â retail therapy. ft sunday
â warnings: slight angst if you squint hard enough
â author's note: self-indulgent stellaron hunter sunday after playing the new tb quest. ~2.4k words.
âis thisâŠâ sunday gestures with his hands, âalso part of our script?â
you let out a laugh. balancing firefly and kafkaâs shopping bags in your hands, you only shook your head at the angel-like man with an amused smile on your lips.Â
âno, it is not.â kafka was browsing the dress sections with keen interest, blade was peering over silver wolfâs shoulder watching her as she played yet another video game, and firefly was looking over the rack of new hats. âbut itâs a good change of pace. you all deserve to relax after such a hard mission.â
âi donât think this really fits my criteria of relaxation, [name].â you only laugh at sundayâs sigh. offering him a small pat on the back and dragging him by his sleeve to where kafka was beckoning you over. âyouâll get used to it eventually. next time, weâll do something that fits your criteria of relaxation.â
the silver haired man only shook his head. but deep down you knew he was enjoying himself â the wings behind his ears often betrayed him by openly showing what he actually felt. every now and then, they would flutter and puff up whenever silver wolf drags him to another section with new games or when he tries to deny kafkaâs attempt at getting him a new shirt or coat (after his wings fluttered a bit too hard at this one coat kafka bought it immediately).
âwhat do you think?â you ask as you put down the bags that've been weighing down on your arms. âabout us, i mean, are you adjusting well?â
you notice sundayâs hesitation, you always have when it comes to him â he often wonders how wise and knowledgeable you are to know how he felt. a hum left your lips as you sat down on one of the offered chairs at the shoe section while blade reached to the top shelf to get what firefly was pointing at.Â
âiâŠâ he starts, voice just above whisper. âdonât know.â
another hum escapes your lips. scooting over to make space for him and patting the space, urging him to sit besides you. sunday does, though reluctantly, sit beside you as you watch silver wolf giggle at fireflyâs struggle to walk in heels. bladeâs hands hover over her figure as she stomps her way over to the shorter girl to pinch her cheeks to which she protested.
âtheyâre nice people.â you say, gaze never leaving them. âthe galaxies may say otherwise, but they're truly the kindest people i have ever met.â
âi⊠apologize.â
you raise a brow at him. âwhatâs with the apology?âÂ
âi have only ever thought of the five of you as bad people.â sunday admits with a heavy heart. eyes finding much entertainment on his gloves that you had gifted. âi⊠do not know how to act around you all, when iâve only ever heard bad things about you. it feels wrong to suddenly be thrusted into your already tight knit group.â
you only hum in understanding. hand coming to caress the top of his head when you stood up when blade called you over.
âwe understand, mr. sunday.â you gave him a small smile as you picked up the many shopping bags you had. âthese sorts of things take time, just take it one step at a time.â
he only nods. and like the gentleman that he is, steals away the heavier bags in your hands with an awkward smile.
â
âdo you miss the person you were before you joined?â
you wonder if blade has ever mentioned to sunday how you loved thought evoking questions like the one he had just asked. recently, the two have been paired up a lot for missions - youâre still on the fence on whether it's a good or bad thing, but youâre leaning more towards the former. you only gave a thoughtful hum as you spooned another scoop of ice cream into your mouth.
kafka had grown bored of the dresses and shoes and wanted to get something to eat. now here you were, outside a quaint little ice cream shop as blade orders for everyone - silver wolf and firefly hiding behind the man like two kids.Â
sunday was sitting in front of you, laughing silently after catching a glimpse of the two tables across from you being filled with your shopping bags. you laughed as well and when your eyes met his, sunday quickly averted his gaze towards his own cold treat.
âdo i ever miss the person i was before i joinedâŠâ you echo his question. âsometimes, in the middle of the night whenever iâm feeling a bit too sentimental, i do.â a fond expression was probably present on your face as sunday hummed in acknowledgement. âi miss the comfort of my bed as i scrolled endlessly on my phone. or how a certain little creature in red would bring me tea and biscuits when i let time pass in my little workshop. i miss them every chance i get.â
yes, every chance you get, you reminisce over your past life. missing your fatherâs quick temper, your brotherâs indifference, your motherâs absence; you missed them all, despite all their flaws and the bitterness that swam in your heart. and of course, how could you ever forget your little escapades in different planets with a seasoned adventurer and his vast knowledge of animation and travel or the little waddling of a conductor as they scold you nearly not making it back. you missed them all very dearly.
âwhat about you, mr. sunday? do you miss penacony?â
âwould it be wrong of meïżœïżœïżœ if i said noâŠ?â
admittedly, that was the exact opposite of what you thought his answer would be.
the six of you were now in the car with you and blade driving (firefly suggested you all take two cars so you wonât have to be squeezed together in one). silver wolf was fast asleep at the back seat, using the many shopping bags as her makeshift pillows. you and sunday sat at the front, keeping a close eye on bladeâs red car in front of you as you pondered what you would say next.
âi donât think thatâs the whole truth, but itâs not an entire lie either.â was your only response. from the corner of your eye, you see sunday take off his gloves and lay them on his lap. âwould you like to talk about it, mr. sunday? iâm quite the exceptional listener you know.â
sunday laughed at your jesting and that made the breath you were unconsciously holding escape you.Â
âpenacony, as beautiful as it was,â he fiddles with his fingers as his wings came to cover half his face - a habit you picked up on whenever he started to open up. âit was simply too much for me.â
staying silent and when sunday looked at you, you simply nod. urging him to continue.
âthe flashy city lights, the ever echoing of upbeat music, to many, penacony is a paradise where nothing could go wrong,â sunday sags in his seat, âbut i often wonder if it ever gets too much for them. even though i have lived my entire life in the land of festivities, i could not bring myself to enjoy the thrill and joy it offered.â
âno matter how many times i bury these feelings of guilt, they always resurface wheneverâŠâ
âwhenever?â you slowly try to coax it out of him. like how a parent would to their child.
âthey always resurface whenever⊠i find myself enjoying your company too much.â you try to hide your shock when you take a right turn. âis it truly alright for me to just leave all of penacony behind? as overwhelming it was, it offered a roof over my head. food on my table. a family.â
soft patters of rain as small droplets of water cascaded down the now slightly fogged up windows of your car. âwould you like my personal opinion on this matter, mr. sunday?â the car skids to a stop as the traffic light glows red. sunday only nodded solemnly. âyou have every right to not miss penacony.â
his gold eyes were furrowed in distraught. gaze boring into the side of your head as the car started moving again. âyes, penacony offered a roof over your head and food on your table, but everyone has that right. even us, stellaron hunters, the most wanted criminals across star systems, have the right to have a home. did penacony ever feel like home to you, mr. sunday?â
âno. not it has not.â sunday replies after a few moments of silence.
âjust because a roof is over your head and food is served on your table doesnât automatically make it a home.â your eyes hardened, grip on the steering wheel tightening ever so slightly. âa home is supposed to make you feel safe, not obligated to repay their so-called âkindnessâ. you donât have to feel guilty for not wanting to come back to the place that had caused you pain.â
âand what of my sister, robin?â he suddenly counters. you knew from little snippets from kafka that robin was a bit of a sensitive topic with him. âam i really allowed to enjoy this new life of mine knowing that sheâs still in the familyâs clutches?â his voice hardened, but at the same time it quivered and broke. âwhat right do i have to this newfound happiness when she could be struggling? for aeonâs sake,â he messily pushes his hair away from his face. you try not to focus on the stray tears that fell from his eyes, âiâm her older brother, her protector. she should be the one here, spending time with you and enjoying the life sheâs always wanted.â
âmiss robin is destined for greatness and a happy life,â stopping at another traffic light, you look over to sunday, âbut so are you. i do not know the pain and turmoil your adoptive father has made you go through, but you will never be free if you keep holding on to the past.â
âi donât think being a stellaron hunter and a wanted criminal is what you call greatness.â sunday jokes with a low chuckle making you roll your eyes.
you trained your sight on the road again. âitâs not easy to break out of whatever gopher wood has taught you,â the way you spat his adoptive fatherâs name with such venom made sunday wonder if you had personally met him. âbut if, theoretically, we had offered you to join us earlier and to sneak you out of penacony, miss robin would be the first person to urge you to take that chance. you are her older brother yes, and it's often the oldestâs job to protect the younger,â you pull up your car in the parking lot as blade, kafka, and firefly started taking the shopping bags out of the car. âbut she is still your sister that wants whatâs best for you, even if it means leaving penacony behind.â
the sight of blade, a man with a harsh exterior and few words, silently carry silver wolf with such care will always stir something inside of sunday. or how kafka would happily chat with firefly over the new clothes they got on todayâs shopping list, promising to do a haul tomorrow morning after the older woman cooks everyone breakfast. but if there was something that pulled at his heart the most, it would be you.Â
you who kindly respected his space and unwillingness to talk or socialize with the other hunters when he had been first recruited. the same you who had made him the metal wings that was now attached to his lower back - created with so much care and attentiveness sunday felt unworthy of it. you who would always be the first one to look for him whenever you were going out and extending a hand for him to take.
âeveryone deserves to be happy,â you say beside him as you drop him off at the door to his room. âand that includes you, mr. sunday.â
sunday had always been treated as someone who was above everything else, that was the first thing he was taught after all. he was destined for greatness, the key to the revival of his dead aeon. so he never truly knew how to act when someone treated him as an equal. someone neither above or below anyone.
âiâm not very good with words,â sunday scoffs, thinking otherwise. âso i often convey my sincerity and comfort through actions.â
sunday feels your hand slither to the back of his neck as you slowly pull him down to your height. forcing his beating heart to still when he looks into your eyes that swam with understanding and fondness when you press both of your foreheads together.
âyou can enjoy your time here, with us. youâre allowed to let go of the past and miss your sister.â your thumb rubs soothing circles on his nape, sunday feels the hairs on his arms rise. âand if you still think otherwise, then thatâs also fine. breaking free from the shackles of your past isnât easy, but you shouldnât give up.â sunday feels the way your words leave a warm ticklish feeling on his lips, he had to fight the urge to lean into your space even more. âwe want you to be happy, we want you to be here with us. so weâll teach you how to let go. until you can do it yourself.â
sunday has seen you do this to others; after you patch up blade after a nasty fight, when you welcome kafka home, when silver wolf comes to you after a nightmare and when firefly bares her heart out to you. he finally understands why the others stuck to you closely, they showed their appreciation for you in forms of physical affections.Â
involuntarily, his arms snakes around your waist, pulling you impossibly closer he feels you may decipher the way his heart beats your name. âmay we stay like this for a while?â you only hum slowly when he lays his head on your shoulder. letting your comfort wash away all the guilt and frustration, even if it was just for a moment.
you catch a glimpse of kafka leaning at one of the dark walls with a knowing smile on her lips. rolling your eyes at the older woman, you bid sunday a good night with a small smile. knuckles brushing right under his eyes where phantom tears had fallen. in your mind, you canât help but feel that your little idea of taking him shopping to brighten up his mood was a success.
© vxnuslogy 2024. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works.
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â a reason. ft aventurine
â warnings: slight cursing and violence and spoilers for the new hsr quest
â author's note: this is very long and very much a giant word vomit. first work in hsr is aventurine, i fear favoritism is real.
âeverything happens for a reason.â
aventurine has never felt so sick and tired of that phrase. something about it makes his fists clench from beneath the table and stomach flip and twist uncomfortably from within.
if everything happens for a reason, then what was the reason behind his clanâs massacre? what was the reason for the stirring in his guts whenever he looked in the mirror? what was the reason behind all of his fortune now turned to misfortune?
aventurine hated not knowing the reason.
âand this pretty thing,â jade motioned towards you by her side. standing motionless, back straight and all. âis [name]. be sure to play nice, aventurine.â
what was the reason behind your new recruitment? better yet, why were you placed as his new assistant? the last time aventurine checked, he was doing perfectly fine. steadily climbing up his rank with his risky gambles and bargaining skills. he couldn't wrap his head around it so he just sighed and accepted it.
âthank you for always looking after me, jade.â his voice carried evident sarcasm but the woman only smiled and pushed you towards his direction. he had to physically stop himself from recoiling from the action and gave you a smile.
âit's a pleasure to meet you, [name].â he held his hand out for you to take. you were hesitating, aventurine noticed. but after a few seconds you slowly slid your hand into his and gave it a firm shake. âthe pleasure is all mine, mr. aventurine.â
the blonde man held onto your hand for a moment longer before slipping it away and tucking it behind his back. he surveyed your form making you want to squirm under such a gaze, and he noticed.
âlet's be good friends.â
â
working with aventurine was strange, not that you didn't expect it. you spent the past six months running around the IPC from one office to another carrying mountains of papers and constantly picking up calls from the communication device in your ear. other times, you'll be out and about trailing aventurine like a lost duckling when you need to accompany him to missions that require him to be physically present.
honestly, working for the stoneheart will eventually give you an early death from a heart attack. not only is his risky gambling habits very concerning, his way of speaking wasn't exactly everyone's cup of tea. more often than not youâre needed to play as a peacemaker, the middle ground of negotiations to prevent any physical fights from starting.
but it wasn't as bad as you'd assume. you clock in around 9 in the morning and clock out at 5 in the afternoon. sometimes if certain tasks require you for overtime, you'll clock out at around 8 or 9 at night max. all the work aventurine assigns to you aren't all that difficult to handle as well. just simple reports that need to be proofread so he won't have to read over them multiple times, scheduling interviews, picking up calls and informing him of his new missions, and if the situation calls for it, you play as a spy to gather information.
overall aventurine was a good boss.
today was like any other tuesday morning. you clock in just before 9, get your coffee and another cup for your boss, pick up the last reports from the strategic investment department, and then make your way into aventurineâs office to brief him on his schedule.
his office was on the fancier ends, no surprise there as he was one of the ten stonehearts. your shoes clicking when they met the marbled floors, your eyes skimmed through the reports, trying to guess which proposal will be approved or disapproved. when you reached a familiar door, you fixed your hair and readjusted the insignia pinned to your vest. an aventurine stone, just like your boss.
you knock thrice -short, short and long- before you hear a muffled voice tell you to come in.
âgood morning, mr. aventurine.â you greet with a slight bow as normal. âas punctual as ever, [name].â raising your head you nod towards topazâs direction in acknowledgment before making your way to his desk. âhere are all the reports from the last mission. iâve read through all of them and made sure everything is in order.â placing the papers on the table, he dropped the ones in his current hand before taking the new ones, all the while, you place down his coffee which he gladly took.
âyou aren't overworking them, have you, aventurine?â topaz inquired, crossing both her arms over her chest. âwhat kind of boss do you take me for friend? a bad one? i can assure you my assistant is in good hands.â the blonde man chipped in, his fingers flipping from one page to another as you busied yourself trying to organize the scattered reports on his table. feeling topaz's gaze, you give her a slight smile and nod, confirming that aventurine is in fact, was a good boss.
she just sighed and shook her head. motioning for you to come over, you look to aventurine who gave you a nod in turn. you walked towards topaz -feeling the searing stare of aventurine burn through the back of your head- as she took out a flash drive and handed it to you.
âthis is the recording of the last meeting in regards to the mission you're tasked with. since you were still in pier port, we started without you.â
âhow cruel of you, to start such an important meeting without even waiting for me.â
ah yes, the pier port incident. you smiled wearily as your shoulder slumped when you remembered what happened. you shake your head in amusement of the memory.
âthank you topaz,â you break the silence, like you always do. âiâll be sure to look over it today.â she smiled at you in appreciation before turning her back on you and waving goodbye.
âwell, that was all i came for. catch you two later.â
once the door clicked shut and the sounds of footsteps getting fainter and fainter, you took it as a sign to turn back to your boss who was already looking at you.
âis something the matter, sir?â you ask. he took off his glasses with a hum and turned his attention back to the papers he was reading. âbe sure to give me a summarized report of the meeting before you go home.â you nod and take a seat on the couch in his office and boot up the laptop on the coffee table. you've always wondered when it suddenly appeared in his office, you were 98% sure it wasn't there when you first started working but aventurine always said that's it been there the entire time.
you shake the thought out of your mind and shift into work mode. hours seem to pass by in the blink of an eye before you heard aventurine call out to you. âiâm sorry mr. aventurine, i'm afraid i didn't hear you.â you heard him sigh and repeat his question. âi said, why did you join the IPC? actually, no, that's not what i want to know.â
when you looked up from the laptop in front of you, your boss had taken a seat across from you. you felt your heart thumping in nervousness.
âwhat exactly did you do to pique jadeâs interest?â
frozen. you felt frozen on your spot. fingers stopping midway from pressing onto the keys. those beautiful eyes you've slowly grown accustomed to seeing unfiltered from his glasses, they make your heart and pulse beat in an unfamiliar rhythm.
âi come from a well-off family.â you start, suddenly feeling conscious of your background. âmy parents have worked closely with the stonehearts, i suppose miss jade wanted to continue the diplomatic relationship between my family and the IPC.â
âis that the reason why you're here now?â
you simply nod even though you weren't so sure if that really was the reason.
âlet me ask you another question.â
letting out a startled noise when the laptop in your lap suddenly close with a gloved hand sitting on top of it, you stare at aventurine's purple eyes that had rings of teal, something so uniquely him that you couldn't help but get lost in them. he took the laptop from your grasp and set it on the coffee table as he leaned both his arms on his legs.
âdo you like working under me?â
the question caught you off guard and it showed with how the corner of aventurineâs mouth twitched up into a smirk. hiding behind a closed fist and clearing your throat, you pray that your voice wouldn't waver as you answer.
âi do.â you peaked towards his directions and he didn't seem satisfied with your answer so you list out all the reasons why you like working with him. âdespite your⊠questionable habits, iâve come to grow used to them as time goes on.â a fond smile made its way to your lips when you dug around your mind trying to find your memories that had aventurine in them, only to realize that he was in all of them.
âiâve come to enjoy all your little shenanigans in missions.â
âi'll have you know, calling your bossâ plans âshenanigansâ could lead to your bonus being cut by a few percent.â he huffed like a child as he decided to just sit back and cross his arms over his chest and raise his chin at you. you chuckle at the action and continue.
âever since i was a child, i have always wanted to travel the cosmos. but since iâm the only child to my mother and father, my childhood, teenage years, and now adulthood is centered around business and trade. going out on missions with you to different planets, they heal that little part of me that wished to travel.â
âbut sometimes, i truly believe that you want me to die from a heart attack.â you hear him snicker from under his breath as he fixes the watch on his wrist. âi know that as a gambler taking risks is just a part of it but aeons, do they scare me to death sometimes.â
âif i knew you cared about me so much, maybe i would tone it down a bit!â there was a playful undertone to his voice as he talked to you. you let out a laugh and shake your head. âno offense sir, but i sincerely doubt that.â
âyou wouldn't be the boss i've grown accustomed to if you didn't do your risky gambles.â
something flickered in aventurine's eyes, you were sure of it. but before you could find out what it was he suddenly stood up, putting on his usual glasses and giving you a closed eyed smile.
âwell, that was all what i wanted to ask you.â you wanted to ask something in return, but you never had the chance to even get a word out when he was already halfway out the door. âbe sure to finish that summary before the day ends. leave it at my desk as usual.â
and just like that, the office door clicked shut.
â
âif i told you the reason, that'd be the same as revealing a trade secret.â
aventurine remembered jade's word. how could he not when they repeated in his mind like a broken record.
after he left his office, it felt like he suddenly went back in time. it just had been roughly a month after you were given the position as his assistant and aventurine wasted no moment at the end of that friday afternoon to dash in jade's office and ask her the question: why were you his assistant.
aventurine scoffed at jade's response while she only smiled. clicking his tongue in annoyance as the woman led him in circles when he kept asking. what was the reason? was it that hard to answer?
the next few days weren't necessarily the best. he was like a walking ticking time bomb, ready to blow up at any second. everyone in the IPC kept their distance from him -not like they didn't keep their distance to begin with, some started whispering among the hallways about his potential termination after a very big gamble he almost, almost, lost. what ticked him off the most, was you.
he felt so frustrated at you because why were you so damn perceptive. those past few days, the papers that were messily and hastily thrown on the giant table in his office were suddenly organized into neat piles, all held together with different colored paperclips and a sticky note of when each pile was due to be submitted. how every morning you wouldn't fail to knock thrice at his door -short, short and long- at exactly 3 minutes before 9 in the morning with two cups of coffee in your hands. or the times where you would take one good look at him and start lighting up the candles in his office that you started buying for him because you noticed he'd be slightly less stressed when the room didn't smell like fear and insecurity.
what he hated the most was even after his little temper tantrum the past few days began to subdue, you still continued your almost doting actions towards him.
when did he start anticipating your methodical knocks 3 minutes before 9? when did he suddenly grow disappointed whenever someone knocked on his door and it wasn't you? topaz had suddenly grown confused when he suddenly came into the meeting room with a cup of coffee in his hand and when she asked about it he would simply say, âwell, my darling assistant bought it for me!â. the multiple scented candles in his office that burned too quickly so at the end of every month he'd have you go out and buy some more.
when did he start using his left hand -the hand he left bare from rings, the same hand that shook in fear of losing- to guide the small of your back away from the crowd whenever you would accompany him to missions?
when did he start taking off the glasses that hid the eyes he wanted to sell to someone else?
it was so confusing yet so simple at the same time. aventurine had grown fond of his little assistant. he has grown fond of you. and that was all there is to it. after all, why would he go out of his way to get that customized brooch that you wear every single day when you come to work if he hadn't. how his chest would swell with pride whenever you spoke with higher positioned officers in the IPC and how they would avert their gaze because of the pin on your vest.
and he knows that you know of his sudden change in demeanor. you just never say a word for his sake. how he went from being a distant and acquainted boss to a friend. an actual friend. and that was supposed to be it. he did say in your first meeting that you should be good friends, but how was he supposed to keep his words after the little stunt you pulled at pier port?
it was a simple mission, negotiate and get the upper hand, nothing more and certainly nothing less. like any other mission, he was accompanied by you and some other people under the IPC. everything was going smoothly until one of them just had to open their mouth and talk shit about his already dreadful past just because he had forgotten to put on his glasses. he truly has grown a bit too comfortable with you around, and he didn't like it.
âwhat's a sigonian scum like you doing in the IPC? why don't you crawl back into the hole you came from?â
he just sighed. shaking his head, hiding his left hand behind his back, shielding it away from everyone's gaze as it shook with anger, disgust, and the tantalizing question of why.
why did he have to go through this?
and then you did something out of the ordinary.
the sweet assistant of aventurine suddenly pulled out the gun situated on your hip and pointed it directly to the manâs forehead, a deathly glimmer shining in your eyes as your index threateningly ghosted over the trigger.
âif you do not take back what you said just now, i won't hesitate to put a bullet or two in that empty skull of yours.â
then you started walking, and he started backing up. you didn't stop until the man was standing on the edge of the port, one simple push and he'd be drowned in the vast icy oceans. that is, if he wasn't already drowning in the fury of your eyes.
aventurine felt his body move in instinct. his left hand holding your wrist and slowly putting it down at your side. he gave a half assed apology about your behavior and ushered you to your original destination. this time, he kept his hand on your back, specifically near the gun on your hips to make sure you didn't point it at someone else.
âdo they always speak to you that way?â you ask barely above whisper. eyes strained one the road you were walking one while his bore into your very being. âiâve grown used to it. be sure to not point that gun of yours to any potential partners, mâkay?â to prove his point, he tapped the gun on your hips with his finger and you just sighed. a simple yes stumbling past your lips before being enveloped by silence.
aventurine was sure. he was very, very, sure that was the last nail in the coffin, and the answer to the question he's been asking.
the entire day, you stuck by his side. glued to the fucking hip and no one dared to utter a single word about him. the meeting went smoothly and when everyone was preparing to go home, he called you over and said:
âthat stunt you pulled earlier, stays between us, alright, friend?â
and you simply nod in understanding.
you carry your bags onto the ship to take you back home only to be taken aback when aventurine comes to steal it away from your hands. âtake it as thanks for earlier.â he remembered that look of shock before it turned into something else -what it was he didn't know because you turned away before he could even fathom what of it made his stomach do flips.
even when he came to drop off your things at your personal room, he found himself lingering by the door. watching you unpack your things as he stood idly. you would eventually turn to him and ask if he needed anything more, and out of curiosity he asked: âwhy did you point your gun at that man?â he will never forget the look of puzzlement on your face when he asked.
âbecause he said something unpleasant to you. as your assistant, i can't allow others to simply trample on your name.â
he spent the night staring up at the ceiling while laying on his bed. your words mingling in with jade's in his mind, trying to fit the two like puzzle pieces to ease the racing of his heart and uneasiness of his mind. he didn't like assuming things. a conjecture such as this would cost him too much, but tonight he indulged himself in the thought.
picking up his phone and messaging jade, he laid his forearm over his eyes and sighed.
âthis room smells horribleâŠâ he muttered. the strong scent of chlorine made his mind spin. making him miss the scented candles you had slowly but surely placed inside his office. he'd grown so fond of them that he'd bought some of his own to place around his home. âah⊠i think i'm screwed.â
â
it has been approximately 3 system hours since you arrived in penacony, and roughly a few system hours before aventurine's eventual demise.
topaz had just finished speaking with the trailblazer and their companions. when they had left you stood next to her and stared at the giant prison turned hotel.
âyou⊠don't seem too worried.â topaz said, you felt her gaze but you didn't turn to look at her, instead you just gazed into nothing. âit would be a lie if i said i wasn't worried.â you were most definitely worried, terrified even. no matter how many times aventurine does his high risk gambles, you will never get used to it, not when it causes ghostly hands to squeeze at your heart at the sheer thought of him losing. the thought of losing him.
âbut i trust miss jade's judgment. i trust aventurine.â
roughly a day before his departure to penacony, curiosity got the best of you and you stuck around the meeting room in secret when aventurine stayed behind.
âwhat can i do for you, aventurine?â jade's voice slightly echoed in the empty room. your hands slightly shook in fear of being caught, but you were just so curious about what has been going on with your boss that you couldn't fight the urge to eavesdrop a bit. âoh nothing much. i take it you received my message?â you assumed the woman nodded because aventurine continued. âi must admit, your little plan worked. but is it really necessary?â
jade stood up from her seat, her heels clicked on the marble floor and aventurine followed her until they were by the door.
âwell, it's better to stay safe than sorry. and besides, this doesn't count as a complaint, right?â
you heard him chuckle. somehow, even though you hid behind a pillar you felt his stare bore into your being. you could almost imagine those purple eyes that had rings of teal in them that made you weak in the knees.
âno, not necessarily. i could never consider it as a complaint.â he took a moment before asking another question. âbut i want to hear it from you, friend. why did you assign [name] as my assistant?â
âit's rather simple really,â jade replied. âyou need a reason to leave penacony alive, no? i simply made it easier for you.â
you? the reason for aventurine's will to live? it seemed rather silly. how you, a simple assistant, be so much of importance to someone like aventurine, but with how topaz came to hold the hand that gripped the brooch he had given you, you thought otherwise.
this half a year you've been working with him, you like to think that you've gotten to know him very well.
how when you stood beside him as he sat himself in another gamble, he would always lay his left hand on his lap, fingers curled into fists so tight you were afraid his palms were bleeding.
how he always hid his âweakerâ hand behind his back in dire situations to hide his fear.
or when he would always take off his glasses in his office whenever you were there. and that laptop you were 98% sure wasn't there when you started working? aventurine apparently got it specifically for you so you could work in his office.
but what you were most sure of was:
âaventurine doesn't make deals he knows he won't benefit from. he'll win, he always does. he'll come back, i know it.â
© vxnuslogy 2024. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works.
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â will they, wonât they.
pairing: hoshina soshiro x gn!reader
premise: hoshina soshiro has been hopelessly in love with you for years now. and for the first time, you finally hear him say the words "i love you."
â warnings: down bad + jealous hoshina, modern setting, reader is a kyudo player.
â author's note: little miss says she's going on a break then proceeds to write about hoshina soshiro for all the dying fans (its me, i'm the dying fans.) art credits to @.BByo_chick on twitter.| ~700 words.
âhow long are ya gonna keep me here?â
âno one is forcing you to.â
hoshina only clicks his tongue and stares at the dojo walls. his finger impatiently tapping at his chin as he hits crossed leg on the floors. itâs half past 5 in the afternoon now and you have no intentions of going home anytime soon.
âiâm gettinâ bored here,â he drawls, hands stretching over his head as he watches you shoot another arrow with pin-point accuracy that makes his smirk twitch uncomfortably. youâve gotten too good at kyudo, and it shows.
âthen go home,â you reply as you pull the bow back and aim for your next shot. âyou donât have to keep waiting for me to finish.â
but that was the thing: hoshina wanted to wait for you and he always will.
he wants everyone to know that you had him and heâs all youâll ever need. there was no need for that guy who caught your fall a few days agoânot when heâs been catching you for the past 3 years. he was your guide in the train station every morning, so why do you keep trying to go to the station earlier and ask your junior for directions? hoshina soshiro was always by your side, so why couldnât you see that?
âiâll wait,â he murmurs into his hand, eyes looking at anything but at you. âgot nothinâ to do at home anyways.â
it was a weak excuse, but it always does the trick. you always relent and let him stay but not without throwing a look over your shoulder that screams âyouâre acting strange.â because he was. hoshina, against his will, feels his lips being tugged into a frown whenever you interact with anyone that isnât him.
that sounds very badâit is bad in a senseâbut hoshina would never dream of taking away your freedom. so he just watches, painfully by the sidelines, with a scoff on his face as another student from a rival school stammers to ask for your number. it was irritating, having to watch everyone throw themselves at you when youâre clearly uninterested.Â
âwhat the hell will happen if iâm not by yer side, captain.â hoshina jests as you pack up your stuff and lock the dojo.
âis this about earlier?â you ask with an amused lilt to your voice. âwhen the new student asked for my number?â
hoshina hated how you always aimed for the heart.
âi have no idea what yer talkinâ about,â he weakly tries to change the topic. hoshina racks his brain to think of somethingâanythingâto help change the conversation, but his mind keeps circling back to you. how you almost looked serious when some guyâwho was leagues below you by the wayâhad the gall to ask you out for a date.
ânever took you for the jealous type.â you tease.
âitâs because âm not.â he said through gritted teeth, hands balling into small fists against his school bag. ââm lookinâ out for ya, alright? that guy was a creep. iâm keepinâ yer ass safe from weirdos.â
you looked unconvinced but didnât comment on his unusual aggressiveness. hoshina let out a frustrated sigh, a hand coming to ruffle your hair and pull just a tiny bit closer that would make everyone question your relationship. this was driving him crazy but he couldnât do anything about it.
ââm not jealous. get that over yer pretty little head.â
and until you both got on the train and went your separate ways to go home, hoshina soshiro never once let your hand drop to your side. he kept you impossibly close to his side and whispered sweet good lucks into your ear. body so comfortably lax in your presence he was slouching on the train seat so he could bury his nose in your hair.Â
hoshina soshiro was so unfathomably in love with you.Â
how could he not love you when you use your own heartbeat to calm his erratic one during every competition? when every hug has his mind spinning with gold and you. every victory is dedicated to your name, and no trophy or medal could ever compare to the feeling of running into your arms and drowning in your praise.
âi love you.â he mutters as you sleep peacefully on his shoulder on your way home. how many years has he been saying it before he lost count? itâs truly just a matter of when youâll wake up and finally realize it yourself.
he feels the blood rush to his brain as he throws himself on his bed, unable to wipe the image of you smiling as if you had heard him.
© vxnuslogy 2024. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my works without my knowledge or consent in other platforms or websites.
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â hate is a strong word.
pairing: moze x gn!reader
premise: your relationship with moze could be summarized with three simple words; "i hate you." but you can only deny so much when the word "hate" also means "love" in both of your books.
â warings: mentions of blood and daggers, ooc (?) moze (i have not started the quest at all LMAO)
â author's note: for my dearest @lowkeyren @st6rly @ughscara and @tragedy-of-commons aka my fellow normal moze stans <3333 art credits to @.code_tesseract on twitter!! | ~500 words.
âi hate you.â perfectly surmised your relationship with a fellow assassin. the words are hastily and carelessly uttered with one another at any given moment, one would assume its your way of showing your affection. and they arenât wrong.
âi hate you.â you mutter under your breath as you lay on the grass. your arm bleeding as moze rolled his eyes and threw a roll of bandages into your stomach. the regret of making a blood oath with the kid whoâs been stealing your spot as the greatest assassin prodigy was starting to kick in. the realization that you and he are now forever tethered; past, present, and future lives are now spent trying to one-up each other. you donât know if you want to laugh or cry. moze always seemed to throw away all your logic out of the window with just a glare.
âi hate you.â he grumbles when the two of you are unfortunately paired up for a mission. with a click of your tongue, you jump from roof to roof to try and lose him. split up, you said, it would be faster, but moze would always tug you back by the collar of your shirt and lay down his plans.
âi hate you.â you mumble as he throws your arm over his shoulders. âgood to know youâre still kicking.â you scoff at him and try to pull away but it only makes mozeâs grip on your waist and arm tighter.
âdo you want to die?â he angrily counters and you click your tongue. âif it isnât by your hands, no, no i donât.â
moze hated how you made his ears ring with such simple words. to bystanders âoutsiders of your relationshipâ they would be concerned, but to moze, it was a declaration of the highest affection.Â
âthen donât die now,â he mutters. âyour life is mine to take.â
ânot if i take yours first.â
to everyone, it was clear as day that you two hated each other with a burning passion that would rival the sun.
yes, hate was a strong word, but what else could describe the burning in his chest whenever you pin him to the wall? his dagger in your hand as you press it to the apple of his throat, your eyes narrowed down into a nasty glare while your tone drips venom from the tips of your teeth. moze hated the way your body always gravitated towards him; you were the planet that revolved around him out of necessity and want.Â
it was hatred and it always will be.
you will always hate moze for constantly stealing your spotlight; your daggers and cloaks; his blood that stuck to you like glue, forever reminding you of your oath; the hoodie he always used to shield you from the rain; iron clawed fingers that always brushed over your lips; and the eyes that always spelled âi want youâ in every and any language known to the universe.Â
it was impossible not to hate each other. and even more impossible to say âi love youâ before every mission when the words âhateâ and âloveâ are so intertwined they start to bleed into each other.Â
âi hate you.â you say as you shove at his chest. moze rolls his eyes and pulls your mask to hide your face. âi hate you more.â
© vxnuslogy 2024. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my works without my knowledge or consent in other platforms or websites.
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â jealous charms.
pairing: wise x gn!reader
premise: when jealous, wise had an interesting habit of trying to outdo whoever caught your attention. he needn't worry though, he'll still be your favorite forever.
â warnings: none
â author's note: another filler fic until i finish that one sunday fic that i've been marinating for 2 days now. | ~1.7k words.
âmaster, is it safe to conclude that youâre jealous of miss grace howards from belobog industries? youâve been awfully engrossed in trying to replicate her creation for [name].â
a loud clatter echoed in the room as the pair of pliers in wiseâs hand suddenly dropped to his work table. your head darts to wiseâs hunched figure. his back was awfully straight and shoulders tensed as you raised an amused brow at him when he stood up from his seat and marched his way to fairy. muttering quiet curses as the bangboo on your lap tilted its head at him.
âis that why youâve been glaring at her whenever we visit the construction site?â you questioned with a teasing tone. wise swiveled his head to your direction and narrowed his gentle eyes at you but you only let out an amused snort. he looked more like a wet cat than a big shot proxy with the way his cheeks burned red all the way to the tips of his ears. the color could probably rival the red tassel earring you gave him last year on chinese new years.
âfirstly, i am not jealousââ
âi would beg to differ, master.â
âsecond!â wise turned to fairy, a hand to his hip while the other ran down his face, voice raising slightly as he tried to rid off the flustered tint on his cheeks. âif i were to be jealous of someone, it wouldnât be grace.â
âwill mister anton from belobog industries be the next candidate?â the ai quipped at him making the gray haired boy groan in frustration.
a laugh rippled from your chest as wise pouted and begrudgingly went back to his work station. but not before narrowing his eyes one last time at a glowing blue eyeball (?) that was fairy.
âaww wise itâs okay,â you gently place the bangboo down on the floor and make your way to wise. trying your hardest to take a peek at whatever heâs been working on. or at least get confirmation that he was actually making what you thought he was making. âeveryone gets jealous sometimes.â
wise didnât appreciate your teasing remark because he rolled his eyes at you and threw a piece of paper at your face. âseeing as though youâre not doing anything, do me a favor and pick up some more films for the store.â
it was your turn to pout. âjealousy doesnât suit you at all, wise.â
with a sigh, you reluctantly left the room when he raised a brow at you with a smirk tugging at his lips. you hated how such a small quirk up of his lips melted all of your teasing. but then again, when it comes to anything related to wise you didnât put up too much of a fight, no matter what it was.
â â
wise was not jealous. he repeatedly reminded himself of those words like a broken record. reciting it like a mantra in his head as he continued to bend and break the pieces of metal in front of him.
âmaster, now that the subject of your affection is gone, will you finally admit to being jealous?â
fairyâs words sent a shiver down his spine, silently thanking belle and you for going out to the arcade and prolonging your inevitable return even more. if either one of you heard fairy, he wouldnât be able to live it down. a defeated sigh left his lips when he dropped his tools and buried his head in his arms.
âfairy, please just shut up.â wiseâs voice was no more than a muffled plea as fairy continued to torment him.
âbut all the data iâve collected all share the same conclusion: you are jealous master.â
wise turned his head to their hdd system that glowed blue as fairyâs avatar floated. âokay so maybe i am a little jealous.âÂ
âbut why, master?â wise felt an oncoming headache approach as fairy listed out the reason why he shouldnât be jealous. âhollow raider [name] has made it clear on many occasions that they favor you the most. their sudden interest in miss grace howards cannot compare to their interest in you.â
wise knew that but it still didnât feel right to him. with a groan he dropped his head back on the desk, his free hand coming to inspect the silver band heâs been working on for the past few weeks. âyouâre making me feel stupid here, fairy.â an uncharacteristic pout graced his lips when he remembered how your eyes shined like bright diamonds when grace showed you her newest invention.
âitâll help you in the hollows!â she had proudly proclaimed. and ever since that day, youâve been wearing the bracelet that doubled as a tracker for both your health and your position to every mission you took on. wise felt the pricks of jealousy whenever you praised the older woman with a dazzling grin and an excited âit was very helpful!â
âiâm also helpful.â he muttered to no one in particular.Â
âof course you are! youâre my proxy after all.â
wise felt his heart lurch out his chest as he hurried hid the band inside his hand when you appeared in the room. like a deer caught in headlights, he stiffly smiled at you. âw-when did you get backâŠ?â he cooly asked, or at least he hoped it sounded cool enough for you to brush off whatever you heard.
with your hands behind your back, you stalked your way to his desk. âjust a moment ago. belle is shelving all the new films now.â you lean in closer to wiseâs space, trying for the second time to catch a glimpse at whatever it was he was working on. a tentative smile forming on your face when you ask him, âwill you finally show me what youâre making? i wonât laugh, i promise.â
you certainly wouldnât laugh, but you would tease him relentlessly. a final sigh escaped him as he leaned back on his seat and opened up the hand that hid his creation. âitâs⊠really nothing.â his voice was unusually timid when you walked over to his desk and took a peak. being in such close proximity with you has his poor heart and mind swimming. you wore perfume today and it was all wise could think about as you gingerly pick up the silver band.
âyou need to give yourself more credit, wise.âÂ
this wasnât good. if you continued to look at him like that he would surely melt into a puddle, and that would be incredibly embarrassing. a smile broke out from your face as you unclipped graceâs wristband and put wiseâs creation on your wrist.
âdoes it have any functions?â wise has always enjoyed your curious nature. sure, it got you in trouble most of the time, but he found it incredibly endearing. he shook his head and opened up the closest drawer and pulled out a matching band several sizes smaller. ânot any advanced ones, not yet at least.â
wise stood up from his seat and picked up the bangboo peacefully dozing off in one of the corners. taking its small arm gently, he slid the band over and glowed a soft white. the same thing happened to the one you wore and wise swore he felt his heart skip a few beats when you looked at him with big eyes filled with wonder.
âbut it can accurately track your ether aptitude and send me an emergency message when youâre reaching your limit,â picking up the bangboo in his arms, wise made his way back to his desk and placed the little creature on it. âitâs still a work in progress, but i hope itâll eventually be able to map out full hollows without much trouble.âÂ
your silence made wise nervous. you were never this quiet and he didnât dare to look at you. that is until he felt a pair of arms wrap around his head and the scent of your perfume invading his senses. his breath started to quicken as you nuzzled your face into his hair, hands resting on his shoulders. wise felt his entire body tingle when your chuckle vibrated through his entire body and left a fuzzy feeling in his chest, a swarm of freed butterflies fluttering inside his stomach when you pulled away. warm hands holding both of his cheeks that were no doubt burning a bright red.
âdid you make this for me?â wise didnât like the way your eyes crinkled into amused crescents. âor did you just want to outstage miss grace?â he heard your laugh ring out when he turned his head to the side and murmured a soft maybe into your palm.
âgod youâre so cute you know that?â a wide smile spread across your face as you smothered the boy into another hug. âdonât worry, no one could ever replace my proxy.â
wise wasnât a physically affectionate person, not by a lot at least. but right now when he feels your laughter so close to his heart, he canât help but wish to stay in your embrace. his arms slowly snaked to wrap around your waist and pull you closer, wanting to hug you like how your skin hugs the bones that make up your entirety. how lovely it must be to live inside your heart, to feel every beat pulsing through him as he listens to your heartbeat. slightly erratic but still calm, so unlike his that was beating so rapidly he feared it might escape his ribs and offer itself to you.Â
âmaybe i was a little jealous.â he didnât know what urged him to say that but the laughter it stole from you made him smile like a fool. wise would stay jealous forever if you would hug him like this every time to assure him that he was still your favorite form of protection.
âthank you for always caring about me, wise.â there was such vulnerability in your voice that made wise tremble in your hold. all he could offer was a hum as he buried his head further into your chest making you chuckle. if only you knew the lengths he would go to just to keep you glued to his side, away from all harm and danger.
© vxnuslogy 2024. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my works without my knowledge or consent in other platforms or websites.
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â my proxy.
pairing: wise x gn!reader
premise: belle is currently suffering from an incurable disease of watching her brother play oblivious to your obvious hints of affection. she only prays that you confess soon or at least realize that wise actually feels the same.
â warnings: none
â author's notes: i am so normal about wise. whenever he starts talking in game i just burst into a fit of giggles. filler post for now. | ~700 words.
wise despite his name, wasnât all that wise when it comes to noticing the very obvious hints you throw at him (or maybe he does know, he just isnât speaking up about it). but belle does, and it sends her into a fit of giddy giggles that she hides behind her fist whenever it happens.
a fond and amused glint in her eyes whenever wise gets flustered after you call him âmy proxyâ. it wasnât anything out of ordinary, wise always calls himself your proxy anyways, but whenever you do it on missions or when you go to hollows to accompany the cunning hares, it never fails to flush his cheeks a pretty pink. belle would let out a snicker and kick his feet from under the table and sheâs always met with a warning glare. not once has he mentioned the romantic undertones of your words despite picking up on it himself.Â
or the times when you would always drop by their store to hangout in his room. more often than not, when belle comes to check on you both, youâd be fast asleep on his bed with a bangboo in between you two. a devious smirk would always creep up belleâs face when she tip toes into the room and quietly open the cap of a washable marker to write on both of your faces. wise, when he wakes up, would come running down the stairs to chase belle around for writing â[name]âs proxyâ in big bold letters on his cheek while you laugh. never once wiping the words of âwiseâs hollow raiderâ with a heart on the cheek opposite to wiseâs.Â
belle isnât ignorant nor is wise, but it does frustrate her when her brother doesnât speak up about his very obvious feelings about you. a sudden feeling of irritation blooming within her chest when she sees your crestfallen expression when wise keeps calling you âjust a friendâ when general cop or the tin master ask what your relationship is. belle doesn't miss the flash of slight hurt in your eyes before you mask it with an awkward smile and wave of your hand, agreeing with what wise said even though you obviously want to be something more than just a friend.
sheâs frustrated with you too. the hours the two of you spend in their workspace, curled up on the couch as you vent out your frustration at wiseâs obliviousness. eight out of ten times, belle would just urge you to confess directly, however, you would always go quiet and murmur into the bangboo in your arms that confessing isnât an option. at first, belle was rightfully confused. she saw how you looked at wise; you looked at him as if he hung the sun and moon himself. he was your entire world and you had him putty in your hands with just two words. it wasnât until the day after when belle finally realizes âwhen nicole has her arms wrapped around your waist and an angry flush on her face when you enter their store battered and bruised, but still smilingâ that this was a first for you too.Â
before becoming a regular client, you would recklessly jump into hollows without a carrot or a proxy. barely making it out alive if nicole hadnât found you and made you a member of her little band of misfits. you were enamored with wise when he first patched you up. you didnât have anyone before him that cared enough to lecture you about danger, your recklessness, and bad habits. he was probably the first person that genuinely showed concern for you so belle understood for a moment why you didnât want to confess. sheâs watched enough romance movies and read books and comics to know that confessing has its risks. your friendship that you painstakingly built with her brother brick by brick would come crumbling down if you said those three words.
âmy dearest proxies,â you barreled into their store front with a bright grin. belle doesnât miss the twinkle in wiseâs eyes when he sees you. âletâs go out for lunch. my treat!â
âwhatâs the occasion?â wise asks, putting down the boxes of videotapes on the counter to give you his undiverted attention.
your grin reached your eyes as you waved a piece of parchment in front of them both. âitâs paycheck day! and what better way than to treat my proxies to lunch for taking such good care of me.â
âcount me in!â belle merrily jogs towards you and gives you a high five.
âwhat do you say wise?â belle flashed her brother with a knowing look. the boy only shook his head and started leading the two of you out the store.
âwell, how can i say no to free food?â
wise stole a laugh from your lungs as you tangled your arms with them both. âthatâs my proxy. now letâs go!â
belle never misses the way wiseâs cheeks flush whenever you intertwine your arms together; it was as easy as breathing for you. she just hopes that one day youâll see for yourself that wise also feels the same, heâs just clueless and a little shy to show it unlike you.
© vxnuslogy 2024. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my works without my knowledge or consent in other platforms or websites.
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â loveâs thesis.
pairing: alhaitham x gn!reader
premise: the most logical thing to do when you find out your pretend lover is actually your soulmate? conduct a research and fall in love in the process.
â warnings: inaccurate/unrealistic depictions of college, modern au.
â author's note: i write one long fic for alhaitham and suddenly that old project i have for him back in april is suddenly back. | ~5.9k words.
to say that alhaitham was royally fucked would be an understatement. he was behind three lectures, had a major paper heâs yet to touch, and now, with the sudden appearance of his soulmate mark, he wasnât sure what to tackle first.
alhaitham let out a long exasperated sigh, hand coming to drag down his already tired face as he irritatedly tapped on his table. the white screen of his laptop blinded him as the clock ticked, a constant reminder that he was losing time if he didnât type out at least a sentence to his professorâor to you. a low grumble left his lips when he closed his device and left his room to get another cup of coffee. mind swimming with how he was going to approach you, or if he was even going to say the implications of having your name written on his forearm.
when he reached the living space of his apartment, there you were, in the same position and predicament as him. you looked up from your books and gave him a weary and crooked smile. eyes sunken and hair a mess but all alhaitham could see was how the lamp light on the coffee table illuminated your features. the pounding of his heart was back and all he could offer you was nod before going to the kitchen. this was stupid, he reminded himself. how could the person heâs been fake dating for sheer convenience be his actual soulmate. you, who dreams of fairytales and happily ever after, his soulmate? alhaitham scoffed in disbelief as he waited for the coffee machine to finish his drink.
his mind was torn; alhaithamâs rationality screaming at him to just be honest and tell you now but the more curious side of him wanted to test out this soulmate thing. from the corner of his eye, he sees you stretch your arms over your head and let out a tired sigh. books and papers and devices scattered on his floor as you push your hair out of your face. up until a few hours ago, you were nothing more than a footnote in his life, but now as his eyes took another glimpse over the inking of your name, alhaitham begins to wonder if offering to be your fake boyfriend was also part of fateâs plans.
just then, when the coffee machine finished his drink, an idea popped into his mind. something that would quench his curiosity over the idea of soulmates and finish this thesis heâs yet to even start on. and it would only take 4 steps.
--
STEP 1: THE PROPOSAL
this was abnormal behavior for alhaitham. he has never felt so nervous and antsy in his life until now. alhaitham never felt his palms sweat when the panelists grilled him during his presentations or when he nearly fucked up a speech because he had 2 hours of sleep prior. he concluded that it must be the left over adrenaline from stealing kavehâs concealer to hide your name on his forearm.
he wasnât ashamed to have you as his soulmate, it was quite opposite now that he thinks about it. you were a proud scholar like him. the only difference was you were in vahamuna and him in harvatat. but that didnât deter you from engaging in academic banter and debates with him. alhaitham just felt a bit unsure how to approach the topic of soulmates with you, especially when he was the first one to lay down the boundary that everything is purely for convenience and that no feelings should be involved.
âiâm very confused,â your voice cuts through his inner dilemma as you skim over his proposal paper. âis it really okay for me to assist you in this research? wouldnât faruzan or maybe someone in harvatat be of more help?â
âmy topic delves into relationships. seeing as though you are my lover,â alhaitham pauses and he didnât fail to pick up on the blood rushing to your cheeks when he called you his lover. âyouâre my best option.â
there was an amused glint in your eyes when you shook your head. you slowly packed your things and handed his proposal back to him. âthis is giving me major deja vu.â the grin on your lips and playful tone also took him to memory lane when he first proposed to this fake date situation.
âiâm assuming this is a yes?â he raised a curious brow at you. the two of you falling into each otherâs pace as you left the library.
âitâs a yes.âÂ
STEP 1: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2: RESEARCH AND ON FIELD EXPERIMENTS.
once his paper was given the green light, he offered to start when you reached his apartment. having nothing to do, until your groupmates replied to you at least, you entered his space and sat yourself on the floor. opening your laptop while alhaitham went to the kitchen to get you something to drink and munch on, you canât help but feel so at home. alhaitham notices this every time so he makes a mental note of your behavior for later use.
hours passed and after many coffee drinks, wingstop takeouts, 10 minute power naps, an unintended pillow fight, and blasting random songs to keep you both awake and sanity intact, you and alhaitham decided on a few experiments to conduct on his research.
STEP 2: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2.1: EMOTIONAL SYNCHRONY UNDER EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES.
âalhaitham, where did you get thatâŠ?â
the gray haired man looked up from his tablet and nodded towards your direction. his eyes glancing over to the heart monitors that were now present in his living room. âthe local hospital.â
âyou really are full of surprises,â you let out an amused chuckle. dropping your stuff beside the coffee table and sitting next to him, he hands you the many wires of the heart monitor. âhow did you even get these to your apartment.â
he got up from his seat and crouched to the level of his tv, not answering your question. sorting through the many movie discs he had rented out for the both of you to watch and test the level of emotional synchrony. âwhat would you like to watch first?â
alhaitham had never whipped his head back faster in his life when he caught you raising your shirt. showing off your midriff as you attach the wires to your chest. he felt his temperature rise as you answered a simple anything to his question. this was ridiculous, his mind echoed, heâs seen you in a bathing suit when you and his friends went to the beach. alhaitham didnât understand why he felt so flustered. shoving a random cd into the cd player and taking the remote, he sat back down on the couch. he just prayed that you donât question the sudden flush on his cheeks.
one horror movie, three romcoms, one tragedy, and one thriller later, you both decided to take a break.
âany progress so far?â you ask with a tilt of your head.Â
he hummed in response. âremarkable to say the least.â
alhaitham hands over the tablet to you while he detaches himself from the heart monitor. he made his way to the kitchen and took out two cups from his cupboard. âthe study we found last time stated that close companions tend to copy the otherâs emotional response under emotional stress.â
âand?â you take the cup he offered gingerly and took a sip. it was coffee, made just how you like it. âhow did we do?â
he took a sip of his own and took the tablet back.
âalmost perfectly in sync. fascinating isnât it?â
he tried his best to not show any signs of whatever he was feeling. as remarkable this was, it was a bit scary. and alhaitham didnât know what to make out of it. he knows that not all soulmates end up together, in fact, a study that was conducted five years ago proved that only a small margin of soulmates live long enough to meet their other half. and an even smaller margin of soulmates actually worked out. it was only the first experiment, the first trial, but alhaitham could feel the arms of inevitability and uncertainty wrap around his ribs and start breaking each bone one by one.Â
just by this one experiment alone, when he offered you a tissue to wipe your tears or when you leaned on him for support because of your laughter, alhaitham felt the inevitable pull towards you.Â
STEP 2.1: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2.2: COMMUNICATION AND INTIMACY EXPERIMENT.
it was a busy day at lambadâs cafe. the establishment was housing many students who were all running on little to no sleep and coffee pumping in their veins. project month was proving to be hell on earth for the students. final research defenses and projects were usually held in this time and sometimes the following week would be their finals. itâs a brutal battle against time and insanity, those who donât have proper time management are almost guaranteed to repeat the year if they receive a single mark thatâs below the passing grade.
âgeez, busy as always.â you said, scrolling through your phone.Â
âiâd be more surprised if no one was busy,â he replied. âkaveh is practically living in his lecture hall.â
you let out a laugh as you put down your phone on the table, face down, as you take a bite off of your snack. âokay, my turn to ask a question.â
âshoot.â
this was todayâs experiment. communication and intimacy by using the famous â36 questions to fall in loveâ as your starting point. in every relationship, not just soulmates, communication needs to be present or else itâll fall apart sooner or later. conversation letâs people see parts of another they tend to hide. alhaitham wanted to scratch this experiment from the process, but after the last one, he wanted to try if there were any unpredicted outcomes.
many studies have already been conducted on this, alhaitham shouldnât have a problem finding a supporting article for his thesis. but after just a few questions, he began to think of this experiment as an excuse to get to know you more. heâs not sure if itâs the soulmate thing playing at his mind to get to know you but he suddenly had the urge to absorb every information about you like a sponge. a painful want to know you inside and out; a need to be able to completely explain you to someone else.
âquestion 27: if you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.â
alhaitham mulled over the question before giving his answer.
âmy indifference and wanting to keep most things private does not equate to me not caring about them.â he let his tongue roll over his lips, suddenly feeling parched with the way you were staring at him. âi have high walls, but that doesnât mean theyâre there to ward everyone off. iâm very particular with who i let in, so if they truly want to be my friend, iâd advise them to try until i welcome them in.â
a smile tugged at your lips and alhaitham felt he could finally breathe. âyour turn.â
âquestion 33: if you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? why havenât you told them yet?â
you let out a hum and leaned back in your seat. ânever telling the people i care about that i love them.â
âwhy havenât you told them yet?â he asks, crossing both his arms over the table and slightly leaning forward.Â
âi donât knowâŠâ you say honestly. a foggy look in your eyes as you stare at the ceiling. âmaybe iâm scared it won't sound genuine enough.â
alhaitham wanted to argue that everyone you care about knew that you love them dearly. he was one of those people after all. whatever label you have now was certainly fake, but the vulnerability and care you had for each other wasnât, and he would die on that hill.Â
âwell you shouldnât,â his voice cut through the quiet atmosphere. he hoped that it didnât sound too harsh. âif they cared about you, they would know whether you're being genuine or not.â
if someone told alhaithamâs younger self that the walls heâd built up would crumble in just 36 questions, he wouldnât have believed it. he still finds it hard to believe when you both exit the cafe and go your separate ways. but all he can do is accept it. through those questions, he learned more about youâyour dreams, values, cherished memories, and vulnerabilities you shared with him first.
ahaitham concluded that this experiment was worth keeping. he felt more connected to you than ever.
STEP 2.2: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2.3: RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM.
admittedly, this wasnât in the original list of experiments you and alhaitham had planned but decided to go along with it. the akademiya regularly held a research symposium and had one or two students present preliminary research to batches of students. this year, he was asked to do it and he dragged you to be his partner because who else would he ask. certainly not kaveh.
âdo your best! iâll be backstage if you need anything.â he simply nods at your support and walks to the stage. before beginning, he takes one last glance at you. he didnât know what urged him to do it, but after seeing you flash him a thumbs up and an encouraging grin, he let a small smile loose before looking towards the batch of students that wonât give a single shit about what heâs saying.
roughly 45 minutes later, alhaitham stepped down the podium and bowed. applause echoed throughout the hall as he made his way backstage to find you. the next batch would be listening to you after all. he stopped in his tracks when he saw you happily chatting with a student he didn't recognize.Â
âyouâre presentation is next, do your best!â he excitedly said. alhaitham narrowed his eyes when the unfamiliar boy rubbed the back of his nape, a flushed tint reaching his cheeks. âmaybe after the dayâs over we can go get some coffee?â
how strange it was. ever since your name appeared on his forearm heâd started feeling so many new emotions that he normally wouldnât imagine feeling. it was an ugly feeling, he concluded. alhaitham didnât like how relieved he felt when you declined the boyâs invitation and when you caught sight of him, he felt his heart beat rapidly in his ears when you skipped over to him. he already knew why he felt a sudden surge of pride take over him when you drag him further back stage to review your presentation, completely ignoring the other boy.Â
it was for research, so why did his arm wrap loosely around your waist like second nature?
STEP 2.3: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2.4: CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATION.
you were the one who coined this idea after a quick chat with kaveh. for once, the blonde man had an insightful opinion and offered to schedule you and alhaitham to a quick session of painting on your next day offs. now here were the three of you, inside a painting studio with other students in the art department of the akademiya, seated in front of a white canvas and a tray of colors.
from the corner of his eyes, alhaitham took notice of how you and kaveh animatedly chatted. the same ugly feeling he felt that day backstage came back in full throttle. clicking his tongue, he shifted his focus back on the instructorâs voice and followed his instructions. every once in a while, he would take a peek at you and feel something bloom inside his chest when caught a glimpse of that determined look on your face. by the time he looked back at his canvas, he felt the wind inside his lungs be stolen away when he realized he used your colors to paint.Â
different shades and strokes of your favorite colors invaded his senses. his own mind playing tricks on him because he couldâve sworn you were peering over his shoulders, hands wrapped around his waist and your chin comfortably set on one of his shoulders. alhaitham felt the ghosts of your warmth and couldnât help but crave it.
he snapped out of his daydreams when the instructorâs assistant approached him. she was the same age as you and with just one look, alhaitham concluded that she was interested in him. it took all of his will power to not roll his eyes when she complimented his work and not subtly ask for his number. thankfully, she was called back to the instructorâs side. he felt a shiver run down his spine when the girl looked over her shoulders and winked at him. he was most definitely not coming back here ever again.
when the class finished, alhaitham had successfully painted 3 canvases, all with your favorite colors and things that reminded him of you. a successful experiment if he does say so himself.Â
meeting up with kaveh near the exit they both engaged in small chatter. the blonde architect complaining about how heâs burning through his concealer faster than he expected because of the lack of sleep. alhaitham made sure to just hum and nod here and there to not give himself away that he was the reason why kavehâs makeup was running out.Â
âi swear! this school wants its students six feet under before they graduate.â
he tunes out the complaints of his senior and mindlessly scrolls through his phone. tapping his foot impatiently when the assistant from earlier started making her way over to him. scoffing in annoyance he was about to drag kaveh out the door and wait for you outside but an arm tangled with his and started tugging him.
âgood job today!â you grin at alhaitham with both your arms interlaced with the other.Â
taking a peek over his shoulder, alhaitham caught sight of the assistant girl scoffing and rolling her eyes. he shifted his focus back on you, eyes meeting anyone and anything but his. an amused smirk was present on his face when he felt your hand tighten its hold around his bicep.Â
âjealous?â he teases.
you roll your eyes and grip his arm tighter. âmaybe.â
STEP 2.4: COMPLETE.
--
STEP 2.5: COOKING.
the constant ticking of the clock and the tic tac of keyboards was all alhaitham could hear. it was almost midnight and the two of you had decided to pull another all nighter together. at this point, the two of you had been working on his thesis for almost a month now, and alhaitham is still yet to come to a conclusion.
he definitely feels something for you. but there was an uncertain part of him that wonders if his feelings are truly genuine or if the idea of being soulmates was hindering his unbiased thinking. you look up from your laptop when you hear him stop typing and softly ask him if heâs alright. alhaitham wanted to answer no, he was not in the slightest bit alright. but he neednât open his mouth to reply because you already stood up and invited him to the kitchen.
âletâs cook something to eat. weâve been ordering too much takeout lately.â there was a sheepish grin on your lips as you opened his fridge and took out some ingredients. âwhat do you say?â
alhaitham didnât really have a choice when youâre already started preparing. and even if he wanted to, he wouldnât be able to say no. when it came to you, he always found it hard to decline your invitations and advances. so now here he was, helping you cook buttered noodles at 11:57 p.m. with your playlist softly playing in the background.
heâs read a study about how cooking tends to deepen relationships between people. alhaitham wonders if this will also happen with what you and him have now. he didnât really have think too much of it because once he hears you hiss from accidentally touching the pot with boiling water, heâs already by your side. a gentle hand guiding yours under the faucet running with cold water as he lectures you about being careful. you only laugh and say heâs worrying too much. patting him on the arm, a silent message to release your hand, alhaitham lets you continue your duty of cooking the pasta as he grates the cheese and prepares plates.
something about this fragile moment has alhaithamâs mind swimming with possibilities for the future. all he could think about is how nice it would to come home to you after a long day of work (he already does this, he just wonât admit it). crashing into your arms without care as he prattles about his day, his head on your chest while your hand gently strokes over his hair. listening intently to whatever he had to say because you loved listening to his voice.
âhaitham can you help me drain the water?â before you could even turn around to face him, he's already behind you. his larger hands held your smaller ones and helped you guide the pot to the sink. alhaitham doesnât miss the burning of your ears and heâs overcome with the urge to tease.
âwhy so quiet?â he asks with a playful lilt to his voice. âare you that tired?â
he hears you scoff and grumble. that fuzzy feeling swimming inside his chest again as you duck under his arms and sit yourself on his dining table. he raises a brow at you but you only raise the hand that touched the boiling pot.Â
âmy hand is hurting again?â
âare you serious?â
âdeadly serious.â
alhaitham knew you were horsing around but he only chuckled with a shake of his head. in the end, by the time it reached 12:12, the two of you were eating happily. no small talk or conversation was present but neither of you minded. all you cared about was being in his presence and alhaitham would give it to you even if you hadnât asked for it. he looks up from his plate when he hears you chuckle and sees you tiredly swirling the food on your fork.Â
âweâre not getting any sleep tonight arenât we?â there was something dreamy about the way you looked right now. evidently tired, hair a mess and flying in any and every direction, and your eyes were droopy. you looked so at home -at peace- and alhaitham wonders if itâs because you two were spending time together.
âyou ask that as if itâs the first time weâve done this.â you laugh at his reply and look at him. a certain emotion in them that he can only recognize as fondness.
alhaitham concludes from this unscripted experiment that he wouldnât mind cooking with you every night.
STEP 2.5: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 2.6: VULNERABILITY AND TRUST.
today marked the last week and final experiment of alhaithamâs thesis. the both of you decided to leave the âscariestâ experiment for last so you wouldnât feel too uncomfortable. after all, being blindfolded and led to some unknown place wasnât something normal couples would do on a daily basis. yet here you were, trusting him completely with your safety as he holds your hand leading you somewhere.
âyou doing okay there, haitham?â
this was dangerous. alhaitham shouldnât be walking backwards. but he couldnât snuff out his desire of seeing you under the setting sun. he could bump into something and fall, compromising this experiment, but just this once, alhaitham let himself cheat. disobey his own rules. heâs already broken multiple ones so whatâs one more?
âi should be asking you that,â he pauses when he hears you chuckle. âiâm not the one blindfolded here.â
âaww donât worry haitham. i trust you wonât kill me.â
âyou donât know that.â
âdo you even know how to hide a body?â alhaitham was about to reply when you cut him off. ânevermind you probably do.â
alhaitham didnât bother to stifle a laugh at your sudden confession. and you laugh with him. when his back bumps into a metal pole, he takes it as a sign to finally turn around and walk the correct way. it hasnât been a minute yet heâs already missing the sight of your smiling face.
âtell me a secret, haitham.â
âwhy?â
âthis is a vulnerability and trust experiment. tell me something you havenât told anyone.â
he takes a minute to reply. after much contemplation, alhaitham thinks itâs time to tell you.
âiâm scared of my soulmate.â
âwhy are you scared?â your voice turned quiet. it sounded more like an inaudible murmur.
âyou already know iâm not one for relationships,â he hears you hum. âbut recently their name appeared on my forearm. it was unexpected, in fact, i didnât even think it was possible.â
âwhy would you think that?â you sound almost hurt. alhaitham didnât like it.
âsoulmates are too unreliable. youâve certainly seen the multiple studies on them right? most soulmates donât even get the chance to meet their other half.â
âand yet here we are,â he chuckled and intertwined your fingers. âdoing a study on soulmates and testing the potential emotional synergy they might have.â
âi have a strict framework for my life. i built it with facts and logic. soulmates simply donât fit into that framework. the idea of someone having such a profound impact on my life, someone i didnât chooseâ it feels like iâm losing a battle against fate.â
âyou canât fight fate, haitham.â
âand who said i was fighting it?â
alhaitham sighs, running a hand through his hair. âiâm scared that theyâll grow tired of this logical thinking of mine. what if they no longer want to understand me? what if we mix like oil and water?â
âyouâll never know unless you try,â you squeeze his hand in reassurance. âsometimes, you need a little unpredictability in your life. so what if they donât understand you immediately, most soulmates donât even get together when they first meet. relationships take time and effort.â
alhaitham turns to look at you again, studying your expression. thereâs softness in his eyes, he can just tell. âwhat about you? what are you afraid of?â
you stop walking entirely but not once did your hand slip away from his. âiâve been afraid of soulmates too. what if my soulmate isnât a good person? what would happen to my dreams of getting married and that happily ever after?â
alhaitham feels his heart beating inside his ears when you tug off the blindfold. when you meet his eyes with such a lovesick expression, he feels weak in the knees and throat drying up faster than the sands in the desert.
âbut what if your soulmate is better than you imagined?â there was a smirk on his lips when he takes a step forward. âwhat if heâs standing right in front of you as we speak, telling you that heâs willing to give the happily ever after youâve always wanted? all you needed to do was wait a bit longer.â
you let out a laugh and tug him closer. chest to chest, hand still holding each other. âdo you think so?â
âi know so.â
âwill he finally tell me what heâs planning with these experiments?â you lean forward and alhaitham feels his heart lurch forward.Â
he presses your foreheads together. closing his eyes to stop himself from laughing at the sight of you on your toes to reach him. âi canât say. itâs hard to put into words.â
you pout and hit him on the chest. âand why not?â
âiâve never felt such deep affection for someone until you.â
STEP 2.6: COMPLETED.
--
STEP 3: WRITING.
it took a shit ton of self control to stay away from you after his confession. he locked himself in his apartment, leaving you and kaveh to sleepover at tighnariâs since he wouldnât the door for anyone (this is a lie, he always opens the door for you when you bring him food).
now heâs around 75% done with his paper, and itâs taking longer than expected. his idea of locking his phone in the closet on do not disturb was going well.Â
the days continued to drag on and alhaitham scowled at himself for feeling so much yearning for a person heâs going to see tonight or in the following week. he missed the sound of your laughter and comforting presence as you both chased deadlines. but he was determined to finish this thesis tonight or tomorrow afternoon if he accidentally fell asleep.Â
as he expected, there was a knock on his front door. he frowned at how quickly he stood up. with a sigh, he went to the door and leaned on one of the walls with both his hands crossed over his chest.Â
âhaitham, i know youâre in there!â you shout, voice muffled by the door. âyou canât keep hiding there forever! thatâs kavehâs job.â
alhaitham let out a snort as his hand hovered over the doorknob. âiâm working.â
âthen work with me. i bought us takeout,â you said, tone teasing. âand iâm not leaving until you open the door.â
with a sigh he relented. knowing deep down that you were deadly serious and he didnât want to be the cause for a potential cold. when he unlocked the door there you were, your tote bag hanging on your shoulder while your arms held plastic bags of food. the mere sight of you has his mood brightening but he tried his best to keep it neutral.
âitâs late.â he said, trying to sound stern but failing miserably when you wrap a single arm on his waist.
âand yet here i am,â you didnât even wait for him to tell you to come in. youâre already dropping your things on his couch and sitting down on the floor. âyouâre place is a mess.â
he rolls his eyes and sat next to you. âthank you, iâm trying to copy kavehâs workspace.â
a laugh rippled through the space as you handed him his portion. âdonât be mean to him! heâs trying his best.â
you let alhaitham take a few bites before you leaned your head on his shoulder. eyes soft when you smile at him. âi missed you.â
âi missed you too,â he admits, wrapping one arm around your waist and pulling you impossibly closer. âbut i need to finish the paper.â
âoh fuck you!â
you scowl at him and let out an annoyed huff as you take a bite of your own food. you donât get to savor it when a firm hand takes hold of your chin and pulls your face to alhaithamâs. your lips meet briefly before heâs nestling back on his seat. a cheeky grin on his face when you feel your cheeks burning.
âforgive me?â
STEP 3: (KINDA) COMPLETED.
--
STEP 4: CONCLUSION.
alhaitham let out a sigh of relief as he left the presentation room, loosening his too-tight tie. the sun was high, indicating that it was around afternoon now. the defense took longer than expected due to the panelistsâ questions, and the knowing looks of headmaster nahida and rukkhadevata. he shivered when he recalled how he barely escaped miss nahidaâs clutches.
he speedwalked down the corridors of the akademiya, keeping a firm grip of the extra copy of his thesis. those countless hours spent trying to perfect it was finally over and it proved to be worth all the effort. he had no doubts in his mind that he got a good mark. but now, he had one final thing he needed to do.
a warm breeze greeted him when he stepped outside. he closed his eyes for a moment, letting the warm afternoon sun ease his nerves already knowing where to go next. he needed to find you.
and find you he did. the moment he opened lambadâs cafe doors, his eyes by habit, searched for you in your usual seat by the window. half of your face hidden by your laptop screen and a coffee cup in your hand. the sight brought a smile to his lips, and for a moment, he didnât move and let the scene in front of him be printed into his mind.
taking a deep breath, he walked over to you. âmind if i join you?â
you looked up, not surprised but still happy to see him. âhow did it go?â
âwell,â he said, sitting down across from you. âa lot more intense than i thought, but i did alright.â
âalright seems like an understatement,â you say in amusement, closing your laptop as your eyes flicked over to the papers he held.
alhaitham was struck with the feeling of deja vu. this scene in front of him mirrored the time where he first proposed the idea of partnering up for his thesis. now, here you both were, sitting across from each other with his finished thesis.
you raised a knowing brow at him. âwhatâs this?â
âthe final version of my thesis,â he said, trying to keep his voice steady. âi wanted you to have look.â
âiâm honored.â you say with a big smile.
he nodded and took a deep breath. âthereâs something iâve been meaning to tell you.â
you hum to signal him to continue as you flip through the papers and skim over his hard work.
âduring my presentation, i talked a lot about the impact of relationships. how it affects someoneâs behavior, both consciously and subconsciously. i talked about you.â
you suddenly look up, eyes wide. âwhat did you say?â
âthat emotional synergy doesnât only apply to soulmates. itâs for everyone. even before your name appeared on my forearm, you and i already shared a connection that felt deeper than most soulmates had. from pretend to the profound truth; youâre my soulmate.â
you blinked at him, trying to process everything heâs said. âyou really talked me?â
alhaitham nods, a small smile on his lips when he leans over and flips you to where his experiments come into play. âi did. i talked about our relationship, even when it started as pretend and for convenience, had impacted my life significantly. how i always seem more relaxed and focused when youâre by my side. i couldnât imagine my life without having you in it the more time we spent together.â
he paused, taking another deep breath. âwhen i first saw your name on my forearm, i couldnât believe it. it complicated things severely. but the truth is, youâve always been my soulmate, even before the mark appeared.â
you take his hand in your and intertwine your fingers. and alhaitham couldnât help but feel his heart quicken when he sees his name written on your wrist. âyou scared me for a while, you know?â
he leaned forward, cupping your face in his free hand. âyou donât have to feel scared anymore. itâs real, even without the marks, itâs always been real. i want to spend the rest of my life with you.â
you let out a shaky breath and smile. âi love you.â
âi love you too,â he murmured, thumbs brushing against your tears to wipe away the stray tears that fell. âmore than words can express. i have never known anything else but loving you.â
STEP 4: COMPLETED.
--
BONUS:
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â unfinished business.
starring: stellaron hunter!sunday x gn!reader + the other stellaron hunters.
premise: on his first mission with the stellaron hunters, sunday hesitates, unable to push through. frustrated, you step in, taking on the task. when danger strikes, Sunday becomes your unexpected savior. the mission succeeds, but sunday is left wondering about your unfinished business in the capital of passion and your mysterious past before you joined the team.
â warnings: slight angst + arguments.
â author's note: another sunday fic to the collection yippie. pic credits to @helen_zzhao. | ~3.4k words.
the capital of passion always looked magnificent at night. here you were with your fellow hunters and your boss - in his cat form - standing above the capital at its highest peak. flashing lights of neon blues, pinks, and yellows obscured the night sky you preferred to look at when the moon was present. you were sitting on one of the ventilations of the building you were all standing on, silver wolf leaning on the railing playing video games, blade in some corner with his sword close to his chest and eyes strained away from the bright lights, and sunday stood awkwardly standing next to you with elio perched in your lap.
âyou already know what to do right, mister?â silver wolf suddenly looks up from her game and drops a silver disc right in front of her. a hologram of the city below you showed up and two glowing yellow dots were running away from the blue dots who you assumed were the public security regulation. âwe split up and corner the messengers, interrogate said messengers for more information about the supposed discontinued project, and leave before security catches us. â
silver wolf looked at sunday with a different glint in her eyes. âyou can do a simple task like this right?âÂ
the man beside you crossed his arms together over his chest and gripped them tightly. brows knitting together in contemplation as his mouth opened just to close again. continuous beeping noises that sounded like alarms from the disc made you suddenly stand up. âtheyâre changing their course. i thought they mostly traveled in the skies? why are they suddenly using the alleyways?â
âwe donât have time.â blade interrupted with a pointed look to sunday. âcan you or can you not do it? the clock is ticking.â
you look at sunday worriedly who has still yet to say another word. âiââ
âmister make up your mind, weâre going to lose them!â silver wolf shouted in worry. taking out her phone and quickly punching a few buttons. red rectangles appeared on a holographic map of the city, closing any passages the messenger could take to escape. âwe need to go, like right now!â
you looked towards blade who was already getting ready to jump off the rooftop to chase the messengers. his intense gaze never once left sundayâs figure who continued to shrink more into the shadow.Â
âi canât⊠iâm sorry.â sunday murmured, hand tightening their hold on his arms. you try not to show how your eyes widened in disbelief but with the way he avoided looking into your eyes, you couldnât help the bubbling of frustration that started to fester in your chest.
silver wolf was always calm under pressure so it was strange to see her so shaken. âare you kidding me?!â she stomped towards sunday and pointed an accusing finger to sunday. tapping at his chest multiple times to emphasize her frustration. âyou said you were ready! we did not just waste weeks worth of our time to train you for this mission only for you to say that you canât do it?!â
âsilvy come on, give him a break.â you tried to but in, keeping your own frustration hidden behind an understanding smile. âthis is his first mission; a complete one-eighty of what heâs used to.â
âyouâre being too soft on him, [name]!â a timer of 15 minutes suddenly appeared on the map. âweâre here on a mission. we could get caught!â
âsilver wolf is right, [name].â you look at the black cat that sat by sundayâs legs. their head turned to look at sunday but the man only looked away in shame, wings covering his face. âyouâve agreed to become a hunter, mr. sunday. and youâve also agreed to participate in this mission. need i remind you of the consequences when you donât follow the script?â
elio never truly intimidated you, not when you first joined, on your first mission, or just in general. but with the way he was sizing up sunday with such judgement made the hairs on your arms and neck raise in realization. elio might have been kind to you, but they werenât so much with others.
you look back to the map and blade, and then the timer that continues to tick. âiâll go.â
âwhat?!â silver wolfâs attention was now on you. and so was everyone else's. âno one knows youâre a stellaron hunter! if anyone were to catch a glimpse of you all your hard work will be for nothing!â
âdo you really want to risk that, [name]? â blade asked, pushing you back to where sunday and elio stood. you felt their gaze on you as you stepped forward and pushed past blade. with a single tap on your earpiece a visor appeared in front of your eyes and showed you the map of the city. the same glowing yellow dots.
â[name].â elio warns.
âiâll take the one in the west, the rest of you take the north.â you heard a collective shout of your name but you already jumped off.Â
the city was more jam-packed than you had imagined. though you were in the alleyways of the capital, bags of trash, old mechanical parts, and even trashed prosthetics laid on the ground making it hard to navigate through the already dimmed path.
you kept a close eye on the yellow dot just a few feet in front of you. furrowing your brows in confusion when it suddenly turned around and started charging in your directions. too focused on the map showing on your visor, you fail to notice the glinting piece of metal that was thrown straight at your head.Â
something warm encapsulated your body. you suddenly felt an arm wrap around your waist and your head as the figure in a cloak jumped over your body. a grunt left your saviorâs lips making you turn around.
âsunday?!â he only gave you a flustered smile as you sat on his lap.Â
âhelloâŠâ he replied as you quickly stood up and helped him up. checking over your visor just to see that the yellow dot had taken a different route that you predicted. a curse left your lips as you kicked the trash bags in front of you.
âbladie they're coming your way. be careful, they're armed.â you heard a soft roger from the other end as your visor shut off. you look back to sunday who was dusting off his clothes. your brows knit together in confusion. âwhat are you doing here?â
he looked shocked by your question but quickly masked it. âiâm here to finish my mission.â
âi thought you said you couldnât do it?â you wonder what kind of expression you were making to suddenly make the ever so composed sunday squirm.
âblade is right.â he takes a step forward and pushes your hair out of your eyes. wincing when his gloved finger suddenly grazed over the scratch you didnât even know you had. âyouâre too soft on me, [name].â
you raise a brow at him. âwould you prefer i be a bit sterner then?â
sunday must have taken your words lightly because he only shook his head in amusement with a small smile on his lips. normally you would smile with him but this time a deep frown tugged at your lips. âiâm being serious, sunday.âÂ
he ceased his silent laughter and looked at your eyes. âbecause i will be more strict with you if youâre going to continue acting like this in future missions.â
his shoulders tensed when you turned around, back facing him as you started to walk away back to your meeting point. no doubt silver wolf and blade must have caught one of the messengers and brought them back to the rooftop.Â
âletâs go back to our meeting point.â you didnât wait for his reply when you started scaling up the walls of the alleys. clicking your tongue in disgust when you felt the grime stick to your fingers.Â
âare you mad?âÂ
âexcuse me?â
the both of you stopped. just a few feet away from you, you catch a glimpse of elio playing with the holograms. signaling you both to return to continue the interrogation. the night is going to be over soon and youâve spent enough time running around trying to catch a wild goose.
âof course iâm mad!â you looked at him in disbelief as your voice raised in volume. âsunday, we're in a capital that's being run by a government body who doesn't care about privacy. the fact that we haven't been caught yet is a miracle!â you take a deep inhale and pinch the bridge of your nose. âyou said you were ready. that you can finally start taking missions. elio prepared you a script and we helped you train for weeks. so iâm sorry if iâm mad that most of our efforts are going down the drain.â
sunday looked away. he almost looked bashful with one arm brushing up the other. âi apologize. i truly thought i was ready. but with the way youâre treating these people, i couldnât help but think youâllââ
âkill them?â he winced at your blunt reply. you continued making your way back to the rooftop, not bothering to slow down your pace as sunday followed you from a good distance. âweâre going to interrogate them. this is your first mission, we arenât going to make you dirty your hands this early.â
sunday stood incredibly still. as if he's only realizing now what he's really gotten himself into. âso you do plan on making me a murderer.â
you scoffed as you pushed back your hair. taking a deep breath, you steadied your voice. âsunday, weâre wanted criminals.â your eyes narrowing down to glare as sunday tried to challenge you. âwhy do you think everyone has a bounty in the millions? of course weâve murdered people. thatâs our job.â
âthis isnât right.â he argued.Â
âwell tough shit.â his eyes went wide, mouth opening slightly but closed just as fast. you werenât one to curse or even raise your voice but tonight you were losing your cool. âsunday, you agreed to join us. of course youâll have to get your hands dirty later on. you should be grateful elio gave you such an easy mission that doesnât require that much force.â
âthen what about you?â sunday knew he was pushing his limits, but he still continued. âif youâre all criminals then why have i not seen even a single wanted poster of you?â
sunday quickly regretted asking that when a wave of sadness washed over you. lips pressed together into a thin line as your hands curl into fists, knuckles turning white and slightly shaking. the two of you wouldâve stood in silence forever if it werenât for elio playing with the hologram. you quickly teared your gaze away from him and started to walk away in silence.
âweâre trying to do whatâs best for you, sunday.â you say softly. âthe consequences of the script getting derailed are catastrophic. trust me,â there was a certain edge to your voice when you turned to look at him. the bright lights of the capital casting a faint glow over your figure making the air sunday tried to inhale get lodged in his throat. âi know what kind of cataclysm might fall if you go off script.â
you reached the meeting point roughly 5 minutes later. elio was licking at his paw and meowed when they saw your figure approaching. squatting down to pet their head, you allow them to rub at your legs before clawing at sundayâs pants and climbing to his shoulders. the halovian let out a sound between a squeak and a groan, normally this would rip out a giggle out of you but your eyes remained focused on the man sitting by the ventilation with his arms tied behind his back. the man cracked one eye open and when his gaze fell over you he started scooting backwards.
âI-its⊠youâŠâ your brows furrow together as sunday came to stand beside you, the same expression on his face.
âdo you know him?â
you shake your head. âno, i donât.â
taking a step forward, the man cowered and shook like a leaf, leaving you and sunday confused. âhow are you alive?!â you were about to question him when he quickly followed it up with something you believed you wouldnât ever hear again. âyouâre that doctor from the train! you were supposed to be dead, i saw the explosion and you were caught in it!â
a lodge appeared in your throat. no sound left your lips when you squatted down to the manâs height to question. suddenly, sundayâs gold eyes felt too heavy and questioning even though you couldnât see them. you curl your hand into a fist and let out a shaky sigh. closing your eyes to calm the drumming in your ears and heart. this was not the time to look back on the accident that happened amber eras ago.
âoh triple-faced soul,â you hear sunday approach from behind. âplease sear his tongue and palms with a hot iron,â the air suddenly turned warm as a gloved hand wrapped around your arm pulling you up and tugging you to his side.âso that he will not be able to fabricate lies and make false vows.â
elio jumped into your arms, tapping a paw at your chin making you look up at sunday with worried eyes. âthis will be faster.â he said, waiting for you to ask the question you had prepared beforehand.
taking a deep breath, you take out your phone and give it to sunday. he nodded at you, a hand came to the small of your back to steady you. your mind swam with questions on how this man knew about the explosion, you were very sure that no one was there to see it. âcome to my office after the mission.â elio spoke softly, breaking you out of your nightmares.
âquestion: what do you know of the windborne project?â sunday questions, his golden stare narrowed dangerously at the manâs figure.
âitâs a discontinued project,â the man gulped before continuing. âthere were too many errors and too few researchers. the blueprints were leaked by an old messenger and not long after, the others were captured by the public security regulation.â
âdo you know who leaked the blueprint? what about the original creator?â
âwe donât know! everyone assumed that a rat had gotten in through some means and leaked it.â
âdo you possess the blueprint of the windborne project?â
the man hesitated. he started taking sharp inhales and let out shaky exhales. hands started shaking in his restraints as sunday took a step forward and kneeled to the manâs level. golden eyes not once faltering.
âi will ask you again, do you possess the blueprint of the windborne project?â
ây-yes!â the man cried out. âitâs in my bag, you can have it, so please, spare me..âÂ
you let go of elio gently and made your way to the stray bag in one of the corners. zipping it open you pull out a gray cylinder and wouldnât you know, the words âwindborneâ were written in white marker. taking off the lid and sliding out the paper, you open it and let out a hum.
âcontinue with the interrogation,â you tell sunday, taking out a pen from your pocket and started writing on the blueprint. circling and crossing out words like the materials needed, the measurements and instructions on how its supposed to be used.
âwhere can we find the holo-wings?â you felt sundayâs eyes flicker over to you but you pay it no mind.
âthe tech labs in arcadia research department. theyâve been manufacturing them in secret and selling them in the underground markets.â
you hum and write more stuff down. âask him about the nano-actuators.â
âand what about the nano-actuators? where can we get them?â
âcybernetic shops. their found all across the capital.â
âcybernetic shopsâŠâ you mutter after circling another portion of the words on the blueprint. after a few more notes, you roll up the blueprint and put it back in its cylinder. âyou can let him go now, weâre done here.â
sunday stood up and dusted his pants, letting go of the man from his trance. a shiver went up your spine when he looked at you, the remnants of the orderâs power swimming in them before they all vanished when he blinked. you follow his gaze towards the cylinder in your hand but made no move to question it.
âi told you everything i know, so please let me goâŠ!â the man cried out with tears in his eyes.
ânot yet,â you reply with a monotone voice. âmy other friends still want something from you.â
his eyes widened and continued to thrash in his restraints. you only shake your head and pull out your phone to text silver wolf and blade for any updates. âare you really a nameless?â the man beside asked with so much gentleness. your initial frustration washed away completely you began to wonder if he was using his powers on you. but when you looked at his eyes, you saw nothing but sincere concern.
âwas, sunday.â you look away from him and look over to the horizon, the sun is rising.Â
âis it connected to the explosion the man said?â he asks, voice laced with concern and curiosity.
you press your lips together, looking down at the cylinder container in your hands. âitâs all in the past now. irrelevant pieces of information.â elio meows at you both and starts walking to where the stairs are. âthis is a story better left unfinished, sunday. so please donât try to see how it ends.â
the trip back home was quiet and awkward. you sat in the passenger seat this time while silver wolf and sunday sat in the back. every so often, sundayâs eyes would flick over to you. silently looking out the window, the cylinder in your lap as you drummed a beat on it to try and distract yourself from the fatigue of last nightâs mission.
an elbow to his side made him wince slightly. he turned to glare at the girl beside him who showed her phone. sunday squinted his eyes in confusion when he read the message silver wolf sent to him.
favorite?
âweâre here.â bladeâs voice cut through the quiet and still atmosphere. both sunday and silver wolf looked up from their phones just in time to see you leave the car with elio in tow.Â
when everyone entered the building, you put the cylinder on one of the couches and greet firefly and kafka in the kitchen. briefly excusing yourself from the two and following elio down a corridor heâs never gone through before.Â
sundayâs eyes never once left your figure even after you disappeared into a room with destinyâs slave. mind swimming with more questions about your past and yourself in general. he pondered on what silver wolf meant when you were elioâs favorite. not to mention the sudden info dump on you being an old nameless from the astral express.Â
who exactly are you, [name]?
© vxnuslogy 2024. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works.
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â lost to time ft. sae itoshi
â warnings: angst, character death, slight ooc?
â author's note: a reupload of my favorite work on sae while i finish editing the next 2 chapters of my hazbin series. enjoy!
â first recording
âhi sae! i heard from rin that youâll be leaving for spain. iâm really sorry i couldnât come to see you off, iâve been busy studying, you know, for exams and stuff. but thatâs beside the point! i wish you all the best sae! do your best and when you come back home, you better be the worldâs best striker yeah? donât worry, everything will pass by quickly so donât miss me too much ok?â
sae hated planes. he hated them quite a lot. in was a constant reminder of that time when he was only 14, leaving home to go to spain to live out his dreams only for it to be crushed 4 years later. sae hated the airport, it was always so busy and so stuffy and so cramped. he hated the feeling of being surrounded by unfamiliar strangers, hated the feeling of people brushing up against him even if they didnât really mean it. sae hated winter. it was the season he severed his bond with his precious little brother after all. it was the season he turned his back on him and it was the season he had wished to never relive again.
-
â second recording
âhey hey guess whoâs sending you another voice message? itâs me obviously, why didnât you tell me you were back already?! if you did i wouldâve picked you up from the airport!
âŠâŠ
is something the matter sae? you havenât picked up any of your parentsâ calls and their really worried about you. you can always talk to me remember? iâll always be here to listen, ok? donât bottle everything up, itâll do more bad than good. well, i have to go now. talk with your parents every once in a while will you? ever since you left for spain youâve pretty much cut off all contact, even with me. thatâs all, good night sae.â
sae didnât really like flowers. he thought they were a hassle. plants that require specific needs and if not met, theyâll wilt. sae was never fond of them but here he was, standing in front of the counter of a local flower shop as the elderly shopkeeper wrapped a bouquet â filled with carnations, gardenias, lilies, roses, and chrysanthemums.Â
everything passes.
â college; third recordings
âi got into my dream college sae! can you believe that! honestly, i was really nervous when i took the entrance exams, but thankfully i studied real hard and managed to pass! iâll be moving into the dorms soon. iâm gonna miss home. oh and rin! i heard he got into a soccer program recently, isnât that nice! heâs following your footsteps in becoming the best striker in the world. i know, i know, you arenât a striker anymore but itâs still nice to know that youâre still into soccer at least. by the way, when will you come back home? i kind of miss you, you know. i never got to see you off and when you did come back i was out of town and really busy. what about we plan a meetup or something in the near future? you know, make up for the times we lost? oh, i have to go now! my parents are helping me move in to my dorm. catch you later sae!â
sae didnât really like coming home. the house he grew up in for the first 14 years of his life felt too foreign to be called home anymore. his parents felt like distant strangers that he just met a couple weeks ago â they felt more like acquaintances than his mother and father. the photos framed around his home felt like ancient relics from thousands of years ago, he didnât recognize them. sae didnât recognize himself.Â
maybe he spent too much time in spain to the point where it felt more like home. how ironic, he began to realize. he had flown back to japan to escape from his hell that was spain but here he was, in his home, in the bedroom he used to sleep in for endless nights, wanting to go back to the place that left his heart hollow.
âthereâs nothing else i could do.â he tried to convince himself as he sat down on his childhood bed, the bouquet of flowers at his side. he could only sigh and let himself fall back into the bed of his long gone home. âeverything passes.â
âhey hey hey itâs me again! how have you been sae? iâd like to think that iâve adjusted pretty well in college. made a few new friends and met some old ones. honestly, i almost didnât recognize them! i mean, do you remember makoto from middle school. he was a such a problem child back then and now look at him! heâs a scholar now! i guess everyone just starts to become more mature after hitting 18, who knows. thank you again, for the gift. i was definitely shocked when my roommate told me i had a package from you. i canât believe you still remember that i wanted âno longer humanâ! thank you, iâll be sure to treasure it. well, thatâs all for today. call you some other time sae!â
everything passes.
-
â drunk recordings; the words i wish i couldâve told you sooner
âhow do you work this again? ah got it! hehe, hi again sae! iâm at a party right now, man maybe you were right, i do have shit alcohol tolerance. but itâs fine. donât worry, iâm already on my way home and the driver isnât some creepy dude that might kill me.
âŠâŠ
you know, i like you very much but i donât think youâll believe me. i know i jokingly said that we should marry each other if we arenât dating someone if we hit our 30s, but i kinda wanna marry you even if we arenât 30 yet. is that weird? i really miss you. please come home.â
âŠâŠ
âhello? god that was so embarrassing⊠sorry, could you just forget about what i said in the last recording? um just, gosh i donât even know. denying it wonât really help right haha⊠itâs in the past now so donât mull over too much ok? please, just disregard that last recording. iâm really sorry, it was just me being drunk.â
sae did not in fact disregard that recording. in fact, sometimes in the dead of night heâd think about it and wonder, if he had replied to that specific recording would things have ended differently?Â
sae didnât like deep and evoking questions about âwhat ifâsâ, he finds them annoying most of the time. and yet here he was now entertaining the idea. bouquet in hand as he casually walked around the neighborhood that the both of you had grew up in. the same twists and turns, same houses, same playground, same everything.
yet the silence was too loud, even for him.
everything passes.
-
â graduation recordings
âwell, i think itâs safe to say i survived. i graduated sae, are you proud? man i still canât believe i was a few point from getting the valedictorian spot but oh well. alls well that ends well i suppose. i heard you won your recent match congratulations mr best midfielder! kinda wish i was there to see it, but donât worry! in your next match iâll definitely save up enough money and buy those tickets to spain and your match one day! just you wait, iâll be the screaming my lungs out and support you, iâm still your number one fan after all!â
sae had some feelings of dissatisfaction when you did not in fact get those tickets to spain and his match. maybe it was his wishful thinking but he really did wish you were there. but he knew it was impossible.Â
he remembered the feeling of anger and frustration running through his veins, cursing the heavens above because he felt the need to show the gods his emotions. sae hated thinking about you in that moment. he hated how he felt like he was in a new version of hell whenever you just happened to cross his mind. sae hated you very much.
everything passes.
-
â recordings from 2 years ago
âiâm sorry. i know you shouldâve heard it from me but i guess my family beat me to it haha. to be perfectly honest with you sae, i had no plans of telling you. iâm sorry. its just, the thought of breaking the news to you. how could i ever do that to you? iâm sorry. god iâm so sorry sae.â
âŠâŠ
âhey. i received the gift you sent me. you didnât have to , you know. now i kinda feel bad about having you go on break in the middle of soccer season because of me. but still, thank you. i appreciated you being here, with me. it was a refreshing feeling, talking to you again and just hanging out. work has been really stuffy and felt like i was being caged but you came. you suddenly appeared and suddenly everything was alright again. i know we only said goodbye a couple minutes ago but, i miss you already. sorry. this sounds really weird doesnât it? anyways, thank you again for the gift. iâll be sure to wear it everyday. thatâs all, have a good night sae.â
âŠâŠ
âhey. sorry for calling at such an odd time. i just. i just felt a little lonely. i sound so stupid iâm sorry. good night sae.â
âŠâŠ
âmakoto dropped by today. god he was as annoying as ever but he really cheered me up. he managed to confess to this girl heâs pining over since sophomore year. iâm happy for him. but it really got me thinking about us. i know i told you to forget about that one recording because i was drunk but now that i look back on it, i wasnât really honest. to you and myself. i know this may be the worst timing to confess but yeah, i like you very much. since primary school, as cliche as it may sound i think it all started when you stood up for me from those bullies. now that i think about, i practically glued myself to your side ever since that day didnât i? iâm glad you didnât really mind that. i remember always using homework as an excuse to always have you hang out with me even though i completely understood the lesson. man, where did i get the confidence to do that stuff? but i guess those times are lost in the sands of the past i guess. oh right, sorry, i forgot you didnât really like those type of stuff. getting all deep and whatnot. well thatâs all, iâm getting pretty tired already so iâll head to bed. good night sae.â
everything passes.
-
â present
âhi. thank you by the way. i donât know, i just donât think iâve ever said that you recently. so, thank you. its a bit funny isnât it? i would almost always talk your ear off every recording but this time, i canât even find the words to say. my parents came over, talked to them a bit. rin visited as well. heâs gotten a lot taller than i last saw him, heâs probably taller than you now!
âŠâŠ
sae, thank you. for everything. iâm glad we stayed in touch. iâm glad we stayed as friends. thank you for making my days seem just a tad bit brighter, though sometimes i wonder what it would be like if we were, you know, dating. wonder what the difference would be. i mean weâd still talk to each other right? maybe holding hands and kisses but thatâs pretty much it right? but thinking about it is useless right now. maybe in an alternate universe were actually married and adopted a cat like how we used to talk about.â
âyou know, before this very moment. i accepted my fate already. i was content, i was doing fine but now. sae, i donât want to die.â
âplease remember me ok? and iâll be sure to remember you. iâll see you again, sae.â
ânii-chan..â
sae could only put his phone back in his pocket. his younger brother standing a good distance away from him. he could only imagine how rin looked like right now. was he pitying him, grieving with him? heâll never know because he will never turn to look at him. not when your right in front of him.
how many times had he played all your recordings for the past 2 years? maybe a little over a 100 times? maybe close to 200 now?
sae removed all those thoughts as he placed the bouquet on the ground, the wind seemed to answer to his call â you seemed to answer to his call. despite all the pain, all the misery, all the bitter waves of grief that flooded his being whenever he played your recordings, he couldnât bring himself to stop. he didnât want to forget what you sounded like. your voice reminded him too much of home.
âhappy birthday you idiot.â he said to you, keeping his hands in his pockets, watching the leaves of the flowers in the bouquet sway with the wind. two pieces of paper underneath it threatened to be blown away. âyou said you wanted to come visit me and watch my match, well now you can.â two pieces of paper, one a plane ticket to spain the other a ticket to his upcoming match two weeks from now. âyou better come watch me alright?â he could only bitterly smile.Â
âyouâre 30 now,â he whispered, before getting on one knee. placing a velvet box in front of your gravestone. âyou shouldâve waited for me, you idiot.â sae could only mutter those words to no one in particular. it was as if the world had stopped for a moment, the wind had stopped howling, the sun was nowhere to be seen. he could only see you. âi wanted to marry you too, yâknow.â
sae could remember every occurrence where he would sit at his balcony in spain every night after your passing. phone to his ear, listening to all your recordings. but youâll never know how he replies to them, every single one of them with his own.Â
âi told the stars about you and what we couldâve had.â he chuckled, âyouâre by far the hardest lesson i had to learn.â
standing up from his kneeling position, he gave you one last look before walking away. rin followed suit, but not before placing something at your grave. a pink book that you had loved till the very end.Â
sae hated planes, but he flew back to japan every year. sae didnât really like flowers, but every year heâd get you a pretty bouquet. sae didnât like coming home but if it meant getting to visit you, heâd come back over and over again. sae didnât like reading or any deep and evoking questions but he always humored you whenever you asked him.
sae hated all those things but they reminded him too much of you to let them go.Â
and just like your favorite author, when osamu dazai asked to die, he simplu agreed; but just before his death, he suddenly felt obsession with life.
everything passes. just like how youâll eventually get lost in the sands of time.
© vxnuslogy 2024. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works.
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â in between missions.
pairing: sunday x gn!reader
premise: it's been an eventful six months since sunday joined the stellaron hunters. today marked one of their very rare day offs, and what better way to spend the day with the people that's taken care of him.
â warnings: slight angst if you squint, mentions of blood in some parts.
â author's note: updated the lore in this little mini-series (?) LMAOO thank you sunday leaks on sunday for bringing me back to life. so sorry for being a bit ia, tumblr has been such a pain in the ass that it slightly demotivated me to write. new layout for sunday fics too so yippie!! (totally not foreshadowing). art credits to ćç«é
æ”·ć° on Weibo for the art. | 4.1k words (LMFAO).
MORNING â 6:00 A.M.
before, sunday would wake up at the crack of dawn; waiting for the sunâs rays as he watered the plants heâd been taking care of. now âhe still wakes up earlier than mostâ he spends his mornings in a big kitchen with the sound of kafkaâs humming filling the bubbles of silences that start to form. it was always a pleasure helping the older woman cook everyoneâs breakfast without having their loud bickering in the background (though sometimes he would grow paranoid if he never heard it throughout the day; heâs grown used to your voices).
before missions started, all the petty quips, and the laughter, sunday appreciated the quiet moments he gets to share with kafka.
âsunny, can you take over for me? i need to defrost silver wolfâs nuggets.â
sunday only hummed in response. body lazily slipping itself into kafkaâs previous position of frying the leftover rice from yesterday. âsunnyâ was the womanâs name for him; a form of endearment, you said, she does it to everyone. sunday would never admit it himself (kafka often teased how adorable his morning voice was so he tried not to speak until after breakfast), but hearing that little nickname always sent a flurry of little butterflies down to his chest. collecting the pollen from the flowers youâve carefully placed in between his ribs and spreading it all over his chest. no one has ever given him such a casual nickname before, so sunday had started to cling to it like a lifeline.
when the clock strikes 7:30, it usually means you're about to wake up. after patting his hands dry on a spare kitchen towel, sunday lifts his head and there you are. a small smile spread across his lips when you greeted kafka with a side hug. you still had your bed hair and your eyes were barely open; it was an endearing sight to see.
âgood morning,â sunday snaps out of his daze when an arm wraps around his shoulder and pulls him close to your chest. sunday could distinctly smell the chocolate you ate with silver wolf the night before and the soft remnants of your scented candle. he let his head lean more into your touch as he mumbles a soft good morning straight to your heart. ignoring the pair of eyes that crinkle in amusement behind the kitchen counter.
by the time 7:50 rolls around, youâre fully awake. a cup of coffee in your hands as you, him, and kafka go door to door to wake up your little group. from the corner of sundayâs eyes, he sees kafka peer over bladeâs door and a grumpy okay go through. on the other end, he sees you greet firefly good morning with a hug before disappearing into another hall to come and get elio.Â
before he could even knock on silver wolfâs door, the wooden thing pulled open and he was met with the sight of the silver haired girl looking down at her game console. he chuckled in amusement, patting down the stray hairs that poked up and guided her to the kitchen. he made sure to ask if sheâs beaten the boss yet and when she replied with an angry huff, sunday took it as a sign to not bring it up for a while.
it's already 8:10 when everyone is sitting down around the kitchen table. plates of warm fried rice, chicken nuggets, some slices of fruits, pancakes, and multiple cups of teas and coffees were laid down on the table. small chatter started to arise and sunday could feel the energy start to spike as well. as he took bite after bite until he felt your knee bump into his. when he turned to you, he was met with the sight of you pushing more food in his direction.
âyou need to eat more,â you said before taking a bite of your pancake. âyouâll need the extra nutrients if you want to fly again.â
sunday just smiled and accepted your offerings without as much as a word.
roughly an hour passes before everyone is cleaning up their spaces. blade was on dishes duty while the rest went back to their rooms to get changed. sunday was in his quarters, buttoning up a spare polo blade had given him when he heard a knock on his door.
âgood morning again.â you greet with a smile.
sunday smiled in return and urged you to come in. âgood morning to you, too.â
âkafka and firefly are going out for groceries. do you want anything?â
sunday was taken back to the days where he would water the plants in his office back in the penacony. how he would run his finger down each leaf and smile to himself when a flower starts to bloom. if sunday only joined a few weeks ago, heâd declined immediately. but it's been almost half a year since heâs joined, and heâs feeling a bit more comfortable with asking for more personal things.
âplants,â he replies. âthe small ones that are easy to take care of.â
you tilt your head curiously like an owl. âwhy plants?â
âi used to take care of some flowers back in dewlight pavilion every morning. iâd like to get back into that, if you donât mind.â
sunday recognized that little smirk of yours. with a shake of his head, he accompanies you out his room after fixing up his hair and bid farewell to kafka and firefly.
âletâs get you all the plants you want then.âÂ
AFTERNOON â 2:38 P.M.
training in the afternoon was something sunday didnât get quite used to. even now as heâs exchanging blows with blade, he feels quite unsure of his grip around the hilt of the wooden sword; how his footwork felt sloppy and uncoordinated. sunday wasnât shocked (maybe, just slightly, a bit bitter) when the dark haired man knocked him off his feet for the seventh time in under two hours.
âyouâre overthinking things too much,â the man grumbled, offering his hand to him. âitâs written all over your face; stop thinking about the nitty gritty things and start focusing on the task at hand. if you keep focusing on your opponent's footwork, youâll end up ignoring his swings.â
âright, apologize. letâs go again.â
sunday had never felt such a competitive surge of emotions come over him whenever he trained with blade. the way he swung the charred sword in his hands; his body and how it moved so fluidly like water; and his determination to win despite beating him by more than a mile; it made sunday want to genuinely get better. blade fought like it would be his last battle, and he would go down with a fight.
âmister is getting better,â muttered silver wolf as she collapsed face first by your side, finishing her own training with elio. âheâs keeping up with the old man now.â
you brush away the bangs that stuck to her forehead and offer her a towel. elio, now in their cat form, sat down on your other side and started playing with the orange peels. âsunday has improved a lot huh? it feels like it was just yesterday when he first joined.â
âfor reals.â the silver haired girl stretched and tried to reach over for the oranges.
a memory resurfaced in sundayâs mind when he caught sight of you peeling oranges for silver wolf. how you looked particularly at peace in the moment. his mind replayed the image of robin when she came back to penacony after the accident. he had such an intense amount of guilt for not being by her side at such a hard time, he isn't quite sure how to put it into words.Â
âbrother!â shouted robin as she entered his office, a bright smile on her face and her phone in hand.
before he could utter a word she had shoved her phone to his face, âan orange?â he asked with a confused tilt of his head.
robin nodded and said, âthey say when someone close to you peels your oranges, it's a sign of having a strong relationship! is that why youâve been peeling my oranges for me recently?â
sunday felt the wind be knocked out of him as his world turned upside down. blade had flipped him over to his back and as the cherry on top, whacked him on the head with his wooden sword.Â
âfor not paying attention,â he grumbled. âletâs call it a day.â
he didnât get much of a word in when blade was already seated beside silver wolf (the girl shoving an orange slice to his mouth and him accepting it silently). sunday gets up from his lying position, patting down the dust on his (bladeâs) clothes and takes a seat next to you.Â
âdo you mind opening your wings for me?â you ask as you place a small plate of orange slices on his lap.
taking one in his hand and a small bite, he lets the pair of wings by his waist stretch out and lay on your lap. your careful fingers and observant eyes scanning over every feather, smoothing out the ones that stuck out. it wasnât long before silver wolf put down her console and started poking at his wings too.
âdo you feel that, mister?â she asks.
he shakes his head with a small smile, âno, i do not.â
she only hummed and looked up at you. âwill he be able to fly soon?â
you take a few seconds to respond.
âsoon,â you mutter as your hands re-adjusted the exoskeleton thatâs been supporting them. âthey look better than when you first arrived. you seem rather curious, what gives?â
silver wolf pouted and shoved at you lightly. your chuckle rang in his ears like music. the same melodies he would play on his record player when the night feels too long. sunday leaned more to your side when the younger girl showed a pixelated character in her game and pointed to its wings.Â
âwhen you fly again, mister, you have to take me with you!â she excitedly exclaimed with stars in her eyes. âiâve always wanted to know what it feels like to fly.â
sunday felt a tug deep within his heart when he looked into her eyes. silver wolf, surprisingly, was very welcoming of him when he first joined. they got along fine and would even spend their free time in each otherâs company. her excited demeanor reminded him of how robin looked when he first took to the skies. the animated expression on her face; her grin reaching her eyes; and the way sheâs leaning forward in anticipation.
âwhen i fly again, iâll be sure to let you know first.â
his reply was all the more worth it when the girl jumped in delight and landed on bladeâs back. your laughter along with silver wolfâs excited blabbering and even bladeâs protests made more flowers bloom inside his chest. sunday ceased his chuckling when he realized he had run out of oranges to eat. before he could even ask for more youâre already replacing his empty one with a new plate filled with peeled oranges.
âi can peel them myself, [name].â he says almost in a whisper.
âi know you can,â you dangle the orange peel in front of elio and let them play with it and stack them in a pile. âbut let me do it for you.â
EVENING â 6:00 P.M.
âitâs my turn to decide what we get to eat!â
âitâs been your turn for two weeks. if anything, itâs my turn now.â
sunday could only push the two further and further apart, or at least try too. blade was a foot taller than him and obviously more bulked up than him; silver wolf might be the shortest but she knows how to use it to her advantage, zooming from one place to another like a little mouse. he could only plead with a lopsided smile when you enter the kitchen, your towel around your neck to catch the stray waters that dropped from your hair.
you sighed with the shake of your head and pulled silver wolf back into your chest. two arms snugly wrapped around her small shoulders as she kicked and pointed at blade. sunday on the other hand stepped in front of the man with a stretched arm, trying to calm down the silver haired girl as best as he could.
âat this point if you two canât decide then iâll just cook whatever i want.â you joked. both heads turned towards you and glared, but you only laughed and let silver wolf stomp her way to sit on the kitchen counter. âhow about some sweet and spicy chicken for dinner? that way you both get what you want.â
sunday watched in amusement as silver wolf jutted her lower lip and mumbled on how she wanted cake. blade only slumped his shoulders and grumbled a low fine and started helping you take out all the ingredients from the fridge as well as the pans and bowls.
âi swear you two have worse cravings than a pregnant womâ ow!â you didnât get to finish when blade purposely knocked your head when he opened a cabinet. your eyes narrowed at him while he only shrugged. a playful smirk on his lips as he shoved your head lower when you went to berate him.
a soft nudge on sundayâs back pushed him a bit forward. elioâs blue eyes in their cat form met his own gold ones and the two stared for a while. the cat motioned his head towards you and blade who chatted over dinner, not long, silver wolf also joined.Â
âgo join them.â was all they said before jumping down from the table and going to who knows where.
sunday didnât get a chance to reply when a pair of arms snuck around his waist. he let out a noise between a surprised gasp and a shout that made you snort in amusement. when he turned to glare at you, you only stuck your tongue out and tied the apron around his waist.
âcome help us make dinner, sunday.âÂ
and how could he say no when youâre already dragging him by the apron to the kitchen aisles with all the ingredients laid down.
by 7:15 p.m., kafka and firefly enter through the door and are met with a memorably amusing sight of sunday almost collapsing on their dining table as elio pushes a carton of milk to his direction. you and silver wolf were laughing at him with pointing hands and tears in your eyes. even blade cracked his own chuckle and rolled his eyes playfully as the halovian kicked him in the shin.
the taller woman surmised that sunday had fallen victim to bladeâs insane spice addiction. the stray silver spoon on the table with the sauce was evidence. kafka let out a chuckle as firefly came over to his side âstill keeping a bit of distanceâ and asking if he was alright.
âthought you were only getting groceries?â you ask with a raised brow. eyes surveying the amount of bags she and firefly had in their hands.
âthere was a sale for clothes,â kafka reasoned. âhow could we say no?â
you shake your head in disbelief and give the woman a side hug. âdinner will be ready in ten. help the poor angel soothe his tongue in the meantime.â
kafka laughed as she dropped her bags by the living room couch and guided sunday to sit down. firefly handed him an empty glass and offered to pour the milk in it. he shook his head no and did it himself. the poor boy downed the drink in one go and it didnât seem enough to soothe his burning tongue so firefly went to get another carton from the fridge.
sunday furrowed his brows and stuck out his tongue. no doubt his taste buds wonât be working for a while.
âwhy does blade put so much spice in his food?â he questions the older woman who only smiled. her eyes glazed over to where the said man was and sunday followed.Â
âbladie canât taste anything that isnât spicy,â kafka said, her eyes not once leaving bladeâs figure. âa living corpse canât really taste anything. spice is considered a pain sensation; pain is the only thing he can feel and taste.â
sunday frowns at this new information. he knows little of bladeâs past and had made no effort to try and dig it up. he was curious, yes, but it must be an incredibly sensitive topic if every night the man slips away from his bedroom seeking you or kafka out to soothe the mara thatâs coursing through his body.
âi⊠see.â a hand came to ruffle up his hair. he looked up to see kafka smiling down at him and handed him another cup of milk.
âtry to ask him about it someday. maybe youâll be able to help.â
sunday keeps that information at the back of his mind until everyone finishes cooking dinner.
the clock hit 7:25 and everyone decided to eat by the living room to see what kafka and firefly bought in their mini shopping spree. he sat in between you and blade on the floor, using the small coffee table in front of you to hold your food while silver wolf sat on the couch behind him. her legs over your shoulders and slouched on the couch.
time surprisingly passed slowly tonight. only ten minutes had actually passed of kafka showing off her new coat, but to sunday it had felt like eternity. he absentmindedly tossed his food around his plate, pushing away all the spicy pieces of chicken to the edge of his plate.
ânot eating the spicy chicken now are we?â sunday whipped his head to blade and glared. warmth rising to his cheeks, wings fluttering in embarrassment when he remembered what had happened not too long ago.Â
âyour ânormalâ amount of spice nearly sent me to a coma,â he rebutted with a roll of his eyes. âso pardon me for not wanting to be sent to the hospital.â
you let out a loud laugh and leaned back on the couch. silver wolf was now using his head as support when she agreed wholly with his statement. firefly let out a quiet cough to silence her laugh while kafka chuckled. blade only rolled his eyes and took the pieces of chicken on his plate and placed it on his own.
âyou said you wanted to try.â he argued back. a teasing lilt to his voice as he placed a piece of chicken to his mouth to add more salt to the injury.
âa grave mistake that was.â
you cease your laughing and lean on your propped up arm. âwell look at you two, getting along so well!â
sunday scowled while blade scoffed. both picking up pieces of food and silently chewing. what started as a small bump of sundayâs elbow turned into a small petty argument about spice tolerance.
âit is quite sweet of you bladie,â kafka started. âfor taking all the spicy pieces off of sunnyâs plate, i mean.âÂ
you jumped to the wagon immediately and nodded. âagreed! youâve never done that for anyone here before. iâm starting to think youâre playing favorites.â
âone more word and iâm dumping the rest of the chili oil on your plates.â
that had shut you up immediately. for extra measures, you scooted away from them both with your plate close to your chest. âshutting up nowâŠâ
NIGHT â 11:20 P.M.
sunday let out a long sigh as he tossed and turned in his bed. he had lost count of how many times heâs replayed tonightâs dinner in his mind to at least try and get some sleep and not be plagued by his nightmares. tonight was joyful, and heâd like to keep it that way till the end of the day. but his insomnia had struck him again like always. heâs already drunk two pills from the medication you bought him and it's yet to take effect.
with one last sigh, sunday threw off the sheets over his body and stalked out of his room as quietly as he could. the base was dark in the dead of night. the halls looked more ominous and longer than normal, something he believed was taken out of a horror film. when he first wandered these halls at this hour, sunday would feel the pricks of his paranoia.
but unlike the first time, there were no longer stray feathers of ravens following his wake. his feet werenât stained by his blood as he dragged his body to the direction of salvation. in these halls, sunday wasnât carrying a knife he used to plunge into his own chest to try and make the weight of the sins he didnât commit a little lighter. he was free; free as he could be in the safety of everyoneâs presence.
his gaze shifted to the slightly ajar door that led to your workshop. he frowned as he realized you were staying up late again. when he peered into the small crack, sunday was met with the sight of firefly hunched over your desk, sound asleep with stray pieces of fabric by her feet.
the nights at base were usually cold so sunday quickly walked to his room again to get a spare blanket. as quietly as he could, the halovian entered your workshop, silently cursing when the door creaked slightly. making sure he didnât step on any of the fabrics on the floor, sunday draped the blanket over the girlâs shoulders.
another memory of his resurfaced. on nights like these, robin would sneak into his office with a pillow and blanket in her hands. she would guide his head gently to lay on the pillow and not the harsh wooden table and make sure the blanket over his shoulders didnât slip until morning came. by instinct, sundayâs hand came to smooth down fireflyâs hair and whispered good night.
he started picking up the stray pieces of whites, blues, and blacks from the floor and neatly folded them one by one. placing them in neat piles on your table. with one last look to fireflyâs figure, he smiled to himself and quietly shut the door behind him. his next stop was the kitchen to brew himself a cup of tea.
âheâs gone now, firefly.â
even as you called out to her, firefly did not budge and kept her head in between her folded arms. you shook your head and sat down next to her. you had witnessed what happened and you could only guess the conflicted feelings the girl felt.
âdo you think heâs a bad person, little knight?â you ask, hands picking up one of the fabrics sunday had graciously folded and laid them on the table. a measuring tape around your shoulders and a pencil snuggly on your ear.
âheâs done bad things, butâŠâ you hum in reply. fireflyâs voice was muffled because of her arms but you heard her perfectly fine, much to her dismay. âi donât think heâs a fully bad person. i just find it⊠awkward to interact with him.â
âdo you want to interact with him?â you wonder. âas friends i mean.â
firefly finally raised her head. hand clutching the blanket draped over her shoulders as the other ghosted over the spot where sunday had patted down and whispered good night.
âi donât know.â
you only hum. âsunday is rather strange isnât he? heâs quite the piece of work if you ask me.â
âwhat about you?â firefly fires back, scooting her chair closer to you. âdo you think heâs a bad person.â
âno. no i donât.â you answer immediately and feel firefly pause. âheâs kindest person iâve ever met.â
âi seeâŠâ
you pat her head gently and fixate your gaze back to your table.
âheâs a lot more like us than anyone expected. sunday has done bad things that hurt those around him, but weâve also done that havenât we? take your time. all of us were lonely at some point, so itâs also his first time heâs ever craved someoneâs company. weâve all done that too, didnât we?â
when a new day started (around 1:56 a.m.) she made her way back to her room. sundayâs blanket was still wrapped around her even when she laid down on her own bed. she never pointed out how you purposefully drafted a space for the ticket youâve always hidden on sundayâs new uniform.
© vxnuslogy 2024. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works.
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â broken toys. ft sunday
â warnings: slight angst
â author's note: my entry to the sunday brainrot, aka me manifesting for playable sunday.
sunday was the most desired man in all of penacony, and for a good reason too.
head of the oak family; the most handsome bachelor on the planet; a preacher of harmony that wanted the best for his home; what was there to not like about him? you were no stranger to the way he stared at gatherings hosted by the family, his gaze lingered too much on you; happened too many times to count as a mere coincidence. it sent your heart into a blazing beat, one that made your cheeks flush whenever he stood anywhere near you. just hearing his voice â the awkward laugh that rang like wedding bells when mr. gopher wood joked about the two of you being a match made in heaven â it became your favorite thing in the world.
the idea of marrying sunday has always been on the table ever since you were children. one playdate after the other â most of which were spent on the beach â where you, sunday, and his darling little sister robin would create sandcastles for miles. role playing as the kingdomâs regency while robin sang you songs until she fell asleep. such fond memories manifested itself to a lightcone that now sat in your bedroom. mr. wood was not blind with the way sunday looked at you â neither were you â and ever since then, heâd consistently bug you to marry his adoptive son who hid behind his wings to save his face.
and so you did. you married the man of your dreams and relished in being loved like a saint.Â
every waking hour with sunday was spent with him worshiping the very ground you set foot on. slipping his hand under the table in meetings to fit yours because you were his rock, making sure he never strayed too far from you because to him, being away from you was the deadliest sin of them all. he loved you like the sun; burning brightly and warming your coldest days with only a whisper of sweet nothings in your ear as you let his touch scorch your skin in a way that made you wince but love him all the same. basking in the way his lips carved his name in your own with such passion you would close your eyes to everything else - he was the only view you would ever look at.
sunday burned brightly, but he burnt too quickly. just like how the sun could never stay in the sky forever, his revelry in you also faded like the waking night when the moon and stars started to replace him. sunday became too consumed in his goals of harmony, so much so that he lost his way that not even you, his darling, couldnât save him from.Â
even if his hands still gravitated towards yours, they no longer had the same warmth that you savored in his presence. he confessed his deadliest sins â the sin of being away from you â every night under the night skyâs judgment, only to commit them again the following morning.Â
such was the cycle of sundayâs habit when he obtained his favorite toy.Â
he drowned himself in the great pleasures of finally having his hands on the toy heâs been pining over for years. indulging himself in the adoration he had for you even if sometimes, it flickered with something more sinister, something much darker than the adoration he bathed and convinced you in. you let him suffocate in this false devotion until he started to pull back in boredom. until his favorite toy - you - was no longer his favorite.
you would pull away, starting to realize how this was not right, only for him to come sweep you of your feet â the same awkward laughter that once rang like wedding bells now sounded like red sirens, warning you of the danger youâd always ignore â and your falling back into the same maze that was your husband.
© vxnuslogy 2024. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works.
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â kaibigan lang.
pairing: gen narumi x gn!reader
premise:you, a platoon leader from the first division, and gen narumi, the first division captain, have a strangely close relationship; the two of you bring a new meaning to the words "just friends."
â warnings: none
â authorâs note: this is actually my second attempt at this fic, the first one got too long and angsty LMAOO and i didn't like how it ended so i decided to just remake it entirely. this is very inspired by "balang araw" by i belong to the zoo, please go give it a listen!! art credits to @.DanG0_23 on twitter. | ~1.1k words.
you and gen narumi have a very special and close relationship. he makes you feel special for all the rightâand wrongâreasons.Â
from the very first time you met him, you felt a feeling deep within your chest that you and him will inevitably be inseparable. youâre not sure if you want to pat yourself on the back for predicting the future or shake yourself by the shoulders for jinxing it.
you grew fond of his childish tendencies, how he points an accusing finger at you when you beat more kaijus than him. when he pouts at the âyou loseâ title screen on his console. and not to mention the numerous times heâs fallen asleep on your lap as you weave your fingers through his hair. the way his shoulders release their tension when he sees you from across the room or how his magenta eyes seemed a little softer than normal.Â
multiple people have questioned your relationship, but his reply would always be: âweâre just friends.â and you feel a part of yourself die each time.Â
does being âjust friendsâ include sneaking out of his room in the middle of the night so he could comfort you after a terrible nightmare? does being âjust friendsâ include seaking each other out at every meeting and smiling like two idiots in love? does being âjust friendsâ include making heartfelt promises after a dangerous mission? promises of keeping each other safe and if either of you were to fail, then the other will follow you to their grave sooner or later?
none of these actions seem to say âjust friendsâ but what could you do? if thatâs how gen narumi sees you, then who were you to force him to see you in a different light? being able to keep him close as a friend is better than having to say goodbye to him and live your life as two strangers with memories.Â
âyou sure youâre just friends?â rin shinonome, a fellow platoon leader and your closest friend, asks you.
you gave her a tight-lipped smile. âone-hundred percent!â
she squints her eyes at you. she looked unconvincedâlike alwaysâbut didn't comment on it further. for a while, the two of you sat and ate in awkward silence until tachibana sat himself down next to you and said, âpretty sure friends donât look at each other like they're each otherâs worlds.â
rin suddenly slams her hand on the table, a loud bang resounds in the cafeteria as she agrees with his statement. you wince from the loud noise and try to refute tachibanaâs claims. surely you didnât really look at narumi like that, right? you just saw him as a friend, honest! as the two continued their chat, you couldnât help but try and sneak a quick glance at your captain.
maybe that was another mistake you always make: look for him in every room then be uncharacteristically happy when you realize heâs also looking your way. you feel a smile creep up your face when he turns his console around to show off the bright âyou win!â title screen. narumi had that smug smirk on his face as he pushed his hair back so you could get the perfect view of his magenta eyes.Â
âjust friendsâ donât look at each other like this, like tachibana said, but narumi is your friend.Â
âwhat were you and platoon leader shinonome and tachibana talking about?â narumi suddenly asks. he caught you off guard so badly your in-game character died, making him let out a proud laugh. âha! i win.â
you roll your eyes and shove at his shoulder. âthatâs not fair. you distracted me.â
âhow could a question be a distraction?â he drawls, yawning and placing his head casually on your lap. this guy even had the audacity to reach for your hand and place it on his head, silently asking you to play with his hair.
you let out a sigh. âit was nothing. just the usual chat about the mission.âÂ
it was partially the truth, before lunch ended the three of you did talk about the upcoming mission. but no way in hell will you mention the way you talked about your questionable relationship with your captain.
you donât realize youâve stopped playing with his hair until his knuckles brush against your nose bridge. âyouâre acting really strange. the hell did you actually talk about?âÂ
âit's really nothing,â you reply just above whispering. you hate how your head consciously leaned more into his hand that now held your jaw and the way his voice sounded just a few octaves softer than normal. âyou donât have to worry about it.â
âtell me,â he demands, eyes narrowing down into a glare. âas your captain, i have the right to know whatâs bothering you.â
a snort left your lips as he tried to use the captain card on you but it never really worked. your fingers press on his forehead to try and ease his furrowed brows, the insides of your mind trying to find a way to deflect the topic but his eyes, oh his eyes, they tempt you like how the devil tempted eve to take the forbidden fruit.
âafter the next mission,â you start, eyes crinkling into small crescent moons as you smile. âiâll tell you if you manage to bring down the daikaiju in one hit.â
narumi smirks with all the arrogance and pride known to mankind before taking your hand in his. you bite your lip to stop the growing grin on your face as he presses a soft kiss inside your palm and whispers a soft promise to win the next fight with overwhelming strength.
âyou promise?â he asks, the playful smirk still on his lips and your palm pressed to the side of his face. but his eyes had just a tiny spark of worry. was it for the upcoming mission or was it because of what you wanted to say? either way, you ease his worries with a soft drag of your fingertips down his nose, like he did to you.
you nod with a defeated yet fond sigh. âi promise.â
âjust friendsâ didnât act this way nor did they make promises easily. gen narumi himself knew of the consequences of growing too close with his fellow officers, but you were different. you werenât just some other officerâyou were his before the both of you even knew it. sure, there were times where you stayed up at night staring at the ceiling trying to make out what your relationship actually is, but it always ended with you smiling like a fool accompanied with a furious blush on your cheeks.
âhow i wish to be officially yours, gen narumi.â
© vxnuslogy 2024. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my works without my knowledge or consent in other platforms or websites.
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â nuvole bianche.
pairing: scaramouche x gn!reader
premise: scaramouche, or kunikuzushi to you, never dreams. but after that accident on prom night, he's been dreaming more than he liked. he wonders if his past actions were actually enough.
â warnings: angst with slight comfort <3 + slight spoilers for the game "until then"
â author's note: this is what happens after i watch a playthrough of every depressing indie game. art credits to @.inertraccoon on twitter. | ~4.7k words.
âlook at you working so hard,â you tease as you sit beside him. âwhat happened to quitting hm?â
he only rolls his eyes at you and elbows your side. you scoff in offense and shove him back. for a while, the two of you went back and forth elbowing one another until you burst out into a fit of laughter. scaramouche only clicks his tongue, his eyes focusing back on the set of black and white keys in front of him. all the while feeling your lingering stare and the way it made the hairs on his arms stand.
âif youâre going to disturb me then leave. i have no use for distractions.â his voice was stern but you only threw him a smile. your own finger danced on the keys with his in perfect harmony, scaramouche couldnât help the small smirk that twitched at his lips.
âwill you finally tell me the name of your piece?â you ask.Â
he paused in his movement and just stared in front of him. you continued to play his piece with ease. scaramouche didnât want to acknowledge how your fingers had memorized every line and curve of his creativity with such precision; he begins to wonder if youâve taken all of his talents in playing the piano.
ânot a chance!â he replied, tone higher than normal.
you let out a sigh and shook your head. scaramouche stares at you with a blank expression, he takes note of the fading light from your eyes and the way your hands slowly drop to your lap. your head turned here and there, taking your surroundings in for some odd reason he didnât want to figure out.
âyouâre acting strange.â he points out and you smile.Â
âi just remembered how we first met, that's all.â
he lets out a groan and drags a hand down his face. âdonât remind me.â
your laugh ringed out the empty music room as you playfully shove at his shoulder.Â
âoh come on!â you say, wiping the pretend tears from your eyes. âour first meeting was cute.â
âi was ready to cut off your fingers.â
âlike i said, it was cute.â
he looks at you with a bewildered expression. his lips turned into an odd smile and his brow kept twitching in annoyance. âyouâre such a pain.â
âdonât lie to me kuni,â you tease. âi know you love me!â
âand for the nth time, donât call me that!â
you cease your teasing and just sigh. body leaning into him despite his protests. you drum your fingers on your lap as he continues to play the piece heâs so keen to keep a secret despite you helping him create it in the first place. for a moment, you close your eyes and relish in scaramoucheâs company. taking deep inhales, catching small whiffs of his perfume and tea he had this morning, then opening your eyes as you exhale.Â
âanother boy went missing today.â you randomly say which made him pause.
âwho is it this time?â he shifts closer to you; knees touching as you feel his hand interlace itself with your own. you bury your face further into the crook of his neck. you donât mention the way his ears flush a cute pink and how his breathing turned shaky.
âit was kazuha today.â you whisper. âhow long do you think before another one goes missing?â
he scoffs. you could practically see the frown that tugs at his lips. âdonât know and donât care.â
âdo you really not care?â
you detach yourself from him and look at his eyes. they were such an electric shade of purple, it almost felt illegal to look at them for free.Â
âwhy should i?â
âkuni come on.â
he glares at you and you screw your mouth shut.
scaramouche lets out a deep sigh and stood up. he grabbed your arm and started tugging you out of the music room.
âcome on,â he didn't bother to look back as he spoke. âweâll be late.â
âwhat if iâm the next to disappear?â
âthen iâll look for you.â
you stare at the back of his head with your mouth slightly agape. neither of you mention the way your classmates stared at your hands and the burning of your ears and cheeks.
â â
what a disaster, you thought. what was supposed to be a heartfelt reunion for a son and his mother turned into a bitter one-sided screaming fest. you flinch when the harsh slamming of the door echoed into the now silent kitchen.Â
âiâllâŠâ you start, pushing your chair back and giving an empathetic smile to the woman who looked identical to your hot headed friend. âgo look for him. please excuse me.â
as you close the sliding doors, you couldnât help but let out a long sigh. a hand dragging itself down your face as you try to spot the treehouse scaramouche had told you about. you dragged your feet into his old backyard and it wasnât long before you spotted a tree with a small wooden house, the bark had worn out ladders. taking a deep breath, you climb up.
âkuni, you there?â you call out but no one replied. when your head peeked into the slightly ajar door, you feel your heart sink. there he was, in all his mopey state, knees hugging his chest as his eyes stared blankly at the doll in his limp hand.
âhey..â you quietly approach him. âwhat was that back there? i thought you two were okay now.â
âi told you this wouldnât work out.â
you frown at his pessimism. âof course itâs not going to work out if you arenât even trying toââ
âbut i am trying!â he shouts, abruptly standing up from his sitting position. you felt a twinge of concernâfearâ when he glared at you with tears pricking his eyes while his hand tightly gripped the doll like a lifeline. âis it my fault she wasnât there when i needed her the most?! is it my fault that she was slowly spiraling into depression and compromising all her relationships?!â
âkuni come on,â you slowly stand and try to calm him down. âyou know i donât mean it like that.â
âthen what did you mean!?â he stomps his way over to one of the desks and slams his hands down. you have no doubt that the adults back in the house heard it with how loud it was.Â
âi wanted my mother to be there for me when i lost someone important to me.â he murmurs, head hanging low. one hand grips the stray picture frame on the desk and in one violent action, throws it across the room. you flinch at the loud shattering of glass clamored in the rickety old treehouse.
âkuni!âÂ
âyou said you understand.â
âwhat?â
your feet subconsciously stepped back when scaramouche turned to glare at you â eyes cold and cruel. he pressed his lips into a thin line, his eyes following your movement like a hawk.
âyou said you understood me, was that also a lie?â his voice cut through the air like a cold knife. he no longer looked like the kunikuzushi you grew up with. the words get stuck in your throat, your mind racing to try and say somethingâanything.
âbut i do understanââ
âthen why are you taking her side!?â
âbut iâm not taking anyoneâs side!â you take a deep breath and rub your temples. âkuni, please, just try to calm down.â
he only clicked his tongue, the sound harsh like the oncoming storm outside.
âwhere are you going?!â you shout, chasing after him.
âdonât follow me.â
âkuni!â
you try to reach for his hand but the sharp slap echoes in the rain-soaked air. you felt your eyes widen and for a while, you saw a flash of regret and hurt in his eyes as you let your hand drop to your side. he could glare at you all he wanted but youâll always see through himâ at least he hoped you could still recognize him. the way your frown deepened, how you cradled your wrist, and the way your hair slowly hid your eyesâ scaramouche was sure you would be the next one to leave him.
âiâm trying my best to understand, kunikuzushi.â you whisper.
how long has it been since you called him by his full name?
âbut itâs so hard when all you do is detach yourself when someone tries to get close to you. itâs suffocating yâknow?â
âthen leave,â he replies, colder than before.
âand what if i actually did?â
scaramouche opened and closed his mouth to reply but no words came out. what would he do if you actually left? would he return to his reclusive self? pushing anyone and everyone away if they tried to get too close? but wasnât he already doing this right now? what is wrong with him.
âyou never tell me anything, kuni, not how you feel nor what's going on,â tears prick your eyes as you try to approach him again. âcanât you see how much this is hurting us? when will you finally let it go? when will you finally move on from the things that have hurt you instead of holding grudges? itâs so painful to see you so stuck in the past.â
âiâm not as forgiving as you.â
âyou donât have to forgive her for anything!â
âyou donât understand.â
âthen make me understand! for once kuni, just tell me what youâre feeling instead of leaving me to guess.â
this was going nowhere, he thought. so he did what he does best: runaway and never look back. you call out to him, you even try to catch up to him but the sudden downpour of rain made it hard to make out his figure that slowly disappeared. he ground his teeth together and gripped his hair.Â
âiâm a fucking mess.â
â â
scaramouche stared at himself in front of the mirror. dressed in formal kimono for tonightâs prom theme. a deep sigh left him as he readjusted his haori. the house was unusually chatty tonight â most probably because his mother was downstairs with nahida and her mother. it filled the normally quiet and serene atmosphere with something warm.
itâs been around a week and a half since you had last talked to him. he hasnât heard from you since he dropped off the box of dango with a note asking for a dance, he hopes you liked them. he reached for the gel on his desk but he hesitates, not sure if he wanted to gel his hair back or just leave it as is. youâve always nagged him about being presentable, now itâs become a habit of his to bring a small mirror and a comb wherever he goes.
a knock echoed in his room.Â
âmay i come in, kunikuzushi?â ei, his mother, asked from the other side.
for a brief moment, he hears your voice. urging him to open the door and let his mother inside, hear her out. with another sigh he reluctantly gets up from his seat and opens the door.
âdo you need anything?â he asks bluntly, raising a brow at the older woman her mouth opened and closed, eyes looking everywhere but him. it makes him frown but he doesnât dwell on it for long.
ei cleared her throat and gestured if she could come in. scaramouche relented.Â
âiâm glad the kimono still fits you,â she finally says. âblue suits you better than purple.â
âthank youâŠâ he quietly mutters, ignoring the sudden spike in his temperature.
âbefore you leave, i wanted you to have this.â
a feathered ornament was placed on his hands and he felt the wind get knocked out of him. heâs suddenly taken back to the old backyard where he and a younger boy played under the big sakura tree that housed their little base.
scaramouche bitterly smiled and twirled the ornament in between his fingers. âi thought you threw it away.â
ei frowns. her hands smoothing out the creases of his white nagagi and his haori. âyou treasured that little feather, how could i possibly throw it away.â
he doesnât say anything more and lets his mother fix up his appearance. she helped him readjust the kakuobi on his waist, brush out his hair, and even assisted him in making the red eyeliner he always wore be even.
âis [name] at the venue already?â he asks as he boarded the car, waving goodbye to nahida at the porch.
âi assume they are,â miko answered as she buckled the seat belt. âbe sure to make up with them alright? all of my hard work in getting you that kimono from chiori would be wasted if you donât.â
scaramouche rolls his eyes and looks out the window. he canât help but frown at the feeling thatâs swimming in his guts. something bad is going to happenâhe was sure of it.
â â
the venue was obnoxiously â in his mindâ decorated, but it was overall decent. in the distance he could see some of his classmates (re: friends) on the dance floor. when aetherâs eyes caught sight of him, the blonde boy immediately waved him over but scaramouche only ducked under his hand when venti wrapped an arm around his shoulder.
âget off of me!â he protests and tries to run away but a tanned hand dragged him back to the dance floor.
âcome on man,â sethos grins at him. âlet loose a bit!â
and thatâs how scaramouche got dragged all over the venue with his little band of misfits. xiao and albedo were chatting by their table, the purple haired boy threw his middle finger up when albedo stuck out his tongue at his misery while xiao only rolled his eyes in amusement. the twins were by the dj requesting songs and heizou was on stage performing with childe.
scaramouche sighed for the nth time and let a small smile slip out. he only rolled his eyes when venti tugged at his cheeks and when charlotte took a photo of them. for the entire night, he let himself enjoy everyoneâs company, all the while, keeping an eye out for you.
âscara, look over there.â itto nudged him and pointed across the room.
his heart suddenly started racing when he saw your figure slip away behind the gymnasium doors.
âwas that [name]?â lumine asked, her brows furrowed. âshould we go follow them? itâs raining pretty heavily...â
rain. scaramouche felt his feet run towards the doors, ignoring the shouts of concern from his peers. it was raining tonight. he couldnât shake the growing dread that gripped his heart as the rain poured down.Â
the raindrops felt like small bullets that penetrated his skin. he was in pain and he didnât know why. his mind kept screaming at him to run, and run, and run, but he didnât know where he was running to. to catch up to you? no. thatâs wrong, he is trying to catch you, so yes. maybe?
âyouâre almost there.â a voice that sounded like yours echoed and everything went white.
scaramouche was suddenly inside an all too familiar roomâyour music room. there was a piano in the middle where you sat on the stool, the giant window in front of you was left open. the white curtains flowed with the wind as he tentatively tried to take a step closer.
âyou know,â you start, fingers pressing onto the keys to play a familiar tune he knew by heart. âyou never really told me what you titled this piece.â
âhow is that relevant now?â he snapped, voice raising in volume. why did he sound so frustrated? why did this feel so familiar but strange at the same time?
âi guess there are some things youâll never get to know, huh?â your tone was sad, but accepting.
you stop playing at the part he composed for you.
âwhy did you stop?â his voice turned shaky, the panic settling in his gut.
you look back at him and smile. âyou donât need to be too hard on yourself you know.â
âhey!â he shouts, chasing after your vanishing figure. when he tried you catch your wrist, it suddenly turned to smoke, inevitably slipping through his fingers. he felt his heart drop when he looked to see you standing in front of the giant window.
âyou need to go now, kuni.â
â[name]!â he cried, desperation clawing at his chest.
you flash him one last smile.Â
âdonât leave me alone!â
and then he was back outside under the harsh downpour of rain. his hands meet the pavement hard, he felt the pain shoot up all the way to his head but he didnât care. this was too familiarâtoo painfully fucking familiar. his breathing started to turn shallow, vision blurring with his tears as the rain continued to pound down on him, drenching him straight to the bone.
give up.
he refused.
give up.
he refused.
give uâ
âkuni?âÂ
he looks up from the pavement and he sees you there, across the street. under the bus stop with your hand under the rain. there were tears on the corners of your eyes as you realized that it was him.
you laugh in disbelief and rub at your tears. âyou came all this way, for me?â
âyou idiot,â he curses at you as he stands up. âi wouldnât have had to if you hadnât left. i still want that dance!â
scaramouche felt his smile slip away when a flash appeared in his mindâ a warning, a memory, an inkling feeling that something bad is going to happen.
âdonât!âÂ
but it was too late. he willed his feet to stand up and help you. save you like you did to him. what went wrong? everything was fineâhe was talking with his mother again, he can play the piano without having the urges to jump off a cliff, he had friends now, he had you. so why did everything start clicking into place in his mind, as if this was how itâs supposed to end?Â
am i too late? he asked himself as he reached a hand for you. everything was too slow, he caught every expression that went across your face that was painfully illuminated by the yellow headlights.Â
will the last time you played piano together truly be the last?
âwhy are you smilingâŠ?â he asks, voice breaking in disbelief.
but if that truly was the last time, then how will you find out that he named the piece after you?
âwhy are you doing this to me!â he shouted, voice echoing in the empty streets.
he didnât quite pick up on what you said the last time you two played in the music room. it was something along the lines of âyouâre so mean.â or âwhy wonât you tell me?â but those donât feel quite right. why couldnât he remember?
âdonât leave.â he pleaded, just above whisper.
why didnât he pay enough attention?
you once told him, âthe greatest movies are never made.â but he often wanted to counter them with âbut here you are in front of me.â will he never get the chance to tell you that?
ah.Â
now he remembers.
the words you said that day, it wasâŠ.
âi love you, kunikuzushi.â
â âÂ
beep. beep. beep.
so this was it? he asked himself as he stared at his hands. they were bandaged and bloodied. the heart monitorâs rhythmic beeping made his ears ring, feeling each beep drill itself into his skull as the doors opened and a flood of nurses and doctors rushed in.
the mask over his lips continued to fog up with his labored breathing, adding to that suffocating feeling inside his chest. everything was too muchâ too loud, too bright, too real. he wanted to leave. he needed to see you. but his vision blurred as his body gave out, collapsing back on his bed. was he dying? but didnât he already die? this didnât make sense.
a warm hand gripped his arm. when he turned to look at the person he felt the last flickers of hope in his heart die out. it wasnât you.
there by his side was his mother, eyes blown wide and breath shaky as she tried to calm her breathing. she looked so strange, that frazzled and panicked look in her eyes didnât belong there. she was supposed to look stern, strongâunyielding, not this fragile, worried mother.
â[name]...â he whispers. still clinging onto that small shimmer of hope.
âiâm so sorry, kunikuzushi.â eiâs voice brokes as she hung her head low, tears dropping to his arm.Â
âoh.â
the word slipped from his lips, barely audible. so it was a dream after all.Â
â âÂ
home didnât feel quite like home without you. even more so as his acquaintances (re: friends) helped him store everything in boxes. the twins were arguing over something, xiao and albedoâs little sisters were playing in one of the spare rooms, childe and itto were competing to see who could carry the most boxes, and his mothers were helping move his piano.
scaramouche ended the call with a breath of relief. he pocketed his phone and stared blankly at the sealed cd in one of the boxes. ei told him it was found on your body on the night of the accident. he frowned at the memory but picked up the cd nonetheless.
nahida told him he had run off in the middle of prom when his mother arrived. you chased after him and the both of you unfortunately got into an accident. the dreamsâhallucinations maybeâ were created by consciousness to cope with the guilt, his psychiatrist said. zhongli said it would be best to distance himself from anything that reminded him of you, but how could he? not when every turn he took you in this small town you were there.
ripping the plastic and placing the cd in his worn out cd player, he skipped through the songs. a smile creeping up his lips when he realized you finally got it right. you burned the cd with songs he actually liked.
âhelloâŠ? is this thing working?â
scaramouche stopped. so did everyone present in the room when they heard your voice. from the corner of his eye, he saw miko try to approach him but ei held her back. for the nth time in the past 8 months since he woke up, he felt grateful for the woman.
âitâs flashing red so iâm just gonna assume itâs recording. if itâs not then this is gonna be very, very, embarrassing.â you laugh and paused. âiâm not really sure why iâm doing this. maybe itâs because iâve been having this strong sense of deja vu? it kinda keeps me up at night, yâknow? the thought that i wonât be able to tell you, so here i am, recording just in case something bad happens.â
he winces at your keen intuition but he makes no effort to stop playing the recording.
âitâs⊠been hard. seeing you in so much pain, i mean. it just became harder when we grew up and all i could do was just⊠watch. i didnât know how to help. i was there, but it never felt like it was actually enough. was i doing enough, kuni?â you chuckle bitterly. âi never got why you wanted to be called scaramouche. names are an important part of someoneâs identity, so i kinda get why you wanted to be called something else, but i donât think iâll see you as someone who isnât kunikuzushi. sorry about that. maybe iâm also a bit stuck in the past, like you.â
he feels ei sit beside him, guiding his head to lay on her shoulder as your voice continues to echo throughout the now empty house.
âi hope in the future, you arenât so hard on yourself and you continue playing the piano. seeing that spark in your eyes again, though almost always momentarily, makes me really happy. i felt a part of me become jealous. i never liked piano that much; i only ever played it because you liked it. i felt a little bit left behind. i donât know. i-i just thought, youâd be stuck with me in this gray area for a little longer.â your voice started to shake. âi felt really sick and guilty when i started to hope youâd fail the audition. iâm so sorry about that. you were working so hard, and that made me want to work hard too! so i started practicing without you. i asked furina to mentor me, and oh boy, was she strict.â you chuckle. âbut it was worth it. seeing that look of bewilderment on your face when i played nuvole bianche for auditions was really cute! i donât think iâve seen that expression on your face before.â
âw-whoa, whoa why is the red flashing slowing down?! is the recording gonna end?!â
he laughs at your panicked state. fiddling with the cd case in his hands.
âwell okay then, iâll wrap this message up. kuni, iâm so glad i met you when i climbed over our fenced gates. iâll never forget that confused look on your face when i jumped over it and landed in your backyard and just, started listening to you play. you know, i was very sure youâd call your mom and have me kicked out.â you chuckle and take a deep breath. âi like you, you know. like very, very much and not in the friends type of like. for the longest time, iâve had the biggest crush on you. iâm surprised you didnât notice! hell even xiao figured it out and heâs the densest person i know!â
scaramouche turns to glare at xiao who only shrugged his shoulders.
âbut yeah, i like you. i canât really make a grand confession, i suck at words. if⊠if you really want to know how much i like you, then come over to my place and iâll show you this piece i made for you! i donât know what to title it yet but iâm thinking about âkabukimonoâs finale.â oh crap the red flashing is gone now! okay, okay, bye now kuni! and please donât be too hard on yourself okay? remember,â you pause. âi love you.â
and like that, the recording ended. scaramouche sat there on the floor with his mother for a long time. everyone had finished moving his stuff out and all that was left were his piano and the cd player in front of him. slowly, he closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath.Â
âthank you,â he says in a quiet whisper. âfor being here, i mean.â
ei smiled and patted down his hair, still using her shoulder as his makeshift headrest.
âyouâre welcome.â she replied with a kiss to the crown on his head.
he carefully placed the cd back in its case and tucked it into a box labeled â[name].â standing up, he takes one last look around the house.
âthank you,â he whispered once more. scaramouche could have sworn he saw you turn to look at him from the piano stool to flash him a smile and a small wave. the light reflecting in your eyes reminded him of the filtered sunlight that slipped through the cracks of that giant window in your music room. he wonders if this was real or just a final farewell his mind conjured up to seal the gaping hole inside his chest. but maybe it didnât matter.
he isnât quite sure if you understood the weight of both your words, but they were enough. the house is quiet again, but not nearly as lonely as it felt after he woke up. there was a feeling of peace in the silence, like a final note thatâs still lingering just long enough for the melody to be completed.Â
as he walked out of the house, leaving the boxes for the movers to move, scaramouche felt a sense of peace wash over him. the pain and guilt of losing you will never really disappear, but he had to walk down a path without you sooner or later. but for the first time since that accident, he felt like he could finally let go of the past.Â
step after step as he crossed the road and further away from his childhood home, he smiledâ a small bittersweet smile. this wonât be enough to ease the pain but it was the beginning of something new. and for now, that was enough.
© vxnuslogy 2024. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my works without my knowledge or consent in other platforms or websites.
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â to fall for the sun.
pairing: albedo x gn!reader
premise: albedo was not a poet, but for you, he could try to become one.
â warnings: fluff, yearner albedo, he sucks at poetry (he's trying his best), poor attempts in making poetry at the end
â authorâs notes: this is a remake of my old albedo fic but instead of angst, its fluff so yippie!! art credits goes to @.Jotto75 on twitter. thank you to @lowkeyren for proofreading and creating the title <3 | ~1.4k words.
âmr. albedo, are you alright?â sucrose, his assistant, asked. worry etched in her eyes as she watches her mentorâs hunched figure throw away another crumpled piece of paper.Â
âyes, yes, iâm quite alright. please donât mind me.â
but albedo was anything but alright. he pushed his messy hair back with his hand and let out a tired sigh. albedo had ultimately underestimated your talent in making poetryâhe had always assumed you just wrote whatever you felt on paperâno need for fancy words or metaphors. yet here he was, on the third day in a row, filling the small trash bin in his office with poorly written declarations of love.
albedo wonders how you do it. you, a traveler from fontaine, coming to visit mondstadt to explore the nationâs ballads and poetry, had easily captured the hearts of many by just walking down the cobblestone paths that lead inside its walls. you with your charming presence, felt like a character from an inazuman fairytale, had even captured the bard in green. but more than that, you had captured his attentionâmaybe even his heartâby simply existing.
with one glance you had enamored his chalky heart. suddenly, the paint brushes that were in his hand itched to be used on a blank canvas to paint your portrait, wanting to forever remember the smile that glowed under the afternoon sun. albedo couldâve sworn he saw fresh cecilias beneath your feet with every step you took inside the city.Â
in one glance, you flashed him a knowing smile and gave him a bow.Â
venti played his lyre and before the chalk prince knew, he was tugged into a dance near the cityâs fountain. everyone laughed and danced and sang, but all albedo could see was the way you sat by the bard, a quill in your hand and a piece of parchment on the other. you cleared your throat, capturing everyoneâs attention and started reciting your magnum opus.
albedo didnât quite understand most of its contentâa real shame he thinksâbut there was one line that made his mind tick in interest.
âwhy does icarus continue to fly despite his impending doom?â
he was not a poet by any means, he was a researcher, a slave to finding the truth, but he found the mystery behind your words worth uncovering.Â
so for the next few days you stayed in mondstadt, albedo had asked for your time to ask you questions. the two of you spent your time in dragonspine in his lab. he asked about your inspirations as you chatter about your love for words and asked him in return on why he paints. albedo concluded after your time together that you were simply born with poetry running through your veins and pumping metaphors and analogies to your beating heart. there was no sense of logic in your beingâit wasnât a bad thing, emotions seemed to transcend all logic to begin withâand he found that incredibly charming.
which leads to his predicament now: inside his office, trying to rack his brain on a verse that would evoke the same feeling you showed him when you first met.
he loved your poetic mind, the calluses from pens on your fingers, your ink-stained blouses and hands, the love letters hidden under the guise of friendly affectionsâhe loved you. but he didnât know how to showcase it. relationships were troublesomeâhard to maintain. but he wanted to try. he didnât fall in love easilyâhe didnât even know he was capable of falling in loveâbut he felt his growing yearning for you deep in his chalk stained bones. for once in his life, albedo wanted his fixation and interest in you to last a lifetime, afraid of the lingering bittersweet sensation that you would leave him.
with one last sigh, he picked up his sketchbook and left his office. a change of pace would surely inspire him, he tried to convince himself, but not even a few steps later, he sees you by the entrance of the knightâs headquarters. and like the first time, you flashed him a smile with those eyes and his mind went blank. you tug at his handâhis heartâever so gently, urging him to have a picnic with you under the afternoon sun.
âyou seem to really love using icarus in your poems.â albedo randomly mentioned, taking a bite of the adventurerâs sandwich you bought. you only hum and continue to write in your journal. against his better judgment, albedo leaned into your space, trying to take a peek of your newest piece, but you quickly shut the journal and stuck your tongue at him.
âpeeking is rather rude yâknow?â you jest and his chuckle ringed out.Â
âpardon my rudeness,â he said. âi was simply curious.â
albedo was sure there was something swimming in his chestâfondness, most probablyâas you flash him a knowing smile. you take out something from your bag, a crown made out of cecilias and windwheel asters, and place it on the crown of his head, leaving him with a quiet but undeniable joy that he couldnât quite name.
âi see myself as icarus, thatâs my answer.â
âhow so?â he asked, mindlessly flipped through his sketchbook and felt a growing smile tug at his lips when he saw your handwriting in the corners of a few pages.Â
you donât answerâyou never doâ but albedo never minded. he liked it whenever you left him guessing. for the rest of the afternoon, you both spend your time in each otherâs presence as you eat your food. you talked about the new book lisa had given you to read in your spare time and he asked you what colors he should use on his next painting. âyellow because they remind me of you.â would always be your reply and heâd comply.
by the time he waved you goodbye and sat back down in his office, there was another letter pressed in his sketchbook. he could already feel his heart racing as he reached for it.
âto my dearest, albedo
you seem to really ponder over the last verse of my poem when i first arrived in mondstatd. i must say, i feel honored that i made your mind tick with curiosity. i found myself gravitating towards your presence more and more after you asked me if i could be the subject of your painting. that was the first time iâve ever been the muse to someoneâs creation. it sent my heart into a giddy fit you know. you are no poet, as i am no painter; i cannot paint the image i have of you on a canvas, but i can put my affections into words. after all, the verse âwhy does icarus continue to fly despite his impending doom.â was always meant for youâto capture your attention.â
albedo sat down on his chair, a gloved covering half of his face to hide the pathetically infatuated smile on his face. he took out the second letter from the envelope, bracing his heart to whatever emotion you would stir inside him.
âlike icarus, i found myself
flying straight into the pools of his eyes
with my wings made of wax,Â
i soared straight into his guarded heart
and let his burning affections scorch me and melt my wings.
then i fellâor so i thought
my body did not meet the ground harshly,
for he caught me,
in all the gentleness known to mankind,Â
he treated my scorched skin with care.
i was icarus and he is my sun,
with gold and glitter in all his glory.
icarus is a fool in love.
why does icarus continue to fly, despite his impending doom?
because the sun is icarusâs love.
in every lifetime, he will always choose to fall,
loving him despite it being too hot, too close.
icarus is a fool in love, for without the sun,
he would have no reason to live.
why would icarus fly if he had no sun to fly to?â
albedoâs eyes traced over the last line of your poem, his heart rattling with uncharacteristic tenderness and a gentle ache. your words had breathed life to the emotions he never knew he was capable of feeling.
he looked down on his sketchbook, then out the window to gaze at the setting sun. the warmth reminding him of your love for icarusâhim. he was no poet, but for you, he could perhaps become one.
with careful hands like you described in your poem, he folded the parchment and placed it gently into his sketchbook, right beside the finished sketch of you under the afternoon sun, cecilias blooming right under your feet. a small smile tugged at his lips as he picked up his pencil.
for the first time in a long while, albedo finally understood what it meant to be inspired.
© vxnuslogy 2024. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my works without my knowledge or consent in other platforms or websites.
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â rainswept sins, you're forgiven.
pairing: sunday x gn!reader
premise: in the presence of the harsh downpour of rain, you and sunday let it was away your past sins and learn how to finally forgive.
â warnings: slight angst if you squint.
â author's note: me when i get motivated to write when tiktok shows me random poetry and they remind me of sunday <3. if any of the hunters sees this, yes the title is intentional LMAOO. art credits to @.helen_zzhao. | 2.4k words.
what a dull day today was your first thought. here you were, stranded on the planet of mendasia after a mission, clutching your bag filled with exotic flower. the downpour of the rain was unrelenting as you heaved out a sigh. youâve already sent a message in your group chat for someone to come pick you up after not heeding kafkaâs warnings. even under the rain, the wasteland that was once graced by idrila, looked beautiful. still carrying that paradise people sang about in ballads.Â
the sight reminded you of that fateful day of your aeonâs final departure.
you were taken back to the days where everything was simple. how you longed to watch the stars pass you by in a blur while adventuring. the golden ticket hidden in your breast pocket suddenly felt heavier than it should have. it was always like this; remembering was painful but you couldnât bring yourself to forget.
âyouâll catch a cold, mx. [name].â the rain over your head ceased as the figure of a certain halovian came into view. he still had a soft smile on his face when the raindrops soaked his hair and wings. he looked more like a wet cat than an angel sent from above. speaking of wings, when you look up, a surge of pride washed over your heart when you saw his wings in their full glory.
âtheyâre beautifulâŠâ you reply in a whisper. hand coming to smooth out the feathers and gliding over the golden exoskeleton you created after your last mission in the capital of passion. you donât miss the slight shudder that went through him when your hand touched his feathers. âhave they been serving you well?â
sunday stands beside you, shielding you away from the rain. his gloved hand tugging at your sleeve, pulling you closer to his side. âthey have, thank you for creating them.â
you hum in response. pushing away your drenched hair, you soak in his new clothes. he still wore a black shirt with the same gold engravings of the order thatâs layered with a white coat and a black corset hugging his abdomen with matching white pants and his usual shoes. when you peer over his shoulder you take notice of the small cape in dark blue. sunday cleared his throat after noticing your staring.
âmiss kafka had them tailored for me,â he said, voice laced with shyness. âdo they look strange?â
âyou look beautiful in white.â
shocked and unprepared for your straightforwardness, sunday couldnât help the flush that creeped up his cheeks and ears. wings flapping slightly in secret delight as he looked forward. a curled gloved hand hiding half of his face when he muttered a soft thank you.Â
maybe your nostalgia was fueling your bravery. you werenât this blunt and forward with your compliments to sundayâs beauty, but today you let yourself heave out a sigh in contentment. sunday was always a sight to behold, premium eye candy if you will. you stopped eyeing the man when your conversation with elio replayed in your mind.
âyou cannot favor him over the rest, [name].â destinyâs slave said as he sat down behind his desk.Â
âiâm not favoring him.â you weakly argued, taking the seat across from him. you had always teased his appearance for looking like a sickly victorian child in a pandemic, but you figured now was not a good time to joke.
the man sighed and leaned back on his chair. âwhatâs really bothering you, [name]?â
you pause for a moment before replying.
âmaybe recruiting sunday was the wrong choice.â you donât point out how his eyes widened. rarely do you question elioâs intentions of recruiting other hunters, heâs done you a big favor in the past and questioning him would be rather ungrateful. but still, you canât help but let the monster in your heart claw at your ribs. âhe doesnât belong here.â
âand where do you suppose he will go? the express?â
you opened and closed your mouth, no reply leaving your lips as destinyâs slave sighed.
âyou cannot project your wishes to be redeemed onto him.â he stands up with his arms crossed behind back. voice unwavering and so sure it left you looking down on your curled hands. feeling like a child being scolded for speaking out of turn. âyouâve made your choice. let him make his own.â
âmx. [name]?â
you snapped out of your flashback when sunday took hold of your shoulder. grip tight with concern and eyes furrowed with confusion. shaking your head you clutch your bag tighter and sigh for the nth time. âiâm sorry what were you saying?â
he pressed his lips to a thin line, letting his hand retreat to his side. âi said we should wait for the rain to stop before meeting with the others.â
oh, thatâs right. sunday must have seen your message and came to pick you up. staring up at the sky, you try to predict how long youâll be stranded under the rain with only his wing and being shielding you from the cold.
âis your wing tired yet?â you ask and look at him. âit might take a while before the rain stops.â
with a small smile he shook his head no. a chuckle leaving his lips when his hand came to fidget with his gold earring. a small habit you notice heâd do whenever heâs deep in thought. âdonât worry, this is a good form of exercise for me.â
you only hummed. eyes staring at your feet and the nearby puddles of water caused by the rain.Â
âthis reminds me of the time when you first found me.â sunday spoke, his voice laced with tenderness.Â
you smile and chuckle. âiâm surprised you remember.â
he let out a snort and shrugged his shoulders. âwell, it was quite memorable. i feel a couple hundred feet from the air and suddenly a black cat and its owner come to save me.â
âi take it this is your way of repaying the favor?â you jest.
âi suppose it is.â
as you both wait for the rain to stop, you take your time to reflect on how far youâve gotten in your journey. youâve changed, but youâre still the same person that boarded the train you didnât even know existed. the same carelessness that landed you a quick scolding session from a higher being. the love for invention and taking pride when others use it. you still liked the conductorâs coffee over tea but drank it whenever kafka offered you a cup. you were still you after everything.
and sunday was the same. he was still a bit awkward with the others, but he didnât completely avoid everyone anymore. he started joining everyone when eating and he still has that sacrificial mindset of his that lands him a chop to the head. and he still knew how to read everyone like a book.
âdo you regret joining destinyâs slave?â
âthereâs really no escaping you, is there?â
you reach out your hand to feel the rain under your skin. shoulders tensing when the cold drops felt more like bullets penetrating your skin. you ponder over the question in your head. you wonder what expression you were making for sunday to scoot just a tiny bit closer to you. a distance that far surpasses what he deems professional.
âjust a bit.â
âpardon?â
âi regret it. but just a small smidget of it.â you take a deep breath and pull your hand back. taking out the golden ticket from your breast pocket, you stare at it with eyes filled with longing. âi miss akivili; more than i should.â
âakivili,â sunday mutters under his breath. âyour aeon?â
you chuckle. âmore than that. they were my family.â
turning the small ticket over, you see your name engraved in it with their handwriting. âthey were my aeon. i never realized how much i devoted to them until i lost it all.â
this was why elio warned you to keep your head straight whenever it came to sunday. just like him, you were too devoted to a god thatâs already long gone. the thought of akivili being dead often sent you spiraling into a hysterical fit of sadness. elio feared you would go out of your way to look into sundayâs methods on how to revive a fallen aeon.
âi never realized.â sunday murmurs, his molten gold eyes stared at the ticket with furrowed brows. âdo the other hunters know?â
âjust elio and kafka.â you flip the gold bar like a coin in your hands to distract yourself. âthey were there when i went haywire and nearly got myself killed.âÂ
you feel sundayâs gaze bore a hole into the side of your head. âwhy didnât you go back?â
thatâs a good question, why didnât you go back? it was obvious from the conductorâs anonymously sent letters and not to mention the missing posters of you plastered on the planets youâve traveled to. the poor thing wanted nothing more than for you to come back, but you chose to become a slave to destiny instead. all because of your guilt and shame.
âelio often told me, âyou love akivili too muchâ and i suppose heâs right,â you chuckle as you tuck the ticket back in your breast pocket. âi love them to death. and theyâd be the only one to bring me back to life. they were my everything. and i killed them.â
âwhat?â
you turn to sunday, a bitter smile on your lips. âare you surprised?â
âiââ sunday paused, trying to piece his words together. âi donât believe it.â
you sigh. âwell, to say that i killed them wouldnât be accurate. but still, the fact that i got them killed still remains.â
âsurely there must be more to that story.âÂ
a chuckle left your lips. âi wish that were the case. but if i were to lay down the entire story, it all comes down to one thing.â
âand that is?â
ârecklessness.â
you smile at sundayâs efforts at comforting you, but you didnât like the frazzled look in his eyes. both pairs of his wings tense in an uncomfortable way it has you wincing. if you hadn't grazed your hand over his feathers he wouldâve let them be tense the entire way back and you didnât want that. you didnât want to compromise his progress.
âdo you think your a bad person, mx. [name]?â he asked. eyes trained on the tip of his shoes.
your hands pause their ministrations. caught off guard by his questions, your eyes widened as you looked at sunday. you notice the uncertainty in his eyes, the tension that started to build up on his shoulders, as if heâs bracing for a blow. the question isnât unfamiliar, you often ask yourself after that particular mission and those conversations with elio.Â
before you can respond, sunday lifts his gaze and meets yours. the same pool of gentleness you saw on the roof on your last mission. âi donât think you are. iâve seen firsthand on how much you care âabout me and the othersâhow hard you try to keep everyone safe and on the right track.â
âdo i now?â you jest with a tilt of your head.
sunday continues, his voice steady and sure. âeveryone has their moments of regret. actions they wish to undo. but,â he takes a closer step to you and takes hold of your hand. âthose moments donât define your entirety. you taught me that, didnât you?â
you think back on when you first met sunday as he rubbed circles on your knuckles. how he didnât even want to eat the food you offered him in a fit of paranoia. the way heâd pace around the base at night because his past haunted his dreams. and the time when you sat him down after a nasty fall when he tried to take flight, a conversation of vulnerability that had him grimacing and hissing like a stray cat.Â
âi did say that didnât i.â you chuckle and close your eyes. the feeling of his spread wing encircled you in a slight hug, you didnât even realize that the rain had died down to a soft drizzle.
âyou told me that the mistakes iâve made in the past shouldnât chain me; that iâm free to move on from them. redemption isnât a one-time thing; itâs a journey.â
you feel a lump in your throat form, voice cracking slightly. âand what if those moments have piled up to one giant mess that can be deemed unforgivable?â
âbut i forgive you.â
his words hung in the air like a lifeline for you to grab. you look at sunday, truly look at him ânot just a quick peek or glance. even when his bangs stuck to his forehead in the rain, you felt such a pull to his eyes that reminded you of the morning sun; the dawn you always looked forward to after a tough night. his eyes reflected the faith youâve tried to show him when he first joined.
âsundayâŠâ you start, but he only shakes his head.
âi forgive you, [name] âeveryone has. i know youâre trying, and that means more than the mistakes youâve made in the past.â
slight tears prick at the corner of your eyes as you lean your head on his chest. âand who gave you the right to forgive me huh? i know you havenât forgiven yourself for what youâve done back in penacony.â
âthen iâll repent,â his arm pulled you closer to his chest, his hand supporting the back of your head. âeven the devil would kiss your eyes and beg for forgiveness if it meant youâll be kinder to yourself.â
you feel the warmth of his embrace; the steady beating of his heart that sounded like peace and home. for a brief moment, you rejoice in his comfort. âsunday,â you whisper, voice still shaky. âit isnât that easy.â
he gently lifts your chin to meet his gaze. âit never is, but itâs necessary, isnât it? you canât keep chaining yourself to the past forever.â
you close your eyes, feeling scared to meet his resolve. âi donât think i can forgive myself for what happened.â
âbut akivili would,â he says softly. âthey were not my aeon, and i doubt they ever will, but i wholly believe they would forgive you. they would see the good in you, just as i do.â
âyouâre one strange bird, sunday.â you playfully say. opening your eyes to peer at him with a smile. âthe express would have loved you, just as much as i have.â
âakivili would have forgiven you, too.â
© vxnuslogy 2024. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works.
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â a waltz with fate.
pairing: aventurine x gn!reader
premise: the fate of luck never had anything of great value after shedding his mortal shell, until you came to him for help. now, aventurine struggles against destiny to make sure you're not taken away from him for the second time.
â warnings: slight angst if you squint, reader is described as feminine and is called princess a few times but still use "you/they/them" pronouns, slight spoilers for events in once upon a broken heart.
â author's note: this is very once upon a broken hearted inspired so please go give it a read! art credits to @yeurei | ~3.1k words.
aventurine was not obsessed. one more visit didnât equate to obsession. he simply wanted to make sure you were safe and sound; that you were still alive. yes, aventurine just wanted to double check that you werenât bleeding on the shoulder like last time. in danger. unhappy. or uncomfortable. you were safe here, because he was watching over you.
a pained sigh left his lips as his hand came to ruffle his already unruly hair. his eyes scanning over your figure who slept soundly in the bed of your temporary room in penacony. aventurine clicked his tongue as he took a good look at the space. muted colors of silver, whites, and blues didnât suit you. vibrant colors of yellows, pinks, and turquoise suited your rowdy personality better. these colors made you stand out even more, captivating everyone in the room with just a glance.Â
âtime to wake up now, friend.â he merrily whispered near your ear, so incredibly close it made him feel intimate. it left a painful tearing inside his already broken heart. as expected, you opened your bleary eyes at him. he saw how your lips tried to scream at him for sneaking into your room but it never left your throat as he throwed a dress right at your face.Â
âthe party is about to start,â he heard you shuffle out of bed and lay out the dress. âitâd be a shame if you were late.â aventurine threw a grin over his shoulder when you rolled your eyes at him. grin growing wider when he realized you planned on wearing the dress he picked out for you despite the irrelevant dress code of only wearing white, black and gold.
âhow kind of you, lord aventurine.â there it was. the same playful lilt of your voice.Â
you were growing too trustful of him again. aventurine didnât know if his heart fluttered or broke into a million more pieces.
âwell what can i say?â shrugging his shoulders he made his way to your balcony. âiâm feeling generous tonight. maybe iâll even ask you for a dance tonight!â
another roll of your eyes and you're already waving him goodbye. âoh how marvelous! iâll be sure to rub it on the poor faces of the ladies that would die to dance with you.â
aventurine let out a hearty laugh as he left your room with a single graceful jump. but his happiness was short lived when he spotted a familiar white snake coiling around the tree branch that was placed coincidentally right in front of your balcony. the man scoffed as the snake slithered down the tree and disappeared into the bushes. no doubt planning on telling its master of what it just saw.Â
for the longest time, aventurine never minded the still and quietness of the night. but this time, the night was too cold for his liking. it may have been winter in penacony and the dress shirt he wore was thin and loose, the temperatures never bothered him. another sigh left his lips as he shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking to where this yearâs charmony ball will be held. mentally preparing himself for the encounters he may stumble into for the night.
 â â
as expected of the family, the charmony ball looked like a fairytale stolen from a childâs storybook. the ballroom from the ceilings to the floors were covered with iridescent pearls and silver ornaments with touches of gold here and there. some royals from all over the land were already on the dance floor, happily dancing to the beat of the music that played from the second floor. cheers and laughter echoed throughout the entire room, enchanting everyone inside.
âwell donât you look charming, lord aventurine.âÂ
aventurine pressed his lips into a firm line, his grip tightening on the golden goblet that his hand held. he needn't look to his side to know who had approached. her intimidating presence and captivating voice gave it all away. âas do you, lady bonajade. but you always look dazzling no matter what.â
jade chuckled and stood beside aventurine, much to his dismay. the older woman wore a dark blue daring off shoulder dress that showed off her skin with the slit reaching her upper thigh. it would be considered scandalous if any other woman were to wear it. the white ruffled sleeves only reaching her elbows complimented the dark glove she wore on her left hand. as always, her wrists were decorated with shining gold bracelets and her signature jade ring that rested on her ungloved finger.
âflattery wonât get you anywhere, child.â taking a goblet from the wandering server, she took a tentative sip before sloshing the drink around.Â
aventurine didnât care for what others thought of him, but it was different when the woman beside him did it. he suddenly felt insecure about the white dress shirt he wore. wondering if it was obvious that the piece of clothing was too big for him with the way it sagged around his shoulders. the black vest that was more akin to a coat with its train felt too suffocating now. he suddenly had the urge to readjust the collar of his shirt and take off the dark blue gem pin on the center of his neck. he didnât look like the playful and reckless lord aventurine he worked so hard to build up whenever jade was around. and he hated it.
an evil chuckle escaped jadeâs lips. âyou look better in turquoise, my dear.â
he scoffed, voice laced with the same poison he used to scare off any predators. âthis was not my first choice either, madam. if i had known this ball was limited to only whites, golds, and blues then i wouldâve brought my own clothing.â
aventurine felt the womanâs lips brush his ear as she whispered. âdonât use that tone with me, child. you still owe me a big debt after saving your little princess.â
jade must have noticed his tense posture when she mentioned you. cursing himself under his breath for showing weakness but he couldnât calm his beating heart as he looked for you inside the ballroom. the older woman gave aventurine another chuckle before leaning away. the snake-like pupils of her silver eyes made aventurineâs skin crawl but he dared to not look away. narrowing down his own eyes at the woman who had given him everything but took it all away with the snap of a finger.
âwill my life suffice then?â aventurine was losing his composure when the woman grinned like a vulture. the room was suddenly stilled and small. all he could see was jade baring her fangs at him like a wild animal on a hunt.
âyouâve already given me your life the first time around,â she moved her gaze away from him and instead looked towards you. aventurineâs fist behind his back shook in anger. âiâm starting to think you have nothing of value to give me anymore.â
he scoffed. slamming the goblet in his hand on the table with a quiet bang. jade let out an amused chuckle. âhow peculiar, youâre normally more composed than this. donât tell me youâve grown possessive of that little princess?â
âweâre fates, madam. weâre always possessive.â aventurine argued, eyes never leaving your figure as you danced across the ballroom with a familiar man.
âoh but not in the way that you are now,â an arm slithered around his shoulder as a card appeared in front of him. obscuring his vision of you. âquite interesting, wouldnât you agree. iâve tried so hard to keep this card up right but it keeps flipping upside down. you know what this means right, kakavasha?â
aventurine swatted the card away from his face. the piece of paper slipping out of jadeâs hand. he relished in her momentary shock before slipping away from her hold. he gave the card one more passing glance before sauntering towards the dance floor in search of you.
âyouâve made a fatal mistake, child.â jade warns. âthe cornerstones are not to be used for someone thatâs easily disposable.â
â[name] is not disposable.â aventurine turned to the woman as she scoffed. âthey will be of more value in due time.â
âyou say in due time knowing that they wonât last until next month.â the woman shook her head, the same white snake he saw earlier resting on her shoulders. âtell me, kakavasha, are they truly worth all this effort? you, a fate that i raised, risking it all for a mortal that doesnât even remember you or your sacrifices. they wonât remember you because you no longer have anything of value to give destiny.â
aventurine tried to argue back but he felt winded. that all the oxygen he didnât need to live were suddenly taken away the more jade continued. âyou are nothing of value now. do you think your little [name] would still care if youâre no use to them? give up child, you are no longer obligated to protect them.â
âiâm the only one that can.â he countered.
âwith what power?â jade tilted her head to the side. her light lavender hair swaying with her movement. âfate is no longer on your side, nor is luck. you are as powerful as a mortal now.â
aventurine took a moment to reply. âiâll think of something. i always have.â
the woman laughed. the laugh that rang like sirens inside his mind, telling him to turn away, run away to a place where she wouldnât find him. but it was hopeless. jade was like a shadow he could never escape from. she will always have a leash around his throat. pulling him back when she deemed necessary and suffocating him from the harsh reality.
âyou better have a plan, child.â the same predatory glint came back to her eyes. âi have no use for children who canât pull their own weight.â
 â â
your conversation with veritas ratio was cut short when an arm wrapped around your waist and tugged you back. a surprised gasp escaped your lips when you saw aventurine look down on you with that same grin on his face. âi did say iâd dance with you, no?â
âi vividly remember you saying that youâd ask me. not steal me away.â he let out a jovial laugh that involuntarily made your cheeks flush like wine.Â
you let out a cough behind your fist as aventurine took hold of your hand and twirled you around to face him. his bare hand coming to rest at your hips as the other held your gloved one. despite the layers of your dress and the corset you wore, you felt aventurineâs warmth seep through.
ânow where has my little spitfire gone?â you turn to glare at him. âah! there you are, i was starting to think you've mellowed down with all these mediocre men.â
you rolled your eyes as he pressed your bodies together even more when other dancers graced the floor. âcareful there my lord, you almost sound jealous.â
âiâm a fate, sweetheart, iâm always jealous.â you furrow your brows in confusion at the new pet name. aventurine was never short on nicknames â both good and badâ and him using them on you was never strange. but it didnât quell that curiosity that led you to him when he used a new one.
he only smiled, and but for a fragile moment, under the chandelier lights that bathed him in gold, the same color of his hair that captivated you when you first met, you understood why so many women would die for him. if aventurine wasnât so pointed with his words, so greedy with his fortunes, you might have been a little bewitched by him.
but you couldnât help but feel shy under his gaze and touch. in this moment, with his very being pressed so close to your soul, you canât help but wish that you were the fortune that he was always greedy for. you wanted to delude yourself that with every twirl, every lift, and every dip of this seemingly never ending dance that felt like it was torn off a fairytale, he wanted you to be his fortune too.
âpenny for your thoughts, friend?â you felt his finger press and prod at the mark near your pulse point. âitâs quite rude to not look at your dance partner, you know.â
you let out a snort. âyou must be quite the rude gentleman. you never once looked at the poor ladies youâve danced with all night.â
aventurine grinned from ear to ear. âso you were watching me?â
blood rushed to your cheeks as you glared at him. âi was not! i was simply sending silent prayers to the poor girls that would fall for charms.â
âoh so now you think iâm charming,â the playful upswing of his voice and eyes did your hammering heart no good. âdonât look so embarrassed, friend, everyone thinks iâm charming.â
âhow dreadful.â you say with a roll of your eyes before a quiet atmosphere laid itself on the both of you. you tried not to pay attention to the way his grip on your hand and hip tightened when the music slowly started to fade away and the other dancers began to dissipate. for another moment, you wished for the dance to never end.
âyou look beautiful in turquoise, you should wear it more often.â you snapped out of your daze when aventurine whispered a compliment to your ear. but when you turn to tell him off, he was gone.
there it was again, the bitter feeling welling up inside your chest. the mark on your pulse â a single coin that was slowly fading away, the symbol of your deal almost being over â nearly sent a wave of tears to break out from your eyes. the urgent feeling of you needing to tell him something still weighed at the back of your mind, but you donât remember what it was that you wished to say to him.
âis something the matter?â a soft voice from behind you spoke.
the man had silver hair and the most beautiful golden eyes youâve ever seen. a crown lay on his head as a halo was behind him. âprince sundayâŠâ you murmur as the prince smiled.
âthat is me, yes,â he offered a gloved hand to you. âwould you care to dance? if you arenât tired, of course.â
your mind was torn. one part of you telling you yes, dance with the prince who had the reputation of never asking any lady to dance. live out your dreams of meeting a prince and falling in love with him. but another part of you told you to chase after aventurine. seek him out like you always do. one last time.
in the end, you took the princeâs hand and danced with him until the night ended.
 â â
aventurine was not jealous.
thatâs a lie, he was a fate, heâs always jealous. but not the same jealousy he normally felt when he looked over mortals living out their lives peacefully. that feeling of jealousy was normal for him. this type of jealousy as he watched you dance with the prince felt revolting. like someone had stabbed him in his already hollow chest over and over until he breathed his final breath.
he wanted to steal you away again like how he did when you danced with that vampire scoundrel named ratio. but he couldnât. aventurine no longer had the right to intervene with your life now that your debt was slowly being paid in full.
fates were dangerous beings of magic. they are all possessive and jealous. mortals pray to him and others but they are no saints nor saviors. aventurine was the rumored fate of luck, madam bonajadeâs prized successor. blessing anyone who seeks him out but must pay a hefty toll of something greater than they have received if his tasks and criteria are not met.
aventurine recounts the many scandal sheets that were written about his endeavors, the most famous was titled âA Scandalâs Gambitâ. the scandal sheet retold his deal with a poor man wishing to elevate his familyâs status from poverty. aventurine gave the man fortune and a simple task: spend the wealth to help his family and to not waste it on useless luxuries. but like the card description from the deck of destiny, the fate of luckâs first task is deceitful and blinded mortals. it wasnât long before rumors about a mysterious man spending questionable amounts of money
started floating around the city.
people began to point to the man as a thief when a duchess came to him demanding he give back the treasures he stole from her. he quickly went back to aventurine, sitting on a velvet couch and a roulette in front of him. he begged and begged for the fate to help him but he was turned away. aventurine later revealed that his second and final task was to keep his family from dying, but since the man was blinded by greed, his wife and child died from starvation.Â
âi simply took back the fortune you stole from me.â was the fateâs famous line. and not long, the man tried to flee but was captured and later died in jail. to pay for his failure, the manâs family was taken from him as punishment and compensation for fateâs lost fortune. but what aventurine didnât realize was that the manâs child survived, and later came to him.
they asked for the same thing. to elevate their family from poverty, but unlike their father, they succeeded and are now reaping the fruits of their labor.
that was what aventurine wanted to believe as he continued to watch you dance with the prince youâve always dreamt of marrying. you paid a hefty price for this happily ever after and aventurine was willing to take the fall for you.Â
your journey after meeting him was nothing short of a heart attack. every twist and turn had aventurineâs nonexistent heart beating rapidly within the columns of his chest. all the tasks and missions he sent you, the times where you were captured and he had to save. aventurine wanted nothing more than for you to remember that he was your prince, not the man with the halo behind his head.
was it wrong of him to expect some sort of thanks from a person with no memory of him? no recollections of how he carried you through freezing waters, pulled you through hellfire, hauled you from the clutches of war and death. aventurine wanted just one simple thank you for saving you. but he knew it was too much to ask for.
after using the cornerstone of his fellow fates to reverse time after your unfortunate death, he had to painfully relive your first meeting, your trials and adventures, and see you dance with the man you married in your first life.
aventurine no longer had anything valuable to give to destiny so it took your memories instead. he made sure it was your memories and not you entirely. you were the most valuable thing aventurine had, and heâd be damned if you were taken from him too for a second time.
© vxnuslogy 2024. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works.
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