; Yours

truthfully, miserably. [m. fushiguro]

the truth came to him like a drowning man’s first breath, but came far too late; you were already long gone.

cw: literally just angst. 

wc: 1.5k.

note: this doesn’t even have a plot??? it’s just me directing my bummed out energy on my poor baby megumi i feel so bad i have to like write him fluffly headcanons or something after this.

“you’re lying.” 

megumi stiffened his body to suppress the shudder that passed through him. he worried that those words would haunt him for the rest of his life. 

how terrifying it was to watch himself become undone by those two words. he’d known himself to be an honest man, a good man. it didn’t ever occur to him that lying about something as intangible, inconsequential as his own feelings could hurt someone; could make him a worse person. 

“it’s not the right time. i’m too busy to worry about you more than i already do.”

it had been an easy lie. so easy that he was mildly convinced of it himself until the moment you’d pulled it to pieces before him and turned your back on him with a suitcase in one hand. 

Keep reading

Angst-to-fluff Inumaki x reader and Itadori x reader headcanons (separately) for when their s/o takes a hit for them during a mission and winds up unconscious for a few days as a result of the injury? Thank you so much!

WHEN THEIR S/O TAKES THE HIT FOR THEM

note. i hope u enjoy anon !! i had fun writing this <3

feat.  itadori, inumaki x gn!reader

warnings. angst (to fluff!), mentions of blood and death, a lil gory? 

☆ MASTERLIST

☆ — ITADORI

he’s constantly taking hits for you. whether it be a life-threatening swipe of a cursed spirit’s claws or a bonk on the head from fushiguro, itadori will take the fall. you hate it. you know he’s doing it out of the pure, all-consuming love he holds for you - but what about your love?

every time you see yuuji rush out to save you, you’re too slow to stop his inhumanely fast instincts, you are, however, fast enough to stop the cursed spirit currently lunging at him. he’s too distracted to notice - eyes only on you and anything that is actively targeting you to look out for himself. a flash of an image of a wounded yuuji is conjured up by your imagination, and you can feel the way your heart twists painfully - the feeling of dread makes you physically sick to your stomach.

it’s far too late to even consider how much of a bad idea this is before you’re leaping into action, the disgusting crunch of your bones and squelching sound of your blood is truthfully, a friendly reminder. a reminder that this isn’t yuuji. it’s the last coherent thought you have before the adrenaline can no longer stop the immense pain as you collapse to the sound of yuuji’s cries.

anyone other than shoko is absolutely forbidden to touch you. yuuji treats you like fine china, terrified that even a touch will break you. the immense guilt that settles in his gut for the few days you’re unconscious is a pain that only reminds him of his grandfather’s passing. shoko tells him you’re going to wake up soon, that you’ll be fine when you do but oh god what if you don’t? the thought of you closing your eyes and drifting away like his grandfather is far too much for him to bear.

and now, contrasting that with the joy he feels as you awake makes him seem like a different person. yuuji oh so desperately wants to be angry at you, he wants to scold you for being so reckless but how could he? you look far too ethereal even with your chapped lips and messy hair, and were your eyes always that pretty colour?

yuuji will hold you close. maybe soon enough he’ll scold you, but for now, yuuji needs to feel you in his arms. he presses a kiss to your forehead, that sensitive spot on your neck, and the tips of your fingers, etching the images of your reactions and the feeling of your skin into his mind.

☆ — INUMAKI

inumaki is unbelievably kind. throwing himself into danger for the sake of his friends and those he loves is nothing to him. it's like picking between tuna mayo onigiri for lunch and- well, anything else. and when it comes to you? his heart is in your palm. 

toge will act like the cuts on his torso and the broken bones in his body are nothing for the sake of protecting you, so that any guilt he knows you'll have can disappear - but it never does. how could it? seeing him broken and bruised just for you isn't exactly as sweet as it sounds. for once, all you want is to for toge to be selfish. but it never comes.

even as you two stand, bloody and bruised against a curse much too strong for either of you to handle, inumaki doesn't shake. he acts like your shield, continuing to spit out words filled with fury directly at the spirit - uncaring of the blood that pours out of his mouth like a waterfall. you cry and beg him to stop, but he only turns to smile at you with gentle eyes - telling you, "it's okay." 

it's not. not at all. not when the cursed spirit is jumping forward and getting ready to claw at toge - not when he's too distracted with you to notice. his eyes widen when you burst forward, tumbling towards him in desperation. he feels the blinding pain shoot up his back as he hits a concrete pillar - one you'd pushed him into. 

inumaki opens his eyes, heart stopping at the sight of your body. his eyes dart furiously to the blood that seeps from your head, and then to the mangled mess of limb that is your right leg, an inexplicable feeling of loss makes him tremble - but as he hears the cursed spirit laugh at its seeming victory, he refuses to back down, especially now. 

toge can't stop the blood that builds inside his throat and spills out of his mouth, not that he really cares much about it as he watches shoko use her reversed cursed technique on your leg, relief flooding over him as you're healed. there's not much she can do for your other injuries other than bandage them up, but if the scars ever bother you then know inumaki will be there to kiss your insecurities away. 

he prepares for when you'll finally wake by buying all of your favourite snacks, that plush you really wanted, and turning his room into the ultimate comfort cave. toge has utter faith you'll wake up, he really does - but he can't help but sob when you finally do, an overpowering pressure lifting from his shoulders. make sure to not leave his side for a few days (years) afterward, alright?

© SINUMAKI 2022 — do not repost, plagiarise or translate my writing. i will beat the shit out of u.

Can you write a thing for an Akira x reader, but the reader has this thing for the Joker and Akira finds out and maybe uses calling cards to hit on the reader??? :3

[Anon asked so I did my best to deliver!  A bit fragmented but I was focused on the idea of liking Joker turning into liking Akira.]

Onyx hair and slate irises.  Noticeable lower lashes that framed his kind eyes.  A masculine jawline, but his cheeks held just the slightest rounding of his youth.  The traits were all the same and yet, as Akira explained the team’s goals for the day’s trip into Mementos, your heart remained calm within your breast.

“Are we all clear?” Morgana called.

The cat’s words brought you out of your stupor and you nodded alongside your teammates.  It was too late to admit that you had been too preoccupied with analysing your sort-of-crush to hear anything that was said.  Well, you figured, all you had to do was beat up some Shadows.

Onyx hair and slate irises.  His porcelain mask outlined the eyes with a shadow and four distinct lower lashes.  His jaw was hard set with the rush of battle.  This man was someone completely different from the Akira you knew and it excited your heart into a thrumming mess.

“Are you okay?” Joker asked as he released the arm around your waist.

Keep reading

You already know 😌✨ Oikawa x reader - “Kisses exchanged as they move around, hitting the edges of tables or nearly tripping over things on the floor before making it to the sofa, or bed.”

a/n: you just know you’d constantly have fun with this man. i love him your honor

warning: suggestive!

[ 01:12 AM ]

the door cracked loudly against the wall of the hotel, and you let out a startled chuckle against oikawa's lips as you were backed unceremoniously through the threshold. "shh, shh, we don't want anyone to file any complaints."

oikawa grinned, leaning in and capturing your lips in another searing kiss, fingers clasped tightly on your hips beneath your shirt. "if we don't get at least three noise complaints, i'm not working hard enough."

you laughed again, love-drunk and relishing the light, fizzing feeling in your chest, and you kicked off your shoes – or tried to kick off your shoes – instead, tripping on your own feet and taking the giggling man down to the ground with you in a tangled heap. "tooru!" you gasped, laughing breathlessly, feeling his entire body shake above you with silent laughter. you pecked his neck lightly. "toor – help me up, you big oaf."

"mean," he said, still wheezing, maneuvering his head to steal another kiss before you could press your lips back against his throat. "can't we just stay here?" he whispered against your mouth. "i've been waiting all night."

"no! up, up," you said, pushing him away with flat palms. he smiled and pulled himself upright, dragging you up by the hand, but nearly lost his balance again when you immediately launched yourself at him, wrapping your thighs tightly around his waist and pulling him toward you by his collar. he teetered backwards, catching himself on the table in the hall, too roughly to spare the lamp from tipping over and clattering noisily to the floor. it went unnoticed by both of you, panting and breathless, wrapped up in only one another.

oikawa's hands gripped you firmly beneath your thighs, trying desperately to find his way to the nearest horizontal surface without breaking your kiss – he was successful, but only barely – he found the couch, leaving a trail of fallen decorations and articles of clothing in his and your wake. you landed on the plush cushions with a soft bounce, quickly being caged in by his arms once more.

"this good enough?" he muttered, hovering over you on his elbows, one hand buried messily into your hair, the other running the thumb over your bottom lip. his eyes were glazed over with love and desire; you could see yourself reflected in them. "or are you going to make me destroy more of this hotel room?"

you smiled up at him, one hand gripping at his shirt. "i don't know if your wallet could take the hit from the damages."

he shook his head solemnly, leaning in and pressing his forehead against yours. "definitely not."

"i suppose we have no choice."

he leaned down further still, pressing his lips against yours. you could feel him smile.

"no choice at all."

have a request?

⠀「 Good Game 」 

Reblogs are greatly appreciated !!  

「 FEAT : 」 Kazuha x gn! reader

「 ### : 」 Starts out a lil tense but it’s fluff !! Suggestiveness? Kissing and sort of making out?? But nothing too wild. Flirty & cocky kazuha and flirty & competitive reader !! Modern AU. 

「 CWS : 」 Use of pseudo guns & a pseudo battle but (spoiler!!) its just a rlly intense laser tag game lmao. Reader gets pinned against the wall at one point, but it’s highly implied that you could escape whenever.

Collab entry for my beloved @anantaru​ & @bluexiao​ ‘s Sweet N Spice collab ♡

also if you see me posting this like 4 days before the deadline no you dont edit: reposting this bc it wasn’t showing up in tags 💔

There is the rhythmic thump of your blood pulsing in your ears, only contested by your ragged breaths and the distant noise of laser fire. Your heart is pounding in your chest, muscles wound tight and ready to spring into action at the barest hint of danger. There is sheer adrenalin running through your veins, your fight or flight instinct not having rested ever since the threat had made itself known.

It’s darker than you would have liked, the place illuminated only by painfully bright strobing lights of different colors— every time those lights flash, you’re not sure what’s enemy fire and what isn’t. Every time, you nearly jump out of your skin.

Cautiously, you dare to peek out from behind the wall where you’ve taken shelter. The lights don’t reveal any assailants prowling in your sight, so you give yourself the space to breathe a sigh of relief. The gun in your hand, pulsing with fluorescent lights,  feels too heavy for your tired limbs. The ache only makes itself more known as the seconds tick by, and it mounts when you sneak a glance at the small screen on your forearm, where you can keep track of your comrades’ status. 

All but two names had been greyed out.

Among your teammates, Ayaka had fallen not too long ago, with Thoma also biting the dust taking revenge on her murderer. The numbers on each opposing side dwindled little by little from there, and now only Yoimiya’s and your own name remained. She had gone on her own path a while ago to deal with one of the two enemies remaining, and you suppose knowing that she isn’t yet out of the fight is reassuring. But the faint flashing light on the battery of your gun —almost out of ammunition, fuck— is enough to send a pit right back into your stomach. 

You don’t know how much longer you can keep yourself alive, barely managing to dance out of the line of fire and shooting back when you can. There might not be enough juice left in this thing, you think, swallowing. Likely not enough to last you if you ran into—

“There you are.”

Keep reading

my first kiss went a little like this.

masterlist!

# — pairings: albedo x reader

# — characters: gender neutral reader, albedo, kaeya

# — summary: someone tell albedo that first kisses are supposed to be a little more romantic.

# — warnings: n/a

# — tags: drabble format, fluff, first kiss with albedo

# — notes: it's almost 1 am and i've got a crush on a genshin boy. as always, reblogs and reactions are greatly appreciated, and i hope you guys enjoy!

✧ — 🏵 — ✧

unsurprisingly, the first time albedo kissed you, it was for research purposes.

the two of you are alone in his lab in mondstadt, and you're standing beside him, examining his notes while he waits for you to give your opinion. you may not be an alchemist, but albedo knows the benefits of having an outside opinion. of course, when sucrose returns from her trip, he'll have her give her educated opinion as well. you're silent as you read the notes closely, trying to make sense of every line. albedo's pleased that you're so invested in this, but... something’s bothering him.

you're bothering him, actually. not your presence, no, but your lips.

lately, albedo's been distracted by you. he's not sure when it started or why, but these days, he's been sensitive to your mannerisms. he's always been attentive to details -- he has to be, otherwise he'd probably have singed off his eyebrows (or worse) by now -- but he's never been that way towards anyone other than klee before.

for example: a few weeks ago, albedo noticed that you had a tendency to bite your lip whenever you were deep in thought. that was one of the many things you did whenever you were thinking hard, actually; he noticed that you would sometimes chew on the inside of your bottom lip or cover your mouth with a hand whilst humming.

he also noticed that whenever you finished laughing at something, you had very faint laugh lines around your mouth; an indication that you must have been incredibly amused.

and, when you two got lunch together per your suggestion, you had a habit of licking the corners of your lips in quick succession -- likely a method of ensuring that there was nothing lingering there.

thinking himself strange for paying such close attention to that, he took it upon himself to do a little bit of research.

...it didn't take long for him to realize that the common denominator was your lips. the issue now was what he was supposed to do with that information.

fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it), albedo ran into kaeya during his studies and explained the problem. the cavalry captain had the time of his life laughing at a bewildered albedo's expense.

"i'm not sure what's so comical about my research." albedo said. he isn't the type to get offended very easily under normal circumstances, but listening to kaeya crack up after hearing about his recent project was starting to make his hackles rise.

kaeya wiped a tear from his eye as he caught his breath. "albedo, you've got to be one of the most interesting people i have ever met." he finally said. he sighed, his lips still upturned in a smile. "why are you telling me this, anyhow?"

"i believe i've told you why already, cavalry captain. i just wanted your input, but i'm considering retracting my request."

"ah, ever the professional, this one is," kaeya chuckled. "you want to know what i think? i think you're attracted to them."

albedo blinked. kaeya snorted. "attracted to them? i don't see why i would be. this just suddenly started, so i..."

his sentence went unfinished as he turned over the idea in his head. attraction? albedo hasn't felt attraction outside of a platonic sense for anyone besides the traveler, and even then, there was still a line of friendship that he had yet to cross with them. and surely, kaeya was referring to romantic attraction, wasn't he? but why? he had no experience with it, so--

kaeya sighed, interrupting the alchemist's thoughts. "i can hear what you're thinking. you must be wondering why, right? well, don't. just let yourself feel it, and stop treating it like it's alchemy." an emotion albedo couldn't place flickered in kaeya's eye and his smile softened into something less mocking. "you can't always explain away relationships, albedo."

lost for words, albedo nodded. perhaps he would have to take that under consideration.

while albedo understood that kaeya may have been right about relationships, it wasn't all that easy to give up his natural approach to experiences. he decided to continue his research for a little while longer, keeping in mind the words of the cavalry captain. finally, he came to one conclusion:

he needs to kiss you.

if he covered your lips with his own and stamped out the flames of curiosity that only grew hotter by the day, then maybe, just maybe, he would be able to get on with his life.

so, when you finally finish reading the notes, albedo has a hard time focusing on your feedback.

"i think you're a bit too detail-oriented, albedo," you say, your forehead creasing as you skim the paper again. "maybe you should zoom out first since it seems like you've hit a bit of a snag."

"is that so?" albedo replies half-heartedly, his eyes never leaving your lips. it's almost mesmerizing. "is there anything else?"

you look from the paper and see albedo looking at you but you can't shake the feeling that he's somehow looking elsewhere. his eyes are on your face, but lower than they should be. your body temperature skyrockets when it dawns on you that his eyes are on your lips. you silently hope that he hasn't noticed your sudden nervousness, but you see him raise his eyebrows.

"is something wrong?" albedo asks, his bright teal eyes meeting yours. "you've stopped speaking."

you avert your eyes. it's true that albedo was already looking your way, but you feel like you're being observed, and not even in a scientific sense. something about the way albedo's eyelids lowered while he was looking at your lips was making your mind race. d

does he know how intimate of a look that is? albedo isn't one for doing things without purpose; the very idea that he was staring at your lips with intent makes you flush. this would be so much less embarrassing if you didn't harbor feelings for him. maybe you were just delusional; he wouldn't kiss you, right? he wouldn't kiss anybody! albedo's not a kisser, that's just not his style, so--

"you still haven't replied," albedo speaks again, breaking you away from your thoughts. he tilts his head and you suddenly realize that he's closer than he was before. again, his gaze jumps from your lips back up. "are you sure you're--"

"sorry, i think i must've stepped forward while i was reading." you chuckle shyly. this kind of pressure isn't good for your heart -- not in the slightest. you take a step back to gain some distance, but albedo follows you, taking a step forward. "um..."

"there's something i'd like to try with you, if you'd allow me." albedo takes your chin between gloved fingers. your entire body locks up. "i'm afraid it will require you to relax."

archons, he's so observant, it's almost unsettling. your tongue swipes over your bottom lip quickly and you see albedo follow the movement. this is the exact position of people who are about to kiss, but you take a shaky breath, still trying to convince yourself that that's not what albedo's trying to do.

albedo brushes his thumb over your mouth. "relax."

you shiver. "i-i'm afraid it's not that easy. you're behaving like you're going to kiss me. did you know that?"

the alchemist hums in what seems to be approval. "how astute of you. that was my plan, actually."

...what.

"you were planning to--"

"kiss you, yes. may i?"

it's a miracle you haven't passed out yet. you run through your options at lightspeed.

on one hand, you could say 'yes' and get to kiss albedo. he's probably doing this for a project, but being his lab rat doesn't sound too bad right about now.

on the other hand, if you do kiss him and it really is just for a project, then you'd have kissed the man you've been head over heels for and receive nothing in return. you two would have to proceed as though nothing ever happened, and honestly, you'd probably just leave mondstadt to avoid ever having to see him again.

you make your decision fairly quickly. "you may," you whisper. kissing albedo is a once in a lifetime experience, you figure, so you may as well do it once before you die. albedo inches closer until your breaths are intermingling. you want nothing more than to stop breathing and live in the moment, but you're pretty sure that would ruin it, actually.

albedo finally tilts his head slightly and closes the gap between you two and... you're kissing.

you're kissing the chief alchemist of the knights of favonius.

it's a very gentle press of lips that doesn't last very long, but it's enough to send your soul to celestia and back. you're the first to pull away after a few seconds; you didn't want to, but any longer, and you probably would have tried to deepen it. albedo's fingers haven't left your chin, but when you get a better look at his face, you see him start to frown. "was... that okay?" you ask, breathless.

albedo presses his lips together as though he was trying to commit the feeling of yours to memory. "again," he says. it doesn't sound like a question. he must notice, because he rephrases it. "can we try that again? longer this time; i'm a little unsure on something."

you weren't going to make it out of this lab alive.

"unsure on what, exactly?" you ask. really, you just want some peace of mind. "i-i'm sure there's an obscure book about kissing in the library somewhere."

albedo's reply is immediate. "no." his frown deepens, but he looks almost.. disappointed that you would say that. maybe you're just imagining things. "no, i would much rather do this with you."

you say a silent prayer:

if there are any archons who can hear me, thank you.

you nod stiffly. "uh, sure, i guess. what do you want to try then?"

albedo seems relieved by your response. "i've come across people who tend to move their lips while kissing. should we try a deeper kiss, then?

a giggle stumbles out of you. this is going to be one hell of a story to tell someday. you apologize right away, explaining that people don't usually express their desire to kiss someone like this.

albedo nods. "i see. next time, i won't ask, then."

"next time?"

no response. instead, albedo kisses you again, taking you by surprise. for someone who's never kissed anyone before, he sure does know how to start. you sigh into the kiss unknowingly and feel albedo's fingers twitch. you slowly work him into it, moving your hands to rest gently around his neck to get him more comfortable.

he pulls away. before he can ask his question, you decide to take the liberty of adjusting your position. you take his hands and put them on your waist. "it's a more intimate way of sharing kisses," you explain. "but if you really want to learn, you have to follow my lead."

for some reason, albedo's eyes flash with what you think is irritation. "have you done this before with someone else?"

"yes?"

"interesting." he doesn't interested at all. "again."

you don't question him and do as he says. in the moments that follow, you affirm your belief that albedo is a very fast learner.

maybe too fast, actually.

somehow, he's taken control of the kiss from you, speeding up and slowing down the pace seemingly just to mess with you. you don't fight it for a while, content with the way your lips seem to fit together perfectly. you tried to pull away to tell him off, but he held you in place, grazing his teeth on your lip to keep you going.

it was almost as if he was starting to enjoy himself.

"albedo," you call his name and your voice comes out breathier than you intended, "albedo, gimme a second, i need--"

the alchemist pulls away and drops his head on your shoulder. the two of you are a little short of breath, but you don't have it in you to complain. your lips are tingling. "i should have stopped sooner," you say, tapping his shoulder. "are you alright?"

albedo doesn't say anything. he's breathing fine, but he's just not replying.

"albedo?"

"i think," he finally says, straightening himself out, "we need to take a break."

"a break?" you parrot back. "but that would mean you want to--"

he wants more. you flush again and take a few steps back. the more distance between you two, the better. you don't want to be too hasty. "yeah, sure, that's fine, of course!" you blabber. "do you know how much more you want, though?"

albedo sits in a chair a little ways away. his fingers are hovering over his own mouth and he glances at you, his eyes gleaming.

"as much as it takes to satisfy me, i suppose."

✧ it's very very late at night, so the ending is rushed and messy, but i do hope you'll let me know if you enjoyed it!

☾ the witching hour

☾ decision: kitchen

☾ warnings: f!reader, alcohol mention

☾ word count: 1.5k 

Keep reading

physicality.

*physicality: the fact of relating to the body as opposed to the mind; physical presence.

word count: 1,921

a/n: i absolutely love inumaki. and seeing jjk 0 today only made me love him more. however, no worries - no spoilers for the movie in this fic! also, i used this wonderful person’s guide on inumaki’s language for this fic! 

Inumaki wanted to say lots of things.

There was so many things he’d wanted to express at multiple different points of his life, but never could. He’d felt the frustration of his cursed energy for as long as he could remember, and it had never really faded - he just, simply, learned how to cope with it.

He really didn’t have any other choice.

Keep reading

FUCK MY HEART 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

say you’re mine

pairing — akaashi keiji x gn!reader ; per a request, reader has slight anxiety and underconfidence issues

warnings — drinking but you’re both of age and its like a shot lmao

word count — 2.0k~

request — From @babyybokutoakaashi​ ; ‘It is my first time asking for a fic request but can i ask for Akaashi fic. I dont have any specifics. Maybe his s/o can have a resemblance to me, like a not confident person and being anxious even on the little things. Its okay too if you dont’

an — i’m so happy i’m your first request! you’re also the first request i’ve taken so besties 👯‍♀️ hope you like this fic, i really wanted to write for akaashi anyways so let’s make a fic of it 🥳 hope you enjoy!!

inspo — sofia by clairo

akaashi keiji has been an enigma to you despite the plethora of years you’d known him. not in the way that you didn’t know what he liked — you know he prefers his coffees with creamer and three sugars, that if he was wearing his glasses it’s because his contacts probably dried out, and you know that if he wears his old fukurodani sweater that he’s working on editing another piece for udai, but you never knew how he truly felt about you.

Keep reading

Your event is so cool and unique, I just saw it pop up in the tags and would like to request Kazuha with loach pearls and luminescent spines. I think it'd be very sweet.

Promise Me

a/n | aw thank you anon! and you couldn’t have picked a better combination imo for the event this was so fun to imagine and write. i got way too invested in the backstory but how can i not kazuha is just so—🥺❤️ i really hope i did this justice! (art credits: @/maiaiiaiiai on deviantart).

warnings | self-contained slow burn fic, unedited

genre | fluff, childhood crushes + love confession

word count | 3k

pairing | kazuha x reader

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

In those wondrous days so many years ago, your messy hair bounced freely, your toothy smile often turned into infectious giggles, and your eyes were bright with endless possibilities. The puddles of a rainy spring day were portals to a new world waiting to be explored. The shells washed ashore after a midsummer storm hid the secrets to an underwater palace. The piles of golden-hued leaves carried on the autumnal wind were your unpredictable guides to distant lands hidden between trees.

The world was your oyster, and you had the best adventurer as your loyal partner through thick and thin. Though, you wouldn’t know it just by looking at him.

He was the quiet type, not one to easily approach others for help or fall prey to rash decisions. No, he chose his words carefully and sparingly, weaving the most eloquent phrases or witty replies. You always wondered where his mind was behind those scarlet orbs, but it was apparent he never let his guard down no matter how lax he seemed.

He was much more attuned to the sounds of nature. He could hear an intruder from a mile away, smell the faint traces of an abandoned campfire from the night before, and feel the breeze warn him of a distant storm. His observant eye made him an excellent traveling partner, indeed.

Your mother would only let you venture as far as the outskirts of the rural village you called home. But that never stopped the both of you from wandering through the Inazuman wilderness until nightfall, a tattered leather backpack full of the day’s lucky finds strapped to your shoulders and a rusty sword sheathed on your friend’s hip.

You found it quite fitting when you learned of his name the first time you asked him to help carry your precious treasures home. Somehow this mysterious, cream-haired boy had guessed the direction of your hidden trove before you even told him. ‘When I am lost, the winds whisper the way forward,’ he had declared matter-of-factly to your astonished face.

Kaedehara Kazuha. Ten thousand maple leaves, painted with the warm colors of wisdom.

“Here we are!” you announced excitedly, rushing to the small opening in a huge tree with lots of big sprawling roots twisted through the dirt. You quickly stuffed your finds into the little tree hollow next to your myriad of unique rocks and fossils. “Welcome to my secret base, Kazuha. You’re my first visitor ever! So don’t even think about telling anyone else about this place, alright?”

The skinny boy hummed in response, taking in the vast green canopy of the tree. There was a makeshift treehouse stationed high up and he spotted a worn hammock draped from a particularly sturdy branch. “You picked an ideal spot.”

That was the fateful day you and Kazuha became friends.

You were surprised to discover that his imagination was just as wild and boundless as yours, conjuring up far-fetched fantasies of ancient prophecies and protecting you from harm like the gallant knights from your storybooks. He loved roaming the countryside with you. Hand in hand, you’d rush to a shiny treasure that caught your eye from afar and Kazuha would laugh merrily at your adorable antics as you dragged him along.

Sometimes your eager curiosity would get the best of you, suddenly putting you and Kazuha face-to-face with a dangerous foe. When anything dared to attack you, Kazuha would instantly place himself between you and the assailant, dull blade ready to defend you as his most precious friend. Thankfully that didn’t happen often. The worst enemy you encountered was a buried Dendro slime that grew angry after you so rudely stomped on its sprouts in a hurry.

At the end of the day, you were both just lonely kids desperate for an escape from the monotony of reality. Growing up was a scary notion and you weren’t planning on giving up your free-spirited lifestyle anytime soon—or ever.

There was one memory you cherished deeply, when you and Kazuha spent hours recuperating from the day’s excursion in the lofty treehouse. The warm sun hugged the horizon for miles on end as it sank lower and lower, its rays washing the sky in breathtaking watercolor hues. A few of the brightest stars were barely visible in the heavens, and the collective sound of crickets stretching their legs filled the air.

Your treehouse wasn’t anything special, just a small wooden platform with railing. It didn’t have a roof, which was perfect for watching the movements of the night sky amid plenty of sheets and comfy pillows splayed out on the floor. There was no hustle and bustle of the city to interrupt the tranquility of nature. No parents to come running after you, chastising you for who-knows-what.

It was just you and Kazuha, and you preferred it that way.

You recounted the thrilling and unexpected parts of your trek, waving your hands in the air animatedly as Kazuha watched amused. He would poke fun at how you mistook an innocent Geo slime for a idle rock to sit on or how your terrible Hilichurlian impression landed you both in an unusual predicament. You’d deny it and try to brush him off, only for Kazuha to tickle your sides until you admitted to your silly shenanigans.

“Okay, okay, Kazu!” you pleaded between bouts of hard laughter, trying to push his hands away from your sensitive torso.

He stopped as you asked, his own giggles happily humming on his lips as he turned on his side to fully face you, leaning his chubby cheek on his hand. When you met his fond gaze, your heart leapt and your tummy felt strange, almost giddy.

“There are many lands left unseen, many secrets yet uncovered, and many treasures to be had in this world. Like a bird learning to fly, you’ve inspired me to soar beyond the nest and into the unknown,” Kazuha smiled earnestly, casting his expression downward in contented reminiscence with a dusting of pink on his skin. “You are my best friend, (Y/N), and I want to travel the world with you. No matter how long it takes or what happens.”

Immediately your face brightens enthusiastically and Kazuha breathes a small sigh of relief as if it was difficult to finally express himself to you. His proposal had you beaming at the moon hanging above, imagining what it would be like to explore each of the seven nations with Kazuha. With a pleased sigh, your eyes sparkle with the possibilities of the future. “Me too. I wouldn’t have it any other way… Pinky promise me? We’ll be friends forever?”

Nodding, the young boy assured, “I promise.”

Then eventually came the fateful day you didn’t show up to the old maple tree as usual. Kazuha had seen you yesterday, softly bidding you goodnight when you had to return home for dinner. It was a day just like any other, and his mind was already preoccupied with the prospect of tomorrow’s adventures that were just a night’s rest away.

Were you simply running late? Did you get caught up with household chores? Could you have fallen ill this morning?

Kazuha patiently waited under the tree for you to arrive at any moment, but that moment never came. A naturally laid-back person, he decided to assume you were busy and stopped by your house. He took a sneaky glance in the window, but you weren’t there either. Typically your mother stayed to take care of you and the house, yet she wasn’t in the kitchen cleaning up breakfast. In fact, no one was home. And it was barren.

“Excuse me,” Kazuha politely inquired of your neighbor, worried that something bad may have happened to you or your family. “Do you know when the (L/N)s will return home?”

“Oh, dear,” the old woman drawled out, a saddened look on her wrinkled features. “They won’t be coming back anytime soon. I’m afraid they left Inazuma late in the evening yesterday, hun.”

“L-left? For good?” Kazuha’s chest felt tight, his heart cracking at the thought of you no longer with him—his closest traveling partner had simply vanished into thin air. What about the adventure you planned for today? What of your treasures left behind in the old tree hollow? Who would whisk Kazuha away into the vast wilderness searching for fantastical dreams the way you did?

What about the promise you both made?

The awful creak of the elderly woman’s rocking chair snapped Kazuha out of his spiraling thoughts. She nodded feebly, “Yes, dear, I’m sorry.”

He couldn’t bear to stand idle any longer. Before he knew it, his feet had taken him far away, as far as his poor legs would take him with tears quietly streaming down his cheeks. Far away from anything that reminded him of your presence that had been there just the day before. He ran and he ran through forest and thickets until he collapsed at the beach’s edge, ruby-red eyes glassy and blurred.

All he could do is hope that fate would be kind enough to allow your paths to cross again in some corner of the world.

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Liyue Harbor was unlike anything you had ever seen. Streets lined with hundreds of different local businesses, sidewalks crowded with a sea of faces you’d never recognize, and buildings towering several stories connected by strings of paper lanterns. There was never a dull moment with all the holidays, festivals, or competitions going on. It was the biggest city you had ever visited, stretching along the southern coast of Liyue into the huge ocean that separated it from Inazuma.

It had been years since your parents forced you to move to the land of the Geo Archon. Your heart still aches miserably when you’re reminded of everything you left behind, especially the one and only person who lifted you up when the world often weighed you down. You remember how you sobbed so hard and resented your parents for taking your best friend away from you.

You never anticipated that one day might be the final adventure with your beloved comrade. You weren’t given the chance to offer Kazuha a proper goodbye. No exchanging addresses to write one another, no farewell gifts to remember each other by. You couldn’t even stop by the maple tree to pick up your collection as a token of your many adventures.

You always wondered what Kazuha had thought or felt after you left the country out of the blue. It hurt you so bad to think of him. Who was there to guide Kazuha across the treacherous terrain if not you? Who would be the one to help him find rare treasures right beneath his feet? Who would keep him company despite his solitary nature?

Worrying over Kazuha was pointless, you had eventually come to terms with. You’d probably never see him again. Your parents tried to encourage you to make friends in Liyue, but none of them were as eccentric in all the right ways like Kazuha. As you grew older, you became an outcast. It was difficult making friends in a foreign city you never wanted to go to in the first place. City folk wouldn’t understand your love for exploring nature anyway so you busied yourself with work from the Adventurer’s Guild, where at least you could still pursue your passion.

Today Katheryne had tasked you with picking up and delivery a large shipment for Miss Ying’er and her perfume shop from the Crux Fleet. You were quite used to being a postal carrier since the Adventurer’s Guild refused to give you scouting missions because of your insistence on working alone. Apparently Beidou had made the perilous voyage through Inazuma’s tempest for some special circumstance, which included the flora and seedlings Miss Ying’er requested.

You were in the harbor marketplace when the huge ship pulled into the docks, weighing its anchor into the sea. Already, you could see the crew gathering wooden crates and vases, preparing to unload them onto the cobblestone sidewalk. You waved to Beidou, who acknowledged that you were to pick up some of the items.

“Long time no see, (Y/N)!” the captain yelled from aboard her ship. “If you need a helping hand, I’m sure one of my guys wouldn’t mind.”

“Hey, Beidou! Thank you!” you called back, turning your attention to the crewmen placing more crates on the wooden dock.

Suddenly you spotted one with a large flower emblem stamped on the side, so you reach out to ask for the light-haired crew mate to hand it to you. “Oh! Actually, I need that crate please.”

“Of course,” he replied, lifting the crate of flowers back up and turning to you.

As you attempted to position your hands to hold the crate, you spare a passing glance at the man and instantaneously your body freezes in place. The flowers felt unusually heavy in your arms as your lip quivered and heart raced at the impossible revelation before you.

“(Y/N)?” his soothing voice broke the silence. “Is it really you?”

The mysterious crew mate’s soft gaze bore into you with a peculiar familiarity, like he could see the years of repressed thoughts, feelings, and longing rush back through you. Was this man before you actually who you think it is? How could he bear to speak to you after your sudden disappearance? The idea of looking him in the eyes again, facing so much guilt but also so much happiness at the same time left you utterly terrified.

Slowly, you gathered the courage to meet his patient expression. You couldn’t believe he was right here in front of you, just handing you a crate of flowers. He could’ve been anywhere in Teyvat, for all you knew. But he was here with you again, after everything.

You noticed how his hair had grown much longer, tied back into a lazy ponytail, with a long scarlet highlight on the side. He had the appearance of a wanderer with a much nicer blade resting on his hip than you last remembered. There was something different about the way he carried himself, but you couldn’t quite place it. When you saw a glowing Anemo vision clipped next to a faded one, you understood.

“Kazuha?” you breathed in shock, uncertain of his reaction.

Swiftly, he set aside the crate and embraced you in a surprisingly tight hug, holding you so close as if to keep you with him a bit longer—to make sure you were real. Kazuha buried his nose deep into your shoulder and you wrapped your arms around him, rubbing his back in small motions. You smelled like home, a nostalgic reminder of all those days spent exploring the secrets of Inazuma in his distant childhood.

Quickly separating himself from you in embarrassment, Kazuha bowed apologetically. “I-I’m sorry, I just… It’s you. I’ve missed you dearly, comrade. I never imagined I would find you in Liyue after all these years.”

“No, no,” you cried frantically, shaking your head. “K-Kazuha, if anything, I should be apologizing to you. I… I left you. My parents wouldn’t let me say goodbye. I didn’t even have time to write a note to you. I—”

You began to panic from so many conflicting emotions flooding you, hot tears threatening to spill and an anxious lump restricting your voice. Kazuha instantly reached out to pull your hands away from your distraught face gently, whispering to you, “(Y/N), dove, there’s no need to cry over me. I forgive you, okay? Let’s take care of these crates and we can catch up.”

Once you both delivered Miss Ying’er’s shipment, you invited Kazuha to watch the twilight descending over Liyue Harbor from the cliffs north of the city. You could not stop your heart from thumping with excitement, or maybe anxiety, every time you accidentally brushed hands trekking up the mountainous path. It was as if there weren’t years of separation, and you were silently thankful that Kazuha was an understanding person.

When you reached the ideal spot, you sat in the wild flowers and grass together overlooking Liyue. The crickets were waking up, and you were reminded of your favorite evening with Kazuha so long ago. How he teased and tickled you, a cute blush tinting his cheeks, promising to stay by your side forever. You wondered if he held those memories as fondly as you.

“I’m happy to see you faring well,” Kazuha hums thoughtfully, reveling in the warmth of the setting sun. He peeks an eye open to catch your reddened face, smiling that clever smile of his. “My memory pales in comparison to your lovely visage.”

“And you still have such a poetic tongue,” you roll your eyes and laugh lightly, leaning toward him teasingly to nudge his shoulder with yours. “I always loved that about you. I missed the way you’d talk about our adventures with your pretty words.”

“You know, I’ve always kept one of our treasures with me. Would you like to see it?” he asked.

Your face brightens, looking Kazuha over to see if you recognized any embellishments that might resemble one of your precious tokens. “Really? Yes, show me.”

From beneath his clothes, he pulled out a black necklace with a single piece of polished jade resting against his chest. He fingered the stone affectionately before turning to you, who had leaned even closer to take a look at the treasure. Though you cannot tell, Kazuha’s heart leapt too.

“I like to think this little charm brought me a sense of peace. I didn’t want to forget you,” he admitted sheepishly, letting his voice trail off softly. For a moment, his lips parted but he dismissed the idea with an embarrassed shake of his head.

“Kazuha,” you call to him delicately, attempting to catch sight of his wine-crimson irises beneath his fluffy bangs. “I’m glad we found each other again. I don’t think I could stand to be without you again.”

“Then let’s never part again, dove,” Kazuha grabs both of your hands in his and caresses them lovingly, searching your eyes for any sign of discontent or hesitation at his advance. Although his nerves make him feel shaky, he has to put his mind and heart to rest once and for all. “On one condition…”

“Let me call you mine.”

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