#festivalgoals | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

izubabes · 2 years

Note

Hey I just came across your blogs and I absolutely fell in love with your ‘meeting their future kids’ with Tenjiku was absolutely brilliant. Could you maybe do something along the same lines with Toman? I was scrolling and saw you were recovering so I’m wishing you the best and don’t worry if you can’t write it I’m still happy I found your blog!!!!

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐝𝐬 [𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐲𝐮, 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐲, 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧, 𝐌𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐮𝐲𝐚, 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐢, 𝐁𝐚𝐣𝐢

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐲, 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟

𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝: 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞!

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞! 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐤𝐮’𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞. 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐲𝐮’𝐬… 𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬!

✰𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐤𝐮 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

✰𝐓𝐨𝐤𝐲𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

ᴄʜɪꜰᴜʏᴜ

"Hey! Hey! I think we found them, let's follow them."

It's the evening of Shibuya's annual fireworks festival, the fated night everyone had been anticipating for months. Chifuyu had gathered the courage to ask you to come along with his group of friends. He never clarified that it was date, leaving him vulnerable to the banter and teasing of his fellow Toman members. Takemichi and the others mysteriously disappeared after wandering through the crowd. It was all too obvious that your friends were trying hard to get you both alone together.

Chifuyu reassured himself that this was not a date. Yet here you both are, splitting some ice cream and sitting in a secluded area on the festival grounds away from the noise and sweaty bodies enjoying each other's presence while chatting about where the rest of the group had run off to.

“I’m glad you came to the festival with me,” Chifuyu admitted, noting the way your cheeks harbored a rosy tint at his words. His wandering eyes scanned the festivalgoers in search of his friends but to no avail. “We got ditched, huh? Who needs them anyways?”

Chifuyu pulled out all the stops for tonight, he's been draining his wallet left and right to buy whatever your heart desires despite how much you keep complaining that you can pay for yourself. He knows it's not a waste if it's making you happy to be with him but honestly you value his close company more than his material worth.

“We’ve been looking forward to it for a while now, I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” You said, reaching out and stealing the last bite of ice cream in the shared cup. “We'll catch up with the others later. I wanted to spend time with you. It’s fun to match yukatas with my best friend! We almost look a real couple.”

Chifuyu wants to be real couple. He wants to be your boyfriend. But he's a coward. He's afraid of rejection. He's afraid of losing you.

“You have some chocolate on your cheek,” Chifuyu pointed out, stifling back a fit of giggles as he watched you panic about ruining your makeup.

“Where?” You asked, slightly sticky fingers swiping at your face but completely missing the spot he had motioned towards.

“Right here,” He said, lightly wiping the away the mess with his sleeve despite your protests that he would stain the fabric. He rummaged through the tote bag he had been carrying throughout the evening, carefully pulling out his most luxurious gift of the night. “That reminds me, I bought you this hairpin. Do you like it?”

Before he can even think, a tiny peck is placed on his cheek, a small token of your gratitude for his never-ending kindness. Chifuyu nearly fainted at the loving gesture, attempting to calm down his uneven breathing as he listened to you speak. “I love it. You spoil me too much, Matsuno. Help me put it on, yeah?”

Chifuyu admired the way the gift blended in with the pattern of your yukata. It twinkled under the fluorescent lights of the neighboring food stalls, practically projecting an angelic aura around you. The hairpin was cute, sure, but you were absolutely gorgeous under the moonlight's ethereal glow. He would do anything to capture this scene on film and be able to gaze at your beauty whenever he wanted to.

“How does it look?” You asked, opening up your cellphone’s to snap a quick selfie. Scooting closer, you pressed your body against his, sitting shoulder to shoulder. Oh fuck, he swore he could get a whiff of the peach scented perfume lingering on your supple skin that drove him absolutely insane. “Get in the picture, fuyu. I’m sending it to your mom.”

“You’re beautiful,” He blurted out, backtracking on his words as soon as he caught sight of your surprised expression. “I mean cute! You’re so cute— holy fuck, just forget I said anything…”

“Calm down, fuyu.” You chuckled, reaching out and holding his nervous hand. He noticed the way your eyes were focused on his quivering lips before they flickered up to meet his own as if to confirm that you wanted him to get even closer. You needed him to close the gap in between your bodies. “You’re the first guy to ever call me beautiful. It makes me feel special.”

“You are special… to me.” Chifuyu leaned in, noting the way your eyes fluttered closed in anticipation. He lightly pressed his soft lips against yours, left completely breathless at the fact he finally made a move. You tasted so sweet, just like the chocolate ice cream you had both shared earlier, and a mix of the iconic cherry chapstick you always wear.

“EW, MOMMY AND DADDY ARE SMOOCHING!”

A horrified scream could be heard from behind, causing the both of you to pull away. You hid your face in your hands, humiliated at the fact you had just been caught in such an intimate moment. Chifuyu's fiery temper flared up at the audacity someone had to intrude on his private life.

Panicked shushes and muffled voices could be heard from the bushes, its branches rattling around as the nosy culprits shuffled around to mask their exposed presence. “Yuki, be quiet!” Without missing a beat, a young boy’s voice could be heard gagging in response, his tiny hand pointing out from the bush in your direction. “But Fuyumi, it’s gross. You promised there would be no smooching!”

“Hey, you brats! Do you think it’s funny to spy on people? I’ll fuckin’ kill you two.” Chifuyu appeared from behind, snagging the two spies by the collar of their yukatas as they let out another hellish scream. He was beyond pissed at the fact they had just ruined his perfect moment, his first kiss, his first date-that’s-not-a-date. Pure horror was written across each of the children’s features as they wiggled under Chifuyu’s vicious grip. “We’re sorry, Daddy! Please don’t hurt us.”

He sent the kids a curious look, bringing them closer to his face as he put on an intimidating expression. “Who the hell are you calling Daddy?”

You ran up to the group, gripping your best friend’s arm in an effort to settle his raging temper. He could never go against you, a fact that you used to your advantage. “Chifuyu, they’re just kids. Drop the delinquent act, please.”

Just as you requested, he dropped the kids onto the ground. The older girl stuck her tongue out at him in annoyance as she gathered her scattered belongings. The terrified little boy nearly knocked you over with the way he jumped into your arms, hiding in face in the fabric of your yukata. “Mommy’s here to save us!”

Your eyes widened in disbelief as a dry laugh escaped your chest, covering up the fact you were about to have a mini heart attack. “Huh?!”

“I should explain things,” The older girl said, dusting off her kimono as she stood up to face the both of you. She was beautiful and so alluring, possessing the most precious pair of emerald irises just like Chifuyu. Her features were reflected more of your traits but she was a perfect blend of both of her parents. “I’m Fuyumi and this is Yukine, we’re your children.”

This was too much to handle at once, Chifuyu had just kissed you, there’s a random pair of nosy kids who claim to be yours, it’s extremely hot outside and the headache looming over you was beginning to consume your ability to think straight. You set the child down before the rest of your body gave out on keeping you up. “Chifuyu, I’m… feeling dizzy.”

“Wake up, Y/N!” Chifuyu pleaded, lightly shaking your limp form only to receive incoherent blabbering in response. He brought a hand up to your neck, checking for a pulse despite not knowing how to properly check for one. “Oh my god, you two killed her.”

Fuyumi shook her head in disbelief, handing her father a decorative fan in order to blow some fresh air at your face. “Oopsie, I think she passed out, use this to cool her down.”

Yukine chimed in, giggling at the way Chifuyu frantically muttered out apologies and panicked over the fact you were still out cold. “Daddy, you’re such a loser. Why does Mommy even like you?”

“I am not your Daddy, you little brat.”

“We're Fuyumi and Yukine Matsuno. We came from the future to spy on you guys.” His daughter repeated, unlocking her phone and showing today’s date but in a distant number of years from now. Yukine tugged on Chifuyu's sleeve, curious eyes peering up at him in delight. “Are you and Mommy on a date?”

The innocent question sent his mind into overdrive, unsure how to answer without admitting his true feelings to a couple of strange kids. “It’s not a date! We’re just friends.”

Fuyumi smirked, crossing her arms as she glanced between her father and her mother, observing their attire and remembering their intimate moment from a while ago. “I don’t think people are just friends kiss each other on the lips. Or wear matching yukatas!”

“It’s complicated,” Chifuyu groaned. The embarrassment rising in his chest was only amplified by the fact Fuyumi's words from earlier were beginning to settle in. He kept blowing fresh air onto your face with the paper fan "I must be going insane. This is all some twisted ass dream."

"Take a look," Fuyumi handed Chifuyu a polaroid picture, also dated several years into the future. He’s cradling a baby, presumably one of his children, you’re asleep on a hospital bed, and there’s a toddler poking at the newborn’s cheek. “This is a picture of Yukine on the day he was born, you’re the one holding him. I’m sitting next to you.”

The unimaginable sight of the image almost brings tears to his eyes, he bites back the urge to jump for joy. “I’m married to Y/N…” Chifuyu grinned, glancing down at your unconscious form. He glided his hand across your cheek, admiring the way you nuzzled into his gentle touch. “I’m the luckiest guy ever.”

Fuyumi snickered at the way her father was completely lovestruck at the thought of his future. He was definitely in love; it was written all over his dopey face. “Mommy said it was obvious you had a crush on her. You always used the corny pick-up lines from your romance mangas.”

Chifuyu huffed at the constant snarky comments being directed at him by the child. “I’m going to ground you two, eventually…”

Yukine gripped his older sister's hand, pulling her away from the pair as they began to run off into the festival's growing crowd. “We’ll be waiting, bye-bye Daddy! Mommy is about to wake up, take her to see the fireworks, okay?”

Chifuyu called out to the pair, a weak hand extended to no avail as the children ran past his reach. He needed to know more about his future, specifically when he would be bold enough to call you his wife. “Don’t go! When are Y/N and I going to get together?! I need to know!”

Fuyumi sent him a devious wink, holding up a finger to her lips symbolizing her intent to keep it a secret. Yukine mimicked his sister's actions, waving goodbye as they blended in with the festivalgoers.

At the same time, you stirred awake in his arms, peering up at his relieved face as he let out a shaky breath. He had never been more overjoyed to see your beautiful shimmering eyes glancing around at your surroundings. “Fuyu… my head hurts. Did we miss the fireworks?”

He sat you up with a swift motion, careful not to make any sudden moves in case you had sustained a concussion. “Oh good, you’re awake! How are you feeling? I think the heat made you pass out.”

“Wait,” You placed a hand on your aching head, attempting to piece together the events leading up to before you had passed out. Chifuyu “I had the strangest dream… there was a pair of kids that said we were their parents.”

He froze, heart racing in chest as he spoke once again. “Do you remember anything before that?”

“I had chocolate on my face. You gave me this hairpin and that’s all. Everything is fuzzy after that.” Chifuyu wanted you to remember his confession, he wanted you to remember how both reciprocated each other's feelings. “But, but we kiss— never mind, forget it.”

BOOM!

You stood up, walking towards the source of the colorful explosion as you ignored the lingering aftereffects of your migraine. “The fireworks are starting! Let’s go find a spot.” Chifuyu tugged on your wrist before you could walk any further, keeping you in place. “Hold on, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I should get you home, yeah?”

You avoided staring into his eyes, insecurity nipping at your nerves as you remembered the chaos leading up to now. He must have been annoyed with the fact you had consumed his time to enjoy the festival's entertainment. “Are you tired of me, Chifuyu? I’m sorry I fainted on you earlier. You had to take care of me, that wasn’t fair.”

He quickly denied the accusation, slightly shocked by the fact you would ever think he could be sick of your presence. “N-No, that’s not what I meant. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” You bit your lip, reaching out lace your fingers with his own and tugging him towards the audience area. “I’m perfectly fine. I want to watch the fireworks with you and only you. Please?”

BOOM!

The first glittering scene of flashing lights caught your attention, signaling the commencement of the long-awaited fireworks show. Chifuyu could hardly keep up with your frantic pace, knocking him into other festivalgoers who merely sent him dirty looks in response. He was surprised you had managed to find a decent spot in the dense crowd with enough space for the both of you to sit comfortably and a perfect view of the colorful pyrotechnics.

"Wow, they're so bright!"

The brief pause in between each display gave him the perfect opportunity to confess to you properly. Chifuyu adored the way your face lit up at the sight of the flittering sparks, much like a child whose experienced joy for the first time. It was now or never, the clock's ticking, time to put his feelings on full display and await your final answer.

“I like you, Y/N. Will you please be my girlfriend—"

BOOM! BOOM!

You turned to face him, unsure if you had misheard his request or whether it was a trick of the mind. Honestly, you sincerely wished you had heard him correctly after patiently waiting to hear those sweet words all night. "What? Did you say something?"

"No," He replied, blinking back a set of fresh tears that threatened to fall from his anguished irises. He remained silent for the entirety of the show, not even uttering a word when you pointed to a specific firework that had caught your attention.

Once the crowd had shrunk into a few people lingering around, “Chifuyu, close your eyes for a second.”

His broken heart clouded his rationality as he snapped at you with a sharp tone. "For what? Are you going to ditch me like the others?"

You huffed at his attitude, forcefully shutting his pouty orbs with both of your index fingers. "Just do it, fuyu!"

He could feel your breath ghost over the shell of his ear, sending shockwaves of anxiety down his spine. Your voice was incredibly quiet as you whispered your late response into his head. “I like you too… I wanna be yours."

Chifuyu's mouth gaped open at your statement, backing up a couple spaces as he stared down your approaching figure. "You heard me earlier?!"

"I did," You mused, lightly pecking his lips for further confirmation as he melted under your heavenly touch. Chifuyu gently gripped your shoulders as he went back in for another kiss while burning the memory into his mind. Your lovestruck eyes fluttered open, scanning his face in pure adoration. "Hm, this feels familiar. Did we kiss before I passed out?"

His overwhelming blush expanded from his cheeks to the tips of his ears with hot steam practically flooding out of head. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about..."

“Mommy and Daddy are so cute together,” Fuyumi sighed, admiring the way Chifuyu wrapped an arm around your shoulder as you nuzzled your head against his neck. She had always heard the story about her parents becoming official after a certain festival date during their youth. It was incredible to be able to experience it firsthand, even if she and her brother had crashed their picture-perfect moment earlier.

Yukine yawned, preparing to time leap back to their own timeline with his stash of goodies. “Let’s go home, sissy. I can’t wait to show them the pictures we took!”

ᴍɪᴋᴇʏ

“Hey kid, how much do you want for the taiyaki?”

The fed-up boy sighed, turning his back to face the persistent stalker who had been harassing for the past fifteen minutes. His bag of pastries rattled in his arms as he snapped at him with a frustrated scream. “For the last time, it’s mine. I paid for it!” Mikey huffed, dragging his feet across the pavement as he followed the kid around the park in an effort to get him to cave in. “It’s not for me, it’s for my girlfriend! I’m supposed to meet her right now.”

His target let out a dry laugh, beginning to munch down on the coveted snack as Mikey watched in horror. If he hadn't promised to meet you at this park, he would have jumped the boy on the spot and been on his way. A pair of familiar arms looped around his waist from behind as your melodic voice rang in his ears. “Knew I’d find you here, Mikey. What are you doing?”

“Y/N!” Mikey whined, puffing his cheeks and tugging on your sleeve as he shot you a pitiful glance. His free hand pointed an accusatory finger at the child, still eating the bag of fresh fish-shaped pastry. He merely shrugged his shoulders at you while returned the gesture with an apologetic look. “This brat bought the last of the taiyaki I was going to eat!”

Mikey could be one the most childish people you had ever met with his constant bratty attitude and frustrating behavior. You flicked your boyfriend on his forehead, ignoring how he grumbled at your actions. The eavesdropping boy snickered, sticking his tongue out at your boyfriend as he sent him a death glare. “Mikey, he’s just a kid. We can split a parfait on our date.”

"But Y/N, I'm hungry now!"

A victorious scream was uttered by the boy, quickly turning into surprise as he took a closer look at the both of you. “Aha! I knew it was for you— Wait… you’re my parents!”

Mikey lost his balance, falling onto the ground in a fit of hysterics as you stared at the strange boy in disbelief. “That’s hilarious, kid! Never heard that one before.” You ignored the stupidity arising from your boyfriend's actions, approaching the mysterious boy and finding a distinct resemblance between them. “He does kinda look like you…”

“I’m Yuta Sano.” He said, properly introducing himself to the both of you. Yuta studied your face closely before glancing at Mikey and clicking his tongue in distaste. “Mom’s way out of your league, Dad. How did you manage to get her to fall for you?”

“She was head over heels for me,” Mikey said smugly, wrapping arm around your waist as he pulled you into his grasp. He snuggled into your body, inhaling the scent of your strawberry pound cake perfume. “How could I resist turning down a pretty girl like her?”

“Don’t lie to him, Manjiro.” You snapped, pushing off his clingy form as he fought to stay close to you. His jealous side was slowly making its appearance, a sight that was often rare to see. “Yuta, do you want the truth?”

You began to relay the story behind your budding relationship with Manjiro Sano. “Draken and Emma were the ones who set us up on a date which Mikey ended up ruining by falling asleep right after we ate at the cafe. I had to carry him home and he drooled all over my shoulder. He also forgot his wallet and had ordered half of the menu which I ended up having to pay for!”

“Babe, you said you keep that a secret!” Mikey shouted as he crumbled under the fiery flames of betrayal. He grabbed the boy by the collar of shirt, bringing him closer as his piercing onyx eyes sent chils down his spine. “Yuta, I do not drool in my sleep. Your mother is a dirty little liar.”

“That’s what you’re worried about!?” Yuta scoffed at his outburst while lurching away from Mikey's act of intimidation. “Runs in the family, I guess. Suzu does the same thing after she eats. She’s practically Dad’s twin.”

“Suzu?” You questioned, hoping he wasn't referring to another incoming child. Yuta motioned for the two of you glance at the image on his cellphone, pointing out the sweet little girl in the family picture perched on Mikey’s lap. She reflected all of his features, from the unruly blonde hair to his captivating charcoal irises. “Suzu is my younger sister. She’s your daughter.”

Mikey's heart skipped a beat at the sound of your flustered squeals as you hid your blushing cheeks under your hands. “Oh my god, this is really happening… this is real life. These are my— our kids?”

He could hardly hold back another round of laughter as he uncovered your face, lightly pecking your nose as he spoke. “What are you embarrassed for, Y/N? I’m happy to know that you’re the person I’m gonna marry.” Mikey cooed as he embraced you in his arms “I wanted us to stay together. Glad to know we did. We have some cute kids, huh?”

“Mikey…” You whispered, hiding your reddening face in his chest as he gently patted your head. “How are you so calm about this?”

“My heart belongs to you,” He stated, a sincere smile lighting up his normally stoic face. “I know I’m in good hands.”

“I’m going to be sick,” Yuta muttered, turning away from the lovey dovey scene unfolding before his eyes. He may be a teenager but he sure acted “You’re always super sappy with Mom.”

A mischievous smile crept up Mikey’s face as he turned the situation into his favor. “Hand over the taiyaki or I kiss your mother, kid.” The iron grip your boyfriend had on your wrist kept you in place as you tried to pull away. He was determined to get the snack at any cost or sacrifice necessary. “Manjiro, what the fuck!”

“You wouldn’t…” Yuta challenged, narrowing his eyes at his father as he brought the pastry closer to his mouth threatening to take a bite. It was the last one he had left in the bag; its fate was unknown as the two males stared each other down in suspense.

“Choice’s yours,” Mikey pulled you in close, cupping your cheeks and leaning in towards your face with pursed lips. He sent the boy a victorious smirk, centimeters away from connecting your mouths. “Pucker up, Y/N!” You shook your head response, avoiding his spontaneous kisses as he giggled at your embarrassment. He was absolutely shameless with showing affection in public I matter who was watching. “No! No! Mikey, what are you doing—!"

"Okay, okay. You win!" Yuta declared, handing over the pastry to an overly satisfied Mikey. He tugged you away from his father’s hold, hiding you behind his shorter frame with his arms extended out in a defensive position. "Stop it already, Mom's super uncomfortable."

Mikey only smirked, taking a huge bite of taiyaki. “It’s okay, she loves me. Right, Y/N?” An exhausted sigh was enough of a response in affirmation as hand went to rest on your aching forehead. “You’re such a handful, Manjiro.”

“Baby, call me Mikey. You only call me that when you’re pissed.”

You rolled your eyes at him, practically screaming his ear off as you went in on him. “I am pissed! Talk about damn near sexual harassment." He tugged at your sleeve with a pouty look across his face, Mikey's signature puppy dog eyes were on full display. "Do you still love me?"

"I'm starting to have second thoughts," You muttered as you gave your boyfriend the cold shoulder. Yuta's face was full of hurt, he was broken by the fact he had his last pastry stolen by his stubborn father. “Hey Yuta, do you have any embarrassing stories about this idiot? I’ll buy you food as an apology for everything.”

His eyes filled up with excitement, graciously accepting your generous offer. “Hell yeah, can we go on my motorcycle?” Mikey perked up at the conversation involving his beloved vehicle of choice. “You have a bike? I want to ride it! Let me see!”

Yuta shook his head before reaching and taking your hand in his and urging you to follow him. “As if, Dad. Only Mom is allowed to be my passenger. You have your own bike, don’t you?”

Mikey frowned in disapproval, fuming as he sent his child the dirtiest look imaginable. His dark impulses threatened to appear if he didn't play his cards right. “She’s supposed to be on a date with me. You can’t just steal her from me. I’ll fuckin’ ground you for life.”

“Don’t listen to him, Yuta. What do you want to eat?”

Yuta accepted your hand, sticking close to your side as he tugged you away from a preoccupied Mikey. “This is why I prefer Mom over you!”

“She’s mine!” Mikey shouted, chasing after your distant figures “Get back here you two!”

If this is what the future holds for him, Mikey certainly can’t wait for the day he can experience it firsthand.

ᴅʀᴀᴋᴇɴ

“Inupi, can you take a look at this motorcycle when you get the chance?”

Summer is always hell at D&D Motors since it's the specific time of the year when business picks up exponentially. Draken and Inui get swamped with customers who have very specific needs. Some need maintenance, others need routine oil changes, others need intense repairs on their expensive motorcycles. Some are bold enough to come in and act clueless so they can get a chance to flirt with the shop’s owners while chasing after a steep discount. It never works.

“Might take a while, I’m still fixing up the one for pickup today.” Inui replied, adjusting the loose seat on the bike as it kept falling out of place. He groaned at the way the whole thing came apart and landed at his feet practically taunting him no matter how many times he tried to screw the godforsaken thing in place.

“Damn it,” Draken complained, pacing around the workshop before stopping in his tracks. A younger teenage boy was inspecting one of the neighboring motorcycles, practically acting as if he owned the bike, carefully checking all the delicate parts of the engine as Draken approached. “Can I help you, kid? You're not allowed to be back here.”

“Spark plugs need to be replaced and those brake pads are on their last lap. It’s a quick fix on your own but clearly the owner could give a shit less.” He stated, gazing over the body of the vehicle as he gave it a gently tap on its luxurious exterior. “Such a shame to see a nice ride being put to waste.”

Draken was stunned by how quick the boy was able to find the underlying problem, confirming his claims after inspecting it himself. He hadn't even gotten around to getting a look at the bike but he was now less stressed by the fact he could done with its repairs by today. “You’re right, kid. How’d you know?”

The strange boy grinned with pride, wiping off his soiled hands with the rag he was handed. “I learned it from you, Dad.” Draken nearly dropped the toolbox on his foot, fumbling for a steady grip as the contents inside rattled in response. “Excuse me?”

Inui glanced up from his spot on the ground, curious about the sudden source of the ruckus. “Woah, it’s a mini Draken… am I seeing things?”

The boy shot him a sly smile, waving over at the other surprised mechanic. “Hey there, Uncle Seishu!” Inui narrowed his eyes at the teenager, surprised by how the two seemed to be on a familiar basis. He has no recollection of ever interacting with the boy before nor had seen him wander into the shop. “Do I know you?”

“Yes, but not yet. I’m from the—"

The shop’s front doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of a new client as you called out for the two people you were looking for. “Ken! I brought you some lunch. Seishu, I made extra for you too.” The boy perked up at the sound, nearly tripping over his own two feet as he peeked through the slightly open door “That’s Mom’s voice! Can I go see her? Can I? Can I?”

Draken tugged on the back of the boy’s shirt before he could slip through the workshop’s door. He had no idea who the hell this kid was nor why he kept referring to him as Dad and why he would even think of calling you Mom. “Hold on, you little runt. You have some explaining to do first.”

Before he could say anything else, your head popped in from the creak in the workshop's door. You smiled at the familiar faces in sight becoming confused the random chaos unfolding back there. “There you are, Ken. Oh hello, am I interrupting something?”

“Hi Mom!”

“M-Mom?!”

Draken slapped a panicked hand over the boy's mouth, muffling his protests as he did his best to hide him from your view. “What did I tell you— what’s your name?”

“Kyo… Kyo Ryuguji.” He mumbled, ripping off his father's hand as he struggled to take in a proper breath. Draken noticed the menacing aura radiating from your body, an unsettling grin occupying your face while you threatened to bash his head in with a nearby wrench. “You never told me you had a kid, Ken. What else are you hiding from me?”

“You’re in for it, Dad!” Kyo fought back a fit a laughter, running to hide behind Inui’s equally terrified body as he prepared himself for the incoming feud. Both of them had never seen you so enraged before, Draken nearly prayed for mercy as you closed in on his distressed form.

Ten minutes later, the workshop was turned upside down and Draken was sporting a huge lump on his forehead. You had apologized after he had clarified that he was not two-timing and he had no idea who the random kid was.

“Let me get this straight... You're some kind of time traveler?" Draken questioned, scrolling through the content’s on Kyo’s cellphone before letting you have a turn at viewing the pictures that are supposedly from the future.

"Uh-huh," Kyo confirmed, munching down on the fresh bento boxes you had brought in. He gulped down the food at a ferocious pace "Mom's cooking is the best!"

“Hey Mom, are you and Dad dating yet?” Kyo asked.

“Wha—?!” You both shouted while exchanging equally humiliated expressions.

“Well, I’m your son! It’s a long ass story and I’m kinda running out of time here but it’s nice to see you guys…” Kyo said as he disappeared, leaving no trace of his existence behind except the remnants of his half-eaten meal.

Draken scratched the back his neck, noting the way you refused to meet his lingering gaze. “Did we just meet our future runt?”

You toyed with the strands of your hair, mumbling a quiet reply under your breath. “I guess so.”

Inui smirked, deciding to meddle in his best friend’s love life. “You two just gonna sit there and stare at each other all day or decide to go out already?"

ᴍɪᴛꜱᴜʏᴀ

“Takashi, that tickles. Are you almost done?”

Warm rays of sunlight peeked through the curtains, finding home on your skin as they casted a golden hue on your features. Mitsuya had invited you over today in hopes of helping him design his newest creation, but he found himself being distracted by his hyperactive model. You, on the other hand, were fed up with the fact you had spent most of the sunny afternoon cramped indoors when Takashi could have taken you on a date instead.

“If you would sit still for a second I could get the measurements I need.” Mitsuya grumbled, adjusting the tape measure around your neck once again as you squirmed under his touch, a fit of giggles escaping your mouth as he attempted to secure the material. “Babe, I’m serious!”

“I can’t concentrate on an empty stomach,” You whined, sending him a wink as you brushed his soft lavender bangs out of his face, revealing the slightly frustrated male underneath. “I know my doting boyfriend skipped breakfast. You should take better care of yourself, Takashi.”

“Don’t worry about me. I can get you a snack, lovely.” Mitsuya chuckled, placing a sweet kiss on your forehead, completely ignoring the waves of hunger rumbling in his stomach. “Take a break in the meantime.”

“Will do!” You affirmed, falling back onto his bed and indulging yourself in his fuzzy blankets. Mitsuya was always incredibly patient with you even when he was acting like a raging perfectionist, going as far as putting everyone else’s needs above his own, not caring to eat or drink until he finished his newest project.

While dozing in off in his room you heard the light pitter patter of footsteps prancing around the room. A quiet voice roused you from your peaceful slumber as a finger poked at your cheek. Soft giggles radiated from the culprit's mouth as they continued to mess with you. “Wake up… Mommy, wake up!”

Mommy?

A tired groan left your mouth as you lightly swatted away the hand that kept interrupting your peaceful slumber. “Luna, is that you? Or is it Mana?”

It couldn’t be his sisters; they were on a play date with some friends from school. It had been an hour since they had been picked up from their apartment, promising that they would be back later this evening for dinner. “The girls aren't here, silly! I’m Sumire.”

Assuming this must be one of their neighborhood friends, you greeted her with half-awake eyes, a yawn slipping past your mouth as you spoke. “How did you get up here, cutie? Did Takashi not tell you that Luna and Mana aren’t home?”

The child replied with no hesitation. “Oh, I time leaped. My aunties must be busy, bummer.”

Her words instantly broke the haze of sleep lingering in your head comparable to a bucket of ice water being poured down your back. You rubbed at your eyes to confirm that there was in fact a strange little girl inside your boyfriend's room “You… what?”

“Sumire Mitsuya, I’m a third grader. You’re my mother, ”

You stared down the child, finding some of Mitsuya’s gorgeous features blended together with your own. However, you had never given birth in your lifetime and Mitsuya swore he had never dated anyone than you. “Takashi and I… we… you’re our child?”

Sumire nodded, lightly bowing her head as she properly introduced herself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mommy.”

“I’m going to help you find your actual parents,” You mumbled, taking her small hand and leading her out the bedroom door. unamused with the nonsense you were hearing. “Takashi is pulling a prank on me; he has to be.”

Mitsuya met you halfway down the hallway “Babe, how about we get some ramen— uh, who is that?”

You crossed your arms over your chest, huffing at his attempt to act oblivious to the situation. Surely this was payback for fooling around as he was trying to focus on his work earlier. “Takashi, quit messing around. I get it, okay? I'll be the picture-perfect model for you."

He frowned. “I’m not joking, Y/N. I have no idea who she is."

Mitsuya's attention was stolen by the girl's attire as studied the pattern of her clothes closely, admiring the artisan fabric chosen to create it. “Woah, I’ve always dreamed of designing a dress like this for Mana and Luna when I was younger.”

Sumire twirled in delight as she proudly showed off the frills and intricate lace adoring her tiny figure. It was a one-of-kind gown made under an expert's careful watch. The nearly invisible seams were flawless and there wasn't a single stitch out of place, it was a true work of art. “You made it for me, Papa!”

“Papa?”

“I’m Sumire, I keep telling Mommy that I’m her daughter but she won’t believe me.”

“Mommy,” Mitsuya mumbled, turning to face you with a curious expression as you blushed under his intense gaze. “Would that be Y/N?”

“I have some pictures in my backpack,” Sumire said, handing each of you a handful of polaroids in delight. She explained the events behind each photograph in significant detail, confirming that they were indeed real and not a sophisticated display of photoshop.

Mitsuya gulped, “Sumire, am I doing a good job at being your father?”

“You’re the absolute best, Papa!” She gushed, beginning another endless ramble as she retrieved a leather notebook from her backpack, thumbing through the pages until she found the spot she had previously bookmarked. “You made Mama’s wedding dress. I have a sketch of the design right here—”

Mitsuya quickly closed the journal before you could catch a glimpse of his future work. He hid Sumire behind his back as soon as he noticed the mischievous expression illuminating your features, knowing you were ready to pounce on him at any second. “L-Let’s put that one away, yeah? I’d rather not ruin the surprise even if it’s years from now.”

He barely dodged out of the way in time as you lunged at him, moving to the side as you collided on the floor, tumbling straight into a pile of clothes. The flames of determination shone brightly in your focused eyes as you positioned yourself to attempt to tackle him down onto the ground. Your boyfriend may be a captain in one of Tokyo's most notorious gangs, but he has never met anyone who instill fear into his bones like you can.

Colliding with his chest, you stretched your arms up towards his occupied hands. Mitsuya held the notebook high above your shorter frame, switching its position every time you jumped up to try and reach it. “Oh come on, Takashi. Can I get a little peek? I bet it’s absolutely gorgeous.”

“No, this is under lock and key!" He cried out while making eye contact with the child who was still present in the room. With a quick flick of his wrist, he sent the item flying towards her and praying she would be able to grab it. "Sumire, catch it. Don't let her see it."

Sumire did as she was instructed, running away from your approaching figure as you chased her around the apartment. Her light giggles and squeals mixed with your promises of eventually trapping her under your hold. Mitsuya called after you, warning that sooner or later one of you would trip or hurt yourselves amongst the chaos unfolding in the household.

Ten minutes later, Mitsuya and yourself are lying on the floor and completely out of breath while the younger girl is still bouncing off the walls. You had given up on discovering the contents of the notebook, deciding that it would be worth the wait. Sumire was an insatiable ball of limitless energy who could go on chatting for hours, a trait that resembled Luna and Mana's behavior.

You reached out and intertwined your fingers with your boyfriend's own, reminiscing in the feeling of his warm hand engulfing yours. It was tranquil and loving, he always made you feel loved whenever you were by his side. "Takashi, if you're the man I'm marrying... I wouldn't mind being your wife."

"Perfect," He beamed, turning onto his side to face your properly. His grip tightened, as if to affirm that he had been thinking of the sane words in his mind. "I couldn't imagine being with anyone else."

Sumire's cheers filled the room as she watched the romantic scene take place. Her lavender orbs sparkled with excitement as she waited for the magical moment to become reality. “Kiss! Kiss!”

Mitsuya pulled away before your lips could meet and shook his finger in disapproval. “Ah, ah, ah… that’s for grownups only.”

"That's okay," Sumire said, gathering her belongings as she began to prepare to return to her proper timeline. She gave each of you a warm hug and a tiny peck on the cheek as a parting gift as she waved farewell. "I have to go home now. Bye Mommy! Bye Papa!

Mitsuya patted her head in response. “I’m looking forward to meeting you, Sumire. Not until years from now, though.”

“Papa, do you wanna know a secret?” Sumire perked up at the last second, motioning for her father to crouch down as she whispered into his ear.

Before you could blink, the child was gone and the room was filled with silence once again. Honestly, it was nice while it lasted but the whole experience left you exhausted and downright bewildered out of your mind. Had you really just spent an hour with your future daughter? Is Mitsuya actually going to become your husband one day? Only time will tell, of course.

“Takashi, spill it." You demanded, poking at his side until he gave into your pleas. "What did our very lovely future daughter have to say?"

Mitsuya’s gleeful expression morphed into a flustered one as soon as he noticed your pouty face. He gently pulled you into his arms as his chin rested on top of your head, his voice sending vibrations down your spine. “We’re… having twins in the future.”

OH...

ᴛᴀᴋᴇᴍɪᴄʜɪ

"Maybe… Maybe I'm better off dead."

Another failure, another death he unable to prevent, another fucked up timeline he surely has to come home to. The universe is in loop, repeating a series of cursed events within Takemichi's mind. It's purgatory, the vile place that has him reliving the memories in which he couldn't save anyone nor could he fix the future.

"You shouldn't say things like that." The unannounced presence of a young girl nearly made him cry out in fear, her hushed voice caught his attention as she walked towards his hospital bed, observing the injuries littered across his body. She pointed at the cast around his battered arm, staring at the limb with anguished eyes. “Does that hurt?”

“I’m fine, really.” Takemichi grinned, fighting back the pain arising in his face under the bruises and cuts adorning it. He weakly held up a tiny thumbs up with his broken arm, wincing as the fresh pain shot up his nerves. “Who are you?”

The young girl hesitated to speak up, offering him a glass of water instead which he graciously accepted. Takemichi observed her appearance as the feeling of familiarity rose in his mind. A distant memory was beginning to surface, one from the future that was likely triggered by the stranger's sudden entrance. He can start to see it come together, this girl, much younger in his memory, running up to him and referring to him as Daddy.

She cut the momentary silence short by deciding to confess the truth behind her visit. "My name is Mirai, I’m your daughter." Takemichi nearly choked on his drink, coughing up a storm as he processed the weight of her words. He can clearly picture her in his head but to acknowledge the fact taht she's here with him physically causes him to question everything. "That's impossible... N-No way, are you serious?"

"Uncle Chifuyu was out of line," Mirai stated, shaking her head at the scene she had overheard earlier. He had blamed him for causing Draken's untimely death, cursed him out for coming back to the past despite seemingly having created their ideal future. "He has no idea how much you've gone through by time leaping back and forth."

Even so, he still defended his partner, knowing he would eventually come around after his feelings had settled. "Chifuyu is grieving, we all are. I did fuck up; I can own up to that."

Mirai reached out and gripped Takemichi's bandaged hand, her own tears falling onto his tattered skin. He panicked at the sight of her heartbreaking sobs not knowing how to comfort her properly. “The whole world could turn against you but I will always be proud to call you my dad. You're the whole reason I exist."

Without warning, the emotional dam bursts open, years of pent-up grief and rage poured from the depths of his soul into his current reality. Mirai chuckled, carefully wiping away both of their tears with a tissue as she avoided the delicate bruised area of his eye. “A crybaby like always, Dad. I'm definitely your daughter, hm?"

He paused, reflecting on his original reason for being able to jump in between timelines. Mirai should have not been granted the ability unless she must have experienced death or found a separate trigger of some sort. “If you’re a time leaper too, then... Is your future corrupted as well? Did something go wrong?"

"Far from it," Mirai stated, retrieving her cellphone and scrolling through her camera roll, showing him endless of images of his friends and newfound family. Draken and Emma are married. Mitsuya and the Shiba siblings are traveling the world. Chifuyu and Kazutora are running the pet shop. Inui and Kokonoi have reconnected. Naoto and Hina are both out of harm's way.

Mikey... Where's Mikey?

Takemichi's determination has returned at full force.

"My time's up," Mirai pouted, glancing at her beeping watch before engulfing Takemichi in her arms. Her touch feels so familiar, it brings him comfort during such a troubling time. He wants to know more about Mirai's timeline, how he managed to create such a flawless scenario, what needed to be done in order to achieve it. At the same time, he wants to savor this moment and relish in the tranquility of connecting someone so close yet so far away.

"Oh yeah, Uncle Mikey wanted me to give you this note," Mirai said, extending her hand bearing the gift from the future. Takemichi's pale blue irises welled up with tears once again at the sound of his friend's name knowing he must be alive and safe. She bid him goodbye before completely disappearing within a moment's breath.

He opened the letter as soon he was positive that he was completely alone, carefully analyzing the simple message attached the flimsy piece of paper inside. There's a photo inside of Mikey and Takemichi, both flashing overjoyed smiles as they both hold up a peace sign in the camera's frame.

You did it, hero.

Thank you for saving me.

ʙᴀᴊɪ

“Keisuke, where on earth are you?”

Baji, your notorious forgetful boyfriend, was always chronically late to all of your dates and today was no exception. This time he had set a new record by being over forty-five minutes late to your pre-scheduled hangout at the nearby arcade. He refused to answer any and all of your text messages and calls, going to straight to delivered or voicemail each time you attempted to reach him.

Time to check his location.

Keisuke would never ignore you on purpose, a fact you knew deep down, he was just a scattered brained fool who loves to stick his nose in other people's lives or in this case, a playground fight with some elementary schoolers. "If I ever see you pick on this kid again, I'll strip you naked and send you home all fucked up!"

His battered victims ran away from him in terror, swearing that they would tell their parents and get him in trouble. He could give two shits less about the consequences of his actions as long as he knew he had saved an innocent little boy. He turned to face the terrified child hiding under the slide, coaxing him to come out. "I'm not gonna hurt 'ya. Just makin' sure you're okay, yeah?"

The boy sniffled, slowly crawling out of the play area before running up and latching onto Baji's leg. "Thank you, Papa."

"You can call me Keisuke," He corrected.

"Papa." The boy reaffirmed, tightening his grip on his pants.

His moment of peace was shattered as soon as he heard the sound of your furious voice. Your boyfriend's face paled once he made direct eye contact with your fuming figure, steadily approaching him with balled up fists. "Keisuke, I finally found you! Seriously, send me a text next time you're going to have me waiting for over a fucking hour. It's not that hard to communicate with me."

"Easy there, sweetheart." Baji waved off your complaints, pointing up towards the little boy sitting on his shoulders. “Some snot nosed brats picking on this little guy here, I taught them a lesson.”

Goodness, he was so adorable. Short and with chubby cheeks and the cutest pair of chocolate-colored doe eyes you had ever seen. He clung onto Baji like a baby koala, periodically running his tiny fingers through his long hair. “Whose kid is this? Is he a cousin of yours?”

“He's not mine. I never bothered to ask,” He answered, placing the little boy on his shoulders on the ground as he held onto his hand. A sheepish grin illuminated Baji's features as he pointed towards the little one who merely stared off into space. “Just brought him with me, is that okay?”

You sighed at his response, shaking your head at the stupid idea he had thought of before slapping him upside the head. Baji cried out at your actions, demanding to know why you had struck him. “Kei, I love you. I really do but… you’re such an idiot sometimes. We need to help him find his parents.”

You crouched down to the child's height, switching to a much softer voice in order to avoid frightening him any further. “Hi buddy, are you okay? Did this weirdo scare you?”

“Mama!” He squealed, tugging on your skirt with grabby hands as he gestured for you to pick him up. “Papa was so cool, he beat up all those jerks in ten seconds.”

Baji let out an amused chuckle, ruffling the boy's hair as a nervous grin crept up his cheeks. He almost seemed embarrassed by the fact that he was being so soft around the child. “The kid keeps calling me ‘Papa’, I think it’s kinda cute.”

The little boy stared up at the both of you before making a bold statement. “You’re Hiro's Mama and Papa!”

"Of course, sweetheart." You joked along, assuming he must be playing some sort of game. Baji could only smirk at how motherly you had become in the span of five minutes, thinking about how one day he would surely wife you up. "Is that your name? What are your parents' names?”

Hiro nodded, pointing at both of you. “Keisuke and Y/N, that’s you two. I think, are you them?”

Before you had a chance to speak, a panicked teenager approached the scene, crying out towards the toddler. “Hiro! Oh my god, there you are!”

Baji nudged your side, curiously staring at the approaching stranger while comparing your appearance to hers. There was an extremely close resemblance between the both of you, it was like looking into a mirror. “Hey babe, she looks just like you, that’s trippy as fuck!”

“I am so sorry,” The young girl said, frantically mumbling apologies while she embraced the child in her arms and spun him around. She scolded him for running off on his own before turning her attention onto the two of you. “Did he give you any trouble? I turned around for like five seconds and he was gone.”

“I’m okay, big sis.” Hiro said, grasping Baji’s hand with his smaller one and reaching out for yours as well. He felt comfortable with “Mama and Papa took really good care of me.” Her worried eyes flickered from her younger brother to both you and Baji. She hesitated before speaking again, nervously wringing her hands together. ”Hiro, how much did you tell them?”

Hiro avoided his sister's stare, unwilling to admit he had just revealed an important secret. His hazel irises glistened with tears as he hid his face in his hands along with the soft whispers of his meek little voice. “I, uh… everything. Hiro is sorry, big sis.”

She rolled her eyes at him, a frustrated sigh slipping past her lips as she cleared her throat in anticipation. “Okay, we’re going to sound like hella insane but we’re your kids.” She set the younger boy down, motioning for him to face forward. “Introduce yourself, munchkin.”

Hiro bowed as straight as he could, proudly presenting himself to his parents. “Nice to meet you, I’m Hiro Baji. I’m five!” His older sister followed up with her own polite introduction, avoiding the bewildered stare she was receiving from you. “I’m Kaoru Baji. I’m thirteen, we’re from the future.”

Baji shook your shoulders in pure bliss, sharp canines flashing brightly as he marveled at the pair. Meanwhile, your head was spinning as you tried to understand the situation at hand. There was no way this was happening. “Babe, are you hearing this? We’re going to have kids together.”

“Chill out, Papa.” Kaoru warned, placing a worried hand on your hand on your shoulder. You stiffened under her touch, too freaked out to utter a word other than letting out a panicked squeak. She immediately noticed your discomfort and backed away, grabbing her brother by the hand and slowly fading away. "Hiro and I need to leave. We'll be back soon!"

You blinked, finding the courage to speak after the shock had finally passed, slightly disappointed that you may have hurt the children's feelings. "Wait, what!? No, please stay!"

Baji flashed his signature smile at you, swallowing your frame in his arms as he pulled you in close. "Should I buy you a ring now, or do you want me to start calling you wifey?"

It was supposed to be a sweet moment, but it was too soon for you to be thinking about things such as marriage. God knows what in the actual hell had just taken place. "You'd be late your own wedding, Keisuke. I should break up with you, I really should.”

He gasped at your response, offended that you would ever joke about something like that. “Is that any way to speak to your future husband?”

You sighed, dragging him along to get started with your long-awaited date. “We’re not married!”

“Not yet.”

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suashii · 29 days

Text

— 𝒹𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓂𝑒 ౨ৎ

kaeya alberich x reader. 1.4k wc. ﾉ sfw ﾉ fluff

when you return to mondstadt for a short and unannounced trip, the city center is blooming with life.

the statue devoted to the anemo archon barbatos is the heart of the festivities. your eyes drift to take in the sights; bards skillfully playing their lyres, songs of freedom and friendship spilling from their lips, citizens dressed in their best attire reserved for occasions such as these, the fabric of their clothes and the hair atop their heads wafting in the winds of mondstadt as they dance hand in hand. their energy is infectious and despite not knowing what’s being celebrated, you find yourself smiling, your aura brightening.

your gaze scans the crowd for a familiar face—maybe jean or amber—to make your presence known and perhaps learn more about the event. you’re not able to pick either of them out and it makes you wonder if they’re here at all, if they have the luxury of taking time off for leisure.

you turn on your heel with the intention of going to find one of them but are met with a chest instead. you take a step back, an apology on your tongue and halfway out your mouth when you look up to see who you nearly barreled into.

kaeya.

something about him looks different, you think. it dawns on you quickly; the garments you’ve grown accustomed to seeing him in are traded in for something more casual though still dressy—a flowy white shirt with a diamond-shaped opening at the chest tucked into a pair of dark pants. the navy hair you’re used to seeing resting on his shoulder in a ponytail is free from its tie, cascading freely down his back.

it’s a new look on him, one you almost didn’t recognize, though, the patch covering his right eye and the grin greeting you are unmistakable. between the never-before-seen hairstyle and the large amount of exposed, tan skin on his chest, you aren’t sure where to look.

“fancy seeing you here.” kaeya’s voice is all you need to focus your eyes somewhere—his face, where they should be. his one visible eye sparkles with a mixture of curiosity and humor, like he had taken note of your wandering gaze and found it entertaining.

“oh, hello!” you greet him louder than necessary, raising your hand in a friendly wave. your attempt at coming off as nonchalant only makes kaeya’s grin widen. the liveliness around you keeps you from dwelling on the embarrassing moment and gives you the opportunity to change the subject. you gesture to the people around you. “what’s the cause for celebration?”

“well,” he starts, “you have graced mondstadt with your presence during our annual windblume festival.”

you slowly nod and raise your eyebrows, patiently waiting for him to continue. a beat of silence passes between the two of you as kaeya surveys his surroundings, strands of his dark blue hair drifting in the light wind. his gaze falls on you once more. “many, many years ago, the festival was formed to celebrate mondstadt’s liberation from decarabian's rule. as such, the underlying theme of the day was freedom. recently though, the windblume festival is commonly viewed as an observance of love.”

the last word catches you off guard and you try to mask the surprise that instinctively takes over your face. the timing of your arrival is a bit awkward, you think—especially considering kaeya was the first person you happened to run into. you clear your throat before asking, “and which might you be celebrating today?”

he holds your eye and shrugs. “i appreciate both interpretations.”

the corners of your lips turn up in a smile as you nod before your focus unconsciously drifts to the other festivalgoers. you hadn’t noticed it before but there’s a romantic air about the citizens around you. in their dances, they clutch at each other as though they never want to let go. there’s adoration in their eyes as they look on at each other, roses blooming in their cheeks as they bashfully accept what you can only assume are love letters.

you suppose the overwhelming majority of people regard today as a ceremony of love.

“would you care to dance?” once again, kaeya’s voice is like an anchor, pulling you down from the clouds and grounding you on earth. when you turn your head to look at him, his gloved hand is held out between you, his palm up as an offering.

“you,” you point at him emphatically, “know how to dance?”

whether he senses the surprise in your voice or the gesture, kaeya lets out an airy laugh. “swordsmanship and dancing are actually quite similar. both require a certain level of rhythm and quickness on your feet, not to mention coordination and agility.”

it makes sense the more you think about it, though you still have a hard time imagining kaeya in the role of dancer when you’ve grown accustomed to him as a knight, a fighter. however, you will admit; he certainly looks the part today.

it’s only right to celebrate the culture of those you’re visiting. with that in mind, you take kaeya’s hand. the feel of leather on your palm is cool but the tips of his fingers not covered by the glove are warm. you try not to concentrate on it. “i’m afraid i’m not well-versed in the art of dance.”

he shoots you his signature smile. “do not fret, i will lead.”

his other hand makes a home on your waist and you follow the model of those around you, setting yours on his shoulder. it’s an unfamiliar position and with kaeya of all people but you can’t help but think it feels… comfortable. you tip your head up to meet your partner’s eye. without spoken words, his gaze asks: shall we?

hand in hand, you and kaeya sway to the sound of lyres and the musical voices of the bards that accompany the strings. you follow each step he takes—carefully at first, as if one misstep will pop the bubble you’ve found yourself in, ruin the moment you had no idea you were seeking. but as time passes and you pick up on the rhythm, it’s as though you don’t even think before you move.

before long, your focus isn’t on your feet but on the way the wind kisses your cheeks. it’s on the feel of kaeya’s hand pressed to your waist and how the warmth of his palm seems to seep through the leather of his glove and the fabric of your garments. it’s on the blinding smile that’s beaming down on you, warming you from the inside out.

you aren’t sure how much time passes before the two of you slow to a stop in front of the statue of barbatos. long enough for the bards to have moved onto of new song? long enough for the crowd of fellow dancers to have been replaced by another set?

“you shouldn’t sell yourself short,” kaeya tells you as he slowly lets his hands fall to his sides. you do the same. “you are a very good dancer.”

“you flatter me.” your comment is punctuated with a laugh that makes kaeya smile. it’s softer than what you’re used to and, for some reason, it makes your heart thump violently against your chest.

silence blankets you for a short moment before you feel the urge to break it. “um, have you happened to see jean? i haven’t gotten the chance to announce my arrival yet.”

“she’s likely finishing up work at headquarters despite the festivities.”

you had a feeling you wouldn’t find her out and about.

“though, before you take your leave…” kaeya holds up his finger in a gesture for you to wait a moment. you do so as he turns on his heel and makes his way to a nearby stall that is selling flowers. he plucks one away from the rest and attempts to pay the girl but she shakes her head in refusal, surely insisting that the cavalry captain take the blossom free of charge. you breathe out a laugh at their exchange—the people of mondstadt truly love kaeya.

in the time you’ve known him, you can understand why.

his boots scrape against the stone of the ground as he returns, arms held behind his back. he reveals the flower once he’s standing in front of you. “to celebrate your first windblume festival.”

you smile as you accept his gift. you’ve always known him to be considerate, but the sentiment is so thoughtful that it makes your heart swell.

“why, thank you.” you look down at the dandelion in your hand. “i’ll cherish it always.”

thanks for reading! if you enjoyed, please consider reblogging or commenting :3

#₊˚ପ⊹ signed: genshin impact #kaeya x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #kaeya fluff #genshin fluff #genshin impact fluff

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thepastisalreadywritten · 6 months

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Story and photographs by Ronan O’Connell

September 26, 2023

In the middle of a field in a lesser known part of Ireland is a large mound where sheep wander and graze freely.

Had they been in that same location centuries ago, these animals might have been stiff with terror, held aloft by chanting, costumed celebrants while being sacrificed to demonic spirits that were said to inhabit nearby Oweynagat cave.

This monumental mound lay at the heart of Rathcroghan, the hub of the ancient Irish kingdom of Connaught.

The former Iron Age center is now largely buried beneath the farmland of County Roscommon.

In 2021, Ireland applied for UNESCO World Heritage status for Rathcroghan (Rath-craw-hin). It remains on the organization's tentative list.

Rooted in lore

Spread across more than two square miles of rich agricultural land, Rathcroghan encompasses 240 archaeological sites, dating back 5,500 years.

They include burial mounds, ring forts (settlement sites), standing stones, linear earthworks, an Iron Age ritual sanctuary — and Oweynagat, the so-called gate to hell.

More than 2,000 years ago, when Ireland’s communities seem to have worshipped nature and the land itself, it was here at Rathcroghan that the Irish New Year festival of Samhain (SOW-in) was born, says archaeologist and Rathcroghan expert Daniel Curley.

In the 1800s, the Samhain tradition was brought by Irish immigrants to the United States, where it morphed into the sugar overload that is American Halloween.

Dorothy Ann Bray, a retired associate professor at McGill University and an expert in Irish folklore, explains that pre-Christian Irish divided each year into summer and winter.

Within that framework were four festivities.

Imbolc, on February 1, was a festival that coincided with lambing season.

Bealtaine, on May 1, marked the end of winter and involved customs like washing one’s face in dew, plucking the first blooming flowers, and dancing around a decorated tree.

August 1 heralded Lughnasadh, a harvest festival dedicated to the god Lugh and presided over by Irish kings.

Then on October 31 came Samhain, when one pastoral year ended and another began.

Rathcroghan was not a town, as Connaught had no proper urban centers and consisted of scattered rural properties.

Instead, it was a royal settlement and a key venue for these festivals.

During Samhain, in particular, Rathcroghan was a hive of activity focused on its elevated temple, which was surrounded by burial grounds for the Connachta elite.

Those same privileged people may have lived at Rathcroghan. The remaining lower-class Connachta communities resided in dispersed farms and descended on the site only for festivals.

At those lively events they traded, feasted, exchanged gifts, played games, arranged marriages, and announced declarations of war or peace.

Festivalgoers also may have made ritual offerings, possibly directed to the spirits of Ireland’s otherworld.

That murky, subterranean dimension, also known as Tír na nÓg (Teer-na-nohg), was inhabited by Ireland’s immortals, as well as a myriad of beasts, demons, and monsters.

During Samhain, some of these creatures escaped via Oweynagat cave (pronounced “Oen-na-gat” and meaning “cave of the cats”).

“Samhain was when the invisible wall between the living world and the otherworld disappeared,” says Mike McCarthy, a Rathcroghan tour guide and researcher who has co-authored several publications on the site.

“A whole host of fearsome otherworldly beasts emerged to ravage the surrounding landscape and make it ready for winter.”

Thankful for the agricultural efforts of these spirits but wary of falling victim to their fury, the people protected themselves from physical harm by lighting ritual fires on hilltops and in fields.

They disguised themselves as fellow ghouls, McCarthy says, so as not to be dragged into the otherworld via the cave.

Despite these engaging legends — and the extensive archaeological site in which they dwell — one easily could drive past Rathcroghan and spot nothing but paddocks.

Inhabited for more than 10,000 years, Ireland is so dense with historical remains that many are either largely or entirely unnoticed.

Some are hidden beneath the ground, having been abandoned centuries ago and then slowly consumed by nature.

That includes Rathcroghan, which some experts say may be Europe’s largest unexcavated royal complex.

Not only has it never been dug up, but it also predates Ireland’s written history.

That means scientists must piece together its tale using non-invasive technology and artifacts found in its vicinity.

While Irish people for centuries knew this site was home to Rathcroghan, it wasn’t until the 1990s that a team of Irish researchers used remote sensing technology to reveal its archaeological secrets beneath the ground.

“The beauty of the approach to date at Rathcroghan is that so much has been uncovered without the destruction that comes with excavating upstanding earthwork monuments,” Curley says.

“[Now] targeted excavation can be engaged with, which will answer our research questions while limiting the damage inherent with excavation.”

Becoming a UNESCO site

This policy of preserving Rathcroghan’s integrity and authenticity extends to tourism.

Despite its significance, Rathcroghan is one of Ireland’s less frequented attractions, drawing some 22,000 visitors a year compared with more than a million at the Cliffs of Moher.

That may not be the case had it long ago been heavily marketed as the “Birthplace of Halloween,” Curley says.

But there is no Halloween signage at Rathcroghan or in Tulsk, the nearest town.

Rathcroghan’s renown should soar, however, if Ireland is successful in its push to make it a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Irish Government has included Rathcroghan as part of the “Royal Sites of Ireland,” which is on its newest list of locations to be considered for prized World Heritage status.

The global exposure potentially offered by UNESCO branding would likely attract many more visitors to Rathcroghan.

But it seems unlikely this historic jewel will be re-packaged as a kitschy Halloween tourist attraction.

“If Rathcroghan got a UNESCO listing and that attracted more attention here that would be great, because it might result in more funding to look after the site,” Curley says.

“But we want sustainable tourism, not a rush of gimmicky Halloween tourism.”

Those travelers who do seek out Rathcroghan might have trouble finding Oweynagat cave.

Oweynagat is elusive — despite being the birthplace of Medb, perhaps the most famous queen in Irish history, 2,000 years ago.

Barely signposted, it’s hidden beneath trees in a paddock at the end of a one-way, dead-end farm track, about a thousand yards south of the much more accessible temple mound.

Visitors are free to hop a fence, walk through a field, and peer into the narrow passage of Oweynagat.

In Ireland’s Iron Age, such behavior would have been enormously risky during Samhain, when even wearing a ghastly disguise might not have spared the wrath of a malevolent creature.

Two millennia later, most costumed trick-or-treaters on Halloween won’t realize they’re mimicking a prehistoric tradition — one with much higher stakes than the pursuit of candy.

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i-am-aprl · 5 months

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@ahmedeldin

Israel's @haaretz reports that an Israeli official investigation concluded that an Israeli military helicopter killed revellers at the Nova rave on 7 October and that #Hamas fighters did not know about the festival.

Israel started its offensive on Gaza, killing over 12,000 Palestinian civilians, nearly half of whom are children, under the pretext of fighting Hamas and claiming that Hamas fighters attacked the festival goers.

Originally intending to target a Kibbutz, Hamas shifted plans upon discovering the festival. The investigation also indicated that an Israeli army helicopter, dispatched after the attack, mistakenly fired at festivalgoers instead of Hamas operatives, contributing to the casualties.

The festival saw at least 364 deaths, with the exact number caused by the helicopter unknown.

The discourse surrounding the event remains clouded by anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic rhetoric, hindering crucial discussions about the incident on 10/7.

Recent revelations suggest that the burnt bodies might have been Hamas militants, and Israeli helicopter fire is implicated in the deaths of some attendees.

#Haartez #haaretz #gaza strip #palestine #israel #free gaza #فلسطين #gaza under fire #gaza #Save gaza #free palestine #jerusalem #i stand with palestine #israel is a terrorist state #gaza under attack #gaza under genocide #gazaunderattack #save gaza

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pockyteau · 1 year

Text

FIREWORKS THAT NEVER END

✩ a chishiya x reader where the memories of summer festivals never truly fade

You met Chishiya at one of the summer festivals held in your neighbourhood, when the two of you were about nine or ten.

The festival was alight with spun sugar and sheet cakes, a ferris wheel spinning slowly overhead as soft music danced on the wind. The air was dark yet summery; it was full of a condensed kind of warmth that came from a fairground full of people and laughter, with candy apples and crepes being shared among friends. Festivalgoers pattered happily past, their snatches of conversation drifting up into the afternoon sky.

You had gazed upon the scene with obvious envy, the singular candy apple in your hand seeming to highlight your solitude; you had only just moved into the area, and hadn't had the chance to make any new friends yet. Besides, most of the kids at the festival were accompanied by their families. Yours would never deign to come.

A small sigh escaped your lips. It was better to be here than home, you supposed, where the atmosphere was lively and bright. Your eyes did one more sweep of the fairground, searching for a place to perhaps sit and inconspicuously enjoy your candy apple.

It was then that you'd caught sight of Chishiya, sitting on the ledge of the stone wall that surrounded the fairground.

You were surprised to see him there, considering there was no way his father would have made an appearance at such a local event. Later on you would learn that Chishiya never spoke much about himself or his family, but even then you could tell something was off. Everyone knew who his father was, even you - Chishiya Shuntaro's father ranked among the highest medical professionals in the country. He had appeared many times on TV, his persona cold and clinical. He never seemed to act like he had a son, and this left little to the imagination about Chishiya's home life.

And sure enough, Chishiya was alone, chewing absentmindedly on some strawberry confection. His expression was so placid it astonished you - it looked as if he had been taught to show nothing on his face at all. His mask cracked, only slightly, when his eyes glimmered as he bit into a strawberry.

You glanced around the festival once more and then back at the candy apple you held, scuffing your heels against the ground distractedly. Could this be your chance to make a new friend? You frowned. But what would you even say to him? You had wanted someone to share festival snacks with, yet the infamous son of Japan's prized medic wasn't exactly who you'd been looking for. Besides, he looked busy enough with his strawberry crepe.

Perhaps you could go catch goldfish instead.

Ah! At this you recalled the orange goldfish booth, and its cardboard sign painted with bright letters that spelled out Free Entry for Groups of Two or More. You chew the inside of your cheek. You had a 100 yen coin, sufficient entry for one, but you hope that the tantalizing offer of free things would entice Chishiya to join you.

It felt as if the summer breeze was spurring you on, your small footsteps light on the ground until you stood before the blonde. His gaze flickered to you curiously but he said nothing, peering at you over his crepe. It seemed that Chishiya's eyes were a little more expressive than the rest of his face, inquisitive and flecked with light. He has pretty eyes, you remember thinking.

"Do you want to come catch goldfish with me?" you asked with a smile.

Chishiya simply stared at you for a moment before raising his brows in question, and you realised that you had entirely skipped the hi-my-name-is part of the interaction. Did that count as a grave social error? "Ah," in attempt to amend your mistake you waved in the direction of the goldfish stall, indicating the bright orange sign. "Groups of two or more get free entry," you explained.

Chishiya pressed his lips into a line after mouthing an ah of understanding, a slight frown creasing his forehead. He then took an agonisingly slow bite of his crepe, eyeing you as he munched the mouthful of strawberry confectionary. "Okay," he finally said, swallowing, "but why me?"

"Oh," you weren't prepared for this question. You shrugged, causing the fabric of your yukata to rustle around your shoulders. You didn't want to admit to him that you didn't have any friends yet because you still had some dignity left to lose, and so you fished around for a different answer. "Because...?"

You couldn't think of anything.

Chishiya's lips twitched in amusement, in a way that made you think he was rather enjoying watching you fumble for a response. Well, you weren't much further from rock bottom at that point, so you decided to change tactics. "Because I'll buy you a candy apple if you come with me?" you offered, hoping to sweeten the deal.

At this Chishiya huffed a laugh, leaning forward slightly from where he was seated on the ledge. "Are you bribing me?" he asked, but his eyes were glinting. You took this as a positive sign, and grinned.

"I am bribing you. Will you come?"

The blonde hummed, before his eyes flickered to the apple in your hand skeptically. "Didn't you want me to come with you to get free stuff? Spending money on me would defeat the purpose of my coming at all."

"Ah," you paused, mulling it over, "right. I mean, I don't have to buy you an apple."

Chishiya snorted again and hopped off the ledge. "Whatever. Get me another crepe and you'll have a deal." -

You watched in a rather dejected fashion as Chishiya scooped what seemed like endless goldfish into a water-filled bowl with his paper net. In hindsight, maybe you should've bribed someone else to come with you. The fish flickered around the pool like flashes of gold thread, unable to escape Chishiya's net.

"You're so good at this," you sighed. Your bowl contained but one little fish, the only one you were able to catch before you paper net disintegrated.

The blonde shrugged. An easy thing for him to do, as his bowl was brimming with fish. He scooped one more fish into his bowl as if to punctuate his nonchalance before withdrawing his net. "It's not that difficult."

You sadly held out your singular fish to him, and his lips twitched as if to conceal a laugh.

"Look, it's so lonely," you said mournfully. Your fish swam in a feeble little circle, backing up your claim.

Chishiya glanced down at your bowl with a strange sort of expression, something halfway between a laugh and a grimace, before transferring his gaze to his own. The comparison was clearly abysmal. He sighed, before holding up his bowl of fish out to you; you caught how the sleeves of his yukata were completely dry, while the tips of yours were slightly damp from attempting to catch goldfish. "You can have one of mine, if you want," he offered.

You smiled, somewhat surprised. "Really? But you caught them all."

"I don't need this many fish," Chishiya said, his tone amused. "To be honest, I don't see why you would either."

"Oh, I want to catch them all. You know Pokémon?"

The corner of Chishiya's lips tugged up into a half-grin, boyish and a little softer than his stony expression from earlier, and a glimmer of enchantment settled over you for a moment. You wondered what it would be like if Chishiya smiled, for real. He didn't look as if he smiled a lot, somehow.

You were further entranced when Chishiya attempted to decant a single fish from his fishbowl into your barren one, his dark lashes lowered and fluttering with concentration. It proved more difficult to successfully transfer the designated fish than expected - this time it was Chishiya's sleeves that suffered. Giggling, you cupped your hands around where the two bowls met to prevent further water spillage after he shot you a glare.

After much struggle, the fish eventually ended up in your bowl.

"Yes!" The two of you shouted triumphantly when the fish finally landed successfully into your bowl, victorious laughter tumbling off the tips of your tongues. Chishiya was smiling then, for real, but his expression quickly dropped when a few of the festivalgoers shot the two of you curious glances. You blinked, surprised at his sudden change in demeanor, and turned in time to catch a glimpse of the passersby as they retreated into the distance. Their hands were raised to their lips, set to whisper.

Like clockwork, Chishiya's face hardened and you managed to catch how his jaw set before he glanced away. In a rush, you remembered how well-known he must be within the neighbourhood.

"Hey," you nudged him softly, hoping to distract him. You lifted your fishbowl, in which the population had miraculously grown to two fish. "Why don't we name them? You name one, I'll name the other."

"Hm? Oh." Chishiya exhaled, passing a hand over his face, but he didn't turn you away. After a moment of silence he leaned in closer to you to observe the fish, brow slightly creased into a frown. When another lengthy silence ensued, you assumed that Chishiya had not been blessed with the great ability to name things.

"Crepe," he said finally, and you were unable to suppress the burst of laughter that escaped your lips.

"You want to name your fish Crepe?" You raised a hand to cover your mouth, shoulders still shaking gently with laughter. Crepe the Goldfish swam in an outraged circle. Chishiya arched a brow.

"Well, what's your fish called, then?"

You thought for a moment. "...Fish."

Chishiya snorted. "Fish?"

"It's accurate! Chishiya, don't laugh, that's disrespectful."

"Don't poke me, your sleeves are wet. Fish is so much worse than crepe."

"Shh! Fish can hear you!" -

All of a sudden, the night sky was exploding - but when you looked up, it was only raining coloured light.

Your breath hitched. "Chishiya! It's fireworks!"

The pops of light filled your vision like falling stars. You tugged Chishiya by his sleeve to the crowded plain of the fairground, wanting to get closer to the magic. Chishiya grumbled, telling you to slow down or you'd drop your fish, but he stumbled along with you nevertheless.

You had never seen fireworks before, but you had always wanted to; the more rural prefectures of Tokyo you had moved from tended not to hold these kinds of celebrations. So you watched the world glitter for the first time in your life, and it felt like the heavens were a little closer to you, just for a moment.

"I've never seen fireworks before," you breathed, dazzled. You shifted the fishbowl in your hands - the ceramic was cool against your skin, bringing you back down to earth. You turned to Chishiya, lit up with excitement. "They're so pretty! Do you get to see them every year?"

A beat of silence followed your words, and at first you thought that your voice had gotten lost amidst the clamour of festivities. But then Chishiya slowly shook his head.

"This is the first time I've come to one of these," he admitted. For a split second he was illuminated with light, specks of colour dancing across his face, before the fireworks blinked out. "So no."

"Really?" You tilted your head to the side in surprise. Surely, Chishiya had been to at least one festival before? After all, he had lived here longer than you. "How come?"

Chishiya shrugged, another gesture that was lost upon your vision in the darkness, save for the quiet rustling of fabric. "Most kids go with their parents," he said. "Mine would never come. I didn't see the point in going."

"Oh," you said, so soft you didn't know whether or not he could hear it. Another beat of silence, only longer that time. You felt your chest squeeze. The urge to take his hand overcame you - something your mother used to do to comfort you. She never really did it anymore, but the fond memory still lingered in your mind. Chishiya smiled wryly.

"Don't feel sorry for me," he said mildly. "I hate it when people do."

"Oh," you said again. "Uh...I wasn't."

This made Chishiya grin. "Good."

You couldn't help it - you grinned back. What you wanted to say was that you weren't pitying him, not at all. You too had come alone, left to your own devices as your parents took no notice of where you went. You doubt they even noticed you were gone now. But you couldn't find the words to tell him in a way that sounded comforting, less childlike, less pitiful. Your vocabulary just wasn't large enough yet.

So you didn't say it at all.

The last firework of the night whistled up into the air and burst, but Chishiya's eyes remained on you. The noise caused you to almost miss his voice, but you were able to catch the words take shape on the blonde's lips.

"Thank you," he murmured. Maybe it was all the noise going on around you, but you were sure that he was speaking a lot quieter than before. He gave you an idle smile. "I had fun today."

The fireworks might have been over by then, but Chishiya's words had the lights beginning to sparkle in your chest instead. At that moment, you realised that you'd just made your first friend since you'd moved. Gone was the hesitance you had felt upon first speaking with Chishiya - warmed with the happy glow, you gave him your biggest smile. "Me too!" -

It was the summer after your fourteenth birthday when Chishiya moved away. But just before he left, the two of you attended one last festival together.

You remember the chirp of faraway cicadas accompanied by the scent of sugar upon the air as you bit the inside of your cheek, incredulous. Chishiya had just broken the news to you. "You're moving away? But why?"

Chishiya shrugged. "My father thinks the schools here aren't good enough," he said. He sounded much too indifferent for such a crisis. "I'll still be in Tokyo. Just in a different ward."

You frowned. "But still...it'll be weird not seeing you anymore." You felt the sting of tears behind your eyes, and desperately tried to suppress them. Chishiya had borne witness to your tears many times before, like when you'd scraped your knee at ten or scored miserably on a test at twelve, but you thought that now you were fourteen you were too old to shed tears. This wasn't something you could patch up with a bandaid or offers to help you study, anyway. "Who am I going to thrash at coconut shy now?"

"I beat you at coconut shy every time we play, though." Chishiya leaned in closer, inspecting you. "Look, don't cry."

"I'm not!" You scrubbed at your eyes fiercely, trying to erase the evidence of the tears collecting above your lower lashes. Chishiya raised a hand to muffle his laugh, a rare sound that you had always sought to hear from him since your first meeting. "Shun, don't laugh! This is a serious matter!"

Chishiya grinned, lifting his hands as if to show surrender. "Okay, okay. Not laughing, see?"

You hit his shoulder weakly, giving a watery laugh of your own. He only grinned wider at the action. "I hate you," you said mournfully, not meaning it for a second. All you really wanted to do was to give him a big hug, but in all the years you had been friends you had grown to be cautious of touching Chishiya. He seemed to dislike physical contact, visibly tensing whenever you opened your arms for a hug. "You have to buy me three candy apples to make up for this."

"...I'll buy you two."

"Shuntaro!"

"Fine! Three." -

You and Chishiya stood under the fireworks once more, for the last time.

You had ended up giving in, the blonde purchasing only two candy apples - one for you and the other for himself. You found this rather odd, since you knew he much preferred strawberries and would have rather bought one of the crepes, but you said nothing about it.

The two of you had munched on the treats in silence, and in doing so you had recalled the numerous times you had shared such a moment with Chishiya before. What would it be like to come to the summer festivals alone once he had moved away? By then it had become like a tradition between you. You couldn't imagine him not being there next to you, chewing on some fruit confection with appreciative murmurs.

The fireworks exploded all around you, scattering the world with light. Purples and pinks and blues painted the night sky. It's so beautiful, is what you remember thinking - it was like a spell has been cast on you and suddenly you were nine again, a fishbowl in your hands and your eyes wide with wonder. Chishiya was beside you, and the world was right.

You just couldn't picture it being any different.

"Shun," you whispered. "It feels like the world is ending."

He turned to you, the inquisition in his brown eyes flashing with the glimmer overhead. His surprise faded quickly and a slight smile spread over his face, his eyes crinkling slightly with amusement. Your favourite smile on earth.

"Don't be silly," he said, "you'll be fine when I'm gone."

"But I'm going to miss you." You said sadly. Chishiya didn't give an answer, but laughed quietly in a way that said, you'll forget about me soon enough. The thought of such a thing happening brought an ache to your heart.

For a long time, the two of you stood in silence. Your eyes fluttered closed for a beat, then two. You focused on the feel of the night air cooling against your skin, the sounds of the firework display. If the world as you knew it was ending, then you wanted to commit this moment to memory.

Tentative fingertips brushed against the back of your hand. Your eyes blinked open. Chishiya's touch was ginger and ever so light, like a softly-spoken word, and you allowed him to take your hand without question. Your fingers intertwined and the warmth of his palm pressed against your own.

That's when you understood that Chishiya would miss you too.

You snuck a glimpse at the blonde out of the corner of your eye; if there had been light, you would've seen that the tips of his ears were dusted with pink. You looked away, mumbling into the darkness.

"You have to write to me every day, okay?"

"I think my hands would fall off if I did."

"That's what you deserve, you traitor. Alright, how about once a week?"

Chishiya paused. You could hear the grin in his voice when he spoke. "I'll see what I can do."

"I swear I had 500 yen in here somewhere," you grumble.

You sift through the numerous coats in your closet, checking all the pockets twice over. You vaguely recall, over the winter, having slipped a coin or two of change into your pocket. You give up and begin searching the floor of the closet; maybe you're lying to yourself and the 500 yen really doesn't exist, but it's summer and you want to buy ice cream. And money found in coat pockets means you're not eating into your savings, right?

"Huh," you push aside heavy fabric to find a cardboard box, tucked into the corner of your closet. You pull it out with a frown - you don't remember having put this box in there. When your fingers touch the lid, you find it is covered in a thin film of dust. The objects in it must be ages old.

But when you lift the box into the sunlight and slip off the lid, the memories come flooding back.

A stack of letters sits in the centre, tied up neatly with a blue ribbon. Oh, you think. You pull on the bow carefully and it easily comes undone, the ribbon fluttering down to the cardboard. The envelopes in the stack are thin and slightly creased, presumably from all the times you had read and reread them all those years ago. Of course. How could I forget?

You slip the top letter off the stack, turning it over to read the address. The characters are scrawling and written in thin graphite pencil, in that barely readable way you had always teased him for writing in.

It's been a while since Chishiya's written.

You slowly peel the envelope's flap open and slide the folded piece of Campus paper out of it, turning it over in your fingers. After that summer, when Chishiya left, you had kept up regular correspondence for about a year.

Chishiya had kept his promise, for the most part.

Back then, you wrote to him about everything - school, how Ms Yamagata the homeroom teacher left to teach in Sendai, how you missed him since Mozuki Tadashi moved into his empty seat. Though much less of a smartass, Tadashi was just not the same. Chishiya replied, with news of how his new school was, how his neighbours held too many barbecues, and to stop flooding his house with letters or he'd drown in the paper. You'd snorted upon reading that. Yet even so, his letters meant the world to you - they meant that he still kept you in mind, as you did him. But as you came to know, the world always ended one moment at a time.

This theory came into practice as time wore on, his responses growing fewer and further in between, his letters growing shorter each time. You began to dread the letter that would be his last. And once the snow began to melt from the trees, they eventually stopped coming.

You never knew why - you reasoned at first that maybe he was busy, and would write back to you when he could. You understood Chishiya's priorities better than most, and so you left it alone. But when months passed without word, you thought that maybe his letters had gotten lost in the mail, or postal services had been delayed; you'd even visited the post office yourself to ask if anything had come for you. But after many more months of waiting and a few more letters inquiring after him, you never got another envelope. You had been devastated. Despite the distance between you two, you were convinced that you would stay in touch.

You remember the last letter he'd replied to, where you had detailed the summer festival that year. You made sure to note that the crepe stall had been taken over by the former owner's daughter, who had given you a free crepe - you were pretty sure that was the only news he might be interested to hear.

In the last letter you received from him, he told you that they didn't hold summer festivals where he'd moved. It was a brief letter, like how all his most recent ones had become. You could tell that the graphite pencil he was writing in had worn down by how his words darkened towards the end of the letter.

That was when you were fifteen.

You wrote to him again, your final letter, when you were eighteen. Three years later. Your father had passed away of a chronic illness, and your mother shortly after from grief. They had always been more of a two-person unit, despite their child. You wrote that Chishiya was welcome to come to the funeral, if he was ever in the area; even though your family had remained detached from you, they recognised the blonde from the many times he had visited your place to get away from his own family. Of course, at that point you didn't expect him to reply, nor for him to come. And just like all the other letters, it went unanswered.

You startle slightly when a small pop sounds outside, muffled by the glass of your window, followed by multiple bursts of the same sound.

A sigh escapes your lips, brought back from your reverie. You let the letter flutter to your lap as you stretch your arms out behind your head. When the pops outside grow louder with every passing second, you quickly pack up the box again and put it back into your closet, wanting to check out the source of the sound. The moment of reminiscence is over. The noise sounds like fireworks, you believe, but that's strange - the festivals don't start for another week.

Speaking of which, you hadn't gone to a summer festival in a while, either. When was the last time you had gone? You can't seem to remember, exactly; Chishiya had always been at the back of your mind whenever the intention tugged at you. Hm, you clamber to your feet, maybe I should go again this year.

A few steps forward brings you to the window and you stare out of the glass panes, brows furrowing with confusion. Sure enough, the sounds are fireworks - what seems like millions of them, bright and dazzling against the clear blue sky. Your eyes flicker, the simple and familiar thought flitting across your mind. They're so pretty. You're hit with a sudden wave of nostalgia, taken back to a time when summer didn't feel so melancholic.

Maybe, you amend your earlier decision, maybe I could go visit now.

You'd just go to see the fairground, maybe buy a few candy apples if the stalls are still there. It would be nice, to see it again after all these years.

You grab a light coat before leaving, since you spot a gentle breeze lifting the leaves on the pavement outside. Upon shoving your hand into its pocket, you touch something metallic. You blink, pulling out the object.

Ah. There's your 500 yen. -

It's strangely quiet when you step foot on the fairground, save for the quiet whisper of trees and the fireworks still going on overhead.

The wind is soft and warm against your back as your gaze roams the grounds. The silence that has settled over the fairground becomes no mystery when you realise that you are the only person there. Are the grounds closed? But you're sure that it would be open at this time in the afternoon, when pink has not yet begun to melt into the sky, when it would usually be bustling with people.

You take a few steps forward, glancing around. The food stalls are all empty, the hand-painted banners fluttering gently in the breeze. Come to think of it, you hadn't seen anyone on your way to the fairground, either. You had just assumed it was a quiet day; empty streets weren't that uncommon in the warmer weather, where your neighbours would stay inside to keep cool in air conditioning, but an entire fairground is another story.

Your heartbeat picks up ever so slightly as you begin to make your way through the empty fairground. You walk slowly and cautiously, as if someone might pop out of the shadows at any minute. You find the candy apple stall, as silent as the rest of the grounds. There are still fresh apples in the display case, as if they had been made just this morning. You peer into the stall again once more hesitantly before taking one - after a moment's thought you leave your 500 yen coin on the counter, in case someone came inquiring after the missing apple.

Deciding to take advantage of the empty fairground you patter around the area aimlessly for a while, munching your apple. On your way you pass the stone ledge where you'd met Chishiya for the first time, the goldfish scooping stall, the plain where you had stood craning your neck to watch the fireworks. The plain is where you stop now - the fireworks are still going on above your head, so you thought you might as well watch them for a while.

You've never seen fireworks in the daytime, but no matter how many times you've seen such lights before, they're always able to recapture the magic you'd first felt upon seeing them. You breathe out, reliving those summer memories of tasting sugar and the coolness of the wind on your tongue. You are brought back to what you'd said to Chishiya all those years ago. It feels like the world is ending, you'd whispered. Though it seems childish, the unusual emptiness of the fairground feels like your words might be coming true, somehow.

"Perhaps the world really is ending now, hm?"

Somewhere behind you, someone voices your thoughts aloud.

Your pulse picks up as soon as the sound graces your ears. The voice is soft and lilted with amusement, carried on the wind. It's slightly different from when you'd last heard it, lower and maybe even a bit more aloof, but his tone is unmistakable. Your heart suddenly aches; you dare not believe it.

But then you turn around and Chishiya is there, right in front of you, a half-grin adorning his face like he'd never left.

As you stand there frozen, eyes wide, it feels as if you are viewing the scene as a third person; like you're watching the final scene of a movie, where the only two characters are you and him, before the credits begin to roll. The silk screen wavers as you utter a quietly incredulous laugh. Chishiya smiles, his eyes crinkling in the way that you loved so much. His eyes look darker, his expression harder, but his smile had always been your favourite.

You take a small, hesitant step forward.

Maybe the world is ending again, but it occurs to you that maybe it should be. With Chishiya, the world is always ending and beginning over and over, as rapid as green leaves on the summer breeze. Chishiya lets you tentatively wrap your arms around him into a hug, burying your face into the soft fabric of the white hoodie he is wearing. He was never one for physical contact but now he rubs small circles into your back, a chuckle in his voice as you tell him in a wavery tone how much you hate him. But of course, you don't; you could never bring yourself to. The unanswered letters of your youth drift away on the air current that tousles his blonde hair.

The world is ending again, but you think that as long as Chishiya is with you this time, it'll be okay.

#chishiya x reader #chishiya shuntaro x reader #chishiya #alice in borderland #aib #chishiya shuntaro #chishiya fluff #chishiya shuntaro x you #chishiya x y/n #chishiya oneshot #chishiya childhood friends au #aib au

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tomorrowxtogether · 7 months

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2023 TXTPALOOZA report

TOMORROW X TOGETHER proved their worth at Lollapalooza

2023.09.12

Music festival Lollapalooza was held from August 3 through 6 this year in Chicago, Illinois. The names that were on the headliner list along with TOMORROW X TOGETHER are as follows: Billie Eilish, Karol G, Kendrick Lamar, the 1975, Lana Del Rey, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The boys of TOMORROW X TOGETHER were the second Korean artists—after j-hope performed there last year—, and the first Korean group, to headline the festival that draws some 400,000 people to the grounds of Grant Park every year. Let’s take a look at three words and phrases that capture all the excitement the group brought to the Bud Light Stage on August 5.

1. HEADLINER

This year at Lollapalooza, not only did TOMORROW X TOGETHER perform, but so did NewJeans, who played the festival’s T-Mobile Stage on August 3. Then there’s BLACKPINK, who headlined both Coachella in April and BST Hyde Park in July. Not only is it becoming a more common sight to see K-pop artists performing at major long-running festivals within and outside of the US, but, as in TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s case, they’re also being afforded better and better timeslots and stages. The recent rising demand for K-pop at festivals demonstrates both the power of K-pop fans and the inroads K-pop has made into the music market. TOMORROW X TOGETHER made their first appearance at Lollapalooza in the summer of 2022 with a 45-minute set. The documentary TOMORROW X TOGETHER: OUR LOST SUMMER, covering their US tour and stop at Lollapalooza, shows how the members of the group worried about the kind of reaction they might get at the festival. But their fears were allayed when their performance was met with ear-splitting cheers and the crowd singing along to the group’s hits. The show led to even more people in the US finding out about them and converted more listeners into fans. Then, a year later, the boys returned to the festival, but this time as headliners—with a longer concert on a bigger stage and with an even more enthusiastic audience.

2. MOAPALOOZA

TOMORROW X TOGETHER started performing at 8:30 PM, but “TXTPALOOZA” was already trending in the US on X (formerly Twitter) that morning. It was already clear two days beforehand how much buzz there was surrounding the group’s upcoming performance. There was a TOMORROW X TOGETHER pop-up store near Grant Park selling merchandise for the group’s Lollapalooza concert that was open for the duration of the festival, and BIGHIT MUSIC reported more than 200 people waiting in line for the opening on August 3. There was a line to get into the store for the entire four days it was open, with fans sharing and swapping things like photocards.

When the morning of TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s performance came, it started to rain over Chicago, but that didn’t stop MOA from crowding around the entrance to the festival grounds from early in the day in order to secure a spot close to the stage. By the afternoon, the standing area of the Bud Light Stage was already packed with MOA and their blue light sticks. When other artists performed throughout the day, it didn’t matter which direction the audience cam was facing: the giant screen showed a sea of light sticks and homemade signs bearing the names of the TOMORROW X TOGETHER members. MOA was filled with so much enthusiasm around the pop-up store and at the stage that the burning curiosity of other festivalgoers had them asking questions about the idols and their fans. As the Sun slowly set, people wearing TOMORROW X TOGETHER shirts, carrying light sticks, and wearing telltale signs that they were MOA streamed endlessly toward the stage. By eight o’clock, not only was the standing area directly in front of the stage full of people with light sticks, but so were the areas to the sides, stretching out far from the stage. At the same time, passersby were forming into a crowd just outside the audience, curious about the K-pop group. As the concert drew closer, the giant screen played short documentaries and music videos. Even though the members themselves hadn’t yet taken the stage, cheers erupted every time something new appeared on screen and the crowd was chanting their name. The swath of TOMORROW X TOGETHER light sticks lit a brilliant blue across the darkening sky, and as the countdown began, a giant roar of excitement flowed out from the glowing azure. It was the loudest sound around the whole day.

The audience sang along to the words of each song from the instant the boys came out and opened their performance with “0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You),” and continued singing together for the full 90 minutes. That included not just English songs and choruses with English lyrics, but also Korean lyrics and even an unreleased song. “I’m just excited about what song they’re going to start with, and for big fireworks,” Eliza, a MOA from New Jersey, said, adding with a laugh, “and I hope to see ‘Cat & Dog’ because I want to hear the bark in Chicago,” referring to the unofficial chant that, sure enough, the crowd broke into spontaneously when the group performed the song. A MOA from Florida named Hollie was “really excited” to find out what TOMORROW X TOGETHER would be performing this time “because I remember last year they really had a bunch of choreography,” and this year didn’t disappoint either: The audience loved the sharp choreography and dance breaks, and it was quite a sight seeing the crowd dance along to songs that have been featured in TikTok challenges, like “Good Boy Gone Bad” and “Happy Fools” featuring Coi Leray. On top of these energy-filled numbers, there were also emotionally charged songs like “Anti-Romantic” and the unreleased song “Blue Spring” that moved the audience to tears as they sang along. The rollercoaster of a set list closed with “Sugar Rush Ride” and fireworks to go alongside. MOA continued to chant “TXT” even after the concert came to an end. It’s safe to say that MOA’s enthusiasm was the secret sauce that turned an already fantastic performance into an unforgettable experience. Ask anyone who was in Chicago that day, and they’ll let you know it was really MOAPALOOZA.

3. TXT MADE HISTORY

“You could probably hear it across Michigan Avenue long before the concert started,” magazine Consequence writes of MOA’s screaming as the audience watched the countdown to the start of the show. “The last 10 seconds might have registered on the Richter scale.” MOA’s passion that day was noted by major media outlets as well. “Fans who queued early, blue cross-adorned light sticks in hand, got to prove their adoration by singing along to TXT’s unreleased track ‘Blue Spring,’” Rolling Stone reported, “and witness a band who didn’t take any part of the experience for granted.” And all that excitement extended to MOA online. That same day, “TXTPALOOZA” was the third-most popular trending tag on X worldwide; immediately after the group’s performance, phrases like “TXT LOLLA 2023 HEADLINERS” were trending in the US. In Korea, mentions of the songs on the set list bubbled up in real time. People watching online through Weverse, YouTube, Hulu and the like made comments like, “The audience there is even good at singing the Korean parts,” and, “I can tell how popular they are in the States!”—because even watching online, you could hear the cheering loud and clear.

Consequence made a statement with how they titled their review: “TOMORROW X TOGETHER Make History.” But it’s about more than just the fact that the group was a headliner or how much noise the fans made. The biggest takeaway is how well they performed up on stage. “As the show progressed it became clear how much TXT have grown,” the magazine’s article continues. “The stage banter was looser than last year, they looked more comfortable, and more of their personalities came through,” and said the athletics behind their choreography made them look like “superhumans.” TOMORROW X TOGETHER performed their set front to back without a single break and still had plenty of energy left to work the crowd and get them to excitedly sing along and cheer. Their performance also led to online comments like, “You can tell how much better they got after their world tour,” and, “They look so natural—like rock stars.” British music review outlet NME gave TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s Lollapalooza concert a perfect score, saying, “Their performances are tight and impactful, their vocals phenomenal, and their stage presence nothing short of rock star status.” US entertainment site Vulture went so far as to say that “the group put on one of the weekend’s biggest spectacles.”

Winter, another MOA at Grant Park, summed up the significance of TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s performance at Lollapalooza where she said, “I think being headliners shows not only that they have a strong fan base but they keep growing and growing.” TOMORROW X TOGETHER already proved their popularity in the US earlier this year with a Billboard 200 number one and over 500,000 albums sold; their performance at Lollapalooza made that popularity tangible right in front of the eyes of tens of thousands. The opportunity to headline the festival also gave them another chance to show everyone at the festival who they are. TOMORROW X TOGETHER first traveled to Chicago four years ago, right after their debut, to put on a showcase. After the prolonged pandemic, the group kicked off the North American leg of their world tour with a performance in the city, only to come back again later in the year with their spectacular first Lollapalooza performance. The following year—this year—after performing to stadiums across the US, the group returned to the Lollapalooza stage, this time as headliners, and will soon be performing at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). MOA’s unmistakable blue light over Grant Park that night stood as a symbol of how much the group had grown in the meantime and why they were invited back to the festival. And as has been clear to anyone paying attention so far, that blue light will only continue to grow in size and intensity—until it lights up the entire sky, wider and brighter—with TOMORROW X TOGETHER.

#txt #tomorrow x together #230912 #weverse magazine #soobin #yeonjun #beomgyu #taehyun #hueningkai #lollapalooza

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it-happened-one-fic · 7 months

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Dead of the Night - Diluc (Part 1)

Author's Notes: This is the first part of my Halloween/October fic series for Genshin Impact! This is going to be a Vampire! AU, so heads up for the folks who don't like vampires. I wrote and edited this series exclusively to "Is this Love" by Whitesnake which did kind of influence how this series came together. Also, this a fair bit more lengthy than my usual works. As per usual, Reader is gender-neutral. I hope you enjoy!

Type: Gender-Neutral Reader/ Vampire! AU/ pining/ romance/ some drama/ fluff with a touch of angst

Word Count: 2578

{Part 1: You're here!}, {Part 2}, {Part 3}, {Part 4}

Also available on AO3 (link deleted due to glitches)

Trigger Warning: Reader does get attacked by a vampire, but all is well.

I frowned up at the grey clouds overhead that were currently hiding the usually glorious sunset that no doubt painted the sky the same colors as the autumn leaves that clung to trees in a show of their final glory before they fell under the pressure of the strong October winds.

But I wasn’t frowning because I couldn’t see the sunset. No, I was frowning because the forecast called for it to be overcast for the entirety of October, which meant one thing.

And that one thing was the very subject that I could already hear being discussed loudly at Angel’s Share as I approached the tavern to meet up with my friends.

“It’s bad enough that it’s October, but it's supposed to be overcast for the entire month now! How are we going to survive the annual influx of vampires when the bold ones will even be out during the day?!”

I sighed at the overly loud shouts from the other people at the tavern, but it came as no surprise. The normally laid-back people of Mondstadt had gotten into the habit of becoming uncharacteristically tense in October, when I’d still been young.

It was back then that they’d come with the Fatui, the vampires. A plague from the cold lands of Snezhnaya, where they thrived in the terminally overcast conditions. They had followed the Fatui, probably laying hidden within their ranks, and come to Mondstadt in my youth. And ever since then, there had been vampires in the land of freedom.

They usually remained quiet, with few attacks ever being heard of. But for unknown reasons, they always seemed to become agitated around the time of Halloween, with October being noted as a month full of attacks.

Usually everyone got their work done during daylight hours and stayed indoors with every conceivable entrance locked as soon as dusk came. But this year it would be overcast throughout October, and, just as the man had loudly explained, some vampires would inevitably take advantage of the lack of sunlight.

“Loud crowd tonight, hm?” I lifted my shoulder in a half-shrug at Kaeya’s words. It was nice to see that even now Kaeya was managing to be as relaxed as ever, despite the gossip flying around about vampires.

“I can’t really blame them, but I’m sure it’s rowdy with the Knights of Favonius too,” I smiled sympathetically at the calvary captain as I sat down next to him. Watching as he swirled the liquid in his mug.

“When is it not? Jean is taking precautions, though,” Kaeya leaned back in his seat, giving me a look that told me everything I needed to know. Just like always, poor Jean was probably overworking herself and doing her very best to soothe a public who would not be soothed.

“I just hope this doesn’t get in the way of the festivals,” Venti frowned poutily at his wine bottle, earning a grin from both me and Kaeya as we both looked towards the sulky bard. But Venti did love festivals. It was a good time for him to perform for joyful festivalgoers and also get wine for cheap.

“What’ll it be, Y/n?” I blinked in surprise at the voice that sounded from behind me, causing me to twist in my seat to look wide-eyed up at the redhead that I definitely had not been expecting to see but who was currently looking down at me as calmly as ever.

Even though he owned the establishment, it was odd to see Diluc at Angel’s Share. He was usually busy dealing with his massive wine business. Either from abroad, dealing with local merchants, or at the Dawn Winery, one.

“I’ll…. Just some Sweet Cider Lake... Thanks,” I faltered under his expectant gaze, but if he noticed, he didn’t react. Instead, he just nodded and headed off towards the counter to prepare my drink.

But unlike his lack of noticing my faltering, I twisted to find my two friends wearing matching grins as they watched me.

I scowled slightly at the two men, only for Venti to let out a mischievous giggle as Kaeya chuckled and held up his hands as if he were surrendering, “Alright, sorry. I should’ve warned you he was here today.”

I crossed my arms, watching Kaeya closely as he smiled far too smugly down at the warmed wine that he continued to swirl in his mug even as I began to question him, “And is that why you wanted to meet up here today?”

The man’s single visible eye widened at my words, and he pressed one hand to his chest, “What? Of course not! I simply wanted my good friends to partake of these delicious seasonal drinks, that’s all.”

His honeyed tone was impressive, but I was hardly convinced.

I didn’t get to say anything, though, since Venti spoke up before I could. Leaning forward with a grin as he eyed Kaeya, “Oho, So you’re going to be buying our drinks then?”

I twisted to look towards Kaeya, so that me and Venti were both looking at the cavalry captain expectantly as he raised his hand in laughing surrender, “Just one round.”

“You’ll all need to be headed home at that point anyway… It’ll be getting late,” Diluc’s voice came from behind me, and it caused me to still once more as he sat down my mug.

His bright red eyes flickered my way from where he’d leaned over to set down my drink, meeting my gaze as he gave the slightest of head nods, “Enjoy.”

It was odd. Speaking to him this way. Ever since that day all those years ago, he’d become more withdrawn.

Just like everyone else in Mondstadt who’d been close to him as a child, I’d awaited his return from his journeys. Praying that, with time, he’d recover from the wounds of his past. But when he’d finally come back, he was still changed, and I suppose I shouldn’t have expected any less considering what he’d experienced.

By now, I was used to it, so in no way was his distantly polite behavior strange to me. But, nonetheless, it was still odd when I talked to him considering that, unlike our other friends, the two of us had never managed to reconnect since our youth.

It was a distant sensation, speaking to someone I’d once been so close to but now seldom saw. Almost like I was looking at him from a long way off, even though he was right next to me.

And I didn’t even know which one of us maintained the distance. Only that it remained between us.

I nodded though, my voice coming out unintentionally soft as I responded with a quiet, “Thank you.”

It was this strangeness, I was certain, that had caused so many to believe that I was smitten with Diluc. And though it was true that I did like Diluc, it was also true that, for the most part, the strange taint to our interactions was what made the atmosphere so awkward.

If anyone realized that, it was Kaeya. Because even though he teased me, he would sometimes go out of his way to have the two of us meet up. Almost like he was trying to ease that strange tension.

Even now, he watched the two of us closely. His brother as he walked away from the table with his usual calmness, and me as I looked away from my old friend and down at my drink.

The sweet mixture of fruit juice and milk I recalled getting when I was young and always begging Crepus for a decorative cinnamon stick just like the one that currently swirled in my mug lazily.

It seemed that even despite this distance, Diluc still remembered things from our shared childhood. Even the little things.

Conversation flowed freely between me, Venti, and Kaeya. With the cavalry captain keeping his promise and buying each of us another round of drinks before we began to trickle out the door with fond farewells on our lips.

I lingered the longest, my brain having been preoccupied ever since I’d begun pondering what it was that had changed all those years ago in my interactions with Diluc.

Was the reason our relationship had not progressed since then my fault? It was possible, but it wasn’t like I hadn’t made an effort. In fact, I’d been one of the first ones to go and welcome him back home when he’d first returned.

I couldn’t blame him either, though. He hadn’t been cold or tried to drive me off in any way. Rather, it was like we drifted apart in the most natural of ways. But it still left a sadness in my heart when I thought about what, exactly, had become of our friendship.

I stood, turning to head towards the door, only to be stopped by a cautious hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Diluc looking at me, his other hand resting on the table that he’d no doubt just come to clean before closing the tavern for the night.

“Be careful going home. Night has already fallen.” Unlike his usual words, these seemed to be tinged with unsteady awkwardness. Almost like he, too, was at long last feeling that same tension that I’d felt all this time.

But I was relieved nonetheless, and I smiled at him, “I will be. But you ought to be careful as well. After all, you’ll be leaving even later than I will.”

A smile flitted across Diluc’s face, so fast that if I’d blinked, I would have missed it before he shook his head, “No, I’ll be fine. Thank you, though. Take care Y/n.”

I left Angel’s Share with a smile still on my face and a brief wave towards the young man, who was once a close friend and now wasn’t quite a stranger. I knew him too well for that to ever be the case.

Even if the Diluc I’d gotten to know had been the young one, some of the same things still held true for the man that had been true for the boy. And, strangely, it was a comfort to know that.

I glanced up at the sky as I strolled down the street, noting how the clouds had cleared so that the starry sky was perfectly visible. I smiled to myself at the common sight.

Perhaps all of October wouldn’t be cloudy, and it would be just as normal as could be, with one only having to be careful of vampires at night.

No sooner than those thoughts had registered, than the sound of something on the rooftops just next to me had me freezing in the darkened street.

I frowned almost immediately as the sounds stopped at the very same moment my footsteps had halted. But those sounds had been too heavy to be one of the cats from the Cat’s Tail.

With a creeping feeling of dread as all of those comments about vampires came back to haunt me, I turned and looked up.

I swallowed thickly as I gazed up at the ominous silhouette that I was almost positive did not belong to the rumored Darknight Hero. And when the man leapt down, landing easily on the stone pathway in front of me, I didn't wait to find out. Instead, I turned and ran. Bolting down the pathway only to hear the sound of heavy footfalls that signaled that I was indeed being chased.

Internally, I cursed myself for having become so lost in my thoughts earlier that I let the hour get so late. If I hadn’t been so busy thinking about the past and how it had led to the present, I wouldn’t have been in this situation. I would be at home, safe and sound. Free to mope over Diluc in safety.

But thinking about it wouldn’t change anything now, and it certainly wouldn’t help me get away from the creature chasing me.

My hand grasped a light pole as I practically threw myself around a corner and used the pole to help myself keep up my momentum.

The only reason I hadn’t been caught yet was the adrenaline I could feel pumping through my veins, but it would only last so long, and the moment it ran out, I’d be caught.

After all, it was common knowledge that vampires could go at incredible speeds, and, judging from the lack of heavy breathing to accompany the racing footsteps behind me, my pursuer wasn’t entirely mortal. Or at the very least, if they were, they had incredible stamina.

I slipped on the cobblestones but kept going, my feet digging at the smooth pathway that usually made for nice strolling. But it wasn’t enough.

Arms snatched at me, forcing me to the ground as I fought back. Kicking out and rolling all at once. As if looking up at my assailant could help.

And, sure enough, the fanged face that greeted me confirmed my fears. Despite the warnings I’d heard for the better part of my life, I’d gotten myself caught by a vampire.

There were no questions as to what was going to happen next, even as I struggled in its inhumanly strong grasp. Doing everything I could to break free, even though every logical part of me knew my chances were slim at best.

For unknown reasons, I didn’t scream. But tears stung at my eyes as it bared its teeth at me, a hissing sound emitting from its mouth before it made a mad dive for my neck.

I jerked my chin down and over my neck in a feeble attempt to protect myself, even as I squeezed my eyes shut. But the painful sensation of its bite never came.

Instead, the vampire was ripped off of me with a howl of rage that had my eyes flying back open almost immediately, only to see the creature get flung across the street.

I scrambled backwards, looking up with wide eyes, to see the incredibly familiar but unexpected sight of flaming red hair that clearly gave away my savior’s identity.

A curse fell from the vampire’s lips, causing me to flinch slightly as my gaze darted back where it crawled out of the now-cracked fountain with a snarl, “You have no claim on them. Find your own food.”

Food…? What?

My eyes darted back towards where Diluc stood, calmly fixing his glove as he stayed between me and the vampire, “As if you have some sort of claim to them. It’s high time you crawled back into whatever hole you came from.”

His voice was beyond cold. Far icier than I’d ever heard him sound before, but then I’d never seen Diluc like this either.

The vampire gave a wheezy snort of laugh as it shook itself off, patting at its sleeves in an almost mocking way, “As if a child like you could make me. You aren’t even a clan leader, just a pathetic loner who's in denial.”

It stepped back with one foot, rolling its shoulders in a way that could only be described as predatory, and had me grimacing as I pressed myself back further still, even as I kept staring at the scene before me. Somehow unable to look away despite desperately wanting to escape this moment.

“I suppose some before-meal exercise is in order, though,” Its voice was haughty as it spoke, a glint to its eyes right before it dove forward. Arms outstretched and fangs bared as it launched at Diluc, who, at odds with the creature, stood firm.

In fact, he seemed utterly calm as he reached and grabbed the hilt of the claymore that appeared out of thin air the very moment he needed it.

“Very well,” His voice was calm but held an undertone of irritation as his hand curled firmly around his weapon's hilt. But then, as he swung his weapon, I could see that his face set with a special sort of rage as the weapon sliced through the creature and flames ignited along its blade right as he bellowed, “BURN!”

And in the light of those flames, I saw something so incredibly simple that made my blood run cold. Because as I looked at his enraged profile while he shouted that condemning word and the vampire caught fire and incinerated at unnatural speeds, I stared at a sight that horrified me far more.

The two sharp fangs, that perfectly explained what the vampire had meant when it had mentioned food earlier.

*Sweet Cider Lake is a drink from the Drink a-dreaming event. It was made with juice and milk.

@vera-deville

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