ă âââââ the last unicorn. 20+ âż đžđœđđđŸđ. she/her. eng !
â âĄ, sushi lover. multifandom. uses swear words. sfw + nsfw friendly blog (no dark content). mostly writes for genshin impact. lohen + venti enthusiast. open for moots ! (asks mwa xx) dni 15 below. collegio student w/ busy schedules . . . . cries. only writes x reader stuff. i can do requests <3 canât / wonât write smut but writing can contain suggestive themes !
ê° íí ê± â navi. / tag for navigation posts
çâ â âââââ 16lohens. âż / tag for works
warning(s) -> fluff, sfw, semi proofread, lohen being a tease (but he doesn't really realize it), reposted from an old blog i deleted, flirty(?) lohen, shy reader, soft physical contact (hand holding, close proximity), gentle tension | wordcount. 842 | notes. teehee another repost from an old blog of mine because i loved this fic so much :3 art credits
lohenâs quiet closeness leaves you flustered, and when he gently holds your hand, your reactions only make him lean in even more.
lohen doesnât mean to make you nervous.
he really doesnât.
but thereâs something about the way he stands close to youâjust a little too closeâthat makes your thoughts tangle into knots. heâs not even doing anything obvious. he isnât flirting, not in the way youâve seen other people do. he doesnât use smooth lines or exaggerated compliments.
he just looks at you.
and thatâs somehow worse.
because when lohen looks at you, itâs steady and attentive, like youâre something worth studying carefully. like every small reaction you have matters.
and unfortunately for you, you react to everything.
youâre sitting beside him, trying to focus on the map spread across the table. the lantern light flickers gently, casting warm shadows across the wood. lohen leans over slightly to look at the same spot youâre pointing to.
you donât notice at first.
until you realize how close he is.
his shoulder brushes yours, and you freeze immediately, your voice faltering mid-sentence.
ââŠs-so if we take this route-â
you lose your train of thought completely when you feel his breath near your ear. itâs not intentionalâheâs just leaning in to see betterâbut your face heats instantly.
lohen glances at you.
âdid you forget?â his voice is quiet, curious.
you shake your head quickly. ân-no, i just-â you turn your head but you soon realize how big of a mistake that is because now heâs even closer.
you can see the faint details of his expressionâthe calm focus in his eyes, the slight tilt of his head as he studies your face, his mole, everything.Â
yet he doesnât move away. if anything, he leans just slightly closer, like heâs trying to figure something out.
âyour face is red,â he murmurs.
you immediately look away. âitâs just warm in here.â
âis it?â
he glances around the room thoughtfully, then back at you. his hand moves without much thought, resting lightly against the table beside yours, effectively trapping you between him and the wood.
he doesnât seem to realize what heâs doing.
but you definitely do.
your heart starts racing.
lohen leans in again, his voice softer now.
âyou always do that.â
âd-do what?â
âget quiet when iâm close.â
your breath catches.
heâs still watching you, eyes gentle but intent, like heâs genuinely curious about your reaction.
âdoes it bother you?â he asks.
you open your mouth, then close it again. your brain feels completely scrambled. âi-itâs not⊠i meanâŠâ
lohen shifts slightly.
his knee brushes yours under the table and you nearly jump.
he notices immediately, an apologetic look on his face. âsorry.â
but he doesnât move away.
instead, he studies your expression again, like heâs trying to understand why such small contact affects you so much.
âyouâre trembling,â he murmurs quietly.
you look down, embarrassed, realizing heâs right. your fingers are gripping the edge of the table, your shoulders tense.
lohenâs hand moves slowly, hesitantlyâlike heâs giving you time to pull awayâbefore his fingers gently touch yours.
itâs a light touch, barely there, but your entire body reacts instantly. your breath hitches, and you freeze.
lohen goes still too, watching carefully.Â
ââŠyou really are sensitive,â he says softly.
thereâs no teasing in his voice, heâs just quietly observing you for any more of your reactions, and somehow that makes it worse.
you try to pull your hand back, but his fingers curl slightly around yoursânot tight, just enough to keep the contact.
âis this okay?â he asks gently.
you nod quickly, even though your face is burning.
he relaxes slightly, his thumb brushing lightly across your knuckles. the movement is slow, absentminded, like heâs not even fully aware heâs doing it.
but you definitely are.
your heart feels like itâs trying to escape your chest.
lohen glances at you again, noticing your expression.
âyouâre even redder now.â
you let out a small, embarrassed sound. âp-please donât point it outâŠâ
he tilts his head slightly, something soft appearing in his eyes.
âitâs cute.â
you freeze completely.Â
âw-what?â
he doesnât seem embarrassed by the comment. if anything, he looks rather proud of himself for saying it.
âwhen you get flustered,â he continues quietly, his fingers still loosely holding yours, âyour eyes move everywhere except at me.â
your breath catches as he leans slightly closer again.
âbut when i say something unexpectedâŠâ his voice lowers just a little. ââŠyou look right at me.â your eyes snap to his automatically. he notices and smiles softly. âlike that.â
you donât know what to do with the way your chest tightens.
lohenâs gaze softens further, his thumb still brushing slowly across your hand. the room feels smaller somehow, quieter, like the rest of the world faded away without you noticing.
he leans just slightly closer, stopping before it becomes too much.
âtell me if iâm making you uncomfortable,â he murmurs.
you shake your head quickly, even though your heart is racing.
lohen watches you for another moment. then, very gently, he squeezes your hand once.
warning(s) -> fluff, sfw, not proofread, lohen being a tease, angst if you squint hard enough, reposted from an old blog i deleted, worry and separation, emotional comfort | wordcount. 1.9k | notes. helloo!! i am here to bring lohen nation a lohen fic from an old blog hehe
after lohenâs month-long expedition stretches into weeks of silence, worry begins to weigh on you â until you unexpectedly run into him in mondstadt. relief turns into soft reunion, teasing, and quiet comfort as you finally have him back beside you.
lohen hasnât been home for a long time.
his expedition in nod-krai was only supposed to last for one month, with his team being in charge of clearing out the wild hunt in two different areas of nod-krai.
youâve been sending him letters nonstop ever since the supposedly one month stay for him got extended. you ask about his day, what he was doing, and whether or not he was safe.
out of the twenty letters youâve sent him, only five of them got answered. you know how busy he is with the expedition and stuff, but you really only want to know whether or not he would be home soon.
you sigh, for the nth time today, and varka can only look at you in sympathy.
âyou know how he is when he gets engaged in battle,â varka starts. âonce he starts fighting, thereâs nothing that can distract him. youâre lucky he even replied to your letters.â he takes a sip from his cup. âi once sent him about forty letters asking him to report back his current status of the mission, and he replied to one letter.â
you laugh at that. âreally? only one out of forty letters?â
âyeah!â varka takes another chug from his drink. âcan you imagine that? and instead of sending me a full detailed report, he sent me a one word letter. care to guess what it said?â
you shake your head, though you already know where this is going.
âhe sent me an âokayâ! can you believe that?!â varka complains, though his face shows a bit of relief seeing you smile again after a long day of moping around. âso, believe me when i tell you heâs okay. the lohen i know wonât fall because of some wild hunt monsters.â
you smile at varka. âthank you. that makes me feel better actually,â you stand up giving charles a few more to pay for your and varkaâs drink. âthis oneâs on me. iâll see you tomorrow?â
varka nods, already busy talking to venti.
you step out of the tavern, feeling the cold breeze pass by. usually, at this time, you and lohen would be walking around the city of mondstadt, talking about whatever comes to mind. that is one of your favorite parts about dating lohen. heâs someone who listens and doesnât interrupt unless you ask him for his opinion.
walking only 10 steps, you bump into someone.
âoh- iâm so sorry-â you lift your head, and the sight in front of you almost made you fall to the ground.
lohen stands in front of you, his regular smirk on his face. âhey.â
you can only gape, the feeling of shock overtaking you that you canât even say anything else.
âwhat? cat got your tongue?â lohen teases, lowering himself so that heâs face-to-face with you that you can feel his breath on your face. âdid you not miss me or something? why are you only-â
you cut him off by wrapping your arms around his shoulders. lohenâs body stiffens but eventually relaxes into your arms. you donât say anything for a few minutes, but lohen can tell what youâre trying to say in this hug.
what? when did you come back? why didnât you say anything?!
you pull back just enough so you can see his face. âwhen- what?! why didnât you- lohen!â
lohen laughs at you. genuinely laughing at your shocked expression. âwhat? i donât quite understand what youâre saying here, y/n.â
you give him a smack on his chest. âwhy didnât you tell me you were going to come back?! no, actually, why did it take you this long to come back? did something happen? were you hurt and didnât want to come back because you were afraid of seeing me worry?â
âwoah, okay, calm down there,â he pats your back gently. âit took my team a bit longer to clear the mission because more wild hunt monsters appeared in a different area of nod-krai. we canât just leave them be now, right?â
âwell you couldâve said that in your letters!â you huff, turning your head away. sure, youâre glad that lohen is back safe and sound, but you can only feel angry that he didnât bother to write down anything, just a simple note saying why heâs staying longer than intended.
lohen can see you furrow of your brows and the small pout on your lips, and he sighs softly. his hand reaches out and catches your chin, turning your gently to face him. the teasing smirk on his face is gone, and is now replaced with a soft smile. âhey, iâm sorry, okay? i know it wasnât good of me to not tell you about me staying longer in nod-krai, but you know how busy i am with my duties.â
âyeah, i know,â you mumble, playing with his coat. you donât want to meet his eyes, because if you do, all you can think about is all the bad things you were thinking while he was away. all the thoughts about him falling in battle and you not being there for him. âi just- i was worried. i didnât- i talked to varka about it and-â your voice cracked. âhe said that itâs usual for you to not report back as much but i still canât help but think about-â you take in a shaky breath. âwhether or not you were safe or not.â
lohen pulls you into a hug again, letting you rest your head on his chest, hearing his heartbeat. âwell, iâm here and iâm alive. you donât have to think about all those things again, yeah?â
you nod, calming yourself down. once you do, you look up at lohen, a big smile appearing on your face. âdoes that mean youâre on holiday now? varka canât send you on another mission right?â
âwell, i donât think the knights of favonius can ever have a holiday.â lohen says and he sees you deflate. âbut, i can request for a holiday. pretty sure heâs going to give me one anyway knowing you depressed you were while i was gone.â
your smile drops. âexcuse me? what? how- how did you know?!â
lohen gives you a teasing smile. âletâs see⊠varkaâs letter also ended up in between letter fifteen you sent me and in there was a little section called âthe y/n updateâ.â
âwhat?!â
ââlohen, theyâve been moping in the bar since lunchtime. can you please come back?ââ lohen holds back a laugh when he sees your face turning red from embarrassment. ââlohen, i think y/n is officially losing it. i just saw her bringing out a doll replica of you to the bar and pretend that itâs you actually being here.ââ
your mouth drops, not expecting varka to expose you like this. âcan you stay here for a minute? i need to go to talk to varka right now.â
you were about to go back to the bar and give varka a piece of his mind, but lohen catches your wrist. âdo that tomorrow, yeah? as much as i want to see you go off on him, i want to go back home and catch up with you.â
you canât deny him like this. youâve missed him for so long that all you want to do right now is snuggle him and talk about what youâve been doing for the past month that he was gone.
âfine, but you cannot stop me tomorrow. i canât believe he would do this to me!â you complain as lohenâs hand finds yours. âi specifically told him not to tell you about me being all sad and depressed because itâs embarrassing!"
âwell, you know our captain. he can be a little bold at times.â lohen says, squeezing your hand gently.
you huff, still embarrassed, but you donât pull your hand away. instead, you lace your fingers with his, grounding yourself in the warmth youâve missed for so long. his hand is still calloused, still familiar, and the simple contact makes your chest feel lighter.
âi still canât believe you read that,â you mumble.
âevery single letter,â lohen replies casually.
you blink. âevery- even the ones i sentâŠ?â
âwhere you wrote three pages about how the sunset looked prettier when iâm around?â he tilts his head slightly, his smirk returning. âor the one where you tried to draw me and somehow made me look like a hilichurl?â
âthat was one time!â you protest, face heating up.
lohen chuckles softly, the sound low and warm. âthey were nice. i kept them all.â
your steps slow for a moment. âyou⊠did?â
âof course.â his voice softens. âit gets quiet out there. colder than mondstadt, too. having something from you helped.â
your chest tightens at that. you hadnât expected him to admit something like that so easily. lohen usually hides things like this behind teasing remarks and smug smiles.
âiâm glad,â you say quietly.
for a few seconds, the two of you walk in comfortable silence. the city lights glow softly around you, and the wind carries the distant sound of laughter from the tavern behind you. it feels normal again. like nothing ever changed.
except when you glance at him for the fourth time, you notice faint scratches on his cheek, barely healed. thereâs also a small tear on the edge of his coat.
you stop walking.
lohen notices immediately. âwhatâs wrong?â
you reach up before he can react, gently brushing your fingers near the scratch on his cheek. âyouâre hurt.â
âjust a scratch,â he says, though he doesnât pull away.
âstill.â your brows knit together. âyou shouldâve told me.â
âif i told you every time i got a scratch, youâd never stop worrying.â
ââŠi already donât,â you mumble.
lohen pauses.
then, more gently than before, he leans down slightly, resting his forehead against yours. âi know.â
the quiet moment stretches between you, warm despite the cold air.
ââŠyouâre really here,â you whisper, almost like you still canât believe it.
âi am,â he says softly.
you smile, and this time it feels easy.
âthen letâs go home,â you say, tugging lightly on his hand.
lohen follows without hesitation.
the walk back feels shorter than usual, maybe because youâre too busy talkingâtelling him about the little things he missed. how venti tried to convince you to sing at the tavern, how amber dragged you out to watch the sunset one evening, how you ended up falling asleep at the library while waiting for one of his letters.
lohen listens to everything, just like he always does.
when you finally reach your door, you hesitate for a second before opening it. the familiar space feels warmer with him standing beside you.
lohen steps inside first, glancing around like heâs memorizing everything again. then he lets out a quiet sigh, shoulders relaxing in a way you havenât seen since before he left.
âmissed this,â he murmurs.
you close the door behind you.
âmissed you,â you reply.
he turns toward you, and before you can say anything else, he pulls you into his arms again. this time, the hug is tighter, more certain, like heâs making up for all the time he was gone.
you bury your face into his shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of his coat.
âyouâre not leaving again anytime soon, right?â you ask softly.
ânot if i can help it.â
you nod, satisfied with that answer, and relax against him.
for the first time in weeks, everything finally feels right again.
have you ever thought about yumeshipping? if so do you yumeship with anyone?
hiii yess! iâve thought about yumeshipping before đ«¶đ» while i still donât know how it works and how to start one, i do have some yumeships in mind ( âąÌÌŻ â âąÌÌŻ) âĄ
hello I just read no strings attached and I think I may have some strings attached to this fic....??? Jokes aside, I love your works so much... I initially just thought I'd be reading it once and forget about the next part but oh boy was I wrong.. everyday I've been checking tumblr not only for more lohen fics but also because a deep part of me wanting more of your works besides no strings attached and your other works đ„č please never stop writing because if you think everyone's bored of your work that's a lie because I'm 99% probably still here ( that 1% is if I explode which is HIGHLY unlikely ) your works genuinely changed my whole routine .. I barely check tumblr unless it's for resources but oh my gawdddd your works made me addicted and want more. I'm literally opening tumblr DAILY just to find a fic that made me feel as much as your works do. Okay onto the topic of no strings attached I cannot begin to express how much anger I've felt for lohen during pt1-3 I think.. I don't know but he just pissed me off. ALSO might sound corny but while I was reading the recent parts of the fic, while my music was in shuffle "love like you" from Steven Universe started playing and I thought.. "holy shitititit this song oddly fits the scenario" ESPECIALLY DURING THE NEAR END OF PART 5 WHEN LOHEN ASKED IF WE LOVE HIM I'M GOING INSANENENE I SOUND CRAZY but please tell me you understand my view đ„čđ„č idk I feel like the song just fits in any situation ... I'm writing this anonymously just in case I say some embarrassing stuff and then I won't be able to handle the humiliation WAAAAAH
okkkayy.. enough of the compliments.... I genuinely appreciate your works so much and I'm looking forward for more<333
OMG LOVES!!! i just saw this now i swear to you im not ignoring you WAAAAHH!
thank you so much for your support and love for no strings attached!! WAAAHH I FEEL SO BAD FOR SUDDENLY NOT POSTING FOR A WHILE IM SORRYYYYY đ„č
getting angry at lohen is soooo valid actually WAHHAHAAHAHAH
BABES I LOVE STEVEN UNIVERSE YOU JUST MADE MY DAY BETTER đ€đ€đ€đ€đ€ I UNDERSTAND YOU DW DW!! đđ
IM CONTINUING THE LAST PART OF NO STRINGS ATTACHED BABES TRUST IâLL GET IT OUT BY THE END OF JULY HOPEFULLY!! đ€đ»
THANK YOU SO MUCH MY LOVE đ„čđ«¶đ»
you have no idea how much this means to me im printing this out and putting it in my journal for keepsake purposes âŁïž I LOVE YOUUUU !!
PlS PLA PLS IM BEGGING YOU LIKE THE BEGGIEST BEGGAR IN ALL OF BEGDOM
you think you know everything, donât you?.. âż (fatui harbinger) lohen x gn!reader
ă âââââ synopsis: youâve been working for the tsaritsa for a few years now and if thereâs something she takes pride in having you on her side, it was that you simply knew everything about everyoneâtheir ins and outs, their weaknesses and strengths, their abilities and skills, and even their past. that is.. except when lohen arrived.
not proofread. lohen if he wasnât rescued by adolfo and worked for the tsaritsa. tw blood, bruises, and torture. might be ooc. tsaritsa is evil. angst to comfort.
lohen had developed a peculiar reputation.
he could spend an afternoon patiently teaching a new recruit how to survive on the battlefield, then vanish only to leave fake emergency summons on every commanderâs desk.
he didnât even tried to deny it when he was confronted. he only claimed that he was bored and had nothing else to do.
âyou caused a security lockdown!â sandroneâs voice erupted through the room you were passing by.
you stopped to listen to the quarrel ensuing.
âoh, i know.â lohen replied as if that was his intention all along.
âand thatâs funny to you?â
you saw a small smile tugged at the corner of lohenâs mouth, âa little, yeah.â
you didnât mind lohenâs antics at first. if anything, some of his pranks you found genuinely funny. watching a feared fatui harbinger sneak fake reports onto another commanderâs desk with a perfectly straight face was entertaining in its own absurd way.
but that opinion of yours began to waver when your teammates quietly pulled you aside, asking for a bit of your time.
seated in front of your teammates, it was mostly sandrone who were doing all the talking, though everyone wanted a thorough investigation and background check on lohen. and maybe knock some sense into him.
âarenât you supposed to know everything?â
you eyes almost twitched at the way sandrone looked you up and down as if telling you âif you canât do this, then why are you even here?â. you scanned their faces one by one, not giving them any reaction. you wanted to see if they were all on the same page.
a light laugh escaped your lips, âbefore i accept this.. demand of yours, may i ask what exactly you want me to do with him?â
there was one thing your teammates never seemed to understand. you didnât answer to them. you never had.
your name wasnât on their roster, nor were you bound by their command. you served the tsaritsa directly, and everyone in the fatui knew it. if an order didnât come from the tsaritsa herself, you had every right to turn around and walk away.
so when they asked you to âhandleâ lohen, your first instinct was to laugh.
what a ridiculous request.
it wasnât in your contract.
but it did sound interesting.
your pride quietly whispered that if anyone could get through to the troublesome harbinger, it was you.
you rested your chin against your hand, pretending to think it over while the agents waited for your answer.
finally, you sighed, âyou all owe me one.â
a chorus of relieved exhalations filled the room. not because you worked for them, but because your ego refused to believe there was a challenge you couldnât handle.
you kept watch of lohen for a few weeks. this time, you went into the archives to see if thereâs anythingâa hint or a clueâthat would somehow lead you to finding out who exactly is he.
the archives were inaccessible to everyone but you and the tsaritsa.
hidden away from the rest of the palace and protected by layers of security, the chamber had remained sealed for years. no harbinger, no agent, no servant had ever set foot inside.
which meant only one thingâno one could have broken in. no one could have stolen the confidential files.
to your surprise, there was nothing. no file. no report. not even a single mention of lohenâs name.
you frowned. it didnât make any sense.
you knew the tsaritsa was meticulous when it came to her harbingers. every one of them (including you) had a recordâbackground investigations, psychological evaluations, combat assessments, even detailed notes on their appearance and habits.
she never accepted anyone into the fatui without knowing exactly who they were.
so why was lohen the only exception?
the empty space where his file should have been unsettled you far more than any classified document ever could.
you wondered if the tsaritsa knew something you didnât. but the thought quickly unraveled.
if she truly knew nothing about lohen, she wouldâve called for you. sheâd done it beforeâwhenever someone intrigued her enough to warrant a closer look, sheâd have you uncover every buried secret they possessed.
this time, she hadnât.
no orders. no investigation. nothing.
which left you with a far more unsettling possibilityâthe tsaritsa already knew exactly who lohen was.
the real question was how?
how exactly were you supposed to get the infamous troublemaker of the fatui to open up? you nearly laughed at yourself for even entertaining the idea, but itâs not like you really have a choice either.
this was lohen.
the same harbinger who answered serious questions with sarcasm and disappeared whenever conversations became too personal. he wasnât the kind of man who simply woke up one day and decided to bare his soul.
he wouldnât casually tell you who he was before he became a harbinger, what heâd lost, or how heâd managed to climb to one of the highest ranks in the fatui.
people didnât earn that side of himâif it even existed anymore.
with a quiet sigh, you leaned back in your chair.
âthis is going to be a lot harder than i thought.â
âwhat is?â
you jolted in your seat when you heard lohenâs voice as he opened the door to your room. you stared at him for a while, his motives unknown and his smile never faltered.
âwhat are you doing here?â you asked carefully and quietly. he was never one to visit you or anyone uninvited. unless it was to implement his pranks.. again.
he shrugged and casually made his way to the edge of your bed, making himself cozy as he sat down, looking at you.
âwhat? i canât visit you anymore?â
âyou donât visit me, lohen.â
âthatâs true,â he laughed at your frowning face. âbut the tsaritsa figured we should hang out more.â
you shot him a look that said âwhat are you talking about?â because you havenât heard such news before and surely if what heâs saying is true, then the tsaritsa wouldâve told you personally.
âthe tsaritsa told me about a mission with you, sadly. i was expecting the robot girl or the moon one, but here we are!â he gestured his hands boredly like he was showing a magic trick.
you didnât think what lohen was saying was true, until you heard it directly from her highness. she said you were supposed to be keeping watch of the situation in a ball held in fontaine.
the trip was awkward to say the least.
lohen wasnât exactly making eye contact or casual conversations even though you were both seated in front of each other. it was as if you were both trying to ignore each other.
unluckily for the both of you, you have a task to get out of this mission with himâmake him talk, vulnerable even. it was one of your greatest strengthsâor so the tsaritsa had told you herself.
you were willing to swallow your pride if it meant getting answers.
embarrassing yourself, playing the fool, letting others underestimate you⊠none of it mattered as long as it brought you one step closer to the truth.
people were far more careless around someone they didnât perceive as a threat. and if sacrificing your image meant uncovering valuable intel, then it was a price you had never hesitated to pay.
âi know i have a great side profile and all, but donât you think youâre staring a bit hard?â
lohen had been absentmindedly watching the scenery pass beyond the window. then he turned his head. his eyes met yours.
only then did you realize youâd been staring the entire time, your thoughts having drifted so far into figuring out how to befriend him that you hadnât noticed.
his brow lifted ever so slightly, a knowing smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
ââŠsee something you like?â
you scoffed at his teasing, âi wasnât staring.â
âmmhm, no, i agree! you werenât staring. you were admiring.â
your gaze lingered on his face, quietly studying every detail as though the answer might be written somewhere between the curve of his smile and the calm in his eyes.
what kind of person would make lohen lower his guard someone quiet? someone bold? someone who challenged him at every turn?
you had worn countless masks before, slipping into whatever role the mission demanded. it had always come naturally. but sitting in front of him⊠for the first time, none of them seemed to fit. still, you forced one on anyway.
anything to pry open the walls heâd built so carefully around himself. anything to find the man hiding behind the smile.
âjust wondering why the tsaritsa paired me up with you of all people.â
the corners of lohenâs lips curled a little higher, amusement dancing in his eyes. âoh?â he hummed, tilting his head ever so slightly. âi didnât know you had it in you to question the tsaritsa like that.â
he teased, his smile never wavering. âi thought you were her good little puppy.â
the words were lightâplayful, evenâbut the way he watched you suggested he was searching for your reaction just as much as you were searching for his.
your breath caught ever so slightly. it irritated you. not because of what heâd saidâbut because it was him whoâd said it. you shrugged the feeling off as quickly as possible, before he could notice.
âand youâre not?â
his smile slowly wore off, breaking the eye contact to look at the view once again before whispering something he thought you wouldnât hear.
âyou have no idea.â
you didnât know what he meant by what he said. his mood clearly changed from teasing to distant, but before you could ponder on it, the driver of the vehicle announced that youâd have to get on a ship in order to reach fontaine.
for all the trouble lohen caused around headquarters, one thing had always remained true.
though he was still being obviously distant, he was, surprisingly, a gentleman.
beneath his endless pranks, his sarcastic remarks, and the chaos that seemed to follow him wherever he went, there was an effortless kind of thoughtfulness that surfaced when no one expected it.
it was easy to mistake him for a menace.
it was much harder to ignore the kindness hidden underneath.
as you stepped toward the ship, lohen silently held out his hand. he didnât look at you. instead, his gaze remained fixed somewhere off to the side, as though pretending the gesture wasnât a big deal.
his hand stayed there nonetheless, unwavering, waiting for yours to find it.
you hesitated. with lohen, even the simplest gestures came with a hint of suspicion. you couldnât tell whether this was another one of his pranks or if he was simply teasing you for his own amusement.
your eyes flickered from his outstretched hand to his face. after a momentâs pause, you slipped your hand into his.
his fingers closed around yours with an ease that made it seem as though heâd been expecting you to trust him all along.
his hand wrapped around your skin with a cold touch that sent a shiver crawling down your spine.
you hadnât expected his hand to be so cold.
for a brief moment, neither of you spoke.
ââŠthank you,â you murmured, barely above a whisper.
lohen only gave a small nod, his grip steady as he helped you aboard. you expected him to let your hand go the moment your foot reached the final step of the stairs, but he held it with grace and security.
you watched him for a brief moment. he maintained a stoic expression, smiling at the passengers here and there as they acknowledged you twoâs presence.
maybe he wasnât so bad as they claimed him to be.
the thought slipped into your mind so naturally that it caught you off guard. you quickly pushed it aside and continued walking.
the ship carried a modest crowd of passengers, its decks alive with the quiet hum of conversation and the gentle crash of waves against the hull.
judging by the elegant gowns, finely tailored suits, and polished shoes that caught the afternoon light, it wasnât difficult to guess where they were headed.
like you and lohen, they were all bound for the grand ball in fontaine. it was an annual tradition hosted by the hydro archon herself.
the air buzzed with excitement, strangers exchanging pleasantries while others admired the endless stretch of the sea ahead, blissfully unaware that two fatui harbingers stood quietly among them, hidden behind borrowed names and practiced smiles.
it wasnât your first time setting foot in fontaine. in fact, over the years, youâd made some acquaintances when you were out to have dinner with arlecchino.
now that youâre back, you couldnât help but be excited yourself. especially when the mission involves your forte and personal favoriteâspying and blending in.
the mission itself was nothing out of the ordinary. youâve done countless of spyings and blending ins, spent years disappearing into crowds, stealing secrets from beneath peopleâs noses, and leaving before anyone realized youâd ever been there. lohen had a similar reputation.
but working undercover wasnât the difficult part, working together was. because since joining the fatui, you and lohen have never once been assigned a partnerâthe lonesome fatuis in the eyes of everyone.
youâd completed countless assignments, but never side by side. lohen was a complete mystery to youâone you were willing to solve.
âremember the plan?â he asked when you were both finally seated comfortably at the back of the ship.
âiâd rather talk about it at the hotel than risk being caught.â
â..hotel?â he clarifies, seemed to have forgotten that youâll first be booking a hotel to change into appropriate clothing for the ball. because right now, both of you are looking like a couple of aristocrats with the fur coats and everything.
âyeah weâre not wearing these at the ball.â there was nothing wrong with fur coats per se, but you didnât want to stand out as well. right now, even as you were seated, you can feel eyes staring and looking your way. itâs too risky when all their attention is on the both of you. not to mention you were both unfamiliar faces to the citizens on board.
lohen didnât seemed to mind your plan of changing outfits and just shrugged as he rested his head on his seat. he chuckled a bit, making you look at him.
âsoo.. what should we talk about then?â
âdidnât know you liked talking so much.â
âi donât.â he replied way too fast than he wouldâve liked, but the smile on his face never left as he looked at you.
you rolled your eyes at him and laughed lightly. âwe can talk when we get there.â
âcâmon.â lohen flashed you that infuriatingly easy smile. âdonât you wanna know more about me?â
the words struck you harder than they should have.
wasnât that the whole point?
you were supposed to be doing everythingâanythingâto learn more about the man sitting beside you. that was your job. your specialty.
yet somehow, you kept stalling.
every possible opportunity slipped through your fingers, not because you couldnât take it, but because, for reasons you couldnât understand, asking lohen questions no longer felt like gathering intel. it felt personal.
which was crazy to think about because you havenât really had much time with him yet. scared of this newfound dilemma, you decided to give in and ask him a few things.
âwhat did you mean when you said âyou have no ideaâ?â
âiâd prefer you donât know.â
âletâs stop talking.â
he laughed at your sudden defeat when he didnât want to answer. lohen figured it wasnât the time to tell you. at the end of day, you were still a fatui harbingerâloyal to the tsaritsa.
you were greeted by lovely people working at the hotel debord. everyone was welcoming, maybe a tad bit more than required, but nonetheless sweet.
âenjoy your stay, lovely couple! ring us up if you need us!â
you didnât really have time to reject the receptionistâs thought about the two of you being a couple. you said your gratitude and turned to where the elevator was.
lohen followed a step behind as you unlocked the door to your room.
the moment it swung open, you froze.
a bottle of champagne rested in a silver bucket filled with ice. rose petals were scattered neatly across the bed, and the curtains had been drawn, leaving the room bathed in the warm glow of lamplight.
you slowly blinked. then mentally buried your face in your hands.
âŠso this was how hotel debord welcomed couples.
behind you, lohen remained suspiciously quiet.
you didnât have to look to know there was a grin spreading across his face.
âthis,â he finally said, his voice laced with amusement, âis going to make the mission a lot more interesting.â
you let out a long, defeated sigh. you were going to have a word with whoever handled the reservations.
âmind telling me the plan now?â
âweâll pretend to be business partners.â
âbusiness partners seems a little suspicious. weâll have to mingle with people, whatâre we gonna tell them about our business?â
âyou have a better idea?â
âletâs pretend to be a couple.â
your head quickly turned to him as you were doing your hair in the dresser. you found him putting on a suit that accentuated his features and body. only to find him looking at you.
âwhy a couple?â
âwell, if the word goes around, weâre known as business partners, and hotel debord finds out.. who books a single roomâwith flower petals on the bed, might i addâwith their business partner? theyâll think weâre hiding something.â
and so it begins.
the grand ballroom of the palais mermonia glittered beneath towering crystal chandeliers, every polished floor reflecting the swirl of gowns and tailored suits. laughter drifted through the room alongside the soft melody of a string quartet.
lohenâs hand rested comfortably against the small of your back as the two of you weaved through fontaineâs nobility, smiling as though you belonged there.
âyou make a lovely couple.â
the woman who approached you spoke with a warm smile, champagne glass poised delicately between her fingers.
you returned the smile without hesitation.
âthank you.â
âso,â a man chimed in, clearly intrigued, âhow did the two of you meet?â
before you could fabricate an answer, lohen beat you to it.
âi annoyed them.â
you looked at him.
ââŠthatâs the best you can do?â
âit worked, didnât it?â he replied with an innocent shrug.
the guests laughed.
you rolled your eyes before looping your arm through his.
âit took him months to convince me to go out with him.â
lohen placed a hand dramatically over his heart.
âyou kissed me the first date though.â
âthatâs not what theyâre asking.â
laughter emerged from them at your bickering.
to anyone watching, the two of you looked impossibly naturalâplayful glances, effortless smiles, the occasional brush of hands.
exactly what the mission required.
when another conversation began pulling lohenâs attention away, you took your chance.
âexcuse me,â you said sweetly. âiâll be back in a moment.â
no one questioned you. least of all lohen.
he merely gave the smallest nodâthe silent confirmation that everything was proceeding according to plan.
instead of turning toward the ladiesâ room, you slipped into a quiet corridor, your footsteps muffled by thick carpets until the music became little more than a distant echo.
the office door yielded with little resistance.
inside, moonlight spilled through tall windows onto towering bookshelves overflowing with reports, correspondence, and legal records. a massive oak desk dominated the room, every drawer meticulously organized.
you shut the door behind you.
then began searching.
your fingers moved quickly, opening folders, scanning names, memorizing anything related to fontaineâs archon.
nothing.
nothing.
still nothing.
you reached for another stack. a single folder slid loose from the pile.
your breath caught.
[ LOHEN ]
then name stared back at you in bold black ink.
for a moment, the room seemed to fall silent.
impossible.
back in zapolyarny palace, the harbingersâ archives had contained nothing about him. not a report. not a single page. you had searched twice just to make sure.
yet hereâin fontaine, someone had an entire dossier.
your heartbeat thundered in your ears as you carefully opened the file.
the first page was clinical.
recommendation: subject should not be assigned long-term interpersonal attachments due to elevated risk factors.
you frowned.
the following reports contradicted nearly everything whispered about harbinger lohen.
mission after mission described deviations from direct orders.
during operations, the subject repeatedly prioritized civilian safety over mission efficiency.
the subject was observed providing food and medical supplies to targeted settlements after fatui withdrawal.
witnesses reported the subject escorting children and elderly civilians away from combat zones before engaging hostile forces.
one report detailed an entire village that should have been left to starve under economic sanctions. instead.. someone had anonymously delivered crates of food, blankets, and medicine.
the handwriting beneath the report was sharp.
confirmed responsible party: lohen.
another page.
then another.
the pattern repeated.
every time bloodshed could be avoided? he avoided it.
every time innocent lives could be spared? he spared them.
your grip on the folder tightened. this wasnât the monster the fatui described. it wasnât even close!
then your eyes landed on another document.
disciplinary action
presiding officer: il dottore.
subject found guilty of repeated insubordination due to unauthorized humanitarian intervention during classified operations.
corrective measures authorized.
the report didnât describe the punishment. it didnât need to.
the photographs attached beneath it did.
dark bruises.
blood staining the back of a torn shirt.
medical records documenting fractures that had somehow healed long ago.
you stared at the pages, unable to look away.
lohen had never spoken about any of this.
never complained. never asked for sympathy.
he smiled. he laughed. he pulled harmless pranks around headquarters as though heâd never suffered a day in his life.
the folder suddenly felt far heavier than paper ever should.
you couldnât look at another page. youâve seen more than enough. you knew what you wanted to know.
your fingers lingered on the edge of the folder for only a moment before you quietly closed it, your reflection briefly staring back at you from the polished desk.
the room suddenly felt suffocating.
every report. every photograph. every line written in cold, clinical handwriting.
you carefully slid the dossier back onto the shelf exactly where you had found it, making sure nothing looked disturbed.
the ballroom hadnât changed. music still drifted beneath glittering chandeliers.
guests laughed as they danced across the marble floor, oblivious to the weight now pressing against your chest.
you eyes instinctively searched the crowd. lohen. where was he? your heartbeat quickened. where did he go?
you made another lap around the ballroom, trying not to look frantic. nothing.
ââŠexcuse me.â
ââŠpardon.â
your pace quickened. for the first time since the mission began, panic seeped into your carefully maintained composure.
thenâa gentle hand wrapped around your elbow.
you froze.
âthere you are.â
his voice. you slowly turned.
lohen stood beside you, dressed as impeccably as before, one hand still lightly holding your arm to keep you from wandering farther into the crowd.
his expression softened. âwere you looking for me?â
you simply stared.
he tilted his head ever so slightly. his eyes searched yours, waiting.
well? mission accomplished? did you find something?
the code words sat on the tip of his tongue.
âi want to go home.â
his smile faded. âalready?â
you nodded once. âi want to go home.â
he could tell something was wrong.
your eyes refused to meet his. your breathing was shallow. you looked⊠shaken.
âdid something happen?â he asked quietly.
you shook your head. âno.â
âliar.â
the word wasnât accusing, it was concerned.
he stepped a little closer, lowering his voice so only you could hear.
âdid you find the hydro archonâs records?â
your chest tightened. the photographs flashed through your mind.
bruises. bandages. medical reports. corrective measures authorized.
you flinched and lohen caught it.
ââŠhey.â
without another word, you turned on your heel.
the ballroom suddenly felt too bright. too loud.
you pushed past elegantly dressed guests, ignored the puzzled greetings directed your way, and hurried through the palace doors into the cool night.
the air hit your face, but it did nothing to clear your thoughts.
behind you were footstepsâquick, steady. he wasnât chasing you. he was following.
âlohen..â you whispered to yourself, almost as though saying his name might somehow steady your racing heart.
it didnât.
the footsteps grew closer. then stopped.
a hand gently caught yours before you could walk any farther.
you turned beneath the pale moonlight.
his grip wasnât forceful, it never was. he searched your face in silence, his brows knit together in quiet concern.
âwhat happened in there?â
you looked at him.
at the man who smiled too easily, who laughed too loudly.
the man everyone insisted was heartless. the man whose file told an entirely different story.
your vision blurred.
âwhy didnât you tell me?â the question escaped before you could stop it.
lohen blinked. âtell you what?â
silence. the realization struck him almost instantly.
his expression changed. not into fear. not into anger. but resignation. as though he already knew exactly what you had found.
lohen didnât answer. at least not immediately.
the moon hung low above fontaine, its pale light spilling across the empty streets between the palais mermonia and hotel debord. the distant music from the ball barely reached the two of you now, replaced by the gentle rush of the sea against the harbor, and the sudden droplets of rain touching your skin.
he simply looked at you, studied you. âyou found something.â
it wasnât a question.
you swallowed.
âiâŠâ the words refused to come.
how were you supposed to ask him?
why did dottore torture you?
why were there reports of you helping civilians?
why did the archives have nothing on you?
none of them felt right.
none of them were your questions to ask.
âyou found something,â lohen repeated, softer this time. âguessing it wasnât the hydro archonâs?â
you lowered your gaze. âno.â
silence settled between you. lohen let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of his neck before looking toward the water instead of at you.
âi knew this mission would be troublesome.â
you frowned. âwhat does that mean?â
he smiled, not his usual mischievous grin. a tired one.
âit means fontaine keeps records it shouldnât.â
the answer only frustrated you more.
âyou always do that.â
âhm?â
âyou answer without answering.â
his smile faltered. for the first time since youâd met him, lohen looked uncertain. as though he genuinely didnât know what to say.
âiâve spent weeks trying to figure you out,â you admitted, your voice quieter than intended. âi searched the archives back home.â
that made his head turn. âthe archives?â
âthere was nothing.â
he stared.
ânot a single report. not even your name.â
his expression became unreadable.
âbut tonightâŠâ you hesitated, your heartbeat quickening. âthere was an entire dossier.â
lohen closed his eyes. âi see.â
âyou knew?â
âi had a feeling.â
âyou knew there were files about you?â
âno.â he shook his head. âi knew someone would eventually find out.â
âthatâs all you have to say?â
âare you happy?â
the answer irritated you.
âwhat?â
âare you happy?â he repeated. âisnât that what you wanted? to find out more?â
you took a step closer.
âi saw what dottore did to you.â
his shoulders stiffened.
âi saw the reports.â
he didnât move.
âi saw the photographs.â
your hand found the collar of his shirt before you could think twice and gently tugged him toward you.
lohen stumbled half a step, his mesmerizing eyes finally meeting yours. the distance between you disappeared in an instant.
your faces were only inches apart now, close enough to feel the warmth of each otherâs breath.
âyou think i like that shit?â
it made your chest ache. no matter how cold everyone believed you to be, what they had done to him wasâand would never beâright.
you had failed to see it. or perhaps you had simply chosen not to.
for someone entrusted with uncovering the truth, you had been blinded by the very light the tsaritsa cast upon the fatui, accepting everything at face value without ever questioning what lay beneath.
it made you feel foolish.
you prided yourself on knowing what others didnât, on seeing through lies and half-truths.
yet when it came to lohen⊠you hadnât even thought to look.
you shouldâve asked more, looked closer, questioned everything. instead, you believed the version of him everyone else had written.
âeveryone said you enjoyed killing people.â
your voice cracked.
âi never said that.â
âyou never corrected them either.â
lohen laughed. it was humorless. âwhen would i have had the chance?â
âyou couldâve told me.â you replied, though you wish you hadnât said it.
âi barely knew you.â he stared right at you. âif iâd told you the first time we metâŠâ he continued, ââŠwould you have believed me?â
you opened your mouth, but nothing came out. because you knew he was right. you wouldâve assumed it was another one of his jokes.
your fingers slowly loosened around the collar of his shirt before letting go.
âyouâve spent your whole life gathering information,â lohen said. âso tell me⊠when was the last time a file told the whole truth about someone?â
the question lingered. you thought about every dossier youâd ever read. every target. every report. every carefully summarized life reduced to a few sheets of paper.
none of them had ever captured a person completely.
âi-i donât know,â you whispered.
he nodded. âexactly.â
the silence that followed felt strangely gentle. for the first time that night, neither of you spoke. neither of you needed to.
you looked at the man standing before youânot as harbinger lohen, not as the troublemaker who drove headquarters insane, not as the name printed across a confidential dossier.
just himâlohen.
the one who held doors open for strangers. the one who quietly offered you his hand when boarding a ship. the one who smiled through pain no one else seemed to notice.
âdoes it still hurt?â the question slipped out before you could stop it.
lohen blinked. âwhat?â
âthe.. uhh- punishment.â
his eyes widened almost imperceptibly. then he looked away.
ânot anymore.â
you knew he was lying. you knew there were wounds that never truly healed.
you stepped closer until only a small space remained between the two of you. and without thinking, you reached for his hand.
he looked down as your fingers intertwined with his. his hand was still cold. just as it had been when he helped you onto the ship.
this time, you were the one holding on. lohenâs thumb brushed absentmindedly across your knuckles.
âyou shouldnât have seen it,â he murmured.
âwould you do it again? even after knowing what would happen afterward?â
a faint smile tugged at his lips. âyeah..â
âi didnât want you to find it.â
âwhy?â
âbecause i liked the way you looked at me before.â
âiâm not looking at you any differently,â you whispered.
âyou should.â
âwhy?â
âyou could be in trouble.â
âi already knew that.â
silence stretched between you. lohen searched your face, almost as if he were waiting for the disappointment to appear. it didnât.
âyou donât have to pretend with me anymore.â
his eyes softened. âthatâs exactly what iâm afraid of.â
ïč« ê° 16lohens ê± đŁ masterlist.
a/n: HELLOWW EVERYONE! sorry for not posting as much lately! yk the drill đ uni tingzZz! hereâs a long lohen fic i spent a whole month writing LMAO thank you ! i hope you liked it!