call me wren ♡
apparently I write here now too | masterlist
sideblog; likes and follows from @wrenhyperfixates
current obsessions: Oikawa Tooru (Haikyuu); Todoroki Shoto (BNHA); Childe (Genshin); Gojo (JJK)
just pictured big, bad evil sukuna fast asleep in bed with his son on top of his chest. his baby is so tiny, curling over his robes like a little kitten, his fat cheek resting on sukuna’s broad shoulder, a little patch of drool pooling at the fabric of his robe. he’s clutching onto the fabric while sukuna keeps one hand steady on his back to support him. their breaths are in sync, soft and relaxed, both wearing the same calm expression on their faces - in a bubble of such safety and comfort -
it’s unusual catching the king of curses in these domestic moments. even rarer watching him treat anyone or anything with such affection and devotion. his son coos, fidgets and wakes sukuna up mid slumber. your natural instinct is to quickly try and diffuse the situation, but you’re caught off guard when sukuna calmly adjusts himself before kissing the crown of his son’s head.
it makes your heart flutter - knowing that that there is a love there that extends to you. when a sleepy sukuna gazes up to meet your eyes, you can see a little smile tick at the corner of his lips. your back straightens almost immediately under the heat of his gaze, but all he does is nod his head to direct you to come towards him.
Can I request the Genshin Men kissing you but they do that thing where the man takes the females thigh grabs it and lifts it and they pull them closer by it and just keep kissing while holding their thigh up? Wjfjwngkwj I think it’s so attractive it makes me giddy😩
You have good taste because that is so attractive!
Tags: fluff, suggestive, kissing, grinding, teasing, neck kissing, playful biting, Reader being lifted up and carried
A/N: Can't wait for the new Genshin characters to get here so I can add them to my roster, but for now have the good old line-up.
Kaeya only lifts you up when you've already got one leg hooked on his hip. He keeps his touch light but his kiss firm as he trails his hands up and down your thighs, slowly hooking his fingers under them and lifting you up to feel your breasts pressing flush against his chest. Only when he has you fully against him will he squeeze and laugh away as he feels your breath hitch in your lungs and against his mouth.
Diluc does this when he pulls you off the bar and carries you up stairs. You can be one stubborn woman and it might be the only way to get you to bed, but he doesn't mind, he gets to feel you close before your bodies even hit the soft matrass. In addition, with his position, you can't help but know how excited he gets when he takes a step and feels your body roll against his. No wonder he can't keep his mouth off yours, he doesn't want you to hear him moaning.
Itto loves to do this to you when he has you pressed up against a wall or a tree. He's quite the big guy so its easier for him to kiss you this way, you're more at his level. Not only that but he can lift you up further, bite your neck, leave it covered with marks, perfect targets for his kisses later. The only thing he has to be careful about is his claws, he doesn't want to get too excited and make you bleed under his hands.
Thoma accidentally rolls his hips forward when this happens. He was kissing you like normal but then you jumped him, it scared him but also excited him, having you in this position. If you want he can let you down, if feeling him like this bothers you. Nothing about this bothers you, not his lips trembling against your upper chest, not his hands digging into your thighs, the way you can feel his pulse under your fingers as you trail them up his neck, its all too perfect.
Childe holds you like that to tease you, but... also because he can get really clingy after he's been away for a mission. Will deny this of course and therefore distract you by pulling you against him so you feel every muscle and scar of his naked torso. You missed him didn't you? He can tell, he can always tell by how hungry your eyes get, how desperate your kisses are, how your hands roam his body, how you never want to let him go. All those things are true for him as well.
Pantalone feels like this is a tiny bit childish at first. Being so clingy to him, wanting more of him, knocking his glasses out of the way as you deepen the kiss. Shit, he wants you close too, he wants you clingy, he wants you desperate, he wants you opening your mouth for him whenever he says it, for whatever he says. This is your fault you know, your perfect body against his, your legs around his hips, your lips on his and moaning so loud he has to shut you up.
Dottore pulls you against him almost every day after a long day at the lab. Kissing isn't enough for him, he needs to let out all that steam from work and meetings. Feeling you grinding against him is really the best medicine he could ask for. Don't mind the way his hands sneak further up your thighs as he holds you against him. Adorable, telling him to stop when you're trembling under his hands and lips. You don't want him to stop and you know it, you're just being a little brat.
Tighnari can get very playful when he has you pressed up against him like this. He needs to do this more often if you're gonna get so flustered every time he lifts you up like this. Cute as hell if you ask him. You can see his ears flicking happily and his fangs on display as he looks down at his hands smoothing over your thighs and vanishing under your clothes, feeling you shiver against him, hearing your whimper and telling him how you want to go to bed and cuddle for the rest of the day. Nothing ever sounded better.
Zhongli is amused by the way you hide your face in his neck as he picks you up by your thighs and holds you close to him. You're so easy to carry around, so responsive to his kisses that even he can get lost in moments like these. Come on, let him see your face, he can't kiss you when you're hiding like this. Maybe a little coaxing would help, a little nibble on your ear or a warm puff of air against your neck as he thrusts his hips against yours and... there it is, your soft mouth against his, all because you don't want to admit how much you want it.
childhood friends, gender neutral reader, debt collector reader, no warnings worth mentioning yet, may have planned 2 more parts in this one
Ao3 version
" "Oh, it's you… you are earlier for once" he gives you a small smile with open eyes "so I take it was a good journey back was it?"
And for a moment, you remember the boy you unlikely met. "
(1) A strange boy who grows to be a peculiar man
You remember how you two met, or better saying, how he was annoyingly... persistent
You walk pass the massive doors of the northland bank, the freezing cold being melted by deceiving warmth of this place, but you don't mind, it is comforting nonetheless , and familiar yet different, you have been away for months now and again the place changed. Perhaps for security reasons, perhaps a new interesting client has come visiting, perhaps your boss was just feeling rarely generous with the renovations. Either way it's not your business to pry, not today, today is a day of good news, a mission successfully fulfilled in more ways than expected.
A polite smile greets you by the main hall's secretary, young, newly employed, one of the few lucky to enter by her own volition rather than a debt or being "properly" fatui, which means…she does not know you, a blessing you think. "Good evening! How may I help you?"
You smile back "thank you, for you as well. I'm supposed to have an appointment half an hour from now if I'm not mistaken" stating your name with a patient smile you see the girl take a notebook from her desk and rise looking through the many drawers behind her desk "with Lord Regrator"
She immediately freezes and goes back to her desk, another notebook opened, a small one, one you know will be burned by tomorrow. She smiles and confirms your name, giving you unspoken permission to enter, she, however, still gives you instructions to get to his office, not that you would need, but you listen anyways.
You have picked, by the years, his subtle way of decorating the path he takes every day, so even if he changed his office location you would be able to track it down, it was the bare minimum, after all that was your job as his debt collector, tracking others down. The higher you go the more guarded it gets, Fatui agents now on each door, some greet you with a nod, others stay frozen in place, and some, bow. Lazy steps you take until his door, pompous like the ego he pretends to have and has, to others, decorated with intricate carvings and his symbol at the center, if in doubt, look for the most expensive; and heavy, so heavy, why does he torture you so with this heavy ass door; door you could imagine.
You knock on that door since the agents beside you decided that bowing was a good idea instead of asking who you are, you don't hear anything, but you feel the confusion inside of it, after all people were announced to him, and your knock was purposefully made without gloves, a rarety among the fatui's wardrobe.
"Enter" you hear his voice, laced with fake politeness, a dose of caution and a sigh of tiredness before it that only sharp ears could hear.
You do so "Lord Pantalone, I believe we have an appointment" you close the door behind.
For a moment his eyes open in surprise and you fight to suppress a chuckle, his hair is done, clothes expensive, skin perfect and glasses slowly sliding down from its place because of his slight slip of mask, his hand slowly putting away the gun you knew he had taken thanks to the unusual knock.
"Oh, it's you… you are earlier for once" he gives you a small smile with open eyes "so I take it was a good journey back was it?"
And for a moment, you remember the boy you unlikely met.
It was a peacefully busy day at the market, a perfect day for your tiny hands to get the food you so desperately needed after two days of starvation and spoiled trash. You made sure to put your good clothes on, even if they are still worn, those are still your best pair, one you make sure to always hide carefully in places you hope never to be disturbed, you need to look comum, you need to blend in, and you need an opportunity.
And an opportunity was blessed to you, a skinny boy with worned out clothes, squinting eyes and pleading voice as the owner of the bench raised him up from the ground with a crushing grip in his fists, the boy held on to the three apples he hoped to run off with for dear life. The boy was like you, and like you he would take any chance like this if he wasn't the one who got caught first, so you run, grabbing one single apple and running off, the adrenaline pumping your veins and fear driving you forward, but you make one mistake, you look back.
Locking eyes with the boy, his gold, frustrated, painfully tired and angry, eyes, that for a second… you bump into the bench, a strong bump… you pushed the bench, it falls… it breaks, the fruits scattering the owner screams in rage at your direction, you don't look back anymore.
Your tiny footsteps with full velocity automatically guide you back to relative safety, you jumped and skipped and dogged, until finally sliding down a cold wall, devouring what would be your weekly heathy meal, perhaps you would get lucky and it wouldn't turn into a two week healthy meal. Your accelerated breath forming puffs of white steam out of your mouth, your hot insides clashing with the cold outside, you sit there, looking at it, letting your mind be momentary mesmerized by it's patterns in the air before disappearing again, letting yourself feel momentarily like the age you are, the smoke spirals up and away from your hands.
"What do you want" you hear a scratchy voice beside you, you jump up and face the kid who found you… how did he find you and why was he here…
"What?" You try your best poker face, you noticed him doing the same, but his squinting eyes make him look angry more than neutral.
"Why did you help me? Back there. What do you want from me?" His eyes continued to pierce you, you start massaging your temples.
You knew paranoia when it confronted you face to face, many wanna-be nine-year-old-"tug lords" had it and looked for a reason to indebt you to them or feared they were somehow indebted to you, which, no, they weren't, you didn't had the patience for that shit, that, however, never meant you didn't knew an opportunity when it was smacking you in your face as well "I dunno, what do you think I want from you?"
"You tell me, it was you who helped me back at the market" ah… you… had forgotten his face already, alright you can work with this, you think… you hope.
"You had three apples didn't you?"
"I only managed to get two"
"I saw three" His left eye twitches ever so slightly, you smile and continue "you were holding them tightly too, you have experience in this I can tell" you couldn't, but his eye twitches again so you assume it's correct "scared little poor boy voice isn't gonna work with me if I have heard it plenty of times you know… besides…" you remember one clear thing about him, his eyes, now not even a glimpse of that boiling anger at that moment "you got the eyes of someone like me"
You two continue in silence for a moment, him probably trying to see what you meant, you just waiting for his response, worst case scenario he's got a gang and is gonna beat you up, best case scenario you gain one more apple. So you wait… and wait… and… ok this is ridiculous "look, I didn't mean to help you I was just clumsy and you got lucky or whatever, can you go away now? I wanna go rest…"
His firm eyes comically wide before you, his mask totally broken "Clumsy?!"
"Yeah, now shoo, I don't want anyone knowing where I sleep" you take this as an opportunity to push him out of the way and go.
He has other plans tho.
"I don't buy it" he runs to your side, matching his steps with yours "The look on your face said it was a calculated mistake "
And he was pouting now, Archons give you patience he was an annoying one "what look?"
"A knowing look"
"And what does a "knowing look" looks like?" You badly mimic his enfasis voice "if you didn't notice I don't look at many mirrors" you show an old stain in your clothes, and make a point to pull the threads that are slowly being undone by time in your sleeves.
"Listen just tell me what do you want as payment and you will never see me again" he growls in frustration, to anyone of the outside you two looked like two friends bantering "I hate being indebted"
"You aren't indebted, leave me alone" you roll your eyes guiding you two in circles through the street, just hoping for this brat to leave.
"Yes I am" if looks could kill you would be burning alive now "I don't have any proof that you won't hunt me down and ask for favors later so just say how to repay you already"
"I won't hunt you down later" you state as a matter of fact "is that proof enough for you?"
"Absolutely not" he looks offended "word of mouth has no value at all!"
"What do you want me to do? Write a contract?" You laugh "I don't even know how to write my name"
"There!" He holds you in place, determination shining in his eyes, an all too proud smile blooming in his red cheeks "I can! I can teach you!"
"..." You look at him with a deadpan face "or you can just give me one apple"
"What?!" The boy looks mortified "you are gonna let this opportunity pass?!"
"That's an unfair exchange" you lock your eyes again "too generous"
You see his eyes wide a bit, a small oh showing his shock, caught in the act "I don't like being indebted either golden boy" you finish.
He looks at you, truly, acknowledges you, his eyes loose spark, mouth in a thin line "what do you mean?"
"That I don't have any guarantee that you wouldn't guilt me in being indebted to you because of this, extremely generous offer"
"I wouldn't-"
" "word of mouth has no value at all", you said it yourself" you hold his gaze a bit more, then you blink and shake your head, tired from the day "just… let me be. I have no interest in being one more of your peons or whatever you call your gang"
He looks sincerely puzzled, you would give him an Oscar if you weren't broke and homeless. Taking the opportunity you slide around him and leave that strange boy behind.
That boy grows to be the man sitting in this fancy desk, with piles upon piles of paperwork, old name long casted aside for a theater character's one, not that it wasn't in brand for him to change it before. This one just stuck the longest of all names he ever took upon tho. And the most important one as well, and here you are, despite a rough first encounter you stuck by his side.
An unknown memory of a past no-one is supposed to know as deeply as you do, and despite the odds, he still lets you live. A gamble he makes every day, and every day you make sure to prove him wrong and stick to his side, over and over again, loyalty unmatched, eyes knowing and efficiency letal.
"A good journey indeed" you make yourself comfortable in the assigned client chair "payment and debt collected, a favor waiting it's orders from that noble in mondstad… milord"
He rolls his eyes in amusement, focusing back on his so loved papers "anything worth noting?"
That was your cue to over-explain a boring journey with details and names you had to write down, else you forget , that's how he does things, names and places, always one thought away from information, always one eye ahead to potential investments and clients. Generous offers exchanged for generous opportunities.
By the time you end your tale one third of his work is done, and he looks at you, attention not completely there, lost in thoughts, you don't mind, it's to be expected he was bored and you, being his little distraction, is already losing his interest. You look at him in return, comparing the skinny little boy to the healthier man in your mind, the only thing you miss is how more spontaneous his expressions were, but you also understand why they needed to go. Business.
"Your glasses are falling again" you point out casually, playing with one of his pens to distract yourself.
He blinks to awareness, a small glimmer of disappointment passes through the corner of his lips as he adjusts his glasses, and frowns a bit noticing they were perfect in place already "yes, here is your files, I expect your report by tomorrow at this same time"
You pout at him "at this rate you are going to work me dead"
He chuckles "you had worse deadlines than that"
Yes. You had. But still ten pages minimum to tomorrow was a pain in the ass "fine, it's not like I need to rest or anything"
You rise from your seat, taking the files with you, and dramatically walks to the door.
"Welcome back"
You stop by the door, that was more of a whisper than a sentence, and yet it stopped you faster than any barked order. You fit the door's handle, the piles of accumulated paperwork that he hates, the dark circles barely visible through his carefully applied foundation, the small tint of red in his ears.
"I missed you too" you answer walking off, not looking back.
MINE : you made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter !
— dating hanma shuji was the best reckless decision you have ever made
includes! hanma shuji x fem! reader
warnings! smoking, verbal abuse & mentions of it, mentions of a controlling father, toxic parent (father), use of pet names (baby doll)
note! speak now (tv) is out now‼️ i absolutely had to write this w/ hanma bc i remembered him n came up w/ this scenario while listening to mine (tv) 😞
being the daughter of one of the top lawyers in tokyo, you'd say your 'perfect' life was practically scripted. from your words, expressions, mannerism, everything! literally, single thing you did had to be criticized and changed by your father. you had to be careful of everything you say or do as your father paraded you as his 'perfect daughter' when he didn't even treat you as his
you were the typical rich girl who had everything but love and freedom. clearly, your father cared more about his name than you, his daughter.
you've accepted long ago that this is how you were going to spend the rest of your life until your father's death and you were secretly wishing for his lifespan to shorten every time he insulted you for the slightest mistakes, sometimes you didn't even make a mistake he just thinks you're not perfect enough to be walking around and being called his daughter
naturally, it hurt you. but you've gotten used to it and have learned to ignore him
as much as you didn't want anything to do with him and his filthy money, he wouldn't allow you to move out as "it would not look good to the public for a lawyer like me to allow my daughter to move out and for all i know, you could just run around and throw dirt on my name" you could still vision the disgusted look on his face as he spat those venom laced words
though he was right, you did want to throw a little bit of dirt on his name. and what better way to do that than by dating a delinquent from shibuya?
"doesn't it scare you?" hanma asked as he gave you the cigarette in between his fingers and made himself feel at home, sitting on your bed with his back against the headboard and an arm slung around your shoulder
"what's there to be scared of?"
"maybe how your father is a top lawyer in tokyo and how a delinquent is climbing to your balcony every night since two months ago? doesn't it scare you how we could easily get caught? for all i know one of your neighbors could just spot me tryna climb the tree next to your window"
your eyes met his, a lazy smile painting your face as you gave the cigarette back to him, "but that's what makes it exciting" hanma blinked in surprise but soon enough a playful smirk painted his features, "you're so much more than what i thought you were, baby doll" he says, arm leaving your shoulder and going down to your waist as he guided you to sit on his lap
"how so?"
"hmm..thought you were a rebellious little girl tryna get revenge on her controlling daddy"
"but it was your doing"
hanma raised a brow, "how so?" this time it was him who asked the question
a shy and out of character smile spread across your lips, "never had the guts to really do stuff like this..always had to be prim n proper, had to be careful with my words n actions ya know what i mean, but the thing is before i met you all those thoughts were just...thoughts"
hanma pulled your body closer to his own, "made daddy's careful little girl a little rebel hmm?" he spoke with that arrogant tone he used whenever he won a fight so easily as he littered your face with kisses
"mhm..you're indeed the best thing that's ever been mine"
Boyfriend!Dottore, who drags you around his lab, his hand firmly on your wrist, as he explains all his latest accomplishments to you.
Boyfriend!Dottore, who rants about his favorite inventions; whether they be someone else's or his own. Though, in the former case, he does brag about how had he came up with their idea, the outcome would have been much more efficient.
Boyfriend!Dottore, who can't speak his affections for you; he can't find the right words to describe what exactly he feels. And in all honesty, he doesn't understand what he feels for you— it's unlike anything else he's experienced.
Boyfriend!Dottore, who has to straight-up ask you how being a lover works because he's never had this form of connection before. Despite his general intelligence and ability to analyze situations, as well as people, he doesn't quite grasp these ideas.
Boyfriend!Dottore, who shows his love by touching you. If he's studying on paper or writing a report, he'll have you sitting on his lap. If (when) he notices you're feeling rather drained, he'll offer the heat of his body as a comfort sensor.
Boyfriend!Dottore, who, when unable to physically touch you, will make sure you're at the very least in the same room as him. You can do your own thing while he does his. It's enough for him to know you're there.
Boyfriend!Dottore, who is terrified of letting you see him in the nature of his job. He's aware you know of his shenanigans, he's told you what there is to know all by himself. But what if, when he's seen in action, he'll scare you away?
Boyfriend!Dottore, who wants what's best for you. He knows he's not all you deserve, and he knows not to lose you. He's glad that out of everyone, despite the lack of what he's offering, you still chose him.
He's perfectly capable of sweeping you off your feet, you find...except he doesn't have the motivation
Dottore × GN! Reader
If anyone were to tell you the years ago that you'd be dancing with the lord harbinger Il Dottore, you would say they had gone insane. Except that was exactly what you were doing now, and as you felt everyone's eyes on you, the hair on your neck stood on end, shivers running down your spine.
"Relax, my dear. I should be all you focus on tonight."
You'd tsk at him if he hadn't been sweeping you off your feet all night. It had all begun with the Tsaritsa giving him an inquisitive, almost doubtful look when he'd asked for her blessing to marry you (your parents had been unwilling and Dottore refused to coerce them because heretical as he was, he knew blessings had to be given willingly, so of course he'd turn to the Tsaritsa whose blessing should obviously count for more than his future in-laws). For whatever reason, seeing the archon doubt his affection for you (she did blessed the union in the end regardless). Whether or not he could marry you wasn't the point, he knew he could; he was a harbinger, if he wanted to make you his spouse, there was little anyone could do to stop him. Dottore simply could not accept that his love for you was in doubt, as questionable of a figure as he was. This, of course, meant that he had to prove everyone wrong.
Like a prince out of a fairytale, he'd waited for you at the top of the stairs leading down to the ballroom, taking your hand and bowing as he pressed his lips to the back of your hand. His fingers interlocked with yours as he held your hand to escort you, looking straight ahead proudly, as though he didn't hear the hushed whispers questioning what had gotten into him, wondering if he were an imposter. Much to everyone's surprise, Dottore was quite the proficient dancer, confidently leading you into a waltz, looking only at you as he swept you away with the music. To be held so intimately by the second harbinger was nothing short of enchanting, and equal parts magically surreal as it was nerve-wracking.
As the first song came to an end, he had yet to let you go. Dottore's hands lingered on you still, and though his feet had come to a halt with the ceasure of the symphony, he body continued to move, swaying you in his arms as he leaned closer. As he leaned closer, you closed your eyes, fully expecting a kiss, but he moved to the side towards your ear to whisper, "Well, my dear, it does seem your legs will be quite sore after tonight."
There was no need to hide your blush from anyone for he pulled you close as the music started up once more, monopolising your attention as he kept you dancing with him and only him. He was riling you up on purpose, you knew and yet there was nothing you could do to stop him. Dottore was determined to prove he was the best lover for you, but selfish as he was, he decided his payment for the act would come in the form of being the sole holder of your attention. It also went without saying that you were all he wanted to lavish his attention on that night as well, as with not an experiment within reach, there was little else to occupy him.
"Might I have the next dance, Lord Dottore?" a poor fool thought to ask Dottore. You gave them a look, a mix of pity and concern. This was not about to end well. Dottore's gaze was nothing short of disgust, contempt, and offence.
"Get out of my sight," he hissed, his lips curling as though he were a wolf baring his fangs, especially with the way the Snezhnayan moonlight glinted in the reflection off his canines. His red eyes, seemingly stained with blood, flickered across the room, glaring at everyone who had sinned against him by simply remaining in his presence. Well, there went what little bit of reputation he'd salvaged - time to do damage control before he got out of hand.
"My lord, the music is starting up again, did you not promise me every dance of the night?" you urged, sending a pointed glance towards the Fatui underling who'd approached Dottore. They took the hint and scurried off, relieved to escape the harbinger's wrath.
childe only looked at you and put a finger over his lips, a dorky smile on his face. you could only watch as a grown man, who willingly chose to sit next to you, shushed you. you weren’t sure if you felt more embarrassed or annoyed but you immediately tried to make yourself smaller.
“the 2pm appointment?”
the voice of an old man stopped your mind from spiraling over your first interaction with childe. your “partner” nodded his head and outstretched a hand towards you, frowning slightly as you stood up. he must have been insane to think you would reach for his hand after he told shushed you. you were already starting to regret your deal with venti.
“right this way,” the man motioned into his office, though you caught his eyes looking at childe’s hand.
he was already started to analyze you guys…how fun.
you and childe followed him, sitting yourselves down on a couch that sat across a single chair. still reeling in your embarrassment, you sat at the far right corner while childe sat at the far left corner. the atmosphere was almost suffocating as you desperately tried to find anything to look at.
“thank you for seeing us,” childe spoke joyfully.
“no need to thank me,” the therapist sat down and got out some sheets of paper and a pen, “i’m glad you two are here to better your relationship!”
you thought introductions and initial questions would be the most awkward but the therapist seemed to want to prove you wrong.
“i just feel like there are always walls between us. it’s as if we don’t really know each other.”
“childe, please refrain from generalizations and use i statements to talk about your feelings.”
“i’m sorry. i personally feel like we aren’t as close as before. sometimes, i feel like we are just strangers.”
it took everything for you to not laugh or cringe as he spoke.
“and y/n? how do you feel?”
“i don’t know?”
the whole idea was funnier in your head but having to try and gaslight a therapist was way more intimidating in action. you also wanted to hold on to the tiniest bit of pride you had left and it was slowly slipping as childe spoke. you did not want to be the problem in the relationship, fake or not.
“i guess i feel like childe doesn’t know me that well? so it’s hard for me to be open around him. i don’t doubt his feelings but i guess i think it’s…misdirected? like he is in love with the idea of me instead of who i am.”
you both thanked the therapist and went to the parking lot. both of you said nothing as you made your way out, only nodding your head as a thanks when one of you held the door open for each other.
“so…how was it?”
“childe…what?”
“did you think it was fun? like do you want to keep doing this?”
he seemed a lot more shy than before, trying to use hand gestures to get his point across. for the first time today, you let out a laugh. maybe it was the weirdness of the situation finally getting to you, but seeing childe ask if you want to continue therapy was the funniest thing you heard all day.
“is that a yes?”
“sure.”
“okay good,” he laughs as he grabs his car keys, “i can walk you to your car, if that’s okay?”
“oh, i didn’t drive here. i had my friend drop me off.”
“do you want me to take you home?”
childe noticed the way you stiffened a little, realizing how sudden it must have felt for you. he quickly waved his hands in front of him while speaking quickly.
“wait. i swear i’m not like a predator or anything i just feel bad cause i mean i am fake dating you and like what kind of fake boyfriend would i be…but you don’t have to agree because i know-“
“thank you. i’d love a ride.”
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fun facts
the therapist’s first impression is that you guys aren’t dating for love but just to not feel alone (rude)
venti was in the living room with xiao and he laughed so hard when he read that childe shushed you. he started wheezing and xiao had to get him some water
you are definitely thinking about how he shushed you on the ride home
a/n: I KEPT CRINGING WHILE WRITING… like guys the second hand embarrassment i keep getting… like imagine having to look a therapist in the eye and lie like this
the reason for the 1.5h gap from your texts w childe and his texts w sexy harem is cause he spent that time trying to find a fit
kazuha was the only one home w scara & saw scara storm to his room after sexy harem exposed him (tiny stomping was heard but the door was shut gently)
childe is overwhelming you ngl… that’s why your texting is diff. at this point you genuinely think childe is a little insane
a/n: i got second hand embarrassment from childe buying read receipts for tinder. like i looked up if they had it and once i saw they had to pay… i also misspelled therapy from typing too fast so i made childe bear the consequences <3
zhongli and xiao talk often but it’s mostly zhongli telling xiao to not overwork himself or xiao telling zhongli that he doesn’t have to worry about him so much
venti is a philo major for a reason and he thought of matching you w childe very early on
kuni and xiao are gossip boys who deny it. when childe rejected a girl, kuni found out EVERYTHING including when she liked him, how it started, etc etc. xiao will pretend to be indifferent but will enjoy whatever chaos you or venti get wrapped up in
childe genuinely thought he was so clever for his first message (should have sent his credit card info though </3)
a/n: capitalism is taking me out one work shift at a time </3 nervous for when i start summer emt courses cause i’ll be busy every day of the week aghh. gonna be ratioed by school and work
summary: y/n and toru have been best friends since diapers, getting into all sorts of trouble along the way. it seems there’s nothing that could tear them apart, not iwa-chan, not toru’s weird obsession with aliens; even the move to tokyo couldn’t hinder their friendship. so... how would they fare upon realising that their platonic feelings aren’t quite platonic anymore?
word count: 2.6k
a/n: we almost there. gotta admit, the quality’s probably decreased because i’m so desperate to just finally finish this damn thing
You hadn’t realised just how suffocating the tension was until you stepped outside and left the Principal’s office. For a few moments, you stood still; eyes closed and breathing slowly, deeply. Your throat burned, as though it were swollen from all the yelling almost half an hour prior. When you opened your eyes and moved your jaw, you were hit with instantaneous regret. Everything was hurting. Your arms burned, lined with uneven scratch marks, some of which were bleeding beneath the disinfectant cream the nurse had applied. It pained you to blink, what with the bulging bruise that had swollen across your brow ridge and closer towards your eye. Your face was hurt, your legs were hurt, literally everything was hurting. Even your knuckles were being stubborn, battered and bruised and unable to fully bend into the fists you had come to cherish after their prior efforts.
You took a few steps away from the office door, ignoring the rise and fall of Tashi’s senseless crying with the Principal. You rounded the corner, fingertips gently prodding at the thick bandage splayed across your jaw before recoiling at the light touches. You had to admit; she got a few good hits in. It didn’t seem like her first rodeo.
“Y/n! L/n Y/n! You, come here!” Came a voice from up ahead, dragging your attention away from the squeaky floor beneath your shoes. You pursed your lips, cringing slightly at the terrible sting as you ripped the skin just that teensy bit further, eyeing the approaching boys quietly.
“Y/n.” Oikawa seized your shoulders, squeezing them tightly as he leaned in close. One hand quickly wandered up to your face, gently pulling your chin in every which way to examine your injuries. “Why? You’re hurt.”
“She started it, Toru.” You winced as he brushed his fingertips across your forehead, dangerously close to your bruising brow. “Broke my shit, kept shoving me and screaming at me, so… I put her in her place.” The shrug you gave had Makki and Mattsun cracking grins, throwing you proud thumbs up behind their captain.
“An honest slay, babe.” Makki nodded firmly. “Seriously, she got what was coming for her.”
“How does she look?” Mattsun inquired, looking over your shoulder as though wishing her to appear.
“Worse.” You grinned, a lopsided smile that hurt beyond belief but spread further nonetheless. Oikawa gently pinched your untouched cheek, causing your smile to dip into a frown.
“What did the Principal say?” Iwaizumi piped up, shoving the idiotic third years away—who protested with grunts and a ‘hey!’.
“I’m not really supposed to talk about it.” You rubbed your arm gently, attempting to soothe the burning sensation. Your gaze flitted from Iwaizumi to the boy still standing dangerously close, inspecting every inch of you with such care and worry in his eyes that it made your heart pound. With his close proximity, you prayed he didn’t catch your quickening pulse.
“But you will, won’t you?”
“If I do, I could get in more trouble, Makki.” You shook your head and lifted your hands, gradually pulling Oikawa’s away from your face. “That’s the last thing I want right now. I just wanna go home.” You groaned, dropping your head at the thought. Luckily, Oikawa’s chest was there to cushion it. You smiled softly, face out of their view. His hand came up and cupped the back of your head, giving a few gentle pats before choosing to caress it instead.
“Please, tell me she’s getting punished.” Makki clasped his hands together, raising them towards the ceiling slightly.
“We both might be.” You mumbled, gently tugging on Oikawa’s shirt. “The Principal said there was no way to prove who started what in there because there were no witnesses until the end. So, we’ll probably both get punished.” You turned your head slightly, staring at the locks next to you.
“Man, what the fuck.”
“Don’t forget that Tashi is, like, this school’s ‘golden girl’. The Principal probably believes her more than me at this point. I’m still relatively new anyway. I mean, I wouldn’t even be surprised if he decided it was suspicious that problems with Tashi only started happening after I showed up.”
You felt a slight tremor from the hand that had moved to rest against your nape. Glancing up, you found Oikawa staring down at you in absolute misery, brows downturned and lips pulled tight. His eyes, however, were alight with fury, so bright and so vibrant you were almost speechless.
“That’s not fair.” He narrowed his gaze. “Why should you be punished when you acted in self defence? Is the principal an idiot?”
“Because there’s nothing for me to use to prove that it was self defence. Otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” You puffed out your unscathed cheek, instantly deflating it when another stinging sensation occurred. “The witnesses didn’t see enough to determine it and the two first-years, I’m pretty sure, idolise Tashi. So… yeah.”
“I knew the school system was bullshit but damn.” Iwaizumi grumbled, gently scratching at his chin in thought, when Makki huffed and pushed past him, he fixed his gaze on the third-year, intrigued by the idea pouring from his lips.
“We should just storm in there and tell the Principal that Tashi started it! Why wouldn’t he believe us then, when it’s five against one?” Mattsun slapped the backside of his head.
“It’s three against five, actually, moron.” He reminded, earning a sharp glare and a shove back from his friend. “She literally just said those two first-years idolise Tashi. Why would they go against her?”
“And besides, they wouldn’t accept it. None of you were there.” You shook your head and looked back up at Oikawa. “I just… I just wanna go home now, Toru. Sorry, Hajime. We can study some other time, right?”
Iwaizumi shook his head, smiling as she patted you softly on the back. “Don’t sweat it. Go home and sleep. It’s been a hell of an afternoon.”
So you headed off.
You left the three boys there and wandered towards the gates with Oikawa, pinky fingers loosely interlocked, gripping the strap of your bag tightly with your other hand as you walked. He pestered you with quiet questions, asking if you were okay, if anything hurt too badly—he even asked if you wanted him to carry you. You waved him off with a smile and a thanks, keeping close to his side as you went.
“Well, if there’s anything I can do. I’ll do it.”
“Can you fix phones?”
“Huh?” He asked, quirking a brow. “Fix phones? I don’t think I’m that good. I could pay for repairs though… how bad is it?”
You fished the broken item from your pocket with a cringe, holding it up for him to inspect. Cautiously, he took it from your hands and rotated it around, a grimace on his lips.
“Shit, that’s bad.” The screen was shattered, the back of it was basically falling off; hanging on by a thread and a prayer. There were pieces of the protective glass missing, probably still lounging in the bathroom where it was beaten.
“Mm… I was trying to leave and answer a call from Ma’ when the crazy bitch shoved me and took my phone.” You extended your arms in a dramatic manner, but he knew you weren’t exaggerating in the slightest. “Broke it… Can I use your phone to call her, Toru? If she was calling me it would’ve been important.”
He blinked and stopped in place, ripping his phone out of his pocket at inhuman speeds. He swiped up on the screen and opened his messages, his face paling at the sight. How did he forget? It was the first thing he was supposed to tell you. (He didn’t want to admit that you became his sole focus as soon as he saw you in the hall, bruised and scratched.)
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I-I meant to tell you when I saw you but-but I just—” He fumbled his phone a little, passing it to you. You simply smiled, thinking nothing of it as you moved to search for her contact. When it was already displayed on the screen, however. Your heart sank.
‘Tell her to call me back right away.’
‘It’s her father.’
With shaking hands you brought up her contact as quick as possible, pulse rising in that sickening, overwhelming manner. The phone rang once, twice and a third time with no answer, the dial tone leaving a sick taste in the back of your throat. The ominous sensation that came with the beep and your mother’s casual voicemail message had you bringing the phone back down and calling her number again, ignoring Oikawa’s gentle call of your name.
Why wasn’t she answering? Maybe she was talking to the doctor or the nurses? Maybe she was in another argument with her mother-in-law? Or maybe–
“Oh, Toru,” came her voice through the phone, soft yet scratchy, “did you find her?”
“Mama?” You called quietly, almost a whisper. Your nerves were on fire. “Is everything okay?”
Your gaze met Oikawa’s as the two of you stood in silence by the gate, your mother taking a shaky inhale over the line. You could hear the scratchy sniffle; the sniffle of someone who had been crying for a while. That didn’t do your rampant thoughts any favours. There was silence again for a few seconds before she released a shaky breath.
“He’s not making it.”
“What?”
Oikawa’s face fell when the word slipped from your split lips and you looked away. He could practically hear your heart shattering when you spoke, watching as you began to blink excessively. He felt helpless, outstretching a hand to grasp your attention. His fingers twitched when you shook your head, hand tightening around his phone as you readjusted it against your ear.
“S-so… he’s, um… h-he’s..?” You turned away, leaving the boy the sight of your back. He caught sight of a faded, crimson stain on the back of your shirt but quickly fixated on your shoulders. They rose and fell erratically as you continued to whisper over the phone. “I… he’s not… h-he can’t be…” You had started gently fisting the fabric of your pants before it moved up towards your face. Oikawa fidgeted with his fingers, freezing when your voice became muffled and the little noises seeping out weren’t just his imagination. He stepped forward almost instantly when your muffled cries grew louder, circling around slowly.
Your shoulders jerked and your head tilted down, face hidden from his anxious gaze.
“I-I was s-supposed to be there-” your words were strung together with sharp inhales and heart wrenching cries “-I n-needed… needed to say g-goodbye.”
He could faintly hear your mother on the other side of the phone when you pulled it from your ear for a moment, hand still clamped tightly over your mouth as though it would help prevent you from completely breaking down. You held out his phone, wordlessly telling him to take it as you cried. Oikawa jostled his device for a moment, setting his bag down on the ground to take you into his arm. While holding you to his chest with one hand, he raised the phone to his ear, letting your mother finish talking before answering.
“I-I’ve got her.” He tightened his hold around you, frown deepening. “Is-is he..?”
The phone made a rustling noise, your mother shifting it from one shoulder to the next as she inhaled slowly, attempting to keep back her quiet, erratic gasps.
“The nurses are… trying but… I don’t-” she wiped a hand across her face, the fabric catching on the phone for a moment. “-I don’t think he’s making it out of this one. I-I’ll know in the next few minutes…”
“So, she won’t..-” he dropped off, the voice of your mother fading as his focus settled on you. You who was falling apart in his arms, sobbing and hurting beyond his understanding. He felt his own heart lurch and break, at both the supposed loss and your response.
“Y-Y/n… she-she won't be able to talk to him again.” The woman confirmed his terrible thought through quiet breaths, raspy and struggling. “I asked Akiko to go and pick you both up and bring you, but I don’t think she’ll get here in time.”
“We’ll get there soon.” He promised with a croak in his tone, words still strung together so well you wouldn’t think he was crying too. The phone fell back into his pocket and he wrapped his arms around you fully, biting down on his lower lip as he buried his face into your shoulder. Your body jerked as sobs racked your figure, balling fistsfuls of his shirt, face hidden in his chest. For the second time that week, you were coming undone in his arms, breaking down.
You didn’t care how vulnerable you were. Oikawa was there, it didn’t matter. You were hurting. It was worse than the physical altercation you had been through with Tashi. It rippled through you, a torrent of pain that rendered you weak and defenceless, wanting to collapse where you stood. There was a gap in your chest, empty and terrifying. You hated it.
He wanted to hold you close and keep you safe from the hurt the world was so intent on bringing you. He wanted to sweep you up and take all that pain away; make it his own if he had to. He couldn’t handle it. These cries of yours were so different to the ones at the hospital; those were cries of realisation, of fear and dread alike. These ones now? They ripped him apart as they left your lips, louder and more painful. They were cries of anguish, devastation and loss.
“I-I’m so sorry…” he whispered into your ear, though he wasn’t sure if you heard it. “I should’ve… should’ve found you sooner. I shouldn’t have forgotten about the text. I—god, this is my fault...” You held onto him tighter, unable to speak beyond your wails. He hid his face away in your shoulder again, ignoring the unconscious jostling of your body as you continued to cry. You wouldn’t be breaking down so hard if it weren’t for him, or so he believed. You would’ve had some type of closure had you been at the hospital by now instead. You would’ve been able to hug him and cry in the arms of your father as you both uttered your final goodbyes and ‘love you’s.
But no.
Because of his mistakes, you were in his arms instead. Both of you were sobbing messes clinging onto each other so neither took a tumble in their state.
Following that moment, everything was a darkened blur. You heard the patter of feet as someone else joined you by the gates, the roll of tyres as they pulled to a stop nearby and the opening of car doors. Not once did you let go of Oikawa, not once did you look up to register anything happening around you—not the boy buckling you both in or the woman driving off—you remained tucked into his chest, victim to your hysterics. He was keeping you safe now. Oikawa had you. He wouldn’t let go. Not this time around. He was going to make up for his mistakes, even if he thought you wouldn’t forgive him.
He closed his eyes as he whispered softly to you, nose against your hair. He had eased some of your cries, rubbing his hand against your back and holding you even tighter, even closer.
While you were suffocating within your sorrows, he was seething. He was angry for you. Angry at the world and the people in it.
Why did everything go to shit for you?
Why did everything have to get even worse?
You didn’t deserve that.
extra sides;
tashi definitely looks way worse than y/n. our girl knows how to beat ass
oikawa blames himself for not giving y/n his phone quick enough
y/n and lia’s mothers are very close, which is how lia found out in the first place
kuroo forgot to tell the others that oikawa was with y/n and that her phone was broken; it took at least a couple hours of them disturbing his studying
the principal will be suspending the two. are there other punishments coming their way? perhaps.
(oikawa got the profile picture for kuroo from y/n)
So hear me out. What if Oikawa tells Tashi he’ll get back together with her if she comes clean to the principal (it’s a lie, he’s not getting back together with her) and then y/n acted in self defense and only Tashi gets punished bc she’s a b*tch 😤
But ahhhhh such an emotional chapter 😭 can’t wait for the next one 💖
hello! >u< how are you? if it's okay, may i request the sumeru men with a s/o who loooooves sitting on their lap? i hope you have a great day/night!
characters: alhaitham, kaveh, cyno, tighnari and dottore x gn! reader
warnings: sfw! may be suggestive! otherwise fluff [hii anon! i hope you are doing well too! i tried to post something even though it’s been a month, i’m so sorry <3]
alhaitham
“Haitham, can i sit on your lap again?”
“…You may.” The Acting Grand Sage looked down at you, who had unknowingly sat on the desk infront, eyes gleaming so enthusiastically it’d be a shame to deny you of what you so kindly requested.
If anyone didn’t know the scribe as personally as you did, they’d say he was a cold-hearted man with a thirst only knowledge could quench— that he was incapable of demonstrating love. He’d overheard such earlier, watching the two students indulging in some pointless (and incorrect, mind you) gossip.
He wasn’t one to care of other’s perception of him, but with you in his life and his lap, he had to show at least some regard for his reputation. Seems like all you cared about at the moment was adjusting against his chest so you could snuggle your face into the corner of his neck. Firmly muscular, but comfortable.
He smelt pleasant— hints of fresh citrus and old books radiated off of him like an aura. You suppose the scent of a person really said a lot about them. Al Haitham, that once bitterly cold man had been reduced like a squeezed lemon, sour at first but you’ve drained that attitude from him. As for the other, well, the books were self-explanatory. He was a needed comfort either way.
“Can you read to me too please?”
“You ask for too much, darling...”
kaveh
“Kaveh, you wouldn’t mind me sitting on your lap, right?”
The architect’s breath hitched, pencil hovering over the unfinished blueprint. Did he just hear you right? He sighed, wondering why he felt the need to express hesitance when you’re his beloved. That’s new, and awfully endearing too.
His lack of an answer left thoughts swarming your head within seconds. Did i make him uncomfortable? Why though? You’ve done much more intimate things with him than this. You spun around on your heel, a mediocre attempt at fleeing the flustering scene. The creak of a chair accompanied with a tight grasp of a hand around your wrist had settled you onto Kaveh’s thighs.
“Don’t run away, sweetheart, i was a little taken aback, that’s all.” Your boyfriend massaged circular motions into your tense shoulders, apprehensively stiff to the touch. You melted into his gentle ministrations, finally lowering yourself into his lap securely.
“Am i not bothering your soon to be due planning?” You quizzed, turning your head to glance at the messily organised desk, fragments of graphite smeared over it and numerous pencils scattered across the surface. A professional procrastinator is what he was, he never accepted such a name from your mouth, poorly persuading you to keep quiet so he could de-stress.
“I needed a break anyway, my love, just rest with me a little while longer.”
cyno
“I know you’re busy Cyno, but can i sit with you please?”
Such innocently vague phrasing truly disguised your intentions. When you said it like that, Cyno didn’t think much of it and simply agreed. That was until you positioned yourself comfortably on his lap, legs either side of his thighs.
He gasped softly— watching you loop your arms around his neck and snuggle your face into his chest. Bold behaviour like this wasn’t normal for you but he supposed this didn’t have any deeper meaning other than wanting to be close to him.
“Dear…you don’t have anything up your sleeve, do you?” Cyno quizzed, squinting slightly to search for any reaction from you. Your light giggle and the abrupt shaking of your head suggested you didn’t have any ulterior motives.
The general grinned briefly, setting down his report to embrace you with his arms and began to kiss your forehead delicately, leaning into his gentle touch as if you were a cat starved of attention.
“Why don’t i change that, darling?”
tighnari
“Nari, sitting on your lap won’t interfere with your work, yes?”
Your boyfriend froze, the abrupt request felt unfamiliar to fall from your tongue, yet he couldn’t find it within him to decline such an offer. He placed the pen down, turning so slightly as to not let you see the hint of rose over his face.
“Well, i suppose it wouldn’t.” The forest ranger mumbled, trying his hardest not to show a trace of embarrassment. So much for the composed, knowledgeable chief everyone knew. You, on the other hand, smiled cheekily, walking over to see what mess you’ve made.
Just as you were about to tease him, Tighnari seized your waist and spun you around to sit facing the other way. Of course, you facepalmed yourself mentally, how could you limit your lover’s sharp mind?
Tighnari was not about to let you make fun of him with your little tricks— like how you did numerous times before.
“Not so fast darling. I think i deserve an apology for that, physical or verbal, it’s up to you.”
dottore
“My husband, can i sit here with you?”
Dottore trailed his scarlet eyes over your torso, following your outstretched arm until he witnessed your own finger directed to his very lap. You… wanted to sit on him? How flatteringly bold of you. He shifted his legs to let you move in between, patting his situationally vacant legs.
“As you wish, my love, don’t keep me waiting.”Your lover chuckled as your sudden expression adapted into a more coy smile, whether this was from hesitance or excitement, he didn’t know. Your gentle hands reached for his shoulders, so lightly as if you were afraid.
His thighs were firm yet soft enough to rest your own on top, allowing the harbinger to run his fingers along your back whilst he admired the way in which you’d relax against him without a care in the world. He only mattered to you in this moment— the unexpectedly soft, caring husband no one knew of but yourself.
Dottore hasn’t meant to become so attached to the feeling of your thighs encasing him, now it was the only way he was fond of, with you right where you’re safe.
summary: y/n and toru have been best friends since diapers, getting into all sorts of trouble along the way. it seems there’s nothing that could tear them apart, not iwa-chan, not toru’s weird obsession with aliens; even the move to tokyo couldn’t hinder their friendship. so... how would they fare upon realising that their platonic feelings aren’t quite platonic anymore?
word count: 3.8k
a/n: not proofread, we die like daichi
It had been a while since you last felt rejuvenated by an afternoon of volleyball practice. The familiarity of it all eased the swell of nerves tossing and turning within the depths of your stomach; it provided ample distraction from the outside world. You bathed in the determination that propelled each of the boys through the practice, smiles infectious after a particularly good spike or block. The incessant teasing allround caused laughter and lighthearted threats, to which you slid in with an elbow, telling them to get back to practising. And they did. Some of them even requested you join in, throwing up what you decided were pretty adequate sets for them to spike over the net. Eventually, your arms grew tired and the bench on the sidelines seemed so very enticing.
You sat down, notebook open in your lap as you sipped your water. The seemingly endless squeaking of their shoes came to an end, finally (there was only so long you could sit there and listen to the sound without going insane). Coach Irihata stood next to you whilst Coach Mizoguchi gathered the boys, handing only a few their respective water bottles as they formed a tight semi-circle before the two of you. You brought your attention away from the notebook, setting your bottle down to grab the two sitting beside you, offering them up to the panting third-years that stepped closer. Iwaizumi gave a curt nod, moving back to rejoin the team in their little formation. Oikawa took his much slower, fingers brushing against yours as he did so. When he smiled, you noticed how it actually met his eyes, crinkling somewhat at the corners as he mouthed the words ‘thank you’ between breaths. You blinked owlishly while he shuffled back, hand hovering as you registered the sudden warmth within your cheeks, spreading slowly across your skin. Forcefully, you drove both hands back into your lap, head shaking gently before turning your attention towards Coach Irihata.
You watched the man’s lips move, his words falling deaf upon your ears; simply background noise as you delved into the depths of your own thoughts. There was nothing engaging to keep you from the worries beyond the gym (you respected Coach Irihata, but sometimes his little speeches got so repetitive and boring), thus your internal spiral ensued. You snuck a glance at your bag nearby. Were there any updates on your father? An update on the future window repairs? Or more indirect tweets that had you questioning a particular girl’s sanity? Maybe something from your friends in Tokyo? Granted, they all had their own practices to attend to with the Interhigh Preliminaries quickly approaching, so you didn’t expect much beyond brief, nonsensical conversations late into the night.
With a slow blink and a deep breath, you turned your head back, eyeing each person standing before you. They stood firm, hands clenched tightly to either water bottles or towels, brows furrowed and eyes unmoving from their coach as he spoke. Clearly, his words were of the utmost importance to them; whatever it was he was saying… You cradled your chin within your palm, fingers tapping delicately against the side of your jaw.
Anyone else would have mistaken your spaced-out look for an immense case of boredom. Luckily, Oikawa and Iwaizumi weren’t just ‘anyone else’. To be completely fair, Oikawa had been stealing glances at you the entire time; from the moment you had handed him his water. It was more so due to the fact he had become unusually giddy from the reaction to the brief contact moments before that he had been watching you so carefully (searching for another adorable look or movement). He’d hoped no one would notice; it wasn’t an ideal situation to be called out for staring and, thus, dubbed a creep, especially in the middle of Coach’s pep-talk. That said, it wasn’t surprising that he’d caught on to your increasing anxiety as you sat there, distracted. When the soft curve of your lips had dropped and the gleam in your eyes had completely disappeared, Oikawa knew something was wrong. You spaced out, no longer entertained by the external world and he caught the exact moment you had fallen deep amidst the confines of your mind; gauging from the ceaseless furrowing of your brows that they weren’t very pleasant thoughts.
As Irihata began directing his words towards the second and first-years, Oikawa nudged Iwaizumi with his elbow, subtly pointing in your direction. Once the initial irritation slipped from his gaze, Iwaizumi found himself studying your vacant stare. His confusion showed within the crease of his brows, lips pulled taut as he glanced back towards Oikawa. They both knew something was wrong.
Coach Irihata dismissed the group and turned away, moving to join Coach Mizoguchi. It was an unspoken rule that the team’s captain would follow up with an inspirational speech of his own, which Oikawa adhered to as he sat down at your side. You went rigid at the boy’s sudden presence but quickly relaxed, letting a soft smile tug at your lips as he pressed close to you; shoulder to shoulder, leg to leg. It was comforting. Iwaizumi had sat down soon after, though, not as close. His smile mirrored your own but quickly flattened once he returned his attention to his teammates. Closing the notebook on your lap, you listened intently to Oikawa’s words, watching the quirks of his lips as they moved and curved. His soothing tone made you quite forgetful; what was it you thinking about before?
“We’ll destroy them. Karasuno, Shiratorizawa…” The brunet’s fists balled against his knee, trembling only just. “This year; we will go to Nationals. I just know it.” The grin that he wore spanned ear-to-ear, gorgeous, pearly whites on full display. His eyes, bright and euphoric, crinkled slightly at the corners. It was genuine and incredibly infectious; the boys before you wore smiles of their own, each a varying degree of excitement at the prospect of competing at Nationals.
“You’ll help your upperclassmen get there, won’t you?”
A chorus of agreement filled the air and the group broke off, leaving you, Iwaizumi and Oikawa sitting in comfortable silence. Iwaizumi leaned back, hands grasping the edge of the bench as he blew out a sigh.
“Are you okay?” The sweet smile was still present on his lips when the setter turned to view you, knee gently nudging yours to pull the entirety of your attention. You pursed your lips, brow twitching. Before you could answer, Iwaizumi knocked his foot against yours, leaning forward to pick up the water bottle he had sat on the ground.
“You can’t lie to us either.” He took a sip. “We’ll know.”
“You’ve been… out of it most of practice.” Oikawa pointed out, clasping his hands together and bending forward, elbows digging into his thighs. “The only time you didn’t look upset was when you were setting for the second-years. Even when you walked in, you didn’t look okay, (Y/n).”
“You’ve got us worried.” You glanced over at Iwaizumi, catching the anxious frown upon his lips. It was a stark contrast to the delighted one he wore moments before.
“Ah… I''—you took a breath, awkwardly scratching at your wrist—“I didn’t mean to make you guys worry. M’sorry.”
Oikawa dropped his hands, letting them fall against his kneecaps. A troubled glint stained his eyes as he looked towards Iwaizumi.
“Why are you apologising? Don’t do that.” The shorter male huffed, finally sitting upright. “You’ve had one hell of a week dealing with shit. Honestly, I don’t blame you for feeling ‘off’.”
“Yeah, you’re the last person who should be apologising.” Oikawa let out a shaky hum. “If anything, you should be taking time to yourself or something. Recuperate.”
“No.” You interjected abruptly, close to a shout that had both Iwaizumi and Oikawa taken aback. Not only that, several of the other boys turned their heads in concern, as well as the coaches. You went rigid, a sheepish smile on your lips as you waved a hand in apology.
“Sorry… I-I didn’t mean to yell.” Oikawa relaxed as lifted a hand, placing it against your back. “I don’t want to be alone. Not right now. I can’t deal with stress very well on my own.”
“Ah.” Iwaizumi nodded in acknowledgment, picking up the towel beside him. “No, I get it. I don’t deal with stress well on my own either.”
“I guess I’m the opposite.” Oikawa shrugged with a small smile, looking down as you gently nudged him in the side.
“You don’t deal with stress any better than us, though.”
“Hey-”
“You close yourself off, Toru. You might not have realised it though.” Oikawa blinked owlishly as he turned his gaze elsewhere, briefly thinking back on all the times he had supposedly ‘closed himself off’. When he returned his attention to you, he noted that you had fixed your gaze on Iwaizumi as the ace spoke.
“We have that English test coming up so if you want we can head to my house after we finish here and study?” He suggested, setting his water bottle back into the carrier and slinging his towel over his shoulders. “I know Oikawa desperately needs to study and you’ve got a bad habit of cramming everything the night before.”
“Didn’t need to be called out like that.” You deadpanned, tapping your foot. “But okay. Do we need to bring snacks or anything?”
“Nah.” Iwaizumi took Oikawa’s water bottle and shoved it into the carrier as well. “Ma’ will be home and she’ll be happy to make extra food for you idiots.”
“I love Mrs Iwaizumi’s cooking…” Oikawa hummed, purely delighted by the idea. “It’s heavenly. Too bad you didn’t inherit those skills, huh, Iwa?” Without a word, the spiky-haired boy had raised his hand and reached around you to smack Oikawa on the back. You were unbothered by his arm brushing against your frame, watching as Oikawa dramatically bent forward with a gasp. The offended look he shot his best friend coaxed a laugh from your lips.
“Ah… you guys…” You sighed, shaking your head while you stood up. “Never change.” They shared a quick glance at your words before they turned back, Iwaizumi with furrowed brows and Oikawa with one arched.
“We won’t, (y/n).” Iwaizumi nodded.
“So long as you don’t change, Strawberry.” Oikawa added, lips curved into a soft smile as he gazed up at you from the bench.
“Me?” You placed a hand to your chest. “Never.”
When you started walking away, Oikawa shot up and trailed you like a puppy. You cocked a brow, sending him a look over your shoulder.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m running away, obviously.”
“(Y/n)..!” He whined.
“Okay, stop that, oh my- I’m going to the bathroom real quick.” You stopped, turning to poke him in the forehead. “I’d prefer it if you didn’t follow me into the bathroom of all places.”
“Right, sorry.” He scratched his nape gently. “Hurry back, though. Iwa and I will meet you by the gates. And don’t fall in.”
“Yes, thank you, Toru. I’ll try not to fall into the toilet.” The intermingling laughter faded as you left, making your way towards the bathrooms inside the school’s main building. Anyone passing by would’ve seen the irritation on your face, clear as day, after finding the closest bathrooms (the block closer to the gyms) had been locked up for the day.
You cringed once you walked into the bathrooms, selecting a stall after careful inspection. The third one was the cleanest option. Not too long after, the door had squeaked open and another person had entered the stall beside you, the lock clicking into place. The strangest thing though? You didn’t hear anything from them after that, not that you went into bathrooms actively listening for people going about their business. Maybe they were looking for a hideout; nothing strange to you in that case.
You exited the stall in silence, approaching the sinks in slow steps. Turning the taps, you lathered your hands in soap and doused them in water, finding satisfaction in the way the sweet-scented soap foamed up over your skin. Though you didn’t look up into the mirror directly, you caught the movement of the person leaving the other stall, only for them to stand eerily still behind you. An uncomfortable tingle ran up your spine, the girl’s eyes practically boring holes into your back. You’d felt such a stare countless times before, mostly in high-stress situations; perhaps that was why you stiffened up and snapped, unable to hold yourself together with all the stress.
“There are other sinks, you know. And… It's impolite to stare.” With your final words, you finally looked up into the mirror, pausing in disbelief at who stood behind you.
“It’s also impolite to steal someone’s boyfriend so I guess we’re both not so nice, hm?”
“What do you want now?” You glared, using your elbow to turn the water off. “Come to keep up your role as the thorn in my backside?”
“If that’s what bothers you, sure.” Tashi smiled. She reached up and carefully moved a strand of her silky black hair behind her ear, not once breaking eye contact with you. When she dropped her hands back to her sides, she stepped forward, effectively blocking you from grabbing the paper towel from the dispenser on the wall.
“Look, contrary to what you might think, I don’t actually want to talk to you. In fact, I really want to slap you around a few times for all the shit you’ve done.” You attempted to move and reach for the paper towel, only to have her gently slap your arm away. You inhaled deeply, eyes narrowing. “But someone here has to be mature and that sure as hell isn’t you.”
She opened her mouth, most likely to spit some more bullshit, when you raised your hands and flicked them at her, spraying droplets of water into her face. She closed her eyes instinctively and stepped away, giving you ample time to pull a couple pieces of the paper towel from the dispenser.
“Ew! What the fuck is wrong with you?” Tashi hissed, wiping her face with the back of her hands.
“It’s clean water, be thankful.” You turned your back, getting ready to leave. “At least it won’t give you any other diseases, you bat.”
“I don’t have any diseases.”
“Jealousy is a disease.” You bunched up the paper towel into a ball and dropped it into the bin by the door, turning to lean in close to Tashi’s face. “And you, my little fiend, are riddled with it.”
She scoffed, eyes narrowed and fists clenched.
“What am I jealous of? You?” She laughed curtly. “Yeah, I don’t think so. Why would I be jealous of someone like you?”
“I dunno, you tell me.” You stepped away, heading for the door. “I don’t know how your freaky little head works and, frankly, I don’t want to.”
Before you could reach the door, Tashi moved herself, blocking you from leaving and, before you could say anything, she had placed her palms against your shoulders and shoved. Hard. You stumbled back, eyes widening somewhat at her boldness.
“You wanna know something?”
“Not really, no.”
“Everything was perfect here.” Tashi started, hands slowly moving from hovering in front of her to hanging at her side. “Everything was perfect for me and for Toru. Literally for everyone in Aoba Johsai before your skanky ass showed up.” You rolled your eyes, watching as the anger continued to flare up in her eyes. Your fingers itched as they, too, curled into fists. Everything in you wanted to swing, one, two, until she was on the floor battered and bruised. But the voice of reason in your head told you those actions would have very unfavourable consequences. Plus, you didn’t want to put any more stress on your mother’s shoulders.
“When you came back, you got into my Toru’s head and manipulated him! Put him against me!” She grew louder, more ferocious as she pointed at you angrily. You stared in disbelief, letting out a curt laugh.
“Just how fucking delusional are you?” You licked your teeth in frustration before closing your eyes, taking in a breath. “You know what? Fuck this and fuck you. I’m not having an argument with you right now.” You started for the door again, only to have Tashi shove you even harder, this time making you stumble back towards the sinks. She advanced quite quickly, cornering you between the wall and the sink.
“No! I think this ‘argument’ is long overdue!” Tashi spat. “You took everything that was perfect and just… just..! You just stepped all over it!”
“Nothing was perfect, you moron!” You started; you finally had enough. “Do you know how toxic it all was? How fucking toxic you are? You’re like a fucking leech! You put Toru through hell and he let you because he loved you! He put up with so much shit to keep you happy! And you took advantage of that! Do you realise just how fucked up that is?”
Tashi seemed taken aback by your yelling; throughout the whole time she’d known you, you never outright lost your shit like you did then. Though, that didn’t deter her.
While she struggled to grasp her words, you shoved past her and stalked towards the door. A buzz sounded in your pocket.
“You fucked up everything for yourself. I didn’t have to help.” As you spat (what you thought were) your final words, you reached into your pocket and pulled out your phone, taking your eyes off the psychotic girl behind you. You exhaled deeply, not wanting to answer the phone call with unbridled rage shaking your tone. Not when the caller was your mother. She’d know something was up instantly and you didn’t feel like talking about or to Tashi anymore.
Tashi dashed forward and shoved you into the wall next to the door, ripping the phone from your hands.
“Hey!” You yelped, ignoring the dull ache in the side of your head from where you met the wall. “Give that back!”
“Fuck you!” Tashi screeched, throwing the phone into the opposite wall before charging over and smashing her heel into it. “You do not get to ignore me and walk away after you fucking stole my happiness!”
That was it. That was the final straw.
“You’re crazy! You’re fucking psychotic!” You bellowed, rushing over and shoving her aside. You dropped down and picked up the phone, inspecting the shattered pieces. The sight made your pulse quicken, overwhelmingly so. When you turned to face Tashi, you glared; her presence was infuriating. “What the actual fuck is wrong with you? Are you fucking serious?”
You felt your heart lurch into your throat when Tashi let out a hellish shriek and launched herself into you. You collided and slid into the floor, the broken phone flying across the ground. Caught off guard, you could only raise your arms and shield your face as she attempted to punch and scratch your skin.
“You ruined-! Everything!” She hissed, leaning back to avoid one of your hands as it flew out unexpectedly. “I hate you!”
As she leaned back, you shot your hand out again and quickly found your hand in her hair. You grabbed a fistful and tugged, successfully pulling her off your body as she shrieks. You reached out with your other hand and seized her arm, digging your nails into her skin to which she screeched again, only to have her noises muffled when you shoved her into the floor.
Though the voice of reason was telling you to calm down, that it wouldn’t be worth it to waste your time; but it was nothing more than a whisper. The burning desire to rock her shit was so overwhelming to the point that anger was the only thing burning in your veins. You drew back your arm and threw it forward, punching without hesitation. You repeated it, over and over, alternating your hands whilst the girl did her best to shield her face. (Honestly, it was impressive how quickly the tables turned.)
“You’ve put us through so much fucking shit. You’re a—” Punch. “—spoiled.” Punch. “Psychotic.” Punch. “Bitch!”
Letting out a breath, you paused for a second, watching as she attempted to grab your arms. Desperately trying to rake her long press-ons along your skin and pull you off. It failed, obviously, so instead she reached up and grasped your hair as you had done moments before. You hissed in pain and seized her wrist, trying to separate her from your scalp. Too focused on that, you hadn’t noticed her free hand wandering above her head, searching along the floor for something. You only noticed when something—your busted cell phone—was hitting you upside the jaw with such bruising force that you stumbled back.
In the brief moment you were disoriented, Tashi found herself back atop of you, throwing wild punches left and right. You bit back the pained noises you wanted to make, instead trying to scratch and punch at whatever you could reach. You even kicked her at some point, your knee somehow snapping up into her stomach.
“Skank!” She screeched.
“Fucking leech!”
“Boyfriend-stealing whore!”
“Literally shut the fuck up?!” You yelled in confusion. “You owe me a fucking window and a shit ton of stationary!”
In the moment, the two of you failed to notice the startled cries of the two first-year girls who had entered; frightened by the small spillage of blood and the sight of such a brutal-looking fight. Aoba Johsai wasn’t particularly known for their brawls after all. When they returned, they had dragged two teachers in tow. Both rushed forward, screaming and yelling at the two of you to stop. When Tashi continued throwing her weakening punches and you retained a fistful of Tashi’s hair, tugging it with such force you were sure it would leave an ugly bald patch, the two teachers dragged you apart.
Once you were no longer punching and clawing at the crazy girl, you slumped silently in the teacher’s hold though still visibly seethed with anger. The adrenaline started to wear off and suddenly, you were acutely aware of each tiny scratch and aching bruise that adorned your body. Out of curiosity, you looked over at the two first-year girls, catching their looks of fear. If you were to bet that it was the mangled appearances of both you and Tashi scaring them to shit, you’d win big time. You could feel the blood dripping down to your lip and a bruise slowly forming against your brow ridge.
There was a ringing in your ears that was dampening the sound of Tashi, writhing about and spitting empty threats from the hold of the other teacher. You eyed her up and down in silence, taking a deep breath before a smile crawled onto your lips.
She was way more fucked up than you.
extra sides;
oikawa thinks y/n’s setting is great (not just bc he’s smitten) but doesn’t think the constant teasing is great. the team thinks it’s funny watching Oikawa’s reactions when they say y/n should be the main setter.
kyotani, kindaichi and kunimi left a few minutes after y/n left the gym and happened upon the sound of a fight.
kindaichi and kunimi went on their way but kyotani stayed because why not. the two saw the first year girls run past and kyotani saw y/n come out of the bathroom after tashi. (lowkey proud not even gonna lie)
oikawa feels so guilty </3
taglist —[🍓]
the taglist has been through a purge. tags that didn’t work have now been removed.
Childe has been trying to tell you something. But the end of the day is approaching, and he hasn't managed to get it out to you yet.
Childe x gn!reader. Slight angst with hopeful ending. This takes place one day after his story quest.
Word count: 3.1k
c/w: none
note: Sending much love to @iridescene for inspiring this fic and also to @monocaelia for giving me her childe kisser approval for this fic. <3 <3
Dusk, Twilight, Dawn masterlist
--
DUSK calls for the slumber of the sun and the coming rise of the dark sky. Childe has something to tell you before he leaves Liyue tomorrow morning. But such a seemingly simple task has stumped the Eleventh Harbinger for the day thus far.
Childe chalks it up to your anger, but he never thought it would drive him into corners.
He had written a letter to your home days ago, asking you to meet up so that he could make it up to you. He contemplated visiting, but he wasn’t sure if it would infuriate you to see him. You didn’t reply to his letter, so he wasn’t even sure if you would turn up.
Regardless, Childe had already made the reservation at Xinyue Kiosk. He was going to wait for you there. If you wanted to humiliate him by standing him up, he would simply accept it.
It wasn’t to say that he didn’t care whether or not you showed up though. As the time neared, his eyes darted between the crowd and the clock he could see through the glass of the restaurant doors. He didn’t realise he was holding his breath until he spotted you walking towards the restaurant.
The tension left his body when he saw you, and he waved to you. However, you didn’t return a greeting with such enthusiasm, only giving him an emotionless side eye when you came to his side. That was all it took for his shoulders to stiffen up again.
At the dining table, the air remained tense; the atmosphere chilling. Throughout the meal, the only sounds present were that of your bowl whenever it was placed on the table and the occasional clink of your chopsticks on your ceramic bowl.
Whenever he tried to get your attention by clearing his throat, you kept your eyes on your food. If he called your name, you would pretend that something in the dish had caught your eye.
The only thing that provided him solace was seeing that you still ordered and enjoyed your favourite dishes. You’re a Liyuean and you don’t live far from here, but you don’t often come due to its long wait times and the high prices.
Temporarily, Childe resigned to his defeat. He would catch you before you left the restaurant. So, when you stood up, Childe tried to grab your hand. But he stopped short when you talked to him for the first time today.
“I want to stop by Wangsheng Funeral Parlour.”
At your sudden words, Childe only managed to nod. The walk there was silent, staring at the back of your head as he wondered about the purpose of your visit. However, as he walked on, a thought came to hold an immense weight in his mind.
You were trying to embarrass him.
You knew he had tried to obtain the Geo Gnosis for the Tsaritsa, only to be played as a piece in Morax’s game. Now, you’re bringing him straight back to the said Archon.
No, maybe he was reading too much into this. You were angry, but Childe knew you as someone who would not do something backhanded. More importantly, he had to find a way to get you to willingly listen to him. No matter his pride. He tried to shove the thought to the back of his mind and pressed on.
Though, Childe made sure to keep his distance. While Traveller’s presence was a surprise, he largely wanted to avoid Zhongli. He leaned on the wall adjacent to the entrance and watched you walk into the parlour with Zhongli and Traveller.
A while later, Zhongli walked out of the parlour. He strode over to Childe with his hands behind him. He quipped, “I thought you would have left Liyue Harbour by now, Master Childe.”
Childe crossed his arms and scoffs, “I’m leaving tomorrow at daybreak.”
Zhongli chuckles, finding it amusing that Childe was still upset with him. He glanced back at the parlour and looked back at Childe, who was staring off into the distance.
“A mora for your thoughts? I assume it’s likely about [name].”
Childe sighed, “They’re angry- no, infuriated- at me for what I was attempting to do to Liyue. Of course, anyone would, but… Archons,” He pauses, running a hand through his hair.
“I’ve been trying to tell them something, but it’s not getting through.”
Zhongli only hummed.
Childe mumbles, “What am I doing? Talking to an Archon whose nation I tried to destroy about my personal affairs…”
“Well, I hope you two get to talk it out. It’d be quite a pity otherwise.”
Childe raised his eyebrows at Zhongli. Before Childe could question Zhongli, you emerged from the parlour with Traveller. After the Traveller took his leave and Zhongli headed back into the parlour, a stifling silence weighed down on the both of you again.
Taking a deep breath, Childe steeled his resolve to break this thick wall between the two of you.
“[name], I need to talk to you.”
“Okay.”
Childe reeled a little from surprise, eyes widened. There was no longer an air of purposeful defiance that surrounded you. When he regained his composure, he stated, “I want to show you a place. I’ll tell you when we’re there.”
Now, you trail behind him, not uttering a word throughout the whole walk to the said location. He mostly keeps his eyes on the road ahead or up at the soft red-hued sky, only sending occasional glances back at you. He notices that your eyes are always wandering and he wonders if you ever looked his way.
You only speak to ask him where he’s headed when both of you reach a forested area with no path.
“The location’s a surprise I’ve always wanted to show you, but I never got to.”
When Childe sees a hint of doubt cross your eyes, it pricks at his heart. He stops in his tracks. “I won’t hurt you, I promise.”
When you only stare at him as a response, he feels himself become fragile glass on the edge of a table. A rubber band that’s about to snap. He remembers his weak grasp on you and he hates it. Childe doesn’t know if you are going to turn away and leave him.
You mumble an “okay”, taking a step towards him.
This prompts him to continue moving forward, and he releases a breath he yet again didn’t realise he was holding. Both of you continue to walk in silence until the vegetation becomes less dense and the ground becomes muddier.
With the slippery ground, your safety comes to his mind. Childe extends out his hand to you and his gaze locks with yours. Eyes darting towards his hand, your hand twitches. Slowly, your fingers touch his gloved hand. Then, your palm rests on his. With a gentle grasp, he curls his fingers around your hand. When you familiarise the feeling of his hands around yours, you nod at him and he leads slightly ahead of you.
The rest of the journey remains as silent as before. However, it is sprinkled with little words of caution from Childe to you. Tightening grips of his hand to help you cross a particularly slippery path, to a tender hold when he knows you’re safe.
Gradually, the trees clear out and in your immediate front is a marsh. Some starconches lay on the edge of the water, glimmering in the sunlight. Little mudskippers jump about the clear waters, creating a soothing melody when they touch its surface. Beyond the marsh, the sea opens up. The sun has set midway right at the horizon as if submerging itself into the sea. Its reddish-orange glow seeps into the sea, and your eyes catch specks of glitter on the sea surface.
A light breeze caresses your cheek. As if pulled by a rope, you walk towards the water's surface. Your hand slides out of Childe’s hand.
At the edge of the water, you crouch down to pick up a glimmering starconch. When you stand up to raise it to the sky, Childe thinks that now is the moment.
“[name], I’m leaving at daybreak-”
“It was like a dream. You and me.”
All the words Childe has prepared on the edge of his tongue for you vanish into thin air. The inside of his mouth turns dry and he feels a knife twist in his chest.
He utters, “I’m sorry, [name]. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Rage stirs in Childe’s chest. He has done so much that hurt you beyond what he could imagine, and all he could say was two sentences of an apology. Childe closes the distance between the two of you, and he stops directly behind you.
“I really like you, [name]. I really do. I don’t know when but I started looking forward to adventuring out with you whenever I had time.”
He pauses, hoping for a response. When you don’t turn to face him, he continues, “You probably already know but, I enjoyed fighting the monsters and treasure hoarders with you. We created so many good memories together.”
His fists clench up at his side.
“I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect the happiness that came with it and... I’m sorry I couldn’t protect the dream I have given to you.”
Promises are to be kept, mistakes are to be apologised for and dreams are to be protected. That’s what family is to Childe. To you, hearing that means he considers you family, even if there has been nothing between the two of you.
He likes you. He cares about you. And these thoughts crush you like the weight of the world. They are gems on your hands that you deem so filthy. You feel undeserving and you are horribly lost on whether you can accept them because you cannot decisively choose between him or your homeland.
You turn back towards him in one second, ready to launch a barrage of insults at him. However, when you see the soft reddish glow of the sun on his face, you realise this is the first time today you’ve looked at him properly. All you see are his smiles that you selfishly hope are reserved only for you.
You mutter, “I hate you, you know? I wish I could watch you crash and suffer in the destruction that comes biting back at you.”
Childe feels like he’s fallen into the abyss again, powerless against the monsters that prowl in the shadows of every corner. He could run then, but he will not run this time.
“I know. I’m sorry for all that I’ve done to hurt you… and I’m sorry that I have to go like this.”
Pleasant partings are something Childe wants, especially with you. He wanted to say goodbye with the hope that he would see you again. Yet, he is leaving with you harbouring such horrid impressions and memories of him.
“I know you won’t forgive me so easily for attempting to destroy your homeland. I… couldn’t have done otherwise too. But if there’s anything I can do to make it up to you, shoot it my way. Even when we’re away from each other, write me a letter. If you need me to knock someone off their porch, tell me. Tell me how much you hate me, how you want to watch me burn… and maybe how you could forgive me if you ever figured that out.”
You choke on a sob and a tear streaks down your cheek. Childe’s hand twitches with the urge to wipe your tears away from you, cup your cheek and tell you that everything’s going to be okay.
But he deems that he does not have the right to.
In between sobs, you rasped, “When I found out the man I admired so much had attempted to destroy my home, I felt the world collapse before me. I told myself you are a criminal. You cannot be forgiven in the eyes of any Liyuean. Sometimes I even wonder if all you’ve ever done for me was part of a performance. But no matter what, I still liked you, I couldn’t erase my feelings. It felt so wrong. I felt so guilty.”
You attempt to wipe your flowing tears away with the back of your hand, but they continue to run down your cheeks endlessly.
“Yes. I want you to burn, I want you to suffer. But the mere thought of it hurts me. You’ve put yourself in enough danger and you’ve hurt yourself enough.”
Letting go of his restraint, Childe pulls you into a hug. You let yourself tremble in his embrace, and you bury your head in his shoulder. He whispers as he cradles your head, “I know. I know. I’m sorry.”
Childe strokes your head and whispers more apologies. He does so until you quieten down. When you do, you take a deep breath. With much reluctance, you bring yourself to tell him, “I’m leaving Liyue tomorrow too.”
Trying to process what you’ve said, Childe tears himself away from you. He searches your face for any hint of humour, but he doesn’t find one. Suddenly, there is an even greater distance before the two of you, one that feels even more unimaginable than he thought.
He’s staring at you for a bit too long, deep in his thoughts. Your eyes dart away, and a tinge of pink dusts your cheeks.
“I really like you too, by the way.”
Childe’s heart skips a beat and his breath hitches. A critical hit to his already weak heart from the day. Maybe the distance won’t matter.
Without waiting for him to respond, you walk over to and sit on the dry surface of a large rock that rises above the water. You pat the spot next to you. When Childe sits down, you rest your head on his shoulder. He notices that you don’t lean your weight entirely on him and gently pats your head. At that gesture, you relax.
As a passing thought, you comment, “I wish we met under better circumstances.”
Childe doesn’t respond to that, and he lets the sea breeze that runs through his hair carry your words out to the ocean. They’ll go far away and soon, they will no longer matter.
In the comforting silence, questions surface in his mind. “Can I ask you two things?”
You hum.
“Why did you let me explain myself?”
“When we went to Wangsheng Funeral Parlour, I wanted to say goodbye to Zhongli and the Traveller happened to be there. As I was talking to them, Traveller told me to give you a chance, especially since you mattered to me so much. They said you are a ‘bad guy’ as you had said yourself, but you’re not really one either.”
Childe thanks the Traveller in his heart and promises to repay them for this debt. A wave of relief also washes over him, knowing that it was not your intention to shame him.
“So… where will you be going now?”
“Not sure honestly. Maybe Sumeru? I just felt like I needed to leave Liyue for a bit, see the world and use it to navigate to any leftover problems I have.”
He is very well aware he has caused a lot of your ‘leftover problems’, but Childe detects no malice in your tone. This gives him a surge of confidence, leading him to suggest, “Let’s still write letters and stay updated with each other.”
You tease him, “Still up for me to ask you to knock someone off their porch?”
He laughs (a pleasant sound to your ears) and nods. You ask, “Promise?”
Childe raises his pinky. You raise yours too and your pinkies hook with each other’s firmly. For the first time today, both of you smile without a hint of despair.
“Promise.”
Both of you stay at the scene, leaning against each other until the night stretches out from the edges of the sky. Childe stands up and he offers his hand to you. Immediately, you slide your hand into his and intertwine your fingers with his.
As he gazes into your eyes for what could be the last time in a while, Childe cups your cheek. He closes the distance between your faces very slowly, checking every moment to make sure you are comfortable. However, just as his lips hover above yours, he pulls away.
Childe hears you gasp and he panics. “Oh Archons- wait [name], I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bait you or anything like that.”
His eyes dart away as he scratches the nape of his neck. “Sorry, I thought maybe we should do this the next time we meet. It gives us a good reason to meet soon and we’ll cherish it even more, right?”
You scoff at him and pinch his cheeks, mildly annoyed you didn’t get the kiss. But distance makes the heart fonder, and you can’t refute that.
“You better not regret it, Mr Tartaglia.”
“Ajax.”
You raise your eyebrows, prompting him to explain more. Even with your confused face, he finds you adorable. His signature grin finds its way back on his lips.
“That’s my real name. I want you to have it and call me that.”
“Okay, Ajax.”
Childe catches the way you slow down to articulate his name. He finds that his name has become sacred after it falls off your lips.
And he realises he has been stricken with an illness all this while.
It is a fever that burns him from his heart. It is one that he can feel spreading on his skin. Sometimes, it becomes unbearable as if no water is ever going to cool him.
An illness called love.
It will continue to plague him. Especially because he knows he will most likely regret not going for that kiss.
However, it is the end of a scalding illness with no recovery in sight. He would take this fever on any day, for you will be the eventual remedy that he will have at the end. He can already imagine his lips on yours and his remedy will be so, so saccharine.
Childe tries not to get ahead of himself as he gives this scenery one last glance. For now, he will battle the monsters that come with the end of your time together. He will dive into the night and keep fighting, until he sees a glimpse of a new beginning with you.
--
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Fang I'm perched on your blog waiting for you to talk about the angst marriage🧎♀️🧎♀️🧎♀️
the visual of you being perched is so cute 😭
tags ; fem!reader (wearing a dress + referred to as wife)+ hurt/comfort (heavy on hurt), errors bc of im on my mobile device, estranged marriages, al-haitham x reader bc he fits the idea better
He always undoes the back of your dress. He’s carefully to have always done it. He did it the first night of your wedding and he’s done it every time you’ve worn one ever since.
You’re fond of the habit. Sometimes, you would wear dresses deliberately so he would undo the binding by hand. To feel the touch of your husbands skin, long and slender fingers against the nape of your neck. You mourn the warmth of it. Even the metal of his wedding band was so lovely.
Lately the habitual act of it is exhausting. It is mechanical, like hard steel. A persistence like the rotting tooth begging to pulled from your mouth. You love your husband, but perhaps you resent him in equal measure. You resent yourself for tenderness. A nerve so raw it cannot touch air without seizing. It is terrible to be estranged like this.
Still, night comes. Al-Haitham stands behind you as you removing all of your beautification. Quietly, silently - he undoes the back of your dress. A dress with buttons along the spine. You take your earrings out. Wipe the stain on your cheeks and mouth. When was the last time you saw him? Had any time alone with him at all? He’s always so cooped up in his studies.
You don’t think it was always so troubling. To be a wife had not felt like a such a duty when you were merely young and in love. The Grand Scribe position is still formally empty, but Al-Haitham has remained in his position.
But now you are entering the later stages of your life. There is lines on your face that were possible with age and time alone. And you are, just a bit lonely. More than you can ever remember being.
“You’re here.” You say, but not spitefully. And despite his difficulties with sincerity, a look of anguish passes over his face. He grabs you shoulder, bending down to kiss it. Regretful. Lonely. Maybe living together makes it hard for someone to stop mimicking you.
“I’m here,” He parrots, rubbing your back in the place he knows it aches most “I’m sorry.”
You smile. Somberly with as little devastation as you can convince him of. You squeeze the hand on your shoulder.
“You’re forgiven,” Because it is not okay, “I’m glad you’re home.” Because you mean it. He laughs humorlessly.
MATCHUP EVENT??? SIGN ME UPPPPPP I hope u have a lovely summer break with this didiiiiii ♪~ ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ
for starters, my name is annie (although u already know this), and preferred matchup would be with one of the boys （*´▽｀*）
I think my fave trope is the one where the couple simply just exist together,,, like sure they have ups and downs and wild experiences and funny stories to laugh about over dinner!!! and frankly they theoretically could live without each other and not have much change abt them, but at the end of the day they sit and look at each other and think, "even if I could live without this person, I'd still choose to exist with them"
as for the song, it's honestly a toss-up between cupid by fifty fifty or pasilyo by sunkissed lola ! I love cupid sm bc I really resonate with the lyrics and my wishful daydreams as a hopeless romantic, while pasilyo is just one of those songs that makes you think "oh. oh. this is the person I want to be with for the rest of my life. this is where I'm supposed to be." I'm rather indecisive, so I'll let you pick which vibe you wanna go for 🫡🫡🫡
note : hehehe hi annie <3 smoochies u actually. i need u to ignore all of this because i ship u w me <3
send me ur favorite trope or delusional song and i’ll write you something short !! [closed !!]
through your journeys and trials through life, there is only one person that always attracts your attention and love. despite it all, your eyes can only ever look at childe.
you don't even quite remember when it was that attracted you solely to him. the ginger man has always been an annoyingly affectionate thorn at your side, a constant in your tumultuous life. even if the world had flipped upside down or suddenly turned against you, you could count on that peculiar snezhnayan man to continue to stay by your side even if it was to beg to spar once more.
you had always found his sense of loyalty a charming point of his. no matter the circumstances, he would always stay by your side even if it meant having the world against him. he was your knight in shining armor who was ready to risk his entire life to make sure you made it out alive, not that you would let him die for you in the first place.
he chose you to bare his heart to, and there was nothing he wouldn't do to prove his devotion to you.
your eyes widen, lips parted in surprise as you watch your dear friend hold his hand out for you. an invitation to dance with him at the banquet held in the zapolyarny palace courtesy of her majesty, the tsaritsa, herself; what was a country loved by the cold, yet pure archon if she didn't hold a party to celebrate the land she cherishes?
childe's eyes shine, a sparkle held deep within the oceans that were his eyes, as he meets your gaze. and, like the peaceful waves that lull you to play along the shores and laze in the gentle swells of water that lap at your feet, your hand is placed in his and he pulls you into his arms as the string quartet plays a waltz.
despite the many people surrounding you, either watching the couples on the floor dancing or the pairs of loved ones swaying to the beat of music as well, you find your eyes lost in deep blue oceans, never straying from his eyes. the harbinger smiles and his dimples poke from his freckled cheeks, making your heart flutter a dance of its own within your chest.
your palms are sweaty and shaky and you're so glad that his are gloved as he leads you through the dance.
"you're nervous," childe whispers, his tone teasing, into your ear. his warm breath hitting the shell of your ear does not calm your nerves in the slightest, but you persevere.
"the crowd is watching," was your excuse as you whisper back. he hums, eyes seeing completely through your fib. he laughs softly, something you've always loved to hear like a favorite song you want constantly playing in your head until you're sick of it.
but you fear his laughter is something you would never tire of hearing.
his gloved hand gently squeezes your own, a silent reassurance and an attempt to calm down the nerves that threaten to leap out of your body. fortunately, it does calm you down, though not by much.
"relax, just keep your eyes on me," childe reassures you. you aren't sure how, but he's shining brighter underneath the glow of the chandelier. was zapolyarny palace casting a spell on you to fall even more for this silly companion of yours?
his usual mess of orange curls has been somewhat tamed with half of it pushed back. his cowlick still stands tall; you wonder if it could ever be tamed but you didn't care, it added to his boyish charm. his ruby earring glints in the light, but its radiance is nothing compared to the charming man in front of you. with the light from the glistening chandelier, it was like a halo encased his head; an angel from celestia cast down to bless you with his beauty.
it's hard for your eyes to stray to anybody else but childe, for he is absolutely breathtaking in the grand hall of zapolyarny palace.
you suppose you would tell childe about the feelings you held for him one day, but that day could wait a little longer. you just want to bask in his embrace as he leads you through the waltz, feeling as if it were just you two dancing among the stars shining from celestia.
summary: y/n and toru have been best friends since diapers, getting into all sorts of trouble along the way. it seems there’s nothing that could tear them apart, not iwa-chan, not toru’s weird obsession with aliens; even the move to tokyo couldn’t hinder their friendship. so... how would they fare upon realising that their platonic feelings aren’t quite platonic anymore?
NOTE: THIS TAKES PLACE SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE LAST CHAPTER. HEALTHY GAP FOR THE GROUP TO RECUPERATE TOGETHER YK?
extra sides;
this is (y/n)’s second time missing practice since becoming the official manager for aoba johsai
oikawa is very worried about her well-being (his sets at practice are so very off because he’s distracted)
(y/n) moved the brick to a hidden location in her house, using her sleeves to cover her hands as she does so
it’s just one thing after another for the poor girl, isn’t it? it doesn’t get any better.
man, just get her some strawberries and an apology </3
taglist —[🍓]
taglist will be having a quick purge for the users that don’t work any longer :> this means it is open temporarily <3
