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A Liyue exorcist and a puppet that originated from Inazuma. It's definitely not a pair you see everyday. While Chongyun spent his days training and looking for evil spirits, Wanderer spent his days, well, wandering.
Who would've thought to put them together?
Ever since the one and only Traveler put them on the same team for commissions and expeditions in Liyue, the two males have been stuck together, like two peas in an excruciatingly small pod.
Surprisingly, they weren't dysfunctional as a team. For Wanderer, working with the exorcist was... interesting. Despite his biased assumptions and usual impatience for humans, he found that expeditions weren't boring with Chongyun around.
As for Chongyun, he didn't understand why the Traveler paired him up with someone so ridiculously strong. While he was over here always swinging his claymore at enemies with all his strength, Wanderer could finish them off with a simple flick of his hands. Nonetheless, Chongyun took this as a learning opportunity to pick up a thing or two. He grew up among the adepti and a literal zombie, so working with a puppet wasn't the weirdest thing he's heard.
One warm morning, they were heading to their second commission for the day. After the first one, which required them to deal with a Pryo abyss mage, Chongyun needed to cool himself down.
"What's with you and popsicles?" Wanderer asked, keeping his eyes ahead on the dirt path they were walking on. Many times he had seen the exorcist down popsicles in a matter of minutes. Wanderer always scowled when he saw the sight. He was never the one to like desserts. Wasn't a lot of sugar really unhealthy for human bodies too? Humans were so frail that way.
Chongyun gave a very simple reply. "They help me cool off."
Wanderer thought that was a lame excuse. "Aren't there more healthy ways to cool yourself? You practically eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
"They don't have any sugar... if that's what you're thinking. They really don't taste like anything actually. Just Qingxin-infused water," Chongyun shrugged. "I could submerge myself in a lake in Dragonspine, but the trek always takes me the whole day. Carrying popsicles is just more practical."
"Huh."
They continued to walk in silence under the sun. Wanderer had the benefit of his ridiculously large hat. Meanwhile, Chongyun was left with his hoodie. Unfortunately, on this particularly day, it trapped heat rather than shield him from it, so he ended up keeping it off his head.
Chongyun pulled out another popsicle. While they walked, he kept feeling the occasional gaze on him. As much as he tried to focus on the cooling sensation of the icy treat, the thought of eyes staring at him only made him sweat more. He glanced at the dark-haired male walking next to him, who met him with sharp eyes.
"Would you like one?" he asked, breaking the stifling silence. Chongyun will admit, he was kind of annoyed right now, feeling like he was being judged very harshly.
Wanderer suddenly stopped in his tracks and took a step closer, practically closing the distance between their bodies. Chongyun's eyes widened as he shifted his head to the side, just barely preventing himself from getting hit by that hat of his. He tried to read the face that was mere inches away from his, all the while trying to keep his yang energy in check, but Wanderer's attention was lowered, looking down at the bright blue vision strapped around his hips, which did not help at all.
Wanderer gave it a tap. "Cryo."
"What about it?"
Wanderer crossed his arms, looked up with narrowed eyes, and yep, he was definitely judging him right now. "So you're telling me, that with a Cryo vision, the best you can do to cool yourself is eat popsicles?"
Chongyun huffed, honestly lost for words. "Well- I don't know. Why don't you use your Anemo vision to help cool me off? Do both of us a favor or something," he shot back, returning a tap to the glowing elemental accessory hanging in front of him. "I thought the Traveler told you about this."
If there was one thing that Wanderer took away from the generous introduction that the Traveler gave him beforehand, it was the the exorcist was very oblivious. To the point where if you told him he was cute, it would go right over his head. Wanderer has yet to try that. "About what?"
For someone who had no idea about his unique condition, Chongyun thought the puppet did a pretty good job at pushing his buttons. "I was born with something called 'congenital positivity,'" he began slowly. "No one really knows exactly when the first case of this condition came about, but it's been around for as long as anyone can recall. Apparently it's so rare it only happens once every thousand generations or so-"
Wanderer put a hand up. "Save me the history lesson, exorcist."
Chongyun sighed. "Basically, I have too much yang energy, which repels evil spirits for miles around-"
"And that's a bad thing?"
"Yes! It's a bad thing! You have no idea how-" Chongyun took another breath to calm his bubbly breath that was getting a little too heightened. "Yes, because unfortunate side effects include being very sensitive to anything that has to do with heat. I can't eat spicy food, I have to avoid staying too close to any heat source, and I must avoid activities of a more passionate nature."
"You're very passionate about exorcism," Wanderer mockingly pointed out.
"That's different."
"Then care to elaborate on the so-called 'passionate activities' you speak of?"
Chongyun brought a hand to his chin. "Well, like going to a loud concert... And... and..." His voice trailed off. There were a million of things he could list that he should avoid, many of which he has avoided in the past, but Chongyun's mind was drawing at a complete blank right now. He couldn't think straight with the very expectant look that Wanderer was giving him, and Chongyun didn't even want to think about the small space they were still sharing.
"...And just... participating in things that stimulate people?" he offered with a shrug.
"I see..." Wanderer hummed. A gleam shone in his eyes, the gears in his head turned. And for good measure, he pretended to ponder for a bit before continuing. "So... something like this?"
Before another word could be spoken, he pressed himself against the exorcist's cold lips. And it was funny because he had said his popsicles were tasteless, but Wanderer was able to pick up the faintest hint of bitter Qingxin. It was just like the bitter tea he enjoyed. Maybe he should have took up on that popsicle offer earlier.
Wanderer repressed a smirk, knowing exactly what he was doing. This was more than enough to mess with the blue-haired male a bit. Chongyun really did always make these little trips interesting.
And he swore that as he pulled away, he could feel Chongyun almost kiss back. He licked his lips, looking unfazed as ever. Another thing to rub in the exorcist's face. "You seemed to handle that pretty well."
Chongyun was left stunned in place, stuck trying to figure out whether this was his imagination going wild or just a really, really realistic fever dream. It didn't last long though. Wanderer's voice came like like a snap, pulling him from his little trance.
A dreading blush slowly crawled up his cheeks, and he had to stifle a scream. Chongyun wanted to be angry, so so angry, but he was so dumbfounded that none of that came out of him. It took a moment for him to find his own voice, which came out too small for his own liking. "Just... barely..."
He looked down to find that he had dropped his unfinished popsicle. It was now on the ground, sadly melting away in the dirt. He quickly pulled out another, only to have it plucked out of his hand by Wanderer. A smug smile tugged at his lips as he popped it into his mouth and continued walking.
Chongyun didn't say anything else for the rest of the walk. It was embarrassing, almost shameful, to think that after putting in so much time and care and sweat and dedication into years of vigorous training, his brain was still so easily prone to being completely fried.
He buried his hands in his hair, trying his best to steady his breathing because he couldn't afford to think about what just happened. It would only work him up, and who knew what Wanderer might end up doing? All he needed to do was stay calm until they reached their next commission and get rid of this energy through fighting enemies. Yes, he'll just deal with these crazy thoughts and feelings later when his head is not so foggy and fried, as much as it will kill him. Right. Good plan.
...
"That kiss really did something to you, didn't it?" Wanderer remarked, genuinely surprised at how distracted the young exorcist was in battle seconds ago. Splintered hilichurl targets and burnt wood chips scattered the area with the occasional sprinkle of frost.
Chongyun was hunched over on the other side of the hilichurl camp, panting as he rested his hands on his knees. He was beat, physically and mentally, and was ready to call it a day. There was no way this was happening. Wasn't this too much embarrassment for a poor, struggling exorcist? This was just cruel.
He took a deep breath for courage before lifting his sweating face. "Wanderer, did the Traveler ever tell you that can't just go around kissing people?"
"It's not my fault you piqued my curiosity. And I don't go around kissing just anybody, you know."
Whatever that was supposed to mean, Chongyun didn't know and was too afraid to find out. "My life depends on my ability to control my yang energy," he explained, hoping that the way he enunciated each word stressed just how important this was. But somehow, in the back of his mind, he knew it was to no avail. And here he thought doing commissions with Wanderer would be a great learning opportunity.
"Good thing I was here to save you," Wanderer replied knowingly as he adjusted his hat. "What would you ever do without me?"
After taking one last scan of the area, he began to make his way over. "Gather yourself, exorcist. You're stuck with me, and the day's only started."
Chongyun evidently stiffened, looking like he was ready to run for his life. He probably could with all of the adrenaline still pumping through him. Wanderer noticed a few specks of debris on his head from the commission, and raised his hand to brush it off, only for the exorcist to flinch back the slightest bit, eyes watching him very warily.
He chuckled, amused by the whole yang-energy ordeal. "Relax. Did you want me to kiss you again?" he teased, dusting the other male's blue hair.
Chongyun unconsciously reddened at the question and stayed silent. If Wanderer hadn't been paying attention, he would have missed how the flushed male glanced at his lips for a split second before flickering to side. This time, Wanderer's eyes widened.
Oh. Oh. He may have felt a little bad, but now that he learned how easy it was to mess with the exorcist, Wanderer didn't think he would be able stop so easily.
He took a step forward and narrowed the distance between them once again, not forgetting to avoid hitting the other's head with his hat. This time he grabbed Chongyun's wrist, which he would have mistaken for a Pyro vision from all the heat it was emitting. He just knew the exorcist was ready to jump six feet into the air or take off running or both.
When Chongyun met his eyes again, he just had to do it. "Will you kiss me back this time?"
Chongyun squinted his eyes shut with a groan, convinced that he was going to get a fever from all this heat. He could hear that playful chuckle that taunted him, and in a frenzy, he placed his burning lips on Wanderer before the puppet could make another teasing remark that knocked him out.
Needless to say, Wanderer was not disappointed.