#canon x reader

[brainwashlol2]

Among us show

purple x reader

warning: corny asf, idk what to do with the ending so i did disny like ending, and yes i am working on light green(forgot his name) and red cuz i said so and cuz they're my favorite characters

After the Accident

After the accident, Purple and Red had finally made peace with each other, putting their past behind them. But it wasn't long before they were transferred to a new crew, forced to start over all over again.

And that's when Purple met you.

Grey.

You seemed nervous. It wasn't your first time going into space, but that didn't mean it wasn't scary. Space was still space, after all.

Despite that, you had a bright spirit. You were always trying your best to cheer everyone around you up, whether they needed help or just someone to talk to. You were the crew's communication mechanic, the one who knew the way around wires, computers, cameras, and all that complicated electronic stuff.

Purple noticed you pretty quickly.

She noticed how you always tried your best.

How you would help someone even when you were already exhausted.

How you'd smile even when things weren't going well.

And, honestly?

She couldn't help but hope that nothing bad would happen to you.

She'd already seen enough things go wrong.

She didn't need to watch another person get hurt.

Unfortunately, the universe apparently didn't give a shit about her wishes!:3

The cameras and computers had started lagging again.

Even on a new ship, the damn errors never seemed to disappear.

And, being the bright little mechanic you were, you immediately volunteered to fix it.

Purple watched from nearby as you worked.

The problem was more complicated than expected, and she couldn't exactly help you with it. All she could do was stand there, grumbling under her breath about how badly the ship's systems were designed.

You didn't mind.

You understood!

Everyone had a difficult job!

Even Purple.

Especially Purple.

Eventually, after a lot of struggling with wires, panels, and whatever else was hiding inside the machine, you finally managed to fix it.

You had barely finished when- OH MY GOD YOU GIT ZABBED-

Electricity suddenly shot through you.

You yelped, jerking your hand away from the panel.

"Ow—!"

Purple immediately looked over.

"Grey!"

You stumbled backward, shaking your hand while trying to act like nothing had happened.

as Purple rushed over

"What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I'm fine!"

"You just got electrocuted!"

"Technically, I got zapped."

"That's the same thing!"

You laughed nervously.

"I'm okay, Purple. Seriously."

But Purple wasn't laughing.

She stared at you, clearly worried as you started walking away with an awkward limp.

"You sure you're okay?"

You turned around and gave her a small smile.

"Yeah. Don't worry about me!"

Then, instead of leaving, you looked at her.

"You okay?"

Purple blinked.

"...What?"

"You looked worried."

"OF COURSE I WOULD!?, YOU ALMOST GIT YOURSELF KILLED."

Purple looked away, crossing her arms.

"You are annoying"

"And you're adorable when you're worried"

Purple froze.

"...Huh."

You immediately realized what you'd said.

Your face warmed.

"I—uh..."

You laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of your neck.

"Anyway! You're doing a great job. Security is important, y'know? Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!!!"

Purple stared at you.

Nobody really said things like that to her.

Security was just... security

A necessary job.

A job people noticed when something went wrong, but rarely appreciated when everything went right.

But you looked at her differently.

Like she was important.

Like she was someone worth looking up to.

Like she was...

...special.

Something shifted inside Purple.

She didn't know what it was.

And she definitely wasn't going to admit it.

Not yet.

After that day, Purple started noticing you more.

Not intentionally....well uhh..At least, that's what she told herself.

She'd notice when you entered the room.

She'd notice when you laughed.

She'd notice when you were tired.

She'd notice when you skipped meals because you were too busy fixing something.

And she'd notice whenever someone made you upset.

That one especially pissed her off.

Soon, she started finding excuses to be around you.

"Hey, Grey."

You looked up from your computer.

"Hm?"

"Security needs a systems check."

You glanced at the perfectly functioning terminal.

"...The security systems?"

"Yep."

"You mean the ones I checked yesterday?"

"Yep."

"And they were completely fine?"

"Yep."

You narrowed your eyes.

"...You just wanted to see me, didn't you?"

Purple's face went blank.

"No."

You smiled as you let a small giggle

"You're a terrible liar."

"I'm not lying."

"Sure."

She looked away.

"...Maybe I missed you."

Your smile softened.

"Aw.":3

"Don't make it weird."

"I wasn't going to."

"You were absolutely going to."

You laughed.

And Purple couldn't stop herself from smiling.(i have no idea how she smile so just keep along with me)

For once, being on a new crew didn't feel like starting over.

It felt like she'd finally found something worth staying for.

Someone worth protecting.

Someone who made the ship feel a little less like a cold metal box floating endlessly through space.

Someone who made her feel...

Happy.

And maybe

just maybe!!.

she was starting to fall for you...(omg we have a happy ending???)

Weeks passed.

Eventually, Purple finally worked up the courage to tell you.

It wasn't dramatic.

There wasn't some emergency.

No alarms.

No sabotage.

No Impostor running around the ship.(like some event...rip blue and light green.😔)

Just the two of you sitting together in the quiet observation room, watching the stars pass by.

Purple was unusually quiet.

You glanced at her.

"Everything okay?"

"...Yeah."

"You sure?"

She took a breath.

"Grey."

"Hm?"

"I..."

She hesitated Then she looked directly at you, trying her best(awe...:3)

"I like you."

You blinked.

Purple immediately panicked.

"I mean—not just like. I mean, I really like you. And I know this is probably weird and—"

You smiled.

"Purple."

"You like me?"

"...Yeah."

You moved a little closer.

"I like you too." (AAWEWEW THEY'RE SO CUTE)

Purple stared

"...You do?"

You laughed softly

"Yeah."

For once, Purple didn't have anything sarcastic to say.

She just smiled, A genuine, relieved smile.

And as the stars continued drifting outside the window, she reached over and gently took your hand.

Neither of you said anything.

You didn't really need to...or probably because neither of you two know what to say next LOL-

For the first time since the accident...

Purple wasn't afraid of what would happen next.

Because whatever happened

she wasn't facing it alone anymore.

Awyyy happy ending whohooo!, NOW GIVE ME LIKES..!!

yeah ik it's sound cringe, it's just there really nothing interest i can do ngl, butttt i might do imposter reader if you liked this one! share your opinion in the comments it's really help me out

[dottoreswifemei]

Poly Dottolone x female siren fae reader headcanons

Zandik x female siren fae reader x Feofan

Reader is a siren fae, which are extremely rare, according to lore (correct me if I'm wrong). Also, everything takes place after the original Zandik died. Reader never met him. She only knows dottore as segment 35.

(check my other acc if you are interested in Zuko x reader (avatar the last Airbender) @zukoswifemei)

Content: fluff, sfw

Picture for reference, this is the only trait I mentioned, can be any color you want. ( pic from Pinterest)

You as a Siren Fae

- Your Siren Fae nature is simply part of your everyday life with them.

- They don't treat you like a curiosity or an exotic possession.

- Your unusual ears, sharp teeth, pointed nails, scales, heightened hearing, and Siren voice are all things they've gradually learned to understand.

- Your ears are particularly expressive, and both men become extremely good at reading them.

- When they're relaxed, they're soft and loose.

- When you're irritated, they become noticeably tense.

- When you're frightened or genuinely angry, they become rigid.

- You can manifest your Siren tail whenever you want. It's something you choose deliberately.

- Your tail is mostly associated with your private pool, bathing, or situations where you specifically want it.

Your voice

- You have two major Siren vocal abilities: destructive resonance and entrancing resonance.

- The destructive form is something you deliberately control and reserve for genuine threats.

- The entrancing form is subtler and can occasionally emerge unintentionally when you're experiencing particularly strong emotions.

- Zandik is fascinated by the physiology behind it.

- Feofan is fascinated by the fact that your singing is beautiful even without the supernatural component.

- If you accidentally activate the entrancing resonance while singing, Zandik will notice almost immediately.

"Your resonance changed."

"Did it?"

"Yes."

Feofan smiles.

"It was lovely."

General dynamic

- You are in a committed polyamorous relationship with Zandik and Feofan, and neither relationship is treated as secondary.

- The three of you have very different personalities, which is exactly why the dynamic works. Zandik is controlled, intellectual, and difficult to read. Feofan is charismatic, indulgent, and deliberately provocative.

- Zandik and Feofan have their own relationship with each other as well. They aren't simply two men sharing a partner, they genuinely care about one another, even if they spend an unreasonable amount of time arguing.

- You are usually the person who breaks up their arguments.

"Are you two finished?"

"He started it."

"You were the one who—"

"Both of you. Stop."

And somehow, they listen.

Zandik (Dottore)

- Zandik is the quieter partner. He doesn't constantly verbalize affection, but he notices everything about you.

- He knows when you're tired by the way you move, when you're irritated by the position of your ears, and when you're uncomfortable before you say anything.

- He remembers tiny details you've mentioned months ago.

- If you casually say that you like something, he'll remember.

- He also enjoys teaching you. If you become interested in biology, anatomy, history, engineering, languages, or anything else, he'll happily explain it to you in extraordinary detail.

- His version of affection is often simply letting you into his personal space.

- You can sit beside him while he works, lean against him, hold his hand, or read in his laboratory without him complaining.

- He'll occasionally glance at you and quietly say:

"You're distracting me."

You know perfectly well he doesn't actually want you to leave.

Feofan (Pantalone)

- Feofan is the shameless flirt.

- He knows exactly how to make you blush and considers it one of his favorite pastimes.

- He'll compliment you just because he enjoys your reaction.

"You look beautiful tonight."

"You said that yesterday."

"And I was correct yesterday."

- He's extremely generous with you.

- If you mention wanting something, there's a dangerous possibility that he'll purchase it before you've even decided whether you actually wanted it.

- He also loves taking you somewhere elegant simply because he enjoys seeing you dressed up.

- Feofan is much more openly affectionate than Zandik. He'll casually put an arm around you, kiss your forehead, hold your hand in public, or pull you closer while sitting together.

Your life at the estate

- You don't have to have a conventional job, so your days are largely your own.

- Neither man expects you to become productive simply for the sake of productivity.

- Instead, they make sure you have plenty of things to occupy your mind.

- You read, sing, learn new things, visit the city, spend time in the pool, explore the estate, attend the opera, and occasionally accompany Feofan to social events.

- Zandik gives you intellectual challenges.

- Feofan gives you experiences.

- You also have plenty of days where you simply do absolutely nothing.

- Nobody judges you for it.

The estate

- Feofan has an unfortunate tendency to renovate. Constantly.

- You will occasionally walk into Zandik's study looking exhausted.

"Zandik..."

"What happened?"

"Feofan is renovating again."

"Again?"

"Well, he's having the house renovated. He doesn't actually do any work."

- Zandik will stare into the distance for several seconds.

- The indoor heated pool is one of Feofan's more justified renovations, however.

- It was built specifically so you could comfortably spend time in water without having to deal with Snezhnaya's freezing climate.

- And of course Zandik has a personal lab in the estate.

- There are also Fatui soldiers guarding the estate.

Going into the city

- You're allowed to go wherever you want.

- However, because you're an extremely rare Siren Fae and the partner of two powerful Fatui figures, you generally have a discreet security detail.

- Usually one or two guards accompany you rather than surrounding you with an entire military unit.

- You also go out all three of you. Most of the time going to the theater or expensive restaurants.

- When you go to the theater, you try to listen to the opera singer/ watch the ballerinas while the two of them won't keep their mouths shut. They won't stop complaining about anything.

-When you go out to eat, Zandik won't stop commenting on the food and the way it must've been prepared.

At night

- You usually sleep between them.

- Partly because you like the warmth and partly because it simply became the arrangement everyone naturally settled into.

- Feofan is usually the more physically affectionate sleeper.

- Zandik tends to be quieter, but you'll often find his hand reaching for yours sometime during the night.

- If you're cold, you instinctively move closer to whichever man is warmer.

- Feofan finds this amusing.

"You're stealing my blanket again."

"I'm cold."

"Then come closer."

Zandik, half-asleep:

"She's already closer."

- Since Feofan is a very passionate smoker, he snores. And it's VERY bad. It sounds like a broken engine and wakes both you and Zandik up.

When you're upset

- Feofan tries to comfort you immediately.

- Zandik gives you space if you need it, but stays nearby.

- Neither forces you to talk.

- If you're angry, Feofan is usually better at distracting you.

- If you're genuinely distressed, Zandik becomes extremely attentive and practical.

- And if someone else is responsible for making you upset? Both men become considerably less pleasant.

The three of you together

- You can sit together for hours without needing to constantly interact.

- Sometimes Zandik plays piano while you sing and Feofan drinks tea nearby.

- Sometimes Feofan reads while you're curled against him and Zandik works across the room.

- Sometimes all three of you are simply sitting together by the fireplace.

- The relationship doesn't need to be dramatic all the time.

The defining feature of your relationship is that the three of you genuinely feel like a household, not two separate relationships revolving around you, but three people who have deliberately built a life together.

Tag list:

@ratatouillesass

[mage-of-mip]

Remember back on Quizilla when people would write x Reader fics but "you" would be a whole ass OC and the first chapter would be a bio on said OC with a name and everything but the fics would still be written in 2nd person?

Man those were the days huh

[the-s1lly-corner]

Fluff Alphabet w/ Eyeless Jack

this was going to originally going to be for caine but I figured I should work through the usual crp line up before taking on a third fandom for this... for now! tadc alphabets soon, probably after i get the main animal hospital cast caught up! notes: gn reader, slender mansion for funsies, reader is implied a killer and humanoid for simplicity, heavy on the admins personal hc and take for ej, these are a retake of old fluff alphabet headcanons so if you've read the old stuff some stuff may be familiar! cws: canon typical horror and gore, body horror

Attraction-

He wants someone he can actually talk to. He's already got to deal with people like Laughing Jack and Jeff in the mansion, they're way too loud and... high energy... huge assholes on top of it. Maybe it can come off as an ego thing but he wants someone who can sit down and actually take something seriously AND not be a huge dick about it

Which is a bit funny since Jack himself is a bit of a dick!

You don't need to be all that smart, he just wants someone who's on the same energy level

Bonding-

Most of the activities you do together aren't TOGETHER together. It's parallel with one another, doing your own thing. Maybe he's tidying something up in you're in the room doing a puzzle together. It's nice, just being in the company of one another! It's a nice change of pace when everyone else is doing something that's a lot more chaotic and loud, Eyeless Jack is like a sanctuary in the middle of everything

Cuddling-

Eyeless Jack runs a bit cold, so he's like a God send during the hotter months when the inside of the mansion REALLY gets stuffy. Most of the other people in the mansion have that normal human body heat going on, but not Eyeless Jack! He's not much of a cuddler, or physical affection person in general... but he does be mindful enough that touch may be something YOU want, so he tries to set time aside to make sure your needs are being tended to

He's a bit short in my personal interpretation so it shouldn't be TOO awkward to have him be little spoon if you wanna hold him... though it's rare he actually agrees to be the little spoon...

Dates-

Dates in general are a bit hard to pull off in the mansion, there aren't really that many options... you COULD sneak out late at night when there aren't many people roaming the streets, Jack's got the advantage of looking like a mostly normal person from a distance-- though... he doesn't eat "people" food. Physically can't, gets sick. Tokyo Ghoul rules basically. So going out to eat is off the table... maybe if there's something good playing, the two of you can go out to watch a movie together instead of just watching the same old shit in the living room--- it'd be nice to catch something that's just releasing than to just be confined to DVD!

Actually planning dates does slip his mind though, even before he got all... tarred up... he didn't really date all that much so he's unused to these sorts of things...

Emotion-

For the most part Jack isn't all that emotional, until he isn't. And usually when he IS emotional it's typically when he's outwardly lashing out. Jack is... not very high energy when it comes to expressing himself, he doesn't emote like the others and it's harder to read him when he insists on wearing his mask- literally and metaphorically... so by default you show more emotion in general, but that's... fine. It's not entirely that Jack is entirely hiding how he's feeling from you but that's something more for the Xray section!

Family-

Jack's never been interested in having kids, even before coming to the mansion. That's very unlikely to change with time--- and he's not one to compromise about these sorts of things. If kids are something you REALLY want then it's best the relationship between the two of you is broken off

Gift giving-

He's not much of a gift giver... and he doesn't much care for getting gifts. Though if it's something that matters to you he does try his best to make an effort even if options are limited, sometimes the people he... harvests from... has a nice little something in their house that you might like! It's not like anyone has money, can't exactly get a job so the two of you just have to make do with those sorts of things

Harsh-

Jack can get a bit... snappy... that's a nice way of putting it. He doesn't really yell or go out of his way to raise his voice at you but as soon as he gets going he has a bit of a hard time keeping himself in check. He'd never harm you, especially over something as simple as a little disagreement. Arguments aren't... completely uncommon but they're not very common- all things considered Jack isn't that short tempered in comparison to the others within the mansion

Injury-

I am of the headcanon that Jack used to be a regular person before becoming what he is now, and I have the not very original headcanon that he was going to school for medical stuff before shit hit the fan. He's pretty well versed in anatomy and having hands on experiencing with his... meal prep... has given him an even more intimate knowledge of where everything is and where everything should be... couple that with him already knowing how to treat a wound and being the closest thing the mansion has to a medic... you're in pretty safe hands! On top of that he doesn't lose his cool

It's a bit of a different story when he's wounded... he'd rather take care of himself if he can, even if it means doing the stitches on his own

Jealousy-

He says he's not the jealous type. He is, at least a little bit. He can deny and deny all he wants but he can't hide the way he stalks around when you're getting a bit too comfortable with someone. To be fair, he doesn't get hung up on the little things, if you want to hang out with someone that's fine. But skipping dates? Brushing him off? Yeah no he's going to call that out real quick

Kisses-

Kisses are... interesting... sometimes you can taste the tar that's dripped a little too close to his mouth, even if it's been wiped away before you went in to steal some smooches. It doesn't really taste that good...

When he can he kisses deep, like he's trying to make up for otherwise not being too touchy affectionate. It's nice, even if his tongue is kind of ice cold and weird--- it's split. It took some getting used to

Love language-

Quality time. Lots and lots of quality time. He knows he's not one for words or touch, and he can't really give you any gifts. The most he can do for you, and the most he feels he can ask for, is to just... sit there with you. Even if there's no conversation happening between the both of you, it's something. He hopes that you know that he really does care about you, even if he's a bit cold--- it's not that he intends to completely shut you out, connection is just a bit hard for him

Marriage-

Similarly to children he's not exactly one for marriage, not that you guys can get it done legally anyway. That being said he's more open to the idea of having something symbolic if it really means something to you-- whether it's a ring or a tattoo or something that the both of you have to show off outwardly to the others. Or if you'd prefer he's perfectly fine not having anything like that at all if you just want to address one another as spouses

No-

Absolutely under no circumstances does he want to take you up on any offers to feed him with your own body. He can gather up food for himself perfectly fine, and he'd much rather not risk taking more than you can handle offering up. When he feeds he can get a bit frenzied, so the risk is FAR too great for him to even want to consider. That being said, if you harvest something yourself from someone else then he's not going to turn it down; you already got it and even packaged it up all nice for him! It would be a waste to just chuck it

Oddity-

His tar is... sticky. It isn't all that surprising when you stop to think about it but... yeah! It's sticky, and it kind of smells a bit. You've had the misfortune of accidentally getting some in your mouth when you go in to kiss him. He's got this whole nightly routine where he wipes himself down before he gets in bed with you--- though it only minimizes the staining. You've since learned some neat cleaning tricks to combat this little obstacle

Petnames-

Jack would much rather prefer the two of you use each other's actual names... but sometimes he does slip out a Babe-- it's rare but it happens, it's like a little treat when it does!

As for what he wants to be called...? He's not too picky so long as it's not excessive or within earshot of others-- Jeff and Toby would never let it go

Question-

Gore and death isn't anything that you're new to, in fact everyone in the mansion has seen their own fair share of that sort of thing. So you're a bit shocked that Jack shot you down on your offer to come along with him to pick out someone to track down. You knew he liked doing things solo but this felt... different. Jack's got a sort of ritual, and if you didn't know any better you wouldn't notice the way he's so... cagey... about his diet

It's better to just not ask

Risk-

He doesn't like risking anything with you. If he can help it he would prefer that you would stay home when he goes out to go look for someone to restock his personal fridge. Besides he already doesn't like you seeing the harvest as mentioned in the previous section

Him wanting to deal with those things alone aside, he's well aware that his style of "hunting" is riskier, people have weapons of their own. Besides odds are you haven't been in the breaking and entering side of things as long as he has, it's not worth the risk

Tunes-

It's an older playlist, but I feel overall if I were to remake the playlist not much would change!

Upset-

Jack is more of an advice before comforting person. If you need comfort and a space to vent first then you need to outright tell him that you need that. Sometimes you need to complain before you can get solutions--- if you want them period. You could very well already know what you need to do

On the flip side... Jack... represses and self isolates. Locks himself in his room for a while, maybe he listens to music. Maybe he doesn't. There's no real point in asking him to come out and vent to you, he's a total shut in as soon as the door is closed

Valentines-

Similar to dates, valentines is a bit limited in what you guys can actually do. It's more likely on these nights, if you have the money for tickets, you go out to see a movie just to mimic a normal couple. It's... weird but nice... to act like that. It feels weird returning to something so... MUNDANE... even if its for one night

Sometimes he goes around the forest surrounding the mansion to pick wild flowers to bring to you

Warrior-

Similar to Risk he doesn't want to rope you into his personal business. But on the off chance that the two of you need to team up? He's going to make sure that you come out as unscathed as possible, and he's fairly good at keeping up with that promise.

Xray-

He can read you scarily well. It's almost like he's been keeping an eye on you without you even noticing, it's... actually kind of creepy sometimes but to be fair that comes with the territory with the kind of crowd that lives inside the mansion. You're not exempt from being a bit offputting. Unless he feels like there's something deeper going on though, he's not going to push all that hard to make you tell him what's on your mind

On the flipside though Jack, once more, isn't all that expressive. His voice is a little flat and he's a bit deadpan in the way he delivers his end of the conversation. He doesn't joke, doesn't fool around. Kind of stands there real still while he's talking to you. It's a bit hard to get into his head, and to make it harder if there IS something going on odds are he's not going to bring it up. He's very... internalized...

Yearn-

He's not much of a yearner. He knows you're going to come back and if you don't... then he will learn to cope with it--- whether you simply never come back or you pass away. He's the king at repressing how he's feeling. And when you do come back? He's not going to be all over you. As far as everyone is concerned, from the outside he's completely unbothered

He does think about you, though. I do think he would miss you in some capacity, but he wouldn't let it consume him

Zzz-

Jack... struggles with sleeping. One might argue that he's an insomniac though he says it's not that serious. More often than not you're probably going to wake up to Jack working on something quietly in the room- if the two of you are sharing or spending the night together- or simply laying awake in bed...

But when he's actually asleep? It's like sleeping next to a corpse. His body's cold and you swear sometimes it feels like he's not breathing. He can't exactly change how he sleeps, not in that way, so it's just one of those things you have to get used to

♡-

Well I suppose public displays of affection are a little different when the both of you are only really surrounded by people within the mansion... and the two of you dating isn't exactly unknown. Though... the point remains all the same even if Jack was a perfectly normal person who enjoyed- and could enjoy- walking around in public on the streets: Jack... doesn't much care for PDA! The most you might get is that weird awkward side cuddle on the couch if there's a movie night going on in the living room but that's about it!

[dottoreswifemei]

The Price of Knowledge: Part 6

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Zandik x female reader, reader has Khaenri'ahn lineage

Word Count: 1853

I wrote this as a backstory for my yumeship/oc x canon, but it can be read as canon x reader. I didn't mention any name or appearance, but reader has a backstory. Nothing detailed, tho.

Reader is as sick in the head as Zandik, but she hides it better!!!

Author's note: Hello everyone!! I want to thank everyone who read this series and I hope you enjoyed it!! Also please don't hate me for the ending. 😞 (check my other acc if you are interested in Zuko x reader (avatar the last Airbender) @zukoswifemei )

Warning!!!!: plot twist, angst

Price of Knowledge: Part 6. The end.

The One Who Was Removed

Another year passed. It was Zandik's sixth year in the Akademiya. Everything had gotten worse. Everyone avoided him, everyone whispered about him. Everyone except her. She never changed. He couldn't do anything without permission anymore. He was under strict surveillance.

The Akademiya was silent after hours, the air was thick and there was a distant echo of footsteps that belonged to no one present. Zandik, still young, but already meticulous beyond his years, worked alone in his lab. His movements were precise, almost mechanical, each experiment was an exercise in calculation, observation, and control. Everything else, the politics, the hierarchy, the other students, the teachers and the Sages faded into the background. A quiet voice broke through the monotony.

"It's getting late. Very late."

He didn’t turn immediately, continuing to scribble calculations and adjust devices.

“…Then sleep.” he said, his tone flat, but not as detached as before.

She didn’t leave. She never left. She approached with curiosity, not fear, and watched him with unblinking eyes, observing every motion, every reaction. She asked questions, not childish ones, but precise, perceptive inquiries about his methods and reasoning.

“You shouldn’t be so reckless,” she said, leaning against his back, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. “You could get hurt.”

“And you could get expelled,” he countered.

She smiled faintly. “When have I ever cared about that?"

By then, her presence had become as familiar as the lab itself. Days bled into nights as she returned, lingering beside him, offering her thoughts, organizing his notes, even holding instruments with care he hadn’t expected from anyone. Others began to whisper.

“She’s seen with him too often.”

“She’s too involved.”

But she ignored them. And slowly, so did he.

There were moments of quiet closeness that neither acknowledged directly. She would rest her head on his shoulder while he worked, or fall asleep in the lab’s corner, letting the faint hum of his devices lull her. He did not move her away. She became his favorite variable in an otherwise controlled world.

The Akademiya was unusually quiet that evening, the corridors empty as shadows stretched long across the polished floors. Zandik, immersed in his latest experiment, barely noticed the passing of time, adjusting vials and inscribing calculations with deliberate precision. She appeared at the doorway, her presence soft but insistent.

“You’re working late again,” she said.

He glanced at her briefly, expression neutral, but there was an almost imperceptible softness in his eyes reserved for no one else.

“…And you’re not supposed to be here. It's late.” he replied.

"I'm here to give you something."

She sat down next to him and placed on the desk, the journal she had in her hand. Zandik said nothing. She pushed the notebook towards him. He looked down at the journal.

The leather cover was worn smooth with age. Several pages protruded unevenly, stuffed with loose notes and folded diagrams. He recognized it immediately. It was never far from her.

"...You're giving me this?"

She nodded. "I think it's time."

He didn't reach for it. "...Why?"

"Because I already know everything that it's written here."

She gently pushed the journal toward him again. "I trust you more than I trust this place."

This time, he picked it up. It was heavier than he expected. When he opened the first page, neat handwriting filled the paper. Not research notes. A warning.

"If you are reading this, understand one thing before continuing. Knowledge has a price. Khaenri'ah learned that too late."

He turned another page. Ancient diagrams. Star charts unlike any recorded by the Akademiya. Sketches of impossible mechanisms. Translations of inscriptions predating the Archon War. The Crimson Moon. The Eclipse Dynasty. Records of civilizations deliberately erased from history. That small journal contained some of the deepest truths Khaenri'ah had ever uncovered about Teyvat. The fake sky. The abyss. How to use abyssal power. Gods. Heavenly Principles. Descenders.

Every few pages forced him to stop. Not because he doubted them. Because each answer produced ten more questions. Minutes passed. Neither of them spoke. Finally, he closed the journal.

"...Why entrust it to me?"

Her answer came without hesitation. "Because if anyone can separate truth from myth..."

She met his eyes.

"...it's you."

He remained silent. Then, with deliberate care, he placed the journal inside a locked compartment beneath his workbench. Not among ordinary research. Not among unfinished experiments. In the one place he considered secure.

"I will preserve it."

She smiled. "I know."

For a few precious minutes, they simply existed together in silence. She traced faint patterns on his sleeve with her fingers. He did not pull away, though he said nothing. Then she lifted her head, meeting his gaze.

“I hope you never give up on your dreams and experiments,” she said, pressing her lips briefly to his in a gentle, fleeting kiss.

“I'm going to sleep. Don't stay awake all night! See you tomorrow!"

And with that, she left. The door closed behind her and he was left with only the faint scent of her presence and the echo of her words.

Days passed, she didn't show up. He waited, she still didn't come. Rumors began to circulate, again, but this time not about him. Whispers that she died during some Akademiya operation. No one told him. He heard the whispers in the hallways if the Akademiya. Every time he passed by other students, they would stare at him.

Zandik did not act immediately. He did not want to believe it, though a gnawing unease began to take root. His grief was sharpened by uncertainty. Each experiment, each moment alone in the lab, carried a hollow weight.

The Akademiya corridors were silent, sterile, almost oppressively so, when Zandik finally allowed himself a pause. His experiments, meticulous and consuming, had kept him from dwelling on the whispers he had heard: rumors that she was dead. He didn't want to believe them, clinging to hope, even if it was so stupid. The uneasy silence gnawed at him.

Days passed. He still waited. She never came. Zandik finally decided to sneak into her dorm. When he arrived in front of her door, it was locked. He picked at the lock and opened it. When he pushed the door open, it was empty. The room was empty. The same room that once was filled with crates and books to the brim.

Did she leave the Akademiya? And purposely spread rumours of her own death? No. She wouldn't do it without telling him. Or at least, that's what he wanted to think.

He was furious. Possibly the first time in his life. If there was a place where to check, it was the off-limits archives. He sneaked in. He wandered amongst the shelves until... That was utterly unacceptable. Every material and document she had in her room, was there.

He dug in deeper. He found it. Files about her. He sat down with the lamp he brought in his hand and read everything carefully. She had been under surveillance, maybe even before him. She just didn't know. They knew every move she made. His eyes scanned page after page. Observational reports. Schedules. Field expedition records. Everywhere she had gone. Everyone she had spoken to. Every request she had ever submitted. It was impossible. They had documented her life more thoroughly than she ever had herself.

His gaze stopped on a page marked only with a seal.

CONFIDENTIAL

His expression remained unreadable as he began to read.

Subject: *Name*

Status: Removed.

Reasoning for Removal:

I. Undisclosed Khaenri'ahn lineage.

"Subject concealed ancestry originating from the fallen nation of Khaenri'ah. Possession and dissemination of historical material deemed incompatible with Akademiya regulations."

Probability of ideological deviation: High.

He turned the page.

II. Unauthorized investigation into restricted archaeological sites.

"Subject independently identified and documented what is believed to be a concealed structure beneath Tunigi Hollow. Preliminary assessment suggests a possible connection to Khaenri'ah."

His hand froze. The gate. They knew. Before either of them had managed to return.

Another line.

"Continued investigation was assessed as carrying an unacceptable level of institutional risk."

He continued reading.

III. Persistent association with trainee Dastur Zandik.

Silence. For the first time since entering the archives, his breathing stopped. He read the paragraph once. Then again.

"Subject maintained repeated unauthorized contact with trainee Dastur Zandik despite repeated advisories. Evidence indicates active exchange of prohibited knowledge between both individuals. Subject demonstrated unwillingness to distance herself from the aforementioned individual."

Another paragraph.

Assessment of trainee Dastur Zandik:

"Displays increasingly unstable research methodology. Demonstrates repeated ethical violations during experimentation. Persistent interest in forbidden subjects.

High probability of future ideological deviation.

Classification: Dangerous individual.

The final sentence was almost an afterthought.

"Continued association between both subjects presented an unacceptable threat to the integrity of the Akademiya."

Removal authorized.

He stared at the last two words.

Removal. Not execution. Not murder. Removal. As though she had been nothing more than a damaged manuscript to be discarded. Slowly, almost mechanically, he turned one final page. Attached beneath the report was a small photograph. Her Akademiya identification portrait. Taken years earlier. The same calm expression. The same eyes that had once looked at him across piles of ancient documents. The same face that had smiled only days before as she entrusted him with her journal.

For the first time in his life, no amount of analysis could produce a conclusion that lessened what those words meant. He closed the file with deliberate care, but the precision that had always defined his movements was gone. The silence of the archives suddenly felt unbearable.

He removed the entire folder. Checks the shelf to make sure nothing else references her. Looks for duplicate files. Then conceals everything beneath his coat before leaving. Only later, when he's alone in his laboratory, would he reopen it. Only then would he stop on the photograph. Hold it for a few seconds longer than necessary. Not because photographs themselves interest him... But because it's all that's left of the person who always walked into his laboratory without knocking.

In the wake of her death, Zandik’s obsession with control and perfection intensified. Experiments that had once been theoretical became brutally practical, executed with clinical precision and devoid of empathy. The Akademiya, increasingly unsettled by his methods and his detachment, expelled him. Where others might have faltered, Zandik saw opportunity: exile freed him from scrutiny. In the Eleazar Hospital in the Sumeru Desert, he conducted research on the ill and marginalized, relentlessly pursuing the boundaries of life, mortality, and human potential, all while his thoughts continually returned to her.

Only late, at night, he would let himself reopen the files and look at the picture.

Night. His laboratory. Everything exactly where it should be. Except one object. The photograph. He placed it beside the journal. Neither belonged among his research. Yet he could no longer separate them. He looked at the picture for a long time.

"Liar. You said you wouldn't go anywhere."

Within the span of a few months, Zandik lost the only person who had ever chosen to stay beside him. Soon afterwards, Trainee Dastur Zandik ceased to exist.

Tag list:

@ratatouillesass

[lemonaidfrog]

Jerry Stokes x short!reader (new beginnings)

(A/N):

1. The first stories (like 20) that I'm posting here are basically copy/pasted from my Quotev account, with minor edits bc they're kinda old, so my apologies if there's errors in them

2. I'm trying out different POVs in this story, so let me know if you like it and want me to incorporate it more, or if you completely hate it and want me to never do it again. :D

(3rd person POV)

The name: 'Joe's Fantasy World' flatters the shabby nerd shop way too much. It sounds like a beautiful wonderland of intimidating dragons, strong heroes, and hot damsels. Instead, you can smell the teen-boy stench from a mile away.

(Y/n) stands outside for a second. They take a deep breath as they grab the doorknob before shoving the door open. The bell rings and alarms everyone inside. They turn to (Y/n) for a moment before scoffing and returning to their comics and figurines. (Y/n) wanders through the shop, meticulously avoiding each boy inside and especially the creep at the front counter. 

They eventually reach a shelf stocked top to bottom with (favorite movie) merch. At the very top, (Y/n) spotted an action figure packaged in a perfect and pristine box. They reached up and could only touch the shelf below. As much as (Y/n) would shift and scoot and stand on their tip toes, they just couldn't reach. With a sigh, they look at the floor in defeat before a tall shadow loomed over them.

(Jerry POV)

I heard the bell as another patron walked into Joe's comic book shop. Their cheeks were puffed up with air, for some reason, and they had a little frown on their face as they stormed to one of the less populated aisles. They look adorable. I stepped away from my three "friends" to follow them. I quietly stalked- trailed-? walked behind them around the store from a fair distance away. 

I heard them sigh out the breath they were holding whilst staring up at the top of a certain shelf. I watched them try and fail to reach the figure they were looking at. This is my moment. I can reach anything. Pete always makes me grab him figurines and hoodies from tall shelves and racks. I can help this person too. Plus, I think most people like tall guys. The stars are aligning, this is my moment. I step up behind them and reach over their head. My chest lightly bumps into the back of their head. Crap. It's hard to focus on grabbing the box, leaning over them, and keeping balance. Once I grab the box, I step back and hold out the box for them.

"Beedee beedee beedee, here, Buck. I got this for you," I say, feeling the sweat from my palms stick my skin to the box. The person stares at me, jaw agape before reaching out and grabbing the box. I hear a small murmur of appreciation before they scurry over to the counter Joe's at.

Wow, I'm light-headed. I slap a hand to my forehead and sigh. What's going on? I haven't felt this way since I first got my set of D&D princess and damsel miniatures.

My eyes peel away from them as I hear Bill clear his throat, commanding my attention.

"What the hell are you doing, Jer. You were supposed to be telling this big doof that I'm right and he's wrong!"

"I'm not wrong Bill! Obviously a hoard of zombies could beat just five orcs!" Josh denies.

"Obviously not! Orcs are way stronger!"

"It depends on the kinda zombies, but, let's be real, zombies would destroy!" Pete argues.

"See? Pete's on my side!"

"I'm not on your side, Josh, I'd never side with you. I'm just on the side that's... right!"

I zone out from their screeching and arguing, choosing to focus on what matters to me, that new shorty. 

(3rd person POV)

(Y/n) sets the absurd amount of money on the counter and hugs the box. Clearly, this figure is way more important than having lunch and dinner. They start to move to the exit before being stopped by the blonde stranger.

"Hey! I never got your name, Buck," He said, "uh, what is it?"

"You first," (Y/n) says cautiously.

"Jerry," He said before putting his hand out for a handshake. They shake hands awkwardly, feeling warm air trapped between their sweaty palms.

"Oh, I'm (Y/n)," They say, shaking his hand for a moment too long, the air getting more uncomfortable as time passes, "Well, bye"

"Oh, bye," Jerry says, watching as (Y/n) steps out of the shop, leaving him to return to his obnoxious friends.

Thank you for reading <33

[leviathanverse]

I decided to finally work on an x reader thing for the dragons. This post doesn't contain any of the headcanons I made yet, that will happen in the next part. Enjoy some dragons encountering cookie reader for the first time in my Hiccup effect HB au ^^

Cookies are known to tell stories of great beasts from ancient times that had ruled both sky and sea, often seen crawling on land or have adapted to thrive on the soil that had been ancient millennia ago. Sometimes, the stories are twisted to portray these beings of unimaginable power needing to be erased from Earthbread while the rest is either lost to history or made up.

Pitaya Dragon Cookie:

For Pitaya Dragon Cookie, brute strength and any chance able to be used to display their immense power from being a creature of the sky is absolutely everything to them. Unable to physically display their strength is like taking away their life powder.

Despite being viewed as something that is feared amongst cookie kind and spoken of as the embodiment of destruction itself, they can be surprisingly gentle or unknowingly show signs of parental care towards anything that even moves like a hatchling. They aren't aware that they act all parental, it is an instinct that is deeply baked into their dough.

So when they find a cookie suitable to be their mate, their potential mate needs to have VERY specific traits which are: being weak but not too weak, have a love for fighting, able to keep up with their attacks, be able to tolerate the temperature of their nest but also contain some fragments of kindness or mercy. It is possible for them to find a cookie as a suitable mate who doesn't have those traits, but they are surprisingly picky deeming a cookie worthy of being their mate. To make matters worse, any cookie that doesn't understand when they are displaying warnings during specific times of the year end up being added to their menu. That is if the cookies were super dumb.

Contrary to what they believed, they did end up stumbling upon a cookie that wore a cloak to hide their identity one day when walking through Dragon City in their cookie disguise.

" Please look where you are going next time." The hood of the cloak they wore kept th- HER face hidden in its shadow, only her lips visible while they could only stare at her with something blooming on their chest. What was this feeling that spread through them? It was... pleasant and warm in a way they never experienced before. They didn't have time to respond when the cloaked cookie slipped back into the crowd, appearance still stuck in their head despite her no longer being there in front of them.

That strange warmth lingered the entire day, even though it had been hours after the quick interaction between them and the mysterious cookie. They weren't able to stop thinking about her, how her dough seemed to have been baked to perfection to how her voice captivated them. As if she was an angel cookie with a voice unheard of.

Ananas Dragon Cookie:

Ananas Dragon Cookie heavily relies on ego, stories captivating outsiders of their benevolence and abundant fruits growing on their island throughout the year to attract a mate. Although, they aren't opposed to using brute strength to show how worthy they are to be a suitable mate. Taking away all of the above is equivalent to destroying their island.

As a Benevolent Dragon and Monarch of their island, it is only right to have some care towards the tribes that inhabit their land. Allowing the tribe to harvest fruits all year around while offering them the freshest of the harvest is a fair trade. Their islanders get fresh fruit to be harvested all year around as they bring fertilized soil to the surface and are under their protection while in return they get the best fruits and praise for being benevolent.

Despite cookies believing that they would prefer the traits the seek in a mate to be strong and loyal, it is only partly true. What Ananas desires in a mate are: loyalty, caring, someone they can dote on and who is willing to stand by their side no matter what. However, unlike Pitaya, they aren't particularly picky of who their mate would be as long as they have traits that are close enough to the ones they desire in one. As benevolent as they are, they will warn cookies if they are irritated by making a small crack in the floor. That's the only warning the cookies will get but if they proceed to ignore, they will allow you to meet your ancestors to put it lightly.

They actually didn't try to search for a potential mate due to the role they play on their island. Which must be why one day, a cookie with almost avian features washed up onto their beach.

The cookie laying limp in front of them wore what seemed to be an attire almost similar to the Mango Tribe, yet not at the same time. The sleeves of the top were torn and could have been confused for rags just by looking at the condition they were in, a similar thing with the collar of the top the unconscious cookie wore adorned with puffy pants that looked like a long skirt if seen from afar. The feathered limbs that protruded from their back were covered in jam and cuts, some feathers in terrible condition while the avian tail had seen better days if some missing feathers were anything to go by. Their dough was chipped and cracked in certain areas, jam leaking slowly as it had time to stall.

They crouched down to observe the cookie that had washed up onto their islands' shore, studying their features and came to the conclusion that the cookie was female, judging from the softer shape of the dough of the head. What kind of benevolent dragon would they be if they didn't bring this cookie to the tribe?

Lotus Dragon Cookie:

Lotus Dragon Cookie doesn't rely on strength or anything if they want to impress a potential mate. The could if they wanted but that isn't their style. Instead they rely on patience, knowledge, their ability to observe small details and plan ahead. To test their patience and take away the rest they need to impress a potential mate is equivalent to destroying their Mandolin and other instruments they use to play.

Like Ananas, Lotus does care about the cookies residing in their paradise. Why would they chase away cookies that wanted their wish to be granted by them, the Wish Dragon? Who were they to deny wishes from those that are weaker than them? No, they are above doing such things to those that truly wished for something admirable but the same can not be said to those that wished something else.

Lotus is incredibly picky when finding a mate with certain traits they desire in one, more so than Pitaya! The traits they want in a mate are: patience and kindness. It is a shock due to how they are very careful when picking out a cookie they believe to be the perfect mate. Don't try to impress them, that just means you are trying to get them to like you just for their power and status. It is also a kind of insult due to that needing to be done by them. If they want to find a mate, they will do all the impressing potential mate stuff.

They were actually searching for a mate, but had mostly looked at the cookies in their paradise and somehow found none of them to be suitable. But one cookie visiting their island with family caught their attention.

Hydrangea Cookie had spoken of a particularly well-known Healer from beyond their island visiting, alongside were the wife and son they had brought over. That caught their attention. A famous Healer? Visiting their island? It wasn't something they had expected, no less the Healer bringing his family with. From what Hydrangea Cookie told them, the son had made a wish.

But the wish was unlike anything they had ever read. The wish was about wanting to learn how to play a lyre or mandolin, stating at the end that it would be understandable if the wish could not be granted. And it was from the cookie that was the son of the famous Healer too. They did ask Hydrangea Cookie to notify the family that they had requested for them to meet in person.

They did not expect for the son to be humble, kind and well-mannered. And when he asked for permission to speak, they had not expected for him to show genuine interest in their lyre, about THEIR favorite instrument to play... They were going to keep an eye on him, give the family of three the most luxurious room they had in their paradise.

Lychee Dragon Cookie:

Lychee Dragon Cookie is difficult to accurately pinpoint what they would use to try to impress a potential mate. On one hand, they might use their hypnosis to prove they can neutralize the threat but on the other hand, it is also possible they would just... not do anything? Maybe put in a bit of a fight but they'd treat it as a sort of challenge in the sense that it is meant to be playful? And to take it away wouldn't really effect them due to it being difficult to accurately pinpoint what they'd use to impress someone.

The only cookies they care about are Rambutan Cookie and her tribe, just in their own unique way. Sure they act like a rogue cakehound most of the time but that just shows they care about the tribe. They can openly act like a rogue cakehound around the tribe because everyone, including kin except Longan, can't tell whether they care or not. Again, a very difficult one to read and understand.

For what they seek in a mate? Well, they aren't particularly picky but they are still difficult to get a read on. Anyone, except those who are power hungry, can become their mate. But what they do want is a mate that can't fall for their tricks or magic. That's all.

Unlike the others, Lychee hadn't thought about having a mate until they met a cookie that unknowingly made them grow needy in the sense of needing a mate.

They had disguised themself to blend in with the cookies, stumbling upon a cookie that had some VERY appealing features. They weren't in his sight, he didn't see then yet which was fir the best as they unknowingly went into a kind of stalk mode. They weren't aware of what their body had done until the were just behind him, hypnosis was out of the question due to the massive gathering of cookies at this festival. Why risk that when their brain told them to stay hidden until they knew more.

They were quite good at staying hidden, put of his view as they kept watching him from afar. Oh he would make such a wonderful mate- they blinked at the thought. Mate? When did they start viewing this very attractive cookie- they were baffled at their own thoughts. But they weren't against them, this cookie checked all the criteria a dragon wants in a mate from just looks alone. Maybe he'll stay until the festival eventually ends and allow them to find out more about him.

Longan Dragon Cookie:

Longan Dragon Cookie heavily relies on knowledge, strength, intelligence, abilities, body language reading skills and even manipulation- not towards the potential mate, towards threats for their chosen potential mate they will guard until they either deem that mate worthy or unworthy for their status- to impress a potential mate. They are all seeing and impossible to defeat so there is no way to strip them of that unless they got defeated by not just Gingerbrave Cookie but their own kin.

They do not express the emotion, they lack it towards cookie kind. But their kin and own child? No, they wouldn't let cookies corrupt their minds. They care about their kin and child, just unable to express it due to trauma that had caused them to be emotionally broken. Think of it as someone being unable to feel pain but with all the emotions instead of it being physical.

Out of all the dragons, they do not care for having specific traits in a mate and would rather have a dragon as their mate rather than a mere cookie. Though, that is what makes it difficult to become their mate: limitations. They would rather take a Wyvern as their mate rather than a cookie if given the options but would most likely end up using their Life Powder to fuel their ability to become their true self. They aren't above using Life Powder from Wyverns to feed their body to be able to return to their true form as seen with the cookies. As long as the mate is not a cookie, they'll consider it.

They weren't searching for a mate, believing they'd find a suitable dragon when all goes to plan. But the first encounter with something that is nearly identical to a water dragon had been either happened by pure coincidence or by accident, it isn't clear which one it was but they had taken it as a clue.

The Ivory Palace stayed afloat amidst a raging storm, rain poured heavily while thunder cracked the sky like glass being hit by something heavy. Longan Eyes situated at every post around the place, staring at the open ocean and islands their user's kin had taken as part of their territory.

On the throne made of the finest stone carved with intricate details sat the Ivory Dragon, eyes closed as they thought about plans to ensure their goal to bring the age they longed into the present would work. Yet when they saw something move below their palace out of one of their eyes, their lashes lifted to reveal dark scleras with sharp yellow pupils. They hadn't foreseen this, irritated and dangerously curious as to how it was possible to not have foreseen such an event. But the power of whatever lurked below in the dark waters no doubt had emitted a power so strong that it had gotten their attention immediately, the strength radiating off of such a thing similar to young dragons that had only started to master the art of their own abilities that made their species unique.

As much as they were tempted to investigate, the knew that wasting time on something that would prove useless to their plans would potentially cause everything to fall apart. Yet, at the same time as they had chosen not to inspect, they were greeted by the sight of the slippery cookie hurriedly entering their throne room with panic before paying his respects to them. " Great Ivory Dragon, there iss a large aquatic creature beneath the palace. It had already begun to attack some of the sservantss and guardss that had sstrayed far too closse to the edge to insspect what it wass." How interesting. They hadn't seen the creature attack their servants or guards from their eyes scattered everywhere.

They didn't utter a word as they stood up, waving a dismissive hand as they calmly made their way to the balcony just to the left of their throne room, peering out at the ocean churning below to catch flash of dark blue and silver retreat to the depths, clumps of what remained of the servants and guards floated for mere seconds before finally starting to sink.

Taglist: @echantedtoon

[dottoreswifemei]

The Price of Knowledge: Part 5

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 6

Zandik x female reader, reader has Khaenri'ahn lineage

Word Count: 1445

I wrote this as a backstory for my yumeship/oc x canon, but it can be read as canon x reader. I didn't mention any name or appearance, but reader has a backstory. Nothing detailed, tho.

Reader is as sick in the head as Zandik, but she hides it better!!!

This fanfic will have 6 parts. It contains lore (I did my homework). It follows Zandik's (Dottore) backstory, more than the reader's, more exactly his time in the Akademiya. (check my other acc if you are interested in Zuko x reader (avatar the last Airbender) @zukoswifemei )

TW: slightly suggestive at the end, nothing explicit!!! All characters' ages are above 18!!!

Price of Knowledge: Part 5

The Promise That Was Never Granted

A few months passed. It was Zandik's fifth year in the Akademiya and months deep into his relationship with her. Then, rumours began to spread again. A few days ago, Zandik and another female student named Sohreh, went on a field expedition. Only one came back. When teachers asked him where is she, he didn't know. The other students started speculating even before the rescue team found her. When she was found, it was only her lifeless body. Sohreh was found dead during the expedition with severe injuries and mechanical asphyxia caused by a fractured hyoid bone.

As the months passed from their "confession", she started spending more time in his lab. Sometimes, when he would've skipped sleep for too long, she would bring two blankets and a pillow, to craft a makeshift bed on the floor to keep him company.

One afternoon, after lecture, she entered his lab without knocking. He knew it was her because no one else would dare to step inside without knocking. The door wasn't locked, he knew she would come.

"So... What happened with that girl?" She asked after she locked the door.

"Who?"

"Sohreh. From Amurta. You went on field work with her?"

"Irrelevant. I don't pay attention to people."

She walked closer and sat down next to him.

"So... How did she end up like that?"

"I am not aware of the circumstances in which she died and I'm not interested."

She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"So, you are saying you don't know. That a very weird thing for you to say, Zandik. You never don't know. I'm worried."

"Why are you assuming that I know the details only because we worked together?"

"Whatever you say..."

For a few minutes, the room was quiet, except for the sound of his writing. Then, she remembered something.

"I've been thinking of nicknames for you!"

"I am already opposed."

"I have two options. Zanie?"

"No"

"Zandie?"

"No."

"Hmm...How about...Dickie?"

"Absolutely not."

"...Fine."

With that, the topic about Sohreh was long forgotten, as far as she was concerned. She knew something was up, but she couldn't care less about the girl. Her death held little to no meaning for her.

Days passed. The students' and also the teachers' attention was set on Zandik. Everyone suspects him. Despite everything that was haplenjng, she was heading towards his lab. Again.

She bursted into his lab, like she usually does, but this time she locked the door quickly.

"I'm here with news!"

She walks towards his desk and leans on his back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"You'll love them as much as I did."

He already got used to her proximity. Or at least he's trying to. He doesn't tense like before. Several months ago, he would have immediately told her to move. This time, he merely paused.

"...You're obstructing my field of vision."

She leaned a little farther over his shoulder on purpose.

"Am I?"

"...Yes."

"...Yet you're still writing."

He let out the faintest sigh. "...Unfortunately."

She grinned. "I'll interpret that as permission."

"...Interpret it however you wish."

A pause.

"...Considering the current circumstances, I sincerely doubt your news concerns anything pleasant."

"You're wrong this time."

"...Then you've successfully made yourself an anomaly."

She took the pen from his hand and set it aside.

"Would it hurt to pay some attention to me?"

He looked first at the pen.

Then at her. Silence.

"...Yes."

"...Excuse me?"

"...Potentially."

He gestured toward the unfinished page.

"I was in the middle of recording an observation."

She smiled. "It can wait."

"...Knowledge generally does not."

"It will survive five minutes. And I guarantee I have better knowledge than this."

"It is statistically more likely that you will continue speaking for considerably longer than five minutes."

She laughed. "I knew you were listening."

"...I never claimed otherwise."

Another brief silence. Finally, he turned fully toward her.

"...Very well. What is so important that it justified interrupting my work?"

"...You know I've been on field work. In the desert. Tunigi Hollow."

"I am aware."

"I've found something interesting. Underground."

A pause. She leans closer and whispers against his ear.

"A possible gate to Khaenri'ah."

His expression didn't change. But something in his eyes did. The irritation disappeared instantly. He turned toward her completely.

"...Repeat that."

She smiled faintly.

"I knew that would get your attention."

"...Repeat it."

There wasn't impatience in his voice, only absolute focus. She repetead exactly what she said.

"...what evidence?"

"The design. The symbols. An eight-pointed star. The layout."

His mind was already moving several steps ahead. Who had built it? When? Why conceal an entrance instead of destroying it? Had the Akademiya documented it? If so...

Why had no one published anything?

"...Who else knows?"

"No one."

"...No proffesors?"

"Do you really think I would tell proffesors?"

For the first time since she'd entered the laboratory, he forgot entirely about the unfinished notes on his desk.

"...Take me there."

She laughed. "I thought you'd say that."

They prepared everything they needed. But when they were about to leave, a teacher came after Zandik and gave him an assignment, due the next day.

Weeks passed and she never got the chance to show him that place. The Sages wouldn't let Zandik leave the Akademiya without permission anymore. Following Sohreh's death, every request submitted under his name was examined more carefully. His actions no longer went unnoticed. He was under their surveillance. His action caught their attention. Even if he submitted a request to leave, they would never let him go to some mysterious ruins. He could have fabricated a research proposal. But if they discovered he deliberately misled the Akademiya while already under suspicion... Expulsion would likely be the least of his concerns.

Late into the night, the laboratory had finally fallen quiet. She had spread two blankets on the floor as usual, insisting that if he refused to sleep properly, she would at least make sure he collapsed somewhere comfortable. He continued writing. She watched him for a while. Then, with complete seriousness, she said,

"...You've always been interested in the human body."

"...Yes."

"You've spent hours studying anatomy textbooks."

"...Correct."

She rested her chin on one hand. "...Then come study me."

He looked up. For the first time in several minutes.

"...Explain."

Instead of answering immediately, she undid the top button of her Akademiya uniform. Then another. Just enough to expose the line of her collarbone. She smiled.

"...I'm offering."

Silence. He looked at her. Not with embarrassment. Not with excitement. With concentration.

"...Why?"

She laughed. "Because I wanted to see your reaction."

"...You interrupted my work for an experiment."

"...Exactly."

Another pause.

"...And?"

He reached forward. Not toward the open collar. Instead, he calmly took the loose edge of her uniform and fastened the button she had undone.

"...If your objective is to determine whether I find you physically attractive..."

He met her eyes. "...The answer was already affirmative."

She stared at him. "...That's all?"

"...It answers your question."

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "...No, Zandik."

She reached out, gently taking his hand before he could return to his notes. "...Listen to me for a moment."

He didn't interrupt.

"You spend every waking hour chasing knowledge. Every expedition. Every manuscript. Every experiment."

She smiled faintly. "...One day, you'll be old."

He raised an eyebrow. "...Statistically probable."

"And when that day comes..."

She looked directly at him.

"...What memories will you have?"

Silence settled between them.

"You'll remember translating inscriptions. You'll remember dissecting specimens."

Another pause.

"...But will you remember ever allowing yourself to simply... live?"

For once, he had no immediate answer. His gaze drifted toward the pages still covering his desk. The calculations waiting to be finished.

The unfinished observations. They would still be there tomorrow. The realization felt... unfamiliar. Almost uncomfortable. Slowly, he looked back at her. She smiled again.

"...Knowledge isn't going anywhere...Neither am I."

For months, he had analyzed every change in their relationship as though it were another problem waiting to be solved. That night, he stopped searching for explanations. For once, curiosity gave way to something quieter. He reached for her, not because another mystery demanded an answer, nor because he wished to understand the mechanics of human affection, but simply because he wanted to. His movements retained the same precision that defined everything he did. Measured. Unhurried. Deliberate. Yet there was no trace of clinical detachment in them. He had spent years handling ancient mechanisms, fragile manuscripts, and intricate experiments with extraordinary care.

This time, he wasn't preserving an artifact. He was touching the person who had quietly become the most important part of his life.

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