"It wouldn't be right for me to enter in a lady's quarters"
You look to Varka with your head tilted to the side, a small pout playing into a frown as you hum.
"Its really okay. I've had Flins in here last night"
Varka's eyebrows shoot upwards,
"Flins...? You mean, the lightkeeper? He... stayed the night?"
You nod, "yes, of course. He slept on the table over there"
Varka looks over to the smaller table where you kept most of your luggage. He looks a little confused for a moment before he sighs, "ah, I see. I forgot you were aware of his... true nature. I assume he turned into a lamp"
You nod quickly with a smile, "yes, he doesnt sleep much, but when he does, he turns into one. Its very interesting"
Varka hums along in agreement before biting onto his bottom lip.
"Even still..." he starts, his eyes on yours, his stare is a little hot, "you shouldn't invite him over again. You're a lady, its not proper."
You smile softly and shake your head, "that I am, but I care little for those nonsense rules."
"They're not nonsense" he huffs, "you should take better care of yourself"
"Are you worried for me, sir Varka?"
Varka blushes at the way you've addressed him, your teasing tone has seemed to do a number on the elder man who groans softly.
"Of course i am" he hushes, "You're impossible sometimes"
"So is that a yes? You'll join me in my room?" Your eyes sparkle as you smile from ear to ear, looking at the man who frowns at you.
"Its a no." He states blandly before tugging onto your waist, pulling you in so you bump into his chest. Your heart pounds as you feel your bodies collide.
"But-" you look up to his eyes, they're stern, yet you notice them wavering as he leans in. His breath hitches, just as yours does,
"Behave" he mumbles into your lips before he lightly nudges your nose with his.
"You're no fun" you huff, your palms on his chest to push away at him, but he holds onto them instead.
You gulp a little when you feel him take a hold of your palms, only to place them near his lips.
Its your turn to fluster when Varka leaves a soft, tender kiss on your knuckles. His eyes, never leaving yours till hes leant back into your ear, whispering,
"Be good and I may just pay you a friendly visit. No more visitors till then, even if they transform into an inanimate object"
chuu's note: since so many of you loved this drabble, I went ahead and made a full fic~ you can find it here! thank you so much for the love, ily all ♡(ㅅ´ ˘ `)
summary — you're a woman who takes pride in her work, even the most frustrating parts. you'd normally ignore varka when he tells you to take a break, but this time, he might be right.
themes — kof!reader, fluff and comfort, stressed!reader, a lil kiss, mild suggestive themes, established relationship, minor mika appearance, jean hunting for varka per usual
WC: 1.06k
It was only ten in the morning, and you were already nursing a raging migraine with two stacks of paperwork and an empty cup of tea.
“Um, Captain?”
“What?!”
Perhaps your words were a bit too sharp, because Mika went yelping, cowering behind the door. His hands grasped the edge of it so hard, his fingers turned a ghostly shade of white.
“I’m sorry!” he exclaimed. “It’s just that…! Captain Eula, she…! She said you requested some maps! I’m sorry!”
Your shoulders immediately fell slack. Frowning, you said, “No, I’m the one who’s sorry, Mika. I didn’t mean to snap at you. Please, come in.”
The awkward younger man seemed like he was still on edge, not even making eye contact with you as he handed over the bundle of parchment. He gave you a quick, brief nod before immediately spinning on his heel.
You felt bad, but you didn’t have much free time to dwell on it. Chewing the end of your quill, you stared down at the illustrated maps of the Knights’ new patrol routes. As always, Mika had marked it with incredibly insightful intel, but the sheer volume of information was only making your headache worse.
You thought your day couldn’t possibly manage to roll any further downhill, but then the door to your office kicked open again. As quickly as it had opened, it shut, and the tallest man in all of Mondstat stood with his back to it, his teeth glimpsing through his strained grimace. He lifted his pointer finger to his lips, and your brows furrowed together so tightly, you worried your forehead muscles might stay cramped like that.
Click, click, click, click! That was the sound of Jean’s heels, marching right past your door. She was a sensible woman, as were you, so when you had told her you wouldn’t let Varka escape his duties so easily, you knew she had believed you.
You pointed at your door. “Get out of here.”
Varka let out a hearty chuckle. “Now, that’s no way to greet me, pumpkin. I just wanted to drop in and say hi!”
“While you’re running from the Acting Grand Master,” you replied flatly. “Varka, I don’t have time for your nonsense today. Some of us actually do our work when we’re told.”
You gestured to the stacks of paperwork lining your desk, and he blinked at them like he didn’t know what they were. Giving you the kind of frown that a sad puppy might give its owner when begging for a treat, Varka complained, “You’re not happy to see me? You look awful stressed, hon.”
“Because I am stressed,” you snapped. “I have to get this all done by four PM, the 5th Company has a stack of work that Gunther can’t manage alone, and everyone else around here is incredibly fucking useless with administrative duties!”
Your shoulders heaved with angered breaths. When Varka crossed the room to stand at your side, you let out a groan, dropping your face into your palms.
“Sorry,” you said. “I’m trying to keep my emotions in check.”
A large palm wrapped around the side of your head. You looked up, surprised, before your face ultimately met the cool metal of Varka’s armorplate. His thumb stroked along the back of your hair, and after a moment of hesitation, you wrapped your arms around his hips and closed your eyes.
You took in a deep inhale. His scent wrapped around you, warm with hints of fragrant cedarwood, bold like dandelion wine. It made your tense muscles relax, and the pain in your head slowly dulled.
“You’re doing a great job, pumpkin,” he murmured. “It’s okay to be a little upset.”
“I just wish everyone would do their jobs,” you said. “Why is it always that people like Jean and I have to pick up the slack? We’re just as busy as the rest of you.”
“Well…no one ever said you have to pick up the slack. Why not take it easy for today? Come out with me to Angel’s Share and have a drink.”
“Angel’s Share doesn’t open until noon,” you groaned. “And you shouldn’t be going to taverns while you’re on duty, Varka. For Barbatos's sake, you’re the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius…”
“You gotta live a little sometimes, ya know?” he asked, the rumble of his laughter tickling your cheeks. “It’s not a crime to bend the rules every now and then, is it?”
Not a crime, but incredibly irresponsible. Though you supposed the important part was that it wasn’t a crime.
“Why don’t you just…give Gunther his half of the paperwork back? Ask one of the rookies to help with the less important parts?”
“I don’t want to be seen as a Captain who pawns my duties onto others. It’s not fair to my subordinates.”
“But you don’t do it every day, pumpkin. I’m sure your subordinates wouldn’t mind helping their favorite Captain out every once in a while. Give ‘em a pretty little smile, and any man would do anything for you!”
You snorted, smiling against him. “Wouldn’t that make you jealous?”
“Well, of course not. Even if you smile at another guy, I know I’m the one you smile at the most.”
You lifted your head, your lips still curled into a fond grin. Varka’s gloved hands rose to your face, squishing your cheeks between his palms. With that rugged smile of his, with those blue eyes vaster than the sky itself, he stared down at you as he murmured, “I’m all you see. Right, pumpkin?”
You giggled. “Right, Grand Master. Now are you going to kiss me or what?”
He let out a deep chuckle, his eyebrows popping suggestively. “Oh, I’ll do a lot more than kiss you if you want me to.”
“You’ll have to buy me a drink first,” you purred.
You felt the heat of his breath when he leaned closer. As the bridge of his nose brushed yours, he murmured back, “Of course, pumpkin. I know how to take care of you.”
When his lips pressed to yours, you smiled against them. That was your Varka alright—a little bit of an idiot, a lot of a nuisance—but also your heart’s biggest weakness.
“Let’s sneak out,” he whispered, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
Giggling, you gave him an enthusiastic nod.
“That sounds good to me, Grand Master.”
a/n: so i got an ask the other day about a captain!reader with lohen, and thought a bit about my kof!reader that i often use with varka. i decided to make her a captain, cause i felt like it'd work! (disclaimer: this is not me saying i will be writing her with lohen and pls dont beg me for it >.>)
anyway, if you liked what you read, please consider leaving a me a heart! (˶>⩊<˶) ♡ reblogs and comments appreciated!
if you would like to be tagged whenever i post genshin x reader, please check my rules here! thank you!
icymi! chai's last non-lohen post:
insignificant, nsfw scaramouche oneshot (200+ notes)
masterlist
As the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, Varka was a busy man. Which only got busier when he took in a young boy raised by wolves, who he named Razor. Kids were not something he was familiar with, but Varka thought “how bad could it be?” He quickly learned that a 6-year-old feral boy who could barely speak was more work than he anticipated. Which is why when Lisa recommended you, a local teacher, to help with Razors adjustment to society, Varka jumped at it.
Things did not go as planned though, because the moment Varka laid eyes on you, he realized he had never seen someone so beautiful. Your smile took his breath away. Your voice was like music to his ears. And your gentle and caring nature made him want to protect you from the dangers of the world.
But fate was cruel. He was a knight, and you were the teacher of his adopted son. As much as he wanted to pursue you, he could not. It would not be appropriate, and Razor needed to come first.
But how often he thought about you, always there in his thoughts.
it's so unlike Varka to be greedy for affection, but the moment your hand slips from his hair, he feels the absence immediately.
he already misses the slow drag of your fingers through those soft blonde strands...
so with a low grunt and all the subtlety he can't be bothered to fake, he takes your hand and puts it right back where it belongs — playing with his hair while his head rests on your lap for just a moment longer.
when varka's met with a dangerously charming woman, he cant seem to keep himself restrained as he usually does. its exactly as you planned, or is it?
tags: every possible type of TENSION, suggestive content, romance, fluff, mc who is in her hoe phase and has never experienced a gentleman love her, mc who self sabotages and is MESSY, Varka who is a little too gentlemanly to a point you might get offended.
wc: 5.3k (yeah yeah I got carried away whatever - if anyone reads this just know that I love you)
chuu's note: based on this drabble I wrote! psa the tension in the end... I had to stand up and walk away from my laptop like 10 times lmao.
Varka was an upstanding citizen of Mondstadt - that meant he could do more than just tolerate alcohol. He tested his limits, each and every time, like a true citizen.
That was until he was met with a fair maiden who sat in front of him, hiccupping every so often after rambling about her adventures across Liyue. He hadn't seen her around Nod Krai before, but now, she was an acquaintance.
A friend.
Oh the joys of alcohol - he's made almost as many friends as he’s had drinks.
But she, oh was she a delight. Varka was certain it was the alcohol that night that had casted a shining glow around her as she spoke, but when he bumps into her in The Flagship late next night, he realises it was more than that.
She was beautiful.
And she knew it.
That was exactly the problem.
"Grand master Varka, hello. I see you’re staying at the Flagship too?"
"Ah, yes. The crew is staying here till we settle some business. I guess we’ll be seeing more of each other from now on" Varka says, a little chipper than usual at the sight of you. You looked quite relaxed today.
"You're not coming in?" you say, coy, you’ve opened your door a little more to give him a peek inside. Usually, it was an obvious sign to let a man in, but Varka didn’t seem to take the hint.
"Oh, no. I mustn't intrude in a ladies quarters…" Varka’s voice is a little more gruff, his eyes return to yours as you scrunch your brows to feign innocence.
"But we are friends, are we not?"
With a simple shake of the head, Varka lays it all clearly, you start to understand what type of man you were dealing with now. He was a fair bit different to the carefree man you shared a drink with last night.
"Friends do not exempt such rules in our knightlihood. Please do understand-"
"If I were a man, would you come in?" you hum softly, it was clear you were toying with the mental rulebook he seemed to follow.
"If you were a man… yes, perhaps" he replies promptly and you fire back in the instant.
"Well then, I'm a man" you state plainly before eyeing him, "care to refute?"
Varka seems all too stunned, but is fairly amused. He finds it a great deal awkward to be turning you down since were particularly charming in his eyes.
"No that’s... er... not necessary" he says awkwardly and you seem to pout, leaning your head against the frame of the door. You looked a picture of innocence, but he knew better.
"Oh but it is, how would you ever know?" you were referring to your identity as a man or woman – it was clear you were a woman, but how could one be so sure?
Surely, sir Varka could take the pleasure of finding out if you truly were a woman in the privacy of your room?
Varka's eyes shine a little and he can’t hide the way his lips curve into a grin right before he chuckles.
You were a dangerous one.
"You're charming, really. But I won’t take any part in this debate, for it may only harm your honor." His laughter is hearty and it finally allows you to fluster - he notices this, perhaps he's embarrassed you, that is the last thing he wanted.
"I mean no disrespect to you"
"Plenty have come in here before... for conversations... nothing else. I promise" you say quietly this time, trying to ignore the way his eyes have grown softer.
"I understand" his voice lowers with yours; he senses you've somehow grown meek all with his blow, "but there is a way a knight must act when they're in the presence of such a fine maiden as yourself"
Your disappointed huff is all it takes for Varka to focus back onto your lips. You don’t notice it since you're far too embarrassed from the rejection - truly, you've never been this brutally turned down by a man before, its taken an incredible hit to your ego.
You're brought back to the present when you feel a softness press onto your knuckles. Your eyes wide, you stare dumbfounded at the man who has his eyes closed and his lips pressed right there.
"I did not mean to upset you"
You grow hot at the words and the way his eyes are staring up at you from below. All too quickly, you find yourself yanking your hand back you your chest, almost as if you were clutching your heart - steadying it from beating so fast.
You've never felt this way, all for a mere kiss - and it wasn’t remotely near anything sensitive.
"I'm not upset" you say, but it’s nowhere near convincing enough.
Varka smiles instead, he was quite smitten at the way you were protecting your ego, "Then you won’t turn me down if I ask you to accompany to the market tomorrow?"
Again, you're lost for words, staring at the man as if you were a fish out of water.
And how could you say no?
The next morning you dress yourself up, you decide for something you usually go for – short, simple, showy. It was your most authentic self, and you really did want to highlight your assets today.
You were on a date with a handsome knight, after all.
The day is pleasant, Varka proves to you just how little he cares about your choice in outfits, by not letting his eyes stray too long on your exposed skin. He compliments you dearly but doesn’t ever so much as touch you more than the necessary – as means of guiding you through the market stalls, or whenever there’s a large crowd tearing you two apart.
You do find yourself tiring a little, cursing your own self for choosing such flimsy footwear. The heels weren’t even that high, but they manage to snap when you’re halfway through your day out.
Varka, being as attentive as ever, noticed right away, and scooped you up into his arms as if your were nothing but a bag of feathers.
When he ushers your to sit down on a nearby bench, he takes off his jacket swiftly and places it atop your lap. You look at the garment, thinking long and hard about its use as Varka lowers to inspect your ankle.
He hums below you, pressing on it softly as you jolt up a bit,
“Apologies, sweetheart” he mumbles and your cheek grow aflame, you don’t think he’s even realised he’s addressed you in such a manner. You’re in your head again till he speaks up,
“I’ll be back in a moment, please stay here”
You nod your head, not bothering to argue. You were still fixed on how he called you so sweetly.
You shake your head. Wait. You’ve heard that plenty. You’ve heard a dozen more pet names from a dozen other men-
You clutch onto the jacket atop your knees and realise the next best thing to leave you dallying around in your mind for another hour. Your dress was too short. He was being mindful.
Your heart flutters again.
Curses.
Varka comes back faster than you’d expect for what he’s carrying in his hands. A pair of sneakers. He’s wearing that cheesy smile of his as he bobs back down to the ground, taking your foot onto his knee and dusting it. His smile grows wider, and his entire face glows with pride as he looks at your foot,
“It’s a perfect fit! I totally guessed it”
“That’s very impressive, sir Varka” you say without thinking and he looks up to you like a doe, blinking once, then twice, before looking back down and chuckling. He tends to your other foot, and you realise the tips of his ears have gone red, you smirk.
“Thank you, you’re quite dependable” you muse with your best honey smooth voice as he stands up in front of you dusting his hands, before placing them on his hips.
He waves at you as if it were no big deal and offers his hand for you to stand up, “How does it feel? Comfortable?”
“Yes. Much more comfortable”
“I’m glad, we can resume if you’d like? Or perhaps you’d like to return back?”
“Let’s continue a little more” you smile, stepping to his side as you clutch onto his arm, your palm wrapping snugly on his large bicep.
Varka’s eyes grow wide as he looks down to you, his words a little hoarse, perhaps he felt the way your chest pressed up on him. You couldn’t help it; you finally had an excuse to touch him – and he had one to let you.
“Are you tired? We can head back if you-”
You shake your head softly against the arm you’ve rested it on, “Only a little, is this uncomfortable?” you say as you look up at him with eyes that make his breath hitch a little.
“No- not at all. I- uh. Let’s resume!”
You make your way to the tavern, smiling as you notice the familiar uniform of the Favonius Knights of Mondstadt. They were a chatty bunch; you could hear their conversations even from afar.
“Sir Varka, I see you’ve been keeping company with a fair lady?”
“We are friends. Close, friends. She’s staying for the duration of the month as we are…”
Friends. You can’t help but feel a little dim at the words spoken by your knight, but you understand them well.
He lived a different life from you – different morals, different standards.
Of course, neither of you spoke of being anything more than friends, but you were sure there was something more than just kindness in his eyes whenever he looked at you.
But you were an impatient woman, you’re relentless with your lovers as you are with the attention they give you. You weren’t a pretty poised lady who would wait years upon years to be courted by a suitor. You weren’t that type at all. You were tired of waiting.
"My restraint, it is an act of respect. Please do not take it in any other way" Varka’s voice is pained, you feel pitiful for the man who stood in front of you under the illumination of the moonlight. The breeze was biting, and he had insisted on you using his jacket to stay warm - but you refused.
You cornered him tonight.
After countless hours of hearing the knights chatter. You wanted to know what he thought of you, but all that came out was an accusation.
“Do you not find me attractive? Is that it?” you almost cringe at the memory, but there’s no turning back time.
You were hurt he hadn't fallen for your charms and taken you to bed that very moment.
No one's ever resisted you, at least not that easily.
The knight was still in front of you. His fingers interlaced with yours, pulling you close, but not too close.
You can tell it with the way his gaze is fixed on you, a sense of longing, yearning for you, you've never seen it on any man that's pursued you before.
Somehow, you believe he's not just speaking just for show - he means every word he says. As if anything that comes out of his lips is an oath he follows with every breath he takes.
"If anything, it makes my love for you real, not selfish"
You want to crumble down into ash. There’s never been a man who has spoken so purely of love to you ever before. And you begin to wonder if you even deserve to hear such poetry come out of his mouth. All directed to you, you didn’t believe you were worthy of something this precious.
"Desire without discipline is animalistic", his breath is but a whisper as he steps closer, growing faster. His eyes that were once determined to stay on yours have fallen astray now, as his face rests atop your shoulder – his whispers make you shudder, "breaking these vows... they would only make me a knight in name"
"Vow..." you mumble softly, "you have vows to your knights, but your vow to me, what is it?"
"My vow to you?" Varka pulls back,
"Yes"
"I fear... it would only drive you further away from me" Varka speaks, you see the tips of his ears redden, even amidst the darkness of the night.
Something tells you that he's had these very vows prepared for some time, but he's been intentionally holding them back.
You know why now.
He doesn’t want to burden you with his vows, or his commitment. Commitment you both know, you’re not prepared for.
A rush of worry trickles down your spine as you think about the situation you’re in. It was your fault for being so insistent on a man who clearly had a code of honor to fulfill.
A code you could not fulfill.
But you still wanted him. And that was cruel. To both you and him.
You don’t remember the last time you’ve felt bad for being cruel towards a man, but tonight, you feel it.
You feel like a monster, ripping away something precious from Varka. Something he cherishes with all his heart.
Your heart skips a beat at the sudden realisation; you like this man. A little too much.
This was new. And it was terrifying. You needed to put an end to it.
“I should go” you say, your voice cracking painfully as you step to leave, but Varka pulls you back. You bump into his chest, and your lips are caught in his – but it is no accident.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have” you say quickly, shaking your head and taking a step back. But Varka is insistent on holding you back,
“I kissed you, you have nothing to apologise for-”
“I kissed back” you snap, panicked all of a sudden. As if you’ve done something incredibly wrong, as if you’ve ruined all hope for anything between the two of you. But you know it’s the opposite.
You’ve never ever cared for the consequences till now.
“I’m allowed to kiss women” Varka says, eying you carefully, hoping you’d understand him. Yet, even when you look right into his eyes, you don’t reach him.
“But you mustn’t waste it on someone who you know you cannot keep. Isn’t that right?”
The words are bitter on your tongue, and you know they’ve done a lashing onto him when he receives them. He looks heartbroken, but you’ve only spoken your truth.
Commitment wasn’t something you had ever considered in your lifetime.
In the coming weeks, you pluck up your courage to see Varka again. He’s sitting patiently, waiting for you to finish your speech about how the kiss was a dangerous mistake, and that you would like to forget it altogether.
You’ve come to terms with it now – you like this man a great deal. And because you like him so much, you will spare him the inconvenience of your interest.
He deserved someone better than yourself – and that is what you have settled on.
Varka, though pained at the thought of forgetting his kiss, agrees, but not before commenting that he would still like to be friends. Though you are hesitant to dismiss the idea, he doesn’t give you the chance.
You feel faint as he stands up and strides towards you.
The last time you were this close, he had kissed you.
You swallow thickly, feeling him towering above, as his eyes narrow down on your skin – it was an unfamiliar sight to see the knight rake up your bare skin. If you were your usual self, you would relish in the new development.
But you liked him now, you truly cared for the man. You didn’t want to charm him anymore.
You feel the rough pad of his thumb press onto a spot just above your breast,
"I see you've found yourself in a good time" he mumbles lowly, his eyes flickering back to yours as a stinging sensation fills the very spot he presses into. Your cheeks grow hot as you remember the marks that were still freshly engraved into your skin from your most recent rendezvous.
"It wasn't" you say blandly, you didn’t want to lie of course, not in front of a saint like him.
Varka’s eyes hollow, he tilts his head to the side, "What’s his name? I can teach him a lesson."
"It’s not like that" you sigh, before failing to keep the words to yourself, "I just wish it were… someone else, that’s all"
"I see" he clears his throat, a shine returning back into his eyes. When you see a silver of a smile appear on his lips, you know it’s too difficult to be playing this game anymore.
Friends. As if that were ever possible.
“I guess, sometimes, we can’t all have what we want” Varka says, his eyes piercing through yours, at if he was staring right at his own reflection. You feel a pang of hurt at first, but you soon come to realise, he was saying it to himself.
“I guess so” you mumble as you seek your own reflection in his eyes.
Every day since then, you do your best to avoid the knight. If you ever see even a small glimpse of him, you turn the other way. If you so much as hear his name, you’d beeline elsewhere.
But in truth, you couldn’t stop thinking about him.
About his god-forsaken smile and that childish laughter that roared whenever he felt even a tiny glimpse of joy.
You hear it again when you’re at the tavern and you feel your body go still.
The area was arranged for a special show tonight, and you had thought to pay a visit.
You didn’t expect the whole of Varka’s crew to be settled in here, but you shouldn’t be too surprised either.
Suddenly, you’re a little thankful that you have dressed a little more modestly – your dress a had a higher neckline than usual, and it wasn’t all too short either. To top it off, you had a modest shawl to cover your curves from any attention – something you would have never ever thought you’d be capable of doing.
Ever since your revelation of liking Varka, you couldn’t help but cover yourself up more. You hated that you did it in hopes of impressing him when you were meant to be avoiding him, but that’s exactly what silly crushes were like. You felt like a teenage girl all over again, trying to impress a silly boy by changing herself into something she's not.
But Varka was no silly boy.
“Ah Y/n, it’s nice to see you again. Are you here for the show?” you hear Varka, he’s sat on one of the chairs furthest away from the stage.
You smile softly, and tug onto your shawl a little tighter, “I was just paying a visit, I didn’t think it would be this crowded. But I must leave, there aren’t any places left to seat myself”
Varka smiles even sweeter, and begins to stand, “You can take my seat, I’ve even warmed it up for you”
“That’s quite okay, Varka. I am fine to stand” you shake your head, trying to be as polite as you could, but the man was stubborn today.
“That’s no good. You’ll tire out your legs”
“Then, what about yours? Your legs are far more important than mine, I could never steal a spot from such a valuable individual like you.” You quickly say as he frowns at you. You want to giggle at the way he frowns; it looked almost like a child who was being denied candy.
“Mmm, you’re not letting go easily, are you?” Varka huffs before seating himself back on the chair. You hear the crowd begin to murmur as a guest appears on stage. All attention was now on the stage, it was the best opportunity for you to leave, but Varka’s eyes are on you like a hawk, drawing you in.
Varka pats onto the flesh of his meaty thighs as he looks at you, his head cocked to the side as he eyes your expression turning flushed. He tries not to smirk, but he can’t help it.
You wave your hands frantically and decline, that is until his fingers wrap oh so delicately around your wrist, tugging on it just the slightest.
“There’s no harm in it”
“But-”
“There’s nowhere else to keep you seated” he shrugs, “and I’d hate for you to miss out on the show”
You truly wonder how Varka manages to speak this way, “Don’t worry, no one’s watching us”
“I’m not worried, but you should be” you remind him, but he simply raises his brows, feigning innocence.
“It’s not wrong to help a maiden in need”
You huff lightly as you step closer, your legs almost shaking and giving away right as you let yourself sit atop of him.
You feel Varka hum as his larger palms wrap gingerly around your waist, pulling you closer against him. You hold your breath and stay as still as possible, but it seems he notices it all too easily.
Varka’s hands rub at the sides of your waist soothingly. You know he’s being sweet, gentlemanly, even, but you’re far more concerned with keeping your emotions in check.
You were on his thigh now, you needed to behave, you needed to not focus on how good it felt to-
“Comfortable?” you feel his breath on the side of your neck, and you stiffen at once, he chuckles.
You feel him tense his muscles for a moment and you want to moan out at the feeling under your core. The mental and physical restraint you were employing to not squeeze your legs against his thigh, it was immeasurable.
“Which do you prefer, hm?” he mumbles, letting his muscles relax once more, before tensing them again. You close your eyes shut and steady your breath – surely, he was playing with you right now.
“How it was... before” you say as calm and as unbothered as you can manage. You hear him sing a small affirmation before relaxing himself again, and you finally feel like you can breathe.
“You’ve been avoiding me a lot lately, I though you said we could still be friends?” he starts and you bite onto your bottom lip to remain sane. So he noticed. It explains why he’s acting so out of character right now.
“Is this why you keep me held hostage?” you speak, coy, but Varka chuckles softly behind you, attempting to remain just as unbothered.
“You’re free to leave whenever you please, malady. I would never keep you out of your will”
Unfortunately for Varka, you did take it as your cue to stand up from his lap. Though, you don’t get even a step away from him till his arm swings around your waist. His forearm is strong and hard, firm enough to pull you back onto him with little to no effort.
As you’re settled back on his thigh, you turn to meet his gaze, quirking an eyebrow up, “Well?”
Varka stares at you for a moment, awkward and innocent before clearing his throat, “Uh… answer me before you go” but with the way he pulls you in closer, you know he won’t let you go, not that easily at least.
You turn back around to face the stage and notice his fingers wrap into his own against your stomach, locking you in place, “I was merely being respectful of your boundaries as a knight”
Varka sighs softly, and you can almost envision him shaking his head from side to side, “It’s not your job to be respectful, it’s mine. You’re free to act as you please. As you are, wholly.”
You try not to grow emotional at the words, but you remain stoic, “I’ll keep that in mind from now on”
“And is that…” he trails his fingers from your shoulders, down along your arm to your wrists – you feel your entire body tingle, “why you’re so covered up?”
“Hm?” he prompts you to answer once more, but you feel too embarrassed now. So, he caught on. Now you looked much more desperate than you’ve ever looked – which is an all-time low, since desperation was all you gave off when you first met.
You cringe internally, wishing to disappear entirely.
“It’s too hot for this, is it not?” he mumbles against your skin, “I worry for the conditions you set yourself in”
You don’t bother to refute his words – he’s being rational, and that was the most charming way to go about it. He wasn’t gloating about how you were trying to appear modest around him. He was simply proposing you shed a layer or two to be more suited to the conditions you were in – hot and bothered. In more ways than one.
“May I?” you hear him behind you, and with the fingers that were already settled around your neck, you nod,
“Go ahead”
Swiftly, you feel your shawl pulled away from you, “Better?”
“Thank you”
You feel lighter now, but you’re still hot. You have Varka to blame for that. His strong arms hold you tighter,
“You’re most welcome”
Varka feels more at ease now, seeing you in the clothes he knows you’re most comfortable in.
His eyes settle on the smaller beads of sweat collecting behind your neck, though he’s tempted to wipe at them, he knows it’ll only fluster you more.
He’s a knight, and though Varka takes great pride in his set of values and adherence to the codes of knightlihood, he isn’t always the picture of a saint.
It has taken him far more restraint than usual to calm himself down tonight, especially with your weight on him – the feeling of it was sinful, but the thoughts he battled were far worse.
With the way he feels your heat on him, he’s settled with the knowledge that you feel quite the same. A feeling of excitement, one he should be ashamed of, but he isn’t.
You’ve soaked right through your dress. You’re sure of it.
You haven’t even made it halfway through the show yet.
You close your eyes, wishing to focus on anything else, anything other than the fleshy thigh that belonged to the otherworldly man who you kept fantasising over in each of your sleepless nights.
“Bored of the show already, huh? Should we retreat back to your room?”
You swallow, hard. You heard correctly, did you not? He used the word ‘we’.
We.
“Varka-” before you can say anything more, he moves against you. Gently ushering you off his lap, his fingers already laced at your wrist in case you’d run off.
You immediately move your eyes off of him and away from any part of him. You don’t want to see the mark you’ve left on him, and he certainly doesn’t make any hint to even knowing of the stain – though you knew well, he’s felt every bit of the dampness you left on him.
In a matter of moments, you’re surprised to see Varka step a single foot – let alone his whole body into your room.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to. Well, I mean-” you begin as he closes the door behind him, finally letting go of your wrist. His eyes are gentle,
“There’s nothing to apologise over, sweetheart. It’s only natural.” The way he so easily says it makes your heart melt into two, “If anything, I should apologise for putting you in such a predicament. I wasn’t exactly behaving as I should have.”
There is a silence, and you start to realise that he wasn’t at all acting himself either. You thought you were in your head this entire time, but the knight had just admitted to you that he was acting out of the ordinary. He was riling you up on purpose.
“No, you weren’t”
“Then, may I take care of the consequences?” he muses, an eyebrow raised that made you bite onto the bottom of your lip to contain yourself from ripping his clothing off entirely, “You’re still wet, aren’t you?”
You look to Varka with wide eyes, you feel yourself shaking at the very words. You would be on the bed that instant with his face between your legs if you were your usual self.
“It would be a disservice to leave you as you are” he starts, he doesn’t move an inch closer, and you’re thankful for that, “a knight is bound by duty, and once he starts something, he must finish it”
“You don’t have to. I can just- I can just do it myself!” your words rush out and you’re left hot at the silence that follows. You close your eyes shut, not wanting to see his face but you can already hear him scoff, and the soft creak of the chair as he sits down.
Never in this lifetime would you ever expect to utter such a pathetic sentence to a man – you seem to surprise yourself with a new low each time you’re faced with Varka. It’s like you become a new woman.
“Go on then” Varka is seated on the small armchair beside your bed, his legs spread, as he cocks his head to the side, eying you.
“Huh?” you scowl, before clarifying, “I meant by myself”
“I know” he shrugs,
“Varka!” you exclaim, covering your mouth at your own response. It wasn’t an absurd request to watch you pleasure yourself, and it wasn’t at all scandalous – in fact, you’ve experienced far more scandal with the men from Fontaine, but that was a story for another day.
“I was just teasing~” he cracks into a smile, chuckling into a fit of laughter with his head leant back. You’re mesmerised with the man in front of you again, and you feel like your throat is clogging up.
“Stop changing up all the time” you mumble softly, “it’s driving me insane”
“I was simply matching your energy” Varka replies, his tone this time, a little more serious.
You feel yourself grow embarrassed, your cheeks hot and your eyes glossy.
You were needy and aroused, but you were your own demise.
“Let me take care of you, yeah?” you look up to see Varka stood in front of you again, his large palm, warm and rough, against your cheek – but it felt all too comfortable. You close your eyes to fall into the feeling – you wanted him, badly.
“I’ll be good, I promise” he whispers, his eyes are on yours, you can tell, You force yourself to look back at him, “That night, I kissed you. I made the commitment to stay beside you, and I will. In every way possible. I’m not hiding away anymore, at least not like before.”
“Are you sure?” you hear yourself crack, but you feel his lips ghost over your own, mending what you kept breaking.
“Positive”
Varka is gentle with his kiss, he isn’t pushy, he isn’t a rough brute like you’d imagine a knight. He treats you as if you’re as fragile as a flower. You don’t think you’ve ever been kissed like this.
“And if I trample on your heart and warm the bed of another man right after this, what will you do?”
Varka chuckles softly, “I’ll win you back. As a knight always does”
“And if you can’t?” you furrow your brows, hoping he’d back down, but he doesn’t.
“I will” he kisses you, “There’s no battle I haven’t won”
Despite your brain telling you to push him away, you can’t help but be swayed. Your heart swells with a newfound happiness you’ve been trying to dampen all this time.
There was no use anymore. You've lost the battle inside your head and he's taken the glory.
“That’s an awfully conceited thing to say” you giggle and Varka’s expression entirely softens at the sight of you - finally smiling for him. With a small sigh, his forehead leans against yours as he nudges his nose onto you.
“What can I say, I am a knight”
chuu's note: varka, I assure you lord barbatos does not care if you rail a woman, he is sooo chill, my guy~
also, can you tell i just finished watching the new season of bridgerton? I swear my writing became like lady whistletown throughout this... but I think it weirdly fits the story and tone haha!!
when varka finds himself in the predicament of taking care of a fair maiden who is very much drunk!
tags: pure fluff honestly!! drunk mc, varka taking care of said drunk mc, mc and varka are friends/acquaintances
wc: 3.6k
Varka doesn’t ever say no to a drink, but when he lays his eyes on you, he believes he might have to.
You’re three drinks in when you start to droop your eyes down from the conversation you’re having with what looks to be a fairly fit young man - fit enough to be a solider perhaps...
Varka shakes his head at the sight, sighing, as he returns his attention to his crew – they were withering away into the night like a bunch of unattended pot plants. He warned them not to go too far, but it seemed their recent win against the Wild Hunt was enough for them to let loose - even with their commanding captain in sight.
That’s what he gets for being too friendly as a leader.
When Varka hears a loud groaning of a chair dragging roughly against the flooring, his attention snaps back to what he once assumed was a couple; you and that young man.
“Leave me! I don’t … ugh! Don’t- I don’t even know you!”
Sirens start ringing in Varka’s head, and he’s already in the mix of the new alarming development. It was clear with the way he was twisting your arm, he didn’t have the right intentions.
“Alright buddy, let’s leave the pretty lady alone now, kay?”
“Who the hell’re think you are? Huh!”
Varka’s eyebrows shoot up and he’s stunned into silence momentarily. He was right, of course.
He had no business butting into someone else’s business. But Varka couldn’t help it; it’s in his blood to defend.
His duty and purpose as a knight.
Varka’s eyes move over to you, you managed to wrangle out of the man’s grip when Varka interrupted you two, and you were now covering half your body behind a chair. Your shaking palm clutches onto the frame of the chair to stabilise yourself and hide away from the commotion – you’ve clearly had too much to drink, and yet, you still looked rather frightened. To Varka, you looked like a startled bunny of some sort, he felt a little bad.
Before Varka could speak back to the man, he was pushed aside by yet another drunkard – one that was his liability.
“Du bist doch nicht ganz bei Trost!”
Good Gods, was this a mess. His solider was speaking his home tongue; he had drunk far from the limit Varka set for his soldiers.
“Alright solider, let’s calm down” Varka hushes, taking a hold of his rouge solider who was scarily close to landing a painful blow at the young man.
In the process, however, Varka’s shoulder is knocked on by another.
Great – another one of his liabilities.
These soldiers were in for a beating when they were sobered up; Varka was sure to put them through hell when tomorrow came.
Varka understands his soldiers are the firerie of the bunch, especially when provoked by the insult of their dear beloved captain – himself. But it is nor the place nor the time to be acting out of virtue – the behaviour was against every code of honor a knight should stand by. Especially since almost all parties involved were out of their right minds.
“Du respektloser Hund-”
“OKAYyyy~ lets all- let’s all just-” Varka tries his best to interrupt the mix of insults being thrown around, but he also didn’t want to take his eyes off you. Your safety was his most important priority right now, not the petty argument that was bubbling around him.
Thankfully, he found you being held up with one of his more sober subordinates, one he could call a “good egg” – one who respected a knight’s honor and knew not to test their limits when drinking on a night out.
With that, Varka allows himself to close his eyes and compose himself momentarily before letting out a big sigh. The scene in front of him was not a valid display of chivalry or knighthood.
It was like herding a bunch of children.
Before anyone can get some real damage in, Varka’s strong arm has already rounded up three of his subordinates; they’re held snug between his bicep and forearm and the instigator is held tight in his other.
He holds them all till their curses fade and drops them all in one go to the floor.
His soliders groan against each other but remain unfazed – they’ve been handled like this before by their captain, it’s an ordinary day for them. But the young man, however, seems to have passed out completely.
Varka grimaces at the body that laid in front of him – well, at least he can rule out enlisting him.
“Captain, I can take him back if you’d like?” Varka’s “good egg” comes to view, with you clutched onto his shirt, beside him.
“Ah… yes. Sorry, I didn’t think he’d give up that easy!” Varka awkwardly chuckles as he reaches to hold the man up.
Apon hearing footsteps rush up to the body, Varka’s hand shoots out to the side by instinct. His eyes grow wide when he realizes he’s holding onto your ankle. He swallows thickly before eyeing you down.
With the scowl you wear and the strength at which you flung your foot, Varka now realizes you were at the ready to stomp that man’s face!
With that knowledge now burning through his mind, he can’t help but grin.
“Alright, let’s calm down now, kay? It’s not noble to strike an unarmed man” Varka stifles back laughter as you struggle in his grip – you’re not going to last long standing on one foot, so Varka lets go. He makes sure to stand up beside you straight after to hold your wrists before you ready another attack on the defenseless man.
You struggle against his grip, and whine, but it’s far too easy for someone like Varka to hold you still with little to no effort. Struggling is futile – but that’s a hard concept to understand when one is as drunk and enraged as you are right now.
Varka’s “good egg” bites onto his lip and sighs, “I’ll report him to the Flagship staff... Our lady has told me he’s been following her around some time now”
“I see” Varka murmurs as his eyes land back on yours – you look away and huff.
As Varka’s most trusted solider takes care of the mess he made, Varka takes you over to his table.
“I’ll let you sit beside me as long as you behave, kay?”
“Okay”
“Thank you… Varka… Sir… Captain”
“No need for titles, sweetheart. But, you’re most welcome!” he smiles cheerfully - though, he is stunned that you remembered his face, no less, his name, “Say, I didn’t think you’d remember me, I’m impressed”
“Course I do…” you mumble out softly, reaching out for a half-full tankard of beer. Varka gently takes the tankard to his own grasp and shoots you an apologetic smile.
“You’re tired, aren’t you? I’ll take you back to your room, come on”
“No... I… let me celebrate with you all”
“Er…” Varka looks around to the table that was full of his own soldiers, some passed out, some were singing sluggishly, and some were dancing rather romantically, “I think the celebrations are all over, sweetheart”
“well then... tell me…hmn tell me bout yr last mission hm?”
“My last mission?” Varka muses and he looks at you as if he’s watching the stars, he loves that question, he wonders if you know that.
Varka imagines only a half hour passing before you begin to nod into sleep midway through his retelling of the events of his most recent encounter with the Wild Hunt.
He expected this, of course.
Before you can fully fall to the table, Varka reaches out to hold onto your cheek – keeping you still and steady.
Your skin in soft as silk, it feels foreign to him, he’s too used to wielding weapons that are rough and heavy, that even this feels sin. He’s a little relieved you weren’t awake, his palms were clad with rough callouses, unfit for holding a fair lady like you in his palms.
It’s when Varka scoops you up and into his arms does he realise he has no idea where to take you. He doesn’t know your room in the Flaship, and if he woke you, he was sure you’d give him the wrong answer anyway. The Traveler and Paimon were also out on a commission tonight and he really had no other recollection of women staying in the Flagship either...
With a few minutes of deliberation, he settles on the thought of taking you to his room.
He is a man of honor.
He was the only one he could trust with you right now.
Varka believes leaving you out of sight for even one second could lead to a detrimental and fatal error. He learns this when he returns from washing up, only to see you standing a little too close to his claymores.
With a frantic move towards you, he pulls you back against him in one swift tug. You turn to look up with frightened eyes.
“I’m sorry sweetheart, I must’ve startled you” he apologizes promptly, chuckling awkwardly before ushering you back onto the bed.
“I was jus’ looking…” you scowl, taking a breath to find the words, “looking… at… them”
“uh huh, I could tell” Varka hums, “but it’s dangerous to get close to them when you’re not trained. Don’t go touching them again, kay?”
You look at him with a frown plastered on your lips – you turn to look at the two big claymores once more, but his finger angles your chin back to face him, “Hey, I’m talking to you, y’know?”
With an angered huff you shake away his light grip on your chin and turn to crawl out of bed. You can hear a sigh and the bed squeak before you’re pulled on by your ankle.
You lose balance and land on your stomach.
“You’re a handful, aren’t ya?” Varka’s voice rings through another chuckle as you turn to lay on your back. You feel the mattress dip beside you as he helps you sit back up again.
“I’ll get you some water, you haven’t had any for a while. You must be thirsty.” Varka mumbles as he steps out of bed. You furrow your brows and shake your head as you watch him pour out a glass of water for you.
“…for you, yeah…” you say under your breath when he holds it out to you.
Varka’s eyes widen before he swallows, he’s rarely flustered by drunken confessions, but tonight he found himself growing hot. He smiles awkwardly, shaking his head after a silent moment, reminding himself he needed to take care of you properly.
“Your head will split open come tomorrow morning, if not. Drink.”
You look at him, horrified, before reaching for the glass and falling forward. Varka stifles his laughter, “alright, alright~ no need to panic, i didn’t mean it literally”
In the moments you sip on your water, Varka seems to keep a firm gaze on you. He seems to sense you’re off before you even feel it.
“Everything alright?”
“I’m…” you begin before your eyes widen at the sudden feeling of your stomach churning. Your palm slams atop your lips and Varka is already on the mission to get you to the bathroom.
Thankfully, you hold the urge back long enough till you’re knelt over the toilet. But unfortunately, Varka was right behind you, watching the whole thing.
His large warm palms draw soothing circles on your back as you hurl the contents of the day into the bowl.
“There we go~ let it allllll out” you hear him hum; his soft breath lingers behind your neck. You feel the pads of his fingers thread through the strands of your hair to hold it back as you lungd forward again.
“Mm sorry…” you mumble softly, coughing up the last of your contents; even though you're not in your right mind, you can't bear to face him.
Varka’s finger tucks a stray hair behind your ear before he speaks, “don’t apologise sweetheart” you hear his voice, soft, beside you; and you can’t help but feel your heart skip.
You don’t know what it is, but you’re drawn to him – his kindness, his tenderness. The feelings that swell inside you are all too consuming...
“Can I kiss you?”
Varka blinks, once, twice, before opening his mouth, “Wha- Huh?!”
“You... don’t want to...?” you push away, suddenly conscious of the fact that you had just regurgitated an unfathomable amount of puke right in front of him. Here you were expecting romance from a man who was merely forced to take care of you - then again, no one ever thought a drunk as a rational.
“I- Of course- Well I-” Varka stutters, seeing you struggle to find your footing to stand up - it was clearly an effort to run and hide awya. You looked a pitiful picture, but you were still a lady – a beautiful one at that.
“Cos I threw up… m s’ sorry… its gross- I’m gross…” your voice cracks as you fumble out the words, but you stop your rampant rambling when Varka’s strong hold pulls you back in front of him. The tiling on the ground is not noticeably cold to you, you wonder if Varka is cold too.
Varka sighs and his eyes grow soft almost immediately, “you’re not in your right mind, I don’t want to take advantage of you. I wouldn’t ever put you through that”, he leans in and wipes at the corner of your lips without a single word. You furrow your brows at him for doing that, he didn’t even grimace…
“Do you understand that sweetheart?” Varka’s voice is painfully soft that you feel your eyes well up. You blink away at them as you nod, not wanting to dramatize your predicament any further, especially when this knight was being so kind.
“Good. Let’s clean you up properly, kay? I’ll hold you up”
“…kay”
You stand up with the help of Varka’s strong hold, and he takes you over to the sink. He watches as your hands shake when you try washing up – it isn’t long till he’s helping you out and patting your face dry with a towel.
Varka leaves you for a moment to find you something new to wear. Though it’s a right struggle for Varka to find something in his wardrobe that would fit you, he settles on one of his tighter fitting cotton tshirts – one that would rightfully be oversized on you.
He remains smart with the way he dresses you, placing the tshirt over your clothes, before sliding his hands underneath it to unzip you. It wasn’t the most chivalrous of acts, but it had to do – especially when you yourself so often fumbled with trying to undo your clothes.
“Pink” you say softly, startling Varka before he follows his gaze to his toweled headband – one he didn’t think anyone but him would ever have to bear witness to.
Varka fights a blush and takes hold of it, “Wanna wear it?”
You nod twice and he easily gives in, “alright”
“ ‘scuse me, sweetheart” he mutters, bending over you; his palms wrapping around your waist, before placing you on the counter.
You smile for the first time when you feel the soft material stretch over your forehead. Varka is incredibly gentle with you, his large fingers try to be as featherlight as possible when adjusting the headband, he’s all too stressed till he sees you smiling right in his face.
Oh Barbatos, were you a sight.
Varka clears his throat and stands a little taller, “If you wear the headband, you must bear the responsibilities that come with it!”
You tilt your head to the side, a small pout playing on your lips as you watch Varka set aside a tray of what looked like… skincare?
“Er… if you’re wondering why a big ol’ brute like me has all this, it’s because I’m friends with an Alchemist!” he explains, knowing fully, you’re not in the right mind to care for explanations. But, perhaps, he’s merely soothing his own conscious, “Apparentlyyy the ‘stressors’ I go through should age me faster… well, I guess he’s just concerned for my wellbeing, I suppose”
You marvel at him like his words are a holy scripture being read aloud – and Varka truly can’t help but marvel back at the sight of you looking at him like that.
When you tilt your chin upward, in motion to prepare yourself for the application of his skincare, he chuckles.
You were too precious.
Varka dabs the first bit of lotion to his fingers, he worries his rough skin might frighten you when he applies it, but you simply giggle at him instead. Varka’s eyes light up at the sound, but he continues to pay attention to smoothing every bit down – as gently as he can, of course.
He goes through 3 more bottles, each with a different use, and explains them as factually as he can as he recalls Albedo’s words. You seem to beam brighter with every single one.
“There we go, all done! You look as bright as the moon!”
Varka takes a small file of his from his desk and fans it over your face, you close your eyes and enjoy the wind that cools your face down – you feel as if you’re floating.
You don’t quite remember much from after that, perhaps you did just float into the sky then and there.
You wake up in an unfamiliar room, in even less familiar clothing – a tshirt, far too big to be your own.
Though you feel as if your head is bleeding from being mauled by a lion, you can’t help but eye at the two shiny claymores leant against the far wall.
Like a moth to a flame, you walk toward them – you can’t help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu as you reach for it.
“Uh uh sweetheart” you hear his deep voice ring into your ear. Startled, you step back and hit his chest, and on impact, you almost bump back into the claymores if his palm hadn’t settled onto your stomach to press you back into him.
You flush, a hot fiery heat paints your cheeks aflame as you feel his firm muscles pressed against your back.
His breath tickles at the sensitive hairs on your neck, “it’s dangerous, don’t go near it, kay?”
“understood!”
As you turn around to meet Varka, you can’t help but grow timid at the sudden realization that you had spent all night in here. You can’t remember much of last night, but you were sure to have put him through some trouble.
“Mmm, got the spirit of a young solider I see” he teases before chuckling softly, “I’m just kidding, well… you did almost kick that man last night so-”
“I what?!” your eyes widen in shock as you vaguely remember a memory of the moment, but before you can question him, two knocks startle you both into each others arms.
Varka looks the most startled – truly, you didn’t think it be possible to see him this way. He’d fought monsters the size of buildings, and here he was afraid of a knock or two on his door.
Of course, you knew exactly why – but it was still comical, nonetheless.
With a brave breath out, Varka stands himself taller and motions his index finger on his lips – you nod your head, silently reaffirming you’d stay quiet and out of sight. If this were someone from his team, he’d be in a tight spot for having a lady in his room, that’s for sure.
You press yourself into the wall beside the door, aiming to shrink yourself into it, but it proves no longer necessary when Varka lets out a big sigh of relief.
“Ah, Lumine! Boy, am I glad to see you!” Varka looks to you and nudges you over casually. You’ve heard of that name before, that was the infamous Traveler.
Before Varka can explain himself, Paimon interrupts,
“Er… Paimon is a little confused, is that a lady in your-”
Lumine as yanks onto her little stubby leg and covers her mouth closed. Varka chuckles awkwardly, but shoots a look of gratitude to the Traveler,
“This, is Y/n. She had a rough night and is… well… long story short, we’re needing some clean clothes for her” Varka starts and Lumine is already on it. She knows well, Varka is not the type to be meddling about with women, and so, she doesn’t question him too hard.
Lumine pokes her head into the room to smile at you, “I’ll be back with some clothes, don’t worry!” she gleams and leaves it at that, taking her floating counterpart with her.
Varka lets his shoulders sag when the two leave and finds himself slumping against the door.
Once Lumine shows up again, you’re told you’re in good hands. You look at Varka one last time, wishing to talk to him more, but there’s little to say when you’ve a guilty conscious about forgetting everything you put him through.
Varka speaks up first, “If he shows up again, let me know, yeah? I’ll take care of it, kay?”
“kay!” you perk up and a sudden silence makes you flush as Varka’s eyes begin to shine into yours. Your heart thunders in your chest.
Oh.
Varka chuckles once more before biting onto his lip, his head tilts playfully, “I’ll see you around then”
“See you” you say softly, hot and embarrassed at your final encounter – since when did you ever say ‘kay’ like that?
A small smile still manages to play on your lips as you turn back to walk beside Lumine, and neither her nor Paimon ignore it.
Paimon giggles softly, “OooOo! Paimon smells a new budding romance~”
Lumine smiles for a small moment before her eyebrows suddenly furrow. She halts to look at you, and you almost grow afraid, “Wait… who’s been giving you trouble?”
Paimon rolls her eyes, “Seriously traveler? Talk about a mood kill!”
chuu's note: i had to cut some bits cos it was getting so long omg idk whats wrong w me i just keep waffling when it comes to this man... it was abt how Varka refused to sleep on the bed w mc lmao (not shocking at all since that man is too much of a gentleman)
CHUUU!! hear me out… Fontaine! Ballerina! MC x Expedition! Varka. He stays in Fontaine for a business for a short period of time, before going to Natlan or Nod Krai, then spends the rest of the expedition yearning 😛😛 Maybe even asks MC to go back to Mondstadt with him on their way back
chuu's note: ik i said i don't do reqs... but! this is so adorable i had to!!! Imagining varka all big n tough at a ballet performance made my heart swoon ૮₍ ´ ꒳ `₎ა I wrote this Varka younger tho, like before he became a knight and was out exploring as an adventurer (i hope thats okay hhh)!
tags/warnings: suggestive content, young!adventurer varka x ballerina! reader
𑣲 I can imagine young Varka early days being wide eyed when he first enters Fontaine bc holy sht how is it SO much more advanced to Mondstadt!
𑣲 adventurer! Varka who just HAS to visit the Opera Epiclese to watch a performance because its apparently THE thing to do in Fontaine.
𑣲 Varka who ends up going to one ballet show even though he's never been to a single show in his entire life and has no knowledge about ballet either.
𑣲 He's a little nervous and overly self-consciousness he's blocking the view of some other esteemed "ballet enthusiasts", but, that anxiety disappears when the show starts.
𑣲 Varka who surprisingly gets swept up in the whole performance and ends up even a little emotional (?) when watching. His eyes are drawn towards one particular ballerina who - although wears the same outfit as the others - stands out to him.
𑣲 Varka who recognises ballerina!mc even throughout each costume/character change and solely focuses on them to a point he starts to lose track of the storyline.
𑣲 The way your body moves freely like water yet remains controlled to your command. He admires the strength it takes to move like that - the years of hard work, pain and effort.
𑣲 Varka who buys a ticket for the very next night and starts to melt into his seat when he sees you performing. He could watch you free of any guilt from ignoring the rest of the performers (since he's already seen it).
𑣲 Today was so he could just watch you, and you only.
𑣲 Varka who being the social busy body he is, accidentally chats his way through a crowd associated with the performers; and somehow lands himself backstage?
𑣲 Varka who feels like his heart might leap out of his mouth at the sight of you after the performance. You're dressed all too casually, in sweats and a hoodie - all black. You looked even prettier - he didn't understand that at all, you weren't in your dainty fitted clothing, nor did you have a spec of makeup.
𑣲 Varka who is not going to take this chance for granted and unintentionally rushes up to you.
𑣲 He is all too awkward with you when he first speaks. He knows NOTHING about ballet but he so badly wants to compliment you for what you do. He fumbles on his words and is sweating a bunch.
𑣲 Little does he know you find his flustering endearing! You were a little creeped out at first, seeing his eyes trained on you day after day. He was a big guy, after all, and when he wasn't smiling, he looked rather intimidating. But speaking to him made you realise he was just a huge softie. A huge attractive softie.
𑣲 Varka who might as well have had his whole head explode the moment you got to your tiptoes to kiss his cheek goodbye and goodnight. Apparently it was normal in Fontainian culture?
𑣲 You exchange numbers and well, that's when Varka starts to believe in miracles! Never in his lifetime did he expect to talk to a ballerina, have them kiss his cheek, let alone secure a DATE?!?
𑣲 When the day comes, Varka grows hot and red at the very sight of you dressed up.
𑣲 You meet him at a local Fontainian Cafe.
𑣲 He doesn't know where to look, because it might be rude to stare at you for too long - but he also doesn't want to forget this moment.
𑣲 Varka who is even nervous to take a bite out of a macaroon. Even holding a teacup the size of his pinky finger, he finds himself shaking.
𑣲 Varka who feels too big and monstrous in a small cafe with a sweet angel like you - he starts to second guess himself.
𑣲 That is, until you start to ask him about his travels and his accomplishments.
𑣲 It seems to ease him out of the imposter syndrome a bit. And when he sees you leaning in, wide eyed -genuinely wanting to hear more- oh, he's too smitten to feel anxious anymore.
𑣲 The more you giggle at his lame jokes, the more he is able to relax.
𑣲 Varka who finds out you also yearn to travel, but your commitments to your art keep you from doing so.
𑣲 Varka who begins to feel doubt about pursuing you because it wont end well. You're a ballerina, he's an adventurer that yearns to travel till he's found his purpose in life.
𑣲 You have found your purpose, he has yet to find his. A part of him feels a little bitter, but he pushes it away. He realises he needs to find himself before he can deserve you.
𑣲 Varka who tries to distance himself but can't escape the memory of you. He has only a week left in Fontaine, and everywhere he goes, he's reminded of you. A melody from your performance playing through every radio station, a local street vendor selling tickets to your show, billboards, posters, even clothes that look remotely similar to yours.
𑣲 It haunted him.
𑣲 He hadn't come to your show since - it pained him not to.
𑣲 But the day before he was set to leave to Natlan, he mustered the courage to come back to the Opera Epiclese to watch one final show.
𑣲 He sat the furthest from the stage, and yet, he swore you stared directly at him when you came to stage. He feels himself stiff at the sight and looks away immediately telling himself it was all in his head.
𑣲 Varka who stays till everyone in the crowd has left.
𑣲 He lingers in areas he knows you may pass and still freezes at sight of you.
𑣲 Varka who doesn't flinch if you cuss him out and slap him across the cheek - he believes he deserved that, he ignored you for a whole week, after all.
𑣲 Varka who definitely doesn't flinch when you kiss him on the lips straight after.
𑣲 Varka who is still young and impulsive no matter how he tries not to be. He isn't a knight yet, he isnt restrained enough to not give in so easily. At the thought he may not get to see you again, he crumbles. You may not give him another chance, if not now.
𑣲 Varka who is greedy and needy all at once and beds you when you've given him the greenlight.
𑣲 Varka who praises you continuously, kissing you as if you were as fragile as a petal. He'd take his time, his palms smoothing down your curves, with an extra attentiveness to your thighs, calves, ankles - he'd pepper kisses along them, remembering how beautifully you performed each night. How hard you've worked to master your craft.
𑣲 Varka who would groan into your neck as he presses himself into you, whispering how much he adores you, how much he wants to spend more time with you. How he thinks of you night and day, how you should cuss him out some more because he deserves it (but also because he found it incredibly hot).
𑣲 Varka who knows he shouldn't be rough with you, who knows he shouldn't leave a single mark on your delicate skin - but oh how the deepest parts of him scream to do the opposite.
𑣲 Varka who wants to burn every part of this memory into his very being - just the thought of leaving your warmth pains him.
𑣲 He's a whimpering mess in your chest the moment its all over, he holds you in his arms and closes his eyes, trying his best to remember your scent.
𑣲 Varka who is understands he's royally fucked up his relationship with you when he falls asleep beside you on his final night. Yet he still whispers about how he needs to be better for you. He feels terrible because he knows his goodbye will only be harder now - but he can't get himself to regret a single moment.
𑣲 Varka who vows to not make the same mistake ever again- who vows to come back and make it up to you when he does.
𑣲 Varka who agonises each day away from you, but remembers you have already found your purpose, and he must find his too. The thought of you performing day after day at the Opera Epiclese drives him to do better on his expeditions.
𑣲 Varka who has a whole playlist of the songs that play during your shows. Before he sleeps, he listens to them. When he closes his eyes, he'll picture you on stage, performing as you usually do.
𑣲 Its the only thing that truly lulls him into a peaceful slumber - that, and the thought of coming back to you a proper man.
chuu's note: okay but on a real note, Mondstadt is such a downgrade from Fontaine, like i cannot do our mc dirty like that im SORRY! Unless of course our dear mc is growing tired of ballet and wants a soft life which is so fair, our man Varka will definitely take care of them in Mond! But for the purpose of mc being more career oriented, I left it open ended~
also on the note of ballet, I would like to give a big fuck you to timmothy chalamate (i probably spelt it wrong but thats how little i know or care abt this fcker) - ballet and opera HAS lived longer and will CONTINUE to live longer than your name I promise <3
