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fabulam diu oblitus - first interlude.

synopsis: The tale of the raven and the sparrow has long been forgotten by most, but some will always remember.

includes: dottore w/ gn! reader

notes: This is the second part of a multi-chaptered Dottore fic, please read the prelude before reading this one. Your and Dottore's life continues to be told via a fairy tale crafted by the one and only Dendro Archon. Mostly fluff this chapter but the last two will not be so nice. Obligatory @kaixserzz mention and all my anons who inspired me to write this! (🎐 anon <3)

prelude. first interlude. second interlude. postlude. sequel.

“But one day, a miracle happened. The bird woke up from their eternal rest, utterly confused and lost.”

When you woke up, everything was hazy. Your eyes were open, but you couldn’t see anything. Rather, you could not process what you were seeing. It was a strange state. Everything felt fuzzy… but then the light from above glared suddenly right into your eyes, and you instinctively moved your hand to block the blinding light.

You were wide awake now, blinking your eyes and rubbing them. And though you had just woken up from a good nap, you quickly realized nothing made sense. Everything was eerily quiet, to the point where you could hear a pin drop. The grand and expensive room, the large plush bed. This wasn’t the hospital! And it looked absolutely nothing like the Akademiya either, not even the architecture! When you moved to stretch your arms, that’s when the biggest discovery finally hit you. 

Attached to your arms was an alarming amount of wires, hooked up to machines and whatnot.

Okay… now you had gone from mildly confused to kind of scared. You weren’t dead, right? Nope, pinching yourself still hurts. And- ouch, the random sharp pains you suddenly got in parts of your body were most definitely real. And these clothes, they weren’t yours, but they looked like something you’d wear. But… why were you like this? And more importantly, where was Zandik? You remember your beloved quite clearly… you were waiting for him to visit you again… hmm. And for some reason, you felt… a lot better than what you remembered? You felt super tired in that hospital, but now, you think you got a bit better. That was weird. But anyway, you had bigger issues. It was even weirder how you were no longer in that drab, busy hospital.

There was no other option than to go find Zandik and learn where you were. However, you had to get rid of these wires first. Without putting too much thought into it, you pulled one off your arm.

Horrible idea.

Before you could even blink, a loud alarm suddenly started blaring inside the room, scaring the shit out of you. What the hell? As any frenzied person would do, you began to pull off even more wires from your arm rapidly before finally all of them were off. The alarm merely kept going off which was obviously quite disturbing to you. Were people going to burst through the door at any moment and incapacitate you again? Wait, were you kidnapped? Oh, you just wanted Zandik to be with you right now, you thought as you pulled the heavy blankets off your body. Surely he’d know what to do. And then the door to the room slammed open, immediately beckoning your attention as you snapped your neck to see who it was. 

And lo and behold, it was Zandik. 

Your Zandik, draped in the Akademiya’s robes. Those red eyes and blue hair that you loved. Suddenly you could forget about your current abnormal situation and block out the noise, solely focused on your heart positively soaring as you gazed upon your love. 

But you quickly realized that he did not share the same expression. Not in the slightest. Rather, Zandik was looking at you with surprise, shock, astonishment, whatever you wanted to call it. It made you feel wholly uneasy. Why was your love looking at you as if you were from another universe? Like you had come back from the dead? Before you could question him, another person barreled in through the door. Another mop of blue hair. Another pair of red eyes. Another Zandik. 

Your heart stopped for a moment. 

Who were these people, and what have they done with your Zandik?

It only got worse when yet another Zandik look-alive entered. Only this time he was wearing bloodied clothing and gloves. You were too shocked to scream, and now all the other blue-haired people were panicking at your fearful expression and began fighting amongst themselves.

“Why would you come in looking like that?!”

“How was I supposed to know they had woken up?! It’s been centuries, I thought a wire detached by accident or something!” The one with the bloody coat and pink bow tie snapped back. The bickering continued but that was the least of your worries right now. You glanced around the room, trying to see if there was another escape route.

The windows. Yes, they would have to work. You didn’t know what floor you were on, but you’d have to take a gamble. You inched towards the end of the bed and swung your legs off the edge, hoping to bolt to it quickly. You placed one foot on the ground, putting all your force into it to sprint and-

Instead, your legs buckled and you fell pathetically to the floor, squeaking in a mixture of pain and surprise. You tried to heave yourself up with your arms, but your legs felt too weak. It was as if your legs wouldn’t, or perhaps couldn’t listen to your demands. You wiggled them around a bit, but it seemed as if they didn’t have enough strength to stand up on their own. You didn’t understand. Even though you were quite sick before, you could still walk a bit. This, however, was an unfamiliar sensation that filled you with dread. And now the Zandik clones’ attention was back on you.

“Oh fuck,” one of them mumbled, running his hands through his hair. You gulped, but they seemed reluctant to come near you judging from their nervous expressions. Well, you were going to take advantage of that, so you continued crawling toward the window. “Go get Prime. Now,” he hissed. A clone rushed out of the room but that was the least of your concerns. It was slightly humiliating to be watched as you crawled, but you persevered anyway. Thankfully, there was a table near the window, so you could use it to pull yourself up without using your legs too much. How were you going to escape with virtually no legs? Well, that was future [Name]’s problem. 

The clones, on the other hand, seemed incredibly antsy about your hand on the curtain, ready to pull it away. It seemed as if they were trying to speak but didn’t know how. But without any more delay, you yanked the curtain to the side to reveal…

A completely white background. Snow that certainly was more than knee deep, that clung to the windows and weighed the trees down. You had never seen anything like it before. The mere sight of it made you dizzy and a nauseating feeling came over you as you stumbled back and landed on the floor again. Wherever you were, it was not Sumeru. And even if you could escape, you would certainly freeze to death in a few seconds. The reality of the situation made your skin crawl and overheat. You looked back at the fake Zandiks and noticed they were a bit closer than before. Your rapidly beating heart was not a good combination for the major headache that was beginning to grow. 

“Don’t… don’t come near me,” your lightheadedness made the words come out more of a mumble than a command, your throat now dry and clogged. Not being able to defend yourself was a horrible feeling. Through your blurry eyes, you think the clones felt sorry for you… which really made you feel worse, to be honest, actually to the point of feeling like you were going to pass out from all of this stress and pain.

… And you did pass out. But not before a pair of hands caught you before your head hit the floor.

—

“Meanwhile, the raven could not contain his excitement. Finally, after four hundred years spent alone, his beloved was back. Despite all of the power and knowledge he basked in, he was admittedly… lonely without them. If the raven had never met them, he would have been fine. But the sparrow had relentlessly pecked a hole into his formerly impenetrable heart, one that they vowed to fill for eternity as an apology. But… they were not here to fill it for so long, creating an indescribable void in him.”

When one of his segments burst into his office without even knocking, Dottore was initially irritated. He did not like to be disturbed, especially in the middle of his own personal research. But 02 only had to say one word for his attitude to flip dramatically. Your name. He didn’t even wait for the clone to finish his sentence before he quickly made his way to your room, multiple possibilities running through his mind as to what could have happened. Surely it wasn’t possible for your condition to get even worse, right? He gritted his teeth and increased his pace until he saw the crowd at the door of your room. He didn’t bother questioning any of them as he stepped into the room, expecting to see your body still lying on the bed. But it was empty… because you were awake, wide-eyed, and a bit terrified, but awake nonetheless.

Even the wise doctor couldn’t help but be frozen in shock. Four hundred years of emptiness, of silence, of nothingness. A stagnant eternity had passed in front of his eyes. You had remained ever so still for so long, but now you finally were moving and speaking in front of him.

Would he call this a miracle? No, he would not because the scientist did not believe in miracles. He didn’t believe in anything that the Gods supposedly granted. He knew you would wake up, it was just a matter of when, and however long that was, he would wait. Contrary to what many people thought, Dottore could be a patient man. Perhaps it was because all of the people in the Fatui were witnesses to his short fuses and a low tolerance for inability, but he could be extremely patient with the proper circumstances. Now, all his waiting had finally paid off, Dottore thought as he caught you in his arms. Indeed… everything had finally paid off.

Dottore wondered how you would react when you woke up again. How much would you remember? Would you recognize him? He already had a multitude of notes and plans written for when you woke up, but it would depend all on you. You, you, you… yes, he would go to astonishingly and morally dubious lengths just for you.

—

“The butterfly had come to realize that their beloved raven had changed while they were sleeping. The raven had draped himself in fox fur, no longer the same from hundreds of years ago. The butterfly was not too bothered, as they were changed too, but they could not help but feel that they were left behind.”

When you woke up once again, the ceiling looked different and the bed you were in was much more plain and stiff than the previous one, as if no one used it. Though the out-of-place blanket and pillows looked as if someone threw them in out of consideration for you. You raised your hand to your temple and gently rubbed it. Somehow, your oncoming headache was gone, which was good. You began to observe the room. This one was a stark difference from the other one. It was mostly plain and boring, and much smaller. It literally only had this bed and a desk which was crowded with piles upon piles of paperwork, and you could faintly make out the writing. It was hard to read and bore a resemblance to… Zandik. Instantly your curiosity was piqued.

You don’t know what happened during the time you fainted, but somehow your legs seem to have gotten a bit stronger. In fact, there seemed to be a new bandage on your leg. Did someone inject you with something while you were sleeping…? You swallowed the unease before you hobbled over and quickly took a seat on the chair, eyes sweeping over the multitude of papers. You began reading the one on top.

“Experiment 23 has failed me once again with their utter uselessness. No matter how many times I modify the drug, their body keeps rejecting it leaving me only with a mess to clean up. What a pathetic waste of my time.” Alright, that was… something. You pushed that one to the side and began reading through more, but they were mainly the same gist. “Subject 14 died today. I must tell one of the segments to take care of it. Perhaps we can still get some use out of the body… A test subject attempted escape today. That was the first one in a while, but it was handled quickly.” More experimentation on different subjects, all labeled with a different number. It was no doubt horrifying but… oddly interesting to you. But one thing that stuck out to you was the name signed at the bottom.

Il Dottore. Il Dottore? What kind of name was that? You kept flipping through the papers, many falling to the floor when you noticed the desk also had some drawers. Pulling them open, there were a few notebooks inside. But that’s not what bothered you. It was the fact that each of them had one word on the cover.

Your name.

This day could not get any creepier. The theory of you getting kidnapped by some crazy person was starting to seem a lot more plausible. Though you hesitated at first, you just had to know what was inside, picking up the notebook on top. You flipped open to the first page. It had nothing but the same few words repeated over and over, divided by lines as the day changed. “No changes in [Name]’s condition.” Alright then… strange. Your eyes flicked over to the date written at the corner of the entry. Month, day, year, yes…

Wait. That year. Your eyes nearly popped out when you looked at it, for it simply could not be true. Because it was… extremely far into the future. A horrible feeling sank into you as you began rapidly turning the pages. Maybe it was just a mistake, you begged no one but yourself, but it was the same over and over again. And that’s when you got to the page that made you dizzy. “Today marks four hundred years since [Name] fell asleep.” The sheer shock of that sentence could have made you faint again. 

Gulping, you grabbed the next notebook in the pile. The dates of these were before those of the first one. Yet again, one of the pages stated, “Today marks three hundred years since [Name] fell asleep.” And then the next notebook said, “Today marks two hundred years since [Name] fell asleep.” The last journal in the pile ended with, “Today marks one hundred years since [Name] fell asleep.”

In that one, the first page started with, “Today marks the first day since [Name] fell asleep.” The date on this page was very familiar to you. It was the year when you got sick. Trying to calm your unsteady breaths, you read the writing.

“I would have never thought things would have turned out like this. This possibility is one that I never thought of. That was completely foolish of me. I should have been more practical, more realistic. If I had planned for and acknowledged the possibility, perhaps I would have been able to prevent it. But it is too late now. I will write here every day to keep track of [Name]’s condition. If all goes accordingly, they will wake up in due time.”

You placed down the book and put your face in your hands, contemplating what you just read. So… if you were understanding this correctly… you’ve been stuck in a coma for over four hundred years, only now waking up. And this person, it had to be Zandik. He was the only one who would do all of this for you. But that didn’t explain why there were multiple copies of him running around… Oh… but the fact you were asleep for four hundred years… was that even possible? Was this real? A wave of fatigue at this information rolled through you again.

Not only did you miss over four hundred years of life… that meant you weren’t exactly human, were you? Or perhaps you were and you simply had your lifespan increased? So, so many questions. What happened to Zandik during this time? What happened to you? Were you even okay? How had your body survived such a thing? You felt like crying. How could this happen to you… you were about to actually start weeping when the door opened, giving you a start.

Another Zandik - or perhaps this was Il Dottore - stood at the entrance, hand frozen on the doorknob as he looked straight at you. You instinctively backed into the chair. You couldn’t help but still be uneasy after everything you just went through.

“[Name],” your name spilled out of his lips almost unconsciously, his face still expressionless, but that quickly changed as he broke out into a large, pointy smile. “[Name],” he said again, though much louder this time before locking the door behind him. “[Name]... you’re truly awake.” The way he reveled in your name seemed almost mad and obsessed. The man then noticed the disarray of his desk and grinned even further, striding up to you.

“Ah, ever the inquisitive one, are you? Seems like your curiosity has not changed. And you can still read my notes… good, good. Better than what I expected.” Zandik’s(?) voice only grew more delighted. You remained silent, to which he looked slightly disappointed, but he seemed to have expected this reaction as well. He bent down on one knee, placing one hand on his chest while the other intertwined with your own hand. He didn’t externally show how he felt when he did so, the sheer excitement he felt when your hand was no longer deathly cold, instead some warmth running through it now.

“Do not look like that, [Name]. You know who I am, do you not?” The scholar looked up at you expectantly, the pleased smile never leaving his lips. His touch, though it was through gloves, was so familiar. The voice, that was deeper than how you remembered it, made you feel a certain way. Your free hand reached out to his face, fingers tracing the mask he wore. Slowly, you began to remove it to see if he would object, but he did not even flinch. When you looked at his uncovered face, you just knew deep down it was Zandik. It was your Zandik who belonged to you. Though his face now had scars, it was him. Your beloved. You brushed your fingers against the scarred skin, and this time he nuzzled into your touch as if you were some kind of divine being.

“Zandik… Oh Zandik,” you murmured, staring right into his brilliant red eyes. “It’s you, isn’t it?” Zandik moved your hands closer to his lips, before biting down on your fingers with those sharp teeth of his.

“Indeed I am, dearest, but these days they tend to call me The Doctor.”

After that, you wouldn’t let go of Zandik, or rather, Dottore, as he came to explain. He answered your barrage of questions, one by one, which only blew your mind each time. After you fell into a coma, he was recruited by the Fatui. With their funding and support, he was able to keep you stable and also advance his own research, even reaching the high position of the Second Harbinger. Il Dottore, The Doctor to be exact. And those other people you saw, those were his segments. Segments from different periods of his life that he made… You were stunned by those accomplishments.

For hundreds of years, this went on as you remained stagnant… until now. Now, everything had changed, and Dottore was entirely fascinated with you. He ran countless tests, poked and prodded at all parts of your body, all while dumping so many things on you rapidly and excitedly. A recollection of all the things that had happened during your slumber. There were a good amount of words that you didn’t understand too… the language of Teyvat had surely changed a lot. It was quite reminiscent of the old days when he would keep you awake in the dorm with his rambling, but this felt oddly… different.

Dottore was a completely different person from the Zandik you knew. Though the old Zandik wasn’t a good person, Dottore was… different. Very different. There was no boundary he wouldn’t cross for his research, ignoring the laws of Teyvat and life itself. And he was wearing a fucking harness too… but… he did look quite attractive in it so… it was an upgrade for you. Though what really happened while you were asleep? He was different, so so different - powerful and intelligent enough to rival even the Gods, among numerous other feats. It felt like he was a completely different person.

Meanwhile, you felt as though you were stuck as that useless, weak student whose purpose was dwindling by the day. And that wasn’t really a lie to be honest, as you soon learned you still were quite ill. You had only woken up from a coma. You weren’t cured. Your body was still frail and fragile, needing medicine and lots of rest otherwise there would be consequences. And your legs, they were able to get a little bit better from the shot Dottore gave you that worked since you were no longer unconscious, but you still wobbled a lot. You still had a lot of pains in general from this mysterious illness as well. So all in all… conscious and alive, but not very well. But, you were still grateful. You had over four hundred years worth of life you missed out on… you wanted to catch up desperately.

Of course, there was also the number one desire to spend countless hours with Dottore now. And you had to get used to his new personality… No longer was he the snarky, snappy, and irritable boy you once knew. Now he was effortlessly cunning and charming, so above others as their opinions could not mean anything to one akin to a God. And while he had always been possessive, Dottore seemed to ramp it up out of nowhere. In a way, you understood, because if you had to be consciously separated from Dottore for that amount of time, you would have gone crazy a long time ago. 

You were possessive too, but Dottore somehow was much more comfortable with physical and verbal affection than his old self from over four hundred years ago. You remember you’d have to beg and plead to merely sit on his lap before, but on the first day you awoke, he hoisted you there and refused to let you leave. He nipped at your ear and sensitive spots teasingly with no hint of embarrassment, all within a few hours after you woke up as if he couldn’t wait another moment. His hands were so big and they seemed to know every part of your body, he seemed to know exactly what to say to push your buttons now, all so different from when the positions were reversed a while ago… Of course, you still knew him quite well too, but still, you felt as though maybe he was partially a stranger now… Only time would tell you how much he had changed. You just hoped you were still good enough for him.

—

“Over time, the raven had divided himself into numerous others, each with a unique personality. The butterfly was initially scared by these new creatures, but eventually, they warmed up to the new ravens.”

It had been only a few weeks since you’d woken up, and although Dottore presented you with your own grand room in the lab, you hadn’t touched it much. Who could blame you? You were still jittery and nervous about all the new things in this world, and how to adapt to your new life. So he had gotten used to you crashing on his bed now every day. No, he wasn’t upset in the slightest. After all, he still had a lot to talk to you about. It would probably take a few centuries to tell you every little thing that happened during the last few centuries.

Dottore had shown you so many new wonders of Teyvat, things that could have never existed centuries ago, in all subjects and areas. It made you feel a bit scared and almost disheartened to know the world changed so much in your absence. But… there were some people in the lab to help you.

Dottore’s segments. 

You had learned that the numbers went up to 24, but there weren’t actually 24 segments. They were numbered in the order of creation, and not all of Zandik’s created segments were successes so it jumped around at times. For example, there were no 11, 12, 17, and so on. Even with all of Dottore’s expertise in making clones, he didn’t guarantee success. And yes… their names were merely numbers.

Although the segments hadn’t hurt you in any way, you were still a bit… scared. Hearing that your lover now had copies of himself running about was one thing. Accepting it was another thing, and you tried to cling to your Zandik as much as possible. But the clones were always scattered throughout the laboratory, so you usually ended up bumping into them. Or perhaps they were following you on Dottore’s orders. He probably thought it wasn’t safe for you ever to be alone, especially right now. But you were trying your best to warm up to them, because, after all, they were still Zandik, no? Their love for you stemmed from Zandik’s overwhelming love for you. They were really a testament to how much you were cherished. And so, they were obviously worthy of your love and attention. 

01 was the spitting image of Zandik when he was in the Akademiya. The last person you’d seen before you fell into a long sleep. Every time you looked at him, your heart hurt a little bit. He still had that snark you remembered so well, especially towards other people. And he still had that subtle softness afforded only to you, that you also remembered.

The bloody one who gave you a fright was 02. He had a pink bow tie and also donned a suit. You honestly weren’t sure what kind of phase Zandik went through during that stage of life to dress and act so drastically differently compared to his other clothes but it was… cute. You liked 02. He was a stark difference from the composed nature of the other clones, but you liked his laugh. Whenever you responded favorably to one of his long tangents, he sometimes hee-hee-ho-ho-ed loudly. 02 was also the most likely to bite you unprompted.

You had yet to meet 10, which was surprising because all the other segments were jumping at the opportunity to merely be in the same room as you. All Dottore had said was that he “needed some time” before he decided to speak to you. You weren’t sure what that meant, but you didn’t question it further. There were other segments as well, like 04. He was a serious and stern segment. The others were especially cautious around him. You were too, seeing his demeanor, but thankfully, he seemed to cool down around you. And 18 had a noticeably softer tone than the other segments and longer hair that embroidered his face nicely. He was also the one who seemed to smile a lot. This segment would always wave hi to you as well, funnily enough.

Meanwhile, 24 seemed to be the strongest of the segments and the highest-ranking one. The others didn’t seem to like him very much, but in the end, they always had to listen to him. He also seemed to be the boldest, and the most greedy. You distinctly remember your first meeting with him. It was something alright.

24 had raised your hand to his lips and kissed it, the smile on his face never leaving. “I have been waiting a long time to finally meet you, [Name].” Your words almost got stuck in your throat from the blatant display of affection. None of the other clones were ever so daring, instead settling with awkward conversation and fleeting glances of longingness at you. 

“Oh… well, it’s nice to meet you…?” You waited for his name.

“Twenty-Four.”

“Ah. Nice to meet you then, Twenty-Four.”

“No, the pleasure is all mine,” he hummed before releasing your hand. “If you ever need something, by all means, feel free to tell me. I shall see it done, far more efficiently than anyone else.” You ignored the subtle remark thrown at his other fellow segments.

“Thanks, Twenty-Four,” you smiled slightly, not sure what else to say after that.

“Of course. I do look forward to our further conversations, [Name]. I imagine they will be quite enlightening,” his deep voice chuckled as he walked away. Well… that was certainly something. You swallowed your throat that had gone dry, still feeling a bit fuzzy from that kiss. His lips felt soft against your hand.

Well, regardless of how you felt about the segments, you had to warm up quickly as they were starting to be with you for almost every task. Though Dottore had solely administered your medicine at first, you learned that his Fatui work kept him far more busy than you anticipated… he really was different now, huh? No longer the student you could bother all day. 

So instead, the clones had begun to share the responsibility of taking care of you, whether that be medicine, shots, check-ups, general tasks, or anything really. Nothing was off the table, considering how much you still struggled sometimes. You felt awkward at first, asking them for help, seeing as you felt embarrassed asking people who you didn’t know well, but they always seemed pleased to do it. Especially if you asked them specifically rather than another clone. So it would only be fair if you returned the energy to them.

You began with conversation. They reciprocated. You moved on to small touches. They liked that. You decided to give them each a kiss on the cheek. You probably should have thought some more about how that would affect them because there was no going back after that. Once you had shown so much interest, there was no way they weren’t going to take you up on your offer. Let’s just say it never ends with just one kiss. It ends with too much to count. So… nowadays it wasn’t unusual to find yourself on the operating table after a check-up, a segment on each side of you fighting over your attention. Perhaps one arm wrapped around your waist and another resting on your thigh… yes, very normal.

However, dealing with your health concerns wasn’t the only purpose of your beloved segments. They also had to teach you other things. 01 was on academics, as you would assume, him being the Akademiya clone and all. Well, it was less academics and more like relearning how to write properly and Teyvat’s new language. It was really hard, to be honest, to have your brain try and keep up with the sudden onslaught of new information, and for you to steady your hand from shaking so much, but surprisingly enough, 01 didn’t lose patience as quickly as you thought he would. You thought he would, considering how snappy you remember Zandik being in the Akademiya. 01 noticed your curious stare.

“What?”

“Nothing… I was just wondering why you haven’t said anything remotely snarky yet,” you hummed, leaning into the segment with squinted eyes. He rolled his eyes.

“You act as though you want me to yell.”

“Well…” you giggled at his incredulous expression before quickly retracting your statement. It was fun to tease him. And you already had a suspicion as to why he was so patient with you. That was… nice of him.

And 02… well, you weren’t exactly sure what 02 was supposed to be teaching you. He would just… talk a lot, about many different things, pace around the room as he did so, long coat fluttering after him, periodically fixing his bow tie. At the very least, he was quite knowledgeable and had experience journeying in other nations. Yes, that was what intrigued you the most out of all his rants. Especially when he spoke of his exploits in Mondstadt.

“You’re saying… you slayed a dragon? Like, killed it? It’s dead? All by yourself?”

“Indeed, I did. Though it’s a shame that-” Before 02 could finish his sentence, you could not help but jump up and clasp his hands in yours, beaming with excitement. Because really, how could you not be ecstatic at something like that? If one of Dottore’s clones could use such strength easily, it only further boggled your mind as to how strong Prime was.

“That is so, so, so amazing! I had no idea you were so strong!” Your eagerness to hear more was easily noticeable in your tone of voice. 02’s expression went blank for a few seconds, seemingly processing the sudden physical contact and how close you were to him, along with your words, before erupting into loud laughter, his very pointed teeth gleaming in the light. It suddenly occurred to the segment that this would be a perfect opportunity to unabashedly display his brilliance to you.

“Hahaha, if that story pleases you so, then you’ll be far more interested in what I have to say next. That was nothing really, hehe,” 02’s razor-sharp grin did not leave his face, nor did his hands release yours. Let’s just say 02 has a lot of tales to tell. Some were… not for the faint of heart, but you still loved them!

Though, all of the segments’ general duty was to help you regain what you’ve lost. Even the simplest things were not easy anymore. You had to come to terms that your stamina wasn’t the same. Yes, you even had to practice learning how to eat and cut up your food again. Your tongue had to adjust to the flavors of cuisine all over again. Deal with the suddenness of feeling very cold to suddenly hot. Shaking fingers and hands. You had to understand that you had stricter limits now, no longer being able to run or do certain tasks that would overexert yourself. Or sometimes you simply didn’t have the mental energy. Bathing, changing clothes, brushing your hair. Resolving yourself to get out of bed when you knew nothing you could do would amount to anything special. But… the segments helped you with everything. Every morning. Every night. And you were thankful for that.

So, all in all, your relationship with the clones was going pretty great! It's not like it couldn’t, considering how much they all adored you, to be honest. Yet, you still had not met the segment named 10. At first, it didn’t really cross your mind, but the more time you spent with the clones, the more you pondered about who the mysterious segment could be. When you asked 01, you were met with a scoff and eye roll. Hmm… guess they weren’t really a fan of him. However, your curiosities would be remedied soon enough, for there was a quiet knock on your room door a while later. 

It was so quiet as if the person was unsure about whether they wanted to knock or not. Was it one of the segments, trying to slack off work again to talk to you? You quickly opened the door and were met with… nobody. You furrowed your eyebrows before a timid voice sounded from below. 

You tilted your head down and there he was, a young child with blue hair and red eyes… that was startlingly similar to some people you knew… Then, everything seemed to click, and you instinctively knew who this mysterious child could be. It was 10. The one segment you hadn’t seen yet, the one Dottore told you not to worry about. Well, he was here now, but… that meant 10 was a clone of Zandik from when he was a child.

You were, quite frankly, shocked, because never did it cross your mind that Dottore would ever clone his child self. You couldn’t think of exactly what purpose that would serve, considering how the kid couldn’t do the same tasks his adult versions could. His perspective, perhaps? But you knew what happened to Dottore during his childhood. You clearly remember the night in the Akademiya when you told you. He didn’t want your pity, your sympathy, he spat. Despite his protests and attempts to push you away, his words were smothered when you held him close to your chest that night.

But nevertheless, it was time to put those feelings away for you must put your attention on the child in front of you, who was now fiddling with his clothes and fingers in silence. His eyes flicked back to you and the ground, his mouth opening to speak but closing it again before any words could escape, so you spoke first, crouching down to his height.

“Hello, little one. You must be Ten, am I right?” The boy perked up at the mention of his name.

“You know me?”

“Of course I do,” you smiled. “I’ve been eagerly waiting to meet you.” Those few words made 10’s face light up. It seemed like he enjoyed attention. But he still looked nervous. Based on what you knew, you guessed that he’d been hurt by adults and people in general far too much than he should have been, so he was wary about you for a while despite Dottore’s and the older segments’ adoration for you. Of course, you wanted to help him feel safe and reassured around you. And that would only happen by spending time with him.

“Would you like to come in? I have snacks we can share!” You gestured to the inside of your room, and the child looked intrigued, but still on the verge of indecision. “... And I can also read cool stories for you!” That was something kids liked, right? Well, it looked like you guessed right because 10’s whole expression changed as he nodded and suddenly invited himself into your room. It seemed like 10 wanted to trust you badly… and trust you he did.

10 was absolutely precious, more than words could describe. During the first few days, he was quiet, preferring to listen to you read the books he brought you. Sometimes you caught him looking at you, perhaps studying you. But once you continuously showed him kindness and love, the child transformed into a brand new person. He was glued to your side, and all the segments knew about it too. 10 always wanted to be near you. 10 liked the other segments, he really did, but you were the only one who was so nice to him. Ruffling his hair whenever he learned something new. Always indulging his silly little requests, drawing and coloring with him. Showing you his favorite hiding places around the lab. You were sad you couldn’t carry little 10 in your arms, but holding his hand as you two walked together was more than enough.

There was just something about 10 that was so endearing, that felt like he was healing your soul, even just a little bit. He was also extremely openly worried about you, scared that you would get winded over the simplest things. Which was a valid concern, but you reassured him you were stronger than it. It was quite sweet to see him run in front of you to open the doors for you like a gentleman, however. You also learned not to underestimate him, because 10 could truly give some of the most crushing hugs ever. In a loving way, of course. If only you didn’t need the ability to breathe, you’d let him hug you like that whenever. In other words, 10 was your baby.

But, in a way, it was strange to know that Dottore was once a child as simple as they come, although with his own eccentricities and curiosities. A child who did child things before he was deemed a monster. A child who just wanted to be held and reassured.

Regardless, lately, you've been thinking about something. Thinking about the segments’ names, to be exact. You really did love them, and so now you were starting to have an issue with calling them random numbers. They were clones, but they were still people to you… their identity was more than a number! Especially 10. You really did not want to refer to the sweet child as 10.

This had been resting on your mind for a few days and the segments noticed your contemplative expression. It was one of those days where you would just sit in the lab and watch them as they scurried about, doing their duties. It was interesting to watch. But you were caught in a daze more than normal when a voice snapped you out of your thoughts.

“Do tell me [Name], you seem to be in deep thought lately. What plagues your mind so?” It was 24, his deep voice resonating in your ears. It was then you realized all the other segments’ attention was on you too. Oops. Perhaps you were daydreaming too much.

“Oh… it’s nothing really,” you wondered if they would think your idea was stupid. After all, they didn’t seem to really care about being called a number.

“Nonsense,” 24 shook his head. “Speak your mind.” Well, here you go.

“How do you all feel about your name?” You asked, addressing the other segments as well. “About being called a number, I mean.” The segments looked at you a little strangely.

“I don’t really care,” one of them spoke.

“I care,” another huffed. “Why does Prime get to be called Prime while we’re nameless?”

“That’s a stupid question. It’s because he’s the creator, and we’re merely the segments.”

“It is annoying when someone mixes up our numbers and then something gets messed up with the operations. But nothing major.”

“Why do you ask, [Name]?”

“Well… I was thinking of not calling you guys numbers anymore. I just don’t like how it sounds, considering how much I know you all now, you know? I was just wondering if maybe I could give you all real names instead. But if everyone likes it the way it is now then that’s fine too.” When you finished speaking, the lab was uncharacteristically silent.

“Um… hello?” You chuckled awkwardly as you looked around to find the clones with blank looks on their faces before they all started speaking the same thing at once.

“I want the name.”

“I would like one as well.”

“Me too, dear [Name].”

“To think you would be the one to bestow me with a proper name. How fitting,” 24 smirked. Shit, even he was on board with this.

“Huh? Didn’t you all just say you didn’t care too much about it??” You could have laughed at the dramatic switch-up.

“I’ve changed my mind. Being called a number is actually quite a hindrance.” (That was mostly a lie, this segment didn’t want to admit he just wanted to own something that was given by you, and what bigger honor could be given by a name?)

“Indeed, having a real name would surely be beneficial for many reasons.” (The many reasons being that he could be happy that you gave him a new part of his identity.)

And now, all of a sudden, you had many pairs of eyes directed towards you, waiting expectantly, and you felt extremely unprepared now. What would you name them? For one, you really weren’t that good at names. And you didn’t want to name them something weird either. They were Dottore’s segments after all. It had to fit them… Think, [Name], think… think of something good right now or else you’ll disappoint these poor segments who look so pleased over a name. You then remembered a book you had skimmed through while practicing with 01, that held the letters of a certain alphabet. And suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into your head.

“I’ve got it!” You jumped up and exclaimed to the room. And then, with glee, you swung your hand and pointed it to 01. “From now on, you are no longer 01. You are Alpha.” Alpha blinked at your declaration. 

Then, you moved onto 02. “You, my dear, are Beta. And you,” your finger moving to every clone in the room. “you’re Gamma. Delta. Epsilon. Zeta.” The more you went on, the more they predicted what their name would be. “Eta. Theta. Iota. Sigma. Phi. And lastly, Omega.” You grinned pretty widely after that. That was pretty smart of you, wasn’t it?

“I see… using the letters of that alphabet also corresponds with the numbers that we were given… hehe, how clever,” Beta grinned to himself, enjoying the first few seconds of being Beta.

“And they are short and easy to remember,” Omega hummed. “Good, very good indeed, [Name].” Omega’s hands brushed your cheek, always the possessive one, while the other segments looked on in jealously. You cleared your throat.

“A-Anyways, make sure to tell everyone your new names!” And soon enough, everyone in the lab was aware of the replacement. Even Dottore, as you had made sure to tell him right after. Initially, he thought you were joking, but nope, you were one hundred percent serious. Alright then, he’d let you have your fun. He didn’t know you were this bored, to be honest. 

But it wasn’t until previously named 24 corrected him with only the word “Omega” when he referred to the segment as a number that he realized that you really did change all of their names. Well, Dottore didn’t care too much for names or numbers regarding them, it was all the same anyway, but he’s been letting you spend too much time with the clones… he’ll have to force you to sit on his lap for a while when he’s stuck doing paperwork. He’s the only one who should be the center of your attention.

There was still one last segment you had to name - your dearest 10. You were most excited to name the little boy, having wanted him to have a name to call his own the most. But, there was something that didn’t feel right. Sure, you could just give him another letter of the alphabet but 10’s one had to be… different. The child just had that much of a special place in your heart. And so you pondered and pondered until you came to a decision.

Zandy was the one who would quite literally run behind you and cling to your leg whenever another segment was near. Zandy was the one who would sit in your lap and ask you to read and explain big words to him. Zandy was the one who wouldn’t let go when he softly spoke about the nightmare he had with his hometown.

He was Zandy.

—

“Although the flightless butterfly found great company and love in Dottore and his segments, they still longed for the companionship of others. Thankfully, they managed to make a few friends - a friendly orange fox, a lovely white dove, and a sly snow leopard.”

There was no one that you loved and cared for more than Dottore. That was a fact that would never change no matter what he did or how much blood stained his hands or morals. His presence was one that brought comfort to you, which obviously would sound like a deranged lie to anyone else considering the kind of man Dottore was. But so be it. No one would ever understand your relationship.

But… it would also be a lie to say you didn’t long for the camaraderie of others. It had been a while since you woke up, and the urge to have a friend or two was much stronger than in the Akademiya. Perhaps the loneliness that came with your illness was getting to you. You knew you could tell anything to Dottore but… it would feel nice to have someone to chat with every now and then about mundane, funny things, to get your mind off other stuff, and not to bother your lover so often. It seemed luck would be on your side this time (how rare) because you got exactly what you wanted.

Childe was the first one who had found you first, and it was wholly a chance encounter.

You were simply going back to your room when suddenly a voice called out to you. (Speaking of, you began living in your own room instead of hogging Dottore’s one all the time. You liked it there, you really did… but it was too boring and bland, and your bed was way more comfy than the brick that was Dottore’s bed. And you were starting to adjust to life a lot more now.)

Regardless, the voice certainly wasn’t Dottore or the segments. Turning to look, it was the unfamiliar face of a blue-eyed ginger-haired man. Your eyes nearly popped out of your skull.

Practically no one knew of you. The few Fatui assistants there who happened to come across you merely thought of you as another experiment, perhaps one he favored more than the rest. You didn’t talk to them, and they didn’t talk to you. Dottore’s order of others to leave you alone was understood as just another one of his cruel ways of isolating you.

Of course, this wasn’t his intention. If you want to talk to others, then you should do as you please (within reason… no one else shall be hogging your attention besides him.) He respects you. But at this point, it was simply far too risky. Even with the clones, it could be dangerous for you. And of course, not only as a scholar but your lover, he must take into account all possibilities. If there was the slightest chance you’d be hurt, he wouldn’t do it. So you were resolved to be lonely for a while.

Until now. The tall man continued walking towards you, donning a gray suit with a contrasting red mask and scarf, Hydro Vision hanging off his hip. His smile seemed friendly enough and he even raised a hand to greet you, but you were stuck with your hand on your doorknob.

“Hello, comrade. How are you doing?” He was awaiting a response but you were just stuck in the same blank expression, completely unmoving as you gaped at him.

“Are you alright?” He noticed and inquired. Oh dear. This was growing far too embarrassing for your liking. No one had ever prepared for you for what to say in these situations. Should you respond? Or leave? You decided to go with the former, opting to simply nod your head in confirmation. The ginger chuckled, playing it off as you were probably being intimidated by his Harbinger ranking, unbeknownst to him the fact you had no clue who he was.

“I was wondering if you knew the way to Dottore’s office? The segments gave me directions, but every time I come here, I always get lost. This lab is never easy to navigate,” he sighed, scratching his head. 

You raised an eyebrow at his comment. This hallway with your room was specifically hidden within the lab, woven deep between many twists and turns. You genuinely wondered how lost he had to be in order to find himself here. But more importantly, you were faced with the question of whether you should help this man or not. Surely it was okay, you were just giving him directions after all. You would be irrelevant in his mind soon enough. It wasn’t like you were craving some human interaction even though you were a bit scared of talking to people.

Decisively, you turned around and pointed forward. “Go down that way,” you began softly, “and then take two lefts, then a right, another left, then straight, and finally one more right.” You knew the way like the back of your hand, after all, you went there frequently when you were sad, happy, in pain, whatever. When you looked back, the man looked as if you had just spoken another language.

“...Thank you, comrade. Hopefully, I find it, then!” You smiled at him. He was pretty nice.

“Of course. It’s not as long of a walk as you think, too.” The man chuckled in response.

“Whatever distance is fine with me. I always welcome the extra training!” With that, he waved you goodbye and began walking in the direction you pointed him to. Ah, you didn’t ask him his name… but you probably wouldn’t see him again anyway. But he did have a Vision so he was probably fairly strong… oh well. When you were all comfy between your blankets you’d soon forget about it anyway. 

And you were right. You did forget about it once you were tucked in with a nice book to read. Until there was a knock on your door. You thought nothing of it, thinking it was a segment at your door for whatever reason. A snack perhaps. Or one of them snuck away from their duties to visit you. Or maybe even Dottore himself! Regardless, you opened your door without hesitation ready to greet them. Unfortunately for you, it was not a segment. It was not Dottore. It was the same ginger from before, standing at the entrance to your room, with that same smile except it was more apologetic this time.

“Hi there again. You see, I did follow the directions you gave me but I was unsuccessful. So I’m back here again,” the man laughed and rubbed his neck. “I was wondering if you could take me there yourself? You seem to know this place pretty well.”

Your throat went dry as you had to hide your incredulous expression. Seriously, what kind of person did he have to be to end up here not once, but twice? Though he didn’t seem to think anything of it, which was good. But it was then he took notice of the environment behind the doorway, a brief surprise flickering across his face.

“Wow, quite the room you have there.” His stature made it easy for him to peer into your room. Since there was not much for you to do with your illness, you had a lot of fun designing your room (which came out of the “Regrator’s paycheck” according to Dottore.) Your room was decorated and tailored to your preferences, whether that was posters on the wall or hanging lights, shelves lined with your special interests and hobbies. It was easily the most “normal” room in the lab like someone actually lived there. Quite unlike the clones’ room which was literally just a bed and desk. Zandik’s wasn’t much better, but you bought stuff from your room and left it in his in hopes of making it more comfy for him. Instinctively you closed the door further in.

“Maybe you should just go back and ask one of the segments,” you murmured, trying to escape the situation and inching the door closer and closer in.

“I could, but those guys would probably ignore me and give me the same directions again. They aren’t very fond of me.” Well, even you couldn’t really deny that. They didn’t really like anyone… besides you of course. “And then I would end up back here, bothering you again. And finding another agent to assist me would take even longer. And Dottore doesn’t like to be kept waiting, you know.” 

He did have a point… really, it wasn’t like you minded taking him, you were just worried about if it would have any consequences. But, when you finally got a good look at the ginger, for some reason, you didn’t feel like anything bad could possibly happen. Plus, it wasn’t like the segments had to know… maybe, just maybe, you could trust him and finally have a real human conversation with someone besides your lover and his segments. Before you could change your mind, you agreed to his proposal with newfound confidence. 

“Okay, follow me then.” Then you locked your door and the man began to follow you. Thankfully the dull-eyed man had no problem starting the conversation first.

“By the way, I don’t think I’ve got your name.”

“I’m… [Name].” For a brief second, you contemplated giving him a fake name but couldn’t think of anything good. “What is your name?” He raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“You don’t know me? I’m Tartaglia, one of the Fatui Harbingers. But you can just call me Childe.” Childe. Childe. That name sounded vaguely familiar. Childe… that was one of the guys Dottore always complained about.

“Oh, I think I’ve heard of you from Dottore.”

“Plenty of bad things, I assume. But I can promise you, I’m not as bad as he says.” You giggled a bit at that.

“Well, I’ll trust you on that.”

“But I am curious. You don’t seem like one of Dottore’s experiments.”

“Yes, I’m not.”

“So are you a Fatuus?”

“Well, I guess you can say that.” Does being Dottore’s lover make you a member of the Fatui by extension? 

“Most members of the Fatui know who the Harbingers are, you know.”

“Err, well, I’m one of his personal assistants,” you lied. “So I don’t know much about the organization itself, since he makes me stay here all the time. You know how he can be. Haha.” You didn’t know what kind of bullshit you were spewing but you just hoped it made some sense.

“Oh, you’re one of his assistants? I haven’t seen you around. I thought he goes through assistants like nothing.”

“Yeah, he does, but… I have special… skills that he likes.” You hoped that would be enough. Childe seemed to nod in understanding.

“Your clothing doesn’t seem to be one of an assistant, though.” He was referring to your casual and comfortable daily outfit.

“As I said, I am special. You know, I have privileges.” That wasn’t a flat-out lie, at least. Childe looked amused.

“How interesting.” And then the conversation moved elsewhere. Childe was still definitely a bit suspicious of you. You could tell by the way he looked at you. But he was a seemingly friendly and easygoing man. If he asked a question that you couldn’t answer, he steered the conversation elsewhere. He was a great conversationalist in general, allowing you to open up a bit despite having just met him. Childe spoke about many things, his training, some battles, his cooking (he even shared with you some new Sumerian recipes you never heard of!), and most interesting to you, the world beyond the lab. Time flew quickly and soon enough you two were outside of Dottore’s office. And you couldn’t help but admit, that was incredibly pleasant.

“Well, here we are, Childe. Dottore’s office.”

“Ah, you were right! That wasn’t as long as I thought. Thank you for your help, [Name]. I’ll go in now.” He sent you a final smile before turning around but you quickly interrupted.

“Oh! Um, by the way, it would be for the best if you kept the fact you met me a secret. Please.”

“Alright then, I will. No one will know.” You beamed in response.

“Thank you! Now, I guess… good luck with the meeting!” And then you two went your separate ways. 

You liked Childe. He was fun to talk to. And it seemed like your wish would be granted because the next week, there was a familiar knock at your door. It was Childe. Although he knew the way better now, he still wanted you to guide him “just in case.” And of course chat with you along the way. Perhaps the latter was the true purpose of his visits, but regardless, this was the start of a secret friendship between you and the Eleventh Fatui Harbinger. Childe’s visits to Dottore were sporadic and you couldn’t predict when he would come, so it was a nice surprise whenever he did come around. And no one, not even Dottore himself knew. You didn’t like keeping secrets from your beloved, but it was too good to stop. But of course, all secrets are revealed in the end…

You had once again fallen asleep in Dottore’s office, refusing to leave his side and actually sleep in a proper bed. So he was carrying you back to your room to tuck you in so you wouldn’t whine to him about cramps and sores later. You’d probably complain to him about how you wanted to stay with him but he was used to it.

Dottore didn’t need to worry about being seen as these hallways were specifically hidden and practically couldn’t be found unless you were perhaps looking for them. And no one would look for them as no one besides he and his segments knew of their existence. So Dottore took the time to gaze down at you as he walked. There you were, sound asleep without a care in the world. A part of him still found it amusing how knocked out you were in the arms of a person like him. Weren’t you even the least bit concerned about what he could do? (Of course, the answer was no, because you knew he would never hurt you.)

He continued to your room with an uncharacteristic softness that would almost appear disturbing to others. At last, he reached it, without any-

… Problems, is what Dottore would have liked to say, for at your door was the Eleventh Fatui Harbinger, hand about to knock but now frozen, the two Harbingers standing silent as they stared at each other, almost comedically unmoving. Childe immediately took note of how Dottore held you in his arms bridal style, your head nuzzled into his chest and arms bunched together there as well. The soft rises of your chest signaled that you were peacefully asleep in the Doctor’s arms. There were absolutely no signs of discomfort or fear as any normal person would have around the mad doctor.

Unconsciously, he gripped your body tighter. As much as Dottore would have liked to know why and how the fuck Childe managed to get here, and somehow want to knock on your room of all doors, he was absolutely beyond the point of questions. 

“Tartaglia.” From his tone only, Childe knew he had stumbled upon something he should not have seen. “Speak of this to anyone, and not even your title will save you.”

After that little encounter, when you woke up, Dottore confronted you about what happened, and immediately couldn’t help but spill everything that happened over the course of the past few months. When you looked up at his expressionless face, you were internally scared that he would be angry with you, the silence after your confession driving you crazy, but thankfully he wasn’t. The only thing he did was sigh at your pleading face and then thumb your cheek.

“Perhaps I’ve been too harsh on you. I do remember how you liked to talk to others back then,” he hummed, which was the complete opposite of his younger self. You buried your head in his chest and looked up at him with imploring eyes. 

“So can he come over again?” Of course, Dottore’s first instinct was to reject this proposal for he didn’t want that fool to be even six feet near you, but the helpless expression you were giving him made him waver.

“I shall… think about it.” That was enough for you as you kissed him on the cheek. “At least it wasn’t the Third or the Ninth. They would be insufferable.”

“Those are the other people you always complain about,” you giggled.

“Yes, but you needn’t think about them. They won’t be coming around here anytime soon.”

Unfortunately for Dottore, it was already too late.

A few days later, there was another knock at your room door. It was almost comical at this point, you thought when you saw a young woman with numerous white accessories and a man as tall as Dottore wearing an unreadable smile at your door. Hell, you should just host a sleepover at this point.

“Well, it seems that Childe didn’t lie after all. Now I know who Dottore spends my precious Mora on behind my back,” the smiling man seemed more amused than angry if anything. Oh, so this was the guy who funded Dottore…

“You know, it was quite a challenge to get here, dear [Name]~ It’s not that easy distracting so many segments.” The girl also seemed amused and giggly. Both of them had their eyes closed with only smiles… it was an odd combination that worked.

“Um… are you Miss. Columbina and Mr. Pantalone by any chance?” You managed to piece together the names and rankings by paying more attention to the segments’ rants. The two most “nosy and annoying” people that Dottore has the displeasure of working with, apparently.

“Why, did you hear that, Lone? They know our names already! Perhaps our dear Dottore has been talking about us more than we think,” Columbina laughed, treading her fingers through her long hair, to which Pantalone chuckled along.

“Indeed, though I wonder what kind of tales he has told this one. [Name], may we come in?” The banker tilted his slightly to the side, and you had no reason to refuse. You just hoped Dottore wouldn’t be too mad. (Poor him, his dear darling being corrupted by the likes of the Damslette and Regrator. Oh well.) 

Regardless, the three of you hit it off immediately. The conversation flowed naturally, a lot of it being stories of Dottore that you had no clue about. You were surprised by how naturally everything came. Of course, the two powerful people still largely had their guards up, but it was still… nice. Fun. Perhaps the Harbingers have a little more humanity in them than most people think.

Columbina found herself around you the most. You were surprised at first - she was the Third Harbinger - surely she had much more important things to be doing besides hanging out with you. But she always laughed airly, reassuring you. She had known Dottore for a long time, she said, but never knew about you. And she would like to learn more about her newfound friend. Especially to see the annoyed expression of The Doctor when she steals too much of your time. (She loved to irritate him.)

Pantalone valued your intelligence. For some reason, he began asking you for your opinion in matters, nothing confidential of course, but still, it was notable. You were no Dottore, but the difference was that you were always willing to assist, much unlike The Doctor and his segments. And, you were greatly helpful in deciphering the confusing words of the segments and Prime himself, so Pantalone ended up taking a strange liking to you. You weren’t sure if it was because you were useful to him and his endeavors, or if he just found you amusing, or if he genuinely thought of you as a friend or just probably just an acquaintance, but no matter the reason, it was… nice to be around him every now and then. So long as Dottore wasn’t there. Otherwise, the calmness would quickly become tense instead.

Childe too, was like a little brother to you. You didn’t know why you felt that way, but you just did. He was arguably the most “normal” out of all of them (as normal as a Fatui Harbinger could be) and he was just… pleasant to be around. He was knowledgeable in the more “ordinary” aspects of life, having his own family which he loved dearly. You liked that about him. It felt silly talking to Dottore about such simple things, but not with Childe.

At the end of the day, your friends made you happy. Whether it made Dottore and his segments happy, seeing these three idiots invade the lab more often than they liked, was something you already knew the answer to. But your lover wouldn’t do anything too harsh. Not when you looked so joyful from this. So perhaps this was a small price to pay, considering how miserable you looked in the beginning.

And really, you always would belong to him, after all. Nothing would ever come in between.

—

“Though not everyone liked the butterfly. In particular, there was a fierce cat that always seemed to swipe at them whenever the two met.”

The Balladeer was someone whom you were used to seeing in the lab every now and then. You didn’t really care much for him in all honesty, but he certainly had taken some kind of interest in you, at least enough to say some not-so-nice things to your face. The puppet had seen you with the clones, with the Doctor himself, and the adoring looks you sent to them… he was disgusted by the notion of love to say the least, especially between you two but… he was intrigued. Scaramouche wanted to at least have a glimpse into the person who would make the Doctor leave in the middle of his beloved experiments to check on.

What he found was nothing spectacular. You were so fragile, even frailer than the young child he met all those centuries ago. You were weak, so weak. In fact, even an insect would be harder to kill than you. Useless too, he thought, and it was as if you knew it too because he’d see you beg the clones to just give you something to do, something to occupy your hands and mind. And… he found the personality and looks of all humans to be unexceptional so that didn’t help your case either. Scaramouche was practically convinced you were nothing more than a source of amusement for the Doctor, the doting only a form of his usual cruel manipulation. Again, you didn’t care for his theories, but his voice did grate on your ears.

Though, this time, the Sixth Harbinger had caught you on a bad day. There was no particular reason why you were having a bad day. It was just one of those days, where everything seemed to bother you. Not to mention you felt your illness was acting up more than usual… going on a walk around the lab’s endless corridors always seemed to free your mind up though.

Though of course, you were accustomed to things not going your way.

“Well well, look who we have here. The Doctor’s little plaything,” Scaramouche mocked. Oh, it was just your luck. Out of all the deserted halls, he had to be in this one. You decided to try and simply ignore his words, yet in an instant, the Harbinger was in front of you.

“I really don’t see what he sees in you,” he narrowed his eyes at you. “What kind of amusement does he use you for?”

“... I would appreciate it if you left me alone.” Scaramouche scoffed in response.

“Maybe you don’t want to admit it, but the Doctor has no capacity for feelings or emotions. Anyone close to him will meet a nasty end. Do you really think you’re any different?” The Balladeer smirked.

“...” Normally you would just turn a blind eye, but you were just so annoyed with everything today.

“What’s wrong? You’re usually so lively and talkative-”

“Look,” you finally interrupted, “just because you’re pissed with the world doesn’t mean you have to bother me with your delusions,” you snapped, fed up with his bickering with you. Hell, your life was no sparkles or rainbows but you didn’t go around making everyone miserable because of it. “At least my lover didn’t abandon me for crying, unlike someone else’s mommy.” It was only after the words had come out of your mouth that you realized what you said.

For a few seconds, there was a tense silence in the corridor. The expression on the puppet’s face made you stiffen. Oh fuck.

“How dare you, you insignificant-” Before the Balladeer could hurl any more insults at you, a stern voice interrupted him.

“I suggest you speak to them in a more respectful tone, Scaramouche.” The sudden intrusion made both you and Scaramouche jump. Neither of you had sensed the Doctor’s presence, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere as he loomed over Scaramouche. “Any further language will not be tolerated.”

For a split second, Scaramouche froze but quickly regained his usual demeanor, his ever-present scowl and balled fists returning. “Whatever,” he flipped around mumbling some more curses under his breath, the back of his hat swaying with every movement. In no time, it was just you and Dottore in the hallway, and he was staring right at you.

“How long?”

“Well-” you were going to try and blow it off as nothing important but the look he was giving you made you realize that he wouldn’t take that as an answer. “A w-while now,” you admitted. Dottore was silent for a few moments before he spoke.

“He will be dealt with accordingly,” Dottore promised as he cupped your cheek.

“...Okay,” you murmured, leaning into his touch. You knew that this wasn’t exactly right. You knew that later today you’d hear the screams of the puppet echoing throughout the lab. But as the warmth of Dottore’s hand permeated your cold skin, you couldn’t bring yourself to care.

—

“The butterfly’s life seemed to be going well. A partner who loved them along with multiple segments. Friends who spent time with them. But in reality, life was much harder and dim for them than they outwardly showed sometimes. In fact, the butterfly found themselves plagued by dreams. They weren’t nightmares, but when they woke up, it certainly felt like one. Or when they did have genuine nightmares, they felt the same unease and wept about their unfortunate situation.”

Ah. Nahida was at this part of the tale. Though she would always disapprove and be the enemy of you and the Doctor, the kind God couldn’t help but feel a little bit of sympathy for you. In all of her wisdom, even she had no information of your illness. Not to mention your loneliness… she too, was lonely once, when she was trapped all by herself in the Sanctuary. But at the very least, she was able to visit others through dreams.

You, on the other hand, had no such escape. Trapped forever in your own body, with not much to be done… your own dreams serving as torment instead… how tragic, Nahida admits. But nonetheless, the Dendro Archon gets herself ready to continue the fairy tale she’s crafted.

ノ “ A SHORE BY THE SEA ” ৎ୭ ₊ ˙ ⊹ .

₊ ˙ ⊹ . 𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲.

minors and blank or ageless blogs do not interact! ノ fem reader ノ possible content warnings for the story…

folktales au ノ slightly ooc neuvillette — less human and not bound by the court ノ hybrids . monsterfucking ノ lowkey predator and prey dynamic . natural intoxication . dubcon — at first ノ mating season . breeding kink . oviposition . belly bulge ノ catching feelings . not really slow burn . mutual pining ノ reader is a bit freaky for pursuing a dragon lol ノ each chapter will have bonus info too.

₊ ˙ ⊹ . 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭.

updates — soon… ノ words — we’ll see…

ノ 𝐼. lapis lazuli. — about the storm raging through the night, the abyssal creature of ethereal features, the warmth of the stove.

ノ 𝐼𝐼. larimar. — about the nocturnal instincts, the legends that become true, the sweet scent of honeycomb and lavender.

ノ 𝐼𝐼𝐼. aquamarine. — 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑑…

ノ 𝐼𝑉. sapphire. — 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑑…

₊ ˙ ⊹ . there’s a chance to add short concepts and little fics within the universe after the main story is done.

Saw your requests open ... So here it goes ...

How about overprotective Blue Lock brothers(Isagi, Barou, Shidou) Would react to you dating ... 😳

HOW THE PROTECTIVE BLUE LOCK BROTHERS WOULD REACT TO THEIR SISTER DATING.

brother! : isagi, barou, shidou

bf! : kaiser, kunigami, nagi

ISAGI YOICHI

• yoichi initially thinks it's great that you’re learning german to engage with his teammates. but soon he notices you using the phrases and idioms which kaiser uses. when he confronts you, you nervously explain it's just to get to know the team better, but your reaction gives you away.

• feeling protective and betrayed, yoichi vehemently declines the relationship, insisting that you break it off immediately due to kaiser's reputation. you reluctantly agree to end things, but secretly, kaiser and you continue to have a little affrair. yoichi remains suspicious and vigilant, but you and kaiser manage to keep your relationship hidden, meeting discreetly to avoid detection.

BAROU SHOUEI

• surprisingly approving, seeing kunigami's strong moral code and respectfulness. shouei would still maintain his intimidating persona to keep kunigami on his toes.

• during family dinners, shouei would subtly test kunigami with intense stares and cryptic comments, ensuring he never let his guard down. he'd remind kunigami of the consequences should he ever hurt you, his voice low and menacing.

SHIDOU RYUSEI

• initially, ryusei is infuriated. he’s used to being the center of attention, and seeing you with someone like nagi—whom he views as a lazy, aloof player—irritates him. he’ll be vocal about his disapproval, grumbling and making sarcastic comments whenever nagi is mentioned.

• amused but skeptical. shidou would joke about nagi being too lazy to properly date anyone, but he'd keep an eye on them to ensure his sister, you, are treated. ryusei would often drag nagi into activities to test his commitment, while nagi remains laid-back, stating your presence makes everything worth the effort.

Oh they became animals what happened my hand slipped

the baby!!!

pt3 of this.

our doctor won!

anw, another spoiler!

Do these kids count as my ocs?

His Hatchling

Platonic! Yandere! Neuvillette x GN! Child! Reader

Description: It might not seem like it, but dragons are very protective over their hatching. Even if the hatching in question aren't dragon.

Warning: Platonic Yandere. OOC. English is my second language. Some hints of child negligence.

________

He met the kid near Palais Mermonia for the first time.

Judging by the kid's clothes, they were from Mondstadt. They were sitting at the bottom of Hydro Archon's statue, looking around. And big [e/c] eyes shined with curiosity.

Neuvillette didn't pay too much though to them. Just an ordinary kid, doing ordinary things. Perhaps, they were waiting for their friends.

Neuvillette had more important things on his mind.

When he left Palais Mermonia at the evening, kid were still here. At the bottom of the Hydro Archon's statue.

_____

Kid were here the next day. Still sitting at the bottom of the Hydro Archon's statue. Neuvillette still wasn't worried about them. Of course, Archon's statue was an unusual spot for a kid to hang out, but, again, nothing to be worried about.

He has a lot of work to do, so Neuvillette should focus on finishing it, instead of thinking about foreigner.

During lunchtime, he heard laughing, coming from the outside. Neuvillette saw, how kid from earlier were playing with some melusines, that were off duty.

Neuvillette was slightly worried. Would that foreigner be rude towards melusines?

No. It doesn't look like the kid were bad. Just a simple kid.

When Neuvillette left Palais Mermonia, he saw kid sitting at the bottom of Hydro Archon's statue again.

_____________

It's been going on for two weeks.

Kid were staying sitting at the bottom of Hydro Archon's statue in the morning and in the evening and would play with free melusines during the day.

And Neuvillette started to worry about them. Where were kid's parents? Neuvillette couldn't tell for sure, if someone have recently moved to Fontaine from Mondstadt, but, even if there were new citizens, why they weren't worried about their kid doing whatever they want for two weeks straight?!

Neuvillette was tapping fingers against the table's surface, while Sedene were taking finished paperwork from his desk. Melusine tilted her head.

"Monsieur Neuvillette? Is something wrong? Can I help you with something?"

Neuvillette's breath hitched.

"No, everything is fine, Sedene. Don't worry." Neuvillette tapped his fingers again. After some consideration, he asked. "Sedene, do you knew anything about the kid that have been staying near Palais Mermonia for the last two weeks?"

Sedene's ears perked up.

"You mean [Y/N]? They are a sweet kid. They came from Mondstadt. I didn't have too many chances to interact with them, but other melusines are having a good opinion about them."

Neuvillette, without noticing, leaned forward.

"And their parents?"

Sedene rubbed her cheek.

"I haven't seen them, and [Y/N] aren't talking about them. But I believe, that Liath saw them. Monsieur Neuvillette, is something wrong with [Y/N]'s parents? Did they do something to [Y/N]?" melusine looked worried.

Neuvillette slowly shook his head.

"I am not sure. But it is possible. Can you..."

Sedene didn't let Neuvillette finish.

"Yes, Monsieur Neuvillette, I will tell others to keep an eye on them!"

With determination in her eyes, melusine turned around and left Neuvillette's office.

Chief Justice made a mental note to himself. He should spoke to Liath as soon as possible.

____________

"[Y/N]'s parents? Well, I don't really know what to say about them." Liath scratched behind her ear. Melusine tapped her foot against the pavement. "[Y/N] said, that they are nice people, but are very busy with the recent moving to the new nation" Liath frowned. "I saw their parents few times. One thing for certain. They do look more interested in settling in, then looking after [Y/N]. They eat lunch with us every day, and, most of the time, they only have snacks, instead of normal food."

__________

You were sitting under Hydro Archon's statue, as usual. You were bored. All of your melusines friends were on duty today, you still didn't make friends among other kids, and your parents were busy. You were alone, you were bored, and you were hungry.

If it wasn't for your parents' refusal to give you keys to a new house, letting you stay at home, while they were at work, and inability to give you a few more mora coins...

You were so lost in your mind, you didn't notice, how a shadow was cast over you.

A quiet coughing, however, grabbed your attention.

You looked up. And saw Monsieur Neuvillette. You haven't seen him in person before, but you recognized him from melusines' tales. You gulped. You felt nervous around Chief Justice. And, it seems, he was waiting for you to pay attention to him

You immediately jumped up from your seat, stand up, and nodded to Neuvillette.

"Good afternoon, Monsieur Neuvillette!" you whispered. You didn't hear Neuvillette's chuckle.

"Good afternoon to you two, [Y/N], right? Melusines have been talking about you."

A shy smile appeared on your face.

"Really? Great! I really like them! They are my friends!"

Neuvillette nodded.

"Good to hear. Actually, I am here, because melusines asked me to keep you company at lunch. If you are with that, of course."

Smile disappeared from your face. You don't want to show to Chief Justice, that you only don't have mora to buy something for lunch.

Like he read your thoughts, Neuvillette continue.

"I overdid myself yesterday while cooking, and now have enough food for two people. If you want, I am more than fine to share some with you."

He reached a hand towards you, inviting you to join him.

After few seconds, you took his hand.

___________________

A week passed.

A week, during which Neuvillette spend time with [Y/N].

Neuvillette couldn't really say, what was going on with him. There was no reason for him to be so concerned over the child. Kid have parents, kid have home!

Neuvillette told it to himself, while getting a soft bed and blankets for a new room in his house. Neuvillette told it to himself, while buying toys and new furniture for a new room in his house. Neuvillette told to himself, while cooking food for [Y/N].

For his hatchling.

He should keep his hatchling safe.

Especially, from this pair, that were neglecting you.

___________

Something strange was happening.

At first, you eat lunches with Neuvillette. Who always has enough food for two.

Melusines started to play close attention to you and your parents.

Then, Neuvillette started letting you spend time in his office. It was better, then staying on Court of Fontaine's streets, yes. But it was strange.

Then one day, your parents suddenly faced with legal charges. They were found guilty and send to Fortress of Meropide.

And you were adopted by Chief Justice.

___________

You were so quiet, while Neuvillette was taking you to his house, holding your hand.

Chief Justice doesn't mind the silence.

Soon, his hatchling will see his new room and new house.

His hatchling will be safe.

He will take care of his hatchling.

And make sure, that no one will harm His Hatchling.

Y'know, there are panels in Kaiser's backstory where books are shown:

So, does it means that he taught himself how to read and write? Or someone else helped him? Like, it was indirectly hinted that he did know people—those thieves if you know what I mean—so maybe someone else taught him?

And after he bought the soccer ball, there's what seems to be a soccer magazine at the corner of one panel:

No point in having it if you can't read it, y'know.

I mean, the books weren't that necessary in any of the above panels, but at the same time maybe they are just there for the sake of detailing?

However, don't you think that it's rather a more than minor plot hole that Kaiser is literate? Yes, yes, I understand that this isn't something important to a manga like Blue Lock, but it just.. feels odd to me. I mean, someone with a background like him is expected to be unable to read and write—you getting me?

But oh well, many major details were skipped during the early Blue Lock days, so maybe this is just one of those things too.

the baby!!!

pt3 of this.

our doctor won!

anw, another spoiler!

Do these kids count as my ocs?

Kaiser with prompt #8 pls!!

a grown man had to force himself to watch the overly saturated slime unboxing videos. he crossed his arms. being engrossed as he watches the big tv along with a 6 year old beside him. kaiser holds back a very frustrated sigh at the crumbling sound of plastic. the funky music. and the sound beside him of the kid eating cheetos.

today was meant for him and you. you and him. but your mother's friend's kid, kenzo, had no one to babysit. the moment kaiser stepped in, he was greeted with "who are you" and "what do you want" by the little boy. but what made a vein pop on his forehead was when the kid claimed to be your boyfriend.

a 6 year old kid: your boyfriend? you laughed and told kaiser that the child likely doesn't know what that word means. boy friend and boyfriend. a 6 year old wouldn't know the difference. right? wrong. the kid made sure to give kaiser a look which told enough that the chibi had marriage plans.

most kids would curiously ask about his tattoo. or ask him to teach them soccer. kaiser wonders what's wrong with this one as he finally lets out that frustrated sigh.

you walked to your room to grab the sweets-jar when kenzo whined for toffees. and just when you were about to head back to the living room, your lovely boyfriend already stepped in, and locked the door behind. he scoffed amusingly. further teasing you for still eating toffees at this grown age, and hiding the sweets in the most noticeable place in your bedroom.

"be nice to me, mihya."

"but i am."

"no like, behave nicely."

"are you my boss or something?"

"you're in my room."

"so?"

you ignored, telling kaiser to behave appropriately again. but does he listen? you're nowhere to boss him. he believes that. so he grabs you, making you lay on the bed. with him on top of you, so soon so quick. and he placed multiple kisses on your neck exactly where he know would tickle.

"who's the fucking boss? huh?" kiss "who's in charge?" kiss "who's in control?" kiss "who's bigger?" kiss "who's stronger?" kiss

you weren't going to let him win. you yelled out that you were stronger whilst still laughing.

"hah?" kiss "say that again?" kiss.

"i said-" you start trying to hold back laughs, "i said-"

"fucking say it."

"kenzo's out waiting for us!"

after five seconds of looking at you in disbelief, kaiser rolls his eyes, getting off of you. stupid kid. he mumbles.

"tsk tsk. someone's acting childish," you say teasingly.

"yeah im jealous damn it."

"of a kid? mihya, he's six-"

"and so? today was for us. just us. and this kid-"

and as an apology, you kissed his cheek before both of you entered the living room, where the kid is watching god knows what.

it was the smell of cookies. you had almost forgotten to take them out of the oven. while you rush to the kitchen, kenzo suddenly turns to kaiser, "how are babies made?" kaiser guesses the kid came across something on the tv, so he replies by saying when mom and dad love each other, a baby forms into the momma's stomach.

"really? does that really really happen?"

"yeah. it absolutely does."

"so that means, you will never experience giving baby in a women's stomach?"

and kaiser knew damn well the kid is referring that kaiser will never find a women to love. a vein pop on kaiser's forehead at that. and the kid interrupts the silence asking: "so, so, my parents loved each other too. right? right!?"

however kaiser decided to adopt the asian parents' approach and replied saying, "you were found in the garbage."

“ 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧 “

𝐩𝐫𝗼𝗺𝐩𝐭: 𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝! 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝗼𝐫𝗺𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝’𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝗺𝐞𝐚𝐧𝗼𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞

Content warnings: SFW, hurt/comfort, domestic arguments, arranged marriage, dubcon to said marriage, misunderstood feelings, brief mentions of gore??? (description of grievous bodily injury)

" welcome back caller 🪷! connecting your line as we speak! "

" new contact noted! caller 𝚗𝚎𝚞𝚟𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎 has been added to your phonebook! - love, 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑡-19 “

The night was clear, the moon radiant and seemingly beaming down upon the newly weds with a special smile embedded in it's waxing reflection.

It was a stark contrast to your own inner turmoil.

Perhaps you were resentful it was only your genetics that had landed you here. Maybe it was the dangling expectations that loomed overhead. But in all reality, you knew what bothered you. It was not Neuvillette nor was it the marriage. It was how quickly you were tossed to the wolves when "the greater good" became involved.

You had been previously described as invaluable to your family, a proud line of draconic warriors and protectors. Despite this, they seemed to eager to sell you off to Fontaine's Archon in the pursuit of preserving your species. It was utterly dehumanizing.

It wasn't as though you had any warning from your supposed "family" either, no. You and your siblings had been lined up, looked over and then called into a room for closer inspection. The length of your tail, your horns, the potency of your venom, fuck, it felt like they might as well have counted each and every one of the scales that adorned your body.

Not only was it a complete violation in terms of your own physical autonomy, it was a complete violation of your trust in your parents. You believed them to be your advocates, your protectors, and yet they were so eager to let a group of researchers poke and prod at you incessantly for hours on end.

Then, when it was decided you were the most physically and psychologically compatible with your to-be-husband, they were quick to pack you up and ship you off.

There were no warm, heart-felt, teary goodbyes. You were left to mourn your quiet life in the countryside of Fontaine to be sent crash-landing straight into the heart of a court of ruthless nobles by yourself. Sure, your siblings cried for you, but they weren't allowed to witness your departure. You were given a stern handshake from your father, a pair of kisses on each cheek from your mother, and a 'make us proud'.

You knew they were not affectionate people, but would they not shed a tear for their only son being sent to be picked and prodded at by rich snobs that could care less about your circumstances? Were they really so unfeeling they viewed you as some kind of transactional bargaining chip? Did your mother and father hate you so much they could view you as some kind of breeding mare only meant to take the yoke of carrying on your bloodline?

The elegant luxury that was your new bed stared back at you. The clean, pristine white sheets mocked you. The deep blue pillowcases and bedding only further drove a special hatred into your heart, reminded of your captor and the other unfortunate breeder that'd been tasked to settle down with you.

Everything felt unnaturally cold in the capital. There were so many rules and unspoken expectations in the form of social etiquette and manners it brought a familiar whirlpool of despair to your cranium the longer you thought about it.

It was just under a year ago you'd been plucked from your home; a year ago you would've been in a smaller, warmer bed surrounded by your loved ones. You didn't always have a full stomach, but the emptiness in your stomach was filled with the overflowing zest for life in your heart.

Every morning, you would wake up to your younger siblings climbing all over you and your bed. They'd demand you take them somewhere fun today, like you always did. You would brush your little sisters off with a laugh and tell them you were busy. Still, you'd let them drag you off to the bathrooms, where both of your older sisters would already be getting ready to start their house chores.

You'd braid your younger sisters' hair gingerly, pick them up off the stool in front of the mirror, twirl them around and shoo them off to have breakfast so you could get ready to tend to your family fields.

Swapped out with the tender love shared by family was a strict, punishing hand attached to a stricter etiquette instructor that seemed hellbent on breaking you into a perfect little house husband. Of course, your proud nature certainly didn't buckle to their whims, and they instead settled on making sure you wouldn't be an embarrassment.

Speaking of your future husband, you heard his careful steps towards the bed resound from behind you. He stopped just a few paces short of your figure, clearly sensing your disdain for the room and everyone in it.

"Is something the matter?"

Your lips pressed into a tight line, tail laying glumly on the intricately dyed carpet. The room was too large yet too small all at once. You wanted your space, yes, but you wanted to be embraced with that comfortable warmth again.

You wanted nothing more than to go home with one of your sisters tucked into your side and a storybook pushed into your bone-tired hands. You wanted nothing more than for your stomach to growl in the middle of the night with hunger pangs, knowing you went without so your siblings could grow tall and strong.

You wanted to throw up all the food you ate during the reception, erase the memories entirely, and run back to the countryside. You wanted to be free of the piercing stares, the dismissive shakes of the head when you panicked and forgot which fork to use for your salad.

Instead of trying to reason with your new husband, you gave a tired huff and went to sit down on your side of the bed. The plush material gave way to your body as your eyes scanned over your side of the bedroom. There was a small desk in the corner, but besides that it was largely barren.

In comparison, Neuvillette's side of the room seemed a little bit too cramped. You reasoned he was used to having the room to himself, he most likely had to clear all his belongings to one side in preparation for your arrival.

You hated that the transition to married life was easy for him.

He got to move all his stuff to one side, get used to sharing a bed at night, and wear a ring on his finger.

He knew nothing of your suffering.

Yet, curiously he followed after you, though he moved to his own area. The deafening silence caused your ears to ring, but you could care less. Eventually he, too, sighed when he sunk into the welcoming give of the mattress. He laid down quietly, keeping his distance.

"Goodnight, Husband."

The next morning, you were gone before the sun rose. Despite Neuvillette himself being an early riser, you seemed to have put him to shame with just how eager you were to leave your shared bedroom. He learned later that you busied yourself with the inner workings of the social sector.

It would be helpful to you, at the very least, to get used to socializing in a much more formal setting than you were likely used to. Still, he worried for you and how you would hold against the societal pressure that came with being married to the seemingly untouchable Iudex.

Despite your hatred for the socialites and the nobles of the court, the day you spent out quickly earned you a reputation as a "Cute Countryman", focused on chivalry and being as respectful as possible. It was laughable, really. Had they taken a moment to really think about it, they would've realized you were being respectful because you had no interest in learning about them on any kind of deeper level. Your eldest sister would've said they missed the forest for the trees.

You did find, however, a handful of nobles that were less than concerned with their public appearances. Specifically, her name was Navia, and you were happy to accompany her and the Spina de Rosula in their endeavors. In fact, this was what you busied yourself with most of the time. In the process, your name largely became synonymous with the organization and their influence throughout Poisson.

It wasn't much, you realized. But, the constant younger feminine presence brought a comfort to the gaping wounds in your heart. Spending much of your time with Navia started a few rumors throughout the Court, but they were quickly dismissed when a few prying eyes discovered you had plenty of sisters in your previous life.

About a month after your wedding, the matters of the Spina de Rosula managed to keep you late into the night and into the early hours of the morning.

As you returned home, you lamented the heavy downpour soaking your equally heavy suit and the extra cold that racked through your reptilian body. The moment you'd stepped through the doors of the Palais Mermonia, you were inundated with attendants pawing at your jacket to strip it off of you. You were quickly offered a towel, your belongings were whisked away from you, and in this little whirlwind, you were pushed towards the residential wing.

Despite having lived in the Court of Fontaine for just over a year, you would never become accustomed to the feeling of others in your personal space. It felt just as invasive as when the men in their fancy jackets came and measured you and your older sisters up and down, left, right, sideways and horizontal.

You stalked through the long hallway down to your marital chambers. You made a quick stop in your closet, changing out of your soaked street clothing and into something more palatable. The soft hug of the silk pajamas was comforting, but off putting in a way. It was as though you were a formerly feral cat now being domesticated. You hated the idea of surrendering yourself to the comforts of luxury, surrendering your dignity to become a loving little house husband. You would be provided for, more than comfortable, but that wouldn't stop you from longing for the outdoors.

You dried your hair off with the towel the staff at the door had provided you with, being extra careful to not be too rough with the horns. You tilted your head side to side to get the remaining rainwater out of your ears before stepping through the door that connected your dressing chambers with your sleeping chambers.

The room was quiet, and yet the lamplights had remained switched on. Soft snores were emanating from the man on his side of the bed, but he was still sitting up, propped on the headboard with more documents strewn across his lap.

You realized bitterly that he'd tried to wait up for you, ensure your safe arrival home. You hated the soft fondness that coursed through your bloodstream. You hated it just as much as you hated your inability to harbor any ill will towards Neuvillette.

The man had been nothing short of a gentleman to you the moment you walked down the aisle. The short kiss at the altar had been sweet, to the point, and he let you control it's duration. He let you take his hand and lead him back down the aisle and to the reception venue. He hadn't fussed in the face of your silence when the two of you got home, he hadn't complained that you never made yourself available to his various invitations for lunch.

You should've been appreciative of his attempts to make you comfortable, but you couldn't bring yourself to. If anything, you wanted him to be some selfish, evil, brutish older man that took advantage of you just like all the others. You wanted, desperately, for a reason to hate him like you hated all that declared themselves followers of Focalors.

But you simply couldn't.

Your pride wouldn't allow you to love him as your husband, but it also prevented you from hating him without reason.

In the end, he was a victim of this marriage as much as you were. He had not been the one to make these arrangements, he hadn't been the one to order those men into your home or the one that deemed you the most compatible with himself. He could've been sleeping beside another who returned his affections in full, someone who could love him unabashedly. Perhaps your older sisters would've been more skilled in navigating their inner turmoil. But you were not your kind, intelligent, and endlessly patient older sisters.

You had been a farmer, you had been an older brother, but just as quickly as you learned to love those titles they'd been stripped away from you in the span of mere hours.

You were a husband now, a noble.

You let your hatred for those titles consume you, but only for a moment. You wanted to throw your towel at him harshly to wake him up, to yell and scream at him for hurting you, but you knew you had no right. The very second you took a moment to gaze upon his unconscious serenity, you felt your resolve crack and shatter again.

So, instead you took to carefully plucking each paper off of his lap carefully, commandeering his quill from his dominant hand and gently laying them out for him on his desk. The amount of domesticity that coursed through made you feel indignant and pathetic, but for all the care he showed you, you could put your pride aside to do this one small thing for him.

You did your best to lay out the papers in the order you'd remembered them sprawled out on the bedspread. Afterwards, you very gently positioned him to rest and turned out the lights.

Despite the man laying asleep next to you and the ache of fatigue taking over your mind, you seemed to be unable to quiet the various conflicts taking place in the recesses of your consciousness.

If you continued to stay beside Neuvillette, how long would it be until you folded?

"Is he in the gardens?"

Neuvillette carefully adjusted his cravat, violet eyes gazing off into the expanse of greenery behind the Palais Mermonia. As of late, you had been avoiding him in his entirety.

Even on nights you didn't happen to be busy, you would be out and about. He'd grown tired of trying to wait up for you to return home. However, Fontaine was enjoying an extra long rainy season.

Formerly, you would be the one waiting for him to return home. You would be in bed, book in your lap, head beginning to droop. The two of you would exchange pleasantries while he would ready himself for bed. Every single night, you would wait for him to be tucked into bed before you would allow yourself to lay down. It had been endearing, cute even.

He knew it would difficult for you to settle into life married to him. He wanted to give you ample time and space to get used to it, but each and every day there was an ache in his heart when you continued to ignore him, refuse to acknowledge him.

He would fall asleep before you got home and then you would be gone early in the morning. Despite his hurt, he worried for your sleep schedule. Surely, your energy was suffering and you were most likely fatigued throughout the day. As your husband, one of his many duties was to ensure your health and happiness.

He was tired, in all honesty. He didn't care if you continued to be cold to him, as long as you would actually be there. The two of you might not have had the most conventional romance, but Neuvillette still found himself craving some kind of acknowledgement. You didn't need to love him, to be nice to him even, as long as you would be there for him again.

"His grace is currently enjoying tea at the pavilion, would you like this servant to announce your presence?"

The Iudex raised his hand dismissively, "There's no need for that. Please, allow us some alone time."

With a curt bow and a pivot of the foot, the attendant was heading back inside the residential wing of the Palais. This left you and the hydro dragon sovereign alone in the gardens.

Carefully, quietly, he paced towards the far end of the property towards the pavilion. His hands balled into clammy fists by his side. Normally, he was calm and reserved, and yet you managed to knock him off of his usually steady feet. He did his best to relax, flexing and unflexing his fingers.

Soon enough, he was greeted with the back of your lovely figure. Long elk-line horns reaching towards the sky, draconic tail brushed to the side to squeeze underneath an armrest so it could come to rest on the concrete behind your plush seat. It swept back and forth as you took in the scenery.

Even though his steps were nearly silent, the barely audible 'swish, swish' of your tail came to a halt. Before he could speak, there was a small clink of the highest quality porcelain money could buy meeting porcelain. You threw a negligible glance over your shoulder.

Even in what was your act of defiance against him, he couldn't help but allow his breath to catch in his throat at the sight of your countenance. Your eyes met with the same familiar silver violet hue, a small huff passing your nostrils before you turned your attention back to the array of pastries and the half-empty kettle of tea.

He tried to speak, but found his throat unbearably dry. Quickly, he cleared it, trying to formulate some kind of greeting in his mind. His mouth opened and shut a few times before he managed to stammer out, "Would you care if I joined you?"

He experimentally stepped in closer, hands coming to rest on the back of your chair. He took in the annoying twitch of your tail smacking against his shin, feeling his heart sink when he watched you stand from your chair. "There's no need. If you wish to enjoy time in the gardens, I won't bother you."

"Ah, but I see you haven't yet finished your own time in the pavilion." He pushed tentatively, gloved hands tensing on the wooden frame of where you'd been perched previously. Your tail carefully untangled itself from the arm of the chair. He noted your expression, examining it thoughtfully.

"If you wish to take my spot, I don't see a need, frankly." You crossed your arms across your chest, completely abandoning the pleasant shine of the sun on your skin and the half-eaten sweets on your plate.

His pressed into a line, considering his words carefully. Clouds began to circle overhead, blotting out the sweet radiance of Celestia in all of their haste. "Perhaps I wanted to share some time with you in the sun, would that be too much to ask?"

He'd meant it genuinely, but as soon as your lips turned downward into a frown, he knew he'd chosen his words wrong. "I am not your plaything, Monsieur. If you'll excuse me, I have much more pressing matters to attend to."

You went to turn on your heel, walk back into your shared home, but he interrupted you, "Wait-"

Your eyes shut indignantly, you took a deep breath through your nose before letting it out in the sound of a sigh. You turned back towards him, "What is it?"

You could sense the remorse brewing in his tone. You also took note of the light drizzle beginning to settle in the garden. There went your plan to sunbathe from the comfort of your small study instead. "I hadn't meant to offend you or insinuate that you were some commodity to me, if I did so please allow me to extend my sincerest apologies."

You hated that your own pity circled in the pits of your stomach. You still had no reason to hate him, no reason to deny him your affections, and yet you couldn't bring yourself to let him in either. You hated him, you hated him and all of his sweetness. You hated him and the feeling of trust you'd built for him in your heart.

"No, Monsieur Neuvillette. You simply bore me." The moment the words tumbled from your lips, you automatically regretted it. However, you couldn't stop yourself from pressing him further. "You come home from work and expect me to be happy to see a tired, haggard shell of a proud sovereign. You allow humans to string you along and work for them when they could care less if you and your sorry little "cute countryman" of a husband dropped dead so long as another Iudex would take your place."

You turned again on your foot, each fat drop of water falling from the sky burning into your skin as you went to retreat from him entirely.

"You are pathetic, as such I don't wish to see you or spend time with you. In the future, do not seek me out."

About a year into your avoidance of him and this sad excuse of a marriage, Neuvillette was awoken in the night by a strangled scream.

Before he could process it was you who made the sound, he was overwhelmed with the noise of pitiful crying and the sensation of wetness pushed against the crook of his neck. He could tell you were doing your best not to shatter his eardrums with loud cries, your chest shaking with each heaving breath you took.

In your desperation, he realized, you'd thrown off your covers, shot up like a rocket and you were clinging onto him like he'd vanish if you'd taken your hands off of him for a mere second. One of your arms secured him snuggly into your chest by the waist, the other combing through beautifully silvery locks.

Groggily, he called out your name, stirring from his deep slumber. His arm rested on the one you'd draped around his abdomen, face flushing a pleasant pink from the sudden intimacy of your actions. "What on earth has you so frightened at such an ungodly hour?"

You didn't answer him, instead opting to press your nose further into his neck. Effectively hiding your face, you babbled nonsense noises into his skin, never full words or sentences, cut off syllables and hushed sobs. You hands raked across his scalp like a madman.

Despite the clear fear in each and every one of your incessant affection, Neuvillette couldn't help the soft purr that resounded from the back of his throat. He squirmed in your grasp, moving so his back wasn't pressed up against your chest, but instead the two of you lay face to face.

His own hands reached up to your scalp, sleepily toying with a few loose strands that stuck up around your rather large antler-like horns. In this position, he could properly see the harsh rise and fall of your chest, hyperventilating at some vision he hadn't been privy to. "What makes you so afraid, my dear?"

Usually, you would've scowled at his use of a petname, but instead, when he reached from your hair to your face to stroke some of your tears off your cheek you leaned into his hand. The tears fell faster from your eyes as your hand wrapped around his wrist like a vice. Your actions begged him to keep his hand there, to use his comforting touch to get rid of the horrible things that plagued your mind.

He could feel your sorrow begin to translate into his own tragedy, his heart cracking at the sight of someone usually so reserved and filled with hate turn into nothing more than a tall child. A tall child that clung unto him like a frightened baby would its mother. His sharp features softened as a light drizzle began to knock at the windows of the Palais Mermonia.

It was a few more minutes of quietly holding one another before you could finally clear your breath enough to speak, "N-Neuvillette," you cried, painfully tugging at his heart strings, "Forgive me, please, forgive me-" You cut yourself off as another sob racked your being.

He stayed silent for a moment, his fingers interlacing with your own shaky hands. "What are you talking about?"

You shook your head, knocking your forehead against his rather unceremoniously. "I-I have truly been so awful to you- so utterly horrible to the one person who has done nothing but love me and patiently wait for me." You pressed a devastatingly hungry kiss to his cheek.

"You've done no such thing," he reassured, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. His ears lit up an embarrassingly dark red hue. Still, it seemed his words were no help to the wounds upon your aching heart.

"I don't care, if I must- If I must, I'll use the rest of my pitiful life to make it up to you, I don't ever want you to have a day that goes by where you don't know how much I appreciate you-" You sniffled against the skin of his cheek. "You deserved so much better than my hateful words and avoidance. The only thing I haven't done to you is lay my hands on you. Archons, I could never even begin to think-"

He called your name again, soft against your face, his teasingly airy laugh cut through the frigid air of the bedroom, "What horrors must you have seen to have changed your mind this quickly?"

Your face flustered a pink of your own, "Don't laugh at me! This is serious!" Even through the obvious annoyance in your throat, a certain sadness plucked at Neuvillette's heart in accordance with the quaking tremble in your tone.

He apologized to you with a soft kiss on the cheek, tentatively pushing the boundaries that had previously been established in your relationship. To his own surprise, you let out a content hum and settled against his figure again. "I apologize, but you must understand me."

You nodded, nuzzling a hand further into his palm, removing your grip from his wrist to wrap around his waist again. Despite the appeasement radiating from your body language, your voice was still huffy in it's response, "Of course, I understand you." You tugged him ever closer to yourself, scooting around to rest your head against his chest.

The sound of his heartbeat acting an impromptu lullaby as your eyes glided shut. His thumb caressed your cheek with an unspoken softness as he stared down at the tear tracks staining your beautiful features. Still, even in your sadness, your clear adoration of the man in your grasp shone through.

It was enough to make the the steadfast Iudex begin to crumble, suddenly taken with just how intimate the moment was between a formerly touch repulsed man and his longing husband.

You were curled up, just about wrapped around him like a blanket. You clouded every one of his senses, he could tell that he clouded a majority of your own in turn. What terrible thing did you see that caused your hatred for him to wilt like an aged rose? To bloom again as a newfound love and devotion to him?

He wondered to himself if he would ever find out.

But for now, he could enjoy the quiet and nervous, but also bold and blind reach for his affections.

The rain quieted to a stop outside of the window, the clouds beginning to sail across the soft winds. He twirled a lock of your hair around his finger, relishing the further slump of your body against his own.

You practically melted into him, your tail coming up to ghost around his shin. The small hairs on the end of it tickled just the slightest bit, prompting a loving smile to adorn his features. Against the crown of your head, he pressed his lips again. Then again as you finally wrapped your extra appendage around his leg.

It might not have meant much to Neuvillette, the lowering of your defenses in such a vulnerable display of your inner workings. But, his quiet comfort and understanding meant the world to you.

And so, before you allowed yourself to drift back to sleep, you promised to cherish him properly this time around.

There was a quiet rap on his door before your horns peeked from behind it, followed shortly by your face.

Yes, the night before had been nice, you had been through something rough, but he hadn't exactly expected the changes to be instantaneous. You had harbored a deep seated hatred for him for so long, it seemed as though you were a new person the next morning when he woke up to you still curled up around him.

He'd dismissed that as something unimportant, most likely the result of terrible sleep. Not to mention, your sleep schedule had always been much worse off than his own. Keeping this in mind, he snaked his way out of bed and gave you a kiss on the forehead before he made his way to your shared closet.

He pulled on his expensive suit, and, as usual, he skipped breakfast in the residential suite to get straight to work. He would have breakfast brought in later. Imagine his surprise when you were the one to turn up at his door, still in your pajamas, breakfast in hand.

You had the small cart loaded to the brim with his favorites, things he hadn't known you'd noticed. There was a kettle of tea and two cups perched on top of the precarious tower of breakfast luxuries. He found comfort in the fact you looked well-rested and eager.

"What are you doing here?"

You yawned, arching your back upward to get a good stretch in. It was apparent you'd just barely woken up before suddenly deciding to treat him. "Is it really so strange for me to bring you breakfast?"

He hummed, contemplatively, "I suppose it wouldn't be in any other circumstances, but I didn't know you were aware of my office's location. You certainly haven't visited me before."

You waved off his concern with your hand dismissively, yawning into your palm again. You pushed the cart towards his desk, towering over him from behind as you laid one of the two porcelain cups on the table. You poured him a cup before you retreated to seat yourself in a chair in front of his desk. "Even if I don't visit, it isn't strange that I know the layout of my own home."

He nodded again, letting the scent of tea waft up his nose. He noted your much more casual demeanor when you poured your own glass. You settled on grabbing a pastry from the bottom of the stack, allowing yourself to eat casually around him. Usually, when the two of you were forced to share a meal at some kind of event or other, you were prim and proper to the point of being mechanical.

It was rare to see you so... relaxed.

The sun shining on your face from behind him, hair still tousled, pajamas loosely hanging onto your figure, and crumbs all over your face. It brought a special warmth to the pit of his stomach, even more so when his hand reached out for your face to gently dab away the remains of your snack from your lips.

Instead of insisting on doing it yourself, you pressed yourself into his awaiting hand and simply let him do as he pleased. He couldn't help the fond smile that stretched across his cheeks. Lowering his hand back to the table, he allowed himself to take in the sight of you, half-awake and eager to spend time with him.

Soon enough, the moment was over when you yawned again and stood up from your chair. You gestured towards the cart, "Your breakfast is served, I'll be back soon enough after I get changed."

His eyebrows raised, "You'll be back?"

You nodded, not really all that shocked at his surprise. "I've occupied much of my time with the workings of the Spina de Rosula, but I haven't a clue what happens in this office of yours. Surely, as your husband it's one of my duties to make sure you aren't overworking yourself."

His brows furrowed again, conflicted. He was happy to be in your company after so long alone, but he didn't know if he was the one dreaming now. Would this dream transition to a nightmare when you went back to the way you were before? Even with the sun beaming down on his back, he wondered whether or not the feeling was genuine the longer he stared at you.

Would he have to wake up and be greeted with the cold reality of your absence from the bed once again?

"I..." he closed his mouth, resting his quill against the table. "Are you sure you want to bore yourself with the paperwork? I'm sure there are more interesting things you can do with your day."

You huffed, "What could be more important than your health? Even if I'm not home when you get into bed, our attendants still notice when you come home later. Starting today, it will stop." You put your hands on your hips, scanning his written archives of cases. "Now, as much as I love lounging in my sleepwear, your place of work isn't exactly appropriate for that."

He didn't respond, more so trying to decipher this blooming dread at the pit of his stomach. He had finally gotten just an ounce of attention from you, but he still feared the worst. When you realized your nightmare was just a silly little vision conjured up by your imagination, would you continue to ignore him?

Should he bother trying to enjoy this time? To get attached again? Would he be able to bear it if you were to sever the tie with more hurtful words and venom that dripped from your lips like honey?

Just as you went to walk away from him and towards the door to his office, he called your name. He hadn't really thought through what he wanted to say, but he did, however, know he wanted to say something. As you turned to look at him, alert but confused all the same, he considered dismissing you entirely.

But there was this gnawing feeling in his gut that he desperately need to solve if he wanted to be able to focus on his work.

"You say that there is nothing more important to you than my health, but in the same vein, you worry me with such sudden changes. Please, when you return, can we discuss what happened last night before anything goes further?"

'I'd seen lifetimes ahead of us Neuvillette, lifetimes you could hardly imagine. I saw our beginning and I saw our end.'

"Neuvillette?" you called out blindly into the dark. The door to your bedroom was just slightly ajar, it allowed an eerie sliver of light to trail out into the large corridor of the residential wing. In your many years of marriage to the Iudex, he hadn't waiting up for you since the first year the two of you had been wed.

After all, he knew better.

Was this some kind of special occasion? You could only speculate as the many discrepancies in your routine began to swirl through your mind. There was nobody that had come to greet you at the door, nobody to take your belongings off your or rip your jacket off. There was nobody to usher you towards your shared bedroom.

Despite your lack of real status within Fontainian society, nobody would've dared to insult the Iudex's spouse so.

Had Neuvillette asked for them all to be cleared out for some kind of special dinner where it would be just the two of you in the home? That didn't make any sense either. Neither of you celebrated your birthdays, you didn't celebrate an anniversary, you often left on holidays. So what exactly was happening?

You called out again, your voice trembling, "Neuvillette, this isn't funny. What are you up to?"

Something was terribly wrong, you realized. Terribly, terribly wrong. You summoned your blade quietly at your side as you approached the door that was just barely open.

You regretted that you hadn't come home sooner.

The formerly blue and turquoise carpet had turned to an ugly shade of brown, some parts so saturated in crimson you could no longer see the patterns you often traced with your eyes when you were bored and home alone.

You froze, unable to really process what could be happening.

The first thought in your mind was that Neuvillette had murdered someone and expected you to be out long enough he could clean the mess.

But who would Neuvillette murder? He had no reason to dirty his hands when a man of his status had so many connections.

And so, you realized what had actually happened when your eyes trailed to source of the pooling liquid.

A blood-curdling scream ripped itself from your throat as you rushed forwards at the sight of your spouse all but decapitated on the floor. His beautiful, beautiful neck has been sliced so cleanly it was obvious to tell which side of the blade had been sharpened for combat. You reached desperately for him, despite knowing he was likely gone.

You pulled his limp body into your lap, your jaw agape as you struggled to comprehend what you were seeing. You used one hand to keep his head on his neck, the other holding his blood-stained face in a gentle caress.

Even in his death, he was lovely. The peace in his colorless eyes was telling as he succumbed to eternal rest. You were upset, yet you felt you had no right to be. The man had pined after you for decades and you couldn't so much as muster the ability to spend an anniversary with him, to come home an lay next to him in bed a reasonable hour.

You had never been there for him to wake up to, you had never been the one to take care of him when he was ill or weak. You had never responded to his desperate invitations for lunch nor had you ever spared a glance at his attempts to be romantic. You set the bouquets he sent to your study in a vase and you let them die when you couldn't be bothered to water or care for them.

Why was it you were so devestated?

You swore to yourself you would never love him, and yet you couldn't bring yourself to part from his body. Perhaps, if you held him together for long enough, he would revive and you would be able to nag him like you always did when he didn't take proper care of himself.

Behind the both of you, a tall man loomed. His silhouette was intimidating, but you couldn't be bothered to care when you were faced with the devastation of loss that shattered your heart. You only really cared to pay him any attention when he stepped in closer to the both of you.

"Don't you dare come any closer."

You snarled at him, clutching Neuvillette's corpse closer to your heart. You refused to look at him, but the intensity in your tone cause him to pause for just a moment.

It didn't last long, seeing as mere seconds later he continued to close in like a predator would prey. A mocking laugh slipped past his lips as he looked down upon the sorry scene. "Will you stop me? You already failed to protect your husband once."

You pressed a soft kiss to Neuvillette's forehead before you stood up on shaky legs to face his murderer. You were met with only one of his eyes before you pointed your blade at him. There was a black mask draped over the side of his face, painted in an electric blue that matched the iris you could see.

"I may have been unable to protect him, but that doesn't mean I am unable to protect what he sought to protect." Your blade made contact with his chest, daring you to make the move to kill him.

"What I am here to retrieve is none of your concern, perhaps you would be happier if it were in my care than that of Focalors." He wrapped his fingers around the point of your sword. "After all, she is the one that forced you into this predicament."

You made a quick move to jab the blade into his chest, watching the shock wash over his face, before he promptly raised his own blade. You pulled your weapon out of him, watching the blood pour from the wound before it miraculously closed up once again.

"What was once Neuvillette's duty is now my duty to protect in his absence, you will not leave with his gnosis, harbinger."

"I see."

Neuvillette held your hands in his own across his desk, rubbing the back of your hands with his gloved thumbs. You let the small action comfort you, letting out a soft sigh.

There was a small smile on your face as you continued on with your little story, "I'm proud to say that the two of us ended in a stalemate. I was much worse for wear, but ultimately, someone managed to scare the harbinger off. I later succumbed to injuries, but for a short moment, I felt as though I could die peacefully knowing I fulfilled the duty you could not."

Your husband hummed in response. "Is this why you are so insistent on making sure I know I am loved?"

You nodded quickly in response, "Precisely. In that moment, the moment I realized you were gone without so much as a farewell, it was only then I truly came to terms with how I felt about you." You gave his hands a light squeeze, "It was only when I was too late did I realize I would be able to love you without guilt."

The Iudex cleared his throat, trying to hide the pinkening of his cheeks with his fist. "I understand, but I fear that your visions of the future have answered the questions of our relationship, but raised more about the potential future of Fontaine. Eventually, someone will come to retrieve the gnosis, but now that you've chosen to change the course of history, will that also mean the future will also change?"

You pursed your lips carefully, "I don't know, Neuvillette. I fear I can't answer those questions myself. I only know what I did, what I saw, and what happened in that specific scenario."

He paused again, letting his fingertips fall back into your embrace, "This is... indeed troubling."

You shook your head, "The only thing I can promise you is that I will be by your side throughout it all. I'm afraid for if the time arises when I will once again be unable to protect you." You swallowed some spit down your throat, "To see you in such a state is a sight I will not forget for the rest of my life, nor will I forget it in every single lifetime that follows. I wouldn't be able to live with myself should something like that happen to you again."

He could see the vulnerable tears well up in your eyes once again, likely being confronted with the image of his headless body, cold in your arms. The rain that tickled the glass of his study picked up as he reached towards your face.

His fingertips cradled your jaw sweetly, his blank expression distorting into one of anguish. "Please don't cry, beloved, it only hurts the both of us."

You took his free hand in both of yours, squeezing it insistently. "You must promise me in this life, if nothing else, that you will live. You may not remember the years we spent together, but I do. Each and every memory between the two of us from my past life is one I will cherish forever, but I want to make new ones with you."

The rain on the window slowly began to dissipate as an awkward smile graced his features. "You can't expect me to be used to hearing you say these kinds of things, my dear. I hardly ever hear your voice and suddenly you're pouring your heart out to me. At least give me a moment to recover."

You wiped your own brewing tears away from your eyes, letting out a chuckle at his words. "Never."

He let out his own airy chortle. "And why wouldn't that be?"

You kissed the palm that rested on your cheek softly, tenderly. You let yourself bathe in the sight of a flustered Iudex as you smiled at him, truly and genuinely again. "I've held my tongue for far too long already, I can't stand to let my precious husband go on forever not knowing that he is the one I will treasure forever."

He tugged at his collar playfully, "I didn't take you to be a charmer."

Your smile widened, allowing your teeth to be put on full display, "Like I've told you time and time again, I must make up for lost time."

Neuvillette smiled back, though it was more dim, "What if I am not the same Neuvillette you remember?"

You shook your head, "Nonsense, don't think such strange things. If you aren't the same Neuvillette, I will simply have to fall in love with you all over again."

Quick as a whip, you stood from your seat across from him at his desk, looming over his chair as you leaned down and playfully pepper kisses on the exposed area of his neck just above his shirt collar.

He gave a hearty laugh, holding your face off of his neck after just a few short seconds, "Easy now, you've only just told me that you're willing to offer me your heart, aren't you being a little too forward?"

You smiled against his hands, pressing another kiss to his temple. "Do you not like it?"

He did his best to feign annoyance, but he wasn't fooling anyone, "That isn't what I said."

"Then must you be so suspicious of me? Let me shower my lover with kisses!"

He called your name, reprimanding you gently, "I thought you were supposed to be helping me with my work, Monsieur."

You sighed, "And now, you're the one being formal with me. Is my love not a good way to destress from your endless papers?"

Neuvillette was overwhelmed, but it was a good kind of overwhelmed. The kind that made his insides warm and fuzzy, the kind that made his face burn a bright red.

He squirmed under the pure adoration and determination in your eyes, but he chose to allow himself to succumb to your whims. "I suppose you're right."

With a triumphant smirk, the moment his hands loosened from the sides of your face, your lips were upon his exposed face in moments. Peppering each ridge and valley with the tender caress of your lips. You positively drank in his boisterous laughter.

You hadn't been able to give him the love he deserved before, but you were certain you would not fail in this lifetime.

You told him that no matter how much he changed from your previous incarnation, you would fall in love with him. The only thing left was for you to get him to fall in love with you.

Not only in this life, but every life time that would follow it.

there's a note on the side of the phone booth, read it?

" thank you francis forever by mitski we all say in unison "

THIS IS A REPOSTED WORK FROM MY ORIGINAL ACCOUNT BEFORE IT CRAPPED AND DIED ON ME

I USED TO BE FOUND AT @steadybear

I FEAR YOU WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH SEEING @bigtedbear INSTEAD FROM NOW ON

EYY I FINALLY HAVE A BADGE 🎉🎉

What if:.. I noticed that most BLLK characters are Called by their Last Names, but one Specifically Stood out: Rin. I have a feeling that Rin requested Ego to not use his last name(?) since he doesn’t want to be overshadowed by his brother’s fame while he’s in blue lock. (Excluding reo)

gem i found on twitter

sᴍᴀᴜ!ʙʟʟᴋ ʙᴏʏs ʀᴇᴀᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʏʟᴀ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛʀᴇɴᴅ

ɪɴᴄ: ɴᴀɢɪ, sᴀᴇ, ʀɪɴ, ɪsᴀɢɪ, ᴋᴀɪsᴇʀ, sʜɪᴅᴏᴜ, ʙᴀʀᴏᴜ, ʙᴀᴄʜɪʀᴀ

ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ: sᴜɢɢᴇsᴛɪᴠᴇ, ᴄʀᴀᴄᴋ

slow days at gutiokipanja

Wrio the slay calling reading clingy so reader sleeps on couch …😊 thx

x : DISTANCE :*+ﾟ

in which: you overhear wriothesley calling your affection too much, so you respect his wishes and give him some space. yet, why does he not seem like it?

warnings: 5.6k words (why did it get so long), hurt/comfort, gn!reader and wriothesley are married, pet names, no spoilers but set in canon, misunderstandings and miscommunication af, slowburn??, you might tug your hair out at some parts lol sorry, fluff with angst but happy ending, it gets emotional.

a/n: okay this was definitely not my favourite piece, i was experimenting with writing styles and writing in an omnipresent pov... so sorry if it feels clunky at some bits. overall, i'm pretty happy! also sorry for not sticking to the original prompt

Perhaps today was a bad time, you think as you leave the Fortress of Meropide, anxiety churning in your stomach and doubt weighing on your mind. Despite Fontaine’s sunrays shining brightly upon you, you feel anything but warm.  

What started as a visit to your husband with kind, wholesome intentions of delivering some lunch to him on your day off ended with a visit that left you riddled with questions. Coming at a time when he was in a meeting nearing its end, you didn’t even get the chance to speak to him, yet his words rattled around your head, replaying like a broken disc. 

“How are you and your spouse?” A rich voice echoes from his office, door slightly ajar signifying that whatever discussion was happening within was coming to an end.

“Y/n and I? We’re amazing, thank you,” Wriothesley answers. “I’m always happiest whenever I’m with Y/n.” 

The company, who you have realised is Monsieur Neuvillette, responds. “That’s good to hear.”

“Although, Y/n has been quite… affectionate recently, to the point that it’s borderlining too much-”

The conversation is drowned out by a ring of an alarm on Wriothesley’s desk and the atmosphere from his office suddenly grows in tension. The voice of the two men turn from relaxed to alarmed in a matter of seconds, and that is when you decide it is probably time to take your leave, lest you intrude on whatever emergency has happened.

Dropping the lunch you brought for Wriothesley at reception, even the receptionist was confused by how quick your visit was since they typically lasted for an hour- even longer since Wriothesley likes to push the amount of time he gets with you. They don’t question it, though, merely nodding in understanding when you tell them to drop it off for him on your behalf.

Has Wriothesley always thought of your affection as too much? If it was overwhelming him, why didn’t he tell you? And why Neuvillette, the Chief Justice of Fontaine, of all people? You understood the nature of their relationship- how they both tend to confine in each other with whatever they are troubled by, but why couldn’t your husband come to you about this directly? You made an oath on your wedding day to be fully honest with each other and to never hide anything. Where did that promise go?

Arriving home with a heavy heart, you immediately flop onto the couch, arm covering your eyes as tears sting the corners of your eyes. Perhaps it’s time you lessen your displays of physical affection before you drive the love of your life away.

Wriothesley, looking down at the contents of your boxed lunch, feels his heart warm in his chest at your display of care. How fortunate he is to have someone like you, he thinks before eating, satisfying his hungry stomach that has been aching for food since half an hour ago. He wonders why you didn’t see him personally and dropped it off instead, he would have liked to eat with you beside him.  

Whatever the reason, he’ll make sure to drop by your favourite bakery to purchase some conch madeleines as a thank you. 

When he returns home later in the evening, you’re asleep on the couch, curled up with only a book on your chest to protect you from the chilly air seeping into the house. Wriothesley quickly lays his coat over you, bookmarking the page you were at before retreating to change into more relaxing clothes. You still have not roused when he returns and as much as it pains him to disturb you, he doesn’t want you napping too late lest it disturbs your sleep schedule.

“Y/n?” He gently shakes you. Slowly, you come to wakefulness, eyes fluttering open as you gaze up at your husband.

“Wriothesley? You’re home?” You murmur, rubbing your eyes whilst slowly sitting up. “What time is it?”

“Nearing six in the evening.”

“Oh my! I didn’t mean to sleep that long! I’ll go get dinner ready, you should rest, you must have had a long day-”

Silencing you with a warm kiss to your forehead, you don’t melt into it like you usually would, his words from earlier slamming back into you like a brick. He doesn’t notice the way you tense, merely brushing your hair away from your forehead.

“Don’t worry about dinner, I’ll cook,” Wriothesley offers, grabbing something he left on the table behind him. “Have some madeleines I bought for you whilst you wait.”

He places a bag of the baked goods in your hands and you smile at him, lips chapped and eyes still drowsy, yet Wriothesley thinks you’re the most beautiful being to ever exist. 

“Thank you,” you murmur.

“I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.” The dark-haired leaves you with another kiss to your temple before turning around to go into the kitchen. However, you stop him with a tug on his wrist which you drop almost immediately when he turns around, acting as if his skin was an open flame that licked you. 

“Darling, you have a sticker on your arm.” You reach up to grab the piece of adhesive, ripping it off him in one smooth motion. 

“Those melusines,” he murmurs, rolling his eyes with a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. For how much Wriothesley scolds them, he cannot bring himself to actually get mad at them, letting the little creatures play pranks instead of reprimanding them. 

“I’m surprised they keep getting by you. Maybe you need to sharpen your instincts.”

“Quiet, you,” there’s no bite to his words.

“They put a little crab on you,” you giggle. “Must be going through an ocean-themed sticker book. You had a little shell on you yesterday.”

“I did? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I find it funny.” 

He sits down beside you, dinner momentarily forgotten. “Do you now?” The dark-haired murmurs. “Turns out my own spouse is against me also.”

“If it brings me amusement, why not let the melusines play their pranks a little longer?”

“You are an awful influence,” Wriothesley winds his arms around your torso, pushing you down into the pillows of the couch. There, you almost sink into him, lured by the warmth of his embrace, but the memory of what you overheard sinks into your gut like an icicle, and your smile fades.

You pat his shoulders in surrender. “Shouldn’t you be working on dinner, dear? It’s already quite late.” You pray he doesn’t notice the way you have suddenly altered the mood, drying the playful atmosphere.

If he does notice, he doesn’t comment on it, getting up with a groan before retreating into the kitchen. 

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

There’s a whistle from the doorway to your bedroom, low and appreciative, and the culprit is no one other than Wriothesley. He walks towards you, draping himself over your figure sat in front of the mirror. “Where are you going tonight?”

“Clorinde and I are going to dinner together,” you tell him nonchalantly, as if all of his weight wasn’t on your shoulders right now. 

He pouts. “When will you be home?”

“Not too late, that’s for sure. We’re meeting at the other side of the Court of Fontaine, though.”

“An evening without my love, whatever shall I do?”

“You’ll live,” you smile before raising a necklace up to him. “Help me put this on?”

With a huff, he raises himself off your back and gently takes the jewellery from your hands, careful with the jewels that adorn it. His cold touch grazes against your exposed skin, sending shivers down your spine as he successfully clasps it together. When you meet his gaze in the mirror, it’s full of adoration and admiration, and you have to busy yourself with your hair lest it flusters you too much. 

Standing up, you swiftly walk out of the bedroom and towards the front door. Wriothesley trails behind you without much thought. “I’ll get going now before I’m too late.”

“Do you need me to accompany you there?” 

“It’s alright, thank you for offering.” Disappointment floods him like an ocean as he watches you put on your shoes. With one final fidget of your clothes, you deem yourself presentable and turn to him. “See you tonight, darling-”

“-Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“What?” Your eyes widen in alarm as you begin frantically patting yourself down. “I brought my wallet, keys? They’re here, what am I forgetting?”

Wriothesley pretends like your cluelessness doesn’t hurt more than it actually does. He taps his cheek. “A kiss.”

“Oh, of course. How could I be so careless?” you laugh, the corners of your eyes scrunching with delight. Wriothesley has a remark resting on the tip of his tongue but it quickly dies when you step forward, anchoring your hand on his chin before you press a kiss to his cheek; to both cheeks for good measure. 

“Love you,” you murmur when parting. 

The desire to keep you home is a burning one, and pleads of ‘stay’ threaten to spill from his mouth. There is nothing more he wants than to be in your arms, to cling to you until the weekend is over in the blink of an eye, but you are your own person, and no matter how needy he is, Wriothesley should not stand in the way of your fun. 

“I love you more,” he sighs, holding open the front door for you. “Be back soon.”

“I’ll try. Bye dear!” You blow him a kiss before walking out of your garden.  

He watches you leave with a heart heavy with longing, closing the front door once you’re out of sight and tries to sigh the feeling of emptiness away. 

Later that night, Wriothesley greets you the second he hears the front door being unlocked, urgent strides allowing him to turn the corner just as you open the door, looking as pristine as you did when you left. There’s a small, tired smile on your face, but you look happy, blissful expression brightening when you see him. 

“Hello, love,” you say, slipping your shoes off.

“Welcome back,” he says, embracing you with one, muscular arm whilst pulling you in for a kiss. Your hands unusually fly up to hold his shoulders and Wriothesley thinks he’s imagining the way you push him slightly, as if trying to get him out of your personal space. Yet your grasp on him was so tight, creating temporary divots in his skin that he doesn’t really know what you’re trying to do.

Why are you trying to push him away in the first place? The thought of you not wanting him near is upsetting enough to make him unknowingly tighten his grip around you, causing you to stumble into him from the momentum. 

You look up at him, shocked whilst he gazes down at you with a storm of terror gathering in his eyes. For the first time since the two of you got married all those years ago, a rift forms.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Whatever occurred that night isn’t a topic of conversation, ever. The two of you retreated to bed after a quick conversation of how your evenings were before devolving into other topics, like what the week ahead had in store, restaurants you two should visit sometime, new boutiques and bakeries you’ve been hoping to explore- little chats that hold more meaning as the days roll by.

During it all, there was an undeniable heaviness to the conversation that made it slightly uncomfortable. Wriothesley cannot remove the memory of how you tried to push him away and you cannot forget the shocked look in his eyes. The more you picture it, the guiltier you feel, heart sinking in your chest.

You thought that it was what Wriothesley wanted: more space from you, an opportunity to breathe without you overwhelming his space.

So why do you feel so bad about respecting his wishes?

“What a lovely view!” You exclaim excitedly, running toward a patch on the grass that sits a few metres away from a nearby beach, the sound of waves meeting shore a soothing lullaby and a testament to how calm the day is. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and you’re out on a picnic with the love of your life.

“Here’s a nice spot to set up, what do you think, Wriothesley?” You ask.

“Sounds amazing, darling,” he responds, setting down the picnic basket when you’ve laid out the blanket. You sit down with an unglamorous huff, leaning back onto your hands to let the morning sun soak into your features.

Morning picnics were one of yours and Wriothesley’s favourite date ideas. The best time to be together was before the sun would rise to its highest peak, bearing hot sunrays that make everything uncomfortable for everyone. Fontaine’s sun is never merciful either, which is why the nation is perfect for diving and all other water-related activities, but when you are simply walking around, it becomes rather suffocating.

The Fortress of Meropide’s administrator takes a seat beside you and you indulge by resting your head on his shoulder, hoping that he isn’t uncomfortable under your touch. The dark-haired hasn’t shaken you off yet, so you keep resting against him.

“How did you discover this place?” You ask.

“Siora told me of it, said that a passenger on the aquabus was talking to her about it. She thought that it sounded like a delightful place to take you to,” he answers and you can’t help but smile, fiddling with your fingers.

Melusines and their wholesome ways. You’ll find a way to thank Siora later. “How kind of her and how fortunate for us.”

“I take it you like it here then?”

“I love it,” you tuck your legs closer to your chest and Wriothesley leans back on his arms as well, letting your hands rest beside each other as the sea continues to crash on the shore before you. There are seals resting nearby too, ships pass by here and there, and seagulls stop near the two of you before flying away, but the only thing that matters to Wriothesley is you leaning on his shoulder.

Sharing with him the breakfast sandwiches you packed, no words are exchanged, merely the sound of waves crashing against the shore occupy the tranquil silence. It’s not until a few minutes later that Wriothesley speaks. 

“Will you be visiting me at the office today?” He asks.

You tear your gaze away from the horizon. “Perhaps. Do you want me to?”

“Would I really be asking if I didn’t?”

“Please, forego the sass, your grace,” you snort and he rolls his eyes, an affectionate smile pulling on his lips. 

“Seriously though, I would like you to. You know how dreary and boring weekends at the prison get, would be much better having you there.”

“Are you trying to butter me up?”

“Is it working?” 

“Maybe,” you mutter, grinning. “Would you like me to bring lunch with me or shall we go find a place to eat?”

“How about takeout? Hey wait, now that I think about it, why didn’t you stay the other day when you brought lunch for me? I would have much rather seen your pretty face than the receptionist’s.”

You ignore the butterflies blooming in your stomach because of his compliment. “An emergency happened just as I reached there. I didn’t want to be caught in the middle of it, so I left.”

Confusion shines in his eyes, his expression giving away the cogwork ticking in his brain as he tries to pinpoint what emergency you could be referring to. When the pieces click, his eyes widen a little. “I see. You did the right thing, my love,” he presses a kiss to your cheek. 

“I’ll visit you today,” you whisper, toying with the hem of your clothes as you wait for his response. 

“Amazing. I’m looking forward to it, then”

You stay true to your word, walking down the path you recognise like the back of your hand. The guards need not think twice about welcoming you in, guiding you straight in the direction of Wriothesley’s office. 

Since being with him, you’ve grown less and less afraid of how daunting the Fortress can feel, adapting to the chill knowing that there is someone in there who will set himself ablaze to keep you warm. Yet, today you walk in with apprehension clasped around your ankles, threatening to pull you under with each step. 

It’s ridiculous, you know Wriothesley would never turn you away or shun you, but the mind is the worst enemy and yours can’t stop replaying the conversation you overheard weeks ago. You know Wriothesley could open those heavy doors of his and greet you with something more grim than loving and cast you aside, and you have to hold your breath when the guards knock on your behalf.

Your heart skips a beat when they push open the doors, revealing your husband crouched over his desk, hands mussed in his hair to keep them out of his eyes. He looks up at you and the way a smile manifests on his features is akin to that of fire melting ice, fatigue dissipating as you step inside his office.  

“Hello, dear,” you greet, tone soft and controlled, unlike the thrashing of your gut.

“Hi,” he stands up and takes great strides towards you. Naturally, you open your arms for him; unnaturally, you merely hug him instead of greeting him with a kiss. Wriothesley keeps you locked in his arms as he digs his nose into your neck and you feel the way his eyes flutter close against your skin.

“Long day?”

“Draining too,” he murmurs. 

“Oh dear, we cannot have your grace tired, whatever shall we do!” You gasp overdramatically, clearly poking fun at him because you are perhaps one of the only people who could do so in this entire building. 

The dark-haired accepts it and doesn’t bother to correct your use of formalities. Instead, he retracts his head out of your neck to look at you with hopeful eyes instead. “You could give me a kiss.” 

“Did you do anything today to earn it?”

“I need to earn my kisses now?”

“You should shut up sometimes,” you murmur before placing your hands along his jaw, pulling him in for a gentle kiss. He smiles against you, biting back a quip when his hand comes to the base of your neck, holding you against him. You can tell he needed the proximity, judging by his little exhale and the way his shoulders slouch, so you let him take his time and ignore the nagging in your heart.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Wriothesley is losing his mind. He has been since you left the Fortress of Meropide, and was left to freeze in the ache of your lack of affection. A goodbye kiss is customary between you two and when you didn’t give him one before leaving, it felt like a slap to the face. He would have much rather you just slapped him, actually, so what gives? 

You’re not rejecting his advances, but you’re not explicitly initiating anything either. Does that mean he should back off, too? Did he do something to upset you, and if so, when? All this thinking and speculating is making him feel like a pathetic headless chicken who can’t even talk to his spouse-

“-Wait!” You exclaim, just as he was about to grab the knob to the front entrance and step out. Instead, Wriothesley turns around to be greeted by the sigh of you frantically scrambling to him, and his heart can’t help but come alive, silencing his thoughts.

Stopping to a slide before him, he can’t hold back a soft grin. Despite just wrangling out of the claws of sleep, you’re so breathtaking, delicate in the mornings when no one else is around but him. The dark-haired is grateful that only he is able to witness you like this, that you trust him with this vulnerable side of you.

You don’t meet his gaze, eyes pinned to his chest instead. “Your tie is crooked,” you murmur hands reaching out before he even gets a chance to look down. “Let me help you.”

How can he deny such a kind request of yours? You’re gentle with him, undoing his knot and weaving it together until it looks proper, but Wriothesley couldn’t care what his tie looks like. You could be making a total fool of him and he wouldn’t care, too entranced by your glow to tear his eyes away from you. There’s a little scrunch in your forehead as you concentrate, mouth slightly parted and you’re not oblivious to his gaze either, too familiar with the intensity of it to get shy. 

Finally satisfied with your work, you let go, patting his shoulders and smoothing out any wrinkles in his garment. “There. All done.” 

“Thank you, dear,” he murmurs. 

Wriothesley is expecting a kiss from you, waits for the moment that you’ll rise onto your toes and place a peck on his lips to fill him with some energy for the day. He waits for the familiar feeling of your lips pressing against his, and waits for the rush of adrenaline that your touch always manages to ignite.

Except it never comes, and it hurts most to confess that some part of him preempted this. You step away from him without another word, or kiss, and his heart burns at your retraction, unease fluttering the lining of his stomach when you turn around to retreat into the living room. Wriothesley moves without thinking, a hand coming up to your waist to stop your steps as he forcefully pulls you back to him, capturing your lips in a searing kiss, one far more intense than the ones you usually give this early in the morning. 

You notice the desperation that bleeds from him; a certain fervour uncharacteristic in situations of morning domesticity. 

There’s a bright glimmer of surprise in your eyes when he pulls away, as if he had kissed away all your fatigue and shocked wakefulness into you. 

“Have a good day at work,” you murmur, barely able to choke the words out. 

“I will,” he replies, opening the door. You stay and watch him go, still trying to recover your breath over his passionate display of affection. 

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

The day his racing thoughts get to him is the eighth day of this strange treatment of yours. At this point, he’s become insatiable, barely able to hold it together as you remain in the centre of his world. He wants your affection again, he wants your displays of love, he wants you near him so badly that it’s driving him up the walls of the Fortress. 

It’s irrational for him, a grown man, to skirt around his problems as if he was a teenager. For some reason, Wriothesley has no issue locking up and containing some of Fontaine’s most dangerous criminals, yet when it comes to you, he becomes a lovesick fool who craves everything his partner can give. 

You still are not initiating any displays of affection, keeping to yourself unless it is him acting first. 

But after being locked in his own study for hours, unable to distract himself from you when he was really meant to be reading some new court documents from Neuvillette, he snaps. Pushing his chair out with more force than necessary, he searches for you in the living room, where you are curled up in the corner, reading.

“Is everything alright?” Wriothesley’s interruption shocks you, and you jolt your head up to meet his gaze. 

You are met with the sight of him leaned against the wall, muscular arms crossed over his chest. “Why wouldn’t they be?” You ask, not letting your gaze linger for too long on his arms before sitting up just a little straighter.

“Dunno. Just double checking.”

“Okay,” you hum softly, nodding. “Are you alright?”

“Me?” How could you switch this up on him so quickly?

“Yeah.”

“Fine, amazing, just dandy.” 

You raise an eyebrow at your husband, not truly believing him but you decide it’s best not to press on. “Alright… but if anything is wrong, don’t be afraid to tell me.” You go back to your book and your hair falls perfectly in front of your face to hide it from him.

Wriothesley shifts his weight from one leg to the other, trying to find the words to speak up and ask why you were acting so weird. It’d been two hours and twenty-four minutes (and counting) since you last saw him when he disappeared into his study, were you not concerned for him in the slightest? Sure you dropped off a plate of fruit and refilled his teapot with hot water, but normally your check-ins would be a little more frequent, and a little more encouraging than just a morale boost through food. 

Where was the cheek kiss you always gave him before you left?

Deciding not to press on any further, your husband sighs before leaving, his arms and heart feeling emptier than usual. You are only in the next room, but why do you feel like you’re on the other side of Teyvat?

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

The day Wriothesley snaps is the day Sigewinne asks him to be nicer to the guards of the Fortress because his foul mood is darkening the already glum prison. His subordinates must have sent her knowing that he couldn’t possibly lash out at her, and they were right, but she really didn’t need to comment on the way his veins have been more prominent recently, or how creases are forming on his forehead from how hard he’s been scowling. To top it off, she said that he should delay the appearance of wrinkles for as long as necessary, because there’s a good chance they’ll come earlier than he wants.

He’s not even a day over thirty, and yet, he is being reprimanded for ‘ageing’. But he knows the problem, and he’ll be damned if he lets it drag out for another day. 

“Welcome home, baby-” your greeting is cut off unceremoniously by your husband, who practically drags you into his embrace, closing you in with no space for you to breathe or move. Your cries of alarm are muffled against his chest, and he easily picks you up before striding the path to your shared bedroom. There, he all but throws you onto the bed, your neck resting on the pillows as he climbs on after you. “Wriothesley?”

He shushes you.

“What-”

“-I need this,” he wraps around you like a vine and breathes you in with the fervour of a man starved. 

When you try to shuffle away from under him, or at the very least sit up, Wriothesley groans, borderlining a growl as he tightens his arms around your middle. You don’t question or disobey his wants, merely sinking your head into the pillows in understanding that he must have had a particularly rough day. 

So instead of repelling his touch, you give in and let a hand snake up to his hair, playing with it as you let Wriothesley lay atop you. Slowly, the tension in his shoulders melts away, and the way you’re scratching his scalp is enticing him to rest, except there is a barrier keeping him from reaching a haven of dreams and he won’t rest peacefully until he’s broken through it.

“Why have you been so distant lately?” He garbles, voice a lot shakier from the usual stoic Wriothesley that you are used to.

You heard him loud and clear, but a pathetic ‘pardon?’ slips past your lips.

“I said, why have you been so distant lately?” This time, he’s firm, determination seeping into his tone as a hand of his sneaks out from underneath you to search for your hand. After patting around, he finds it and holds it gently, raising it to press a long kiss to your knuckles. 

It’s silent. You don’t have anything to say in response and it’s past the grace period where you can give an excuse and make it sound like the truth, and Wriothesley looks up at you with expectant eyes. There’s hurt in them but as much as you’d like to mend the heartbroken expression of his, admitting the truth is difficult, because it has eaten you alive, gnawing at your heart for days on end. 

“I…I don’t have it in me to tell you,” you murmur quietly, looking away and slipping your hand out of his, but Wriothesley is tired of this dance of yours and chases after your touch, this time roughly grasping your wrists. Not enough to hurt, but enough to keep you rooted. 

“I didn’t do anything, did I?” He asks, raising your hand to his cheek. 

Your voice is quiet when you confess. “If I said you didn’t, I’d be lying.” 

The dark-haired stiffens. “What?” 

“Nothing,” you cough.

“No, Y/n, be honest with me here.”

“You’re going to laugh at me, or find me ridiculous.” Wriothesley’s heart clenches at your admittance, frowning at the fractures of insecurity piercing you like glass, but most of all, he hates that he can’t stop you from feeling this way. “I thought what I did was what you wanted.”  

“Which was?” 

“Some distance, just- not me crowding your personal space all the time.”

“Why would I ever want that?”

“I can get overbearing sometimes, and I don’t know, just assumed that would annoy you.”

“You’re not telling me everything, I can tell something happened to make you feel this way. Please, darling, just tell me the truth. I promise you I won’t judge or think differently of you.” 

You sigh. “I… I overheard you and Monsieur Neuvillette the other day- when I dropped off lunch. You said that my affection was sometimes too much, and that I was making you uncomfortable, so I thought that you wouldn’t want me to be around you anymore. I didn’t want to drive you away so I, y’know…”

Confusion fills him stomach like water and it takes a few moments before it hits him, the memory coming back to him. You heard his conversation out of context- he wasn’t complaining about you, no, quite the opposite, but it just seems that you weren’t there for the parts that mattered most, and now you can’t even bear to look him in the eye. 

“Honey, please look at me,” his voice thins into a vulnerable whisper that pleads for you to glance his way so you can see how he is head over heels in love with you. 

When your gaze finally meets his, he almost cracks under the weight of your sadness, and it dawns upon him that you can’t feel the adoration he holds for you, dripping from his heart into your hands. You can’t see the mountains he’d overcome just to end the day resting in your arms. You don’t know the extent he would go just to win your love.

It’s a fact that kicks at his knees, shuns him down and bruises his heart. If the Fortress of Meropide has taught him anything, it’s that there is no point holding your feelings back from living fully. There is no point to contain the human heart that has every desire to live with others, he has seen the sorrow of prisoners saying goodbye to loved ones, and how they dwell over words they should have said. Even his own time as a prisoner taught him so, because everytime he sat behind those bars, the faces of people he should have been more open to kept him awake at night. 

Wriothesley would rather drown in primordial water than see you, the most important person in his life, hurting over his own negligence. You have been feeling half-loved because of him and he doesn’t know how he can make it up to you.

“You misunderstand. I wasn’t talking about you negatively, I was talking to Neuvillette about how loved you made me feel that way, and how grateful I am to have someone like you as my partner,” he confesses earnestly, eyes pleading for you to believe him.

You blink at him, comprehending his words carefully. “Really?” You ask.

“I would never think otherwise,” he whispers.

As if a weight was lifted from your shoulders, a smile pulls at your lips and suddenly, a laugh spills from them, causing your expression to scrunch up with joy, looking the most lively Wriothesley has seen you in a while. He laughs with you too, just a little. 

“I’m sorry,” you confess through dying fits of laughter. “I shouldn’t have assumed like that, how stupid.”

He shakes his head, “you have nothing to apologise for, you’re not at fault. But I beg you, never hide things like this from me again and tell me whenever something bothers you.”

You nod, “I will.”

“Promise.”

“I promise.”

“Never ever think that I want to be away from you,” Wriothesley grumbles, hiding himself in the crook of your neck. “That was the worst week of my life.” 

“Sorry for putting you through all that.”

“Stop apologising.” He demands. “Just, no more secrets.” 

“I love you, Wriothesley.” 

He sighs shakily, relief tangible in his tone. “I love you more.”

A damp patch forms on your collar bone right where his tears would fall, and you place a kiss on his forehead for each drop you feel on your skin. There is still much to discuss, much to mend between the two of you, but his hands run along your skin like he’s trying to memorise and mark you, so you never doubt his devotion again. 

*sighs and puts hands on hips* i don't really like that ending either so don't judge lol

© EARTHTOOZ 2023, do not steal, translate, repost my fics and do not recommend my fics onto any other site.

I can't imagine how scared he was when he first met Ruka after escaping

it’s for our own good…..

category : 米哈游 原神 work title : another woman claims to be his girlfriend?

with a subtle bow of your head, you raise the teacup to your awaiting lips, a veil of porcelain disguising the laughter that threatened to escape. how absurd… you muse, as you savor a sip of your tea.

far across — two tables away, there sits one of the new acts of lyney and lynette’s show. she was interesting, to say the least. she sings tall tales with intricate detail, weaving major falsehoods about the nature of her relationship with him.

her words describe his love confession, demanding they be together because he couldn’t bear a day without her. she didn’t fail to mention how his sister adores her and refers to her as ‘my future sister-in-law.’

the outlandish narrative lasts with an overt nudge about his frequent visits to her dressing room after every show, which you tune out due to its unsavory implications.

most women would have risen from their seats, confronting her for spewing fantasies about their lover; not you, though. instead, you stay rooted in your place, your curiosity piqued for what else she might spin.

you were engrossed, and if you were to be fully honest, you would’ve readily admit to the guilty pleasure of eavesdropping on the mundane conversations of strangers. your penchant for gossip was shared with your lover, turning it into an unusual pastime. it was a fun exchange of information over cups of coffee or tea, normally ending with one of you left scandalized by what was said. archons, were you excited to tell him about what you overhead…

“do you swear not to say a word about this to another living soul?” her voice hushed to a near whisper, but it still carries to those within earshot.

“of course! right, ladies?” one of the women quips, with the other two chiming in agreement, creating a chorus of “yes!” and “we’ll keep quiet!”

“if you say so…” she takes a deep breath, as if the weight of her revelation was a heavy burden about to be lifted. “lyney and i are dating…” her shoulders then turn slack, exhibiting the instant wave of relief that washes over her.

you couldn’t help it; a snort of amusement passes your lips. it earned you a few disapproving glances from the nearby patrons, chastising your lack of propriety in a public setting.

she embarks on an exhausting tangent, yakking on the long months she had to weather before she could have confided in her dear friends about her supposed private affair.

she emphasized how lyney insisted on maintaining it under wraps for over a year — eh, wrong! the twins met her for the first time five months ago — out of his desire to protect her from the clutches of obsessed fans and admirers.

the longer she spoke, the closer her stories cross into more ridiculous territory. at one point, she spun a yarn about his grandiose profession of love for their anniversary, including dedicating an entire routine inspired by her.

however, what left you scratching your head was the lack of skepticism from her friends. a quick read of her body language would’ve shone a light at her deception. it had you questioning whether you had somehow gone mad or if they were genuinely as dim-witted as they seemed.

“i knew it! no wonder you’ve been smiling a lot  lately!”

“ah, i’m so jealous~! sigh, he’s such a handsome man.”

“so romantic… i wish that was me!”

assessing the present circumstances, one might figure you would now reveal all of her lies. you didn’t. rather, you found yourself more inclined to watch and observe how this fiasco will play out.

you trust lyney, enough to know he loves you and wouldn’t pursue another woman behind your back, especially a woman he and his sister worked with. it allowed you to cast aside your initial worries about her and her interest in him. regardless of your opinion, she did her job well, even though you secretly wished she wasn’t so uncomfortably obsessed with him — a notion she made no effort to hide.

clearly, given what you were witnessing.

“oh, look, ladies! here he comes!” one of their voices pierces the air, overtly eager to see the ‘happy couple’ they were led to believe. conversely, lyney’s self-proclaimed lover appears to be positively distraught.

the man in question enters cafe lucerne, his gaze firmly laid on you. he shows little to no mind towards the group of women who shadow his every move. he walks by and greets you with a kiss on the cheek, taking the vacant chair in front of you.

“and how was your day, ma belle?” he removes his hat then runs his fingers through his hair — a simple gesture that left you swooning.

his charming demeanor momentarily distracts you from the comedic disaster unfolding in the background.

it was a tumultuous stir of “huh… who’s that?” and “gasp, is he cheating on you?” while the two of you converse in mindless chatter. one second, he was recounting his chores for the day; and the next, three indignant women loom over him whereas the source of this mayhem cowers in the back.

“ugh, the audacity to have a mistress and meet her in broad daylight! you have no shame!”

he glances from you to them, genuine bewilderment etched upon his face. “i beg your pardon?”

“oh, don’t play dumb! you know exactly what you’re doing!” another of the women upturns her nose at him.

witnessing the heated back-and-forth, it was remarkable to find that even arouet was invested in the drama.

it transforms into a three-versus-one impasse, but you were impressed by how gracefully he navigated through their baseless accusations. the culmination of the situation came when recognized his ‘lover’ and didn’t hesitate to call her by name, pressing answers for the lies she’d been spreading to her friends.

“i think you’ve all been misled, the only woman i’m seeing is this lovely one right here.” he turns then directs the gentlest of smiles at you.

unable to resist the itch, you finally laugh at the sudden turn of events. karma was indeed on the prowl, and to be a bystander for the incoming argument after she made a fool out of her friends, just to feed her delusion, was gratifying… for one of you, at least.

“care to tell me what just happened?” lyney tuts, his fingers extending across the table to grasp your hand in his, urging to draw your focus on him.

“later,” you mutter, absorbed by the evolving spectacle. it’s obvious you both will spend the whole evening discussing this…

from the very start, you weren’t one to rejoice in having any eyes on you. it was natural your bond with the one and only wanderer flourished discreetly.

this change in your life required no announcement. it wasn’t information that demanded broadcasting to the world; it could exist on its own if someone were to ask, you’d directly confirm the status of your relationship. otherwise, you find it irrelevant to insert this in areas where it held no relevance.

in the comfort of your solitude, you thrive, cocooned from nosy onlookers. your happiness, his happiness — these two were what truly mattered to you.

as time flowed by, your connection deepened, evolving into a union that grew stronger with each passing moment you shared. it was a sensation both of you held dear, a genuine and keen emotion that, if you dare to admit, could be called ‘love.’

of course, you weren’t ignorant to assume that your journey would be obstacle-free. beyond his undeniable intellect and esteemed role as the assistant and confidant of the dendro archon, he also began to draw attention for his otherworldly beauty.

you were aware that you might coming across his admirers one day. after all, you weren’t oblivious to the wistful glances sent his way by other women, nor the coy attempts at flirtation. still, you hadn’t taken into account the unusual lengths some individuals would go to win even a sliver of his time and attention.

it was painful to watch their efforts be met with a scoff or a withering frown. on a good day, they might receive nothing more than a mocking, “what do you want now?” from him.

on a sun-drenched afternoon, you find yourself perched on the steps leading to the sanctuary of surasthana whilst you await his return from his meeting with lesser lord kusanali.

yet, the tranquility of the sacred place was soon interrupted by an unexpected revelation — you weren’t alone. a trio of researchers positioned themselves near the entrance, their presence blends into the revered location, evoking no more notice than the everyday sights that surround you.

the sunlight dances upon your skin as you, absentmindedly, fiddle with your bracelet, a habit that had taken root over the years. the food container you had brought stays on your lap, and you can feel its warmth gradually dissipate. a frown on your face as you whisper a plea that he arrives before the snacks you prepared grew cold.

your gaze strays and locks onto one of the women standing nearby. suspicion dripped from her eyes, it lingers far longer than you liked. at first, you considered it a peculiar coincidence — perhaps she mistook you for someone else she knew?

unable to contain her curiosity, she approaches you with an air of authority, disregarding her friends’ endeavors to stop her from creating a scene.

“state your business,” she dictates, her tone icy.

you stand unwavering, refusing to yield an inch in the face of her bid to intimidate you. “if you must know, i’m here for wanderer.”

your words invoke a profound reaction within her, it coursed through her like an attack. “well, save your breath and don’t waste your time bothering him.”

“why not? who even are you to tell me what i should do and shouldn’t do?” your cadence steady and colder than hers, a testament to the time you spent with your dear wanderer — it seems to be paying off.

you expected her to either insult you or begin a monologue about her superiority as a researcher, but her reply took you by surprise.

“i’m his lover, duh! i don’t appreciate you flirting with him.” then, in a single motion, she confiscates the container from your grasp.

glances were exchanged amongst her peers, who advance to mediate the interaction. one of them pulls her away and positions himself between you. “i’m sorry for her behavior, miss. her sleep deprivation has her spouting nonsense.”

“i am not! there are clear signs he feels the same way. we’re dating; he’s just very reserved about his emotions.”

before it can escalate further, a familiar voice slices through the tension like a blade. “where have you been?” he chides, as he descends the steps.

beneath his hat, you spy the glaring discontent he directs at these strangers for taking your time away from him.

when your eyes locks, his gaze softens. the sour expression dissolves and was replaced by a flicker of warmth. you offer a reassuring smile in his direction, a gesture that noticeably eases his mind.

he was a stride away from you when she, flaunting a smirk, stops in front of him. you lay a hand over your lips to quash your laughter after spotting the look of disgust he tosses at her.

“wanderer, honey!” she tries to touch his arm but fails when he sidesteps her. “don’t worry, i already handled this pest to lessen the burden for y—”

“who are you?” he sneers, and the haughty look on her face instantly disappears. she attempts to stutter a response, an effort to remind her title as his lover, but his menacing gaze he wore silences her.

“moreso, who are you to advise my wife what to do?”

eh? his wife?

“your wife?!” her friends turn pale, realization dawning upon them. they shiver at the thought of unintentionally crossing him, all thanks to her behavior.

“i-i just thought…”

“well, you thought wrong; know your place.” in a last display of irritation, he shoots them a cutting glare. then, he seizes the food container from her grip, his fingers then intertwine with yours as he guides you away from them.

as you walk away hand-in-hand, you cast a quick glance at her and stick your tongue out to mock her.

“i saw that,” he snickers and tugs you along, nearly causing you to stumble, “and you say i’m mean.”

“don’t get all smart, you called me your wife earlier.”

“shut up! it was meant to end the conversation early.”

Say ur prayers @ yappariff (thank god no one has that handle)

Dress to Impress Headcanons ‧₊˚ ⋅ Blue Lock Chars.

ଳ what's it like to play the roblox game dress to impress with the blue lock boys?

ଳ characters; isagi yoichi, bachira meguru, michael kaiser, alexis ness, shidou ryusei, nagi seishirou, reo mikage, Chigiri Hyoma

ଳ tags; crack, some profanity lol, gn reader, no y/n, can be established rs or not

[🐟]: Let me know if you want more characters to this hehe ~

ᯓ Isagi Yoichi

"How do you change the skin? Where's the hair? Why do the others have faces?"

He's so lost... poor baby. Expect a lot of questions (some of which get repeated) from him about how the game works. He's going to be overwhelmed with the buttons and stuff around his character.

You think 5 minutes is more than enough to put together an outfit, but somehow Isagi comes out of the runway without hair or with a bunch of clothes layered on top of each other.

He also asks how you do the poses on the runway.

"Hey, what's pose 28?"

HE RATES SUPER HIGH, so you're over there pouting 'cuz he's helping these 10 year old children win.

"This one's really nice. She's got a big bow on her head." / "But the theme is sad day, Yoichi..." / "And? Won't a big bow make it a happy one?"

Gets a bit sad 'cuz he gets rated low even if he rated all the others with 4 or 5 stars. Awww...

ᯓ Bachira Meguru

"I CAN MAKE MY SKIN GREEN? HOLY SHI-"

Expect that he will always use the most blinding colors known to man. He's gonna walk out on that runway looking like a traffic light.

He's so noisy when he plays. It's like he's commentating everything that's happening to him as if he has a whole stream going on. But in reality, it's just the two of you.

Spams pose 28 because all of the other cool ones aren't free.

Says "slay" every time he walks out because you said it once to him.

"HELL YEAH THAT'S A SLAAAY."

But if he's on a losing streak, he'll suddenly go quiet and focus more lol.

"Why are you quiet all of a sudden?" / "Shhh, don't interrupt my creative juices."

ᯓ Michael Kaiser

"What? Are you playing this game with your eyes closed or something?"

He said that. On voice chat. To a little girl. Who cried.

You had to reprimand him and tell him to apologize to the girl. But with his pride, he only allowed himself to rate her 5 stars the next round as his way of saying sorry.

"There. 5 stars... for the most clown outfit I've ever seen." / "Mihya!"

So mean to everyone else, but will always compliment your outfit even the ones you barely put effort in. You're starting to wonder whether or not it was condescending or heartfelt...

"That outfit looks great. We should duo in the next round." / "No, everyone in the server's mad at you and it'll affect my rating too."

He never makes it to the top 3 despite the good outfits he puts together because he talks shit on everyone in the server.

ᯓ Alexis Ness

"I got all the new codes; let me type them for you."

HE'S SUPER GOOD AT IT? It's to the point that you're jealous because his rank's way higher than yours.

"Just type M3RM4ID in that box." / "It's not working." / "Did you type the E as a 3 and the A as a 4?" / "What?" / "Never mind, gimme your Ipad."

He definitely knows all the codes that unlocks the hidden special items of the game. Plus, he's super into the lore as well. The nail technician? You bet he's going to talk about her extensive lore.

Super efficient when putting together an outfit. He's got a whole routine down to a T.

He actually rates outfits objectively—not too low and never too high.

ᯓ Shidou Ryusei

"HAHAHA WHAT'S UP WITH THAT WHACK ASS OUTFIT? #############"

He has also made a kid cry before. But unlike Kaiser, he doesn't listen to you and doubles down on it. Just an absolute menace all around.

He's definitely muted by the other people in the server because regardless of what he says, no one is responding to him. So there's only you left to talk to him.

Doesn't even try to put together a decent outfit. You're not even sure if he reads the theme at all because he walks out on the runway looking like the personification of a fever dream.

"Haha look. This pose makes it look like I'm thrusting in the air." / "Ryu! Oh my gosh..."

Definitely has been banned from Roblox before and he's using a new account to play with you.

Everything he types just shows up as hashtags at this point...

ᯓ Nagi Seishirou

"This theme is such a hassle... when is it going to be the pajama party theme?"

He already plays Roblox to begin with, but he needed extra convincing from you to play Dress to Impress because he didn't see the thrill in it.

He was only convinced when he saw you rage quitting after losing with such a fabulous outfit. He realized the competitive aspect of it and decided to play with you.

Nagi doesn't realize it but his rotation consists of the same tops and bottoms, so his outfits always come out looking the same. This leads him to losing all the time.

He definitely complains when the runway has too many players. Like... when is it going to end?

"Sei! Did you just tell the kids in the server to leave? What the hell?" / "Yah. They were making the line too long and I don't wanna wait."

Also complains when he doesn't show up in the top 3 even though he didn't really put any effort into his outfit.

ᯓ Reo Mikage

"Hey, babe, look. I bought the VIP. Want me to buy it for you too?"

HE'S SO PAY TO WIN. He's a VIP player, has all the pose packs, and literally everything you can buy in the game. He's not shy about flaunting it to the other players in the lobby.

He'll spend the first minute in the VIP area then walk all smug in the cOmMoNeR's area wearing the biggest fuck-you dress ever.

If the theme is anything normal, he'll still manage to make the outfit look high-end.

Trust that he'll spam all the expensive poses once he's on the runway. The little rascal would be smirking to himself as he presses the different poses.

Reo grumbles to himself when he loses. He can't help but be annoyed when he gets only a few stars while literally wearing a dress that costs thousands of robux.

"I was literally wearing the biggest ball gown and I still lost? What the fuck."

ᯓ Chigiri Hyoma

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I gave you 5 stars. Yeah, for sure... for sure."

SUPER COMPETITIVE! Not even you are safe from aggressive dressing and impressing.

You two will be in duos, but he'll always one up you.

"Hmm... interesting choice of colors." / "Is it that bad?" / "Bad? What do you mean? It's great. I promise."

He won't be talking shit on anyone, but you can tell what's running through his head with that smug look on his face.

"What's up with that look? / "Hm? Oh... haha. I'm just enjoying the game you know? / "..."

Will refuse to choose any other hair that doesn't resemble his own. It doesn't matter if the theme requires a different color. He will be using his red/pink hair and no one will stop him.

tag list; @meowkages , @shidousprincess

ε( ε ˙³˙)ɜ ｡° ⚬ ｡ likes and reblogs are appreciated

pls do not translate/copy/reupload my work on other platforms.

o-sachi © 2024

Omg I absolutely love Uyenninh so this was def cute 😭‼️‼️

✮ - Thinking about this video, but with Kaiser instead.

It started with just a simple download of the app (well unless you already had it), chatgpt, after seeing somebody online download it and ask it a bunch of questions and it always responded in a flirty way. I mean what could go wrong? It was a way to not only check if it actually worked and possibly learn some stuff in the process. You decided that since it was around the time you and Kaiser would practice some German (so you could actually understand what he was saying) you would ask questions about that. So you opened up the app and went to the button that let you have a voice chat with it. It started off fine with just you asking about how to say things like “good morning” and “hello” just to make sure that it was actually working. It wasn’t until a couple minutes later and a few questions later it started acting sort of flirty with you, calling you names like “sweetheart” and “baby” and that’s when Kaiser’s attention was finally drawn over to what you were doing. He had been sitting in your shared bedroom at his desk, watching over one of the previous matches but once he heard a male voice coming over from where he knew you were at, and calling you names like those he went out to investigate. He stood in the doorway for a second looking over at you, slightly laughing as you asked your phone another question about how to say “I slay” in german. All to which it responded with the german translation and a “sweetheart” at the end. With a roll of Kaiser’s eyes he walked over and grabbed your phone from you, walking away with it. “I don’t know what that was, but no more.” He placed it up on a high counter, as you followed behind him jumping to get it back. “I was just trying to learn German!” “You don’t need whatever that was, you have me. I’ll teach you.” He said, leaning back onto one of the counters, crossing his arms as he watched you jump and try to climb in the counter in an attempt to get your phone back. “But you were busy.” “And now I’m not. So I’ll teach you.” He walked over and grabbed your waist from where you were slightly standing on your knees to reach and grab your phone, with a quick motion he lifted you up and pulled you off the counter, placing you back down on the floor. He took your hand and pulled you over to the couch with him, sitting you down on his lap before placing his head on your shoulder. “First Lesson, Du brauchst dein Telefon nicht. Du brauchst nur mich.” You could only give him a confused look, you assumed he had something about your phone just based on the way he said “Telefon” but the rest you had no idea. “Sure?” You responded, not really knowing what else to say, to which he smiled and kissed your cheek. "Wunderbar, Second Lesson~"

Mind you the second sentence I asked my friend with help for since I had no idea, so just roll with me here. Also Warning: All Google translated German, so if there is any mistakes please let me know!! Sie brauchen Ihr Telefon nicht. Du brauchst nur mich. - You don't need your phone. You just need me. Wunderbar - Wonderful

In an alternate universe, they are real and you are a fictional character.

Includes: Xiao, Aventurine, Diluc, Itto

About you: you are the main antagonist in an anime and video game.

Xiao

Aether begged him for weeks to watch your anime with him before Xiao got annoyed and finally gave in to his wishes. The plot he found a little interesting, so say the least. The story was a little cliche and overall not within his genre. At least that was until you showed up. He tried to understand your motivations and actions, after all, you were the villain. Why did he find you amusing? Why did he find your beauty otherworldly? Xiao starts to watch your anime  secretly during his own time, often acting like he has no interest in you or your anime. However no one can ignore his little blush at the mention of your name. He was obsessed with you and even bought merch and made a secret shrine. Once your arc ends, however,  he will still root for you within the depths of his heart.

Aventurine

Headphones ready? Check. Anime on? Check. Other computers with your playable character on screen? Check. With all of that checked, Aventurine was ready to watch today's new episode of his favorite anime. Why was it his favorite? Because it had you in it. He grinned as you walked up to the screen, but Dr. Ratio roughly shut the laptop, effectively cutting you off. How could he?! He just slammed a computer shut when a goddess was in the middle of making her speech? Aventurine whined as Dr. Ratio dragged him away from his computer and lectured about his unhealthy obsession with you. Luckily, Aventurine was willing to gamble anything for you. He watched your anime every single day, made you his wallpaper, and spent all his money on your merchandise. IN the game you were in, he would gamble so much just to get you maxed out in everything, making you his most prized possession.

Diluc

It all started when Kaeya went on a drunken tangent about you and your anime. All Diluc could do was sit there listening to his brother ramble on and on about you. He didn't think much of you at first, simply keeping in mind about how much Kaeya simped for you. After a lot of pestering, Kaeya finally convinced Diluc to watch your anime with him. At least one anime was the agreement, only one. One became two and two became three. Diluc couldn't stop thinking about you. Your characterisation, design, personality, voice, motivations, everything. You were so fascinating to him. Kaeya would always take the opportunity to tease him about his new obsession with you, but Diluc just brushed it off, proceeding to think about you as he cleaned a few glasses. Mind you, he is a quiet fan of you, and often doesn't make physical attachments with you other than a small image of you in his wallet. If Kaeya ever finds the picture, he swears he will kill him.

Arataki Itto

After seeing a few posters of you hanging around Inazuma, a man fell head over heels for you. Your physic was what got him first, but when he discovered you had an anime, he and the Arataki Gang started binge-watching your anime like their life depended on it. He would show off edits of you and ramble about  elegance to Shinobu every single day, much to Shinobu's dismay. He laughs at every lame joke you say and cries during your backstory. He was a very vocal supporter and wasn't afraid to show just how much he loved you.