Title: Rotting Divinity.
Pairing: Yandere!Scaramouche x Reader (Genshin).
Word Count: 2.9k.
TW: Reader Is Referred To As A Shrine Maiden But Gender Neutral, Set A Few Years After Dottore Starts Experimenting On Scaramouche, Unhealthy Relationships, Obsessive Behavior, Kidnapping, Themes of Chronic Illness, and Mentions of Human Experimentation.
Scaramouche opened his eyes as the sun set, casting the sky a dull pinkish blue. You were standing above him, a straw basket on your hip and a frown tugging on the corners of your lips.
He let a groan as he hauled himself into a more dignified position, palms planted in the raw dirt and dried grass caught in his hair. One glance was spared to establish that he was no longer in the Doctor’s cramped observation room, all cold stone walls and porcelain tables with leather straps stapled into each corner, before his attention settled on you. “Mortal,” he barked, speaking loudly enough to hear himself over the pain still buzzing in his skull. “Which island is this?”
“Yashiori, near Serpent’s Head,” you muttered, disappointment heavy in your tone. When he clicked his tongue, you went on, your frown deepening. “You ruined my herb garden.”
Had he? He couldn’t remember anything after the Doctor worked those long, tapered needles underneath the skin of his forearms; after an iron mask was forced over his mouth and nose and he began to think his body may tear itself apart before that sadist had the chance to. He wasn’t supposed to be in Serpent’s Head. He wasn’t supposed to be on Yashiro at all. He hadn’t meant to be here, and yet, he’d be thrown in a cage of iron bars and subjected to another round of testing as soon as he trudged back to that dungeon of a facility. Thinking about the feeling of thick, pulsing electricity coursing through his hollow limbs was enough to send a familiar bolt of agony down the length of his spine. It was little more than a phantom, a shadow of the torture it would take to unlock his truepotential, but it was enough to leave him curling into himself involuntarily, glaring at the soil with a hollow type of malice.
He would’ve recovered in a second – less than a second, a moment, a breath – if you hadn’t fallen to your knees at his side, cooing as you pressed the back of your hand into his forehead. “Are you hurt?” If he’d tried to answer, his response would’ve been lost to your fussing, the way you hummed and shook your head as you hauled him to his feet. “Body aches? Migraines? Whatever it is—” An arm was drawn over your shoulders, his weight forcibly rested on you. “—I’m sure I have something for it inside. A place for you to rest, too – however you got here, the journey had to be burdensome.”
He considered protesting. Even in the state he’d been reduced to, it would’ve taken nothing to pry himself away from you, to shatter your ankles underneath his heel and leave you begging for the mercy of the creature you’d tried to pity. He could’ve penned a letter to the Doctor as you bled out in the soil of your own garden, recovered his strength as he took your body apart and fed your remains, piece by piece, to whatever scavengers would have you. He could’ve, if he’d wanted to. He could’ve, but then, he saw what you were wearing.
The sleeves of your kosode were rolled neatly to the elbow, the hems of your pleaded hakama dusted with dirt and grass stains. Unlike the maidens of Watatsumi and the Grand Narukami Shrine, you wore neither red nor blue, but white. Pure, never-ending white.
Scaramouche went limp in your hold, his eyes falling shut as you let out a surprised laugh, doing your best to accommodate his now-dead weight. He could kill you tomorrow, he figured. It was already dusk, and while he didn’t mind traveling at night, he knew the Doctor wouldn’t begin to wonder where he was until the sun rose tomorrow morning. He wasn’t a dog, eager to crawl home and prove his obedience. He could wait until he was called for.
At least, by then, your worrying might’ve done something to dull the burn of the electricity underneath his skin.
~
“So, you’re telling me that this is a waste of time.”
You ignored him with a light hum, a quick movement of your tasseled gohei. Normally, daily rites were something to be performed quickly and efficiently before the unlucky shrine maiden responsible for carrying them out returned to scrubbing floorboards and disturbing fortunes, but in a life as slow as yours, with so little to occupy the many hours of your countless days, even repetitive tasks such as this were given an unnecessarily artistic flourish. Scaramouche might’ve called it indulgent, if he ever decided to be so kind to you.
Currently, you were dancing in front of a dilapidated shrine at the base of the snake’s skull; the paint mostly chipped away and the wood close to rotting. You’d explained, four days after he first allowed you to haul him into your ancient cabin, that you would be responsible for rebuilding it once it inevitably collapsed, an honor only bestowed upon caretakers every few centuries, and he’d told you that you ought to save yourself a few decades and tear it down that day, but you’d only laughed. Most things he said made you laugh.
He'd noticed early on that you were of a weak constitution. Dark bags circled under your eyes despite how often and how deeply you slept, and you seemed unable to carry anything heavier than what could fit in one of your woven baskets. There should’ve been another shrine keeper, if not several. And, if there could only be one, then it shouldn’t have been you.
Still, Scaramouche was glad that you had been chosen, even if you were a bad fit for the position. If it’d been anyone else, he would’ve had to get rid of them days ago, and he was thankful to be spared the effort.
“It’s not,” you said, consciously clipping his choice of words. You finished your rite with a deep bow, then turned to Scaramouche. “Shows of dedication make him happy.”
“He being…” His gaze drifted upward, to the fanged skull. Orobashi no Mikoto – the beast’s name provided by some nameless well of knowledge that seemed to linger in the space between the back of his throat and the pit of his chest. Consciously, the only title Scaramouche had ever thought to put to the serpent was that of ‘festering remains’. “…the fucking corpse?”
“If you keep using that kind of language, you might have to start sleeping outside.” You took up the basket of lavender melons you’d (admittedly, unwisely) left in his care, snatching it away before he could add to the small pile of black seeds stacked on his opposite side. Your hastiness left one of the rounder melons toppling over the well-worn edge, though, and he caught it with a single hand, grinning as he dug his teeth into the ripe flesh and claimed it for himself. You rolled your eyes, but quickly occupied yourself with clearing away yesterday’s fruit from the shrine. “It’s not complicated. We keep him happy, hold our rites and make our sacrifices, and he ensures that my crops grow quickly and the village prospers.” A pause, a smile thrown carelessly over your shoulder. You smiled as easily as you laughed, something that irritated Scaramouche to no end. “If it wasn’t for him, you wouldn’t be recovering half as quickly as you are.”
Right. It was too easy to forget that there was a pretense to his time with you; that he was supposed to be some wayward, ailing traveler with a mysterious condition your charms and cures could only keep at bay. He wasn’t lying to you. All he did was lie back and let you fuss over his nonexistent pulse, the bloodless pallor of his skin, the way his temperature never seemed to rise above that of damp clay. He wasn’t like the Doctor – scheming and underhanded, prone to leading his victims in circles before gifting them with the mercy of a slow death – or the priestess he could only vaguely remember from his first days, all dark eyes and whispers of a merciful death. You liked doting on him, and he didn’t mind keeping his mouth shut.
“Don’t give yourself too much credit.” He dug his teeth into the lavender melon as you gathered your things, sugary juice turning his lips tacky as he went on. “I’ve always been hard to kill.”
You came to stand above him, your smile small and eyes vaguely narrowed. “If you’re feeling that strong,” you started, holding your now-emptied basket in front of you. “Then you shouldn’t mind weeding the garden and fetching water, this afternoon.”
It only took him a moment to think to protest, but you were already gone, stumbling down the mountainside as he hastily pushed himself to his feet. He called your name, but he could already hear your voice – rising above his in one of your obnoxiously repetitive hymns and drowning him out as he chased after you.
~
The villagers welcomed you as sheep welcomed field dogs; from a distance.
Scaramouche trailed behind you as you plodded through the humble village, humming and clutching your basket close to your chest, fiddling nervously with the pure-white material of your sleeves. The crowd parted around you, twin walls of watchful eyes and hushed voices forming well-ahead of your path and collapsing as you strode past them, either unable or unwilling to acknowledge the thick silence that seemed to hang over you like a shroud. Occasionally, you’d stop at a stall or a doorway, handing off bundles of wrapped herbs to gloved and trembling hands, and less often, you’d send him a smile over your shoulder, your tired eyes wrinkling at the corners, as if apologizing that he had to come along for such a dull errand. That was how you described it, when he asked where you went off to every few days. ‘Just a quick errand,’ you’d said, as you tried to convince him to stay behind yet again. When he cited your poor health and his growing concern that he’d find you dead in that garden of yours one day, you didn’t waver. ‘You’ll only be bored if you come. The villagers aren’t very friendly.’
Scaramouche decided, mostly on a whim, that he would burn down this village before he returned to the Doctor. If he had time.
He moved to rush forward, to place himself at your side, but a hand shot out of a narrow alleyway and caught him by the wrist. It was a middle-aged blacksmith, judging by the ash smeared across his cheeks, the thick apron hanging from his neck. Scaramouche was quick to pull out of his filthy grasp, but he spoke regardless, his voice low and rough. “Mind your distance, boy.” A glance towards you, a deep sneer. “Don’t you know who that is?”
Scaramouche glanced over him, fighting the urge to scoff. “Why is no one speaking to the healer?”
“That’s no healer, that’s the shrine maiden.” He said it as if he’d caught Scaramouche attempting to throw himself into a rifthound’s mouth. “They cultivate the serpent’s remains. You’ll be dead in a week if you—”
This time, Scaramouche was the one to reach out, his hand wrapping around the blacksmith’s neck. By instinct, a bolt of pure, searing electro shot from his palm into the man’s neck, leaving him limp and convulsing in Scaramouche’s hold. Scaramouche released him as the last of the aftershocks faded, watching him collapse to the ground before planting his heel on the man’s diaphragm, prepared to shift his weight and crush whatever laid below his foot should the blacksmith say something to displease him.
“I’ll ask again,” he said, slowly, ozone thick in the air. “Why is no one speaking to the healer?”
~
Scaramouche returned to your cabin closer to sunrise than sunset. Somewhere, back in the village that he would see reduced to embers if it was his last act on the face of Teyvat, the charred remains of a blacksmith smoldered at the bottom of a stone well, and he opened the door to your ramshackle home with enough force to tear the rotted piece of wood from its hinges.
You were kneeling beside your work table, grinding dried lavender petals into a fine powder. He closed the space between you in a breath, knocked the pestle from your hand in another, then collapsed beside you. “You’re going to die?”
You eyed the spilled lavender wearily. “Even the archons will fall, eventually.”
He let out a ragged sob, burying his face in the dip of your shoulder. You allowed him to, your arms coming up to wrap loosely around him. You’d always been weak, but now, you seemed as feeble as a morning gale.
He was unable to speak, so you took up the mantle, tracing idle patterns into the base of his spine as you went on. “I know what they tell newcomers, about dead gods and their rot, but it’s not as bad as it sounds. He gifts us with herbs to cure our sick and soothe our elders and in return, someone sacrifices a few years. The villagers might not be able to linger, but they make sure I’m taken care of.” He felt you smile, heard you laugh. “So long as I get to help people, I don’t mind making sacrifices.”
“Other people don’t matter.” It took him longer than he cared to admit to pry himself away from you, to straighten his back and drag a deep breath into his aching lungs. He was thankful, not for the first time, that he couldn’t cry. You would only think him irrational if he fell apart so visibly. “How long do you have?”
Your head lulled to the side, your attention drifting to some indistinguishable point on the far wall. “Only the gods can say what fate has—”
“How long?”
“…another year.” Your tone carried a sort of detached acceptance, as if you couldn’t summon the energy to care. “Maybe two. The last caretaker was very fortunate – he survived half a decade in his position.”
He tried to speak, to scream at you for not telling him sooner, but his voice caught in his throat and you reached up, cupping his face in both hands. Slowly, with a dry chuckle, you leaned forward, resting your forehead against his. The cool porcelain of his skin sapped the warmth from yours, but for once, you didn’t seem to mind his unusual anatomy. “I hope I’ll be able to cure you, before I’m gone.” You were mumbling, now, speaking barely above your breath. “Do you think you’ll be able to stay for a little longer?”
He tried to answer, but you’d fallen asleep on top of him by the time he opened his mouth.
~
He left the next morning, while you were still tucked underneath a small pile of furs and quilts. A letter was penned and sent to the Doctor’s base, a caddy of wildflower seeds purchased from a young girl peddling wares by the side of the road, and he returned to your cabin just as your sleep turned restless. When you rose an hour past noon, he pestered you into taking him to the groove near the shoreline. By the time you returned, chiding him for distracting you from your responsibilities and pointedly ignoring the basket full of fruit at your hip, the sun was low in the sky and masked soldiers had stamped your garden into the ground. Your cabin was in flames and your shrine had been reduced to little more than a pillar of smoke in the distance.
Whatever concern you might’ve held for him was immediately forgotten. Dropping your basket, you moved to run towards the embers of your home, but Scaramouche caught you – one hand on your shoulder, another on your waist. Careful not to break what couldn’t be repaired, he forced you onto your knees, letting you scratch at his wrists as you screamed, the noise anguished and ragged. Masked soldiers gathered in the outskirts of his vision, but he bared his teeth, keeping them at a distance as you thrashed in his steadfast hold. Once he took you somewhere else, somewhere better, you’d be able to calm down.
Once he got you away from your rotting god and your unthankful village, you’d be able to worship something worth your time.
A moment passed, then another. Finally, the Doctor emerged from the crowd, his white coat unmarred by the ash in the air. He regarded you with a grin, then looked to Scaramouche. “This is the filthy toy you’d like to take home?”
It was a foolish question, undeserving of an answer. Scaramouche countered with one of his own. “Can you fix them?”
“Can I save a human being who’s been brought to the brink of death and infected thoroughly with the rot of divine remains?” The Doctor hummed, clicked his tongue. “That depends, little puppet. How much time are you willing to spend on my vivisection table?”
Scaramouche glowered, but he didn’t protest. Rather, he pulled you close – your crying softer, now, your struggling impossibly weak – and held you against his chest as he responded. “Do what you have to. They’ll be staying in my chambers, and you won’t lay a hand on them without my permission, doctor.”
“I do wish you could call me Dottore.” He sighed, shaking his head. His acquiescence was communicated with a dismissive roll of his wrist, a silent order communicated to his lackeys. His soldiers moved to take you up, but he kept you in his arms as he pushed himself back to his feet, letting you cling to and beat against his chest in tandem.
Your voice was hoarse, your shoulders trembling. Tears streamed freely from your eyes, and he allowed himself to wonder how poorly you would take it if he ran his tongue over your cheeks. “You— You monster. Hundreds of people will—"
“You said you wanted to stay with me, right?” His smile wasn’t as soft as yours, as comforting, but he did what he could. You let out another agonized sob, crumbling against him as he let his lips ghost over your forehead, speaking against your skin and above your wordless cries.
“Now, there’ll be nothing in the world capable of taking you away from me.”
little gnosis ‣ scaramouche x child!reader.
— ☆ Synopsis: It all happened so fast; a blinding purple light from your chest, several perplexed gasps, and then suddenly you were the vessel of the electro archon's gnosis. Now a young man who calls himself "The Balladeer" is forcing you to travel with him.
— ☆ CW: slightly ooc scaramouche.
If there was one thing that you examined from Kunikuzushi when you first met him after the event which shaped your fate, it was an overflowing hatred directed toward you. A hatred that you couldn't fully understand.
It was a hatred conveyed through mean side glances as you ran to catch up with his fast pace, with eyes narrowed and malice swirling through indigo like a violent storm. A hatred conveyed through a harsh grip on your wrist when you weren't fast enough, individual fingers digging into your skin so hard that it hurt, paired with a strident comment for you to hurry up. You didn't know what in Teyvat a "gnosis" was, nor did you know why you were now its vessel and what it means for you, but it appeared to be something that greatly peeved him.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Scaramouche," You suddenly spoke one evening as the two of you were traversing Inazuma, voice sincerely apologetic as your eyes solemnly trailed down to the floor below. As usual, you were slightly trailing behind him, the back of his feet as he continued walking were visible in the corner of your sights. "For messing everything up."
What had you done? Absolutely nothing. A lone child in the wrong place at the wrong time, having the pinnacle of a god's power sealed inside them by mistake due to a strange reaction with the gnosis, and now being dragged around by a man who appears to be mad about it.
There was no indication that he even listened to the apology, not a turn of the head or a hum. The Balladeer was completely silent, eyes remaining trained forwards. You hadn't expected him to accept it or anything, you just wanted him to know that you were sorry.
You knew he did hear it, though. Whether a scream for help, a pathetic attempt to start a conversation or a muttered comment, he always heard what you said. A response from him was rare... well, a response that wasn't some sort of insult, that is.
The familiar sound which pulled you from the blackened tank of your thoughts wasn't the sound of his voice, as much as you would have liked it to be. But a loud bang that almost felt to shake the surrounding environment, and cast a bright light above you which made your shadow visible below. That noise was quickly followed by another, quieter bang which emitted a dimmer light from above you. Which was followed by another, and then another.
Slowly, you lifted your gaze from the floor, looking upwards to find the beginnings of a glamorous fireworks display unfolding above you. Red, purple, green, orange flowers of lights blooming before your very eyes, decorating the gradient blue of the sky in a way which was absolutely beautiful.
Yoimiya's fireworks, you thought. Word in Hanamizaka is that summer isn't complete without seeing one of her glamorous displays. It truly is the experience of Inazuma.
Eyes trained upwards, you hadn't noticed the man you were trailing slowly halt to a stop to peer up at the display, and continued walking. After a minute of looking to the fireworks, his gaze turned to you.
You looked completely mesmerized, mouth open as you gawked at the stunning sight. Lights reflected in your eyes, which held a soft fondness as if the sight was reminding you of an old friend. Yet they also held a childish wonder, as if it were your first time seeing such a sight. He almost, almost found it cute.
Until your foot caught an elevation in the ground, causing you to trip forwards. Unbeknownst to you, beside you, the harbinger's eyes widened in sheer panic. As he watched your smaller form fall towards the floor, he quickly lunged in your direction without thought, hand reaching out to catch you in any way possible. Lucky enough to grasp your arm just in time.
"Look where you're going, idiot."
It took a few short moments for your racing heart to calm, comprehending that you had been saved from your fall. When you eventually looked up, Scaramouche was standing tall as usual. Both feet planted firmly on the floor and stood normally, with the exception of how he was holding your arm to prevent you from faceplanting the floor below. There was no hint of urgency there anymore, a stoic and slightly peeved, fitting of his tone of voice, expression there instead as he stared down at you.
He let go of your arm when you corrected your form, standing on your own again. There were no other words spoken as he simply turned around, continuing the walk that you two were having, leaving you standing there. Clearly expecting you to follow him again.
You remained there for a few seconds, watching him walk. Every time a firework exploded, the light would flood around him, before diminishing and being rebirthed in a different color. When you realized what he just did for you, your eyes pinged wide and you pushed yourself forwards quickly after him.
"Um-- Thank you! ...For saving me!"
There was no response as you ran to catch up with him, not that you expected one.
Warnings: Yandere themes, unhealthy relationships, major power imbalances, having to deal with Scaramouche because that honestly entitles you to financial compensation. Word count: 1.5k.
(Thank you to @bye-bye-sunbird for making the beautiful header <333)
This is a part of the AU where the Reader/Darling is shared by all of the Harbingers.
“I’ve been practicing my calligraphy lately.”
“Mhm.”
“You make it look so easy… I can’t say I’ve made a lot of progress, but I’d like to show you my work when you get the chance. I have some drying now, actually.”
“Ah.”
“The characters for your name have been especially tricky. I can do the part that looks like a square, it’s just filling in the rest of it where I tend to mess up. You know, smudging the lines on accident and all that. I still manage to get ink on my clothes even if I roll up my sleeves… aha… how does that happen, I wonder?”
“Mm.”
This is nothing short of drawn-out torture.
Keep reading
forethoughts: i maxxed out arlecchino to lvl 90 🤩. rip all my fragile resins.
notes: gn!child!reader, NOT AN X READER READER IS A CHILD IN THIS!!!
Arlecchino was working when the caretaker had entered her office. She suppressed her disdain and annoyance as she asked the caretaker what was so important her work time had to be disrupted.
Arlecchino immediately stood up and stormed towards the caretaker when she heard your name.
“Y/N had gotten in a fight with another child? Two children?” Arlecchino pursed her lips, eyebrows furrowed. The caretaker elaborated more, handing her two distinct blades, one stained with blood.
“We have them in their room right now. The other two is in the infirmary. How would a child get their hands on such dangerous objects?” The caretaker commented, as Arlecchino took both blades, clutching both helms with one hand.
“I will deal with this.” Arlecchino walked out of her office, marching towards the infirmary. After all, you could use some more time to reflect before you would meet her.
You sat on your bed, knees to your chest and head on your knees as you stared at the wall. Father’s broken compass was next to you, the needle finally taking a rest. You could imagine the children outside gossiping and decreasing your odds of ever making friends in this hellhole of an orphanage. How you had injured the most popular kid.
Father made sure you knew not to care about what the others said about you. And you didn’t at all.
Father.
How was Father taking in the information?
Surely Father was already informed about the fight.
Your heart sank a little when you tried to imagine how Father was feeling. The betrayal. The hurt. The shock that you had used your new toys Father had only taught you on one of your ‘kin’. Perhaps the boy was right. In the end of the day Father might as well revoke everything she had given you. Including this room.
The sound of the doorknob twisting open shattered your confidence and determination you had about the fight, the sounds of Father’s heel clicking against the marble ground sending spiders down your spine. You felt a dip in the mattress being created, as Father sat down next to you, mere inches away. Father sat there, observing your hunched figure with a stoic expression in the deafening silence. You heard her pick up her broken compass-the gift she had given you to take care of. And it was completely shattered.
“...I’m sorry.” You murmured, breaking the silent barrier. “I tried to stop them from breaking it.”
Father let out a chuckle. “Anything that can break will break. Some can be fixed, some cannot.”
You felt Father’s eyes pierce your skull, causing your gaze to fall even lower. To your surprise, a hand was placed on your head, combing through your hair. You were shuffled closer to Father’s body, until your shoulder touched hers. “How are you feeling, dear? Are you alright?”
Father was… comforting you?
Your shoulders relaxed a little, but they were still stiff.
“I-I’m… okay.”
“Did they hurt you in any way?” You bit your lips, the conversation one of the orphans had with you while their foot was on your head was still fresh in your mind.
“Yes…” You mumbled, fiddling with the hem of your sleeve.
Father noticed-of course she did-, and placed her hand in yours, rubbing small circles on your palm.
“How so?”
You looked down. “...They started it.”
“Okay.” Father said calmly. “How so? And do look at me when you do.”
You reluctantly lifted your head, meeting Father’ surprisingly warm and calm gaze. “I was admiring the compass you had given me. And then one of them tripped me and took the compass and started playing with it. The other one shoved me and placed his feet on my head and pressed it down.”
You swore you saw Father’s eye twitch at your last sentence.
“The one pressing my head against the ground told me I had to ask you to have a smaller room, no dessert, last in line and an earlier curfew than the other orphans.” You spat each word out with poison. “They threatened to break Father’s compass if I did not do what they said. He shoved me first and attacked me. Father said if I was attacked first I could use my toys. So I did. I tried talking to them first but they wouldn’t listen. I did what Father said to do before I used my toys.”
Father remained silent, as her hand brushed over the area the boy had stepped on your head. “Does your head hurt now?”
“A-A little… b-but it's nothing…”
Father ignored your comment, as she lifted your body so you were on her lap. She examined the area the boy stepped on. Placing a single finger on the area was enough to make you shiver, the corners of your eyes burn and tears threatening to fall.
“My poor child…” Father sighed, wrapping her arms around your frail body.
Now your tears were really threatening to fall. “I-I’m sorry for using my new toys on the other orphans… I’m sorry for disobeying Father’s rule… I promise it won’t happen again. F-Father can take away my room a-and move me back to that room w-with the other orphans, put me last in line for food and give me an earlier curfew. I’ll take it without complaint. I d-deserve it for disappointing Father.”
“Nonsense, my child.” Father placed her fingers on your chin, forcing you to look her in the eyes. She moved her hand to your cheek, wiping your tears away with a gentle wipe of her thumb. “None of those things will happen. I will not punish you for acting in self defense. I am not disappointed in you for trying to defend yourself.”
“B-But-”
“No buts. What happened has happened. You are hurt; they are hurt. Adding more pain and suffering to one side of the scale will not make it balanced nor just.” Father’s lips turned into a thin smile, as she let out a sigh. “Come. Let’s get you cleaned up and ready for bed, okay? It has been a long day for you.”
Father lifted you up in her arms, cradling you as she carried you to what you could only assume to be her private bathroom, seeing she had walked past the showering hall.
“Father…?” You hesitantly asked.
“Yes, my dear?”
“...Why did you give me all those perks? A new room, first in line, no curfew?”
Father let out a sigh. “Even looking back I do not understand why I had the urge to do all those for you. I suppose it was because I was concerned and worried about you, my child. I could not bear to watch you sit alone and always get the last pick for everything. I could not bear to sit in the sidelines and watch you try and hold your tears back as you watched dust move across the ground. I could not bear to watch the other children treat you like filth when you were the kindness out of all. I believed that giving you some perks would help make your stay more… comfortable.”
Father paused. “Has it… made your stay more comfortable?”
You looked at the ground, your head resting on Father’s shoulder. “A little…”
Father let out a chuckle. “Better than none.”
Father carried you to her private bathroom, setting you down in the tub as she lathered soap across your back and body, washing your hair. Her touch was delicate and gentle, never lingering in one spot for too long or applying a large amount of pressure. Father dried you with one of her towels, dressing you in silk pajamas before carrying you back to your room. You found it hard to believe. You had injured two of Father’s children, and yet while they were in the infirmary, legs immobilized, you were wearing silk pajamas, being washed by Father, and coddled all along the way.
As Father laid you down in bed, brushing your hair one last time and planting a kiss on your forehead, you couldn’t help but ask.
“Why does Father treat me so well? Father w-wouldn’t do any of this for the others, would she?” You blurted out.
Father chuckled at your question, the corners of her mouth tugging upwards. “Perhaps it is true I treat you much differently and better than the rest. Perhaps I do have a sense of favoritism towards you. Perhaps it is because I see a part of me in you. No matter. Soon, my dear child, all of this will be over. I will deal with this. Do not worry about the other two children. Get some rest, my child, and all will be well. I will be coming back shortly to deliver you dinner.”
Father walked away, turning off the lights in your room as she shut the door. You laid there on your bed, her words echoing in your head. Father saw herself in you? Your little mind didn’t know how to think about that.
But all you knew was that Father cared for you.
Father loved you.
Father was not mad.
Father said everything will be better.
So everything will be better.
Platonic Yandere Lyney Thoughts
Just a little think piece abt what I think Lyney would be like as a yandere, and what I think would make a him a yandere. Small Lynette cameo. Repost cause the last one disappeared so sorry. PT 2 here!
cw: soft yandere, kidnapping, child!reader, gn!reader
Platonic and soft Yandere Lyney who really wants to feel like a good big brother. His siblings are both House of Hearth members, doing dirty work for the Fatui, so he knows he failed somewhat with them. But you?
The adorable little street rat that sneaks into the crowd to watch his shows, wide eyed and amazed? Who jumps and can’t help but giggle when he shows off even the simplest of card tricks? You just look so… starved. Like a baby bird without a nest. Easy to scoop up and take home.
He wanted to be your savior. The one who you look up at with admiration, amazement. “How did you do that, Mister Lyney!”
In front of you, he didn’t feel like a mistake of a brother that failed to save his siblings from this life.
If only you just came home with him. Every time he offered dinner, or invited you around to watch a new magic trick of his, you refused. He supposed he couldn’t be mad, stranger danger and all that. He knew better than anyone else. As days passed and he continued to watch you hungry, searching for scraps while he had a house full of food. It broke him.
Maybe thats why he followed you back to your little hideout.
You didn’t notice, after all, what match was a street rat against a master of diversion? The hideout was tucked in a thin alleyway, hardly wider than him, behind some shops not too far from home. The rooftops of the nearby buildings shielded you from the rain as you huddled in what could only be described as a nest—formed from ratty old blankets and the rare trinket or clothing item you undoubtedly stole.
Lyney sighed, gathering you up in the dirty quilt you clutched and holding you in his arms. “Lighter than you should be… poor thing. I’m taking you home now kid.”
You didn’t move, just laid in his arms, but he hoped warm glow of his pyro vision was soothing to your freezing body.
Lynette was awake when he came through the door, you in his arms. Immediately, her sharp eyes fell to the child in his arms, and she just sighed. “I suppose this is what you set the guest bedroom up for?”
“Oh come on Lynette.” He said, an edge of excitement in his hushed tone. “I couldn’t just leave them. Anyone could have come by and snatched them up!”
“Evidently, someone did. You.”
“They’ll be better off with us.”
“They don’t know that. They won’t. For months, even. Are you prepared for that?” Lynnette said, sighing when Lyney nodded. “Oh well, you seemed so set on this. I installed key operated locks on the windows throughout the house while you were away. You already did but I figured everywhere would be more helpful in case they escape their room before they’ve settled.”
All at once, Lyney untensed, a look of pure relief washing over his face. He honestly didn’t know what he’d do had Lynette rejected their new sibling.
“Thank you Lynnette, you’re always such a help.” He smiled over his shoulder at her as he carried you to off your new bedroom.
Masterlist
Cw!: yandere!Scaramouche, possessive behavior, (brief) drowning/suffocation, abduction, (somewhat) suggestive. Tags: merman scaramouche, modern fantasy au, established relationship, gn!reader, open ending. Summary: Scaramouche has finally gotten tired of waiting in one place for you to come back to him.
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You sighed heavily as you walked along the coast, breathing in the salty breeze. Your parents called you back during your vacation, just to rush you to get married. You weren't even that old! They had been nagging you day by day, even on your regular phone calls. Your parents wouldn't understand that you had been dating someone already, even if he can't quite go to meet them.
Scaramouche swam up to the surface the moment he felt your presence. You were gone for way too long! His eyes lit up at the sight of you wearing the necklace he gave you but acted as if he did not care one bit. "Finally care to come back, pipsqueak?," he huffed while taking out a small bracelet designed to your taste. "It doesn't matter. How long are you going to stay this time?"
You looked at him guiltily. You felt horrible for choosing an inland city, making it even more difficult to meet up. "A week at most…?," you scratch your cheek awkwardly while looking away. A dark expression flashes on his face but disappears just as quickly as it appears.
Everyday for the next week, you go to the seashore, at Scaramouche's request, each time bringing a small snack or gift as an apology for leaving him again so quickly. Your parents don't let up on trying to get you to go on blind dates, however. And with their intensifying efforts, your exhaustion also increases, leading to you pouring out all of your complaints on the final day.
Scaramouche smiles almost innocently, his violet eyes glinting under the sunlight. "I have a solution for you." His hands move to pull you down into a deep kiss, each movement slowly claiming the air in lungs as his. His sharp nails dance on the nape of your neck, pulling you deeper into delirium before pulling you into the sea with him.
The cold water pulls you right out of your trance and you struggle against his hold desperately. Scaramouche lets go just enough for regret to fill your eyes, diving back in to give you some much needed air. This time, there is no resistance even when he stakes his claim on your lips, your tongue and even your existence as a whole. He whispers into your ear, his voice killing you into a deep slumber…
"News flash: a resident has been reported missing after going to the seaside. It is recommended to keep your family members, especially children, away from the waters as the current has been rather unforgiving…" Your parents cried, aggrieved at your disappearance. There is nothing they wouldn't give to find you again.
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A/N: oh wow this wip was all the way back from april lololol well happy mermay folks!
🌸 Platonic + Found family or Familial
🪷 spoilers for penacony quest / slight manipulation (?) / overprotectiveness / written during 2.1
Definitely played peekaboo with his wings when you were an infant
Hums songs for you to sleep, or to comfort you
He usually helps you get ready; brushing and doing your hair, fixing your clothing before you go out etc.
Loves to spoil and dote on you, he doesnt have much free time due to his job so he mostly spoils you with a lot of gifts
you will grow up very sheltered, he tells you that no one can take care of you better than he can, and you idolize him in return, he wants to make sure you will never leave his side so that he can protect you
He only really trusts Robin around you, she would babysit you at the time you couldnt stay alone, Sunday would always try his best to get a break to watch over you, but if he couldnt and Robin was busy, he would bring you to work with him
when you could finally stay alone, he would always have some bloodhounds watching over you while he is not there to ensure your safety
if someone ever hurt you, then Sunday would be their worst nightmare
his overprotectiveness gets tenfold because of the events happening before charmony festival
he wouldnt want you to leave dewlight estate after hearing about his dear sisters fate
he would bring anything you want to your room, and spend time with you so you dont feel alone, all he is asking of you is to not leave
overall, a very doting but overprotective father
Reader as the Fatui Harbinger’s own personal tailor, because let’s face it, someone made those badass clothes and winter fits on them, they didn’t just magically appear outta nowhere.
So there’s lil ole you recruited to be their tailor, you used to help around in your mother’s textile shop but got increasingly busy when the Fatui constantly called on you to take measurements and design everything: their combat clothes, their winter coats, their formal attires.
Oh boy and what a chaotic event it is on measurement day, they’re all just at each other’s throats and you’re always wondering how no one has killed each other yet. You’re pretty diligent with your work and somehow most of them had taken a liking towards you.
Keep reading
Can you do platonic Arlecchino with a reader who ran away from the house of the hearth, and years later she found out from the other harbingers they are with the Traveler helping them out on their journey, she later confronts them on Fountain? How would it go, (also can this take place after 4.3?)
(Sure! If you want a part 2 just give me some more context! Dms or just request again! If you want me to change something’s lmk!)
My Dear Child
•When arlecchino first noticed your absence she thouggt you were playing around with Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet but when they noticed them alone to tricks..he was puzzled where was her child?! You were 5 at this time of course Arlecchino was worried you were your CHILD her biological one to be in-fact so she had her fatui unit look for you, over the years she didnt send as many out but she did still kept her eye out not stoping until she finds you
•10 years later you were in fontaine, you didnt think arlecchino was still looking for you so you were a little more laid back, but it was a huge mistake they spotted you immediately seeing that smile, hearing that laugh, it made then smile, happy, they finally found their sibling! So they would quickly go and tell arlecchino he would send extra fatui agents out to fontaine
“My child why did you run?”
•You knew that voice..you didnt think he would still remember fatui agents circling around you, you heard what happen with her and furina you couldnt run you were cornered you were screwed
“It doesnt CONCERN you I didnt want to kill innocent people”
•Arlecchino would sigh fatui agents would grab onto your arms to make you stay in place Arlecchino would walk towards you lifting your chin smirking
“Your siblings missed you lets go home.. My Dear Child”
(FINSIHED!!! YAYAYAY im sorry this was short! So i am willing ti make another part ofc!)
The Tsaritsas and the Harbingers obsession
note -> These HCs are based off of the Pulcinella grandchild AU by @hunnieknight ! (I didnt include Signora cause she is 💀)
paring -> Yandere! Tsaritsa X gn! reader, Yandere! fem! harbingers X gn! reader
warnings -> yandere themed, blood, kidnapping.
content includes -> yandere! characters, obsessive! characters
The Tsaritsa
The first time the Tsaritsas had met you, she knew she was obsessed with you, she found you absolutely adorable
At first her obsession was only platonic, she adored you like a mother would adore a child, but as you grew and reached adulthood, so did her obsession
The Tsaritsas would often tell your grandfather to leave you with her, and while he didnt want to at first he eventually agreed
She would often spend time with you in her garden, the only place where the flowers bloomed, she made sure you knew that your only home is where she is, that that is where you belong, with her
The Tsaritsas wants you to be hers and only hers, but she doesnt mind sharing you with a few of her harbingers
Arlecchino
Arlecchino never had a good relationship with your grandfather, that was one of the reasons why she was suprised that you were his grandchild
Her obsession began when she met you during one of the meetings when your grandfather brought you with him, she knew she had to have you
While she knew that the Tsaritsa already had a unspoken claim on you, that didnt mean she could only have you to herself
Arlecchino would often bring you to the House of the Hearth, and while she May "love" you, she is no afraid of punishing you until you behave
Arlecchino agreed to share you with the Tsaritsa and the other harbingers, tasked to make sure you never escape their grasp
Columbina
Columbinas obsession started the first time she saw you, she found you absolutely adorable and she wants to make you hers
She knew the Tsaritsa and the others already had an obsession with you too, so all of them agreed to share you, which she was pleased with
Columbina would often sing to you to calm you down, especially after every punishment you were given for trying to escape your lovers
She, alongside Sandrone, would dress you in cute outfits and show you off as their precious doll
Columbina would make sure your grandfather doesnt mingle in your affairs, you now belong to the Tsaritsa and the other harbingers
Sandrone
Sandrone is not sure when her obsession started, but she knows she will make you hers, she doesnt care about the Tsaritsas claim on you, you are her perfect doll
She would dress you up and make you into the perfect doll for her and the others, she will make sure you are an obedient little doll just for them~
Sandrone often has one of her robots with you for protection, and to make sure you never escape them
She is the harshest when it comes to punishing you, thats why you always make sure you are obedient for her, because you know she will hurt you
Your poor grandfather has to deal with the fact that he will never see his precious grandchild again, but they could care less about him
do you have any hcs of what the yan genshin boys would b like when darlings on her period?
i'm gonna rank them from best to worst when it comes to dealing with this . let's see how they do.
best
zhongli is on top of his game. it's like he was born for the sole purpose of pampering you when you're under the weather. he'll insist on you taking it easy, drinking soothing teas, eating nutritious meals, and taking medication for whichever symptoms are the most prominent. if he seems oddly content, it's because he is. he won't state it outright, but he wants to leave the impression that him being in the position to care for you like this is worth the sacrifice of some... freedom. he knows of herbs and remedies to help make the experience as painless as possible.
kazuha already dotes on you as if you were royalty. while he leads a rather transient lifestyle, he puts your travels on pause to ensure you're properly cared for. he's sweet to a degree that'd be condescending from anyone else, but because it's kazuha and it's completely genuine, you can't call him out on it. he'll lay your head down on his lap and softly recite poetry until you doze off. he might not know much about periods specifically, but he treats it as if you were injured and need to be nursed back to health. he makes you your favorite meals from ingredients foraged locally. considers it a privilege on his part to be able to care for you. warmth blossoms in his chest whenever you have no choice but to ask him for something, your pride temporarily discarded.
albedo knows when your period is about to start before it even crosses your mind. he calculates every phase of your cycle and writes the important dates down in a calendar. he's all about preemptive care, he'll give you some concoctions of his own making the night before your period is due to start so you don't even have to worry about cramp pain. if you've been particularly troublesome lately, he might withhold this miracle elixir until you butter him up. he doesn't come outright and tell you this either, you have to do some trial and error to discern the specifics. as an alchemist, anything to do with the functions necessary to create life greatly fascinate him.
childe has sisters, so he's roughly familiar with how unpleasant periods are. he'll grin and reassure you that a little blood has never frightened him. thinks you're the cutest thing ever when you have to rely on him more. he's happy to oblige and is surprisingly intuitive about requests you never state verbally. he makes the tastiest soups, the kind that warm you from head to toe with every bite. there's no use trying to pretend you don't like it because he knows. he calms down on his tendency to tease you, since in his view, it's never his intent to actively make you feel distraught (unless you've acted out in a way that puts you in danger).
cyno means well (probably) but can come off as a little overbearing. he's literally breathing down your neck and constantly reminding you that if you need anything, just say the word. he's carrying you around, bringing you meals in bed, running all over town to get that one snack he knows you love; he's nothing if not dedicated. the thought of you being uncomfortable, much less in pain, is unbearable. when you do fall asleep, he's peeking into the room every five or ten minutes. every time you get your period, should any blood get on the sheets, he'll look you dead in the eye and ask if you've gotten in a fight lately. when you don't laugh, he starts explaining the joke, so it's better to force a chuckle.
diluc is just awkward about it. he refers to it as 'your time of the month' but even choking those words out is a struggle. he considers it to be a very private occurrence and thinks it'd be polite to tiptoe around the subject, as if it were taboo. the staff at dawn winery make further accommodations for you — everything you could ever want is a ring away. he's normally skeptical about you going outside, but since you're under the weather, he'll grant your request. if you're observant, you'll notice he's more inclined to give into your whims during this time. just don't get too carried away or he'll say he knows what you're doing at pointblank.
scaramouche is mostly annoyed that you're going to be more cranky for a while. your attention is essentially his lifeblood, but when you don't feel well, you're focusing on that instead of him. kind of inconsiderate tbh. once asked dottore if there's a way to prevent this, but dropped the idea when the harbinger said 'it only requires a few organs to be removed.' scaramouche would prefer your organs remain as is. he'll sigh and huff about how lucky you are to have him while spoon-feeding you, despite the fact he secretly enjoys it. his words are a whopping 10% nicer until you start to feel better, something he is frequently reminding you of. when your period is finished, he keeps staring in your general direction, fully expecting you to trip over yourself to thank him for his benevolence. if being delusional is a game, then he's winning.
when it comes to xiao, he's not awful per se, but this is likely his first encounter with menstruation, so you have to explain everything about it. he gets a bit freaked out the first time you wake up to bloody sheets, although you wouldn't be able to tell unless you closely observe his body language. he's somewhat at a loss when you explain what you need during your period and probably doesn't grab all the right things. he makes you eat these awfully bitter herbs that are supposed to help with pain. also makes some watery tea but gives you such a hopeful look, you don't have the heart to complain about the taste.
worst