The men of Genshin as romance types:

This just kind popped up in my head after thinking about Xiao’s characterization! I might add to this in the future, but for now it’s just a small list of headcanons + a short blurb :>

Contains: Lots of fluff, lightly suggestive

Features: Albedo, Venti, Kaeya, Xiao, Zhongli, Childe, and Diluc

Note: you can be soft and still top btw, this is only for how they’d be romantically

Sweet:

Albedo

• Albedo is also shown canonically to do little gestures like give people the sketch he did of them to see them smile, this man might seem kinda standoffish at first, but he’s not cold
• From his voicelines and story, we also know that Albedo is the type of person to think pretty deeply about everything around him
• His brain goes 100 miles an hour with all the possibilities and scenarios he can think of
• So with his s/o, the best thing that could happen is that he’ll take the time to really slow down and unwind
• Being a busy, busy man in pursuit of knowledge beyond anyone’s comprehension, Albedo rarely gets time off (his sketches are considered research, in a way, no?)
• So once he’s finally at home, there will be lots of little shows of affection
• Passing behind you, perhaps a light touch on your back or shoulder to let his you know he’s there
• On a particularly rough day, he’ll sit facing you with his forehead resting on your chest and just–take your hands and put them in his hair
• Not really the type to pamper, but there’s no doubt of his love
• Probably the type of guy to like sitting close in silence
• Maybe on the nights you cook, he’ll come and wrap his arms around your waist, head leaning on your shoulder as he watches you work

Quietly, you lay on the couch tangled up in his arms, the soft sound of breathing and the light warmth you feel lulling you to sleep. It seems that, even though Albedo is left half asleep from a long day of research, he still continues to trace mindless little patterns on the back of your hand with his thumb. You shift, and he hums, pulling you closer.

Venti

• The man’s been through so much, honestly
• He’s lost his closest friend, helped a rebellion usurp a tyrant, been through a war that lasted centuries, watched as another friend he’d known since birth fall to corruption (but ultimately was saved)
• Point being, he’s tired and just wants to have his fun
• True to his nature, he likes to tease and poke at his s/o, but nothing that can’t be undone (after all, a prank isn’t funny if it’s permanent)
• Hand holding, is a must! Venti is a very affectionate person who isn’t afraid to express his feelings when it comes to his s/o
• Lots of smooches too! (Please smooch him back)
• Speaking of hands and smooches, he’s the type to bring your hand to his lips and give each your fingertips a little kiss. They’ve done so much for you and allow him the joy of holding them, so it’s the least he can do!
• His type of love is free and sweeter than the scent of cecelias, soft as the wind that kisses your skin
• Really, he wants to be able to treasure you as much as he can in the time you have together

Today was a picnic date kind of day. A basket filled with fresh, ripe sunsettias and a few dishes you both worked together to make (mostly you, after what happened with Venti’s apple cake) sat on top of a sturdy blanket laid on the grass. Head laid in your lap, the wandering bard strummed idly on his lyre, adding a lovely backdrop to an already perfect day.

Romantic:

Kaeya

• Of course, the suave Captain doesn’t stop with honeyed words
• Mysterious as he is, he takes what he does in stride
• If he could spend all his life entwined with you, he’d die a happy man
• Kaeya is the type of partner to romance with candlelight and nighttime strolls on the beach
• A little cheesy, yes, but all the more to sweep you off your feet
• Flirty, he likes to take his time with his love and while he similarly treasures his s/o, it’s in the way the fairytales are written
• Perhaps a little cliche at times
• Nevertheless, he’s the type of partner to sweep you into a dance despite there being no music and dip you low (whether you both lose balance and fall is up to gravity)
• He’ll show his affection physically, whether through a quick kiss when you stop by the Favonious Knight’s HQ, or pulling you close when you walk through a crowd on a market day
• Teasing is also a big thing, if he can make you blush, his mission is accomplished
• In privacy, expect his treatment to be the same–it wouldn’t do any good if he leaves his dear s/o confused about how he feels

Once again, you take his hand and he sweeps you into a lively waltz, sweeping across the living room floor. Not once do his eyes leave yours. All he ever needs is the feel of you close and the rush of his heart in his chest that bubbles into something fonder when your laugh reaches his ears.

Xiao

• Not the best with words, Xiao shows his love through his actions
• Little gifts, helping now and then with commissions and clearing the road, he’ll do it all with no expectation of thanks (should you thank him, he’ll be extremely grateful for the recognition but also perhaps unsure how to react)
• He doesn’t tend towards physically showing affection to his s/o, so when he does, expect them to show his utter devotion
• Often, Xiao questions what it is that he did to deserve such a love, but as soon as you appear in his view, it no longer matters because as long as you believe him to be worthy, why wouldn’t he be?
• His love is based deeply in trust. The heart is a fragile thing and to someone who’s suffered so much in his lifetime, he guards it fiercely to protect himself
• When he finally does allow himself the comfort of a relationship, he’ll soak it up entirely
• Nights spent stargazing on the top of Wangshu Inn, pinkies intertwined, or bodies held together tightly with the sweet exchange of breath
• Every touch that he offers is gentle, reverent, and serves to remind him that what he’s experiencing is real

He tried, really, for the thing on the plate to turn out the way that you usually make it. It’s a far cry from what he remembers, but you set it down and bring your hands to his face. The sight of your beaming smile warms him deeply and he pulls you in close for a kiss.

Zhongli

• Be still, my beating heart-
• Just as he’s full of information from the flowers of Liyue to the deepest cracks in the soil, he loves fully and unapologetically
• He’s lived through many eras and seen so much that it’s hard to not want to express how he feels as he feels it
• Deeply appreciative of whatever his s/o does and does for him
• He indulges in every word, touch, feeling, and look- He’s not a greedy man, but when it comes to love? There’s a deep desire to feel it all
• There are many ways that Zhongli expresses that love, a few being through your daily strolls through Liyue Harbor and the daily and nightly rituals the two of you have settled down into
• His favorite is probably the mornings
• There’s something about waking up wrapped up in your lover’s arms, head resting on their chest as the sun’s warm beams shine through the windows that’s utterly satisfying
• Zhongli indulges in these little moments, favoring them over all else
• Once in a while, he’ll take you back to where your first date was to reminisce, perhaps even (jokingly) mention little embarrassing things either of you did

Zhongli watches as you sip at your drink and admires the way the sun compliments your eyes. You’re preoccupied by the falling leaves, it seems, mentioning how they’re just as brilliant gold as his. Though the feeling he feels is far from the excitement of butterflies, it has settled into a comforting sort of warmth that hopes you feel as well.

Passionate:

Childe

• This man’s love is wild like his personality
• Loud, fun, and never quite predictable, he loves like a whirlwind and with an enthusiasm to match no other
• Lots of teasing going on here, to make you blush or to mess with you, you’ll never know
• But it’s his unapologetic fire that drew you to him to begin with
• When he’s not occupied with work, he’ll drag you to go sight seeing
• Every experience is a new experience, no matter if it’s something that seems so everyday or not
• His affection is in the form of tightly held hands (he doesn’t want to lose you with how quickly he weaves through the crowd), well-placed winks, and kisses to steal your breath away
• He also loves in a way that’s fiercely protective. His job is a dangerous one and, with the way he’s open with your relationship, his affection serves to protect you
• But don’t forget that despite his passion, he’s a man who deeply treasures those close to him and, as his s/o, you’ll be showered with only the best he can give you

It was only a quick break in your day, he’d assured, but it quickly became another round of seeing Liyue through his eyes. In the span of only an hour, you’ve already spotted an untouched patch of glaze lilies, sampled rich Li-style cuisine and fresh Yue-style cuisine, helped a young girl fetch her kite from atop a tree, and now are working your way (or rather, Childe is working your way for you) to a little area behind the busy streets to show you a pack of dogs he’d befriended. Fondly, you smile and watch as he beckons them out of hiding.

Diluc

• Diluc lives for the way that his s/o brings the best out of him and, in return, he does the same back
• He exudes the air of a gentleman with the way he shows his affection, but, whether intentionally or not, in an utterly enticing way
• Being busy during the day with running the tavern and the winery as well as at night as the Darknight Hero (he insists you stop calling him that as well, but you don’t miss the light flush of pride each time), the time he dedicates to you is left in the early morning long before you leave for the day and the evening as he settles just before he sets off
• During morning time, he’s often fond of running his hands over you, feeling each dip and curve, memorizing the way your hair falls and the way your lips curve when you smile
• It’s a quiet sort of passion
• His love is expressed in the fond murmurs against your shoulder and head, sharing those moments of deep intimacy both physical and not
• In the evenings, you both settle in front of the fireplace, sharing a drink or two
• There’s sometimes a certain look in his eye that sets your heart aflame in the dimly lit room, and sometimes he sets off a little later that night in lieu of a few more stolen moments with you

Diluc slides into your shared bed in the early hours of the morning, a bit later than usual. The shift stirs you just enough to wake up to two arms pulling you to his chest and a deep breath with his nose buried in your hair. He’s no doubt exhausted. Eyes bleary, you turn until you’re facing him and loosely wrap an arm around his waist. In the moments you’re still half-awake, you hear a low murmur of ‘love you’ and you smile against his skin.