Well huh.... Hi? I don't know how many of y'all we'll see this, but hey I'm somewhat back??
SO I thought I was done with Genshin but Nod-Krai pulled me right back in lmao. Soooo I had this idea last night and decided to write it. At first I was thinking Xiao, but hey I never wrote something with Scaramouche before. So here we go!
You hummed to yourself softly as you picked up the package Alhaitham had asked you to deliver. It was an early morning, the rays of the Sun were barely beginning to pierce the dark sky of the night. As he had asked you to deliver the goods in a village in the desert, you decided to leave as the Sun rose. You wanted to do the trip in one day and be back before the night.
As you set foot outside of the Akademiya, you were greeted by the chill morning air and a familiar voice.
-Where are you going?
You spun around to greet Scaramouche.
-Well, good morning to you too, Scaramoucheā¦!
-Yeah, yeah, good morning. Where are you going?
-Aaru village. Alhaitham asked me to deliver something for him.
At your words, Scaramouche scoffed and rolled his eyes.
-He couldn't do it himself?
-No, since he has a meeting. So I volunteered to deliver it. Don't worry, I'll be back tonightā¦!
With that, you smiled at him and started walking again, determined to make it to the village before noon. Scaramouche watched as your form disappeared behind some trees. He couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling that was setting in his guts.
You set the package on the table of the customer, smiling to yourself. The delivery had gone smoothly and you made it to Aaru village before noon. The Sun was now high and bright in the sky, enveloping the whole world in a intense warmth.
-Well, there you go Raef! As promised, the package from Alhaitham.
-Thank you so much (Y/N). I would have come pick it myself, but I can't leave my guard dutyā¦
-Oh, it's no problem at all! It's my job after all, you answered with a smile. Well then, I should get going. I don't want to get back too late.
-Ah, maybe you should stay for one hour or twoā¦ The Sun is pretty strong at this hour, you shouldn't underestimate its temperature. You can rest here, I'll go get you a plate of food.
Before you could protest, Raef disappeared behind a door. You really wanted to be back but Raef wasn't wrong. Plus, you were hungry and, even though you had some food on you, you couldn't say no to a real meal.
Two hours had passed since. You felt rested and the Sun was slowly starting to dip lower and lower in the sky. The air was a bit cooler and it made walking easier. You let your mind drifting through different thoughts, not noticing the uneven ground. Well, you did notice it, but only as your ankle twisted in an unnatural way. You bit your bottom lip as the sharp pain shot through your leg.
-Ah shitā¦! Archons, I should have been more careful, you sigh as you sat on a nearby rock to examine your foot.
It wasn't broken, but clearly sprained. Walking was still possible, although painful. You sighed once again as you didn't have a choice and resumed your walk once again.
A knock was heard on the door. No one came to open, but he clearly heard voices inside. Scaramouche knocked again, louder this time. Kaveh came to open the door. His face dropped as he saw Scaramouche.
-What are you doing here??; he exclaimed.
-None of your business. Where's Alhaitham?
Kaveh shut the door closed and Scaramouche heard a commotion inside. A few minutes later, Alhaitham greeted him.
-Something's wrong, Scaramouche?
-Yes, yes something is wrong! Where's (Y/N)? You sent her to deliver a package and she isn't back yet.
-They're not backā¦? (Y/N) said they'd go back to their place once they'd be done with the delivery.
Alaitham's answers just made Scaramouche even angrier. His nonchalant demeanor was driving him crazy.
-Well no, they're not back! If they were, I wouldn't be wasting my time asking you.
And, before Alhaitham could answer anything, Scaramouche left.
-They don't have anything interesting on them besides a few Mora. How disappointingā¦
-How about we used them to ask for a ransom or as a bait? Clearly they work for the Akademiya.
You looked at the Treasure Hoarders standing before you, talking as if you were not even there. You were slower due to your injured ankle and you were still in the Desert as the Sun dipped behind the horizon. And, as Treasure Hoarders started to get out of their hiding spot, they immediately understood that you were an easy target.
So now, there you were. Sitting down, surrounded by the group. You were used to seeing them around but, as the campfire cast sharp shadows on their faces, you couldn't help but feel fear setting in. Their chef walked toward you, a smirk on his face. He crouched in front of you, picking up your chin in his hand.
-Such a pretty faceā¦ I'm sure we could get a good amount.
You were scared and words got caught in your throat. However, you didn't have to answer as a shadow slid between the Treasure Hoarders, taking them down. You didn't even have time to realize what was happening, the shadow picked you up and flew away with you, quickly making it back to Sumeru City.
Once you were back, a doctor examined you. Beside the sprained ankle, you were ok. They gave their recommendations and left, closing the door softly behind them, leaving you and Scaramouche alone. You were about to thank him but he was faster than you.
-What were you thinking??
His sharp words made you flinch. You looked at him, only to see anger written on his face.
-Iā¦ It's fine, don't worryā¦! I have done those delivery before, it has never happenedā¦
-Being in the desert alone a night, he scoffed. Do you have a death wish??
-No, no I don't! I told you, I did it before! Iā¦ I just sprained my ankle this time, it's just bad luckā¦
-Well you should be more careful. Do you know how worried Iā We were for you?? Heckā¦
At his words, something snapped in you and tears started to stream down your face. Scaramouche didn't notice, until a quiet sob tore from your throat.
-ā¦ (Y/N)?
-I'm sorryā¦ I-I didn't want to worry anyone, I truly didn't! But do you realize how scary it was for me too??
You shouted, as tears streaked your cheeks. Scaramouche looked at you, and he felt something breaking inside of him. Of course, he hadn't think of this, but it was evident. Heck, you didn't want to get caught.
As you felt more tears welling up in your eyes, you buried your face in your hands, quiet sobs breaking the silence. Scaramouche's felt his stomach twisting and aching. He crouched in front of you, slowly moving your hands away from your face.
-(Y/N)ā¦ I'm sorry.
You didn't answer right away. Those few seconds scared him to death, scared that you'd hate him forever.
-I was scared, Scaramouche. I'm sorry I worried you, butā¦ Heck, I was terrified! Pleaseā¦ understand that.
-I know (Y/N), I know. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I got selfish. Butā¦ you don't have to be scared now, I promise.
He got back up and sat next to you on the bed. You took his hand and squeezed his and yours. A reminder that he was always there for you.
Hiya people! I don't know how many of you will see this, but I felt like posting a small life update š
Fanfiction wise, I think I took the decision to stop. Genshin was what got me to write fanfic again (before that it was snk on wattpad.... in French.....). But my love for genshin died down, and so did my motivation for writing. I still think I'll let this blog up, as some kind of archive. I'm thinking of starting a separate art blog!
Talking about art, I recently did two artist alleys! When I started drawing ten years ago, I never thought I'd get to do artist alley, it's such a big accomplishment šš I did them with my best friend, my work is on the left!
Health wise I'm finally being seen by a rheumatologist. I had my first cortisone injections last week, and even tho they don't fully take the pain away they help A LOT.
That's about it! I'm forever thankful for the support I've gotten on here and I can't thank y'all enough. I wish I were able to keep offering fanfics but... I don't think I can't produce something I'd be proud of š
heya,, it's been a while since you last updated, is everything okay??
Hiii!
Wow, where do I even start? Well, I'm alive! It's been so long since I last posted, in the mean time I dropped out of uni, worked full time for almost two years, started doing artist alley in cons, look for diagnosis for my chronic pain... Basically a lot!
I'll be honest with everyone, my passion for writing as sadly died down. Genshin Impact as well as a lot of other fandoms are still important to me. But... writing isn't my cup of tea. I've been drawing and writing for close to 11 years now, and I really love drawing! As I mentionned earlier, I started doing artist alley in conventions and I couldn't be happier!
I don't think I'll keep writing. Sadly, it causes me a lot of stress, I was always wondering if what I was doing was good enough, and it... wasn't fun anymore. I've been thinking of turning my blog onto an art blog maybe? Of course all my written work will stay up and available! But drawing really is my thing, and I think I want to focus more on that. And who knows, if inspirations strikes I might write again ^^
If any of y'all have any questions, always feel free to ask them! I'll do my best to answer.
..... I wrote something??? I WROTE SOMETHING?? It's a bit different from my other Not Enough fics, but I thought it'd fit too!
Anyway.
I've never talked about it here. I've been living with chronic pain for nine years now, mostly in my knees, but it affect a lot of my joints. I can't get a diagnosis, doctors don't know what is wrong with me and I am tired of being in pain. So what do you do in these cases? You write something to vent (yes, it is kind of a little vent)! Anyway, I might make one with Kaeya later just because .3.
I'm off to take painkillers and try to sleep now!
The Sun was already high in the sky, entering your bedroom through the windowās opened curtains.Ā Yet, there you were, still lying in bed. You were in bed, but you were far from asleep. In fact. you had woken up during the middle of the night, because of the pain, and you couldnāt fall back asleep. But you couldnāt bring yourself to get out of bed, or even sit up on the soft mattress; everything hurt so much. So there you were, eyes closed, trying to focus on something else. Ā Soon enough, you heard a knock at the door of your room. Tighnariās voice was heard, calling out for you:Ā
āY/N, weāre leaving soon for todayās patrol! Donāt be late!ā
āIām almost ready Tighnari, donāt worry!ā you answered, finally opening your eyes.Ā
Ā You slowly sat up, every single muscle and joint in your body protesting. By this point, you were almost late, there was no time for you to eat. It wasnāt as if you were hungry anyway, the pain made it so your appetite was greatly reduced. You threw on your uniform and went outside. Tighnari had already started giving out the instructions for the day, so you joined the group, who was listening to him. By now, he was almost done assigning the route and partners. Hopefully, you didnāt miss your nameā¦Ā
āAnd Y/N, youāll be with me today. Weāll simply check the emergency food supplies around the trails.āĀ
Ā Working with Tighnari gave you mixed feelings. On one hand, you knew him well and knew how to act around him so he wouldnāt suspect a thing. On the other handā¦ He is extremely observant. If you did so much as moving your pinkie finger the wrong way, heād notice immediately. Thus, hiding your pain from him would require you to play your role perfectly. Well, you werenāt too stressed about it. After all, this is what you had been doing for quite a while now, and no one noticed. You werenāt about to let others know today. And so, the other rangers left to their tasks, and you started following Tighnari to the first emergency food hideout.Ā
āAre you feeling okay? I didnāt see you come out for breakfast today.ā Tighnari asked.Ā
Ā You were looking at your feet, but quickly looked up to look at him in the eyes, forcing a small smile on your face.Ā
āYes, Iām fine! Thereās no need to worry about me, master Tighnari. I just went to bed rather late last night, I slept in.āĀ
Ā Tighnari simply nodded at your words. He focused his attention on the trail, careful to avoid roots coming out of the ground. You followed his steps.Ā
āYou know you can always come to me if youāre feeling unwell, right? After all, it is my duty to make sure you are safe.āĀ
āI knowā¦āĀ
Ā You had overestimated your energy, and used it really quickly. Usually, you could go through your tasks without any problems. But today was different. The pain was too much, you had no energy and you felt horribly sick. The world was spinning and you felt lightheaded. As Tighnari was adding food in the hideout, you focused your attention on a bright, blue flower. Breathing in, breathing out. In, out. In, out. In, outā¦Ā
āY/N!āĀ
Ā You jumped back as you felt a hand squeezing your shoulder lightly. You turned around quickly. Your eyes met Tighnariās, he seemed to look at you with a worried expression.Ā
āAre you okay? Iāve called your name a few times, but you didnāt answer.ā
āO-Oh yeah, Iām fine! Donāt worry about me!ā you answered with a forced smile.
Ā You always forced smiles, but this one was painful. The world was spinning faster and faster around you, making you feel sick. The pain was becoming unbearable, you swallowed back tears. Tighnariās lips moved to say something, yet you heard nothing. None of the words reached your ears, as the ringing became too much. You tried to tell him, once again, that you were fine. But before you could say anything, you felt your legs giving up and everything became black.
You didnāt dream about anything. You were just there floating in a dark sea. But even unconscious, you could feel the pain radiating in your entire body. You wished passing out would have at least stopped the pain for a whileā¦ Soon enough, you started to hear faint voices. Someone asking someone else to get them as soon as youād wake up. The door closing softly as someone left. And a cold cloth being put down gently on your forehead. You didnāt even notice you had a fever. A few more minutes passed, and you were finally able to open your eyes.Ā
āColleiā¦?āĀ
āAh, Y/N! Youāre awake! Iāll go get master Tighnari, heās super worried about youā¦!āĀ
Ā Before you could protest or anything, the young girl got up and left quickly. A few minutes later, the door opened again, but only Tighnari entered the room. You tried to sit up in bed, but he stopped you quickly, with a hand on your shoulder.Ā
Ā āItād be better if you stayed laying down. You hit your head pretty hard when you went down.āĀ
āAhā¦ Iām sorry about that, it wonāt happen againā¦āĀ
You didnāt dare to look at him.Ā
āWhy didnāt you tell me, Y/N?ā
Ā But his question surprised you. So much so, you snapped your head up to look at him.Ā
āTell you what?ā you denied.Ā
āAbout your pain.āĀ
āPain? What pain?āĀ
āY/N.ā his tone was serious. āYouāve been acting weird for a few weeks now. You donāt have to deny itāĀ
Some tears started to fall from your eyes as you managed to answer something.Ā
āBecause Iām not weakā¦āĀ
Tighnari took a few seconds, simply looking at you. Finally, he sighed and sat down, on the chair next to your bed.Ā
Ā āI know youāre not weak Y/N. But you canāt possibly win this battle alone. You know I care about you, right? And I want you to be okay. You canāt keep on going on like that. Youāll only hurt yourself more. Now, let me help you.ā
I'm... Trying to write? I'll be honest with y'all, i don't know if I like writing anymore... well, I do- but i actually put a lot of pression on myself, wondering if my work is good enough.
Anyway, with that being said;
I'm clearing my asks right now, trying to write for the fews I got. I also deleted a few resquests, because I didn't feel comfortable writing about them. To my anons who sent me these asks; I see you, and I hope you'll be better. You deserve to be safe and loved.
I hope I'll be able to publish something again soon!
Wow y'all WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT
i'M ALIVE
huh long story short, university killed me, i hated it, i finished the semester and I've decided to drop out lmao
Wow, where do I even start? I wanted to write in September but I drowned in uni work lmao. Y'all want a secret? I really don't like uni ARG. I'm finishing my semester then I'll be working full time as a barista, so I'll be able to focus on stuff that I truly love! If you've sent me stuff in my inbox, I'm slowly working on clearing it, I'm so sorry ;;;;
If you wish to commission me or support me, here's my KoFi! (I take both art and fanfic commissions!)
Warning: Established relationship with both, mention of injuries, angst to comfort
Part 1 [Xiao & Venti]
Part 2 [Kazuha & Albedo]
Zhongli
When Lumine arrived in Liyue, you felt so small compared to her. She did not have a vision, but somehow, she was still able to wield geo power. How cool was that? Well, you first thought it was amazing! But quickly, you realized how small you felt, by her side. What could a simple, visionless adventurer like you do to catch the eyes of the people around you. Even your friends were starting to forget about you. Before, they would always ask you about your commissions and adventures but nowā¦ They were only talking about the blonde traveler.
-Y/N! Weāre going to be late if you donāt hurry!; one of your friends said, taking you by the arm. This brought you back to earth.
You blinked a few times and shook your head quickly to chase all those thoughts. Then, you gently freed your arm from your friendās arm before saying:
-Iām sorry, I canāt come today I-
-Oh right, another said. Youāve got some commissions or training to do huh? Again?
-Well, yes! I still need to imp-
-To improve, bla bla bla, we know Y/N. But donāt you think youāre losing your time?
-Iā¦ Iām sorry? ; you asked, taken aback by their words.
-Well yeah- You keep trying, but we all know that you will always be a burden to Lumine. So we think youāre just wasting your time.
-Hey! We said we wouldnāt tell them about it! Anyway, the first said with a sigh, we should go or weāre really going to be late.
Their words were still echoing in your ears, and you were too numb to react as they walked away. Yet, without realizing it, you made your way to the guild for your daily work.
Two days had almost passed since this incident. Zhongli hadnāt heard from you since and worry was starting to grow in his stomach. Yet, he sipped his tea to calm himself down, his gaze looking over the harbour. Maybe you were just late for the date you two had settled? It wouldnāt be the first it happenedā¦ He knew that you had the tendency to overwork yourself after all. As he was lost in his thoughts, familiar figures walked by. Werenāt those your friends? Well, he got up to ask them if they knew about your whereabouts.
-Excuse me, have you seen Y/N by any chance? We were supposed to meet an hour ago, but they have yet to arrive.
-We know that they left on a commission this Wednesday, but thatās all. We donāt know where or what the commission was. ; the first said.
-And to be honest Mister Zhongli, our last conversation with them didnāt end quite well because of someone! ; claimed the second, glaring at their friend.
But their bickering quickly came to an end as they felt Zhongli cold eyes on them. It almost felt as if he was crushing them with his golden irises.
-If anything happened to Y/N, Iāll make sure you t-
-Zhongli! ; a new voice shouted.
The ex geo-archon already knew that Lumine was worried, he was able to hear it in her voice. When he turned around, his doubts were confirmed as he saw Lumineās and Paimonās faces. They both seemed worried and panicked.
-Whatās wrong? ; he asked.
-Itās about Y/N! Katheryne said they havenāt come back yet, so they gave me the commission details. We should go check on them, now.
Zhongli simply nodded, as he felt a lump in his throat, preventing him from talking. But before he ran away with the Traveler, he shot one last glare at your āfriendsā, who wanted nothing but to disappear at this moment.
You had been in a half-conscious state for the last day. You had fought treasure hoarders before, but this time, they were a lot. They easily outnumbered you and without the help of a vision, potioneers only had to throw one bottle at you to knock you out. You couldnāt see them properly, everything was blurry and you couldnāt move from the dizziness. But you were still able to hear their muffled voices.
-They donāt seem to have anything valuable on themā¦ They donāt even have a vision.
-Their weapon is quite old too. Weāll be lucky if we even get 200 Mora selling it.
-What should we do with them? Leave them here?
-Weāll let the boss decideā¦
Then, they all started screaming and you heard weapons clashing. Fear washed over you; āIām going to dieā was all you could think, as you succumbed to the darkness.
-Donāt worry my dears, they will wake up anytime soon, a voice said. Theyāll need to rest for a while, but theyāre not fatally hurt.
Was it Madame Pingās voice?
-Thank you, Madame Ping, a new voice said. Was it Zhongli?
As if on cue, you slowly opened your eyes, only to screw them shut again as the light made your headache worse.
-Y/N!!
That was both Zhongliās and Lumineās voice. They seemedā¦ Relieved? But even as they seemed relieved to see you awake, tears managed to escape your eyes.
-Y/N? My love, whatās wrong? Are you hurt? , your lover asked.
-N-Noā¦ Itās just, you started. Itās justā¦ Iām sorry for being a burden.
As the last words left your lips, you started sobbing uncontrollably. You thought Zhongli and Lumine were going to be mad at you; you thought that you didnāt deserve to cry because of how weak you were. But Zhongli gently wrapped his arms around your body and drew you closer. You managed to open your eyes, to see Lumine kindly smiling at you.
-Please, donāt say that, she said. Iām glad to have you as a partner!
-Y/N, my love, Zhongli then said. Youāre not a burden. It hurt to see you thinking this of yourself. But youāre not a burden. I love you, and I donāt know what Iād be without your help. Thank you for being here, my love.
Diluc
-Can I come with you tonight? , you asked Diluc, your husband, as he was getting ready to leave the manor for the day.
-Iām sorry love, but I donāt think itās a good idea, he said while he finished tying his ponytail.
Even if you understood what his duties as the Darknight Hero were quite dangerous, you wished you could accompany him. At least just for one mission, just to see how it was and to feel helpful to him. Yet, you simply nodded and said a quiet āitās okay, I understandā. Diluc looked at you with a small smile and kissed you on the cheek quickly before leaving. And once again, you were alone in the cold manor.
When you woke up the next morning, the other side of the bed was still untouched. Well, Diluc didnāt come back last night you thought to yourself with a bitter taste in your mouth. Heād probably come back later today. So you went about your day in the empty manor. Sure, there were some maids and butlers here and there, you they were all busy working and cleaning.
And this gave you an idea. Maybe you could clean Dilucās office while he was gone, no? He had been complaining about the mess and papers slowly gathering on his wooden desk. Yet, he didnāt let anyone but you in his office, because he didnāt want them to mess with his papers. But youā¦ You knew which documents were important and were to put them. Surely your husband wouldnāt mind! So you made your way to the office, a small smile on your lips.Ā
Hours had passed and the Sun was already starting to set. You looked around the office with a satisfied smile on your face. The window was opened, and fresh air made its way in the room that is usually sealed. The desk, which was previously covered under piles of documents and dust was now visible and cleaned. The papers had been put in a chest that Diluc used to store them. Only a document, on which he was working on, remained on the wooden surface.
-Y/N? , his voice called from the front door. Iām back.
-Iām in your office! , you answered.
You heard his footsteps making their way to the room where you stood. Diluc finally appeared and you exclaimed āTadaaa!ā as he took a look around.
-So? What do you think? Itāll be easier to work now that your desk is cleared, no? , you said with a proud smile on your face.
-Well, I canāt say the opposite, he laughed a bit. He truly looked happy as he walked to his desks. There, he frowned as he saw the two documents sitting on his desk.
-Hey Y/N, whereās the document on the current situation?
-Oh, itās probably in the chest, you said as you opened it. Theyāre all in alphabetical order!
Diluc crouched down to look at all the documents. A worried look started to appear on his face and worry started to grow in your stomach as his expression changed.
-Diluc? , you asked quietly.
-Itās not there, Y/N.
-What? But if itās not on the desk, it should be there!
-Did you throw it away? , he asked with an accusing tone.
-No! I didnāt throw anything!
Diluc sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose; he was clearly annoyed.
-I want you to find it now. Aether and I found something and I need the document now to confirm itās linked to our case. Archons, you shouldnāt have touched anything, Iām losing my time with you.
As the words left his mouth, he turned around. He was ready to leave to continue his mission, ignoring your pained emotion and tears building in your eyes.
-Diluc! , Aether called as he saw his āco-workerā arriving to their meeting point.
-Iām done with the caseās document. Iāve noted everything we found today, the blond said.
Hearing this and seeing the document that Aether was holding in his hands, Diluc froze in place. He didnāt move, which worried Aether.
-Diluc? Is everything ok? , he asked.
Diluc shook his head as he took the papers that were handed to him with a shaking hand. He swallowed the painful lump that was blocking his throat before speaking:
-I just got in an argument with Y/N. Iā¦ I thought they had thrown the document away.
The red haired pushed the document back in Aetherās hands before running away. Aether didnāt say anything, he knew that Diluc was feeling horrible.
-Y/N? I-Iām home, he called as he opened the door of your shared bedroom.
But the whole room was dark, and you were nowhere to be found. He had looked all over the manor already and he was unable to find you. Where were you?? As panic started to take control of Dilucās brain, he noticed movement outside. There, sitting at one of the tables of the winery. He quickly grabbed a blanket and made his way outside.
-Youāll get sick if you stay out in the cold dear, he said has he gently put the blanket on your shoulders.
-So what? , you asked. You didnāt notice it, but you drew the blanket closer to get some warmth. Wouldnāt it be easier for you if I were sick? Or even gone? So that you wouldnāt lose your time with me anymore
-Y/N, pleaseā¦ Donāt say that. I donāt want you gone, I donāt want you sick. What I said was a mistake. A terrible mistake, Iā¦ Iām sorry my love.
Tears started to roll down your cheeks and a quiet sob left your lips.
-Iām sorry Diluc, Iām sorryā¦ Iām sorry Iām not enough for you.
-Sshh, love, youāre more than enough. I understand if youāre mad at me, you have every right butā¦ Iām sorry. Iām truly sorry that I lost my temper earlier. I love you, and I canāt imagine my life with you.
-You promise?
-I promiseā¦ But now letās get you inside, or youāll get sick, he said before carrying you bridal style.
Wow I just started uni and the first week had been..... Pretty intense? I'll do my best to upload fanfiction when I can, but I think i might still be pretty slow š
I've been wanting to post a part 2 of Not Enough for a while, but I didn't know with who... I usually write a lot for Diluc, Kaeya, Zhongli and Thoma, but... I just didn't feel like it. So thanks to @pxachy-tea who requested Kazuha and @harerusspreadablewaffle who requested Albedo! They're not characters I usually write for, so I hope it turned out okay!
If you wish to commission me or support me, here's my KoFi! (I take both art and fanfic commissions!)
Warning: Angst, slight mention of blood/injuries, established relationship with Albedo
Part one [Xiao & Venti]
Kazuha
Ā The Traveler had started his journey to Sumeru, leaving Inazuma behind. But Aether didnāt only leave the city. He also left its people, who still needed daily help. You had met him a few months ago when he first arrived in the land of electro. You were just a new adventurer, with barely any experience. However, Aether took you along most of his adventures and commissions, so you could gain more experience and confidence quickly. You thought you were doing well. After all, you were trying your best and people were always pleased to see the both of you. Theā¦ Both of you, right? But now, you were starting to realizeā¦ Maybe that people were only happy because Aether was there.
Ā This realization crashed down on you as you were in the middle of helping a young kid. The kid was crying, as his kite got stuck in high tree branches. You were on one of the highest branches, tiptoeing to reach the kidās toy. Your fingers brushed the kite before you heard a loud crack. And when you realized that it was the branch giving away, it was already too late. It detached itself from the tree, bringing you down to the floor. Air was knocked out of your lungs as your back hit the hard floor and tears filled your eyes, making your vision blurry. You rolled on your side, supporting yourself with your elbow, trying to catch some air. Meanwhile, the kidās sobs got louder as he realized that his precious toy might be stuck for goodā¦
-Aether would have saved my kite by now!
Ā The air was knocked out of your lungs again. You almost had your tears under control, but this was the final blow, and some tears started to roll down on your cheek. Still on the floor, you bowed your head, hair now hiding your face. Ā The kid was right, Aether would have gotten things sorted out in a matter of seconds. Having a vision would have probably helped a lot tooā¦
-Come nowā¦ This is not something to say to someone who is trying to help youā¦, a familiar voice said.
Ā Ā Between strands of hair and tears, you recognized the familiar tabi and geta. Before you could say anything, a strong gush of wind shook the tree and the kidās precious kite was finally free. The person grabbed it as it flew down and handed it to its owner.
-Be more careful nowā¦
Ā And with that, the kid was on his way. In the meantime, you were able to sit up. Yet, you groaned in pain as your body protested against your every movement. You closed your eyes for a second, hoping it would help the dizziness and the pain. But when you opened them again, nothing had changed. Well, except for Kazuha who was now sitting in front of you.
-Kazuha. you simply greeted him.
-Good morning to you too, Y/N. Are you hurt? You took a nasty fallā¦
Oh. So he had seen you failing huh? You bit your lips in embarrassment and simply shook your head.
-No! No, Iām fine, reallyā¦! You said as you looked at him with a forced smile.
And just to prove him, you gathered all your strength to get up. Once again, all your muscles protested against it, more pain spreading through your body. Yet, you managed to stop your legs from trembling as you looked at your friend.
-See? Iām fine! Totally fine!
Ā As you tried to take a step forward to prove your point, your body simply gave up. The pain hit you like a punch in the stomach and your legs simply gave up under your weight. You were prepared to hit the ground a second time, but Kazuha was faster than you thought, he caught you before you could hurt yourself again. And without realizing it, your fists gripped his clothes tightly. It was as if you were scared that if you let go, heād disappear. Quiet sobs started to shake your body softly, as you finally let go of all the emotions you were holding. Yet, Kazuha kept holding you, he never let go of you. Instead, he helped you to sit down on the floor, slowly so you wouldnāt get hurt even more. Once the two of you were sitting down, he started to stroke your back to help you calm down.
-Youāre ok Y/N, donāt worry. Iāve got youā¦
-N-Noā¦ Nothing is okayā¦, you let out quietly between sobs. Nothing is okay, because I cannot do anything. Aether was the one doing all the job when he was there. And Iā¦ I was just standing there, to cheer him up, I guess.
Ā A dry chuckled left your lips at the end of your sentence. Kazuha felt his stomach twist at your words. He could hear your pain and it hurt him too to see you in that. Oh, he truly wished for your happiness. In fact, he really admired you for everything you did and how strong you were.
-No, thatās not trueā¦ Your help was precious to him, you truly helped him countless times. And you helped me countless times too, my dear. But now, itās my time to help you. Let me help you, Y/N.
Albedo
-Albedo! You greeted him happily as you walked into his office in the cold mountains of Dragonspine.
-Good morning, Y/N; Albedo said without looking up from his notes.
Ā You walked up to his table, waiting for some kind of instructions. Aether was gone to Liyue to help with some commission that would end up taking a few weeks. So, when Albedo asked you if you could help him with his current research, you agreed without hesitation. After all, he had been busy with his project for quite a while now, and you barely saw him at home anymore.
-Could you grab the notebook on the blue shelf? Then Iāll need you to prepare a potionā¦ Youāll find the recipe on the page 88 of the red book; thatās all he said to you, without looking up from his notes.
Ā Without losing a moment, you made your way to grab the notebook he needed. Once you gave it to him, he simply muttered a small āthank youā. His eyes were still glued to his notes and tools, and you wished he had actually looked and smiled at you. But itās okay, you knew how Albedo tended to get absorbed in his study, so you ignored the small pinch in your heart. Then, you went to grab the second book and started to look for the specific pageā¦ Which wasnāt there.
-Albedo? You called out softly.
He did not give you any answer, so you went over and tapped him on the shoulder gently. As Albedo was stuck in his thought, this surprised the alchemist, who spilled the contents of a flask on his wooden desk. As you watched it dripped on the floor, guilt started to form in your stomach. You didnāt mean to scare him! But the guilt in your stomach grew heavier when Albedo looked at you. It was faint but some anger seemed to be dancing in his usual calm iris.
-Albedo I-
-Go home; he cut you off. Go home, Iāll do it all myself.
-But it was an accident!
-So? I spent several weeks working on this serum Y/N. And now itās ruined. Please, go home.
You simply nodded at his words. His voice remained calm during the whole exchange, which made it worse. As you were about to set foot outside of his lab, you heard him muttering the following:
-It would not have happened if Aether was the one helping.
This made you stop dead in your track. You shivered, but it wasnāt because of the cold; you were actually trembling in anger and pain. It felt as if he had stuck a knife between your shoulder blades, making it hard to breathe and think.
-Y/N? Why are you still there?
Your fists were already clenched, but his question made you clench harder. Your nails were now digging in your skin, slightly drawing blood. Yet, you didnāt answer Albedoās question. He repeated his question a few seconds after, but once again, you didnāt answer. So, he asked a different question;
-Y/N? Are you okayā¦?
That was too much for you to handle. You spun around to look at him, tears rolling down your cheeks. Panic ran through Albedoās veins as he saw your tears and pain expression. Did he hurt you when he dropped the flask? Did he say something wrong?
-No! No Iām not okay Albedo! How could you even think that I am okay?; you asked,Ā your voice breaking and sobs escaping your lips.
-Y/Nā¦ Whatās wrong?
-Well, maybe itās the fact that youāre always talking about Aether? āOh Aether this, oh Aether that, oh Aether would have done a better job than you.ā I know. I know that Aether would have done better than me everyone keeps telling me how Aether is amazing. āOh Y/N youāll be taking care of my commission? But I thought Aether would!ā Itās all about Aether!
Ā A few seconds passed in a horrible silence, where you slowly realized what you said. Did you really just say that? Archons, now Albedo must be thinking that you were a selfish person, huh? You looked at him. He was simply staring at you, not saying anything. So, you turned your heels and started to headā¦ Somewhere. Anywhere but here. But before you could take more than a few steps, you felt Albedoās gloved hand wrapping around your wrists and pulling you back. Soon enough, his arms were wrapped around you, and you couldnāt help but sob more for now.
-Y/Nā¦ Iām sorryā¦; he muttered in your hair. Iām sorry I got mad at you, Iām sorry Iāve compared you to Aether. I know youāre not him.
-But you got mad because I am not himā¦
-I knowā¦ And I was wrong. Iām so sorry my love. Youāre not Aether, youāre my sweet Y/N. I love you more than anything else, and I wouldnāt trade you for anything else in the world.
Ā He sighed, and his lips softly brushed your forehead for a kiss.
-Letās go home now, shall we? I miss being at home with you, loveā¦
I know, I know, we're not in September yet. I just want to try something new, to see if it can motivate me to post š¤ So, just a monthly update on what I wish to post between now and the end of September!
-Orange Cake pt. 2
-Not Enough pt. 2
-I also have a request that has been sittings in my ask FOREVER now and I def need to do it omg
-Short Childe x Reader (I have an idea on my mind, I might be able to post it next week if I'm feeling well enough!)
izzy806
pixelskylines
jacobvanloon
areudirty
andulkaphoto
ellievsbear
dededos
tangentwithtanner
