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.

"This is your ship to the Alcor," the man points at a small sail ship fit for five people maximum.

Without hesitation, Xingqiu boards the ship, but doesn't feel the familiar cold presence behind him that is Chongyun. Looking back up at the dock, Chongyun seems to be looking a bit nervous.

"Come on," Xingqiu offers a hand to Chongyun.

Chongyun takes it without hesitation, then just stands there for a minute, before finally stepping into the reverse bathtub of a boat.

After a rather unpleasant ride to the Guyun Stone Forest, they reach the Alcor, head of the Crux fleet, sitting in all its glory. Chongyun is a little bit sea sick, but he puts up with it, because he doesn't want to cause any messes.

The two blue-haired Liyueans are greeted by the captain herself. Beidou throws down a ladder so the two of them can climb up the hull and onto the deck of the giant pirate ship.

"Alas, the wind brings upon us two new adventurous spirits," a young man contemplates from behind Beidou as they struggle to their feet after the treacherous climb. "Welcome aboard the Alcor."

"I was supposed to welcome them, Kazuha," Beidou rolls her eyes.

"You weren't saying anything, and it felt like the perfect time," Kazuha shrugs in a nonchalant way.

"Well, you just met Kazuha, the local pirate poet from Inazuma itself, he talks like a book and he probably is one for all we know," Beidou introduces. "I myself am Captain Beidou, as you know. I don't usually greet passengers, but Ningguang herself said to keep an eye on you two."

"Ningguang?" Xingqiu asks. He wasn't aware Ningguang even knew who he was.

"She said she knows something you both don't, I don't know, she's as cryptic as ever. But I'm supposed to make sure you stay alive. Something about destiny. She must've got some dirt on you with her little Qixing gays," Beidou brushes it off.

Xingqiu's overactive shipper mind automatically assumes she knows he likes Chongyun, but he ignores that thought. Ningguang couldn't have gained that knowledge. Unless, was he that obvious?

"Anyway, point is, don't die on my ship, and then my girlfriend won't kill me, so, we all good?" Beidou finishes up her dialogue, making sure the two boys specifically understood they shouldn't go drowning along the way.

"You have my word," Xingqiu nods.

"And mine," Chongyun bows in a formal Liyue way.

"Perfect. Now, I need to get Kazuha drunk, feel free to join us if you wish," Beidou gives a playful smirk to Kazuha, who seems to be distracted by a small green leaf.

Afterward, as the ship sets sail off into the seas, Chongyun and Xingqiu end up standing on the dock together, leaning against the carefully carved wooden rail and watching the fish swim by under the afternoon sun.

"Chongyun, there's a haunted house in the village of Konda, Inazuma," Xingqiu reads from a small book a sailor had handed him.

"Is this not another prank?" Chongyun asks, recalling the last haunted house, which turned out to be an elaborate prank done by Xingqiu. The usually quiet looking boy could surprisingly pack quite the punch, especially with help from a certain pyro-wielding chef.

"Chongyun, in what world could I have possibly set up anything like that in Inazuma, a country that I've never visited?" Xingqiu scoffs lightly, not caring to mention that he had pulled more than just one prank on Chongyun... but don't tell Chongyun that.

The cryo user cutely taps his chin in thought, making Xingqiu smirk a little at the small yet sensationally adorable fidgeting, before he decides Xingqiu's point makes sense.

"Do you think it'll be pretty there?" Chongyun asks, his normal cool voice immediately followed by boisterous laughter from down the dock where Beidou sat.

"Definitely," his own heart flutters when he pictures him and Chongyun enjoying the sights together.

"Well, I hope we can find some good ghosts there together, I'll need your help you know, if it's true that there are so many dead people, and most of them died in an angry or fearful state, these spirits should be quite malicious," Chongyun smiles distantly.

"Sure," Xingqiu isn't opposed to helping his friend out, as he's done before. He has to admit, he gets a bit anxious when there is proof of a real ghost, I mean, who wouldn't? But he can power through it.

Eventually, the two get quite bored, and as the sun sets over the ocean and Liyue is but a mere blue smudge in the distance, they head below deck, where the sailors were playing drinking games.

"Kazuhaaaaa," a very drunk sailor whines, wrapping an arm over a very embarrassed and confused looking maple man.

"I will not drink until I'm drunk, thank you," Kazuha declines, pushing the woman off him.

"Cmon Kaz, you've been sailing with us for over a year, and I've never seen you drunk," the same woman sighs.

"Because I have the decency not to," Kazuha explains simply.

The sailors give up and turn back to their table covered in overflowing shot glasses. Kazuha heads over to the Liyue boys.

"They don't give up, whether on me getting drunk, forcing me to explain my love life, or any other useless irrelevant topic," Kazuha says as he nears the only other sober people under the deck.

"I know this experience. Groups of people you spend time around tend to want to learn all sides of your life," Chongyun participates. "Most likely because they already gave theirs."

"How long until we reach Inazuma?" Xingqiu asks, changing the topic.

"Half an hour, perhaps. The travel takes significantly less time, ever since the storm around Inazuma was struck down by the archon," Kazuha responds. "In the meanwhile, why don't we head up above, this place reeks of alcohol and bodily fluids."

After a far more pleasant journey than either of them expected, Chongyun and Xingqiu find themselves on Ritou. Xingqiu instantly falls in love with the maple leaves, and already has more inspiration to write a story for the Inazumans, but somehow, it isn't enough, and all his drafts end up crumpled up and in the ocean water. Chongyun, though, doesn't take more than a few minutes to observe the trees, he is anxious, ready to go visit Natsui Beach, where a significant battle was held during the Vision Hunt Decree war.

Xingqiu can't say no to Chongyun's adorable expression and begging, so they take off toward Inazuma city in the same day. They plan to reach the city and spend the night there instead of sleeping in Ritou, and then they'll hop on a ship and travel to the murder site.

The journey isn't long, the sleep is pleasant (they slept in different beds, you creepy people), and before they know it, they're already at the docks.

"I wish we could spend more time observing the sights in the city," Xingqiu comments, not complains, conversationally as he sketches a sakura tree in his journal.

"We saw that scary pink fox lady chasing that brown dog man, I think we have enough information on the city. Doesn't the nature of the island intrigue you more? Or ghosts? History?" Chongyun responds as they walk toward the ferry, which is a large Inazuma-themed wooden boat.

"I guess history is intriguing..." Xingqiu admits, tapping his chin.

The ferry ride is slower moving than the Alcor, but overall costs less time. Still, the two boys spend time pointing out the islands of Inazuma, trying out touristy Inazuman food, attempting to pet seagulls, etc.. Xingqiu might have been hesitant to invite Chongyun along at first, but now he realizes how boring this would be without his friend.

Xingqiu is drafting a new story and sketching scenery when Chongyun appears by his side, sitting with him on the floor of the polished dock, because the chairs are all occupied and the floor smells nice.

"What's that?" Chongyun asks curiously, peeking over at Xingqiu's book.

"Um, scenery," Xingqiu explains, flipping the page quickly to a picture of Ritou island's main square he has drawn quickly at the beginning of their trip.

"Why was it light blue? Inazuma is more purple," Chongyun points out, remembering the brief glimpse he'd gotten of some sort of light blue hill with blue holes in the sides.

Xingqiu wouldn't admit he was actually drawing Chongyun standing in the Inazuman fields, picking some Naku Weed, and smiling brightly. Xingqiu blushes to himself.

"You're pink! Are you sick?" Chongyun puts the back of his hand to Xingqiu's forehead, making him heat up more. "It's pretty bad. I'll go ask for an herbal remedy to cure you."

"Y-yeah, sure," Xingqiu stutters, confused at how dense Chongyun is, yet not much surprised anymore.

Chongyun dashes off with unexplainable speed to get some medicine, while Xingqiu just sighs to himself. But he doesn't have time to contemplate, because a crew member pops up.

"I bet you 100 Mora he'll realize his feelings for you by the time you're back in Liyue," the sailor smirks.

"W-what? Who are you?" Xingqiu is definitely the flustered type, as we have learned throughout this oneshot.

"Seriously? It's Xiangling!" Xiangling laughs, and suddenly, Guoba makes an appearance behind her.

Xiangling is decked out in Inazuman clothing and merch, even with an Electro pin on her kimono. Her hair style is a simple Inazuman bun, and her makeup has changed, too. Xingqiu couldn't even recognize her! Even Guoba has a sakura flower tied with a ribbon on their head.

"I'm here with Xinyan. She's going on tour, and I thought I'll come too, because the food here is amazing! But I realized quickly that I look too foreign, and everyone keeps wanting to either stare or talk at me, so I changed to look Inazuman so I can let Xinyan keep all the attention, you know she thrives in it! Also, it's easier to work like this, and-"

Xingqiu blocks her out, still stuck on her opening sentence.

Later, Xiangling stays on the ferry, but waves at Chongyun and Xingqiu as they hop off. She stands with Xinyan now, the two enthusiastic pyro-users were quite the unexpected occurrence, but now the boys are back alone while the girls head to Watatsumi, the ferry's next stop.

Chongyun spends a lot of time investigating the Natsui Beach shore, until Xingqiu decided his feet hurt too much from walking and took a break. Now, the two sit together beneath the ruins of a large ship, quietly eating some of Xiangling's experimental food she made them try. Inazuma + Liyue style food = something actually quite interesting, and not spicy, according to Chongyun.

Suddenly, Chongyun is staring at Xingqiu.

"Um, hi?" Xingqiu asks, confused at his friend.

Chongyun looks like he's about to say something, then looks at his feet, which are dangling over an old structural beam of wood. That was weird. And now Xingqiu's thinking. His dang overactive shipper mind won't leave him alone, cursed with images of Chongyun suddenly confessing to him. Now he's blushing, AGAIN. Dang intrusive thoughts.

He and Chongyun sit until sunset, and keep watching eachother and glancing away. Chongyun, for who knows what reason, and Xingqiu, to catch Chongyun watching him. He glances at his free hand and Chongyun's, inches apart. Xingqiu feels the heat between their fingertips.

That's when it hits him. Sitting here, with Chongyun, on a ruined boat in the middle of nowhere Inazuma, nearly holding hands, quietly writing and erasing scrapped awful ideas... he gets it. Inspiration. A sudden burst, a surge, an idea. No more writer's block.

He glances at Chongyun, ideas flooding his head. Chongyun looks back, and smiles while licking his popsicle. Then Xingqiu starts writing.

This whole time, he was looking for motivation and inspiration everywhere- the sky, the sand, the leaves, the grass, even Inazuma's citizens. But he was missing one thing. He didn't have to travel here to find what would inspire him, what gave him that spark.

It was what came with him.

With a blushing glance at Chongyun, Xingqiu begins detailing an adventurous story about love.