Safety!

Lilia wondered if you knew what it meant to be loved by a fae. Did you truly?

To be loved by a fae meant to be worshipped.

To be loved beyond eternity.

To have lasting memories that would never fade.

To be found in all lifetimes until the end of eternity.

Silver and Sebek knew, having grown with faes and learning their culture.

Silver, even as a human, had learned and readily accepted it but he grew with such knowledge.

Sebek had grown knowing such from his mother and grandfather, even his father knew what it meant to be loved by a fae and willingly accepted it.

Lilia watched as you dozed on Malleus’ lap, the prince stroking your hair with a loving gaze upon you.

You, who were loved and cherished by him and Malleus, two powerful faes who made nations tremble at their power.

Lilia knelt by your side, kissing your forehead. His own blessing mixing with Malleus’s, marking you theirs.

Lilia knew that in time you would realize what it meant to be loved by them, maybe you already had.

After all, you loved so gently yet passionately. You loved with your entire self. It was only proper for that love to be returned just as intensely.

He knew you would never come to danger, not with them protecting you: the Dragon and the General of Briar Valley.

You were also protected by the Knights of the Future King of Briar Valley, both of whom considered you family.

You were loved and cherished, and will continue to be so by all you have come to know and will know.

And of course, especially by them.

Tagging @masquerade-of-misery my fellow comrade of this ot3 🫶💚

You absolutely hated Scaramouche.

Detested him, even.

I mean, who wouldn't hate someone who killed them?

This jerk sucked your blood, causing you to die of blood loss, which took hours. Or, at least, it felt like hours to you.

So now, this is where you spend your afterlife. Haunting this emo ass gothic era castle thing. Knocking over shelves, scaring away other people that might fall into Scaramouche's trap, just being annoying in general.

How long had it been like this, you mused. Fifty, sixty years, perhaps.

You didn't mind. You'd stay here for a millennia if it meant being a minor inconvenience to everything Scaramouche did. Plus, you'd gotten used to the routine.

When the sun rises, go screech in the upper west hall to disturb the vampire bastard, then, when the sun is at its highest, go and wander around the garden mournfully.

When the sun sets and the bastard awakens, scare away any other human loitering around the area. Finally, when the bastard has his dinner (usually consisting of a medium rare steak and a red liquid you suspected was blood), knock over the tableware.

So now you were floating around the table, waiting for Scaramouche to arrive and eat his dinner.

The door to the dining room creaked open, revealing a slender man with indigo hair, bold red eyeliner, and skin so pale and smooth you were convinced it was glass at first.

He sat down at the table, reaching for a fork and knife to eat his steak.

Bide your time...

He reached for a glass, to pour himself a drink, you guessed.

Well you weren't going to let him have that.

You made the glass float with your super-awesome ghost powers, placing it on the far end of the table.

All you got was a simple 'hm' out of it, which infuriated you. He then simply reached for another glass, which just pissed you off more. He should be angry! He should be reactive! Why isn't he doing anything?

For some weird reason, he reacted as if this were a normal occurrence. Every. Time. You. Did. It. All he'd do was grab another glass, then pour a drink into both the cups, only drinking one, leaving the other untouched.

It pissed you off.

This happened whenever you tried to take away his plate, too.

Never a 'why are my plates floating' or 'who took my wine' and never even a 'sorry for killing you'.

But one thing you took satisfaction in, was the fact that he could never remove you from the castle. I mean, what was he going to do about it? Call an exorcist? Ha.

Scaramouche shifted in his seat, catching your attention. Maybe I should try stealing his cape.

You were shocked out of that idea when he started speaking to nothingness.

"I know you're there." He said casually, taking a bite out of his steak. "So there's no use in moving the tableware any longer."

...

What.

The vampire smirked. "It's pathetic, honestly. Seeing you try to grab my attention by doing these pointless things."

PATHETIC? Who was he calling pathetic?

"Screeching whenever the sun rises, scaring away any passerbys, taking things from the table... if I didn't know better, I'd say that you're obsessed with me."

Well, you weren't just going to stay there and listen to this utter bullshit.

"Obsessed with you?" You spoke. Man, it felt weird to use your voice after six decades. Even weirder when you couldn't feel your voice box vibrating.

"No one in their right mind would be obsessed with you. The only reason I do the things I do is to inconvenience you."

Scaramouche still had that stupidly annoying smirk on his face. "Well, you've spent decades haunting me, yet you have made no inconvenience in my life whatsoever. In fact, I'd say that your antics are particularly entertaining." He said, intertwining his fingers together.

"After five hundred years of monotony, anyone would get bored, don't you think?"

Gods, you absolutely hated Scaramouche.

"Well, my 'antics' aren't meant to be entertaining, they're meant to be annoying and inconveniencing, kind of how I feel about you." You drawl.

And get this, instead of getting angry, Scaramouche laughed.

"Ha, as if I could feel annoyance towards you." He chuckled. "Haven't you seen the signs? I've welcomed you as a guest. I've offered you food. I've offered you a place to sleep, though I am not sure if you use it. And, I've hosted you in my house for over a year. Are you aware what procedures these are for?"

"Why, of course. They're the courtship rituals taken by the people of Inazu...ma." Your voice died down in your throat as you finished your sentence.

"And since you have stayed here for over a year," the vampire continues, grinning from ear-to-ear, "it means that we are now betrothed."

๑・GENSHIN SIBLING VOICELINES 2

── you being their sibling and their voicelines about you (gn reader)

── featuring : zhongli , raiden shogun , scaramouche , signora

# ZHONGLI

" hm..? ah yes, you must be speaking of (name).. they are my sibling. "

# RAIDEN SHOGUN

" yes, i know what to d- huh? (name)? why are you here? "

# SCARAMOUCHE

" of course their my sibling! are you blind? "

# SIGNORA

" yes yes, old (name) is my sibling. nothing special.. "

🌴 © celestiac 2022 ♡ do not translate, plagiarize, or steal

-> I am like you - so never abandon me. In this world, it will be me and you side by side.

-> gn!reader (no pronouns mentioned) with platonic brother Scaramouche! Spoilers for Scaramouche and Ei's backstories! Scaramouche is referred to by his real name!

-> Small mentions of death - not detailed! Unhealthy family dynamics?

Kunikuzushi came into this world as a mere experiment into the making of pupets. He wasn't meant to resemble the Electro Archon as he was merely a test to the limits of such technology.

While Ei didn't expect much to anything from it, yet she was still disappointed in him or rather disappointed of how he turned out. He was too emotional, too human perhaps, for her desired outcome. An imperfection.

This did not deter her, however. The second time she decided to create a puppet, she wanted something closer to the end result she wished. So, she created you. But even you were not what she hoped for.

Yes, you did resemble her - like how a child would resemble their mother, but that was not what she wanted. As neither of you aged or changed it was easy to mistake Kunikuzushi as your twin - the resemblance between you two was even more apparent than with your mother!

But what Ei seeked was a clone-like puppet to rule Inazuma in her stead - under her command, while she would seek Eternity for Inazuma in the plane of Euthymia. Neither of you fit into her standards, as she saw you to be too kind hearted, too human to rule the nation of eternity.

So you were cast out. Simply thrown away like used toys after she finished playing with them... She saw this as a kindness - but it seemed more like she felt guilty. That she felt like she owed you two that much after giving you life when you clearly felt like any other human.

Together you would stumble through the country side as wanderers, all while trying to learn everything about the world around you. Endlessly seeking something. Something to give you meaning to your existence, a reason to life. But if your own creator - your own mother turned you away, what purpose could your life possibly serve?

No matter where or how far you wandered together, it never ended well for you or those around you... They would either betray you or die - which your brother saw as another form of betrayal. Especially when the small boy had promised to...

At least through it all, you had each other. During the freezing nights spent sleeping outside - huddled together to avoid the biting winds, or days were you had to resort into leaning against one another after not having eaten in days. Helping each other through every nightmare...

Though you might not have completely noticed it, but all your hardships had changed Kunikuzushi over time. He was colder and more suspicious of others - always asking after their intentions. He smiled and laughed less... It was what he had to do to make sure he would never be betrayed again, it was to keep you both safe.

You were the only one to never betray him, and the only constant in his life... He knew he could always count on you, but he was becoming more paranoid. He kept thinking and dreaming of you either dying - with him unable to protect you, or you joining with the rest of the world in betraying him.

In a twisted sense, he was rather glad you were meek and dependent on him. It lowered the chances of you betraying him, unless influenced by someone else - which he wouldn't let happen. As well your own fear of abandonment wouldn't allow that to happen. But not to worry, as he was just as loyal to you. He would never let anyone or anything harm you, just as long as you stood by his side loyaly.

As he decended from his hopeful, happy and naive personality, he would come to cherish it in you. He wanted protect this part of you at all costs. You could still see the world in that sweet innocent way after all that happened to you, while he couldn't afford to do so - lest he put you both in danger. It was a sacrifice he was more than willing to make for you.

Even when the Fatui picked you up and he became the Balladeer, he wasn't opposed to hurting his fellow Harbingers or any Fatui member if they dared to threatened you or your life. You were his light in the darkness and the reason he actually wanted to create the world the Tsaritsa spoke of.

He never let you see that side of him though, you never met Scaramouche and for good reason. To you he was simply Kunikuzushi - your older brother, who protected you - even if his protection meant essentially locking you inside, unless with him of course.

The Fatui and its Harbingers essentially hated and despised him. He was cruel and never in a good mood, often screaming for any reason to anyone. While with you he was sweet and gentle, making jokes and doing menial tasks to keep you entertained.

You were the last piece of Kunikuzushi he had left and he would let you - and only you, keep it.

After seeing his backstory I've just been wanting to hold and comfort him - so I'm just milking out content from that, but I do have others coming ^^3

Feel free to reblog :)

"She'd like you more if you were nicer to her" -Drabble

Yandere! Scaramouche x Fem! Reader

The words that his subordinate had said weighed heavily on him. Nice? He was nice. Scaramouche was always nice to you. He provided you with hot meals, a warm place to rest your head, and clothes on your back. Better than those rags you were wearing when he met you in Mondstadt.

All he asked for in return was your love and affection, which you rarely gave to him without him ordering it first. But he wanted you to do it because you wanted to. As nice as your touch was, it was better when he didn't have to threaten you for it.

“Good evening, my lord,” you bowed to him as he sat in his office. He called for you and you came running quickly, something that took months of work before you got it right.

“Raise your head,” he ordered and you did so promptly.

The kimono he has you wearing was truly a work of art. A deep, dark purple that matched the shade of his hair, with lighter purple flowers across the fabric. How could he not be considered nice when he worked so hard to have such art on your body?

He reached to his side and pulled out a flower he'd gotten for you. It was just sitting haphazardly at his desk, amongst all his papers and documents. The blossom looked a little weak and it'd lost a few petals, but it was fine nonetheless.

“Take it,” he said. You took the flower from his hand and held it like you didn't know what to do with it, only that you were holding it because he told you to, “We'll have our dinner together in the parlor, I've hired someone to play music for us. You like the shamisen, don't you?”

You nodded your head quickly, but that only made him raise an eyebrow, “Don't shake your head at me like a wet dog. You have a mouth, use your words!”

Your body stiffened at his harsh tone, a sight he was used to seeing of you,“Yes. I like it, my lord.”

“Good. I'll see you then,” he picked back up the document he was reading and waved his hand at you, telling you to leave, “You're dismissed.”

You bowed once more and scurried out of the room like a little mouse. He scoffed while still thinking about what was said to him earlier. He was obviously nice to you. Those who couldn't see it were stupid.

Hello!!!! I really liked the Diluc and Xiao w a teenage reader (not in any weird ways lol it was very nice to read and great plot) If its okay can you continue it, maybe with more characters or just a continuing of the fic w the same characters, purely platonic nothing weird, anything works really!!! I'd just live to see more of it! ♡

Scaramouche + Zhongli with a Teenager!Reader Part 2

Hi, thank you. If you want me to continue a character's part then you can just ask me.

Previous part here. Next part here.

Strictly platonic, mentions of Y/n being abused. Spoilers for Liyue and Inazuma archon quest.

Scaramouche:

You hated the people at home. They did... weird things to you. You felt lost, was a child supposed to go through this stuff? You spent your time in adolescence with them, suffering but still getting through it.

When you grew more and became more self aware, you realized the people at home didn't care for you, they were just using you, punishing you to make you think you were such a bad child. You fell for it, pushing yourself to reach their expectations.

You trusted them, that they would treat you better if you became better. You became the best person you could be for them, but they still treat you the same. Careless, violent, close minded. Only behind closed doors. Those people at home.

Outside, there were much nicer people in a much nicer environment. You weren't sure if you could trust those nice people. Were they just acting nice outside but completely different inside?

You really felt lost. Would you really spend your entire life in paranoia?

Deciding to take a walk, you got pretty lost. It was afternoon, a couple of hours until only the stars would lend you light. You thought about the people who you saw everyday at home. What would it be like if things were different? Is it too late for things to change?

The sky was a little too dark for you to notice a tall man with dark clothes and a mask walk up to you. "Hey, you. You're not supposed to be here." You heard someone with a very intimidating voice.

—

Scaramouche assigned some of his subordinates to be put on patrol for today. He decided it would be good to check up on them, since he hasn't heard anything from them since early morning.

He was walking, seeing if anything suspicious was around the patrolling area. Occasionally, he would spot one of his servants and they would tell Scaramouche what they discovered. It was a pretty normal check up.

The Balladeer was about done. Just two more underlings to meet up with. He spotted one of them in the distance, seeming to get violent with someone. It was probably a drunk adult that trespassed and was disobeying the fatui.

When Scaramouche looked closer, he noticed that you, the trespasser, was still pretty young. If you were just a drunk adult that angered a subordinate, he would leave the two of you be. Scaramouche stopped walking and observed, witnessing every move his subordinate did to you.

Wait. Why would someone, even if it was an angered fatui member, attack a child? He heared your pained whimpers and your pleas to stop. It's like you knew exactly what to say, even though the violent servant was not stopping. He couldn't help but get curious. Did you go through this before?

Well, enough thinking. Scaramouche snapped back to reality when he saw tears threatening to drop from your eyes. He stomped towards you two. The subordinate stopped pushing you around to look at The Balladeer. You looked at him as well, still tense.

"My Lord!" The man in the mask kneeled down, forgetting about you. Scaramouche didn't say anything immediately, which made the subordinate assume his lord was glaring at you.

—

The masked man gripped your wrist, still kneeling, and pulled you down harshly. You thought it was because you needed to kneel down as well. But, before you could, Scaramouche slapped the subordinate's hand away from yours.

"What's the situation here?" Scaramouche asked the man on patrol. "Well, My Lord. I did not see anything out of the ordinary. Not until this person was trespassing on the grounds. So, I had to—" He was interupted by Scaramouche, who sighed loud and quick, hinting for the subordinate to stop.

Scaramouche looked at you. You were standing a bit stiff, with your head down but still looking back at him. You were fidgeting with your hands infront of you, getting ready to be scolded and thrown to the ground. Scaramouche looked back at his subordinate, who was staring back in anticipated and confusion.

"Hm. So, we already know you're stupid. Are you blind as well?" You then found out that this man was way more scary than the masked man. You gulped.

"You can't see?" He gripped your arm. His hand was a bit loose, to not hurt you and hopefully not scare you. You flinched but stayed in place. You didn't want to anger this man, after all. "This human is still developing. Do you know what that means?" Scaramouche glared down at the subordinate, who was now trembling. You also stared at him.

"This is a child." You just stood there, your arm where Scaramouche was holding became even more tense. You had no clue what the two men's intentions were. Will they punish you?

"M-my apoligies, my lord! My mask was a bit foggy today, the darkness did not help either—" "Will you just shut up?" Scaramouche let go of your arm and took a tiny step forward to the kneeling man. "Go back to headquarters. You're done for today," He ordered. "Yes, my lord!"

When the subordinate was out of sight, Scaramouche turned towards you. He examined you, to see if he could recognize you, but that did not work. It seems you were just a lost teenager. "Why are you out here alone? Get back to your family." His voice was still as intimidating, but he wasn't glaring at you like he was to his subordinate.

"...Family?" You whispered. Scaramouche clicked his tongue. "You really don't know, do you?" He crossed his arms. What does this guy mean? You wiped your cheek, where the subordinate once slapped you, as if trying to brush off the pain. "You know, the people at home." Your eyes widened, while his narrowed down at you.

"I—" You tilted your head up at Scaramouche. "I don't want to—" You stuttered, then remembered something. No one cares if you do or don't want to, it doesn't matter because you need to. You looked down at your hands, resting your face to make it blank and waiting for this man to tell you something. Perhaps to give you another order.

"You have something to say? Speak." That was his next order. Did you have something to say? You wanted to cry out, 'Save me, please.' But remembering his attitude towards the masked man, you hesitated.

The man infront of you must have a higher rank, to be able to order people around. It was just like the people at home, and you were the subordinate. "Don't want to talk, huh. Then tell me your address, I'll take you back home." You noticed he didn't ask, he demanded. Or, at least you thought he did. Scaramouche was actually just offering—in his own stubborn way—to take you home.

You knew you had to talk now. You've memorized the address, the one where the people at home stay. So, you'll just say that, and it'll all be easy. Just your neighborhood and house number— "Don't take me home! ...I-I mean—" You failed. Now this guy was going to tell the man that lives at home how bad you were.

Getting ready for a punishment, you slowly looked up at Scaramouche. He has an eyebrow raised as he uncrossed his arms. He was starting to get annoyed by your timidness. ...It kind of reminded him of Kunikuzushi. But, it's not time to dwell on the past.

"The people at home... Will just do the same things the guy with the mask did." You tried to explain your situation. You don't care if you can't trust anyone. It doesn't matter what they will do to you, because your life was already miserable. It can't get worst. You were staring to lose hope.

Scaramouche tried remembering what his subordinate did to you. He remembers that he pulled your hair, swinging his hand around to shake your head. Your reaction was too clutch the sides of your head with your face tensing up. He remembers how he kicked your shins when you were walking too slow. Your reaction to grip your leg while letting out a pained cry. He— didn't want to think about it further. "If your family— The people at home do that, then that's not home. That's just a house, not your home."

You started feeling confused. Then, the feeling of being lost hit you again. "Then, what's my address..."

"Tell me where their address is, the people that hurt you." Scaramouche was glaring, but not directed at you. He was glaring at his thoughts. How could someone do such things to a growing child? During their most important years of development? He'll do whatever he can to make their lives miserable. He'll fire them from their jobs, spread bad rumours, kill them, torture them for hours— He will make them pay.

But, that should come later. Scaramouche needs to take care of you first, since no one else was willing to do so the proper way. He doesn't want a teenager becoming like how he was, wandering around with no purpose. Eventually, the wrong people would take you in.

...Maybe Scaramouche was the wrong person. But, his intentions weren't wrong at all.

Scaramouche wouldn't pull your hair, he would pet your hair. He wouldn't slap your cheek, he would rub it softly, calming you down. He wouldn't push your shoulder harshly, he would wrap his arm around you, gently holding both of your shoulders to guide you, with him by your side.

And if anyone would do something he did not approve of towards you... He'd softly tell you to close your eyes before he would cast eternal hell upon them.

Zhongli:

One time when you were at a very young age, you got in trouble with your family. You did a simple mistake that almost any child would make. Your family grounded you to your room, saying to learn your lesson.

You were pouting in anger, thinking about running away. You were in a pretty normal situation for a child, except for the fact that you actually did run away.

The window was left wide open when you snuck out. After wandering around Liyue harbour, you felt lonely and scared so you went back home. But, instead of going back through your window, you went to another window that shows the dining room.

You crouched and peeked through the glass, straining your ears to hear what your family was saying at the dining table. You soon realized they were talking about you.

They were talking about how dumb you were, how they should've never had you. Your family laughed when one of them made an insulting joke about you. You just stared from the window, eyes getting glossy.

Suddenly, one of your family members said they were going to check up on you. So, they stood up and walked towards your room. You stayed crouching, wondering what they would do if you weren't there.

When said family member came back, they had a smile. You basically had question marks above your head, before they raised a fist in victory and stated how you magically disappeared. "It's like our god has finally lifted a weight off of our shoulders. Now, we can finally live in peace."

You ran away for real after that.

It was hard living as a street kid. But over the few years, you learned how to take care of yourself. You slept out in the open, most likely on a bench. Whenever you saw one of your family members walking by in the street, you were extra careful to not be spotted.

The most important people in your childhood turned out to hate you. So, you thought everyone hated you. It was a stupid thought, but you were a close minded child. That thought stayed with you until you grew became more self aware. So if you ever earned some Mora, you wouldn't spend it. Instead, you would steal whatever you needed.

For one, you wanted to save money for when you were older. Your dream was to move out of Liyue harbor, and live under a different archon's protection. And two, you didn't trust anyone with your Mora. You thought people would take your money and say "Hah, get lost," without giving what you payed for.

You hated Liyue's archon. He was the one who made everyone, especially your family, hate you. He blessed your family with your disappearance, just as they said. You could only hate him as much as he hates you.

It was now present time. Today, you were feeling especially hungry. Why? Because you didn't get the chance to eat anything for a few days. A few days might be a lot, but it was pretty normal for you. Your body was trained to handle this kind of hunger.

You went up to a food stand, staying in place not too close, but not too far to not be noticed. You were observing the types of food they had displayed. Your plan was to choose the food you think was the easiest to steal without getting noticed. Come back during the night, where almost all of the lights were off, and snatch what you wanted.

You wanted to do it now, but there were too many people. You wanted to eat at least a small meal, but you stopped yourself, even though you would probably feel to weak to do it later.

"Are you hungry, little one?" You heard a deep voice say. Your head snapped up, realizing that you were so exhausted that you were about to fall asleep standing up. A tall man with a ponytail was standing before you patiently.

"I can't help but notice you staring at the food here for quite some time. Are you planning on buying a few ingredients for your family?" His voice was so calming, yet intimidating. Like one wrong move and he would look down upon you in disappointment.

Your meals were so small, this tall man considered them ingredients. But, forget that. Did he really think you were buying food for family? You shook your head at his question and he hummed in response. Was he actually disappointed? That you weren't going to help your family? Was he just another person who hated you now?

Deciding that it was the end of your conversation, you looked around the harbour, finding a place nearby to take a nap. You almost completed forgot the man was still here, until he asked you another question.

"Are you looking for something specific? I know the ways around Liyue. Just tell me and I could lead you wherever you want," The same man offered. Your body was facing to the side, but your head turned to look at him.

Wait, does he not hate you? Because he offered... No, he probably does hate you. Maybe he just wants to lead you somewhere quiet to beat you up, since he hates you so much.

He noticed you were hesitant, so his first instinct was to make you trust him. "My name is Zhongli, I work in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor." You faced Zhongli with a neutral stare. You didn't introduce yourself back, instead admitting what you were doing.

"I'm just looking for a good place to enjoy a meal. I already found that food stand over there, so I don't need help," You said with a monotone voice. Zhongli put his hand to his chin and closed his eyes. "Hmm..." When he opened them again, he hit you with another question. "But why settle for a small stand that only sells two types of bread, along with some apples?"

'Only??' You wanted to say. You furrowed your eyebrows. Maybe it's because this man ate way more fancier foods than just a few bites of a sunsettia.

"Look, I'm just a homeless teen that can't afford fancy meals like you. Growing up on your own is hard, even a piece of bread could be considered enough for the day." You wanted this weirdo to stop questioning you. You also wanted someone to talk to about your life... But you haven't spoken to anyone in so long that you didn't know how to keep a good conversation going. Not like anyone would want to converse with you.

"Oh. I see." Zhongli straightened his arms to his side. "Would it be alright if I treat you to a nice restaurant? I'll buy anything you order." His voice sounded a bit softer, in a more hushed tone. But, you shook your head and turned around abruptly... You couldn't even take one step before falling forward and losing consciousness.

—

When you woke up, it took you some time to remember everything.

When you remembered that you passed out, you shot up from your sleeping position. Your body ached a bit, probably because you were laying on wood. You noticed you were sitting on a bench you slept on last night... Was everything that just happened a few minutes ago a dream?

Apperantly not, because the guy from earlier was sitting next to you. "Oh, you're awake. Are you feeling well?" You turned to look at Zhongli, and slowly nodded. "You passed out. It sounded like you hit the ground pretty hard. You must be hungry?" You looked forward and nodded once more before standing up and speed walking away. You decided to ignore Zhongli following close behind. Only a couple of more hours until you can go back to that food stand again. You were so hungry.

You stopped when you heard the sounds of a smooth sizzling fire, and found out there was a huge restaurant next to you. The delightful smell of the salty foods mixed with the sweet desserts, it made you starve. You wanted to cry. Curse this horrible world—no, this horrible archon. How could someone that retired from a divine being still act so cruel?

"Hm? We could go in there if you'd like. You don't have to worry about the Mora," Zhongli, who you forgot about, asked. You bit your lip and looked down. You wanted to scream in agony, you wanted to give up.

Your emotions were getting to you. Thoughts were flooding your mind, you had no control. You started feeling so furious at this man. You tilted your head up at Zhongli—but suddenly your tense face eased up. You noticed a resemblance.

"Mh—..." Your eyes widened at Zhongli. He only raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Morax..?"

Zhongli was taken off guard—did you just call him Morax? You immediately looked back down, a bit embarrassed but still angry. Was he really the god of Liyue? Maybe that's why you're so mad at him. But, it couldn't be, an archon doesn't casually walk around in public, right? But Rex Lapiz retired, so is he just a normal citizen now?

"It's Z— Zhongli," He stuttered, eyebrow twitching with nervousness. You faced him, looking up once again. You then squinted, trying to imagine dragon horns and a tail on him. Oh, he really was Morax.

"Morax!" You half-yelled while your teeth clenched and eyes narrowed Zhongli tried to hush you, worried if other people would overhear. You felt offended by that, shoving him away. "You were such a horrible archon. How dare you!" Tears were threatening to fall.

Zhongli put his hands on your shoulders, leading you both to a quiet area with barely anyone around. You felt too frail to fight back. You felt your stomach eating you up, along with a headache making you want to die.

When you both stopped, you thought Morax was going to walk away, but instead he kneeled down infront of you. "...I apologize. I've always known about your situation, yet I didn't want to be the one to approach you." He started explaining his side of the story.

You wiped your eyes and let him speak. "I... knew about your hatred towards me as an archon, I did not want to bother you." You looked into his eyes. They were a bit sad, heartbroken. "But after realizing that my people would not help you, I felt a sense of betrayal. I had to do something."

"Please, Y/n, let me help. I can't bear the weight of witnessing a child, one of my people, suffer like this." You didn't respond. How could you, when the person who you hated most in your life wanted to help you?

Feeling too hungry to respond, you looked down and lightly clutched your shirt near your stomach. Maybe you should just accept his offer, you could use this to your advantage and eat all the foods and try all the drinks you've been so jealous to have a taste of.

You'd have to thank Morax later. He wants to help you, even though you despised him.

Well, now a certain archon felt protective of you, in a calm yet intimidating way.

AURORA. — Arlecchino's child has never seen the aurora in Snezhnaya before.

— trigger & content warnings. none applicable!

— pairings & notes. fluff. arlecchino & reader. reader is a member of the house of the hearth, is at least around 15 but is otherwise ambiguous in age, and is implied to be arlecchino's chosen successor. reader is gender neutral (they/them pronouns used). arlecchino is suggested to be taller than the reader by quite a bit. 0.8k words.

— author's thoughts. arlecchino my beloved RAHHH she is literally the best fatui harbinger imo. i love you arle no. 4 of the fatui harbingers 🗣🗣❗️❗️❗️ i am surprised by the lack of platonic arlecchino fics!??!?! she is literally called father guys please /lh

       "Father..."

       Shadowing under the Fourth of the Fatui Harbingers during one of her trips to Snezhnaya was, no doubt, nervewracking and tiring despite them never needing to do anything other than follow her around; Arlecchino simply wouldn't allow some of her coworkers to even look in their direction, let alone try to speak to them. Some, like Tartaglia, however, were momentarily permitted to; Childe had talked their ear off while Arlecchino was occupied with the Regrator and the Rooster, though they could only wordlessly nod in response to the never-ending chatter about his siblings. 'You should come by sometime,' he had said. 'You kids from the Hearth are a good lot, and my family would be more than happy to have visitors.'

       Nevertheless, really, they hadn't done much at all... but perhaps the anxiety of dipping their toes into their Harbinger's responsibilities—the ones that they may very well inherit one day—was a valid enough reason to be so mentally tired.

       Standing close behind her, listening to her speak with her coworkers (it was quite amusing to see the glare and scowl fixed on her face when she needed to speak to the Doctor—she never looked at them or any of their siblings like that—though the sheer terror his presence induced was enough to drown that amusement out), seeing the details of her responsibilities that others could not...

       They were certain that they must've said a mere one or two words during the whole visit—a "Yes, Father" or a "No, Father," directed at none other than their Harbinger and her alone.

       Exhaustion and cold seeped into their bones, but nonetheless, they had stopped trailing after her and stared up in wonderment.

       Arlecchino stopped shortly after they did, turning back to them. "What is it?"

       Colors danced freely in the nighttime Snezhnayan sky. Despite the chill permeating their flesh (they were reminded that they probably should have dressed a bit more warmly, but they weren't familiar with the Motherland, and therefore didn't anticipate how cold the night would get), they felt no compulsion to rush.

       "Look. The aurora," they murmured, eyes wide with awe and wonder.

       The Knave's heels clicked on the tiled terrace at the front of the Winter Palace as she paced back over to them, following their gaze upwards. "Have you never seen it before?"

       "No. I... I've never been to Snezhnaya before now," they admitted, "so I have never seen the aurora. I've heard about it, but—"

       "I understand. It is more magnificent than even the most vivid descriptions."

       Suddenly, the heavy weight of the Knave's coat fell onto their shoulders. They gingerly clasped the edges, pulling it closer to their body as to fend off the biting chill in the air. Lavender and a vague twinge of smoke filled their lungs. To some, it may have been an unpleasant combination—perhaps others would find the smoke too stinging and bitter or the lavender too sickening, as some do. To them, however, it was simply... Father's scent. It was hard to dislike when the person they associated it with was so important to their life.

       It was equally hard to feel cold with her coat draped over their body.

       Father's particular scent made a comforting warmth stir in their chest—perhaps she was not really their Father, but it was times such as this that made them feel that she was—and her coat ensured that their exterior did not freeze.

       In fact, it was quite impossible to feel cold now.

       "...Let us stay for a while longer, then," she mused, one of her hands finding its place on their upper back. "The aurora is a sight to behold, and there are no urgent matters to attend to at home."

       Momentarily, their gaze broke away from the sky and shifted to the Harbinger instead. Though they did appreciate the gesture of giving them her coat... "Won't you get cold, Father?"

       Their concern was not unwarranted, but indeed unecessary.

       "Worry not," the Fourth replied smoothly, reaching over to adjust the coat somewhat; it was too big for them and threatened to slip off of their body if their already gentle hold were to loosen even slightly. Arlecchino absently mused to herself about how utterly unintimidating they were, drowning in the fluff of her coat and head just barely able to peek out from the top. It was cute, though she dared not say admit such a thing out loud. "I have long since grown used to this weather. You have not."

       'You need that coat far more than I do.'

       That was what she wanted to say, or rather what she was implying; she would speak her mind if she so truly desired to or felt the need to. They'd grown quite used to her enigmatic nature and quite skilled in reading between the lines, picking apart her words at the seams to uncover what she truly meant to say.

       Suddenly, under the flickering purples, greens, and blues of the night sky, it was no longer cold.

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LOCKED AND LOADED [Yandere!Wanderer x Reader]

Prompt: The world is about to end. How will you grieve when you're forced to be with a miserable man until the last second? [Dedicated To: @mixed-kester for the Alone Together Event]

Content Tags: yandere!scaramouche "fluff" oneshot (yes, there are no other parts:]), major persona 3 spoilers but you DON’T need to know the game before reading this since everything is explained, improper use of a S.E.E.S evoker /j, Scaramouche is so normal about you, UNRELIABLE NARRATOR, major character death/s–

V. Acceptance.

"Where the hell are you, (Y/n)?"

Standing near what should have been the front doors of his university was a short man with dark purple hair. He leaned precariously against them, his head tilted upward as if the sickly green moon's ominous pull was nothing to be afraid of. Gekkoukan University's nearby dorms– fraternity and sorority houses included– are not usually this silent. Instead of people, coffins were aligned perpendicular to the ground.

The wanderer glanced at his watch with mild interest. He had been waiting for a while now. Your guest hoisted himself up, circling the ground with the tip of his shoe. The baseline of his attitude had always defaulted to irritability and passive-aggressiveness. The vertically aligned hour-and-minute hands do not placate it. The timing itself makes it worse.

It's December 31st, 2009, 12 AM– the Dark Hour.

With a harsh sneer, he pocketed his hands. You usually have the door to the Velvet Room open to him whenever. What's the big deal? Were you seriously THAT mad at him? Really? He didn't do anything to warrant this "pettiness". He had never known silence as much as this moment.

You should've accounted for the hostility that proceeds on the "off-chance" he did arrive early.

His tone darkened, his bloodied hands gripping his S.E.E.S evoker tightly.

"If you don’t show up, I will cleanse the world of human emotion all by myself"

You shook from afar, afraid of how he wouldn't hesitate to make his threat a reality. He had already taken so much– you were beyond mad at him. You were terrified. Wronged. Abused. You didn't want to step into the light. Much worse, step into his shadow.

The worst thing evil can do is to turn you into one of them.

He clutched the bloodied yellow scarf in his hands tightly.

Why did this happen?

How did things END up like this?

IV. Depression.

You took a deep breath and charged forward.

You don't trust [Wanderer] ever since Ryoji told him about the impending apocalypse.

Seldom do you leave the Velvet Room. You weren't hiding in the Velvet room months before the end of the world was imminent. When April had only reached its fourth day, there was nothing you wanted more than to spend time outside. So ignominiously innocent. You did not know who [Wanderer] was and how much effect he would have on your life at the time. You were just tired of the ongoing stream of uneventfulness.

And now here you are, berating the protagonist in full.

"[Wanderer], why is Ryoji missing?! US ATTENDANTS CAN'T FIND TRACK HIM ANYWHERE!!!"

With a fistful of his university uniform, you yanked him by the collar. Your eyes were livid as you reeled your composure. This wasn't what you had in mind when you were "isekai"d into a video game. Out of any game, why did it have to be Persona 3? And out of anyone that could be a protagonist, why did it have to be HIM?!

You thought this would be a grand affair... Whatever they spun in anime back when your reality existed were pure lies. Where are the scenic views? The mountains? The grasslands? This plane of existence you're forced to sit through for eternity was far from the RPG fantasy people would hope for. No closer you could ever be to paradise.

In fact, this man is threatening to ruin said paradise.

[Wanderer] pulled your hands away forcefully. His glare was not that different from yours. "Why do you care about him so much?"

"Oh, I don't know! Maybe it's because his death means forgetting everything?!" You clenched your empty fists. "You know damn well what happens if he dies! You'll lose all the help you can get to stopping the Fall!"

Such a heavy weight on your shoulders but the protagonist doesn't care. This may be a turn-based game– but it wasn't based on you. If it was, you wouldn't be screaming your heart out at him! You wouldn't be an NPC. Hell, you'd probably be a better protagonist than him.

You closed your eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed every stress out of your system.

"Listen—" You rubbed your temple. "You need to start forming bonds. Social links. Support system. Confidants. Whatever you want to call it. You were supposed to have the answer by now as to what life is for."

[Wanderer] remained silent throughout your spiels. His facial expression alone was enough to infer immense disinterest. You were mindlessly doing your job. There will be no tirade or physical aggression that can convince him that you believe in your assertions with full conviction.

"Do you want to see him?"

"Yes! Of course. Knowing you, you're—"

"Tempted to kill him because you think I want the world to end?"

"Obviously."

That's where you're wrong.

A nihilistic man can have other reasons to commit murder.

"But if he's missing, you can forget about him, right?"

"What on earth are you talking about?!"

[Wanderer] turned around. "Meet me later, you know the time."

"I'll show you where Ryoji is."

III. Bargaining.

XX/09/2009

He doesn't recall the time he was brought into this world like you had.

Puppets are malleable. Memories are easy to overwrite when your body is held together by white wood and "khemia". His past evades him.

Maybe it's better this way.

He took you to Chagall Café. Although it was your first time out in a long while, he had no qualms about ignoring your questions. He feigned deafness as you asked about the news, his college life, friends, or anything related to what was happening in 2009. And he even ignored your humble request to buy the cheapest coffee for you. Instead, he bought you a chocolate frappe.

"For Elizabeth's cutest little sibling." He said, sarcastically copying Elizabeth's tone as he sharply handed the drink. "Wouldn't want everyone's darling to get a caffeine addiction."

Thanks, asshat.

Of all his offensive behavior— he really spent more money just to insult you. You shook your head and accepted it. It's the most expensive one on the menu too. What dedication to being a hater. But before you could open your wallet, he shot your payment down.

"Just take it." He smirked. "Look at you, paying me back for treating you poorly. Are you a masochist?"

You immediately shoved your money back in. "You still bought me a free drink, so really, who's the loser here? Prick."

[Wanderer] laughed heartily before he pulled out his battered codal, which had underlined texts for provisions he deemed important. There was a momentary softness in his gaze that disappeared in an instant.

But that's the only conversation he planned on having that evening. He did mention he'll drag you out in his study session so you weren't too shocked by it. Instead, you sat and awkwardly people-watched. The world you came from and this one were identical. You got through your old 2009 just fine— it's just that Tatsumi Port Island was not a real location from your original Japan.

Your memories about the video game Persona aren't very clear since you reincarnated in the game, but the red band [Wanderer] wore on his sleeve affirmed that he is the leader of S.E.E.S. It's nice to know that someone like him has the potential to become a leader.

[Wanderer] appeared wholly immersed in his studies.

…

Maybe he wouldn't notice if you looked around—

…?!

He immediately grabbed your hand. You yelped slightly as you noticed the iron grip he had.

"Where are you going?"

Don't leave him.

He squeezed just a bit more tightly.

"W-What the— I'm just going to the bathroom." You felt a shiver down your spine as you shared his gaze. There's a dull coldness to it you couldn't quite place, as if he had been a witness to injustice, sevenfold.

You quietly sat back down. He still hasn't let go of your hand.

"Good riddance." He muttered.

"If it isn't [Wanderer]!"

You turned around, yanking your hand away.

It's Ryoji.

You stood up, gawking.

"W-Woah, are you okay?" Ryoji asked, hurriedly approaching you. While you were frozen in place, [Wanderer] looked at his empty hand, feeling your warmth escape his fingertips.

G-Good… he's still alive.

You thought [Wanderer] killed him.

[Wanderer] is the wildcard, and that's a terrifying factor to consider. He hasn't shown any interest in humanity. Knowing his past has not increased any hope on your end. Everyone else in his eyes are insignificant insects.

He has the power to end Ryoji.

He has the power to end this world.

Locked and loaded.

Ryoji's eyes softened. "Wait, I think I know a beautiful face like yours from somewhere… You must be [Wanderer]'s attendant, (Y/n), right?"

You blinked.

"Wait, how did you…"

He chuckled, taking and placing a soft kiss on your gloved hands.

"I have my ways." Ryoji winked.

"Don't touch them." [Wanderer] sneered.

Ryoji stood up straight, unfazed by his threatening tone. You took a moment to examine his appearance. He had a lot of white clothing and a big yellow scarf around his neck. Just below his left eye is a mole. On the surface, he appeared quite human, but everyone seated at this table was aware of his true nature.

He is the 13th arcana. The appraiser.

You and [Wanderer] have every right to be wary.

"I'm Ryoji Mochizuki. It's nice to be officially introduced to you, Mx. (Y/n)."

"Ryoji Mochizuki…" You tasted the syllables.

"Oh? Who knew hearing my name from your lips makes it sound so wonderful."

"C-Cut it out, you don't mean that." You said, a little flustered.

[Wanderer]'s gaze fixated on you, stewing in his concoction of envy and misery. His fists were clenched beneath the table, knuckles turning white. With narrowed eyes, he watched as you continued engaging in conversation with Ryoji. His laughter was grating his ears. He couldn't bear the sight of you engaging with another man, especially someone as flirtatious as him.

Ryoji, sensing [Wanderer]'s distress, shot him a casual glance. To top the look, he paired it with a knowing smirk. He made mental notes of the man's clenched jaw and tensed shoulders.

"You seem a little on edge, [Wanderer]. Finals coming up?" He feigned innocence.

"It's December, and I'm not on edge." He scoffed, trying not to make his gritted teeth evident. "Don't you own a calendar? Finals are in March. To think a pea-brain like you managed to transfer to Gekkan…"

"Right, right." Ryoji smiled, closing his eyes. "Then it must be my proposal you're thinking of."

You stiffened; [Wanderer] did not.

"Ryoji—"

"I know, Mx. (Y/n)." He started. "I know you're not too keen on the idea of killing me. My existence is the affirmation of the Fall. None of you— sorry, I forgot (Y/n) is from the Velvet room— I meant none of them will live till Spring… Or perhaps it's more accurate to say they'll forfeit the will to live."

…

"… I-I'm sorry." Ryoji buried his face in his yellow scarf. There's a certain tremble in his voice that truly emphasizes his sorrow. "Just as all living things die, the flow of time cannot be hindered. But there's comfort in killing me. If you do… you won't have to suffer for the coming days."

If [Wanderer] kills Ryoji, Tartarus, the Dark Hour— the burden of everyone's memories will all disappear.

But [Wanderer] can retain his.

He's not originally from this world after all…

However, should he let him live, the rest of S.E.E.S's life will continue until everyone's inevitable demise.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

[Wanderer] rolled his eyes, diverting his eyes back to his notes. "Everyone will die soon, who cares? I've heard your spiel several times already. You need to get more entertaining material."

"[Wanderer]!" You scolded him.

Your eyes widened in disbelief at [Wanderer]'s unwittingly casual jabs at the apocalypse. You wanted to ask him if he was even listening, but the truth will disappoint you. A cold sweat formed on your brow.

Ryoji's smile crooked into a hopeless one.

"You depend on (Y/n) too much."

[Wanderer] froze. "What did you say…?"

"You have a group of people around you, eager to establish a bond— eager to be friends with you. You have met Junpei, Yukari, Mitsuru, Akihiko, Fuuka, and many others– but you don't consider any of them as your friends." Ryoji shook his head. "Instead, you spend your time with just (Y/n). Never anyone else. Just them. To the point that I think it's unhealthy."

"I don't care for humans." He replied immediately.

"You're human too, [Wanderer]." Ryoji shot back. "You're made of blood, bones, and flesh."

[Wanderer] fell silent. What Ryoji said was true, and yet…

"Am I?" He laughed.

The sound was hollow and mechanical. Deprived of genuine mirth. It did not sound forced, yet his eyes were dull.

…

Perhaps he lived as a puppet for so long that the idea of being human has yet to reach him.

Ryoji shifted, uncomfortably glancing between you two. The tension was palpable despite the cafe's peaceful ambiance. Ryoji cleared his throat softly.

"I should leave…" He trailed off, voice slightly wavering. His eyes darted around, scrambling for words to say. "But, um, before I leave, I just want to say again that you need to give it some more thought, [Wanderer]... It's a big deal… Just…"

Ryoji sighed. "Remember to make your choice to spare or kill me by December 31st. I'm glad you're having fun but don't get too distracted with (Y/n). I'll be waiting."

That being said, his footsteps reverberated loudly in the otherwise still room as he turned and headed for the door. He dared to turn back as he grabbed for the doorknob and saw you two sharing a look that he couldn't determine if it was one of contemplation or displeasure. He hurried out and the cafe door shut behind him.

"Happy?" [Wanderer] bitterly asked.

You paused for a moment… then grinned.

"Tsk, what are you laughing at, worm?"

"Nothing, nothing!" You shrugged. "I just thought that for a guy with a stick up his ass, you're cute when you're jealous."

That riled [Wanderer] up in an instant.

You do not know the full extent of his envy's filth.

"I am NOT—" He stopped, realizing how counterproductive it would be. "Whatever. I don't care."

"Uhuh?"

"Shut up and finish your damn chocolate!"

II. Anger.

Before you know it, it's April.

"Seriously, you three, I'm bored as fuck! Can't I just take a stroll outside?" You yelled, waving the heavy persona compendium in the air as your sisters ignored you.

It hasn't been long since you reincarnated, so your right to go outside isn't as liberal. Given the impending threat of an apocalypse, the Velvet Room attendants are especially overprotective.

"(Y/n), dear sibling, watch your mouth! You mustn't let Igor or Nameless hear you speak so vulgarly."

Taking a good look at your new "siblings", you've noticed how almost everyone was present. Margaret sat elegantly on the sofa while Theodore & Elizabeth were doing their best to calm you down. It's almost rare to have all three in one place. The three oldest were busy-bodies who had more eccentric matters they devoted their attention to. Including rapping and dancing, though neither performances are good for your senses.

"If boredom plagues you, then you should try teasing Theodore." Elizabeth yawned. "He's easy pickings."

"Sister!" Theodore pouted. "Shouldn't (Y/n) focus on studying how fusing works? It would be a better use of their time…"

"The day (Y/n)'s new wildcard learns the value of social links might just be the day miserly politicians become generous." Elizabeth shrugged.

You paled, tugging her sleeve. "Oh fuck… Am I screwed?"

She gave you a lopsided smile. "I may be your new sibling but that does not mean I am obliged to resolve your problems, (Y/n). Learn to solve this on your own."

Theodore coughed.

"Please, stop scaring them, sister Elizabeth. It's not their fault this new guest is a cruel arbiter. I fear there will not be a second of groundless joy in store for them…"

"You're not helping me relax either! Motherfucker. Can't you two speak normally?"

"Settle down, all of you."

The four of you stood straight as Igor tilted his chin up. Though you've gotten used to his bloodshot gaze, it had a way of prickling your skin this time around. With his signature smile, he closed his eyes and snapped his fingers.

"Our guest is about to enter."

"W-Wait, RIGHT NOW?!?"

Before you could react, the room transformed into what appeared to be a large elevator. The walls were barred and creaking noises began to subtly make their presence. A floating door materialized, and soon, opened.

Dark purple hair and eyes, short frame, soft face.

"…Hmm?"

You blinked.

"Wait, no way…"

You know him.

Of course, you know him.

"Everyone, meet [Wanderer]."

You decided that you two should reintroduce yourselves and forget that the past ever happened.

For now, you had been gifted with a vital role: being the protagonist's attendant.

According to your Igor, your role is to assist your guest in fusing personas. He had chosen you specifically in advance as you are his "anima/animus figure". Initially, that job was for Elizabeth. However, your beliefs, your intuition, your emotions— they're in perfect tune with [Wanderer]. Igor expects you to facilitate their spiritual and psychological growth and implore them to interact more with others.

Which, based on that alone, sounds like this puppet just hired an unpaid therapist.

"What do you want?"

"Well…"

Since you became [Wanderer]'s attendant, you've started to have thicker skin. He will always make his crankiness known each visit. You're slightly grateful for it, for how else would you know patience otherwise? Though his personality rubs you the wrong way, his strength does have merits you cannot ignore. Even Belladona, the Velvet Room's devout singer, had sung praises for his mettle. There was one line that struck you about her song, something about him being like a puppet with a beating heart unbeknownst to himself…

Which is why you thought you might as well try to see if you could convince him to take you out sometimes.

"What, like a date?" [Wanderer] scoffed then smirked, a light blush on his face. "Are you really that desperate?"

"No, eww—" You rolled your eyes. "I meant it literally. Igor and the others wouldn't let me go outside unless I'm with someone they trust."

He looked away and covered his mouth, his shoulders trembling slightly.

"Like a child?"

"Yeah, yeah, shut the fuck up." You deadpanned, your pride slightly chipped. "Like a child or whatever you want to see it, as long as it gets me out of here. I just want to see the world before it all…"

You paused.

Better not to bring it up. You're not sure if Igor told him yet.

[Wanderer] raised an eyebrow. "What's in it for me?"

You shrugged. "Is money not enough?"

He paused.

…

"You've got to be kidding me— Fine, what else do you want?"

His eyelids lowered, hissing slightly. "Evil expects evil from others, huh? I wasn't trying to think of anything more, but now that I think about it…"

"Oh, great."

"… I can take your request," he pointed at you. "But only if you join me in the library. Anywhere else, especially loud places like clubs, I'll send your ass back."

That's a no-brainer.

"Deal!"

Though you've missed the peculiar sight, [Wanderer] had a small smile on his face as you shook hands. The two of you had become nearly inseparable since then.

Worryingly, he's closer to you than other humans.

The only relationship he needed was with you.

And with what little time this world has left, you hope you could have a last cup of coffee with him…

I. Denial.

Your reality crumbled. What a START.

Your family, friends... all gone. No one was left. You convince yourself you "deserved" this punishment for smoking a life away with dreadful workloads, no matter how untrue it was. When the world burnt down, you were sent into a darkness you had not known before.

The person in charge of your reincarnation process told you that for the next few minutes, you and a selected companion will see your lives flash before your eyes in a void— and it will not necessarily be a comforting sight.

But you woke up relaxed. In an abyss filled with broken mirrors meant to depict your character to pieces, you donned a plain expression. There was not an inch of you that grieved for what was lost. Similarly, you had no care for how you were being transmigrated to another realm. Though you had grown accustomed to this isolation, humanity always struggled with silence. There was ringing on your fingers. When you unclasped your hands, you saw a pointed shard. Curiously, you clenched it. But no matter the tightness of your grip, no blood came out.

Your breath fogged up the glass. You wondered why that Memokeeper told you that you deserve to live on. You thought your life was rather unremarkable.

Makes sense. You thought to yourself. I'd rather pride myself on a boring life with integrity than an ambitious yet fraudulent one.

「Assignments. Commute. Study. Review. Assignments. Commute. Study. Review. Was that all your life was...? Then tell me, little (Y/n), why does the mirror in front of you appear distorted?」

And so, you gazed forward. Your reflection stood tall, larger than your life, and it beckoned you to come closer. This "(Y/n) (L/n)" had the opposite of a Cheshire grin- perhaps a caricature- perhaps an accurate depiction. Wearied of yourself and wearied of the sycophantic students around you. How unhappy are you to see yourself as someone like this? Are these the emotions you wish to be preserved? Is this the memory you want your world to be remembered by?

「These memories must be corrupted. Someone must be tampering with them. I do not think you lived a miserable life.」

I can't answer your questions either. But I think that reflection is who I am, because sometimes...

"I wish I had never been born at all."

Your lips were parted, but no sound came out. You resonated with those words, but they did not come from you. The voice was dark, hopeless, and alone.

When you were being sent off, you thought no one was around to greet you. There was another man. He had short hair and purple eyes- an incredibly rare sight in your world. This man seemed to be gazing at his reflection as well. You needn't know how he saw himself. The emptiness in his eyes did not differ from yours. He, too, was masking isolation as independence with an intense fragility. The dread he inflicted upon you was the closest you've ever gotten to facing your own perceived "weakness".

His memories were a mixbag. Some were filled with domestic bliss, but the anger in his heart triumphed more. He had friends but thought himself betrayed. His heart was constructed through a system of evasions, and he was a specialist in self-deception. This man knew little of emotions but had an abundance of it. It's no wonder he refused to sacrifice the artistry of his vengeance against humanity. You can sympathize with how he could not attach himself to those around him. He was burdened with malicious knowledge. Fakes. Lies. Insincerities. A class of his own.

However, he had a sin you cannot empathize with. A trait you can read that you're certain he had never noticed about himself.

He was a sickeningly beautiful man with a peculiar innocence.

He looked like a man who truly did not live in the real world.

This man did not feel real to you. He felt made-up. Fictional. His aura of flawlessness appalled you. Though you shared the same sentiments, you thought him dimensionless.

Yet this is supposedly your first meeting.

「Is it? Where have you seen him before? Can't you remember, dear (Y/n)?」

No. No, I can't.

「... What a shame. Worry no more, little (Y/n). Close your eyes. When you wake up, you will meet your new reality— new realm— new family.」

You nodded and agreed to a higher existence you did not believe in. Unlike others, you were a little bit more incapable of trusting a living soul. But there's no other choice.

Life is ordinarily far from anyone's control in the first place. Why bother fighting? If following can make her fuck off, it doesn't matter.

Nothing matters.

Wait…

Is that…

Scaramouche?

Before you closed your eyes and accepted your fate, you could've sworn...

He looked at you with a crooked grin.

「Thou art I... And I am thou...

Thou hast established a new bond...

Thou shalt be blessed when creating

Personas of the Universe Arcana..."」

"Hmm. Strange… Is that truly the order of the story?"

A woman stared at you.

Not (Y/n) (L/n).

YOU.

BEHIND.

THE.

SCREEN.

She smiled wryly.

Hate might empower you for a short while, but it comes at the cost of consuming you whole. Should a shard or any surface reflect [Wanderer]'s face, he would understand what he had become. However, it's too late. He had made his choice and stomped away any remorse he could have. When all is said and done, he alone will spread the ashes. He alone will stand. A blank slate.

[Wanderer] spent his life looking for scapegoats and ended up removing his responsibility.

Betrayals?

What a sad, sad puppet.

What a poor excuse to justify an entire apocalypse.

A poor excuse of a man.

"THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED." She muttered softly. "And you have been reading your story in REVERSE. Perhaps this is the only way this world can attain SALVATION. The chronological order is not a slice of life. You did not have a disagreement and decided to start your relationship over again. Life is far more WICKED."

"Read it again, but from DENIAL to ACCEPTANCE. The proper way to GRIEVE DEATH."

With great reluctance, she took the five cards laid on the table and placed them in an upright position.

"Let's see if you'd rather ACCEPT the truth or live in DENIAL."

Mixed-Kester can now message Wanderer [prior to 12/31/2009]

platonic au bc i can’t help myself. thinking about how abyss lumine could’ve met scara before his betrayals. how scara comes to view her as a sister, yet lumine only cares about finding aether. how scara feels hurt, though he doesn’t know why, after he finds out she has a brother (her only kin, she said, and he has never wanted to grab her shoulders and yell, what about me?) the betrayal he feels after she leaves to further explore teyvat. thinking abt scara hating aether, the golden boy, taking everything he’s ever wanted as easy as breathing — his mother’s recognition, the admiration of others, and having lumine’s affection as her brother.

and now he’s wanderer, helping aether in his search for his (their) sister. imagine them finally catching up, scara airing out his hurts to her and how betrayed he felt when she left five hundred years ago, only for lumine to look at him and ask who he is.

<-

jealousy, jealousy,

I reckon yuu has atleast some people admiring them for their 'heroic' acts for each dorms, ironically enough

characters. riddle, leona, azul, kalim, vil, idia, malleus.

includes. gn!reader, flowers aren't limited to girls.

cw. each has a student from their dorm liking reader, book 5 spoilers? kinda.

note. this was supposed to be for celebrating 4k and originally I had a fic that I was supposed to publish but I got really busy w/ school and stuff so I supposed I'll just drop this 😚 I'm also sick btw *cries

if someone asked you; "what do you think the students see you as?" you'd probably answer, "a wannabe I guess." technically you were sure that you were right about your guess. if there's anything that you'd know about a school that worships villians is that they'd hate someone whose the polar opposite.

which is you, with you basically 'saving' the dorm leaders and all. atleast the person in question didn't seem to pick at you for helping them and not going like 'I don't need your help.'

which is also why you're.. shocked to say the least when some random student you can't say that looks familiar hands you a bouquet of flowers, clearly flushing at your stare. you notice a white envelope tucked into the variety of flowers as well as a box of chocolates.

funnily enough you wondered if twisted wonderland celebrated valentines day on a different month.

albeit the possibly hundred other gazes from the other people. why'd they have to do this in the cafeteria exactly? it would've saved you the trouble if they did it on a more private scale.

you can only smile at them politely. honesty feeling a mixture of embarrassment and shyness cause you've never received such a bold confession yourself. "thank you?" you feel a little bad when they deflate at your short answer to their gifts but nevertheless pleased.

"you're welcome. I tried to pick out the flowers for someone as special as you but it can't compare." they absent-mindedly state. you can't hide the grin on your face, you just met this person and they're already flattering you. it feels nice to be appreciated.

kinda cringe but you take it back this person is really cool.

— riddle rosehearts

bystander number 1. who wants to collar that person by anger, along with jealousy then proceed to stomp away. riddle would actually do that but only when you're not around cause you'd probably not be too happy if he punishes your 'friend' and he wants you to see him as the 😇 reliable young lad everyone loves.

suddenly had the will to impress you and one upped everything the other person did. so they got a 49 on the magical analysis test? that's too bad, riddle got 50. get on his level. so they answer correctly only when called? well riddle's voluntarily raising his hand and getting them all correct. oh they can cook?

oh well. he can do everything else better else than cooking so it doesn't really matter. you'd be a fool to choose someone else over him. but he supposes its part of the charm, infatuatingly enough.

— leona kingscholar

bystander number 2 who either just doesn't care or is secretly really mad. knowing leona it's probably the latter because it's leona and if there's something he hates it's probably getting upped by some random person whom he's clearly better than. you must be really blind if you have the audacity to ramble about said person to him.

went really grumpy for the span of days to weeks. ruggie literally would do anything you ask if it meant that leona's gonna be to his old self, lazy sure but he didn't used to place this much work on him!

your fault or not you'd probably also get affected by his drastic change of attitude. bro literally ignored you as well as everyone else, reverting to his mean self but treating you with more bitterness. it's probably not your fault but he doesn't regret a thing because you actually look upset when he pays you no mind. so you do feel something for him 😒😏. flashbacks to kaeya

— azul ashengrotto

bystander number 3. who's borderlining between wanting to get depressed then crawl in his octo pot to cry and absolutely ruining everything this random cheap made. I mean, really? those aren't even your favorite flowers! where did they get them, at the nearest dollar store? if he were them he'd give you the most expensive flowers you'd ever lay your eyes on!

and that's what he does actually; literally showed up on your doorstep with a handsome smile and gave you the most prettiest flowers you've seen yet. consider yourself charmed! bro literally made you forget about that other person for days until you saw them like a month later which is kinda bizarre..

the twins don't let you know that azul put them up on a 'job' to keep em' away. but it does use for good blackmail material against the jealous octopus.

— kalim al asim

bystander number 4. legit doesn't get jealous. kalim literally is just happy that you have admirers like him because you deserve it! he'd be more upset if you didn't have admirers honestly. okay but lowkey though, he isn't trying to compete at all but you receive a large bouquet, definitely much grander than the one you received and a heartfelt letter tucked into it.

how was that person supposed to win you over when kalim does it better?? ok but this is like the jamil situation in book 5 LOL.

if he actually somehow gets jealous he feels bad because he knows he'll do it better ( not condescending /gen ) so he just resorts to trying to win your affection and forgets about not trying then completely overshadowed the other person's previous attempts. bro only spared a 'I feel bad' look then smiling again because yay! you like him better now :)

— vil schoenheit

bystander number 5. AKA, the one who knows he'll do better and actually does do it better ( condescending ). vil doesn't even bother doing anything cause he trusts you enough to make the.. correct, choice. you do know that he's one of the most sought off person in the world, right? you'd be a fool to not see that.

okay but maybe he is a little paranoid that you actually will choose them so he actually does put in effort..

I mean nearly everyone is scared terrified of rook right? what's one more person to the count? he totally does not purposely send out rook to stalk them so he can expose them on social media .. or make him stall them somewhere so he has the chance to whisk you away and you losing the ability to see them for this day.. oh well, it's better to just spend it with vil since your free anyways..

— idia shroud

bystander number 6 who was there but actually not there..? physically not present but he was there, somehow.. *looks at camera in the far, FAR corner of the ceiling*. idia doesn't know whether to start crying because you actually looked happy with their CRINGE. confession.. the crying is a more intense period than azul's btw.

or.. actually there's no or, that's just what he's gonna do. close his electronic device, crawl into his bed and cry into his body pillow. fear not. little brother ortho to the rescue! ortho actually suggested destroying any evidence of a 'disappearance' if that poor soul just happened to not be present for years but idia quickly shot that idea down, he actually pondered on agreeing but no way he's gonna let them win by that!

hijacks all their phones, PC's, whatever other stuff so that it's completely off, no other person can fix it besides him. and he's definitely not gonna do that so the person ghosts you for weeks, so you get mad and ghost them irl.. wow his masterplan actually worked. no ortho pls don't force me to 'comfort' them..

— malleus draconia

bystander number 7 who genuinely doesn't see the appeal of this basic little b— human :). like? hello?? he's right here, open your eyes child of man. no need to tolerate the pathetic display they just did that doesn't live up to your very existence, they might as well compare you to gravel on the floor from how poor they executed their weird analogy.

he could legit go on and on about every single feature you have, your eyes, mouth, face, shape.. he would present you a microsoft presentation for it if you ask and it literally is godly description type of thing. you could finish listening to one of them and you'd be in TEARS ☠.

bros so sentimental. he thanks lilia for the advice of microsoft presentation because you now look completely convinced. malleus has the pride to spare the other person a smirk when your attention is fully on him :D.