Ch. 4 - Here Comes The Red Prince

Yes! Fellow Lilia Simp of mine.

Kikiki, another Lilia simp! Hello!! Thank you for popping out of the darkness; now we can simp and talk about Lilia together now. ☺️

║Albedo║ Distraction

Requested from Wattpad.

Gender-neutral reader.

Fluff.

Word count: 400+

All rights reserved.

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Albedo, for most of his life until now, had followed his master's orders through and through even down to the last one- to seek out the true meaning of life. With that said, his master left him all alone in a foreign land with nobody he could rely on.

Well, that was until he stepped foot in Mondstadt.

Mondstadt-- the city of freedom, bards, and love. A city with so many things to do. Surely, he could find the truth of this world there, yes?

He only had one goal in mind and he shall see his master's orders through until the end-- no added goals or distractions needed.

Easier said than done.

Mondstadt grew to be a challenge. That said, many distractions came along with it-- his new position as the chief alchemist, looking after Alice's daughter, Klee, teaching his students.. But none were more distracting than you.

The first visit was when he was still fairly knew to Mondstadt. You took care of him just as the other knights did, checking on him if he ever needed anything. He didn't think of anything of it. However, with each passing day, that gradually changes.

Albedo grew fond of you, starting from when he first knew of your name that left the lips of the Cavalry Captain. Now, you were something that he couldn't shake his mind off. He memorized every part of you-- the way your eyes shine and reflected him, making him feel as if he was the only one in your worlds, the way the corner of your lips pull upward every time you look at him, the way--

"Mr. Albedo, is there something the matter?" Oh, it seems that he has lost himself at the thought of you. "Ah, sorry. I must have creeped you out.." he mumbles and looks away. "Ah, no, you didn't. But is there something wrong?" you asked once more.

"No, nothing you need to concern with," he said. You didn't feel at rest, seeing that he has been quiet most days now as if he was in his own world.

Albedo notices this and sighs, resting a hand on your head. Soft. Your hair was soft and he could tell even through his gloves. "Rest assured. I am well, I promise," he smiles.

He looks at you with warm eyes that really calmed your thoughts. With a smile, you nod your head, returning to your work with cleaning up the mess Albedo left all the while having his eyes follow you.

Even if you were a distraction, you were a distraction he would happily have all his focus on and never leave. A perfect distraction from his thoughts of destroying Mondstadt one day.

~♡~

Tumblr isn’t allowing me to see any of my messages so I didn’t even realize you said something back 눈_눈 but I’m doing very well! I’m almost done with school, I have one more month left and than I’m done till I go to college! Covid hasn’t really bothered me that much , I did a lot to distract myself, such as cleaning and redesigning my whole room which was super fun and I did a lot of art and baking.

Yeah, for some reason, my notifications are something of the same, either delayed by a day or I get nothing at all. ^□^" Anyway, I'm happy to hear that you are doing well! And also, college!? So you are older than me. •w• I still have 2(?) years to go. Anyway, I wish you luck in college and in your current classes! I saw videos about students in college and it just scares me. >~<

Announcement

I'll be uploading the next chapter today as soon as I get home which is around 4:30pm (GMT-4) EDT. Sorry for the long wait!

║Xiao║Snowflake

Requested from Wattpad.

Gender-neutral.

Fluff.

Word count: 2k

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Something was falling from the greyish clouds that has been slowly forming together over Liyue. It was white, cold, and too small for human eye to see. However, once multiples of it were gathered, you could truly see how it turned Liyue into a winter wonderland.

This sparks excitement inside you as you stare out the window of the shop you were tending at. The winds of Snezhnaya has finally brought their winter to Liyue, making it cold for the locals to idle outside for too long.

Seeing this, you did your long hours of work with great impatience, wanting to enjoy the snow with a particular someone all the way in the outskirts of the city-- in Wangshu Inn. You just know that he'll be the most excited between the two of you-- although he won't show it or say it.

"Have a good night!" That was the cue. Yes, it was evening by the time you got out of work, but your excitement left you restless and headed to the inn, greeting Verr Goldet and her husband in the lobby as soon as you got there. And not wanting to prolong you any longer, the woman simply pointed up the flight of stairs that leads to a highest level possible.

However, when you got there, there was not a single being to be seen. You didn't feel down though, knowing that he was probably off to secure the night around the inn and nearby places that doesn't have the protection of the Millelith.

You walked closer to the ledge, your eyes seeming to glow in admiration at the snow that covered Liyue in less than a day. But before you could put a hand on the railing, a "What are you doing here?" brought your attention behind you.

To nobody's surprise, Xiao stood there with his arms crossed, his eyes glowing in the dark, but not so much as the light from inside the inn emitted a brightight. "Xiao!" The name that left your lips was enough to make you smile. Though in his part, his eyes slightly narrows while a brow quirks in question, but that was long forgotten when he growls at the state you were in. "Where is your coat?" he asks, walking closer to you.

It was just then that you realized that you had forgotten to bring a coat and felt the harsh breeze stinging your skin. You wrapped your arms around yourself, rubbing your arms to create some sort of heat. "Ehe, I was rushing to get here so I forgot to go home and bring one," you admitted, the smile never leaving your face. This did not amuse the yaksha and clicks his tongue in dissatisfaction. "Even when a millennia has passed, humans can be so stupid," he grumbles. "Wait here." Before you could ask, he turns on his heels and went downstairs, leaving you alone in the cold.

When he returns- which didn't take long- he was carrying a wool blanket in one arm. Approaching your person, he wraps the blanket around you like a wrap. Warm and comfortable.

You look down at the blanket and slightly blushed at the thought that it could be warmer if he hugged you, wrapping his firm, strong, and protective arms around your shoulders-- Oh no, you shouldn't fantasise something like that.

Looking at your state, Xiao couldn't help but feel the warm, tingly sensation on his face. You looked cute and small. He almost wants to lock you away so that no one else would be able to see just how truly cute you were. However, he snaps himself from indulging the thought, realizing how inappropriate it was especially for an Adepti such as himself.

With hand covering his mouth, he clears his throat. "Anyway, what are you doing here?" he asks, his voice sounding cold, but you know that he meas well and that it was just the way he speaks. "I wanted to share the first snow with you!" you admit, your smile doubling the size.

He raises an eyebrow. "Huh? Share the first snow?" he repeats, to which you nod. "I heard that you should always spend the first snow with someone special." Hearing you reason, he sighs heavily. "You humans always come up with something stupid." He closes his eyes and crosses his arms.

"It's not stupid it's sweet!" you defended, the blanket slightly slipping off your shoulders. Xiao took notice and moved even closer to fix it, but afterwards, his hands haven't left your shoulders and he just stares at you. It was only 5 seconds, but you felt kind of awkward, eyes averting to anywhere but his charming face. "S, so, uh.. I came here to ask if you wanted to play in the snow with me.." you mumbled.

There was no response on the other end and it was only when your eyes returned to look directly at him that he quickly answers with an "Okay" before swooping you off the ground and jumped off from the inn. In fear, you wrapped your arms around his neck and hold on for dear life.

It only took a couple of seconds to reach the ground safely but to you, it felt like it was your end. Xiao looks at you and couldn't help but huff out a chuckle. "Hey, do you think I would drop you?" he asks, watching you open your eyes once you felt the rush of adrenaline subside.

You blinked twice and remembered how you are still hugging him. "Oh, uh.. Could you put me down?" you ask shyly, unwrapping your arms around his neck. He did as told, setting you back down gently.

Taking a look around, the snow stretched out for miles, up until the horizon where you could barely see a thing. Winter only comes once a year in Liyue and each year upon the look of snow would always leave you breathless. The snow in Liyue was much different than that in Snezhnaya as it wasn't knee-deep and children could still play around.

One step. Two step. Soon, you were running across the field and laughing. While on Xiao's part, he watches his foolish of a human with his arms cross and unknowingly to him, a smile adorns his face. His eyes softened at the sight of your smile. He always does, you just never noticed.

His eyes moves away from you and his attention was now transfixed to the snow on the ground. Seeing as he has cleared the area from enemies before meeting you at the inn, it was most likely safe for you to tumble and fall without getting the attention of monsters.

You stopped running and stood there looking at the falling snow, just about tired from running. You looked over Xiao and see that he was very focus at the snow beside him. He looked funny looking at the snow as if he was going to murder it.

Tearing your eyes away from the male and to the snow, you soon grabbed a handful of it with your bare hands and compacted it to a snowball. It was cold, but the urge to touch it was too much to take and would risk your health to play in it.

Happy with the ball, you run back to Xiao. "Hey, Xiao--" Your words were cut short when you saw Xiao pick up a handful of the snow and eat it. It wasn't all the uncommon for someone to eat snow but Xiao eating snow was truly something.

He turned his head towards you while having a snowball close to his mouth with a questioning gaze since you did originally wanted to grab his attention. "What?" he questions soon after when you just stood there like a mannequin.

"O, oh, yeah.." You blinked and regained your train of thought. "Anyway, do you want to have a snowball fight with me?" you asked, a challenging grin on your face. He raised a brow. A human asking an Adeptus to a snowball fight? It was obvious which would win so what was the point?

But seeing that smile on your face was hard to say no to. That glimmer in your eyes was intriguing, to say the least. So, he nods. "I won't go easy on you," he warns. "I didn't want you to in the first place." With that, you threw the first snow right on his face.

Even though he said he wouldn't go easy on you, he was actually much softer and let you hit him multiple times and only hitting you once or twice every now and then.

Once you had your hands on your knees, he figured that it was finally time that his human was exhausted. He walks over to you and when he was close enough, he fixed the blanket around you that surprisingly didn't fall off your shoulders.

You look at his beautiful, golden orbs that has now the time to truly glow in the dark. It was captivating. The atmosphere, the place-- everything in that moment had that magical, winter air. You two stood there, silently praising the other.

His eyes moved towards your lips, thinking how soft it would be when he places his own on it. With his hands still on your shoulders, he leans closer to your face before stopping short, his lips just a few centimetres away from yours. He was waiting to see if you would pull back.

Wanting his lips on yours, you closed the gap and felt a sudden warmth flush through your body. A hand of his made its way and caressed your cold skin, deepening the kiss. The kiss was enchanting and felt that it had been hours before you both pulled away.

When you did, a smile adorned your flushed face-- flushed from the intimate moment and from the cold. You slowly moved away and flopped down on the snow and laughed.

"Hey, you're going to get sick, you idiot," he states, crossing his arms as he watches your blanket unwrapped itself from your shoulders, now being used to keep your back dry. "Haha, no I won't! Not to be a brag, but I have a pretty strong body," you boast.

O how you felt embarrassed by those words that you said so proudly last night as you lay in bed, under layers of warm blanket. "Humans can be so stupid. Yesterday you were sure you wouldn't get sick but the next day, here I find you in bed," Xiao says, entering the room with a bowl of warm water and a washcloth.

When you didn't greet him this morning, he knew that you were sick and went to your house to take care of you immediately. "I said nothing," you spoke, holding your chin high as you feign ignorance.

He clicks his tongue but said nothing more, dipping the cloth in the warm water before squeezing it so water wouldn't be dripping on you. He moves closer to the bed and sat at the edge of it, moving any hair that covered your forehead before placing the cloth. "You should remember to bring your coat. I'm not always there to remind you like a mother," he said.

"Hey, if you're just going to bully me, then you can leave. I know I was dumb for not bringing one, okay?" You pout, though there wasn't any anger in your tone, and brought the blanket up until the bridge of your nose.

He looks at you for a short second and brought his fingers close to your face. Before you could guess what he was doing, he had flicked your forehead. "You idiot. Do you really think that I would be here in the first place if I didn't care about you?"

The words made you blush and felt a hundred times more warmer than the cloth on your head. He looks at you with a straight lip, but his eyes hinted at a different emotion. It was soft and held care for you.

He then stood up, eyes tearing away from you, and walked towards your door. With a hand on the handle, he twists it open but before he step out, he looks over his shoulders- to you- and said, "Make sure you get enough rest. I'll be here if you need me."

---

Announcement

Everyone I have found my iPad so I will be resuming my writing! Expect to see a new chapter of Read My Heart soon. :}

The way I found it was a bit funny though.. But that's a story for another time.

Eyyy, first one served and I get Lilia!! 😭❤️💕💕 I like to imagine that he is there to be a supportive father.

✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ┄•͙✩̣̣̣̣̣ͯ┄•͙✧⃝•͙┄✩ͯ•͙͙

✦❘༻𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙼𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝༺❘✦

Ch. 2 - The Day I've Been Betrothed

Malleus Draconia x fem!reader

Chapter list + Summary

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Do not steal/copy + paste my works and upload it anywhere else.

⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱⊰♤⊱⊰◇⊱⊰♡⊱⊰☆⊱⊰♧⊱

You remembered that day.. 

“Mn..” Soft.. The bed, it was soft and warm, making you not want to get up despite the sun having risen hours ago and blaring its light on your face. You buried your face further into the pillow. Ever since the war had come to a halt just shy of six months ago, it had been peaceful and you could sleep easily without a constant nagging thought of enemies breaking down your door in the middle of your sleep. Your home is still situated within the kingdom’s territories, but it was so far out– far from the castle and the main city– that enemies would have no trouble infiltrating it and not alerting the castle of their presence within the land. 

Sure, you had guards situated outside and inside the manor and even had your father who was a commander of one of the Queen’s troupes but still, it did not completely quell your nervous anxiety. You’ve heard what creatures faes were during on one of the tea parties you’ve been invited to and honestly, you didn’t think the kingdom would last against them should the war go on for much longer. Unlike faes who are all natural-born magic users, not many humans possess them, yourself included, so it was not like the citizens could defend themselves while troupes were stretched far and thin across the land. Speaking of, since the war killed many soldiers, your father had to gather some of his from the manor, leaving not many to protect you which only did nothing but raise your alertness especially during nighttime where you’re aware that you could not see anyone past what the light of the lamp posts outside could reach. Those faes.. If they have sharp hearing, surely they have keen eyes, especially at night. You feel a chill crawl up your arms every time you think about it.

You planned to sleep just until a bit before lunchtime, enjoying the peaceful time. “My lady?” A soft knock was at your door, following an equally soft voice of a girl. When you ignored it to continue dreaming, another knock sounded and this time, it was a bit more firm and loud. “My lady, it’s half past eight now.” 

Sighing, you slowly sat up on your bed, the ruffling sound of your silk sheets could just barely be heard on the other side of the door. “Mm.. Come in..” Groggily, you finally answered. You rubbed your eyes tiredly when the servant girl came. “Thank you, my lady,” she said and smiled warmly. 

“What do you need?” You yawned and stretched your arms to shake away what the feeling of sleep remained.  “Yes, of course, my lady. I shall not dawdle longer,” she gets to the point and explained her reason.

“What?” You blinked owlishly after she had finished telling you. “The palace had asked to see me? Today?” You were surprised in all honesty since anything related to the palace is usually your father’s business. Besides that, you were still not of age to be handling matters of the court. 

“Yes, my lady. And the Queen had asked that you arrive on time– exactly 1 in the afternoon sharp,” she answers with immeasurable patience. You turn your head to the window adjacent to your bed and look at the rustling of leaves just past it with two black birds perched on a branch nearest to you. You were silent for a while. It was not as if you planned to decline order’s from Her Majesty, but you were wondering what today was for her to wish an audience with a baron’s daughter who has not made an effort to look worthwhile in banquets. One would assume that there is no chain of hierarchy within nobility, but they were quite wrong. It was a fight of popularity within the circle and you found yourself at the bottom of it.

—

“Huh, it seems that I’m not the only one who the Queen asked for..” You mumbled, looking at the long line of carriages outside, yours included. You peek your head out of the carriage window and find that those who have been invited were young ladies around the same age as you. If I remember correctly, they’re mostly unbetrothed daughters. You say mostly as opposed to all since you were unsure. You grew curious, especially after knowing that if you were told to come alone, it must mean that all these important daughters are without a guard either. 

Finally, your carriage rolls to the front of the castle and someone from the palace opens the door and helps you out. You had informed your father about the situation just before you left in your best dress. Seeing as you were going to meet the queen, you chose a red dress adorned in white pearls and lace. White pearls were also added to your updo to complete the look. 

But I guess the others also thought the same.. You sweatdropped at the number of girls wearing a red dress crowding the front steps of the castle, some flashier than others while some more modest. The questioning look they had on their face and the soft murmurs made you believe that they were in the same boat as you were; not having a single clue why you had been called so abruptly on the most random of days.

“Alright ladies, if I could have your attention.” The man who had been standing at the top of the stairs finally spoke loudly to draw attention after looking satisfied that all were accounted for. “Her Majesty, the Queen, is waiting for you all in the throne room, but I will first escort you to our great hall.” 

The ladies looked at each other with questioning eyes before shyly following after the man. You followed of course since you were one of the invited guests. With all these people, you had expected your audience with Her Majesty to be brief; maybe she just needed to ask you a favour. However, that proved to be wrong when you saw the carefully decorated hall with long tables on each side draped in a white tablecloth. On them were vases of  carefully assorted white and red roses and a few food and drinks. 

Even though you shouldn’t based on your assessment, you were surprised. It was almost like a banquet, if it weren’t for the lack of people. But you were pleased to know that there was something to eat since you had spent the last hour getting to the palace and did not have the time to enjoy lunch. That was one of the many disadvantages to live so far out of the kingdom’s walls. Although, you believed that you weren’t the only one that was famished; the look on the others suggest that they had fretted over what to wear to have eaten. It might have been due to different reasons, but it was certain that the majority had not eaten. 

“I apologize for the short notice,” the man spoke and then gestured to the tables and chairs in the centre of the hall. “I had assumed that you all must have not eaten so we had prepared you all sorts of food to fit your preferences.

“Please enjoy yourselves while I wait for further orders from Her Majesty,” he ends his little speech and exits from a side door tucked further into the room’s corner. There were slight murmurs before you dispersed. Some chose to sit while others stood idly by at the long table, but one thing remained the same: they all looked tense. Surely, seeing all these people must have caught them off guard. 

You wandered off to one of the long tables to see if there was something small you could eat so you wouldn’t be seen as a glutton. Although, despite all of the food laid out that was meant to be eaten, it had been barely touched. No doubt it is because they were too nervous. Understandable since you had this nagging feeling that you were being observed the moment you entered the hall and no, it wasn’t from the servants that came and went. Was this a test of some sort? 

With a small plate in one hand, your eyes scanned the hall for any abnormality, but you were disappointed to see that nothing seemed off. Actually, you should feel relieved if it truly is just you being overly sensitive. 

Still.. 

One thing that your father taught you that he learned while he was still a knight in training was to always trust your gut when you feel a predator’s gaze. Even if you don’t see it, this feeling of being watched that settles in you is not something you should brush aside. 

This time, you subconsciously craned your neck up. To the left side of the room, there was a door leading out to a small balcony that watched over the hall. There, you see it opened and although there were no lights, you squint your eyes at a particular part just past the frame of the door. You swear you can see.. Eyes? But they seemed to contrast the darkness behind it; it was glowing and unlike the shine of normal eyes when light is reflected on them. An abnormality. 

You stare at it long and soon, you see its eyes trailing. Trailing until it lands on you. ‘Oh!’ They really are real and just aren't a glass orb with a similar look of eyes. You should be scared, that much you understand, but when you finally look at it, you feel oddly calm. You didn’t feel relaxed, but you did feel like it meant no harm. 

After having what felt like prolonged minutes of a staring contest, the eyes vanish and you can faintly hear the sound of shoes walking away. Huh.. How odd.

—

You were all now ushered to the throne room just a few minutes after. “Greetings, your Majesty.” You all spoke in unison and curtsied. When you look back up, your attention was drawn to an oddity in the room which just stood beside the queen. There was a man standing there silently. He looks frightening. He was dressed in black head to toe adorned in silver here and there like his shoulder pads and the chain that held his cloak together. Other than that, the only striking features were the red crystal brooch on his cravat and his.. Eyes. 

You blinked owlishly as you stared at him— well, specifically his eyes. They were the same striking deep colour like the one you saw earlier. Was it him? As if to answer your question, when his wandering eyes stop on you, you swear you can see his eyes smiling musingly. Before you could dwell on it, your thoughts were interrupted when the guide spoke. At this point, you believed him to be the Queen’s advisor. 

“If you could please form rows..” He directs, gesturing with his right hand. There were looks of uneasiness passed around but did as told. When you got into formation, you couldn’t help but look towards the throne once more. This time, you see Her Majesty talking with the strange– huh? You blinked a couple times thinking that you might be seeing this but you’re sure you really were looking at pointy ears; not human ears. 

“Wonderful,” the advisor said and then offered the stage to the queen. When your eyes land on her strikingly beautiful figure, you feel your face warm in awe. She’s like a cold beauty.. Her eyebrows were naturally shaped into a high arch so whatever she does— or in most cases, whatever one does, she seems to always look down on people. 

“As you may have heard, today marks the start of proceeding through peaceful treaties with the Valley of Thorns,” she begins and you all couldn’t help but be all captivated by her stunning beauty when she spoke. “To keep the peace going during my reign as monarch, we had agreed to make arrangements so that no matter what, that peace will be unshakable.

“If you will.” She looks to her side—at her advisor— all the while having her nose still pointed high and to the front to show her superiority. “Yes, Your Majesty.” He does a quick bow and does the talking again. "Ahem. For the treaty to happen, the Valley of Thorns' Queen has chosen a representative to come in her stead."  

So he’s a fae, you thought. You’re well learned about the creatures that are at war with your homeland and something notable to know are their ears. You’ve been overly cautious of everyone after learning it and for a while, looked at the side of their head’s first. Silly, I know. 

You know how important this was and that you should listen carefully, but you couldn’t help but be drawn by the strange man who was talking to the queen with words you couldn’t hear from where you were and how low they were speaking. Normally, one would slightly shiver in the presence of the queen, but all he had on was an unreadable expression. 

“Very well..” The advisor looks side-eyeing at the fae just on the other side of the queen. When he looks at him directly, you notice his confidence slightly deterred, now speaking with a slight nervousness in his tone. “Uh– Ahem. These are all the noble ladies that you requested for.. Sir.” 

The fae’s eyes wanders over the heads of many until it lands on you, but you felt like its wandering eyes were just for show. That its true purpose was to spot you. You didn’t realize that you gulped a nervous feeling down. What does he plan to do? You see him now taking slow and elegant steps down the little steps that lead to the throne. 

“And what is your name, my dear?” Before you knew it, he was in front of you and looking with kind eyes. You stiffened up and stuttered out, “I’I’m [Name], sir.. From house–” “I don’t need your family name. To tell me your family name is to give up your life,” he interjects with a serious look on his face that tells you that he was indeed telling you the truth. You stood stone cold. You swear you felt your heart drop. 

He sees the look on your face but continues to talk, this time holding a hand out. “Your hand,” he said, hinting with his eyes. It took a second for you to snap back from your daze, blinking a couple times, and another to understand what he was asking for. While all the ladies look on apprehensively, you hesitantly place a hand on his palm. You had no idea what he planned to do and the cold sweat on your forehead was totally understandable, but it was soon answered rather blindingly. The moment your hand brushes with his, a soft light that seemed to come out of nowhere engulfed the both of you. 

Air gets caught in your lungs as a million images— a million scenes go through your mind. You also felt lighter as if you were floating— or to better describe your situation, drowning. Drowning in a pool of memories. It felt like you were looking back at memories, but you don’t recall having these as yours. Suddenly, you felt afraid. Just what are these..?

Before you could piece what they really were, you were brought back to the present with everyone looking at you worriedly and.. With sympathy? You were confused. Why were they looking at you like that? It was then you noticed that a single tear has cascaded down your cheek. 

There were so many ‘memories’ but one thing stood out to you. ‘They were all..’ You recall one particular memory and it alone gave you massive heartache.

You look at the fae who now stood in front of you with eyes just like the rest of them. And although it’s small, he is finally smiling, but also sympathetically. You wanted to croak out what you’ve been wanting to ask since seeing whatever those things were, but you couldn’t. You felt that the tears that were trying so hard to fight back down will suddenly have a chokehold on you and you didn’t want to cry in front of so many people. You bite your bottom lip as you stare in disbelief at him and that was all you could do.

—

“My lady.” There is a soft knock on the other side of the door with an equal soft voice. Normally, you would grumble incoherently and ignore it until they went away, but here you were, wide awake before the sun could have even greeted you with a proper soft, warm light gently caressing your face. 

“Come in.” Your voice is hoarse but is clear nonetheless. The same servant girl walked inside with a smile that shows how much she doesn’t know from yesterday’s event. Yesterday.. You hadn’t slept a wink when you recalled what you witnessed yesterday and it shows from the dark circles under your eyes. 

“Oh, my lady, you’re awake early,” she points out with a look of cluelessness. “Do you want to have breakfast right now? Your father is about to leave for his duties after breakfast.” 

“…” You stared aimlessly at the blanket that draped over your lap. It was only when she had to repeat herself that you answered with a quiet ‘yes’. 

You went downstairs with your nightgown and tried to have a normal breakfast and by which it meant trying to smile through the entire meal and ask your father about his plans for the day. He had known about the letter that the queen sent yesterday since he was still at the manor to receive the messenger so you had to lie through your teeth that everything was fine. You had told him briefly about what occurred, leaving out the small details such as the fae approaching you and.. ‘Whatever that was.’

‘I have no idea what that was all about yesterday, but I’m sure he meant no harm..’ Now sitting in the great chamber, you were now in a fresh change of clothes. You had no plans to go out today so you wore a simple dress and indulged in reading a book you had randomly picked up from the library’s shelf in your home. 

It was still midday with the sun still way above your head so you shouldn’t have gotten so startled when there was a knock on the front door. You were curious so you placed your book beside you on the sofa and got up to peek around the hall’s corner. One of the maids stationed at the entrance opened the door to reveal a man who dressed in a tabard embroidered with the card suits and a hat to match. Another of the queen’s messengers?

When he had made eye contact with you, you knew it was time to get out of your hiding spot and receive him. “My lady, are you the lady of this house?” The messenger takes his hat off and places it over his chest in respect. “I am.. Is something the matter? If so, my father isn’t here right now..” You said as you walked closer to the door. The servant steps aside for you to fully face the man. “Ah, you’re mistaken, my lady. It is you that I come for,” he explains. “If you will, Her Majesty, the Queen, has asked for your attendance relating to your marriage.” 

Now this is where you became visibly confused. You don’t recall being betrothed to someone and your father had made sure to tell you time and time again that he won’t force you into any proposals and that marriage was free reign for you to decide. You trust him so you earnestly believe that there must be a misunderstanding somewhere. “My lady, the Queen said this to be of urgence so..” “Alright. Just give me a minute to change.” 

—

You didn’t believe that you’d be invited to the palace again and in just a matter of hours. ‘Since the Queen sent the invitation..’ You looked out the window to see if there were carriages from other noble daughters but to your surprise, you pulled right up at the castle’s steps without any delay and got safely escorted down the carriage. 

“Ah, Lady [Name], we have been expecting you here today.” The advisor from yesterday was also in front of the carriage with a kind smile. You weren’t sure if you were growing two heads or something because while people do approach you kindly, it was rare and only happens during parties where you’d be forced to interact and the same goes for the others. It’s hard to believe that you’d be talking to the queen’s advisor. 

“Come, let us go. Her Majesty has been waiting for you for quite some time now,” he said smilingly and began to lead the way up the same very steps and down the familiar halls as yesterday. When you entered the throne room, the queen was sitting on her throne with a perfect posture. 

“Your Majesty, Lady [Name] has arrived.” He does a bow before turning his attention to you and gestures with his hand to go to the throne. You did so, walking across the long room all the while looking at the queen to see her expressions. “Greetings, Your Majesty..” You do a curtsy and stay like that until given the word. 

“You may stand.” You did as told and stared at her, your hands in front of you and fidgeting nervously. “Well then, I congratulate you on your marriage,” she said plainly. You were stone cold like a statue. ‘Marriage? So, it’s really true..?’ Your brows knit together and look at her with dubiety as if you had misheard it. “I.. Uhm.. You’re Majesty, could you have mistaken me for a daughter from another family?” You ask. You could feel your fingers growing cold and your heart slightly quickening. 

“You are the daughter of that baron from the far east of the kingdom, yes?” She asks, although she was mainly just pointing it out. “Ah.. Yes, Your Majesty..” You tried to find some confidence in your tone, but it was already nerve-wracking to be in the presence of such a cold beauty. “Then make no mistake that I have called upon you today,” she said rather coldly. How could this have happened? You were sure that your father hadn’t mentioned anything about you getting married.. And if that were to be the case, why would the crown need to come and congratulate you? Marriages between aristocrats happen all the time and not once had you heard about being congratulated by the queen.

You chose your words carefully.“T-then.. Who am I being wedded off to, Your Majesty?” Every millisecond she doesn’t answer, the more your head starts to spiral until you feel dizzy. “Why, to the prince of the Valley of Thorns,” she answers with a raised brow and adds, “You were there to hear it, yes?” 

Your eyes widened and felt a large, gaping hole in your stomach as if someone had ripped through it. You were frozen on the spot, not believing your ears. It was your fault that you weren’t really paying attention to the advisor yesterday, really. Otherwise, you would have made sure to not let guests come to the house, not even that messenger. You could have prolonged this news or even better, prevented it from not attending yesterday at all. You felt tricked, realizing how brief the explanations were from yesterday.

The queen could see the conflict in your eyes and decided to say something, “Lady [Name], I assure that you will be in good hands. The crown prince is amongst the strongest magic users out of all the rest in the world, which is why we have no choice but to go into a period of peace..” She grumbles lowly at the last part, but you heard it nonetheless. “No matter what happens, it is a sure fact he’ll protect you as written in the agreement.” 

You could only nod in a silent agreement. Before you could leave, she said one more thing, “Do remember that the Rose Kingdom is your home and so it will forever be open to you. I entrust that should anything happen, you will return home, Lady [Name].” 

You had only a week to prepare your belongings after telling your father that night on the same very day before someone from the Valley of Thorns had come to pick you up at your door in a black carriage pulled by equally scary horses. Where did it bring you? Well, to your new forever home of course.

That was the day when your chapter had suddenly taken a turn..

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My love for Undertaker has resurfaced once again.

Holiday Special in Liyue

This was written for 2020 Christmas and decided to wait to upload it here. Be warned that characters revealed/released after December 2020 will not show up here.

Not a oneshot. Platonic!

Characters: Baizhu, Childe, Chongyun, Ganyu, Keqing, Ningguang Qiqi, Xianling, Xiao, Xingqui, Xinyan, Zhongli.

You are the traveller.

Spoiler alert: If you have not finished Farewell, Archaic Lord, I suggest you to not read this until you have done so.

Word count: 4.2k

---

The prosperous Liyue Harbor had gone for far too long with sunshine and warmth, so when the cold air of Snezhnaya decided to blow with greater extent, the people immediately seek warmth in buildings and bundling themselves with layers of clothing.

"Wow..! It's snowing in Liyue?" Paimon looks out the window of the room you were staying in, staring at the snow that fell slowly to the ground, amaze at the sight of it. "Well, it is that festive season around Teyvat," you said, smiling at the sight of your companion being so excited at such a small thing. The first snow falling was indeed a sight to see for everyone to get so hyped for the oncoming day that they were most looking forward to- the holidays.

"Oh, we should start looking for gifts, Paimon," you say, counting down the days left. "Ooh! Is it for Paimon?" Paimon asks, turning to look at you with her star-filled eyes. You laughed and shook your head. "You'll have your present too, but I'm talking about giving gifts to our friends."

"Ooh, it's fun giving gifts!" Paimon nods excitedly. You walked over to the desk in the room, pulling out a notepad and pen from its drawer. "Well, any idea what we could buy then?" You looked at your companion. "Food! If Paimon likes food, so will they," she answers. You shook your head with a smile, dismissing her idea and went to decide the gifts yourself, which took a lot of thinking to do and once you were done thinking for Zhongli's- the last person on the list- you and Paimon headed outside.

"Paimon doesn't get it, can't you just pick whatever looks expensive and give it as a gift?" Paimons hovers beside you, watching as you crouch on the sands and pick up shells. The first gift you were picking up was for Childe. He hasn't left Liyue just yet, saying that he wants to loiter around a bit before you two part for a good amount of time.

You shook your head. "Giving a gift to someone must be from the bottom of your heart to truly be special," you say, picking up a beautiful starconch shell that you think that Childe might like. "Hmph, but why that man? He's a Harbinger," Paimon states, which was something you couldn't argue so you just shrug and stood up, a beautiful shell in hand. "That's one thing down. Now, let's go to the market-- a lot of the items could be found there." And indeed were there the many things you were looking for, each gift different from the last.

"Hm? Hey, why if it isn't (Y/N)." Just ahead, in the middle of the streets, was the brunette whom you had fought not long ago. "You guys shopping?" He looks at the bags your were holding curiously, trying to get a peek inside one of them. "A, ah..!" You look towards Paimon who immediately shoved the gifts inside her infinity backpack, Childe staring quizzically at your hasty action. "Yeah, just grocery shopping," you said, partially lying since you did went and buy food for Paimon.

You gulped, seeing as his eyes revealed skepticism, but was relieved when he didn't push on. "Ah, anyway, it's a good thing that I bumped into you, actually," he says, "I was hoping to invite you to dinner for the holiday-- with Mr. Zhongli, of course."

"Hey, what about Paimon!?" Paimon asks, a bit offended at her disregard of presence. "Ah, of course you too, Paimon. I'd figured that if (Y/N) agrees, you'll come along." With that being said, Paimon agrees in your stead, so that you didn't have a say. "I'm glad to hear that. Then, I'll see you quite soon." He waves and disappears into the crowd.

You turn to look at Paimon. "I thought you didn't like Childe," you state, to which your little companion shrugs and giggles awkwardly. She just wanted the free food from the expensive restaurant that was hard for ordinary folks to get in.

And so, when the first snow on that day fell, you two were already up and ready. "Who should we go to first?" Paimon asks, to which you ponder for a quick second before answering, "To Bubu Pharmacy."

Upon arriving, you didn't see anyone at the front counter, but you know all too well by now that there is. "Hello, Qiqi." You walk closer, leaning over the counter to see the little zombie-child. "(Y/N), you are here," she says softly, cranking her head up to look at you and Paimon.

"Heya, Qiqi! What are you doing?" Paimon asks, seeing herbs beside her on the ground. Qiqi notices where she was looking and said, "Oh, Qiqi was arranging these before Dr. Baizhu comes back, but Qiqi can't reach the higher drawers." At the sight of the pouting child, you and Paimon felt pity. "Awe, Qiqi, don't worry. We'll help you," Paimon says, but when she said 'we' she meant you.

Atfter putting the herbs into their proper cabinet, Qiqi thanked you for your help. "Oh? Well, if it isn't (Y/N). Do you need anything? I doubt you came here to play with little Qiqi." Baizhu enters from the front, a warm smile on his face. You greeted the man and suddenly remembered that you came to the pharmacy with a purpose. "Oh? A present?" Baizhu repeats, seeing Paimon take two boxes from her bag. Humming, you nod and hand one of the present over to the doctor-- the one which was larger of the two.

"Would it be alright to open it now?" he asks, eyeing the box in excitement. You nodded. "Be my guess." Hearing this, Baizhu did not wait a second too long and opened it. In it, contained herbs of all sorts across Teyvat, all in their own mini boxes. You had heard of his incurable illness, and wanting to help him find the medicine, you bought many and all sorts of herbs. "Oh my, thank you, (Y/N)." The look in his eyes clearly showed warmth and love. He truly loved the present.

"You're welcome. I hope you like the things I put in there." You smiled and then knelt to the same level as Qiqi. "And this one is for you. I'm sure you'll love it." Qiqi reaches her small hands and took the gift silently and open it. Looking at what was inside, Qiqi gasps and stares up at you. "Coconut milk?" she asks and you nod. Qiqi carefully places the box and wrap her arms around your neck, saying a 'thank you'. You hug her small frame in return and the two of you soon separate. Qiqi went ahead and went to the back to open her drink, leaving you and Baizhu, him thanking you once more.

"Enjoy your holiday," Baizhu bids, seeing you walk down the long set of stairs and disappearing amongst the crowds. The next place you planned on going to was the office occupied by the Qixing. It wasn't as grand as the Jade Chamber that met its end, but regardless, it was still fancy, seeing as this was in Liyue after all.

When you opened the door, you were immediately pushed to the ground-- though not on purpose. "Ah, my apologies. I wasn't looking where I was going." It was an assistant working for the Qixing, and by the looks of her state and those within the building, you could tell that she was stressed.

"Oh, it's no big deal. Here, let's help you." You picked up a file of papers along with the female and stood up, giving her her papers. "Thank you. I'm sorry, but I must be off." She hastily leaves you on the spot, not giving you time to say anything.

"Wow, Lady Ningguang doesn't even rest on holidays," Paimon says, seeing that there was much chaos in the building. Walking further into the building, you met a familiar face, looking quite distressed. "Ganyu!" You called, drawing her to a halt midway and turning to you and Paimon. "Ah, (Y/N), what are you doing here?" she asks, setting down a brown box thag she was carrying onto a nearby table.

"It looks like you guys are quite busy, so I'll make it short. I wanted to give you guys a gift for Christmas," you say and handed her a box, to which she looks to you before taking it. "A gift? Ah, you didn't need to go to such lengths for me," she shyly says, scratching her cheek. You smiled at the adeptus. "You're my friend. Of course, I won't forget about you," you said, earning a smile from her.

"Then, I'm assuming you want to see Lady Ningguang as well?" she asks and you nod. "Well, I can take you to her, but I'm not quite sure if she would be free to have a conversation with you."

"That's fine. I didn't plan to stay long and keep her from her work," you state. Ganyu nods her head and leads you to her office where you both see her behind the desk, eyes glued on a sheet of paper. "Lady Ningguang." Ganyu lightly taps on the door's frame with her knuckles. "Someone would like to see you."

The Tianquan looks up and sees you. "Ah, (Y/N), what brings you here? It is quite nice to see you, but I'm afraid it isn't quite the appropriate time to sit down and have tea." She stands up from her seat and walks around, her stature hovering yours. Ganyu excuses herself and returns to her work. "Um, why don't you and Paimon sit down first?" She ushers the two of you to a cushioned chair as she took the one opposite of yours.

"Forgive me for my rudeness as I don't quite have the things to brew you tea and give you a snack," she says. You shook your head. "No, it's alright. We didn't plan to keep you away from your work for too long," you say. "I noticed how you don't have a lot of assistants today, although you seem to be quite busy."

"Ah, yes, I have sent home the majority of them, seeing as it is Christmas. Those who are in the building right now, do so of their own volition. It is much appreciated," she states, staring out of the open door to see one of her assistants running past the door. "Wait, so, if no one decided to help you, you would still be here doing work?"

She turns to you and smiled. "Of course. There are many things to do since the incident with a past god that if I take a break, I'm afraid that I might have more work to do," she said, seeing your face turn to disbelief. Lady Ningguang is truly one of a kind. She chuckles. "Don't worry about it, (Y/N). Anyway, what did you come here for?"

"Right! I came to give you a gift.." You took out a small, rectangular box that was beautifully wrapped and adorned with a ribbon. "Hm, for me?" She kindly takes the present and stares at it and then to you, who smiled excitedly. "May I?" she asks and you nodded. It was a two-set jaded hairpin of a dragon and pheonix. She was in awe of the present, showing you her sincere love for the gift. You admit, it was quite expensive-- the most expensive gift on your list. It hurt your wallet and soul, but upon seeing her reaction, it made you feel a little better and felt as if it was totally worth it.

"Thank you, (Y/N). I wish to give you something in return--" You cut her off, putting a hand up and shaking your head. "I didn't give you a gift and expect you would give one back," you said and smile. "I'm happy that you like them." You chatted a bit as to not make it seem a bit rude that you were there to just drop off and leave before getting up and leaving the building.

"(Y/N)?" Drawing yours and Paimon's attention to your right, you see the Yuheng of the Qixing. "What were you doing inside the office?" The female draws closer, much relaxed than when the 'death' of Rex Lapis took place.

"Keqing, I was going to look for you just now!" you greet. "Looking for me?" she repeats and you nodded. "I was going to give you a gift, but you weren't inside." You handed her a small, purple box with a single ribbon wrapping it. The girl stare at the box on surprise and looks up at you. "I don't recall ever doing anything that might make you want to give me a gift," she trailed.

You shook your head. "It's a Christmas gift," you said. "Ah, Christmas.. Yes, thank you. Although, you could just have left it to Ganyu to deliver it to me," she states. "But it wouldn't feel more meaningful if I were to do that," you said, smiling. The Yuheng smiles and thanks you once more and waved you off as you went to look for the others, going to the food street that you know one of them is bound to be at.

"Xianling, hey!" The sudden call of her name draws the little chef  to your direction. "Ah, (Y/N)!" She smiles, seeing you and Paimon draw close. "Oh? (Y/N) is here?" Another voice steps in, bringing your attention to one of the tables.

Placing the book that covered the other person's face, they greeted you with a smile. "Xingqui! And Chongyun?" You look to the side of the male and see that his dear friend was also there, greeting you with a quick 'hello'.

"Xiangling had just recently added a new menu for the holiday, so why don't the two of you come and sit down? It'll be my treat," Xingqui gestures to the two remaining seats. "Ooh, yay!" Paimon floats over to one of them, excited for the free meal.

You shook your head, smiling, and joined the three at the table. "Xiangling, I'd like to order two more of what we ordered just now," Xingqui says to the female and she nods. "You got it!" she says and dashes off to the kitchen.

"What are the two of you doing here? I doubt you came seeking for food." Xingqui turns his head away from the disappearing chef and to you. "We actually wanted to give Xiangling a present. And since that the two of you are here, it makes things easier for me since I was about to look for you guys after," you admit, drawing a curious gaze from the two, young males.

"Oh? You've gotten us presents as well? How sweet of you," Xingqui compliments, giving a close-eyed smile. "We can save the gift-giving after we have our food. That way, it feel much more special."

Xiangling returns to the front, balancing a couple of dishes wherever she could and deliver it to your table. "We have not tried the food yet, so let us enjoy it together." Xingqui smiles.

Paimon was the first to dig in, of course, and the first to feel full. Chongyun, however, couldn't quite enjoy the food and created havoc in the restaurant-- Xingqui ordered a meal with spice, not letting his friend know of it. It was always chaotic with this duo.

"Ah, I think this would be the most perfect time to hand out the presents, my liege," Xingqui says, chin resting on the back of his hands and giving you a cheeky, close-eyed smile as he ignore his dear friend running around in the back.

You eyed the bookworm and Chongyun with a semi questioning and worrying look, not sure what to say at that moment. "I'll also hold onto dear Chongyun's present for when he gets better," he adds. "A, ah.. Alright." After handing him his and Chongyun's present, you excused yourself for a bit to hand Xiangling her present. "Oh, wow! A gift for me? Thank you, (Y/N)!" The girl giggles and gave you an earnest smile.

After that, you, Paimon, Xingqui, and the crazed Chongyun stood outside of the restaurant, ready to bid goodbye and part ways. "It was truly an honour to dine with you and I extend my thanks on behalf of Chongyun," Xingqui says, re-adjusting the arm of Chongyun's around his neck. "We better be off now. Have a wonderful time." With that, the second son of some rich family, turns the opposite direction and drags his passed out friend along, disappearing from your sight.

"Who are we going to next?" Paimon asks, feeling satisfied. "Xinyan," you answered. The search for Xinyan wasn't easy, seeing as she has to move around the city to hide from the Milleliths for when she performs.

"Hey, Xinyan!" you called out when you finally found her sitting on a crate in some corner. The girl stopped whatever she was doing and looks up at you. "Oh, hey! Whatcha doin' here? You finally here to see one of my concerts?" She grins, straightening herself up. You chuckled, feeling a bit guilty. "Ah, actually, I can't do that today, sorry," you said, scratching the back of your head and averting your eyes.

"Haha, it's no big deal. I figured that you were here for somethin' else. So, what is it?" she asks, her usual grin unwavering when she asked. Knowing this, you felt a bit relieved, taking out the present meant for her. "This is for you." The girl looks af the gift with a visible expression of surprise. "For me?" she asks, slowly taking the gift from your hand. "Uh, can I open it?" She looks up from the box and to you, looking for permission.

"Well, it is yours," you say. The girl opens and the look of delight glimmer in her eyes. She looks up at you with a semi disbelief in her eyes. "No way, are you sure this is for me? It looks expensive!" And it indeed was, but it wasn't as expensive as the hairpins for Ningguang. "Of course, it's for you. Who else would it be for, if not for you?" you ask. The girl grins and smacks your back hard, causing you to cough. "Thanks for this, mate. I mean it."

"Ah, it's no problem," you hiss, trying to rub your back of the tingling pain. The girl cackles at your actions, knuckles resting on the side of her hips as she does so. "Well, since ya aren't stayin', it means that you have places to be, yeah? Then, you best be off." She pushes you along. "You can always come and see one of my performances later."

You look over your shoulder, and with a smile, you nodded. "Let's go, Paimon," you say to your friend and made your way outside the city to the inn at Dihua Marsh, hoping that the person you want to see will be there.

"Do you think he'll be here?" Paimon asks as you two took the elevator up. "Well, that is what I'm hoping for." With that said, the elevator safely reached the top and you waltz inside to find Verr Goldett behind the counter as always. "Oh? (Y/N), what brings you here?" The boss of the inn greets with a smile.

"Sorry to drop by so suddenly. I am looking for Xiao. Is he here?" you ask. She brought up a finger to her chin and look at the ceiling, thinking. "Mm, I believe he is out right now. Is something the matter?" she asks, facing you. You shook your head. "I just wanted to give him something. Is it alright if I wait for him?"

"Of course." She nods. You made your way up the stairs, Paimon trailing not too far behind, to the highest level of the inn and waited at the balcony that you two had first met. You remembered it not having the best first impression of the adeptus, but the journey certainly changed that.

"What are you doing here?" A cold, monotone voice of a man asks from behind, drawing yours and Paimon's attention.

There stood the yaksha whom you have been excited to meet, crossing his arms as he gave you the look of questioning and solid eyes. "I was waiting for you," you earnestly say. "Waiting for me? For what?" He walks closer to where you stood and rested his arms on the railing, putting all weight on it.

You took out the present, drawing the male's attention away from the scenery to you, a curious gaze as he does so. "To give you this." You outstretched your two arms that held a larger box than the others that you've given. He looks at you quite surprised, but turned to yet another confused look. "Uh, what's this?" he asks, looking from you to the box.

"Don't tell me you don't know that today is the holiday!" you say in almost disbelief. "Huh? Oh, yeah.. Is it that time of year that mortals get excited about?" he questions and you nodded happily and urge him to take the gift- to which he did. "Uh, um.. T, thank you," he utters almost in a whisper, averting his eyes to the ground and covering his mouth with a hand. You notice that his ears was slightly pink, making you chuckle.

"H, hey, what's so funny?" He snaps his head towards your shaking body as you couldn't hold the laugh. "S-sorry, it's just that.. I never thought that an adeptus could get so shy from receiving presents!" you honestly say. Hearing this, he turns his head away, his face much more red.

He clicks his tongue. "I've never received a present from anyone else other than Rex Lapis, okay?" he states, trying to hide his face. Hearing this, you stopped chuckling and stare with a soft gaze at the shy adeptus. "Well, I won't hold much of your time, and I'm sure you wouldn't want us to watch you open the present, so I'll get going now," you say, beginning to walk down the stairs with a wave.

"W, wait!" You stopped on your tracks and look over your shoulder. He turns his body to face you and took a deep breath. "Thank you.. I mean it," Xiao says, eyes still glued to the ground. You huffed a smile. "You're welcome. Happy holidays, Xiao."

"Ooh, are we going to go to the dinner with Childe and Mr. Zhongli now?" Paimon asks excitedly when the two of you got to the bottom, to which you nodded. "We can also give the gifts to them there."

"Hey, (Y/N)!" Childe waves from a far off table once you two stepped inside Luili Pavillion, standing up to greet you excitedly. "I was worried that you forgot about today," he admits, scratching the back of his head as he chuckles.

"Even if I did forget, I'm sure Paimon wouldn't forget it, seeing as you're treating us to a free meal," you laugh and turn to greet Zhongli who greets back. "It is certainly most enjoyable to dine with others on such a day," Zhongli admits, a small smile on his charming face. "The food should be here quite soon. I have ordered a special dish of Liyue that only comes once a year of this month."

"Ooh, Paimon can't wait!" she squeals in her seat. "Ah, I think it would be appropriate to give you guys your gifts now," you say and took out two gifts-- one for each of the male. "Oh? A present?" Zhongli humbly takes his gift, eyeing the box. "It is quite different from offerings," you state.

"Thank you, (Y/N)," Childe says, taking his present off of your hands. "I'm honoured to receive a gift from you." He chuckles. Soon after saying that, two waiters came to your table and placed a hefty amount of food on the table. "Ah, it's finally here! Well, dig in."

"If you should ever want anything else on the menu, please ask away," one of the waiters say. "Hoho! Paimon is sure to ask!" Paimon says and grabs her chopsticks.

The night was full of warmth and chatter, and a crying Childe who asks for a spoon and fork to eat the meal before Paimon could vacuum. What happened on that day was special and felt as if all the chaos that had now passed didn't even happen at all. You were sure to miss Liyue when you depart to Inazuma, a part of you remaining on this special day on repeat.

---

Happy holidays everyone and have a happy new year! ^♡^

~♡~