aquatik - Tumblr blog

aquatik · 4 months

Text

justice for kaveh’s social embarrassment

FAKE BLUEPRINTS ( KAVEH )

summary ! even though he rarely goes, kaveh shows up at puspa cafe. this is the unassigned safe spot for his roommate who has a pretty good idea as to why kaveh’s around.

tags ! kaveh x fem reader, fluff, semi coffee shop au, alhaitham being a kaveh hater and kaveh being an alhaitham hater as they should be.

word count ! 1.7k

note: hi hi @scarletwritesshit i was your secret santa for the favonius library event !! i decided to write a kaveh fic for you. i hope you like it MWAH <3 🫶

What is he doing here? Alhaitham glared at Kaveh who had just entered Puspa Cafe. He set his book down on the table, keeping an arm on it so it would stay open. He watched as Kaveh went to an empty table and sat down. The table was at the other end of the room and nearest to the windows. So far, Kaveh hadn’t noticed him. Good, that’s the last thing he wanted.

Alhaitham started coming here for two reasons. One was to study without having his roommate bother him and two was to avoid him.

“Here you go.” You were bringing Alhaitham’s coffee he ordered. He looked away from Kaveh once you were in his eyesight. You held the handle of the cup and the small plate it was on. He asked for the coffee to be hot and the last thing you wanted to do was spill it all over him. Especially since he had his assignments out on the table.

“Thank you.” He said, moving some of the papers so you could place the cup down.

“What are you working on today?” You said, sitting across from Alhaitham. He handed you a sheet of paper that had writing all over it. You skimmed over the handwriting while he went back to his book. “Another language again?”

You were a student from the Akademiya as well and graduated a year ago. Much like Alhaitham, you enrolled at a young age and practically studied your entire life. After graduating, you decided to work at Puspa Cafe to relieve yourself from all the stress you’d gained over the years.

“This one is just for fun.” Alhaitham said before taking a sip of his coffee. You raised an eyebrow at him. His definition of fun was very different than you’d expect.

“(Y/N),” Enteka called out. When you looked over at her, she nodded her head towards Kaveh. Both you and Alhaitham looked in that direction. Once you saw the lonesome guest adjusting his items on the table, you shot up from your seat.

“Ah, hold on. I’ll be right back.” You said and quickly made your way over to the customer you’d missed.

“Take your time.” He mumbled, narrowing his eyes once again at Kaveh.

Alhaitham couldn’t hear the conversation, considering you were on the other side of the room, but he could tell what was being said by your mannerisms. You approached, greeting Kaveh and apologizing for not seeing him earlier. The blond dismissed it. He smiled, a lot more attentive than he usually was.

A few more minutes passed by. As far as Alhaitham is aware, you never met Kaveh while you were in the Akademiya. You might have asked him about the items he had on his table. One of those probably had a symbol relating to the Akademiya. That’s when it clicked.

Kaveh’s not here to study or to have a drink or to even relax after a day at the Akademiya. Alhaitham closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He exhaled loudly, losing his patience.

This idiot likes her. He said to himself.

You eventually left and began to help Enteka with the order. Kaveh was still in the dark about his roommate glaring from across the room.

Alhaitham closes his book and pays close attention as Kaveh does absolutely nothing with the papers on the table. He is pretending like he’s working on some assignment for his class. Drawing random lines and using random tools he brought for the fake blueprints.

When you return to his table, you have a similar cup that all guests received whenever they ordered coffee. You place it down, letting him know something else. All Alhaitham can gather is Kaveh nodding and reaching for his cup of coffee too early.

His hand knocked into the cup. Though, your hand was still lingering around so you assumed you were the one who knocked the cup over. He shot out of the booth while you stepped back. The drink spilled all over the fake blueprints. You were glad you carried a rag around with you for these exact moments.

“Oh, I apologize!” Kaveh said. “You didn’t get burned did you?” He leaned over your shoulder as you pushed the rag down on the table to gather the excess coffee. You’re more worried about the stained blueprints.

“No, I’m fine.” You smiled, showing your free hand. You were grateful you managed to pull back at the last second. “I’m very sorry. All your papers have coffee on them now.” You peeled back one of the blueprints from the table. Kaveh was getting all the sheets that thankfully didn’t get wet in the process.

“It’s alright. They weren’t that important anyway.” He said, shaking his head. “It’s really my fault. I should have waited until you put the cup down.” You gave him a dismissive wave and chuckled softly.

“Don’t worry. I’ll place a new order.” You smiled to let him know everything was fine. “If the papers weren’t that necessary, I’ll clean the mess up. In the meantime, please feel free to sit anywhere else and I’ll bring you your drink once it’s done.”

By now, Alhaitham had gone back to his book. He heard the wooden booth across from him creak. He glanced up from the page he was on to see Kaveh settling down. He was staring at you as you cleaned up the mess and then went to throw away the trash. Alhaitham shut his book, making Kaveh jump in his seat. His head whipped back to his roommate who never looked happy to see him.

“What are you doing?” Alhaitham asked, placing the book down on the table. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“You have to help me out.” Kaveh whispered. “I knocked the cup over and ruined everything.”

“No.”

“What do you mean no? How can you say no to someone in dire need?” Kaveh clicked his tongue, furrowing his eyebrows and crossing his arms in a similar gesture.

“I can’t say no to someone in need but I can say no to you.” Alhaitham said, organizing his papers. Since Kaveh thought it was a good idea to join him at the table, he’d go to Lambad’s Tavern and study there instead.

“Wait, please!” Kaveh begged. He held his hands together in a pleading manner. “I know you’re friends with her! I just need your help in asking her out on a date. Do this favor for me once and I’ll never ask for anything again.”

After a brief silence, Alhaitham let out a loud sigh.

“Fine.”

“Yes, thank you!” Kaveh exclaimed.

“There you are.” You said once you finally found where Kaveh had gone to sit. It was an odd choice since he chose to sit with Alhaitham instead of another table. “Here’s your drink again. I’m really sorry about that. Enteka said she’s not going to charge you anything.” Kaveh began reaching out to grab the new cup from your hands. You were a lot more careful this time to pass the cup.

“No, no. It was my fault.” He said, which it really was. Alhaitham rolled his eyes as his roommate continued rambling. “I was careless and—”

“Kaveh would like to ask you out on a date.” Alhaitham blurted out. The other gasped loudly. The cup clattered against the small plate underneath and his head whipped over to the grey haired male. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. You had become flustered at the sudden forwardness.

“That is— Don’t listen to him!” Kaveh set the cup down. His cheeks were beginning to turn red and pointed at Alhaitham in an accusatory way. “He’s simply making all that up!” He started to wave his hands around frantically. Alhaitham scoffed. He turned to look at you while Kaveh tried to cover up the statement.

“(Y/N), my roommate here is very shy—” Alhaitham said, motioning towards Kaveh.

“Alhaitham, stop it!” He said in return. Of course, he didn’t listen and continued to talk over him. Your eyes flicked from one to the other. You weren’t really sure of what was going on except for the fact that Kaveh might have some sort of crush on you.

“He came today to get the courage so he could ask you out on a date.” Alhaitham picked up his book along with his remaining materials and slipped out of the booth. He kept ignoring Kaveh insults which had a range in variety. They’d go from, ‘Would you shut up?’ to ‘You’re the most unreliable person in the entirety of Teyvat!’. “As you can see, he’s very interested in you. I say you can do better but I’m sure he’ll treat you well.”

“Can do better?! That’s low and you know it!” Kaveh slammed a fist on the table. His face had gone completely red from embarrassment. He placed a hand on his forehead to hide himself from you. If he’d known he would have gotten outed like this, he’d never ask Alhaitham for help.

“I did my part.” Alhaitham tucked his book underneath his arm. He stacked his papers together on the table to get them in a neat pile. “I let her know you’re interested and all you need to do is not come to Lambad’s Tavern.” He doesn’t say another word. He only gave you a knowing look and left the cafe. He didn’t even get a chance to enjoy his coffee.

You glance back at Kaveh. His head hangs, too embarrassed to look you in the eye. His whole plan had been ruined when he knocked his drink over but Alhaitham somehow managed to make things worse.

“That was mean of him to do that to you.” You spoke up and sat in the empty spot Alhaitham was once at. You glanced over at the door to see if any new customers were arriving. “Is he always like that with you?” Kaveh rubbed the back of his neck before clearing his throat.

“We have our moments. I simply didn’t expect him to do all… That.” He averted his eyes again. “Listen, you can ignore him. I understand he took things too far with what he said.”

“It’s fine. I know Alhaitham can be hard to deal with.” You said. You checked the area. There weren’t too many people in the cafe. The ones that did remain were guests you’d already attended to. Enteka is usually willing to let you go early around these times. “Well, if you’re not too busy at the moment. I’d like to go on that date with you.”

Kaveh’s spirits were lifted up. He raised his eyebrows, a soft pink hue covering his cheeks. Maybe he should say thank you to Alhaitham for once.

#favoniuslibrary #genshin impact x reader #kaveh x reader

116 notes · View notes

aquatik · 4 months

Text

diluc and ayato bestie agenda being pushed >>>

kat did an amazing job as always <3

INAZUMA COMMISSIONS ( DILUC RAGNVINDR )

summary ! in an attempt to give diluc the best present for secret santa, you spend some time to know more about him. though, the dawn winery owner has some unique tastes.

tags ! diluc ragnvindr x fem reader, fluff

word count ! 5.2k

note: hello hello @umgatochamadopercyval !! i got you for the @2023gisecretsanta event 🫶 i got a little carried away so i’m very sorry for the word length 😭 either way, i hope you enjoy it MWAH <3 i had a lot of fun writing this for you !!

When Barbara approached you asking if you’d like to be part of her Secret Santa event, you immediately agreed. She said she was going around inviting people she knew would be interested in participating.

You asked her who else had decided to participate in the event and she named a few others. Lisa, Kaeya, Sucrose, Venti, a few sisters from the Cathedral, Eury, Donna. All people you knew well since they constantly came to Good Hunter and you spoke to them while they waited for their food.

Barbara said she was still asking people to join. So once she had an even number, she’d go down a list and have them pick out a paper to see who their Secret Santa was. Everyone would get a month to find the gifts. Then, the gifts would be revealed at a Christmas party she was working on.

Nearly a week and a half after that, Barbara came rushing over to Good Hunter with a small bag in her hand. She was her usual cheerful self and more now since the Secret Santa event she planned out.

“(Y/N)! Do you have a moment?” Barbara asked, waving and standing near the side of the stall. She had been waiting to see when it would be available. Her smile showed just how excited she was.

“Give a second!” You said, smiling as well. After taking the current order and the customer went to sit down at one of the tables, Barbara approached. She showed off the small brown bag and you knew what she was hinting at. “How many people did you get to join?” You asked, making sure to wipe your hands clean.

“I got thirty people!” She said, holding the bag open. The number made your eyebrows raise. Barbara was very serious about this. You peered inside the bag. Small red and green sheets of paper were mixed together. The amount was smaller than what Barbara had said so you assumed she already went to some of the people.

You reached in, grabbing one of the slips at the bottom of the bag and pulled out a red slip. Barbara closed the bag once you got your person. She made sure the strings on the bag were tight so nothing would fall out.

“Could you check it to make sure you didn’t pull your own name?” She asked. You nodded your head.

“Of course!” You said, opening the slip of paper. You wondered whose name you ended up getting out of the bag. It would make shopping and searching for someone’s gift a fun experience. Hopefully it was Lisa. There were several new books you wanted to get for her and replace a few worn out books in her library. That was until you read the name of the person who would give you the most trouble searching for a gift.

Your smile faded slightly. In black ink, Barbara had written Diluc’s name on your slip. Her star and balloon drawn decorations on the paper made it more exciting than it actually was. Of all thirty people who decided to participate, you were the unlucky one stuck with Diluc. He wasn’t a bad person but you didn’t really know enough about him.

“Nope. Didn’t get my own name.” You said to Barbara, folding the paper in half again.

“Great! Thank you again for joining!” She exclaimed happily. “Remember not to tell anyone and you have a month from now.”

She waved before heading off. She needed to catch the rest of the people and hopefully finish this by the end of the day. As she sped towards the building of the Knights, you stared at her cursive handwriting.

The red haired male came into your mind. What were you going to get Diluc for Christmas? He was a reserved character. You couldn’t name a single thing he liked except grape juice. And there wasn’t anything else that stood out about him that would remind you of him.

For example, if it were Klee, you could have gotten her a new book bag or matching hats for her and Dodoco. Sucrose would be happy to get a new chemistry set. She definitely needed one after breaking a few beakers. Whereas Diluc… Nothing.

You started to think about certain gifts. Candles were a good option if that didn’t scream, ‘I don’t know you’. He never wore accessories. No rings, necklaces, or bracelets. Perhaps he didn’t like them but a hairpin from Liyue would be worth the trip. You let out a frustrated sigh, scratching the back of your head.

Was there anyone who knew what he liked that you could ask them?

Well, there were a few people. Now that you think about it, asking them probably isn’t a good idea either. Donna was off the table. You aren’t sure how far her title as a fan of Diluc’s went. And you also didn’t know if Barbara had asked her to be part of the event. That means Donna would definitely get jealous since you got the person she wanted.

Next was Kaeya. Asking him was fifty—fifty. He was rather sneaky and playful. Definitely the type of person to come up with a lie so you’d gift Diluc something he hated all because Kaeya wanted to mess with him. Or maybe you’d get the lucky half and he would be kind enough to actually say something his brother likes.

Then the people who worked for Diluc were also not a good choice. For one, you didn’t know them well enough to know if they’d keep this a secret. Two, they probably didn’t know Diluc well enough to tell you what he liked or disliked the most.

You were already stressed out, even if you had an entire month. You carefully stuffed the slip of paper into the front pocket of your apron. Thankfully, you were going on your break soon. You tapped your fingers on the countertop as you thought of what to do.

The worst idea yet came to your mind. You were just going to have to ask Diluc himself. You can't blurt out and reveal you got him for the Secret Santa event. Since your conversations with him are very brief, in order to do this, it needs to be in the most discreet manner possible. That way, it won’t make him get suspicious of you.

“Diluc!” He heard his name being called. Instinctively, he looked over at the tavern entrance after passing a customer their drink. He saw you approaching the bar while smiling at him. “How are you?”

“(Y/N).” Diluc gave a curt nod and picked up an empty glass cup. You sat down on a stool, watching him clean the area for you with a wet rag. “It’s good to see you. I’m doing fine. I assume your shift has ended?” He motioned to your uniform. You occasionally came to Angel’s Share when you were off the clock. It was just to relax for a few minutes and socialize before heading home for the day.

“I’m on my break right now.” You said. You scouted the first floor to see who was here. The floor was nearly deserted, only consisting of the tavern’s usual customers. You turned back to Diluc, thinking about the slip with his name on it in your pocket. “What about you? Are you leaving soon?”

“No. I may be here all day.” Diluc said. You needed to make this worth the while. No way were you leaving the city to go all the way to the winery. “Charles wasn’t feeling well.”

He finished wiping down the counter and threw the rag over his shoulder. He didn’t have his coat on since the tavern was relatively warm. The weather outside was getting colder as the days went on.

“What can I get for you?” He asked.

“A berry and mint burst.” It was what you normally got whenever you paid a visit.

As Diluc grabbed one of the glasses to make your drink, you thought this would be a good time to ease into the conversation. He seemed concentrated on making your drink so he probably might not be too responsive. Either way, you needed to try.

“I feel like we don’t talk a lot.” You said, as Diluc poured the light blue liquid into the cup. He let out a confused hum at your statement and set the bottle back down. He stepped away from the counter, searching for the remaining ingredients that belonged in your drink.

“And what do you mean by that?” He sounded as intimidating and serious as he always did.

“We don’t talk a lot.” You said. He carefully pushed your drink in your direction. “I think we’re more acquaintances than friends. Don’t you?” You grabbed your drink in one hand.

Diluc rested on the counter as he narrowed his eyes at you. His gaze seemed to be studying you instead of being mad at something you said. The guy sitting next to you left a few Mora on the countertop and left the tavern. He also left behind two cups to be picked up and cleaned.

“I say the same, yes.” Diluc said, scooping the Mora on the wooden counter.

His responses are repeats of what you say. It makes it feel like he’s simply not interested in having a conversation. Plus, he is always seen with an uninterested expression. His personality is nowhere near Kaeya’s.

Getting Diluc to talk is harder than you thought. At this point, you wanted to be straightforward and admit what you were truly here for.

“What’s your favorite thing about yourself?” You suddenly asked. Too strong of a question. He would figure out what your intentions were by it. Diluc raised an eyebrow as he dried one of the cups with a different rag than the one from earlier.

“What’s my favorite thing about myself?” He repeated your question. He glanced down at the cup before turning around. He sorted it out with the stack of cups used by tavern customers. You heard him say the question again but much lower this time. Eventually, he crossed his arms, staring at the wall before giving his answer. “I love my long, luscious and luxurious red hair.”

“Wait— What?” You sputtered.

“I answered your question. My favorite thing about myself is my hair.” Diluc faced you. He had his normal stoic expression. Was he telling the truth or poorly executing a joke? You squint your eyes. Diluc’s hair was well taken care of. Out of all his features, his hair and the color of it stood out the most. The length of it also suited him. Diluc with short hair was like a nightmare. Maybe because he never wore it in any other style except his ponytail. “Is that not something I can say?”

“No, no,” You said, taking a sip from your drink. The minty taste made your eyes water. “I didn’t expect you to say that. I thought you would have said your eyes. Your hair is really pretty.”

He managed to make his hair look like silk. There had been times you were tempted to touch it. As you put your cup back on the wooden counter, you thought of your next question.

“How do you get your hair to look like that?” You placed your chin on the palm of your hand. Whatever routine he said, you might need to start using it.

“Slime condensate.” Diluc petted the tips of his hair. Your expression changed to one of disbelief. “It needs to be the thick hydro slimes from Inazuma. I like to get them from Watatsumi Island since the area is surrounded by water.”

You had to take some time to process what he said. The infamous Dawn Winery owner put slime in his hair to keep it “luscious” and “luxurious” at all times. You had never heard of anyone putting slime in their hair. You scratched the top of your head. Whenever Diluc said something new about himself, the idea of giving him a gift for this event seemed impossible.

That wasn’t the only time you went to Angel’s Share. You went back for an entire week, trying to pry information out of Diluc. There needed to be one thing he liked and was willing to share with you. The only problem with that was to have him stop talking about his hair.

“I love my hair color. Did you know it’s natural?”

“It’s so hard to keep it this soft. If the slime isn’t from Inazuma, my hair gets all tangled.”

“Cut it? No, I’d never cut it. I’ve been growing it out since I was a child. My father’s hair was exactly like mine.”

You didn’t take him as the narcissist type or the kind of person to be full of himself.

Your last hope at getting him a gift was what he used for his hair. Diluc let you know what the process to get the slime condensate was. He said it is called an extraction. It was harmless to the slimes. In order for this to happen, he or someone else would grab hold of a slime. As this is going on, the other person will begin to pluck out condensate from under the bottom part.

You weren’t going to make it to Inazuma and return to Mondstadt in time for the party.

Sara went with you to find Herta and ask her to send your commission over to Inazuma. She was a little skeptical at how overly specific but she said with enough Mora, someone over there would be willing to take up the challenge.

That was two weeks ago. The party was in a week from now. You started to panic. Did no one take up your commission? You asked Lumine to take an impromptu trip to Liyue and see what items you could find.

She agreed. The Honorary Knight protected you along the way. Thankfully, there weren’t any monsters that attacked you on your trip. Liyue had rarer beauties that cost a lot more. In the end, it was going to be worth it. You found the gift after hours of searching. This was reserved only if the condensate didn’t make it to Mondstadt on time.

“Pardon me,” A tall, unknown man approached since there wasn’t a line. You could tell he was from another region. He had a box underneath his arm. His white, puffy coat covered his entire body. The hood he had on covered the majority of his blue hair. With good reason. The cold weather this year was entirely different. At least you were near the fire. “My name is Kamisato Ayato. I’m looking for a lady by the name of (Y/N). She requested a commission in Inazuma.”

“That’s me.” You said.

“Ah, wonderful. This makes it all the much easier.” He placed the box on top of the counter. The gloves he was currently wearing were white while the inside had a sort of dark purple lining. He removed the hood from over his head, settling his hands on top of the mysterious box. “The person who did your commission told me to be very careful with it. He said he went out of his way to make it the very best.”

“Did you come all this way just to deliver it yourself?” You felt a little guilty but Ayato let out a chuckle.

“No, no. I’m the leader of the Yashiro Commission.” He waved his hand, “I’m in Mondstadt for the holidays. I thought it was a good idea to bring over your commission. That way you wouldn’t have to wait too long.” He patted the box before insisting you take it.

You pulled the box over, noticing how heavy it was.

“Anyway, everything has already been paid for on our end.” Ayato said, adjusting his coat. “I was also told to pass on a message to you. If you had any more… Specific commissions to be done in Inazuma, simply request for Arataki Itto. He’s more than willing to help.”

That must have been the guy who did your commission. You hope to meet him in person one day to thank him over and over for what he did.

“Thank you very much.” You flashed Ayato a smile. He did the same in return, “Enjoy your holidays and your stay in Mondstadt!”

“Thank you,” He bowed his head, “The same goes to you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.”

As soon as Ayato was gone, you decided it was a good idea to open the box. Your jaw dropped at the contents. It was a lot more than you had asked for. Considering what was given, you had definitely underpaid this Itto guy. Either he was a perfectionist or he was extremely reckless.

The jars of slime were actually much bigger than you expected. Maybe you should have been specific on that as well. How many hydro slimes on Watatsumi Island had to undergo an extraction to get all this condensate? Even though Diluc said the extraction process is not harmful for the slimes and they’re constantly growing, you’re starting to feel bad for them.

At least it arrived at a good time before the party. With the slime condensate here, your gift for Diluc was ready. But you had both items. There wasn’t any point in keeping the second gift for yourself. Maybe it would give you a hint on what Diluc likes. Hopefully next year, Donna was the one stuck with him instead of you.

The party was being hosted at Angel’s Share. It was closed for the holiday and with his permission, Diluc allowed Barbara to have the party there. So long as she prepared all the decorations and food. He didn’t mind making the drinks since it would allow him to keep a better eye on Venti.

When you arrived, the ongoing scene was a bit of a mess. Barbara was apologizing profusely to someone. You recognized one of them. Ayato, the man from the other day. He laughed loudly when he noticed Barbara beginning to tear up. Next to him was a girl who had similar features. She chuckled softly when Ayato hugged Barbara and reassured her everything was fine. The girl had to be related to him.

“You’re here.” You heard Diluc’s voice. He had been at the bar but spotted you as soon as you came through the door. His eyes landed on the gift you were holding. “If you’d like, you can leave that over there. Barbara said we’ll open the gifts after eating and once everyone is here.” Diluc motioned to a round table in a corner. Several of the partygoers left their gifts either on the table or on the floor. Some were big, others small. You were curious to find out which one was meant for you.

“Okay, thanks.” You went over to the table and placed the gift next to one that was the same size. You weren’t about to carry that around all night. The glass jars were too heavy for that.

After you put your gift with the rest, you decided to join the rest of the crowd.

You found out that Kamisato Ayato was Diluc’s closest friend. He and his sister, Ayaka, came to Mondstadt to celebrate the holiday with Diluc. Last year, he was the one who went to Inazuma to visit the siblings. Barbara was apologizing because she didn’t know they would be here. And if she did, she’d prepare a gift so that neither would feel left out. They let her know it was an unforeseen event and she had no reason to apologize.

Bennett and Fischl were the last to arrive. Afterwards, Barbara asked everyone to come to the first floor and get their gifts so she could explain the rules. You placed yours underneath your chair. Jean sat next to you, keeping hers on her lap and making small talk about who she guessed you had.

The table in the corner was soon empty. Whoever went first, the person who received the gift would go next. So on and so on until all gifts were exchanged.

Donna decided to start the chain off. For an odd reason, she had two gifts. You all gave each other the same knowing look. One gift was meant for her Secret Santa and the other was obviously meant for Diluc. If anything, you were already aware she had selected a better choice in present for him. Except Barbara didn’t let her give it to him right away and told her to wait until everything was over.

She had Bennett. From Bennett, it went over to Klee. He had gifted the little girl a new backpack and a tiny one for Dodoco. Klee’s gift went to Razor. He might have been the happiest one from the night. Eventually the chain went around to Albedo who had just opened his gift from Lisa.

“For my Secret Santa, I got (Y/N).” Albedo handed you a wrapped box.

It had candy canes all over the paper and a giant bow on the top. You heard some rustling inside. You tore the wrapping paper off the sides. Removing it fully, you opened the box and your eyes widened in astonishment. Albedo had carefully packaged two glass cloches beside each other. They contained flowers sprouting on the inside. He went as far as adding grass to the base and making it seem like a small garden.

“I managed to find a way to preserve cecilias and glaze lilies.” He explained and helped you take one of them out to show everyone else. “I remember you said they’re your favorite flowers. These will never die even if you take the glass off of them. And you won’t need to water them either.”

“Thank you so much, Albedo!” You said, opening up one arm to give him a hug. He reciprocated the action. “And I love how you painted butterflies on the glass domes!”

“Actually, they’re called cloches.” Ayato corrected from across the room, making your attention go from Albedo to him. Ayaka ended up smacking his knee with her fan. The entire room let out a collective laugh at the two siblings bickering.

Your eyes drifted over to Diluc who sat next to the Kamisato siblings. It seemed like he already knew he was going to be next. Both of his hands are on his lap, waiting to get his gift. He was staring at you intently and tapping his gloved hand against his thigh. You set Albedo’s gift next to your chair with extra care.

“My gift is to Diluc.” You said. You slid out the wrapped box from underneath your chair. You had both your hands holding the bottom side of the box. Watching your step, you made your way to the other side of the room where Diluc was.

“Ah, this should be interesting.” Ayato said with a grin on his face. He shifted in his chair, body leaning towards his friend. He seemed more interested in the gift than the person who was receiving it.

“It’s heavy.” You said, nervously. You gently handed it over to Diluc.

“Thank you.” He took it in his arms and placed it on the floor between his feet. Ayato moved his chair closer to get a better view of what your gift to his best friend would be. Diluc waited until you sat back down in your chair. He began to unwrap the ribbon you’d tied around the entire box. He pulled on one edge of the lace, allowing it to unravel on its own.

After that was over, he lifted off the top of the box. You watched anxiously to see his reaction to your gift. When Diluc saw what was inside, a small smirk came on his lips. Meanwhile, Ayato scrunched up his eyebrows at the peculiar choice. He realized what the items were and why exactly your commission had been such a weird request.

Diluc kept the lid on his lap. He crouched over in his chair and pulled out one of the seven items inside.

In his hands, Diluc held a glass jar filled to the top with slime condensate. There wasn't only one in there. You had asked for a minimum of three jars in your commission and sent over enough Mora for their troubles. But, being the nice person he was, Itto decided to get you a total of—

“Six jars of slime condensate.” Diluc held it up in the air as if he was examining it. You started to feel a little embarrassed when he spun it around and showed it off the rest of the crowd. They each side eyed each other, wondering what kind of present that was. You actively avoided their gazes as they questioned your choice. Why did he have to start off with the worst gift? “I’m assuming they come from Watatsumi Island?” He said in a slight teasing tone.

Diluc’s lips twitched upwards when he glanced over at you. He shook the jar a little, the slime bouncing around. It clinked against the other jars as he carefully set it back into the gift box. Next, he moved onto the second gift. Right beside all of the six jars was a dark red jewelry box. It had a geo symbol carved on the top which Diluc knew you got it from Liyue.

He placed it on his lap and cautiously opened it since he wasn’t sure of what was inside. Inside, the box had a black velvety texture. It had two separate sections. Ayato heard his friend let out a small snicker before composing himself and turning it around for the remaining partygoers to see.

“It’s a matching hairbrush and a hair comb.” Diluc said.

Both the brush and comb were designed to be the same. They had been marbleized with red and gold. What stood out the most was the hair comb. The accessory had been made to resemble a phoenix. Its wings were outstretched and the beak pointed upwards. If placed in the hair correctly, it was supposed to give off the illusion the phoenix was flying.

“Oh, how beautiful.” Ayaka silently complimented.

The jewelry box closed with a snap and Diluc set it beside the six jars of slime condensate. He closed the lid of his gift and a wide smile spread on his face. For some reason, you felt like he found this entire situation hilarious.

“Thank you, (Y/N). I’m especially grateful for the slime.” He said. Diluc cleared his throat right after and the smile disappeared. He ended up picking up his gift and announced who his Secret Santa was. “My gift is to Sucrose.”

The remaining gifts were passed around until everyone had opened their gifts. They were all thoughtful and generous.

Everyone loved their gifts and it was perfect for their personalities. Yet, your eyes kept looking over at Diluc’s present. He had to be lying. The party continued as normal. People broke off into their separate groups, ate the remaining leftovers and treats, and played a few games. The gifts, held dear in everyone’s hearts, were forgotten at the moment.

An hour passed and you thought it would be a good time to leave the party. You put your coat on as well as your gloves. Thankfully, you didn’t live too far from the tavern. There should still be a few guards patrolling the city in case of intruders.

“I’m going to be leaving now.” You said to Barbara while holding your gift from Albedo. You wanted to thank him again only to find out he’d left with Klee a long time ago. The little girl was starting to get sleepy and tried to play it off that she wasn’t tired.

“You are? Aw, I wanted you to stay a little longer!” Barbara said. Diluc overheard your conversation and he had already slipped on his red jacket.

“Allow me to walk you home. I insist.” He said, opening the tavern door. Cold air rushed in causing his cheeks and nose to get rosy. “Barbara, if I don’t return soon and everyone has left, don’t worry about cleaning the mess. Head home as well.” He instructed before leaving the tavern right after you.

The door closed. Diluc fixed his jacket as he began following you.

He only had plans to drop you off at your home safely and return to the tavern. You were both walking in silence. You glanced out the corner of your eye. Diluc’s hands were in his pockets. He had a small smile on his face. It was starting to get to you. The smile had the appearance he knew something and purposely refused to tell you what it was. You exhaled loudly, deciding to confront and get it over with. It would be better for him to be honest.

“You didn’t like your gift… Did you?” You asked, stopping in your tracks. You tilted your head to the side and turned to face him.

“I did like my gift. Why would you ask that question?” He answered.

“Why are you smiling like that then?” You nodded your head. It was really in the most innocent and subconscious manner. Diluc didn’t want you to take it the wrong way so it was a good time to come clean. Especially since the hunt for gifts and the party was over. He left his gift in the tavern, right behind the bar counter so no one would find it.

“I have something to admit.” He said.

Oh. Your eyes widened slightly. You took a step back. Donna was going to be mad.

“I lied to you. I don’t actually use slime condensate in my hair.”

Oh. You narrowed your eyes at the man standing in front of you. Scratch that, you were going to be mad. The smile on Diluc’s face grew a lot more visible.

“What?” You finally spoke up. “You’re joking, right?”

“No. I’m not joking.” He shook his head. Your jaw dropped at the confirmation. “I don’t use it. If anyone does, they must be out of their mind to put that in their hair.”

“So you were faking the entire time?!” You shouted. He had led you to believe his hair was his favorite feature and that he cared for it the most. All those times he complained about running low on slime and he might need to find a replacement before getting his new stash from Inazuma. Pure lies he made on the spot. He was so convincing, you thought all he loved in life was slime condensate. “Diluc, you’re such a jerk!” You would have punched him if you weren’t carrying your gift. He grinned briefly at your weak insult.

“Is it my fault you were terrible at hiding you had me for Secret Santa?” He said. He began to walk again and you sped up to join him. You had to be honest. Your attempts were very pitiful when you spoke with Diluc that entire week. It’s much easier to talk with him at the moment than beforehand. “Though, I like your gift more than Donna’s.”

That’s an accomplishment.

“Are you sure six jars were necessary?”

“Leave me alone.”

#gixrsecretsanta2023 #favoniuslibrary #genshin impact x reader #diluc ragnvindr x reader #diluc x reader #genshin x reader

171 notes · View notes

aquatik · 4 months

Text

HI SOL OMG ITS SO NICE TO FINALLY MEET YOU <3

i love love LOVE the way you characterized ayato, ur so right mihoyo did him dirty let us do the character writing atp 😐✋

you did amazing i love this so much <3 (and i did understand chess wooo!! LFMAOAO)

you can run but you can’t hide.

SYNOPSIS: i’m gonna make you mine (or in other words, a game of chess with ayato.) | word count: 0.7k

characters: ayato x gn!reader

categories: fluff, ig slight angst, scenario

warnings: the banter could be considered slightly suggestive?? chess terminology that may be inaccurate, threats of violence as a joke, one swear, ayato is a little bit of an ass (read my notes!)

notes: title is from a song, not someone’s elemental burst btw. forever a hater of the fact that hoyo boiled down ayato’s personality to liking boba, being ayaka’s brother + head commissioner, and politeness. we’re giving him banter and snark bc i said so /hj

surprise @aquatik !! i’m your secret santa >:DD im a little rusty when it comes to writing TwT and this fic style is kind of different from my usual so!! i hope you enjoy this fic & my interpretation of him heh. and have a happy holiday!!

You wanted to strangle him.

Tension was laced through the air, a fine weaving of intricate ribbon that wrapped around your shoulders and settled softly, but not unnoticeably. A featherlight weight that demanded acknowledgement. The white knight in front of you was mocking, horse head positioned carefully to swipe your bishop with no way of getting out of it.

Ayato watched on in glee. A delicate smirk laid out on his refined face.

With a sigh, you continued to mull over your painstaking next move. His pieces had begun to dominate your side of the board with a few of yours off to the side by his arm. Ayato laced his fingers together, rested his chin on the back of his hands, and huffed in amusement.

“If you keep staring at me like that, I’m just not going to take my turn,” you remarked with a scowl, glaring at him from across the table. He cocked his head, expression not wavering.

“Like what?”

“Like you’ve already won,” you stated, looking back down at the pieces still on the board, “like you’ve already beat me before this is even over.”

“But,” a gloved finger came to rest on his chin as he cheerfully quipped back, “haven't I?”

“This game is not over until one of us officially knocks down the opponent’s king.” You moved a pawn. D5.

“Are you sure?” White pawn C4.

“Positive.” Your pawn to C4. Queen’s Gambit accepted. His piece sat off the board to your right.

“You know.” His knight took your bishop; your queen took his knight. “I have told you that I was a master at this, darling.”

“Master at what?” You opened up your last bishop. “Running your mouth?” A flimsy checkmate was secured.

Ayato laughed, a hearty sound that came from deep in his chest and frothed in his throat when it reached the top.

“It’s wonderful playing with you, my love, you know that?”

“No,” you felt the beginnings of a smile appear as you spoke, “I don’t. Please tell me more.”

His queen was gone but so were both of your knights. Yet he still grinned.

“Oops.” Rooks cornered your king despite the placement of your queen, effectively pushing the useless royal to the corner. Ayato smiled, eyes closed as he folded his hands neatly in his lap.

“Checkmate.”

You scoured the board, looking for a brief slip up on his end, for any open area, before sighing, “Good game, love.”

“An excellent one indeed.” His eyes alight with mirth and tease foretold what he was about to say next. “Although, maybe practicing with someone more of your caliber may do you some good.”

The small kingdom shook and chess pieces fell, rooks and queens rolling off the table as both kings toppled.

Slammed in the centre, a crater in the checkered pattern, was your hand. Chair shoved back, you had abruptly stood and scraped the furniture against dark wood. Ayato raised his sight up a slight amount, cheekiness in his giggles while you glowered back. He stood, gaze locked with yours as he leaned in.

Before a single new word could fall from his lips, you had pulled him by the soft material of his robe, fabric melting under your touch.

“I was trying to be nice,” you grumbled. From outer eyes, anyone could have mistaken it for utter hatred. Between the two of you, the venom was neutral; Ayato wouldn’t find real malice behind the things you said.

“As was I.”

“I fear for the officials you meet on a daily basis if this is your ‘nice’.”

His smile fell, not from his face or in the way those games that laid about on the floor, but into something softer; warm and homey. He placed a hand over the one clutched to his clothing.

“It’s a good thing it’s the holiday season then, isn’t it?” He bumped his forehead against yours over the table, position awkward yet he made do. “Means I’m all yours.”

You faked annoyance, a roll of the eyes followed by a scoff, but the smile that threatened to split your face said it all.

“Oh poor me. However will I manage?” You replied before tugging and locking your lips with his.

#ayato x reader #genshin impact x reader #gixrsecretsanta2023 #i kid you not i was so excited to see who u were #thank you sol <33

142 notes · View notes

aquatik · 4 months

Note

all done dusted and posted!! hope you enjoy your gift :DD

your secret santa

OMGOGMOGMGOGMGOGMGOGMG IM GOING 🏃🏃

so excited to read muehehehe

0 notes

aquatik · 4 months

Text

it’s cold outside , neuvillette 𓆝

synopsis from the shark lover -> not many know much about fontaine’s iudex, but one thing is for sure he does not particularly like the cold. so there must be a reason behind him wanting to visit one of the coldest places on teyvat, right?

@franciosn merry christmas! hi, its your secret santa for @2023gisecretsanta :) i tried to include a little bit of furina and kept it as canon as i could! hope you enjoy <3

genshin impact masterlist

characters -> neuvillette x reader, furina appearance

word count -> 2.2k

content -> oneshot; fluff, (mostly)true cannon, pre-archon quest, mutual pinning, friends to future lovers — gender neutral reader

the people of fontaine know little of their chief justice, truthfully speaking. it was rare to see the iudex out on the lively streets of the court of fontaine where countless gathered and proceeded with their lives. if it wasn’t for his consistent appearance in opera epiclese seated at the chief justice’s post, the people of fontaine would’ve assumed he was a phantom in their nation.

nobody knows his true name as he wishes to be referred to as his surname.

he has always rejected any form of relationship with the people of fontaine outside of the court in order to remain professional. the only exception to this is the melusines, as he is always found sporting a small smile whenever talking to them. he’s truly does view them as the pride of fontaine.

and most importantly, he’s never been seen absent from the opera epiclese, ever so dedicated to his role as the chief justice of fontaine.

at least, this is what furina knows.

“EHHH!” furina exclaimed, shaking her hands outwards in disagreement. “No, no, no, that won’t do! Who’s going to be here to—uhm—run the court proceedings! Yes, run the court proceedings!” she smirked triumphantly, her hands resting on her hips.

she huffed proudly, taking a few steps towards neuvillette, “my dear iudex, you can’t simply abandon your post…what about all of the cases?”

she can confidently say she knows her chief justices by the back of her hand, in and out after all these years they’ve worked together. so why on teyvat would he be requesting a leave?

granted it was only for 5 days, but five days is five days! he’s never requested a leave, even refusing to take sick days!

he sighed, turning away to grab a glass of water, “lady furina, correct me if i’m wrong, but aren’t you the god of justice, focalors? surely you can handle a few days dealing with court proceedings, can't you?” he responded, fighting a chuckle from erupting from his throat at the expression now casted on her face.

“b-but—you don’t even like the cold! why in the name of teyvat would you visit one of the coldest places in the seven nations!” she stammered, taking small but quick steps towards him.

he was drinking from his glass, and she glanced to the side to see the glass bottle labeled from the cider lake found in mondstadt. she recalls him mentioning how the water in mondstadt had crisp and pure notes, not that she ever could tell the difference between the different waters of the nations. but wait, mondstadt?

she glanced back over at the chief justice who was still drinking from his glass, but the clear vessel gave furina a straight reflection on the light pink dusting his cheeks. on that note, she could also see the tips of his ears blushing the same color.

she recalls again the faint whispers of rumors of the recent appearances of the chief justices in the the streets, who recently began glancing at one specific floral vendor stand. it was common for this vendor to have a lot of visitors, after all, they offered flowers from the seven different regions. what was uncommon was for the iudex of fontaine to consistently begin visiting the vendor, leaving every time with a bouquet.

many thought their chief justice had a secret lover that he kept buying arrangements for, but furina knew otherwise. after all, how could she be the god of justice if she couldn’t solve such a simple case. it was clear to her: the secret lover, or at least, the one who caught his eye was the florist themself.

well it would explain why new vases of freshly cut and cared for flowers kept filling his office.

he shook his head, clearing his throat as he put the glass down, “well? am i wrong, lady furina?” he attempted to distract her, but he could see the playfulness in her eyes.

furina smirked knowingly at the distant view in the chief justice’s eyes, “fine, fine. i suppose i can handle the court for a few days…i will cast judgment upon our courts!” she exclaimed, laughing while one hand rested over her stomach, the other lifting her top hat as she twirled it in the air.

such theatrics only fitting for their archon.

“monsieur neuvillette, are you sure you can accompany me?” you asked, reaching to grab your travel bag. “i should be fine on my own, you needn’t worry about me.”

the iudex chuckled gently, shaking his head, “like i said, i’ve been meaning to visit myself. it’s no worries.”

as you both walked to romaritime harbor, you hummed. “monsieur, if you don’t mind me asking…” you started, waiting for his response.

he nodded, “please, go on. you have no reason to hesitate to ask me any questions.” he answered.

“well, forgive me if it’s forward, but why must you visit dragonspine?”

his eyes widened ever so slightly and you began to wonder if you indeed did overstep. before you could correct yourself, he gently laughed.

“i suppose i didn't say why. please forgive me,” he said, turning to you. “i have a particular— well, i guess you could call it a hobby. i like drinking and tasting different waters. i’ve heard the water in dragonspine has a distinct taste to it, and it’s best to drink it as fresh as possible.”

you hummed once again, nodding, “well that does make sense. different minerals and the area surrounding the water source do play a role in the taste of the water, i’d suppose.”

his eyes widened gently again and this time he turned away. what you didn’t know is that usually whenever he brought up this hobby of his, people usually brushed it off, saying that all water tasted the same.

strange…what was that feeling in his chest…

he paid no mind to it further and you both continued your journey to romaritime harbor.

after you both made it to the romaritime harbor, you landed in qingce village. from there, you both began to travel towards the city of freedom. you both had planned to stay the night at an inn and in the morning head off to dragonspine.

“you said it was a variety of cecilia you were looking for, correct?” neuvillette asked as you both entered the borders of the land of anemo.

“correct!” you answered with a small smile. you walked over to a small patch of cecilia’s you had spotted. crouching down, your palm rested on the petals of the white flower. “cecilia’s are a flower native to mondstadt. once when i was exploring the foot dragonspine, i found a different variety which grew in the colder climates. truthfully, those cecilia’s started my love for botany.”

neuvillette hummed, crouching down to your level. you glanced over at him and saw a rather serious expression, failing to notice his eyes softening.

you thought he was bored of your conversation but before you could apologize he hummed, “could you tell me more?”

“tell you more…?” you spoke with a hint of surprise in your voice.

he cleared his throat, standing back up, “well, yes. or perhaps that may be a conversation better suited for tomorrow’s expedition.”

you nodded, enjoying the subtle breeze passing by the both of you. “right…good idea. it’s about time to check in anyways.”

“monsieur neuvillette, are you sure you don’t require another jacket? i’d be more than willing to get you another one—“

“it's quite alright, i don’t mind the cold,” he spoke through chattering teeth, betraying his words. even so, you found it rude to push otherwise.

you both barely began to tread up the snow covered path and you could already tell he was uncomfortable by the cold. you had heard before how monsieur neuvillette wasn’t the most comfortable with the cold, which is why you found it strange he wanted to accompany you in the first place. surely there were companies that could send over dragonspine water?

nevertheless you sighed, rubbing your hands to create heat through friction, “alright, if you say so…”

besides the cold, the path up dragonspine always amazed you with its beauty. you could even see neuvillette appreciating said beauty though his shivering.

your original goal was to make it to starglow cavern, it’s where you’ve found the most cecilia’s in dragonspine in the past. but from the looks of it, you might have to call it early. you both made it to the entombed city and try as he might, you could tell neuvillette was starting to get uncomfortable with the cold.

“there should be a small patch of the cecilia’s up ahead from what i remember. we can grab those and head back down.”

neuvillette hummed, speaking through a shiver, “but surely you need much more than a small patch…”

you nodded, turning over to him, “well yes, but i’d rather not compromise your well-being. you might develop a cold at this rate,” you said, pointing at his nose how it had become red with the cold. strangely enough, it became redder in color when you called it out.

you turned around quickly, not wanting to keep him in this weather, “i think i see a few up ahead!” you began walking quicker as neuvillette followed your snow covered footprints.

and you were right, there was a patch of cecilia’s that had a distinct blue glow to them. you hypothesized a while back that they adapted to the climate of the mountains and this was the result of that adaptation. you carefully picked them and placed them into your basket that was lined with cryo packets to keep them fresh.

you hummed gleefully, “alright, let’s go!”

neuvillette sighed, shaking his head, “my apologies, i didn’t mean to cut your trip short…”

“it’s alright, sometimes we don’t know our own limits,” you smiled gently at him. “now come on, i don’t want to be responsible for getting the iudex sick.”

he wordlessly took the basket from you, carrying it for you as you both began to descend the portion of the mountain. “rest assured, i rarely get sick.”

“then let me make sure this isn’t one of those rare occasions,” you playfully added.

neuvillette was waiting for you in front of the gates of mondstadt as you both had agreed on last night once returning from dragonspine. it had been about 10 minutes after your agreed time and he was beginning to worry. at this point, he almost contemplated warning a guard, but he was your figure walking towards the gates.

your eyes widened. you didn’t expect him to be at the gates yet, wasn’t your meeting time in an hour? that’s when it hit you: you might’ve lost track of time.

“where have you been? i was starting to worry…” he started, walking towards you.

you laughed sheepishly, “sorry, i got sidetracked. but here, this is for you!” you said, reaching into your travel bag to get a flask of water. “i have a few more in my bag, don’t worry, it should stay fresh with the cryo packets.”

while you were explaining how the water should hopefully taste fresh, he had to think for a moment. water? well, yes. that was the original purpose he came along with you, or so everyone thought. but as he looked at you, you seemed to be in the same outfit from when you both went up dragonspine…

“thank you. but, did you go back up the mountain?” he asked, his eyes ever observant.

“not really,” you lied, “i had commissioned someone to get a few more cecilias and i thought it was a good opportunity to commission some of the flasks of water you wanted.”

“then why are you in mountain-climbing attire?” he asked, pushing more.

you hummed, “well i did have to meet them a bit into the mountain, i didn’t want to get cold.”

it took him a few moments but he nodded, “very well, my apologies for doubting you…”

then it dawned on him— you remembered his reason for joining you. you even went out of your way to commission someone to fulfill his wish. truthfully, he had exported water from dragonspine previously. he has heard water from dragonspine tastes better when freshly collected, but truthfully, he didn’t care about that this time around. he just wanted to spend time with you.

his cheeks dusted with pink at the realization as he turned away, coughing into his hand. “we should get going now.”

you nodded, “yeah, let me go change…” you gently responded, cheeks dusted with a blush that could’ve been confused for cold weather.

thankfully, he didn’t catch on it seemed. you did go back to dragonspine. while you could’ve commissioned someone to get more cecilias, you pride yourself in hand picking all the flowers in your store. there was also the fact you wanted to get neuvillette’s water. it made your heart race a little knowing he wanted to come with you and you felt bad having him leave empty handed.

both of your white lies seemed to pay off.

while you both rode back to fontaine, neuvillette wondered how he could tell you the truth. perhaps over a nice dinner would suffice…

note -> merry christmas everyone <3

@yyuangss @2023gisecretsanta

#favoniuslibrary #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact x you #fontaine #neuvillette x reader #neuvilette x you #neuvillette #furina #gixrsecretsanta2023

180 notes · View notes