Tumgik
#cause otherwise. why shouldn’t I just be calling them my characters. the characters from my universe and my works. which are
seilon · 3 months
Text
more and more it makes me kind of uncomfortable (for lack of a better/softer word) to call my own characters ‘ocs’. because like. they’re from a completely original universe and from completely original intertwined stories and all that. so why would i have to specify they’re original in the same way someone would when referring to a character they made for a pre-existing non-original universe/franchise/whatever? by that logic every fiction author ever would be referring to their characters as ocs rather than just. their characters. you know.
#i guess you could say it’s different or something because I haven’t published any one Solid Official Work yet or anything but.#I don’t think that particularly matters? cause then you just get into policing what does and doesn’t count as Real and Official and that#inevitably doesn’t do anything good#idk man I know the term Original Character isn’t technically incorrect in my case but. I just feel like that term was created to separate#fandom creations from their source’s canon. or maybe to describe characters that don’t come from any particular established universe#or story at all (fandom or otherwise).#cause otherwise. why shouldn’t I just be calling them my characters. the characters from my universe and my works. which are#established and incorporated. it’s definitely not properly organized or set up for true publication (at least not yet. definitely possible#I’ll publish something as a consumable structured thing someday)#you just don’t hear established authors calling their characters ocs. because why should they? the original part is sort of a given.#hopefully anyway#anywayyuyyyyyyeuyyyhh sorry this is not important just has been on my mind the last few weeks or few months or more#kibumblabs#I guess there’s also a difference maybe between making characters for the sake of making characters- and those being ocs- versus#characters that are developed as part of a larger work/story#I definitely feel like there’s a difference between the two and how they should be labelled (but im not saying one is more valid than the#other or anything like that.)#like when I see a poll that’s like ‘how many ocs do you have’ I just kinda sit there cause that question. doesn’t make sense in#my situation at all. because it’s the same as asking the author of a fiction novel that question. what do I count as my ‘oc’#would that mean my primary characters? or vaguely my primary and secondaryish ones? or do you mean every single character mentioned#regardless of importance or prevalence? every single named parent or grandparent or boss or childhood friend or one night stand or etc etc#I feel like it’s weird to call those characters ‘ocs’ in the way the question is implying. but then what DOES count? it just doesn’t make#sense for something like this. right? it irks me a little
7 notes · View notes
love-me-satoru · 4 months
Text
Oooops
mdni
pairing: Dom!katsuki x sub!izuku x bratty! reader
warnings: aged up characters Punishments,pet names, pussy slapping, voyeur? use of daddy
um. the gist is you wanted izuku to be bad with you and ended up in a punishment all by yourself
Tumblr media
You were trying. Trying so fucking hard to get Izuku to be a brat with you But he wouldn’t. You decided to see if you could just get him in trouble. It’s gonna be kinda hard since Izuku is always a good boy. You’re never good. You’re not sure if Katsuki is gonna believe you but no way to know unless you try. One day you decided to put your plan into action.Katsuki was just watching tv when you walked to him and sat in his lap.
“What’s up pretty girl?”
“Um..” you’re looking into your lap. trying to act innocent.
he grabs your chin to make you look at him.
“what’s going on in this pretty little head baby?”
“I saw Izuku.. doing something he shouldn’t have done..” you said playing with his shirt glancing away. katsuki’s eyes perks up. Looking at you. you’re starting to shrink in his lap.
“Are you sure it was him and not you Princess?”
you’re pouting at him. about to throw a fit knowing your plan didn’t work.
“it wasn’t me daddy! i didn’t do anything this time..”
“You know i can see right through you princess right? plus Izuku told me what you want him to do. trying to pin my good boy against me.”
You pout up at him and looked away not wanting to look into his eyes. he grabs your chin hard to make you look at him.
“what’s the matter princess? You mad your plan didn’t work?”
not even acknowledging him you tried to get up to walk away from him. mostly to yell at izuku but his tight grip around your waist held you in place.
“If you’re going to go yell at izuku you should just keep your pretty ass right here.”
you stared up at him. He can see right through you. You just sit there pouting. you’re trying to wiggle out of his grip but with him being stronger than you there’s no way to get out. He moves you so your back is flushed against his chest. arm still wrapped around your waist.
“spread your legs baby.” as his hand tightly grips your thigh. You refused to listen.
“Open them before I have to get mean.”
“No.”
you said pouting legs still together. When katsuki grab your thighs and spread your legs open cupping your cunt with his free hand.
“Why can’t you be a good girl for me baby?”
“Because! you don’t deserve it.”
He slaps your cunt while you let out a little yelp he sneaks his hand up from your waist to wrap around your throat.
“Do you deserve to be touch little girl.”
you know he’s pissed when he uses that pet name but you don’t care wanting more.
“Yes..” you mumbled out
“lie again little girl” as he slaps your cunt again.
You yelp. “No daddy..”
“So should i be touching you right now?”
“No sir..”
he slaps your cunt and laughs “Good girl.”
you felt your body tremble from the shock. Katsuki calls out “Izuku baby. Come to the living room.”
“Daddy no..Please. I don’t want Izu to see me like this..”
Katsuki slaps your cunt again. when izuku walks in right when you moan out. Izuku just stares. Face turning red.
“What’s going on kaachan..?”
you turned your head away trying to not look at Izuku when Katsuki grabs your cheeks and makes you look towards Izuku.
“You better open your eyes little girl.”
You immediately caught Izuku’s eyes feeling your face heat up. You wanted to cry. You hated when Katsuki would punish you in front of Izuku. He always found it amusing. He knew how shy you got when izuku was watching. especially if you were getting punished. He knows how much it turns you on. But he’ll never let you know that he knows that. As much as you say you hated it. There’s this small glimmer in your eye that tells him otherwise.
Katsuki slowly pushes in two of his fingers which causes you to moan out loud.
“You’re gonna apologize to izuku or you’re not going to cum tonight. Yes baby?”
he starts to pick up the pace. “Yes daddy!”
“Go ahead”
“i’m…i’m sorry izuku!” You moan out.
as he’s plunging his fingers deep inside your tight little cunt. kissing the side of your neck. “for what baby?” katsuki said softly against your neck. fingers going even deeper than before. hitting that soft spot you love all too well.
“for trying to get you in trouble! please daddy let me cum!” tears filling your eyes moaning out.
he pulls his fingers completely out and slaps your cunt.
“You should of thought about that before you decided to be a brat”
Tumblr media
a/n:Not my best but it’s been sitting for awhile so i decided to let it go.
138 notes · View notes
jedi-enthusiast · 5 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
@confusledqueer apologizes for not responding sooner, it’s been a busy couple days and—honestly—I forgot for a bit.
Moving on-
—————
Me equating some of the things that anti-Jedi people say to antisemitism and, sometimes, outright Nazi-esque rhetoric is not “wild” or “a stretch,” as you’re implying.
Justification of their genocide, denial that it actually was a genocide, a belief that the genocided party “caused” their own genocide, and a belief that they genocided party were wrong or “led astray” while one person was sent to make things right- (via either making them change their ways or outright destroying them/their culture) -are all things I’ve seen people say about the Jedi…
…but they’re also things that people have actually said about Jews.
Take the example I put in the post of someone denying that the Jedi Purge was actually a genocide, and how—by changing “Jedi” to “Judaism” and “Force-religions” to “Abrahamic Faiths”—it sounds verbatim to Holocaust denial.
Or, as another example, people claiming that the Jedi “kidnapped kids to brainwash them”…don’t you see how that sounds like Blood Libel?
So me pointing out that a lot of stuff anti-Jedi people say sounds like antisemitic rhetoric isn’t a stretch, not when a lot of it sounds verbatim to what people are saying with the rise of antisemitism and stuff they have said in the past.
—————
Now, I’m not Jewish, but it’s not just me, your neighborhood White Girl™️, who’s pointing this stuff out.
Actual Jewish people have pointed out the alarming similarities between anti-Jedi rhetoric and straight up antisemitism. So, if you wanna argue about- “you shouldn’t compare real world discrimination to fictional stuff” -then you should probably take that into account.
Go ahead and try telling Jewish Star Wars fans to stop calling out antisemitic rhetoric in the fandom, I’m sure that’ll go down real well.
I also find it hilarious that you’re telling me to be careful about the rhetoric I use in a thread about how I shouldn’t point out that some of the rhetoric other people spout is basically antisemitism rebranded.
And my point in that post wasn’t- “since this is based off of a real world culture/religion, you can’t criticize it.”
My point was- “since this is based off of a real world culture/religion then you need to be careful about how you criticize it, otherwise you might unconsciously be spouting bigoted beliefs and antisemitic rhetoric because you don’t recognize that that’s what it is because you’re saying it about a fictional culture.”
By all means, I get that some people just don’t like the Jedi, that’s their prerogative and we all have our own tastes.
Criticize them, if you feel like it, but don’t go around spouting rebranded antisemitism to do it. I’m sure you can come up with plenty of things to complain about them for without doing so.
—————
Now, I can understand why you might be worried about the slippery slope from this to shit like actual censorship—which, I think we can all agree, is a bad thing. Or how you might think criticizing this could lead to the whole “fandom purity” debate.
My thing is, it all comes down to does it actually harm people?
Perpetuating harmful stereotypes via saying stuff like the Jewish based characters “steal children,” or “lost their way,” or “they caused/deserved their genocide”—that does cause actual harm.
Think about why the “angry black man” stereotype or the “cheating bisexual” stereotype are bad and people- (rightly) -push back against them. It’s the same thing here.
Shipping a problematic ship, calling a fictional serial killer “babygirl,” writing about dark topics*, headcanoning characters as gay or trans…none of that is actively harming people.
(*obviously when writing about dark topics you should tag appropriately so people can avoid triggers, but that’s another topic for another day)
That’s the difference.
And, for the record, I think letting people spout bigotry just because they’re saying it about something fictional is the more dangerous mindset than calling it out.
65 notes · View notes
keef-a-corn · 1 year
Text
Dat’s right, People, it’s time for ‘Keef watches TFP and you just get the notes!’
This is for season 1, episode 14: Out of His Head
I write down the timestamps, but I watch Transformers Prime on Stan (an Australian streaming service) so they may be slightly off.
ALSO! I try my best to note points for every character, but tend to get a little caught up by Bee (although I think I do a pretty good job with the notes regardless) so do be warned.
~~~~Transition~~~~
~recap~
00:48 - I’m pretty sure that’s what pupils actually do when you shine light in them.
00:52 - Ratchet’s using a torch fr.
00:58 - *sigh* here we have an example of TFP skipping over recovery arcs, although there probably wasn’t much to Optimus’s.
01:05 - ‘OlD fRiEnD’ tryin to convince us they ain’t married.
01:07 - Ratchet making sure Bee got credit, aww
01:08 - They’re so proud of him.
Tumblr media
01:12 - Tryin to be modest as if he didn’t do that.
01:15 - with confidence ‘did you just say that?.’
01:18 - gotta bring focus back to husbands recovery.
01:24 - ‘Megatron shouldn’t be a problem, Arcee probably killed him.’ Not too confident with that one though.
01:28 - they looking at Arcee. How would they not have noticed something was up with Bee?
01:36 - these shots would be useful if you needed a reference for Bee’s hands.
01:39 - It’s annoying that Optimus doesn’t notice something’s wrong sooner.
01:46 - Megatron chilling in the dark could mean one of two things. 1. Bots that are awake don’t have a mind scape or 2. Bee doesn’t have a safe place to imagine himself if that he can rely on.
~intro~
03:08 - Bulkhead’s just chilling watching Bee as if he couldn’t go defend.
03:19 - I know someone who passes like that. It would constantly jar my fingers while trying to catch her pass.
03:29 - not even slightly concerned about Bee pegging the ball at your head?.
03:42 - oh no! Babee!
03:51 - one would thank that for closeups of Megatron’s face they’d make sure he was looking forward.
04:24 - really entertaining himself, huh? Also this plot is only here to get the boys out of the building.
04:33 - where has he been keeping that? …up his as-
04:48 - Starscream’s so entertaining to watch.
04:53 - so… Megatron’s child?
04:57 - I recommend watching that scene on loop while playing ‘bet on it’
05:01 - why he gotta lean like that?
05:13 - Robots bowing gotta be(e) one of my favourite genders fr
Tumblr media
05:17 - Huh…
Tumblr media
05:20 - H OL UP Raf has parents, right?? Can’t he go to them to drop him off? Do they know that an expensive ass car is driving their son to school?
05:41 - What exactly is Megatron doing? If he was smart he would’ve been snooping in on the bots or is he seriously just waiting?
05:45 - The camera’s very fair away from Bee and there’s a loud noise. How haven’t the other bots noticed something’s wrong?
05:50 - this is much uncomfortable. Between Megatron being able to control Bee to the tone he uses when encouraging him.
05:59 - the transition from Megatron to Bee is so smooth I can’t breathe. + Ratchet calling out his name causing Bee to regain control is beautiful.
06:02 - Look at hiiiimmmmm awwww
Tumblr media
06:03 - RATCHET’S SO HEAVILY ANIMATED I CAAAAN’T it’s almost like the animators forgot they are metal.
06:05 - with confidence ‘what?’ Also this is how my dogs look when I put their food in their bowls.
Tumblr media
06:07 - I don’t understand why or how, but Ratchet looks stunning here.
Tumblr media
06:11 - Bee proving that if he was bitten during an apocalypse he would tell the people around him.
06:14 - so remember before when I said that Megatron chilling in the darkness means one of two things?. Will the first one couldn’t be true, otherwise this line wouldn’t make sense.
06:17 - There’s something so interesting about the way Bee powers down.
06:19 - This shot just looks cool.
Tumblr media
06:21 - Optimus looks so concerned. + Heavily animated Ratchet.
06:25 - Heavily animated Raf, huh.
06:25 - Optimus just silently standing their looking between Bee and Ratchet. It’s slightly upsetting to realise that he doesn’t say a word during this scene as if he wouldn’t have something to say.
Tumblr media
06:33 - Man, I wish I could get that.
06:47 - that ‘why?’ is so done with Fowler.
07:01 - LOOK AT THAT SIZE DIFFERENCE.
Tumblr media
07:13 - good thing.
07:40 - I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t. We are talking about the Arctic, right? As in the place that is sheets of ice floating on top of water? If it was the Antarctic, sure, but I’m pretty sure ice that melts without land underneath just melts, rather than increases water levels. I could be wrong though.
07:42 - my face when I realised that they added in this stupid B plot so that the A plot could focus on Bee, Ratchet, Raf and Megatron, but that came with the price of Bee struggling with something and the rest of team Prime choosing not to get involved or say a word on the matter, including Optimus.
Tumblr media
08:28 - this means that Power down mode is not like a coma. Raf’s honestly wasting his breath because he’ll have to repeat the story later.
08:49 - 👁👄👁
Tumblr media
08:52 - That’s how it feels when someone shows me a photo of a baby and goes on about them, while I try my hardest not to tell them that the baby looks kickable.
08:57 - Honestly, most realistic reaction. There’s probably something here that could be used as a parent Ratchet & child Bee fic prompt.
09:02 - The way Ratchet dismisses Raf until he links it back to Bee + the subtlety of Ratchet’s eyes widening + the cue of the music coming in.
09:03 - THE SMILE CAUGHT ME SO OFF GUARD I CRIED. YOU KNOW THAT HE’S FRAGGIN PROUD OF BEE- MY HEARRRRRT. (Fun fact, I was showing my friend this shot later and they got very worried because I started crying in class)
Tumblr media
09:09 - ngl, kinda forgot his was standing their unconscious.
09:13 - BOOOOOOO! M’kay, Imma stop hating on the subplot now. Just hope I’ve made it clear that I don’t like why it’s there.
09:21 - This is so amusing to see because it’s such a Scooby Doo sorta thing.
09:27 - Optimus flexes his hand just to ball it up again.
09:38 - Here we have a time when Prime is not a good start off show (that and because your standards get raised really high and you get thoroughly disappointed when other medias aren’t the exact same) because they don’t explain wtf ‘the end run on Polyhex’ was.
09:39 - Bee’s wings, when he’s powered down, rests at a lower angle, but when he’s awake we know that they point up. One idea could be that when he’s awake, they rest at a higher up state (cue fanfic prompt where a bot realises Bee’s awake because of the wings).
09:47 - ya’ll seeing what I’m seeing?
Tumblr media
09:48 - That’s the opposite way to how he powered down. Literally. The angles, the movement. It the exact same, just in reverse. This ain’t a bad thing by any means.
10:06 - I highly recommend watching the way Bee’s pedes/feet work. It’s interesting.
10:30 - why doesn’t Ratchet think to a) call Optimus or b[ee]) FOLLOW BEE?? Why is he just standing there??
10:50 - why are so many bots blind in this episode?? HOW DID YOU MISS THAT?!
10:56 - from this you can tell that Megatron’s not used to controlling Bee’s hands/servos because he kinda fumbles when originally trying to pick it up.
11:14 - YES. YOU SHOULD!
11:17 - I get it. I do. But here’s the thing.. Bumblebee had just gone into Megatron’s mind, then later mentions that he’s seeing Megatron’s face, he’s now gone to the location that he doesn’t know after waking up from a forced power down! YOU COULD AT LEAST LET OPTIMUS KNOW
11:27 - HE SOUNDS LIKE A MUM! I C A N ‘ T
11:30 - *grabs child’s wrist*
11:31 - *child immediately opens hand to show what he’s holding* it’s a muscle memory.
If anyone tries to deny that Ratchet is a parental figure to Bumblebee, I’m going to bite them.
11:34 - It was this moment we got to find out what it would look like getting punched by Bumblebee.
11:35 - RATCHET NO!
11:36 - Okay but that pose- damn Bee.
11:38 - Why is he whispering?
11:42 - I get this is menacing and all but he looks like he’s doing this: Ò^Ó
12:02 - now we watch as he DOESN’T CALL OPTIMUS.
12:07 - ‘I’m fine. More importantly is Bumblebee?’ Making me tear up.
12:26 - when you mess with the wrong medics child:
Tumblr media
12:41 - … to be fair… yeah.. Ratchet did his research, he should’ve known.
12:54 - This episode could’ve gone differently if THE HAD CALLED OPTIMUS. THIS ONE I AIN’T LETTIN GO.
12:59 - Raf, listen buddy… someone needs to man the ground bridge while all bots are in the Arctic. Also you’re gonna get hurt, ya dip.
13:05 - *cri*
13:09 - I’m like 90% sure this is men in the bathroom.
13:29 - Starscream’s worse than Megatron.
Tumblr media
13:33 - YES! MY ‘TRANSFORMERS BOWING’ COLLECTION EXPANDS!!
Tumblr media
13:36 - BREAKDOWN! I CHOOSE YOU!
13:43 - love that ‘evil’ laugh for ya, king
14:32 - When characters believe a character that’s being mind controlled can ‘fight it’ is so incredibly frustrating. It’s mind control, not a physical fight, there’s so much more to it.
14:55 - RAF. WHY THE FRAG WOULD YOU YELL THAT WHIKE RATCHET’S TRYING TO SNEAK IN??
14:57 - Once he knew it wasn’t his child, all bets were off. Ratchet attaccs.
15:01 - ya know who would be really useful if this sort of situation? OPTIM-
15:09 - Reminder this is not a memory issue, this is a warlord CONTROLLING BUMBLEBEE FROM THE INSIDE OF HIS HEAD. Raf is an idiot.
15:13 - it’s the listening part that got him, not the ‘remember me’ part.
15:14 - Aww.. the babies trying his hardest. Watching the way Bee’s eyes shift is genuinely heartbreaking.
15:17 - he looks adorable.
15:21 - the way Bee’s wings are so high up-
15:27 - NO! He’s obviously in pain.. I can’t!!
15:44 - YES! (But imagine how much easier it would’ve been with opt-)
15:50 - Raf’s genuinely making me mad. WHEN HAS THAT WORKED THIS WHOLE EPISODE??
06:00 - … H o w D o e s T h a t W o r k ? Is he actually beeping? Is that actually Megatron’s voice? Is he beeping but it sounds like Megatron’s voice??
16:05 - FOR FRAGS SAKE RAF-
16:27 - weirdly pretty.
16:31 - oooh~ love me some height difference and from Megatron’s perspective.
Tumblr media
16:51 - I was kinda expecting ‘daddy’s home’
17:02 - Man, I had the Mandela affect on this. I always thought the Megatron said ‘I outta thank you for your hospitality, Scout. Deceptions, finish these pests.’ Might’ve been from a fanfiction but I swear I’ve seen it. + this shots remind me of the scenes that Megatron was talking to Bee in Sick Mind.
Tumblr media
17:17 - dunno how I’m supposed to feel about Ratchet leaving Bee in open fire.
17:35 - HE CAN FLY
17:37 - that was cool ngl
17:39 - if he kept his legs closed he would’ve had a gymnastics technique going there while he mounted the spike. If you know you know.
17:53 - Sorry Arcee, you don’t got those strong legs like Bee.
18:04 - Transformers on ice. (Decided to see if it’s real and omg)
18:23 - that’s rich, ain’t it?
18:27 - I love that so much.
18:41 - So light em up up up, light em up up up-
18:49 - If I had a dollar for every time the screen went white in this episode, I’d have two dollars.
19:29 - and you’ll never believe who brought him back
20:45 - oh I see, so the guilt of failing to fight off Megatron’s control and bringing him back is gonna come later, got it!
20:52 - On the scan Bee’s head and chest are red.
20:58 - ignore me, that’s normal.
21:04 - Why is Optimus wearing his battle mask? Wait why is everyone so excited?
21:28 - AHHHHHHHHH
Tumblr media
———————
So that was Out of His Head!
I really enjoy the episode, but wish they had done a bit more with Bee being controlled by Megatron, especially if they had touched on the group noticing the little things more.
I mentioned at that start that TFP skips recovery arcs and that is certainly the case for Bumblebee, especially considering that for a bot loyal to Optimus, bringing back Megatron could be viewed as traitorous. Not by Optimus, but by Bee himself.
I also thought that Raf’s role was pretty weak. He didn’t actually do anything for the plot.
Then you have the very apparent part of Optimus not being as involved with the A plot as he should’ve been.
But I thought the animation was beautiful, the dynamic between Ratchet and Bumblebee was enjoyable and Bee being common ground for the dynamic between Raf and Ratchet.
Despite all the negatives, when you’re just watching the episode and not deconstructing it the way I do for the notes, it’s very much an enjoyable watch and I sincerely hope I haven’t ruined the episode.
36 notes · View notes
ayakamizu · 9 months
Text
FFXIV Write 2023 Day 2 - Bark
Bark: Noun. The external covering of the woody stems, branches, and roots of plants, as distinct and separable from the wood itself. Characters: Ayaka Mizushima (WoL), Original Female Character (Ayaka's mother) Expansion: Pre-ARR Rating: G Notes: Takes place pre-ARR (by about 17 years, so Ayaka is six-years-old here).
As Ayaka’s mother explained, part of her duties involved tending to the entire grounds of the shrine. At six years old, the idea had seemed like a lot. Even still, she found herself confused when her mother had mainly tasked her with checking on the trees scattered across the shrine.
“Some of these trees are older than the shrine,” her mother explained carefully, gesturing to one of the larger ones found on the property. “It’s our duty to make sure the kodama are happy. After all, we’re their neighbor!”
“Then shouldn’t we serve them tea?” Ayaka asked, remembering one of the lessons her grandmother taught her. “It feels rude that we haven’t…”
“It’d be ruder if we didn’t make sure their homes aren’t well taken care of,” her mother answered, patting Ayaka’s head. She then pointed to one of the other trees, closer to the entrance of the shrine. “Do you see that one over there? With the rope? We want to make sure that rope isn’t too tight, otherwise it could be digging into the bark.”
“What does the rope mean, mama?” Ayaka asked, looking up at her mother. “And why do some trees have it while others don’t?”
“The ropes help people know that the tree is very old. We don’t want people to harm or cut the tree down. It would make the spirit living in that tree upset! They would suddenly be homeless and cause issues for the person that took their home away.”
“Oooh!” Ayaka eyes widening in understanding. She would be mad too if someone suddenly destroyed their home! “It’s really good that those ropes are there then!”
Her mother gave a quiet laugh, eyes twinkling with warmth. “Exactly, my dear. Now, can I trust you to make sure those ropes aren’t digging into the bark? I’m sure the spirit would be very grateful.”
“Yes, mama!” Ayaka exclaimed, vigorously nodding her head. “I’ll make sure the tree isn’t getting hurt!”
“Thank you, dear. If you need me, I’ll be checking the komainu for any damages. The storm we recently had was quite extreme…” Her mother trailed off then, looking over at one of the statues nearby. It was covered in leaves and, in Ayaka’s opinion, looked pitiful. “Call for me if you see something, okay?”
“Yes, mama!” Ayaka promised, darting off to the tree her mother gestured to earlier. Behind her, she could hear her mother’s clear laughter at Ayaka’s enthusiasm. But she would make sure the ropes were wrapped around the trees just right! Those spirits were their neighbors after all! They helped protect Kugane and the shrine from more malevolent spirits—it was the least she could do to give her thanks for their hard work.
T/N:
Kodama - Spirits in Japanese folklore that inhabit trees.
Komainu - Guardian lion-dogs.
3 notes · View notes
nellynee · 2 years
Text
Trollstopia Blindblogging: episode 8a: Rhythm & the Blues
(a quick note, I am only tagging the focal most Trolls in my opinion for my own reasons. But, if you feel other characters need tagging please let me know it would not be hard to do. I don’t bite) 
Not the most elegant episode. But I do give it my respect. It does something the Trolls franchise doesn’t typically do. It tries. Trolls has a very bad habit of writing emotional checks it has no interest in being able to cash. It cobbles together all these really interesting ideas, tells you to look at them, then puts it back down and never touches it again. It implies a lot of really deep, dark, emotional stuff then refuses to let it exist. Mostly because a lot of stuff it talks about doesn’t really have answers beyond philosophy or would get a pretty steep rating tank. They just can’t afford to talk about it. It’s really frustrating to read the artbook and watch cut content and see some really comprehensive story telling and character development get shredded on the cutting room floor. There’s real love in the production and I want to have very stern words with whoever keep stabbing ideas in a back alley to make it more “child friendly” 
But, I digress. This episode chose to talk about something negative. It chose to do so very, very unsubtly to the point near cringe. But it chose to do it, fallowed through, and did so in a way that wasn’t patronizing to it’s target audience. So while it wasn’t my favorite, I do respect this episode. 
While not necessarily what I would call superb quality, the cute song (R&B finally sing for those interested), some good jokes, and decently delivered message makes it like... a solid 3.8 in my books. 3 and a half and a half for respects sake. R&B episode if you are into that. Otherwise, I’d say put on the “watch it if you have time” end of the must watch list. 
Funk me UP baby!
That butchered Cinderella Rhyme fucked me up so badly I had to go look up the original to make my brain ok again. But this is the kind of thing that gets me thinking about stuff. Cause like, now I’m going to be thinking for hours about the Pop or Country Trolls having a Cinderella mythos in the Troll’s meta….I’ve already inserted little mermaid so why the hell not?
There’s something very charming about the phrase “I got four legs, gimmie four dutches!” 
Country Trolls are just wooo girls confirmed
“I’d swear it one my Daddy’s grave-” gasp “-y” is actually really funny why are the writers so freaking funny?
It’s a little weird, but we seem to have transitioned in full from laser to bubble beams confirmed as I had postulated in “the snugalug situation” 
Also noting that either Poppy knows the side of the ship R&B’s lab is on, or R&B have their own ship like I made note of in “Across the Fashionverse” 
Still pretty meh on Funk tech as compared to the movie. Not a fan of the wormhole entrance. Like, the 10 or so seconds of Vibe City we saw in the movie had oodles of personality comparatively and I’m really missing it. I’m a little sad that that’s R&B’s whole schtick cause I love their designs and attitude but I don’t love them nearly as much as I could? 
Totally expected them to stick together with that little spin would have been hilarious
T-R-O-Double hockey sticks
That oath was minced to a paste
Lay-trolls terms (jesus christ I shouldn’t be surprised when it happens but I always am)
See what I mean? “Make a real big marshmallooooow” Was absolutly adorable. Every time they speak I am charmed. And then magic science with no rules happens and I’m bored again. I want to love them soooo badly
On that note why don’t Trolls singspeak more?
Cool. I suspected they were sisters based on the little bits I saw, I mean the main tag is “r&b sisters”, but confirmation is cool
on that note I left for a full 24 hours to debate with several groups of people on the viability of the term “Twins” when taking into account my headcanons for them and still haven’t settled on one side or the other.
Why do we even have that button Kronk?
wait was that recorded voice Lownote?
Welp now I understand why Hollys here
For real though I wish there was a bit more of a continuity line between the movies and the shows because this sort of topic seems tailor made for Cooper. He seems to have settled pretty firmly in both universes so far in Pop Village, probably to give him Trolls 3 relevance, but I’ll be not surprised but disappointed if they don’t have him weigh in on this.
in fact, I wonder if that’s who this storyline belongs to afterall. They seem to be ignoring the very obvious solution of.... going for a visit? Or having someone come visit them? Cooper’s potential worries of “Having to figure out where he’ll live in the long term and splitting his time between his old and new family” is a lot more indicative of a long term issue that can’t be solved quickly. Not that regular visits are a permanent or viable solution for everyone but it is absent. But I'm probably overthinking things. This is, afterall, a show for kids, and “Just go and visit” is almost never a viable option after big moves for children. Money on Holly’s solution of “let yourself feel sad about it for a while” being the end game.... oh my god it’s just Inside Out isn’t it?
Jesus Christ I was having fun until “Cloud gazing” and you know what I wasn’t expecting that but I should have been. I don’t know how I feel now
pffft da pinwheel broke
Is R&B really the only two dealing with this?
Pretty healthy showing of Trolls from every tribe and they haven’t encountered this yet in enough numbers that either the specific tribes, or the overall community, or a combination of both, haven’t built some kind of transitional or community outreach program for those feeling uprooted?
like I know it’s a kids show but the governing, political, and cultural implications of these things are the very kinds of things I’m interested in. it’s the stuff I think about
Disco-ball-ogram
did I mention that puns are objectively the peak of hilarity and there’s no way to prove otherwise?
“I can’t find the words” “fantastafleekaboomboom?” “yeah that’s it”
on that note Big Jay, medium Jay, Little Jay wth
I kinda had an inkling when they called Rhythm and Blues “R” and “B”, and my mind connected that with “D” and “Q” from the movies but hadn’t really settles on or thought on it to much but had made a note of “if Funk trolls habitually use initials as address for whatever reasons how do you distinguish between different Trolls when it gets repetitive and I guess the answer is adjectives
It’s trying SO HARD to be sad but it’s also trying to be very transparent about what's happening to the children and I can respect that it does one of those things very well
Holly shush soothing confused Biggie as he attempts the thumb trick again is legit funny AF best joke of the episode
I just wanna take the time to again make appreciating noises at the animation team. I keep catching moments through episodes where it would have been very easy to make very simple reactions or cuts that could cut some more intricate work out and probably would have been cheaper depending on the puppets. Making Blues do a whole rotation when she sits on the button to look at it instead of mimicking a slightly different version of her sister’s reaction is one such instance. 
On that note this is now a Troll’s side profile appreciation blog
There’s being distracted, and then there’s having to wonder if R&B straight up stole this ship because they are not familiar with it at all
I have so many questions about that very confusing bathing Techno Troll I’m gonna just block it out of my memory entirely
Cooper got a chuckle, but Branch got a full ass laugh. That was a legit funny example of him not catching a break. Just.. defeat, then aggravation
uh first off, I knew it, this is just inside out! but second... this is a crisis! 
It’s always hard to tell until they actually start singing but Holy shit R&B! Thems some pipes you got. 
I am having trouble pinning down a genre though. That acoustic guitar is messing me up. I mean this hits most home for me as some really soft rock? Which while sounding good and keeping with tone, is a shame. I feel like a composer could have had a field day with this show if they wanted to, specifically using genre’s and blending to tell bigger subtle stories about emotions being used. But I don’t think that’s what we got here. We just don’t know anything about what kind of stories the genre's tell to make those connections. Having made a statement as a Country Troll about singing sad songs, they could have had something more Country leaning to show where R&B’s feelings were musically. Or had them sing something distinctly in the Blues style but to subtle I guess. It’s possible it’s trying to be Blues, but if it is my ear isn’t good enough to catch it for sure and I’ll admit that. It is a pretty good melody none the less.
Ok that completely mellow delivery of “There is still a massive wormhole that’s about to eat our friends”.... like you can see it coming from a hundred miles away, and it’s still hilarious. 
Biggie no stop rule of 3 does not apply here now it’s just embarrassing
I mean yeah, it’s definitely just the message of Inside Out. Let yourself feel bad. Not everything can be fixed. But that’s not a bad thing. Its a great message for kids and adults. To many people look at negative emotions and think “what can I do to get rid of those right now” instead of facing the situation, handling what you can, and accepting what you can’t. More variations in more places gets that message across more and it’s desperately needed.
4 notes · View notes
servin-up-surveys · 2 years
Text
survey #065
Favorite South Park character? I don't watch it. The super immature-type humor isn't for me. What are your views on abortion? I am entirely pro-choice. Does your dad barbecue a lot? I don't live with my dad. It was rare back when my parents were together, but it would happen now and then. Who’s your favourite character from one of your favourite books? I remember I really liked Dally in The Outsiders. What are some of your interests? Animals, art (like photography, drawing, writing, etc.), video games, reading, music (specifically metal), science stuff...
What is your favorite animal? Meerkats of course, but I am also really into opossums, tarantulas, and snakes. Who is the last person you sent a Facebook message or comment? My friend Baylee. She wanted me to shoot her upcoming wedding, but she was letting me know that she was calling off the wedding and we talked for a while about that. She's going through it right now and I really hope this all goes well. She hasn't told her fiance yet... Have you ever had a teacher hit on you? No, that would REALLY creep me out. Have you ever hit on a teacher? Nope. Do you know what an "AMV" is? Yep, used to make 'em sometimes. Would you rather be a bird or a fish? Bird, for sure. What is your favorite type of muffin? I actually really like blueberry muffins. Chocolate chip is good, too. What is the background on your computer? The background and lock screen are both pictures of meerkats. Who in your life are you scared to lose more than anything? My mom, very closely followed by Girt. Have you ever cheated on someone without them finding out about it? No, because I don't cheat to begin with. Was the last person you kissed male or female? Male. Who were you with the last time you went swimming? Just Mom at the gym. Who was the last letter you wrote addressed to? Jason. Do you believe the Holocaust happened? Of fucking course I do. I cannot fathom how deniers even exist. I'll never forget in high school we actually had a man who survived it talk about it in front of the students. I still remember how fucking disrespectful a lot of people were, murmuring and just in general not paying attention. Does it ever bother you when you see someone damaging the environment? Yes, in fact it really fucking pisses me off. Do you listen to OTEP? Oh my god, someone who knows who they are. Yeah, they're high on the favorites list. I have a tattoo of the lyrics "perfectly flawed" by them. Why were you last in a hospital? I was suicidal. Has anyone ever told you that you have a cute nose? Yes, actually. When was the last time you wrestled? I dunno, I'm sure it was sometime with Girt though. Who was the last person’s voice you heard? Well I'm listening to Rammstein, so Till Lindemann's. Have you ever done something sexual that you regret? Yeah, shouldn't have done things I have on someone else's bed. What are the names of all the people you have dated? Aaron, Juan, Jason, Tyler, Sara, and Donald. What do you like better: Dr Pepper or Pepsi? Dr. Pepper; I'm a Coke person, not Pepsi. I don't like drinking Dr. Pepper if I haven't had my antacid med that day though, because it causes it BAD otherwise. How do you like to eat your eggs, if you like them at all? Scrambled with cheese. Gonna have to start trying some new stuff soon though, I'm starting a high-protein diet with this weight loss program I took up yesterday and it sounds like eggs are gonna be a very common thing to eat with how picky I am. What color of eyes attracts you most? Sapphire blue. Do you drink lots of water? I used to drink pretty much literally none, but back onto the diet thing, I'm trying real hard to just suck a lot down. When was the last time you were really grossed out? Earlier when scrolling through Facebook. I didn't WANT to abruptly see a rhino give birth, but I did lmao. Have you ever worn a belly shirt in public? No, not even when I was fit. That's a level of confidence I don't have. Where is your significant other? He's at work. Did your last ex try to get back together with you after the break-up? No, *I* was actually the one who talked to her once about trying to be a couple again, but she declined. Nowadays I'm glad, lol. If you were paralyzed from the neck down, would you still want to continue living? Why or why not? NO NO NO NO NO NO. This is like my biggest fucking fear ever and why I'm horrified of driving. I would 120% rather be dead. Have you ever known anyone with an eating disorder? I do know someone recovered from I believe bulimia. Do you ever feel like someone would be disappointed to see your body or are you comfortable with your body enough where you don’t think that? I am fucking HORRIBLY self-conscious of my body. So much so that even after all this time my boyfriend has barely (if at all) "seen" most clothed parts of me. I don't even let him touch my legs under clothes. What is your favorite flavor of Monster? I don't like Monster. Have you ever written on someone’s face in your yearbook? Yeeeaaah, as a mean kid. What is your favorite stuffed animal that you own? There are three big contenders here: Brownie, the moose plush I got from Cabela's in Ohio and slept with most of my childhood; the stuffed meerkat Jason gave me named Rebel; and a cute little bat that Jason's now-deceased mother gave me. Do you have any trophies? Yeah, somewhere. Have you ever been in a talent show? Nope. Have you ever won a contest? A few. Do you like screamo music? No. Does your family have a secret? I don't think so. What do you like about the lead singer from your favorite band? As for Ozzy, he's... Ozzy, ha ha. I think that is a perfectly acceptable answer. For Rammstein, I love how gentle and kind of a human Till really is. One of my favorite things I've ever read was an adorable quote from an interview about how he was contemplating getting rid of his "fishies" because he's never home and it's dark in there with all the shades closed and just oh my god he's so pure and also simultaneously just a certified fucking chaos goblin. He will do some WILD shit. When/where are you most likely to sing? Hm, I guess the car. Maybe. I don't really sing. Would you ever wish to explore a cave? That's literally a dream of mine. What is the most illegal thing you’ve done? Ridden in the passenger's seat with a driver who was high. I was fucking terrified. If we got pulled over, both of our asses would've gone to jail. What is your birthstone? Do you have any jewelry with it? Amethyst, and yes. Who was your first love? Jason. Who was your first kiss and when? Jason, March of 2012. Who was your first prom date? Jason. Who was your first room mate? ... Still Jason ha ha, plus a pair of friends that were also a couple. What was your first job? Sales associate at GameStop. Where did you go for your first date and who was it with? The roller rink with my first "boyfriend" Aaron and I remember like, two or more friends also being present. Was that even a date at that age? idk Who was the first person to send you flowers? I think my parents at dance recitals. Whose wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or a groomsmen? My older sister Ashley's. What was your first career choice? Paleontologist. What was your first sport? I want to say t-ball. Do you think it’s cute when you’re going down the road and see a dog with its head hanging out the window? Oh absolutely, I'd love to know that kind of bliss, ha ha. Does anyone in your family play in a band? What band? No. What’s the biggest spider you’ve come across? In the wild, probably just a wolf spider, really. I've held a tarantula at an exotic pet store, though. Have you ever been bitten by anything venomous? I have not. Which Mario game would you say is your favorite? That is, if you even like Mario? I think Mario Kart is fun with others. Do you have a deviantART account? I have two, actually. One just for photography and then the other is for like drawings and poetry. Have you ever pet a tarantula? Ha ha yes, even though you're not supposed to PET them; American species have urticating hairs on their abdomen that are very irritating to the skin to deter predators. I did in fact get a rash on my hand. Look, I didn't know ANYTHING about tarantulas back then, cut me some slack lmao. What was the first television show you were obsessed with? Pokemon. Have you ever been in a car wreck? Yes. Has anyone ever taken your own clothes off you before? Yeah. Did you kiss the last person you really wanted to kiss? Yes. What’s your favorite flavor of Doritos? Cool Ranch. What kinds of things are going wrong in your life right now? My lack of a job or going to school or just doing something worthwhile is the main thing. My weight loss hasn't been going as planned, but that'll hopefully start to change now... and I've been bad about not exercising, even though now we have the exercise bike. My mental health isn't fantastic. I really need to get my shit together. What kinds of things are going right in your life right now? My relationship with Girt, more than anything. That's... kinda all I can think about right now. [TW: RAPE] What was the last thing that made you feel sick to think about? I can't remember how my brain went here, but I suddenly recalled the time my sister was nearly raped by a childhood neighbor on our trampoline. Who is one very unique celebrity/musician/whatever that you love? I'd call Markiplier a unique one. Do you know any children who are very advanced for their age? I don't think so. How many Tim Burton movies have you seen? What do you think of his movies/animation style? Oh I don't know, loads. I adore his style. Do you park your car in a garage, carport or just in a driveway? We only have a driveway. Who is the person you dislike the most? My uncle that my family no longer associates with. How many cars can fit in your driveway? Barely even two. Do you have a little sister? I do. She's not so "little" anymore though, hasn't been for years. Do you think that your boyfriend/girlfriend can also be your best friend? I think they SHOULD be your best friend, at least one of 'em. Do you wear glasses? I do. Wish I could wear contacts, but they annoy the fuck outta me. What’s on your mind? I'm actually really hyped, a YouTuber I'm a big fan of whose individual channel I'm now explored has a playthrough of Parasite Eve 3, which I've wanted to see for years. It's a PSP exclusive so one I can't play myself, but it's also quite hated among original fans of the series and I'm curious, ha ha. Are you guilty of flirting too much? Definitely not. I only ever flirt with my boyfriend, anyway. What are your plans for tomorrow? Nothing, really. What is your middle name? Marie. Is there a name that you can’t stand but it’s the name of a loved one? Ha ha soooo I hate the name Donald, I hate his nickname, AND I hate his last name. Poor fuckin' guy lmao. When did you last make up a baby’s bottle? Never. What place outside of your own home do you spend the most time at? My sister's place. Hell, or my doctor's office. All my current doctors work at the same place. Why did you last see a doctor? My throat wasn't recovering from Covid and I'd practically entirely lost my voice, so I needed some antibiotics and stuff. Do most of your relatives live in the same state/province as you? No. Only my immediate family is here. Have you ever participated in a medical study? Quite sure no. Do you have any family members who are cancer survivors? My mom, twice. <3 I know I have one aunt (who we no longer associate with) who survived breast cancer, and I feel like there's more... Describe your favorite pair of sunglasses. I don't own any, but I've always wanted heart-shaped ones, probably a rose gold color. Do you have any licenses other than your driver’s license? No.
0 notes
saeyoungs-angel · 2 years
Note
would you write any mha character x sick reader. stomach pains to the point you can’t really move, nausea? maybe kirishima
just feeling sick and want some comfort really. take your time.
Tumblr media
⨳​ under the weather — mha
Tumblr media
starring. kirishima & you
plot. kirishima grows worried when you skip class, yet he shows up to find you in a worse state than he thought.
genre. fluff, comfort, sickfic
cw. talk of nausea and all around sick themes
notes. im sorry ur not feelin well:( ur my first request, so tysm and i hope this helps!! its my first time writing for kiri so i hope this is okay, got kinda long cause i got carried away lolll. hope u feel better soon!! <3
likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated! <3
Tumblr media
𓆩☆𓆪
kirishima was never one to frantically show up at your dorm-room uninvited, but today was different. you had skipped class, and even the teacher was clueless as to why you were absent.
he was worried—exceedingly worried, to say the least. it wasn’t like you to ignore your class responsibilities, normally opting to turn in your due homework if you knew you’d be missing class that day.
that being said, you didn’t go that route today, instead lying curled up in your usually comfortable sheets. you were unable to even lift a hand, let alone call in to your class.
kirishima had decided, dashing straight for your dorm not a second after the bell rings. reaching your door, the faint beeping of your alarm concerned him to no end. he knocks gently on the wood, receiving a soft groan in return.
“hey, are you alright?” his words are unquiet, and after receiving no response, he speaks again.
“i’m gonna come in, okay?”
he opens the door, reeling at how it was unlocked but also slightly thankful. his eyes dart around the small, dim room, searching for your figure as his vision adjusts. then he spots you, laying on your side and clutching your knees to your chest, one hand resting on your stomach.
he scrambles to your bedside, blathering about how worried he is and throwing a few ‘are you okay?’s in the mix. you briefly peek through your eyelids before the pain shoots back in waves, causing you to shut them roughly.
“it hurts..” you whisper, grasping at your stomach in distain.
kirishima is immediately troubled once again, worried for your health. “what’s wrong?”
“nauseous, stomach hurts.” your words are forced out through your teeth, feeling as though it could cause more pain to talk.
kirishima’s eyebrows furrow, thinking up ways he could help you. “should i grab recovery girl?”
he shifts from kneeling in front of you, just before your eyes fly open. “no! please stay.”
he lours at you dejectedly, feeling as though you need medical attention. yet, he would never proceed with something once you’ve said otherwise.
“you don’t want medicine, sweetheart?” as you vaguely shake your head, he sighs, wondering what else he could do while switching off your alarm. “what can i do to help? i hate seeing you like this..”
you suck in a breath harshly, another spike of pain hushing your words. kirishima waits patiently, wishing he could be in your place so that you wouldn’t feel this way.
“cuddle..”
your eyes are shut violently, so you miss the way his face flares up at your suggestion. he mentally slaps himself, knowing he shouldn’t be acting this way while you’re practically in agony on your bed. he nods, forgetting you can’t look at him at the moment.
“okay, i’m gonna move you just a little, alright?” his soft words match with the gentle way he slides in next to you, scooping you up slowly as to not disturb your stomach further.
“you want me to rub your back?”
you nod, gripping his shirt as you lay on his side. he smiles despondently, tracing a hand up and down your spine rhythmically. “i wish i could do more to help. should i, should i call recovery girl?”
when you don’t reply, he pushes further.
“that way, i’ll be here with you the whole time and you’ll get the medicine you need.”
the amassed worry he has for you at this moment bubbles over, and he squeezes you closer to him—not enough to hurt you, he’d never forgive himself for such a thing.
you muster up all your remaining strength and lift your head a bit, shooting him a weak smile. you drop your head, wrapping your arms around his head lethargically.
“that would be great, kiri.” you regret your words the moment they leave your lips, opening your mouth only gave an entrance for the nausea. you groan, attempting to run your fingers through his red tresses in self-comfort.
kirishima is immediately on the case, rubbing soothing circles into your lower back firmly as a means of distraction.
“hey, hey. it’s alright, i’m here. i’ll call her and then we can stay like this the rest of the day, does that sound good?”
his voice calms you, the nausea subsiding a bit like it’s some kind of auditory medicine. you nod as he brings his other hand to your head, trailing his fingers through the locks and pulling them out when he runs into tiny knots. you might have a headache, so he doesn’t want to further agitate your sickly frame.
“i’ll call her in just a moment, you should try to get some rest. i’ll tell her to bring a glass of water and some crackers, too.”
you almost tear up at the willingness he has to help you, though the moment’s cut short as you’re reminded of your current state. taking his advice, you do your best to relax your body, focusing on the feeling of his hands fixated on distracting you.
eventually, the whirling noise of your fan and kirishima’s soft spoken words fade out as you drift off.
when you awaken, kirishima’s comforting visage is the first thing your eyes land on. you smile up at him as he registers that you’re awake.
“hey, sleepyhead. feel any better?”
his smile shines through his voice, and now you realize, you do feel a bit better. while your body is still a bit achey and your brain is a bit jumbled, the nausea seems to have practically vanished.
“yeah, thank you. how long was i asleep for?”
“around four hours.”
your eyes dilate, stumbling upon the thought that kirishima has been laying like this for four hours—for you.
“oh my god, kiri! i’m so sorry, you should’ve said something!” you rush to apologize, feeling as though you’ve wasted his day away.
he shakes his head, resting a hand on the side of your face softly. “hey, stop that.”
you blink, “b-but your day! i’m sure you had other things to do, right?”
“other things don’t matter when it comes to you, silly. i chose to stay here and help you, you didn’t force me, y’know.”
you huff, feeling a bit irritated with yourself. “i know but, because i was sick you—”
“no, stop. you can’t help the fact that you’re sick, it’s not your fault, alright? i’m here because i care about you, and you deserve to be comforted when you’re feeling sick.”
you buffer, then throw your arms around his neck, burying your face in his chest to the best of your abilities—your body is still a bit sore, after all.
“thank you, it means alot. seriously, you’re amazing.”
“well, you mean alot to me, so no need for thanks. now, wanna watch a movie? oh! you should also drink some of this water, though i doubt you need the medicine now..”
𓆩☆𓆪
feedback is extremely meaningful!
342 notes · View notes
uwusenpaiuwu · 3 years
Text
Sleepovers At The Baji Household feat. A Fed-Up Chifuyu
Summary: Chifuyu just wants to sleep, man, but Baji wants to be a jealous crackhead at 2 AM.
Pairing: Sano Manjiro | Mikey x Male Reader
Note(s): I had a little free time and wrote this. So, please enjoy! ALSO, to the anon that sent me a request a few days ago, I saw it and have it filed on my to-do list!!! I will definitely get to it as soon as I get a break in my schedule :)
"Chifuyu, ya wanna see some real discrimination?"
No. No, Chifuyu does not want to see what Baji means by 'real discrimination.'
Does he tell him that, though?
Yes, actually, because it's 2 in the fucking morning and, as much as he respects the other boy, he wouldn't put it past himself to smother him with a pillow after having his dream of cuddling with a sea of puppies suddenly destroyed.
Unfortunately for his sanity, Baji either doesn't hear him or, more likely than not, doesn't give a fuck, because he's already flopping onto his belly and whipping out his phone to do God knows what.
The dial tone that sounds from the speaker a few seconds later makes Chifuyu cringe, especially since it's only ever been a calm silence fit for a good night's sleep prior to Baji bulldozing through it with his absurd question. (At the very least, he's thankful that the latter has half a mind to keep the brightness on the lowest setting, otherwise, Chifuyu would have had to fight.)
On the far end of the row of carefully-laid futons, you shift in your sleep, eyebrows furrowing together at the noise. Rotating onto your side, you unconsciously reach for Baji, and just when he thinks you're being cute and trying to cuddle him, you smack him in the head.
Baji doesn't flinch, instead, takes his pillow and shoves it in your grasp to keep your unconscious self occupied, so that he can focus on getting through to the person who reuses to pick up (understandably so).
Releasing a frustrated groan after being redirected to voice mail for the fifth time, he dials the number again, muttering an impatient, "Pick up already."
Chifuyu feels sorry for the poor soul on the other end. He would've blocked someone following the first call, because again, it's-
The blond has to squint his eyes up at the digital clock on Baji's nightstand, which confirms that it's already 2:22 A.M, further solidifying the fact that he shouldn't be awake right now. And this also applies to the ever persistent first division captain, who insists on bothering who Chifuyu soon discovers is Mikey from the contact ID that flashes across the screen.
Why Baji is so keen on bothering him is a question he doesn't have the mental capacity to ponder over. The most energy he'll expend is to listen in when the call miraculously connects.
"What...?" comes a muffled voice from the receiver, tone laced in an irked grogginess birthed from a slumber rudely interrupted.
There's an absurdly loud, almost angry, roar of Mikey's name, one that has Chifuyu curling in on himself in a futile attempt to escape a sound that should be illegal at this hour.
But you know what else should be illegal?
The fucking whiplash Chifuyu gets when Baji's deep voice takes an abrupt 180°, switching from its normal gruffness to a squeaky, ear-piercing shrill as he screams, "I love you, love you, love you! Do you love me, too, Mikey-kyun~♡?!"
The room is dead silent.
Not a word. Not a murmur. Not a breath.
Just pure, unadulterated silence as both Chifuyu and Mikey process the words that hang in the air, permeating it with a goosebumps-inducing eeriness from having heard such a...a girly, overtly cutesy screech from Baji.
Then-
"What the fuck? He hung on me!"
Chifuyu opens his mouth, thinks better of reacting to the cursed scene he had the misfortune of bearing witness to, and promptly closes it.
Other people may have sleep paralysis demons.
But Chifuyu?
Chifuyu has Baji.
With both hands partially raised in prayer, he begs for the shenanigans to be over and done with.
They are not.
While his eyes remain closed in a last ditch effort to convince himself that it's all a bad dream, he hears a lot of grumbling happening on your side of the room, courtesy of Baji, who's scrambling around in search of...something. One quick peek reveals him fiddling with a phone - yours, to be exact, as evidenced by the distinctive phone charm of your favorite anime character hanging from it.
"(Y/n), wake up for a second," he hears him whisper. It takes a bit of prompting, until he's able to successfully rouse you enough from sleep to elicit any kind of response, which is, essentially, nothing short of an incoherent, slurred mess. Although, Chifuyu is pretty damn certain he heard you call Baji a 'dickhead' for the trouble.
Unperturbed, he continues shaking your limp form, coaxing you into wakefulness with, "Repeat what I tell you, and I'll let you go back to asleep. Deal?"
You squint your eyes at him, only able to make out a vague outline of his visage in the lightless room. "Promise?"
"Cross my heart, hope to die," he automatically responds with the same phrase he's become accustomed to saying whenever you two made a promise, something done purely out of habit, formed when the two of you were just kids and he wanted to get you to do something absolutely ridiculous either for him or with him. And just 'cause he knows you're more susceptible to complying if he does it, he also interlocks his pinky with yours.
"...Fine."
The approval is his cue to proceed, and it's as he's putting the phone on speaker that he turns back to a regretfully wide awake Chifuyu, mouthing a wordless, 'Watch.'
The phone rings, loud and clear, precisely once and only once.
"(Y/n), what's wrong?" It's important to note that even though Mikey still sounds tired as hell, his tone is much lighter, much happier really, than when it was Baji, which is an offense in itself to the said teen that's off to the side, attentively listening to the conversation unfold.
Then, it strikes Chifuyu, what Baji is trying to do, and fuck does it give him an instant headache.
Meanwhile, your mouth morphs into the dopiest of smiles with the pleasant surprise of hearing your boyfriend's voice, chest instantly overtaken by a warm fuzziness that never fails to make an appearance whenever he's involved. Sappy, you know, but it's true!
A light but firm nudge to your shoulder reminds you of your mission. It's too bad that, teetering along the edge of sleep as you are, the words Baji whispers are barely repeated correctly.
The initial phrase from before, the one Baji greeted Mikey with, is shortened to a simple, "You wuv I...?"
But, without missing a beat, you receive Mikey's confident reply of, "Mhm... I wuv you a lot."
There's a sleepy giggle then - a fucking giggle - before your voices drop to sweet whispers that the third and fourth wheels can't fully comprehend from where they are.
"Where the fuck was my 'I wuv you,' huh?!" Baji whisper-shouts, considerate of your conversation even when ranting and raving. "Shit, I would've taken a simple 'I love you,' too! I've known that bastard way longer than (Y/n), and this is what I get?!"
Okay. Toman's president answers his boyfriend's late night calls faster than he does anyone else's and openly expresses his love for him. So what? Chifuyu wouldn't exactly call it 'discrimination,' per se. 'Favoritism,' maybe if you wanna stretch it, but using as strong a word as discrimination, especially taking into account you two are dating; it's normal? Nah.
"You wanna say 'bye' to them? Mm. Baji and Chifuyu." A pause. "Fuyu, Mikey says 'bye.'"
"Bye, Mikey-kun."
The other person in the room waits, and waits, and waits, and when it's clear that there is no intention to address his presence whatsoever, Baji turns to Chifuyu with an almost scandalized expression, making wild gesticulations with his hands, clearly distressed. "See?!"
Blank blue eyes stare back at him, unblinking. Honestly, it's a common occurrence - Baji spiraling in a nonsensical rage - so it's easy for Chifuyu to block out the muted, jealousy-driven temper tantrum as he takes his pillow in both hands, raises it as high as he can, and-
Sigh.
-lets it flop right back onto his face.
He can't suffocate Baji. Shouldn't. Wouldn't. Couldn't. After all, they're best buds, meaning he has an obligation to put up with shit like this once in a while. (Plus, he'd probably get his ass kicked before he succeeds anyway. Totally not worth the beating.)
"Did you hear? Mikey said he wuvs me," he hears you drawl dreamily as soon as you hang up, sounding very close to clocking back out for the night.
"Yeah, yeah. Cute shit. Happy for ya, dude," Baji huffs. Thankfully, he sounds like he's in a similar state to yours, if the yawn that follows his sarcastic comment is anything to go by.
"...He soooo ignored you."
That warrants a punishing punch to the arm, dulled only slightly by the combination of the thick quilt you're swaddled in and the raven-haired boy's fatigue.
"I'll fucking throw you out right now, (Y/n). Don't test me."
"You won't."
"I will."
"Won't."
"Will."
The conversation gradually dies down shortly after, the exhaustion that took its sweet time getting to both of you having reached its peak with the help of the childish bickering. It takes 10 minutes, maybe 15, before two sets of light snores fill the room.
Finally.
Let it be known that there is a lesson to be learned from tonight's events. Really, there is. Y'know, something along the lines of 'Don't agree to a sleepover with Baji, if you plan on actually sleeping,' or whatever.
Alas, Chifuyu's consciousness fades before he realizes what it is.
~~~
"Mikey, be honest. Who do you love more? Me or-?"
"(Y/n)."
"But-"
(Y/n)."
"I-"
"(Y/n)."
Baji is only momentarily discouraged, sharp eyes glaring at the blond that lays his head on your lap after hi-fiving you. He didn't want to do this, but he's left with no choice.
"(Y/n) or Babu?"
From the way Mikey stiffens up, refusing to look at either him or you in the eyes, Baji knows he has him right where he wants him, has him torn between a cute face or a sweet ride.
"Oi! Don't pretend to be asleep! Answer the damn question! OI!"
(After hours of serious contemplation - even though you told him it doesn't particularly matter - it's revealed that, of course, Mikey loves you more. Babu just happens to trail behind as a very close second.)
951 notes · View notes
donaweasley · 3 years
Text
What If
Pairing: Loki x Fem! Avenger! Reader
Plot:
A silly game of “What-Ifs” between two friends eventually leads to the realisation that the future, if spent together, may not be as bleak as they had anticipated it to be. A dialogue-based best friends-to-lovers cliché.
Warnings: Relationship angst, too many dialogues, long read, happy ending!!!
Read time: ~28 mins
Author's Note:
It's a long read with far more dialogues than can be deemed healthy. The reason is, I didn't want their arc to feel rushed. It had to be cooked slow. Another reason is that, I can't help hearing my characters, and it triggers a flood of dialogues! I'm trying to work on controlling it. 😬 Hope you enjoy!
Now has a sequel: Their Little Secret
Tumblr media
“C’mon! You’re breaking the rules now,” Loki casually waved his hand at his best friend.
“I’m not. There’s nothing to answer really,” (Y/N) replied with a shrug.
“There must be something on your mind!”
She pretended to think for a second, and shook her head.
---------------------
It was a usual night in the compound. It was just another night when one of these two friends had called the other in the middle of the night for some midnight snack. It was just another of those happy times when they had tiptoed into the kitchen like thieves because...no, no one would mind some missing nachos or ice creams, but because it was fun!
It wasn’t easy for Loki to open up to someone, let alone to allow the other person in. Neither was it easy for (Y/N) to trust somebody, given her past, especially when that somebody was infamous for betraying almost everyone, at every step, not to mention his attempts at ruling Earth and causing massacre.
But time is a healer and a magician.
And here they were now, looking at the moon-washed night life through the west-facing glass wall, and playing a game of “what-ifs”. One would say that it was silly and immature; some would even call their talks gibberish. But when the night was so relaxed and carefree, why wouldn’t they be?
The pale yellow orb hovering above the western horizon cast a soft ray of light through the glass wall. Oblivious to its movements across the room, Loki and (Y/N) were wrapped in a thin blanket on a couch, their feet resting on two separate pouffes.
It had all started with a silly question, something like, “What if you weren’t stuck in this building tonight?”, or something along those lines; they didn’t even remember correctly anymore.
One question led to the other, and soon they found themselves tangled in a game of questions that would have been enough to create an alternate reality. But eventually, they found themselves, not answering with imaginary scenarios, but debating over one particular question:
“What if you find the love of your life tomorrow?”
This question was posed by Loki, rather theatrically, amidst the many others that had tossed different possibilities of their near future. And it was here that (Y/N) refused to play along anymore because, as she stated, it was “the most silly question ever”.
---------------------
“So, you claim that my question is even worse than your ‘What if you were a Jotun cat’? What kind of a question is that anyway?” Loki teased.
“Of course, it is. Undoubtedly!” With one wave of her hand, (Y/N) dismissed his appeal.
“And how is that even logical, may I know?”
“C’mon, this entire game is out of the boundaries of logic,” she claimed. “Your behaviour is like that of a cat. Don’t make that face; it brings you closer to being a cat. And...a Jotun cat sounds cool!”
Loki sighed. “And my question is ridiculous! If the game is beyond all reason, then...” he shrugged, “say something...weird, and move on!”
“Fine! If I-if... If I meet the love of my life tomorrow,...I’ll stab him. Or her. Or them. I don’t even know.” She huffed.
“Ouch!” Loki made a face, ”Didn’t see that coming. I would enjoy the stabbing part though. Thank the Norns, you never declared your feelings for me!”
She looked at him sideways with a stern face. Loki noticed the irritation simmering just beneath her skin, ready to burst out at the next prodding.
“Hey,” he placed a hand on her arm, “what happened? Was it something I said?”
She turned her face away. But Loki wasn’t giving up that easily.
“(Y/N),” he gently tugged at her arm, “look at me.”
When she finally turned towards him, he held her by the shoulders just to make sure that she couldn’t move away again.
“Now, you’ll tell me everything. What happened?” He inquired again. “I thought you were having fun.”
“It’s nothing Loki, it’s just that...you know I don’t like discussing my non-existent love-life. It’s...it kind of makes me...sad sometimes. Especially in a setting like this!” She waved her hands at her surroundings. “I mean, look at it, a full moon, a silent night, blankets and… It just leaves me with this reminder that I’ll be alone all my bloody life!”
Loki’s hands slowly retracted from her form and folded themselves on his chest. And just like that, they both found themselves staring out of the window.
“I’m sorry,” Loki’s voice audibly reflected the guilt that had formed within, “I never intended to...”
“No, you shouldn’t be. It’s...I overreacted. I’m sorry, Loki. I just ruined the mood. Shit! And it’s not my hormones, mind you!”
“I know,” Loki chuckled. “And you did not ruin anything. It’s natural to feel, isn’t it?”
She looked at him with a raised brow, “Somebody’s learning!”
“Somebody’s got a good teacher,” he smiled.
“Aww!! I love it when you acknowledge my awesomeness!” She wrapped an arm around him, pulling him in closer, and pinched his cheek.
“Ugh! Let go of me! Let...go!!”
The room was filled with (Y/N)’s cackles and Loki’s threats as he wriggled out of her grip.
“Do that one more time, and I’ll stab you!”
But it wasn’t enough to stop her chortles.
“Would you now?” she teased, and raised her hands again in a faux attempt at squeezing his cheeks.
He swatted them away.
“Stop it!” He warned again, only to emanate snorts from her.
But the next second, his voice changed into a compassionate one, “Why do you think you’ll be alone all your life? How old are you anyway? 80? 90? Isn’t that supposed to be old in human years?”
Once again her cheerful mood fled behind a thick curtain of annoyance. But this time she did not look away. She simply rolled her eyes, and pulled her legs from the pouffe to sit cross-legged, and shifted to face him.
“No, I’m not that old. But why are you suddenly so interested in this topic?”
“Because suddenly, you seem to have found an interest in getting annoyed.”
“Then don’t annoy me.”
“Not in my nature, I’m afraid.”
She couldn’t decide whether to hit him or laugh at him.
“Loki-” She curled her fists and shut her eyes.
“I’m listening, darling,” he smirked.
Of course, she knew how stubborn Loki could be!
Who else would know that better than me?
“Okay,” she placed her palms flat on her thighs, “the thing is...I can never make a relationship last more than two years. I waste my time trying to establish a...a proper, long-lasting relationship - something permanent - and end up with a heartbreak. Every. Fucking. Time. I’ve given up. I’ve had enough! Now, even if anyone makes a move, or if I’m interested in someone, I just remind myself that it’s not gonna work! I just don’t put any effort anymore.”
Loki hummed in response; his eyes were focused on her as if he was trying to decipher a mystery.
“And,” she continued, “given my current ‘job’,” she air-quoted the word, “I’m more sure than ever that no one will last more than two months now!”
Once she voiced the storm in her head, her eyes softened and she looked down at her lap. Through hooded eyes, she stole a guilty, fleeting glance at her friend, who seemed to be musing about something really serious. His eyes were strained on the carpet, while his chin rested on a fisted hand balancing itself on his thigh.
For a long moment neither said anything. Only the distant buzz of the sleepless city floated through the air and filled the room.
It was Loki who disrupted the silence with a long and heavy sigh.
“I knew that Midgardian men were impatient, narcissistic-”
“Look who’s talking,” she smirked as she interrupted him.
He gave her a quick deadpanned stare before resuming, “-imbeciles, but I was beginning to think that they have good tastes in women. It’s disappointing, not surprising though, that they have proven me wrong.”
A small laugh almost made its way to its escape, but she pushed it back. “You think so?” She quipped.
He shrugged, “From what you’ve said, there is no reason to think otherwise.”
She sat a little straighter. “Really? Do go on!”
Loki immediately noticed the effect that he had planned for. Without giving away the joy of his small triumph, he continued, “Indeed! Look at you! You’re an amazing woman! You’re brave, witty, independent...smart...excellent with knives! And that’s my favourite thing about you, by the way. ”
Feigning offence, she exclaimed, “And I thought your favourite thing about me was that I tolerate all your tantrums, and keep up with your shenanigans.”
“I don’t throw tantrums, darling,” he pushed the accusation away with his silky tone, “and don’t tell me that you take no pleasure in the havoc that we wreck together.”
At this, she could no longer suppress the evil grin that spread across her face, “I do love a bit of chaos. It’s fun.”
“To think of it,” Loki added excitedly, “had you been on Asgard, you might have been the Goddess of Chaos!”
“Oh! Thank you!” She replied with a dramatic wave of her hands.
Both laughed at the way their words were unfolding.
“Thank you, Loki,” (Y/N) said after their little whirlwind of laughter had calmed down, “I guess I needed to hear something nice about myself. It’s been a long, long time since I heard it.”
“I meant every word of it,” he replied in a solemn tone that made something flutter in her chest.
Was it gratitude? Was it joy? Was it love for her best friend?
It was hard to tell. It seemed to be everything at once.
She simply smiled at him. “Even the ‘Goddess of Chaos’ part?”
“Especially that part,” he asserted, and she laughed.
“You’re the best, Loki!” She gave him a half hug.
“That, I definitely am. But you’re not too shabby yourself. And you should never ever be sad for someone else’s failure.”
“Alright, I get what you’re trying to do here,” she landed a playful punch to his shoulder. “I’m fine! Really! I just got a little carried away.”
“No, I really mean it,” he tried to assure her. “You are one of the most magnificent women I have known! And mind you, I’m rather picky in these cases.”
She laughed, “Of course, I’d know that! ... Loki, it’s...it’s alright. Some people just don’t have it in them to sustain relationships no matter how wonderful they are. I’m okay with it.”
“Come on! A narcissistic God is showering you with genuine compliments! And you’re still not convinced that it’s not your fault but of all those who failed to keep up with you?”
She tried another attempt at convincing him, “It works both ways.”
“Norns! I can’t believe you’re so foolish!”
“Enlighten me, please,” she drawled.
“I believe I have already established the fact that you are phenomenal.”
When she giggled and nodded, he carried on.
“Good. Now, your job, as you put it, shouldn’t be a hindrance in your relationship. You’re doing the marvellous job of being a guardian to thousands of people. People you don’t even know! How many would put their necks out there to do it?”
“C’mon, Loki, when duty calls, you have to leave everything behind and just go! Who’d tolerate that for days? They will snap one day.”
“I’d never do that!” Realizing his mistake, he quickly corrected himself, “What I mean is, had I been in their place, I’d have never done that.”
“That’s because you’re on the team,” she argued. “So, it’s normal to you.”
“No, it’s not because I’m on the team. I’d-” He sighed. “Fine, why don’t you try finding someone from this field? Stark’s parties are a great place to hunt humans.”
“‘Hunt humans’?” She snorted, “I like the sound of that. Nay, haven’t found anyone. Besides, mixing professional and personal life can be fatal. You never know when your personal life might get jeopardised because of a mission gone wrong. Y’know, the usual blame-game and all. I hate all that!”
Loki brooded over her words for a few seconds before asking, “I don’t get it. Why would it be fatal? I mean, look at us,” he gestured in between them. “We have a perfect understanding. We’d never blame the other for any petty thing. Or-or let it affect our friendship.”
“That’s because we have the perfect understanding, Loki! You said it yourself. It’s a rare thing that we have. And I can’t expect it to be with anyone else. They’re not you, Loki.”
“They’re not us,” he corrected her.
Joy seeped through his senses as he watched her face brighten up at his words.
With a nod, she continued, “You see, all that spark, excitement, promises - these sound really great at the beginning. As time passes, as the real world pushes in, love moves to the backseat. Love is not enough. There comes a time when you have to balance everything together, and love becomes one of those things. It becomes a chore.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t follow you,” Loki stated with a frown. “That sounds so sad!”
“It is!”
“Well, it shouldn’t be! Loving you shouldn’t be a chore! Let’s say...hypothetically...if I’m in love with you, then you’d be my passion. And passions never become a duty, not even in the worst of times. Instead, they help us breathe when everything comes caving in. You’d be my...my moment of peace in a war. How could I not be tempted to embrace this beautiful moment?”
“Unfortunately, Loki, that’s not how it works. See, when you have a lot on your plate, say your job, your dreams, your daily life and all the pressure that comes with these, you’ll find less and less time for your loved one. Things get hectic and eventually frustrating. You won’t be able to keep that flame alive even if you want to. And one day, you’ll come to realize that you have distanced yourself from your moment, even if you never wanted to. But it’d be too late. There’d be no going back.”
“I’d never distance myself from you! I mean, from my moment. I’ve been a king, and I know how taxing royal duties can be. Sometimes, it seemed like a luxury to get even a minute to myself.”
“See? So, how could you have found time for me?”
“I would have, darling. Not plenty, but whatever little time I’d have gathered, I’d have made them memorable. For you. For us. And maybe we could have gone on long rides occasionally. Rekindle the old flames? Or-or we could have gone on visits to other realms...for political reasons, of course, but could have taken the opportunity to spend a small vacation with each other. What do you say?”
Painfully tempting images of a life that could have been floated in her eyes.
“And what if we came back to Earth, and I got involved in...say, a job that was all hectic and left me all frustrated, and with little time for you?” She shrugged.
With a sigh, Loki shifted to face her fully. “We will take care of each other, (Y/N). If one gets low, the other pulls both up. And I know that together, we can do anything! I believe in you more than I believe in myself.”
She smiled brightly as she acknowledged, “That is...that sounds doable, yes.”
“You’re special,” he placed a hand on her cheek, “and you need to be treated in the most special manner. One that befits my queen.”
A moment passed between them as they looked into each other's eyes, both seeing the same beautiful picture.
His queen!
My queen!!
Wait, what is he...?
Damn! What am I doing! What will she...!
Loki cleared his throat as he abruptly pulled his hand back to his side.
“I’m sorry, I...”
“No, it’s okay,” she cringed at the way the words squeaked out of her. Clearing her throat, she continued, “We were just giving examples.”
“Yes, just examples,” he agreed.
“It’s fine! I understand.”
“Great! It’d have been quite...awkward...otherwise.”
“Oh no! It’s...uh...totally fine. We’re best buddies!” She gave his arm a light punch.
“Right!” He nodded, and focused his gaze on the floor.
After taking a minute to calm his heart, he wore his witty persona back.
“See, having a relationship is not at all tough. All you need is a good partner. And I’ve proved myself right again! No, wait. There’s something you mortals do. It’s...uh...about throwing something...”
“Goblets? We don’t do that. It’s you-”
“No, not throwing, it’s about dropping something...after you have proven a point...”
“...Mic drop?” She chuckled.
His eyes lit up.
“Yes! ‘Mic drop’. So, as I was saying, all you need to have a happy and successful relationship is a good partner. Mic drop!” He concluded as he mimicked the action.
She sighed. “There’s just one tiny problem. I’d probably never find the right person. The ones that flirt with me, don’t understand me, and the ones that understand me have friendzoned me.”
“I’ve never friendzoned you,” Loki quickly replied with a frown. “J-Just clarifying...in case you were talking about me.”
“Of course, I’m talking about you, you big oaf!” She flicked his arm.
“Hey! You friendzoned me.”
“No…? It was you! Well, yeah, I never tried to flirt with you or anything but...anybody could see that you were being just my friend.”
“I can say the same about you,” Loki playfully accused.
“Whatever,” she shrugged.
A thought started playing in her mind. And a couple of seconds later, she decided to say it aloud, “I...umm...Just curious...y’know, don’t take it in any other way. Did you ever think of flirting with me?” She put forward each word very cautiously.
Loki furrowed his brows, and opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, she warned him, “Be honest!”
Immediately, his confident attitude changed into a helpless one. “Yes, I did. Maybe once. Or twice. But that was all! I assure you!”
She could hardly contain the amusement that was bubbling inside.
“What’s so funny about it?” Loki asked with furrowed brows.
“Nothing,” she shook her head as she tried to hold back her laughter, “nothing at all. It’s,” and then she lost it, “I’m sorry! It’s funny! I don’t know why, I find it funny hearing from you!”
“Look who’s laughing!” He said wryly. “I could clearly hear your thoughts the first few days after I stepped into this structure. Every compliment that your little mind cooed at my divine persona. And may I dare say that not all of them were decent.”
Her hysterics were long forgotten as her face went red at the comment.
“How dare you invade my mind?” Her hand had balled into a fist, ready to hit his arm when he caught it.
“I didn’t invade it, darling. You were practically shouting inside that pretty head of yours. I could have heard it from the other side of the planet!”
“That was a long time ago,” she refused to meet his eyes. “I make better choices and better decisions now.”
“Do you?”
She opened her mouth to speak but closed it without uttering a syllable, and crossed her arms.
Loki nudged her with his elbow. “Hey, it’s fun to tease you. Don’t be a spoilsport.”
“I hate you,” she peeked at him through the corner of her eye.
“What can I say,” Loki sighed. “Alright, if you say so.”
She smirked as she glanced at him sideways.
Loki cleared his throat in a not-so-subtle manner. “So, the next time Stark throws a party, I’ll find someone for you.”
Immediately, she face-palmed, and groaned, “No.”
“What?”
“Please drop this topic. And you’d probably find me a psychopath, anyway” She joked.
“That hurt!” Loki exclaimed with a hurt look masking his humour, “do you think so little of me? Can’t I find a proper partner for my best friend, my darling?”
“No, it didn’t hurt. Don’t fake it. I know you better than anyone.”
“No, you don’t. You-”
“I do. And...I’m fine, Loki” she reassured him, “being with myself, with the people here, being with you.” She gently bumped her knee into his.
“Will these be enough?” His tone had left the playfulness behind. “Will I be enough? For all your life?”
She shrugged, “I think so. You...stick with me all the time, you understand me, you...make me feel good. What more could I want to be happy?”
“You know what more you are missing. A friend can never touch the boundaries of what a lover can give you.”
“I don’t need a lover. Just be with me all my life, and I won’t need anyone else.”
He gave her hand a light squeeze. “I will. I promise.”
Her playful smile was back. “Thanks for all the pep talk, my dearest God. But turns out that I’m better off alone. Now can we please go back to the game? It’s my turn to ask you.”
“Alright,” he smiled back, “if you say so.”
“Stop saying that!” A defeated sigh left her. “You won’t be convinced, will you?”
“Probably not. Because I know that this will gnaw at you again a few days later. I know you’ll be sad again. And that I won’t allow on my watch.”
“God!”
“Right here, listening to you!” Loki quipped.
Rolling her eyes, she muttered, ”Damn you!” And proceeded to put forward a proper argument.
“The reason why I’m avoiding a new relationship is because I don’t want another heartache. I can’t handle breakups. That’s why I’m...”
When Loki didn’t make another attempt at dissuading her from her arguments, she added, “I just...try everything to avoid a heartbreak. Because when I get one, I lose control over myself.”
“Yes, I’ve seen. Once.”
“Then you must have noticed how vicious I become. Sarcasm drips from my mouth all the time, I say things that I shouldn’t, I...I hurt people. And in turn, I hurt myself. I yell at those who want nothing but good for me. But...”
“But being mean seems to be the only way to mask the pain,” he finished her line.
“It does, yes!”
She looked at him, and into his eyes that silently spoke of the pain that was resurfacing. She remembered something.
“You and I are so...alike!”
He nodded with a smile. “And maybe that is why we understand each other more than anyone ever could. … But we’re more than just being alike, if you think about it.”
She noticed how his voice gradually rose from its usual calmness to an excited tone, and his hands moved with his words.
Loki continued, “You point out my mistakes but don’t accuse me like everyone else does. You show me what’s right. And there’s this-this thing about you, which is so scary...the way you make me do all the things that you want. I-I mean, I am the God here! But you…a mortal...how can you have so much power over me?”
He sighed as his voice dropped to a compassionate tone, “You make me happy, (Y/N). You’ve taught me to forgive when I can, to forget what I can’t fix.”
“Don’t always do that,” she interrupted with a smirk.
His evil smile made a brief appearance before he resumed his warm note, “I like being with you. No...I love being with you! You make me feel good. You make me feel...I don’t know.... You make me feel…”
“Complete?”
“Yes!” He observed her, “You complete me.”
For yet another time, silence enveloped them. The only difference was that this time, it was comfortable. Even in their hushed moments, they could hear each other, know what the other wanted to say.
After a while of exchanging quiet stares, (Y/N) spoke, “All this time I believed, but now I know for myself, that you are indeed Silvertongue!”
Loki looked at his lap and laughed, but in the pale light of the setting moon, she noticed the pink that had crept up his ears and cheeks.
“I meant every word of what I said,” he reassured her once again that evening.
“I know, Loki.”
Loki watched her as she shifted to a kneeling position, and leaned towards him. He felt his face becoming hotter as she supported herself on his shoulder with one hand, and placed a soft kiss on his cheekbone.
As she settled back, her lips tingled with the memory of Loki’s skin on it.
They had been best friends, yes, but she had never allowed herself more than a quick hug because she knew that Loki wasn’t someone open to random touches. And she wanted to respect that. Always.
But this peck felt right. It felt necessary. And it felt...different.
What happened next wasn’t guided by logic anymore, but only by their senses.
Loki put his legs back on the pouffe, and scooted a little closer to (Y/N). Taking the cue, she shifted so that her leg was stretched out, and back on the pouffe - not on hers but his - and sat close to him. He arranged the blanket so that it covered them both again.
Another stretch of silence enveloped them. To them, the moment was beautiful. To Loki, who had never experienced anything similar before, it was precious. If he could stop time, he would have done it right then and there.
“Why haven’t you found anyone yet?” She asked him.
“Royalty has its disadvantages,” he replied without taking a moment to think.
She leaned back slightly to get a good look at his face, “Didn’t you ever find anyone from the royal...uh...what do you call it? Of royal blood?”
Loki laughed at her naivety. “Can’t say I didn’t. But none of them were the one. Besides, most people chose my handsome brother over me. And if anyone chose me, well, it was mostly because of my royal title. None of them were real.”
“That’s awful! I would never have done that to you! I’d have chosen you for the wonderful being that you are. But, I get it; happens on our planet, too.”
“Everywhere,” he asserted.
“So...who do you think is the one for you?”
He looked down at her face, which was mere inches away from his. For the first time in months of their friendship, he felt something swell inside his chest at the closeness.
“I still don’t know,” he whispered, “but I think the Norns might have started giving me clues.”
He didn’t need to explain, obviously. All the tension that had been building up throughout the night had placed them both on the same page.
Without thinking, Loki moved his wrist so that his palm was facing the ceiling. And instinctively, (Y/N) placed her hand in it, their fingers closing around each other.
"It's odd," she announced after a while.
"Indeed."
"It's weird. I mean, what were we even thinking!" She huffed, although she was still clutching his hand, as was he holding hers.
"Exactly what I was thinking. You and me?” Loki laughed nervously, “Come on!"
"Yeah!"
"Right".
Silence, their faithful companion for the night, visited them once again.
"Could it be? You and me?" Loki’s voice was a little more than a whisper, and bordered on the edge of confidence and doubt.
"Doesn't sound so bad. Not after all these... Talks?" She whispered back.
"Right!"
"Right."
And once again, they fell quiet.
The strangeness of the moment pushed them both into a whirlpool of thoughts. From acquaintances to partners to friends to best friends to...lovers?
Can this even be possible? What if it’s just a passing phase? What if everything goes back to normal tomorrow? Will we still be able to talk normally? But… This feels right. Just...right.
With a sigh, (Y/N) put her head on Loki’s shoulder.
"I don't want to rush into anything and ruin what we have," she confessed in a hushed tone, eyes staring into the night outside.
"Neither do I. You're the only one I have."
With a raised brow, she looked up at him.
"And Thor," he corrected himself with a small smile.
"Glad you remember him "
"Shut up.
Slowly, hesitantly, Loki put his free hand around her. Unsure of the appropriateness of the action, he kept his arm loosely hanging around her frame.
He waited for a while. Had Loki looked at her face, instead of looking straight ahead in fear, he would have noticed the small smile that had formed on her lips.
When she didn’t flinch or protest, he began to rest his arm properly but gently on her. He even went ahead and made the slightest possible effort to pull her closer to him.
The smile that had started forming on her now spread wide enough to turn into a grin. Its reflection was found on Loki’s face, too, who could finally muster the courage to look at her, although he was equally worried that she would be able to hear his heart trying to hammer its way out of his chest.
With every minute that passed, Loki became more baffled, for he couldn’t decide which moment he’d frame and hang on the wall of his heart as the most precious one.
"Are you feeling hot?" She asked without looking at him.
"A bit, yes. You, too?"
"Quite a bit, actually," she gulped.
"Is it normal?"
"I guess, yes. Totally! Had we been cool about it, it'd have meant that there's no spark between us. It’d have felt awkward, wrong."
"So, you agree that there's a spark between us?" He didn’t even attempt to hide the mischievous smirk that shone on his face.
"I had always suspected," she nodded.
"Hmm. When was the last time we went out for dinner?" He asked.
“Probably last month...or was it-”
(Y/N)’s head snapped up to look at him. She could barely put a lid on her excitement.
"Are you proposing to take me out on a date?"
"Well, if we are going to do this, then I'd like to court you properly."
She felt like she'd burst out of sheer excitement.
"If you'd agree to it, that is" Loki clarified.
Taking a large breath, she replied, "I'd love it."
The night was going better than either had expected. Who would have thought that a game of weird questions and a few confessions could change their lives!
(Y/N) put her head back on his shoulder, and let her body slump against him. He held her confidently this time.
“It still feels weird though,” she declared.
“It does, yes, but...maybe this is...right?” In a long time, Loki was hopeful about something, and he wasn’t going to let it slip away. No.
“I hope so.”
“Me, too.”
“Just so you know,” she sat up straight, “Thor is handsome, yes, but you are devilishly charming. You’re intelligent, well-read, witty, sarcastic, great at combat...uh...”
“Go on,” Loki smirked, earning a playful glare from her.
“You are,” she continued, “seductive! And who can resist a sorcerer who knows his way around everything!”
The evil smile that Loki had put away found its way back on his face. “As far as I remember, I did nothing to seduce you. I wonder what will happen if I try...”
“Shut up, Loki! You know I give away raw compliments. I didn’t really mean...I didn’t think...”
He laughed heartily at the furious way she was blushing.
“I was only pulling your leg. I had imagined you to be wise,” he clarified.
“I am! It’s just... I was...” She shook her head.
“So,” Loki resumed, “you think I’m devilishly charming?”
“Drop the topic, please!”
“You can’t resist my sorcery, ha?”
“Please change the topic! Forget what I said!!”
Loki laughed as he continued teasing her. It wasn’t going to be an easy ride, she realized, with the God of Mischief, but it was going to be the best ever!
“(Y/N)?”
“Hmm?”
“I know it was your turn to ask but, what if...you and I are indeed meant to be together?”
She smiled as she rubbed her cheek on his shirt, “I think we’ll have a gorgeous future together. And...I’d love that more than anything else.”
---------------------
The next morning...
“Morning, Wanda-”
“Shh! Shh!!” The red-haired witch silenced Natasha, and pointed towards the couch.
Curious, Natasha’s eyes followed the direction that Wanda’s finger was pointing at.
There, snuggled in a blanket, fast asleep, sat (Y/N) and Loki, their legs spread on a pouffe, tangled with each other’s. Loki’s arm was wrapped around her shoulder while she was holding his waist. Her head lay on his chest and his on hers.
“Aren’t they cute?” Wanda whispered.
Before Nat could reply, Tony’s voice cut the conversation.
“Who’s cute?”
This time, both the ladies shushed him, leaving a perplexed expression on his once sleepy face.
When they pointed towards the couch, Tony huffed, “These two! God knows what’s taking them so long to realise! They’re just so-” His face lit up. “Know what? I have an idea! I’ll make them confess. Who’s up for it?”
***
Now has a sequel: Their Little Secret
Tumblr media
And...a song for keeping the feelings floating...💕
youtube
438 notes · View notes
voiidlizrd · 3 years
Text
Tumblr media
JUJUTSU KAISEN CHARACTERS IF YOU LAUGHED WHEN YOU FOUND OUT THEY CHEATED
A/N: I’ve seen so many angst fanfictions of characters cheating on Y/N and they cry and can’t really get over them. What if it was just Y/N laughing because they don’t take shit and probably stand by the “you loose me, you loose me loser.” Of course they are hurt but can’t let people control them for it.
If you have been in a very toxic relationship, you are awesome and I hope the best for you!
This is my first time writing a bit of angst (if you can call it that) and this will probably be OOC, but I’m not sure.
Gender Neutral Reader for all parts except Naoya (we all know how he feels about women). Badly written angst.
Warning: toxic relationships, slight angst, just reader being a badass, Naoya being Naoya.
Tumblr media
As much as I love Gojo, he would totally cheat on you. He’s a guy with a huge ego and pride and probably lacks commitment to actual romantic relationships, it isn’t surprising that he would cheat.
You found out when his phone went off next to you one day. Giving into curiosity, you checked to see what it was about.
It was a text from a someone you didn’t know, or care to know. The text read;
Last night was fun I can’t wait to do that again sometime.
You aren’t stupid. You knew what they meant by that. You only hummed at the message, setting the phone down and trying to ignore the pain in your heart, rising to your throat. You had suspicions, but of course didn’t push for the sake of trusting Gojo.
Gojo came back to the living room and saw you there, phone in hand. His heart immediately dropped but tried to smile at you.
“Last night was fun,” you read from the text off his phone. “I can’t wait to do that again sometime.”
His blood ran cold when hearing the casualty in your voice, like you just told him about the weather.
“So, got anything to say?”
“What’s there to say? It shouldn’t matter right? It was just a one time thing.”
He expected you to start screaming or crying, that’s how most people he had a relationship acted when finding out about his affairs. But not you, no. You smiled at him.
“You’re right. It will be a one time thing. We’re over.”
What?
“What do you mean ‘we’re over,’ and why the fuck are you smiling!?” Gojo tried to get mad at you, to rile you up in hopes of something at least. If you didn’t care why should he? But at the same time…
“I said what I said and meant what I said. I’m smiling because it’s funny.”
“The fuck is so funny about this?”
“It’s funny you think I’d actually cry over something like this, over you.”
You aren’t crying over him. You only chuckle at his surprised expression, holding back laughter. He didn’t get a rise out of you, your sobs and yells of not being able to have him truly.
You weren’t upset over him.
“Wh-“ “I’ll pack my things.”
With that you just shoved your things into your bags, taking everything with you and giving Gojo a sickeningly sweet smile at the front doorway.
“Whatever.” Gojo spat with a smirk. “You won’t find another guy like me, yknow.”
Your smiled widened, much to Gojo’s hatred. “Good to know.”
With that, you left. You left without a fuss, without a tear. Fine, Gojo thought, I don’t need you anyways.
You’d be back either way. You’d crawl back to him realizing you can’t get over someone like THE Gojo Satoru. You just can’t!
Gojo probably slept around, trying to get rid of the thought of you and tried to enjoy this “freedom.” In truth, each time after the one night stand was done, all he remembered was that goddamn smile you gave him, how casual you were about leaving him.
No second thought, no second chance.
You just left.
He shouldn’t care. There were plenty of women and plenty of men who were more than willing to be with him, of course.
So why does he feel so empty without you? Why did it set a heavy weight of guilt on his shoulders. It was only then he realized that you really wouldn’t come back.
Tumblr media
Okay it is canon that Toji here can’t be bothered to be in a committed relationship. So it isn’t a surprise he probably cheats.
You found out when you ran into him on the way to the store. He was with some random woman, you didn’t pay much attention to who she was really.
You two just stared at one another. Toji didn’t seem to bother to explain himself, nor did he seem to care. Of course you ached on the inside.
“Gonna say anything? Cause I gotta get goin’.” Toji finally said.
“Back to your date?”
He just rolled his eyes, ready for the waterworks and the screaming. He waited, and waited. Looking back at you, all he saw was a smile. His brows furrowed.
No screaming. No yelling. You just laughed and looked at the woman;
“Good luck.”
You just walked passed him, shoulders bumping into one another roughly. It left a bitter taste in Toji’s mouth. You just… Walked away with no fuss. Sure. Fine by him right? Right.
He didn’t care and you didn’t seem to neither. No problem with him.
That’s a lie.
He saw you go about your day to day life. Despite the look of casualty on your face, you looked… worn out.
Ouch.
Right through Toji’s heart was the spike of guilt.
You were hurting, that much was obvious, but you tried to get over it. After all, plenty of fish in the sea. It would be a waste to just save it on some dude.
‘Course Toji tried to get you out of his mind. It was obvious he couldn’t. Always thinking about you, sometimes even waiting to see you text him some stupid shit he could roll his eyes at. Something.
But you didn’t. You couldn’t and you shouldn’t. If he didn’t care about your relationship, neither would you.
It was over and it was done.
But there’s times Toji really wishes he wasn’t such an asshole.
Tumblr media
How you two got together is BEYOND anyone’s understanding. He’s misogynistic and a complete asshole. It’s surprising how you are able to put up with him sometimes.
What’s not surprising is him cheating. He believes that his male needs need to be satisfied whenever. After all he works hard so he clearly deserve it.
You were blissfully unaware until a sympathetic servant informed you of what your husband gets up to when he’s not around.
You just smiled but it was clear by the ache in your eyes you fought back the tears. You knew. You had a gut feeling but you tried to trust him.
Upon returning home, he was greeted by you sitting on the bed with your things packs behind you.
“The fuck is this?” Naoya demanded.
“I know you’re cheating on me.”
Naoya just scoffed and rolled his eyes. Women and their emotions. “I’m a man. I have needs you know.”
“I know. Whoever she is, she can do it all the time with you. I don’t really care.” You smiled.
Naoya grinned, figuring you saw it his way like a good wife. But his smile dropped when you took off your wedding ring and set it on the bedside table. No anger behind it and no hesitation.
“What the fuck are you doing.”
“Letting you have your way as a man. I mean, you won’t have a wife to be nagging you about that, right?” You grinned even wider, venom pouring from your words while your face said otherwise.
You grabbed your things and tried to walk past him. Keyword, tried.
“You aren’t going anywhere! You are my wife!” His hand gripped your wrist but you just tugged it away. “Get back here!”
You weren’t crying like he was expecting. Don’t women just bawl when they find their husband is being unfaithful? Don’t they make a huge fuss and scene?
You just continued walking away from him, ignoring him as if he were just a flu. A pest.
“You are my wife! You will-“ “Ex-wife.”
You turned with a smile. “Wish you and her the best of luck. Really, I do. She keep your man needs ‘satisfied’ right?”
For once Naoya was speechless. He could only watch as you walked away, away from the Zenin estate. You turned back and he could only wait- rather hope- you’d come running back to him and apologize for doing this to him, for saying such things to him. But you just stood, and stared, and chuckled at your own stupidity. Misogynists, am I right?
There are plenty of women who are submissive, Naoya told himself. Plenty who are willing to be pretty wives.
Yet there he stands, just hoping and wishing his dear wife would come back. His caring and loving one. That smile you gave him, that smile of pure pain yet amusement. You’d always smile when he brought you joy.
Now he just sees that sickening smile over and over. He tried to blame it on the woman he had an affair with, she came onto him! But at the end of the day, he was the one that gave in.
Hope I did good at the angst! My heart sure didn’t enjoy it except the Naoya part.
642 notes · View notes
Note
I agree with you on Ch. 5 and have spent lots of time thinking what I'd change. Like maybe Vil is unintentionally (metaphorically) poisoning Epel in an obsessive attempt to make him the ultimate weapon against Neige or make Neige's backstory relevant in probably the only chapter he'll be important in. Maybe people know his history and admire him more for his humble beginnings than Vil, who grew up more privileged. Idk, those are just some random ideas of mine. How would you change Ch. 5?
Spoilers for Book 5
Oooh!! Those are interesting changes. I do like your idea of Vil unintentionally poisoning Epel into becoming as obsessive with perfection as he is. Maybe it could be a future conflict we deal with later on! 
For me, here are the things that I would keep or change in chapter 5.
First half of Pomefiore stays the same. I think it did a good job laying the groundwork for the conflict and introducing the Pomefiore characters, especially Epel and Vil, who are in conflict with each other.
The first change I’d make is Epel’s change of perception of beauty and strength. While I get that Vil is right that things such as fashion and dance shouldn’t be gendered, I think the way Epel changed his mind to end up siding with Vil was far too quick. Epel held that toxic masculinity because he was raised with such a mindset. Changing that mindset wouldn’t happen overnight, especially if it’s ingrained.
I understand the direction that the story was going. The reason why Epel even held that mindset was because it’s likely that being big and strong was the image of boys that everyone admired in his village. Heck, it’s the ideal societal image of men. Especially since he has to do farm work, Epel would also want to be big and strong to better support his family. The point of him having a change of mind upon seeing Vil’s advertisement causing a boom in his family’s business is for him to see that the beauty Vil displays is also something admired and something that can help his family, and with the kinds of looks he has, he can also be admired in a similar way.
Again, it feels a bit too quick for Epel to have that change of heart because it’s hard to let go of a mindset that you grew up with. What I would want it to be is that there’s still some reluctance on his part, but he would have an attitude that is sort of like, “Okay, you proved something to me, so I’ll follow you, but it doesn’t mean that I’m going to obey your every command.” It’s like a ‘wait and see’ kind of thing. 
The second change I would want to make is to have a bit more acknowledgement that Vil’s attitude really isn’t it. The previous chapters did not hesitate to paint their main antagonist as a villain and even show that their actions are problems that need to be confronted. However, at least to my impression, chapter 5 doesn’t paint Vil in the same light. If anything, it just makes it seem like Epel is the one in the wrong while Vil is in the right, therefore Vil’s actions, harsh or otherwise, are justified. 
This isn’t to say that Vil’s beliefs aren’t valid. Rather, many people, including myself, do agree with him on the idea that things such as dance shouldn’t be gendered. It’s a fact that gender stereotypes does a lot of harm, and he addresses this through his lifestyle and influence.
This is also not to say that I want to change Vil’s character either. I like his character. It makes sense for someone who strives for excellence and expects the same for his team, and the industry he’s in is not exactly merciful either. 
No, what I want is that someone calls him out. Especially in the scene where he defeated Epel, and the latter ran out of the room in tears (around chapter 5–37). I understand not being able to really criticize him since he is their leader, but I wished that there was acknowledgement from the characters that his actions and words have a negative effect on the team. Even a chapter dedicated to some of them (especially first years and maybe Kalim who listens to them) whisper ranting about Vil late at night would have been good enough, and heck, that could even strengthen our bond with the other members of the team! Have someone say, “Vil, I think you’re going too far.”/”Vil is being too harsh on us.”, whether in front of his face or behind his back. And I would want it to result to him saying something like, “I’m doing all this for the benefit of our team.” etc., and it would result in everyone getting shushed.
This would also give more development to his eventual Overblot and flashback. Vil entered Overblot because he hated how ugly he had become. In his flashback, he expressed how he hates being relegated to the villain role. If someone called him out for his harsh actions, that seed of guilt and self-doubt will be planted. It would have been an amazing build-up to his Overblot. Jamil preparing antidotes to poisons due to knowledge of Vil’s skill in potionology (I believe around chapter 5–21?) was the starting point. Build it up further by having other characters look at him like he’s the bad guy, but have his facade remain strong until his near attempt at poisoning Neige. 
The third change I would make pertains to Vil as well. This would revolve around his moments where he checks Mira Mira. I would want him to eventually have a monologue to himself to not think of unsavory thoughts, or at least, a peek of his thoughts. 
A general problem I have with chapter 5 is how Vil’s backstory didn’t get the proper build-up I think it could have gotten. You might argue that it’s a similar case with Azul: we don’t get much of a build-up to his backstory aside from that scene where he talks about having to eat healthy or else he’d get fat (or as Twst EN writes it, it would go straight to his thighs). But see, I think that is fine because Azul is someone who doesn’t reveal his weaknesses. It reflects his character to not throw in much hints of his backstory. 
With Vil, however, we get to see his moments of weaknesses, the times when he asks Mira Mira who’s the most beautiful. I want to see how his emotions build up from the first time we see him ask Mira Mira to the third time. Of course, the first and second times would be left relatively unchanged, but maybe for the third time, that’s when he’s telling himself, “Okay, calm down. Keep your cool.” or something. If we combine it to the second change I proposed, it would be so good to see Vil tell himself, “I’m not a villain. I’m not a bad guy.” 
This would also be the perfect time(s) to put in the backstory of Neige. It could have also been dropped in discussions of Neige, but it would be really good to see Vil tell himself, “Okay, calm down, Neige is a poor boy who works just as hard as I do.” to keep his morals about him. 
The fourth change I would make is that the conflict between Vil and Epel isn’t left ignored. This is probably one of my biggest gripes with the chapter. The first half of Pomefiore beautifully established the conflict between the two of them, but the second half acted as if it didn’t exist. It’s like... what is the point of all that? It can’t have been resolved that quickly. 
This also sort of connects to the first change I brought up, that Epel shouldn’t have had that change of heart so quickly. I would want an additional scene just before the VDC rehearsals of Epel and Vil talking. We see after Vil’s overblot that Epel asks him if he can take Vil’s place. Maybe we could have a discussion pertaining to that: that Epel been getting better, but of course, the road to improvement is long, and he still needs to learn a lot. It would still show that the conflict hasn’t been fully resolved, but it’s a bit better. 
I also do acknowledge, though, that this is a conflict that will likely be referred to again later on in the main story. I don’t know when, but I also want to look at the bigger picture. 
The fifth and last change I would make is to have Deuce have a bit more beef with Vil. This probably sounds a bit silly, but hear me out. This is one of the main reasons why I’m not satisfied with chapter 5. From the way things were going, it would have made more sense for Epel to gain his UM, but it comes out that Deuce gains his UM. And honestly, I’m really proud of Deuce, and chapter 5 highlights his growth. But it feels it came out of left field.
I think this is probably something that would be hard to fix due to the visual novel format. If it was an animation, watching Deuce struggle in dancing would make it more effective, and his growth to the point of gaining his UM would make a lot more sense. Additionally, chapter 5 had a lot of delays, so it’s possible as well that I just probably couldn’t appreciate it as much. 
But even then, since he really used the UM against OB Vil, I wish that he had more clashes with Vil where it’s not just him being forced to silence after saying a piece of dialogue. 
This would connect to the second change as well. I see Deuce being involved in tea time where they rant about Vil. I’m sure that comment Vil made about his dancing hurt him as much as it fueled his determination, and he would be a bit pissed over how Epel cried that day. Additionally, he was a delinquent at one point, and it would be pretty interesting to see his thoughts on authority and how Vil uses his authority on them. 
98 notes · View notes
aminiatureworld · 3 years
Text
Old Faces
Characters: Albedo, Xiao, Zhongli, gn!reader
Word Count: 2,151
Warnings: None
Premise: In which the reader runs into their ex
Author’s Note: Did something a little different by changing which character perspective it was for different prompts. I found it a good way to explore this particular prompt.
Albedo
The moment Albedo walked out of his office door he felt his stomach sink a bit.
Though the alchemist liked to think that he was a man of perfect rationality, whether by nature or by will, he couldn’t help but feel a knot in his stomach as he watched you talking to your ex.
Albedo knew that things hadn’t ended well in your last relationship, knew that there had been a lot of shouting and crying done by both parties, all culminating in you getting kicked out of your shared apartment. You didn’t like to talk about it even now, focusing on your relationship with Albedo instead of dwelling on the past. If any reminder of your ex ever surfaced you usually glared it before moving on.
That knowledge made your evidently awkward conversation all the worse. As you leaned against one of the beams which held up the alchemy front, seemingly distancing yourself as much as possible from the person in front of you, Albedo felt a sudden urge to run and wedge himself between the two of you. OF course he would never act upon something so unhelpful, but the alchemist was finding more and more that he’d be seized by illogical wishes the more he opened himself up to you.
Now he curbed his thoughts and made his way over, planting himself firmly next to you and not bothering to introduce himself beyond a curt nod. Not as if he needed an introduction anyways, as Albedo had run into your former partner a few times before, and the icy coldness between him and them was completely natural, at least on Albedo’s part.
“Ah Albedo!” You turned, smiling brightening for a moment. Placing a quick kiss on the alchemist’s cheek, something which caused warmth to immediately flood his face, you turned back towards your ex. “I’m sure you know about my partner, this is Albedo.”
“So you’ve been screwing around with this runt,” you ex shook his head as if disgusted. Narrowing his eyes, Albedo felt irritation wash over him, and for a moment he wondered if there was a potion that might indispose your ex for at least a week that could be easily hidden.
“Yes I’m currently in a relationship with him,” you replied, ignoring your ex’s jeer. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
“None of my business? Don’t I have the right to be worried for you?”
“Oh please,” you snorted. “If you really worried about me you wouldn’t have kicked me out. Now if you please I have something to do. I’m very glad to hear that you’re well and getting your life on track and everything, but in truth I think this is really awkward, so could you please give me at least a head’s up next time.”
“You’re still think you’re better than everyone,” your ex spat.
“No, they don’t.” Albedo heard himself say, finding himself more and more irritated by this conversation. “But though they would never admit it, they are certainly better than you. I suggest you listen to their warnings, otherwise there are a few elixirs that could certainly use a human test subject.”
Your ex’s face paled, and they let out a curse before turning away. Suddenly feeling very depleted of energy Albedo sighed.
“Hey, thanks for that.”
“Of course,” Albedo looked up at you. “You seemed uncomfortable.”
“I was,” you admitted. “They weren’t really listening to me, so thank you.”
Leaning over to kiss Albedo once more you stopped in surprise as your partner tilted his head so that your lips met his, instead of the cheek you were aiming for. Pulling back Albedo looked at the ground.
“Sorry, I realize that wasn’t what you were planning.”
“I don’t mind!” Your reply came fast. “I’m just surprised. You okay?”
“Of course I’m alright,” Albedo looked at you. “You should be more worried about yourself.”
“Why shouldn’t I be also worried about you?” You tilted your head. “I know that you don’t really like conflict. And I’m sure that was awkward for you as well.”
Albedo said nothing in reply, merely leaning over to kiss you gently on the forehead. You were so quick to notice things sometimes he couldn’t fathom it.
As the afternoon drifted on Albedo found himself once more thinking about how wonderful you were. There was no one in the world like you, no one nearly so precious to him, so worthy of love. If this was beyond the intelligence of a shadow of the past, well, what did it matter.
  Xiao
“Why don’t you just go back to them?”
You stared at your partner, surprised by the words that had just come out of his mouth. All day Xiao had been as prickly as a cactus, even more standoffish than usual, and all day you’d been trying to coax some words out of the silent yaksha who had taken to standing next to you all day. Now you wondered if that hadn’t been a mistake.
“What do you mean?” You felt your voice waver slightly. “Xiao why are you telling me to go back to my ex?”
You had run into a former significant other of yours at the Inn a day ago, as they had taken up a carpentry contract for the rotting bits of stairwell that made the Inn so difficult to manage sometimes. Though you two had long since been finished, the split had been amicable, and at the time it had felt nostalgic to simply chat with an old friend, a memory of an earlier part of your life when everything had been so different.
Though you were certainly aware that Xiao might have been watching, a suspicion confirmed by the adeptus’ questions that evening, you had never thought much of it. Sure it was your former partner, but it was too long ago to even think about now. You had been a dumb kid then, and though you might not be infallible now, you were certainly different. Standing across from your partner now you realized that not everyone appeared to hold the same opinon.
“Xiao, I know that I was talking to my ex yesterday, but just because I was doing so doesn’t mean I don’t love you or care about you. That was a very long time ago for me, if not for you, and I don’t see in them a partner anyone, I haven’t for years. I understand if you might not feel the same way regarding the timeframe, but there’s no reason to, well, I don’t know what you’re doing right now.”
You stared at your partner, who appeared to be glaring at the railing right next to your hand. You loved Xiao, despite all the rumors that often circulated him and the rest of the adepti. You also knew that Xiao had an incredibly fine-tuned sense of justice and logic. He normally wouldn’t hurl something at you like a challenge. Though he wasn’t perhaps the most well-versed in the ordinary lives of humans, you would hardly call him oblivious to human customs. Partner’s weren’t always partner’s for life. Why then was Xiao acting so cagey?
Now you partner let out a small “hmph!” Shifting himself so he was facing the outside, he stared out at the inky night of Liyue. His cheeks were warmed by the flickering candles of the Inn, and in that moment he seemed oddly vulnerable.
“Xiao,” you ventured. “Is something wrong, are you, are you still uneasy about yesterday.”
For a moment Xiao said nothing, and your heart began to sink. As you turned to walk away however you heard the soft tones of your partner’s voice.
“Would you be happier with them?”
“No,” the answer came automatic and true, “though I may have been their partner once, now they’re merely a friend. There is no one like you to me Xiao, there never will be; I realized that a while ago. Even if you worry about your karma or you lack of knowledge or whatever you shouldn’t worry that I’ll ever leave you.”
You quickly found yourself enveloped in your partner’s embrace. Letting a small sigh of relief pass your lips you returned the embrace fiercely. Feeling the arms around you tighten ever so slightly you found the strangest urge to laugh. Maybe because it was so silly, the idea that you would ever leave your partner. Though it was sad that he would never know how deeply those feelings ran.
“I’ll never go back to anyone but you,” you murmured.
 Zhongli
The first thing Zhongli thought was that you two looked so right together.
Though the ex-archon did not like to admit it, the doubts that he had had at the beginning of the relationship still plagued him. Not the doubts about his love for you, oh no he could never doubt such a thing not if all the stars went out. No, his doubts lay in himself, in who he was. Perhaps it was wrong of him to still linger on his impending immortality, something that you assured him you had come to terms with. It felt disrespectful towards your decision to continuously feel this way. Yet standing at the door of the Funeral Parlor, watching as you chatted with your former partner, Zhongli could not help but feel the familiar pain.
The walk home was spent in a bit of a fog, as Zhongli half-listened to you discuss your day. Normally he found everything about you fascinating, and the things your job put you through were no different. This time though the words trickled off his back like water off a duck’s wings, the image of your and your “ex”, as you called it, pressing down upon him.
“My love?” He found himself saying, not realizing he had made up the decision to ask you something. You paused your conversation, titling your head slightly.
“Is something wrong?”
“No.” It was a lie perhaps, but an understandable one. “I just wished to comment upon the fact that I saw you with your former significant other. I hope that all was well with them.”
“They’re fine,” you replied. “Doing great actually, if what they say is true. Then again then were always prone to lying.” You let out a small laugh.
“Do you miss them?” Zhongli found he could not contain his questions today.
“No, not really. To be honest, talking to them kinda sucked. They sort of half-ghosted me back in the day, and even though you have to keep up appearances and all, I mean I can’t take them to task now, it still hurt.”
“I am sorry to hear that.”
“Oh don’t be!” You shook your head. “I’m perfectly happy where I am now. Even if that whole debacle sucked, it’s worth it if it let this happen.”
The both of you glanced down at you intertwined hands. The image was so perfect in Zhongli’s mind that for a moment all his worries went away, and the golden sun seemed to brighten just a little bit.
Later that evening however Zhongli once more found himself thinking about it. He really had been shaken by you talking with your former partner. Even if they were not the right one, they were still human. Did that not make things easier for you? Happier for you? Zhongli thought back at your hands. How fast would they age in his mind, how fast would you notice how frozen Zhongli was. As if he was carved from rock, the ex-archon could only be eroded slowly. He could not grow old with you.
“My darling?” Zhongli murmured. It was dark and the two of you were in bed. Limbs tangled together, heads nestled close, Zhongli felt as if he could ask what he so feared.
“Yes?” Your voice was heavy with sleep.
“Do you ever regret falling in love with me?”
“No,” your murmured. “I know that you might not believe me, or you might not stop worrying, but you should. I love only you, my dear. I always will. Death will not change how much I love you.”
Zhongli pondered these words as your breathing evened and you slipped off into dreams. How could you say such a thing so nonchalantly, how could you be so sure? Then again, humans always seemed to be more confident in their decisions than those who had been given immortality.
Though the ex-archon wasn’t always fond of sleep, Zhongli felt himself begin to slip away. In the in between of awake and asleep everything seemed painted over, made simple by the logic of one half-dreaming. He would never be rid of these feelings. Perhaps then he should rely on yours. He relied on your for so much already.
Kissing your cheek before finally being dragged into sleep the last coherent thought Zhongli was aware of was that he loved you so very much.
373 notes · View notes
husbandohunter · 3 years
Note
Your Stardew Impact has given me a serious brainrot and I couldn’t sleep on it so here
Imagine the boys getting Isekai to Stardew and meeting their (soon-to-be) s/o a.k.a the farmer who found them in the mines and dragged them out.
It’s basically the same as the original but the reader lives in Stardew universe from the beginning.
The Outlanders who trespassed the Stars [Stardew Valley + Genshin Impact]
Tumblr media
Synopsis: You were a simple farmer who lived a simple life before crossing paths with these outlanders. A tale of greetings and farewells tells a story that loving someone was like looking at the stars in the sky; a sense of warmth amidst darkness, where the dots connect no matter what distance it was. But just like stars, they were meant to be unobtainable.
(Basically what happens if the boys get Isekai'd)
Genre: fluff, angst (faceapalm didn't mean to)
Characters: Childe, Xiao, Zhongli
(A/n): Hi anon, haha I didn't think the Stardew Impact series would be this enjoyable. Allow me to serve your brainrot. But just for future references there is a character limit! Also it long, a pro tip to use ctrl+F and type in the name :>
======================
~Childe's Story~
The day you met Childe was perhaps during the most fortunate yet unfortunate hour of your life.
Winter comes by, your fields were left dry, what else was there to do other than mining? You were aiming to build a new Barnhouse before summer comes, fishing only made average income thus you decided to take your pickaxe and hope to run into some diamonds, gold or even better: prismatic shards. However, expensive items could only be found in the deepest parts of the mountains, where dangerous monsters lurk by.
When peeking over the abandoned minecart you so carefully shielded yourself with, you began contemplating whether you've just dug yourself a grave instead. The whole area became infested, you weren't in the best condition and on top of all that, you were out of food.
You decided to make a run for it, with the treasures and goodies at hand, you couldn't give up. However, things only got worse when purple mist began taking over your vision, signaling a lava bat wave drawing nigh. It was thanks to your greed that you ended in such a predicament but it was also your greed that brought you to him.
"W-Woah!!"
You tripped with your toe pointing downwards into a pile of wooden crates. The bats swarmed in shortly after, daunting around the area above but you couldn't afford to look. Your face was down to the ground and you could only rely on your ears regarding their whereabouts. As if Yoba heard your prayers, the lava bats could not seem to find you, confusing them to think you've escaped. And so, they flew away.
"I'm never doing that again," The sudden impact was excruciating, you were sure that your lip bled due to biting too hard. At least the floor felt somewhat soft, cotton-like and warm enough to be comforting. Yet, for some reason it was also a little…bony?
"…Mn…."
Your body jerks up like a springboard when you felt something shifting. A man, no older than his twenties, no older than you, lays sprawled out under your form. He was beginning to stir and you panicked when a pair of blue cerulean eyes pointed into your seemingly shocked ones within the close parameter.
Too close.
The man gives a cheerfully wry chuckle, you could practically feel his breath almost, "Well this is quite unexpected, didn't think I'd end up in this position," he jests, soon his expression began to tighten into a grimace, "Mind getting off me though? With all due respect miss, you're a little-…heavy."
You scrambled to the side while still kneeling, "What the hell, who are you?!"
"Hm," The man didn't answer, instead he pushed himself upright and turned his attention to examine the surroundings, "Where are we?" He paused when he noticed how the ceiling was made of rocks, "Wait, is this a cave?"
"Ninety two floors deep and surrounded by monsters," you sighed in frustration while rubbing your head with your palm, "Seriously, whoever you are you shouldn't be here, especially if you're not even carrying the necessary supplies."
"Hey, I just got here. I'm just as confused as you," he puts his hands up in a defensive gesture, "But how strange," he mutters to himself, lowering his arms ever so slightly before pinching his chin in deep thought, "I swear it was the right portal…or maybe it was the other one? Hmmm, could it be the effect of the hidden seal?"
I have so many questions. You sweatdropped nervously. Here you were, hours spent to get to the deepest parts of the earth and looking like a cavewoman while his clothes were practically untouched, nor did they seem to be a recognizable fashion. You've seen many odd events within Stardew Valley but not to this extent, "Alright you know what, let's forget about it for now. We need to get out of here before those lava bats come back for us again. Otherwise we're toast," you gestured to the lava pool, "Literally."
He gave another one of his gleeful smiles, you wondered if he was afraid at all, "Sounds like a solid plan to me. Judging by the equipment you're wearing, you seem to have been here for a while. You know your way around?"
Figures that he doesn't know, you thought, "I'll lead."
"Glad we're on the same page. Though, we've only just met and yet you're still willing to help a stranger like me," he mentions in an off-handed manner, perhaps he wasn't used to generosity ever since being recruited as a harbinger, "But not that I'm complaining. You have my thanks, comrade."
"(Y/n)," you tell him, "That's my name. I'm a farmer that resides in this town."
"I see. A town it is then," he inquires, "Call me Childe, as where I'm from, not sure how to answer that anymore."
"What do you-"
But before you were able to question him further, a hoard of lava crabs were spotted crawling it's way towards where Childe sat. He shot you a confused look and turned to the direction, amusement sparks in his eyes,
"Lava crabs? You've got to be kidding me," your arms have already grown tired long ago, at this rate, you figured it may be best to pay a visit to Harvey's doctor office and check up for any muscle strains that have occured during the process. You most likely have considered how heavy your items felt now. Partaking in another battle would only make it worse.
"Ah an opponent, to think this place wouldn't have a set of new monsters to fight. I was growing tired of beating up hilichurls all the time."
His casual reaction caused you to scrunch up your nose in disbelief, "We're being ganged up on and your first response was that???"
Childe paid no mind, instead he propelled himself back to his feet using his trained reflexes and swaggered towards the crowd, "Relax girlie," Stopping just after a few steps, he turns his head ajar over his shoulder with a floppy smirk spreading his lips, "I've got this."
You held in your breath, wondering if you could trust this man. For now all you could do was sit back and hopefully regain some of your strength while observing by the stacks of crates that were abandoned years ago. The lava crabs formed a straight line in front of him, they were smart creatures, cornering their prey in a very well strategized form so that trespassing was out of the question. Childe wasn't intimidated in the slightest, he merely looked down at them with hooded eyes, flexing his fingers for preparation.
"Lava crab…in other words you're of the pyro element," the harbinger holds out his hand in front of him, trying to cultivate the shape of his bow, "A shame. This fight would end much shorter than I anticipated."
However, when he expected his element to manifest, nothing came out. Childe was left dumbfounded.
"Don't just stand there," you screeched, "Do something!!!"
"Wait," he halts you and tries to summon his bow again. Once, twice, as the crabs grew closer still there was nothing, "My powers…they're gone?!"
"Take this," left without a choice, you pushed yourself towards him and shoved Neptune's glaive into his grasp. He examines it with curiosity, but you knew this was also your own well-being you were entrusting him, "It's really easy to use, just-"
When a crab leapt forward, you ran back to create some manageable space for Childe to move in. He delivers a powerful slice using one arm, hitting the crab's weak spot while tossing it toward the side until a dent was formed in the wall. Your mouth parts, fast, he was fast, you didn't even have the time to blink. It was as if he knew the glaive more than you did. Though, the assumption wasn't that far from the truth. Childe was well adept with swordsmanship as he was an expert with many other melee weapons. Which is precisely the reason why he chose the bow as his main, a ranged device, the challenge to keep him on his toes. Just like he was now.
"He wasn't lying when he said he could fight," you watched in mesmerization, each single blow he delivered deemed equivalent to three hits on your part. Childe was both powerful and swift. He was formidable. The way he effortlessly deflected his opponents despite not having an enchantment ring made you forget how much of an idiot he was earlier before. Soon, the lava crabs began to lessen, leaving what remained of their dusted corpse while some retreated back into the depths of the cave.
"Not bad, it was kind of fun!" Childe laughs exasperatedly, glancing at his blue reflection upon the marred blade, "It's been a while since I last used a sword, and still haven't gone rusty either," he hands you the hilt, "Thanks for letting me use it by the way. You seriously got yourself a sick weapon."
"Keep using it for now, I think I'm a little too worn out to handle it," you say regretfully and pointed your nose towards the ceiling, "The mist hasn't disappeared so there's probably gonna be more monsters we'll encounter soon."
Childe looks up as well, "Huh I was wondering what that meant."
"By the way I've never seen anyone fight like that. Exactly what kind of place are you from?" You finally ask, "You somehow ended up in a cave, without anything to defend yourself with and it's not like you know your way out either. Are you...from another world?"
"Huh didn't think you'd draw that conclusion so quick," he comments jokingly, "Guess there's no reason to hide it anymore. Indeed I am from another world, at least, that's what I can tell so far. I've never encountered these types of monsters either."
You couldn't help but be taken aback by his honesty, "That was strangely easier than I thought...."
After escaping the cave, you introduced Childe to the wizard who lived in Cindersap forest, M. Rasmodius. He was extremely intrigued by the concept of an outlander and seemed happy to be of assistance. Since helping others was the culture of Pelican Town, you commissioned Robin to build a small cabin for him to live in temporarily. In return, Childe must accompany you back to the caves and make up for your losses. It was a mutual benefit since he had the opportunity to fight as well.
Childe befriended the townsfolk rather easily. On friday nights where everyone goes to the Saloon to enjoy their time, he would be found in the other room playing pool with the gang (Sam, Abigail and Sebastian)-- you as well when he managed to drag you along with him.
Crashes at your place when you were busy with the farm. You can bet that he would pop up suddenly midday through your window, “Can you use the door like a normal person???” But despite how much you get irritated by this habit, all bygones are bygones the moment he starts a conversation.
He sticks around as you carry your hay batches, sharing his stories. How the organization he worked in was a powerful militaristic force that had authority over many countries. But you didn't see him as a brute since he only joined for the sake of his parents, for the sake of his siblings and their dreams.
You thought of your grandfather who also once told you to pursue your dreams: live a peaceful life away from urban society. However, as long as the harbinger was with you, there wasn't much option for 'peace'.
"Tell me again why you dragged me out here? You know thatI still have a lot of work to finish back in the farm," you trekked your feet through the thick icy sheets with one hand clutching the zipper near your collarbone. It was incredibly windy in Cindersap forest and Childe happened to have convinced you to leave the comfort of your home for 'a surprise favour'. He purposely made a vague statement to draw in your curiosity but if you had refused-- well, that would have led to constant nagging on his part.
"You'll see," is what he said, it was what he told you through this whole ordeal. He lifted his chin to feel the frosty air against his face, "There's this one activity I wanted to try out. Back in Snezhnaya, I used to bring my brother to go skating out on the lakes. It's deadly freezing there so the ice is pretty thick to work on. Haven't done any of that since I joined the Fatui."
You shot him a deadpan glare, "That's why you brought me out here? Why didn't you just go by yourself?"
"Now that's cold (Y/n),” you rolled your eyes at the pun, “Can't you loosen up instead of throwing yourself in a pile of work all day?"
"It's not that I don't want to...I'm just very busy with the farm since it's the last day of the month. At least I want to do as much as I can before Spring comes."
"Haha you're right but you only live once y'know?" Childe noted happily despite your protest, "And like I said before, seize the opportunity when you see it. You never know when it will be your last."
You cocked your head to the side, "What do you mean?"
"Now let's get started shall we?" As you both reach the edge of the frozen lake, Childe takes a step forward ahead of you, "Have you ever gone ice skating before?"
"Yeah but..." You glanced at the glassy surface with skepticism, suddenly struck by hesitance. The thought of drowning made you retreat your steps right away, "I don't know Childe, it doesn't seem that safe."
"That's true if you're not careful enough," he pointed out, "Luckily you have me to help you with that."
"How does that work?"
He placed one foot onto the hardened lake and parts his mouth into a grin, "Watch."
In contrast to your cautious personality, Childe was considered to be more of a wildcard if anything. He loved adventure, just like you except his side often included bloodshed and the thrill that danger carries. You weren't sure if it was worth putting up with his antics or entertaining his idea of skating on thin ice, but you complied regardless. He had a way of delivering his words through that cheery voice you couldn't deny.
Prior to meeting him, life was boring. The corporate world was boring. You moved into your grandfather's farm in order to search for some form of fulfillment that Zuzu city couldn't give and you thought you did now that you had your very own farm, but slowly you began to pile more responsibilities than you could even count.
Everything you did, you did alone.
If it weren't for Childe, you wouldn't have learned the art of surfing on ocean waters. You never would have known the taste of mixing three different ice-cream flavours together despite what strange names they all had. Or what it felt like to mingle with the townspeople rather than mingling for the sake of business. Suddenly, everything became...fun.
Childe wanted to go far and wide. He was always running, so far ahead, somewhere beyond the stars as he could conquer the world to the point you might no longer reach him.
No longer reach him, huh. Curling your fingers into your palm, you renewed your courage and took a step onto the ice.
At the sound of boots tapping behind him, Childe spins around to see you wobble in your stance, nearly tipping over. He slid across to where you were and grasped your arm before you fell.
"Gotcha."
"Thanks," You sighed in relief, "Jeez, this is harder than I thought."
"Guess this is your first time then," he commented with a bit of jest, "Don't stress yourself over it too much, you'll be okay. I got you."
He carefully led you to the center, staying close in case you were to fall sideways again. You awkwardly tried to keep your legs straight, balancing on your own yet the fact that there was still water underneath struck fear into your nerve. It caused you to tremble and eventually skittered backwards.
"Haha ice skating isn't your forte isn't it?"
"I'm just getting started!"
He takes your hand in his before you could even protest, it was one of his many aspects that you found endearing-- the fact his impulse stems from genuine intentions, feelings, not giving them a second thought. The two of you glide using the soles of your shoes, he speeds up ever so slightly and the adrenaline begins to increase until there comes a rush of excitement, freedom. The stress you once had already forgotten once taking flight upon the ice.
"Look Childe! I'm actually doing it!" You couldn't help mentioning with a bit of youthful playfulness in your voice, "It's so smooth and fast! Almost like I'm flying!"
He smiles quietly from a distance, “See? I told you that you'll be fine.”
It was clear to many that the two of you were much closer than what meets the eye.
Childe began to notice the change in your aura. You were happier and much more soulful. Before you were always on the edge, cautious in contrast to his sanguine approach, he couldn't help but be caught off guard whenever you teased him. Or the sudden honesty that causes him to be flustered. By your side, he was no longer a Fatui Harbinger rather more of a puppy, adorable almost.
But when he saw that the reason you changed was because of him, it brought fear into his bones. Why? How did things get to this point? You were lost in a wonderland, ignorant to the blossom that had sprung inside of your chest.
Maybe it was better to be ignorant. Just live in the moment while it can still last.
"You're leaving?"
Standing at the gateway between the mountain cliffside and the starry sky, you call out to the man you've known in a way that carries more than what words could say. Because he left a mark in your years that could never be erased and here he was, trying to erase his existence completely.
Childe lets out a bitter chuckle, he didn't dare to face you, "I didn't expect you to catch up so quickly. You're quick-witted, comrade."
"It's (Y/n)," you corrected, trying to steady your voice so that he couldn't tell the expression you were making, "Why didn't you say anything? What makes you think that I'll just stay silent and let you go on your own way? This isn't a joke Childe! Don't act as if none of it matters to you because it sure as hell did to me."
His lips that held his usual smirk flattens into a straight line, "Even if I did, would it make a difference?"
The world stills. You knew the answer, he knew the answer, you just refused to admit it. One by one, the stars begin to collect themselves until a bridge was formed in front of him, on another day he would be enjoying the scenery alongside you. But today they would be for you alone to witness. The man who you spent your time with had slowly, regretfully, inevitably became a stranger. He was right. It wouldn't make a difference. You were already aware since the day you met him that he belonged to another world and you willingly offered to help him find a way home.
"You know, you could come with me."
Your eyes jolt open. His voice was so free of care. As if he was commenting on something so minor on a casual Sunday afternoon while accompanying you to the beach. But when you came face to face with the harbinger, his expression lackluster, you knew that he meant every word.
"Just you and me, we can travel across the world to our heart's content. I always thought you were an adventurer just like me and you know what, the farm life just doesn't suit you," Childe slowly extends his hand as an offer, for you it was a temptation, "So what do you think? Care to join me?
Your lip quivers. What he said sounded like a sweet dream that you so desperately wanted to take a bite out of. But even so, you thought about the townsfolk, your farm, your grandfather. Their images flashed in as if holding you back, chaining you to the ground, "I can't."
The answer pained you more than it did to him.
"Figures, this is your home after all," he huffs out, " Now do you understand? I can't leave my home either. If I did, heh, I think my siblings would despise me until the very end and I just don't want that. So no hard feelings, okay?"
You didn't reply.
"Don't worry. I won't pressure you if you don't want to," Childe turns back to the bridge, it was almost time, "Do what you have to do (Y/n), hate me if it makes you feel any better. You can even forget about me," he paused, renewing his resolve, "But I know I won't."
"Childe-"
You ran to grab his scarf only to have it ghost through your hands. He was relieved that he couldn't hear your voice, as he returned to Teyvat, Childe wonders what kind of expression did you have before he left? He'll never know.
---
~Xiao's Story~
The day you met Xiao...well, you weren't in the best of the best positions.
This was probably your sixth attempt trying to make it through all levels of the cave and reach the last floor. The quest had been sitting in your drawer for months.
Of course you didn't expect things to be easy, the fortune teller channel you watched every morning had yet to inform you with any good fortune and you would often bump into obstacles that would halt your progress.
But to be fair, sometimes the colourful ore would attract your attention and before you knew it, it was time to go.
So close yet so far. You dragged your feet tiredly against the ground. What time was it? Who knows. Judging by your state, you assumed it had already struck past 12 a.m.
However, today luck seems to have taken pity on you, just...slightly.
You puffed air into your cupped hands for the nth time, huddling deeper into the touch of your coat while trudging into the cave's cold climate. A little longer, any time soon, you kept telling yourself over and over but as if time was frozen, the wait felt like an eternity. Ah how much you wish to be in the comfort of your soft, fluffy bed right now. Though, merely visualizing the image only reminded how achingly freezing it was so you decided it was best to spare yourself from the details.
"I can't do this anymore..." leaning your head against the ice covered cavern, you whimpered, "I should have stayed home."
As you were about to shut your eyelids, something flashed by your peripheral vision. You darted towards the direction it came from, the light was a bright green hue against blue, could it be, "Warmth!"
It seems you jumped to conclusions too quickly. With impatience, you swung around the corner, expecting to find a heat source, only to meet something much more horrifying.
"KYAH!"
They stared straight into your eyes, those demonic eyes tainted by black and fangs that stuck out of the mouth like tusks on an elephant.
However, when the light evaporated you were able to have a better sense of sight, slowly revealing the monster's true form and the body of a human boy. He fell onto his back with a thud and you used this chance to calm yourself from the frightful encounter.
"He's...unconscious?"
You meekly crawled to where he lay and examined closely. Aside from the mask, there were various distinct features that stood out in his attire, his tattoo being one of them, imprinted in what looked like an eagle. You then realized how unsuitable his clothes were in this current situation. At least there were no injuries so far. But was that a good thing? This man practically came out of thin air as if some sorcery had been committed. Witches never left a good impression ever since they cursed your chicken coop. You were hesitant whether to help a stranger who could potentially be one of them or a creation they cultivated. What other explanation could there be?
"I can't leave him here, it's too cold."
Your gaze suddenly falls upon his covered face. The design, although intimidating at first, upon closer look was very alluring in it’s own way. You haven't stumbled upon anything like what the merchants had to offer in Pelican Town and the mask almost looked too foreign. Was he from the east? Curiosity eventually takes over and you gingerly reach for the mask, sliding it off his face.
"Eh...?" You gasp, taken aback by his striking appearance. A part of it made you feel this was no ordinary boy but that didn't mean he should be abandoned in this environment. It would be immoral to let him die in a place like this.
Before you could even make a noise, his eyes bursted awake, grabbing your wrist in a harsh grip. He used his other hand to push against your shoulder until you were instantly pinned on your back with no opening to escape. You choked a sharp sound as you stared with wide eyes. The man was akin to a beast, he had the expression to match it, like the glaring sharp gaze of wolves that roam at the mountain cliffside near Zuzu city and the ferocity of the demonic mask he once wore. You were breath taken but in a more fearful way as he continued to grip onto you tighter with the possible intent to harm.
"Speak!” He demanded, “What have you done to my powers and where have you brought me?"
In Xiao’s case, he was thrown into another world under the circumstances of fighting against one of Liyue’s unknown beasts. He was on high alert, thinking the fight was still ongoing.
You may look human but you could still be a threat. Xiao is the type to act upon instinct in the moment when something feels out of place. Like the spear he wields, he was trained to behave like one: to strike, strike down his foes without hesitation. Don't leave an opening for them to take the advantage. Xiao is a weapon and violence was what he knew best. He couldn't afford to lower his guard even for a minute.
You could say he left a pretty strong first impression to the point you were paralyzed. As he looked at your face, petrified and tense, he wavered and began to reevaluate things. Large doe-like eyes stare into his feline ones. They didn't seem to hold any sort of malice, was it possible for you to be the one who cursed him?
"Eeeeeek! I-I have no idea what you're talking about, let me go let me go!" you cried, "Please don't hurt me!"
Perhaps he shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.
Xiao feels your struggle and eventually gets off to give you some space. Your reaction was understandable, he was used to it anyways. Xiao scoffed to himself, why are mortals so weak? Their strength, if compared to the adepti, was separated by a large gap (Like it always should be). Xiao kept his gaze averted to the side as you rubbed your wrist, focusing his attention elsewhere. He glanced at the vastness of the cave in front of him.
Why was he sent here? For what reason did it serve? Ever since he sealed the contract with Rex Lapis, the guardian Yaksha had never entertained the thought of leaving his country nor did he act upon it; he was far too loyal to his god to do so. But here he was, against his own will yet free from his karmic binds, stripped of his divine powers in the return of endless questions about this new found mortal-like form.
What should I do now?
Choosing not to dwell in any longer, Xiao rises to his feet and proceeds to walk the other way.
"Ah u-uhm sir, where are you going?"
If the universe wanted to test him then he'll find his own answers.
"Wait! Please wait up!"
"Tch."
Although he intended to keep going, Xiao heard you running to his direction and slowed to a halt, some mortals surely do not know their boundaries, "Hmph there's nothing timid about you. Leave me be," he demands without turning around, "Don't forget what I'm capable of."
Stay away.
"I-I know that," you retaliate weakly. Just by hearing his tone made you want to melt away and become one with the ice. He was a scary man indeed, the same one who attacked you earlier. But even so, "That doesn't mean I want you dead! If you go that way, you might freeze to death. Aren't you cold? You don't even have a coat on."
"..." Upon the mention of his predicament, his senses started to kick in. As a yaksha, Xiao wasn't able to be affected by temperature but now he felt his hands beginning to sting, trembling from it’s impact. Ah, so this is what it feels like to be cold. Still Xiao was stubborn and continued to push you away, "What happens to me has nothing to do with you. Now leave, or else."
"I-I can't do that!"
Xiao clicks his tongue in frustration. How annoying. This is why he dislikes meddling with meddlesome humans. But quite frankly, he wasn't sure how to handle your type of forwardness since most tend to back away. And so, Xiao does what he usually does, he ignores you and continues walking, eventually you'll give up on him anyway. However he hears a loud thump and whips around to see your body laying in the snow. The hours of travelling in the cave have seemed to caught up that you inevitably collapsed from exhaustion.
Knitting his evergreen brows together, Xiao lets out an irritable sigh.
...
You wake up to find the sky above your head and your coat draped over your shoulders like a blanket. Dawn was slowly rising above the distance valley, you figured it was around 4a.m in the morning. Rubbing your eyes, you eventually noticed a figure sitting across, admiring the sunrise.
"Ah it's you!"
Xiao jolts ever so slightly, peeking over his bare shoulders until you could see the sun's light casted against his golden irises. Did he stay here while you were asleep? Then, that would also mean he was also the one who carried you all the way up from sixty floors below.
“You're awake,” he noted flatly, “If that's the case, then I have no reason to stay here."
Of course, that wouldn't be the last time you saw him.
You were a tenacious human being, always so insistent in dragging him away from his lonesome personality. He resides in the forest and camps there for the time being (similar to Linus since they’re both homeless lol). But you’d always run in, DAILY and sometimes for the most stupid and mundane reasons. It could either be giving him the snacks you snatched off the table since Xiao refused to participate in parties, or fancy seashells you found on the beach. You didn’t want him to miss out on all those things of course! Although he responds with irritation, it was as if his words went through your ear and then out the other. His efforts were futile (however, he was slowly warming up without realizing).
He learns how easily his body reacts in the presence of food purely because he was hungry. You bring an extra set of blankets and pillows to his campsite when the ones you gave him wore out (he didn’t ask by the way). Xiao needed help whether he liked it or not since he no longer has his powers, hence he couldn't run away. He somehow ends up moving in to live on the small islands near your farm.
Xiao doesn't understand humans very much. Just as he was unable to understand how human emotions work. He was the almighty yaksha, Adeptus Xiao and a formidable beast that killed thousands in thousands of years, at least that's what he used to be. Even now he still has yet to figure out what he was or who he was exactly without a weapon to define his existence. He was made for battle but nowadays, he found himself watering plants, chopping down trees and throwing seeds to the chickens living in your coop. How did everything escalate to this? It baffles him, how much his life changed so drastically.
Haha, you’re Xiao of course! The greatest farming assistant I could ever have.
But above all else, the one thing Xiao couldn't understand among those universal questions, is you.
"Why are you doing all this?" Finally he asked. The urging thought had been persisting at the back of his mind ever since.
You stopped on your tracks and turned to look at him, tilting your head with a complexion made curious, "What do you mean? Ah, did I do something to bother you?"
"I didn't say that," Xiao interrupts abruptly, he folded his arms across his chest and shot you a deep contemplating gaze, " You're...incomprehensible. All I did was drag you out of that cave yet why are you so kind to me? Don't you think you're extending yourself too much just because of one little deed?"
Because to him, saving a life was the norm. He does it unconditionally just like you helped him with those same intentions. Except, Xiao had been pursuing corrupted souls behind the scenes all this time and expected nothing in return. Experiencing someone's gratitude was rather new.
You shook your head, "It wasn't small to me," a satisfactory smile melting onto your face, "I'm here at this very moment, feeling the wind against my skin and smelling the scent that nature carries, these are just the few things I cherish. It's thanks to you that I can still watch over grandpa's farm, that's why I don't feel like I'm overextending myself in any way," suddenly you beam at him, "At first I thought you were a scary person. Haha. Time flies so fast, it's amazing how much can happen in between."
"Hn, you're a simpleton. But that's not a bad thing..." he points out curtly yet softly, "Do as you wish, I won't stop you so feel free to call my name whenever you need my help. I'll be there."
Xiao also finds you to be very clumsy. He couldn't leave your side even for a minute. But that was a lie. He just grew very attached to you.
When you tell him that you've been going into the mines for a quest, he tells you that you're far from capable. So he teaches you how to wield a weapon properly. Xiao was a strict teacher and he intends to keep it that way, he wouldn’t even allow you to set foot in the mines until he finds you capable enough.
You were a meek yet optimistic person, yet you were also strong-willed.
For a place that wasn't his home, he felt it was. And he found that it was all in your presence. Those peaceful hours hiding inside the barn while a storm rages outside, you sit beside him while hugging a sheep close to your chest. Xiao learns how to feed some of them, he even brings seeds for your hen house too. If you were ever short on materials, Xiao would travel to the enchanted forest behind the wizard's tower and get them for you, no matter how late it was. Though if you went by yourself, he'd deliberately go with you despite your protest.
The minute Xiao realized how much he was attached to you, it was devastating. As if the claws of his karmic debt had come back, pulling him into the shadows once more. He was an adeptus with a contract and bound by his duty, he must choose between his god who saved him from a nightmare and you, the girl he fell for, showed him that the world was indeed a beautiful place, he was stuck in an equilibrium and he felt that the binds may even tear him apart if he kept resisting.
But when did he ever have a choice?
"Where are you going Xiao?"
When he heard your voice calling his name, the yaksha willingly pulled himself to a halt. His sunset eyes narrowing from guilt before it shuts with a trembling sigh out of his mouth. Why is it that you always appear during the moments where he desperately needs to get away from you? He planned to sneak out the door, making sure his footsteps were unheard while you slept. And by the time you woke up, he didn't have to face you, he wouldn't have to say goodbye. He won't. Even if what he was currently doing said otherwise. He will never hear himself say those words.
"Xiao?"
Yet, he cannot refuse you. Not now, not ever. You were breathtaken to see a type of expression that you never thought was possible for him to make. The creases that once formed between his slender brows, the heaviness he always carried in his expression was replaced by a sense of sentimentality. Before you could register what was happening, Xiao took his step towards the porch of your house, not once did he tear away from your attention. He slides his hand beneath your jaw and affectionately against your cheek, the fondness evident in his gaze that you almost felt imprisoned by it.
"You never fail to appear in the most inconvenient of times," He gives a weak smile, a smile that makes your heart swell. Despite how much you could drown in his honesty, you couldn’t help but feel there was something wrong, “No matter how many times I’ve tried to push you away.”
You don't know him. You don't know his history and what things he committed in the past. But as if you've known this whole time, Xiao couldn't picture you leaving him for those reasons.
“You’re gentle but you don’t let others put you down. You’re kind but you don’t allow it to be your weakness. I sometimes wonder how it is possible for anyone to be so forgiving?”
"I-I don’t understand why you’re this Xiao. Is something happening?”
He won’t tell you. He doesn’t see the reason why you need to know.
You wince when something poked the side of your neck and you realized it was a tranquilizer. You looked at Xiao with dismay, his face becoming hazier until your vision darkened and could no longer hold your own weight. Xiao caught you around the waist with one arm as you fell unconscious.
"How can you be so stupid...?"
But he speaks as if those words were meant for him.
Pulling your body closer to him, Xiao chains you down into a desperate embrace. A silent scream of desperation. His forehead pressed against the bent of your shoulder and the other arm rested his hand at the center of your back. He will relish in the shape of your body, memorizing every curve both perfections and flaws. The way you fit into his arms and the pleasant smell of nature that you taught him to love, this was the only remnant he was allowed to take. Every detail, he will remember it as if clinging to the last moments of his whole world.
If he was allowed to have a desire, let him meet you again. He prayed to a god, any god-- even if it meant damaging his oath, he will accept his punishment. He prayed to each star in the sky and if he must he'll pray to the devil himself, whatever it is, he will do it for you.
As he painfully lets go, Xiao lets his hand slide off your body until the last thing he felt was the very tips of your fingers. He settles you down gently into your bed. You belong here in this peaceful world, not the one riddled with monsters.
---
~Zhongli's Story~
The Skull Cavern was considered to be the most dangerous mine of Stardew Valley. It wasn't your intention to run into any trouble, all you wanted was to test your cool new galaxy sword on some easy monsters and then be on your merry way. At first.
Just one more floor. You say, before catching an arm sticking out a pile of rocks.
"I-Is that a person?!!!"
You dug as fast as you could, any time soon the mummies would wake up and start attacking. Quick quick! Moving the last rock, you saw the face of a young man, he was asleep but alive! and undeniably attractive oh wow *lip bite*. But despite your attempts of shaking him awake, it was fruitless and the monsters weren't waiting.
Taking out two warp totems, you raised it to the ceiling and chanted a teleportation spell.
It wasn't everyday that you brought a man to your house.
But when you did, he wouldn't be from a cave, six floors down and buried in a place filled with monsters.
"And this small black device you say is some form of communicator? That certainly is intriguing, never in my years have I heard of something so advanced."
However you were beginning to think otherwise. That this man would have been from the prehistoric ages who you managed to unbury after his thousand year slumber. Zhongli sits on the couch across from you while examining your smartphone, a term he claimed had been completely foreign. You were contemplating whether you should bother Harvey despite being past his work hour and book an emergency appointment to see if this man had a special case of amnesia.
You brushed the idea away. There was so much going on and nothing made sense, for now, you decided to settle this on your own.
"Uhm Zhongli is it?" you asked nervously, "Maybe you can try giving the name of a relative or someone you know. I can use the phonebook to see if I can find their number."
“Number?” He parroted.
You blinked a few times, making sure if you heard him correctly, “Yes, number. You know? To communicate?”
"I appreciate your kind gesture," Zhongli acknowledges in a polite manner, "But that won't be necessary. This device doesn’t seem to be at a level where it can communicate with the people from my homeland."
If he was travelling then how the hell did he end up in THE Skull Cavern is what I wanna know!
“T-Then if you don't mind me asking, where are you from?"
Zhongli takes this moment to think of an answer, aware that if he blurted something out it would not have translated in the way he wanted. But you so kindly invited him to your humble household that he felt it would only be proper to owe you an explanation, "I suppose a land from afar."
You sweatdropped, "Suppose?"
"Yes. Although I won't spare you the details since this is not your burden to bear, it’s quite difficult for me to try and remember exactly what happened," Zhongli took his chin into his hand, fingers almost covering his mouth, "Perhaps I would need search for clues in order to refresh my memory."
Oh no he really does have amnesia!!
"A-Actually why don't I just call the local doctor, I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving you a hand," you say while taking your iPhone.
"A doctor? There's no need," dismissed Zhongli, "My condition is only a minor one and I do not think I'm in a position to afford medical assistance. Besides, you have done more than enough. May you find great fortune in your years Miss (Y/n), I shall be on my way."
He pushes himself up from the couch and you watch him cross towards the door. But just when he was about to reach the space of your carpet, Zhongli pulled to an abrupt stop.
"Ah yes,” He began as if remembering something, “ Do you happen to know where the nearest Inn is located? I would need to find a place to shelter for the time being."
"..."
This was how the former god ended up being your roommate. Like Xiao, Zhongli also takes upon a human form. He needed to eat, drink and a place to sleep. He insisted that he would take the couch as well as help you with any tasks that needed to be completed during the day.
You question if Zhongli was even aware of what situation he was currently in. Answer: HE WASN'T because Zhongli is an extremely dense man. To feel embarrassed was not part of his dictionary when living with a woman.
The type to take long showers. You always find the bathroom steaming because he doesn't turn on the fan to get rid of it (but maybe you should've taught him). So when it was your turn to use the shower, the water was either lukewarm or worst case scenario, cold.
Also he somehow finds your old kettle (that your grandfather used) to brew tea even though you told him you already had a water boiler. He stated that he liked doing things the old-fashioned way, it brings him a sense of nostalgia. You couldn't understand what he meant (unless you considered that he was older than he seemed....no that can’t be it!)
Despite it all, Zhongli was incredibly polite and considerate. Tending the farm was not an easy job and you often came home with sore muscles, fatigued from running so many errands. He's knowledgeable in terms of making the best herbal mix for a soothing remedy.
You would see a warm cup, every morning before going to work and every time you come home, it was sitting on the kitchen table (if his drink had potion effects, they would be regeneration).
Gentle he was but it wasn't good for your heart.
Ever since Zhongli moved in, it became difficult to live in your own house.
There were many situations where he caused trouble despite not intending to cause disruption to your daily routine. And when he did, the repairs came out of your own pocket. One time you opened your microwave to find thick ash and burnt cinders stuck upon the walls.The entire space was a hazard and needed to be dispensed immediately since Zhongli thought that plastic-wrapped items were allowed to be microwaved. Another incident, as bizarre as it sounded, was when your vacuum cleaner zoomed out of your house...and never came back. You remembered the awkward cough he gave when you shot him a deathly glare, hence why Zhongli was not allowed to touch your high-tech devices (if you considered them high-tech) without your permission.
Even so, you couldn’t bring yourself to hate him. It was the opposite in fact. One day, all the flaws you counted suddenly became his charms. You came to find them endearing almost.
Zhongli was a handsome man. He carried himself with a distinct aura that could only be found in the rarest geodes; revealing orestones mined from the depths of a forgotten cave, sometimes in the shape of exquisite artifacts-- a type of ancient charm. Perhaps that was why people were willing to obey his every command without hesitation. Whenever Zhongli spoke, it was full of firmness and authority yet somehow deprived of arrogance. He was polite to all and does not indulge in conflict despite how tempting gossip can be in modern society. Always patient during your temperamental moments and considerate to the point you wonder if he even had any desires. He was so kind that soon enough, you couldn't help but be flustered by his presence. Forget about having a conversation, maintaining his leveled gaze was already enough of a challenge. Like staring into the sun after the morning dew. So gentle and so very comforting. But the more you linger onto the sun, it's rays will continue to set ablaze, eventually bringing you pain.
And you feared that you have grown addicted to those feelings.
Why can't he understand?
Stopping at the center of the bridge, you kept your head low while letting the anger take form into your tightened fists. The town was empty with only the sound of water flowing beneath your feet, filling the heavy air. They rippled and swayed, peaceful amongst your inner turmoil. The fact that such a miniscule attribute was able to make your blood rise was hilariously pitiful. How did you stoop to a point that even nature, the very being you've tended for a living, could bring you bitterness? Were your feelings this uncontrollable? The answer was obvious. It spiraled, violently and mercilessly as if commanded by another. There was a wave of emotions filling your heart and you could almost feel yourself drowning from the inside. If only they were as tranquil as the ones you stood upon.
"I thought I would find you here."
The voice you dreaded calls from across and you fight to keep yourself from gasping. Oblivious to it all, Zhongli proceeds to close the distance until he towered over you, looking down to your bowed head, "When you hadn't returned home without a notice, I was getting worried if something had happened. But I'm glad that wasn't the case."
Your whole face clenches.
"Is something bothering you? If you would like, we can discuss it after eating dinner. Come, I have already prepared our meal while you were gone as well as turning off the rice cooker once finished. I hope it can ease your stress since I know it can be difficult maintaining a farm like this."
"Zhongli."
He blinks hard when the sound of his name falls out of your lips. Zhongli was an experienced observer and listener, he was able to catch the glimpse of frustration that dripped from the tone you used. Relaxing his poised shoulders, Zhongli carefully asked in a reserved manner, "Have I...done something to make you upset?"
A trembled breath escaped when you breathed out. Dense. He was so dense that sometimes it made you want to crack him open.
"Tell me..." you began, "Are you also like this with other women?"
The former god sets a brief sharp pause, "I beg your pardon?"
"I'm talking about the way you act, they're...giving me all these mixed signals. We've been living together for months, we even share meals together! And sometimes you would help me with the farm and when I didn't ask, you still insisted on tending to my needs when I felt sick. I just…” you trailed off, trembling ever so slightly, "It's all perfectly normal. You’re nice to everyone. I know that. I know that!"
"(Y/n)," Zhongli whispered. They sounded like a thousand needles to your heart.
"I doubt you have the intention to put me in this situation. You're a really great person Zhongli but I sometimes can't help feeling this isn't just some roommate thing you know?" closing your eyes, you thought of your past relationships, how they started and ended, "Do any of your actions mean anything to you? Do you know how it makes me feel? Or am I just overthinking this, that it was all one-sided this whole time?"
Alas the truth spills and the air stills, bringing the waves to a halt. Peace, tranquility, nothingness. That was all you wanted. That was all you heard. It was deafening.
"I see, so that's why," Zhongli mutters to himself with eyes narrowed, "There's...something I need to confess."
After several months, he tells you everything. How his memories returned, some of them were already intact. He told you about his homeland and his true identity, that he was a god that once ruled over Liyue for six centuries before giving away the gnosis.
The reason why he hadn't said anything until now was because there will be a day where Zhongli must depart and return to Teyvat. He was a god with a contract, the circumstance didn't matter, he must stay with it until the very end of time.
Through his years, Zhongli learned to cherish his finite moments. He didn't want to taint them with troubles to come. Thinking too far ahead into the future would only bring strain.
But what he didn't tell you was his true feelings. You were a sweet woman, tender and enthusiastic about agriculture, the way your feelings extend to the earth with grace whereas many others chose to trample over without hesitation, he fell deeply in love with that side of yours. You taught him many things and showed him many sides of humanity that he had never seen before. He even discovered an aspect of himself. Like breaking a geode, revealing the beauties held inside.
Zhongli couldn't look you in the eye when your expression was covered in disbelief. He thought he hid his feelings well but it seemed that he was expressing his love in subtle and subconscious ways that eventually drove you to fall for him as well. You didn't stop him when he left the bridge. He wasn't even in your house. He chose this, he chose to set you free from his heavy presence.
And as the weight started to lift from your shoulder, you sank to your knees and wept. It was cruel of him. To give you these emotions yet he could not bring himself to stay by your side. But your heart would not allow you to hate the man you love.
Things couldn't end this way. You had to say goodbye to him, see him one last time because if you didn't, these burdens will haunt you forever.
When Zhongli looked up to the sky he saw his ending drawing near.
Three days had passed since he last spoke with you and he had no plans in seeing you again. Soon, the former god will return to his rightful place. Even though he had already given his gnosis to the Cryo Archon as Liyue already began to enter a new era, it seems that his decisions weren't his to make as he was born in a world where stars ruled above the archons. Fate-- they won't allow it. He does not belong here. If there was one thing Zhongli regretted during his time in your world, it was that he couldn't leave you a good memory before taking his departure. The sight of your large glassy eyes and quivering lips when he crushed you with the truth, he sincerely believed that they would haunt him much more than it probably did to you. But perhaps things would be easier if you despised him. Because if he had stayed and you came to forgive him, he would no longer have the strength to let go.
Despite it all love was indeed a selfish creature. He couldn't help but feel resentment towards the stars for bringing you into his life in such a mockingly sweet manner. They tied him with a contract, made him vow to his own beliefs and tested them by using you-- a bystander struck between the crossfire, eventually bringing you down into the depths of his battlefield and he thought that maybe...maybe there was hope that he could bring you with him as well.
How disgraceful for a god to let the devil tempt him so.
Zhongli was thankful that you weren't beside him. Otherwise he would dance with the ugly hope of a slim chance for you to come along. This was the best choice. It was for his-- your own good.
"Zhongli!"
The arch of his lined eyes shot upwards. As if fate had decided to give him one final test, he felt your small figure crash into him from behind and your arms coming to hug around his waist, tightly and fearfully that he felt like you would be the one who would slip away instead.
"I...I made it time," you panted, burying your nose into his clothed back, "I’m so glad...I'm so glad you're still here…!"
Your cry of relief was a thunder to his ears, a reminder that he was the main cause. Zhongli, casted by solemn smile, lifts his hand to cover over yours and grasped onto them, I'm here, he wishes to say. Yet he knew they were only temporary promises, "To come all this way despite everything that has happened. You foolish girl..."
"It's your fault Zhongli, I'm a fool because I love you! It's all your fault that I have to say goodbye," You grit your teeth as the tears fell down your face until it blended into his clothes, "Take me with you. Please. Don't leave me all alone…!"
The words he wanted to say melted into a silent gasp through parted lips. Zhongli merely clenched them back together and his hand on your hand, even tighter. He won't lie to you. At the very least, let his actions speak for him where he himself could not.
Take me with you.
Don't leave me alone.
Goodbye.
If it is fated Morax...we will meet again.
"I see," letting his thoughts echo in his mind from the distant memories, the former god begins to take a new perspective upon his wisdom, "For many years, I have experienced countless farewells from the people I've come to known," Zhongli reminisced, tilting his head back with his golden eyes against night, as if searching for some sort of answer, "And yet I never thought what it must have felt like being in their position."
"Zhongli…" you trailed off, "Then don't! I may not know everything about you but it doesn't have to be this way. At least, just answer me this, will I ever see you again?"
"I'm sorry (Y/n)," he apologized and you knew the answer. He gently pries your arms off him, turning around so he could swipe the corner of your eyes dry. There was a glowing reverence in his countenance, one that he reserved for you and only you, it was the only way for him to express the feelings that run deep in his heart, "I cannot thank you enough for coming into my life. If there will be a day when I erode from your memories, I truly hope that you will find someone more suitable than I."
"That's ridiculous," defiantly, refusedly, you protest, "No one can replace you."
Zhongli laughs sadly as the white halo outlines his whole figure, signaling that there wasn't much time left. He wonders if there was anything he could do in his last moments, a small token, something, it could even be as small as a single star in the sky, "If it is fated...we will meet again."
You watch him turn transparent until he slipped from your grasp. No longer was the man, only the dust being one with the sky. They shone brilliantly but you were left in the darkness.
487 notes · View notes
yandere--stuck · 3 years
Text
The god of sleep has no dreams of his own. When Hypnos sleeps, it grants him the opportunity of visiting those of others, drifting along as on a gentle river. It’s comforting. Shards and glimpses of lives that aren’t his own, of people and places that won’t ever mean the same to him, the visions indirectly threaded by his fingers. There are far too many dreams for him to make, which is why most aren’t. He brings them to sleep, and their bodies do most of the work.
Regardless, it is his domain. Every mortal needs to sleep, whether they like it or not, which makes him an inevitable part of their life. A third of every human’s day rests in his hands. As payment, all he wants to do is observe, to be in their company. (Hypnos likes humans. They don’t notice him in sleep, or worship him in their days, but he doesn’t mind. It’s easier to handle being ignored when it’s not their choice, when it’s impossible for them to notice him, rather than his mom’s cold eyes passing through him like he’s a sliver of mist.
At least when he’s among the dreams of the living, he’s less alone. There’s no judgement, but no praise either.) With how many mortals and dreams there are to go around, it’s rare for him to visit more than once. Though it’s much rarer for anyone to take note of him. Most people aren’t aware they’re dreaming while doing so, being swept along by their dreams instead of having control, but you’re not one of those. You’re blessed with lucidity, morphing bits and pieces of the experience as you go. Most importantly...
You see him. You laugh. “Well, I didn’t think I was lonely enough to make up some guy to keep me company… Guess you learn something new every day!”
In one motion, you pinch his chin between your fingers and pull his face towards yours. He lets out a surprised noise, at the fact you can touch him in the first place, and the movement itself. And it’s a high and squeaky sound, one that makes him want to curl up in his blanket and slip from this dream to the next. You make no comment on it, only smiling wider.
“Ooooh, your eyes are golden! So pretty… Glad my subconsciousness has good taste, at least.” You add the last part to yourself, laughing again.
You don’t think he’s real, just some made up character of your dream. It’s no surprise you aren’t aware that you can’t dream about someone you’ve never seen before. For now, he’s glad to have you believe that. It’d be more humiliating if you knew a god was making such a fool out of himself, heat rising to his face. His tongue is limp in his mouth. When was the last time someone called him pretty? Had anyone ever called him that, and touched him so carelessly? You save him from the burden of speaking up first.
“What’s your name? Do you have one?”
He hesitates. If you knew who he was, you wouldn’t treat him the same anymore. “I don’t! But, um-!“
Hypnos knows and accepts what others think of him, knows that he’s no good at his job or much else, but if there’s one thing he would excel in, it would be here. He straightens his back a bit from its usual slouch, the tips of his feet grazing the ground as he floats. “I’m here to make sure you’re going to have a grand old time, you know? I know aaaall about having fun in dreams! Why, you could call me an expert! At your service.”
He does this stupid little bow, and immediately regrets it. You laugh, but not at him, and people don’t usually find him this entertaining, he thinks, and if you keep this up, it will become one of his favourite sounds.
“Alright, mister dream expert,” You say with a grin. “What did you have in mind?”
He helps you float like he does, and assists you at conjuring up whatever idea pops into your brain. Hypnos expected you , but that’s not all you do. You try to ask him questions about himself, even if you supposedly don’t think he’s real, and you actually listen. And when you tell him about yourself in return, he does the same. It’s fun, he’s having a good time, and he’s disappointed when he’s jolted awake because of someone walking too close past him. He’ll have to apologise for suddenly disappearing next time. (Next time? Does he want there to be a next time?)
Hypnos makes a habit out of visiting you. You’re not always aware you’re asleep, sometimes your dreams are the same as any other human’s. He savours those days too, at the insights into your life it offers him. However, it’s most enjoyable when you look at him with bright eyes and talk to him, and laugh at things he says and joke around at this side. There’s a warm tightness in his chest around you, he’s happy, he is, but also impossibly nervous to mess up and have your smile turn into a sneer. It’s surprising you even still want to be around him, if past experience is anything to go by, he isn’t any good at not annoying people. But you’re different. You haven’t insulted him at any point, either! You must really be some blessing.
Hypnos thinks he likes you. A lot. He’s never thought of it before, whether this is allowed or not. Never considered the possibility of forming a close bond through dreams. Hypnos decides that it is, and who would he even ask, isn’t he the deity of sleep? He’ll make his own rules, number one being that it’s totally a-okay to have dream friends! That you visit and think about all the time and spend all your time thinking up new fun ideas for! And sometimes you scratch their name into the margins of your lists while zoning out! He’s getting off track. (And, well, this all seems more like a problem exclusive to him…) What he wants most is to have you down here with him, to touch you and feel something, to have you around while you’re awake and asleep.
But to do that... It would be an offense to all sacred rules to meddle directly with the path the Fates had set out for you. Perhaps they’ll have some mercy on him for being family. Either way, he’s going to falsify your cause of death in the records. He's tired of being a bystander in your life. Hypnos doubts whether you can even remember him when you wake up. He isn’t exhausted in his normal way however, it’s no tugging at his eyelids or yawns hidden behind an open palm. This hurts. It’s an ache, an empty hole beyond his ribs. Your warmth needs to fill it, he’s sure. He wouldn’t be able to stand and watch as your life blossomed, how you would inevitably love someone else, be happy and forget about him all together. (It’s unfair. He's never had anyone that wanted be anything of his. Not a friend, not family, not a lover. And now you’re here, the first to not see him as a disgrace, and now he should let himself be stopped by some old rules?) Because compared to what someone right there with you could give, what did he have to offer? If he believed everyone else, he had nothing of worth to give anyone. All he had was this love, what he thinks is love. But you laugh with him, you seem happy, and what he knows of human life is suffering. So many terrible deaths, so many unresolved emotions, so many wishes that never came to be.
Hypnos could save you from it all. You would never have to worry about anything again. But he knows how much humans fear death: It’s reflected so often in their worst nightmares, after all. The last thing he wants to do is scare you.. How surprised you’ll be at suddenly finding out he’s real, not just a figment of imagination!
He’s giddy. The two of you could have be together forever! (And if you didn’t love him back, why would you smile at him like that? Why did you always say you were happy to see him return? He has neither experience in friendships or relationships, but he shares those sentiments, so you must love him too. Otherwise… He doesn’t want to think about it .)
So he visits you. Hypnos floats above your bed, watching down upon you. He caresses your face as you rest, watching you through lidded eyes. You called him it first, but you’re pretty too. He doesn’t care about your hair being a mess, or the dried drool on your chin, or how you lay in a weird position, legs and blanket all tangled up. Your soft breaths are adorable, and he wants to coo at you, to make your face turn warm instead of his.
The thought of his brother seeing you and taking your soul makes him uncomfortable, he wants this vision of you to be only his.
Your eyes crack open with a little groan and before you have the chance to struggle or cry out, he presses a kiss against your forehead, forcing some of his raw power into your frail, mortal body.
It shouldn’t hurt. He asked. Your form was never meant to take godly powers, it’s too overwhelming, destroying you from within, and you go limp within a second. It’s like you fell asleep. A sleep so deep you will never awaken again. (i know hypnos doesn’t govern dreams his sons do but i had an Idea,, hope u enjoyed!!)
---
(THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE OH MY GOSH!!!!! You're so talented, this is written so beautifully, it's amazing!!!!
I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!! SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO POST!!! I've had a busy past few days ^^; I also hope it's okay that I had to edit it, or it'd be a big block of text, hehe. Thank you so much again!!!! 💚💚💚)
619 notes · View notes
ramzawrites · 3 years
Note
Hey, so I'm having a really rough time rn (dealing with bs from my friend group, we have to take my really old dog to the vet today bc we found blood in her pee and we're scared that she won't make it this time, I'm struggling with my mental health, I'm just kinda goin thru it rn ig) so I would love a comfort fic with the sbi maybe with the reader as their sibling where the reader is the one that always comforts the fam, but hides their emotions until (1/2, very sorry about splitting it)
(2/2) something happens that makes the reader have a full on breakdown? I'll leave the rest to you, it can be a good or bad ending, headcanons or one shots, anything. You can ignore this request if you want/if it makes you uncomfortable. Please don't feel pressured/guilt tripped to write anything from this, your mental health comes first and I'm sure you're already really busy. Reminder to eat something today if you haven't yet and get a drink of water <3
We are family - Reader and SBI!Brothers
GN
Pairings: none
Characters included: Wilbur, Technoblade, Tommy, (mentioned) Niki, (mentioned) Schlatt
Warnings: n/a
Series: a request <3
Summary: Y/N came back from an errand and surprises their brothers with their weird behavior. Trying to put on their usual smile, trying to hide away their real emotions but their brothers know them better than they inititally suspected. They could immediately tell that something must have happened.
Words count: 2060
Authors Note: I’m so sorry this took so long! I hope you and your dog are doing better! 💙 I wish I could give you more than words of encouragement and that I managed to get faster to this request, I apologize Please make sure to take care of yourself, alright? Take time for yourself to deal with the stress and anxiety! Make sure to stay hydrated and remember to eat! Even if it’s just something small!
Once again I apologize for the long wait, I felt really bad already and then I kinda put it off because I felt bad.
adhd hit hard again and haven’t checked for typos yet, but will get on it as soon as I can o7
On another note if you want to read another comfort fic; I have a small series called “A Painful Reminder” which is more angsty but the 2nd part is more about the comfort, if that is something for you 
Living in the SMP was chaotic, turbulent and at times downright painful.
Most people tended to gravitate to one cause or other people to deal with this. Holding on to something so they don’t get pulled under. Get buried beneath the chaos and the violence.
So having people like Y/N around was like a godsend. They were one of the few people that seemed to be able to withstand the constant waves of misfortune and stand strong. Be the rock to hold onto when everything got too overwhelming.
Wilbur, Technoblade and Tommy loved their sibling for it.
After Wilbur and Tommy got exiled with Y/N out of L’Manberg, they were there and cheered both of their siblings up. Immediately making plans on how to set up a safe home and collecting ideas on how to get back. They were the one who managed to get a message out to Technoblade and asked him to visit them. Maybe help them.
Wilbur often jokingly said that Y/N was the glue that held the family together, to which they would always reply with the warmest of smiles “I’m glad.”
And what he said was true. Whenever the family fell on hard times and they began to drift apart it was Y/N who pulled all of them back. Pulling them back to reality and giving solutions for their problems if needed.
Sitting down with Wilbur when things got to much. Listening to his thoughts and worries, letting his emotion run freely without judgement. While they looked worried for him, their comforting smile never faltered. Offering him solutions to problems if he wanted it, otherwise they gave him the chance to just air his own thoughts out. To be angry with him. Sad with him.
Working with Tommy on his own projects. Listening to his ideas and giving him a different perspective that could improve some things but also respecting it when Tommy wanted to do this his way. And while he liked to brag and pretend that some things didn’t hit him that hard, they were still patiently listening to him as he spoke about his own pain in a more roundabout way. Telling him that he was not alone and making him feel heard.
Talking to Technoblade whenever the voices got too loud or out of hand again. He would just walk over to them and nudge them away, asking them to talk about something, no matter what. He just needed to hear their voice and be able to concentrate on it. Tune out the garbled voices in his head with a familiar sound that calmed him down no matter what. Leaning against them, slowly falling asleep as Y/N told all about how they were happily working on their own farm and what shenanigans they got up to.
Y/N really was like the warm sun on a cold day. Warming them up and protecting them.
Yes, Y/N was strong. So strong that even Technoblade considered them stronger than him. Maybe not physically but mentally and emotionally.
A clanging of metal rung through the cave. Techno was training with Wilbur while Tommy was just watching. Cheering on Techno.
It wasn’t an unusual situation and something Y/N expected to see as they made their way down the staircase. Wilbur in full iron armor and weapon while Techno just fought back with his own iron sword.
“Hey, Y/N! Welcome back!” Wilbur breathed out. Sweat running down the side of his face as he stopped attacking his brother.
The three men looked happily over to their sibling who slowly walked towards them but soon their expressions fell. Something was off about Y/N and it confused the three.
Their smile was as always plastered on their face but it looked strained. Their eyes wide open, trying to look sincere and loving but the glassy look of them gave off a different picture.
“Y/N? You okay?” Tommy asked as he stood up from the ground. Taking a step closer to them which made them in return stop in their tracks.
Y/N was hugging themself, shakily opening up their mouth to answer but nothing came out. It was then when Techno got very aware of how they were shaking in general.
This all seemed so wrong. This shouldn’t be possible. It just didn’t seem to register fully inside their minds.
Wilbur made sure to get rid off his sword and armor as fast as he could, walking over to his sibling, trying to get a better look at them but they just avoided his gaze.
Staring at the ground, slowly shaking their head “It’s- It’s fine. I’m fine.”
“You aren’t. You really aren’t. What happened? Did they find you?” Techno asked, his voice full with worry. A bit of anger hidden as well.
Y/N had their own little farm in order to support Pogtopia. The potatoes from Techno were great but variety is important after all. Though they also had an abundance of wheat they usually tried to smuggle into Manberg for Niki. Trying to help her out as much as possible with her taxes and work.
This time Y/N nodded “They did… It’s fine though. I’m fine. I’m not hurt. It’s all good.”
Wilbur’s frown deepened “Usually when people have to be so adamant about being okay something isn’t alright.”
Tommy nodded, supporting his statement only to whisper to himself “Adamant? What does-“
But Wilbur continued “We are your family, talk to us.”
Y/N licked their chapped lips “I’m-“
The tears finally escaped their eyes and begun streaming down their face. Sobbing they fell down on the ground. Wilbur immediately followed suit, laying his arm around them and pulling them against his chest. His hand flew up to their head and begun going through their hair, trying to calm them down. Humming a soft tune from their childhood.
It was the first time in their lives they saw Y/N break down like that and it was quite frankly shocking.
Unsure what to do with himself Tommy squatted down “Um, uh, what- what happened?”
Techno was still gripping the iron sword in his hand. Pacing up and down. Manberg found them? What the hell did they do to make Y/N break down like that? His own sibling! Whatever it was he would make sure to pay it back a thousand times over.
“Tommy can you grab them some water?” Wilbur laid his chin on top of Y/N’s head, rubbing circles now on their back.
He didn’t even hesitate, jumping up to run towards one of the chests with food items that Y/N had always ready for them. Grabbing a water bottle and running back over. Happy that he could do something else besides staring.
Tommy then pushed the bottle towards Y/N who gratefully took it, putting some space between them and Wilbur as they drank some of the cold liquid which helped them to calm down.
“You ready to tell us what happened?” Techno stopped pacing around. His gaze purely trained on his crying sibling. Anger still rising in him just like the voices.
Screaming things like “Technosib! How dare they hurt them! Protect them! I love Y/N so much! Why would anyone hurt Y/N! They always help us! Let’s help them for a change! Technosib! Let’s go out and fight them! Yeah! Blood for the Blood God and Y/N!”
Y/N’s voice was still wavering and a bit scratchy from their sobbing as they begun speaking “Hey, hey! Techno don’t concentrate on the voices. Listen to me. It’s all good.”
This somehow made Techno angry. He threw the sword away and finally knelt down next to them as well so his face was on the same eye level as theirs “Stop. Please. Stop thinking about us for one second. Stop trying to not make us uncomfortable or worried! Tell us what happened! Please.”
He was basically begging at the last part. All his worry packed into it.
“Yeah, honestly you trying to make sure everything is okay for us makes us even more worried.” It surprised the others a bit that this came from Tommy but he was correct.
Tears fell down their face again “I- I was just delivering more wheat to Niki and someone must have followed me. They followed me back to my farm and- and- they burned my fields down. There were explosions. I- it was just my farm. I did not harm. Just, why does it always have to end like this. Why do all the good things always end like this. Why can’t this place let something be. There is always something.”
The farm was so important to Y/N. It was their little project they put so much sweat, love and work into. It was their home away from home. A place to retreat and enjoy some peace. This obviously was devastating. It was their one thing they had for themself. The one thing that wasn’t there for anyone else but them.
It was also clear that this seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back and it broke the three a bit that they only now seemed to notice this. That it took that long and their whole farm being destroyed for the realize this was heartbreaking.
“Who?” Techno urged but Y/N shook their head.
“I don’t know. Everything went so fast and I tried to save as much as I could but- but it’s all gone. It’s all gone.” Their voice jumped up an octave at the end, burying their face against Wilbur’s shoulder again. Silently sobbing.
It should have been impossible but Wilbur’s frown deepened and his expression turned more grim “Don’t worry. We will get back at them. We will get our revenge. They will see firsthand what they did to you, I promise.”
Shocked Y/N looked up, their red and puffy eyes wide open “Wil, that’s not what I- no revenge. There is already too much misery going around I just want this to stop. I just want all of us being able to live in peace.”
Wilbur should have known that Y/N was too good natured for that but he couldn’t help himself. He was just so angry. Angry at Schlatt and Manberg. That they went for him was one thing but to go out of their way to treat Y/N like this? Let’s just say he put it on the list in bold letters with reasonings on why he will get back at the Manberg faction.
“Listen Y/N.” Techno begun, his voice now calm again “Stop it. Just for once think about yourself. Stop thinking about others for once. You are also worthy of the same care you give us. Let us at least help rebuild your farm. You always help us with our projects, let us help you with yours.”
Tommy seemed to lit up at that “That sounds like a good idea! We could build towers around your new farm and make sure no one gets in! We could put down traps and all!”
He really wasn’t sure how to react but that was at least something he could do for them. As the past General’s right hand man, this should be something he can do. If he couldn’t protect his sibling how could he ever hope to get L’Manberg back.
Wilbur seemed to think about it for a bit but agreed “Yeah, how does that sound?” Though the dark glint in his eyes stayed. The cogs in head still running off with his own thoughts.
“You guys would? Since when can you guys build?” a dry laugh escaped them but it was a laugh nonetheless.
Both Tommy and Wilbur looked almost appalled at that claim while Techno just shrugged and nodded. Just looking around Pogtopia was more functioning than good looking after all. Y/N tried to pretty it up a bit but usually something always happened around here.
“Also Y/N, please talk to us more. Don’t bottle everything up. Please. We worry a lot about you and we love you. You always do so much for us, let us do the same.” Wilbur pushed Y/N a bit off of him and looked them deep into their eyes, hoping that this would really hammer in that this was a genuine plea.
As a respone Y/N wiped the tears off their face “I understand. I’ll try to remember that.”
“Don’t try just do it.”
345 notes · View notes