HI I'M BACK !! however i'm not in the mood for the lovey dovey writing when i get off work so in-between sounds like the better time to do it--
the keybord in my office is stupid and doesn't understand when i press keys, so if a few letters are missing, it's COMPLETELY NORMAL !
thank you~~
Venti
Venti has always been...
quite the peculiar fellow
always happy and cheerful
and it may have been bipolarity,
but he could get extremely serious in a single blink
you were absolutely delighted when you moved in with him
and so was he
he better have been
you two were mostly living on your salary
he did gain quite a bit of mora by performing
but that fool would spend it immediately in beverage
you had to get his lyre hostage every once in a while so he would behave
however...
there's something you've never really understood about the bard
and you'd probably never get it
mostly because he doesn't want to talk about it
which is fine
but every time it happens
you get slightly more worried
in the morning,
sometimes,
Venti would just stare at his reflection in the mirror
whisper several words
then shed some tears
the very fist time, you thought he learned some terrible news
but when you tried to make him notice the state he was in
he glanced at you, giggled, and told you he was fine
"Ehe, nothing important. What IS important is how gorgeous you are !"
and he then proceeded to come over to you and hug you tightly
whatever it was,
you hoped he'll tell you one day
or that he'd finally move on
-----
Xiao
Xiao too was particular
honestly, what could you have expeted from a adeptus
you knew these guys had quite an upbringging
but he looked more...
angry
than what you've heard about the others
maybe was it because he was more in contact with humans
he never really bring up other adepti
he barely even talks
sometimes you need to bribe him just to hear his voice
he trusts you
but he's still uneasy
you are similar to one of them
your attitude
your tone
your face
it's like one of his friends was reborn as a human
he sees so much of them in you
sometimes he accidently brings something from way back
and you're just confused
at that point he mumbles something about humans and being forgetful
or as it human forgetting ?
still, he didn't like slipping up like that.
he'll never admit it
but he was so very fond of you
of course he avoids human contact as much as possible
but he knows you swing by Wangshu Inn every so often, so he makes sure to check on you
some nights, you're just looking at the horizon
he'll watch over you in these circumstances
until you call it another night of Xiao not coming
others, you'd be feeling dwn
and he's fear that something he couldn't control happened
but most importantly
he feared that another person he cared for with his life would become a memory
he'd do aything to protect you
including getting hurt for it
or worse
every issue was beneficial for him, anyway
"don't fade away."
-------
Kazuha
The wandering life wasn't quite what you'd have expected
or maybe was it Kazuha's peacefulness that was unexpected
whatever was happening, he was always calm and collected
and dealt with the problem gracefully
he truly is wonderful
how blessed can you be to be by his sides at all times
you both had reasons that got you to travel together
some that you'd disclose, some that you wouldn't
one of them was that you were very interested by the man
you were happy to notice that
he'd even wait for you when you got injured that one time,
forcing you to stay in bed until your sprain was gone
on the last few days of your recovery,
you saw an expression different on his face
something that was so familiar,
yet
you swore you never saw him show that face before
he was lovingly staring at you,
his eyes filled with pain and regrets
all as you were simply laughing with him,
petting a stray cat that wanted some attention.
he never told you about Tomo until that day
you felt terribly sorry for him
of course,
he moved on,
but some memories were still vivid in his mind
you wished that you'd help him find new pleasant memories
they'll never replace his friend
but he'd have new memories to make,
to cherish
and to remember
------
Heizou
he's always been a special case
he's naturally a flirt
the worst part is
he doesn't even do it on purpose
it just happens
at this point it amuses him more than anything
he's a tease
but also
(and mostly)
he's genuine
however, he can't hide that sometimes
when you leave
he's afraid that he'll only find what's left of you
a lifeless body
covered in your own blood and dirt
he made his fair share of ennemies over time
and he worries that seeing you around him
will eventually hurt you
one way or another
so he always whatches over you
if he spots you in the crowd
he'll stay slightly afar to make sure no one suspiscious is around
you've got your own body guard
and you don't even know it
and hell never tell you
he would be too focused on you to pay attention to anything else anyway
all you wanted was to goof around
not give him more work
what kinda personnality does that guy have anyway ? heizou choose more charismatic friends jfc
-----
Scaramouche
he also is a special case
'The Wanderer'
he never told you his name
you two were close
but eventually
he remained on the sides for a bit
what a rude guy
still
time went by and you two got close again
he explained a few weird things
like how he did awful things
sins that he should be punished for
that you shouldn't be so friendly
especially not with him
you then had to make a point
you had to remind him that it didn't matter what he thought
because in the end
he had no saying on what you thought
especially not about him
that it didn't matter if he was a dangerous man
or a criminal
eventually, he came up with "i'm not even human"
"dam boy, i knew you were outta this world"
his expression of mixed confusion and annoyance was priceless
you got back to being serious
mostly because death wasn't your main objective at the moment
you told him that you cared so much more than he thought
that it didn't matter what or who he was
because to you
he was The Wanderer
someone you loved and cherished
he looked away with a 'tch' and never brought the subject up again
another argument won by y/n
--------
yeah i'll be honest i just wanted to get this over with my drafts are too large for yet another thing that was basically done (only needed to do xiao by that point)
HI AGAIN I NEED TO DO STUFF FOR KAVEH HE'S A LOVELY PRETTY BOY !
Sorry, things have been going on lately, i will be back shortly tho !!
(if anyone reads that)
I'm currently dying of my stomach feeling crushed for the past hour for the third time in a 30 days period, (i hate it here) it's nothing serious, just mad painful
Although my kitten did decide to come upstairs and make a little song... She doesn't quite grasp what meowing is like and either squeaks or hold the note.
please excuse my grammar i'm in a rush i don't want to skip my sleep but also don't want to miss the release--
Pairing: Itto x gn!reader
Summary: (y/n) had a very normal life until a wanted man literally took them away. Now, their number one priority is to survive. Whether it is to survive in general or survive the Arataki gang's antics.
Warnings: None
A/N: really rushed at the end i'm sorry i'm too tired for this it's 3am atm ngl i'm not at my peak performance~~
Itto was... A special case. Oh he was famous alright, sadly, not for the right reasons. Most times, there was a warrant for his arrest, which pretty much sets the tone. Though, a few people did take his defense for some reasons, saying that he was a hero, that he saved some people. It was hard to accept, especially knowing all the times he's been arrested. But, he never tried to escape when he was in jail. Rather, he seemed to patiently wait until someone bailed him out. Surely the Doushins would never accept the money if he was doing some major crimes, but it was still a bit frightening. The Arataki gang wasn't popular for their good deeds, nor for being delicate. And from what you've heard, you didn't want to end up between them and whoever they're having a fight with. It's said that their leader, Arataki Itto, is deathly allergic to beans. Rumors has it that if he's spotted near your home, you'll have to put a bag of beans at your door and he won't come back for a long time. It sounds like a bit of a stretch, but you couldn't possibly risk it. You've been living on your own for a while now, and nothing very interesting happened. You worked all day, every day just for the sake of it, income was needed and you couldn't turn a blind eye. No charity would help you.
You lived in a bundle of houses right outside Inazuma City. It was nice and cozy, everyone knew each other, so it was pretty calm most of the time. The most noises are usually kids screaming playfully, in delight of their youth. It was nice. On the other hand, you had to go up the city's stairs just to go to work. Some days you don't even have the strengths to do so, but you don't really have a choice. Thankfully you've been sometimes on babysitting duty for a few neighbor's. They keep on saying that you're the perfect fit for babysitting since you're still quite young and the children can see you as an older sibling. Knowing the little demons, they just want an excuse to run around places they aren't allowed with their parents.
Of course, it wasn't like you weren't enjoying it a little. It was actually fun when they weren't up to any mischiefs or chaotic games.
And then, there was that one time where one of the two kids you were keeping vanished. The siblings got in a fight and you had to tend to the youngest. Upon checking where the oldest went, your heart stopped working. He was nowhere to be found. You got the youngest to another neighbor and went on a full search for the missing boy. "Nao !" You yelled, running within the borders of the city. "Nao, this isn't funny, hurry home !" He wasn't anywhere in the city. Time was ticking and after 2 hours the worst case scenarios started making their presence known. Where could he have gone ? Kidnapped ? Murdered ? Lured away ? What if he fell down a cliff or drowned ? Attacked by hilichurls ? "I promise you're not in trouble ! just come ho-"
"HAHAHHAHAH !" A loud laugh coming from nowhere made you stop. It clearly wasn't the one you were looking for, however, the groan that followed was. "I win again !"
You rushed to the voices, and there he indeed was. "Nao !"
"Ah ! (y/n) ! What are you doing here !"
"I WAS SO WORRIED ! What are you doing here ! With a stranger nonetheless !"
"I-"
The man spoke. "Uh, exsqueeze me ?" He was tall and muscular. Anything but the kind of person a child should hangout with unless it's family. "I'm not a stranger. I am THE one and oni, Arataki Itto !"
Well that made it even worse. "N-Nao... Let's go home, alright ?" The boy looked slightly nervous and nodded after a quick gaze at the giant. He follow you, the whole trip home silent.
Arriving home, you had a small talk about stranger danger and didn't mention it to his parents once they got home. If they should be careful about their child meeting up with a stranger, you should also be careful to receive the small pay they're giving you. Plus, the kid looked comprehensive. You just hoped he wouldn't talk about it to his parents. Such a hassle for a beetle battle.
Putting that incident aside, there wasn't anything that really happened in a while. For the most part, you were living your regular life. As nothing happened, you were torn between complaining of a blank life, or be happy that nothing weird was going on and keep on going with whatever you had.
Unfortunately, that's exactly when something bad happened. Bad or not, it'd be your problem to find out.
"COMING THROUGH !" Was the yelling that you heard while you were just out to get groceries. What you hadn't expected was to get literally ran over by a tall large man who grabbed you in the process and forced you to go with him. He stopped a few feet later, taunted the Doushins and kept on running, not. letting. you. go. A few minutes later, you didn't where or what or why. The only thing you knew was who. And the answer to that was, of course, the Arataki gang. You were just standing there, wondering what else you could do. You were literally surrounded by criminals, what could you do ? If you did anything, would they hurt or kill you ? That was your biggest concern at the moment, and honestly, also the only. Eventually, the tall man approached you, a big smile on his face. "Ohh ! I recognize you !" So did you. It was hard not to. "Say, can you do me a favor and be our hostage for a bit ? Yeah ? Yeah. Alright. See ya soon, then !" Without waiting for an answer, he agreed for you and left.
What were you supposed to do ??? Are you actually an hostage ? Is that really what's happening here ? The man with the most abs you've seen in Inazuma casually shows up, takes you away and dubs you his hostage. What's coming next ? Are you going to be their servant or something. You groaned in annoyance and worry. Maybe going out today was a mistake. They don't manage to get Itto that often, and when they do it's for a short amount of time. How long are you going to be stuck ? Not like you were tied up, but... It still sucks.
Should you try to run away ?
What a question, of course you should, and you did. No one was there to stop you, you were left unattended and free of restraints. Of course, this doesn't change the fact that you had no idea where you were and how to get back home nor to safety, but at least it wasn't night. If only you had beans on you, that'd make part of the threat go away. At least it was still daytime. so far you didn't have to be terrified for the dangers of the night, but still, when nobushis and hilichurls were roaming everywhere, you found out that you weren't safe anywhere. Your only way to be safe would be to end up in a town or something, at least then you'd have some warmth and protection. Though you didn't make it very far until the white-haired oni caught up to you, getting you back to the gang's camp and even scold you. "Hey, no, we said you'd be a hostage, so sit still and don't go anywhere. Alright ? Alright."
"Boss..." A new voice rose. "We can't have hostages. We already struggle to be on good terms with the Tenryou commission, this will only make it worse." The female sounded as annoyed as she looked sassy. She proceeded to scold him instead and turned to you. "I'm sorry about this. Sadly, now that the Tenryou commission saw you leave the city with the boss, they'll most likely title you an accomplice and you'll only get arrested. So until then, I think that it'd be more advantageous if you act as an hostage. Of course, you can leave whenever you want." She didn't seem to be lying. She also had a very strong presence. It was smoothing and scary at the same time. "I'm Kuki Shinobu."
"(y-y/n)." You looked around. No matter how far you searched, you couldn't see Inazuma anywhere. The Narukami shrine didn't seem that far, yet the city was nowhere to be seen. Either you traveled to a whole island, which seemed unlikely since you've been trying to remember what path you took to end up wherever the hell you are now in case you could escape. Could you be around Konda Village ?
Lost in your thoughts, you almost didn't notice the large man getting closer. "Say just a question real quick." You flinched at the sudden voice. "Do you know where I can get the best Onikabutos around here ? I've been looking everywhere but uh, yeah no shot."
"Onikabutos...?" Ah, right, the beetle fight with Nao from the other day, your first encounter with the man. "N-no ?" The different scenarios began to make you nervous. Who knows what they'll do to you ? Shinobu did affirm that you'd be safe and implied that nothing would be done to you, but you wanted to get home. Sadly getting home will probably get you arrested unfairly. Playing the hostage would be the best card. You'd be brought home and you'll have nothing falsely held against you. Now the question was: how long will it take until they're found out ?
And then began your new lifestyle of being this group's mother. You didn't want to wait around all day, so you did your best to tidy the place as best as you could, dispise having Shinobu saying several time that you didn't have to do it, that they'll have to learn to take care of themselves. You mostly did it out of boredom, but some things sometimes made you smile. The way they do not know how to make a proper shelter, for once. The Arataki gang has been around for a while, but they apparently still don't know how to make a proper camp and that was a bit funny. Their dynamic was also as alluring as it was funny. Thankfully they had Shinobu around to keep them to get in big trouble. Funnily enough, every time one of the guys disappear for a few days, mostly Itto, they reappear while getting lectured by a very upset Shinobu. You learned a while later that it usually means that they got arrested. Although, there was something that you think you were the only one to see.
It's usually during raining nights. The rain is too loud for your liking so you'd get up to get some water, but then you'd notice him. "Itto ?" You approached the sitting figure, looking out to the rain, into nothingness, and not making a sound. Sometimes he'd just be sleeping in a sitting position, but sometimes, he would just be thinking, and your presence would make him snap out of it. "You should head to bed."
Normally he'd follow your instructions. "Do you want to leave ?" That question took you by surprise. You've been with them for a few months now, the Tenryou Commission never found you, so you just started living with them, but you haven't thought about it so much. "I dragged you into that weird mess, and now you're kinda one of us, y'know ?" Compared to his cheery self, his eyes were filled with different emotions that you couldn't quite read. "You're part of the gang." It was weird. As much as you felt happy, you also felt sad. His cheery self always rubbed off on you, but this ? It was strange and new. Has he been thinking about that for a while ? "So, I need to protect you too, y'know ? You're my family. I'd do anything for all of you."
Did something happen ? "Itto ? What happened today ?" Just like most days, the group went out to do their daily lives, while you stayed at the camp and did your daily tasks, these became quite the unspoken rule. They wouldn't do anything bad to you, even if Shinobu made it clear from the beginning that they wouldn't, and you'd do whatever there is to do at the camp. But the thing is, they never really talk about their day when they're on their own.
Itto blinked several times, and grinned. "Ah, nothing big ! Just some Commissioners saying some weird stuff." There it was. His huge grin that was so contagious.
You let a smirk creep on your face, but somehow, it didn't felt right. Something was missing. "What happened with them ?" He seemed hesitant to speak. "Itto. You're always protecting us, but you also need some protection. We're here for you as much as you're here for us. Please. Even if it's not to me, talk to them."
"No, no ! It's fine, nothing happened. He just wouldn't let me get some Onikabutos in peace." He was lying.
"Alright. Then I guess I won't feed your beetles the 'greater food'." The Greater Food was what he started calling what you fed his Onikabutos. It didn't really did anything, he's just been feeding them some junk and their performance during the tournament were lacking. Once you give them what they need, it's much better for everyone. Except your opponent.
"NO, FINE !" That was quick. "They've mentioned that you were in greater danger with us than at home." He avoided your gaze, stared back at the rain. "They're not wrong, but I don't think they're right, either."
You put a hand on his shoulder. "You're right. I'm not in danger. I'm loving it here, with all of you. Plus, it's much funnier than living alone at home. It gets lonely, it's... Kinda sad." You gave him a small smile, which seemed to put him in a better mood. "I'll stay for now. Shinobu can't look after all of you on her own, she'll get exhausted way too quickly, I have no idea how she managed to put up with all of you all this time on her own." You giggled at your statement, although the truth was a bit different than what you claimed it to be. You've grown quite fond of the demon, and truth be told, it was getting hard to contain by the day. Some times, you just want to jump in his arms and at this very moment, all you wanted was to cuddle and be the small spoon. He's a tall and strong man, of course you'd be drawn to all the cuddling material he represents by just existing.
Still, it wasn't something you could just spurt out. It was weird to see Itto having deep thoughts, but he did have his moments once in a while, thank goodness it wasn't too often. You loved him, but having him doubt stuff was so different for him you usually wake up thinking you dreamt some weird things.
Not that it was a bad thing, it was a great thing. He wasn't just a strong dumbass, he was a strong kind-hearted dumbass, one that cared for the people he loves.
In the morning, things shifted back to how they were. You didn't want to leave, at all, you mostly didn't want to leave Itto. Not because the others were awful people, far from that, but because you felt so safe and calm around him. Most worries fade away and all you can feel is the warmth of a newly found and loved home. Maybe that was a bit far fetched, but you did notice a few glances and whispers your way coming from him. He was clearly planning something, mostly since he was almost avoiding you, which was anything but sneaky. Still, you wondered if you were supposed to be concerned or laughing it off. Shinobu and the guys kept affirming that he was just being Itto, considering it as enough of an explanation, which was fair. Itto really is a peculiar one, thankfully not in a bad way.
One thing that you really liked about him, is how humble he can be at times. When it comes to silly matters, he'll be the complete opposite, however, when it comes to get serious, nothing will matter more than the safety of as many people as possible. You've been told about the time with the blue oni. No labels, reputation nor his life mattered. All that mattered at the moment for him was that everyone was alive and well, and this was the most wonderful thing. He's kind, heroic, considerate, funny, odd, a real lovable goofball. No matter how hard you'd try, you couldn't really find a good reason to leave your fun group.
Except that one time, several days after that exchange.
You were cleaning the lair, as you do every single day, and in one of the pile of mess, which you'd make sure to scold them about, was what looked like newspaper. No shot, it wasn't quite right, but it was an announcement. You've been reported as missing a while back, there wasn't a reward for bringing you back, but there were threats thrown to the Arataki gang. You've first been introduced as an accomplice of the group, after a few reports, been considered an hostage. At least heir plan was working. But knowing the Tenryou commission, bailing them out wouldn't be an option this time, not when they threaten to put a warrant on their heads.
You had to make a choice. You could either stay hidden, or you could leave to make sure nothing would have been done to them. Well, nothing drastic, at least.
Which is exactly what you chose. You left a small note, saying that you missed your normal and calm life, that you won't be mentioning where the lair was and thanked them for their company and kindness. You took on of the maps the guys had and followed it as best as you could, and you finally arrived home. Your first move was to get the the Tenryou commission and explain some poor excuses. How you fled from the Arataki gang but instantly got taken away by some treasure hoarders. It was stupid, but they seemed convinced enough, which was weird. Hopefully the detective Heizou won't look into it. If he did, you'd be in a terrible spot. Surely he'd understand your point of you if you explained it to him, right ?
That night, you returned home. To your house. A cold, empty and lone house. You went to sleep in a heartbeat, not wanting to keep on thinking to how everything ended. Hopefully, you'd meet again, when you wouldn't be the reason there are serious threats on your loved ones' heads. Of course, most of this was due to over thinking. Surely they wouldn't do anything rash without a proper reason. You were alive and well, after all. So well it was actually suspicious but they somehow did not pick up on it, not that you could or were complaining about it.
A few bland days passed by, as you went back to your regular lifestyle. Stuck between babysitting and trying to enjoy all the lone time you had on your hands.
Until, one evening, as you came back home...
"YOU !" A stoic figure jumped at you, making you effectively shriek. "Why'd you leave, huh ? You said you'd stay !" Surely enough, Itto was mad at your sudden disappearance. You tried to push him off, but surely, you didn't have the strength to fight back, not against him. "Why'd you do that ?!"
"I'll explain ! Just get off !"
"Don't try to run !"
That sounded more like a threat, and you didn't like that. Gosh, was he really that upset ? "A bit after we had that conversation, I found some papers saying that you'd all be in trouble if they couldn't find me, so I gave in. That's all there is to it." You explained briefly.
The man's eyes were as confused as they were starting to grow even more upset, somehow. "You found it ?"
You gave him a look of annoyance. "Well, if by "found it", you mean buried in a pile of mess that is my duty to clean, then yes, I found it." You've then had a small talk. You talked about how it was stupid to think they'd do their part, for one, but also that there was no use hiding it. It would have been so much easier to let you return to your home and get to visit them from that point on, but what you couldn't shake off was the hurt look he wore the whole time you were talking. He seemed so out of it, not broken, but rather betrayed, lost, confused. "I didn't mean to leave so suddenly. I was just... Scared, I guess."
"You said you felt safe."
"I did ! I do ! It's just- I wasn't scared for me but for you." A moment of silence followed. None of you seemed to have anything to add, that, or Itto was simply looking how to put his mind into words, or even trying to process the whole thing. But then the silence got unbearable. "I just... Really care about you. Of the whole gang, of course, but I feel different things with you. Nice things." He looked directly into your eyes, waiting to hear more. "I feel... Safe. Warm, at home... Loved."
"You are loved. We all love you. I love you." This time, you were the one wanting to hear more, your face turning slightly red. He didn't mean it like that, did he ? Surely it was just a clumsy way to put it. You cracked a snort, to which he immediately responded. "No I'm serious ! I love you !" The repetition made you stop. Did he actually. "Like- like a romantic context, like, wanting to have children and all that fancy business, right ? Does that makes sense ?" He really did. You collapsed. He really did. Was that for real ? Are you still dreaming from the day you got home ? Your eyes turned into a fountain, which gained even more worry from the male. "Wowow okay uh, don't do that ? Are you okay ? Need me to call Shinobu ?" You looked at his blurry figure. Gosh was he sweet. His touch was so gentle, a clear contrast to how strong he looks. All you did was wrap your arms around him and just stayed there, not moving, not daring or wanting to move.
The next day you were awoken by the guys' cheering upon seeing the both of you just cuddling in your sleep. They could cheer all they wanted. Right now, all you had on your mind was the strong man big a big spoon with big cuddles in his sleep, and it's all that mattered.
Summary: Whenever he dropped by Inazuma City, Gorou always made sure to meet up with you, and ask for your help for asks he receives and how to answer them. Until one day, he received a specific question.
Warnings: Spoilers for his hangout event
"Oh, (y/n) !" The General called for you, his tail wagging behind him. He always looks so happy to meet up with you, it was heart warming. Though, you couldn't say that you weren't happy either. Quite the opposite, in fact. Lately, Gorou often came to you for assistance for something regarding readers, and questions, you didn't quite follow, but he was always giving his all when it came to giving advices, even if they were a bit clumsy and messy sometimes, but he was happy while doing most of the time, so you never thought much of it. It was interesting to see him think slightly differently than when he was the Ganaral of an army. Well, of an army during a war, as the peaceful times finally reached the land.
As per usual, the two of you made your way in a calm place, the one you always go when he needs your help. It was a real shame that the two of you don't spend more time hanging out than this. When you meet him in town, you'd usually treat him to a desert, or a snack since he's so weak for sweets. You did see him in Watatsumi Island once, though. He looked like such a fierce and strong General with his soldiers, it was impressively out of character compared to what you're used to see of him. But then again, he helped leading a war, so there was nothing that surprising, but it was still somewhat strange. "-hat do you think about it ?" You stared at Gorou after his voice snapped you out of your thoughts. After a while, he looked concerned. "Are you okay ?"
"Ah !" When did you get to your usual spot ? "I'm sorry, I was thinking of something. You were saying ?"
He kept that worried look, it broke your heart. He's usually smiling and cheerful, or he'll be serious and composed, but seeing with such an expression was breaking your heart. You've grown extremely found of him, to a point you started wondering if you weren't seeing something more in him, more than once. "Are you sure you're fine ?" You reassured him with a nod and a warm smile. He always smiled back at that, and it was something you wanted to protect. "Well, someone was asking about their special someone and what would be the best way to propose. Any ideas ?" A love request, huh. Must be nice. Being single had its advantage, but at the same time, dating someone gives you that feeling of belonging in someone's arms, and that was just such a swell thing to think about. Yeah. proposing on a scenery like the one in front of you... A light breeze on the beginning of the evening, the sun setting slightly, the sky becoming hues of pink and orange, a few skies here and there, and mostly, the face of the person you love so much. "(y-y/n) ? Do you... Need something ?" Once again, it was Gorou's voice that brought you back to reality.
"Oh ! Right, the proposal. It depends ? I would totally spoil them all day and do their favorite things, so it is at least in their top three days of their lives." Thinking back on it now... It is what you've been doing for a while. "Come to think of it, Gorou..." He was happily noting down your suggestion for review when you interrupted him. "I guess it is what I've been doing, huh ?" His face turned slightly red, making you smile. He was so very cute. "I mean, every time we see each other I just spoil you with sweets. Guess you have to be my groom, now." You shrugged. Of course, you were half serious. You really liked him, but he had better things to take care of than a partner. Strangely, you never got the reaction you expected of him. Instead of an amused face, you found yourself looking at the most flustered and embarrassed Gorou you've ever seen. His face was bright pink, his ears facing backwards, as he struggled to pronounce a single word. You wanted to hug him. You put your hand on his shoulder, which surprised him seeing how he flinched. "It's alright, I'm just joking. I enjoy having you around. That's all. I'm glad we're friends."
Friends.
Somehow, that statement made you both sad.
It had been a while since you took a walk around Inazuma, but on one day, there was a ruckus outisde Yae's publishing house. Out of curiosity, you decided to check it out. "Ms. Hina is going to end her responses, we want to meet her !!" Declared a fan. Miss Hina ? Who's that ? You've never heard of her. "She's the purest soul that answers to questions her audience has been asking, look !" The man handed you a book and pointed out 'Miss Hina's responses'. It sounded nice.
"Kinda like what Gorou does." You ignored the 'who ?' that was asked when you decided to properly read what was written. "No way..." There, sitting under the question 'I want to propose to my girlfriend... Any tips ?' was your suggestion. 'Make her feel special the whole day, like a true princess, and end it with a bang !' There's no way. Was Gorou this popular ? But Gorou isn't a.... Turns out, people saw him as a pretty accurate female version of him, it was very resembling, you had to give them that. An idea sprouted in your mind. "Excuse me, are those anonymous ?" The men kept on yelling several things, but what you did understand was yes, they were. This was perfect.
As much as you loved Gorou, teasing him was also a great thing. Of course, there were boundaries. No ear or tail touching, and no talking about sad stuff. These were the only rules. It's hard not getting tempted by the fluffy touch, though. You started wondering if they were really this sensitive or for some other secret reasons.
Gorou was a very kind and serious person, but he was mostly selfless. If you ever wanted to know about him, you'd have to ask. Well, this was half true. He was selfless, but sometimes he'd mention his life in the resistance, which was nice in a way, free Gorou lore, not even need to buy him out of his silence. Though, he didn't like talking about the bad times. Not that he didn't want to vent or rant, but rather, he didn't want to ruin the mood or remind others of the war, even if it was just to talk about life and stuff.
His answers were the perfect opportunity. If he wouldn't answer to your prayers, his natural need to help would. And so, you've started studying his answers. Not as much of the questions themselves, but rather what his thinking process would be. You've considered several time sending an entry yourself, but you didn't really have anything that needed help. Besides, he was busy enough as it is. Trips between Inazuma City and Watatsumi Island took at least a day or two, poor guy must be tired after such long trips. No wonder Miss Hina's fan are there only a day or two per month. You're even surprised they haven't figured out Gorou was their sweet sweet advisor. But you could hardly complain about that, at least you had Gorou to yourself whenever he visited, and you had fun hanging out !
Until you did send one question to him from the ask section, and grew more and more nervous every single day until he came back.
That day, as usual, he walked all around to find you, and when he did, he greeted you with a big smile, which you returned, your face definitely heating up a bit. You talked for a while, and settled at your usual spot to help him. Or rather, to have an honest answer to your question. You knew that he might take a bit to find a proper response, but it would be worth it in the end. Surely, you won't have to put him through too much. And, as usual, you gave him some bit of advice when he got stuck on one of them. You had fun, people were really glad he was around, or rather that Miss Hina was around, and so were you. Inazuma City was nice, especially during the evening, when the sun starts to set, letting the countless stars shine of their own lights later in the night. That time of the day was definitely one of your favorites, so you usually zoned out, enjoying the scenery and the feel of the last ray of sunshine on your skin. It was peaceful, and you just sat there, waiting. And when you ere done waiting for today, you turned to meet a flustered Gorou. Did you say something without realizing ? You simply shot a questioning look. "Ah ! N-no, it's just..." He hesitated. "There's that... Question. It's... Personal. I don't know what to do."
"Personal ?"
"Someone asked about... Me, I guess ? Well, it's definitely the nickname the others gave me when we were up again the Shogun."
You reached for the paper. "Gemme." He hesitantly obliged, and a nervous grin crept onto your face. How did you forget you wrote that ? 'There's that one person, a pointy-eared general of the resistance, I don't know how to ask him out ! How do you ask someone so serious out ?' Come to think of it, it was terrible. The worst question you could have asked, you weren't even slick or smooth. How long has he been processing that ? The sun was almost set by the time you were done enjoying life. "Answer as you always do."
"It's not that simple !"
"Gorou, you have to set your feelings aside and help them. Respond as you always do, neutral and objective. You give great advice."
Gorou took a deep breath. "You're right." He took some more deep breath in, calming down. "So... All I have to do is to tell them to go up to him and have a chat ?" You nodded. That sounded good. "Great. Thanks." He still looked flustered, no matter what he could say.
But you wondered if you could get a direct answer. "What about you ?"
"Hm ?"
"You're answering as the advisor, but what about you ? How would you respond if they ask you out ?"
"Ah... That..." His face still looked red. "I'd... I'd have to decline."
"Why's that ?"
"I... I'm interested in someone."
Ah. You decided to tease him a little, who knows, even if he's easily flustered, with how he reacted last time, maybe there's a small chance... You put on your best smug face. "Oho ? And who would that be ?" He turned to you, his face exploding in red. No way. "Gorou..." He looked away. "I could be mistaken but... Do you like me ?" He just hid his face in his hands. No way ! "Wait waitwaitwaitwait ! Really ?"
He whimpered, before snapping, still extremely red. "S-so what ! You've also been acting weird around me lately ! I could say the same of you !"
You stared at him. It was impressive how he could snap stuff like that sometimes. You let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, you really can." You heard him die inside. "I mean, I did say that I could propose to you if I continue to spoil you. I mean, it was a joke, but, I wouldn't complain."
"Isn't getting married way too fast ?!"
"Oh so you are fine with marrying me !"
"N-no ! Well, yes, but- no !"
Ah, how adorable. You warped him in a hug, he didn't dare to move. "I'm joking. I like you too. You're the only sweet I need." If seeing him flustered was something that you didn't get to see often, there was one thing you saw even less of : his tail wagging like crazy.
The two of you stayed like this for a while, enjoying each other's presence, until both of your hearts stopped beating like crazy. When you tried to pull away, though, he held onto your arm, making you commit to the hug a bit more. "Stay a little longer." It's not like you had a choice. He was way stronger than you. But at least now you have a sweet boyfriend to hold hands with and to feel at home with.
How much have you longed for that feeling of belonging to someone's side.
general good boy my beloved at least
short !
not the draft i wanted to work on, but i've been introducing a friend to my dear general and mentioned ms hina a bit too much and came upon several Ittorou comics of itto finding him out
was fun, so made my own twist.
fun fact: your forgot to tell him you're the one that asked that and he got teased by his men. you don't have the courage to tell him the truth, you'll take that secret to your grave.
Summary: (y/n) have been living a normal life, until they encountered an unconscious person, hanging from a tree. Everything was fine until the strange man led them all the way to Snezhnaya.
Warnings: Blood, Genshin 3.1 spoilers.
What happened ? Why is it so... Silent, all of a sudden ? The place is always so nosy, why is it so calm now ? Did you go deaf, maybe ?
As you tried to collect your memories together, something fell on you.
"He's going to kill me,..." You mustered, in a raspy voice. You wanted to fall asleep one more time.
"You're awake !" Called a voice. "I'll go get master !" Then, running footsteps faded into the distance.
Scaramouche... Somehow, all you could remember at that moment was his look. He looked like he wanted to shred the world apart, but he also looked hurt. It wasn't like him. Usually he only shows a frown, maybe it was just the light. It was just you complaining, you weren't actually going to leave, not like you could, especially now that you know that he'll personally snap your neck. You laid there for a while, not daring to move. You weren't hurt. At least, you didn't feel in any pain, except the unbearable pain in your chest. You thought you made a friend, was it all in your head ? If only you had listened to him instead of complaining, maybe things would have been different.
As you started blaming yourself, a new voice came up. "How are you feeling ?" The masculine voice was gentle, a tone you haven't heard in a long time. It was smoothing. Upon hearing the kind voice, you decided to focus. Wherever you were, it was bright. The man happened to be a fox. Have you already saw him somewhere ?
Retracing your memories, you knew. "Tighnari." You acknowledged out loud.
The man nodded. "You've been hit on the head, but you're fine. You just need to rest. Do you understand ?" You nodded as well, even if it didn't matter anyway. You were going to get killed. What happened after that explosion ?
You jumped up. Was he okay ? Last time there was an explosion, the people you cared about were killed, did he die as well ? No matter what was going on inside your head, you could only worry about the man that wanted you dead, which really upset you. You took your knees to your chest, and shielded your head with your arms. Thinking was too painful, but what else were you supposed to do ? You had nothing anymore, all your time was used in order to help the Fatui achieve their goal, and you didn't even know what it was. Dottore wasn't allowed near you, and you only spoke to Scaramouche every 2 to 3 weeks. You've spent so much time there, you had nothing else to care about except work.
It took a few days for you to properly recover, even if the recovery was mostly mental. You still didn't have much to care about, but 'The Traveler' and their floating sidekick, Paimon, kept on asking you questions such as "what is the Fatui up to ?" or "Where are they hiding ?" But you didn't know anything. You were in charge of giving the recruits orders, but you were too exhausted to piece together what they were planning on doing.
Until one day you had enough, and you started asking the questions. "Why am I here ? I worked with them." It was a question they weren't expecting, but the answer saying that one of the Harbingers was trying to attack you, so they rescued you. Is that true ? Did Scaramouche truly attacked you ? He looked hurt. Was he hurt ? Or was he just mad ? You couldn't get his gaze off you mind. He seemed so much different. You lost a friend, a companion. All over something stupid. "What happened ?" All you registered is that most of the others managed to run away, that's all that you needed. If they fought with him, they would probably have mentioned it, or at least say something along the lines of 'you are safe now'. They probably knew they'd be after you. "What happened to the Balladeer ?" Again, a question that seemed to confuse them.
"He also managed to get away."
"Take me back."
"What ?"
"Take me back !" It was more of a plea than a request. Not that you wanted to die, but rather that you wanted to be sure. Doubt was killing you, you couldn't take it. You needed to talk to him, just see him, make sure everything was fine between you two. And if it wasn't, then, at least you'd know. At least you'd be able to try and cope with it.
Of course, none of the two with you agreed to do what you asked, the floating one rather pointed out that you probably suffered some sort of brain damage, which was more annoying than upsetting.
Nevertheless, you were now stuck somewhere you didn't know, far from everything and everyone you knew, and probably a bounty on your head. Which, strangely, is what ended up being the reason you took off with them. Somehow, you were now the Traveler's second sidekick. Rather, you were their token to the Harbingers. The worst part ? They knew where to find Dottore, and you doubted that he'd ever miss the opportunity to see how far your loyalty to Scaramouche would go. Thankfully, it was delayed since Sumeru City was currently not a good place to be at, and ended up in Aaru village, to get some help from other people. The Traveler's goals has always been a mystery. Turns out they're just looking for their sibling, that's a bit different from all the things you had imagined, even if you never really had a lot of time to imagine anything.
What they planned was an assault again Dottore and the Balladeer, they wanted to take them down. Of course, there was nothing you could say would have made them at least reconsider. And you got lost into another set of questions, up until a kind voice spoke up to you. "Are you alright ?" You looked up. A woman with two eyes of a different color gave you a warm and comforting smile. By the lack of an answer, she sat down next to you. "It'll be alright. We just need you to come along and hide if any fight starts. Will you be okay ?"
'I don't have a choice' was the answer that brushed your mind, but you simply decided to nod instead. It's true, you didn't have a choice. If you spoke up, there is no doubt they wouldn't force you, but maybe they'd talk you out into coming anyway, or simply do without you. To them, the only interest Dottore might have in you would be your head in a silver plate. They couldn't more off track.
Time kept on passing by and you grew impatient. From what they've been saying, they started getting back on their project. Something about the Scarlet King, you didn't quite get it, but they wanted to stop them. And you agreed, the Fatui can't be up to any good, but please, let them spare you a few minutes to talk with him...
The night before going back to Sumeru City, you had a nightmare. You saw everyone back at the village, accusing you for their death. Saying that if you had listened to them in the first place, they wouldn't have died. Was that true ? Your friend did tell you to throw him out the moment she saw him. If you did, would things have been different ? You woke up in a cold sweat. The atmosphere was too much, you were suffocating, deciding to take a walk outside. And you were then again met with a new person, this one way less inviting than the other. A man in strange clothes, looking like a wolf. He mostly glared at you, though no hostility came from him, his look was more than aggressive. It was strange. Is it just his look or is he planning on killing you as well ? "You should be resting." His voice was more smoothing than you thought it'd be.
"I can't sleep."
"You won't achieve anything if you're exhausted."
"I thought you guys were the ones supposed to do something. Aren't just bait ?"
The man looked towards the horizon, probably thinking. "We are trying to stop the Fatui from destroying our land. We're not asking you to be a sacrifice, we're asking for your assistance." Were they really the ones indebted to you ? Even without you, they would find a way through. "If you're so against it, why don't you refuse ?" Right in the target. You couldn't. You needed to go. At least to say goodbye. Lately, focusing has gotten hard. The Traveler and Paimon's relationship was funny to witness, but finding things to enjoy other than that was complicated. You took a lot more time to focus on anything, phasing out here and there, every so often.
You tried to find a good excuse, but seeing how he looked at you, you didn't even bothered. He'd probably figure out sooner or later that you lied. "I need to go back there.. Not with Dottore. I have... Unfinished business with the Balladeer." You looked down. "We need to have a conversation."
"Isn't he going to kill you ?"
"I don't think he will. I don't know how he's treated others, but he's always been somewhat nice to me. We've been traveling companions for a while, after that, things just got off trails, and then..."
"He tried to kill you."
You sighed. Was that all there was to it ? He tried to kill you and... That's it ? No, there was a reason behind it.
'You're just like any other human in the end.'
This was the last thing you registered from him. He did speak a few more words, but none that you remembered, it's all that stuck to your mind. 'Just like any other'. It did imply that he saw you as not just anyone. He wouldn't deny you so quick, would he ? Friends can have fights, it's part of life, why would he get so upset over a few little words, it wasn't even hinted towards him, even if waking you up was the source of your complaints. It's not like you meant for any of this to happen. Sure, you got tangled in there because he killed everyone you loved and knew, and clearly you were overworked for someone who used to live peacefully in a village in the middle of nowhere, but this ?
You started to wonder, deep down, did you hoped for an opportunity like this ? To leave the Fatui you've been shoved into and start off a new and better life ? Surely, it couldn't be the case, right ? If it was, you wouldn't be missing him so much, right ? Are you enraged, or is it genuine concern ?
Once again, you were drowning yourself in questions and doubts. You truly cared, but did he ? All his actions flooded your mind, did they have any meaning, any proofs that he wasn't all that against your presence ? He didn't took care of you that much, just beating up the few treasure hoarders you encountered, and maybe a monster or two when they got too close, but you couldn't know if it was for you or not. He seemed pretty violent on a normal basis. You gave up. Thinking will lead you nowhere. If only turning off your brain was an option, you wouldn't struggle so much. You thanked the man for the small talk, even if he only raised more questions that will give you more reasons to stay awake tonight, not like you weren't used to it.
Your were tense for every second that passed, every second that got you closer to Sumeru City. It was big, and very impressive, but the architecture wasn't your main concern as of now, nor was it a proper way to distract yourself. You just hope Dottore will keep his hand to himself instead of injecting some sort of weird drugs to see how'd you react to some weird stuff. He's all about machines but he has a special interest to see your limits that disgust you. The people in the city were acting odd, their gazes were focused on the Traveler, they looked at them with this strange energy coming from them, it was disturbing. You all slowly made your way up to the Akademiya, dread filling your head, apprehension for what was about to happen.
What even was about to happen ? How were they supposed to bargain their way through ? Surely Dottore wouldn't be stupid enough to let them in, even if you're the one being bargained. A thought brushed your mind. Surely not, right ?
The doors were huge. They weren't really, but your fear made them appear so much taller than they actually were. You felt like an ant in front of a wall. Panic started rising.
The doors opened.
He was here.
Dottore.
He's... Smirking. Your fight or flight response kicked in, you walked backwards, and bumped into someone. You were terrified. He's going to kill you. Dottore will take your life, surely he'll take a massive pleasure to do so, it'll be torture, keeping you alive the whole way through. "(y/n) ! What a pleasure to see you again ! Welcome home !" He approached. You started shaking like a leaf. He never did anything, but Scaramouche's nasty look in his direction when he started talking to you gave you enough ideas on how much of a bad person he was. Thankfully, the others shielded you from him, reassuring you at least a little. "Oho ? Quite the company you have with you. What owes me the pleasure ?" He sounded cynical.
You didn't dare speak, but someone did for you. "Let us through."
"Oh I don't think I will. The Akademiya now belongs to the Fatui." He glanced your way. "Unless of course, you give me something worth bargaining for." There was no turning back, this was it. "Tell me, (y/n), will you fall under my orders for them ?" Was that his test ? "You know, someone's been grumbling since you left so... Abruptly. If you join me, you could escape his wrath." What a joke. At least he'd kill you immediately instead of making you go through hell before death. You gazed at Candace, the one who have been nothing but sweet. She didn't look so sisterly anymore, as a matter of fact, she actually looks ready to go for the throat. Whatever she's thinking, it's probably more for Aaru village than for herself, if you understood her character correctly. As for the other one you've talked to, Cyno, he maybe looks a bit more menacing than the night before, but maybe it's just an impression. You didn't really get the opportunity to nor did you tried to speak with the others. More like Cyno and Candace engaged a conversation and you went along with it. But it didn't matter, they won't be here to protect you if needed. The madman sighed loudly. "I never took you for such a coward. I thought you grew a bit, seeing how you were commanding everyone. Guess you're still the same old stray cat. Or rather, stray puppy." And now he was mocking you. Great. Although you didn't know anything about his background, you were pretty sure he's been a maniac for as long as he's been alive, who wouldn't be afraid ? Clearly everyone around you. Only, the difference between you and them, is that you didn't have a vision. You were just a regular human, unable to defend yourself, nor the people you loved. "Here's a deal. You fall under my commands, and I'll let them do anything they want. They can go ahead and destroy everything I have. After all, isn't that the only reason they're here ?" It was. Your life didn't really matter. They aren't protecting you because you're alive, they're protecting you because you're the only chance they have, just like they are the only chance you have.
Maybe you were wrong ? Maybe Dottore is the fastest way back
"What's your aim ?" Tighnari spoke up, clearly annoyed at the scientist, but not aiming with his bow, unlike what you would have expected. His voice has sounded so much harsher than the first time you've met him, he felt really different, too.
Dottore giggled. "I want nothing more than to be able to do research. That's what the Fatui pays me to do. Of course, staying alive is also very important, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't make a whole fuss about it, we have similar goals, in the end."
"Similar goals ?"
He started to look impatient. "Come on, now. Let's put an end to this." Ah, there it was. The signal. You never liked it, it sounded like success was guaranteed, even when it clearly wasn't. Not with all these people around.
Something that became a secret between you and a few members, was a last resort signal. If given the opportunity, on cue, stab your enemy. Though at this specific moment, everyone as your enemy. Not like you had much of a choice, anyway. If Dottore somehow wins his fight and you didn't obey, he will make sure you're never able to disobey. You've heard them several times, the screams of the one who dared go against his orders. His cheerfulness quickly turns to a frown, and then... Best not to hope seeing that person again. This was your only shot for forgiveness.
"Wh-" Ah, you did it. At least you tried. The blood that spilled wasn't the one you attempted to attack, but rather the blood of someone who stopped the blade, cutting their palm. You started breathing heavily. This isn't what you wanted. Using the general confusion, and ignoring the yells, you made your way to Dottore.
"Well done. Your loyalty still follows us, it seems." You didn't have a choice, did you ? He was going to kill you ! No, you were going to get killed anyway. Either by him, Scaramouche, or the fight they'll all get into. There is no escape, but there would be no happy ending for you, after all. "Let us return to our duties." You entered the Akademiya, the people who swore to protect you screaming things as the civilians swarmed them. Dottore made sure to let you know that obeying him marked you as his subject, wrapping his arm on your shoulders despise his-
"Dottore !" A voice yelled, the figure approaching quickly and throwing his arm off of you. "We had a deal." The figure quickly sheltered you behind them. You looked at the back of their head. Of his head. A few more words were spoken, until he turned around. "And you," Ah, was that it, in the end ? "we need to have a discussion." That all that was said before he started walking away, holding your wrist tightly.
You both entered a room, a storage room, the door closed. And immediately, he kicked some boxes. "WHERE WERE YOU !" He yelled in your face, as if you weren't feeling awful as well. But, you couldn't stop that wave of happiness overcoming you. He didn't tried to kill you, at least, for now, and he seemed really stressed. "You have a lot of explaining to do !"
"I-" As you tried to speak up, he put his hand on your mouth.
"Don't." He sat on a box, thinking. "Why did you say that ? That thing, before you were taken away." You stared at him, as he struggled not to glance at you, failing half the time, and sat down, near him, but not too close.
You took a deep breath. "I didn't mean it. I was just... Complaining. I barely slept since we got there. I'm... Sorry." He didn't reply, just stared at the floor, his gaze lost in the air. "I thought.. You'd kill me. That's what you implied back then, right ?" You had to know, get it off your chest, so he gets straight to the point. You had enough of waiting for a subtle answer.
He mumbled. You asked him to repeat. "No," At least that was clear enough, a weight off your chest. "but." Your rejoice was cut short. "You have a lot of things to make up for." You gave him a questioning look, as he finally looked in your eyes, something he haven't done since you got back beside him. "We've been lacking people, and the person I've appointed to replace you can't do anything right. We're off schedule. You'll have to work thrice as hard." That was quick, at least you're thrown right back into it. He got up, going towards the door, turning to you before opening it. "And you'll have to make up for making me worry. Your office if a mess. You should organize your stuff better." What was that ?
"Wh- Huh ? What do you mean-"
He sighed. "I don't want to have to look for you again. At least leave obvious marks of where you've been." He scoffed. "That's the least you could do."
You were dumbfounded. Did he actually ? You went up to him, wanting to ask many things, so many things, but he shut you up by glaring at you, like he usually did. Only, this time, there was something more in his eyes. It wasn't annoyance or scolding, it was just... Different.
not,,, not how i wanted it to end (or to go, honestly), but HEY AT LEAST WE GOT THERE, WHOOP WHOOP !
yes, this is where it ends, no, i don't plan on making your relationship go further, i did what i could, now this is a YOU problem.
MAYBE do some stuff once 3.2 comes out and i'm done with it, or any update making ACTUAL progress with Scarafly content, but for now, i slep.
maybe i'll finally get to my dear General Good boy, as it's been on hiatus in my drafts for literal months, especially since 2/3 of it is written on paper.
i'm sorry i've been busy simping for a man killing demons to get his body back, accompanied with the most adorable child i've seen.
you don't get to judge me anyway, as you are also simping for a little gremlin with trust and anger issues.
i'm sorry for typos and possible missing words, i've read this back like twice and i feel like i've made a terrible job at checking for mistakes GTRHG
Summary: (y/n) have been living a normal life, until they encountered an unconscious person, hanging from a tree. Everything was fine until the strange man led them all the way to Snezhnaya.
Warnings: angst, Genshin 3.1 spoilers.
"Who is that ?" Pointed out the woman who helped you pick up some herbs in the wilderness.
You shrugged. You didn't know who it was, but it was someone who needed help. Usually, someone who is heavily bleeding and hanging in a tree isn't really the type of person that is 'doing good', and even less someone to be left alone. Surprisingly or not, he was very light. He didn't weight anything, which added to your first worries. It's not that strange for such a petite person to have these wounds in the wild. He seemed like a child left alone and that got lost and wounded while trying to find the way home. You brought him into your home about a week ago and there are still no signs of him being awake. More importantly, he's doesn't have a pulse nor is breathing, but his body is far from being cold, on the contrary, it seems like it's burning a bit more every day. You tried to observe if it meant anything by watching wild creatures from afar, but surely, no pulse and no breath meant they were dead, but they were ice cold. It didn't make much sense to you, but you decided that, just in case, if he's still not awake in 2 months, you'd declare him dead, no matter how cruel it might be.
"Don't keep strangers in your house. What if you're attacked at night ?" You shrugged again. Someone that sleeps for this long can not have that much strength upon waking up. The best he could do would be to stab you, and you weren't even sure he'd manage to find the knife drawer. "No I'm serious (y/n), you can't keep this guy here. Hand him to the doctors, they'll know how to safely handle him."
You giggled lightly. "You don't get it. He just needs some rest, I'm sure. Sure, he may have bene bleeding really badly when I found him, but the injuries weren't that major ! He might just have been sitting there for a few days." You put down your basket on the furniture by your front door. "Everything is fine. If I ever get any doubt, I'll call for some advices. Deal ?"
She hummed in agreement. "I'll still make sure everything is okay once in a while."
You invited her to come whenever.
And time flew by. She once in a while did drop by, eyed him suspiciously for a bit and went back to talking with you. It kept happening for a few weeks, until...
"He is dead !" Affirmed the leader of your village. "This person is dead ! He has no pulse !" He was right, but his body was burning to a point that you couldn't even get near anymore. The heat was unbearable. "You need to burry his body."
"We don't even know where he comes from ! What about his family ?"
"Unimportant ! Get rid of him and everything will be fine. If anyone comes looking for him we'll just tell them he was found dead."
"But I-" And the argument kept going and going. You didn't know what was going on with that guy, but something was up, and maybe he was still alive. You were living on your own, so having some company was nice for once, but you never wanted it to end up like this.
All you recall from that point on, that a loud noise, and then everything went black.
You woke up by a camp fire. Looking around, you were on your own, far in the forest. Where exactly, you couldn't tell. All you knew was that there was no sign of your home anywhere, all you could see were trees far beyond the horizon. You grunted in pain as you tried to stand up. You studied your own body in more details. You had burning marks on a good half of your skin, and it seemed like the targeted half's clothes were mostly burned. Your brain working a bit more, you remembered the argument with the village's chief, and then... Nothingness. Exhausted, you went back to sleep.
"Ugh..." You grunted as you woke up again. The fire was still going, but this time something was different. Someone was there, and you knew all too well who it was. Whoever that person was, he was finally awake, and you had several questions. "You- Who are you ?" You shifted into a sitting position, making eye contact with the man. He just glared at you, not answering. "I'm... (y/n)." His look seemed to ease a little, but he still looked like he was in a terrible mood. "Where are we ?" Maybe it'd be willing to answer at least one of you questions, but that thought was futile, he simply looked away, seeming pissed off. He is not at all like you had imagined.
He never spoke a word. He waited a bit and got up before starting to walk away. But in the dead of the night, all you could do was to follow him. What else were you supposed to do ? Stay here by yourself, at the mercy of whatever is lurking in the dark ? No thanks ! "Go away." Was the first thing he said.
"You can't leave me alone here ! At least take me back to my village !"
He stopped walking and turned to you. "Your village doesn't exists anymore. I blew it up." You could have sworn there was a smirk. He blew it up ? What about everyone ? Was that the loud noise you heard before passing out ? Why would he do that ? No one did anything to deserve that. Are they dead ? If you're alive, there's no way they're dead, right ? What about your friends, your neighbors, the kids from around who always like to run by your place due to the animals wandering close to it ? They wouldn't deserve that. You asked him why. "Why ?" He repeated in a laugh. "They were humans. That's why." Once again, you asked him why. But this time, it was about your survival. "You're a rare breed. You at least value other people's lives. Now scram. I don't owe you anything." If he really killed everyone and kept you alive, you guess that it does make you even. But he killed everyone you knew. That's where he was wrong.
"You killed everyone ! You owe me my whole life ! Where am I supposed to go now !"
"In the woods. That's where you all belong." You hurried to grab his shoulders, he punched you. "Do NOT touch me. I could easily make you join the others if you love them so much." He wasn't kidding. You felt like passing out from a single hit. You wondered if it was his full strength or if he held back. Nevertheless, you felt like throwing up, the pain was unbearable. And just like that, he kept on walking, and you trailed far behind, despise his protests. You couldn't stay here on your own. At least he's strong, if anything happens, maybe he'll have enough common sense to help you and not whatever attacks you. You're pretty sure that if he had the opportunity, he would join some hilichurls in beating you up. What an asshole. But you had no proofs he would. The walk was silent, until you- or rather your stomach -begged for your mercy. You both stopped. You didn't know if he stopped in surprise or annoyance, but he still did. He turned around and glared at you, again. You started to conclude that a frown was his default expression.
"...I can make food." He sighed and kept on walking. "Don't go ! I'm going to die if you leave me alone !"
He scoffed. Was that another smirk ? But, he did suddenly stopped and got back around where you were just standing. "Hurry up." This felt less of an order than he might have thought. You got busy to set a campfire. Strangely enough, the man helped, thought you didn't know his name, you could tell by his mannerism that he wasn't from around here, not that it was strange, but it was interesting. You didn't have much to work around with, so you have to settle on fruits and berries you could land your hands on. Living near the forest you knew which one to pick, and if they were, what to do to make sure no one would be sick. You took a rather large amount of each, to make sure there would be enough for the two of you for at least a few days, until you get some actually food to work with. That is, it'll only work if mister killjoy registers that you need to buy food to survive. You smiled slightly when he scooted over the fire while you were making the fruit-based meal. He might have tried to hide it, but he had to be hungry too. He was unconscious for several weeks, after all. Still, deliver a punch like this one with nothing in his stomach, it would scare anyone, and you sure were part of those people. "Are you done yet ? We need to go."
'We' made you smile, which pissed him off. Surely he had no idea how food worked. You doubted that someone that doesn't breath needs to eat, but if you can be of use until you can go back to a normal life, you will follow him. You both had your own goals, after all. You'd take care of food while he's leading the way to a safe place.
Or, that's what you thought.
During your trip together, you both grew slightly closer to one another. At least, you knew his name now. Scaramouche. What an interesting name. All you know is his name and that he's from Inazuma. He mentioned it once, but decided to not go any further from the statement. You could easily tell that you fell under his charms. And although he'd hate to admit it, he also came to at least appreciate you. You started that weird love-hate friendship.
Whilst he didn't tell you much about it, you just knew that he was headed to a dangerous place, that'd you'd rather stay in your region where you belong before you get killed. But it wasn't the first time he tried to impress you by over making things. If only you had listened that one time. You never thought you'd find yourself in Snezhnaya. "I told you to leave. If you die it'll be your fault." At that point, you couldn't turn back. If you tried to leave, you'd die, but if you followed him, you would also die. Only, there was chances that he really started to appreciate you and would possibly keep you from getting killed.
You silently followed him, not making a single peep. The travel there was... Oppressing. At some point, not really knowing how, you found yourself in a warm place. It was big, as well. You saw a bunch of people wearing masks. Could it be... "The Fatui ?!"
"Shut it." You obliged. You were in a dangerous place. At least, he was looking after you. That's when you knew that if you wanted to live, you'd have to obey. When did it turn this way, you didn't know. As far as you knew, you were both helping each other. Now that you're here, you rely entirely on him, and it seems like he knew it perfectly. "Stay here. If you leave, you'll regret it." He smirked. "Though, not for long." It was more of a warning than a threat. Surely, if you dared approaching the door of the room he left you in, you'd be killed. You've followed him so far just to survive, it'd be a shame if you were to die right now. Plus, you've became quite fond of his salty attitude of his.
In situations where he depended on you, he was forced to put his pride down, which was incredibly funny to look at, as he tried to order you around. Of course, knowing his strength, you were a bit afraid of him at first, but aside form that one time, he never landed a single hit on you, nor even started the motion. Maybe he still felt like he owed you, somehow ? You remembered that time you fell very ill, you almost couldn't move at all, it was terrible. He still made a shelter and waited for you. He was really sweet. Still bossy and full of himself, but really sweet. "I don't have time. If you're planning on dying, just do it quick." You giggled at the memory. Honestly, it's a shame that his major flaw is food. He is a terrible cook. He once tried to cook some frogs, which were the easiest to catch on a rainy day. He burned them instantly, and did not look bothered one bit.
"I can't eat that, I'll die." You swore he wanted to shove it down your throat. But instead, he grumbled something and went back to get some more, throwing the one he has already made on a tree. You still tried to see if it was really that uneatable, and yes, it was just pure crisp. By he time he came back, you were so desperate for food you were still munching on the burnt creature. He started yelling at you. You had to guide him through the cooking process. It still tasted terrible, you never let him touch ingredients ever since.
"Where are we going ?" You asked politely, being the first words you spoke in a while. You simply gave you a glare. He kept on saying that you should leave him alone, that you will die if you keep on following him. Now you understand why. Though, you couldn't say if it was to warn you or if it was a threat. Now you know.
The door opened.
"Oho ? So that's your little companion." A strange man with white hair approached you, Scaramouche entering the room behind him. "What does a simple being like you is doing here, hm ?"
"Dottore." Called the shorter one. "We need to go. Now."
"Right, right ! Come, now !" 'Dottore' reached for your arm, but you took a step backwards to avoid his grasp. He was an Harbinger. He's dangerous. Was Scaramouche also an Harbinger ? You glanced at him, he seemed to be studying every movements of Dottore. When your gazes met, he spoke up. "Come here." You obeyed. You couldn't talk back in your situation. "This is my servant. They won't listen to any order unless it comes from me." You jumped in surprise at the sudden statement. That was never mentioned in the small talks you had. Was he trying to protect you in a way, or just trying to get control over you ? "Isn't that right ?" He glared at you again, Dottore as well.
You lowered your head. "Yes, my lord..." This was stupid. It felt surreal. You had a balanced relationship, and now you're nothing more than a slave ? Should you just leave whenever you get the chance ? But now that you're involved with the Fatui, they'd track you down ? Surely not, you're just a human, they don't have to fear anything from you. But Scaramouche did mentioned some things you figured the wouldn't normally talk about, what if he order to kill you ?
There was no exists. You had to follow him.
"Precious."
Time went by, you were now known as Scaramouche's second in command. Not like he had a lot of orders to give, so you mostly just hung out around him, in his giant meca, or took care of food, the way you used to. Several months went by since you left Sneznhaya, and you were now in the middle of Sumeru's desert. Everything was going just fine, even if you were often mocked. A high rank for no strength. Some of the members would once in a while try to hit you, but you figured that it wasn't worth fighting, so, you'd just glare at them the way Scaramouche did at first. It seemed to calm them down. Of course, that wasn't always the case, and you sometimes ended up beaten up, but that wasn't an excuse to miss out on your duties.
"You need to step up."
"I don't have any strength, my lord."
"None of that with me." Another lecture from him. He seemed as disinterested in the matter as you were exhausted. "How are the preparations ?"
"Lord Dottore went to Sumeru to start working on his part. It seems that the traveler that causes you pain was spotted there not too long ago." You had stopped caring for much by that point. You've learned not to care, and to do whatever you could to hide the few things you cared about. A few people were always watching. Making a new god wasn't that easy, of course there would be people everywhere. 'Lord'. You didn't like calling them that, but what choice did you have. Ever since you called Scaramouche like this the first day you met the other Harbingers, it stuck with you. Scaramouche always glared at you whenever you did, you weren't sure why. Maybe it was out of annoyance or just because he always glared whenever you spoke. Maybe he hates you after all. How could you know ? It's not like he speaks his opinion about you. Small but full of secrets, that was one thing that everyone agreed on, at least.
That's what your relationship was now. At least, you had everything you needed. A shelter, food, and comrade. Not quite your friends, but you were working on it. At least, when you weren't working on the small man's gigantic meca, which was pretty much 24/7. You did have breaks and time to sleep for a bit, but they were often cut short by the others' incompetence. Usually, they'd be the reason you were woken up, except that one night.
"Mx (y/n). Lord Scaramouche is calling for you." You smiled at both titles. 'Mx (y/n)' at least assured you you had a bit of power around here. And 'Lord' ? Now, they just picked it up when they noticed that Dottore was particularly found of it.
Nevertheless, this was your one moment of peace in this preparation for war, and it was ruined due to a self-centered gremlin. You stomped your way up to the one who required your presence, a frown that didn't even tried to hide. You felt like passing out due to exhaustion, and you'd let him know. And he looked like he pieced that together considering the look of disgusted he threw your way when you got up to him. "What." You were expecting more of a pissed off attitude coming from him. And what did you get ? A snort. The audacity. "YOU ! You make me work like crazy, boss me around, give me 5 hours to rest every week, which frankly is more than inhuman, and when I do, you wake me up to LAUGH AT ME ???" You wanted to punch him. Your outburst only made his twisted smile larger. "I'm going to quit." You groaned in annoyance, which got a whole different look. Not the worried one you expected, but it was still one of loathing.
"Eh." His gaze didn't change, but his smile became a crooked one. He really looked like he was going to kill you this time. No matter how many glares, he never had a look that said he wanted to spill blood. "You're just like any other human in the end." The hatred in his voice was so much different than what you've heard. "Back stabbing and betraying is in your nature, it seems." He was out of it. What happened to him ? "You want to leave ? Fine." His smile turned into a frown. "You're going to leave."
On cue, an explosion. But you didn't registered what happened. Rather, all you saw was the look of hate getting more intense by the second. What have you done. You didn't want things to go this way, surely there was some sort of mistake, some miscommunication. And just like the first time, you passed out.
Part 2
OH SHIT THIS TOOK A WHOLE OTHER TURN.
I- MMH.
this is not what i had planned but HE-HEY !! at least i'm going to cry tonight. No, i'm not stopping it here, i mean, can't let angsty boy with angst, also i don't think i'm legally allowed to that, so. YES.
until next time.
can you believe i've spent 3 days doing that ? I know, such amateur work HRHNTL of course i'm not working on that all day, mostly during the beggining of the night while watching horror movies because somehow this is the only thing that puts me in a romance mood
this is weird, i'm running out of movies help
y',know. first time i posted i pointed out that i really wanted gorou in here first. Well, he's still not here. which is a whame, because most of his is written down, in a book--
i was bored at worked so i got myself a good enemies to lovers, in order to honor my homie, but also because i am curious about it-- HOW WOULD GENERAL GOOD BOY REACT HMM ? i've been up to things, now i gotta commit to them. That's the hard part--
ON THIS NOTE I'M OFF TO SLEEP, GOTTA HIT THAT GREMLIN PART 2 GRIND TOMORROW GHIRGLG
Some Venti hc because I love him with all my heart
I miss him
Will greet you with a hug
Defo will crash at your place because he's poor
If sad he WILL sneak into your bed at night
"Uh... Venti ? Don't you have your own room ?"
"Yeah but it's cold and lonely. With you I feel warm and fuzzy~"
Knows his boundaries but might grab your arm/hand if he doses off
Likes to tease you, whether or not you react to it
"(y/nnnn) ! I'm hungryyyy !"
"No you're not, that's just an excuse to get drunk."
Will invite you on dates to hangout
Totally flirts when dead drunk
Will challenge you on a drinking contest in exchange for a free month or two at yours
Basically lives at your place, actually
Is homeless, actually
You often remind him that he's still be getting drunk and sleeping of Barbatos' statue in Mondstadt if it wasn't for you
Legitimately gets thrown out the bar by Diluc himself if you ask him to
Or rather if he thinks Venti's being a bit too sus
Usually wakes up once his face meets the hard cold floor
A lost puppy
Just wants your affection
Needs all the hugs he can get
Complains you don't want to be his drinking partner
Cannot take him to eat anywhere because sir likes to drink and he has NO MONEY to pay for those
Would owe as much money as Childes has if he had to pay you back
Refuses to get a job because "Mondstadt is the city of freedom !"
Will sing you a ballad whenever you're upset at him telling you how sorry a young bard is
Usually works
But when it doesn't
Sings a ballad about the wind not knowing the tornados it can cause
Will never tell you he's actually Barbatos
As far as he's aware, you don't have a clue
He is convinced that all you know is how much he drinks every day
Respects every choice you make
Can and will say 'I love you' or 'i missed you' whenever you meet up, accompanied with a hug, always
Kind of a ritual
Hugging and loving
Uses pets name
Won't allow you calling him pet names if it isn't 'love'
Sings calming and sweets ballads when you're sad or feeling down
Will hold you close if it doesn't work
Will cuddle until the end of time if needed
Sometimes wonder how life will happen if you were to die of old age while he is immortal
Usually brushes the thought off when you enter the room and jumps on you, literally
"(Y/N) ! I was so worried about you !!!!"
"You- What ? I just went to fetch a few apples for you ?"
"Oh ! Yummy ! I love you, (y/n) !"
"Pfft-- love you too."
oho ? hello hello ! ngl my first entry should have been about sweet sweet General Good Boy but eh, Venti have been piercing my heart with his arrows, such a healthy relationship between two people hugging every time they see each other, even if one just went to another room for 5 seconds
