#i know komore teahouse is more like a restaurant than a hotel but sometimes we have to lie

[sparklingyandere]

Oh god, yae, lmaoo she is mad! I'm so grateful! Thank you! I hope that you don't see me as a stalker lol. Um... If i can, can i get yandere scaramouche again, but this time~ male reader manage to escape and run into traveler.

Now scaramouche want to kill traveler but he just can't, he try from day to weeks and then go into month. Now what if he just walk in a random place and saw reader is having a smut time with aether he can hear them see them but he can't attack them cuz ya know? Plot lol. I just want to see a lil scara getting jealous and angry. (Probably cuz he saw reader as a sl-)

title: adulterer. 

summary: yandere scaramouche/male reader/aether

word count: 2.9k

warnings: yandere, cheating, jealousy, unhealthy relationships, implied nsft, weird pacing

a/n: i strayed from the prompt a little to make this work sfw, i hope thats ok <3

“Remember,” Kunikuzushi says, lifting his overcoat off the rack, “Two days. Don’t act a fool while I'm gone.” 

You nod curtly, standing with your hands folded politely in front of you, waiting for him to leave. The fatui agent standing next to him watches you, peeking over suitcase stacked on suitcase in his arms, almost too much to balance. It seemed like too much luggage for a two day trip, but Kunikuzushi was nothing if not luxurious. 

You wonder, briefly, why the agent is staring at you so intensely, before you notice that Kunikuzushi is also glaring holes into you.

Ah, right. He's still holding the coat. 

You take it from his hand and he extends an arm out to you, allowing you to slide the coat sleeve over his smooth skin. He sighs contentedly, and you repeat the process along his other arm, adjusting the shoulders of the coat neatly, all while he keeps his eyes trained on your face. You stand in front of him, meeting his stiff gaze, his deep indigo eyes betraying no warmth. 

You turn your eyes downwards to the buttons of the coat, one by one, fixing them to each other. He has two perfectly good hands, you think, seeing as he can’t be bothered to carry his own belongings. But no, you must button his coat for him. Sometimes you felt more like another servant than a husband. 

…Most times. 

You wonder if he gets off on watching you do this, some kind of ridiculous power play, or if he truly believes he deserves to have his coat buttons done for him. Maybe both. 

You return to his gaze as you finish. "Safe travels, my Lord," you say, attempting your most convincing 'i'll-miss-you' smile. 

He looks satisfied enough, though he doesn't return your smile. He turns to leave, exiting through the door, his bodyguard-slash-bellboy following in tow. No wave or good-bye. 

The click of the door sliding into its threshold resounds through the otherwise silent entrance hall, instantly, your shoulders slack and you sigh heavily. Finally, he was gone. 

You scurry to your room to gather the materials for your plan. It would take you at least the rest of the night to get ready, and you only had two days, you couldn’t waste time. 

The guard posted at your bedroom door shifts on his feet anxiously. If Kunikuzushi came home and found out you were gone, he would be punished whether he helped you or not. Lucky for you, he was just as sick of Kunikuzushi as you were, and with a little convincing, he agreed to help you get out of your personal hell. 

Just a little more time and you’d both be running for the hills. You smile at him as you pass through your door, he looks away. 

The door clicks shut behind you and you kneel beside your wardrobe, sticking your arm underneath the tiny gap between the dresser and the floor. You feel around…. And your hand touches cold plastic. You pull it out, trembling with excitement. 

The bag contains some hastily sewn-together plain black clothes, a few hundred mora you’d stolen piece by piece over time, and a crude hand-drawn map. Not the most creative escape care package ever, but under Kunikuzushi’s watchful eye, it was hard to throw together even this much. 

You shuffle into the clothes. The seams are uncomfortably thick from your hack job attempt at tailoring, and in some parts they feel like they’re about to burst. Well, they only needed to last tonight. 

You study your map, tirelessly, until you can see it clearly with your eyes closed. The first place he’d expect you to go is the city, so you’ll go to the mountain. It’s big, with lots of little hiding places. After the storm is over, you’ll look for civilization- you aren’t native to Narukami Island, but you hear the mountain is home to a shrine. They’d have to help you. 

The guards would probably realize you disappeared sometime early tomorrow, if not earlier. Which meant Kunikuzushi could be on your tail in under 24 hours, so you scribble a note on the nightstand to hopefully throw him off. 

‘I’m sorry. I’m going home.’ 

There. Simple, and not too obvious, so he wouldn’t know it was a lie. Should be perfect. 

With everything in place, you look out the window. Dim moonlight just barely shines through, and you know it’s time. 

~

You slip the guard half of your measly savings. Was it a bribe for helping you, or was his salary so pathetic that he needed it as much as you did? You didn’t know, but it helped you feel a little less guilty for dragging him into your mess. Maybe he was some local hero in his hometown, and you were giving him a death sentence by invoking The Balladeer’s rage. 

Or maybe he deserved it. Maybe all fatui are the same, and he was some war criminal, and when Kunikuzushi hunted him down for aiding you, he’d just be getting what was coming to him. It didn’t matter, because he distracted the front door guards just long enough for you to slip away into the dark, and you’d never see him again. 

~

The moon sits high in the sky, casting faint shadows under your feet. The foot of the mountain is surrounded by a thick, lush forest. The forest itself almost gave off an unwelcoming aura, and the idea of going in made you nervous… but you were out of options, so you made your way into the dense woods, one step at a time. 

The woods are much darker than the plains, the thick crown of the trees acting like an umbrella, blocking out the light of the moon. It's almost hard to see where you’re going. But it’s well hidden and quiet, so at least you can slow down a little. 

It’s much past your bedtime, you think. That, and your lungs ache from running. The wet dirt squelches under your bare feet, and you tiredly wonder when you’ll find a safe place to rest. If you could just find somewhere dry… 

Your eyelids droop slowly and you sigh heavily. Your feet come in contact with a soft patch of grass, and you aren’t picky enough to stop yourself from laying down. The search party wouldn't set out until dawn. You can be up before then. You close your eyes, just for a few hours…

~

“Helloo~~? Earth to Tree-hugger?"

You're abruptly shaken from your sleep by a squeaky voice, sitting up quickly and searching for the source. 

Beams of sunlight stream through the trees around you, dawn has long passed. You overslept. 

The voice that woke you came from a little floating imp-thing, who was waving her short arms in front of your face. Behind her stood a young man in dark clothes, sporting a long blond braid. 

Well… They certainly didn't look like fatui scouts. But you still had to be cautious.

"What? Tree-hugger?" you ask, standing up. The little one looks about to reply, but you remember your circumstances before she can form the words. "Actually, nevermind. I need to get the hell out of here." 

The man speaks next, "Wait. What are you doing sleeping on the grass outside?" 

"Yeah! Most people at least pitch a tent first. Do you like the ground that much?" says the pixie. 

It seemed like they didn't know who you were, but it could be a trap. Testing the waters, you answer: "I feel asleep while… avoiding someone. Trying to get to Narukami Shrine." You look around at the forest surrounding you… All the trees look the same. "Can you point me the way?" 

The stranger smiles sympathetically, "If you're avoiding someone, do you want an escort? We're headed that way ourselves." 

"Follow a stranger to a place I've never been? How do I know this isn't a trick?" you ask. The two glance at each other before the small one speaks. 

"Haven't you heard of the Mighty Traveller? Tamer of dragons and slayer of gods?" she gloats, pointing to her companion. 

You stare in confusion. "Who?" 

"I'm Aether, this is Paimon," the blond, Aether, explains, "We thought everyone had heard of us by now." You can practically see the gears turn in his head while he tries to rationalize not being recognized. "You said you were running from someone. What happened?" 

~

The duo convince you to travel with them as you explain your situation to them, deciding that if anyone could help you, it was these two oddballs. 

Though it takes you a few minutes to well up the courage to be truthful, you manage to admit who exactly you're running from. Aether silently gives a shocked expression, while Paimon reacts very strongly, shouting a slew of insults about your husband that you couldn't help but agree with. 

About halfway up the mountain, Aether tells you the shrine probably wouldn't be the safest place to hide from a Harbinger, as it wasn't exactly a private location. He talks about a safe house in Inazuma city, belonging to some of his associates. He tells you he could get you a private room, and you'd be safer there. 

"The city is the first place he'll look," you argue.

"Maybe so, but the shrine is the second place." Aether sighs before continuing, "At least consider it. I'll keep an eye out on the city, and after it's clear of people searching for you, I'll escort you to the teahouse myself. Okay?" 

Hesitantly, you agree. 

~

The Guuji of the shrine, lady Yae, takes kindly to Aether's presence, promising to help you out on his behalf.

Aether explains the nature of your visit, and at the mention of Scaramouche's name, she frowns.

So far, everyone you've met has had a personal dislike for your husband. Maybe that was why he never let you socialize. 

Aether puts a gentle hand on your shoulder. "Will you be okay?" he asks. You nod, he gives you a comforting squeeze. "I'll be back." 

He and Paimon leave the shrine.

~

Lady Yae gives you new, clean clothes, since you no longer had use for your 'escape' outfit. 

Since you can't pass as a shrine maiden, you have to stay inside the shrine until Aether comes back. Fine by you, you really need to be alone with your thoughts anyways. 

The past 24 hours have been a blur. You ran away from the only home you've known in years successfully, slept in the woods, met an apparently famous adventurer, found out your husband was a war criminal (though you already had your suspicions about that one), and were now hiding out in a shrine. All in barely two days. 

These experiences were so new to you. Of course, you had a life before Kunikuzushi picked you up, but it wasn't nearly as adventurous as this. You'd barely left Inazuma City before Kunikuzushi came along and wooed you with his gold and silks and bad boy mystique. 

Not to mention, you'd been his sheltered househusband for so long, you sort of… forgot. How it felt to be free.

Though, you weren't quite free yet, your prison had just temporarily changed shape while you waited out Kunikuzushi's thunderstorm. Soon, though, you could go wherever…

No, even with the traveler's help, you'd be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life… if Kunikuzushi ever found you, he'd take you right back home. 

Aether was so kind to try and shield you from him. 

~

The rest of the day passes slowly, a shrine maiden bringing you modest meals every few hours, hearing no news from Lady Yae or Aether. Eventually, you curl up and fall sleep on the futon. 

The next morning is equally uneventful. A few young maidens sit in the room with you and teach you to play a card game, though you aren't very good. 

One shrine maiden even brings you a fortune slip.

…

Misfortune.

…

Well, it's just a silly slip.

~

Aether shows up in the evening.

The Balladeer has sent out 'undercover' agents all over Inazuma City, many of which have been chased out by guards. Small, scattered search parties have also been deployed across all of Narukami island. The agents are, apparently, under strict orders to not say what (or who) they are looking for. 

"It's probably time to move you to the city. The search party could be here any time," Aether says. You're hesitant to accept.

Paimon's chipper voice tunes in, "Yae will just turn them away of course, but won't that just make the Balladeer more suspicious?" She makes a good point…

Aether looks into your unsure eyes, "I'll get you there safely. I promise, no one will get you." 

The feeling of his steady hands on your shoulders comforts you. His hands are calloused and strong, like the hands of a hard worker, who has had to earn his livelihood. They are opposite to Kunikuzushi's smooth, dainty hands, like that of a doll. The hands of someone who has never had to lift a finger to get where he is. It's so strange how such soft hands were capable of causing so much harm…

You don't even notice you've spaced out until you hear Aether call your name. 

"Are you okay?" he asks. 

You snap out of your daze and reply, "Yeah. Okay, we can go." 

Aether smiles. It's a warm smile that fills you with comfort, a a welcome contradiction to the cruel smile you'd grown so used to.

~

Inazuma city had changed much since you'd last seen it, though you'd barely gotten to see much at all as Aether quickly guided you through alleyways and discreet paths to keep you as far from prying eyes as possible.

The teahouse looked very quaint, so much so, you question the validity of Aether's promise of safety. He assures you, gently, that he and his friends will stop at nothing to keep Scaramouche and his goons out. 

The room designated to you is comfortable, much more so than that of the shrine. You're grateful to be able to take respite in such a nice place, though you wonder how long this kindness will be extended to you. Aether wasn't your friend, you were just another stranger he was helping. He wouldn't protect you forever- something more important would come up eventually. Or maybe he'd get tired of it. 

Despite this, Aether spent the majority of the day in your room with you, just sitting and talking- wasn't he supposed to be liberating the country or something?

You ask why you were worth all this trouble.

"Well, you really need it. Where would you be right now if I hadn't helped you?" he asks, rather smugly. 

It was a good question though. You'd probably either be hiding in some dark crevice, or… 

"Fair enough," you reply. 

You, Aether, and Paimon enjoy each other's company for a while longer, until you feel compelled to go to the lobby to use the restroom. 

Why a place like this would have one bathroom in the lobby instead of personal ones was a bit beyond you, but it's not like you could design a building any better. 

It seemed the other guests had mostly left or gone to sleep, and the dog from the front desk was also absent. It was kind of… eerie. This place had been bustling with activity when you arrived. Seeing it so empty was sort of unnatural.

The hallway ends with you rounding the corner into the main room and coming face to face with two dark eyes you’d almost forgotten. Almost. 

In an instant, Kunikuzushi grabs your arm in a vice grip, so tight you can feel the scratch of his blunt nails through the fabric of your sleeve. Words catch in your throat, but you can still feel the temptation to apologize and beg for forgiveness. You resist the urge. 

“You think you can hide from me?” he spits, “I gave you more luxuries than your little brain could comprehend. And you thank me by running off with the outlander?” His eyebrows are cinched tightly in a fury you’ve never seen from him before. He was angrier than you think he’s ever been in his life- to be expected, you guess. 

You’re unable to find the strength to talk back, just staring in abject horror. Upon seeing your hesitance to argue, he starts to pull you towards him. “We’re leaving,” he says. You keep your feet steady on the ground. 

“Aether!” you scream, tugging your arm away from him, his grip loosening just enough for you to escape. A shuffling sound is heard at the end of the hallway. 

You see a brief flash of what looks like worry in his eyes, but it quickly dissolves into the rage you knew too well. “This isn’t over,” he says, backing away, “You’re MY husband. Enjoy playing house with the street rat.” 

He’s gone out the door just as Aether runs around the corner, putting a hand on your shoulder. 

“What happened?” he asks. His voice is soothing, even though he probably doesn’t even intend it, and you relax under his touch. Paimon floats curiously beside him, and you turn to bury your head in Aether’s shoulder. Hesitantly, he puts his arms around you. 

You would tell Aether what happened soon. He needed to know, of course, but right now you just needed this silence. Even Paimon was quiet. 

You inhale a shaky breath. He would be back.