Hi may I request relationship headcanons with bamboo hatted Kim? I love him so much. This man deserves more fluff content
Don't hate me for this but... man keep the hat on </33 i like my dark mysterious faceless/object head men. His reveal DID make me laugh out loud though!
Also the King x Treasure and the BHK x Im Gyeong-eop drabble are still in progress but i cant find the words for that rn </3 sooo enjoy!
Hats Off to You!
He actually has an aversion to bright lights. So, whenever you two make it home, none of the main lights are on, but instead you have tons of Christmas lights hung around the entire place. Those moments you two cuddle in the dim lights are always calming to you two.
Soooooooo protective over you. Always hugging you from behind and resting his head on top of yours.
Aeng-du is a good friend to the both of you, although she mostly wrangles Kim to not be an idiot TM to you (mostly letting him know if you had your eye on a certain thing in a shop you passed on a shopping outing together, or texting him you had a bad day) Sure, he is observant, but he can't see you when he's at work.
And on those bad days, he'd buy you a cake, sweets, or mostly anything you preferred. Sure, he'd eat half of it alongside you, but you were together.
And he really knew how to cheer you up. You both made each other feel at peace, in all matters of the sense.
Due to the Intervallo VII: Mnestic Experience, he dislikes photographs. He may have one of the two of you on his device lock screen, but apart from that, he actually prefers to draw you. His art isn't the very best, but the art dated you had were one of his most cherished memories.
The same ones he falls back on as he's stuck in work, trudging along, thoughts filled with ways he wanted to slack off. Slack off and spend time with you.
He did make an effort to drop into your office. (or wherever you worked within the city) Mostly to hide and rest for a moment or three, but also to just watch you do your duties.
There's peace in the simplicity of it all.
Limbus Company was an interesting moment in his work life, as that was one where you had time off and decided to spend time alongside him. You didn't go into the more dangerous areas, but when he stumbled over to cradle you in his arms, it was quite amusing to the crew that this man, once feared due to his power, now seen as just a man with wants and wishes...
now embracing the one who brought him the most comfort of all.
The comments from some cough cough Heathcliff did get you to show a more protective side of yourself, lobbing one of the cameras towards the man. That got a laugh out of some, including your dear bamboo.
Hii, can I please request yandere Lord of Hongyuan oneshot with a reader who is his closest advisor, like whatever Zigong is to Jia Qiu, and he kind of forces them to stay in Yihongyuan with him?
HIII SORRU FOR THE DELAY I GOT WAY TOO CARRIED AWAY
Lord Hong Lu x Advisor Reader (9.9k words)
n/a: These past two weeks have genuinely been trying to kill me. After I posted those 3 Argalia pics in one night I had the worst tooth ache AND stomach ache ANDDDD headache ever. And then I made the mistake of trying to write for Lord Lu... (I'm telling you toothaches are not jokes. BUT OMDS ENOUGH COMPLAINING FROM ME. I hope you guys like this fic even if I don't 💗💗💗💗
Warnings: Gore, body horror, manipulation, jealousy, probably insanely ooc man, Lord Lu is insane
The marbled walls were painted a murky red, leaving the stench of iron to engulf the halls. Eviscerated soldiers lay strewn about in your path, warning you of your fate should you continue onward. In the middle of all the carnage stood the final barrier between you and freedom, your lord, Hong Lu. Who calmly turned to face you, wielding his guandao.
“How foolish, only now do you expose your traitorous heart. I thought such trivialities were beyond you, but I suppose I was wrong.” With every step he took towards you, your heart rate rose tenfold. You were going to die here, that’s certain. But for what? You had served him for years at a time, imbuing his teachings into your heart. You had always obeyed him, even when his orders were admittedly, a touch irrational. All of your hard work and efforts had amounted to this, leaving you as another sacrifice for his cause. Well, if Hongyuan’s ‘absolute lord’ wouldn’t listen to his closest advisor, then maybe Hongyuan always was ‘doomed’.
After his ascension to the throne, he’d become a man possessed, slaughtering wicked and righteous alike in the name of carving his own path. In the name of actualising his ideal Hongyuan. And you tried so very hard to place your faith in him, you really did. But the killings never stopped. Bustling streets turned silent— with citizens shrinking back in fear of his majesty's rule. Anyone who went against his decrees was promptly hunted down and slaughtered, regardless of their reasoning. It was nothing more than unnecessary brutality under the facade of maintaining order. You couldn’t simply remain complacent in the face of this injustice. Steeling your shaking body, you clutched your fan one final time—lowering your head in acceptance.
“My lord…” You started shakily “I have already stated my position. I cannot stand your meaningless slaughter any longer, it’s nothing short of tyrannical.” Trying to maintain a level—head, you cast your gaze onto the mounds of flesh and gore that remained of the palace’s guards. “Looking around us only proves my point, these guards had no reason to meet such an untimely death.”
“Perhaps,” He adjusted his grip on his polearm, narrowing his eye at you. “But to pave the way for the prosperity of Hongyuan, you must first eradicate any threats to that goal.” Nestling itself underneath your chin, the blade of his guandao lightly pierced your skin. “It’s a shame that it’s come to this, I quite liked you.” He lightly shifts his weapon, juxtaposing the marring of your skin with the undeniable care he takes in raising your head. “Despite what you may think, I'm quite the merciful lord." Regardless of the fondness held in his voice, he had a distinct presence, quite unlike anything you'd ever encountered previously. A gentle dagger, you'd call him. "I grant you permission to share your final words with me. If you so wish, I may even let your name be kept in future chronicles.” Despite the somewhat teasing quip, his expression was deathly serious. His singular black eye was a vortex, devoid of all light. It trembled: narrowed and closed before reopening in quiet resolution. With a hesitant sigh, you began to speak..
“Then my Lord, I hope you’ll forgive your humble servant. My parting words to you are thus." Taking in a final, greedy breath of air, you spoke. "I’ll never regret my years in your service.” At that, his eye softened, the grip on his guandao wavering imperceptibly, before any traces of his fleeting vulnerability disappeared. Leaving only room for cold detachment. At your final comment, the bloodied blade left your neck, dropping to his side. A wave of both relief and disappointment washed over you. In the same breath, he raised his arm, lifting the weapon high above his head.
“The feeling is mutual.”
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It all started a year or so ago, Your lord seemed.. on edge, to put it lightly.
At first, the changes were minor enough to dismiss. He'd become distracted during the Chronicler's analoging and scarcely remained seated on his throne. Often, he'd be caught pacing the estate's halls restlessly. When spoken to, his replies were clipped and curt, or so you'd been told.
As his advisor, you knew that it was your duty to ease his burdens during these trying times. However, you felt… hesitant. An unexplainable dread overcame you whenever your Lord fell into one of these ‘moods’. It reminded you of how much he'd changed as of recently. With his ascension to the throne, both you and him became preoccupied with handling the duties that came with his new role. His responsibilities consumed nearly every waking hour, as did yours.
One such duty was extracting and organising information passed down through the anamnaworm, leaving precious little time for anything beyond work. Surely he could stand your absence for a littleeee bit, right? With your certainty wavering by the second, you clutched the doorhandle with your trembling hand—swinging it open.
The room was unsettlingly quiet, devoid of the rustling of paperwork that you had grown accustomed to. Scrolls and reports laid strewn about the wooden flooring, many still bearing unbroken seals. The incense had long since burned itself to ash, leaving only the scent of drying blood. This was.. strange. Hong Lu was never one to leave work unfinished. He laid motionless atop his blankets, overcome by lethargy. His unkempt hair pooled over his pillows as dirtied bandages laid carelessly scattered across his desk. An arm lazily draped over his face. He didn’t move an inch, as if frozen in time. If you hadn’t known any better, you'd have mistaken him for a corpse.
“…My lord?" He began to stir, offering you no verbal response.
"My lord, how have you been faring as of late..?” You took a careful step towards him.
“Terribly.” His reply came rather bluntly. “Surely even the sorriest of imbeciles could discern that much.” Nodding awkwardly, you turned to the door. (quite eager to leave)
“Right then, I’ll go call Faust for you-”
“Stay.”
His response came immediately, almost rushed. When you had turned your head—you found his tall frame risen from the comfort of his blankets, now towering over you. He stood only a breath away, his gaze never once leaving your face. “It's an order.” His piercing gaze silenced any complaints before they could arise.
“Fine then.. I must warn you though, I have no stories to entertain you with. I'll simply bore you with more talk of work.” To that he simply grumbled, raising his hand. For a fleeting moment, it gently reached for your cheek, ghosting over your skin before hesitating. It remained suspended in the air for a few moments before settling elsewhere. Instead he curled his rough fingers around the cuff of your wrist.
“Then I'd prefer you be silent." A faint crease formed between his thin eyebrows. "Silent but.. here. With me.” He murmured last words with a strange fondness, you'd chastise him for his display if he weren't so.. visibly weakened. “[Name],” he whispered quietly, his hand travelling to your sleeves.
“My Lord, what’s come over you?” Gently resting your hand on top of his, you tried shifting off you. “You've been acting quite unlike yourself.” But he offered you no response, pulling you against his chest abruptly.
“Don't move so much..” his arms wrapped tightly around your waist as he groggily nestled his face against your neck. A wet sensation trickled down your arm, and before you knew it, you were soaked in blood. His blood. A sickening mixture of red and black swirling around one another, pooling at your shoulder. Sighing quietly, you tried to twist yourself out of his grip, yet he wouldn't budge. If anything, he tightened his hold just to spite you. “I thought that I had ordered you not to move.” His tongue clicked in irritation, “Lest you wish to worsen the lingering pains of my eye.”
“Of course not my lord. It's just that..” you cautiously eyed your stained shoulder. "It's unprofessional for me to have-" A malicious glimmer burned in his iris, dilating in fascination.
"Unprofessional? I quite prefer seeing you like this." His eye remained fixated on the growing splotch of blood, turning darker and nauseatingly damp the longer he stared. You trembled uncomfortably, unable to stand the weight of his obsessive gaze. Rarely did he blink within those brief yet torturous minutes, the sickeningly warm stream of blood only further soiling your garments.
"M-my lord..!" a panicked whisper left your lips. "Maybe we should do something about your eye? It's clearly.. leaking."
"So it is." Hong Lu's reply remained flat, his eye trained on your quivering form.
"I'll send for a servant. Immediately."
He fell silent in response, stepping away from you (albeit hesitantly) and seating himself on the edge of his mattress. "There's no need," Again, his hollow stare followed you, this time a slight smile crept onto his pale lips. "You'll suffice." Meeting his expectant gaze, you became increasingly aware of your medical inexperience. Stood awkwardly, you clenched your robes, praying that he wouldn't catch onto your confusion.
“Well?" an obnoxious yawn left his lips. "I'm beginning to grow tired of this-”
“Please, just.. give me a second!” Rolling fresh bandages between your trembling fingers, you lightly brushed aside his bangs. A sanguine trail flowed, revealing the festering remains of his eye socket. That gaping hole was an abyss of rot and decay—a carcass of the dreams he once held dear. You found yourself to be quite taken by it, entranced even. The small bits of flesh spiked upwards, trying to reform what had already been destroyed. Much like sticks of a tarnished birdsnest.
Snapping out of your haze you immediately grew repulsed at the sight, forcing a pressure pad over it. Your first attempt at dressing his wound came undone almost immediately. The second fared slightly better; the third unravelled any prior progress. Unceremoniously, the loosened bandages slid down to his neck.
A cold silence hung over the pair of you. Sweat trickled down your brow as you nervously stepped away from him, preparing for the worst.
Instead, you were met with a pleasant surprise.
“Pfft-” His face didn’t flash with irritation or anger, instead he found amusement in your failure. “My, maybe I should've lent an ear to your suggestion. A servant would've been far more capable.” Honestly, you would've much preferred his wrath.
With a somewhat relieved sigh, your eyes narrowed at him.
“Its not as easy as it looks. If anything, why don't you try doing it yourself?” You could already feel a headache forming.
“Fuhu, but I already do~” he grinned slyly, raising the loose lines of cotton to his face.
“You see, I don't trust anyone else to dress them properly." Taking your hand in his, he began idly dressing your finger. "And you've only given me more reason to keep things that way.” You tried your best not to react to his jeers, but you could already feel your veins popping.
“Y-you..!”
“Worry not,” he interrupted you again, only further souring your mood. “Your generous lord is more than willing to teach you.” Despite his previously mocking tone, it was clear that he actually meant what he said. After all, he'd always been a good teacher.
Wasting no time, you positioned the bandages over his eye again.
“Mm, now follow my lead.” He gently placed his hand over yours, guiding your palm to his head. His other hand fixed a pressure pad over his eye, letting you wrap the bandage around his forehead. "Lighten your grip." He murmured, his palm lightly adjusting your movements. Three times you had spun it round; before resting it underneath his ear.
Following his instructions, you directed the bandages diagonally upwards, covering his eye socket successfully. “Good.” By the final knot, the bandages rested neatly over his ruined eye. Pressing a hand to his freshly dressed wound, he tested its durability. The dressings faded to red all the same, but this time—he seemed quite pleased. Once your momentary pride had subsided, you'd found that his singular eye hadn't left yours. An uncomfortable silence settled over the chamber.
“I'll see to it that you dress my wounds regularly.” You blinked in confusion.
“My Lord, we'll both be extremely busy—”
“That was a statement, not a question. I'll take no objections.” Sulking to yourself, you nodded.
Satisfied, he returned to his earlier vegetative state. As you reached the door, the firmness of his voice brought you to a halt.
"Advisor," His expression remained neutral. "Do try to arrive earlier tomorrow."
".. Pardon?"
"You always hesitate before the doorhandle. It's a terrible habit of yours, really."
Promptly, you slammed the door shut. Unbenknownst to you, your lord's crescent lid never strayed away from it, even hours after you'd left.
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Ever since that incident, you had only grown busier and busier, prioritising your newly assigned role. Your job was simple enough: visit the common people and report anyone trying to revolt against your lord. Supporting Hong Lu's campaign also came with several challenges; the most prominent one being your Lord's chosen method of rule. He thrived off fear and dominance, rather than establishing relations with his people. It didn't quite resonate with you. Hongyuan had only been able to prosper due to the people that lived within it. What it needs isn't mindless slaughter—but instead community. Only then can Hongyuan prosper, at least you'd like to say as much. Though, your perspective doesn't come from a place of experience. Perhaps your Lord's calculated pragmatism is far more efficient than your socialism.
On that note, your lord hardly spent time within the estate anymore. On the rare occasions that you did encounter him, his hanfu was stained with streaks of crimson—his face an eerie calm.
Tonight, your palanquin had driven you to a different region of Hongyuan, the once bustling marketplaces now silent relics of the past. All you had to do was make small talk with them, keep them in line and report them if otherwise. It shouldn't have been hard. It really shouldn't have. But nothing could've prepared you for this.
When strolling past a secluded alleyway, a violent force had you to the ground, causing you to lose your balance. Snapping your gaze upwards, you were met with two trembling eyes peering back at you. Tearful things they were. Lost, weary and terrified. They quivered, almost protruding out of their sockets.
"P-please spare my life..!"
It shuddered, his body writhing on top of yours. "M-my family.. spare my family…!" Each breath he drew was followed by an almost contagious wail of despair. Upon closer inspection, you recognised him. A member of the Xue family, no older than you. The last, you'd suppose.
His once vibrant shawl stained, tainted by a browning red. A deep gash rested over his stomach, whilst dust clung to his sunken face. "My wife.. my children-m—t-they're cough still waiting for me. I-I have to see them, I must..!!" He was delirious and inconsolable, unable to differentiate the distant past from the present. His family had been buried months ago, not even receiving the grace of proper burials. There was no place to grieve them, and soon—there would be no-one left to either. He was displaced, estranged with no home to return to.
But, as pitiful and convincing as this display was, it wouldn't stir you. This was simply an inevitability that would've taken place sooner or later. His family was an unfortunate, yet necessary sacrifice to pave the way for your master's rule. That's all there was to it. You couldn't afford him any pity—you just couldn't. Stories like his weren't too uncommon in Hongyuan after all, let alone the City.
It didn't take more than a swift push to shake him off. He was quite light, unnaturally so.
But that's when you noticed it.
His lower half was nowhere to be seen.
Agonising shrieks rose an octave, as he writhed and flailed in a pool of his own blood. His hysterical howling never seemed to cease. That was all he could do—continuously dampening his tattered clothing. His sanguine entrails flopped about alongside him, littering the pavement in his gore. His body twisted and contorted; flinched and flung. Each arm weakly grasping onto the pale slabs of stone. He was desperate. He'd lived, he'd loved and now, it was all coming to an end. Here, his world would disappear forever.
His voice grew hoarse, gasping over and over and over and over, like nails scratching at a chalkboard. It was horrifying, repulsive, revolting—yet enchanting all at once. The powerlessness that overcame you as you could do naught to alleviate him of his anguish. The abject horror of staring death in the eye. The strange fog of morbid curiosity that clouded you momentarily. It frightened you, excited you even.
Until, abruptly, he'd stopped. His head slumped, like a marionette freed of its strings, laying there motionlessly. With your chest heaving uncontrollably, you sat upright—dusting yourself off.
Don't look at it. Don't stare.
Weakly, you gripped the reddened hilt of your fan, searching for any semblance of comfort. But it was wet, slightly sticky and sickeningly sweet. The moon's silken sheen coated you both in its apathetic glow. Staring into his lifeless pupils you began to shudder, gripping your sleeves as an unforgiving cold overcame you.
Shame. You felt so deeply ashamed of your growing fascination with that macabre scene. Yet, it was vastly overpowered by a growing nausea that you could no longer hold back. Your throat burned with acid, as you struggled to catch your breath. Steadying yourself against a wall, you clutched your stomach—half expecting your organs to splatter onto the pavement alongside your sickness. Walking was a taxing task. You were tired, revolted and confused, weakly limping down the streets.
With each heavy drag of your feet, two identical ones followed behind you. Perhaps you had finally lost your mind, or maybe it was simply your lord's heishou surveilling you. You only knew one thing for certain. You would be back, no matter what.
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As the days came and went, you became increasingly distracted. Meetings became impossible to pay attention to, your mind trailing back to the sobbing man's remains. His lips, parted in agony, or perhaps quirked in ecstasy. Was there a difference? Death was one of life's many unexplained spectacles. There lingers a fear of the inevitable, yet a beauty in its finality—promising an end to the suffering, even if not always painless. Perhaps joining the list of sacrifices wouldn't be too much of a bad idea-
"[Name]," you jolt in your seat, eyes fixated on the familiar splotch of white invading your vision. "You appeared to be.. rather preoccupied. Faust’s concern for you should be accounted for. As well as our lord's." Her soft eyes narrowed, as if assessing you. Avoiding her gaze, you nodded stiffly.
"Sorry, work's just been piling up. I haven't had much time to sleep." It was total bullshit, you were sure that she knew it too. Yet, she decided not to press you any further. Instead, nodding quietly and offering you a small glass of water, before taking her leave. Sat alone at your desk, you found your gaze lingering on the untouched drink. Idly swirling its contents about, you noticed the restless eyes reflected in the transparent glass. Fatigue was nothing new to you. Trying to quench your parched throat, you hesitantly brought the cup to your lips, the liquid trailing down further and further before touching your tongue. It tasted of iron, rust and filth.
Taking a moment to process what had happened, you found dull shards, scattered along the marble tiles. Inhaling sharply, you found yourself unable to tear your eyes away from the mess of your own making.
You couldn't keep going like this.
From then on, you'd bring bandages with you on your journeys to the more isolated areas of Hongyuan, no longer relying on a palanquin. You walked, patching up the increasingly injured population. If ever asked about your progress in hunting down rebels, you'd simply relay that the people of Hongyuan are rather malleable—bending to the Lord's will without complaint.
Men and women alike huddled in fear, each wounded in a variety of ways. For once, you were able to use your lord's teachings for the betterment of others. With every new person tended to, ten more wounded would follow. It was frankly exhausting, but a job no other could do. Some outright refused your help, faces curled in disgust and contempt. You could hardly blame them. One such encounter stuck out to you in particular: a young woman, with her two children.
When trying to dress her arm, her immediate violence made you recoil. She had slapped you, as though your hands were lined with poison.
Though, it was nothing you weren't used to. After pausing for a moment, you continued on as usual—much to her dismay.
"Why do you keep coming back!?" She spat venomously. "Do you get a kick out of pretending to aid us?" Ignoring her ramblings for the sake of your own diminishing sanity, you dabbed some cotton on her festering wound. It was a deep gash in her arm, a deep, flowering red. Must've been recent. "Listen to me..!" She snapped, earning an eyebrow raise from you. "Everytime you come, he takes more and more of us. He takes more and more from us. Until nothing is left but a great weeping." Her breath hitched as she began to tremble uncontrollably. "We didn't do anything to you..! W-we promised not to—we were good, right?" You nod, a small yet subtle attempt to soothe her. Unfortunately, it seemed to have the opposite effect.
"Then why does he keep coming?? When will he stop taking and taking from us? We've given him enough.. I-I can't." Her venomous onslaught began to slow as she fell limp on your shoulder. Her breathing was ragged and uneven, eyes bloodshot with rage. You couldn't even begin to try and understand the horrors she spoke of, all you could offer was the half-hearted sympathy of an outsider. Someone more privileged than herself.
"I'm sorry." She merely scoffed in response.
One of the kids had clung to her side, probably trying to soothe his mother. His hushed murmurs were almost unintelligible. Though, you managed to make out one word, a title. Papa. She froze instantly, her complexion paling drastically. "He's not here." She replied feverishly, falling into a hollow tranquility. Each word spoken with unnerving clarity. "He's somewhere better off.. somewhere away from the stenches, the corpses, the dust, the filth, the gore. He's away from us, from everything and everyone and he's abandoned us and left us here and-"
As if awakening from her daze, she stares at you with an almost scandalised shock, before lowering her head in shame.
"I.. saw him." she admitted quietly, her voice now a mere whisper. "Vivisected. Dead and terrified." Her lifeless gaze met yours, a brief moment of connection. Shared despair.
"Why didn't you help him..?"
After that, you had never seen her again. Her two kids sometimes came to you, nervously inquiring about the whereabouts of their mother. Unfortunately, you had no answer to give them.
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The woman was right, everytime you returned, there were fewer and fewer people to tend to. The ones that remained no longer sought your aid, instead begging for a quick release from their agony. But you couldn't offer them that luxury. You wouldn't. Not when you knew you could still do something for them. But then again, were you actually helping them at all…? Bandaging their wounds was simply a temporary solution to a permanent problem. Of course, H-corp certainly has the technology to aid these people. However, most providers had all gone into hiding. None of them wished to evoke your lord's ire. And at times like these—you can't help but be reminded of the costs that come with his infamy.
The potent stench of death lingered about the streets. Each alley filled with either dead or dying bodies of these citizens. Those barely clinging onto consciousness often rambled on about that same mysterious figure, ‘he’ who robbed them, who tore them apart.
For what? You had no clue. These were citizens that you were meant to be protecting, forming bonds with. Yet they were being brutalised and massacred under your very nose. Yes, it's naive to hope for a H-corp built on unity, but it's far more preferable than whatever.. this was. But, despite all your frustration, you ultimately lack the power to bring about any significant change. So, you brought it up with your lord.
Upon returning to the manor, you immediately noted Hong Lu's furrowed brows, a tell-tale sign that he likely wasn't in the mood for any ‘unfavourable’ news. Regardless, you pushed onwards.
“My Lord," bowing politely, you approached him in measured steps. Unbeknownst to you, his gaze softened. "There’s a growing problem that I'd like to bring to your attention. It’s.. quite urgent.”
“Speak.” He beckoned you closer. “If it’s enough to disgruntle you then clearly it’s worthy of my time.” Returning to your full height, you trailed your hand over the stone carved dragon-heads on his armrests. Pressing your fan to your lips, your voice lowered to a conspiratory hush.
“The streets of Daguanyuan are littered with bodies.”
“Well, that is to be expected, no?” Taken aback by his lax reply, you shook your head.
“No, my lord this isn't quite the same. It's not the bodies of any other traitorous foes or rebellious gangs. They're.. ordinary people. Limbs removed, faces paled. And yet the numbers continue to rise.” Your hand lightly quivered, clutching onto your fan. “They're all scared of someone, only ever referred to through male pronouns. There could be a serial killer within our midsts, my lord. I say this out of as much fear for you as I do the people.”
His eye narrowed, taking on a contemplative stare, his hand lazily stroking his chin.
“That does sound quite troublesome. I'll leave this in Faust's hands." a quiet beat passed, "However—” His eyes trailed from your face to the messily packed bandages in your satchel.
“What exactly do you intend to do with my bandages, hm?” Lazily his fingers brushed against the few rolls sticking out of your bag.
"…?" You were completely and utterly dumbfounded. Surely, now wasn't the time for petty inquiries.
“I often leave to tend to the minority of those still alive, my lord..” his eye narrowed perceptibly.
"You've been dressing strangers with the same hands that tend to me?"
"My lord..?"
"I see.” He waved his hand at you carelessly, with a slight growl to his voice. “You're dismissed.” In a haze of confusion, you simply nodded—before bowing again in gratitude. You couldn't quite shake your conflicting thoughts about his strangely dismissive manner behind you.
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Hong Lu had begun asking for your presence quite frequently, even when it wasn't entirely necessary. Sometimes, he'd ask you to read aloud as he worked, others he'd simply watch you organise reports in silence. More often than not, he'd summon you simply to draw you against his chest, insisting that you remain there until his work was finished.
"Closer." He'd whisper into your ear, almost lovingly. And you obliged him, what right had you not to? Threading carefully through your hair, his hands moved to rest on the nape of your neck. A quiet sigh escaped, almost content.
"Perfect." His forehead nestled itself against your shoulder. “Stay here, exactly as you are.” thin lips ghosting over your collarbone. You felt a strange weight in the pit of your stomach, an unrivalled guilt that you couldn’t quite decipher.
“My Lord, I apologise for interrupting but..” a deep sigh left you, taking a brief moment of respite before responding. “Have there been any developments regarding the killings in Daguanyuang?” immediately, the fingers entangled in your hair stilled.
“You wish to bring this up now of all times..?”
"Possibly." He sighed in exasperation, offering no further response.
“Please my lord, the people are suffering greatly.”
"As do many, everyday."
“Yes but this is different-!" He hummed quietly to himself, holding you a little closer to his chest.
“[Name]." You fell silent, his hands now trailing down your back in soothing motions. "Do you not trust that I'm looking into it?”
“No.. I-” you inhaled sharply, curling your hands into weak fists. “I do, my lord.”
“Good.” He hummed in slight amusement. The corner of his eye seemed to crinkle at your submission. “Then, no more.. unnecessary interruptions.” He stroked your head with gentle care, as a master would their pet. “Threats to Hongyuan are threats to me, regardless of their severity," A small chuckle left his lips. "I treat them all with utmost importance.”
For a brief moment, you almost believed him, almost. But a sense of dread remained instilled within you.
Regardless of what he'd said, you couldn't erase the image of the shuddering civilians. Limbs disjointed from their bodies as they screamed in agony. They wailed and wailed and would not stop until an end was put to this madness. Until there was an end brought to this meaningless onslaught. But you could do nothing for them. You lacked the power to bring significant change to their lives. Yet, he could.
Instead, how did he choose to spend his days? He delayed meetings, insisting for you to redress his wound. Ignoring petitions and dismissing reports became terrible habits of his. And yet he only sought to do them in your presence. Nausea hung over you like a haze of fog.
He noticed, he always does.
“We should pick this up another time. As you know, I'm quite busy so-”
“Leaving already?” He replied all too quickly, eyes trained onto your satchel. His observant gaze trailed from the bandages, to your now quivering hands. “Off to visit that same street?” He scoffed in condescending amusement. “Not surprising in the slightest. If I didn't know any better, I'd assume that you're quite fond of the deceased.”
Your world had come to an abrupt halt as you turned to face him slowly.
“I-I uhm.. well.” Further emboldened by your nervous reply, he pressed further.
“So I was correct~ Maybe I wasn't too far off with my assumption, hm?”
"My Lord.. now's seriously not the time for-"
"Oh? But it's time to surround yourself with heaps of corpses, hm?" You tore your gaze from his, clutching at your robes in growing frustration.
"Well, maybe they'd be in better conditions if you actually cared enough to help them..!" You glared at him, full of animosity and disgust. "All the time, you speak of the prosperity of Hongyuan, but when faced with those dying in Daguangyuan, you turn a blind eye??" Unable to soothe your growing temper, you stood up hastily, putting some distance between you and him. "It's sickening."
"Hm.." He sighed, as though chiding a disobedient child "Have you considered that perhaps, they're being neglected for a reason?" Narrowing his lone eye, his pale complexion donned an empty smile. A peculiar beauty, he was.
"You do recall why I assigned you the role that I did, correct?" He gently cupped your cheek in his hand.
"To report anyone who didn't follow your laws.."
"Exactly~ Now humour me, how many people have you reported so far?" Your heart fell to the pit of your stomach.
"T-three..?"
"No~ Two." His face deadpanned as his grip grew tighter. "Only two rebels found after wings knows how many visits." He hummed idly, prying open a fist that you hadn't realised that you'd clenched. "As lovely as the implications are, I doubt that our people are that fond of their ruler.” Intertwining his fingers with yours, he squeezed your hand.
“It wouldn't be too unreasonable for me to begin to doubt my dearest advisor over this, no?" Nearly choking on your saliva, your throat began to clog. Any syllables uttered came out as strangled whispers. "I thought so." he scoffed, releasing his grip on your chin rather harshly. “So, I had the Heishou investigate Daguanyuan's trenches. Would you like to guess what they'd found~?” He didn't wait for a response, lowering himself down to your height, bringing you both face to face.
“Several banners towering still, all dedicated to the fallen lineages of the four families.”
His breath intermingled with your ragged breaths. “And yet, you continue to insist that they're 'innocent', even going as far as to lie on their behalf~” His cruel eye almost seemed to dilate in sadistic delight. “My dear, sweet, stupid [Name], aren't you aware of how terrible an impression this leaves? My very own advisor, now siding with the enemy. How.. interesting.”
“T-that wasn't my intention, my lord.. I had no idea-”
“Oh but you must've, right? Or else you wouldn't have been touching them with such-" He blinked. "bandaging their wounds, I meant.” Clearing his throat, he shook his head in disapproval.
“Hah.. If I knew you'd do this, I would've never allowed you to dress my wounds.” At that admission, you fell silent. That moment of brief vulnerability between you and your lord, now reduced to evidence poised against you. You would laugh if it wasn't so jarringly infuriating. Clutching onto your sleeve nervously, you played with the loose seams of the fabric.
"M-my apologies.." You wouldn't dare lift your head. But deep down, the lingering shadow of hesitance began to dwindle. "But-!
"But?" His looming figure cast an imposing shadow over you. You couldn't run or hide, you had no right to. This was your judgement. This was what you deserved for doubting your lord.
"If you had seen the state of them, my lord I'm sure you'd do the same." Despite the festering guilt within you, you continued. "Neither alive nor dead, they dragged their disfigured bodies along the pavements aimlessly. Most of them had no hope of a tomorrow and simply lived in fear of their imminent deaths." Resting a hand on your chest, you began to steady yourself. In contrast, his eyelid began to twitch. "Regardless of their beliefs, they're citizens of Hongyuan. They're our people, my lord. And I think that we could only allow for the development of Hongyuan through offering help to those in need. It's our duty."
A silent contemplation overtook him. His lips curled in displeasure, as he clicked his tongue. "Such idealistic naivety. How do you expect to correct Hongyuan's wrongs without establishing order?"
"Order shouldn't have to be established through such.. barbaric massacres." He flinched slightly at the word. "Instead we could help each other and-"
He latched onto your arm with a desperation that even stunned him. Quickly composing himself, his crazed eye softened with a plethora of indicipherable emotions. "Massacres…? Leaving a few rebels to die is hardly anything worth mentioning, trivial even." His pupil wavered, the grip on your arms tightening. But you weren't having it.
"Hong Lu.. what could those defenseless people have done against you?? All the Heishou branches are yours to control, and I'm certain that the people weren't stupid enough to act on their wishes." You briefly recalled that distressed mother, her youthful face drained by scars and wrinkles. "They.. promised to be good."
"And you'd fall for their deception..?" He snapped, a vein on his face popping. "My dear advisor, you truly are foolish." While trying to defend your case, he successfully seized your wrists, pressing them against the rough wall behind you.
"Deception….???" You scoffed in disbelief. "Please, tell me, were the missing limbs ‘deception’ too? Or maybe do you think that they'd simply painted their wounds?" Writhing against his grip, you tried (and failed) to pry him off you. "Of course, you can't imagine it, can you..? The dull acceptance of their circumstances, faces and bodies alike stained with blood and purpling bruises. Their eyes were either bloodshot or gouged out entirely.." You shuddered, feeling a wave of nausea overcome you. "Or maybe you just haven't been made aware of the stench of gore that runs rampant throughout the streets..? Or the people violently slashed and fed to-"
Your cheek stung, a pain that boiled and burned at your skin. It hurt. Your widened eyes trailed over to his. Shock and repulsion overcame his features, before settling into an icy glare. Yet his gaze was squarely focused on his palm, as if scrutinising it. He returned your stare, yet, he lacked his prior confidence. Just as you were about to continue speaking, he shoved his hand over your mouth.
"Silence." That cold command cut through the tense atmosphere. In response you opened your mouth, baring your fangs and sinking them into his palm.
He froze.
His tense glare wavered, making way for barely suppressed glee. "..You finally reveal yourself." Adorningly stroking the cheek he'd struck, his half lidded eye trailed to your teeth. Then the bite itself. It was unfortunately quite weak, not strong enough to break skin, nor draw blood. But that fact only seemed to excite him more. He became rigid almost—as if overcome by an intense passion.
"Leave." For once, his orders came out in weakened pants. An insatiable hunger hung from his every word. "I fear that I may no longer be able to control myself if you don't."
════════════════════════════════════
Buried under layers of cushion, you hid yourself in your chambers for hours at a time. Sunny days blended into dreary nights, as your paperwork began to pile up. You'd have to return to your daily life, you knew. You'd be called to him again, you also knew. But was it so wrong of you to indulge languor? For once, would it be so bad to fill your mind with nothing but scenes of beautiful gardens? Each flower blooming brightly, swaying their pristine petals about without a care in the world. Perhaps they would wave and sing, as if to plead for water. Or maybe their stalks would twist and turn as they grew, forming adorable knots. You could almost feel flowers towering over you in your lifeless haze. Sometimes their luscious leaves would wither and crumple, looming over your cheek in a loving caress. Other times the petals would turn shrivel, paling to a dull maroon. As more time passed, you began to notice that your little garden had become rather isolated. Flowers unjustly ripped from the soil, others devoured by wandering insects. The picturesque meadow turned to a barren wasteland, save for one flower. A spider lily, decayed and fettered—yet undeniably beguiling.
"[Name].." The gentle voice called to you, almost awakening you from your deep slumber.
"Faust believes that it's unwise to remain holed up in your room." Unconsciously, you began to drone out the rhythmic knocking on the door. "It's detrimental to your health. Additionally, our lord has been-"
Once again, it bloomed.
"Faust.." you croaked, noting the fact that your door was now slightly ajar. "Tell him that I refuse to see him." Turning to face away from her figure, you buried yourself beneath your blankets. "In fact, I don't want to see anyone or anything.." A quiet yawn escaped your lips as you prepared to return to the land of dreams.
"[Name]." Her usually mediated tone became stern. "As disciples of our lord, how can we learn from him if we stray from our assigned paths." Paths..? You could almost laugh at her absurdity. People were dead and dying all around you both, yet she speaks of 'paths'?
"Then Faust, tell me. How righteous is a path that tells us to ignore helpless victims? What's 'just' about unnecessary genocides?" Your dull eyes met her cool ones.
She seats herself beside you, on the edge of your bed—carefully observing your obscured form. A contemplative silence befalls the two of you before she finally replies.
"When evaluating a government's success, one must account for long-term consequences alongside immediate suffering." Her fingers lightly tugged at the covers, exposing your tousled hair. "For example, many areas of Hongyuan have begun to prosper under our lord's will. It's been quite a while since I had last seen children wandering the streets." An imperceptible smile graced her lips.
Unable to stomach her musings any longer, you sat up, your limbs cramping with every shift.
"Then please, explain why the abandonment of citizens, that we are very much capable of aiding, is necessary..? Is wanting to save even one life such an obstacle to those 'paths' you speak of? Are they even worth following?" Faust's eyebrows furrow in conflict, crossing her arms absentmindedly.
"That's for you to decide." she replied matter-of-factly "Following the path of my lord is simply a choice, not an obligation." Leaning back to rest on your lap, she closed her eyes in quiet deliberation. Snowflakes, they were, delicately brushing against her cheek. Sighing to yourself, you stared at your curtain. What time was it? How many days had you spent slumbering? How were the residents doing? Did it even matter?
"Faust."
"Yes?"
"Does our lord.. really prioritise the prosperity of Hongyuan..?"
"That's.. debatable." You sat up promptly. Noticing your expectant gaze, she reluctantly continued. "As of late, he's become increasingly disturbed. By what? I'm unsure." she sent an almost apprehensive glance your way. "If Faust were to infer.." she briefly stops herself before shaking her head. "No, please excuse my ramblings."
With a quiet hum, you begin braiding her hair.
"Fine then. But, be honest with me, Faust. Do you think my efforts are wasted..?"
She holds your gaze for a long period before casting her gaze to your curtains. "No."
"No?" your fingers stopped threading through her hair. "No," she repeats "virtue, whether honest or false, is never wasted."
"Though, Faust has determined one thing for certain, our lord's priorities have shifted." Her eyes narrow subtly. "Neither Hongyuan nor order seemed to sway his judgement anymore. Instead, his reasoning has become almost.. inconsistent. Even so,"
She stands up, turning to face you with an almost admirable resolution. "I cannot abandon my lord. There is still hope that he may return to the path of righteousness." And with that, she left.
Pushing open the curtains, you gazed at the city beneath you. For a moment, you were taken aback. The alleys were mainly clean, the streets anything but silent. Those dreadful restructuring days never came, instead people walked about. Wandering to their heart's content. Of course, there weren't as many people roaming about as before but.. this still held its importance. You felt your mind drift to.. Simpler times. When travelling with your lord was a luxury rather than a burden. With everyday that passed, you had considered a new path, learned lifelong lessons and most importantly—you enjoyed yourself.
Feeling your heart thump with nostalgic melancholy, you stilled your breath.
Under your lord's rule, life most definitely could prosper.
Perhaps Faust had been right. Hongyuan wasn’t wholly desolate, somewhere beneath the bloodshed; his dream still endured.
Hesitantly, you rose. If even a fragment of the man you had once served remained, maybe he could still be reached. You'd have to try.
Pulling on your robes, you stared at your room one last time. The room suddenly felt strangely unfamiliar, as if it were no longer yours. Shrugging off your lingering regrets, you pushed the door open.
════════════════════════════════════
When you arrived, the halls were deathly silent. The polished marble tiles reflected a hollow imitation of warmth, their pristine surfaces concealing the coldness beneath. He was already seated upon his throne, expecting you.
"I wondered when you'd return to me." He drawled in a tone of faux affection.
"Hong Lu," his eye twitched slightly. "I've realised something important.” Positioning yourself at the centre of Hongyuan’s grand hall, you continued. “You're not a careless ruler by all means. If anything, I'm sure that you've brought joy to many families-"
"Your point being?"
"Well.." slightly disheartened, you continued. "Just as you've helped those in this region, perhaps you could reconsider your negligence of-"
"Advisor of mine, you seem to forget that I've not once claimed to be anyone's saviour." Your blood ran cold.
"E-excuse me..?"
"My role is simply to follow the path presented to me. Hongyuan is more than those who presently inhabit it." Trying to regain your composure, you approached the throne. Yet, your voice wavered, your steps had become heavy. He sat comfortably in contrast, his face rested against his hand.
"But then my lor- no. Hong Lu, what is Hongyuan to you?"
He sighed, rising from his seat.
"Hongyuan is the future." He leaned in closer. "It cannot be governed for the sake of the pre-existing populace. Every sacrifice, every decree, they're made for those yet to come."
Your throat ran dry.
"Then what of the living..?" You clenched your fist tightly, "Are we simply expendable tools to you?"
"I wouldn't say that." he hums to himself "We're all simply.. temporary."
"And the deaths of the already 'temporary' masses are supposed to pave a future for who? There will be nobody left to rule." You glare at him harshly.
"The chronicles would disagree~"
He rose with a sly grin, pacing around , before you in slow circles. Once he’d stopped, he stood squarely in front of you.
"Then would you say that I should’ve spared those elders?"
That was hardly a fair question, comparing the working class to the revered Xianren. His smile only widened, a hollow thing.
"…No."
"Then you agree that sacrifices are necessary?"
"There's a difference between necessary sacrifice and unjust slaughter." His eye crinkled with mirth.
"Then, dear advisor, where precisely would you draw the line?" He took a measured step forward. "One death?" And another, "One hundred deaths?" and another, "One thousand?" until you're backed against a wall, trapped against his notably taller figure. "Tell me, when does it become irresponsibility, hm?"
Taking a deep breath in, you sigh. "This is exactly my point. These people aren't sacrifices in the name of some virtuous cause, they're simply meaningless numbers to you. You don't understand the weight of these deaths. In fact," you point the tip of your fan at his chest "you speak of Hongyuan's future, but all you’ve done is neglect it."
He blinks back in surprise, taking a step back. Before his eyes narrowed to serpentine slits, an intrigued smirk played on his lips.
"What exactly are you trying to say then?" He chuckled darkly, his eye boring into your soul. But you refused to relent. If anything, you're further motivated to expose himself to his own folly.
"You leave piles of petitions to collect dust, weekly."
"They're hardly worth giving attention to. Far more important tasks await me, after all"
"Like what, summoning me?"
His eye widened subtly. Speechless, he was.
"Is it so wrong to want to surround myself with what's mine?"
Now it was your turn to fall silent. Hesitating to face him, you again felt crushed by an overwhelmingly oppressive force. The weight of his favour is what you’d like to call it. However, it felt much more akin to a burden.
"Hong Lu, I'm not yours.."
"Aren't you?" his small grin widened into a smirk. "You've always been my closest advisor~"
Attempting to cool the rush of blood to your head, you pressed your palm to your forehead. "That's not the point. You're being negligent."
"Hm, am I?" Taking your raised hand in his, pulled you closer to him. "Let's say then.. if Hongyuan were to lose such a valuable asset.. would it not weaken?"
"Well.. it might."
"Then how could keeping you by my side be an act of neglect?"
You were getting nowhere with him. Clicking your tongue in irritation, you couldn’t bring yourself to be surprised.
"My lord, you've changed." He stilled, eyeing you curiously. "In the past you'd always despised melodramatics. Instead, you preferred to keep a clear head." You narrowed your gaze at him. "Unfortunately, you no longer uphold such principles anymore."
"Hah. And you believe that you're qualified to judge me, your lord?" Lifting your chin up, his thumb absentmindedly stroked your cheek. "Sheltering traitors, arguing against my decrees, concealing dissent. " His grip tightened. "Any other ruler would call that treason." His bangs crept over his singular eye, fixating his gaze on you with tangible malice.
"Then, are you going to cut me down as you did to those in Daguanyuan?" You held your stead, staring him down. But he didn't budge.
"No," His fingers slipped away from yours, "What a foolish question." Strangely, he laughed, his lips split in ecstacy. "Because.. I need you."
Your expression fell. And you realised.
Digging through your memory, you searched and searched. Rereviewing your every encounter, every conversation. Every passing gift, each encouraging nod. Everything had been built up to this very moment. Your devotion had become a cage, tethering you to him. And all this time, you’d thanked him
Ahh.. you wanted to die. More than anything.
You weren't stupid by any means, but.. this was far too much. Even for you.
Backing yourself further and further against the wall, you tried all you could to get away from him. Every shiver, every breath was accounted for in terrifying detail by his husk of an eye.
“I had always hated when you left, you know?” He started conversationally, “Every morning you’d disappear into our dreadful city, returning with the scent of someone else’s blood.”
“You’d come back exhausted, fretting over irrelevant vermin. Smiling and chatting away with them..” Furrowing his brows, a scowl began to overtake his features. "Yet, you always found ways to evade me. Whether tending to the injured masses, signing paperwork, or conversing with others. It's always something with you." He hummed, "So I simply sought to.. remove those distractions."
"…You're sick." Your voice came out hoarse, almost unrecognisable. It trembled and wavered despite your bet efforts to remain composed. You couldn’t help it. With every truth laid bare, another wave of nausea churned within you.
This was never about Hongyuan.
"Perhaps," he smiled a wild, unrestrained grin, eye curved to a lonesome crescent. "But if that allows me to keep you," he leaned into your ear, purring almost. "I'd much rather stay this way~"
“So,” His hand gently brushed your hair out of your face. “I’ve decided.” Wrapping his arm around your waist, he buried his face against your neck. "You'll serve me until the day you die."
And, cruelly enough, he had kept his word.
════════════════════════════════════
Now dyed in shades of crimson and shadow, the halls had long since forgotten the warmth they once held. A sickly sheen clung to every surface, as though even the stone itself had grown tired of witnessing the great violences performed within these walls. The repugnant scent of iron lingered in the air, seeping into cracks between the tiles. Stained silk banners hung lifelessly over the corpses of soldiers. Some had died as decorated veterans, others as frightened recruits. In the end, neither glory nor inexperience spared them. Death welcomed them with equal indifference all the same.
They were warnings no longer, simply reminders of the cost that came with liberation.
And there he stood, unbothered by the remains that surrounded him.
Hong Lu, your lord, remained solely focused on you.
His guandao rested in his hand, its blade reflecting the dim light above. He wore a veneer of serenity, yet it did little to mask his apprehension.
For a moment, neither of you moved. It was quite peculiar. After all the blood spilt in his name, all the teachings he relayed to you so enthusiastically..
You had finally committed a transgression he couldn’t forgive. Abandonment.
Now you're stood before him, at the mercy of his weapon. If he'd truly grant you the mercy of death—you wished it to be as cruel as the deaths suffered by your companions. Unfortunately, you no longer had the luxury of deciding your fate. All that was left was to accept it.
In one fell swoop, his blade descended.
—
Almost immediately, a deafening shriek of steel tore through the hall.
Between yourself and death stood a familiar head of white hair.
Faust.
She stood tall, her sword trembling beneath the weight of Hong Lu's polearm. Both weapons were locked together with enough force to send sparks skittering across the marble. She had come, finally.
Yet, the expected relief never came. Her posture lacked any sense of triumph or conviction—it had a unique rigidness to it. Instead, her hesitant steps were that of someone mourning. Someone who’d arrived far too late.
Not once did she look at you. Her troubled eyes remained fixed upon the edge of Hong Lu's weapon, as though the polished steel were easier to bear than the sight of your face. At first, you thought it were concentration, embarrassment perhaps. Instead, she was hiding something far worse. Guilt, growing- no, festering within her.
Hong Lu's unreadable expression dropped for a split second, softening into quiet recognition.
"...Interfering again, hm, Faust?"
Her grip tightened around the hilt of her sword—amplifying the force of her blade against his.
"Faust determined that this execution would only result in unnecessary losses."
"Unnecessary?" The corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly. "What an... interesting choice of words." With neither willing to yield completely, the clash dissolved into an uneasy stalemate. They both withdrew, Faust—protectively by your side—whilst Hong Lu stood alone.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"So then..." His eye lazily drifted over you, eyeing your trembling form with an almost perverse delight. Noticing this, Faust shifted, as if to shield you from his vision. "What do you propose I do with this traitor?"
Instinctively, you stepped forward, squeezing her arm.
"Faust, I really don’t mind—"
But, she didn’t react. Gripping onto her, you spun her around, making sure that she was facing you.. "...Faust?"
Nothing.
Not even the slightest glance. It was as though your voice had never reached her to begin with. Her iris’ swirled with an inexplicable dread as silence settled like frost. Slowly, she turned away from you, grimacing at your confusion,
At last, Faust spoke.
"...Let them live."
The words came out in a quiet whisper, sounding almost pained.
In response, Hong Lu's unsettling grin simply widened.
"Live?" He repeated slowly, tasting the word with open amusement. "But surely that contradicts the very path we've walked together, no?." Dragging his weapon alongside him, he strode forward with confidence.
"Faust."
His voice remained gentle, as if coaxing her to his side.
"I’d like to hear your reasoning."
In an instant, her head bowed. Hesitation had never been an emotion you’d thought Faust capable of, yet it clung to her now with unsettling clarity. Her fingers idly traced the flat of her blade, searching for a certainty it couldn’t offer. The composure that had always defined her seemed to waver as her gaze drifted—from the bloodstained floor, to the forgotten guards, and finally to the edge of her sword, clasped within her trembling hands. Everywhere, save for you.
"...Their death would be entirely meaningless." His eye crinkled with mirth as he continued his interrogation.
"How so?"
"Faust believes that they’re valuable."
Taking an unhurried step towards the two of you, he let out a quiet laugh.
"Valuable? What an amusing sentiment.” His head tilted playfully. “To whom, Faust?"
The oppressive silence continued to haunt the hall, lingering a beat longer this time.
"...To Hongyuan."
"Oh, but of course." A weary, almost affectionate sigh fell from his lips. "They were my most precious advisor once." His gaze never left her. “But times have changed, have they not? They’ve long since abandoned their path.” A small smile played on his lips, peering at you from the corner of his eye. “They are of value to Hongyuan no longer.”
Faust’s lips parted in an attempt to refute him. Yet, no words came.
“I ask again, Miss Faust. Who are they valuable to?”
For the first time since she'd arrived, Faust faltered. Her eyes had shut, as she stood in silence. For the briefest of moments, you thought she’d stop entertaining his madness. That perhaps she would draw her sword once more. That perhaps—
"...To you."
Her voice barely carried over.
"Pardon?"
The silence that followed seemed endless.
When she finally spoke again, each word emerged as though dragged painfully from her throat. Hoarse and raw.
"They’re valuable..."
Her fingers tightened against her sword’s holster, leaving her knuckles whitened and bruised.
"...to you, my lord."
The admission echoed through the empty hall, sealing your fate.
You looked to Faust, waiting patiently. Surely she would object. Surely she'd remind him that attachment clouded judgement—that his fixation on you ran contrary to everything he once claimed to value. Surely she'd tell him to let you go.
Tentatively, you reached for her hand, your fingers curling around hers. They hung limp within your grasp, neither returning the gesture nor pulling away.
"...Faust?"
Nothing. Not a single word was uttered. Her shoulders remained burdened by an invisible weight. Her eyes never rose to meet yours, lingering instead upon the bloodstained marble below.
And then it struck you.
Faust had never come here to save you, instead she had come to bargain. And your life had never been the subject of negotiation. It was your freedom.
Closing his eye with a quiet satisfaction, he hummed to himself.
"I thought so."
With a quiet motion, Faust slipped her hand from your grasp, never looking back. Instead, she faced Hong Lu alone, lowering her head until silver strands curtained her expression.
"My lord..." she whispered softly. "...Please."
Hong Lu regarded her for a long while, his expression unreadable. He looked upon her desperation with the same detached consideration one might spare the weather. Then, at last—
His guandao lowered.
"Very well then." Relief flickered across Faust's face so briefly you almost believed you'd imagined it. "I’ll spare them."
You let out a breath you didn’t know you were withholding.
"However..." That word alone was enough to still your heart, hollowing your chest. His eye drifted lazily towards you.
"They will return to Yihongyuan."
His voice carried neither anger nor triumph. It was simply law.
"From this day onward, they are forbidden from leaving my side."
Faust stiffened, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword.
"...Or my estate."
He began walking towards you with that familiar unhurried confidence he'd always possessed. Every measured step echoed through the bloodstained hall, until only a single breath separated you. His hand rose to brush a loose strand of hair behind your ear.
"They won’t disappear from my sight again."
His smile was almost gentle. There was an unmistakable tenderness to it, one that all but withered beneath the emptiness of his eye.
"After having almost lost them once." His thumb lingered against your cheek. "I have no intention of repeating that mistake."
Your knees threatened to give way.
"Come," He offered you his hand with an effortless familiarity, easily mistakeable for kindness. But you knew better.
"We've both had quite enough excitement for today."
His gaze never left yours.
"Let's go home."
Death had stood before you only moments ago. Now, it seemed almost merciful in comparison to the fate that awaited you.
Hello! I am infact alive, and I am back to write once more. Life really loves to kick you when you are down, so it's been a struggle to pick writing back up. (And also my Internet went out for a day) But enough about me, you're here for
Heishou Pack Yôu Branch x Caretaker! Reader
The plate clatters as you eat; Hongyuan became significantly...quieter around you. Infact, the place you were eating at was empty. No other customers were here, and all of the staff had retreated into the back. Why? Well...it's not like you have a bunch of mutated people following you, right? What, that wasn't you who left a bunch of wool around?
The opening of the restaurant's door snapped you out of your thoughts. Confident, slow steps approached you. Turning yourself, you are met with the figure of a male looming over you.
"Mm, So you're the one the Mao and Wei won't shut up about." Calculated, calm...yet friendly?
"You must be-" before you could even finish your sentence, he raises his hand
"Hong Lu. Lord of Hongyuan, and also the one employing you to take care of the Heishou Pack." He looked you up and down -calculating, sizing you up- as he continues
"Tell me, how do you do it?"
Demanding. Pointed. Sharp.
"What? What do you mean?"
"Don't try to act you don't know. You really expect me to believe that you can make the Heishou Pack - some of the fiercest fighters around - turn into...mush around you? You're no ordinary caretaker, that's for sure. The Wei Branch won't shut up about you, and the Mao are asking me to rehire you for them."
His shoulders relax as you watch the tension leave his body
"What I want to know is how you do it."
He walks closer to you, his shadow casting over your body
"But...you really don't know, do you?"
He draws out a long sigh as he looks away
"Whatever it is you're capable of...I have a proposal for you, if you will."
He turns back to you, continuing as you give him a nod
"There is a branch of the Heishou Pack - the Yôu branch - roosters, they are. Troublemakers at that. They are very...volatile with their outbursts, and it does get quite cumbersome having to constantly reel them in after their episodes."
He fully turns himself to you, holding out an object to show you.
"It's the leash for the Yôu branch. If you are able to work your...expertise, as you have, then I shall reward you with this leash. One tug, and you'll have them around you within seconds, protecting you with their lives."
He turns to look out the restaurant windows as silence befalls you both.
"Though..." He trails on
"I must warn you - the Yôu branch are fighters by nature, good ones at that. So if you do accept my offer... just know that what you'll be dealing with, is a bunch of aggressive roosters fully capable of killing someone just by one alone."
"And yet..."
He turns back to you, and if you weren't dead focused on him, you would've missed the small smirk forming at the corner of his mouth
"I have a feeling that you'll turn out just fine. Call it a...precognition, if you will."
He glances out side one last time before heading to the door, giving you one last indiscernible look as he disappears.
A part of you was questioning his words. He did have a point about you and the Heishou Pack. Rarely, have you had such a large group of animals - human-like or not - be so docile, or at least content around you.
But something was telling you that time, things might not be so easy. But a job is a job, and what did he mean by the leash? Would it actually summon them?
Figuring that the only way to find out was by going back into Hongyuan, you got up and left after your meal.
Roosters...if what he said was true, and the Yôu branch were good fighters, then it was safe to assume that they had sharp claws and beaks.
Surely not the most dangerous thing you've encountered, so what would make this so bad?
Hell.
Or, at least some form of it. It seemed the only appropriate description of what you were going through.
You've been scratched at least over 10 times, and pecked 5 times. The Roosters were not going to make this easy on you. Oh, and some have blades. Where-where the hell did they get those from? Thank whatever accursed god(s) in this city that you weren't attacked with one...yet.
Most of them were staring at you - where the Mao was daring at you to do something to them, the Yôu looked like they were about to murder you on the spot - and there was truly very little you could do here.
While wracking the poor organ in your head for ideas, you felt a familiar, gentle...soft tug on your body.
Looking down - it was probably the last thing you wanted to see right now outside of the head itself - the young Mao was right there, posted up right against your leg.
What. The. Fuck.
Trying not to implode on the spot, you feverishly look around for
A. Where the hell it came from,
And B. Why the hell it was alone.
Seeing that nothing was satisfying either question, you turn back to the Roosters; one of which had gotten significantly closer to you. Following its gaze, you could tell that it was eyeing up the Mao.
"No!-" before you could process it, you instinctively threw your body forward, shielding the Mao as the Rooster delivered a devastating blow across your body.
Collapsing to the ground, blood began to slowly pool around you as the gash felt searing hot. Your vision fades, but you spot the surprise and...respect, in the eyes of the Rooster. Looking over, the horrified expression of the Mao was the last thing you saw before going under.
Was this...death? If it were, then...why did it feel so warm? Wasn't it supposed to be cold?
Before you could dwell on it further, your eyes adjust to a dimmed room. Your body felt like it had been dragged through every layer of hell possible thrice over.
You couldn't move due to the pain, but you were alive. Surprisingly, you don't see any bandages or any scars, for that matter.
As far as you could tell, you were still in Hongyuan...likely in a hospital of sorts, or perhaps somewhere meant for you to recover.
Looking over to the nightstand on your left, you find two objects with two letters attached to each one.
The first one...it was a leash - the same one Hong Lu showed you. Did he actually give you the Yôu branch's leash?
Reading the note, it was infact by Hong Lu:
'Please do excuse the situation you find yourself in, this was the only option to guarantee you living.
I must say, you have impressed me - something I have not felt during my rule here in Hongyuan. It appears you have confirmed what I thought, though...I expected you to not be as...mangled as you were.
Despite that, I have never seen someone willing to risk their life for a member of the Heishou Pack, and for that I present you: the Yôu branch leash.
If you are worried about their aggression still, let it be known that after you were injured, it was reported to me that the Yôu were proud of you for what you did. Resilience is their specialty, and you showed that to them. If I were more naïve, I would say that it was surprising that the Yôu didn't finish the job.
Nonetheless, I fully entrust you to take care of them now, as they will fight fiercely for you with a simple tug of the leash.'
-Hong Lu
Focusing your attention onto the other object, you find it to be a scarf; more specifically, one that the Mao wear.
The note attached was from someone you don't recognize:
'Firstly, let me extend the gratitude of the Mao. You have risked your life unprompted, in order to save one of our young ones.
While you were recovering, I took it upon myself to look over you, making sure you were safe. Many of the Mao visited you while you were out; they wanted to personally thank you for your heroism. Even some of the Wei stopped in to make sure you were okay.
As much as I wanted to meet you personally, duty had summoned me before you woke up, so I opted to write instead.
The Mao are forever grateful, and even if you don't hold our leash, we gave you a way to contact us, should you ever need to. Simply put on the scarf, and we'll be next to you as quickly as if you tugged on our leash. Do not hesitate for our assistance, we will always be glad to help you out.'
Warnings: Obsession and general yandere behavior; non-sexual nudity; mild main character harm; blood; mentions of canon typical violence; body dysphoria; self-loathing; body horror; heavily implied self-harm (not lethal and not written in detail); angst then fluff; technical infantilization directed towards MC
Note: Decided to try some new things while writing this one!! And sorry for how long it took to come out.
I really hope Canto 10 doesn't come out and tell me Kromer was still alive, and then I have to bullshit a reason as to how the plot will work.
"Weird, usually you're better at creative descriptions than I am… How about this? Think of the universe itself as a tree. Distinct worlds- the branches of this tree- are connected to a trunk. Different timelines would be twigs connected to this branch, with leaves maybe being a random timeline based off the first one."
"And we wish to look beyond just other twigs… and at other branches?"
"Yes! We want to see what connects them to this one trunk. That is, if the universal tree theory is even true. I heard some people think the universe is a donut, with some solid evidence, but why a donut? What does a donut have to do with a universe?"
"…It's shape, probably."
"Oh- You know that's not what I mean, Elena!"
"Hehe, I know. I'm just teasing you!"
—
You're in that void again. Trapped in that oppressive nothingness.
You push, and push, and push until you come tumbling out onto the ground, water sticking to your skin.
Ah. It's raining.
A torrential downpour that soaks you to your very bone. You're not wearing the proper clothes for this weather, and the water falling from the sky sinks into the fabric that feels painfully thin on your body.
You don't know where you are. Surrounded by towering sepia buildings underneath a dark swirling sky with freezing air biting at your drenched skin. It's the middle of the night- hopefully not close to when Night on the Backstreets begins- and there's no one around.
You simply start walking, wondering if this is a dream. What kind of dream is this..?
Judging from the way your hands look different… maybe you went back into the past again.
But how? And who's past are you in?
The rain bites at your skin, but you continue onward. The deep puddles soak through your shoes and nip at your feet, and the street is dark save for an occasional lamp set at each corner. There is no trace of life at this hour.
At some point, your legs give way and you tumble to the ground. Your palms catch you, digging into the concrete below, and you shake the water from your tail as you stand up once more. In this state you have no bandages and your clothes are akin to something you'd wear any day of the week during the colder months. But now they're so wet you can see through to the red flesh below. Though, that skin is dulled by what almost seems like a filter, dimmed yet nonetheless vibrant.
You examine your palms, staring at the drops of dulled, ruby red blood that oozes out from the scrapes. So your blood really was not always that enkephalin-like substance…
When did it change?
It's not the only scraped part of your body. You dug straight through your pants and into the skin below, and the wings on your hips have lost a few feathers when you landed atop them. With a sigh, you pull yourself up and keep going until your knees almost collapse once more.
This time, you come to rest against a wall just beyond the light of a lamp-post. You crawl under the measly overhang above you, trying to shield the rain from your face. If you're in the past, you don't want to see if disease and injury carries over to the present. The reverse doesn't occur, clearly, but you'd rather not risk it.
Of course, it's hard to prevent sickness when you're stuck outside at night and being drenched to the bone. Even the overhang far above doesn't shield you from the rain. You simply bring your knees to your chest and huddle for any warmth you can find. You stare at the raindrops splattering the ground, and feel them land atop your head.
Elena would've adored this weather… she always loved the rain.
…How could you have forgotten her? What else did you forget if you didn't recall her until merely a day ago? What kind of friend are you?
That is, unless something else hid those memories from you… but what could've possibly hid them?
…
You were working on something with her. Something important. And it wasn't just her. But what was it? And who were you working with..?
What could possibly be going on..? How—
You realize the raindrops aren't hitting your head anymore. Yet, the sound of their impact is almost twice as intense as before. You blink, raising your head to see… A man holding an umbrella over you? His hair is a dark- relatively dull, though that may be due to the sepia that taints everything- green, and his eyes are a bright lime that seems dim in the dark environment. His round glasses are foggy in the cold rain, and he wears a thin clear poncho of sorts over a semi-formal brown suit. In his hands, he's offering you his umbrella.
Slowly, you reach up to take it. Your fingers brush his, and he pauses.
"Ah— your hand." His voice is soft, and he gently takes you outstretched hand in his free one. "Did you fall?"
Your face heats up. "I- uh- I—"
He chuckles lightly. "There's no need to be embarrassed. The weather is particularly nasty today, after all…"
"Y- Yeah. It is…" You hesitate, taking the umbrella from him. He merely smiles in response.
"Do you mind waiting here for a minute?"
"Not like I have anywhere else to go…"
The man chuckles. "Touche."
—
It's been far over a minute since that man left. But, at the very least, he was kind enough to let you keep his umbrella.
The pitter-patter of the rain on the dark nylon dug into your ears as time wore on. Your thoughts were struggling to keep you awake, even if the cold water that ensnared you in a freezing blanket made you shudder uncontrollably.
Sharp teeth clicked as the collided against your will, wet clothes sticking to red skin. The rain seemed to dissolve into mist as it landed on the concrete and blacktop. It blurred your vision, and your hands and feet stung. It was strangely hard to hold onto the umbrella now, with swollen and wrinkled fingers trying to remain wrapped around the plastic.
But through the pounding rain, you hear a voice. No- three voices, only one that's vaguely familiar.
"■■■■■■■■—! What are we even-?"
"■■■■■■■■ has a point, it's-"
"They're right around-"
You raise your head to see three vague humanoid figures, shadowed despite the lamps, framed by rain and mist.
"What the-?"
"…My-"
It's harder to hold the umbrella now. You blink at them, trying to make them out, and choke out a word.
"He..llo?"
You don't even realize when you fall unconscious. In fact, you seem to blink before finding yourself elsewhere. The rain is now simply a vague sound in comparison to the quiet chatter in the room, and you're now wrapped in towels and blankets in a small heap. You see your sopping wet clothes hung up to dry on a string over a tarp.
You turn your head to see three people, one of which being the green-haired man who gave you his umbrella. Though, a woman is sitting beside you, black hair neatly cropped to her chin and gray eyes focused on you.
When your gaze locks with her, she gives you a slight nod. You try to smile in response, exhaustion mysteriously gripping your body. But you no longer feel cold. The warmth almost feels like a tender hug.
"Um—" Your voice croaks as you try to quietly speak, "Where… am I..? Who are… you..?"
"…" She takes a breath, turning her head towards the other two. "They're awake, you know!"
"Yes, yes, we can see…" The green-haired man says, giving you a warm smile. "I'm glad to see you're alright."
"I- uhm- thank you…" You mumble, "For the umbrella, I mean. And for bringing me… here…"
Despite the lack of color, the place was rather cozy. However, that wouldn't be a fully accurate descriptor. This place was a house repurposed into a lab, with a surprising amount of equipment set up for it.
"…Ah, I've been kidnapped by scientists."
The black-haired woman snorts, and the green-haired man looks flushed. "I wouldn't necessarily say 'kidnapped'- We brought you in from the rain and- well you were unconscious, and—"
"I suppose one could call it kidnapping…" The strange man in the top hat murmurs, almost amused. You can't make out his face. "But kidnapping comes with ill intentions, doesn't it?"
"Well-" You sigh, "I'm not an expert in language, so I can recite the definition off the top of my head, but I don't think the definition of kidnapping involves 'ill will'. Though, I guess it can depend on the dictionary the definition is sourced from..? And you got me rambling. Hm."
There's a few chuckles from everyone in the room. Hm… Why does this feel familiar? Not the people, but… the lightheartedness of it all.
"…Anyways!" You sit up a bit, "You didn't deny being scientists, eh? Why'd you drag me to a lab..? Please tell me I'm not going to be dissected."
"No dissection plans here." The woman says, "But I can't confirm anything for Dongrang here."
"Dongbaek…" The green-haired man, presumably Dongrang, says with a tone of exasperation directed at the woman next to you.
Dongbaek..? That's the name of one of the bosses in Canto 4, isn't it?
Could it be that you're in Yi Sang's past? But how? You didn't make contact with his string, did you?
So how are you here..?
"Now, now. You two don't need to bicker like children." The man in the top hat says, holding up a hand. "The poor thing is clearly confused. Dongrang, as you requested to bring them here, you are responsible for their care. Including answering their questions."
"I suppose that is only fair…" Dongrang admits, before he turns his attention to you. "I suppose you caught my name, hm?"
"Yeah…" You answer with a nod, "Nice to meet you Dongrang…"
"And it's a pleasure to meet you as well."
Unconsciously, you blurt out your name. At the looks of confusion you receive, you quickly explain yourself. "My name- since I know yours, you ought to know mine, right?"
"Haha, yes, thank you." Dongrang says with that same smile. "You have a lovely name."
Why are you such an awkward dweeb..? "…Back on topic- Why am I here..?"
"Well…" Dongrang approaches you slowly, steps measured and composed. "I must admit, I've never seen anything like you before. Sure, there are some rather strange… things within the City, but you behave human compared to them."
Is this before the White Nights and Dark Days incident? Back in the present, people give you strange looks, but he's talking about you like he's never seen anything remotely like an Abnormality…
Could it be true that you're an Abnormality? You have Enkephalin in your body, but it's a more recent development… The only real confirmation of that is if you'd turn into an egg when killed, but you don't want to risk that…
"I suppose I simply want to understand what makes you tick." He holds his hands up at your expression, "Not by cutting you open. Simply observing your behavior. In exchange, with the approval of Brother Young-ji, you may stay here."
"So… what you're saying is…" You press a hand to your chin, "You'll provide me shelter, food, and water… in exchange for essentially watching me?"
"With the occasional minor experiment, yes." Dongrang says, "You don't mind, do you?"
Okay. You're in Yi Sang's past… somehow. You're being given a direct offer to stay here safely, surrounded by intelligent people who could potentially give you answers. And one of them wants to study you and potentially will be able to help figure out what happened to you. That is, if telling him anything is a good idea.
But… you know barely anything about Canto 4 beyond the ending cutscene, the fact Dongbaek is a boss, and there's something about a Sang Yi. By staying here, you could prepare yourself for the Canto.
Yet, the fact you got involved in Canto 3 raised suspicions, if Outis confronting you last night is any indicator. And even seeing you for a short period of time could raise issues. And who knows what you could mess up? What if by being involved in the past, you do something to ruin what will be the present?
What do you do..?
…
"No, I don't mind." You carefully say. "Well, Dongrang, I suppose it's a deal."
He merely smiles in response.
–★★★–
Your head aches as you sit up. Pounding on your skull like a relentless drum that gnaws at your very being in a corrosive mess of thoughts and feelings. The room is barely illuminated by the stream of sunlight pouring in through the small window, and you're nestled in a tangle of blankets and sheets. And, atop you like a precariously placed cherry, is a certain cat who stares at you with blank, wide eyes.
"Mngh… Hi Orbi…" You mumble with a yawn, a hand breaking free from the cocoon you ensnared yourself in to stroke the smooth fur of the cat. It's cool to touch compared to the warmth you've stuck yourself in.
It's only as the kitten starts to lap at your hand with a rough tongue do you realize there's bits of dried blood stuck to you. And now the bed as well, as you push off the sheets atop you.
Shit- You've ruined Dante's bed. You need to fix this, somehow. Maybe wash the sheets?
You run your hands through your hair, it always feeling like an awkward mix of human locks and a thick mist, blended together in a dark cloud attached to your body against your will. On the table beside you is a glass of water- still cold when you drink it- and a small plastic container with what appear to be small, square cookies inside. There are no notes to signal who it is from, but you have a solid guess as to who brought you these.
"How'd you sleep?"
"As fine as I could." You choke out after startling, looking at the desk Dante sits at. They've shed their overcoat and their red tie hangs loose, now simply in a black dress shirt. You try to smooth your voice, squinting at what they hold in their gloved hands. "What are you… sewing?"
They perk up, flames sparking as they appear to be… perhaps flustered? Maybe simply surprised you noticed at all.
"Ah- I'm just fixing some tears in your coat." They confess, holding up the scarlet fabric. "Or at the very least, trying to. I fear I'm doing a rather shoddy job at this…"
"…" You raise a hand as Orbi nuzzled against it, allowing her to bury the top of her head into the palm. "…Why?"
"Why?" Dante echoes, lowering their hands to rest upon the table. "I… I guess I just wanted to help you out. You feel like you're doing more managing than I am, so… Thought I'd do this favor for you."
"Uh… Thank you." You tell them, "I appreciate it."
We both know that can't be the whole reason.
You are relatively aware, but there's no harm in taking this act at face value.
And why is that the case? Perhaps they do this for you from the guilt of betraying you. Of not giving you a chance to speak. To save him.
You have more faith in Dante than Carmen.
…
"I'm- sorry about your bed." You awkwardly mutter, lifting the cat into your lap. She stares at you with large, blank eyes, before letting out her awkward meow and kneading biscuits into your thigh.
"For what?"
"Staining it with blood." You confess, "I can wash the sheets, though. They'll be clean by tonight-!"
"Oh, don't worry about that." They tell you, resuming their work. "I don't even need to sleep."
"O- oh. Okay." You mumble. Their tone was dismissive. Are they upset with you..? Did… Outis..?
"But…" Dante looks back at you, and you realize the interior of their clock is far more reflective than what you once thought. In the dim light, you barely make out your reflection. "If you really want the bed clean, I wouldn't mind washing the bed for you."
"You really don't have to—"
"Sure, I don't have to. But I want to." They almost seem to smile. "You've done so much for me, after all. Nothing in your contract said anything about doing chores for me, anyways."
You intake a sharp breath, before asking a question you immediately regret. "Is this because of Effie?"
They still, slowly freezing up. The flames on their head die down, and- for the very first time- you're entirely clueless as to what they could possibly feel. There are no hints from body language or verbal indicators. All you see when you stare at them is a clock with unmoving hands.
"…Partially." They admit with a monotone voice. "Partially not."
"…Sorry." You say with a soft voice. "I… really have a problem with saying things I shouldn't, eh..?"
They don't respond. Just quietly resume sewing. You can't bring yourself to look at them, but you have a question you really need to ask.
"…Dante?" They raise their head slightly. "Do you trust me?"
They think for a moment, a faint crackle of flame echoing in your ears. "Why wouldn't I? All you've done since you appeared before me is try to help me, do your job. In fact, you've tried to help everyone. Going out of your way to risk yourself to try to eventually save others."
"There are things about you, sure, but you seem uncertain of them yourself." They tilt their head back, staring at the ceiling with non-existent eyes. "I think out of everyone on this bus, I trust you the most. I don't see that changing either."
If only they knew. "I see. Thank you. I promise I'll ensure our contract to be fulfilled. I'll get you your head back." And then I'll go home. I'll find a way to return to being human and go home. I have to.
"…I appreciate it. I really do."
The silence in the room lasts for awhile, and you gently move Orbi off your lap- despite her vocal complaints- and stand up. "I'm gonna take a shower."
"I'll get started on washing the sheets when I finish your jacket." They reply, "I'm almost done anyways."
"Thank you." You murmur, slipping away from a bed that isn't yours and grabbing a pair of clean clothes. Carefully stepping over a small kitten who trails after you, you slip into the washroom and shut the door behind you. Then you melt to the floor.
You cannot cry, you cannot sob. You must be silent as you shake and dig your claws into your skin until deep marks remain in your flesh. How can they trust you? How can they be so stupid?
Maybe they don't. Maybe they're lying to you, just like you do to them. Maybe Outis went to them and now Dante is waiting to have a reason to hurt you. You keep messing up. Why do you keep being such a failure? A stupid, miserable, mistake of a failure! THAT'S ALL YOU ARE, AND ALL YOU'LL EVER-
Take a deep breath. Listen to me. You're emotional, scared, and acting rashly.
You're upset at the situation you're stuck in, yet take it out on yourself rather than others. Is that what you truly want?
"And why do you care-?" You ask in a whisper, "You're just a bunch of light who mutates and distorts people. And for what?"
Turning you anger out onto others now?
"Just you."
I understand why you're angry at me. You think of me as a villain, and I would think the same if our roles were reversed. I just want to tell you, all I'm trying to do is ensure you can see your desires to the very end. Hate me as long as you want, but I'm not giving up on you, even if there never comes a day you understand me.
"…"
I'll give you space to calm down. I just would like you to know this: I'll never break my promise to you.
"…What promise?" You ask to silence, and your voice slowly starts to rise, "What promise? What promise are you talking about? We met before? What are you-?"
"Who are you talking to?"
Yuri's voice startles you, and you look up. She stands over you, eye glimmering in concern, and she crouches down to your level. Her hands reach to gently brush against your cheeks, now merely the faint idea of warmth.
"It can't be Kromer, right? We're doing our best to keep her away from you… but did she find a way to get into your head to talk to you?" She asks, taking you into her embrace, "If she is, we'll get her out. Effie's already having a ball beating the shit out of her. I'm certain he'd enjoy giving you justice."
"…Kromer's haunting me now?" You weakly ask, and Yuri's eye widens.
"…Unfortunately." She confesses with a sigh. "Effie and I are switching between ensuring she can't get out of that… space we're in. So she can't bother you. It's tough, but we can't die again."
She chuckles at that last part, but softens at your expression. "Hey, we won't let her hurt you. You're gonna be okay."
Why? Why does this world seem to hate you? Out of everyone to haunt you… Kromer..?
"You're gonna be okay."
Your gaze trails down to the floor, to your hands gripping your thighs and wings wrapped around your body. There's a weird lump on the right one, nestled between black and gray feathers. And then you open it.
A small screech erupts from your throat at the sight of the eye. You drag yourself back, metal on the tips of your horns scraping against the wooden door as you desperately try to drag yourself away from the orifice in a place it shouldn't.
Seeing out of a third eye nauseates you as you stare into your own face and in horror at your own wing. You close the eye but it simply opens again and keeps staring. A golden iris that bores into you and you want it gone.
"Hey, hey-! Don't do that-" Yuri tells you, pulling your talons away from the eye you nearly tore out. "Don't. Please."
You relent. Because you always relent.
"Hey, are you alright in there?" You choke, turning your head back to the door as you try to force an ounce of cheer into your voice. As if nothing that's happening in here is.
"Haha, yep! Just- Just saw a spider. Freaked me out a lil', but I'm alright!" You call back, scurrying to your feet as you're left alone. "I'll be fine."
"If you say so." They reply, and you take a deep breath. Shower, pet your cat, and then try to cope. Try to hide the eye… and… continue surviving, you suppose.
Can't be that hard if you made it this far…
—
Your wings are pressed close to your body when you come out of the shower. Your hair is still damp, its misty texture slightly thicker and clinging to your back, soaking through your shirt. Note to self, invest in a hair dryer.
Dante is sitting on the bed, bundling its now stripped sheets up to presumably carry to the laundry room. Your coat sits neatly folded on the desk, sewing kit left open beside it. Orbi is currently taking a nap atop your coat, looking incredibly comfortable as she's sprawled out.
You go over to the cat, who blinks her disproportionally large eyes open and stares at you with not a thought in her tiny skull. You scoop her up by her armpits, holding her up and letting her body dangle. She purrs like an engine in response, and you nuzzle her with your snout. Only to immediately regret it.
"GAH-! You smell foul!" You choke out, reeling back. Dante looks over, pointing at themself in confusion. "Not you-! The cat! She smells like she found a dead rat in the closet and rolled in its guts!"
"I didn't notice she stunk…" Dante murmurs, sitting up.
"Of course you didn't! You don't have a nose." You gag, setting the cat down. "Ew- she needs a bath. Pronto. I think if I have to smell that again, I'll actually vomit."
Orbital Missile Launcher stares at you innocently. "Orbi, my sweet daughter, you smell like an actual corpse and you at getting a bath."
"…Do you want help with bathing her?" Dante offers, "We can do it after I get the washing started."
"That would be a lifesaver, thank you." You almost melt in relief, "Seriously, Dante, sometimes I wonder what I'd do without you."
Mostly because, if they didn't fall for your lie so easily, you'd probably be dead by now. Maybe even Sweeper food.
"It's the least I can do." They reply back, looking almost flustered. Shit, did you fuck up?
"Anyways!" You yelp out, "Before you go, is there anything you need me to do? Such as reviewing documents? With all the new IDs you're collecting, surely there's something, right?"
Please say yes. You need to distract yourself with anything. Anything at all. Just to stop thinking about the fact you're collecting a crap ton of shit life decisions and ghosts who actively make your life worse. And that isn't even the worst of it.
"Well… Now that I think of it, I do actually want to give you something." They answer, "But Faust needs to be here to do it… Can you give me like… ten minutes to do the laundry and get her?"
"Yeah! Sure, I can wait." You say with a smile, now uncomfortably curious. What the hell are they planning..? Should you be afraid? Why is Faust needed for this? "But… does it have to be Faust?"
"Yes, why?" Dante seems almost concerned now, "Does she make you uncomfortable?"
"Sort of..?" You grin, "But it's fine! I can handle it. Go on now! I don't wanna keep you waiting."
"…" Dante sighs, "Alright. I'll be right back."
"I'll be waiting!" You chirp back, watching them hesitantly leave the room. Once the door shuts, you shudder and unfurl your wing. The eye stares back at you, only blinking for a second before its watching resumes.
A hand goes to the mouth on your collar, feeling it under your shirt. Why is your body continuing to change? You want to stop it, but how?
If only there was a way to keep these new parts shut forever…
Then your gaze falls on the sewing kit on Dante's desk.
–★★★–
You're hiding something from me. I know it.
You're always jittery, as if something terrifies you. You talk to people that aren't there, getting aggravated and scared. You're terrified of half of the people on this bus, and seem to be missing memories you never knew were gone. Or…
I can't just ignore how Outis approached me earlier. Telling me how something was suspicious about you, how you claimed to have never been here before but so clearly have with how Kromer behaved around you. I dismissed it at first, accepting your amnesia explanation, and yet…
When I think about it, it was weird how that Demian approached you so warmly. And how you returned that warmth.
Could you be hiding having been here before? Yet… why? Why hide so much?
Of course, every Sinner on this bus is hiding something about their past, as is Vergilius and apparently Charon. And I literally cannot remember anything of my past. But what could you possibly have to hide?
And you clearly trust me. Enough to prefer my company to most on this bus. You said you "Didn't know what you'd do without me." Even after what I did, how I practically killed him, and you still care about and rely on me.
Why? How? How can you possibly care about me so much?
Perhaps… You love me? It would make sense. How easily you seemed to forgive me, how you seem to rely on me, how you're almost desperate for my approval. You love me, like how I adore you. It's the most obvious explanation.
Of course, there always could be something worse you're hiding. But I know you. I know you. You wouldn't be hiding something horrible from me. You're too… precious. Pathetic, harmless, docile… All are words to describe you. The only person I've seen you actively try to harm is Kromer. With everyone else, your weapons drag you along to do it. You… you…
There physically cannot be something horrible you're hiding from me. You look like the mere idea of telling a lie would cause you to break down. So you have to love me… right?
But now I can't help but worry… Do you love me? Or do you simply love the clock? At this point, I'm left wondering if I am the clock. If I were to regain my head… would you still care?
No… No. You said it yourself. You're only here until I find my head. And then what? You're gone forever?
Well, I brought you here once. Maybe I could bring you back again..! Or we could change something in the contract, a term of sorts that would make you stay longer. Or… maybe I don't even need to find my head. Why would I need it when I have you?
…
The sound of my hand on metal and wood rings out in several firm raps.
<Faust?> I call out, <Faust, [Name]'s awake! You can give them the thing you wanted to.>
The door slides open near instantaneously after that, an impassive-looking Faust staring at where my face would be. She peers behind me, lips twitching down slightly.
"Faust would like to ask, where is [Name]?" She utters, looking back towards me.
<They're still in the room.> I answer, <I thought I'd come grab you and bring you to them. Since they couldn't get healed by the ampules, and I don't want them to overexert themselves while still weak.>
She looks annoyed for a moment, but her face smooths out back to its usual disinterested look rather quickly. "Very well."
Its silent as Faust retreats into her room to get your gift, stepping past me to go deliver it to you.
<Actually-> Faust glances back at me, <I wanted to give them it.>
She responds by silently handing me your gift, but continues onward towards my room. I walk next to her, and don't expect her to speak up.
"Faust would advise against putting all faith in [Name]." She tells me in a calm, quiet voice. "They aren't even human."
<…Okay?> I mumble back in response, honestly rather disinterested. If you really did have ill will, you would've hurt me already. You're harmless, I know it. Harmless, gentle, shy… You can't even confess that you love me. I mean, I can't confess to you either- especially with how you'd absolutely tell me no with how that other woman exists. But you're like… a flower. A delicate blossom and I just want to be allowed to hold you. I just want you.
<Strange. I didn't leave the door open when I left…> I mutter aloud, mostly to myself. And when I walk in, well, I get the answer as to who opened it. Because Vergilius is looming over you, and you're shyly looking up at him with your cat nestled in your arms. Along with… cat treats?
"Yeah, fine, I'll bring Orbi out so Charon can pet her…" You mumble, before noticing me. "Oh, hi Dante! And Faust…"
Vergilius straightens up from where he stood too close to you, glancing back over his shoulder at me with a calm expression.
"Next time…" He mutters, nodding towards you, "Tell them when I find out about the things they try to hide."
Your face flushes, a green tint muddying the crimson of your skin as you gape. "D- Dante..? You knew that he knew..? What's next?! Did she know this whole time?"
You point an accusatory finger at Faust, who merely blinks. "Yes, Faust always knew. Faust simply is apathetic to the feline you've brought into your care."
"…How..?"
"Cat fur fell off you constantly."
You face palm in response to that, muttering under your breath.
"Okay, okay!" You take a deep breath, "Lemme get my timeline straight. When everyone left the bus, this little shithead-" You hold up Orbi in your arms, who meows softly in response, "Started screaming as if I died. You, Vergie, heard the sound, came in, saw the cat, Charon apparently followed you, she got attached to Orbital Missile Launcher here, you waited until we all got back, and talked to Faust about it. She approved of the cat for… some reason, and you decided to go get cat treats for her and refuse to explain why."
You lower Orbi with a sigh. "Why does nothing ever make sense here..?"
"You're the one who named the cat… that." Vergilius tells you, voice almost snide.
You give him a glare. "And what would you name her instead?"
Vergilius sticks out a hand towards you, and you tenderly hand him your cat. He lifts her to his face by the scruff of her neck, despite your audible protest to "be gentle with her", peering into her eyes with an almost impassive look.
"…Garnet, perhaps."
You blink, before scowling. "…She doesn't even look like a Garnet!"
"Perhaps you're merely blind."
"You little—!"
The way you two are bickering… It almost reminds me of a married couple.
…Ah.
You don't love me, do you? Maybe you love… him.
…
Dammit.
–★★★–
"So… what did you want to give me?" You ask Dante, internally cringing at how shy you sound now that Vergilius left. Why would he even want to call your cat Garnet..? Is there some sort of important connection with him and someone called Garnet?
…You should've read Leviathan.
"Oh, right!" Dante fumbles, before handing you a smooth rectangle. An uncased phone, to be exact. "Here. Faust has to help you set it up… but following your previous… incidents, we wanted to get you a way to communicate with everyone."
Ah. Okay..?
"Oh, thank you." You quietly choke out, "I didn't expect to get a phone…"
God please don't let the City have its own version of TikTok. You don't need more short-form content taking your attention span out back and making it look like a bunch of swiss cheese.
"Is it just for communication?"
"It is it's primary purpose." Faust tells you, "But access to other applications is permitted."
What is a "TikTok"?
Something you do not want to fall into the pit of again.
"I see…" You murmur, turning the phone on. "Does everything need to be set up..?"
"No, simply your profile on the selected application used by the company. Although, a walkthrough of who you will be communicating with is required." Faust leans in close, murmuring the password to the phone in your ears, and directing you to said app.
What follows is a painful and over-complicated explanation of the fact you're apparently now talking with other departments in Limbus Company, as well as the LCB itself. Although, you learned the limits of how you can customize your profile and phone itself are slim, so you're going to go wild with that.
Your definition of "wild" is making your profile picture an image of your cat, edited to have sparkles around her, spamming emoticons in your chat messages, and putting a bunch of meme references no one will understand in your bio.
…And?
I fear most will not consider that "wild," but I don't see it as a bad thing.
At the very least, Faust finished what she came to do and left, and you paused figuring out how to type with massive claws to go do the struggle that was giving a cat a bath. At the very least, Dante was very helpful in the chaotic endeavor.
Now, you have a wet- and somehow still smelly- cat lounging on a towel on your chest as you set up an account on the first social media site you found. It was a weird thing. Simply called "SNS" and functioned like a weird mixture of Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram. It also appeared to be one of the only social media in the City. Guess it's just not a common thing..? Though, there is another popular app used for streaming and videos. So who knows?
The greatest struggle that came with setting up your account was choosing a name. It had to be unique, but unable to be connected to you and your job at Limbus Company. Just something you can harmlessly goof off with…
Thus, you ultimately chose #2_Hamhampangpang_Fan, and make your profile picture an image you stole off of the official account for Hamhampangpang and slightly increased the contrast on using a free photo editor.
And you added "Hamhampangpang" in bright red text on the image.
That too.
Ironically enough, when you checked the Hamhampangpang tag, the only poster under it was the official account for the solid minute you scrolled down it. Alas… Hamhampangpang is so wonderful, it deserves more fans.
If you adore Hamhampangpang so much, why not make your account #1_Hamhampangpang_Fan?
Because you aren't him.
..?
Could you please explain what that means?
No.
Alright then.
Though, now you're curious, so you look up to see if there are really any "#1_Hamhampangpang_Fans". And, to your surprise, you find one.
An account named "#1HamhampangpangLover"? And it's private?
Hm? Did you request to follow it?
You want to see what this blog has on it.
"How's your new phone?"
You crane your head back at Dante, who's back to sitting at their desk and working on something you can't quite see from where your chair is.
"Working fine. Thanks for checking!"
"And how's Orbi smelling? Better, right?"
"Oh…" Your gaze falls back on the cat, who stinks of a rotting corpse. "No, actually… She still smells horrible. Almost rotten…"
You look back at Dante, who sits completely still.
"…Huh." They move suddenly, tapping their desk with muffled rhythmic clicks. "Maybe it's not a physical stink? We should take her to the vet. We're in K Corp, after all."
"Wouldn't that be too expensive..?" You nervously ask. "I can't even begin to imagine how much healthcare is here, especially for a cat…"
Maybe you can wrangle up money? Surely someone out there would pay for pictures of monster feet, right? How would that work? How would you open a bank account you barely have any legal documentation?
"Hey, if something's wrong with your cat, we should give her care." Dante reassures you. "Don't worry."
"We don't even have that much money..!" You squawk back. "I just think there may be…"
A better solution. Dongrang.
…
You have an idea.
"Just… give me some time. I can figure out a cheaper alternative, I'm sure."
"…If you say so…"
With a sigh, you return your attention to the device in your hands, resuming carefully navigating through the screen without marring it with an unfortunate scratch as you try to piece together the ideas of your plan. Though, a notification gives you pause.
Direct message from #1HamhampangpangLover..?
Hesitantly, you navigate to the app, squinting as you read what was sent to you.
#1HamhampangpangLover: yo
#1HamhampangpangLover: wanted to ask
#1HamhampangpangLover: why did you request to follow me
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: GAH
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: OH MY GOSH IM SO SORRY
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: I JUST SAW YOUR ACCOUNT WHEN I FINISHED MAKING MINE AND THOUGHT
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: "OH WOW!!! ANOTHER HAMHAMPANGPANG LOVER!!"
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: SO I SENT YOU A FOLLOW
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: I DIDNT EXPECT A MESSAGE
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: ~(>_<。)＼
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: IYUAJMFANSJLAS
#1HamhampangpangLover: lmao
#1HamhampangpangLover: your fine
Don't correct them don't correct them don't correct them—
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Um
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: No offense but…
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: *you're
You gotta be the stupidest person to exist.
#1HamhampangpangLover: 🤓
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: (T^T)
Eh? #1HamhampangpangLover accepted your follow request..? And they followed me back?
#1HamhampangpangLover: if youre gonna correct my grammar
#1HamhampangpangLover: i think its only fair i pick on you for something
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Fair enough…
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: My bad
#1HamhampangpangLover: yeah
#1HamhampangpangLover: it is your bad for dooming yourself to this
#1HamhampangpangLover: oh well
#1HamhampangpangLover: yknow youre a pretty slow typer
They should try typing with massive, razor sharp claws on the ends of their fingers…
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Is that gonna be what you pick on me for?
#1HamhampangpangLover: yep
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Oh well its only fair
#1HamhampangpangLover: 🕺
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Welp
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Two Hamhampangpang fans on the internet
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Shame the tag is dead
#1HamhampangpangLover: yeah
#1HamhampangpangLover: frustrates me to no end that no one seems to appreciate hamhampangpang
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Exactly!! How can people not appreciate it??
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Most people ive met seem unaware of the glory of Hamhampangpang
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Such fools…
#1HamhampangpangLover: exactly
#1HamhampangpangLover: hey
#1HamhampangpangLover: what should i call you?
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: ?
#1HamhampangpangLover: well
#1HamhampangpangLover: our usernames are almost idential
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Uhhhhh
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Maybe just use the numbers?
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Like
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: You're One, I'm Two.
#1HamhampangpangLover: yeah that works
#1HamhampangpangLover: 👍
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: q(≧▽≦q)
Ha… This guy's pretty chill. Maybe you made an online friend.
You click onto their page, scrolling through their limited number of posts. Every single one was just images of Hamhampangpang with captions along the likes of "my lunch." They didn't have their followers public either… Ah, wait. Pronouns. He/him. Good to know.
Wow… this guy has one of the most basic accounts you've ever seen. Well, he seems chill enough.
#1HamhampangpangLover: by the way
#1HamhampangpangLover: next time you go to hamhampangpang
#1HamhampangpangLover: get their cheesesteak
#1HamhampangpangLover: kid you not
#1HamhampangpangLover: best thing i have ever eaten in my life
#1HamhampangpangLover: think when i took a bite of it i literally ascended
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: Thank you for the recommendation One!!
#1HamhampangpangLover: of course
#1HamhampangpangLover: send me a pick of what you order next time too
#1HamhampangpangLover: im craving hamhampangpang now
#2_Hamhampang_Fan: o(*￣▽￣*)ブ
#1HamhampangpangLover: 🕺
Haa… One doesn't seem like a half bad guy. Maybe this will lead to an actual friendship.
n/a: This is a reupload so if you saw this before well.. no you didn't. Anyways life is too short to be terrified of realising your first fanfic smh
Warnings: Yandere Argalia (as per usual), reader is lowkey being held captive, reader is an Angelica yearner sorry guys, referenced breaches of privacy, power imbalance
"Come now friend, why would I ever attempt to fool you?" Argalia's voice remained light, almost playful. The corners of his lips curled upward as though your suspicion was nothing more than a harmless joke.
"You should know why." In contrast, your scowl deepened with suspicion "You'd have to be insane to offer me a deal like this, to expect no payment in return..!" Despite yourself, your voice wavered, quite pathetically in fact. Why were you arguing with him? He'd fed you; given you the luxury of a home, a community. When everyone else had glossed over your dying body, he'd stopped. Going as far as to patch your wounds. Suddenly, your growing suspicion felt childish — cruel, even. And yet.. you still couldn't shake that strange feeling that something wasn't right.
You sighed to yourself. Now wasn't the time to let your conviction waver.
His gaze lingered on you. "You've been here all this time, haven't you?"
Those words left a complicated churning in your heart. How long had it been, exactly? Days blurred together. Weeks—perhaps even months—had passed in the blink of an eye. Enough time had passed for the pain of your wounds to fade into dull aches; for Argalia's presence to become something familiar. Long enough that the memory of the day you'd arrived had begun to feel distant, as if you had always belonged here.
But you didn't. Remembering that was your only strength. Forgetting your origins meant succumbing to his sweet cage, abandoning your past life, even if it was one of terrible hardship.
You couldn't afford that. Not until you found her.
It had started so long ago that you could barely remember the date. Back then, you were a Grade 2 fixer scraping together enough work to get by. The constant struggle to survive in the City's unforgiving streets had begun to wear you down, leaving fewer opportunities and mounting debts with each passing day. One particularly difficult mission left you exhausted in an alleyway, cold and alone. Surely, you thought, this would be your final resting place. Buried in some nameless corner of the City. Without having made a name for yourself, accomplishing anything, or seeing her again. She was right, you truly were hopeless without her.
Unceremoniously, your brief lamentations were interrupted by light footsteps.heard. Growing closer and closer, a figured stood right in front of you.
"Poor thing~" That familiar head of white hair caught the light, almost blinding you. "Left to die all alone. How tragic~" Those same sapphire eyes met yours, paired with an impossibly gentle smile. Genuine or facade, that smile was impossible to decipher. All you knew was that you couldn't look away, not for a second. The elegant stranger stroked your cheek with something almost akin to sympathy; adoration even.
For one awful moment, lying there half-conscious in the alley, you thought she had come back. Only when the figure had knelt beside you did the illusion break.
"This simply won't do.” It wasn’t her. Someone else, watching you with an intensity that made your stomach twist. “I wouldn't dare let you succumb to such an undeserved fate." Gently, with hands as light as feathers, he helped you up. "Come, join me. Even if it's just for the night." Severely indebted to this mysterious individual, you naturally obliged. However, as a price of your extreme fortune, memories of that evening remained frustratingly fragmented. All that remained was the hazy recollection of the signing of a contract: details blurred and the terms unclear. Regardless, you now found yourself under his care.
You'd given up after the seventh review. Each evaluation of the contract led to the same conclusion: every clause was harmless, there was no hidden catch, nor suspicious wording. Absolutely nothing. Somehow, that disturbed you more than any hidden clause would have. Living in the city, you could state for certain that nobody acted purely out of good will. So that begged the question: what could he possibly gain from you staying with him?
Every morning began in the same room, with you becoming increasingly more reclusive as the days passed. This developed into a strange cycle. You'd wake; linger by the window, pace through the halls. And you'd wait, heart heavy with unspoken fears and doubts. Despite your inner turmoil, you never seemed to stray from your patient brooding. Why? You couldn't state, lest you give the wretched feeling a name. With each passing day, the confines of the estate became more and more apparent. You ventured outside less and less, entire afternoons slipped by without you ever leaving your room. And little by little, you stopped asking about the City beyond the walls. Conflicts between factions, fixer offices, and the continuous struggle for survival—they had all become trivial. All that had once concerned you became completely irrelevant. You had all you needed here, with him. And that hollow wholeness terrified you.
Other than Argalia, you rarely had any visitors, with you being apparently free to come and go as you pleased. Somewhere along the way, gratitude had become something of a routine for you. Meals appeared before you could ask for them and any injuries were treated as soon as they appeared. Argalia had become an unexpected remedy to all of your problems whenever he was near. Absolute freedom and unconditional care. Surely, you couldn't have gotten this lucky... right?
Your theory was swiftly proven correct as the amount of visitors increased, and with them came the realization that Argalia surrounded himself with disturbing individuals—monstrosities, all barely recognizable as human. Even worse, they all saw you as his.. lover of sorts.
Clearly something was amiss. So as per usual, you took your issues to the man himself, Argalia.
"I have something to discuss with you, Argalia."
"Hm~?" His usual sly grin was plastered onto his face. A hum of acknowledgement left his lips as he gazed at you with intrigue. "I was just looking for you, dove~ Do you need something from me?"
Despite your suspicions about his real motives, Argalia had never actually mistreated you, nor had his.. strange friends. He tended to your every need without question, going as far as to check on you each morning.
"It's regarding your.. uhm... 'friends'." You tried your very best not to visibly recoil at the thought of them— the effort only seemed to amuse him further.
"Ah, my Ensemble? You were never quite fond of them." he sauntered over to you with elegant steps, stopping only a breath away. "Try to mask your distaste though, they're harmless~ to you anyways.” The latter half of his comment didn't go unnoticed. If anything, it spurred you on even more.
"The thing is.. they're under the impression that we're together.. So–"
"You'd like for me to correct them, dear?" He interrupted you, innocently tilting his head to the side.
"Y-yes.. exactly that.." You inhale slowly, there was no guarantee that he'd agree after all. Argalia had never been particularly subtle about his fondness for you. The gifts left outside your room, the way he somehow knew where you were at all times, the unsettling realization that he'd entered your room more than once without permission–
"Consider it done~"
You blinked, completely taken aback.
"...What?"
Yet his expression remained completely composed.
"I said that I'd correct them. Though, whether they choose to believe me is another matter entirely."
"S-seriously? That's all??" Argalia simply laughed in response to your confusion.
Such a beautiful sound.
Such a terrible sound.
"Oh but of course~ I wouldn't want to scare off my dear guest now would I?" He hums softly to himself, clearly eyeing you with keen interest. Still recovering from the initial shock, you nodded hesitantly.
"T-thank you so much Argalia!” In an attempt to compose yourself after your momentary surprise, you took a much needed deep breath. “To be entirely honest, If it weren't for you.. i don't know where I'd be right now. I really do mean it." That earnest confession slipped out unexpectedly, leaving a burning heat immediately coating your face. For once, he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he studied you, the way an artist might admire a particularly beautiful piece. His terrifying reverence sent shivers down your spine.
Sensing the slightly tense atmosphere, you quickly cleared your throat.
“I've probably made things really awkward again… I'll just go now–” However, his smile remained intact, circling his hand around your wrist.
“Stay.” His single command rang throughout your head, carrying an authority that was almost impossible to ignore. "I was simply.. captivated by your vulnerability.” His gloved fingers trailed downwards, intertwining his with your own. “Besides, there's nothing to thank me for." He murmured against your ear, whilst his other hand lightly grasped your wrist. A gentle chain. "You asked something of me." His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "And naturally, I obliged."
"You needn't worry so much, dove." The nickname rolled effortlessly off his tongue. "You're exactly where you're meant to be.” His thumb gently brushed over your wrist, lightly prodding at your veins. “You don't belong anywhere else.” Those words should've brought you comfort. They should've.. yet — they only seemed to hint at a terrible fate.
n/a: No idea what to tag this one honestly (P.S. I know that in the library, your co-workers would turn into books instantly after death but let's imagine that it only happens when all the librarians of a floor die)
Warnings: Argalia (he deserves it), manipulation, weaponised vulnerability, Argalia's a bitch who won't leave the reader alone
The sanguine stage before you was a grotesquery beyond words. Broken weapons littered the floor, with torn pages fluttering through the air like battered butterflies. Your fellow librarians lay scattered across the reception hall, slain and contorted beyond recognition. Once again you were the last one standing. Whether that was a blessing or a curse, you could no longer tell.
Hesitantly, you drew in a slow breath, forcing your trembling hands to still. Despite your body's physical reaction, you felt almost relieved. Relieved at the prospect that this eternal cat-and-mouse game might finally come to an end; the library would be your final resting place. That didn't sound too bad.. perhaps you'd be granted a quick death. The chances of such a mercy were incredibly low, but there was no harm in indulging in simple fantasies.
Your musings were interrupted by the abrupt sound of measured footsteps — calm and unhurried. Each step echoed across the bloodstained floor with maddening clarity, revealing a silent truth to you. This wouldn't be your last battle. No, far from it. In reality, this scene was all too familiar.
"Dear, don't you ever tire of these pointless games?"
That honeyed voice sent a chill down your spine, instilling a distinct fear in you.
Of course it was him, it always is. He'd found you again just as he always does.
Your captor emerged from the haze of dust and crimson, trampling over your fallen companions without so much as sparing them a glance. Argalia. As per usual, his immaculate smile never faltered. "[Name], dear." For a fleeting moment, his gaze softened in supposed ‘affection’. Though, you weren't naive enough to fall for his false care. Beneath his tender gaze laid a sinister spark; something terrifyingly smothering and possessive all at once. Unfortunately, you had grown accustomed to the fervent obsession in those piercing eyes of his — leaving you with nothing but lingering nausea. "Were you enjoying yourself?" he asked pleasantly. "Sorting books in this little library, making friends. I'd find it terribly dull, personally~"
His eyes drifted lazily across the reception hall, sweeping over the destruction of his own making. "I must admit," he laughed softly, “I was beginning to feel rather neglected."
His polished shoe nudged a body aside, casually casting it out of sight.The familiar uniform immediately ignited a sense of recognition in you. That was Chesed, well.. what remained of him. He was your patron librarian, though you couldn't say that you were particularly close to him. But he was definitely one of the few friendly faces around the library. A shame to see him go, really. Though, this was unlike any reception before. It was... uncanny almost. Argalia could kill you at any moment. A swift death, a slow one—it hardly mattered. The choice was entirely his.
Yet he never did. You'd even begun to question why he kept you around at all.
"Why are you here...?" Your throat tightened, a raging migraine had begun rearing in your head. In silent retaliation, you tried to steady your breathing, adjusting your posture to stop the frantic shaking of your legs. Nothing seemed to work.
Argalia, on the other hand, only seemed to blink in response, before his calm gaze narrowed to amused slits.
"Why wouldn't I be? We've always been together after all.” Taking your silence as an invitation, he stepped closer. “Never apart."
Each wretched syllable seemed to rot your ears. Though you couldn't deny the infuriating truth in his words. Throughout your time with him, you came to realise that Argalia had become the only constant in your life, just as you had in his. Once, you'd found comfort in that certainty — but now, it's only left a lingering ache.
"Were you growing bored of our life together?” He took another unhurried step, his cruel satisfaction only growing at your discomfort. “Ah, I did promise to let you run your own little fixer office, didn't I?” With each step, he’d backed you further into a corner. As per usual, he left no room for either any input or movement from you. “That can still be arranged, my love~"
By the time he had finished speaking, he was standing directly before you. His empty eyes were curved into crescents — entirely focused on you. It was as if he were boring into your soul.
"Argalia—" Methodically, he lifted a gloved hand to your cheek, earning an involuntary hitch of breath from you. Trapped between his body and the wall, the best you could do was attempt to wriggle out of his grip, much to his delight. His smile remained as serene as ever, as if he wasn't sadistically relishing in your distress.
"Of course,” He ignored you, typical. Instead leaning in alarmingly close, lips brushing past your ear. “only if you come back with me willingly." Having seemingly entertained himself enough, he pulled away. Yet his gaze never left you. Watching and waiting with frightening anticipation. You recognised that look.
“You can do that for me, can’t you, dear? I'd hate to have to drag you back kicking and screaming again~" he hummed with mock amusement.
All you could do was stare at him with a mix of horror and disbelief. Disbelief at the audacity to disrupt your once peaceful life again and again for the sole sake of satisfying his infatuation. And the horror of realising that encountering his was never a simple possibility, rather an inevitability.
"Argalia.." Your voice wavered slightly, as your hand gripped onto his lapel as an attempt to ground yourself. "I don’t understand.” Yet you continued to push forward despite your rapidly deteriorating sanity. "You let me get close to people, allow me to make friends.." The words came faster now, years of frustration spilling out uncontrollably. "You watch me build something for myself, a life for myself! And then—" Your breath hitched slightly "—you tear it all apart…!!"
Silence.
For once, you couldn't hear his crude snicker, or thinly veiled insults. Just complete and utter silence.
Suddenly the realisation of what you had done settled in.
You didn’t dare face him, you couldn't. It'd only further spur on your rage. But at this point, you could hardly care. If death was the price for finally defending yourself, shouting, dragging and exposing him to his own cruelty — then you'd do this again and again without remorse.
“Does it make you happy seeing me like this?” You demanded, savagely tugging at his platinum locks. “Do you like seeing me as miserable as you..?? I'm sure that you get a real thrill out of putting me down then, right? But never forget, you're no better than me. Tormenting me only drags me down to your level, nowhere below.” Harshly, you released him from your grip, shoving him backwards (to little success) “You forget that I’m not some sort of replacement for her, I’m my own person and I can’t—” you caught your breath, slowing down your breathing. “I can’t take this, can’t stand this..! Someone— no.. something as worthless as you should just drop dead instead of dragging me into your misery! Just.. leave me be..!!"
After finally having vented out your frustrations, you were overcome with exhaustion. You couldn’t be bothered to hold back anymore. To hell with surviving this encounter. For once, you wanted to be like him, selfishly putting your own desire first too. Unfortunately though, as a result of your own indulgence — you were faced with almost certain death. Perhaps he’d grant you a quick end for evoking his ire. With a gentle sigh, you lowered your head in acceptance. Yet, the sharp curve of his scythe never came. In fact, he hadn’t moved from his position at all. Upon hesitantly meeting his gaze, his once frenzied expression had turned icy— his ears tinted a slight pink. He’d become a terrible blend of unreadable and dangerous.
Fuck.
"Perhaps I do take pleasure in this." He started slowly, letting his gaze drift from you, to the remains of your companions, then towards the exit. A soft laugh escaped him, unusually airy and light. Frightening.
"Maybe it does brings me some small comfort to see you so defeated." The admission was delivered with the same ease one might discuss the weather. Before you could react, his arms slipped carefully around your waist hold you with a terrifying reverence. To him, you were the final note of his life's aria. "Because then.." His hold tightened ever so slightly. "I'm not alone."
For the first time that evening, his smile weakened. Not disappearing entirely, but small enough to reveal the vulnerability beneath it. Argalia appeared almost fragile as he nestled his face against your neck. Unconsciously your harsh grip on his hair had relaxed into gentle strokes.
"I know that you're not her.." He murmurs softly, lips gently brushing against your ear. Combined with his alluring voice, you couldn't help but shudder.. "I never intended for you to be her replacement. You're my one and only love.. and you're here with me aren't you?” His gentle laugh echoes throughout the room, as he places a soft hand against your face, “I know you're not her.. she's departed from the world long ago, yet you're still here." He rambles more to himself than to you, mindlessly playing with your hair. "Because of you, I have someone who truly understands." His voice had grown significantly quieter now, whispering his gentle confession with utmost care.
Someone who understands loss.
Someone who understands me.
Those unspoken words weighed heavily between you. Neither of you dared to comment on them.
"Isn't it better like this?" A gentle hum vibrated against your skin, his fingers tracing absent-minded circles along your side. Argalia had never been like this, his kindness was only ever followed by the sharp thorns of his obsession. Yet, here the two of you were, embracing one another as if you were a regular couple. It was as if everything were back to normal.
"Instead of wasting your time on people destined to disappear..." His eyes flickered briefly towards the corpses scattered throughout the reception hall. "...we could have remained together." A soft smile returned to his lips. This time it was small, melancholic. "Just like this."
For some inexplicable reason, your throat became increasingly dry. Your face burned under his overwhelmingly soft gaze. How did things come to this...
His expression was overcome with both grief and endearment, rather than his usual smug grin. It was as though he were mourning someone only he could still see.
"I've never restricted your freedom for this very reason, dove." His hand rose to cradle your cheek, softly brushing the strands of hair away from them. "I wanted you to see for yourself the inevitability of death." The gesture was unbearably gentle, you could hardly take it anymore. "In this City, every bond is fated to be severed." His thumb idly brushed away a speck of blood from your skin. "Nobody escapes it."
Then, unexpectedly— his smile returned. Silver curls elegantly framed his face, as his eyes softened imperceptibly. And he smiled, a genuinely warm smile. "But it's alright."
Resting his forehead against yours, he tilted his head innocently. "You aren't alone anymore. We aren't alone."
Words that should have terrified you, offered you a strange comfort. They made your chest twist and ache with a yearning so profound it bordered on grief; a yearning for friends, for companionship, and perhaps, for him.
"As long as we stay together..."
Whilst his fingers intertwined with yours, emotions and sensations all seemed to blur together. Warmth, possessiveness, comfort and cruelty—they all became one and the same.
"We can endure anything."
Tears prickled your eyes before you even realised that you were crying. It was.. unusual. Throughout all the gruelling years that you had known Argalia, he has never felt so close, so human. It was though he alone understood every part of you, as you understood him. In that moment, you were reminded of what had drawn you to him in the first place. The beauty he creates.
"After all..." His voice had softened to a little more than a whisper. "True strength is born from despair."
His grip tightened around your hand, firmly reminding you he was there. Once, the gesture would have filled you with dread. "It’s an unrivalled beauty, wouldn't you agree?"
Now, all you could do was nod.
"Let's return home, hm? I'll make sure to prepare an extravagant meal for you, just as I always do." He finally let go of you, turning toward the library doors. The absence of his touch left a lingering emptiness. "Aren’t I so kind?" His voice carried that familiar teasing lilt, as if nothing unusual had happened. In response you nodded stiffly preparing to follow after him, but something felt.. off? You couldn’t quite put your finger on it.
Your gaze flickered across the room. The was a pearl-white box in one of his hands, the other firm, almost elegant grip on his scythe from the other. Those were the most noticeable additions to this floor. Aside from.. the bodies. The endless pile of bodies.
The corpses faces ranged from friends to foes, strangers to even family. They all held one thing in common, all of them were faces only you’d recognise. One by one, their eyes all gradually landed on your figure, as if scrutinising you, judging you for what you've done. Once again, you'd get off scot-free with your life, whilst the innocent and guilty alike paid the price for your freedom. If you hadn't come here, maybe your fellow librarians would still be alive. If you hadn't tried leaving him, maybe all of these unfortunate souls would’ve be granted an actual chance at life.
But that wasn’t right, was it..? None of this would’ve happened if he hadn’t interfered with your life—
No.
That couldn’t be it.
"O-of course, Argalia," You murmured, more to yourself than him. Clasping your hands together, you whispered a quiet prayer, hoping that he didn't notice your sudden wave of anxiety. Glancing back over his shoulder, he smiled again. Though perfectly composed, it had changed. This time not quite reaching his eyes.
"Then please, follow after me."
For a moment, you hesitated. Your eyes drifted back to that floor one last time. To the crumpled remains of your co-workers, to the bloodied ground. To everything that should have made this impossible.
Yet, despite it all, you turned away.
Abandoning that husk of a library, you followed him.
Because eventually, you'd have come back home. Right?
a/n: This idea came to me after hitting my head please don't ask. (not really proof read gulp...)
Warnings: Slight yandere (sorry I cannot write Argalia normal </3), library of ruina spoilers, Argalia just being an annoying little shit, power imbalance
"Hm~ You could do so much better than this dump, dear."
"I appreciate your flattery, Mr Argalia. However..." You gestured towards the contract held by his peculiar companion. Pluto seemed to be its name.
"I should've been included in the contract, no? I'm certain that I’m supposed to be heading to the library alongside my co-workers."
"Well, you won't be going~" His soft smile turned somewhat condescending at the revelation. "You see, I couldn't bear the image of harm befalling you. But, since I'm a such a kind soul, I'm offering you an out. An escape from this miserable office, if you will." He left Pluto's side, casually sauntering over to you with a sly grin. "After all, it'd be a tragedy if you didn't return from the library, wouldn't it?"
To say that you disliked Argalia was an understatement. He was far too arrogant for his own good, appearing just to taunt and threaten your team before leaving. And he wasn't any more tolerable 1 on 1 either. His constant surveillance on you had began to boarder unprofessional. When he wasn’t reminding you of what you had done throughout the day, he’d pester you relentlessly, regardless of how busy you were. It wasn't as if you had ever breached your shared contract with him, yet he still felt it necessary to remind you of the contracts details. Items you might’ve forgotten or misplaced somehow always appeared in his hands too. Your reactions never failed to amuse him, that you hated most.
Stepping back, you became aware of the sadistic glint in his eye. Of course that sick freak enjoyed this.
"You never know sir—"
"My name, dear."
"You never know.. Argalia. Our office might be more capable than you think. We might even return with the books and make you eat your words."
You knew you were pushing your luck, but he was clearly underestimating the Cane Office. Much to your surprise, Argalia didn’t penalise you, instead he found great humour in your sarcastic quip. He failed to hide his amused grin — erupting into boisterous laughter all at once.
"Ah~ I'm sorry, I just couldn't hold it in." His gloved hand muffled his giggles at your supposed hilarity of your comment. Though, you weren't convinced that going to the library would be that dangerous an endeavour; after all, your office has tackled several star of the city level threats. What's so different about this one?
"[Name], dear, you're following the same line of thought as that foolish oblong." He hummed gleefully, turning away from you. "The Library isn't any ordinary threat. It grants immense power to its librarians, you know? As you are now, you'd stand no chance." His sapphire cape caught light as he paced around the room, giving you a temporary reprieve of his presence. Just as you were about to question him, he twirled his gloved finger around a strand of your hair. Invading your personal space once again, all too readily. "They'd swallow you all up, tearing you limb—" Tug. "by limb." The abrupt pain lingered on your scalp at his incessant yanking.
With time, he grew bored of terrorising you. Turning on his heel, he now faced his skeletal peer. "Pluto, show our dear guest, her most recent contract."
"As you wish Sir Argalia."
In an instant, the contract materialised out of thin air. Each and every clause displayed was left as you remembered weeks prior. Argalia diverted his attention back to you — stood almost a breath away. As an act of revolt, you trailed two fingers along his cheek in a gentle caress. Like a cat. his eyes widened noticeably before nudging his face against you. Just as planned. That’s when you struck, jabbing him in attempt to force his face away, and to teach him a few things about a few things, like yknow personal space??
"My being at the library should hardly be an issue for someone as powerful as you."
"Perhaps~ However.." In response, his hands circled around your wrists, lightly caging you against the wall. "I've grown quite fond of you, you see? I can't seem to let you go~"
His breathing took on a uniquely erratic flow. His eyes trembling with an emotion you’d rather not name.
Your breath hitched momentarily at his brazen admission. Trapped and outnumbered, you glanced over at the singular invitation left behind by your colleagues.
"Then this goes beyond professional interest. I’d advise against pursuing anything with me." Despite your blunt refusal, he didn't falter. If anything, he became even more insistent — sneaking an arm around your waist and pulling you to his chest.
"I'll keep your warning in mind~" Pressed against the soft fabric of his jacket, the hammering of his beating heart startled you. The fact that someone as sinister and wicked as him is capable of having a heart of his own is beyond you.
"Anyways, take a nice look over the clauses of our personal contract. Maybe you'll come to understand why its impossible for you to go with your little friends towards a certain death~"
His eyes glinted with mirth, releasing you before handing you the now slightly crumpled sheet. You read through it once, twice, three times even. Nothing was amiss. It stated that Argalia would grant you access to any information on the city you could need. In exchange, you eradicated any of his oppositions. A surprisingly easy task, really. It was almost too convenient though. His foes were so weak that you’d often wonder why he hadn’t gotten rid of them himself. Sometimes they had already been dealt with, leaving their mutilated remains sprawled about for all to see. But this was all besides the point — there was nothing off about this contract.
"That's where you're wrong my dear, perhaps you need to look a *little* closer~" You're soon handed that skeleton’s eyeglass, leaving you.. perplexed to say the least. Once the monocles golden rim had settle comfortably against your nose, a shocking discovery revealed itself, etched in blue.
'Stay with me.'
"..?"
A clause that isn't visible to the eye? What kind of madness was this…? In all your time working for the Cane Office, you had never dealt with a contract this.. unusual. This has to be some sort of violation, surely. Though, even if you ignored the blatant fraud, the condition itself was far too vague.
"What makes you think that I'll abide by this fraudulent contract..?" Despite your strong conviction, the slight waver of your voice did not go unnoticed by him. He was onto you.
"Well, you already are, see? Right now you aren’t straying away from me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you liked being near me~” Your immediate glare only made his grin wider, raising his arms in mock-surrender.
“I jest, I jest. But if you want to know what exactly that clause means, it states you'll be near me whenever I wish for you to be. And if you don't heed my call.. well.." He gave an ominous smile — followed by the furrowing of your brows. A strange tension settled between the two of you, both determined to establish your authority. Your continued squinting seemed to have no effect on him, as his provocative grin stayed perfectly in place. Eventually, you caved in — sighing in exasperation.
"Then.. what?"
"Then Pluto will collect our compensation, of course~"
Once again, Argalia’s cryptic wording did nothing to soothe your growing anxiety. A cold chill ran down your spine — reminding you that maybe the library would’ve been a kinder fate. Blinking in confusion, you narrowed your eyes at him, an attempt to decipher his jargon.
"Compensation…?" Yet, you found nothing, only mustering a lackluster response in the face of his smooth casualty.
"Mhm." Argalia nodded. "Every contract holds consequences for breaching them. It would be rather pointless otherwise."
Tearing your gaze away from him, you stared at the non-human judge of your fate, should you go against Argalia’s everchanging whims. Pluto, the skeletal figure remained perfectly still; his monocle glinting beneath the office lights.
“And what sort of… *compensation* are you talking about exactly?"
Time itself seemed to still at the question, the silence that followed was as deliberate as it was deafening. Argalia's grin never fell as he watched your expression slowly harden.
"Anything he deems of value."
By this point, you had given up trying to decipher his purposely elusive responses.
“Anything...?” Your head throbbed in rhythmic aches. Thump, thump, thump. Despite your admirable defiance, there remained a quiet truth that you had refused to accept. Regardless of your choice, you’ll be dancing in the palm of his hand, perhaps you always have been. Endeared by your growing lethargy, Argalia gently lifted your chin — hollow eyes peering into tired ones.
“Exactly that.” he hummed a chipper tune, all to pleased with himself. “So, if you value that tiny bit of free will you still have, I’d suggest that you’d listen to me, hm?” It was almost humiliating seeing the way he talked down to you, treating you as if you’re someone beneath him. You couldn’t stand it, couldn’t stand him. Without realising it, your fists hand be clenched to the point of shaking, each hand trembling with the desire to throttle him, attack him, something..! But you couldn’t. And even if you did, it’d only serve as a means of delaying the inevitable. You both knew this, yet he relished it all too much. With a weary sigh, you unclenched your fists, letting them hang limply from your sides.
“I’ll.. keep your suggestion in mind”
“Good, I hope that you take extra care in considering my words~ I’ll visit again 3 days from now, then we’ll see whether your pathetic team is as capable as you think they are.” With a downright demeaning laugh, he waves you off, leaving with Pluto.
Alone for the first time in hours, you slumped in defeat against the wall. Feelings of frustration and weakness were all that remained. Only time will tell what happens next, all you could do was pray that your companions returned in one piece.
(Apologies for the gigantic delay, life decided to do life things, which distracted me from writing. Plus my Internet decided to be questionable for 2 days. Regardless, I hope you enjoy!!)
Heishou Pack Wei Branch x GN! Reader
After the job offer you took with the Mao, Hongyuan felt...different. Not in a bad way, per sé, just...like something shifted.
Whatever it was, you found yourself once again with the same offer for another Branch of the Heishou Pack. This time, you'll be helping out the Wei Branch - mutated sheep people.
If it was anything like the Mao, which it sounded like it on paper, then you felt more confident going into this than you did with the Mao.
So, upon meeting one of the sheep, you were taken by surprise when they spontaneously grew a thick layer of wool around their body. Clearly, Hongyuan was not a host to your typical animals.
Additionally atypical, too, was that the Wei was shivering like it was very cold. Odd, for a creature covered in a layer of what was supposed to prevent that very issue.
The Wei looked up at you, before gently bumping its head into you, like it was gently greeting you as they lay down on the ground. They looked like a massive ball of wool, one that you weren't sure if trimming would actually be beneficial to the creature.
Nevertheless, it was probably additional weight that they would be better off without, so you sat down next to them. The creature hardly minded you as you cut down their wool a bit; they were shivering regardless. The only difference now, was how close their body was to yours.
Much like the Mao, the Wei found themself pressing against your body for warmth. The creature did feel cold to the touch, but looked happy to be cleaned up.
They were quick to take care of, staying mostly still for the entire time, which was a pleasant surprise compared to animals you've taken care of in the past.
You were just finishing up with this particular Wei before-
*Poof!*
The wool you meticulously trimmed had regrown just like that.
Though, it did look cleaner than before, and the Wei was happy enough. The wool was incredibly soft, kind of like a pillow but more delicate to the touch.
They also seemed to have stopped shivering; supposedly being near you actually affected them, hooray you!
At the same time, other Wei were looking on at the impromptu snuggling that was going on, and a few more wandered over. A couple gently bumped you, before laying down around you, which formed a circle of sheep around you. Each one was practically exploding wool...this was going to take a long time.
But, that was your specialty; handling unusual situations came with the nature of animals, so you focused on each Wei, trimming and cleaning their wool before they inevitably grew more as soon as you were done.
By the time you were done, you were surrounded by a large quantity of fluffy wool, as the Wei laid around you for warmth. One of the Wei gently nudge your hand, getting your attention as they hand you a small replica of one of their horns - another collectable trinket, like what the Mao gave you.
With how content the Wei were around you, it was becoming obvious that you were going to be stuck in what amassed to a cuddle pile for a while. Some of the Wei softly bleat, pleased that they were no longer constantly cold.
There were worse fates than this, so you made yourself comfortable in the middle of the pile, closing your eyes for a rest as the Wei fall asleep around you.
When you woke up, you found that the Wei surrounding you are gone, and left in their wake was a hat made out of their wool.
Deciding that it was time to go, you once again set back out into H Corp. a little cozier.
(Just don't mind the occasional straggler making themselves comfortable around you, or the faint bleating you think you hear somewhere in the distance - it was probably nothing, right?)
