#pyro has a story to tell

[macabre-discotheque]

Like Neighbors Do!

Hello!! For a little while I've been working on probably my first multi-chapter story! (In a hot minute anyway lmao) Thanks to my friend @ouchyspine for beta-reading this and giving me feedback, and thanks to the people I know for supporting me through this!

As much as I'd love to put the two chapters right here, these two chapters add up to a little over 5k words! Not much compared to other people but that's quite a bit for me! So have some cover art I made for these!

CHAPTER 1: Greet Your Neighbors!

CHAPTER 2: Won't You Share This Pie With Me?

[jessamine-rose]

𓇢𓆸 Withering Purpurbloom ࿐

Read my Yandere! Capitano fics first ૮ ྀི◞ ⸝⸝ ◟ ྀིა

Aahh hello, Capitano nation……how are all of you?? At first, I had no plans to write an angst fic about his “death” in 5.3, but I kept getting ideas for Damsel! Darling’s reaction </3

With that in mind, I figured I’d write just one story where his death is final. This is only an alternate timeline in the Herbarium series, and I hope you all cry enjoy this tragic ending to CapiDamsel’s dark fairytale .°(ಗдಗ。)°.

Tw:: YANDERE, Stockholm Syndrome, blood, offscreen death, implied self-harm, mention of abuse from darling’s backstory

Note:: Fem reader who is smaller and weaker than Capitano, takes place after 5.3 story

♡ 4.8k words under the cut ♡

On the day of your husband’s death, you were preserving flowers.

Just the common flora that grew around your home. It was a frigid day in Snezhnaya, and your morning stroll had been bountiful. As you pressed each flower between the pages of your notebook, you thought of the Captain miles away in Natlan.

His last letter was written before his battle with the Pyro Archon. The words of his past self had brought tears to your eyes, though you made no mention of that in your response.

How is he? What has happened in the days since he sent his letter? Has he read yours?

You added the last flower and closed your notebook.

All of the flowers were for him, to be enclosed in your next letter—assuming that his mission had to be extended. Your gift would make for a nice reminder of Snezhnaya.

Of you.

The flowers were still fresh on the night of the messenger’s arrival.

✿ ⚘

You don’t believe it.

This must be a joke. Another betrayal, even.

As usual, your guard speaks to him first. But when they come inside, the messenger’s hands are empty of letters and parcels. You are asked to take a seat on the sofa.

The messenger repeats what he told Cyane.

“The Captain has departed from this world.”

No.

You stare at him, eyes wide.

Despite his mask, his sorrow is evident. He doesn’t stop there, rambling about battles and souls and a god who presides over death.

Capitano…someone like him wouldn’t go down without a fight.

There is the sound of glass shattering—are the servants listening in? Cyane stands next to the messenger, a grim expression on their face.

He won’t stop talking.

Why is he saying that your husband sacrificed himself? That death is the end he had been trying to reach all along?

No, no, no. He wouldn’t do such a thing. Not when he has you. Not when he knows that you’re here, waiting for him to come home.

Your vision blurs.

The room closes in on you.

The messenger’s mouth is still moving, but you can no longer tell what he is saying. There is a different noise—your own voice?

But what makes you think you are more important?

“My lady!” Cyane rushes to your side but you slap their hand away.

Dizzily, you stand up. You rush past them, out of the living room, through the front door.

You have to leave.

How long has it been since your husband’s sacrifice?

Which direction is Natlan?

The sky is dark.

There are no flowers in sight.

But there are traces of the messenger’s footprints, leading the way out of the woods.

In your haste, you trip and fall into the snow.

Cold. It’s so cold.

Hands wrap around your upper arms. That is when you panic and struggle in the grasp of your unknown assailant, fear overriding all of your thoughts.

“Don’t touch me!”

“My lady?” It’s one of the Fatuus who guards the estate. Private Herkyna tries to help you up but you flinch nonetheless.

Cyane runs outside. “Unhand her! Lady ______ is not to be—have you forgotten the orders of the late Captain?!”

The late…why are they already calling him that?!

Private Herkyna lets go of you. Now she is bowing and apologizing profusely. You don’t see the messenger anywhere—is he still in your home?

Cyane walks over to you and crouches to your level.

“Lady ______, please.” The pity in their gaze is unbearable. “Come back inside.”

“N-No.” Your voice comes out in strained whispers. “You’re lying. Let me go. Let…”

Cyane holds out their hand but you turn away. The snow is numbingly cold yet you grip it with both hands, if only to ground yourself to something physical.

When you look up, the sky is empty of stars.

“Let me see my husband!”

This can’t be true.

Yes, that’s it. This must be a dream, just another nightmare crafted by your fears and memories. Soon enough, you’ll open your eyes and see the stars in your husband’s gaze. And when that happens, he will comfort you, pull you into the warmth of his embrace, tell you it was all a dream that will never come true.

✿ ⚘

Ideally, you’d be in Natlan by now.

But there is only so much authority you hold as the wife of the First Harbinger, so you are still awaiting approval. From who, you don’t know.

Until then, you refuse to believe in the rumors.

You have to see Capitano with your own eyes. Only then can you believe that he is truly gone.

In the meantime, you are incapable of waiting.

Time passes slowly in the manor. It has always felt too big, too quiet in Capitano’s absence. But back then, you could sustain yourself with the promise of his return.

Come to think of it, did he say anything about coming home?

He always made that promise, before his missions and in his letters, but on the day he left for Natlan…his last words to you were a prayer for your everlasting happiness.

It’s not just that. The servants have gone into mourning. They don’t know how to act around you, with their piteous gazes and fruitless attempts at comfort.

You don’t talk to any of them. You keep to yourself, drowning out their words, drifting from one room to another in a disoriented haze.

A family portrait hangs in the living room, depicting you and Capitano. He’d kept his mask on, of course, to conceal the abyssal rot consuming his body. As for you, your lacy gown made you look like the princesses in your storybooks.

His face is still vivid in your memories, along with his loving expressions. But when you stare at your husband’s painted imitation, all you can see is the black void of his mask.

✿ ⚘

Three days later, Cyane brings you to Capitano’s office.

“Cyane,” you whisper, “why are we here?”

They speak carefully. “When I was selected for this job, the Captain gave me access to special documents. I was told to only open them if we received news of his…absence.”

Absence. That is the word they use around you these days.

Well, they aren’t wrong. From what you heard, your husband is still in Natlan.

Cyane unlocks the door, stepping aside so you can enter.

The office is familiar. In the past, you avoided that room and only went there if Capitano called for you. But later on, you became a frequent visitor of your own volition.

The desk is empty. So is the chair behind it. On the days he worked from home, Capitano would be here, signing documents and speaking to subordinates. Whenever you visited, he’d adjust his sitting position so you could make yourself comfortable on his lap.

Cyane walks over to his desk and takes out a set of keys. They unlock the leftmost drawer.

Inside is a leather folder engraved with Capitano’s insignia and two names—yours and Sergeant C. Naiad. That, too, has to be unlocked.

It is filled with several documents written in familiar handwriting. A few words catch your eye, and that is all it takes for you to step back.

“What…what is this?”

“I opened it as soon as we received the news,” Cyane explains. “The Captain left this behind to ensure your welfare in the event that he died in battle.”

Died. But he technically isn’t…

“Cyane.” Your voice comes out in a deathly whisper. “Did you know?”

Just how long has he been planning this?

They shake their head. “I knew nothing. When the Captain gave me the key to this drawer, he phrased it as a contingency plan, not…an inevitability.”

Cyane explains the documents to you. There is a signed will. A pension that ensures all of your needs will be met for the remainder of your life. And many other considerations.

One document provides options for your living situation. If you want, you can stay in Capitano’s estate; you have sole ownership. Otherwise, you can return to Mondstadt or relocate to another nation entirely. Wherever you go, the Fatui will permit it and your servants will follow you.

It’s funny really. Had your captor died a few years ago, you would’ve felt relief. Joy. Freedom. But at this moment, your chest feels hollow.

Has Mondstadt changed?

It should be safe, seeing how Capitano brought justice upon your tormentors. Mondstadt Library will still be there, though you doubt that your coworkers missed you. As for the meadow…it was never yours to begin with.

You have nothing to return to, really.

How can you return to your days of barely living? What is waiting for you in the nation you once called home?

The last document is a sealed envelope.

Cyane gives it to you. “I didn’t read this. It’s for your eyes only.”

Wordlessly, you accept it. The envelope is thicker than Capitano’s previous letters combined. Your name is written on the back, the handwriting still familiar.

With that, you leave the office before Cyane can say another word.

You don’t read the letter, however. It is slipped between the pages of your notebook, joining the flowers you’d saved for your husband.

✿ ⚘

The condolences are insufferable.

Thankfully, you don’t receive any visitors or official summons from the Fatui. But sympathy gifts begin to pile up in your estate, all from your husband’s colleagues.

You’ve overheard the servants predicting a funeral in Zapolyarny Palace. It will likely happen, seeing how all of the Harbingers gathered to “mourn” La Signora.

Hopefully, you won’t be invited. From what Capitano told you, the meeting will only be a clash of egos, insincere pleasantries, formal discussions in which your husband’s death will be referred to as a necessary step in the grand scheme of the Tsaritsa.

There are also rumors that there is more to Capitano’s plan than his sacrifice. But you’ve yet to receive any official confirmation.

There is a vase of lilies from a long-forgotten acquaintance. A maid asks if you’d like to preserve it, and your response is a blank stare.

The flowers are left to wilt.

✿ ⚘

Your hobbies are your only distraction.

A week later, you continue your morning strolls. Cyane escorts you as usual, but there are more Fatuus in the distance. They are likely here to stop you from running off to Natlan.

…Snezhnaya feels colder. At this time of the year, most of the flowers have shed their petals and returned to the earth. Those that remain are all picked and passed to Cyane.

You can give them to your husband when the two of you reunite.

To think that the last time you walked around the woods, you were picking flowers without a care in the world. Though your morning strolls are more enjoyable in Capitano’s company.

The rosebush is still there. But its flowers are gone; all that remain are frost-covered thorns.

A year ago, you learned that the rosebush was artificially planted in the estate. It’s just like your husband to perform these quiet gestures for you.

Back then, you were still afraid of him. Nonetheless, he remained patient with you.

Your hand wraps around a barren stem.

The thorns are sharp, just the way you remember them. Capitano always told you to be careful when handling the roses. He’d even offer to pick them and remove the thorns for you.

He was gentle with you, too, the first time you pricked yourself on these flowers.

But it’s different now. These thorns are pricking your palm in different places. There are no white petals to absorb the blood. It is Cyane’s hand that catches your wrist, their urgent tone that breaks the silence. It is a healer, not Capitano, who treats the wounds.

Later, you flip through your notebook. Capitano’s last letter included several Natlanese flowers. Even during his most important mission, he’d taken the time to pick them for you. It was always your favorite gift, not just the flowers but the knowledge that he was constantly thinking of you.

Cyane hands you the flowers you’d picked earlier, newly thawed.

Your notebook has run out of blank pages, but you refuse to get a new one. You stack layers of flowers and parchment between the final pages, then you slam it shut and press down on the cover. The flowers flatten.

Still, your notebook won’t close fully.

✿ ⚘

These days, you hide in the library.

In the beginning of your captivity, there was a single stack of books in your room. As the months passed, it expanded to a floor-to-ceiling bookcase, followed by a personal library. Your husband had always been supportive of your hobby, so long as it wasn’t used “as a means to avoid him.”

The entire library is yours. Every time you receive a new book, you write your name on the front page and place it on a specific shelf. Unlike the books you handled as a librarian, your books are arranged according to your own system of classification.

A week before the messenger’s arrival, a set of books was delivered to the manor. In addition to sequels, there were new titles which you expressed interest in but never mentioned to Capitano. You assumed that it was Cyane who told him.

One of the books was written by a Snezhnayan author, but he’d purchased a translated edition. Thus, you were able to read it on your own; there was no need to wait for Capitano’s return.

The Snezhnayan titles take up their own bookcase. Unlike their newest addition, the books are all printed in their native language. As such, you couldn’t read them without Capitano’s help. By now, your proficiency has improved but you haven’t touched those books ever since he left.

What was the last book he read to you?

It was a love story about a cursed dragon and a captive princess. In the end, the dragon’s curse was lifted with true love’s kiss. And they all lived happily ever after.

But that was an adaptation of a fairytale. The original story ended in tragedy.

✿ ⚘

One night, you dream of your husband.

In your dream, you reunite with him in a meadow of dandelions and Inteyvats.

He wears a pristine uniform with an eight-pointed star over his chest. His mask is off, revealing a face free of scars and abyssal rot.

His cursed appearance had never bothered you, at least after you got used to it.

His eyes are the only part of his body which remain the same. And yet those deep blue stars are gazing at you with indifference. The same emotion that you’d seen, time and time again, in the eyes of your foster family and caretakers from Mondstadt Orphanage.

He doesn’t acknowledge you. Is it because he doesn’t recognize you?

Perhaps that is it. After all, just as Capitano’s old body has been preserved, so has yours. Every inch of your skin is covered in old bruises and wounds, along with the pain of each memory.

Your voice is audible, restored to its original state before you began speaking in whispers. When you call out to him, there is no pain in your throat.

But he doesn’t respond. Behind him, you can make sight of a war-torn battlefield.

You run towards him but the meadow stretches, widening the distance to him. Capitano turns around and walks in the direction of the battlefield, leaving crushed flowers in his wake.

Is it because he doesn’t know you? Or has he simply tired of protecting you?

In the end, even this imaginary version of your husband didn’t hesitate to discard you.

✿ ⚘

Your trip to Natlan is finally approved.

A group of Fatuus, including Cyane, make preparations to escort you. An official report confirms that you will be welcomed by the Captain’s remaining soldiers stationed in Natlan.

You don’t pack much. You are only traveling to reunite with your husband, after all.

This is different from the trip you had in mind. Before, you’d envisioned Capitano bringing you to Natlan for a vacation after his victory. He only had good things to say about the nation.

It was a year into your marriage when he told you about his battles in Natlan, his previous life in Khaenri’ah, the souls he’d carried in his heart for the past five hundred years. What he didn’t tell you was the sacrifice required to grant salvation to his fallen comrades.

Sometimes, you forget that he has lived a whole life before you.

It’s nothing to be jealous over, not when the same can be said for you.

But in those moments…it becomes clear that you were only a short chapter in his life.

You tell the servants to prepare clothes suitable for Natlan’s climate. When you check your luggage, you are pleased to note that they didn’t pack mourning attire.

You still wear your wedding ring, with its little flowers sculpted from gold and jewels.

There was no romantic proposal or wedding. A few days after your abduction, Capitano simply slipped it onto your finger. From then on, he began calling you his wife.

It was a perfect fit. Capitano had his own ring, and you rarely saw him without it.

Similar to him, you wear it around your ring finger. Other times, you hang it from a necklace chain, keeping it close to your heart.

✿ ⚘

In Natlan, you introduce yourself with Capitano’s family name.

Until now, you aren’t used to hearing a surname after your first name.

In Mondstadt, only your first name is registered in official records. When you were part of your foster family, you had no opportunity to use your new name; you only know that “______ Maier” was written in adoption papers long reduced to ashes.

In contrast, your name is registered with Capitano’s family name in Snezhnaya. And when you began accepting his love, you were all too happy to use it in conversations.

It was a significant decision. To him, who had lost his family in the Cataclysm. To you, who never had a family before him.

You also know about Capitano’s true name, though you rarely use it out of respect for his past. But whenever you dared to call him Thrain, his reaction was one of affection.

Now, in Natlan, you hear his true name spoken in reference to a legendary hero. But you don’t ask for those stories, and instead focus on your husband’s soldiers.

They are visibly somber, eroding what is left of your hope. Worse are their thoughts of you.

Prior to their mission, you were mainly known as the mysterious wife of Il Capitano with your frail countenance and melancholy gaze. But now there is a different tone to their whispers.

“The Captain’s widow is here.”

“Was her gaze always this dim?”

“Poor thing…you can tell that something has broken in her.”

Rotchev brings you to a monument honoring those who lost their lives in the war. The Captain’s image is sculpted on it, and it isn’t just his soldiers who visit it. An elderly man named Munay offers to host you in his home, out of gratitude to him.

…The nation seems lovely, and you can see why it never left your husband’s memory. But grief plants persistent seeds of resentment, and you have little reason to enjoy Natlan in solitude.

In the end, you are introduced to Ororon, the Natlanese hero who worked closely with Capitano.

He is awkward around you, if not surprised by the revelation that the Captain was married. He does recall a few instances when he spied on him picking flowers; when he gives the names, you recognize those flowers from his last gift.

He agrees to bring you to him.

✿ ⚘

Here he is.

Your husband sits upon a throne surrounded by dark ice. A stairway leads up to him.

He looks like a character straight from a fairytale. A dignified ruler. A lonely warrior distanced from those he saved. Or perhaps even a sleeping beauty waiting for his beloved to wake him.

Cyane guides Ororon away from the Throne of the Primal Fire, far enough to give you privacy but close enough to come to your aid if anything happens.

With that, you walk up the steps. You don’t stop until you’re right in front of him.

Up close, your husband looks the same. His chest rises and falls with steady breaths.

Your voice is barely above a whisper. “Capitano?”

Silence. He remains seated.

You reach out to him. “It’s me, ______.”

Cold. His body is so cold.

Still, you don’t let go of his hand. The muscles are relaxed and when you check his palm, you find his wedding ring under his gauntlet. But the warmth of his touch is gone.

You look up. “I’m sorry for making you wait. I tried…I really did try to come here as soon as possible.”

The silence is stifling.

Carefully, you kneel on the space between his legs so you can face him. Up close, you can peer into his mask. But no stars gaze back at you, only darkness.

Why would he do such a thing?

“This…isn’t the end, is it?” You speak louder, as much as your voice permits. “You didn’t get the Gnosis, after all, and the Tsaritsa…there must be another phase to your plan.”

Why did he save you if he knew your story would only end in tragedy?

Your vision blurs.

“Please. Tell me you aren’t gone.”

Blinking back tears, you shake him by his shoulders. But the only sounds you hear are the clink of chains, your unsteady breaths. The cracking of your voice.

Why have you been holding on to false hope?

Desperately, you tilt his head and bring your lips to his.

…They’re just as cold. Unresponsive.

When you pull away, he remains asleep.

“Thrain, wake up!”

What made you think that life would play out like a fairytale?

That is when you give up.

The tears won’t stop.

It’s so hard to breathe.

“Could…Couldn’t you have at least told me?” you shout. Your voice breaks again, coupled with a familiar ache in your throat. “Why…?”

What is left of your future?

How could the gods be so cruel as to deprive you of love time and time again?

For once in your life, couldn’t you be less selfish?

You cover your mouth but incoherent noises continue to spill from your lips. It’s too loud, all distinction lost between your words and your sobs. So noisy.

But Capitano’s response is nonexistent. This body doesn’t hug you; neither does it carry you out of this horrible place. It remains still, cold as a corpse, indifferent to your grief.

You bury your face into his coat and continue crying.

✿ ⚘

At some point, you cry yourself to sleep.

When you wake up, the sky is dark. You’re still clinging to Capitano’s body but a blanket covers you—did Cyane check on you? Nothing else has changed.

By now, you’re exhausted. Your voice has reached its limit, and your tears have dried. Numbly, you change your position so you can sit on your husband’s lap.

For the next few minutes, you just stay there. Taking in the silence, the familiar shape of his body, the ambience of his final resting place.

Here, the sky is foggy. There are no stars in sight.

Finally, you turn around to face him.

“Thank you for everything,” you whisper. Your throat hurts but you force out the words. “Capitano…I’ve missed you. I hope—”

I hope you come back.

But you dare not say it, thinking of your time in Mondstadt Orphanage when such words were a cruel wish. Back then, goodbyes meant that someone was leaving for a happier place. Why would anyone want them to return—discarded, faded, like you?

So you don’t say it. Your husband has suffered enough.

Instead, you take your notebook out of your bag. “Here, this is for you.”

You flip to the final pages. Then you take out all of the flowers you’d preserved from the beginning of his mission—the Natlanese flowers from his gifts, the Snezhnayan flowers picked since the day of his death.

You slip each flower into his coat pocket, close to his heart. When you touch his chest, you feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

Well, there’s no denying that he loved you. Not as much as his comrades, but enough that he made room in his heart for you.

You stand up and fix the creases on his clothes. Another kiss is given but again, no reaction.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back,” you tell him. A ghost of a smile makes its way to your face. “I still have so many flowers to offer to you, after all.”

With that, you walk down the stairway. Before you head in the direction of the exit, you turn back to look at your husband.

…He looks tranquil. Preserved in death, just like your flowers.

Wherever it is, may his soul rest in peace.

✿ ⚘

Cyane says nothing when you approach them, eyes red and voice hoarse.

Neither does Ororon, though you can tell he is resisting the urge to ask questions. Before you go separate ways, he asks if you are leaving soon.

“...No,” you whisper. With the pain in your throat, you are barely audible. “I’d like to stay longer. I still have so much to tell my husband, after all. Thank you for showing me the way.”

Cyane brings you to the Fatui encampment. The soldiers look even more concerned when they see you, but you walk past them and enter your husband’s tent.

It’s still furnished. When you go through his things, you find your letters, including the last one you sent him. A locked box containing every flower you’d gifted him. Reports written in Cyane’s handwriting. A Withering Purpurbloom that didn’t make it into his letters.

The flower is added to your notebook. You can give it to him when it is fully preserved.

Sighing, you lie down. Now that you’ve seen your husband…what’s left to do?

There is the matter of your future. You don’t want to move out of Snezhnaya; the manor has too many memories you can’t let go of. Maybe you can arrange for regular visits to your husband’s body. You don’t know if it’s grief or hope that makes you unwilling to leave what remains of him.

For now, you might as well honor his wishes and read his last words to you.

You wrap yourself in his blanket; if you close your eyes, you can pretend the warmth is from his embrace. Then you take his letter out of your bag and open the envelope.

…There are so many pages. A past version of your husband awaits you, preserved in paper and ink. And this certainly won’t be the last time you read his message—you’ll read it again and again, as with his other letters, until you can memorize it by heart.

“My beloved flower…”

✿ ⚘

The night before your husband’s departure, you stayed awake to enjoy your remaining time together.

He told you not to force yourself but you were stubborn. This would be his longest mission and for just one night, you wanted to spare him of the voices within his heart.

You helped him pack his bags. Capitano read one last Snezhnayan story to you, then he shared anecdotes from his past. The two of you went outside to view the stars and when you found none, you turned to him and said that his gaze would suffice.

Before dawn broke, the two of you cuddled in bed.

“Will you miss me?” you whispered. This time, you didn’t hold back your yawn—you made Capitano promise to wake you up in a few hours.

By now, that question had become part of your routine. His answer was always the same.

“I will.” He pulled back to look at your face. But his arms were still around you, caging you in his embrace. “From the bottom of my heart.”

There was a soft light in your eyes as you met his gaze, committing his face to memory—his scars, his abyssal rot, his loving expression, those deep blue eyes that held the stars.

Your hand moved lower to his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat. “I’ll miss you too.”

His kiss was warm. He felt your smile against his lips.

With that, you closed your eyes and fell asleep. There were so many more things you wanted to tell him, but you decided to save it for another day. For your future letters. For your inevitable reunion. For the happy future in your delusions.

As for Capitano, everything had already been said and written.

“May you thrive in the peaceful world I leave behind to you.”

 ♡

Happy Ending coming someday!! ヽ(；▽；)ノ

…And then Capitano got resurrected and they lived happily ever after hahahaha /deranged. 

Just to be clear, Capitano isn’t dead in my I Love You, Darling universe. This fic doubles as an alternate ending AND a prelude to my next fic, which is a canon-divergent happy ending. If Hoyoverse resurrects Capitano later on, assume that this fic + the continuation are both canon to the Herbarium series (*≧∀≦*)

Fufufufu so what did you think of this tragic ending?? *evil laugh* Like I said earlier, I’m not into angst but I had fun writing this fic. I even slipped in a few parallels to Herbarium for eagle-eyed readers. Also, a big thank you to my long-time beta-reader @diodellet <3

Lastly, I want to say thank you to everyone who has expressed their love for CapiDamsel!! Capitano and Damsel will always occupy a special place in my heart and don’t worry, this isn’t the last you’ll see of them. For now, do share your tears and reactions with me >:’3

Tag a Capitano enjoyer!! @bye-bye-sunbird @leftdestiny-posts @harmonysanreads @brynn-lear @naraven @mochinon-yah @pranabefall @euniveve @limeiyuan @stickyspeckledlight @teabutmakeitazure @dawn-sky-collective @poetics-of-fuubutsu

[feralrabidcrow]

What The Mercs Are Like Drunk

Scout: He gets super affectionate and sappy, going on and on about how much he loves all of the team and his brothers and his ma and everything else that he loves. He's also a total lightweight, to no one's surprise, and is usually the first to pass out completely when they're out at a bar.

Soldier: He's twice as likely to tackle someone for surprise wrestling, and thrice as likely to miss completely and fall flat on his face. He also gets much louder, which is impressive for a man as loud as him. He's noticeably clumsier, despite his efforts to hide it with overly confident movements.

Pyro: It's hard to notice when Pyro is drunk at first. The only real clues are if you listen closely to their mumbles, they sound slightly distorted, and when they walk, they stagger. Pyro doesn't drink nearly as much as the others, so seeing them drunk is a rare occasion.

Demoman: Drunk is his default state, the real question is how he acts when sober. (The answer is like a dying man.)

Heavy: Surprisingly, despite being the biggest guy on the team, Heavy is a lightweight with alcohol, and gets drunk quick. He's also a 'giggly' drunk, but with Heavy, giggly means ear-shattering guffaws that shake the building. He seems to find everything funny when he's drunk, no matter how mundane. He also gets clumsy, which can be dangerous when you're the size of a mountain.

Engineer: He hides it well when he's drunk, no one realizes he's had too much until he's falling out of his seat and throwing up. Engineer rarely gets drunk, as he's a bit of a heavyweight compared to the others, and usually doesn't drink to the point of drunkenness anyways. It always comes as a surprise when he's suddenly passed out on the floor.

Medic: He acts like his normal self, but dialed up to 120%. He's super chatty and giggly, telling gory medical malpractice stories with perhaps too much volume for a public bar. He loses pretty much all of what few inhibitions he has normally, and speaks his mind with zero filter whatsoever.

Sniper: He's a sleepy drunk, and usually passes out pretty early on. He loses his ability to speak coherently, only mumbling in a low annoyed voice. He also gets the worst hangovers known to man, so he avoids getting totally drunk when possible.

Spy: Spy would sooner die than get drunk around his team, because he loses control of his emotions completely when drunk. A large amount of the only times he has cried have been while drunk. He also goes from suave to the worst flirt you have ever seen, and he would rather save himself the embarrassment.

[heaven-s-black-box]

Notes- Blabber Mouth Hydro Men

Return to File

Recovery date: January 5th, 2025

Description: Hey I just had an adorable idea from the anime tadaima okaeri, specifically the ending of episode 3, where the main characters discovered they were going to have a second child because of their first born, so I was wondering how would the genshin impact men react to this kind of situation

Notes: CW brief mentions of fertility issues on Childe's end, accidental pregnancy in Neuvillette's This work was recovered in conjunction with an anonymous researcher, we thank them for their contributions. Reader can carry children but no pronouns are used.

Hydro Dendro Cryo Pyro Anemo Electro Geo

Back to directory

Childe

Man is overjoyed you’ve got one kid

Honestly wasn’t sure he could have them, between Abyssal contamination and the overall abuse his body has withstood

Plus his delusion

When he found out you were pregnant the first time, he actually cried

He wishes he could be with you two more often, but he has a duty to the Tsaritsa

And of course, now, to create a better world for your little one

It’s when he comes home from Fontain, all battered and bruised, that you find out you’re pregnant with your second

You join them and your kid starts talking to your belly about the story

Ajax, remembering how is own siblings did that before the birth of the next, immediately asked if you were pregnant

You jokingly scold your child for spoiling the surprise and Ajax pulls you into a big hug, crushing your child in the middle

You’re worried he’ll pull a stitch, and your child is complaining about being squished

But he’s ecstatic, he always wanted to give your kid a sibling… or twelve

One more is a good start though

Ayato

Children were always in his future, and until he met you he didn’t really care about that fact

Then you got together and he saw having children as more than just a duty

He’ll admit, having your first may have partly been due to political pressure

But he would never make you do anything you didn’t want to, he vowed that on your wedding day

Uses you and your child to get out of work, saying stuff like “you wanted me to have an heir, and now I have more duties to attend to”

It’s on one of these days where you three are at a children’s festival

Your child is looking at a bunch of toys and picks out a Sumerian made plushy from a traveling merchant

The kid comes back and presses it against your stomach, making a kissing sound

Ayato remembers how is mother told him he did something similar when she was pregnant with Ayaka

So he hugs you a little closer and kisses your temple, not one for making big scenes in public

You’re of course baffled because, really? This is how your husband finds out

When you get home he sends your little one off and asks if there’s something you’d like to tell him

Tease him a bit, saying you don’t know what he’s talking about

He’ll kneel down and kiss your stomach, thanking you for everything you do for him

Neuvillette

Doesn’t really think about having kids

You have the Melusine, and when he briefly considers having kids he quickly decides it’s a bad idea

Prepares to tell you as much if you bring it up, he’s a dragon who knows how that would work if it could at all

Well surprise surprise, it does

He’s worried all throughout your first pregnancy, but it winds up being fairly similar to a human pregnancy

You’ve always been on the same page that you’d like kids, it was really just the pregnancy that had him worried

So you two are happy with one

Neuvillette comes home from work one evening, and you greet him at the entrance with a kiss

Before he can call out to your kid, then come running in and he picks them up to kiss them on the cheek

Then they insist he kiss their sibling, and his brain stops working

He thought his senses were overacting, but no if your little one thought the same

Give his brain a second to restart, then it starts raining really hard outside

Happy tears of course, nothing could make him happier than knowing you’re about to have another little one

And this time he’ll be less panicky during the pregnancy, so he can enjoy the moments more

[axie-lot]

Pyro, Hydro, Cyro

Characters: Kaeya and Diluc Warning: Male characters, Angst with no comfort, sibling dynamics, purely platonic Theme: Fluffy and Angsty

This work was originally written by me in Portuguese, and I translated it using Google Translator, so I apologize for any translation errors

Summary: What if Crepus had adopted two sons instead of one? This story tells of the life shared by three brothers who were inseparable in their younger years, only to be torn apart by an unforeseen tragedy...

[Masterlist]

Childhood

Do you know that feeling of wanting to go back in time?

When life was simpler?

That's the feeling [Name] has had since that day...

[Name] was adopted by Crepus when he went on a business trip to Fontaine. That was the initial idea, but by chance, he found an abandoned child on the way. Feeling pity for the child, he decided to adopt him.

Imagine the surprise of his sons, Diluc and Kaeya, seeing their father, who had gone on a business trip, returning with an unknown child, a few years younger than them.

Young Diluc was very excited when his father introduced the new family member and quickly introduced himself to the little boy, who was hiding behind his father's legs.

Kaeya, on the other hand, was a little hesitant to speak to [Name], but after some time, with Crepus and Diluc's help, he went to talk to the new family member.

From then on, the three of you became inseparable.

Diluc, being the oldest of the three, naturally took on the role of leader among you, becoming the most responsible one.

Even though he was the most responsible and serious, he still had his childish side, which would sometimes appear when you were having fun together.

Diluc was the one to scold [Name] and Kaeya for pulling pranks, but he also participated in some of those pranks.

"[Name], I can see you hiding there, trying to scare me," said the red-haired boy, lifting his eyes from his notebook where he had been studying, looking at his younger brother sneaking between the furniture, trying to frighten him.

"Kaeya, you can't practice your sword skills inside the house. You’ll end up breaking a vase, and Dad or Adelinde will get upset," said Diluc as he entered a room where a young boy with blue hair was training with his sword.

"Dad's going to kill us when he finds out we're sneaking out in the middle of the night for an adventure," said the redhead while being dragged by his two younger brothers on an adventure. (Diluc would never admit that he only agreed to go to ensure his younger brothers' safety).

As a child, Diluc was very protective of his younger brothers and cared deeply for them.

[Name] and Kaeya respected Diluc a lot, even though they would often tease him.

Diluc was the brother you and Kaeya would go to for comfort.

Thunder could be heard through the halls of the Dawn Winery. In one of the rooms, a young red-haired boy slept peacefully, despite the storm outside the mansion. But his sleep ended when he heard the door to his room open and felt someone snuggle up to him. Opening his eyes, he saw his younger brother, tears in his eyes, cuddling against him. Seeing this, Diluc began to gently stroke his head to comfort him.

"Shh... it's okay, [Name]... calm down, you're safe... I'm here with you," whispered Diluc, trying to soothe his brother.

"I hate thunder... I really hate it," the younger one said, his voice trembling.

A little while later, [Name] fell asleep. Diluc was about to drift off when he heard the door open again. Looking over, he saw his other brother entering the room.

"I was awake... I heard footsteps, so I went to check, and I saw [Name] going into your room, and since I'm curious, I decided to see what was going on," said Kaeya, scratching the back of his neck.

Diluc, understanding what was happening since he was used to situations like these and Kaeya's excuses, made room on the bed for his brother. Without saying a word, Kaeya lay down next to his brothers, and the three of them slept through the night.

The next morning, when Crepus came to wake up his eldest son, he found this scene. He simply smiled and left the room, letting his children sleep a little longer.

Diluc is the brother who always has the right words to calm his siblings.

Diluc dreams of joining the Knights of Favonius, so he spends a lot of time studying.

[Name] and Kaeya always support Diluc, sometimes jokingly bowing to him and responding with "Yes, sir."

Diluc has a pet turtle, and sometimes when he's looking for it, he finds the turtle and [Name] having a long staring contest (the turtle always wins).

Kaeya is the middle child, a mix of responsible and mischievous, but much more mischievous than responsible. In short, he's the balance between the two.

Kaeya often influences [Name] to be mischievous, always giving [Name] ideas for pranks.

Kaeya is the one who always manages to escape punishment by blaming one of his siblings.

But when the punishment turns into a real consequence, he always finds a way to cheer his siblings up.

Kaeya has a talent for sneaking up on people and giving them a good scare.

Kaeya has that sibling energy where only he can tease his brothers, and if anyone else tries, he'll make that person regret it.

Kaeya LOVES to provoke his dear brothers.

"Well, well~~~ what do we have here... a little thief raiding the kitchen... or should I say I found a little mouse~~~?" said Kaeya, sneaking up behind [Name] as they rummaged through the mansion's kitchen.

"What would Dad think... of me finding the great heir sleeping during his studies?" Kaeya teased, grinning at his red-haired brother, who had fallen asleep over a book.

Kaeya teaches [Name] to swear, much to Diluc's dismay.

Kaeya loves to gossip with his brothers, as he has a knack for uncovering other people's secrets. When he finds something out, he immediately tells his brothers. [Name] and Diluc are certain that Kaeya knows everyone's secrets in Mondstadt.

Oh, Barbatos, please protect [Name] and Diluc when Kaeya discovers they have a crush, for he will have a new way to tease his brothers about it.

Kaeya is the brother who steals food and sweets from his siblings when they're distracted.

Kaeya sometimes has strange moments...

[Name] was hungry, so he decided to sneak into the kitchen to find something to eat, making as little noise as possible. As he made his way there, he noticed that a door in the hallway was open. Thinking it was his father, he decided to peek inside. But what he saw was his brother Kaeya silently staring out the window. Spooked, [Name] quickly returned to his bed, hiding under the covers, thinking, "Barbatos, help me, my brother is possessed!"

Sometimes, Kaeya sneaks into his siblings' rooms for comfort, though he never says why.

Kaeya often enjoys strolling through the streets of Mondstadt with his siblings, and even with Crepus.

Kaeya loves practicing swordsmanship with his brothers.

[Name] is the youngest sibling.

[Name] has an adventurous spirit and loves exploring with his older brothers.

[Name], Diluc, and Kaeya train together.

Diluc taught him more attack stances, while Kaeya focused on defensive moves and how to dodge.

Each brother ended up with a different fighting style.

[Name] adopted a mix of both of his brothers' fighting styles.

[Name] once saw someone kicking their weapon during a fight and wanted to imitate it, but it resulted in [Name] being scolded by Diluc for it being too dangerous, while Kaeya laughed in the background, finding it hilarious because kicking a weapon was a stupid idea.

[Name] doesn’t remember much of his past, but sometimes has nightmares about it.

[Name] doesn’t like being alone.

[Name] enjoys being in the company of his brothers, even when they are doing something else. [Name] just likes being around them.

Diluc was in his room studying, as he often did. He felt the responsibility of being his family's heir and wanted to make his father proud. While studying, he glanced away from his book to look at his younger brother [Name], who was sitting in the corner of the room drawing on a piece of paper. Diluc couldn’t help but smile before returning his focus to his book.

In the fields near the Dawn Winery, Kaeya was practicing his swordsmanship while his younger brother [Name] watched. The older brother couldn’t resist showing off a little in front of his younger sibling, and [Name] excitedly clapped with enthusiasm.

The three brothers were always seen together, wandering the streets of Mondstadt, having fun and playing.

They were always each other's support... Adolescence

Diluc joined the Knights of Favonius, but not just as an ordinary knight—he became the Cavalry Captain.

[Name] and Kaeya also joined the Knights of Favonius. Even though neither of them holds a position as high as Diluc, they don’t feel jealous because they know he’s there because he earned it.

[Name] also helps the Adventurers' Guild in his free time because he loves to go on adventures.

Diluc is increasingly involved in helping Crepus with the family business, but of course, his two younger brothers help out however they can.

Kaeya still pulls pranks like sneaking some wine, often dragging his two brothers along, but it usually ends with all three of them being punished.

One night at Dawn Winery, you could see the three sons of the owner huddled together in a corner, planning something.

“Why do I have to be the one to distract Adelinde??” – the eldest asked, casting a questioning look at his younger brothers. –

“You’re the oldest.” “And [Name] and I are the fastest,” – his two younger brothers replied one after the other. –

The redhead looked at the other two with a tired expression, sighed, nodded, and went off to distract Adelinde. After that, Kaeya and [Name] exchanged smiles, already knowing what to do now that they had convinced Diluc to help them. They waited for a bit, taking advantage of the darkness of the night to sneak into the wine cellar of the mansion. Kaeya signaled for [Name] to go ahead and open the door, but as [Name] opened it, both boys froze. Inside the dark cellar, there was a figure with crossed arms, their red hair illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the small windows of the room. That figure was none other than their adoptive father. The two boys knew at that moment they had been caught, but they didn’t give up easily. They began to step back in hopes of escaping, only to bump into Adelinde, standing there with a guilty-looking Diluc by her side.

“You should’ve known that Diluc is a terrible liar,” Adelinde said with a look of reproach towards the three boys.

“My sons… maybe one day you’ll manage to steal some wine without us noticing, but that day is not today,” their father said with an amused tone. “But for now, since you’ve been caught, you’ll have to clean the wine barrels.” After Crepus spoke, all that could be heard were the boys’ sounds of protest.

[Name] and Kaeya often bother Diluc in his office while he’s working.

When [Name] is gone for long periods on Adventurers' Guild missions, his brothers worry about him a lot.

This could have lasted forever…

A happy family…

A family that loved each other…

Everything comes to an end…

A tragic end…

Crepus was dead, the boys' father was dead. [Name] was the only one who wasn’t there at the time.

The youngest of the three brothers was on patrol that day when he spotted one of the mansion's maids running towards him, her expression tearful. [Name] immediately grew concerned, but then he heard those words—his father, Crepus, was dead. At that moment, [Name]’s world shattered. The man who had taken care of him, the one who gave him a home when he had no one, was gone. [Name] felt like a child again, and he just cried—he cried a lot…

[Name] wanted to see his older brothers, to find comfort in them, so after recovering from his crying fit, he went to look for them. But when he found them, things didn’t go as he expected.

Everything happened so fast. [Name] found his brothers, but something was wrong—both were injured as if they had fought each other. Kaeya had a guilty look on his face, though he quickly masked it with a cold expression. Diluc, on the other hand, had nothing but burning rage in his eyes. Confused, [Name] called out to them.

“Diluc?… Kaeya? What happened? Why are you hurt?…” – [Name] asked in a weak, worried voice.

But all he got in return was silence. Neither of his brothers looked at him, completely ignoring their younger sibling’s presence. [Name] could tell that whatever had happened here wasn’t good. After a long silence, Diluc finally gave Kaeya one last look and spoke.

“We’re done here… I never want to see your face again,” – Diluc said, and began to walk away.

[Name], still not understanding anything and still in pain from their father’s death, was confused and panicking. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind, so he did the only thing he could think of—he ran after his brother and grabbed his arm.

“Diluc… brother… please—” – [Name] was cut off as Diluc pushed him away.

“DON’T CALL ME BROTHER! WE’RE NOT BROTHERS! I HAVE NO BROTHER!”

For the first time in his life, Diluc shouted at [Name], and the younger boy stepped back, afraid of his older brother. Diluc’s gaze seemed to waver slightly at seeing his brother’s fear, but it quickly vanished as he turned his back on [Name] and walked away.

In desperation, [Name] turned to Kaeya, but he was met with Kaeya averting his gaze and walking off as well.

And so, [Name] was left alone in that place, feeling nothing but pain—a deep, overwhelming pain. He couldn’t believe that on the same day he lost his beloved father, he also lost his two older brothers, and worst of all, he didn’t even know why they fought.

[Name] didn’t return to the mansion that night. Instead, he wandered aimlessly across the lands of Mondstadt. That night was the one he cried the most in his life, and the worst part was, he had no one to comfort him.

The next day, he returned to the mansion, only to be greeted by Adelinde, who informed him that both Kaeya and Diluc had left. So, [Name] made the decision to leave as well, no longer feeling welcome in the house he had grown up in, the house that now felt empty.

[Name] then packed his things to leave, but while putting his belongings in his backpack, he noticed an object he was sure he didn’t have before. That object was a Vision…

A Hydro Vision…

Part 2?

[ellestra]

Tribute

I laughed almost non-stop watching Deadpool & Wolverine. The crass and gross and the ridiculous are mixed in with just a bit of clever. And then there's the pure joy of watching to almost indestructible dudes killing each other in violent ways (it's a WB cartoon kind of fun).

But as always it's the layer below the humour that really hits. And in a prefect Deadpool way this one worked both in the movie but also on the meta level. It's the story of a failed superhero that the Avengers didn't want and whose girlfriend left. Here trying to save his world to save his friends. He gets a second chance at being who he always wanted to be but the price is abandoning everyone he came up with. MCU and Sacred Timeline is one person deal. But this is where Multiverse pays off. It means he can keep his friends and timeline. He just has to fight cybernocracy that would rather dismantle it instantly first.

And it's a story of a fallen studio which movies lost the audience and couldn't find the right way to tell it's stories (with extra layer of Disney's Marvel being on precipice of that too now). All it's properties buried and replaced for a new shinier thing. We could move on and only acknowledge the pieces that haven't been tarnished. And yet, this movie looks back at it all, and brings back the discarded ridiculed. Including the ones we never even got. Using Void to discard them and Alioth to eat them into oblivion is such a prefect metaphor you'd think it was invented for this Film. It's a prefect integration of MCU ideas for the plot of this one story.

The whole movie is practically a tribute to the early days of Marvel and superhero movies that created the momentum that MCU then built it's 30 billion empire on. This is what makes each cameo count. It isn't there just for a joke or Easter Egg moment but it ties to the theme of the story, We are revisiting the forgotten heroes, the fallen ones, the ones who never got to be. And if we are lucky the ones who still might be (please, please let us keep Daphne Keen).

It's also a reminder of how long both Jackman and Reynolds have been in this. The first X-Men movie came out 24 years ago. Reynolds was in Blade: Trinity 20 years ago. I don't think it's an accident a lot of those cameos went to the beginnings with Pyro and Electra. And even with the MCU actors reminding us they started in Fox as Evans came back as Johnny Storm. Even Jon Favreau cameo as Happy Hogan was a reminder he was once Foggy Nelson in Daredevil. This was reunion movie in more ways than one.

And the behind the scenes of those movies, the whole history of Fox Marvel films really hit you in the end. Even the failures like the last Fantastic Four. Even to the X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the Deadpool abomination there. This is what got us here. This is for all the fun we had over the years with these characters and superheroes in general. This was the start.

Of course, Deadpool wouldn't be Deadpool if they didn't desecrate and made fun of the very thing they were paying tribute too. Both the initial fight and any reference to Fox made sure of that. Reminding us that even the best parts of the past shouldn't be sacred. You should build new stories and not be afraid to change. There will be new Blade. And a new Johnny Storm. And maybe a new Deadpool and Wolverine one day too (long, long time from now apparently 😋).

And new universes give you new opportunities to meet people. Maybe even find a romance like B-15 and Peter. Or become a villain. I'm not sure how I feel about the Doom Announcement but let's see. This movie reminded us it's just one more "same face - different person" case in this multiverse.

[chrisredfield73]

I have a tf2 request! Could I get some head cannons of an undercover mission trope? Like the mercs seeing the reader dressed up for a mission?

- feel free to ignore, but if you do write it, Ty!!

A/N: I LOVE THIS TROPE SM BRO. I'm down to write just about anything so don't worry! (Usually I do the bullet-point posts faster cause they're quicker to post! If you want a full story from any of these, lmk!)

For Spy's part:

Mon cher/mon cheríe means my darling or my treasure!

Edit: IM SO SORRY I FORGOT ENGINEER LAST NIGHT,, I WAS REALLY TIRED.

------------------------------------------------------

Scout:

He's in his room when you walk in, his jaw drops to the floor as soon as he sees you and his eyes widen.

"Damn, toots/pal.."

He didn't expect you to be dressed up this nice, and to look so good...

After taking a moment to gawk at you, he gets that cocky smirk on his face.

"You look hot."

He's not the best at flirting, clearly, but he'll be damned if he doesn't try..

Soldier:

He was busy yelling at the other mercs before turning to look at you.

His eyes widen under his helmet and he tugs at his jacket collar.

"Wow.. Uh.."

He's speechless and getting flustered in front of all the other mercenaries..

"You look.. Good."

He's trying so hard not to show how flustered he is in front of the others, to no avail.

They're all over there snickering and making fun of Soldier.

Pyro:

He's sitting outside, thinking about 'Pyroland', when he hears footsteps behind him.

As soon as he sees you, he let's out a happy and muffled coo.

"Mmmf!"

He absolutely adores you in your nice dress attire, you look amazing!

He gets up and walks over to you, handing you a flower.

"Mmf mff mm mmf!"

He hopes you'll wear that outfit more often, he thinks it suits you really well!

No pun intended.

Demoman:

He's off in one of the storage rooms, drinking his scrumpy, when he sees you walk in.

He let's out a low whistle as he eyes you up and down.

"Aye, lookin' good there, lass/lad."

He's got a blush on his face, due to the alcohol or your good looks.. We'll never know.

He takes another swig of his drink, a slight smirk on his face.

"Ya want a drink?"

He offers you the bottle, still taking in the sight of your outfit and your form..

Heavy:

He's sitting in the armory, examining Sasha to make sure no one else has messed with his beloved gun and he hears you walk in.

He smiles at you, a light pink flush forming on his face.

"Heavy think.. You look beautiful/handsome."

He likes how well dressed you are, thinking that you should dress this way more often.

"You will do good, Heavy can tell."

He's not as flirty as the others, yet his stomach does flips as he looks at you..

Engineer:

He's sitting outside, by his truck, playing the guitar when you approach him.

He looks over at you and gives you a smile.

"Well, look at you.."

He thinks you look amazing, you should wear that outfit more.

He stops playing the guitar and offers a cheeky grin.

"Wanna sit here with me, hon?"

He's not as flirty as the others, but he absolutely adores you dressed up all nice like this.

Medic:

He's sitting in the medbay, in the middle of doing some crazy experiment that definitely has some life altering effects, when he notices you walk in.

He gawks at you for a moment before clearing his throat and smiling.

"You look good. Ja, very good."

He's a little awkward and he's definitely getting flustered.

He can't believe his eyes, you look amazing dressed like this.

"Did you.. need something?"

He tries to change the topic before he gets too flustered, but it's obvious to you that he's blushing heavily..

Sniper:

He's sitting in his van, cleaning his kukri, when you walk in.

He's one of the more stoic mercs, but you definitely have his jaw dropping.

"Damn, roo.. Y'look stunning."

He blushes, looking away to try and hide his flustered face.

He knew you'd look good but seeing you dressed like this in person makes him turn red.

"You wanna sit here for a bit?"

You caught his eye, as if you already didn't, and now he wants you to stick around more than ever...

Spy:

He's in his room, smoking a cigarette and listening to jazz, when you walk in.

He looks over at you and his mouth goes agape.

"You look.. stunning, mon cher/ma cheríe."

He's enamored, stunned by how well dressed you are and how good you look dressed like this.

He's silent for a moment, not knowing what to say.

"You have a perfect outfit for going undercover."

It's awkward, to say the least. He didn't expect this at all but he definitely likes what he's seeing..

[vaxxman]

Oh I'm sad to see people didn't like comic 7, I thought it was very well done.

This isn't an invitation to an argument, I just want to say my opinion because I'm seeing a lot of people criticising the last chapter.

We got a lot of answers and everything that seemed conveniently placed for plot was completely in the scope of how the previous stories have worked before. I thought it was funny that soldier lived in a cave of Australium. It's just as convenient as Medic having a deal with the devil and the mercs being unable to die. Or Grey Mann having a daughter who no one wants to punch in a fist fight. Or Sniper's parents coincidentally being involved with the sinking of New Zealand.

I think it was a very good choice to not let the mercs do anything plot driving in this chapter, because this conflict was never a conflict that could have been ended by the mercs. They wouldn't even have cared, heh. We've known that everything was carefully orchestrated by the Admin, so it could only have been resolved by those who are part of the bigger conflict. Hence Miss Pauling, the Admin and Saxton do most of the plot. Everyone else already had a lot of screen time in the previous chapters, but none of their stories were truly contributing to the actual conflict at hand, so the story can't come to an end until we actually see the person who's been pulling the threads actually come to terms with what she was doing. I'm very happy that her ultimate plan turned out to just be a pointless act of revenge, since we've all known from the start that the gravel wars are pointless. This is just one more dimension deeper into how pointless it is.

Managing to resolve the story and making sure all characters receive a happy end the way they did was more than I had hoped for comic 7. But just to summarise how I think everyone received their peace of mind across all comics:

1. Sniper: Finds out he's adopted -> figures out his step parents were his true family after all

2. Spy: Really wants to tell Scout that he's his dad -> actually manages to say the words, even if he wasn't honest with his appearance

3. Soldier: Delusional hater of commies -> marries a Russian woman and stops claiming racist things, because Zhanna as a person was more important to him than whatever he believed about Russian people. Still weird, not with less delusion but genuinely a sweet father and husband. Exaggerated and maximally silly way of how to actually change people's racist opinions in real life.

4. Scout: Upset that he can't get laid and thinks he has to be More Man -> glows up by becoming a dad who steps up and is less preoccupied with getting the girl of his dreams. His kids are what matters to him now and he becomes like his mom

5. Heavy: Worried about his family in Siberia -> his sisters show him they don't need him to protect them all the time and everyone moves to America so he can be with them. His sisters get to live freely.

6. Engineer: Is involved with the conflict since his grandpa, and is contractually unable to stop it -> tells Miss Pauling to sink all Australium in a trench so this never happens again

7. Saxton Hale: Wants to go back to the time when he was still actively doing things, gets his company stolen -> gets his company back but realises it doesn't make him happy. Leaves his company and joins Maggie again because fighting alongside her was what he's always wanted since we got glimpses of his past

8. Miss Pauling: Thinks the Administrator has a great plan that desperately needs her -> learns the plan was nothing at all and decides on the spot to end it by not giving Admin any more Australium because she realises she has been feeding into the conflict

Medic, Demoman, and Pyro never had a personal conflict to resolve. Medic had his moments to shine by sabotaging TFC and being in hell then coming back. Demoman had his arc with his liver leaving him and defeating the robots due to the alcohol in his blood. Medic scooped out parts of his brain to keep him unquestioning about his eye. Pyro is just a very simple character, and I say that with no judgement at all. Pyro is happy with arson, but also with a Dalmatian as their pet.

Everyone is still friends with each other and have their own little families. They come together to celebrate Smissmass at Scout's place. I think Saxton's last line "or do you want to live forever" was so well placed, being a nod to the meme from Expiration Date, as well as pointing out that, obviously, things have to come to an end we should embrace that ending when we see it's time.

And as always. If anyone doesn't like that any of these things, we are still free to make our own stories and reinterpret characters.

[edgeray]

Hello 🍉anon again, hope you’re doing okay and I hope my writing is not atrocious for this request. This idea has been on my mind for an Arlecchino x dragon reader(similar to Neuvillette). So, Arlecchino receive a report from her operatives that an unknown creature is lurking in the shadow near Poisson, that keeps on attacking the others fatui members and stealing their rations. She tells them that she will look into it eventually as she doesn’t want their ressources to be stolen. She starts to investigate to gather information on this creature and possibly locate it and by a twisted turn of fate, stumbles into a dragon(secretly the reader)that look awfully hurt and almost on the verge of dying. Arlecchino took pity on the rather tiny looking dragon (tought it seems to be an adult one) and brought them to the house of the heart to treat their wounds.

As the times pass and Arlecchino started to grow fond of the dragon, she see in the corner of the room, a human. Visibly confused, she starts to draw her scythe ready to impale the person in front of her should they pose a threat. Then the reader just go up to her and nuzzle into her as if it was the most natural thing in the world and it was at this moment that she realized it was the dragon she had rescued. They start to bond and eventually grow more intimate with each others.

My Little Fire

(Arlecchino x GN! Reader)

A/N -  Hi 🍉 Anon! Nice to see you again <3. Sorry this took so long. I just spoiled you guys with dragon arle, but how about dragon reader? Great idea, anon. Y'all really love dragons huh? Dragons are cool af, I don't blame you guys.  Unfortunately, I dunno a whole lot of genshin lore, so how genshin dragons work, idrk. I made you a Pyro Dragon, because bonding over fire abilities >>>  Dunno why I was so braindead while writing this, but that's why this took me an extra day to write this. By the way, the title is the english translation of the last three words. I headcanon that Arlecchino can speak Fontainian (French).  Content warnings / info - monster x human, reader is a dragon, reader is referred to ‘it’ for the most part, not second pov until the middle, arle's pov, reader is gn!, 1.7k words

Arlecchino didn't typically deal with these sorts of outings, not when her job typically dealt with information gathering and diplomacy. However, she couldn't turn a blind eye to this report in another Fatui camp situated in Poisson. Purportedly, rations have been going missing despite attempts to secure and protect them. Fatui operatives have been injured, and while Arlecchino does not doubt that some incompetence may have come into play, she does not believe that they are truly that incompetent. The operatives confirm that it is some type of creature, given the claws marks and the teeth indents the harmed operatives detailed. Whatever it was, it was too quick for the members to see, and so she now had to deal with it. 

Arriving at the camp, witness accounts didn't prove to be very helpful in terms of identifying the troublesome critter. However, the storage room, where the rations were stored, provided an interesting story to her. Unsurprisingly, clawed scratches littered around the containers of food, though she notices the indentures were caused by rather small paws. Despite the suggestion that the creature was rather tiny, it did not mean that creature was not weak, able to cut through solid metal. Interestingly enough, scorch marks also surrounded the area, even though there were no burns recorded in the injury accounts. The creature also seems rather famished. Each occurrence it raids the storage room, a considerable amount of food was stolen. Fascinating. Arlecchino can think of very few creatures like this but all of them seem implausible. 

However, there was a pattern to this creature’s visits. Every three nights, it came, wrecking havoc to whatever was in its way, but Arlecchino is sure that she'd be successful in capturing the beast tonight. She orders that no operatives are around the area–the last thing she desires is some inept fool getting in her way–and then she waits outside. 

It's near midnight when she first sees a glimpse of the creature's silhouette, about the size of a cat, but she can make out a long tail with spikes. Just as she anticipated, the creature appeared, flying through the open window she purposely opened. It pauses at the entrance, as if observing the lack of guards, but not questioning it as it dashes across the floor. Either this isn't a very smart creature, or its desperation for food outweighs the risks. Regardless, it just made a mistake. 

She uses her speed to enter the room before the creature has time to react, standing in front of the window it entered through. She closes the window, her eyes narrowing down on the now cornered beast. A scaled creature, with horns and wings. Its ears flattens against its head and their wings press against its body, imitating the fearful behavior a mutt would display. The longer she observers the creature the more she realizes that these traits match those of a dragon, albeit a very small dragon. She wonders if this was just a hatchling. 

The small dragon snarls at her, and a blaze emanates from its spine, the flames coursing down to its tail. The bright flames illuminate the dragon's features more, and it's when she notices that blood is spewing from a gruesome cut on its leg. 

An injured Pyro Dragon? It's terribly small, and she can't imagine how this one is still alive given its injury. Although the fire is an indicator it's a mature adult, the size is a cause of concern. What a pitiful thing.  

Arlecchino’s eyes flicker over to the box that the dragon tried getting into. As she approaches it, the dragon snarls, tensing its body to lunge at her at any second, however, she simply ignores it. Opening the lid, she's met with thick cuts of raw meat. She takes several cuts of the meat from the insulated container, before holding it out in front of the dragon. If the dragon needs raw meat, she has a particular selection of premium raw meat for herself that she could use for the dragon. 

“Eat,” she demands as she offers the food. The dragon, still maintaining its anxious behavior, stalks closer, sniffing the food before it latches its teeth on the steak. 

“I have as much meat as you could want, better quality as well. I'll feed you, shelter you, and take care of that cut for you. Come with me.” She says, offering another slab of meat. 

The dragon doesn't respond, nor stop eating, but its body relaxes. By the time it reaches its last piece of meat, it's eating out of her hand. Arlecchino uses the close proximity to examine the dragon's injuries. The dragon nudges its head against her hand, and Arlecchino strokes the dragon's head. 

“Will you come home with me?” 

The dragon gives her an affirmative croak. 

—

The dragon did not grow any larger even in the months it stayed with her, nor did it transform into its human form yet. Its wound had been festering for quite a while, however under her care, it is healing remarkably quickly. Arlecchino proposes that the dragon is using its energy to heal from the wound. Had the dragon not done so, it would have surely met an agonizing fate. This continuous depletion didn't allow for the  dragon to grow in size, transform, or use its powers and it would have continued in that state for years had she not rescued it. 

It must be because of this that the dragon does not take long to get attached to her.

The dragon always sticks near her, sometimes physically on top of her. If it's not on her shoulder or head, then it's on her lap. Getting accustomed to how clingy the dragon is was a struggle, but she soon learns. 

If she'd allow it, it'd follow her everywhere. It's almost endearing. 

It only took three days for the dragon to sneak into her bedroom. The morning after, she awakened with an unfamiliar weight over her torso, and she found that the dragon was nestled on top of her. The next night that she slept, it was nuzzled against her neck and sprawled over her right shoulder. She'd be lying if she said it was an unwelcome sight, and it became a nightly occurrence. 

Often the dragon would play and entertain the House of the Hearth children. Sometimes, it'd accompany her outside, but only on certain missions. After all, she needed to test the dragon’s abilities in its current condition, and who better to test it on than the scum of Fontaine? 

Something else she finds intriguing is that the dragon devours fire, much like how the Iudex fancies his water, though the dragon is particular to her blood flames than any typical flames. On occasion, she uses her powers as a treat that the creature happily indulges in. 

Arlecchino only wonders what more she would learn once the dragon finally transforms. 

—

Arlecchino returns to the House of the Hearth after another irritating Harbinger meeting, rather exasperated and irked by some of the impudence and dimness of her ‘coworkers.’ She reaches her bedroom, exhaling a sigh. Before she enters, she hears scuffling from beyond her bedroom door. Her door is slightly cracked open, implying that someone had entered during her absence. From the small opening of her door, she catches a glimpse of a figure. Instantly, her eyes narrow and she withdraws her scythe. 

Intruders have no place in her house. She knows that no children are inside, as it's one of the first things she's instilled when they first come: stay away from her room under any circumstance. So who is this audacious soul that dares trespass into her chambers?

Upon opening the door, she does not expect the speed of her assailant, as a figure crashes into her, wrapping their arms around her neck, face pressed against her neck. Arlecchino is momentarily stunned by the action, but for some reason, it feels familiar. The body is abnormally hot, too warm for a human being. This isn't someone she recognizes, and she was about to throw the being off of her when she paused. A purr erupts from the other person's throat, the vibrations coursing through the Harbinger. 

“Arle…” the person murmurs, the name making Arlecchino hesitate. They lean away, tilting their head and glancing up at her, and then her breath hitches. Vibrant, slitted eyes stare back at her, that gaze only belonging to a certain dragon she knows. 

“You're the–”

“–Dragon. It's finally nice to meet you, Arlecchino,” you say, as you finally uncoil your arms around her. Arlecchino observes you for longer, her scythe disappearing. Now that there's no threat, Arlecchino takes the time to observe your human form. 

“Are you fully healed?”

You nod, giving her a soft smile. “I am. Thank you. I'm indebted to you. I'm sure you know of this, but I would not have survived for much longer if it weren't for your help. If you'd allow me, I'd like to work under you as a repayment. I'm sure you'd like what I have to offer.” 

Arlecchino closes her eyes, a ghost of a smile appearing over her lips. “Very well.” 

—

Arlecchino learns many things about you. She learns of your favorite food, which happens to be her blood fire. The way you favor your meat served and how you're incredibly food-excitable. She learns that your wings and tails are incredibly sensitive underneath her fingertips and she is well aware that she abuses this knowledge. She learns that your presence lifts her heart and it’s only you that can appreciate her curse. 

Your favorite touch from her is your head. Everyday, she'd pat you on the head the same way she did the night she saved you. Kissing your forehead and carding through your hair are close seconds.

She learns that there are some things that don't change even with your new form. While you never return to your small size in your dragon form, it does not mean you still do not linger around her, sitting in her lap when she's at her desk. You still play with the children, often acting as the ‘Mother’ role that the children did not have. And every night, you return to her bedside, embraced in her arms. 

There are a few things that have changed with your new form. Arlecchino feels as if you've rekindled her, your love is another flame in her veins that doesn't scorch her being, but instead, you warm her soul, consuming her cursed blood flames. 

It's what inspires the name that she always calls you before you drift to sleep. 

“Mon petit feu.”

[evil8keta]

Could you do the mercs with a short reader who's strong enough to pick them up? (Except for Heavy lol, maybe they can pick up Sasha)

thank u anon this request is very funny

mercs x reader who's STRONG

SCOUT

- he constantly asks you to arm wrestle and fight with him because he just refuses to believe that someone THAT small could be THAT strong... of course, scout always looses every match with you and hurts his own ego in the process. on another note, if you were to pick him up, i feel that he might enjoy it a little? strangely enough? he just finds ur strength impressive haha... he's NEVER telling you that though!!!

SOLDIER

- so proud of you, whenever you show off your strength soldier wipes a tear from his eye because to him you are the peak american citizen (even if you're not american). he respects you a lot and constantly boasts about you to the others. ofc they all know you're strong but in case they ever forget it, soldier would be here to immediately remind them by gently yelling into their ear "LOOK AT MY STRONG LITTLE WARRIOR! THEY CAN PUNCH THROUGH A TREE!"

PYRO

- oh they look up to you!! and they think you're soooo cool for being so strong!! they're curious what your limit might be, so sometimes pyro just yanks you by the arm and leads you somewhere, then they point at various objects like "can you pick this up? what about THIS?" and it's like a table or whatever and ofc you can pick it up. then pyro points at themselves like "what about me? :3" HEHEHE

HEAVY

- ok you definitely tried to pick him up at least once but sadly yeah this guy is above your limit. it's okay though, he doesn't have the heart to tell you, so whenever you ask him if you can pick him up again, he says yes, fully knowing the outcome... you might be strong enough to pick up his gun, which is quite impressive. but does he trust you enough to hold it? hmm maybe that's another story...

DEMOMAN

- you two are frequently seen carrying one another. your strength is very handy when demo gets too drunk to walk, sometimes the others call you like "hey you go take care of demo again..." and yes he's pretty strong too, so when you need carrying, or you know you're just a silly individual who likes to be picked up, then my bro will carry you with a smile on his face. friendship

ENGINEER

- aww he's like so proud of you. he has no reason to but he is trust me. if your strength isn't inherent and you actually work out or lift weights, engineer will definitely give you daily doses of healthy motivation. yes you may pick him up, he think it's so cute when you sweep him off his feet with a hug. also he MIGHT use your strength sometimes around his workshop, like asking you to carry heavy tools or parts of machinery and stuff

MEDIC

- ngl if you can pick him up he'll start blushing and giggling and shit. not even in a romantic way he just finds it very charming. he's just vibing somewhere and then he spots you, maybe you're not even approaching him but if you happen to be in the general vicinity of him then he's gonna be like "oh! oh no! a big bad merc is coming to get meee!" and he starts like, pretending to run away. does he want you to chase him? what a weirdo!!!! also asks for your help during operations sometimes. like yes please help me carry demoman onto the patient bed so i can do lobotomy on him, thank you

SPY

- DONT PICK HIM BRO!! he's not gonna like that. spy thinks it's a bit strange how you can be tiny and lift incredible weights at the same time but if you're only using your strength to torment him then he's gonna start avoiding you lol. however, if you are kind enough to not pick him up without warning, he might start asking you to do stuff for him since you're so strong. like opening a jar of pickles.

SNIPER

- lowkey chill about it. he thinks you're admirable but he's not gonna be making a big deal out of it. you can pick him up but please ask first, otherwise he might learn to distrust you... and we don't want that fr. BUT if you're nice to him then it's the opposite. most of the men on the base are strong but he trusts YOU the most. he'll definitely ask you for help. sniper isn't weak but he's a bit lanky, so if he ever struggles with carrying something heavy, you're the first person he asks!

[multiheadcanons]

TF2 MERCS AND SLEEP

scout: scout sleeps like a wild animal. he will be diagonal on the bed with his arms and legs hanging off. half the time he’s not even on the bed. he falls asleep surrounded by the random stuff he uses to fall asleep. a book here, a set of cards that will never be a full deck again because they got lost in the sauce of the bed, an empty cup and plate. snores lightly. heavy sleeper. can sleep anywhere as long as he can lay down. doesn’t have dreams often, and when he does they’re strange. they never take place somewhere he recognizes. sleepwalks. normally to the kitchen. medic’s caught him there in the middle of the night, staring at an empty plate, and ushered his unconscious body back to his room.

soldier: soldier can also sleep anywhere but he does not need to lay down. unless he’s made an exception, he’s got a strict nighttime routine and is in bed if not asleep by 10pm. he’s a shifter, and a blanket stealer. light sleeper. he can register in his subconscious exactly who is in his immediate vicinity by their footsteps echoing in his mind as he has dreamless sleeps. he will tell them to get away from him and never crack his eyes open the entire time. fast to fall asleep, and early to rise. scarily quiet sleeper. you don’t know he’s alive unless you watch his chest rise and fall.

pyro: pyro’s bed is a princess themed dream scene. plush and pink. so much pink. and the bed is so soft, you just sink into it. duvet is unimaginably thick, and under that layer is an electric blanket. even sitting on the bed can overheat you quickly. pyro agonizes on which stuffed animals get to share the bed. normally caves and puts them all on the bed. they tuck themselves in, read themselves a bedtime story, turn their night sky projector on and falls asleep on their back, staring at fake stars. has strange, unexplainable dreams. many colors, many voices, but none of it makes sense.

demo: demo is normally in an alcohol induced nap. he’s never had issues getting to bed. doesn’t have an awesome bed setup, but it’s good enough for him. needs a cold room to go to sleep. can’t sleep in the heat. a tumultuous sleeper. talks and grumbles and turns and lets out particularly loud snores. this could stop if he laid on his back but he hates back sleepers. just has a small amount of beef for back sleepers. like they think they’re cool because they sleep on their back. but they’re not. and they think “oh just sleep on your back you’ll get great sleep” but he doesn’t because he’s never tried. so they’re liars and assholes. he’s tried sleeping on the floor, it wasn’t for him.

heavy: heavy is an optimal sleeper. by 9 he’s got his sleepytime tea, by 9:30 he’s not talking to anyone. he’s gearing up for rest. side sleeper. blanket hogger. snorer. and it’s LOUD. doesn’t bother him any, though, and nobody’s complained about it. whenever he’s asleep and he’s not in his room, it’s like white noise for the rest of the team. light sleeper, it doesn’t take much to wake him. he will be marginally disoriented, and irritated if he rises before he’s expected to, because he won’t be able to get back to sleep unless he immediately attempts to go back to sleep.

engie: engie doesn’t go out of his way to sleep, to his detriment. actively stays away from beds because it’s like a switch flip from him sitting on the bed thinking “oh i’m just gonna take a quick break” to him family guy death posed on the bed, hardhat shoved between the wall and the bed, goggles thrown on the floor, snoring, drooling. can sleep for a solid 18 hours if allowed to, and is hard to wake up. his team allows and encourages it because he doesn’t sleep. and just because he’s asleep doesn’t mean he isn’t available for his team. scout has knocked on his door, been allowed in, spoken to engineer, gotten effectively stated answers that is incredibly valid and should work within the context scout provided, scout then asked for clarification so he was getting it right, got the clarification, left, returned for his help because he fucked up the answer and needed him physically, and engineer was still asleep, and his answer has shifted to “get out”. disoriented when he wakes up. toe stubber in his confusion. he’s one of those guys who shoot out of bed and then sits and stares at the floor in shock. rolls out of bed more often than anyone could feasibly do. much more normal after a shower.

medic: medic does not sleep. he can’t even consider it sleep. when he tries he lays on his back and stares at the ceiling at around midnight and then he blinks and his alarm is going off. that’s not sleep. gets better results not on his back, but frankly just doesn’t sleep. he naps outside of his room, and it gets him by. his favorite place is spy’s smoking room. the couch spy keeps in there is uncomfortable, and it’s stuffy in there, and it reeks of tobacco, and there’s no blankets, or pillows. it’s his optimal sleeping arrangements. he doesn’t like feeling too comfortable in rest, he remembers as a boy it would be so hard to get out of a bed that’s too soft. he’s a busybody; never allows himself “laziness”. normally spy will stay out of there if medic makes a timely request for it, but he won’t leave if medic comes and crashes on the couch. medic is a very quiet sleeper unless he’s cold. so he stays. keeps the fireplace going. smokes his cigarettes and reads. he’ll shoot up after some hours, rubbing sleep from his eyes and leaving without another word to continue his day.

sniper: another quiet sleeper. can and will get in every spare second of rest he can find. just pulls his hat over his eyes, and he’ll be gone in about 5 minutes. very light sleeper, essentially sleeps with one eye open because any noise will wake him up. has crazy dreams about his teammates. he’s tall, so he’s generally hanging off any bed he’s got. two limbs will always be a sacrifice from the blanket. he’s a fast riser unless he’s hungover. sometimes lets out these long sighs, like a dog, then rolls over. keeps a knife under his pillow, and under his bed. grips them when he’s having nightmares. doesn’t dream too often at all, though.

spy: spy snooooores. very softly. but he does snore. also drools. also normally family guy death posed on the bed; he doesn’t make active attempts to go to bed at a decent time so he just falls asleep whenever his body is begging for the sweet release of death. heavy sleeper. slow riser. eyes barely open when he first wakes up, before slowly pulling himself together in bed. running his hand through his hair, rubbing his eyes, stretching. kinda hot for the fly on the wall. when he actively tries to go to bed, he sleeps with his back to the wall and his eyes on the exit. generally normal dreams. as normal as dreams can be. likes a warm room to sleep in. easier for him to make the transition to being fully awake. has fallen asleep smoking before and had a dream pyro came in and torched his bed. and he couldn’t get up, or out of the bed. he was stuck there. woke up gasping, and decided he should probably make better attempts to sleep properly, and maybe not smoking before bed wouldn’t hurt either.

[macabre-discotheque]

I really do think you're wonderful.

Hello you! I have another little story I've had cooking in the brainpan for awhile! I would like to thank my good friend @mouse-bones for beta reading and giving me feedback!!

Constructive criticism is much appreciated, I want to get better!

Word Count: 696 words

“Come on, Pasc! I think it would look lovely on you,”

“I know! It’s just, you know how makeup makes me feel, Wally..”

“Just once? I won’t ask you again if you don’t like it this time, and if you get uncomfortable halfway through, you can tell me to stop. Promise.”

“…Okay,”

Wally gave Pascal a smile from the vanity and walked over to the bed to press a kiss to their cheek, hugging them right after. He stood back up and walked back to the vanity mirror to grab his makeup set, all while the latter finished buttoning up their shirt to go out later on. Pascal looked down at their hands as they waited for Wally to call them to the mirror.

…Too soft, quit biting your nails…

“Alright, I have my things, can you sit by the vanity? It makes it a bit easier,”

“Mhmm,” Pascal stood up and grabbed a chair to sit on the opposite side of the bedroom by the mirror they always saw Wally using in the mornings. Wally sat across from them with a palette and some brushes.

“Just let me know if you need me to stop, Pascy,” Wally explained as he grabbed the eyeshadow palette and brush and patted it into orange pigment, “Now close your eyes, and stay still for me, please?”

Pascal sat there, looking between Wally and the brush. They nodded and closed their eyes, as the brush began to paint color on their face, deja vu hit them like a freight train. The assortment of colors and the way the brush patted their eyelids, it reminded them of a different time that felt far clearer than they recalled, even after nearly 10 years.

“Hm, I feel like I’m back in high school,”

“What makes you say so, darling?”

“My sister did makeup on me once for a dance, I don’t remember what she did but I just remember feeling kind of weird,” Pascal muttered, fidgeting uncomfortably with their hands as they did their best to sit still.

Wally hummed in acknowledgment, not making any further conversation as he kept going. He switched between tools occasionally. Working with a quick but steady hand, wanting to avoid drawing the process on for longer than necessary.

“Alright, aalmostt done…Just one more thing, can you purse your lips out for me?” Wally grabbed some lipstick from the drawer in the vanity, opened it up, and twisted the bottom. He applied it to Pascal’s bottom lip and made a gesture for them to apply it to their upper lip as well.

“There, all finished,” Wally grabbed a handheld mirror after closing the lipstick and showed Pascal’s reflection to themselves, “What do you think?”

Pascal’s eyes widened as they saw themselves in the mirror, they gently took the mirror from Wally’s hands and stared into the eyes of the person who looked back at them. Despite everything, despite all they’ve been through.

It was still them.

“…Do you not like it?” Wally seemed to shrink in on himself, though Pascal was quick to ease his worries.

“No! I mean- It’s…It’s not bad just… I didn’t think I’d look so…pretty? I kind of like the eyeshadow, I don’t think the lipstick matches very well though.” They said as they kept their focus on the mirror, quirking an eyebrow at the blue lipstick. Wally on the other hand visibly calmed down, a smile forming on his face.

“Oh that was for me… would you want to try this again sometime?” Wally looked at Pascal with his big doe eyes, there was nothing to match Wally’s joy when Pascal nodded their head.

They took another look at the mirror before they put it back on the table.

“Hey, isn’t this your lipstick color? Why’d you put it on m- Mph!” Pascal nearly fell backward as Wally lurched forward to press his lips against theirs. After what felt like an eternity, Wally pulled away with a giggle, leaving Pascal with flushed cheeks and a surprised look.

“That’s why. I wanted to kiss you,”

“If you do that again while we’re at Julie’s, I’m going to throw you out.”

“That isn’t very nice,”

[yaeggravate]

could capitano be anfortas alberich?

it's more likely than you think 👍🏽✨️

arguments in favor of anfortas = capitano:

capitano's potential constellation could be the three nails which is a reference to jesus' crucifixion. i honestly can't picture this constellation belonging to any other harbinger unless sandrone's ruin guard is carrying some heavy bagage.

anfortas is named after the fisher/sinner king from arthurian legend, he is usually portrayed as a jesus-like figure in more modern adaptations, due to his never-ending suffering. he was also stabbed with the holy spear in the same side as jesus during his crucifixion.

in the poem the waste land by t.s. eliot, he associates the fisher king with the tarot card the three staves. in some tarot decks (most notably thoth which is pictured below), the three staves are positioned exactly like the three nails

anfortas' fate is currently unknown, as he is khaenri'ahn it's not unreasonable to assume he could've survived for 500 years

his relative kaeya was conveniently present when varka's letter about capitano was being read in an event about lost family members

according to varka, capitano hides his face so no one can know his identity and origins. anfortas was part of the schwanenritter which is a reference to the swan knight legend, where the knight had to conceal his identity, name and origins

varka says capitano is an ordinary mortal with the courage to go up against gods which is basically khaenri'ah's motto

capitano's helmet has a makeshift 8-pointed star on it which is usually associated with khaenri'ah (tbf 8-pointed stars can also be found in other places, such as the adventurer's guild, the hexenzirkel and now natlan.)

capitano has blue eyes and so far every khaenri'ahn character we've met has blue-ish eyes with the exception of arlecchino who is descended from the crimson moon clan

anfortas and capitano are both commanders: anfortas was the knight marshal of the schwanenritter (and temporarily became regent of khaenri'ah), capitano is thee captain, the highest ranked harbinger

anfortas' personality is unclear so we can't really compare it to capitano's. BUT what we do know is that he temporarily filled in as regent when irmin was unavailable. he also executed his own comrade after they committed treason by sabotaging a machine yet he still gave them a proper knight's funeral. this could allign with the absolute righteousness and honor capitano is known for

capitano is highly praised and respected within the fatui and the same can be said for anfortas who was close enough to the king that he could petition him and whose subordinates believed in him until the end

An Abandoned Letter... I often think lately about how future generations will tell my story. Will I be a sinner? Or a hero... The situation here is dire, but I believe that our Marshal will find a way. I believe...

the author of this letter wondering if they'll be seen as sinners or heroes and believing anfortas will save them fits pretty well with the three nails constellation, a symbol of salvation and redemption

(there's some interesting irony in anfortas' name meaning infirmity (weakness/illness), which is the opposite of capitano being a strong man. capitano's commedia dell'arte counterpart was a braggart who only boasted about his strength.)

capitano is now in natlan. for some reason, kaeya's hidden strife letters are filled with fire imagery. kaeya's dad says the alberich clan "should lead lives as those who blaze like fire rather than those who wallow in the embers", which is reminiscent of the "secret" the pyro archon shares/will share with the traveler according to the travail trailer: "the rules of war are woven in the womb: the victors shall burn bright, while the losers must turn to ash."

*update: natlan is right next to one of anfortas' ruin golems and in a new world quest we find out there were two khaenri'ahn knights in natlan who were ordered by someone highly respected to stop the abyss from spreading. based on context clues their superior is likely anfortas. perhaps anfortas also ended up in natlan and something happened to him there

**update: the schwanenritter were most likely part of the black serpent knights, khaenri'ah's royal guard, since one of the schwanenritter used the same model as a black serpent windcutter. isn't it convenient then that capitano is dressed as a black serpent with those black scales and visor in the triangular shape of a snake's head?

arguments against the theory:

anfortas lost his left eye, while capitano is said to have dark blue eyes plural. however, it's unclear if anfortas literally lost his left eye or was merely blinded. he could have also grown back the eye cause idk khaenri'ah genes/abyss goo/bald

three harbingers from khaenri'ah seems a bit overkill. (though you could argue we already have three harbingers from snezhnaya: childe, pulcinella and pantalone.) we don't have any harbingers from natlan (or liyue), and currently capitano seems like the most likely option. however, knowing hyv's colorism, it could be columbina instead. according to the harbinger wheel columbina should be arriving after arlecchino, although we haven't seen her in any of the trailers yet. (all hope for brown-skinned capitano is not lost if he's related to kaeya though!)

since anfortas is the "fisher" king and ended up with one eye, he could be kaeya's "pirate" grandpa or even his dad and i'm not too confident hyv is gonna imply capitano had a lover with kids unless he gets signora'd lol. on the other hand, arthurian anfortas was famously saved by his nephew, which could mean our anfortas is kaeya's uncle.

***update: capitano can use nightsoul which is exclusive to people from natlan. however, the traveler can also use phlogiston (though no word on nightsoul yet) and mavuika senses an "unusual presence" inside cap which could explain his powers

[hana-no-seiiki]

Hi, i dont know your request are still open, but. Maybe Arlecchino! reader? where the batfam first time met them, they think she is a enemy? (well she is actually, idk) by her mysterious manner? they know her from Damian, who is friends with Lyney and Lynette. Damian never met with reader. But, one day. Lyney and Lynette is been bring to the Wayne Manor by Damian. For a simple dinner, yes. They tell that they are orphans that live in a orphanage named "House of Hearth" at France.

They come to Gotham for study. And yes, Bruce feels sympathy for them (actually want to adopt them.). Well thats just an idea he have in his mind. But, now. Bruce interested as they said that "Father" which is reader is a woman. And lucky, Reader is at Gotham for some "business", Bruce added that he like to make this "Father" came to have dinner with them tommorow.

(Fatui Harbinger is a netral organisation. Yet, still indeed dangerous. They only search something important for their own fortune, maybe like a mafia or something?)

Anyway. When the Batfam met with Reader, they cant help. But find, reader is.. Strange, and mysterious. But cant help by their charming aura. And, why is reader suddenly accept the offer to met with the Batfam? because, she want to make sure about her guess that Bruce Wayne is the Infamous Batman. (okay, maybe the fatui harbinger have some issues with the superheros ig). As Batman was the one who failed her mission for seeking a Hydro gem. She managed to escape of course.. (Idk, its your choice to finish the rest of it, im already fucked up to think the rest of it.)

Anyway, love your writing. I mean, the things i imagened of batfam have a crossover with genshin or hsr became true by you. I never found a writer that made such a Batfam x Genshin/Hsr/Honkai impact one like you. Maybe later make a Ada Wong! reader x Batfam? Im sorry if i have a lot things to say. Thank you for reading this shitty words of mine. Rest well, may God bless you. 💕💕💕💕💕💕

omfg i was just about to start a draft on Arlecchino reader!!! but i wanted to wait for when our dear Father is out first so I can read her story, etc.

I’ll save the bulk of my ideas/fic for when I fully know her lore but this is what I got from the story quest.

The name Arlecchino was the most people got from digging information on you.

You were this mysterious entity among the notorious Fatui Harbingers. Neither vengeful nor greedy. Nor were you ever known to actively seek out blood outside of the Tsaritsa’s orders.

Your priority has and will always been the House of Hearth. Your children. You were never too far from them.

After one of the relics your master told you to obtain was destroyed, you were to punished by being forced to help with the next acquisition. The Crown of the Pyro Clan.

You were stationed in East America. Particularly Gotham for investigation.

An ordinary Wayne Ent. office worker by the day, mafia capo causing havoc by night.

You weren’t really taking your job seriously, so you were soon caught by Gotham’s finest.

And soon after that, their obsession.

God is Tim such a great pair for Arlecchino reader tho. I already see him drooling all over them-

[electrosair]

Jealous headcanons dendro + pyro ver.

english isn’t my first language, sorry for mistakes

characters: al haitham + baizhu + kaveh + tighnari + diluc + lyney + thoma

word count: 1k

Alhaitham

how jealous is he from 1 to 10?

2/10 He's not really a person who worries too much about those topics, he trusts you enough to date you, so he understands that he doesn't need to be all over you about what you do or who you do it with.

how possessive is he from 1 to 10?

6/10 But even if he's not jealous, there's no doubt that he likes people to see that you're his and that you're going out together, taking you on dates or bragging about what a great partner he has.

what is he most jealous of?

When someone dares to make any move on you while he is in front of you, he can understand that people approach you because they find you attractive, but while you are next to him? That makes him rethink whether people really notice his hands on you and the looks he throws at them.

Baizhu

how jealous is he from 1 to 10?

5/10 It's kind of uncomfortable for him to see other people trying to hit on you when you're already with him, but he doesn't really like to spend his time thinking about how he should take it. He sighs and keeps it to himself.

how possessive is he from 1 to 10?

3/10 You may notice him a little more distant but only if he knows that you have kept information from him about going out with other people, he doesn't understand why you wouldn't want to tell him in the first place when you know he's not going to make any complaints.

what is he most jealous of?

He doesn't like to see you going out alone too often, he worries about you all the time and the last thing he wants is for something to happen to you. So when you do and it's not for a very important reason, he will most likely reprimand you for it or bring up unrelated issues.

Kaveh

how jealous is he from 1 to 10?

8/10 He wants attention, he needs attention, and he wants yours. Try not to make it seem so obvious so you don't get mad at him or feel uncomfortable, but he gets upset when you spend more time with someone else.

how possessive is he from 1 to 10?

4/10 As much as he gets jealous he knows that you are you and he can't control what you do or say, but whenever he can he will hug you and hold your hand in public.

what is he most jealous of?

Hearing you laughing at stories of yours that you tell other people that he thought you would only tell him, or plans that you've talked about and ended up doing with someone else, he would go straight to the bar to calm his thoughts.

Tighnari

how jealous is he from 1 to 10?

4/10 Unless someone approaches you and is too clear with their intentions he will not react. He leaves it up to you on most occasions to tell the person that you are not interested in anything of the sort.

how possessive is he from 1 to 10?

6/10 I want to blame it on him being a hybrid and not anything else because Tighnari is usually very nice to you, but he certainly likes to let people know in subtle ways that you're already with someone.

what is he most jealous of?

That you speak with admiration for people who are not close to him or whom he does not know. He always tries to put up the best image with you and teach you everything he knows, so why do you have to talk that way about someone other than him?

Diluc

how jealous is he from 1 to 10?

3/10 Normally he doesn't get jealous, but when he does, it shows. He would talk even less than usual and you would notice how he rolls his eyes every time someone walks towards you to talk (flirt) to you.

how possessive is he from 1 to 10?

8/10 Small details, just to show everyone how capable he is of dating you and that he takes good care of you. He would give you jewelry that would be visible and from time to time he'd run his hand around your waist to hold you close to him.

what is he most jealous of?

If people come up to you drunk while he's working at the bar, he won't hesitate for a second to throw someone out if necessary or to give harsh answers if they ask for more drinks, even make you stay behind the counter with him.

Lyney

how jealous is he from 1 to 10?

5/10 It's not that he doesn't trust you, he just doesn't trust the rest of the people around you. He knows you and knows what you're like, so he wouldn't hold resentment or anger towards you, but he would towards people who try to have their way with you.

how possessive is he from 1 to 10?

7/10 There are a lot of people who know him and therefore if you start dating him, people would start to know you, so if he sees any strange moves towards you he would be thoughtful and try to get you out of wherever you are.

what is he most jealous of?

He can't stand people asking him about you when he sees that they have other intentions and are not friends that you have already told him about, he doesn't trust them and doesn't want them near you. Especially when they treat you as his assistant, you are his partner, not anything else.

Thoma

how jealous is he from 1 to 10?

2/10 There are a few times when he gets jealous, and it doesn't really last very long. He would usually only get upset if someone is not able to respect your boundaries, such as trying to kiss you or following through after a 'no'.

how possessive is he from 1 to 10?

4/10 He wants to give you space, as much as you need as long as you tell him how you feel and don't hide things from him. So he doesn't really mind seeing you with other people as long as you tell him and at the end of the day you come back to his arms.

what is he most jealous of?

Watching you spend time with other people outside, eating food or taking walks, his heart aches at the thought of you and someone else doing things you could do with him. He can't bear to think that you might have a better time with them or that you don't enjoy your time with him.

[jecook]

Dabihawks Fanfic Recs #4

(In no particular order)

Fic Rec List #1 Fic Rec List #2 Fic Rec List #3 LoV Found Family List

it is what it is (until it isn't) Starship_Phoenix @starship--phoenix Complete Rating: T Words: 7,811 Chapters: 1/1 Summary: Dabi hates Hawks. Hawks hates Dabi. But then Hawks surprises Dabi with a trip to the mountains. With the captive audience he's always been waiting for, Dabi lets Hawks know just how he feels about the HPSC's new "Buddy Program;" society's new alternative to life-sentences. He also discovers just how he feels about Hawks.

Notes: Everyone loves an unreliable narrator, and Dabi has no clue what is going on. Soft story, bitter Dabi, and overall lovely winter read. Star weaves a tightly written narrative absolutely worth reading.

hit and run DrAphra @draphrawrites Incomplete Rating: T Words: 11,740 Chapters: 3/? Summary: A hit and run, of all things, is what changes the course of Dabi’s life.

Notes: I have reread this fic more times than I can count. I am an enjoyer of some serious hurt + comfort in the form of amateur first aid, so Dabi struck by a vehicle and left with only Hawks to care for him is the best meal in the world, to me. Aphra writes injuries and tending to them with precision that might make some squirm but truly brings a wrecked character to life. A must-read for lovers of sad, wet rat, injured blorbos. 

Kintsugi Stormysilverfox Complete Rating: T Words: 47,976 Chapters: 9/9 Summary: Dabi, person-roasting, hero-hating, A-ranked villain, is an omega.

It’s not necessarily a problem, only Hawks is fairly—hm, positively—certain that the pyro has no idea. It’s obvious what the HPSC would say. You’re an alpha Hawks, extort him, use a command on him. That was an unspoken order to honeytrap him then, since a command would only be as effective as Dabi’s affection was strong. Better not to tell them, better to pretend he hadn’t realised.

All his plans disintegrate around him when Dabi starts nesting in his apartment. Ironically enough, his biggest concern is dislodging him before he settles permanently, not exploiting him. He’s well aware that an omega will not give up their nest once it’s started, enemy apartment or no. And all without alerting Dabi to the fact that he’s even nesting at all, because Hawks has no desire to be cremated along with the other evidence once he realises.

Accidentally falling in love with him wasn’t supposed to be in the cards. Hawks fucking honeytrapped himself, like a moron. This was exactly what they taught you not to do.

Losing him to the Commission isn’t supposed to happen either.

Notes: Listen to me: are you nervous to read A/B/O? Open your mind to Safe For Work Omegaverse. This fic is soft, comforting, and honestly? I’m due for a reread. Like the title suggests, this fic is healing. A story to put you back together again, Kintsugi is a comfort read.

as we lay among the forsythias Goldtinted Incomplete Rating: M Words: 92,961 Chapters: 4/5 Summary:

“You used to love blabbering on and on. What happened to you, Keigo?” It’s the second time Touya has ever used his real name. He’s not as startled as he was the first time he heard it. The element of surprise is gone, but Hawks still feels something small and sharp stab at his chest. He wonders what Touya’s endgame is here. “I fought in a war.” He says simply, shrugging. Touya laughs again, louder this time, a cold, harsh sound that reverberates across the barrier and around the room. The guards behind Touya start to move forward, and Hawks can sense shuffling beyond the door behind him. “Well guess what, birdbrain? I did too.”

As the dust settles after the war, amidst social turmoil and societal reform, between three centimetres, seventy-eight square kilometres, and a dance of thirty odd steps, Hawks and Touya slowly recover. In the process, they find themselves falling in love again.

Notes: I totally thought this fic was complete until I started writing this rec. I’m shocked - I felt so fulfilled by this story that I just… imagined it must have ended. Well, still go read and support this fic and give the author lots of love for a wonderful post-canon that lives in my heart forever. Also, the narrative structure is so cleverly crafted and worth reading for that alone, not to mention the arc Dabi and Hawks take in this fic.

One more time (and maybe you’ll get it right this time) juurensha @juurensha Complete Rating: M Words: 19,677 Chapters: 3/3 Summary: “…sure,” Dabi says finally, “Do you think the answer is still with you joining the League of Villains?”

“Of course it is! Or else why do I keep rewinding to this moment here?” Hawks spits out, flinging his arms around. “But you know what? This time I need a break. I’m just going to go on vacation, and both you and the Hero Commission can go to hell, and maybe this time I’ll be able to tell what resets everything. Or who knows, this is what solves everything.”

Notes: More than just moving, this fic is a technical achievement. Not a spoiler–this is a time loop fic told from the POV of Dabi, despite Hawks being the one looping. I’m a fan of interesting story structure, and this one certainly delivers.

Minutes to Midnight Bacchant @transhawks Complete Rating: T Words: 51,645 Chapters: 7/7 Summary: "Something’s wrong," Hawks thinks again. "And this isn’t the right place to figure it out."

An unknown quirk that only shows itself as a mysterious tattoo on his arm sends Hawks careening into different worlds, all seemingly designed to make him ask himself what if he'd made different choices in his life. In each life, he learns a bit more about himself, and who he could have been, and gets closer to answering the biggest question of all: just who is Takami Keigo?

Or

Takami Keigo will travel to different dimensions, break out of simulations, challenge the established rules of quirk science, and bring a man back to life before going to therapy.

Notes: I tricked you! This one isn’t dabihawks! I’ve lured you in with sweet, sweet dabihawks only to show you this fantastic Hawks-centric fic. I know. Detestable. Well, if you’re reading this list, I assume you enjoy dissecting Hawks like a frog in a middle-school science class, and this fic does just that. Bacchant is a master of writing meta about our favorite murder bird and does so here through a collection of alternate lives he could’ve lived. The journey winds in ways you might not expect, and the ending those twists deliver will stick with you. For fans of Hawks, definitely give this fic a read.

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Lastly, after fives rec lists, a shameless self-plug: I'm Haslenoot on ao3, if you'd like to take a glance at my work, as well <3

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Don't forget to leave those kudos, comments, and subscribe where applicable! And if you feel so inspired, fic recs are a great way to engage with fandom, support your peers, and preserve fandom. While I love searching ao3, it can be a lot for people new to a big fandom! Many of readers enjoy rec lists, but often they can be hard to find or locked within Discord servers. Fic rec lists are findable through search engines. I've read fics off lists that are years old, which is, in a way, an archive of the fandom at that time. So make lists! Post them publicly! Hype up your friends!

And as always, happy reading!