savior amidst snowstorms.
# — pairing: snow prince!albedo x gn!reader
# — characters: snow prince!albedo, gender neutral reader
# — summary: moments before it all ends, a figure comes to your rescue.
# — warnings: mentions of blood, death, near-death experience (reader)
# — tags: first meetings, implied violence, unspecified injuries, introduction to au piece, angst (??), reader is in LOTS of pain and wishes for death but no MCD
# — notes: SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGSSSS I FINALLY WROTE SOMETHING I LIKE ABOUT SNOW PRINCE!ALBEDO AAAAA I CAN'T WAIT TO WRITE MORE! reblogs and reactions are greatly appreciated, and i hope you enjoy this (and are curious about it, too!)
wanna join the tag list?
✧ — ❄️ + 🌼 — ✧
i'm going to die here.
that is all you can think as you watch the lawachurl shamble towards you. you did all you could. you put up one hell of a fight; originally you were faced with at least ten hilichurls, all of which you managed to defeat. you didn't escape from that confrontation unscathed, but they were dead, and you were still breathing. unfortunately all the commotion lured the attention of a lawachurl in the distance, and now you were staring down the cause of your inevitable demise. the hilichurls you faced earlier left you cut up and bruised, so you're in no state to take this thing on.
like hell i'd be able to anyway, you think as it lumbers closer. even in the cold, you can smell the stench of raw death wafting off of this hulking creature. how many adventurers has it feasted on? how many unfortunate souls have fallen to this thing? whatever the number is, you know in your heart that you're about to add onto it. a sharp sting of pain shoots up your leg as you try to step back and gain some distance from it. a hilichurl arrow pierced your thigh deeply, the point of which is still firmly lodged in there. only now, when the adrenaline has started to make way for fear, do you feel the acute agony of it all. all of your injuries seem to weigh on you now, the time when you need it the least.
boom. the snow-covered ground seems to rattle under your feet as the lawachurl comes closer. about ten paces away now. it's a miracle the thing hasn't lunged at you, else you'd have made a fine dinner by now.
boom. nine paces. it's almost tame in its demeanor. in its eyes, you see nothing but a predatory hunger. blood from your wounds hits the fresh snow with a soft plip-! and though you can't see its nostrils, you're prety sure they must've flared at the smell.
boom. boom. seven paces. dragonspine is about to become your icy grave. what did you even come here for, anyway? what could have possibly been so important that you'd put your life on the line like this? was it some silly commission? some old adventurer's tale? what does it even matter? nothing matters in the face of death.
boom. boom. five paces. this is it. you let your grip on your sword slacken and you hear the metal collide with the snowy floor. what use is it to you at this point, anyway? the lawachurl reaches out. you let your eyes slip shut and brace for a painful death.
but it never comes.
you count each breath you take expecting the next one to be your last. after the fifth one though, you hesitate to take a sixth as you're curious as to why you're still breathing. by now, the lawachurl should have you in its frosty grip, crushing your ribs. why are you still alive?
you open one eye and are surprised to see the lawachurl not even facing you. its back is to you and it's down on one knee with its head lowered. even with such a hazy mind, you recognize that posture. it's one of servitude, of submission. another surge of fear grips you by the throat. is there something that even a beast like this would bow its head to? what could possibly possess more strength than this creature on this icy hellscape? you hobble to the side to get a glimpse of the new arrival.
there's... nothing there. great. not only are there abominations on this mountain, but it would appear that it's haunted, too. you have half a mind to scream. how much longer will the universe dangle death in front of you? you don't like being teased, much less with your own safety. a frigid gust of wind nearly knocks you over, forcing your eyes shut. the blood that leaks from your head seems to crystallize, making it hard for you to open your eyes. you manage to pry one of them open to peer out into the distance; surely, you're imagining things. the mountain is many things, but haunted couldn't possibly be one of them... right?
the way forward is almost misty, the gusty snow obscuring the view of what's ahead. but through it all, you make out a figure of something. a silhouette of a person walking your way.
a person? that can't be right. a cryo lawachurl wouldn't be bowing to a human. you squint and try to focus, a part of you hoping that the figure turns out to be that of another, potentially more horrifying, monster. yet the silhouette remains the same. it's clearer now that it's closer. it's that of a man — his stride seems smooth, his body seemingly unbothered by the chaotic snow whirling around him. he appears untouched by the elements, almost.
you gulp. maybe you shouldn't rule out a haunting just yet.
you can't run, so you're forced to watch as the man comes closer and closer still. when he breaks through the mist, you take notice of how ethereal he looks amidst the snowstorm. his hair is a pale blond and reflects what little sunlight comes through the clouds. it reaches just below his shoulders and is almost neatly pulled into a braided half ponytail. his skin is pale and his eyes are a sharp teal that cut through the whiteness of your surroundings. his white coat bears navy blue and gold embellishments and his hands are gloved. he extends one to the monster and you see his lips move, though you can't hear his words over the whirlwind of snow. only when the hulking beast beside you moves do you realize what he said.
"arise."
you yelp and, for the first time in minutes, your body moves. you crash into the snow beneath you unceremoniously and with a loud groan. everything hurts. you're truly defeated. the man's lips move once more and the lawachurl approaches him with a bowed head. to your horror, it looks as though he's speaking to it — even worse is that it appears to understand him. if he were to give the order, that thing would tear you limb from limb. you don't know if you should waste your last breath begging for your life, or if you should just go back to accepting your demise with open arms.
neither of those choices are correct, apparently, because when the lawachurl faces you once more, gone is the intense bloodlust you'd felt moments earlier. it approaches you again, this time seeming calm. the man behind it comes closer, allowing you to see it better. maybe you're delirious with pain, but you notice that he's extremely attractive. there's a certain elegance to his features, his cold, calculating stare making you want to bow your own head in submission.
yeah. definitely delirium. you're losing your mind.
"if you're going to kill me," you say, your throat lined with needles, "then please, don't let me suffer. make it quick. i'm in enough pain as is."
those teal eyes regard you closely. there isn't a lick of emotion on his face. "do you need assistance?" he asks. his voice, too, is devoid of emotion.
you blink your one eye slowly and notice dark spots in your vision. it won't be long before you lose consciousness. and hopefully, your life, too. look at you; so badly damaged that you're wishing for death. the man before you doesn't move an inch as he awaits your response. you spit blood onto the icy ground away from you. "just... kill me." you rasp. "please."
"i do not wish to see you dead." his crystalline lashes seem to flutter. if you didn't know any better, you'd think him an angel. it's a shame there's no wings protruding from his back. "i wish to aid you. will you allow me to do so?"
you stagger. "please." you beg. "just..." the dark spots grow suddenly, consuming your world. you plummet into darkness before you can finish your sentence and collapse into the snow, never to see the sun again.
...or so you'd think.
you awake with a start, your body screaming at you with every frantic breath you take. you pat yourself down despite the aching of your wounds. all of your flesh is relatively intact — did you seriously survive that encounter? what the hell was all of that? the hilichurls, the monster, the weird angel-man—
wait a minute.
once more, you pat yourself down. you feel bandages in various places, each one meticulously wrapped around your appendages. you look down at your legs and find them buried beneath luxurious cream-colored silk sheets. come to think of it, the mattress supporting your weight feels like it's curving to meet your body — where the hell are you?!
you do a quick sweep of the room and an unknown emotion makes itself present. you're not sure whether to feel awe, fear, or curiosity. the room is fit for royalty: its floor-to-ceiling windows are crystal clear, allowing for a perfect view of the snowy mountain outside, the floors are marbled and polished, the furniture seems antiquated, yet grand all the same, the silvers and golds either woven through the cushions or embedded in the harder surfaces. this place, imposing and majestic as it might be, seems frozen in time — no one has touched this place in ages, yet it seems well-cared for. your head feels ready to explode. who in the archons' name would—?
"you've awoken."
you're not proud of the shriek that rips past your lips at the sound of the voice. (you're even less proud of the fact that you can hear it echoing off of the walls. was it really that quiet in here?) you turn to see the man from outside standing in your doorway, his features less illuminated, yet still regal in the dim lighting.
"i'm not going to harm you." his face remains as passive as ever. "please, don't shout."
"wh-why wouldn't i?" you retort. you break into a fit of hacking coughs. how did you not feel this ill a second ago? adrenaline sure works in strange ways. only now do you feel how flushed and clammy your skin is, how the banging in your head rivals that of a swordsmith forging a weapon, how painful it is just to take a breath. you ease yourself back into a lying position. you can't defend yourself like this. "you were communicating—" you pause to cough again— "with that monster outside! you could have killed me."
the man is at your side in the blink of an eye. an icy hand rests on your forehead and you feel a near instant relief. your eyes slip shut against your will. "you're running a high grade fever," he points out. "but i do not understand why you think me to be a threat when i saved your life. is gratitude lost on people in modern times?"
though spoken so evenly, such a biting response doesn't fit your image of this guy. who does he think he is? "you should have let me die." your voice is hoarse, barely a whisper. "let me die in peace." you partially mean it. the brief moments of clarity are nothing in comparison to the agony you're in. hell, you may as well be dead already. perhaps this is just what was waiting for you after you crossed over.
the man moves and you hear some shuffling. "i... don't want you to." he's whispering. it's almost like he's speaking to himself. "allow me to help you. please."
you can't make heads or tails of anything anymore. "water," you plead. your body is truly on its last legs. you're begging, though if you were of clear mind, you wouldn't reasonably ask this man for a thing; survival instincts have kicked in, and you're only trying to use what's been given to you. "give me water, please."
instead of the cold water you expected, you feel your head being propped up and hot water (tea?) slides down your throat instead. it's infinitely better than the ice water you had imagined — the relief is instant, and the spikes in your throat seem to clear almost immediately. before you can ask for more, some more is already being offered at your lips, and you drink eagerly, like a dying man in a desert. once you've had your fill, you're being eased back down, your body feeling just a touch better than before. words of gratitude don't make it out of you, so you settle for a sigh. you feel your consciousness slipping once more. dimly, you think there must have been a sedative in that drink. must be medicinal, you think, seeing as your throat doesn't hurt much anymore.
"the medicine will act faster if you rest." the man's voice seems so far away. "when you wake, please allow me the honor of knowing your name."
with the last of your energy, you breathe your own name in a whisper. you can almost hear the smile in the man's voice as you tread back into darkness.
"my name is albedo," he says. "it'll be my pleasure to greet you when you're fully conscious. get some sleep, now."
like you need to be told twice. almost on command, you fall into a deep, restful, dreamless sleep.
✦ oh my god. OH MY GOD??? SNOW PRINCE!ALBEDO INTRODUCTION??? WHEN'S THE FIC ZUZU???
✦ i actually am VERY proud of this. it's not the intro that i've been dreaming about for... what, a year? but i like the setup. i can't wait to build this au again.
good things will happen 💫
things that are meant to be will fall into place 💫
❝cupid❞
៚ xiao, scaramouche, albedo
ᝰ genshin chars with an innocent reader + kind of school au?
꒦꒷ its 7am here and i am dying also suggestive at albedos part!!
xiao with an innocent kouhai, a sweet student who's oh so reckless, he needs to look after you at all times!! what do you mean you don't want him being so protective? theres so many creeps out there, the only one that could save you is him!!
"it's better if you leave now." xiao barked at the students cornering you, glaring at them with the same look he gives everyone.
well, except you.
when there was no one around, he squated next to you and whispered into your ear—
"tsk, i've told you before and this happened because you were so careless." his voice was husky and wasn't like the caring voice he used when he talked to you.
"i-i know.. i'm sorry, xiao." you sobbed as fat tears welled up in your eyes.
he rubs your arm in a comforting way, you don't even notice the way his pants tighten from watching you cry on your knees </33
he's the sweetest senior<3 you should listen to him at all times or there will be consequences.
scaramouche with an innocent kouhai, so dumb and too naive. if you don't obey him, he'll just have to leave you to deal with his gang. with the way the ginger and the masked freak stares you down like you're a prey, you don't have much of a choice anyways TT
"you're so annoying. always follwing me around like a lost puppy." his words were full of venom but the glint in his eyes says otherwise.
"fine then! i'll just go." you let out a hmph!! and walked towards the door until the door swung open, revealing two tall figures.
oh no.
you vividly remembered their names— was it... Dottore and Tartaglia?
you saw the way they would look at you when you dragged scaramouche away from them. the way they looked at you like a small bunny that they wanted to capture and keep forever ⊙﹏⊙
a squeak escaped your throat as you ran behind scaramouche, holding his waist tightly.
maybe inviting them wasn't a bad idea, scaramouche thought.
albedo with an innocent kouhai who's so kind and generous, always willing to help him with his dangerous experiments, you're the bravest!! so admirable he'll say. and with so much praise, it raises your ego a bit too much.
usually his experiments on you made you a little dizzy or numb on certain parts on your body.
but today was different.
your tummy felt so weird and your legs were shaking!! afraid of anything bad happening you told albedo—
"bedo... feel so strange..." you bat your eyelashes at him and he let out a small chuckle.
"no no, baby. it's okay. you're being so good for me you know.."
baby? you're being good?
with that, you held your breath and laid back as he continued examining your body reacting to the strange liquid he gave you.
"what do you feel... here." you suddenly felt his fingers press on your inner thigh, a little too close to your sensitive flower<333
"d-dont!!" unfortunately, your whines only encouraged him to go further.
#-reblogs are greatly appreciated!!
hellooo!! could i request like a scara x gn reader, but reader is sick and scaramouche is taking care of them? Like scara is mean at first but when he realise how sick reader is he warms up and becomes very nice with a bit of fluff c: tysm!
this was so cute how scara goes from being so mean to sweet ik he actually cares abt ppl but loves to hide it,, i took a little bit of a diff approach with this bc i tried so many ideas before that didn't work so instead of the reader just being sick they're kinda freezing too lol but i hope u like it in the end, thank u sm for requesting this! if this wasn't to your liking you can always request again!
what happens...
synopsis: you and your boss scara get trapped in a snow storm and he helps you while you're really cold and sick
warnings: scara is degrading, you almost get hypothermia
characters: scaramouche (the balladeer) x reader
notes: i rewrote this like five times. dont talk to me.
•┈୨♡୧┈•
harsh winds singing a desperate chorus as it whirled around you, it claimed all the land in white. bounding everyone to their homes, unlucky for you, you were caught out in the storm. in other circumstances, this sight would have been beautiful to you as all of snezhnaya was, if only you weren't walking in the middle of it. you'd say you were happy when a small wooden hut appeared, it didn't look warm from the outside but it was shelter, except you had to go in with your boss.
scaramouche slammed the wooden door to the hut, blocking most of the blundering storm outside. the cabin was rotten down, boards coroading away, who ever lived here hadn't been around in probabaly years. it was stopping most of the wind, but the freezing tempature was still seeping in. he grimmaced at the situation, he'd been seperated from the rest of the fatui agents while out carrying a mission for the tsaritsa, simply on their way to catch debt from clients. this was only a minor setback, but a damn awful one. who knows how long he'd be stuck here. especially stuck with you.
you were in a corner of the house, curled into yourself to retain warmth. your thick black coat was keeping some sort of coziness but you were only human and some cloth could only do so much. damn your immune system, you'd only been curled up in here for a couple of minutes and were already sneezing uncontrollably, nose tingling and your skin in a bitter pain because of the frost. "look at you cowering away." your boss crossed his arms, glaring down at you. "we're stuck in this snow storm because of you giving us the wrong direactions. who even allowed you to join the fatui? you're obviously unfit to serve the tsarista." you who fed at his frigid words. "i bet it was that bobbleheaded childe, huh? pathetic." you knew never to show weakness infront of him, the balladeer was known to be so cruel to those who showed fear. yet in this snow storm, you couldn't care to even respond to him or say sorry about your incompetence. you swore if you stayed like this, you'd freeze over into a popsicle.
"…i'm so damn cold." you mumbled. scara pondered you with a scouring look. "oh, you're cold? well you're in snezhnaya its going to be a little chilly" his stupid sarcasm was not what you needed. you hands sting through your gloves, throat itchy and eyes watering. you tried to fight back the tears, you could not cry in front of him no matter how sick and cold you were. his eyes widened watching you shudder in the corner. he shuffled around a bit, looking to you and fro, cheeks a little flush. he hadn't expect you to seriously cry. he sighed, watching his breath swirl the air then trugded over to you.
with his hand nearing your face, you flinched at it thinking he was going to reprimand you for being so weak. yet he simply was pressing the back of his hand to your forehead, you were icy to the touch, eyes puffy and red. a tear rolled down your cheek as you sniffled, he took his thumb and wiped it away with a pout on his lip. "don't cry..." he mumbled. you weren't really sad just your body reacting to the uncomfortable reality you were in. "let me see your hand…" you lifted you arm to him and he pulled one of your gloves off, revealing your discolored fingers, a sign of hyperthermia.
the balladeer was no mother goose, he had no nurturing bone in his body. if he wanted to, he'd leave you here to freeze and would carry out the rest of his mission without batting an eye. instead, he gloved your hand again and held them between his. it wouldn't do him any good to let you die, he supposed. he couldn't warm you up much himself considering his...condition, he knew you were going to catch an even worse cold if he didn't do anything. so, he did the unthinkable. he sat against the wall, pulling you towards him by the waist, you were between his legs, and he curled you into his chest. it wasn't a lot of warmth, but it was enough. it was reassuring that you would be okay, you're allergies were getting to you but atleast you weren't alone in this storm.
in other circumstances, being coddled in your boss' arms would make you vomit at the thought but he was suprsingly cozy. "…tell anyone about this and i'll let you freeze in the lake." scaramouche pulled you tighter to his chest trying to get you warmer. "i'm only doing this because if you die i wont hear the end of it." "…of course, balladeer." you held back a little giggle. "i wouldn't dream of it"
maybe the balladeer was more than he seemed. maybe he cared underneath his empty heartless shell. don't tell anyone though, what happens at the hut, stays at the hut.
•┈୨♡୧┈•
dw when you guys got somewhere safe he made you tea as long as u didn't tell anyone what happened at the hut (esp childe)
albedo, alhaitham, childe, scaramouche, venti x gn!reader
your job isn’t the best one out there, but it’s easy and keeps you from drowning in tuition fees and rent. working at a 7-eleven on a midnight shift was supposed to be peaceful, so why is it that you constantly find yourself being bothered by weird customers? (modern au)
fluff, comedy, crack, cashier employee reader, modern au, written for fluffvember!
ALBEDO
It’s difficult not to take notice of the perpetually tired college student (much like yourself) who always comes at the latest hours to order a cup of black coffee and a can of beer. The first time you saw him order that drink was a memorable one, if only because of the way your eyes had nearly popped out of their sockets when you saw him mix the two drinks in a large, empty slurpee cup and proceed to drink it all in a matter of seconds.
Another memorable time was when he came in with only enough money to buy a bottle of water, then took a seat at a table near the counter and took out a box full of what you initially presumed were cookies. It was a traumatizing memory you look back on with a shudder as you remember the way he crunched down on it like it was a piece of biscuit instead of a motherfucking spider.
“They’re surprisingly nutritional, full of protein and fibre. It leaves a strange aftertaste, but it’s a good substitute for dinner.”
Since then, you’ve made sure to keep some food ready in the microwave for him, free of charge. He just looked so pitiful sitting by himself with dark under-eyes and greasy hair — the very image of a normal college student — that you couldn’t help yourself from taking money out of your own pocket to help a fellow comrade.
One day, he came to the store with blown pupils and a sort of dazed look in his eyes, words slurring together as he tried to explain to you how he’s finally created an edible liquid that can keep sleep at bay for at least 120 hours…with some small side-effects, but it’ll wear off with time. That’s when you found out he was a bio-chemistry student well on his way to getting a PhD at his young age.
When questioned why he drank the liquid instead of having someone else do it, his response was, “To experience it firsthand, of course. The basis of research is accuracy and precision, how could I be remiss as to leave such an important experiment to someone who could, in their ignorance, fail to mention an important detail that their mind might have labeled as useless.”
You’re not quite sure how he’s still alive by this point.
But his weirdness aside, you resolve to take care of him in your own way, from a fellow tired college student to another. You remind him to get some sleep, steering him away from eating spiders and encouraging him to eat more meat.
“But I am eating meat?”
“Albedo, that’s a spider.”
“And are you saying that spiders do not possess meat?”
“Oh, for the love of—just eat the goddamn sandwich.”
You think he appreciates it, if the way he dedicated his latest thesis to you is any indication.
ALHAITHAM
You were in the middle of answering a math problem your professor assigned that morning, papers sprawled over the counter with you hunched over it, hand in your hair and trying not to pull at it in frustration over how difficult the problem was. And then he’d come in like an angel, all perfectly shiny hair and a no-nonsense look on his face, took one look at you and the papers scattered across the counter and said one sentence that saved your grade in math.
“You forgot to put a negative sign right there.”
That was the moment you decided that he must be an angel sent from heaven. He always grunts whenever you call him that, though whether it’s from amusement or annoyance remains to be seen.
He doesn’t visit the convenience store much, but when he does, he always spares the time to help you out with whatever assignment you were working on, sometimes even taking the initiative of asking if you need his assistance in answering a problem — though he says this on a much less nicer tone.
“Are you gonna make me do your homework again?”
“My professer didn’t assign me one today, surprisingly enough, so no.”
He seemed strangely disappointed when you told him no, but you chalked it up to him being some sort of math wiz who gets riled up by equations and the like. Seems like kind of guy too, what with all the times he’s made a subtle jab at your intelligence — or lack, thereof.
“How could you possibly need a paper to calculate the answer to four-hundred and thirty-two times fifty-eight?”
“Not all of us are smarter than Rukkhadevata like you.”
“Who?”
He’s not bad company, though that opinion stems solely from the fact that he helps you (solves it for you, more like) with all your homework. Not without making comments about you lazing about on the job and letting your customer answer your assignment for you. You respond in a mature way by making fun of him.
“I’ve never seen you without those earphones. Are you hiding a pair of large ears or something?”
“No.”
He refuses to elaborate more on the subject.
Sometimes you give him a drink, usually cola or juice, as thanks for helping you out. He takes it without question, taking sips from it as he tutors you about this and that, occasionally commenting about your job and how you’re only making yourself suffer by taking on midnight shifts. You don’t see why he cares. For all that you jokingly call him an angel, you know he’s far from actually being one.
You once saw him on campus reading a book by the library. It’s easy enough to come up to him and make conversation, handing him an unopened drink you just bought from a vending machine. It just feels wrong not to, more of a habit by this point.
It’s then that someone decides to dramatically drop his books to the ground and point at you and Alhaitham. The blonde guy gapes and asks how in the world Alhaitham managed not to scare you away. His eyes zero in on the can of grape juice on Alhaitham’s hand, and then he proceeds to laugh, asking Alhaitham since when did he decide to start drinking what he once called was an unhealthy drink composed of sugar and artificial flavoring.
You made a mental note of that response, and later that night, you decide to hand him a packaged biscuit. Nothing unhealthy there. Technically.
“Good. I was beginning to wonder if I should start taking medicine in case my stomach burst from the amount of cola you hand me.”
“You could’ve just not accepted, you know.”
“It was given to me. Not accepting would be considered rude.”
“Didn’t Kaveh say you threw a bottle of orange juice to his face after he gave you one?”
“I did.”
He refuses to elaborate more on the subject, but you’ve since resolved to only give him the healthiest thing you could find on the store—which isn’t much considering this is a 7-eleven, but hey, microwaved salad is still salad, right?
He grumbles about the radiation but eats the salad anyway. Another win for you, you suppose.
CHILDE
He came in near the end of your shift, lips busted and an eye swollen shut, blood splattered all over his clothes. The grin of his face should’ve hinted you at his lunacy, but you’ve always been blind to warnings and the like, so you went over the counter and helped him up from where he’s slumped over the chips and candies isle.
Aether, your co-worker and the one who’s about to take over from your shift, only looked at you with tired eyes, “It’s too early for this shit.” That was, of course, Aether’s way of basically saying, you’re on your own.
So you picked up the ginger lying on the linoleum floors, heaving his arm over your shoulder to drag him to the nearest pharmacy — never let it be said that you were just a bystander. He groaned as the movement bothered whatever injuries he may have, but he still looked at you with wide, strangely lightless eyes, as if only now registering your presence, and said, “Holy shit, you’re hot.”
After you finished dumping him on the pharmacy and leaving the people there baffled at what to do with an injured guy, he grabbed your wrist and, with a bloody smile he probably thought was charming, handed you a piece of paper containing his number.
You never text him. Or call.
He comes back to the store a week later with faint yellow bruises across his face and a far too bright grin for someone who’s visiting a 7-eleven at two in the morning. He pouts about not getting a single text from you, but before you can respond, he’s moving on to another topic, mindlessly picking up a box of tampons by the side and setting it on the counter.
He only seems to realize what he’s done when you give him a strange look.
“Tampons are, uh, great for bloody noses!”
“…Right.”
You weren’t convinced at all, but you decided to let it slide. He seemed like a genuine guy, if a bit too enthusiastic sometimes. His mouth never shuts ups, always going on about this and that, asking all sorts of questions that would’ve normally had most normal people backing away. But your brain isn’t exactly at its best condition and being sleep deprived for the better part of your life has made it less of a brain and more of an organ that just helps you get through the day.
You don’t know exactly why he stays to chat with you, buying ridiculous amounts of stuff that were frankly far too expensive just to have an excuse to talk to you. You don’t mind it much, especially when he’s a great deterrent for any unwanted petty thieves or middle school delinquents trying to rob your store every week or so.
Apparently, he’s got a reputation for being a bit of an adrenaline junkie and being willing to fight anything and everything that breathes. And apparently, word’s gotten out that he’s into you, like, really into you, so most guys who have less-than-well intentions have decided that robbing the local 7-eleven isn’t worth the trouble if it means having to deal with Ajax.
“Actually, it’s Tartaglia.”
“Tarantula?”
“No, Tartaglia. It’s my street name! Ajax just doesn’t inspire the same fear into other people’s hearts the same way Tartaglia does.”
“Whatever you say, Tortilla.”
“It’s Tartaglia!”
He never brings up the fact that you never call or text him back, even when he’s somehow gotten ahold of your number and started sending you memes and updates about his day. When asked, he just shrugs and says he’ll win you over eventually.
SCARAMOUCHE
It wasn’t intentional, and you’ll admit it was completely your fault, but did he have to be such an asshole about you dozing off on the counter?
“Have the standards really fallen so low that employees are now afforded to sleep on the job?”
Here was this guy at two in the morning, bemoaning society’s failure in raising the new generation to have a proper work ethic at a 7-eleven store. The guy had a rolex watch and clothes that looked like they were worth more than your monthly salary — you’re not one to judge other people’s appearances, but he’s the very image of nepotism. And frankly speaking, you’re of the opinion that rich people shouldn’t be entitled to an opinion on what the working class decides do with their life, like falling asleep on the job.
…And oh, you just said that out loud, didn’t you?
Oh well, your manager will understand.
The guy with a bowl cut leaves fuming, but not before slapping a wad of cash down the counter to pay for his stupidly expensive noodles, snarling at you to keep the change since you clearly need it more than him.
You do, in fact, keep the change. Money is money, whether it’s from your salary or a rich boy throwing a tantrum.
The next day in class, a bag slams down the seat beside you, and you’re met with the same rich boy from last night, a scowl painting his rather pretty face as he hisses lowly about how he’s surprised you can afford to go to college. Talk about holding a grudge, you would’ve forgotten all about him from last night if he hadn’t given you his change.
He fumes even more when you don’t give him any sort of reaction, merely nodding your head at him and turning back to the board to listen to your professor drone on about this and that. It’s rather difficult to focus, however, when he keeps muttering sarcastic comments and barbs to the teacher beneath his breath.
“If you even had an iota of charm about you, perhaps your wife wouldn’t have filed for a divorce.”
You choked on a laugh, hand coming up muffle the sound, but he clearly noticed, judging by the way he snaps his head to you, eyes wide and seemingly surprised you found it funny. You only smile at him, an amused little thing, but he quickly looked away and murmured something unintelligible beneath his breath, his fists clenched and the tips of his ears curiously pink.
He comes back to visit your job that night, still with that air of haughtiness about him but a bit toned down. Even more surprising was the fact he didn’t immediately leave the moment he handed you his money.
“Do you want the change?”
“Are you so desperate for money that you’d go begging a total stranger for some spare coin?”
“I mean, yeah, I guess.”
“Tch, fine. You can have it.”
He never fails to come back every night, always giving you the change for his bill, even when the amount is more than the items he paid for. Sometimes, he’ll even take out a snack or a drink from the bag and slide them over to you, cheeks suspiciously red as he did so.
“Don’t think this means anything. I’m only giving this to you because I know you can’t afford it.”
“It’s literally worth ten mora.”
“Would it kill you to at least give me a thank you?”
“Thank you, Kunikuzushi. I’ll be sure to treasure this can of cola that I would’ve never been able to afford without your help.”
“Shut up.”
He buys you a tub of ice cream the next night, the ridiculously expensive kind, to prove a point. The two of you eat it together at one of the tables, him grumbling about the stain on the table and the overall lack of quality and taste — at a 7-eleven — and you laughing whatever he says.
Well, you suppose he’s not as much of an asshole as you initially assumed.
VENTI
He’s a bit popular in campus, in the sense that nearly everyone is friends with him, which makes it impossible not to have heard about that one guy who’s really great at singing. You were, unfortunately, one of the few that aren’t well acquainted with him — aren’t acquainted with him at all.
So when he comes up to the counter, all boyish grin and ridiculously short shorts and a cute little pink hair clip keeping his bangs away from his face, holding an entire household’s worth of vodka and wine, you do what any rational semi-adult would do and look at him with a blank face.
“Are you even old enough to drink?”
He laughs at you like this is a common occurrence he faces on the daily before slapping down his ID on the counter. And huh, would you look at that, he’s even older than you are.
He then lights up once he gets a good look at you. “Hey, you’re Albedo’s friend, aren’t you?” He abandons his alcohol at the counter in favor of looking around your quaint little convenient store. “So this is that 7-eleven he keeps talking about…”
You’re not exactly sure what he’s going on about, but you do know he must be a friend of Albedo’s, which makes you ease up around him. He’s nice. Sort of. If you ignore the teasing and the jokes and the way he keeps asking you to give him a student discount. For alcohol. You’d given him what you hoped was your best imitation of Kunikuzushi’s stink eye. You think you got it on point, if the way he deflates is any indication.
He comes around the store every weekend, saying he’s here to get a little treat for the awful weekday he’s had. You never fail to remind him that he has class every Sunday, to which he responds by opening a can of beer (which he hasn’t paid for yet) and sitting on the counter, bemoaning the injustice of putting classes during the weekends.
You once asked him why he keeps hanging around this store when there’s a perfectly good bar right around the corner, owned by that popular red-haired business major from your university. Venti just laughed and said he prefers the quietness here — and the company, he added with a wag of his eyebrows. He always teases you, sometimes borderline flirting, but it’s easy enough to wave it away.
The day you discovered he was actually well known in campus was when your university hosted a local event. There’d been stalls and booths set up everywhere and even a little mock-stage put up near the center for any band or singer to perform in. It’d been nice to have a break from the monotonous routine of going to class and studying then working at your job and getting less than ideal sleep.
And then you heard your name booming out from the speakers, and you turn your head to see Venti on the stage with that little lyre he sometimes carries with him to the store, saying he’d like your opinion on a song or two he composed.
He dedicates the song to to you in front of the entire student body, then proceeds to sing the cheesiest, most gut-wrenching and cringiest love song of all time.
“Why did you have to pick that song?”
“Because it’s fun and cute!”
“I sometimes question your ability to distinguish cute from horrifyingly monstrous.”
There’s a mortified look on your face, but amidst the embarrassment and the teasing remarks of his friends, there’s a smile on your face that you can’t bring yourself to wipe away.
i’ll be doing a part two on this but with diluc, dottore, kazuha, xiao, and zhongli!
@maehemthemisfit @sonder-paradise @96jnie @komiyaa @scaramouchenumber1fan @linn-a-a @wisteriaflowersss @ineriris @yesntforno @serramii @shadowmist0706 @jmgrule @imeanwatever @c00kie-cat @serramii @xtodorokismistressx @ieathairs @endlessmari @strawberryclumsy @serenity-ren-bliss @scarasbaby
scarameow
just some day-to-day snippets depicting how it’s like to be in a relationship with alhaitham.
CONTAINS : gn!reader, 4.4k wc, fluff, (attempts at) humour, slight crack, established relationship, idiots in love
A/N : HAPPY BDAY BELOVED HAITHAM !! smitten clingy sappy menace haitham is my lifeline huhu 〒▽〒 (this is also just me once again advocating cute/energetic readers with haitham TヘT)
(can be read as a standalone or viewed as the post-happenings of [how to woo the acting grand sage 101] ^^)
Navigating through a relationship with Alhaitham isn’t as hard as one might think.
The transition from friends-who-pined-for-years to lovers was a lot easier than you’d like to admit. While there were some significant changes to adjust to (read: Alhaitham’s sudden surge in displays of affection), your dynamic pretty much remained the same.
And while you’ve had your fair share of ups and downs, most of your more serious fights happened before you got together. Considering how long you both have known one another, it wouldn’t be an understatement to say you know the other like the back of your hand — understanding minuscule hints and mannerisms anyone else wouldn’t notice — and so, most disputes are settled before they can even surface.
Most of your fights wouldn’t drag on for long as you’re both pretty open to discussing the root cause and where you both were in the wrong. That and the fact it’s hard to be apart from each other under bad terms, as you’ve come to realise after the particularly bad argument you had two months ago (Kaveh demanded you both stay at your house so that he didn’t have to witness your intensified displays of affection after reconciling).
More often than not, your subject of disagreements are petty, typically resulting in revoked privileges of affection from the victim. That usually results in both sides being depraved and cranky (well, more so than usual in Alhaitham’s case) until the revoked privilege is, uh, unrevoked,
Well, it’s a good thing you both rarely argue!
Keep reading
entry for @versadies ’s event farewell love !
warnings : gender neutral. angst. major character death. injury. slight spoilers for scaras backstory & use of his real name. spoilers for the aftermath of 3.2 archon quest. traveler is not specified. english is not my first language.
w/c : 1883
the inazuman night flowers have always been beautiful to kunikuzushi.
yet, as you sit there with him, their beauty dims in comparison with yours. the same could be said for you, as to you, he’s the most beautiful creature you’ve laid your eyes on.
“hey, kuni, i sliced some lavender melons. would you like some?”
he nods eagerly and scooches closer to you so you can share the sweet fruit slices. a gust of wind rustles the leaves of chinju forests’ trees and pushes the young boys’ veil to his shoulders, at which you chuckle.
reaching out to help fix it for him, he pauses his munching and looks at you with a startled look in his eyes. you finish your actions and glance over at his face, smiling softly when you catch him staring.
“you’re very pretty, you know that? it’s slightly unfair. how am i supposed to compete?”
Keep reading
hi !!
can i request f! reader x tighnari where reader was always bullied and hid her ears, then she met tighnari and she stops hiding it ??
btw can i be 🤑 anon
hi !!
yes, you can:) I also gave her a tail, I hope you don't mind!
There was a time when you loved your ears. They sat so pretty on top of your head, the same shade as your hair. At night, it was a comfort to rub an ear. The motion had you falling asleep quickly. Joining the Akademiya was the turning point.
The stares you were able to handle, it's actually what you expected to happen. A few brave people asked if they could touch your ears or tail only to be politely rejected. Some even asked for pictures!
It was all easy enough to handle.
Until it wasn't.
Tugging on your ears became a fun little game when people would walk past you. Laughing at your painful whines and protests. The harsh actions leave you rubbing your poor ears afterwards. The loud sounds made them hurt enough by the end of the day, constant tugging didn't help.
Then it was the loudness. Clapping their hands next to your ears. Sometimes they'd lean in and shout.
It got to the point that your head would be pounding. Their actions leave you crying in your bed from your sore and throbbing ears. You couldn't handle it anymore.
From then on, you always wore a hat. It covered your ears that stayed turned down against your head You'd think that'll stop them from bothering you. All it did was turn their attention towards your visible and very vulnerable tail.
You ended up having to hide that, too.
Eventually, their actions stopped and you left the akidemiya to continue your studies elsewhere. Sumeru City was always too loud for you to handle anyway. But the fear of revealing your ears and tail remained.
Gandharva Ville is the place that is home to the Forest Watchers. Deep in the Avidiya forest and away from the bustling city of Sumeru. Sounded like a great place to stay to you.
It's where you meet Tighnari.
One could imagine your surprise at the sight of two fluffy ears standing on top of his head, just as dark as his hair. A tail moved gently behind him, a mixture of black and green - also like his hair. It looks so soft and well taken care of.
Her own tail twitched from under her shirt, longing for the same type of freedom. It's obvious the people here weren't the same as the ones you've dealt with most of your life - but that couldn't stop the fear you held.
Tighnari took notice of the ear tips sticking out from the bottom of your hat. How you looked away whenever you saw that someone noticed them. Shielding yourself from something that will never happen.
He knew outright asking you would lead to you either panicking or getting defensive. So he had to go about things slowly. He kept you near him, wanting to show that everyone here would do nothing to harm you.
"Here, why don't you try this?" Tighnari held out a small container to you. He saw you running your fingers through your tail, frowning at the feel of it. "This will help keep it soft and hydrated in this kind of climate. I have another one you can use if you ever go to the desert as well."
With little hesitance, you take the item. "Thank you," Truly, you were thankful. Your tail wasn't used to the humidity here in the forest so the fur was a lot dryer than normal.
Oh, but then...
"Does it work on ears, too?"
Tighnari's lips tug upwards, happy you were starting to trust him to talk about your ears and tail now. The next step is getting you comfortable enough to let them breathe. He was certain your ears were sore by the end of the day being cupped up under a hat.
"Could you help me with this?" you asked one day, holding the container in hand. Your tail unwound from your waist. Ears were still hidden but it's a start.
He spoke softly. "Of course."
You sat on the bed, tail laying in his lap once he was comfortable next to you. TIghnari is gentle as he runs his hands through the fur on your tail. It was a lot softer now and looked healthier from the time you first arrived. You've taken good care of your tail and ears on your own so far, this was just an excuse to get closer to Tighnari.
Heat rush to your cheeks. While he was occupied with your tail, you reach up and remove the hat you wore. Your ears slowly shoot up, twitching a little from being contained for so long.
"Did you want me to do your ears, as well?" He asked in a near whisper.
You nod. Eyes closed at the swirl of emotions when he tended to your ears. This is the first time you have them out freely, let alone allow another to touch them in this way.
When Tighnari was done, you felt relieved. Like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Feeling brave at the moment, you lean forward, placing a kiss on Tighnari's cheek. Completely missing the blush that rose to his face.
You went out the next day, ears and tail on show. And every day since.
hehehe my secret santa for this year was @perpetualcynicism !! im somewhat of a lurker on your blog so it was a fun surprise to know that you were my secret santa LOL
yeah maybe i should've done another character besides cyno, but im a sucker for genshin's resident yu gi oh player so i hope you enjoy :'D
ps. the snow jokes took way too long to make... like i literally had to look them up and it was painful...
wc / 1.6k
cw / fluff, snow, painfully unfunny snow puns
“What’s winter like in Sumeru, Cyno?”
The snow haired man blinks as you lean into him more. He lets his arm relax as you swing both your hands back and forth. You lean forward to properly see his face.
“It depends. The desert or the forest?”
He watches your face scrunch up into your thinking face, hand on your chin, “The desert?”
“Well, it gets even colder than usual. It still retains the dryness, and sometimes it even snows.”
“Wow, snow in the desert? That sounds pretty cool, actually!”
“If you’d like, we could go to Aaru village to see if it snows. Candace actually told me that there’s already a thin layer of frost on the ground.”
“Really? Then let’s get packing, I want to see the snow!”
Cyno breathes out a quiet laugh at your enthusiasm. He wasn’t planning on bringing you to his home village so soon, but celebrating Christmas with you there didn’t sound bad at all.
He helps you pack your clothes, forcing you to bring more than one jacket because no you will actually freeze to death, please bring thicker clothing- and with his own cloak, prepare to leave within the next couple days.
He opts to take the route that didn’t lead to Port Ormos, instead straight to Caravan Ribat. Along the way you spotted more and more snow as you approached the Wall of Samiel. Cyno watches as you step on the white ice and complain about how your feet are cold and wet.
“This is what you get for stepping on snow with just sandals on, [Y/N].”
“Cyno, I think my toes are gonna fall off…”
“Again, this is what you get. We’re almost there, let’s greet Candace first and we can warm up afterwards.”
Candace greets you warmly, a stark contrast to her misty breath as she talks. She leads the two of you to an empty guest house, complete with an empty fireplace filled with wood. Cyno tucks a blanket around your shoulders, effectively turning you into an armless bundle of warmth.
“Cyno, Cyno, look! It swooshes around like wings!”
Cyno looks on as you spin and sway to show how the blanket hugged your body. The light from the newly lit fireplace encompasses the living room area with comforting warmth.
“It does. Make sure you don’t get angry, that’ll really ruffle your feathers.”
“That was so bad.”
You try hitting him with your blanket wings, trying as best you could to wack his arm. Cyno grips your blanket.
“Did you get it? Birds ruffling their feathers means-”
“I know what it means, let go! It’s gonna fall off and I’m cold.”
Cyno pulls you down and you land on him with a muted “oof-” as he holds you close.
“Alright, are you warm enough to go see the snow for real now? You really wanted to see snow, it’s best to see it before it turns into ice.”
Your neck snaps up to beam him a smile that stretched from ear to ear. He pats your head before you can squirm.
“Yes, please! Let’s go, I’ll bundle up properly this time!”
He watches you inch yourself up, much like a worm, and go to your bedroom to grab thicker and longer clothes. He himself puts on his usual travelling cloak with some thicker shoes. He made sure to grab some proper shoes before you two left, knowing you probably didn’t have anything to protect your feet.
He fastens up your footwear for you and before he can even stand up you’re already out the door. You’re barely a foot out the door before your breathe fogs up and clouds your vision. You turn back to see Cyno stand up and close the door behind him, hood pulled up. You tug at his hand, feet tracking footprints into the frosty floor.
“Where’re we going first? I want to see how snow falls first, I’ve never seen it snowing!”
“Is that so? I’m not sure if it will snow, but we can go out further into the desert to see how much snow there is.”
He guides you to outside Aaru Village. Eremites were probably hiding inside their camps more and more but he’s cautious enough to bring his weapon. He looks around the large open field as you bounce around in the white backdrop.
And after he looks around for a second, he’s pelted on his arm by a cold ball hurdling at him. He hears your laugh as he shakes the snow off him. As you turn around to make another one, you feel a freezing sensation on your side as you shriek at the cold.
“Agh, chill out Cyno! Ahhh, I’m sorry, have mercy!”
You bundle up some more snow in your palms, ready to assault Cyno with another snowball. Before you stand up, your vision turns white. You wipe your face and your nose tingles with the urge to sneeze. You blink and line up your shot to Cyno.
He dodges your snowball and you curse under your breath. Curse him, that shot was right to your face! You can still feel the coolness on your cheek and eyes, finally sneezing after being pelted right in your nose.
The spontaneous snowball fight ends when you collapse onto the floor butt first, laying down on the cold ground. Your quick exhales turn cloudy and disappear as soon as they come.
Cyno’s footsteps crunch on the icy floor, getting louder and louder as he approaches. Turning your neck to look at him, you’re greeted with his towering figure and the lightness of the sky above.
“Are you ok? The cold is snow joke.”
You threw a handful of snow at him.
“I’m sorry beloved, I’ll give you something warm to drink.”
You sneeze into a tissue, sniffling. The snow got to you harder than you thought. Cyno’s hands felt colder than usual on your cheeks and forehead, eyebrows furrowed the tiniest bit.
“Do you need anything else? Do you want to go to bed?”
He bites the inside of his cheek when you shake your head with a light groan. He tucks the blanket tighter around you and figures out what to get you to drink.
Tea, coffee, maybe some warm milk? You would want something sweet, wouldn’t you? Shuffling around the kitchen, Cyno opens cabinet after cabinet to see if Candace had anything that would make you feel a bit better. That was when a packet of cocoa fell off a certain shelf. Inspecting it closer, Cyno decides to grab some sugar before warming up some milk.
You wake up groggily and congested to the sight of Cyno holding a mug. When you sit up, you adjust the blanket around your shoulders so you could extend your hands to Cyno.
“What’s this?”
He leans against your torso, hair ticking your side, “Some hot cocoa. Something warm and sweet when it’s snowing is something you would enjoy, isn’t it?”
You take a cautious sip, not wanting to burn your mouth. The sweetness of the drink slowly warms your body. Cyno smiles when you let out a content sigh and lean back into the couch. His arms wrap around you and you lay your hand on his forehead. “
Wait, Cyno, you’re pretty warm too! I can’t believe I made you do all that when you were also sick…”
He puts his own hand to his head, feeling the unusually warm heat being emanated from his own self. He didn’t even realize he had a fever either, it seems.
“It’s fine, I wasn’t aware I was sick either.”
“But still! Later I’ll make you something nice to make sure you don’t get even more sick."
Before you can say anything else, Cyno shoves his face into your stomach and blows. You cough out a laugh, or choke and nearly gag.
“Agh-hahaha, Cyno, no, what the heck, don’t-hmp-”
Cyno grins to himself when he sees you smile crookedly, trying to hold back your laugh.
Eventually you manage to push Cyno enough to let you see his face. The red in his eyes stare at you with a mischief you were rather unfamiliar with and you pout.
“Ugh, I thought your jokes were bad enough, can’t believe I have to deal with tickles now.”
“It’s only with you, beloved.”
Cyno takes great pride at the redness in your face, which he knows isn’t from the fever. He lets out a slight laugh when you hit his arm weakly.
The fire crackled when you flop down to lay down. Cyno climbs to lay his head on your torso once more. His cheek smushes into your chest and it feels as if you two are ready to take a nap.
Which is exactly what you do. From finishing the last of your journey to Aaru Village and the funnest time in the snow, your body feels ready to rest for real. As you drift off to sleep, Cyno cranes his neck to look up.
He wants nothing more than to get up and move you to a bigger and more comfortable bed, but the way the fire flickers orange light over your tired face stops him. If he disturbed you now it would be a waste of a nice moment.
So he opts to rest too. You can complain about all the neck and back pains in the morning, but right now he stares at your slowly breathing self for a few moments longer and closes his own eyes, thankful to the Archons that he could spend the winter with you.
lovesick (albedo x gn!reader)
Albedo's now sick, and while you're used to him falling ill, it's his boldness that comes along with it that never fails to catch you off guard.
“Achoo!”
You fought the urge to roll your eyes, hands occupied on making food. Albedo sees your expression and sighs, “I’m really fine, (Y/N).”
“If you think you’re fine after fainting due to exhaustion, then I'm not sure if you’re any better than Jean and her workaholic habits.” You murmur under your breath, glancing at your superior’s laying form on your bed, with his disheveled hair and sunken eyes. “Albedo, please consider taking a couple days off. Sucrose and I can vouch for you while you rest.”
Albedo doesn’t look amused, “I can’t just let you two do all the work. I’m supposed to be there to lead this experiment.”
You knew he wouldn’t consider your offer, but it was worth a shot to persuade him. You say nothing else and rummaged through your cabinets, grabbing some medicine.
“You don’t need to do all of this for me.” He says as you make your way towards him after, carrying a tray of food.
“But I want to,” You reply, placing the tray near his bedside, “Please eat up and take these medicines, we can resume the experiment later in the afternoon and when your fever’s gone.”
Albedo just nods as he starts eating without protest. You're at least relieved that he’s willing to take a break for the rest of the morning.
“Rest well, Albedo.” You offer the latter a small smile and make a move to stand up when you suddenly feel a hand coiling around your wrist.
“Don’t go,” Albedo’s hand move towards your arm, pulling you close to his side. “Stay with me, please?”
You could feel your face heat up as he inches closer. You were now facing each other, forehead almost touching. “A-are you sure you don’t want to be alone?” You stammered.
“Rest with me.” He pleads, a small frown on his flushed face. “I don’t want my favorite alchemist to end up with the same circumstance as mine due to them overworking too.”
You make a noise, a mixture of a scoff and a laugh. “I’m your only fellow alchemist, Albedo”
Albedo cups your cheeks with a smile, “That’s because you’re all I’ve ever needed.”