Out Of Breath // Akaashi Keiji (drabble!)

just a bite.

modern!au vampire!scaramouche x reader

summary: being roommates with a vampire who craves you carnally just as much as he does for sustenance? awk.

word count: 4.6k 

tw/cw: 18+ only, afab reader, drinking, unintentional roommates with a vampire (he kind of just invites himself in. and never leaves), mutual masturbation, sex in exchange for blood, frottage, rutting, bodily fluids, bloodplay, blood drinking, scaramouche isn’t really so much bitter, angry scaramouche or calmer wanderer but more a blend of both? (he’s really just a stray cat who latches onto you), lots of banter, brief reference to suicidal behavior (scaramouche)

–author’s note: happy late bday scaramouche <3

“You’re leaving?” 

While two months ago, you wouldn’t think twice about stepping out to grab drinks with a friend, now things are different. Two months ago, after all, you did not have a half-starved vampire passed out on your doorstep, after trying to deny himself of his one source of sustenance.

Two months ago, after all, you didn’t invite said vampire into your apartment unknowingly, only to find yourself pinned to your doormat, his crazed, crimson-tinged gaze focused intently on your neck. 

Two months ago, after all, you did not have said vampire now lingering in your house as an unofficial guest after said unsuccessful attempt to drain you dry. 

(“You were the only one stupid enough to let me in,” he said drily, kicking his feet up onto your coffee table the day after, when you had awoken after his frenzy. Surprised you’re still alive, he’d said nonchalantly. As if he was not a stranger in your house. As if he hadn’t tried to suck the life out of you like some kind of vertically-challenged tick. He ignored your attempts to swat his feet off, instead crossing his arms and tossing his head to the side. 

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- affection with the wanderer in the avidya forest

- fluff hehe

a/n: i think it would be funny if scara had to do community service after all the stuff he did to sumeru so i briefly mentioned it in this. anyways scara brainrot go brrrr

- lowercase is on purpose

it started with a simple kiss to the back of his hand: quick and fleeting, just the way he liked it. see, too much affection without prior announcement was a no-go with the wanderer.

but then, when you tried to let go of his hand, he held on tight, almost desperately, and so you kissed his hand again, and then his wrist, all the way up to his neck where his knees began to buckle everytime your lips pressed against the sensitive spot between his jaw and throat.

luckily, no one was around or else he would have never allowed something like this to happen.

a nice quiet walk in the avidya forest was what you both needed after a stressful day of his "community service" that was mandated after the...everything... that happened.

He spoke little to no words during this walk, simply being by your side while your hands brushed lightly against each others. you were the one to initiate contact, sliding your fingers around his pinkie. he merely glanced at your hands and grunted before looking straight ahead again.

eventually you took hold of his ring finger as well, and then his whole hand which led to where you are now.

"what do you think you're doing?" he asks, eyes glaring sharply at you.

with a small smile on your face, you reply, "i think it's very obvious what i'm doing."

at this, he sucks in his breath through his teeth, looking anywhere but at you while he can still feel your warm breath on his neck, until slowly you lean back.

"do you want me to stop?"

biting his lip and still unable to meet your eyes, he swallows harshly while fidgeting with his one free hand, your hand still gently holding his other one.

"if i wanted you to stop, i would have told you already."

letting out a quick hum, you agree and kiss him once again on his neck before making your way to his jaw, the corner of his mouth, and then finally a quick kiss on his lips, barely lasting a second. seemingly dissatisfied, he groans and grips your chin between his index and thumb.

"that was weak," he says, before pressing his lips more firmly against yours, your eyes fluttering shut while he walks you backwards to the nearest tree. your back hits it with a quiet thud and his free hand soon comes to rest above your head while his other still held yours, effectively pinning you against it.

his mouth moved faster against yours, his body pressing into yours as if he was trying to mold himself with you, like he had been craving your touch for the entirety of his very long existence. the fingers of your free hand eventually find his hair, carding them through the strands and pulling softly.

when he was satisfied, he pulled away, his usual unimpressed scowl returning to his face. "if you're going to kiss me, at least do it right."

"oh? would you like me to pin you to a tree next time?"

"shut it."

daybreak.

soaked in sunshine.  f!reader ; wc: 705 ; fluff. 

happy birthday, miya atsumu. you are one of two libras i will never condemn. 

there’s a smile on your face. atsumu thinks that maybe everything will be okay. 

you weave a hand through his hair, eyes searching his own. “the sun is a good look on you,” you muse teasingly. 

he rolls his eyes. “i always look good.” 

he’s not sure when he became uncertain about things ever not being okay. he’s not sure how he could with you next to him.

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HEADCANON + VARIOUS || wearing their clothes

request: I don’t know why no one requested this classic yet but how would toge,yuta,and megumi react to female reader, wearing their clothes and acting like them?

note: lowkey boys brains will go brr brr  LMAO - but this one is so cute >< like i want to wear their clothes too~ i wanted this to be just like an ask but then i got sidetracked and it became a headcanon cx but i hope you enjoy it regardless~

pronouns: she/her

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fingerless gloves.

with miya atsumu.

in 0.3k words.

tags angst, it’s sad, i’m really proud of this one too, gn!reader

You told him your favorite season was winter.

The fact stuck to his memory like a sticky note posted on the wall adjacent to his desk. The first time you told him this was on a cold winter night before he dropped you off at the doorstep of your home. He asked you why. You rubbed your hands together, blowing your warm breath onto them, and he placed his calloused hands on top of yours. You told him that it was because your hands always got cold, and it was the perfect time to hold hands in hopes of getting warm.

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UM NAT YOU KNOW WHAT IM ABOUT TO ASK BUT

can you do my favorite song (you know cause you complain that I play it too much 😔🥺🥰) and akaashi?

that’s really if you can love <3333

HI SEQ THANK U FOR THE REQUEST i hope you like it.....i feel like i didn’t do it justice gklshgklsdgh hope u enjoy bb <3

☾.:°∗★.:☆:.★∗°:.☽

empty cups : charlie puth

☾.:°∗★.:☆:.★∗°:.☽

the apartment-- house-- room?-- wherever you are-- is hot and crowded and loud, but you can’t help but feel addicted to the rush of energy you get from being here. maybe following bokuto’s invite was a good thing. 

you’re not sure what’s in the cup you’re holding--it’s spiked. definitely. the flavor is lost on your tongue as you throw back yet another cup and throw it out in the kitchen. 

from the corner of your eye, you spot bokuto talking to another one of his friends--the tall one with the weird black hair. you’re about to approach them to start a conversation when another person catches your attention from across the room. 

it’s akaashi. hands around a red plastic cup, eyes trained on you until you notice him--then his eyes flit to the side and you find it way too endearing for your own good. 

you smile. perfect opportunity, right there. 

tipsy and playful, you grin widely at your black-haired friend, approaching him quickly with a jump in your step until you sidle up to him and he returns the expression. there’s a cute little gleam in his eyes as he smiles at you. it makes you lose your breath. 

“hi.” 

“hi.” 

it’s an awkward greeting, but you both delve off into stupid giggles. (he’s not tipsy, judging by the leftover liquid in his cup, but he laughs like he is. it makes your head fuzzier than it already is.)

“having fun?” you ask him. his eyes shift to the side and he drones out an ‘uhh…’ before responding. 

“not really my favorite place. it’s alright, i guess.” a pause, then, “it’s nice with you here, though.” 

oh. oh wow, fuck. a small smile lifts on his lips as he watches your expression turn flustered. cheeky motherfucker. 

a low chuckle escapes you as you snap back to your senses. “you think i’m the only nice part about the party?” it’s meant to be a simple joke, one that flusters him and makes his face flush and ears warm, but when he looks up at you, expression steadfast and unmoving, you know you’ve gotten yourself into something. 

“i guess you are. it’d be even nicer if it was just you, though.” 

holy shit. stupid boy. stupid drinks. akaashi is smiling--a genuine one, it’s not just cocky, but there’s certainly a hint of achievement in his expression. 

“okay.” you’re short-circuiting. two syllables is the most you can get out in a five second time span so you take a minute to recover. “why don’t we leave, then?”

he nods in agreement, smile still stuck on, and your thoughts are filled with ‘kiss him stupid kiss him stupid’ as you grab his hand and lead him out.  

☾.:°∗★.:☆:.★∗°:.☽

TAGLIST: @akaashi-bby @losertsukki @shehellamad @peteunderoos @tsukisemi @vhskenma @wompwomphq

send an ask if you wanted to be added to the taglist for this event!

kazuha + hurt/comfort + normal au + childhood friends to lovers, please <3

MAPLE LEAVES.

hello and goodbye; the autumn comes and passes, yet you still wait.

pairing: kazuha/gender neutral reader (platonic, romantic)

category: hurt/comfort + (implied bc apparently i can’t do it any other way) childhood friends to lovers, reader is kind of bland in this one i’m sorry LOL

note: i feel like this fic makes no sense 😍 el oh el; i think i changed his story kind of pls kazuha lovers forgive me

everything seemed to be more vibrant when you were children.

the sun hanging up high in the sky, the butterflies you caught, the way his hair glistened when the both of you got wet in the rain. the way his eyes were the same color as the maple leaves over his head.

the first long goodbye that you shared was the one when you had to travel with your parents on a business trip for a week or two. looking back at it, it wasn’t so long, yet for two kids that didn’t know the flow of time, it seemed like forever.

are you going to come back?

‘course i will, kazu. and i’m gonna bring you a lot of souvenirs!

promise?

promise!

the second long goodbye happened when he was leaving in a hurry, excitement in his voice. he barged into your family home and brought a weird sense of relief with him — a weird one, considering he was one with no mora to his name anymore, the eldest son of a just fallen clan. he seemed free and before he even spoke, you knew what he was going to say. and you were no one to keep him here.

i’m gonna travel the forests and mountains, dove. the nature speaks and it calls out to me; and i am not the one to decline it’s calling.

i know you’re not, kazuha. just remember, if you ever need a place to stay, i’ll be here. i’ll always be here.

it was also the first time he kissed you, successfully ruining the chances for you pursuing anyone else, whether he was aware of that or not. it was quick and harsh, and it was not enough.

the third long goodbye happened after tomo challenged the raiden shogun to a duel. after kaedehara kazuha caught his friend’s vision and fled, fled as fast as he could. after kaedehara kazuha became a wanted criminal in every corner of inazuma.

the funny thing with this goodbye was the fact that it never really happened. he used to come back, from his travels, with trinkets and stories, new poems and the wind. and you drank up every word that spilled from his lips like honey, treasured the sight of him as if it was the last time you’d see him and held him as if he was a mere imagination created by your brain; gently, carefully. fearfully.

you were fearful and kaedehara kazuha was anything but that. he was a free soul, the one of a wanderer and you were but a mere human waiting for him to come back. if kaedehara kazuha was the free winds and stories yet to be discovered, you were the calm breeze and the feeling of familiarness that one feels while stepping into their childhood home.

he left a letter; scribbled and left under your pillow and when you found it you held it without opening it for hours on end.

kaedehara kazuha was gone and you knew this time, you might not see him again.

do not wait for me. do not wait for me, please. you deserve someone else. you deserve better.

but you didn’t want someone else and you didn’t want better. you wanted him.

and so autumn came the way it always did; and it passed the same way it always did. and you waited. you waited while the seasons were changing and waited while the maple leaves grew and fell.

and he came back. the same way he always did; with a new poem and a story and for the first time, with tears in his eyes.

i’m sorry, i’m so sorry. you’ll never have to wait again.

i’d wait for you a hundred years if that’s what i’d have to do. you’re worth it all.

⠀「 Good Game 」 

Reblogs are greatly appreciated !!  

「 FEAT : 」 Kazuha x gn! reader

「 ### : 」 Starts out a lil tense but it’s fluff !! Suggestiveness? Kissing and sort of making out?? But nothing too wild. Flirty & cocky kazuha and flirty & competitive reader !! Modern AU. 

「 CWS : 」 Use of pseudo guns & a pseudo battle but (spoiler!!) its just a rlly intense laser tag game lmao. Reader gets pinned against the wall at one point, but it’s highly implied that you could escape whenever.

Collab entry for my beloved @anantaru​ & @bluexiao​ ‘s Sweet N Spice collab ♡

also if you see me posting this like 4 days before the deadline no you dont edit: reposting this bc it wasn’t showing up in tags 💔

There is the rhythmic thump of your blood pulsing in your ears, only contested by your ragged breaths and the distant noise of laser fire. Your heart is pounding in your chest, muscles wound tight and ready to spring into action at the barest hint of danger. There is sheer adrenalin running through your veins, your fight or flight instinct not having rested ever since the threat had made itself known.

It’s darker than you would have liked, the place illuminated only by painfully bright strobing lights of different colors— every time those lights flash, you’re not sure what’s enemy fire and what isn’t. Every time, you nearly jump out of your skin.

Cautiously, you dare to peek out from behind the wall where you’ve taken shelter. The lights don’t reveal any assailants prowling in your sight, so you give yourself the space to breathe a sigh of relief. The gun in your hand, pulsing with fluorescent lights,  feels too heavy for your tired limbs. The ache only makes itself more known as the seconds tick by, and it mounts when you sneak a glance at the small screen on your forearm, where you can keep track of your comrades’ status. 

All but two names had been greyed out.

Among your teammates, Ayaka had fallen not too long ago, with Thoma also biting the dust taking revenge on her murderer. The numbers on each opposing side dwindled little by little from there, and now only Yoimiya’s and your own name remained. She had gone on her own path a while ago to deal with one of the two enemies remaining, and you suppose knowing that she isn’t yet out of the fight is reassuring. But the faint flashing light on the battery of your gun —almost out of ammunition, fuck— is enough to send a pit right back into your stomach. 

You don’t know how much longer you can keep yourself alive, barely managing to dance out of the line of fire and shooting back when you can. There might not be enough juice left in this thing, you think, swallowing. Likely not enough to last you if you ran into—

“There you are.”

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I'm a sucker for calm, sunshine-y characters going berserk upon seeing their loved ones hurt. Can I request Kazuha and Thoma rescuing their kidnapped s/o from treasure hoarders, only to find them bruised and beaten? Tysm ❤️ And congrats for 145 followers, you deserve ten times more!

close your eyes for me.

masterlist!

# — pairings: thoma, kazuha x gn!reader

# — characters: gender neutral reader, thoma, kazuha, ayaka, beidou, treasure hoarders

# — summary: he doesn't want you to see him like this.

# — warnings: violence, blood mention, minor character death, injuries, kinda ooc thoma

# — tags: drabble format, angst, kidnapping and rescue, revenge, hurt/comfort (physical), fluff

# — notes: anon, i really, really, really like your taste :D i actually almost made myself sad writing thoma's.. i love him dearly :( as always, reblogs and reactions are always appreciated, and i hope you enjoy!!

✧— 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚 — ✧

thoma doesn't panic right away when you don't arrive on time.

you were supposed to meet him at komore teahouse for a date; you two made it a routine to have dates there at least twice a week whenever he had the time. it wasn't normal for you to be late, but you'd told him in advance that you were coming from konda village after staying there for a few days, since your parents lived out there. thoma told you to be careful on your way, since there were wandering ronin and treasure hoarders on the outskirts of the island.

"i know you can handle yourself just fine, but," thoma's green eyes swam with concern, "if you come across them, try not to fight, okay?"

you patted his cheek twice. "alright, you big worrywart." you laughed when he perked up a little and leaned in to kiss his nose. "i'll try my best."

thoma wrapped his fingers around the back of your neck, preventing you from pulling away. "do you promise?" he said lowly.

you hummed, an enamored smile parting your lips. "i swear i'll be as careful as i can. if i come across any danger, i'll get away as quickly as i can."

the two of you made a rule early on in your relationship that promises were to be sealed with a kiss, so you kissed him twice for good measure; once to seal the promise, and another time to keep him from whining. as charismatic and confident as thoma may appear, he was actually quite clingy when it came to you. you thought the two kisses would be enough, but thoma doesn't let you go.

"not yet," he murmured against your lips. "just a little more."

you chuckled. "you're so greedy."

as the minutes become hours, thoma's stomach starts to sink. was something wrong? did something happen to you? did you get into any fights and lose?

"no." thoma denies quickly. you wouldn't lose -- you couldn't. call him biased but your strength was unparalleled; you wouldn't let some random treasure hoarder best you. he closes his eyes as he thinks about you wielding your claymore against a mob of attackers. you handled your weapon with so much grace that people often thought it weighed nothing. thoma's about to lose himself in daydreaming about you when a worker of the teahouse appears in the entryway.

"sorry to intrude," she says with a bow, "but i received a letter for you. it was delivered by a suspicious individual, so i came to you right away." in her hands is a yellowed envelope, the edges of which seemed to be burnt.

thoma struggles to keep his expression even as he takes the letter. only when the employee is gone does he allow himself to be swept away by the waves of anxiety. he doesn't have to open it to know that this is a ransom note; this wouldn't be the first time he's seen one. he removes his headband and tentatively removes the seal and pulls out the letter.

the first thing that catches his eye is the large stain on the paper. bile sours thoma's tongue when he works out what it is.

the blood -- your blood -- has already started to oxidize, the stain taking on a rusty color. you must have been gone for far longer than he'd thought if that was ths case. thoma works his fingers through his hair as he reads the contents.

'two billion mora,' the letter reads, 'or they die.'

"two billion." thoma echos. he puffs out an incredulity. you were worth so much more than some two billion mora, but as comforting as that thought was, he knew the kamisato clan didn't just have that much money lying around. even if they did, as a retainer, it wasn't his place to ask for such a large sum anyways; his reputation amongst the staff was very good, but it can't possibly be that good. he makes himself sick just thinking about ways to preserve his reputation while you were missing.

as much as it pains him to do it, thoma tries to go about this rationally first. his body is itching to scour every nook and cranny of jinren island (since your abductors were kind enough to tell you where they were -- probably for ransom delivery), but he knows he would achieve nothing that way. plus, he'd likely be outnumbered. thoma smiles bitterly as he puts his headband back on. who cares about being outnumbered? he needed to see you safe and sound sooner rather than later.

he gets back to the kamisato estate in record time, where he heads straight to ayaka. she's having tea with ayato when he sees her. if this were any other day, he'd feel bad for intruding; the siblings don't get much time to see each other due to their respestive duties, but this -- you -- were far more important.

"thoma, you look exhausted," ayaka comments as she stands and makes her way over. he'd tried to keep a level head as he traveled, but he must have tried to sprint all the way here. no wonder his chest was burning. "you look about ready to pass out. is everything alright?"

thoma doesn't respond right away. he can't, not with how tight his chest feels. his breath comes in short and shallow. he pulls the crumpled letter from his pocket. he'd crushed it impulsively after reading it. ayaka tentatively takes the note from him and gasps when she realizes who exactly was missing. there was only one person that could make him panic like this.

ayato approaches next and reads the note. his face hardens and he crumples the paper back up. "i don't believe we can spare that much mora," he says through grit teeth, "but if i explain the situation to the tenyrou commission, then--"

"that's very kind of you," thoma interjects, "but what would people think of the yashiro commission if they found out you were doing all of this for a mere retainer?"

ayaka looks cross. "you're not just a retainer, thoma." she rests a hand on his shoulders, squeezing gently when she feels trembling. "you are like family to us; you know that."

thoma inhales sharply. he's already past his limit. he hasn't felt this helpless since he first arrived in inazuma all those years ago. he really didn't miss this feeling. ayaka's heartfelt words do very little to soothe him. because while it's always nice to know that he's got a family within the kamisato siblings, he also has a family in you.

but you're not here.

molten tears sting his eyes, but he blinks them back before they get the best of him. thoma's never cried in front of anyone before, and he didn't want to start now. "i appreciate it," he says after a while, offering the siblings his most grateful smile. "but i think i'll go and get them on my own."

ayato puts his foot down. "absolutely not. you're far too valuable, thoma; going there alone would be a suicide mission, and i refuse to endanger you like that."

"then you can rest easy; you're not the one putting me in danger." thoma feels a bit of his usual energy return to him as he give ayato a reassuring smile. "i'll be endangering myself."

"that's not--" ayato sighs harshly. he rolls his shoulders back -- a sign that he's admitting defeat. as expected yashiro commissioner, he's likely already thought ahead. he can't stop thoma. they both know it. "very well. come back safe. do you understand? that's an order."

ayaka nods and steps beside her brother. she doesn't look like she agrees, but there's not much she can do now. thoma supposes it's for the best. he gives them both a grin before accepting the order and leaving a bow. as soon as he exits the room, the smile drops from his face. he was going to head straight for that island without wasting another second. "i'll be there soon." he mutters to the open air.

getting to jinren island took a lot longer than he hoped it would.

it was so far off the coast of narukami; he could see why it was a gathering place for criminals. thoma hadn't been very subtle in his arrival, so he's greeted by about four treasure hoarders, two of which held large shovels. after doing a quick sweep, thoma notices that none of them have visions.

good. that makes this a lot easier then.

thoma raises his hands in surrender. "gentlemen." he greets with his most diplomatic smile.

"where's the mora?" one of the bulkier men demands. he growls when thoma clicks his tongue.

"now, now, don't you boys know how negotiations work?" he chides gently, like a parent scolding their child. "especially when something as precious as another person's life is at stake... has no one ever taught you this? let me confirm that they're alive first, and then you get the money."

the treasure hoarders aren't as stupid as he was hoping. one of them shoves a blade in his face. thoma doesn't flinch.

"boss says that that's not how it goes."

"do you not trust me?" thoma raises a brow before jerking his head in the direction of the boat he came in on. "if you don't believe me, then by all means, feel free to check my bag."

the criminals locate his bag easily. they lift it with some difficulty and hear the familiar jingling of what they assume is mora. thoma has to bite back a mocking laugh when he realizes that they didn't even check the bag; they just thought he brought mora. content with the "ransom", they escort thoma further onto the island.

there's a wooden cage in the center of some platform on a hill, and more treasure hoarders standing guard around it. there's more wooden cages, but since no one is near those, it's safe to assume they were empty. when thoma finally steps onto the platform, he sees you.

you're crumpled on the floor of the cage, your body curled in on itself. it looked like you'd passed out while clutching your stomach. thoma blindly sprints towards you and glares at a treasure hoarder until he opens the cage. the door swings open, and thoma's by your side in an instant, fretting over your unconscious body. you don't wake when he shakes you, and bile rises to his mouth again. he tilts you to get a better look at your face, and--

"how long were they here." thoma doesn't recognize his own voice. he gingerly wipes the fresh blood from under your nose with his thumb, grimacing when he feels some more dried blood crumble beneath it. your breathing shallow and stuttered, and thoma feels rage beginning to simmer. you have a black eye and there's both dried and fresh blood caked to your forehead. you have a few deep cuts on your cheeks that have clearly been treated with very little care, and as thoma's eyes trail down your body, he sees violet and yellowing bruises extend down into your clothes.

the rage grows to a boil in no time. "i asked how long they were here." thoma speaks again. "answer me."

a scrawny treasure hoarder nearby shrugs. "about three days."

that's exactly how long you were gone for. you must never have even made it to your parents.

thoma's about to summon his spear when a deep groan bubbles out of your chest. his anger fizzles like a spark dampened by water as he watches you wake up. "hey, hey." he whispers, his smile fragile as your eyes flutter open. his heart crumbles as he sees you try your best to focus on him, especially with your bruised eye. "good morning, sunshine."

his attempt to keep you calm doesn't work. you hardly get to rasp his name before you're coughing violently, tears forming in your eyes as you do. you can't seem to stop, and the very sensation only seems to worsen the pain. "what are you--" you're interrupted by your own coughing again.

thoma shushes you gently. you must have a broken rib. "i came to pick you up. you were late for our date, you know." he's trying so hard to remain calm, trying to keep himself sane since he's finally found you, but when you return his weak smile and he sees the blood staining your teeth, the rage reignites itself.

"took you long enough." you wheeze. your eyes lose focus again. "you're a little blurrier than i remember you." you try to joke.

thoma doesn't laugh. he knows you're trying to put him at ease, but it's not working. it's not going to work. he slips away from you and rises to his feet. "that's fine, baby. get some more rest for me, yeah? let me finish up here and then we can go home."

the treasure hoarders around you two sense something’s off and brandish their weapons, pointing them at thoma, whose got his own polearm at the ready. "what do you think you're doing?!" one of the men yells.

on the ground, you call thoma's name. "w-what's going on? what are you--?"

your boyfriend turns around for a second and gives you his sweetest smile. even with hazy vision, you can see the playful shimmer of his emerald eyes. "sleep for just a little while longer, baby." he faces the enraged treasure hoarders again, his voice dropping to something you've never heard before. "i'll be quick."

(he wouldn't know until it was over, but you had actually passed out as soon as soon as he told you to sleep. it wasn't so much that you were obeying him, but more that you physically couldn't stay conscious any longer.)

thoma doesn't think he's ever fought so viciously in his life.

he swings his polearm to the side, relishing in the cracking he hears as he knocks over two treasure hoarders. he makes quick work of the potioneers, bringing the base of his polearm down on the backs of their heads without a second thought. they crumple like ragdolls, and for a split second, he wonders if he killed them. he wanted to kill them -- he wanted nothing more than to skewer each and every one of these bastards and fling them into the ocean -- but if anyone were to find out what happened here, it would only complicate things.

he tries to avoid killing the remaining few, but not without stabbing them in non-vital areas with the blade of his weapon. one of the treasure hoarders has the gall to beg for mercy. "funny," he chuckles, swiping the blood off his cheek with a thumb, "i'm sure my lover said the same thing."

the last treasure hoarder gives him a hard way to go. the rest of the shovel holders went down pretty quickly, but this one clearly dwarfed everyone with his size. thoma assesses him very quickly and nearly succumbs to the darkest thought in his head.

someone had to die for this. one body wouldn't hurt, would it?

his next thought halts him in his tracks, nearly getting his head crushed by the burly treasure hoarder. as nice as it would be to kill at least one person, screw the commission -- if you found out, what would you think of him then? thoma makes up his mind quickly and inserts himself into the fight once more.

after a lengthy struggle, thoma finally manages to jam his polearm into the treasure hoarder's thigh, bringing him to his knees. thoma finishes the fight with a solid crack to the back of his head, knocking him out cold. he observes the mess he made and nods to himself. this felt good; giving them what they deserved. he makes his way back over to you.

you're exactly where he left you, curled on the floor of the cage. thoma picks you up as gently as he can and carries you back to the boat he came in on. he's about to rest you down when he sees two more boats coming in, both bearing symbols of the kamisato clan.

ayato and ayaka were on one boat. even after he told them not to, they came to assist him. the other boat held a few samurai to arrest the treasure hoarders. ayato helps thoma carry you onto their sturdier boat while ayaka strokes your head to keep you asleep amidst all the commotion. her touch is feather light, and it works to keep you asleep.

maybe it works a little too well, because the next time you open your eyes, you're in a bed.

you wake with a start, desperately sucking in air as if you were drowning. you regret it immediately as your lungs and ribcage scream in protest. a large set of hands is on you quickly, the one on your back rubbing soothing circles. you slap it away quickly. "don't touch me, i-- thoma?"

any fight you managed to muster leaves your body at the sight of your boyfriend by your side. there's dark circles under his eyes, shadowing their usual forest green color. "hey, stranger. you feel any better?"

your shoulders droop and you reach over, holding his face in your hand. thoma leans into your touch, holding onto your wrist for dear life. he practically nuzzles your palm with closed eyes, waiting for you response. you're so shocked by his behavior that it takes you a minute. "how... how long was i asleep for?"

thoma's eyes open, but not all the way. "about 36 hours. you..." he sighs, clearly bothered by the information. "you got roughed up pretty bad. how do you feel?"

"i feel like death, but did you sleep?" you brush your thumb over his cheek, your heart cracking when he sighs, content. "you must have been so worried, thoma, i'm sor--"

"don't," he snaps. he catches himself, murmuring an apology. "don't say sorry. no, i didn't sleep much. i was just-- i was worried you'd disappear again. last time you left my sight, you..."

every word seems to take more and more energy out of him. you may be the injured one, but thoma's distress has to be the most painful thing for you right now. love works so strange sometimes. you move your hand and run your fingers through his hair. "i'm not going anywhere again, okay?" you giggle lightly when thoma nearly purrs at the feeling. "look at you. you're like a giant cat."

"i'm your giant cat." he smiles then, and you see a glimmer of his usual self start to show. you know you mean a lot to him, but to see just how much is almost overwhelming. "i love you. so, so much, you know?"

"yeah." you grin. maybe you'll heal faster with him by your side. "i know. now go get some sleep, thoma. i'll be here in the morning."

"...you promise?"

you beckon him towards you, remembering your usual promise tradition. he leans in and you peck his lips, laughing when he starts to pout. there he is, you think. there's your thoma.

"i promise."

✧ — 𝐤𝐚𝐳𝐮𝐡𝐚 — ✧

kazuha will never forgive himself for not being the first to notice your absence.

it's beidou who brings it up first. it had been a few weeks since the crew made a stop in liyue harbor. everyone went their separate ways; some to visit family, some, like kazuha, to explore the surrounding areas. you and kazuha had gone your separate ways two days ago since he decided to venture further out, but you had responsibilities aboard the alcor.

"are you going to set sail with us again?" you finally mustered up the courage to ask. you were on edge all night, caught between asking kazuha to just stay with you and letting him go. you knew he was a free spirit, and you feared that once he started on his journey, you two would have to part ways for good.

kazuha crossed the room and sat beside you, his head tilted in question. "are you afraid that i might not?"

you nod wordlessly. it's embarrassing enough that you had to ask; you probably sounded clingy, and you knew how much kazuha hated it, even if he never said it out loud.

"...it seems like you've come to a conclusion without me. may i pick your brain, my love?" he nudged your shoulder with his.

it was impossible to keep secrets from him. you knew this. kazuha's observation skills were second to none, even when it didn't involve nature. you decided to confide in him, knowing that your relationship wouldn't grow unless you communicated. "i'm just worried that you might not return."

kazuha hummed. "if it's my combat skills that youre concerned about..."

"no, no, it's not that! i... i feel like once you leave, you'll find that you're happier out there." you swallowed down the unwelcome tightness in your throat. "you're a wanderer, kazuha, and i'm bound to the alcor. i'm scared that after this little break, you won't want to come back."

kazuha, stunned by your vulnerability, blinked a few times. even though you valued communication, you still struggled to talk to anybody, including him. he looked at you a little longer, trying to figure out why you would think he would ever leave your side.

it's true that he's a free spirit, but even the wind has to settle sometimes.

"dove," he said, taking your hand in his own, "i could never leave you for long." he chuckled at the look of mild disbelief that you gave him. "to me, it sounds as though you thought i would be upset with you for asking me to stay."

"i don't want to stifle you." you confessed. "i love you too much to do that to you."

kazuha made a small "ah" noise. he got off the bed and stood between your legs, tilting your head so you could look up at him. "ask me to stay." he pursed his lips for a moment. "on second thought, tell me to stay."

it wasn't worded like a question. you hesitated.

"i love you as you love me, perhaps even more so, if you would believe me." kazuha's hands explored your face gently, fingers smoothing over your eyebrows or lightly pinching at your nose. he had the most lovestruck smile on his face, and it made you flush. "i would do anything for you; i would grow roots and stay by your side if you'd let me."

"of course i'd let you!"

kazuha leaned down. "then tell me." he whispered. "tell me to stay. wherever you go, i'll go; wherever you stay, i'll stay. to the ends of teyvat, my dove, i would follow you anywhere."

this wasn't what you had in mind when you made up your mind to talk to him. you felt as though you were a child with a crush all over again, growing more and more flustered by the second with how close kazuha was to your face. he kissed your cheek. "go on, dove. say it."

"kazuha..." your heart sat in your throat, and the lump you suppressed earlier returned with a vengeance. "i don't know, i--"

your lover kissed your other cheek, his ruby eyes encouraging you to answer. you hated that you were so conflicted over this, but if he grew to hate you for forcing him to settle down--

"you're not forcing me," kazuha said. your face burned as you realized you said that out loud. he kissed your lips this time. "you're so lovely, my little dove. say it."

your walls came toppling down a lot easier than you expected. the pros of having kazuha around greatly outweighed the cons, and if he ever did wish to go his own way, then that was a conversation he would most likely have with you. he wouldn't just abandon you without a word. so you tell him.

"stay." you barely had the word out before kazuha kissed you, stealing it right from your lips.

"again." he murmured.

"please, stay."

kazuha pressed light kisses all over your face, drinking in the giggle you gave him. "as you wish."

you had little difficulty parting with him after that. reassured by the promise of return, you flew through your tasks aboard the ship with ease as you waited for the day kazuha returned.

but when he did return, you were nowhere to be found.

kazuha knows that he shouldn't blame himself for not being able to find you first, but he does anyways. he wasn't the first to board the alcor -- beidou was. when he got there later that morning, she pulled him into her cabin and slammed two things on the table. it was a dagger and a sheet of paper with demands scribbled on it. he didn't have to read the contents to know what it meant.

"i couldn't find them when i got here," she sighs, her arms folded tightly over her chest, "so i asked any early crewmates but they said they haven't seen them either. then i found this stabbed into my door."

kazuha's jaw jumps as he tries to find the proper words to say. he now understands how you must feel whenever you're trying to stop yourself from being crass with people who you dislike. his eyes flutter shut. if he looks at that letter any longer, he'll have much more trouble containing himself. "what does it say," he asks flatly. "who is it and what do they want?"

beidou, who seems equally as pissed as kazuha, reads the ransom note again. "they want all our valuables, so... my guess is treasure hoarders. how did those scummy bastards manage to organize something like this in the first place?"

how, indeed. it's a great question. kazuha doesn't care for the answer. "is there a location?"

the captain squints. "don't tell me you actually want me to surrender our supplies." if she were anybody else, that would come across as her prioritizing materials over your safety, but kazuha knows her better than that. he can see it when he opens his eyes. "it says they're near qingxu pool. there's a bunch of abandoned homes out there, so--"

"will you assist me, captain?" kazuha's not the brash type, never one to interrupt someone midsentence unless absolutely necessary, but beidou takes no offense to it. his expression is blank -- too void of emotion to be normal. needless to say, she gets why he's being a little impulsive.

beidou herself isn't one to dive headfirst into situations like this. as the captain of the crux fleet, she is not only responsible for overseeing the crew's behavior and the ship's maintenance, she is also a diplomat meant to keep the peace.

but she, like kazuha, is also a fighter. her answering smile is sharp. "i'll go inform the crew that we're gonna delay our departure."

once technicalities are out of the way, kazuha and beidou exit liyue harbor and walk towards the designated location. the trip is silent as kazuha tries to imagine all the ways this could go.

if he found you and you were unscathed, then he would have no trouble taking you and leaving. treasure hoarders like these don't have the means of following you. if you had a few scratches, then maybe he'd have to get physical.

an intrusive thought gives him pause. what if this was a trap and you were already dead?

"kazuha." beidou's voice makes him jump. she's stopped walking as well. they're finally here. "just know that whatever happens in there, i don't blame you."

kazuha runs her words through an internal translator right away.

"if you feel the need to kill someone, then go ahead."

it's sickening, feeling like a rabid dog on a stray leash. but never, not once in kazuha's life has he ever experienced something like this. he's a bit lost in the motions. he follows closely behind beidou as she approaches where the treasure hoarders are holding you captive.

your kidnappers did a horrible job hiding you. kazuha and beidou find you slumped against the concrete wall, your hands bound by some flimsy rope. neither of them make a sound, nor do they move to free you right away. it's not the presence of poorly hidden treasure hoarders that's got them frozen in place but rather, the that state you're in.

dried blood cakes the wall behind you, smeared a little bit above your head and trails down to where the back of your head rests. a rainbow palette of bruises paints your arms and face, and there's blood on your forehead and at the corner of your mouth.

kazuha reaches for his sword without a moment's hesitation. beidou stops him. "not yet." she warns. then, "we know you're there! come on out before i come and find you myself."

surprisingly (or not; treasure hoarders are pathetic excuses for human beings), the kidnappers come out. there's a large number of them, but that, too, is to be expected. they provoked the woman who took on the haishan alone and a samurai whose skills they knew nothing about. their cooperation may be a ploy, but a head count is pretty helpful.

"fourteen," kazuha says aloud. seven shouldn't be a problem for him. he's encountered more enemies on the run.

"where's the goods?" a skinny treasure hoarder asks. "we told you we'd kill them if you didn't bring what we asked."

beidou shifts her posture once before summoning her weapon, resting it on her shoulder. the entire room crackles with the tension of an upcoming battle. "touch them one more time, and i'll have to get my hands dirtier than usual."

her threat does nothing. a treasure hoarder next to you pushes you with his foot and you groan. you're alive, but--

"kazuha, wait." beidou commands.

kazuha didn't even realize he'd drawn his own sword. you once praised him for his exceptional restraint and ability to keep himself cool under pressure. he skims your body once more and notices that something’s... off. something’s missing. "their vision." kazuha finally speaks. "where is it?"

a treasure hoarder to his left laughs and pulls your anemo vision from his pocket, waving it around tauntingly. "you mean this thing?" he sneers.

the flashbacks happen so fast that it nearly blinds him.

the sight of his best friend being defeated right before his eyes, his cracked blade falling at his feet. his vision flying through the air, devoid of its elemental glow.

the hysterical cries of people who had been robbed of their visions -- their ambitions. the rainbow that projected onto the ground in inazuma city during mid-afternoon, the sun reflecting off of the confiscated visions.

there's a flash and a clang before something -- the treasure hoarder's severed forearm -- hits the ground with a dull thud.

your vision now rests safely in kazuha's hands. "yes," he replies to the treasure hoarder he unknowingly attacked, his agonized screams falling on uncaring ears. "this thing."

beidou mutters, "fuck it," before charging at the seven treasure hoarders on her left. her powerful strikes are audible as she swings her claymore. kazuha cradles your vision as he takes on the remaining six treasure hoarders.

if you were to ask kazuha what happened that day, he probably wouldn't be able to tell you. not because he's ashamed of what he did, but because he really and truly doesn't remember.

adrenaline and molten fury give kazuha the strength he needs to cut down each of his opponents. he doesn't miss a single one -- doesn't leave a single stone unturned. each treasure hoarder he encountered met the same fate. when there's finally one treasure hoarder left, kazuha doesn't kill him right away.

"in your next life," kazuha seethes, his voice foreign to his own ears, "you will die another death by my hands." he silences the treasure hoarders please by dragging his sword across his neck, and like that, brings the fight to a close.

kazuha peers down at your vision, which is still pulsing with life. you may be incapacitated, but perhaps this was your way of giving him strength. when he sees blood smeared on the shell, a twinge of guilt starting to grow. "you said you wouldn't blame me." he says as the adrenaline seeps out of him. "do you think they would--"

beidou slaps the back of his head, shutting him up. "please, they'd have started fighting a hell of a lot sooner than you did." she looks him over once before looking down at herself. the two of them are covered in blood, none which was their own. "ugh, let's go. there's doctors that can treat them on board."

kazuha cups the back of his head with a quiet hiss, but follows along anyways. he heads over to you and picks you up as gently as he can, careful not to upset any wounds you may have that he can't see. "i'm sorry i didn't come sooner, dove." he whispers. "i'm so, so sorry."

when you finally wake up, it's to the sound of seagulls. you shoot into an upright position, but your vision starts to swim and you feel the need to throw up. you lean back on the headboard. what the hell happened? why did you feel like someone ragdolled you into a wall? you close your eyes and try to listen to the crash of waves outside. at least you were on the alcor -- maybe you should try to remember what happened until someone came in. the door opens about 45 minutes later, and you're greeted by a familiar head of platinum hair.

it's kazuha.

he rushes over and kneels at your bedside. your lover doesn't say anything for a long while as he cups your hands and bows his head away from your sight, his shoulders shaking slightly. thankfully, you managed to recall what happened in the two days you were apart, so you can't blame him for being this way. he must have been scared stiff.

the only thing you can think to say in the moment is, "welcome home, kazuha."

his shoulders still for a moment before starting again, but this time, you can hear soft laughter. kazuha looks up at you, his eyes teary. "i'm back, dove," he says, pressing your hands to his forehead. "i'm back."

"did you miss me?" it's a cheeky question, and probably a bit calloused considering what happened, but you both needed a smile right about now. kazuha's smile grows, and your heart flutters.

"more than anything." kazuha kisses the back of your hands, the gesture laden with affection and longing. "a day apart from you feels like an eternity, my star."

you chuckle. "never have truer words been spoken."

kazuha pushes himself off the floor and sits on the bed near you, holding your face in his hands. you're sure you're still swollen and bruised; you must be unsightly and yet kazuha's looking at you like you hung the stars in the sky for him. he leans forward and rests his forehead on yours.

"you are my everything." he declares softly. it's like a prayer to you and you alone, spoken a space inhabited only by the two of you. his words are sacred and special, and you soak in every last one. "the brightest star in my sky; my universe."

you're starting to get dizzy. he must have been terrified by your absence. "kazuha--"

his lips cover your own and you melt, unable to resist him. "i adore you." he says when he pulls away. "i always will."

you cling to those words like they're your last lifeline. "and i, you." you say in return, shutting your eyes when he kisses you again.

✧ (whew! this monster grew bigger and bigger as i wrote it! i got carried away again,,, but! i do hope you enjoyed reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it!)

Stop and Smell the Lilies. Scaramouche x Reader

Word count: 1.6k. Note: i uh. really just wanted to write some fluff. so this happened as a result. it feels weird writing about scaramouche and not making him or the reader suffer… there’s only good vibes. i guess they get a break for now. 

“You’re late.” 

This is the first thing you’re greeted with upon ascending to your meeting place. Underneath the shade of a dancing sakura tree, its petals fluttering around in a pink rain, stands a highly irate individual. With his arms crossed over his chest, he glowers down at you while you hobble up the slope. You return his scowl with a full smile, to which he averts his gaze, likely sensing the teasing words that would soon target him. 

“What a gentleman my lover is,” you swoon, sighing for dramatic effect, “Offering me his hand after my cumbersome journey. I have braved torrential downpours, scaled mountains, and waded through forests to see you, only to be treated in such an uncouth manner?” 

Scaramouche appears unimpressed with your theatrical rendition. “The walk from where you live to here is ten minutes at the most. I’m not the director for a play, so stop acting like you’re auditioning for one.” 

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