#sorry for the genshin ramble

[bunnygirllover45]

I'm a dedicated man to my wife and I pulled for this sword only because it matches her, It isn't even useful but Nilou only deserves the prettiest things. Her stats look kinda crazy though.

I've got saved up almost 400+ pulls for her, I'm going to artificially inflate the statistics of her banner just by pulling like a madman.

[littlequackerman]

GUYS I just finished the last archon quest and I'm having so many thoughts about capitano...

Imagine reader falling for capitano while hes staying in natlan, but they have a terminal illness (maybe even related to the abyss like atea's was). They don't want to be a burden to him, he has such important goals he has no choice but to reach and they dont want to waste his time, considering they're going to pass on soon anyways.

And capitano has feelings for the reader, but doesn't want to confess because he knows he's going to die in his deal with the Lord of the night, and even if that doesn't succeed, he's still dealing with too much from the souls he carries and his curse to properly have a relationship with them

So reader doesn't confess, and soon they end up dying from their illness, and they go down to the night kingdom for the afterlife, and guess who they find?

Fucking capitano.

And he's dead!! Well, not actually dead, but actually fused with the Lord of the night, which is somehow even more insane than if he was just dead.

And capitanos surprised cause he thought they'd get old with some random natlanese guy, and hed he stuck dead fused with the Lord but then he finds out they had a terminal illness all this time???

And so you two get to spend time you didn't think you'd have together in the afterlife, and it's really nice lol

[birbleafs]

Most people tend to point out how badass Alhaitham is here (true). But what I like and appreciate a lot about this scene is how it also shows that Alhaitham cares enough for the general public's safety (including the Ayn Al-Ahmar members he'd agreed to fight with just moments before) that he rushed in to disable Mizri's corrupted Akasha terminal to stop his rampage. Alhaitham didn't actually need to do so either (he's not the Matra; public security isn't part of his job as the Scribe) since Mizri was attacking his own members. But Alhaitham still crossed that distance just to protect the other members of the faction once he'd realised what was happening, and he didn't even draw his swords out against Mizri. **Edit: I would like to also point out how there's a note of concern and urgency in Alhaitham's voice that you can hear clearly both in the JP dub here and in the original CN voice. It can be argued, of course, that he only did this knowing that Mizri had the Divine Knowledge Capsule and because he'd wanted to steal it. Still, Alhaitham could've kept his distance as Mizri continued lashing out at his men, and during the chaos and confusion, he could've easily filched the Capsule too before letting the Matra deal with the group's in-fighting while he slipped away with it. But he chose to jump right into the fray instead and risk injury to himself by going against a berserk Mizri.... though, I suppose Alhaitham had probably already decided that risk is extremely low and reasons that "I'm a very good fighter and I've a Vision, so I was never in any actual danger" or something along those lines. Because he's just annoying like that lmfao. This also makes that one iconic, quotable quote of his "I'm merely a feeble scholar" all the more hilarious.... What a lying liar LOL...

Still, I'm willing to accept his (modest lol) rationale, that in terms of sheer brute strength and perhaps without any help from his Vision, Alhaitham isn't as physically strong as the most jacked Eremites—he did preface the above line with "Compared to the mercenaries...", after all lol. He's simply a very efficient fighter who excels at using speed and agility to his advantage.

[m1d-45]

the pain of rapture

summary: there is no excuse for weakness in an archon. only explanations; no matter how impossible to find.

word count: ~3k

-> warnings: major spoilers for liyue archon quest . duh . unedited . also duh

-> gn reader (you/yours)

taglist: @samarill || @sarienic || @valeriele3 || @shizunxie || @boba-is-a-soup || @yuus3n || @esthelily || @turningfrogsgay || @cupandtea24 || @genshin-impacts-me || @chaoticfivesworld || @raaawwwr || @ryuryuryuyurboat || @undrxtxd || @rainswept || @wanderersqt || @rozz-eokkk

< masterlist >

there was no underestimating the time that zhongli had waited for this day. it was every archon’s desire to fulfill their duty, of course, but he couldn’t help but feel as if his wait was all the more painful than theirs.

every archon—no, every person had, at some point or another, strayed from their ideals. whether inconsequential white lies or betrayal of that which they loved, no soul was pure. nobody ended up exactly as they intended to be, in exactly the life they meant to live, with exactly the views they had longed for as a child. it was simply impossible; the world was too unpredictable, forcing one through trial after trial to pull gem from slag and discover what color crystal lay within one’s veins. despite these unremarkable paths, it was equally everyone’s nature to seek out a reason that they were unlike everyone else. billions of unique voices joined an endless choir of individuality, cutting into the same earth for a place within it, blind to their actions being pushed along by the mob around them.

and perhaps, due to his position as archon, he had thought himself better. perhaps he, like everyone else, had thought that he was nothing like anyone at all. while he could never return to who he was before the archon war, his memory was not as easily washed away as time, and he had had millennia to reflect.

was it his own mind that decided to rewrite his history? actions were undeniable, but nobody but him could attest to his motivations. was he judging himself through the wrong eyes, and in the process blinding himself to the truth? or had he willingly turned away from what he already knew? even from an outsider’s view, he was a stark contrast to the morax he was. should it not follow that he has also changed internally? that the rough, raw ore of his pain had softened and smoothed? ah, but to argue that would be to admit that he was once a jewel that hurt to hold. what gem did not want to be admired?

there was a lot that has changed in his life. it should not be so shameful to acknowledge that he, too, had changed. stones in rivers did no good to travelers when jagged and unsteady. he had learned. he was not so foolish as to think he was incapable of learning. there were many things he did not know then, and still things he did not know now. what did it matter that “humility” was missing from the first list and “pride” from the second? circumstances had changed, and he had changed with them. there was no shame in adaptation.

(if put back in the thick of war, would he become who he was then? would he revert back to the mindset of selfishness and wrath that had kept him alive? was that really what had enabled his survival at all, or was it just his claws?)

the moon was not the only witness to these debates, but it was the most frequent. during the day, he could busy himself with work and walks and idle discussions with whomever he pleased. it was only at night, when the port had settled but his mind had not, that he was without reason to avoid such musings. the air was warm and yet he kept his hands close around his teacup, feeling the corners settle into the indents of his knuckles like there was never a time he didn’t spend his evenings like this. there was nobody around to fool.

sleep never came easy to him, in any of his iterations. morax had too much to do, plans to pore over, reports in one hand and a sharpening stone in the other. rex lapis got the closest, spending time not tending to his people quietly meditating, listening to the prayers brought through the stone beneath his hands. even now, if he pressed his hand flat against the earth and searched, he could still find the last vestiges of these pleas. he never listened for long, though.

despite shedding as much of his skin as possible, sleep did not come easily for zhongli. he could lay and wait until his muscles itched for any sort of attention, but his mind never slipped away. if work was particularly stressful and he had neglected this routine the night prior, he could perhaps slip into a fitful doze, but it was always easily interrupted. birds on his windowsill did not make him reach for a blade as they once would have, but they did once again bring his mind back into consciousness, identifying its call and guessing the time as if his internal clock ever wavered. he had long since come to peace with this—it made sense his transition into humanity would not be seamless—but it had become more troublesome recently.

if anyone asked, not that they would, he would simply say that lantern rite was coming up soon. with vendors focused on the event, it would be harder to fetch the supplies necessary for the parlor, and as a consultant his job was to be able to provide options for his customers. if florists were out of silk flowers until next week, or there were no dried birch available, then it fell to him to inform the client. those in mourning were already unconsolable, and he saw no reason this excuse would not work. the handful of times he’d had to use it, when he was new to the parlor and they hadn’t gotten used to his personality yet, it had worked fine.

it was good that nobody knew who he truly was. he had long since grown used to the desperate cries of his people, and heard enough of their disputes and conversations to know which words helped and which did not. his excuse was just that; an excuse.

zhongli did not have a birthday. not just as a date of the start of this identity—though that itself had taken several years of pondering, each of which could have been equally considered a “day of birth” in that sense—but as an absolute date. aside from the fact that the modern calendar had simply not existed back then, there was no date in his memory that was truly his birthday. consciousness was a hazy thing, and he’d never had a need to decide which of the days of his blurry existence constituted a “birthday.” however, humans placed importance on them, and so he did as well. like everything else about his new persona, he had chosen it, placing it at the end of the calendar year for no particular reason other than it feeling right. no day stood out to him enough to be “his,” and all carried some level of importance. he had experienced thousands of each day, and it wouldn’t be right to decide which stack of events was more or less “meaningful,” so he didn’t. the last day of the year, perhaps somewhat symbolic of his retirement.

before that day, he hadn’t given much thought to the passing of time. he was aware of it, certainly, but it had never weighed on his mind as it did. dedicating himself to human ideals meant noticing and appreciating when the year ended and another began, looking out over the city from ground level.

it also meant that when he looked up, he recognized the stars held within the night’s tapestry.

lapis dei. the stone of god. it hadn’t appeared until several years into his place among liyue’s harbor, and only a few months before his planned failure during the right of decension. his vision was glass, and yet it weighed heavy as jade against his back that night, the name settling against his heart like a snake around a sun-warm stone.

it was not that night that he sought. as your traveller had roamed the world, it was to be expected that you may have your pick of companions, and it made sense than an archon (however retired) would be among them. no, the day that had just closed, that left him with now cold tea, was not something as simple as a rearrangement of false stars.

it was that a special set of six had flowed brighter. it was that, before he could blink, he had been pulled into the sky. his teapot was in front of him one moment, and the. it was gone the next, replaced by sprawling clouds and a voice he’d never heard. all the same, you were familiar, a memory he did not hold but could still feel the shape of.

he had waited for years to feel this light. to be held in a sea of stars and to be something of desire, something the one who had all wanted. it was, in his mind, a final act of defiance against celestia, and a firm bind of his loyalty despite the distance between him and you.

(he asked, at first, for a contract to prove it, but you had just laughed. it made sense. he still wondered if you were laughing at the impossibility of the idea of you being limited by mortal paper or laughing at him for suggesting it.)

those years, however, were spent doing just that: waiting. sure, he busied himself with the harbor and considered himself as doing a rather good job as blending in with the people around him, but he was not a fool. to be worth someone’s time was to have something to offer.

equally, he was not some unsteady, sobbing servant. he did not win his seat in celestia through pacifism. he did not sprout stone forests without power within his hands. he felt nothing but pride as a new polearm was placed into his hands, hefting its weight. the stars faded and he was left in unfamiliar territory, led to a group of enemies that snatched up their weapons the moment he got close.

for good reason, he’d thought, leaning into your touch as you guided his hands to pull a stele from the earth. pure geo wrapped around his shoulders—a skill he hadn’t needed to use for several decades now; he’d have to brush up once you were done with him. that was secondary, though, to the planet befall collecting over his shoulder. already, undead habits rose to the surface of his mind, preparing for the dust to settle and his spear to once again seek blood.

but his opponents were not left frail and weak by his show of skill. within seconds, they shed the stone he’d built around them, looking little more than annoyed.

why?

his spear glanced off their armor without so much as a scratch, despite the force with which he swung it. you pulled him in and out of range of their swords, far too dodgy to be handling an archon.

why did it seem like he wasn’t doing a thing? why, when a crossbow bolt clipped his shoulder, did it feel like the shot had passed through his chest instead? you clicked your tongue like a parent who’s child had done something they weren’t supposed to and he was back in the skyless sea, watching distantly as unfamiliar vision wielders took his place with well-worn precision. he was barely bleeding, the shift of his coat over the scratch shouldn’t feel like he was dying, and his spear should not have been so blunt. he drew it again, testing the edge with a finger, and it caught the fibers of his gloves with ease. he could feel the steel itself hum under his touch, a fine, razor point despite the repeated reflections.

it was only then that zhongli had begun to worry.

he’d heard countless stories from both near and far about the feats of strength normal people could wield when under your blessing. why was he not affected by it? why did it feel instead like all of his strength had been sapped from him, leaving him unable to even nick a bandit’s skin? had he made a mistake somewhere?

what would you think? an archon made helpless. offering you his strength was one of the pitiful few ways left he could help within the bounds of his contract with celestia, and now it was gone.

or had you noticed how he had faltered? how he had slipped from being zhongli for a moment, and decided to punish him for it? would this state last beyond your influence? no, you weren’t so cruel as to leave him helpless for one mistake. and yet, his mind fell to late nights, wondering if his worries had crossed time and space to reach your ears.

it was a plain truth in zhongli’s mind that the only thing he had left to offer you was his strength. he had no stories you had not heard, no wisdom you did not already know, no information left for him to speak. was this a lesson of some sort? but why not tell him directly? your voice had cooed in his ear as a war plume was tucked into his lapel, talking about domains and rolls he didn’t understand, but could hear as clear as jade.

and yet. you led him on a few more walks through valleys and plains, the few interactions with enemies either sprinted away from or leaving him tucked on a shelf while your better equipped followers attended to the problem. when it was over, his house felt too oppressive, the pot barely moved off the stove before he pushed open the door and took to the earthen path.

it was the lantern rite, he lied, his vision heavy against his spine. it pressed against his lower back and swayed when he walked, like the guiding hand of one treading alongside him, except the streets were empty and he had little to blame but himself.

did you know it was his birthday? did you blame him for having one?

did you know that that single day with you had only pushed sleep further away from his grasp? did you know that he could not change the past, no matter how hard he tried? if he’d not signed that contract with celestia then he would not have been here to witness your golden messenger. was he not meant to?

why not tell him? or had you already? had he missed something, somehow? when? was it during the war, when his memories were still colored by his selfishness? what lesson was he supposed to learn from helplessness?

was this some indication that you preferred him as a human, without the earth-shaking power he had held with his gnosis? but why lower him to the strength of an insect? he didn’t know.

zhongli was not insecure. he was proud of his new life and had not been given any reason to doubt that self assurance. even now, he did not regret it, only… wondered. wondered, and thought, and pondered, and mused, and ruminated, and reviewed, and every other verb one could apply to the deep, unsettling feeling that he had made missed something somewhere, and the rapidly growing need to find it.

[morangoowada]

Natlan Brazilian dishes

This one is Acarajé/Akara, an Afro-Brazilian dish made using ingredients such as beans, shrimp and onions.

Acarajé is sacred to the Candomblé/Yoruba religions, people offer them as a ritual to Orixás, such as Xangô and Iansã. People from these religions believe that Acarajé has the power to strengthen the spirit and body.

Acarajé was brought to Brazil by African slaves during colonization, and they can now be found in the state of Bahia, in the Northeast of Brazil.

They're sold by women who are usually called as "Baiana do Acarajé". Both the Baianas and Acarajé are considered to be strong cultural material of Bahia, the capital of the state, Salvador, is known as one of the cities with the largest amount of black people in Brazil.

This one is a brigadeiro, a very traditional Brazilian sweet that you can find anywhere in the country, it's made using chocolate, butter and condensed milk, you cook it in the stove and then after some time roll them into some small chocolate balls.

Brigadeiro was originally made for a election campaign for Eduardo Gomes, a Brazilian soldier with the military title of "Brigadeiro". A group of women from São Paulo selled these small treats to gather money and also votes for Eduardo Gomes. It was originally called as "docinho do brigadeiro" but it got so popular that it's only called brigadeiro now.

Xilonen who's a character with Brazilian references has her signature dish as a chocolate using the brigadeiro recipe, but it doesn't look like brigadeiros. Still, it's worth mentioning.

This is a pamonha, it's a dish made using corn, there's a salty version made using salt fillings with meat and cheese, and a sweet version using milk, sugar and cinnamon. Pamonha is a food with indigenous origins, and because of that, some other countries in Latin America have similar types of the same dish but with different ways of preparing it. The name Pamonha comes from "pa'muñã", a word from the indigenous language Tupi.

I'm not that sure about this one, but from the ingredients used to cook it, some Brazilians believe it's supposed to be a mungunzá.

Mungunzá is a sweet made using corn, milk, sugar and cinnamon and the recipe to cook the "Fascinating soup" are very similar, still if it really is the same thing, I don't understand how genshin made Mungunzá turn into a potion of some sort...

This is how a Mungunzá looks like, it's also called different ways in Brazil, some people call it Canjica but Canjica in the Northeast is comething entirely different so I'll stick to the name Mungunzá instead.

[tnsophiaonly]

Chris grey's song "Let the world burn" gives me SOOO much yandere imagines ... The moment I think of what to write properly and and properly think out a plot and thoughts I will make something out of this 🗣️🙏🙏

AND LIKE THE "I want it all" by Lana Del Ray (???) 😭😭‼️‼️

For now: cw: yandere, implied kidnapping

You gaze over your captor, the one who claimed they'd love you too much... You can't help but not buy their words, they must have other motives right...? There's no way anybody would ever love you this much at all...

You pressed your lips in a thin firm line and almost hesitated, you squirmed slightly, held the hem of your shirt out of nervousness and opened your mouth to speak;

"Hey..." You start, they immediately look at you, their attention to you, "Do you really love me? I mean, there's no way anybody would love me this much! Like imagine the world is in dire need of saving, and I also need to be saved, there's no way anybody would save me and let the world end! Like—" they quickly shut your yapping by holding your hand.

They bring it up next to their lips, "Darling..." they remain eye-contact with you, "I'd let the world burn..." They mutter, "Let the world burn for you." They finished and kissed your knuckles. Before caressing your face and bringing you closer to their face.

THIS JUST MADE ME REMEMBER THAT ONE TIME WHEN I ANSWERED MY GIRLFRIEND'S QUESTION WHEN SHE ASKED HOW MUCH I LOVE HER, I immediately answered, that I'd kill everyone and myself for her, destroy the world if she wants and if she wants me to save it, ALL FOR HER🗣️‼️

[thatdeadaquarius]

Soon.

☆

With a puzzled squint, you could see the adeptus was running over what you said in his mind, trying to parse out the meaning. Xiao then threw his head up out of his slight bow, almost glaring at you, “There is no task nor person more important than guarding you, my Lord. I will stand guard, worry not about my state.”

Nodding to you, he abruptly turned on his heel to shift to the side of the entrance to the mansion, his spear tall and ready. You’d have twitched a smile at him if you could, as you're sure he’s gotten a little more comfortable with you than when you first officially met. You’re also sure from meeting Zhongli just once in person that he’d have a small heart attack if he saw some of Xiao’s informal behavior.

But you’re glad he hasn’t, the more relaxed they are, especially considering your form, the better.

You duck inside, though the ceilings are so raised that you don’t have to go that low surprisingly. Huh, it was nice to be anticipated in a building usually sized for human heights. Wow. You’ve really reached the point of casually calling yourself inhuman.

…well, to be real with yourself right now, it might actually help to get more accustomed to that in case you’re never human again.

You also put that possibility back into the vault at the back of your mind.

☆

HEY I live, again,

I had a big life update what with my sib graduating grad school (getting their masters degree) at the same time we both moved like 2 states over from our home state 😅

and unfortunately, i wasnt able to get my monster of a sequel out in time to post it remotely to get it out to you guys while i was afk

(as i havent had wifi/free time consistently in like 2-3 weeks)

which, phew, im finally able to be settled in one place enough to write again, and have enough time in the day to not be dealing wiht my apartment to write ToT

i hope you guys arent too mad at me! (or have forgotten me?? sobs)

also.

i hear Natlan's coming out. 👀

I don't think it'll be out before i post the full (3 chapters total planned) sequel, but just in case, disclaimer-

🪄I am not to be held liable for not writing about Natlan bc it wasnt out yet woooo🪄

anyway, yeah its also taking a bit bc i wanna post the completed thing all in one go, over the course of like 3 days or so, that way u guys can actually look forward to the next little chapter in a reasonable amount of time lmao

well yknow, if anyones still reading this or my blog lol

happy summer you guys! I hope u all are having a good one so far, esp those of you in school, heart going out to yall fr <33

Catch you on the flip side (ao3 side?)✌️

Safe Travels,

💀♒

If you wanna join a taglist, DM me what for! "Pspspsss, please tag me for [All SAGAU posts, Only SAGAU Language AUs, diff fandom, etc.]!"

(If you ever wanna drop, just DM me! "No more taglists/[specifically this AU/fandom] please!")

♡the beloveds♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist / @thedevioussmirk / @the-dumber-scaramouche / @chocogi / @fallen-starr / @areaderofbooks / @devilangel657 / @esthelily / @justinsomniachild / @nanithefuck / @questionotmystopit / @chinuneko / @silvers-tongue

@karmascreeches / @yomilyy / @0rah-s / @idontknowwhatimdoingbutweball / @blackstar-gazer / @voidsgarden / @a-gay-piece-of-paper / @oxyotl / @thefirstonetoeverlikemeback / @kurayamioterasu / @randompersoninyourworld / @byakuren100 / @lemonade7255

[lyss-sketchbox]

Very aggressive take but if you think Genshin should've won best mobile game and not Balatro and your argument is 'It's a free game' I wish you a very happy stockholm syndrome recovery.

You people know hoyo games are only up there because people want the free pulls and not because it's genuinely the best.

[mikashisus]

no but just think about how much of an influence mondstadt has had on our journey thru genshin.

we started out there (probably for a reason that will be explained in future lore) and we met the god of freedom who also had a HUGE influence on our journey thus far.

and like, it makes me wonder what would’ve happened if we started out in any of the other nations. would the traveler have had the same mindset and/or morals they do now? would they have the same views on venti? or mondstadt?

i wonder what would’ve happened if the traveler didn’t go to mondstadt until much later. venti’s influence would be different, the traveler’s views on him would be different, as well as their whole mindset…

and most importantly, they’d probably be more aware of venti’s lies and deception. if mondstadt’s quest came out after sumeru, the traveler would’ve known first and foremost that venti is most likely the most powerful archon.

and they might’ve been wayyy more wary around him bc they wouldn’t have had his influence of “im the weakest so i have little to no power, therefore u shouldnt assume im dangerous”.

they might’ve believed that venti is a threat bc of his power instead.

there’s so many “what if”s. rlly makes u realize how much of an impact mondstadt has had on the game and its playerbase.

also the thought of the anemo archon being faceless and a whole mysterious entity with lore scattered EVERYWHERE until his release is extremely funny to me

like just imagine if venti’s character was entirely faceless and the only things we knew about him were him as an archon from lore crumbs scattered throughout the game and npcs in different regions. and then his eventual reveal that would bring a lot of hype

also i feel like his kit would be more cracked if he was released later in the game. but that’s just me

[catscidr]

Ok, crowtorre? 10/10. THE 💣 💣 💣 😭 But omg how would he fair with a cat or wolf hybrid reader..

PLS

NOO he would be such a tease!! he’d be so mean!! im imagining cat hybrid reader (bc im biased lol) but LORD he’d be even more mischievous than usual, to the point where you go out of your way to avoid him at all cost if you get that feeling in your gut that tells u he’s going to be particularly annoying (he’s pissed you off so often you eventually developed a sort of sixth sense related to it. a headache radar, if you will)

(prev crowttore post for context)

cw: crow hybrid!dottore x afab!cat hybrid!reader. established relationship, he’s annoying, pure rambling from yours truly so barely even proof read. second half is nsfw, minors dni, scara mentionned once, rough sx, possessive behaviour, talks of breeding, overstim, smidge of aftercare.

“your reactions are entertaining” he’s told you once, his excuse whenever you shove him away from you. ever since then, you’ve tried to keep your reactions to a minimum. give him nothing more than a glare. but you fail. every single time. it’s not your fault he’s so good at reading people!! curse his big wrinkly brain

it’s not all that bad, though. sometimes he helps, like when you have knots in your shoulders he’ll gladly "preen" you and rid you of the pesky tension building up in your aching muscles with his nimble fingers. sometimes he even takes time to brush your tail for you; but that’s not something he does solely for your benefit. he’ll pluck out the fur that gets caught in the brush, and he'll use it for... something. you never asked, and you don’t really want to know (especially considering what he does to people on a regular basis)

but, at the end of the day, being with dottore is a chore at best. he can be a decent partner, but he, for some reason, makes it his mission to get on your nerves everyday. he’ll poke and prod at your ears and tail, “begging” you in a mocking tone to let him run tests on you. he’ll invade your personal space on purpose until you hiss and swat him away, only for him to grab your wrist and taunt you to “try harder than that”.

even if he doesn't go out of his way to irritate you, sometimes you'll just glance at him and get annoyed. maybe that was just a reflection of how little patience you had around him, though.

at this point you’ve lost count on how may times he’s run your patience to the ground (whether on purpose or not), but if there's one thing he's good at its pleasing you. he's smart (though calculating), dexterous, and observant. surely that means that he'll ditch the teasing and be a good boyfriend for you once you go through your monthly heats!

NO. LOUD INCORRECT BUZZER. WRONG!!!!

you'll be writhing in discomfort in his bed, tail all fluffed up and twitching, swiping at the sheets beneath you as you rut into his pillow. you're smearing slick all over the fabric, a mix of curses and whines slipping past your lips.

he refused to take the day off to take care of you when he saw the state you were in, saying something like "you're an adult, surely you can control your urges" with the same, sickly sweet smile he flashes at you whenever you pout at him. he even made sure to give you a kiss after he left your shared flat to go to his lab, something he never does.

and there you were. watching the clock tick, impatiently waiting for him to come home to replace the stupid toys that couldn't even drag one measly orgasm out of you. not a single one. all you could think about was him, him, him.

you could barely smell him on the pillow anymore, since all you smelled was how horribly horny you were. but as soon as you heard the front door open and the familiar sound of his boots stepping on the worn-out "welcome" mat, you swear you felt even more slick drip out of you (if that was even possible)

the second dottore steps into his room and he's at arms length, you grab onto his sleeve and tug him closer. unfortunately for you, your muscles are considerably weaker than usual and you don't even get to move him even an inch closer to you.

he revels in the whines that leave you and in your discomfort. he's both the best and worst person to take care of your heat; he knows what he's doing, sure, but he also knows exactly what to do to keep you right on the edge. both with actions and words.

"why would I help you with you heat, darling? don't you need a fellow feline hybrid to help you?" he coos, slipping his coat off of his shoulders, making you all but drool at the sight of the harness hugging his firm torso.

"no. no, fuck you, i need you," you whine, a pout tugging at your lips as you take in a deep breath to steady yourself. he just smiles, bending down to your level to cup your face in his soft, feathery hands to speak to you in that condescending tone he always uses this time of the month. "want me to call the balladeer to take care of you? i'm sure he'll be delighted to blow off some steam. and he'll be helping you, too! don't you want that? to have his cat cock drilling into you?"

when you scowl, tail whipping against the bed with dull thumps, he grins. of course he would never hand you off to his coworker, he doesn't trust any of the harbingers around you when you're in heat anyways. dottore knows only he can quench your insatiable thirst, but he adores hearing it from you. hearing you whine and beg for his touch, for his cock gives him an ego boost- makes that primal, possessive part of him coo in delight.

and when he finally touches you, black nails scraping against your sticky, sweaty skin, you swear you almost cum on the spot. it would have been embarrassing if it wasn't for the fact that you had been on edge the entire day. at least he was kind enough to make you cum properly with his fingers one time to rid you of that hunger for just a second, enough for him to get rid of his slacks to free his aching, hard cock from its confines.

seeing you beg for him fed his ego and, in turn, made his blood rush down to his second head, you really can’t blame him.

he manhandles you so easily it makes you throb with need, your first orgasm having faded away already, making you ache for him to pull another one out of you. and he would do so oh so graciously, pulling your ass back with a tug on the base of your tail, admiring the view of you on all fours just for him.

“ahh… i’ll never get tired of seeing you like this, waiting all nice and pretty for me. want me to fuck you nice and good, don’t you? breed you full of my seed?” he coos right into your ear, pulsing erection sliding up and down your wet folds, just barely dipping inside of your hole. you hiss, words failing you as you slip a hand between your legs to guide him inside.

and he lets you, smirking at the sight of his stubborn, headstrong partner reduced to a puddle of carnal need. you feel all nth inches of his hard cock fill you up and you cum hard, crying as you finally get what you had been craving for hours. his length all snug inside of you, letting you cockwarm him until the aftershocks of your climax fade and he can start moving in you, fucking you.

it would only be the beginning though, because he always made it his mission to “beat” your heat, so to speak. make you cum on his cock so much you would be pushing him away, weakly tapping his chest and clawing at his back as you plead for him to pull out.

you’ll be pinned to the bed on your stomach as he thrusts into you; sharp, hard plaps echoing in the bedroom over and over again, the bedsheets soaked with your juices and his seed. you can barely even think of running away, brain reduced to mush as he admires the way your ears seem to be glued down to your head, tail flicking weakly in time with his thrusts.

but when he finally takes pity on your poor sore and used cunt, he’ll rub soothing circles on your back as you purr quietly, satiated. for now. he doesn’t bother leaving the room to get a washcloth because he knows you’ll only claw at his arm, pull a few feathers out as a result, and look at him with those eyes that make him want to take you all over again.

he knows you’re tired though, if it wasn’t already obvious by the way you don’t even bother to untangle yourself from the soiled bedsheet you laid on. and he’ll gladly stay with you, keeping his wing spread out over you to keep you warm until you wake up and pounce on him for even more rounds.

[heizouz]

hi hi!! (i’m the same anon that requested your LOVELY thoma post 🤭)

ok i loved your childe post (and your scara post)… but imagine the two of them together………

imagine them both having their competitive sides come out as they wanna be so good and be your favourite, and they want all your attention…………… teehee

- (i might do some more requests in the future……. so i’m signing off as 🌱 anon)

nsfw sub!childe + sub!scaramouche + afab!reader, dumb puppy childe, good boy scara

i just want u to know u changed my life w this req bc the things i would do to have both of them at my feet …. anon ur a genius. this is probably a bit longer than what i usually write bc damn i had a lot to say… ++ you didn't specify gender so to make it easier for myself i had to settle with afab reader! im sorry if you would've preferred something else ☹️ also heed warning for faye's never ending saga of the reader calls childe puppy in everything she writes 😭

childe is loud when he wants your attention. he's all whiny tones, touchy hands, sly grins. scara is the opposite; glaring eyes, fidgety, body pressed closer than usual.

so you knew something was up when they were both clinging to you; childe's arms thrown around you, face buried in your neck with messy kisses and when you look over at scaramouche, his face is set hard, eyes piercing into childe's head whilst his fingers find yours to hold.

you'd rolled your eyes, pushing them away and telling them you'll get to them later and although childe had whined, they'd dragged themselves off, muttering and arguing at each other on their way out.

it wasn't long till they were back on you, though, their desperation oozing through their touches and presses of lips against your skin. it was almost as though they were fighting for your attention—scara climbing onto your lap when childe's kisses met your neck, childe grumbling when scara steals your attention with his tongue parting your lips. you could feel scaramouche's smirk against your mouth, and then childe's hands against your thighs and you knew the two of them were not going to stop till they were spent out and basking in your devoted attention.

that's how you ended up where you were now: childe's face stuffed between your parted legs, lapping and moaning against your drooling cunt, and scaramouche grinding against your hip, head buried in your neck as your fingers every so often tease his cock when they're not wrapped in childe's hair.

"god, you're—you're so messy." you breathe out, staring down at how childe seems to be needier than you are, bottom half of his face covered in your arousal. he meets your eyes—his pupils blown wide, pretty blue eyes practically glistening as you gently push your hips towards him more. childe just grins before he shuts his eyes, moaning obscenely against you.

your hips stutter at the vibrations, soft moans falling from your lips and at the noise, scara involuntarily presses his cock harder into your side. you chuckle lightly, slightly breathless and you turn your head to the boy. he refuses to look at you but you can see the way his dark eyebrows are furrowed, his fingers digging into his upper thigh to ground himself.

"do you want help, pretty boy?" you quietly ask, fingers brushing through his bangs. scaramouche nods, hesitantly, as if he was embarrassed at how desperate he was being.

you hum before your soft fingers grip scara's hair and tug his face from your neck. the boy gasps, eyes widening when he meets yours and you smile sweetly. "you need to say it if you really mean it, baby."

scaramouche pants quietly, eyes lidded as he stares at you, face void of any noticeable emotion but his eyes are gleaming with want.

"please." he whispers, almost as if he's out of breath and it's so pretty to hear him beg.

scaramouche's needy sounds attracts a once focused childe and he cracks his eyes open, latching onto the sight of scara fucking into your fist as your free hand runs over his arms and chest. his own chest flares with want, and an involuntary loud whine rips from his throat, pulling off from your heat to furrow his brows at you.

you oblige almost immediately, letting go of his hair to let him hide his face again as much as you'd love to see his pretty expressions. your hand falls between your bodies, slim fingers wrapping around his leaking cock. his moans are muffled against your shoulder, but the needed friction against his cock increases the volume and they're so loud and clear in your ear.

the noise grabs your attention and you can't help but curse at the state of him so stupidly in need of your constant attentiveness.

"you're so dumb," you groan, hand fisting tight into childe's orange hair, pulling his head back so his needy glassy eyes stare back at you, "my dumb pup."

childe moans at the pet name, eyes still fixed on you, fingers digging into your thighs. he's being patient, waiting for you to let him indulge in you now he's got you to notice him, so eager to please but you just keep him there for a second—fingers tight in his hair, his bright blue eyes lidded and needy, your arousal dripping from his pretty parted lips. he's such a beautiful sight.

"he does look dumb." scara announces when he lifts his head from your neck, tone monotonous but you can hear the breathlessness of awe dripping from his voice. childe whimpers, gaze flickering to scaramouche, to how he cants his hips slowly into your hand and childe's eyebrows cinch, his own hips pushing into the bed desperately at all the attention.

you can tell he's losing—his head emptying and wanting nothing but to please and to be pleased. you card your fingers softly through his hair (he leans into the touch, head dropping into your palm like a needy dog) and pout, which turns into a slight grin as he just seems to be so at ease under your touch. "keep going, pretty thing."

childe obliges in delight, eyes flickering up to watch your expression when he kisses over your clit—you push your fingers through his bangs, moving them to glance lovingly down at the boy as he takes orders from you so well.

it's so much, trying to split your attention on to the both of them, as one whines louder than the other once your gaze drops to someone else. but you adore it; adore the way they both seem to need you so bad, how they can only focus on you.

scara is whimpering, whining into the pillow, face buried between your arm and the cushion. he can't face you, but he reaches out to wrap his fingers around your forearm to ground himself as he pushes his cock in and out of your fist. you know he's close because his grip is almost cutting off the blood circulation in your arm. you help him; fist tightening around his cock, flicking your wrist along the length of it, pressing your lips close to his ear to whisper, "let go for me, baby."

and he does at your command. scaramouche moans, loud and pretty, nails digging into the skin of your arm when he finishes into your fist. he bucks his hips, tears building up behind his tightly closed eyes, face pressed into the white pillow beneath him. he sounds so pretty, low and whiny, slightly muffled and gasping as his movement slow.

you refuse to let up though, stroking him through his high and scara whimpers as his sensitive tip hits your palm. "c-can't-" scara mumbles, shaking his head and he lifts it slightly to blink up at you to show his teary eyes.

"no, you can do one more. you wanted this, didn't you babyboy?" you muse, tilting your head to keep eye contact with him when the boy tries to look away. scaramouche doesn't answer—eyebrows scrunched, embarrassed at the pet name—but quiet pants fall from his lips, a whimper bleeding into the gasps when you squeeze his sensitive cock.

"you just wanted my attention, right? well, now i'm giving you it, so just one more for me, hm?"

scara sighs and shoves his face back into your forearm, hesitantly nodding because you're right.

"that's a good boy."

childe's eyes narrow, glaring daggers at scaramouche's writhing body and the praises falling from your lips, chest swirling with both want and annoyance at the attention scara is getting. you're still moaning, pretty and quiet, your eyes still flickering to childe taking care of your cunt but it's not enough. he flares, wrapping his arms further around your thighs to trap them with a short growl; running his tongue along your dripping slit before dropping lower and teasing your hole.

"fuck! god that's—good boy, puppy." the motion gets you to notice him immediately. your back arches, head tipping back and free hand going to grab childe's hair and the boy almost grins against your pussy, nails digging into the skin of your thighs when he does it again.

"shit—you're—" you cut yourself off when your eyes slightly roll back, moans dropping from your lips at how childe practically devours your cunt. he hums knowingly, cockily, slick noises filling the room as he laps at you, letting you slightly push yourself closer to his face as your grip on his hair keeps him in place.

your other hand halts for a second around scaramouche's cock, arms feeling slightly weak and it forces the boy to seek his own pleasure. scara whimpers, pushing his hips hard against your hand, parted lips panting hotly against your neck until your hand disappears completely and he almost bursts into tears.

"n-no! please-" scara bucks into the air, trying to force your hand back down but you hush him. "patience, baby." your voice is breathless, eyes still glued to childe who doesn't let up against your heat. scara whines lightly but he's obedient, humping against your side when you let him.

you're so close, body hot and shaky but when you feel your stomach coiling, you rip childe off your glistening cunt despite how much you wanted to ride his pretty face. the boy pulls away with a gasp, big eyes blinking so pretty and perfect.

"c'mere, pup." you gasp, dark eyes fixing on childe's glittering blue ones. your index finger catches under childe's chin, motioning him up to your face and he obliges instantly. he crawls above you, trapping your frame under his, leaning down to crash his lips against yours. your hand reaches for his jaw, holding him, guiding him to show you're still in charge despite how he's on top.

"you gonna fuck me, hm? gonna make me cum all over your cock?" you whisper against his lips, your tone teasing, and he drops his head when you let go of his face.

"hah—please." childe pants into your neck, head nodding dumbly, gliding his cock over your stomach. you can feel scaramouche twitch at your words, pressing his cock against your side with a quiet whimper. they're both grinding against you, no longer fighting for your attention, just desperate for you to help them cum.

your hand finds scara's dripping cock again, ripping a choked cry from the boy, tugging at him at a relentless pace that knocks whimper after whimper out of him. your other hand reaches for childe's hair to make him look at you, "be a good boy and fuck me then."

[ponchizs]

I’m in love with how they are giving so many subtle hints about Alhaitham and Kaveh’s relationship and how important it is to Alhaitham, despite the way they always seem to be bickering.

Throughout the 3.2 archon quest Alhaitham tells us that the reason why he is so interested in helping Sumeru is because he doesn’t want his daily life to change. After that Kaveh starts being mentioned very frequently by him or we hear other people in the akademiya complain about how they daily argue.

Then, of course, we meet them both arguing with each other in the House of Daena, which was quite the argument. We also know many of their casual interactions and how they go to the café/bar frequently together. Furthermore, Alhaitham pays all of Kaveh’s bills (something no one would do for someone they don't care for).

And now, during Alhaitham’s quest, their tones were so soft (At least in JP and CN) and also domestic. Kaveh seems to worry a lot about Alhaitham and exchanges glances with him, which made me melt inside. I also love how Alhaitham is constantly smiling while bickering with kaveh. Remember, we dont see him smiling like this that often. Which means he really enjoys it. I really liked how after the second time Kaveh asked him if he is okay, he replied with a tease about the painting Kaveh had mentioned before. Also smiling.

But most importantly, something I see no one talking about: the moment when Alhaitham was explaining why he resigned from being the Grand Sage to being the scribe again and he tells us that “It’s important to keep your priorities straight”, the camera points at Kaveh.

I know this game will probably never have any canon ship because they need to make everyone happy, but we do get hints like this from time to time and I think this was one of them.

After all, why would they bother to add all of those scenes with Kaveh when the quests had already concluded, if not for showing us how is what is Alhaitham’s daily life he wants to protect that much? We saw how happy he is, how eager he was to get home and go have dinner with Kaveh. We also see how Kaveh had been waiting for him as well.

I’d like to know more about their relationship, even if it ends up not being romantic (though how do you explain that face Kaveh made when paimon asked if they are friends).

[alhaithamcore]

ok but i am so TIRED of some of y’all reducing kaveh to just “sad broke babygirl who lives with alhaitham” when he is literally one of the top geniuses in sumeru AND one of the most famous (and brilliant) scholars from kshahrewar

“a genius nigh-unparalleled in the last few decades” “engraved his name into the history of the akademiya”

LET IT SINK IN

also alhaitham literally considers kaveh his equal and thinks of him as “an excellent mirror” so idk where y’all are getting the idea that haitham thinks kaveh is beneath him academically.. 🤨

[boycaca]

One thing i hate seeing is that people seem to really… wanna remove scara’s autonomy from him? If that makes sense? I see so many people saying that dottore made him join the fatui or that nahida is the reason why scara is getting softer and doing better and its just… so not true.

Scara didnt join the fatui because of dottore. Sure dottore was the person that caused him great anguish at a certain point in his life but that was not scara’s final push into despair and anger. Scara himself decided to abandon his human emotions after a series of “betrayals”. When pierro approached him, scara himself decided to join the fatui purely because they seemed entertaining, not because he was coerced or blackmailed into joining them or something. While dottore’s actions slightly nudged him into the direction that he took, it was by scara’s own volition and choice that he joined them.

And then with the whole headcanon that nahida is some kind of therapist of mother to scara…. I love found family as much as the next guy, but i cant help but groan when people say “found family!” And then put labels such as older brother or auntie on characters bonds. Scara decided to atone for his sins and move forward not because nahida told him to, but because HE himself wanted to do it. Scara is a character that drives his own story forward, if that makes sense. I highly doubt he would have obeyed if nahida or the traveller simply said “you should do better” if he himself did not feel like improving as a person. The memoryless wanderer was the one that wanted his memories back, he was not forced by the traveller or nahida to do what he did, and i feel like that entire arc of inversion of genesis really showed what kind of character scara is, someone who carves his own path, unmoved by what others want of him…

I feel like that headcanon also just really undermines nahida’s own character. Why is this child getting called a therapist, mother or auntie when she herself is still learning about the world after being imprisoned for 500 years?

[fatuismooches]

The way the little cakes in Arlecchino's masterpost look like wedding cakes 😭

As morbid as it sounds... this gives me an idea for an Arlecchino drabble/fic. Imagine Arlecchino proposes to her lover, but before they could have their wedding, their beloved dies/is killed 😭

synopsis: Arlecchino did not initially seek happiness, but now that she's had a taste of it, it hurts for it to be ripped away.

includes: arlecchino w/ gn! reader

notes: Anon...? Who hurt you? I didn't even think of the wedding cakes thing but then your angst? Enjoy this then </3.

Arlecchino, the Fourth Harbinger. The operator of the House of Hearth. The one who has a talent for making people... disappear.

However, despite all of the facts above, to say the Knave was smitten with her lover was an understatement. Yes, even someone like her had a partner, which bewildered anyone who even knew her name.

Most people were not aware of your existence, save for the people that worked at her estate, who were obviously sworn to secrecy. And then there were the Fatui agents stationed at the orphanage who saw you every now and then. Initially, they were confused, but seeing your interactions with their commander, they quickly connected the dots, especially when Arlecchino sent them that look. Working under the Knave generally meant you had to be tight-lipped anyway.

But engagement and marriage can hardly ever be a quiet affair. Word was bound to get out, and it did. After all, one of the Cryo Archon's Harbingers getting married was practically international news. Especially Arlecchino, who never seemed to have a trace of emotion on her face. But with enough control, the word of her union was contained to the Fatui and other high-ranked nobles. Even the Tsaritsa herself was said to be attending the wedding.

It had grown into a bigger event than Arlecchino had planned for, but when she saw how happy you were, she couldn't bring herself to complain. She could endure some idiots for a day if it were for you. She would do a lot of things for you, actually. Never would she have thought of getting married, much less genuinely falling in love. Always, she was out to benefit herself and didn't care for the aftermath of her actions. But after she met you, she knew couldn't ever do that to you. And now, here she was today.

Admittedly, at first, Arlecchino was unsure of how to propose to you. She had bought the ring already, one with a brilliant red stone, a gorgeous thing that would look even better on your finger. (She measured your ring size while you were sleeping.) But now she was left with the problem of how she was to go about doing this. What would you like the best? Should she take you somewhere fancy? Or prepare some words for you? She did not know. She never breached the topic of marriage with you so she had nothing to go off of. As the days passed by, she could only play with the ring with her fingers as she stared at it contemplatively.

Although Arlecchino remained stone-faced during work, Columbina had noticed her friend's dilemma, which at first had proved to be amusing for the Third Harbinger, but even she had grown to feel pity.

"Arlecchino~♫ That's quite a long face you're wearing, hmm?"

"...Oh. It is you, Columbina. Is there something you require?"

"Hehe, it seems to me that you are the one that needs help instead, isn't that so?" At Columbina's cheekiness, she knew what her friend was referring to.

"I am just... uncertain of how to proceed," she confessed, and Columbina hummed in agreement.

"I say you just be honest," Columbina said simply. "You're not a very talkative person, are you? Perhaps this one time you should use your words to describe how you truly feel. Don't rehearse or plan it. It will come to you naturally. I think [Name] would enjoy that more than anything else."

Arlecchino had thought about what she said. Would you enjoy something like that? She was slightly frustrated at how unskilled she was in matters of the heart. But the more she pondered, the more impatient she grew. She wanted you to be hers now.

And so, one morning, you woke up to your cheek being pressed against something soft. It was probably just a pillow, you thought in your sleepy haze. Until you realized this pillow was stroking your hair repeatedly. When you peeked up, you were astonished to see your lover still in bed by now. Normally, she was up early in the morning and returned late at night, so morning cuddles while you were awake were far in between. The rare occurrence had made all the sleepiness in you dissipate as you shuffled in Arlecchino's arms, drawing her attention.

"A-Arlie? Why are you still in bed? Normally you're gone way earlier!" She merely shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal.

"Partners must make time for each other, no?" She didn't elaborate but she didn't need to, you already knew what she was trying to say and you were overjoyed by this simple gesture. Her warmth and presence had suddenly made the sleepiness seep back into your body, but now that you finally had Arlecchino to yourself again, it felt like a waste to spend that time sleeping! You should spend this time talking to her! Although it was mostly you doing all the talking while she bore her eyes into you (an act of unspoken love.)

Arlecchino quickly noticed you fighting your drooping eyelids. "Sleep," she commanded. "I will be back earlier today as well." With that, she placed a kiss on your forehead, and though you were even more surprised at her early return, you drifted back to the land of dreams.

When you awoke, she was gone, but that was okay. Because soon into the evening you were somehow having dinner with your beloved. It was probably the longest dinner you ever had, as you couldn’t help but babble and bask in the presence of Arlecchino as she nodded and hummed, sometimes putting in a few words or even sentences of her own when you asked her how her days have been lately, and if everything was okay since this was kind of unusual, but in no way were you complaining! But she graced you with a rare small smile and instead continued to feed you dinner and occasionally wipe your mouth with a napkin. When she easily carried you bridal style to your shared bedroom, all the servants kept their eyes on the ground.

After the two of you took a bath together, you knew for sure something was up. And you weren’t sure what was happening. Was she just in a good mood? Or did she have something to tell you? You didn’t realize you were pacing back and forth in your room until Arlecchino broke into your thoughts.

“Are you alright?” To others, her face would look the same but you could see the concern laced within her features.

“I am fine… but are you okay? I mean, I’m incredibly happy about today, but you seem… distracted,” you admitted. You knew from the flicker in her eyes you were right. She had become more vulnerable with her emotions around you.

“I have something to tell you, [Name].” With that, she moved closer to you until your bodies were practically touching. “It’s something very important…” she murmured, a lean and strong arm coming to rest on your back while the other cupped your cheek.

“I have thought long and hard about how to say this, but nothing I think of seems like it’ll be up to the standards you deserve. But nevertheless, I hope you can accept my words.” You were touched by her sincere vulnerability. You leaned in to press your forehead against hers and Arlecchino’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You don’t need to worry about being graceful or perfect around me, you know. I’ll take anything you have to say, love.” Your lover did not respond but you know she deeply appreciated your answer. She stepped back and instead intertwined her fingers with your own.

“I am not adept with words or feelings, or romance or emotions. I saw no need to be acquainted with those things, having believed they served no beneficial purpose. But when I look at you, I feel the urge to make sure you know the extent of my love, whether I have to whisper it into your ear or show you. Not once have I thought someone was truly beautiful until I met you. Your eyes, smile, laugh… they make my days less tiring and more bright, something that I have never experienced before. So, what I am saying… no matter what happens in the future… I want you to forever be by my side,” she finished, getting down on one knee and looking straight into your eyes. As she popped open the ring box, she asked, “[Name], will you marry me?”

After a few seconds of silence, tears sprung to your eyes as you nearly tackled her in a hug. Through your weeping, you happily accepted and cried out her real name, as she slid the ring onto your finger. Her soon-to-be spouse.

You were engaged to Arlecchino… wow.

Now, Arlecchino preferred to leave the details of the wedding planning to you. It wasn't that she was uninterested, no, of course not, but rather she was more content seeing how excited you were over it. It was the dream of many people to plan their most important day, down to the placement of each decoration and how this color matches with that and so on. Plus, although she loathed to admit it, her duties as a Harbinger left her little time. 

Though when she managed to get off early, she made sure to listen to every word you spoke about how the preparations were going, adding in little 'hmms' and 'that does sound lovely' here and there as she protectively cuddled you to her chest. The theme, flowers, colors, venue, outfits, music… you were putting thought into many things. She had to admit that though she was more focused on the act of marrying you rather than the party aspect, the way you spoke about it seemed like it may be more than enjoyable for her. Hopefully, because she did not plan on getting married ever again.

Speaking of preparations, it seemed that you had a request for her by the way your eyes shyly flickered from her face to elsewhere. Arlecchino held your chin and inquired what you needed. Her betrothed need not be shy about anything. Your face grew warm as you whispered two words embarrassingly.

“Cake testing.”

“Cake… testing?” She repeated your words slowly. You nodded your head.

“It’s basically where the couple samples a bunch of cakes together. And they decide which one they want. You know, for the wedding. So, I was thinking maybe we could go together… just for a bit! I know you’re busy and all…” Your face grew hotter the more she stared at you. Archons, that was embarrassing.

To be honest, Arlecchino wasn’t very informed about wedding rituals or customs, but by the look on your face, she could see that this was very important to you. And so she promised to find some time off. (But… cake testing, huh? Out of all things, you asked her to share sweets with her? You were so cute.)

It took a while, but eventually, you found your arm intertwined with Arlecchino’s one, situated with tables of cakes and different desserts to sample from. Of course, no expense was spared. Only the best was to be offered to the Fourth Harbinger and her soon-to-be spouse.

Arlecchino did not have much of a sweet tooth, but she was all too happy to watch you kick your feet at the delicious flavor of the cakes. To obediently open her mouth as you fed her some yourself. To listen to you ramble on about how you liked this one but that one was also too good, ah, how hard life decisions were! (The scene looked quite eerie to the staff, and they weren’t sure whether they were dreaming or having a nightmare, for this surely could not be real life. Not the Knave, the ice-cold snappy and sarcastic Harbinger who brought only fear and anxiety into the room.)

After many conversations and cake-consuming, you arrived at one final cake - pure white with a blood-red cherry on top. It looked mouth-watering, and you were all too happy to bring the fork to your mouth. Arlecchino had her fill of sweets for the day and was content to hold you to her chest as you ate. She liked seeing you happy.

A cough resonated through the room. Arlecchino stiffened and looked down at you worriedly. “That’s enough sugar for now, don’t you think? You won’t be able to sleep tonight.” Her eyebrows furrowed as she received no verbal response. Only this time it was not just a cough. It was coughs and hacks and wheezes. Immediately she was on guard and quickly flipped your body around as the plate clattered to the floor. You were clutching your throat and practically fell into her, weakness overtaking your body. Never had so much surprise shown on Arlecchino’s face.

Quickly, she yelled for the servants, something no one had ever seen her do, but she did not care. You tried to force out her real name as you gripped onto the cuff of her shirt with everything you had left. Her eyes skittered to what you were eating and instantly made a connection. Without hesitance, she reached for another cherry and put it in her mouth and that’s when she knew. 

Poison. Someone poisoned you. As a highly trained Harbinger, she was resistant to many types of poison, but you… you were just a… normal person. Who would- who could not… She could only look on helplessly as the life in your eyes dissipated and you failed to respond to her calls. Never did Arlecchino believe she could be so powerless. Not until now.

At this point, many Fatui and staff had crowded into the room as well. But it was too late. Many stared not only in horror at your stillness, but also the sheer anger and bloodlust radiating off of the Knave.

The feeling was one unfamiliar to Arlecchino. Never had she lost someone that made her feel like her heart, soul, and body had been burned and withered to ashes. Because you were the first person she loved. You were the one who gave her a taste of what happiness was like. But now you had also given her the taste of genuine loss. 

As she cradled your lifeless body, she made another promise to you and herself, one that she would keep this time:

You wouldn’t be the only person dying today.

[seri-tonin]

Something that's recently become a pet peeve of mine is when people mischaracterize Alhaitham and write him as someone who easily gets mad, especially with Kaveh. But in canon, I don't think he ever actually is shown to get really upset with him (or, for that matter, anyone other than azar iirc, and even then it was at least partially acting). A key part of his character is his ability to stay calm and rational in any situation. He never goes further than some pointed banter and teasing. Kaveh mentions in Alhaitham's trailer that he has a bad temper, but all other evidence shows it's the other way around