Carry The Moon / Part 3

Carry The Moon / Part 3

Xiangli Yao x Reader

Summary: From first meetings to searching your voice in every room, how very intriguing you’ve become to him.

As a spirited adventurer, you’re used to a life of action and impulse, having little interest left for the world of data and deduction. But when you stumble upon a rare mineral, you find yourself drawn to the unexpected warm soul that resides within the logic-stricken researcher Xiangli Yao. And as your practical instincts clash with his world of science, sparks fly in more ways than one.

Part 1 ~~~ Part 2 ~~~ Part 3

When Xiangli Yao enters the Academy this morning, his eyes instinctively search for your presence. Perhaps he’ll catch a glimpse of you in the archives or hear the trace of your voice echoing somewhere in the hallways.

He has noticed your reluctance towards the art of science, and perhaps even the Academy as such. And yet, he finds it – you - amusing, in a way it’s impossible for him to deny. Your presence, along with your effortless humour has brought a refreshing change to his usual structured days and the rigid atmosphere of the Academy.

With one last subtle glance around the Academy’s halls – gathered with people who aren’t you – a certain strange sense of disappointment settles over him, and thus his day goes on in its usual rhythm.

---

Your sole reason for returning to the Academy is to ask Xiangli Yao about the data logs he sent you yesterday morning.

But the moment you reach the archives in the late afternoon, you stop dead in your tracks as you notice the stuffed crowd of people. And up there on the pedestal? None other than Xiangli Yao himself.

Wait, he’s a teacher? Or professor. Or whatever else his fancy title is.

You haven’t been aware. Then again, with his rank and brainpower, it’d be a waste not to have him teach other smarties.

And it’s quiet. Like seriously dead quiet for a class. You can hear the sound of your shoes scuffing the polished floor, that’s how hard everyone is clinging to his every word.

Great.

With no way out that wouldn’t cause a fuss, you’re stuck here for the rest of the lecture. At least you’ve found refuge in the farthest corner of the room, where you can at least breathe normally.

Then your eyes settle on Yao. And as much as you’ve made fun of the zombie-like scholars around you, your words come back to bite your ass the second you start listening to him. It isn’t… it’s not quite what he’s teaching – something about auto-mechanics, or whatever. But it is more the way he is drawing you in. Drawing every one in. An older guy next to you is fervently writing along in his little notebook, not daring to miss a word that leaves Yao’s mouth.

Damn it, he’s good. For a science guy.

He manages to pull the crowd into his world, making it seem like he genuinely cares about the publicum. Which, knowing what you’ve learned about him so far, he most likely does.

Xiangli Yao is standing next to the blackboard, gesturing to a few sketches to emphasize his explanations. “Many times, in your careers, you will find yourself at a dead-end, caught between what seems possible and what feels just beyond reach.”

He circles a particular sketch and crosses out another one. “It is inevitable to face the limits of your knowledge, and research won’t always bring you forward.”

His gaze sweeps across the room, ensuring he makes eye contact with as many students as possible. Then his eyes find a familiar face among the crowd of listeners.

Your eyes meet and you could’ve sworn his expression softens for a second.

“But sometimes,” he continues still holding your gaze, “you will only bypass that blockage with enough dedication, courage and of course a little bit of madness.”

An amused smirk tugs at your lips, knowing full well the subtle nod in his words was directed at you.

Once the lesson has ended, quite the crowd of students immediately gathers around him and starts swarming him with questions and requests for further explanations.

You remain standing a little stand-off-fish-like in your little corner, waiting for him to handle his affairs. Heavens, you hate that feeling of being crammed into a room, even if ‘s a whole-ass lecture hall.

“Unauthorised personnel are not permitted to attend or observe lessons.”

Too caught up in your thoughts, it takes you a minute to realize the man is addressing you. You blink, turning to him. “Hm?”

“These lessons could contain sensitive information or discussions, not yet approved for public dissemination. Please remain outside.”

You take a step back, eyes falling to the name card pinned on his chest that reads Shiyan. But it’s the monocle and his air superiority that outs him as a clearly pompous ass.

There you go. A true member of the Academy. You’ve already started to get worried that Xiangli Yao is messing up your statistics with his unforeseen kindness and all.

You drag your gaze back up to Shiyan’s eyes, which are fixed on you with thinly veiled contempt.

You lift your chin slightly, meeting his stare. “I’m here on commission. Do you want my pass?” You don’t exactly have a pass – just that commission from Mortefi a few days ago. But that should do its job if you use the right words.

But Shiyan, too, is persistent. “I’m sorry, but I must still ask you to wait outside until authorized personnel will retrieve you. This room is not for the common folk.”

Common folk, my ass. What is this? You huff at his arrogance. “This is basically a library. I’m not here to steal your precious knowledge.”

“Mortefi will not be pleased to have a-“

But whatever subtle insult he is about to throw at you next, the words get stuck in his throat.

“Shiyan,” Xiangli Yao’s voice is gentle, but firm. “Thank you for your concern, but y/n is authorized to be here. They are my partner in a project we’re conducting.”

You look towards Yao, grateful for his interference, otherwise this might have ended up slightly awkward. His eyes find their way to you for a moment, before focusing back on his colleague.

Shiyanhesitates, clearly reluctant to have you stroll around his holy Academy halls, but in the end, he complies with a stiff incline of his head. “Please, next time, ensure your guests wait outside the lecture hall, Mr. Xiangli.”

Yao nods in return, and Shiyan finally leaves.

Tipping your head back against the wall, you regard Yao with a blissful expression “Alright, partner. Are you free of duty now?”

A smile tugs at the corner of his lips, making some dimples appear as he turns to you. “Yes. I’m all yours now.”

“Oh, I’m afraid, you shouldn’t say those things, pretty boy.”

---

“Speaking of,” you exclaim a little while later, turning around and leaning back against the counter in his workshop. “I noticed some discrepancies in your notes to what I saw at the Sea of Flames.”

Xiangli Yao leans forward in his seat. “Discrepancies? Of what sort?”

“In your reports, you’ve mentioned the blue kind of Ardores Lapis. But when I went back yesterday morning, I found crystals in different colours. Similar structure, but definitely not the same. I could be wrong of course, and it might be a different species altogether. But… does that ring any bells?”

“A new species?” Yao’s brows furrow in thought. “Huh, I haven’t come across that specific aspect in any of my research. If that's true and there are variations of the crystal…”

His expression shifts into one you’ve become familiar with over these past days. Zoning out, mentally connecting dots, running through the endless data the man has stored in that brain of his. Clearly, the revelation of anomalies has left him quite intrigued.

You let him pounder for a bit, your gaze idly wandering across his workshop. The high ceilings, with lamps hanging low, cast the room with a bluish glow. It should feel stifling, but somehow, you’re rather hit with an unexpected wave of calmness instead.

“Could I ask you for yet another favour?”

You turn to meet his eyes. “Damn, you’re about to be the main contributor to this week’s salary,” you joke. Sort of… “Shoot, prof.”

“Would you allow me to join you on yet another trip to the Sea of Flames?”

You can’t help but raise a sceptical eyebrow. “Um… sure. But as you’ve noted, it’s not exactly an all-sunshine and rainbow place. There are a lot of TDs gathering there.”

“Are you questioning my combat abilities?” He tilts his head and smiles, and the way his eyes look at you makes your heart skip a beat. “I appreciate your concern, but I can assure you, my skills as a resonator and fighter won’t weigh you down. I promise. Besides, I'd like to test out the new update I added to my mecha arm in the field.”

Your gaze flickers to his prosthetic arm, noticing the resonator insignia there for the first time. A true wonder of the stars.

“Very well. But if I have to save your ass, I’m doubling my fee.”

“Deal.”

Being more of a lone wolf, you’re not exactly used to having someone join you on missions - let alone in a fight. And a part of you dreads to be responsible not just for your own life, but also for the life of the damn protégée science guy with eyes deeper than the universe.

Thank you so much for reading! Comments and reblogs are so appreciated

Part 1 ~~~ Part 2 ~~~ Part 3 ~~~ (Next Part coming soon)

ascension materials

Intimacy

Xiao x Reader

Intimacy for Xiao is a hard thing to come by.

Intimacy with him is

when you gently slip off the glove from his hand.

Tenderly, softly, delicately holding your fingers against his.

He is reluctant, repulsed even. But not from the gesture, not from you.

Never from you.

It is his own hands that bear the darkness. Or rather the vessel of the darkness. It’s his hands he considered the root of his inner corruption, his hands that have killed and slayed down and diminished countless lives.

His scarred hands you now hold so delicately as if they were something incredibly divine in your eyes. Something worth appreciating. Something worth saving.

That was the way your eyes are constantly looking at him like he was something worthy of salvation.

And when Xiao looks up, instead of repulsion or sorrow he is met with a soft smile that makes something sing where his heart is supposed to beat.

💫

Winter in Snezhnaya

Scaramouche x Reader

Scenario: You accompanied him to Snezhnaya, but much to Scaramouche's dismay, a certain ginger harbinger has come along as well. And the familiarity between him and you is testing Scaramouche's last nerves.

The Zapolyarny Palace towers behind you in all its imposing might, radiating glory and power. Somewhere within its walls, Scaramouche is trapped in yet another assembly with the other harbingers, while you are out here, walking along the edge of the winter forest.

Though you’ve accompanied Scara down to Snezhnaya and are a welcomed guest in the Tsaritsa’s palace during your stay, you find yourself turning restless rather quickly.

It’s obviously cold as shit up here, and darkness falls early, but as you stroll along the icy path, the moonlight reflects off the snow, making your surroundings shimmer like something straight out of a fairy tale.

Suddenly, a fox approaches you, showing no signs of fear or reserve. That’s another curious thing you’ve noticed around here, just how unusually amiable the animals are.

You rummage through the pockets of your coat, pulling out some nuts you’ve been carrying for that exact reason. You toss them into the snow in front of the fox.

The snow crunches as you kneel down to watch the animal feed on its newfound food in delight. Like it is used being fed in this city and knows exactly where to get what it wants.

“You’re going to spoil the wildlife if you keep on feeding every stray you come across!”

At the sound of his voice, you rise back from the ground, turning to see Scaramouche approaching. He stops a few feet in front of you, hands stuffed into his winter coat, the harbinger sigil prominently displayed.

“You’re already done for today?” You ask, giving him a subtle once-over.

Scaramouche crosses his arms and clicks his tongue in disapproval. “Fortunately, that was the last assembly for a while. One more day with these morons, and I promise, heads will be rolling.”

His eyes shift to the fox on the ground before they settle back on you. He raises an eyebrow. “Are you really so keen on catching a cold for the sake of some mutt?”

“It’s a fox, first of all,” you defend both yourself and the animal, unfazed by his demeanor. “And second, don’t pretend like you weren’t making eyes at that stray cat on our balcony last night.”

He scoffs, disdain evident on his face. “Yeah, of course. Seems like the cold ist really getting to your head.”

Not feeling particularly defeatist today, you decide to drop the subject (because you know exactly what you saw) and change the topic. “When will we go back home, then?”

But before Scara even opens his mouth, another jolly voice joins you. “Home already? What a shame!”

You can practically feel Scaramouche's whole demeanor dropping with irritation, rivaling the frigid temperatures. “Someone, have mercy on me,” he mutters darkly under his breath as Childe approaches you both.

Childe is wearing a suspiciously wide grin on his face as he deliberately ignores Scaramouche and puts his entire attention on you instead. “You should stay a few more days and enjoy Her Majesty’s hospitality to the fullest. I promise, you’ll love it.”

Scara’s jaw tightens at the familiarity between the both of you and if he weren’t bundled in his coat, you would be able to see a pulsing vein on his neck. “Shouldn't you be busy mopping the Tsarita’s ballroom or something, Childe?”

The 11th harbinger shoots him a grin. “Why, and miss all the fun of bidding you guys goodbye? You wound me.”

Then the ginger’s focus shifts back to you, making Scramouche’s eyebrow successfully twitch. “Truly, y/n, your absence will be felt not only by the hungry animals around here but I too will miss your lovely presence. What a joy it is to witness you making our balladeer here hot and bothered in a way I’m not quite used to seeing.”

You frown, but amusement twinkles in your eyes nevertheless, being used to his antics. “Thanks, Childe. It was very nice to see Snezhnaya for myself.”

“You’re welcome here anytime, my dear.” Childe chuckles, placing a friendly hand on your shoulder, but that’s when whatever little patience Scaramouche had left drains away for good. He steps in between you, his gaze deadly and fixed. “Touch her again, and I’ll end you.”

A bold, delighted laugh escapes Childe, clearly aware of the effect his words and actions have on his comrade. He lifts his hands in defeat. “Ahh, finally! I’d love a good fight with you, my friend.”

Scaramouche lets out a dry chuckle, but there’s no humor in his eyes. His fingers twitch, ready for some action. “It’s on then. I’ve been waiting for this day for long enough.”

Meanwhile, you have to suppress a groan. This has been going on all week, them breathing down each other’s neck the whole bloody time. How do these people even get any work done with the way they hate each other’s guts?

You step to the side, Scara’s eyes immediately following you. But you put on a mock-serious face, clasping your hands together. “What a fabulous idea, boys! We can finally settle this like the big grown adults we are, right? You do that - but if you’ll excuse me, I'm heading back to my warm, comfy bed.”

“Don’t you worry.” Childe laughs, amusement dancing in his eyes. “We’re just messing around, isn’t that right, Scaramouche?”

A cold smile spreads across your lover’s face as he regards Childe with a deadly look. “No, please, go on. Keep testing me. See how far it gets you.”

“Now, don’t sound so detesting; I might start to think you don’t like me.”

“Sucks to be you, then, doesn’t it.”

Childe responds to that with nothing more than a shit-eating grin. He turns to you, his face smug, and you can basically feel the headache forming.

“Write to me, alright? And keep me updated on what Mr. Sunshine over here is up to. I barely get to see him these days.” He begins to step back towards the city entrance, but not without shooting you one last wink. “Too occupied with his honeymoon phase, huh?”

“I’m gonna murder you.”

You gently grab Scara’s hand, in an attempt to ground him - or to stop him from causing the Tsaritsa to lose yet another Harbinger.

And he does stay by your side. His fingers soothingly tracing along your wrist before slipping between your own. He turns to you, his anger still radiating from him, but upon seeing your amused look, he scoffs and looks away.

“You’re in way over your head.”

“Am I?” You muse. “Or is someone a bit possessive because of Childe as of now?”

He locks eyes with you, daring you to continue.

“What? Now i can’t tease you after having to suffer through your constant bickering with each other our entire time here?”

“We weren’t-” he starts, but clearly thinks better of it and sighs, a hand running through his hair in annoyance.

“You were saying something about a bed?”

“Mhm. Want to share?”

“You better.”

Thank you so much for reading! Comments and reblogs are so appreciated

big feelings