Archive of Our Own

Hu Tao had been distracted.

Zhongli took notice of this a few days ago when he was giving her one of his lectures, usually she would interrupt him in between each word to corporate some of her own as if she was actually interested in making his lectures even more entertaining than it already was. This was of course his own view, the director had never told him such things.

For all he knew, she could’ve interrupted him because she was simply bored of listening to him talking her ear off. Ah, children nowadays always have something to say to their elders about their ways and mindset. Zhongli had scolded her once, telling her that he was not that out of touch with reality, the girl scoffed and told him to look in the mirror.

How rude of her, he had thought.

But now as he watched her stare out the window of her office room, paperwork completely forgotten, chair leaning on two back legs as she sat on it, bracing her elbows on the window for comfort. The consultant sighs, unable to comprehend what’s gotten her so transfixed and yet he wonders if he could be of any help to entice her back to work. It was unusual for the 77 th director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour to favour sitting idly instead of working until she fell asleep on her desk.

Zhongli didn’t know what to do with her now as most of the staff had voiced out their concerns to him, telling him that the current director’s behaviour was unnerving, some even stated that they preferred the director who scared them back to the heavens. He had laughed when Meng had told him how he was much more accustomed to the director who constantly played pranks on her staff members than she is now.

Hu Tao never stood still for too long, she had told the former archon that sitting still too long would drain her ideas and turn her brain to mush. And as the poet that she was, an empty brain would be as useless as an empty bottle drifting amidst the ocean’s surface.

“director Hu”

Hu Tao had not heard him, too busy watching the birds setting their nest, cuddling into each other as they shared a tender moment together under the soft shade of the leaves, the sun’s rays only gleaming onto bits and pieces of their nest. Creating a lovely patch for them to sunbathe if they wanted to.

She smiled at them, her cheek rested on one hand as the other traced the marble on the wooden sill. Completely lost in her own little world where anyone outside couldn’t reach, where she could finally breathe without feeling any pressure from the burdens that come from inheriting the title of ‘ 77 th director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlour’.

A gentle squeeze on her shoulder brought her out of her stupor, blinking away the haziness to focus on the owner of the hand, her eyes glancing up at her consultant in confusion. Zhongli in turn smiled at her, his warm smile that had women swooning and children calming their cries. “Zhongli, what’s wrong?” even as she looked at him, Zhongli could tell that her mind was elsewhere.

So he took Hu Tao by the shoulders, lightly dragging her to her bedroom and sitting her down on the bed. He took out the chair from her dresser to sit himself in front of her, his chin rested on his intertwined hands as he stared at her expectantly. Hu Tao stared back, utterly confused and too unfocused to understand what he meant by the gesture. .

“something’s on your mind, Hu Tao. Won’t you tell me?”

The girl fidgets on the bed, her body shrinking under his intense gaze. Zhongli, as unmoving as a rock, lays a hand on hers, pulling her attention back to him instead of the floor tiles “you can tell me, whatever it is that’s bothering you”

As distracted as she was, she wasn’t stupid. Hu Tao knew about other people’s reactions to the sudden change in her behaviour, she knew about what her staff had complained to Zhongli about, she heard the whispers of the elderly ladies around the harbour about how light her steps had become, how she looked like she was floating.

She was, she was on fucking cloud nine.

Breathing out a sigh, Hu Tao finally speaks after what seems like an eternity, her voice cheery, certain..light “it’s nothing! Aw, were you worried about me, Zhongli?” she giggled deviously, a hand over her mouth to partially hide her grin as she narrowed her eyes at him. The man before her tensed at the sudden change in attitude.

Zhongli had thought that after years of living with her – working under her – he’d be accustomed to such quick changes, alas the girl always had surprises up her sleeve, mischief in her blood. The consultant sighs in defeat, he won’t be able to get answers out of her anyways. He knew, she built walls around her heart. Never letting anyone in, too afraid of losing them the moment she opens her heart to them. The small group of friends that she had were probably the only people she lowers her guard around, but never fully lets down the walls.

Simply lowering, never fully breaking.

“alright then” he stood up, a hand on her hat. He smiled down at her “if anything is bothering you, anything at all. You can tell me” with that said, he left with a quiet click of the doorknob shutting close. Hu Tao stared at the door, half expecting him to re-emerge with cookies and warm tea on a tray to bribe her into telling him at least something.

But he’s never done that before, if he did, Hu Tao would never let him live it down. She’d constantly tease him about it, calling him a protective grandpa and whatnot. That itself brought a smile to her face, he had always been more than just a subordinate to her. He was family. Plopping backwards onto the bed, Hu Tao stared at the ceiling, eyes closing as she huffs a sigh of frustration.

Hu Tao wonders if she could ever tell a soul why she was acting the way she was, frowning at the thought of explaining her situation. She’d rather keep it a secret between herself and the man that had caused her to be in such a state of distraught. Pursing her lips, Hu Tao breathes out, annoyed.

Her hand trailing down to her thighs, where his lips had touched. The image flooded into her mind like a slideshow, the heat she had felt that night resurging in full force. Making the poor girl squirm on her bed as though the mattress was uncomfortable, the blankets too thick, her skin too hot. But oh , could anyone blame her? Xiao wasn’t exactly the social type, so for him to be so focused on tending to her needs and giving her his undivided attention that night, she couldn’t help herself from wanting him. Loving him.

But she had always loved him, feelings that were deeper than desire or infatuation. It wasn’t a silly little crush, she loved him to bits and pieces. She’d risk her life to save his. Hu Tao scoffed, if her grandfather were to hear her say this, he would come back to life just to lecture her about how humans and adepti do not mingle, they do not fall in love with each other.

He would tell her the harsh truth, about how Xiao probably tended to her just because of her lineage. Because of how important her position was to the world of the dead and living.

Even if he did, she’d pretend that there was more to the act than just a duty he was designed to uphold. She hadn’t seen him since then, truthfully, Hu Tao had missed him. Ah, what a weird thing to think “missing an adeptus? Ridiculous!” the funerary director rolled her eyes at the very thought, deciding that she would be better off walking around the harbour to get her head out of these erratic thoughts inside her head.

Picking herself off of the bed, Hu Tao made her way to the door, opening it and sliding out of the room quietly. The elderly women were right, she was light in her steps, barely making any sound as she descended the stairs to the living area, taking note of Zhongli in the meeting room with some other staff members.

She peered her head into the room, a small smirk playing on her lips as she listened in on their conversation. “I’ll leave the reports to you, and..” the noises drowned out when she felt a sudden brush of anemo by her side, touching her shoulder, distracting her from the conversation. She twirled around on her heel, trying to identify the source of the energy but there was no one there, no trace of elemental energy left.

Did she imagine it? Hmm “director?” the sound of Zhongli’s voice shifted her attention back to her consultant and two of her staff that were staring at her with questioning looks. She placed both hands behind her back, walking into the room and standing beside Zhongli “what are you doing here?” the man next to her had asked, concern laced in his voice.

Oh, he was such a warm and caring man. She loved that about him the most.

“I wanted to go for a walk around the harbour, care to join me, Zhongli?” she answered truthfully, no point in lying to him. The older man was quiet for a few seconds, watching her sway side to side next to him, humming her hilichurl tune as she waited for his reply “I need to take care of a few things, you can go ahead, director”

“hmm? What things are you taking care of?”

“nothing of your concern”

“excuse me, I’m the director here. Not you. Everything everyone does in this establishment is my concern!” she stared at him wide eyed, disbelief evident in her posture as she looked at him as if he grew a second head. The consultant simply chuckled at her reaction, placing both hands on her shoulder before leading her out of the room.

“wait, wait, wait! Why are you pushing me?” Hu Tao tried to grapple onto his dress shirt to stop him from kicking her out of the room, however, Zhongli was much wiser than she was. He had successfully brought her to the front door, cocking his head at it “go on, it’s such a lovely day to waste on working” she furrowed her eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest, looking at him incredulously “just a few minutes ago you were telling me to confide in you, now you’re pushing me away?”

Zhongli shakes his head, a carefree smile on his face as he opens the door “I am not pushing you away, director”

Hu Tao raised an eyebrow at that, waiting for him to continue. With a pat on her back, Zhongli pushes her the last bit to fully get her out of the parlour “I’m simply helping you to get on with your walk” before she could protest and scream insults, he had closed the door in her face. Leaving her alone in front of her own parlour, kicked out by her own consultant! She would have to deduct his pay for this, how dare he.

“aiya, might as well enjoy the sun” she whispered to herself before going on her walk, stepping onto the bridge connecting the bustling harbour to the main city. The sun wasn’t too bright, it didn’t glare at her the way it usually did, the wind blowing her hair out of face was a little cold for such a sunny day.

Many merchants surrounding the entrance called onto her, urging her to look around their store, to buy something from them. But Hu Tao had most of everything, her grandfather had bought many things when he was still alive, back then they didn’t cost much mora. But now, even lotuses cost a fortune!

As she walked around the street, Hu Tao smiled sweetly at passersby that greeted her, being pulled by children into their little games and conversing with Xiangling who was on her way to find XIngqiu and Chongyun. Hu Tao’s walk had been eventful..for a lack of a better word, though there was one thing that bothered her. There was this overwhelming feeling of being watched by a piercing gaze that burnt into her head, she felt like she was being eaten whole.

Her whole body shuddered, but she chose to simply ignore the feeling, she was probably just paranoid. Hu Tao made her way out of Liyue Harbour, returning to her original plan to clear her head of any kinds of thoughts regarding the remaining yaksha that protected Liyue’s safety. As she continued to walk, her mind seemed to have drifted back to that night.

Her heart racing in her chest, her face hot and the heat in her lower belly increasing with each passing second. Yearning the touch of the man in her memories, the man that had taken care of her so well, the man who was named Xiao.

“aiya, how troublesome”

Her heart had betrayed her mind as the memories came back to her, reminding her that it happened. Deny all she wants, but the heart knows the truth the mind tries to hide. Hu Tao sighs into her hands, deciding to stop walking and sit against a tree, trying to even out her breathing had proved to be difficult when thoughts of him kept reappearing.

His eyes as he stared up at her, the tenderness of his actions as he tended to her wounds, his hesitation before returning her home that night. Every single moment with him was carved into memory, every single morsel of her being telling her to cling onto them, to never forget. Because Archon’s forbid she forget how docile he had been that night, how he seemed to relax.

Closing her eyes, Hu Tao breathed out a sigh of frustration. If she were to tell the story at the teahouse, she could earn some extra mora to pay her bills but she’d like to keep the story to herself.

The memory was as clear as the waters in Luhua Pool, as real as the statues of Rex Lapix. The feelings that sparked that night tingled at her sensitive skin, begging to be stimulated. She shook her head, trying her best not to imagine him between her thighs, staring up at her with those bright amber eyes, almost catlike, mostly deadly.

She had met the alluring conqueror of demons back then, at Wuwang Hill while he was pursuing evil and dancing in the dead of night as if his polearm was a staff that princes held onto while they waltzed in the ballroom. At the sight of him, Hu Tao stopped in her tracks, completely awestruck.

She had fallen in love with the sight of him drenched in blood – she knew it wasn’t his – a murderous look in his eyes as he growled at the lowly creature beneath his feet, his claws ripping the fabric of his gloves. She had never been more in love. But her moment of admiration was abruptly stopped by the sudden movement of his head.

His eyes glaring right into hers.

Hu Tao took in a hurried breath, backing away into a tree as she winced at the aching pain on her leg. Ah, right, she had forgotten about her little run-in with some silly-billy-hilichurls a few moments prior, the blood trickling down her legs a harsh reminder. Their eyes still locked on one another as Hu Tao tried to run away.

A tight grip on her hand stops her from moving all together, turning around to face the angered yaksha with trembling eyes. Her whole body shuddered under his intense gaze even as they moved down from her face to her thighs, his eyebrows creased into a frown when he saw the cut on her leg. Quickly pulling her over to sit on a rock, the adepti wasted no time, kneeling before her, prying her legs apart to settle himself in between them.

He was studying her, observing, taking note of each blemish left on her porcelain skin. Each cut, bruise, scratch was memorised by him. Hu Tao simply stared down at him, tilting her head to the side in confusion before a quiet yelp left her mouth when Xiao’s lips made contact with the bare skin of her thigh, licking up the trail of blood that had run down her leg earlier.

The funerary director winced at the feeling of his tongue on the freshly cut skin of her thigh, daring to close her legs lest her mind wanders and she does something she would soon regret. But the action earned an annoyed groan from the man kneeling before her, Xiao pushing her legs further apart. He continued to lick at her cuts, murmuring something under his breath before pulling away to watch as the wound magically disappeared.

Leaving her skin untainted.

Hu Tao stared in astonishment, she had never known that adepti could heal wounds. Much less Xiao who was constantly haunted by his karmic debt.

She had wanted to thank him but instead of proper words, a surprised gasp left her lips as Xiao continued to lick and suck at the other wounds he had seen. Making sure to leave her skin as perfect as they were before her fight with the hilichurls. This went on for a while, with him healing her wounds while she tries to hold in obscene noises that would make him think less of her than he already has.

The whole thing was somewhat sensual yet domestic, like a husband tending to his wife and yet they were nothing like that. Hu Tao was simply a mere mortal to Xiao, the mighty conqueror of demons.

On deeper cuts, Xiao would dig his tongue deeper into the wound, pressing his claws harder into her skin but not enough to cut her. The poor girl above him let out small little whimpers at the sensation of it all, she had clasped a hand over her mouth to stop anymore noises to spew out of her mouth. Everything was too much, she was hypersensitive.

Every small flick of his tongue eliciting a whine from her, they needed to stop before she loses all rationale and kisses him. She wants to, Archons, she does. Hu Tao knows he could smell her from beneath her shorts, the scent of her alone drove him to the point of madness. His adeptal energy reacting in ways it shouldn’t. It made her lightheaded.

The strain in his pants proving his point, at some point, he stared at her shorts. Tempted to push it down to taste her, just once and he’ll be satisfied and yet he never succumbed to such desires that clouded his mind, it wasn’t right.

Tending to her wounds to the best of his abilities, Xiao stood up, wiping his mouth, his back facing her as he offered her a hand “I’ll take you home” he had said and Hu Tao had taken his hand, letting him pull her close to teleport them into her room. He had laid her down on her bed, pulling the covers over her body and leaning close to her ear, whispering something in an ancient tongue before leaving.

Unfortunately for him, the spell didn’t work. She had remembered that night so vividly she would sometimes dream about it. She was a stubborn little witch, that girl, walking around with a stupid grin and the memory of that night. Maybe Xiao would do something about it, make her smug grin turn into a tight frown.

Hu Tao felt giddy after, smiling to herself as she made her way to the parlour. She was constantly thinking of him, the way he had cared for her like a lover when all she was back then was a stranger, an insignificant mortal that had caught the eye of an adeptus. But she smiled either way because she had made an adeptus , the primordial yaksha kneel before her. Hu Tao thinks that counts as something spectacular!

Opening her eyes, Hu Tao stared at her surroundings, at the unfamiliar room she was in. at her hat placed neatly on the bedside table, at the figure crossing his arms and looking at her in disdain. His signature scowl gracing his lips.

“Xiao?”

“do you not value your life?” the question knocked the air out of her lungs, forcing her to gasp at the sudden accusation. She had just woken up, someone needs to teach this man some etiquette because that is not something you should say to a lady who just woke up!

After composing herself, Hu Tao raised an eyebrow at him, her own arms coming over to cross over her chest as she levels him with the same look of disappointment “I think I know more about the value of life than you” she replies as a matter of fact, her eyes narrowing at him. He gave her a look of disinterest, as if he was telling her that she was lying.

He acted like he knew absolutely everything in this world, like he knew the biggest secrets that each individual in Liyue kept close to their hearts, as though he knew the budding desire brewing inside her own heart at the sight of him like this.

It was utterly shameful to think of such thoughts when the man concerning those thoughts is standing right in front of her, glaring at her even. “and yet you slept outside? Where anyone could find you and hurt you?” his words dripped with venom, practically burning her from the inside out, touching her heartstrings only to tug and pull at them to break.

That wasn’t fair.

How could he scold her for endangering herself when he spends most of his time fighting! He, who doesn’t sleep but stays on guard in case an attack that could potentially destroy Liyue comes into light. He, who refuses to relax even under the protection of the Qixing. How dare he get mad at her.

“I’m fine, aren’t I?” she yelled at him, raising her arms to prove a point. Annoyed that she had dreamt of him, irritated that she had seen such a vulnerable side of him, angry that he was getting mad at her when he didn’t fucking care about himself. Hu Tao scoffed “that’s rich, getting mad at me when you basically do the same thing” , clicking her tongue in annoyance, she turned her back to him.

Xiao moved closer to her, his breath fanning the back of her neck as he spoke in such an angry tone she felt it to her toes. Her heart squeezing at his words, her eyes widened slightly as his voice echoed in her head again and again “comparing yourself to an adeptus, how foolish” he gripped onto her shoulder, turning her body around to face him.

Hu Tao could see the anger in his eyes, the annoyance in his scowl. And when he leaned in so close to her face, their lips mere centimetres apart, she wondered if he was tempting her. Urging her to take the bait so he could reprimand her after, so he could finally be done with her. But Hu Tao was never one to relent or succumb to anything.

She had been taught by her grandpa ever since she was a child to never back down in a fight. You fight ‘till there’s nothing left in you, until every fibre of your being is screaming at you to stop, to rest, to breathe.

So she glares at him, taking his challenge head on. “are you challenging an adeptus?”

“aiya, why would I do that? I won’t gain anything from it” she shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly, ignoring the way his gaze is piercing into her very soul. How his grip tightened around her arms, almost bruising. But she chose to feel it, she chose to feel his anger, to feel his disappointment. Knowing she had left her mark on him, enticed him into protecting her. Hu Tao wasn’t scared in the slightest.

“besides, haven’t you been watching me?” she stated as if it was general knowledge. Holding onto his gaze as she continued “aren’t adepti supposed to be good at subtlety? Can Liyue truly be trusted in the hands of adepti like you?” she grinned smugly, about to say something else before the opportunity was forcefully taken away from her.

Hu Tao’s eyes widened, her body froze as her lips met Xiao’s in a heated kiss. It wasn’t sweet in the slightest, it was filled with hatred and anger. A whimper escaped her when he bit down on her bottom lip, hard. She could taste her own blood in her mouth as he forced his tongue into her and their tongues danced in the cavern of her mouth.

While her hands tried to grip onto something to prevent herself from falling over on the bed, Xiao’s grip on her shoulders provided enough support to ensure she wouldn’t fall as they continued to kiss with burning hatred. Hu Tao tried to push him away, but he was stronger than her, older than her. Their kiss turned messy as Xiao sucked on her bottom lip, one of her hands tugging at his hair angrily.

The groan that escaped from his throat made the place between her legs throb, he opened his eyes, glaring daggers at her before pushing her down onto the bed, never once breaking apart from the kiss. Her hands relentlessly tugged at him, pulling on his hair while he kept her hips firm on the bed. Refusing her any friction to relieve even a semblance of the ache.

When they broke apart, a string of saliva connected them. Both panting heavily, half lidded eyes filled with lust and frustration. They weren’t lying to anyone but themselves at that moment, falling in love on the pretence of hate. Xiao licked the blood off of his lips, she tasted the same way she did that night. He held in a moan.

“adepti need no opinion from an insignificant mortal such as yourself” a hand wrapping around her throat, he applied enough pressure to make her breath stutter, not too tight that she’d stop breathing all together. He’d like to take her alive.

The possessive look in his eyes made her body tremble in anticipation, yet she hides it behind lies. Xiao grabs at her chin, pulling her face closer to his, the sinister smirk on his lips should’ve made her cower in fear but instead it made her excited. Truly shameful. “we adepti simply take what we want” his other hand sliding under her uniform, touching her stomach.

Hu Tao bit the inside of her cheek to stifle the moan that threatened to spill from her lips, her body betraying her mind. As it always did.

She wondered what Rex Lapix would think if he saw how his precious yaksha kissed her with such abandon, pouring his emotions into the kiss as his hand slid further up her body, to her chest. Hu Tao tensed at the contact, watching him with anticipating eyes as he glowered at her from above.

Somehow they would always end up like this, him above her, her underneath him. She found it annoying.

Without as much as a warning, Xiao kisses her again. He was as aggressive as before, immediately sinking his tongue into her mouth, ignoring the hands pushing at him. The girl underneath him gasped when she felt his hand graze her breast through her bra, her eyes opening to glare at him but seeing him already watching her made her stomach twist delightfully, she whined into the kiss.

He touched her through the thin fabric of her bra, smirking when she moaned into his mouth, her body arching into his touch. Asking for more. And he gave her exactly what she wanted, always ready to serve her. Xiao’s fingers tracing over her sensitive nub, gently rubbing it over her bra. Smirking to himself when it hardened under his touch, her kisses turning wanton.

Burning desire behind their touch, a silent plea from her eyes.

And who was he to deny her such things? Xiao pulled away from the kiss, ignoring her whine of protest as he lowered himself to the side of her head, blowing hot air in her ear. Gently biting the shell of it, his hand quickly worked its way over the buttons on her uniform, plucking them open to reveal her body to him.

He smiled in appreciation, his gaze settled on her unmarked neck, the skin unbruised. All his for the taking. He moved to her neck, butterfly kisses dotting the expense of her skin. He had sucked and licked at a certain spot that he knew had her squirming underneath him “such a dirty girl” he had whispered into her skin, his teeth grazing over the soft skin.

He wanted to bite her, Archons, he wanted to mark every inch of her skin. To show her off. But he settled on simply hovering over her, not too close to touch, not too far to miss. Her breath hitched, looking up at the ceiling with wide eyes as he spoke “and yet you dare speak ill of the adepti” his tone of voice was still angry, frustrated with her.

He lifted himself off of her neck, staring at her through hooded eyes glazed over with evident lust. Hu Tao thinks one would have to be blind to not see the obvious desire bubbling behind his golden gaze.

“you..have no respect for the adepti”

“aiya, is that really surprising?”

Her reply made him scoff, because it was true. She had never been one to constantly show her respect to the elderlies much less to the legendary figures protecting Liyue, she’d treat them all like friends, bringing them out to dinner and playing harmless little pranks that had Ganyu a little scared to walk alone at night lest Hu Tao startles her.

She had always been this girl who held her chin up high, looked at others as if she knew exactly what was going through their minds. Her little games sometimes made people dislike her, though it never bothered her. He didn’t like watching people talk bad behind her back, spreading rumours about her that were certainly false. He’d say it served her right, acting the way she did, humouring people in such a way.

But he knew how much it actually hurt her, hearing people say things about her that way. Making up false accusations to get under her skin while she still acted kind towards them, pretending like she didn’t know anything when she did.

It infuriated him.

“you speak too highly of yourself” and though his words were harsh, his actions were far too soft. Too tender for Hu Tao not to think that there was something else behind his touch, deep and rooted feelings hidden behind his mask. She wonders if he would ever admit to it, she doesn’t think he would. Far too prideful and arrogant to admit anything remotely close to defeat.

Hu Tao wanted to scream at him, but her words died in her throat when she felt his lips on her breast. When had he pulled her bra off? She didn’t know, too lost in the sensations to care. His tongue flat against her hardened nub, sucking it into his mouth in eagerness. His hand playing with her other to give it some attention, his teeth grazing over her nipple.

She had moaned, a needy sound that was extremely pathetic. Quickly pulling a hand over her mouth, Hu Tao closed her eyes as Xiao tugged on her nipple with his teeth, his eyes watching her with amusement, his lips tugging into a smirk over her chest. He chuckled devilishly, the sound far too sexy for Hu Tao not to melt, using a hand to pull hers above her head, pinning them to the pillow as he continued his assault on her chest.

Moving over to the other breast to give it the same treatment, his hair tickling her skin while his free hand travelled further down her body, resting on the waistband of her shorts. He listened to her voice, her whimpers made his cock twitch in the confines of his pants. Begging to be let out, begging him to rut into her.

“Xiao..” the way she had moaned his name had him in a chokehold. He wanted to take this nice and slow, but the way her body was responding to his advances made it hard for him to control himself. He placed a soft kiss on her chest, eyes staring back up at her and the sight that greeted him almost made him come in his pants.

Archons, she looked fucking delicious, too tempting not to devour.

Her face was flushed deep red, mouth hung open in a silent moan when his hand slid into her shorts. Her eyes half-lidded, hazy with desire and need. Her hair was sticking to her face due to the sweat on her forehead, and she was looking right at him. Tempting him, inviting him to taste her. To take her.

He touched her through her panties, feeling her slick dampen the material, wetting his glove “dirty girl, look at how wet you are” he whispered against her skin, leaving open mouth kisses from her jaw to her collarbone. Hu Tao pulled at her hands, trying to loosen them from his grasp “you shouldn’t hold a girl too tight, she’ll bruise”

The conqueror of demons chuckled at her statement, placing a rather hard kiss on her neck before relenting, loosening his hold on her wrists and watching her struggle trying to break away from him.

His finger pressing onto her clothed clit, eliciting a soft gasp from her. Eyes blown wide. Hu Tao’s lips were trembling, unable to stop the string of whimpers and whines that followed when he started playing with her centre. Rubbing circles with his thumb while his fingers pushed into her, never going in. The fabric becoming a barrier. He smirked when she moaned particularly loud when he rubbed at her with his knuckles, applying just the right amount of pressure to her sensitive core. Hu Tao wanted to hold him, she wanted to tug at his hair, hold onto his body for support.

She wanted to touch him too.

“you look like you have something to say” he spoke, breaking eye contact to nibble at her skin as his fingers worked her cunt. Her breaths falling heavy, a knot forming in the pit of her lower belly and Hu Tao mewled when he bit down on the juncture between her neck and shoulder, his fangs digging into her skin, almost drawing blood. The funerary director huffed out a sigh.

He eyed her again, his fingers settling into an unforgiving pace as they continued to rub her through the material of her panties, delighting in the noises she made. She was loud, she wasn’t the least bit shy and God was Xiao grateful for it. The adeptus groaned in her ear when she pressed her nails into his hand, his own pushing dangerously into her inner walls.

Xiao cocked his head at her “hmm, what is it?” leaning in, he pressed his lips against hers. A sensual kiss that had her melting, her body moving on its own as her hips bucked into his hand and her mind turning to mush. Hu Tao kept pulling at her hands, trying to free them from his hold.

And when she says the one word she’s never once before spoken to him, he breaks away from the kiss entirely. Staring at her in utter shock and disbelief, his mouth agape, his movements stopping.

“what?”

She looks at him with big doe eyes, her flowery pupils somehow shining brighter than the midnight stars and Xiao was entranced, every part of him telling him to fuck her. Keep her as close to him as humanly possible but then again..he wasn’t human. He could keep her as close as he wanted to

“please”

He lets her go, his hand moving to hold her face and pull her in closer to his, his breath fans over her lips “from here on out, I won’t give a single fuck about what you say” as he says this, his fingers continue their torturous assault on her centre, practically ripping out a loud moan from her throat. He pulls his finger out, bites on the glove before removing them from his fingers.

Hu Tao knew he had claws, but to see them so sharp and long made an involuntary shiver run down her spine. He played with the hem of her shorts, clawing at the annoying fabric, eyes never leaving hers as he continues to speak “you belong to me, Hu Tao”

“every part of you” he starts, his lips on her jaw. Peppering featherlight kisses there before he moved to her neck, biting and licking the sensitive skin.

“your body” he nibbles her collarbone, smirking at the evident hickey he had left there.

“your soul” his lips kissing the juncture between her breasts. His fangs threatened to bite.

“your mind” he stops at her navel to look her in the eyes, both his hands firmly holding onto her body so she doesn’t move an inch. Hu Tao whines when he drags his teeth over her stomach, the fear of him biting into her so strong it made her squeeze her thighs together but that would be impossible with the way he was sitting in between her legs like this.

She half wondered if he was going to rip her shorts off of her body, her mind telling her she wants him to do just that. As if Xiao could read her mind, he hooked a finger underneath the waistband of her shorts before ripping both her shorts and underwear off. She wanted to berate him for ruining her uniform.

But the words died on her tongue when she felt his mouth on her, he had placed her legs comfortably over his shoulder, his arms wrapping around her middle to stop her from moving as his tongue gave experimental licks against her folds.

She wanted to cry out, never before had she felt such pleasure burning her entire body, like liquid fire coursing through her veins. She wasn’t given time to process the feelings before he drove his tongue inside her, making Hu Tao whimper at the sudden intrusion. He continued to fuck her with his tongue while his thumb played with her clit, eliciting the lowest of moans from her.

Fingers tugging at his hair, Hu Tao didn’t know if she could hold on any longer. The tight knot in her lower belly was getting far too tight, her breathing too erratic to be anything but obscene. The squelching sound was loud, her face bright red as Xiao lapped at her like a starved man.

When she looked down at him, he was already staring at her. Amber eyes so sharp with purpose, her heart felt like bursting, and so did her body. But just when she was about to reach her climax, he had stopped, pulling away from her soaking cunt completely. His lips stained with her slick, he licked them off with a smug grin on his face.

“why-“

She couldn’t ask, he had pulled his shirt over his head and threw it somewhere in the room, unbuckling the ties on his pants as he pulled it down his legs, stepping out of them while she stared at him. Marvelling at the beauty created by Rex Lapis himself, God, she wanted to touch him.

He was big, and hard.

Hu Tao gulped at the sight of him as he proudly smirked at her, he knew just how much she wanted him. That sly adeptus!

Xiao leaned back down again, hovering over her and taking her hand into his. Placing it a gentle kiss on her finger and letting her wrap her arms around his neck while he held his weight on his forearm next to her head “tell me, firefly ” he caressed her cheek with a hand, tugging at it like he would a child “do you want to come?”

Hu Tao pouted at him, how could he ask such a question? Especially when the answer was as clear as the stars in the sky. Instead of fighting him like her brain was telling her to, Hu Tao nodded her head. Pride be damned, she wanted to come so badly.

“then beg”

The girl beneath him was at a loss for words, all thoughts leaving her mind, she wanted to run away. To satisfy herself because this man apparently didn’t want to. Hu Tao scoffed, her hands holding his face like she was trying to break his neck. She wanted to bite back, give him one of her best retorts but when she felt him prod at her entrance, all eloquence failed her poetic brain.

She sucked in a breath when he slightly pushed the tip in “come on, Hu Tao” his voice so close to her ear, she shuddered in response. Unable to form any intelligible words when all that came from her mouth were pathetic whimpers.

She had gasped when he rubbed his cock against her cunt, gathering her slick on the head so he could tease her entrance, acting like he was going to push the whole thing in when he wasn’t even planning on making it easy for her. Her head thrown back at the sensation of it all, Xiao took the opportunity to attack her exposed neck, sucking at the skin and creating hickeys along the way as he marked everywhere he could kiss.

“tell me what you want” and when he pushed his length back into her just the tiniest bit, Hu Tao succumbed. Hands flying into his hair and she tugged at it, pulling him off of her neck so he was looking at her.

Crimson eyes sparkling with lust, Xiao chuckled. The sound was so damn sexy she felt it to her centre.

He continued to tease her entrance, she would think he was trying to get her used to him but she wasn’t a dumb little girl, she knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to get a rise out of her, make her mad so she would straddle him and ride him on her own. Though the idea did sound enticing, she didn’t exactly know how to do it.

Xiao sucked on her skin a little too hard, causing Hu Tao to scream at the shock of it. Wondering just what was wrong with her body to react in such a way, the yaksha grins when his little act made her so much more wet, practically dripping onto the sheet. He knows she’s close, basically tethering on the edge of her climax, one more stroke and she would come apart.

But he wouldn’t let her come just yet, his firefly would have to ask for it.

“Xiao” she had moaned his name like a prayer, eyes shut tight in absolute pleasure. Xiao smiles into her skin “yes, Hu Tao. What is it?” he hovered over her face, body so close and yet it wasn’t enough. He had to fight against all instinct, to not think with his dick. He wanted to be inside her, Archons, he needed her.

Hu Tao’s lips were pursed, so damn perfect. He nearly lost it. Her hand had made its way to his chest, her dainty fingers tracing the lines of his abs like she would memorise them for later before her hands travelled further down, inching closer to his throbbing length. Xiao stopped her going any further, clasping a hand around her throat to bring her eyes back to him “tell me what you want”

“Come..please, Xiao. I want to come” she finally says, using her arm to hide her face. It was embarrassing to admit such a thing but when Xiao grinds his dick against her, she completely forgot why it was so hard to say what she wanted. What she needed.

Xiao groaned into her ear when she bucked her hips, moving in rhythm with his own body. So in tune with each other, yet too prideful to ever admit how much they craved the other. But she was perfect, Xiao had thought, his finger going over to rub circles on her clit, to bring her closer to the edge. Tip her over it. Make her scream his name.

He buries his face in the crook of her neck, his breathing growing heavier as her grinding became more urgent, needy. “go ahead, Tao. Come” with a rather hard thrust, Hu Tao came with his name on her tongue. Her orgasm so strong she saw white, her body limp as he helped her ride out her first orgasm, lazily tracing circles on her clit, grinding his still hard cock against her until she finally came down.

Hu Tao opened her eyes, so heavy with lust Xiao wondered if she had ever touched herself before. If anyone ever did. He kissed her cheek, trapping her in a false sense of security by the way he was rubbing her sides with his free hand. A tender act that was completely opposite to what they had done “good girl” he had whispered to her before he wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling her hips flush to his.

She looks over at him, beckoning him with her arms, pulling him in for a kiss. He melted into her touch, stupid as it may be to relax with her like this. Xiao stroked his dick in one hand, gliding it over her sensitive folds before slowly pushing it in.

She was still basking in the afterglow of her first orgasm, too sensitive that another one would definitely come the moment he was inside her. Hu Tao was sure of it, though Xiao wouldn’t care. She was trying to pull away from his kiss, from his hold. But Xiao’s grip was firm, strong as he continued to push himself inside her.

There had been little resistance, but he had a few more inches to go. Hu Tao moaned into the kiss as he forced himself in her “so small” he groaned, her little mewls muffled by his mouth. Their foreheads resting on each other, breath fanning over their faces “look at how well you take me, such a dirty girl. Pulling me in so greedily”

When he finally bottomed out inside of her, they both let out a satisfied moan. She was tight, not used to having something so big inside her. Xiao kissed her tears away, pulling out almost completely before pushing back in so painfully slowly Hu Tao tightened her legs around his hips.

He was big, yes. Being inside her was a snug fit, he could practically see the outline of his length on her belly, he pressed on it. Hu Tao widened her eyes at that, gasping when he pushed himself a little more into her. He grinned down at her, his hand tracing over where his dick reached, her cervix “I’ll reach here”

The funerary director let out a quiet whine when he slowly moved his hips, pulling out before gently pushing back in “you like that? Me filling you up” he leaned down to her face, a lopsided smile plastered on his lips.

“Maybe i’ll breed you, pump you full of my children” her cunt clenched around him, he moans in appreciation, loving how honest her body was to her words. She could spew nonsense of hate but her body would yearn for him, give him the answers he wanted. Hu Tao scratched at his arms “n-no”

“Oh, but your body is telling me a different story” he pulls out again, leaving only the tip inside before thrusting back in with renewed strength  “you wouldn't mind, would you?” she shook her head quickly, but the idea of him coming inside her set her whole body ablaze. She wanted that, oh , Hu Tao wants that more than anything. More than teasing and waiting.

Finally, her grip on his arm tightens. Her voice shaky as she pleads for him to move, to relieve the ache in between her legs. Xiao smirks at her, planting a small gentle kiss on her cheek. If he was going to fuck her, he’s doing it his way.

No waiting, no teasing. He’d fuck her until she can’t take it anymore, until she’s begging him to stop from the overstimulation.

Xiao starts to thrust into her, settling into a brutal pace that had her gasping for air “w-wait! I just came” he eyed her with a brow raised, pounding a little harder when she shook her head, knowing that she was about to come again. He plays with her clit, sucking a nipple into his mouth while he continues his relentless pounding.

The moans that escaped her were music to his ears, groaning when she scratched at his back, leaving her own marks on him. She looked absolutely beautiful like this, he wanted to keep her all to himself. He wonders if Zhongli would reprimand him for leaving the director in such a state. He leans in and captures her lips once again, his grip on her hip bruising.

She kisses him with need, pulling him close to her while Xiao fucks her the way he wants. Letting him have her first time in everything was something she hadn’t thought she would give away so freely but the way his pace slowed just for a moment so he could angle her in a way that had him reaching her cervix again and again made her think that it was okay for him to be her first.

He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, earning a whine from her before releasing it with a wet thwop. Xiao kissed her again, his tongue sliding into her mouth while his hand rubbed her thigh in soft circles. She tasted so good he couldn’t get enough, swallowing her moans as she raked her fingers through his hair likely so she could ground herself.

“what do you want, Tao ?” he had asked when she whimpered and hugged him close, her body shuddering in delight, the pleasure building inside her almost too much for her to bear. He nibbled the shell of her ear, her hands holding onto his arm so tightly, he could feel her nails digging into his skin and yet he didn’t pull away from her. He’d let her do anything to him either way.

Hu Tao’s body tensed when she felt the knot in her stomach again, her eyes blown wide, half afraid, half excited. Voice so distraught, it bordered on gibberish. “Xiao-“ she bit her lip to hold in a moan, her body moving in sync with his, hips moving on their own to meet his thrusts. The adeptus smirks, pulling her body closer to his.

“Alatus” he had corrected her, her mind too hazy and dazed with the burning desire to fully comprehend his words but when she did, she was already coming undone. Her head thrown back, body arching into his own as she came with a loud cry.

Xiao fucked her through her orgasm, peppering light kisses on her skin to soothe her. To distract her from the overstimulation of having him move inside her while she was trying to come down from her high “Alatus..ahn..Alatus” he had pulled her over his lap, straddling him while she rested her head on his shoulder. Thoroughly exhausted. Her body, his for the taking.

“I’m right here, firefly . I’ve got you” he whispered into her ear, stroking her hair in such a tender way she melted into his touch, her body moulded into his like a puzzle piece that was made just to fit him. A hand on her hip, guiding her body to move on him. He wasn’t harsh with her anymore, moving so painfully slow it was a different kind of torture.

She was overly sensitive from her previous orgasm, her walls spasming around his cock. Hu Tao placed butterfly kisses on his neck, loving the way he shuddered under her while she regained her strength. Hu Tao held on his shoulders for support, pulling herself away from his body so she could look at him, her face so close to him.

Leaning in, she kissed him again. This time with more passion and purpose, their lips against each other was intoxicating, addicting. Like bees to flower pollen. Xiao watched with interest, his hand loosely holding her hip as Hu Tao lifted her body on her own, using his shoulders as support as she raised her hips, leaving only the tip inside before dropping back on him. Both of them moaning from the feeling of having him fully inside her, so deep she felt full.

Xiao closed the distance between them, looking her straight in the eyes “tell me what you need”

“you”

He chuckled into her shoulder, lifting her off of him and pulling her back down. A steady rhythm she could follow. As he fucked her, Hu Tao held him close, circling her arms around him, her legs around his waist. He laughs against her collarbone, finding it so damn adorable how she clung to him.

Honestly, she only did it so he wouldn’t pull out. She knew what it meant, the consequences of her actions would come to bite her back but now she doesn’t care. She couldn’t care. Not when he felt so good inside her.

Xiao couldn’t resist kissing her, loving the taste of her even more than almond tofu which is saying a lot. She tasted incredibly sweet yet not too much to be overwhelming, just the right amount to make him addicted, intoxicated. Kissing her shoulder blades, Xiao sunk his fangs into her skin, tasting her blood in his mouth. Moaning when her pussy clenched around his dick, he smiled at her.

Such a dirty girl.

His thrusts had become erratic, fucking her with abandon. He could hear the girl above him screaming his name again and again, a sick and twisted prayer sung to the skies, into his ear. She was praying to him, pleading with him to come. She had said what she wanted, needed.

After a few more strokes, his breathing picked up. Groans and moans filling the room as they lost themselves in each other. Hu Tao rested her forehead on his, staring into his eyes as he watched her come undone for the third time that night, her flowery pupils dilated to the size of her irises, her face flushed and her body convulsed in overwhelming pleasure as her climax took over every single rational thought she had. Xiao placed a hand on her throat, squeezing lightly, prolonging her orgasm. 

He breathed out after she had regained clarity, his lips so close to hers “where do you want it, Tao..fuck” she had whined when he whispered the question, internally battling with her own mind. Fighting for rationality in a moment where being irresponsible was so much more appealing.

She gripped his shoulders as she spoke, her words eliciting a delicious groan from him “inside, Alatus” he nodded in understanding, thrusting into her a few more times before his cock twitched and he came with a muffled groan into her shoulder. Hu Tao hugged him close to her while he came inside her, painting her inner walls white.

The funerary director closed her eyes and let out a small mewl, the feeling so foreign yet familiar that it felt good. Far too good she fears she’ll crave more of it.

Hair sticking to his forehead, sweat dripping down his back, Xiao takes his breath in slowly. Basking in the warmth that Hu Tao emitted, her sweet sweet scent lulling him to sleep. He pulled away from her embrace to push her back down on the bed, his hands on either side of her head as he smirked down at her. A sinister look in his eyes as Hu Tao evidently shook underneath him.

Xiao pulled out reluctantly, his come dripping out of her and onto the bed sheets, the act causing Hu Tao to whine at the loss of him but he had kissed her cheek to soothe her worries. Lifting both of her legs onto his shoulder, Xiao kissed her inner thighs before pushing his length back inside her, leaning his body closer to hers as he started to fuck her again.

He took a few strands of her hair into his hand, kissing it before his eyes locked on hers “you didn’t think we were done, were you?”

***

Zhongli taps his fingers on the desk, the sound anything but harmonious as he stares at the front door of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour. Awaiting the arrival of his tardy director. Hadn’t she said she would be going for a simple walk, why isn’t she back yet?

Fitting a coat over his nightwear, the consultant makes his way out of the parlour in search of his boss that hadn’t come home like he had expected her to. When he finds her, he would be giving her a long lecture, probably a scolding too. Such a troublesome girl, Zhongli sighs as he makes his way into Liyue Harbour.

“ah, the night is cold. Where could she be?”