"you're upset."
scaramouche looks over your shoulder at the book you're pretending to read. his hat shadows your vision, making you scowl.
"what makes you say that?"
"your aura. it's... well, not the greatest feeling right now."
you shake your head and shove him away, flipping a page--where were you before you started thinking about your old world? the one before teyvat?
"yeah, sure."
scaramouche flicks your cheek playfully, a shock of electro rolling off his fingertip and forming a flower in front of you. it solidifies into a purple lily, deep as the void and all it encompasses.
"fine. I'll cave."
the book slaps shut. you take a deep breath.
"of course, when you become an adult in my world, your parents can kick you out, and, well, that's what mine planned to do. today is my birthday, and even though I may be an adult--legally, anyway, i'm... not one. in my head I'm still 10 and watching stupid plays."
you sigh again.
"scara," you say, turning to look at him. "I was going to die."
his face looks like...
you can't explain it.
"your parents wouldn't like me then, because I and the tsaritsa would never do that."
his tone is dark.
"you will always have a place here with the harbingers."
you scoff.
"until you tire of me like they did."
"never."
his arms encircle you in a gentle hug.
"just because you're an adult doesn't mean fuck for shit to us. if anything, it makes you more valuable, if you were a fatui, that is. with age lies growth, with growth comes power, and with power comes strength."
you smile watery. a tear drips down your face. silence befalls the two of you with one whisper.
"thank you."
this was a vent piece. I have a situation similar to this going on, as you can maybe tell.