Ara-ara-bitch - A Whore For Lore

amen hon🙏

Genshin Fandom Leave the VAs the Fuck Alone Challenge.

Elliot’s been part of the community for barely a week. Y’all didn’t even give the poor man time to breathe before pulling some bullshittery on him. Yes, a lot of the English Genshin VAs are active in the community (some a bit too much so), but they’re not your buddies.

Who the fuck in their right mind sees lewd fanart of a character and goes “You know who would really like this? Their voice actor!” The only VA I can think of who might be fine with that is Griffin, and even then it’s just common fucking decency to not do that. He’s a grown man. If he wants to see R34 of Childe he can look for it himself. He doesn’t need some Twitter rando tagging him.

Randomly tagging VAs in shit is not normal behavior, and if you think it is, you need to get off of social media for a while. I’m being completely serious about that. That kind of attention seeking is a sign of someone who’s not getting enough offline social interaction.

I am literally begging at this point, leave the VAs alone. This is why the rest of the internet fucking hates us.

I quite visibly choked on air- its..ITS BEAUTIFUL

Art by  HiragiiTsukasa

Posted with Permission (reprint/edit and/or commercial use prohibited)

After finishing song of achilles within 2 days.. I can say I don't feel sad..

I feel empty.

Instead of the ache within that we feel after reading some good angst, I feel as though a part of my soul just died.

I don't feel sad at the tragedy..

but the tears that threaten to escape say otherwise.

“you’re a writer, right?”

me, staring at the one sentence i’ve managed to add in the last hour and the 12 open tabs on the specifics of shoes in 1845 Ireland: In theory.

the maid cafe at the school festival

expl: you offered to volunteer at the maid cafe being held in room 3-2 when you realized they needed more employees, you and your friend were having a great time until someone you knew walked in with their friends

a/n: i'm now going to begin taking requests for the polls that are found at the bottom of these ff's, feel free to send them in and i'll include them in this ff once i receive 3!

requests for polls

masterlist

second person writing no pronouns used

"I'm really sorry to ask you this, but could you two come to help us out? We really need the added assistance and few people are willing to do it..." The committee president said, looking feverishly ill from the amount of stress they were taking on at the school festival.

Before you could pipe up your opinion, your friend had already beat you to it and was offering to help out class 3-2 with their festival project.

You sighed, knowing this would be either embarrassing or publicly humiliating. Your friend got up and began following the committee president, which you did seconds later after you recollected your thoughts.

They took you into the classroom of 3-2, which was decorated with streamers at the front doors and tables set up like a cafe. You know what they were doing beforehand since it seemed to be the talk of the school for a short while. The people already working at cleaning the tables smiled at you and your friend, happy that at least someone had come.

"Here, you'll be wearing this for the time you're here, you can wear it over your clothes or you can wear the full outfit in the back." One of the workers said, it looked like she was holding the whole place together.

Your friend grabbed your hand and let out a quick, "Let's go," before walking into the closet area of the classroom. They began putting on the outfit they preferred, and you did the same, knowing you'd be here for a while just from how much they were beaming at the opportunity given to them.

In reality, it didn't go half as bad as you thought, you were having a lot of fun! And it seemed like the customers coming in were having fun too. The food was really good and the drinks were pretty easy to learn.

You heard the door open again and turned around to greet whoever came in, seeing as you were closest to it.

"Hey, come on in, how many will you be having to-"

Tighnari looked shocked when he saw it was you working here, and more shocked when he saw what you were wearing. You two knew each other from working well in science class as partners. The crush you had on him was a bit big, which was why you were so embarrassed for him to see you like this.

Your friend turned the corner and put a hand on your shoulder, smiling at the 3 boys who had walked in. "Hey, you guys! Come on over, I've got a table over here that's free." Leading them to the table closer to the windows in the back. You watched them walk away and tried to cool your face from the redness it got at that moment.

You weren't the one who was serving them, your friend did it for you. All you did was watch from the distance here and there to see what they were doing. What you didn't notice was Tighnari kept sending glances at you the whole time.

Cyno also seemed to notice this and nudged Aether next to him. The two boys looked as Tighnari took a sip of his drink but also glanced towards your back at the front of the room.

When your friend returned with the food, Cyno spoke, "Could you get that person to come over here real quick?" Tighnari lowered his eyebrows at his friend in an irritated matter. Your friend looked where Cyno was pointing and smiled, nodding and telling them they'd be right back.

When you finally walked up to them, Tighnari avoided your eyes while Cyno smiled brightly up at you.

"My friend here was wondering if he could get your number?" Cyno said while pointing toward the embarrassed green-haired boy. Tighnari looked up at you, silent, and you smiled while taking the napkin on their table and writing down your number.

Aether looked shocked, Cyno smirked, and Tighnari blushed even more when you handed it to him and walked off.

Both boys patted him on the back when they left, and a 20-dollar tip with your name on it was left on the table in Tighnari's handwriting.

The only reason that Xiao came in the first place was that Aether suggested the idea, Ganyu wanted to come along, and Venti practically dragged him from his spot in the tofu booth.

That was when the person to greet them was none other than you, Xiao's crush for the 3 years they'd attended high school. His face was flat and empty when he saw you, masking the absolute embarrassment in him when you saw he came to a place like this.

Venti chatted you up the whole time you served their table, and Xiao sat closest to the window and said nothing while he stared outside of it. Ganyu was a sweetheart and asked if there were any vegan meals being served in the nicest manner possible. Aether was also very nice and asked if the chefs could make something last minute for his sister before they left.

But Xiao? Quiet as a mouse, you even looked over at him every time they called you over to their table. Sometimes, they didn't even call you over to order, they just wanted to chat with you.

It worried you a little bit, you knew that he was normally quiet, but he seemed even more on edge today. It changed when you walked over again on your own will seeing as you had nobody else to serve for a bit.

"Xiao? Are you alright?" You asked with a worried expression on your face. The sound of your voice calling his name caused him to nearly shoot out of his chair. Venti, Ganyu, and Aether also looked toward their flustered friend. All the poor boy could do was nod and keep looking out the window, his face beginning to match the half-eaten caramel apple on Venti's plate.

"He's just shy, right Xiao!" Venti said while patting him on the back obnoxiously. It was like you were staring at a statue with how stiff he was in his chair. And it continued to be that way the whole time they stayed.

Feeling awful for him, when the other 3 were busy talking to another worker there, you snuck around and placed a small plate of almond tofu in front of him. His eyes immediately shot to where your arms were placed on either side of him while you reached over behind him.

"Sorry that you're feeling this way Xiao," You said while patting him on the back a bit. His face darkened in blush, but a small smile was evident while you walked away to keep doing your work.

When you returned to the empty table, unable to send them off because it got so busy, you saw the empty tofu plate and a 5-dollar bill with Xiao's number underneath it.

Heizou was more interested in staying where the puzzle-themed booths took place, but with how persistent his friends were he finally agreed and came along for the ride.

His shock was not as exaggerated as the other boys were, he was happier to see a familiar face in a place like this. Now, Heizou was definitely a little surprised to see you working here out of all the fun booths and cafes surrounding the school, but he wasn't one to judge.

It wasn't until you were the one to be serving them, did he finally put more attention onto you. It wasn't like he didn't know who you were, his crush on you lingered for a while now ever since the two of you partnered up for math this year.

It just seemed like seeing you in such an outfit made him pay even more attention to you, so much that he didn't even listen to what his friends had to say because he was so busy staring at you across the room.

You had a lot of people's attention that was for sure, practically being handed tips left and right as you walked by the tables you previously served. His jealousy boiled a bit in his stomach, but he tried to ignore that feeling and keep enjoying the time spent with his friends.

Kazuha even asked him if he was alright at one point, seeing his friend look a little irritated in a direction he couldn't quite catch. But Heizou just shook it off as he was a little weirded out being there. Which was a lie, he liked how lively it was and how kind the workers were.

Heizou finally reached his breaking point when he saw someone try and flirt with you while you served another table. He got up from his seat and excused himself from his friends with a smile. Walking over to you with an irritated look on his face and standing behind you with his arms crossed.

The person flirting with you seemed to stop talking, and you smiled in a confusing manner before turning around and seeing Heizou really close to you.

"Oh! Heizou! What's the matter?" You said with a tilt of your head at his appearance. His eyes were still glaring at the person in front of you two, but a couple seconds later he looked down at you with the softest gaze and smile.

"I'm alright, I was wondering if you could come back over to our table for a bit." His words made you smile at him, lightly patting his bulging muscular shoulders that were tense from the other person's move on you.

"You could have just waved me over! Come on, let's go." Smiling at him before turning to walk back to Kazuha and the others. He gave the person one last nasty look before he turned to you with a kind gaze and followed you.

Alhaitham was not shocked, nor surprised to see you here. He was more interested in just sitting down to chat up a conversation than anything else. Kaveh suggested they get a bite to eat, and this was the closest thing to them.

Alhaitham knew you, sure, but he wasn't in the same grade as you, being in the grade above and only really seeing you when you'd be walking around the school with your friend or attending school events like this one.

That's why he was so interested in finally getting a chance to speak to you more. Seeing as the crush he held for a while that was only flamed with short glances in the hallway and mentions of your name could finally ignite more.

And ignite it did, you were really nice to them the whole time and even helped the 2 boys navigate the slightly confusing menu that the committee leader put together. You asked if they had allergies if they preferred different seating since the sun was blaring a little bit into the room, etc.

Kaveh even noticed that his friend seemed to smile more when you came around to ask how everything was. A smirk led onto his face when he realized it was good bait to tease Alhaitham. Saying something embarrassing in order to brighten up his face and get him blushing just as you were rounding the corner to check on them again.

"How is- Oh my! Alhaitham are you okay? You don't have a cold do you?" You said before instinctively reaching down to press a hand to his forehead. The small action blew up his face in a stream of red while Kaveh nearly fell out of his chair laughing.

"I'm fine, really," Alhaitham spoke with a smaller voice than his usual confident one. Kaveh continued to laugh at his friend who almost never lost his cool while you kept asking if he needed anything to help.

"Please let me know if there's anything I can get you." Your worried tone made it even worse for him, the poor boy was shifting in his seat from how embarrassed he was.

When you finally walked away, the glare that sent Kaveh's way from Alhaitham was the icing on the cake. The blonde kept mocking his friends' small tone when replying to you. At one point, you even walked by to serve another table and placed a glass of water next to him. Which he couldn't even smile to appreciate before his eyes caught Kaveh's cheeky ones.

A note was left before they left, from Alhaitham, apologizing for the events that happened, along with two 20-dollar bills. You smiled looking down at the note and folded it to save in your pocket for later. Why had you never paid more attention to him before?

OML LEVI'S PART UGH HE NEEDS TO GIVE HIMSELF CREDIT FR like cmon he has a fish he named henry he's obviously superior 🙄

i saw something like playing truth or dare and having to kiss the prettiest person in the room and thought you’d do this great with the om boys! thank you if you end up accepting this request!!

"kiss the prettiest person in the room" with the older brothers

includes: lucifer, mammon, levi x gn!reader (no pronouns mentioned)

wc: 1k | rated t | m.list

a/n: okay this was super fun to write omg i hope you enjoy. my inbos is open to chat, req, or leave feedback, so come say hi!!

please reblog 0-0

diavolo is holding another sleepover, and you’re all crammed into one of his living rooms, sitting in a rough circle, with some on the couches, some in chairs, and some on the floor

you're on one of the smaller couches, sharing it with solomon and when the sorcerer gets this glint in his eyes you know he had something up his sleeve

“let’s play truth or dare,” he suggests, and though you suspect the game will devolve into chaos, many of the brothers are quickly on board

the game goes a few rounds before solomon calls on you. “mc, truth or dare?” 

you balk; the dare will no doubt be something intense and possibly humiliating, but choosing truth would probably be much worse. “dare,” you say, as confidently as you can

solomon grins wickedly. “kiss the prettiest person in this room.” 

you gape at him even as various protests are raised around the room. 

“no, mc does it or gets punished for thickening out,” solomon insists, and you recall the punishment, which is to buy a dinner next time you’re all out, something your poor wallet really can’t handle. 

“i’ll do it,” you say, and a hush falls over the room as they all wait for you to pick. 

lucifer watches you look between him and his brothers, curiosity burning in his chest. he wants to say that you don’t have to do this, to make solomon choose something else - he should say that, but there's a deep part of him that needs to know how this will end.

you bite your lip, worrying it between your teeth and he wishes he were a better man.

lucifer watches with rapt anticipation as you stand, walking in his direction. but diavolo and simeon sit on either side, both likely candidates.

“u-um,” you say, coming to a stop in front of him! “may i?”

at any other point in time he’d be smooth, suave, but surprise has struck him dumb and he can only nod. you lean down, carefully moving closer, and lucifer knows he should shut his eyes but he can’t, enraptured by the sight of you.

the kiss is chaste and brief, nothing to write him about, but lucifer knows it’ll haunt him at night.

cheers erupt from around him as you pull back, likely embarrassed, and just look at him for a moment.

perhaps lucifer should be offended that you think he’s pretty. a thousand words have been used to describe him over the decades, but to his knowledge pretty was never one of them. but he’s rather touched instead.

you duck your head, returning back to your seat. and lucifer can hardly pay attention to the continuation of the game, too preoccupied with remembering how your breath had fanned his cheek, how your soft heat had surrounded him.

he’ll be damned if that’s his last kiss with you, he resolves, and diavolo nudges him mischievously, no doubt aware of where his thoughts have gone.

mammon can’t help giving you a cocky grin, making a come-hither motion playfully. to his surprise, you actually do, stepping carefully over belphie, who’s on the floor, resting his back on the base of the couch he’s sitting on.

“not how i imagined our first kiss, but i’ll take it,” mammon says, joking to hide his nerves. he still can’t believe that you’d approached him. maybe it was because he was the safe choice.

either way, it felt like a dream come true.

“not how i imagined it either,” you say with a little laugh, and mammon short circuits, because you had imagined it too?

you lean down, pressing your lips to his, and mammon feels like all of his bones settle, like fireworks are acting beneath his skin. all-too-soon you pull away, and he can’t help but follow you before he gets a hold of himself.

catcalls and yells sound from around the room, perhaps some cries of outrage, but mammon can’t bring himself to care, instead focused on the way you still lean over at him, looking down at him with a glint in your eyes.

“nice as that was,” you say lowly, only so he can hear, “and believe me, it was nice, i’d much rather try again when we’re alone.”

a strangled noise escapes mammon and you smile, moving back to your seat like nothing had happened, like you hadn’t just turned him into a new man with a single press of your lips. god, he loves you.

levi deflates when he hears the dare, knowing he’s out of the running. in a room filled with all of them, he’d never get picked. he can’t even bring himself to watch, staring at his lap.

it’s only when you cough slightly that he looks up. you rub the ack of your neck, bashful. “is it alright if i kiss you?”

“m-me?” levi asks, looking behind him as if anyone would be there. of course, there’s no one. you nod.

“i mean, as long as you’re cool with it, yeah.”

“you think i’m the prettiest?” he can’t help but confirm, and you smile a little bit.

“i mean, duh. you don’t give yourself enough credit, you know.”

you’ve got to be pranking him. except, you’re not that mean. so that would make you… serious? oh my god, he’s going to die! you think he’s pretty!

“you can, uh, you can kiss me,” he manages slyly, and you cup his face, hands warm against his jaw. he’s frozen as you lean down, eyes sliding shut. your lips finally touch his after what seems like an eternity of waiting, and levi instantly feels boneless, melting into your gentle, almost reverent touch.

you pull away, and his eyes snap open. levi stares up at you, eyes wide, and you seem to remember yourself, hands falling away from his face embarassedly. he already misses them.

the room is in a clamor but he can only think of you, only watch as you give him a little smile before returning to your seat, unable to meet his eyes for more than a few moments during the rest of the game. not that he’s able to meet yours for any longer.

leviathans-watching's work - please do not copy, repost, or claim as your own

NIMONA + LETTERBOXD REVIEWS

this had so much word flavor oml 🫶🫶🫶

soulmate trope | todoroki s.

Todoroki’s route of soulmate trope.

Wow, you sure seem to be injuring yourself more than usual. That can’t be related to anything significant.

warnings: extremely mild self-harm. secondhand embarrassment.

~11k words

Keep reading

Imagine being Heaven's Therapist. The person would probably quit after the first day.

Pei Ming would show up there just to flirt, regardless of gender, he will try his luck.

Xie Lian would be the only one showing up daily except that he doesn't like to acknowledge that he has trauma so he'd be laughing about it and feel awkward when the therapist isn't laughing too. Meanwhile the therapist might have second-hand trauma from Xie Lian's jokes.

Mu Qing won't even show up.

Hua Cheng sneaks into heaven just because there's someone getting paid to listen to rants so he can talk about how much he loves Xie Lian all day long.

Jun Wu would also never show up. 2000 years of baggage, one therapist will never be enough.

Feng Xin might show up and actually get shit done. He needs a therapist and not their go-to sarcastic one (I mean you Mu-Qing).

Shi Wudu also wouldn't show up but he'd make Shi Qingxuan go.

Shi Qingxuan would drag Ming Yi with him and it would be so awkward for so many reasons. Cause Shi Qingxuan isn't even aware....that he has trauma...... (Yes, this is pre canon). Ming Yi would go for the snacks though.

Ling Wen would go. It's an important part of her schedule but she's only going because it's the only time she can sip tea in peace and be left alone. She's not speaking a word to the therapist. Except maybe bonding from their stressed out jobs.

Quan Yizhen would go because everyone told him to go. He's not sure why he's there. If someone asks about his feelings he'll talk about Shixiong before he curls on the couch and fall asleep.

Lang Qianqiu...... actually has a lot to get off his chest. Even pre-cannon. It gets worse post-cannon. I'm sure, like Qi Ying, he just wants to ask "Did I do something wrong?"

..nah bruv i cant i- WHO HURT YOU OML I COULD FEEL THROUGH THE WORDS I- ESPECIALLY ALBEDOS PART ON LIKE HOW LIKE YK HUMAN I- I CANT TALK PROPERLY ANYMORE YOUVE MADE ME SPEECHLESS THIS IS SO GOOD

(Part 2): So Close, Yet So Far

Notes: Part two of the first part. Idk this felt kinda lacking but I enjoyed writing it anyways. Might move on to fluff if I'm in a good mood. Drop some suggestions :)

Summary: They’re always away and work seemingly became more important than their time with you.

Characters: Albedo, Thoma, Gorou, Aether, Kazuha

Warning/s: Some lore spoilers? Graphic mentions of death on Gorou’s part.

Themes: Angst, Breakup, No Comfort, Gender Neutral Reader

Part 1: (here)

Aftermath: Closure Pt. 2

Albedo

‘Be patient with him’ is what you always tell yourself as you follow Albedo up the mountain for another excursion to Dragonspine for who knows what and archons know what for. You hadn’t known what you were setting yourself up for when you decided to pursue a relationship with the very handsome but very stand-offish alchemist from the Knights of Favonius. True, your relationship with him had its very sweet moments of cooking with him and him sketching you, but those were rare and hard to come by- especially from Albedo. Part of it was the fact that he was not human and his pursuit of understanding also included human emotion which made it difficult to discern whether or not his sweet words and gentle manner were genuine or a form of fabrication for his studies. Sometimes he’d even use you for his experiments; odd contraptions strapped to your head, shivering in his open lab in Dragonspine, drinking odd concoctions that you fear may kill you.

It’s worth it, you’d always think when you see Albedo’s eyes shine and his lips curl into a smile when he discovers something new or if his hypothesis is correct. It’s worth it if it meant that you were making Albedo happy; even if it meant that you yourself had never felt more unloved.

‘Be patient with him’ drained the life out of you each time you asked if Albedo wanted to go out somewhere with you, but he would say ‘no’ and say, ‘I’m busy’. It drained you as you watched him react more to his experiments than when being with you. It drained you when you’d get your hopes up as Albedo called for you only for the same hope to be crushed when it was for a lab test.

“Albedo, can we please do something nice for once? You’re always working, and I want to spend some time alone with you.” You said as you stood at the foot of his lab when he called you in for help with another experiment.

“Well, we’re spending some time alone right now.” He said as you listened to the clink of test tubes for a potion he was going to make you drink.

“I’m serious, Bedo.” You said, crossing your arms from the cold and irritation. Albedo glanced at you and saw your annoyed expression but still turned away.

“I have a hard time understanding what you want from me, Y/N,” He said, setting down his clipboard, his back still turned and attention drawn away.

“Of course you don’t. You wouldn't understand how I’d feel anyways,” You said. “You’re not human.” As soon as the words came out of your mouth, you looked up to see Albedo staring at you blankly. Through the trick of the eye, the corners of his lips twitched and his hands formed into a fist. You half expected him to be upset with you while the other half expected him to be upset with himself. But he showed no emotion as you two stared. It was too late for you to take your words when you realized you meant what you said- as hurtful as it was, your patience with him ran thin and you were tired of pretending the lack of intimacy was acceptable- even for Albedo. And so, you wordlessly turned to leave him alone in his cold, open lab. As he watched you leave, he knew it was a sign your fleeting relationship was done; but Albedo felt something prickling in his skin.

‘Strange. This isn’t what cold feels like.’ It was different. It was hot, searing, and burning. Gradual, slow and torturous that it felt intentional. It ran from his chest and pulsed throughout his skin. Something within him ached so terribly as he tried so desperately to find a cure for this ravenous madness that made him drag himself and heave across the table. Your expression is what got him- the shock in your face when you said what you said but the immediate switch to emptiness- the way he recognized was the same expression he wore around you. Worst of all were your words echoing throughout his mind. You’re not human.

“Is this… what they call heartache?” Intense was the word Albedo was looking for. In your entire relationship, he felt some form of intensity, the giddiness when you stroked your hand through his hair or gave him compliments for his work- but nothing was comparable to the pain that coursed through him right now. He knew he wasn’t human, but why does he feel so alive? Why is his hollow shell suddenly flooding with so many things he couldn’t possibly understand? Then he remembers you. You were loving, your gestures so unfeigned and manners so human- something Albedo couldn’t understand yet but longed for- more so now than he had ever had.

“Y/N, it hurts,” He says as he grabs at his head and whispers into the table. Hot tears stream from his eyes, a new trick so foreign to him that he feels like a child discovering what it’s like to feel empathy. Something real. And he had never felt more real, more human, when he was with you. You had taught him the euphoria of what it means to have human emotion, the joy that comes with love, and the utter devastation when Albedo finally discovered what it meant, what it felt, to have someone you love tear away at you like a pack of wolves. To be exposed to the raw emotions that was heartbreak. It hurt so much but he loved it.

He loved you.

“It hurts, Y/N,” Albedo called to you smiling, as if announcing a groundbreaking discovery of the century. He needed you now more than ever- not for experiments, not for confirmation of theories, he needed you. To tell you what he felt, what you made him feel, how good it was no matter the hurt. But it was too late. You had given him everything he needed to know about connections and bonds and the joy that came with them- yet you had no love left to give him. He would destroy the world to get it back if it meant the pain would stop. If it meant he’d start over and give you the love you deserve.

Thoma

Thoma was the perfect lover; the man every parent wished for their child, the man every grandparent loved having over, the man others would kill for but Thoma would discourage them. You don’t know how lucky you found yourself when Thoma bashfully gave you a plate of tricolor dango he made by himself as a way to ask you out. Your relationship was seen by others as more than perfect, more than beautiful. Prying eyes would watch as Thoma would hold the umbrella over your head and give you his coat on a rainy day as you two walked down the street; Inazuman girls would seethe with jealousy as Thoma would plant a kiss on your forehead in front of them, his smile bursting wide when you’d return in; the older women in town would compliment you both and ask about marriage, children and the works while you two would turn red and look away in embarrassment at the questions. Everyone on the outside thought you two were perfect.

You knew a little differently. No relationship was perfect. Each one had cracks and problems as every relationship would. You and Thoma rarely argued and it was mostly for something small and insignificant like who forgot to do the laundry, but nothing big ever happens. In fact, every squabble always ends with an apology. The only problem you two had was work. Thoma was almost always busy working for the Kamisato Clan and sure, you had your fair share of labor, but sometimes it was getting ridiculous.

At first you didn’t mind- you understood how the Kamisato siblings relied their trust on Thoma and you admired it even. Some things about his work however drew the line when you would be left alone in the middle of the street, waving half-heartedly goodbye to your lover as he is called in for another commission. Most tea dates you two had at Komore Tea House were with Ayaka and you grew to be friends with the girl- but you sometimes felt like a third wheel between them. Sometimes you would wake up in the middle of the night to Thoma hastily leaving to do something for the Estate. Hell, the only real dates you two ever had were doing chores around the Estate’s yard and Inazuma. You were getting tired. You spent little to no time with Thoma; despite how loving he was, how caring and generous and perfect, you can’t help but feel unloved if he dedicated his time to someone that wasn’t you. As selfish as that may have sounded, the issue has drawn on for too long.

While the crickets chirped silently, your hand in Thoma’s as you two walked to the Estate for the eighth time this week. The atmosphere made it feel like you two were out for a nice walk, when in fact, you were out to do another commission. Thoma noticed your tightening grasp on his hand as he stopped to look at you.

“Is there anything bothering you, Y/N?” Your fear of losing him bubbled in your chest and you wanted nothing more than for you to be able to express yourself without prying eyes and listening guards. This seemed to be the perfect time to do so.

“If you had to choose me, or the Kamisato Clan, who would you prioritize?” You asked, chest rising and falling as you watched Thoma struggle to say something. You should’ve worded it differently, but you had already given him the ultimatum and his answer was clear. You nodded and lowered your head, hearing Ayaka call out to him from a distance. Thoma pulled you close but you didn’t move, savoring the last time you might ever be this close to him.

“I’m sorry, Y/N,” was all Thoma could say, his voice and body shaking. Before he could do anything else, you buried your head in his neck and whispered,

“I don’t think I can do this anymore, Thoma.” finally looping your hands around his waist. I need more time, I can’t let you go. “I love you, but I can’t…” You wondered if you were being selfish- if you were willing to sacrifice such a loving man and a wonderful relationship because you felt unfulfilled. Maybe you were, but Thoma only pulled you closer, and you, for the first time in your relationship, withdrew from him. Hearing Ayaka call out to him once more, Thoma didn’t stir and only held onto your wrist, eyes begging for you to stay. But you stepped back and looked at him pitifully.

“I think someone else needs you right now.” You said, stepping back again. “Goodbye, Thoma.” While you turned to leave, you glanced back to see his figure fading away to the Kamisato Estate. What you didn’t know is that Thoma was the one to need you this time. His heart aching at your words, the realization finally hitting him that you had felt so unloved. He remembers the days you would soothe his joints and muscles, make him lunches on days and dinner by nights, the way you would nod understandingly as he ranted and raved about his day. You’ve given him your time and company, while he returned it by not doing the same. Thoma turned around to find you gone and wanted so badly to get you back. But work called for him, and you had already left. If only his loyalty would favor you, but in the end, you had been the second option.

Gorou

Gorou had always been busy; now more than ever with the civil war that’s been rampaging Inazuma. You did what you could to help with the Resistance and Gorou was extremely grateful for you. You could see the toll it took on him to lead an Army and at the same time handle everything else with their excellent strategist, Divine Priestess Kokomi. You encouraged him to take breaks with you once in a while, but his stubbornness persisted, and he would work day and night to ensure swift victories against the Shogun’s Army.

It was only when he would lose sleep over worrying about the latest advancements and number of casualties did you really start to worry. Gorou would be up late into the night and well into the evening, hunched over a map, his ears twitching in annoyance and even your massages wouldn’t be enough to soothe his tense muscles. On times he would relent and take calming breaks with you, he would be immediately ordered to the front lines by Kokomi or other soldiers, and they would have to apologize on his behalf.

“Gorou, I know we need to win this war, but I think you’ll perform better if you take a little rest.” You said as you watched your lover fit into his armor. “Come, have some tea with me.”

“I can’t right now, Y/N, Her Excellency is calling me up to help and you know I can’t pass up this opportunity to gain some sort of foothold against the Shogunate Army.” It was hard to convince him not to leave, even harder to make him rest. But he needed to do what had to be done. You had no choice but to let him go.

“Alright, I’ll be having tea out near the shores.” You said, wishing him good luck as Gorou plants a soft kiss on your cheek and storms off. “Be safe, Gorou.” The waters of Inazuma’s beaches were always your favorite- soft sands meeting the rolling waves clear enough that you could see the eels, crabs and shells from below. Nothing could disturb your peace. Not long after you set up the tea table on the beach, you notice a group of the Shogun’s army nearing your spot. Strange, you think, they’re beyond enemy lines. Calm and composed, you only watch as the soldiers circle you.

“What seems to be the issue?” You ask, your heart racing in fear.

“You’re the lover of the Resistance Army’s general.” One soldier said, pointing a spear at you. “Comply now if you know what’s best for you.” Slowly, you sipped your tea and looked at the men that surrounded you, weapons in hand ready to fight. You yourself had no vision and were willing to fight until the end- if it meant that you would be of help to Gorou.

“I have no Vision to surrender, nor do I have any intentions of giving out any secrets for you.” You said, setting down your cup as the men stepped forward. “But if you must do what you need to, make sure the news reaches enemy lines. Tell them General Gorou is out for revenge.”

That night, the mood in the camp was unusually depressing for the Resistance Army camp as the soldiers pushed at each other when General Gorou came in from another surge. He ordered for his men to send the injured to the infirmary and once he arrived there, there was no need for his soldiers to tell him what had happened.

There lying lifeless on a bamboo mat was you- eyes closed, mouth parted slightly as if you were deep into sleep. But you neither moved nor was your heartbeat present in your chest. Gorou stopped in his tracks as his soldiers could do nothing but watch him crumple into a wailing mess beside you. You lay unmoving. The others did their best to clean you- under your fingers were the sands you spent your days on, sea water dried on your skin and blood clung to your shirt and face. Yet Gorou couldn’t help but smile through the tears. You look as beautiful as ever, Y/N.

“What is the meaning of this!?” He yelled, grabbing your cold hands. “Why wasn’t anyone with them!?” Gorou realized how odd that may have sounded- he was the one that should have been with you because you called him out there. He should have protected you, but he didn’t show, he never does. Now you’re dead and he feels as if your blood was on his hands.

“I should’ve been with them…” For weeks, Gorou has led the Resistance Army to push on, keep fighting, to end this once and for all. It’s not what you would have wanted but if it weren’t for this damned war, you would have still been alive. It was a comfort to Gorou to know that he’s fighting in your name, slaughtering soldiers left and right and exhausting what’s left of the energy he thinks should have been spent with you. He kept your word unknown to him- that he seeks revenge for what the enemy has done to you. Even he knows deep in his mind that you would disprove of his actions; it was too late for that now if you weren’t by his side to tell him it’s ok to stop fighting.

Aether

Aether is always out into the world of Teyvat in his conquest to find answers, truth and especially his sister. You wonder sometimes if you are a factor that’s been holding him down or slowing his path even though he has reassured you countless of times that you aren’t. Still, it was hard not to tell yourself that you may be a burden when Aether’s strength and experience out in the world is vastly different from yours. After all, he wasn’t from this world. Yet you and the rest of the other nations held a lot of trust in Aether- too much trust in fact that your worry about him seemed to rival that. It was worrying because Aether never seemed to stop; always working, always fighting, always on the go to find some semblance about where his sister was or what she’s doing with the Abyss Order. Whether it be fighting an Old God or jumping from one dimension to another, Aether seemed to be everywhere except with you. Some things in his life you couldn’t understand, but you had faith in him and didn’t say anything else as you followed him throughout his journey. Even in places you can’t follow, you make sure to him that he always has a place to come home to in your arms.

That was until you notice something shift in him that worry only worsened. You knew deep down that he was getting tired of constantly being thrown around to help and expect to fix everything when really, all he wished for was to be reunited with someone he loved. You understood the bond he and his twin shared, something unbreakable, but sometimes you selfishly wished that Aether could stay with you a little longer. You loved him after all-, but doubt clung in your mind that maybe he didn't share the same love you had towards him. He would encounter you sometimes after a rough day, a rough week, a rough month even and you would greet him with open arms to tend to his wounds and feed him and Paimon until the next day he would leave, and you wouldn't know when he would come back. Sometimes you wished if he would settle in with you, give the adventure a break and calm down for a while- but before you could even bring it up, he would say that there is no home if his sister isn’t by his side. Then doubts would come to your mind again and you’d wonder if you were of any help to him at all.

When you had met Aether, you were a traveler yourself and a part of the Adventurer’s Guild. You had seen him talking with Katherine about another mission to some unknown land, and being one with an Adventurer’s heart, you volunteered yourself to be Aether’s companion. And because you wanted to know the famed Traveler from another world. After that, you found yourself growing closer with him when he shared his stories around Teyvat; how he fought with Stormterror, his spars with a Fatui Harbinger, and the simple quests of planting flowers in Dragonspine. You were intrigued and enthralled by all this and asked Aether if you could join his party. You have some experience in fighting and navigation and his little friend Paimon found it to be quite exciting. With a charming smile, Aether said yes and you two had been adventuring ever since.

It was amazing for a while- the thrill of it all, the experience you gained and the places you couldn’t dream of being in. For the longest time in your life, you felt happy, and you fell in love. It took a while for you to realize your feelings for the mysterious Traveler but once it became clear, your uncertainty only grew and your feelings along with it. You wanted nothing more than to settle down with him, but you knew in your heart that he has no intention of doing that until he finds his sister. With that you felt the need to push your feelings aside until it became unbearable. You wanted to stay with him but wanted to be far from him because your feelings overshadowed your willingness to keep going. One day, you’ve decided that it was time for your adventure to end.

“Aren’t you coming?” Aether asked as you two exited your home. You stopped at the door frame and looked at him sadly. He noticed your expression and pursed his lips. “Is everything okay, Y/N?” You wondered if it would be selfish of you to beg him to stay. One thing you admired so greatly about Aether was his selflessness, to put his needs aside if it meant if would help another. But you knew well that if he stayed, he would only be held down.

“Yes… I’m fine but, I think I’ll hold off on the commissions for a while.” You said, barely a whisper. Usually, Aether would convince you to come with him and tell you that you're a great help- but he only stepped closer and held out his hand.

“If you wish to see me again,” He said. “You know where to find me.” You nodded and held his hand in yours. Aether looked down at it and you could feel his fingers pulling away from your grip.

“Go find your sister.” Was all you said. With that, Aether nodded and ran. Only Paimon was the one to look back at you and wave goodbye. The only thing you could do was to cry silently and watch the man you loved go. It was clear from the start that his restlessness was unwavering, and he would stop at nothing to get back the only comfort of home he has known. That comfort wasn’t you, and you were more than happy to let Aether go even if it meant his love for you was as short lived as your time together.

Kazuha

You fell in love with Kazuha’s beautiful words and gentle manner. He was more than closed off when you met him on Captain Beidou’s ship, and you gathered little about this strange new individual. He was an outlaw of Inazuma, barely escaping the Shogun’s Army who was out to get him when he boarded the Alcor; now he recites poems whenever he can and warns the crew of coming storms. You were fascinated by him and listened when he would sit at the mast and recite his beautifully crafted poems. Once you asked him to recite one for you and you could see his eyes glimmer against the sunset when he would tell you about the rolling waves and the cradling breeze. After that, you found yourself talking more and more with the young samurai that the crew began to notice that they would pester and tease you about him. Kazuha only took note of that and made sure to make some of his poems about you. You were close enough now that Kazuha began to open up- about his past, his love of traveling, and the tragedy he has witnessed back at home and why he’s so adamant about never going back. You found yourself becoming conflicted then.

As much as you enjoyed seeing the world with Kazuha, you missed your home terribly. You missed being able to wake up to the gentle chirp of birds in the morning, the accessibility of food from the shops, the calmness of it all. As much as you loved the hectic anger of the sea or the pleasing calm that came with new places, you would love nothing more than to settle down with Kazuha. You wanted to spend the rest of your life with him; waking up to him in the morning, making food with him, the domesticity of it all. But you knew Kazuha- he wouldn’t give up his life of wandering for the world- even if that meant his entire world was you. Besides, he wasn’t ready to go back to normalcy when the only normal thing he had before his life now was of his friend- and staying in the place that took him away made Kazuha retract from conversations relating to it. Even when he had gotten closure from his quest to find a new wielder to his friend’s Vision- which had been him all along- he was more compelled to go out into the world and find life anew to erase the old memories once and for all.

When the Alcor finally docked on Inazuma after the borders opened up again, you were reluctant to leave but you knew in your heart that you belonged someplace else. Only when the ship set out to sea again did you see Kazuha clinging to the ends of the boat, yelling your name desperately as if you could only wave goodbye.

“I’ll come back to you, Y/N!” Was what you would hear time and time again. You cried at every sunset watching the Alcor leave while you and Kazuha watched each other wave goodbye until the other would fade from view. He would come and go- tell you stories about his latest travels and bring you things from around the world. Though his time was short lived, you savored every moment you could spend with him. But even though Kazuha kept his promise to return to you, you knew well that his heart was set out to sea, and you were tired of waiting for a day that would never come. One time when he had returned, you introduced him to your lover and you noticed Kazuha’s expression dropped as he excused himself to go help with unloading the shipments. Before you would go out into the docks to once again wave him goodbye, Kazuha wasn’t there to yell out your name. The next time you two had seen each other was months after the first time he wasn’t there to see you set him off.

“Why couldn’t you wait for me, Y/N?” Was the first thing Kazuha asked you once he stepped foot onto the harbor. You were surprised by this. You waited for months, years even, for the day that Kazuha may come home to you finally. Maybe it was the other way around- that he had waited for you to once again board the ship with him. But both of you knew you had separate lives to live.

“I did wait for you, Kazuha.” You said. “Our worlds are just too different.” Since then, you two only shared civil goodbyes as Kazuha watched you turn your back to go home while his heart ached as you were the first to stop waving. He watched your life unfold before him each time the Alcor docked on Inazuma- you had a lover, then you were married, then you had your first child. Kazuha knew by then that he had nothing to come home to. Even when you had been the closest thing he had to normalcy, the closest thing he had to home, you too had gone away from him.