Teyvat Academy

Wiping the smudged make up from Xiao's eyes and forehead and offering to help him put on a new fresh coat, gently hoding his face in your hands, his cheeks softly squished by the action. He looks at you intently, vrows furrowed, but lethargic eyes blinking softly. Xiao trusts you, as you sweep the red under his eyes, as you kiss his forehead before drawing the little purple diamond he usually sports, and xiao whines, sound catching embarrassedly in his throat. And when your hand stops cradling his jaw and your fingers swipe indulgently the underside of his lips like you're wiping smudged lipstick but oh, he doesn't wear any, then he finds the courage to look at you, molten golden eyes as piercing as ever, and then you're the one who feels timid. "Done?" he mutters coyly, you can only nod at him. Your finger still lingers at the corner of his lips. Xiao leans closer.

I AM SO DELUSIONAL I CAN'T--- just--- soft xiao-- putting make up on xiao. I will literally start crying I love him so much.

I DON'T KNOW JSDGHJSDG MY BRAIN ISN'T WORKING

did someone with a degradation kink get turned on when they join for military training

cat!kazuha and cat!xiao hcs

[ cat!kazuha, cat!xiao x reader]

summary: baby bois as cats yes

note: the amount of research i did just to find the perfect cat breed and actually choose between which breed looks better can put my academic research thesis to shame | m.list

warnings: hella fluffy and someone getting scratched by xiao lmao, also im sleepy so i might miss a thing or two ackskd

your first cat is xiao, a small grey british shorthair with bright amber eyes!

you found him in an alley on your way home as a kitten, he was inside this ragged box with four other kittens. the first time you saw them, you couldn't even approach them because the biggest one—you couldn't tell what breed it was because of the matted black fur—but he was protecting the four smaller kittens in the box, hissing at you whenever you got too close. so you decided to leave a can of tuna and left the alley. since then, you consistently feed them every time you pass by the alley

you didn't know when it started happening, but the other kittens with xiao that time—who was the runt of the litter—started disappearing until only a small dirty kitten was left

"oh my," you gasped at the small grey kitten almost crawling its way to the can of tuna that you left beside the box, hoping to see the other bigger kittens flock around the can.

but alas, only the tiny one of the five came out. the poor thing was shivering from the light rain showers, the box was too damaged to give him any protection and he was very frail, wobbling and tripping on his way to the food you left. you couldn't possibly leave him alone after this.

quietly approaching him after he's done eating—he couldn't even finish the whole thing by himself—you clicked your tongue to call his attention, crouching down.

he snapped his head towards you at the sound, his mewls sounding like a squeak more than a meow.

"hi there," you lowered your hand to the ground, letting him sniff around and weakly swat your hand away, chuckling at his attempts to look intimidating.

he looks way too tiny to be scary.

"i'm sorry if you're against me taking you, but i really don't want to leave you like this."

carefully wrapping your scarf around his tiny body—which was still shivering and attempting to claw at you, he did stop once he felt the warmth from your scarf, immediately purring—you made your way home with a tiny bundle of fluff in your arms.

xiao was a very hissy kitten the first few days that you took him in. he hides under the couch, pushes himself at the corners of the room, and runs away whenever he feels your presence after eating

cleaning him after taking him from that dirty box was disastrous and painful :']

but he slowly comes around! you'd see him peeking out of his hiding place and watching you intently seeing his glowing amber orbs watching you from the corner of your eyes was kinda scary tho, he stops running away when you're in the same room, sitting a few distance away from you, sleeping and relaxing out of his hiding place, and then actually letting you touch him

it's a few months worth of waiting, but it's alright! he trust you now, enough that he even does the loaf thing on your lap and sleeps there, purring whenever you start scratching at his ears :'>

after getting his trust, xiao progressively becomes gentle and soft around you!

he doesn't like biting or scratching you, so even if he detest being carried to the bathroom he sucks it up and has the most grumpy look a cat can possibly have when you're bathing him T^T

when he doesn't want any more pats, he'd gently put his paw on your hand or bite your finger sooo carefully, like it's such a soft nom, before giving you a look and prancing away to his cat tree or box

xiao is such a well behaved cat too! he's quiet most times, only meowing softly when you call out his name. he doesn't make a mess and can be found sleeping on high places like the top of your cabinet, on his hammock, the highest box on the cat tree, or under the couch/bed

when he's in the mood for it, he'd sleep in your arms as long as you don't move a lot

cute moments with xiao include him letting you mess with his face. y'know, letting you pinch his cheeks and pat his belly, pretend that you're eating his cheeks, kneading his paw on your thigh which sometimes hurts but that's ok lmao, bumping his nose with you while you sleep before scurrying away and waiting for you by the window to come home :>

he'd also have moments where his bright eyes would scare you hhnhnh

he has a grey coat that you can't easily see in the dark, so it sometimes catches you off guard when you suddenly see a pair of golden eyes from the bottom of your bed or at the top of your closet/desk just watching you sleep

he's guarding you, don't mind him, go back to sleep >:)

other than the occasional fright, he's a very good baby… until someone that's not you enters the house :D

he'll know someone's at the door in an instant, quietly hissing at the direction before zooming up at the top of his cat tree and hiding there but you can still see his eyes peeking from the tree house hole, staring at whoever's your visitor

he despises visitors >:)

if they even try to get close to him he nyooms away at the speed of light or swats their hand away

moments like this, you'd hear him yowl loudly—which is very rare—baring his fangs at the visitor. at this point, anyone would stand back, but if for some reason they don't? yikes, i hope you have a med kit prepared :') a certain ginger friend of yours had bandages wrapped around his hand after provoking a grumpy xiao ackskd

but if it's you? he immediately stops yowling and instead makes whiny mewls as soon as you pick him up to keep him away from the visitor

he'll get more grumpy if you put him in your room while you still have visitors! he wants to guard you! let him out right this instant! >:(

if you don't, you'll open your door room to a very very grumpy and sulky cat who won't look at you for a while lmao

don't worry tho, a few kisses to his litol forehead and some tofu would make him feel better!

xiao prefers to stay indoor and doesn't always go out of the house, but when he does, you'd find him just sitting near the window in a loaf position, just watching his surroundings. he'll only spend less than two hours outside before going back to snuggle the blanket on the couch

on some occasions, he drops a pretty leaf or stone on your side as a gift before prancing away

kazuha's the prettiest flame point siamese!

you didn't adopt him or rescued him, in fact, he adopted you, pitiful human

kazuha came out of nowhere! one day, he just started to show up in front of your house and hangs around your window, mewling softly whenever xiao comes near to observe this new feline, as if kazuha's greeting xiao :> that's how xiao got used to kazuha's presence and doesn't try to fight him away oof

whenever you get home, you'd see him chilling on the nearest tree by your house. it's like an automatic response for him to wake up the moment you get close. he'd stretch and make his way down the tree to greet you with a meow, brushing against your legs to have you pet him. he'll follow you and stop right in front of the entrance of your house, loafing by the railing and going back to sleep

"oh? hello there."

kazuha mewls back to greet you, making his way off the tree and prancing towards you. crouching down, he brushes his head against your legs and mewls, staring up at you with those pretty eyes.

"you're a sweet one, aren't you?"

he mewls once again, purring loudly once you start scratching behind his ears. you've been seeing him around the neighborhood lately, walking around the park and sometimes sleeping by random trees. you didn't know when he started hanging around your house, but whenever he sees you by the streets, he'd instantly meow loudly as if to say 'hey!' and runs towards you. he'll follow you on the way home after that, sometimes brushing against your legs.

he's a little menace though, purposely walking in between your feet to make you fumble around trying not to trip over him.

"there's some food by the house if you get hungry little man."

he meows delightfully and somehow, he kind of looks like he's smiling at you.

the first few days that he hangs around the entrance, you'd leave the door open incase he wants to come inside and leave a can of tuna by the door

that's how you found kazuha and xiao by the entrance! kazuha just cleaning himself and xiao sleeping beside him :'>

and then the day comes where he frightens you by suddenly emerging from your sofa table! he's meowing to greet you with xiao just watching from his hammock with a disinterested look

kazuha's a very chill cat like xiao! but he's more vocal and has bursts of energy where he randomly runs around the house to chase after an imaginary insect. you'd see him jump to catch a fly or suddenly zoom across the room to pounce at a cockroach or dust and is a constant victim of the laser toy :] imagine kazuha chasing leaves outside :'>

this always snaps xiao awake from his nap before plopping down to go back to sleep

kazuha is quick to adjust around the house! you always see him snooping around the furniture, jumping over the counter and sniffing around. whenever you have something to do, he'd sit beside you and watch what you were doing. until he gets clingy and meows for attention, then you won't get shit done :'D

remember tho, he's a little menace!

y'know the thing where a cat stares at you and an object, before swatting the object to the ground? that's kazuha, but he does it with his tail :)

whenever you're writing something, he'd sit on the notebook or your keyboard to distract you from whatever you're doing, meowing as if to say 'pay attention to me please' or 'hehehe'

he catches you lying on your back? he's loafing on your stomach or kneading it softly :D

but other than those mischievous moments, he's a good boy who doesn't always make a mess!

he's also very friendly! he still hangs around outside and will greet anyone that passes by with a happy meow and let them pet him for a while, and your friends love him! he even looks like he strives off the attention your friends give him lmao T^T

he's that one aesthetic cat that you'd take photogenic pictures of while he just rolls around the grass and sleeps on trees

but sometimes he prefers to just sit by xiao, watching humans do their human thing

xiao and kazuha get along very well! they're both very chill and are not loud or messy

you'd expect xiao to be wary of a different cat entering your house, but he seems fine around kazuha. you'd catch the two of then sleeping outside right next to each other, just two little boys hanging around :']

the cutest thing is that kazuha sometimes tries to clean xiao HNNHNHNH

y'know how some cats clean other cats? that's kazuha towards xiao, acting like a mother cat to the grumpy kid who just wants to sleep peacefully

he does this every time! kazuha would just walk past a sleeping xiao and just start to lick his forehead and he wouldn't stop for a while until xiao wakes up and paws at his face to push him away :'D

kazuha retaliates by pawing at his face back and continuing ackck

when kazuha starts sleeping in your bed, xiao is prompted to do the same! they are either snuggling on one side of the bed or sleeping on each side of your head

xiao is a chill boy, but when kazuha starts getting his bursts of energy? xiao is forced to deal with him until kazuha falls asleep, like, they're just rolling and chasing each other around the house or outside the grass until kazuha gets tired and they walk back in, the both of them falling fast asleep on the couch cuddled together or they invade the space on your lap/stomach while you rest on the couch/bed

it's heaven, really, because they're both purring and you take so many pictures of them asleep like that :')

both xiao and kazuha hate loud noises. they'd snap awake and alert once they hear a loud noise, xiao starts yowling and kazuha approaches wherever the sound came from. if they hear another noise though, they'll both zoom to wherever you are before snuggling near you to hide from the sound :(

bathing them is not bad! kazuha enjoys swimming around the tub while xiao just let's you do whatever you want with an occasional meow to complain :')

overall, they're both very behaved and never cause too many problems!

in conclusion, get a xiao and kazuha cat :'>

Sheesh look at all of that angst mmmm

Broken Glass | Cyno X Reader

A/N: The man was not coming home after 76 pity, so out of my sorrow, I believe he deserves this. I was also conflicted between Cyno being the General Mahamatra or the former one. No worries, I got it eventually. Remember that constructive criticism is appreciated and enjoy!

Summary: Cyno’s regrets for your fall-out returned when the glass of a picture frame shattered.

Genre: Angst

Reader: Second POV. Gender-neutral pronouns if any. 

Warning: Argument. Falling-out.

Word Count: ~380

~

Glass shattered on the floor.

A picture frame had fallen off the bedside table when Cyno kicked the sheets. He frowned, moving himself off the bed to pick up the pieces.

His breath hitched suddenly once he found the photo of you and him, and his fingers stopped reaching out.

His eyes stared upon the photo— one taken for a time when you and he smiled. His chin was resting on your head while you leaned against his chest.

Oh, how sorrowful.

Keep reading

"No." (Yandere!Albedo/Reader)

A/n: I got sick but it just so happens I live off of spite so I finally finished this fic. Most characters are a bit/really obnoxious here. Also, the reader's state of mind and relationships with friends are unhealthy so if you're sensitive to the following CW please skip this fic. (If you're wondering why the fic is... Like this then here's me rambling here)

Unreliable synopsis: You kissed the most popular professor on campus. (Subtle yan!fic)

gn!reader

Cw: yandere, unhealthy friendship dynamics with clingy!sucrose & other characters, student/teacher relationship implications, the reader is an eccentric "class clown" with implied mild impostor syndrome, and small mentions of sexual harassment. (I'm not a medical professional so please take the impostor syndrome warning with a grain of salt– just added it in case this type of content is triggering. This isn't smut and it doesn't fully explore the last topic, but still please reach out for support if you are a victim of sexual harassment. Title IX is a very real thing.)

-------

"Does accidentally kissing someone cross a line in Title IX?"

That sentence alone makes you sound incredibly criminal out of context, and it doesn't get better with it either.

Your long-time friend, Sucrose, became fixated on setting you up with a romantic partner after the breakup you had three months prior. 

It was not a heart-wrenching tale, if anything, the entire relationship you had with Arataki Itto plays off as a major joke. You dated the man simply because you thought his impulsive behavior was entertaining, and oddly enough, he found your unpredictable temperament alluring. You just never anticipated that the idiot will buy an overpriced toy drum when you asked him to get a coke and "get something for yourself as well."

It's no surprise you permitted him to spend your money. But that wasn't even supposed to be a gamble. That was just an instruction, and he failed HARD. Arataki "I-swear-you-didn't-say-Pepsi(???)" Itto... got you orange juice. 

Breaking up was a huge relief. Instead of adopting a façade of the partner he wants, you have at last discovered the temporary freedom to choose over what you enjoy. For a while, they didn't treat you like a court jester; instead, they gave you the tender care you'd reserve for a helpless person.

Sucrose was distraught when you two decided to stop everything after Itto wasted most of your money by falling for Dori's scam. She appeared to be more affected than you two. Sucrose must have thought of you two as "the Golden pair" since she is naturally fascinated by research about personalities and relationships— more notably the 16 personality types. Seeing you two break up was an antithesis to her defense on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test. You broke up due to (financial) differences, and there's no unreliable science needed to learn that.

Here lies the problem: Sucrose refused to give up.

You've heard concerns about her callous demeanor in person and online. Some people thought it endearing that you have a friend who genuinely cares about you, while others consider her nagging to be a burden, and rightfully so.

You felt icky after accidentally seeing her list of candidates, yet you can't bring yourself to make a strong effort to stop her. Sucrose lost two of her best friends last year in an accident, and you are essentially the only support that's keeping her sanity in check, but sometimes you feel as though you are risking your health on the line. She had written down some questionably extensive background on every man and woman she thought was worthy... You don't even want to know why Ajax is on that list.

No matter the reason, that didn't stop Timaeus from barfing out his triple-layered peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"W-WHAT on EARTH did you DO this time?!"

Sure is tough being a menace to society.

Hah... You're already on the brink of a mental breakdown and yet you still kept making self-deprecating jokes.

"WHAT'S with THE reaction?" You asked, casually copying his tone before you sank to your seat. "It's JUST a QUESTION."

"We know how you work, (Y/n)!" He knew you were purposefully trying to rile him up, yet Timaeus slammed a fist on the table in exaggerated disgust. "You did the EXACT same thing last time. You asked us 'hOw bAd woUld iT bE iF I datEd a gaNgstEr' and then you fucking did it anyways! What the hell– heck."

Timaeus's outburst was audible throughout the entire cafeteria, yet nobody seemed to care. The other people you shared the table with, Ying'er, Collei, and Tighnari all cast curious glances at you. It's not as though they have never heard of your misadventures before, frankly, whenever something happens they avidly observe it. You're all inseparable because of your shticks. However, apart from Sucrose, Dorian had been awol from your friend group, and it is no less due to the headline you're about to announce.

None of them took you too seriously, which they should have, given the nature of Title IX. As "good" friends, they should've worried over your safety and overall wellbeing. 

You could feel tears of fear and frustration swell up in your eyes.

Yet you couldn't be mad at them for reacting this way.

You're the chaotic link– the friend that didn't quite fit in– assigned to the role of being the "funny one." It started with a single joke until you unintentionally formed a false sense of confidence that you're something bigger than what you are. Everyone thinks you're hilarious, and you're afraid of disappointing them. You weren't trying to be funny most of the time, they just want someone to laugh and point at. Even though you are academically above average yourself, without your carelessness and gambles, you practically have nothing to offer this otherwise brilliant population.

Timaeus may not always deliver the right answer in his alchemy test papers, but he's never wrong about you even if he's drunk off of two bottles of Death After Noon. You recall Timaeus specifically in that instance because he was right; you have no future and you won't amount to anything.

In short, your image dilemma can be summed up by something you said high out of your mind in front of the mirror: "I think I accidentally gained an ego after joking about being hot and sexy one too many times, and now I'm being punished for my hubris." (You're never asking Lisa for philosophy book recommendations on Sundays ever again.)

And if it's true that you have no future and that you're nothing more than an insecure fraud, then you might as well come clean right now and let your "friends" break their ties. It doesn't matter, not anymore.

Ying'er laughed heartily. Contrary to her lover, she loves it whenever you act like this since it makes her normally composed and optimistic boyfriend snap and curse... You would know because she constantly divulges pointless details about how "hot" it was in private messages. And you two weren't even that close when she first did that. But now she's practically your unofficial attorney with how many times she played devil's advocate. You'll miss her.

"Why are you already accusing them? Who knows, maybe they're the victim here, babe. You're being too insensitive."

"Yeah, Tim, you should listen to your girlfriend over here." You nudged him and he glared vehemently.

"(Y/n), you're not supposed to openly agree with me, but yeah, why don't you give them the benefit of the doubt?"

You gave Ying'er a weak friendly wink and a thumbs up, feeling repulsed at yourself deep down. It's incredibly flattering for her to insinuate a professor would find you attractive rather than filing a restraining order.

She'll probably hate you once she finds out the truth, right? She did have a crush on your victim.

"This is them we're talking about." Timaeus glared. "They're bound to do something stupid. C'mon, Tighnari, say something!"

Tighnari merely shrugged and stabbed his fork into a mushroom (presumably poisonous, given its unnatural blue color). He had grown tired of dealing with your antics over the years. No lecture had ever worked in the past, and you both telepathically agreed that streak was not going to end today. You're lying about being self-possessed. He knew that whenever this happens, you were trying to be an idiot, and did not allow yourself to be an idiot. There's a fine difference between those two, and he knows which is which.

In a way, Tighnari views you in a more positive light than most of your friends. And he could sense that you have more grave matters to say.

So, he played along to help you set the mood. "I said this yesterday and I'll say it again: we're studying to become botanists. We're growing plants. Our future job isn't to help them grow a brain."

"Facts." You snapped your fingers and smugly nodded.

"Don't just agree with him!"

"You can grow plants all you want but just know my Timaeus right here doesn't need any more growing if you catch my drift~."

"Ying'er." Collei groaned.

"What? I was just saying his height is perfect enough as it is."

"I feel like we're having thirty different conversations at once." 

"Your mother is thirty different conversations at once–"

"Mx. (L/n)."

The table went silent. Except for yourself, who's still droning on, unfinished. Everyone noticed the uninvited man in the cafeteria and their lips were silenced. 

Here he is. 

"–eeegood evening, Professor Albedo." You stood up from your seat and slightly bowed your head down.

It's the untouchable Professor Albedo. The Alchemy Professor on this forsaken campus exudes a breath of freshness even if the scent of chemicals follows him like an affectionate dog. The only person that students would ogle at amid all the balding learning facilitators. Sucrose's mentor. Dorian's 32-year-old brother. The "Kreideprinz".

And the guy that might just sue you for your careless mistake.

Your circle caught the tension between you two and started watching the scene unfold like a car accident.

Professor Albedo cocked his head forward. You never claimed to be one of his adoring fans who can spot his emotions after one look, but your gut tells you that he's more than amused despite his stoic expression. He's similar to Dorian in that aspect.

"I trust that you've read the excerpt I've sent you?" He asked in almost a whisper.

You thoughtlessly lamely pulled up your library-borrowed copy of Title IX. In your perspective, nothing matters anymore, so you might as well let it out there.

Your friends jolted simultaneously, someone even dropped their utensils while Collei hit her knee up the table and hissed at the pain.

"Oh my God..." Timaeus shuddered.

Your friends had the face that collectively screamed "YOU MADE OUT WITH PROFESSOR ALBEDO?!" in all capitals, bold, italics, underlined, shadowed with thick black strokes– whatever makes it more out there. They're not in the wrong to react that way. 

In one single move, you broke 2 rules on the so-called Bro Code, one being the infamous "don't fuck my brother" and the second being the lesser known "don't fuck my professor". Not only that, but most importantly you violated a line or two in Title IX. 

Leave it to (Y/n) (L/n) to break more than three rules on the daily.

... You really should stop making jokes as a coping mechanism.

The cafeteria started to murmur, urging their seatmates for information they don't have. You released a small, clipped laugh. You should've thought that one through.

Tighnari meets your eyes with a sympathetic stare. You could tell he had more to say, but your heavy heart no longer wished to know.

"... Great work." The professor said just as nonchalantly. No doubt, he tried to salvage your reputation but you sabotaged it yourself. How wasteful. He beckoned you forward with one finger. 

"Come with me. We'll talk somewhere more private."

You walked away from your table and gave them one look.

They were incredibly disturbed to see a small sad smile on your face, rather than the wide mischievous grin that they were used to. After seeing that, they all had one emotionally detached thought in mind:

So, it wasn't a joke after all.

--------------

You neither like nor dislike Professor Albedo.

There are multiple fluffs about how friendly and dorkish he is as a reclusive person, but none of them sparked your interest. You often feigned reactions whenever Dorian expresses his apparent disdain for his more successful brother, and your sly smile barely reaches your eyes. If anything, hearing about the same man over and over again makes him feel oversaturated rather than entertaining. He's too perfect in those gossips that you're bored to tears. 

At least the rumors were positively right about one thing: his tastefully braided blonde hair and blue eyes make him no lesser than a portrait of a prince. But no more special than Dorian, in all honesty. You wouldn't be able to know which is which if they wore similar clothes and let their hair down. They're like clones of each other.

Albedo kept fidgeting a hand inside his pocket, and you can't hazard a guess as to what it is. A recording device, perhaps? You pride yourself on your ability to read and toy people like clockwork. That ability, however, does not translate well with Professor Albedo. 

You snapped out of your trance as the professor began reading what was on his clipboard.

"(Y/n) (L/n). 27. Graduate School. Taking a Ph.D. Botany program– though if I hadn't known that, I would've guessed you were a music major." Albedo vaguely pointed at your face without looking. "Your tongue would've fooled me."

You flinched. Is he teasing you or scolding you– you can't make sense of his tone. He's too monotonous.

"Professor, are you uncomfortable right now? If so, I could leave if you wish and we can talk via email instead about your complaint."

Professor Albedo eyed you carefully this time, even though he's squirmish. The tone you used to address him and your overall body language differ greatly from how you behave in the company of your friend group. Your professionalism does not match how the rumors perceive you. This is probably the reason why young professor Kusanali didn't believe any rumors about you. He was impressed.

"Am I supposed to be happy that you’re not giving me a moment of your time?” He said. "It's a bit difficult to achieve that state when you have yet to slip out of my mind. You did assault me yesterday–"

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware of that, Professor." You cringed. "But–"

"Albedo."

"Sorry?"

"You kissed me, (Y/n). I think you can call me Albedo."

"Right." You chuckled nervously. "Like I was saying, P-Professor, it's all a major misunderstanding. I wasn't aiming to assault you."

Albedo raised an eyebrow. He did not miss the way you suavely dodged calling him by name. Other than that, assault is a strong word, and he did not expect you to use it as well. 

You thought it was a fitting word to use. Albedo barely makes eye contact, and he probably doesn't like being reminded that you stole a kiss from him.

"It's Albedo. So, you were planning to sexually assault another student?"

He is relentlessly quick on the uptake. Albedo sounded like a cop. What he said was correct, absurdly phrased, but correct nonetheless.

"I mean..." You rubbed your hands against your pants. They were a bit sweaty, and you had to accept the fact you were not faking it. You are genuinely anxious. "When you put it like that, it does sound inexcusable doesn't it?"

"It is a positively hair-raising notion, yes." Albedo deadpanned. "And if I had to take an educated guess, you were planning to assault my younger brother Dorian and you mistook me for him instead."

"..."

Figuring that out was a no-brainer. Although Professor Albedo is older than his brother, their appearance and physique make them appear twin-like. Dorian once droned about how it happened due to Albedo's poor upbringing under their aunt Alice's guidance, making his growth stunted. And his tendency to talk your ear out is one of many reasons why your intrusive thoughts often suggest that Dorian had no personality outside being the renowned professor Albedo's younger brother. Hence, you don't absorb a word of what he says. You didn't listen to gossip often cause you figured that you were not one for trivial gossip like the rest of the student botanists. 

... And based on the dilemma you find yourself in now, it appears as though you don't have common sense like the rest of your peers either–

"Please stop woolgathering. Is there a more interesting specimen to take note of on the floor? You seem to be more intrigued by what's on your shoes."

You cringed for what you felt like the 1000th milestone at that point.

"Professor, I know that I sound terrible–"

Albedo sighed. "I would never insinuate that, Mx. (L/n)." 

"But you keep cutting me off." You said in a questioning tone. It sounded a lot more polite in your head, yet the famous Kreideprinz was flustered by your reply.

He cleared his throat. "Sorry. I didn't mean to. Carry on. You are aware that you sound like a sex offender, and?"

That came out incredibly cold. It felt like being under the cold blade of a frigid prince, and his icy stare and light complexion just adds the cherry on top. The professor said that he wasn't insulting you but his paraphrasing is exactly that. You didn't comment on it, figuring your education is more important than a harsh remark, and continued.

"... The truth is," you took a deep breath. "I only kissed you cause, well, I mistook you for Dorian, and also because I was trying to get Sucrose–."

"Sucrose?" Professor Albedo's eyebrows furrowed. "Sucrose, one of my–"

"Your student assistants? Y-Yes, sir." You nodded hesitantly. "We're best friends– not that it's unsurprising since I am a bad influence and she's a good person. I recently went through a breakup and she's worried about me. Dorian agreed to fake date and make Sucrose believe that she accidentally found us making out in a room to make it more believable but–"

"You mistook me for my brother."

"... Yeeaaahhh...."

"..."

This reminded you of your conversation with Dorian a while back. You asked if he and his brother would switch lives for a day, and he cackled and told you it happens more than the number you were thinking of. The moment you realized who you were kissing, you clung to the sliver of hope that it was Dorian wearing his brother's lab coat. It was not.

You looked down at your shoes again. It's too embarrassing and shameful that your entire lineage will probably be cursed. 

"..."

Knowing that you won't talk until he does, Professor Albedo read through his notes for a topic.

"Understandable. I presume you know my brother because you're both on the same course and are on similar schedules?"

"Yes, sir." Should you tell him the whole fake-date thing was Dorian's idea as well?

"It's Albedo to you. And to add to that, Sucrose is under the impression that we're dating."

"I think so, sir."

"That's not a question, (Y/n), that's a fact." He said. "She recently confronted me to ask if we're dating."

You gulped. Moment of truth.

"What did you tell her, sir?"

"What do you want me to tell her?"

You could hear your pulse pounding in your ears. 

On one hand, you want her to know what happened, but at the same time that would just blow you and Dorian's cover story.

But was that a smug tone you heard? Is he toying with you?

You bit your bottom lip. 

"... Yes, I think? What did you say, professor?"

"Albedo."

You tilted your head. "What?"

"Respectfully, please call me by my name and I'll tell you the answer." He smirked curtly, but it was gone before you could process it.

"S-Sir!"

Albedo shrugged. "Guess you'll have to ask her directly–"

"Sir Albedo–"

"Hmm, I don't recall having 'Sir' in my birth certificate–"

"Albedo! Albedo!" Geez.

He gave a small smile, longer this time. But he was still avoiding eye contact. You puffed your cheeks, embarrassed.

Prof. Albedo has a slightly twisted sense of humor.

None of this was professional, at all.

You felt your face growing warmer. You can't believe this is the same Albedo everyone is crushing on. 

You bit back a sharp retort. He sounded a lot more serious in campus gossip, and not the type to pull on your heartstrings like this. Your faith in that image is wearing thin.

The professor laughed. "I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting such an enthusiastic reply. You don't have to be nervous around me, (Y/n). I figured that if we were going to do this, you could use my first name.

"I refrained from answering. But, if you wish, I can confirm her suspicions. However, I must inform you in advance that I find relationships rather... Tiresome." Albedo robotically sighed. "I struggle to maintain them, so you will have to guide me."

Never in your life have you ever considered the possibility that a professor in your grad school would ask you to fake a romantic relationship with him. 

You digressed, not wanting to make a decision just yet. "But isn't your job in danger?"

Albedo then spoke in a genuine trill of amusement. 

"Not at all. Besides, I don't care enough to file a complaint about this incident. Also, you're not my student. Suffice it to say, I've thoroughly checked the handbook and consulted the headmaster herself. Rhinedottir sees no problem with this arrangement–"

Probably because she's your mother.

"–Granted, it will not be in full effect unless you give this a go signal. Will you?"

You looked away.

"This situation... Kinda reads like some cheap Harlequin novel, doesn't it?" You muttered.

It's a great offer. But it sounds too good to be true...

... Did he say that he wasn't going to file a complaint in the first place?

The professor watched as your impassive stare morphed into something uneven and sly but unavoidably empty. You clicked your tongue as your hands slip back to your pockets. Albedo could tell you're holding back an ugly laugh.

A switch had been flipped.

Professor Albedo immediately noticed the change in your demeanor and crossed his arms. He's anticipated this much. There's no way he didn't know about your "self-destructive patterns."

How interesting. For both you AND him.

"So, Albedo." You lazily pointed at him. "Something's fishy about this, don't you think?"

"You're too eager to help. I'd get it if you have something to gain from this, like scaring off your fangirls or something, but you fend them off just fine anyways." You grinned.

"I'm flattered that you think I send them away effortlessly." He answered point-blank.

Albedo turned to you, his face dim and heavily affected by his calm resignation.

"It's incredibly taxing work. I've told you before, haven't I? I may seem calm on the surface but people can be... A considerable handful."

His smile belied the severity of his inner turmoil.

But you can't help but doubt him. You don't buy his pitifulness.

You reassessed the situation in an instant. The Albedo you're talking to acts far from the untouchable Chalk Prince from the get-go. His words did not boast his usual research-riddled speech. This act is more than just premeditated.

Sure. You're the sort who is bound by what you "owe," but you can't say you can't empathize with his problems because he didn't seem-- he ISN'T troubled in the first place. And you're almost sure of it.

You believe you're not smart enough to remain in this university. But at least you have faith that you're perceptive and street-wise. 

Still, you kept your hollow cheeky grin plastered to your face.

"Then why aren't you taking a less problematic approach? You could say you're dating Professor Alberich– you'd get some people off your back."

Translation: Can't you just bother someone else?

"By attracting other unpleasant folks pestering me about Kaeya instead, yes, seems like a sound suggestion. I'll keep it in mind for future reference."

Translator's note: He's being sarcastic. Stop trying to worm your way out of this one.

Albedo continued. "But right now that's not viable. If you feel guilty for stealing a kiss from me this may be a good opportunity to ease your conscience."

...

"That's it? But you won't report me if I didn't agree to these terms, right?"

"Of course. I have your best interests in mind and simply warned you." He gave you a faint smile, hoping to ease your nerves. "You're part of Rukkha's batch of dean's listers. I don't have the heart to file a complaint."

Rukkha was a great woman, but you don't deserve your scholarships and sponsors. You don't have any talent or skill to truly impress people, and it seems you fooled both Professor Rukkhadevata and Albedo into thinking you're something special as well.

"Professor...."

But with what he basically said just now is that there are no consequences for your actions.

"It's Albedo, and yes?"

"You seem to have reserved some very unrealistic expectations for me. You should be more distrusting."

"... What do you mean?"

"I don't see any reason to accept your offer." You honestly had no idea where this confidence is coming from. Perhaps your class clown persona had slowly rubbed off on the "real" you, and for once you didn't hate yourself for it.

Because you don't want to be in this relationship. It's legal, yes, and you're old enough, but you're incredibly wary. Albedo may be leagues better than Itto but that's beside the point: you're emotionally spent and you're not ready to get to know another person.

"Oh, understood. For starters, agreeing to these terms will make Sucrose less abrasive with her attempts to set you up, and I could help you with connections."

"That sounds as though I'll be abusing your influence..."

You paused. 

Did you tell the professor about Sucrose's disturbing attempts to hook you up with people earlier...?

You don't recall ever sharing that bit of information. You made sure to pick your words carefully so Sucrose wouldn't be seen in a bad light. Since when did he...

"What? No, it's not. It's simply a small trade for your cooperation."

"No."

"And– sorry?"

You can see the appeal. You truly do. When you are chosen by someone of greater influence and intellect, it seems almost magical. He could undoubtedly help your botany profession thrive. Most people would conclude that if Professor Albedo chose them from the crowd, they must be extremely unique in comparison to their peers. 

However, this is somewhat unethical. This is the kind of scenario you'd find in a shoddy coming-of-age novel that desperately tries to convince you that there are no other elements to consider but love. However, you must also consider your mental health, reputation, education, and other factors that influence every fiber of your being.

Albedo isn't the type of person who would jeopardize your future over a minor disagreement, but you never know with people. People change as much as seasons do. You are a living example of this. Itto would not have used that argument against you if it were untrue.

You have nothing against those who engage in lawful student-teacher relationships, but you're self-aware enough to recognize that you're not mentally fit to enter one. And sometimes the conclusion is as straightforward as that. Besides, you're sick of having others (including yourself) continually doubting your intelligence. Fake-dating a professor will only exacerbate the situation. Rumors will spread that you only earned your grades because of him and not out of your efforts. Dorian already had it rough, and you've learned what it's like through him. Simple self-preservation.

"Thanks for the offer, really, but no. If I'll date someone, even if it's fake, I want to set it under my terms as well." 

You scratched your neck, eyes lifeless.

"I'm sorry, Professor. But I genuinely can't see why this agreement will help both of us, I especially can't see why this will benefit you compared to your other options. I could just come out and say I mistook you for Dorian and it's an easy fix to my problems and in turn, you wouldn't have to deal with the stigma of dating a student. I'm sorry, Prof. I'll take a rain check on it." 

You shrugged uncomfortably. "Besides, this is still a student-teacher relationship. I'm uncomfortable being in an uneven power dynamic like that. I'd rather date Dorian instead."

...

Shit. 

Okay, maybe accidentally implying that you're open to dating his kid brother had to be the second most uncomfortable thing you subjected Albedo to.

You didn't mean to come off as THAT honest.

A test tube must've cracked somewhere around the area cause you could've sworn you heard something shatter. You flinched, but he didn't.

"... Is that so." The professor muttered. You almost didn't hear him from how silent his defeat was.

You sighed in relief so intense that you physically felt your shoulder muscles relax and your eyes roll back. Seems like he gave up.

"I promise that I'll pay you back in other ways, professor. I owe you and I'm sorry. But I must refuse for both our sakes." You said. "I have taken something important from you, and I will respectfully understand if you file a complaint for what I've done. No one should have a kiss stolen like that."

He didn't reply. Albedo stood there, eyes unblinking as he mulled over your words. At the beginning of this conversation, he barely looked you directly in the eye, but now he refused to look away. 

You waited for him to say something else and stood there for a solid minute. Nothing came. 

"Please, excuse me."

You wanted to say that you left to give him more time to consider but the truth is that you couldn't bare standing there for a second more so you left in a frantic hurry. 

It was only when you left did you realize what made you wary of him the entire conversation.

Professor Albedo wasn't breathing the entire time.

-------

Upon unlocking his door, Albedo was greeted by a boy with a face akin to his. He was waiting for him, and in turn, Albedo anticipated that he would be here, too. The boy sat idly and almost casually inside a room littered with wall to wall of red-stringed photographs and texts, and there was not a single hint of disgust or any other natural reaction on his face. Albedo's nose scrunched.

Dorian did not budge from his brother– master's office chair. He stared back with a blank expression. Most papers were by his feet, crumpled, but not discarded. How could they be, when all pictures centered around one very precious subject:

You.

You, in all forms, poses, and angles make you ineffably you. These are the candid shots that bring out the little moments that Albedo longed to study under a microscope. They didn't need to be dynamic, rather, Albedo adored the simplest pictures the most. Needless to say, images of you resting is the most popular. It's a lot more convenient and easy to take, but that doesn't cheapen the value and elation the professor feels upon holding the finished polaroid up close.

Every time he swapped schedules with Dorian, he couldn't help but be curious about you.

It doesn't stop there. Albedo clicked his tongue as he noticed the journal Dorian held. It was his dog-eared notes he cleanly put together when jotting down your schedule, private life, and other more delicate intricacies. The clipboard he had earlier is nothing more than a silly prop compared to his actual notes. There's something so breathtaking about making the "unknown" into the "known", and the same applies to every bit of your life that he was curious about. Albedo's aware that it's not something he should brag about. Retrieving paraphernalia such as worn-out gardening gloves and locks of hair from your shower drain was not something he acquired robotically. However, he didn't fancy the idea that Dorian read it and found it just as entertaining as he did. He didn't like the idea of sharing.

Maybe you were right.

Maybe he did reserve some very unrealistic and idolized expectations for you. But that was only because he can see your potential. He firmly believes that. It's an awful and objectifying train of thought, but the professor is convinced he'll be the one who can "fix" your people-pleasing issue.

He figured, if he wants to make sure you'd always be with him, he had to conduct some trial-and-error.

Albedo breathed harshly. He forgot how to do so. He never needed to breath.

"Did it work?" Dorian asked. "Did your plan work?"

His eyes went dim.

Albedo didn't answer.

He locked the door again. This time, he allowed Dorian to keep the lights on. If anything, it's a small reward for indirectly helping him. But not even his fellow creation can have what the genius professor of the century desires to attain. He has to face the truth.

Albedo pulled out a recording device from his pocket. You said no. There's nothing he could do about that. 

"No."

"No. No. No. No. No--"

He played your refusal over and over again.

He thought he did everything right. He genuinely believed he followed the right procedure in getting you to say yes. What went wrong, then? Albedo doesn't get it. He was sure that he didn't say anything wrong or suspicious as well. You shouldn't have known that he had been following you from that conversation alone. 

"No."

He practiced everything for hours.

"No."

Word for word.

"No."

He researched tips and tricks on how to let other people's guard down.

"No."

He thought not pressuring you to do it will make you more willing.

"No."

He even asked Alberich how to subtly flirt with someone.

"No."

So. What went wrong?

"No--"

Albedo slowly blinked before realizing he had thrown the device against the wall in full force. The batteries and their other internal components spilled on the floor. He didn't have the willpower to clean it up. 

It's an undeniable error. He still can't believe his approach failed.

Master was right.

"Dearest Albedo, if you can't have them in their most authentic self, then what's stopping you from making an indistinguishable copy?"

EX WIFE??? SINCE WHEN DID YOU TWO GET A DIVORCE

did someone with a degradation kink get turned on when they join for military training

aH I see

YOU LIAR @messier-m87

If this is true

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS

ohohohohoho

The wrong person - Tighnari

So here's some angst, I know I said I'd be fluffing Tighnari but I got this idea to do lol. Gender neutral reader! Reader isn't stereotypically smart, it matters for getting the story

--

You were under the impression you had to work for your family's business due to the family tradition. After all, it was a family business.

However, you weren't understanding the numbers that all factored into said business. You struggled in school with subjects and you never fully grew out of said struggle.

But there was one topic you really liked. A topic that you found you understood very well. Anything to do with the forest, you were your own researcher. When you were young, you'd experimentally eat fruits that you thought looked safe enough, and thankfully the only issues you had were of the stomach variety. You had books that you read all the time, making sure your information was correct as to not poison yourself.

As well as being a decent forager for someone that people didn't class as smart, you were also intrigued by plants. Big or small, you loved greenery. You liked testing your skills out on naming some species, and smiling to yourself when you proved yourself correct.

That's when you met a man with fox ears. He didn't introduce himself, not did you, but you both started to research the various plants you found in the forest. While you never shared names, you both felt somewhat safe around each other.

One day, he hands you an application form, neatly tucked into an envelope.

"I think you'd be a good addition. I've been putting up posts to find eager and qualified individuals, and from what I've seen, you have a decent understanding of the forest life." He explains.

You smile, nodding as you bid him farewell to fill out the application.

-

Your heart sinks when you see the scary looking form. It's not that you couldn't understand it, but rather the blank template that was for qualifications you had. Taking a deep breath, you reassure yourself that if you spoke about your interest in the forest life, you'd have a chance.

Your mother walks into the room after you seal the envelope excitedly, filling out the address.

"What's that, dear?" Your mother asks, curious about what had you so visibly excited.

"Oh! I'm applying for that post in the forest!" You cheerily respond, only to see your mother grow hesitant.

She takes a seat down across from you, holding your hand.

"I know you'd be brilliant for the post." She starts, not wanting to hit you too hard with the reality. "But... If you don't get in, please don't stop. I can see you enjoy exploring the forest." She finishes, knowing that you already were aware of your chances being low if someone had qualifications on paper.

You nod in understanding, not saying a word, before you bid your mother a farewell and get the letter delivered.

--

A few weeks pass, and you hear nothing. Hearing the letter fly through the letter box, you walk to the single letter taunting you. You knew that you didnt get the job, you had hoped the letter wouldn't even come along to taunt you like this. The letter was pathetically thin, and picking it up, you already knew the typical response.

Slowly opening the letter, your heart sinks at the confirmation of your thoughts.

It hadn't even asked you to reapply in the future, only thanking you but politely rejecting it. You already knew it was those damn qualifications you didn't have.

Your mother walks into the room, seeing you clasp your mouth in your hand, and she lets out a sympathetic 'oh...'.

You decide in that moment that you had to buckle down and try your hardest to learn the craft of your family business. You knew you wouldn't be able to look at that forest the same way, knowing it would only give you the constant thoughts of 'what if'.

After all, it was about time you started acting your age.

--

Tighnari looks at the new recruit, and he manages to hide his disappointment.

See, since he never asked for your name, he wouldn't have known which application was yours.

He went for the qualified individual who had experience from lectures, but he could tell they would most likely struggle with more areas in person than you would. He introduces them to his team, before he excuses himself momentarily.

prompt: cooking with them + "show me where it hurts."

STARRING. cyno

requested by: @1eaf-me-alone | MODERN AU | warnings: cuts, blood, written before cyno and sumeru's release

NOTE. thank u for the request, raine!! lovesick cyno is the best cyno also yes i am on hiatus but whenever i say that i am i usually write right after

cyno considers himself an adequate cook.

as in, if he's left alone, he can survive off of a few banger instant noodle recipes and combinations. however, that's only a few, and cyno isn't keen on testing his luck.

but he supposes this is nice.

this, as in, being with you. he supposes that sharing his slightly-cramped kitchen feels better than having it all to himself, and he also supposes that the view of your furrowed eyebrows and concentrated eyes look especially... comfortable?

it just feels right. it feels right when the sound of knives hitting chopping boards resound through the apartment, it feels right when a comfortable silence envelopes the two of you because oh, words aren't necessary when it is just the two of you.

cyno likes this. he likes being with you, he likes basking in your presence and in the present because this, this could be his future, too.

archon, how he hopes it is his future.

his breath hitches when he hears you hiss, and all of a sudden, cyno's facing you fully. vermilion eyes scrutinize your form as you hide your hand behind your back, a twitching smile taking over your lips.

"[name]," he says sternly. he doesn't even need to add anything else, because the way he declares your name—barely above a whisper—serenades the silence with a gentle question of, "what happened?"

you, however, know better than to tell cyno about your slight mistake. he's going to overreact, you think. as level-headed as he usually is, cyno is quick to worry whenever you're involved—it's a habit of his.

it's also your habit to downplay these situations, brushing them off with the slight excuse of, "nothing."

and then, cyno narrows his eyes. he takes a step closer, your waist now pressed against the kitchen counter as he glares at you chillingly. somehow, those warm irises ice over and make you wonder, has the arctic always been red?

"show me where it hurts," he states blandly. cyno is quick to deduct what happened—to him, it's obvious in the way you frown slightly and the way you cradle your hand behind your back.

the more he thinks about it, the more he worries. what if you're bleeding a lot? why aren't you showing it to him? so many thoughts whirl around his head as he tries to ease them because oh, you're hurt—you're hurt.

"it doesn't hurt—" you get cut off by his intimidating stare, your figure drooping before holding out your hand for him to examine. cyno lets out a sigh of relief once he sees your fingers properly.

his own hand comes to hold yours, digits avoiding where blood seeps as he rushes to find the first-aid kit.

truthfully, the boy was worried you had cut your whole hand off (he doesn't have very high expectations when it comes to you, injuries, and lying) but thankfully, it's only a minor cut on one of your fingertips.

you're still not off the hook, though. just because it's not as bad as he thought doesn't mean it's not bad—cyno absolutely detests the roses that bloom across your skin, the scent of metal sweeping over his senses instead of delicate dew.

"why'd you try to hide it?" he asks, not looking up at you. his hands carefully disinfect your fingers, actions hesitating and stalling whenever he hears or feels you fidget because he hates it—he hates your uneasiness, your pain.

"it wasn't that big of a deal," you mumble, and cyno's fingers come to grip around your unscathed palm; he squeezes it lightly, glaring at you with his seemingly indifferent irises.

"don't say that."

and then he resumes working.

deft hands bandage your cut, lacing themselves in between your other fingers as cyno leans closer towards you, narrowed eyes making themselves even more present as the boy merely huffs.

"you're kicked out of the kitchen," he says, breath tickling your face.

you gasp in offense.

"hey! i can still work!" you exclaim, but cyno's hands are already on your shoulder, ushering you outside to sit at the table instead.

"no."

that word alone shuts down all of your protests as you merely pout, resorting to your second option: have a pity party until cyno gives in! however, the boy is completely immune to this!

still, as you slump into your seat, cyno returns to the kitchen before sparing you one last glance—and ah, his smile, his lovely smile, engulfs his face in a tide of taken because he, he is so, so taken.

the way he looks at you speaks measures once the comfortable silence devours the kitchen and empty stomachs whole.

you're my future, huh?

Goodbyes II

• A silent goodbye in form of calming them down when they’re dying. feat Diluc, Xiao, Ayato • Genre: Angst • Warnings: major character (implied) death, mention of blood.

•   DILUC; The Dark Side of Dawn

He never wanted to lose someone close to him, not again - the only loss he had to witness first hand left him broken, with a permanent scar that had healed but never disappeared. Diluc made sure to never have to go through this again - but why seeing you taking this role hurt even more? 

Desperate, fist clenching; fingernails biting the skin, only adding more blood onto his body. Survival instinct was silenced, secondary to his need to see you again; one last time - reasonable side added. Burning desire couldn’t always be enough though, especially when it was already small and weak, burning out as Diluc collapses right by the first line of grapevines. 

That was how you found him, bleeding and pale, mumbling “I’m home.” when you cradled him - head resting on your shoulder, his arms loosely holding your sides, ground dirtying your knees. 

Diluc wanted to hold you closer, skin to skin to feel your warmth, so close it would be suffocating as if his breath wasn’t shallow already. Despite his fire getting dim, why did it feel like he was the one losing you? Only now it dawned on him how little time he gave you - always making sure you had money to spend, a roof over your head and safety in Mondstadt, in any creek and mountain. His side of the bed was always cold, leaving you night after night just to return at dawn with the softest kisses - you felt his warm lips against your neck, followed by cold tears. 

“I’m so proud of you.” Your voice soft and gentle just like your embrace - wound on his chest not allowing you two to be as close as you would like to. “You worked so hard, you deserve to have a day off.” Diluc doesn’t answer, but you feel his lips bending into a smile. “Let’s get some grape juice and rest at Windrise.” Yes, he would like that. Just one day off, just one more day to spend by your side… 

The first rays of the sun sparkle in your tears.

•   XIAO; Vigilant Yaksha

Yakshas were fated to suffer, sooner or later, during or after war, alone; with others. There were many ways Xiao expected to die, only unsure for who or what he will sacrifice himself - seeing your tears-stained face brought him solace, knowing he threw away his life for you. 

“You should go.” His voice was stern as always, but there was no strength left to force you to leave - all Xiao could do was lay on your tights. He loved you, so, so dearly. Your strength, your smile; even when tears flew across it. 

“No, no, I… I’ll stay with you.” There was no more danger, only Xiao’s spears filled the field, slowly disintegrating into black-green particles. It was beautiful - playing with the wind, sparkling in the evening air, but for you, it was nothing compared to Xiao. His golden eyes still open, wanting to look at you as long as he could, and many wounds, seeping with mist, hurt body shimmering with deep green. 

Your thumb ran across one of them, Xiao doesn’t flinch nor groan; only leans into your hand. Your lover was always hard to understand, what he was feeling and needed, but you always knew how to calm him down. 

“You really should—” You shush him, and he complies, seeing how your smile wavers, breaking. 

“You know your karma can’t hurt me, I’ll stay with you as long as you need.” and Xiao allows himself to fall for this lie, blatant but so sweet. He didn’t want to die like his friends - alone, maddened or by a comrade’s hand, he wanted his last minutes to be by your side.

Your humming was like that blessed music from years ago - comforting, warm.

•   AYATO; Pillar of Fortitude

If the roles were reversed, several heads would fall for the mistakes of Shuumatsuban; incompetence, negligence. You could already imagine seething Ayato, whenever his anger would show as a mad storm or petrifying calmness. You would rather experience this than his tear-filled eyes and desperate grip on your clothes. 

“You’re safe… you're…” He whispers, his hand grabbing any part of you, moving frantically as if you were the one splattered with blood. As if you were the one that littered the forest’s path with bodies of Fatui. His body was a collection of angry red lines, most of them invisible, but eager to show by blooming like red flowers on snow. 

“Yes, I… I’m safe.” His head falls on yours with a sign of relief as he hugs you closer, blood mixing with your wet clothes; his technique still creating rain and beautiful water flowers. Although you couldn’t awe at them like you always do, your face was hidden in Ayato’s chest that was moving slowly, heavy. 

“Kamisato… the clan and… and… Ayaka…” You could barely hear what he was saying, his speech slashed by deep breaths and the haziness of his mind. 

“I’ll take care of everything, my love.” Caressing his back, brushing his hair; his body becoming heavier and heavier. “Clan is… is strong now, and I’ll stand by Ayaka and help her.” You sounded confident enough to calm Ayato’s nerves. How will you tell Ayaka? How will you help her when others attack? Ayato worries, unsure if he did enough, if he… 

“You raised Ayaka well, you deserve to have a bit of rest." 

"Just a… just a little…” He mumbles, the same thing he said every time you urged him to bed. Just a bit of sleeping, a moment, just a second - having you by his side enough to lull him to sleep. 

The rain stops as Ayato’s eyes close.