You saw a trend going around so obviously you had to try it out on him!
"Would you rather be a baby goat or a matter baby?"
⋆˙⟡ feat: Phainon, Ashveil, Blade, Mydei, Anaxa, Aventurine, Sunday, Dan Heng (PT form cuz tail)
⋆˙⟡ word count: 800+
⋆˙⟡ tags: gn!reader, fluff? mostly lots of blushing and flirting, some of them might be ooc? apologies...
࣪ ִֶָ☾. a/n: Hey... first time posting kinda nervous... this trend was a while ago uhh dw about it. Enjoy! :D
•Doesn't have the highest screen time around, but weirdly knows all of the trends? Especially ones regarding couples (you suspect he purposely keeps track)
Phainon tilts his head in confusion at your question, almost like a puppy. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, but his eyes hint at something more playful.
"A baby goat or a matter baby?" He repeats, like he doesn't already understand the question. The corners of his lips twitch, betraying his motives.
"What's the matter, baby?" He says in that smugly, flirtatious tone of his, eyes half-lidded impishly. His smile wide and bright, far too innocent.
He knew exactly what he was doing.
•Doesn't keep up with trends, but he is a detective. He'll connect it in his head—is what he believes anyway.
Ashveil's hand comes up to his chin, mind immediately going into deep consideration like it was an unsolved case. He repeats the question in his head. Upon realising he doesn't have the full context, he lets the question slip.
"What's a matter baby?—" Only when he says it out loud does he realise the joke (flirt?). "You- I- ugh…" The detective's cheeks are flushed from embarrassment, he uses his hat to shield his face from your eyes. His own eyes looking anywhere but your face.
The poor detective can't handle being flirted with.
•Only aware of trends Silverwolf mentions in passing. He doesn't bother keeping track nor trying to understand them.
His eyes narrow in confusion at your question, his expression told you he was trying to figure out your intentions while also attempting to answer your ridiculous question.
"A matter baby? What is that?" Blade asked with a low grumble, his brows furrowing. When only your silenced answered him, he repeated his question. "What's a matter baby?"
It was only at your attempts to stifle a chuckle did he think over his words. He mumbled the words again to himself and grumbled at the realization.
The swordsman seemed… somewhat amused? You think?
•Does not keep up with trends whatsoever. He only hears about them from the other heirs.
He tilts his head and narrows his eyes at your question. He repeats the question to himself in a low mumble, brows furrowing in confusion.
"What's a matter baby?" Once the words slip from Mydei's mouth, he lets out a grumble and a long sigh. His brows creased at your antics—though you can see a faint flush to his cheeks.
"I really don't understand these trends," Mydei grumbles. You think he's going to turn away, but he looks at you without batting an eye and asks. "So, what's the matter, baby?"
Kremnoans can flirt???
•Does not keep up with trends—but don't be fooled! This doesn't mean he won't know what you're doing.
He cocks his head to the side, eyebrow raising in question. Anaxa brought his hand to his chin, pretending to be deep in thought and racking his brain for an answer.
"A baby goat or a matter baby? Neither," The scholar lips widened into that infuriating cocky smirk, arms crossing over his chest. "A baby dromas is the only correct answer."
When you huffed and made a dissapointed expression, Anaxa relented.
"Fine," The scholar sighed and leaned in closer, crowding your personal space, coy tone dripping from his voice. "What's the matter, baby?"
Seems like the professor can flirt! Er, somewhat.
•Keeps up with trends—like he knows every trend there is. Of course, pretends not to know so he can play along (though you're starting to suspect him)
Aventurine hums in thought at your question. "A baby goat or a matter baby…" He mutters under his breath, pretending to think for a while. He snaps his fingers like the answer was a jackpot.
He doesn't say anything immediately, just leans in close to you and drops his tone into a sultry manner. "What's the matter, baby?" The stoneheart throws a wink while he's at it.
His chuckle is infuriating and rich—literally. Although, if you squint, you might see a faint flush to Aventurine's cheeks.
•He doesn't use social media often unless it's to support his sister. Has no clue about most trends, only recently hears of them from March or the Trailblazer.
"A baby goat?… or a matter baby?" Sunday repeats with confusion, his ear wing twitches. He's silent for a few moments, racking his brain for an answer.
"What… what's a matter baby?" The halovian asks gingerly. As silence hangs in the air, it makes Sunday question his words. Only then does he realise the answer, letting it slip from his lips.
"Ah, it's what's the matter, baby…." His cheeks instantly flush, his ear wings reflexingly covering his face. He looks away from you to save what's left of his dignity.
Please don't try to pry his wings away from his face.
•Rarely keeps up with trends. Like Sunday, only ever hears of them from March or the Trailblazer.
His tail flicked once at your question, pointed ears twitched subtly. He blinks with furrowed brows, considering what you're trying to ask.
"What's a matter—" Dan Heng cut himself off and huffed once he realised what the full sentence was. His cheeks flushed with a pink hue, tail flicking once. Twice. His eyes drift to the side but he doesn't turn away.
"What's the matter, baby?" He attempted to playfully tease. Yet subtle wag of his tail gave away his shyness. Also the fact he grumbled at his own words, likely cringing over himself.
You think if you were to touch his tail he would turn more pink.
hi !!! Your anaxa ( with oblivious! Reader ) fic is so good.. Im eating it .. can we get a part 2? where anaxa finally made it clear that he wants a romantic relationship and reader finally get it? And reader accepted it but theyre not dating yet? Like anaxa is courting her? :3 (im a sucker for these type of tropes)
— ✦ I'M IN LOVE WITH AN IDIOT :: part 2
— ✧ anaxa x gn!reader
super glad you enjoyed that fic!! i really hope you enjoy this as a continuation!! WE'RE HITTING ALL THE CLASSIC ROMANCE TROPES WITH THIS ONE!!! sorry, it's gonna be very corny but why not!! i have free will :) i had sooo much fun writing some of the most tooth-rotting fluff so i hope you all have fun reading!!
link to part 1!
— ✧ cw: fluffy fluffy fluffy, a biit of crack, maybe ooc
so you were an idiot.
we've established you're the densest person on earth.
and we've also established that anaxagoras really loves said idiot.
and we've established that he's been trying his very, very best to convey that message to oh-so dense you.
with much, much fail.
but anaxagoras is no quitter. oh no, he is the most stubborn bastard known to man. he's set his mind on you, and he's gonna get what he desires, even if it's the last thing he does.
his past romantic actions, advances—hell, even his many confessions—have had little to no impact, so he had to make this very clear for you. you'd better repay him for all the effort this would take.
it was saturday, you were both off from work for the day and anaxagoras had invited you to a picnic in a park just out of the grove. it was 'secluded, peaceful, and a sight to behold' as he said. someplace you'd enjoy.
he told you to wear something nice, or at least, something you felt good in and to not worry of anything else as he'd be preparing everything. you still felt bad for being a freeloader so you decided to bake some cookies. cute little heart shaped sugar cookies coated in baby pink icing. they weren't expertly done by all means but they still managed to put a smile on your face and you hoped they'd have the same effect on him.
you placed the cookies delicately in a quaint wooden basket you and anaxa had weaved together once covered with a plaid cloth to fit the picnic vibe. you hopped merrily to meet anaxa at a the gate to the grove with your basket in hand and the sun shining brightly on your face, making your skin glow under the golden light.
the cherry blossoms petals of late may drifted through the breeze in the grove, painting a picturesque scene as you two locked eyes with a smile.
you quickly beamed, running towards him with a chipper, "anaxa!!". your eyes were closed in excitement so you hadn't even seen the lovestruck gaze that overtook his features. the tips of his ears were a bright red. you opened your eyes again to a warm smile.
"hi, y/n." his gaze swiftly swept your figure. "you look wonderful."
"aww stop it, you're gonna make me blush! you look great yourself!"
if only you would actually blush, he thought. his gaze then made contact with the basket in your hands. "though, i thought i told you not to bring anything."
"well... you were putting in so much effort that i didn't want to come empty handed! i wanted to repay you!"
he chuckled brightly with a shake of the head. "no matter, allow me to carry it, at the very least."
"ugh, you're too nice, anaxa! let me do this for you!" you complained, hiding the basket behind your back to prevent him from grabbing it.
i'm too nice? he thought to himself a he stared down at you with a fond exoression.
so far, so good.
all was going according to plan.
hopefully this confession wouldn't end in another failure. though, if it did, he'd only try again. he'd try again as many times as necessary for you.
the cherry blossoms continued to fall, surrounding you two in a beautifully pink atmosphere. mixed with your bright smile, he couldn't help but feel one growing on himself. your eyes shone as your skin basked in the gentle gold of the sun's glow.
a few petals fell atop your head, nestling into your hair. he grinned, reaching out a hand to pluck them away, leaning in just a little closer.
your eyes widened at the close contact before realizing his hands were fiddling in your hair. you leaned into his touch, allowing him to remove the petals from your hair with ease.
how was it that every time he made an advance, he seemed to be the one that became flustered? without you even knowing.
pulling out another petal, he sighed with a smirk. "i suppose it's pointless to try removing them when every time i do, 10 more seem to fall."
"maybe it's because i'm a flower and they're all drawn to me." you joked as he pulled back. "you have some too, anaxa! but not nearly as much as me. hm..." you brought a hand to your mouth in thought,
he stared at you inquisitively, wondering what you would do. he grew even more curious watching you extend your arms out in an attempt to catch a bunch of petals. "what are you..."
you then threw them all up in the air, petals raining down on both you and anaxa as you giggled. "now we're matching!"
the pink petals reflected on his face, painting his cheeks in a pink hue. or perhaps it was blush. who knew? he let out a faint huff which you believed was a laughed before he seized the opportunity to grab the basket from your hands.
"alright then, miss cherry blossom, shall we depart?"
"hey!" you pouted, trying to grab it back from him. "ugh, you're so sneaky!" you sighed. "i just wanted to do something nice for you..."
"you've already done so much. let me do this for you. i simply want you to enjoy today to the fullest, alright?" he leaned in once more, his nose barely touching yours. his eyes were curled in an excited delight—one you'd never seen on his face—so much so that you just had to give in.
you let out an exaggerated sigh. "fine, you win this time, anaxagoras. but just you wait... i'll make you happier than you've ever been before!" you vowed.
his expression softened even more. if only you knew.
thus, you two set off. he told you it was a 10 minute walk, but since you wanted to enjoy this walk to the fullest, you two ended up stopping a lot along the way to take in the scenery and take photos together.
your only regret was that you hadn't brought your scrapbook today, being too occupied with the cookies. while you complained along the way, anaxa simply shot you a knowing smile. though you were not in the know.
along the way, you two stopped at a lookout point. a beautiful bird's eye view of the grove. the diverse green foliage of the grove alongside the cherry pink blossoms and the ever blue sky made for a beautiful scene.
you leaned on the railing, staring down at the people in the grove with a sparkle in your eyes. your hair blew in the wind. "wow... amphoreus looks so pretty from here..." anaxa stayed a couple steps behind you. a bright, warm expression blessed his features.
he was not focused on the view of amphoreus. he could easily see that as many times as he wished. what he focused on rather, was you. your radiant self only seemed to shine even further at this very moment.
for the first time, he wished he could stop time. he wished to live in this moment forever.
anaxagoras was not one to wait. nor to stall. he continued to march forward, continued to achieve great things. maybe because as long as he continued to walk to the future, everything else would be but small fragments of the past. because to him, stagnation was the end of intellect. how would humanity progress should we stay only in one memory for the rest of our lives? this was why he never cared for photos. photos were but a reminder of the past. a reminder that had little relevance for progression.
and yet, you seemed to have changed so much for him. for the first time, he held your camera in his hands, as though each photo printed were some of the most precious artifacts in the world. for the first time, he stared at your figure and wished time would stop. for the first time, he looked back at your memories together, cherishing them more deeply than all else.
he was no fool. he understood that love changed people in ways that were indescribable. but how could he know how serious it would be. he was afflicted with a condition that changed his views on the world.
a condition called love.
"it's beautiful, isn't it anaxa?"
"it is."
if his past self saw how sickeningly sappy he was being, would he look away in disgust?
no. he's sure he would understand if he met you.
"oh, c'mon, you're not even looking! come closer!"
he approached you gently, placing himself right beside you, your shoulders touching. "look, over there! that's my house!" you excitedly pointed at a spot in the grove. "and that's yours!" you moved your finger to another spec further off.
"now that i think about it... our houses are so far! i never realized how far you had to walk to visit me!"
"it's not that far of a walk." he reassured.
"no, no! ugh, see, you're just too nice! i'm gonna start visiting your house more often!"
"no need, i already have the majority of my belongings in your house anyways. there'd be no point in coming to mine." it was true, you had him over so often he even had a room dedicated to his stuff. though you two often slept in the living room on the floor beside each other, other necessities like his toothbrush, his pajamas, changes of clothes and more were all already stationed in your house.
"that's true... well then, i'll just have to settle in your house too! i'll pack up and head over tonight!"
he chuckled. "then, i have no objections."
you two continued on your walk, with only a few more steps before making it to the top of the hill.
a grassy green field filled with dandelions and a quaint picnic blanket and basket set up in the middle. there was not a soul in sight other than you two, still surrounded by cherry blossom trees and basking in the golden glow of the sun.
your breath hitched, looking at the view. he really put so much thought into this. and that basket... it was the one he made when you two weaved baskets together? seems as though you two were on the same wavelength. a bright yellow plaid blanket outlined your base.
he eyed your reaction, slightly nervous. wow, been a while since he felt that, huh. the moment he saw the shine in your eyes and your dazzling smile, all worries melted away under your warmth. "feel free to run around and do as you'd like. i got permission from the groundskeeper."
you beamed before running off excitedly into the endless dandelion fields, laughing your heart out.
your laugh blessed his ears as though it was the sweetest symphony he'd ever heard. he made his way over to the blanket, settling down as he continued to watch your sun kissed figure.
he watched as you laughed, plopping down back first into the field of dandelions. this was always something you wanted to do, just to feel what it was like. safe to say it was a 10/10 experience. would do again.
your back was pressed against the cushiony grass, your vision filled with dandelions and dandelion seeds. you were reminded of that time you and anaxa went dandelion blowing.
the first time he had bought you flowers.
you turned you head to look for him only to be met with a gaze so... loving. one you'd seen many times before but today... it was different. perhaps it was the infinite cherry blossoms that surrounded you, perhaps it was the private atmosphere of just you two, perhaps it was the dandelion-tinted glasses you were wearing but you couldn't help but heat up under his gaze.
huh. weird.
what was that funny feeling in your chest? and your stomach? it felt as though there were a million butterflies flapping around. what could this be? ah, you were probably hungry. alright, picnic time!
you rose from your dandelion bed, making your way to anaxa and the food. as you sat down, he let out a soft chuckle as he leaned in.
your face instantly flushed as the proximity. wait, what? proximity?? you were reacting to proximity??? he pulled away with dandelion seeds in his fingers with a smile. ah, he was just nestling the petals out of your hair. like he did earlier. just like he did earlier.
so why was your heart racing?? why did your face feel warm? why were your fingertips red and tingly? why couldn't you look him in the eye? why were you not able to produce a sound?
this reaction did not go unnoticed to anaxagoras.
safe to say he was taken aback. aeon knows how many years he's spent without reaction. and now... you were red.
your eyes were darting around. you were speechless.
were you flustered?
oh wow. that's incredible. and adorable.
and oh, i suppose he was turning red as well. now look at you two. bumbling idiots, red and embarrassed.
was now the right time?
hopefully.
"y/n."
"mhm?!" you muttered out way too quickly. flushed beyond belief. what the heck was happening to you??
he chuckled at your reaction, the tips of his ears still red. he inhaled, taking in a deep breath. "i like you. i've liked you for a long while now. not just as friends, but as something more. i would like to... become your romantic partner."
you paused, your face turning even redder. your mouth dropped, slightly agape as your heart rate picked up. your chest tightened as all of your extremities warmed.
ah. so all those times he's told you 'i like you'... those were... confessions of romance? not of friendship? since you were... 10? oh wow. oh wow, oh wow. oh my god you're such an idiot.
"if you are not comfortable dating... would you at least allow me to court you? for you to see if you see me in the same way i see you." he continued while your heart beat quickened and quickened.
"i—i—" your mouth was stuck wide open. you shut your mouth, swallowing whatever you could in your dried throat. your lips were shut as you bashfully nodded.
a beautiful smile lit his face. one you had never seen before. his eyes shone like never before, so heavenly in the scenery. you stared with baited breath. anaxagoras was beautiful. and he liked you. and you... liked him?
oh jeez.
words could not describe what anaxagoras was feeling.
since you were 10 years old.
he's liked you since you were 10 years old.
he's kept a journal of every advance he's made since you were 10 years old.
he's tried so, so very hard to get your reciprocation since you were 10 years old.
he's been met with nothing but nothing since you were 10 years old.
and now. now he's received an answer. and that answer was amazing.
oh my god, it was all worth it.
so, so worth it.
you were still there, short-circuiting. this had never happened to you before. you slowly glanced up at his face, filled to the brim with warmth and joy. a warmth unlike the sun. a warmth that stirred in your heart. how sweet.
you slowly inched your fingers to lace with his. you were still hesitant. he smiled, more confidently intertwining your hands together. the blush was heavy with this one.
"thank you, y/n."
oh my god don't do this to me.
right so. i guess this was a thing now, huh.
but that was nowhere near the end of the picnic.
hmm, let's see.
there was the gift he prepared for you.
a scrapbook.
a new one.
a mint green cover.
along with all the stationary you could ever desire.
part of the reason he told you not to bring anything, including your scrapbook, was because he'd provided it already.
he pulled out all of the printed films from your time together today. some you remembered taking, some you didn't
those photos were of you. candid photos you weren't even aware of. taken by the one you'd given your camera to. taken by the ridiculer of photos.
he'd taken photos of you without your knowing. just because? you glanced at him in confusion.
"no reason other than because i wanted to."
"but you hate photos?"
"...i suppose they aren't so bad." he breathed softly, tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear. his gentle touch tickled your skin.
"..." you tried to collect yourself. "then... i'll dedicate this book to my journeys with anaxagoras!" you beamed, gazing at his eye.
for the first time, you noticed the blush that instantly crept up on his cheeks. how did you not notice this sooner?
so you spent some time decorating it with him.
and then there was the food part of your picnic.
he'd brought all your favourites.
salty, sweet, sour, everything. your pitiful cookies paled in comparison.
and yet he savoured each and every single one like holy water. "you don't have to pretend to like them anaxa..."
"you should know i never pretend. these are truly... perfect." ugh, what a sap. you hate him so much. how perfect his smile was. how it made your stomach fly.
"seriously when did you become a professional chef?! i'm gonna have to step up my game! just you wait, i'm gonna make you breakfast in bed tomorrow!"
he chuckled. "does that mean your offer from earlier still stands?"
"from earlier...?" you tilted your head in confusion.
"'well then, i'll just have to settle in your house too! i'll pack up and head over tonight!', does that ring a bell?"
your face flushed once more. well, your momma never raised a quitter! "m-my offer still stands! as long as you're okay with it, i'll sleep over tonight!"
he smiled. "perfect." his gaze locked on you.
and then you two watched the sun set.
your head leaned on his shoulder as dusk arrived. the beautiful pink and orange hues coloured the sky, shrouding you two in an indigo shade.
you both stared up at the sky as stars begun to shine through the navy. the constellation you had claimed as children shone brighter than any other star in the galaxy. apparently, they were named perseus and andromeda. you preferred anaxagoras and y/n. so did he.
YOUR FIC ABOUT ELYSIA! READER IS SO PEAK I LOVE IT!!!! can i maybe request the same concep but its reader being the biggest fangirl of herself? Like she always says: "I look so beautiful today!" Or "A cutie like me couldn't possibly be this majestic!" Or when Someone compliments her, she just goes: "hm? I am not that strong at all! I am just a princess you see? I need a knight to fight for me!" even though she's really strong?
- 🥐 anon
— ✦ LITTLE OLD ME? ::
— ✧ fem!reader x phainon, anaxa, mydei
hi!! thank you so much for your support and your request!! i wasn't sure exactly what you desired so i kinda just had fun with this request! once again, i haven't ever interacted with anything hi3 related so this may be ooc but i hope you enjoy 🥐 anon!!
side note: this happens in a world where cyrene was still alive and all the black tide stuff didn't really happen ish?? just a happier universe... for plot and fluff!!
— ✧ cw: crack fic, ooc
how to describe you? humble but proud.
you had confidence in yourself. you always boasted about your appearance. i mean, why wouldn't you? you were gorgeous. everyone in amphoreus knew.
you loved making remarks about your beauty.
but anytime someone was to compliment your strength? who me? ahaha, no way.
"i'm not that strong! i'm like a beautiful fair maiden waiting for my knight in shining armour!" you smiled while standing in front of a couple bodies.
you were a hopeless romantic. not hopeless in that no one wanted you, but hopeless in that everyone was way to scared to try anything. you knew your worth, and that was way above most.
you needed a knight in shining armour? are you serious??
you were so well known that the majority of amphoreus knew of you. and the women of amphoreus, especially the children, had fun deciding who would be your fated match. as if you and them were little dolls they could put together.
option number #1, the fan favourite: phainon.
this was the obvious answer for most.
he was attractive, charismatic, strong, kind. quite a smooth talker too. maybe that was his only flaw when it came to your pairing.
you see, phainon speaks from the heart to those who he really cares about. he does this quite often. sentimental letters, heartfelt confessions. the thing is, you were somehow humble and prideful at the exact same time.
you brushed off others' compliments, but you were your own biggest fan. so whenever phainon would compliment you, you'd simple pass it off like a joke between friends.
he was completely stumped.
who was he without his way with words? well, a lot of things. but anyways, not the point. he was in dismay. no matter what he did, nothing seemed to work.
you never seemed to react to his advances, never could take a compliment.
like for example, when you two would battle alongside each other. he'd take the left, you'd take the right. a couple of seconds in, you were fighting alongside him. he turns around to find you already cleared your side.
"wow, sometimes i forget how powerful you are." he jokes, parrying a sword.
"me? c'mon, don't exaggerate. i'm not that strong at all! i'm just a princess who needs a knight to fight for me!" you softly exhale, dodging attack after attack.
he chuckles. "i seriously don't know if you're joking or not." clearing his wave of enemies, he swiftly returned to your side, fighting the creatures attacking you.
"like that! hey, what do you say to being my knight?" you beamed as he cleared out the attackers before you.
he shook his head with a smile. "you never fail to confuse me, partner."
the people of okhema would often see you two roaming the streets. laughing, joking. watching phainon stare at you like you were the most precious thing in the world.
they'd see him carrying your bags while you shopped in glee. they'd see him helping you choose which dress looked the best and whihc accessories would match. seeing you two together in okhema was commonplace.
but… phainon had a bit of competition.
he was only option #1, of course.
sure, he was the fan favourite. but when i said phainon was the fan favourite, i meant fan favourite of okhema.
but, since he was the favourite of okhema, of course competition would arise from elsewhere.
the kremnoans pushed for mydeimos.
obviously.
mydei was a crown prince. he was their crown prince. why wouldn't they root for him?
not to mention he was attractive and caring. and strong. he was ripped, did you see his muscles? take a good look. if you wanted a knight in shining armour he was basically the only one for you.
it was even rumoured that phainon and he set a friendly bet amongst them as to who could win your affections.
unlike phainon, he didn't shower you in what the kremnoans described as 'shallow praise'. though, what this actually means is that mydei doesn't have a way with sappy words. he won't spontaneously compliment you because that's simply not in his nature.
normally, that might be seen as a red flag. maybe. but for you kept humble in the face of others' words, was he not perfect?
besides, he too, was interested. if there was a day in okhema where you weren't with phainon, you were probably with mydei.
however, instead of shopping or spending time on 'frugal matters' as the kremnoans would say, you two would spend your time chatting, laughing, and interacting with his people.
the children loved you. they described you as a pretty princess to which you tossed your hair with a bashful smile. the kids begun to call you the crown princess since you were with mydei that often.
there was even once, mydei took you on a day trip to castrum kremnos where you spent the day battling in the ring. the people of kremnos watched from the sides, marvelling at how you remained so put-together, even after such vigorous fights. and how you kept winning, at that. your hair stayed perfectly silky, your outfit and skin flawless, without a single scratch.
the kremnoans didn't pay as much mind to appearances as opposed to strength and the value of one's inner self. but you seemed to have both. they reasoned that 'a well maintained appearance is the sign of a well trained warrior.' thus why you and mydei were the strongest of them all.
your humility was always something to behold. after winning all your battles thus far, you simply huffed. "this is tough work for a cutie like me. this is why i'm looking for a knight in shining armour!" your cheeks ever so slightly rosy from the exercise. and yet somehow, not even a bead of sweat could be found anywhere in your body.
that was, until your final battle against mydei himself. how long had it been since he'd met someone on par with his skill? he couldn't help but break out into a smile as you two clashed blades.
you pouted. "you seem quite happy making this princess exert herself!" he only chuckled in response as you two continued to dance.
"well, princess, for someone who desires a knight in shinning armour so much, your strength is more than enough to challenge mine."
"i'm exhausted! you're so cruel! you're the reason why i need a saviour!"
"then, what if i was to be your knight?" he grinned, knocking your sword out of your arms and finally ending the never-ending battle.
you sighed, relieved that it was over. "and make me fight you daily? yeah, right! someone as beautiful me should not be working this much of a sweat." you complained, all the while accepting his hand.
the crowed cheered as you two set off back to okhema. joking and chatting as always.
they believed mydei had already won the bet.
but wait! the final contender for your affections.
a less obvious one for the people of okheam and of castrum kremnos.
the most controversial of the three:
the grove told you to choose anaxagoras.
yes, anaxagoras. the blasphemer, the great performer, the dromas draped in finery.
but hear them out. he's attractive, even with only one visible eye. he's smart, maybe the smartest of amphoreus. and he has a gun. hey, mister knight in shining armour. swords are so outdated anyways.
the main point is that while the world seems to hate him, you don't. in fact, the grove has seen you to together so much that seeing anaxagoras alone gives them whiplash.
could that be because when you're not around, he's locked in his room doing god knows what? maybe. but anyways, they've only really seen him when you're around.
you attend his lectures because 'intelligence is one of many traits a beautiful girl must posses!' and you even have a designated seat. all students of the grove know to not even so much as hover around that seat lest they incur the wrath of anaxagoras.
also, you've been the only person ever in recorded history thus far that anaxagoras has allowed to call him anaxa. others may do it anyways, but he's given you permission.
the newest students of this semester even thought you two were dating! until they heard of the never-ending feud between the anaxayn club, the mydyn club and the phaiyn club. ohh kay so it's complicated! got it!
still, could you really blame them?
anaxa smiles when around you. uncanny valley?? hello?? in lectures, it often seems like he's only speaking to you.
well, the rest of the students seem to be enraptured by you during lectures as well... no wonder you had confidence, look at you! somehow, even when focused beyond belief, you still manage to look great. your hair falls perfectly as you head tilts down to take notes, the way your eyes shine as you finally figure something out and raise your hand to ask a question. safe to say the class didn't learn much.
anyways, back on topic. after his lecture is completed, you two would often wait for each other and stroll around the grove. people would often catch you two in the library, studying or reading across from each other. well, he wasn't really reading. more like he was sneaking glances at you while you read.
and then you'd push away from the table with a groan. "a cute girl like me shouldn't be trapped in the library, anaxa, let's go out!"
the first time you said that you swore the whole library went dead silent. you said that to anaxagoras?? were you looking to get lectured??
to their surprise, he only huffed with a slight smile. "all right, where to?"
whaaaaaat.
okay so. maybe anaxagoras might like you. the grove offers him their full support.
so okhemans for phainon, kremnoans for mydei, and the grove for anaxa.
but there's one party we forgot about.
you see, your three contenders were all chrysos heirs. so, obviously, the rest of the chrysos heirs had their thoughts.
aglaea, whom you'd spent quite a while with, pushed for phainon.
aglaea was the definition of beauty, you always ended up in her orbit. she'd willingly sew dress after dress for you, even with her busy schedule.
while she took your measurements, phainon would sit on the side, gleefully watching the magic take place. his excitement would grow when you actually tried a dress on. he'd be forced to wait outside as you changed. he could hear your excited voice from inside.
"wow! i look great! a cute girl like me, i never thought i could look so majestic! is this really me?" aglaea's chuckles rung from the inside. he would grow more antsy.
aglaea would push you towards phainon. "why not show him. he's been waiting for quite a while, pacing around outside for who knows how long."
you and aglaea walked out together, bright smiles on your faces. his jaw dropped. "wow, you've done it again aglaea. they don't call you the gold weaver for nothing." he managed to stutter out, the tips of his ears red.
aglaea smirked, his bashful self was a sight to behold. phainon wasn't one to be embarrassed easily. only you could have that impact.
one heir vote for phainon!
cyrene also told you to go for phainon.
okay, so she may have been biased. but phainon is a good kid! she's grown up with him, she would know. in fact, everyone knows.
you two also often hung out. after all, two cute girls? you two were unstoppable.
whenever you two would arrange your little girl's day, cyrene would often invite phainon to tag along. not that you minded at all. you two would laugh, joke and cyrene would make sure phainon was included.
phainon couldn't have been more grateful for cyrene.
there was once she decided you and her would hold hands and 'to ensure phainon wasn't left out', she told him: "phainon, get over here and hold y/n's hand!" and you did not protest.
he carefully extended his palm out for you to grab. "wow, your hand's so warm!" you beamed, intertwining your fingers together. he actually short-circuited that day. dead silent for the rest of the walk, just staring at your hands and basking in the bliss.
what a powerful woman cyrene was.
she played matchmaker so much between you two it was honestly astounding. so naturally too.
seems like phainon was a popular choice for the more romantic of the bunch.
meanwhile castorice encouraged mydei to shoot his shot.
perhaps because they bore the coreflames of 'death' and 'strife', but the two of them shared a sort of camaraderie. an unsaid understanding.
mydei was a good guy. though he bore 'strife', he took care of those around him. he possessed a sort of gentleness one would never expect.
castorice was a very pretty girl, so naturally, you two talked a lot as well.
through your many conversations, she gathered that you desired a knight in shining armour. to be fair, it wasn't as if you were hiding it.
to her, your best bet would obviously be mydeimos.
while she wasn't big on picking sides—phainon and anaxagoras were both great options!—she couldn't help but root for mydeimos.
in your time together, she'd often ask you about your interests in people and sneak in (not very subtly) an encouragement for mydei. whenever you two came across him on the street, she'd encourage you to talk to him, or maybe encourage him to join you two.
though her and mydei didn't have many conversations, in those they did, she'd push him towards being a little more open. talk to you more.
(and maybe she wrote a book that may or may not have been inspired by you two and brought you two together to read it and give her opinions when in reality she just wanted to push you two closer together) who said that????
wow the wind is crazy today...
tribbie, trianne and trinnon wanted you to get with mydei.
tribbie said it was because he deserved this. watching him with you brought a warmth in her chest that she described as pride. she'd never seen him so happy before, so relaxed. had she ever seen de laugh and joke so easily with someone? no.
she would impart her wisdom on mydei often (because he came to see her for advice a lot). though her answers were vague, they all pointed towards her backing of you two.
she told him not to fear vulnerability. to savour every moment. to listen. all things she knew he did already, basically telling him to be herself.
trianne supported you two because he was obviously your knight in shining armour!
you wanted a guy who would fight for you in armour? little de was your man!
whenever you or mydei talked with trianne, she was extremely direct. unlike tribbie. she'd proudly put her hands on his hips with a smirk and say, "y/n and little de look great together!" or something along those lines.
mydei would sigh with a tint of red overtaking his features while you would take it in pride. "we do, don't we? a cutie like me contrasts his brutish energy perfectly!"
...close enough.
trinnon offered encouragement because you two seemed so happy together.
with all the complaining you did about him making you fight till you were sore, she found that you still enjoyed his presence. after your day excursion to castrum kremnos, she'd often open gates for you two to go back (to not exert trianne).
though she still loved and supported naxy and snowy, she really did want to see little de win this time. could you imagine crown prince and princess of castrum kremnos?
well, that evens it out for 2 : 2, phainon : mydei. what about your last option?
hyacine often told you anaxa was the right bet.
no surprise there seeing as she was his teaching assistant. she's seen how he acts during lectures.
and besides him actually liking you, he was just overall a good candidate. smarts, looks, gun.
anaxagoras had long shut his heart after the passing of his sister, and now bit by bit, he begun to open it for you once more. hyacine has never seen him so happy.
she just wishes he could focus in class a little more. being his teacher's assistant was already no easy task. but now being his teacher's assistant when the class got nothing done? oh boy.
well, she did develop a little plan... it worked for a week? still ongoing?
basically, she suggested anaxagoras privately tutored you so that both the class could go on as normal and he would get his time with you!
anaxa nodded at her reasoning and offered the suggestion to you. you accepted with a smile, excited to go further in depth and learn more.
for a week, it went swimmingly. and then you came back to the lectures. not because you stopped your tutoring sessions, but because you missed the whole classroom environment. and who was he to deny you of your wish?
well, at least hyacine won in one regard...
cipher oddly enough, encouraged you and anaxa too.
no one really expected her to take sides. some even thought she'd try and impede the competition by sweeping you off of your feet herself.
but then they saw her in between you and anaxagoras, pushing you two closer with a mischievous grin and suddenly rumour after rumour begun to spark.
was the mysterious cat lady showing her support for the blasphemous scholar?
yes.
why?
because phainon and mydei were such goody two shoes. so boring! in a relationship, you need some flavour. and you never know what's on anaxagoras' mind. he could one day decide to ascend to godhood if he felt so inclined.
that's the kind of spice you needed in your relationship, according to her.
so what she would often do is abuse her powers, just a little. she'd take her coin of whimsy almost weekly and transport the two of you far, far away from okhema to go on her little scavenger hunt she designed just for you two!
how kind! of course, once you got the prize, she expected a 70/30 split. 70 for her. after all, she spent so long working on this for you two to have some time alone, she better get some compensation.
her favourite part, however, had to have been watching phainon and mydei absolutely lose their minds as to where you could've gone.
she could play more than a silent observer in this game, no?
there's one last thing that hasn't been mentioned.
you were aware of none of this.
the bets and options and support went completely oblivious to your ears.
you were just a beautiful girl just trying to live!
and those three made sure you stayed oblivious. after all, they wanted to win your affections on their own, without having external support (though the help was much appreciated.)
a cutie like you would just have to choose for yourself who your knight in shining armour would be!
I feel like childhood bestfriends to lovers fits anaxa so well.. What if reader is anaxa's crush since he was a child? He admires reader because reader is like sun incarnate, they were jolly, full of life and the one who didn't think hes weird and he developed a huge crush on them but reader is oblivious and its a one sided pinning :3 can it be a crack fic?
— ✦ I'M IN LOVE WITH AN IDIOT :: part 1
— ✧ anaxa x gn!reader
yesyesyesyesyes okay so i love anaxa and crack fics so this is absolutely amazing for me!! hope you enjoy this silly read and i hope it fulfills what you were looking for! the crack portion really starts at the end but i had a lot of fun writing it :))
— ✧ cw: crack fic, fluffy, a biiiiiit of angst if you squint, one sided pinning, maybe ooc
anaxagoras was in love with an absolute imbecile.
if you were to ever ask him about who he liked, he'd let out the largest, most exasperated sigh known to man, bringing a hand to his head as if thinking about you gave him such a headache. and yet at the exact same time, anyone who observed a little closer would see the tips of his ears turning red, or maybe even the goofy, giddy smile that threatened to overtake his features.
"they're... the densest person to ever walk this earth. an absolute bumbling buffoon."
wait, huh? he's saying this about the person he likes?
often when faced with this question, he's met with same confused response. "if you knew them, you'd understand." was the only way to phrase it.
you'd known each other since very, very little.
back when he still had his other eye, back when his sister was still alive.
you both went to the same school. the one where he was ridiculed for being wayyy too obsessed with alchemy. you never understood why that was a bad thing. after all, everyone had something they found interesting. some people liked their books, some people liked their fashion, some people liked their sports. how was alchemy any different? they said they thought alchemy was creepy. that he just spewed nonsense all day every day. how old were you back then? probably like 10? maybe a little older... you forget.
in school, he was the creepy nerd, you were popular, in a way. you knew everyone and you tried to be friends with all of them. though, when people were excessively mean or bullied others, you kept your distance. but anaxa wasn't mean. so naturally, you wanted to be his friend. the day you'd approached him was... special, to say the least.
the other kids were ridiculing him as he walked by with a stack of books and stones. they tried to trip him though he swiftly and calmly avoided it. you were chatting with some friends on the side near the lockers when the scene played before you. you couldn't just stand still and watch, that just didn't sit right with you. so, to everyone's surprise, you stood up for him.
"hey! that's not nice!" you screamed as you marched on over to stand between him and the others. your friends tried to pull you back, telling you not to get involved but you simply shook them off with a smile.
"y/n? don't get involved, he's just a weirdo freak. he's not worth your time."
"then if i was a weirdo freak, could i defend him then?"
"wha—?"
"you're bullying! there's no excuse for that! he hasn't done anything to you!"
anaxa simply stood behind you in shock and suspicion. someone defended him? but that someone was you. you who was popular. you who had no reason to speak up for him. what was your angle?
"now say sorry!"
"why would we say sorry?? don't tell me you feel bad for the dromas obsessed weirdo! what is he, 5?!"
"don't you still pick your nose?! what are you, 2??" snickers and gasps rung through the hallway. "and you suck on your thumb! and you still need to be sung lullabies to go to sleep! i don't see me making fun of you for that!" you crossed your arms in anger.
"you have no reason to make fun of him, so say sorry!"
"ugh—! s-sorry, weirdo..."
"no! be sincere!"
"i'm sorry, okay?! jeez..."
"hmph, another one! mean it this time!"
"i'm sorry!"
"again!"
he had to admit, this was pretty funny. but he couldn't let his guard down. you were weirder than him, in that regard. but he couldn't help but be a little curious... if alchemy was a all-solving solution, you were a puzzle it couldn't solve. well, he couldn't solve it just yet. but he would. hopefully. maybe.
"ugh! you don't mean it at all! here, look!" then, you turned to face him. "anaxa—wait, no—anaxagoras, i'm really really really sorry for all the mean people and mean words. i think you're really cool and i hope we can be friends!" you beamed, extending a hand out to him.
he stared at your hand with his two completely occupied with a stack of books. "oh! uh... here, lemme take some! where are you headed?" you smiled, taking some of the weight off of his hands.
he wasn't much of a talker. but you sure were.
perhaps he'd gotten so used to the ridicule and the mean words, you were such a breath of fresh air. he assumed you had ulterior motives, but you were so... direct. if at any point he questioned something about you, you'd somehow reveal the answer without him having to ask. your straightforwardness was refreshing. and on his way to his study, he found himself smiling. he wasn't sure why. perhaps it was just your presence.
from then on out, you'd spent your days hanging around anaxa. and he... let you.
that was how he phrased it when others asked anyways.
"you're so mean, anaxa!"
"anaxagoras."
"ughh... i thought we were close enough for me to use your nickname..."
he'd never admit out loud that to him, he didn't mind whatever you called him. be it anaxagoras, anaxa, nax-y you tried once. for him, simply hearing you refer to him was more than enough.
then, the dark moments of anaxa's life really rained on him.
the day his sister passed, you were out of town. he had no one, nothing else to depend on for help; not you, not his sister, not the gods. for the first time in a while, he was truly alone.
you came back a few days later. but by then, he'd shut the world out. he was working on some personal project. you hadn't yet heard the news. the day you returned, you went searching for anaxa, only to hear a heartbreaking conversation on the street.
"his sister passed? how unfortunate."
"that poor child, what will happen of him now?"
two ladies gossiped, their kids trailing behind them.
"serves him right! he was so weird!"
"i bet he's gonna use that alchemy stuff to make her into a zombie. blehh!"
you rushed over to his house. you never spent a lot of time in his house. it was always you who hosted during get-togethers. that said, he had shown you around and you marvelled at the ceiling. a beautiful mix of blue and purple riddled with white specs he called stars. your eyes lit up the moment you saw it, you never wanted to leave.
he eyed your reaction, a faint smile tracing his lips with a rosy blush you couldn't see in the dark.
his room was filled to the brim with books and dromas plushies. it was very him. but he said he preferred your room so of course you let him in all the time.
this time, you ran towards his room, hoping he was doing alright. you banged on the door, screaming his name. you were met with no response. you tried again. nothing.
you grew antsy almost immediately, you couldn't sit still. what to do, what to do? well, he showed you where he (his sister) kept the spare key. you weren't big on invading other people's spaces but... you knew anaxa. he wouldn't admit it but he preferred having someone.
you quickly inserted the key into the keyhole and the door unlocked with a simple click. you pushed the door open with all your might and ran up the stairs, calling his name. nothing.
the door to his room was closed. you calmed your racing heart and with a steady breath, knocked on his door. "...anaxa?" nothing. "...anaxagoras...?" a faint weeping. "i'm coming in, okay!"
inside was a boy. a vulnerable, crying boy. though he had the same mint green hair and robes, this was someone you didn't recognize. anaxagoras had never been so exposed before you. and he was clutching his eye. a violent gold liquid seeped through the gaps in his fingers. his sobs echoed through the room as he weakly called out the name of his sister. his knees fell to the ground and his tears all but stopped.
without even thinking, you ran to him. wrapping your arms around him, letting him lean against you. his golden blood fell onto your clothes, so did his tears. you pat him on the back slowly, hoping to calm him down. "i'm here... i'm so sorry anaxa..."
you were the last thing he had in his life. and to him, you were all he needed. after that day, he became amphoreus' blasphemer, its great performer, the foolish. but to you, he was still anaxa. you stood by his side since the very beginning. and you stayed by his side after everything.
it was no wonder he fell for you.
if only you could get the hint.
yeah, that's enough of the sentimental backstory, the heartwarming anecdotes and whatever.
he often described you as a dense idiot. dense was a kind word for how much torment you've put him through throughout the many, many years you've been by each other's side.
may cerces help him.
nope.
scratch that.
even cerces can't help him with you. sorry man, she's stumped (haha tree pun. anyways.)
in the fabled story between cerces and mnestia. cerces took a while to realize her feelings. it seems the roles have been swapped here. anaxagoras knew almost immediately. you?
oh you...
where to begin.
maybe back when you were young tweens and he actively confessed to you??? and you didn't get it???
the first time he showed you his room.
you sat on one of his dromas bean bags while gazing up at the stars alongside him. you pointed out a shape you found between two stars. you decided to name it, it was your guys' constellation. you said, anytime you look up at these 'stars', you can imagine i'm that one and you're that one! we'll always be together!
you meant absolutely nothing with that other than strengthening your friendship. meanwhile he was freaking out. perhaps it was the romantic, moonlit atmosphere (there was no moon, you guys were inside), perhaps it was the way your eyes sparkled in the moonlight (again, no moon); but anaxa believed this to be the perfect time to confess.
"y/n. i like you."
"i like you too, anaxa! i'm so glad we're friends!"
oookay then. nevermind. not the perfect time. maybe next time... when you're older...
or all those little moments he carefully crafted to make your affinity for him rise. ever since you first met. yeah it's... been a while.
in fact, i think he kept a journal. an observation journal. based on age. he believed that was the problem. let's read some passages, shall we?
page 1.
10 years old.
action: gave her flowers.
response: smile and thanks. went dandelion blowing afterwards. no progress.
next steps: flowers with romantic meaning. see: roses, germinis, bluebells, and peonies.
page 759.
11 years old.
action: sleepover at her house.
response: sleepover calendar. no progress.
next steps: bring to my house, close bed distance.
page 2037.
12 years old.
action: met my sister. she pushed towards discussion of significant others.
response: "anaxa is a great friend. i'm sure he'll meet someone amazing. he deserves only the best." no progress.
next steps: confess?
page 4912.
13 years.
action: confessed.
response: "i like you too, anaxa! i'm so glad we're friends!" no progress.
next steps: clarify the want for a romantic relationship.
page 7821.
14 years.
action: studied together in dim lighting. tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
response: nothing. no progress.
next steps: ?
page 9023.
15 years.
action: discussed romantic relationships.
response: "i'm not sure. i haven't really thought about it!" no progress.
next steps: ??
page 11 934.
16 y.
action: bought her a bouquet for valentine's day.
response: thanks, expressed reciprocation for white day. no progress(?).
next steps: more gifts?
page 13 823.
17 y.
action: invited her to prom.
response: accepted. progress?
next steps: match dress, tie, and corsage.
page 17 012.
18 y.
action: bought graduation flowers.
response: "i'm so glad we're friends." crying. no progress.
next steps:
page 20 349.
19.
action: dinner date.
response: smile. no progress.
page 23 038.
20.
action: confession.
response: "are we not already in a relationship? we've been friends for how long now?" no progress.
page 26 035.
21.
confession.
no progress.
page 28 0182.
22.
dinner date.
blush? could be from wine. progress(?)
page 31 048.
23.
adopted a pet together.
named it. progress(?)
page 33 550 (iykyk).
24.
confessed.
no progress.
...
let's just stop there for him.
wait, did i say one journal? ah, silly me. i meant one journal per year. see, there was too much to fit in one book. so he filled multiple. in time, he even dedicated a shelf in his study for this collection.
those page numbers?
yeah, that's collective. each entry only really took 1/4th of a page so... you can guess how hard its been.
he's truly tried everything.
perhaps the conclusion here is that the problem wasn't age. the problem was you.
but... as agonizing as trying is with you.
he doesn't mind, as long as he gets to spend a little more time with you. after all, maybe he is but a mere star in your orbit, but that will never stop him from basking in your warmth.
hi, saw that ask box is open and is it alright for me to request separate headcanon of the amphoreus men getting turn into chimeras and f!reader finds them, who mistook them for Fig Stew/Nanus/Vigethos starts cooing/baby talking, petting and giving treats... btw I hope you have a good day when you receive this!
— ✦ CHIMERA CUTIES ::
— ✧ phainon x fem!reader, mydei x fem!reader, anaxas x fem!reader
thank you so much for your request, of course it's alright!! i'm a big fluff fan so this was such a fun write for me and omg the chimeras are so cute!! i actually haven't played hsr since its release so i don't know much lore about this even but hopefully you still enjoy! (the idea is that all of these stories happened at the same time but to different people and to different partners.)
not on his part, of course. anaxagoras is thorough, he doesn't make miscalculations when it comes to any experiment. that said, he made a slight oversight. he forgot to take into account a small variable that threw everything off course.
an unlocked door and a small troublemaker chimera named nanus.
anaxagoras had a love-hate relationship with nanus. a chimera that was both intelligent (much like him), but also extremely... outwards with its affection (extremely unlike him). it came of use when he was working late, the chimera managed to speed up and even test some hypotheses which he much appreciated. that said, whenever you were around; its composed nature seemed to vanish as it instantly clung to your side like a pest, nuzzling and snuggling like a touch-starved beast. how unbecoming.
you gave it far too much attention for such a devilish, scheming creature. it understood how to secure a nice, cozy spot in your heart. it kicked out competition and strove for more. whenever it was around, it somehow managed to divert your attention from him entirely. every time you three were together, he always found himself leaving with a funny feeling in his chest.
jealousy? pfft. yeah, right. him? he was your partner, what did he have to be jealous of? but... he was curious as to what it was like to bask and bathe in your affection like nanus.
a slight alchemical mishap.
that was the story he prepared.
anaxagoras forgetting about such a variable? leaving his door open? as if. he merely staged it to be that way. so that he could... test out his new hypothesis. his new research topic. purely to fill his curiosity.
he left his door slightly ajar, spreading the aroma of a chimera's favourite flower on an alchemical circle and waited patiently.
his plan worked out perfectly. as soon as his door busted open and a familiar fluffy creature flew towards his work at full speed, he let out a small puff of air with a smirk before closing his eye in preparation.
the world faded to black for a slight moment. and then... he opened his eye to a much lower vision than before. it worked. he shifted his gaze down to his mint green paws before turning his gaze to the side.
there stood his body. and what he was sure to be nanus inside. after all, the laws of equivalent exchange in alchemy must always be applied.
no worries, however. he planned for this.
leaving his body locked and sedated in his office was a small price to pay for this experiment.
now to find you. that was easy. what kind of a significant other would he be if he didn't know your schedule and your favourite spots. he just had to... get used to walking in this body,
meanwhile, you were strolling around the woven trail as you normally did, basking in the light air of the green-filled grove.
it was then that a familiar creature rubbed against your ankles.
"nanus!" you beamed, immediately crouching down to pet the fluffy creature. "hi baby!" you grinned, picking up the little guy in your arms.
it merely stared at you, its cheek warm against your chest. you tilted your head slightly. "hmm... you're acting pretty calm today, huh? i guess you become more like anaxa by the day." you sighed dreamily as a faint blush appeared on the tips of your cheeks. snapping out of your daze, you planted a little kiss on its nose. "aww, you're still so cute... i just wanna—" you cut yourself off, placing a hand on its head and ruffling its fur as it happily chirped in response. "speaking of... where is anaxa? it's not every day i see you two apart."
nanus' eye narrowed slightly, expression unreadable. it immediately followed that odd expression with some adorable affection. its little tongue lapping your hand with a jolly expression. your concern immediately melted away at the sight. "aw... whatever, i'm sure he's busy. you're just so cute!! my little baby!" he had to admit, seeing such a cheery smile on your face filled him both with bliss, but also that same odd feeling one would usually name jealousy.
"i have some of your favourite treats at my house, why don't i take you!" you placed him on your shoulder where it normally sat. he nuzzled against your cheek and you melted. "aww you're so cute! yes you are!" you landed a couple scratches behind his ears in your state of bliss. he purred and softened almost completely into your touch.
anaxa then realized that perhaps being pampered wasn't the worst thing in the world.
you walked merrily back to your humble abode, setting him down on your couch and making your way to your cupboard to collect his favourite treats. the rustling of the bag usually made nanus' ears perk up in excitement before it ran to you in a hurry, hoping to gorge on the delicacy from your fingertips. this time, he stayed on the couch, expression still unreadable.
you see, anaxagoras was wondering if he'd take this opportunity to try chimera treats. or if that'd be far too humiliating. while debating, he curled himself up against the dromas pillow you and him had bought together. it smelled like you. he found he always gravitated towards it while you were together.
you walked over with the bag of treats, sat right beside him and extended a hand to pet him on the head. his eyes shut in pleasure as more purrs escaped his mouth. "ugh... what a cutie... well then! i suppose you've been waiting patiently for your treats, haven't you?" you then reached into the bag of treats, pulling one out and extending it towards him, a smile still plastered on your face.
he looked conflicted. his body paused before the treat, opening his mouth without jumping and biting without hesitation. he looked up at your expression only to be left in absolute shock.
the adoring, warm smile was replaced by something a little more sinister. "what's the matter, nanus? this is your favourite! you always jump for joy and go crazy like there's no tomorrow when i bring these out!" you voice slowly morphed to be poutier; teasing and knowing.
his mouth slowly dropped wide open as you brought the treat closer and closer to his retreating figure. "anaxa—oh, i mean—nanus... what's wrong?" you giggled at his expression. "you haven't turned mute, have you?"
"you..."
"honestly anaxa, you underestimate me. i think i would know the different between you and nanus." you finally put the treat down, extending your arm to pet him once more. "if you wanted to be pampered, all you had to do was ask." what a devilish woman you were.
this was an actual oversight. the first he's made in a long while. perhaps he underestimated your love for him. but, all's well that ends well, no? after all, though he'd been found out, you still made quite an effort to pamper him throughout the day, and only him.
he reassured you that his body would be fine and while you were still nervous, you understood that you hadn't given much attention to anaxa for a while, so why not let him have his fun for today?
and perhaps, when he reverted back to his old body, you'd continue to shower him with the same love and affection, now knowing he craved it so.
mydeimos' story
he had absolutely no clue how this happened.
honestly, how did a bet with phainon go so wrong?
he should've known something was wrong the second this HKS approached him with the widest, mischievous smile plastered on his face.
seriously, this guy always seemed to land some of the most... interesting deals to put it lightly. some potion that could transform you into a chimera?
chimeras were already quite a handful. curious creatures as they were, my god what troublemakers. you did seem to enjoy them, however. which is why when a chimera resembling him (he didn't agree) suddenly appeared, you'd immediately declared it was to be your child. you brought it home, no hesitation.
he never admitted it, but he found the chimeras quite... pleasing to have around.
he never told anyone but he'd made a channel on the world wound web showcasing the many chimeras of okhema simply goofing around. originally, he made it for your enjoyment, but at some point he grew fond of the creatures himself.
anyways, back to his regret. why did he agree to phainon's stupid proposition? he honestly, truly, sincerely didn't know. one might say he was inclined to do so because of your adoration for the creatures. he wouldn't say that. he'd say it was because... because his comrade desperately begged him to and he took pity on him (yeah, right.)
well, it was too late to brood. he was now almost identical to his chimera counterpart (which, again, he didn't agree with) and sought you out almost immediately.
the bet was simple: who'd be found out first. see, he and phainon both believed their partners knew them better than they knew themselves honestly, so which one would be the better actor. that was the bet.
mydei knew phainon would be a worthy opponent in this battle. after all, his natural aura matched almost entirely that of his counterpart. an overbearing puppy. phainon also wasn't one to be easily embarrassed so he wouldn't give in just like that.
too bad for him, fig stew—the foolish name you'd given it—was a dignified creature. aloof and composed. sometimes, it would let its guard down around you and give in to your affections. he spent enough time around fig stew to understand its mannerisms. this would be a breeze.
he said that but the second he saw you, he was stun locked, to say the least.
he was not prepared for your tooth-rotting sweet talk. he's seen you do it so many times, but for it to be directed towards him? entirely new experience. the second he appeared behind you, placing a small paw on your ankle like fig stew often did, you turned around with the brightest smile he'd seen. "hi figgy!!" you squealed, immediately kneeling down to squeeze his cheeks.
he opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a small little "awoo!"
that actually awakened something in you. "oh my god!! ughh, you're too cute! my little baby... what a cutie..." you kept hurling compliments and baby talk at him and he truly didn't know how to respond.
your touch was so gentle and so warm that he couldn't help but melt into it. he let out a small purr, leaning into your touch. you actually gasped. incoherent sentences flew out of your mouth as your eyes sparkled.
he knew you were such a cheery presence. you brightened up any room you went in like the sun incarnate. it was one of your traits that drew him to you. but he'd never experienced it in full force. your aggression towards cute things was not to be underestimated.
"how are you still so adorable after all this time!! ughhh!!" you immediately lifted him into your arms and buried your head into his fur. if he wasn't paralyzed already, he would've most certainly been now.
he tried to snap out of it, but the gentle plush of your lips against his body made him short-circuit. "hmm... i should go find mydei..." you mumbled to yourself, the gentle vibrations of your voice reverberated against his fur.
realizing the bet was in danger, his body reacted almost instantly, nuzzling into the crook of your neck to distract you.
the squeak let out by you was not human. you held him up with your arms extended like simba, holding him up to the sun like he was a god sent angel. you then brought him close, planting a kiss on his nose. and then another kiss. and then another.
and somehow, he was frozen once more. this actually felt quite nice. wait... what? he was enjoying this? no. it was only because he knew he was winning this bet.
him liking your pampering? nope, it's just the sweet scent of victory that gave him butterflies in his stomach.
butterflies, huh? somehow in all the time together, you've never failed to give them to him. you always seemed to do something new. this was certainly... new.
he wasn't complaining.
perhaps he was enjoying this.
well then, it wouldn't hurt to let you enjoy this moment as well.
and so, for the rest of the day, you two spent minute after minute making each other's smiles widen. a never ending battle of joy. and mydei was determined to have the last laugh, after all: 'giving up' wasn't something that existed in the kremnoan language.
he ended up forgetting all about the bet a while in. but at the very end of the day, you two were cuddled in bed; your head resting on his fluffy stomach. and just as the clock struck twelve, he poofed back into his regular, sturdy self. your head still resting on his chest.
you squinted your eyes open at the new sensation, he awaited your reaction.
you made eye contact with a smug mydeimos. most definitely proud of his ruse. you only replied with a smile. "welcome back, mydei."
wait, wait, wait, wait. what was with that reaction.
you giggled at his face twisted in confusion. your laugh resonated through his chest, making his heart shake. "c'mon, of course i knew it was you." you sighed, placing a hand on his chest. "who would i be if i didn't?" you shut your eyes again, preparing to fall back asleep. "thanks for today, mydei. you've made me very happy."
well. did he lose the bet? who knows. who cares. seeing your face in complete comfort and relaxation, he let out a small chuckle. it was worth it. perhaps that's why he accepted the bet. all for your adorable smile.
totally worth it.
phainon's story
listen, when a totally not shady vendor tells you they have a potion on sale that can transform you into a chimera and your girlfriend loves those little creatures, would you not instantly buy two with no hesitation and test it out with your best friend by proposing a bet to see who would get found out first by their partner?
no?
really?
be honest, now.
because phainon totally would. no regrets.
well... maybe one regret.
seeing you, a normally so composed person act so lovey-dovey with who you thought to be vigethos may have sparked a little flame of jealousy inside of him.
listen, he knew you loved him. it's just that... you're normally so put together that seeing you act like this gave him such whiplash. he swore he'd never seen you act like this. ever. not even with vigethos. do you only act like this when he's away?
if he was human, he'd be pouting.
i mean, seriously. look at you.
"hi baby!! aww you're so cute!! come here!!" what????
since when were you able to talk like this? voice pitched up, words babbled and incoherent, barely restraining your hands from petting him all over.
how come you were never like this with him? did you not find him attractive...?
like, he knew you loved chimeras. that's why he agreed to adopt vigethos in spite of his voice-out jealousy. after all, you'd spent far too much time with vigethos and not enough time with him. but seeing how soft your gaze was when looking at the little thing, he swore you struck an arrow through his heart. only because it was you.
but if he had known you'd be giving this guy so much affection he wouldn't have let this happen!
you snapped him out of his thoughts almost instantly when you gave him a couple scratches behind the ears. he melted under your touch, his ears falling to the sides as a loud purr escaped his mouth.
you instantly sat down on a nearby bench, placing him and cradling him in your lap with adoring coos.
he was no thoughts, head empty. bet forgotten, jealousy forgotten; just pure bliss. "you're so much cuter in this form..." you beamed, scratching his belly.
"awoo!" he replied, still basking in your affection. seriously, head empty, no thoughts. not a one.
you booped him on the nose with your finger. "what a cutie you are!" his little tail flicked joyfully from underneath as he continued to lean into your touch.
every time you brought your hand to pet him, he would reach his head out to nuzzle into your palm. you chuckled under your breath at the action. "you're so adorable, phainon." you continued singing praises to his ears as his tail continued to wag. "i don't think even vigethos is this cute."
"awoo!" he affirmed, still completely oblivious to your words.
you honestly wondered how long it would take for him to realize. you really tried to hold back your laugh, masking it with more high pitched tenderness.
you could stop petting him to let him process everything, maybe even break the news. but... where's the fun in that? you were enjoying this little game, he was obviously enjoying the situation (though he did not understand a single thing that was going on), so why not let this game go on for a little longer?
but you severely underestimated how long this game would go on for. perhaps you had too much faith in phainon's... thinking skills.
listen, he's usually extremely sharp and perceptive. maybe the whole being-in-a-chimera's-body awoke something in him. perhaps he really liked being pet...? you'd have to test this out when he returned to his normal body.
anyways. he passed out. so you brought him back to your place, placing him on your bed with a blanket overtop him. you then sat down and watched the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. completely relaxed and serene. you smiled, placing his paw in your hand and allowing yourself to drift into a deep sleep.
the clock struck twelve and he returned back to his normal body, but neither of you woke. the change back would not surprise you and he was knocked out.
but phainon is an early riser. old habits die hard so he obviously woke before you. he woke to feel the warmth of your hands wrapped around his.
he gazed upon your sleeping face as a faint pink lit up the tips of his ears. he brushed a strand of hair from your face with his free arm before rising his torso up off of the soft, cushy mattress.
and then he recalled the events of yesterday. and he fell back down immediately in embarrassment. his face was red.
the impact of him hitting the bed was enough to awaken you from your slumber.
the first sight you saw as you opened your eyes was a flushed phainon lying back straight against the bed, eyes shut in an attempt to look asleep (but they were far too tense and furrowed to fool anyone).
you giggled at the sight. "hm? i wonder where vigethos went. i could've sworn i spent the full day pampering him. how curious, phainon is exactly where vigethos was... what could that possibly mean?" you drew out each and every sentence as his face grew redder and redder and his grip around your hand continued to tighten.
"...okay...enough..." he mumbled, cupping a hand over his face in embarrassment. he turned his head to look at you, blush absolutely furious across his cheeks. "you couldn't have warned me?"
you laughed. "oh, i definitely tried, phai." you could feel the burning heat emanating from his hand in yours. "i didn't know you'd enjoy being pet so much." you teased, ruffling his hair.
he pulled you in close, pouting at your satisfied face. "you're so mean..."
all the laughter you held the day before broke out looking at his face. "you're adorable." you grinned, planting a sweet kiss on his forehead.
"well, that's not fair." he sighed in a daze as you pulled away. "i'll have to get my revenge somehow." he tried to calm his racing heartbeat to no avail. he decided thus that he'd play it off; try to get you flustered instead. he pulled you closer once more and landed a kiss on your lips this time. and then your cheek. and then your forehead. and then your neck. your collarbone.
he pulled away, observing your newly reddened face. he grinned with a self-satisfied smirk. "i can't believe you..." you sighed with a smile.
the golden beams of dawn filtered through your blinds, illuminating your lovestruck faces with the morning light.
though he'd suffered far too much humiliation, he couldn't have asked for anyone better to witness him in those moments.
he may have lost the bet, but he definitely won elsewhere.
Ive been in my angst kick lately so maybe can I request, the amphoreus men trio who has a crush on the same person? And reader is like Elysia from HI3? like reader is very beautiful and very flirty only towards women? Like it could be broad daylight and reader would just say: "I just wanna be in a room full of pretty girls" or "women are just prettier!" and the boys are just like: "we literally exist???"
(This popped into my head while I was listening to a song that goes: "Im dumb shes a lesbian i thought i had found the one)
— ✦ SHE LIKES GIRLS ::
— ✧ lesbian!reader x phainon, anaxa, mydei (technically also aglaea, castorice and cipher)
so... i never played or interacted with anything HI3 related... i'm sorry... this will be extremely ooc for elysia (based soley off of the wiki) but reader will be a woman lover so!! i wasn't sure if you were looking for angst or something else but to me i wanted this to be a crack fic so i'm so sorry if you wanted angst... hopefully you enjoy nonetheless!
— ✧ cw: crack fic, i guess angst if you squint, ooc, one sided pining/fluff (x3)
to them, you were perfect.
beautiful, kind, intelligent, funny, outgoing, caring; and oh, the list goes on.
with one glance they were already enamoured. completely wrapped around your finger.
i suppose the one thing about you that wasn't great for the three was your lack of affection or further interest towards them. or men in general.
one of the seven sages of the grove of epiphany, the crown prince of castrum kremnos, the deliverer of amphoreus—three chrysos heirs. none of them even so much as tickled your fancy? seriously??
listen, it wasn't as if you outright ignored them or ridiculed them—quite the opposite—but, well... it was just baffling to them how you never seemed flustered by them, no matter what they tried. and i mean they tried.
take for example, anaxagoras.
you'd often pay visits to the grove of epiphany hoping to sit in on one of his lectures just to support him. every time he saw your face in the crowd; his expression would soften, he'd be a little kinder to his students (emphasis on a little), he'd use you as examples when he had the chance.
afterwards, he'd even invite you to his office to aid him in his work and experiments. though he'd never say it out loud, he was simply looking to spend a little more time with you. you would almost always accept his offer, wanting to help him out.
you'd usually left in confusion. after all, he said he needed help in his experiments. so why did you two end up sitting across from each other at his desk, lit only by the lamp beside you, making it so that you could only really see each other? and why did he often pause reading to stare? why did he tuck your hair behind your ear ever so randomly out of nowhere? why did he let you fall asleep and tuck you in his bed while you were knocked out?
you chalked it up to observation for his experiment. whatever that experiment may be.
he was utterly exasperated by your density. he wondered how you could act so composed when inside he was absolutely freaking out by the slight contact and the proximity.
what puzzled him even more was how you acted around mydei and phainon as well. he was a reasonable person, he knew those two along with him were very obviously attractive to the general population. the amount of times a student has attempted to make a move on him after a lecture was astounding (especially because they thought they had a chance?? with him?? while you were there??). and you would come up after and tell him how pretty the girl was. when he was right in front of you.
baffling.
utterly baffling.
anyways, on the topic of mydei and phainon. neither of the two had much luck with you either. next example: mydei.
it was no surprise that kremnoans were not very well recieved in okhema. but for some reason, you treated every single child of kremnos with such kindness, he was interested—to say the least.
and as time grew, he found that this kindness came at no price. no underlying reason of exploitation. only that you wanted to. and that kindness was also extended to him. so naturally, he sought it out. sought you out.
he'd find himself looking for you whenever he had the time and you two would often stroll around just talking about whatever. mydei wasn't great with small talk but you were a natural. he couldn't help but be mesmerized every time you approached someone to help and just struck up a conversation without preparation or thought.
what confused him more was your natural affinity for the women.
you'd leave his side to help someone, and then suddenly you're chatting up a storm with a passing lady.
"wow, you're gorgeous!"
"you're so pretty..."
"i love your hair, it frames your face perfectly!"
"that's a beautiful outfit, it looks great on you!"
and then you'd return to his side, bubbly talking about how pretty the woman was. there was even one time you were talking about how buff a kremnoan woman was (and how hot that was) and he simple looked down at himself in bewilderment.
phainon, however, arguably had it much worse than those two. he's a natural flirt, he's naturally charming without trying. the women of okhema—hell, amphoreus itself—all swooned, head over heels for him. and while he didn't let this get to his head, he definitely believed that would mean he had a better chance with you. right?
ha! wrong.
no matter what he did, what he said—you never got flustered. ever.
he could lean in extremely close, so much so that his hair brushed the tip of your nose: nothing. he could carry all your bags during a shopping spree, even lending you his very little sum of money if you needed it: nothing. he could remember all your favourite everything, your regular drink order, your favourite top, your favourite flowers: nothing.
my god did this guy try.
he gave you a cute nickname, turned his charms up to the max around you, invite you out on date after date (you just thought they were hangouts): literally nothing. no reaction. nada. zilch. goose egg.
he once tried talking to you about love and fate, all that mushy stuff. you listened intently to him, not really revealing much about yourself. at some point, you started talking about how pretty women were, how you wanted to be surrounded by them.
honestly, he's never been so shocked before. he almost went nonverbal, stunned to silence.
how much more of that before they finally got the gist of what was going on?
far too much.
they'd been so absorbed in their own adoration that they never really stopped to think about things more logically. even anaxagoras himself.
you see, they'd all had more than enough proof to understand that you might really like women. like, really like them.
perhaps anaxa should've known seeing that every time he came to okhema to 'talk' to aglaea, you'd be there. on the sides, wrapped around the demi-god of romance's finger. admiring the view in a dreamlike-state.
perhaps he should've connected the dots when he saw you the next day, adorned in garments made by the goldweaver herself. you were absolutely filled with a glee he'd never seen before. in fact, you'd never worn anything not made by her from then on out.
perhaps mydei should've known seeing your proximity and kindness extended beyond the kremnoans, to castorice herself. the one who could kill with just a touch. but even so, you always sought her out (like he sought you out), complementing her beauty almost every time you saw her.
perhaps he should've connected the dots when he saw you combing through her hair, utterly fearless. castorice was terrified and yet you had one of the biggest smiles he'd ever seen. you were completely at peace.
perhaps phainon should've known seeing as you'd often look for cipher when aglaea was around, hoping to spare her beauty at least one glance. cipher seemed to bask in the attention, gracing you with her presence often. her advances making 1000x more of an impact than his.
perhaps he should've connected the dots when he once caught you in her arms as she whisked you away using her coin of whimsy to an unknown place. you were a blushing mess, grinning like you floating on cloud 9.
so how did they finally come to terms with the reality?
well, lesbian was not a foreign concept to amphoreus. cerces and mnestia being one of the bigger examples of such.
but never did they think the woman they loved... loved women.
anaxa was the first to realize.
being the chrysos heir of reason, even with his rose-tinted glasses, he was no fool. he'd connected the dots long before the other two, wondering how this could've possibly happened.
he fell for someone who could never see him the same way? unacceptable. but it does happen. but... to him? how did he not notice sooner? when this crush first blossomed, he thought he'd only have to consider phainon and mydei in this equation, not the entire female population.
he totally understood and accepted such a fact as soon as it clicked, he simply drowned himself in a tad bit more work than usual, hoping to broaden his knowledge further to avoid further mishaps.
but every time you visited one of his lectures, he couldn't stop himself from basking in your presence, still requesting that you join him in his work. he wouldn't act on his whims anymore, respecting the distance you required but... do continue grace him with your presence. after all, he's still a man. such feelings won't leave on their own.
mydei was next, just a few minutes before phainon.
the little kids of castrum kremnos ran around, big smiles on their faces. they chanted, "miss y/n likes girls~♪" with jolly smiles on their faces as you tried to hush them with a red face.
mydei watched the entire interaction in silence, his facial expression unreadable. exasperation welled up inside his chest as he let out a large sigh.
that made so much sense. he seriously didn't notice sooner? seriously? his disbelief in his density was immeasurable.
well, even knowing that fact, he couldn't stop his admiration for you. he would still walk around okhema with you, engaging in the small talk he was never great at. perhaps someday, he'd even want to show you around castrum kremnos. only if you'd go with him, of course. besides, you'd be able to hang around the kremnoan women, if that's what you desired. just accompany him a little longer, would you?
and then phainon. the last one to know.
seriously, i think all of amphoreus knew before him. for all that internal complaining on how dense you were, he was pretty dense himself.
mydei and anaxa had to spell it out for him. there he was, complaining to them on how you never seemed to make any reaction to his advances. his head was hung low, akin to a dejected puppy. the two exchanged a knowing glance before breaking the news to him.
oh. oh.
so thats why.
and now he felt stupid. really stupid. that was so obvious, how could he not have noticed that sooner?? for someone who prided himself in knowing you, he really missed one crucial aspect.
and oh, that meant you'd never love him back. oh.
that was a moment of many realizations for him.
did that mean he'd have to stop loving you? now that was a tall order. he couldn't possibly. but... he'd still try, for you. just, continue to talk to him as usual. he'd still like to be in your orbit, selfish as that may be.
though the three would never admit it, a sort of kinship formed, one of shared experience. shared stupidity.
you continued to act as normal, you never treated them differently before and you continued to act the same around beautiful women. but now, every time you did, they couldn't help but sigh at their past selves, wondering how this never sparked any flags for them.
but, as long as you were happy, they had nothing to complain about.
Gender neutral reader/Anaxa canon divergent au let's goooooooo
The walk really wasn't horrible, thankfully for your aching shoulders.
You never thought you possessed a lot of stuff till you were forced to haul it like this. It felt a bit like a humiliation ritual.
Walking into the academic wing was like crossing a threshold into another world. The air itself changed in temperature slightly, cooler, deeper into the heart of the Grove. Still scented with old paper and ink, but tinged with the sharper, more sterile aroma of alchemical reagents that would have certainly been banned elsewhere.
It was notably lacking in the sounds you'd grown so used to. The current ambient noise, a low hum of focused energy rather than the chaotic buzz of student life.
Fewer people passed you, and those who did were deep in conversation or lost in thought, eyes glazed over, looking instead of seeing. It was unnerving… Even those who were lucid barely glanced your way, despite how your exaggerated struggling was surely quite the spectacle.
The silence was a relief, in some regards, but it left too much room for thought, and your thoughts kept circling back to him. You pushed them aside, yet again, wondering just how many times that annoying, self-involved man could invade your head in just one day, and if you should have argued for a mental rent clause in that contract you so haphazardly signed.
You found your assigned room without much trouble, numbers worn from age and many, many inhabitants.
Concerning...
Inside, the space was bigger than you were used to, that was immediately apparent. A bed, twice the size of your previous one and in much better condition with crisp linen sheets, a sturdy desk beneath a large window overlooking the inner branches of the Grove, a bookshelf waiting to be filled. It was efficient. Clean. And utterly unfamiliar.
This was it. Your new life for the next year, for better or worse.
You sunk onto the edge of the narrow bed, the frame creaking softly under your weight. The impulse to unpack, to establish some semblance of order in this stark new space was there, a faint, nagging pull at the back of your mind. But your body felt heavy and your thoughts, far too sluggish.
Your gaze drifted to the window, the view of intertwined branches, thick with bioluminescent moss, casting a soft glow into the room. It was beautiful, in a cold, untouchable way.
Far too early for sleep, unfortunately. That much you knew, even with the perpetual darkness. It only took a few more minutes of quiet thought before you were pulled forcefully from your stomach growling, prompting a slightly frustrated sigh. A rude interruption, a stark reminder of your neglected basic needs, obnoxiously loud in the sterile quiet of the room.
Right. Food…
You hadn't eaten since... well, you couldn't actually remember. The thought of venturing back out into the unfamiliar corridors, and worse still, possibly running into him, or one of his intensely quiet colleagues, made your shoulders tense and the inklings of a headache form. But hunger was a persistent motivator. You pushed yourself up from the bed with a quiet sigh, your movements slow and reluctant.
The hallway was just as empty and silent as before. You weren't even sure which way to go. Apparently, straining to carry your entire life across the halls didn’t make for great direction retention. Any other, more devoted scholar might make that a point of study, you just felt irritated by it.
You walked a while, hoping for a landmark. Was the Grove always this big? Every door looked the same, every branching path offered no clues. The sheer, imposing scale of the academic wing was starting to feel less impressive and more… deliberately confusing.
This was supposed to be designed by geniuses…?
You rounded a corner, your footsteps nearly silent, and suddenly stopped short. A familiar voice... Yes, unmistakable, even when muffled by a half-closed door, dry and precise, utterly pointed. It must have been a small amphitheater, but every clipped syllable carried far past its threshold. You paused, lingering just beyond, hidden in the shadow of the corridor. You couldn't help yourself...
"We attribute their power to divinity because we previously lacked the language for what it truly is. A concentration of energy. A manipulation of natural laws. Accessible, theoretically, to any mind sharp enough to grasp the underlying principles."
You risked a look, peaking through, eyes finding him at the center stage through the gap in the door. His posture was rigid and there was an undeniable intensity in his face, the kind that holds a small group of students at attention, utterly breathless with academic rigor and barely suppressed concern.
"A disease is not divine because it is powerful. We fear what we do not understand, and we call that faith. It is the duty of reason to dissect it. To name it."
'It is the duty of reason to dissect it.' You couldn't help but wonder if that’s what he was doing with you. Dissecting. Naming. Mastering. The thought sent a cold shiver down your spine, even as your stomach gave another impatient growl.
You risked a few minutes more. You weren’t even sure why... Perhaps just to observe him in his natural habitat.
His lecture continued, the dry, precise dissection of divine fallacy, but something shifted... He was in the middle of a sentence when he simply stopped. His hand, which had been gesturing with sharp emphasis to a board you couldn't hope to make out from this distance, froze in mid-air. His head tilted, just a fraction, like catching a familiar feeling on the wind.
His gaze swept the room, eyes passing over the faces of his students, some familiar and less so. You managed to make out his expression, the only appropriate descriptor being 'unnerved.' Then the gaze moved past them, toward the partially open door, toward the shadows where you stood. It didn’t scan with haphazard uncertainty. It landed. It fixed with uncanny accuracy. You tensed, heart jolting in your chest, holding your breath with all the resolve of an animal being primed for dissection.
He knew.
A slow, unsettled frown touched his lips, one of mild annoyance.
He didn't call you out, didn't acknowledge your presence directly like he might to a delayed student. He held the silence for a moment. Then another... Then he simply turned back to his audience, his voice dropping to a slightly distracted tone.
"…And therefore," he continued, voice noticeably softer, losing the sharp, lecturing edge. "The argument for their supremacy collapses under the weight of its own foundation." He didn't look at his notes to pick back up after that line. His gaze was distant, turned slightly inward, as if listening to a faint, distracting melody only he could hear.
One of the braver students clears their throat. "...Professor?"
Anaxagoras blinked, as if startled back to the present. He glanced at the student, then his eyes flicked, just for an instant, toward the door, before returning to his notes with more focus.
You took that as a sign to vanish, slinking out of the compromised spot. Your heart thumped a frantic rhythm against your ribs as you slipped back into the shadows of the corridor. The feeling of being pinpointed with such effortless unnerving accuracy lingered like a chill.
The search for food felt secondary now, your hunger eclipsed by the unsettling realization of just how acutely aware of you he was. It was like he could sense you through walls, through crowds, through the focused haze of his own lecture. The connection was more of a tether than you'd first thought, and you still couldn't feel it at all.
It occurred to you that any attempt to dodge him would likely be thwarted by such a tether. It was like you donned an invisible tracker, something that ensured your theoretical escape wouldn't take you far. What a pleasant and totally normal dynamic to find oneself in…
In the amphitheater, the dismissal was as abrupt as usual.
"That will suffice for today," the scholar hummed, eyes entirely on his notes, voice flat and final, cutting off any further questions. He didn’t offer an explanation for ending the lecture early, per usual. He simply gathered his notes, quick and efficient, then walked out of the room without a backward glance, leaving a group of bewildered scholars behind. The ones who knew him better were just glad he said anything at all before leaving so suddenly.
He made his way to a quiet, empty observation room nearby, one usually used for celestial charting, not keen on making the trek all the way back to his study with his head so full. He locked the door behind him.
The room was circular, with a domed ceiling depicting star maps that he didn’t glance at. A worn journal was pulled from his robes as his mind tried to properly categorize exactly what happened, and how it was still affecting him. His script was feverish, less elegant than usual, messy black lines and splotches penned with a shaking hand.
"Subject proximity test (unplanned): Lecture Hall, approximately 50 meters separation, one closed door, ambient noise of 20+ individuals." His pen scratched against the paper. "Detection was instantaneous. Sensory based. A resonant shift in the coreflame’s agitation. A… need."
He paused, staring at the word. 'Need.' It felt too subjective, far too emotional. He crossed it out. "The effect was pronounced. Mental focus fragmented. Physical awareness of Subject’s location persisted for duration of exposure and continues...."
He closed the journal, not satisfied. The data was clear, but the experience was… muddled. He’d felt you like a sudden drop in temperature, a change in the pressure of the room itself. Something hard to articulate but measurable.
He leaned back in the chair, staring at the star map on the ceiling for a moment. The coreflame in his chest was quiet now, a soft, contented hum, but he knew it wouldn't last long.
In the quiet of the observation room, he turned his focus inward, to the space beneath his ribs where the void of stars and the divine fire entwined.
It’s a treacherous thing to do. The coreflame, this stolen shard of Reason, was not a passive power source. It was a consciousness, eroded and mad, but still sentient in its anguish. It recognized the search, the probing, and it reacted like a startled animal.
A low entirely familiar ache began deep in his bones. It wasn’t quite the sharp pain of absence, but familiar, nonetheless. The star-shaped void on his chest pulsed, pinpricks of light swirled and clustered, whispering in a language of fractured logic he could only hope to half-understand.
Your presence was a thread thrumming with a frequency that soothed the coreflame's endless, directionless rage to the unfairness of its fate. A tether to sanity, to something that felt almost like peace. But it crackled with the petulance of a jealous god. It didn't just want the byproduct, it wanted the source. It pulled at the thread, a greedy, instinctive yank that translated into a sudden, sharp cramp in his chest. He hissed, eyes flying open, hand pressing against his sternum as he doubled over. His mind went blank for a moment.
It was hungry, bottomless. It wanted, needed to consume the source, to draw it in and make it… part of itself, to fill the hollow where Mnestia used to be.
He pushed back against the impulse, a mental command as sharp as a blade and just as painful.
"No."
The command was for himself as much as the fragment within him. This will not be consumption. He can’t allow that.
The coreflame quieted, sulking like a child. The ache faded to a dull throb. But the tether remained, vivid in his mind's eye. He could feel its length, its strength. He knew, with a certainty that was thrilling and utterly terrifying, that if he followed it, it would lead him straight to wherever you were.
He finally stood, a little unsteady. The awareness was a live wire, a sixth sense. He knew exactly where you were. He knew you were moving. He would know the moment you stopped. The intimacy of it was obscene. A violation he never asked for, but one he could not, would not, severe.
He leaves the observation room, his steps purposeful. Not toward you. At least not yet… He needed to think. To plan. To engineer more time in a safe setting where he knew he wouldn't fall victim to his own impulses, and he already had the most convenient cover unfurling itself in his mind...
You, still stirring with the same thoughts as him, eventually find a small, quiet courtyard tucked away in a lower branch of the wing. The few scholars present eat in silence, their noses buried in scrolls. You, as well, attempted to eat at an unoccupied table, but the food tasted like ash and proved hard to swallow. Every quiet pair of footsteps in the hall adjacent made you tense, half-expecting to see his silhouette in the doorway, his eyes locked onto you with that same unnerving focus you felt back at the amphitheater.
Would he be upset…?
Finishing quickly, you retreated to your new room after some retracing, intentionally avoiding the path that would lead you past the amphitheater, just in case.
The previously unfamiliar space felt a little more habitable, even though it was still barren. You lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, mind buzzing. The year ahead stretched before you, long and intricately bound to the most unpredictable man you had ever met.
A knock at the door broke the silence, sharp and precise. You didn’t need to ask who it was. The rhythm of his actions was already becoming familiar.
When you reluctantly open it he's leaning against the frame with an unnerving casualness. He had changed out of his lecture attire into something simpler, though still just as 'academic' looking, his hair falling in soft waves over his shoulder in a looser tie than normal, and with a small, leather-bound journal in one hand.
His visible eye scanned your face, then flickered past you, taking in the state of your room, the unpacked trunk, the untouched bed. A faint, almost imperceptible frown touched his lips.
"You haven't settled," he observed, his voice low and even. It wasn’t a question. "Is there an issue with the accommodations?"
You blinked, slightly dumbfounded by the observation. Just how quickly was he expecting you to unpack?
"Uh, no, I haven't... Do you need something?" Your reply was uncharacteristically candid. Perhaps he was already rubbing off on you... He didn't give any sign that it affected him.
"I 'need' you to be functional," he replied just as bluntly. "And a functional assistant requires a functional environment. Chaos breeds inefficiency. It’s a simple principle." He crossed his arms, looking away from you.
"I've also compiled a preliminary schedule. Your presence is required in my lab every day at Entry Hour, when the symptoms are most pronounced. And you'll also attend my lecture at Action Hour's second quint. Beyond that, you're free to pursue your own studies, provided they don’t interfere."
His tone was clinical, detached, but his posture was rigid as ever. He was waiting for your reaction, for a protest, for anything that might give him more data to categorize. If you didn't know any better, you'd almost think he wanted a little resistance.
"Your lectures..." You started, mind whirling slightly to what you saw earlier in the amphitheater. So he had categorized your presence... Shocker.
"With all due respect professor, I'm not a Nousporists."
A slow, deliberate blink was your reply, like the thought hadn't even occurred to him and wasn't worth exploring up until you said it out loud.
"That is irrelevant. The lecture isn't for your edification, though that will, ideally, be a byproduct." He replied, waving you off with little consideration, "It's for my observation. I need to gauge how this… 'resonance' behaves in a public setting, under stress, with multiple stimuli present."
He glanced down at the leather-bound journal in his hand, fingers mindlessly brushing over the pages that you could now see to be entirely empty.
He seemed to ponder something for a moment, eyes getting that infuriating glazed-over look you kept seeing, like you no longer existed in his general presence. You considered interrupting with some other form of protest, but something stopped you... Obviously, nothing you said would change his mind, the same man that uprooted your life and dragged it halfway across the Grove in order to be optimally placed for his convenience.
He looked back up, eyes holding yours, far more piercing now, as if having decided on something else.
"Your attendance is mandatory. You'll sit in the front row. I'll be monitoring your reaction, as well as my own. This is a parameter of the study. If you have objections, file them with the Academic Senate."
A faint, almost smug smile touched his lips. "And, given your apparent fascination with eavesdropping earlier, I assumed you were already invested in the subject matter."
Your heart jumped to your throat, a sharp, unpleasant thump of hot embarrassment against your ribs. Who does this guy think he is? To say that so openly...
Right. Okay. Fine. So your new job included auditing an insane professor’s class. What a delightful way to spend your enrollment. You're in the middle of sulking when he tapped that damn journal, catching your attention, opening it and showing you the empty pages.
"This contains blank observation logs. You'll record any notable changes in your own condition. This includes mood, energy, any… sensations you might experience while near me. I'll be doing the same. Comparative analysis is crucial. We'll compare findings weekly."
You suspected that was code for 'you give me your notes and I don’t tell you anything.' Oh, you were going to kill him. He watched the flush climb your neck, the way your eyes narrowed, and the sharp, almost imperceptible tightening of your jaw. Ah. There it was. A reaction. Not just compliance and mild fear, but irritation. Genuine, human irritation. His smile deepened, becoming something much more genuine, more… intrigued.
"Good," he replied softly, the word a low hum of approval. "Indignation is a far more useful baseline than apathy. It has a measurable pulse."
He closed the journal with a snap that tugged pointedly on your last nerve and held it out to you with an enigmatic smile.
"Begin tonight. Note everything. The mundane is often the most revealing. And," he added, his tone dropping into something dangerously close to a purr, "try not to let your personal feelings toward me cloud the data. Objectivity is the soul of good science."
Scratch just killing him, you wanted to strangle that smug look off his face first.
What right did he have to claim you had any feelings at all towards him, other than the blatant animosity written all over your expression. You snatched the book and turned, an obvious dismissal. Contract or no, you didn't have to take this.
He didn't move, lingering for a moment longer, studying your profile, the set of your shoulders, the way you held the journal like it was a burden and a weapon. A faint, almost imperceptible shiver ran through his body, not exactly displeasure, no, but of… deep fascination. Data. All data.
Finally, he turned like he was about to leave, but... He paused at the threshold, one hand resting on the frame. His voice was low, almost conversational, as if he was merely thinking aloud.
"You have every right to feel the way you do," he said, voice quieter now, stripped of its performative edge. "I have, by all social metrics, essentially kidnapped you for my own benefit. It's a transactional arrangement, one you agreed to under terms you likely didn't fully comprehend. Your resentment is… logical."
He studied your face, gaze tracing the tension in your brow, the set of your mouth... "But animosity is still a feeling. It's a variable. It has weight. It affects your perception, your reactions, and your… proximity. Which, in turn, affects me. So," his tone shifted back to that dry, analytical cadence, "I kindly ask you to log it."
Then he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him, leaving you alone with the journal, the simmering heat of your own frustration, and the unsettling understanding that he had already begun dissecting you, piece by piece.
