Genshin Impact ship pairings

You are the flowers that entwine my thoughts, you are all the passion in my heart. You make me transform barren mountains into lush green hills, and dried-up streams into abundant ones. My beloved, whom I yearn for day and night, please let me miss you a little longer.

01

When Kong first met that immortal, he was amazed by him.

Having just arrived in Liyue from Mondstadt, Kong was immediately drawn into a major incident. In an unfamiliar place, and with no other choice, coupled with her gentle and kind nature, Kong followed the advice of others and went to find that immortal.

With a sliver of hope, Sora carefully held a plate of almond tofu and tried calling out the immortal's name. As she softly called out, a lithe body suddenly appeared before her, and Sora was momentarily flustered by the unexpected appearance.

And so, he met those eyes, deep gold like a history book of time, recording layer upon layer of history. Or like a bright, flawless golden gem polished on the shore, shining brilliantly when touched by the sunlight.

His indifferent tone when asking about his purpose only made Kong more interested in him.

After Kong explained his situation, he noticed a slight change in the immortal's expression. Kong thought to himself, "Indeed, this is much more pleasing to the eye. His previous aloofness was like shattered clouds, about to be blown away by the wind."

This was their first meeting. Kong's mind was filled with thoughts of how incredibly beautiful this immortal was.

02

When the demon was unsealed, Sora, bearing the wounds from his battle with Tartaglia, hurriedly joined the fight. He felt some pain as the sages' magic was applied to him. Even though his body was different from ordinary people, he still felt considerable pressure under the repeated application of sage magic.

The recent battles had left Sora exhausted, so for a moment as he fell, his mind went blank. He plummeted, catching a glimpse of Paimon out of the corner of his eye, and felt a pang of worry. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, he remembered she could fly and there was nothing to worry about. Lost in a jumble of thoughts, Sora didn't know what to do.

Exhausted, Kong falls from the sky. Let it fall. I wonder where Ying is, whether she's doing well...

A pair of hands caught him.

Like a gentle breeze, light yet offering a sense of security. Looking up, he saw Xiao's worried eyes, a red mark at the corner of her eye like blood. As if possessed, Sora reached out to touch the mark. Xiao was surprised, neither refusing nor moving closer. Sora touched it; the warmth at his fingertips told him it wasn't blood. But the burning sensation in his heart left Sora bewildered.

The war ended with Ningguang crashing down on the Jade Pavilion. In this war, mortals finally grew up as the gods had hoped. Like fledglings pushed out of the nest, they struggled to spread their wings and take flight amidst perilous circumstances.

The war in Liyue had ended some time ago. Sora still fondly remembered the embrace that held her in the air. Those somewhat slender arms were filled with a sense of security. Just leaning against them, she had nothing to worry about. Thinking of this, Sora blushed slightly, shook her head, and decided to go see that immortal.

For some reason, Sora didn't know why, but Xiao's attitude towards him was unexpectedly good. Although not exactly meticulous or considerate, Xiao was certainly patient enough. After spending a few moments with Xiao, Sora discovered that Xiao was also gentle at heart. Sora would often chat with Xiao, telling him stories from his travels, the people he met, the scenery he saw... Most of the time, Sora did the talking, but Xiao would listen attentively.

In Kong's eyes, Xiao is a ferocious beast that will not back down even when covered in wounds. He will steadfastly protect all the treasures he cherishes, and it seems that Liyue is his most treasured possession at the moment.

As Sora and Xiao sat chatting by the window, the weather was perfect, the gentle sunlight warming them. Paimon drifted off to sleep on Sora's lap. Sora placed his palm on Paimon's round, soft belly, which felt just like a cotton ball.

Sora spoke softly to Xiao, who gazed intently at Sora's vivid face. At that moment, this seemingly aloof immortal thought only: Let time stand still here forever.

03

Several days had passed since he last saw Xiao, and during this time, Sora had been constantly thinking about him. With each recollection of Xiao in his mind, a wave of bittersweet emotion washed over him. This unfamiliar feeling filled Sora with apprehension; he didn't even dare to face the immortal.

Another moment of distraction.

When his arm was slashed by a Hilichurl arrow, the burning pain instantly cleared his somewhat muddled thoughts. He heard Paimon's anxious and worried exclamation in his ear.

"Ouch! You're injured!" The little guy flew over excitedly, circling his injured arm and looking at him with concern, unsure what to do. At that moment, Sora found a strange kind of amusement in his heart, thinking that raising this little guy hadn't been a waste. Composing himself, he comforted Paimon, picked up his sword, and diligently completed the task.

On the way back, Paimon was still by his side. "Kong, what's wrong with you? I feel like you've been getting distracted lately. You even got hurt in the fight today. This can't go on. Why don't you tell me? Maybe I can help you." It was rare to see such a serious expression on Paimon's face.

After thinking it over, Kong decided not to tell Paimon, only making up a few excuses to appease her. After all, Kong didn't know what was really going on. But then he thought of that immortal again—golden eyes, dark hair, the red mark at the corner of his eye, the mark between his brows… everything about him left Kong in a state of utter confusion.

Having never been in love before, Kong didn't know what kind of emotion this was; he was just a little scared and ashamed to talk about it. He didn't know how to meet that immortal.

The improvement in the situation stemmed from a girl that Sora met at Liyue Harbor.

Sora had seen this girl here several times before. This time, Sora finally couldn't suppress his curiosity and stepped forward: "I always see you here." He said, a little embarrassed, scratching his head.

"Are you curious about what I'm doing here?" The girl noticed Kong's question, but instead of being offended, she spoke to Kong with a hint of sweetness: "I'm waiting for my lover here."

“He was a sailor. Every time he went out to sea, I would wait for him here so that he could see me when he returned. I miss him very much, even though we haven’t been apart for very long, I’m always thinking about him.”

“He’s such a big idiot, he always brings me random stuff. Do you know what he gave me the first time? It was a Jueyun chili pepper! That idiot actually said it looked like a flower, and that the red one was really pretty…” Kong couldn’t listen anymore as she continued. He only noticed that ‘although we haven’t been apart for very long, I’m always thinking about him.’

Seeing the woman in front of him talking happily, Sora still asked, "Why do you miss her?"

Sora's question seemed to stump the woman. She thought for a moment and then said, "Because he is my lover. I love him, so I miss him when we are apart." She saw Sora's somewhat confused expression and then patiently told him, "Love will make you miss someone when you are apart. Missing someone will be born, like strands of thread, one after another, which cannot be untied or cut."

"Of course, the longing for someone you like is different from that for others, and you'll have to experience it for yourself." The girl looked at Kong with a gentle smile: "If you have someone you like, don't miss out."

Even after they parted, the words of that woman still echoed in Kong's mind, and he asked himself: Is this the kind of longing I have for Xiao?

Sora thought of those golden eyes again; at first glance, they were sharp and piercing, but later they became as gentle as the ocean. Just like him, beneath his seemingly cold exterior lay a passionate, tender, and captivating warmth.

Ah! So this is what longing is, my longing for him. Kong Ru thought to herself.