#scholar!reader

[winterrrnight]

hi edith! i love your writing so much 🫶 especially the dynamic scholar!reader with rafe. can you make more please 🥺🩷 but with mean!rafe or fratboy!rafe

ahhh thank you for your request and your kind words anon 🫶I hope you like reading this :) I went with frat!rafe because to be honest mean!rafe isn’t much of my thing 😅 let me know your views on this if you feel like <3

late night sessions

PAIRING: frat!soft!rafe cameron x gn!scholar!reader

SUMMARY: rafe helps you back in bed after you accidentally fall asleep while studying.

WARNINGS: reader is a stem student (or basically anything except business because that is rafe’s major); established relationship; minimal usage of nicknames like babe; minimal swearing; rafe is soft for reader; fluff

EDITH SPEAKS: love love love scholar!reader with my whole heart 🥰 I’m so glad I’m getting to write them again. (manifesting major scholar!reader vibes for myself for my upcoming college year 😚) read my original scholar!reader blurb here <3

please reblog if you liked reading this! feedback is always appreciated 🪸

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It’s like you are completely cut off from the outside world; your books, notes, flashcards, and your laptop surround you on your desk as you find yourself knee deep in this semester’s syllabus, your mind already working on an overdrive for midterms – even when you still have a whole week before the dreaded exams approach.

But your boyfriend? He’s totally opposite. 

Exams don’t even begin mattering to him until one night before the actual exam day when he practically rawdogs some borrowed notes, not knowing what half of the content means but he’s cramming and gulping down information as if his life depends on it. And then guess what? He always gets a minimum of 50% of the total marks on each of his exams, making him the cockiest bastard to ever exist. 

 “See babe? This shit’s easy as fuck. Passed with all flying colors ’n shit,” He grins, practically shoving his grade sheet in your face. You always have to swallow down the urge to smack that irritatingly perfect face of his, blowing off that smirk right off his face. 

“Shut it, your business shit’s easy to pass alright?” You grumble under your breath. You very well know business isn’t easy, but the fact that Rafe is passing it with pretty decent scores by studying only one night before makes you think differently.

Your current focus on your notes is broken when you hear a knock at your dorm door. Begrudgingly, you yell out a ‘come in’, not moving your attention from your notes for even a split second. You hear the door open and close from the front of the room, and when you feel a figure approach you from the back and wrap their arms around you, you know who it is. 

“Hey babe,” Rafe mumbles in your ear, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek as he rests his chin on your shoulder, looking at all your books and notes surrounding you. 

“Hey,” You mumble back, your focus not withering at all. 

“Missed you tons today,” He mumbles, gently caressing your neck with his fingertips before nuzzling against the soft skin, his lips beginning to press slow, languid kisses.

“Yeah same,” You mutter, dragging your laptop closer as you open the file you want to access, your entire body, mind and soul completely unphased by Rafe. 

Rafe sighs as he presses one last kiss to the side of your neck before lifting his head up. “Already studying for your midterms?” He says, reluctantly stepping back from you to flop down on your bed, his gaze never leaving you. He already knows the answer to his question: you wouldn’t be the person he’s so deeply infatuated with if you aren’t giving a head start to your head start for your exam preparations.

“Uh huh,” Comes out your quiet voice as he watches you, your brows furrowed as you scroll through something on your laptop. He trains his gaze over to the small digital clock sitting on the corner of your desk, flashing the numbers 11:17 in a bright white. 

“Babe it’s getting late, come sleep with me,” He says, beginning to scoot over to make space for you, but your next words make him stop. 

“It’s okay Rafe you sleep, I’ll be there in a few,” 

Few. It can mean anything in your dictionary. It can mean 40 seconds, or 28 minutes, or 3 hours, or the entire night.

Rafe lets out a quiet sigh as he thinks of coaxing you to get in bed with him again, but he knows it’s not going to work. 

“You better not ‘accidentally’ pull an all-nighter again you hear me?” He says, a tinge of sternness in his voice as he fluffs the pillows once before dropping his head on them. 

You don’t say anything, just make a quick move to turn off the main light of the room and turn on your desk lamp instead. The room plunges into darkness except for the soft glow of your desk light, illuminating your desk and you sitting in front of it.

Rafe turns over on his side to look at you, his hand under his head. He watches you study quietly, your facial features glowing under the desk light and the light from your laptop screen. He tried to keep his eyes open for as long as he can, but the occasional typing of the keyboard, pen scratching against the paper as you write, and your barely audible whispering begin to lull him into a sleep which he finds harder and harder to pull himself from. 

↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊˎ-

Rafe shifts in his position, letting out a soft grunt under his breath as he turns over on his side after being on his back. He squints his eyes as he feels a certain light hit his heavy, closed eyelids. He forces them to open, his vision blurry for the first few seconds. As his vision sets and his mind begins to gain consciousness, he realizes your desk light is still on. 

You are crouched over in the chair, your head resting on the table in your arms. Your notes are scattered around and your laptop is open but now under sleep mode. Rafe darts his attention over to the clock, and the numbers 2:32 flash back at him. 

“Jesus,” He mutters under his breath, helping his sleep-ridden body up from the bed. He walks over to your hunched position and gently shakes your shoulder. 

“Babe, babe come sleep in the bed,” His raspy voice comes out. For a moment, you don’t move, but after a few gentle shakes you do, slowly lifting your head up from your arms. 

“What…” You mumble sleepily, your eyes barely open. You are just as sleepy as Rafe, if not more. 

Rafe shuts your laptop close and switches off the desk light, the only light now coming through the small window of your dorm. His hand finds your arm and he gently pulls you up from the chair. 

“Come sleep in bed,” He repeats, his voice still groggy as he helps you up from the desk chair. Your extremely tired body doesn’t put up a fight even once and you let him lead you over to the bed. 

Rafe helps you lie down and he lays next to you, his arms wrapping around your frame in an instant. You succumb to his embrace the very next second and snuggle closer to him, resting your head on his chest. 

Both of you fall asleep after your shared moment of momentary awakeness, your sleepy body tucked snugly against his for the rest of the night. 

↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊˎ-

TAGLIST: @runningfrom2am, @saccharinesammie, @maybankslover, @totalswag, @madelynie, @chenslucy /

@ietss, @elle-mp3, @viawritesstuff, @wallsdreams, @mistress-amidala /

@sadfury, @sage-burrow, @jamesbuckybarneswify, @xxxlaura, @thatsthewaythechrissycrumbles, @callsignwidow /

@starkowswife, @drewstarkeyswifehoe, @jjchaer, @f4ll-for-you, @wearemadeofstardust0 /

@drewsmusee, @rafegirly, @addriaenne, @leighbronk, @rafesdrew /

@bejeweledreverie, @raf3sgff, @aerangi, @drewstarkey1bae, @moneymaybank, @spideysimpossiblegirl /

@spideysimpossiblegirl, @noahkahansorangejuice, @rafesgiirl, @theoraekenslover, @fals3-g0d /

@personalfavsthatarerandom, @b1mb0slvt @babypoguelife, @ilyrafe, @oxpogues4lifexo /

@fionaswifeyy /

[starkeyvhs]

kiss me

PAIRING: rafe cameron x fem!reader

SUMMARY: 3 times rafe’s attempts to kiss you for the first time failed and the 1 time it didn’t. OR you have a ‘thing’ going on with the most popular guy of your school, where you both just know about your mutual attraction, but aren’t doing anything about it. how cliché, am I right?

WORD COUNT: 4.6k

WARNINGS: rafe is such a tease and a pain in the ass (but reader loves him); nerdy reader who loves science; swearing; high school au; swearing; slightly suggestive jokes; reader overworks herself; fluffiness and softness overall; I always beta read my fics but if there are any minor grammatical/spelling errors please ignore

EDITH SPEAKS: and it’s out!!! I’ve been wanting to write something like this for so long and i hope I did justice to the entire 3+1 idea! I always love fics in this format and I hope mine is pretty fun to read too <3 please reblog if you enjoyed reading! feedback is always highly appreciated 🪻

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ONE — SNEAK IN

The soft chirping of the cicadas and the rustling of the trees in the gentle breeze is completely lost on you as your focus remains solely on the assignment opened in front of you, your headphones fixed in place, canceling any noises from outside whatsoever. 

Your attention is so absorbed by just your work that you don’t even realize when the window of your room slowly slides open, revealing no one other than Rafe slowly climbing inside your room. It’s only when Rafe accidentally bumps into your dresser and lets out a groan when you are made aware there is someone besides you in your room, and the sudden realization makes you let out a scream. 

“Jesus–” Rafe mutters, quickly muffling your scream with his hand covering your mouth. “It’s just me, calm down,” 

He watches your widened eyes slowly fall shut for a moment before opening back up, the tense muscles of your body slowly relaxing. He gently removes your headphones and keeps them aside on your bed, his hand coming off your mouth and falling to his side. 

“You scared me!” You say, giving a light smack to his arm as you scoot over on your bed to make space for him. Rafe only playfully rolls his eyes and sits next to you on your bed. His eyes skim over your assignment sprawled over your bed sheets in front of you before meeting your gaze. 

“What?” He teases, leaning back against the headboard, watching you look back at him with that adorable confused expression that he loves. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” you begin, “probably something about how you just sneaked in?” You say, your voice taking an incredulous tone.

He chuckles softly, his heart only melting more at your incredulity, and the way your eyes widen when he begins to make himself more comfortable; fluffing the pillow behind him once and slouching against it. 

“You talk a lot sometimes, you know that?” He teases, letting his fingers curl around your arm and giving you a gentle tug. 

You only huff at his words, trying your level best to not let the small smile pulling the corners of your lips to be shown to him, because you just know the amount of teasing it’ll entail. 

You let him pull you closer to him, now both of you sitting so close to each other your knee touches his thigh. You look at him, all slouched and comfortable in your bed as you sit upright. 

“What?” You mutter, as he gazes back at you with a gentle smirk on his face. 

“Nothing,” he shrugs, his smirk only widening as he keeps on gazing at you, the eye contact strong and firm, and it’s clear none of you are ready to cut it. 

You can feel a certain heat rising up in your cheeks with the way his piercing blue eyes simply refuse to leave yours. It’s intoxicating in a way – the feelings bubbling under your skin when he looks at you like that, and no matter how hard you wish to try, you just can’t take your own eyes away from his. 

“What are you even doing here?” You mutter, your eyes still sinking into his. 

“What? I can’t visit my favorite girl?” Rafe says – more like challenges – a matching look in his eyes as he leans forward just slightly. 

That catches you off guard, no doubt, but you maintain eye contact with him, squinting your eyes just a bit. 

“Liar,” you mutter, your tone accusatory, a finger coming up pointing towards his face. “I know that’s not true. What do you want? Chemistry homework? No wait, you suck at math you probably need–” 

Rafe can’t help but let out a quiet laughter at your words, his gaze breaking apart from yours as he looks down at his lap, shaking his head quietly as he laughs. 

“What?” You clear your throat, sitting up straighter as you grab your assignment back again and bring it in your lap, flipping through the pages to find where you left off before a certain intrusion completely broke your focus. 

“Hey hey come on now,” he says, gently pulling the above assignment out from your hands and keeping it aside. “I’m here, give me attention,” he pouts, sitting up straighter in bed and shifting closer to you. 

You let out a deep exhale and turn to look at Rafe. “See? That’s better,” he mutters, a small smile playing on his lips as he lets his fingers gently tuck a stray strand of your hair behind your ear. 

Another silence envelops you two, but this time it’s more charged – as if a certain pull is making sure you don’t even attempt to take your eyes away from him. The silence only electrifies the moment between you two more, and before you know it, you can see him ever so slowly gravitating towards you. 

“Honey I’m home!”

Your mother’s voice rings through your entire house, and it’s like the sharpest knife cutting through the thickest tension. The bubble that formed around you and Rafe bursts immediately and Rafe springs away from you, both of your eyes widening. 

“Shit,” you curse under your breath, suddenly remembering how your mother left the house to buy some groceries. 

“I’m just gonna–” Rafe says immediately as he scrambles to get up from your bed, giving a quick adjustment to his hair once and rushing over to your window from where he had sneaked in. 

“Yeah yeah,” you breathe, and you can hear the steady steps of your mother coming up the stairs of the upper level; right where your room is. 

“Bye,” Rafe says shortly and climbs out of the window and goes back down with the help of the huge tree in your backyard; following the same path he took when he came up. 

Your eyes drift over the messed sheets where he was just laying a moment ago, and towards the window where your curtains flutter under the wind. A moment later you hear a knock on your door and it opens, your mother’s head peeking in. 

You snap your head towards her and give a gentle smile, letting her enter your room and engage in a conversation with you. 

As much as you try to talk with her with complete focus, your mind goes back to that moment, and to say you feel butterflies in your stomach just thinking about it is the biggest understatement of the century. 

⊹₊⋆.˚୨୧⋆.˚₊ ⊹

TWO — LIBRARY

“Wait wait wait, this was– ethylene?” 

“Yeah,” 

“And, this is… fuck what was it?” 

“Acetylene,” 

“Acetylene, yeah that, so that’s acetylene,” 

“Uh huh,” 

“And, what’s the difference again?” 

You look up from the notebook to be met with a sheepish smile on Rafe’s smile, and you let out a soft sigh. 

“I know I know I’ve asked this a million times but, just one last time? Please?” He pouts, batting his eyelashes in an attempt to ‘woo’ you. 

“Okay okay you can stop that,” you mutter and shake your head, hearing him silently chuckle. You open a fresh page of your notebook to explain to him the structural differences between ethylene and acetylene again.

“... this has a double bond and this has a triple, that’s… that’s literally it,” you say, looking up from your drawn structures on the paper to his face. 

“Ohhhh,” he exaggerates, snapping his fingers. “I get it now,” 

“Uh huh now you do,” you mutter, trying to figure out how he just couldn’t understand the difference between double and triple bonds. Somewhere, you knew he was just doing this to tease you, but you push that thought away in your mind, instead focusing on searching for the next topic from your book. 

Rafe has been on the cusp of failing chemistry – something which is not a shock to you – for quite a while now.  It didn’t matter one dime to him but now when his teacher made him sit down and actually realize how much he’s been falling behind, it was like a switch of reality had turned on in his mind. 

“Rafe, these grades just won’t cut it. You need someone to help you with this,” the teacher had said, rubbing the bridge of his nose, clearly tired with the boy sitting in front of him. 

“Y/n will help me, for sure,” he had said with a cheeky smile, the thought of getting you to tutor him making him overly giddy.

The teacher had agreed, and now here you are, in the school library, spending your hours trying to explain the mere basics of organic chemistry to him. Can’t say you’re complaining about it, though. 

“Okay so I think I’m going to pick up isomerism next, it’s easy and should finish quick–”

“Nah I’m tired,” he whines, dragging your textbook away from him. 

“What the– give it back!” You say, attempting to take it back from him as he keeps it well out of your reach above his head. 

“Nuh uh,” he grins, shaking his head. “Come on, we’ve been going over this… alien language for the last hour. I get it, carbon adores hydrogen, blah blah,” he rolls his eyes. 

“It’s not an alien language,” you huff, “you’d understand it if you actually focus on it,” 

“It is an alien language,” he retorts, keeping the book back on the table. “Don’t you think our lives would be so much easier without all this chemistry and physics?” 

“But I like them,” you defend, realizing there’s no way he’s going to get back to studying, so you resort to gathering all your stationery in your pencil pouch. 

“Yeah yeah I know you do,” he smiles, watching you collect your stuff. “I, for one think that Newton was boring as fuck. He just wasn’t laid enough I’m telling you. If he was, he wouldn’t have spent his time studying apples falling from trees,” 

You snap your head at him, a furrow in your brows and a look of disgust twisting your features. “Huh?” you exclaim, falling shut just the next moment as you glance over your shoulder towards where the librarian is sitting, realizing just how loud you were. 

Thankfully, the librarian is busy with talking to some students, so she didn’t hear your loud reaction to Rafe’s absurd comments. 

“God,” you mumble, shaking your head and turning to look back at Rafe, who just has an amused grin on his face. 

“She’s gonna kick you out if she hears you,” he muses, glancing at the librarian himself before looking back at you. 

“Yeah I’m aware,” you mutter, focusing back on gathering your stuff. 

“So…” he begins, leaning slightly closer to you and keeping his voice low, “what did you think of it?”

“Of what?” 

“Of Newton not getting laid enough,” 

“Rafe–” you groan, closing your eyes tight for a moment to regain your composure. You exhale deeply, before looking back at Rafe. “That’s fucking ridiculous,” you mutter. 

“No it’s not it’s a serious matter, I mean, think about it,” he says, “if he was busy with girls he really wouldn’t have any time to think of apples or whatever,” 

“He wasn’t thinking of apples he just saw an apple falling and came up with the concept of a force that is pulling things towards Earth–”

“Yeah yeah that, I know that missy, but he had way too much free time on his hands–”

“He made important contributions to physics–”

“Contributions my ass all he did was give me a fucking headache–”

“That’s not–” you shut your mouth again, taking another deep breath to control yourself. “You’re impossible,” you mutter, now keeping everything in your bag. 

“Aw come on,” Rafe laughs, gently taking your hands in his to stop you from packing your bag. “I know I’m being a real pain in the ass, and I’m sorry yeah?” He says, his voice taking a gentler tone as he gives your hands a soft tug, pulling you closer to him. 

Your focus gets completely diverted from the bag you were packing; the idea that you would just leave now  completely absent from your mind. 

A silence falls over you two, only accompanied by the sound of the occasional footsteps around the library, the ruffling of the pages and the scratching of pens on papers. It’s quite silent; only a few people in the library, leaving you and Rafe to a table all by yourself. 

“I’ve got to say…” he murmurs, his voice now incredibly low as he leans just a bit towards you, “you’re a great teacher,” 

“Yeah?” You mumble, your eyes flicking down to his lips for just a second before finding his eyes back again. 

“Yeah,” he hums, giving a nod of his head in agreement. A gentle smile pulls his lips as he gazes into your eyes, his hands still gently holding yours. 

“What?” You say quietly, suddenly starting to feel self-conscious under his gaze. You attempt to turn your face away from him, but just the moment you turn your head a little bit to the side, one of his hands leaves yours to gently grip your chin and turn it back to meet your gaze. 

“Don’t hide your pretty face from me, yeah?” He mumbles, his fingers under your chin for a moment too long, before he lets his hand let go of your chin.

You can feel your cheeks heat up from his comment. He’s said you’re pretty many times before no doubt, but this specific comment just felt different. 

The peaceful moment between you two is broken immediately when you both hear the sound of a throat clearing behind you. You both snap your head to the side to see the librarian standing on the opposite end of the table, her arms crossed in front of her chest as she glares at you. 

Flustered, you quickly tear your hands away from Rafe’s grip and keep your head down, busying yourself back with packing your bag. 

From the corner of your eye you catch Rafe sighing, crossing his own arms in front of his chest and leaning back in his chair, his gaze on his arms. 

“The library is closing,” the librarian says, her voice crisp and stern as ever. “You have two minutes to vacate,”

“Yes miss,” you mumble under your breath, your fingers subconsciously fiddling with one of the zippers on your bag. 

With one last glare, the librarian leaves the table, but you can still feel the intense focus of her gaze on yourself, as if she’s pinned you in place and you have no chance to even move a single limb. 

“Buzzkill,” Rafe mutters under his breath as he stuffs everything in his bag and hangs it on his shoulder, standing up. You quietly stand up too, hanging your own bag and following Rafe out of the library. On your way out, you feel the librarian staring at the both of you as you walk out. Rafe walks with an air of carefreeness while you only feel more and more judged. 

Well, you most certainly won’t be coming back here anytime in the near future, that’s for sure.

⊹₊⋆.˚୨୧⋆.˚₊ ⊹

THREE — THE HALLWAY

The quietness of the long hallway has a small sense of eeriness to it, watching it being empty instead of being filled completely with the hustle bustle of students between periods.

Rafe sighs quietly as he keeps his books in his locker, even the smallest sounds echoing in the silent hallway. As he’s almost done with keeping his stuff in the locker, the sound of footsteps in the hallway catches his attention.

He looks over his shoulder to watch you; your back to him as you reach your locker and open it to keep your own books. He smiles to himself at the sight of you. How weird is it that you both are only apart for one period and he already misses you deeply?

He saunters over to you, leaning his back against the locker door next to yours and gazes at you with a smile on his face.

“Hey there, pretty,” he hums, watching your eyes find him. “Smashed the test, I assume?”

He watches your eyes drift down from his silently as you get back to keeping books in your locker, your lips pressed in a thin line.

Rafe’s smile falters at your silent attitude. You had a huge calculus test, and the nerves had been getting to you all day before the test. Rafe had been doing his best to keep you relaxed, but with how much pressure you tend to take about tests and how heavy the subject actually is, he knew his efforts were fruitless. He saw you begin preparing for it as quickly as humanly possible, and it was extremely hard for him to convince you to prevent you from spending every waking second studying for it.

“Hey…” he mumbles softly, watching you keep yourself busy with keeping and pulling random notebooks in and from your locker. “What happened? You okay?”

Again, he’s met with silence. You even refuse to let your eyes meet.

Rafe exhales deeply through his nose as he gently places a hand on your shoulder. That grasps your attention, you flicker your eyes from the locker to his eyes.

“The test didn’t go okay?” He asks softly, gently closing the open locker door with his other hand. His gaze is fixed intently at you, and when he watches your gaze drop down to your shoes and your head shaking ‘no’ in response, his lips tug down in a frown.

“Oh no…” he mumbles, moving closer to you and wrapping his arms around your shoulders to pull you in a warm embrace.

You press your face into his chest, your arms hooking around his waist. “I studied so hard…” you mumble into his chest, “but I just, i don’t know what happened, I fumbled and forgot everything, even the things I was confident with…”

“Shh shh it’s okay…” Rafe mumbles, his words the most soothing balm you’ve ever experienced. “You’re really intelligent, okay? Don’t let this one test define your worth,”

“I know I know but…” You involuntarily snuggle more into Rafe’s chest, your body seeking his warmth which is providing you utmost comfort at a moment which has you on the verge of breaking down, “I just, i really gave it my all…” Your voice is low, your words weak and your body almost slumping in Rafe’s arms. Rafe only tightens his grip around you – because he always wants to be there to catch you whenever you feel like you’re going to fall.

Gently, Rafe pulls your head back from his chest. He lets his hand cup the side of your face, his thumb delicately stroking the skin of your cheek. “And that’s all that matters,” He mumbles slowly, looking into your eyes. “You gave your best, and that really is what matters the most. I’m really proud of you, you worked so hard. Everything doesn’t always turn out the way we want it, but you get rewarded for your hard work, always,”

You sniffle quietly as you look up at Rafe, your red rimmed eyes almost making his heart ache. “Yeah?” You murmur, and feel Rafe catch a stray tear on your cheek, wiping it off.

Rafe gives you a small smile and a nod of his head. “Yeah,” he murmurs. “I mean every word,”

Rafe’s thumb gently caresses over your cheek, slowly trailing over to your mouth. He lets the pad of his thumb slowly trace your lower lip, his gaze fixating on your lips and the slow, soothing repetitive motion of his thumb over your lip. He can feel your breathing coming in small puffs against his thumb, your lips just slightly parted.

The sharp ringing of the bell practically makes you two spring apart from each other, as if you both had completely forgotten where you actually were in the flow of the moment. Only a fraction of a second later, the chatter of students filters through the hallway and it’s now completely filled with students, completely in contrast to the deserted corridors mere moments ago.

“So, uh…” Rafe clears his throat, scratching the back of his neck as he does so – something you’ve seen he does often when he’s anxious, thinking of something, or in this case: when he��s nervous. “What class do you have next? I’ve uh… I have geography,”

“Uh I’ve got physics,” You mutter, your fingers twisting each other nervously behind your back.

“Okay so I’ll see you after class yeah?” He says, letting his hand fall to his side from behind his neck. “You, you take care yeah? Don’t think too much about the test, I’m sure you’ve done better than you think,”

“Uh huh,” You breathe, adjusting your bag on your shoulders.

An awkward silence falls over two as you remain stand-by among the hustle bustle of the students who brush past you, rushing to their lockers and eventually their classes. It’s almost like being in the center of the tornado, watching the chaos spin around you while you stay completely still.

Rafe chooses to break the silence, muttering a ‘bye’ to you and turning sharply on his heels, already making his way to his class. It takes a moment for you to get back to normal after everything you’ve experienced in the span of barely an hour, and you get going to your class too.

Well, you most certainly aren’t thinking way too much about that disaster of a test now, though.

⊹₊⋆.˚୨୧⋆.˚₊ ⊹

ONE — THE GYM

The dribbles of the ball against the wooden court echo throughout the empty gym, accompanied with the squeaks of the shoes. Rafe takes a jump, letting his fingers let go of the ball as it follows its path and swooshes right through the net in the cleanest manner possible. The ball lands back on the ground and bounces up and down continuously, Rafe’s eyes fixed on it from his position as he watches the way the ball eventually comes to a full stop on the floor. 

“Someone’s been working real hard, huh?” 

Rafe turns around to see you walking inside the empty gym, your hands on your back and a small smile on your face as you approach the ball. He watches you silently pick the ball up and toss it to him, which he catches with a single hand. 

“Yeah,” He says, standing still in his position, the orange ball now resting against his side under his arm. “We’ve got Regionals next week,”

You approach closer to him, a gentle smile on your face. “You’ll do great, trust me. You’re a great team captain,” Your voice is gentle and comforting. 

“I try my best,” He murmurs, his expression softening as he watches you look at him in the most soothing way. It’s so hard for him to put into words the way your presence makes him feel, but he knows everything becomes slightly bearable when he remembers he’s got you. 

You take a glance around the gym, the only people present in the large, empty space are you two. “You’ve been practicing alone?” You ask, your eyes finding his back again. 

“Yeah,” He replies, “it’s relaxing, to take some time by myself to practice,” 

“How long have you been here?” You ask, gently placing a hand on his arm. 

“Since school ended,” he says softly, his body relaxing under your brief touch. 

“It’s been two hours to that,” you murmur. “You’ve been here for quite some time now. You wanna take a break?”

Rafe looks around the gym once, as if contemplating taking a break or not. His eyes find yours, and the warmth and care in them makes him give in. 

“Okay,” He gives you a soft smile and you both walk over to the bleachers and sit down. Rafe takes a moment to wipe the sweat off his face with his towel and drinking from his bottle before sitting down next to you. 

“You nervous?” You say after a moment of silence. “About the regionals, I mean,”

Rafe shrugs, his gaze looking out at the huge basketball court in front of you two. “A bit, I guess,” He says. “Our team hasn’t gone to a Regionals in over 4 years now, so… there’s some pressure over me to lead the team to a win,”

You look over at him, a solemn expression on his face from his words. You don’t really know how much pressure being the team captain entails, but now, looking at him as he tells you about how much he’s got riding on him to lead the team to a winning position certainly gives you a small glimpse into how hard he has to work. 

“Hey…” You say, your voice soft as you let your fingers curl around his bicep. That catches his attention and he turns to look at you. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, yeah? You’re doing great, trust me. I really do think your team can win,”

Rafe’s expression softens at your words as he gazes into your eyes. “You really think so?” He mumbles quietly. 

“I know so,” You smile. “Your hard work will give you your results, you deserve it,”

His own lips upturn into a soft smile. Your words cause a wave of comfort to wash over him, the pressure of wanting to only be the best of the best from not only his coach and team, but from the entire school slowly easing it’s iron tight grip on his heart. 

“You’re so… sweet,” He murmurs, placing a hand on top of yours which is still around his bicep. 

Your smile slightly widens as you look in his eyes, watching him look at you with such fondness. Rafe gently takes your hand off his arm and brings it up to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of your hand. 

“And so nice, and just…” He presses another kiss to your skin, “incredible.” He gently turns your hand over in his grip and presses a kiss to your palm, before giving it a soft tug and placing it on his cheek. You gently hold the side of his face, softly stroking his cheek with your thumb. He sighs softly, nuzzling his face into your palm, his eyes drooping slightly. 

He keeps on looking at you, and gently reaches out to place both his hands on your waist, pulling you slightly closer to him. He doesn’t take his hands off, only tightens his grip on you. You let go of his cheek and place both your hands on his shoulders, your eye contact not breaking with him. 

Your gaze flickers down to his lips, and it fixes on there. You can feel yourself beginning to lean closer to him, as if seeking him and his warmth out. Rafe makes no move to pull back, his blunt fingers slightly digging into your waist. 

You can feel his warm breath on your parted lips, your eyes almost fully shut. 

Rafe takes the leap, pressing his lips to yours. Your eyes fall shut completely the moment his lips seek yours in a warm press, every nerve ending of your body on fire from the closure between you two. 

Rafe slowly moves lips against yours in an unrushed manner, letting him and you feel every emotion you both now commonly share. You just know his heart is beating just as fast as yours, his mind is as blank as yours, and his body is on fire just like yours. 

Rafe slowly pulls back after a moment, letting his forehead rest against yours. Your breath comes out in short puffs against his lips, your eyes still closed as if opening them will make you snap out of the most beautiful dream you can ever dream of. 

“Finally,” Rafe mutters quietly, causing your lips to break out in a smile. 

“Yeah,” you murmur, “finally.” 

You lean forward to kiss him again, and Rafe’s heart explodes once again at your sweetness and warmth. 

Finally. 

⊹₊⋆.˚୨୧⋆.˚₊ ⊹

taglist: @oxpogues4lifexo / @drewstarkeys-world / @inthelibrarybtw / @mileyraes / @chenslucy

specific tags for this fic: @ilyrafe / @zyafics

tagging some moots: @runningfrom2am / @totalswag / @ladyinbl00d / @b1mb0slvt / @nemesyaaa

[warandpeas]

The Scholar

[sheep-from-rad]

Hi! Sorry if this is weird or anything, this is my first time sending an ask lol

But I just finished reading your writing about the singer/influencer reader and omfg I love your brain. Like imagine the reader did a cover of/wrote like spit in my face by ThxSoMch or Cigarette Ahegao by Penelope Scott (love her sm btw-) cause just imagine the GUILTTT

Imagine the Batfam listening to their music and just hearing the bitterness in their voice as they sing “Screwing everything up, doing everything wrong, In my defence I wasn’t supposed to be around this long, so” HGDECANZZKNFBVD

Anyway, I love your writing and I hope you have an absolutely amazing week! Take care of yourself too- drink water, eat some food and try to get some sleep ml <3

Nah anon you're cool. I love reading asks. ALSO credits to Luludelulusramblings, they made the originally made Influencer reader. Batfam belongs to DC as usual. Singer reader post: here

You know, in the Art History year 1901-1904, Picasso started the Blue Period where he only painted in the shades of Blue. It started due to the death of his friend, later his financial struggles, and of course the current state of the society. Blue Period art was so good but so doleful and depressing that no one wants to hang it in their house. Singer! Reader started their career covering mainstream songs, band songs, maybe even vocaloid. 

Their blue period started months before they planned to leave the manor. It was a simple cover of MARINA’s ‘Are you satisfied?’ A lot of burnt out overachievers ate that cover, even Tim himself. The song is basically the reader questioning the Wayne last name. Sure it was a goldmine to others but to them it’s a ticket to misery. One song cover turned into many song covers, enough to make a long playlist to play at 3 a.m. when you’re about to have a breakdown. 

The whole playlist? Batfam avoids it because it reminds them of the times they could have been giving you love but they didn’t BUT at the same time they can’t really avoid it. It became like those guilty pleasures playlist. Damian loves and hates reader’s ‘The Family Jewels’ cover because it reminds him of the fact that he and the reader are basically on the same boat. They were just children who needed attention and love. He got that attention and love immediately because of the whole league of assassins backstory. He won’t admit it but the weight of the role weighs like tonnes of iron on his shoulders. 

Jason, Bruce and Cigarette Ahegao will roll together so much. That man has twice the amount of trauma Bruce had and his coping mechanism sucks. All the aggressiveness was just a coping mechanism, underneath he’s a man with conflicted feelings and those years of being dead and suddenly being resurrected didn’t help. Let’s face it Bruce is a tired man who lives a double life. He's a man who dresses up like as a bat making sure the city is safe but he can't cover all grounds. The neglect on reader was unintentional but neglect is neglect.

Dick with reader’s cover of ‘Stressed out’ by Twenty one pilots, no explanation needed. ‘This is me trying’ by Taylor Swift with Cassandra, Stephanie, and Tim. Cassandra and Stephanie being raised by villains and Tim being an overachiever to have his parent’s attention. His parents being always away and realizing he basically did the same thing to the reader by making them feel invisible. 

Double guilt if they left the playlist on autoplay and ‘Daddy issues’ plays. Any version but I think the original fits the bill. Reader ends their blue period with a cover of Mother Mother’s ‘Burning Pile’ basically saying ‘Yeah fuck it, it’s over. I’m burning it, I’m leaving it, I’m closing the chapter’. But to the Batfamily, it meant renewal and turning a new leaf, an invitation to make things better.

[cyath]

This is an animated bit inspired by @dilatorywriting Monsters Mayhem: A Lion's Pride

*read it for context*

https://at.tumblr.com/dilatorywriting/monster-mayhem-lions-pride/1jso58c2f66x

Anyway~ To the author, their writing is just a m a z i n g. Each time they post it makes my day and just KSBSNAKKA i can't put it into words. They are one of my favorite writers and following them was one of the best decisions I've made on my short time of Tumblr. I send them much love and hope they are doing well and continue to grow with much love and support(•̀ᴗ•́)و Go follow tHeMMM, they are amazing

[threepandas]

Bad End: Out In The Cold

"What's this? A cold little mouse in my castle?"

Thick hair that wasn't mine spilled over my shoulder. As a familiar hand, warm and calloused, wrapped itself around my throat. I hadn't realized how cold the room had gotten, until her hand was there, skin warm against my skin. It had taken a while to get used to this.

I was grateful, in a way. For the the day she had done more then just scoff at my scarf. Telling me I would freeze. The way she had gotten worried. Pulled off her gloves, grumbling all the while, too fuss over me like some great mother bear. Hands warm but gentle, as the tucked themselves around my throat. Too better warm my blood, she had said.

It had been like a dam breaking.

And honestly? She WAS right. It was warm.

Now, whenever she so much as SUSPECTED I was cold? Her hand would sneak out to press against my pulse. Though, half the time, I suspected it was an excuse. She'd not had many chances for closeness in her life, I suspect. Calysta was the... ah, it was hard to translate, but... the CLOSEST translation? Was something like "Child of The Mountain Gods".

Or was it "Child of the Mountains AND the Gods"?

I was supposed to be writing a treatise on the subject. Gods knows no one ELSE would. Cowards. Bigots too. "Nothing but savages" my silk clad ASS. And they dare call themselves academics!? Ha! HA, I say! Both my professors and I would SPIT! (If it weren't WILDLY rude. I never COULD master that skill. I did try.)

Unfortunately, my professors, were too old to make the journey this far North. It hadn't stopped them from TRYING, when we had finally gotten permission. But... well. They barely made it too Wuntersgreen before the strain and cold became too much. They cried.

As the youngest? I was loaded down with their notes, questions, hopes and dreams, and sent on ahead. No one was impressed by me. The scrawny academic with her soft, soft hands. Never a day's fight in her. Didn't know how to do "anything". But? That had given their word to host me. So they did.

It's been AMAZING.

And I like to think I'm getting better!

Adapting. Learning how to do things and help around the castle. I even helped start a fire for the fireplace the other day! Before THAT? I learned how to set hunting traps... rather badly. I have yet to catch anything. But still! Progress, is it not?

Where was I? Ah, yes.

Calysta. Her rank is something between a Warlord and a King, as far as I can tell? It holds the respected sovereignty of a ruling monarch yet? Can be seized. Should she grow "weak". Is not NECESSARILY passed too one's children. They, presumably, have an ADVANTAGE... but? It goes too "the Chosen child of..." that word I'm still having some difficulty getting a good translation off.

And if I remember correctly, Calysta's brother's did NOT appreciate that. As they had been favored by her father. Showered with praise most of their lives. One of them ASSUMED to be the next leader.

They challenged her.

Did not back down.

Now? Now she has neither Father nor brothers. Not that it seems she had much of either to begin with. Frankly? I am GLAD she won. She is good for the North. Strong, steady, highly tactical. A wry wit. And a FEIRCE love for her people and culture. NO ONE will take it from her. Destroy these beautiful peoples.

I'm tugged back lightly, away from my desk to sit up properly against the back of my chair. The hand on my neck shifting softly, ever so slightly up, to cup the underside of my jaw. Tilting my head up so I can not see my work but must instead meet the eyes of my dear friend.

"Enough, little mouse." There is a fondness to the edge of her mouth, she is not one for great grins and wild expressions. It has taken me months to learn how to read her so well. "Your papers will still be there AFTER you warm up. Should be easier to right, don't you think, when you can actually feel your fingers again?"

I huff a laugh.

Honestly... where would I be with out her? Frozen to death, probably. I get entirely to fixated on my work. Food, drink, keeping the fire running. I notice none of it. Probably shrivel up and die. The fact she even takes the time to check on me? Dispite being as important as she is? Let NO ONE say Calysta does not CARE. She is a good person.

My legs feel numb and prickly, stiff, in that distinctly asleep and too cold sort of way, as I try to stand. Calysta has to wrap her arm around my waste and let me lean against her. She feels almost too hot against me. Another sure sign I have, indeed, allowed myself to get too cold. Oh dear.

With an exasperated snort, once it becomes clear my legs will probably not be recovering fast enough for her liking, Calysta decides she will speed things along. My legs are swept out from under me effortlessly. I don't even squeek anymore, this has happened so often. But I USED too.

It is how I became "mouse".

Now I just allow Calysta her way. She'll put me down when she wants to put me down. And honestly? It's kinda fun to be carried like a child. I feel tall. Weightless and somewhat decadent, it makes my heart beat a faster. And on somedays? All I want to do is go boneless. Allow myself to be HELD. Not that I'll ever tell. So Shhhhh, a secret to our graves, okay? It would make things awkward for her.

She strolls down the hall with me, too her office. No one so much as blinking an eye. We've become so common in our shenanigans, I imagine, it's become mundane. And... ah~ Calysta was RIGHT. I WAS cold. The fireplace in her office is full with logs burning away merrily. The windows we passed in the hall showed snow. It seems the storm's finally hit..

Instead of putting me down, Calysta heads for the couch. Turning and with a huff, flopping down, making both of us bounce a bit. Leaning back with me less in her arms now, so much as in her lap. The room is quiet. Hushed almost. The crackle of fire, the distant howl of wind, far away chatter of life, elsewhere in the castle.

Calysta has leaned back against the back of her office's couch. Head rested against the fur blanket draped against the back of it. The fur mixes with her riotous man of hair to create almost a halo, lit in golds by the fire's light. Her eyes are closed as she takes her moment. The fire light makes her face softer.

But never soft.

No force in all the world could make Calysta anything but the Queen she is. Dangerous and powerful. First into battle and last to leave. She is breath taking in the way all deadly things are, I think. Like blades and poison held up to the light. Predators and fires that burn.

"You're staring, little mouse." She says, voice nearly a whisper in the softness of the room. It is a rumble like mountains and the sweet call of dangerous things. She's always had such a commanding voice. I envy it. "Is my face so entrancing?"

She's smirking. Teasing me. I laugh and rest my head against her shoulder. Let myself drift as the chill in my bones fades away. The arm loosely around my waist to keep me from falling off, has taken to lightly stroking my back. Almost absent-mindedly. Occasionally, fingers playing with the ends of my hair.

A servant has come-by. Removed our shoes for us. Brought Calysta missives and responses. General updates. She shifts us. Tucking me against her as she lays down, tucking me between her body and the couch. Fuzzy blanket over me, arm wrapped around me. I... I feel boneless.

Safe.

Everything warm and quiet and far away.

Trusting, I doze off. Cuddling close and utterly content.

Calysta presses a kiss to the crown of my sleeping head. Let's her hand roam, just a bit, simply to feel the perfect way her little mouse fits right up against her. She was MADE for her. Born to be here. Still... she has to be... be GENTLE. Soft.

It's hard. She hasn't had much practice in that.

But good things are worth the struggle for them. True love is WORTH the time, the effort, to learn how the South romance. Figuring out how to woo her lil mouse as she deserves. Making sure she never leaves.

Speaking off...

She diges out the ridiculous fancy paper envelope at the bottom of the stack. Hidden, as per her instructions, so her little Mouse wouldn't see it. Another one, it seems, from that damn "House" of hers. Southern Clans were pretty damn presumptuous, weren't they? Had some fucking gall.

What did THIS one say?

Let's she... "come back at once" blah blah blah "how dare you ignore all our letters" blah blah "you WILL honor the engagement we've found for you, or ELSE" oh? Threats now, huh? Ah~? "Keep ignoring our letters and you'll be cast from House-" well, well~!

That's convenient.

One flick of the wrist, and the letter is in the fireplace. Burning away. Just like all before it. Oops. How difficult it is, to get news from the South. Her little mouse really SHOULD just forget about them. THIS is her home now. THEY are her people.

Her girl doesn't need anyone else.

"Don't worry, little love. I won't leave you out in the cold. You're gonna stay with me. Forever. I Promise."

[the-writer-arrived]

Lonely Birthdays No More

Synopsis: in alhaitham's opinion, birthdays are like any other days, ordinary. on this year's february 11th, alhaitham starts to think it's not so bad to treat one's birthday as a special date once in a while.

Character: alhaitham.

Warnings: gender neutral!reader; established relationship; fluff with no angst *gasps*, down bad haitham is the best haitham.

A/N: something sweet for my first hubby, love you my pookie <3

A/N 2: i'm sorry i promise this is the last time i repost this fic idk why it's been giving me such a headache 😭

Birthday celebrations were something Alhaitham never quite understood the appeal of. Why would you do all that work just to commemorate the day you were born? And why make only that day special? Wouldn't it be better if people used that excitement for something productive and avoid bringing trouble to others?

But alas, not everyone (or anyone in that matter) would share this particular opinion.

It's not a secret that Alhaitham isn't the most social butterfly in all of Sumeru. Even when he was a child, he didn't have any interest in partaking in some meaningless conversations with people he had no desire to interact with, going as far as prefering to stay at home with his grandmother and be self-taught.

Knowing that, it's not surprising that he has never celebrated his birthday with anyone other than his only family. And after his grandmother passed away, the date of his birth became just another ordinary one for him.

Others may consider it sad, but Alhaitham isn't bothered by it nor does he want other people's pity. He'd much rather pass the day in peace and quiet than having to deal with strangers saying happy birthday the whole day and disrupting his work. After all, that was one of his grandmother's wishes: for him to live a peaceful life.

This year, however, he will learn that having a less peaceful day isn't as bad as he believed.

----------

Alhaitham stands at the entrance of his living room, staring at his roommate with a deadpan look. It's far too early in the morning (in the grumpy scribe's opinion) for him to deal with the blond man's sudden desire to redecorate the place.

"What's the meaning of this mess this time, Kaveh?"

"Huh? Oh, you're up already?" The architect steps down the ladder after noticing the other man's presence, leaving to Mehrak to hang the other tip of the decoration on the wall.

"As you can see, I'm putting up the decorations for the party."

"Party? What party?" Alhaitham frowns and takes a proper look around the room. Many colorful adornments fill the space, creating a festive look that seems quite out of place when compared to the rest of the house, the big 'Happy Birthday Alhaitham' on the wall giving the answer he was looking for.

Oh, right. Today is february 11th, his birthday. Is that what all this is for? Kaveh was never one to do such a thing on years prior. No matter, he should put a stop to this before it gets more troublesome.

"Kaveh, I don't--"

"Before you say that you don't want it, I should inform you that this wasn't my idea, but rather of a certain someone's lover. Surely you're not heartless enough to ignore their wish to throw you a party? One which they have been planning for weeks, mind you."

Alhaitham purses his lips, whatever it is that he was about to say being thrown out of the window. He should have known, your behavior the last few days had been quite suspicious, always hurrying from one place to another, meeting many people. You had told him it was for a project, so he didn't think much of it.

He attempts to hide the smile that wishes to bloom in his lips with a sigh. Kaveh, on the other hand, doesn't make any effort to surpress his grin, finding amusing that his roommate folds so easily at the mere mention of you.

Of course, the scribe won't let him have his fun for too long.

"What I meant to say was that I don't think the decoration is nice enough for my tastes." He walks to one of the shelves to get a rather... peculiar ornament (one of many that his roommate tried to convince him to not buy it). "I believe this would be the final touch it needs."

"Are you kidding me?! No way! This thing would throw off the whole aesthetic!"

"Oh? Surely you're not heartless enough to ignore my wishes today of all days?"

This time, it is Kaveh's turn to fall silent. Using his own words against him, how childish can he be?!

With a glare, the architect snatches the ugly statue from Alhaitham's hand while the other leaves to the kitchen with a satisfied expression.

----------

For a house that has been considered a tad too big for two people to live in, now it seems a bit too small to host a total of seven people. Fortunately, the guests are too preoccupied having fun to be bothered by it.

Cyno has managed to snag Kaveh to his team for a two vs two round of Genius Invocation TCG, the opponent pair being Tighnari and Collei. Meanwhile, Dehya and Nilou watch the intense match from the sidelines, cheering and chatting about various things.

As for Alhaitham, he's much too busy thinking about the one person that hasn't arrived to the party yet. You're the one who planned all this, there's no way you have forgotten about it.

After noticing the scribe's restlessness (something he would deny, despite his shaky leg being a dead giveaway), Nilou told him that you were finishing something important, so that must be what it is keeping you. Still, it has been some time and even the dancer has begun worrying about your whereabouts. You're not one to be this late to an event you've been so excited about.

With one last glance to the clock, Alhaitham raises from his seat, determined to find you.

"I'll be right back."

Ignoring the offers of his friends to accompany him on his search, he goes straight to the door of his house... Only to find you about to open it with your own copy of his key, a nicely wrapped box in your other arm.

You two stare at each other for a few seconds, before he huffs a complaint.

"You're late." He crosses his arms to show you he's upset, but it only makes him look adorable in your eyes, his frown being more of a pout.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." You grin apologetically.

Alhaitham can only sigh in defeat as he brings you inside, this whole situation being a reminder of the strong influence you have over him.

The party was full of life, laughther and good food the whole time.

He received many gifts, even from the Dendro Archon herself, who apologized in her letter for not being able to attend the party but still wished to show her appreciation for all that he does for the Akademiya and Sumeru as a whole.

But, if he had to pick a favorite, it would be yours: a pair of Aranara statues, carved in wood, that resemble you and him. You explained to him that the reason of your tardiness was that you were finish painting them and, considering they would be a gift for him, you had to make it perfect, which made you lose track of time. Despite your efforts, however, the statues ended up looking a bit weird, much to your dismay. Alhaitham didn't mind at all, arguing that the imperfections were what made them perfect in his eyes, not to mention that it's a gift from you, his beloved, there should have been no doubt he would like them.

As the festivities come to an end and the last guest leave with one last 'happy birthday' to him, the scribe can finally relax. As punishment for arriving late, he said you are to stay over tonight, something you were more than happy to agree with.

He finds you in the kitchen, putting away the leftover food in the fridge and finishing cleaning up. He tried to convince you to leave the mess for tomorrow, but of course you wouldn't budge, claiming that it'd be worse for the tomorrow you. Besides, everyone helped cleaning before they left, so there wasn't much to do anyway.

Alhaitham wraps his arms around you from behind and your hand goes straight to his hair, caressing his silver locks so gently that almost makes the man purr. He only allows himself to be more touchy when it's just the two of you and there's no risk of Kaveh accidentaly interrupt the moment since he has already retired for the night, feeling quite tired from waking up quite early to decorate the house.

"Did you have fun today?" You ask, enjoying the warmth of your beloved hugging you.

"I'd give a 8 out of 10, a good score for your first time being a party organizer."

"Well, that was higher than I expected. Still, what made you deduct two points?"

He takes a moment to hum in thought.

"The location is one thing. While it was nice being in the comfort of my own house, having to deal with the clean up at the end was a bit of pain. But that only takes half a point."

"Then, what was so bad that it took me a whole point and a half?" You drop the hand from his hair to turn around to look at him with a frown.

"The fact that you made me worried."

After you arrived, Nilou and Dehya pulled you to the side while Alhaitham was distracted speaking with Collei, to tell you about how your lover had been anxious for your whereabouts. (At least, that's what they thought, not noticing the man glancing at your little group from time to time, having a good guess of what they were telling you).

"I'm sorry, Haitham..."

"It's fine, what matters is that you're okay." He takes one of your hands, observing the small cuts on the skin due to you making the wood carvings, before giving it a kiss. "Thanks for party, I had fun."

He speaks quietly, as if sharing a secret for your ears only. The warmth of his kiss and words travel all the way to your heart, feeling glad that you could make your boyfriend happy on his birthday. Even so, that doesn't stop your playful side to show up.

"I've heard that earnest thanks should be given thrice, so--hmph?!"

He interrupts your cheeky words with his lips, thightening his arms around as he feel you melt under his touch.

Today, Alhaitham has learned that birthday parties were noisy, messy and quite troublesome, but also quite fun. He thinks he won't mind having another next year, the year following that and so on, as long as he has the people he cares about by his side.

thanks for reading <3 likes, reblogs and comments are very appreciated <3

heart divider made by @/cafekitsune

pink alhatham banner (fluff) made by @/the-writer-arrived aka yours truly ;)

[cathedral-of-sinners]

alhaitham’s cock

[sanctuary1988]

Les Petals D'Amour | Gwi | Masterpost

Pairing: Gwi (the scholar who walks the night) x fem! noble! Reader

Summary: A heartless vampire falls in love for the first time in centuries of loneliness. Passion, secrets, betrayal and love drown the royal palace. Will your love for Gwi prevail through time or will it wither away like a fallen rose petal? Maybe love was his punishment, maybe love was your salvation. Or wasn't it a curse to you both? Because, who can beat a race against time? Who can love in the dark? Who can love without truth? After all, even the most beautiful flower will wither away and end in ashes of time, remembered only by the one who cherished her the most.

General Warnings: fluff, angst, blood, biting, general vampire stuff, secrets, obsession, twisted retail of beauty and the beast, death, character death, typical period misogyny, DARK ROMANCE, spiciness, love?, (specific warnings will be given in each chapter)

Total Word Count: in process

A/N: Welcome to my first fic on this new blog, darling! I finished watching TSWWTN like a month ago and I have officially fallen in love. I took one of the scenes to start this story that could serve as a prequel of the drama from Gwi's perspective. Like a backstory for him that we were denied on the show.

I really hope you will like it, loves. Please share your thoughts with me and feel free to ask me anything! From extra scenes for this story to what's the last thing I ate, I'd love to interact with you all!

*A/N: This story will be updated when I have the time to write, darlings. I'll do my best to keep it alive and ongoing but I have a lot on my plate right now. I'm doing this mostly for myself as I need some space to vent and create without pressure. This blog is a safe space for anyone and that obviously includes me. So please be patient when it comes to updates! I'm giving my all trying to balance my life with all the responsibilities I, myself, put over my already busy life. But be for sure that this story will be finished... someday.

**A/N: Darling, please mind the warnings on this post and on each chapter. I'm still pondering on whether I should include smut here or not as I personally think there should be a solid reason why there must be a spicy scene in a story but aside from that, this story will have some pretty dark contents and behaviours. Disturbing scenes may appear throughout the story and I am not responsible for your media consumption. Please, be careful, love.

~ Main Work

Chapter 1 | Handsome Stranger |2.3k words|

Chapter 2 | Owned Flower |2.4k words|

Chapter 3 | Caged Petal |2k words|

Chapter 4 | Silver Innocence |2.5k words|

Chapter 5 | Subtle Conscience |2.5k words|

Chapter 6 | A Flower For A Flower |4.2k words|

Chapter 7 | Reborn Petals Of Emotion |4k words|

Chapter 8 | Veil Of Temptation |4.5k words|

Chapter 9 | Fate's Cruel Hand |5.1 words|

Chapter 10 | The Heart Of The Poet |3.4 words|

────────────────────────────────────────────

𖹭 Interlude pt.1 |1.4k words|

────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 11 | The Moon That Embraces The Sun |4.6k words|

Chapter 12 | Melodic Promises |5.5k words|

Chapter 13 | The Silence Of Solitude |3.2k words|

Chapter 14 | Stolen Rose Of A Promise |4k words|

Chapter 15 | Flames Of Passion |4.5k words|

────────────────────────────────────────────

𖹭 Interlude pt. 2 |2.2k words|

────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 16 | Secret Of Darkness |3.4k words|

Chapter 17 | The Age Of Romance |3k words|

Chapter 18

???

~ Side Content...

Moodboard

The Playlist 🫶

Started: January/28/2024 Finished: ???

[lychniis]

Brainrots you say? 👀

So, as you may or may not know I'm like, a huge enthusiast for domestic scenarios.

So basically, imagine coming home and finding them (specifically my biases in this case: Ayato, Zhongli and Alhaitham) sound asleep on the sofa. Hair splayed on the pillows, cheek cutely squished against it, maybe quietly snoring. It would take all my willpower to not pounce on them immediately and smother them with kisses and cuddles.

Like, there is just something so cute and adorable about finding someone you love asleep. In their most vulnerable state, basically.

Zhongli and Alhaitham both would probably just lie there with a book on their chest because they fell asleep while reading. Maybe the finger still stuck in between the pages to not forget where they stopped.

Ayato doesn't strike me as someone who usually falls asleep on the sofa. Like 99% of the time it would probably be his desk if he randomly falls asleep somewhere. Once he wakes up again there's probably some document stuck to his cheek, haha! But if you ever find him asleep on the sofa it would be even cuter because of how rare it is to find him there.

my brain went brr brr brr at the thought juhygtfdsdfghju- and OFC YOU'RE THE SUCKER FOR FLUFF and they're all delicious, thank you-

⚘ — TIME FOR SOME SHUTEYE.

i. SYNOPSIS : you walk into them sleeping and it's a whole mood from there - aka ; some napping headcanons because we love some domesticity amidst the pain and suffering of my works. ( al haitham / ayato / zhongli x gn ! reader )

ii. WARNING(S) : al haitham legitimately being a piece of shit even in sleep mode, ayato also being a piece of shit but in a cute way and zhongli being pure soft and wholesome but also still giving the reader low key heart attacks. NOT PROOFREAD.

# masterlist

&& . al haitham · ( how to trigger muscle memory 101 )

congratulations, you've caught al haitham in the midst of a rare power nap! it's rare finding him in a state of vulnerability like this, with his work with the akademiya and his little side quests ( do they count as espionage? is that a word you can use for them??? ).

and it's strange too, you'd think. if you know al haitham well enough, he does tend to conduct himself with a certain amount of discipline at least. no soft corners, no lapses in demeanor, no wavering stares or displays of weakness ( except with you, he's always softer with you ).

but he's here now, splayed over the couch while the spine of a book is squished against his cheek. there is a sweetness to it, seeing the usual sharpness he came with melt and weather into a picture so innocent. you briefly wonder if he was like this too when he was still a child, as naïve and angelic as he presents himself now.

you don't want to ruin the moment. that and you want to bask in it a little longer, so a gentle kiss on his cheek suffices and he shifts and leans into your touch with a soft groan.

until kaveh's huff behind you snaps out of it and you see the inkwell in his hand.

"are you sure about that?" you might ask uncertainly, keeping your voice low.

"call it karma." kaveh shrugs.

the moment he gets close, his ink blotted fingers inches away from al haitham's cheek, he's suddenly flung across the room.

you look at al haitham, brows raised while kaveh screams vitriol and profanity, but the scribe continues his nap.

( "i know you're awake you little shit-" kaveh hisses when you leave to find a first aid kit. al haitham snores louder, completely unbothered, as the balance of the world willed it. )

&& . kamisato ayato · ( is he a asleep or awake ; that's the question )

ayato lives within the uncanny valley of him napping and not napping. sometimes you catch him shutting his eyes and dozing off and on others, he stubbornly stays awake and forces himself through his work.

an undeniable fact though, is how graceful he is. his posture is still maintained save for the slight slump in his shoulders and the bow of his head, and his hands usually come to rest on his lap.

he's a light sleeper too, easily woken if you pass by and your footsteps ae too heavy, so you take care to avoid the creaks on the wood floor and opening the shoji screens with little control. maybe you'll be lucky enough to watch him from a distance with a soft smile on your face.

the first time you did sneak close and approach him, funnily enough, he showed no signs of stirring. you find it strange, but you cup his cheeks in your hand and you sneak a kiss on his forehead. then you quickly shuffle away, stifling back a giddy giggle.

it happens again and again and again till it was a ritual of sorts. a kiss on his forehead while you cradle his face before you exit.

one day you were too busy, too distracted and you could only linger a moment, stroking your thumb over his skin. when you ready yourself to leave however, you did not expect ayato's hands to wind around your wrists or his eyes to crack open and look at you with playful sadness.

"no kisses for me this time, love?" he asks.

you're silent for a moment.

"dammit ayato-" you groan, feeling embarrassment and exasperation and affection all at once. this schemer, this little UGH-

ayato only laughs and kisses you properly. "don't skip out next time." he whispers. from then on, you don't.

&& . zhongli | rex lapis · ( he purrs guys ; he purrs and it's adorable )

if seeing al haitham take a nap is rare, it's even rarer to see zhongli take one. a part of it is being an ex-god and a part of it has to do with his schedule. but being a mortal meant doing mortal things that this mortal vessel enjoys.

a few months in and he's taking quick naps around the house. you know, just old man vibing, laying back on the couch with his hands tangled with whatever he was doing last. sometimes it's a pen and a notepad, and if you tilt the paper just a bit, you'd see a detailed list ( ranging from important dates and appointments and financial dealings to chores ).

other times it's a rock settled in his fist and you notice a trend where those rocks somehow finds itself on your desk ( zhongli would be smiling his little smile at the kitchen if you dare peek. he was not subtle at all ).

sometimes it's a book with the edge of the bookmark tangled around his finger tips. those were the constants, where zhongli always seemed to be grasping something when he dozes off.

and should you touch his hands, by some ancient instinct, he engulfs it in his own. that, is where the purring starts. easy to miss at first till it steadily grows louder and louder and suddenly you can feel his vibrating chest down to your toes.

but another quirk of his genuinely terrified you.

zhongli...does not move when he's napping. in fact, he doesn't even look like he's breathing. so when you walked in on one of his sessions for the first time, you thought he was dead and reacted like any normal human being : by panicking.

all things considered though, he's actually a pretty heavy sleeper unless he assumes he's in immediate danger. and yes, unfortunately you screaming is just the thing that gets him off the couch with a frantic look on his face.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD-" you cried when he wrapped his arms around you in comfort.

"and i thought you were dying." he mutters in turn.

( the two of you laugh about it over tea now. )

❪⠀🎬⠀❫ AINE SPEAKS ;;

FIRST POST OF 2023!! hey look guys i have some fluff and more fluff for you!!! maybe dust is beginning to take me down the fluff route and i won't be posting pain and torture any more : D *nervously glances at the two oneshots and two series drafts in store* NOPE NO ANGST.

but seriously, thank you for the prompt! i really loved the fluffy concept and i seriously needed an excuse to start writing more for al haitham and ayato. who knew you'd swoop in XD!

if you’d like to be added to the taglist, fill this form up!

taglist —@x-zho, @dustofthedailylife, @silentmoths, @ofoceansandtombsanew, @meimeimeirin, @the-travelling-witch, @blinkofink, @nebulaera, @thesparklingwriter, @bohbahead

AINE | 2023. do no plagiarize, repost or rework this piece.

[synthetickitsune]

Hello! I don't know if your requests are still open, but if they aren't just ignore this. May I request some romantic, fluffy & emotional content for Gwi (Scholar Who Walks The Night) with a human s/o who loves him deeply and is always gentle, caring and kind towards him? Like she genuinely respects him, and treats him with so much love? Cause look, I have theories about Gwi and affection. Namely that he was always treated like a beast and basically betrayed by his loves. But I think he is both touch starved and affection starved. Legit I feel like he'd melt for someone who gives him their heart sincerely, and sees him as a wise ancient being worthy of respect, rather than a monster to be destroyed.

PLEASE i could go on and on about my takes on gwi and affection and everything, he literally deserves so much more than he got </3 tbh i definitely will write more about this prompt because i want to give him at least some sort of happiness

Gwi (Scholar Who Walks the Night) | Affection fluff | 1k | (kind of implied) f!reader

Their voices join the water and blood dripping in the expanse of the cave, so do their faces, all of them just the background. If you were told they’re only another rock growth in the underground palace, you’d accept it without a second thought. So insignificant they were. Maybe not for the palace, for the grand scheme of things, but it’s always been easy to detach yourself from the world.

You’re not really looking at them, perhaps through them would be a better word. But when he speaks, your eyes surely find his profile and you pay attention. Most of what he says is mocking the humans standing before his throne. He’s sneering at them, taunting them. They can’t do anything about it. They can’t do anything to him. Everyone in the room knows it. So they come after the obvious easy prey.

“Gwi, isn’t it about time you got rid of the toy?” you know without looking at them that the official speaking is pointing at you. You’ve heard them mutter about him playing with his food before. And if you heard, he heard too.

“What toy?” the vampire asks, and you know that to them his voice is nothing but amused. But you don’t need his enhanced hearing to take precaution. When the backs of his fingers brush against your cheek, it must look to them like you’re motionless. You lean your body towards him just enough that he takes notice of your weight shifting on his lap. Just leaning into his touch isn’t enough. He’s a creature that deserves more respect than that. “Which one should I get rid of?”

If he only could look at both you and the subject before him, you know he would. Jealousy was never your strong suit. Even less so in the face of Gwi. Sometimes you’d get the feeling he doesn’t appreciate that. Other times you think he seems relieved. Either way, he was not for you, or any human, anyone, to own. You keep your eyes on him. The officials are predictable enough, all of them plotting, trying to figure out how to get their daughters involved, how to get closer to power. 

They sputter and back down as they always do. Trying their most to stay in Gwi’s good graces while crossing every boundary clearly set. It’s pathetic. And the vampire is as predictable as them, so you don’t flinch at all when the gentle caress turns into a death grip on your jaw while his fangs bury into the flesh of your neck.

They run away. Of course they do after the vampire’s mocking. They take it as a threat to their family, so you don’t blame them for closing their eyes and turning their back. It is a threat. Not a fully empty one either. But the officials and their petty palace drama and power struggle are irrelevant and definitely not the thing your mind wants to focus on as it grows fuzzy. Your body is getting weaker but you don’t panic. You hear your heart in your ears and it’s beating steadily.

“Your blood tastes so sweet,” his voice graces your ears, his bloodied lips gently pressing against your cheek not a second later, leaving a mark, “I never tasted anything like it. Is it because you’re not scared of me?”

It’s not the first time Gwi wonders aloud about your blood. Perhaps that truly is the reason, maybe panic ruins the blood, just like when hunters try to catch their prey unaware. It wasn’t always like this, and you entertain the thought of your will and desire overrunning even your instincts and biology. Your tongue feels like lead in your mouth, so you can’t respond and he doesn’t force you to. Instead he guides your head to rest against his shoulder, allows your body to lean on his.

You feel a sense of guilt for being so weak. You wish he could feed from you all the time, drink your blood until he’s sated. He’s tried that in the past. He kept feeding from you day after day - as a desert, he’d claim - kept feeding from you right until you were on the verge of death. The doctors barely saved you. You never asked how did it happen that you were nursed back to health. Then again, did you need to? It was about that time that you started noticing that the officials despised you.

“Should I get rid of you?” he muses, and yet his arm is wrapped around you so tenderly it’d make you sleepy with comfort if it wasn’t for your desire to listen to him, “Should I set you free?”

You don’t think he’s playing with you, but then again Gwi is unpredictable at the best of times. Either way, it’s all the same to you. Your answer would always be the same.

“I’d worship you still,” you whisper, gathering your strength only to be shushed by the vampire holding you. There’s a smirk on his lips. Proud. But it softens. He knows. He knows. And maybe that’s why you get to be held by him.

“Worship is not a word many would use,” he sounds amused, and you enjoy how freely he converses with you. Not too long ago he’d be much more guarded. He’d snarl at you, make you feel like he’ll attack any moment. It’s a little surprising he allowed you to stay alive. You meet his eyes with a questioning look that he answers with a curious smile before he shakes his head. So you stay quiet.

He picks you up and carries you to the space he made for you, where your bed is hidden away from sight. You know once you wake up there will be a meal waiting for you to get your energy back. He lays you down and covers you with a blanket. He strokes your hair, reassuring you that you’re allowed to rest now. 

And so you slowly, obediently, fall asleep.

[starkeyvhs]

cw: frat rafe x fem scholar reader, small mentions of alcohol / wc: 250 / masterlist

Rafe wanted to seem unattainable to you, just like he did to everyone else. He wanted to be the person you text all night, but then the next morning the moment you passed him in class, he would simply ignore you. He wanted to playfully flirt with you, call you pretty and intelligent and gorgeous, and then not pay any mind to you. He wanted to glance at you across the crowd of a frat party and pass a wink, maybe even come up behind your back to wrap his arms around you and murmur a few words against the shell of your ear, and then just simply pretend not to know you when asked from someone else.

But he just couldn’t.

You had him reeling in a different way, and the late night texts weren’t enough; he wanted to talk to you all day. The flirting wasn’t playful; he thought you were absolutely angelic, and it showed through how you just didn’t seem to ever get off his mind. He was quick to be by your side at any party, to make sure you were safe, no one said anything to you, and no one attempted to drug your drink. He danced with you on the dance floor as long as your heart desired, and then got down to his knees to take your heels off for you when your feet started to hurt.

You were softening Rafe Cameron.

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

[screamingcrows]

Pyrogenic sprouts

Notes: I banged this out in what can only be described as a fit of delirium. Let this be my first venture into writing Wuthering Waves, unedited and made without a single thought in my mind except Mortefi spinning like a rotisserie chicken. I already know what direction this continues. Keep this out of AI. ~1.5k Tags: Mortefi x reader, first meeting, fluff Minors, blank and ageless blogs DNI

When the ground is scorched, pyrogenic plants are swift to repopulate the charred area, sprouting as soon as one day after the flames die out. They spread their roots and turn the soil, nourishing those that will come after.

Soon enough, the entire area will once more be lush and green, given a second chance at life after an event that should by all means have created an inhospitable wasteland.

Over the years, Mortefi had been forced to accept the reality of what he was. A walking time bomb that could be set off at a moments notice if circumstance aligned. Since the last time he overclocked, he'd been adamant in doing all within his power to temper the flames that raged within. For although he understood that as much as fires consumed they also birthed new life, he refused to be a culling destruction for any.

Except the tacet discords that were currently disintegrating on the ground. Burnt to ashes in a less literal sense than the countless angelicas, lemongrass, noctemint, and if the fresh scent wafting along the smoke was anything to go by, there'd been perillas as well. A pity those had been burned, they made for a satisfying addition to his candies.

His eyes closed for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady the adrenaline racing through his body, feeling the familiar crackle of sparks along his pectoral, never having gotten quite used to the pulsing of his tacet mark. The almost ritualistic motion of wiping his hands against his coat, despite never touching the enemy, was crudely interrupted when small hands, curiously rough, shoved at his chest.

It wasn't enough to knock him off balance, simply taking a step backwards to separate himself from the unfamiliar touch and cracking open an eye to be met with your enraged expression. Well, if you had the energy to be enraged, then the injuries you'd sustained could only be superficial. Which was lucky considering the profound lack of medical supplies currently on his person.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" your voice was a shrill thing, he mused, briefly scanning the surrounding area for potential threats you could attract with your cry of death, "You've ruined everything!"

For a moment, he thanked the upbringing he'd had, uncertain if commanding the calm exterior he did now would've been possible had he not spent his youth performing every second out of the mansion. At least you were being direct.

"I would hardly call providing assistance 'ruining' anything, miss," your stare remained unyielding as the thorns in the distance, only prompting a sigh from Mortefi, "I believe it would be prudent to let me escort you back, this area was recently deemed unsafe for civilians if you were unaware."

He might have chuckled at your frustrated whine if it didn't immediately tick him off to your impending denial. Truthfully, he didn't have time for this. A barely finished child-sized glider, with joints to flap the wings for a little extra airtime of course, lay waiting atop one of his counters. Not to mention the actual work that needed completion. Just because Jinzhou had averted crisis didn't mean progress could afford to halt.

The dismissal hand you were waving had Mortefi needing another deep breath, fingers itching for his lighter, "Leave me alone will you, you've cause enough problems for me already and I still have stuff to do."

Oh if only it was so easy to leave you to your own devices he would. But there you were, alone and unarmed as well. No sign of being a resonator either. This was just perfect. He'd forgone breakfast, having stayed up most of the night and just needed to collect a few feathers for the glider, wanting to finish and deliver the gift today, and he really didn't have time to assist some thankless civilian with their death-wish.

"I suggest you let me take you back and hire a guard next time."

How the lighter had made it into his hands was beyond him, only noticing when you scoffed incredulously, looking more like a scorned child than the adult you supposedly were. Or perhaps you were simply as adept at mimicry as the plants you so cared for.

"And I suggest you learn to stay out of other people's business," your voice had lost the brittle edge, replaced instead by pure annoyance.

He felt a pang in his chest, the look in your eye merging with that hint of helpless fury in your voice. It resonated with his memories. The ashes had slowly settled at least, and he silently mourned having blackened the edges of another coat. More to take care of once he was home.

As nonchalant as possible, he shoved the lighter back into his pocket and gestured for you to move, "get on with it then, I don't have all day."

At least you didn't argue, resigning to showing your displeasure in the stomping of your boots. Your name had a foreign sound to it, but knowing firsthand how tumultuous moving could be, he deigned it unimportant to pry further. The harshness of your words stood in sharp contrast to the occupation you divulged; a florist of all things. Though he supposed that did explain the volatile reaction to seeing a scorched field.

The realization that he'd spent seconds destroying what might have been several days worth of business did make stir in the pit of stomach, and for just a moment, he wondered if it would one day fill him as rage had if left unchecked.

Likewise, you'd gone eerily silent when he'd begun explaining his field of research. Tacetite weaponry didn't sit well with everyone. Mortefi was acutely aware and it wasn't a discussion he wished to have in his current state.

"Keep that lighter pocketed, you hear me?"

Mortefi grit his teeth, releasing the familiar metal back into his pocket, observing as you squatted down and began cutting stems and peeling back leaves with surprising efficiency, quickly collecting a sizeable pile of various flowers and greenery. The latter to fill out bouquets he presumed. He ran a hand through his hair, grunting softly when it came back a little moist. Wonderful, he'd need to shower properly before returning to the academy.

"How long before you collect wares again?" The question lingered heavy as smoke for a minute, almost making him regret asking.

"Tomorrow, I collect daily," your voice was almost pleasant now that you were focused on something else. He felt the familiar twitch in his fingers, aching to busy himself instead of standing around like a helpless moron.

"I would advise you to find a different area, the frequencies have been chaotic here for a while, a tacet field is expected to show up within days."

The shrug of your shoulders was expected, and thus did nothing significant to sour his mood. You'd been warned, anything beyond was your own responsibility. Perhaps he should offer to make a shield, or a weapon of some sort, even if you weren't trained for combat, a simple explosive should be manageable, or a portable turret maybe? Maybe a sentinel drone, one that would detect shifts in the air and alert you before tacet discords could manifest?

But that wouldn't be any use against local wildlife. Not unless he programmed some feature that would let it discern potentially harmful creatures. It would be doable, and he should already have most of the parts for it.

"And I will once again ask you, Mortefi, to stay out of my business, what is it with you scholars?" Mortefi opened his eyes at the sound of his name just in time to see you shove a large bundle of cut flowers into his arms before continuing under your breath, "honestly, there must be something in the water you drink at the academy."

Mortefi couldn't help but feel a smile tug at his lips, what a ridiculous theory, "curiosity is the essence of progress," he paused for a moment, not bothering to argue with serving as a pack animal, he was already in this far, "Speaking of, I have several ideas that might-"

"I'm not turning a big enough profit to invest in some inventor, I'll continue as I have."

The scent of flowers continued to cling to him long after helping you arrange the flowers at your humble stand, rickety wooden frame desperately in need of a helping hand. It left a trail of pungent sweetness even after showering, and he found himself needing to pop another candy into his mouth to not mutter something at the countless researchers staring at him as he trekked to his laboratory.

Toys quickly finished, he began drafting up various designs for a little sentinel. Perhaps it could serve to carry your harvest as well if he was a little clever about the logistics and specifications of it's components.

Part 2

[the-readers-archive]

“Your room is a reflection of your mind”

Chaos, heartbreak, and literature haunt my restless mind…

[moonshine-nightlight]

Nothing's Wrong with Dale: Part Nineteen

It’s been a week, but you’re fairly certain your fiancé accidentally got himself replaced by an eldritch being from the Depths. Deciding  that he’s certainly not worse than your original fiancé, you endeavor to keep the engagement and his new non-human state to yourself.

However, this might prove harder than you originally thought.

Fantasy, arranged marriage, malemonsterxfemalereader, M/F

AO3: Nothing's Wrong with Dale - Chapter 19 - MoonshineNightlight - Original Work [Archive of Our Own]

[Part One] [Part Two] [Part Three] [Part Four] [Part Five] [Part Six] [Part Seven] [Part Seven.5] [Part Eight] [Part Nine] [Part Ten] [Part Eleven] [Part Twelve] [Part Thirteen] [Part Fourteen] [Part Fifteen] [Part Sixteen] [Part Seventeen] [Part Eighteen] Part Nineteen [Part Twenty] [Part Twenty-One] [Part Twenty-Two] [Part Twenty-Three] [Part Twenty-Four] [Part Twenty-Five] [Part Twenty-Six] [Part Twenty-Seven] [Part Twenty-Eight] [Part Twenty-Nine] [Part Thirty] [Part Thirty-One] [Part Thirty-Two] [Part Thirty-Two] [Part Thirty-Three] [Part Thirty-Four]

You freeze, you know you do, but you can’t help it.

You freeze, you know you do, but you can’t help it. You hope you appear only mildly surprised rather than scared. Those credentials are not the sort the locals Grandfather had been introducing you to had. They’re on an entirely different level. “How impressive,” you say, hoping your breathiness comes across as admiration rather than shock. “What an unusual combination of studies.”

“Actually, it seemed like a natural progression to me, though others do seem surprised,” Dr. Louisa says, clearly believing your affectation. You refuse to look at Breighton to gauge her reaction to your own. Nothing good can come of that. “My primary interests lay in how the human body reacts to different compounds—both positively and negatively. To my estimation, it was only a matter of time that I began to wonder how it might react to compounds from the Depths—or how the beings from there would react.”

“As Dale’s fiance,” Breighton inclines her head to you. Her voice gives nothing unusual away as she continues, “is interested in medicine, I knew I had to introduce you two.”

“Oh?” Dr. Louisa asks, looking mildly more interested. “Where did you study?”

You know she’s asking what university, but all you can offer is a self-deprecating smile. Given the look in her eyes, you’re fairly certain she knows what you’re about to say, “My schooling was completed at South Ardere Academy and I do not have any formal medical accreditations—merely an interest.”

“Of course, of course,” Dr. Louisa says with a gracious smile that still makes you feel rather stupid. “I know that such studies are not required, but an interest is better than none. So many people have no interest in the study of their own bodies, their own health, their own life,” Dr. Louisa smirks at Teresa, who merely smiles back cheerfully, and Julion, who scowls, “and I’ve never understood how they can stand to live with such ignorance.”

“People tend to think of their health and their bodies as something that merely is,” you volunteer, for all you think she’s being rather harsh—people have so many things to worry about after all. “Until something goes wrong.”

“Too true,” Dr. Louisa says with a nod. “Is that what piqued your interest?”

“Yes, I had some health difficulties when I was young,” you reply, trying to keep any defensive comments about that part of your life to yourself. Breighton already knows and none of these were noble heirs as far as you could tell. You don’t need to prove your worth as a bride to them. Instead, you simply don’t want to look a fool. “Which resolved around when I left childhood behind. Still, it has left me with an appreciation for my current health and a general desire to learn more in the area of medicine.”

“I can see how that might come to pass,” Dr. Louisa allows before a hint of condescension enters her expression. “Although medicine is an immensely complex topic. Certainly challenging to have as an amateur hobby—but a worthy one, of course.” 

It’s clear the last part is only a false reassurance, but before you can defend yourself, Breighton speaks up.

“She seems to have done well by it,” Breighton says mildly. You chance a glance at her and she doesn’t appear concerned about grilling you on your potential for abusing the dark arts or as though she is testing you. However, she’s the only one you know Grandfather told about his theory–for all, according to the Steward, she didn’t believe him. Maybe this is her one concession to his worry, introducing you to this expert. She doesn’t seem to be pushing anything beyond the introduction though. But she’s the type that hardly ever reveals what she’s thinking unless she wishes too. The stray thought that you’d like to see her play your brother in poker flits through your mind. “As she is the one who initially helped Sanctif Ellon the other night.”

“Oh, yes, I remember him,” Dr. Louisa nods, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “Someone had the quick thinking to give him some ephedra they had on hand.” She turns back to you. “That was you?”

“Yes, I always carry some of the basics with me,” you reach into your pocket and bring out a similar vial of allergy tonic—replenished that night. “I have a similar, rather severe allergy so I carry single doses of a few tonics or medicinal tea bags on me whenever possible.”

“That seems quite useful,” Teresa remarks, leaning in to take a look. “This would help anyone having such a reaction?”

“Not everyone, but most would find it helpful.” You offer her the little bottle. “My other teas are more for headaches, exhaustion, and so on rather than to combat a more advanced or specialized condition.”

“The allergy remedy is only a stopgap,” Dr Louisa cautions, reaching out to pluck the bottle from Teresa’s fingers. She studies the handmade label with mild interest before giving it back to you. You carefully accept it from her white gloved hand. “But this is as well labeled and portioned as anything in my kit. Helpful, to have them labeled for a layman’s use.”

You slip it back into your pocket, into the little pouches you hand sew into the lining for just that purpose. Are you overreacting? Thinking everything she says is a dig at you? “As you said, I am a layman, in the end. It is the easiest way for me to think. I am not versed in medical notation.”

“That’s really only useful to doctors,” Dr. Louisa acknowledges. “I think more people would benefit from having these basics as you called them on hand. But my interest has moved beyond human medicine these days. Although I still peer review and analyze certain papers with a focus on botany and chemistry, my particular areas of skill.” She waves a careless hand. “Easiest method for keeping up with current achievements and breakthroughs. I have shifted experimental focus.”

You open your mouth, hoping to steer the conversation away from her interest ‘beyond’ and to whatever peer review work she does with typical, human medicine. “What—” But you can’t get the words out fast enough or loud enough. 

“Yes,” Julion says, a frown on his face as he narrows his eyes at Dr. Louisa–not having even noticed that you attempted to say something. “Rather than focus on human illness and disease, you instead have switched your focus to the Depths.”

Dr. Louisa glares in response to his clear derision. “I have widened my focus and therefore widened the available materials at my disposal to help develop cures and aid. There are plenty of straightforward thinkers focused on what is convenient in this world.”

“Are there truly useful materials in the Depths?” Alent of Senga asks, skepticism heavy in his voice. Your desire to actually hear the answer to his question and your wish for the conversation to go in any other direction war in your stomach. Perhaps you shouldn’t have had those appetizers. 

Personally, you agree with Alent. You doubt the existence of any plants in the Depths that is: one, useful; two, in sufficient quantities; and three, accessible. And any material from the Depths would need to be all three to be of great aid in medicine for humans—in your estimation at least. But most of your reading had been about demon reactions to plants and materials from this world, not their own or humans to theirs. You’d love to read a book on the subject—really, to learn about it any other way than trapped in this conversation.

“Of course,” Dr. Louisa’s voice is sharp. “How could there not be? There is still so much to understand and discover. We are making greater strides than ever before.” 

She sounds as though she has had to make a similar speech before, as if she has had to defend her area of research often—you wouldn’t be surprised if she had. You’re not sure you’re convinced that experiments with plants from the Depths can be anything other than reckless and dangerous. 

“Now that the principles of experimentation have been widely agreed upon and adopted,” Dr. Louisa continues, “now that we have more reliable methods of opening doors to the Depths, we can finally begin to do more than stumble blindly or unleash unrestrained beasts on our enemies.

“Despite the comparative rarity that is the intelligent demon, they have made far greater strides in the opposite direction than we have. They’ve been exploring and taking advantage of our realm for years. Now we can finally start doing the same.”

Well, that's a discomforting thought. You’ve never considered the appearance of demons on your world as such a venture. From what you’ve read, there does not appear to be any sort of coordinated effort between large groups of demons, but perhaps if it were subtle enough, humans wouldn’t even notice. 

Everything you’ve read or heard has suggested that as intelligent demons are outnumbered by animalistic, vicious demons, they primarily form small, isolated communities where they can eek out enough to survive on. The intelligent demons who come up to the surface are usually loners or pairs who desire a life outside of the Depths or were exiled from there. But much of that information comes from “Memoir of the Dark”, written by the demon Duke of Sitran in Vaomen a hundred years ago and it is unclear how reliable a narrator he was as he is one of the few demons to ever pen such a book about the Depths or demonic society, if it can even be called such. 

“Look,” Alent says, frowning with a thoughtful expression on his face. “I’m all for further knowledge, even knowledge for its own sake, and I think that truly exploring the Depths and learning anything more about it that we can is a noble goal. But,” he emphasizes, “I don’t know we’re at the stage where I feel comfortable introducing all this into medicine. That's an immensely complex and delicate science we are honestly still beginners at without our own materials and compounds and techniques. Introducing the Depths and things from there into that study seems… distracting and overwhelming—too many new factors to control for.”

“Yes,” Teresa says with a nod and you unconsciously mirror her because you agree as well. Your fascination with the debate and the fact that you haven’t had to give any opinion on the Depths helps you to breathe a little more naturally. “I’m not sure how plants from the Depths can do anything more than muddle with the aspects of medical treatment we are still struggling to understand within our own realm.”

“I disagree,” Kenneth of Helmsfirth says, shaking his head, and his mustache, for emphasis. “We need to take advantage of the strides Vaomen has been making and what better arena of study to make that information useful than in health. What makes adding the study of these plants or animal materials any different from adding in such things from a newly discovered island here?”

An interesting point, but…

“Because the Depths is a fundamentally different realm than ours?” Julion says with a roll of his eyes. “There are multiple principals and compounds and even laws of nature unique to the Depths and more that we might not even be aware of. I agree that mastery of what we have should be the priority. My understanding is that most plants or other compounds from the Depths are corrosive to us anyways. That’s why the only use we have for such things so far is as poison. My—”

“With,” Dr. Louisa cuts in, talking over whatever he was going to say next, “the Depths, a degree of caution, of course, must be taken into consideration, however to say the only uses for their plants we’ve found is poisons is false. Mixing extracts from Depth plants with our own has yielded quite a few exciting and useful results.”

Despite yourself, you want to hear more. There had been some discussion in some of the books you’ve managed to skim from Dale’s study that mentioned plants from the Depths, but in relation to summoning rituals you couldn’t understand. And so you’d been forced to move past them in your search for information about possession. But you want to go back and read them, if only it wasn’t such a risk.

“For instance, the most recent discovery was the use of a combination of yarrow and klint strengthens and stabilizes the yarrow and makes its effects as a fever reducer last longer,” Dr. Louisa says. “If jutnay is steeped in local mint tonic and then dried, powered and taken as a suspension, throat soreness can be soothed and recovery is faster than the mint tonic alone.”

You raise your eyebrows, both treatments, with yarrow and mint tonic for fever and throat ache, are familiar to you, but both have an inconsistency to them and are usually not the most recommended treatment because of that. You never would have thought that something from the Depths could temper them—or temper anything really.

“And the discoveries are not limited to only medicine,” Dr. Louisa continues. “As you mentioned, too much is still unknown about the Depths and studying only demons is short-sighted. There are plenty of other potential uses for the materials. Take my gloves,” she holds them out. “Every few days, I steep them in a combination of wood ash and ygrine, a plant found commonly in the Depths.”

“To what end?” Alent asks, looking baffled.

“Detection,” Dr. Louisa replies smugly, holding her gloved hands to the group. Dawn’s ire, not more demon detection methodology, you think. Wasn’t the sanctif enough? “If my gloves touch demonic flesh or the flesh of a human possessed by a demon, it will stain their skin and therefore reveal their true nature. The Depths leaves invisible particles on all those it touches. It is within demons. The only false positives we’ve had was with a ring of back alley summoners. It turned out they were not possessed themselves. This reveals that a summoner who has reached into the Depths would likely also appear stained, but most practitioners are intelligent enough to use gloves in their experiments so it is a minimal consequence.”

“What about false negatives?” Julion pushes. “If a demon spent enough time above or cleansed themselves vigorously enough, could they also deceive these treated gloves?”

“We are still isolating all the test cases,” Dr Louisa allows, but steamrolls ahead. “In theory, yes, they could cleanse themselves—however, for a demon in its own form or one who is possessed, it would take far longer for the materials to leave their system than just a bath. From what we’ve been able to discover, it would take months to fully purge their system.”

“I suppose that is useful,” Julion admits grudgingly, “But most demons are not masters of disguise, even the intelligent ones—at least not as a long game.” Are they not? Julion waves his hand, dismissively, “They deceive for a day or two—however long it takes them to achieve their objective. Most of those who are possessed did so by contract and are known.”

“That you are aware of,” Dr Louisa counters. “You cannot prove that. Also, remember what I said about the use-case of finding those amateurs dabbling in demonic studies or summonings. Such practitioners are often a great danger to others. Protection forces being able to identify those individuals is also quite valuable. The city guard of Hetlund has already credited our gift of a few pairs and materials with preventing a number of messy, botched summonings from unleashing who knows what on the city.”

“That I can believe,” Alent says, a hint of disgust in the curl of his lip. “The destruction one overconfident fool with the right materials—or the wrong ones—can cause is incredible.”

You suppress a shudder at how close you all came that night in Northridge when Dale did just that.

“One benefit to being so close to Northridge, ey, Breighton?” Gilliana of Manataba says with a grin.

“Yes, any smugglers seeking to do so as close to my mother’s territory as Connton should be quite wary indeed,” Breighton says with some pride in her voice. “Even if their city isn’t in Northridge, they mirror a number of our tight regulations. There’s not been a call for a purge or a botched summoning in over a decade here. I appreciate the risk Vaomen and a number of the universities are will to take for knowledge, but I prefer not having to worry about rampaging demons at a moments notice because a graduate student got in over her head, thank you very much.”

Dr. Louisa is already shaking her head. “The laws in Northridge are archaic, Breighton, and you know it. I mean no offense to your parents, and what happened to your brother and his wife was a tragedy, but it's no more sensible than banning all sea travel because someone drowned in a storm.”

Breighton’s expression doesn’t change but she seems to grow colder. “You are entitled to your own opinions on the matter, and given your field of study, I am not surprised. However, I do caution you from saying something to that effect near Lady Northridge. You will regret it.”

It’s clear the others agree with Breighton as they nod or murmur agreement. Only Teresa still looks cheerful when compared to how somber the others grew. You wonder if they too, knew Dale’s parents personally before their deaths. Even Teresa’s sunny disposition has taken on a sharper edge, like the prospect of Grandmother Northridge taking this smug doctor to task is what is making her smile so.

“Of course,” Dr. Louisa says, in mild but false surprise, a gloved hand pressed to her heart. “I would never.”

You’re fairly certain she would, if she would not be ostracized from this group for being so impolite to the host who is also Breighton’s mother. 

“Regulation and law may slow discovery or quickly bringing a product to market,” Julion cautions, “but they save lives.”

“Balance is the key to such matters,” Dr. Louisa says magnanimously. Then she turns to you in a manner that can only spell trouble. “In fact, with the new Lord and his wife inheriting Northridge, perhaps some of these concerns can be addressed more delicately. Do you have any specific plans in this area at the moment?”

“No,” you reply automatically, cursing her for seeming to finally remember you are present. So much for not having to speak on anything demonic. “That is not currently a priority for us at the moment, especially given how strongly the current Lady and Lord feel on such matters.” Still, you don’t want to leave it like that, not when this woman is liable to pick at you for something controversial–you can see it in her eyes that she likes instigating arguments, not just debates. “However, I would venture to say that Lord Dale, despite his personal history, does not feel as strongly as his grandparents regarding a complete ban—to my knowledge.”

“And yourself?” Dr. Louisa presses regardless of the offering you gave her.

You take a few seconds to think, wanting to walk the right line. “I would agree that such matters require caution and that regulation is necessary,” you say slowly, “but a complete ban could also be considered flawed. Ignorance can be as dangerous as leniency. However, as I said, we have other priorities at the moment and so I haven’t discussed such matters with the current Lady nor with Lord Dale in any capacity and cannot speak for them.”

“A diplomat’s answer,” Dr. Louisa brushes off, pouting.

“And so a wise one,” Julion replies as his reflex was to disagree with Dr. Louisa, just generally. “given her position.”

“I’m certain as we take on our responsibilities,” you say slowly, wanting to seem more decisive but also knowing you shouldn’t, that it isn’t your place yet. You again, pointedly do not look at Breighton. “A number of laws and regulations will rise to our attention for debate and consideration, at which point Lord Dale, myself, and our magistrates will deliberate appropriately.”

“Come now, Louisa,” Kenneth says, cajoling, “You ask too much of a young betrothed in their family stronghold on a niche topic on which they have strong biases. What would you have her say? Lady Breighton is right here.”

“Yes, and you know what a stickler and curmudgeon I am,” Breighton says as dryly as ever causing the others to laugh.

“Oh yes,” Alent says, rolling his eyes. “Breighton abhors the new and never goes against convention.”

“Well, she does study rocks,” Teresa adds with a teasing smile. She nudges Breighton. “I’ve always said it would only a matter of time before she became as rigid and boring as what she studies.”

That causes another round of laughter and you feel your spine relax. Luckily, no one seems to be trying to take you to task for your non-answers, including Dr. Louisa. Perhaps this matter would come to rest and you could ask Dr. Louisa about her recent non-demon peer reviews. A safe topic could surely be found or steered to. You just need to find the ability to speak up instead of just responding to the rest of them.

“…saw her go off with Aunt Breighton.” A familiar voice reaches your ears and any tension you’d lost is right back in its familiar place. He really does have spectacular timing. “Ah, see? Over there.”

With a resigned churn of your stomach, you turn to find Dale and Grandfather approaching your group. 

[Part Twenty]

[lynx-of-skies]

Order #1 : Caramel Milk Boba, and Iced Coffee with Cupcakes

Note : Wooo! First order of the day- well more like night but oh well!

Scholar!Albedo

How he protects you

Scholar!Albedo is not one to get into conflicts, often taking long paths to class just to avoid any fights and to continue on with his studies.

As a straight A student and one of the most popular student in school, a lot of admirers and fans of him quickly notice how you are getting "special treatment".

Albedo giving you waves in the hallway, saying hello whenever you walk up to him, blatantly ignoring the girl talking to him, or sitting down next to you during lunch, not so much as glancing at the jocks asking to hangout with him.

So, a few of jealous admirers decided enough was enough, and had created a devious little plan to get you out of the picture and away from Albedo.

Walking down the empty and echoey halls of the university, even after being here for a year it's still kinda hard to navigate, it was like a labyrinth in it's own right. Class has ended a long time ago, but where was your dorm again? Was it a left turn or a right turn? Wait- did you walk pass the hall to the dorms?

Sighing, you headed to the chemistry room. Why? Because Albedo always stays after class to continue to conduct experiments in the Chem. room, and whenever you get lost in the maze of the halls, Albedo always offers to lead you back to the dorms.

Soon enough you found the hallway to the science rooms but just as you took a turn-

*SLAM*

You were slammed against the wall, looking up you saw a group of 3 girls. All of them looking pretty pissed and furious, the one who slammed you against the wall spoke up.

"Well well well, guess who decided to show up? The little stray wondering around the school, listen here you little shit. You better stay away from Albedo got it? We both know he's better than you, and he shouldn't hangout with a fleabag like you."

The girl sneered down at you, her nails digging into your arm, making you wince a little, the other girls snickered at the sight. The other two girls walked up to you, "We're going to give you a lesson you'll never forget, so your little pea brain doesn't forget our little warning." Two of the girls held you in place while the leader readied herself to punch you. The girl lifted her fist swinging it down-

"What's going on here?"

The girl's fist stopped a inch away from hitting you, looking to the the right was Albedo staring at the scene in front of him. The girls quickly pushed you away, putting their hands behind their back, acting like nothing has happened.

"Albedo! Uh- nothing going on here. Just some friendly banner!" The girl gives you a look, 'Agree or else you'll regret it'. Averting you eyes you shuffle a little, fidgeting with your clothing, looking down at the ground.

"Y-yup! Just some friendly banner is all..."

Albedo looked at you, there was no emotion in his expression, just a pokerfaced student. After a few seconds of silence Albedo started walking over, "I see...well then, I hope you can explain to me why you have this?" Albedo quickly pulled out a small can of pepper spray out of the girl's purse, looking at her with a death stare. The girl gasped, trying to get back from Albedo.

"T-that's just for self defense-"

"-But as per stated by the rules of the university, pepper spray is not allowed regardless of it's purpose. The university has no track record of any violence nor assault in it's hundreds of years of teaching. Well, until now, hitting another student? You know, I believe in an eye for an eye, I will be more than willing to do the same thing you were going to do my friend here. Go on, hit them, I dare you."

Albedo darkly stared at the girl in the eyes, being dead serious, the girl backed off, as well as the other girls.

"I-I'm telling the headmaster about this!"

The girls then ran off, leaving you and Albedo alone in the hall way, Albedo looked over at you.

"Are you alright? They didn't harm you did they?"

"I'm fine...but..aren't you worried they're going to get you in trouble?" You commented, looking at Albedo in concern.

Albedo chuckled, a small smile appearing on his face, "No, I'm not worried in the slightest. After all, why would the university's Golden Star threaten someone? That just doesn't make any logical sense."

How his crush developed on you

Scholar!Albedo is heavily focused on his studies and schoolwork, rejecting every admirer who confesses to him with no more then a sigh.

After all, what's the point of having a partner in school when school work takes the majority of the time? At least that's what he thinks.

Since freshman year in college he's been working on majoring his Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and minoring his Visual Arts, it's been 2 years now, and now he's a Junior, he's done countless of rejections...

...But why does he get nervous around you? Why can he barely speak to you clearly when he can speak in front of the entire class with no problem? Why does he get all fuzzy and warm inside just from you laughing? It appears Albedo must conduct some experiments to get to the bottom of this...

After long day of classwork, experiments, presentations and essays, Albedo was just ready to take a small break for once. Normally he's not one to take breaks, but maybe today he could take one, just a small break.

Entering the library, Albedo and the librarian, Lisa, giving each other a nod of acknowledgement before continuing back to their own devices. Albedo sat down at a quiet table in the corner, opening his sketchbook and grabbing his pencil, he began to quietly sketch. No more than a minute later a boy walks up to him, his face flushed and his body language being nervous. Albedo mentally sighed, it was going to be one of those days huh?

"U-uhm...A-Albedo? Can I ask you something?"

Albedo stopped his sketching, looking over to the boy, "Yes, what is it?" The boy took a second to take a breath, presumingly to calm himself down Albedo guessed.

"I-I...I like you a lot! A-and I was wondering if w-we could da-"

"-Apologies, but I don't feel the same way. I hope you understand, but I'm putting my studies first."

"O-oh...that's alright..I just needed to get this off my chest..." The boy quickly walked away, Albedo could just sense the heartbroken and gloomy aura around the boy as he walked. Albedo just continued on with his sketching, when suddenly a pair of hands covered his eyes from behind him.

"Guess who!~"

There it was, that voice of his friend, "[Name], you are the only person who are friends with me that does this...."

"Aw! But it's fun doing it this way!" Albedo's eyes were uncovered, allowing him to see the culprit. You. One of his closet friends in the university. Energetic compared to his introverted and reserved self. You plopped right next to Albedo, "Sooo, are you finally taking a break? It's about time!"

"Yes I am...what are you doing here? Normally you would be hanging out with that musician Venti." Albedo raised an eyebrow, looking over at you.

"Wellll, I wanted to see you! It's been awhile since we've hung out with each other! I missed you!" You gave a bright smile at him, it wasn't any different then any other smile you gave him. But this one...this one struck a cord in Albedo, his heart begun to speed up. His hands becoming clammy and the feeling of butterflies bubbling up inside him. Albedo was lost in his thoughts—Why was he feeling this way? Why does he feel all warm and fuzzy inside? What was happening to him? Was he sick? No that can't be-

"-bedo? Albedooo?"

Albedo snapped out of his thoughts and looked back at to you, coughing to clear his throat as well as his mind.

"Uhm- yes? A..apologies, I...spaced out for a moment..."

"Uh, anyway, I have to get going! See you next time! Bye!" Then you left, leaving Albedo behind in the library not before Lisa pulled you over and gave you a scold warning about being loud in the library. In the meanwhile, Albedo was mumbling to himself, his gaze focused on you, as you sheepishly smiled at Lisa, "I need to test out new experiment regarding this...feeling..."

Idol!Venti

Hidden Talents

Idol!Venti always had a nack for trying new things, playing a new instrument or trying a new hobby, he's open to pretty much about everything.

Being part of 6reeze, Venti loves trying to get into new hobbies that his other Idol members were into. Trying out cooking with Aether, playing video games with Xiao and Scara (even though Scara can be a sore loser), watching mystery movies with Heizou, and writing poetry with Kazuha.

But other times he likes to scroll through the internet for find things that catches his eye, after all, watching singers was what got him into singing in the first place.

After scrolling and scrolling through Pinteresting, Venti ended up looking at a video that hit him with a wave of inspiration, he quickly got up and bolted to the main entrance, he's sure he saw some craft store near by the apartment.

You were walking around the apartment, looking for a certain 6reeze member, as their manager it was your job to makes sure they didn't do anything reckless. Speaking of which, apparently from the bank a purchase of a bunch of craft materials was made and it was extremely costly, all high product materials. It wasn't hard to ask around the other band members if they made such a purchase.

Walking to Venti's room, you knocked on the door but heard no response, opening it you saw the room with no Venti in it. Looking around you noticed he left is laptop open, sighing you closed the laptop. Walking back out of Venti's room, grabbing your phone and texting Venti.

'Venti, where are you!? Did you make a purchase recently?'

'Oops! Yeah I did, I'm on my way back from the store now actually! Brb.'

Sighing you walked to the main entrance, waiting for Venti to appear, just as you went to unlock to door Venti opened it, holding 3 bags of something from the local crafts store. Giggling a little Venti gave you a smile stating, "Before you get all mad at me spending this money...can I do something first?" After thinking a while you nodded and Venti giddily hopped his way back to his room, closing the door. After a few hours Venti comes out of it, holding something behind his back with a smile.

"Soooo, I knew you were going to be upset with me spending a lot of money- but I made you this!" Venti pulled the thing from behind his back presenting it to you. It was a little crocheted plush of your favorite animal! Taking it, you held it, it was perfectly made, incredible for a beginner!

"Woah...you made this? Have you crochet before?" You asked, looking over at Venti.

"Ehe~ Nope! This is my first time! Hehe~ I guess those sewing lessons with Kazuha kinda helped!"

Idol!Kazuha

How he protects you

Idol!Kazuha is crushed on by many, MANY, fans of his, something about a quiet, well mannered guy draws people to him, who would've known?

The rest of the 6reeze members often have to deal with their own fans and work. Some handle it better than others, some..worse (*Cough* Xiao-Scara *Cough cough*) but then again, this was in the job description, being an Idol means having a lot of fans.

And having a lot of fans will get you some....more unsavory ones...which will try to cause harm to others.

But being an Idol, Kazuha couldn't just threaten them, that would but a negative reputation on the group, Kazuha would just have to try another method to protect you...

Today was a peaceful day, the wind was a gentle breeze and it was a perfect temperature to go outside. Deciding to go outside today, 6reeze put on their masks and headed out. You however, was dragged along with them, Venti had to beg you to come along. Saying, "this was the only chance for all of us to hangout with each other!"

Walking down the sidewalk to the nearest Cafe, a handful of undercover bodyguards followed closely. Even though the 6reeze members were wearing masks to hide their identity, one can never be to careful can they?

"Ooh! Ooh can I get one of those little bunny cake pops?! Oh! And a sweet tea!"

"Black coffee, no sugar got it?"

"Hm...I'd like a vanilla latte, hot please. Xi- I mean....Shade, what would you like?"

"Nothing. I'm good"

"I'd like a iced coffee."

"I would like a hot caramel latte"

Watching as the 6reeze members choosing their coffee you mentally sighed at the poor barista having to take their orders. Once the order was finished, you took out your card to pay, the barista gave you a sympathetic look before taking your card. Once everything was paid for and you were given your card back, you and the 6reeze members (and the bodyguards) went to the park. Some of the members just sitting down on a bench, while some others were admiring the landscape.

Unfortunately, you're gonna need to take off a mask to drink something so it was inevitable that people will recognize them. For just being in the park for 30min in a isolated area, a crowd has already formed. As the manager you and the bodyguards blocked other people from getting too close from the 6reeze members.

"Apologies but the 6reeze members are not meeting with any fans currently-"

Just as you were going to finish your sentence a fan grabbed your wrist and pulled you down to get you out of the way, causing you to collapse to the floor. Kazuha seeing this, quickly helped you up, checking for any injuries with a concern look.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, come on, I'll call the limo to pick us up"

What was suppose to be a relaxing hangout day turned into chaotic in a blink of an eye. The 6reeze members entered the limo with you as well, somehow being able to avoid the paparazzi that was scouting the area.

Later that day, the 6reeze members made a post.

Kazuha(@6reeze)

'To those who forcibly push, shove, or pull others to see 6reeze. We do not condone this kind of behavior and will be avoiding those do such things. We want to provide a friendly environment in our community, and this kind of behavior will not be welcomed'

How his crush developed on you

Idol!Kazuha had wondered how a relationship with a celebrity would work in his early days. Would they have to keep it a secret?

But once Kazuha had gotten a hang of the idol life, Kazuha realized that having a relationship with someone would be a complicated process. Having fans knowing about their idol having a relationship with someone would make them upset if they didn't like the 'ship'.

But when ever he's with you, he can't help but smile, it was like his whole world lit up whenever you're around, and the other band members picked up on it. Venti giving Kazuha a teasing smile and raising his eyebrows whenever you weren't looking, Kazuha just faintly blushed in embarrassment before the blush disappears just in time when your turn around.

At was at first a manager-celebrity relationship, which turned to a friend-friend relationship, was it now a crush-friend relationship now?

Never did Kazuha thought that he would become an idol, but after creating the 6reeze band together in high school, they made it in the idol world after an Idol company scouted them. Of course being idol has some downsides, not having a regular life, being hounded by paparazzi in public, having to constantly practice dancing and singing.

But, even with all of these cons, the only pro that Kazuha was more than willing to have, is you. You just made his world, being the person that motivates him to push himself to his limits. You were just so sweet, when you guys first met Kazuha thought you were going to be one of those strict managers, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Afterall, you guys were friends, and friends motivate each other to do their best!

"Sooo, Kazuha. What are you thinking about hm?"

Kazuha looked up to see his band leader, Venti, leaning down with his hands behind his back behind the couch Kazuha was sitting on.

"Just thinking about our manager, why? Do you need something?"

"Nope, just curious~", Venti walked around the couch and sat down next to Kazuha.

"You know...I've noticed you've been spacing out a lot more than usual. Is there something bothering you?" Venti asked, looked over at Kazuha, Kazuha shook his head.

"No, I'm fine. It's just that..I've noticed that I've thinking about [Name] recently-"

"-Oh!~ Does someone have a crush on our manager?~"

Kazuha's cheeks flushed red at Venti's teasing, averting his eyes, "N-no! It's not like that, we're just friends..."

Venti looked shocked for a moment, he wasn't actually expecting a reaction like that from Kazuha, he thought Kazuha would just chuckle and wave it off.

"Hm...Kazuha, just how long have you been thinking about them? What do you feel when they're around?"

"Well, I'm not sure how long I've been thinking about them but...maybe a few weeks? And when I'm around them, I feel more motivated than usual, and that I want to try my hardest." Kazuha softly smiled at the thought of you cheering them on during rehearsals.

Venti just sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before turning back and flicking Kazuha on the forehead. "You know...despite having the best senses out of us I'm surprised you still haven't figured it out."

"Figure out what?"

Venti sighed loudly at this, gesturing over to you who was busy working on your laptop with headphones on.

"Look at them and tell me you don't have a crush on them!"

Kazuha looked over at you, his eyes softening and a small smile appearing on his face. You looked up from your laptop, waving over at Venti and Kazuha with a smile before working again. Kazuha could feel his cheeks heating up a little as you smiled.

"....I beileve you're right Venti...I do have a crush on them..."

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