He checks his phone at least 12 times that night. He’s on edge, slightly irritated at how long it takes for you to answer a dumb text message.
‘it’s not like i like her’ he thinks to himself, but it’s more so ‘i wish i don’t like her’. Yet he couldn’t help it, every time he just couldn’t help it.
and it sucks, not getting a choice in how you feel sometimes. like a switch you just want to turn it off. like a record player playing the same song on repeat, over and over and over.
Bakugo is on edge. Fidgeting his hands or bouncing his legs. he’s on the edge.
Yet he refuses to text again, and refuses to call. Cause ‘no way in hell would i be that desperate.’
He’d try everything to get his mind off of it, going to the gym or a walk - he had gotten recognized and got pissed off even more.
playing video games - he got bored quarter way through.
cooking dinner for himself - he burnt his food getting distracted by ‘acting’ like he was going to text you first. (he’s even more pissed now)
And at this point, Bakugo was on the last edge he could handle.
It was when he had pulled his hair and went to power off his phone when it pinged.
He froze, eyes widening. And although Bakugo would rather die than admit it to anyone, he was nervous.
He turned his phone, and opened it only to see a simple word.
“Hey :)”
Now, Katsuki is a very patient man for certain things- you being one of them. But the stress you had given this man just for this simple of a reply..
Let’s just say Bakugo is now falling off the edge.
Angrily typing, eyebrows furrowed, little huffs coming out. Oh, he was gonna tell you off, cause there’s no way he’d worried that long for that. That was until another message from you popped up.
“Hey could you open your door? It’s a little scary out here.”
He blinks for a second, eyes shoot towards the door. Waiting for a sign that you weren’t pulling his leg. A slight knock is all the confirmation he needed to borderline run towards the door. Opening it in a huff, eyes wide.
“Hey handsome.” You smile up at him, your breathe visible from how cold it was. His eyes softened for a second at the sight, his heart in his throat. He hated the effect you had on him. How much he needed you.
“Hey pretty.”
He opened the door wider for you to enter. That’s when he realized he was indeed on the edge. On the edge of telling you how in love with you he actually is.
choosing to love him is choosing endless bloodshed; all of it is yours.
(alternatively — the metamorphosis of a god through the eyes of his keeper.)
warnings: suggestive / mentions of sex, nudity, profanity, angst, mentions of murder / death, ambiguous ending i think, almost canon compliant
note: 4.4k words and i don't think even this has a plot. WHO CARES dedicated to @shoyostar bc i never stop talking and @crysugu :3 here he is!
Before he was ever Tartaglia, eleventh of the Harbingers, he was a timid child.
He feared the simple things — speaking to neighbours, strangers, the mailman. He never went to the market alone, not without his parents, not without his older brother to hold his hand. Neighbourhood boys called him names and you called him sweeter things, bringing him in for hot chocolate because of his red eyes, holding his frozen hands in a lukewarm basin.
Your town was on the coast but he rarely saw the water; he was afraid of drowning and even more afraid of sinking, even though you could see the ice was six inches thick through the sides of the fishing holes scattered everywhere. Not even the men would crack it, fathers that ate at the head of the table, yet he thought he’d be the one. Nor did he trust anyone to save him.
Childe was Ajax before he was anything for anyone else, his name from myth. Eagle. He was born a Greek tragedy; hero, for most.
He was fourteen when he disappeared. Your mother said he’d come back home, kids get mad. Your father said a bear got to him, a weak thing like that — your whole neighbourhood looked for him after he vanished.
He was gone three days in the woods but he told you he’d been gone for months. He was underground; you asked if it was Hell but he said it was much more. When he crawled back up to Morepesok, he was a different person.
He looked you in the eye and told you he was finally ready to fight.
+
You didn’t believe he was lost for three months until you watched him hold a sword.
By the barrels on the fishing dock, boys fought with wooden blades. Girls would watch and sit on box crates, swaddled up to their ears, cheering on whichever one they liked that week. They’d watch as they hit each other, splinters snagging on coats, knuckles gone white from the cold and how tight they held their handles.
When Childe stepped up for the first time, they snickered at him. The boy who ran away from home, coming to join the sword fights. It was a joke and they laughed.
(You saw something in his eyes that day and it scared you. There is nothing more terrifying than a child with bloodlust.)
He beat the kid so badly that they put thirty stitches in his forehead, and you were left to do patchwork on the bomb.
Cutting coloured wires, you dabbed Childe’s red cheek with a warm cloth, wringing it out in the bowl of water that separates the two of you. He was calmer then, in front of you. Not that he wasn’t before; it was less of not being calm and more of craving victory, more of a test of his newfound gift.
“I told you to stop,” you mumbled, “hitting him, I mean.”
“I stop, he starts. I won.”
“What did you win? Where's your prize?”
Childe looked at you dumb, with his dumb childish eyes that no longer held hate. Maybe it was somewhere, hidden, beneath the water you drown in, but instead the surface held a glare of wonder. He was Ajax again, always hopeful.
He hissed when you dabbed his skin with something other than water, something that stung. “I—”
“No one wins in war, Ajax,” you scolded. “You’ll see someday.”
“I won’t be in a war.”
You scoffed, your hand gripping his jaw when he tried to run away.
“We’ll see.”
+
You’re seventeen when he stumbles inside your house, the wooden door cracking against the wall as he slumps to the floor.
Your feet are cold when you step away from the wood stove in your living room, dropping to your knees, holding his face in your hands that are always so much warmer than his. They cradle his flushed cheeks, sweat beading on his forehead; he’s gripping at a pulse in his ribs.
“I’m fine,” he assures you, before you start to cry, “just tired. I’m just tired.”
He eases the door shut, his head tilting back against the wall. His hand rests on your knee, squeezing it like he’s grounding himself, counting on the fabric of your pants to do it for him. You touch the icy veins that run over his knuckles and he comes back to life.
“What happened to you?” you rush, your family asleep down the hallway. You turn the dial on the oil lamp beside you, watching the fire reflecting off of his dirty cheeks.
He laughs, pulling your wrist off when you smack your hand over his mouth with a lousy ‘alright, alright’ and a glance towards your parents’ bedroom. “Me?” he coughs out.
“You should see the other two.”
(You don’t know what told you first, but you remember going cold.)
“What do you mean?” you whisper. You can’t stop whispering, you can’t stop shaking. “Ajax, what did you do?”
Childe’s smile tilts itself crooked. “I killed them,” he says.
His voice is so quiet it cracks under the pressure to not be heard.
(He’s smiling, but he’s crying. It doesn’t look like he means to. He doesn’t know he is.)
You want to run. You notice the smear of blood on his jaw again—is that even his? His hand still clutches your knee but you only now notice the red his palm stains it with, the red on the side of his torso. You want to run.
(You should run.)
You don’t run. Because it’s Ajax, and he’s tired of running tonight. Why would you?
“It’s okay,” you say with a nod and a shiver, like shutters in a hurricane. You’re both crying, and he’s against your chest, and he’s still so fucking cold that it’s migrating to you. “Stand up. Ajax, stand up—”
“I can’t,”
“You can, you need to get in the bath.”
“I’ll wake your—“
“If you were ever worried about that, you wouldn’t have come here, so Ajax would you please—“
He breathes out, muffling his groans as he staggers to his feet. You’re not of much help but at least your hands, your shaking hands, are telling him you’re there. And that’s enough.
“I love it when you say that,” he grimaces, shuffling towards the hallway. “My name.”
+
Childe misses your eighteenth birthday by ten minutes.
You ate dinner with your family at your favourite pub, his siblings wrote you cards and pulled your ears, you tied your hair loose and flirted with the pretty guy who fed the boat lines. You don’t like him all that much, but he looks nothing like your neighbour and for you, that is a fine enough reason to talk.
Stones hit your window at ten past midnight, and Childe stands in the snowy alley outside of your bedroom. He wields another pebble and tilts his head.
Your window’s too old for you to ignore me.
You pull on your coat and boots, scarf too because he talks too much, and head outside into the night, creeping out the back door. You cross your arms, walking over to where he stands just outside of the lamplight.
“Hiding?” you ask, stopping in front of him.
Childe laughs like nothing’s wrong, digging through his back pocket with his gloved hand, handing you a box. “Happy birthday.”
“It’s not my birthday."
“Belated.”
You glance between his rosy cheeks and the box before you take it, looking towards the end of the alley to avoid his stare. Because guys like Childe don’t look away — you know better than to look back.
“Thank you,” you murmur, tucking your hands back into the warmth of your pockets.
Childe nods; you don’t open gifts in front of him, you know better than to do that, too. He knows better than to think you would.
You look at his hands, eyebrows furrowing. “Leather gloves?”
“So you noticed?”
“How? You couldn’t afford long johns last year.”
Childe grins. “I got a job.”
“At the tank house,” you say, crossing your arms. “Which, you had last year.”
The look in his eyes tells you he’s in deep — he doesn’t seem to care about it as much as you do. “I’m a Harbinger, now.”
“You—”
“I’m the youngest—”
“You’re the dumbest,” you grit, sticking a finger in between his ribs. “You're eighteen — what kind of achievement is that?”
He takes a deep breath, his lungs pushing your finger back until it falls defeated. “I didn’t expect you to be happy, believe me.”
“Why,” you whisper, “would I ever be happy to watch you sell yourself to killers?”
“You know I’m no better,”
“Oh, Ajax, if you think that’s what I know then you’re more stupid than I thought.”
There’s no real reason to excuse the blood on his hands other than the fact that they’re so gentle when they hold yours.
There’s a voice down the alley and two drunk men in hats and coats wave your way. You grimace, but Childe waves back.
“This is why you’re outside. You don’t want them to know where you live.”
“Or where you live.”
You grit your teeth. “Yes, because it’s great that your allies are a threat your family.”
“You’re not my family,” he says, “that’d make things weird.”
Your eyes well and you swallow, looking back at the men who stare at both of you. They murmur amongst themselves and you try to ignore them, but it’s hard when Childe won’t look away.
A breeze of snow from the rooftops drifts over you, and you look at him one more time. The last, you try to pledge to yourself. “Don’t leave with them.”
“It’s too late now and you know it.”
“How the fuck would I know it?”
“Don’t cry,” he tells you, much softer now that he knows you didn’t realize it yet, “I’ll come home, I’m not gone forever. If anything, I’ll come back richer. No one will sleep cold.”
“You’ll come back to spoil your family with blood money?”
“I’d spoil you, too,” he adds, “but I know better than to try that.”
There is a heavy silence between the two of you. It isn’t the weight of his gold or the weight of him not coming home; it is the weight of lead, of gunpowder. The weight of the bullets that his two new friends that wait in the street have loaded.
Childe takes your arms, tugging your hands from your pockets, frowning at your white fingertips and cracking knuckles.
“Take these—”
“I don’t want your dirty paws,”
“Well, I don’t want your dry hands. And when I come home, I’ll need them.”
Childe drives the knife deeper, twists it through your chest, and slips off his gloves. He places them in your hands and just snickers when you pocket them. “No worries, I’ll just get a new pair.”
“Great.”
He nods, starting down the alley. He knows you well enough to understand that you don’t want to say goodbye, not when you know you’re saying goodbye to how things were before. Instead, he just calls over his shoulder.
“See you at Christmas?”
“Why even come back?”
“Right,” he chuckles. “I wanna see your gift next time, though.”
Then he leaves, and he doesn’t look at you again. You suppose he’s been trained to do that, but then again, you can’t remember a time where he has looked back at you, anyway. He’s never looked back at anyone before the end.
+
He comes home every Christmas, just like he promised.
Each time he does, he drags you out to a cabin outside of town, one so hidden in the woods that you almost thought he built it, and he fucks you like he missed you before he was gone. Not enough to leave the Fatui, but enough to come home once in a while. And once in a while is all you're gonna get, so you don't let it go.
He comes home, tells his family all about his life as a businessman, a toy salesman you once heard, and then sneaks you out so you can love him as loud as you want. Then, you eat the fish you bring, he tells you how much he missed the sturgeon in Morepesok, and he's gone before the sun comes up.
Childe lets you go with a tired breath, watching the fire beat against your glistening skin as you sit on the edge of the bed. The warmth of him courses through you like a river current and you fix your hair with weak hands, biting the tie that was around your wrist. “I feel your eyes, you’re not subtle.”
“I wasn’t trying to be,” he says simply. “You’re beautiful. More beautiful now.”
“You said that last year.”
“Next year, too.”
You roll your eyes, back straightening when he looms behind you, his naked body against yours. His hand sneaks around your waist and his lips press against your shoulder blade, kissing until he gets to the juncture of your neck and collarbone.
“Ajax,”
“I know,” he says against your skin, “gotta eat.”
“You’d think they would feed you in the castle.”
“Hardly a castle, sweetheart."
“That belt says otherwise,” you mumble, standing, making him let go. You pick up your underwear from the floor, too hot to wear anything else. “It’s custom.”
He snorts, flopping back down on the bed. “Birthday gift.”
“From who?”
“Ooh, jealous?”
“Of someone who doesn’t know who you are? No.”
Childe hums a laugh, giving a look in agreement to the ceiling that you catch out of the corner of your eye. He rests a hand on his chest, watching you sweat in the heat of the fireplace, smiling at the life he has for the next four hours.
He clears his raspy throat. “You finally wore it. The gift.” He snickers, “I only waited two years.”
You look over your shoulder at him, pulling your cami over your head. “I wasn’t gonna let money rot.”
“Do you know what it is?”
“What?”
“The stone. Do you know what it is?”
You stare, face hot. You’re partially embarrassed to not know, never having left Snezhnaya and let alone your town, but you’re curious enough to shake your head. Childe smiles like he knows that you wish you knew enough to say yes.
(You hate that he’s travelled the world you used to tell him you dreamt about. The one you made him dream about, too.)
He scoots up to lean against the headboard, and you take the invitation to come back to the bed. You crawl onto the mattress again, sitting beside him as he moves the clasp of the necklace to the back of your neck, and the stone to the front.
“They call it Cor Lapis,” he says, “it’s in Liyue.”
“Oh.”
He lets go. “It’s not rare, but I like it.”
“You spend a lot of time in Liyue, it makes sense.”
“So you do read my letters,” he says with a grin, cocking his head and holding your hand. “What else do I say?”
“What about the necklace?”
“Huh?”
“If it’s not rare, why get a custom-made necklace?” you ask. “Expensive for such a simple stone.”
Childe’s eyes drop back down to the necklace, holding it out from your neck and in line with the light of the bedside table lamp. It glitters in his eyes and you’re sure it does in yours.
“Cor Lapis is dull,” he tells you. “It doesn’t actually glow until it’s cracked open.”
You look at the cut edges of the stone, framed in gold. It’s small, but it’s something that looks like Childe gave it to you. When your mother saw it, she said it was beautiful and asked when he was home last.
You focus on the fingers that hold it.
“I found it a lot like you,” he says, his voice lower, his eyes finally looking up to face you head-on. “Heart of gold.”
“I don’t need to be cracked open."
“You have been,” he corrects, “you are right now.”
He’s right. He’s so fucking right that it hurts your head to think about and hurts your chest to acknowledge.
Childe’s hand runs up and under your shirt, showing your skin. “And you’re glowing.”
You sit in the silence inside your open ribs and give him a small smile, standing up to shake his hand off of you.
“I’ll let you tell me that next winter, too.”
+
Next Christmas, you stay in bed. Childe cradles your necklace again but doesn’t tell you about Liyue because you don’t ask, too proud to ask twice.
Instead, you lay against his chest, littered with brand new scars you didn’t see last time. Some you watch, others you look away from because they run too deep for you to need to know how he got them. Year by year, you get more quiet.
Childe does, too. He hasn’t lost his boyish charm but it shares his body with something else now.
“Why don’t you come home before Christmas?” you ask. “Once, even. Teucer’s birthday?”
“It’s not that easy. If it was, I’d be there for every birthday. Yours, theirs.”
You purse your lips, rolling onto your back to stare aimlessly at the ceiling. “Right,” you whisper.
“Don’t do that,”
“Why do you say that like I’m fishing for empathy?” you ask casually, scoffing a laugh. “You used to have some, you know. Before you were a fucking hitman.”
“You have no problem fucking said hitman, so please, if you now raise any sudden changes of heart, I should probably know.”
You look at him coldly and he shakes his head. “It’s not like I want to hurt you.”
His arm gets heavier around you, weighing you down against his side. You fight it off when you sit up, turning to look down at him. Déjà vu washes over you both.
“Do you honestly think that I’m talking about me?” you say through laughs. “I’ve gotten used to your wounds, Ajax, it’s not about me.”
“I—”
“How about your family?” you say. It shakes the cabin walls, even though you weren’t loud at all. “You have younger siblings who idolize you and older ones who know better than what you tell them. Do you think they’re dumb?”
He stares at you. You ask, “You remember them, don’t you?”
“I remember my siblings, yes, thank you for aski—”
“Did you know Teucer made a sword?”
Childe’s next sentence fades into a sigh, and his lips purse as he shakes his head.
You cross your arms. “It looks just like yours.”
“Brotherly love, toys are harmless.”
“Who do you think will stitch his eyebrow? Or sneak him into the bathroom after he comes down from his first kill—”
“I never asked you to be my keeper,” Childe says, the grip on your hand tighter than it was before.
“And look how it turned out, anyway.”
Childe leans back against the bed frame and thin pillows he’s stacked up, looking anywhere but at you.
He’s older now and hardened into someone you can’t recognize, but he resembles a lot of the boy he was born as. He still doesn’t look you in the eye when he apologizes, not when he means it.
“Do you want me to leave?”
You stand, finding your clothes on the floor. You’re too hot, so you put on your underwear and shirt and leave it at that. “I brought fish. Rest while you can.”
+
It’s July, and Childe comes back to Morepesok in the middle of a blizzard.
Glasses rattle in behind the bar and you dry the ones from the sink, since the hot water ran out an hour ago. The pub’s empty but your shift still stands, even though no one dares to go outside when the storms are this bad, and it’s only you and a few stragglers left to pray the windows don’t shatter when the breeze hits you from the coast.
Every time you catch yourself in the counter’s reflection, you see your necklace, and you wonder what the beaches in Liyue are like. You can’t swim here without freezing to death and you can’t dream in relentless snow, so you let yourself think of him sometimes.
(Warm, swimming in streams. You wonder if he ever got over his fear of drowning when he realized he wouldn’t sink.)
Air whistles through old panels and teases the fire that burns in the seating area, and there’s a quiet hum of voices that dim the crackle of the logs you throw in every half-hour. A glass slides off the counter and breaks in the wind.
You gasp and jump, stepping back, stepping forward when you hit something — someone. You turn around and Childe stares back, snow on his eyelashes and his hair damp from hail and the sweat beneath his hat.
“Why are you here?”
“Oh, you’re so welcoming. Need help?”
You scoff, kneeling with a brush and pan, guiding the glass back into a pile. You don’t answer his question. “They don’t really mean it when they say 'Christmas in July,' you know.”
“You were the one who told me to visit more, right?”
You nod, standing again, dumping the glass into a bin. “Outside the bar, staff only."
Childe slowly raises his hands in surrender, stepping quietly out from the back and rounding to face you again. He leans on the freezing counters, looking around the room. “You work here?”
“A normal person job, yes.”
“So boring.”
“Why’d you come back?” you ask, going back to washing glasses. “When do you leave?”
Please, stay. Just for once, stay.
“Tomorrow.”
“Do they ever let you off your leash for more than a day? Or do you just hate snowstorms that much now?”
“They have gotten worse since I’ve been gone,”
“Or you’ve just been gone long enough to forget where you come from,” you suggest, glancing up at him again. “The Fatui do still operate here, right?”
“Lower your voice, eh?”
“Sorry. Forgot.”
Childe purses his lips, looking around again. He lowers his head. “The cabin’s open.”
“There’s no way we can make it through the trees blind.”
“I can get us there.”
“Do you remember you got lost in those woods once?”
He grins when you look up. “Well, you know you don’t learn without getting lost. I know them now.”
You crack a tiny smile back, one that probably gives him way too much hope. He watches you put glasses away, he relaxes when he sees the necklace you still wear; even if you started wearing it two years late.
You shake your head. “I’m not coming to the cabin.”
“Why’s that?”
“You should spend the day you have with your family.”
“You—”
“Don’t make things weird.”
The moment is bittersweet and Childe isn’t stupid enough to challenge it, so he just laughs. You try to but it comes out funny.
“So that’s it?”
You swallow the lump in your throat. “It’s always been your decision, not mine.”
And nothing you have ever done has been anything I’ve wanted.
Childe nods, biting his cheek. He knows that people who live in the woods often die there, too. He never really made it out. “Show me out, then?”
You give in, walking him the short distance to the door. He rests with his hand on the knob, gently moving you away from the door so the breeze doesn’t freeze you in place. He tugs his hat on and notices the gloves he gave you years ago hang by your coat on the standing rack.
“When should I come back?”
He watches you breathe in, he watches you breathe out. “Come back when you’re coming home.”
Childe doesn’t try to reason or to ask what you mean, because he knows what you mean.
Don’t.
With a nod, he smiles. It shows with a weakness that no Harbinger should still have with them; you think this might be the death of it.
“I’ll see you around, then.” He opens the door.
“Yeah,” you murmur. “Bye, Childe.”
The door shuts. You don’t hear the snow crunching beneath his feet until a few seconds later, and you keep your ear against the door until you don’t hear them anymore.
Before he was ever Tartaglia, Childe, eleventh of the Harbingers, his home was in the woods he got lost in. Not underground, but in a cabin, with strong windows and shutters the colour of your eyes.
+
It’s the second Christmas you haven’t seen Childe or the woods. You haven’t checked if he’s stayed there and the stories Teucer tells you are old, but there’s a chance he’s still burning a fire and laying in bed, glowing with heat.
Either Childe hasn’t come back, or he just hasn’t told you he has. Either way, you don't make an effort to know.
Somewhere in Liyue, there’s an ore mine with your name carved above the entrance. The men talk about you when they wheel out carts of jade and ore, wondering how you reached so far up to tell them you were there.
In Mondstadt, an outpost sings a folk tune about a girl who heals wounded soldiers.
In Inazuma, a village calls a seashell by your name. It started with the kids, who said a man from a different place told them all about it. An expert on it, they said. They haven’t called it anything else since.
In Sumeru, your laugh runs through the river.
In Natlan, a painting hangs in a bar of a woman dressed in fire, a ribbon on her wrist and her hair everywhere else. When asked, the artist says he was inspired by a man who spoke of a girl with a heart of gold.
In Fontaine, they serve grilled sturgeon, only cooked by wooden stove.
Childe sits down in a town in Snezhnaya, far away from Morepesok, and he sits in front of five kids who look just like the ones back home. Freezing, and curious.
He lets them fawn over his attire, bug him for all he’s worth while they’re tucked inside of a barn to avoid the cold. He answers every question about his job selling toys with enthusiasm and without guilt, promising to someday come back with some for them. Then, they ask him to tell them a story — one they haven’t heard before.
Somewhere in Snezhnaya, far away from Morepesok, a tale is told about a girl who travelled the world.
after years and years of working at your soul-crushing nine to five, you reach your breaking point. while taking a walk to calm yourself down, you see a mysterious ad about a new job opening for a farmer— land and cottage included with no fee. wishing for change, you take a chance and follow the flyer's instructions, despite having no prior farming knowledge... it leads you the small town of teyvat where you meet a handful of charming and interesting individuals.
can you learn to find the beauty in life once more? and maybe fall in love along the way...
taglist: @giamee @indarius @lybrin09
wc: ~1.0k
a/n: HOWDYYY i’m so excited to share the intro/prologue of this series with u all !! :3 this is already making me hyped for ayato’s route ahdkkakd but i think that’ll be the last one :> diluc route should be posted next week !!! i hope y’all enjoy and get immersed in the small town of teyvat hehe
“Do you really believe this will work?”
The Teyvat Commissioner sighed, but a hopeful look remained on his face. “I can’t be certain, Thoma. But the town of Teyvat was once self-sufficient an abundant with life.” Ayato paused, glancing down at the stack of papers on his desk. “If we are able to revitalize the farmland, we should grow less reliant on Celestia for our basic daily needs.”
Thoma’s expression soured at the mere mention of Celestia. “I have faith that our Commissioner made the right decision.”
Ayato smiled fondly at his retainer, delighted that even his most peculiar of plans would certainly have at least one supporter. “It seems we will find out soon. Come, let us attempt to tidy up the new farmer’s lodgings before they arrive.”
The first thing you noticed the moment you stepped food onto Teyvat was how quaint the town was.
Compared to the city you were from that was filled to the brim with skyscrapers and dreary highways, Teyvat was quite small. As you surveyed the land, you felt as if you would be able to traverse its perimeters by foot in less than day if you truly wanted.
It would certainly be different from what you were used to…
You smiled widely as realization sunk in that this place would, in fact, be completely different from what you knew. And that sounded perfect. It was exactly what you wanted, after all.
As soon as you took your first breath of fresh air, you spotted a man with beautiful blue hair and all-white attire approaching to greet you upon arrival.
“Welcome to Teyvat!” he said warmly. “I’m Ayato, the Commissioner of this town and the one who put up the advertisement. You must be the new…farmer?”
Ayato faltered as he noticed your attire. You were in a corduroy overall dress with shiny, black Mary Janes and white socks with a lace trim around them. You didn’t have much experience in farming—you worked an office job all your life. What experience could you possibly have gathered? But based on the photos you saw online, you were certain you at least captured the look and style correctly.
The bows and frills were just a fun addition.
“Nice to meet you, Ayato,” you greeted easily, a bright smile on your face. “I’m Y/N, the new farmer.”
A hint of doubt flashed across his face but he covered it up with a disarming smile—one that melted away any concerns you might have had. “Teyvat is honored to have you. I am most pleased that you are here. Do you have much farming experience?”
“I own two houseplants! I’ve kept them alive for almost three months now.”
He blinked, a smile still plastered across his mouth as you noticed the color draining from his cheeks. Ayato managed to choke out, “That is quite a remarkable feat.”
You laughed at his forced optimism, deciding to finally take him out of his misery. “I’m only kidding, Ayato. I’m aware owning houseplants does not equate to practicable farming experience.”
Relief washed over him as he shared your amusement. “Oh, thank the gods! So, you do have experience taking care of farmland?”
“No.”
If grief was a person, you figured it would look exactly like Ayato did in this moment.
“But,” you continued cheekily, “I did enjoy growing some potatoes and herbs out on the balcony of my apartment. It’s not much, but I am determined to apply that minimal knowledge to this land of much grander scale. Plus, I have the Internet at my fingertips. I can search any questions I may have online!”
You giggled to yourself when he nodded in agreement. It seemed he wholeheartedly believed your spiel.
“Thought, if I may offer one small suggestion?” you said sheepishly.
Ayato raised his brow, but allowed you to continue.
“Perhaps you should request a resume or curriculum vitae of sorts before hiring someone.”
The dignified man in front of you broke out into laughter and, somehow, you found him to be even more attractive that way.
“I suppose life is full of lessons,” he sighed, but there was teasing lift to his lips. “Truly, I believe you will do just fine as our new farmer. At the very least, I’m certain you will get along with the other residents here, if nothing else.”
If they were anything like the Commissioner, you were certain he would be right.
“Now, follow me to your new home.”
“Gladly!”
“After, I shall take you around the town to help introduce you to everyone. I understand adjusting to a new life may take some time, but I am here to help in any way that I can.”
The look in his eyes were so intense and earnest, you found yourself fighting not to break his gaze and stare down at your feet.
Clearing your throat, you fought away your bashfulness and said, “Lead the way, venerable Commissioner.”
Ayato shook his head at your teasing, the corner of his eyes crinkled with amusement. “The townsfolk will most certainly love you. I hope you enjoy your new life here in Teyvat, Y/N.”
You exchanged warm smiles with the Ayato, realizing that in just these few moments with him, you were already enjoying yourself more than you could have ever expected.
“To new beginnings!” you cheered.
“New beginnings, and falling in love with life,” he added knowingly.
As you followed Ayato over to your new house—your new farm—you allowed yourself to close your eyes for just one moment. You heard the steady rush of the nearby waters and felt the wind toss your hair around. Breathing in deeply, you reveled in the scent of the woodsy, fresh air.
Teyvat was a new world, the polar opposite of the big city you once knew, and you were excited for the opportunity to experience life here at its fullest.
Notes : today is my birthday so I decided to post a couple things for you guys :)
[2:23 am]
“What the fuck…” you mumbled, staring at your ceiling as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. You rubbed your eyes with both hands, trying to keep it together. From a distance it seems as though the indentations in the ceiling were the most interesting thing to you. But it was quite the opposite.
Lost in thought about one thing. It’s been eating you up for the past few nights, and you’ve tried everything. Melatonin, counting sheep, reading, warm tea, even a relaxing bath beforehand.
But with every taste of the melatonin you thought about how it kind of tasted like his lips. ‘Strawberry… almost tasted like his lips on that one time on the 4th of July..’
Every counting sheep you thought of how many he could count. ‘30…31.. Suki probably could go to 90. Maybe 100… Wonder if I could beat that.’
With everything you’ve read it ended up with the thought of him enjoying the book himself, or how the character reminded you of him. ‘Why is this character so angry… Almost a replica of Katsuki. Wonder if he’d like this book then..’
Even the warm tea reminding you of the times he’s made you some when you’d bump into each other. ‘Why did he make tea so good? This taste so gross compared to the one’s he’d make.’
The bath almost warm with his embrace. ‘Kats was slightly warmer…Especially at night. Wonder if i could make it hotter…’
Just him. And it was agonizing. Absolutely tiring. He’s not coming back until 1 month. Yet he’s already been gone for 2. You need to get your act together- right? Stupid hero work always taking so much time. What would he say if he saw you right now, staring into a void of darkness like something possessed you.. maybe, ‘the fuck?’ or ‘what are you doing?’ no no he’d say-
“Why are you awake at this hour, idiot?”
You snapped your head towards the door to see a bulky familiar figure. You’d know that voice anywhere. “Kats?”
He walked towards you, setting his bags down as he walked. “Surprise dumbass." He paused looking at your form, sleepy eyes and all. "Well, not anymore.” His tired eyes meet yours, a soft smile relaxing his face.
You shot up and towards him, holding him tightly against you. His rough arms embracing your figure, a loud exhale from both of you. “I missed you…” you mumbled against his chest as you listen to his heartbeat.
“Missed you more..” He kissed your head to your cheek, then placed one to your lips. “Told you I wouldn’t be long, hm?” A gleam in his eyes as he stares down at you.
"Of course, I just couldn't wait..." you mumble more, legs intertwined under the sheets, the fuzz on his legs a familiar feeling against yours. Feeling at home, at peace, like you could finally fall asleep with him with you.
"I always keep my promise baby..." Katsuki looks down at you, pure adoration and love seeping through onto you. Like he was made just for you.
Alhaitham x reader
Summary — Alhaitham has never been one for social interactions - in fact, neither of you knew each other in the first place. His pride never allowed anyone to befriend him fully. Until you decide to confess your love to him bluntly one morning, ultimately changing his perspective about you.
TW : angst-comfort, unrequited love, strangers to enemies to lovers, smut, aged-up characters
word count : 2.8k
pt. 5 - "I'm sorry."
pt. one | pt. two | pt. three | pt. four
"I'm sorry."
The abrupt confession silences the air around the both of you. You under Alhaitham and all his glory, and glory being him shirtless --rippled abs and muscular forearms. The gem of his glowing, almost asking you to stay. And my, did it take all of you, mind and body, to have said what you did.
"I'm sorry but I just can't-" you say again, making it loud and clear that whatever you were about to do with him, you just can't. And it's not like you didn't want him. Oh, to the Gods, you did. All the fooling around you've done with him has been fun, but it had been nagging at you.
Alhaitham, on the other hand, looked confused - inwardly. On the outside, he seemed as cool as can be, just a raise of an eyebrow of interest.
"Oh? Why's that." He said plainly, getting ready to get off of you and perhaps put his shirt back on. "Did I do something to upset you?"
The whole thing had given you a headache already. You wonder why you let it get this far. Why you let your emotions and lust get ahead of who you actually are. A rational and successful adult who needs to think like one.
Not a horny college student.
You sigh deeply as you sit up, biting your lip slightly while he gets his shirt on; almost wishing you hadn't ruined the moment.
"We shouldn't have done any of... this." Motioning with your hand the both of you. Alhaitham raised his eyebrow once again at you, crossing his arms almost defensively.
"And what do you mean by... 'this'." Bored. That was his tone.
The question took you back a bit. '"this"? Did he mean...'
"Do you not think we have a thing going on?" You questioned quickly, knowing you should've thought it through. But you couldn't help it. The thought itched your head in a place you couldn't get out. Because if he didn't think you two have something - anything - then why was he doing all this?
Alhaitham sighed deeply, almost as if he was getting annoyed. Almost like it was obvious what his answer was and you were playing stupid. "Why would that be the case? Did I explicitly say that?" He questioned, and it was a valid question. An obvious answer. You two hadn't put labels on anything. Nothing whatsoever.
It was almost like a dumbbell dropped on your gut, a deeply wretched feeling stirred in you. 'oh.'
"Right. How silly of me." You looked down at the floor for a second to give yourself time to think. "How silly of me since, well, we've been doing quite a bit more than just what we usually have done." Anger flashed brightly like an alert sign in your head. As if to tell you to stop now, that this wasn't worth it.
"Like maybe the kissing, we've done a lot of that." You start, standing up, running your fingers through your hair anxiously. Your voice getting more prominent. Loud.
"Or, or maybe it was the under-skirt activities- if you remember those, of course."
"Listen-" Alhaitham started, but no. You weren't even letting him have a single second. It wasn't fair in your eyes.
"No, no you listen. You have been treating me as if I was something more. Like I mattered." Heaving you get closer to him. A fire in your eyes.
"Helping me when I'm sick, watching me with other men, pinning me up, kissing me, touching me." Closer to his face your lips begin to tremble. As if you've finally lost it; the fire watered out.
"And, here I was. Giving in because I thought the Stoic Sumeru Scholar wasn't half as bad as they've said. That the whispers and claims of heartlessness were just a facade." Tears slip just a second before you quickly wipe them. You could've sworn you saw the downturn of his lips, but all that was there was a stilled face Alhaitham.
"Hm? Is it?" Questioning him with a hope shining just under the surface. Because you had realized you were in love with the stupid scholar.
Silence hung in the air as Alhaitham stares down at your heart-opened form. Eyes darting from both of your eyes as if searching for the truth; if you are the truth.
He opens his lips, then suddenly furrowing his brows. Debating. Asking. Hesitating.
"...I have nothing to say." Alhaitham says lowly, eyes shifting to another place. Avoiding.
You scoff as if his ignorance was almost blissful to himself.
"Yeah?" You mock a bit, raising your hands to his face for his eyes to look at you. You wanted him to be truthful, and honest. Like the scholar always seeks out in his job and studies. "Then look at me and tell me that it didn't mean anything to you. That it was all lust to you, that I didn't mean something to you, Alhaitham."
You stare into his teal eyes, almost like they're brimming with adoration. Until they're not.
"It didn't mean anything to me." Blunt, to the point. But he couldn't stop.
"It was all lust," He takes your hands off his face abruptly. His face was clearly agitated.
"You, out of all people," He gets closer to you, causing you to back up quickly.
"Piss me off to no end. Cause you can never just enjoy things. There always has to be a deeper meaning." He scoffs and picks up his jacket. "When maybe all people want is some attention for a night." He walks out the door, slamming it.
And maybe that should've been the end.
Vacations were supposed to be relaxing, soul-seeking, and well, full of fun. From sightseeing to drinking and food enjoying to activities brimming. Everything everyone came for. Except what's a little vacation without some good old friendship fighting?
That's exactly what Kaveh noticed when Alhaitham and you sat widely apart from each other during dinner. Cautious glances, no conversations. Except from everyone but the two of you.
It was a nice little place as well, popular enough to know the food, drinks, and services were good but also not popular enough for it to be too expensive or crowded. Angel's Share was the name.
There was Alhaitham, still the tight-lipped and nonchalant type. But this time, it was like there was a bit of shame hanging from his shoulders. I mean he was actually drinking this time, and he hardly ever does that. Plus his usual small talk was even smaller tonight.
Then there was you, hammered already and dinner only started 45 minutes ago. Not even paying attention to when Candance or Dehya was trying to put water in your line of view. And speaking nonsense any time they asked what the fuck was going on with you.
It didn't take a genius to put one and two together.
"I'm pretty sure they got into a fight." Tighnari said lowly to Kaveh. Tighnari had been fighting for his life next to you, trying to be as kind and patient with you as possible, but it was slowly but surely slipping.
"No shit, I'd be surprised if the both of them weren't hooking up already." Cyno suddenly blurts out, already over how the two of you were acting. Kaveh coughs up his drink a bit, catching him off guard. Dehya snickers at the conversation from the side as Layla was mumbling Alhaitham's ears off from the side.
You suddenly put your head on Tighnari's shoulders, humming slightly. "Are you always this warm because you're like a fox thing?" You ask, genuinely interested in his species. Kaveh laughed a little at the question. Tighnari on the other hand heated up more from the close proximity.
That was the start of the two of you discussing his species and how he came to Sumeru. It was a genuine conversation, even with you very drunk and slumped on his shoulder. Then the Bartender came around again, and oh boy did you have something to say.
"Sir, sir what's your name?" you suddenly lifted yourself up from Tighnari's shoulder, blinking at the redhead.
"Diluc, would you guys like some water?" he asked, trying to be polite as he sightly laughed at your form.
"Yes please, thank you sir." Kaveh said quickly.
"Oh! Could I also have something else!" You quickly said, leaning in towards the redhead. Alhaitham quickly glanced and narrowed his eyes at your actions. 'What the hell is this idiot doing this time? Can she be any more of a drunk?'
Diluc bent down to where you sat, amusement set in his eyes, "And what would you like young lady?"
"Your number, actually." You smirked, clearly trying to seem flirtatious but very much failing. Cyno actually laughed and tried to cover it with a cough, while Dehya shot him a look. Candace shaking her head and Tighnari almost looking... disappointed?
Alhaitham, well... He looked baffled. Almost hurt, as if he hadn't been a total dick to you a few hours ago.
Diluc on the other hand went a shade red as he clears his throat. "How about I go get you some water and I'll answer that after you drink a few glasses." He blushes a little before leaving to get the water.
You close your eyes and smile, crossing your arms on the table and laying your head in them. "He's so pretty.." you mumble, thinking about the stoic bartender. Candace's eyes soften at your little moment, while Dehya laughs at how oblivious you are.
Oblivious to how drunk you are, clearly going to puke any moment from how much alcohol you've consumed. Oblivious to Tighnari, who looked like a wounded puppy. Oblivious to what all Kaveh knew about Alhaitham and you. Obvilvious to what all of you knew at this point about the two of you.
And especially oblivious to how Alhaitham looked like he wanted to strangle the redhead for even entertaining your ideas.
After a few glasses of water and a sober attitude, it was time to head back to the hotel you were all staying at. Needless to say, it had been an eventful dinner and night. Perhaps even an eventful day.
Hours have passed by with laughter and banter, the night was coming to an end. But at last, the night was young, and so were you.
"I'll catch up with you guys, I got to handle something here real quick." You said outside of Angel Shares, clearly sober enough to get home.
"Are you sure? We can wait for you if you want?" Candace asks hesitantly. Dehya smirks a little at you.
"We don't mind, I promise." Cyno says.
"Well.... maybe I could nap on the bench over there..." Layla says slowly and tiredly, clearly just about to doze off where she's standing. Alhaitham helps her stand in place, hand on her shoulders.
Your eyes twitch a little watching. "Yeah it's fine, you guys can go. Mondstat is one of the safest places. I'll send a text if I need anything." You smile at them, trying to come off as sober as ever. "Now go, you guys look tired."
Each of them said their goodbyes (except the little shithead Alhaitham) and left.
While you went back in.
You go straight to the counter, sitting down and slightly leaning in. Looking at the redhead's back as he busies himself. You take a breath of courage before talking.
"Hey, Diluc was it?" Heart beating loudly. You were never this nervous with Alhaitham, nor any other guy you liked. But then again, they didn't just see you goofy drunk with your friends.
He had turned around, leaning towards you a bit. "Yeah, it is, and yours?" Diluc comes off as friendly, cheeky, and a bit hesitant. You liked it and told him your name. Your name rolling off his tongue sounded like a friendly bee buzzing around you. You liked it, again.
"I just wanted to say sorry about earlier, usually I don't drink that much... I guess I was just having a rough day." You smiled a bit embarrassed at the confession. But it was true, you weren't normally like this. After Alhaitham had basically admitted to just playing with you for months, you couldn't help but take the edge off a bit.
And maybe that wasn't a bad idea.
Diluc laughs a little at your apology, "No need to be sorry, I see it a lot here. Besides, I found it cute when you asked for my number." He leaned in closer, a cheeky smile on his face, "Very bold."
Heat rushes to your face at his words. "Yeah, I hope you know I don't go asking any cute bartender for their numbers when I'm drunk... If that helps with anything." you laughed a bit, biting your lip. Enticing him, inviting him. Diluc chuckles a bit, looking at your lips. Intrigued by your teasing.
"It helps with a lot actually, since I was about to give you my number. If you still want it, that is." He gets out his business card, his personal number already written in cursive on it. Your heart jumps a little.
You think about Alhaitham for a second. How much you wanted him yet he gave barely any indication he wanted you. Not in a lustful way but in an intimate way...
That's when you grabbed the card and stood up. Smiling up at the handsome redhead. "Of course, just because I'm sober doesn't make you any less pretty."
Diluc blushes a bit as you lean over the counter, getting closer. "And I wouldn't mind seeing more of you." You whisper as you give him a kiss on the corner of his mouth, lipstick marking his red hot face.
You turn around and walk towards the door, "Wait, let me walk you home." He touches where you kissed him, a bit dazed getting his jacket to leave.
He walks you towards your hotel, talking the whole way. About where you are from, your goals, and your aspirations. Studies, friends, and family. And it felt nice. Nice to know someone actually wanted to know every detail about you. To feel wanted, and cared about. Even if it was only just for tonight, and Diluc could forget about you the next day.
But maybe it was worth it, just for a night.
"Really? You have any siblings?"
The air suddenly gets thin.
"It's, uh, complicated you could say." You said, rubbing your arms as a way to comfort yourself. It wasn't bad nor good, a common middle ground of too complicated but not complicated enough to complain. Ah yes, the luxury of family.
"Yeah? I get that. More than you think actually." Diluc looks at the ground, hands in his pockets. A tinge of bitterness in his voice.
"I think that no matter what happens with one's own family, you can always make a better one in life." You smile slightly, holding his arm. "Whether it be friends or whoever you share the rest of your life with... There's always something you can make better."
Maybe you were just blabbering on at this point, but it was almost like Diluc had fallen in love on the spot. He took his hand out of his pocket and suddenly held your hand tightly. "Thank you."
You smile and squeeze his hand. Looking at his smile and swinging interlocked hands. Knowing everything will be fine, for both of you.
Finally, at your hotel, he walks you to your room. Standing in front of it, ready to say goodbye. Even if the warm feeling in your chest wouldn't go away even after this trip, it would all be worth it in your eyes.
"Thank you for walking me home... It was sweet and nice. Better than other companies."
Diluc chucked a little while still holding your hand, "No need to thank me, it was the least I could do for making your friends leave without you." You smile up at his dark red eyes. He was sweet, thoughtful, and a little stoic at times but still sweet.
You liked that.
"I'll be here for another week or two so we should definitely hang out more." You offer, almost asking him out. Key word, almost.
"Yeah, I'd like that a lot... Thank you for the conversation, also. I haven't had one like that in years." He leaned in, licking his lips a little.
"Me too, actually." You whispered getting close to him.
You wanted to kiss him. No, you want to kiss him. He's sweet, charming, and understanding. You want to kiss him and be around him and possibly even sleep with him. Maybe you're getting ahead of yourself, but you most definitely want to kiss him. Until you heard the annoying voice of an asshole.
"Hope I'm not interrupting something."
'This stupid fucking oaf.'
pt. six here | "I'm in love with you!" Series M!list
notes : hello Hunnies, I've come bearing gifts! I honestly don't know whether or not to let Diluc or Alhaitham have you, cause Alhaitha's such a dick in this, unfortunately. Let me know if I should redeem him or not honestly. Thank you all for the support, truly, love you all lots <3 remember to just dm or comment to be part of the tag list!
Alhaitham x reader
Summary — Alhaitham has never been one for social interactions - in fact, neither of you knew each other in the first place. His pride never allowed anyone to befriend him fully. Until you decide to confess your love to him bluntly one morning, ultimately changing his perspective about you.
TW : angst-comfort, unrequited love, strangers to enemies to lovers, smut, aged-up characters
word count : 2.8k
pt. 5 - "I'm sorry."
pt. one | pt. two | pt. three | pt. four
"I'm sorry."
The abrupt confession silences the air around the both of you. You under Alhaitham and all his glory, and glory being him shirtless --rippled abs and muscular forearms. The gem of his glowing, almost asking you to stay. And my, did it take all of you, mind and body, to have said what you did.
"I'm sorry but I just can't-" you say again, making it loud and clear that whatever you were about to do with him, you just can't. And it's not like you didn't want him. Oh, to the Gods, you did. All the fooling around you've done with him has been fun, but it had been nagging at you.
Alhaitham, on the other hand, looked confused - inwardly. On the outside, he seemed as cool as can be, just a raise of an eyebrow of interest.
"Oh? Why's that." He said plainly, getting ready to get off of you and perhaps put his shirt back on. "Did I do something to upset you?"
The whole thing had given you a headache already. You wonder why you let it get this far. Why you let your emotions and lust get ahead of who you actually are. A rational and successful adult who needs to think like one.
Not a horny college student.
You sigh deeply as you sit up, biting your lip slightly while he gets his shirt on; almost wishing you hadn't ruined the moment.
"We shouldn't have done any of... this." Motioning with your hand the both of you. Alhaitham raised his eyebrow once again at you, crossing his arms almost defensively.
"And what do you mean by... 'this'." Bored. That was his tone.
The question took you back a bit. '"this"? Did he mean...'
"Do you not think we have a thing going on?" You questioned quickly, knowing you should've thought it through. But you couldn't help it. The thought itched your head in a place you couldn't get out. Because if he didn't think you two have something - anything - then why was he doing all this?
Alhaitham sighed deeply, almost as if he was getting annoyed. Almost like it was obvious what his answer was and you were playing stupid. "Why would that be the case? Did I explicitly say that?" He questioned, and it was a valid question. An obvious answer. You two hadn't put labels on anything. Nothing whatsoever.
It was almost like a dumbbell dropped on your gut, a deeply wretched feeling stirred in you. 'oh.'
"Right. How silly of me." You looked down at the floor for a second to give yourself time to think. "How silly of me since, well, we've been doing quite a bit more than just what we usually have done." Anger flashed brightly like an alert sign in your head. As if to tell you to stop now, that this wasn't worth it.
"Like maybe the kissing, we've done a lot of that." You start, standing up, running your fingers through your hair anxiously. Your voice getting more prominent. Loud.
"Or, or maybe it was the under-skirt activities- if you remember those, of course."
"Listen-" Alhaitham started, but no. You weren't even letting him have a single second. It wasn't fair in your eyes.
"No, no you listen. You have been treating me as if I was something more. Like I mattered." Heaving you get closer to him. A fire in your eyes.
"Helping me when I'm sick, watching me with other men, pinning me up, kissing me, touching me." Closer to his face your lips begin to tremble. As if you've finally lost it; the fire watered out.
"And, here I was. Giving in because I thought the Stoic Sumeru Scholar wasn't half as bad as they've said. That the whispers and claims of heartlessness were just a facade." Tears slip just a second before you quickly wipe them. You could've sworn you saw the downturn of his lips, but all that was there was a stilled face Alhaitham.
"Hm? Is it?" Questioning him with a hope shining just under the surface. Because you had realized you were in love with the stupid scholar.
Silence hung in the air as Alhaitham stares down at your heart-opened form. Eyes darting from both of your eyes as if searching for the truth; if you are the truth.
He opens his lips, then suddenly furrowing his brows. Debating. Asking. Hesitating.
"...I have nothing to say." Alhaitham says lowly, eyes shifting to another place. Avoiding.
You scoff as if his ignorance was almost blissful to himself.
"Yeah?" You mock a bit, raising your hands to his face for his eyes to look at you. You wanted him to be truthful, and honest. Like the scholar always seeks out in his job and studies. "Then look at me and tell me that it didn't mean anything to you. That it was all lust to you, that I didn't mean something to you, Alhaitham."
You stare into his teal eyes, almost like they're brimming with adoration. Until they're not.
"It didn't mean anything to me." Blunt, to the point. But he couldn't stop.
"It was all lust," He takes your hands off his face abruptly. His face was clearly agitated.
"You, out of all people," He gets closer to you, causing you to back up quickly.
"Piss me off to no end. Cause you can never just enjoy things. There always has to be a deeper meaning." He scoffs and picks up his jacket. "When maybe all people want is some attention for a night." He walks out the door, slamming it.
And maybe that should've been the end.
Vacations were supposed to be relaxing, soul-seeking, and well, full of fun. From sightseeing to drinking and food enjoying to activities brimming. Everything everyone came for. Except what's a little vacation without some good old friendship fighting?
That's exactly what Kaveh noticed when Alhaitham and you sat widely apart from each other during dinner. Cautious glances, no conversations. Except from everyone but the two of you.
It was a nice little place as well, popular enough to know the food, drinks, and services were good but also not popular enough for it to be too expensive or crowded. Angel's Share was the name.
There was Alhaitham, still the tight-lipped and nonchalant type. But this time, it was like there was a bit of shame hanging from his shoulders. I mean he was actually drinking this time, and he hardly ever does that. Plus his usual small talk was even smaller tonight.
Then there was you, hammered already and dinner only started 45 minutes ago. Not even paying attention to when Candance or Dehya was trying to put water in your line of view. And speaking nonsense any time they asked what the fuck was going on with you.
It didn't take a genius to put one and two together.
"I'm pretty sure they got into a fight." Tighnari said lowly to Kaveh. Tighnari had been fighting for his life next to you, trying to be as kind and patient with you as possible, but it was slowly but surely slipping.
"No shit, I'd be surprised if the both of them weren't hooking up already." Cyno suddenly blurts out, already over how the two of you were acting. Kaveh coughs up his drink a bit, catching him off guard. Dehya snickers at the conversation from the side as Layla was mumbling Alhaitham's ears off from the side.
You suddenly put your head on Tighnari's shoulders, humming slightly. "Are you always this warm because you're like a fox thing?" You ask, genuinely interested in his species. Kaveh laughed a little at the question. Tighnari on the other hand heated up more from the close proximity.
That was the start of the two of you discussing his species and how he came to Sumeru. It was a genuine conversation, even with you very drunk and slumped on his shoulder. Then the Bartender came around again, and oh boy did you have something to say.
"Sir, sir what's your name?" you suddenly lifted yourself up from Tighnari's shoulder, blinking at the redhead.
"Diluc, would you guys like some water?" he asked, trying to be polite as he sightly laughed at your form.
"Yes please, thank you sir." Kaveh said quickly.
"Oh! Could I also have something else!" You quickly said, leaning in towards the redhead. Alhaitham quickly glanced and narrowed his eyes at your actions. 'What the hell is this idiot doing this time? Can she be any more of a drunk?'
Diluc bent down to where you sat, amusement set in his eyes, "And what would you like young lady?"
"Your number, actually." You smirked, clearly trying to seem flirtatious but very much failing. Cyno actually laughed and tried to cover it with a cough, while Dehya shot him a look. Candace shaking her head and Tighnari almost looking... disappointed?
Alhaitham, well... He looked baffled. Almost hurt, as if he hadn't been a total dick to you a few hours ago.
Diluc on the other hand went a shade red as he clears his throat. "How about I go get you some water and I'll answer that after you drink a few glasses." He blushes a little before leaving to get the water.
You close your eyes and smile, crossing your arms on the table and laying your head in them. "He's so pretty.." you mumble, thinking about the stoic bartender. Candace's eyes soften at your little moment, while Dehya laughs at how oblivious you are.
Oblivious to how drunk you are, clearly going to puke any moment from how much alcohol you've consumed. Oblivious to Tighnari, who looked like a wounded puppy. Oblivious to what all Kaveh knew about Alhaitham and you. Obvilvious to what all of you knew at this point about the two of you.
And especially oblivious to how Alhaitham looked like he wanted to strangle the redhead for even entertaining your ideas.
After a few glasses of water and a sober attitude, it was time to head back to the hotel you were all staying at. Needless to say, it had been an eventful dinner and night. Perhaps even an eventful day.
Hours have passed by with laughter and banter, the night was coming to an end. But at last, the night was young, and so were you.
"I'll catch up with you guys, I got to handle something here real quick." You said outside of Angel Shares, clearly sober enough to get home.
"Are you sure? We can wait for you if you want?" Candace asks hesitantly. Dehya smirks a little at you.
"We don't mind, I promise." Cyno says.
"Well.... maybe I could nap on the bench over there..." Layla says slowly and tiredly, clearly just about to doze off where she's standing. Alhaitham helps her stand in place, hand on her shoulders.
Your eyes twitch a little watching. "Yeah it's fine, you guys can go. Mondstat is one of the safest places. I'll send a text if I need anything." You smile at them, trying to come off as sober as ever. "Now go, you guys look tired."
Each of them said their goodbyes (except the little shithead Alhaitham) and left.
While you went back in.
You go straight to the counter, sitting down and slightly leaning in. Looking at the redhead's back as he busies himself. You take a breath of courage before talking.
"Hey, Diluc was it?" Heart beating loudly. You were never this nervous with Alhaitham, nor any other guy you liked. But then again, they didn't just see you goofy drunk with your friends.
He had turned around, leaning towards you a bit. "Yeah, it is, and yours?" Diluc comes off as friendly, cheeky, and a bit hesitant. You liked it and told him your name. Your name rolling off his tongue sounded like a friendly bee buzzing around you. You liked it, again.
"I just wanted to say sorry about earlier, usually I don't drink that much... I guess I was just having a rough day." You smiled a bit embarrassed at the confession. But it was true, you weren't normally like this. After Alhaitham had basically admitted to just playing with you for months, you couldn't help but take the edge off a bit.
And maybe that wasn't a bad idea.
Diluc laughs a little at your apology, "No need to be sorry, I see it a lot here. Besides, I found it cute when you asked for my number." He leaned in closer, a cheeky smile on his face, "Very bold."
Heat rushes to your face at his words. "Yeah, I hope you know I don't go asking any cute bartender for their numbers when I'm drunk... If that helps with anything." you laughed a bit, biting your lip. Enticing him, inviting him. Diluc chuckles a bit, looking at your lips. Intrigued by your teasing.
"It helps with a lot actually, since I was about to give you my number. If you still want it, that is." He gets out his business card, his personal number already written in cursive on it. Your heart jumps a little.
You think about Alhaitham for a second. How much you wanted him yet he gave barely any indication he wanted you. Not in a lustful way but in an intimate way...
That's when you grabbed the card and stood up. Smiling up at the handsome redhead. "Of course, just because I'm sober doesn't make you any less pretty."
Diluc blushes a bit as you lean over the counter, getting closer. "And I wouldn't mind seeing more of you." You whisper as you give him a kiss on the corner of his mouth, lipstick marking his red hot face.
You turn around and walk towards the door, "Wait, let me walk you home." He touches where you kissed him, a bit dazed getting his jacket to leave.
He walks you towards your hotel, talking the whole way. About where you are from, your goals, and your aspirations. Studies, friends, and family. And it felt nice. Nice to know someone actually wanted to know every detail about you. To feel wanted, and cared about. Even if it was only just for tonight, and Diluc could forget about you the next day.
But maybe it was worth it, just for a night.
"Really? You have any siblings?"
The air suddenly gets thin.
"It's, uh, complicated you could say." You said, rubbing your arms as a way to comfort yourself. It wasn't bad nor good, a common middle ground of too complicated but not complicated enough to complain. Ah yes, the luxury of family.
"Yeah? I get that. More than you think actually." Diluc looks at the ground, hands in his pockets. A tinge of bitterness in his voice.
"I think that no matter what happens with one's own family, you can always make a better one in life." You smile slightly, holding his arm. "Whether it be friends or whoever you share the rest of your life with... There's always something you can make better."
Maybe you were just blabbering on at this point, but it was almost like Diluc had fallen in love on the spot. He took his hand out of his pocket and suddenly held your hand tightly. "Thank you."
You smile and squeeze his hand. Looking at his smile and swinging interlocked hands. Knowing everything will be fine, for both of you.
Finally, at your hotel, he walks you to your room. Standing in front of it, ready to say goodbye. Even if the warm feeling in your chest wouldn't go away even after this trip, it would all be worth it in your eyes.
"Thank you for walking me home... It was sweet and nice. Better than other companies."
Diluc chucked a little while still holding your hand, "No need to thank me, it was the least I could do for making your friends leave without you." You smile up at his dark red eyes. He was sweet, thoughtful, and a little stoic at times but still sweet.
You liked that.
"I'll be here for another week or two so we should definitely hang out more." You offer, almost asking him out. Key word, almost.
"Yeah, I'd like that a lot... Thank you for the conversation, also. I haven't had one like that in years." He leaned in, licking his lips a little.
"Me too, actually." You whispered getting close to him.
You wanted to kiss him. No, you want to kiss him. He's sweet, charming, and understanding. You want to kiss him and be around him and possibly even sleep with him. Maybe you're getting ahead of yourself, but you most definitely want to kiss him. Until you heard the annoying voice of an asshole.
"Hope I'm not interrupting something."
'This stupid fucking oaf.'
pt. six here | "I'm in love with you!" Series M!list
notes : hello Hunnies, I've come bearing gifts! I honestly don't know whether or not to let Diluc or Alhaitham have you, cause Alhaitha's such a dick in this, unfortunately. Let me know if I should redeem him or not honestly. Thank you all for the support, truly, love you all lots <3 remember to just dm or comment to be part of the tag list!
Alhaitham x reader
Summary — Alhaitham has never been one for social interactions - in fact, neither of you knew each other in the first place. His pride never allowed anyone to befriend him fully. Until you decide to confess your love to him bluntly one morning, ultimately changing his perspective about you.
TW : angst-comfort, unrequited love, strangers to enemies to lovers, smut, aged-up characters
word count : 2.8k
pt. 5 - "I'm sorry."
pt. one | pt. two | pt. three | pt. four
"I'm sorry."
The abrupt confession silences the air around the both of you. You under Alhaitham and all his glory, and glory being him shirtless --rippled abs and muscular forearms. The gem of his glowing, almost asking you to stay. And my, did it take all of you, mind and body, to have said what you did.
"I'm sorry but I just can't-" you say again, making it loud and clear that whatever you were about to do with him, you just can't. And it's not like you didn't want him. Oh, to the Gods, you did. All the fooling around you've done with him has been fun, but it had been nagging at you.
Alhaitham, on the other hand, looked confused - inwardly. On the outside, he seemed as cool as can be, just a raise of an eyebrow of interest.
"Oh? Why's that." He said plainly, getting ready to get off of you and perhaps put his shirt back on. "Did I do something to upset you?"
The whole thing had given you a headache already. You wonder why you let it get this far. Why you let your emotions and lust get ahead of who you actually are. A rational and successful adult who needs to think like one.
Not a horny college student.
You sigh deeply as you sit up, biting your lip slightly while he gets his shirt on; almost wishing you hadn't ruined the moment.
"We shouldn't have done any of... this." Motioning with your hand the both of you. Alhaitham raised his eyebrow once again at you, crossing his arms almost defensively.
"And what do you mean by... 'this'." Bored. That was his tone.
The question took you back a bit. '"this"? Did he mean...'
"Do you not think we have a thing going on?" You questioned quickly, knowing you should've thought it through. But you couldn't help it. The thought itched your head in a place you couldn't get out. Because if he didn't think you two have something - anything - then why was he doing all this?
Alhaitham sighed deeply, almost as if he was getting annoyed. Almost like it was obvious what his answer was and you were playing stupid. "Why would that be the case? Did I explicitly say that?" He questioned, and it was a valid question. An obvious answer. You two hadn't put labels on anything. Nothing whatsoever.
It was almost like a dumbbell dropped on your gut, a deeply wretched feeling stirred in you. 'oh.'
"Right. How silly of me." You looked down at the floor for a second to give yourself time to think. "How silly of me since, well, we've been doing quite a bit more than just what we usually have done." Anger flashed brightly like an alert sign in your head. As if to tell you to stop now, that this wasn't worth it.
"Like maybe the kissing, we've done a lot of that." You start, standing up, running your fingers through your hair anxiously. Your voice getting more prominent. Loud.
"Or, or maybe it was the under-skirt activities- if you remember those, of course."
"Listen-" Alhaitham started, but no. You weren't even letting him have a single second. It wasn't fair in your eyes.
"No, no you listen. You have been treating me as if I was something more. Like I mattered." Heaving you get closer to him. A fire in your eyes.
"Helping me when I'm sick, watching me with other men, pinning me up, kissing me, touching me." Closer to his face your lips begin to tremble. As if you've finally lost it; the fire watered out.
"And, here I was. Giving in because I thought the Stoic Sumeru Scholar wasn't half as bad as they've said. That the whispers and claims of heartlessness were just a facade." Tears slip just a second before you quickly wipe them. You could've sworn you saw the downturn of his lips, but all that was there was a stilled face Alhaitham.
"Hm? Is it?" Questioning him with a hope shining just under the surface. Because you had realized you were in love with the stupid scholar.
Silence hung in the air as Alhaitham stares down at your heart-opened form. Eyes darting from both of your eyes as if searching for the truth; if you are the truth.
He opens his lips, then suddenly furrowing his brows. Debating. Asking. Hesitating.
"...I have nothing to say." Alhaitham says lowly, eyes shifting to another place. Avoiding.
You scoff as if his ignorance was almost blissful to himself.
"Yeah?" You mock a bit, raising your hands to his face for his eyes to look at you. You wanted him to be truthful, and honest. Like the scholar always seeks out in his job and studies. "Then look at me and tell me that it didn't mean anything to you. That it was all lust to you, that I didn't mean something to you, Alhaitham."
You stare into his teal eyes, almost like they're brimming with adoration. Until they're not.
"It didn't mean anything to me." Blunt, to the point. But he couldn't stop.
"It was all lust," He takes your hands off his face abruptly. His face was clearly agitated.
"You, out of all people," He gets closer to you, causing you to back up quickly.
"Piss me off to no end. Cause you can never just enjoy things. There always has to be a deeper meaning." He scoffs and picks up his jacket. "When maybe all people want is some attention for a night." He walks out the door, slamming it.
And maybe that should've been the end.
Vacations were supposed to be relaxing, soul-seeking, and well, full of fun. From sightseeing to drinking and food enjoying to activities brimming. Everything everyone came for. Except what's a little vacation without some good old friendship fighting?
That's exactly what Kaveh noticed when Alhaitham and you sat widely apart from each other during dinner. Cautious glances, no conversations. Except from everyone but the two of you.
It was a nice little place as well, popular enough to know the food, drinks, and services were good but also not popular enough for it to be too expensive or crowded. Angel's Share was the name.
There was Alhaitham, still the tight-lipped and nonchalant type. But this time, it was like there was a bit of shame hanging from his shoulders. I mean he was actually drinking this time, and he hardly ever does that. Plus his usual small talk was even smaller tonight.
Then there was you, hammered already and dinner only started 45 minutes ago. Not even paying attention to when Candance or Dehya was trying to put water in your line of view. And speaking nonsense any time they asked what the fuck was going on with you.
It didn't take a genius to put one and two together.
"I'm pretty sure they got into a fight." Tighnari said lowly to Kaveh. Tighnari had been fighting for his life next to you, trying to be as kind and patient with you as possible, but it was slowly but surely slipping.
"No shit, I'd be surprised if the both of them weren't hooking up already." Cyno suddenly blurts out, already over how the two of you were acting. Kaveh coughs up his drink a bit, catching him off guard. Dehya snickers at the conversation from the side as Layla was mumbling Alhaitham's ears off from the side.
You suddenly put your head on Tighnari's shoulders, humming slightly. "Are you always this warm because you're like a fox thing?" You ask, genuinely interested in his species. Kaveh laughed a little at the question. Tighnari on the other hand heated up more from the close proximity.
That was the start of the two of you discussing his species and how he came to Sumeru. It was a genuine conversation, even with you very drunk and slumped on his shoulder. Then the Bartender came around again, and oh boy did you have something to say.
"Sir, sir what's your name?" you suddenly lifted yourself up from Tighnari's shoulder, blinking at the redhead.
"Diluc, would you guys like some water?" he asked, trying to be polite as he sightly laughed at your form.
"Yes please, thank you sir." Kaveh said quickly.
"Oh! Could I also have something else!" You quickly said, leaning in towards the redhead. Alhaitham quickly glanced and narrowed his eyes at your actions. 'What the hell is this idiot doing this time? Can she be any more of a drunk?'
Diluc bent down to where you sat, amusement set in his eyes, "And what would you like young lady?"
"Your number, actually." You smirked, clearly trying to seem flirtatious but very much failing. Cyno actually laughed and tried to cover it with a cough, while Dehya shot him a look. Candace shaking her head and Tighnari almost looking... disappointed?
Alhaitham, well... He looked baffled. Almost hurt, as if he hadn't been a total dick to you a few hours ago.
Diluc on the other hand went a shade red as he clears his throat. "How about I go get you some water and I'll answer that after you drink a few glasses." He blushes a little before leaving to get the water.
You close your eyes and smile, crossing your arms on the table and laying your head in them. "He's so pretty.." you mumble, thinking about the stoic bartender. Candace's eyes soften at your little moment, while Dehya laughs at how oblivious you are.
Oblivious to how drunk you are, clearly going to puke any moment from how much alcohol you've consumed. Oblivious to Tighnari, who looked like a wounded puppy. Oblivious to what all Kaveh knew about Alhaitham and you. Obvilvious to what all of you knew at this point about the two of you.
And especially oblivious to how Alhaitham looked like he wanted to strangle the redhead for even entertaining your ideas.
After a few glasses of water and a sober attitude, it was time to head back to the hotel you were all staying at. Needless to say, it had been an eventful dinner and night. Perhaps even an eventful day.
Hours have passed by with laughter and banter, the night was coming to an end. But at last, the night was young, and so were you.
"I'll catch up with you guys, I got to handle something here real quick." You said outside of Angel Shares, clearly sober enough to get home.
"Are you sure? We can wait for you if you want?" Candace asks hesitantly. Dehya smirks a little at you.
"We don't mind, I promise." Cyno says.
"Well.... maybe I could nap on the bench over there..." Layla says slowly and tiredly, clearly just about to doze off where she's standing. Alhaitham helps her stand in place, hand on her shoulders.
Your eyes twitch a little watching. "Yeah it's fine, you guys can go. Mondstat is one of the safest places. I'll send a text if I need anything." You smile at them, trying to come off as sober as ever. "Now go, you guys look tired."
Each of them said their goodbyes (except the little shithead Alhaitham) and left.
While you went back in.
You go straight to the counter, sitting down and slightly leaning in. Looking at the redhead's back as he busies himself. You take a breath of courage before talking.
"Hey, Diluc was it?" Heart beating loudly. You were never this nervous with Alhaitham, nor any other guy you liked. But then again, they didn't just see you goofy drunk with your friends.
He had turned around, leaning towards you a bit. "Yeah, it is, and yours?" Diluc comes off as friendly, cheeky, and a bit hesitant. You liked it and told him your name. Your name rolling off his tongue sounded like a friendly bee buzzing around you. You liked it, again.
"I just wanted to say sorry about earlier, usually I don't drink that much... I guess I was just having a rough day." You smiled a bit embarrassed at the confession. But it was true, you weren't normally like this. After Alhaitham had basically admitted to just playing with you for months, you couldn't help but take the edge off a bit.
And maybe that wasn't a bad idea.
Diluc laughs a little at your apology, "No need to be sorry, I see it a lot here. Besides, I found it cute when you asked for my number." He leaned in closer, a cheeky smile on his face, "Very bold."
Heat rushes to your face at his words. "Yeah, I hope you know I don't go asking any cute bartender for their numbers when I'm drunk... If that helps with anything." you laughed a bit, biting your lip. Enticing him, inviting him. Diluc chuckles a bit, looking at your lips. Intrigued by your teasing.
"It helps with a lot actually, since I was about to give you my number. If you still want it, that is." He gets out his business card, his personal number already written in cursive on it. Your heart jumps a little.
You think about Alhaitham for a second. How much you wanted him yet he gave barely any indication he wanted you. Not in a lustful way but in an intimate way...
That's when you grabbed the card and stood up. Smiling up at the handsome redhead. "Of course, just because I'm sober doesn't make you any less pretty."
Diluc blushes a bit as you lean over the counter, getting closer. "And I wouldn't mind seeing more of you." You whisper as you give him a kiss on the corner of his mouth, lipstick marking his red hot face.
You turn around and walk towards the door, "Wait, let me walk you home." He touches where you kissed him, a bit dazed getting his jacket to leave.
He walks you towards your hotel, talking the whole way. About where you are from, your goals, and your aspirations. Studies, friends, and family. And it felt nice. Nice to know someone actually wanted to know every detail about you. To feel wanted, and cared about. Even if it was only just for tonight, and Diluc could forget about you the next day.
But maybe it was worth it, just for a night.
"Really? You have any siblings?"
The air suddenly gets thin.
"It's, uh, complicated you could say." You said, rubbing your arms as a way to comfort yourself. It wasn't bad nor good, a common middle ground of too complicated but not complicated enough to complain. Ah yes, the luxury of family.
"Yeah? I get that. More than you think actually." Diluc looks at the ground, hands in his pockets. A tinge of bitterness in his voice.
"I think that no matter what happens with one's own family, you can always make a better one in life." You smile slightly, holding his arm. "Whether it be friends or whoever you share the rest of your life with... There's always something you can make better."
Maybe you were just blabbering on at this point, but it was almost like Diluc had fallen in love on the spot. He took his hand out of his pocket and suddenly held your hand tightly. "Thank you."
You smile and squeeze his hand. Looking at his smile and swinging interlocked hands. Knowing everything will be fine, for both of you.
Finally, at your hotel, he walks you to your room. Standing in front of it, ready to say goodbye. Even if the warm feeling in your chest wouldn't go away even after this trip, it would all be worth it in your eyes.
"Thank you for walking me home... It was sweet and nice. Better than other companies."
Diluc chucked a little while still holding your hand, "No need to thank me, it was the least I could do for making your friends leave without you." You smile up at his dark red eyes. He was sweet, thoughtful, and a little stoic at times but still sweet.
You liked that.
"I'll be here for another week or two so we should definitely hang out more." You offer, almost asking him out. Key word, almost.
"Yeah, I'd like that a lot... Thank you for the conversation, also. I haven't had one like that in years." He leaned in, licking his lips a little.
"Me too, actually." You whispered getting close to him.
You wanted to kiss him. No, you want to kiss him. He's sweet, charming, and understanding. You want to kiss him and be around him and possibly even sleep with him. Maybe you're getting ahead of yourself, but you most definitely want to kiss him. Until you heard the annoying voice of an asshole.
"Hope I'm not interrupting something."
'This stupid fucking oaf.'
pt. six here | "I'm in love with you!" Series M!list
notes : hello Hunnies, I've come bearing gifts! I honestly don't know whether or not to let Diluc or Alhaitham have you, cause Alhaitha's such a dick in this, unfortunately. Let me know if I should redeem him or not honestly. Thank you all for the support, truly, love you all lots <3 remember to just dm or comment to be part of the tag list!
Alhaitham x reader
Summary — Alhaitham has never been one for social interactions - in fact, neither of you knew each other in the first place. His pride never allowed anyone to befriend him fully. Until you decide to confess your love to him bluntly one morning, ultimately changing his perspective about you.
TW : angst-comfort, unrequited love, strangers to enemies to lovers, smut, aged-up characters
word count : 2.8k
pt. 5 - "I'm sorry."
pt. one | pt. two | pt. three | pt. four
"I'm sorry."
The abrupt confession silences the air around the both of you. You under Alhaitham and all his glory, and glory being him shirtless --rippled abs and muscular forearms. The gem of his glowing, almost asking you to stay. And my, did it take all of you, mind and body, to have said what you did.
"I'm sorry but I just can't-" you say again, making it loud and clear that whatever you were about to do with him, you just can't. And it's not like you didn't want him. Oh, to the Gods, you did. All the fooling around you've done with him has been fun, but it had been nagging at you.
Alhaitham, on the other hand, looked confused - inwardly. On the outside, he seemed as cool as can be, just a raise of an eyebrow of interest.
"Oh? Why's that." He said plainly, getting ready to get off of you and perhaps put his shirt back on. "Did I do something to upset you?"
The whole thing had given you a headache already. You wonder why you let it get this far. Why you let your emotions and lust get ahead of who you actually are. A rational and successful adult who needs to think like one.
Not a horny college student.
You sigh deeply as you sit up, biting your lip slightly while he gets his shirt on; almost wishing you hadn't ruined the moment.
"We shouldn't have done any of... this." Motioning with your hand the both of you. Alhaitham raised his eyebrow once again at you, crossing his arms almost defensively.
"And what do you mean by... 'this'." Bored. That was his tone.
The question took you back a bit. '"this"? Did he mean...'
"Do you not think we have a thing going on?" You questioned quickly, knowing you should've thought it through. But you couldn't help it. The thought itched your head in a place you couldn't get out. Because if he didn't think you two have something - anything - then why was he doing all this?
Alhaitham sighed deeply, almost as if he was getting annoyed. Almost like it was obvious what his answer was and you were playing stupid. "Why would that be the case? Did I explicitly say that?" He questioned, and it was a valid question. An obvious answer. You two hadn't put labels on anything. Nothing whatsoever.
It was almost like a dumbbell dropped on your gut, a deeply wretched feeling stirred in you. 'oh.'
"Right. How silly of me." You looked down at the floor for a second to give yourself time to think. "How silly of me since, well, we've been doing quite a bit more than just what we usually have done." Anger flashed brightly like an alert sign in your head. As if to tell you to stop now, that this wasn't worth it.
"Like maybe the kissing, we've done a lot of that." You start, standing up, running your fingers through your hair anxiously. Your voice getting more prominent. Loud.
"Or, or maybe it was the under-skirt activities- if you remember those, of course."
"Listen-" Alhaitham started, but no. You weren't even letting him have a single second. It wasn't fair in your eyes.
"No, no you listen. You have been treating me as if I was something more. Like I mattered." Heaving you get closer to him. A fire in your eyes.
"Helping me when I'm sick, watching me with other men, pinning me up, kissing me, touching me." Closer to his face your lips begin to tremble. As if you've finally lost it; the fire watered out.
"And, here I was. Giving in because I thought the Stoic Sumeru Scholar wasn't half as bad as they've said. That the whispers and claims of heartlessness were just a facade." Tears slip just a second before you quickly wipe them. You could've sworn you saw the downturn of his lips, but all that was there was a stilled face Alhaitham.
"Hm? Is it?" Questioning him with a hope shining just under the surface. Because you had realized you were in love with the stupid scholar.
Silence hung in the air as Alhaitham stares down at your heart-opened form. Eyes darting from both of your eyes as if searching for the truth; if you are the truth.
He opens his lips, then suddenly furrowing his brows. Debating. Asking. Hesitating.
"...I have nothing to say." Alhaitham says lowly, eyes shifting to another place. Avoiding.
You scoff as if his ignorance was almost blissful to himself.
"Yeah?" You mock a bit, raising your hands to his face for his eyes to look at you. You wanted him to be truthful, and honest. Like the scholar always seeks out in his job and studies. "Then look at me and tell me that it didn't mean anything to you. That it was all lust to you, that I didn't mean something to you, Alhaitham."
You stare into his teal eyes, almost like they're brimming with adoration. Until they're not.
"It didn't mean anything to me." Blunt, to the point. But he couldn't stop.
"It was all lust," He takes your hands off his face abruptly. His face was clearly agitated.
"You, out of all people," He gets closer to you, causing you to back up quickly.
"Piss me off to no end. Cause you can never just enjoy things. There always has to be a deeper meaning." He scoffs and picks up his jacket. "When maybe all people want is some attention for a night." He walks out the door, slamming it.
And maybe that should've been the end.
Vacations were supposed to be relaxing, soul-seeking, and well, full of fun. From sightseeing to drinking and food enjoying to activities brimming. Everything everyone came for. Except what's a little vacation without some good old friendship fighting?
That's exactly what Kaveh noticed when Alhaitham and you sat widely apart from each other during dinner. Cautious glances, no conversations. Except from everyone but the two of you.
It was a nice little place as well, popular enough to know the food, drinks, and services were good but also not popular enough for it to be too expensive or crowded. Angel's Share was the name.
There was Alhaitham, still the tight-lipped and nonchalant type. But this time, it was like there was a bit of shame hanging from his shoulders. I mean he was actually drinking this time, and he hardly ever does that. Plus his usual small talk was even smaller tonight.
Then there was you, hammered already and dinner only started 45 minutes ago. Not even paying attention to when Candance or Dehya was trying to put water in your line of view. And speaking nonsense any time they asked what the fuck was going on with you.
It didn't take a genius to put one and two together.
"I'm pretty sure they got into a fight." Tighnari said lowly to Kaveh. Tighnari had been fighting for his life next to you, trying to be as kind and patient with you as possible, but it was slowly but surely slipping.
"No shit, I'd be surprised if the both of them weren't hooking up already." Cyno suddenly blurts out, already over how the two of you were acting. Kaveh coughs up his drink a bit, catching him off guard. Dehya snickers at the conversation from the side as Layla was mumbling Alhaitham's ears off from the side.
You suddenly put your head on Tighnari's shoulders, humming slightly. "Are you always this warm because you're like a fox thing?" You ask, genuinely interested in his species. Kaveh laughed a little at the question. Tighnari on the other hand heated up more from the close proximity.
That was the start of the two of you discussing his species and how he came to Sumeru. It was a genuine conversation, even with you very drunk and slumped on his shoulder. Then the Bartender came around again, and oh boy did you have something to say.
"Sir, sir what's your name?" you suddenly lifted yourself up from Tighnari's shoulder, blinking at the redhead.
"Diluc, would you guys like some water?" he asked, trying to be polite as he sightly laughed at your form.
"Yes please, thank you sir." Kaveh said quickly.
"Oh! Could I also have something else!" You quickly said, leaning in towards the redhead. Alhaitham quickly glanced and narrowed his eyes at your actions. 'What the hell is this idiot doing this time? Can she be any more of a drunk?'
Diluc bent down to where you sat, amusement set in his eyes, "And what would you like young lady?"
"Your number, actually." You smirked, clearly trying to seem flirtatious but very much failing. Cyno actually laughed and tried to cover it with a cough, while Dehya shot him a look. Candace shaking her head and Tighnari almost looking... disappointed?
Alhaitham, well... He looked baffled. Almost hurt, as if he hadn't been a total dick to you a few hours ago.
Diluc on the other hand went a shade red as he clears his throat. "How about I go get you some water and I'll answer that after you drink a few glasses." He blushes a little before leaving to get the water.
You close your eyes and smile, crossing your arms on the table and laying your head in them. "He's so pretty.." you mumble, thinking about the stoic bartender. Candace's eyes soften at your little moment, while Dehya laughs at how oblivious you are.
Oblivious to how drunk you are, clearly going to puke any moment from how much alcohol you've consumed. Oblivious to Tighnari, who looked like a wounded puppy. Oblivious to what all Kaveh knew about Alhaitham and you. Obvilvious to what all of you knew at this point about the two of you.
And especially oblivious to how Alhaitham looked like he wanted to strangle the redhead for even entertaining your ideas.
After a few glasses of water and a sober attitude, it was time to head back to the hotel you were all staying at. Needless to say, it had been an eventful dinner and night. Perhaps even an eventful day.
Hours have passed by with laughter and banter, the night was coming to an end. But at last, the night was young, and so were you.
"I'll catch up with you guys, I got to handle something here real quick." You said outside of Angel Shares, clearly sober enough to get home.
"Are you sure? We can wait for you if you want?" Candace asks hesitantly. Dehya smirks a little at you.
"We don't mind, I promise." Cyno says.
"Well.... maybe I could nap on the bench over there..." Layla says slowly and tiredly, clearly just about to doze off where she's standing. Alhaitham helps her stand in place, hand on her shoulders.
Your eyes twitch a little watching. "Yeah it's fine, you guys can go. Mondstat is one of the safest places. I'll send a text if I need anything." You smile at them, trying to come off as sober as ever. "Now go, you guys look tired."
Each of them said their goodbyes (except the little shithead Alhaitham) and left.
While you went back in.
You go straight to the counter, sitting down and slightly leaning in. Looking at the redhead's back as he busies himself. You take a breath of courage before talking.
"Hey, Diluc was it?" Heart beating loudly. You were never this nervous with Alhaitham, nor any other guy you liked. But then again, they didn't just see you goofy drunk with your friends.
He had turned around, leaning towards you a bit. "Yeah, it is, and yours?" Diluc comes off as friendly, cheeky, and a bit hesitant. You liked it and told him your name. Your name rolling off his tongue sounded like a friendly bee buzzing around you. You liked it, again.
"I just wanted to say sorry about earlier, usually I don't drink that much... I guess I was just having a rough day." You smiled a bit embarrassed at the confession. But it was true, you weren't normally like this. After Alhaitham had basically admitted to just playing with you for months, you couldn't help but take the edge off a bit.
And maybe that wasn't a bad idea.
Diluc laughs a little at your apology, "No need to be sorry, I see it a lot here. Besides, I found it cute when you asked for my number." He leaned in closer, a cheeky smile on his face, "Very bold."
Heat rushes to your face at his words. "Yeah, I hope you know I don't go asking any cute bartender for their numbers when I'm drunk... If that helps with anything." you laughed a bit, biting your lip. Enticing him, inviting him. Diluc chuckles a bit, looking at your lips. Intrigued by your teasing.
"It helps with a lot actually, since I was about to give you my number. If you still want it, that is." He gets out his business card, his personal number already written in cursive on it. Your heart jumps a little.
You think about Alhaitham for a second. How much you wanted him yet he gave barely any indication he wanted you. Not in a lustful way but in an intimate way...
That's when you grabbed the card and stood up. Smiling up at the handsome redhead. "Of course, just because I'm sober doesn't make you any less pretty."
Diluc blushes a bit as you lean over the counter, getting closer. "And I wouldn't mind seeing more of you." You whisper as you give him a kiss on the corner of his mouth, lipstick marking his red hot face.
You turn around and walk towards the door, "Wait, let me walk you home." He touches where you kissed him, a bit dazed getting his jacket to leave.
He walks you towards your hotel, talking the whole way. About where you are from, your goals, and your aspirations. Studies, friends, and family. And it felt nice. Nice to know someone actually wanted to know every detail about you. To feel wanted, and cared about. Even if it was only just for tonight, and Diluc could forget about you the next day.
But maybe it was worth it, just for a night.
"Really? You have any siblings?"
The air suddenly gets thin.
"It's, uh, complicated you could say." You said, rubbing your arms as a way to comfort yourself. It wasn't bad nor good, a common middle ground of too complicated but not complicated enough to complain. Ah yes, the luxury of family.
"Yeah? I get that. More than you think actually." Diluc looks at the ground, hands in his pockets. A tinge of bitterness in his voice.
"I think that no matter what happens with one's own family, you can always make a better one in life." You smile slightly, holding his arm. "Whether it be friends or whoever you share the rest of your life with... There's always something you can make better."
Maybe you were just blabbering on at this point, but it was almost like Diluc had fallen in love on the spot. He took his hand out of his pocket and suddenly held your hand tightly. "Thank you."
You smile and squeeze his hand. Looking at his smile and swinging interlocked hands. Knowing everything will be fine, for both of you.
Finally, at your hotel, he walks you to your room. Standing in front of it, ready to say goodbye. Even if the warm feeling in your chest wouldn't go away even after this trip, it would all be worth it in your eyes.
"Thank you for walking me home... It was sweet and nice. Better than other companies."
Diluc chucked a little while still holding your hand, "No need to thank me, it was the least I could do for making your friends leave without you." You smile up at his dark red eyes. He was sweet, thoughtful, and a little stoic at times but still sweet.
You liked that.
"I'll be here for another week or two so we should definitely hang out more." You offer, almost asking him out. Key word, almost.
"Yeah, I'd like that a lot... Thank you for the conversation, also. I haven't had one like that in years." He leaned in, licking his lips a little.
"Me too, actually." You whispered getting close to him.
You wanted to kiss him. No, you want to kiss him. He's sweet, charming, and understanding. You want to kiss him and be around him and possibly even sleep with him. Maybe you're getting ahead of yourself, but you most definitely want to kiss him. Until you heard the annoying voice of an asshole.
"Hope I'm not interrupting something."
'This stupid fucking oaf.'
pt. six here | "I'm in love with you!" Series M!list
notes : hello Hunnies, I've come bearing gifts! I honestly don't know whether or not to let Diluc or Alhaitham have you, cause Alhaitha's such a dick in this, unfortunately. Let me know if I should redeem him or not honestly. Thank you all for the support, truly, love you all lots <3 remember to just dm or comment to be part of the tag list!
WRIOTHESLEY thinks there’s something adorable about the little handwritten notes you leave in his lunchbox everytime you pack it for him or drop it off at the fortress when he forgets to pick it up.
he’s began looking forward to them, to the little brightly coloured piece of paper that you’ve so diligently cut into a heart shape and propped in amongst his food. he thinks it’s cute the way it stands out amongst his iron coloured, gloomy office and he finds himself sighing— a content sort of sound whenever his eyes catch sight of it as he unwraps his meal.
sure wriothesley’s hungry, starved— especially for your cooking but now he’s thinking of you and it makes him want to take his time a bit as he plucks the small note out, it looking even smaller against his large hands.
he leans back in his seat as he reads over it, a cute little good morning your grace, i hope you have a good day and an even better meal— love you! and it makes him breathe out a low chuckle to himself before he reads it again, then again. his fingertips will trace over your writing, taking extra care on the way you sign ‘your grace’ and suddenly he remembers the way it tastes on your lips, how it sounds mumbled into his neck.
wriothesley snorts before he finds himself getting carried away, readjusting himself on his seat as he smiles to himself.
his next glance is towards the photo he keeps of you on his desk, one of his favourites— you’re caught somewhere between a smile and a laugh and everytime he looks at it it makes him soften. so he opts to prop your note up there for the time being, a little reminder as his gaze lingers on your features a little longer and he misses you suddenly, despite the way he just left you with a rushed kiss and a slap on the ass when you dropped off his lunch but….. he misses you just as much as he did when he left you this morning.
wriothesley’s building up a nice little collection of your notes, he hopes he’ll be able to grow it each day as he turns his attention back to his meal, mumbling to himself as he grins.
“a good morning, huh?” he thinks back to the expression you were wearing when he seen you last— the smile, your laugh, the way your eyes seem to glow when they meet his. “well.. yeah, i guess you could say it’s been something like that.”
just alhaitham realizing he wants a baby with you...
cw: pregnancy, children
alhaitham is in the middle of reading, spending his lunch hour tucked away in a quiet corner puspa cafe when he feels a poke at his arm.
he slides his headphones off, looking over to see a child standing next to him, clutching something to her chest.
“excuse me– mister scribe sir?”
the scribe sighs, tucking his book away. “just alhaitham is fine.”
the child blushes furiously. “oh, um, mister alhaitham sir, my teacher says that your job is reading. could you read this for me please?”
that was an incredibly juvenile description of his job, but he doesn't correct her. the girl slides what alhaitham recognizes as the children’s book that tighnari had written (and collei had illustrated) to teach the basics of forest safety. the storytelling was mediocre and the illustrations were average, but he supposed they were sufficient enough for children who had no higher education.
alhaitham glances at the clock. he still has a half hour left of his break, and he was nothing if not an advocate for educating young minds.
—
“the lesson is to always be prepared when traveling through the rainforest,” alhaitham explains, closing the book. “there’s always a high probability that you’ll run into fungi, especially if you're on foot like little cyno was. you’d do well to add a variety of antitoxins to your first aid kit.”
the girl considers this, brows pulled into a furrow as she sips at the sunsettia juice he’d ordered for her.
“why didn’t little cyno just go around the fungi when he saw them? then he wouldn't have gotten the sports.”
“the spores,” alhaitham corrects. “but your point stands. common sense is perhaps the most effective survival tool.”
children, with their inquisitive and imaginative minds, were adequate problem solvers. they didn't overthink things, instead utilizing a simple, pragmatic way of thinking.
he wouldn't mind raising a little scholar of his own with you.
he’d thought a normal amount about having a child before. typical musings, like when he would have one (after school, after securing a decent job). or what their names would be (esfir for a boy, laila for a girl). who would bear his children (the only person he’d ever considered was you).
but these aren’t idle musings anymore. this time, the idea hits him full force, quickly spiraling into a hope. a dream for the future.
a boy with his eyes and your smile. a girl with your hair colour and his nose. how you’d raise them together, how they’d grow to be intelligent, inquisitive, creative, and endlessly compassionate.
“sweetheart, there you are!” a relieved voice exclaims.
the girl sitting across from him perks up as her mother runs up to the table, her smile widening. “mama! mister alhaitham read me a book!”
“i'm so sorry she interrupted your lunch, sir,” the frantic mother looks sheepish as she apologizes, but alhaitham dismisses it with a wave of his hand.
“it’s alright. if anything, this experience has been rather enlightening.”
_____
“that's quite the stack,” you comment mildly when your husband enters the bedroom with an armful of textbooks. “which new topic have you been intrigued with this week?”
alhaitham sets the books down on the nightstand and answers, “conception.”
his answer is spoken simply, casually, like he’s talking about the weather and not one of the most life-altering decisions you could make as a couple.
“conception,” you repeat slowly. “like…”
“you’re a doctor. you’re aware of the biological process behind it.”
“of course i am,” you say, suddenly feeling flustered. “i just– we’ve never talked about this before, haitham.”
your husband sighs, walking around to your side of the bed and sitting by your legs. “well…i want to talk about it.”
seconds pass. seconds that almost feel like a lifetime as you watch each other, looking for any unspoken signs of hesitation.
“it’s up to you,” he finally says, gently placing a hand on your ankle. “it’s your body, you’re the one who would be carrying our baby for nine months. if you’re not ready–”
you don't need to hear the rest, crawling over to cup his face in your hands and press a soft kiss to his lips. “i'm ready. we’re ready.”
his eyes immediately brighten, and he momentarily leaves your grasp to reach across the bed to grab the topmost book from his stack. “there are certain positions that we can try to increase our chances of conceiving. according to studies conducted in fontaine, this one has an effectiveness of 89.5%. it’s called a mating press…”
you wish you could say it’s the first time he’s propositioned you with educational literature.
“wait, you didn’t ask me,” you giggle, threading your fingers through his hair and tugging lightly.
he pauses. “will you try this position with me?”
“no, smartass. ask me to have a baby with you.”
your husband grins, hooking his hands under your ass to pull you into his lap. you gasp as he does so, his head dipping down to the crook of your neck. he says your name, lips brushing the shell of your ear.
warnings & tags: so soft, fluff, angst because it's sweet home, hurt/comfort, kissing, touch-starved!hyun-su, a little suggestive but it's not too bad, hyun-su needs a hug and he gets that and more eheh
previous one-shot · next part
A/N: this can be read on its own or read as a part of the little hyun-su x reader series i've got going on at the moment! no particular context needed for this one, but i wrote it in like two hours so i hope you'll enjoy it.
Hyun-Su sits at your table like he’s not sure he has the right to be there. He’s been less cautious around you lately, less distant, now that he knows that you accept him wholeheartedly for who he is, all that he is, even the dark, ugly parts that he tried to keep from you. But sometimes, when he is in the space that is so clearly yours, he still makes himself small, as if he thinks you’d kick him out if you remembered he was there.
It doesn’t matter that you invited him in and insisted he stayed. The fear that you could change your mind at any point, that the longer he’s around, the more he risks showing you a part of him you won’t like, that’s what sticks.
When you sit down across from him, he notices your eyes landing on his bruised knuckles, sees your brow furrows. Sheepishly, he removes his hand from the table.
“Doesn’t it hurt?” you ask.
You ask that a lot. Worry a lot. Selfishly, he likes that you do.
“It’s fine,” he replies, voice quiet. “It will heal.”
The wounds won’t get infected, they won’t kill him, and they’ll go away eventually. So, sure, it stings as long as they’re open, but he’s long stopped bothering with cleaning or treating them. Who cares about his pain anyway?
“That’s not the point,” you say, reaching out for his hand. He doesn’t resist when you take it in yours. How could he? Your fingers are soft, gentle, your skin is warm. It’s like he melts into your touch, like his muscles turn into lead.
It also makes him greedy, makes him want to know what it would do if you touched him more, in different ways. Inside him, the monster stirs, and Hyun-Su forces it back down.
You lift his hand and blow on the wounds that mar his knuckles. The gesture is childish, and despite himself, a smile breaks on his face.
“That’s not going to change much.”
He notices belatedly how fond his voice sounds. He’s usually so careful not to let it be so obvious, but you just surprised it out of him. If you notice, you don’t let it show. Instead, you roll your eyes at him — until you get another idea.
He looks at you in bemused interest as you lower your face towards his hand. And then he realizes what you’re doing, and his heart skips a beat.
You glance up at him, a silent request for his approval, before you go any further. He doesn’t know how to give it to you, doesn’t know if he should, if it’s safe.
He also doesn’t take his hand away.
Your lips press gently against his knuckles, and it sends a jolt through him that ignites his whole body. He can’t see himself, but he’s sure he’s blushing. When you meet his eyes again, he averts his immediately, swallows, clears his throat. But then he feels you open your fingers, letting his hand slip from your grasp, and he tightens his hold on you at the last second. He cannot bear the thought of losing your touch, not just yet.
“That—” His voice cracks. “That does help.”
“Oh,” you say, and then your thumb runs over his hand in a soft caress. He exhales, long and slow. He’d do anything for you not to let go of him.
When you stand up, his head shoots up, eyes following you like a puppy — only for you to get closer to him. You roll your lips together, still searching his expression for approval. You trace a wound on his shoulder, one he doesn’t even remember getting, if he’s being honest.
“Would it help here?” you ask.
Hyun-Su’s whole body is buzzing with the absolute, desperate need to be touched again.
All he can do is nod.
You lean in, kiss his shoulder, and he closes his eyes. He wants to drown in you. He wants you to run your hands over his body, he wants to touch you so bad, and he hates himself for remaining so still. But then you touch his cheek, trace his jaw, and he’s so infinitely thankful that you do what he can’t.
You’re the one who’s not meeting his eyes this time, as your index finger brushes against his bottom lip. There’s no wound there, they’re just chapped, and yet…
“How about here?”
He’s almost shaking in anticipation by now. He thinks he’d kill to be kissed by you — he knows the monster would. But again, he just nods.
So, standing in front of him, between his legs, you cup his cheek in the gentlest of ways, like he’s precious, and you kiss him again. It’s soft, gentle, just lips against lips. You make a delicate sound when you part from him, and he regrets the loss of it immediately. It must be why he blurts out, before you can move any further “It still hurts.”
Your eyes go wide for a second, before a smile stretches your lips. He only gets a second to ask himself if he asked for too much, if you’re going to be disgusted with him for daring to ask, if—
You kiss him again, a little harder this time, nose pressing against his cheek. Your hands move to the back of his neck to support yourself better. Hyun-Su feels you part your lips, feels your tongue against his mouth, and that is when he loses it.
He’s happy that you have your eyes closed because, even though he feels fully in control of himself at the moment, he’s not sure which color you’d see in his just now.
He pulls you into his lap, hands on your hips at first before he moves one of them, just a little, to the small of your back. You’re all over him now, body against his, scent overwhelming, your taste on his tongue. The apartment would be quiet, if it wasn’t for the sound of your mouths together, and for the rush of his blood in his ears.
You gasp quietly into him, your teeth catch against his bottom lip and it makes him shiver. He dares then, caught in the euphoria of it all perhaps, to reach up to touch your face, long fingers stroking your cheek. His skin is on fire everywhere you touch it, but he wouldn’t give it up for the world, and he finds itself praying it never ends.
Yet it does, fairly abruptly, when he realizes, suddenly, that he’s falling. On instinct, he wraps his arms around you to protect you, and then the two of you hit the floor. The chair had to have tipped backwards at some point, without the two of you noticing.
There’s a moment of stunned silence afterwards, before you let out a quiet laugh, hiding your face in his shoulder.
Much to his surprise, he hears himself laugh as well. It just feels easy to do, when you’re in his arms. His heart is still pounding, his lips are tingling, and his breathing is shallow, but he’s feeling emotions he hasn’t felt in years.
He’s happy.
Deep inside of him, the monster takes a step back, satiated.
For now, anyway.
i've really loved writing this and i'm quite happy with the end result, especially for something i wrote so quickly, so i hope you liked it too! please let me know your thoughts either on here, in tags, in an ask or reblog the fic, it means the world to me and it lets me know you want to see more, so it keeps me motivated!
reader who wears a fake engagement ring so men don’t approach you, but character doesn’t notice it. not like it matters, since the two of you get into a semi heated argument at the bar + he suggests, half as a joke, why don’t yall just fuck it out and come to an agreement. you hold up your hand and say “im married!!!” and without a missing a beat, he tells you, “your husband must not love you if that’s the ring he got you.”
turns out, character is as rich as he is annoying (which is to say, very very very very much so) & it’s just your luck that your work forces you to be in close proximity to him. if he sees you lifting anything heavy, he’ll ask you with mock sympathy “does your husband know they have you doing manual labor?” (but even more annoying… he’ll carry the stuff for you 🤭)
and then one day you lose the ring and he notices immediately and you would have thought christmas came early. “trouble in paradise?” he’ll ask you, hoping to hear abt ur divorce.
“getting the ring cleaned.” you lie, and you can smell the disappointment coming off of him. he’ll ask the people close to you “so anyway what does her husband even do?” and one of your slow on the uptake coworkers/friends goes “[name]? she doesn’t have a husband……”
oh. well now character is going to have a blast next time he sees you.
Alhaitham x reader
Summary — Alhaitham has never been one for social interactions - in fact, neither of you knew each other in the first place. His pride never allowed anyone to befriend him fully. Until you decide to confess your love to him bluntly one morning, ultimately changing his perspective about you.
TW : angst-comfort, unrequited love, strangers to enemies to lovers, smut, aged-up characters MINORS DNI
word count : 2k
pt. 4 - "Oh? Does that make you feel a certain way?"
pt. one | pt. two | pt. three
"Oh? Does that make you feel a certain way?"
You can feel Alhaitham's breathe against you as he whispers into your ear. You sigh shakily, trying to not seem as affected as you were.
'Damn this attractive piece of shit.'
After the two of you kissed, shit had basically hit the fan. The two of you acted like nothing happened until Alhaitham shoved you into a utility closet on the campus and made out with you. Don't get yourself wrong, you loved it. In fact, part of you wanted more like a greedy bastard.
And that's exactly what you got, actually.
Sitting in your lecture next to Alhaitham, trying to focus. It was two months until both of you graduated. You absolutely needed to lock the fuck in.
You cover your mouth, trying not to moan. Feeling his fingers pushing your panties to the side under your skirt, your eyes rolled as you breathed out.
But this little shit wasn't making it easy to concentrate.
"Be quiet now. You wouldn't want everyone to see how much of a slut you are." Alhaitham's rough voice echoes in your head as he touches your clit. You quickly try to close your legs, cursing lightly.
Luckily the two of you were towards the back of the class, not many eyes on the both of you. Except for the professors.
"A-Alhaitham..." Trying to scold him quietly, knowing full well you couldn't stay still little to nothing be quiet. Trying to clench your thighs, Alhaitham’s strong grip won’t let you. You were royally screwed- at least you hoped you would be after this lecture…
Rubbing your clit lightly you shut your eyes, hunching over the table a little, biting your sleeve. ‘Fuck he’s too good at this.’
You pant a bit, trying to stay as composed as possible. But oh how hard it was when he touched you right there.
You gasp and close your thighs tightly.
“Alright class dismissed!” The professor suddenly exclaimed, everyone rushing out. Well except for the two of you. Jumping a little in your seat, Alhaitham sneaks his hand back, licking them a bit. Your face flushes at his actions.
You adjust your panties and gather your stuff. Alhaitham smirks the whole time, watching as you try to fix your panties subtly. He snickers. In his mind, he couldn't get enough of you. It was almost like he could put everything on the line for you, it was intoxicating.
Once presented well, you walk off without even waiting for Alhaitham; a blush still lingers on your face. Of course, Alhaitham takes a few long strides and he's already caught up to you, reaching for your shoulder.
"What's got you all riled up, pretty?" he teases, already knowing why. You huff in response and roll your eyes. "I can't believe you."
He scoffs, eyebrows pinched together. "Me? I just did what you wanted." Alhaitham never understood why you couldn't see how much he wanted you. To fuck your brains out, and have you let him have his way with you.
But maybe that gave him a fuckboy vibe.
"Listen smart-ass." You stop in a secluded corner of the hallway, ensuring the two of you have some privacy. "I don't know why suddenly you have an interest in me, but I'm not here to play games... or be one for you." Looking up at him, you try to make things as easy as possible for him. You bite your lip, nervous.
"Oh, is that what you think of me?" Alhaitham laughs; laughs at the fact that he's tried so hard to be nicer and more supportive of you, but it was all for nothing. He bends down to get on your level, staring at how you're nibbling on your lips. Alhaitham takes his hand and puts it against your bottom lip, making you stop biting it. Your breath hitches as he touches you.
"I thought I had gained a bit more of a reputation with you than just that... I guess I was wrong." He goes closer to your ear whispering, "Or maybe I wasn't with the way you kissed me in the alleyway..."
He then kisses your neck lightly, "Or maybe in the utility closet..."
You bite your lip trying to control your breathing. You look around, trying to make sure nobody could see what he was doing. 'fuck.'
"Or how about in the lecture room earlier..." Alhaitham takes his hand and hitches your skirt up a little. Pushing his fingers into the plush of your thighs, rubbing them a little. You sigh a little at the feeling.
Gods, this man knows exactly what to do to get you so wet.
Then abruptly, Alhaitham pulls away. Acting as if he didn't lewdly touch you. "But maybe I'm wrong, right sweetheart?" His smirk worked its way onto his face as he ran his fingers through his silver hair.
"Text me when you're done having an attitude." Alhaitham then walks off monotone voice back in place.
Feeling the wetness in-between your legs you curse.
'This little shit has me around his fingers.'
The last month of this school year was almost here. Everyone already had made plans on what they wanted to do afterward for the summer. And some were just waiting to get out of school, trying to get out as fast as possible.
But for Alhaitham, summer break was a time when he could solely focus on his research and studies. Some say that he still took classes during summer break, always being an academic overachiever. But as the weeks went on with you by his side, the more he started thinking.
He would rather die than admit it, but he thought about possible dates he could take you on, the things he could buy for you, and how much time he'd have to just be around you. Some might say he's whipped, like Kaveh, but he believes he's just found a profound amount of care in you.
A month had passed since the little lecture room incident... and hallway incident. In that month, the both of you had spent some 'extra' time together. And by extra, it means frequent dinners together, making out at Alhaitham's house while Kaveh was gone, and casual gifts given between the two.
You, on the other hand, had plans for the summer. Since some were moving farther away or to a new school, you figured you’d have a huge get-together. Like a getaway of some sort. Minor issues like expenses and transportation weren’t a huge thing on your priority list. But convincing Alhaitham to join definitely was.
“Alhaitham!”
He darted his eyes towards the noise, knowing full well who it was. He continued walking, not even giving a glance to the person who was clearly trying to gain his attention.
“Alhaitham!!” The voice yelled again, running towards the silver-haired man. People were staring at this point at the obscure scene.
Alhaitham still paid no mind, still walking towards his destination. Footsteps approaching, huffing.
“Ugh! Why are you so stubborn!” Kaveh suddenly appears right next to Alhaitham, keeping up with his pace. Alhaitham’s eyes not even giving him the time of day, going inside the library.
He truly didn’t want to go through this again. His irritation spiked just as the blonde continued to follow him. For the past week, the blonde had been borderline harassing him to go to this getaway. And although it seemed tempting, he just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to focus solely on his studies. Why would he waste time when he could be doing so much more productive?
“Listen, I know you don’t want to come-”
“Then why are you still here? Do you just waste air to pass the time?” Alhaitham quipped back quickly, already finding a table partial to his liking. Kaveh huffed again, eyebrows twitching in annoyance. Kaveh hadn’t told Alhaitham that it was your idea, that you had asked him to convince the arrogant researcher to join. But it was proving more difficult than he had thought.
“The only thing that's passing is my patience with you! Can’t you just do this one thing, not for me but for the others? It’ll be fun, in fact, I doubt they’d really care if you brought your studies with you.”
“No. It’s a waste of energy to bring all my things when I can just do it here.” Haitham said blankly. Another groan emerges from the blonde.
“What, a little sun too much to handle for you?” A sudden voice says from in front of the pair.
Alhaitham looks up and sees you and your slick smile. ‘There’s the arrogant shit.’ Noticing the necklace he had gifted you wrapped around your pretty neck. “Nothing I can’t handle, I just have priorities unlike most of you.” He raises an eyebrow at you, smirking.
You scoff and sit in front of the both of them. “Then make this one of those priorities. This might be the last time you see some of them before they end up at another study.” You lean on your hand, fluttering your eyes. He laughs a little at your convincing. “And you’re going?” He asks, knowing full well he probably would end up going if you were.
“I’m the one planning this so naturally I am.” You wink at him, not noticing how the blonde eyes both of you and your banter. “We’re taking a trip to Mondstat, maybe going by the beach and such. I have a couple of friends there I wanted to visit anyway."
Alhaitham raised an eyebrow. 'Friends?' Mondstat, a place he had only visited once, and it was due to a study. Nothing more, nothing less. But he no doubt knew it was beautiful and the people were kind. "Alright, only if I can bring a little of my studies though."
Kaveh scoffs, "Oh so you'll go when she asks but not me." He rolls his eyes at the idea. "Kaveh, you had been chasing me down for the week begging me like a dog. She at least said it nicely." You laugh at Alhaitham's words while Kaveh sits up to argue.
"THAT'S NOT FAIR-"
"Holy shit, look how good those hashbrowns look!" Candace exclaims, going up to a vendor hurriedly. All eight of you had finally made it to Mondstat buzzing with excitement. Well, except Alhaitham and Layla.
"Mmm... When are we getting to the hotel? I'm so tired..." Layla's eyes droop, trying to carry her luggage when Cyno suddenly takes it for her.
"We're going there now, it should only be about 3 minutes away." You say, leading the way to the hotel while carrying your things. The group murmurs amongst themselves as they follow, Dehya trying to get Candace away from the vendor, Cyno trying to keep Layla awake, and Kaveh and Tighnari pointing out things as we pass them.
Then Alhaitham, grabs your bag from your hands. "Focus on leading the way. You've almost tripped over at least three times now."
I roll my eyes as my face heats up from embarrassment. "Thanks." I mumble as I keep looking at the directions. Once finally arrived, rooms were distributed. Each room could only hold two people, so four rooms in total.
Cyno with Tighnari. Kaveh with Alhaitham. Candace with Dehya. And you with Layla. She had passed out the moment she laid on her bed. Everyone wanted to go explore the little town of Mondstat before sleeping, while Alhaitham just wanted to unpack.
Knocking on his door, he opens it. Hair a little messy. 'Cute.'
"I was wondering if you needed help unpacking at all. I finished mine after the others left." You had said, fumbling with your skirt a little. "I don't need help but you can come in if you want." He pushes the door open more, smirking a little at your fumbling. "Unless you're scared."
Your eyes snap to his. "Why would I be scared?" You huff, walking through the door. The door shuts behind you, and you look up at him.
He looms over you, arm against the wall behind you, smirking, grinning like you had just fallen into his trap.
"No reason, sweetheart."
pt. five here | "I'm in love with you!" Series M!list
notes : it’s been a couple months but it’s finally here! I can’t promise I’ll be consistent but I CAN promise that the series definitely isn’t over (: preparing for college is hard but finding time to write is even harder. Thank you hunnies for the continued support, again just comment or dm if you’re wanting to be a part of the tag list!
Alhaitham x reader
Summary — Alhaitham has never been one for social interactions - in fact, neither of you knew each other in the first place. His pride never allowed anyone to befriend him fully. Until you decide to confess your love to him bluntly one morning, ultimately changing his perspective about you.
TW : angst-comfort, unrequited love, strangers to enemies to lovers, smut, aged-up characters MINORS DNI
word count : 2k
pt. 4 - "Oh? Does that make you feel a certain way?"
pt. one | pt. two | pt. three
"Oh? Does that make you feel a certain way?"
You can feel Alhaitham's breathe against you as he whispers into your ear. You sigh shakily, trying to not seem as affected as you were.
'Damn this attractive piece of shit.'
After the two of you kissed, shit had basically hit the fan. The two of you acted like nothing happened until Alhaitham shoved you into a utility closet on the campus and made out with you. Don't get yourself wrong, you loved it. In fact, part of you wanted more like a greedy bastard.
And that's exactly what you got, actually.
Sitting in your lecture next to Alhaitham, trying to focus. It was two months until both of you graduated. You absolutely needed to lock the fuck in.
You cover your mouth, trying not to moan. Feeling his fingers pushing your panties to the side under your skirt, your eyes rolled as you breathed out.
But this little shit wasn't making it easy to concentrate.
"Be quiet now. You wouldn't want everyone to see how much of a slut you are." Alhaitham's rough voice echoes in your head as he touches your clit. You quickly try to close your legs, cursing lightly.
Luckily the two of you were towards the back of the class, not many eyes on the both of you. Except for the professors.
"A-Alhaitham..." Trying to scold him quietly, knowing full well you couldn't stay still little to nothing be quiet. Trying to clench your thighs, Alhaitham’s strong grip won’t let you. You were royally screwed- at least you hoped you would be after this lecture…
Rubbing your clit lightly you shut your eyes, hunching over the table a little, biting your sleeve. ‘Fuck he’s too good at this.’
You pant a bit, trying to stay as composed as possible. But oh how hard it was when he touched you right there.
You gasp and close your thighs tightly.
“Alright class dismissed!” The professor suddenly exclaimed, everyone rushing out. Well except for the two of you. Jumping a little in your seat, Alhaitham sneaks his hand back, licking them a bit. Your face flushes at his actions.
You adjust your panties and gather your stuff. Alhaitham smirks the whole time, watching as you try to fix your panties subtly. He snickers. In his mind, he couldn't get enough of you. It was almost like he could put everything on the line for you, it was intoxicating.
Once presented well, you walk off without even waiting for Alhaitham; a blush still lingers on your face. Of course, Alhaitham takes a few long strides and he's already caught up to you, reaching for your shoulder.
"What's got you all riled up, pretty?" he teases, already knowing why. You huff in response and roll your eyes. "I can't believe you."
He scoffs, eyebrows pinched together. "Me? I just did what you wanted." Alhaitham never understood why you couldn't see how much he wanted you. To fuck your brains out, and have you let him have his way with you.
But maybe that gave him a fuckboy vibe.
"Listen smart-ass." You stop in a secluded corner of the hallway, ensuring the two of you have some privacy. "I don't know why suddenly you have an interest in me, but I'm not here to play games... or be one for you." Looking up at him, you try to make things as easy as possible for him. You bite your lip, nervous.
"Oh, is that what you think of me?" Alhaitham laughs; laughs at the fact that he's tried so hard to be nicer and more supportive of you, but it was all for nothing. He bends down to get on your level, staring at how you're nibbling on your lips. Alhaitham takes his hand and puts it against your bottom lip, making you stop biting it. Your breath hitches as he touches you.
"I thought I had gained a bit more of a reputation with you than just that... I guess I was wrong." He goes closer to your ear whispering, "Or maybe I wasn't with the way you kissed me in the alleyway..."
He then kisses your neck lightly, "Or maybe in the utility closet..."
You bite your lip trying to control your breathing. You look around, trying to make sure nobody could see what he was doing. 'fuck.'
"Or how about in the lecture room earlier..." Alhaitham takes his hand and hitches your skirt up a little. Pushing his fingers into the plush of your thighs, rubbing them a little. You sigh a little at the feeling.
Gods, this man knows exactly what to do to get you so wet.
Then abruptly, Alhaitham pulls away. Acting as if he didn't lewdly touch you. "But maybe I'm wrong, right sweetheart?" His smirk worked its way onto his face as he ran his fingers through his silver hair.
"Text me when you're done having an attitude." Alhaitham then walks off monotone voice back in place.
Feeling the wetness in-between your legs you curse.
'This little shit has me around his fingers.'
The last month of this school year was almost here. Everyone already had made plans on what they wanted to do afterward for the summer. And some were just waiting to get out of school, trying to get out as fast as possible.
But for Alhaitham, summer break was a time when he could solely focus on his research and studies. Some say that he still took classes during summer break, always being an academic overachiever. But as the weeks went on with you by his side, the more he started thinking.
He would rather die than admit it, but he thought about possible dates he could take you on, the things he could buy for you, and how much time he'd have to just be around you. Some might say he's whipped, like Kaveh, but he believes he's just found a profound amount of care in you.
A month had passed since the little lecture room incident... and hallway incident. In that month, the both of you had spent some 'extra' time together. And by extra, it means frequent dinners together, making out at Alhaitham's house while Kaveh was gone, and casual gifts given between the two.
You, on the other hand, had plans for the summer. Since some were moving farther away or to a new school, you figured you’d have a huge get-together. Like a getaway of some sort. Minor issues like expenses and transportation weren’t a huge thing on your priority list. But convincing Alhaitham to join definitely was.
“Alhaitham!”
He darted his eyes towards the noise, knowing full well who it was. He continued walking, not even giving a glance to the person who was clearly trying to gain his attention.
“Alhaitham!!” The voice yelled again, running towards the silver-haired man. People were staring at this point at the obscure scene.
Alhaitham still paid no mind, still walking towards his destination. Footsteps approaching, huffing.
“Ugh! Why are you so stubborn!” Kaveh suddenly appears right next to Alhaitham, keeping up with his pace. Alhaitham’s eyes not even giving him the time of day, going inside the library.
He truly didn’t want to go through this again. His irritation spiked just as the blonde continued to follow him. For the past week, the blonde had been borderline harassing him to go to this getaway. And although it seemed tempting, he just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to focus solely on his studies. Why would he waste time when he could be doing so much more productive?
“Listen, I know you don’t want to come-”
“Then why are you still here? Do you just waste air to pass the time?” Alhaitham quipped back quickly, already finding a table partial to his liking. Kaveh huffed again, eyebrows twitching in annoyance. Kaveh hadn’t told Alhaitham that it was your idea, that you had asked him to convince the arrogant researcher to join. But it was proving more difficult than he had thought.
“The only thing that's passing is my patience with you! Can’t you just do this one thing, not for me but for the others? It’ll be fun, in fact, I doubt they’d really care if you brought your studies with you.”
“No. It’s a waste of energy to bring all my things when I can just do it here.” Haitham said blankly. Another groan emerges from the blonde.
“What, a little sun too much to handle for you?” A sudden voice says from in front of the pair.
Alhaitham looks up and sees you and your slick smile. ‘There’s the arrogant shit.’ Noticing the necklace he had gifted you wrapped around your pretty neck. “Nothing I can’t handle, I just have priorities unlike most of you.” He raises an eyebrow at you, smirking.
You scoff and sit in front of the both of them. “Then make this one of those priorities. This might be the last time you see some of them before they end up at another study.” You lean on your hand, fluttering your eyes. He laughs a little at your convincing. “And you’re going?” He asks, knowing full well he probably would end up going if you were.
“I’m the one planning this so naturally I am.” You wink at him, not noticing how the blonde eyes both of you and your banter. “We’re taking a trip to Mondstat, maybe going by the beach and such. I have a couple of friends there I wanted to visit anyway."
Alhaitham raised an eyebrow. 'Friends?' Mondstat, a place he had only visited once, and it was due to a study. Nothing more, nothing less. But he no doubt knew it was beautiful and the people were kind. "Alright, only if I can bring a little of my studies though."
Kaveh scoffs, "Oh so you'll go when she asks but not me." He rolls his eyes at the idea. "Kaveh, you had been chasing me down for the week begging me like a dog. She at least said it nicely." You laugh at Alhaitham's words while Kaveh sits up to argue.
"THAT'S NOT FAIR-"
"Holy shit, look how good those hashbrowns look!" Candace exclaims, going up to a vendor hurriedly. All eight of you had finally made it to Mondstat buzzing with excitement. Well, except Alhaitham and Layla.
"Mmm... When are we getting to the hotel? I'm so tired..." Layla's eyes droop, trying to carry her luggage when Cyno suddenly takes it for her.
"We're going there now, it should only be about 3 minutes away." You say, leading the way to the hotel while carrying your things. The group murmurs amongst themselves as they follow, Dehya trying to get Candace away from the vendor, Cyno trying to keep Layla awake, and Kaveh and Tighnari pointing out things as we pass them.
Then Alhaitham, grabs your bag from your hands. "Focus on leading the way. You've almost tripped over at least three times now."
I roll my eyes as my face heats up from embarrassment. "Thanks." I mumble as I keep looking at the directions. Once finally arrived, rooms were distributed. Each room could only hold two people, so four rooms in total.
Cyno with Tighnari. Kaveh with Alhaitham. Candace with Dehya. And you with Layla. She had passed out the moment she laid on her bed. Everyone wanted to go explore the little town of Mondstat before sleeping, while Alhaitham just wanted to unpack.
Knocking on his door, he opens it. Hair a little messy. 'Cute.'
"I was wondering if you needed help unpacking at all. I finished mine after the others left." You had said, fumbling with your skirt a little. "I don't need help but you can come in if you want." He pushes the door open more, smirking a little at your fumbling. "Unless you're scared."
Your eyes snap to his. "Why would I be scared?" You huff, walking through the door. The door shuts behind you, and you look up at him.
He looms over you, arm against the wall behind you, smirking, grinning like you had just fallen into his trap.
"No reason, sweetheart."
pt. five here | "I'm in love with you!" Series M!list
notes : it’s been a couple months but it’s finally here! I can’t promise I’ll be consistent but I CAN promise that the series definitely isn’t over (: preparing for college is hard but finding time to write is even harder. Thank you hunnies for the continued support, again just comment or dm if you’re wanting to be a part of the tag list!
