⊹ Hi! I'm Stellar! I interact from @stellar-headquarters (see other fandoms I write for here). This account is sfw, asks and dms are open! Reblogged content is tagged by character.
fluff, f. reader, tw. none | realisation washed over diluc how having a child was as much a blessing as it was a trial
diluc never thought he's cut out to be a father. a husband? maybe. but a parent to such an innocent little soul? does he even know how to care for himself enough to care for another being? he doubted it reasonably.
so he avoided fatherhood, until he couldn't.
so he did the next best thing he could do — prepared for the worst.
throughout your pregnancy and your daughter's early childhood, he had had competent hands helping him manage the winery so that he could focus on his duty as a supportive husband and present father. he personally made sure the house was baby-proof, drunkard-proof, slime-proof (he noticed how a number of them can consistently be found around the proximity of his yard) and fortified to an acceptable degree without you telling him that he's basically turning the house to a fortress.
maybe he's just being protective. maybe he's overly anxious. kaeya bet on his reputation at the tavern that it's both. diluc sighed and proceeded to serve him grape juice. that's all he'd gotten ever since the child was born. between having to give up drinking and not seeing his niece, it was an easy choice to make, especially when he got to see a mini version of his brother running around the winery and relive his childhood a little bit.
one time you're out of town and the two brothers were left in charged of the baby, she threw a tantrum out of nowhere. they dropped whatever they were discussing about immediately. for some reason, her tantrum became wilder when kaeya or the maids tried to hold her.
in his panic, diluc held his daughter close to his chest and tried his best to calm her down. she didn't want her bottle nor favourite toy, and her diaper was still clean. his last idea was to take her out for some fresh air while praying you'll come home soon. miraculously, the baby quieted down after a few moments.
later when he told you what happened, speculations were thrown left and right, but you matter-of-factly said that your daughter just wanted her father's attention all to herself.
kaeya sighed contently, "she looks exactly like him when she cries. like an apple".
luckily for him, diluc himself was too busy gazing fondly at his daughter to slash his brother with his claymore.
if anyone's to ask if he ever thought of having another child, he'd say no with horror on his face. he's already not doing well with his first, so having another would just stress how much he's failing at fatherhood. a child needs a capable father to have the best childhood (to be honest, everyone were waiting for his daughter to grow up faster and tell him he's doing amazing as one).
if anyone's to ask if he regret having his daughter in the first place, he'll answer with a soft smile, as warm as the dawn itself, "no".
after his daughter was born, he finally understood the hopelessness his father must have felt raising him and kaeya alone with his wife. he also understood the relief that came after staying up all night taking care of his sick child knowing that she survived the night.
diluc's life was mired in tragedy and loss, until it's filled with the memory of his daughter's smile, laughter, first step, and first time calling him dada. he wouldn't have it any other way.
We don't talk enough about how goddamn funny Tighnari is. That man is unphased by everything.
Cyno shows up at his doorstep with a small child who is traumatized, illiterate, terminally ill, has an ancient god sealed away in her body, and asks him to help raise her, and Tighnari's only objection is that he doesn't know how to teach preschool level academics.
He eats a poisonous mushroom, passes out, has a hallucination and just goes "damn that was crazy. Let me write it down for science."
The dudes in charge of the whole country repeatedly beg him to come work for them and he tells them to fuck off.
The second fatui harbinger, said to be as strong as a god, threatens him and he basically tells him to fuck off too.
The traveler gets possessed by god and then comes back to tell him that the sages are building a false god and he's like "Damn that's fucked up. Anyways I gotta go check on my patient."
Dehya and the Traveler basically say "Hey we are helping Cyno overthrow the government" and he's just like bet.
He get's struck by lightning and is just like "Oof. Anyways gotta go check on my patient, good luck fighting a god".
He finds an illegal sentient robot crab and just adopts it and tells the matra not to worry about it.
He passes out from heat exhaustion in the desert and is just like "Damn. I'll need to bring some sunscreen next time".
Finds out Cyno has a long lost brother/cousin and is just like "Cool. Why don't you come over for dinner, meet the family".
The craziest shit can happen to this man and he's just like "Allright why not. This might as well happen" and I love that about him
details: rogue royalty x loyal knight AU ┊ fem!reader ┊ ~1.7k words ┊ part of @d1strict99's gotta love them all event ┊ inspired by fionn's cover of toxicity by system of a down + clorinde's story quest ┊ two honorable women from the kingdom make their grand escape in the hopes of bringing justice to their people
dedications: thank you @chi-anpan & @hellkaiserinphoenix for beta reading + happy bday @millurie, enjoy your clorinde crumbs!
"Your highness!" Your bedroom door flies open, and your personal maid frantically runs in.
Surprised, you nearly knock over the glass of water on your desk. "Yes? Is there a problem?"
"There is a riot, your highness! All the royals and nobles are to be escorted to the stronghold!"
"A riot, you say?"
Standing up, you peer outside your window, watching as people emerge from the forest and run up the path to the royal grounds. They wave torches in the air, yelling things you cannot comprehend. Nonetheless, it is clear to anyone that their words carry anger and frustration.
"We must get you to safety, your highness. Dame Clorinde should be here at any second."
As if to confirm your maid's statement, the aforementioned knight appears in the doorway. You expected nothing less.
"Your highness, we must leave immediately."
"Understood," you say, walking towards her. You take nothing with you, except for the satchel placed on the edge of your bed.
Clorinde walks briskly, prompting you to keep up with her pace. It was a blessing that you were still wearing your boots, as you had participated in horseback riding activities that afternoon.
"Are you alright?" She looks at you over her shoulder.
"I'll be fine."
The two of you weave in and out of corridors and secret passages. Staff members and servants run past you in a frenzy, shouting various orders. They have no time to stop and greet you as they usually do.
A pang of sadness hits you as you watch them. Instead of hurrying to protect themselves, you know that their main priority is preserving whatever they can in the castle and barricading themselves along with it. If they're caught running away, they will face punishment. So, they're either executed for "treason," or they risk it all trying to save something that matters less than their lives.
It is a cruel fate—you curse whoever in your lineage was responsible for enacting it.
Speaking of the devil, you suddenly hear a shout.
"Darling!"
Instinctively, you stop and turn in the direction of the voice, only to see your parents rushing over. Your blood runs cold. This was the last thing you wanted.
"Darling, there you are!" Your mother exclaims, hands flailing around. "Come now! We must get to the stronghold!"
You stand frozen in place, staring at her open arms.
"My dear daughter, what is the matter?" Your father's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "We must get to safety immediately."
"I…"
Your heart thumps loudly in your ears. You need to leave.
"I'm not…I'm not coming with you."
"What?"
"I'm not coming with you," you repeat with certainty.
"What do you mean you're not coming with us? That is- Where do you even plan to go?"
"I'm leaving."
Your parents gasp in unison, then they point at Clorinde. "You! Are you holding my daughter hostage?"
Clorinde looks at you before responding. "No. It is my duty to keep the princess safe. I will see to it that she remains alive."
"You are not answering my question!" Your father's voice thunders down the hall. Some of the staff passing by glance at the commotion before scurrying away.
Your protector sighs and opens her mouth to respond, but you step in for her. "No, Father. We are leaving."
"Are you both out of your mind?" Your mother wails. "The stronghold is safer! Those barbarians are going to kill you out there!"
"No!" Your father points a finger at the two of you, stepping forward. "The real question is why you are both leaving. We demand an explanation."
"I'm afraid you aren't getting one, Father." You nearly bite your tongue to stop yourself from saying sorry. "We are leaving, with or without your approval."
"Excuse me?" He marches forward. But as soon as he reaches out to grab you, Clorinde pushes you behind her, and she draws her sword.
"You! I will have your head for this. I do not care if my daughter has ordered you around; you are still under my command. You swore your loyalty to the kingdom, did you not?"
"Indeed, your majesty. I swore my loyalty to the kingdom, and that includes all of its people, not merely its nobility."
"What are you talking about?"
You move forward to whisper in Clorinde's ear. "Let's run. They cannot keep us here."
She nods in response, lowering her blade and taking your hand once more. "Three, two, one, go."
You both make a break for it. The king's shouts echo down your path of escape, but soon, they can no longer reach you.
Eventually, you reach the exit near the back of the palace, where the other knights have stood guard. They move to let you through, saluting you and Clorinde. You nod at them in acknowledgement. One you recognize as Clorinde's superior wishes you well.
"Have a safe journey, your highness."
Instantly, you're met with a soft breeze and the orange glow of the sky. You can also hear the villagers' faint shouts from the opposite side with more clarity. You also recognize a deep, thumping sound, which you realize is their attempt to break in.
Clorinde looks back for a moment. "I wonder how far they will get."
"Me too."
You both wander through the castle's maze-like garden to meet with the palace gardener as planned. He breathes a sigh of relief when he spots the two of you. "Your highness. Dame Clorinde."
Swiftly, he shovels away the topsoil, revealing the hatch of the palace's secret tunnel. He opens the lock with the stolen key, then hands it to you.
"Thank you for your courage, your highness. We are counting on you."
"Of course, Lyney. Thank you as well for your assistance."
You both descend the ladder into the old passageway, and right before you reach the bottom, Lyney gives you a lit oil lamp.
"Take care."
After half an hour, you reach the end of the dark tunnel. Clorinde uses her sword to cut through the overgrown vines blocking your path until natural light eventually starts to come through.
"There's the carriage!" You sigh in relief as it comes into clear sight. "I can't believe it. I'm actually leaving the city, and for once, there is no grand entourage accompanying me."
"And for once, I do not require permission to depart," Clorinde adds. "Shall we? Navia and Furina are waiting for us."
Your two accomplices instantly turn to you at the sound of leaves crunching beneath your feet.
"Your highness! Clorinde!" Navia's eyes brighten. "You made it out safely."
"Thank you for waiting, Navia and Furina."
"Oh, of course!" Furina grins, clapping her hands. "I am more than eager to see this escape plan through. Now, let's get going!"
She opens the door to the enclosed carriage and points inside. "Your disguises are inside as well, so you may change along the way. There are curtains for privacy, of course. Navia and I will just be outside. Just knock on the window if you need anything. We'll be on the lookout."
"Thank you both."
Clorinde stands next to the steps, offering her hand out for you to ascend safely.
"Aw, how romantic!" Navia singsongs.
"What?" Clorinde narrows her eyes.
"You're so sweet, Clorinde."
"It's my job-"
"To ensure the princess's safety. Oh yes, I know, but you two are always an adorable sight."
You snicker at the girls' exchange. "Navia, I can arrange for Clorinde to hold your hand, too."
She gasps in fake surprise. "Pulling rank, I see. Hahaha! I was just teasing. Now get in, lovebirds."
Clorinde shakes her head, taking her seat next to you. The carriage door is shut, leaving the two of you in the confined space. It is much smaller than the royal carriages you are used to, but sitting in proximity to your personal guard is second nature to you.
You recognize the carriage starting to move forward, and the reality sinks in.
"We're really about to do this, Clorinde."
"Hm?" She pauses in the middle of removing her metal plates. "Oh. Yes. There is no turning back now."
"By the way, I was thinking about earlier…" You turn to her, assisting in dismantling her armor. "I don't know why I stopped when my parents called for us. We should have kept running."
"It is alright. I was prepared for any confrontation. And regardless of what we did, I would be charged with treason."
"That is true. I just froze in the moment because I couldn't believe I was truly about to betray them—they have done everything they could to give me a good life since birth. But still, I could not live the rest of my life internally disagreeing with their beliefs and overlooking the rest of the kingdom. So, again, thank you for helping me find the avenue to act on my values, Clorinde.
"On another note, it was rather, attractive, of you to draw your blade and state your loyalties."
"Ah-" Clorinde's eyes widen at the sudden change in topic. "Is that so?"
"There's nothing more attractive than a woman standing to fight for a good cause."
The corners of her lips twitch upwards.
"Then, it seems the same applies to you, princess." Her gloved hands reach up to cup your face. "May I?"
You nod.
She gives you a tender kiss on the lips.
Bonus:
The two of you pull away smiling.
"So, what do you think of this segment, Clorinde? I know the overall worldbuilding and plot still need more work, but…"
"I must say I am eager to play-test the next part as soon as possible."
You beam. "Really?"
"Mm. I haven't role-played scripts where romance is the main focus of the story, but it seems that protecting a runaway princess is a rather enthralling role."
"I'm glad you think so."
Clorinde chuckles. "I am honored that you often ask me for feedback as a senior Game Master, but it was fun to play as your girlfriend, too. Now I am far more certain that romantic partners would be interested in a script like this—I know I would like to see more from you."
Unable to contain your giddiness, you wrap your arms around her neck to bring her in for another kiss.
"Hey, lovebirds!" Navia calls from the other room. "Are we done with the script? I don't think kissing should take that long!"
pt. 2 of sumeru quest screenshots and my alhaitham obsession is getting increasingly clear
my favorite reaction photo/gif: alhaitham crash out + you should know i cried laughing at paimon's overreaction here HJFJHHFJDHSJ i would not be able to keep a straight face if i were lumine
KAVEH KAVEH KAVEH EIEWWIEIWIWIW <3 "why would you question my heartfelt sincerity" im going to EAT YOU
IS HE SMILING??!? ALHIAHATHAM SMILGIN!! :3 FACE?!?!? WHAWHT
an astute observation. also HELL YEAH AKADEMIYA BASHING WOOOOOOO (i say, still a lover of academia) + PLEASE NOT THE HOUSE KEY. IM BONKING HIM. HOW IS KAVEH COMING HOME??
lowkey he's kinda real for this. i just know he'd have the craziest email sign-offs in corporate. "please hesitate to ask any questions" ahh
ok but i really like the vibe of his house. sumeru design yummy + "minimum viable seriousness" WHHADDSJ also real i wish i could be like this about work a bit more
i forgot i still had my alhaitham screenshots from the sumeru aq LMFAOOOO god i was losing it. anyway.
hello thank you for saving me from a scam. wow grumpy cat.
i would lowk cry if he was my clinical supervisor tbh HAHAHAHAH but sometimes i do like how straightforward he is lol
HELL YEAH everyone should come prepared with a book to read!! (but the book in question for me is fanfiction :P) also lol let him be paimon, but i agree the place was freaky esp the underground EUGH
i wish i had his confidence lol. also FEEBLE SCHOLAR BLEHHHHH
AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING LIKE AN ADVOCATE FOR FALLACIES I HATE HIM (no i dont)
CONTENT. gn!reader. pokemon au. comedy, fluff. 2.1k wc. rewrite of gotta catch ‘em all! at my old main blog @/verxsyon. original was written before wanderer’s release, hence why he’s referred to as scaramouche. mentions of accidental arson by a pokemon (yoimiya).
VERA. oh, lookie. another pokemon au with another fandom. best memory with this song is when i went to amber liu’s concert in 2020 and it was at the end of her set list. my friend and i are huge pokemon fans, and we screamed out the entire song to the point we lost our voices the next day. fun times ten out of ten.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. ALBEDO
an artist whose paintings are framed in numerous museums around the nation. albedo has trouble finding a subject for his next piece to place in the cathedral. while searching for mondstadt’s gym leader, his smeargle asks you on his behalf to help him out. you’re the nearest person around the area, and the pokemon exposes his hesitancy to ask you because he’s stunned by your appearance. you’re confused, but with your permission, you become his inspiration. as thanks, he acts as your tour guide.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. ARATAKI ITTO
more or less your rival. he’s always the first trainer to challenge you to a battle as soon as you earn a gym badge, and he does it very annoyingly - one might add. itto thinks he’s all that, bragging that he’ll crush the elite four and the champion in one go with his best buddy, tauros. while he’s at it, he bets he can crush you too. but his arrogance gets the best of him when you won. the next time the two of you battle again, he swears that he won’t go easy on you.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. DILUC
a guide and bartender from the flying-type gym. diluc is assigned by the leader to serve drinks to challengers - as well as the gym leader himself. his talonflame is his best friend, but unfortunately he can’t help due to being used for the gym challenge. he’d rather battle someone instead of being behind the counter all day, so you suggest being his opponent. he doesn’t expect you to be so mischievous, similar to the leader, devising a plan to kidnap his partner. to your surprise, he agrees with it.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. GOROU
a trainer who frequently hikes the mountains to train with his lycanroc (dusk form). you meet the duo when your partner smells curry from his campsite. gorou is very kind to let you stay for the night, seeing that it’s getting dark and no town in sight. before departing in the morning, he warns you about the dangers you’ll face en route and says you and your partner are welcome to hang out with him anytime. when you earn the electric-type badge, you’ll celebrate with a feast full of curry.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. HU TAO
a trainer raised by mediums and fascinated with urban legends. hu tao is investigating the truth of those legends with her chandelure. seeing that you got lost in the totally not haunted forest that leads to the next gym, she proposes to join her investigation on the rumors of ghosts in the area. in return, she will give you tips on how to beat the gym leader. she habitually pranks people for fun, so you have a hard time believing that whatever she says is the truth.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. KAEDEHARA KAZUHA
a transfer student and your classmate at the pokemon academy. you feel sorry for kaedehara kazuha because he has to deal with you copying his notes every single day. that’s what you get for sleeping a lot in class. for someone who sits at the back of the class, his sawsbuck (autumn) is an attention seeker, annoying the poor guy with its antlers until he sends it back into its poké ball. apparently it doesn’t like you because his partner spends more time watching you sleep with hearts in his eyes.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. KAEYA
a famous pokemon coordinator. everyone expects kaeya to participate in the biggest pokemon contest of the year, with a purpose to celebrate his victory against the city’s gym leader. he thrives off excitement, so upon hearing that you, the future champion, is among the crowd, he wants to make sure the whole world knows you’re the real deal. at the peak of the competition, he sends his weavile to invite you onstage and challenges you in a battle as an excuse to flirt with you in front of millions.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. KAMISATO AYAKA
co-heir of the kamisato hotel chain. her older brother rarely stays at the penthouse due to business trips, so kamisato ayaka manages logistics in his stead. she’s rarely outside, but when she does, she’s with her glaceon at the boutiques shopping for new clothes. you happen to be at the same boutique as her, having a hunch that she’s a prominent figure in society. the two of you accidentally switch bags when passing by each other, but luckily it’s a minor issue. once it’s resolved, she quickly leaves.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. KUJOU SARA
the daughter of a flying taxi pilot who was captured by the fatui with his pokemon. kujou sara is in the business with her corviknight. she wants to thank you for rescuing her family by giving you free access to the taxi anytime, anywhere. however, you feel embarrassed for contacting her on a daily basis because you never learned how to ride a bike. but the thing is, she already knows your secret, picking up on it very early. you did her a huge favor, so she doesn’t mind teaching you.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. RAIDEN SHOGUN
the electric-type gym leader and mayor of the “city of eternity”. married to her work, the raiden shogun is out of touch with the modern world. her gym staff, especially her morpeko, are concerned that she never has time for herself, so they ask you to keep her away from her office for the day. she’s confused, but agrees to go on a date with you. dango and light novels surprise you about her character - the sweetest person you’ll ever meet on the inside.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. SANGONOMIYA KOKOMI
a trainer who you first encounter at victory road. sangonomiya kokomi is sightseeing there and appears more than happy to accompany you until her destination. with her and her sylveon, double battles aren’t difficult to breeze through. at the exit of the cave, she asks for a battle to test out your strength. one hell of a strategist, however you’re quick to target her weak spots and win. she says that next time, she won't go easy on you at the league. that’s what a member of the elite four would say.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. SCARAMOUCHE
a random trainer who you accidentally hit when catching pokemon. the boy named scaramouche roasts your terrible aim and exaggerates that he could’ve gotten a brain injury. you’re a relatively new trainer, so he does pity you and demonstrates how to throw properly. he then offers you to spar with his gengar because the pokemon ahead are super strong and your team should be fully prepared by then, but he won’t admit that to save himself the hassle for the future.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. TARTAGLIA
a commander of an evil organization, tasked to handle overseas matters with his wailord. the men in his division steal pokemon from trainers to discourage them from continuing on with their journey. his lax nature is what makes him struggle to get everything under control. luckily, you’re there to save the day. impressed by your heroism, tartaglia wants to hire you as his assistant, but of course, you outright refuse. he says the offer still stands, but you turn him down every single time.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. THOMA
the director of housekeeping in the kamisato hotel chain and bodyguard of the kamisato family with his arcanine. you heard that the hotels offer trainers to work as attendants for handsome pay, so you desperately go there to make your wallet thick again. you’re assigned to room service, being taught the basics of vacuuming floors and fixing beds. sometimes thoma goes off tangent, talking about his boss and his habit of feeding him odd dishes, which is quite concerning.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. TRAVELER
the professor’s assistant who assists you in completing the pokèdex. the first meeting with the traveler starts off with you showing how you use your pokemon partner for battle, who then realizes that it’s from the lab and accuses you for robbery and trespassing. the argument gets heated to the point where the professor had to step in and let you explain. after consulting with the professor, they become your travel buddy along with their minun (aether) or plusle (lumine) to help you on your journey.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. VENTI
a flying-type gym leader stationed in mondstadt and classical musician. as a hobby, venti plays windtrace with the citizens, which influenced the layout of his challenge. to battle against him, you have to avoid getting caught by his altaria. barely anyone passes because he's known to fool people constantly, so they never know what tricks he has up his sleeve. when you manage to win both the game and the battle, he shows up at your hotel that night, serenading you for good luck.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. XIAO
a trainer who works for the rock-type gym leader. loyal to a fault, xiao is determined to not let anyone get past him. staying true to his word, his tyranitar is very difficult to defeat, but you won’t let that stop you from getting the badge. his partner knocks out your team in one hit, sending you out for a rematch. on the way back to the gym, he got ambushed by “treasure hoarders”, a group who steals badges for a living, and you beat them up. from that moment, you earn his respect.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. YAE MIKO
the owner of the city’s publishing house and a friend of the electric-type gym leader. her guilty pleasure is teasing young trainers that she knows their deepest, darkest secrets. they become terrified, never to be seen in the city again. you agree that yae miko is terrifying because of how both she and her delphox carry themselves. it seems that you’re an exception, having the guts to charm her with your crappy flirting skills in hopes of her not scaring you out of her domain.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. YOIMIYA
the current owner of the naganohara daycare center which she inherited from her grandparents. yoimiya is very popular with children and young pokemon, entertaining them with fireworks. due to the lack of staff, you sign up to be a volunteer. one day, she and her grandparents find an egg in the playpen, and she asks for your help to hatch it together. don’t let it come near her flareon. it almost cooked the egg alive with its flames as well as almost burned the center down.
𝄞༉‧₊˚. ZHONGLI
a rock-type gym leader stationed in liyue and a historian. zhongli enjoys drinking tea and myths of legendary pokemon. challenging gyms can be fun, but hunger and hydration sure aren’t. entering his gym, he notices how deprived you are from food and water, so he orders his garchomp and staff to arrange you a meal. the food must’ve cost a fortune, though his knowledge of every bit of history you can name shocks you more. he rambles so much that he forgets about your gym challenge that day.