all headcanons are purely my opinion and interpretation of the characters, Diluc, Kaeya, Tartaglia, & Zhongli.
this one has a special place in my heart because i personally struggle with insomnia, and my favorite comfort is being lulled to sleep and held by someone.
warnings: mentions of alcohol
When you just can’t fall asleep…
Diluc: existential conversations at three in the morning
— Should you toss and turn and find sleep evades you, Diluc will be there. He, too, knows what it’s like to be sleepless and feeling only more and more aggravation from the lack of rest, and tired, half-lidded eyes will regard you with the slightest twinges of emotion in them.
— “Don’t you wonder just why we’re even here in the first place? Why is it that we fight for good or evil - in the end, what does the winner truly receive?” his husky voice will inquire to you through the darkness.
— No matter what your take is, he’ll listen intently. It’ll be one of the rare, rare moments in which you see the layers of protection peel back and his emotions slip out. Doubt, insecurity, and confusion will rise to the top, and he’ll ask even more vague, difficult questions until you two see the sunrise out the winery’s windows. The slump of his shoulders will be a little heavier, tired eyes a mirror of your own.
— He’ll know exactly how to pick you up from your sleep deprivation the next morning, slipping you a tincture that’ll give you what you need to get through the day, and if he doesn’t, you’ll find he’ll have sent a letter to your place of work detailing that you weren’t coming in that day so that you can just rest and relax.
Kaeya: exploring the city streets or wilderness at night
— “I can’t sleep,” you whine to Kaeya at the precipice of midnight. Despite how much work he bears each day as Calvary Captain, Kaeya is pretty restless himself, and he’ll always be in bed after you are. However, when he hears of your sleeplessness, he’ll perked up in intrigue.
— “Ever seen Angel’s Share after it’s closed? Or Windrise when the moon rises over it instead of the sun? Mondstadt’s the best place to see the night sky without anything blocking it out. Come on, I’ll show you.”
— Kaeya is someone you can rely on to keep you safe traveling at such times of night and early morning, even in the thick of Mondtstadt’s wilderness. He’ll drag you out to show you just what it’s like when silence coats every alleyway, moonlight sparkling overhead. He’ll point out stars to you as you sit atop a grassy hill, chilled winds of early morning making you shiver, and he’ll gladly wrap you in his cape or his jacket. When you’re done gallivanting through the countryside overnight, you’ll finally feel a bit of relaxation pull you under into slumber when you retire to bed as the sun climbs up.
Tartaglia: enjoying quality time with each other
— As the one most invested in skinship, you will end up in desperate arms at some time of the evening. However, should you toss and turn and keep him awake with your insomnia, he’ll rub the sleep out of his eyes and wake back up from his dozing. “Babe? Can’t sleep?”
— When you tell him yes, Tartaglia will take the time instead to spend with you. He’ll pull out cards, a board game, a book, just something for the two of you to enjoy. He’ll cheat at cards and hold you in his lap so he can see them, and you’ll be so invested in telling him off for cheating, you’ll forget it’s far past midnight and you are only surrounded by the candlelight.
— If he’s exhausted from his day at work, he still will fight to stay awake with you. He might read you your favorite novel, but his words will slur as he fall asleep, head falling heavy onto your shoulder. He will pick it back up every single time, shaking his head as the ginger locks go astray in his eyes, and he’ll force open the beautiful eyes of blue.
— On a livelier night, he might break out a bottle of fine wine and his favorite vodka in an attempt to soothe you with alcohol’s comfort instead. It’ll first be partying, of course, because there’s nothing Tartaglia enjoys more than exhilaration, but when he sees the drinks starting to pull you under, he’ll drag you back to bed and snuggle you close until you’re finally asleep.
Zhongli: meditative rituals to bring about peace and comfort
— As deeply caring and worried Zhongli is about everything that could influence your health as a mortal, he does not like to see you restless and fighting with insomnia. He will dutifully make sure that your eyes are closed before his, and should you be squirming and agitated even past the late hours of the evening, he’ll take it upon himself to bring about the right serenity in which you can finally relax and sleep.
— First, he’ll leave the bed cold much to your misfortune, but he’ll return with chamomile tea he specially brews only for these moments alone. It’ll be steaming, fresh, and flood you with the first spread of warmth through your chest.
— He may light your favorite incense or candle to further relax you, and when the candlelight flickers over him, you’ll see the worry in his eyes. After you’ve had a cup of tea in silence and the smells are first beginning to flood the room, he’ll gently lie a palm between your shoulder blades.
— “Is it something you wish to speak about?” Zhongli will offer you all the attention in the world for whatever plagues your mind or whatever worries are keeping you awake. No matter how trivial, he will listen with strong eye contact and a calm, compassionate expression. His worry over you will keep him well awake, too, so do not fear him falling asleep even if you vent yourself to the point of talking for hours on end. He’ll keep the candles and incense lit, and he’ll bring you fresh tea every hour, and when you’re running on fumes, he’ll wrap you in strong arms and hold you close.
— When you are in his arms, he will stroke your hair and rub small circles into your back methodically and diligently. He’ll even hum just the quietest of melodies to you, and he will not give up in relaxing you to the best of his ability until you are finally asleep.