#genshin impact Oneshot

[tetsuskei]

⟣ kiss it better - tartaglia [nsfw]

synopsis: your boyfriend sees you wear makeup for the first time and reacts accordingly

warnings: oral (male receiving), face fucking, facial, ajax is a pervert :/, he cums a lot, childe is called by his birth name, self indulgent, russian pet names, reader is implied to be from sumeru, fem reader, one small chomp from childe

word count: 2k

its evening in your comfortable abode, and often a sight is you sitting in front of your vanity taking care of yourself. whether it be brushing your hair or doing your skin care routine for the night, the methodical way you go about your business brings comfort to your boyfriend, ajax. the domestic nature of it all brings a sense of normalcy to his unpredictable and dangerous life. you’re the purest piece, and he wishes to keep it that way.

but this time, he notices a plethora of different cosmetic items. all unfamiliar with him. he doesn’t remember seeing you buy them the last time he went out shopping with you.

the harbinger pauses, watching you in front of the mirror. “what’re you doing?”

“my makeup.” you answer as if it’s an everyday occurrence. you never really wore it before, normally barefaced or at the most, a little mascara and lip gloss, but that’s it. so to see this is…interesting.

the ginger is now looming over you into your space. one would think he’s too close, but you’ve grown accustom to him always invading it. making it his space, too.

“you don’t usually wear that stuff, though.” he notes, watching you paint glittering eye shadow on. “why are you wearing it now? is there…a special occasion?”

you flinch at his words, and he flinches in reaction to your reaction.

“i’m going out tonight with candace and dehya. they’re the ones who recommended me these things, and so i just wanted to try something different.” you explain.

ajax attempts to diffuse the situation. “i see…you know you don’t need all of that, right? you look fine as you already are. in fact, i think you look better without it!”

you glower. “last time i checked, i’m not wearing it for you.”

he panics, “of course not! you’re allowed to wear and do what you want. you look very beautiful—as you always do!”

a small hum in response makes him relax and he lets out a small sigh. he would live another day.

you, on the other hand, sense your boyfriend still hovering, and your mild irritation continues to grow inside of you.

“…do you still need something?” you ask, focusing now on your eyeliner.

he shakes his head rapidly. “no. i’m just…curious! i’ve never seen you do this before, you know.”

but you know ajax. it’s one thing to be curious, but another for someone to be leering. and with the way your boyfriend’s dull eyes bore into your very being, for once—it puts yourself on edge.

you sigh, not bothering to look at him. “just spit it out, ajax.”

“c-can i cum on your face?” he blurts.

it’s silent and the unreadable expression on your face makes him nervous. you’re quiet—much quieter than usual, and the last thing he wants to do is offend you (more than he already has).

admittedly, he can’t help himself, though. the mental image of him standing over your pretty face would not leave his mind, unfortunately. he can’t get over the idea of you kneeling, doe eyes looking up at him with anticipation as he jerks himself to the very sight of you. is he wrong for thinking of that?

“i-i mean, when you’re done wearing it? not right now of course!” he laughs nervously, and you don’t know whether to feel sorry or amused as he explains himself.

“you’re disgusting.” you finally respond, but there’s not a single hint of malice behind your words as you speak. the corner of your painted lips is tilted up in a quirk, and he wonders how you were ever so shy before when meeting him. but it is all attributed to how truly hot you look right now. you know how good you look and what it does to him. “that’s what you’re curious about?”

ajax’s cheeks flush and he looks really bashful, scratching his head and looking at the tiles on the ground. “sorry.”

you both know he’s not sorry.

“you’re the one who said i didn’t need this, yet you want to cum on my face?” you hum, straightening up once you’re finally finished. walking towards him, you note how frozen in place he is.

putting a manicured hand on his shoulder, you look up at him. “what are you thinking about now?”

he laughs, ignoring the feeling of his cock stirring from smelling your perfume and shampoo. his hands twitch. “ahh, not much.”

you kneel in front of him, hands messing with the belt and zipper to his pants. there’s a bigger smile on your face as you eye his bulge. “‘not much’?”

fuck. he really wants to make a mess out of you. to wipe that smug look off of your face.

“n-no, not—shit, baby—really.” you’re already unbuckling and unzipping him, pulling both pants and briefs down in one go as you grasp him.

there’s absolutely no point in him lying anymore with how hard he is. practically begging for release, his purpling tip dribbles copious amounts of pre. bobbing and twitching eagerly and craving release. like a jewel shimmering diamond, his thick cock has never looked prettier.

the smallest whine leaves ajax when the cold air hits him, bringing greater sensitivity to his skin.

on the other hand, he isn’t really lying. the sight of you has his mind running blank. you look gorgeous and he wants to stare at you for hours. is that really so weird?

“really?” you’re stroking him now, single hand moving leisurely as you stare up at him through your thick lashes.

“well now you’re teasing me.” he says, averting his gaze from your sinful stare.

“i’m only trying to give you what you want, ajax.” you laugh, painted lips kissing his tip. you hear his breath catch as you continue to plant kisses but on his freckles and scarred skin. every inch of his thighs are caressed and touched with care, and his cock weeps with jealousy.

“c-can’t you just? ugh—“ he’s whining, face completely flush, “put it in!”

you pinch his thigh in warning. “ask nicely.”

your boyfriend groans. “mila, you’re…you’re killing me here. please.” he whines, trying to move, but you hold his hips still.

“i’ll give you what you want if you’re honest with me.” you bargain, kissing the pretty freckles that decorate his pale thighs once again.

he’s hiding his face in his hands now, and you never thought he’s looked cuter. “i just…can’t stop thinking about what you’d look like…covered in my cum.”

at his words, your kisses move up towards his balls. they’re heavy and taut, sensitive to the warm, plush feeling your lips share against his skin.

“is that it?” your tongue sweeps out, bathing itself in his musk. he shudders.

“and…how jealous i am, because other people are going to see how beautiful you are…when i just want to keep you for myself.”

ahh. there it is.

“to yourself? well you know i’m my own person, right?” you inquire, raising a brow.

“of course you are. but you’re mine, too.” he breathes, eyes darkening. “and there’s only so much i want anyone else to see of you.”

“so that’s why you said i looked better without makeup on? you’re cruel, you know.” you sigh, leaning back.

the lowly laugh that comes from your boyfriend makes your hair stand up on its ends. “you haven’t seen cruel yet, lisichka.”

you chew on your lip, challenging him, “hmm. i’m sure it’s not that bad.”

ajax’s resolve snaps, his large hand coming behind your head before gripping your hair.

“i’m sorry, you—“ he moans loudly, sliding himself fully to the back of your throat, “you look so fucking pretty i can’t help it. wanted to be between these pretty lips of yours so badly.”

his pained expression relaxes once he claims the inside of your mouth. small moans and whimpers leaving him once he starts rutting himself within the wet cavern.

you should be mad at how abruptly he’s slid his dick in your mouth, mad at the way he’s taken control, but the sight of him stops you. the pure look of ecstasy on his face is one to behold. so you grip his legs and let him have his way with you. let him use you as he pleases. you were never really in control anyways. he was just letting you have your fun.

“you feel so good. ‘is s’good…” he praises, snapping his hips at a harsher angle and speed. you gag around him and he only groans in response, legs trembling.

“always take me all so well, hmm?” his dull eyes look down at you with adoration, thumbing your cheek where his tip is nestled.

you nod to the best of your ability, humming quietly. there are tears brimming your eyes, and a few spill over, painting your cheeks with an inky residue.

something stirs within your boyfriend.

he pulls back, eyeing your face and now ruined makeup.

“ahh, i think you look even prettier now. you’ll forgive me for ruining your hard work, won’t you?”

you cough, catching your breath. “so shameful.”

ajax slaps his cock on your face, dragging the lipstick stained appendage over your face.

“aww, mila, don’t tell me you’re not enjoying this.” his familiar sinister smirk is plastered on his face as he nudges your slobber covered lips.

solemnly, you part your mouth before taking him as far back in your throat as you can. another pretty moan leaves him before he swears in his mother tongue.

“you minx. if i didn’t know any better, i’d think you’re trying to kill me.” he falters, grasp tightening on your hair.

you moan around him, eyes rolling back as your nose digs into the tuff of hair on his lower abdomen. every part of him smells like home, like love and affection. like your soul, since you will always be apart of each other.

finally, ajax pulls back from you, and you don’t hesitate to take the next move. you waste no time taking him back into your mouth, this time using your hand to jerk the parts of him that don’t make it all the way in.

the noises are lewd and excruciatingly loud. drool and precum are basically painted and glistening on your chest, dripping down in between your breasts.

“good girl. good fucking girl…you always suck my cock so well. maybe i should…keep you locked up forever.” he praises.

“you can try.” you grin, leaning down to capture his balls in your mouth again, sucking and nursing them while your hand works his shaft.

he’s laughing now, tone bashful as he tries catching his breath, “i-i’m not going to last—“

you hum, pulling off and kissing his tip and swirling your tongue along the underside and frenulum. “go ahead, baby.”

your boyfriend gasps and then whines at the unexpected use of the pet name. it causes him to abruptly shoot his load sooner than he would have thought.

nothing could possibly have prepared you for how much ajax cums as it hits your face. your eyes squeeze shut, and every time you expect for him to be done, more spurts hit you.

his moans are unapologetically loud and fizz out into small groans as he fists himself.

eventually you crack your eyes open, glancing up at him as you suckle on his sensitive tip, lapping up any remnants of his cum.

the harbinger shudders, heaving as he looks at you. he’s never felt more glad to be right, the mess on your face spread all the way down to your chest.

it turns him on a little too much knowing he’s the only one who’d ever see you like this.

gently, he pushes you away, standing back from you.

“just know you can put whatever you want on your cute face, but you’ll never be any prettier than you are with my cum on it.” ajax breathes.

you hum appreciatively, blinking slow as you swipe up his cum and taste it. “you taste so good, ‘jax.”

a dark look swarms your boyfriend’s cerulean eyes. “it’s a shame, mila. i’m afraid you’re going to have to cancel your plans,” he grabs you like a ragdoll, tossing you back on your shared bed.

“wha—! what’re you—“

he grins before he licks your cum covered cheek, biting the flesh. “i’m not done having fun with you.”

end note: bro just licked up cum and foundation. i guess when you survive the abyss, you’ll eat anything /hj

[kinichval]

haiiii ;3 can i request kinich and a reader who’s like half siren? like in h20 where when they’re dry they have legs and mualani finds her injured and keeps her in the springs and one night when he goes to see her she’s singer and he like falls in love? i’m not the best with ideas but ignore if you don’t want to lol

hi !! ty for requesting :3 i love the idea so i gave it a shot. i'm not deep into the siren mythology so i switched the lore and tried my best writing this one < 3

"you can't just take in a random stranger in your house just because they're injured, mualani."

"but they were suffering and needed urgent help!"

"then, you should've taken them to the clinic. who knows how severe their injuries are or if they have good intentions."

the conversation of your savior and a stranger stirs you awake from your slumber, eyes fluttering open as your mind gradually processes that it is time to get up. well, maybe if your legs weren't a bit impaired then standing up would've been useful.

except you're not in the best shape as you found yourself tangled in washed-ashore seaweed causing you to trample over rocks and bruising your legs; this means that you can not transform back to your siren appearance (and vice versa if your tail was injured). thank archons, your ridiculous situation ended soon when a kindhearted mualani decided to tend your injuries.

you were honest with your true self with mualani, believing in your instincts that she is as kind as she shows herself to be. like you, she was one with the waters, a soul that's tied to the flow of the oceans and destined to live freely just as the waters liberty to just be.

in the silence of mualani's shelter where you rest and heal, there's the envy creeping up in your heart that you desperately want to repress. but no, it makes itself known for you are not like mualani.

mualani is a free-spirited surfer, an adventurer of the seas; while you were a siren shunned out by society, viewed as a menace and a threat to the land's safety. kill a siren on sight before they destroy your life is what the people would say.

but you do not have the heart to decline her kindness, rather you want to see her heart as a chance to be seen by humans in a different light. because if mualani can, then why can't they?

still, you uphold the value that your mother had instilled in you; there's no point in proving your kindness when they do not believe in your existence. so you remain hidden within the confines of mualani's home, waiting for your injury to subdue until you're able to become siren again.

"kinich, this is yn. yn, this is 'malipo' kinich." mualani introduced you to a trusted friend of hers with enthusiasm high enough to reach the heavens. simply, you give the dendro user a nod and a gentle smile, he returns the gesture with a civil nod of acknowledgement. kinich's reserved attitude is intimidating, given that mualani is the only human you had ever interacted with, you're confused how human relations work and whether the land culture is different from those who reside under the waters.

you trust that mualani hasn't let a word out about your identity, yet it doesn't assure you when you feel the man's skepticism clawing at your skin as if he's ready to capture you the moment he confirms your true nature.

or maybe you're just overthinking.

kinich never intended for his lingering stare to feel like a dagger pointed at your neck, on the contrary, he harbors the curiosity to learn about you. he often finds how his mind wanders off to mualani's newfound friend whenever the usually occupied space in his head is vacant. who is she? why is he so subconsciously adamant on knowing her? only he fails to grasp a clear picture of reason as to why the voices inside his head are telling him to seek at least a fragment of her soul.

"mualani, thank you for taking care of me."

as a parting token, you granted mualani to experience your siren form. the two of you are within the privacy of the springs that only a few ever come to visit under the moonlit night sky.

your heart sinks at the thought of returning back to the deep, uncertain if you shall ever come up to the surface once your clan learns about your predicament knowing that despite you were well taken care of, they will only emphasize the what-ifs and assert the dangers of a siren caught on land.

natlan's springs are peaceful. you requested to have time in the waters for yourself the next night; promising that when morning comes, you are off to return to the ocean where you belong. but right now, you are neither your ascribed identity or whom you want be, you are just part of the waters.

cold air hits your skin, you lightly splash the water with your luminescent tail and softly smile at the quietness. sometimes, the water doesn't have to be constantly flowing, staying still is alright.

in the midst of your solitude, you hum a tune that your mother used to lull you to sleep when you were a young siren. your voice mimics the gentleness of a mother's love, a cradling feeling of tenderness and comfort. slowly, it shifts to a song, your voice becoming louder and alluring.

and just like a serenade, your song had captivated a certain saurian hunter's attention, he stands on the opposite edge of the spring right across where you were situated in. your eyes still closed and immersed in your enchanting euphony.

"i believe i'm not under a spell, but allow me to compliment your melody. may i stay here and listen?"

kinich fixes his composure, hiding the nervousness inside his pocket. but oh, the moonlight acts like a spotlight on your figure, your true nature completely open for him to realize that you are not human at all.

but kinich isn't fazed, neither does he yield the urge to capture you in exchange for the prestige that comes with catching a siren alive.

"are you not afraid?"

instead, you were the one afraid, wrapping your arms around your torso as if it's any help in shield your true form from his green and amber eyes.

"i'm fascinated. you are a beauty."

at this point, kinich does not intend to supress his longing need for you. he's conscious and sober, implying that a siren's song is not all about luring prey into the waters.

sometimes, just like yn, a siren's song is an open book to her innermost thoughts and heartbeat's poems. it doesn't need to hold words for kinich to depict the sentiments carried into the wind as she sings; to be known, to be understood.

"may i stay with you for tonight?"

this time, you wish for the moon to stay in its place, for time to pause, and for kinich to stay in the springs with you.

[seaspringangel]

a place along the flowers — tartaglia

summary: you give your loving boyfriend the greatest birthday gift of all time in a field of flowers.

word count: 1.9k

content warnings: fem!reader ✦ reader wears a dress ✦ childe is called by his birth name ✦ outdoor sex ✦ fingering ✦ biting ✦ creampie ✦ some possessiveness ✦  pet names (love / good girl / baby) ✦ childe is a needy feral freak but that’s why we love him 

notes: belated bday gift for the ginger-haired menace <3

In the summer haze, Ajax laid his head in your lap and breathed you in.

Flowers surrounded the both of you, but to him, you were the meadow's loveliest one, a perfect bloom for his flaming, hungry teeth to tear into.

Because for every berry he ate from your fingers, Ajax was determined to leave behind a small, stinging nip with his teeth, soothing each little nick with nectar-sweetened kisses.

“If you keep on doing that,” you grumbled down at him, his long legs stretched out in the long grass without a care, “I’m shoving these berries down your throat and leaving you here.”

Ajax grinned up at you then, his smile as saccharine as the berry juices staining the corner of his mouth, a celebration of summer blotted much like blood.

“Sorry,” he murmured, but his tone was as light as the summer breeze playing in his hair. “Guess I’m too hungry.”

You squished his face, making his freckles bunch together like a cluster of starry apples. Ajax only peered up at you innocently, his eyes sparkling. He truly was as adorable as he was irritating, and you thought about taking a bite out of him as revenge, but you knew doing that would only thrill him into acting up even more. 

“And annoyingly spoiled. You’re lucky it’s your birthday,” you snapped, but you still dutifully lowered a berry to his lips, waiting. Ajax wasted no time, darting his tongue out and licking the treat from your sticky fingers—no better than a starving dog that wanted nothing more than to shred your flowered dress into pretty ribbons and clutch the ruined tatters as a prize between his salivating teeth. 

But even when your boyfriend acted this greedy, you couldn’t help but feel something unspooling inside you—something syrupy and warm, as if you were laying in a patch of cozy sunlight.

Until you felt his damn teeth nip at you again.

You quickly retreated your fingers from his maw and clamped a hand over his mouth. You glared down at him. “Next birthday, you're getting a muzzle.”

But Ajax knew how to soften you up just as he knew how to agitate you. He pressed a kiss as soft as petals to your palm, and you felt yourself unfurl, warmth spreading sweetly and slowly like honey through your veins. 

Ajax then grabbed your hand and kissed the inside of your wrist, feeling the lively thrum of your pulse against his lips. “And keep me from kissing you everywhere? I didn’t know you could be so cruel.”

You roll your eyes, but that doesn’t stop the blood from rushing to your cheeks; that doesn’t stop him from peppering more kisses on your arm, looking up at you adoringly. “You know, there’s a certain gift you could still give me before it gets dark and we head home…”

Heart fluttering at his suggestion, you watch the sun sink behind the hills, slowly blanketing the world in silky shadow. “And what makes you think you deserve that?” you scoffed.

One second you watched the sky brighten with the glitter of lantern lights; the next second your world was blurring over, and your boyfriend was hovering above you, trapping you beneath him. 

Backlit by the fading golden light, Ajax’s eyes were clouded with devotion and desire for you, bluer than the sky he mounted you under. You felt his hardness against your thigh, felt his cock throb against you, and your stomach became alight with a thousand crystalflies. “I think I can work for it,” he said, smiling down at you and you feel yourself warm instantly.

When Ajax smiled at you, it was like the sun shining beyond the white fleece of clouds. 

Dimpled, warm, and sweet, he had that boyish smile that leaves golden dust over everything like a ray of sunshine, making the day much brighter and your heart so much warmer. 

But he also had a smile that could burn hot enough to start a forest fire—flickering and wild and unrestrained, but still so beautiful that you couldn’t help but lift your palms to feel the scorching heat kiss your flesh. 

When he looked at you with that kind of reverence blacked by the flames of his hunger, you didn’t have the strength to deny him what he wanted; so when he requested to eat berries from the palm of your hand, you indulged him, and when he began to stroke you from your knee up to your thigh with bruising fingers, you let him; and now, when he yanked at the ribbons that tied the bodice of your dress together in his fervent quest to fuck you in the warm, darkening air of the meadow, you had no choice but to grant him his wish.

After all, he was the birthday boy, and who were you to keep the present he yearned for the most away from him?

Ajax's kisses left a fire trail, open-mouthed and searing, from your collarbones to your neck to your lips. You moaned as he roughly palmed your breasts through your dress, and you felt his urgency, his utter hunger, burning beneath his skin like an inferno. 

“I’ve been waiting for this all day,” Ajax groaned against your mouth, a desperate, sultry hymn that made your heart race and heat rush to the aching place between your thighs, already weeping with your desire. “I’ve been wanting you all day.” 

Trapped in the arms of your wild lover, the one who’ll scatter your sweetness among the grass like petals, Ajax tore your dress down, exposing your breasts to his mouth. It was like a feast, with him latching onto one nipple and sucking and biting until it bruised plum purple like the night sky before repeating the same action to the other. Pain and pleasure sparked to life in you like the lantern lights up above, twinkling gemstones encrusting the night sky.

When his fingers slid into you, you gasped into his mouth; his strokes were fast and vicious but electrifying, pushing deep inside of you and hitting that heavenly place that yearned for his brutal caress the most. You felt hot all over as if you had swallowed the sun. But Ajax was the sun, igniting you from within, his touch and kisses spreading like wildfire over your body. You desperately wanted to be consumed; you wanted to be razed down, leaving nothing behind but shifting ash at his feet. 

And you did melt away to nothing beneath him, your vision flashing white and bright when your body shook as you came undone upon his fingers, pearling them with your wetness. You clung to him, trying to catch the breath that he stole. 

“Ajax, please, please,” you whimpered, and Archons above, you wanted him inside you; you wanted him to sink so deeply into you that you didn’t know where he ended and where you began, entwined forever with each other in this hazy summer dream.

Ajax chuckled, nuzzling against the crook of your neck. "Please, what, love? What do you want me to do to you?” 

You were not above begging at this point. “I want you to fuck me, please. I need you.” You ground your hips against him in need, but Ajax just looked down at you, his sunny smile edged with something darker. 

“Wanna clean me up first?” He said, brushing the fingers that were inside of you against your lips, urging your mouth open, your wetness shimmering on them, an opalescent string catching the light from the moon, much like precious dew drops clinging to a flower.

You opened your mouth and took in his fingers, your essence coating your tongue with its husky sweetness. Ajax groaned as he felt your tongue wrap around them, hungrily licking him clean with grazes of your teeth. You were no better than him from moments earlier; you both were wild, wanton things that desired nothing more than to bite the hand that fed you. 

Letting go of him with a lewd pop, Ajax’s fingers were shining bright with your saliva, and he reverently rubbed his lips against them, leaving behind a gleaming shine of your essence on his mouth. 

“Good girl,” Ajax murmured, kissing your forehead softly. “You taste sweeter than berries.” His fingers gently caressed your wet folds, his eyes dark with wonder. “You’re already so wet for me. You want me that badly, huh? Do you know how much I want you?”

He grabbed your hand and pressed it firmly against his crotch, making you feel the hardness of his cock beneath your palm, the precum dampening the fabric of his pants. With his guidance, you unbuckled and pulled down his pants, revealing what you craved most—his cock, red and weeping at the tip, desperate for the sweet relief only you could give him.

Lifting your legs onto his shoulders, Ajax’s grin burned bright, full of ravenous, flaming need. “I want everything to hear how much you want me,” he growled, lining himself up at your entrance. “From the sky to the trees to the flowers, I want everything to hear how much you need me.”

Ajax thrust into you abruptly, roughly, passionately, and you arched your back at the intense pleasure of finally, finally being filled to the point of breaking. His body covered yours, pinning you beneath him like a pressed flower, attempting to envelop you completely.

“You feel so good,” Ajax breathed deliriously against your neck, thrusting as deep as he possibly could into you, bottoming out before pulling back to go even deeper. “You’re so fucking tight.”

His name escaped your lips in strangled gasps as you sank your nails into his shoulder blades, overwhelmed by the warm air licking at your burning flesh, the pleasant friction of the flowers and grass scratching your back beneath you, of Ajax’s cock thrusting ruthlessly into the depths of your slick walls as you rocked against his brutal rhythm. 

The lewd sounds of wet skin against wet skin created a beautiful, sinful harmony with the wind whistling through the trees, filling you with a brightness that outshone the lantern lights sailing through the sky above, a destructive flame roaring to life within as you hurdled toward your climax.

Ajax growled a dark, thundering sound that sent shivers through you, making your walls clench even tighter around him. You could feel he was close, too—his muscles stiffening, his pace becoming more erratic and desperate. 

“Cum, baby, cum,” Ajax breathed in your ear as you babbled incoherently, your stomach tensing and tensing with pleasure, “Let yourself go, I got you, I always got you.”

And so you let yourself become undone. 

Vibrant, blinding colors spotted your vision as your orgasm seared through you, your bones melting away with what was left of your senses. Ajax unraveled too, long ropes of his cum coating your walls in its warmth and he bit down on your shoulder, burying the sounds of his release into your skin as his rutting into you slowed down. 

You vaguely felt the pain, but you might as well be weightless, your soul soaring away with the lanterns floating in the sky.

You felt Ajax’s love weep out of you, dribbling languidly down your thigh, wetting the earth beneath you. Ajax’s face swam into view, lovingly flushed. He collected his seed seeping from you with his fingers, spreading it around on your battered folds. “You’re so beautiful like this,” he whispered, entranced. “Beneath me where you belong, all my cum leaking out of you…”

Through the haze of your vision, you could see your blood blotted on Ajax’s mouth like a crimson cloud, and he licked the ichor from his lips as if were berry juices. 

tags: @tetsuskei ✦ @houseofsolisoccasum ✦ likes and reblogs are very much appreciated, i hope you enjoyed <3

[xxspringmelodyxx]

“𝒫𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝒟𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝐿𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝑀𝑒!”

┗━━━━━━⊱ 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒊𝒆 ⊰━━━━━━┛

⊱ 𝑰𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒔: 𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒆 (𝑨𝒋𝒂𝒙) 𝒙 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 ⊰

✩⁺₊✩☽⋆Warnings: Angst⋆☾✩⁺₊✩

𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕

✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿

Thank you to @i0fty for this depressing and heart wrenching request! I hope you enjoy! <333

The sun was setting over Teyvat, casting long shadows across the battlefield. The sounds of clashing weapons and the shouts of warriors filled the air, creating a scene of chaos and violence.

In the middle of it all, Childe fought with unyielding determination, his dual blades moving quickly and precisely. His focus was entirely on the battle, each strike and defense perfectly timed. Every enemy that fell under his blades was proof of his skill and relentless drive.

Somewhere nearby, you, his best friend and trusted companion, were fighting your own battles. The two of you had been through countless fights together, your bond strengthened by the trials you’d faced. Today seemed no different to him.

He knew you could handle yourself; he trusted in your abilities. The battlefield was vast, and it wasn’t unusual for the two of you to be separated in the heat of battle. Yet, even in the chaos, a part of him always sensed your presence, a connection that kept him steady even when everything around him was in turmoil.

—

The enemy was strong, but Childe was stronger. He moved through their ranks with the skill and grace of someone who had fought many battles before. Each opponent that fell only made him more determined.

He believed you were doing the same, fighting with the same courage and strength that had always impressed him. He hadn’t seen you for a few minutes, but that didn’t worry him—it was just how things went during a fight like this. He knew you were strong and trusted you to take care of yourself, just as you always had. At least, that’s what he thought.

As the last enemy fell, Childe stood panting, his body drenched in sweat and blood that wasn’t his own. He took a moment to catch his breath, but his mind quickly shifted to you.

His heart began to pound—not from exhaustion, but from a growing sense of worry. He hadn’t seen you for what felt like too long. His eyes started to scan the battlefield, jumping from one fallen body to the next, silently pleading that none of them were yours.

As his gaze swept across the battlefield, a cold dread settled in his chest. Then, he saw you. You were lying on the ground, motionless. The sight of you, surrounded by the aftermath of the battle, hit him like a punch to the gut.

For a moment, everything around him seemed to stop. The world narrowed down to just you and the terrifying possibility that you might not be okay.

Without thinking, Childe broke into a sprint, his feet pounding the blood-soaked earth. Panic clawed at his insides, making each step feel like an eternity. The distance between you, though not far, felt impossibly long, as if the ground itself was trying to keep him away from you. He pushed himself harder, the thought of losing you driving him forward with a desperation he had never felt before.

Childe dropped to his knees beside you, his heart pounding with a mixture of terror and disbelief. Blood was everywhere, pooling around you and staining the ground a deep, unforgiving crimson.

You were clutching your abdomen, where the wound was deep and merciless. Your face was ashen, your breaths coming in shallow, labored gasps. Seeing you like this—so vulnerable, so unlike the strong, unbreakable person he knew, he loved—shattered something deep inside him.

He cried out your name, his voice cracking with raw emotion. He gently lifted you, cradling you in his arms as if holding you any other way might break you further. “Hey, stay with me. It’s going to be okay. I’m here. I’ve got you.” His voice was filled with a desperate hope, as if saying it out loud might make it true.

Your eyes fluttered open, and despite the pain, you managed a faint smile. “Ajax…” you whispered, your voice barely above a breath. You looked down to see the position you were in. “It looks like I won’t be able to walk this one off.” You say with a slight chuckle, but the effort only made you wince.

“No, no, don’t say that,” Childe pleaded, his voice trembling. He pressed his hand against your wound, trying to stop the bleeding, even though the crimson tide was relentless. “You’re going to be fine. Just hold on, okay? Help is coming.” But even as he spoke, the reality of your situation became painfully clear.

You shook your head slowly, every movement draining what little strength you had left. “Ajax… it’s too late. I can feel it. I’m… I’m sorry.” Your eyes were filled with a deep sadness, a resignation that broke his heart even more than your wounds did.

Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision as he clutched you tighter, as if he could somehow hold you here with him. “No, don’t apologize…” His voice cracked, his words thick with desperation.

“I can’t lose you. Not now. Not like this. We have too much left to do… too many battles left to fight.”

Your trembling hand reached up, gently touching his face. “I don’t want to go… but I don’t have a choice.” Your eyes were full of both sadness and a deep, enduring affection. “Thank you for everything. For being my friend, my partner. For giving me a reason to fight.”

Desperation filled Childe’s voice as he begged, “Please, keep your eyes open. You have to keep fighting.” His grip tightened around you, as if holding you close could somehow stop the inevitable. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat a painful reminder of how fragile this moment was. He could feel the warmth of your blood soaking into his clothes, but all he could focus on was the look in your eyes—the fear, the sadness, the acceptance.

He could feel your life slipping away, and the thought of losing you tore at his very soul. “I… I love you!” The words came out in a rush, almost a cry of desperation. His voice cracked as he continued, the raw emotion tearing through him.

“I’ve loved you for so long. Longer than I’ve ever had the courage to admit. Every time we fought side by side, every time you smiled at me, hugged me, laughed with me, I wanted to tell you. But I was too afraid of what it might mean, too scared of losing what we had. But I can’t keep it inside anymore. Not now.”

He started, pouring all of his love into his words. “So please keep pushing. You can’t give up now…Not when I finally have the courage to tell you the truth.”

Your eyes widened slightly at his confession, a tear slipping down your cheek as you listened to the words you had always longed to hear. For a moment, the pain seemed to fade, replaced by the warmth of his love, the love he had hidden away for so long.

“Ajax… I love you too,” you whispered, your voice trembling as you struggled to keep your eyes open. “I always have. From the very beginning.”

The words seemed to give you a momentary strength, a brief spark of life that flared and then began to fade. You reached up, your trembling fingers brushing against his tear-streaked face. “I’m just sorry it took this for us to finally say it,” you continued, your voice growing softer with each passing second.

The love between you was palpable, hanging in the air like a bittersweet melody. It was a love that had been unspoken for too long, a love that was now out in the open, even if it was too late to fully embrace it. The realization that you shared these feelings, that you had both been holding back for so long, only made the moment more heartbreaking.

As your strength waned, the light in your eyes began to dim, but you kept your gaze locked on his, holding on to that connection for as long as you could. “Thank you… for telling me,” you whispered, your voice barely audible now. “I just wish we had more time. More time to live in this love, to explore it…”

“We still can! You just have to stay awake for me, okay? You can do that, right?” He asked, his voice breaking.

Your hand trembled as you caressed his cheek, your touch feather-light. “I wish I could stay, but my time is running out…” You begin, looking lovingly into his eyes.

Summoning the last of your strength, you leaned forward and kissed him, your lips softly brushing against his in a tender, bittersweet farewell. It was the first and last kiss you would ever share—a fleeting moment that held a lifetime of unspoken love.

Childe’s eyes widened in shock, the warmth of your lips burning into his memory, a sensation he knew he would never forget. His heart ached with the sudden, painful realization of how much he had taken for granted, how much time had slipped away without him ever telling you how deeply he cared. “Please, don’t go…” he pleaded, his voice cracking with raw emotion. “I need you. I love you so much. I can’t imagine a world without you.”

You tried to hold onto the warmth of the moment, despite the cold that was creeping into your limbs. “You don’t have to imagine it,” you whispered, struggling to keep your voice steady. “You’ll live on, Ajax. You’ll keep fighting. You’re stronger than you know. You’ve always been the strong one. Just remember, I’ll always be with you. In your heart, in your memories. Watching over you.”

Childe shook his head, his tears falling onto your face, mingling with your own. “It’s not enough,” he said, his voice cracking under the weight of his grief. “I don’t want to be strong without you. I don’t want just memories. I want you. I want to hear your laugh, to see your smile. I want to fight by your side and share our victories. I want to share my life with you.”

“I’ll always be a part of you, Ajax. Every step you take, every battle you fight, I’ll be there. I want you to continue living. Live for me. Live for us. Promise me you’ll keep going.”

His sobs wracked his body, the enormity of your loss crashing down on him like a wave of unbearable grief. “I don’t know how I’ll do it. How do I keep going without you?”

You reached up, your hand trembling as you gently touched his cheek. “One day at a time,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. “And know that I’ll be proud of you, no matter what. You’ve given me so much, more than I could have ever hoped for. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.”

Childe pressed his forehead against yours, his tears falling freely onto your face, mingling with your own. “I love you,” he said, his voice breaking with the weight of his emotions. “More than words can ever say. Please, don’t forget that.”

With your last ounce of strength, you whispered back, “I love you too. Always and forever.”

“And know this, Ajax. In whatever comes next, in whatever life there is after this, I’ll be waiting for you with all the love I have…”

Childe could only nod, his heart breaking as he watched the life slowly slip away from you. “I’ll find you,” he whispered back, his voice choked with tears. “No matter where you are, I’ll find you. And when I do, I’ll never let you go. I promise.”

A small, peaceful smile touched your lips as you heard his words, your hand slipping from his cheek as the last of your strength left you. “I’ll be waiting,” you murmured, your eyes closing for the final time, leaving Childe to hold onto your memory with all the love he had finally confessed.

Childe’s heart shattered, the reality of your death hitting him with the force of a tidal wave. “No, no, no!” he cried, shaking with grief. He held you close, his tears falling freely. The world around him seemed to blur, his mind unable to process the reality of your death.

As the battle ended and the silence settled over the battlefield, Childe remained where he was, cradling your lifeless body. The victory felt meaningless, the weight of your loss unbearable.

——

In the days that followed, Childe was a shell of his former self. The joy and determination that once fueled him were replaced by an overwhelming sorrow. He carried you to a quiet place, a spot where the two of you had often sat and talked, and there he laid you to rest. The grave was simple, marked by a stone that bore your name. It was a place of peace, a stark contrast to the chaos of the battlefield where you had fallen.

Every day, he visited your grave, speaking to you as if you were still there, sharing his thoughts and feelings. The pain of your loss never faded, but he found a strange comfort in keeping your memory alive. You had been his best friend, his confidant, his anchor in the storm of his life, and now, his love.

And as he continued to fight, to live, he did so with you in his heart, carrying the strength and love you had given him, until the end of his days. The battles he fought were no longer just for glory or victory; they were for you, to honor the promise he had made to always remember you.

_____________________

[fanfictwins]

SAGAU Mondstadt - Holiday Special 2023

Summary: “When you told the Spark Knight about holidays from your home world, you never expected it to turn into such a big deal. But who are you to argue with having a holly, jolly time?”

Word Count: ~9.8k

“Master Jean! Master Jean!”

The door to the Grand Master’s office was shoved open, almost slamming into the wall, as the Spark Knight burst into the room, excitement radiating off of her form like heat off of flames. She came to a stop in the middle of the office, almost toppling over from the weight of her backpack.

“Can we please have a “Christmas” festival? Pretty please?”

“Klee…!” Jean looked up from her desk, her eyes widened. “You shouldn’t be-”

Her words were cut off at the sight of you appearing in the doorway to the office, your demeanor a lot more calm than Klee’s. You entered the room, an apologetic smile displayed on your lips.

“Oh, Your Grace!”

“Sorry for the intrusion, Jean.” You looked at the Acting Grand Master for only a moment before you shifted your attention down at Klee. “Hey, I know you’re excited, but you shouldn’t just barge into Jean’s office without knocking first, Klee. Remember what I told you about good behavior?”

“Oops. That’s right… sorry, Master Jean.” Klee looked down at her feet for a moment, before a smile returned to her face as she looked up at Jean. “Klee’s just super excited about Christmas!”

Jean furrowed her eyebrows, confusion appearing in her frown. “Christ… mas?”

“Mmm-hmm!” Klee nodded her head. “It’s something Their Grace just told Klee about!”

Your smile shifted into something more sheepish when Jean looked towards you again. “I was just talking to Klee about some… winter festivities from where I’m from, and she seems to have gotten a bit excited about Christmas, in particular. I honestly should’ve expected this, heh…”

“It sounds really, really fun!” Klee began bouncing on the balls of her feet. “There’s a big tree, and lots of presents under it, and this old man named Shanty Cloths who likes eating cookies!”

“His name is Santa Claus, Klee.” You stifled a chuckle at the excitement on Klee’s face, before looking over at Jean again. “But, yeah, she wants to experience the magical joys of it herself.”

The Spark Knight took a step closer to the desk, looking up at Jean with hopeful eyes.

“Oh, can we please have a Christmas festival, Master Jean? It’ll be so amazing, and fun!”

Jean blinked a few times, an unsure frown on her face, before she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Klee, but we can’t just put on a whole new festival that we know nothing about, especially with such short notice. It’d likely be a complete disaster, and I’ve already got a lot on my plate as is.”

The smile on Klee’s face slowly vanished, her form appearing to deflate. “Oh…”

You looked between the Spark Knight and the Acting Grand Master, your own smile fading as you focused on Klee — her crushed enthusiasm didn’t sit well with you — before you spoke.

“...you know, it’s not impossible. You can still experience Christmas, Klee.”

Jean looked at you with confusion. “Your Grace…?”

“Can Klee really?” The Spark Knight perked up as she turned towards you, her eyes widening with hope again. “It sounds so fun! And I want all of my friends to experience Christmas too!”

“Your Grace, I don’t mean to doubt you, but…”

Jean placed a hand on her chest, looking at you with worry in her gaze.

“It really would be near-impossible to put on a festival like this.”

“It’s okay.” You chuckled, and shrugged your shoulders. “Christmas is actually just a one-day holiday. Sure, there’s usually a build-up of festive energy a few weeks before it, but it doesn’t actually last more than a single day. While Klee keeps calling it a festival, it’s not really one.”

“Oh…?”

“So, Klee, do you think this would work for you?” You looked down at the Spark Knight, a smile on your lips. “We take part in a few traditional Christmas activities together over the next couple of weeks, and then finish it all off with a big ol’ Christmas party at the end. What do you think?”

“Yay! That sounds perfect!” Klee smiled brightly. “Klee can’t wait! There’s so much to do!”

You turned your attention over towards Jean. “Would that be okay, Jean?”

“That… should be fine, yes.”

“Great!” You clapped your hands together as you looked at Klee. “Then let’s get started!”

- - - - -

There were crayons littering the table as Klee readied herself, the young girl in red practically vibrating with excitement where she sat, and she held a crayon tightly in one hand with a piece of paper laying in front of her. She looked up at you, her eyes wide and sparkling with pure joy.

“Okay, first things first… I suppose we need to actually figure out what to do.” You looked down at Klee with a smile. “And who to include. As fun as it would be to have the entire city celebrate Christmas this time, it’s not very realistic, so… we’ll need to figure out a smaller list of people.”

“Oh! All of Klee’s friends have to experience Christmas!” Klee began to draw, switching crayons when in need of a different color.  “Like Big Brother Albedo, and Master Jean, and Kaeya, and-”

Klee continued to list people as she drew on the paper, before she lifted it up to show it to you.

“Is this okay, Your Grace?”

It was a cluttered drawing, filled with Klee’s artistic interpretations of people you knew well: the playable characters of Mondstadt — your “vessels”, as they often described themselves to be.

You nodded. “That seems good. Those are the people that I’m also closest to in Mondstadt.”

Klee set the drawing aside, before she grabbed another piece of paper and one of the crayons closest to her on the table. She tilted her head to continue looking up at you with a bright smile.

“Okay, but… what do people do for Christmas, Your Grace?”

“People do a lot of things. There’s no one right way to celebrate Christmas, Klee.” You grabbed a piece of paper and a crayon for yourself. “I’m pretty sure that you’re already familiar with some winter activities that align with Christmas, such as playing in the snow and making sweets, eh?”

Klee nodded and turned her attention to her paper, beginning to draw some winter scenes.

You twirled the crayon in your fingers a bit, before you chuckled. “And, since you’re helping to bring the joy of Christmas to everyone, I suppose that would make you Santa’s Helper, Klee.”

“Santa’s… Helper?” Klee blinked, curiosity flooding her widened eyes. “What’s that?”

“Well… it’s a person who helps Santa Claus spread Christmas cheer. Santa’s only one person, and he has the big job of delivering gifts to all the good children of the world, so he relies on his helpers to make sure that everyone is having fun during the weeks leading up to the big day. As this is the first time Christmas is being celebrated in Teyvat, Santa’ll appreciate all of your help.”

Klee let a wide smile appear on her face. “Whoa! So Klee gets to help Santa?”

“Yeah! And I just know you’ll do a great job, Klee!”

“Oh! And Dodoco too, right? She can also be Santa’s Helper?”

“Of course! The more, the merrier!”

“Yay!”

The Spark Knight clapped her hands in delight before she continued drawing, and you found yourself glancing at her pointed ears, your smile softening, before you started to draw as well.

Ah.

How fitting.

- - - - -

It felt crowded, having so many people in one area.

The playable members of the Knights of Favonius — from the Acting Grand Master to the Knights’ maid — lined up before you inside of the Knights’ headquarters; most had a look of curiosity or confusion on their face, and some even had concern painting their facial features.

But Klee was bouncing on the balls of her feet, standing next to you with a big smile on her face.

“Oh, Klee?” Albedo looked at the Spark Knight as he noticed her behavior, the curiosity in his eyes growing just slightly as he did. “You seem to be in rather high spirits about something…”

Klee nodded. “Uh-huh! ‘Cause it’s time for “Secret Santa”!”

The concern present in the audience was fully replaced with confusion and curiosity.

“...”Secret… Santa”?”

“Yeah! It’s gonna be part one for celebrating Christmas!”

Noelle put a finger to her chin. “Oh? I’ve never heard of “Christmas” before…”

“If it’s something to celebrate-” Amber looked up at Eula. “-then it’s gotta be a holiday, right?”

Eula nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. “Yes, it must be some kind of festivity.”

“So…” Mika placed a hand on his chest in relief. “...it’s not an emergency? Thank goodness…”

Lisa let out a hum as she looked over to Jean, who had a lack of surprise on her face unlike almost everyone else present. The librarian let her lips turn up into a subtle smile. “Well, you seem to have an idea of what Klee’s talking about, Jean. Mind enlightening the rest of us?”

Jean looked from the Knights towards Klee, and then looked at you. She looked a little stressed out — which was, unfortunately, normal — so you decided to explain the situation in her stead.

“Amber, Eula, you’re both right!” You smiled as you looked over all the Knights. “Christmas is a holiday from another world. I told Klee about it, she wanted to celebrate it, and so here we are!”

“A holiday from another world…” Kaeya had a look of interest in his eye. “How intriguing.”

Amber raised her hand, bringing attention to herself as you looked at her. “What’s it like, Your Grace? It’s probably different from any of the holidays that we have here in Mondstadt, isn’t it?”

“Eh…” You thought for a moment, putting a finger up to your chin. “...Christmas is mainly just a time to gather with loved ones to give gifts, eat good food, and… well, just spend time with one another. That’s the simplest way I can explain it, at least; does that make sense to everybody?”

Lisa chuckled, the smile on her lips softening. “Sounds like it shares quite a few similarities with some festivities we have. I think everyone here gets the picture that you set up, Your Grace.”

“Good! So, as Klee said earlier, she wanted to do something called “Secret Santa” with you guys.” You looked over the group of Knights, taking in all of their faces. “It’s an activity some workplaces do around Christmas, so having the Knights — well, the Knights that’re vessels — participate in this particular one seemed pretty obvious, especially when I told Klee about it.”

“What kind of activity is it, Your Grace?” Jean still looked a bit frazzled. “As much as I’d like to help Klee and you celebrate Christmas, having so many Knights occupied at once would be…”

“Don’t worry, Jean.” You sent a smile to her, hoping to reassure her worries and sooth her stress even a little. “This activity won’t take long. Basically, everyone participating will have to pull out a name from a hat — all the names of the participants will be written on slips of paper — and have to get them a present before the Christmas party that’ll take place in a couple of weeks. Oh, and you can’t tell anyone else the name that you pulled. That’s the “Secret” part of “Secret Santa”.”

“We…” Mika averted his gaze nervously. “...need to get a present for someone else?”

Sucrose fiddled with her fingers. “Based on a random drawing…?”

Amber smiled, her hands clenched in front of her. “Oh, that sounds like it could be fun!”

“Yes, but it could also be quite a difficult task-” Eula glanced around at the other Knights before looking at Amber. “-if you happen to draw someone that you’re not that well-acquainted with.”

“Well… I know that I just said you can’t tell anyone else who you pulled, but since I won’t be participating in the actual activity, you can come and ask me for gift ideas if you struggle with coming up with your own. I’ll be able to keep the secret.” You scanned the Knights with your eyes, a smile still on your lips. “So… is everybody in? You don’t have to participate if you don’t want to, but the more people that do, the more fun it’ll be. Just don’t feel pressured to, okay?”

The Knights glanced around at each other briefly before looking at you and Klee again.

Albedo nodded. “Very well. I see no reason not to, especially if Klee wants us to participate.”

Sucrose glanced at Albedo, before giving a short nod towards you as well. “O-Okay…”

“You can count on Eula and me to join too!” Amber smiled at Eula, the Spindrift Knight giving a slight nod, before she looked at you again. “It sounds like a lot of fun, so we couldn’t miss out!”

Lisa hummed. “...I have no objections either. This doesn’t seem like it’ll be too much work…”

Noelle straightened her posture when your gaze traveled over to her, her hands folded politely in front of her. “If that’s what you desire, then I’ll join as well. It… does sound like fun, I admit.”

“A-Ah…” Mika still looked a bit nervous as he nodded. “Alright, I can do it. I’ll try my best…”

“I suppose that if everyone else is joining, it’d be a downer if I didn’t.” Kaeya had a smile on his lips, a glimmer of amusement in his eye. “So you can include me as a participant, Your Grace.”

Jean let out a sigh. “...okay, I’m in too.”

“Yay!” Klee clapped in delight, smiling brightly. “All of Klee’s friends are joining!”

It took no time at all for the slips of paper bearing all of the Knights’ names to be created, all of which were then dumped into Klee’s hat, the Spark Knight having offered it to you happily. You tossed it like a salad for a few seconds, mixing them together, before handing it back to Klee.

“Alright, everyone. Make sure to choose one slip of paper, and keep the name a secret.”

The sight of Klee going around to each of the Knights, each one reaching a hand into her hat and grabbing a slip of paper, was heartwarming, in a way; the young girl in red was giggling as she received smile after smile from the Knights when she offered her hat to them, and the air in the room felt lighthearted as everyone received their targets for the activity. Some of the Knights were quite good at keeping who they got a secret — looking straight ahead with poker faces or a casual smile — while you noticed some of the others glancing around, likely at their targets.

“Everyone has a slip?” You saw everyone nod in response to you, a piece of paper in one of their hands that they put away safely. “Good. Then you’ve all got until the party to get a gift for whoever you pulled, and don’t be afraid to ask me for help if you need it. You’re all dismissed!”

Your attention was pulled away from Klee putting her hat back on by two figures you noticed approaching in your peripheral vision, and you looked up to see they were Mika and Sucrose.

“...need help, you two?”

Mika and Sucrose looked at each other for a moment before focusing on you.

“Yes, please, if you will.” Sucrose adjusted her glasses as she averted her eyes from you, her ears twitching a bit. “I’m afraid that I’m… not quite sure what to get for who I pulled, s-so…”

“Neither am I.” Mika rubbed the back of his head, also averting his gaze from you. “I’ve never really interacted too much with the person I pulled, and I’m afraid I might make a bad choice…”

“It’s okay.” You smiled and glanced between the both of them. “We’ve got plenty of time before the party, and I’ll make sure to help the both of you pick out good gifts for your respective pulls.”

Sucrose let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks so much, Your Grace. I’m sorry if this is a bother…”

“Yes, thank you very much.” Mika smiled slightly. “I hope that I’m not being a bother, either…”

You let out a chuckle, placing your hands on your hips. “Don’t worry, you two will never be a bother to me, and I offered to help with picking out gifts for a reason. It’s what I’m here for.”

The sensation of someone tugging on your sleeve caught your attention, and you looked down to see Klee looking up at you. You smiled at her before you looked at Mika and Sucrose again.

“I’ll meet up with you guys later to pick out gifts, okay? Just try and give it some thought by yourselves first, and then I’ll go over it individually with each of you in a few days’ time, okay?”

Mika and Sucrose nodded, looking a little relieved, as you let Klee drag you to the next activity.

- - - - -

“J-Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle… all the… way…?”

“It’s okay, Barbara. There’s no need to get so stressed.”

You were both amused yet concerned as you watched Barbara try to memorize the Christmas carols you told her about; you could see how tense her shoulders were, and could hear how her voice shook ever so slightly as she gave the carols a go, the melody enchanting yet unsteady.

“Your singing’s the best, Miss Barbara!” Klee sent a bright smile up towards the shining idol of Mondstadt, her eyes sparkling. “The Christmas carols sound so pretty when you sing them!”

“Ah, do they…? I feel like I’m singing them all wrong…”

“Don’t worry, you only just learned them.” You smiled at Barbara, trying to reassure her, even just a bit. “And caroling is going to be a group activity. You won’t have to sing them alone, ‘kay?”

Barbara blinked a few times, her eyes widened with surprise. “Huh?”

“Yeah! Like me, for example. I’ll be singing with you!”

“...h-huh?!”

That somehow seemed to be the wrong thing to say, as evidenced by how Barbara clasped her hands together, the nervous aura around her only growing instead of lessening. Her form began to tremble a bit where she stood, your smile faltering as her breathing began to quicken as well.

Klee tugged on the deaconess’s frock. “It’ll be okay, Miss Barbara! Klee will be singing too!”

Barbara snapped out of it as she looked down at Klee. “Oh, you’ll be singing as well?”

“Mmm-hmm!” Klee nodded, letting go of Barbara’s frock and instead placing her hands on her hips. “And all of our friends are going to too! So you don’t have to be scared, Miss Barbara!”

“...you make it seem so easy.” Barbara’s eyes flickered towards you for a second, before she closed her eyes and let out a breath. “I can’t help but feel nervous, but I’ll try to get it together.”

Klee giggled before turning towards you. “How many Christmas carols are you gonna teach us, Your Grace? Klee isn’t sure how many everyone’ll be able to learn before we have the party…”

The Spark Knight had a point that you thought about for a moment; there was only so much time before the Christmas party, and everyone had a limit to how many carols they would be able to memorize before then. It would be best for you to just stick to a few of the simpler ones this year, especially since you were the one who had to teach them to all of the party guests.

“About… three or four, I think.” You nodded to yourself, and refocused your gaze down on Klee, who was still smiling up at you. “I’ve taught you guys “Jingle Bells”, so… maybe I can also teach you guys “Deck the Halls”, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, and… also “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. I think that’d be a good selection for Mondstadt’s first official Christmas celebration.”

You looked over at Barbara, who appeared to be a little calmer now as she did a few breathing exercises. “They’re all on the simple and repetitive side, so learning them should be very easy.”

“That sounds fine.” Barbara nodded, determination in her gaze. “I’ll do my best, Your Grace.”

Klee bounced on the balls of her feet happily, her hands raised. “Yeah, we’ll do our best!”

“Ah, keep your voice down, Klee.” You chuckled. “We’re outside, but still near the Church.”

“O-Oh, right, hehe.”

- - - - -

The kitchen smelled like heaven, the countertop covered in several types of Christmas goodies of varying quality; it was like a dessert buffet with all kinds of cookies, cakes, candies, and more.

“Thanks again for helping us, Noelle.”

“Oh, it’s my pleasure, Your Grace.”

Klee overlooked the counter from the step-stool that she stood on, an excited glimmer in her eyes. “Wow…! There’s so many treats! Do people really get to have all of this for Christmas?”

“Of course!” You picked up a chocolate chip cookie, which was still warm. “Sweets are a huge part of Christmas, like leaving out milk and cookies for Santa on the night before Christmas.”

“Is that like sharing wine with Barbatos during Weinlesefest?”

You paused for a moment, taking a bite of the cookie in your hand before you shrugged, a smile on your face. “Yeah, I guess it’s similar to that. Santa loves cookies like Barbatos loves wine.”

“Your Grace, will this be satisfactory?” Noelle’s soft voice guided your attention back over to her, her posture being straightened just slightly when your gaze landed on her form. Her hands were politely folded in front of her, bringing some of your focus to her apron, which was unsurprisingly as clean as it had been at the start of this baking session. “I can continue baking if you’d like.”

“No, no… this’ll be good for now. I just wanted Klee to see what some Christmas goodies were like.” You finished the chocolate chip cookie in your hand, and wiped your hands on your apron, dusting off some of the flour that was on it. “But, since we’ll definitely need these sorts of treats at the Christmas party later this month, would you be up to make more when the time comes?”

“Anything for you, Your Grace.”

Noelle gave a small bow, before she turned her attention to cleaning the kitchen.

“Hey, Klee… do you think we should build gingerbread houses at the party?”

“They make houses out of gingerbread for Christmas?” Klee looked up at you with wide eyes, her mouth open in awe. “Wow, that must take a lot of gingerbread. Do people live in them?”

You held a hand up to your mouth, stifling a laugh and taking a moment to compose yourself before you shook your head. “No, Klee, they don’t. Gingerbread houses are small, kind of like dollhouses, and decorated with icing and candy. Building them is half of the fun, and then eating them afterwards is the other half of the fun. Oh, showing off your house to others is also fun…!”

Klee turned to look at the wide array of handmade candies on the counter, clearly contemplating how she could use them as decorations. Her focus was only broken when you began picking up plates of the goodies you made with Noelle, her gaze moving to the smile you kept on your face.

“Come on, Klee. Let’s clean up. We don’t want to make Noelle do all the work, right?”

“Okay!”

“H-Huh? Ah, Your Grace! That’s not necessary!”

- - - - -

“So, you’re saying that I’m supposed to write a letter to some strange old man that I don’t even know and just… get what I want?” Diona scoffed, placing her hands on her hips and turning her head away. “That sounds totally ridiculous, like some scam that a boozehound would fall for.”

“Aw… no, it’s really true!” Klee clenched her hands in front of her chest. “Their Grace said so!”

Diona looked at you from the corner of her eye for a moment, before she let out a “hmph”, and turned her head to face you and Klee. “Well… I guess that Their Grace wouldn’t lie, so… fine.”

The sounds of cats lazing about and cards being shuffled surrounded you and the two children as your group settled at one of the tables in the Cat’s Tail, though it was considerably less lively than normal due to it being around noon. Klee and Diona both had paper and crayons sitting in front of them, as well as an envelope for each of them to seal their letter when they were done.

“So…” Diona furrowed her eyebrows. “...what exactly are we supposed to do?”

You looked between the two young girls, chuckling with a smile on your lips. “Writing a letter to Santa is easy. All you have to do is write down what you want; just… list it all out on the paper.”

“And this “Santa” guy will make it happen?”

“...eh, try to keep it small-scale, Diona. Santa gives gifts, he doesn’t destroy anything.”

Diona grumbled to herself, her tail thumping against the cushion of her seat in annoyance, but she eventually started to write on the paper in front of her. The Spark Knight also got to work on her own letter, filling her paper with color as she scribbled out what she wanted for Christmas.

And, after they were done, they folded their letters and put them into their envelopes.

“Alright, now you just need to address them to the North Pole.”

Diona and Klee looked at you, curiosity in their eyes, before Diona raised an eyebrow.

“...to where?”

“The North Pole. That’s where Santa Claus lives, and where his workshop is located.”

Klee began to write the address on her envelope — simply “The North Pole”, in big bold letters — while Diona continued to stare at you, an unconvinced frown making its way onto her face.

“How exactly are these gonna get to Santa, anyway? He’s in a completely different world.”

“I’ll deliver them myself.” You carefully took Klee’s letter once she handed it to you, your fingers clasped around the envelope. “No postal service in Teyvat could get there, but I can handle it.”

“...okay.” Diona scribbled on her envelope and handed it to you. “But I still have my doubts.”

You held the two letters carefully, and chuckled again as you looked between the two kids.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Santa will deliver!”

- - - - -

The gloves on your hands did little to keep out the cold, already covered in a layer of snow as you patted the icy substance thoroughly in your quest to form the base of your future snowman.

Dragonspine was a scary place — you would never traverse it alone in your current state — but the scenery at its edges was just the right amount of “winter wonderland” for you, and the sound of the younger Mondstadtian characters in the surrounding area only bettered that atmosphere.

“Your Grace, you should be careful. Sheer cold can be harmful, even to you.”

Albedo was standing by your side, completely unfazed by the cold; this place was pretty much his natural habitat at this point. His voice held slight concern, though his face remained calm.

“Huh? Nonsense, I’m fine. I ate some goulash before coming here; it’ll keep me warm.”

“You’re shivering, Your Grace.”

“...okay, fine.”

You moved over to the small fire that was built nearby, noticing that Bennett and Fischl were already there; the former was completely drenched and shivering as he huddled close to the fire, while the latter and her night raven familiar were completely fine. You reached your hands out to the fire to warm yourself, your fingers feeling a bit better, and looked over at Bennett.

“What happened to you?”

“Ah…” Bennett smiled, a hint of embarrassment laced within it. “Well… I just, uh…”

“He who has been born the most unfortunate suffered a great moment of slither-” Fischl caught your attention, her tone of voice confident. “-and was plunged into the beck of this biting berg.”

You stared at Fischl for a moment before shifting your gaze over to Oz.

“...the unlucky fellow had slipped on the snow and fell into the river.”

“Oh…!” You raised a hand to your mouth, covering the growing smile on your lips as you stifled a laugh. “Yeah… I guess your bad luck would spring up like that. Are you having fun, though?”

“Huh?” The adventurer tilted his head. “I… guess so?”

“Then that’s all that matters!”

Your attention shifted to Klee and Razor when you noticed them approaching the fire, sticks and stones in their arms. You even spotted some pinecones sitting within Razor’s stash of materials.

“We got the things for the snowman, Your Grace!” Klee bounced with each step, only coming to a stop in front of you. Her feet slid a bit from the snow. “And I found this really cool stick! Look!”

Klee adjusted the items in her arms, before holding up a stick with one hand.

You had to admit: it was a really cool stick.

“This good?” Razor held out his stash of materials to you, allowing you to look over all of it; he had a lot more in his arms than Klee did. “We hunt for what you said, and… this is what we find.”

“Of course!” You nodded, looking up at Razor with a smile. “You both did great!”

“Ah… good.”

Razor looked pleased with your praise; if he had a tail, it would definitely be wagging right now.

With a supply of materials now at your disposal, you began to work with the others to decorate the snowman; the base was all your doing, so you stepped back to let the others take the lead.

“Ore of the darkest night shall make quite a pair of eyes, would it not, my dear companion?”

“Klee’s stick can make a good arm! Oh, it’s hard to reach…”

“Let me, Klee. And this other stick can complete the pair.”

“I… do like this?”

“A pinecone for the nose? Neat! Gah, the rocks for the buttons keep slipping out of my fingers.”

The smile on your face grew as you watched the others work together to form a masterpiece.

“Wow… it looks amazing, everyone!”

It was a jumbled mess, but it was a real product of togetherness; each part was placed on by a different person to make a whole creation — small chunks of iron for the eyes, a pinecone as a nose, sticks for the arms, and rocks for the buttons. It was a shame that you didn’t think to bring any clothes for the snowman to wear, though, but that didn’t hinder the final masterpiece at all.

You and the others took in your combined creation in silent glory for a bit, and then you spoke.

“...so, has everybody had enough snow for today?”

There was a resounding “yes” from the group, and you shifted your gaze over to take note of their current conditions: Bennett had icicles starting to form on his damp clothes, Razor kept his arms close to his body as he shivered like a wolf pup, Fischl denied feeling cold — although Oz pointed out that she had complained earlier about not bringing warmer clothing to this outing — and Klee mentioned that the snow dampened the effect of her bombs. Albedo just appeared to be ready to go whenever everyone else was; he was clearly the one least affected by the cold.

“Then let’s head back to the city for some hot cocoa! Who wants whipped cream and sprinkles?”

“Oh! Oh! Klee does!”

- - - - -

“I’ll take a Gray Valley Sunset, Master Diluc!”

“You… do not need to address me as “Master”, Your Grace…”

“Aw, why not? Everybody else does!”

You planted yourself onto one of the barstools as you watched Diluc get to work behind the counter, the tavern being just as lively as it was most nights; luckily, most of the Angel’s Share patrons were too drunk to pay any attention to you, granting you a rare moment to just relax.

“My, you look rather tired, Your Grace.” Kaeya was sitting on a barstool next to you, leaning on his elbow. “I assume Klee has been dragging you around in her excitement this past week?”

“Yep!” You nodded, immediately grabbing your drink when Diluc placed it in front of you on the counter. “But I don’t regret telling her about Christmas. I’ve been having a lot of fun with all of it.”

The barstool on your other side squeaked as someone sat upon it, and you noticed a bard clad in green leaning into your peripheral vision, a smile set on his lips and a twinkle within his eyes.

“Oh? “Christmas”? What might that be, Your Grace?”

“A holiday from another world. I told Klee about it, and she’s been absolutely obsessed.”

“Ah, so that’s what you’ve been doing these past few days.” Rosaria was sitting on the other side of Kaeya, an alcoholic beverage already securely in her hand. Her expression was set in her usual disinterested frown, though the way she kept her eyes on you showed otherwise. “I heard that Barbara almost passed out when you requested her to sing… “Christmas carols”?”

You let out a short nervous laugh, before starting to drink your juice; it was cold and sweet.

“Oho?” Venti’s interest peaked as he leaned closer to you, the twinkle in his eyes having grown at the mere mention of your musical exploits. “If you need someone to sing for you, Your Grace, you’ve got the three-time winner of the “Most Popular Bard of Mondstadt'” title at your service.”

“If you want to carol with us, you’re totally free to, Venti!” You smiled at the bard before letting out a sigh, and you set your drink on the counter. “But, even though it’s been fun, we’ve still got to tackle the issue of preparing the Christmas party. Klee’s been looking forward to it since day one of our festivities, but I’m not sure where to begin with it. We’d need a place big enough for all of the guests, and we’d need to decorate it. Then there’s the food too. It'll be a lot of work.”

“So you need a place for the party?” Kaeya took a hold of his own drink, bringing the cup up to his mouth. “I’m sure the Knights would let you use their headquarters for the party, no problem.”

“The Knights of Favonius Headquarters…?” You thought for a moment, before you shook your head. “No, that wouldn’t work. Plus, I’d feel like it’d be… distracting to the Knights not invited.”

Rosaria sipped her drink. “Perhaps the Church, then? I doubt the Sisters would refuse you.”

“Absolutely not.” You hardly hesitated as you answered, and shook your head again. “The idea of having a Christmas party in the Favonius Cathedral… doesn’t exactly feel all that right to me.”

“Agreed. The Church is a bit too serious a location for such an occasion.” Venti nodded, placing his empty cup on the counter; if you were keeping count correctly, he had just downed his fourth drink. “I’d say this tavern is home to a much more suitable atmosphere for a joyous celebration!”

“...well, while Angel’s Share would be able to serve as a good space for the party-” You let your gaze wander around the tavern, taking in the sight of the many customers already drunk at their tables. “-it’s not really the type of place for a Christmas party to be held. I mean, maybe it would work if it was an adult-only event, but this party is gonna have people of all ages in attendance.”

The sound of Diluc clearing his throat caught your attention, and you looked towards him.

“Your Grace… if you’d so like, you may use Dawn Winery’s manor for your party.”

You perked up as you listened to Diluc, your lips turning up into a bright smile.

“Oh, that’ll be perfect! I love you, Master Diluc!”

The sound of glass shattering rang out from behind the counter, the remains of a glass on the floor as alcohol seeped into the wood. Diluc stood by the mess, a cleaning rag held in one hand and emptiness in the other; the warm tavern lights made you uncertain of the flush on his face.

“A-Ah! I’m sorry, Master Diluc!”

You continued to apologize to Diluc as he bent down to clean up the broken glass, his face now hidden by his bangs as he kept his head tilted down. Kaeya was trying — and failing — to hold back a chuckle, and Rosaria just silently sipped on her drink, her gaze averted from everything.

Venti let out a whine, his hand tightly gripping your sleeve as he tugged it. “Oh, that’s just not fair, Your Grace. You can’t say something like that without blessing me with such words too…”

“I-I just got excited by what Diluc said!” You glanced at Venti briefly, your eyes widened, before you looked at Diluc again, your face warm. “It’s just… thanks for letting me use the manor…?”

“It’s fine, Your Grace.”

Diluc stood up after he finished cleaning, his head turned away from you as if to allow him to continue hiding his face; even so, it was still obvious to you that he must still be embarrassed.

“I appreciate your enthusiasm, but just be more careful next time.”

You let out a relieved sigh and nodded, smiling at him.

“Will do, Master Diluc!”

- - - - -

You couldn’t help but take in a deep breath as the pine tree was set up in the manor, your hands on your hips as your chest expanded. You took a moment before you finally released the breath.

“Ah, the sweet smell of nature…”

It was a few days before the Christmas party was scheduled to take place, and you were doing some early decorating — namely, the big stuff that couldn’t wait until just before the big event.

And that included the tree.

“So…” You looked over at Diluc, who stood beside you. “I’m assuming that there aren’t already ornaments available to decorate with, but we can make do. Oh! Maybe we could have everyone make ornaments at the party and then decorate the tree together? That’d be super festive! But, in the meantime, we could at least put some popcorn on it right now to start, so it isn’t just bare.”

You were met with nothing but silence as Diluc looked from the tree to you.

“People put… popcorn… on trees for Christmas?”

“Wow! It’s so tall!”

Klee ran up to the tree, her head tilted all the way back as she looked up at it.

“Of course! The bigger, the better!” You walked up to Klee and gently nudged the Spark Knight away from the tree. “We’ll have to keep any and all fire hazards away from it, though. Okay?”

“Okay! Klee will be super careful!”

You looked back at Diluc. “Thanks again for letting us have the party here. It’s really so perfect!”

“It’s no problem, Your Grace. Just let me know if you need anything else.”

You felt as if you were a kid again as you ran around with Klee and got things set up, sharing the experience of choosing what should go where and what looked best with the young girl in red. You even decorated some of the exterior of the manor, not just the interior, though, due to the size of the building, you and Klee could only really work with the entrance outside the door.

In lieu of strings of Christmas lights, lanterns and Crystalflies were used to light up the desired area. The lanterns hung up on the wall, blending into the natural look of the manor — when the daylight faded, they would definitely stand out more — and the Crystalflies were caught in the vineyard, just to be gently guided to rest on the poles near the front door, their wings fluttering.

“...we’ll probably need to guide these little guys back here just before the party.” You watched as the Crystalflies fluttered their wings again, unable to stay still for long where you placed them. “I don’t think they’ll just… stay here for the next few days. They’re itching to fly again, that’s clear.”

There was a Crystalfly resting on Klee’s cap, only flying away as she tilted her head up.

“Do you think we’ll be able to find them again?”

You nodded. “Of course we will! These Crystalflies like Dawn Winery as much as the people of Mondstadt do. You can always find them around here somewhere, fluttering about the grapes.”

The Crystalflies resting on the wooden poles flew off into the vineyard, one by one, as you and Klee continued decorating. You wrapped ribbons of different colors — red, green, and white — around the poles, and draped some down from the balcony above, trying to make it coherent.

“...this place definitely says, “there’s a party here”, at least.”

“It looks great! And it’s so pretty!” Klee bounced on the balls of her feet as she looked up at the ribbons, before she looked at you. “Is there anything else to do before the party, Your Grace?”

You thought for a moment.

“Well… I think we’ve done everything we can right now. The tree’s main decorations can wait until the party, and the popcorn will be prepared tomorrow, but, besides that, everything else is ready. The manor’s staff are helping to take care of the food — and being compensated for their time by Diluc, of course — and Noelle will take care of the desserts for the party later. We’ll help her with that when the time comes, but, for now, we’re done. Why, still want to decorate more?”

Klee put a finger to her chin, before she began walking around to inspect the work you and her had done. The Spark Knight took in the sight of all the decorations you had put up, everything in the interior and the exterior of the manor, and her eyes sparkled as her gaze scanned over all of it. The decorations were a bit generic to be honest, only the presence of the — currently bare — pine tree making it clear that Christmas was what was being celebrated, but it was a good effort.

You worked with what you had, and during the party, it was sure to come together fully.

“Klee thinks it’s perfect, Your Grace! …but, um… maybe we could hang up more ribbons?”

Yeah.

This would all come together nicely.

- - - - -

“I’m so sorry I’m late! I had some trouble getting here…”

Bennett had an embarrassed look on his face, his form slumped over as he stood in front of you. His hair was ruffled up, some sticks and leaves poking out, and his clothes were slightly burnt, which made the water dripping off of him to form a puddle under him more noteworthy.

You smiled slightly at him. “I can see that… but, don’t worry, you’re not late at all.”

“H-Huh?”

“Ah, the man cursed with misfortune has arrived before the Prinzessin?”

You and Bennett turned to look at Fischl as she approached, Oz and Mona accompanying her.

“Hmph, this is truly a most unexpected eventuality, though not one unwelcome.”

Mona looked at Bennett with interest, her gaze scanning everything from his singed clothing to the water at his feet. “I must admit, it’s very unusual. I’d say you had a rare stroke of luck, but…”

“...what?”

Bennett looked between them and you, before rubbing the back of his head with his hand.

“I’m so confused… my invitation said that the party started an hour ago.”

The adventurer dug through his pockets until he eventually pulled out his invitation; the paper was completely drenched, though the ink was just legible enough to still be able to be read.

“But our invitations say the party will start soon.” Mona pulled out her own invitation, and took Bennett’s to compare the times. “See? Your invitation shows it starting a whole hour early.”

Bennett took his invitation back. “That doesn’t make any sense, I…”

You gained a slight sense of pressure as everyone turned to look at you. “Oh… I put an earlier time on Bennett’s invitation to account for his bad luck. You know… so he’d get here on time.”

There was a slight pause, everyone staring at you as you stared back at them.

And then Bennett let out a groan.

“Ugh, that’s so embarrassing…!”

“But it’s also quite smart.” Mona smiled at the unlucky adventurer. “You’d likely be suffering out in the wilderness right now if Their Grace kept the correct time on your invitation, wouldn’t you?”

“...y-yeah, you’re probably right.”

“Hey, I’m just glad you’re here on time, Benny.” You smiled and gestured towards the manor’s entrance. “Why don’t you all head on inside? There’s some refreshments set out already, and it seems like everyone else will be arriving soon enough. I’ll be out here greeting them, of course.”

Fischl looked at Bennett, whose embarrassment was still cooling off. “Let us continue forward, accursed companion. It would be wise to preen thyself before the rest of the due guests arrive.”

“Right.”

The two members of the Adventurer’s Guild headed inside the manor with Oz following behind them closely, the familiar taking care when he flew past the ribbons that adorned the entrance.

“Um, Your Grace?” Mona caught your attention, a hesitant look in her eyes. “If there… happens to be any… leftovers at the end of the party, will the guests be permitted to take some home?”

“You can take as much as you can carry.”

“Oh, thank you ever so much, Your Grace!”

- - - - -

“A party held at Dawn Winery… with no alcohol? You’re so cruel, Your Grace.”

Venti had slight disbelief on his face, even with his lips turned up into a smile, while Diona had hers turned up into a smug grin, her hands on her hips in triumph as she stood next to the bard.

“Well, I think Their Grace is only showing how great They are by keeping that stuff away. Why do you boozehounds always need alcohol to have a good time, anyway? It’s funner without it!”

“Diona’s right. At least, when it comes to this occasion.”

The bartender let out a chuckle at your approval, her smug grin growing towards the bard.

“Besides, this’ll be the first Christmas you’ll experience. You should experience it sober.”

“...not even a drop, Your Grace?”

“You’re gonna have to go dry tonight, Venti.”

Diona walked into the manor with a proud gait, her tail and head held up to the sky, as Venti let out a whine, his shoulders dropping. He only lasted like that for a second before he perked up.

“Alright, Your Grace. I suppose going through a party without wine won’t be so bad…”

“Oh, is this a “no alcohol” kind of festivity?”

You turned to see Kaeya making his way up the path leading to the manor, a trio of his fellow knights — Albedo, Klee, and Sucrose — walking right behind him until they stopped near you.

“Yep. There’s non-alcoholic apple cider and grape juice instead.” Your gaze wandered down to the wrapped gifts in each of the Knights’ arms. “You can go and put the presents under the tree for later. The gift-giving will happen after everyone arrives and gets settled into the jolly vibes.”

Venti eyed the gifts. “Oh-ho? I wasn’t aware that there’d be presents at this party.”

“It’s for “Secret Santa”!” Klee held her gift up for Venti to see. “All the Knights are doing it!”

“And, don’t worry, all the non-Knights will also be getting gifts too-” You put a hand to your chest and smiled. “-courtesy of me. It wouldn’t be fair for some to get presents here and others to not.”

Sucrose adjusted the wrapped box in her arms. “W-Wow…”

Albedo hummed. “A gift from the Divine Creator would be quite an honor. I’m almost jealous…”

“Oh, there’s no reason to feel that way.” You shook your head slightly at him, the smile on your lips softening. “All the gifts you’ll find under the tree are labeled from “Santa”, not me, so nobody is really getting a gift from the “Divine Creator”, okay? Now get on inside and enjoy yourselves.”

- - - - -

There were a few more greetings you got through — Barbara and Rosaria who arrived together, and Razor who arrived alone — before the last guests arrived: the other invited members of the Knights of Favonius — sans Noelle, who arrived hours before the party began to help prepare.

“I hope you’re all feeling merry!” You greeted them at the entrance to the manor, a smile still on your lips. “Because with all of you here, the party can finally start! Oh, it’s gonna be so fun…!”

“Apologies for taking so long, Your Grace.” Jean shifted the presents she carried in her arms, putting a hand to her chest. “I had some last minute duties that I had to attend to before being able to leave for the evening, due to so many of the Knights having to attend this party tonight.”

“It’s fine, no biggie.” You waved Jean’s concerns off. “I’m just glad you’re all here at all!”

Amber held up the wrapped gift she was holding to bring attention to it. “And we brought our “Secret Santa” gifts with us. Is there someplace that we should put them for now, Your Grace?”

“Under the tree.”

“Under the…” Eula raised an eyebrow in question. “...tree?”

You nodded. “There’s a pine tree set up inside; it’s called a “Christmas tree”. You put gifts under it until it’s time to hand them out and open them. It’s a classic Christmas tradition, a real staple.”

“Oh my, how quaint.” Lisa didn’t have a gift in her hand, which explained why Jean was carrying two in her arms. “Everything you say about Christmas just makes it more and more interesting.”

“I’m glad!”

Jean, Lisa, Amber, and Eula went inside at your gesture, with Mika tailing them.

Mika looked at you with a bashful smile, his present held carefully in his arms, and he glanced between you and it before his gaze settled on it. “T-Thanks again, for helping me, Your Grace.”

“Of course.” You lightly patted Mika on the back. “Now, come on. Let’s join the others.”

- - - - -

‘Twas the night of the party And all through the manor, The atmosphere was hearty And it was quite banner.

…and that was enough rhyming for now.

Though it took everyone a quick moment to familiarize themselves with what a Christmas party was like, it didn’t take long for the party to really start. Klee’s enthusiasm was a driving force for everyone else’s, especially anyone who might still have been hesitant about the whole thing.

The tree was finally decorated aside from strings of popcorn, the ornaments the product of a group activity where you helped everyone make their own; the branches were filled to the brim with unique creations that would last to the next time that a tree would need to be decorated.

You could hardly compliment Noelle and the manor’s staff enough for all their work on the food, and neither could anyone else. You swore Noelle would faint from how red her face had gotten from the praise, the Knights’ maid continuing to be modest about all the effort she had put in.

The various gingerbread houses were fun to see; everyone had varying ideas on what it meant to build a gingerbread house — some went with a more “normal” appearance with their designs, while others took more creative liberties with their edible materials. Diona had even based her’s on her own house, with little gingerbread people of herself and her dad put on the frosting lawn.

And then caroling was an experience.

Barbara and Klee helped you teach everyone else the carols you had picked out. Venti picked them up quickly — which you expected — and Rosaria opted out of caroling altogether — which you also expected. Diluc also preferred not to sing, as did Mika and Sucrose, but everyone else laughed their way through the carols, the sound of their voices together being not too shabby.

The most anticipated event of the party, the gift exchange, happened when everyone was finally settled in, and the Knights went around to give each other their gifts. The anonymous part of the identities of the givers fell apart during that part, the receivers gaining surprise at learning about who had served as their Secret Santa alongside the gifts themselves, though the biggest of the surprises had to be Mika’s and Sucrose’s when they realized that they were each other’s Santa.

The remaining party guests got a gift handpicked by you.

You kept your mouth shut as they all tried to figure out who had actually gotten them the gift — Kaeya, Albedo, Klee, Sucrose, and Venti also keeping quiet about it for you — and just let them question each other. The joy among the confusion was what really made it feel special to you.

When the gift-giving came to a close, you surprised the younger Mondstadtians with stockings to hang over the fireplace. Klee, Diona, Razor, and Fischl each got to put up their own stocking, but you helped Bennett with his, as having it accidentally get caught on fire would be a downer.

You still had extras, though… just in case.

And when the sun began to set in the distance, the party soon came to a quiet end… kind of.

“We gotta leave milk and cookies out for Santa.” Klee guided the other younger characters to the table that had been set up near the fireplace, where they set down a plate of cookies and a glass of milk upon the wooden surface. “It’s sorta like sharing wine with the Anemo Archon.”

“And then our hosiery hung above the embers shall be filled with his largesse on the morrow?”

“Yep!” Klee nodded towards Fischl, a smile on her face. “That’s what Their Grace told Klee.”

“But it won’t happen unless you’re all asleep.” You looked between the five youngsters. “Santa doesn’t come when you’re awake. He only comes to leave presents in the middle of the night.”

Diona’s tail flicked behind her. “That sounds kind of fishy, but if that’s what you say, then okay.”

“So…” Razor thought for a moment. “...Razor and friends go to sleep now?”

“That should be easy.” Bennett rubbed the back of his head before he stretched his arms out above his head, a smile on his face. “It’s been pretty exciting all day, so I’m a bit tuckered out.”

“Diluc’s been kind enough to have prepared rooms for you guys tonight.” You gestured towards the staircase and towards the second floor of the manor. “So feel free to get settled in, okay?”

“Yay!” Klee clapped her hands together. “Let’s go to sleep so Santa will come!”

You watched as the younger characters headed upstairs, disappearing from your sight, before you turned your attention to the other guests. The adults were all getting ready to leave, either gathering up the presents that they had gotten or grabbing leftovers to take home with them.

“I’d say have a safe trip, but I’m sure your group is the safest it could possibly be.”

The characters not staying at the manor — meaning everyone but the youngsters who were staying the night, Diluc who lived here, and Noelle who was staying to help clean up — were going to be heading back to the city, the majority of the group being comprised of vessels that were members of the Knights of Favonius. You knew anybody would feel safe with all of them.

Jean looked at you, her eyes tired despite her smile. “Apologies for not staying for longer.”

“It’s okay. I know you guys can’t just all be away from the city for long at the same time.”

“But we should definitely do this again sometime!” Amber had a smile on her face, still full of energy despite how late it was. “It was so much fun, Your Grace! This holiday was a blast!”

“I agree.” Eula held both her and Amber’s gifts in her arms. “It was quite the get-together.”

You waved to the group as you watched them leave the manor and start their journey towards the city, the Knights forming the edges of the group. Barbara was within the protective circle of the group with Mona right by her side, the astrologist carrying much more than she arrived with in terms of food. The only one not in the group was Rosaria, who left a bit earlier on her own.

The group soon vanished into the dark of night, the manor now much quieter than before.

You let out a small sigh as Venti approached you, and briefly glanced at Noelle and Diluc as they — and the manor’s staff — got busy cleaning up the party before focusing on the bard.

“Well, Your Grace, I’d say this party of yours was a huge success!”

“I’m glad it was!” You gestured for Venti to follow you. “Now, mind helping me fill the stockings?”

“Oh?” Venti raised an eyebrow as he followed you over to the fireplace, an interested glimmer in his eyes. “I thought Santa was supposed to be the one to fill those once everyone was asleep?”

“Spoiler alert: Santa is more of an… idea, rather than a real person. Don’t tell the kids, though.”

“So, that’s how it is, huh…?”

Noelle handed you the bag of prepared goodies as she passed by, the action of it exchanging hands seeming like more of an instinct as she focused on gathering discarded wrapping paper.

The bag was like a smaller version of Santa’s bags in your eyes, and you sifted through it to begin sorting the items into each stocking, taking great care to divide everything in it equally.

“Of course. The magic of Christmas is all about children’s hopes and beliefs… oh!”

You grabbed a cookie from the plate near the fireplace and stuffed it into Venti’s mouth.

“Here, eat a few. It’s “proof” that Santa visited.”

Venti grabbed the cookie out of his mouth, coughing a bit before he chuckled. “Thank you for this honor, Your Grace. Though you could be a bit more gentle when feeding me, you know.”

“Less talking, more eating, Venti.”

It didn’t take you too long to fill the stockings with treats and items tailored to each youngster’s interests, and along with the Christmas tree, the stuffed stockings hung over the fireplace made the perfect little holiday scene, something that felt so foreign in this world yet so familiar to you.

So the party was done, with the kids into bed, And the Creator’s smile was on their face, spread. For a spoken last joy, with the bard to their right— “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

[heaven-s-black-box]

Normal- Lyney x Neuvillette's child!Reader

Return to File

Recovery date: April 27th, 2024

Description: Hello it's me, sorry if this is a bad time, but I got inspired by Arlecchino's story quest, and I wondered about combining that with my previous two requests about the reader being Neuvillette's child, this is mainly just an idea so if you're not comfortable with writing this that's completely alright.

Notes: This work was recovered in conjunction with @crystalkat6747, we thank her for her contribution. Ahh, I actually finished the story quest the day before you sent this request, lol.

Part: 1 2 3 4 (Can be read alone)

Word count: 810

Back to directory

Lyney watches the moon’s light drift across the ceiling. Lynette is curled up against one side and Freminet is curled up against the other, both sound asleep after their return to the house. He watches their lashes flutter against their cheeks, eyes flicking back and forth behind their eyelids as they dream. Pleasant dreams, he hopes.

He turns back to the ceiling and chokes down a breath as Lynette’s head presses against his ribs awkwardly. His wounds from their fight with father were mostly healed, but still tender. She shifts off him again quickly, eyes opening briefly as if she could sense his distress.

The long shadows continue to dance above them as Lyney's thoughts drift back to the fight.

As for whether to take them, the choice is yours.

Carefully, Lyney slips his arms out from under and around his siblings and inches towards the foot of the bed. Almost as soon as he’s climbed out, Lynette and Freminet roll towards each other and grab on to each other's hands. It makes him smile, the way they take comfort in each other, like a family.

The streets are empty and dimly lit as he makes his way through the court. He eventually finds himself in front of a familiar house and rounds the side to climb up to Y/n’s window. Their curtains are tied back, and he just sits in the tree for a while watching them.

On their bedside table, he sees the rainbow roses he’d given them on their first date a week ago. Next to those is a little penguin, an otter, and two cat mechanisms that Freminet had gifted them for their last birthday. They looked like a little family.

A clicking noise and the swishing of the window opening startled him.

“Ly-Lyney?” Y/n yawned. “What are you doing here?”

He blinked owlishly.

“I…”

Y/n stared back at him for a moment before backing up and waving him in. They sat back against the headboard of their bed and Lyney crawled next to them, curling against their side.

“You wanna talk about it?” They whispered, arm wrapped around Lyney’s shoulder.

“We can’t have a normal life,” Lyney said, staring at the mechanisms on their bedside table. “I mean, I can’t have a normal life. Not as a member of the house of the hearth, and that means that we- OW!” 

He hissed as Y/n pinched his arm. They cupped his chin and forced him to look up at them.

“I love you. I don’t care what our normal looks like, if it doesn’t look like everyone else's then so be it.” Lyney blinked up at them, cheeks turning red. There was a small frown tugging at the corner of their lips as they continued. “What brought this up anyways?” Lyney chewed at his lip. “Is this about that proposal for former House of the Hearth members?”

The magician’s eyes widened in surprise.

“How did you-”

“My father wanted my opinion,” they shrugged, letting go of his chin.

Lyney slumped back against their shoulder and laced his fingers with theirs. In turn, they hooked one of their legs through his so they were wrapped up in eachother.

“The House of the Hearth is my family, but the other day… it gave me a lot to think about. I could leave at the cost of my current self, not that I want to but it’s never seemed like an option before.We’re preparing for a dangerous mission with other Harbingers, and father wants me to be the next king. I know this was never going to be normal but for just a moment I imagined what it would be like if we were.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Y/n offered again.

Lyney squeezed their hand.

“If I left the house, would you come find me again?”

“Always.”

“And if I die on this mission, would you miss me? Would you be there for Lynette and Freminet?”

“Dying, will not get you out of this relationship, and bold of you to assume those two will let you die without them.”

Lyney let out a snort of amusement while Y/n smirked.

“And if I became the King of the house?”

“Lyney, I’m not leaving you.” They leaned their head against his. “I may not know what exactly is going on, but I love you, and I’ll stand by you no matter what you decide. I never expected you to leave the house, and part of what I love so much about you is your dedication to your family.”

Y/n looked down, finding Lyney’s eyes and offering him a loving smile.

Lyney’s eyes caught once more on the little family diorama on their bedside table before he looked back at them and squeezed their hand again.

“Then will you marry me?”

[alatusprinz]

Scaramouche/Wanderer x Fem!Reader

warnings: reader wears a dress, and well, he rips that dress. swearing.

genre: jealousy / word count : 983.

scenario: Scara won't let you off the hook so easily when he sees you preparing to go on "a date".

You don’t remember him looking this livid before, at least never to you. His firm grip on your wrist made you wince in pain, even when you tugged on his hand to let go, it merely encouraged him to squeeze tighter. As if telling, demanding you to stand still, he warningly tightened his hold. 

“What is your problem? Let go” You muttered irritatedly, attempting to drag your hand away once again. Wanderer’s violet eyes narrowed, his anger threatening to burst if he didn’t make sure you were joking when you said “you were going on a date”.

“A date? A fucking date, you said?” He mumbled under his breath. Before you could respond, he forcefully yanked his hold on your hand inwards, making your body crash into him. With a slight struggle to hold your balance, you returned your sharp gaze to him. 

“Tell me you’re joking.” He demanded, his voice dropping venomously, yet he knew from your attire, your dolled up look that you unfortunately weren’t. 

“Let me go, I’m running late because of you.” His fury deepened when you refused to tell him what he wanted to hear. 

“You think I will let you go on a date in that skimpy piece of fabric any weak mortal could tear off in less than a minute?” As if emphasising his words, he let go of your wrist and instead directed his hands to the back of your dress, gripping the sides of the zipper. Your eyes widened when you realised his hand positioning- he was going to rip it.

“No-, what the-” Your words went unheard as he tore the top part of the dress in one effortless pull, the thin fabric tearing with no more than a lift of his finger. You yelped from his aggressiveness and thrashed in his unyielding grip, giving up on escaping his embrace but at least to stop him from completely peeling the only means of covering your body off of you. Though deep inside, you would be lying if his desperation and possessiveness didn’t send a wave of arousal in between your legs. 

His sharp eyes shamelessly travelled over your half exposed upper body, greedily drinking up the alluring sight despite your figure pressed firmly to him. This is it, yes. This is how you looked the prettiest, in his arms. Not getting all dolled up to meet another wimpy lowlife who could never dare hope to compare to how well he could treat you. In fact, give him the word and he would bring the entire world at your feet, burn down nations, cast down Celestia to the inferno of hell if that was what you wished. 

Could he fucking compare? That’s what he thought- nobody could. Nobody could ever treat you as well as he could, and he would let you know that. 

“Have I not made it clear? Do you not see how you have me wrapped around your finger?” He pulled you in closer almost like he intended on suffocating you with his embrace, and finally dropped the malicious edge of his voice. Just before you could respond, your heart skipped a beat as his hold slightly loosened, his embrace turning surprisingly gentle and almost affectionate- a sharp contrast to his earlier words and behaviour. 

“...What?” You managed to reply, your voice barely higher than a whisper from the sudden shift in his actions. 

“I would move mountains, tear my own body limb by limb if need be. I would stop at nothing for you. To have you by my side, to see your stupid smile that makes me feel like my thousand years of suffering had a purpose.” 

“I want you, (name). I want everything about you, I want you by my side.” Stay with me, please- he longed to plead, beg at your feet if that’s what you wanted. 

Before he could do anything to add on, you found your arms hesitantly snaking around his slender waist. You couldn’t find the words to say, nothing came to your mind except the need to hold him close, to feel the sincerity of his devotion you never knew he held for you. 

He swore he tries to be patient with you. In fact, he wasn’t even sure if he was worthy of pursuing your affection, didn’t you deserve to be with someone who was worthy? Someone genuine, someone who hasn't massacred innocents in pursuit of his own selfish greed? And yet all of such apprehension burned away with the rage he felt when his only joy was threatened to belong to someone else, he couldn't bear to see you besides someone else.

“...Say something… anything” His voice weakly shivered, alarmed by your silence in spite of your positive implications of stopping to escape his embrace. Your arms held him so gently, he had never felt such softness, such warmth before. He had been betrayed, tortured, tormented and faced fate worse than death too many times to count- he would have died hundreds if not thousands of times over from the pain he went through in his porcelain body. Heck, Wanderer was sure kindness didn’t even exist before he met you. And your tender embrace was proof that life could for once be good to him, that this cruel world held a place where he could find home in. Never in his never-ending nightmare of a life did he even dare dream of finding someone like you. That’s exactly why held onto you so tight, he would rather perish, disappear this very instant than go back to life without you again. The hollow, the cold and grey world he knew- it all faded when you brought colour to his life. As long as the sun shines, as long as the water runs in the river and as long as the winds blow- he would dedicate his all to you. Fuck, he wouldn’t stop even if all of those ceased to exist, that’s how fierce and unyielding his love was. 

He just hoped you wanted him as much as he wanted you. 

Your heart thumped almost uncomfortably fast in your chest, then leaned closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder. 

[brayneworms]

in your basement, i grow cold.

featuring. il dottore x reader

content. gore (specifically eye gore), relationship isn't romantic isn't platonic but a secret third thing, toxic dynamics, reader is called dottore's pet, scaramouche appearance, reader is mean to scaramouche, reader is generally fucked in the head, alluded kidnapping + medical experimentation, body horror, injections, electrocution

word count. 1.6k

notes. this was an xmas gift for a friend but ummm might as well post it i guess :p this is silly. i'm a certified dottore hater but he's fun to explore psychologically. also used this as gore practise. i don't think it's majorly disgusting but i'm not very squeamish generally so i might be biased.

♪ strangers — ethel cain

There is some peace to be found in ugliness. 

The Balladeer has yet to learn the same lesson. With every session he seethes and hits, he bawls and curses. The Doctor takes it all standing up, though, a flex of his wax-sheen gloves brushing the Balladeer off as though he were no more than an irksome fly. The doll scowls as you strap him in, hook wires and tubes into his artificial body. Sometimes the voltage is too high and he jerks and turns purple in the face, roasting from the inside out. Sometimes you think Dottore does that on purpose, his own small dose of revenge. 

The Balladeer despises you. He calls you Dottore’s little mouse at first, scampering around quietly doing the Doctor’s bidding. He sneers at you, a curled lip of cold command. “I see he’s let you out of the cage for another evening,” he remarks, violet eyes watching unblinkingly as you hurry between operating tables. “Try not to roll over and die with the shock of your newfound freedom. It would be a shame for Dottore to lose his favourite…” He rolls the words around in his mouth for a moment, considering, before flashing a smirk your way. “Pet.”

You get your own small revenges on Balladeer. Dottore languishes in pain, but you like to watch his sadness. When he’s under, he often dreams, and when he wakes he often cries. Sometimes he even cries in his sleep. You wish to bottle his tears whilst he’s unconscious, scrape them up into little crystal vials until you have enough to fill a chest. Then when he begins with his glaring and his remarking, you will open it in front of him and show him cruel, irrefutable proof of his weakness. Tears enough to drown a man. Not him, though, because he is not a man. He’s not even human. And despite how much he looks down on humanity, he bristles each time at the reminder. 

Dottore finds your ugly streak endearing, in the same way someone might find a cat with three legs endearing. Mostly his mask stays on, sinking most of his features into shadow, but sometimes you find his jaw twitching or a smile curling at his mouth. 

What you find exhilarating about helping to operate on the Balladeer is that you had been in his place once. Strapped down to the table whilst Dottore poked and prodded at you with his various instruments. And Dottore had been hardly gentle with his bedside manner. He’s been open about the fact that he expected you to die on that slab. Archon residue was no blood transfusion; it pumped hatred into your body and festered there, under your blood, pickling your veins. The results had not been pretty; an injection into your left eye had resulted in it bursting inside its socket like a red flower blooming too fast. Dottore had knelt, scooped up the residue in his gloved hands, rubbed between his fingers. The scarlet slip-slide of your innards. It felt like being touched for the first time; his lips hung open, parted in a gentle sort of awe. That time, when you spat at him, he only smiled and ruffled your hair. 

Sometimes he lets you wear a patch. Mostly he likes to look, observe how it heals, what irritates it, documents how long until it stops bleeding. He wonders about nerve damage in the area. You have a constant headache in your lower-left frontal lobe now, pressing against your skull like a bruise. 

You’d expected the Balladeer to laugh himself hoarse at the ugly emptiness of your right socket, but instead he went quite quiet. As you were hauling his body into the machine, he reached out, traced the gaping maw with delicate fingers. Your good eye flicked behind him where Dottore stood, finding the twitch of displeasure in his jaw. He didn’t like the Balladeer touching his handiwork. What’s more, you didn’t—the doll’s touch was gentler than you’d had in years, but you’d grown accustomed to Dottore’s clinical coldness. It was precise, even when it did hurt. The Balladeer’s caress feels clumsy in comparison, and you jerk away. He doesn’t try to touch you again. 

Whatever rapport you have with the Balladeer dies quickly. Once you might have sympathised, but as the years wear on, you start seeing him as Dottore does. A doll. A means to an end. And the Balladeer pretty quickly stops seeing you as a mouse. Sometimes, the way his gaze lingers on you out of the corner of your eye, the way he looks away when you catch him at it, you think he’s more afraid of you than he is of Dottore. 

You enjoy fitting the Balladeer’s body into the wires. You stab them through his artificial skin with prejudice, observe the way he tries not to wince. Your fingers brush over the ball-joints in his limbs, skirting under with a nail just to see him shudder and glare. And you love his tears. He rarely cries when he’s awake, especially in front of Dottore if he can help it. But he’s such a willing crier when he’s lost to his unconsciousness. He murmurs words, too. Mother is a frequent one. He calls out for her more than you did for your own in the beginning. But there’s also Niwa and Katsuragi, Tatarasuna and Escher. 

“Poor puppet,” you hum, swinging your legs. Dottore glances over, mouth a thin line.

“Do not bother pitying him,” he muses. “He won’t soon thank you for it.”

You don’t answer, gaze locked onto the Balladeer’s sleeping form until Dottore steps in front of you, obscuring your vision. “Have you tended to your eye today?”

You shrug, trying to peer past him. “I’ll get to it later.”

“You’ll do it now.” His fingers grasp your chin. “What is study and science without consistency? A mad scramble to find pattern, that is all. I’ll do it, if you insist on being stubborn.”

You bat his hand away, snarling. “I can do it myself.”

“Will you?” Dottore says sharply. “It’s been a while since you were tied down to this operating table, but I can certainly make an amendment.”

Your glare is poisonous. “Get your fuckin’ hand off me,” you grunt. 

Dottore smirks. “You’ve grown so bold from the shrinking violet I brought you in as. Some days I miss the subservience of that form.” He pauses. “Then again, most days not.”

Of course. Dottore isn’t afraid to say the quiet part aloud, but he doesn’t have to: he likes violence. He relishes in getting his hands bloody. Poking around your eye socket, fingering the innards, like digging for shrapnel in a wound. He likes the fight back. He likes when you hiss and spit and hit like a feral cat, like a dog who has just learned it has teeth. He likes it even better when you leave a mark. 

Your last appointment before the Balladeer leaves for Sumeru. He sits on the table, spine a gentle slope. His skin is marred with holes and titanium anchors. You run your fingers down the knobs of his back and he shivers. He is unusually subdued, despite how his exuberance over being made into a god had been cumulatively climbing for the past few months. 

“I leave soon,” he tells you as though you don’t know. “I will see a new land, and new people. They will have no idea that they will soon kneel before a new god.” His fingers flex as though physically reaching out to grasp this power. “Will you stay?”

You stare at him and realise you can no longer picture the world outside this laboratory. Your silence seems enough for him; you almost think he pities you. You are particularly vicious with your ministrations that time, reducing him near tears before he’s even slipped unconscious. Dottore watches, the ever-present spectre, smiling and smiling and smiling.

The Balladeer tries one more time before he leaves, in his own way. “Sometimes I miss that little mouse,” he says ruefully. “Now? You’re nothing. You’re worse than nothing. You’re just as bad as him.”

You know you’re beyond saving, because that idea makes your stomach flip. 

You’re under no illusion that Dottore cares for you. Dottore cares for nothing beyond his own experiments and deductions and projects. He doesn’t care about the Fatui. He doesn’t seem to even really care about the Tsaritsa. Only what she can offer him. Dottore is more likely to cut you up and decorate the lab with your insides than confess any sort of love. But it’s alright, truly, because you don’t love him either. You suppose he’s become something of idolatry for you, in the worst possible way. You despise him for what he did to you, but now you cannot picture being any other way. The Balladeer may miss the little mouse, but you certainly do not. Gone are the days of your weakness. Now, in the darkness that Dottore had pumped into you, one injection and cut and fever at a time, there is power. 

Maybe one day you’ll grow to consume him whole. Maybe it starts with spitting in his face and hitting back, but maybe it blossoms to something more. Maybe one day you’d get him down on that operating table, prise that mask of his away to see the way his eyes widen in surprise. Maybe you’d get the scalpel or the wires or the syringe and turn him into the false gods he was so obsessed with puppeteering. And maybe he’d be your little mouse, afraid to catch your eye. 

Idle daydreams. Sometimes you think he can see them in the corner of your eye, because there are days he regards you almost with wariness. But he never exiles you. You suppose, in the way you’ve grown attached to him (as disease grows attached to a person) the same can be said for him. 

You’ll take advantage of it, sometime. You can’t wait to feel his insides on your hands. 

[stellas-et-abyssum-vincite]

4:04 PM ~ *Wriothesley*

Summary: Siegewinne is worried about Wriothesley being sick. So she goes to the surface to ask the kind doctor for help. And you aren't leaving until he takes his health seriously.

Pairing: Wriothesley X Fem!Reader

Genre: Fluffyish Oneshot

Word Count: 1192

Warning: Illness

Masterlist

Everyone in the Fortress of Meropide could tell something was wrong with Wriothesley. Rumors and speculation circled through the cells as to what the cause could be. Only the Melusines knew for sure what was bothering him.

You see, despite every effort to hide it, Wriothesley was sick.

He had a runny nose, a cough and a splitting headache. He tried to cover it up the best he could and continue his work like normal. However, the Melusines were quick to notice that the Administrator was under the weather. For the better part of the morning, they banded together in an attempt to make him feel better, but all of their efforts were in vain. For when Wriothesley got sick, he got grouchy. Any time a Melusine tried to get close in an effort to help, he would order them away and slam the door in their face. 

This led to Siegewinne making a decision for the benefit of all the Melusines and the prisoners in Meropide. She snuck to the surface and into Fontaine to find medicine and warm food to give him. And that's how she wound up in your apothecary.

"Welcome to the Fontaine Apothecary. How may I be of assistance?" You asked her, a sweet smile on your lips.

"Do you have any medicine I can give someone who is sick with a cold?" She asked, her head tilted to the side as she looked at all of your medicine on the shelves behind you.

You nodded. "I have lots of medicine that can help. Can you describe their symptoms to me?"

Counting on her fingers, she listed his ailments. "He's suffering from the sniffles, a runny nose, a headache, and he has a bad cough."

"I see. Sounds like quite the cold. But I have a home remedy that can relieve his symptoms." As you got to work preparing the medicine, you asked another question of the little Melusine. "Does he have an upset stomach?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't think so. He's never complained of one, that is."

"I see. Well, if you don't mind, I'll prepare some warm soup, as well as give you an assortment of teas that should also help."

"Thank you! Thank you very much!"

"It is not a problem at all!" You assure her.

When your work is done, you place the medicine, soup, and tea into a basket to hand to her. However, as soon as she grabs it, you notice her struggling to carry it out the door. Quickly, you emerged around the counter and gently took the basket from her.

"Do you mind if I carry it? It's awfully heavy."

She shakes her head. "I don't mind. I can lead the way."

"Sounds like an excellent idea. I'll follow you."

And you did, all the way to the Fortress of Meropide. You were a little intimidated by its size and the fact that it is a prison, but you would not be deterred. If this sweet little Melusine was willing to go inside, so would you.

Sigewinne knocked once more on Wriothesley's door and he yelled at her to leave him alone. His sharp words and congested voice made you frown. Instead of heeding his orders, you barged into his office.

"What is the meaning of this?" He snapped, glaring daggers into you.

You simply paid him no mind as you laid the items in the basket on a table in his office. "Your dear friend here was worried about you, so she came to me looking for medicine, which I am providing for you."

"I don't need any medicine." He dismissively replied. "I feel fine."

"Have you eaten at all today?"

"That is none of your concern."

You shrug in response. "Very well. I shall take this soup and tea with me. I'd hate for it to go to waste on someone who is ungrateful for its help."

"Tea?" You could see him pause at your words. "What kind of tea?"

You give him a warm smile, although your eyes show a hint of smugness. "A special blend of chamomile that can cure any cold."

Wriothesley appeared conflicted as he mulled over your words. Eventually he sighed and gestured to the two of you. "Thank you for the medicine, food, and tea. You may go now."

Sigewinne nodded and went on her merry way. But you didn't. Instead, you folded your arms over your chest and nodded to the food and tea.

"I want to watch you eat?"

"You, what?"

"I want to make sure you eat everything I've provided and then you take the medicine I made." You reply. "And I won't take no for an answer."

He scowled before taking the cup of tea you made and drank it one go. "You are stubborn."

"As are you." You replied, a challenging smirk curling the corners of your lips. "Now, are you hungry? You need to eat before you can take your medicine."

He ravenously ate the soup and you offered him the medicine. He looked at it skeptically, but you just frowned. "If you don't take it, I'll force your mouth open to take it."

"You're awfully demanding for someone in the presence of the Administrator to this prison."

"Your friend went through a lot of trouble to make sure you are well again." You snap. "I will not have her efforts go to waste. Now take the damn medicine, or so help me Archons..."

"Fine, fine. Have it your way." He choked down the medicine and grimaced at the taste. "There. Happy?"

You nodded with a smug smile. "I am pleased. Now, I'm ordering you on bed rest for the rest of today and I will be back tomorrow with more medicine."

"You can't just order me around!" He shot back. "I am the Administrator of this prison and a Duke to boot. I should be ordering you around."

You roll your eyes at his little temper tantrum. "You are sick and not in the right frame of mind to be ordering anyone around. That is why you must be on rest, so this prison does not fall into disarray because of poor decisions you make when you are sick. Besides, I am a doctor and I know what's best for my patients to recover."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I don't make poor decisions when I'm sick."

"Fine, don't listen to me. Get more sick and infect your whole prison until you're all sick. But don't say I didn't warn you. Cold like this can spread faster than wildfire. And I will not have their illnesses on my conscience." You shook your head and made your way to the door.

"Wait." His voice made you pause. You turn your head to watch him sigh. "Fine. I will rest if you come back with more medicine tomorrow and teach Sigewinne how to make it."

Your smug smile returns. "There. Now was that so hard? I shall return tomorrow morning with the ingredients for Sigewinne. Until then, you are to get into bed and stay there until my room. Understood?"

"Yes doctor."

[tetsuskei]

dew mornings and the bond of eternity – tartaglia [nsfw]

synopsis: your angel of a boyfriend makes sure that you know just how well loved you are

notes: for my favorite harbinger, idk what this is but breaking my fic virginity for him with this :]

warnings: fem!reader, reader is insecure, russian pet names, mating press, childe has a foul mouth, biting and marking, slight possession, praise, childe is called by his real name, slight oral fixation, implied oral (female receiving), he is extremely lovesick

you never learned to what extent someone could go when being attentive and observant until you met your boyfriend.

you hate how ajax is able to notice the slightest changes in your mood. you would say he knows you like the back of his hand, but it’s something more than that. almost like the two of you are fused at the souls. bonded for eternity.

so in the dew morning hours when you’re just a little bit quieter, a little more somber as he makes you both breakfast on one of his rare days off, he’s able to notice right away.

he notices your eyes don’t quite catch his own as he jokes about some silly thing one of his siblings did weeks ago, how your smile falters instead of shining bright the way that he loves to see, how you pick at your fingers and gnaw on your lip in thought.

“ptichka?” he hovers over you, taking your face in his hands and pulling you from your thoughts. his cerulean eyes scan you thoroughly. “did you not sleep well?”

“it’s nothing, it was just a silly little dream.” you wave off, smiling weakly. not a lie, technically.

ajax clicks his tongue. stubbornly, he leans into you, the smell of pine and mint following him. “it can’t be silly if it has you upset like this and you’re losing sleep.”

there is no way of lying to ajax. you know this well. he’s a big brother to three siblings, and he’s too good of a detective to be deceived. but that’s to be expected of a harbinger.

after a long, apprehensive pause, you sigh.

“…i had a dream that you cheated on me.” you confess, lowering your gaze to the floor. “and that you left me for someone better.”

it’s stupid. absolutely and utterly ridiculous. ajax has shown you enough love to spill over into your next life. and the next one after that. you could die and come back a thousand times, and there’d still be traces of him left on you. so to tell him this brings you great shame.

the question is, what caused the dream? guilt? shame? maybe you feel he does so much for you, that you’re lacking as a partner. that you could do better.

you wait silently for him to yell, for some sort of outburst to come. but you’re only met with surprise when you feel his hand on your chin.

“can you please look at me?” his voice is soft, and eyes softer as he finally is able to make eye contact with you. he’s so gentle. warm. he only looks at you with love and patience. “thank you, lisichka.”

“i may not have done anything wrong, and i would never cheat—“ he continues with a stern expression, “but i still need you to understand where my feelings lie with you.”

you start to shake your head, “i already know, ‘jax, you have never made me feel like i need to doubt you. i know how much you love me. i promise. i have no idea why i had the dream…but it just made me sad when i woke up.”

you don’t mean to lie about your hidden insecurities, but it’s not a conversation you want to have at the moment. you’d rather just enjoy the time you have currently with your boyfriend peacefully.

luckily, ajax overlooks your fib. he hums, kissing your temple, “how about after we eat, i run us a bath? and we do one of those face masks that you like? something to decompress.”

and for the first time today you smile and agree.

unfortunately it appears ajax is taking your earlier sentiments much more seriously than you thought.

as all dreams and nightmares are short term memory, you long forgot about what it was that made you upset, back to your usual self after the bath.

ajax swaddled you up in a clean towel, and just like he said, did face masks with you. it always makes you giggle seeing your boyfriend using one of your spa headbands to push his hair back. soon both your faces were shiny and clean. refreshed and replenished, you felt brand new.

but little did you know you were now in the jaws of a shark.

you didn’t make it to the bedroom. well, you did, but you didn’t pick up on the ginger’s ulterior motive the minute he kissed your cheek as you sat on the bathroom counter. he carried you to the bedroom, and that’s where it all fell apart.

“‘j-jax—“ you hiccup, gripping tightly onto his bicep. your figure is trembling against his, skin damp with sweat and glued impossibly closer to his.

so much for the bath.

“s-slow down…”

your boyfriend has been at it for awhile now, pummeling your poor insides with his fat cock over and over. the room reeks with the smell of sex, wet sounds imprinted into your mind. you can never forget just how great he makes you feel.

“no,” he huffs, fingers digging into your hips, “you’re not leaving this bed until i’m sure of it.”

confusion resides in you. what exactly is ‘it’?

he’s already worshipped you plenty with just his fingers and tongue. but you don’t dare challenge the primal look in his eyes. he’s absolutely greedy, not even letting you move to take care of him in return in anyway.

you yelp once feeling your lover’s teeth nip into your skin. his tongue laves over the offended area before he kisses the skin.

“how could i find someone better, when there’s not a single person more beautiful or amazing than you?” he pants, pulling away to look at you. his thumb traces your cheek tenderly and his cobalt eyes are trained on your fucked out expression.

“especially when your pussy feels this good? that’s just a bonus.” he rambles, groaning. his hips knock into yours more harshly and you wail.

“you’d have to kill me to separate us.” he admits darkly, but something tells you that even death wouldn’t stop him.

“‘dun want that, want you forever.” you say, clinging impossibly tighter to him.

ajax coos, kissing your nose, “and you have me. because you’re enough. you always will be. you’re perfect.”

his answer satisfies you and you’re kissing him again, nearly having tears permeate at the ducts of your eyes.

he laughs, grinning against you mouth, “milaya, you’re about to cum, aren’t you?”

“i-i” your words still fail to completely return to you but you nod rapidly.

understanding, he taps your bottom lip.

“open,” he commands.

falling in line, ajax pushes his fingers in your mouth. you feel your face heat up from how you taste yourself on him.

“good girl,” he praises, “always so sweet for me, hmm?”

you’re drooling on him, nodding and humming around his fingers with a hazy look in your eyes.

there’s a certain light in his own eyes that only appears when he’s with you, and with the way he is looking at you with complete adoration, you feel absolutely special.

“oh, look how much you’re quivering, you’re almost there. come on.” your boyfriend studies your movements, fucking you with slower, deeper thrusts.

the breath from your lungs nearly escapes you, and you feel a burning feeling in your chest. you’re creaming so much on him that it’s impossible not to hear the lewd noises coming from between your legs.

every sound seems to drive the ginger crazier. “one more, just one more for me, angel and i’ll let you be.” he coaxes, fingers moving again.

“i’m…i’m tired.” you sniff.

“i know, but you look so pretty when you cum. just one more? pretty please? can’t get over how you look. so beautiful…”

his constant praise is enough to make you cum once more, so hard that it blinds you. your mouth falls open in silent awe.

ajax groans, watching you come undone and hissing at the way you’re clamping up on his cock. it should be a crime how good you feel, because he could ever get enough of it.

there’s only a moment before he remembers he still needs to cum, and then he’s pawing and begging.

“fuck, let me cum in you…please…” his face is buried in your neck and a small whimper escapes him once he grabs your hand, lacing your fingers together.

he’s shivering and hot, and his cock is extremely sensitive. every drag of himself against your walls drives him insane. he’s dizzy, nearly delirious with how much he’s holding back.

“wanna fill you up so badly, please lisichka.” he continues, pressing searing kisses to your shoulder. “want you leaking with all of my cum…want all of it in you.”

you don’t think he’s looking at you while he babbles and pleads to breed you, and you shiver at how predatory he looks at your lower abdomen. you lock your legs tighter around him, ignoring the overstimulation creeping up in you.

“yes, ajax. please. w-want all your cum. want you to fill me up!” you whine, a sound that makes his heart and cock swell all at the same time.

your next words startle him even further.

“i love you.”

and he snaps.

“hah—ah, fuck!” ajax curses, hips stuttering in their pace. he groans loudly, feeling himself spill into you. there’s spots in his vision from how hard he’s cumming and he wonders if this is what celestia is.

you gasp, jerking when warmth spreads throughout all of you. you can feel the throbbing of your boyfriends cock and his heavy load.

coming down from both of your highs, the two of you laugh.

“you surprise me every time.” you tease quietly, eyeing a bite mark on your thigh.

the ginger looks bashful, hiding his face in your shoulder. “sorry…didn’t mean to be so rough…”

“if i wanted you to stop at anytime, i would’ve told you.” you reassure, petting his head.

he plants a kiss on your skin. “good. and for the record, i love you too.” he murmurs. “feel better?”

“i felt better after the delicious breakfast you made, but you took it a couple of steps further like you always do.” you giggle, leaning into his chest.

ajax grins, kissing the crown of your head, “well, i could tell something else was on your mind, but you weren’t telling me.”

“you know me way too well. it’s terrifying.”

he puffs his chest out, “what can i say? i can and will only provide the absolute best for you.”

“i don’t like leaving you alone for as long as i do…i will try to get them to let me take work closer to home.” he adds, playing with your fingers.

and the beam on your face is all worth it. “really?”

“really. i’m not around a lot for you to do things for me, and i get why you may feel that you need to be better. but i adore you just how you are. i’m sorry for not being more present.”

“it’s okay, i understand.” you hum, kissing his chin.

ajax hums with appreciation before leaning down and chasing your lips, hungrily wanting to taste you all over again.

his demanding presence has you melting into him as you mesh together, tongues locking to consume the taste of yourselves.

suddenly he’s dragging you by the hips to the edge of the bed.

“w-what are you—“

“m’not done with you. far from it.” you barely can form another question before ajax is sliding back into you. a crude squelch follows.

the harbinger kisses your bare ring finger. “say, i think we should elope. what do you think about starting a family?”

key: ptichka = ‘little bird’, lisichka = ‘little fox’, milaya = ‘my dear’

[lohotine]

AN: Image: https://pin.it/2VA1PdBU1

Just felt like making this- Kinda for myself as a little break.

Shikanoin Heizou x Reader

Oneshot

Warnings: High School AU, angst, kind of self destruction Heizou.

-Mr. Perfect-

Perfect grades, amazing athletic skills, impeccable looks and president of the school! Heizou Shikanoin really has everything a person could ask for.

That's what majority of the student body will tell you if you ever ask about 'Mr. Prefect.'

And yet... here he is; staring blankly at a wall with the dullest of eyes.

Hah, how selfish could he be?

He's living this perfect life that so many people would kill to have, but he still feels the need to cry.

Why does he even feel like this?

Is it because the mask he's wearing is starting to become one with himself?

Is it because the tape over his mouth has made it hard to breathe?

Is it because no matter how much he sleeps, he's still tired?

Ah, there are so many things that could explain his emotions.

But... there just isn't any time to cry. There's work that needs to be done. There is a perfect person he has to be: and he can't be that if he's busy crying.

"Heizou!!" Called out an enthusiastic voice from the courtyard.

He turned his head to look at the bright voice that snapped him out of his daze, only to see you.

"Oh, hello love!" Heizou gave you a warm and inviting smile.

You smiled back, taking a seat down next to him.

"Need anything?" Heizou asked with the slight tilt of his head.

"Just wanted to see you," you responded.

Heizou nodded his head, that smile never fading from that expression.

How sweet, that you had fallen so hopelessly for him.

But..

Did you fall for Heizou, or did you fall for the mask on his face?

If Heizou showed you who he really was, would you still love him all the same?

Would anyone still love him... if he wasn't perfect?

Surely not... right? After all, they only adored him so much because he seemed so perfect. If he were to become ordinary like everyone else, then he wouldn't be important anymore.

"And so, that's how my day went. What about yours?"

Oh, you had been talking this entire time. Heizou was too zoned out to really catch any of that.

"Ah, my day was perfectly fine. Don't worry about it," he would respond.

You frowned. "Heizou, I'm not stupid," you said irritatedly.

He laughed before giving you a pensive look. "Oh? Whatever do you mean by that, dearest?"

"I see how you zone out. What's bothering you?" Your look softened as you gazed at him, worried.

Heizou met your gaze with a sharp look of his own.

"Love, don't worry your pretty little head about it!" He patted your head playfully.

"You can tell me things Heizou, I hope you know this."

Telling you things means destroying the illusion.

This facade that he had playing for so long!

If he broke it now, he'd not only lose so much, but wouldn't all of this suffering be for nothing?

He just couldn't allow that, no matter what cute little 'self-help' things you said.

Besides, you only cared for the Heizou he let you see, and not the real him.

And truthfully, he just can't let you pry this much. For his sake, and for yours.

"Look, I'm pretty busy. Maybe we can talk about this later?" Heizou asked.

You sighed. "Oh, fine.. Just remember, I'm always open to talk." You gave him a small smile and a wave before walking somewhere else.

Good you were leaving.

It.. hurt to see you go.

But what's an angel without sacrifice? You're just another person who's getting too close to the forbidden truth, even if he let you get this close in the first place...

Really, he was just sparing you from an ugly truth!

Ignorance is bliss after all.

Seriously, just let him be Mr. Perfect.

It would be a lot easier for everyone that way.

[donutsupremacy]

Victory

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Summary

"A new face had been spotted around the Fortress of Meropide, earning themselves a name by challenging others to a duel, and it was a surprise to see them winning fights left and right. They even challenged you! What a joke! And of course you were going to put them back in their place! After all, only a fool would challenge the duke's [S/O]."

Warnings/Spoilers

Written during 4.6

Gender neutral reader

Reader has a Pyro vision and wields a catalyst

Reader isn't the traveller

Traveller's existence is irrelevant/ not mentioned

Post-Archon Quest Fontaine

Physical fighting (Boxing with elements)

Reader is basically Pyro Wriothesley

Lots and lots of 3rd grader trash talking

Flirting, lots and lots of cringy flirting

Fluff and gotta sprinkle in some tiny bit of angst

TW: Scars (If you're uncomfortable with them)

A/N: Good to be alive again :D (Had an idea to write Albedo fic for his birthday, ended up getting swarmed with homework for the past few months, so after this I'll work on Albedo fic)

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Your romance begins here

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"Is this really worth it?"

"Oh, absolutely." You replied without a single hint of hesitation in your voice when Rousimoff, the Pankration Ring host, questioned.

You eyed the man standing on the opposite side of the ring, his biceps flexing and his Electro vision danging by his belt. This nobody challenged you, and you weren't a coward to put your reputation on the line. Especially with your recent win streak.

Rousimoff scoffed, patting your back, but the amusement and excitement in his eyes was obvious. There hasn't been a more exciting fight since the last time you entered the ring.

"Aren't you supposed to be on arrest or something?" Rousimoff questioned, a doubtful expression on his face.

You let out a 'pfft!', waving your hand dismissively. Sure, you were technically banned from any form of fighting because you may or may not have attacked an inmate who was spreading rumours about you, but they were asking for it! "Arrest, shm-errest. Wrio will understand! Besides... I've got nothing better to do." You retort.

"Just don't make a mess on the ring, alright? Last guy left a huge hole on the floor and the duke gave me an earful for it." Rousimoff sighs, rubbing his temples. It took a while to get that dent fixed, and you were pretty well known to make a mess without realizing.

"Hey, c'mon now." You nudged his shoulders. "You and everyone else get a good show, I get to kick someone to the curb. Fair trade, no?" You laughter sounds, attracting your opponents attention, whose cocky grin met yours.

"All ready?" The host asked, nodding his head to a group of your fellow inmates, some cheering on for you while the other half was rooting for your opponent to break your victory streak.

You stood up from your seat, rolling your shoulders and cracking your fist, your Pyro vision shining as you felt adrenaline pumping through your veins. Lately, you only had enough time to spar with some friends for about a few minutes, this was the first time you were about to have a full-on brawl with some random newbie after months of no action.

This was going to be fun.

. . . . . . . . .

The smell of sweet tea hung in the air as Wriothesley examined the mechanical gauntlets, flexing his fingers and moving his hand slightly to check on the movement limitations. A young man stood in front of his desk, anxious and slightly hunched over, waiting for his client's input.

"Great, seems like everything's back in order." Wriothesley spoke, nodding in approval as he donned his usual grin. "You have my gratitude."

The young man lets out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding in, slouching slightly to relax for a few seconds before standing up. With a polite bow, the young man quickly left the office, giving Wriothesley some privacy.

The Cryo vision wielder sat back down behind his desk, putting away the gauntlets as he picked up the cup of tea, blowing it to cool the liquid down slightly.

The Fortress of Meropide seemed to be more chaotic than usual as of late, especially when that new inmate got registered. Supposedly charged for multiple cases of assault, it was no surprise that he was the root of trouble, causing numerous disturbance to the other inmates.

As much as he'd like to interfere to keep the peace and balance within the fortress, it was supposedly a 'fair fight' since the inmate was given full consent, which meant that it was technically more of a duel.

Plus— Wriothesley needed some relaxation, after the whole ordeal with the prophecy and the catastrophe that nearly ended Fontaine. He was glad that now he had some time for himself.

"Some peace and quiet..." Wriothesley mumbled in relief, lifting the cup to his lips that quirked into a smile. It was time to relax.

"Your grace!"

The sound of the door slamming below his office startles Wriothesley, flinching as a few drops of tea spilled onto his desk. He groans quietly, putting the cup back down as the sound of footsteps climbed the stair case. "And... not a moment too soon."

"Your grace! It's about your [S/O]!" The guard exclaimed as soon as they reached the top of the stairs, one hand on the railing with the other on the hip and slightly hunched over, panting and out of breath from running.

His brows perked in surprise, did you get in trouble again? You were supposed to be on 'probation', too! You really didn't know when to rest, huh?

"What happened to them being supervised?" Wriothesley questioned, arms crossed and a disappointed frown on his face.

The guard gave a sheepish laugh. "...The guard looking after them left for lunch..."

Wriothesley sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Of course this would happen, you always get your way in the most ridiculous ways possible... Last time you were under 'strict supervision', you manage to sneak away from the guard in charge of looking after you by diving into the waters surrounding his office and disappearing to Archons knows where.

But then again... you make things interesting. Maybe that's why he loves you. Maybe a little too much, with how he was barely strict with you...

"Alright... what did they do this time?"

[Meanwhile...]

"That all you got?"

"Dodge this!"

You snort, swerving your head to the right, narrowly avoiding another hit. "How's that for a dodge, buddy?" You teased.

Your body feels a little numb, from the adrenaline or from enduring hits and the electricity lingering on your skin, you weren't sure. Neither did you really care. This was fun!

You lifted up your arm to block another punch, narrowly deflecting it— ember and sparks flying across the ring, grazing against the flesh of your face.

"All this commotion's going to arouse Wriothesley's attention..." Rousimoff mutters, the sound of your fellow inmates cheering loudly nearly filled the fortress. If it weren't your presence garnering attention, it would be the loud audience that attracted other passersby.

Small explosions created by Pyro and Electro continued to sound throughout the ring each time your fists met your opponent's blocks, your grunts mixed with his. The sounds were loud enough to mask Wriothesley's boots clicking against the floor, approaching the ring.

His brows furrowed and his lips tugged into a disapproving frown when he saw you, bruised and battered with sweat dripping from your forehead. How long has this 'duel' been going on? You look like you were about to collapse, yet, the adrenaline was making you tough it out.

He knew you were a tough fighter, he's seen how passionate you could get in a fight, even if it was just training— but you were still a human who had limits, limits you keep forgetting about just for the thrill of a fight.

"Alright, time to shut down the show, everyone." Wriothesley's voice was loud and firm, laced with his usual strong authority. Yet, his eyes were trained on you, slight concern hidden beneath his stoic demeanour.

Hearing Wriothesley's voice, the cheering quickly died down. You, too, heard your lover's voice, your eyes widening in surprise as you spotted the dark haired man standing by the Pankration ring. Uh oh, you're in deep trouble.

Seeing you distracted by Wriothesley's presence, your opponent took the opportunity, attempting to aim for the side of your face.

"Woah!" You managed to barely grab his wrist, just a hair's width away from contact. Electro meeting Pyro, you could feel your skin getting burned and shocked at the same time. You felt the adrenaline stop pumping, all of a sudden— you felt acutely aware of the stinging pain in your body.

In just a split second, your vision started to glow brightly, the fire surrounding your arms flaring up as the electricity rapidly surged from your opponent.

An explosion echoed throughout the fortress, causing the ground to rumble from the impact, you felt a large gust of wind shove you and everyone else nearby backwards. Your back met the wall behind you, skull slamming against the metal plates followed by a slight crack— and your vision cuts.

"...."

. . . . . . . . .

"[Name]... damn... reckless..."

"[Name]... come on..."

"[Name]!"

"Aaah!" You let out a yelp, flailing in your bed as you felt the aftershock from the explosion and the all too familiar feeling of a strong blast shoving you. Your head stings, a lot, and you had the urge to throw up.

"Woah! Relax!" Wriothesley exclaimed, hands gripping your shoulder, but not too firmly in fear of injuring you further. "That shockwave really did a number on you, huh?"

He gently laid you back down onto the soft mattress of your bed, you sighed, noticing your head and most of your body wrapped in bandages. Your skin littered with burn marks, some were minor and would heal easily, there were about a few major ones that might leave a scar or two accompanying your old ones.

"No kidding." Wriothesley sighed, voice filled with disappointment as he shook his head, worry hidden underneath. "What did I say about getting into fights?" The Cryo vision wielder spoke, now his voice laced with his usual authority, albeit a little softer only for you.

"Ohh... ohhhh, I'm... not in a good shape..." You managed to croak out, your arm resting on your chest while the other hung in the air slightly, you were so drained that you can barely raise your arms.

At least your heart's still beating, you're thankful that you've somehow managed to survive such a powerful Overload.

You barely wheezed out a laugh, giving your beloved a cheeky smile. "Wasn't a fight— It was a duel~" You quipped.

Wriothesley rolled his eyes, the corner of his lips curved into an amused grin. Of course you'd still try to crack a joke after narrowly dodging death.

"You're lucky we had Sigewinnie nearby at the time." The male scoffed, lightly poking your cheek.

"Give my thanks to that little angel." You hummed, relaxing in your bed, a satisfied smile on your face at lightening the mood and getting patched up by a reliable doctor.

Since your bed was pretty big (Benefits of being the duke's S/O!), you scooted aside slightly and adjusying your position, letting the duke sit on the bed. He was careful not to bump you with his hip, he knew that you were just trying to downplay the situation so you wouldn't get a scolding from him... which wouldn't work anyways.

"So... want me to have 10 guards look after you when you've recovered?" Wriothesley scoffed, carefully lifting your head and guiding you to rest on his lap. You let out a sigh of content, his fingers carressing your cheek, thumb tracing circles on the flesh.

A quiet and strained laugh leaves your slightly sore throat. "Wrio, c'mon... I just wanted to have fun..." You sighed. "...Sorry, alright?... I didn't mean to deviate from your orders like this, but... well, hard to resist. It's like how you can't go a single day without tea~"

"Don't bring my tea into this, [Name]." He chuckles, patting your head. "Then, I'll just have to be the one keeping an eye on you from now on."

Huffing, you gave the male a pout. "It wasn't that bad." You tried to protest, the idea of being under supervision 24/7 was already annoying enough, but your lover being the one to look after you isn't as fun as others may think— especially when he gets overprotective without realizing. You love him, yes... it's just sometimes, it seems like he forgets that you still have capabilities.

"Dove, you're covered in bandages and bedridden... I don't want this to happen again." Wriothesley sighs, rubbing his temples. His brow furrowed, it was easy to pick up the clear disdain in your voice, knowing you still wanted some semblance of freedom and have the ability to stay independent.

He leans down towards you, lips grazing on your forehead. "...I promise I won't coddle you so much this time... just see this as... us hanging out— but much more frequently where I can keep an eye on you and make sure you don't end up in the infirmary again, alright?"

You chuckled, muscles loosening at the gentle kiss... Okay, maybe getting coddled once in a while wasn't so bad.

"...Same thing~" You chirped, tilting your head slightly and connecting his lips with yours. "But okie doki, deal."

"Deal." Wriothesley hums as he pulled his lips away, giving you an affectionate grin. One hand continues to carress your cheek, the other brushing against the fresh bandages on your arm.

Your skin tingles from the warmth of his fingertips through the bandage, arms twitching slightly as you attempted to lift them.

Though, you clearly still needed to rest a little longer before you can fully move your body again. For now... you'll just lay here, resting on Wriothesley's lap.

And to boast about how you definitely won that duel against that rambunctious inmate. Victory is yours~

[xxspringmelodyxx]

𝒲𝒽𝓎 𝒩𝑜𝓉 𝑀𝑒~

𝑨𝒚𝒂𝒕𝒐 𝑲𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒌𝒐 𝒙 𝑭𝒆𝒎!𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 Pt II Pt I —> Here

Im a dumbass. I forgot to schedule this story, but here it is now! Please forgive me and my stupid brain! 🙏🏽 𝒘𝒄: 3.7𝒌

✩⁺₊✩☽⋆Warnings: Swearing⋆☾✩⁺₊✩

𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕

✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿ ✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿ ✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿ ✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿ ✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿ ✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿ ✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿ ˚❀˚·⋆✿

It had been weeks since Ayato had seen you, and needless to say, he was not doing well. He wasn’t eating much and barely left his room. Both Ayaka and Thoma were worried sick about him. Thoma tried to get him to eat, but Ayato would just leave the food untouched on his desk, his mind too occupied with thoughts of you. Were you okay? Were you safe? Would you eventually come back so he could tell you everything?

However, he wasn’t the only one going through this. In fact, you were suffering from the separation just as badly, if not worse. You could barely move out of your bed. Your face was stained with tears, tissues were scattered everywhere, and half-eaten food littered your room. You were having another breakdown as you recalled the events from a couple of weeks ago, clutching desperately onto a photo of you and Ayato. Your heart was absolutely broken, not just because of the necklace, but from the emptiness you felt being away from Ayato. He was the only person who made you excited to get up every day, the only person you couldn’t stop thinking about, and the only person who made your heart flutter. To say you missed him would be an understatement. You desperately wanted to see him again, to hug him and make everything right.

Ayaka and Thoma looked at each other as they watched Ayato sulk around his home. Thoma grabbed Ayaka’s hand and brought her to another room. “Okay, enough is enough,” he said. “I know. Look at him. This is the worst I’ve seen him. And Y/N is going through the same thing. They both need each other, but they’re too scared and depressed to make amends,” she responded.

Thoma and Ayaka turned around as they heard glass shatter. Ayato had dropped another glass—his tenth this week. “We need to do something before he breaks everything in here,” Thoma said. “Well, what do you suggest we do?” she asked. “We need to get them together, no matter what state they’re in.” “And how are we going to do that? Drag them out to somewhere random and hope for the best?” Ayaka asked, making Thoma smile. “Exactly! I’m glad you’re reading my mind, Ayaka,” Thoma said. “What?! I was joking—” “You go get Y/N, and I’ll bring Ayato. We’ll take them to the park where they first met and used to hang out all the time,” Thoma interrupted. “What if she doesn’t want to leave?” “Then you force her. It’s our job to help them since they can’t help themselves. Plus, it would be good for them to get some sunlight,” Thoma said. Ayaka nodded. “Right. Okay, I’ll go get her and meet you at the park around noon?” Ayaka asked. “Sounds like a plan. Operation Lovebirds is on the go!” Thoma said, walking away. “Operation Lovebirds?” Ayaka teased, making Thoma blush. “Shut up. It’s a good name, alright? Now go get Y/N,” he said, walking away. Ayaka chuckled, turning on her heel and heading out to drag you out of your house.

—

“Come on, Y/N, you need to get out! You can’t just lay here for the rest of your life!” Ayaka begged. “Watch me!” you said into your pillow as Ayaka pulled on your arm. Ayaka sighed, letting go of your arm. “Y/N, please. At least sit up so I can see you.” “No,” your muffled voice said. “Y/N. We miss you. Me, Thoma… Ayato…” “Don’t say his name, please,” your voice started to break. Ayaka looked down at you with saddened eyes. “Okay, that’s it. Get up,” she said, yanking your arm as hard as she could, forcing you to sit up. “Geez! Rip my arm off, why don’t you!” you said. Ayaka got a good look at you, trying her best not to make a disgusted face.

Your hair was a mess. It looked like a bird’s nest. Your eyes were swollen from crying, you had what looked like ice cream on your shirt, and your face was stained from your tears. “My goodness.” She gasped, making you glare at her.

“Thanks. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to bed—” “No, you’re not!” Ayaka said, grabbing your arm and throwing you out of bed. “What the hell, Ayaka! Let me—” “No! You are coming outside with me whether you like it or not. Now lets go! Don’t make me do it,” she said, holding your favorite ice cream. She opened your window and held it outside. “No! Not my ice cream! Let it go!” you said. “Okay, if you say so,” she said, lifting one of her fingers. “No! Not there! Why are you being so annoying!” She let another finger go. You watched the ice cream start to slip out of her hand. “Fine, fine! I’ll go with you. Just put my ice cream back.” She smiled and was about to bring it in when it suddenly fell out of her hand. Her eyes widened as she watched it plop to the ground, birds coming to eat it.

She turned towards you, who looked furious at her. “Whoops…” she said sheepishly. “I’ll buy you more! I promise. Now let’s go!” she said, grabbing your arm and dragging you to the park.

—-

“Ayato, let’s go,” Thoma said sternly. “I can’t go out like this, nor do I want to go out at all,” Ayato said as he looked at a picture of you and him when you were younger. “You can’t keep moping around here for the rest of your life. You need to go out and enjoy some sun.” “How can I enjoy anything when I lost the one thing that was most important to me?” he said softly, his voice cracking. Thoma sighed and sat down next to Ayato, placing his arm on his shoulder. “Ayato, I know you’re hurting right now. But I need you to at least try to get up and come with me. I have a surprise for you.”

That caught Ayato’s attention. “What could you possibly have that would make me want to leave my room?” Ayato asked, looking at him. Thoma looked him up and down, taking in his… new look. He was much the same as you—messy hair, red and puffy eyes from crying, and there was even some food on his expensive clothing. “If I tell you, it would ruin the surprise. Now come on, there is not much time to waste. We only have…” Thoma said, looking at a nearby clock. His eyes widened as he saw it was 11:30. “Shit! We have to go! We are going to be late!” Thoma yelled, catching Ayato off guard. Thoma yanked Ayato up and dragged him out of the house. “Wait! I can’t go out like this!” Ayato pulled back, but it wasn’t enough as Thoma had a stronger grip. “It doesn’t matter! Let’s go!” Thoma said as they both ran down the hill.

—

As Ayaka dragged you down the street, a familiar voice caught both of your attention. “Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.” Kanaka. You stared at her, your confusion and sadness quickly being replaced with another emotion. “How’s the whole Ayato situation going, huh? Did you finally come to terms with the fact that you aren’t worth his time?” Kanaka asked. Ayaka glared at her, ready to defend you at all costs. “Now you listen here—” “No, Ayaka. Let me speak,” you interrupted, putting a hand in front of her.

You turned towards Kanaka with a glare that could freeze anyone who dared to look at you. “It's sad that you find joy in hurting others. It's one of the most troubling things I've ever seen in a person, and trust me, your arrogance will eventually be your downfall. For the sake of those you've hurt and those you might hurt in the future, I hope you can change. More importantly, I hope you realize the harm you've done to yourself. I hope that someone can help you open your heart and become a better person. But, I'm not going to stay angry at you anymore. The damage is already done. If you want to upset me, you’ve failed, and you will continue to do so as you mean nothing to me. Goodbye." You said calmly, turning around and leaving with Ayaka. Kanaka just stood there, dumbfounded by your words.

“Why didn’t you punch her?” Ayaka asked. “She is not worth my time anymore,” you responded simply. “Well, she may not be worth yours, but she certainly is worth mine,” Ayaka said, stopping to turn to Kanaka. She walked up to her and, without hesitation, raised her fist and punched Kanaka as hard as she could, knocking her back. Ayaka turned back to you with a pleased face, taking your arm and dragging you once again.

——

“Remind me why you brought me all the way out here?” you asked Ayaka as she sat you down in a chair with a blindfold on. “It’s a surprise! I just… hope it gets here soon. They were already supposed to be here,” Ayaka said nervously. To be honest, she wasn’t sure how this was going to play out. Maybe her hopes were too high, but she believed that you two would fix things and become at least friends again. “They?” you responded. As you said that, your blindfold was removed and you saw someone in front of you have their blindfold removed as well. Once your vision cleared, you felt a pain in your chest as you saw the man you didn’t want to see. “Y/N?” Ayato asked with a hoarse voice. You took a good look at him and saw that he was pretty much in the same state as you.

You didn’t say anything and just stood up, getting ready to leave. However, Ayaka pushed you back down and forced you to stay. “Now you two need to talk. I’m sick and tired of seeing you both in this state, especially when you’re best friends,” Thoma said. You and Ayato looked each other in the eye, not knowing what to say. “Now, we are going to leave you two alone. If I see one of you try to leave, I’ll have to punish you,” Ayaka said, taking Thoma away with her. There was a long, awkward silence as you two stared anywhere but at each other.

Ayaka huffed. “It’s not working.” “Just give them a little while. You can’t expect something to happen right away,” Thoma responded. Ayato finally took a glance at you, seeing how much you had been impacted over the weeks. He felt his heart break as he realized it was all because of him. He never wanted to hurt you, yet there you were, completely heartbroken because of his dumb choices. He needed to fix things with you. And right now was the perfect time to do so. He grunted before he spoke, unsure of how to start. “Y/N, I…” he began, seeing you glance at him before looking away. He sighed, deciding to let it all go. He had nothing left to lose after all.

“Y/N, I am so sorry,” he said, making you look up at him. “I am so sorry for being a douchebag to you, for believing Kanaka over you, and for breaking your heart because of my actions. I-I never meant to do that… I never wanted to do that.”

“I just… I had hoped that Kanaka actually loved me for me… not just for my wealth and status.” You cut in, “I loved you for who you were… and you still betrayed me.” “I know that now…. But before, I thought you just saw me as a friend. My whole mindset was that… if you couldn’t love me after all you’ve seen… then no one else could possibly love me. That was until I met Kanaka. She made me feel—” “Amazing? Warm? She made your heart flutter?” you asked, already knowing the answer was yes.

“No,” he stated plainly, catching you off guard. “I never felt that way with her,” he said. “Then why the hell did you date her?” you asked. He sighed, looking away. “I hoped eventually I would feel that way around her. But nothing ever changed. I figured that I only deserved that, especially since I couldn’t have you,” he said. “Why didn’t you just tell me how you felt?” you asked. “The same reason you didn’t,” he said, making you look away. “Because I didn’t want to ruin our already close relationship. I loved you so much, and I still do, Y/N. But before I knew how you felt about me, I tried to find someone else to replace those feelings for you. I tried so hard to fall in love with Kanaka… but I just couldn’t. Every time I kissed her, every time I hugged her, every time I slept next to her… I always imagined it to be you. No matter what I did to try and get rid of my feelings for you, they always found a way back and more powerful.”

You were still silent, but you started to feel a familiar feeling in your chest. It felt… nice and comforting. “Y/N… there has only ever been one girl who I felt warm, happy, and excited to be around.” “Who?” He smiled while looking down. “You,” he said, making your heart start to warm up. “I know what I did will never be forgivable… but I do hope one day, you will find it in yourself to at least come back to me and at least be my friend.” “Ayato—” “I know you said all your love for me has vanished… but…” he said, starting to slowly break as tears filled his eyes. His hands clenched tight as he spoke, his knuckles turning white. You saw him do this and realized just how badly this was hurting him, something you never wanted to see happen, nonetheless do. It hurts you to see him this way. “Ayato—” “But I hope we can still be friends,” he said, grabbing your hand, holding it tight. Tears were falling from his eyes now, his hair shielding his eyes from you.

“I need you in my life, Y/N. I know what I did was stupid and hurtful to you, I know I was the reason for the most precious thing in your life being broken, I know what you are feeling right now is all because of me. But please, Y/N, please don’t leave me. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I am sorry, okay? I will apologize a thousand, no, a million times if I have to. I will do anything it takes to get you back. I would get rid of all I have just to see you again, Y/N. Without you, everything I have means nothing to me. Life means nothing to me. I love you… I love you with all that I am,” he cried silently.

Your eyes filled with tears as you listened carefully to him. You looked down at his wrist and saw how much skinnier it was compared to when you last saw him. Had he not been eating? All because of you? This isn’t what you wanted. You figured he would be just fine without you, but now your mind was starting to change. You knew that he meant every word he said too. To be honest, you couldn’t function without him either. You needed him in your life just as much as he needed you. You wanted to say something, something that could finally bond your relationship back together… but you couldn’t think of anything. A silent sob slipped out of your mouth as you felt his hand start to retreat.

No… you weren’t going to let this end just because of a mistake. You grabbed his hand back, causing him to pause. He looked at your hand grabbing onto his. He slowly looked up at your face, wondering what you were doing. You stood up, his hand still in yours, and pulled him in for a warm embrace. His arms quickly wrapped around your body as yours wrapped around his neck. “I’m so sorry, Y/N.” “I know… I’m sorry, too. I should have never let a simple mistake tear our relationship apart.” “You don’t need to apologize, especially when this was all still my fault. I hope you eventually can forgive me,” he whispered in your ear. You hugged him tighter.

“I already have, Ayato,” you said with a small smile for the first time in a while. He smiled back as well, feeling his heart flutter. You felt the same. You let go and looked up at him with a smile, making his stomach have butterflies. Seeing your smile was all he needed to start to feel better. “Y/N… I… I really do love you,” he said awkwardly. You softly placed your hand on his cheek, pulling him forward to you. “I love you too, Ayato.”

A blush made its way to his face as he heard you say that. He grunted, trying to fix his composure a bit. “W-W-Well… I hope I’m not taking this too far, but… Y/N, will you please allow me the honor of being your boyfriend? Will you please be mine… forever?” he asked, nervous about your reply. However, that nervousness vanished as you smiled at him. “Does this answer your question?” you asked right before you kissed him. His eyes widened as his heart pounded out of his chest. He had been waiting for this moment for years, and it had finally come true.

He kissed you back with more passion, holding you close to him. Thoma and Ayaka cheered for you two in the background, high-fiving each other as they accomplished their mission. You let go of the kiss and smiled at him, all those wonderful feelings hitting you like a bus. He felt much the same. A few tears fell from both of your eyes as you finally made up, but also because you finally had each other’s love. You hugged again, kissing at the same time. It was so nice and warm and fuzzy. It was a feeling both of you never wanted to disappear.

“Okay you lovebirds, go get a room,” Ayaka said, making you both look at the pair. You smiled at them and thanked them for their help.

“It’s no biggie. You would have needed us sooner or later,” Ayaka joked. “Now, before you two go at it again, please for the love of Archons, go clean yourselves up! You both look homeless,” Thoma teased, making you and Ayato look at each other with smiles. “You are the most beautiful homeless woman I have ever met,” Ayato said, making you giggle while playfully hitting him.

However, you quickly stopped once you realized Ayaka still owed you something. You turned to her with a glare, making her deadpan. “Where is my ice cream?” you said with a low voice, making her freak out. She started to run away, making you follow her around. “I told you I’d buy another one soon!” Ayaka whined. “I want it now! That ice cream was almost $15!”

“$15?! Why would you buy such an expensive ice cream?!” Ayaka yelled out. “Because it was the best ice cream ever, now get over here!” you yelled, making her scream and run faster. Ayato and Thoma laughed at the scene. He turned to Thoma.

“Thank you. Without your help, I would’ve never been able to call her mine. I would have never been able to make up with her. Just… thank you, Thoma,” Ayato said with a smile as he watched you. “What are bros for? Just make sure you treat her right or I swear I’ll poison your drink if you ever hurt her again,” Thoma said with a devious smile, making Ayato chuckle. “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t dream of it. I love her too much,” he said, making Thoma grossed out. “Okay, that’s enough romance today. I’m going to make us dinner. You and Y/N should go get cleaned up.”

Ayato looked at you and smiled, picking you up easily. “Ayato, put me down! I want my dessert!” he chuckled, kissing you on the lips. “I’ll buy you all the ice cream you want… after we both go shower,” he said, making you smile. “Okay, but it better be good ice cream.” He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I will make sure to get you the finest of all ice creams.”

“Wait, when you say we both go shower… does that mean—” “You and I are going to shower together,” he said plainly. Your face heated up right away as the thought of you and him showering together ran through your mind. “What’s the matter, dear? You seem like you have something important on your mind,” Ayato teasingly asked, knowing exactly what was going through your head. He chuckled and kissed your forehead. “Don’t worry, it’ll be fun. I’ll make sure to show you all my love, dear,” he whispered in your ear, making you place your hands on your face to hide yourself. “I love you, Y/N.” He said, making you kiss him. “I love you too, Ayato.”

Your body filled with butterflies at this point from all the love he was showing you at the park… and soon, it will be filled with something else later… wink wink….

__________________

[cross-crye]

𝖘𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖙

neuvillette x gn!reader

hurt/comfort

wc: 0.6 k

a/n: Fontaine brought me back from the dead and my new fictional bf saved me from the writing slump ive been in for months. So enjoy this hurt/comfort fic w Neuvillette. To be honest he may be a bit ooc but this is entirely self indulgent so it's fine.

!!! written at 3 am; spelling is questionable at best and some words should deffinetely not be in those sentences

For a few days now it had been drizzling in Fontaine. Anyone who had attempted to step outside their home would find themselves to be rained on ever so lightly by the suppposed tears trickling from the Hydro Dragon's heart. To some the scent of freshly fallen rain was comforting while others' mood had only been dampened by the uncooperative weather.

The Chief Justice of Fontaine was glancing at the rain outside from the window in his office. His view was ever so slighlty obscured by the tears slowly rolling down his cheeks. Hisbittersweet moment of peacefull silence was interupted by the creak of his office door opening as his concerned lover stepped through.

"Oh mon beau... What has gotten you so down?" They asked in a sombre tone adressing the judge. Despite not seeing his damp cheeks due to his turned back they were certain of the state their lover was in.

"I simply missed you is all." Neuvillette responded, attempting to dismiss his beloved's worries. Upon hearing his repsonse their concern for the man grew tenfold. They slowly approached him, moving to stand in front of him, offering his hands a comforting squeeze.

"We both know thats not it Neuvi" they said hoping that the endearing nickname might help soothe him even a little. "You don't have to worry about burdening me with your thoughts. Please tell me what it is that truly saddens you so I can help." they continued.

Neuvillette hesitated to answer for a while, his expression betraying his inner turmoil. Eventually he decided to give in to his conflicting thoughts and confide in his love, after all he would trust them with anything. "The last trial I judged didn't qo quite as I expected it to…" he trailed off, still hesitating to look his partner in the eye. "A man had murdered his brother's wife in a jealous fit of rage. As the gruesome details of the case were revealed during the trial I couldn't help but think of what I'd do if something like this ever happened to you. I had previously thought I understood humans but I grow more and more unsure of that with every case. It's truly something to have to see people go against what I had previously thought to be human nature, becoming so overtaken by wrath that they do the unspeakable." Neuvillette said sadly. "Cases like this make me realise that I now have something to loose to the unreliable nature of humanity. You. Im not used to that, so when the thought becomes apparent again I… I don't know what to do about it. So I end up overtaken by emotions I don't truly understand, struggling to navigate my own thoughts and feelings." He finally declared dejectedly.

"Oh love… You worry far too much my dear. Now come here" They said as they moved to embrace Neuvillette. One hand was drawing patterns on his skin through the fabric of his clothes, the other softly carding through his hair as he wept silently into their shoulder all while maintaing their embrace. They'd lean down occasionally, leaving a kiss on his forehead or cheek soothing Neuvillette with affection.

The rain was letting up as Neuvillette calmed down, his thoughts regaining momentary stability. He lifted his face from his lover's damp shoulder as hands moving to trace his jawline. Those hands moved up his soft skin, moving to wipe the remaining tears from the corners of his eyes. Now that the Chief Justice was no longer leaning down, standing at full height his lover would lean up, slightly raising on their tip tops to kiss the tear tracks adorning his pale cheeks.

The two remained in Neuvillette's office in a comfortable silence, preffering to let their actions do the talking instead of words, showering each other in affection, love shining brightly in both their eyes.

cross-crye © 2023.

no reposting, stealing, copying or translating my works.

reblogs, comments and likes are all highly appreciated

[heaven-s-black-box]

Permafrost- Wriothesley x fem!Reader

Return to File

Recovery date: July 27th, 2024

Description: Hello I was wondering if you could write a Wriothesley x female reader story where the reader is always a kind and gentle person and was there during Wriothesley's story quest

Notes: This work was recovered in conjunction with an anonymous researcher, we thank them for their contributions. This is pre-relationship, where Wrio and reader are kind of skirtting around their feelings.

Word count: 775

Back to directory

The Duke of the Fortress of Meropide rules with an Iron fist. Or an Iron gauntlet, perhaps? A frozen gauntlet! Sigewinne had laughed one day at lunch with Y/n. As the two nurses sorted through patient files, trying to find… neither remembers what. All that mattered was what the head nurse said next; But, you’re like the frozen ground hiding underneath. Before Y/n could ask for an elaboration, the Melusine offered her a bite of her lunch insisting she was too focused on the papers.

The Duke does not need to explain himself, he answers only to the court itself under the most dire of circumstances.

Wriothesley, answers to Y/n.

“Stop avoiding the question.”

Y/n stood between Wriothesly and his door, drawing the attention of nearby residents and guards. All eyes quickly passed over them though, as Wriothesly sent them warning glares before focusing back on the woman in front of him. She was holding the door behind her closed, even though he could easily over power her and open it.

He sighed. “Can we continue this conversation inside?”

“Of course, you know where the nurse’s office is. I’m sure Sigewinne will be happy to examine you,” Y/n chirped.

From anyone else the tone would have sounded sarcastic and sassy, but she made it sound so genuine. It was genuine.

That’s part of what irked him so much.

“Y/n.”

“Your grace.”

With a sigh, he continued forward until he towered over her and placed a hand on the door– trapping her in. He watched her weight shift so she was no longer leaning on the door, and then opened it.

Y/n slipped in, and he trailed behind with an order to the guards to not let anyone in unless it was an emergency.

The door closed with a resounding thud, and Wriothesly immediately found himself right back under her worried gaze. She barely had a chance to open her mouth, the sound of his name caught in her throat, as he scooped her into his arms.

Wriothesly buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply.

“Wrio,” Y/n called softly, pulling his coat from his shoulders and letting it drop to the floor so she could rub his back, “are you okay?”

“I just need a second.”

Y/n could feel a faint shake in his hands where they rested against her waist. She’d heard what happened from the guards and the patients she’d just finished tending to, but she didn’t like hearing, she liked being told. She liked when Wriothesly opened up about what was going on in his head.

She moved one hand up to his hair and began carding her fingers through, twirling pieces and scratching at his scalp. The other rubbed soothingly at his back as her head fell against his and she listened to his breathing, feeling it warm her skin,

He takes a sudden deep breath and pulls away, dragging his hands along her waist like he doesn’t want to let go. Eventually his hands do leave her, and he clears his throat as he picks up his coat and drapes it over one arm.

“Thank you, I’m okay now.”

“I heard Dougier didn’t land any hits, but I wanted to make sure you weren’t just hiding things.”

Wriothesely scoffed, “Like he could get a hit off on me.”

“He had a gun.”

“And I didn’t get shot.” Y/n sighed, rolling her eyes fondly. “Now, if that’s all, I’m sure you have much to do.”

Y/n frowned. “I should probably start looking for a way to remove those thorns…”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“Of course.”

Y/n didn’t move, and neither did the Duke, as the silence bled into the room. The sounds of the fortress faintly filtered through the cracks in the door, but even they weren’t enough to stave off the atmosphere that grew.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Y/n said finally. “I’ll be off now, if you need me you know where to find me.”

She bowed. When she started for the door, Wriothesly jumped into action, beating her there and holding it open.

“Thank you for your concern, I’ll be sure to look for you if anything comes up.”

“Goodbye, your grace.”

“Goodbye, Y/n.” 

He waved, even though she was no longer watching him, before shutting himself back in his office, all the while Sigewinne watched from the hall to the nurse’s office.

The Duke reigned with a frozen gauntlet, cool and strong, and just below that ice was a grassy land holding it up.

[genshingarbage]

hi there mod diluc! can i request a drabble/oneshot with diluc x fem (or gn) reader where the reader is insecure about their looks and feels like they're not good enough for him? kinda like a fluffy hurt/comfort? :)

Awe! Hey there, lovelyluc! Ofc I can do this, it was a nice breather from all the angst and smut that I have just brewing away behind closed doors, lmao!!! I hope this was to your liking! Sorry for keeping you waiting just really busy with personal things right now!! - Mod Diluc

Time and Time Again.

Diluc x Reader / Fluff-Comfort

Why does he like you.

It wasn't a question anymore. It was a demand you really wished to have the answer to.

Your fingers tapped incessantly against the oak tabletop surface you stood beside, your hand tightly wrapped around a wine glass, the flavoured liquid swirling inside fervently as your wrist rolled in circular motions. Your actions oozed with clear impatience and frustration; to what, however, was something only you were privy to right now.

You squinted your eyes and flared your nostrils as you bought the glass to your lips, taking a hearty swig of the beverage before returning back to your prior actions. Your mind continued to race with the 'what ifs' and possible 'whys.' But it was all for nothing without concrete evidence, theorising and speculation was never your strong suit. So you sighed out in exasperation, wishing to admit defeat, but the gnawing voice of no reason in the back of your head wasn't going to allow it.

You audibly groaned out now and rolled your eyes, your hand leaving the tables surface to rub against the side of your face. Your stubbornness was certainly going to be your ruin, so many questions to ask him, but no courage to voice them. Him being, of course, Diluc Ragnvindr; Mondstadt's biggest tycoon of the wine industry, the most wealthy soul and most eligible bachelor, well all of them were true except the last one now.

But that was the problem right now, wasn't it? He is supposed to be no longer eligible to single women out there, no longer a bachelor. For he is with you, happily, of course... right?

You took another deep swig of your wine after the realisation that he may not actually be happy with you. Maybe he married you only for convenience? Oh, Archons... what if he didn't like you at all?! What if you were just an easy option because he already knew you, a familiar face that could solve his problems?

Your eyes widened as the heaviness of it all began to sink your mind and heart into a pitiful state of despair and worry. He did always seem distant, didn't he? ... somewhat aloof to your gestures of affection and tenderness. Your glass is now empty and so placed on the table while you traverse the short distance to the storage cabinet stowed at the corner of the spacious and luxurious living room.

As you subconsciously manoeuvre around and fetch yourself another bottle of high-priced wine, your thoughts continue to swirl inside; he only ever shows for dinner and special occasions that require his presence with you, as if it was all just another task... another tedious duty... as if you... was just another mundane necessity.

Pop!

You blink rapidly as the sound of uncorking the bottle brings you back, and you don't even remember grabbing the extra strong alcoholic beverage as you watch the deep red liquid pour into your emptied wine-glass-now full. The unsteady wavering of the smooth contents locking your gaze in a sudden hypnotic power, watching as it rises and sinks left and right, till finally settling once the liquid no longer pours inside, steady, still, unmoving.

Much like your romantic life.

You whined to yourself pathetically as you placed the bottle down and swiftly lifted the glass back up to meet your dried lips and suddenly dried throat, swallowing more of the numbing buzz that slowly clouds you more into intoxicated cushioning. This was childish and certainly unhelpful. You knew that much, but what else could you do?

Nervously, you bit at your nail on your free hand unoccupied with keeping a steady hold on your glass, a nasty habit you obtained as a child when the nerves of failing in your parents eyes plagued your every waking moment, when things seemed to look bleak and wasn't going your way or in anyway that had been intended. And much like back then, that same dreaded feeling began to overwhelm you now. What if you're unattractive? What if your ordinary self is too plain for that level of extraordinary that Master Diluc so clearly was?

You never made mighty or outstanding achievements in your past. You never conjured up to much of anything worthy of note, let alone history defining. Your biggest crowned achievement was this, right now, your life, married in unison with Diluc Ragnvindr. It was something that made you brim with pride and unbridled love and happiness, your faint smile was fleeting as you reminisced on those sweet memories, before the darkness swept back over and left you alone with the mere thought of; happiness for you, sorrow for him.

The grip on your glass grew increasingly tighter, your knuckles whitening under the pressure, and your eyes also began to shine with a glossiness to them, tears threatening to spill. Was your true love only true to your heart? And not a shared experience with the man you'd held so dearly? You meekly rubbed the spilling tears from your cheek as some managed to escape you and drop onto the wooden surface you stood beside.

Click.

The door...

"Y/N?"

That voice...

No, no, no, not right now, he can not see me right now, not like this... no!

It was the very man you'd spent the best part of an hour stressing and crying over, his voice laced with concern as you heard the footsteps grow nearer and louder as he approached you from behind. You hated this! How was he so skilled at being so silent, only knowing he's nearby when it's far too late.

"O-oh, hello dear, I didn't hear you approaching." You tried to feign softness in your voice to hide the wavering tone behind it. You dared not to glimpse behind either. You feared seeing him right now. Eye to eye will only unleash the gates you're desperately holding under lock an key. So you remained faced stiffly toward the table and away from his heavy stare; "Naturally," he replied in that suave voice he naturally holds, "how else am I to keep my beloved on her toes?" He finishes with a soft chuckle.

Your heart aches, a smile forming ever so slightly on your now reddened face, your eyes still glossy and your cheeks somewhat shiny from the few tears prior. He jokes with you... would a man who loves you really care to entertain you? Your hand placed absentmindedly against your chest as you pondered: Diluc would, regardless, because he's always been a charming gentleman. To any an all. It did little to soothe your worry as much as it instead led you to admire him more, which resulted in your self resentment to blossom hotter.

"Y/N, you seem troubled, speak to me." He pleaded, though it sounded more of a demand. You were used to his stoic voice in most cases, that's why those odd times he did crack a joke or shoot a flirty line to you it caught you off guard and never failed to fluster you.

Suddenly, you felt his warmth press against you from behind, his arms slowly snaking around your waist to pull you more into him. His forehead resting gently on the base of your neck where your hair lay neatly braided, his eyes closed unbeknownst to you, of course. His body shifting ever so slightly to press tighter against you.

There was a thick awkwardness of dead silence after his request however, your mouth parted, but no words left you. You were losing yourself in your self worry, your self-hatred, all of it, and you closed your eyes to still your nerves that bubbled under the surface, threatening to erupt. He held you so lovingly, caressed you with earnest intent, showed concern, these are all acts a lover would surely portray to their beloved, in yet... something in your mind wouldn't rest, wouldn't leave well enough alone, and unfortunately, it took hold of your reason entirely and began to control your words.

"Do you love me Master Diluc?" You questioned.

"Master?" He questioned back. His eyebrows lifted ever so slightly in a quizzical expression as well as slight shock. You hadn't called him that title since the last day you served him or his family as a maid, since the day he proposed to you...

"Do you?" Your head instinctively began to turn, the itching desire to look the man in his eyes, in yet you froze, halted your actions and remained faced forward, eyes glaring down at your hands pressed against the tabletop, your focus locked onto the beautiful crystal smelted wedding ring the red head behind you had so gently slid onto your finger that faithful day.

"Y/N, of course I do. What is this?" His voice grew more stern now, stricter and laced with demanding expectancy. His grip on you began to loosen ever so slightly. The feeling of his grip softening only served to sting your heart harder. Could he not stand to you hold in an embrace for that long? Of course he couldn't, why would he want to? You're nothing.

You sniffed in sharply, a frail attempt to steady your racing heart that thumped aggressively in your chest, the blood rushing around and drowning your ears in white noise. You swallowed down the lump that had at some point lodged itself into your throat, a shaky breath exhaled past your lips.

"Y/N." He sounded annoyed...

"Why?" Your voice meekly replied back.

"Why what?" He sighed out, annoyed you'd answered his question with another question, yet still continued to humour you.

"Why do you love me?... no... how can you?" You spoke softly, it sounded as if it was meant only for you to hear, but with him pressed against you, his chin now digging into your shoulder softly and nuzzling against you, he was sure to hear it as well, and hear it he did.

"Why do you speak like this? Has something happened?" He began to deflect your questions now, the lack of a true answer doing nothing to calm your impending outrage.

"Yes, something did happen." You spoke clearly now.

"What." He was no longer asking.

"I've come to realise the truth." You replied, he pressed against you harder, only to glance down to see the two empty bottles of wine, and the currently opened high percentage one, your wine glass beside your hand that was clenched and whitening moreso.

He let out a defeated sigh before pulling away from you, the cold surrounded you like an unforgiving villain.

"You've been drinking." He stated factually.

"And what of it?" You retorted with somewhat aggression.

"You don't realise the nonsense you're saying to me right now." He argued flatly. His distate toward alcohol was known well to you, but it never deterred you from enjoying it from time to time, or using it as a way to lessen the burden of realising you're in a loveless marriage with a man far too out of your league.

"It is not nonsense. And stop assuming I am drunk." You growled, still not daring to face him.

He crossed his arms now, the somewhat screech of his clothes echoing out while tightening on him as his arms flexed in his ruby red long coat.

"You'd be inhumane to not be drunk after consuming so much of that wine, Y/N, specially from my self made bottles." He groaned out like a disappointed father.

You breathed in deeply and decided fuck it, turning round to face him now, you wish you hadn't though...

His crimson eyes instantly captured you into a sudden lock you were too weak willed to break from, his anger mixing with concern clearly painted over his face also hurt you, maybe you had been acting irrationally... but... but no, you wasn't, you are not drunk, certainly not, and you know what you're saying is true.

"I am inhumane though aren't I, Master Diluc?" You narrowed your eyes to which he squinted back, his hand coming out open palmed in a gesture to explain, "and how in all of Teyvat did you summon this ridiculous statement?" He questioned.

"I am nothing more than a maid... it's all I've ever been... all I'll ever be..." Your lip trembled, your resolve dissappeared faster then your prior glasses of wine did when you was downing them oh so ungracious like.

You hadn't realised at that point the way Diluc's angered expression softened almost instantly, his strict demeanour breaking in record time and replaced with one of hurt and confusion, how could you have noticed? Your eyes were looking down at your hands, at your ring.

"I... I don't deserve a man like you, I was stupid to ever think I deserved more in life. I don't deserve to love you, a man so beautiful, so fierce and charming, so talented... a man... whom I was meant to only serve..." Your eyes began to fill with tears, this time the alcohol had numbed your senses of it all and so they fell freely, dropping into the delicately woven carpet beneath your heels, the very heels that Diluc gifted to you for your birthday only four weeks ago.

Your lip trembled harder, your voice lost to your grieving, "you should be married to a woman of higher stature, dignified purpose, like... like the acting grand master Jean, or Eula Lawrence, a woman of nobility to match yours... not a commoner with nothing to her name! N-not a shabby maid whose only purpose was to clean dishes and mop floo-!" You were suddenly silenced.

Your eyes widened, the tears halting in your glossy stare, blurred ever so slightly, but the feel of his lips were always decipherable, the tender movement of his guiding lips on yours well known, his gentle tongue caressing your own into a joint dance of the wet muscles inside both of yours mouths. He pressed against you softly, your hands flatly pressing against the table behind you now, the need to feel grounded to avoid falling.

Your eyes closed as you slipped into the blissful embrace of your lovers passionate and somewhat desperate kiss, he was a man of little words, he didn't know how to soothe a troubled person let alone his suffering lover, but he hated seeing you this way, detested hearing your words, those lies, all of it wrong. He didn't know how to make you see this except to embrace you, something he's now realised while engulfed in all that is your womanly beauty, he's done very little of, definitely not enough of.

Only when the burning need for air gripped you both in your lungs did he finally pull away.

Panting softly, his hands now pressing either side your smaller frame, keeping you trapped against the table, his red hair up in his signature high ponytail, yet a few strands now come loose and frame his beautifully sculpted face. His eyes deepening its glare into you.

"Y/N. Please stop." His voice sounded so frail now, so hurt and your flustered self suddenly felt ashamed.

"That isn't true... none of it, and you know it." His eyes trail down your body slowly, shamefully eyeing you, he made it clear he was attracted to you in the way his eyes hunger and lust along your frame, only to come back to a stand off with your own glossy ones.

"You may have been a maid before that much is true, but that doesn't define you, it never did. I love you, for you, I would not have gone through such hassle to learn from my broth..." his voice cut short suddenly and died in his throat, the pained expression on his face making you fully understand who he was suddenly remembering, "...Kaeya, when I was younger, how to win your hand in marriage and gain your love, now would I?" He questioned, his head tilting slightly as he did so.

He held valid reason there... even your cloudy and intoxicated brain couldn't rebute that fact...

"I..." Your voice couldn't come out, you was too overwhelmed.

"Eula is an astranged acquaintance, to whom I keep at friendly and polite distance, for the mere sake of nobility respect, and Jean is a very close friend of mine Y/N, and yes, I love her dearly." Your eyes began to drop down, the jealousy already threatening to consume you once more, but his strong finger and thumb grip your chin softly and guide your sights back onto him, his lips close to yours, his hot breath fanning across your face. "But she isn't the one I'm in love with Y,N,"

He drops your face now and suddenly engulfs you in his warmth, the embrace soft and welcoming, hugging you tightly into him and clouding your sight in darkness now as you close your eyes and nuzzle into him helplessly.

"You are." He gently places a kiss atop your head; his hands stroking your back and another locking your head into place to keep you pressed into him lovingly so.

You couldn't help the smile that broke onto your face now, as if a weight had been lifted from you, the darkness finally beginning to dissipate within your mind, inside your heart, nothing but your burning love for him remained now. He says he's a man of few words and doesn't understand how to woo a lady, but you find it increasingly hard to believe, he certainly is a master at reassuring your drunken hazy worries.

"I am sorry Diluc, I let my doubts consume me..." You apologised softly while still nuzzled into him, and his gentle strokes, soft caresses and pliant kisses on your head let you know he forgave you, and it made you feel that somehow, he always will... because it felt that bit more safe to believe him, in his words, that Diluc Ragnvindr, the charming winery tycoon and Mondstadt's Dark Knight Hero wouldn't let you suffer alone, now, or ever.

And then suddenly, you knew for sure that your comforting thoughts of this man, this strong and fierce man, your lover, your husband, your soul mate, were all correct when you heard him mutter against your head as you began to be lulled into a gentle soothing motion; "I will remind you how much I love you Y/N, Time and Time Again."