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eldritch-nightmare · 1 year ago

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slow dancing.

a/n: idea popped into my mind and it became this. originally this was gonna include x virus but u know. my mind went blank for him. burying my head in my hands why did the bonus character one get longer than the rest i had to force myself to stop writing it holy hell

premise: it's storming outside, and the radio is playing a soft love song. so, why not dance? that was your thought as you approached your partner, getting their attention by holding your hand out, "dance with me."

includes: jeff the killer, the puppeteer, hobo heart, ticci toby, and zalgo. + a bonus character bc why not.

warnings: not proofread, very vaguely implied kidnapping and stockholm syndrome in jeff's part, blatantly stated kidnapping in zalgo's part, it's just fluff actually, inconsistent length, nsfw elements in the bonus part don't look at me okay

JEFF THE KILLER

"Huh?"

He just sorta stares at you for a moment, confusion evident in his gaze as he stares at your outstretched hand. Honestly, you don't know why he seemed so caught off guard. You two were long past the... ugly beginning of your relationship.

You just shrug at his confusion, casually explaining that since neither of you could go outside due to the weather, you might as well make the most of it. Why you've decides that dancing in the best way to pass time during a storm is beyond him.

He thinks you're weird as hell for this, and he says such to your face, but he's already reaching out and taking your hand, letting you take the lead this once as you pull him close to you. He certainly isn't complaining anymore now that the two of you are pressed together like this.

Jeff can't dance to save his life though, so you'll have to take the lead and guide him through simple steps. It's annoying, having you teach him something, but he likes the way you smile when he sways along with you to the music, so just this once, he decides it's not too bad.

He enjoys himself far more than he's willing to admit, and you don't miss the way his grip on you lingers for a moment too long after the song ends before he pulls away from you, grumbling about how pointless that was before returning to whatever he had been doing before.

THE PUPPETEER

He would glance up from the project he's working on, golden eyes peering up at you as he processes your request. He rarely ever had the radio playing, but the rain made it hard to focus so he had turned it on to drown the storm out. Honestly, he hadn't even noticed you were in the room with him.

He'd raise a brow, part of him wanting to scold you for interrupting his work and asking him to do something for you, but... well, he has been working for hours now with no break, so what harm could this do?

He'll let out a slightly exasperated sigh before standing from his seat and taking your hand. You won't be able to take the lead here, since he already knows how to dance.

You two will sway along to the music, the sound of the storm no longer existing as the two of you get lost in your own little world together. You're comfortably resting your head against his shoulder, quietly humming along to the song while he's closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax even if only for a moment.

The Puppeteer could honestly get lost in the moment here if he lets himself. You'll start to feel strings coiling around you, and you'll glance down to see his signature golden strings lazily latching on to you, almost as if to keep you close to him if you try pulling away.

When the song ends, he'll immediately leave his thoughts and open his eyes, detaching from you and stepping away. The strings don't immediately let go, but he pretended as if they weren't there. You don't need to know just how attached he is to you.

HOBO HEART

He's immediately taking your hand before he even processes your request, just eager to be touching you in some way as he stares at you as if you had personally put all the stars in the night sky. And once he does process your request, he's nodding along.

Heart doesn't care about the storm. He's been out in so many of them in his lifetime that he barely even acknowledges when it rains anymore. But if you wanna dance to keep your mind off the storm, then he's all for it.

He has no idea how to dance, so it's a bit clumsy and his grip on you is definitely a little too tight but you're both having fun, and you can tell he's trying his best to please you.

You'll definitely have to take the lead here.

And at some point, he'd burying his face in either your neck or your hair, softly muttering sweet-nothings to you as the two of you sway together to whatever sappy love song is playing on the radio.

Heart always feels like he's in heaven whenever you're close like this, and he's enjoying this a lot more than he thought he would.

Once the song ends, you'll try to pull away but he's clinging to you, clearly not satisfied enough to let you go. Welp. Looks like you're dancing to another song.

TICCI TOBY

Toby would definitely be the most hesitant to take your hand. He's not good with close contact, and he recoils from physical touch more often than not, even if he knows it's someone he can trust.

But the booming thunder outside is too loud. Too similar to cars crashing together. Too familiar. He needed a distraction, and you were providing him one. It took him a moment, but he was hesitantly reaching out and taking your hand.

He vaguely knows how to dance. He would dance along to upbeat songs with Lyra when he was younger, and when he was really young, he would sway along to some random old 80s song that his mom enjoyed. But slow dancing is not something he's done before, and the close proximity set him on edge a bit.

He's too tense, his grip too tight one moment and too loose the next. Occasionally, a tic would cause the both of you to stumble a bit before regaining balance.

You were patient with him, going at his pace and letting him take the lead as he got comfortable being so close to you. Once his shoulders relaxed and he seemed less tense, you gave him a few pointers that he carefully followed .

Soon enough, the two of you were swaying together to an old love song playing on the radio. He still flinched whenever a particularly loud thing of thunder would roar, but you were able to keep most of his attention focused on you.

The two of you end up swaying together until the storm dies down.

ZALGO

You're not entirely sure what exactly classifies as a storm in this cursed realm you found yourself trapped in, but they were far more scary than the ones back in the mortal world. The sky here literally screamed in agony as a sickly rustic-scented liquid rained from above.

You were lucky enough to have a radio with you to distract you from the raging storm outside. You don't question how it works here, opting to just believe it's some weird Zalgo-esque bullshit.

You were just glad you weren't alone right now, your loving captor having decided to deign you with his presence. You still weren't accustomed to his true form, no one is really, so he had opted to appear in a... acceptably human state.

When a love song started playing through the radio, you had turned it up a bit in hopes of drowning out the storm. The idea of dancing didn't come to your mind immediately, but you could feel Zalgo's many eyes just staring you down from across the room.

With a sigh, you force yourself away from where you had comfortably been sitting and cross the room. You did not miss the way Zalgo's stern expression softened ever so slightly when you held your hand out and asked him to dance with you.

Even in this form, he was much taller than you, so dancing was certainly... odd, and the feeling of his deathly cold skin against yours was not at all pleasant, but you chose to ignore that.

And he was clearly enjoying this for one reason or another. You suppose that was a good thing, and you found yourself enjoying this as well, much to your surprise.

Hm... maybe you'll invite him to dance more often. Maybe.

BONUS: HABIT no i havent finished emh yes i am writing this i need the guy to fuck me stupid seven ways to sunday i am not immune

Habit immediately beams the moment you ask him to dance with you, taking your hand and immediately pulling you close to him. You had to make sure you took the lead immediately, otherwise, who knows what would've happened.

Is he a good dancer? Fuck no. Evan probably is, maybe slightly, but Habit? Nah, it's not his cup of tea. He just likes when you're close to him.

His hands wander a little lower than they should be, resulting in you continuously having to fix them. Whenever you glare at him for that, he just innocently smiles as if he's done nothing wrong.

Though Habit's constant teasing was a bit annoying, you still enjoyed dancing with him, swaying along to the song playing on the radio as the storm raged on outside, adding to the strangely romantic ambiance that seemed to be developing.

It was soft enough that it almost made you forget the amount of carnage he could cause if he so desired, the carnage he has caused. He seemed to be in a rather good mood today, judging from how he isn't verbally teasing you for wanting to dance with him.

You were both content in each other's arms, the song ending and another starting, neither of you ready to pull away from each other just yet. At some point, he had buried his face in your neck, taking deep breaths as if he were trying to burn your scent into his mind.

It was when the third song ended that you finally decided to pull away from him.

The moment you tried doing so, however, his grip on you was tightening and he was letting out a low growl, "Don't move, bunny." And that was enough to cause you to freeze. Not out of fear, though there was certainly an underlying sense of it, but mostly curiosity.

Before you could question him, you felt his bulge pressing into your leg, and Habit was evidently restraining himself from grinding against you, his nails digging into you as he kept you in place. Oh.

Seems like he wanted more from you. Here's to hoping you have the energy to keep up with him this time.

#jeff the killer x reader #jeff the killer x you #the puppeteer x reader #the puppeteer x you #hobo heart x reader #hobo heart x you #ticci toby x reader #ticci toby x you #zalgo x reader #zalgo x you #habit x reader #habit x you #creepypasta x reader #creepypasta x you #emh x reader #emh x you

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hearts-hunger · 10 months ago

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january blue || josh kiszka x reader

Read on AO3 | Masterlist | Cabin Fever Masterlist

Summary: You're sick, and Josh takes good care of you.

Pairings: Josh x Reader | Genre: fluff, h/c, sickfic | Word Count: 2k | Warnings: none!

A/N: Here's another one of those self-serving fics that I hope you like :) Also this is lowkey an ad for Netflix's “The Greatest Night in Pop” because that was a great documentary. Anyhoopla I hope you like it! ♡

“Sweet baby, when is your birthday again?”

You pulled your blank gaze from the waiting room wall, frowning a little as you looked over at Josh. It took you a second to think of a response; the fluorescents overhead were harsh, and everything seemed unnaturally bright under them. Josh held the pen poised and ready above the intake form, waiting for you to tell him your birthdate.

The uncomfortable vinyl chair creaked when you turned towards him. “You don't know my birthday?” you asked, unsure if you should be surprised by that. You were surprised, but you were also rather disoriented, so maybe it was a normal question for an attentive boyfriend to ask.

He cracked a smile, a welcome bit of tenderness in the cold, stark doctor’s office.

“I do,” he said. “I was only teasing.” He jotted it down along with your other details, taking care of the task for you as you sat in the waiting room together. It was sweet of him to do it and try to take your mind off things while he did, and it made the appointment seem a little less daunting.

“What are your symptoms?” he asked, writing down the ones he already knew. “Earache, sore throat, congestion?”

You nodded, covering your ear with your hand, careful of pressing too hard. “Dizziness, too. And a headache.”

“My poor baby,” he said sympathetically. He finished up the intake form. “Okay, honey. You’re all set.” He returned the clipboard to the front desk, taking your hand when he came back to sit next to you.

“What do you think?” he asked. His hair was a golden halo of soft curls, and it didn’t surprise you that even the awful atmosphere of the doctor’s office didn’t dim his warmth and cheerfulness. “Do you wanna read one of these magazines that have been here since the eighties? There’s probably some older ones if that sounds too modern.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “I think I’m okay, thanks.”

He smiled. “Well, let me know if you change your mind.”

He pulled out his phone to answer a text from Danny; you rested your head on his shoulder, trying to ignore the persistent ache and the vaguely panicky feeling you always got at the doctor.

Josh gave you a quick smooch on your forehead. You smiled.

“What was that for?” you asked.

“Danny said to give you a get-well kiss,” he said. “So there you go.”

You cuddled closer to him. “Thanks for coming with me.”

“Of course, baby.” He pocketed his phone. “Thanks for asking me. I would have been sad to find out you went without me.”

You raised your head to look at him, a bemused smile crossing your face. “Why?”

He shrugged. “I know you don’t like the doctor, and I like to be with you for things that make you nervous, if I can. I’m glad you know you can ask me for help.”

Your smile was wobbly, then. “Aw, Joshy. I love you, you know.”

He gave you a sweet smile. “I love you too, baby. Hopefully we’ll be in and out, and then we can spend the rest of the day cuddled up on the couch. Sound good?”

“Sounds wonderful,” you said with a sigh.

You lost track of time in the waiting room, sucked into the weird vortex of discomfort and the smell of antiseptic, but eventually your name was called. Josh went with you, and though you might have felt a little embarrassed to be a grown woman with a personal escort to the doctor, you just didn’t have the energy to care. Besides, there was nothing wrong with having Josh with you, and you were glad you didn’t have to do it alone.

He waited patiently while you got your vitals checked, making jokes about your pulse being a little high with white coat syndrome. When the nurse left you alone in the room again, he gave you a thumbs up.

“You’re doing great, baby,” he said with a sweet smile. “I bet you’re the best patient they’ve had all day.”

“I do my best,” you said. You fidgeted on the table, the paper crinkling under you. “Can we get coffee after this?”

“Sure, honey. Whatever you want.”

You gave him a teasing smile. “Whatever I want, huh? Could you strip naked right now and do the hula for me?”

He laughed, and the warm sound of it took the edge off the chill of the sterile room.

“Maybe not whatever you want,” he corrected. He stood and came over to the exam table, giving your thigh a comforting pat. “But I think I can handle coffee.”

You winced and tilted your head as you felt a sharp pain go from your ear all the way down your neck. Josh gently covered the spot with his warm hand, and you leaned into his touch.

“There’s this new documentary on Netflix,” you said, trying to distract yourself from the ache. “About the night they got the supergroup together for ‘We Are The World’.”

“I saw the trailer,” he agreed. He slowly ran his fingers over your fevered skin. “You want to watch that when we get home?”

“Sure. We can make a roster of who should be in the next version with you guys.”

He smiled. “Okay, baby. I’d like that.” A sympathetic frown tugged at his features when you grimaced again.

“I'm sorry you don't feel good, honey,” he said. “I know a jacked up ear isn't very fun.”

You breathed a laugh. “I shouldn't complain. Your whole eardrum exploded, so mine’s easy in comparison.”

He chuckled. “Are we in a competition for worst ear injury? That's kinda weird, even for us.”

You leaned your head against his, thankful for the way he comforted you and made you smile without even trying.

He pulled back when the door handle turned, and gave your hand a squeeze before he took his seat again. The doctor gave you a quick exam, confirming an ear infection secondary to a sinus infection, and prescribed you a round of antibiotics.

Josh got you squared away at the desk before you left, and you were content to let him do the talking as the pain started to catch up with you. He led you out to the car, getting you settled in the passenger seat before he got in himself.

“Still feel up for coffee?” he asked.

You curled up in a pitiful little ball. “Yes, please. But maybe I’ll get the Medicine Ball instead.”

He kept one hand on your thigh as he drove, and you half dozed with your hands wrapped around the wonderfully warm Starbucks cup. He ran into the store to pick up your prescription and a few other things, and though he’d promised to be quick, he was gone longer than you’d expected.

“Where did you go?” you said, an irritated, petulant tone creeping into your voice. “The Bermuda Triangle?”

“I’m sorry, baby,” he said sincerely, putting the bags in the back of the Jeep. “The pharmacy line was super long. I guess I should have taken you home and come back out for your medicine.”

You softened, feeling a little guilty. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be grumpy with you when you're running around doing everything for me.”

He touched a hand to your cheek. “You don’t have to apologize, baby. I know you don't feel good. I understand if you’re grumpy.”

You held his hand and kept it pressed to your cheek for a moment. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure, baby. Let’s get you home, okay?”

At home, he got your medicine and some painkillers into you before he ran you a bath. He sat on the edge of the tub, brushing your hair back from your face.

“I think you’ll feel better if you have a nap, baby,” he said, keeping his voice quiet. “Do you want to eat something before you lay down?”

You shook your head. “I don’t really have an appetite.”

“I understand. I’d like you to try and eat a little something, though, just so the medicine doesn't make you sick. How about some soup?”

You looked up at him. “Can you do the spinach and rice one Jake makes?”

He nodded slowly. “Uh... yes. I think so.” You laughed when he pulled out his phone to ask his brother for the recipe.

He pressed a kiss to your hair. “Let me go get it cooking,” he said. “You enjoy your bath.”

You gratefully sank into the warm water, letting it soothe your aches until you felt all jellied and tired. Still, you were reaching the edge of your tolerance for the consistent pain; you knew the Tylenol had to be kicking in soon, but until it did, you were steadily getting more outdone with feeling so miserable. You hardly spoke when Josh came to help you out and brought you warm pajamas, and he watched you with worry as he steered you to the couch.

You winced when the pain spiked suddenly. “Oh my god, ow.”

Josh pulled back from you. “What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”

“No. My stupid ear.” You gingerly pressed your hand to it, close to tears with frustration and discomfort. You looked pitifully up at him. “It hurts, Joshy.”

“I know, baby,” he said gently. “I’m sorry. What can I do?”

You shook your head, unable to think of anything, even if there was anything he could do. He just pulled you close and held you in a safe, steady hug, and it was exactly what you needed.

“My sweet baby,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry you’re hurting.”

A few tears spilled over, and you buried your face against his chest.

“Thank you for taking care of me,” you said in a small voice.

“Honey,” he soothed. “You’re welcome. You don't have to thank me. I wish I could do more to help.”

You hugged him tighter, resting in his warmth and closeness. “You’re perfect, Josh.”

He rested his head against yours and rocked you gently. “I love you, my sweet girl.”

When the uptick in pain finally subsided, maybe because the medicine had finally kicked in, you let yourself be settled on the couch in a nest of pillows. Josh covered you with every fuzzy blanket he could find until you were practically buried in them.

“Joshy,” you giggled.

He smiled. “There’s that sweet laugh,” he said tenderly. “I missed it. What’s got you so tickled?”

You tried to lift your arms under the blankets. “I’m gonna be trapped in here.”

He chuckled. “It’s my master plan. Keep you wrapped up in blankets so you can never escape me.”

“I don’t want to escape you.”

“Just making sure.” He held your face in his hands and gave you kiss after kiss after kiss, each one sweet and gentle and joyful. “I love you very much, you know.”

You gave him a bashful smile. “Yeah, I know.”

You had dinner — Josh had replicated Jake’s recipe perfectly, which he insisted was thanks to his twin’s detailed instructions — and watched the documentary about the recording of ‘We Are The World’. The two of you spent a while listing people you wanted in your supergroup to play with Greta Van Fleet.

“I want Noah Kahan and Gregory Alan Isakov,” you said.

Josh nodded sagely. “I see the vision. We should get Labi Siffre too.”

“Can we go back in time and get John Denver?” you asked.

He smiled. “Yes. I’m making that executive decision. Because I want to grab the original lineup of Fairport Convention.”

“So... we’re doing a folk rock version, then?”

He hummed in agreement. “And we make friends with everybody, and it’s the number one single in the world, and it’s your favorite song that we’ve ever done.”

You laughed and cuddled against him when he pulled you close.

He ran his hand up and down your arm. “I'm glad you’re feeling a little better, honey.”

You gave a contented sigh. “Me too.”

It had started to rain when you got home, and there was still a gentle, steady drumbeat on the roof that matched the hazy blue wash against your windows. Josh held you close and told you about what they’d worked on in the studio, and before long, the warmth of his voice and the sound of the rain worked as surely as a lullaby to pull you towards sleep.

Josh brushed his thumb over your cheek. “You’re so beautiful, baby,” he said softly.

You tilted your face up for a kiss, and he obliged you. He was all love and gentleness and warmth, as he always was, and you melted into his touch.

“You love me lots, don’t you?” you asked.

“Yes, baby. Lots and lots.”

“Oh good,” you said, cosy and sleepy and content in the safety of his arms. “I love you lots too.”

gvf taglist:@malany-gvf@spark-my-nature@eearevee@madneedshelp@demonrat444@josh-iamyour-mama@honeyandsweettae@mydarlingdanny@gretavandann@sacredjake@myleftsock@joshskittytickler21@hellowgoodbye@watchingovergvf2@fearfulspirit@mywaysoon@carbondancingthroughtime@caprisunsister@eraofstardustchords@sacredthefran@shesawomaninadream@serendipiti@demonrat444@wildflowerxx-x@tearsofdanny@iluvjoshkiszka@jordie-gvf-admin@demolitionndann@hi-hi-hello11@wildbluesorbit@nessie-glorpa@laneygvf @jazzyfigz @musicspeaks @amythestars @missharvestmoon @readyforthegarden

@gvfrry@ohhey1293@the-chaotic-cow@mountain-in-springtime@xserenax-13@stardustjtk @brooke-gvf@weightofdreams-gvf@jakeydoesit @hayley1623@doodle417@finestoflines@brokenbellz@bowievanfleet@s0livagant@strugglingtodoshit@s-u-t@kay-jordan@gretavanfleas@jakeyboiiiiiii@gretavansteph@gretavanbitches@myownparadise96@luverleaver@weightofdreamz@greatervanfleet@maedesculpaeusoubi@jakekiszkasbestie@pineapple-photographer@baguettejuliette@alexxavicry@levi-wants-ur-bones@carlybubs@cowboysamkiszka@dannyandthekiszkas@jordierama@slutforsteve@starshine-wagner@quartzzzzzzz@edgeofdreams@writingcold@lostoverseer@catharu77@mackalah@jaketlove@haileygvf@blacksoul-27@ur-m0ms-blog@hi-hi-hello11@wildbluesorbit @nessie-glorpa @laneygvf@madneedshelp@dreamsingxld

#i've been in such a writing slump but hey leave it to josh and baby to get me out of it :))#greta van fleet fanfiction #gvf fanfiction #gvf fluff #josh kiszka x reader #josh x baby #maddie writes stuff!

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alatusprinz · 2 years ago

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yan! genshin x darling with abandonment issues

characters : xiao , albedo , kaedehara kazuha x f! reader

warning : obsessive behavior, kidnapping, stockholm syndrome, the very stereotypical traits found in yandere lovers, mention of planned/considering murder, manipulation, threatening, etc. reader has abandonment issues, insecurities, and is wary/distrustful about love and romantic partners in general. < fem pronouns used - bride etc >

諸行無常 - 世のすべてのものは、移り変わり、また生まれては消滅する運命を繰り返し、永遠に変わらないものはないということ。

Shogyou mujou - Impermanence. A phrase that means everything in the world repeats its destiny to to be born and to disappear, that there is no existence in the world that remains without changing .

[ prior scenario ]

“hey…” you called out to your captor, finally working up the courage to talk to him like you would to anyone else. when your voice broke the silence in the sullen room, his gaze was immediately directed at you.

“what is it?” you gulped at his curt yet obvious reply, still trying to keep your voice from wavering when you continued onto a subject you knew could upset them or worse. you were displeased by how much you were trembling at the thought, even when there was not an ounce of wrath evident in his voice or face as of present.

in truth, it took you however long you imagine to even work out the confidence to demand such inquiry, it could’ve been days, weeks or even more. you couldn’t have known exactly how long- after all, it’s been a paradox in time since the cursed moment you stepped foot into his lair. you reckon it’s been quite a few months in captivity if not a year already.

“what do you really want from me, keeping me here?” you saw him open his mouth to respond, but you immediately continued without giving him or yourself time. you feared you would lose your will to speak otherwise, despite having repeated the same question in your mind millions of times.

“so now you have me in this cramped room at all times within your sight. i barely move or talk… i’m almost kept like… a doll here.” you kept your eyes on him for any chances of extreme anger or outburst while resuming.

“you see, people lose interest. as time passes, your former shiny doll will always lose its gleam and a new doll will catch your eye. when someone learns a song they adore on zither or harp it won’t matter, the song feels less special once you’ve mastered the flow and rhythm so it belongs to you completely- when the song doesn’t have anything new to offer anymore. you could buy anything and make it your possession, but it will always bore you in the end. it’s a matter of time.” his face remained as blank as ever, still listening carefully to your uncharacteristically melancholic statement today.

“love that comes from mere fascination or ownership… won’t last.”

so let me go while you still cherish me. before you decide to abandon me like a used toy. you were ashamed to admit your original motivation of asking him to let you go won’t leave your mouth.

you would rather bite your tongue and die this very instant than admit to him why you were asking this question after all this time. you tried and tried to repress your feelings, the growing feeling inside your chest that is slowly turning into fondness and familiarity instead of sheer disgust and loathe as you should be feeling. it doesn’t make sense- he robbed you of your everything. everything you learned to be a part of your mundane life, every routine and passion you’ve had (you barely even remember what life was before, but you imagine you could’ve had… those things that made you human.) disappeared like dandelion pappus in the wind. you try, you look at his godforsaken actions he veil and glorify as an act of love, you scoff and ignore and fight with all your will not to bend into his desires as easily. but the crawling, sinking realization you were aware from a while ago ate away at what little left from your pride each moment past.

you couldn’t pretend like everything was normal anymore, not when every inch of your body, every thought surrounding your brain was his love. you knew your true feelings for your captor now. but you couldn’t possibly unravel the truth he oh-so desperately wants- needs to hear. in truth, you felt yourself fall deeper for his wicked charm every day. it made you physically sick but the way he loved you, the way he touched you and caressed your soul, his suffocating care for you felt familiar now, you craved him, you yearned for his impudence in all its glory, the gut wrenchingly familiar scent of his when you awoke from nightmares. you searched for him, you yearned his presence when he wasn’t around and you were positive he knew it. after all, he was the one who trained your body and soul to his perfection- carved your being, to the point you seemed to be the one chasing him at this point in your mind, the only space you have left to you that's private.

it scared you to bits whenever you thought of revealing your feelings. what if he only liked the thrill of your struggles? what if he only wanted the chase? what if he grew tired of you soon now that you’re all boring and “his”?

this is how your thoughts finally manifested itself into a question, to test the waters.

he finally responded.

and it wasn’t at all what you had expected.

xiao ( alatus) .

“how absurd.” xiao really could not understand the worries of you mortals. he could swear to the seven archons that he tried, he had asked around, he read words on papers you call “books” that seemingly guide you when you’re lost, (worthless if you ask him, since it didn’t guide him when he needed it the most with you), he’s spent time observing countless mortals just so he could get a grip on how your restless mind works.

it’s like you seem to confuse him more and more as time passes by, and that was quite the opposite of what he desired.

“what makes you believe you are as worthless as physical objects?” xiao found no reason in mincing his words, your comparison made him offended, if anything. how could you possibly imagine thinking of yourself as the same value of an inanimate object, or even a melody that’s shared between hundreds or thousands at the same time? the idea of you being shared between countless mortals and being another’s “property” left not only a bitter taste in his mouth, but a dangerous, lingering urge to choose destruction.

the general yaksha was no fool to his vow, he was never to harm or terminate mortals, let alone liyue inhabitants. the lord of geo and his contract would not allow. however, a small voice at the back of his voice whispered- he was a guardian yaksha. he was known, a living legend amongst the nationals, surely nobody would dare stand against an Adepti’s desire. after all, mortals were weak and easily manipulated. he could make sure anyone stay away within a minute of a conversation or a… threatening action. and as much as he does not wish to sever his vows to the lord of geo, he certainly held the nonpacifict solution should the circumstances demand.

but... keeping you here, away from those who would bring you harm protects both you, his angel and his vow to avoid harming mortals, don't they? it was the perfect solution.

he thought he had made it clear by now- that he adored you more than anything, that never once in his painfully long existence he had laid his eyes on anything, anyone more sublime than you. and your benevolence gave him the bliss of peace he desperately needed, he basked in your glory, your warmth on the iciest nights he was cursed to spend in solitude.

you saved him- you were xiao’s everything. if you were not to remain his oasis, what more could his sorry existence serve for? for what purpose would the vigilant yaksha continue his never-ending agony for, if not for your heavenly smile? he had never required, or wanted words of gratitude before, he upheld his vows to perfection, well aware that he was an entity destined to live in the shadows, just so the light could shine brighter. however, neither of you knew that it would lead to… this, the one night that you recognized him as the vigilant yaksha where you coincidentally entwined your red strings of fate on Mt. Hulao. (god knows how or why you had wandered into the space meant for the adepti, you truly had no memory of the life before him at this moment, no matter how you tried to reminisce).

you were all Alatus had, all he has ever wanted. his hands were stained crimson red for eternity, but you, he would bring celestia to ruin, defy every archon’s wrath, shield you in his arms and face the eye of the storm if that’s what you desired. to keep your hands clean, and your soul stainless for he was already tarnished beyond repair. the least he could do was protect you, his one and only, from the dirtiest parts of the world.

one whisper from your tender lips, and he would be gone, swift as the wind for his newest mission, mind filled with your loving smile.

“i’ve gave you my word, have i not?” xiao continued, hoping for your understanding behind his stone-cold expression you couldn’t have unraveled.

“...” you remained silent, to his displeasure, he was forced to continue. you and your mortal perplexity.

“i’ve sworn to protect you. an oath is an oath, (name). i will remain by your side. vows are to be upheld in perpetuity.” xiao’s monotone voice sounded as still as ever despite his rather melancholic words.

you, on the other hand, weren’t fully convinced. rather, you didn’t allow yourself to be soothed of your worries precisely because of his nonchalant behavior. there was no way he’d stay… this way for eternity. the perpetuity he speaks of will somehow find its end, your mind convinced.

after all… he offered you his protection, his company and his presence. not… not love. he had never once mentioned the word ‘love’ in your presence, or perhaps ever in his couple millenia of existence had he ever even let the heavy word drop from his lips. and you both knew it was perhaps for a good reason.

to both of your surprise, he finally learns of your worries when you kept your silence with a frown.

with a subtle sigh, Alatus approached you carefully as he always did, as if not to scare you away. (as if you could outrun the yaksha, as if your mind would even let you at this point.). he sat down next to you on your cold bed, then reached out to place his trembling hand on yours.

you might not know, but that’s the only act of intimacy he’s aware of to you humans. you couldn’t help but stare at his gloved hands on yours, the leather-like material sinking on your skin and leaving a heavy sensation with absolutely no trace of warmth. in fact, you had never felt much heat from his body before if your memory serves.

except for the warmth you felt right now, listening to his careful words meant to soothe your concerns. it was almost enough to make you forget the absence of sunlight, the last time you had a deep breath of the fresh morning dew from liyue harbor, the sounds of the city locals chatting away in peace. almost enough to make you forget why you were here to begin with.

“... if my promise isn’t enough… tell me what to do.” you couldn’t mask your surprise when you heard his words. his hand finally relaxed, yet still cold as ever.

“ephemeral circumstances. perpetual agony. that’s all i have ever known.” xiao couldn’t believe how uncharacteristically chatty you forced him to be. but if his mundane words could soothe your bitter expression, there was nothing he was unwilling to do.

“諸行無常. - all worldly existences are impermanent.”

“...but my oath is eternal. i will spend a millenia… an immortal lifetime proving it to you.”

“just speak my name. i will keep you…” he wanted to say happy, he wanted to promise you a joyful life. he wanted to say he would love you... but he was a cursed being, doomed with the vexation of the millions that were slain by his bloodied hands.

“i will keep you safe.” he retracted his arm after his final promise to you, and disappeared without a trace. suddenly, the sullen room looked even darker than you remembered. as if the darkness was all you’ve ever known.

and yet again, the word you desired- no promise of ‘love’ was mentioned.

albedo ( kreideprinz ) .

“so it makes you insecure.” you flinched at his naturally curt reply, cutting through where it hurts the most. it was such a familiar answer from albedo, analyzing even verbal communication with utmost composure and sharp perception. his teal eyes appeared to be shining in the dimly lit room, ice-cold stare almost pinning you down like on a leash.

“you’re struggling with feelings of insecurity and it’s manifesting itself into an apprehensive behavior because you feel like i’d get tired of you once the halo effect wears off.” he continued, all while sitting perfectly still, his posture and gaze remaining as absolute and subtly confident as ever. he had almost never been incorrect about his analysis on you, it’s almost eerie. anything he put his mind to and observed, experimented, hypothesized and concluded, it was more or less on point. and this time too, he didn’t fail to notice your ulterior hidden worries.

the worst part? you were positive he was already well aware of your true feelings behind your distant exterior. after all, he had never been fooled by your acting, never once. he knew you too well to fall for it, and it made you wonder just how long he had observed you before your captivity.

“it seems accurate and human of you to have such concerns. after all, the vast population of mankind seems to have a taste for unfaithfulness. enough to make others spend the rest of their existence cowering in fear of betrayal.” your eyebrows furrowed at his unwelcome analysis on your mindset, reading your deepest fears like an open book on his worn out wooden alchemy table.

“but may i remind you, i am not deeply associated with the majority of humanity to begin with, (name). i’d appreciate if you didn’t see me in the same light as the rest.” his stable voice always tricked your sorry mind into believing the atmosphere was normal and calm. but unfortunately, ticking off the kreideprinz was one of the things you noted to never do again. you could thank your gods that he doesn’t seem too irritated from what you could see.

“humans are an enigma. physical objects and intellectual creations may have its worth hidden in correlation to who possesses them. however, i do believe i don’t… own you.”

the room was immediately silent after his last statement, all you could hear was your heart thumping loudly in your ear, head feeling heavier on your shoulders each second that passed by. he thinks he doesn’t own you? that was the last phrase you thought you would hear from him.

“of course i’d like to own your heart, that’s what lovers are.” what we are - both of you knew that was his true intention behind his somewhat vague wording. “is that what you wish to hear from me, dear? that i love you.” his monotone declaration of “love” sent a wave of warmth, and cowering fear to the pit of your stomach. for one, it certainly was what you desperately craved to hear from the chalk prince. you were so, so close to giving into his sweet temptation, his reserved nature, his teal eyes that seem to only look at you, and his cold, yet addictive touch of hands, caressing you like you were the only existence that he cared about.

yet, his cold tone when he confessed the words of love weighed heavy at the back of your mind, how monotone, and… void he sounded. do people usually sound so laid back when speaking such words? you couldn’t know, you couldn’t remember. but you had a feeling it wasn’t quite the case, that he sounded too empty, his promise sounded heavy, yet desolate at the same time. that your heart felt too burdened from his love, not blissful. but if that were the case, albedo was prepared to mold your tastes until you preferred his weighty love, bitter and cold on your tongue. he'd make sure to train you until all you ever crave is his taste.

“... i love you as much as an artificial being could mimic the humane emotion of love, dearest.” he concluded the conversation coolly and with dignity like he always did, he always got the last word. after all, what he wants goes.

if you happen to disobey… well, let’s just say he was good at getting what he wanted. should he use honey-sweet words, alluring you in, threats, slight or considerable amount of pain and punishment, or make you face a situated scenario that would inevitably push you towards him…

in the end, albedo would have you. - that’s what he had concluded. after all, once again - what he wants, goes.

kaedehara kazuha .

the menacing, yet melodic giggle he responded with sharpened your senses. you never knew what to expect from him, he could easily shatter your soul and courage with one look of his eyes if that was what his mockingly poetic love demanded of him.

“love, you never cease to amaze me.” as expected of the bride, the distinguished lady of the great kaedehara clan he intended to continue. every step you take, every sway of your hair in the end, the rounin felt himself fall deeper for your charm, his one and only perfect love. you were absolutely perfect, you had to be. (you were his, after all.)

he approached you with an intimidatingly slow pace, placed his hand on the top of your head with seemingly great delicacy. the weight of his hand on your head seemed like it was pushing you down, further until you were at his feet- at his complete and eternal mercy. in one way, it was the perfect place for you, his docile loving darling. it should come natural for lovers to please and make one another happy. it should come as easy as breathing to both you and him, after all, he himself was at your feet. why shouldn’t you share the same sentiment, the same desire? he would lay down his life, lay down his everything and more. that’s what love is, existing in this cruel world in the name of your lover.

at least according to what he carved in your mind which you’ve soon learned to accept.

“have i ever once, made you feel unloved or unworthy?...” his hand travelled down, slowly and gently caressing the back of your head, the side of your neck, and lingered at the same spot while feeling your beating heart. (the heart that beats for him - the sinister thought brought a pleased smile to his lips. ) the silent confidence in his statement sent shivers down your spine. of course he was aware, he had never once denied you of your needs, everything except your freedom was in the palm of your hands. with one whisper of your voice, kazuha would carve out his heart, display it on a platter. he would sacrifice his last breath to caress your lips one last time, excarnate his own being and wrap his warm skin around your shivering body if you were cold. going to extreme length to keep you, his angel dove by his side, is an absolute necessity for him.

and the ugly truth was, he expected the exact same from you.

“have i ever left you unsatisfied?” he continued, placing his hands around your neck, not squeezing, but with just enough force of grip for your entire body to tense up in fight-or-flight instinct. too bad neither was an option.

“like i said, you might get bored-” to your surprise, your speech was interrupted.

“boredom is not something associated with true love, my dearest. i can promise you that.” his stable and calm voice never once wavered, and said to you with utmost certainty, almost to the point you allowed yourself to believe the honey-sweet temptation of love he presented you with.

“and if my verbal promise does not suffice…” finally, he wrapped his arms around you, and buried his face into your neck. with a sigh of happiness leaving his lips, he let out a low giggle near your ear.

“i’ll prove it until the rest of my life, until you believe in my love.”

until you believe me - he whispered, placing a sickeningly tender kiss on your neck. the sensation of his alluring kiss lingered on your shivering skin, your mind left blank and tempted. after all, kazuha’ forte was words. he could spin you around like a marionette, should he want.

and that’s what he intended to do. keep, worship and adore his beloved doll, lover for all eternity.

#genshin imagines #genshin impact fluff #genshin impact imagines #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #xiao x reader #albedo x reader #kazuha x reader #genshin xiao #genshin impact #genshin fanfic #genshin xiao x reader #genshin kazuha x reader #genshin albedo x reader #genshin yan #yan genshin #yan xiao x reader #yan albedo x reader #yan kazuha x reader

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3-2-whump · 9 months ago

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Whumpee Intro: The Auction Floor

next>

Thanks @dresden-syndrome for helping me bounce ideas off you! We talked about how pet stores display the fish in glass tanks, especially how some of the good stores display their betta fish in individual glass tanks. And I was like, "why not for pet whumpees?" Inspiration comes from the unlikeliest of places.

TW/CW: institutionalized slavery, pet whump, nonconsensual nudity (nonsexual), minor whump (at time of story), noncon body mod (briefly mentioned), light gore (briefly mentioned). I also have little to no idea how auctions like this would work, so I'm skipping over some details. Enjoy, regardless.

The boy backed up as far as his glass prison would allow, but the hungry eyes of the bidders outside never left him. He hoped and prayed nobody would buy him, but his hope diminished with every scrutinizing stare and comment muffled through the glass. He slumped into the corner of his cell and curled into a ball, ignoring the handlers’ threats they drilled into each prospective asset before the auction began. He shut his eyes and buried his head into his folded-up knees. If he was just boring enough to look at, maybe the people outside would move on and buy somebody else.

The floor was cold. The glass walls of his cell were cold. He was bare, completely naked in the empty glass container. The back of his left ear was itchy, but he made no move to scratch at it. If he interfered with the tattoo as it was healing, they promised to pull out his fingernails. It had already happened to one girl; he had seen it. He dug his nails into his shins until the unbearable itching subsided enough to ignore it once again.

The murmurs outside died down, accompanied by the sound of retreating footsteps. The boy dared to peek out from his hiding place. He locked eyes with a man standing right in front of his cell, staring at him with a glass of whiskey in hand. He was a big man, broad shouldered and solidly built underneath that crisply pressed suit. He was easily two heads taller than his father, and up until that point, the boy thought his father was pretty tall. The man had short, dirty-blonde hair and sharp, steel-gray eyes. His mouth was downturned into a frown, the only indication of what he may truly feel behind the blank expression he bore.

Two more men –presumably his friends- materialized alongside him, jovially poking at him and gesturing inside the boy’s cell. It was next to impossible to make out the words they were saying from within the cell, but the boy got a sinking feeling in his stomach. The whole time, the man’s eyes never left his.

---

The auction part of the night had ended, their area of the black market had been closed off, and he (among many others) was retrieved from the glass box. The handler who fetched him threw him a pair of pants and a shirt. “Put those on, and follow me.”

So, I did get sold, the boy realized. He dressed quickly and followed the handler silently, dread weighing down each footstep. He mentally ran through the faces he dared to look at while he wondered who among the crowd had bought him. His mind circled back to the tall man with the scowl. Please, God, please, not him, he begged.

He stopped in his tracks when they came to the exit. The very same tall man turned around to meet him. The handler quietly disappeared from his side. Those steel eyes looked far colder and sharper up close. The boy averted his eyes, staring at his bare feet while keeping his hands folded in front of him.

“What’s your name, kid?”

The boy looked up briefly. Faint freckles danced across the man’s pale cheeks, and an old scar grazing across his left temple disappeared into his hairline. Those sharp steely eyes continued to flay him. He was so scared he nearly forgot his new owner had asked him a question. My name? He dropped his gaze back to his feet. “Khaled,” he all but whispered. “But you may call me whatever you want, sir,” he added, remembering the ‘correct’ answer.

The man above him murmured his name a couple times to himself as the boy stood ready to accept a new name, if his new master so wished it. “Luckily for you, I like your name,” he said decisively.

Before Khaled could breathe a sigh of relief, the man placed a broad hand on his shoulder. The boy tensed; his palm covered his whole shoulder blade. “Come with me, Khaled.” Not like he had a choice, when his master’s hand pushed him out the door into a future of unknowns and uncertainties.

#whump writing #oc intro #viridian oc #whumpee #pet whumpee #tw minor whump #tw slight gore #tw noncon nudity #tw noncon bodymod #slavery tw #slavery whump

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yukieya · 1 year ago

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A Nice Trip

You were at the aquarium trip with your schoolmates. The aquarium is exquisite and filled with vibrant, coloured plants and unique fishes.

From the corner of your eye, you saw Mysta and his friends near the jellyfishes section. Their expressions looked so relaxed, it felt like all their worries were going away.

You told your friends to go ahead as you went up to Mysta, greeting the man with a warm smile that he loves very much “ I see that you really like the jellyfishes, hm? “ You started the conversation.

Once your eyes landed on the said jellyfishes you felt your eyes softened following with your body relaxing itself.

He chuckled in response, “ Mmh, yeah.. I just felt sort of related to it like the way it looks and the way it moves itself in the water. “ He explained, looking at the jellyfishes swim across him.

“ ..Really? How so? “ You questioned, raising an eyebrow in curiosity “ ..How is it even related to you, Mysta? “

Mysta stayed quiet for a bit as his face forming a warm smile at you, “ ..I just explained it to you, silly. “ He said, caressing your soft locks. “ It’s also lacking brains like me. “ He giggled making you laugh along with him as well.

And then that leads to this, you two going around the aquarium viewing the different attractions and giving your comments on it, spotting the same jellyfish attraction where you met him again.

“ ..Hey, do you know about the jellyfish syndrome? “ Mysta suddenly spoke up, staring at you with a blank face but quickly wiped off with a reassuring smile.

You pouted as you playfully punch his arm which made him chuckle and wince, “ Don’t stare at me like that again, but no.. I don’t. “ You saw yourself in his pupil when he was staring for too long.

He hummed, looking away “ I’ll tell you, you see how beautiful these jellyfishes are? “ He said, eyeing the jellyfishes.

One of the jellyfishes he landed his eyes on floated over to him as if it knows what Mysta wants, “ .. You still don’t know? “ He asked as you shook your head.

“ ..Okay, how about this. “ He gestured you to come over to him and held up ten fingers lowering himself to your preferred height, “ ..Tell me how many members in Luxiem by names, Y/N. “

“ .. Luca, Shu.. Ike, Vox.. and– “ Your mind went blank after that, “ .. Who’s..– “ Your sentence was cut off by Ike’s voice “ Y/N? Y/N? .. Are you okay? “ His face was filled with worry with the other three boys behind him with a concerned expression.

Vox was first to speak up, “ You’ve been staring at those jellyfishes for quiet a while now.. what’s going on in your head darling? “ He asked with his arms wrapped around a certain fox plushie.

“ ..Right, It was five.. “ You mumbled, “ .. It was him again. “ You said, feeling your shoulder slump, feeling a reassuring arm around your shoulder " What is the jellyfish syndrome? " You eyed at Ike as he adjusted his glasses. " .. Hm, from what I understand.. It's often confused with depression. " He rested his eyes, clicking his fingers " In most cases, it appears when a person experiences something so big.. " He paused, " They are shocked and gradually withdraw. " Shu clicking his fingers aswell, " Not everyone has this syndrome.. It is quite rare. " He felt his eyebrows scrunching up in worry, " ..We've been studying it for decades but we still can't explain anything.. " Shu frowned, eyeing Vox from the corner of his eyes. " ..So there will be lots of questions such as why does it appear and have a strange connection with jellyfishes.. " He mumbled, feeling the corner of your lips droop " ..Why is Mysta related to it? " You asked as the boys look down as if they've done something guilty. " Because he was the first person to die from this syndrome. " Luca spoke up, " ..Is that why I've been seeing visions of Mysta? " You asked, making the blonde man nod. The whole atmosphere went dark as you stood silent in disbelief, feeling the arms wrapped around you " ..It'll be okay, we're sorry for not telling you. " Ike said with a reassuring caress on your arm " How about we go to the attraction Mysta likes, hm? " You sighed, staring at the four people in disbelief with a nod. " I better get something from this. " You gave them a soft smile as the group nodded in agreement and made their way to the jellyfish tunnel. As you and the group were in awe at the jellyfishes, a certain man with grey ash hair and aqua eyes complimenting his features was watching from the corner with a warm smile.

" Have a nice trip, take care of them for me. "

HIIII IM BACK!!

in honor of mysta’s graduation ANGST FANFIC WOOOOO n comfort !! 😭😭 tbh i had no idea what i was writing n js put it in this was not proofread whatsoever but i got the inspo from this tiktok!

i found the concept really interesting so i decided to write my own ver of it! 😭 i kept procrastinating w my writing so there will be grammatical errors and just boring writing but yeaa HAHAH i’ll try to fix up my writing skills hehe~

words ; 858

time taken ; an hour and a half!

#luxiem #ike eveland #luca kaneshiro #nijisanji en #nijisanji en x reader #vox akuma #luca kaneshiro x reader #luxiem x reader #vox akuma x reader #shu yamino x reader #mysta rias x reader #ike eveland x reader #yuki’s corner

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daydreamofrevi · 2 months ago

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𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗗𝗘 𝗧𝗪𝗢 - 𝗥𝗔𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗢𝗘𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗕𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗟 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧

► ACT ONE: rascal does not dream of purple hat guy

─ episode two: everything on our first date

previous episode, masterlist, next episode

"This isn't exactly Adolescence Syndrome; this is quantum mechanics." Sucrose said as you sat down in front of her curiously.

The green haired girl placed down a box, opening the lid. She first grabs a small beckoning cat. "I'll put the cat in the box."

"Along with a substance which emits radiation once every hour." She placed a beaker that has a substance in it as her example.

"And a device that emits a poisonous gas upon detecting radiation." Sucrose finally places a closed bottle.

Clearing her throat, she continued as she picked up the box's lid and closes the box. "Then, we close the box and wait for 30 minutes."

"Just imagine that 30 minutes have passed." Sucrose said.

You hummed; a bit confused but nodded. "Hmm, alright, and then?"

"What do you think happened to the cat inside of the box? Do you think it's alive or dead?"

"Hmm, if I had to guess, it's probably still alive. Only thirty minutes have happened, and the radiation happens once every hour which would release the poisonous gas. But then again, it would have a 50-50 chance of 30 minutes of surviving depending on when the cat was placed inside."

"Hmm," Sucrose nodding. "That's normally the answer however the only way we can confirm the cat's present state is by checking inside of the box."

She carefully opened the box, removing the lid and pulling out the beckoning cat. "In other words, until you open the box and see to observe what happened to it, the cat's half-alive and half-dead."

You raised an eyebrow. "Then... it's the same for people too?" Your mind wandered back to a certain hat guy.

"...Someone's existence isn't confirmed unless they've been observed?"

───────────────

MAY 20TH, 2014

───────────────

You don't know how, but you found yourself accompanying Scaramouche to the grocery store which you agreed to.

You glance around the busy market before turning your attention to the actor who was checking out and comparing a carrot before settling for one.

You smirked slightly to the side, muttering. "Man, we totally look like a couple."

"Did you say something?" Scaramouche turned to you.

"No, nothing."

"Don't worry. I'm invisible to everyone, anyway."

You then glanced down to his hand before asking curiously. "Hmm, hey... I'm curious how does that carrot you're holding look to people who can't see you?"

He hummed, looking down at it. "Apparently, it turns invisible."

Scaramouche waves the carrot to a random stranger's face and yet they did not react at all as they kept browsing through the shelves.

"See?" He said before placing the carrot in the shopping cart. "Anything I touch probably turns invisible to them."

You stared at him with wonder. "Then... what would it be like if I were to touch you, then?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Is this your of asking that you want to hold hands?"

"...No, I mean as an experiment."

He turned away, crossing his arms. "Then I see no reason for you to touch me."

You exclaimed, seeing him about to walk away. "Ah! Wait! I mean... Actually, I do want to hold hands with you."

Scaramouche glanced at you. "And?"

You then bowed slightly, offering your hand up to him. "I've never held hands with someone attractive before. Please take my first time."

He stayed silent for a while before snickering. "That looked quite pathetic. But... I'll give you a pass."

Instead of him taking your hand, he raised his arm a bit, gesturing it for you to take it.

Your eyes widen slightly but went over to him, your hands lightly holding his arm. He looks around, unbothered while you look down with a slight smile on your face.

He turns back down to you, noticing your smile. "You're having lewd thoughts right now, aren't you?"

You stared back at him with a blank expression. "Yeah. A hundred times lewder than what you're imagining."

He deadpanned at you before pushing your shoulder, though it was out of playfulness in which you giggled.

"But someone as hot and mature as you wouldn't be rattled by that, right?"

"Right."

Then he smirked with smugness making you raise an eyebrow. "A younger person having sexual fantasies about me..."

"Doesn't bother me at all." Suddenly, he took your waist and brought you closer to him making you gasp out of surprise with blush immediately present on your cheeks.

Someone walked by, stop and looked at you with confusion before walking away.

Scaramouche smirked while you comically sweatdropped. "Well, looks like I can still be seen."

"I can't wait to see your place, Scara."

"I'm not letting you in. I live alone."

"Eh?" You frowned slightly.

You two walked out of the market with you trailing behind him like usual, although you kind of wished you could've stayed holding his arm or him keeping his arm around your waist.

That would've been a dream you never want to wake up from.

"Besides, weren't we in a middle of a fight?" He furrowed his eyebrows at you.

"That's because you're not being honest with yourself." You stared back at him. "If you want to keep acting, what's stopping you?"

"I didn't ask for your opinion when you don't know anything."

"Oh, I do... It's all about that photo collection you released three years ago, wasn't it?"

He stopped, glancing over at you with a small glare but you continued anyway.

"You'd refused to pose in front of the cameras since you didn't want to feel comfortable with the clothing, but your manager, your mother, called them and agreed to it without your permission."

"..."

"That caused a huge rift between the two of you, and you went on a hiatus to get one up over your mom. But that's completely messed up."

"Shut up." He closed his eyes in annoyance while clenching his fists.

You muttered. "What's the point if you have to throw away your dreams too?"

"Shut up already!" He shouted at you with wide and angry eyes. "You have no idea how hard of a decision that was! I was still in middle school, y'know!? I didn't want to do it just by seeing the outfits in the studio! Because of that contract approved, I had to do it! I was dying inside while I was forcing a smile!"

"I realized that my mother never cared about anything other than making money out of me!"

He sniffled, wiping the small tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

You frowned at him. "That's all the more reason for you to go back to work."

"Why?"

"To clean the bad taste its left in your mouth. If you want to do it, don't hold back."

He was taken back but thought about the words spoken out of your mouth as you finished for him.

"Just do it. Deep down, you should know this yourself."

He sighed, looking away as if seemingly like he was considering it and was brought back to reality but then his eyes widen slight in realization before turning to you with suspision.

"Wait a minute, how exactly did you know the reason why I went on a hiatus?"

You flinched, blinking at him before laughing nervously and tried to slowly back away.

And he glared, stepping forward and pinched your cheek harshly, yelling. "Don't look away now!"

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Speak up! Who told you?"

"A-A news anchor from the Steambird, her name's Charlotte! Ow! Let go!"

"Oh, Charlotte? I've worked with her once before." He let go as he said with slight surprise. "But... how do you know her?"

"Ah, I've had the Steambird following upon my trail for a while before because some of it's members were writing about Adolescence Syndrome. I met Charlotte through that, and luckily she wasn't pressuring me for information at all."

He hummed before frowning. "...[Name], did you have to give something up in exchange for information about me?"

You stayed silent before sighing. "I... I gave up a photo."

"The Steambird's members always wanted to take a photo of my scars for their research on Adolescence Syndrome. So, I let Charlotte take it."

You remember that despite your reassuring words to Charlotte that it was now fine to you, she could tell you weren't comfortable at all, but your persistence made her reluctantly take a photo of you that the Steambird always wanted.

"Idiot!" Scaramouche shook your shoulders a bit, glaring down at you. "You'll have reporters and cameramen all hoarding around your home! They'll ambush and surround you! And your sister wouldn't be okay with it!"

You frowned at the mention of Qiqi and you looked away, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Do you have her number? Charlotte's?" He asked firmly.

You looked up at him, nodding. "I do."

"Give it to me."

You rummage through your pocket, giving him the small piece of paper.

He dials the number before bringing his phone up to his ear. You just silently watch him as he said to the other person on the line.

"Sorry for calling abruptly. It's Scaramouche Raiden, we worked together once before. Do you have time?"

Charlotte, through the other line, frowned confused. "Oh, so you do know [Name]. How do you know them?"

"They are my junior in my high school..." He sighed. "Listen, I'd like you to refrain from giving the photo to the Steambird and and let the photo be shown on TV."

"Huh? Oh, well, I... I wasn't planning on giving the photo to them anyway..."

"Oh, is that so? That's good. However, I'm not sure whether to trust you so in return, I'll show you some big scoop."

Your eyes widen slightly, trying to interfere. "W-Wait, Scara!"

"Shh!" He gave you a glare making you back up a bit before he continued. "...I'll be returning back to acting from my hiatus."

You stared at him in shock and Charlotte from the other line gasps at this.

Scaramouche quickly added. "However, I won't be rejoining my mother's agency. I'll be returning under a different label. I promise you exclusive access to this when that happens. And feel free to share this to the Steambird."

After that phone call, you two continued on your way however you could feel yourself having the slightest of guilt that you might have pressured Scaramouche back to acting all because of you.

"...I'm sorry." You muttered.

He glanced down at you. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I made you go back to showbiz."

"Hah? Idiot," He smirked as he continued on ahead. "I just realized you were right. I liked working on TV shows and movies and I always wanted to make that my career."

Although a bit surprise, you frowned with doubt. "You don't need to lie to comfort me, y'know."

"I'm not lying." He looked down, sighing with his hands in his pockets. "I've been lying to myself about that and maybe that's why I ended up having this Adolescence Syndrome or whatever."

"I came to see you tonight to let you know that. Of course, part of it was because I was hungry."

You stare at the back of his head before letting out a small smile of relief.

You both stayed silent for the rest of the walk until he stopped which you also did as well. He glanced at you. "We're here. This is where I live."

"Huh?" You gasped at the building and looking back and forth for confirmation. "You live right across the street from me?"

He snickered at your reaction, grabbing the grocery bag from you. "Sorry for yelling at you earlier and thank you for carrying my stuff."

Just as he was about to walk away from you, he looked back at you with a smirk. "Oh, right. Make time on Sunday. You're coming with me. Once I go back to work, I won't have time to go out and have fun. I'd like to go somewhere where I haven't been before."

Your eyes sparkled slightly. "Then is this..."

"It's not a date."

You pouted, whining slightly in disappointment. "Boo."

He chuckled, smiling. "I'll see you in the train station at 2:30 PM. I will leave if you're even a second late. So don't make me wait." Then he turned away, walking over to his own apartment complex.

You stare at him with a slight blush, thinking at how hot he sounded but also amused that he was making the call.

───────────────

MAY 25TH, 2014

───────────────

"Qiqi, I'll be heading out today." You said, grabbing and putting on your hoodie from the coat rack.

She looked up from playing with Xue with a soft and curious gaze. "Where are you going...? Do you have school?"

You chuckled, tying your shoelaces. "No, I'm heading out to see Scara."

"...Scara? Oh, the purple guy?"

"Mhm, that's him."

You grabbed your bag, slinging it over your shoulder, smiling. "I'll be back by night."

"Bye..." She waved slightly in which you waved back before closing the apartment door.

As you walk down the stairs, you were humming happily at the thought of this seemingly hangout be a date, despite Scaramouche denying it would be, but you didn't care.

Since you thought of this as your guys' first date, you decided to wear something that wasn't too basic but not too fancy either, just something casually you would wear a lot.

And you smirked at predicting you guys would at least hold hands because that'd be a dream come true to you.

However, your plans and predictions momentarily stopped when you hear loud wailings.

You turn to see the local park and notice a little girl, crying and all alone. You glance around, seeing no nearby adults and realizing that this kid might be lost.

You approached her carefully, kneeling down to match her height. "What's wrong?"

The kid stopped crying, looking up at you before crying again. "You're not mommy!"

You frowned, reassuring her whilst patting her hair. "Hey, hey, it's okay... Don't cry. I'll help you look for mommy."

She sniffled, wiping her tears with her sleeves. "Really?"

"Really." You smiled.

"DIE, YOU KIDNAPPER!"

Suddenly, you screamed and fell down on the ground on your back and your butt making the child gasp as someone came up and kicked your back hard.

You groaned, rubbing your back and looking behind to see the perpetrator being a girl with blonde hair with two of her locks that framed her face with her golden eyes.

She gritted her teeth, glaring before turning and shouting to the child. "Run while you still can!"

"H-Hold it!" You glared back, annoyed. "Who are you calling a kidnapper!?"

She put her arm in front of the child protectively, shouting. "Run, now! Run!"

"You've got it all wrong!" You pointed at the confused little girl. "That girl's lost! I was just trying to help look for her mother!"

"Eh?" The stranger turned down to the kid who nodded, confirming what you said. "Oh..."

"Ow, my back and my butt..." You muttered, rubbing it where it hurts.

The blonde hair girl laughed nervously, approaching you. "S-Sorry!"

You deadpanned at her. "I think my butt split into two."

"Oh no, that's terrible!" She then gasped. "Wait, it's always been split!"

You let out a snicker in which she groaned in frustration. "Jeez, fine! I get it!"

Unexpectedly, she turned her back against you and kneeled down, her back facing you. "Do it!"

You titled your head. "Huh?"

"Kick me and then we'll be even!"

"Uh, even?"

"Hurry up! I'm supposed to be meeting with a friend!"

"I'm supposed to be meeting with someone too."

"Then get a move on!"

You groaned, cringing. "Ugh, fine..."

With slight hesitation, you kicked the girl's back harshly the same force she gave to you which caused her to cry out in pain.

"OWW! Darn, that hurts!" She winced loudly with tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

With such bad timing, a cop that was patrolling the neighborhood around with a bike stopped and saw the scene of you both and the little girl.

He yelled out. "You there! What do you think you are doing?"

...

'Great.' You blinked, sweatdropping.

It took a while for you both to explain it well but you and this stranger managed to explain the situation which the cop found it completely odd and wild but seeing no one was hurt, he let you both go and decided to help the lost little kid find her mother instead.

You both walked out of the station with her groaning in annoyance. "God, what a disaster."

You furrowed your eyebrows at her. "You're one to talk. You made it longer than intended when you were on your phone."

She frowned, crossing her arms. "I've just gotten a lot of messages. If I hadn't replied quickly, they'd stop being my friends."

She gasped in realization, grabbing her phone once again. "Oh, right! I have to meet up with my friend!"

You also gasped by your own realization. "Shit, I'm late too. See you!"

You both nodded at each other and quickly ran off in different separates way.

Finally arriving late in the train station, you panted to catch your breath whilst looking around for any signs of him.

You sighed, frowning. "Of course he left."

All you can find is the train station working normally with people doing what they usually do in here and no signs of indigo-haired boy making you disappointed that he stayed true to his word and guilty for being at fault at being late.

If only it wasn't for that stranger.

"You've got some nerve, making me wait for an hour and thirty-eight minutes." That voice made you turn around to see Scaramouche walking up to you, crossing his arms with a look of irritation.

You stared up at him with wide eyes making him raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"Scara isn't the type of guy to wait for someone who is late." You pointed your finger at him accusingly. "You must be an imposter!"

He deadpanned. "I now understand very well how you see me, [Last Name]."

"That's not my name."

"[Last Name] is all you deserved to be called."

Despite being angry, you both still went on a train together in which you took time to explain what happened making him confused but accepting it.

"I get why you're late, I guess. But was that all that happened?"

"That's all."

"If I found out you're lying, I'll stick a pocky through your nose." He said, pulling out a small box of the said snack.

You glanced at him. "Just one?"

"One box." He opened it and grabbed one before taking a small bite from the chocolate dipped biscuit.

The way he ate it inside of his mouth and the ways his lips were slowly moving made it adorable to watch causing you to blush slightly at the sight with a smile.

He noticed your stare, furrowing his eyebrows. "What are you looking at? Are you being a pervert again?"

"No, you're just being cute."

He hummed, offering you the small box. "You want one?"

You nodded, taking one and bite it. "Mmm, I remember how good these are." You then turned back to him, grinning.

"Hey, can we play the pocky game?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"That'd be a terrible first kiss."

You sighed, leaning your back against the comfortable seats. You could just never make a smooth move on him.

He glances at you before muttering. "Say, why do you even care about me?"

"Eh?"

"People usually just stay away from someone troublesome like me."

"You don't have any friends because you have a personality like that."

Scaramouche stared at you, unamused. "Give me a straight answer. Why do you go out of your way to help me?"

You looked back at him with a determined gaze. "It's because this is my only chance I ever get to be with a hot guy."

"I never asked for your ulterior motives."

"You're the one who asked for a straight answer."

He deadpanned, bringing his hand up to slightly pinch your cheek. "Answer properly this time."

"Ow, okay." As he let go of your cheek with you rubbing it, you took a while before you finally answered him. "Because…. It sucks to not have anyone to lean on when you're in trouble."

His eyes widen slightly but stayed silent making you continue your sentence.

"When Qiqi developed her Adolescence Syndrome, nobody believed us."

Scaramouche then asked. "What about your parents?"

You hummed, looking down at your lap blankly. "We now live in separate different homes. My parents couldn't accept what happened to Qiqi."

"But there was this one person who heard me out. If I hadn't met them, I don't think I could've gotten through it."

You give him a small smile. "So, I want to be there for you like they were for me."

He looked down at you before frowning. "It was another boy, wasn't it?"

"Huh?"

As he said that, the train stopped completely at another train station which Scaramouche stood up, scoffing while walking out. "I'm getting off."

You quickly followed him out. "Huh? Where are you going?"

"It doesn't matter. You were late anyway and the sun's already going down."

"H-Hey, wait!"

After throwing your phone out in the ocean, you now just sat by the beach's shoreline, hugging your knees close to your chest as you felt so many mixed emotions inside from the recent events in your life because of Qiqi's Adolescence Syndrome.

Nobody would believe in you or her... not even your own parents. You were confused and terrified what to do now since you realized you were on your own to do things around now and handle everything to make sure you were taking care of Qiqi properly.

Even though you didn't like it, throwing your phone is one you absolutely needed to do.

You didn't notice until someone spoke up next to you and seeing that they sat beside you.

Sat beside you were a boy with beautiful short ash blonde hair and purple eyes that made your eyes widen in fascination.

He smiled, looking out to the ocean. "Did you know that the distance of the horizon seen from eye level is roughly around four kilometers?"

He then turned to you, giving you a soft smile. "My name is Lyney Snezhevich. What's your name?"

You stared at him, titling your head.

You and Scaramouche went to the same beach you met this mysterious person whilst you recalled that memory to him.

"We met when I was in my third year of middle school while he was in his second year of high school already." You said as you both walked down the stairs to the sand, following the indigo-haired boy. "He was wearing Hoyoshin High's uniform."

Scaramouche turned to you with a curious gaze. "Wait, did you apply to Hoyoshin High because of him?"

"Well, yeah."

"But you got rejected, huh?"

"No, I didn't ask him out. I never even saw him."

You both stopped as he turned to you confused which you then proceeded to explain. "There was no such student in Hoyoshin High. I went through the entire school roster, but I couldn't find him."

"But I'm positive I did meet a boy named Lyney Snezhevich." You mumbled. "And that his existence saved me."

Scaramouche then asked curiously. "Do you still like him?"

"I really liked him."

He crossed his arms, glaring. "I can't believe you're talking about how you like another boy while on a date."

"You asked! And now you finally admit this is a date? And I said I "liked" him! There's a difference." You deadpanned, sighing and didn't notice the way he didn't listen to you as he noticed something.

"There she is." He muttered making you confused, turning around.

You then see a woman older than you who had dark purple hair and sharp purple eyes, walking down on the beach. You raised an eyebrow. "Who is she?"

Scaramouche calmly pulled out his phone and showed you a message.

"To Manager: Meet me in Starsnatch Beach, 5PM Sunday"

"Manager?" You gasped, shocked. "Your mother!?"

As he put his phone back, he said to you. "I need to tell her I'm going back to showbiz, and that I'm signing with another agency."

"Will you be okay?" You frowned, turning to him with slight surprise mixed with concern.

"We can continue our date once I'm done, so wait for me." He said, waving you off and walking over to his mother.

The woman in question looked around before she noticed her own familiar son then walked over to him closer as well. The two stare at each other with firm gazes that are too similar.

You feel like they would start arguing in the middle of the beach, but you stood there, just wanting to offer Scaramouche some support.

As he grew closer, Scaramouche stopped in front of her...

...when instead of stopping in front of him, she only walked past him like he wasn't even there.

He let out a shaky breath, his eyes widening along with you who gasped with shock.

He abruptly turns to his mother who wasn't actually going over to him but rather you, who seems the be the only person in the beach waiting for her.

"Are you kidding me?" You muttered in disbelief.

She walked up, crossing her arms in front of you. "Were you the one who called me out here? Who are you? What do you want?"

Seeing Scaramouche's shock and confused face made you feel bad, but you turned your attention back to his mother, clearing your throat. "I'm [Name] [Last Name]. Scaramouche's Junior."

She raised an eyebrow. "Who's junior?"

"Scaramouche's."

"Who is that?" She muttered with a hard yet confused.

"What do you mean, "who"? Your own son!" You said, slightly raising his voice with irritation.

"What are you talking about? I don't have a son. Quit messing around."

"I'm not messing around! What about the text? About meeting here today…" You trailed off and she cut you off.

She pulled out her own phone, showing you the same message except... "You mean this? I couldn't figure out who the sender is since its blanked out."

"From _____: Meet me in Starsnatch Beach, 5PM Sunday"

You stare down at the message with disbelief and Scaramouche behind, watching this had an expression of hurt, realizing how badly his Adolescence Syndrome has gotten worse and taken affect.

"I remember making time to be here…" The woman said in slight confusion.

"What's all this about?"

"This can't be happening!" You yelled, making the woman look up in slight shock. "You're his mother! How could you forget your own son!?"

You were about to step up and shout at her more when Scaramouche ran over and pushed you back, shielding you from her. "That's enough."

"Why!? I'm not done with her-"

"Stop! Just drop it!" He yelled, pushing you back slightly as he gripped your shoulders; he only looks down and his voice had a hint of anger mixed with sadness to it.

"Enough with these pranks." His mother sighed, irritated. "I can't deal with this anymore." She said as she turned away and started walking back.

You frowned and looked up at Scaramouche with concern, noticing how much his body was shaking.

After that, you went around the train station nearby to ask people about "Scaramouche Raiden" and yet no one seemed to know who he was or knows he existed. The actor tagged alongside you, watching you desperately find someone who at least knows him still.

But no matter what, you always ended up with the same response: "Scaramouche Raiden? Who's that?"

This Adolescence Syndrome didn't just make Scaramouche invisible to people for everyone to not see him anymore, it's like he disappeared from everyone's memories, just like his mother's.

Scaramouche stared at you, hopelessly as you called Charlotte as a last result. You frowned, thinking. 'She must know. He called her the last time and made a deal to share about his return from his hiatus. Please.'

"...Scaramouche Raiden? Who's that?" Charlotte said, confused over the phone making you groan in frustration.

"How come you don't know him?"

"Seriously, [Name], who is that?"

"Hey, whatever happened to the photo? The one I offered to you to take a photo of with my scars?" You said, nervously.

She hummed, frowning. "Oh, you mean the deal? Don't worry about it. I told you back then I wasn't planning to show the photo anyway."

"The deal? What deal?"

"You called me before and begged me not to show the photo anymore. Did you not?"

After saying goodbye and realizing Charlotte also forgot about him, you ended the call and putting back the station's telephone.

"Thanks for today. See you."

You turned in shock as Scaramouche kept his head down as he walked away.

"Wait!" You grab his hand, tugging him back to you. "Let's go, Scara."

"...Go where?"

"If we go somewhere faraway, there might still be a chance and find people who know and can still see you! Let's go and make sure!"

He stayed silent before scoffing. "...We'll make sure... and then what?"

He turned to you, yelling with slight tears in his eyes. "How will it help to find out that nobody, but you can see or remember me!? Huh? What do you plan to do then!? That's right, nothing! You can't do anything! We can't fix this at all! There is just no point!"

You frowned silently as he panted in exhaustion from raising his voice.

You gripped his hand tighter, looking up at him.

"…If nothing else, the only thing I can do… is stay by your side the entire time."

The boy's eyes widen slightly, staring back down at you.

"...Why?"

"I don't want our date to end. Please, let me be with you."

Scaramouche stayed silent for a while before sighing, relaxing his demeanor and looking away. You are the only one he can rely on right now.

"Fine. If you're that sure, I don't mind continuing our date."

"Please leave a message after the beep."

"Qiqi, it's me."

"[Name]?"

"Hi. I'm sorry for saying this so suddenly but I won't be home tonight. I need to travel somewhere for reasons."

"Huh…? Why?"

"Do you remember Scaramouche Raiden, the boy at our place the other day?"

"Who...?"

"It's okay if you don't remember. I called the neighbors nearby. Please go to their apartment '405', okay? That way they can take care of you while I'm gone. I'll call again later."

You and Scaramouche went on a train to somewhere you actually don't really know at all. You only just followed Scaramouche's lead.

You two sat next to each other as the train moved to an unknown place. But you trusted Scaramouche's directions.

"Apparently, this city seems to be the most popular around the prefecture after the main city." He said, aimlessly on his phone.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" You muttered.

He quickly replied. "Sumeru. The train's location."

You hummed, just silently watching him looking out of the window, seeing the train moving and the night sky but most importantly his own reflection gazing back at him through the glass.

"Hey, [Name]." He frowned sadly. "Can you see me?"

You looked up and down at him before nodding. "Yeah, I see you."

"Can you hear my voice?"

"Loud and clear."

"Do you remember me?"

"Scaramouche Raiden. A third year attending Hoyoshin High. He debuted as a child actor and spent a lot of time in the spotlight. He's got a twisted personality and attractive looks."

"How am I twisted?" He raised an eyebrow at you.

"You act tough and angry, but deep down you know you're just worried. You just hide it very well."

Seeing him look down and ponder on your words, you then placed your hand on top of his.

That made him look up at you again, glaring. "I never said you could hold my hand."

"But I want to."

You both stared at each other, you with determination yet comfort and Scaramouche with softness and gratitude despite his nonchalant facial expression.

He sighed, turning his hand over. "Oh, fine. Just this one time." You smiled softly at the sight of your fingers clasping together, feeling the slight tightness from him.

He glanced down and sighed in amusement just by seeing your expression.

After finally arriving to the new city in a new prefecture, you both settled in on a hotel nearby. You only got a single bedroom since it was what you could only afford, but luckily Scaramouche easily snuck in here with you.

You opened the door, looking around and noticed just how small and cramped the entire room is. The bathroom was just next to the door and only a single bed and desk lays in the room. Even the TV is small and is on the desk at the corner.

You deadpanned. "Why is it so cramped?"

"What did you expect?" He raised an eyebrow.

"...It's even smaller than my own apartment."

He snickered, putting down his own stuff as he walked over. "I'm going to take a shower."

You gasped, turning back at him as he entered but he peeked his body over, glaring at you intensely. "You'd better not peep."

You nodded, standing up straight. "Don't worry, I can go a whole day with just the sound of the shower."

"That would still give you satisfaction." Scaramouche glared, pointing at the door. "How about you get out?"

"Wouldn't a mature senior actually want to be leaving me in despair just by letting me hear the sound?" You hummed, feigning your confusion.

"I clearly got that." He deadpanned. "But I don't want to hear moans from you when you do something weird by yourself."

"Something weird?" You titled your head.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I just better not smell anything disgusting when I finish and if I do, you better clean that shit. Bye." He said before closing and locking the bathroom door.

You blushed, staring at the closed door. 'He's so hot.'

Even though you had no hope that anyone could remember him, you still tried by using the telephone of the hotel room, using it to call up one of your friends.

"Hello?" A tired voice picked up from the other line.

"Hey, Kaeya. It's me." You said calmly, fiddling with the cord.

"Do you know what time it is?"

"1:16 AM?"

"Exactly. Why are you calling at such a time like this?"

"...Hmm, do you remember Raiden-senpai?"

"Huh? Obviously."

"Right, of course you would..." You gasped, suddenly realizing what he just said making you abruptly stand up in shock. "W-Wait a minute, you remember him!? Scaramouche Raiden?"

"Yeah, duh." Kaeya then smirked. "Why? Have you suddenly realized you've gotten over Lyney and now all over him?"

You sighed, ignoring his comment as you were confused by this information. Apparently, everyone but you and somehow Kaeya remembers Scaramouche.

"Hey, Kaeya? Do you mind giving me Albedo and Sucrose's numbers?"

A platinum blonde boy was still awake, doing some study in his desk when his phone dialed from an unknown number making him perk up and reluctantly answer it. "Who is this?"

"Albedo, it's me." You said.

"Hm, [Name]? Is this your apartment's phone number?"

"No, I'm not at home. Sorry that I'm calling in late."

"It's fine, I was just doing some schoolwork." He hummed. "Anyways, is something wrong?"

You frowned, conflicted. "I just want to confirm something. Do you remember Raiden-senpai?"

"Huh? Scaramouche? Of course."

"Got it. Thanks."

After confirming that Kaeya and Albedo still remembered Scaramouche, you then proceeded to call Sucrose and ask for help as she's your only hope to find some solution to this Adolescence Syndrome.

From the other side of the phone, you could feel her processing all of the information you just explained to her before she said. "...I see, so that's what the Adolescence Syndrome talk the other day was about."

You nodded, slowly becoming hopeful. "If you can, Sucrose, do you think you can figure out why this is happening and how to solve this?"

"I mean, I could try… but I'm not so sure if I can really discover a true solution to this. And since this is completely supernatural, it'll be hard for me to really figure out what's going on." She frowned.

"Please, I'm really desperate right now." You begged.

"...I'll try my best then. Will you be coming to school tomorrow?"

"Probably not in the morning. Why?"

"The cause might have something to do with the school itself. The students could still see Raiden-senpai, after all."

"Hmm, I see. I'll see you at school tomorrow, but I might be there only in the afternoon."

"That's completely fine with me. I'll tell what I think about it when we meet."

"Thank you so much, Sucrose."

Finally with a sigh of relief, you placed the telephone back down and leaning your back against the chair dramatically.

'What a day.' You frowned before gasping as you don't hear the sound of water anymore making you groan.

"Noooooo! He's already finished showering!!"

"I can hear you, y'know! You sound annoying right now."

"Please go back and take another one!"

"No."

After he showered, you both realized you both needed a few necessities for you both to be comfortable whilst staying in that hotel room so you both briefly went out.

Luckily, a convenient store was nearby, and you bought what you needed, and Scaramouche bought what he needed too.

You both went out with you following beside him to make your way back to the hotel.

"It's a strange feeling when you are in an unfamiliar town like this." He said randomly, causing you to turn to him, confused.

You asked. "Haven't you been to all kinds of places for work?"

"That was just me being taken there by others."

"I don't see a difference."

"It's even more strange when a younger junior of mine is walking by my side." He smirked down at you.

You grinned back. "Well, I never thought I'd come to a faraway town with the real Scaramouche Raiden, either."

"I hope you feel honored."

"I will remember this for the rest of my life. I'll never forget it."

"And what if you do?"

"I'll make sure to slap myself until I remember. And stick a pocky through my nose as punishment."

The lights were closed except for the small dim light from the lamp beside you. The bed was only for one single person and yet you both managed to lay down next to each other. Good thing this small hotel room had an air conditioning otherwise you wouldn't even sleep with being hot for the rest of the night.

"This is so cramped." Scaramouche muttered.

You turned to him. "What? Do you want me to get out?"

He looked down at you, frowning. "Talk about something, at least. I'm bored."

"You are asking a lot from me. Do you have fun at least by putting me on the spot?"

"Don't act like you also don't mess with me, either."

"There isn't someone out there who wouldn't enjoy being bullied by their hot senior."

"Is that a compliment?"

"No, a shower of praise."

He chuckled slightly before looking back up the ceiling in which you also did too. The silence was back again but you both didn't mind since it did not feel awkward at all, just comforting in a way.

...

"Hey, do you want a kiss?" His voice echoed beside you causing you to turn to him.

You stayed silent for a while, wondering before bluntly asking. "Are you horny, Scara?"

He gave you a stare that was full of amusement before shaking you off. "I would die than wanting you to be my first time, idiot." He then shuffled and turned his back against you, closing his eyes.

"I'll be sleeping now. Good night."

You look at the back of his head before looking back up at the dim ceiling, feeling bored but you closed your eyes for you to fall asleep.

"Hey, [Name]?"

"I thought we were sleeping already."

"What'll you do if I cried during midnight because I'm afraid that I would fade away?"

"Then I'd hug you and comfort you the best way I can."

He opened his eyes, peeking over at you. "Forget it. I change my mind."

"Why?" You pouted slightly.

"That will just give you the chance to feel me up." He sighed tiredly. "But I've already decided to go back to acting, I can't be disappearing."

"Right."

"I want to go back and be on TV shows and movies again, even theater plays too. And now that I've met an amazing junior, I'm finally having a reason to look forward to attending school again."

Your eyes widen slightly before smiling. "I feel like dying from happiness."

He smirked back at you. "Don't. Because you are the only one who remembers me. You aren't allowed to."

"I'll never forget you."

"Why are you so absolute?"

"So that we can kiss anytime, even if it doesn't have to be me. I'm sure you can do anything you want with ease; you'd be the type of person to initiate and handle everything."

"Sure, I'll take that. But now you lost your one and only chance to take my first kiss."

"You know, I would've done it if you'd mention that earlier."

He chuckled. "Too late now."

You smiled. "It's okay. I'll save our first kiss for a special moment when we date."

"You think you have a chance with me?"

"I know we will."

You both laughed quietly at your guys' banter then the room fell silent once again. Scaramouche then laid comfortable in a side position with his eyes closed.

You stare at him for a while, admiring his beauty. You were just about to close your own eyes when you hear him mutter.

"...Thank you for not giving up on me, [Name]."

You didn't say anything to that, giving him one last silent look before you closed and relaxed your eyes.

─ episode two: acknowledgement is everything

previous episode, masterlist, next episode

taglist: @solitary-traveler @shyentsmissingink @vi0let-writes @sl-vega

#scaramouche x reader #wanderer x reader #kunikuzushi x reader #genshin #genshin impact #scaramouche #kunikuzushi #wanderer #genshin x reader #scaramouche x y/n #wanderer x you #scaramouche x you #genshin impact x you #rascal does not dream of bunny girl senpai #bunny girl senpai

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frickinsleepdeprived · 2 years ago

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The hashiras with a burnt out s/o (or s/o in a depressive episode)

Dealing with a lot of heavy topics like imposter syndrome, survivors guilt, anxiety, depression, etc. One of these hashiras has implied smut in theirs so minors DNI with Giyuu's. Hope you all enjoy!

......

Muichiro:

He’s not used to seeing you like this, slumped over the table as your shaking hands held your head in a not-so-steady fashion. He’s not used to seeing you rock yourself as a means of comfort, not used to seeing you cry and break so easily. You’re one of the strongest people he knows, why are you this way now? He sighed, knowing that he’s the only person you need right now. “(y/n)... what’s wrong?” He asked plainly, that same voice bringing you back to reality and you looked at him. It shattered his heart to see your eyes, puffy and red from crying for god knows how long, which is something he hadn’t experienced in a long time. At least, not before he met you. “(y/n), you need to talk about this…”

“Why does it matter? It doesn’t change the fact that this burn out won’t go away…” you croaked out between sobs. He hummed in response, now understanding what’s wrong. So he helps you up from the table, bringing you to the couch where he wrapped you up in blankets. Quickly going to the kitchen he brought you back some water, which you downed in a heartbeat.

“Well, if it’s the case that you’re burnt out… I’ll do whatever I can to alleviate at least some of the pain. But only if you’ll let me…” He rubbed your back gently, trying his best to comfort you despite how awkward he felt. You leaned onto his shoulder, taking deep shaky breaths as you tried gaining your bearings back.

“That’s fine…” You muttered, feeling helpless as he pulled you into his embrace and planted a kiss on your temple. Closing your eyes you let more hot streams of tears fall, wanting to just run away but relishing in your boyfriend’s comforting touch.

“I know it can be hard, being a slayer and all. But we’re in this together, and I’ve got you every step of the way. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

…

Mitsuri:

It was definitely a surprise to Mitsuri when she saw you sitting by yourself in the garden when she got home. A blank expression on your face as you just stared at whatever was in front of you, not minding the wind that tousled your hair in all kinds of directions. “(y/n)? What’re you doing all by yourself out here?” concern laced your girlfriend’s voice as she sat next to you. You looked to the side, not even bothering to move the hair out of your face as the wind did it for you.

Ultimately you shrugged your shoulders, not really knowing what to say. “Well, maybe you can define what you’re feeling with a singular word? If you want to, that is…” She took your hand into her’s, not really knowing what to say. You just looked into her green eyes, trying to find some sort of comfort before you could bawl your eyes out.

“I.. I can’t define it. It’s just a mix of a bunch of things I guess…” You concluded, sighing as you went back to looking at the garden. She noticed that you weren’t in your slayer uniform, hell you weren’t even ready for the day at all. That’s when she knew something was definitely wrong, but she wasn’t going to pry because she knows it takes a while for you to open up. She pulled you into her side, allowing you to rest your head on her shoulder. Running her fingers through you hair, you finally broke into staggered sobs, allowing yourself for the first time in a while to just cry. It took her by surprise, she’s only seen you like this a handful of times. But everytime you got like this it was for a very valid reason.

“It’s alright (y/n), you’re going to be okay I promise. If you need the day off, say the word and I’ll deliver your message to the master. What matters most is your well being, and that will always be at the top of my list.”

…

Obanai:

The serpent hashira just got off of work, but he wasn’t able to find you in your shared home. So he wandered all over the place and forgot to check one vital spot, which was the bathroom.

So there he found you in the shower, with the water running on your clothed body as you sat there crying softly in the fetal position. Knees tucked to your chest, face buried in your arms. “Hey, you’ll get sick if you do that you know…” He mentioned casually, turning off the shower and grabbing you a towel from the closet. “More importantly, what’re you doing in here crying? I thought that was something you do in the comfort of your bedroom.” His comments didn’t really phase you this time, feeling all too numb to even want to argue with him. That’s when he knew that this wasn’t for attention, this was real.

He sighed, helping you up and out of the floor of the tub and getting you out of your soaked clothes and into some fresh ones. “Hey, seriously, what’s wrong? Or is it something more?” He asked, his heterochromic eyes looking into yours. You looked back at him, your eyes bloodshot worse than when you were angry. As he was towel drying your hair, you could do nothing but cry. You knew you could do this by yourself, you knew that you could clean yourself up and act as if nothing happened. But now that he saw you like this, it was the most humiliated and vulnerable you’ve felt in a long time.

“I should be stronger than this…” You muttered, but it was loud enough to let Obanai hear it, his expression softened. Sadness waved over him as if he had failed you. Failed to fully understand what you meant in this instance, failed to comfort you, failed to help you. “Like, I shouldn’t let the burnout get to me this easily, what the fuck is wrong with me?” you asked out loud, making him turn you around to look at him.

“Listen to me, and hear me now. Burnout is not something you get through alone, it’s not something to be taken with a grain of salt. I know you think you can do it on your own, and the only reason why I know is because I thought I could do it too. But the reality is (y/n), you’re not alone in this. Not anymore. So for once, let your stubborn ass let me help you. I’m not letting you go through this alone. Not anymore.”

…

Sanemi:

You threw around medical supplies as you sighed, trying your best to clean yourself up after a long battle. Sanemi was right by you, feeling the same anger you felt. It wasn’t affecting him as much as it was you though. “Stupid demons, stupid fucking sword, goddamn missions back to motherfucking back, I’m sick of this shit…” You closed the peroxide as you passed it over to your boyfriend with force. He finally had enough, he couldn’t stand to see you this angry anymore.

“Babe, what’s wrong? You’re usually never like this, at least, you’re never this angry.” He commented, earning a cold glare from you. “Easy killer, I get that you’re mad but cut the shit, what’s wrong?” He asked, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder, which was riddled with cuts and bruises. You sighed deeply, tilting your head back as you wrapped your forearm.

“It’s nothing honestly, just tired of dealing with this bullshit. Slaying demons, countless missions back to back…” you softly spoke as you felt tears well up in the corners of your eyes. It wasn’t every day you were like this, frankly you’ve never gotten to this point before. You’d usually take the burnout in stride, acting as if nothing was bothering you. But Sanemi could tell that something was wrong.

“Well if it’s really nothing, then why are you crying?” he asked, making you break a little. Your sobs grew a little louder, and your breathing became labored. “(y/n)?”

“I just… Why does it come down to us getting injured in order to finally catch a break? I don’t understand, Sanemi make me understand I don’t want to be alone in this please-” your boyfriend grabbed you by your arms. “Sanemi I can’t do this I don’t want to be this angry please I just need something anything to make me understand I can’t keep going like this-”

“(Y/N)! FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST LOOK AT ME!” He shouted

“WHAT?!” you retorted, fear in your eyes as you were afraid his hot headedness got to the best of him. His expression softened as he saw you tense up, holding your breath in anticipation of being hit or worse. All he could do was pull you in for a hug, allowing your body to go limp as he helped you sit on the floor. Holding you securely as he ran his fingers through your hair, assuring you no more harm will befall you.

“Shhhh, it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you, nothing will get you. I know you’re tired, I know you’re burnt out. But you can’t keep going like this, I feel awful for not recognizing it sooner, (y/n). I’m sorry, and I promise I’ll never let you get like this again. And if you do, I promise I’ll help you through it, no matter how long it takes.”

…

Gyomei:

He wasn’t really sure what to do as he heard your small, quiet sobs of what seemed to be agony. You were curled up in a ball, rocking yourself trying so hard to comfort yourself so he didn’t have to. It pained him a bit, he knew that you’d let him know what was wrong in a heartbeat. Why was this time so different? “(y/n)? Are you alright?” He asked, making you jump in surprise, tears still streaking down your face as you put on your best front.

“O-oh, yeah I’m okay. Just a little emotional right now is all…” You tried laughing it off, but he could see right through you, despite being blind.

“Nonsense, I can tell you’re bluffing… if you don’t want to tell me that’s okay. I’m more than willing to give you all the time and space you need. Unless you’d like for me to stay with you..” He said, sitting next to you on the floor and pulling you into his arms. You sighed as you melted into nothing but a puddle of pure, unbridled emotions. Crying harder than you were before, tugging on his haori as you buried your face in it to muffle your screams.

He felt bad, knowing that he couldn’t do much else other than wipe your tears and run his fingers through your hair. Trying his best to provide some sort of comfort, because you’ve never gotten to this point before. “Why is everything just so fucking difficult right now?” you wondered aloud, taking your face out from his chest so you could breathe and wipe away your tears. He sighed, holding you closer as he thought about it for a second. That’s when he realized that this wasn’t just an ordinary breakdown, this is burnout.

“Things may be hard now, but they won’t be hard forever. That’s the beauty of things like this, you get to see how they turn out. However, I won’t force you to talk about what’s wrong if you don’t want to. That would be counterintuitive, so for now, why don’t you just relax in my arms? I’ll pray for you if I have to, hopefully things will clear up for you, my love.”

…

Shinobu:

Holding your shaking form, she couldn’t help but wonder what the anxiety attack was all about. Your once bubbly, joyful, and carefree demeanor is gone and replaced with this. It’s not like you at all, and truth be told, she was scared.

“(y/n), you need to breathe, I can feel your pulse quickening…” she spoke tenderly, running her fingers through your hair as gently as she could. You tried your hardest to breathe but it just would not work, so she decided to take the alternate way and use pressure points to distract you.

“Ow! Shinobuuuuu!” you whined, looking up at her with teary eyes. She gave you a softened look, knowing that she had to hurt you a bit just to get you to come back to reality kinda broke her heart, but it had to be done.

“I’m sorry, but you had to calm down somehow. That was the gentlest way I knew how, other than administering medicine…” she admitted, feeling guilty about it. “But you need to talk about this, you can’t go about this alone in your state right now.” you groaned in annoyance.

“Why does it even matter anyways? It’s all the same routine; get out there on the field, slay the assigned demon or complete the task, hopefully not getting injured in the process, all to just get a message from your crow saying you have another mission. Or if you’re lucky you get to spend the night at home, and that’s if you make it there alive…” you sighed through that last bit, knowing that the looming doom you felt could very easily turn into a reality.

Shinobu couldn’t say that you’re wrong, because the vast majority of everything you said was true. After being a slayer for so long, she can relate to how you feel as far as the same old routine goes. All she can do now is just hopefully get through to you with some words of advice, at least, advice she hopes will help.

“I understand completely, the whole same thing every day. But one thing I can say for certain though is that you definitely need a break. I’ll put in a medical leave notice for you, you can take all the time you need to rest. But in the meantime, try to relax. I know it might be hard, but it’ll be worth it. I love you, and that won’t change, ever.”

…

Giyuu:

Giyuu just got home from probably his longest mission to date, only to find you missing from the house. “Huh, I guess (y/n)’s still out…” he thought to himself, slipping off his shoes and hanging his haori on a nearby rack. But as he got closer to the room, he saw the door was open, which was unusual because you never leave the door open, especially when you’re going out of the house.

Upon further inspection, he found you scrubbing the deck in your pajamas, which could only mean one of two things. One, you’re either pent up with emotion, or two, you got over being pent up said emotions and you’re trying to distract yourself. “Who’s there?” your voice cracked, sounding hoarse as you spoke.

“It’s just me, what’s going on?” he asked, taking off his slayer uniform and putting something else on in place of it. You put your sponge back in the bucket of hot water and started scrubbing the deck, not even bothering to answer his question. You more than likely didn’t hear him ask anything, as you would usually drown out the noises of anything that could distract you from your current distraction. “(y/n).” you popped your head up upon hearing your name, only to find that Giyuu was talking to you. He sighed, knowing that something’s on your mind but you won’t falter so easily. So as you went back to scrubbing, Giyuu took the bucket and set it elsewhere so you’d stop working and focus on him talking to you. “(y/n), you’re doing it again. What’s going on?” you thought about it for a second. You weren’t really sure why you were acting this way, frankly you didn’t even acknowledge it in the first place. “Are you stressed out about something?”

“Possibly, I can’t quite put my finger on it though…” you sighed, looking up to the moon, asking for an answer. “But what I do know is that I’m sick of getting back to back missions and running around all the time. Just hope I can catch a break…” you admitted, but Giyuu also knew that there was so much more to this than just stress.

“Anything else?-”

“Everything, it’s everything Giyuu, I can barely breathe nowadays it’s so overwhelming. I just don’t know how to handle these intrusive thoughts anymore they’re driving me crazy… is there something wrong with me?” you finally said it all, allowing real tears to spill down your cheeks. He kneeled next to you, his shirtless form shining in a divine way in the moonlight. Rubbing your back he pulled you into a gentle embrace, picking you up and carrying you to your shared bed. “Giyuu?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you, I promise, and if I have to prove it to you then so be it.” he places you on the bed gently, moving to hover over you.

“Giyuu what’re you doing?-” he cuts you off with a gentle kiss, making any stress or worry melt away.

“Relax, you’re not going to stress any more. Take it out on me, but do it gently. I’m willing to listen, to feel, and hear whatever it is that’s on your mind. But I need you to relax first…”

…

Rengoku:

Strong arms held you close as you just stared at the wall. You had been at this for about three hours now, basically since Rengoku got home from training. He offered you cuddles, which you gratefully accepted, but you couldn’t stop the intrusive thoughts from burnout that ran through your head.

“What if I really can’t do this anymore? What if this is all just a big misunderstanding of mine? What if I’m really not cut out to be a slayer after all? Was all my training for nothing? Why am I like this? What’s wrong with me? I should probably just leave the corps, it’ll be-”

“(y/n), are you alright?” Rengoku’s voice brought you back to reality. Blinking a couple of times you looked at him, a worried expression replacing his ever present smile. You didn’t realize you had broken into a sweat, and that your breathing became heavy.

“Oh, uh, yeah I’m fine. Why? What’s wrong?” you asked, acting oblivious to the fact that something was wrong with you, not him.

“You’re dazing out, this is the third time this week my love. What’s on your mind?” you knew you couldn’t lie to him. He could practically see right through you and there was just no use for it. Sighing as you leaned your head against his shoulder, you looked at him. Tears threatened to leak out of your eyes as he looked at you with concern. “Darling?”

“Am I cut out for this whole slayer thing? Like, what if this is all just a huge misunderstanding of mine and I’m not going to have the strength to fight at all?... Should I just leave the demon slayer corps altogether?” You blurted, not really knowing what you’re saying. Rengoku was shocked to say the least, he himself didn’t know what to say to that. But when words fail him, action never has. After pulling you into his lap he placed a gentle kiss on your forehead, wanting you to know that you’re so so appreciated.

“You know, I felt that way after joining the corps also. I felt as though I couldn’t replace my father as the next flame hashira. But look at me now, the hard work paid off. I know it seems like it can be hard my flame, being a slayer is no easy feat in itself. But with the right state of mind, and enough determination, you can do anything you set your mind to. So allow me to take those intrusive thoughts away from you. In the form of loving you and guiding you to a path that is better than the one those thoughts can lead you to. I love you my sunflower, never forget that.”

…

Tengen:

You had yet to even remotely crawl out of bed. It was around one in the afternoon and the wives were starting to get pretty worried about you. They knew this last mission took a toll on you, but they didn’t think it’d be this bad. “Lord Tengen, you have to do something about this. (y/n) hasn’t gotten out of bed yet.” Makio stated, crossing her arms as she looked up at her shared husband.

“I agree! (y/n) has been sleeping a lot lately, she could use a check in!” Suma chimed, with the same amount of worry in her voice as Makio’s. Hinatsuru only nodded in agreement, looking at Tengen with a worried expression. He had to admit, he was pretty worried about you too. Knowing what a long battle can do to a person if they let it, he had to stop this dead in it’s tracks. So he went upstairs to the bedroom, noticing that the door was open, so he just strolls on in, acting as if nothing was wrong so as not to scare you awake.

“(y/n), you need to get up. It’s already the afternoon you know…” Tengen spoke softly, stroking your hair as a means to wake you up.

“What’s the point? It’s not like it matters seeing another waking day, knowing I might die out there like you almost did in the entertainment district…” you sighed sleepily, turning to your husband who by now had a saddened expression. He laid on his side next to you, trying to provide what little comfort he could in your state. “What’s with the sad look?” You asked, scrunching your nose and eyebrows.

“You know I hate seeing you like this, right? So do the others…” he commented, rubbing your arm gently as you scooted closer to him. Ever since that night, you’ve been worrying yourself sick about what could possibly happen to you and the other wives. It was baffling to you how he even survived in the first place. If only you had been there to help him, maybe he wouldn’t be as injured as he is now. “Hey, don’t cry, I’ll be okay.”

“It’s not okay when I should’ve been there…” you croaked out between your sobs, wanting nothing more but to be left alone. But you knew Tengen was far too stubborn to be able to do that. You mean too much to him, and you couldn’t understand why. Tengen sighed, helping you sit up as he had you rest your head against his chest.

“You hear that?” he asked.

“Yeah…” you muttered, still crying from guilt.

“What does that tell you?” he inquired softly.

“You’re alive.” you finalized.

“Then that’s all that matters.” he concluded, making sure you understand his message.

“I just don’t understand how you can love me when I’m of such little use as a slayer. I couldn’t save you back there, I couldn’t do anything for the others. I just want to be able to change it all, you know?” you sighed. Laying down your pride to confront your emotions was something that you couldn’t take lightly. It was a major shot to your ego, and all Tengen could do was give you this final push:

“Look, we can’t change the past, we can’t predict the future. We can only affect this present moment now. So what I need you to do is get out of bed, and focus on getting better. Staying like this will only make it worse, and I love you too much to see you like this. Makio loves you, Suma loves you, Hinatsuru loves you, we all love you so much and there's nothing that can change that. So come on hot stuff, we have flashy things to do today.”

......

I might turn Giyuu's headcanon into an actual fic, so stay tuned ;)

Otherwise I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you want to see next!

#demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #kny #demon slayer headcanons #kny headcanons #kimetsu no yaiba headcanons #demon slayer x reader #demon slayer x y/n #demon slayer x you

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paracosm-writing · 1 year ago

Text

"𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕙𝕚𝕞"| Reiner Braun (ft. Eren Jaeger)

Previous Chapter

Pairing: Reiner Braun x Reader, hints of Eren Jaeger x Reader

Word Count:

Summary:

TW: kidnapping, hostage situation, angst, unhealthy power dynamics, toxic relationship, Stockholm syndrome, slight yandere! Reiner (?), canon divergent, time inconsistencies cause a girl just jumped right into season 4 without recapping earlier seasons and the manga

Once you’d received Eren’s letter, you stowed yourself in your bedroom and sobbed for hours. From relief that you were not forgotten, grief from all you’d suffered.

Then you’d slipped on one of the pretty blue dresses only Marleyans had the luxury of affording, slipped on your armband, and an uncomfortable pair of shoes, and strolled out your room.

Your nerves were shot when you found Reiner in your small, bare living room, dressed in uniform, a rifle tucked at his side.

He regarded you with apprehension, his breath taken away. It was both beautiful and unsettling to see you dressed in modern clothes. An uncanny sight, as if the pieces were beautiful but didn’t quite fit.

That’s what it was like; looking at you now.

And he averted his gaze, to not make you uncomfortable because even though he held you at night, you were both enemies again by sunrise.

Reiner had made peace with that, accepted it even. He'd gotten his final look anyway.

“Y/N, I want you to know, whatever happens, everything I did - down to the very end was to protect you,” he said, a firm with conviction, gazing at you for the last time. “I tried. It might not have been the right way. But I understand now who I should’ve been protecting you from.”

“What are you talking about?” You whispered with bated breath, and as you studied him, you remembered your promise to each other; ‘If you need me, I’ll know.’

You knew he needed you, although you couldn’t understand why. Still, your heart seemed to race as if to tell you, ‘Something is wrong.’

“The memories, Y/N,” he said. “I didn’t just see you and I together, I saw you dying. Over and over and over again. In different ways, different places, by different people. I had to protect you so I did what I thought was right.”

You couldn't breathe. "What you thought...was right?"

You waited for tears to fall, from frustration or an abomination of love you weren't sure. You were never sure what you were feeling when it came to Reiner anymore. Because he was loving you as he was hurting you because he was both your lover and your enemy, your husband and your captor.

But the tears wouldn't come, as if they were blocked by some hidden dam in your heart.

"You wouldn't," he looked down, hesitated, and then tried again. "You couldn't understand."

You waited for anger to rise in you, the familiar emotion that raged within you whenever Reiner spoke of things he just "couldn't explain." But all that was left was a haggardness that seemed to weigh on your shoulders, and you remembered how so, so tired you truly were.

"Reiner," you whispered. "I never asked you to save me. I never asked you to be my savior. Whatever would've happened, you were supposed to just let it happen, maybe it would've been better than this-"

"You died with Paradis," Reiner said solemnly then."When the world came for the island, all of you lost."

For a moment you were so speechless that not even a thought could formulate, your mind going completely blank and you blinked rapidly, and took a step back.

"I-I don't care," you managed hesitantly. "I would've gladly dedicated my heart-"

"Commander Erwin was willing to sacrifice you and your regiment every single chance he got-"

Your hands grew clammy, but still, slowly, you shook your head. "Captain Levi would've never let him sacrifice me even if I wanted to-"

"And Eren Jaeger would've killed you. Twice," Reiner finished, a dark look in his eyes of gold as if the thought of it enraged him.

If only you could see what he'd seen; Eren Jaeger failing his regiment, leading to your death countless times over, or the darkest memory of all, your mangled body and Eren's dismissive gaze as life literally seeped from your eyes.

How could Reiner not come to the conclusion that he needed to tear you away from Paradis?

But it had come at the cost of hurting you anyway. You were yet another reason he wanted to die, and yet there had once been a time when you were a reason he wanted to live. That maybe, just maybe, he could be a hero. If not to the world, then to you.

Now you were looking at him as if he himself had killed you. As if in saving your life, he had murdered you instead.

You took in all this information as if you'd been hit by a great force, grabbing the edge of a dining room chair for support, squeezing your eyes shut. You waited for tears, for sobs, but still, nothing came out. Though you could feel something inside of you.

You were glad because you were afraid that whatever came out, wouldn't be angry. It was as if with every day you spent in Marley, every night you spent in Reiner's arms, the fighting spirit inside of you ebbed away. Now it came in waves, and whenever you tried to latch on to it, it would fade away - no matter how much you wanted it to stay.

"I don't believe you," you said weakly. "You're-you're lying. You can't see anything, you're just saying this to me so I'll-"

You didn't realize you were crumpling to the floor until Reiner was falling down with you, just as you'd done for him the night before. Just as you'd both done for each other countless times after expeditions. You couldn't help but lean into him as if it were a natural instinct built into you and sob, disgusted at what a betrayal it was to your comrades, yet not wanting to let go.

Reiner's hands were in your hair, brushing back tendrils as he planted a kiss by your temple. He held there, eyes closed, taking in his last moment.

"The last thing I wanted to do was make you cry, princess," he whispered in your ear. "You're the only thing that's ever made any damn sense. Protecting you, it's what kept me moving forward, even when I didn't have a plan anymore," and then, for the first time since Marley, he spoke with complete peace, "And now I've gotta save you again, for the last time."

Something inside of you told he needed you then, 'for the last time,' but you couldn't answer it. You wouldn't. Even if he answered your call every single time, even when you never asked him to.

Because if you gave in, you would never go to meet Eren.

So you kept your eyes shut, even though your heart started to pang.

You felt him back away, kept your head down, as you waited for him to leave.

When the door closed, something tightened in your chest.

Yes, this would be the last time. Because you were going home. Yet why did home feel like it just walked out the door, with Reiner?

You wept.

You found Eren sitting on a bench in front of the hospital, bouncing a ball against the ground. He nearly looked like a stranger with his long hair and amputated leg, no doubt only restrained from growing back by the wrapping gauze around his stump.

For the longest, you just stared at him from the courtyard, the enemy-in-disguise seemingly unbeknownst to your hesitant stature.

He didn't look like the hard-headed boy you knew from your youth. When your father had died, and you used to roam Shigashina to get away from your stepfather, you'd found him reading one of Armin's books near the lake and dared to ask him about titans.

He'd excitedly told you about the outside world, about the freedom beyond the walls, and you had been hooked on giving your life for humanity ever since.

Back then, you would've done anything to get away from home. Even if that meant going out into the unknown, or childish as it was, having a knight come to rescue you like the fairytale books you read with your mother.

Now you had your wish, and you'd even found the knight you had been dreaming about too. The irony made your heart pang, even more so as you remembered the small moment in time where you almost believed that knight had been Eren of all people.

It had been a fleeting moment because then you joined the Survey Corps and met Reiner, and suddenly you couldn't imagine yourself with anyone else.

'Would things have been different if it had been Eren instead?' you wondered, immediately shut down by Reiner's words.

"Eren would've killed you. Twice."

If you had heard that five years ago, you would've respectfully told Reiner he had no idea what he was talking about. That maybe he was just jealous even.

But now, after spending a year in Marley, waiting for your comrades to rescue you without a sliver of hope, a part of you wondered if it was true.

If your comrades could just let you go so easily, did they really love you? Did Eren really love you if he was willing to lay your life down for his?

You shook the thought away. This was what Reiner wanted. He knew what he was doing. He wanted you to abandon all hope and settle into a life with him, right? Right?

Yet even after all Reiner had done, you still couldn't help but believe he only wanted the best for you. You knew him. You knew him. You knew him.

The thoughts that had haunted you for 365 days started to gain momentum, begging you to turn around. Back into the arms of your captor, to this foreign place, to the one person you could trust because Reiner was just protecting you and-

Eren's eyes snagged on yours as he looked up, catching his ball.

Your breath caught, searching wildly through his green eyes, for something. Something that told you he was safe because you didn't know who was. Not anymore. Not when you couldn't even trust the man you loved.

To your surprise, Eren smiled. Or at least it was the remnant of a smile, not fully blooming, almost as if he couldn't.

It didn't feel like Eren.

But nothing made sense to you anymore.

He waved his hand cupped over the ball.

You exhaled.

“I’m sorry we left you here for so long. I never wanted that for you, I never wanted you to suffer for me," Eren said.

You both sat side by side on the bench, reminiscent of the way you'd sat together as children, Armin's books sprawled on your laps.

“I didn’t suffer for you, Eren. It was for humanity - or, it was. “

“And now? - Now that you know what do you think it was all for? Do you think-do you think it was still worth it?”

“Yes...no...I don’t know.” - “Eren, I’ve been confused. So confused. I live with these people. I eat at their tables. I work in their stores. I’m married to one-“

“You mean Reiner?”

You nodded, a flurry of shame coming over you. As if he could see the nights you’d spent in Reiner’s arms as if all the hurt and betrayal and love was a gaping wound for all to see.

And Eren’s eyes narrowed, and he turned away from you. As if he were mad at the wall. As if he were mad at you for still indulging in a traitor.

“It was-“

“Did he hurt you?” He asked jarringly, eyes boring into yours.

Your heart skipped a beat, already beating so harshly that it pounded against the hollow of your throat. You didn’t want Eren to know, you didn’t want anyone to know, that you were no longer a righteous captive. That you’d done things, terrible things, to remember what love was supposed to feel like.

And yet you couldn’t say Reiner had hurt you. He’d been gentle with you, patient in your anger, the entire time you’d spent in Marley. Yes, he was your captor, but he was also your only comfort. The only familiar thing about your unfamiliar surroundings. Your only comrade in the midst of being forgotten by all the rest.

In fact, sitting beside Eren, you felt so much more distant from him now. As if he were a complete stranger.

A part of you so overwhelmed by the unfamiliarity you wanted to go home and throw yourself into Reiner’s arms.

“Y/N, did he hurt you?” Eren said again, even the way he said your name was so different. Devoid of joy, hardened and firm. Reiner never spoke like that, even when he’d yelled at you on the tree to accept your fate, it was never devoid of love for you.

Or maybe you couldn’t remember what real love sounded like anymore.

“He said he’s protecting me,” you admitted, staring down at your lap. You didn’t mean to sound small, but you always did. “He saw me, in his memories, and I was always dying, Eren. He said taking me here was the only way to protect me from...whatever he saw.”

You felt Eren’s eyes on you but you didn’t dare look at him, afraid of his judgement. Afraid of his sympathy.

“He never hurt me, Eren. As horrible as I’ve been to him, he looks out for me. If anything, it’s been me hurting him. Constantly reminding him of -but I just can’t forget,” the tears started to flow and you forced yourself to meet Eren’s eyes, still cold and devoid of life.

You grasped the hands of this unfamiliar man and bowed your head. And suddenly you understood what Reiner must feel. When the righteous becomes the sinner.

“Eren, I know you said he’s a monster but,” you gasped. “I still love him. I love him so much and I hate myself for it. I know I shouldn’t. He’s killed so many of our people, but I love him. “

The air was thick with deafening silence so you kept going, desperate, desperate for someone you could finally confess your sin to.

“I’ve tried to fight it, but I’ve given in. So many times. And I know you think he’s a monster, but I still want to beg you, with every part of my being, please don’t kill him,”

You sobbed into Eren’s hands, clinging to them, waiting for the anger of the fiery boy you once knew. You wanted him to judge you, deem you a sinner, and force you to let go of Reiner. Kidnap you, like the love of your life, had done so long ago and take you home.

Because you had lost your mind and couldn’t find your way back.

Some days you didn’t want to go back. You had seen too much. You had seen the world and you understood too much.

Was this what Reiner felt when he’d stepped foot in Paradis?

Eren regarded you with an empty stare, and only for a flicker of a second, could you have sworn his eyes were pained.

“I’m not here to kill Reiner,” he said. “I’ve come to the same revelation you’ve had here. What I said doesn’t matter, I didn’t know what I know now. What you’ve known before any of us.”

“It must’ve been hard for you to hate a monster when you know that monsters don’t exist. It was easier to pretend, wasn’t it?”

He offered a somber smile, only traces of the boy you remembered echoed in his face.

You sniffled, hung on the glimmer of his kindness, burdened under the weight of a cruel world you could hardly make sense of anymore.

Once upon a time, you thought the outside world would bring clarity, but you were lost now more than ever. And you were desperate, desperate for someone to provide an answer to the question that had weighed on your heart since you saw skyscrapers and cars and armbands and ships and Reiner, always Reiner-“What do we do now?”

He gave a small tsk then, slightly shaking his head. “Nothing’s changed, Y/N,” he said, still smiling that sad smile. “If we want to be free, we have to fight. But first you have to tell me: do you want to be free?”

His expression shifted, and you felt a bile in the back of your throat. The very thought that used to embolden you, just made you afraid now. Freedom? What did freedom even look like anymore?

Was it fighting in a war against the entire world? Or was it a stolen moment by the fire, talking to the boy you liked, blissfully unaware that your silly daydreams of marrying him would come true in the worst way possible? Was it running for the rest of your life as an enemy of humanity, watching your comrades die one by one? Or was it melting into the nooks and crannies of your husband’s arms, safe from the world, finally allowing yourself to accept the refuge those arms once were?

“I do,” you managed. “I do want to be free. “ But your throat was closing up and your voice was thick, because you didn’t know which freedom you wanted anymore.

And you loathed yourself for it.

Damn Reiner for the war you’d inherited from loving him.

As if his eyes had seen things the rest of him couldn’t sense. “Stay home and don’t go to the festival tomorrow. Someone will come for you.”

“They’re all here, aren’t they?” You murmured, your heart swelling with fear and anticipation. Your friends, they were all here.

“They’ve missed you, we’ve all missed you.” He said, but you missed the uncertainty in his instructions, buzzing at the thought of your comrades.

Your heart settled on their faces; Connie, Jean, Mikasa, Armin, and Levi, the man who’d taken you in as if you were his own daughter in that stoic way of his.

You’d missed them all. You’d believed they’d come for you, but with every passing week, you started to believe they didn’t miss you.

“Why?” You whispered. “Why did you guys have to leave me?” You didn’t mean to sound like a child, like the little girl who’d lost her mother, but you never failed to. Marley had peeled away all your layers, leaving you raw and frail.

Eren faltered, dropping his gaze, and for a moment it seemed he might cry. “Because, we thought it was a sacrifice for humanity’s last hope,” he said bitterly, angry even.

You didn’t know why you asked. In the fight in the trees, it had become apparent that they could only save one; you or Eren. The choice was obvious. You’d even begged them to leave you, even as you watched Levi battle with the realization for a fraction of a second, before Eren was torn from the Armored’s grasp.

You were at peace then.

Whatever happened, even if Reiner was lying and ended up killing you anyway, you laid your life down for humanity’s last hope and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

It didn’t hurt until you realized how wrong you all were. The pride and vanity of being a soldier had faded, and you suddenly had nothing to dedicate your heart to.

Except for one man.

“I’m sorry,” Eren said. “That it has to come to this.”

After leaving Eren at the psychiatric hospital, you walked the long trek to your doctor’s appointment, ruminating on all that was said.

The afternoon sun dipped low over the foreign country and you walked comfortably in your strange Marleyan heels past the vividly green park where Eldian children played. A rare luxury in Liberio.

Your Marleyan doctor regarded you with beady eyes, practically sneering at your Honorary Marleyan armband before she told you the flooring news.

The nausea you’d been feeling all week was in fact a pregnancy.

“How thrilled Mr. Braun will be to leave behind a legacy after his term.”

Meanwhile, Eren Jaeger tossed the baseball Zeke had sent him under the same sun.

He knew Reiner’s attempts to save you were all in vain.

Your death was inevitable, and not even Eren could change it. Though he’d tried and tried and tried.

But that was the difference between them. Reiner fought to protect those from fate, and Eren was the immovable force that would always stand in the way.

He reminded himself of those words:’Keep moving forward,’ even as he remembered you and felt sick to his stomach.

Your death was etched in his memories, and there was nothing he could do about it, but keep moving forward.

#reiner braun #reiner braun x reader #eren jeager #eren jeager x reader #eren jeager x you #reiner braun x you #aot #snk #attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin

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onceuponastory · 2 years ago

Text

twisted fantasy - max burnett x reader

“Your biggest fear has just come true, This maniac’s in love with you.” - This Maniac’s in Love With You by Alice Cooper

Plot: Looking for love, Y/N takes a chance on a date with Max...and instead finds herself in his twisted fantasy. Pairing: Max Burnett (Sharper!Max) x Female!Reader Warnings: 18+ Please, this is a dark fic. No minors. Mentions of kidnapping, drugging/drink spiking, stalking/obsessive behaviour, Stockholm Syndrome, dubious consent, force feeding, violence, injuries and nausea. As always, if I miss any triggers please let me know! Notes: Happy Sharper Day! This fic doesn’t contain any spoilers for the movie, I just wanted to make him dark and give my own interpretation on why he started hustling.

Thank you so much to @lunarbuck for both helping me with this idea and for beta reading it for me!

Pulling her jacket around her body for warmth, Y/N scrolls through her phone to keep herself occupied. Hopefully, her date shows up soon, and that it goes well… especially since it’s her first one in god knows how long.

At first, Y/N was fine with being on her own, not seeing the appeal of finding romance. Yet, as more and more time went on, her thoughts changed, and she craved the thought of having someone to call hers, and to share the rest of her life with. After all, being alone for such a long time whilst also being bombarded with your friends getting married, images of true love and talks of ‘Mr. Right’ can drive you crazy after a while. So, she braved the world of dating apps. Each day, she would scroll through endless pictures of men, not finding a spark or the person she wants to spend the rest of her life with. After a few months with no luck, she lost hope, deciding her true love didn’t exist. Or at least, not there.

But then, she saw Max. The second she saw his icy blue eyes staring back at her through her phone screen, Y/N fell head over heels for him, messaging him right away. Thankfully, he seemed to feel the same about her, given how quickly he messaged her back. And now, here she is, waiting outside a fancy restaurant for Max to show up for their date. A very fancy and expensive restaurant. Of course, Y/N is still willing to pay for her half of the meal, but the fact that this was the first place Max suggested already tells her he’s well off. Not that it matters too much to her, but she won’t deny that it’s definitely appealing.

When Max pulls up in a sleek BMW, Y/N’s suspicions are confirmed. “Hey, I’m sorry I’m late,” he sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. When she reassures him it’s fine, he shakes his head. “No. I hate to leave a pretty lady like you waiting.” Y/N giggles at his words, feeling heat settling on her cheeks and her heart rate picking up. What a charmer. And he’s even cuter in person. “Shall we head inside?” Max asks, opening the door for her.

Yet, as they sit down to eat, something strikes her as off. Despite Max’s pleasant conversation, and how he orders a bottle of her favourite wine for them to share, Y/N feels on edge. Even though she’s having fun, there’s a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. Almost as if it’s being twisted. Like something is wrong. The entire meal, she keeps her gaze on Max, studying him intently as she tries to figure out what the issue is. And each time, her mind turns up blank. “Is something the matter?” Max asks, pouring her another glass of wine.

“Not at all.” She lies, taking a drink in the hopes it pushes away her feelings of unease. Hopefully, it’s just first-date jitters.

Yet, as the bitter drink flows down her throat, Y/N’s stomach twinges again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After dinner, Max helps Y/N out to his car. The world seems to spin, and she stumbles a few times as she walks. Despite her clearly drunken state, her stomach still twists, and her mind knows that something still doesn’t feel right. She didn’t drink that much. There’s no way she could be this drunk. Something’s very wrong here.

“It’s okay. I’m here.” Max whispers, tightening his hold on her arm. He leads her to his car, helping her inside and strapping her in. Y/N leans back against the headrest, moaning softly. “Don’t worry, Y/N. I’ll take you home.” As she mumbles something in reply, he smirks, chuckling. “You’re really out of it, aren’t you?” Y/N glances up at Max. And then, something finally clicks in her mind.

“Wait. I got it. Don’t… don’t I know you from somewhere?” She asks, mumbling her words slightly. Max chuckles, leaning in closer.

“Well, we met on a dating app, remember?” The way he stares at her chills her blood. Like there’s something she doesn’t know, something sick hiding behind his smile. It’s as if he’s eyeing her up like she’s a piece of meat.

“No. Before that.” Y/N insists. “I knew you already, didn’t I?” The words tumble out of her mouth with little thought, and once they’re out in the open, the realisation slowly seeps through. Yes, she’s definitely met him before. She just can’t think where or when.

“Did you?” He smirks. Y/N’s brow furrows. She tries to push through the haze in her mind, but she’s just too drunk to even think straight. Y/N nods, her head suddenly feeling like it weighs a hundred pounds. “Clever girl.” He whispers. As her eyes begin to close and her head lulls to the side, Max grins. “I have big plans for you. Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon.”

And that’s the last thing Y/N hears.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As she slowly comes to, Y/N murmurs. Her head is pounding, and her ears are ringing. She opens her eyes, wincing at the sudden bright light in the room.

“You’re finally awake.” Max’s voice sounds. Y/N registers him running his finger down her jawline. Reflexively, she shudders at his touch. “Oh, it’s okay, Y/N. I won’t hurt you. Come on, open your eyes for me.” Slowly, Y/N’s eyes open. Max stares down at her, smirking. Y/N’s stomach twists again. “There you are.”

“What happened?” She tries to get up, but can’t. It’s only then that she realises she’s strapped to a chair. Gasping, she tries to move again, hoping this is some kind of sick joke, or her still-drunk brain causing her to hallucinate. When it doesn’t work, she begins to shake and cry as her mind and body go into panic stations. “Max, what’s going on?”

“Just calm down, Y/N. It’ll be okay.” He replies, scarily calm. Y/N feels her heart pounding against her chest, so quick and strong it could break through her skin.

“Max. Tell me what’s going on.” She repeats. Again, another scarily calm reply telling her to be calm follows. As the horrible reality sinks in, Y/N whimpers. “Oh god, I don’t want to die.”

“Hey, hey, shhh….” Max soothes. Y/N tries to ignore him, until: “Look at me.” He commands, his voice mesmerising. Y/N looks up, into his eyes. So blue and calm. Like the sea after a storm, the complete opposite of how he is now. Y/N almost laughs. After all, that was what originally attracted her to Max. His eyes. And now, she’s staring into them and begging for her life. “Nobody said anything about dying.”

“So why am I here, then?” Max stares at her once more. Then, he smirks.

“You really don’t remember me, do you?” Before she can even reply, Max continues. “I remember you, though. Everything about you.” Y/N runs through her memories, trying to piece them together. However, her confusion, combined with the drug and alcohol in her system, means that her mind continuously draws a blank.

“Y/N Y/L/N. Popular, a cheerleader… and a spoiled bitch.” Y/N gasps, fury flowing through her veins.

“How dare you say that about me?! You have no idea who I am.”

“Oh, but I do.” He snarks, coming closer, kneeling in front of her. “I’m Max. Max Burnett. Remember me?” There’s some familiarity to his name, yet she still can’t figure out just who he’s meant to be. Seeing he’s getting nowhere, Max frowns, rolling his eyes. “I used to sit behind you in all our English classes… and you still don’t remember me?”

And then it clicks. That Max. He’s definitely changed since the last time she saw him. In all honesty, he’s barely recognisable now. His arms and body are more toned, and he looks older, more mature. In all honesty, he looks better now, far more attractive for a start. But as she looks him over, there are little things that she notices that are still the same. A freckle here, a scar there. Is it really so hard to notice that it’s him?

Then again, though, it’s not like they were close friends, or friends at all back in high school. Y/N would be the first to admit that they were both part of different social circles back then. She stayed with the popular girls and cheerleaders, and Max was near the bottom of the social ladder with a few close friends compared to her many. Aside from the occasional glance at each other’s way in the hallways or discussion during classes, the pair barely interacted. Yet, she always greeted him with a smile and a hello, and never intentionally ignored him. He liked to keep himself to himself, whilst she didn’t. That’s all. So she has no idea where the hell he’s getting the idea that she’s a spoiled bitch from.

“Hi, Max. Yeah, I remember you.” She nods. Y/N wiggles her wrists, hoping that her recognition of Max is enough for her to be set free. Yet when he doesn’t move and just keeps staring at her, she frowns. “Max? What’s going on?” She asks, her voice quiet. “Why am I here? I said I remembered you, a-and I do, so can you take these off please?” Max simply scoffs.

“I can’t do that.”

“But why? I haven’t done anything to you!”

“Quiet.”

“Max, please just-”

“Quiet!” He shouts, the sudden change in volume making her jump. Y/N bites her lip hard to stop herself from yelling out in fear. As her entire body shakes, Max smiles. “Good girl.” Within an instant, he’s back to the eerily calm person he was before. Now, though, she knows the level of anger that he’s capable of. And seeing him standing there, staring down at her without another word, shakes her to the core. “Now, let me explain.” He speaks, finally. “I fell in love with you from the moment you first sat in front of me in class. You were so pretty and popular, especially in that little cheerleading skirt.” He bites his lip at that, and Y/N closes her mouth, trying to suppress her growing nausea. “And you always had a kind word to say to me, despite how different we were. You were everything I wanted, Y/N.” It’s then that Y/N notices something odd. Whenever Max talks about back then, about how much he loved her, there’s a small smile on his face. And his smile causes something inside her stomach to flutter.

“Our little chats in class each week meant the world to me, and I fell more and more in love with you as the years went by. I wanted to tell you how I felt right away, but I was too scared. So instead, I gradually worked up the courage to ask if you had a date to prom, and if you wanted to go with me, remember?” Immediately, Max’s smile falls, and his eyes narrow. “But you turned me down.” Y/N frowns.

“Because I was going with Owen.” She answers. Max rolls his eyes, groaning.

“Oh yes, Owen. The star quarterback of the football team. Mister Perfect.” He hisses. “He was an asshole who didn’t deserve someone like you. You deserved someone like me! Someone who wouldn’t demean you by talking to other girls like he would! I loved you! And I was willing to give you the world! More than he ever could!” He insists, his voice getting louder and angrier with each sentence. Y/N flinches away from him, not wanting to attract his ire. “But no. I wasn’t good enough, was I? Not popular, rich, or handsome enough for spoiled little Miss Y/N.”

“It’s not that Max, it was just I didn’t see you-” Y/N tries to explain, but Max cuts her off.

“What? Say it. Say it was because I wasn’t good enough for you. I wasn’t rich enough, or popular enough.” He spits, bitterness lacing his words.

“Because I didn’t like you in that way back then! I only saw you as a friend!” She argues. “Max, please just let me go. I promise I won’t say anything about this.” She whimpers, a few more tears slipping out.

“I can’t do that, Y/N. It’s okay though, I’m not mad at you. I was at first, but that was before I realised what you needed.” Smiling, he leans in closer. “I’ve been working hard on something for you. For us. And it’s going to make you want to stay.” Y/N furrows her brow, and Max begins to explain. “Since we graduated, I’ve become a bit of a hustler. Or maybe Robin Hood is a better term for it. I took money from those rich assholes who don’t deserve it. People who hurt those like me, at the bottom of the food chain, with no remorse. People who hurt good, caring souls like you, and don’t stick around to pick up the pieces. Now, I have more money than all of those assholes put together.” He grins proudly. And it’s all for you, my darling. I took it for you.” He bends down to her eye level.

Seeing she’s still crying, Max cups her cheek, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. His touch against her skin makes Y/N shiver, especially since she can’t back away from him. She’s powerless against him. “At first, I was just going to look for you on the streets of New York, so when I found you on that dating app, it was like a dream come true.” As he explains his sick obsession, and how he planned to stalk her, Y/N’s blood chills, and her stomach churns. In high school, she had no idea Max was so dangerous. Especially towards her. “We can finally be together, and I can give you anything you want. Everything you deserve will be yours. You can finally be happy. With me.” Y/N frowns, her blood beginning to boil.

“What, you think that kidnapping me and showing me all your money is going to change that and make me fall in love with you?!” she snaps. “I don’t want your money, Max! I never cared about anyone’s money! I’m not a fucking spoiled bitch. I just want to go home!” Max chuckles, shaking his head.

“I told you already. I can’t do that. You belong here with me. This is your home.”

“No, I don’t.” When Max still refuses to let her go, Y/N huffs angrily. “You know what, Max? Is it any wonder why I didn’t go out with you in high school? You’re a fucking depraved freak if you need to kidnap girls to get them to fall for you.”

“Stop it. Stop calling me that.” Max hisses. His fist noticeably twitches at her words, but Y/N continues. After seeing just how scary Max can be when he’s angry, she knows she’s playing with fire, but she doesn’t care. She’s just too scared and angry to even think about that right now. All she wants to do is to make him hurt.

“How dare you think that kidnapping me and flaunting your wealth at me will make me fall in love with you? I’m not yours to own!”

“Y/N….” Max warns, seething with rage. He stands up straighter, towering over her as if to show her just how out-powered she is, and to stop before she gets hurt.

And yet, Y/N still keeps going.

“Now, let me go.” Her demand is the final trigger. Suddenly, Max snaps, yelling out and slamming the table beside him angrily. The sound reverberates across the room, infiltrating every fibre of her body. Y/N yelps in fear, the sound causing her to jump in her seat.

“Look what you made me do. I hate getting so angry, especially at you.” Max huffs. He watches as Y/N shakes in fear, whimpering. “Being here will be good for you. You’ll learn soon enough.” He states, turning on his heel and leaving the room.

From that moment, Y/N is stuck with Max, trapped in his twisted fantasy. Some time after he storms off, he returns to untie her… whilst also making sure she knows to stay in her room. As he removes the ropes, his fingertips lightly brushing against her skin, Y/N’s heart rate picks up. The sensation confuses her, especially considering how easily he can switch back to the terrifying, angry state that she saw only hours ago. Warily, she watches him, waiting for him to snap or attack her.

Yet… she won’t deny that the sensation feels nice all the same. After all, there’s a reason she was so attracted to him in the first place.

“What are you looking at?” He chuckles, raising a brow.

“Nothing.” She states, moving her gaze away from him. Max sighs, getting up and running a hand through his dark strands.

“Y/N. Please trust me when I say that the last thing I want is to hurt you.” When he realises no reply from Y/N is coming, and just how frightened she is of him, his face falls. “I’ll bring you some food. You must be hungry.” He mutters.

Once he’s gone, Y/N looks around the room. It’s a lot bigger than she expected, with a big double bed, and closets filled to the brim with shoes, expensive clothes and makeup, worth more than she could ever afford. When Max said he wanted her to be comfortable, he wasn’t lying. And the room is actually really nice, considering the alternative. Yet, even a prisoner in a gilded cell is still a prisoner. And despite how nice the clothes are, the way she got here and why he’s holding her here still makes her stomach churn.

Y/N’s life soon fades into a routine, one limited to the confines of her bedroom, with Max coming in a few times a day to bring her food and water. At first, she tried to defy him, refusing to eat to fight back against the control he has over her life and its routine. That defiance worked a few times… until Max threatened to force the food down her throat so he could be sure she’s okay. As he keeps reminding her, the whole reason he brought her here was to protect and care for her in all aspects of her life. Since that threat, Y/N started eating again.

Max has joined her meal times since then, too. Yet, he never eats. He just watches, making sure she’s doing as she’s told. Sometimes, he tells stories about his various conquests as she eats, making sure she knows how lucky she is to be there, and how many gifts and riches he can give her. He does that a lot, acting like her anger and unease around him will fade, and that she’ll come around to him if given enough time. Yet, as time goes on, Y/N finds herself looking forward to Max’s visits. Being stuck in one place for god knows how long, unaware of what day or even what time it is, unable to do anything but read and sleep is so isolating. She feels like she’s losing her mind.

At least with Max, there’s routine, and a human connection, something she grows to crave. And so, slowly but surely, she starts to lower her guard around him, no longer reacting to his words with anger or fear. Because despite everything he’s done to her… she appreciates his company more than she’d like to admit.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

One night, one that feels like years away from when she first got here, Max tells her to join him for dinner. The tone of his voice tells her it’s best for her to attend.

“But I’ve never done that. We always eat separately.” She murmurs. Seeing her frown, Max chuckles.

“Well, I thought it’d be nice to have a change. Especially since you’ve been good recently. Consider it a treat.” He smiles. “Pick something nice to wear, and I’ll see you soon.” And then he’s gone.

So, Y/N does as he asks, not wanting to cause any further problems. She picks out an outfit, slipping into it with ease. The material is comfortable against her skin, and a welcome change. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, Y/N turns, looking over every inch of her body. She looks good. Max clearly has good taste. Or at least, knows her taste. For a moment, the thought makes her smile. How someone knows so much about her, and wants to make sure she has things she looks and feels good in.

“Yeah, it’s because he’s obsessed with you, and has been stalking you since high school.” The voice in her head cuts through the happy thought and Y/N shudders, all positive thoughts about this moment gone. Hopefully, this is over soon. Although… she can’t help but twirl once more in the mirror and apply a little bit of makeup.

If she has to dine with the devil, at least she’ll look good doing it.

Max arrives at her door some time later, dressed in a fancy suit. The first time she sees him, Y/N’s breath hitches a little in her throat. Max looks good. Handsome even. “You look incredible.” He grins, offering his arm to her like a true gentleman. Or at least, like the one he’s pretending to be. Slowly, she links her arm with his, suddenly very aware of the warmth of Max’s body. Being this close to Max whilst knowing what he’s capable of still causes an eerie feeling to settle in her stomach.

As he leads her down towards the dining room, Y/N looks around the house, at the castle holding her prisoner. It’s huge, filled with expensive paintings and furniture. She doesn’t even realise how much her eyes have widened or how her mouth has dropped open until Max chuckles from beside her. “You like it? I told you, the life of a hustler pays well.” He watches as she looks from room to room, gazing at her with a smile on his face. And the same thing in Y/N’s stomach flutters again, this time even more than before. But before she can dwell too much on it, they reach the dining room. Max leads her to her seat, and for a moment she waits for him to tie down her wrists. When he doesn’t, she frowns. “I told you. You’ve been good.” Max shrugs, pouring her a glass of wine.

When she stares at it warily, remembering what happened the last time she drank wine in front of him, he simply smiles once more. “Don’t worry. It’s perfectly safe.” She takes a few incredulous sips, waiting for the familiar bitter aftertaste that seemingly never comes. The wine is lovely actually, clearly from an expensive bottle. A steaming hot plate of food is soon placed in front of her, the smell making her moan happily. Quickly, she takes a bite, savouring the flavour as it dances across her tongue. This tastes better than any other meal he gave her, and it’s a welcome relief.

“Did you cook this?”

“Well… no. I thought that since tonight was an important night, I should hire a private chef to take care of us.” He answers, taking a bite and grinning back at her. His revelation surprises her, yet she likes it all the same. Nobody has ever done something like this for her before.He’s really pulling out all the stops to make her feel happy and comfortable.

As the meal continues, Y/N feels her worries around Max lessening and even finds herself smiling and laughing along with him. This dinner is nice, it’s safe. For a moment, she’s transported back to their first date, the one she thought would go so well, but turned into a nightmare. Now, though, it’s like they’re getting another chance. She watches Max as he speaks Italian with the Chef, laughing along with him and grinning widely. And Y/N realises she enjoys having another chance with him.

After dinner, Max walks her back to her room, still arm in arm. “You know, I had a great night tonight.”

“Me too. It was nice to get out of my room for a while.” Y/N agrees. Max seems surprised at her admission, yet grateful, happy that she’s finally feeling slightly comfortable around him.

“I do feel bad about leaving you in here again.” Max sighs, taking her hand and running his fingers along her knuckles.

“I don’t like it there, Max. I mean, the bed is comfortable and all, and I’m grateful for everything you’ve given me, but I feel like I’m going crazy being trapped in there. It’s just all been too much for me.” Her words make Max’s face fall, and guilt overtakes his features.

“I know, and I’m sorry. But I need you to stay there just a little longer. I want to make sure you’re okay and comfortable enough around me first.” Even though she appreciates his insistence of making sure she’s okay above all else, his refusal to just let her be free, just this once, causes her stomach to twist. Max notices the look on her face, and he sighs. “I’m sorry Y/N. This is how it has to be.” Before she can protest further, Max steps out, locking the door.

And then, Y/N is alone again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that night, Y/N lies in her bed, tossing and turning. Her brain shows her horrible images, ones of her trying to run, of doors that lead nowhere. When Max catches her, he stands over her with a knife, carving his name into her skin so she’d be his forever. She awakens with a jolt, crying out in fear. Panting, she grips her bedding, trying to ground herself. Yet it doesn’t work, and her heart continues to pound. She cuddles into herself, shaking as she begins to cry.

Within an instant, the door bursts open. Max stands in the doorway, illuminated by the minimal light in the doorway. “What happened?” He asks, coming closer to her. As he reaches out to her, Y/N flinches away from him. Max’s face falls. “Sweetheart, I need you to tell me what happened so I can help you. Did you have a nightmare?” She nods, sniffling.

“You scared me. Y-You hurt me in it.” She murmurs, her voice hoarse from all the screaming. Max sighs.

“Y/N, it was just a nightmare. I would never hurt you.” He promises. Noticing she’s still shaking, he takes her hand. At first, she flinches away once more, but when she realises that Max really doesn’t mean any harm, she lets him intertwine his fingers with her. “Just match my breathing, okay?” As she slowly calms her breathing, Max raises his free hand, pressing it against her forehead. “You’re all sweaty and burning up.” He sighs. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up. I’ll run you a bath.” She nods, and Max helps her up and out of the room.

As she leans into him, Y/N picks up on his heartbeat, the pounding rhythm soothing her and almost lulling her back to sleep. When they reach the bathroom, Max runs the water, filling the tub with bubbles. Y/N watches him, her body still shaking. Then he turns his attention back to her.

“Let’s get these pyjamas off. They’re drenched in sweat.” He sighs. As he peels them off of her body, Y/N stands there, her head bowed in shame.

“I’m sorry.” She murmurs, embarrassed to have made him frustrated.

“No, no sweetheart, it’s okay. I’m not mad.” He soothes, cupping her cheek. Y/N flinches at his touch once more, and Max sighs. “You got a big fright, didn’t you?” She nods. He presses a kiss to her forehead, and Y/N smiles slightly. “Let me fix it. Let me take care of you.” He whispers. When she’s fully undressed, the cold air chills her skin, and she can feel her nipples hardening. Yet, being so bare in front of Max, letting him see every inch of her naked, exposed body makes her feel like she’s on fire. Max’s eyes move lower, and Y/N feels the heat rising. Gently, he takes her hand, helping into the bath. The bubbles brush against her skin, and she leans back into the warm water.

Max rubs soap and lotion into her skin, delicately running his fingers along her skin as he does so. The sensation sends a shockwave throughout her body… but she likes it all the same. It’s nice to finally feel more comfortable around Max, to feel loved by him. He peppers kisses along her skin, and this time, Y/N doesn’t flinch away from him.

He’s here to take care of her.

To give her what she needs.

What she’s always needed.

Once the bath is over, Max hands her one of his shirts to put on. The material drapes over her body, almost like a dress. Although, it’s comforting, and the material feels good against her skin. “You look good.” He smirks. “Now it’s time for bed.”

“No. Please don’t make me go back there. I don’t want to be alone.” She begs, whimpering slightly.

“Shhh, shh. You’re not going back there.” He promises. He leads her out of the room, taking her down the hallway. As they walk, Y/N finds solace in his heartbeat once more. She inhales his scent, letting it permeate her entire being. She never noticed how nice he smells. So inviting, so alluring. She’s so consumed by Max’s scent that she doesn’t even notice that they’re in another room. Almost immediately, she can tell where she is.

Max’s room.

She climbs onto the bed, sinking into his mattress, feeling better almost immediately. As Max goes towards the door, she speaks once more:

“Please don’t go. I don’t want to be alone.” Max peers down at her.

“You want me to stay with you?” He asks. Y/N nods, and he chuckles, grinning like the cat that got the cream. “Of course I can.” He climbs in beside her, finding her hand in the darkness and intertwining his fingers with hers. As he looks down at her, his eyes tracing over her jawline, Y/N registers her heart beating ever so slightly faster, and she finds herself suddenly struck with a desire to reach out and touch Max. To run her fingers along his chest and through his hair. To pull him closer, wrap her arms around him, and kiss him deeply.

“No. This is wrong.” A voice in her head sounds.

But yet, something about it feels so right.

“You’re so beautiful.” He whispers. “I’m so lucky to have you here with me.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Y/N awakens in Max’s bed sometime later, already feeling much more rested than she ever had before. She rolls over, expecting Max to be there, yet only finding empty space. Her heart sinks with disappointment, and she sighs. For a moment, she sinks her nose into his pillow, inhaling the scent that makes her heart feel like it’s beating a million miles a minute. She stretches out, grabbing his bed sheets, intertwining the material through her fingers. She feels better, more comfortable, even sleeping through the night without having another nightmare.

And it’s all because Max was there beside her. Maybe he’s better for her than she thought. As that thought dawns on her, she registers her heart rate beating ever so slightly faster. But this time, she realises she loves being taken care of by Max. After so long being locked away like a prisoner, this brief glimpse of freedom, of care and of love, means so much to her. Hopefully, all her mornings from now on start like this.

Before she can think too much about it however, the door opens and Max appears, the sight making her smile.

“Afternoon, sleepyhead. I have something for you.” He grins, holding out a box. When she sees the lettering on the box in his hands, Y/N gasps. The box is from her favourite bakery. She only mentioned it in passing to Max one day in class, talking about how much she loved their desserts. Max passes the box over, and she opens it, seeing two eclairs.

“Max… you remembered.” She whispers.

“Y/N, I remember everything about you. And besides, I feel awful after the nightmare you had last night. You deserve something nice.” Quickly, she grabs one, taking a huge bite. As the sugar rushes through her blood, Y/N can’t stop a smile from spreading across her cheeks, one so wide it almost takes over her entire face. After spending so long locked away with no form of happiness, being given something like this is just what she needed. And the fact that Max gave it to her, that he cared enough to get her something that he remembered makes her happy after such a horrible night… makes her heart flutter once more. “That was incredible. Thank you.” At the sight of her smile, Max grins.

“You’re welcome. By the way, you have some….” Without another word, he reaches out, brushing some chocolate off her cheek. The sensation of his thumb brushing against her skin feels like her skin is on fire.

“Oh.”she murmurs, as all the blood in her body rushes to her cheeks. As Max looks down at her, his eyes tracing over her jawline…Y/N registers her heart beating ever so slightly faster. Without another word, Max leans in, pressing a kiss to her lips. His kiss sends another shockwave through her body. Hungrily, Y/N pulls Max closer to her, deepening the kiss as he slips his tongue inside her mouth. A moan escapes Y/N’s lips and Max chuckles, his laugh reverberating through her entire body. They fall backwards, Y/N sinking into the plush sheets of Max’s bed once more as he climbs on top of her.

“You’re beautiful.” He murmurs, removing his lips from hers. As he does, Y/N’s gaze moves upwards, and soon she’s staring into his icy blue eyes once more. The same pair of eyes she fell in love with so long ago. Her heart pounds, and she gasps for air.

She’s never felt more alive.

Her hands fly out, grabbing Max’s shirt and pulling him closer to her once more.

Maybe being here won’t be so bad after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Please follow @onceuponastory-library and turn notifications on to be notified when I next post.

#max burnett #max burnett x reader #sharper

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everlastingdreams · 2 hours ago

Text

The Weeping Monk x Fem!Reader : Forged Of Fire Chapter 4

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Story Summary: Raised under the tiranny of your own family, and forced to steal to earn your keep, you struggle to survive. Born from a Fey mother, and a Manblood father who wanted only sons, you are forced to hide your Fey side. When you are ordered to steal from Father Carden by your half-brother, Cassian, your life spirals out of control and you find yourself at the mercy of the Weeping Monk. The life you knew changes drastically when Cassian betrays you in the cruelest of ways. A trade is made, a promise is broken, and a debt must be paid.

Chapter Title: A Shared Secret.

Notes: Re-reading these first chapters makes me realize how deep this story truly grew.

Warnings: Angst. Hurt. Trauma bonding. Intrafamily violence. Depression. Self-harm. Suicidal thoughts. Violence. Torture. Gore. Pining. Trauma. Self-Flagellation. Manipulation. Strong Language. Blood. Misogyny. PTSD. Spicy and smut parts. Slight redemption arc. Lima/Stockholm syndrom-ish. Childhood trauma.

Other warnings: Jealousy. Forbidden Love. Romance. Slow-burn Found Familly-ish. Comfort. Fluff. !SMUT and SPICE!

Word count of this fic: +250K

Chapter: 4/47

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You had wiped the blood from your nose with your sleeve, the dull pain remained. You sat motionless on the wagon, wrists bound together, mind withdrawn inside itself and blocking out all else. There was not a person around who cared about what happened to you and now even Cassian considered you fully expendable. They brought you to their camp and the whole journey you could see Father Carden ride beside the Monk, they were conversing with each other. How could he have kept his Fey nature a secret for so long, or did they perhaps know? The sun had gone down by the time the wagon came to a halt at the camp, the Monk dismounted his horse and came to the wagon. He had beckoned for you to climb off, you had failed to notice it. One of the paladins had wanted to grab your arm, the unexpected action caused you to flinch.

“No.” The Monk told the paladin.

The paladin got off of the wagon and out of the Monk’s cross hair. The Monk beckoned for you again, this time you saw it and got down from the wagon. The one thing distracting you from the tormenting emptiness that was suffocating your mind was the fact that the Monk wasn’t dragging you along like Cassian had done. He did have a firm hold on your arm, but he wasn’t trying to intentionally bruise your skin. He brought you to Father Carden.

The priest spoke to him first, “She will reside in your tent. No one else can learn of what she is. No one. Do what I have asked of you, my son.”

“Yes, Father.” The Monk obeyed the order and led you away from the priest. He ordered two paladins to follow and made them wait outside his tent when he walked inside with you.

“You are to stay here,” he said, whilst tying another rope to the one around your wrists. Then he led you to one of the two poles in the midst of the tent and forced you to sit down against it. “Your fate is yet to be decided by Father. For now, do as you are told and you will not be harmed. Ignore my warning and suffer the consequences. Understood?”

You weren’t paying much attention, even looking off to the side as you nodded. He knelt down next to you, and it took you a while before you realized he was waiting for you to look at him. Your blank expression never changed as you faced him.

Eyes that were elsewhere. A look he had seen in those who had abandoned all hope.

The Monk looked down at his hands and laid out the terms, “You are not to wear clothes of the Church. Not these and not until you would earn them. You will be given others, and when I return I will ask you questions you need to answer. Think wisely.”

No response came from you. Everything felt so far away past the thick mist that had taken over your thoughts. He sensed that you were in no state to reply, he stood up and left the tent. You faintly heard him command the paladins to guard the tent while he was gone for a moment. It did not take long for him to return, in his hands he carried what looked like clothing, he put it down next to you. You slowly blinked, your mind started to return to the present.

“What is your name?” he asked his first question.

You told him without protest, “Y/n.”

The Monk folded his hands together behind his back. “You knew what I was, you could have told others. Have you?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

You didn’t bother to lie, there was no point to it anymore. “You would have killed me if I did tell someone.”

He was quiet for a moment, then said, “Tell me about Cassian.”

“He’s my brother.”

“Half-brother, yes?”

“Yes.” You nodded. “He is the son of my father and his first wife. My father married my mother after Cassian’s mother died. Mine died very shortly after she gave birth to me.”

The Monk was clearly trying to piece the puzzle that was you together. “Your half-brother is Manblood.”

You leaned your head back against the pole. “Yes. It was my mother who was Fey. Our father is Manblood.”

“Are there others like you still alive?” he asked.

You frowned a little. “I don’t know. You are the only one that I have met.”

The Monk stopped his questions and a heavy silence fell between you.

You broke it, “What’s going to happen to me?”

He was bluntly honest about it. “Father will need to know that you were worth letting the sellsword escape for.”

“I’m not.” It just fell out of your mouth.

He looked at you for the longest time, as if he were trying to see if it was a jest.

It was not.

“You are born of a Fey mother.” he said. “Are there any uncommon abilities you possess?”

“I try to ignore the Feyblood in me.” you told him. “You must know what that is like.”

Maybe he could relate to that, because he sure was not walking around announcing it to everyone either.

His tone grew cold right away. “I am not your people.”

It was said so condescendingly… your own voice did not change from the neutral tone it currently had. “No. You’re the monster keeping their children awake at night.”

The Monk directed his eyes away from you. He turned away without granting you one more look and left the tent.

~~~♡~~~♡~~~♧~~~♡~~~♡~~~

An hour must have passed before he returned to the tent. The air grew uncomfortable right away. Neither of you said a word to each other. The Monk took of the belts that held his weapons and placed them against the cot in the far corner of the tent. His eyes fell on the clothes that still laid untouched next to you, he must have forgotten all about them after storming out earlier.

The Monk sighed at the unavoidable obstacle. “I will remove your ropes just long enough for you to change your clothing. Do not try to attack me or escape, I will not be forgiving.”

Your thoughts cleared a little bit more. Did he expect you to change while he was in the tent with you?!? He came closer and started to loosen the ropes, when that was done he pulled you up to your feet and gestured to the clothes on the ground.

“No.” you breathed out.

There was a brief moment of irritation to be spotted in his eyes, until he appeared to understand what had caused the protest. He turned around, facing away. “Father ordered for those clothes to be taken away from you. Change out of them.”

Was it your imagination or did he sound uncomfortable? When he kept his attention away, you surrendered to the request. First you inspected the new clothes. It was a simple dress, nothing special. You kept looking at the Monk as you changed into the clothes, he never turned to look. The ring still hanged on a cord around your neck, you doubted it could buy your freedom here, so you hid it under the dress.

“Why am I to stay in your tent?” You rolled the sleeves down neatly.

“Father has told the paladins that you are Sky Folk.” Slowly he turned, eyes rising from the ground. “But you are a risk. If anyone else sees your markings-”

You blurted out your conclusion, interrupting him, “They would know that you are Fey too…”

That was why Father Carden only trusted the Monk to be in your presence, if the paladins saw your markings and how they resembled the Monk’s…

He stepped closer, not afraid to stand only one step away. “No one can know.”

“The paladins don’t know?” You frowned.

“They do not.” His eyes fell lower. “What do you have around your neck?”

By reflex you looked down, then realized he must have noticed the cord peeking out from under the dress. You reluctantly pulled it out from under it to show him. He recognized it instantly.

“No weapons?” he asked, probably realizing that you were never even inspected for them.

You shook your head. “No.”

Either he would search you for them, or trust your word. He was determining whether or not you were telling the truth, then he gave a nod.

The Monk began to circle you. “Do you have children?”

“None.” You wondered why he had so many questions.

“A spouse?”

“No.”

“Other family?”

“Only my father and Cassian.”

“Do you believe in the faith of the Fey, or the Church?”

“Neither. I think.”

His questions were sometimes tricky, you feared what a wrong answer could result into.

He took hold of your arm and brought you back to the pole, making you sit against it to tie you to it again. “If you must relieve yourself, warn me or my Brothers and you will be given the chance for it.”

That sure was embarrassing, but you doubted he hadn’t encountered worse. At least you wouldn’t have to ruin your clothes if your bladder ran full, but you doubted that would happen soon, you hadn’t drank a drop in almost a day. He had already walked towards the cot when you spoke up.

“Could I have some water?” It wasn’t like you to ask for a favor, but the dry throat was bothersome.

He looked at you, giving a shallow nod. He was at your side with a flask of water not much later, at least he was helping you drink because you would have died from thirst due to being bound to a pole.

“Thank you.” you said.

His brow quirked up somewhat, he stayed next to you for a moment, knelt down in silence. You could tell that he was thinking of saying something.

He finally did. “As you see, I am not held a prisoner here. This could be your future as well.” The comfort he tried to give was unexpected. “Grant us your cooperation and I shall make certain you will be treated well here.”

Why did it sound like an alluring offer? You looked away, feeling the guilt start to gnaw at your being deep down for wanting to belong somewhere.

“Think of it tonight.” The Monk must have seen the conflict in you.

You kept your eyes away from his, he stood up and walked to the cot.

He took his cloak off to sleep. “You were fortunate to not be influenced by the Fey. Your soul is at a crossroad and you have yet to decide what path you take.”

When he took off his surcoat, you shut your eyes.

“Tomorrow we shall see if there is a place for you here.”

~~~♡~~~♡~~~♤~~~♡~~~♡~~~

It was hard to fall asleep in such a strange place, and it was uncomfortable to do so while bound. Still, at dawn you woke up at the sound of the Monk picking up his weapons and putting the belts on again.

“We are heading into the forest today.” he said upon seeing you awake.

“Why?” You feared the answer.

He cloaked the reason in mystery. “I will tell you when we are there.”

The Monk freed you from the pole but kept your wrists bound in the rope, he used the excess of it to keep you near and within his sight. Together you walked out of the tent and he grabbed some things to eat from a table in the midst of the camp. Some bread, an apple… Once you were out of the camp he handed you the bread to eat. He just kept walking, never saying where you were going whilst entering the forest. You chewed the bread and your stomach was grateful for it. It took nearly an hour before he came to a halt. The bread was long since eaten.

“There are Fey in these woods. My brothers have captured two.” he said. “Find them.”

Your brows drew together. “What?”

The Monk turned to you. “Prove your usefulness to the mission and earn your place among us.”

“You want me to search this whole forest for them?” you asked incredulous.

He gave a suggestion, “Let your Fey heritage aid you in this task.”

How could that be helpful? “What do you mean?”

The Monk spoke with caution, “Can you not smell them?”

“What?” You stared at him. “Am I supposed to find them by their scent?”

He looked like it was exactly what he had anticipated. “Yes.”

This was ridiculous, you didn’t understand why he would think you had such an ability. “I can’t smell them. All I smell is leaves and grass!”

“You can’t?” He looked at you curiously.

“No.” you told him. “And even if I could, why would I lead you to them?”

Then he gave the motivation that was necessary, “Because I will free them from their bounds if you do.”

You weren’t keen on believing it. “Why would I trust your word on that?”

He fired back, “Would you prefer them to be cleansed?”

That sure made you hold your tongue.

“Find them.” he said again after a moment.

The chances of finding two Fey in these woods were slim, but if he insisted on wasting his own time on this as well… Fine.

You began to walk again, he held the other end of the rope firm in his hands. By using what little tracking skill you had picked up during your life, you still struggled severely to find any trace. Time was passing quickly and you were growing discouraged. If you didn’t find those Fey…

“I can smell them from here.” he suddenly said as he saw you struggle.

You had been kneeling on the ground to find tracks, your attention snapped to him. “What?”

“The scent of Fey kind. Have you never noticed it yourself?” He was still looking at you with curiosity.

“No. Can you really smell them?” You frowned and stood up from the ground.

He gave a nod. “Your Fey scent is so faint I did not know at first that it was there, not until I noticed it at the abbey.”

It must be because you were only a half-blooded Fey, or because you had grown weaker lately. Maybe the day spend at the abbey with a proper meal had made your scent stronger again. Still, it was a surprise that the Monk possessed this ability, was it the Ash Folk-blood in him?

“You thought I could smell it too?” you realized.

Another nod.

“I can’t!” It felt so terribly unfair that you were expected to find the Fey without the advantage he thought you had.

“Stop.” He had taken hold of your arm. “Concentrate on your senses.”

Guilt over being unable to save the Fey was taking over. “I can’t do this! I’m not like you.”

He turned you around, back facing him, his hands on your upper arms. “You cannot know this until you try.”

Those haunting whispers sounded almost delighted in your ears, it greatly confused you as to why that was.

The Monk held on to your arms and used a gentler tone. “Concentrate.”

You closed your eyes and tried, it wasn’t simple to ignore his presence to focus on the scents around you. It took a while, and then it happened. A vague strange scent that prickled deep inside your nose, your head turned in it’s direction by instinct. Your eyes opened and you could see in those of the Monk that he knew you had noticed the scent. You began to walk again, letting your nose lead you to the origin of it. Suddenly the scent was harder to detect.

“The wind has changed it’s course.” The Monk said when he saw you struggle.

Left without the scent to follow, you searched the ground for tracks again and this time found a bunch of them. You followed the tracks and hoped they would lead you to the Fey. And then you saw them, gagged and bound, their eyes were covered by a blindfold. You wanted to hurry over to them but the rope between you and the Monk tightened as he did not budge.

“You promised you were going to let them free!” You pulled at the rope.

He reeled you in with the rope, drawing you closer until he could grab your bound wrists. “On one more condition.”

You glared at him for adding another requirement, snapping at him, “What?”

He made certain that the terms were clear. “I will let them live, now and every time I encounter them, in exchange for your loyalty to the mission.”

You were stunned by it, and worried.

“They can live their life and you will be given another one. A fair trade.” he reasoned.

“I don’t want to kill Fey…” you uttered.

The Monk pondered on it for a blink. “I am certain that Father will see your value as a tracker alone. The paladins will handle the rest.”

You were quiet for quite some time.

He was persuasive. “A meal every day, a place to sleep, the help of others. All these things will be yours. You will not be expected to fulfill a task right away, there are still matters that need to be taught to you.”

“No…” you barely dared to say it.

The Monk was disappointed, tone turning cold, “Some more time to think will aid you in this decision.”

Suddenly he began to walk and pulled you along, he stopped next to the bound Feys and drew his sword.

You panicked. “No! Please don’t hurt them!”

He ignored you and cut loose their ropes, they moved the blindfolds down from their eyes so they could see.

“Run.” he told them.

They scrambled to their feet and bolted away from the threat. You stared at the Monk.

“They will be fortunate if I do not cross paths with them in the future.” he said coolly, then pulled at the rope to make you follow as he walked away.

Minutes of silence passed. It felt highly uncomfortable and you didn’t know what your future held now that you had refused to aid the mission.

You tried to distract yourself from worrying by asking him a question, “How did you end up with the paladins?”

He answered without stopping. “I’ve been with them all my life.”

That was odd. “Were your parents of the Church then?”

“No.” Was the short answer he gave.

It had gotten you curious. “Then how can you have been with them all your life?”

He reeled the rope in a little more, making you walk closer to him. “Father chose me when I was just a boy, not yet six years of age.”

The priest had chosen a young child years ago, to turn the boy into a weapon against his own kind? It was shocking. “He chose you? What happened to your family?”

“Gone.” he said.

“Gone where- …oh.” You wished you could take it back. There had been a hope in you to learn that more of the Ash Folk were still alive, but if the priest did not even spare the parents of the child he took from them…

“I’m sorry, I -”

He ignored the apology. “You are the first Ash Folk I have seen since that day. As far as I know, there are no others left.”

“And that is why Father Carden has shown an interest in me?” you asked.

“Yes.”

Now that he was willing to answer questions, you fired them off one after the other. “Because he saw how good your work is, and hopes that another of the Ash Folk will be just as efficient?”

There was a short pause before he answered with a nod. Then he asked a question of his own, “How come your brother did not know of your Feyblood? Or was that another lie?”

You shrugged your shoulders. “You saw what happened once he knew.”

The Monk had reeled the rope in so much that you had to walk next to him. “Your nose was bleeding when he brought you to us.”

Your voice quietened, “He hit me when I tried to pull free from him.”

“He is quite a coward, for a sellsword.” it slipped from his thoughts.

You went silent for a bit, the betrayal was still so raw. The paladin camp came into sight again. “I wonder if my father knows where I am now.”

The Monk actually scoffed, then looked at you incredulous, “Are you saying the sellsword would lie to his father about what he has done?”

Your shoulder shrugged again.

“Do not concern yourself over him anymore. You are under my charge as long as Father commands it.” he told.

“Like property.” It came out coolly.

He saw it differently. “As one valuable enough not to harm.”

You didn’t believe that, not one bit, not when the world had taught you otherwise. “I am only valuable if I serve the Church, if I serve you. Don’t tell me it’s not true, I know it is. If I had not been of the Ash Folk you would have killed me just like you killed Bertram and Ava.”

He heard that hidden anger present in you and stopped before he’d get too close to the camp. “Who?”

“How many have you killed who’s name you don’t even know?” You frowned heavily.

The Monk tried to speak, but was interrupted by you.

Your voice lifted, “The Fey who were with me and Cassian that night. You murdered them!”

“They were thieves.” he sounded not even a little remorseful.

“So was I!” you snapped. “But you kept me alive because I happened to smell like Manblood! And they didn’t deserve to die just because they stole something! You and your paladins lay waste to whole Fey villages and then ransack what’s left of it! You’re worse than any thief I’ve ever met!”

Your fury turned to fear instantly when he grabbed you by the throat. His hold was firm but not painful, you still feared to move.

His voice got lower. “They were Fey. They needed to be cleansed for their souls to be allowed to enter God’s garden.”

“Who says they even wanted to enter it at all?” you asked viciously. “Does telling yourself these lies help you sleep at night?”

Was he truly so blind to the wrongs he and the Church were committing all across the lands? Something flashed through his eyes, until they spotted the two paladins approaching him.

“Sir?” one of them called out.

The Monk grabbed you by the arm and pulled you along, he practically shoved you into their hands. “Bring her to my tent!”

“Yes… s-s- Sir.” The other stammered in visible fear.

The Monk stormed off, leaving you in the hands of his Brothers.

Taglist:

@ourlazydetectivekitten @the-great-adventures-of-me @linkpk88 @fxrchxldws @elenaoftheturks @slytherlight @beananacake @crystallizedtime @moonlightaura03 @angrygardendeer @have-aheart @5am-cigarette @arcanenature @thewinterskywalker @notyourwildestdream @coloursforyourportrait @koressecretidentity @nike90 @n1ghtlux @rachlovesactors @luckyzipperscissorsbat @morena-doing-stuff @the-fangirl-diaries @gipsydanger17 @heavenly1927 @phantasmalbeiing @labyrinthonmymind @asarcastic-thiamstan @rainyv-skies @kissingandromeda @stclairesplace @katjusja @isla-bell-blog @beebeerockknot @sahvlren @lancedoncrimsonwings

Please let me know if you want to be added or removed from the taglist of this story. Using this old list from the previous fic.

#weeping monk x reader #weeping monk #cursed netflix #lancelot x reader #weeping monk x you #the weeping monk #cursed lancelot #the weeping monk x reader #lancelot #cursed weeping monk #lancelot reader #reader x lancelot #netflix cursed #arthurian legend #arthurian retelling #daniel sharman fanfic #daniel sharman character #daniel sharman

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