Wuthering Waves - Tumblr Posts

not sorry for that

Love him💕

Poor man...

Shhh.. You didn't see anything🤫

I was wondering...What kind of cosmetics do they use?

i miss him sm bro

Aalto they could never make me hate you

love this guy, finally met him in the story

Jinhsi is watching.

Me when Wuthering Waves 🌱

Thinking about making fandom-themed tarot cards but I dunno which fandom to make which card (Pt 1)

• Genshin Impact

• Honkai: Star Rail

• Honkai Impact 3rd

• Zenless Zone Zero

• Wuthering Waves

What top three tarot cards do y'all think would best fit each of these fandoms and why (please put your answers in the comments ;w;)? I'm looking for cards that match with their story's themes and/or gameplays, major and minor arcanas are all on the table.

I was thinking of either the World or the Fool for Genshin Impact and/or Star Rail due to their themes of "the journey is just as important as the destination"/"Reach the end of the story in your own way" but I was still hoping for more opinions since I know next to nothing about Hokai 3rd, ZZZ, and WuWa xuu

If we manage to assign a fandom to each card, I'm going to draw them all out as cards and sell em >:33

So please help ;-;

(If you're cool with helping but have no idea what the meaning of each card is, I have a 'Tarot Meanings' doc y'all can look at)

Bro what happened. 😭☠️

ultimate swag (from jinshi’s concept art)

scarover got me by the throat 🙂

in sickness and in health

Jiyan x Reader

“Bless you.”

“Thanks - ugh, that was the third time within the last half an hour or so.” Your nose crinkles as you rub your forehead in slight annoyance. 

“The fourth time actually,” Jiyan corrects, his concerned eyes lingering on your face, studying your demeanour carefully. “My love, are you certain, you’re feeling alright? You’re not catching a fever, are you?”

Before you can react Jiyan lifts his hand, placing it on your forehead, feeling for any unusal warmth. He remains for a few seconds, as his eyes flicker over your face, before tracing his fingers gently along your temple, down to your cheek. Out of instinct, your eyes close all on their own, as you lean into the pleasant coolness his skin offers. 

“No, it just happens sometimes,” you reply softly, touched by his concern and care. You look up again to find his eyes already locked on yours. So you offer, “I’m just gonna drink some hot tea. You want some as well?”

You shift to get up from the seat, but his gentle touch on your arm hinders your movement. “Stay put, I’ll make the tea.” Jiyan leans closer, his lips brushing your forehead as he leaves a tender kiss on your skin. “How does dinner sound right after?”

Carry the Moon / Part 1

Xiangli Yao x Reader

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

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.

“I would advise against entering that room if your life is dear to you.”

The sudden voice yanks you out of your thoughts and you tense up.

Shit. There goes the plan of being quick and sneaky.

You let your hand slide down from the door handle while trying to come up with a plausible excuse. Not that the truth isn’t plausible on its own, it's just… more on the embarrassing note.

Your grip tightens around your bag as you turn around slowly, a careful neutral expression on. Only to come face-to-face with the Xiangli Yao himself.

‘Thank you, universe,’ you think dryly to yourself.

“I can assure you; it won’t be a pleasant experience to try and sneak into the room,” Xiangli Yao continues. “For neither of us, if I might be honest. Mortefi likes to protect his personal office quite well and I’d be the one having to drag your unconscious body to the infirmary.”

He says all this with a measured calmness and poise you wouldn’t exactly expect from him under these circumstances. After all, if you were to find a stranger lurking around the sacred workshops of Huaxu Academy in the dead of night it wouldn’t exactly offer the picture of the most good-natured intentions.

‘Oh, just why did you have to procrastinate this task out of all?’ You scold yourself. Explosives, my ass. Then you speak out loud, giving him a sidelong glance. “You’re bluffing.”

The renowned Researcher crosses his arms, a challenging quirk to his brow. “Am I?”

“You’re Xiangli Yao.” Since when do researcher have that much sass? You shift slightly, the bag in your hands has gotten uncomfortably cold by now.

“Positive.” His eyes flicker down to your bag, before they return back to you, studying your reaction carefully. “And who are you, if I might ask? I can’t recall you being one of the students, right?”

“I’m here to drop this off at Mr. Mortefi’s office,” you explain and gesture to the bag hanging from your arm.

“At this time of the night?”

“You’re also still here.”

“I am a researcher.”

“And I’m a commissioned Questor,” you dart back. “And these Glacio herbs need to get into a cool environment before they freeze off my pouch entirely.” Then you point towards Mortefi’s office door with a deadpan expression, not buying his ‘warnings’. “But apparently it seems I might explode upon entering. So, I’m in a bit of a dilemma.”

Instead of the expected annoyance you are used to from members of the academy there is an amused glimmer in Xiangli Yao’s eyes. “Indeed, security got extra tight lately.” He studies you for a moment, as if searching for a reason to alarm security.

You hold his gaze, even if his calculating expressions make you feel sort of bare, like he was aiming to make an X-ray of your mind.

Then, finally, he relaxes his stance and steps closer, a key glistening in his hand.

“Allow me.” There is a click and Yao steps inside, holding the door open for you.

When the room in fact does not get blown up and also no alarm goes off, do you actually enter the room, but that doesn’t keep you from frowning anyway, “You’re just letting me in without further evidence? Perhaps the security isn’t as tight as you said, and you guys do need some explosives around here.”

You hear him huff in amusement as he follows you further into the neat and spacious workshop. “As you mentioned, these Gravedos need to be preserved in suitable temperatures as soon as possible.”

You feel his eyes on you as you enter Mortefi’s en suite refrigerator room and search for an adequate location for your gathered herbs.

“Besides, I was aware that we were expecting a delivery of Gravedos. Although Mortefi hinted at it being supposed to arrive last evening.”

You grimace. A fracture of you had hoped, your overdue delivery could’ve been missed. But of course not, given you’re surrounded by a bunch of nerdy researchers and scientists. When you turn back around, you find Xiangli Yao leaning against the door, his keen eyes observing you. Again, you shift slightly under his gaze, a bit of embarrassment creeping into you.

“Well, yeah, about that… I ran into some trouble on the way there. I hope none of your research or important projects will suffer too big of a loss because of that,” you half-ass an apology and can’t help but cringe a bit at the mocking tone in your voice.

But against your expectations, the wariness in Xiangli Yao’s eyes melts away and he shakes his head. “Personally, it won’t trouble me. Mortefi on the other hand is quite strict on his schedule as you might have noticed. But do not worry, he’ll be fine. Eventually.”

You nod, rummaging around the pockets of your bag. “Fortunately for my head, he paid me in advance so I can avoid him in the next couple of days. Unfortunately, though…” You find what you’ve been searching for and display the materials on a table. “I was planning to ask Motefi if there’s anything that could be of value or interest for ‘the science’ or for him personally here, but… perhaps you could help me out instead?”

As you look up, you find Yao already stepping closer as well, taking in the various items and minerals spread across the table. You watch as he quietly studies them with an intrigued expression. Then his eyes suddenly narrow, before they widen once again. “Is that…?” He reaches for a blue crystal-like mineral that reflects in the artificial light of the room. His movement halters before his fingers can graze the stone's surface.

“You recognise it?”

“I do. And yet it should be nearly impossible. I didn’t dare to hope that this would find its way into the academy anytime soon.” He looks up and meets your eyes. “If I may ask – where exactly did you find them?”

“The sea of flames. It was more of a coincidence that I stumbled across them.”

Xiangli Yao’s eyebrows rise. “That’s quite the treacherous region. Incredible.”

“Then they must be worth something, right? Do you have any use for it?” You lean back against the desk, eyes shifting between him and the crystals. Might not hurt to try and catch an idea of their market’s price around here. Who knows, maybe this guy would be willing to make a good offer. He is the principal investigator after all, if you remember correctly.

Yao picks up one of those blue crystals and turns it between his fingers with a pensive expression. “They are called Ardores Lapis. Sometime after I built my robot Patty I searched for various ways to modefy its abilities and also combine some techniques in my mecha arm. That’s when I came across this mineral in my research. Ardores Lapis is a wide-ranging phenomenon as its mere existence contradicts many common beliefs in science. It should not exist and yet…”

His eyes gleam with quiet wonder. Or rather not so quiet…

You blink a few times, pulling yourself together as you realise how you’ve drowned in his nerdy yet concise explanation. So, in the heat of the moment, you answer impulsively, “Keep it then.”

At this Yao’s eyes dart to you, clearly taken aback. “Excuse me?”

“I mean it,” you reply sincerely. “I won’t charge you until I figure out what this bad boy is actually worth. Until then, you might as well use it for your… experiments.”

He shakes his head, placing the Ardores Lapis carefully back on the table. “No, that’s not right. You initially wanted to bring these to Mortefi. It’s meant for him to test and decide what to do with it.”

“Maybe. But it didn't come to that. I mean, look at it this way.” You make a point of adding a touch of dramatic element to your facial expressions as you tap your finger on the table. “Fate wanted me to be late on my deadline, missing Mortefi's open-office-time only for you to stumble upon me and just like chess-pieces falling into place, it all aligned so this ends up in your blessed hands.”

Amusement and mirth twinkle in his eyes. “You certainly have a knack for using verbal theatrics, do you not?”

You shake your head, a smile grazing your lips. “Listen, back in the sea of flames there were a whole lot of these. I’ll head back there first thing tomorrow morning and bring some more. Delivery for you and for Mortefi.” You lift your thumb to emphasise your affirmation and also because you really, really want to just leave already and get at least a few hours of sleep in from this night. And like, that would mean even more of a higher payment for you anyway.

Fortunately, Yao must’ve come to the same conclusion as he inclines his head in gratitude. “Then please, accept my payment as of now at least. Give me a price, money is no problem.”

Oh, that guy is loaded, loaded. You sure are gonna eat good this month.

“While I appreciate the gesture, I can’t give you a proper sum without knowing the full extent of its worth. I might need some… research time.” Great, so the academy's air is starting to rub off on you, huh? “Besides I trust you’re the only one at the moment with the knowledge on how to properly take care of the minerals before they wither away, correct? So do it for the big science, or whatever you guys use as motivational speech."

Yao hesitates, debating his morals, which no doubt are on the right side of his heart. Then he nods. “Alright, then.” Reluctantly, but without any further protest, Yao accepts the minerals you hand out. 

“I - you have my deepest gratitude.”

“Careful, if I return empty-handed tomorrow, Mortefi might try to duel you for their return.” You retort with a teasing glint in your eyes.

Yao laughs under his breath, the sound warm in contrast to the cool room. “Yes, he might be prone to do that.”

As you’re ready to leave you reach for your bag and gather your belongings, Yao tilts his head, as if realising something.

“You still haven’t told me your name.”

You stop by the door frame and turn back around to him for a moment. “Maybe next time then, pretty boy.” Something in you (probably the lack of sleep) spurs you on to even wink at him as you quickly hurry away before the last ounce of self-reverence leaves you entirely

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

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

Carry The Moon / Part 2

Xiangli Yao x Reader

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

Synopsis: 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.

You have been in luck.

More so with the blooming of this strange mineral, despite how short its life span may be.

Yet, your luck has been less generous with the amount of people swarming the halls of the Academy.

It is crowded as hell, with people literally everywhere. Students, scholars, researchers, scientists and who knows who else, all buzzing like bees in a hive. Really makes you miss the TDs you’ve just encountered on your way back.

Good thing of this, people don’t even bother to look at you, too engrossed in their own work or conversations.

Aside from that, finding Xiangli Yao’s work office was still surprisingly easy, conveniently near the archives. And against your presumptions of a typical researcher, you find his workshop to be less… chaotic than you previously imagined.

Perhaps not deserving the label “tidy” quite yet, but enough to discern his care for structure. You guess that’s probably down to his title as the principal investigator.

You step into the room, greeted by the soft hum of various devices and flickering holograms. The man himself is hunched over a stack of books; several loose sheets of paper are scattered across the desk and some even on the floor.

You notice how Yao is standing, rather than sitting on the chair right next to him. Not wanting to startle him, you tap a quick knock on the open door.

At the sound, Yao looks up and you’re caught off guard by how genuine the smile is he greets you with. “Y/N, good afternoon. I hope your trip to the Sea of Flames wasn’t too much trouble.” He places a bookmark between the pages of his book, averting his full attention to you.

You arch an eyebrow, faintly surprised. “So, you found out my name, then.”

“Of course, you’re among the most frequent task-takers of the Pioneer Association.” He nods and tilts his head slightly. “And you’ve handled several commissions and requests for the Academy itself.”

You offer a dry bow. “At your service.”

“Please, come in,” he makes an inviting gesture. “I have some time to spare, before a meeting with some colleagues.”

As you walk further into his super high-tech workshop, you come to realise how surprisingly endearing the décor is, despite the clear cyber-style design.

“So… this is where you tinker away all day then, huh?” You murmur as you catch sight of the several plants and flowers adorning the room and is this… a plushie of a Gulfpuff on the top of that shelf?

Xiangli Yao gives a quick laugh and rubs the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. “Ah, well, yes. It is sort of my second home. Can I offer you some coffee, or we also have juice here if you prefer that?”

“Coffee would be nice, thank you.”

While Yao moves to another table and starts preparing two cups of coffee, you slip off your backpack and take out the collected Ardores Lapis. You move some newspaper and strange-looking trinkets aside - carefully of course – before arranging the minerals along the counter.

“You have my greatest gratitude and also my deepest respect for this, y/n.”

You raise your head to meet Yao inspecting the stones before his eyes settle back on you.

The guy is practically glowing with excitement at whatever possibilities these rocks are sparking in his head. “The chances of finding Ardores Lapis in the wild, let alone in full bloom are remarkably low, bordering on the extraordinary.”

“So, what I’m hearing, these rocks are basically my retirement plan?” you quip, tilting your head.

Yao lets out a soft, amused huff and pushes himself off the counter to hand you your cup of coffee. You accept with a quiet, ‘Thanks’.

“Only if your retirement plan isn’t scheduled in the near future. Otherwise, let’s just say my theories still need to be proven before I can guarantee the stones’ effects and potential. But as of now, they’re definitely priceless – at least scientifically speaking.”

“Great.” You reply dryly as you follow him to his desk, with tons and tons of books and loose paper sheets gathered around. “So, in other words, this might end up being some pile of plain ol’ vanilla rocks?”

“The worst-case scenario will be that your retirement might end up a rock garden.”

Yao’s attempt of consolations makes you snort in return. “At least they’re pretty rocks,” you sigh, tracing your finger along the warm mug in your hand.

“Don’t misunderstand. I fully intend to hold onto my word and compensate you adequately. Here, let me show you.”  He nods towards a hologram on his desk, adorned by barely legible scribbles and sketches.

He points to one of those sketches. “This shows one of the initial discoveries of Ardores Lapis, such as you’ve encountered. Out of all the essays and data logs I’ve studied, only three other researchers have encountered Ardores Lapis in person. To have these samples here in the academy could revolutionise technology.”

Even though Yao maintains a calm voice while explaining, his inner turmoil and excitement are as clear as the day. You skim over the lines of words projected in the hologram, trying to make sense of the information as well as the significance of it. “Have you informed Mortefi already? See if he’s still in a foul mood because of me?”

“Don’t worry. As soon as he lays eyes on these minerals, all will be long forgotten. I will bring them to him later today.”

“But you’ll keep the ones from yesterday, right?”

He smiles. “I will. Definitely. Mostly because I already started working on them.”

Yao gestures toward the giant cubic on his desk, now glowing as its claw clearly contains the shards of one of the Adores Lapis you’ve brought, along with some other materials you couldn’t name.

“I’ve made you copies of the books, along with my conclusions and comments,” he says, tapping on the hologram. “I’ll send the data to your Pangu Terminal. “

“For Me?” You ask, a bit incredulous, as your terminal pings with the incoming information. “Listen, I respect science but like… from a healthy distance. I’m not much of use for this, trust me.”

He chuckles softly in a way that fills his blue eye with warmth. “Don’t worry. I’ve written it in a way that’s easy to understand, even for non-scientists. I simply want you to be able to determine your own pricing for the minerals. Once word gets out about your find, Mortefi and I won’t be the only ones interested.”

As you open the log file and skim through his summaries, you can’t help but be touched by his thoughtful gesture. He could have easily dismissed your limited knowledge on this topic and offered a low price for the stones or even written them off as worthless. You’ve dealt with enough customers like that in your career to know well how rare this kind of consideration is. Still, you are also aware, not to end up on the loose end of a deal.

So, looking at him, the genuine “Thank you” flows with an uncommon ease from your lips.  

After a few moments of silence, you clear your throat, trying to shake the feeling of vulnerability that threatens to rise within you. “You did all that…this morning?”

“I can prioritise my research,” Yao explains matter-of-factly, “especially when it’s such a unique experience, I can indulge myself in.”

“So, you really are a full-on nerd, huh.”

He laughs. “Indeed. I find joy in scientific research. Immersing myself in data and theories, exploring various possibilities… It’s a blissful experience.”

“Alright, Iron Man,” you tease, “I find myself more on the hands-on side of the experience.”

“And thanks to those experience and skills, we’ve uncovered this miracle. Ardores Lapis should not even be able to exist.”

“Isn’t that what all the fuss about science is?” you counter, surprising yourself by how engaged you suddenly feel in the topic. “Pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and knowledge that seemed limited suddenly expands?”

“Science is life's questioning of truth,” Yao replies simply, his voice carrying a touch of melancholy that seems to hold its own story.

It pushes you to treat into dangerous territory as your next words escape you, “Is that why you’ve become one? A scientist, I mean?”

“In a way,” he says with a reflective smile. “I’ve become a researcher to follow my parents’ footsteps, but in a way, I’ve also strayed away somehow.”

“In a bad way?”

“I’m not certain. There is a balance between exceeding people’s expectations of me and meeting the standards I set for myself, based on my parents’ example. Yet there’s also the human side of them I do not want to lose touch with either.”

As you zip up your backpack again, your gaze drifts to the newspaper you’d pushed aside earlier to make room for the stones. The date was several years old, with headlines about scientific breakthroughs. Your focus shifts to the printed pictures of the article.

Oh.

“What kind of humans were they?” you murmur softly.

“They were kind,” Yao replies, a hint of nostalgia in his voice but filled with a warmth that tightens your heart. “The magazines and papers always spoked of them in the highest regard. But most of what I know about my parents comes from reading about them.”

“That must have been lonely.”

At your words, his expression shifts to one of mild surprise. “Please don’t misunderstand. They were wonderful parents; I have an abundance of happy childhood memories.”

You don’t reply. Not wanting to risk upsetting him further, no matter what you think about that topic. Instead, you take a closer look at the picture on the paper. “You have your father’s eyes.”

Yao looks momentarily taken aback, but then his expression softens again. “That’s… oddly comforting. Thank you.”

“Hey, given your parents were top-tier scientists, the resemblance is pretty suspicious. Are you sure you’re not a clone?” You tease, trying to lighten the mood.

And as he genuinely laughs, you feel something stir inside you. How nice it feels to make a science guy actually laugh so freely. Maybe this could turn into your own personal challenge - how many times could you make Xiangli Yao crack up?

It was true what people said about this science prodigy. Despite his young age, Xiangli Yao lived up to his reputation and even exceeded it. You didn’t expect to have enjoyed the time spent here as much as you did. He carried an air of eloquence and poise, yet remained genuinely kind and inviting in a way that makes him impossible to dislike – even for a science guy.

“Well… thanks again,” you say after some comfortable moments of silence and lift your terminal with his papers to demonstrate your point. “I’ll be off then to tackle my homework.”

But Yao shakes his head. “With the amount of sleep you’ve been missing these days, it would not be futile if you tried to digest the information properly. The mind works best when it’s well-rested and nourished. Please, get some rest – you’ve been running around Huanglong the past few days.”

When you leave the academy later that day, you do so with mixed feelings. An unknown surge of curiosity urges you to dive into Yao’s written summaries and learn what he wrote specifically for you, so you would not suffer any potential losses in your job. Commission. Whatever the hell this whole project is turning into right now.

You genuinely want to understand the way he ticks. You want to understand his nature, his story.

Suddenly, you can’t wait to return to the academy, if only to understand more about the world and the impact of small discoveries like yours. And let’s be honest, having a certain light-haired Resonator as a bonus company certainly doesn’t hurt.

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

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

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)

Rover is gonna fix it