny business’ and yet-”

“Wait, what’s ‘funny business’?” Teucer asks innocently. The table is filled with roaring laughter-and Teucer’s confused pout- and you lean into your boyfriend’s shoulder. You can practically feel the heat radiate off of his cheeks, but he’s grinning, too.

You’re only about halfway through your monster of a meal when Tonia stands up, clapping her hands cheerfully. “I think it’s time for dessert!” She calls, skipping off to the kitchen.

“Oh goodness, she’s so proud of her kutia.” Mom remarks fondly. “ We don’t normally eat it until a few days from now, but Tonia was really excited to make it for you, Y/N. Please, be a dear and compliment her on it when she comes back, won’t you?”

You shoot Childe a look of surprise and horror, whispering, “There’s more?” And he just chuckles. You should’ve expected this. As with anything to do with Childe, there’s always more.

✧ with his mother’s blessing, you two finally get some real alone time in the guest room. though, for a guest room, it’s huge- probably bigger than your own room at home. it does feel… emptier, though, especially in comparison to the rest of the house. there are no decorations, just a large bed, a nightstand with a lamp, and a dresser. you and childe’s suitcases are tucked neatly under the bed. ✧ already in your pyjamas, you hop on top of the mattress and shimmy beneath the blankets. the soft bedding sinks until you are comfortably encased in your cotton cocoon. if your boyfriend doesn’t hurry up, you might just fall asleep without him. ✧ thankfully, he comes into the room pretty soon after you, dressed in a large shirt and his boxers. he’s more modestly dressed for bed than usual, but you’re not too surprised- this isn’t exactly a private home, after all. ✧ he flops on top of the blankets across your legs, sighing loudly and melodramatically. you stretch down to ruffle his hair lovingly.

He twists his head toward you, catching your palm and planting a kiss on it. You smile before beckoning him to join your side. As soon as he’s spread the blanket haphazardly over himself, he’s weaving his arms across your waist and smushing his cheek against your shoulder.

“Was today okay?” Childe asks softly. He always seems to get unbelievably soft when he’s sleepy. You wonder if he’s aware of it.

You lift your hand to brush the side of his face. “Today was amazing, babe. Your family is really fun, and they’ve made me feel so, so welcome.” You kiss his forehead and he hums, almost relieved. “Thank you, for bringing me.”

Thank you for coming, he wants to say. Thank you for trusting me, thank you for staying with me, thank you for loving me. The words won’t come out, so he instead tightens his arms against your core.

“Ajax, are you okay?” You swivel so that you can wrap one of your arms around his neck, his head falling into the side of your chest.

There’s a pause as he considers it. Is he okay? He doesn’t get asked that a lot- and when he is asked, he always lies. He doesn’t want to lie to you any more than he has to. But what can he say? He’s home, but it doesn’t feel like the home he knew. His family has grown, and he has, too. They’ve changed, he’s changed… He misses everything he had, and there’s no way to go back.

You gently tap his shoulder, bringing him back to you. You, another change in the life he once recognized. He raises his head to look into your eyes, patient and yet worried- for him.

Childe smiles. “I’m okay, sweetheart.” He has you now, after all. He can’t go back to the way things once were. Maybe he doesn’t need to go back, if going back meant not having you at his side. Maybe one day, he’ll find the words to tell you this.

You lean in to kiss his forehead again, but he straightens up to meet your lips with his. It’s a bit clumsy, you’re both sleepy and warm and together, but you melt into each other.

Childe separates from you after a moment, and in your tired, loving haze you miss the sudden devious glint in his stare.

“You know what would make me feel even better than okay, though?”

“Hmm?”

His hands begin to roam under your shirt. “Well, you remember that ‘funny business’ my mom mentioned earlier-?”

You groan, pushing away from him and picking your pillow up to shove into his face, a bark of your boyfriend’s cackle following. He continues giggling as you turn away from him with a huff, making a point to lay down.

“Good night, you big dork.”

His laughter dies down as he slides further beneath the covers to join you, rewrapping an arm around you and pulling you closer. He kisses the back of your neck with a contented sigh.

As long as he’s next to you, Childe is already way better than okay, he’s certain of it.

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

childhood best friends to lovers with xiao

ingredients: you have been friends with xiao almost your whole life... but it's the little things that make you realize there's something more.

calories: xiao + gender neutral reader

serving size: modern/highschool au・fluff・hurt/comfort・headcanons・too lazy to do word count rn

how did you guys meet in the first place? it was quite simple, really. it was when you guys were both first graders and the both of your parents were friends! all in all, they brought you over to his place and somehow xiao ended up accidentally throwing a cupcake at your face.

you thought he hated you until he popped up on your doorstep the next day, a single cupcake in his hand. to this day you think it's a pretty funny story and tease xiao for it (he always flicks your forehead and says he wouldn't mind throwing a cupcake at you again)

growing up, everyone usually knew xiao as the quiet boy in class and didn't pay attention to him. you knew him as your best friend with the great spotify playlists and the king of having no sleep. and now you were both in the middle of high school, he still barely got any sleep despite your protests.

it was surprising on how xiao was the one waking you up each day for school, climbing the tree beside your house and knocking loudly on your window. you decided to just leave it unlocked most nights (although once, he woke you up by pouring water on you and you arrived to school with a towel on your head)

days would go by normally. hanging out with xiao, studying with xiao, even having a sleepover with xiao! so when did your heart start to flutter at the sight of him?

was it when he climbed through your window, not in the morning but in the middle of the night? it was when he nudged you awake, telling you about a nightmare he had and apologizing that he woke you up. but you both ended up playing games until sunrise, eventually passing out on the bed with your head on xiao's lap.

or was it when he suddenly stopped walking, delaying the time you would reach some random destination? xiao turned around without a word, bending down and tying your shoelaces for you because it had gotten untied. you definitely remembered him ruffling your hair, telling you to check before you leave the house next time.

or maybe it was when he won that volleyball game! his whole team was cheering but he only smiled when he met you in the school parking lot, a bright expression on your face and you insisting that it was time to celebrate.

but what about that time you were both randomly hanging out at a park playground? a shady guy was around the area and you definitely noticed xiao's hand reaching for yours, pulling you close and convincing you that the other side of the park was much more interesting.

you appreciated xiao. you cared about xiao. you wanted him to be happy. and of course you loved him! you didn't realize that you loved him in a romantic way until your heart dropped at a statement xiao said.

"high school love is a waste of time," xiao scowled, getting annoyed at the amount of people relentlessly pinning for him and suddenly calling him "the hottest in the grade." why were they wasting his time? and being so frustrating?

your heart crushed as you tried to calm him down, telling him to ignore them and that he was right.

was he?

so you kept your feelings to yourself. even when summer came around and it was a hot day, refusing xiao's offer to have his cold drink. you knew he already took a sip and didn't want to seem annoying but he seemed tired of your complaining, eventually shoving (gently!) the straw in your mouth.

the only thing you could think about was that you just shared an indirect kiss with xiao.

despite wanting to confess already, you knew xiao wouldn't waste time on such things and you didn't want to be unfair towards him. even as some girl kept insisting for xiao's number and you instinctively told her that you were his partner, shooing her off and getting a thank you from xiao.

if only it was real.

but it felt real. it felt incredibly real that one day you cried in the rain, the day being extremely overwhelming and you hating it. you let yourself believe that it was real as xiao dropped the umbrella he had in his hand, choosing to hold you in his arms instead and deal with a cold later. you still remember him rocking you back and forth, whispering sweet nothings in your ear and ignoring anyone who walked by.

and then the final straw happened.

this time, you were the one who crawled through his window late at night. the one who received the 3 AM text saying "i got another one." the one who held xiao in their arms as he broke down in front of you the first time, just so tired of his stupid nightmares that almost felt like reality.

you were upset, just as xiao was when he saw you break down before. most importantly, you felt like the both of you didn't deserve this. xiao didn't deserve getting such horrid nightmares while you didn't deserve him. was it even right for you to be his friend in the first place? were you even worth it? you felt like such a waste of time.

it was ironic of you telling xiao to ignore the voices in his head when you listened to yours. and he knew.

so he cradled your face in his hands, even as tears rolled down his face and made you cry too. you finally listened, not speaking a single word as xiao placed a gentle kiss on your forehead and pulled you closer.

"i love you. so so, much. don't ever forget that."

and you didn't. to this day as you peppered kisses all over xiao's face and he slow danced with you in his room. although you could hardly believe that he confessed first and he liked you as well, you were thankful.

here's to many more days with your beloved. cherish them, all the way to the end.

i think you can tell the message is to appreciate people when you can (unless they suck). ilysm and you are worth it, stay strong and hold on!! idc how cringe i sound right now you deserve beautiful, happy things.

ANYWAYS

tags: @noirkkat, @tiny-aroace, @ben6ett, @abyssheart, @starglitterz, @blisschi, @heavensbeloved, @mystic-helena, @kachuuha, @xmellows, @rim0na, @velionqs, @glazelilyy, @yanbub, @urujiako, @adeptusjade, @zaultar @seerie, @blossomiich, @xiaozuha

bold: i can’t tag you for some reason!

i just KNOW i'm gonna regret posting this tomorrow morning but i need something to post so i hope you enjoyed!!