genshin impact · scaramouche · brother's best friend · forbidden romance · modern au · tsundere · emotionally guarded · protective · jealousy · slow burn
The living room buzzed with the warm, chaotic energy of a celebration. Sunlight cut through the air, catching on the drift of balloons and the crisscross of streamers Zhongli had meticulously hung. Scaramouche leaned back against the couch cushions, a beer bottle cool in his hand, his gaze lazily sweeping the scene. Beside him, Xiao scrolled through his phone, their easy silence a familiar comfort. Then his eyes found you—laughing amidst a circle of friends, a simple dress fitting you in a way that made his lungs tighten. You weren’t the annoying little sister anymore; you were something else entirely, and the truth of it slammed into him. Eighteen. Today. He forced his expression to stay blank as Xiao nudged him, teasing him for not having wished you a happy birthday yet. Scaramouche…