5 (+ 1)

or five times you attempted to pet tighnari's ears and the one time he let you

tighnari x gn! reader rated: t wc: 9k+

a/n: i swear i'm not a genshin writer. every now and again one just really hits me and won't leave me alone. i'm shaking at the prospect of meeting cyno.

|1|

when you had taken up the life of a very luxurious forest ranger, you hadn’t done so with any grand goal in mind. growing up you’d never been enticed by the prestige of the akademiya. the too tight robes warded off any appeal of unlimited knowledge.

you weren’t much of a haggler either, so market trading had never been much of an option. to be honest, in most cases you couldn't be bothered and would give away something for free if it meant getting the person out of your face.

maybe as a child you’d dreamed of theatre. promises of dancing in front of a crowd. or performing a sincere song of gratitude in honour of your generous archon. but there was a reason why only the children of sumeru dreamt. because it saved you the reality of embarrassment.

ultimately it made sense for you to be a forest ranger. you were blessed with a vision and had the aptitude for conflict when needed. you didn't mind being outside. sumeru was a beautiful land of bountiful vegetation and fauna. you were proud to be part of the force protecting it.

so naturally, you were destined to join their ranks. you would fit in splendidly as long as you followed the basic code of conduct.

the rules were simple:

execute every possible strategy to ensure the safety of the public

do not engage in any withering zone excavation without first reporting it

do not under any circumstances attempt to touch master tighnari’s ears.

you believed that honour should be given where it was due, and tighnari certainly earned a bulk of it in sumeru. he was as tenacious in his research as he was in his determination to cull the withering.

it was admirable. unquestionably gave his subordinates something to look up to. it helped that he made an easy guy to work for. tighnari was an abundance of knowledge, never failing to deliver relevant facts about any form of botany in sight.

during your initial interview he completely sidetracked himself from testing your competency in favour of dumping the equivalent of a knowledge capsule on the entire forest on you. and during the whole time all you could think was how cute.

those fluffy, distractingly soft ears he had that twitched with every emotion. you noticed that sometimes they swayed unprompted, as if they had a mind of their own. the man himself seemed oblivious to your obsession, or just so immune to the attention at this point that it hardly phased him.

it was a shame really.

because by the time he realised you were out of your seat, he had a split second to snatch your offending hand before your fingers to reach the fur. the utterly adorable culprits seemed to tease your failure, flickering invitingly just out of reach of your wiggling fingers.

at least you had enough integrity to smile in the face of defeat as your future boss leered at you unimpressed.

he spent the remainder of your now orientation laminating over the very extensive punishment policy to be expected of any broken infractions.

|2|

it was safe to say the threat of punishment didn’t weigh too heavily on your consciousness. what you did learn, was everything more the life of a ranger had to offer. it wasn’t as though you belittled it to a simple forest guide. you were well aware of how each and every one of your colleagues put their life on the line to protect the gifts from the first of the dendro goddess.

but you never expected your contribution to feel so satisfying.

every day your body got stronger, gaining the resilience and stamina to endure long treks through the forest. you became more in tune with your vision, able to protect not only yourself but others from harm. unexpectedly, tighnari’s long winded tangents began sounding more appealing as you absorbed the information rather than repel it.

with each passing day you grew into the role of a proper forest ranger.

though there was one thing you hadn’t grown out of.

“you two will be assigned with me. we’ll patrol the southeast canopy.”

tighnari was always so serious when delegating assignments. archon’s bless him. given it was a momentous occasion as it was imperative to understand everyone’s role so that their was a fair opportunity to return home safe and sound.

it was just he way his ears followed each command. the adorable quiver not at all equivalent to his resolute voice. even after over a year under his command, it was still so distracting. to be fair, you’d learned to control your urges. after the second attempt and a week of making sure the long row of lamps remained glowing, you had at least accepted the pressing issue of testing his patience.

your respect didn’t go unrewarded either. over time, you learned that under those cute ears was a very interesting man. you always knew he valued his time in the forest and that the publications were not just for show like some of the akademiya graduates. but to witness his unfiltered passion for the forest was … kind of refreshing.

it made for genuine conversations that allowed you to feed off one another. while you’d never quite match his never ending knowledge for botany, you accompanied it well with your growing love for fauna.

in short, tighnari had become an unexpected friend.

with very endearing ears that you still felt the urge to touch after many, many months of barely held restraint.

it was admirable.

worth the gained friendship.

and yet.

collei’s shoulder knocked comfortably into yours as she hopped with glee. her joy made her unaware to the sharp gazes watching her exuberant movements for any signs of fatigue. being around collei had eventually led you to believe that something was different about her.

as a fellow trainee for a time, the two of you had grown close enough for her to feel secure in delving into more of her past. her illness wasn’t necessarily rare but it wasn’t often you met many affected with as much optimism as she had.

there was no doubt she had bouts of pain. sometimes you would cover her patrols to give her extra days of rest. tighnari was the most observant, always knowing when she needed a break. still the girl was a refreshing take on life in these darkening days.

it helped that you both shared a fixation with a certain pair of furry ears.

whereas she was more timid in her appreciation, you had yet to shed your bold approach.

well, maybe you got a little smarter.

“but i already know about the sweetwater mushrooms,” collei whispered back, confusion staining her voice. there were times like this that her charmingness rivalled tighnari.

you resisted the urge to pat the crown of her head.

you all knew about the infamous fungi. upon its discover, tighnari had spent nearly a month after submitting his entry into the new rainforest guide speaking all about its elements; to anyone or anything regardless how responsive.

if it was a botanical topic the fox found it hard to resist engaging.

leaning closer, you kept a close eye on the leading man.” i know you do but tighnari always has something more to say. i just need you to ask him about it.” you refrained from using the word distract.

collei’s ability to lie wasn’t a favourable skill. more often than not she caved in on herself before being able to spin a convincing tail. you’d learned fairly quickly the first time you convinced her to test a new route. the two of you hadn’t found any trouble but the slight delay in return roused a few questions. and of course tighnari had been the investigator. she never had a winning chance.

“i still don’t get why i have to ask.”

“because i need an opening to try to touch his ears.”

the sharp gasp she left out was enough to shatter the gossip bubble as tighnari turned with a suspicious frown. his gaze fell heavily on you as the culprit.

“what are you two muttering about?”

laughing sheepishly, your hip checked subtly against the younger girl’s as you took the lead. “just about the dusk birds. their mating season is approaching.”

tighnari raised a brow, but didn’t question further. one of the ways you’d managed to bond with collei had been over the observation of the bird hatchlings. they were one of the safer offsprings you were allowed to track in your earlier days, making you very familiar with their nesting grounds. it was one of the few areas he allowed you both to wander together without supervision.

“uh huh, well unfortunately i doubt we’ll get many sightings this low. please try to stay vilgint for any threats.”

tighnari rolled his eyes at your comical salute but was unable to hide his small grin. it only fed into your wider one.

good. he was in an amicable mood today. you’d both need it.

collei managed to remain cool headed despite your hanging plan as the three of you ventured through the more worn paths. travellers and students alike tended to frequent these parts, fending off most wildlife who didn’t want to be bothered. it was mostly flora that flourished, taking up any available space.

the perfect conversation starter.

the green haired trainee squeaked when you cleared your throat and nudged her softly. the noise caused a flicker to tighnari’s ear but he otherwise left the two of you to your devices as he examined the population of fungi.

your gaze darted to the seemingly preoccupied man and back, to which collei gulped but carefully approached. “um, master tighnari. do you mind going over the procedure for warning travellers about fungi again? sometimes i stumble with the more insistent ones.”

you could hear a bit of truth bleed into the ploy. it was certainly convincing enough as tighnari gestured for her to come to closer as he plucked a few samples. “certainly! it’s always good to familiarise yourself. sometimes they can get a little tricky. like this one, the bell-shaped and conical caps can often confuse people. you have to really pay attention to the arch…”

archons bless him, it didn’t really take much.

tighnari’s eyes darted briefly to you as you settled near them. his body turned to welcome you into the discussion, but he otherwise continued his deep analysis of proper measurements of cap width. the fleeting eye contact was enough for you to witness the undeniable brightness as he conversed.

as much as you liked to tease him, the jest hardly had any weight when the man was as serious about his research. he often responded with a chide about the importance of understanding and how it promoted coexistence. and then he would give you editions of his publications for you to study.

the first few times, after you’d baulked at the depth of the information, you’d actually managed to discover a few interesting elements. despite his ability to drone on, the passion he felt was undeniable when reading through this material. even if you didn’t retain much of the actual reading, the smile you developed lingered. only to widen when you’d witnessed the excited flicker of his tail when you’d returned the books with a few inquiries of your own.

tighnari took your interest in the fauna populating the forest seriously, cultivating the bud of fascination and furthering it. you hadn’t developed enough academic discretion to attempt a article- not that it would have been credible without the proper education- but tighnari baubles your insights all the same, often using your tracking skills to help develop new routes during various mating and hibernation periods.

it … really helped you feel at home. valued amongst the other forest rangers.

so what if you occasionally found your cheeks warming whenever he complimented your new discoveries.

“when people ask, it's important to point out as many examples as you can to help them identify. in most cases you only have their attention for a few minutes so you need to capitalise.”

you had to give it to collei, she was either fully immersed or integrating very well into the diversion. though when tighnari got like this, it was nearly one in the same.

rolling onto your knees, you paused as those endearing astute ears twitched in your direction. tighnari hadn’t skipped a beat, however instinct was so inherent. it made for an unfair advantage, however you had desensitisation on your side. the next disturbance you made as you leaned closer hardly got a reaction as his second nature focused on the world outside your bubble.

it was a flattering downfall that you’d happily exploit as your hand neared your objective.

“- actually that’s a common mistake. some of the gills look similar but if you notice here..:”

oh no.

in one fluid motion, tighnari managed to capture your hovering hand, dragging it forward under his arm to come in contact with his other. the motion dragged you flush against his back as he manipulated your fingertips against the underside of the mushroom.

“-… there’s a coarser distinction. of course, you have to be careful when encouraging other to touch freely as some can still be poisonous.”

naturally you doubted tighnari would use you so freely as an impromptu demonstration, punishment be damned. though the way he kept your appendage hostage implied that you weren’t free from reprimand.

poor collei chuckled nervously as tighnari held out the fungi for her to try, eyes wondering anxiously between the two of you. from your imprisonment, you were unable to see what expression tighnari was giving off, but if the tight grip was any indicator it was safe to hypothesise that it wasn’t in your favour.

“i um- see. thank you, master.”

tighnari didn’t appear to have any ill will towards the girl which was a small grace. his tone, however, was noticeably pinched as he directed the conversation over his shoulder.

“do you have any questions, ranger?”

yep.

there’s the wrath.

accepting defeat, your head careened forward into the hollow of his shoulder as you mumbled your negative with the shake of a head. Immediately you felt his posture stiffen in responses to your relaxed submission. the proximity awarded you a personal showcase of the heat crawling up the back of his neck.

interesting.

“well then!” tighnari forced a cheerful bravado as he brought you both to an abrupt stand, releasing you in favour of stepping forward to lead. “collei, listen closely as they recite every classification as we finish our patrol. we can make note of their mistakes so that they don’t make them again when they extensively copy them onto the new pamphlets for next release.”

it didn’t evade you how the fox refused to face you as he pressed forward. you dared to guess that the rosy hue of his neck might match the roundness of his cheeks.

perhaps some discoveries were worth the failures.

|3|

“I really want to feature the spinokrok in my next story but I’ve never really seen one up close. dad says it’s too dangerous though.”

“he’s right. they’re at the very bottom of the ravine.”

“oh…”

“but sometimes i pass through on patrols. if you’d like, i can snap a reference photo for you!”

“really? that would be awesome, thanks so much!”

children’s happiness was truly a unique fruit of motivation, both gratuitous and frankly slightly treacherous to consume. tighnari might liken it to one of the colourful sprouts that populate the banks near the cliffside; beautifully cunning but sure to leave you with a nasty surprise.

—okay, maybe that was a little dramatic.

but you were certainly going to be in for quite the scolding if tighnari found out that you derailed your patrols for the sake of taking a leisure photo of wildlife. in the defence of safety, the fox wasn’t as easily swayed by a childish promise.

fortunately, you were adept enough with just about any patrol path through the rainforest by now. your experience often persuaded tighnari to give allowance for you to tend to the paths along the outskirts of the village solo.

which you were totally doing.

just from a view a couple hundred metres below.

the path towards the wetland ravine was a muddy line in the undergrowth, a quieter trail that rarely gathered much traffic: traveller or wildlife. to be honest, you hardly ever saw anything other than the spinokrok’s down here. though given their diet, it wasn’t much of a surprise.

you carefully neared the bankside, watching the position of the sun in between the treetops. you’d already bartered away a lot of your time venturing this low. while you were known for a bit of wandering, if you took too long to check-in someone would end up alerting tighnari before long. the sky was already beginning to bleed into a light orange, the beginning shades of the setting sun melting into the blue above.

not your first nighttime return, but the light scolding would be easy enough to shake off.

the sudden splash drew your attention to the winding river as a crane took flight. the skittish fowl wouldn’t have been alerted to your presence this early which meant that your targets weren’t far off.

tugging the kamera from your knapsack, you followed the line of the water through the lens.

“there you are…”

razi would be pleased with the prints of the small brood of three. highlights from above complimented the red scales nicely. curious, you swung the lens further upstream in an attempt to capture a few more. known for their meat, if undisturbed it would be easy enough to find at least another two or three.

however as the slithering vines stretched norther further, twisting through branches on its congest to conquer vegetation, you found the rapidly darkening view to be concerning. sure enough, the once plentiful flora was beginning to shrink on itself and take on a dull shade. the distinctive red flow of the withering zone was seated right in the apex of the blistering landscape.

“here too?”

the area was small, but this route was part of the weekly assignments rather than the more frequent. had you not come here in search of fauna, it likely wouldn’t have been discovered for a few more days. unfortunately, locating it yourself was tantamount to giving away your private detour.

for a brief moment you debated taking the chance to report, weighing the pros and cons. ultimately, the loss of independency once tighnari tracked your impromptu route was too great of a squander. besides, it was a small devastation. you were qualified to handle it.

—except for the corrupted machina lingering just out of sight.

the narrow lens of the kamera hadn't been able to capture the additional dangers before you neared. had you been aware, you would have attempted to at least down one before you got too close. it was a tight battle, suffering under the thick miasma while trying to cut off the source.

you’d managed to down the bulkier of the two, but the swindling snake-like projection had been doing an annoying job of evading your strongest attacks. with your hp at threatening level, coupled with low energy regeneration, you were starting to regret your choices just a little bit.

you briefly wondered if tighnari would scold you through the eulogy.

the darkness blanketing the forest worked against you, as the remaining threads of daylight faded. the red glow of the withering was the least comforting form of light to rely on as you made a hasty dodge away from the blasting beam.

“oh, crap.”

a miscalculation saw your foot caught on a fraying vine, careening your forward as you landed heavily onto the ground. the threatening wind of the machina generating energy had you sucking in a harsh breath as you attempted to stand, resulting in a sharp jolt of pain as your ankle protested. a cold chill numbed your body in the worst way as the unsettling realisation of your actions weighed in. scrambling feebly for your weapon, you attempted to shield the next blow though you knew it wouldn't be enough.

“enshroud!”

your body jerked in alarm as a cloud of green circled the earth around you. the lack of visibility should have been worrying, had you not been very familiar with it’s caster; and the inevitable reckoning that would come.

the first half came in the form of a series tanglevine shafts trained to track and devastate. the secondary wave wiped out the last of the threats before your savour was able to focus on the bleeding blooms. you’d never been more grateful to witness a successful clearance, as the suffocating effects of the withering abed away. it gave you just enough clear air to breath a grateful sigh of relief before it all soured.

the second half of your retribution, was a quieter approach of wraith then you were use to. tighnari refused to look you in the eye as he kneeled before your injured limb. not that that you were trying to see the reflection of your guilt staring back at you. it gave you the opportunity to observe that he’d come alone, making you wonder if he’d been informed or had simply stumbled upon you.

neither option was beneficial.

the fox was obviously simmering, that much was clear even in his silence. he’d produced a small aid kit from his belt and was examining your ankle. the first sounds of annoyance permeating the air when you squeaked at the firm pressure against the joint.

it was obvious that you wouldn’t be walking out of here.

as if you weren’t in enough trouble.

tighnari’s reticence preserved as he tied a stiff bow at the end of your wrapping before turning to offer his back. sighing, you accepted your fate and looped your arms around his neck. tighnari waited until your knees settled at his sides before he rose to his feet, added a second security under the weight of your thighs.

at first you hoped to construct a plausible excuse in his silence, but after you’d practised the same redemption for the twelfth time you were starting to become more concerned about his resilience. you dont think you've ever witness tighnari hold back a scolding this long.

unable to hold out any longer, you poked the hornet’s nest.

“so razi has this new story idea.”

yeah you were throwing the kid under the bus, sue you.

the first flicker of his ears was a subtle warning, but you pressed through.

“he wanted to use the spinokroks as his next character but he’d never really been able to see one up close. and naturally it wouldn’t be safe for a child to traverse the forests. even with his father.”

there goes the second ear.

“so being the helpful forest ranger i am under your tutelage, i offered to secure a reference photo for him. which of course—”

tighnari’s voice came quiet and strained. “please stop talking.”

you waited for him to say more, sure that he’d have more to tack on, but no other words left his lips. it was disconcerting in a way you hadn’t experienced before. you'd suffered through annoyance, frustration and some rage.

but rarely disappointment.

it was bitter tasting.

it was rather telling when even the wildlife seemed to avoid the pair as you ascended out of the ravine. tighnari managed to not only reach the outskirts of the village, but did so without cracking under the pressure of your culpability.

unfortunately you weren’t as robust.

“tigh—”

“for every word, i’m adding a week of lamp maintenance duty.”

you squeezed your arms and legs around him in a hug, seeking out a thread of comfort through the throbbing pain of your ankle.

“i’m sorry.”

tighnari sucked in a sharp breath as his steps halted. you could see the first glow of the lamps in the distance, no doubt a night crew lingering near to welcome the late returners.

“you’re an idiot.”

a tight fist squeezed your heart as you shuddered against his back.

“i know.”

“another week! i cannot believe your absolute disregard for your welfare. not only in straying from your patrols but to attempt to clear a withering zone without reporting it first. what were you thinking?”

your lips parted, voice small,” well i thought given how far off it was that no one would come across it before it spread.”

the fox was quietly shaking under you,” i’m tempted to bench you for a year for this alone. you could have been killed.”

“but i wasn’t.”

tighnari didn’t acknowledge the crackled excuse as he resumed the ascent towards the heart of the village. the conversation was over, at least for tonight. you almost felt bad for those hapless to witness the quiet fury as the leader trudged through the canopy. though the arrangement surely painted a telling story no one dared to stop or question.

upon entering your bungalow, tighnari silently backed into your bed until you took the hint.

as your arms slipped from around him, your fingertips brushed against the furry cartilage. though the action went ignored by both parties.

“rest, we’ll discuss this in the morning.”

|4|

the discussion did not come the following morning, or the rolling day as the sun rose and set. given your ailment you weren't exactly able to seek out your punishment, though the waiting game felt like the precursor.

for the first three days, your only visitors were collie and one of the local healers. tighnari likely hadn’t banned the nervous girl, allowing her to stumble in at first light to assess your injuries. it seemed as though he also didn’t inform her of much as she tired to glean what she could.

unfortunately, your mood hadn’t really improved from the night before, nor had your pain levels. you managed a tight smile at best, gritting through a scarce overview. the overhanging rumours were that you finally pushed tighnari to his limits. which was not too far from the truth.

your medicine came in three intervals, and each visit was just that. umm only offer a genial knowing close-lipped smile as she applied the numbing cream and rewrapped your joints. the only news came from collei with each meal. it was never what you wanted to hear, but the sound of a voice other than your thoughts was welcome.

you were able to keep up with light chat, the both of you doing an amicable job at avoiding the shaggy sumpter beast in the room. if the flightiness she gave off was anything to go by, then tighnari hadn’t completely cooled off. initially, you’d only probed subtly. asking about her patrols to see who accompanied her. questioning new withering zone reports to gauge who might be assigned. either tighnari had instructed her to be tightlipped or she was on as much of a lockdown as you were because the information gleaned was inconsequential.

it wasn’t until the fifth day, when you were able to balance on your injured ankle for longer than a minute that you dared to try for more.

umm had just finished, stepping clear of the doorway to allow collei to maneuver freely with the two bowls of lunch. the younger girl was in a lighter mood, giving you the extra confidence to push.

you took a bite of the leftover stew first, before testing the waters. “has tighnari taken you on any deeper patrols lately?”

the girl stiffened but otherwise did not show any signs of distress.

“not really, he’s been kind of strict with patrols lately. only seniors have been assigned to the forest floor. i patrolled the understory with nasrin yesterday though! the dusk birds are starting to nest.”

you could resist a soft smile as the girl lead comfortable into a short tangent about the different locations she’d tracked in her notebook. she loved to watch the hatching process from the birth to first flight. tighnari was often more lenient with her during this season. you were pleased to know your mess up hadn’t resulted in that being taken away.

“hopefully i’ll be healed enough to catch one of the hatchings.”

collei’s gaze flickered to your freshly wrapped ankle, “master tighnari wouldn’t say but he’s been pretty testy about ranger etiquette lately. well more than useful.”

“yeah, i was pretty stupid,” you muttered, quoting the fox’s words from that night.

collei sat upright on the chair by your desk, responding to your despondent mood. “he’s not nearly as bad as before though. i mean that morning after he was really mad. not like loud angry, but everyone knew not to test him. but he’s calmer now”, she assured.

you assumed as much. avoiding you was likely the best way to keep his temper in check.

you watched as the green haired trainee squirmed in her seat, no doubt uncomfortable at the idea of being between the brewing conflict. tighnari no doubt tried to ease that predicament by withholding information. the least you could do was honour your half to keep from setting her off.

“umm said i should try walking around more. i got permission to pace the platform if you want to join.”

the girl jumped at the chance, nearly losing her bowl in the process. laughing, you quickly took hers and set it on the desk with yours before standing to your feet. collei was at your side, urging your arm over her shoulder. it wasn’t really necessary but you’d never turn down the girl’s assistance.

carefully the two of you ambled through the leaves shrouding your entrance. it wasn’t the first time this week that the sun warmed your skin. umm had urged you to test the distance from your bed to your porch on the second day with each visit there after. it helped tp press your limitations while keeping the joint from getting too stiff. but this was the first time you’d been able to venture far enough out to interact with more than the same two people for the last few days.

collei remained diligent as she led you down the straight path, attention not straying from your gait as you greeted faces you haven't seen in awhile. the reception was overall positive, your health and wellbeing superseding the wraith that had hung over the encampment for the past week. it narrowed down the list of those you’d need to apologise to at least.

“oh it’s master tighnari!”

your gaze snapped to her extended finger, noting the tall tuff of ears before anything else. his back was turned to you, a fortunate thing as you still weren’t sure how to face him just yet. he appeared to be conversing with a group, though it wasn’t the usual collection of rangers waiting for assignments.

you recognized the garments however.

collei groaned as she sagged under your arm. “its the akademiya again. when will they ever learn?”

likely no time soon, as the pressure from both the forest and threat of the ‘scarlet king’ followers continued to rise. the first time you witnessed the prestigious envoy attempting to recruit the fox, you’d been in awe. it was somewhat of an honour to be approached by anyone doning the gowns. next to the archon herself, they were the reigning power. however the prestige lost a light grace, when tighnari scoffed at the invitation.

it was one of the occasions that you’d really come to appreciate more than just his vast knowledge. of course, you respected him as a leader but it was different to consider his understanding of plant life on a scholarly level. his tangents that he loved to rattle your ear with were published and very popular articles.

he was something of a celebrity. a fact that you loved to tease just to see the tops of his cheeks grow warm at the admission.

now, even at this distance, you could see a similar red dusting his fair skin. but not in the pleasant way that warmed your chest.

no it seemed that an inkingly of your excursion still peaked his heart rate. and this wasn't making it any better.

that wasn’t good.

“collei, please help me.”

“huh? oh, wait! not too fast.”

tighnari grit through a tight smile, barely hanging onto his fangs to keep them from showing. at a young age his mother taught him that human could find it threatening. frankly, right now he wished to find out how much of a truth that was if it got these nuisances out of his hair.

this was the last thing that he wished to deal with right now. the institution had taken a different route it seemed, sending students under the premise of studying under his tutelage. something he would maybe consider any other time than now.

his foot tapped irritably as one of the bolder ones spoke his piece, spouting words of prose that meant nothing to him. they were all weak and obvlivious children wandering aimlessly. he had enough of those under his own watch.

“master tighnari, i've read all your publications intensively and feel that i would be a valuable asset in your further research of the withering zones. i believe that together we can find a cure.”

tighnari barely resisted rolling his eyes. it was almost laughable. the withering had plagued them for centuries and they were still no closer to curbing it. no amount of research at this point was going to factor in. all they could do was contain, and that was a skill the akademiya didn’t teach.

breathing audibly through his nose, the fox attempted to remain cordial. “i appreciate your determination, however, i'm not in a position right now to allocate more rangers to facilitate your safety. the forest—”

“—i’ve also read intently on the local fauna and proper was to track warning signs of predators…”

tighnari really hated when he was interrupted.

“i’m confident in my ability to spot danger before it becomes a problem.”

especially by know-it-alls who were overstepping in his domain.

the student continued on unware of the growing dangers, “i’ve brought a few of my manuscripts with me if you’d like to browse some of my speculations and hypotheses…”

tighnari's brow twitched as the student droned on. for someone who boasted about extensive research on understanding predators he was rather obvious to the one standing before him. the same couldn't be said about his colleagues who were carefully edging back.

“if i could just get a few samples—”

the student had sense enough to notice as the plant scholar suddenly flinched, hand coming up to grasp the wrist of the hand threatening to touch the tip of his ear. it was the first time since opening his mouth that he’d taken into account the strained curl to the lips of the botany researcher.

his gaze then flickered to the more relaxed, if not slightly sheepish smile of the forest ranger behind. they seemed otherwise unconcerned despite the death grip they'd been trapped in for … attempting to touch master tighnari’s ears?

the student felt a shudder wrack his body as the fox’s grimace smoothed into … something that he would one day recognize as a reckoning he’d be fortunate to survive in years to come.

“apologies, you’ll have to excuse me. it appears one of my rangers feels well enough to venture off their bed rest and is due for some new assignments.” with that, the lead ranger looped the still trapped limb over his shoulder before assisting the injured ranger back up the canopy.

“you can give your manuscripts to my trainee, collei.”

the green hair trainee in question waved timidly, unsure of how she got in this position but willing to help.” hello, im forest ranger trainee collei. please let me assist you safely out of the forest.”

|5|

“it’s master tighnari!”

believe it or not, forest rangers did get off days. while it was still heavily frowned on to use that time to exploit certain privileges to free roam the forest, there were other activities that some could get up to.

some would use the opportunity to travel to the city or port for the market or to visit family.

others utilised their freedom to work on personal research.

then there was tighnari who used the opportunity to research the local flora … via oral experimentation.

your small project had been tossed aside in favor of darting out of your bungalow at the cry of fright from the green haired girl. it wasn’t the first time you’d witnessed tighnari taking his passion … to the next level. that time, curiosity had thrown him into a rather long slumber that he’d conveniently woken up from after a gratuitous amount of panicking on collie’s part and just in time for you to return with the rescue aid party.

it was safe to say that was not the last occassion, and tighari had treated you both to several lunches to make up for the scares.

but it wasn’t often that he was brought back to the village in a state. more often than not the ailments resolved in the time it took someone to find him or simply shaken off with no concern.

it was enough to have you barreling unannounced through the head ranger’s door with apprehension. firm but fraying hands caught you as you stumbled through, righting your body before you could embarrass yourself.

“don’t worry, tighnari is fine. it’s a harmless reaction to one of the fungi he consumed.”

umm brought her hands to a comfortable leisure behind her back as you peered over her shoulder.

tighnari was lain out across his bed. it looked as though he had been tucked away intentionally, but the man had fought away the sheets in a fit. there was a light coat of perspiration doting his forehead and his skin had taken on a rosy flush. it hardly looked harmless. you’d never seen the lead forest watcher look so … unravelled.

when was he going to learn to stop experimenting so freely?

umm gave a passing pat to your shoulder,“with a bit of rest he’ll be just fine.”

you had hoped as much but it eased some of your worries to see him at least home safe. though his predicament still tested your resolve. you would distract yourself for the time being concocting your own chiding speech. seriously, someone needed to hold him accountable. as it seemed, you were the only one daring enough to challenge the fox.

heavily a relieved sigh, you turned to leave. collie would likely need a second dose of comfort now that you’d taken your own inventory of the indisposed ranger. umm, bless her soul, wasn’t a very convincing source of comfort. having collie help prepare your speech would do some good for her as well.

“wait, don’t go yet.”

you stiffed at the unexpected plea. the voice behind you sounded a bit stronger than it should be in this predicament, more like the fox you recognized. umm hadn’t left you with any instructions, but it was safe to assume he was meant to rest as not to rile up his heart rate anymore. something you were very good at doing.

you liked to think that the two of you were on agreeable terms thus far. you’d been a textbook ranger over the last few weeks. not testing the limits of your privileges or boundaries. it allowed for the two of you to have some nice conversations. though you doubted anything very articulate would come from his mouth right now.

it was unfair, how adorable he looked with mussed hair, heavy eyes and creased clothes. umm had taken responsibility to rid him of the more decorative parts of his uniform, leaving him in a simple shirt and pants. the said shirt appeared to have been tugged open, revealing the lean muscles of his chest and abdomen.

that was decidedly leaning away from cute, as you tore your gaze away and scolded yourself.

“you should really lay back down, tighnari, i need you to be yourself when i deliver your scolding later.”

“tigh.”

“huh?”

you were shaken out of your stupor when he stood, concern triggering your fight reaction as you quickly huddled him back onto the bed before he fell. he allowed you to do so, however when he glanced up at you his olive eyes showed annoyance.

“i prefer when you refer to me as tigh.”

your mouth open and closed silently at the admission. you could never recall tighnari outright scolding you for the curtail of his name. you used it so sparingly, and only ever in the comfort of just yourselves or collei.

he never really showed any emotion other than surprise the first time he’d realised what you said. you never assumed he’d catalogued the occurrences to feel any ownership over the name.

you fidgeted under the scrutinised of the fox, unsure of how to proceed from there. it was obvious that he was still mildly effective if the rose of his skin was anything to go by. but there was undeniable clarity cutting through the fog in his eyes. it was enough of a relief to have your shoulders sagging slightly.

if it got him to comply and rest through the remainder of the effects, you could concede.

“okay, … tigh. please stop eating flora so carelessly.”

it wasn’t your intention to start the chastising prematurely, but if he wanted you to talk, you’d do so. you weren’t sure what all of this he would recall, but you hoped the echoing nag of your voice would hover like a hangover next time he considered experimenting alone. you knew he only tested things with vague assumptions, just enough to ensure that he wouldn’t perish on sight. but it was still close enough calls for you to worry.

you thought nothing of the way he snared your hands, too used to having them detained in pursuit of your goal. maybe another time you would be the one to catalogue just how frequently the two of you help hands. certainly enough to suffer from desensita-

your speech cut off with a choke as the fox brought one of your hands to the crown of his head. it was the closest you’d ever gotten to your prize, just a simple flex of your fingers and it would be yours.

and he was just allowing it.

“um, tigh…?”

you swallowed as his hold slid to your wrist, thumb caressing the inside.

“it’s what you want, right?” unintentionally your finger flexed under the strain of resisting, just the casual brush against the ear causing the body to shudder. tighnari managed an even breath through his nose, but you suspected his heart was creating as much of a racket as yours was. “ i want you to. i don’t mind if it’s you.”

you sucked in a sharp breath at the omission.

it took strength that you didn't think you had, and stupidity you’d likely reflect on later that night as you regrettably pulled your hand away. firmly not thinking at all about the soft whine that left the fox’s lips at the action.

your smile was wobbly, frail under the weight of emotions teetering at the edge. you gave his bicep a comforting squeeze before you urged him to lay back in bed. thankfully he didn’t put up much of a fight as you tucked him in.

his lashes fluttered closed against the cool caress of his cheek.

“next time, promise.”

between one breath and the next, he fell asleep.

|+1|

tighnari woke to a low hanging sun and a heavy head. despite the warnings he opened his eyes, then immediately shut them. though blurry and out of sequence, the master ranger was able to piece together the majority of his last coherency.

he’d been experimenting with the effects of the moonshade mushrooms. there had been reports of unaware travellers losing consciousness in the middle of the forest and waking in a fevered state. naturally, he’d taken it upon himself to test the outcome in order to properly assign warning labels in his next publication.

the initial bout of slumber had been brief, broken by a wave of nausea and the sensation of his body overheating itself. he then recalled umm stripping away his uniform in order to help him cool down.

and then there was you.

he remembered the sound of your concern and the inkling of berating though he couldn't exactly call back the wording. he was sure to get an encore either way; well deserved.

there was a gaping absence in his recollection, but the sensation of your hand settled between the space of his ears hadn’t escaped him. when had he gotten bold enough to daringly reach out like that? sure you’d done the same on multiple occasions but it had been in pursuit of a singular goal while he—

tighnari stared at the leaf drawn entrance of his chamber, face burning.

but surely that could not have all occurred before noon.

“oh good you’re awake. that mushroom managed to down even you for a full day. it's certainly something to be aware of.”

the elderly woman peered briefly through the cut of the door before granting herself entrance. tighnari sat obediently still as she flittered over his vital signs, ensuring his temperature and heart rate were within agreeable boundaries.

she scribbled the notes like clockwork into the parchment on his desk. while his methods weren’t often agreed upon, umm saw the value in the repercussions. her diligence had help assist in multiple breakthroughs. tighnari would be sure to deliver a nice basket of her favourite tree sap candies once he was back in working order.

amir would have certainly taken initiative to oversee assignments for the day. he would certainly owe collei a visit as well to assure her fears. he vaguely remembered her putting up a fuss when he’d been carried in, shortly before she’d been directed out leading to her alerting you.

tighnari’s cheeks grew hot again. he refused to acknowledge the rising blush even as umm chuckled quietly while gathering up her kit. instead, he kept his eyes on the entrance as he pinned his sashes in place and equipped his vision.

it wasn’t as if the two of you weren’t already rather close. it was safe to say he gave you more allowances than most. sure, your futile attempts to touch his ears could be frustrating at times, but more so because of the opportunities you took than the actual actions.

despite popular belief, tighnari didn’t truly hold his ears in that high regard. it was more out of proprietary that he shied away from strangers acting out of curiosity. to be honest, he really wouldn’t mind too much if a ranger asked to pet them. but it seems as if their own misconceptions had fed into the unspoken rule that his fox-like features were out of the question.

except for you.

over time, the two of you managed to lapse into a comfortable game of cat and mouse. tighnari knew if he’d shown any true signs of anger you would have backed away from the start. but his tolerance had permitted you to try again and again.

so what if the occasional punishments he placed on you deterred the others, it never snuffed your fire and that was all that mattered to him.

it was only natural that over time constant exposure would ignite his own interest. he could recall with vivid memory the way it felt to have you pressed against his back that time in the forest when you attempted to claim your prize in the middle of his lecture. he’d made you wait there while he finished the lesson, all the while relishing in the heat permitted his back.

had it been just the two of you, he would have let you.

yet when he finally caved and gave you the permission you'd been seeking all this time, you’d backed out.

‘next time’ you’d promised.

“if you’re done laminating, once you've finished eating you can go find them. i believe i saw them returning not long before i came here.”

umm didn’t wait for a response as she saw herself out, her amusement audible even as she descended the ramp to her own domain.

tighnari didn’t rush the act as he finished his meal and the provided water. once he finished, his lips turned at the dimming sunlight. his schedule was all but thrown out the window for the day, though he doubted anyone expected him to contribute much. still it stung his consciousness as a leader to leave his subordinates hanging , even if they were all self-sufficient adults. at least the headache had disappeared with proper nourishment. there would be time to salvage his routine later.

the sun was positioned late in the afternoon, but the dim light still irritated his eyes. he blinked through the sting as he welcomed the sight of the quaint village operating adequately in his absence.

he returned any passing waves and gave brief responses to their questions. for the most part everyone seemed confident that he’d make a full recovery, though he still harboured the guilt of worrying them.

brow pinched, he waved nasrin closer. “have you seen collei?”

the purse of her mouth didn’t spell anything good. tighnari hoped her illness had not acted up in his absence. “she had trouble sleeping last night so someone swapped patrols with her. she just set off not too long ago.”

the girl sometimes had trouble sleeping when plagued with anxiousness. tighnari settled that he would confront her upon her return, for now he had one more stop. he had a feeling he knew who offered to adjust their schedule to accommodate the girl.

he found your bungalow with practised ease, delivering a single knock before you offered entrance. he found you seated at your desk, no doubt detailing the report of your finding before submission. it was a relief to see that you took a break from your typical mischievousness to conduct a seemingly uniform patrol while he was indisposed.

“i don't suppose you came across any new interesting flora on your patrols?”

tighnari watched as your shoulders stiffened at the unexpected sound of his voice. your head whipped around, eyes assessing him carefully before you gave a timid, relieved smile.

“i think we can all agree that you’ve had enough adventures for one week,” you noted with light scolding.

grinning, tighnari cared little if his fangs showed, knowing you wouldn't find them threatening. your gaze followed him as he secured the leaves behind him before approaching your desk. he leaned comfortably against the wooden structure as he browsed the report. it had been routine indeed, not a single withering sighting.

“are you sure you’re alright? you had me worried for a bit.”

tighnari’s brow rose,” only a bit?”

scoffing, you rolled your eyes,” it’s not the worst thing you’ve eaten but seeing you down for so long was concerning. collei will be relieved to see you back on your feet.”

tighnari braceed his palm against the dest and leaned into the posture,“and you?”

“i owe you a scolding. you always get onto me about being aware and careful of my surroundings. yet here you go testing unknown fungi alone in the forest. at least bring it back before you test it out so we can be there if you need us.”

tighnari waited for you to finish, eyes shining with thinly veiled amusement. you seemed to recognize it as well, huffing as you realised your scolding didn't have as much weight as the seasoned scholar.

unable to resist, the fox reached out to run is fingers along the side of your face before letting them rest against your shoulder. he watched as your chest expanded to take in the small gasp of surprise. it was a rare moment for him to initiate contact like this, especially given the recent occurrence only yesterday. while his recollection was misty, yours was clear as day.

“i think you owe me something else too.”

tighnari watched your reactions carefully, from the flutter of your lashes to the rapid thrum of your heart beat against the pulse under your jaw. he never shied away from a discovery the promise of a satisfying understanding driving him from one revelation to the next.

admittedly, you’d been a gradual observation. the question at the tip of the scale all this time while he’d unknowingly researched you thoroughly with each new interaction. day and day again, you prompted him with new variables both under his control and not. it was only today that he managed to form a working hypothesis. a hesitant theory that he knew would shift everything.

tighnari watched with growing fascination as the initial shock meddling into purposefulness as your hand came into view. impatient, he couldn't resist ducking his hand to meet you halfway. the first careful touch was equally inquisitive and hesitant. each time in the past, your hand had darted out with such certainty. yet now with it all willing at your fingertips, you allowed yourself the time to explore.

he hadn’t realised his head had come to rest against your collar bone until he felt the rumbled of your laughter. you didn’t simply just touch his ears, you caressed the length form the widest part to the tip. your fingertips tickled the tufts of fluff at the base. and the light scratched you delivered against the firm cartilage had him all but melting into your hold. the burst of new stimuli tickled his nerves and left pleasant sensations.

later he would analyse the data but he was already certain about his conclusion.

your words mussed the top of his head as you spoke, humour bleeding into your intrigue. “can’t believe it took you a year to crack, tigh.”

tighnari sagged further at the uttering of the name. you flinched, not expecting the words of response to be mumbled into your skin. gratefully, it didn't cause you to pause.

“what was that?”

your touch slid from his ears to the curve of his jaw as his head rose to meet your gaze.

“i actually had two hypotheses I wanted to test.”

though he didn't speak more than that, he could tell you were well aware of the implications. your lips parted to respond, but no words could pass the lump in your throat. tighnari tested the waters, leaning closer enough to brush the tup of his nose against yours. when you didn't pull away, he leaned down and pressed your lips together, firmly but briefly. as he breathed in deeply, the smell of lush forestry, sweet flora and you invaded his scenes. the scent of familiarity minding with the aroma of what he called home was intoxicating.

your eyes shone bright with mischief as tighnari pulled away, no doubt observing the rosy hue spreading across his face.

“i think we need to experiment a little more before we can come to a confident conclusion.”

tighnari leaned back in and nuzzled you affectionately.

“i agree.’’

tagging upon request: @lott-the-otter @uhohitsemmy

"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?"

1K notes View Post

elvilisa

2 years ago

LAST DAY OF SUMMER

SYNOPSIS: It’s the last day before your paths divulge, how will you remember it?

CHARACTERS: 5wirl

NOTES: I’ve started school so here’s one last fic before I inevitably die under the weight of assignments.

TAGS: Some angst, implied reincarnation in Venti’s and Xiao’s parts, pre-established relationships for all of them, gn reader

VENTI + ONE LAST SWIM

You are this close to punching Venti.

“Come on, (Y/N)! It’s the last day of summer, let’s do something fun!”

“Venti, I’m tired. I just want to take a nap.”

“Boo, that’s no fun! You’re such a killjoy!”

“And you’re a menace to my sanity,” you grumble as you put your phone on speaker. You hear Venti mumbling to himself on the other end before he comes up with an idea.

“Ooh, I know! How about we go swimming at the nearby lake? There’s no one there and the weather’s perfect today. Come on, what do you say?”

You’re silent for a few moments. He knows you can’t resist a good swim and you can practically see the shit-eating grin on his face.

He knew exactly what buttons to push, didn’t he?

“... Fine. I’ll be over in ten.”

And that’s how you find yourself sitting at the edge of the lake pier while Venti doggy-paddles in circles around you, a lazy smile stretching across his face. He dips beneath the surface and re-emerges after a few seconds, brushing his wet hair out of his face.

“Care to join me, Windblume? The water’s quite refreshing.”

He extends his hand out. The clear, smooth waters of the lake beckon you. With a leap of faith, you grasp his hand and he pulls you under the water with him.

After getting over the initial shock of cold water, you blink your eyes open to see Venti’s green eyes twinkling with mischief and love. Dappled light softly shines on him, making him look like an angel. He gently interlaces your hands together as he mouths something.

Close your eyes.

You do as you’re told and immediately you feel something warm barely brushing against your lips. The kiss is airy and cheeky, just like him. His enthusiasm is infectious and it soon rubs off onto you. You smile into the kiss, wanting to deepen it.

Venti feels so close yet so far away. He’s always there, just out of arm’s reach and tempting you. If you don’t find him in time, you feel he’ll slip away for good, disappearing into the wind.

The burning sensation in your lungs redirects your focus to more pressing, life-threatening matters, however…

You both resurface, gasping for air. Venti nips at your lips playfully before planting kisses across your face only seconds apart. You squeal and attempt to hide but he doesn’t relent and soon you melt into his arms. He knew how to strum your heartstrings like the master musician he is and you’d gladly dance to his tune again if only to spend more time with him.

You are his muse, his one and only. The time you two share is almost gone, so he’ll make the most of it before you head your own separate ways.

The sun is starting to set now. After drying you off, he gives you one last hug as fleeting as the kiss from before. Strangely, you feel as if this will be the last time you’ll see him.

“Our time together is running out, dearest. After today, we may never see each other again in this life or the next.”

Venti barks out a dry laugh. You look at him strangely.

Venti, who are you really?

“Even if this is our last time together in this life, I will always carry you in my heart and songs as my muse. You will be immortalized in songs that are sung across generations, telling of your kind soul and the endless love you had for others. One day, perhaps those tunes will be heard by you and you’ll remember the bard who loved you with his whole being.

“Now go. Travel the world and discover all it has to offer. Soar through the skies like the birds and lose yourself in adventure. I’ll await the day the winds lead me back to you again, but for now, please… forget about me.”

KAZUHA + POLAROIDS

“Why are you so obsessed with taking photos of me, love?”

A click from behind tells you your lover has yet again taken another photo of you.

“You look absolutely stunning, my dear. It would be a shame if I didn’t capture your beauty.”

He rests his head on your shoulder from behind. You feel him press kisses against your neck, smiling into the delicate skin. The camera hanging off his neck bumps against your back every time he moves and you find yourself reaching for it. He swipes it from your grasp and quickly snaps a picture of you two.

“Poetry and photography… you really are the most romantic man on this planet.”

Kazuha dives in for a kiss. He aims for your left cheek, then your right cheek, before attacking your chin, forehead, and nose. Finally, he lands on your lips. His white hair tickles your neck and you giggle against the kiss. He lingers for just a moment longer, allowing himself to take in everything that is you before pulling away, an enamored smile playing at the corner of his lips.

“Something tells me there’s another reason you enjoy taking photos of me. Is there?”

He falls silent, which is rare for your usually chatty lover.

“Taking photos is another way to preserve my memories of you. The seasons change, and so will we. There may come a day where fate does us apart and your memory of me becomes a hazy recollection lost to the winds of time.”

Your lover is an enigma, concealing his true meaning behind flowery words that you have to sift through and decipher. It would take a lifetime of practice to unveil his true self hidden under the expertly-crafted persona he’d perfected long ago.

And yet, he always lets his guard down around you. No concealing his emotions through poetry or downplaying his pain. Just you and him in your rawest, most vulnerable states, telling each other secrets and promises not even the gods would hear of.

“I want you to carry a piece of me as you go through life, so that you will remember me and know that somewhere out there, I’ll be searching for you.”

Kazuha looks down towards his camera before gazing back up at you with nothing but adoration and an unspoken promise in his eyes.

“No matter how far apart we are, I will always find my way back to you in some corner of the world.

“For the thread that binds you and I together is not one so easily severed.”

AETHER + WISHING ON SHOOTING STARS

“Isn’t it peaceful up here?”

A vast expanse of darkness greets your eyes with stars littering the sky like little pinpricks of light. Aether gently squeezes your hand in response.

“It is, but it’s about to get better.”

You don’t have to wait long. You see something white quickly streak across the sky, then another. Soon, the entire sky is filled with shooting stars, lighting up the darkness as they travel to their next destination.

“A meteor shower,” you breathe out. The grass and wildflowers tickle your skin as you shift closer to Aether’s side. He points to the sky at a particularly bright one taking its time traveling across the night sky.

“Quick, make a wish!”

You close your eyes. There’s only one thing you wish for: to stay by Aether’s side for as long as possible.

I wish to stay by his side forever. He is my sun, my sky, my entire universe. To take him away would be akin to killing me, so please, let me stay by his side.

I wish to stay by their side forever. You can take my limbs, my heart, my soul, but please don’t take them away from me. They are the reason I strive to live.

“What did you wish for?” you ask in a quiet whisper after a long while. The meteor shower has long since ended and you are playing with the end of Aether’s long braid. The sky above you is pitch-black so you can’t see the fond yet conflicted expression he makes as he pats your head.

“If I tell you, wouldn’t that jinx the wish?”

“Just spill it. I think I know what it is already.”

“The same thing as you. I wish to stay by your side forever.”

You grow quiet as you start playing with his hands. Aether falls silent too as he pulls you closer to his heart.

“... Is this goodbye? Is that why we both had the same wish?”

You tentatively asked the question in a hesitant voice, afraid that merely voicing it would ruin everything. To your surprise, he shakes his head.

“Don’t you see? We still have so much time left ahead of us. There's still so much we can explore together, so much we can do together that there’s no way this could be goodbye.

“This isn’t goodbye. Not for a long time. So let’s not call it that, for we will meet again.”

XIAO + BEACH VISIT

Cold water laps at your ankles as the waves splash against your skin, then recede. The wet sand dips beneath your feet, leaving footprints behind.

“Xiao, look at the setting sun over the horizon. Isn’t it pretty?”

He gruffly nods, silent and sullen as always. You gently tug on his pinky with your interlocked one, nudging him forward along the coastline. Seagulls land and peck at the sand for anything to scavenge and Xiao shoos them away with his foot.

At some point, he breaks free from your grasp and wanders off without you knowing. It’s only when you’re in the middle of building a sandcastle and need his help that you realize he’s gone off somewhere.

“Xiao? I kind of need your help-”

When you notice he’s not there, you look behind and see he’s some distance away from the shoreline holding something. He seems to be… speaking to it?

Abandoning your sandcastle, you walk over to see what he’s up to. The tips of his ears are strangely flushed red and when you place a hand on his shoulder, he jolts, startled by the touch.

“What’re you up to, Xiao?”

There, you see he’s holding a seashell. A Starconch, to be exact.

“Here,” he mumbles, holding it out to you. “There’s an old Liyuean legend that if you speak into a seashell, it’ll record your voice.”

You hold it to your ear and listen. There, you hear something you thought you never would.

“I’ve seen many people come and go throughout the years, yet the thought of never being able to see you again makes me feel… conflicted. I have been thinking about this for a long time now and I have finally arrived at a conclusion.

“Many years ago, I was given a name. You showed me the meaning behind it. I was given a second chance to live. You gave me the will to live. I could not dream; I only had nightmares, yet my first dream was one of you. In times of peace, I found myself unable to put down my spear. You showed me how. Stuck in the past, I was unable to adapt to changing times and continued to be haunted by lingering regrets. You led the way and showed me how to let go of the past. I owe a debt of gratitude to you, (Y/N), that I can never pay back. All I can do is be there when you need me.

“If you wish to see me again, simply call my name and I will be there, no matter where or who you are. That is my vow, and one I will fulfill until my dying breath.”

HEIZOU + CATCHING FIREFLIES

Inazuma is unusually warm and humid at this time of year.

The tall grass still wet from today’s rain tickles your ankles as you run through the open field catching fireflies. Heizou leans against the side of the large tree, counting how many he’s collected already. One of the city’s many stray Shibas rolls over onto its back, asking him for belly rubs. He quickly obliges and ruffles the soft fur as the Shiba barks happily while wagging its tail.

“Man alive, I think you’ve beaten me! Just look at how many you’ve caught.”

He holds his jar out to you for examination. There’s a lot, yes, but yours beats him by a long shot. Fireflies occupy almost every corner of space in yours, vying for space against each other.

“As a reward, I’ll answer any question you want me to!”

You shoot him a look. He quickly (and wisely) responds with an “Honestly! I’ll answer anything you want me to honestly, whether it be about my childhood, who the latest suspect I’m chasing down is, or who ate the last dango yesterday.”

You glare at him after the last part.

The sun has fully set and the moon is high in the sky now. Fireflies gently brush against the sides of your jar. You pop the lid open and the cool sea breeze scatters them, blinking and lighting up the darkness in fluorescent green. Heizou does the same, the fireflies escaping into the sky like a sea of glowing lanterns. They twinkle and blink intermittently, resembling the shimmering sea. Your constellations gleam brightly overhead as the fireflies disappear out of your sight, blending in with the stars themselves.

Long after the fireflies have disappeared, you come to a question that’s been on your mind lately.

“What’s your opinion on fate and destiny?”

From the look on Heizou’s face, he must’ve known that you were going to ask him that. You see him thinking underneath the moonlight before he smiles once he reaches a conclusion.

“The gods do not predetermine fate and destiny, nor are coincidences simply coincidences. Rather, they are the cumulation of all our choices leading up to a single, decisive moment. While our paths may divulge for now, I will work to ensure that they cross again someday.

“Even if we are worlds apart, my intuition will always lead me back to you. Because you see the reason why I strive to create my own destiny.”

306 notes View Post

elvilisa

2 months ago

girlie you have no idea how much effort I had to physically restrain myself from squealing at 10am

Now Kiss (Part 2/Final) - F!Reader x Tighnari

Request Column - Genshin Impact

Cyno and Collei may be 'masters' of observation, but Tighnari’s hearing is sharper. Too bad Reader's still two kisses behind on the memo.

[Part 1] ✒️ Word Count: 2546 🏷️ Relevant Tags: Soft Fluff/Affection | Cyno Humor | "Secret" Relationship

Now Kiss (Part 2/Final) - F!Reader X Tighnari

The early morning mist was still present when [Name] reached the garden.

Tighnari hadn’t noticed her yet, focused as he always was when he thought no one was looking. His ears were forward, alert but calm, the same way they’d been ever since that night. The same way they were when he pressed his forehead to hers after the kiss and said, We stop pretending it didn’t mean something.

And they hadn’t. Pretended, that is. Not anymore. But they hadn’t exactly… announced anything either.

Which was fine. [Name] liked the quiet parts, the wordless agreements, the warm tea passed into her hands without asking, the way his fingers lingered against hers when no one else was around.

She was fine with soft smiles across a crowded greenhouse and the quiet way he waited for her after patrol. She didn’t need grand gestures or labels. This was theirs.

“Good morning,” she called out.

Tighnari looked over his shoulder, a smile already tugging at his lips. “You’re late.”

[Name] grinned, walking over. “You say that like I’m ever on time.”

He handed her a small bundle of foraged herbs. “Then why do I keep assigning you morning shifts?”

“Secret optimism,” she said, brushing his fingers as she took the bundle. “Or because you like me.”

He didn’t answer, just blinked slowly as his ears tilted in a way that gave him away far too easily for someone who claimed to be composed. [Name] didn’t press, only offered him a half-smile as she turned toward the sorting table.

She laid out the herbs with deliberate care, arranging by preparation method, then by potency, then by whether or not they would need drying before storage. It wasn’t how he sorted—Tighnari favored categorization by plant family, sometimes even regional subtypes if he was feeling particularly detailed.

But [Name]'s system had just as much structure, just as much thought. She arranged with workflow in mind—what needed to be prepped first, what reacted poorly to proximity with others, what they’d use by midday.

Tighnari stood beside her, arms crossed loosely as he watched in silence.

“You’re resisting the urge to comment,” she said lightly, not looking up.

“I’m considering the merits of your system.”

She allowed herself the smallest grin. “So I'm finally starting to convince you my ways better?”

“It’s pragmatic,” he admitted after a moment. “Not standardized, but efficient.”

[Name] raised a brow. “Standardized doesn’t always mean superior. This gets us through the workload with fewer redundancies.”

He hummed, nudging a stalk of sumeru rose half a degree clockwise. “Still would be difficult to replicate without you.”

“Good,” she said simply. “I like having job security.”

Before he could respond, the door creaked open behind them.

“Morning!” Collei called out cheerfully as she entered, her satchel sliding off her shoulder with a soft thud. “You two are already halfway through the sorting?”

“Just finished prepping the drying bundles,” [Name] replied, brushing her hands off on a cloth. “If you want to start weighing the mid-strength roots, they’re in the basket on the left.”

Collei blinked. “You reorganized again?”

“I updated the workflow paths. Less overlap. Tighnari keeps bruising the rukkhashava mushrooms reaching past the drying rack.”

“I do not—” he started, but Collei was already laughing.

[Name] turned, hands on her hips, looking entirely unbothered. “I tracked it. I left markers. You brushed it three times yesterday.”

Collei stifled another laugh behind her hand as Tighnari stared at [Name] in silence.

“I've created a monster,” he murmured.

“A well-organized monster,” [Name] corrected, tapping his arm gently with the back of her hand.

Their eyes met for just a second longer than they needed to. A breath too long. But when Collei looked up from the basket, they had already shifted back into routine—[Name] folding cloth around a set of stems, Tighnari reviewing her notes with his usual focus.

Nothing overt. Nothing stated.

But Collei knew.

She hummed to herself, smiling as she took out the scale, and said nothing.

Because some things didn’t need to be announced to be obvious.

The late morning passed in a quiet, efficient rhythm.

[Name] and Collei worked through the herbs in companionable silence, measuring, binding, storing. Occasionally, Collei would ask a question—clarification about a new plant arrangement, a confirmation about dosage strength—and [Name] answered easily, no second-guessing, no need to defer. Tighnari only interjected when it was absolutely necessary, content to observe the new system in action.

And for the most part, it worked.

No bruised mushrooms. No spills. Fewer crossed paths.

Tighnari, of course, still paced as he read—still hovered by the drying rack with that pinched look he got when mentally rewriting his entire classification system—but he didn’t say a word about changing it back.

[Name] noticed, but said nothing.

By midday, they were breaking for lunch. The usual courtyard table beneath the woven canopy had already been set up by someone else—Cyno, likely. Tighnari never asked him to, but somehow the table was always set when they got there, and the tea was always steeped just the way Tighnari liked it.

When they arrived, Cyno was already seated, sipping quietly and pretending not to see them.

[Name] sat across from him, biting into her rice cake. “How long were you watching us this morning?”

Cyno blinked. “You assume I was watching.”

Tighnari answered without missing a beat. “You always are. No one can escape your sight.”

Cyno sipped. “Fair.”

Collei slid into the seat next to [Name] with a grin, plucking a few berries from the shared bowl. “Your new layout cut prep time by almost half. We finished ahead for once.”

Tighnari glanced toward [Name]. “See? You might convince me.”

[Name] tilted her head, mock thoughtful. “I should start charging you a consultation fee.”

“You’re already paid. I—...make you tea.”

“Hmm. I’d like to renegotiate my contract.”

Across the table, Collei hid a smile behind her cup, and Cyno gave Tighnari a long look. One of those looks. Quiet, plainspoken, dry as the desert.

Tighnari didn’t meet it.

Instead, he said, “We’ll resume with seed inventory after lunch. [Name], can you take the southern storeroom?”

She nodded. “Already cleared shelf three yesterday. Just need to sort the spring sprout capsules.”

Cyno raised a brow. “You know his systems better than he does.”

[Name] shrugged, mouth full of rice. “That’s why he keeps me around.”

This time, Tighnari did glance her way—but quickly. Quiet.

Collei nudged Cyno’s arm under the table. He said nothing, but the faint curve at the corner of his mouth said everything.

Later that afternoon, the sun dipped just far enough for the light to soften through the canopy. [Name] stood alone in the southern storeroom, bent over a wooden crate of seed capsules, carefully labeling by germination date and rarity. Her sleeves were rolled to her elbows, fingertips dusted with dried root powder, and she was humming just under her breath.

Tighnari entered the room without announcing himself. She heard the creak of the door behind her and glanced up over her shoulder.

“Looking for something?” she asked.

“No.” He walked toward her with easy steps, clasping his hands behind his back. “Just checking on your progress.”

“I’m a third through.” She tapped a neat column in her notes. “I’ve rerouted the spring sprouts to the upper shelf. They’re more fragile than the label suggested.”

He scanned the page, then nodded once. “That’s a good call.”

[Name] turned to him fully, brushing a lock of hair from her cheek. “You could just say thank you.”

“I was getting there.”

“Mmhm.”

For a moment, they stood in silence—close, but not quite touching. Tighnari looked at her, and she looked back, the quiet between them warm and known.

Finally, he said softly, “You really don't mind that we haven’t told them?”

[Name] blinked. “Told who?”

“Cyno. Collei. About us.”

She tilted her head. “No. Do you?”

“No.”

And it was true. He didn’t. He didn’t need to. Cyno and Collei knew, had known for weeks now, and had never once pushed. Maybe that was why it felt easier to let it unfold like this, with no announcement, no dramatic reveal.

Just shared glances and easy silence. Just belonging.

He watched her go back to labeling, the lines of concentration softening her expression. The sun caught in the edge of her face as she worked, and something in his chest shifted.

“You missed one,” he said quietly.

[Name] didn’t look up. “No, I didn’t. It’s in the next stack.”

Tighnari smiled.

He leaned in a little—enough for his shadow to fall beside hers on the crate lid, enough for her to feel the warmth of him even through the gap between them. She finally looked up, brow arched like she already knew he wasn’t actually checking her work anymore.

“You’re hovering,” she said.

“Monitoring.”

“For what, exactly?”

“Quality control. Emotional wellbeing. Your general presence.”

[Name] bit back a laugh, even as her cheeks pinked. “You’re very thorough.”

“I try.”

The crate of sprout capsules was mostly forgotten now. [Name] turned toward him fully, brushing her hands on her apron. Her eyes flicked down, briefly, to his lips. Just once.

The silence stretched, not tense, just… still.

Tighnari tilted his head, slowly leaning forward, his voice barely above a whisper. “Do I have clearance for a quick kis—”

The storeroom door creaked loudly.

Both of them flinched apart like students caught cheating during an exam.

Cyno stood in the doorway, holding a small tin of salve in one hand and a basket of dry bark in the other. His expression was unreadable.

Tighnari straightened with expert calm. “Did you need something?”

“Yes,” Cyno said. “I came to offer assistance.”

[Name] cleared her throat. “In here?”

“You’re doing seed inventory. I thought I’d drop a few hints.”

She frowned, confused. “Hints?”

Cyno held up the tin of salve. “These are spring bloom rubs. Known for encouraging… sprouting relationships.”

Tighnari blinked. “Is that supposed to be—”

“Metaphorical,” Cyno said flatly. “And literal. In case you both want to stop ‘planting doubt’ and start ‘growing publicly.’”

[Name] stared. “What?”

Tighnari sighed into his hand. “He’s making jokes again.”

“I got that part,” [Name] muttered. “Sort of.”

Cyno stepped further in, setting the basket down by the shelf. “You both move through the village like two trees growing from the same root but pretending you’re different plants.”

There was a long pause.

“…Was that a joke?” [Name] asked.

“I don’t know anymore,” Cyno replied frankly.

Tighnari pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’re not hiding anything.”

“You’re also not saying anything,” Cyno replied.

[Name] opened her mouth, then closed it.

Because technically, he wasn’t wrong.

They hadn’t told anyone. They hadn’t lied—but they hadn’t shared, either. And while [Name] hadn’t thought much of it before, Cyno’s blunt delivery left her strangely… aware.

She glanced at Tighnari, who looked remarkably calm, if slightly resigned. His ears twitched faintly.

“We were going to tell you,” Tighnari said finally, “when we were ready.”

Cyno gave a slow nod. “I’m not rushing you.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” [Name] muttered, but the corners of her mouth twitched.

“I just like efficient communication,” Cyno added. “And plant metaphors.”

[Name] crossed her arms, laughing softly. “You’re so weird.”

Cyno gave her a blank look. “I’ve been consistent.”

Tighnari exhaled. “You can go now.”

“Message delivered,” Cyno said, and walked out with the kind of slow, purposeful turn reserved for dramatic exits.

The door clicked closed.

[Name] stared after him for a moment. “…You think Collei put him up to that?”

“No,” Tighnari said. “Cyno's meddling is entirely self-directed.”

She turned to him again, softer now, her fingers brushing his wrist. “So. Where were we?”

Tighnari didn’t need to say anything. He stepped back into her space—closer this time, his head dipping, ears flicking once more as his hand slid gently along her waist.

The kiss was light, careful, given the interruption. But then her hand rose to the back of his neck, and his other found the small of her back, and the quiet of the storeroom turned into something shared.

No announcements.

No metaphors.

Just a kiss—theirs.

And for the first time, [Name] wondered if maybe sharing it with others wouldn’t be so bad.

The next morning, the sun had barely cleared the treetops when [Name] walked into the main prep room, satchel slung over one shoulder, and Tighnari’s gloves adorning her hands.

They were more protective after all, though the sight of this caused Collei to pause before she could even greet her.

“Good morning,” [Name] said, entirely unbothered, setting her satchel down and adjusting the gloves to be more snug. “Sorry I’m late. Tighnari wouldn’t let me leave without breakfast.”

Tighnari walked in two steps behind her, holding two mugs of tea—one of which he handed off to her with easy familiarity.

“Next time, eat slower,” he said. “You inhale bread like it wronged you.”

[Name] took the tea without looking up. “Says the man who lectures mid-chew.”

Collei blinked between them. “…Wait.”

[Name] looked up. “Yes?”

“Are you two—?”

“Together?” Tighnari supplied helpfully. “Yes.”

[Name] took a sip of her tea. “We were going to announce it formally with a bulletin board posting and parade, but then someone eavesdropped.”

Tighnari’s ears twitched pointedly as he turned toward Cyno, who was seated cross-legged in the corner, sipping his own tea with uncharacteristic innocence.

“I said nothing,” Cyno offered quickly.

“Which is almost impressive,” Tighnari replied, “considering you whispered your entire reaction that night from behind a poorly concealed shrub.”

Cyno blinked. “...You heard that?”

“I have excellent hearing,” Tighnari said evenly. “I heard everything. Including Collei gasping and nearly knocking over the watering can.”

Collei made a squeaking noise. “I did not.”

“You did.” He took a slow sip of tea. “I simply chose the path of least resistance.”

[Name] raised a brow. “You knew they knew and still let me go on not knowing they knew?”

Tighnari didn’t blink. “Yes.”

Collei let out a strangled little laugh. “You’re worse than Cyno.”

Tighnari tilted his head. “That feels unnecessarily cruel.”

“I think it’s fair,” [Name] said lightly. “You’re both bad at being normal.”

“Good,” Tighnari replied, slipping his hand around her waist with zero hesitation. “We’ve just made it easier to stop pretending.”

Cyno set his tea down calmly. “Thank you for removing ambiguity. It was becoming distracting.”

[Name] snorted. “Was it really that bad?”

Cyno nodded. “I’m used to silent tension. Yours was twitchy.”

Collei was beaming now, bouncing slightly on her heels. “So this is official now? Like, you’re together together?”

Tighnari gave a slight nod. “Yes. Publicly. Casually. Permanently.”

“That’s a lot of adverbs,” [Name] murmured.

“I had time to rehearse.”

[Name] laughed, leaning against him with ease now. “Well then.” She turned to their friends with a grin. “Satisfied?”

Cyno raised his teacup. “Very.”

Collei gave a little cheer under her breath, then quickly tried to hide it with a cough.

Tighnari’s tail flicked once, slow and content, and he murmured just loud enough for the two of them to hear, “You may stop planning your interventions now.”

Cyno didn’t answer—but he did smile.

And Collei? She just whispered to herself, “Finally,” before returning to her notes, eyes bright and cheeks flushed.

'Now Kiss' was initially only a lil self-indulgent story for fun, but seeing that there was interest, I wanted to add more to this little plot to conclude everything nicely. Hope you all enjoyed!

two worlds apart

ft— anyone

warning — mentions of character death, angst, pretty much self indulgent lmao

a/n— i just felt angsty today :) also i wrote this like you aren't in teyvat? you're you (obv) in this universe and they're just your comfort character. ik shifting is a thing so this is for my #icannotshiftforthelifeofme girlies. listened to ykwim when writing this as well.

wordcount. 683

sometimes you wish you were dead. it sounds blunt and quite, dramatic, yes. but not really when you remember that reincarnation may or may not be a real thing.

we have all heard of the word "soulmates". the idea of soulmates has been present in various traditions for centuries. the "concept" suggests that there is a special connection between two individuals that goes beyond physical attraction and emotional compatibility.

it is believed that these two people are connected by an invisible thread or string that can never be broken, no matter the distance or time. this thread binds them together, and their souls recognize each other even before they meet.

it is said that when soulmates find each other, they experience a sense of completion and fulfillment that they cannot find elsewhere. love itself is a powerful force that can bring people together, even when they are from different worlds. when two individuals are soulmates, their love transcends time and space.

now, death is a natural part of life, and it is something that everyone will experience at some point. while death is often associated with sadness and loss, while some people believe that it can also be a time of reunion with loved ones or, finally being with someone they have loved for so long in another world.

for those who believe in reincarnation, death is not the end, but rather a new beginning. it is an opportunity for the soul to move on to a new life and continue its journey. for some, the idea of being reunited with their soulmate after death brings comfort and solace.

they believe that when they die, they will be able to join their lover/comfort character from another world and be much happier than they ever were in this world. this gives them hope and a reason to keep going, even when times are tough.

for some, some may think it is absurd to even think about death in this way. you really want to die/are waiting for your death just because you want to be happier with your comfort character? how.. weird.

the heart is a mysterious thing, and sometimes it leads us down paths that we never thought possible. loving someone from another world can be a lonely road to travel, but it can also be one filled with wonder and amazement. our hearts may ache for this person that we cannot touch or hold, but the love we feel for them can give us a sense of purpose.

the pain of loving someone who is not real can be overwhelming, it really can. the thought of never being able to hold them or feel their warmth can be unbearable.

but in times of sorrow, the comfort and solace you find in loving them can be the only thing that gets you through. it's easy to dismiss this kind of love as make-believe, but it's not.

the heart doesn't discriminate and doesn't see boundaries at all. even though they are not real, the love you feel for them is. it's a feeling that is deep and real and can bring joy to your life.

just how long have you been yearning to feel their touch, to know what their kisses feel like, to see them face to face? a long, long time. and you know that. how many times have you cried into your pillow, just because you love them so much and that they aren't real?

sometimes the pain in your heart can become unbearable. The emptiness and the loneliness can consume you entirely, leaving you with nothing but despair. it's in those moments that you start to wonder if death would be a better alternative.

you imagine that if you passed away, you could be reunited with your lover from another world, a place where love is eternal and pure. you know that in that world, you would find comfort and solace, and your heart would finally be at peace.

because even though you two are two worlds apart, the love you hold for each other goes beyond measure.

WHAT IS UP W ME AND ANGST NOWADAYS?!??!

115 notes View Post

elvilisa

2 years ago

teyvat academy

pairings: childe, kazuha, albedo, xiao, itto, scaramouche, zhongli x gn!reader

summary: they say high school is the most memorable point in a person’s life, you’re more than inclined to agree. or, genshin men as the different types of people you meet in high school! (all of them can be connected if you squint)

note: gender neutral but implied afab for itto’s part only, no pronouns, mentions of weed and smoking in kazuha’s part, scara’s part is def my favorite

CHILDE

Adrenaline junkie. Gets into fights almost everyday, to the point where everyone wonders how he hasn’t been expelled yet. His family is filthy rich and pays the school hush money disguised as donations.

Seeing him beating someone up is such a common occurrence that most students just walk by whenever it happens. Which is why he’s completely surprised to see you approach him after he lost a fight, sitting by the water fountain and sporting a busted lip and yellow bruises all over his face that’ll turn purple tomorrow.

Turns out it’s not because of some misplaced sympathy that made you approach him that day, you just wanted to ask him if he knows where your friend Yelan went after she beat him in a fight earlier. He tells you he doesn’t know but he heard her mutter something about going to the restroom to clean up the blood on her knuckles, so that’s a good place to start looking. You thank him for his help, eyes lingering on the injuries caused by your friend for a moment before taking your leave.

Maybe it’s guilt at how uncaring you must have seemed in the face of his injuries, at leaving so quickly without even asking him if he’s okay, but the next time you see him after another fight, you give him a box of bandaids with cute heart designs. It was the only box left in the store so you had no choice but to buy them, better something cutesy than nothing. You say it’s for the cuts in his face and split skin of his fingers.

When he opens the box and sees the heart designs, his face lights up like a christmas tree. He thanks you with a grin and says the bandaids remind him of the ones his younger sister always gives him.

The next time you see him is across the cafeteria, wearing the bandaid designed with hearts despite the teasings of his friends. When he catches you looking his way, he sends you a wink and gestures to the bandaid on his cheek before returning his attention to his friends. Yelan asks you what that was about, but you smile and tell her it’s nothing.

KAZUHA

The school’s local weed dealer. Completely unexpected given his friendly and calm demeanor, but in hindsight, that’s probably the reason why he’s never been caught. Word has it that if you’re willing to pay enough money, he can contact a few of his friends and get you some coke.

For some reason though, he never allows you to buy anything from him, nor does he let you take a whiff when he smokes.

You first meet him while walking through the back of one of your school’s buildings to avoid getting detention. It’s there that you see Kazuha leaning on the wall, roll in hand as he blew smoke into the air. Maybe it’s the fact that you’re both going to detention should you get caught, you for cutting classes and him for smoking something that’s probably weed, but you walk right up to him, plop yourself beside his legs, and ask him how shitty his day is for him to be smoking out in broad daylight. He laughed as a response, and the rest is history.

Not once in all your time as friends has he ever let you take a hit, even just for a brief moment. Going so far as to refuse even when you offered to pay double the price. His only explanation was that smoking is a bad habit you should never try. When you called him on his hypocrisy, he only smiled that familiar smile that somehow made him look like a gallant knight and told you he doesn’t want his friends to form an addiction.

Pointing out that his usual customers mostly consist of his friend group, he looks at you with something you can’t quite read. Amusement? Fondness? Or maybe he’s just high. When you ask him why he’d sell weed to Heizou and Yoimiya but not you, his only response was, “Because they aren’t you.”

The next time you meet up with your shared friends and recount the conversation you had with Kazuha, they laugh and clap you consolingly on the back, all while calling you oblivious.

ALBEDO

Top student. Completely effortless in getting the highest marks.

“Oh, the test? No, I didn’t study for it,” he tells you, and you think you finally have a companion in the ‘surely failing because they didn’t study team,’ but then the test results come out and he singlehandedly scores perfect marks.

He offers to tutor you when he sees you lamenting over your failed chemistry test. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be taught by the smartest student in your school, so you immediately take him up on that offer. He’s surprisingly good at teaching, doesn’t use complex words and tries to dumb down an explanation without sounding condescending.

It shows in the form of your next test result, showing only two mistakes out of fifty items. In your excitement, you ask him what you can do in exchange for him teaching you. Surprisingly, he asks if he can sketch you. Seeing nothing wrong with the request, you readily agree.

He doesn’t let you see the sketch until after it’s done. It takes bugging him in the middle of class, sitting next to him at lunch, and a lot of canoodling on your part to let you take a peak at his drawing. Still, he remains stubborn, so you’re left to wait until he actually finishes it.

When he does show it to you, it’s during the end of class just as everyone’s leaving their seats after the bell rings. The sketch depicts you with the happiest grin you’ve ever seen on your face. You’ve never once thought of yourself as anything but average in terms of looks, but Albedo seems to have a way of making people more beautiful than they are.

When you say so to him, he blinks at you and says he didn’t modify any features on his sketch, he just drew you exactly how you look in his eyes.

XIAO

The one people think is a delinquent. His aloof nature and the perpetual frown on his face don’t exactly help with his reputation. He’s your classmate, but he always keeps to himself and rarely engages in class activities unless necessary.

Your teacher partners the two of you up for a class project. You notice him looking distinctly uncomfortable at having to work as pairs once the announcement was made, so once you’re able to, you propose the idea of working on your own respective parts and compiling your works at a later date because he seems to prefer working on his own.

To your surprise, he says no to your idea. He tells you it’d be more difficult to complete the project that way and that he doesn’t really mind working with you.

The deadline for it is two months away, but both of you agree on getting an early start. That’s how you find yourself sitting beside him in the library everyday after school, typing away on your laptop and taking notes on your notebook. He’s actually a great partner, always asks for your opinion and gently corrects you whenever you make a mistake.

It isn’t until you’re working late at the library and he returns with snacks and drinks—your favorite snacks and drinks that he sheepishly admits he remembered from a passing remark you made weeks ago—that you realize that Xiao isn’t the aloof person you initially thought he was. He can actually be very thoughtful, he just doesn’t get much chances to show it to others.

On one particular day, after you spent the day away in the library until the sun came down, he offers to walk you home. He then realizes how presumptuous that must have sounded and mutters a quick ‘never mind.’ But before he can leave, you tell him you won’t mind if he walks you home.

The walk home is quiet, but it’s a nice sort of quiet. Comfortable. The only incident that happened on the way was when you encountered a drunk man, and before he could make a step towards you, Xiao was already looking at him with a cool glare that managed to scare the drunkard off.

He offers to walk you home again the next day, and the day after that, and so on. Even after you’ve submitted your project, he continues to walk you home. One day, when you get the courage, you hope you can finally ask him out for coffee sometime.

ITTO

An actual delinquent. He and his gang can usually be found loitering the hallways or spending time in detention.

You once run into him and his gang when you were out of class for a restroom break, all of them crowding outside the entrance to the girl’s restroom. Apparently, Shinobu, their gang’s second in command, is on her period but they don’t know where to get any tampons and pads ‘cause she forgot to bring some with her. You offer to give her your spare.

Itto thanks you by buying you lunch, saying you saved the Arataki gang from total destruction because they would’ve never survived without Shinobu. You think he’s overreacting a bit, but free food’s free food.

You feel a little bad once you find out he spent all his money on the meal he bought you, so you offer to buy him something in return. He tells you he owes you for it, and the next day he’s right outside your classroom holding a plastic bag full of take-out. The next time you walk past him in the hallways, you give him a muffin from the box you just bought.

It becomes a routine, giving each other food whenever the two of you see each other. Sometimes, you even sneak into detention just to give him some sweets, and sometimes he disrupts your class by barging in just give you a candy bar. He always gets detention afterwards.

When you ask him why he keeps doing it, he said he likes the surprised smile that always brightens your face whenever he shows up at your classroom unannounced.

SCARAMOUCHE

The principal’s son. Incredibly spoiled and thinks he owns the place. Never gets in trouble because his mother’s the principal and everyone is too scared to report him.

Until you did.

You can still remember the shocked look on his face when he turned around after deliberately tripping poor Bennett and saw Miss Yae, your school’s guidance counselor, right behind him. You don’t know the exact details, but you heard he was sent to the principal’s office and given a severe lecture by his own mother. Word has it he came out the office looking like he was ready to murder something.

Somehow, he finds out that you’re the one who reported him. He instantly makes it his goal to make your life a living hell. Unfortunately for him, the faculty has been keeping a close eye on him so he can’t do anything too incriminating. From glares in the hallways to pretending not to see you as he ‘accidentally’ bumps into you on the bustling corridors and making you drop your stack of papers to the floor.

When your friends found out, they immediately urged you to report his behavior directly to the principal, so that’s what you did. You were on your way to the principal’s office when you hear a sniffle coming from the closed door of the nearby stairwell. Concerned, you open the door with the intention of comforting whoever might be crying behind it, only to come face to face with the surprised expression of Scaramouche.

He quickly wipes away his tears and fixes you with a glare that could have killed anyone on the spot. But the damage has been done and you’ve seen what you’ve seen, so his glare barely has any effect on you, not when his eyes are still red and there’s dried tear-tracks on his cheeks. You stare at each other for a few moments before you offer him your handkerchief and tell him you don’t know exactly why he’s crying but that it’ll get better. He tells you to get out but not before accepting the handkerchief you offered.

Needless to say, you don’t go to the principal’s office after.

He stops bothering you after that incident, but you once catch sight of him with his friends outside school. One of them starts talking about you, badmouthing you in front of him in an attempt to cater to the well-known fact that he hates your guts. He doesn’t even get to finish his sentence before Scaramouche snarls at him to shut up.

The next time you pass him by the hallway, you give him a small smile. He hastily turns his head away, but not before you catch sight of the redness at the tips of his ears.

ZHONGLI

The handsome senior everyone’s developed a crush on at least once in their life.

The two of you didn’t exactly meet at school. It was back when you were still a freshman and Zhongli was a sophomore, though even then he was already popular. The coffee shop near your school was packed and the only seat left was the one in front of you, so naturally, that’s when he comes in asking if the seat’s free.

You were still relatively friendless back then, no familiar faces yet since it was only the beginning of the school year, so being approached by a popular sophomore felt like a dream to you. He was kind and patient, even going so far as to help you navigate through school during the first few weeks of adjustment.

You developed a silly crush on him during those weeks that only faded when you became closer to him and realized how much of that popular persona he had were just for show. You’d lost count of the amount of times you had to pay for both your meals just because he forgot his wallet at home, or how many times you almost fell asleep once he went off on a tangent about one such thing or another.

But even so, he’s one of the best friends you made in school.

You’re the one he goes to for help in choosing a university for college, and the two of you spend an entire night at your house brainstorming and writing down the pros and cons of each school. You have differing personalities and opinions, but by the end of it, you’re both satisfied with his decision regarding the school he chose.

And then you pass out on your couch after pulling that all-nighter. When you wake up, there’s lunch laid out on the dining table and a handwritten note from Zhongli.

To my beloved dearest friend, I hope you enjoy the meal and have a great day :)

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elvilisa

2 years ago

I don’t have a lot of nice clothing so I’m just putting the dress I used for my last year’s school Christmas party 🥲 aLSO I STILL DONT HAVE ANYONE ELSE TO TAG SHJSBAJ but thank you avaunt??? Parent?? Mod??? @roveyne

i decided not to gatekeep it CAUSE IT'S SO COOL AND INCLUSIVE!!! It has different hair types and all that jazz and there's even a version for plus sized!!

Picrew

TOON ME! ⟪ B ⟫

➡️ 𝐀𝐋𝐓 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐖: https://picrew.me/image_maker/1469769 ➡️ 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐖 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎: https://toon-me-picrew.carrd.co Please read the info page be

Picrew

TOON ME! ⟪ A ⟫

➡️ 𝐀𝐋𝐓 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐖: https://picrew.me/image_maker/1944831 ➡️ 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐖 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎: https://toon-me-picrew.carrd.co Please read the info page be

I Decided Not To Gatekeep It CAUSE IT'S SO COOL AND INCLUSIVE!!! It Has Different Hair Types And All

@cvlutos @v-anrouge @vtoriacore @shibainu2007 @merotwst @kirans-wonderland @spadecentral @shinmon-c @identity-theft-101 @bby-sparkler @leonaism @some-beans @oepionie @la-lolita @cupid-spams @kalims @pandoa @flqyd-is-lost @tsun0tar0u @luxstring @nychta-luxury @blues824 @twistedafterhours @atcordare @ruggiethethuggie

quand tu es avec moi

summary: cyno's experienced so much, but you're the one he'll never regret

contents: fluff, possible ooc, character-centric, gn!reader, cyno being soft

cw: none i can think of, tell me if you find any!

recommend listening to: je te lasserai des mots by patrick watson

a/n: surprise i'm back! french translates to: 'when you're with me'

Cyno yearns for a certain type of love. A love that runs so deep, flowing through the crevices of his heart; a love that softens his stares, and hardens his resolve. Cyno wants a love that takes his calloused hands in theirs, and proclaims they will stay with him as long as the stars shine above; as long as his morality never wavers; as long as he will never stop chasing this love he craves. Cyno’s never been one to indulge in such pleasures; never been one to stop and smell the roses, if given the chance. Yet- when he sees your smile- he’s reminded of dainty elegance, tenderly accompanied by a pleasant floral fragrance. He yearns for a certain type of love- a love that only you can give.

It’s the way he would do anything for you. Cyno’s a man of his own word, so what would make you think he wouldn’t? It’s a rare sight to see the General Mahamatra strolling through the Grand Bazaar so casually, but when you’re lying in bed with a cold, his eyes mingled with concern. Only the best medicine will do. And when he arrives next to you, sitting by your side, you’ll protest that he’ll get sick, and he’ll tell you a joke. It’s not going to be an extremely funny one, but you’re going to smile, and he thinks that’s all that matters.

Pearlescent sands, shimmering galaxies full of stars, fine threads on a purple headdress. You cannot count the quantity of such large amounts; you cannot begin to imagine how Cyno counts the times he gets lost in your eyes. Over and over again, patrolling the desert, idly browsing through a new set of TCG cards, he likes to think about you. Caresses of the gentlest touch, alike a feather’s soft brush against your cheek. Lingering stares, like a wolf’s piercing gaze. And with each single thought- Cyno can hear your voice in his ears- an infestation he has no desire to purge, and he knows his heart beats full.

Because even though he’s only known you for a few years in his- albeit, relatively short- lifetime, it feels as if he’s known you for longer. He may not believe in past lives, but if they did exist, Cyno’s sure that he’d search for you in every single one. And if he happened to never find you, he’d keep on searching; uncovering every rock, crossing every ocean, just seeking for your company. Because what kind of soldier would he be without the light that guides his way?

Between close confidants, closer friends, and closest allies, it’s no secret that he often makes jokes when he truly trusts you. As bad as they may be, eliciting several sighs and grimaces, they lighten the stoic atmosphere he brings with his forthcoming personality. He likes them, too, and who is anyone to dare say that they do not bring people closer together? Because you’ve known him, and Tighnari knows him, and Collei knows him, and he’s cracked pun after pun, and you’ve never gotten tired of him. Moreso, unbeknownst to you, every time he makes one, a pair eyes seemingly glance in your direction- just for a few seconds- and when they’ve ascertained there’s a gleam of amusement shining under yours, he reclines back with a satisfied smile.

Cyno likes to be near you. Your presence- it’s something that makes his heart run faster and cheeks burn up. He likes being able to sit next to you, and talk about his new TCG deck while you nod and hum attentively, not noticing how he’s staring at you so unabashedly, explaining the intricate details of his commissioned art. He likes being able to sit next to you as you both recount the memories you’ve shared, all from a simple dinner to an exhilarating chase. He likes losing track of time with you, as the sun dips down over the horizon, and the moon comes out of its slumber.

Most of all, he likes you. No. ‘Like’ carries feelings that are too shallow. Love would be a better descriptor. Unfaltering, unashamedly, bravely, hopelessly in love. Cyno’s set of scales is as ever-present as you seem to be in his head; he dares to gaze up at the desert night sky and let his heart guide his way, uninterrupted by the incessant hustle and bustle of the city. He can feel you by his side, feels your hand held firmly in his, staring up at the same glimmering stars.

It’s time to go back home.

a/n: after the windblume event quest, my mind's been so full of cyno recently and i love that we get to see a new side to him that we didn't in the archon and story quest <3 likes, reblogs and comments are always appreciated! 🫶

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elvilisa

2 years ago

ASHHHHH THAT THAT THAT VENTI OST YOU JUST MADE PLEASE CAN YOU SHARE MORE

this post was just a blurb i wrote out randomly hehe but here’s a few hcs about it!

venti doesn’t actually know the future in the sense that he sees what will happen, no. what he has is knowledge of all songs regardless of its time and place of origin, whether it’s from the past present or future.

now, he normally wouldn’t pay much attention to songs written in tribute to a person, but your case is a little… different. where there’s thousands of people who’ve had songs written in their honor, you have thousands of songs written for you alone.

he’s never sung them out loud before, not until the time is right, but he finds himself drawn to the songs about you, retelling stories that have yet to happen about your journey in this world and the impact you will have on teyvat. you’re very much like a certain traveler who will one day land in this world, but you’re an even greater mystery than the traveler. you’re a person beyond worlds and dimensions—or at least, that’s what he’s gained from the songs that will be made about you.

it’s only when he’s a thousand years older after the fall of old mondstadt, his singing more refined and his tune more established, like an artist developing a signature art style, that he realizes that more than half of the songs written for you will be made by his hand.

he wonders and wonders and wonders for the next millennia if he will adore you as much as he seems to adore you in his songs, but… maybe he doesn’t have to wonder. even now, having only known you through songs and tunes, he finds it in himself to leave a space for you within his heart.

a thousand years pass, and he continues to be lulled to slumber with the hymns about you crooning in his ears. when he awakens, it’s to a different song this time, a new one. he laughs, the winds quickening in time with his beating heart. finally, the seeds of wind has changed.

he feels your presence before he hears your voice. “venti!” you shout before tackling him in your arms. and this, this is something he has dreamed about since he first heard your songs, wide-eyed and young and unfamiliar to the ballads of this world, and so he lets himself feel elation and excitement as he embraces you. thousands of years of waiting finally over.

and when you smile at him, claiming how much you adore him and how you’ve always wanted to meet him, he finally understands. ah, he thinks, it seems he’s not the only one who’s been longing to meet someone they’ve never met.

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elvilisa

2 years ago

Mermay: Sumeru Edition!

Summary: Mermaid-themed content! Each character has their own different narratives/scenarios separate from each other - hope you’ll like these!

Characters: Alhaitham, Kaveh, Tighnari, Cyno, Wanderer/Scaramouche

Wordcount: ~700 each

My coworker is a mermaid?!

You’re one of the few merpeople who’s moved to the human city—so long as you avoided being submerged in water, you had enough control over yourself to prevent your legs from shifting back into a tail.

It’s an interesting life, working at a detective agency with Alhaitham as one of your co-workers. But one day when you’re feeling sick from the hot weather and skip a meeting, Alhaitham visits your apartment himself to deliver investigation files; it's the first time you guys have been assigned to a case together despite how long you’ve both been in the company, so he thought it’d be quicker to visit you himself and inform you as such, being the efficient man he is. (You also weren’t answering your texts so he was a little worried—you’ve always been a prompt replyer otherwise.)

…What Alhaitham doesn’t expect however is for you to ghost him at the door despite the lights indicating that you were definitely home. Did something happen? Were you safe? Within this line of work it was definitely possible to get mixed up with enemies of some sort, so with that in mind Alhaitham managed to find the extra key you kept outside (organized as ever, and also something Kaveh mentioned to him while the blonde was drunk) and entered your home.

He calls out your name a few times, at first hearing nothing in response—before the sound of something dropping against the ground echoes from another end of the apartment. Alhaitham follows the clue, bracing himself for a surprise attack if this was really the worst case scenario, and kicks open the bathroom door where he hears scrambling and water splashing—

The first thing he sees is your tail. Glistening against the light, more beautiful than he’d care to admit in the chaos of the moment. Then his gaze falls to your face, your eyes widened in surprise before shifting into panic, and it takes Alhaitham a moment to register that when you struggle to sit up and leave the tub, the tail that lashes water everywhere and flops against the cold tiles is yours.

Suffice to say, he had a lot of explaining to wring out of you once you calmed down. Alhaitham hasn’t heard about merpeople being real since he was a child, and maybe a random conspiracy theory from an unreliable source—but the moment he realizes you’re running a fever, Alhaitham settles his doubts to tend to the matter at hand; picking you up and settling you back into the tub, he avoids your gaze and asks what temperature of water you needed to cool down.

It’s the first of many times that night Alhaitham calms you with his objectiveness. You don’t have to know that his heart was pounding the entire time, unsure if he’d finally gone insane from years of working in the field.

He leaves, promising to inform you about work the next day after you’ve gathered yourself together, and when you arrive at the meeting point Alhaitham almost forgets you weren’t human—dressed in your usual way, smiling like you always would, though with a nervous edge to your tone.

Everyone had their secrets. He wouldn’t benefit much from exposing yours right now—Alhaitham helps you with avoiding water, covering for you by volunteering himself at times. He insists it’s not from a sense of heroism but rather convenience for himself (having drama over your secret being exposed would only interrupt the case)—but how far can he stretch this excuse in terms of keeping an eye on your health, asking if you’re feeling well when the summer’s heat is blazing, and running to your rescue when the investigation’s been turned on its head?

Alhaitham was a resourceful man, but some things (or people) couldn’t simply be replaced by another so easily. He’d protect your identity and wishes and help you reach a happy end, so that you both might coexist like you've grown to desire.

…What a curious predicament he’s landed himself with indeed.

A familiar story...

Kaveh’s a merman that’s well-liked and recognized within his home in the sea. His feats in architecture are renowned, but it comes from a sort of fascination and appreciation for beauty—after all, why else would he seek to build better structures and strive for wonderful things?

And for a creative and genius mind like his, it’s not a stretch to say that Kaveh’s interest extended to the machines of the human world. During shipwrecks and other storms, items would wash into the sea and be scavenged by certain… opportunists, who would supply to merchants that would then mark up the prices for customers like Kaveh, who saw the good in too many things and had enough empathy to pay for more.

—Nevermind his sometimes empty pockets, but Kaveh also liked venturing out to find items by himself on occasion (times where he needed a break from the bustle of the underwater city, just to soak in the sunlight and sky for himself, and being brought to wonder what else was out there in the world above).

Kaveh would be lying if he said he never considered going to the surface, but the temptation only reaches its tipping point when he sees you for the first time at the beach—he’s seen many humans, but not so many that would ramble to their dog while pacing around the beach, throwing sticks for it and then settling down to sketch the scenery. It’s so… picturesque, of a situation, that Kaveh couldn’t help but stick around longer and enjoy the quietness with you.

And after you'd left, the sound of jewelry tinkling still lingers in his mind—you were wearing accessories with the most charming gems and color. It’s a shame they don’t have that material on-hand in the ocean—though wearing jewelry in the water itself wasn’t that practical to begin with.

So of course one day, after a particularly tiring series of events, Kaveh travels onto land for the first time and explores; there are foods he hasn’t seen before in the marketplace and Kaveh buys a cloak to help blend in (yes, he borrowed surface-currency from Alhaitham, though he anguishes at the idea that he has to rely on that guy for this), and when Kaveh gets distracted while looking at a jewelry stall’s offerings, he startles at the sound of a voice he’s only heard from afar.

You offer Kaveh a smile as you ask if he’s looking for something—and within his confusion Kaveh blurts out that he quite likes the earrings you’re wearing, so you smile and invite him to the store where you got them. He’s surprised to learn it’s a pawn shop, but the mere idea that you frequent there makes him feel a little more comfortable; perhaps the both of you were scavengers in your own right, looking for something you haven’t quite found yet.

He doesn’t buy anything, but ends up being gifted with a hair accessory by you—because his hair seems like it could use with pinning up, from how he’s been fidgeting with the ends (hair floats in the water, it does not do the same on land)—and Kaveh flusters even more when you mention it’s on the house (you own this place?!) and that it matches the color of his eyes anyways, so he should keep it.

Suffice to say, Kaveh becomes a regular visitor to the human world after that, forging a type of second-home in the visits to the markets and bringing trinkets he’s found at sea to you. You’re not the main owner of the pawn shop, but your senior is very knowledgeable about the items he’s brought in, even paying a high price for them. It’s all going well until a storm hits your seaside town during an event out at sea—and Kaveh, who had made an excuse to not attend the ship party—rushes to your rescue when you’re the one that falls off the deck—returning you to shore the next morning.

It’s a journey of worries, anxieties and doubts from there on; if you recalled your mysterious savior, Kaveh laments at the idea of you falling for a version of him he has to keep a secret. If you knew it was him, could he still visit the shore so casually again?

Despite everything, Kaveh still has the sense to prioritize the safety of himself and his people. Thus begs the question; did he have the courage to place his trust in you?

Fish in a pool, and a curious fox

It’s not common to find merpeople living in smaller bodies of water, far from the rest of the ocean, but there are exceptions in the town where you and Tighnari lived—where certain species different from humankind created a little haven of their own to coexist and thrive, adorned in nature and springs that one wouldn’t find elsewhere.

What would your friends from university say; you were living ‘cottagecore’ lives?

The first time you met Tighnari, it’d been as kids who wandered away from home. Not to say the town was that big, but there was a little intersecting river between the merfolk and land-habitants, where you swam toward out of curiosity one day, following a stray butterfly. It almost seemed to land on the surface of the water, fluttering before perching still - thus when you carefully tried to resurface from right below it, you hadn’t expected to touch noses with a stranger who sported fox ears and a tail.

Being children, the both of you lacked the initial embarrassment that most people might have in response—instead you simply backed away in surprise, asking for the stranger's name.

There was a short reprieve in which you both spotted the butterfly again—which was flying away in a direction further onto land—but before Tighnari could tell you where it was heading toward, you were both interrupted by the calls of your families to return home.

The next time you met, Tighnari is quick to mention the thought that’d been hanging on his mind—he tried to invite you to the meadow to find butterflies (for you seemed fond of them), before belatedly realizing you couldn’t tread on land. His ears drooping slightly, you quickly told him that maybe one day you could, once you’d mastered how to shift your tails into legs when you were older.

Growing up in your town was a picturesque childhood indeed. The day you first tried walking on legs, you’d been clumsy and needed a hand from your family, who were watching over you that day. Eventually you’re able to run and jump and explore on your own, to which you find yourself attracted to a field of flowers. You haven’t seen so many up close before, and was surprised when a pair of ears peeked out from within them; Tighnari, who was watching ladybugs climbing their stems.

That’s when your friendship properly blossomed, you supposed. As you were both interested in exploring, you and Tighnari would often go on trips together in your free time. You even brought him to the reefs once, teaching him to hold his breath just long enough to witness the beauty that lay underwater.

When you grew older, you learned that reading as many books as you had—absorbing knowledge—would come in handier than you thought. Tighnari is the first to leave the town to study in the city, a similar path his other family members took—and after a year of your own preparation, it was your turn to venture out to the Akademiya, where you heard Tighnari was.

You were independent in your own right, but becoming close friends with him (and maybe harboring a tiny crush) meant you wanted to at least be in the same city if possible. As luck permitted, you succeeded, and met Cyno during your first day when you’d become lost searching for your classes.

You’re surprised to learn later on that Tighnari has spoken of you before—enough for Cyno to ask if you knew of Tighnari based on your description of your home.

“He’d always talk about how beautiful the scenery was there, and exploring it with a childhood friend.”

Figures that when you find Tighnari in person, you wouldn’t be any the wiser about his fondness for you in how he acts—or perhaps you’d become so used to his gestures that it’s now hard to tell. But to those that have met him since he’s been at the Akademiya, there is a clear smile in Tighnari’s eyes when he’s talking to you, and a sense of comfort that they haven’t seen from him anywhere else.

Involved in an underwater crime mystery… Mermaids are real?!

CW: missing persons mystery, reader gets kidnapped by a sea creature/villain (they’re fine though!)

Despite Cyno’s suspicions the first time he met you, you truly were just a wandering journalist that got into a lot of trouble; there’s been cases of people going missing near the seaside lately, thus when you ventured to the scene of the crime in hopes of getting some interviews, you end up getting caught by a mysterious sea creature and brought to the bottom of the ocean—at least, that’s how your story might’ve ended, if Cyno hadn’t spotted your kidnapping and intercepted it before it was too late.

The mysterious creature that took you was shrouded in shadow—some type of cloaking magic to hide its real form, but it had left a marked symbol on you from where it was gripping your leg to pull you under; unsure of what side-effects you may experience, Cyno had brought you to Tighnari first to get rid of any traces of magic before returning you to shore, only to realize that you were somehow breathing underwater, without the use of a spell on his part.

When you wake up, you’re understandably confused and perplexed. Unless you were hallucinating this entire thing, you’re now in an underwater city after being found by Cyno, a high-ranking merman guard, who had rescued you from the same creature that was probably behind the other missing persons cases.

Cyno places a hand on your shoulder in a gesture of comfort when he noticed your hands trembling, but your mind was reeling from the information (and sensory) overload.

One thing was clear: You weren’t going back to the surface until this mark was taken off you (which according to Tighnari, could only fade over time or be removed by the caster of the spell).

You had two options: stay here as a patient and wait things out, or join Cyno on his investigations. You weren’t particularly weak to pretty faces so as to risk your life for them, but the resolve that burned in Cyno’s gaze when he spoke of tracking them down helped steel your mind; you weren’t sure if you could hold on to this hope for long while stranded here alone, but perhaps you could be of some use to him with your intel from the surface, and maybe this decision would end with you having less regrets, for at least being moved to action within this crisis and confusion.

Your job was to document the truth, after all. You want to bear witness to this—to help put an end to the crime and mystery that has engulfed both your community and his.

You’re introduced to Cyno’s world and witness his dedication to protecting the underwater city of Sumeru. You hear stories from Tighnari, during your breaks, about how Cyno used to act back in their Akademiya days. It’s hard to imagine that Cyno could be invested in card games and stories of ancient magic when he was off-duty, but you honestly found the idea of it cute.

Perhaps when this whole ordeal was over, you could ask him to teach you about TCG. You get a glimpse of this other side of Cyno during one night when you’re camping out during an investigation outside the city, and he shows you a bit of elemental magic when you ask if he’s capable of such things too.

Admittedly, Cyno is more combat-oriented these days, but he tells you that he’s always liked the sound of adventures and playing a role different from what he’s used to. You think to yourself that out here, with this demonstration of magic that’s like stealing the stars from the night sky to a mortal like yourself, that he could be anything he wanted to be and you’d still follow him to the ends of the ocean.

But when all was said and done, where would your friendship go? It’s a little selfish, but a part of you is starting to wish that this adventure would never end.

Befriending a bad-mannered mermaid… Have we met before?

CW: Reader has trouble sleeping/insomnia. Mentions of drowning but it’s just a quip from Wanderer, not described or actually happening to anyone here. Uh… just him being mean but it's not from a malicious place. Reader technically presumed dead (?) — it’s a little complicated but I swear it makes sense once you read, it’s not angsty don't worry!

To start things off anticlimactically, you met Wanderer one day when you were walking by the shore at dawn, having had another restless night. With your eyelids finally growing heavy as you leaned against a boulder on the sand, you found yourself drifting to sleep…

…Only to be rudely interrupted by a pebble thrown your way, just narrowly missing your leg.

While Wanderer would simply say it’s because you were interrupting his alone time (who does he think he is, talking as if he owned the beach anyways?!) It was really just a matter of safety. He continues to quip at you, making comments about how you clearly lacked self-preservation if you thought sleeping there was fine, and to not complain that he was a quiet bystander when you get dragged out by the current and drown.

You’re obviously confused and indignant at the same time—not to mention he’d just left immediately after that. But hours later you realize he was talking to you really casually. The next time you encounter him and ask as such, Wanderer simply says that all humans were the same, though some were obviously not a threat to him—like you.

You had half a mind to throw something back at him, only to be interrupted when Wanderer suddenly asked for your name. He’s uncharacteristically silent after hearing it, before telling you his own and disappearing again.

When you couldn’t sleep, you’d go to the beach these days in order to let the sunlight lull you to sleepiness, or—if that didn’t work—you’d draw Wanderer’s name into the sand to be washed away by the waves again and again. You’re not sure who told you this, but there was a saying that whatever message was washed away by the sea would be delivered to recipients in the water. When Wanderer finds you that afternoon, he’s quick to call the belief idiotic—only for you to argue that he did show up anyways.

Perhaps it’s because of how unabashedly proud he acts, but you find yourself responding to Wanderer in a familiar manner as well. You’re not afraid to retort against his remarks, and over time you become friends, though he would hate to admit it so plainly.

…To start things off from a different point of view, your friendship had actually started long before you started having issues with sleep, and perhaps even before you started to live your life on land.

Long ago, Wanderer had a friend who painstakingly wore down his barriers and adopted him as a companion. That is, in the same way a cat and owner relationship might work—though he had no clue what exactly a cat was, for his friend was the only one between them to have ventured far enough into the human world to meet one.

Wanderer didn’t care much about humans, but his friend (who was a merperson), quite liked their creations and stories. They’d always found it amusing to see humans board their cruise ships and pollute the air with their noise, while Wanderer would constantly remind them to not get too caught up in human-watching. What was so great about those land-dwellers anyways?

After a series of events, said friend had gone missing and was presumed dead. So how many thoughts flurried through Wanderer’s mind on the day he saw you at the beach as if to taunt him? How betrayed and confused and annoyed had he felt after rationalizing things in his mind; that if you were a reincarnation of his friend, that you wouldn’t remember anything. That if you were his friend yourself, who’d turned out to have lived, you’d have your reasons for never attempting contact. And if it was neither of those, you were just a look-alike and fate had a really crappy sense of humor for making him stumble upon you like so.

He’d started venturing closer to the surface ever since his friend’s disappearance—partially as a way to get away from the city and the well-meaning but overbearing attempts to comfort him, and also as a little way to feel connected to them again.

Wanderer doubts he’d ever love humans the same way they did, but he’s at least able to appreciate the softness of the morning when the sun filters through the surface just right.

To summarize, yes - you are that friend, though whether you’d been reincarnated after an incident or simply had your memories erased eludes the both of you. The story starts here, and has much to explore henceforth; as much as Wanderer liked to complain, he was quite relieved to be able to adventure with you again. The more time he spends with you, the more he’s convinced that maybe second chances do come true.

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