#puppetgear

[coconigiri]

puppetgear 𓂃 niko ෆ wanderer

the terrace surrounding the sanctuary of surasthana sits at the highest point of sumeru city, nestled safely within a dense thicket of adhigama trees. it’s more often than not that NIKO [wheelchair-bound, enigmatic, twilight-born] finds himself seeking moments of reprieve up here on his own — solitude from this racing world and a heart full of hectic melancholy. tonight, though, new year’s eve; nearing the date of his birth, niko is not alone beneath the moon pallor. he entertains the company of WANDERER [eternal, sharp-tongued, fragile], his lover of few months, and former rival of many more. 

the two sit by the terrace’s edge, sharing in the silence between them that has grown out of being tense and into something more warm… but still, a bit stiff. they watch the stars twinkle down at them as if to tease and poke at the rope of awkwardness pulled taut between them, they watch the passersby on streets below squealing and laughing and rushing to get a good view of new years fireworks, they watch each other out of their periphery: 

niko nervously adjusting his gloves and twisting at the knobs of his meka leg, fumbling around with too much energy and nowhere to put it. 

wanderer and his pose so casual, aloof, resting his chin upon his palm and heaving a sigh, as if this is the last place he wants to be. at least, this is what he tries to convince himself of. tries, and utterly fails.

NIKO: [faintly, breaking the ice] thank you… for being here with me. for my birthday… and for new year’s eve. it’s, um… nice.

wanderer pinches his brows in annoyance, but it is rather a pretence for how endearing he finds niko like this. nervous and anxious. to trust wanderer enough to be all soul and vulnerability in front of him.

WANDERER: nice? [biting his tongue, exhaling forcefully through his nose, keeping to his resolution of trying to avoid mincing his words around niko] sure, it’s nothing.

niko doubles down and shifts uncomfortably in his seat. he too bites his tongue, uncharacteristic as he swallows down the crass names he’s used to addressing his former rival by.

NIKO: i just, well… i mean it’s nice being here… with you… like, you’re nice…

wanderer spares niko a quick glance, caught off guard by the sincerity of his response. for but a moment, his eyes soften, his heart aches, but he is quick to mask it with his usual bravado.

WANDERER: you already said nice two times. no wonder you’re not in the haravatat darshan.

silence settles between them again, a fragile kind of silence full of unspoken desires. niko swallows hard, and turns his wheelchair to face wanderer. he inhales deeply, flexing his fingers along his armrest, his pulse rushing to his head and dizzying him.

NIKO: [steeling himself] okay. wanderer?

WANDERER: [skeptical] what is it now?

NIKO: [continuing, struggling for words and breath] i… can i—

WANDERER: what — you’re gonna confess your undying love for me again or something?

niko sputters upon hearing wanderer’s teasing words, sounding out a garbled, confused whimper in response. he can wade in grief, he’s used to pools of it, but this… love… it’s almost unbearable, even after months of it with wanderer. he thinks it’s something he’ll never fully get used to.

NIKO: [grimacing to mask his embarrassment] ew, no! i, um… [exhaling softly, voice turning gentle] it’s just…

the look he gives wanderer is almost pained — brows knit, and stars melted in his eyes. longing and yearning that cuts wanderer deep, through centuries past. it’s a silent plea of sorts, he can tell. niko’s bad head with wanderer’s bad heart. together, though, they have something worthwhile. something worth saving.

WANDERER: [growing flustered under niko’s soft gaze] c-cut it out. don’t look at me like that, it’s weird.

NIKO: [quickly, in a single breath] have you… have you had your first kiss yet?

wanderer blinks, eyes blown wide in confusion. he opens his mouth to speak, but the words get lost somewhere between his heart and his lips for a brief moment. WANDERER: [mumbling almost bashfully] even if i did, it’s none of your business.

the words fly through one of niko’s ears and right out the other as he braces himself for what he’s worked up the courage for for months — turning his head from wanderer ever so slightly, and reaching a trembling hand out to hold his slightly larger one in his grasp. niko thumbs at wanderer’s puppet joints, a habit the latter had come to notice as something the former does when afraid.

NIKO: [straining, voice shaky with anxious jitters] can— may i kiss you?

WANDERER: [gritting his teeth and fisting his free hand in an attempt to soothe the fast quiver of his heart] how are you planning on kissing me if you’re facing the other way? dumbass.

NIKO: [reflexively] i-i’m not the dumbass, you are!

wanderer watches with amusement at niko’s weak outburst — the slight pout of his lips, the glaze in his eyes that almost makes him look like he’s tearing up, the sweaty feel of his palm beneath his own.

niko squeezes his eyes shut impossibly tight and leans forward, slowly, tentatively, his other hand gripping the edge of his wheelchair for leverage. each centimetre feels like a kilometre, and if he thinks too hard about it, he’s almost certain his lungs will give out on him. he folds his fear into a perfect flower and presents it freely to wanderer — in the palm of his hand, the purse of his lips as he leans closer, closer. wanderer watches niko, his characteristic sharpness softening into something unreadable. his hold on niko’s hand tightens even without him realising it.

WANDERER: for archon’s sake. [muttering to himself beneath his breath] you’re seriously going to make me wait all night?

before niko has the chance to open his eyes and retreat back into his shell, wanderer leans forward with no hesitancy, closing the gap between them. his hand is gentle as it cradles niko’s cheek, and the latter finds himself giving his heart in soft surrender at the loving gesture.

it begins as a slow kiss, full of unspoken promises and apologies between two individuals of love and slaughter. It feels to wanderer almost as if niko is pouring himself into him when he begins to grow a bit desperate, softly moaning and getting greedy with his lips, and in this moment, he makes sure that he will never let a drop of him hit the ground.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICK AND NIKO !! thank you for giving a certain 🍙 nonnie permission to write ppgear’s first kiss heh .. :’’ @puppetgearing i hope this was okay and the details are correct 🥺 i took some liberties with the setting and making their first kiss on niko’s birthday, but if you wanted me to switch things around to make it more lore accurate i’d be moooore than excited to do so !!! this is only a piece of the revenge for that pfp you so graciously gifted me ): more coming your way !! i heart you !!! happy birthday & a happy new year to youuu !! 🎉✨💝🎂

[humblebeeowo]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @puppetgearing! I hope its a absolutely wonderful birthday and full of love and wonder! Mwah mwah!

He shuddered in place, being the first to stop in his tracks after the mission they’d just been on. A weird feeling flooded over him.

He had been careless. Of all the damn times to get hurt, it had been with him of all people.

His wheelchair moved forward slightly as Wanderer had stopped to look at him. “Problem? We don’t have the time to stop as Im sure you’re aware.” He said in a very condescending tone. His normal self, honestly. Niko had gotten distracted by the same man before. And a bullet grazed him, making him bleed. And he’d covered it up, thinking it a lesser offense than what it was. That man’s laughter… How stupid of him to have lost himself to that., Niko thought.

Niko’s eyes narrowed and he was about to retort when he hit a rock with his chair and his vision blurred. His head buzzed with a deep ringing as he suddenly slumped forward, and his world went dark. He could hear muffled, screaming, crying out his name.

As Niko suddenly slumped forward, Wanderer’s first thought was that of course he was just messing with him. But when he didn’t immediately sit back up, his eyes grew wide in horror. “HEY! Don’t mess with me! What the hell are you doing? Oi! Niko! Can’t you hear me? I said get up! Damnit!”

As Niko’s world grew dark, he could feel arms around him, lifting him from the chair, and wind beneath him.

Wanderer could feel the blood soaking through to his own shirt, and panic threatened to steal him. But he remained as calm as his mind allowed and flew to the closest person he knew could help. Nahida.

He could hear her gasp as he entered the room. “Oh dear. Put him down here."She gestured to a couch nearby. " And please, tell me what happened. How did this happen?”

Wanderer looked lost as he sat Niko down. His thoughts were a cluster. He didn't hear Nahida's words.

“ Is he going to be Okay? Is he gonna die? Is it gonna be my fault?” the words fell from his lips like vomit.

Nahida looked up at him as she worked over Niko's body, having already removed his top half of clothing to better see his wound.

Wanderer stared down at Niko's body, his eyes caught on the wound.

And he realized then that he was shaking slightly. And anger replaced his worry. “You don’t get to die now, idiot. Not from a bullet!!! Not before I tell you-“ He trailed off, and growled as Nahida looked up at him.

“No... He won't die. It luckily isn’t a deep wound. He has lost a lot of blood, but he will be fine. I’m contacting Tighnari now. You don’t have to worry, he will be Okay. But I think you also should get seen. This was a traumatic experience.” She looked at him with gentle eyes and he grimaced at her worry.

“Fine. I’ll talk to someone later. But not now. I wanna be here…. I just don’t wanna walk away from him...” He’s important to me. I love him. Scattered and unsaid words. But he wouldn’t say them. Not now. Maybe one day. But today, he would just sit silently and watch over him. Just for today, he would care. Just… for today.

[unriding]

evie. ❤︎ twenty. ♑︎ she / her. enfp-t. a reader insert writer, though this blog also functions as a personal / selfship diary. fond of that cute & precious crow-coded guard that lurks amongst the shadows! (⸝⸝> ᴗ•⸝⸝)

directory ⸝⸝ writing tag ⸝⸝ recs — you must be eighteen+ in order to interact. guidelines located under directory! please peek at it to make sure you’ll be nice & comfy here! thank you sm (•̀ᴗ•́ )و

multifandom with both sfw & nsfw. mainly features hsr, wbk, & bllk, but may occasionally write for others to keep everyone on their toes!

current wips. working on 🎁 inbox raiding ( 19 left ) along with ( 1 ) honkai star rail fluff prompt. also clearing my bookmarks!

2024 © unriding. do not repost onto any other platforms, translate, plagiarize, or steal any of my work. please do not feed any work to ai.

[puppetgearing]

idk if theyre better as a couple or a comedy duo

[grimmweepers]

✦ 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 ✦ 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ✦ 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐬! ✦ 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 ✦ 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

༒𝐑𝐘𝐔༒ 25, she/her, multifandom, dc friendly, not spoiler-free, sukuna apologist, obsessed with a feeble scholar, nami’s pathetic wife, monster lover, serial post deleter 18+ only. MDNI.

✦ 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬: [♡] [♡] [♡] [♡]

networks: @pixelcafe-network @houseofsolisoccasum @nereidsrealm

✦ 𝐫𝐲𝐮𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 ✦ 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 ✦ 𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 ✦ 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ✦ 𝐰𝐢𝐩𝐬!

this blog smells like smoky oud, black pepper, damp earth and ancient books.

[z3vie]

evie. twenty. capricorn. this is just a side under an entirely separate main ( meaning it is not connected to my main : unriding ), and is intended to only be a place to host events & such !!

you do not have to follow since i will be logged out after posting. i will be over at @unriding until the next event (•̀ᴗ•́ )و

most recent event here — COMPLETED JANUARY 9

[vxnus-seraph]

PUPPETGEAR — wanderer x niko !

wanderer : stubborn, headstrong, and proud, the wanderer would tell you he never puts time into things he doesn't care about. but, when asked why he spends so much time with niko, his bristling gives him away. surely, it's reasonable to assess your rivals, isn't it?

niko // @puppetgearing : native to fontaine, niko first comes upon the wanderer amidst sumeru's oppressive heat when his robot companion's malfunction leads to a fight in the market. from that moment on, no matter how they may deny it, it's clear that there's more to their relationship than meets the eye.

💬 about the ship

tropes: rivals to friends to lovers, tsundere x tsundere, trauma bonding, slow burn

aesthetics: steampunk, clockwork, shadows (greens, browns, blacks), conflict and vulnerability (poetry, puzzles, etc.)

ship status: main ship

💿 voicelines ↷ [ about : the person closest to their heart ]

wanderer : niko? what introduction does the strangest yet best twist in your life need? i.. usually avoid such verbal openness, but had niko not been there, i wonder what ruin i must have led myself into.

niko : oh! well he's as brooding as he is mischievous, and even when he's not in the mood to play around, the tension between us is enough to create sparks. while i am extremely fond of him, i certainly wonder what i look like from his eyes.

[cubtales]

XIXI BELOVED !!!!! im so so glad youre here again :[[[[ i was so sad when i couldnt find argenti's lovely rose, im so glad you're back 🥺🥺

NICKKK ! ! ( ๑o̴̶̷᷄﹏o̴̶̷̥᷅๑)ノ" banging my head against a wall bcs how could i make you sad ? ! this is a crime equivalent to treason.. hand cuff me. (ᵒ̴̶̷̥́-ᵒ̴̶̷̣̥̀)

[unriding]

hi evie !! how have you been ? :33 i hope you dont mind me borrowing you and moze for something ehehe <3

[puppetgearing]

kitties...

[candycandy00]

Requests for full fanfics are closed indefinitely! Choose Your Own Price Commissions are currently open! See info about commissioning me here.

This blog contains adult content! Please do not follow me or interact with my blog if you are under 18! This blog also contains occasional Dark Content!

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Art commissioned from @puppetgearing!

[tahchin]

a couple of self insert gift doodles for the holidays ✌️ hope these are alright!! [ @luvdisease @puppetgearing ]

[greyrain23]

@puppetgearing ~ he worked hard today..!

Reference here !

[vxnus-seraph]

REGISTERED ID a list of our registered members and their registered ids. members may register more ids if they'd like, but no more than 4.

@nessluvs // id ✔ @milk-violet // id ✔ @puppetgearing // id ✔ @circeappxteer // id ✔ id ✔

@soleillunne // id ✔ @ventismuse // id ✔ @arahea // id ✔ @pranabefall // id ✔

@abyssmal-skies // id ✔ id @afterdarkwithkaeya // id @sakuraidomain // id

[unriding]

“you’re hurt?!”

“i’m not hurt.”

“you are hurt — here … and … and here too!?”

“hmph. this is nothing.”

there’s a brief moment of silence, then a low huff from him as his gaze shifts to the floor instead. “fine. ill be more careful next time. i promise.”

comm from 🎊 @puppetgearing

[puppetgearing]

[ MINORS AND AGELESS DNI ! ]

[ NICK ; HE/THEY ; JAN 1ST ; XXI ]

Even the part that you considered ugly to you is beautiful to me, because it's still you, in the end.

》 TAGS:

[ tag: puppetgear ] ship tag ♡ it's where i go absolutely insane about genshin's pinocchio and my transformer self insert

[ oc: niko ] about my beloved oc/self insert ! his reference can be founded here <3

[ nikocore ] anything that reminds me of niko !

[ .txt | .rant ] general rambling, i ramble wayy too much

[ .misc ] generally silly things, usually i just post random pics

[ .vent ] vent tag, do block it if you don't want to hear me vent !

》 BOUNDARIES

✧ ; PLEASE TAG POSTS WITH SELF HARMS, SUICIDE AND CSA !!

✧ ; DOUBLES DNI !! i am a non share yumedanshi so please block me if we ship with the same character ! no hard feelings !!

✧ ; DO NOT tag me in art or writing that is nsfw or suggestive involving my favs, I am very very uncomfortable with this. (However, I don't mind if you ask nsfw questions about my ship !)

✧ ; DO NOT talk or mention about cc x cc ships with my fav around me.

> ✧ ; Add to the above rule, DO NOT follow or interact with me if you have any main cc x cc ships with wanderer/scara (nothing against you or the ship, this is for comfort ^^;)

✧ ; NON MUTUALS please don't use nicknames or petnames for me ! MUTUALS feel free to do so ! just no romantic ones like babe/sweetheart/darling (platonic like like honey/sweetie/pookie are fine) !

✧ ; Use the tag #nickdontlook if you have moots that are doubles, this is for filtering purposes ^^ (ofc its not required !! as long as you have a tag i can filter its fine !)

》 NOTE

PLEASE DON'T SPAM LIKES !! 2-3 posts are fine but i don't want my notifications to be flooded !!

i'm slow sometimes.... it might took a while to get what you mean. i'm also shy so im sorry if i dont respond to you ask/reply quickly </3

i generally don't have a strict dni list; i block, mute and avoid for my own comfort.

galaxy divider by cafekitsune ♡