A haphazard mess of Genshin One-shots

2 - Xingyun: Inspiration

Xingqiu is a writer, and this is a well known fact. Who hasn't heard of this young man, who already comes from a rich family, in addition to spending all of his time at libraries and bookstores? But he wasn't known for being a good writer, no, he was just known for being a nerd.

Of course, Xingqiu HAS written books, but they just never became popular... Until a certain traveler visited Inazuma and brought the exciting news that Xingqiu's most recent book had become quite popular in the isolated country. Now, he has more motivation than ever to continue and write more and more books under his alias. But, he has a problem.

Inspiration.

We all know what this is like- writer's block, lack of inspiration, nothing to write about... well Xingqiu has these episodes as well. But unlike you, he thought of a smart idea, and decided that since his book was popular in Inazuma, he himself should visit and experience the place himself. This way, he hopes, he will gain inspiration, but not only inspiration, inspiration that is based on the country he is targeting his books towards.

Thinking this is incredibly smart, he decides to ask around the Harbour for a way to travel to Inazuma. The country now has open borders; but still, captains are usually wary of traveling there. So he goes the way the Traveler went, and asked Captain Beidou. Well, that was his plan. But he isn't quite there yet, because he got stopped on the street halfway through his walk towards the docks.

"Hey Xingqiu!" Chongyun greets his friend, he looks a bit more enthusiastic than usual.

"Oh, hey," Xingqiu nods, his heart skipping a beat out of surprise, he hadn't seen his friend sitting on one of Liyue's benches along the main road.

"I heard you were asking around about heading to Inazuma..." Chongyun begins. "And, well, I've been having more than awful luck recently with my spirit encounters, and seeing as wars have taken place rather recently in Inazuma, I believe there might be more ghosts to execute there."

Xingqiu thought about the logic for a second, then decides he isn't an expert on a topic like this, and looks up at his popsicle-loving friend in a way to say he should get to the point.

"I want to come to Inazuma with you," Chongyun proposes.

Xingqiu's mind blanks for a second before he realizes the request. Chongyun? Xingqiu? Together? For days on end, traveling, most likely just within each other's company? Xingqiu feels his heart flutter. Of course, though, he knew his dense friend wouldn't view this as romantic in any way possible... but with Xingqiu's mind, anything can be anything, and he accidentally sees romance in any setting.

Chongyun, however, sees this as so: Inazuma = war = death = ghosts = job. And if Xingqiu = way to Inazuma = war = death = ghosts = job, then he believes he should go with Xingqiu. He's too caught off with this amazing plan of his to notice Xingqiu panicking a little.

"Of course, you can come. You are quite passionate about your job, it's ado- I mean, admirable," Xingqiu somehow manages to keep a neutral expression, but on the inside, he's scolding himself for his slip-up.

Although, Xingqiu could kiss Chongyun, and this dense boi would literally translate that as 'oh, he's testing out that Fontaine greeting', but whatever.

So the two set off toward the docks. Chongyun is humming quietly to himself while licking a popsicle whilst Xingqiu is busy watching the waves flow around the wood beams of the docks, writing poetry in his head.

"Are you Xingqiu?" A large sailor asks as they near the end of the dock.

"Yes," Xingqiu nods politely in greeting, his hair flooffing over his eyes.