; five memories which you swear make you fall in love with him all over again each time you remember them.
feat ; kaeya x gn!reader
info ; hi luce !! ( @glazelilyy ) i'm your secret santa for axia's event :D !! i hope you like the fic, after writing it ive almost been converted to a kaeya simp LOL,,, happy holidays darling <3 !!
#1.
the first time you had a conversation with kaeya was, coincidentally, during a storm as fearsome as the one that had been raging on the night he was found outside the mansion. you were spending the night at a sleepover with your best friends; diluc and jean, but due to the horror stories the three of you had been telling each other earlier in the night, you couldn’t get to sleep. the deafening sound of booming thunder combined with the flickering candle in your shared bedroom casting terrifying shadows onto the walls sent your imagination into overdrive, and you decided to sneak out to get a warm glass of water – perhaps that would help calm your nerves.
yet unfortunately, the corridor you stepped out into suddenly seemed ten times more imposing than it ever was during the day, with rays of sunlight shining through the windows and dappling the aged carpets. however, you swallowed your fear and continued trudging along, hoping against hope that perhaps some angel would come swoop you up and give you both the water and then tuck you into bed. your wish for company was granted, although not in the way you desired, as the sound of sniffling suddenly became audible as you tiptoed through the hallway. you froze in your spot, pressing yourself against the wall to see in the futile wish that it would make you invisible to whatever spectre you were sure was about to form. but as time passed and no ghost appeared, you summoned all your courage and managed to trace the sound to kaeya’s bedroom. you had never been inside there, and you didn’t particularly want tonight to be the first time either, but his crying was so pitiful that you felt it would be criminal to leave him alone there. so, with as much bravery as you could muster, you turned the doorknob and let yourself in.
the sight in front of you nearly broke your heart.
the force of a strong gale had swung open kaeya’s window, sending the torrential rain indoors, soaking the entire bed. kaeya was desperately trying to close it, but the flashing lightning and howling wind would strike fear into the hearts of even the most lionhearted knight, and this poor young boy was no exception. tears were streaming down his cheeks as he attempted the fruitless endeavour, and his hands were trembling with nervousness and exhaustion – you had no idea how long he had been struggling with this.
“kaeya?” your voice was piercing, like a knife slicing through butter it cuts through all the noise and prompting the boy to turn to you. he’s beautiful, was what you thought even then as you gazed at him properly for the first time. his blue hair fell in front of his face, concealing one eye, but the other was a deep aqua, which was brimming over with tears. his right hand clutched the windowsill, but his left reached out to you, a wordless plea hidden within the simple action, ‘help me’.
to this day, you’re not entirely sure how you did it either, but somehow you and kaeya ended up warming up to one another downstairs in the kitchen, with the latter wrapped in bundles of blankets and a spare pyjama set you borrowed from diluc. (you were sure he wouldn’t mind.) as you chattered aimlessly about pretty much everything under the sun, kaeya gazed at you with a wonderstruck expression, and soon the ice broke enough for him to occasionally reply and chime in with his own thoughts – his voice was soft and shy, but it was better than the previous silence. as you shared anecdotes about your daily life at the winery, and kaeya listened eagerly with his sporadic responses, somehow both of you felt more at home than ever before, an undeniable and unexplainable bond beginning to form between the two of you.
#2.
“ow!” you yell, crouching down to the ground and huddling up in a small ball as you stare in horror at your scraped knee. “are you okay?” kaeya is by your side in an instant, concern filling his eyes as he scans the injury and your face. you’re sobbing so hard you can’t form a coherent answer, and you settle for violently shaking your head. “aw, don’t cry,” kaeya murmurs, one thumb wiping away the tears from your cheeks as your sniffling quietens down from the comforting feeling of his warm hand against your face, “you’re strong, alright?” you nod, rubbing your eyes with your fists to dry off the last of your tears, “thanks, kaeya.” “now, i'll race you inside, whoever gets there first gets to pick the band-aid!” he says, a mischievous smirk curving his lips. “you’re on!” you cheer, pain forgotten as you stand up and start running. “i didn’t even say go yet!” he calls out, only for you to reply, “you snooze, you lose!” “hey!” in hindsight, it didn’t actually hurt that much, but you suppose that at the time it would have felt like a broken leg when you considered how you had to stop playing for a while. you also know kaeya let you win, no matter how much he tries to deny it, and that only makes you even luckier to have him.
#3.
a large butterfly sits on kaeya’s nose, his eyes wide open and cross-eyed as he tries to focus on it. the two of you are completely still, the only movement from the flapping of its wings and the rustling grass. a gentle breeze whispers through the air, caressing your cheek and sending strands of kaeya’s blue hair blowing in every direction. you can’t help but giggle as you see the messiness of his previously neat hair, which sets kaeya off too, until you both collapse into a pile of laughter. the butterfly is evidently surprised by all the action, and it flies away, disappearing into a speck in the distance at the speed of light even as both you and kaeya crane your neck to see its path. he waves solemnly, and you quickly apologise for scaring it away before you both could figure out what species it was. “it’s fine,” kaeya grins at you, flicking his hair out of his face, “laughing with you is better than some silly old butterfly anyway.” until now, that remains one of the sweetest things he has ever said to you, especially because the statement rang with childish honesty.
#4.
rain pours down from the dark sky above, the downpour coming out of nowhere from what was previously a sunny day. it’s a summer shower, perfect for dancing in the rain, which is exactly what you and kaeya are doing. “we’re too old for this, aren’t we?” you query, the weight of the title ‘teenager’ making you feel far more ancient than you actually are. “no such thing as too old for fun!” kaeya beams, grabbing your hand to pull you close and twirl you in a grand dance. both of your clothes are drenched, and you’re certain you’re going to catch a cold tomorrow, but the joy you’re experiencing now in this moment outweighs any potential consequences.
even when he’s skipping amidst the puddles, it amazes you how talented kaeya is at dancing; his movements are so graceful and fluid it’s astonishing. you don’t even realise your jaw has dropped and you’re staring until he comments, “don’t worry, looking is free!” that’s another recent development – his flirtatious nature, which somehow never fails to send heat rushing to your cheeks and embarrassment flooding your heart. “like i'd pay for that!” you retort, although you can’t hide the smile playing about your lips.
kaeya moves closer, until there’s barely any distance between you, the proximity sending your heart beating a million miles per hour. “well, would you pay for this?” he asks softly, before tilting your chin up to his and closing the gap between the two of you with a kiss. it's innocent, even slightly hesitant, but one thing’s for sure; his lips seem to be moulded to fit against yours, like two puzzle pieces linking up to form a perfect picture. you're so surprised you can’t even gasp, only able to melt into a kiss and realise that you’re actually overjoyed this is happening. the sense that the feelings you’ve been trying to quench for so long finally being reciprocated makes you want to jump around and shout, but for now you’ll settle for enjoying this long-awaited kiss.
when he finally breaks away, kaeya leans his forehead against yours, “well, would you?” “hm… i think i could get you to do it again for free,” you giggle playfully, twisting a strand of his wet hair around your finger. “i can’t deny that,” kaeya chuckles before pressing his lips against yours once more.
till this day, you’re certain that was the most marvellous first kiss anybody could ever dream of, it was practically a fairytale! and also till now, you make fun of kaeya, claiming that you’re going to start charging him for kisses whenever he comes home late from work.
#5.
this memory is one that you treasure more than the rest and keep close to your heart like a dragon hoarding a priceless jewel; the first time the two of you ever exchanged the classic eight letters of ‘i love you’ in a romantic manner. considering how often you both said this as friends growing up, it isn’t shocking that it happened so easily. in fact, you both didn’t even realise until later, and it’s safe to say that kaeya was quite the blushing mess at work, while you were dazed all day at your job, to the point where the teasing from your friends was endless as they tried to guess what had happened.
like any other regular day, the two of you had made lunchboxes for each other. it was a tacit habit you and kaeya kept up from your schooldays, and it was a silent way of reminding your partner that you cared for them. however, thanks to a faulty alarm clock, the two of you were running late today. because of that, kaeya couldn’t give you your daily morning kiss, which you both agree definitely starts the day off on a good note and sets the tone for the rest of it. so, as he was rushing out the door, you tossed him his lunchbox and called out, “take care, i love you!” “i love you too!” was his immediate reply, and a second later the door slammed shut. when it finally registered in both your minds, you nearly combusted, while kaeya practically melted. it had seemed so perfect, and that was how you both realised you wanted to spend the rest of your lives together – you wanted to wake up to that every day.
when you and kaeya got home, he swept you up in a kiss as soon as he saw you. with the hugest, most idiotic grin on his face, kaeya peppered light kisses all over your face, punctuating each one with an, “i love you!” after he pulled away, you couldn’t stop smiling, and your face was so hot you wondered if you could cook an egg on it. “i love you too, kaeya,” you beam, pulling him into a hug and nuzzling into his chest, and you’re sure that truer words have never been spoken.
you've known kaeya forever, and even after all this time, you’re not over the butterflies and you doubt you ever will be – as if the stars themselves aligned to match you both, the two of you are perfect together.
quill speaks !
AKJWDKJASKDJ LUCE I RLLY HOPE YOU LIKE IT IM SORRY IF ITS CONFUSING OR DOESNT MAKE SENSE 😭😭😭 ILYSM MWAH HAPPY HOLIDAYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3
another secret santa exchange! this is for @purpleqilinwrites :) i hope your holiday season has been going well so far! <3
When you needed to get a job, working at the Liyue Tea House seemed like the perfect one. It was tucked away in a corner of the city and even with the bustling busyness of the holidays, it stayed calm. It truly was a dream job.
“I hope you know I don’t pay you to stand around and daydream.”
A voice broke through your thoughts and you turned to see your boss leaning against the handle of a wooden broom. She looked at you with curious eyes and despite the tone of her message, she loved having you around.
You spin around to her, “My apologies, ma’am.” You take the broom from her and when your boss disappears, you get to work swiping away any crumbs and debris that might have fallen onto the floor that morning. It’s such a relaxing job that you can’t even be annoyed.
The sound of a bell catches your attention and you look up to see someone standing at the counter. He’s tall and wears a long coat and you recognize him as the consultant for the funeral parlor.
“Hello,” You say, plastering a smile onto your face, “What can I get you?”
The man thinks for a moment and looks over the handwritten menu behind you, “Could I get an earl grey tea, please?”
He’s so polite, you think. “For here or to go?”
“For here.”
You nod, “It comes to 300 mora.”
The man reaches into his pocket before his eyebrow furrows and he glances up at you with a solemn look on his face, “I seem to have forgotten my wallet at home. I apologize for wasting your time.”
Just as he’s about to turn away, you say, “It’s your first time here, right?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Then you’re in luck! Because we have a special this month where your first drink with us is free.”
You’re lying, of course. But there’s something about this man that is telling you to keep him around as long as you can. He tries to protest but you’ve already started the drink.
As you wipe clean a teacup, you try to think of something nice to say to him. Should you ask him if he lives around here? No, that was stupid, who would travel far to come to a local tea house? Maybe you could ask if he was single? But wouldn’t that be too abrupt and weird?
Before you have a chance to come up with someone, the kettle chimes and you pour hot water into the teacup. You sift the tea leaves quickly before handing the teacup to the man, watching as he takes it to an empty seat.
“Mr. Zhongli came by?” Your boss says, startling you.
“You know him?” You ask a little too enthusiastically.
“My family worked with him and the young lady who owns the funeral parlor when my grandmother passed away.”
Your eyes light up, “What else do you know about him?”
Your boss chuckles to herself, “I didn’t take you to be someone who develops crushes on customers. But since you insist…” She tells you everything she knows about him and you make a mental note of it all. “He’s not with anybody, from what I know.”
“He is?” Your heart beats against your chest quickly.
Your boss smiles at the way your eyes glimmer, “You can go talk to him.”
You hold up a hand, “I don’t want to bother him.”
“Suit yourself,” She shrugs, “If you aren’t going to talk to him, then you better get cleaning.”
Your eyes flicker between the rag hanging over the counter edge and the man, Zhongli, and ultimately, you decide to take a risk. If Zhongli isn’t interested, you’ll just make up an excuse and go hide behind the counter. Your boss watches as you snake around the corner with shaky legs, slowly approaching Zhongli. He’s staring out the window and you clear your throat to catch his attention.
“Oh, hello there,” He says simply.
“Uh…hi,” You stammer out, “What…uh…what are you looking at?”
Zhongli’s eyes are kind, you realize, and a smile ghosts across his lips. “I like to people-watch,” He tells you, “The people of Liyue are so resourceful this time of the year.”
You nod, blanking on what to say next. “Do you want a refill?” You blurt out instead of anything better (i.e.: ‘would you like to go out sometime?’). Then you add, “On me! Don’t worry about the mora!”
“I would love that.”
You collect his nearly-empty teacup and grip the saucer tightly. Seriously? You had so much opportunity to say something that could spark a relationship and instead you, once again, dug into your own wallet.
What if Zhongli never came back to the tea house after today? And you lost your chance forever to talk to him?
The questions dug into you and you wracked your brain trying to find the answers to them. After making the second drink, you decided you just needed to grow a pair and properly get to know Zhongli.
“I hate to bother you,” You started, trying to think carefully about your word choice, “But do you mind if I sit here with you on my break?”
Zhongli gestures to the open seat across from him, “Please do.”
Technically, you aren’t on break but the tea house is empty and if your boss really needs your help, you’ll jump back in.
“I’m Y/N.”
You hold your hand and Zhongli laughs before shaking it, “I’m Zhongli. It’s nice to meet you.” A conversation (finally) starts up and you find it’s easy to talk to him. He’s wise and every story he shares catches your interest. When what seems like hours passes, Zhongli looks down at his watch and frowns. “I have a meeting to get to - but I’ll be back.”
And like promised, he comes back.
And like last time, he has no mora.
Zhongli falls into a routine of coming to the tea house whenever he has a chance, seemingly forgetting his wallet, having you pay for his drink, and starting up a conversation with you. Everytime someone rings the bell on the counter, your heart skips a beat. And everytime it isn’t Zhongli, you swallow your disappointment.
At this point, the prospect of seeing Zhongli helps you get through your shift. You don’t feel like a puddle of nerves anymore when it comes to him.
“You’ve gained a regular,” Your boss chides one day after Zhongli leaves for the day.
You shake your head and continue to wipe down the table, “He must really like tea.”
“He must really like you.”
You don’t think so but your boss is convinced, egging you on to add foam hearts on top of his lattes. If Zhongli did like you, would you go on dates and hang out outside of work? Spending time outside of the tea house didn’t sound so bad.
It’s been weeks since Zhongli has been coming into the tea house and today, you decide, is the day that you’re going to ask him out.
But when Zhongli comes in that day, he’s followed by a redheaded man who links his arm through the consultant’s. Zhongli looks indifferent but the worst part happens after they order their drinks - he pulls out a wallet and pays.
“This is my temporary partner, Childe,” Zhongli introduces you to the man next to him and you try to push down the pang of jealousy you’re feeling.
Temporary partner? “Oh, hi,” You murmur.
Childe grins at you, “How much?”
“700 mora.”
“Pricy,” Childe teases, nudging Zhongli in the side before handing you the money. He pulls on Zhongli’s outstretched elbow, “Come on, let’s go sit over here.”
Your mood falls as you prepare their drinks - a chai latte for Zhongli and a black coffee for Childe - but you try not to think about it too much. Was Zhongli really dating this man? Why didn’t he tell you?
You don’t make a heart on top of his latte this time.
The next time Zhongli comes in, he’s alone. But you still haven’t reeled your usual self back in yet and Zhongli notices.
“What has you down today?” He questions.
You force a smile onto your face, “I’m just tired - no need to worry. Did your…boyfriend…like his coffee last time?” The word rolls off your tongue weirdly.
Zhongli lets out a hearty laugh. “Did we come off like that? No, no, Childe is a work partner.”
Oh.
Your face grows hot and your lips part slightly but no sound comes out. How embarrassing - all you had to do was ask. What was your problem with asking questions lately?
“Y/N?”
Your hands fiddle with the rag you’re holding, “What did you want today?”
Zhongli peers at you curiously, “Another latte, thank you.”
There’s a short moment where neither of you move. You stare at each other for far too long and you’re the one to break eye contact, “I’ll bring that to you soon.”
You wonder how much longer you can keep this up. Zhongli would find someone else one day and stop coming to the tea house or you would leave and find a different job. The more you kept up the charade, the more your heart screamed at you to just do something.
So, you did.
When you placed Zhongli’s teacup down in front of him, you stood with your head down and carefully picked the right words out of the scrambled mess of your mind.
“Would you…um…like to go out sometime? Like…outside of here?”
Your voice is timid but Zhongli hears you fine.
“That would be splendid.”
You glance up and Zhongli is smiling at you with a smile that reaches his eyes. It’s warm and radiant and, somehow, ceases any nerves you had lying around.
“Wait…really?”
Zhongli urges you to sit down and reaches across the small table and touches his fingers against yours, “Forgive me, I’m new at this, but you’ve drawn me in and I can’t seem to pull myself away from you.”
You’re flustered again but this time out of adoration and not embarrassment. Your chest feels hot and heavy and your cheeks are tingling with the sudden rush of blood.
“What time does your shift end?” He continues.
“Five,” You say quietly.
He laces your hands together and it’s better than anything you could have imagined, “Then I’ll come back then and treat you to dinner.”
“With what mora?” You tease.
Zhongli thinks for a moment, “Don’t worry about that. I’ll have it.”
You couldn’t care less where Zhongli got the mora from - you were just glad that your endless pining was finally over with.
you decide to indulge in your enemy's holiday challenge to prove that you can be a fun person.
✧ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠. arataki itto x gn!reader
✧ 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭. drabble ; 0.8k
✧ 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞. e2l au, modern au ; fluff
✧ 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚. hello, @echoingtales! ‘tis me, your secret santa. my original giftee backed out last minute and this was supposed to be for them, so i hope this is okay? i’m in a huge itto brainrot at the moment, so apologies if it seems like i’m projecting myself through this fic lol. special thanks to @favoniuscodex for hosting the secret santa event.
[ 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀 ]
It’s finally the holiday season, the most wonderful time of the year. When you’re working at a daycare center during then, parents leave gifts on the counter to thank you for caring for their children while they’re tending to their jobs. You’re touched by their kindness, but the one who deserves it the most is your boss, the owner.
Your boss, whom you affectionately call her Granny, is a very kind old woman who offered you this job when you were at your lowest. While she has no biological family of her own, she treats you like a grandchild aside from her adoptive grandson. Speaking of him, you don’t have a lot of positive words to say regarding his character. It seems like he doesn’t have anything nice to say about you, either.
Arataki Itto is his name, your friendly neighborhood troublemaker. He and his so-called gang are infamous for giving headaches to the police and stealing wins from children. The issue between the two of you is that you never see eye to eye with each other due to being complete opposites.
For the sake of Granny, however, animosity is kept to a minimum. That means no snarky comments of any sorts, although insulting him is quite tempting.
“Granny, I’m here!” His boisterous voice resonates in the building. You swear he could cause an earthquake, due to several objects on the counter rattling. “Whoa, so many presents! Need any help?”
“Yes, my sweet boy.” Just as soon as you return from carrying your presents to the car, she tasks the two of you to take hers to his car. He may be a sweet person toward Granny, but in situations where the two of you are alone, he’s unbearable.
“The silence is killing me here,” he groans. You try your best not to pay attention to him. “You know, you remind me of this rookie in the police force who always refuses to accept my challenges. Heard of Kujou Sara? Ha! What a chicken. Guess I should call her Kujou Chicken from now on. She’s no fun, and so are you.”
You chuckle humorlessly. “Why don’t you introduce me to her next time? We can be funless together.” You set down the last present of the batch inside the trunk. “See what I did there? I made a joke, to prove that I can be fun.”
“Haha, very funny,” Itto says amusingly. “If you say you’re fun, why don’t you indulge in this special challenge of mine?”
“Special challenge, you say?” Doesn’t sound bad to entertain your archnemesis at least once, right? “Since it’s Christmas, perhaps I could make an exception.”
“Alright, I like your style. Guess you’re not so bad after all.” That’s one nice thing he said about you all these years you’ve known each other. But if he makes another comment like that, you’ll definitely throw up. “Give me a second. Now where did I put it? Oh, here you go!”
Dread flushes into your face when you see the object he pulled out from the interior pocket of his coat. “A mistletoe? That’s the special challenge?”
“The classic Christmas tradition. But before making assumptions, it’s consensual; I promise.” You raise your eyebrow, casting your doubts about his behavior. “If you say no, I won’t force you. Who am I, crazy?”
“What a gentleman,” you say sarcastically, staring at the mistletoe. You’re not sure what his deal is with this particular challenge, but losing against someone like him isn’t an option. “I bet you kiss like a loser.”
“Excuse me? I kiss like a champ!” he retorts, inserting the mistletoe into the space between the both of you. “Ho ho, is that a ‘Challenge Accepted’ I hear?”
“Yeah,” you confirm strongly. “Kiss me like the champ you claim to be. Or perhaps you’re just too chicken about it?”
Stumbling upon the edge of the trunk from his touch on your cheek, he captures your lips gently, in contrast to his personality. It’s jarring, not because his kisses are different from what you’ve expected, but because he’s one hell of a kisser.
He didn’t lie; he does kiss like a champ.
“What? Too stunned to speak?” Your jaw drops in disbelief. Did that happen, or was it just a figment of your imagination? “Am I right? Or am I… right?”
“Shut up. You’re absolutely wrong,” you murmur against your hand that you bring to cover your mouth. You don’t like him at all, but how can you when he makes your heart race and be considerate of your comfortability before accepting this special challenge of his?
“Is that so?” Tucking the mistletoe away, he presses a kiss on the knuckles of your hand still covering your mouth, as if he’s giving you another on the lips. “Heh, aren’t you cute? Do you want me to kiss you again for real this time to change your mind?”
✧ 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬. if your url is in bold, it means i can’t tag you!
warnings: language and scara being scara but that’s it lol
word count: 1.6k
synopsis: scaramouche agrees to be your fake date at your company’s christmas party, which leads to an unexpected fate brought to you by feelings
a/n: this is a gift for @sungie for axia’s secret santa exchange! it’s nice to meet you and i hope you enjoy this piece that i put together!
--
you were exhausted after work. the holidays were undeniably the worst time to have an office job for a larger company. stacks of never-ending documents along with dozens of unread emails still sat unattended and all had to be completed before christmas.
and on top of that, there was the annual christmas party.
planning it wasn’t a big deal. you were used to that and knew that everybody loved the holiday cookies you were contributing for the potluck. but you had been working there for 2 years and not once have you ever brought a plus-one, to which your coworkers were starting to jab you for. they truly didn’t mean any harm; they were an agreeable, friendly crowd that you were grateful to work with. yet, their suffocating attempts to get closer to you pushed you into a corner that you could only escape by pretending to have an answer to the relentless personal questions.
heading home right away wasn’t on your agenda even after a more mentally draining day than usual. you took the other train and took a route in the opposite direction.
when you reached the apartment complex and knocked on scaramouche’s door, you didn’t expect him to answer so fast. usually when someone unexpectedly showed up to his place he’d groan and yell something along the lines of “i already have a vacuum go away”.
“sorry...i should’ve told you that i wanted to come over.” you sheepishly step in and take off your shoes as he holds the door open.
“it’s whatever.” scaramouche clears his throat. “what happened at work this time?”
you settle on the couch and stroke his pet cat kuni on the head. “nothing HAPPENED per say. just the usual stuff y’know. the senior executives getting on our backs about ‘rookie mistakes’ and giving us the whole pep talk about holiday burnout and stuff.” you ramble on, suddenly feeling unsure about the plan you initially wanted to address.
“aren’t you sick of working a 9 to 5? i told you you should’ve just gone into software engineering like i did so you wouldn’t have to deal with people and could sit at the computer all day like you usually do.”
“hey, i’ve gotten better at limiting my screen time since we moved out of our old apartment! plus i do sit at the computer all day for this job, just in a way that makes me feel like the main character.” you wink.
“okay? you seem very on edge, you might as well just tell me what’s going on if i’ve figured out that much.”
“well, we’re having a christmas party...”
“and?”
“and my coworkers want me to bring a plus-one..”
“oh hell no.” scaramouche rises from his seated position, but you push him back down. “can’t you ask someone else?”
“but you’re the best actor i know.” you plead.
“at least i’m not painfully sweet to retail customers who don’t deserve it.” you flick his forehead, immediately making him change the subject to avoid discussing the day you met at your old part-time job, when he handled an overbearing lady in a polite tone so uncharacteristic of him that you had to be there to believe it.
“it’s just one evening!”
“what are you gonna do when they continue to ask about me? or for the next party? say we broke up? they’re either gonna pity you or become suspicious. besides, why do you wanna bend over for your coworkers out of all people? you’re not gonna get fired just for not having a date to a stupid party.”
you bite your lip. “true. i guess i just feel really isolated from all of them because of the age gap. i’m the youngest person there and the feelings of being behind compared to them have really caught up to me if i’m being honest..”
scaramouche stays quiet, waiting until he’s sure you’re done talking in case you have more to add, observing the way you play with your watch with your eyes averted to the carpet.
he finally breaks the silence with a sigh. “fine. god, you’re just as stubborn as ever. i’m only saying yes because you came all the way to my house instead of just calling me and i knew you’d stay here all night if i didn’t agree.”
“plot twist, i came for your cat. but thanks, honey!” you pat scaramouche’s shoulder and he grimaces in response.
“ew.”
“just practicing.” you shrug.
--
the two of you arrive early to ensure that you have time to introduce scaramouche and help set up at the same time. there’s no elaborate plan; this is only a one time thing. you’ve agreed to only give vague answers to any further attempts to pry about your relationship after the party, no matter how specific they get.
you would cross that bridge when you got there. right now, you’re astonished at how sincere scaramouche’s smile seemed when he greeted your elderly coworkers, even calling your boss “ma’am”. he handled every single conversation with them smoothly and graciously, as if he totally stole the show.
after putting the finishing touches on the dessert table, you go up to scaramouche and take his arm. “we should get ourselves a table while we’re at it.” you suggest once the conversation with your boss subsides.
“you’re just in time! i was having a lovely chat with your boyfriend here. you are very lucky to have scored such a charming and handsome young fella.” you nod with a soft laugh, unsure of what to make of her statement. sure, your boss had always been a sociable person, but scaramouche had to have made a truly lasting impression for her to give that degree of praise, which she rarely did to anyone.
you take your seats and instinctively rest your head on his shoulder. the butterflies in your tummy tell you that your sudden display of affection may be a part of a hidden desire to touch the boy who was once only known as your college roommate. did he always smell this nice? and since when did his jawline get so sharp-
you fail to snap yourself out of your thoughts when scaramouche turns and plants a small kiss on your forehead. nobody seems to be watching, but every little thing to make this fake dating scheme of yours seem authentic counts right?
--
it’s not until the end of the evening when you step into the banquet hall for fresh air that you come to terms with what you had been feeling,,,
you liked him. you were a fool, in love with scaramouche even after all of these years of keeping it as friends. he may be a bit of an asshole, okay he was totally an asshole, and yet you could only see the good parts of him. the part of him that still looked out for you and cared about your feelings underneath all of those layers. and it didn’t help that he was good-looking along with that, he had dozens of secret admirers vying for his attention all throughout the time you’ve known him.
but it would be selfish to ask him to stay this close for much longer. he already hated getting close to others, despite having let you in a long time ago. you sigh, ready to wallow for as long as it took for him to come look for you.
“hey,” the voice calling out to you immediately makes you turn. you feel at ease but also tense at the sight of scaramouche strutting over to you.
“hey. sorry for running off.”
“stop apologizing for everything. it’s getting old.” he snaps, though there’s a joking tone hidden within his response that only you would be able to detect.
“anyways, yeah i was looking for you. and i also wanted to talk.”
you raise an eyebrow at him. “talk about what?”
scaramouche clears his throat. “well, you know how you told me that you wanted me to pretend to be your boyfriend because i’m a ‘good actor’?” you nod, heart racing as he alludes to your previous thoughts.
“what if i told you that....i didn’t want this to be an act and i wished it was real?” with his sudden confession, he facepalms and turns away.
“sorry. forget i said anything. that sounded so stupid, i knew i shouldn’t have listened to tartaglia...”
you snort, to which the thickness in the air dissolves. “now who’s the one apologizing....?”
“shut up.” he grumbles.
“ok but that was actually a great attempt to be smooth, for you at least.”
scaramouche sighs, then gently leans towards you and cups your cheek, thumb brushing your hair out of your eye. “look, i fucked up just now. but believe me when i say that i meant it. i want to go on a real date sometime after this, just you and me, away from these weirdos who care too much about your love life for their own well-being and make you feel bad just for being younger than them.”
shocked at his words, you gape at him, trying to formulate a response even though you already know how you feel. but, he’s made it clear that he’s not going anywhere, he never backs away from his words and goes through with everything he puts his heart and mind to. so you take a deep breath and give him a warm smile.
“i’d love that, actually. i’ve liked you for a while but i only just realized it. my subconscious really did its job, telling me to take you here.”
scaramouche beams at you, a rare sight, and pulls your ear to his lips.
“maybe we can just ditch the party and go get ice cream right now.” he whispers and you smirk, taking his hand and exiting the hall.
from that day on, you’ve believed that christmas miracles probably do exist.
synopsis : it’s almost christmas, and the chief alchemist doesn’t seem to realize the holiday is just hours away. what do you and klee do to surprise him?
characters / / albedo, klee | gn!reader
theme / genre : fluff all around | modern!au
warnings : none (hopefully)
author’s note : the albedo brainrot, it’s taking over me and i will let it do so <3 ─ this fic is part of @/favoniuscodex’s secret santa event ! (giftee at the end) (ゝ◡╹)ノ
even with christmas approaching, albedo had still been researching and taking notes in his lab, which left both you and klee alone with the christmas decorations. you didn’t dislike it too much, considering how klee proposed the idea of decorating the house as a surprise for him when he came back.
together with klee, you two made a checklist of what to buy and prepare for both the house and albedo, which brought you to the many stores in town that were swarmed with people looking for christmas decorations or gifts for loved ones.
after a bit of a hassle, you went to a more quiet and peaceful area of the mall, humming to the light sounds of the carols playing in the background, following klee wherever she went to look for the gifts, house and tree decorations and any other supplies.
the dark had dawned of you rather soon when you exited the store, your hands full of bags containing colorful lights, decorations for the tree and your home, and some baking materials as well. they weren’t very heavy, so klee helped you carry them as you two walked back to the house to begin the preparations.
after getting the supplies settled, you set up the pine tree that stood tall in your living room as klee helped you with setting the decorations and christmas lights on, which soon had illuminated the tree and the room with multitudes of colors, contrasting the natural green and yellow light without them.
but something was still missing, other than albedo’s company. everything looked and was supposed to be in place — except for the highest point of the pine tree, which was empty. how could you have forgotten the most important feature of the tree? you had questioned yourself, right as klee presented the shimmering golden star to you.
· you had let klee do the honors of setting the star atop the tree, with a bit of help from a ladder. after setting aside some empty boxes and the used ladder, you and klee had went to decorate around the rest of the help with small ornaments and lights
· after handling all the decorations needed, you had sat down to rest with klee before reaching for the packets of cocoa powder, chocolate chips and marshmallows you had bought from the store earlier, to make hot cocoa for the three of you
· you glanced at the time, noticing that it wouldn’t be very long before albedo had returned. bringing klee to the kitchen, you heated milk in a saucepan before having whisked in both cocoa powder and sugar and melting the chocolate chips into the solution before adding drops of vanilla extract. (i literally had to look up how to make hot cocoa so this might not be the most accurate-)
· klee helped to add the marshmallows and stir the hot cocoa before setting the three cups on a tray, as you had noticed how similar it looked to coffee. you mentioned it to klee, so she had given you an idea because of the features you two had noticed.
· right as she finished speaking, you could hear the doorbell ring, and klee had went to open the door as you had carefully carried the tray of hot cocoa, setting it down on a table near the entrance. you didn’t mind the cold that was flying inside as albedo closed the door, hanging up his coat as klee leapt into his arms.
“hello, klee,” he had began, his voice clearly tired. “and hello, y/n.”
“welcome back, dear.” you had said, holding a cup of cocoa to him as you winked at klee, who had smiled back in return. “i made you a cup of coffee while you were gone, i know you’re tired.” albedo didn’t find a way to respond, but you had nodded at him as he took the cocoa, which had cooled down a bit by then.
when he pulled the cup away from him, he had gazed at you with a confused look. “y/n, but this isn’t..?” “i know, and so does klee!” you had exclaimed, while klee had exclaimed to him. “this is hot cocoa, not coffee. y/n made it for you so you can rest!” she had said, and you could see the small smile forming on his face.
“well, i can’t say i’m not thankful for it.” he had sheepishly responded, a light blush spreading on his face. “merry christmas!” klee had said, the spark knight reaching out her other arm to hug both you and albedo. “merry christmas to you too,” albedo had lightly chuckled, his arms wrapping around you, pulling you into his embrace
while the three of you were warm in each others’ embrace, it was certainly the opposite for the now cold cocoa you had made for yourself and klee. nevertheless, you didn’t let its cold taste ruin the festive spirit that you three had created together.
A/N: Happy Holidays to everyone celebrating, and especially to @lumamber-the recipient of my secret Santa gift! I really hope you enjoy this, Lei!
Pairing: Scaramouche x Gn!reader
Prompt: winter holiday fluff for @favoniuscodex’s secret Santa event!
Sleigh bells could’ve been ringing outside, but you had no idea. What was currently outside was a blizzard. You and your beloved were all too happy to stay home, cuddled together by the fire. Scaramouche could never be caught close to anyone, but you were not just anyone.
You made him feel safe and you made him feel whole. He had been abandoned by so many, but you never left. You promised every day that you’d never leave in every word, every glance, every touch. And he loved you too much to not believe you.
Now, the two of you laid on cushions on the floor so as to be closer to the flames, your head resting on his collarbone. Your face was tucked into the crook of his neck, and your hot chocolate was left forgotten in front of you. You’d only convinced him to share with you when you made it because you figured it would warm your icy hands. But your beloved did that for you, noticing your discomfort and taking your hands in his.
He still held them now, warmth continuing to seep into you. It was a melted chocolate chip-kind of warmth, and you couldn’t get enough of it. Generally, he wouldn’t offer such softness. But tonight was different, and tonight he was not as worn out as he was on days where he did have work. Tonight, he was more than willing to give himself entirely over to you.
It wasn’t just that he loved you, but that he treasured you. He adored your smile and the way you lit up whenever you saw him and the way you would always grab his hand and never let him leave your side without offering him a kiss goodbye. It’s the memory of your gentle touch in his hair, your soft voice as you hold him close that he draws upon when he’s reminded why he even bothers to come home before.
Home isn’t lonely for him anymore.
And, perhaps, the memory of you pressing a small bag into his hands earlier today with a shy “I made this for you” was what gave him the courage to do what he wanted to. Perhaps it was the tiny earrings inside that he wore now, with your initials dangling just above your head. Perhaps it was the look on your face when he accepted them with approval.
You knew, of course, that he loved everything you did. But it was so nice for someone, anyone to approve so visibly of your work, and you had been so worried he wouldn’t like them.
But you’d made them anyway, working for weeks with shining silver wire to make his initials on one side, and yours on the other. You weren’t sure at all where he’d wear it, but he had put them on immediately and refused to take them off, blushing furiously.
He stroked your face with one hand now, gentler than you’d ever seen him or he’d ever felt. He wanted to breathe in every detail of your features, and he felt them etch on his heart. You leaned into his touch, and it was everything. He pressed a kiss to your forehead, and you closed your eyes against it. When you opened them, his forehead was pressed to yours and everything was the stunning violet of his eyes.
“I’ll be right back.” He barely whispered it, as if terrified to shatter the moment. “I have something for you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Wait one second.”
He got up, shrugging off the blanket and reluctantly letting go of your hand. Your absence seeped into him immediately, leaving him with the abrupt feeling of falling into snow and feeling your clothes become damp and cold and weighed down. Still, he made his way over to where his bag sat, where a small velvet-covered square box was stashed. It was very high quality, and shone dully in the firelight. He closed his hand around it as best he could as he hurried back to you and your infinitely comforting presence.
He pulled you close again, and you sank into the embrace with no hesitation. Then he took your hand and gently placed the box in your palm. You smiled, pressing impossibly closer. “Thank you.”
And then you opened the box.
Inside was a pristine silver ring, set in the center with a very pretty raw amethyst. Your eyes flicked up to meet his as you begged yourself not to jump to any conclusions.
Your lover’s voice was, again, barely above a whisper. “Will you do it?” He sounded afraid. “Will you marry me?” Scaramouche was never afraid. “Will you stay?”
Your gasp was small, and your hands trembled slightly as you slid the ring onto your finger. “Always.”
Your eyes filled with tears as the room blurred. They were happy tears, the kind that remind you of firelight and vibrant, electric purple as your boyfriend–now fiance–pulled you against him again. You kissed his cheek, snuggling back into your usual spot. “Thank you for choosing me.”
“Thank you for choosing me first.” He responded, wiping away your tears with the same gentleness as before. You couldn’t help but notice his, too, but he took your hands in his again as soon as he was able.
The Harbingers did not know about you, and they would not know about you, but they certainly noticed Scaramouche’s mood change, and the way his eyes softened when he touched his new earrings.
It was so much more than a promise, so much more than a contract. But he’d enter any bargain if it were for you.
He couldn’t wait until it was all over and he was yours and only yours in this strange, new sense.
my contribution to the codex secret santa! for the lovely @confectionerskiss :)
Also this is like only maybe the first third of the fic, I wanted to get a lil something out today since fics start getting posted the 23rd but between work and wildlife rescues this is as far as i'd got. so don't fret the bulk of the fluff is to come!
Pairing: Diluc x gn!reader
Synopsis ~ After being offered a room at Dawn Winery over the holidays by your childhood friend Diluc you never imagined that you’d end up making the arrangement permanent.
As you came around the corner from stone gate you smiled at the familiar sight of dawn winery. After living in Inazuma for the better part of 4 years you were happy to finally be able to reconnect with your friends and family. With a perk in your step you continued down the road to dawn winery, your accommodation for the holidays. As you walked you thought about how you got here. Taking a friend up on an offer to do an apprenticeship in Inazuma was definitely not something you regretted, but you had missed everyone from mond dearly especially Diluc. the two of you had been inseparable during your youth, when you hit your teens responsibilities made it hard to spend so much time together but you had still been just as close. You’d hated to say goodbye to Diluc all those years ago but all this time apart had only seemed to solidify your feelings for him. You weren’t sure when your feelings shifted from platonic to romantic but it felt natural to you and after 4 years apart you were anxious to rekindle your relationship even if only as friends.
As you approached the front doors of the winery you took in the calming atmosphere of the winery, as workers went to and fro and crystal flies flitted between the grapevines you felt as if you had never left home. As you knocked on the front doors Adelinde greeted you with a smile ushering you in and upstairs to the guest room you had been offered after writing home with the news that you were returning.
“Master Diluc is currently out for the day but he asked that I help you settle in and inform you that he wishes for you to dine together tonight in the hall” Adelinde opened the door to the guest room “please come find me if you need anything i’ll be in the main foyer” with a curtsey Adelinde went back downstairs leaving me in my temporary home food the next few weeks. You looked around the room it was fancier than your place in Inazuma with a double bed, ensuite and a large desk. You had plenty of time before dinner so you set about unpacking and making your room look a little more like home.
After spending the afternoon unpacking and wrapping the gifts you had brought back in Inazuma you headed down the stairs and into the foyer admiring the maids beautiful work decorated the christmas tree. As you admired the colourful holiday decorations the front doors opened and you heard footsteps approaching you
“It’s a pleasure to see you again y/n” Diluc said stopping to stand next to you.
“I suppose it’s nice to see you again too, Diluc” you smirked nudging his shoulder “How has everyone been?”
“I don’t think much has changed, Jean is currently acting Grandmaster and some pretty crazy things have happened lately but day to day not much is different I’d be happy to tell you all about it over dinner, I’m sure you’ve missed good mondstadt food”
“I can’t disagree with you there. I’d be happy to join you”
You spent the rest of the night catching up with your best friend and exchanging stories on all the crazy things you’d both experienced while apart.
Happy Holidays @thomacrumbs I'm your secret santa 🎅 I hope you like this fic I wrote for you~ I did a little bit of childhood friends + angst with a fluff ending :3
-‐--‐------------------------------
GENSHIN IMPACT Character x gn reader fluff stories~♡♡
Scenario: Reunited
Character: Scaramouche
Pairings: Scaramouche x gn reader
Warnings: A bit of argument/angst, but a fluffy ending, mentions of his real name(ty Curse for letting me know this <3)
SCARAMOUCHE:
You weren't sure when the distance between you two grew so much. Was it when the both of you decided to pursue different paths? Or was it when the letters stopped? You still found yourself often thinking of him. How was he doing? Was he fairing well? Even fond memories of your childhood together. . .
-----------
"Kuni! Lookie~ I made you a flower crown, " You giggle softly at the young boy who was leaning back against a tree. He was immersed with a book, so he didn't pay you much mind. Placing it atop his disheveled hair you beam brightly at how cute he looked before he met your own gaze with his lavender eyes.
Putting his book down beside him he sighed, "You know I don't like things like this, y/n," the boy explained, his flushed ears telling a different story. He folded his arms around his chest and pouted slightly.
"I think you look pretty, though," you say brightly, grasping at the sides of his cheeks gently, causing him to make eye contact with you once more, his face growing more and more flushed.
"N-no I don't! I can't possibly look pretty! I-i'm cool looking," Kunikuzushi protested, pulling away from you, "N-now come on or we're going to be late for dinner. . ."
---------------
You remember this memory of your childhood friend fondly as it was one of your favorites. You never forgot about Kunikuzushi, but you were sure he had forgotten about you. That's why you were shocked to learn he had come back to your hometown of Inazuma City. You were almost angry that after all these years of no contact he finally decides to show himself again. . .
The urge to find him and ask him why he left festered in you, but you didn't. If he really wanted to see you again he would seek you out himself, "Whatever. . ." You say to yourself, slowly taking a sip of your dango milk, head in your hand as you slouch over the food stands counter.
"Looks like you still like Dango milk, figures," A familiar voice spoke out to you, but it was deeper than you remember. It couldn't be. . .? You thought to yourself, snapping your head to the sound of the voice, realizing the voice came from beside you.
"K-Kuni??! How long have you been standing there?" It was obvious you were in shock as your eyes were wide and you almost choked on your dango milk.
The man before you smirked, "Not even a hello or greeting, Y/N, it's been ages," He said, his lavender eyes you remember so fondly catching your gaze, but instead of greeting him you glared.
It was an icy glare, like white hot daggers. You were angry. Scoffing you finally manage to say, "It's been years, Kunikuzushi. . I've never ONCE forgot about you. I wrote to you every single week and after a while you stopped replying. Do you have ANY idea how that made me feel?! I-I was so worried about you. All this time I was under the impression you forgot about me and in my idiocy thought about you all the time!" By this time tears were forming at the edge of your eyes, threatening to fall at any second.
Kunikuzushi frowned and stepped closer to you, reaching up to wipe your tears away, "That's where you're wrong, Y/N. . ." Kuni said in almost a whisper, grasping your chin softly, "I never once forgot about you. . . Ever"
You searched his eyes, "Then why, Kuni? Why did you disappear on me? I-I loved you so deeply. . ." the truth was that you still harbored deep feelings for him, but you weren't sure if he ever felt the same.
The tears finally started to fall and his gentle fingers wiped each one away, "I wanted to protect you. . .I've always wanted to protect you. I've finally gotten strong enough to be. . .worthy of you," His gaze wavered as you noticed his familiar flushed ears.
"Kunikuzushi. . .you were always worthy of me," You reach out to grasp his cheeks gently as you did many times years ago, "You didn't have to leave to prove yourself to me," you explained, but Kuni pulled you into a hug, harboring secrets he could never dare tell you, but he knew one thing for sure, he loved you, and while alive he would never let any harm come to you. That was his vow.
