#Dottore is literally one of my favorite characters

[finisnihil]

I love the Commedia Dell’arte so so much and whenever I explain it people expect me to use the Fatui Harbingers from Genshin to do so and then take psychic damage when I instead say “Have you ever watched the 1987 animated show Hello Kitty’s Furry Tale Theater? It’s basically the Commedia Dell’arte with Sanrio characters.”

[dottores]

ROMANTIC HOMICIDE | IL DOTTORE

pairing: dottore x reader; implications of future tartaglia x reader

summary: in which you’re with dottore’s youngest segment when he makes the deal with the dendro archon.

warnings: heavy angst, character death (dottore’s segments), very heavily implied breakup but it’s not made explicit, dottore does not know how to deal with emotions, the youngest segment (referred to as iota segment) was literally like reader’s son, was very liberal with what little we know of dottore’s lore/background.

notes: wow this was the most emotionally intense thing i’ve written in a hot minute. ever since i learned that dottore had a 10 y.o. segment i’ve been distraught—he is my son #real keeping dottore in character for his pov was honestly a rlly big writing challenge n i had a lot of fun w it. i think i did pretty well. as always, rbs for boost are appreciated! praying that this stays in the tags n it’s only the tighnari tags glitching again

wordcount: 7.3k

“Good morning, sleepy head,” you murmured, a small smile pulling to your lips as you watched a familiar pair of eyes flutter open, still heavy with sleep and exhaustion. Dottore’s Iota segment only let out a noise of complaint as he rolled onto his side, burying his face into the pillow. You hummed quietly, running your fingers through the soft curls as his expression slowly went lax again, drifting back off to sleep. “You have to wake up sooner or later, I told you not to stay up all night reading that book.”

“I choose later,” his voice was muffled by the pillow, thick with sleep and you tried to bite back a laugh, not wanting to encourage his behavior. Instead, you leaned down to press your lips against his temple. 

“I made you breakfast,” you tempted, watching as one of his eyes immediately peeked open, watching you curiously. “Strawberry crepes,” a recipe you had learned to make during the few months you had been stationed in northern Fontaine, on the Snezhnayan border, a recipe that Dottore and his segments particularly enjoyed even if the Iota Segment was the only one that was obvious about it. Their fondness of sweets was something they liked to keep hidden.

“... Fine,” he finally agreed, pushing the blankets off and sitting up. You watched, a fond smile pulling at your lips as he stretched, yawning and rubbing at one of his eyes until he froze mid-yawn, catching sight of you watching him. “Don’t look at me like that,” his voice was sharp but he was flustered, cheeks pink as he turned away from you.

You rose to your feet, holding a hand out toward him and you turned away before he could catch your smile as he reached out and took your hand, small fingers curling around yours as you led him from the bedroom. 

Your relationship with Dottore’s segments varied widely--from the Theta Segment, who could barely stand to look at you but would still throw himself in front of danger for you if it came down to it, to the older segments, Beta, Gamma and Delta, who were as adoring and obsessive as Dottore himself was. You liked to think that you didn’t play favorites, but you knew it was a lie--how could you not have favorites when the Iota Segment was just right there. 

The youngest of all of Dottore’s segments, the Iota Segment was frozen in time at the age of ten, why Dottore had felt it necessary to create a segment this young was a question in itself. But you were not one to cut your blessings short, so instead you took advantage of the situation, being able to dote over a far younger and more vulnerable Dottore, before he had become cold and sharp and cruel. 

No one was born evil, you liked to believe, and the Iota Segment of Dottore was surely proof enough of that. Dottore never told you much of his past, but you knew enough to figure out exactly when this one had been made--the scar crossing over his nose and the top of his face was fresh, so he had to have been frozen in time right after he had been run out from his village, hailed a monster and heretic and scarred by his parents the night they chased him out. 

Sometimes, you wondered what Dottore’s life would have been like had he not been shunned and kicked to the streets by the people that were supposed to love him. You spent enough time with the Iota Segment to know that his interests back then were nothing like the older Dottore’s. But Dottore had been from a devout and traditional village down south in Sumeru, so the moment that he had sparked interest in ruin guards and comparing humans to archons, it had been his downfall.

It was only after the first rejection in his hometown, from the people that were meant to love him unconditionally, did Dottore’s mindset begin to spiral into the one he had in the present day--uncaring of human life, ruthlessly ambitious in pursuit of his goals, sadistic and cruel and tunnel-visioned onto his research. 

But the Iota Segment had yet to be cemented in that mindset--and maybe that was why Dottore had created one so young. He was still hurt and stand-offish after the events in his hometown, reluctant to get close to people but he was not cruel or sadistic, he was young enough to still be able to see the aranara of Sumeru but old enough that he could still devote himself and focus on research.

Curious and clumsy, the Iota Segment usually was found following after the older segments like a lost duckling, with them watching over him to make sure he didn’t find himself in trouble, as he usually did. But the older segments were all busy these days, with three down south with Dottore himself in Sumeru, overseeing the God Creation project, the Theta Segment continuing Dottore’s research into Irminsul until he could take back over, and the rest scattered throughout Teyvat still trying to advance the Archon residue project after the setback from two years back. 

So it was up to you to keep an eye on the Iota Segment, and as much as you loved the boy, you swore you were on the verge of pulling your hair out. The amount of times you had to go out in the freezing winters of Snezhnaya to go searching for him, having to warm the both of you up with fire and blankets and hot cocoa, was too many to count. 

It was both a blessing and a curse that Tartaglia had come back to Snezhnaya because he was willing to keep you company while you watched over the boy but the Iota Segment despised Tartaglia, and you couldn’t help but wonder if it was because the older segments were whispering in his ear about the fellow Harbinger. It was very much common knowledge that there was no love lost between the older segments of Dottore and the Eleventh Harbinger. 

“Do you think Master Dottore will let me work with live ruin guards when he gets back?” the Iota Segment asked as he sat down at the counter to shovel the crepes into his mouth. Your stomach lurched at the question, very much aware of the dangers that came along with working with live ruin guards. Dottore had been hesitant to let the Iota Segment anywhere near the live ruin guards. He didn’t like to restrict the curiosity of his segments but he was young and there was little reward and too much risk if something were to happen to him.

But the Iota segment had been working overtime while all of the other segments were gone, studying all of Dottore’s notes, reading over the research papers that Epsilon wrote on ruin guards and ruin hunters--if there was a piece of research on it, the Iota segment had read it to the point where he could recite it word for word if asked. 

“With all your studying?” you smiled, nudging him gently with your shoulder as you passed by him. “How could he not?” 

“He never stops the other segments from doing what they want,” he complained, and you watched as he twisted his food around with his fork, resting his chin on his palm. “Only me.”

“Mmm, that’s not true,” you said off-handedly, not even really processing it before you spoke, thinking back to the many times Dottore had put a stop to the Beta and Delta segment trying to get it on with you when they thought he wasn’t around.

“Yeah? Well what did they get stopped from doing?” he demanded, turning to face you and you froze, realizing what you had said.

“You know I don’t care to listen when they prattle on about their experiments,” you tried to blow off the question. “I don’t remember exactly what it was.”

But your chest tugged when you watched his shoulders slump over again, a frown pulling at his lips. You pouted softly, moving to stand closer to him, you cupped his cheeks in your hands and lifted his face so he was looking at you and you hated how frustrated and upset he was. “You’re young, s-”

“And I’ll never get older,” he snapped, trying to look away from you but you only smoothed your fingers over his cheekbones, tracing the lower half of his scar. “I don’t even know why he made me. I’m useless compared to the rest of the segments.”

You leaned down, pressing your lips to his forehead before letting out a soft sigh, “You are not useless,” you said, smiling as he huffed, hiding his face in your shoulder. “In fact, I think you’re the most useful of them all.”

“Now you’re just lying,” his voice was muffled into your shirt but you could hear the way it cracked.��

“I would never lie to you,” and it was the truth, not that he would ever believe it, having been burned too many times by the people that were supposed to love him.

He made a noise, barely even acknowledging your words before he tilted his face up, and you forced yourself not to coo, catching the way he blinked up at you through his lashes, cheek still pressed to your shoulder, red eyes wide and searching your face.

“You’re so strange,” he murmured, and you raised your eyebrows, not sure if you should be offended or not. You could feel him shrug. “You just are. Nobody chooses us.”

You swallowed thickly, playing with one of the thick curls laying against his ear. “I’ll always choose you.”

“I just don't understand,” he finally spoke louder, pulling away from you, staring down at the plate, and you cocked your head to the side as you waited for him to continue. “I’m not stupid, you know? I know the Jester has been coming here, offering you a high ranking position in the Fatui—why do you keep turning him down?” 

And you smiled, cupping his cheeks and tilting his face up, pressing your lips to his temple once, then twice, and then a third time. “Now why would I ever want to become a Harbinger when I can simply spend my days with you, silly boy? I told you, I’ll always pick you.” 

Your smile softened when you noticed that his red eyes had welled with tears—and it really was a reminder that the segments were stuck in the mental state Dottore created them at. No matter how many times you told the Iota segment how much you cared for him and that you would never leave him, he would never believe you or understand it—too stuck in the betrayal of his mother and father. “Do you mean that?” he asked, voice wavering. 

“Of course I do.”

His bottom lip trembled and you hummed quietly, reaching out to pull him to your chest. He flung thin arms around you, pressing his face against your skin and you could feel his shoulders shaking and you could feel the way he was desperately trying to blink away tears. The words that had slipped out when you had woken him up from a particularly bad nightmare rang through your head:

“Father said I’m not allowed to cry.”

“S’okay,” you said softly, cupping the back of his head and holding him close, remembering how he had been shaking, terrified at the prospect of crying that night because of what he thought waited for him after. “You can cry.”

The noise that escaped his lips was caught between a sob and a wheeze, you could feel his hands clutching at the back of your shirt, blunt nails digging into your back. You did your best to soothe him, running your fingers through his hair and rubbing soft circles against his back--he was reaching the end of the cycle again, where he fought back all of his emotions until they exploded. It was something that every version of Dottore dealt with--the Theta segment was prone to bouts of rage at the end of his cycle, Epsilon and Delta tended to close themselves off, and Dottore himself got cold and sharp, to the point where it was hard for you to convince yourself that he didn’t mean some of the particularly harsh words he spoke. 

You could hear the muffled apologies against you as he tried to calm himself down. The Iota segment had yet to compartmentalize and funnel his emotions in the way the older segments did, so instead of being able to force the emotions into one that was easier to handle--like cold or hot anger, which was how Dottore frequently described it--he was forced to deal with tears that only made him more anxious and frustrated, a spiral that he couldn’t control.

“Hey, look at me,” you said, waiting for him to look up at you, and he did--lashes wet, eyes rimmed red and bottom lip wobbly. 

“Come,” you said, holding out your hand for him. “How about you come tell me about the research you stayed up reading last night? So you can get ready to show Dottore how much you have learned while he was gone. He’ll be impressed if you’ve taught me some, that’s a feat that not even he’s been able to achieve yet.”

His eyes were still welled up with tears even as he perked up, taking your hand and all but dragging you in the direction of the library. He was already waving his free hand around, voice still cracking as he explained something about cores and autonomy that made little sense to you, but he seemed to be pulling himself out of the spiral before it could worsen, and you supposed that was worth the headache that was bound to come from trying to understand what he was talking about.

---

“You need to bathe, why must this always be an argument?” you were exasperated calling him for the hundredth time, hands on your hips as you paced up and down the hall. This was the third time this week that he refused to interrupt his studying for basic necessities and you were tired of chasing him around to haul him into the tub or force feed him. 

“I will in a minute!” he shouted back from down the hall, locked in his room. “I just need to finish this page.”

“You said that twenty minutes ago,” you told him loudly.

“I did not! It was five minutes,” he argued.

“Check the clock then.” You could practically see the way his brows were furrowed, searching for the clock in his room, and you couldn’t help but notice that he did not, in fact, talk back this time. “Well?”

“... it was nineteen minutes ago,” he said, rather petulantly before going quiet again. “Just this last page, I mean it this time.”

You sighed heavily. “The water is running. Get in there before it goes cold. I’ll be in the other room.”

You turned on your heel to walk back down the hall toward the library, intent on curling up on the sofa and reading that book that Dottore had left behind for you, claiming you would enjoy it. You hadn’t got the chance to look at it since he left, too caught up in handling little Iota--but you knew if you didn’t at least get through a good portion of it before he got back, he would be disappointed. Not that he would ever show it outwardly, but his gaze would linger on the unmoved book in a way that you knew was him second guessing himself if the way his fingers tapping steadily against his thigh had anything to say about it.

And you didn’t want him to think that. Dottore was never the best with verbal or physical displays of affection but he was phenomenal when it came to things like that---thinking of you and things you might enjoy, and bringing them for you to appreciate. He was observant and attentive unlike anyone you had ever met before when it came to figuring out what you like and don’t like. 

He had been hesitant about it during the beginning of your relationship, but as the years went on, he became more and more comfortable bringing you stuff. But Dottore, as much as he would deny it, was rather sensitive when it came to his emotions. Or maybe sensitive wasn’t the right word--he was closely-guarded, and one little thing like you brushing aside something he had gone out of his way to bring you because he thought you would enjoy it could set him back quite the distance.

You smiled softly, shaking your head as you looked down at the ground as you reached the end of the hall. You didn’t even get a step into the library before you heard the Iota segment’s door slam open.

Familiar footsteps dashed toward you and alarm began to shoot through you, turning around just as he barreled into you. You let out an oof, stumbling backward as you wrapped your arms around him, cupping the back of his head. Panicked, you lifted his head, turning his face up toward you so you could search it, make sure he was okay.

“What’s wrong?” you asked, throat closing up at the way his red eyes were glassy with tears and you worried if something set off the spiral again--anxiety eating at your stomach because you thought you had averted it and couldn’t think of anything that would have sparked it again. He buried his face into your stomach. You stroked his hair as soothingly as you could, trying to calm him down and keep your own voice steady. “Are you okay? Talk to me. What’s going on?”

“He’s getting rid of us,” he cried, voice catching on a sob. “He’s getting rid of us, he’s killing us for the gnosis.”

Your world stilled and shattered at once, hand freezing midstroke against his head, “What?”

“He’s getting rid of us,” he was repeating it over and over again but you simply could not comprehend what he was saying because it just couldn’t make sense to you.

Why would Dottore ever do that? The segments were difficult, nigh-impossible to make now that some of the resources were all but inaccessible and Dottore was strong, obscenely strong, he was the strongest man you knew and you knew that the Dendro Archon stood no chance against him, why would he not just take it by force?

You wanted to assume that the Iota segment was wrong, that he had just misheard something, but the way he was clinging to your shirt tightened and his weight went dead in your arms.

“I can’t feel my legs,” he gasped. “I can’t feel them, I can’t move my legs.”

You eased the two of you down to the floor, arms shaking, barely able to process what was happening as you cradled the boy in your arms holding him to your chest. “It’s going to be okay,” you said, trying to stop your voice from shaking, pressing your lips to his forehead, “It’s okay, everything is going to be okay.”

“I don’t want to die,” his voice cracked. It was happening too fast. You felt sick to your stomach, nauseous as you noticed how his fingers were no longer clutching at your shirt, arms limp next to him. “He’s going to regret this, he will, I don’t want to die. I can’t feel my legs or my arms anymore, I can’t-I’m scared-”

“It’s okay,” your vision was blurred, and this time you couldn’t stop the way your voice wavered as your arms tightened around him, as you buried your face into the top of his head holding him tight. “Everything’s going to be okay. Don’t be scared, I’ve got you, Zandik.”

“I don’t want to die,” he repeated, more desperately this time, voice shrill. “I don’t understand, I don’t understand, why is he doing this? He’s going to regret this, he’s-”

The following silence was louder than his cries. You stared at the wall in front of you, praying, begging, for him to speak up again but he didn’t and you could barely even process what had happened. Not even two minutes had passed since you told him to get in the tub before the water ran cold and now-

Now, he was limp in your arms, the weight felt obscenely heavy compared to the amount of times you had carried him around when he got himself hurt--it was a different sort of weight, you couldn’t feel him toying with your hair as you propped him up on your hip, you couldn’t feel him squirming in your arms as you held him bridal style, you couldn’t feel his chin resting on the top of your head as you carried him on your back around the house while he was immersed in whatever book he was reading. 

It was deadweight in your arms now, and it crushed everything within you all at once. You wondered how the night had turned so fast--how you had been chasing him through house as he screeched at you to leave him be to him using his last moments to rush into your arms; how he had been excited at the prospect of actually being able to study live ruin guards to crying against your chest afraid to die. 

You wanted to cry but everything felt cold and empty and numb and you thought, just for a moment, that you might hate Dottore. 

---

He half thought that he would come back to the estate and you would still be sitting there holding the youngest segment’s body. You were not. And he wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or worried that he came home to an eerily empty and cold house. 

His throat had been tight when he had first arrived, the book he had left you untouched in the library and the halls of the estate absurdly uncomfortable when he realized you weren’t there. A bit of anxiety pooled in his stomach at the thought of you leaving without a word but your clothes were still in your shared room. There were still mementos on your dresser that you wouldn’t leave behind, so he figured you were just busy doing something else.

A grave had been dug, was the last thing he had noticed looking out the window of his bedroom, before Pierro had called him to the Zapolyarny Palace for a status update on what had happened down in Sumeru. The soil was still fresh, and Dottore considered, just for a moment, digging up the grave and trying to scavenge whatever materials he could from the segment’s remains--it wouldn’t be enough to create a new one, but it would be a start at least. 

He ended up deciding against it as he twirled the familiar blue earring inside of his pocket--you had left it on the dresser for him to see as soon as he had noticed the grave. An offering, he supposed, asking him not to disturb it. He figured that he could acquiesce to that much at least. 

The more time he had alone to think about it, the more perplexed he became--he had been certain that he would come home and you’d still be there, clutching the Iota segment to your chest. He had been prepared for the tears, he had been prepared for the anger; he steeled himself for the sharp words and shoves against his chest when he tried to draw close. He had expected it and it didn’t happen, and all of the walls he had built up to brace against the aggression crumbled in confusion.

Dottore didn’t like being wrong. It threw him off when he was prepared for something to happen and then it did not, in fact, happen. His mind was running at the speed of light, bouncing around all of the other options as to what might happen next. You didn’t leave, you weren’t there to yell at him, you weren’t there crying, so where were you? Were you planning something sneakier? Revenge?

No, he shook his head, revenge wasn’t your way. 

He paused, or maybe it was, you had always been cold and spiteful, just never to him. 

Would him killing the segments really change that?

He didn’t like that he couldn’t be confident in his answer. 

Dottore inhaled slowly, keeping his gaze trained forward and his lips pressed tight, fingers tapping steadily against the side of his thigh, a tactic he had learned while at the Akademiya to keep himself calm and thinking straight when he found himself in a predicament that had him second guessing himself. 

It was something he had to worry about later. For now, he had to get to the debrief before he had to waste time listening to Pierro make snide comments about him being late again, as he had the dozens of times he or one of his segments had gotten caught up in research before a meeting. 

He tried to push you out of his mind--a difficult task, he realized as he approached the meeting room and you just would not leave the forefront of his mind. Questions and options raced behind his eyes as he tried to figure out where you were, what you were doing, and what he should expect when he inevitably ran into you. 

He did not have to wonder for long.

He entered the room while Pierro was talking with one jab in his direction at his lateness, as he predicted, but the words didn’t fully process through his head. Dottore could hear him but Pierro’s voice sounded distant and muted even standing next to him. He couldn’t focus on his words--not on what he was asking, not on what he was explaining, not even when he was being addressed directly because he was too focused on you.

You, who was standing right between Pulcinella and Sandrone, eyes iced over and unfriendly in a way that Dottore had never expected you to direct toward him. 

You were angry over the segment, that much he could put together from the cold fury in your eyes trained solely on him. He knew you would be angry. He expected that. But what were you doing here? In the meeting with the Harbingers?

Pierro had mentioned bringing people up to replace Signora and now, he supposed, they would have to replace Scaramouche too, but-

But you? 

Shouldn’t this have been something mentioned to him? At least in passing? When was this even discussed? How long had Pierro been trying to get you to join--why hadn’t you said anything to him? 

What was going on? 

“Dottore,” the voice was harsh and sharp, Dottore’s eyes dragged from you to land on Pierro, who was watching him with a frustrated expression. Rather absently, Dottore noticed that all of the Harbingers were looking at him, and he played back the last few minutes in his head trying to figure out what he had missed. 

Ah. The debrief on the events in Sumeru. 

His voice sounded empty and robotic even to his own ears as he recounted what had happened down in Sumeru from the beginning of the God Creation Project, to the arrival of the Traveler, to Scaramouche’s developments and progress in the experimentation, to the interference from the Traveler and that group, to the meeting with the Dendro Archon and the two deals that were made with her.

He couldn’t help but notice the way Tartaglia’s eyes had drawn toward you when Dottore mentioned his segments, the way his body had twitched to move toward you. What was that? He was still looking at you, even though Dottore knew that Tartaglia knew he was staring right at him. Tartaglia’s brows were knit together in concern, and instead of meeting Dottore’s gaze, you looked at him. Tartaglia. A silent conversation that Dottore couldn’t understand—something green and ugly tugged at his chest, he forced it away. 

Pierro wasn’t pleased with the loss of Dottore’s segments or the information he had offered up to the Dendro Archon, but he was more focused on the successful attainment of the two gnoses so Dottore was able to redirect his attention toward you.

You weren’t looking at him anymore, gaze trained on Pierro as he delved out orders to the rest of the Harbingers. He was angry--well, it was more than anger, but he couldn’t place what the second emotion was yet. He didn’t understand why you hadn’t consulted him about Pierro’s offer before taking him up on it, he didn’t understand why you hadn’t even mentioned it to him, and he did not like the way that Tartaglia was watching you, completely tuning out all of the discussion around him. 

Hot anger. Dottore liked to differentiate different types of anger between hot and cold, it was easier for him to digest and figure out how to handle that way. Hot anger needed coolness, otherwise it would blow up into an explosion. Cold anger needed warmness, otherwise you would freeze each other out. Dottore was more adept with handling hot anger as he himself was rather cold.

And with him, you had always been hot anger, like his younger segment--Theta. You had been hot anger, he had been cold. A messy situation for when the two of you got into arguments, but not as messy as it could have been otherwise—you worked well with each other even when arguing. Why were you cold now? Where was the shouting and the aggression? The pushing at his chest and telling him to leave? 

Dottore did not know how to handle your cold anger. He needed your warmth to balance out his cold. Once again, he felt anxiety yanking at him. He pushed it away. He had until the end of the meeting to figure out how to approach you and fix this mess before it escalated too far. 

But the end of the meeting came too fast for him to process. Logically, he knew it had been a decent amount of time, but it had only felt like seconds had passed between him giving the rundown of what had happened and Pierro dismissing everyone. You were going to Fontaine with Arlecchino, that’s what Pierro had said right before ending the meeting. Fontaine, not to the outskirts but instead deep into the court of the Hydro Archon who hated the Fatui and everything they stood for. 

Another unfamiliar emotion--more intense this time. He couldn’t push it away. 

He didn’t have to ask you to stay. As all of the others left, you lingered. You were looking at him again but Dottore was more focused now on Tartaglia, who hadn’t left, and was staring at you, hesitantly. Rage. He funneled the unfamiliar emotion into rage as he turned his head to the lowest-ranked Harbinger, who had the audacity to raise his chin and meet Dottore’s gaze head on--or meet his gaze as best as he could, at least, with his mask on.

“Ajax,” it was your voice that drew him from the anger, but only momentarily. The familiarity that you spoke Tartaglia’s name had Dottore’s blood boiling, his delusion rattling against its mold. Since when- “Go.”

Since when was Tartaglia, ‘Ajax’? It had taken Dottore months to finally tell you what his real name was—an act that had been one of the most difficult decisions of his life considering it meant reviving a part of him that he had killed off years before.

It had taken him months to tell you and it had taken you months to get used to it—how were you saying Tartaglia’s real name so casually and fondly like that?

Tartaglia only listened to you when you looked at him, nodding once before turning and walking out of the room. He didn’t go far, Dottore noticed, he was lingering outside, ready to step in as if Dottore would do something to hurt you. As if he would ever, Dottore thought, trying to bite back the rising anger. And even if he did, it wasn’t like Tartaglia could hope to stop him. 

“What was that about?” Dottore asked, voice tenser than he intended for it to be.

“What business is it of yours?” your voice was sharp, icy in a way that it hadn’t been with Tartaglia. That green feeling returned, ugly and intense, along with something else—something that had his chest feeling heavy. 

“What business is it of mine?” Dottore questioned, tone laced in disbelief as he stared at you. “You’re my-”

“I’m your what?” 

He didn’t like how you cut him off, how you were waiting for him to say something. He had heard you take that tone with associates of the Fatui before--associates who had gone back on their word and you were often the one sent to whittle the answers out of them before one of the Harbingers, usually a segment of Dottore, was sent to remove them. This was the tone you took when you had won, waiting for them to deliver the sentence that would damn them. 

Dottore stayed quiet, only for a moment. Instead of answering the question, he asked another, “When did you and Tartaglia become so close?”

“He has been around the past three months. You have not.”

Dottore especially did not like that. He stared forward, mind whirring as he tried to process what you had said and the implications of it. Dottore had never made anything explicitly clear between the two of you but he had figured-

“Not like that, Dottore.”

Any other thought he might have had was gone, mind focusing on how you had addressed him. By his Harbinger title, you had never addressed him by that. It was always Zandik, you were the only one allowed to call him that, you were the only person he would revive that part of himself for. The name was dead to everybody else in the world except you. 

“Why did you call me that?” Dottore asked before he could stop himself. The coldness, the way you addressed him, your familiarity with Tartaglia, Dottore didn’t know what was going on. It couldn’t just be anger over the lost segment--it was just a segment, a piece of him but he was still there, there had to be more that he was missing.

“Because Zandik is dead,” you said, and yet again, Dottore was grateful for his mask because his brow was furrowing and his eyes were squinted as he tried to figure out what you meant. “You killed him.”

Were you referring to the segment?

Dottore’s lips parted, he shut his eyes briefly as he shook his head, trying to clear his mind before speaking. “I am Zandik,” he spoke a sentence that he hadn’t spoken in years, and the forced acceptance ripped open a part of him that had long since been sealed away. Dottore tried to keep his breath steady, trying to split his attention between clearing up whatever this misunderstanding with you was and trying to close the reopened wound before it could cause serious damage. 

“No, you’re not.” It was like you weren’t even listening to him and Dottore could feel the frustration seeping onto his face. 

“I am,” Dottore snapped, but his anger would only fuel yours--he knew that from experience--so he tried to calm himself down. “I am Zandik,” he said it again. The wound ripped open more, too much for him to try to put back together while at the same time trying to figure out what he was missing. He would fix this with you, and then he would fix the wreck that had become his mental state. “What is going on? Why-”

“You killed him!” Your hands slammed down against the table, your voice a shout so loud that it echoed across the chamber the two of you stood in--outside the room, he heard Tartaglia draw closer to the door, alert. Dottore paused, staring at you--there was the anger, the hot anger that Dottore had expected from you, but he couldn’t find himself relieved at it. Instead, he only found himself even more stressed.

“You are talking about the segment,” he realized quietly, and your eyes flared at his words, angrier. But Dottore was lost because he expected you to be angry but he didn’t expect it to be like this. He didn’t expect it to-

“You killed him, Dottore,” your voice cracked over your words, and Dottore tried to step around the table toward you but you drew back as soon as he started to move. His throat felt tight at the rejection but he tried to ignore it--impossible, the wound tore more, gaping and open.

Dottore shook his head again, slowly this time, as he tried to figure out what to say to calm you down. “The segment was me,” he tried to keep his voice soft, but Dottore was not a soft man. “I’m still here. He was just me, but younger, and-”

“He was not-”

“He was-” His voice rose, anger and frustration, and maybe just a hint of desperation to get you to listen to him as he realized what exactly the issue was. You had never considered the segments as extensions of him. They had been individuals, separate people. He should have realized it from the way you spoke about some of them but he was never around enough when you were talking to the segments to have the pieces to put it together and he was so set in his own mindset that they were simply extensions to realize you felt differently. “He was me. I’m him. Let’s-”

“He was you before you turned into this,” your words were sharp and venomous, acid dripping into the open wound. Dottore drew back, not speaking for a moment as he watched you, waiting for you to elaborate on what you meant. 

You did not, chest heaving and eyes welled with tears as you stared at him. If Dottore wanted an explanation, he would have to ask but he didn’t even know if he wanted an explanation.

“And what is ‘this’?” Dottore couldn’t stop himself from asking, time seemed still around the two of you as he waited for an answer. 

“Look at what you’ve turned into, Zandik. All of these odd experiments and heretical ideas, you’ve become a-”

“A monster.”

Dottore stared at you and internally he was scrambling, trying to get control of all of the unwelcome emotions before they could become visible on his face. The wound that had been opened had torn past the point of being able to close back up, it had torn through all of the other closed wounds and ripped all of them open too, leaving him bare and vulnerable and bleeding out and there was nothing he could do. He had to leave, or he had to get you to leave so he could get himself under control.

“I see,” he said, his voice was colder than he intended for it to be, maybe that was for the best. “I never should have let you get attached to them.”

Logically, he could rationalize it—how you had managed to get so attached, that is. Parts of Dottore had died over the years, the parts of him that had been softer and vulnerable. Or he supposed they hadn’t died if the reopened wounds he was struggling to patch back up had anything to say about it, but they had been locked away so deep that they might as well have been dead.

Segments like the Iota segment, and even the Zeta and Theta segment, to some extent, did not have the same high walls that the older segments of Dottore had. You were able to access a part of him through those segments that you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to through himself. Dottore had been hesitant about the idea at first but it had kept him from having to open up his own old wounds so he figured it was for the best. 

Logically, he could rationalize it but he simply could not understand it. Because if it was just a matter of being able to access that part of him, Dottore would figure it out. He would, for you, if it meant this argument would end. 

But it didn’t seem as if it was just a matter of being able to access that part of him. It was deeper. It was the segment itself, not its connection to Dottore. And Dottore couldn’t understand how an artificially made clone of his younger self was causing this to happen. He didn’t understand why you had gotten so attached to it when he was right there.

Right there? His mind flew back to all of the times he had left you with the Iota segment, or the Theta or Zeta segments. Separate bodies, almost completely different personalities from him—you didn’t have the same mental connection that he had with his segments, was it really so hard to believe that you started to view them as individuals rather than extensions of himself?

You scoffed almost instantly at his words, drawing him back to the conversation at hand, and he knew he had spoken wrong but he was already overwhelmed piecing together just how much he had misunderstood between you and your relationships with his segments that he couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge the mistake. 

Dottore was not a master of deciphering emotions, he was far from it in fact. But he remembered the nights he’d come home late from the labs to find the Iota segment curled up asleep in your arms, how you would dote on him in a way no one in Dottore’s life had ever done before. 

The pieces had been laid out for him but Dottore just hadn’t realized it.

“I can think of a lot of things you shouldn’t have done,” snide and derisive, Dottore’s jaw tightened at your words, and you were watching him. You were searching for something but Dottore didn’t know what it was--Dottore had never been the best at reading people, but he was usually able to make up for it just by using sheer logic. This would not be the case here with you. He didn’t know what you were looking for, and he didn’t know how to make this better--not for himself, and not for you, or the two of you together.

Evidently, you did not find whatever you were looking for and Dottore’s lips finally parted from the thin line he had them pressed in as you shook your head and walked away without another word. He tried to force the words past his lips but they got caught in the back of his throat.

Dottore had always been a prideful and arrogant man but he thought he’d be able to set it aside for you, just this once. But maybe it wasn’t a matter of pride or arrogance, he realized, because his heart was erratic in his chest as you walked away, eyes wide beneath his mask. It was a matter of not knowing what to say. 

Dottore had never been someone who found himself at a loss for words. One way or another, he would always be able to talk his way out of a situation—but now, staring at your back as you made your way out of the room, not even bothering to shut the door behind you, his mind was blank. Numb.

He felt numb. 

Your words mixed with his parents, his parents mixed with the other villagers in his old town, the villagers mixed with the students at the Akademiya and the students mixed with the scholars. And then it was your voice again, loud, damning, finally calling him for what he was after all of the years you had spent with him. 

He was not Il Dottore in that moment, he was Zandik--the child that was run from his hometown and scarred by his own parents for showing interests that were considered heretical to the traditional village elders; the student at the Akademiya who had tried, at first, before giving up and throwing himself into his research when he was faced with the same rejection again and again and again and again; the student who had decided if he couldn’t be accepted, then he might as well go to whatever lengths necessary to at least be successful.

He watched as Tartaglia peeled off the wall to walk with you, he watched as his fingers grazed your back--a sort of reassuring gesture that seemed too natural to be of any comfort to Dottore, and he watched as you turned your head to the side to look at Tartaglia, speaking quietly before the two of disappeared down a different hallway. You didn’t look back once. 

And when he finally looked away from where you had left, eyes falling on the dark window that led to the palace courtyard, Dottore swore that it was his youngest-self staring back at him, vindictive and satisfied, his last words echoing in Dottore’s head louder than all of the rest of them. 

[lalalahaha124]

going to talk about how much i love wanderer. hi.

With the 4.8 summer event, I and many others can say that we are absolutely thrilled to see that scaras story isn’t over yet.

His relationship with Mini Durin?!?! Literally the cutest thing ever.

My favorite thing about Genshin will always be the lore. I don’t think i would be playing as long as i have if its story didn’t hook me. The fact they’re bringing back Durin and foreshadowing whatever the “worst possible scenario” for dragon spine has me on the edge of my seat. I really hope we make a visit back to Mondstat soon. Scara’s role in all of this only makes me even more excited!

My favorite characters in Genshin tend to be the ones with the most mystery or lore behind them. Scaramouche has one of the coolest backstory’s in the whole game.

A puppet who desperately wants to be human, who wants to have a real heart.

Only for him to realize that humanity was inside of him all long, artificial being or not.

His relationship with Ei is one that is so interesting to me. She left him in an empty pavilion, not wanting to discard him and intervene with his fate. Scara seeing this as him being abandoned by his own creator, his own mother. The only thing showing his relation to her is a golden feather and the electro symbol on his neck.

Scara viewing Ei as his mother is a whole other thing I could talk about. The fact that we’ll never learn what Ei thinks of their relationship is so unbelievably heartbreaking to me. I also find it sad that Scara still refers to Ei as his mother after she abandoned him.

I don’t quite remember which character story it’s in, but when I first read that scara ended going to Yae Miko for help it really put into perspective how different things could’ve been. Had Ei choose to keep Scara around and not put him in his slumber, who knows what relationship they could’ve formed. Miko having to help scara with tatarasuna incident instead of Ei because she was in her Plane of Euthamiya really shows the turnmoil Inazuma went through while their archon was semi-absent(?) Miko returning the feather back to scara is also a nice little detail i saw. I really wished they had shown more interaction between Miko and scara during the Inazuma archon quest.

Scara learning how to be human with his old friends from tatarasuna?!? Him still remembering what they taught him in present day?!? My Heart.

The reveal that Escher was really Dottore all along was heartbreaking. Scara realizing he basically almost killed off a whole clan for nothing?? Good Lord. He spent centuries thinking that Niwa betrayed him, only for it to all The Doctors fault.

Scaramouche and Dottore relationship is very interesting to look at.

Dottore basically planning to earn scaramouches trust from the start with lying to scara about niwa is so so so evil. dude. Dottore using him for centuries to help with the blueprints for his segments. Oh i know scaras pissed.

Dottore modifying his body and putting him through countless experiments (which, we don’t even KNOW how bad they really were. thank god scara doesn’t have a human body) One thing that really solidified that Dottore never really cared for Scaramouche is the fact scara was most likely never meant to leave the Shouki no Kami.

Scara being attached to tubes that when cut leave him basically paralyzed. I don’t exactly remeber which item had this description but supposedly was made to make him only feel anger and other negative emotions. Dottore never saw him as anything other than an experiment.

anyway. i needed to yap about one of my favs. i’m writing this at 3 am so i probably made a much of grammar and lore mistakes forgive me 🙏 i wrote all of this without using any references and only used my memory 😭😭

[ajxrn-archive]

Obviously I know (some) of your thoughts on Childe, but what do you think of the other harbingers?

YIPEE I love the harbingers ‼️ I’ll rant under the cut.. I had a huge obsession with the harbingers a few months back and I still do (in fact my brainrot is coming back so this is a perfect time for you to ask this)

Starting off with Pierro. I find him so interesting as a character because when I was diving into the lore of the harbingers I originally thought that he was number one?? Apparently he’s the director because capitano is no. 1.. I think that’s interesting. So what mainly intrigues me about him is the fact that he’s khaenri’ahn. The Tsaritsa has got to be different from the other Archons because of the fact she literally has a Khaenri’ahn man help run her military. I wonder what their relationship is with each other. Is it anything like dainslumi? I can picture it being that way but more cold, you know? The fact he’s based off the commedia dell’arte stock character Pierro (the fool/jester) is really interesting to me too.. they all have their connections to the characters in one way or another so I wonder what exactly his is.

Now onto Capitano. So far I think he is SO fucking cool he might be one of my favorite harbingers atp. Design wise it’s definitely a favorite but also the fact that he has so many similarities to Kaeya? If hyv were to make him related in some way to kaeya that would be so funny to me.. a lot of people do the pierro is kaeya’s dad thing but honesty I think Capitano would be a cooler connection lowkey? Also generally the ragbros situation would be 10x worse if kaeya was related to the fatui in some way, no matter which one it is. Anyways back on capitano, I’m mostly interested to see how his motives lay out and what his relationship with Mavuika is. The fight seen with him and her was so neat like the way they laid it out was so.. idk. I have a thing for fire/ice character relationships (not in a romantic way.) also what interests me even more about him is that The Captain in the commedia dell’arte is described as a ‘braggart’ type of person, so I’m wondering if he would use his ability to “convince people who knew nothing about him beforehand” to try and manipulate people in Natlan to revolt against Mavuika for the current issues and whatnot.

like I wonder how this'll play into his character in game/story wise. I hope he'll be playable sniff sniff.. Anyways, now onto this fucker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dottore is one of my favorite harbingers. I am an avid Dottore enjoyer. He’s cunning and genuinely awful and there’s no redeeming his ass he’s going straight to hell 🙏 and that’s what makes him such a GOOD character. He genuinely has zero redeeming qualities about him. He literally uses people and children for his experiments without second thought. He has clones of himself. He possibly killed his girlfriend in his school days. (If the zandik lore is right.) He was literally expelled from the Akademiya because of how awful he was.

I cannot fathom how amazing of a character he is. I think in games we need to have more characters who are just genuinely fucking evil and we don’t just “hate” them for it. I honestly dislike how people hate him JUST because he did bad shit, like have a better reason than that tbh? "He hurt collei/He's the reason crepus died/he gave scara so much trauma" I LOVE ALL THREE OF THOSE GUYS AND DOTTORE</3 Don't hate one character only to love the next. anyways dottore supremacy..

Anywho, onto Columbina. Honestly she intrigues me so much. She's so powerful that not even childe wants to fight her, what is up with that??? I think its also interesting how in the commedia dell'arte her title is technically Little Dove but it’s Damselette in the game. we like,, do not know much about her at all to be honest?? The harbingers voice lines about her interest me so much, especially arle's. It's very. vague??

Arlecchino: "She is a very special Harbinger. Pose her a question, and the answer you receive will be entirely unpredictable, if she sees fit to give a proper answer at all. Regardless, any answer you do receive is sure to be an interesting one."

Childe: "The Fatui Harbingers are ranked by strength, and I have no idea why that girl is No. 3. I'd test my skills with every Harbinger who ranks above me if I had the chance, but when it comes to her... something just doesn't feel right. Anyway, you should be careful around her."

Scara/Wanderer: "Let me ask: what should you do if you were to encounter a "damsel" who is oblivious and innocent at any given time, and unconcerned and unfeeling in any given situation? If it were me, I could at least challenge her to a fight. But if it were you... with your conscience, I would stay away from her."

Judging by voice lines alone, columbina is very, very powerful. she seems to beat around the bush with questions (arles voiceline) and is very mysterious even with the other harbingers. (childe saying something doesn't feel right) I've seen theories that she belongs to the seele race which is honestly pretty cool, but I think i'd need to see her in game or hear more about her first. I'd assume that Arlecchino has a rather close/interesting relationship with columbina. Not purely because of the fact they do in the commedia dell'arte, but because she was the only one out of the three to not tell the traveler to be careful around/stay away from columbina.

Arlecchino herself is a really well written character to me and I notice that a lot of the fandom don't understand her entirely (myself included.) Something i notice the most is how people tend to dumb her down to the Father of the house of the hearth, either portraying her as a wonderful parent (incorrect) or as an awful one (also incorrect.) She's definitely a highly flawed person who does put her children in danger, although she absolutely cares about the children of the hearth. I wouldn't say she's a child abuser/groomer/any other stupid shit the fandom says about her. Her wiki quite literally says that she's flawed but not as awful as Crucabena:

Her (possibly?) being khaenri'ahn is also so interesting because WHY does the tsaritsa keep having connections with khaenri'ah in her military of all things. I have so many questions.

We do not know much about pulcinella at all but I do find it SO intruiging/interesting (can someone give me another word for this HELP) that he's close to childe. he visits childes family for him, iirc, which is suspicious when you read the commedia dell'arte lore.

I do think he's doing this for self gain to be honest. He's a manipulative person, so he could be manipulating childe into relaxing around him to the point of letting pulcinella get near his family, which could end really badly to be honest.

Next up is scaramouche. I feel like the scara stans themselves don't even understand his character that much, because they're too busy yelling at people about raiden/dottore instead of focusing on his character itself. I think he's a LOT more than mommy issues short boy and actually his character is really deep. His name in the commedia dell'arte is also Little Skirmisher (instead of balladeer, though I'm not too sure what that means) and what's most interesting to me about his commedia dell'arte connection is how (IIRC, this could be wrong but i found this out last time i was talking about the harbingers and the commedia dell'arte) scaramouche's "mask" was later removed, which him being removed from irminsul could be a nod to that.

What's also a neat nod to the commedia is how scara "influences the audience to do his bidding." I think in game they referenced this by him influencing/controlling that one woman in sumeru (i forget her name) to be his first follower and do as he says.

Okay so truthfully i don't have many thoughts on sandrone but something that makes me curious about her backstory is the fact that in the commedia she is known as "Peasant.” what else is neat with this is that she looks like that one girl from Fontaine (Mary-Ann) I don’t really know/remember the the lore of her but hm.

What’s even weirder abt the similarities is that Marionette (her title) means Little Mary IIRC? I don’t think she IS Mary Ann since she’s dead but she could have connections to her. Anyway I don’t have many thoughts on her ngl.. </3 genshin give us sandrone lore PLEASEEEE

Next up is my fucking WIFE ‼️‼️ (la signora)

everyone who hates her sucks lowkey she’s such an overlooked character like her lore is so fucking?? sad?? Everyone reduces her to “haha ashes” and it annoys me tbh. Her boss fight was a pain in the fucking ass though ROSALYNE WHY.. it took me 20+ tries

I genuinely love her backstory it makes me so sad honestly. Through her grief and rage she became feared and hated. Idk I wish people would talk about her a little more?? Because she’s so interesting?? She has ties to ancient mondstadt isn’t that sick.

something that interests me the most about her character is how they made her somewhat different from La Signora in commedia dell’arte? She’s continually described as a woman who often cheats on her husband in the commedia, but when you read genshin Signora’s backstory it’s interesting to see how it’s mostly focused around how her loss of her lover threw her into a grief induced rage (basically, it’s centered around her grief and love)

as for her similarities, these two images explain it well:

Honestly I wish we had got to explore her character more than the information we have now. Genshin is so evil for killing her off tbh.

Pantalone I know like NOTHING about. I think he’s a really neat character. A lot of people dumb him down to “evil baizhu” but I do think he has a lot of potential to be a really good character

Basically he’s a capitalist ‼️ kidding but for him, he seems so far to be REALLY similar to Pantalone in the Commedia. I dont have too many thoughts on him either because we don’t know much about him yet </3 pantalone lore when….

and you already know most of my thoughts on Childe so I will save the rant for another day because that would get me fired up (I am losing words this rant sucked the life out of me HELP)

oh wait another thing that is neat about the harbingers entirely is how the trailer for them was called a Winter Night’s Lazzo (I think) but that’s another reference to the commedia dell’arte :)

[ajaxstar]

Valentine's ♡

characters: all playable genshin characters (except children characters like klee, dori, etc.), the eleven harbingers + tsaritsa, and kaveh x gn!reader

genres: sfw, fluff!!! (no angsty heart's day on my watch!), features types of vday dates i think they most likely will plan for the two of you after you told them that they'll be in charge

notes: it's been a while, hasn't it? this post doesn't fully imply that i'm 100% back, but i am working on it!! i haven't written anything for such a long time, so i might be getting rusty and it might show here. i used the genshin impact wikia as reference for the characters, let me know if i missed anyone!

BEFORE YOU CONTINUE : they made sure that they ran you through the whole plan without spoiling it completely to make sure you'll be comfortable during the whole day. after all, the date is for the both of you, not just for them! they want to make sure the two of you will enjoy it.

— ADVENTURING WITH YOU

they're the type to plan a date that concerns going out. they'll bring you literally everywhere they know you love — to the amusement/theme park, movies, theater, museums, mall, out of town/the country, the library, fancy meals — anywhere!! if you have a favorite hobby that concerns a few more things (sports, arts, etc.), you bet that it's in the list! it doesn't matter if it's not their cup of tea, it's in the list and they will join you, even if it includes breaking a sweat or two. throughout the whole day, they have their hands on you in any type of way that you consent. they'll keep their hand holding yours, their arms around your waist, on your shoulder — anywhere. they can't afford getting separated from you, mostly if it's a vast and/or crowded area, but also because of their desire to be close. with or without exchanging gifts, love is reciprocated.

"you are the only gift i ever want."

ꔛ albedo, amber, itto, barbara, bennett, collei, faruzan, fischl, hu tao, kazuha, ayaka, keqing, mona, nilou, ningguang, noelle, ei, razor, shenhe, thoma, aether, xiangling, xingqiu, xinyan, yoimiya, yun jin, zhongli, dottore, columbina, pantalone, pulcinella, tsaritsa, kaveh

— JUST THE TWO OF US

it has been quite a while that the both of you had the free time to just relax at home tangled in each other. food are a mix of all snacks, candies, homemades, and take outs. time is enjoyed together with indoor activities enjoyed by each other; playing games, playful banters, naps, cuddles, reading a book or two, watching shows together — anything that entertains the two of you. nothing mattered outside the walls of your shared humble abode, although going out together also seems like a good idea, the two of you are much more inclined to the thought of just the two of you. together. the past few days and weeks were spent being away from each other. however, right now, nothing and no one else mattered as the two of you bask into each other's warmth, love, and presence.

"let's stay here together for a little bit longer."

ꔛ alhaitham, beidou, candace, chongyun, cyno, diluc, eula, ganyu, gorou, jean, kaeya, ayato, sara, shinobu, layla, lisa, rosaria, kokomi, childe, tighnari, lumine, venti, wanderer, venti, xiao, yanfei, yae miko, yelan, pierro, sandrone, capitano, arlecchino

happy heart's day ♡ i hope you guys enjoyed your day !! (i sure did enjoy my day sleeping)

[foozle-woesies]

Omg omg omg omg guess whose back? Back again? Dizzy's back. To spam his friend. Okay but like deadass I want to know your most significant angst Hcs. Literally any characters just what have you really thought about with who cause I know I've got a list of them for pretty much every character so I wanna know ur favs. Give me yummy angst I'm hungry.

🍓Genshin Favs Angst Headcanons🍓

Wooooo!!! You have submitted a GOOD ask buddy. This post will include:

Kaeya Alberich

Diluc Ragnvindr

Il Dottore

Tartaglia

I have more favorites than this, but these are the guys I’m always thinking about.

Warnings: familial death, depression, alcoholism, descriptions of s/h, mentions of internalized homophobia and transphobia, and general violence.

❄️Kaeya Alberich❄️

This isn’t even a headcanon, I’m pretty sure it’s very heavily said in the game- Kaeya’s an alcoholic. And that suave personality of his? I really think it’s just a front.

I see Kaeya has having some serious battles with depression. It takes quite a lot of energy to uphold that smooth façade, leaving him feeling unable to do anything but drink and sleep.

I think Kaeya has a horrible time even just getting up in the morning. Like, it physically hurts him to think about. In the mornings he’ll feel such hopelessness and dread that, again, it just hurts.

I think Kaeya is also deeply hurt by how cold he and Diluc are to each other. Diluc is too, of course, but more on that later. He feels abandoned by Crepus, even though he’s aware that it wasn’t his father’s fault he died.

I also think Kaeya was envious of Diluc and Crepus, even if his father loved the boys the same. Crepus was Diluc’s biological dad- something Kaeya also wanted to have.

Not as angsty as everything else, but Kaeya’s always cold because of his cryo vision :(

Another small one- Kaeya has really textured hair imo. But due to his lack of self care, his hair gets matted often. He’s already tender headed, so combing through it hurts bad. He can hardly bring himself to care for it by the time it’s so matted. Not just because of the pain in his scalp, but because of the pure and utter shame it brings. He couldn’t even gather the strength to do something as basic as brush his hair- how weak could he possibly be?

This is a lot more specific to my au but I’ll try and keep it generally related to the actual game. Kaeya knows both his brother and his spouse are trans and is fully supportive. He supports any queer person in Mondstadt. When it came to realizing he himself was gay, though, it was a bloody internal battle. I’m glad to say he was able to accept himself quickly and live happily with his husband <3.

🔥Diluc Ragnvindr🔥

I think, as the Darknight Hero, Diluc’s an extremely reckless fighter. He’s covered in scars from fatui and abyss mage attacks, but also burns. His hands specifically are burnt to the point of nerve damage in his hands.

He hides these burns with his gloves. This is also why he leaves bartending to his employees- it’s hard to not drop the glasses and spill the drinks due to the damage.

He doesn’t ever pay much mind to his injuries and hardly goes to the hospital when he should. He prioritizes his mission as the Darknight Hero over his own safety. Perhaps he just wants to carve a meaning into his life, feeling as though he lacks one.

Diluc is not one who is good at handling complicated feelings. Quite honestly, Crepus’s death hasn’t exactly registered to him. Obviously he knows it’s happened, and he grieved, but… he just pushes it so far down. He’s easily irritated by the topic of Crepus.

This irritation becomes evident whenever Kaeya tries to talk about their father, even though it’s always in a fond manner. In general, discussions between the brothers end in screaming and shouting.

Diluc doesn’t hate Kaeya, though, it’s quite the opposite. Diluc frets a lot over his little brother. His lack of emotional tact, and Kaeya’s unwillingness to open up, just keeps driving the brothers farther apart.

Diluc is trans. Of course this isn’t an angsty headcanon within itself! Rather, I want to talk about the things that can come with it. I like to think Mondstadt is generally a very accepting nation (I choose to think all of teyvat is, really). But once in a while, a drunkard in the bar will make a nasty comment towards this fact. He acts as if these comments mean nothing but it bothers him deeply.

Actually, Diluc feels insecure about being a “real man” quite often. It’s a pretty persistent bother. I’m glad to say though, at the end of the day, Diluc is proud and confident of who he is :3

🧪Il Dottore🧪

Dottore’s backstory isn’t really in the game atp (except for Zandik’s legacy, except it’s not even canonically stated to be Dottore so who really knows at the end of the day?? I def think it’s him tho), but I have my own theories. I feel like Dottore definitely had a horrible childhood. Was he probably kicked out of his village for a good reason? Yea. But still. I can’t help but imagine he had no one to care for him, therefor harboring his bad tendencies.

By the time he got to the Akademiya, I think he was also bullied pretty badly. This worsened his hatred towards people and made him even more of a shut-in.

Dottore is just tired all the time and I mean TIRED. It’s a miracle he’s even functioning.

I don’t have much for Dottore atm… sorry!

🫧Tartaglia🫧

Tartaglia is really struggling while in the fatui. Sometimes, he’s really zoned out. He’s good at keeping up that charming and energetic front for jobs, sure, but if you know him personally or just see him around Zapolyarny palace, he’ll seem like a totally different person. He seems to be… remembering the things he’s seen and done.

Sometimes, he’s totally angry and freaking out. He has a hard time controlling his emotions, all of which seem to appear as anger. This always ends with him breaking something, hurting someone, or even hurting himself. These tantrums are triggered by even the smallest things. I really think he has a ton of resentment, despair, and fear bubbling underneath the surface, resulting in seemingly random breakdowns.

I don’t think Tartaglia really enjoys the fatui. When he crawled out of the abyss, he was a scared, vulnerable young boy. I don’t think he could process what he experienced at the time- I don’t think he can nowadays, either- and I think the fatui used this to their advantage. To try and make him better harbinger material, they stunted his recovery by saying what he went through wasn’t that bad, it was just something that strengthened him. They brushed off any possible mental degradation as him just “being weak” and “needing to be stronger”. He doesn’t realize any of this.

I think that contributes to his need to train more and grow stronger. His over-exertion with battling, and focus on physical pain is a way for him to ignore the mental anguish he’s truly in.

Beyond losing the light in his eyes, I think Tartaglia’s entire face changed. Obviously he grew up, and that changes people’s face, but I mean in a different way. His cheeks are sunken in, his eyes even more so. Around his eyes and the tip of his nose were constantly discolored and red. His lips were chapped and bloody. He seemed tired, even with that fun mask he put on. Honestly he lacks a lot of self care. He wants to focus on his strength rather than such “small matters”. He honestly looks… pretty fucking terrifying, even inhuman when he’s violent. It’s sort of the way a shell-shocked soldier will look different when he returns from war.

About him ending up hurting himself. I think he’ll just grab at any part of himself and scratch and squeeze, resulting in jagged cuts and bruises. He has to take his anger out on something physical. If his anger is directed at another person, when he was a younger man, he’d just hurt them. As he grew, he just broke things around him instead, screaming and shouting all the while. He regrets this every time it happens. He doesn’t know why he lacks control.

All in all, Tartaglia is a deeply troubled individual who’s been manipulated into believing he is fine. He’s been lied to and told his job is a great thing for the world. Maybe one day, he’ll snap out of it and realizes he needs to leave.

[self-awared]

How do you think the Akademiya would react to a creator who's an engineering major (broad term ik, but I didn't want to get too specific) & also loves to draw in their free time?

This made me think of Kaveh. My obsession with him knows no end.

Characters included: Kaveh, Alhaitham, Scaramouche/wanderer, (can I add Dottore? IDC, I'm adding him anyways because hes so cunty) Dottore

Kaveh:

Discovered your drawings by accidentally walking in your room, thinking it was his.

You weren't home, so what harm was there in taking a few. Surely, you wouldn't notice, right?

Jokes on him, you notice every minor detail, including the fact that some of your drawings were missing. Mainly some unfinished blueprints that you had just drawn because you felt bored.

Needless to say, you got them back. Kaveh doesn't want to say that you would help him with some assignments if he gave them back.

When he saw you drawing in a sketch pad Alhaitham bought you, he was surprised to see many drawings of him and Alhaitham. WAIT WHY ARE THEY KISSING IN THAT ONE-

He asked if he could have the drawing, and you reluctantly and VERY CAREFULLY (it literally took you almost five minutes) to tear it out of the sketchbook.

He now routinely watches you draw various things. But, he would burn that book if you drew more images of him and Alhaitham..

Doing things.

Scaramouche:

Like a tsundere bitch, he "wouldn't care" about your drawings. Of course he likes them

He discovered them while you were lounging in the Akademiya's library, drawing away.

Peered over your shoulder for about half an hour before you noticed. He had already memorized everything you drew.

He got a book thrown at him for scaring you.

When you drew him, he acted like he didn't give a shit, but still stole the drawing.

Often spies on you as you draw.

Once caught you drawing a picture of him and Nahida being just fluffballs. He stole that one too and showed it to Nahida.

She wasn't very proud he stole, but she couldn't be mad for long when she saw the drawing. Now, she routinely asks to watch you draw.

Alhaitham:

Much like Scaramouche, I feel like he wouldn't pay that much attention to your drawings.

However, I feel like he would still be appreciative if you drew him or talked to him about your thoughts.

He wouldn't go as far as to ask to watch you draw, the man is too busy.

I think he would just accept a drawing you gave to him, and would pin it to a wall in his office like a proud father.

When people ask about it, he'd casually say, "Oh, Their Grace drew that." And proceed to get bombarded with questions about you and you drawings.

Zandik/Dottore:

If you were around while he was at the Akademiya, I feel like the two of you would be close.

HEAR ME OUT ON THIS, if I remember correctly, Zandik was an outcast at the Akademiya. So, if you went out of your way to draw him and help him with things, I have a strong feeling that would place you at the top of his favorite people list.

If you were there when he got expelled and sent to the desert, I feel like with your knowledge, you could create some things to help him survive until whoever found him finds him. (I forget if it was Capitano or Dottore)

I feel like while he was becoming a harbinger, you would help him along the way. Hes running out of people to experiment on? You used your influence to send people towards Snezhnaya. He needs funding? The Northland bank just got an anonymous tip, so Pantalone couldn't refuse. But, he definitely knew it was you.

If you only appeared after he was expelled, chances are you would run into him with the traveler and Nahida.

Basing this off myself rq, I'm an absolute simp for genshin villains. Arleechino goes by Father? Nah, she daddy. Same with literally any other harbinger. So, I feel like you would say something stupid while simping over his like 5 voice lines. (He needs more screen time)

A/N: How does Dottore's part match engineer!Creator!reader? Idk. I kinda strayed from the request on his part a bit.

[lady-hibiscus]

my favorite characters (multifandom) controversial edition

stella (helluva boss) deserved better than an arranged marriage, definitely sapphic

vox, valentino, velvette, lute (hazbin hotel) vox is my favorite, second place is a three-way tie because i can't pick

luke castellan, ethan nakamura (percy jackson) deserved better!! deserved better!!

il dottore (genshin impact) dottore is literally one of the best harbingers imo

azula (atla) if you don't think she deserved better you're lying to yourself but we still stan an insane queen

alia atriedes (dune) another insane queen that committed murder at the age of 2!

feel free to debate in the comments i love fighting

[yandere-wishes]

QUICK with which Genshin characters do you ship your mutuals with, why and ship dynamic!

This wasn't quick at all, it took me like four whole days to write this. Most of my mutuals aren't really into Genshin but here are the four who actually play the game,

@yandere-romanticaayandere-romanticaa: Ovious Childe, like come on who else am I supposed to ship her with? She's gone on record to say she's ABSOLUTELY FERAL over him~💖💖

But…If I were to get creative with this. I'd say Ana and Alhaithalm would be a super wholesome couple. Dates would include, cuddling together as Alhaithalm reads her a romance novel. Or maybe a cute, aesthetic cafe date. Eating sweets together and staring into each other's eyes with longing.

Like Ana come on he'd be the perfect husband for you, he's 85% Lana del Rey coded.

@feedmestraycats You would literally be perfect for either Tighnari or Cyno. In both cases, it's because you get so passionate about something and need to tell all your friends about it. Tighnari and Cyno would absolutely adore you for this trait, commenting about how adorable you get when you talk about your latest passion. They'd also spend hours talking to you about their obsessions.

Cyno would teach you how to play TCG and buy you the prettiest cardholder. He'd also take you out on dates in the desert, enjoying the sun and sand as he shows you a new card combination attack he learned.

Tighnari would take you out on picnics in the forest/jungle. Having prepared numerous tasty snacks and treats, plus a nutritious meal. He'd show you all the different flora and funga. He'd spend hours explaining their traits to you. He'd be so happy to be in his favorite place with his favorite person.

All this being said, I can also see you and Albedo being together. since you both share a love of art. He'd definitely would try out a surrealistic medium and gift you his best works. Would also take you on dates to Dragonspine and make you hot chocolate as you cuddle by the fire and watch the snowfall.

@minteasketches I know you're a huge Scaramouch lover…BUT hear me out, KAVEH. you guys are both so passionate about your art. Pouring your heart into your work, leaving fragments of your soul in your creations. Kaveh would 100% refer to you as his muse and hang your art on the walls of his buildings. He'd also personally design the ring he proposes to you with. Asking you to be his eternally with rosy pink cheeks. He'd try to propose outside during a full moon. Wanting everything to be PERFECT just like his darling.

@surveyycorps This one is obvious but DOTTORE. I know how much you love Genshin's resident mad scientist. So I'm putting the two of you together for this assignment. If you two met during his Zandik days, then cute study dates at the library would be a must. He'd tutor you in every subject wanting you to exile. But you'd also have to comfort him on his more…moody days. Assuring him that "He's the best genius in the entire academy".

If you two started going out during his Dottore time period. Then I could see him taking you to expensive restaurants and high-end malls. Wanting to spoil you. But he'd also lock himself in his lab for days on end, so the relationship could be rather lonely at times. DW he'd totally make it up to you later.

So in conclusion I'm the best matchmaker in history (cupid who??). That's everyone Anon. Now I'm kinda curious who I'd be shipped with lol 🤣🤣 Let me know in the comments/askbox

[sorry-moots]

Inversion of Genesis But I Changed It

i literally only got back to this cuz i was bored yall, merry fucking chrysler also my beta reader flaked on me so no beta we die like... whoever the fuck idek characters featured: scaramouche, dottore, yvette 💖 cws: dottore is a bit creepy but when isn't he wc: 1,669

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Chapter Eight

The wool stockings, the starched blouse, the dense jacquard skirt, the layers of petticoats, everything you had been wearing lay cast aside on a loveseat. There was a sheen of sweat covering your body, but you felt too good to care. As you stared at yourself in the mirror, chest heaving and all, you could only think one thing…

Damn, I look good.

Before leaving Snezhnaya, you had tried to find something more suitable for the Sumeru’s tropical weather with no luck. There was no such thing as summer in Snezhnaya, so there was no reason to make or stock summer clothes.

Unfortunately, that meant walking around Port Ormos in clothes designed to brave the harshest winters in all of Teyvat. The stuffiness of your clothes combined with Sumeru’s humidity had had you fanning yourself as hot tears streamed down your face. It was a miracle that you had been able to spot the seamstress’s shop with your bleary eyes.

“Lord Scaramouche,” you had called out, panting. “We need to stop. The heat is too much.”

Now, a week later, you stood before the seamstress’s mirror in an entirely new outfit. You had worked up a sweat on the way there, but the new clothes were light and breathable and already cooling you down. You turn left and right to study the black leather pants– lambskin so you don’t develop bog bottom. The rest of the uniform consisted of a breezy white blouse overlaid with a black corset with purple laces. You had even changed your hair ribbons and the laces on your boots to match.

When you finally finish admiring yourself, you leave the dressing room only to be met with Scaramouche’s scowl.

He scoffs when he meets your eyes. “How much money did you waste on this?”

You’re still obsessing over the contrast between your boots and the new laces. “It wasn’t much compared to the cost of my usual attire.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” he snarks. “Dottore never skimps on his favorites.”

Ignoring his foul mood, you think aloud. “It’s a shame I can’t wear it in this heat. It fits perfectly, like it was tailored just for me. Wait a minute…”

Just as you’re about to toss yourself down that rabbit hole, Scaramouche diverts your attention with another retort. “Well if you want to wear it and suffocate, be my guest. At least you’ll die in the right colors. How come the accents are purple anyway? Are you color blind?” he asks with a smirk.

“Oh, I chose them because they match the colors you wear,” you respond, grinning widely.

The harbinger’s eyes widen and he quickly blurts out, “I wear red, too!” He then hides his face with his jingasa, not wanting you to realize it matches the color of the fabric.

*****

After dropping your clothes off at the hotel, you and Scaramouche rendezvoused with the other agents at the new office. It took about three hours to set up even with the lower ranked soldiers moving furniture. Every time Scaramouche asked for your opinion on the positioning of the cabinets and such, you told him they looked fine. The soldiers sighed in relief, especially when they were moving heavier items.

When everything is in place and your documents are sorted, Scaramouche announces, “Alright everything’s in order, we can go back to the hotel.”

The other agents start making their way to the exit, but you tell your boss to hold on as you go through your things. You produce a delicate ceramic pot with a single mourning flower, which you set on his desk.

You look back and flash him a smile. “Now, everything’s in order!"

While you pack up your things, he sits at his desk and admires the petals on the vibrant flower. There’s a funny feeling in his chest, probably from the humidity.

“Are you coming, sir?” you called out to him. 

There’s a resemblance for a split second. Both you and the flower are full of life, persistent even in the harshest conditions, and breathtakingly gorgeous.

“Yeah, I’m coming.”

*****

The silence of your room rings in your ears. You can think of a few ways to wind down before you go to sleep but you don’t feel like doing any of them. You haven’t even showered or put on your sleep clothes. You’ve just been staring at the ceiling thinking about Scaramouche.

Thinking about how he disappeared with her.

Yvette didn’t have much to do during the journey overseas. You had seen so little of her that you had forgotten she was even part of the harbinger’s retinue. Still, you don’t understand why she's staying in Scaramouche’s suite.

Are they an item..?

Before you can entertain that line of thinking, a frantic knocking comes from your door. You get up to answer it and silently admonish your guest for rapping their knuckles on the door again without waiting.

You’re met with a distressed Yvette. She’s signing at light speed, miming, and pointing but you can’t figure out what she wants. Suddenly, she brushes past you and grabs a pen.

You search your desk for something to write on but she grabs the first thing she sees, the book you’re currently reading.

“No!” you shout, your voice fraught with dismay. She doesn’t hear you. She’s deaf, she can’t hear anything.

The resignation sets in quickly. What’s done is done and, at the end of the day, it’s just a book. Not even your favorite book.

When she finishes writing, she tosses the pen on the desk and holds the book at eye level. The inside of the cover now reads:

Please come

Harbinger mad !!

With a grim look, you move the book so it’s no longer obstructing her view of your face and say, “Take me to him.”

She leads you through the corridors until you reach his room. You could hear his shouting all throughout the halls, but you were still jarred when Yvette opened the door.

Before you transferred, you had heard rumors of the Balladeer’s violence, but you had never bore witness to it firsthand. He stood in the center of the room with a Fatuus suspended in his grasp, his other hand balled into a fist.

“I told you to take your needles and fuck off!”

So, that’s what this is about. Though the man was too proud to admit it, you knew that the tests that Il Dottore administered took a great toll on his body. He was always pushing Scaramouche to his limits, seeing how much he could take before he gave out. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened.

You were frozen in thought, not sure what to do, when a familiar fragrance wafted in the air. Everything seemed to slow down as you realized what you needed to do. The soldier’s begging and pleading faded into the background as you made your way into the room. The only sound was your heart beating in time with your footfalls.

Your gaze travels from his sandals to the veil on his jingasa to his arm. Your eyes stay trained on his fist as your own hand moves towards it. Barely conscious of what you’re doing, you grab his hand and hold it to your chest.

“Your tea is getting cold, sir.”

All of the noise in the room comes back. The whimpers of the agent in Scaramouche’s grasp. The worried shushing of the Fatui in the room. Yvette nervously shifting her weight. Your steady breathing.

Every muscle in his body tensed before relaxing. A second later, the Fatuus was on the ground, hyperventilating but unscathed. You let go of his hand.

“Everyone out.”

You straightened and composed yourself, ready to take your leave as well when added, “Not you.”

Once the other operatives had scurried out, he seated himself and turned to you expectantly. It took a second, but you were able to deduce what he wanted. Soon, the two of you sat drinking tea in the silence, as if he hadn’t been about to kill a person just moments before.

He didn’t need to dismiss you. You knew once the tea ran out, he would have no further need for you.

The tea set wobbled on the tray as you made your exit, but only started to clatter when a new presence was made known.

“Thank you, my dear [Y/n],” the doctor patronized as he sidled up to you with a bemused smile. “You seem to have quite the hold on our Balladeer. I can’t imagine what would have happened to poor Henry had you not stepped in.”

You draw in a shaky breath to respond. “It is my pleasure to contribute to the Fatui’s cause.”

“Is that so? With your new attire, I would have thought you were trying to distance yourself from the organization,” Dottore remarked, his smile turning into a grin. “Not that it looks bad… Though, they did get your corset size off by a couple centimeters.”

As your earlier suspicions are confirmed, the lights flicker. You can’t know for certain, but your instincts tell you that you’ll be safe, like someone’s watching out for you.

Squaring your shoulders, you looked Dottore directly in his eyes. Or where they would be. “Thank you for bringing it to my attention, my lord. I will visit the tailor first thing in the morning and request that they alter it,” you responded evenly. “That said, I’ll need to retire early so I can do that without impeding my work. If there’s nothing else, I must bid you goodnight.”

Even in Sumeru’s warm weather, Dottore’s chuckle sends shivers down your spine. “I could think of a thing or two…” he starts and the lights flicker again. “...but I suppose I can wait.” 

With that, the light fixtures around him finally fizzled out and you went your separate ways. Once you were far enough, you let out a sigh of relief, thanking the Archons for watching over you.

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tags: @lacunaanonymoused, @dollpoetwriting

[jessamine-rose]

hihihihi hope your doing great, i've got a few questions How do you think that Capitano looks under his mask? I read your Capitano fics and as far as I have read, there were only scars mentioned. What do you suggest for somebody to do when their bored? (Totally not asking because i got literally nothing to do in my free time)

Do you play Genshin? If so, what AR? Who's you're favourite Genshin character? AND lastly, what got you in writing? Of course, don't answer one if you don't feel like answering one!! Have an awesome day 💛

Aahh so many questions /pos!! I hope you have a wonderful day as well ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪

How do you think that Capitano looks under his mask? I read your Capitano fics and as far as I have read, there were only scars mentioned.

So far, my favorite hc is this fan art!! The artist’s Capitano is so scarred and handsome ahhhh~

What do you suggest for somebody to do when their bored? (Totally not asking because i got literally nothing to do in my free time)

This is a tough question to answer since I have the opposite problem. Uhh let’s see….exercise?? Reading fanfics or short stories?? Alien Stage is very binge-able~

Do you play Genshin? If so, what AR?

*deep breath* Guys, I have a confession to make: I have never played Genshin Impact xD

Who's you're favourite Genshin character?

Hmm this question is even more difficult. The first characters who come to mind are Capitano and Dottore. As for selfship, Neuvillette and Ayato definitely have a place in my heart <3

AND lastly, what got you in writing?

The answer is simple:: I have very particular fanfic preferences, especially for x reader fics, so I had to write my own food.

[fatuismooches]

I still haven’t gotten over that dialogue involving Nahida and Dottore.

Nahida: “Why were you trying to make an artificial new god?”

Dottore: “Well… To see if it was possible, and if I could”

Nahida: “… You’re really crazy. What would you do if you ended up with a real god in the end, though?”

Dottore: “That would be up to the future me in that situation to deal with”

Nahida: “…”

He creates problems with no consideration of possible future consequences. What a chaotic man ❤️

Oh i COMPLETELY understand anon... I have honestly rewatched that cutscene on youtube an unhealthy amount of times. Like, it is such a good conversation, really goes into Dottore's perception of the world and Nahida's reaction to it only drives home the point of how crazy confident and self-driven he is (which just makes his character so good) I hope he does something similar eventually. I want him to make more problems 🥰 Ugh it's literally one of my favorite cutscenes in the game.

And remember. He is first and foremost a scholar 🙏

[rice-enjoyer]

A taste so sweet ; it makes all of your senses rot, from within.

a/n: this has been MARINATING in my drafts since august. reader is a cook/chef from Liyue! ~3.0k words! this is not sagau, for once, wow! a mostly harbinger-centered fic, i was simply not feeling it with scaramouche, sorry simps. (my boy pants though. - pantalone is finally in the spotlight! the wording of this fic seems to make it easy for me to go on and on about him.) dottore does get his routine paragraphs that are a mile longer than everyone else's, he's still my favorite war criminal <3 cw: gn reader, x reader format. food, probably everything that has to do with preparing food, reader gets kidnapped, reader has some angst added and self-esteem issues but it turns into fluff very soon. few mentions of death, (reader's and a side character's)some obsessiveness + possessiveness, reader ACCIDENTALLY cuts themselves with a knife, very short-lived and harmless wound.

--

As the saying goes: The way to anyone's heart is either through their pants or stomach - you chose the latter, being a well-known chef from Liyue. You sort of had to. How did you end up becoming the 11 harbingers' personal chef? Well... You liked to participate in those little cooking competitions, that's how. Always being on the podium, never getting anything worse than 3rd place. You grew up loving to participate, even as a child - not expecting to win, but to learn. Knowledge when it comes to cooking, baking, recipes, and how to alter them just fascinated you, ever since you were young. Xiangling was a close friend of yours, and you've been thinking about signing a contract, to work in a restaurant. You went home, already planning your future as an official chef for the restaurant. With new responsibilities in mind, you sigh deeply in the empty hall as you take off your shoes. Your mind was filled and rattling with all sorts of new problems to antagonize over. You were worried, deeply, but concealing that should be the best, weakness has no place in your heart for now. Maybe later, when you are a bit more comfortable with being employed at a new place. Everything was going too well. Maybe you'll even make friends! And, as you'd joke, fate really despised you. Only, it wasn't a joke this time.

The Fatui are everywhere, you can't deny that. But you started to notice a new pattern as you were about to start working at Wanhmin. Day by day, more and more agents show up around your workplace, then on the street, you live in, you were sure someone broke into your home the other day. But there was no evidence, so what can you do? Stay paranoid, and vigilant. Only one problem with this seemingly flawless plan. You are so exhausted from working one day that you didn't lock your door. You were already busy making dinner, craving stone harbor delicacies since it was easy to prepare - you hear the door creak open. Your train of thought has abruptly stopped.

Now, for the exact beginning of your pitiful reality. It all started with an offer you just can't refuse, literally. A misunderstanding brought you to Sneznhaya, how very tragic. The person rummaging and searching for something in your house made eye contact with you, as you were trying to arm yourself with a single, very average, and rather dull kitchen knife. Mistaking you for someone else who had information worth taking, maybe until your lifeless body would get thrown into the soft snow. While the only thing at your disposal was cooking knowledge, and your lowly excuse of a weapon. Such a sorry fate, for you, and that cicin mage who suddenly vanished shortly after failing such an important mission - never seeing your kidnapper again. You were naive, fate leading you by the hand into a pit you can never truly crawl out of.

Lucky for you, meeting your end would've been too kind of a finale to your seemingly short-lived story. Seeing how you are useful in a way, death's cold grip didn't pull you into the night. In the end, you did sign a contract to work, just not in the restaurant. Becoming head chef for the palace rather quickly, your talent would've been wasted, and, no one would want that now would they? Seeing how you were pleasant to be around, compliant, and mostly, quiet, you were just perfect. Having to serve food for the recruits, and agents were no big deal. You'd even strike up conversations with them, some of those were quite lovely. The problem was that after a while, the harbingers have taken an obvious interest in you. You were too frightened to notice that, at first.

To cope with your sudden change of scenery, of environment, to digest your experience, instead of sleeping at night, well, you'd walk. Restless, going from empty room to empty room, looking out the window. With whatever little moonlight was illuminating these rooms, you'd wonder, if you could ever rest, in a place so cold, so distant from your entire being. And so, the cycle continued, you'd wake early, still dark outside to start preparing for the day, exhausted from not getting any rest. Hands full of idle work, thoughts filled with uncertainty. You dreaded lunch, more so than before. Slowly, you climbed the ranks unintentionally, and because of your hospitality, every single cook, maid, and housekeeper tried to shove all of their scarier duties toward you. You may stutter and show minimal signs of discomfort when talking with any of the harbingers, but you wouldn't break under pressure, therefore, the other staff would live to see another day for a job fulfilled well. But knocking on their doors, when you knew you'd be bothering all of them, wishing they'd just, interact with you as little as possible. Oh but fate just hated you, you were just sure of it. You danced the same, off-beat waltz around the palace at dinner. It took you a while to understand but they hated each other so much. Your daydream of not having to talk to them on a daily basis, having them together at a single location, like one of the many dining rooms was never happening. There are a few exceptions, of course, but by the looks of it, they'd rather eat glass than willingly talk to one another. It was night again, so you'd get yourself ready for... walking. And restlessness.

And so, you thought you were replaceable, anyone can cook, bake, and make dishes taste divine, with the right background and experience.

Anyone could be you.

Oh, but how wrong you were. None of them would admit it to you, of course. Prideful creatures they are. The slow, slow change was seen by all, yet no one talked of it. Annoyance at your presence turned to quiet acknowledgments, nods, and slowly, questions. Having as stressful jobs as theirs, it was nice to hear you chatter about simple practices you do to complete your given duties. It was a breath of fresh air, literally. Some even asked you, - if it was only the two of you, - that you would not use their titles, as it makes them feel closer to you, to being human. They were all oh so curious, about your process, all your thoughts about how to make those extremely difficult Fontaine pastries, what was the difference between baking and cooking, and exactly what would it take to poison them, but before that thought could continue, you reassured them that would never happen, as you are the unofficial taste tester, also eating the exact same things they do, and so on. So, instead of quietly humming to yourself, feeling alone, you realized, they were just as lonely as you. And so after months, you'd find yourself humming along with Columbina. She'd ask to dance with you, and, who were you to deny her a little fun? The pots overboiling had different plans, of course, but you managed. She prefers sweet and light dishes, but the ones with some sort of sweet or tangy filling are her favorites. Like taiyaki, for example. Only because that means there's usually some extra cream on the corner of your lips, and she can easily fluster you by holding your chin in place to clean it off with her finger, sighing in delight while your cheeks become tinted with red and babble at her sudden boldness.

As you were having breakfast, Sandrone was showing you her newest altered automation, mouth full of a slice of an egg, spinach, and cheese pie you cooked for her, it was hard to make out what she was saying, but you listened. She seems to prefer mild salty flavors and portable dishes, which is understandable, seeing how much she's focused on her work. Her favorites are bread specialties you make oh so very often, mora meat, or bread pockets made with fresh fish. You only noticed this when one of her robotic assistants asked you to explain in great detail on how to make the foods mentioned, to produce the exact same result as you do.

On your way to the market, Arlecchino just happens to run into you, saying how the orphanage is not far from the market, knowing very well it's in the complete opposite direction, but you indulge her, talking as if you've known each other forever. You play into her fantasy of having a friend, but after a while, it seems to be genuine. You were homesick the day before, so you made a big batch of lotus flower crisps and took some with you. The sweet aroma from your bag intrigues her, and she now has a favorite snack to eat, not only because it's sweet, but mainly because it reminds her of your walks to the market.

La Signora, she scares you the least. While it seems that she's just as cruel and terrifying, she has known love at one point in her life, teaching you ancient recipes from Old Mondstadt. When making one of them is a success, her subordinates are eternally grateful to you because it puts her in a better mood for days. One dish she really likes and has told you that it reminds her of the past is northern apple stew, so you make it for her whenever you can.

You'd genuinely smile when Tartaglia compared your cooking to his mother's, saying it has a similar "warmth". Another advocate for seafood and fresh fish, he has told you many times when you make Wanmin-style black-back perch stew, he feels like he's right back in Liyue. He's constantly complimenting how skilled you are with a knife when cutting meat. Perhaps it's an invitation to sparring? Who knows, he is never quite clear on that.

Capitano is very against it, however. That's why there's never a direct and clear answer to his question. Why harm the one person who can make good food? This just fuels Childe to annoy you further. Not only because it's fun to do so from Tartaglia's perspective, but also because it's a sure source of Capitano's attention. He is not picky at all, quite the opposite. But there is an obvious preference for meat-heavy dishes, like braised meat or minty meat rolls. A small nod of appreciation that makes you smile softly.

Pulcellina is assisting you to send your letters that are addressed to your family almost weekly, making sure that your loved ones don't think your disappearing meant certain death. He reads them in secret, or so he thinks. How could you not suspect it when you've learned that there is no privacy in this cold place left for you? To your surprise, you've found another pasta lover through him, making most, if not all of Liyue's noodle-centered foods.

Dottore seems to think you want some sort of favor from him, he's far too focused on his research to realize that being a chef is your actual job. It appears that way, but he does care, whenever one of his clones drops by the palace or he meets with them personally, there seems to be a small batch of select spices on your desk or some sumeru roses. How surprisingly thoughtful of him. In exchange for his efforts, you often make Sumerian dishes, such as biryani.

Going out of your assigned guest room, that later on becomes your very own, starting the day with drinking bitter and dark coffee with Pierro. He has told you many times how certain flavors you use in your recipes remind him of a faint memory that tastes like home. You are more than welcome to stay in his presence, "You are no bother, truly." - he finds himself saying rather often. If you have any writing to do, please, feel free to knock on his door, working in solitude is so much more tedious, even if there aren't any words exchanged between the two of you.

Much later, after finishing up in the dead of night, you'd find yourself drinking authentic Liyue tea with Pantalone in his office. You'd sometimes look over his shoulder, interested in what he was writing so quickly. He swears if he were to start explaining, it would bore you tremendously. There have been times when if you'd say one of his colleague's names, he'd listen to you a bit too eager to hear any form of gossip you'd pick up on. You've found yourself a person to actually converse with, good job! There have been occurrences when you'd find yourself getting a bit too comfortable on a sofa in his office, his velvety voice accidentally lulling you to some well-deserved sleep. Don't worry, a secret like this will never be the topic of the newest talk. That would mean sharing your company, and your limited free time with others, and that is certainly the worst. At least with him taking a liking to you, there is nothing in all of Teyvat you are short of. Fate is forgiving to you, just this once. Sometimes voicing your concern about how this is all a bit too much, he'd laugh. "Oh, please. I sincerely hope you are doing this out of formalities." Dismissing whatever humane insecurities you have left like it's the most normal reaction one might have.

You were the last one to notice that closeness, of course. Both figuratively and literally. You were doing a million things at once and accidentally cut yourself while chopping vegetables for dinnertime. A small diagonal cut going from the knuckle of your index finger to the middle of your thumb, nothing major, you think. A voice, coming from behind you thought otherwise. You turned to your left, only to feel two short taps on your right shoulder. "Oh, that could get infected if you don't treat it. Hm. You probably should." - A dramatic sigh left his mouth, probably because there wasn't anyone else around. "Come, you have work to get back to, and so do I. But I can't focus on said work if I'm hungry." Of course. Dottore. The concept of personal space is foreign to him, not leaving you any time to protest or even process what he said. Grabbing your arm a lot more gently than you expected you are being pulled or rather, taken to that god-awful lab again. His tone of voice is...softer, it seems. After a long series of walking, going outside to feel the snow decorating your face in a flushed red because of the cold, going down numerous staircases, you end up at your destination. Keys jingling, ancient iron walls creaking.

He gestures at a chair for you to sit down at. You do, while looking around, this place still irks you. "Tch, I can't just clone you and make you anew, Pierro made one of me sign a contract to swear by it, ugh. Take better care of yourself. This is an order." Judging by his tone, how fast and seemingly carelessly said those words to you, he probably wanted to keep all of this to himself but failed spectacularly. You let out a hearty laugh. The first one in months. Your guard crashes down, into the unwelcoming environment. Your laugh brightens every dark corner of the lab, for a short moment. Someone so apathetic getting worked up over something so trivial really makes you chuckle. "Hah, sorry I apologize." - you deeply inhale to catch your breath. - "I could make something extra for your troubles. Would you like anything specific, Doctor?" "Something sweet should suffice." He finishes wrapping the bandage around your hand, suddenly wincing in pain. He applied something antibacterial to the bandages, but you were too distracted having a good time to notice.

Most of them complain to you about their workload, their colleagues, everything. You now know way too much about the harbingers. You've made them softer towards yourself, but also towards each other. You are acquainted with all of them now. Dottore gloats about being the first one to make you laugh as some huge achievement, like one of his usual cruel experiments on his subjects. You do hear of this, from a maid who took your refreshments to the meeting room. Another thing you hear of from the same maid is how delighted they all are that you don't they don't have to share your attention with the Balladeer, as he is currently busy wreaking havoc in Inazuma. This makes you feel a little honored, but still uneasy. The course fate has picked for you made you so much more than you bargained for.

You hum softly. The same flavor of pride has set its poisonous teeth in you, just like it has in theirs. The walls they've built around themselves are turning into dust in your hands. You've awakened something humane in them, but, only towards you. And, of course, you would never dare to admit it, but they've changed you. You were still kind, and considerate, but the hunger for knowledge in your eyes... it has a different spark, a darker tint, barely noticeable, but it's there. Knowing you can... access information with no trouble, your view of the world, of fate, changed.

They all take great satisfaction in this, it was one of the few times something could be called a genuine team effort. Don't expect them to work together for another cause, unless it's the Tsaritsa herself declaring war. Her cold and gentle gaze makes you feel at ease when the palace is as empty as the poor people's eyes, glassy and dull who dare say anything against her Majesty's principles.

Making a cozy home for yourself in a place like this would make any workplace hire you in an instant, but why would you want to leave now? Maybe a visit to your family, making up for the many weeks and months of not seeing them, sure. But you'll come back, no matter what. You do seem to have some say in the matter, but smiling politely and declining is the way to go for now. It's quite a funny thing to think about, how you have the world's most feared feeding from the palm of your hand. Yes, you are sure of it now, fate has changed you.

--

Taglist! (If you'd like to be added/removed, let me know!) : @the-real-fandom-person @petrichor-1 @00kama00

[flutteringfable]

obligatory 2023 art summary post! yippee!!! :3

wowza, while i was gathering art to post for this, it hit me just how much ive drawn this year! hope you guys enjoy the big ol 2023 art dump hehehe

blood + gun warning for one of the first pieces, but the rest of them are safe!

first section! these are from january-february of this year :3

i should really draw @nick-nocturne more, especially since they got a cool new vtuber model! (i will admit i am partial to the cat, but that may be because i just really like drawing anthro characters XD)

the crush soda girl is a favorite drawing of mine, shes just so cute and i’m happy with the design i came up with <333

TASU GETS TO BE EDGY!!! i need to draw remnant tasu more lolz

some cute fluffy art of mine and @sadlesbiancafe’s danganronpa oc x canons <3 mukuro holding tsukis face is still something im super proud of it looks so good 💛💛💛

my artfight pfp that was actually drawn for my birthday this year and repurposed XD

valentine’s venti! not much to say, just a cute boy with a bouquet of cecilias :3

section 2! these are march through may i believe?

venti meme. again not much else to add lmao

a fun pony design i made of @gravemakesgames’ vtuber nai! i should really make one for grave’s sona and mizu too :3c

silly scara and dottore meme because the post used in the art is literally just dottore lmao

some sonadow art based on the april fools game! i hope we get something similar this year from sega, i would love another silly cute visual novel <3

nagito meme. yup.

venti but he’s monika from the hit psychological horror game doki doki literature club

hajime with that one autistic meme

my dogperson genshin oc, kimura ando!

art fight stuff!

from left to right we have:

opal, owned by feraljayce

lorikeet, owned by sunshinesleeper

solana, owned by kikosdath

vivienne, owned by okaenus

pigeon scribble, owned by Morse_kch

nyan, owned by LillianOfTheValley

pop rocks, owned by kitsuanna

bug, owned by hylian

all of these ocs were so fun to draw, i can’t wait for this year’s af!

unsure when these were done, presumably sometime in august-september iirc?

i’m getting sleepy, so no more commentary. sorry 😭 will rb with the rest of the art lolz

[tales-of-eternity]

Welcome to Tales of Eternity

Have you ever wanted to ask a Vishap what they’re favorite flavor of ice cream was? Or perhaps what a Kitsune does in her daily life? How about a Dottore segment about literally anything?

Tales of Eternity is just the place for you!

Presenting four original characters from the mod’s original Genshin fanfiction series, End of an Eternity, this blog hopes to give you the opportunity to talk to the four original characters: Zeta, Tsuriko, Shiwen, and Kai.

It is highly recommended that you read the original story before asking questions, and each part will be linked below.

End of an Eternity

Crumbling Empire (still updating)

Part 3 coming soon….

You can find more updates on my personal Tumblr blog: @drowning-in-cabbages (mod is 18+ years old, but don't let that deter you. I'm open for interactions with anyone)

Also come check out my other RP blogs:

@thewanderingpuppet

@feathers-and-song

@rattling-reverberations

Also check the links for information on each character. Pictures will be added eventually.

Zeta: Misfit of Misfits

Tsuriko: Fox of Magnificent Fortune

Shiwen: Steadfast Glacier

Kai: Soaring Wings of Lost Hope

Content Warnings

Smoking

Alcoholism

Death

War

Body dismembering

Grief

Trauma

All the bad stuff

You get the idea

Rules

Don't be an ass

Only Zeta and Kai are available for romantic interactions

No trying to force a relationship with any characters, especially Shiwen and Tsuriko.

Rules update post

Tags

���� An apple a day (Interactions with Zeta)

🦊 Fortune fox (Interactions with Tsuriko)

❄️ Cold as ice (Interactions with Shiwen)

🪶 Faster than the storm (Interactions with Kai)

❔An audience? (Interactions with more than one character)

✨ Friends from far away (General asks and roleplay)

🐉 What’s past is past (Anything regarding the Adepti, Yakshas, Archon War, or Cataclysm)

🌩️ Oppressive Ruler (Anything regarding the Shogunate)

👁️ Turn a blind eye (Anything regarding the Fatui)

🎼 Wind and Song (Anything regarding the Knights)

💎 Unearthed Stone (Interactions with Jien)

🥬 Cabbage Creations (Questions for the mod/about the story)

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

Hello, so this not a request per se; but seeing your reaction to the latest archon story quest, I was curious, but which nation do you think has the best story arc so far? Sumeru or Fontaine? what you like the most? Just want to hear your thoughts and opinions, that’s all.

oooh that's a good question!! i'll put my answer under the cut because it got kinda rambly and there are spoilers (i'm also quite opinionated i'm warning you now!)

in terms of a consistent plotline, i think Sumeru was better. but in terms of personal enjoyment, i liked Fontaine more.

as for why i liked Fontaine more (except the prison part, fuck that), it's for a number of reasons- i like the characters more (Arlecchino and Furina being two of my absolute favorites), the stakes felt higher and more mysterious (Sumeru i kinda figured out what Dottore and Scaramouche were doing early on), the NPC deaths hit hard because they actually stayed dead (rip Melus and Silver you two will not be forgotten), i really liked the trial aspects, and also FOUL LEGACY APPEARANCE!!!! HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY!!!!! it also helped that Fontaine was the first archon questline to not feature the Fatui as the main bad guys, which i absolutely love

oh and i like the narwhal weekly boss better than the Scaramech boss. in fact i have a bit of a hatred for the Scaramech boss because of how it's entirely based off of the floating rabbit-thing gimmick- the only reasons i generally enjoy doing it is because A.) we're beating up Scaramouche and B.) the music slaps

Furina is also one of my favorite characters in the entire game now. she doesn't quite top Childe/Foul Legacy, Arlecchino, or Baizhu, but she's up there. i liked her from the beginning because she was goofy and dramatic, and now i think her story was beautifully written and it was something i can also relate to in a sense, although obviously not nearly on the same scale as Furina's struggles. Nahida's story was also good and very tragic, but i don't have anywhere near the same attachment to her as i do to Furina (sorry little radish)

Fontaine also brought back the trend of Fatui Harbingers actually feeling intimidating. the last time i really felt in danger around a Harbinger was Dottore, and since he wasn't the focused Harbinger of the arc i knew he wasn't going to do anything super drastic- i kinda knew Signora was going to die (still in mourning btw) and Scaramouche lost his intimidation factor when he tried to become a god, so Arlecchino being a quiet but powerful force through sheer voice and stance is very lovely

also i generally enjoy underwater exploration more than the rainforest and desert desert MORE DESERT exploration in Sumeru, so that contributes to my Fontaine bias

obviously there are some parts that could be done better, like the implementation of the narwhal boss and the plotline flowing a little better and Chlorinde definitely needing more screentime (better than Sara at least), but yeah Fontaine is my personal favorite. also the whole "erase our problems from everyone's memory" conclusion in Sumeru is kinda ehhhh, i can see why they did that but also the tree containing literally all the world's knowledge is lowkey boring and becomes a bit of a plot hole if you think about it. why couldn't we just take a little trip back to Sumeru to find out the origins of Fontaine's prophecy? i'm sure Nahida, bless her heart, would be more than happy to tell us what's up, but obviously we can't do that because it'd be too easy

i think Fontaine had higher highs and lower lows while Sumeru was consistently pretty good, so if you want a good, solid plotline to show someone, show them Sumeru. i liked Fontaine better, but that's definitely personal preference, hope that answers your question!