Anyone Got Like Any Good Akechi Gen Fic Recommendations?

anyone got like any good Akechi gen fic recommendations?

Like really GEN with no akeshu/shuake of any kind or like literally any ship with Akechi just— no romance. I'm so burnt out of romance and shuake fics like you have no idea and feel like I'm scratching under rocks to find non-shippy akechi content 🥲🥲

Shoutout to all my fellow selfshippers who were never chosen.

Shoutout to the people who were never explicitly invited, but who were told "of course you can come too". To the people whose presence was tolerated, but nobody ever seemed excited to see them. To the people who got talked over. Even when nobody noticed you leaving, you're worthy of love.

Shoutout to the "can I have your hot friend's number?" people, who only were present to make their good looking friend look even more appealing. Shoutout to the third wheels and wingmans. To the people who got the "kiss them! - ewww" treatment at Truth or Dare. To the people who got asked out as a joke.

Shoutout to the selfshippers who help with relationship issues despite craving a relationship themselves. Shoutout to the forever singles who have "resorted" to selfshipping because you convinced yourself that nobody would want you in real life. Shoutout to the insecure, jealous people with abandonment issues because you can't imagine anyone choosing you.

Your F/O chooses you. And they will continue to choose you.

They don't need a reason why. They love you. They love you for who you are, and they always will.

if only that was me.

the beautiful sound of your laugh seems to echo in their ears. it’s almost taunting. taunting in the way that you’re always close to them but not in the way they hope. you’re with someone else - someone who makes you far happier and the one that you love so dearly. they would never amount to that.

so they attempt to banish these unwelcome feelings, but they just return even stronger. when you ask them why they look so lugubrious around you, they dismiss it as just being a little bit of fatigue. you - skeptically - leave the matter alone, respecting their wishes to not talk about it. if only you knew.

lingering glances, fleeting touches. those are the only things that happen. and they should be satisfied, no? selfish envy remains in their mind (much to their dismay) and they can’t help but glare at the one who has unwittingly taken their chance.

if only that had been them.

abyss!lumine, abyss!aether, kaeya alberich, diluc raginvindr, kujou sara, kamisato ayaka, thoma, kaveh, xiao

have you seen the commentary from the p5r artbook going around? the shuake part of my dash is losing it a bit at the implication that their wishes were mutual!!! that seems to be what some people are getting from the commentary at least… amy insights?

Hi! I have been through the artbook. It's great, isn't it? :D

The image above is called "One Ending", and the creator caption (by illustrator Akane Kabayashi) reads:

When I think about how Akechi's wish was to play chess after school with the protagonist, I almost want to call him out with "You liked him after all, didn't you!"

Look at that. We're told about Akechi's wish, and what it included. We're as good as told outright that he likes Joker—and this isn't the only time, there's also this:

—There are a whole lot of things we can imagine, based on how the protagonist was depicted as someone special to Akechi. Those are more or less the exact emotions represented during Akechi's confidant. (Mumon Usuda, chief designer)

"someone special" here is 特別な存在 tokubetsuna sonzai—literally "a special presence". It means a special person, and more than that; it describes someone you find compelling, someone you can't look away from, someone who becomes one of your most important people, the centre of your world. It's another term that is often romantic, but isn't necessarily romantic.

(In the same way, I think Kabayashi's suki jan! is more tongue-in-cheek than it is a cast-iron confirmation that Akechi was canonly in love with Joker. The language there is teasing, it's ambiguous, it's baity; Kabayashi is joking. This is a rank 6—as they say, if you know, you know. But it is of course ultimately up to all of you.)

There's another mention of this image, down in the creator interview:

Out of all the Maruki ending illustrations, it was Akechi's that stuck with me the most. It made such an impression to see them opening up as friends, having a fun, peaceful time together like high school students should. (Mumon Usuda, chief designer)

What really strikes me in all of this is the emphasis the creators put on the fact that this is Akechi's illustration, Akechi's wish. Because I've thought for a while that we know Akechi has a wish. You can see him struggling with his refusals to Maruki in the first week of January. And you can hear his wish spoken—when Maruki repeats it back to him, during the boss fight, on 2/3:

Maruki {F1 81}君たちとなら、君も過ちのない道を歩めるかも知れないじゃないか！ {F1 81}-kun-tachi to nara, kimi mo ayamachi no nai michi o ayumeru kamoshirenai ja nai ka! If you're with {F1 81}―kun and his friends, you could begin to atone for what you've done! Think about it! With [Amamiya]-kun and his friends beside you, you could choose a path with no mistakes as well!

So this wish has several parts. First, there's that kimi mo, "you also"; it's tempting to read this as Maruki also wanting his new world to erase his past mistakes. Second, there's the first part, "if you're with [Amamiya]-kun and his friends". Where to even start here?

Being with Joker and the others is a prerequisite for the second half of Akechi's wish. It doesn't just coexist, it enables the rest of it. Just like his words in the engine room, "I wonder why we couldn't have met a few years earlier, [Ren]..."

Remember, Akechi's whole arc is about his rejection of trust and friendship, and his insistence on doing everything himself. This is precisely what Futaba calls him out on—"you trusted no one", or "you played life in single-player mode". This is what he unlearns at the climax of the engine room, when he realises he isn't prepared to let the others die—and follows through to save them.

Akechi is nothing without others, and he knows it. Without their support, which he believes he has no right to, he has no hope of living a better life, even were he to be given the chance—and he knows that, too. He has learned, and he has grown—and yet he knows the things he needs and wants so badly are forever inaccessible.

And his wish is about all the Phantom Thieves, not just Joker. There are many tiny references to this end—not least the original Japanese rank 10 line for his confidant, where he sacrifices himself for all of you. Joker is his compelling presence, his someone special, but he's formed small bonds with the others too, God help him.

and then there's the crime thing

The localisation frames Akechi's wish in terms of atonement, but that's not what's on offer. You cannot, after all, atone for things you never did. We see Akechi's wish put into practice, in the Maruki ending, where he appears with his friends beside him, wholly innocent and with unstained hands. And we see it in the first week of January, after he has finally met Maruki and spoken to him:

Akechi: Ah, that reminds me—there was one more thing I wanted to tell you. Akechi: About the reality Maruki's put us in... Akechi: It seems that Okumura and Wakaba are both considered alive by all accounts. [Ren: They're not dead anymore? / What do you mean?] Akechi: They aren't mere illusions, or cognitive beings—they truly are alive and existing in this world. Akechi: In fact, their deaths seem to have never taken place at all in this reality. [Ren: What happened to Shido?] Akechi: Shido was the only one arrested on the crime of attempting to overthrow the government... Akechi: It seems the Phantom Thieves were causing a stir in this society as well, but there's no record of your arrest now. Akechi: Basically, in this reality, you and I haven't committed any crimes.

While Akechi still remembers his crimes, they never took place. They have been undone, and only his lingering memory—and Joker's, at this point—speaks to them. He objects to this on countless levels, he summons all the strength he has to refuse it, but don't make the mistake of thinking that means he doesn't want it. This is Akechi's wish in action.

People are often very certain that Akechi's resolve in the third semester is like iron—that he rejects Maruki's offers right away, is never tempted, never wavers. But that can't be true. We know he's afraid to die. We know about the bad end where you don't complete the Palace, where Akechi says nothing and stares at the floor, seemingly blaming himself internally while all the others blame themselves aloud, for being unable to say no to Maruki's temptations. We know how he responds to this assertion of Maruki's—Maruki, who has perfectly summed up what we know all the other PTs wanted, and who (even if Word of God hadn't just confirmed Akechi's wish) we have, honestly, no reason to doubt.

Because Akechi never refutes this wish that Maruki describes. He never says he doesn't want it. He just rejects it—like all the others, who so desperately want what Maruki could give them. Futaba's mother, Haru's father. Akechi's life, and his innocence. And the people who might have been his friends, if he could dare, one day, to ask.

Akechi is tested just like the others, and the price he pays for his defiance is perhaps the highest of all.

and finally

[The Maruki ending illustrations are] of Maruki's world, where everyone's wishes are granted and they seem happy. The scene shows their actualised wishes, which were never granted in the real world. (Mumon Usuda, chief designer)

We shouldn't forget the price Akechi pays for his impossible wish. Sure, the vision of himself being altered like Sumire clearly haunts him, and I'm sure it made the choice easier—but I don't think it made it that easy. Instead of taking the dream Maruki offered him, Akechi chose to face up to what he'd done, and who he'd become; at the very end, in the third semester and in the engine room, he always makes the right choice.

And that choice was taken away from him. Agency over his life and death, his own acts, and who he would even be—Joker and Maruki take it all away from him and make him a puppet, just like Shido.

Maruki's ending isn't pretty.

revision history

Click here for the latest version.

v1.0 (2024/03/29)—first published.

It's painfully evident to anyone with two working eyes that Reo likes you.

Reo excels in almost anything, except hiding his devastatingly pathetic pining towards you. It's etched across his face, woven into his body language, and discernible even in his speech. It's embarrassing to the point that even someone as detached and inattentive as Nagi can discern it from a mile away.

Well, it’s not that hard to tell when Reo looks at you as though you've adorned the night sky with every sparkling star.

Nagi sometimes wonders if Reo even knows it himself. You weren’t any better too, always so oblivious of the lovesick fool fawning at everything you do — yet stealing glances when you’re certain the purple-haired isn’t looking.

Nagi had become an inadvertent witness to countless moments, each one screaming of the unspoken connection between you and Reo. From stolen glances across the classroom, where your eyes would meet, sparking a silent understanding, to the subtle brush of hands as you passed each other notes.

Watching you both tiptoe around your feelings is painful, especially considering that the two of you are the closest things Nagi has to friends. 

Maybe some minor intervention wouldn’t be a hassle, Nagi reasoned. 

“I like you, Y/N,” and so, he falsely confesses, purposely doing so while Reo stands just a few steps behind you.

Nagi observes your frozen reaction to his declaration, your bag hanging mid-air, frozen before settling on your shoulders. He notices the widened eyes and slightly agape mouth. Above all, he sees the color drain from Reo's face and the slight twitch of his eye in shock. At least he knows his plan is working.

A moment lingers, and you recover from the shock of his confession, still blissfully oblivious to Reo's presence in the room. “Sei... I-I'm sorry. I like someone else.”

I know, he says in his mind. He doesn’t say anything, prompting you to say more. 

“I’m sorry, Sei. I like Reo.”

And there it goes. 

Realization, relief, and everything in between coloring Reo’s face behind you. Reo has always worn his feelings in his sleeves— too transparent and too obvious.

“I know. I don’t like you,” Nagi admits to you, “I said it because he’s behind you.”

For the second time, you freeze at his words. The urge to turn and confirm or deny his statement tugs at you, but the fear of confronting Nagi's unerring honesty prevails.

Nagi Seishiro never lies unless he admits he does. Lying is too much of an effort, honesty is easier, he reasons.

You weigh your choices. Honestly, you'd rather be the butt of Nagi’s jokes than to face Reo if he’s really behind you. And so, you make your decision. Instead of turning to confront the embodiment of your unrequited feelings, you bolt for the door, leaving the two men to exchange silent glances.

“It's a lie?” Reo's voice breaks the silence.

“Yeah,” Nagi confirms. “Why aren't you going after them—”

Reo interrupts him with a confession, “I wouldn't know what to do if you liked them, too.”

I know, Nagi thinks again, staring at Reo before shrugging and collecting his belongings from the table.

“It will be a pain, I guess.” he shrugs again before finally turning his back to Reo to leave the classroom.

Suppose it's a good thing— it's a good thing Nagi doesn't wear his feelings on his face like you do, Reo.

Because it will really be a pain, indeed.

note. idk what this is but i present to you: pining reo written in nagi's pov or... i guess it could be more than that 🤷🏻‍♀️ (wrote this back in september pls throw the tomatoes gently)

Quiet to a Fault - [Xiao] GN

blurb:

After rookie adventurer [name] no longer has the traveller and Paimon around to serve as a buffer between the awkwardness of them and Xiao, your presumptions about the adepti's opinion surrounding you are proven to be not at all what you had thought--but very much more pleasurable.

cw: not edited, second-person-pov, 16+ suggestiveness, not explicit smut but heavily implied, [name] is a clutz and stressed out af, xiao is blunt, he's almost maybe seen as mean?? but he's just emotionally constipated

| masterlist | genshin impact collection |

[2.6k]

Oh gods, you could feel it again—the feeling of being watched.

The back of your neck tingles and a cold shiver runs down your spine at the feeling of a gaze boring into your back.

Ever since you'd separated from the outlander at Wangshu Inn, you would feel a set of eyes peering at you from somewhere; no matter how fast you turned around, you could never quite catch them.

You were a bit of a traveller yourself, though not from another world like Lumine. You were originally from Sumeru and snuck on a boat to Mondstadt to escape your gruelling life as a scholar.

You hated writing—though it used to be your favourite past time. Being born in a poor village by the edge of the desert, as soon as your parents found out of your talent, they'd sent you off into the thick of the woods towards the Akademia in hopes of scrounging some money out of you.

Jokes on them though, you wanted out of that place anyway.

It was in Mondstadt that you became friends with a boy named Razor, who took you in seeing as you had nowhere to go, and later met the traveller who helped sign you up in the Adventurer's Guild.

Life had been so much nicer since then.

Well, aside from the whole—Rex Lapis dying and Liyue nearly drowning and Fatui attempting to invade—incident.

But it was nice.

If only whoever was watching you could just FUCKING NOT-

"Please don't kill me—oh my god."

At the very least, you knew whoever was watching wasn't there to hurt you, that much was certain.

As a rookie adventurer, you would often find yourself in trouble you couldn't get out of, but within a blink—and a flash of green—the trouble would be gone.

"Oh," You look down at the no longer cognitive ruin hunter with a newly speared hole in its head, watching it poof and leave behind its core.

"Ooh! Yes! Just what I needed," You jump happily, grabbing the item and stuffing it into your sling bag, "thank you!" you call out to no one in particular, before continuing on your path with a little song.

A pair of stagnant yellow eyes watch you closely, the individual facepalming at the adventurer's carefree nature. Despite it, he couldn't find it within himself to leave you alone.

And so with a sigh, the individual snaps his fingers, disappearing onto the next course of the journey.

"Miss Goldet! I'm back!" You stumble up the last few stairs of the inn, reaching the reception, "I got the materials you asked for."

"Ah, welcome back!" The woman smiles gently, moving from behind the desk, "how was your trip? Did Xiao take care of you?"

You tilt your head at her words while you slip your bag off from your shoulder.

"Hm? Xiao?" You blink.

Verr Goldet blinks back at your befuddlement before realisation hits her.

"Oh, never mind—ha, don't worry about it, [name]. I just assumed since he wasn't here today."

You nod slowly, "Oh, okay..."

"Speaking of," As you hand her the bag, she begins to sift through it for the desired materials, "would you mind covering for Yanxiao in the kitchens? He's had to run out for some ham—would you also mind putting aside some almond tofu and bringing it up to the balcony? Since the adeptus hasn't been here since last night, I'm sure he could use a treat."

Satisfied with the bag's contents, she turns and places it on the desk, concealing her knowing grin.

You sweat, a spike of panic hitting you, "S-Sure, but uhm... Miss, I'm afraid that the—uh... adeptus Xiao doesn't really, um, like me, all that much..."

Goldet rolls her eyes, "Don't worry, [name]. He's like that with everyone. If anything he tolerates you the most. Now, off you go, we've got some orders piling up!"

"W-Wait, no you misunderstand! H-He really doesn't—oh, okay..." Your voice fades off with a sweat as the woman pushes you towards the lower staircase of the kitchens before retreating back behind her desk.

You swallow anxiously before pushing your thoughts to the back of your head—you have work to do!

Midday transitions to noon, and noon into the evening.

It's only then that Yanxiao returns, giving you a gruff nod and a pat on the head for your hard work before sending you off with some free food and primogems.

The ex-criminal always had a soft spot for you.

It's now that your anxiety resurfaces, a plate of pretty almond tofu in your hands as you cautiously make your way up the stairs towards the balcony.

In reaching the top, you freeze at the sight of the adepti's back. Your breath stills and your eyes are wide.

Even from behind, Xiao was incredibly pretty—lean and toned figure, evident through the slight muscle on his open upper back, shoulders flexed slightly with his crossed arms. The green tattoo on his arm could be seen peering from atop his shoulder, complimenting his pale complexion.

The darkness of the evening illuminates his skin, teal tinted hair slightly ruffling in the early night breeze.

You'd found the Yaksha beautiful since your first run in with him when you first accompanied Lumine. Xiao didn't necessarily give you anything to fear—as a friend.

But after Lumine had continued with her journey, you found yourself incapable of functioning around the adeptus. And it didn't help that Xiao didn't really do anything to ease your nerves. Since Paimon would usually do all the talking you were fine, but since she stayed with Lumine...

The atmosphere between the two of you just wasn't as casual anymore, and you felt rather inferior to Xiao. You could totally understand his familiarity with the traveller, seeing as she was technically also another worldly being and had fought alongside the adepti—so it made sense that she and Xiao were friends.

But you felt as though you had no place to intrude, and it didn't help that you had the teeniest, weeniest crush on him either.

You jump as the powerful male suddenly turns his head, glaring at you from the corner of his eye.

You square your shoulders, holding the plate of almost tofu up in front of your face as an offering.

"A-Apologies for the interruption, Mister Adeptus, sir!" You cringe at that.

'Oh my archons, what was that, that was horrible—'

"Uhm, I-I'm just going to leave this for you here—oh!" You let out the manliest, high pitched squeak you had at the sudden sight of the Yaksha appearing right in front of you.

You remain tense, widened eyes quickly averting from the being in front of you. You hold out the plate in a nervous grip.

Unbeknownst to you, Xiao's eyes soften ever so slightly.

He glances off to the side, narrowing at Goldet who quickly waves him off, before returning his attention to the panicked individual. He lets out a dismissive hum.

"Come." Is all he says, turning around in indication for you to follow.

You lift your head up, startled at the adepti's command before quickly scurrying after him.

Xiao leads you into a secluded room somewhere in the inn, another balcony attached to it. You realise that this is the room Goldet has given to Xiao to rest in, though the sight of its slight dust and untouched bed covers shows how little it is used.

Out on the balcony is a square tea table and two chairs.

Xiao walks towards it, "Sit." He speaks gruffly.

You do so in a heartbeat, breathing as quietly as possible to not disturb the adepti's peace any further.

You place down the almond tofu in the process.

Xiao takes the seat across from you, tuscan yellow eyes staring into your soul. You feel yourself on the brink of trembling in your seat, gaze glued to your lap.

The adepti is ignorant of your anxiety, simply watching.

A heavy puff leaves his nose as his orbs narrow at you, and you can't help but shrink.

"Feed me."

what.

You blink, slowly looking up, "...P-Pardon?"

The Yaksha glowers at you, "Don't make me repeat myself, mortal."

Despite his angered tone accompanied by a darkened scowl, the large blush across his cheeks betrays him. His yellow irises had narrows into slits, and he leans forwards in his seat.

You reel back slightly, surprised at his request.

Your stomach does twists and turns at the adepti's blush, feeling your own cheeks start to burn—though a happy feeling slowly creeps into you, and you can't help but feel a bit... prideful.

Without a word you pick up the spoon on the plate and scoop up a bit of the tofu, using your free hand to hover beneath it in case any of the sweet nectar is to drip and fall.

Still with bright cheeks, the Yaksha huffs but leans forwards a bit more, a pronounced frown on his features. Once the tofu reaches his mouth, he pulls back and begins to chew, a content feeling nulling his eternal pain.

Once finished, he leans forwards again for more.

This process continues in silence, and soon the sun falls completely past the horizon, leaving the pair in the light of the night. Only two pieces of the almond tofu remain when Xiao stops, closing his eyes as he leans back contently.

Seeing this, you place down the spoon back onto the plate and sit patiently in the silence.

Xiao's expression of embarrassment plus his current calmness puts your mind at ease of having gotten into trouble.

As the Yaksha closes his eyes in what you assume to be a moment of content, you take the chance to admire him once more.

The man indeed has a very fierce appearance, although he is slim in stature, usually drawn from the sharpness of his eyes. Most of Xiao's features are rather sharp, ranging from the wisps of his hair, to the angle of his shoulders, and the point of his nose.

His colour palette is extraordinary, a mix of green and teal with light pinks and purples—a unique combination not many can compose.

It's only telling of his divinity.

Your eyes trace down towards his lips: pert, pink and, though thin in place, are plump in the centre--although Xiao's usual scowl normally hides this.

A quick glance up causes you to freeze, muscles tensing in your place—Xiao's eyes are open, a piercing glare catching your unwarranted staring, though he is yet to say anything to acknowledge it.

You feel a shiver creep up your spine, though the sudden chilled atmosphere causes it to stop at your lower back.

You're quick to divert your gaze.

Keeping your head low as your nerves return as soon as they left, you shift in your seat.

"...I-I will return this to the kitchen-" You hurriedly (and shakily) stand from your chair, moving to grab the plate but are quickly demanded to cease by the Yaksha.

"No," Xiao's voice is clear, and incredibly firm. His glowing eyes remain glaring at where you had been previously seated, "you will leave the plate as it is. Move that chair closer and sit."

Your eyes flutter wearily, and you swallow anxiously.

You do as told, though seemingly not quick enough as a sharp side eye from the Yaksha causes you to scrape the chair along the floor in attempts to fasten your pace.

Knees nearly touching, you hesitantly sit down in front of the intimidating man, Xiao having turned himself away from the table to make room for you.

As soon as you're seated the adeptus grasps the chair from the space between your legs and the backrest—causing you to instinctively close your thighs around his hand—and pulls you forward.

You're forced to brace yourself on the other's shoulders as your chair is leant forwards, so close that your eyes are forcibly met.

You stiffen tremendously, face growing warm before nearly bursting with humuliation—particularly at having pinned the Yaksha's other hand between your legs.

Intelligible sounds escape you as you try to make sense of the situation, though you're quickly shut down by the cold glare of the adeptus.

You hold your breath.

Xiao scowls at you, "Just what is it that you do to me, huh."

His voice, although scolding, is quiet--only for you to hear.

"What gives you the right to make me act like this? Answer me."

His questions sound more like statements, only adding to your nerves.

"I don't..-I don't know what you mean, sir... I-"

"Xiao," His glare hardens, as does his grip on the wooden chair, "say my name."

Your breath hitches in your throat, and you can almost hear the creaking of the chair under the tightness of the Yaksha's grip. Your face flushes, and you're forcibly leant even closer.

You're hands grip onto the fabric of the other's shirt desperately to ground your flurrying embarrassment.

"I-..I..-"

"Say it," His eyes narrow, "say. It."

"..."

"Now."

"X-Xiao!" You squeak out, clenching your eyes shut as yourchair is suddenly thrown back and unto all fours.

You yelp in alarm as a body crashes into your own, followed by a smooth pair of lips meeting yours.

You gasp in shock.

A tongue invades your mouth, slipping just past your front teeth to prod your tongue before it retreats. Xiao's hand that was clamped firmly between your thighs had released its grip on the seat of the chair, changing to grasp onto your clothed leg.

His other hand has long made its way onto the back of your head, pushing you closer and keeping you in place.

His possessive grip and feverish kiss leaves you breathless with a thundering heart, and your embarrassment only grows as Xiao manoeuvres to suck on your tongue.

You whimper anxiously against his lips, earning a slight growl from the Yaksha. One of your hands grip the cloth of his tight shirt whereas the other digs it's nails into the skin of his back.

Xiao enjoys sting the little red marks create.

Eventually managing to pull yourself away with swollen lips, you're given no time to rest as the adeptus dives unto your neck, leaving kisses and small bites along the flesh.

You can't help but squirm and wriggle at the feeling, sighing and whining all the whilst. You let out a particularly loud whine at the feeling of a hand hesitantly grazing your clothed core, eyes snapping open in shock.

Steam would have been rising from your cheeks if you were given the time to process what had happened.

However, you're given no such luxury to dwell as the Yaksha's uncharacteristic grin appears in your line of sight, and the sudden feeling of a hand on your bare skin causes you to cry out.

It seems that the male's cold demeanour had not stemmed from any form of dislike, but rather, the opposite.

Lumine's absence had meant Xiao no longer had someone to turn to for advice—as the girl often would have sent you together on little quests to help aid her daily commissions.

And a lack of Paimon's voice had meant there was no one to stem conversations between the quiet pair. Because of this, Xiao had no idea how to approach you, which you had misunderstood to be a disliking towards you.

Though, this night on the balcony proved to change things between the two of you, as the open night's air carried your cries and other such sounds of pleasured bliss.

It was lucky the inn was not as busy tonight, Verr Goldet quietly closing any windows and doors with a sense of knowing.

Knowing Xiao would no longer go to her for advice, or be as grouchy anymore.