summary: an outing would be nice, it would be even nicer to get away from your overbearing knight for a while
content warning: none!!
part 1, part 2 , part 3
an outing would be nice.
your knight had suggested it and you were hesitant to agree for the sole reason that you did not want to agree with anything he said.
but, he was right, an outing would be nice.
but the issue was where you'd go.
capitano suggested a walk in the forest while you wanted to visit the marketplace.
he buckled, immediately giving in to what you wanted, saying, "if that is where you want to go, then so be it. I must request that you not wander off from me, though."
"if you do your job correctly, you'll never lose sight of me," you comment, "isn't that your sole duty? to follow me around?"
capitano nodded, he acknowledged that you were mocking him but it was, for the most part, true.
yes, he did follow you around, yes, he was overprotective, and yes, he used the excuse of being your knight to excuse his behavior.
...
the marketplace was lively, there were so many things you wanted to see and do, but each time you got too excited, your knight would grab your wrist to ensure you didn't run off.
"please do not run off, princess. that was the deal, after all."
"just-" you tugged away from him, "follow me around, stop grabbing me," you demanded, you couldn't afford for your mood to be ruined on this exciting day.
"as you wish."
you glanced back at your knight before marching forward, pushing through crowds of people, toward a food stand - of course, as the nation's princess, it was an honor to have you visiting their food stand and therefore for you were giving the food for free.
but as you walked away, your knight made an effort to tip the vendor, with a small nod before following after you.
it seemed as if you were trying to lose him. princess... now, he began pushing past people as you watched as you disappeared around a corner.
"princess, don't run off-" anxious, perhaps even a bit worried, capitano pushed past the townspeople, mumbling his excuses.
"forgive me-"
"excuse me-"
"pardon me-"
but even as he apologized, his pushes became rougher, as he became more desperate to get through the crowds and find you.
around the corner, capitano did not see you. his heart dropped, and he felt faint. he had lost you.
"princess, (y/n)- where did you run off to?" oh, how desperate you were to get away from him. forbide something were to happen to you, he would never forgive himself.
"princess," his teeth gritted as he gripped the sheath of his sword to calm himself.
"(y/n)," even the thought of something happening to you while he was not there to protect you made his blood run cold and made his heart beat furiously.
he tried to remain composed. what would the people think if they saw the princess's knight panicking? no, he couldn't risk striking panic into the people.
it would make it harder to find you - or worse, you'd panic and who knows what would happen then?
capitano did try to remain composed but he could not conceal the shake in his hand or the urgency in his steps.
meanwhile, you were watching a puppet show as an honored guest, all while eating your free treat.
...
"oh, this is beautiful," you smiled when a shopkeeper presented a necklace to you, saying, "it is yours, princess."
"really?" you feigned flattery. of course, it was yours! you've been getting gifts all day, this was no different, "thank you! thank you!"
you allowed the shopkeeper to put the necklace on you and then admired yourself in the mirror - it suited you perfectly.
"perhaps I'll look around a bit more-"
the door to the shop swung open, and in stepped your knight, "good sir, have you seen a young lady pas- is that you, princess?"
he wasted no time closing the gap between the two of you. "princess... I've been looking for you."
he didn't seem angry, no, he was relieved to see you, to have found you before anything worse could have happened, "i would have never forgiven myself if you had gotten into trouble."
he pulled you to his chest, his hand resting at the back of your head, holding you close. "your father will know of this," capitano knew very well that your father would overreact, that's what he wanted. anything to keep you safe.
"what? I didn't even do anything! if anything, you failed me. you lost sight of me, what good knight loses sight of their princess?" you really didn't want you father hearing about this - you'd never hear the end of it!
"I will endure any punishment given to me if that means you'll be safer, princess."
summary: you are forced to attend a banquet and your knight is accompanying you... if only you weren't forced to go.
content warning: none!
part 1, part 2, part 3
"your father requested that you go to this banquet. this is not negotiable."
you sat at the edge of the bed, glaring at capitano. you couldn't imagine going to a banquet in your condition - while your stomach ached so badly, and you felt faint. "go tell him I refuse to go. i don't feel well, i don't want to go."
"princess..."
"i said im not going-"
"this is not negotiable. this is the dress you will wear," your knight gestured to the dress hung near your vanity. your maid asked that capitano get you ready since you were 'being difficult' with her.
"I said-"
your knight had sworn to never harm you - it was his duty to protect you and yet, he stomped towards you, taking hold of your arm and forcing you to stand, "we are going, princess. that is final."
...
you hated your father and you hated your knight. this dress was too tight, too puffy, it made your stomach churn with each step that you took.
"keep my daughter safe, capitano."
"i swear to you, i will."
he valued your life above his own. of course he would protect you, even in death, he would.
"come now, princess," capitano took your hand into his, as gently as he humanly could while you tried to free your hand from his. he led you to the carriage and helped you into the carriage.
you swatted his hand off of your waist once you finally got into the carriage. you sat stiffly in the carriage, looking out the window as capitano got into the carriage beside you.
"we won't stay for long, if you truly don't feel well," you knight said, disrupting the comfortable silence you had gotten used to.
"id much rather we not go at all," you huffed, tugging at the gloves on your hand.
"you hardly make appearances at formal events. your father requested that you show up to the banquet, even if just for a few minutes. you are this nation's princess, after all."
you said nothing. if you only had to make an appearance for a few minutes, you could do this. you could do this.
when the carriage came to a stop, you sighed. your knight exited the carriage first, walked around the carriage, and opened the door for you, he held his hand out for you to take.
hesitantly, you placed your hand into his and stepped out of the carriage.
you and your knight entered the banquet hall and nearly immediately, you were swarmed by the people.
"princess, princess!"
"smile, princess!"
"we're glad to see you, princess!"
"will you make more public appearances, princess?"
your head ached at all the commotion.
"oh, I can't do this," you covered your face with one hand, while your knight held your other hand, pushing through the crowds to get you seated.
"sit here, princess," he chose a seat far off in the corner, your knight gestured for you to sit down and slowly you did. you lowered your head into the table, closing your eyes, "I can't do this - I can't."
capitano placed a hand on your back, leaning towards you, "what's the matter, princess?"
but you didn't reply - you didn't feel good. not at all. you knew you shouldn't have come here.
"we have a very special guest with us tonight," a voice came from the front stage, "please give a warm welcome to-"
"please no," you groaned, placing your hands over your ears, and in return, capitano placed his hands over your ears also.
"- to this nation's princess, (y/n)!"
everyone clapped and everyone cheered.
and everyone looked at you.
covering your ears did absolutely nothing. you heard it, you felt it and you hated it. you couldn't take it, it was too loud, it was too much.
"i need to leave-" you stood up, pushing away from your knight, and made a run for it. stumbling towards the exit, you raised your hands to your ears once more.
capitano stood also, following after you. he opened the door for you and let you step outside. he placed a hand on your shoulder and turned you to face him, "take a moment to breathe. i won't force you to stay, we'll leave."
"I can't stay. I feel faint..."
"we won't stay, we won't," your knight assured you, pulling you to his chest and you felt too unwell to pull away, "forgive me for forcing you to participate in this banquet. it was wrong of me."
"I should have known better," he placed his hand at the back of your head, holding you against him, "forgive me, princess."
and for once, you didn't have it in you to push away.
he would deal with any consequences once he got you home and in bed - beat him, shame him, whatever your father saw fit, he would take it and do wrong again if that meant you were comfortable.
summary: your new knight, capitano, is everything you hate and yet he won't leave you alone T_T
content warning: none
part 1, part 2, part 3
"I'd suggest you not walk barefoot around the garden, princess."
you paused mid-step to look back at your knight. how did he manage to find you so soon? "i won't be out for long. you don't need to watch me every second..."
you sent him to the marketplace to buy you a treat and not only was he already back, but he also managed to find you...
"but, that is my sole duty, princess, to ensure your safety."
your shoulders slumped and you looked defeated. you hated your knight more than anything else. "leave me be. I'll be back inside soon."
"i cannot allow that, princess. I would never forgive myself if you were to fall into harm's way."
"well then, stay as far away from me as possible."
it was so smothering! having a knight follow you around at every given moment... your old knight didn't do this, no, he gave you space and let you be when you asked.
why did your father ever fire him...?
he was one of the better knights.
"I will try my best to please you, princess."
you tried your very best to ignore his presence as you roamed the garden, taking flowers for yourself but now that you knew he was watching you, it ruined everything!
you sighed, turning to face your knight, a scowl on your face. he did not falter, he started (or you assumed he was) back at you, "I can't even enjoy a walk in the garden without you bothering me!"
he had been standing silently in the corner of the garden this entire time. capitano sighed, "i believe it would be best we go inside now, it is getting dark and you're getting irritable, princess."
"I'm getting irritable because of you!" stomping your foot down, you tossed your flowers to the ground and rushed off, past your knight, "i can't stand you."
your knight sighed. stepping forward, he picked up your discarded flowers.
you ran off to your chambers - you knew weren't allowed to lock your door but oh you wanted to!
you would do anything to get rid of your knight.
so, as you settled down for bed, you conspired against your knight.
when you awoke that morning, sitting up in your bed, you were pleased to see that capitano was not standing in the corner of your room watching you, not as he usually did.
good. maybe he was learning.
you didn't notice it before but on your vanity was a vase, filled with the flowers you remember tossing to the ground in your anger the day before.
"ugh," you flopped back down onto your bed, grieving the day to come.
summary: you claim to hate childe... so why did you put your heart into making this hunting knife for him? (because you're a blacksmith duh)
content warning: ?? childe is delusional
note: I WROTE THIS SO LONG AGO idek if this is in character help
There was something... distracting about this hunting knife.
Ajax couldn't, for the life of him, figure out what it was. It was handmade, was that it? It was a parting gift also.
As he sharpened the knife, passing time on this godforsaken ship, his mind was fogged with thoughts. Thoughts of his time in Liyue, thoughts of this lovely hunting knife, and... thoughts of you.
... maybe that was it. Wherever he looked at the knife or held it, it was you that came to mind. Well, you were the first thing to come to mind anyway.
He loved this knife and took it everywhere with him. It was nice, you clearly put a lot of effort into making it for him... especially for someone who claimed to hate him and everything he stood for.
That wasn't true.
Ajax always felt an evil little smile come to his face at the thought of you hating him. That wasn't true, not even a little bit.
It couldn't be. You made this knife just for him and carved your initials on the side of it, into the wooden handle. If that isn't love, then what could love be?
Sure... you were a blacksmith but, this was different!
You had to feel something for him, you had to. (y/n), you had to feel something for him. right (y/n)? (y/n)...
"(y/n)..." Ajax breathed, that little smile still on his face as he ran his thumb across your initials carved into the smooth wooden handle. He liked you, a lot.
He liked your assertive personality, he liked how you'd look at him with hatred, the way you'd bump shoulder when passing him, the way you'd hit him when he tried to make a move on him- he liked everything about you, not to mention you were cute.
You were definitely what was special about this hunting knife.
Stepping off the finally stopped ship, Ajax had one destination in mind- your house. That was where he got his favorite hunting knife, this was also where he first fell in love.
And since falling in love, life has been sunshine and rainbows.
Upon making it to your house- sweet and modest, and away from civilization, he knocked on the front door. "(y/n)! Y'know how much i missed you?" He immediately welcomed himself in, hugging you hard. It felt so nice having you in his arms again.
... well, this was actually his first time having you in his arms, every other attempt at hugging you ended up with him having a bloodied nose.
So... having you in his arms for the first time felt nice. "I've been thinkin' bout you none stop too... it's been too long since I last saw you."
Of course, for a lack of better words, you were confused- but other than confused, you were annoyed. This annoying ginger was back... and you weren't happy.
Still squeezing you in his arms, Ajax nudged the door shut with his foot and rested his chin atop your head. He wasn't going to let you go anytime soon, "make me another weapon, will you? Gosh, I'd be so grateful..."
He didn't really care about the weapon, he just wanted to spend as much time with you as possible.
what ever happened to (y/n)? | reader x yandere! capitano
summary: you ran off into the woods and were never the same.
contact warning: reader has a breakdown??? I'm not sure
you were once lively. you were affection - and you were the sweetest woman the captain knew and for that very reason, he loved you.
you were so many loveable things but now, you were a shell of your former self. you were always sulking, always so silent and the captain grieved the loss of who you once were.
he still loved you but he missed you dearly.
things just haven't been the same since you ran off into the woods that one night.
it wasn't as if you had ill intent, the captain knew you, surely you were going out to enjoy yourself for the evening but perhaps you got lost and couldn't find your way back.
whatever happened during those two days alone in the woods had changed you.
the captain would forever hate himself for not finding you sooner; for not saving you in time. if only he had gone with you, perhaps things would have turned out differently.
"(y/n)," there was a knock on your door, a gentle one, so as to not startle you. you wouldn't reply, or tell him to come in but you've been so jumpy as of recently, that it only felt right to knock.
after a moment, he opened the door and stepped inside. you slept comfortably in the middle of your large bed, accompanied by many fluffy pillows to keep you comfortable.
sleeping was the only time you seemed at peace.
the captain would give anything for you to be at peace again, anything.
slowly, the captain stepped forward and sat at the edge of your bed, watching as you rested.
and everything the quiet.
and it was peaceful. the captain wondered what you dreamt of. the beast? him? of your old life?
not that any of it mattered, no, not when you arose abruptly, screaming, throwing yourself off of the bed, trying to escape, as if he were some beast.
the captain stood, "(y/n)," the captain called out, "it's me, I'm no beast," he tried to talk sense into but you seemed out of him, blinded by your terror.
you ran to the door without hesitation, screaming for help as you ran through the dark halls and down the stairs. the captain remained where he stood - he did not want to make matters worse.
oh (y/n), the captain grieved, he missed you dearly.
there was no one to help you, no, all the staff had gone home for the weekend but you were unaware of that.
"please! help me!" you wailed, stumbling down the staircase and to the front door, grabbing the door knob you were met with resistance, "help! there's a monster! it's here, it's here! it'll-"
the captain slowly stepped down the staircase and watched as your face contorted into a look of absolute horror, the screams that came from you pierced his ears.
perhaps if he had done things differently, this wouldn't have happened. perhaps if he had done things differently, you wouldn't have felt the need to run off into the woods.
oh (y/n).
"(y/n)," he repeated once more, remaining at the bottom of the staircase, refusing to step closer, refusing to make matters worse, "you're safe."
you slumped down against the door, cowering. you tried to guard yourself, protect yourself from what was soon to happen. surely the beast would eat you this time.
"please. please don't-"
"I'm not going to hurt. I would not do that to you," the captain tried to assure you but he doubted his words held any weight.
"please... please... don't."
"do you not recognize me, (y/n)? I'm no beast, I am capitano."
that caught your attention. lifting your head, you looked at him, acknowledged you, and saw him. it was capitano, no beast.
slowly, with trembling legs, you stood and and approached the captain, collapsing in his arms and the captain held you.
pantalone tried to sway you with the promise of paradise - expensive perfumes, lavish clothing, a beautiful manor, and an even more beautiful garden, all of those things, and what did he want in return?
the captain always kept a part of you with him, always.
of course, it was nothing like having you near, but, it was a reminder to him that you'd be there when he arrived back home.
what of you did he hold so dear? why, it was your vision.
the vision that used to glow and shine with signs of life rested now dull and lifeless in his pocket. ever since taking your vision, you've been different.
as if you're a different person, you don't react in fear when you see him anymore-- you don't cower away from him but instead, it was as if you didn't recognize him.
as if your memories of him have gone with your vision.
holding that vision in his hand, it felt as if he had torn a heart from someone's chest and watched as the beating came to a stop, because, in a sense, that's what he'd done to you, to a lesser extent.
but it had been for the better-- you cried so much, like a baby without its mother. had he not done something good for you?
you didn't cry anymore.
nor did you get up from bed in the morning, or eat, or bathe. you used to be able to find solace in the captain's absence but even as he was gone, he's been told all you do is lie still in bed for hours at a time.
even now, as he stood at the edge of your bed, you didn't react to him. "(y/n)," the captain pocketed the vision and walked around the bed, seating himself at the side of it, beside you, "how have you been? have you eaten today?"
"no."
"that's no good," the captain replied, removing the sheets from over your shoulder, and preparing to help you from bed, "i wish you would take better care of yourself. let's get you up, we'll have dinner together. "
having dinner together would be a nice change of pace.
seeing you like this gave the captain an odd sense of meaning. without him, what would you do?
the nameless stowaway | yandere! capitano x reader
summary: while on a ship trying to get to natlan, the captain found a way to pass time; watching you, a stowaway.
content warning: the captain killed someone and that's about it!! (tell me if I missed anything)
for two days and three long nights had the captain been on this ship as it aimlessly navigated the sea.
it started on the second day when the ship went slightly off course. the captain of the ship could not figure out how to get back on course and now, the captain was forced to remain on the ship and slowly get sick of it and everyone on the ship.
besides him, eight other people occupied the ship, not including the captain of the ship... oh, and you were also there.
you were a sneaky stowaway and he only ever caught glances of you at night - watching as you snagged snacks from people's bags and ran back to wherever you had come from.
he didn't mind, nor did he care enough to stop you, that was, as long as you didn't try it on him.
but, tonight was a bit different - instead of stealing from people's bags, you snuck into the galley and shut the door behind yourself. the captain chuckled, you would have a feast tonight.
most of the passengers had felt too sick to eat that morning, so most of the food had been left untouched.
you had eaten all that you could, hoping it would keep you full enough for the next two days before creeping out of the galley. you knew that the captain knew, and considering all you had heard about him, you were afraid that one day he could come and behead you for stealing people's food.
but he hadn't, not yet at least.
you went back to your hiding place, behind a large pile of luggage, and snuggled up in your thin, sort of damp blanket and rested - soon enough, you'd be in natlan.
...
when a storm came, and the waves got violet and rocked the ship - you could not rest behind the luggage, let alone outside. you got up from where you rested, blanket over your shoulder as the cold rain pelted down on your skin.
no one was out; all of them rested in the berth, and you could not enter it since you had snuck onto the ship.
at this point, you were shivering, tumbling, and drenched in rain - seeing no point in your blanket anymore, you tossed it away, as you did, you saw the captain, standing at the door of the berth... exiting it?
you stilled, this was the perfect time for him to kill you, right? he would toss you overboard and no one would notice or even know that he had killed you, maybe, or maybe he would draw his sword and chop you up into little piec-
"I'm sure you must be regretting your decision to sneak onto this ship now, right?" it was an idle conversation or perhaps a threat, was he threatening to tell everyone?
"oh? sorta... but, it'll be fine once we get to natlan."
"I doubt we'll make it to natlan. it seems more likely that we end up back in snezhaya," the captain sighed afterward - he would have to report to the tsaritsa and blame the captain of the ship which seemed all so childish.
"huh? I thought this ship was headed to natlan..."
oh, you looked so very disappointed. the captain shook his head, "that's no longer the case. the captain has no idea where he's headed."
"aren't you the captain?"
"the captain of the ship," he clarified, shrugging his coat from his shoulders and approaching you, placing it over your trembling shoulders, "I'm afraid i cannot make room for you in the berth - you'll have to make do with my coat."
...
and, of course, you made due.
you survived the storm - you might have come down with something but you survived. as you lay in your hiding spot, the large coat over your shoulders, you waited for the passengers to finish their breakfast so you could have the leftovers.
it was a while before you heard the passengers quiet down, and you figured they had split up, leaving the galley, so you got up, leaving the coat behind, and snuck into the galley.
they had hardly left anything behind today.
"hm..." still, you ate whatever was left behind. though it wasn't filling, it was something and you were grateful.
after finishing, you turned to leave but there stood the captain - wait, how long has he been standing there? "have you been watching me?"
"nonsense," he replied with a firm shake of his head, before stepping past you, "I see you haven't changed in your ways?" was he teasing? of course you haven't changed! you were starving and-
the captain set a plate of untouched biscuits and other foods on the counter, "woah... where'd you get those from?" you inched towards the plate, grabbed the biscuit, and ate it.
"it's all leftovers."
"those guys are hogs," you mumbled as you stuffed your face with another biscuit.
and the captain bit back a smile.
...
it was times like these where you doubted if you'd survive - for the last five days, all you could smell was saltwater and humid air, and now, you could smell nothing.
you hadn't bothered to get up for a while now - instead, you remained curled up in the captain's coat, pitying yourself.
perhaps this wasn't worth it...
"stowaway, where are you?"
it was the captain. he had been looking for you for a while now - he was under the assumption that you had fallen overboard but he couldn't be sure since he did not know where you went to hide every day after snagging food.
you didn't want to reply, but found yourself doing so anyway, "'m here."
the captain paused and turned to face the pile of luggage. "have you been hiding here the entire time?"
"yeah..."
you didn't sound well, not at all. the captain pushed the luggage aside and though you groaned and protested, he tugged you out of your hiding spot, his coat still wrapped around you.
"you took no precaution before getting onto the ship, did you?" the captain looked at you - sickly and pale, and sighed. "stay here, don't move an inch," he instructed you before standing and walking off.
first, he ruins your hiding spot, and then he walks off? it was a shame you were too tired to fuss about it.
when the captain came back, he had a warm drink in hand. he crouched down to your level, took your hand, and placed the drink into your hand, "I doubt it'll cure you, but, you're deathly cold, it will surely warm you but I'm afraid this is all i can do to help."
"thank you," you mumbled before sipping at the drink.
while you sipped at your drink, the captain fixed your hiding spot that he had ruined and felt the urge to give you another one of his coats to keep you comfortable, but he resisted.
...
each day, the captain would bring you a warm drink to help your cold clear up, and though he doubted it would work, you were already feeling much better.
you had crawled out of your hiding spot for the first time in a while, the captain's coat over your shoulders and you snuck to the galley.
just as you opened the door, you knew you had messed up - there was a man inside, and he had seen you.
you weakly smiled at the man, as you took a step back while he took steps towards you, "are you the rat that's been stealing all the leftovers?"
"i... um, maybe?"
"and are you the rat that's been stealing from people's luggage?"
"yes, but i'm sorry! i won't do it again, i promise-"
everything you had said was enough to piss the man off and the sight of you wearing the captain's coat only made him angrier.
the man grabbed your upper arm and tugged you along with him, even as you whined and tried to explain yourself, he did not listen.
"look, I'm sorry i won't do it again-"
"i don't wanna hear it from you-"
"I'll take the stowaway from here," it was the captain, once again swooping in and saving you, "good looking out. I'll make sure they cause you no more trouble."
the captain grabbed your arm and tugged you from the man's grip, pulling you along as he walked off, out of the man's sight. "you need to stay put," the captain commented as he brought you back to your hiding spot, "go on. I'll bring you something to eat - I'll do that for you every day, will that keep you out of trouble?"
"you don't have to-"
"I will. now, stay out of trouble."
...
"what'd you do with that stowaway?"
"i did away with them."
"really now?"
"of course. i would not lie."
"good, if you hadn't stopped me that day, i would have done it mysel-"
the man could do nothing but scream as he fell overboard and into the cold water.
soon enough he would die.
this was the preferable way, there was no need for the captain to bloody his sword over something so trivial.
...
"don't you feel hot wearing all of that armor?"
"not particularly."
"what about the mask, isn't that hot?"
"no."
"is that your hair?"
reaching forward, you tangled your fingers in his long black hair, "it is," the captain gently nudged your hand away, "there's no need to touch, though."
as sweet as you were, he had seen you sneeze into your hand moments earlier.
"my bad," you apologized, setting your hand to your side, "do i have to give you your coat back ever?"
"we've been over this, no? i have many other coats, so, keep that one," the captain replied, looking at you and the way your lip twitched at his reply.
"look at that cloud," you pointed above the two of you, and the captain looked up, "it's heart-shaped."
"I see that," he nodded before glancing at you; the way you smiled at a silly cloud was - hm, the captain found himself smiling while looking at you.
odd.
"wait-" you stood up, quickly running towards the railing and pointed ahead, "do you see that?? isn't that land??"
the captain also stood and looked to where you were pointing, and indeed, it was land. "you have a keen eye," the captain looked at you, at the way you grinned, at the way you held yourself, and dare he say he would miss you.
"ohmigosh!!" you cheered, leaning further over the railing to see where you were going... you saw snow and your shoulders dropped, "no way..."
the captain chuckled, looking at you once more, "this was all such an inconvenience," but, in a way, it felt worth it; after all, he was able to meet you.
"you were pretty cool, thanks for the coat... and um, thank you for not throwing me overboard or something," you looked up at the captain to see he was already looking at you.
"I wouldn't dream of harming you," the captain assured you and though you couldn't see it, he had hearts in his eyes as he looked at you.
he did not want this ship to reach snezhnaya - he preferred things stay the way they were but he knew that couldn't happen.
the captain was patient; he could wait. a person like you wouldn't give up on their dreams so easily.
There’s been rumours of the winter forest that lurks behind your home. Apparently the mysterious clacking of a horses hooves came from a man with no head. Of course, you try to pay no heed to these rumours since they are no more than just that.
It isn’t until a snowstorm attacks your village that you feel the need to venture into that forest. You’re unprepared, and food is running out fast. The forest is the quickest way to the city, but the biggest problem is that you don’t own a horse. And none of your neighbours have anything to lend you to make the trek through the treacherous path easier.
So you pile on clothes, stacking your socks on, wearing more than three layers of tops and bottoms. You make sure your feet are snug are in your father’s old winter boots, before leaving the warmth of your home.
-
You walk past the snow-laden trees that hover above you and seem to stalk your every movement. You tighten your grip on the handle of the bag that’s slung against your shoulder.
It feels like you’ve been walking for an eternity, your head’s starting to hurt from seeing nothing but trees and the occasional prints of deer hooves in the snow.
Determined to make it to the city in one piece, you take a break. Just to catch your breath. Then you’re back to walking again. You find a peaceful space to sit, somewhere where the trees hid an odd bench. It seems out of place but you ignore that.
Suddenly you hear hooves against the snow, so you look up and see a man on a horse. Clad in silver armour, and a matching helmet covering his face. Despite seeming like a knight, he’s secluded in the forest with nothing but his horse to keep him company. You get the chills from him and how he basks in the sliver of the moonlight that hadn’t been stolen by the tall trees.
Ignoring every alarm bell that rings in your head, you get up from your seat and frantically start to wave your arms to the man clad in armour, “excuse me! Sorry for bothering you but can you please give me a ride? My village has been-”
“What are you doing here?” The man speaks rudely cutting you off, his voice so deep, yet velvety almost.
You take a deep breath before continuing, your patience running thin from how long you’ve been walking for. “..Like I was saying, my village has been struck by a snowstorm, and the forest is the quickest way to get to the city. I am running out of food and my own village cannot provide me with anything, so I’ve had to resort to going through this stupid creepy forest. So, please, I beg of you to ride me through this path.”
“Why are you lurking in these forests without a hors-”
“Do you have to question everything!?” You broke, your fists clenching at your side. Your stomach turns when looking up at the man, you realise you shouldn’t have said that. “Sorry. It’s just- I don’t have a horse. If I did, I wouldn’t be here right now. I’ve been wandering through this path since the night was young, and now it has gone all dark and gloomy. I’m tired, cold, and everything hurts.”
The man sighs, and reaches his gloved hand out to you. Your eyes brighten at the sight and desperately take the hand to help you up his horse. “Thank you so much! I swear I’ll repay you for this.”
-
Through the ride, you’ve learnt to call him “Capitano.” A title he said he was given long ago. You’ve also learnt that ‘Capitano’ isn’t very talkative, so you were the one doing the talking the whole time. Telling him of useless information like the average village gossip, travelers you’ve met, and your day-to-day life. But only one thing piqued his interest, the rumour of the ‘headless horseman’. He must just like creepy myths you thought.
Finally you reach the end of the path, and he helps you get down. You repeatedly thank him again. “Come with me to the city, I shall treat you to something for your generosity!”
“I cannot join you.” He replies flatly.
“Oh come on now! I’ll only steal you away for 10 minutes-”
Interrupting you once again, he unhooks his helmet and takes it off. Revealing.. nothing. No head, no face, nothing. Just an unattached neck. You took a step back from him, is he really a he? Is he anything? All you know is that he’s a monster.
“I suggest you leave, and never come back into this forest, lest you wish for your fate to end like mine.” You want to say his tone seems disappointed, but you don’t even know if he can feel anything. But nonetheless, taking his warning you run away and into the city.
You look behind yourself, only to see nothing there. Like he didn’t exist. Your throat starts to tighten, but once you step into the light that beams from the city, you calm down, and try to forget all about it.
-
Thanks to a friend you found in the city, you were able to get back to your village without going through the forest again. But the ride back was still eerie, you felt like someone or.. something was following you. But every time you looked back, there was nothing.
It had been a while since you’d been to the city to restock all your essentials. A while since you met ‘Capitano’. Every time you hear a knock at your door, or the wind pass against your window, you feel bile rise in your throat. Luckily, it seems like you won’t have to leave again, at least not for a long time. Your village’s businesses are thriving more than ever after also getting restocked, and you’ve also finally started to get some sleep after that incident.
Today, your home feels cold and so do you. So you’ve lit your furnace, and are cosied up against it, on your sofa with your blanket wrapped up around you. You feel yourself about to fall asleep until you hear knocking at your front door. You groan at having to get up from the comfort your sofa, and mumble incoherent curses against your breath as you sluggishly walk to your door.
But when you open it, you see him again. Capitano. Except this time he doesn’t have his helmet on, and is leaned against the wall. His breaths are short and ragged. He seems, what you think is, frustrated.
“I could not stop thinking about you.”
- XOXO that one Pantalone anon <3 (A gift in light of Halloween.)
DO I EVEN NEED TO ADD TO THIS??? THIS IS SO GOOD TYY
well, the captain was so frustrated because he expected you to come back to the forest even though he told you not too.
what a hypocrite he was.
it was odd. he had spent much of his time expecting you to come and inadvertently began thinking of you, it had gotten to a point where all he thought about was you.
and when you didn't come back, as per his command, frustration began to bud inside of him.
because honestly, to see you once more was all he wanted.
that was not what he got though. not so soon anyway - before he saw you again, he allowed that frustration in him to build up for oh so long until he couldn't handle it anymore.
just this once, he reasoned, he wouldn't deny himself of what he wanted.
that's why he was at your front door that night, desperate to indulge himself with all the knowledge of you he could get.
after all, he had tried so hard to deny himself. he deserved this much.
and then he left that night. you would be alone once more, well, for a few weeks before he came back once more.
one thing capitano was was honest.
whatever he was feeling was frustrating.
it was frustrating. he would have a passing thought of you, then begin to wonder about you, and then soon enough all he could think of was you.
"i refuse to deny myself of you," he told you and he hoped you didn't mind, because he could not for the life of him stay away, not when he felt so drawn to you.
"you said you'd repay me? is that correct?"
you nodded and capitano took a step toward you and reached forward, towards your face.
his finger twitched before the cool metal of his armored glove grazed your cheek. his hand lingered for a moment.
"i'd like to know everything there is to know of you, that's how you will repay me."
in his eyes, you were as innocent as a doe, you could do no harm.
so, was it really a surprise when he didn't take your attempt to threaten him seriously?
he took the fact that you were crying more seriously than he did the fact that you were holding a knife at him, waving it around carelessly while sobbing.
"(y/n)..." the captain slowly reached forward - you were frightened, that last thing he wanted was to scare you further, "hand me the knife. please, (y/n)," the captain was not above pleading, not when it was for your sake.
"no, no, no- just open the front door and let me leave!" you flinched away from him, you couldn't let him take this from you, not after what you had to do to get it.
that was what you wanted but the captain was so very against that. he adored you, he couldn't find it in himself to let you go, "(y/n), no. hand me the knife and we will talk about it."
the captain stepped forward - he was, as much as he hated to admit it, resorting to cornering you to get the knife from you. "I'm not angry with you, (y/n), not in the slightest. please don't make this worse for yourself," the captain once again pleaded.
"no... no, i just wanna go home. please, please back off! just let me leave!"
so, the captain took a step back, just as you asked and once more asked, "hand me the knife, (y/n). that's all I'm asking of you."
"I can't! I can't! just let me leave," you jutted your hand outward, waving the knife at him, "please just open the door and let me leave!!"
"I cannot," the captain refused. seeing you so fearful made the captain feel like the worst man alive, "I cannot let you leave, (y/n)."
you did not falter, you continued to wave the knife at the captain and that's when he took it from you - he tried to be gentle but you fought, clashing your hand against his chest, screaming and tugging, trying to get the knife back but it was futile.
"(y/n), do not hurt yourself," the captain quickly tossed the knife away and pulled you to his chest. he rested his hand on the back of your head and tried to calm you, "if you had told me sooner that you were upset, I would've done everything in my power to make it better."
when the snowfall began, you were alone. you were alone, walking down a secluded trail and the snow was falling at a fast pace.
you wouldn't make it home in time, would you? you shook your head, wrapping trembling arms around yourself to keep yourself warm.
would the captain come to save you this time also?
you looked down at the snow-covered trail and thought about it. of course, the captain would save you, he always did.
you didn't know why but knowing your luck, it was a good thing that the captain was always there to help.
well, you were alone in the middle of a snowstorm and the captain was nowhere to be seen. perhaps he was staying indoors, safe from the storm.
seems your luck has run out.
you trembled and course feeling your senses dulling - you were slowing down against your will and your hands dropped down to your side.
you were too cold - it was too cold.
too cold...
your feet dragged as you stepped forward, and your steps became slower and slower until you stood still, unable to move.
this was just your luck...
"you always manage to get yourself in such questionable situations, (y/n)."
wait, what?
"I'm starting to believe you do it on purpose."
of course. of course the captain came. how could you ever doubt him?
"is that the case, (y/n)?" the captain draped his large coat over your shoulders and lifted you into his arms, "do you search for me just as I do you?"
"n-n..."
"do not push yourself to respond," the captain turned and began walking in the opposite direction that you were going, "we will have more than enough time to talk," the captain paused, stepping over a fallen branch, "since we will be spending much time together, safe from the storm."
summary: the captain would kill for you and... he did!! now he's a wanted man by all of snezhnaya but at least he's with you
content warning: a lot of mentions of kill, and vague mentions of injuries. the captain being extremely extremely devoted to you
the captain was a bad man and officially a wanted man.
there was not an ounce of regret in him, how could he regret anything when he had done everything for you?
he would die doing anything you pleased, for you were who he loved. though, love was not a strong enough word to describe how he felt for you.
he craved you, he cherished you, he revered you. the captain worshiped you - everything you did, everything you said, he could not hate you. he would never betray you.
whatever happened, he was content knowing he was doing it all for the likes of you.
it had been nearly a week since he became a wanted man. he had killed a high-ranking fatuus just as you asked him to and that started the hunt for him.
no longer was he the honorable, ever-righteous captain; no, he was something damnable, something to be feared, someone you would hate to come across.
but to you, he was a knight in shining armor. he was all you ever wanted and likewise, having your love was all the captain needed.
he anxiously awaited his next meeting with you. the last time he had seen you was three nights ago, it was dark, and he regrets not hugging you before sending you off.
though, he doubted you would have taken kindly to him hugging you.
you weren't a kind lady, likewise, you were evil.
you could be so sweet and yet also so cruel. looks truly were deceiving; that's how he fell for your trap in the first place.
you appeared as a weak damsel in need of saving and he indulged - saving you and bringing you back to his manor where he would give you a place to sleep and recover.
it didn't take long for you to reveal who you truly were - you were an evil lady out for vengeance and the captain could be of much help for you.
you convinced him that you desperately needed him and that without him, you'd never reach your goals.
the captain wanted to help you. you were so soft-spoken, so small; you needed him, so he decided he would help you.
...
"where will you stay, captain?" inside your small cabin, you had invited the captain in and made sure he was comfortable - though, he refused anything you offered him, such as food or water.
"as long as you're safe, I'll figure it out. are you sure you'll be safe here? what of the stubborn monsters that keep coming back?" you were his first priority- before his safety, was yours.
"I'll be fine," you sighed, looking out the window of the cabin at the desolate woods that surrounded it, "i asked where you would stay."
"I said I'd figure it out," the captain replied, clasping his hands together as he looked at your back, "I'm in no rush to hide."
"I don't want you to get caught... or die," you confessed, turning to face him and you looked sad.
the captain felt the need to assure you, to tell you he would never die; he wanted to say he'd live for as long as you asked him to, but that wasn't true.
he wasn't sure of what would happen.
so, he stood and approached you, his large boots creaking upon the old wooden floor. he took your hand into his and could only say, "I won't."
he had made a promise now. he had to keep it. the captain would live, he would live for you, and no matter the circumstances, he would come out alive and find his way back to you.
he would always find his way back to you.
...
the captain stood out like a sore thumb, he knew that.
it was thoughtless of him to think he wouldn't gain attention if he went into town not wearing armor, but it was an act of desperation; an act of desperation for you.
you were running low on food supplies and it was his fault. when you asked him to stay, he should have refused; when you offered him food, he should have refused; when you offered him water, he should have refused.
but, he didn't.
so, he wanted to right his wrongs for you. you got angry when he explained his plan to you. you screamed, cried, and begged for him to stay, genuinely fearing for his life.
you tried to hold him down, you tried to keep him from leaving but his will was too strong- he still left. he promised you he'd live, so he would.
and, he did.
with blood dripping from his sword.
and with a few scratches, a minor limp, and perhaps a few small puncture wounds; he had gotten more than enough food for you, and that's all that matters, wasn't it?
when he arrived back at your cabin, you were sitting on the porch, waiting for him. the expression on your face when you saw him and the state he was in broke his heart.
"I'm alright, (y/n), i am okay, the injuries are minor," he tried his best to assure you, but, perhaps it was his limp that scared you the most.
you helped him into the cabin immediately, taking the food and setting it in the kitchen. as you demanded, the captain sat on the couch and awaited your assistance.
you came back with a sewing kit and bandages, "you should have worn your armor... you should have known they were going to attack you..." it felt good, though, to be so wanted by someone. to have someone kill for you was... exhilarating.
"... thank you," you mumbled, as you began removing pieces of his clothing and patching up the puncture wounds on him first as they were actively bleeding badly.
the captain released a deep breath and felt nothing but absolute relief. he'd do anything to please you and killing always seemed to please you.
...
monsters were surrounding your cabin.
you had been sleeping peacefully until you heard a long, hard scratch on the door, and then a bang, and then the sound of snarling.
by the time you had gotten up to investigate, the captain was already up, armored, and prepared to slaughter the monsters that surrounded the cabin.
"(y/n), it's alright. I will deal with them - go back to sleep, I won't allow anything to harm you," he assured you, reaching for his sword at the side of the door and raising it.
but, you were still standing behind him. "you're still hurt-"
"(y/n), please step back - let me do this for you, allow me to protect you, as I've sworn to," the banging and snarling got louder, more aggressive.
you stepped back, watching as the captain opened the door, stepped out, and shut the door behind himself.
you wanted to cry - scream, chase after him, and drag him back inside but instead, you ran off to get the sewing kit, bandages, and a towel before sitting down on the couch and waiting.
he was capable, you knew he could handle the monsters.
you heard the gory slashes from the sword, the sound of those monsters meeting their end, and you also heard the sound of another wave of monsters arriving.
the fight was long.
when the door opened, the captain stood there, blood dripping from every inch of his armor and his sword.
he was breathing heavily - those deep breaths muffled by his mask, his chest was rising and falling rapidly, as he dropped the heavy sword to the ground and nudged the door shut behind him. "they're gone for now... (y/n)," he managed to say between each labored breath.
"are you alright-"
to his knees he went, kneeling before you and resting his bloodied mask against you. he wanted nothing more than to stay like this, especially when you reached down and removed the mask from his face.
and then you lowered to your knees also and hugged him; despite the gore, despite the blood covering him, you still hugged him.
he wanted time to stop on this very moment - he wanted to remain on his knees before you, to have you care for him, to worry for him, to embrace him.
...
you wanted to go to sumeru.
you had mentioned it once, and the captain hadn't forgotten; he wouldn't forget something like that.
you said you liked the weather, you liked the culture and you thought it was cool. surely, you would be very pleased if he took you there.
well, that was his plan.
or, sort of.
though he wouldn't be able to leave with you, at least you could go, at least you could be happy. knowing you were happy, made the captain happy.
he would wake you up in the morning, take you to the harbor, and send you off - it should be simple; he had been thinking about it for a while now; he had prepared himself for the grief he would feel at the initial loss of you.
then, while you were gone, the captain would prepare to leave snezhnaya himself - though it was a longer, more difficult process.
it would be a sort of massacre.
but wherever you were, he would be there also.
so when morning came, the captain woke you up in an almost urgent matter, saying, "Get dressed with haste."
sure, you didn't understand but you got dressed with haste anyway. the captain made sure you ate a suitable meal before leaving.
he took your hand into his and guided you out of the cabin, and the two of you began walking - it wasn't too far away, but it wasn't close by any means.
"where are we going?" you asked him, and he replied, "an outing would be nice, no?"
you wouldn't leave without him willingly, he knew that. so he had to lie; he would have to do whatever it took to get you on the ship.
he needed you to be safe.
"oh, yeah. yeah, i guess," you nodded, your shoulder bumping the captain's as you stepped over a log in your path.
the rest of the walk was silent. it was sinking in that you would be gone and the captain would be here without you. perhaps these months had been some of the greatest in his life - being with you gave him much peace.
you felt the captain's hand tighten around yours as the two of you approached the busy harbor. you stilled, looking at him, "where are we going? the people are gonna see you and... and you don't have your sword."
"i won't be needing it," the captain assured you, releasing your hand from his hold. he swallowed and stood a step back from you to stop himself from attempting to grab you, "get onto the blue ship- it will take you to sumeru. you've always wanted to go there, right-"
"sure but I'm not going if you're not-"
"(y/n), i need you to go. I'll meet you there, that's a promise," a promise he could not break, he took another step back, and felt a dull ache in his chest and side, "i will find you in sumeru. you won't be alone for long. I'll find you."
you glanced back at the boat before looking at the captain once more, and your throat tightened, "you swear?"
summary: the captain wanted you to depend on him for company.
content warning: stockholm syndrome. manipulation (maybe????)
after finding out that the captain was the one responsible for your friend's distance, you cried.
you had been so lonely, locked away in his manor, with no one to keep you company - you figured you were the problem, you thought that perhaps you had done something to deserve it.
since not even the house staff seemed interested in small talk with you.
you had gotten so desperate that you even attempted to write letters to the captain while he was off on missions - though replies were little to none.
but no, nothing could cure the loneliness you felt.
soon did you find out that it was all the captain's doing.
you heard in passing two maids talking to one another, saying all sorts of things like:
"the poor girl has no one to talk to while the captain is gone."
"is it not a bit cruel what he's done?"
"scaring her friends off? of course it's cruel."
you ran off after hearing that - was it true? would the captain do something like that to you? how dare he, how dare he do this to you-?
...
you cried for hours, scribbling angry letters directed to the captain that you didn't have the gull to send.
you were so out of it - your face swollen from all the crying you had done. the captain's bed was ruined - you had cried into his pillows and tossed them off of his bed.
"stupid- stupid lying," you scribbled harder, snot running down your lips as you cried - you couldn't even see what you were writing anymore!
"(y/n), i heard you haven't been... feeling well," stood at the door was the captain. he took another step inside and closed the door behind himself.
his room was a mess. crumble tissues were on the bed and floor, his pillows were tossed everywhere and you didn't seem to be taking the best care of yourself.
and his first thought, of course, was "did someone upset you?" as he stepped towards the best, he noticed the many papers on the bed, scribbling with barely readable words, "tell me what's the matter, (y/n)."
as he lifted a paper from the bed, you tried to take it from him. instinctively, he jerked his hand away - this must be important if you were trying to take it from him.
your shoulders dropped and you covered your eyes and began wailing.
"(y/n)..." the captain sighed as he read through the letter that was apparently directed at him. you had less than kind words to say and the captain finally under what you were upset over, "your friends, (y/n)? is this about your friends?"
"yes! yes it is, you scared them away and now they don't like me anymore!" you were hysterical and the captain wanted to comfort you but he knew better than to touch you at this moment.
"if they cared so deeply for you-"
"no, no, no! they did care! you must... you must've threatened to kill them... that's what you did, isn't it?!"
"of course not," the captain shook his head and sat the paper back onto the bed, where you preferred it, "I suggested that they distance themselves from you - since you now have relations with the fatui. it would be a shame if any harm came upon your friends, no?"
"you lie-" you voice cracked. it was your fault, if only you hadn't helped the captain that one time... "you... you're lying-"
"I would not do that to you, (y/n)," the captain finally seated himself at the edge of the bed, still keeping his distance though he sat at your side, "come here," he held his arms open and slowly - hesitantly, you scooted closer to him and allowed him to hug you.
and then you cried some more, you felt miserable.
though the captain was here now, he would eventually leave for another mission and you would be very lonely once more.
was it so wrong that you didn't want the captain to leave you alone?
Summary: You are genuinely wondering why your captain doesn't show more skin despite Natlans hot temperatures.
Words: 0,6k
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Natlan was quite the opposite of your home nation. The heat assaulted your body, forcing you to strip off your coat and minimize your movements before a heat stroke could knock you out in the middle of the mission.
Your hand barely created a cold breeze, no matter how hard you tried to wave it in front of your face to generate even the tiniest bit of fresh air. You could swear the air wasn't even moving; it was just warm and stuffy, even out in nature.
The only one unaffected by the oppressive climate was the captain himself. He still wore that large black coat lined with fur and heavy chains. His stance showed no sign of discomfort, indicating that he wasn’t affected like you or the others. In fact, he maintained his usual behaviour. It really irritated you—he didn’t shed a single piece of armour, didn’t roll up his sleeves, and never took off that giant coat in front of the team. Whenever you approached him to ask if he wasn’t hot, he would simply say, no, he wasn’t.
"If you need a break in this weather, you can take it." his deep voice told you. He shifted the focus from your concern for him directly back to you, like a mirror. After all, he knew you weren’t truly worried about him suffering in the heat. You were just curious to see even a little bit of his skin.
"I'll manage, but I appreciate the offer, Captain. I can’t slack off while the others are working so hard to set up the rest of the camp."
There was a hint of disappointment beneath your layer of gratitude, but he chose not to address it.
Later that night, Capitano sat alone by the campfire, his gaze directed toward the ground. He had sensed you nearby a while ago but said nothing as you approached his tall form. The heat of the nation was even worse at night, especially in a place like this, which only added to your irritation upon seeing the Captain seated in front of a fire.
"You should at least take off your mask." you finally said, breaking the silence. A few seconds passed before he responded. "There is no need." Of course, he wouldn’t, if he had wanted to, he would have done so long ago, even without your prompting. "I’m curious." There it was, the sheer honesty you had tried to mask with concern before. It made him chuckle. He liked that side of you.
Capitano and you had known each other for years. You were a loyal member of his regular troupe, yet you didn’t know him well. And still, he chose to trust you. His hands slowly lifted, removing the helmet and the mask that covered his face.
There he was, illuminated by the warm fire. His eyes were like stars, shining and deep, staring right through you with an expression that could be described as curiosity. His raven hair fell perfectly into place, framing his face and accentuating his features. But what caught your attention most was the rotting dark part—it looked strange, inhuman, more like it was tainted by the Abyss. It exposed part of his teeth, and yet, oddly, it suited him.
"I know what you’re thinking." He huffed, moving to put the helmet back on, but your hand caught his wrist just in time to stop him.
"The air feels good without the extra layer, right, Capitano?" He glanced at you, and all he could see was your genuine smile, no fear, no disgust, just radiant joy that burned in his chest more than Natlan’s heat ever could.
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