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Daisy’s diner cut
Note: I am not a writer, this is simply just for fun or to pass the time. If I put the punctuation incorrectly, make spelling errors, bad grammar, or the format is off that is why.
Y/N for this story: Non-binary and pansexual
Warnings: Some cursing, name-calling, catcalling, Misgendering
Contains: Fluff, pet names, authors’ easter eggs
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
You started your shift and already want to go home, Early in the morning and you already encountered a wild Karen complaining that her coupon hasn't expired yada yada..the same bullshit all over again. After Karen finally left the other customers came and finally ordered their drinks, And then you see the same red-headed man who ordered the same drink over and over you asked if he was gonna order the same drink and he nodded. After you took the order you gave him his receipt and walked to his table to wait for his drink.
“Have a good day sir!”
You said
“Mhm..”
He said in return leaving a tip, you always wondered why he chose this cafe
After your shift was done it was around 2 pm you decided to go eat at the new diner that recently opened called “Daisy’s diner cut”. You heard from your co-workers that the place had good prices with good food, so you decided to go check it out. When you exited the backdoor you felt someone watching you, you started walking fast until you were already on the sidewalk with people you started walking till you felt a tap on your shoulder. You turned around and saw a scrawny-looking guy with a beanie and he even smelled like alcohol.
“Hey…there..pretty..lady~”
He said slurring his words you smelled the alcohol and made a face of disgust and he noticed.
“Now..now am a nice guy..am not gonna hurt yea...let me treat you to lunch haha?.. I know a few places with really nice food~”
“No, am not interested”
You said bluntly
He gave you an annoyed look and said with a now aggressive tone
“Listen am trying to be nice here you should be *Hic* grateful I even looked the way you bitch”
You rolled your eyes and said again that you weren’t interested.
“For the last time, I am not INTERESTED”
He was about to grab your wrists but someone grabbed his hand, the redhead looked at the creep and gave him a death glare, the creep said sorry but then the redhead spoke.
“You don’t apologize to me, apologies to THEM, not me, I wasn’t the one you were harassing a while ago now was I?”
The creep gulped before turning to you and said a half-assed apology and you just told him to go fuck himself and he mumbled “fucking slut” under his breathe the redhead heard it and hardened the grip on the creeps wrist, and the creep yelp in pain and said a someone genuine apology to you and the redhead, the redhead let the creep go and the creep winced in pain before running away. You looked at the redhead who had driven away from the creep and you realized it was the same guy you took his order from every day you remember his name “Diluc”
D:“Are you alright?”
He said with a softer tone, you were taken aback by the much softer tone
Y: AH!? HUH! Ah!..y-yes thank you…sir Diluc? Was it?”
D: “Please just call me Diluc”
Y: “Oh uh ok”
Y: “Well uh thank you for helping me”
D: “No problem”
Y: “Please uh- let me repay you”
D: “Oh there’s no need for that”
Y: “No don’t worry I insist”
D: “Well uh if you insist then..”
Y: “There’s this new “Daisy's diner cut and if you interested we could try there”
D: “Oh I also heard about that I wanted to try it out myself actually”
Y:” Well come on before the place is the pack”
After that, you both started walking in the direction of the diner and you both talked to each other and got to know each other a bit more.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
.
.
.
“And what happened after that papa?”
The child asked with food in their mouths
“Hey now what did I say about talking with your mouth full”
Diluc scolded
“Sorry but what happened to you and pom pom?” (Pom pom a combination of Papa and mom)
“Well we went to the diner and ate the food we ordered we both talked about our interest and then after that day we satrted seeing each other then again and again…you know your favorite food there is actually the food pom pom ordered when we arrived at the diner”
“AWHH!!! REALLY??!!”
“Eheehehe yes my child”
Diluc grabbed a napkin and wiped his child’s face
“Let’s go home now”
“Awh…but…I wanna stay a little longer with pom pom”
Diluc looked at his child then smiled
“Alright let’s stay a little longer”
Diluc looked up at the tombstone and smiled a little seeing a butterfly fly on it
“Papa am gonna fix pom pom’s flowers okie?”
“Ok arrange them beautifully ok? Pom pom always made sure the flowers are arranged properly”
“Okie Okie”
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
Author: Ya” ll I have no idea where I was going with this story am so sorry if it looks a bit rushed and a little confusing
Collage AU! Diluc x Y/N
Collage AU! Diluc x Y/N
Note: I am not a writer, this is simply just for fun or to pass the time. If I put the punctuation incorrectly, make spelling errors, Bad grammar, or the format is off that is why.
Y/N for this story: Non-binary
Warnings: Non since ya” ll ignore me
Contains: Fluff, pet names, authors’ easter eggs
• • • ✎ • • •
-You guys became partners for a project and you were not on board at first but after you talked to him and listened to his suggestions it felt nice, you’ve heard rumors about him from a handful of people and you felt a bit bad believing the rumors.
-He recommended doing the project at a café and you agreed, both of you exchanged numbers and said your farewell to each other and went on with your day, once the day you agreed on the date of the making of the project you went to the café called “Angel’s mocha café”, once you entered the café you started to look for Diluc, seeing you, he waved to know where he was. After settling down and having a little chat, you excused yourself to buy yourself [insert favorite coffee], he nodded and you went to the counter to order, after ordering you returned to your seat and started doing the project.
-You both were doing your work quietly. Sometimes you ask him for his suggestion and he gives you some suggestions after you both are done you let out a sigh and stretch a little and he looked away you were confused but decided to ignore it. You asked if he could stay a little to chat before leaving. He was hesitant at first but he agreed.
-You talked about your interests and in return, you also learned of his interests tho he listened more, you didn’t mind it was nice having someone listen to you while you talked, you talked and talked until you lost track of time, once you noticed the time you apologized for keeping him in the café for so long, but he said he had a good time. You blushed at his words and tried to hide it
“Sorry, did I make you uncomfortable?”
“Oh no no i-it’s uh…fine really I didn’t mind”
“That’s good I was worried if I did”
-After that, you walked out of the café together and before you bid your farewells he asked if you were up for a coffee again at the same place and same time, you agreed and went back to your dorms/homes.
-After a week or so of getting coffee with Diluc you both started talking after classes, going to the park with each other, and even went to the movies, you fell for Diluc it was hard to keep a straight face when he’s next to you and in return, he also left hints he liked you but you chose to ignore it.
-The time came when you finally told your feelings to him and he also told his feelings to you, he took your hand and kissed your fingers and your face was flushed he laughed a little and put the palm of your hand on his cheek and kept kissing it you covered your face with your free hand while blushing profusely.
-After that you guys started dating which has the perks of Diluc tutoring you with subjects you struggle with, the two of you cuddling in your dorm, getting lunch together, and one time going to a beach party Jean invited the two of you.
-He’ll start calling you pet names like Darling, Love, Beloved, Hun bun, etc. And he’ll just see your face flushed and he’d laugh a little
-Diluc introduced you to some of his friends (like Jean, amber, Lumine, Aether) and introduced you as his partner, and made sure he’d say your pronouns if anyone ever say something bad to you like “you look like a boy so you should use he/him” or “You’re using they and them wrong” or even “There are only 2 genders” he’d step in and tell them off or just threaten them. After the people leave he’d hug and say sweet things to you like “don’t listen to them it’s not their life it's yours” or something like “you are you don’t let people tell you what you should and shouldn’t be” and give you kisses to make you feel better.
• • • ✎ • • •
Authur: HEYA! The name angel’s mocha café is my idea for my OC’s story I wanted to add a bit of an easter egg here because I can ಥ∀ಥ
A walk would be nice
A walk would be nice
Note: I am not a writer, this is simply just for fun or to pass the time. If I put the punctuation incorrectly, made spelling errors, bad grammar, or the format is off that is why.
Y/N for this story: Female
Warnings: Non since ya” ll ignore me
Contains: Fluff
You were walking back to Liyue to get a quick snack. It was a peaceful day, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, the flowers were blooming, on days like these you would be walking with your brother like you did before, but now it’s like a distant memory. You shook your head to get the image of your brother out of your mind and continued your way to Wanmin restaurant.
You saw a familiar figure talking to Xiangling and Gouba
“Ah! Zhong li”
You said with a surprised look
The three of them looked up and saw you
“Awh! Traveler, you’re here!”
“Yeah…I wanted to get a quick snack before I start my commissions”
“Well since you’re here I can take your order”
“Awh…thanks Xiangling”
“Eehe! No problem”
You ordered her special dish, she went inside and started cooking with gouba you looked at Zhong li and said your greetings to him
“Hey Zhong li, how have you been?”
“I have been well Y/n, I was just passing by but I saw my old friend and wanted to chat a little before I continued my walk…care to join me after your food is done?”
“I would love to!”
You said with a smile
He studied your beautiful brown eyes, your dark skin, and your messy yet beautiful hair, he coughed a little and smiled you smiled back and you two started talking after awhile Xiangling came out with your order
“Here you go Y/N”
“Oh…Thanks, Xiangling”
“Well...I need to go now I have a feeling XIngqiu is pranking Chon Yun again”
Xiangling let out a sigh and started jogging in the opposite direction. You laughed a little and offered Zhong Li to walk with him since you can spare a few minutes.
“Oh…very well then let us go”
You two walked and talked to one another while you take a few bites of your food you offered Zhong li some but he declined, you laughed at his flustered face and he just looked away
You both found yourselves at Bubu pharmacy, walking up the stairs, and then you stopped at the bridge near the waterfalls you both stopped and looked at the waterfalls listening to the water, hearing the birds sing, and enjoying the cold breeze blowing toward the both of you you both were silent sometimes hearing bites and chews from you since you were still eating.
“Hey, Y/n?”
“Hmmm?”
You looked at him while chewing your food trying not to speak with food in your mouth
“Can I have a bite of your food, maybe on bite wouldn’t hurt”
You beamed and giggled you handed your food to Zhong li and he took a bite
“hmm…it is delicious once I have enough mora I”ll buy two for the two of us”
You smiled at him and he smiled back, then he returned your food to you and you started eating again while watching the waterfall.
Then Zhong li heard Hu tao’s shout
“AIYA!! MR. ZHONG LIIIIIII!
“Hiiiya! It took me a while to find you!”
“Ah…Hu tao sorry I lost track of time”
“Hiiiya! Come on! I still need your help back at the funeral parlor”
“You go on ahead I will be there soon”
“Hmmmph…you better”
With a huff, Hu tao turned her back to Zhong li
“I-…I miss her too you know…it was hard to lead her to the afterlife so early”
And with that, she ran back to Bubu's pharmacy to wait for Zhong li there trying not to shed a tear.
Zhong li went out a loud sigh he looked next to him and looked at the food he bought on the railing of the bridge he grabbed it and reopened the wrapping revealing a small bite made by him…only him…..then he started walking towards the stairs then he heard your voice echoing behind him
“Zhong li thank you for taking me on this walk. I enjoyed your company. Let's do it again next time!”
He stopped and turned around only to see a butterfly fluttering around, he looked at the food that you offered him that day and he started eating it with tears coming down.
“…It doesn’t taste the same…”
You're all I need
Note: I am not a writer, this is simply just for fun or to pass the time. If I put the punctuation incorrectly, make spelling errors, Bad grammar, or the format is off that is why.
Y/N for this story: Female
Warnings: Little angst
Contains: Fluff, pet names, and a plot-twist
Diluc just got back from Angel's share he was tired and just wanted to go back home when he reached his house, he went straight to his bedroom but when he opened the door, he saw you on his bed reading a book.
“Y/N?”
You looked up from your book and looked at him
“Oh! Diluc you’re back!”
You greeted as you closed your book and got up from the bed
You walked towards him and gave him a peck on the cheek, he smiled to himself seeing you, your hair in a do-rag, your beautiful dark brown eyes, and your chocolate brown skin, and your adorable smile he couldn’t get enough of you.
“Hah…good to see you again my beloved”
He gave you a kiss on the forehead and wrapped his hand around your waist
“Ehehehe….so! how was work? Did anything happen? Did Kaeya, Venti or Rossaria do anything?”
You asked while he frowned a little
“I guess you already know how, Venti is he tried stealing another bottle of Dandelion wine…”
He said with an annoyed tone, you sighed and grabbed his coat and started taking it off.
“Anything else?”
You asked while you put his coat away
“Thankfully no after I kicked Venti out it was a rather peaceful night…that is until Kaeya came in and started annoying me”
He huffed in annoyance you giggled a little and grabbed his hand and signaled him to get on the bed he did so and you crawled behind him and untied his hair
“Lay down on my chest and you can keep talking “
“Oh! thank Barbatos, you are an absolute angel”
He stretched a little before slowly laying on your chest, when he finally settled on your chest, he let out a sigh of relief.
“So…what else happened?”
You asked while massaging his head
“Well while I was just minding my own business and then he started to talk to me even tho I am not even interested to talk to him”
And with that he ranted while you massaged his head and listening to him, it went for about 30 minutes and after he was done, he let out a groan and he closed his eyes for a while you were confused as to why he stopped.
“Diluc? Hon? Are you ok? Why did you stop are you ok? “
He opened his eyes and signaled you to look at him, you lowered your head to look at his red tired eyes.
“Come closer hun bun”
You lowered your head and he gave you a bunny kiss and giggled
“AH! PFttttt- eheheheheh…Diluc!”
“Ahhh…am sorry I couldn’t help it you looked so pretty”
The two of you laughed a while giving each other bunny kisses
After a while, he sat up and looked at you
“Hey, how can I return the favor.”
“OH! Urm…well-”
“You sound surprised? Did I say something wrong?”
“Oh no! Uh- not at all I was really surprised are you sure?”
“Yeah, like I said it’s the least I can do for always listening to me complain”
You thought about what you wanted from Diluc and you came up with an idea
“OOO! I know you can cuddle me by the fireplace like we used to do”
He nodded in agreement
“Ok then it’s settled”
You both went downstairs and Diluc started the fireplace you sat a little close to the fireplace once it was lit, and then Diluc ordered his maids and butler to leave you two alone and they obliged. After they left Diluc went to you and sat next to you.
“Come here, hun”
You scooted closer to him, so he was behind you this time and he wrapped his hands around you and placed his head at the crook of your neck and smelled your scent, a scent he dearly missed all-day-everyday. You chuckled at his actions and you started to rub his head while he relaxed.
“Hey…y/n?”
“Hm?”
“Thanks for putting up with me and my rantings, you don’t know how much it means to me.”
After he said that he kissed your neck and you blushed a little
“It’s ok am just glad you trust me enough to open up even if it’s just a little bit”
“Thank you… you're all I need I love you y/n”
His voice echoed again and again and again until it was just pitch black…then…silence...Diluc opened his eyes he found himself in bed he looked to the side and saw a picture of you on his pillow he sat up and grabbed the photo in his hands he felt warm tears dripping down his cheeks.
“*Hic*Please…*hic*my love…g-give me*hic*a sign*hic* I *hic* miss *hic* you….”
⁺‧₊˚ ཐི 𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑲𝑻𝑶𝑩𝑬𝑹 ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺
—༉‧₊˚. “ Whatcha watching? ”
featuring. Childe from Genshin impact MAU | kink. peeking
synopsis. You were heading toward your friend childes dorm room to give him some college hw he missed out on in one of your early morning lectures. When you go to his place however he doesnt respond leaving you no choice but to let yourself in.
authors note. I think I hate this one…but that may just be me…
You knock on Childe's apartment door, waiting to drop off his college homework. After minutes later of no answer, you reached out for the door handle to find out the door was unlocked. Since the two of you knew each other for a while you thought it wouldn’t be that much of an invasion of privacy letting yourself in his apartment without him knowing.
Opening the door, you step inside and head towards his bedroom. As you approached, you heared moans coming from some type of device.
Peeking around the corner of the halfway opened bedroom door, your eyes widen as you saw Childe sitting on his bed, pants around his ankles, stroking his hard cock while watching porn.
The video plays on repeat, showing a girl who looks exactly like you in a skimpy outfit, moaning and pleasuring herself. Childe's eyes are glued to the screen, completely absorbed in the lewd scene. His hand moving rhythmically along his shaft, squeezing and stroking it with increasing intensity.
You watch him for a few moments, mesmerized by his focused expression, the way his muscles flex with each movement. How his orange hair falls messily over his forehead, and how his blue eyes shine with lust as he continues to touch himself.
Noticing your presence, Childe jumped, startled. His face flushed red with embarrassment as he quickly closes the laptop. He scrambles to pull up his sweatpants, trying to hide his still-hard member.
“[Y/N!] What are you doing here? I didn't hear you come in...”
He stammered, clearly flustered by being caught in such a compromising position. His blue eyes dart around nervously, unable to meet your gaze.
“It's not what it looks like, I swear! I was just...uh...researching for a project...”
As he spoke, you noticed a wet spot forming on the front of his pants, betraying his obvious arousal. The sight made you feel all warm and you find yourself getting turned on by what you just saw.
You decide to play along with his story, not wanting to make him feel too uncomfortable.
“Oh, research? That's interesting. What kind of project could possibly require that kind of research…”
You asked with a playful smirk, watching as Childe squirmed under your scrutiny. His cheeks turn an even deeper shade of red, as he fidgets with his hands.
Childe shifts uncomfortably, avoiding your gaze as he tries to come up with a believable excuse. He clears his throat and runs a hand through his hair, messing it further.
“W-well, you know how I've been working on that short story for my creative writing class? I was just trying to get some, uh, inspiration for a particularly steamy scene...”
He trailed off, his voice wavering slightly. His eyes flicker towards you briefly before darting away again, as if he's afraid to look at you directly.
You raise an eyebrow, amused by his state. A mischievous idea began to form in your mind, and you decide to have a little more fun with the situation.
“Oh, I see. Well, since you're in need of inspiration, maybe I could help you out. After all, I am your muse, aren't I?”
You take a step closer to him, your voice taking on a teasing lilt. Childe's eyes widen, and he swallows hard, his Adam's apple bobbing visibly in his throat.
“Y-you? My muse? What..makes you think that?”
Despite his words, you notice his gaze lingering on your curves, taking in the way your clothing hugged your figure in just the right ways.
“Come on, Childe. You know Im not dumb..”
“If you have a thing for me just say it already.”
You reach out and trail a finger along his jawline, feeling the heat of his skin. Childe shudders at your touch, his breath hitching in his throat.
“I... .. fuck.”
Encouraged by his reaction, you press closer to him, your breasts brushing against his chest.
Childe's breath became faster now, his pupils dilating with desire. He seemed to be fighting against his own urges, torn between his shame and his growing need for release.
“What's wrong with a little harmless fun? I promise, it'll be just like in the porno you were watching earlier.”
You let your hand slide down his chest, tracing the contours of his abs through his shirt. Childe's muscles tense under your touch, and a low groan escaped his lips.
“We shouldn't...”
But even as he protests, his body betrayed him. His erection strained against his pants, making it so he can no longer hide his arousal. You can see the internal struggle playing out on his face, as he grapples with his desires and his sense of propriety.
Sensing his weakness, you decide to push him further. You lean in close, your lips brushing against his ear as you whisper.
“Don't you want to know what it feels like? It’ll help tons..with your ‘research’ ”
You nipped gently at his earlobe, Childe shudders, a soft gasp escaping his lips. His hands come to rest on your hips, and you can feel the tension in his body slowly dissipating as he gives in.
“ God, [Y/N]... I want you so bad...”
He finally admits, his voice thick with lust. You smile triumphantly, knowing that you've broken through his defenses. You pull back slightly, your eyes locking with his as you both acknowledge the raging desire between you.
“Then why don't you show me what you've learned from all that research? I'm sure you can teach me a thing or two...”
With that, you press your lips against his in a passionate kiss, your tongue delving into his mouth to taste him fully. Childe responded eagerly, his hands roaming over your body as he explores every curve.
You break the kiss, panting heavily, and start to undo the buttons of your shirt. Childe's eyes widen as more and more skin is revealed to him, and he licks his lips in anticipation.
“You're so beautiful.”
His voice is filled with awe and desire, and it sends a thrill through your body. You finish unbuttoning your shirt and let it fall to the floor, leaving you in just your bra and skirt.
Childe leans in, his lips trailing hot kisses along your collarbone and down to the swell of your breasts. He reaches behind you to unclasp your bra, freeing your breasts from their confines. He groans appreciatively at the sight, his eyes dark with lust.
“Touch me, Childe...”
You guide his hands to your breasts, encouraging him to explore and caress them. Childe doesn't need any more encouragement, and he begins to knead and squeeze your breasts, his thumbs brushing over your nipples, sending jolts of pleasure through your body.
As he continues to worship your breasts, you reach down and start to lower his pants, freeing his rock-hard erection. You wrap your hand around it, stroking him slowly as he groans in pleasure.
“Oh god, [Y/N]... That feels amazing...”
He thrusts into your hand, his hips moving in time with your strokes. You can feel the heat emanating from his member, and it only fuels your own desire.
*You release him from your grip and push him back onto the bed. Straddling him, you grind your hips against his, feeling his hard length pressing against your clothed sex. Childe's hands grip your hips, helping you move against him.
The friction between your bodies builds as you grind against Childe, your clothed sex rubbing against his hard length. Moans of pleasure escape both of your lips as the sensations become more intense.
“Fuck, [Y/N]... You feel so good... I need to be inside you.”
His voice is rough with desire, and you can feel his hips bucking up against you, seeking more contact. You reach down and unzip your skirt, letting it fall to the floor, leaving you in just your lacy panties.
Childe's eyes widen as he takes in the sight of you, his gaze focused on the damp patch on your underwear. He hooks his fingers into the waistband and tugs them aside, exposing your wet folds to his hungry gaze.
You position yourself over him, the tip of his cock brushing against your entrance. Slowly, you sink down onto him, inch by inch, until he's fully sheathed inside you.
A deep moan tears from your throat as you feel him stretching you, filling you completely. Childe grips your hips tightly, his fingers digging into your skin as he fights the urge to thrust up into you.
“Oh fuck, [Y/N]... You're so tight... So perfect...”
He starts to move beneath you, his hips rising to meet your downward motions. The rhythm building between you, growing more intense with each passing second.
You lean forward, bracing your hands on his chest as you ride him harder. Your breasts bounce with each movement, and Childe reaches up to cup them, his thumbs rubbing over your nipples once more.
The combination of sensations is almost too much to bear, and you feel your climax building deep within you. Your inner walls start to flutter around Childe's cock, and he moans in response.
“I'm going to cum, Childe... Don't stop...”
Your words spur him on, and he thrusts up into you harder, faster, his own release approaching. With a final, powerful thrust, you both reach your peaks, crying out.
As your orgasm crashes over you, your body trembles with the force of it. Wave after wave of pleasure washes through you, and you cling to Childe, your nails digging into his chest as you ride out your climax.
Childe's grip on your hips tightens, and his body goes rigid beneath you. With a guttural moan, he releases inside you, his hot seed filling you up. The feeling of his essence pulsing within you sends another shockwave of pleasure through your body, prolonging your orgasm.
For several long moments, you both remain still. Finally, Childe loosens his grip on your hips, and you collapse onto his chest, both of you panting heavily.
You giggle softly, nuzzling into his neck. Childe wraps his arms around you, holding you close as he catches his breath.
“Round two?” Childe joked suppressing a laugh.
© yammpi3 2024. All work belongs to @yammpi3. You can repost if you want to support my blog/writing! Please don't modify, translate, or plagiarize in any way on ANY platform.
⁺‧₊˚ ཐི 𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑲𝑻𝑶𝑩𝑬𝑹 ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ 𝑚.𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡
2024 kinktober.ᐟ Hi!! This is this years kinktober planned out..I will try my best to upload these efficiently…
— FANDOMS. BNHA, JJK, FAIRY TAIL, GENSHIN IMPACT, HSR, CREEPY PASTA, AOT, DEATH NOTE.
OCT 1
—༉‧₊˚. “ ALL IN ”
featuring. Aventurine — Honkai Star Rail | kink. makeup sex
synopsis. Aventurine used to be your partner in crime until he left you abruptly when a gamble went wrong, which he took all the money for, leaving you with nothing except hatred for the man. He makes up for it later on, but not with the money he owed you.
OCT 2
—༉‧₊˚. “ UNDER THE OLD OAK ”
featuring. Ticci Toby — creepy pasta | kink. outdoor sex
synopsis. You met Toby while you were on your nightly jog inside the woods, despite the creepy encounter you had with him you kept coming inside the woods again and again…without fail. Toby got curious on why you didn’t switch trails after you saw him burying a body so he decided to grab the courage to test you and find out.
OCT 3
—༉‧₊˚. “ WARM ME UP ”
featuring. Gojo Satoru — JJK | kink. cockwarming
synopsis. It was winter time in Japan, which meant it would get colder and colder as each day passed. So naturally Satoru had gotten needier for your touch, days go by of him clinging onto you to stay warm because of the cold weather despite him not actually freezing. Finally you gave up and gave him what he really wanted.
OCT 4
—༉‧₊˚. “ STAY ON THE LINE ”
featuring. Denki Kaminari — BNHA | kink. phone sex
synopsis. It was your first year of college and your first year away from your boyfriend Kaminari. You had gone abroad to study while he stayed in Japan, which meant the two of you were long distance for the time being. This only worsened his neediness, resulting in him leaving multiple dirty text and voice messages a day.
OCT 5 - BREAK
OCT 6
—༉‧₊˚. “ WHATCHA WATCHING? ”
featuring. Childe — Genshin impact | MAU | kink. peeking
synopsis. You were heading toward your friend childes dorm room to give him some college hw he missed out on in one of your early morning lectures. When you go to his place however he doesnt respond leaving you no choice but to let yourself in.
OCT 7
—༉‧₊˚. “ REDACTED ”
featuring. REDACTED
synopsis. REDACTED
OCT 8
—༉‧₊˚. “ REDACTED ”
featuring. REDACTED
synopsis. REDACTED
OCT 9
—༉‧₊˚. “ REDACTED ”
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༘☆* ·˚꒰𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒈꒱ ₊˚ˑ༄
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Just a tiny reminder that this is a 17+ blog!! I will write suggestive content from time to time [smut] You as the reader are in charge of the content you consume. <3
⊹ ⋆｡˚ ( YAMI ) she/they. xvi. intp. witerally shigarakis loser gf. Multifandom blog. Semi-active, pls request!!
☆ about me. masterlist. rules and info. taglist.
" come back and haunt me . . . "
LATEST RELEASES. one. two. three.
𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐌'𝐒 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐒
With the weather getting colder, you might find yourself cuddled up in blankets and sipping on some hot chocolate. Perhaps you would have an old, rugged looking book right on your coffee table waiting to be picked up. With fairytale season being in full swing, perhaps you would like to indulge in some nostalgic stories of enchanted forests, wicked witches, cursed princesses and bloodhungry beasts?
But oh, were your favorite fairytales always this 𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔨?
𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
GRIMM'S NIGHTMARES is an exclusively dark content collab inspired by the dark fairytales collected and written down by the Grimm brothers.The central theme of the collab are dark fairytales, but you are more than free to enter the collab with mythical figures (werewolves, vampires, ghosts, etc) without any fairytale in mind. Despite being inspired by the Grimm brothers, you are more than free to be inspired by other classic tales from around the world.
𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒
𓆩𓆪 You have to be over the age of 18 to enter
𓆩𓆪 This collab is strictly a x reader collab
𓆩𓆪 All fandoms are welcome to enter
𓆩𓆪 Aged up characters are allowed, but please don’t age them down
𓆩𓆪 Your entry has to be a minimum of 500 words long, otherwise the sky’s the limit
𓆩𓆪 Be aware that this is a dark content collab first and foremost. You are allowed to go as crazy as you would like, but make sure to tag all the trigger warnings accordingly
𓆩𓆪 As mentioned previously, you are free to enter with a mythical figure instead of a fairytale
𓆩𓆪 To enter, you need to send me an ask or message with the character(s) and the mythical figure/fairytale you wanna base your fic on
𓆩𓆪 You are allowed to submit up to two entries
𓆩𓆪 You are allowed ro write one fic with up to three characters (character x reader x character x character)
𓆩𓆪 No double entries!Meaning I won’t allow the same character in the same fairytale au (for example, I won’t allow two people to write about vampire Toji). First come, first serve
𓆩𓆪 I take the right of not accepting your entry. To ensure the best possible experience for me as the host, and you as the writer, I will have to make sure you don’t fit my dni criteria
𓆩𓆪 Make sure to tag me and use the tag 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐌'𝐒 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐁 so I can reblog and add your fic to the masterlist
𓆩𓆪 The soft deadline for the collab is the 1th of April 2025. Please notify me if you need more time or if you would like to opt out of the collab
𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐌𝐒
TOKYO REVENGERS
Werewolf! Baji Keisuke x Fem! Reader (Inspired by The little red riding hood) by @/ljubimaya
Mad hatter! Hanma Shuji x Reader (inspired by Alice in Wonderland) by @6ronze
Demon! Baji Keisuke x Reader by @keisukes-number1
LOVE AND DEEPSPACE
Demon King! Sylus x Reader by @aztecbrujeria
JUJUTSU KAISEN
Vampire! Gojo Satoru x Reader by @avatarofstars
Death! Geto Suguru x Reader by @sugurouge (Inspired by Death's messengers)
ARCANE
Warwick/Vander x Reader by @fortluocha (Inspired by Beauty and the Beast)
MY HERO ACADEMIA
WHO HAVE I REMEMBERED? Dabi x Reader by @amalainse (Inspired by The Frog Prince)
HAIKYUU
Oikawa Tooru x Reader by @amalainse (Inspired by The Little Mermaid)
𓁹 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗚 𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪𝗘𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗠𝗢𝗗𝗘 𓁹
𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗫𝗔 : of all of the surviving library keepers of the grove of epiphany, why is it that you are so intent in seeking the wisdom of that weeping angel? her fake tears are of no use.
𝑆𝐸𝑅𝐴 𓍯 the library keeper. anaxagoras' lost bride. nineteen. they them. filo. isfj.
❀ ͏╲╱ hsr and jjk sfw blog. fem and gn reader. drabbles, fics, and smaus.
𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱.
📰 ─ introducing the library keeper.
📰 ─ the archives tour: the archives.
📰 ─ the archives tour: guidelines.
📰 ─ the archives tour: the gardens.
𓁹 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 ! ♡ 𓁹
CHAPTER THIRTEEN || CLOSURE
SYPNOSIS (of chapter). in which you thought you were getting better.
SYPNOSIS (of series). breaking up with your first love was heartbreaking, but not as heartbreaking as getting invited to his wedding after years of not seeing him. that is, until things seem to be easier when you encounter a certain guest, who could end up being more than just a blooming friend to you.
CHARACTERS. kamisato ayato, diluc ragnvindr, and thoma (w/ gn!reader)
CONTENT. fluff/angst/no-comfort, swearing (dropped the f-bomb 3 times), mentions of violence (almost getting hit/slapped), sh1nsuke 🤢🤢🤢, mentions of yelling, mentions of threats, reader is an emotional person
PENPALS. @scaraslover @saving-for-xiao @dawgimsohot @kazu-topia @chiruru @aqualesha @renamichii @mrkamisato @shenhesl0ver @serami00 @serenareiss @hiqhkey @emperatris-rinaka @bystander36 @irisxiel @ladycoleigh @034ven @dear-dairiess @owozi8 @hadesaedes @chiro-chiro-kun @hersscherofyatta @mariusvonhangme @yuzuricebun @hoshikistarlette @solaaresque @crowbird @lordbugs @flowersforayato @headintheclouddd @estelwrld @giyusimpsassemble @irethepotatosblog @moonlightaangel @alice0blog @shotosbrainrot @sniffoat @chihawari @mxsomn @kuni-kuzushii @jiminscarmex @mitsukii14 @nejibot @ylimeprive @sachispet @loreleis-world @sn-owo @starforecasts @someonetookmynamelmao @ceylestia @lychme @ymikkos @reallysporadicarcade @elychee @astrxlis @denkineptune @franini @sophisticatedleslie @thedivinepriestress @smashsubs @httpmitsuya @bl6o6dy @cottonkendi (visit this post if you’d like to be tagged!)
WORD COUNT. 6.4k words
LINKS. EVERMORE MASTERLIST \ MAIN MASTERLIST \ EVERMORE SURVEY
POST-SCRIPT. AAAAA after 3-4 weeks, i finally updated !! super sorry for the delay, ill try and see if i can publish the next one next week during school (no promises tho) 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
PREVIOUS || NEXT
The next day after all has happened, Zhongli noticed how you seem to be… happier.
You really weren’t lying when you told him last night that you and Diluc have been getting along pretty well, because you surely never seem to take your eyes off of your phone as you type out responses to your newly found friend the whole time in the hotel room.
By the time you take your eyes off your phone is when you came out of the hotel room to do your activities for the day, such as eating breakfast, taking a stroll around the garden once more, visiting the convenience store once again, hanging out with a friend of yours by Good Hunter, and so on.
The thing is, all of these had one thing in common.
Besides a certain experience, you kept seeing a certain red-haired man to the point where it’s no longer a coincidence. Do you two just really have the same schedule or something?
As you lined up for the buffet with your plate in hand, you were tempted to grab your phone and check if you received any message from a certain man, still smiling from enjoying your last conversation with him on the phone.
It wasn’t until you hear someone clearing his throat behind you when you turn around from recognizing it, causing your eyes to brighten at the sight of the familiar man you’ve been talking to for the past hour earlier.
“Diluc!” You greeted happily.
“( Name ).” He greeted, also pleasantly surprised.
“I thought you were out for work already! Didn’t you mention you often go to Angel’s Share early?” You ask curiously.
He nodded in response. “I do. Just not today it seems, I have something important to do today.”
The two of you started picking your foods by the time the food is now displayed in front of you after taking a step forward, choosing what you want to eat for breakfast all the while chatting with Diluc – a major difference a few days ago when you and the man were suffering from the awkward silence between you two.
Turns out, Diluc supposedly had a plus one, but the person wasn’t able to make it due to not having time, hence how he finds himself being alone. Today, however, is the day when the plus one visits the hotel just to greet the wedding couple and wish them well, who will be leaving tomorrow for their honeymoon.
You’re curious to know who his plus one is, but you wouldn’t be surprised if it’s someone as important and highly regarded as him.
Once you two finished picking your meal at the same time, you started heading towards where Zhongli is, who’s waiting for you to come at last. You paid no mind how Diluc is following you, perhaps he’s heading towards his table as well that’s in the same direction as yours.
“You could sit with me and Zhongli if you want. You two seem to know each other back then before we visited your establishment.” You offered with a smile, carefully holding your plate in fear of dropping it.
He shakes his head. “Oh I’ll be alright. Mr. Zhongli has visited Mondstadt back then a few times and would come by for a nice tea and brunch. Though, he tends to have his chatty friend with him whenever he does.”
You can’t help but grin when he mentioned the chatty friend. “You mean Venti?”
Diluc nodded. “Yes. He usually comes around to drink a lot of alcohol. It’s a miracle he didn’t get any sickness from drinking so much.”
You visibly imagine Venti drinking lots of alcohol, causing you to laugh at the thought. “Well I’m not surprised to hear that. He seems the kind to do that.”
Before you knew it, you’re finally at your table, causing you to stop your tracks instantly and bid Diluc goodbye before sitting on your seat. If it weren’t for you noticing Zhongli waving at you as well as Diluc slowing down his walk, you would’ve not noticed the fact that you almost walked past your table thanks to you being distracted with your conversation.
“Let’s talk again next time. Enjoy your meal, Diluc.” You said as you watched Diluc giving you an acknowledged nod before walking away to where his table is.
By the time Diluc is long far away, Zhongli decides to speak up after taking a sip of his tea. “You know, I was starting to think you were too busy being indecisive on your food, but I suppose I was wrong.” He said with amusement.
You chuckled, picking up your eating utensils. “Consider yourself lucky that I wasn’t in the mood to eat seafood, lest I decide to tease you with it.”
You feel satisfied seeing the cringe look on his face, grinning to yourself as you take a bite of your food.
–
After eating breakfast, you and Zhongli went back to your hotel room and got ready for your first activity. While your friend is getting ready to go somewhere, you decided to go visit the convenience store to buy some snacks.
You wanted to try something new this time, so you decided to choose snacks that are from Mondstadt instead of Liyue or Inazuma. Of course, you wouldn’t forget the ones Zhongli wanted, particularly another certain drink.
“It’s a non-alcoholic drink called Fruits of the Festival.” He says as he zips his bag that contains the things he needed. “Venti recommended that we drink some now that there are a lot of them in stock for the celebration of the upcoming Weinlesefest festival.”
With that in mind, perhaps you should’ve taken into consideration that the drink would possibly be out of stock soon , because by the time you encounter the aisle that supposedly contains the Fruits of the Festival, there was only one bottle left.
Just as you’re about to take the bottle, you didn’t notice how someone else was reaching out to it as well, causing your hand to touch his.
Surprised, you look at the person who’s getting the same item as you, only to be even more surprised when you realize who it is.
“...Diluc?”
“( Name )?”
You can’t help but let out a laugh, not believing that you saw your friend again coincidentally. “Oh wow, I didn’t expect to see you here! Are you trying to get this one?” You asked, gesturing to the drink you’re still touching.
He hums in agreement. “Don’t worry, I could always get the other one.” He said, about to let go until you immediately let go of it.
“Ah no, no, no! It’s better if you take this one since it’s the last one. Consider it a payment for letting me have the grape juice last time.” You said with a laugh, gesturing to the man to take the drink.
He shakes his head, letting go of the drink. “It’s fine, you can take it. I wouldn’t want you to miss out tasting something such as the Fruits of the Festival.”
You refuse to get the drink. “Oh come on, it’s better if you’re the one who’ll get this.”
“No, no. It’s fine.”
“Just get it, Diluc.”
“I prefer you getting it.”
“No you–”
Suddenly, someone else takes the drink in front of the two of you, causing you to flinch in surprise.
“Brother Albedo! Is this blue drink the one you’re talking about?” A little girl with a red dress says before running towards where her brother is with the drink in hand, leaving you and Diluc stunned.
“...”
“...”
You can’t help but laugh. “Oh man, this reminds me of what happened back then.” You said, remembering the way you and Diluc fell into the same situation and kept insisting on who’s taking the drink.
His lips twitch upward. “Likewise. We really have come a long way after that.”
You nodded in agreement with a smile. “We have. Though it’s really a shame none of us got the drink. I’m sure they’ll restock soon.”
“We can visit tomorrow if you’d like.” Diluc offers. “I’m sure my plus one will be asking to go visit the store to buy some together, you can join us.”
You shake your head. “Ah, no need! I wouldn’t want to bother you catching up with whoever your plus one is. I’m sure I’ll eventually be able to try it when I hang out with my friend later.”
He nods in understanding. “Very well then. I hope you’ll enjoy the drink. If you somehow weren’t able to drink it, you could always visit Angel’s Share. It’ll be available today or tomorrow.”
Your eyes brighten, remembering the delightful establishment. Now that you think about it, you do miss their drinks there – so it wouldn’t exactly hurt to go there before you and Zhongli leave to the airport. “Alright, I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks again, Diluc.”
“See you next time, ( Name ).”
Then you two parted ways, unaware that next time is very much later.
–
After coming back to the hotel from the convenience store, you were itching to go visit the garden after passing by the entrance. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to wait there for your friend instead of here when it’s time for you two to hang out.
Which is what led you to immediately get ready for your hangout once you finished unpacking the things you bought from the store.
“How do I look?” You ask Zhongli as you come out from the bathroom, now fully dressed for your brunch. “Do I look alright?”
You watched as your friend looked away from his book, looking at your outfit carefully before nodding in confirmation with a smile. “Yes, you look great.”
You sigh in relief, grabbing your bag from your bed to start packing up your things. “That’s good. What will you be doing while I’m gone?”
Zhongli shrugs in response. “I don’t have any plans for today, but a walk around the garden would be nice later.”
“Alright. I’ll be back in a while.” You said, checking your phone for any messages (from a certain man) before putting it inside your bag.
“Have fun, ( Name ). Don’t forget to tell Diluc I said hi.” He said with a chuckle, remembering what you told him about the wine tycoon today.
Your mouth opens agape. “Wow– Alright, whatever. Have fun too, Zhongli.”
As you zip your bag closed after getting all the things you need, you immediately head towards the door. Maybe I should try taking pictures of some of the scenery, You thought to yourself.
Fortunately the trip to the garden didn’t take long, and by the time you entered the hotel’s beautiful garden, you delightfully inhaled the fresh air. Thank Celestia it’s a good day today, you thought, looking around your surroundings.
As you walk around the area trying to find a place to sit on, you bring out your phone to take a few pictures. You were so fascinated with how each flower looked amazing in the pictures you took – with the lightning and atmosphere bringing ethereal energy to your pictures.
While admiring the pictures you took, you didn’t notice a person walking towards the same direction as you, causing you to accidentally bump into them.
“Ah, so sorry!” You said with a yelp, maintaining your balance. “I didn’t mean to bump into you–” Your eyes widens when you realize who you bump into.
“The apologies are all mine, I should’ve watched where I was goin–” The red-haired man’s words slowly trail off when he hears your voice, now realizing who’s in front of him.
“..Diluc?”
“( Name )?”
You let out a laugh once more. “Oh wow, I can’t believe this! I’m starting to think this isn’t a coincidence now – since when have you started visiting the garden?”
“Just now. I wanted to see what it looks like during the daytime. What brings you here as well?”
“Ah, I wanted to take a stroll around the garden while waiting for my friend to come and pick me up so we can go have brunch. This place is really beautiful, isn’t it?” You replied, keeping your phone aside.
He hums in agreement. “It is.”
You then thought of something. “Wanna walk around the place together while I’m waiting for my friend?” You asked.
“I don’t mind.” He said with a nod.
And so, you two continued where you left off from last night in the garden, talking about Weinlesefest as you wait for your friend to come.
Throughout the stroll, Diluc explained to you all the things you needed to know about the upcoming festival. Apparently, the Weinlesefest festival is more about making new wine as they invite their Archon to drink with everyone. So it makes sense that someone like Diluc, whose entire business and establishment is famous for the amazing wine, is currently thinking of something that could make good wine.
He also explained about what you could do if you participate in the festival, particularly visit Springvale and explore around the place since it’s where the festival will be held. Ah, just hearing all the things you could do and eat made you want to consider extending your stay, but alas, you think one week in one of your favorite regions is enough for you. Besides, even if you decide to extend your stay, only Celestia knows what would happen to you once you’re back to work.
While you converse with your friend, you couldn’t help but notice the way he looks as though there’s something in his mind. You didn’t find the guts to ask him though, thinking you’re meddling into his business if you do so. Still, you’re a bit concerned that something bad happened and you want to at least help – it’s the least you can do for everything he did for you.
Before you could bring up and ask what’s on his mind, you hear someone calling out your name.
“ ( Name )! Over here!” Your eyes light up when you hear the familiar voice of your friend, causing you and Diluc to turn around and look at the person who’s calling you.
“Thoma, there you are!” You greeted, walking towards the blonde-haired man who’s also walking towards you. “And here I thought you weren’t gonna show up any time soon, what took you so long?”
Thoma spreads his arms wide as you give him a hug. “Aw man, I’m sorry for being late! I was busy helping Ayato out with preparing for his next trip, I didn’t notice that I was about to be late.” He explains. The two of you quickly separate each other from your hug.
He looks at where Diluc is, causing him to stand up straight and offer the tycoon his hand. “Hello! You must be the infamous Diluc Ragnvindr. A pleasure to meet you!” He says with a smile.
Diluc didn’t hesitate to shake Thoma’s hand, giving him an acknowledged nod. “Likewise. I would like to congratulate you for your efforts in this wedding, it’s truly amazing.”
The blonde-haired man lets out a bashful laugh. “Oh you’re too kind, Mr. Ragnvindr! I hope I wasn’t bothering you two, did I?”
You hesitantly look at Diluc, who remains the same expression as always, before looking back at your friend with a smile. “Ah not really. We were just talking about the Weinlesefest festival until we heard you.”
“That’s good to hear. I’m a bit disappointed that I won't be able to experience the festival though.” Thoma lets out a sigh. “Oh well, there’s nothing we can do about it. Mind if I take ( Name ) away, Mr. Ragnvindr?”
Diluc nodded in response. “Of course since that’s what they’re here for. I’ll see you next time once again, ( Name ).”
You gave the red-haired man a grateful smile. “See you next time, Diluc. It was fun talking to you!”
–
The purpose of your brunch with Thoma is simple. Catch up with one another, talk about the things you’ve missed in Inazuma while you talk about the things he missed in your trip.
So why, why do you feel so bothered?
Despite being able to listen to your dear friend and keep up with your conversation, your mind lingers on Diluc. You’re still worried about how he seems to be out of it back in the garden – is it perhaps because of how he needs to think of a new wine?
“You know, I’m glad you and Ayato had spoken to one another about what happened back then.” Thoma confesses, causing you to be taken back by surprise. “I hope you won’t be offended with what I have to say but.. You look happier than before.”
You raise your eyebrows from his words. Happier?
“I… I didn’t notice that.” You replied, letting out a small laugh. “Am I really that happy because of how me and Ayato have resolved?”
Thoma lets out a small laugh as well. “Well, that’s just my guess. Did something else happen that made you happier than that?” He asks.
You took a second to think about it. It’s true that ever since you and Ayato have made up, everything's been going a bit well for you, but then again, it’s sort of weird how you’re a lot happier about it than normal.
Is it… really just because of that?
Seeing how you hesitated, Thoma’s eyes slightly widened in surprise. “Wait, did something actually happen?”
You look away from Thoma, a bit flustered. “I-I really don’t know either!”
“Really?”
“Yeah!”
“Then… It’s not about someone, is it?”
You begin to scratch the back of your head. “Well… I did become friends with Diluc…? That’s the only thing that happened besides me and Ayato talking each other out about what happened.” You said, looking at your friend while you fiddled with your fingers. “He’s fun to talk to, I’ll admit. I had a lot of fun for the past few days thanks to him.”
The blonde haired man nods in agreement. “I can tell. Every time I look at you during the bachelor and reception, you look like you’re having fun talking to him,” He then lets out a laugh. “It honestly reminded me of back then when you and Ayato were still pining for each other.”
You look at him in confusion, still smiling. “Huh? What do you mean?”
“Well for starters, it’s the way you’re looking and talking to him. You always pay attention to him and everything he says that you don’t focus on eating your food or your surroundings much — I was able to see you while I was hosting the bachelor party.” He explains. “...Of course, I’m sure you don’t see Mr. Ragnvindr that way though, right?”
You slowly glance down at your food, processing his words carefully.
…Huh.
You didn’t notice how Thoma’s face slightly fell from how you didn’t answer his question. “...You don’t see him that way, right?” He repeats.
You want to answer yes, but something is holding you back. You don’t understand, you don’t really see Diluc that way right? You two are just friends – and yes, there were some moments between you two whereas your new friend made you feel… things – but that’s normal, right?
This feeling… Isn’t surely the same as what you felt towards Ayato back then, is it?
Then again… When was the last time you had fallen in love?
You wipe your now sweaty palms on your lap, starting to feel a bit conflicted from your thoughts and feelings. Even if you are in love with him, how could you even deal with it? How can you even face him knowing your feelings? What if you end up being heartbroken?
But if you aren’t in love with him, why does that make you feel.. Unsatisfied?
You can’t help but think about him, and you realize you’ve always been thinking about him for the past few days. He makes you happy obviously, there’s never a dull moment with him besides when you two first interacted with one another, and he’s understanding and gentle. The gentle look he gives you as he respectfully treats you well makes you feel… something.
He also treats you equally and always manage to get along with you despite your differences to one another. Not to mention how you always smile whenever you think of him, something that Zhongli had pointed out one time — and how you couldn’t help but always get excited at the thought of what’s to come for you and Diluc the next day—
Oh.
Oh.
Meanwhile, Thoma tries to think of a way to change topics. “It’s alright if you’re unsure, ( Name ).”
“No, no, it’s fine.” You quickly reassured your friend. “I just.. Didn’t realize it until you pointed it out.”
“So.. you do love him, do you?”
You stayed silent for a few seconds, unsure how to break it to him. “...He makes me feel things no one has made me feel for a long time.”
“…Does he make you happy?”
You nodded in response. “He makes me the happiest I can be.” He made me realize there’s always a chance, a chance to love. You thought.
Thoma hums in understanding. “I see. Then I hope you get something good from rhat.”
You smile gratefully. “Thank you. Though, I feel bad our conversation went this way, we were just laughing a few minutes ago.”
He quickly lets out a small laugh. “Oh it’s no problem. At least you found something you didn’t know, right?”
You nodded. “Yeah, thanks again, Thoma.”
“Anything for you, ( Name ).”
You decided to try and change the topic, clearing your throat. “Uh, anyways, wanna share Good Hunter’s newest dessert together?”
Thoma nods with a smile. “Fine, but you better not finish everything in one go.”
“Hey!”
–
It took perhaps another hour before you and Thoma decided to get the bill and get out of the restaurant. Unfortunately, your friend won’t be able to join you in going back inside Goth Grand Hotel once he drops you off, telling you how he has some things to do for Ayato and Chisato before they go off to their honeymoon destination.
As you enter the hotel lobby, you can’t help but think back about what happened during your brunch with Thoma. What will happen between you and Diluc now? Will you still act the same as before, aware that your feelings for him are possibly more than platonic?
While thinking, you didn’t notice someone behind you heading towards you until you felt them harshly gripping onto one of your shoulders.
You turn around, wondering who on Earth would be so rude to do such a thing, only for your eyes to widen when you realize who it is.
“Good afternoon, Mx. ( Last Name ).” Shinsuke greeted you with a smile that’s obviously fake. “I apologize for bothering you on this fine day,” A lie, “but I must request you to come with me somewhere more private.”
You hesitated for a moment, knowing the risk if you said yes. But even so, who’s to say what could happen if you turn down his request?
You look around the area, trying to look for someone who can notice your troubled situation and help you, only to unfortunately find no one around. If only you could’ve convinced Thoma to escort you back to your hotel room…
“...I suppose I could spare some time for a chat.” You said, trying to act calm.
You suddenly feel an eerie presence looming behind you, causing you to glance at your back and see a few bodyguards standing behind you – as if to prevent you from running away. Unlike the ones who were stationed for the wedding events, these particular guards were foreign, with strange but somewhat familiar symbols on their brooches. You could tell they’re not like the bodyguards you’ve seen.
“Perfect.” Shinsuke comments, and you start to regret accepting his offer. “Come with me.”
Without letting you reply at all, the man turns and starts walking, causing the bodyguards behind you to shove you in order for you to follow, leaving you no choice but to oblige.
On your way, you hoped that you would at least encounter one of your friends, frantically glancing around the hotel lobby looking for a familiar face. Unfortunately, you finally arrived at what you assume is a private room.
You’re going to be alone with Shinsuke and these scary bodyguards.
“Before we can go in, I have one more thing to request of you.” Shinsuke spoke up before he could open the door. “Take your bag away and give it to one of the guards.”
Your eyes widens, hesitantly looking at the bodyguards behind you, who all remain unfazed and emotionless. Slowly, you take out your bag from your body and pass it to one of the guards.
“Don’t worry, they won’t open your bag and look through your things if that’s what you’re worried about. We just need to make sure you won't try to... record anything and break our privacy.” Shinsuke said in a nice tone, as if that’s enough to reassure you in this situation. “Let’s go inside now.”
You feel fear crawling up on your spine as you enter the room, unsure of what’s going to happen to you.
The room is a conference room, with multiple chairs surrounding one long table as one of them is situated by the end of it; you assume that chair is where he’ll be seated.
“Go sit down here.” He says, pulling back a seat that’s right in the middle. “We have a few things to talk about, it won’t be long, don’t worry.”
Swallowing down the lump in your throat, you carefully went to where the seat is, trying to contain your frantic breathing in order to hide your fear. The bodyguards that were following you both are situated outside.
By the time you sit down is when Shinsuke starts talking, not sitting down on a chair. “Now that we’re in a more private area, let’s start talking, shall we?”
You nodded slowly. “..Is there a problem, Mr. Hiiragi?” You ask carefully.
He laughs, starting to walk slowly around you. “Straight to the point, I like that.” He comments. “Yes, there is a problem, Mx. ( Last Name ). I'm sure you remember our conversation yesterday.”
Your breath hitches; he proceeds to explain more. “You see, this wedding is a very precious event to the Hiiragi Clan. Everyone thinks the lovely couple is perfect like straight out of a fairytale, so I like to keep it that way.” You watch as he brushes one of the chairs as he walks by. Did he find out about you and Ayato?
“So when someone reported to me that they caught sight of you walking back inside the bachelor party venue together with the bride – who didn’t bother hiding the fact that she was crying – I have to make sure all’s well.” He adds.
His eyes then narrow. “I hope you understand where I’m coming from, and I fear that you might take the opportunity to taint the Hiiragi name and accuse that Chisato is unhappily married to Kamisato Ayato.”
You shook your head frantically. “N-No, I wouldn’t dare to do such a thing to my friends.”
“How should I know if you’re telling the truth? And before I knew it, the media would talk about how Chisato had unwillingly married the CEO of the Yashiro Company because of you and your schemes!”
“I am telling the truth, Mr. Hiiragi! I wish nothing but happiness for the couple.”
“As if that’s enough to do so.” He lets out a “tsk”, glaring down at you. “I have no choice but to get rid of you. Who knows when you will eventually risk tearing down my reputation!”
You gasp aloud, immediately standing up from your seat. “Get rid of me?! But Mr. Hiiragi, that’s too much! I haven’t done anything ever since the bachelor party happened–”
“You dare to raise your voice on me!? Did you forget your place, or shall I remind you?!” He exclaims. You panic when he suddenly storms towards you, his hand slowly raises up to hit you.
Suddenly, the door opens, causing the man to stop himself from hitting you and look at the intruder.
“Was I interrupting something?”
Your eyes brighten when you recognize the person’s voice, and you look at the intruder who’s standing by the doorway.
“O-Oh, Mr. Ragnvindr!” Shinsuke spoke, his tone is now nice and kind unlike a few seconds ago. “What a lovely surprise. I was just having a special meeting with Mx. ( Last Name ) regarding the wedding–”
“I’m here to talk about your pesky bodyguards who aren’t doing their job right” Diluc spoke, his voice dark and cold – a big comparison to his gentle tone when he talks to you. “I was just passing by when they suddenly confronted me and dared to lay a hand on me for no reason.”
You saw the way Shinsuke’s eyes widened, his eyebrows furrowing. “What?! How unprofessional of them! Where are they now?”
Diluc opens the door wide. “Feel free to go check on them. I had to defend myself since they tried to fight me. Had this happened to someone else, I fear an innocent person would get hurt by their recklessness.” He scolded Shinsuke, who hesitated from his offer to check on the bodyguards.
The elder man glances at you, causing you to freeze up from his glare. “This isn’t over yet.” He mouths before looking back at the red-haired man. “I apologize sincerely on behalf of my bodyguards. I’ll make sure it won’t happen ever again.”
“Good. Now leave.”
Begrudgingly, Shinsuke heads out from the conference room. By the time the CEO is out of your sight, Diluc looks in your direction.
You feel your shoulders starting to relax. “Diluc.”
His eyes softened. “( Name ).” He then gestures to you to come with him. “Come with me. Let’s get you out of here.”
When you come out of the conference room with Diluc being by your side, you’re surprised to see the sight of Shinsuke standing over the bodyguards on the ground, some groaning out in pain while some were out cold. Just what did Diluc do to them?
You dare not to question it, you’re just grateful that he saved you from Shinsuke.
As soon as you two are somewhere where most people don’t come to in the lobby, you let out a breath you didn’t know you’re holding.
“Are you alright?” Diluc asks worryingly, giving you your bag you didn’t know he was holding. “What happened back there?”
You slowly grab your bag from him, avoiding his gaze. “I… I don’t know.. He just took me to that room and threatened me for something that happened in the bachelor party. I wouldn’t dare to do that to my friends.” You clench your teeth at the audacity the cruel CEO has. “I’m just grateful you were able to come by before something happened. How did you know I was there?”
“I saw one of the guards holding your bag.” He answers honestly. “I recognized it was the one you were carrying when we were taking a stroll around the garden, so I had to investigate. Did they hurt you?”
You shook your head. “Mr. Hiiragi was about to, but you made it in time before he could hurt me.”
Diluc’s eyes slightly widened, before quickly narrowing his eyes at the thought that someone would dare to hurt you. “How dare he.. I knew he wasn’t good news.”
“It’s fine… None of us could’ve predicted he would do something like this.” You mumbled. It was technically a lie, you knew someone like Shinsuke would do this, but you didn’t want your friend to be worried and angry. “Thank you for your help, Diluc. I owe you a lot.”
“Anything for you.” He replied. He suddenly puts a hand on your shoulder in an attempt to comfort you, causing your heart to start beating fast while your cheeks begin to warm up from his words and gestures. “You don’t owe me anything. Just… be more careful, I don’t want you to get hurt by someone as cruel and despicable as him.”
You nodded slowly, your mouth twitching upwards. “I’ll try.”
“Were you heading towards your room?” He asks, and you hum softly in response. “I could escort you back there if you’d like. Just in case Mr. Hiiragi dares to come to you again.”
You shook your head. “Oh I don’t want to bother you. I think I can go back on my own.”
“I insist. It would hurt me if something bad happens to you again when I could’ve helped you.” He insists. “Come.”
“...Thank you again, Diluc.” You spoke softly before the two of you started heading towards the elevator area that’s across the hotel lobby from where you are.
The two of you didn’t say a word to one another while you’re walking, but you didn’t mind. You were still shaken up by what happened. Who knows when Shinsuke will try to bother you again? What if he comes to Liyue and ruins your life?
“Will you be alright, ( Name )?” He suddenly asks, causing your worrisome thoughts to fade away from his voice.
Before you could say anything, someone suddenly called Diluc’s name.
“Diluc?”
You look around the area to look for the person who was calling your friend, spotting a woman standing not too far away from where you and Diluc are with her eyes brightening.
“There you are! I was looking around for you.” She spoke, walking towards you two with a smile on her face. “Did you just get out of the hotel room?”
You can’t help but admire the woman who’s now standing in front of you two. She’s quite beautiful, you admit. Is she perhaps a friend of Diluc? Or an acquaintance of his in the business world?
Or… Is she his plus one?
Diluc shakes his head. “No, I just happened to come across a friend of mine and got distracted. Did you wait for too long?”
The woman shakes her head as well, smiling reassuringly. “Ah no, don’t worry. I just entered the hotel.” She then looks at you. “Hello, what’s your name?” She asks you politely, causing your eyes to widen a bit in surprise.
“Oh uhm.. My name is ( Name ) ( Last Name ). It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms…?”
“You can call me Jean. Thank you for keeping Diluc company while I was gone. I feel bad that I wasn’t able to attend the wedding.” Jean said.
Ah, so she is his plus one.
You try to ignore a strange feeling bubbling in your chest. “It’s no problem, I’m glad I’m friends with someone like Diluc. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot more about Mondstadt thanks to him.”
Jean giggles, a tune that’s so sweet in your ears. “I’m glad my fiancé made a friend. I hope I’ll get to know you more, ( Name ).”
You felt like your heart dropped when you heard what Jean called Diluc, your face almost fell.
…
Fiancé?
“...O-Oh, you guys are engaged?” You asked, stunned from your realization.
Jean instantly covers her mouth. “Oh, my bad.”
“It’s alright, Jean.” Diluc reassures her, you saw the way he looks at her. It’s different than the way he looks at you. “I was meaning to invite them to the wedding before they leave for Liyue.”
Jean sighs in relief, then looks at you with an apologetic smile. “I apologize for the shock. But yes, me and Diluc are set to be married in December. We haven’t announced our engagement to the public yet so we’d appreciate it if you could keep it a secret until it’s announced. I’ll make sure to give you an invitation tomorrow if that’s fine with you!”
You felt sick, swallowing the sour taste of heartbreak in your throat. “Of course! I’m honored I’m invited to your wedding. Congratulations on your engagement.”
You’re too caught up with the sudden news that you didn’t notice the way Diluc looks at you in concern.
Jean didn’t notice either, still smiling happily. “Great, I hope we’ll talk again next time. I’m afraid Diluc and I have to go now to meet Mr. and Mrs. Kamisato before they leave. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay in Mondstadt until you leave! Shall we, Diluc?”
The red-haired man hesitantly looks at you, and you remembered how he was supposed to escort you. You feel selfish for wanting him to go with you, but you knew your place.
“Go.” You mouth to Diluc with a reassuringly small smile, despite your heart wanting him to stay. “I’ll see you two next time. It’s nice to meet you as well, Jean.”
“...See you next time, ( Name ).” Diluc spoke up before walking towards Jean.
Without another word, you turn away and walk back to where you’re supposed to be going. Away from Shinsuke, from your heartbreak,
And away from Diluc. Your first love for the first time in 4 years.
You tried your best to hold onto your facade that everything’s normal and okay as you’re on your way back to the hotel room rushedly, your heart racing and lips shaking from what just happened.
You aren’t sure if you were overwhelmed by what happened between you and Shinsuke, or from the unrequited love between you and Diluc.
You should’ve known he wouldn’t be single. You should’ve known he was taken by someone as beautiful and amazing as Jean. You should’ve remained oblivious to your feelings towards him,
You should’ve known he would never see you that way.
By the time you enter the room and close the door behind you, you knelt down on the ground and let out a sob, dropping your bag as you cover your face with your hands.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
Everything hurts. Everything is too much. You feel like you’re being burned inside as your heart aches deeply. You feel like you want to jump off a cliff and land in an ocean, never to be seen again. Why did you had to find out you’re in love when you found out your love is unrequited? Why is this happening to you? What did you do in your past life to deserve such cruelty?
You were so busy crying that you didn’t notice Zhongli walking towards you in concern. Words didn’t exchange between you two, but your friend knew what to do. He always comforts you whenever you cry about Ayato after drinking too much back then, reassuring you that you’ll eventually move on someday.
He kneels down beside you, wrapping an arm around your shoulder comfortingly. You didn’t hesitate to lean your head on his shoulder as a result, continuing to let out your wails and tears.
“I fell in love, but he… He belongs to another. Why does this always happen to me?” You sobbed.
Zhongli slowly pulls you closer to him. “I do not know.”
You let out another sob, closing your eyes shut. “It hurts.”
He closes his eyes as well, his heart aches at the sound of your cries. “I know.”
That day, you didn’t look at your phone anymore to see if he sent you a message. Spending the rest of your time engulfed in heartbreak as your dearest friend comforts you.
Just when you thought you were willing to fall in love, that chance was once again out of your reach.
It’s true he made you realize there’s always a chance, a chance to love.
Just not a chance to love him.
—
Somewhere by the hotel’s parking lot, someone is going through the same thing as you.
Thoma leans against the steering wheel of his car, exhaling deeply as he closes his eyes.
He knew he’d never have the chance to win your heart, yet it still hurts to think that you’re now in love with someone else. Don’t get him wrong, he’s truly happy for you — especially knowing that you have never bothered trying to give love a chance again and never had a date with anyone since the break up.
He just wished it was him you had fallen in love with, even though it sounds as impossible as going to outer space in this life.
But nevertheless, it wasn’t the fact that his love for you stayed strong and you still see him as just a friend—
It was the fact that you’re in love with a man who’s out of your reach.
Thoma didn’t know what to think when he learned you love Diluc. He wanted to be happy for you — he knows the man has a good heart after hearing so many good things about him — but he knew you’re going to be heartbroken when you learned about his secret engagement with one of the most powerful and well-respected women in Mondstadt.
There’s nothing he can do about it. He can only hope you’d get through the same pain you felt back then.
Thoma lets out a sigh, leaning back up from the steering wheel.
Even if he cannot provide it, the blonde-haired man just wished that someday, you’d love someone who loves you too, with nothing that can stop you both,
Unlike the men you fell in love with.
PREVIOUS || NEXT
౨ৎ ⋆˚ untamed ft. wrio & neuvilette + afab!reader. mild spoilers i think? not proofread! just ignore the errors pls <3 character study in the form of shameless smut yes <3
💌 wrio: overstimming + creampie + he calls you angel + unprotected.
wriothesley, in his young age, seems to have accumulated all the good things befitting that of a gentleman. having the title of a duke and handling the affairs in the fortress of meropide as its lord being some of his outstanding qualities. he possesses a strict sense of character; responsible to boot, and unyielding in the face of any dilemma.
so you must trust him, really, when he says that he hasn’t foreseen this altered character— not at all. it’s not like him to free his inhibitions just to fuck you with utter abandon inside his office, grunting while hugging the back of your legs against his chest, your pretty pussy gaping at the sheer girth rammed inside your creamy hole. he wants to stop— to let you catch a sliver of rest but your cunt feels so good around his cock that it literally brings pain in his chest to put a halt on this pleasure. he cannot stop fucking you, cannot stop plugging your pussy with his flushed cocktip and ever-growing cock. globules of cum, heavy and hefty in amount, starts squirting out of his pulsing cocktip, yet through the sting and the ache that his ejalucation causes, his hips would not yield. one more, angel, i promise— he merely grunts the words, forehead bedewed in sweat, knowing damn well that even he cannot channel his so-called restraint when it comes to fucking you brainless on his office table. </3
💌 neuvilette: overstimming + creampie + undertones of mindbreak + unprotected + big cock.
if neuvilette has learned something from the recent days’ events beyond the straightforward and judicial air in fontaine, he grants the credit to humans and their ceaseless abilities to fascinate. however, whatever transpired recently have only bolstered his curiosity about mortals and their nature. in truth, you have been the one open his eyes to humanity’s boundless surprises and complexity.
he has been pumping his cock in and out of your fucked out pussy since the moon made its first appearance. your brain is soaked, like the bedsheets sticking to your glistening body. and yet your back remains arch so pretty for him, the rim of your cunt has already formed in the size of his girth, pulsing as if begging to be abused more. neuvilette owns a higher endurance than that of a human; he has fucked you in multiple positions, has plugged his sheer size, healthy veins and all, up your pretty pussy to the base, but his appetite still cannot be sated. perhaps his nature is to blame for such a rash display of character tonight, but truly, he does not have it in him to halt. sure, you’ve told him to slow down countless of times, and he has obliged despite the physical ache it has brought in his person, but he finds it enthralling how every time he drags his cock slowly in and out of your warm and wet and slabbering pussy, you cry and mewl and beg him to fuck you faster instead. this tips him to the edge. grabbing your flesh as leverage for his shredding control, he humps your ass with force that shakes the bed and brings tears to your eyes. right there and then, he fills you with cum which potency and thickness cannot be compared to any human— it’s unstoppable, from huge and plump balls to the cocktip that kisses your womb for giving him this mind-shattering release.
.𖥔 ݁ ˖꩜ Wasted youth.
✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Platonic!Ajax x GN!Reader
✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐖𝐜: 11k
✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆!!: violence, blood, death.
✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐀/𝐍: IT'S FINALLY HERE! I hope everyone can enjoy this <3
✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩. 𝐛𝐲 Tempo Perdido - Legião Urbana
✦⸼࣪⸳ likes, reblogs and comments are appreciated!! <3
Snezhnaya is not exactly a friendly nation. The cold that seems to run from the veins to the depths of people's innermost being brings with it a certain hostility towards those who don't know the heart of the land. But within Ajax's distorted childhood perception, Snezhnaya was like a gentle mother, protecting its children under icy embrace.
But then, why did such a loving land allow its own child to fall into the deepest depths of the Abyss? Like drowning in freezing water, a child who survived Teyvat's darkest and loneliest place would certainly not come out of it the same as he went in.
"Ajax" was still Ajax, wasn't he? The same child, named after a hero from ancient tales, full of compassion and empathy, now carried with him a gaze that was deader than the fish he caught on ice.
Joining the Fatui wasn't in his plans for the future; being one of them wasn't so bad, although he wasn't expecting much for the future. But what he didn't like was being the youngest in the unit, it was a complete humiliation.
Not that the seniors were a challenge for him, but being constantly underestimated was... infuriating, to say the least. While his strength was admirable — thanks to Skirk, he would thank her someday — Ajax felt constantly bored, with no meaningful challenge ahead of him.
"Redhead!" The call was accompanied by a snowball, which hit him square in the face; his moment of peace was interrupted, though it didn't really matter.
Ajax could only sigh before letting out a soundless laugh, knowing exactly who had hit him: [Name], a recruit not much older than him, maybe a year or so. Being under the same division, it wasn't unusual to bump into them. "Here it comes..."
They weren't exactly friends, more like acquaintances. However, they also kept in touch enough to be just "acquaintances". Never friends, perhaps not at all.
As if he had some kind of radar, [Name] always appeared whenever Ajax had his rare moment of philosophical thought of questionable quality. Usually to disrupt the whole process.
" Damn, looks like you really found me," he laughed, turning to look at them.
"That's the third time I've had to look for you this week," they complained, carefully preparing another snowball to throw at him. "I always get scolded because of you, you know that?"
They weren't exactly wrong. Whenever Ajax wandered off the map, it was [Name] who had to look for him in the frozen woods. Not that they really bothered to do it, but it was tiring going around in circles until they found him.
"Look at it as part of your job."
"Babysitting...?"
"No, looking after your companions."
"... How idiotic."
"How heroic. It's very noble to look after your friends, you know?" Ajax corrected. His eyes returned to scanning the surrounding trees in a relaxed manner.
"Not when said 'friends' get into trouble all the time," they retorted.
"I always come back, it's not like you need to hunt me down like I'm some criminal on the loose." He shook his head briskly, brushing the snow off the top of his hair. However, he was greeted with another sharp shot right to the scalp.
"Look... So, all due respect, but you're not far off being one, you know?" they shyly replied. Not in a rude way, but still a little offensive to whoever it was directed at.
He didn't know whether to laugh or feel offended by what they said. Maybe both? Well, they weren't exactly wrong... Ajax was already considered a marginal project, or at least it seemed that way.
"Why did you do that?"
"What? You have to specify or I won't know,” his smile fell, replaced by a neutral expression. He tried to feign ignorance, but it didn't work very well.
"Don't be cynical. You beat up an older soldier. Aren't you a little ashamed?”
Which soldier were they talking about? It didn't matter to him anyway, as he'd lost count of how many he'd challenged and won — it wasn't a difficult task, they were never a match for him.
All too often they were weak, and [Name] was the worst of them all. That's why Ajax didn't even bother trying when inviting them to a duel, because the result was obvious from the start. The last time they sparred, it was be boring, easy and not worth the effort.
"Should I be? If a soldier almost two meters tall can't beat up a 14—year—old, then that means he's a weakling, doesn't it?" Ajax crossed his arms. "Besides, he called me names before, so we're even."
"Seriously..." they sighed, "Seriously, try not to make such a fuss. The Fifth can get you out of most trouble, only until you do something, let's say, really catastrophic."
"Something catastrophic like...?" he asked curiously, his gaze fixed on them.
"Like... burning down the Zapolyarny palace?"
His jaw dropped in shock, and a touch of offense showed on his cold—pink face. That was the most absurd thing he had heard in recent times. "What?! Why do you think I would do something like that?"
"Because it's you we're talking about, redhead."
"What's with the nickname?"
"I think it's funny, don't you?"
"You know... whatever." Ajax put his hands on his waist, shaking his head slightly. "I'll take that as an excuse to put a nickname on you too."
"So you're going to stop with the ' comrade' thing and come up with something even worse? Really?"
"Maybe so... maybe not. Who knows?"
The boy gave a relaxed smile, patting them on the shoulder before moving on. His heavy footsteps in the snow served as a background noise to the uneasy silence around them.
"I found it."
"Hm? Found what?" Ajax raised an eyebrow in suspicion.
[Name] pulled out a red scarf, so familiar to Ajax, from inside their backpack, carefully tying it around his neck. The fabric was warm, or perhaps it was the feeling of zeal, or also the nostalgia it brought.
Ajax hadn't realized he had left it behind. And when he realized it, the difference between the cold air and the protection of the scarf was remarkable — was he so distracted that he didn't notice?
The boy's gloved hands touched the soft fabric of the scarf, bringing it closer to his face and snuggling into the warmth. "Where did you find it, comrade?"
" Somewhere, it doesn't matter." They put their hands in the pockets, looking around at the landscape around them. "Aren't you afraid of getting lost in the forest?"
Ajax let out a genuine laugh when he heard their question, as if it were something ridiculous. "Getting lost? I know my way around pretty well."
[Name] narrowed their eyes, firmly disbelieving Ajax's words. For them, the scenery remained the same, no matter how far they went — well, they didn't go very far at all.
"What? It's all the same, like... just trees and snow everywhere."
Ajax held back a laugh, as if what they'd said was completely dumb. "You're not from Snezhnaya, right?"
"Is it that obvious?"
"Were you trying to hide it at all?" He couldn't help but laugh at the redness that appeared on [Name]'s face.
They were almost the scarlet color of their vision, which they proudly carried on a chain attached to their jacket. Pyro and Hydro, it was yet another thing that made them so opposite from each other.
"You know what, never mind! Just follow me." They extended a hand towards him, an almost forced offer.
Ajax hesitated, staring at the hand in front of him for a few long seconds before accepting it. He held it with some hesitation, not wanting to apply more force than he should have. He didn't mean to hurt, but he also had moments when he couldn't control his own strength.
They walked together through the snow, their steps in perfect sync. He noticed these small details as he looked down at the ground, thinking over and over again about an endless cycle. Sometimes, he just let that little silence take over his head, alone without direction, lost in the image of his own breath coming in the form of fog.
[Name] mumbled something, Ajax nodded, but forgot all about it soon after. They knew he wasn't paying attention, but didn't care, increasing the strength with which they held his hand.
"You don't like it here? Is that why you keep running away?"
"It's not running away if you come back.”
[Name] genuinely felt like punching Ajax in the face every time he opened his mouth and let out some stupid reason like this, but they would obviously leave it to imagination. The willingness wasn't lacking, but the courage was.
Perhaps if they were stronger, braver, they could say what they really wanted. But they weren't, and that kept them behind a fine line between the two, where Ajax always seemed to be in the front.
Everything in Snezhnaya, absolutely everything, filled them with an internal revolt. The cold that seemed to freeze them inside, the infinitely same path that seemed to lead nowhere, not being taken seriously — but for now, they would do anything to please those on top, especially since they were the ones in control of everything anyway.
"Don't ignore my question, go on. I know you heard me."
As soon as they arrived at the camp, they were greeted by an angry soldier with a large purple eye. That was the man Ajax had hit, and clearly he didn't look happy.
"Look, the bastard's really back," he said sarcastically, snapping his fingers. "Are you going to come at me for no reason like a savage again, like you did earlier?"
"Liar," they retorted, shaking their heads in denial and pointing a finger at the soldier, "you previously morally attacked Ajax, an exemplary boy..."
Ajax nodded, crossing his arms. Exemplary was by far what he was, but he had to agree with those who defended him. What he didn't expect was that they would retract their words soon after.
"...sort of."
"A... gentle boy?" They gave him a sideways glance, as if for confirmation; all he got back was a slight shake of the head.
"sort of..."
There was a lack of good adjectives to describe what he was — what he had become.
It would be less work if they just called him strong, but they didn't. They didn't want to reduce him to something. They didn't seem to want to reduce him to something the soldier in front of them already knew. Or rather, they didn't want to reduce Ajax to a simple strong boy.
They cleared their throats with a smile, grabbing Ajax by the collar, "Give us a second!"
Honestly, he was expecting a beating, not a strategy meeting behind a bush — not that he was going to complain, but at least he was hoping for a fight or something. His clenched fists contained the real desire to punch that soldier right in the face, but unfortunately he couldn't do that.
"'Sort of', really?" Ajax mimicked with a playful tone.
They rolled their eyes, fidgeting. "One of two ways: either I lie by calling you dumb, or I lie by calling you stupid!"
His jaw dropped for a moment. Was Ajax that stupid in their eyes? Not that he was the most self—controlled or straightforward person, but that dumb was an insult. "Oh, but I'm not dumb!"
"Perfect! Then you're stupid!"
The two of them stared at each other for what seemed like hours. Just as they didn't understand him, Ajax didn't understand them one bit.
"Seriously, I'm trying to help you... but then you have to help me help you."
"I think you've got it wrong. I appreciate the attempt, not to be rude... but I don't think I asked you to help me in the first place." He tried to smooth it over somehow, with that annoying little smile of his.
They felt their eyes ticking just hearing him, but soon pulled themselves together and returned the smile with a sarcastic tone intertwined with the words, "Really?”
"Mhm!" Ajax smiled. "Then I'm going for it, you said!"
Ajax ran off, abandoning them behind the bush to do whatever he wanted. Training, fighting, getting into another fight... it was all very unpredictable when it came to someone as peculiar as Ajax.
[Name] stood there, letting out a sigh as he thought about how weird this boy was. But there was no denying that Ajax was truly exceptional at getting out of trouble, and that made them more and more curious about him.
Sometimes, before going to sleep, Ajax would close his eyes and think about the day he'd had. He would ponder how small details were so easily erased — he couldn't remember who accompanied him on the march, or the name of the guy he had hit. But it was okay, it was fine not to remember.
The important thing was to keep going, without wasting time, and to move on. Ajax didn't need anything else, or anyone else, just himself to become very strong.
"Here you go, redhead." He was called by [Name], who threw a pillow right in his face.
" Man, you really like throwing things at me, don't you?" complained, pulling the pillow away from his face, "Have I become a punching bag now?"
"You forgot your pillow. If you wake up with a stiff neck, you'll be complaining in my ear all day tomorrow."
"I don't complain—"
"You think you don't, but you nag like an old man!"
Ajax threw himself backwards, lying on the mattress hugging the pillow close to his face. He muttered irritably to himself something almost inaudible, something that [Name] could only wish weren't curses in their direction.
"Look, I don't know what kind of problem you have," Ajax began, rolling his eyes in frustration, but soon changed his tone to something more playful, "if you want to settle something with me, come fight. Unless you're too much of a chicken not to fight someone younger and stronger than you."
"Whatever" [name] grumbled as they adjusted the flame of the lamp with their vision, "I already know I have zero percent chance against someone like... you."
"Why, comrade? It's not like I'm going to kill anyone in sight or anything like that." He smiled, giving a slight chuckle.
"Yes, of course, and I'm a slime" [name] sarcastically answered.
"Honestly, I don't mean to offend you or anything..." Ajax sat up, running a light hand through his hair to remove it from his face. "But I really wonder how someone so coward got into Fatui. I mean, you're afraid to even hold your own bow."
[Name] listened attentively to his words, but kept their gaze fixed on the lamp in her hands. It was the only source of warmth between them at the moment, and they couldn't let it go out so soon.
"The reason I'm in Fatui..." Their eyes did not leave the flame in hand, carefully observing the orange color that reflected on everything around him. [Name] avoided this question whenever it was asked, because they knew they weren't strong, and didn't force themselves to be, but the truth was too shameful.
"I believe I am indebted to Her Royal Highness the Tsaritsa. I must render my services for her generosity, and also... for this little thing here, which has guaranteed me everything I have now."
They picked it up and swung it around, the vibrant red gemstone seeming to emanate heat in a veritable mirage. Even though the temperature was almost below zero, it still retained its tiny hints of flame.
"Well, I guess that's it. I was born like anyone else, subject to mistakes and defects. But I don't think I'm worthless, after all..." they paused for a single second, letting out a sigh before continuing, "even doormats have their uses."
Ajax's face softened as he listened to them. He was speechless, sincerely mute without an answer to their words. No silly comment came to mind, just nothing. He waited a while in silence before finally asking: "Wow, that was something..."
"I think we've talked enough about me, what about you?" They asked with a little smile, and Ajax relaxed a little.
"About me? Hm... I think I have several stories! Like today when I punched that guy!" he cheered, throwing a fake punch in the air to represent his fight.
[Name] let out a simple laugh, amused by his actions. They thought the boy was a piece of work, silly but very funny; also very intriguing in every respect. At fourteen, joining the Fatui and doing well was something out of this world from everyone else's perspective.
"No, silly! I don't care about that sort of thing." They shook their heads in denial.
Ajax blinked twice, confusion clear on his face. "What...? So what do you want to know, anyway?"
They patted his head lightly, making Ajax turn as red as a tomato. It was unexpected, and he didn't know how to react to it, he wasn't prepared, but it wasn't that bad either. For the first time in a long time, Ajax allowed himself to receive a bit of care.
"Tell me, redhead," they called him by that silly nickname again, getting a funny look from him, "do you miss home at all?"
"Homesick? Hm... I don't know, I don't think so."
"Lying to yourself is always the worst kind of lie, so don't do this."
"If I really miss home..."
Home. Did Ajax really miss home? It was very hard for them to guess what was going through his head when all he did was fight and cause trouble. Although he had his ridiculous faults, there was still a gentle child inside, deep down.
Ajax was about to answer when it finally hit. It was the kind of question that nobody really asked in the Fatui. Everyone usually acted in accordance with their situation, there was no room in the Camp for whining.
The only tears were those that were left on the pillow, turned upside down as soon as the first rays of sun appeared in the morning. Hidden, sealed away from the gaze of others, while everything continued in the shadows.
He remembered perfectly the day he left home, beginning his career as a soldier.
Ajax checked his appearance one last time in the mirror. He didn't mind the state he was in, with a few scars on his hands and small scratches on his face from the mess that had occurred before he was enlisted — but he couldn't look relaxed either, Ajax needed to look presentable for some reason.
He could hear some whispering, not so quiet, of children behind him. He could see their reflections, curious as ever, but pretended not to have noticed, not wanting to end their failed attempt at spying.
When the clock finally struck a certain time, he knew it was time to go. Ajax had been preparing since the day before, when he received the news. It hadn't been easy to accept, but Ajax had no voice after everything he had done.
It was easy to feel the blood on his hands, even though he had washed them over and over again. While his combat skills were fascinating, it was frightening to see how easy it was to seriously hurt someone.
But at the same time, he felt the adrenaline of fighting pulsing through his veins, bringing with it an insatiable desire for battle. He didn't have a strong enemy, he didn't have anyone who could challenge his skills in this little corner of the world he lived in. Being the strongest shouldn't be so boring, at least not for him.
When he stepped out of his room, the first thing he saw were his little siblings. Their faces were full of questions, asking for an answer as to where he was going, why he was leaving and other questions that Ajax wasn't allowed to answer, nor was he in the mood to answer them.
This was what he really dreaded, the farewell.
He hugged each sibling as if it was the last time seeing them, his eyes filled with anguish disguised as emotion and tears that weren't exactly shed. He felt a knot down his throat — how hard it was to try and keep a smile, with such a conflicted feeling in his chest.
Perhaps that was the hardest part, because the younger ones had no idea where their older brother would end up. They didn't know that he was going where no other child should go. The only excuse he could come up with was something about a fantastic toy factory, and they bought it.
He swallowed it all, keeping his typical charisma in a comforting smile. Blindly lying to himself that all that was to come was just a distraction where he could meet stronger people, bigger obstacles and climb them without hesitation.
He ran down the stairs as if it was the last time, and it would be, because long gone was the boy who once smiled here. Hearing the children's voices saying casual goodbyes, as if it were just another ordinary day and that he would be back soon. Touching the banister, sliding along and feeling the texture of the wood, brought a little sadness. It was full of scratches and loose splinters, just the way he would remember it.
Taking a deep breath, he let the smell of wax invade his lungs for one last time. Little did he know, but this would become another moment for nostalgia in just a few days.
He hesitated to leave that warm place, so precious and cozy that it was the only thing capable of bringing a tear to his eyes after leaving the abyss. Not all things in life work out the way we want them to, and he needed to learn that, if only in the harshest way possible.
"Discipline" was what it was supposed to be, a form of punishment for all the trouble he had made. Like a staircase, Ajax climbed step by step in his acts of violence until he reached the irreversible point of his insatiable hunger for battle
But life always takes its toll. And for Ajax, life decided to give, demand and take away almost instantly.
Saying goodbye to his mother, who wrapped a red wool scarf around his neck, Ajax could only keep smiling. If it hadn't been for the hesitation and worry in her eyes, distressed that her young son would end up in a place like the Fatui, everything would have been so much easier.
"My little warrior," she called him, a cheesy nickname that suited the wild boy perfectly. While it was ironic in the past, given that Ajax was a big scaredy—cat, today it was just dumb, "Don't cause too much trouble... please."
The last sentence came in the form of a very faint whisper, which went almost unnoticed by Ajax. A real plea, almost desperate because of the lack of credibility he had at that moment. She didn't believe in him, evident in the exacerbated concern she showed in her mannerisms.
And if to comfort her, then Ajax was willing to put on his best and most convincing cheerful mask. He had always been a boy who loved his family, and that was something that not even the claws of the Abyss could take away from him.
"Yes, Mom."
Ajax did his best not to sound the least bit false when lying to his mother — He was, he couldn't deny that — But at least Ajax did it convincingly until he could gently slip away from her gentle touch.
"I'll take care of myself. Brush my teeth, comb my hair..."
"And eat well," she added, brushing the dirt off his clothes, making him more presentable.
"...And eat well, leave it to me!"
The woman sighed, letting go of the boy. With her watery eyes turned to the side, she shook her head as if to pretend that everything was fine — an attempt to make it clear that everything was all right, that Ajax shouldn't worry. But in the end, it was to comfort herself.
"Go..." she murmured with a sad smile, shaking her face slightly to let the tears go where they shouldn't, "go with your father before you're late, and don't stir up trouble, see? Your poor mother's heart wouldn't be able to handle it."
"I'll do my best, stay super strong and—"
He was interrupted by a small smack on the head from his father; it wasn't painful, not in the slightest... but it hurt for some reason, somewhere deep inside. All he did was look up, shrug and smile as usual.
"Let's go." That was the call Ajax had been waiting for to.
This was a moment of farewell, but he remembered that it wasn't eternal. Someday, he would return home with his chest puffed out and a huge, proud smile on his face — well, that's what he hoped for.
And so, the troublemaker set foot outside his home to become what no one, not even he, expected him to be one day. Looking back at his past, his younger self, fearful and innocent, disappointed but admiring, came to mind.
An icy breeze was the first thing that greeted Ajax when he opened the door and encountered the standard whiteness of the outside scenery. It was sudden, as if to extract any remnants of warmth he felt. People would say it was a good omen coming from the Tsaritsa, a sign of good fortune on his new path.
And it's what Ajax would like to believe.
"Ajax?"
Their voice woke him from his memories, bringing him back to reality. And then suddenly, he was back in that tiny tent, the one he had never left.
"Sorry. I spaced out, didn't I?" He covered his eyes with his forearm, tiredness was starting to set in.
"Just a little bit." [Name] decided to lie down too, covering themselves with their own blanket. Their hands then went to the lamp, offering it to him, "Can you use your vision to put it out?"
"Can't we just... not put out the fire?" Ajax asked weakly.
[Name] blinked twice in surprise, then cracked a smile to tease him. "What's the matter, are you afraid—"
"No, I'm not afraid of the dark..." he cut them off in mid—sentence, turning around so that he wasn't facing them. With his face covered by the pillow, Ajax lowered his voice. "But leave the fire burning, just for now... please."
It was the first time [Name] had seen him so vulnerable, with his guard down. With such a sincere request, they were at a loss for words — even though they really wanted to understand.
"Right..." They hesitated slightly as they released the lamp. "Sweet dreams, Ajax."
Without replying, they sighed. [Name] then put their head on the pillow, looking at him with a certain empathy. But then again, it was none of their business; he would tell them when he felt comfortable.
That night would be a long one, with the two of them lying awake without exchanging a single word.
Sometimes [Name] questioned their own common sense, especially when they followed Ajax's foolish ideas. Normally, the two of them would get into trouble and be forced to do the daily tasks because of it.
But after days of insistence on his part, they had finally agreed to go ice fishing in the middle of the night because it was the only free time the both had. Did they know how to fish? No, and certainly not on ice, but there's a first time for everything.
"Hm... I don't see anyone," Ajax whispered as he looked through a gap in the tent, making sure no one was awake at this hour.
"Hang on, I can't put these on!" [Name] tried to put their boots on, but couldn't make a decent knot. They were already frustrated, tying them any way and untying them when they realized it didn't lead anywhere.
Ajax let out a chuckle, their desperation to put on simple boots was utterly comical, "Let me help you."
"I can do it myself!" [Name] stared at the tangled shoelace with a certain determination, trying to undo what they had tied.
"You said that last week, yet you couldn't do it and we lost the training—"
[Name]'s face heated up in embarrassment. What he said was true, the two of them had missed it, all because they didn't know how to put on the boots offered with the new uniform, and had to clean the weapons as punishment — not that Ajax cared, it seemed he had only focused on admiring the swords and guns rather than cleaning them.
"Shh! That's in the past!" they tried to shut him up.
Ajax shook his head slightly. He knelt down and stared at the blind knot they had tied, taking his hands to the shoelaces to straighten out the mess. "I'll teach you, check it out."
He carefully tied their shoes, making a firm loop. It was just like at home, when he helped his younger siblings put on their boots to play outside. When recalling this, an unconscious smile appeared on Ajax's lips, followed by a giggle.
"Are you laughing at me?" [name] asked, offended.
"No—" Ajax looked up, and then laughed, seeing the funny look they were making. "Yes, I am now!"
[Name] grabbed him by the cheek, hurrying him out of the tent with them. "Stop laughing, they'll wake up and it'll be our doom!"
"All right, all right!" Ajax exclaimed, removing their hand from his sore cheek. "You talk just like my mother when she scolds me..."
[Name] looked at him, smiling before teasing him. "No way, I mean, I pity your mother for having to put up with a son like you."
Ajax's frowned, he really did look offended by what they had said. "I have no idea what you're talking about, I've always been a very well—behaved child!"
"Oh, sure... if you say so, who am I to doubt it?" they agreed sarcastically. There wasn't a shred of confidence in his word.
There were endless minutes of walking and exchanging small insults. Under the moonlight, the two made their way calmly, getting further and further away from the camp. If they were lucky, no one would find out that they had run away.
They would be fishing in a frozen lake, a large mirror that reflected the light of an aurora. It was a breathtaking sight, as if they could touch the sky, and they took a cautious first step onto the it.
"Damn!" They slipped, having only the instinct to hold on to something.
"Whoa! Watch it there, comrade!" Ajax helped them regain their balance, holding them up by the arms. He took slow steps backwards so that [Name] wouldn't slip again.
[Name] smiled a little awkwardly, embarrassed. "Thanks but... This ice won't break with us on it, right?"
Ajax shook his head and firmly tapped his foot on the frozen surface, which remained intact. "It's pretty sturdy, see?"
"I see." [Name] turned their attention upwards and admired the greenish glow again. " Snezhnaya's night sky is a fascinating sight, isn't it? Even though I've seen it several times, I'm always amazed by its beauty..."
Ajax had already seen the real starry sky, the true and uncovered light of the celestial bodies. To refer to this gloomy canvas as a "fascinating sight" is an absurd statement, for it is only an empty imitation of what lies beneath the veil of the Abyss.
"You're really satisfied with anything, huh?" Ajax scoffed, with a hint of a smile on his face, "It's just floating lights, it gets boring after a while."
"Is there anything that doesn't get boring for you?" [Name] watched as Ajax started to cut the ice in a circular pattern, which appeared to be a not too difficult job for him. "Are you sure this works? I mean, it's just ice... I don't know if there's anything alive down there."
Ajax sat, eyes fixed on the hole in front of them. He hugged his knees and remained there, staring at the immensity and waiting for what would happen next. "Don't worry, we'll catch one in... a few minutes, I think."
"In about how many minutes, exactly?"
Ajax looked up thoughtfully. "A few."
"I swear to the archons, if you made us come here for nothing..." [Name] grumbled, watching the boy next to them. The way he insisted on his ideas impressed them, at the same time as it irritates; but seeing that serene face made them let out a little laugh, "Never mind, I'm the idiot one for following you."
[Name] sat down next to him, resting their face in one hand as Ajax and them waited patiently. Those moments of serenity were the complete opposite from the battles that took place everyday.
They had already seen several "comrades" fall, their lives taken while protecting the Fatui's interests. Interests that were unknown and hidden from the vast majority, concealed by individuals whose faces were unknown to many.
The Harbingers themselves were a kind of urban legends who, while everyone knew of their existence, were enigmatic and symbolic figures within the organization.
"What exactly are we fighting for?" [name] asked. There wasn't exactly a reason, because no one ever said the real purpose of the blood shed on the snowy battlefield.
Everyone's admiration and fear of the Harbingers was obvious. But just as they were feared, the kind of people whose presence is everywhere, there were more questions than answers as to their real motivation.
The closest they had seen was the Fifth, Pulcinella. [Name] didn't understand why they had been placed in his division, being a complete fool who couldn't hold a weapon without getting nervous. Even more so when, in the same division, there was Ajax.
A confused expression appeared on Ajax's face when he heard the question. Wasn't the answer obvious? At least, it was logical. "For Her Royal Highness, the Tsaritsa—"
"No, I know that. I'm talking about why we need to fight, the purpose of it all... We have a mission in a few days, and we don't even know what they want from us."
"I fight because I'm strong, isn't that enough?" Ajax seemed genuine in his response, with no hidden ambitions behind the battles he fought against his opponents. At the end of the day, it seemed to be all about the will to get stronger and better.
"No, it's not." [Name]'s gaze was serious, demanding an answer that would satisfy their curiosity. For them, Ajax was an extremely difficult puzzle to solve — a young boy who possessed the strength of a monster. But at the same time, had a heart as pure as gold. "Your name... was inspired by a hero, right? Do you want to be like them, the hero of the story?"
Ajax nodded, giving them a smirk. He remembered the old days, when he wasn't the least bit brave or powerful, just a fearful boy with a sword and a dream. "I think I'd rather be myself. It's much more fun when you do things your own way, don't you agree?"
"Well... it is, it really is." [Name]'s firm gaze softened. "Ajax, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
The boy froze in place. His mouth opened to speak, but the words he wanted to say didn't come out. He had no answer, even if he thought about it — Ajax simply didn't know.
"When I grow up..." he repeated to himself, looking for an answer, any answer. "I honestly don't know... I think I'll end up having to stay in Fatui."
"Idiot..." [name] grumbled, "I'm not saying you can't do what you want, but let's be honest with ourselves for a moment. Who would willingly stay in this hellhole?"
"Me," Ajax answered immediately, without a hint of hesitation in his speech, "If I go back home, I'll only make more trouble. Just the fact that I'm here makes life easier for everyone, and I can improve my skills."
"Of course you'd say that." They shook their heads, completely disapproving of his choice. They got up from where they sat, offering him a glance. "I envy you, you know that?"
"Hm? You..." Ajax looked up and pointed at them, then at himself. "...envy someone like me?"
"How can I not? You're strong, hopeful, stubborn and very proud," [name] listed, raising a finger for each adjective they found to describe him. "How can I not envy someone like you? You're like..."
"Everything I've always dreamed of being like."
They both uttered the same sentence at the same time, their voices becoming a unison sound that gave way to an awkward silence between them. Their eyes seemed to pierce each other, staring into the depths of the souls in search of some understanding.
"Trust me, I know what it's like," Ajax sighed, "to want to be braver, but at the same time to be too afraid of doing so."
Ajax turned his gaze back to the freezing water. Its darkness brought back vague memories of the abyss. The simple act of fishing was enough to push Ajax's mind back to the past, when he listened to his father's stories — maybe, just maybe, he really wanted to be as great as the heroes in them.
Ajax had once been a poor, fearful boy, terrified of the world outside, but with a spirit hungry for adventure. He had only a shortsword and a bag of bread — anyone could say that it was at that moment, before his fall into the confines of Teyvat, that Ajax began his transformation into what he's now.
"It's not a story I tell anyone, but I used to be a real coward," he admitted, letting out a sigh. "If one day you get stronger... like I did, would you duel with me?"
"Of course..." they smiled, making an x with their arms. "Not!"
Ajax's expression fell, replaced by that of an abandoned puppy. "But why?"
[Name] laughed at his face, crossing their arms. "Don't you remember when we first met?"
For them, the events that led to their current situation were clear as day. From before their enlistment, to the first day in the division.
They were born into a humble family, without any kind of comfort or privilege. [Name] grew up hearing all the stories about the archons and their extraordinary feats, about how lucky those who gained visions were. However, they never understood why their family admired such deities when all they received was misery.
Their parents, in a desperate act, borrowed a large amount of money, which they couldn't pay back. Disaster would be the appropriate word to describe what happened when the deadline for repaying these debts passed. As they were unable to pay, the two were killed by the debt collectors.
But [Name] always had somewhat of a way with their words, and that was the weapon they used to survive in a world like this. Somehow, they managed to negotiate their lives, in exchange for serving in the Fatui army instead of paying off an endless quantity of mora.
And shortly afterwards, [Name] were taken to the Cryo nation, landing in the middle of a terrible blizzard. If it hadn't been for the pyro vision they carried in their hands, [Name] wouldn't be alive to tell the tale, having become an ice statue.
And it was in an old and spacious office where [Name] took their first step towards their new reality. Quite nervously, their hands firmly held a document with all the information about their new career, leaving crumpled marks on its edges. [Name] had never thought they'd be offered to properly work, especially when the job was with none other than Fatui.
They were facing a short, stoic Fatui agent with a big nose and glasses. He seemed like a friendly fellow, but [Name] knew better than to trust someone who worked for those who had killed their family.
"What's your name, child?" asked the man in front of them, as he typed on a typewriter.
They had never seen anything like this, a machine that wrote for people? Unthinkable, it seemed magical, even. [Name] was so glued to it that, for a second, they forgot to answer.
"It's... [Name], that's all. I don't have a last name..."
The agent stopped his notes, giving [Name] a skeptical look. It was enough to make them nervous, unconsciously taking a small step backwards, lowering their head.
"Answer me..." The man went back to typing. "You're not from around here, are you?"
"No, sir. I'm from far away..." they sighed, murmuring, "very, very far...."
"Are you sure you'd like to join Fatui? You're still too young, don't you think it's a big responsibility?"
The agent gave them a gentle smile, different from the look he had given them before. It was as if he was truly giving [Name] a choice — but the truth was, if they didn't accept it, they would probably end up in the same shallow grave as their parents.
"Forgive me, sir, but it's not a question of wanting, it's a question of needing," they replied calmly, "someone has to pay these debts, right? Mora doesn't grow on trees."
[Name] wondered if they had said something wrong, since their tone hadn't exactly been friendly, mentally scolding themselves. But to their surprise, instead of getting scolded, [Name] heard a faint but present chuckle coming from the other person.
"You should thank Her Majesty the Tsaritsa for your kindness," he said, handing them the piece of paper he had been typing on, "how many people do you think have had an opportunity like this, to have their debts absolved and a job guaranteed?"
"Absolved?"
"Exactly, absolved. All we need from you, child, is your loyalty. I can see the potential, but it all depends solely on you." He pointed at their vision, hanging from their waist with a faint shine. "Surely, you're lucky enough to possess one of these."
For anyone else, receiving a vision is a blessing. However, being in possession of one is like having an eternal debt to the world. To be chosen is to be special, and to be special enough to receive a vision is to be distinct from the rest.
Sometimes it became a curse. One can no longer live like a normal person, because there will always be something that sets them apart from the rest. All those who are given one struggle in some way — Has there ever been a vision holder who truly lived an entire life peacefully, without any conflict whatsoever? At least in Snezhnaya, it seemed not.
"I... I accept..." Their eyes filled with hope, looking at their own name perfectly typed on the document. There was the real identity of the gentleman in front of them, revealed in a fancy signature, the Fifth of the Fatui Harbingers, Pulcinella.
[Name] signed their names in the blank space, sealing their fate within the organization. From that moment on, they would be part of the Fatui, just one more in the crowd — But if that was what it took to ensure their survival, [Name] would do it without hesitation.
The real issue, however, was on the first day of duty, and it had a name: Ajax.
[Name] had just put on their uniform, which was a little big for their size. But then again, there were none designed for a fifteen-year-old to wear, so they'd have to be content with what they had on hand.
At least the jacket they were given was comfortable, warm enough to block out some of the bitter cold that surrounded them each second. [Name] even looked like a proper person in it, which made them let out a little laugh.
However, it wasn't until they were standing in line in a meaningful formation that [Name] noticed a boy of a similar age to them. Red curls that stood out against the white backdrop, with a red scarf that was too long for his neck — perhaps they weren't completely alone in that place.
[Name] waited patiently until the time came for them to start training, watching him with eagle eyes, following Ajax wherever he went. When they finally mustered up the courage, they approached him and extended a hand towards him.
"Hello, I'm [Name],"
"Hey!" The boy grinned and shook their hands firmly. "I'm Ajax!"
"Well... looks like we're the same age, huh? How about we train together?" they suggested, thinking it was the best option.
"Sure!" Ajax nodded, putting the sword he was holding aside. "That would be, like... an invitation to battle, right?"
Technically, it was, so they just followed the his reasoning and confirmed it. "Mhm!"
"Then get ready!" he announced, preparing to throw a full punch.
[Name] didn't react immediately, surprised at the speed of the boy who had already set up his punch. "W-WAIT—"
Thud.
Complete darkness was how the first and last friendly match between the two ended, with Ajax knocking them out with a single punch. That's how [Name] would learn that fighting Ajax was a trap. However, [Name] wouldn't lie that at least it had been the best sleep they'd had in months — and the worst black eye they'd ever gotten, too.
"Teyvat to [Name]?" They awoke from their thoughts to see Ajax's hand moving in front of their face. He then tapped them on the forehead. "Is anyone there?"
"Oh, sorry, I got distracted. I was just remembering the punch you gave me." They laughed. "Speaking of which, you also punched that guy the other day too... what's with punching people, redhead?"
"I've already apologized!" His face heated up with embarrassment. "And punching is way more practical. You'd be shocked if you knew how strong a punch from me can really be, when I throw one for real!"
"Hm, sure, no doubt about it—"
"I got one!" Ajax exclaimed, trying to pull the line back on the rod with great difficulty. "A little help would be nice, you know!"
[Name] hurried, wrapping their arms around him and pulling back to bring the fish to the surface. But the animal wouldn't cooperate, even with the effort they made take it out of the water.
Ajax took a step back. "That was fast!"
"Fast? We've been waiting for almost an hour—" They slipped on the ice, pulling him and the fish along with them. In the end, Ajax and [Name] both fell flat, like two idiots.
[Name] looked at him, who was holding the fish in his hands while the animal struggled in them. It was a funny sight, which was enough to get a genuine laugh out of them.
"Haha..." they laughed weakly, then raised their tone, "Hahaha!"
Ajax, hearing the sound of their giggles, bursted into laughter. He laughed so hard that small tears formed in his eyes, "Hahaha... What are we laughing at?"
[Name] pointed at him, "At you, you fool!"
"Oh, really?!" Ajax stood up, bringing the fish in his hands near them. "Let's see who gets the last laugh!"
[Name] got up and ran across the ice, running away from him. They slipped and balanced, with an infectious smile on their faces accompanied by the sweet sound of their laughter, while Ajax chased after them with the animal.
It was moments like this that reminded them that they weren't adults, but two true children at heart.
At least once a week, Ajax and [Name] were sent on missions. They weren't often in charge of the more complicated ones, as they were still too young. However, for the first time, the two of them were allowed to take part in a more risky operation.
The two were supposed to stay with the older ones, but [Name] found themselves alone, having gotten separated from the rest by accident. In the middle of such a large forest, they could only hope that a blizzard wouldn't strike right away.
[Name] analyzed their surroundings, trying to retrace the steps that led them to nowhere and return to where the division had planned to reunite. However, they seemed to go round in circles, never reaching their destination.
That's when they noticed a coat lying in the snow. It was brown, very different from the Fatui soldiers' uniform, with a shabby finishing and a gross smell of blood.
Pow.
That's what they heard, a loud, familiar sound that sent shivers down their spines. Looking up, they saw a bullet hole in the tree, well above their heads — by perhaps two centimeters, they would no longer be alive.
"...!" [Name] instinctively looked for the source of the sound, quickly finding it.
Their desperate eyes met another's, which held no pity. Yet another soldier, wounded, carrying a gun and a tremendous amount of hatred — not everyone liked the Fatui, and not everyone had sympathy just because they were a child.
Frightened, [Name] ran desperately, followed by fierce gunfire that almost hit them. [Name] hid behind a tree and drew out their bow, but couldn't hold it properly no matter how much they tried, since it always slipped from their hands.
The enemy was indeed wounded, but armed and apparently experienced. The look in his face had been enough to send shivers down their spine, because when compared to them, who couldn't even use their vision properly, it was like facing a real monster.
"It'll be all right..." they whispered to themselves. "I just need to—"
[Name] heard more gunshots, too close to where they were. Something told them to run, but also to stay, accept the invitation and have a proper fight. If it was to survive, then [Name] would fight, they needed to.
[Name] couldn't hide forever, it wouldn't be right.
"Come on, you bastard!" [name] shouted, their voice echoing through the woods, as they aimed their bows in the direction of the enemy.
They used their vision and set the arrow ablaze, burning their own fingertips in the process. They didn't know how to control the force with which the arrow burned, but they knew it would hurt anyone who was struck.
[Name] clumsily launched the first arrow, dodging a shower of bullets headed their way. They hoped it was enough, that they had been able to send it flying at his face. But instead, the projectile pierced through his shoulder.
"Damn!" the soldier shouted, trying to reload his weapon while wincing in pain, but his ammunition had run out.
He came up and pistol—whipped them, causing [Name] to cry out in pain for a few seconds. The impact was so intense that they dropped their weapon and fell into the snow.
[Name] then felt the real despair of being weak. They could hear their hearts pounding in their ears and their eyes watering from the pain of the blows they received to the head, while blood trickled down their faces.
They grabbed his foot, applying pyro to their hands to make his boot burn along with it. When he fell, it was then that they saw their chance to stay alive handed to them on a platter.
They reached for the bow that lay on the ground next to them, firmly holding it anyway. Nothing mattered, only survival and that was all — they only needed to survive, to live long enough to prove that they were capable.
It didn't take much for one person to kill another, just despair. That feeling of helplessness and genuine dread, which would move mountains if necessary, was all it took to pull the trigger.
They violently hit the enemy in the face with their own bow, as if it were a bat. It was only when the return attacks stopped that they realized what they had done. The body below had an expression of terror, eyes wide as blood dripped onto the white snow, staining its purity with a crimson shade.
"I—I didn't... I did this...?" They stared at their bloodied hands, feeling their heart beating wildly against their chest. That's when, suddenly, an incessant urge to cough overtook them, but only blood came from their mouth.
[Name] looked down and realized that they had been shot in the chest. The bullet had gone through what seemed to be their lung, they didn't know, the adrenaline was hiding the pain for as long as it took. However, the spot hit was clearly a lethal wound.
They took two clumsy steps backwards, shaking their heads in denial. [Name] was too afraid to do anything like that, taking a life itself was too cruel an act for them, but it was done.
However, they didn't want to die as murderers, not really. So, with determination, [Name] decided they wouldn't die there.
They turned around and ran that time like there was no tomorrow, using every drop of adrenaline they still had in their bodies. [Name] couldn't see the sun shining, only the same gray clouds that covered the sky, which seemed to mock the fact that there was no light at the end.
Their only way out was to get to the camp, where there should be healers waiting for the wounded. However, it was difficult for [Name] to distinguish the landscape around them, especially in such a nervous state.
[Name] tripped over their own foot, losing their balance and rolling painfully down the mountain. They watched life pass before their eyes, each moment painful with the intention of just surviving, not living. Then they closed their eyes tightly, already bracing themselves for a more abrupt impact and accepting certain death.
They hit a tree, before rolling one last time to the bottom of the hill. Fortunately, or not, it was low enough for them not to die on impact — they did wish it had been stronger, ending it all quickly.
[Name] felt like a bird, floating in the sky with their eyes closed. They thought they had died because of the serenity felt for a few seconds, only to be crushed by the cruel reality. Their fall had been gently cushioned by the snow, but even with all this effort, they couldn't see the camp — which meant it had all been in vain.
Finally, the pain returned to their body as if it had never left. Breathing was difficult, with each breath being painful in the extreme, as if their organs were punishing them for still being alive.
"N—No," they sobbed through words, hot tears contrasting with the coldness that cruelly coursed through their veins. "I—I hate it... I wanted to die in peace, not like this... Not like this..."
Their trembling hands squeezed the wound in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding. [Name] didn't know how much time they had left, they didn't want to know either, all left to do was pray to Tsaritsa and beg for a little mercy, for a quick death if possible.
[Name] still hadn't paid their debt to Her Majesty, for the life they had been offered. For the bread to eat every day, for the tent they had over their heads, for letting them breathe, for letting them remain in existence, they had to do their utmost to repay all the favors with whatever they could.
For the gratuitously heavy insults that they had to swallow in silence because they were weak; for the mountains and snowstorms that brought them down along the way; for the disgraceful defective vision of theirs — or rather, they were the defective ones.
"P—Please..." [Name] begged the nothing, while holding their vision close to their chest, "if miracles really do exist…”
How many things had [Name] thrown away, when what they wanted most was to prove to everyone that, even if they were weak, they didn't need to prove anything to anyone? [Name] didn't know, only the bitterness of a wasted time remained in their hearts.
They let their tears fall over the flaming orb, whose glow no longer seemed the same. With one last kiss to the gem, a silent thank you, they began to weep for a life they were about to lose.
There would be no one to mourn their death, to lament the defeat of someone who had never once won. They probably wouldn't even have a funeral, but would just be buried somewhere like an animal. How terrible would it be to be completely forgotten, with no soul to remember their existence?
And Ajax, their only friend... finally acknowledged this fact. Would the boy be desolate? Grieve? Or would he carry on as he always seemed to do?
They regretted not having told him things in life that only they could say. They could only hope for the best, that he wouldn't take the news that badly — but at the same time, there was a small, selfish desire for him to feel their death. Not because [Name] wanted him to suffer, but because that way they would know that they mattered to someone.
[Name] recalled the memories they had made with him, like when they first met, when they went ice fishing a few days ago. The image of how they ran and laughed with him that night, as if they weren't the next ones to die, was fresh.
At last, their body felt light, receiving a moment of tranquillity reserved for the end of endings, when [Name] felt nothing but the slow rhythm of their heartbeats, fighting for a lost cause, as if they didn't have two holes in their chests.
"I was truly... useless until the end, wasn't I...?" [Name] murmured what they knew would be their last words, a vent to themselves and to the world. With the last beat of their hearts and the cessation of their breathing, snowflakes touched the now freezing skin. "I hope I have served you well... Your Majesty..."
They died in silence, without disturbing anyone.
Meanwhile, with the mission over, Ajax found himself extremely bored. Contemplating the pure white snow stained with blood as he returned to camp had already become a habit of his.
He could not care less that his face had a few small scratches on it. Though, he had to admit, that any kind of mission made him tired. But before he could rest, he found a place to rest. So Ajax began to look for them throughout the camp, without any success in his search.
'They must be receiving medical care...' He thought, as he made his way towards the tent where the doctors were staying.
It was a small space that was often crowded with the number of people wounded during missions. Finding any specific person was difficult, even more so when he was being pestered to be treated right away because he was younger.
"Are you sure you don't want to go first?" one of the doctors asked, placing a hand on his bruised face.
"No, I'm fine!" Ajax smiled. "I'm just looking for..."
For some reason, his eyes fixed on a particular corner of the tent. Away from the rest, it was where they put the bodies of those who had perished in combat; but Ajax had never taken much notice of it, so why now?
He approached slowly, in silence. Ajax felt an uncharacteristic nervousness come over him, running through his veins. The chills he felt seemed to swallow him up from the inside out, it had been a long time since Ajax had felt like this, as if something was screaming "don't go there, stay here" and attempting to keep him from discovering the truth, as he approached a particular cloth.
He stopped in front of the covered figure, noticing something sticking out of the cloth. An object, a... vision. But the only ones in the entire division who possessed one were him and... [Name].
Terror was too little to describe what overtook Ajax, who hesitated to lift the cloth covering the individual's face. He wished he wouldn't hear his head and believe that they weren't the dead man in front of him.
With trembling hands, which he tried to stop, Ajax lifted the fabric slightly. And that's when the ground really seemed to crumble beneath him — they were dead, [Name] was truly dead.
Their skin was so pale and cold that it scared him a bit. But what particularly caught Ajax's eye was the sheer amount of blood they had lost, as their face and hair were completely stained a deep crimson red; and no one had bothered to close their eyes, devoid of life and its particular glow. Now, they were just a pit of darkness that matched his own.
"..." Ajax just stared, unable to say anything. Everything was trapped inside, without him being able to express it.
Ajax tried to tell himself that he didn't care, that they weren't really friends, just work colleagues. But the sadness in his heart betrayed the stoicism he tried so hard to maintain.
Ajax closed their eyes gently and kissed [Name]'s forehead gently before covering their face with the cloth again. It was an action that any mother would take on seeing her child dead, but they didn't have one to weep over their death — and if there wasn't one, then Ajax would play his part in showing respect for them.
Ajax may even have changed when he fell into the abyss, becoming a maniac for fighting and confusion. But at the end of the day, he was human just like everyone else.
Two days later, the tent they shared was cold, without the heat of the lamp to warm Ajax up, as it had already gone out with the icy wind coming through the gap in the entrance.
It was [Name] who kept them warm in the middle of the night, using their vision to keep the fire burning. And that was just a bitter reminder that they were no longer there.
The others had taken away everything that was theirs, accommodating what would be the belongings of a new tentmate, who would be arriving in a few days. It was as if they had ceased to exist altogether.
Ajax wouldn't mind being hit in the face with a pillow if they were the ones to hit him, with that smile, with that irritating tone of voice of theirs that Ajax recognized from afar. He wouldn't mind being called "redhead" again, if it was them calling him that.
"Ajax?" The voice that called him from outside was familiar to Ajax. It was the Fifth.
Ajax promptly got to his feet, walking outside the tent and greeting him politely, a treatment he reserved only for The Rooster. "I'm here, sir."
"I heard that one of your companions fell in battle... a shame," the Harbinger said, as he searched for something in his pocket. "Well, here it is..."
The man handed him a gray envelope, a letter. In the corner was written in almost illegible handwriting the names of the sender and recipient, respectively: [Name] and Ajax.
"Thank you, sir," he nodded, holding the envelope tightly in his hands.
"You were both very similar ages, you and..." the Rooster paused, having forgotten their name.
"[Name]." It was the first time Ajax had said their names, having called them "comrade" all the time since they'd met. Honestly, it hurt a little, how difficult it was to utter a simple phoneme.
A few minutes later, Ajax said goodbye to the Harbinger and entered the darkness of the tent again. He left out a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever was written inside that envelope.
Ajax could no longer remember what The Rooster had talked about, only that the exchange of words had been short, like all the others before. He didn't even have the mind to think about it now, he could apologize later if he forgot some important information.
But right now, the only thing that mattered to Ajax was [Name]'s letter. He opened the envelope, trying to be careful not to tear it, but in the end he did. Ajax strained his eyes to read what was written there, in a handwriting as bad as theirs.
Dear Ajax,
Should I start a letter with "dear"? I don't know, honestly, I have never written one. Well, if this letter found you, then that means I must be dead by now. I'm sure you're glad I did, as you'll now have the whole tent to yourself.
I've written this because I know that, in life, I might not be able to say what I think. I believe we're already friends, don't you too? That's how I feel about you, I think you're my only friend, and I've been very happy about that. Thank you, thank you very much, for the joyful and humorous moments you've provided me with in this little end of the world that is Snezhnaya.
I asked you the other day if you felt homesick; you may deny it, but I can understand how you feel, away from everyone you love in a place like this. Know that whatever may happen, I believe that the same people you miss feel the same way you do.
Don't listen to that little voice in your head that whispers "you're nothing but trouble", it's stupid. When I look at you, I don't see a troubled boy, but a boy with the heart of another. That day we were late for training, you could just as well have walked away and let me be punished for being late, but you didn't. We cleaned all the weapons by ourselves. We polished all the weapons alone, for hours, and you never complained. Why was that?
I don't know, but I'd like it to stay that way, so keep going! I'll be cheering you on from wherever I am, because you're the best warrior I've ever had the honor of meeting.
I end this letter with my admiration and gratitude to you; and never forget: we have our own time!
With much care,
[Name].
A single tear fell onto the paper, right below their name, accompanied by others that would soon form a hot waterfall in his eyes. Ajax didn't know how to respond to this, covering his face with the paper, as if he was embarrassed to end up being seen like this
Perhaps it was for the better, a reminder that life really wasn't fair, and that Ajax had strayed from the path he was on. He didn't want to care so much, but at the same time he did.
Ajax wanted someone to comfort him, to tell and reassure him that it was all right, that this sort of thing did happen, but at the same time, it didn't. It was hard, very hard, to face it. It was difficult, very difficult, to face the loneliness that he tried so hard to hide behind brute strength.
Anyone who saw him like that would doubt that he was the same person who ravaged the battlefield with his bloodlust, the boy who seemed like an uncontrollable monster with an indomitable spirit, causing trouble wherever he went.
But for one last time, in the darkness of that tent, he allowed himself to be... Vulnerable.
.𖥔 ݁ ˖꩜ Wasted youth.
✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Platonic!Ajax x GN!Reader
✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐖𝐜: 11k
✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆!!: violence, blood, death.
✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐀/𝐍: IT'S FINALLY HERE! I hope everyone can enjoy this <3
✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩. 𝐛𝐲 Tempo Perdido - Legião Urbana
✦⸼࣪⸳ likes, reblogs and comments are appreciated!! <3
Snezhnaya is not exactly a friendly nation. The cold that seems to run from the veins to the depths of people's innermost being brings with it a certain hostility towards those who don't know the heart of the land. But within Ajax's distorted childhood perception, Snezhnaya was like a gentle mother, protecting its children under icy embrace.
But then, why did such a loving land allow its own child to fall into the deepest depths of the Abyss? Like drowning in freezing water, a child who survived Teyvat's darkest and loneliest place would certainly not come out of it the same as he went in.
"Ajax" was still Ajax, wasn't he? The same child, named after a hero from ancient tales, full of compassion and empathy, now carried with him a gaze that was deader than the fish he caught on ice.
Joining the Fatui wasn't in his plans for the future; being one of them wasn't so bad, although he wasn't expecting much for the future. But what he didn't like was being the youngest in the unit, it was a complete humiliation.
Not that the seniors were a challenge for him, but being constantly underestimated was... infuriating, to say the least. While his strength was admirable — thanks to Skirk, he would thank her someday — Ajax felt constantly bored, with no meaningful challenge ahead of him.
"Redhead!" The call was accompanied by a snowball, which hit him square in the face; his moment of peace was interrupted, though it didn't really matter.
Ajax could only sigh before letting out a soundless laugh, knowing exactly who had hit him: [Name], a recruit not much older than him, maybe a year or so. Being under the same division, it wasn't unusual to bump into them. "Here it comes..."
They weren't exactly friends, more like acquaintances. However, they also kept in touch enough to be just "acquaintances". Never friends, perhaps not at all.
As if he had some kind of radar, [Name] always appeared whenever Ajax had his rare moment of philosophical thought of questionable quality. Usually to disrupt the whole process.
" Damn, looks like you really found me," he laughed, turning to look at them.
"That's the third time I've had to look for you this week," they complained, carefully preparing another snowball to throw at him. "I always get scolded because of you, you know that?"
They weren't exactly wrong. Whenever Ajax wandered off the map, it was [Name] who had to look for him in the frozen woods. Not that they really bothered to do it, but it was tiring going around in circles until they found him.
"Look at it as part of your job."
"Babysitting...?"
"No, looking after your companions."
"... How idiotic."
"How heroic. It's very noble to look after your friends, you know?" Ajax corrected. His eyes returned to scanning the surrounding trees in a relaxed manner.
"Not when said 'friends' get into trouble all the time," they retorted.
"I always come back, it's not like you need to hunt me down like I'm some criminal on the loose." He shook his head briskly, brushing the snow off the top of his hair. However, he was greeted with another sharp shot right to the scalp.
"Look... So, all due respect, but you're not far off being one, you know?" they shyly replied. Not in a rude way, but still a little offensive to whoever it was directed at.
He didn't know whether to laugh or feel offended by what they said. Maybe both? Well, they weren't exactly wrong... Ajax was already considered a marginal project, or at least it seemed that way.
"Why did you do that?"
"What? You have to specify or I won't know,” his smile fell, replaced by a neutral expression. He tried to feign ignorance, but it didn't work very well.
"Don't be cynical. You beat up an older soldier. Aren't you a little ashamed?”
Which soldier were they talking about? It didn't matter to him anyway, as he'd lost count of how many he'd challenged and won — it wasn't a difficult task, they were never a match for him.
All too often they were weak, and [Name] was the worst of them all. That's why Ajax didn't even bother trying when inviting them to a duel, because the result was obvious from the start. The last time they sparred, it was be boring, easy and not worth the effort.
"Should I be? If a soldier almost two meters tall can't beat up a 14—year—old, then that means he's a weakling, doesn't it?" Ajax crossed his arms. "Besides, he called me names before, so we're even."
"Seriously..." they sighed, "Seriously, try not to make such a fuss. The Fifth can get you out of most trouble, only until you do something, let's say, really catastrophic."
"Something catastrophic like...?" he asked curiously, his gaze fixed on them.
"Like... burning down the Zapolyarny palace?"
His jaw dropped in shock, and a touch of offense showed on his cold—pink face. That was the most absurd thing he had heard in recent times. "What?! Why do you think I would do something like that?"
"Because it's you we're talking about, redhead."
"What's with the nickname?"
"I think it's funny, don't you?"
"You know... whatever." Ajax put his hands on his waist, shaking his head slightly. "I'll take that as an excuse to put a nickname on you too."
"So you're going to stop with the ' comrade' thing and come up with something even worse? Really?"
"Maybe so... maybe not. Who knows?"
The boy gave a relaxed smile, patting them on the shoulder before moving on. His heavy footsteps in the snow served as a background noise to the uneasy silence around them.
"I found it."
"Hm? Found what?" Ajax raised an eyebrow in suspicion.
[Name] pulled out a red scarf, so familiar to Ajax, from inside their backpack, carefully tying it around his neck. The fabric was warm, or perhaps it was the feeling of zeal, or also the nostalgia it brought.
Ajax hadn't realized he had left it behind. And when he realized it, the difference between the cold air and the protection of the scarf was remarkable — was he so distracted that he didn't notice?
The boy's gloved hands touched the soft fabric of the scarf, bringing it closer to his face and snuggling into the warmth. "Where did you find it, comrade?"
" Somewhere, it doesn't matter." They put their hands in the pockets, looking around at the landscape around them. "Aren't you afraid of getting lost in the forest?"
Ajax let out a genuine laugh when he heard their question, as if it were something ridiculous. "Getting lost? I know my way around pretty well."
[Name] narrowed their eyes, firmly disbelieving Ajax's words. For them, the scenery remained the same, no matter how far they went — well, they didn't go very far at all.
"What? It's all the same, like... just trees and snow everywhere."
Ajax held back a laugh, as if what they'd said was completely dumb. "You're not from Snezhnaya, right?"
"Is it that obvious?"
"Were you trying to hide it at all?" He couldn't help but laugh at the redness that appeared on [Name]'s face.
They were almost the scarlet color of their vision, which they proudly carried on a chain attached to their jacket. Pyro and Hydro, it was yet another thing that made them so opposite from each other.
"You know what, never mind! Just follow me." They extended a hand towards him, an almost forced offer.
Ajax hesitated, staring at the hand in front of him for a few long seconds before accepting it. He held it with some hesitation, not wanting to apply more force than he should have. He didn't mean to hurt, but he also had moments when he couldn't control his own strength.
They walked together through the snow, their steps in perfect sync. He noticed these small details as he looked down at the ground, thinking over and over again about an endless cycle. Sometimes, he just let that little silence take over his head, alone without direction, lost in the image of his own breath coming in the form of fog.
[Name] mumbled something, Ajax nodded, but forgot all about it soon after. They knew he wasn't paying attention, but didn't care, increasing the strength with which they held his hand.
"You don't like it here? Is that why you keep running away?"
"It's not running away if you come back.”
[Name] genuinely felt like punching Ajax in the face every time he opened his mouth and let out some stupid reason like this, but they would obviously leave it to imagination. The willingness wasn't lacking, but the courage was.
Perhaps if they were stronger, braver, they could say what they really wanted. But they weren't, and that kept them behind a fine line between the two, where Ajax always seemed to be in the front.
Everything in Snezhnaya, absolutely everything, filled them with an internal revolt. The cold that seemed to freeze them inside, the infinitely same path that seemed to lead nowhere, not being taken seriously — but for now, they would do anything to please those on top, especially since they were the ones in control of everything anyway.
"Don't ignore my question, go on. I know you heard me."
As soon as they arrived at the camp, they were greeted by an angry soldier with a large purple eye. That was the man Ajax had hit, and clearly he didn't look happy.
"Look, the bastard's really back," he said sarcastically, snapping his fingers. "Are you going to come at me for no reason like a savage again, like you did earlier?"
"Liar," they retorted, shaking their heads in denial and pointing a finger at the soldier, "you previously morally attacked Ajax, an exemplary boy..."
Ajax nodded, crossing his arms. Exemplary was by far what he was, but he had to agree with those who defended him. What he didn't expect was that they would retract their words soon after.
"...sort of."
"A... gentle boy?" They gave him a sideways glance, as if for confirmation; all he got back was a slight shake of the head.
"sort of..."
There was a lack of good adjectives to describe what he was — what he had become.
It would be less work if they just called him strong, but they didn't. They didn't want to reduce him to something. They didn't seem to want to reduce him to something the soldier in front of them already knew. Or rather, they didn't want to reduce Ajax to a simple strong boy.
They cleared their throats with a smile, grabbing Ajax by the collar, "Give us a second!"
Honestly, he was expecting a beating, not a strategy meeting behind a bush — not that he was going to complain, but at least he was hoping for a fight or something. His clenched fists contained the real desire to punch that soldier right in the face, but unfortunately he couldn't do that.
"'Sort of', really?" Ajax mimicked with a playful tone.
They rolled their eyes, fidgeting. "One of two ways: either I lie by calling you dumb, or I lie by calling you stupid!"
His jaw dropped for a moment. Was Ajax that stupid in their eyes? Not that he was the most self—controlled or straightforward person, but that dumb was an insult. "Oh, but I'm not dumb!"
"Perfect! Then you're stupid!"
The two of them stared at each other for what seemed like hours. Just as they didn't understand him, Ajax didn't understand them one bit.
"Seriously, I'm trying to help you... but then you have to help me help you."
"I think you've got it wrong. I appreciate the attempt, not to be rude... but I don't think I asked you to help me in the first place." He tried to smooth it over somehow, with that annoying little smile of his.
They felt their eyes ticking just hearing him, but soon pulled themselves together and returned the smile with a sarcastic tone intertwined with the words, "Really?”
"Mhm!" Ajax smiled. "Then I'm going for it, you said!"
Ajax ran off, abandoning them behind the bush to do whatever he wanted. Training, fighting, getting into another fight... it was all very unpredictable when it came to someone as peculiar as Ajax.
[Name] stood there, letting out a sigh as he thought about how weird this boy was. But there was no denying that Ajax was truly exceptional at getting out of trouble, and that made them more and more curious about him.
Sometimes, before going to sleep, Ajax would close his eyes and think about the day he'd had. He would ponder how small details were so easily erased — he couldn't remember who accompanied him on the march, or the name of the guy he had hit. But it was okay, it was fine not to remember.
The important thing was to keep going, without wasting time, and to move on. Ajax didn't need anything else, or anyone else, just himself to become very strong.
"Here you go, redhead." He was called by [Name], who threw a pillow right in his face.
" Man, you really like throwing things at me, don't you?" complained, pulling the pillow away from his face, "Have I become a punching bag now?"
"You forgot your pillow. If you wake up with a stiff neck, you'll be complaining in my ear all day tomorrow."
"I don't complain—"
"You think you don't, but you nag like an old man!"
Ajax threw himself backwards, lying on the mattress hugging the pillow close to his face. He muttered irritably to himself something almost inaudible, something that [Name] could only wish weren't curses in their direction.
"Look, I don't know what kind of problem you have," Ajax began, rolling his eyes in frustration, but soon changed his tone to something more playful, "if you want to settle something with me, come fight. Unless you're too much of a chicken not to fight someone younger and stronger than you."
"Whatever" [name] grumbled as they adjusted the flame of the lamp with their vision, "I already know I have zero percent chance against someone like... you."
"Why, comrade? It's not like I'm going to kill anyone in sight or anything like that." He smiled, giving a slight chuckle.
"Yes, of course, and I'm a slime" [name] sarcastically answered.
"Honestly, I don't mean to offend you or anything..." Ajax sat up, running a light hand through his hair to remove it from his face. "But I really wonder how someone so coward got into Fatui. I mean, you're afraid to even hold your own bow."
[Name] listened attentively to his words, but kept their gaze fixed on the lamp in her hands. It was the only source of warmth between them at the moment, and they couldn't let it go out so soon.
"The reason I'm in Fatui..." Their eyes did not leave the flame in hand, carefully observing the orange color that reflected on everything around him. [Name] avoided this question whenever it was asked, because they knew they weren't strong, and didn't force themselves to be, but the truth was too shameful.
"I believe I am indebted to Her Royal Highness the Tsaritsa. I must render my services for her generosity, and also... for this little thing here, which has guaranteed me everything I have now."
They picked it up and swung it around, the vibrant red gemstone seeming to emanate heat in a veritable mirage. Even though the temperature was almost below zero, it still retained its tiny hints of flame.
"Well, I guess that's it. I was born like anyone else, subject to mistakes and defects. But I don't think I'm worthless, after all..." they paused for a single second, letting out a sigh before continuing, "even doormats have their uses."
Ajax's face softened as he listened to them. He was speechless, sincerely mute without an answer to their words. No silly comment came to mind, just nothing. He waited a while in silence before finally asking: "Wow, that was something..."
"I think we've talked enough about me, what about you?" They asked with a little smile, and Ajax relaxed a little.
"About me? Hm... I think I have several stories! Like today when I punched that guy!" he cheered, throwing a fake punch in the air to represent his fight.
[Name] let out a simple laugh, amused by his actions. They thought the boy was a piece of work, silly but very funny; also very intriguing in every respect. At fourteen, joining the Fatui and doing well was something out of this world from everyone else's perspective.
"No, silly! I don't care about that sort of thing." They shook their heads in denial.
Ajax blinked twice, confusion clear on his face. "What...? So what do you want to know, anyway?"
They patted his head lightly, making Ajax turn as red as a tomato. It was unexpected, and he didn't know how to react to it, he wasn't prepared, but it wasn't that bad either. For the first time in a long time, Ajax allowed himself to receive a bit of care.
"Tell me, redhead," they called him by that silly nickname again, getting a funny look from him, "do you miss home at all?"
"Homesick? Hm... I don't know, I don't think so."
"Lying to yourself is always the worst kind of lie, so don't do this."
"If I really miss home..."
Home. Did Ajax really miss home? It was very hard for them to guess what was going through his head when all he did was fight and cause trouble. Although he had his ridiculous faults, there was still a gentle child inside, deep down.
Ajax was about to answer when it finally hit. It was the kind of question that nobody really asked in the Fatui. Everyone usually acted in accordance with their situation, there was no room in the Camp for whining.
The only tears were those that were left on the pillow, turned upside down as soon as the first rays of sun appeared in the morning. Hidden, sealed away from the gaze of others, while everything continued in the shadows.
He remembered perfectly the day he left home, beginning his career as a soldier.
Ajax checked his appearance one last time in the mirror. He didn't mind the state he was in, with a few scars on his hands and small scratches on his face from the mess that had occurred before he was enlisted — but he couldn't look relaxed either, Ajax needed to look presentable for some reason.
He could hear some whispering, not so quiet, of children behind him. He could see their reflections, curious as ever, but pretended not to have noticed, not wanting to end their failed attempt at spying.
When the clock finally struck a certain time, he knew it was time to go. Ajax had been preparing since the day before, when he received the news. It hadn't been easy to accept, but Ajax had no voice after everything he had done.
It was easy to feel the blood on his hands, even though he had washed them over and over again. While his combat skills were fascinating, it was frightening to see how easy it was to seriously hurt someone.
But at the same time, he felt the adrenaline of fighting pulsing through his veins, bringing with it an insatiable desire for battle. He didn't have a strong enemy, he didn't have anyone who could challenge his skills in this little corner of the world he lived in. Being the strongest shouldn't be so boring, at least not for him.
When he stepped out of his room, the first thing he saw were his little siblings. Their faces were full of questions, asking for an answer as to where he was going, why he was leaving and other questions that Ajax wasn't allowed to answer, nor was he in the mood to answer them.
This was what he really dreaded, the farewell.
He hugged each sibling as if it was the last time seeing them, his eyes filled with anguish disguised as emotion and tears that weren't exactly shed. He felt a knot down his throat — how hard it was to try and keep a smile, with such a conflicted feeling in his chest.
Perhaps that was the hardest part, because the younger ones had no idea where their older brother would end up. They didn't know that he was going where no other child should go. The only excuse he could come up with was something about a fantastic toy factory, and they bought it.
He swallowed it all, keeping his typical charisma in a comforting smile. Blindly lying to himself that all that was to come was just a distraction where he could meet stronger people, bigger obstacles and climb them without hesitation.
He ran down the stairs as if it was the last time, and it would be, because long gone was the boy who once smiled here. Hearing the children's voices saying casual goodbyes, as if it were just another ordinary day and that he would be back soon. Touching the banister, sliding along and feeling the texture of the wood, brought a little sadness. It was full of scratches and loose splinters, just the way he would remember it.
Taking a deep breath, he let the smell of wax invade his lungs for one last time. Little did he know, but this would become another moment for nostalgia in just a few days.
He hesitated to leave that warm place, so precious and cozy that it was the only thing capable of bringing a tear to his eyes after leaving the abyss. Not all things in life work out the way we want them to, and he needed to learn that, if only in the harshest way possible.
"Discipline" was what it was supposed to be, a form of punishment for all the trouble he had made. Like a staircase, Ajax climbed step by step in his acts of violence until he reached the irreversible point of his insatiable hunger for battle
But life always takes its toll. And for Ajax, life decided to give, demand and take away almost instantly.
Saying goodbye to his mother, who wrapped a red wool scarf around his neck, Ajax could only keep smiling. If it hadn't been for the hesitation and worry in her eyes, distressed that her young son would end up in a place like the Fatui, everything would have been so much easier.
"My little warrior," she called him, a cheesy nickname that suited the wild boy perfectly. While it was ironic in the past, given that Ajax was a big scaredy—cat, today it was just dumb, "Don't cause too much trouble... please."
The last sentence came in the form of a very faint whisper, which went almost unnoticed by Ajax. A real plea, almost desperate because of the lack of credibility he had at that moment. She didn't believe in him, evident in the exacerbated concern she showed in her mannerisms.
And if to comfort her, then Ajax was willing to put on his best and most convincing cheerful mask. He had always been a boy who loved his family, and that was something that not even the claws of the Abyss could take away from him.
"Yes, Mom."
Ajax did his best not to sound the least bit false when lying to his mother — He was, he couldn't deny that — But at least Ajax did it convincingly until he could gently slip away from her gentle touch.
"I'll take care of myself. Brush my teeth, comb my hair..."
"And eat well," she added, brushing the dirt off his clothes, making him more presentable.
"...And eat well, leave it to me!"
The woman sighed, letting go of the boy. With her watery eyes turned to the side, she shook her head as if to pretend that everything was fine — an attempt to make it clear that everything was all right, that Ajax shouldn't worry. But in the end, it was to comfort herself.
"Go..." she murmured with a sad smile, shaking her face slightly to let the tears go where they shouldn't, "go with your father before you're late, and don't stir up trouble, see? Your poor mother's heart wouldn't be able to handle it."
"I'll do my best, stay super strong and—"
He was interrupted by a small smack on the head from his father; it wasn't painful, not in the slightest... but it hurt for some reason, somewhere deep inside. All he did was look up, shrug and smile as usual.
"Let's go." That was the call Ajax had been waiting for to.
This was a moment of farewell, but he remembered that it wasn't eternal. Someday, he would return home with his chest puffed out and a huge, proud smile on his face — well, that's what he hoped for.
And so, the troublemaker set foot outside his home to become what no one, not even he, expected him to be one day. Looking back at his past, his younger self, fearful and innocent, disappointed but admiring, came to mind.
An icy breeze was the first thing that greeted Ajax when he opened the door and encountered the standard whiteness of the outside scenery. It was sudden, as if to extract any remnants of warmth he felt. People would say it was a good omen coming from the Tsaritsa, a sign of good fortune on his new path.
And it's what Ajax would like to believe.
"Ajax?"
Their voice woke him from his memories, bringing him back to reality. And then suddenly, he was back in that tiny tent, the one he had never left.
"Sorry. I spaced out, didn't I?" He covered his eyes with his forearm, tiredness was starting to set in.
"Just a little bit." [Name] decided to lie down too, covering themselves with their own blanket. Their hands then went to the lamp, offering it to him, "Can you use your vision to put it out?"
"Can't we just... not put out the fire?" Ajax asked weakly.
[Name] blinked twice in surprise, then cracked a smile to tease him. "What's the matter, are you afraid—"
"No, I'm not afraid of the dark..." he cut them off in mid—sentence, turning around so that he wasn't facing them. With his face covered by the pillow, Ajax lowered his voice. "But leave the fire burning, just for now... please."
It was the first time [Name] had seen him so vulnerable, with his guard down. With such a sincere request, they were at a loss for words — even though they really wanted to understand.
"Right..." They hesitated slightly as they released the lamp. "Sweet dreams, Ajax."
Without replying, they sighed. [Name] then put their head on the pillow, looking at him with a certain empathy. But then again, it was none of their business; he would tell them when he felt comfortable.
That night would be a long one, with the two of them lying awake without exchanging a single word.
Sometimes [Name] questioned their own common sense, especially when they followed Ajax's foolish ideas. Normally, the two of them would get into trouble and be forced to do the daily tasks because of it.
But after days of insistence on his part, they had finally agreed to go ice fishing in the middle of the night because it was the only free time the both had. Did they know how to fish? No, and certainly not on ice, but there's a first time for everything.
"Hm... I don't see anyone," Ajax whispered as he looked through a gap in the tent, making sure no one was awake at this hour.
"Hang on, I can't put these on!" [Name] tried to put their boots on, but couldn't make a decent knot. They were already frustrated, tying them any way and untying them when they realized it didn't lead anywhere.
Ajax let out a chuckle, their desperation to put on simple boots was utterly comical, "Let me help you."
"I can do it myself!" [Name] stared at the tangled shoelace with a certain determination, trying to undo what they had tied.
"You said that last week, yet you couldn't do it and we lost the training—"
[Name]'s face heated up in embarrassment. What he said was true, the two of them had missed it, all because they didn't know how to put on the boots offered with the new uniform, and had to clean the weapons as punishment — not that Ajax cared, it seemed he had only focused on admiring the swords and guns rather than cleaning them.
"Shh! That's in the past!" they tried to shut him up.
Ajax shook his head slightly. He knelt down and stared at the blind knot they had tied, taking his hands to the shoelaces to straighten out the mess. "I'll teach you, check it out."
He carefully tied their shoes, making a firm loop. It was just like at home, when he helped his younger siblings put on their boots to play outside. When recalling this, an unconscious smile appeared on Ajax's lips, followed by a giggle.
"Are you laughing at me?" [name] asked, offended.
"No—" Ajax looked up, and then laughed, seeing the funny look they were making. "Yes, I am now!"
[Name] grabbed him by the cheek, hurrying him out of the tent with them. "Stop laughing, they'll wake up and it'll be our doom!"
"All right, all right!" Ajax exclaimed, removing their hand from his sore cheek. "You talk just like my mother when she scolds me..."
[Name] looked at him, smiling before teasing him. "No way, I mean, I pity your mother for having to put up with a son like you."
Ajax's frowned, he really did look offended by what they had said. "I have no idea what you're talking about, I've always been a very well—behaved child!"
"Oh, sure... if you say so, who am I to doubt it?" they agreed sarcastically. There wasn't a shred of confidence in his word.
There were endless minutes of walking and exchanging small insults. Under the moonlight, the two made their way calmly, getting further and further away from the camp. If they were lucky, no one would find out that they had run away.
They would be fishing in a frozen lake, a large mirror that reflected the light of an aurora. It was a breathtaking sight, as if they could touch the sky, and they took a cautious first step onto the it.
"Damn!" They slipped, having only the instinct to hold on to something.
"Whoa! Watch it there, comrade!" Ajax helped them regain their balance, holding them up by the arms. He took slow steps backwards so that [Name] wouldn't slip again.
[Name] smiled a little awkwardly, embarrassed. "Thanks but... This ice won't break with us on it, right?"
Ajax shook his head and firmly tapped his foot on the frozen surface, which remained intact. "It's pretty sturdy, see?"
"I see." [Name] turned their attention upwards and admired the greenish glow again. " Snezhnaya's night sky is a fascinating sight, isn't it? Even though I've seen it several times, I'm always amazed by its beauty..."
Ajax had already seen the real starry sky, the true and uncovered light of the celestial bodies. To refer to this gloomy canvas as a "fascinating sight" is an absurd statement, for it is only an empty imitation of what lies beneath the veil of the Abyss.
"You're really satisfied with anything, huh?" Ajax scoffed, with a hint of a smile on his face, "It's just floating lights, it gets boring after a while."
"Is there anything that doesn't get boring for you?" [Name] watched as Ajax started to cut the ice in a circular pattern, which appeared to be a not too difficult job for him. "Are you sure this works? I mean, it's just ice... I don't know if there's anything alive down there."
Ajax sat, eyes fixed on the hole in front of them. He hugged his knees and remained there, staring at the immensity and waiting for what would happen next. "Don't worry, we'll catch one in... a few minutes, I think."
"In about how many minutes, exactly?"
Ajax looked up thoughtfully. "A few."
"I swear to the archons, if you made us come here for nothing..." [Name] grumbled, watching the boy next to them. The way he insisted on his ideas impressed them, at the same time as it irritates; but seeing that serene face made them let out a little laugh, "Never mind, I'm the idiot one for following you."
[Name] sat down next to him, resting their face in one hand as Ajax and them waited patiently. Those moments of serenity were the complete opposite from the battles that took place everyday.
They had already seen several "comrades" fall, their lives taken while protecting the Fatui's interests. Interests that were unknown and hidden from the vast majority, concealed by individuals whose faces were unknown to many.
The Harbingers themselves were a kind of urban legends who, while everyone knew of their existence, were enigmatic and symbolic figures within the organization.
"What exactly are we fighting for?" [name] asked. There wasn't exactly a reason, because no one ever said the real purpose of the blood shed on the snowy battlefield.
Everyone's admiration and fear of the Harbingers was obvious. But just as they were feared, the kind of people whose presence is everywhere, there were more questions than answers as to their real motivation.
The closest they had seen was the Fifth, Pulcinella. [Name] didn't understand why they had been placed in his division, being a complete fool who couldn't hold a weapon without getting nervous. Even more so when, in the same division, there was Ajax.
A confused expression appeared on Ajax's face when he heard the question. Wasn't the answer obvious? At least, it was logical. "For Her Royal Highness, the Tsaritsa—"
"No, I know that. I'm talking about why we need to fight, the purpose of it all... We have a mission in a few days, and we don't even know what they want from us."
"I fight because I'm strong, isn't that enough?" Ajax seemed genuine in his response, with no hidden ambitions behind the battles he fought against his opponents. At the end of the day, it seemed to be all about the will to get stronger and better.
"No, it's not." [Name]'s gaze was serious, demanding an answer that would satisfy their curiosity. For them, Ajax was an extremely difficult puzzle to solve — a young boy who possessed the strength of a monster. But at the same time, had a heart as pure as gold. "Your name... was inspired by a hero, right? Do you want to be like them, the hero of the story?"
Ajax nodded, giving them a smirk. He remembered the old days, when he wasn't the least bit brave or powerful, just a fearful boy with a sword and a dream. "I think I'd rather be myself. It's much more fun when you do things your own way, don't you agree?"
"Well... it is, it really is." [Name]'s firm gaze softened. "Ajax, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
The boy froze in place. His mouth opened to speak, but the words he wanted to say didn't come out. He had no answer, even if he thought about it — Ajax simply didn't know.
"When I grow up..." he repeated to himself, looking for an answer, any answer. "I honestly don't know... I think I'll end up having to stay in Fatui."
"Idiot..." [name] grumbled, "I'm not saying you can't do what you want, but let's be honest with ourselves for a moment. Who would willingly stay in this hellhole?"
"Me," Ajax answered immediately, without a hint of hesitation in his speech, "If I go back home, I'll only make more trouble. Just the fact that I'm here makes life easier for everyone, and I can improve my skills."
"Of course you'd say that." They shook their heads, completely disapproving of his choice. They got up from where they sat, offering him a glance. "I envy you, you know that?"
"Hm? You..." Ajax looked up and pointed at them, then at himself. "...envy someone like me?"
"How can I not? You're strong, hopeful, stubborn and very proud," [name] listed, raising a finger for each adjective they found to describe him. "How can I not envy someone like you? You're like..."
"Everything I've always dreamed of being like."
They both uttered the same sentence at the same time, their voices becoming a unison sound that gave way to an awkward silence between them. Their eyes seemed to pierce each other, staring into the depths of the souls in search of some understanding.
"Trust me, I know what it's like," Ajax sighed, "to want to be braver, but at the same time to be too afraid of doing so."
Ajax turned his gaze back to the freezing water. Its darkness brought back vague memories of the abyss. The simple act of fishing was enough to push Ajax's mind back to the past, when he listened to his father's stories — maybe, just maybe, he really wanted to be as great as the heroes in them.
Ajax had once been a poor, fearful boy, terrified of the world outside, but with a spirit hungry for adventure. He had only a shortsword and a bag of bread — anyone could say that it was at that moment, before his fall into the confines of Teyvat, that Ajax began his transformation into what he's now.
"It's not a story I tell anyone, but I used to be a real coward," he admitted, letting out a sigh. "If one day you get stronger... like I did, would you duel with me?"
"Of course..." they smiled, making an x with their arms. "Not!"
Ajax's expression fell, replaced by that of an abandoned puppy. "But why?"
[Name] laughed at his face, crossing their arms. "Don't you remember when we first met?"
For them, the events that led to their current situation were clear as day. From before their enlistment, to the first day in the division.
They were born into a humble family, without any kind of comfort or privilege. [Name] grew up hearing all the stories about the archons and their extraordinary feats, about how lucky those who gained visions were. However, they never understood why their family admired such deities when all they received was misery.
Their parents, in a desperate act, borrowed a large amount of money, which they couldn't pay back. Disaster would be the appropriate word to describe what happened when the deadline for repaying these debts passed. As they were unable to pay, the two were killed by the debt collectors.
But [Name] always had somewhat of a way with their words, and that was the weapon they used to survive in a world like this. Somehow, they managed to negotiate their lives, in exchange for serving in the Fatui army instead of paying off an endless quantity of mora.
And shortly afterwards, [Name] were taken to the Cryo nation, landing in the middle of a terrible blizzard. If it hadn't been for the pyro vision they carried in their hands, [Name] wouldn't be alive to tell the tale, having become an ice statue.
And it was in an old and spacious office where [Name] took their first step towards their new reality. Quite nervously, their hands firmly held a document with all the information about their new career, leaving crumpled marks on its edges. [Name] had never thought they'd be offered to properly work, especially when the job was with none other than Fatui.
They were facing a short, stoic Fatui agent with a big nose and glasses. He seemed like a friendly fellow, but [Name] knew better than to trust someone who worked for those who had killed their family.
"What's your name, child?" asked the man in front of them, as he typed on a typewriter.
They had never seen anything like this, a machine that wrote for people? Unthinkable, it seemed magical, even. [Name] was so glued to it that, for a second, they forgot to answer.
"It's... [Name], that's all. I don't have a last name..."
The agent stopped his notes, giving [Name] a skeptical look. It was enough to make them nervous, unconsciously taking a small step backwards, lowering their head.
"Answer me..." The man went back to typing. "You're not from around here, are you?"
"No, sir. I'm from far away..." they sighed, murmuring, "very, very far...."
"Are you sure you'd like to join Fatui? You're still too young, don't you think it's a big responsibility?"
The agent gave them a gentle smile, different from the look he had given them before. It was as if he was truly giving [Name] a choice — but the truth was, if they didn't accept it, they would probably end up in the same shallow grave as their parents.
"Forgive me, sir, but it's not a question of wanting, it's a question of needing," they replied calmly, "someone has to pay these debts, right? Mora doesn't grow on trees."
[Name] wondered if they had said something wrong, since their tone hadn't exactly been friendly, mentally scolding themselves. But to their surprise, instead of getting scolded, [Name] heard a faint but present chuckle coming from the other person.
"You should thank Her Majesty the Tsaritsa for your kindness," he said, handing them the piece of paper he had been typing on, "how many people do you think have had an opportunity like this, to have their debts absolved and a job guaranteed?"
"Absolved?"
"Exactly, absolved. All we need from you, child, is your loyalty. I can see the potential, but it all depends solely on you." He pointed at their vision, hanging from their waist with a faint shine. "Surely, you're lucky enough to possess one of these."
For anyone else, receiving a vision is a blessing. However, being in possession of one is like having an eternal debt to the world. To be chosen is to be special, and to be special enough to receive a vision is to be distinct from the rest.
Sometimes it became a curse. One can no longer live like a normal person, because there will always be something that sets them apart from the rest. All those who are given one struggle in some way — Has there ever been a vision holder who truly lived an entire life peacefully, without any conflict whatsoever? At least in Snezhnaya, it seemed not.
"I... I accept..." Their eyes filled with hope, looking at their own name perfectly typed on the document. There was the real identity of the gentleman in front of them, revealed in a fancy signature, the Fifth of the Fatui Harbingers, Pulcinella.
[Name] signed their names in the blank space, sealing their fate within the organization. From that moment on, they would be part of the Fatui, just one more in the crowd — But if that was what it took to ensure their survival, [Name] would do it without hesitation.
The real issue, however, was on the first day of duty, and it had a name: Ajax.
[Name] had just put on their uniform, which was a little big for their size. But then again, there were none designed for a fifteen-year-old to wear, so they'd have to be content with what they had on hand.
At least the jacket they were given was comfortable, warm enough to block out some of the bitter cold that surrounded them each second. [Name] even looked like a proper person in it, which made them let out a little laugh.
However, it wasn't until they were standing in line in a meaningful formation that [Name] noticed a boy of a similar age to them. Red curls that stood out against the white backdrop, with a red scarf that was too long for his neck — perhaps they weren't completely alone in that place.
[Name] waited patiently until the time came for them to start training, watching him with eagle eyes, following Ajax wherever he went. When they finally mustered up the courage, they approached him and extended a hand towards him.
"Hello, I'm [Name],"
"Hey!" The boy grinned and shook their hands firmly. "I'm Ajax!"
"Well... looks like we're the same age, huh? How about we train together?" they suggested, thinking it was the best option.
"Sure!" Ajax nodded, putting the sword he was holding aside. "That would be, like... an invitation to battle, right?"
Technically, it was, so they just followed the his reasoning and confirmed it. "Mhm!"
"Then get ready!" he announced, preparing to throw a full punch.
[Name] didn't react immediately, surprised at the speed of the boy who had already set up his punch. "W-WAIT—"
Thud.
Complete darkness was how the first and last friendly match between the two ended, with Ajax knocking them out with a single punch. That's how [Name] would learn that fighting Ajax was a trap. However, [Name] wouldn't lie that at least it had been the best sleep they'd had in months — and the worst black eye they'd ever gotten, too.
"Teyvat to [Name]?" They awoke from their thoughts to see Ajax's hand moving in front of their face. He then tapped them on the forehead. "Is anyone there?"
"Oh, sorry, I got distracted. I was just remembering the punch you gave me." They laughed. "Speaking of which, you also punched that guy the other day too... what's with punching people, redhead?"
"I've already apologized!" His face heated up with embarrassment. "And punching is way more practical. You'd be shocked if you knew how strong a punch from me can really be, when I throw one for real!"
"Hm, sure, no doubt about it—"
"I got one!" Ajax exclaimed, trying to pull the line back on the rod with great difficulty. "A little help would be nice, you know!"
[Name] hurried, wrapping their arms around him and pulling back to bring the fish to the surface. But the animal wouldn't cooperate, even with the effort they made take it out of the water.
Ajax took a step back. "That was fast!"
"Fast? We've been waiting for almost an hour—" They slipped on the ice, pulling him and the fish along with them. In the end, Ajax and [Name] both fell flat, like two idiots.
[Name] looked at him, who was holding the fish in his hands while the animal struggled in them. It was a funny sight, which was enough to get a genuine laugh out of them.
"Haha..." they laughed weakly, then raised their tone, "Hahaha!"
Ajax, hearing the sound of their giggles, bursted into laughter. He laughed so hard that small tears formed in his eyes, "Hahaha... What are we laughing at?"
[Name] pointed at him, "At you, you fool!"
"Oh, really?!" Ajax stood up, bringing the fish in his hands near them. "Let's see who gets the last laugh!"
[Name] got up and ran across the ice, running away from him. They slipped and balanced, with an infectious smile on their faces accompanied by the sweet sound of their laughter, while Ajax chased after them with the animal.
It was moments like this that reminded them that they weren't adults, but two true children at heart.
At least once a week, Ajax and [Name] were sent on missions. They weren't often in charge of the more complicated ones, as they were still too young. However, for the first time, the two of them were allowed to take part in a more risky operation.
The two were supposed to stay with the older ones, but [Name] found themselves alone, having gotten separated from the rest by accident. In the middle of such a large forest, they could only hope that a blizzard wouldn't strike right away.
[Name] analyzed their surroundings, trying to retrace the steps that led them to nowhere and return to where the division had planned to reunite. However, they seemed to go round in circles, never reaching their destination.
That's when they noticed a coat lying in the snow. It was brown, very different from the Fatui soldiers' uniform, with a shabby finishing and a gross smell of blood.
Pow.
That's what they heard, a loud, familiar sound that sent shivers down their spines. Looking up, they saw a bullet hole in the tree, well above their heads — by perhaps two centimeters, they would no longer be alive.
"...!" [Name] instinctively looked for the source of the sound, quickly finding it.
Their desperate eyes met another's, which held no pity. Yet another soldier, wounded, carrying a gun and a tremendous amount of hatred — not everyone liked the Fatui, and not everyone had sympathy just because they were a child.
Frightened, [Name] ran desperately, followed by fierce gunfire that almost hit them. [Name] hid behind a tree and drew out their bow, but couldn't hold it properly no matter how much they tried, since it always slipped from their hands.
The enemy was indeed wounded, but armed and apparently experienced. The look in his face had been enough to send shivers down their spine, because when compared to them, who couldn't even use their vision properly, it was like facing a real monster.
"It'll be all right..." they whispered to themselves. "I just need to—"
[Name] heard more gunshots, too close to where they were. Something told them to run, but also to stay, accept the invitation and have a proper fight. If it was to survive, then [Name] would fight, they needed to.
[Name] couldn't hide forever, it wouldn't be right.
"Come on, you bastard!" [name] shouted, their voice echoing through the woods, as they aimed their bows in the direction of the enemy.
They used their vision and set the arrow ablaze, burning their own fingertips in the process. They didn't know how to control the force with which the arrow burned, but they knew it would hurt anyone who was struck.
[Name] clumsily launched the first arrow, dodging a shower of bullets headed their way. They hoped it was enough, that they had been able to send it flying at his face. But instead, the projectile pierced through his shoulder.
"Damn!" the soldier shouted, trying to reload his weapon while wincing in pain, but his ammunition had run out.
He came up and pistol—whipped them, causing [Name] to cry out in pain for a few seconds. The impact was so intense that they dropped their weapon and fell into the snow.
[Name] then felt the real despair of being weak. They could hear their hearts pounding in their ears and their eyes watering from the pain of the blows they received to the head, while blood trickled down their faces.
They grabbed his foot, applying pyro to their hands to make his boot burn along with it. When he fell, it was then that they saw their chance to stay alive handed to them on a platter.
They reached for the bow that lay on the ground next to them, firmly holding it anyway. Nothing mattered, only survival and that was all — they only needed to survive, to live long enough to prove that they were capable.
It didn't take much for one person to kill another, just despair. That feeling of helplessness and genuine dread, which would move mountains if necessary, was all it took to pull the trigger.
They violently hit the enemy in the face with their own bow, as if it were a bat. It was only when the return attacks stopped that they realized what they had done. The body below had an expression of terror, eyes wide as blood dripped onto the white snow, staining its purity with a crimson shade.
"I—I didn't... I did this...?" They stared at their bloodied hands, feeling their heart beating wildly against their chest. That's when, suddenly, an incessant urge to cough overtook them, but only blood came from their mouth.
[Name] looked down and realized that they had been shot in the chest. The bullet had gone through what seemed to be their lung, they didn't know, the adrenaline was hiding the pain for as long as it took. However, the spot hit was clearly a lethal wound.
They took two clumsy steps backwards, shaking their heads in denial. [Name] was too afraid to do anything like that, taking a life itself was too cruel an act for them, but it was done.
However, they didn't want to die as murderers, not really. So, with determination, [Name] decided they wouldn't die there.
They turned around and ran that time like there was no tomorrow, using every drop of adrenaline they still had in their bodies. [Name] couldn't see the sun shining, only the same gray clouds that covered the sky, which seemed to mock the fact that there was no light at the end.
Their only way out was to get to the camp, where there should be healers waiting for the wounded. However, it was difficult for [Name] to distinguish the landscape around them, especially in such a nervous state.
[Name] tripped over their own foot, losing their balance and rolling painfully down the mountain. They watched life pass before their eyes, each moment painful with the intention of just surviving, not living. Then they closed their eyes tightly, already bracing themselves for a more abrupt impact and accepting certain death.
They hit a tree, before rolling one last time to the bottom of the hill. Fortunately, or not, it was low enough for them not to die on impact — they did wish it had been stronger, ending it all quickly.
[Name] felt like a bird, floating in the sky with their eyes closed. They thought they had died because of the serenity felt for a few seconds, only to be crushed by the cruel reality. Their fall had been gently cushioned by the snow, but even with all this effort, they couldn't see the camp — which meant it had all been in vain.
Finally, the pain returned to their body as if it had never left. Breathing was difficult, with each breath being painful in the extreme, as if their organs were punishing them for still being alive.
"N—No," they sobbed through words, hot tears contrasting with the coldness that cruelly coursed through their veins. "I—I hate it... I wanted to die in peace, not like this... Not like this..."
Their trembling hands squeezed the wound in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding. [Name] didn't know how much time they had left, they didn't want to know either, all left to do was pray to Tsaritsa and beg for a little mercy, for a quick death if possible.
[Name] still hadn't paid their debt to Her Majesty, for the life they had been offered. For the bread to eat every day, for the tent they had over their heads, for letting them breathe, for letting them remain in existence, they had to do their utmost to repay all the favors with whatever they could.
For the gratuitously heavy insults that they had to swallow in silence because they were weak; for the mountains and snowstorms that brought them down along the way; for the disgraceful defective vision of theirs — or rather, they were the defective ones.
"P—Please..." [Name] begged the nothing, while holding their vision close to their chest, "if miracles really do exist…”
How many things had [Name] thrown away, when what they wanted most was to prove to everyone that, even if they were weak, they didn't need to prove anything to anyone? [Name] didn't know, only the bitterness of a wasted time remained in their hearts.
They let their tears fall over the flaming orb, whose glow no longer seemed the same. With one last kiss to the gem, a silent thank you, they began to weep for a life they were about to lose.
There would be no one to mourn their death, to lament the defeat of someone who had never once won. They probably wouldn't even have a funeral, but would just be buried somewhere like an animal. How terrible would it be to be completely forgotten, with no soul to remember their existence?
And Ajax, their only friend... finally acknowledged this fact. Would the boy be desolate? Grieve? Or would he carry on as he always seemed to do?
They regretted not having told him things in life that only they could say. They could only hope for the best, that he wouldn't take the news that badly — but at the same time, there was a small, selfish desire for him to feel their death. Not because [Name] wanted him to suffer, but because that way they would know that they mattered to someone.
[Name] recalled the memories they had made with him, like when they first met, when they went ice fishing a few days ago. The image of how they ran and laughed with him that night, as if they weren't the next ones to die, was fresh.
At last, their body felt light, receiving a moment of tranquillity reserved for the end of endings, when [Name] felt nothing but the slow rhythm of their heartbeats, fighting for a lost cause, as if they didn't have two holes in their chests.
"I was truly... useless until the end, wasn't I...?" [Name] murmured what they knew would be their last words, a vent to themselves and to the world. With the last beat of their hearts and the cessation of their breathing, snowflakes touched the now freezing skin. "I hope I have served you well... Your Majesty..."
They died in silence, without disturbing anyone.
Meanwhile, with the mission over, Ajax found himself extremely bored. Contemplating the pure white snow stained with blood as he returned to camp had already become a habit of his.
He could not care less that his face had a few small scratches on it. Though, he had to admit, that any kind of mission made him tired. But before he could rest, he found a place to rest. So Ajax began to look for them throughout the camp, without any success in his search.
'They must be receiving medical care...' He thought, as he made his way towards the tent where the doctors were staying.
It was a small space that was often crowded with the number of people wounded during missions. Finding any specific person was difficult, even more so when he was being pestered to be treated right away because he was younger.
"Are you sure you don't want to go first?" one of the doctors asked, placing a hand on his bruised face.
"No, I'm fine!" Ajax smiled. "I'm just looking for..."
For some reason, his eyes fixed on a particular corner of the tent. Away from the rest, it was where they put the bodies of those who had perished in combat; but Ajax had never taken much notice of it, so why now?
He approached slowly, in silence. Ajax felt an uncharacteristic nervousness come over him, running through his veins. The chills he felt seemed to swallow him up from the inside out, it had been a long time since Ajax had felt like this, as if something was screaming "don't go there, stay here" and attempting to keep him from discovering the truth, as he approached a particular cloth.
He stopped in front of the covered figure, noticing something sticking out of the cloth. An object, a... vision. But the only ones in the entire division who possessed one were him and... [Name].
Terror was too little to describe what overtook Ajax, who hesitated to lift the cloth covering the individual's face. He wished he wouldn't hear his head and believe that they weren't the dead man in front of him.
With trembling hands, which he tried to stop, Ajax lifted the fabric slightly. And that's when the ground really seemed to crumble beneath him — they were dead, [Name] was truly dead.
Their skin was so pale and cold that it scared him a bit. But what particularly caught Ajax's eye was the sheer amount of blood they had lost, as their face and hair were completely stained a deep crimson red; and no one had bothered to close their eyes, devoid of life and its particular glow. Now, they were just a pit of darkness that matched his own.
"..." Ajax just stared, unable to say anything. Everything was trapped inside, without him being able to express it.
Ajax tried to tell himself that he didn't care, that they weren't really friends, just work colleagues. But the sadness in his heart betrayed the stoicism he tried so hard to maintain.
Ajax closed their eyes gently and kissed [Name]'s forehead gently before covering their face with the cloth again. It was an action that any mother would take on seeing her child dead, but they didn't have one to weep over their death — and if there wasn't one, then Ajax would play his part in showing respect for them.
Ajax may even have changed when he fell into the abyss, becoming a maniac for fighting and confusion. But at the end of the day, he was human just like everyone else.
Two days later, the tent they shared was cold, without the heat of the lamp to warm Ajax up, as it had already gone out with the icy wind coming through the gap in the entrance.
It was [Name] who kept them warm in the middle of the night, using their vision to keep the fire burning. And that was just a bitter reminder that they were no longer there.
The others had taken away everything that was theirs, accommodating what would be the belongings of a new tentmate, who would be arriving in a few days. It was as if they had ceased to exist altogether.
Ajax wouldn't mind being hit in the face with a pillow if they were the ones to hit him, with that smile, with that irritating tone of voice of theirs that Ajax recognized from afar. He wouldn't mind being called "redhead" again, if it was them calling him that.
"Ajax?" The voice that called him from outside was familiar to Ajax. It was the Fifth.
Ajax promptly got to his feet, walking outside the tent and greeting him politely, a treatment he reserved only for The Rooster. "I'm here, sir."
"I heard that one of your companions fell in battle... a shame," the Harbinger said, as he searched for something in his pocket. "Well, here it is..."
The man handed him a gray envelope, a letter. In the corner was written in almost illegible handwriting the names of the sender and recipient, respectively: [Name] and Ajax.
"Thank you, sir," he nodded, holding the envelope tightly in his hands.
"You were both very similar ages, you and..." the Rooster paused, having forgotten their name.
"[Name]." It was the first time Ajax had said their names, having called them "comrade" all the time since they'd met. Honestly, it hurt a little, how difficult it was to utter a simple phoneme.
A few minutes later, Ajax said goodbye to the Harbinger and entered the darkness of the tent again. He left out a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever was written inside that envelope.
Ajax could no longer remember what The Rooster had talked about, only that the exchange of words had been short, like all the others before. He didn't even have the mind to think about it now, he could apologize later if he forgot some important information.
But right now, the only thing that mattered to Ajax was [Name]'s letter. He opened the envelope, trying to be careful not to tear it, but in the end he did. Ajax strained his eyes to read what was written there, in a handwriting as bad as theirs.
Dear Ajax,
Should I start a letter with "dear"? I don't know, honestly, I have never written one. Well, if this letter found you, then that means I must be dead by now. I'm sure you're glad I did, as you'll now have the whole tent to yourself.
I've written this because I know that, in life, I might not be able to say what I think. I believe we're already friends, don't you too? That's how I feel about you, I think you're my only friend, and I've been very happy about that. Thank you, thank you very much, for the joyful and humorous moments you've provided me with in this little end of the world that is Snezhnaya.
I asked you the other day if you felt homesick; you may deny it, but I can understand how you feel, away from everyone you love in a place like this. Know that whatever may happen, I believe that the same people you miss feel the same way you do.
Don't listen to that little voice in your head that whispers "you're nothing but trouble", it's stupid. When I look at you, I don't see a troubled boy, but a boy with the heart of another. That day we were late for training, you could just as well have walked away and let me be punished for being late, but you didn't. We cleaned all the weapons by ourselves. We polished all the weapons alone, for hours, and you never complained. Why was that?
I don't know, but I'd like it to stay that way, so keep going! I'll be cheering you on from wherever I am, because you're the best warrior I've ever had the honor of meeting.
I end this letter with my admiration and gratitude to you; and never forget: we have our own time!
With much care,
[Name].
A single tear fell onto the paper, right below their name, accompanied by others that would soon form a hot waterfall in his eyes. Ajax didn't know how to respond to this, covering his face with the paper, as if he was embarrassed to end up being seen like this
Perhaps it was for the better, a reminder that life really wasn't fair, and that Ajax had strayed from the path he was on. He didn't want to care so much, but at the same time he did.
Ajax wanted someone to comfort him, to tell and reassure him that it was all right, that this sort of thing did happen, but at the same time, it didn't. It was hard, very hard, to face it. It was difficult, very difficult, to face the loneliness that he tried so hard to hide behind brute strength.
Anyone who saw him like that would doubt that he was the same person who ravaged the battlefield with his bloodlust, the boy who seemed like an uncontrollable monster with an indomitable spirit, causing trouble wherever he went.
But for one last time, in the darkness of that tent, he allowed himself to be... Vulnerable.
Oneshot -Diluc needs a hug
Fandom: Genshin Impact
Ships: Diluc x reader
TW: ooc? ; borderline panic attack? ; nightmares
He was too slow, just like last time. He couldn’t save you. Must he lose everyone he cherished? Must he always be too slow or weak to save the ones he loved? Did Celestia hate him so?
He cradled you in his arms, your body was cold, much too cold. He couldn’t stop the tears or sobs that escaped, unrelenting.
Diluc jolted awake, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His breaths are short and heavy. Next to him in bed -where you should be- is much too cold. He panicked thinking his nightmare might actually be his reality until he heard the click of the bedroom door opening. There you stood with a cup of tea in your hand.
“Diluc, are you alright?”
Tears brimmed his eyes, threating to fall as he looked at you. Closing the door you quickly walked over to him, placing your tea on the nightstand next the bed. When you sat yourself on the bed, Diluc’s arms were immediately around you holding you so close as if you’d disappear into thin air if he didn’t, and to him and his still panic stricken mind, that was a very possible outcome.
“Do you want to talk about it, love?” You spoke lovingly, voice barely above a whisper.
His response was a simple shake of his head, opting to instead pull you closer to him.
“There’s still some tea left, I could go get you a cup if you’d like?” You whispered fondly.
His response was a simple “Just hold me please.” His voice wavered slightly as he tried to will himself not to cry.
You pulled him impossibly closer, his head in the crook of your neck, and as you whispered sweet nothings into his ear, the dam finally broke and his tears fell. His body shook with silent sobs as his tears stained your shirt --but you couldn’t care less about your shirt, your mind was only set on calming Diluc.
“Please... Please d-don’t leave me.” His voice broke through the silence.
“I’d never dream of leaving you, my love.” You cooed at him as you shifted yourself and Diluc into a more comfortable position. As his tears slowly came to a stop, so did his rapid breaths as they evened back out in the comfort of your embrace. He eventually fell asleep, not long after by you, falling asleep to a pleasant dream with Diluc in your arms --the tea by the bed long forgotten.
⋆˚✿˖° ◞ ꙳ ๋࣭ ⭑ ` 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀 #𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 !
ー mai/aki 🩰🎧 eighteen. she/her/they. delightfully delusional~ ₊˚ෆ
we are a multi fandom nsfw & sfw blog. (mainly fem!reader). do not interact if you’re 16 and under or a blank blog. requests/thirsts are always welcomed. ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧ inbox . . . [ open ]
⁰⁰¹ 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 ⁰⁰² 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 ⁰⁰³ 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓
Hello sorry if I'm bothering you but I wanted to share one of my ideas with you. So what if the reader washed up in Fontaine specifically in Poisson and Navia went to investigate with Silver and Melus going with her and they found an unconscious person who was not only confused when they awoke but they were also completely exhausted, hungry and they had strange markings on some parts of their body and when Navia got them examined by a doctor it was discovered that they had an extremely large amount of dendro energy within their body despite not having a vision. (This was inspired by the first episode of Aphmau Diaries rebirth, here's the link if you don't know what I'm talking about: https://youtu.be/1Vzq1QZVtuk?si=kyIxOyJTSnTjNaMG) (if you don't want to write this that's completely understandable and I wish you a good morning/afternoon or goodnight)
You don't have to apologize, your never a bother.
I used to LOVE Aphmau, especially the series that she had. Lawerence was my favorite
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You were in and out of consciousness when a random man came up to you.
"HEY! How did you get down here?!" His volume grabbed the attention of the people nearby. Navia heard it but you were to drained to respond, even if you could you wouldn't know what to say.
"Hello *snap snap* is anyone in there."
You huffed and tried to sit up but passed out due to exhaustion.
"What is going on over here." Navia's voice was heard over the small crowd that was forming. She easily pushed passed them with the help of Silver and Melus.
"Oh my goodness! Are they alright, why are they half-clothed?" Navia gasped while Melus took off his coat and covered you, Silver then picked you up and presented you to Navia.
"They need a doctor above all else, they are clearly not from around here." Without another word Navia, Silver and Melus quickly brought you to a doctor.
-----
"Can you tell us anything doctor?" Navia questioned from your bedside.
"There's not much to tell, unfortunately. They are a mystery to me, they are in stable condition, but from everything thing I have seen they are nothing normal, especially with those marks."
"What do you mean?" said Melus.
"They have a high reserve of dendro energy but don't have a vision."
"How is that possible? The only person I've seen capable of that is the traveler."
As you gained consciousness you also got the attention of everyone around you.
"You're awake. How are you feeling?" Navia tried to comfort you by rubbing your arm but you jerked away.
"We don't want to hurt, We want to help you." Navia tried again which you listened to.
"Do you know where you are?" Navia asked with a soft voice.
You shook your head, "No... I don't remember anything." Your voice was hoarse and dry, which Melus took notice of and got you a cup of water.
"Not even your name?"
"I.... Y/n."
Melus handed you the glass of water and you downed it.
"Maybe a walk outside will jog your memory," Melus commented as he took the empty cup from you.
"Yes lets." Navia smiled at you as she handed you clothes and ushered everyone out.
-----
Walking out of the room you met with Navia and her bodyguards. They took you all around Fontain but the city itself was to much for you so they took you to the open grass.
Navia decided it was time to take a break and sat you on the grass of a picnic.
When you sat down the grass around you gradually turned greener and started to sprout flowers.
All of you watched in awe and confusion as the flowers weren't even native to Fontaine.
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1000 Follower Special🥳
Angst
Ive come to the point in my life where i need a stronger word that fuck
Why are we being punished? Just for being born?
I saw what they did to someone just like me, and I’ll be damned if it’s going to happen to me too.
Person A and Person B finding themselves after a natural disaster, among the debris and wreckage, in sad silence, weeping into each other's arms.
Person A is having nightmares or trouble sleeping, and Person B tries to help them rest
Person A discovers Person B has been hiding an injury from them
1 is slowly dying, but tries their best to stay alive for 2's sake
character: You can’t let them find me. You know what they do to people like me!
reader and character battling against each other. Whether it's serious or playful is up to you...
character and reader say goodbye to each other for the last time
Fluff
Person A follows Person B out for a smoke break during work, but Person A doesn't actually smoke. They attempt to smoke a cigarette to impress Person B, but they immediately start coughing uncontrollably and embarrass themselves.
Person B trying their best to be quiet while Person A is taking a nap
Person B tucking the sheets around Person A when they stir during the night
Person A: Do you want to join me in my blanket fort?
Person A and Person B pressing their faces together sleepily, not even kissing, just resting their foreheads together, noses brushing, breathing each other in
Person B: I was going to go for a suave pickup line, but I got all flustered when I saw you
reader holding character very close, close enough to smell their hair. They whisper into character's ear: 'I don't like your new shampoo
Quote prompts
Prompt 1:
Person 1: You often use humor to deflect trauma
Person 2: Thank you
Person 1: I didn't say that was a good thing
Person 2: What I'm hearing is, you think I'm funny
-
Prompt 2:
Person 1: In light of what you did for me, you can hug me for four to five seconds.
Person 2: FORTY FIVE SECONDS?!?
Person 1: No! Four to five seconds!
Person 2: Too late!!
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YO thank you everyone. I woke up to 1000 of y'all.
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Masterlist
Ganyu x gn reader that has an obsession with eating flowers. Especially toxic ones. Like they are so pretty, reader can't help but have the urge to eat them.
They will eat just about any flower.
Oh? What's this? Ganyu, having her little secret flower snack time? Reader is right there, eating flowers with her.
Though, reader probably shouldn't eat that many flowers, considering they're only human, that and the fact that the flowers they do usually eat tend to be poisonous. Teehee
◡̈⋆ʜᴇʟʟᴏ(●’◡’●)ﾉ
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Ganyu meet you while she was wondering a mountain.
"What are they doing over there? " she muttered to herself as she let curiosity get the better of her.
Before she could make it all the way over to you, you had fallen limp.
Panicked she went to see if you were alright, you had a half eaten flower hanging out of your mouth.
She brought you to bubu pharmacy.
This later became a recurring event.
She'd catch you eating something.
You'd pass out.
Then off to bubu pharmacy you go.
It got to the point where she would have medicine on hand to treat you.
One day she'd find you sitting on the edge of a cliff just... Relaxing. It was weird for her to see you not passed out.
She approached you with caution. She got close enough to see that you were hold I flower.
Twisting it in your fingers as you gazed at the landscape. Almost as if you were in a trance.
"Y/n are you alright?" She said hesitantly.
You looked back at the adeptis.
"I'm fine, ganyu. Just thinking of what reason the gods would make a flower that tastes so good be so deadly." You chuckled.
You patted the space next to you.
"You don't have to stand, come sit, get comfortable."
She sat next to you taking the flower out of your hand.
"Why do you eat them if their bad for you." She asked staring at the flower that could've been your last.
"I got it from you when I was a kid. I saw you eating them so I did to." You gave her a big smile, it kinda made her feel guilty ^_^;
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I hope requests r still open, if they r may i get a male reader whos the younger brother 2 beidou maybe he’s around 15-17, [reader] ends up getting captured by the fatui. beidou ends up rescuing him but he became incredibly sensitive and just the complete opposite than what he used to be bc [reader] used to have the same personality basically as his big sister he even had a electro vision. however now he just scared of most things and even has slight marks of having used a delusion.
Beidou x brother reader
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During the fight with the resistance, you had gone missing and today was the day Beidou would finally give you back.
She did. But you weren't the same.
When she found you, you were chained to a corner of a small room. You didn't call out her name when you saw her, you just stared.
Getting you back to the crux broke her heart seeing how much you changed and how much you were hurting. Most of your body was covered in bandages when the healers were done with you.
You didn't like loud noises anymore and would celebrate with the crew
When Beidou tried to hug you to back away or flinch
It was crazy how soft spoken you are now. The crew genuinely thought you were a different person
Kazuha and Beidou stayed patient with you though. They listened to you and helped you with your truma
Beidou wanted to kill every member of the fatui for what they had done
"Good morning Y/n. How are you feeling?" Beidou said entering your room with breakfast on a tray.
You weakly smiled up at her. "I'm alright." Moving to sit up beidou saw the bandages wrapped around your shoulder and chest and got sad.
'Why him' she thought while setting the food on his lap noticing how he jumped a little when she placed it down.
The once happy go lucky kid that she knew was gone and she knew it was going to take a long time for him to come back but she was willing to wait.
Anything for her little brother.
"What if instead of tighnari getting struck by lightning it was his little brother." - friend of mine.
Spoiler for archon quest
Tighnari x teen brother reader (platonic)
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Chaos was all around as you now didn't have to worry about fatui but the lighting that struck.
The few fatui that were unfazed by the sudden storm fought you, your elder brother, and Dehya.
Finishing off the one in front of you, you turn to see where tighnari was and rushed to help him.
The next moments seemed to happen as if it were slow motion.
As you were running you noticed a glow coming from the around tighnari, as well as his hair start to rise in an unnatural manor.
He was about to get struck.
You ran faster to get to him.
Pushing him got of the way successfully just as the bolt touch you.
"Y/N!" Tighnari screamed as he watch you fall limp to the ground. You were body was now flowing with electricity almost like you wielded a electro vision.
"Is he alright." Dehya said as she saw what happened from afar.
"He will be alright, no need to worry he just needs some rest. If he let me get struck I'd probably still be standing but I don't think his body could handle it." Tighnari explained while laying your head on his lap.
"Idiot" he muttered under his breath.
...
You woke up with a groan as you tried to sit up but a force stopped you.
"Stay down and try not to move." Tighnari said pushing you down.
You opened your eyes to see you were in the room where hypasia was sleeping.
Coming to your senses you started to feel you body. Everything was in pain. It hurt to even breathe.
Lifting your head slightly to see you torso wrapped in cloth and your finger tips were burnt black on one side while streaks on gains were lead into to it.
You groaned again alerting tighnari to come to your aid.
"What did I just tell you, stay still." He half heartedly scolded you. "You an idiot ya know that. Your my kid brother, I'm supposed to be saving you. Never put yourself in danger. Do you hear me."
You tried to say yes but your voice didn't come through, you tried nodding but decided not because he said don't move.
In the end tighnari took your silence as you understanding and continued to care for you as he always had.
✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･**･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿
REQUESTS OPEN
Please look at what I write and what I write for before requesting.
Have a good day.
You have a nightmare
Kokomi's guard dog series
Child male reader (gorou's little brother)
Part one (sorta)
♛┈⛧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈⛧┈♛
Caught in the middle of a battlefield was not the ideal place to be especially for you, kokomi's guard dog.
It was hard to tell you was on your side and who wasn't.
The sound of swords clinging and people screaming messed had your head spinning.
"Stay Strong." You heard your brothers booming voice above everything.
You ran to him.
Just in time to see a arrow go through his chest.
"BROTHER"
----
You shot up from your makeshift bed in your tent.
Gorou's tent was right next to yours and you couldn't shake the feeling that he was still hurt.
Walking into his tent you see him sleeping peacefully, you were going to tip toes back to bed when he stopped you.
"What are you doing up Y/n? " he asked goggly still clingying on to sleep.
"I had a bad dream." You mumbled the last part but gorou still heard you.
"Wanna sleep with me. No nightmare would dare scare you when you big brother is here." He said scooting over to give you room.
You gladly joined him.
For the rest of the night you slept peacefully.
Alt ending
You shot up from your bed but the room looked unfamiliar.
The room you were in had light blue walls with white tile floors.
You were in watasumi shrine.
Not feeling like you back to sleep you got up. Wrapping yourself in a blanket as you got up you ventured outside of your room.
When you reached the main foyer you say kokomi sitting on a couch she looked sad.
Approaching her you saw she was holding a journal.
Your brothers journal.
It wasn't a dream.
♛┈⛧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈⛧┈♛
Tighnari x reader
drabble
An: I thought if this and didn't want to forget and now here I am.
♛┈⛧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈⛧┈♛
Tighnari was patching you up after you came back from a withering zone. Minor cuts and bruises but Tighnari wouldn't let it slide.
After he was done he kissed you.
"You know what this means. I don't have to say it right." He said walking to his medicine cabinet to put stuff back in place.
"What if I want you to say it." You blushed, looking at him.
He sighs. "I love you Y/n."
You looked at him shocked.
"That's not what I Thought you were going to say." You blushed harder as he quickly turned to look. It looked like he gave himself whiplash.
"What." He said. I was his turn to blush.
"I wanted you to ask me to be your s/o." You chuckled.
"I thought we already established that."
"That's why I wanted you to say it."
"It has to be said verbally"
"YES"
...
"Well I love you, Y/n and I want to be with you." He said as he kissed you again. You kissed back.
"Okay I get it, you can stop now." You laughed through the kisses.
"No, now you have to say it back." He stopped to look at you.
Your foreheads touched.
"I love you Tighnari."
♛┈⛧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈⛧┈♛
All my drafts are gone. If I had a request that I was working on I don't have it anymore and I'm sorry.
My inbox is empty as well. If you remember your request please send it in so I can start on it again. (I know requests are closed but I'll accept it because it's a old request)
Xiao x male reader
REWRITEN
Warnings: unaliving oneself
Chasm event Spoilers
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"I can't.... Rex.... I'm losing...... Sorry Xiao"
Your distorted voice was heard through the chasm while the 5 we're looking for an exit after seeing bosacious.
"Xiao who is that? They said your name." Yanfei questioned but Xiao had an uncharacteristic look of shock before turning to them.
"He was the dendro yaksha. He earned the name phantom yasksha during the archon war. He was always there just never seen but once the war ended not even the yasksha could find him."
Xiao talked about you in the same way he talked about bosacious. He loved the memories he shared with you but all good things come to an end. He just wished they didn't end so quickly.
"I know who he is, the phantom yaksha, known for being the geo archons shadow. He was efficient and loyal. It was rumored that he disappeared because of a disagreement he had with Morax." Yelan said causing Xiao to nod.
"That's so sad. I wonder where he went." Paimon looked to aether who was looking at Xiao.
There was a moment of silence before the sky darkened as a scream erupted from behind Xiao.
Turning around Xiao saw you on the ground with your (choice of weapon) on the ground next to you while you were squeezing your neck in pain. Your veins were visible and roots from the ground were protruding your limbs.
"Y/n." Your head shot up at the sound with a look of fear.
"Xiao?" Your voice wasn't heard.
Said yaksha tried to get closer but you backed away. The vines moved with you.
"NO." You shouted and haistily stood up into a fighting stance with your weapon in hand. "your not supposed to be here. None of you are."
Xiao teleports behind you and take your weapon. Vines shot up wrapping around his neck, arms and legs restraining him.
"I'm already gone, but I don't want to stay here." You turn your back and walked behind the portal. You had become transparent and even though you were walking it looked as if you were floating gracefully.
When out of sight the vines disappeared.
Yelan was hot on your tail but when going behind the portal was your body was entangled into the ground on facing up. Your face held discomfort.
The sight barely shocked her as she called the others over.
"Is he DEAD." Paimon screamed taking refuge behind aether/lumine.
"Yes" Xiao said simply. Taking your body of the roots he held you tight.
"What is he to you? You seem close to him." Yelan was very observant with the few time they saw the phantom yaksha and Xiao.
It took a minute before he answered. "He is equivalent to what Mortals call a significant other."
No other words were shared as he put you on his back to take you to the surface.
*tiny time skip*
Once at the surface he took the traveler to pervacies resting place.
"I want to bury him here. I also wanted to take a rock in memory of bosacious but the rock did not make it."
When he placed your body on the grass you slowly melted into it. After your body was completely gone a beautiful tree sprouted from the ground. It's leaves had different colors and elements in them.
When the traveler touched them they heard voices of laughter or small visions of their lost loved ones, but for Xiao they held the memories of the fallen yakshas.
But one with you stood out.
You and him we on a mountain not far from the other yaksha.
"Xiao why do you have to so cynical all the time." You chucked. Placing a hand to his cheek. "I'm not. I'm simply saying I would die for you."
You had a deep blush on your face, placing you hands on your hips and turning towards the view of old liyue.
"That's what I mean. You don't have to protect me cause I'll be the one to protect you." It was his turn to blush. You laughed and hugged him.
"Xiao if something every happens to me.... Just know that I love you." He pulled away from the hug and kissed you.
"I love you too Y/n."
Even in death you wanted to show people happiness.
He missed you along with the other yaksha and it hurt him that he was the only was still alive.
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