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„What’s wrong?“
After watching at the sunset in silence for so long, Xiao decided to ask her the question he had on his mind for some time now. Only a few weeks ago he had admitted his feelings for her and confessed. Afterwards they became what humans called a couple. Lumine would come visiting him as often as possible during her journey through the lands and he tried to at least send her some dreams to show her that he was thinking about her and that he was fine.

Whenever Lumine came for a visit they watched the sunset together. It wasn’t unusual for them to not say a word during this time, but this time Lumine seemed absentminded and even a little bit sad.
“Nothing. I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
Tenderly Lumine placed her head on his shoulder.
“I cannot remember much of my home land or of my childhood. But I remember my brother very well. We have been together since we were born and we were holding hands for a long time until it suddenly wasn’t appropriate. Together we travelled through worlds and fought enemies – always protecting each other.”
Even when travelling through many worlds, in the end it always was just them. To them there was no use in making friends, because sooner or later they would leave and never come back. Over the years their home was no longer the place they had been born in, but right next to their twin. Aether was her home and she was his.

“I miss my brother. I miss holding his hand and watching the sun rise and set. I miss travelling with him. I miss my home. At the same time I feel bad, because I’ve met so many nice people here and made friends… and I have you now. But I would give up everything so Aether and I can be back together with him.”
A singly tear fell down. Aether had been her home and only family for so long and now, for the first time she was homesick and felt lonely.
“You shouldn’t feel bad about that. I think, it is understandable. He was everything you had until recently. In the many years of my life I lost many people dear to me. People I considered family. People that were my home. Well, I guess, for you it must be even worse, because Aether was your only family for so long, while I at least had always someone to catch me, even when it still hurt.”
“Do you dream of those people sometimes?”
“Yes. Not only sometimes. Every night I dream of them. Sometimes those dreams are pleasant, but often they only show me their suffering. Yet, I still am happy to have them, because it shows that I still remember them.”
“You fear forgetting them?”
“Yes, I do. Memories is all I have.”
“I hope, I can share my memories of this place with Aether soon. I am sure he would love you all!”
Lumine let out a deep sigh.

“Lumine, I may not be good at those feelings things and I am sorry that I cannot give you the comfort you need. However, I can be there for you until the end. I will help you find you brother and until then I will hold your hand as much as you want. I won’t let go until you want me to.”
Softly, Xiao placed a kiss on his girlfriends head. His grip around her hand got tighter. He wished, he could hold her hands forever. He never wanted to let go, but he knew that he had to let go someday.
“Thank you, Xiao.”

Chapter Text

Nervously Lumine played with the seam of her clothes. Today she was about to leave for Inazuma and before the turned her back to Liyue for some time, she wanted to get something off of her chest. However, now that she stood in front of Keqing she doubted her decision.
“What is it, Lumine? Did you just come her to stand around?”
Keqing had waited for her to speak up for quite some time and started to get impatient.
“I… um… Well, I… I have something important to tell you.”
Great, she already stuttered!
“If it is something important, than you should tell me right away so we can take care of the matter.”
Keqing was as straightforward and pragmatic as always.
“Um, well, the thing is: I love you.”
Alright, she said it. Now she couldn’t go back.
“I don’t know when it started, but for some time now my wish to spend more time with you, to hold your hand, to hug you and… um…”
Lumine’s face turned redder with every word she said, but she could stop!
“Whenever we are out shopping or just eating together, I wish there was more. I don’t want to call you a friend. I want to call you my girlfriend and do all of this girlfriend stuff with you. Like, I want to spend my night beside you and wake up next to you. I want to hold you tight and never let go. I want to kiss you and call you mine. I... um, I… I…”
I love you!

While confessing her thoughts and feelings, Keqing said nothing. She simply stood next to her desk and looked at Lumine, who had already stopped looking at Keqing.
“I’m sorry. When I thought of leaving Liyue, I thought that it would be wrong to leave without telling you all this. I didn’t want to think back about our time together and see it as something it wasn’t or thinking about what could have been if I had done this or that. I am sorry, for making things awkward between us, but I thought it would be better to come clean. Sorry.”
Silence grow between them after Lumine ended her confession. Her face red as an apple and her eyes locked at the ground. Keqing, on the other hand, still just stood there and looked at Lumine without a word to say.
Awkward!
Seconds turned into Minutes. And minutes felt like hours.

“I’m sorry for bothering you, I will take my leave now. Bye.”
Before Lumine could leave the room, Keqing stopped her.
“Wait!”
Keqing grabbed Lumine’s wrist to stop her from running away.
“Um, when will you leave for Inazuma?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Then, do you want to spend the night at my place. You know, to hug each other and hold hands and such things.”
Embarrassed Keqing averted her gaze.
As answer she received strange noises from Lumine.
Both were new to the whole love thing, so neither knew what to say or do, but at least they understood that they shared the same feeling for each other. Now, they only had to understand how to go on with it.

Once Lumine could only dream of sharing a bed with Keqing. Could only dream of holding her close, cuddling between warm sheets and bedded on soft pillows. Could only dream of placing kisses on Keqing’s lips. Could only dream of receiving kisses from Keqing.
Now Lumine could not only dream about all of these thing, but also experience them. It was only unfortunate that for now it only lasted one night. However, as soon as she had finished her business in Inazuma, she would immediately return to Keqing’s side to share more of those dreamy moments with her.

Chapter Text

Diluc let out a heavy sigh. The bag in his hand suddenly felt so heavy. In a few days he would finally marry Zhongli. It had taken them many years to make this step, so Diluc wanted everything to be perfect for his future wife. However, with every passing second Zhongli seems to be more nervous and unsure, if they really should get married. He understood her, but he still wished she would feel more at ease. So far he had never mistreated her, right? He had always taken care of her and given her what she wanted. Yet he had not been able to cast away the cloud of doubt that hung over her ever since they met.

With a final sigh he entered their shared bedroom. Zhongli sat on the bed and was holding her medicine. She seemed absentminded.
“Zhongli?” Tenderly he called her name, when he sat down next to her.
“H…Hi…”
“Is everything alright?”
“Yes, I was just in thought.”
Carefully he took her left hand in his and placed his other hand on her should before slowly stroking her back. Over the years he had learnt that this way was less stressful for her. As much as she wanted to be touched, she also was scared. So it was better to make small steps and moves and give her to the over and over again to get used to his touches. In all honesty, he had never thought that he would be able of such much tenderness and patience. But he loved her more than anything, so he would do everything for her. And he loved her responses. The way she slowly moved closer to him. The way she, after a nightmare, searched for safety in his embrace. The way she smiled at him when he gave her the time she needed. The way the rewarded him with her trust and love.

“Are you still nervous because of the wedding.”
“Yes.”
She looked ashamed admitting it, but she never was a liar.
“We don’t need to make this step, if you don’t want to. I want to marry you, because I love you and I want to show this through marriage. However, the most important is that we both really want it.”
“I know and I really want to marry you, but…”
There it was again, this little word “but” that made Diluc feel sick and sad and made him wish to turn back in time and kill someone.
But you fear I will stop loving you. But you fear me cheating on you, just like him. But you fear me changing afterwards. But you fear that the past plays out again.

He knew and understood her fears. An awkward silent hung over them and for some time they just sat next to each other with Diluc tenderly caressing his girlfriend’s back.

Luckily Diluc remember why he actually had searched for Zhongli after some minutes.
“I have something for you.”
Without any further comment to pull out a giant dragon plush out of the bag he had carried. To him it looked more like a snake, but he was told that this was a dragon, so he called it as such.
Confused but curious Zhongli accepted the present and hugged the plushy. Softly she petted the dragon’s head as if it were a living creature.
“It’s…”
“I know, who he is.”
Usually Zhongli never interrupted him, but this time it seemed important to her to tell him that she knew that the plush in her hand was special.
“How did you find him? I thought I had lost him forever.”
Diluc knew about her favorite plush named Rex Lapis through one of her stories – it was a fond memory of her grandmother. After hearing that the dragon had been lost, he diced to start looking for it – when it came to finding things he was pretty good and he had some help from Ningguang, a close friend of Zhongli. Together they finally found the plush and fixed it. Now it finally was back in Zhongli’s caring hands.
“I have many helping eyes and hand. It took me awhile but I found him.”
“Thank you!”

Happily Diluc watched Zhongli cuddling the plush animal with a bright smile.
“I still have some work to do. You look tired so try to go to bed soon.”
With a kiss on her lips Diluc stood up and went for the door.
“Diluc.”
“Yeah?”
“Can you let me a bath in? I want to take a bath before going to bed.”
“Sure, will do.”
“And could you help me with my hair afterwards.”
“Of course!”
During their time together Diluc learnt that Zhongli hated two thing the most: Showing skin and others touching her hair. Especially the last one seemed to be an absolute no! So, whenever she allowed him to take care of it, he felt incredibly proud and happy. The moment in which they sat in silence, while he took care of her hair were quite intimate for them and he enjoyed every second of it.
“Call me when you need me. I will be downstairs filing out some reports.”

Diluc loved his girlfriend and he hope that she one day became his wife. All he wanted was to make her happy after all the things she had to go through – he knew how it felt to feel lonely and vulnerable.

Chapter Text

It was silent when he entered their small apartment. When he called his boyfriend’s name, he got no answer. He didn’t think much of it. Maybe his boyfriend was taking a bath, considering how awful hot it was lately, taking a cold bath was the only way to prevent oneself to overheat. As someone from a cold region the weather was even more stressful. His hydro vision was a blessing! Though a cryo vision may even be better.

Childe went into the living room to sit down and relax a bit. He had to run around Liyue to collect debts and information all day under the burning sun. Now he only wanted to sleep and cool down. However, when you entered the living room he had to accept that their sofa was already occupied by someone. Since only two people lived here, he knew who took his sleeping place away. He tiptoed the last few steps to the sofa and kneeled down next to it. Tenderly his finger traced along his boyfriend’s beautiful sleeping face. Who allowed his boyfriend to be so pretty?

“Childe?”
Why was his boyfriend’s sleepy voice of smooth and sexy? Childe didn’t know if it was the heat or Zhongli’s voice, but he melted. He needed a very cold bath!
“Yes?”
“Mmh, you’re already back?”
“Obviously. Is everything alright with you? You seem a bit pale.”
“I think the weather is taking its toll on me. I thought a little nap could help, but I don’t feel any better.”
“I see. Let me get you a new wet towel.”
Carefully Childe took the now to wet anymore towel from his boyfriend’s hand and went into the nearby kitchen.

When he came back Zhongli had not moved an inch. As much as he loved seeing his sleepy boyfriend, he did not like the thought that Zhongli was feeling unwell.
“Here’s your wet towel, Zhongli.”
Softly Childe placed the towel on Zhongli’s head. Unconsciously his fingers once again traced along his boyfriend’s pretty face and then jumped to Zhongli’s chest. A kiss on the lips followed.
“Childe.”
“Yeah?”
“I am not in the mood for this. My head hurts.”
“That’s sad. Because I am totally in the mood to shower you in my love and kisses.”
A faint smile developed on Zhongli’s lips. If it weren’t for his strong headache he would have nothing against some kisses and cuddles from his boyfriend, but at the moment he only wanted to sleep.
“If your head hurts so much, it may be better to lay down in our bed instead of the sofa. Also the bedroom should be colder too.”
“That’s true, but I didn’t get any further than this. I was already happy enough to make it this far. And now I am too weak to move around.”
“Well, then let me help you get to bed. And I will bring you some water. Drinking is very important! Maybe it also will help against your headache.”

Their way into the bedroom was long. Zhongli indeed had quite some trouble walking on his own and Childe grow worried. After helping Zhongli switching his work uniform out for some lighter clothes, bringing him some water and placing a little blow of cold water, so Zhongli cold make his towel wet again after it went dry, next to the bed, Childe wanted to leave and get some medicine from Bubu Pharmacy and call a doctor. He was sure that Zhongli simply forgot to drink enough today and considering that the next few days wouldn’t get any colder and with Zhongli’s strict focus on work, he was sure that this headache was not a one-time only thing.
Well, of course, Zhongli saw that a bit different.

“No discussion! I will get some herbs form Bubu Pharmacy, tell your boss that you will be on sick leave for the next few days and call a doctor. And you will accept it without complain! Got it?”
Zhongli could only sigh.
“Understood.”
He had no energy to fight with Childe over it.
“Come back soon.”
Without further comment Zhongli closed his eyes and tried fall asleep again. Resting was the best medicine at the moment, in his opinion.
“I will and when everything is said and done, I will join you and hold your hand until your better!”

Chapter Text

„You are truly without fear.”
With a soft smile Guizhong turned around.
“Ah, greetings, princess. What brings you here?”
Without a care in the world Guizhong placed the Qingxin she picked into her basket. Some years ago she started picking Qingxin here at the mountain, because it for one had a lot of them and they regrow faster than on other mountains. Ever since then the abyss princess, as she figured out throughout the times, paid her a visit – probably to get her to leave, but Guizhong was too stubborn.

However, by now it seemed as if the abyss princess had stopped trying to get rid of her. At first she would even threat her with violence and one time Guizhong even needed Morax’ help to get out of the situation, but nowadays the princess would just asked her in an annoyed voice, why she was here again and tell her to leave – sometimes she also throw in a few empty threats.

Guizhong had to admit she started to like the princess, whose name she did not know.
“The questions should be, what you are doing here, again. How many times do I have to tell you to not come here? It does not matter that you call yourself the goddess of dust, here your powers are worth nothing!”
Yes, she knew. If here powers were worth something here, she wouldn’t have needed Morax’ help back then. The mountain she was on at the moment was at the boarder of Liyue and therewith close to the abyss. Here the powers of the gods of Teyvat were weakened and the power of the inhabitants of the abyss strengthened.

“Picking Qingxin as always. You know I need them for medicine.”
“There are enough mountains and other places for you to pick them. Are you not afraid of losing your life?”
“No. So far I always got back in one piece and alive. So, what about you? Did you miss me?”
“Nonsense! You are in my territory, so of course I have to check out what is going on! You would do me a favor by staying away! Far away!”
With a slight blush on her face the princess crossed her arms and tried to look as annoyed and stern as possible. Very cute!

“Well, the Qingxin regrow faster here and my people suffer greatly from the war. Please have mercy with us.”
“Why should I care about your people? It’s your war, not mine.”
She wasn’t wrong.
“Because you are a kind person.”
“My people also need medicine made from the Qingxin, so why should I share with you? What if there are no Qingxin left, when we need them. Can your kind pay the price for one of our lives?”
Another point for the princess, but she hadn’t taken that many flowers every time. Guizhong had always watched out not to take too many. However, she couldn’t know when and how much Qingxin would be needed if one of the princess’ people got sick.
“Ah, I am sorry about that. I guess, I forgot about that. Though, I must say, I am surprised that the abyss needs materials from outside.”
“If the abyss would be more closed off, as it was years ago, we wouldn’t need those flowers, but ever since those riffs show up every now and then, we also catch some unwanted problems.”
“I see.”

Minutes of silence washed over them. Could they just carry on as usual? Guizhong at least couldn’t. She had come here for the flowers and to help her people. Later it also was to meet the abyss princess. But now… Her intention was not to harm anyone.
“Let’s make an agreement.”
Huh? An agreement?
“Sure. What are the conditions?”
“Only you will be allowed to come here! And you are only allowed to stay for a specific time frame and only take as many flowers are I allow, which can vary.”
Sound like the princess didn’t like Morax’ interference before. To Guizhong both Morax and the princess were quite similar in many aspects, but she knew better than to say it out loud – maybe one day, when it didn’t seem as if both wanted to behead the other one right away.
“Alright. Accepted.”
Happily Guizhong agreed to the terms, because the conditions weren’t anything bad.
“Then, I will be back tomorrow with a written agreement that both of us sign?”
And this way she would finally learn the princess name.

Like a little girl being asked out by her first crush, Guizhong went down the mountain’s path. A little jump in her steps and a big smile on her lips.

Chapter Text

Yawning Childe entered the living room. His eyes immediately looked at the sofa that was occupied by his boyfriend Zhongli and his girlfriend Lumine. Both were busy with reading something. Slowly Childe walked over and after stretching he let himself fall down on the sofa, next to his girlfriend Lumine, who only pulled her feet a bit closer to her body. A bit disappointed by the lack of reactions, Childe took a closer look at his two lovers. Zhongli had his arm around Lumine’s torso and his eyes fixed on the pages of his book, while Lumine had her body rested against Zhongli, her legs close to her body and her eyes on her book. No attention for Childe.

Slightly annoyed to not get the attention he wanted, Childe decided to be a nuisance, meaning he went in for a full hug attack on Lumine.
When Lumine saw Childe moving closer to her, she automatically made space for him, by lowering her legs and putting away her book. It was not a conscious decision, it was a habit.

Shamelessly Childe snuggled against her chest with a big grin.
Zhongli looked up from his book to see, what the ruckus next to him was all about, only to see his boyfriend being his usual playful self, while his girlfriend gave out head pats. Watching them caused a warm feeling inside him. Tenderly he placed a kiss on Lumine’s head and then turned back to his book.
Lumine, on the other hand, gave in to her destiny of having to satisfy Childe’s need for attention. Though he liked his antics sometimes. She liked the warmth his body emitted.
Her book had found its way onto the ground. And soon Zhongli would also give up on his book for the sake of cuddles.

Chapter Text

It was in the later afternoon when Zhongli sat in his comfortable big chair. The sun shone through the big window at his left side. A still warm cup of tea stood on a little table next to him.
His legs crossed and with a book in his right hand about a land long ago.
What a warm and peaceful summer day.

His head rested softly in his left hand, while his eyes were closed. Under the warm light and the comfortable silence Zhongli had fallen asleep.

When had been the last time that he had fallen asleep so peacefully?