Genshin x Reader Oneshots

Lanterns (Xiao x GN!Reader)

It's Lunar New Year~ and I honestly spent a long time trying to decide whether or not I wanted to torture Xiao or not 

He's a nice dude, though. Pretty edgy, but he means well 

I also have no clue how to write Xiao he's one of those characters that I've never bothered to look into much LMAO-

~ ~ ~ 

You never understood Xiao. Parts of him were parts that you believed you'd never be able to understand. He was quite odd. Instead of hanging out with his other friends for Lunar New Year, he would prefer to sit alone. Edgy. Instead of watching the performances that were so intricately put together by Yunjin, he'd rather be out fighting the ruin guards that were quite literally beyond the ten-mile radius of Liyue Harbour. You'd ask him why. He'd just say that it was his duty to keep the mortals safe while such a huge and important celebration was being hosted.

You always tended to be friends with rather odd individuals anyways. Childe would always beg you to fight him. Each time he asked, you were absolutely horrified. You haven't met someone so eager to die in a long time. It almost seemed as if he wanted to become one of Hutao's clients.

Lunar New Year was a fifteen-day-long celebration that happened in Liyue annually. And as a celebration, the citizens would host something called Lantern Rite.

You climbed into the roof, pushing yourself onto the shingles with a grunt, holding two unlit lanterns underneath your arm. You snickered, seeing Xiao sitting, legs crossed as he looked up at the sky, waiting for the lanterns to rise from the ground. You swung your legs up onto the roof, taking a seat next to him. "What's up?"

"Hello." Xiao said dully, looking to the side, glancing down at your hands. "At least you didn't come up here with the oil lanterns lit."

"Yeah, because someone threatens to throw me off the building each time I walk around with fire or something." You rolled your eyes. "I'm not a kid."

"You're enough of a kid to burn your fingerprints off."

"Are you calling me incompetent?!"

"You aren't?"

"Xiao!"

"I'm here."

"I regret coming up here to look for you now." You crossed your arms, turning away with an irritated huff. "Maybe you were meant to be a loner after all."

"Well, I wasn't made to be around others, anyways."

"That's stupid. I swear, you're a birdbrain."

Hearing that, Xiao didn't seem to react at all. He just eyed the people below, listening to the incoherent shouts and laughs of the Liyue citizens, the aroma of the cooking. He could even smell a strong, strong scent of... "Almond Tofu?" He turned, eyes widening when he found you taking something out of your pouch, giving him a teasing glance. "Can I have–"

You shuffled away, putting up a finger. "Loners don't usually want to share with their friends, remember?"

He went still, his eyes still fixated on his favourite snack. Then he grumbled something underneath his breath, turning back to where he was looking before. He narrowed his eyes out of annoyance, jolting when he heard you suddenly start scrambling next to him, hands fumbling with the matches and lanterns.

"IT'S ALMOST MIDNIGHT?!" You shrieked, trying to get your pocket watch to close up, losing your grip on it.

Xiao caught it in one hand, tilting his head as he watched you flick the matches frantically. Then one of the lanterns was shoved into his face. "Okay...?" He set your watch down, sliding it back to you. He skeptically took the lantern from your hands, slowly turning around. He could see the lanterns from the ground slowly leaving the hands of the citizens. But he waited for you.

He waited until you were ready, watching you crawl closer to the edge of the roof, reaching out to him to get him to come closer. He stayed still.

"Are you still pissed that I didn't let you have the Almond Tofu?"

Scowling, Xiao turned away. "No."

"Wanna know something?" You giggled. "I actually brought the Almond Tofu for you. I'll let you have it–"

Xiao reached for the plate, wincing when you smacked his hand. He retracted, rubbing the back of his hand.

"Release the lanterns with me first, idiot!"

"I want the Almond–"

"I'm going to kick it over the edge if you don't get your short ass over here right now!" You grabbed his ear, pulling him towards the edge of the roof.

He groaned. He didn't understand why he couldn't have that delicious tofu right now. Instead, he was stuck here, being forced to release some stupid lanterns with you. Or maybe...he wasn't really mad about it at all. He didn't mind just waiting a few more minutes for his Almond Tofu if he got to watch you lean back, arms crossed in pride as you watched the two lanterns that he released with you drift farther away. He didn't mind waiting a little longer if it meant that you'd sit next to him for the rest of night, letting him enjoy all the Almond Tofu as he could stomach.

Xiao wasn't quite too sure what he thought about you just yet. You were interesting. Perhaps if he observed a little longer, he'd be able to understand humans such as you a lot better. 

Happy Lunar New Year :D