(aventurine X Reader /// Continuation Of This Concept)

♡ ALBEDO ♡

Stories

Kaedehara Kazuha/f!Reader

A/N: aah i’ve been working on this one for a while! i really hoped to get it posted today, so i’m sorry if it sounds rushed;; there are some intense scenes later in the story so please be aware if you’re sensitive towards that! i tried to write an inazuma setting so i hope i used accurate terms. it’s heavily inspired by teapot dialogue and kazuha’s character stories// the bake-danuki mentioned are the little tanuki who prank people and dance

warnings: swearing, light blood, violence, break-in, intense scene, ooc, reader mentioned to be smaller than kazuha

SFW

word count: 5.8k

summary: You live in a forest far from the city. When someone knocks on your door during a storm, will you regret opening it to greet them?

-

Crash!

Lightning struck nearby, its booming echo piercing through the dense rain. The night sky was pitch black, visible only when another flash of lightning sparked life into the thunder clouds. The intensity of Inazuma’s storms had been slowly increasing as of late.

Keep reading

{ 49 }

the hauntingly beautiful phantom.

akira kurusu x fem.reader

10 stages of love

1 - first sight

it was the start of the new year for you at shujin academy, and you were becoming curious with all the whispers about this new transfer student.

akira kurusu.

that was the name you heard being whispered throughout the hallways of shujin, everyone appearing wide eyed and nervous at the thought of meeting someone so "dangerous."

according to the rumors, he was on probation for violently beating up a grown man. that his actions were somehow connected to the mafia and that everyone should stay away from him lest they wanted to face his so-called "wrath."

foolishly enough, you almost fell for their rumors and believed your peers hadn't it been for the fact that you had already seen akira in the flesh. your friends suddenly stopped you, keeping you pinned against the walls when they whispered your name and pointed an accusing finger at the lanky boy steadily approaching.

"that's him. kurusu, the madman that's on probation for a year."

more whispered murmurs came forth from your friends' mouths, and as they spoke with fear, all you could do was stare at the boy that walked with his head down and his hands shoved deep into the pocket of his pants.

only when he met with your curious gaze did you finally get a good look at him.

with locks of messy hair the shade of a deep moonless night and eyes that appeared to hide some deep emotion within its silvery depths-

and he was beautiful, achingly beautiful with the loneliness that exuded from his form.

for a few seconds, it seemed that he was going to stop and speak to you-

yet that possibility was ripped away when your friend takes a protective hold of your arm. "back off, freak. she doesn't want anything to do with you."

you only caught a glimpse of the sudden flash in his eyes, taking note of how hurt he looked all while you were dragged away from him.

it was then that you decided you needed better and new friends.

2 - introduction

you were stalling, and you knew you were.

but really, what could you even say to him?

hey, you may not remember me, but during the first day of school, you saw me staring until my friend dragged me away. but no worries! i dropped her ass and stopped being her friend just so i could get a chance to talk to you!

nope, there was no way in hell you were doing that, even though you had ultimately decided to ghost your ex friend for being so rude to him. you knew his name, but some part of you wanted him to know your name and who you were.

something about akira captivated you, and you wanted to tear down his walls and solve all the mysteries he had to offer.

you were barely paying attention in class when your gaze landed on ryuji's form. it was strange, he was always angry and a bit jittery when he suddenly quit track, but something about him today seemed restless.

his legs kept on jumping up and down, as if desperate to get out of class and run-

but to where, you couldn't say for sure.

when class finally ended for the day, ryuji was close to bolting out of the classroom, only to be stopped by the teacher's stern voice, "sakamoto, may i have a word with you."

"dammit." you hear him whisper beneath his breath, running a hand across his hair as he slouched toward the teacher, "yeah yeah, what is it now?"

with your books collected and your bag slung over your shoulder, you ease out of the classroom only to be met with grey eyes looking deeply into you.

akira's sudden appearance in front of your classroom makes you do a double take. you awkwardly bow to him, stuttering out your name before apologizing. "back then, i'm sorry for how my friend- well, ex friend behaved when she pulled me away from you. i just wanted to tell you that i don't believe the rumors and i'd love to be your friend."

you still weren't brave enough to fully face him, but when you heard a rich chuckle coming from the hauntingly beautiful boy, you couldn't help but lift your gaze-

only to lose your breath upon seeing him smile.

he comes closer to you, almost lifting up a hand to touch at your face, only to decide against it seconds later. he drops a hand back to his side and gives you a soft smile.

"thank you, that means a lot to me."

by now, your heart was racing, becoming warm with a familiar emotion you weren't brave enough to name just yet.

however, the moment was quickly interrupted when ryuji bursts back into the scene, all too eager for something when he traps akira in a headlock. "come on man, let's go to the usual place and plan."

paying no attention to you, it was now akira who was being dragged away from you by ryuji. you could only watch and raise your hand in a wave when akira looks back to flash you an apologetic expression until you were left all alone with your thoughts.

3 - interaction

throughout the following days, you wanted to believe that you were somewhat friends with akira-

but the way he kept disappearing on you was making it difficult for you to keep up.

not only that, but it seemed as though akira's friend group was steadily increasing. you could tell that something powerful tied them all together, making akira happier as he smiled more often now.

a part of you was sad about how hard it was to get closer to akira. despite how much you wanted to, it just seemed impossible.

so imagine your surprise when it was akira that came to you.

you were about to head home for the day when akira stops you, calling out your name when he beckons you to follow him towards the school's vending machines.

"do you want to see something neat?" his eyes were alight with happiness and an eagerness you had never seen before. feeling the tiniest bit enamored with his smile, you could only nod in response when he places his shujin bag on top of the table.

widening its zipper, you gasp upon seeing a black and white colored cat appear from the bag. he had startling blue eyes and kept meowing at akira, sometimes even swatting away at his hand when he tried to pet him.

"he's so cute, i bet he's such a sweet boy." you reach out your hand to pet the cat, earning a purr from him as you scratched behind his ears, "what's his name?"

being distracted with the cat, you didn't catch akira's smile, or the way his cheeks seemed to take on a hint of pink against his pale skin the more he kept on staring at you. "his name's morgana, and he likes you."

you spent some time in akira's company, petting morgana and spoiling him with your gentle scratches in a comfortable silence.

4 - attraction

you were falling for akira.

despite how you've only known him for a handful of weeks, you couldn't deny your feeling for him any longer. your heart was aching for him, and you wanted nothing more than to get even closer to him.

one afternoon, during lunch, you decided to head over to his classroom, hoping he was still there. in your hands was a homemade bento you had made for him this morning, filled with rice and side dishes you hoped he would like.

your heart was felt thrumming against your throat, getting closer and closer to the classroom as you peeked inside-

to see akira and ann takamaki holding hands.

the sight of it makes your heart drop down to your stomach, its weight heavy as a wave of heartbreak and nausea washes over you.

akira was clearly flustered as ann said some things to him, appearing so achingly beautiful that you couldn't help but feel like such a wallflower in comparison.

you knew about ann takamaki, the gorgeous blond who actually had a modeling gig at such a young age. sure, girls badmouthed her a lot, but really you knew it was because they were so jealous of her.

and you were feeling pretty green with envy as well.

before you could witness them potentially sharing secret kisses with each other, you clutch the bento box close to your chest and turn away from them.

you refused to let any tears fall.

what right did you have, believing akira was ever yours to begin with?

5 - date

something weird was going on, and it all started spiraling when kamoshida actually interrupted the school assembly. he was a wreck, absolutely in tears when he told the whole school about his abuse to students on the volleyball team.

his admission makes you shiver, and you wondered if all the rumors were true after all.

a few weeks after akira's appearance, there have been talk about this group of vigilantes known as the phantom thieves of heart. apparently, they were able to change the hearts of their targets based off of their calling card posted on the school's bulletin boards.

the card had called out kamoshida specifically, and you thought nothing of it. believing it to be a prank as there was no way scum like kamoshida would ever change. hell, kamoshida was the sole reason why you never joined any sports and did any extracurricular activities. you were fearful that his slimy hands would somehow find a way to ruin it-

but now, the man was actually turning himself in?

did that mean the phantom thieves were real after all?

these questions kept plaguing your mind, and admittedly, you weren't paying attention when someone was calling out your name with desperation.

you were about to exit the school when a hand was felt pulling you back. your wrist was suddenly gripped by this stranger, and you were forced to turn around and face the person that had stopped you.

"akira."

he appeared out of breath, his face turning a light shade of pink when he calls out your name. "h-hey, it's been a while."

you try to shake him off of you, earning a frown from akira when you begin to lightly shove against his chest.

"stop, just let me go. wouldn't takamaki get the wrong idea if she sees you with me?"

akira's frown deepens. "what does ann have to do with this?"

it was now your turn to give him a puzzled expression, "isn't she your girlfriend? i-i mean, i saw you holding hands with her not too long ago!"

the realization that dawned on akira's face made him all the more beautiful to you, and he laughs once more. stepping closer to you, he gently runs a hand across your cheek before saying, "silly, she's not my girlfriend. uhm, that day was just practice."

he appeared sheepish then, moving his hand away from you to run them across his unruly locks. "i really wanted to make sure my hands weren't too sweaty in case i wanted to hold yours during our first date together."

the relief you felt was staggering, and you had to fight back the urge to kiss him right then and there when you accepted his offer for a date.

6 - holding hands

he takes you to a classic dinner and a movie date.

during dinner, your conversations were kept lighthearted, the subject matter being solely on you alone as you told akira all about yourself.

yet when you tried to find out anything about akira, he kept his answers clipped short, never quite meeting your gaze as he distracted himself with taking casual sips of his drink.

you figured that he was just being shy, since this was your first date together and all.

with dinner finished, akira takes care of the bill and leads you outside of the restaurant. you figured he would simply walk beside you, carrying on with the conversation casually.

so when you felt the night air hit at your skin, you weren't expecting akira to suddenly reach out to you. the touch was brief at first, his pinky simply linking together with yours as his gaze appeared shy.

you squeeze your pinky together with his for a few seconds before pulling away. akira was about to protest until he felt the palm of your hand meet with his, your fingertips lightly caressing at his skin before intertwining them together.

both of your hands were now interlocked, earning a shy smile from akira as he squeezes your hand before proceeding to walk toward the movie theater.

7 - first kiss

why did akira have to pick a horror movie?

let's just say you weren't a big fan of horror. each time something horrifying popped up on the screen, you found yourself hiding within akira's shoulder. you refused to allow such horrid imagery to haunt your daydreams and leak into your nightmares when you fell asleep at night.

akira kept holding hands with you, squeezing them here and there each time you got scared. when he leans in to whisper in your ear, he sounded genuinely apologetic. "i'm so sorry. if i had known how much you hated horror, i would have asked if you wanted to watch something different before buying the tickets."

in hindsight, yes, you should have said something to akira to prevent this from happening. but you payed no mind to the movie, solely feeling happy that you got to spend more time with him.

but now, you figured you should have said something after all.

a blood curdling scream was heard, and you were left whimpering, hiding yourself even deeper within akira's shoulder. you felt him trembling a bit before letting out a sigh.

he brushes his lips against your ear and whispers your name, "would you like me to do something to distract you?"

you cling to the front of his shirt, desperate for anything to keep you away from the scenes the movie was playing. looking at akira, you take a moment to admire his handsome face being lit up by the movie screen behind him.

he whispers your name once more before leaning in to press his lips against yours.

they were slightly chapped, but still so soft when his lips slanted against yours. you were breathless, practically drinking him in as you both tentavively tasted each other.

he tasted like coffee and the dessert you shared at dinner, making you moan when you suddenly cry out to him.

"excuse me, but if you could refrain from making out on the seats, some people are actually trying to watch this movie."

you heard someone whisper harshly from beside you, causing you and akira to break away from each other almost immediately. your cheeks felt heated as akira's own face began to light up with his own blush.

despite how embarrassed you were, you felt grateful for akira's kiss since it was all you could think about all while the horror movie continued to play.

8 - relationship

there was a sudden rift growing between you and akira.

lately, it seemed as though he were spending less and less time with you. his days were spent with catching up on schoolwork, yet every time you went to meet with him, he would either avoid you or tell you he was too busy for a date.

"i'm sorry, treasure, maybe some other time, yeah?"

when he blew you off the first few times, you thought nothing of it. it was getting close to midterms and he was probably busy with his studies.

yet when your brief weekend came, and you texted him, asking him if he wanted to meet you at your favorite cafe, he would leave you on read and not even bother to reply.

while the distance seemed to be increasing, it seemed as though akira gained even more friends, which included other girls.

nijima and okumura were suddenly added to his growing crew, both of them incredibly intelligent and lovely in their own ways that you felt your self esteem shrinking considerably.

weren't relationships supposed to be something wonderful? a compromise made between the two parties involved solely because they wanted to be together?

so why did it suddenly feel like akira wanted nothing to do with you anymore?

despite his nickname for you, with akira often referring you as his treasure, you felt as though the nickname was filled with irony.

you didn't feel cherished by akira at all.

perhaps it was due to your loneliness that you visited the phantom aficionado website, posting on their own forums with your information along with this angsty title and phrase:

completely left broken-hearted by my boyfriend. i love him so much, but i don't think he feels the same way anymore. please, if the phantom thieves of heart do exist, can they steal away my feelings for him?

9 - love

you ended up deleting your forum post the next day, berating yourself for being so stupid.

there's no way in hell they'd even recognize your pleas. in comparison to how they wanted to change the world for the better, your feelings amounted to something extremely trivial and didn't warrant their so called services.

just how selfish could you be?

you sigh, laying back in bed and looking at the ceiling. the air was still warm, and you left the window open in hopes of having some fresh air to clear your mind.

with your eyes closed, you thought about what you could do when it came to your relationship with akira. a part of you wanted to just end this heartache and break it off with him-

but the part that still loved him refused.

you were probably stupid for this, but truly you wanted to stay with him. your memories together of all the dates you shared kept repeating, painting a beautiful mesh of emotions that stemmed from your heart.

you loved akira kurusu-

even if he didn't love you.

the breeze suddenly felt stronger to you when you felt a presence in your room, causing you to sit up with a gasp.

standing in the middle of your carpeted floor was a phantom thief you had seen captured in the blurry images posted on the internet. he appeared absolutely dashing, with a beauty that displayed his playful nature.

a bird-like domino mask covers his eyes, and it was strange, but you swore that the phantom thief simply known as joker was looking at you with fondness. the ends of his cape kept rustling with his every step, coming closer to you as he held out a hand for you to take.

"w-what are you doing here?" still caught up in your heartache over akira, you could only gaze up at him in confusion, earning a rich chuckle from him-

the sound being achingly familiar to you as you shivered in response.

"is it wrong of me to want to comfort a maiden in distress?"

his deep voice oozed with confidence, and you found yourself becoming mesmerized with him. without even thinking about it, you allow joker to take your hand. yet instead of holding it, he uses it to bring you into his arms as he carried you bridal style toward your open window.

"w-wait! put me down! just where are you taking me?!"

"somewhere fun." joker simply winks at you before jumping out of your window.

you had to hold on to him for dear life, your hair whipping in the wind as he moved lithely from rooftop to rooftop. only when he reached the rooftop of the tallest building did he stop.

still refusing to let you go, joker tells you to look up, and you do so.

you were blown away, completely in awe of the night sky with the full moon shining against the darkness. it was so beautiful that you slowly felt your prior heartache and loneliness melt away.

"thank you, joker, for taking me here. it's beautiful."

"not as beautiful as you are, my treasure."

you stiffen upon hearing the familiar nickname, looking at joker to see his teeth biting at his bottom lip. you saw a light sheen of tears against his silvery grey eyes and reach out at him to push back his mask-

and be met with the face of akira kurusu.

he lets out a sob of your name, suddenly kneeling against the rooftop as he buries his face into your neck. "i'm so sorry. i didn't mean to make you feel unwanted or unloved, not when i adore you so much."

slowly, things began to click into place. like how akira and joker were one and the same, and the fact that joker was notoriously known to be the leader of the phantom thieves.

it was because of him that the world was changing, and the mere thought had you reeling with just how intense your love was for him.

delving your hands into his soft hair, you pull him away from you. you were both crying, becoming filled with emotion when you lean in to kiss one another, finally coming together after spending so much time apart.

you catch bits and pieces of akira's confession, mainly telling you how much he wanted to keep you safe and away from his double life as a phantom thief.

"but when i saw your post on the phansite forum, i knew i had been neglecting you and decided to do something about it." he frames at your face and presses a kiss against your forehead.

"i love you, my treasure. and i swear to you, i will make this right again."

10 - commitment

the days leading up to akira's arrest was filled with dread, and you were happy that he was finally safe and sound and in your arms once more.

when he had been betrayed by one of his teammates, akira had saw it coming and had a plan to escape if only for a brief moment, until they could finally put an end to shido.

by some twisted fate, it was thanks to a corrupt politician known as shido masayoshi that akira was arrested. akira had simply protected a woman from being assaulted by shido, and in his drunken state he fell against some steel beams.

in his anger, he called the cops and had akira wrongly arrested for assault.

just hearing akira's story made you upset all over again. you hated what the police did to akira and wanted desperately to protect him.

here, he lay in bed, covered up in his hoodie and a pair of sweats. despite everyone's best efforts to help with healing the cuts and bruises on his face, he still looked awful. his lip was still cut, and fresh bruises were still seen blossoming all across his form.

tears dot your vision when you lean into him, pressing butterfly kisses all across the darkened skin seen on his face. while you continued kissing away at his bruises in hopes of easing his pain, you felt akira lift up a hand to lightly brush against your back.

he had woken up upon feeling your tears land against his skin. with his hand on your face, he gently pulls you away, looking into your eyes with love.

"is my treasure crying for me?" he caresses at your skin, making you close your eyes in response as you lean into him.

"they're monsters for doing this to you, and i hate every single one of them."

akira sits up, welcoming you into his arms as he held on to you. you whisper words of love to each other and seal it with several kisses.

when you pull away, you realize akira was searching his pockets for something, appearing troubled and nervous for a few seconds before he pulled something out.

he quietly tells you to close your eyes, so he could properly give you your surprise gift. with a nod, you do so, waiting with anticipation when you feel akira take a hold of your left hand. you feel something cool slide against your ring finger and hesitantly open your eyes to see what akira had given you.

your eyes widen when you saw a lovely ring with your favorite gemstone attached to the middle. you had never received something so beautiful before in your life and was practically left breathless when akira leans in to kiss at the ring.

"we're too young for marriage, b-but still, i wanted to give you something to signify my promise to you. i love you so much, treasure, and i can't imagine spending my life with anyone else but you. my best friend, and the one person who truly gave me a chance."

you smile at akira, feeling overwhelmed with the amount of love and joy you had for him. you come together in a tangle of limbs, falling back in bed with whispered promises of forever, not caring about what the future may bring as long as you were together.

epilogue

the morning had finally came and was currently shining its rays on a pair of lovers still sleeping comfortably in bed. the sun was felt shining directly in your eyes, causing you to moan as you hid your face within your lover's bare chest.

you wanted to sleep some more, but it seemed as though he had other plans when you felt his hand gently stroke at your bare back.

"why're you up so early?"

his voice was raspy, making you shiver as you smile against his skin. letting out a yawn, you shove yourself off of him and decide that it would be much better and more fun to do this instead.

you were now straddling your husband, settling yourself across his lap as you admired his lithe and muscular body.

akira opens one eye to look at you, its silvery hues still managing to make your heart race even after all these years. crawling on top of him, you eagerly kiss him, not caring that it was morning and you had both just woken up.

you feel akira smile against your kiss, suddenly switching your positions so that you were now pressed into the bed with him hovering over you. he smiles down at you, and you felt your heart become stolen all over again as your beloved phantom thief peppered your face with sweet kisses.

it was clear now that your heart would forever be within your beloved thief's clutches-

but lucky for you, you had long stolen his heart. from the moment akira first locked gazes with yours, he knew that becoming your forever was inevitable.

a.n. - i'm so happy, i'm finally able to write a full 10 stages of love story with the boy i love the most. i love you akira kurusu, and i hope this story does justice in painting you as the soft and kind boy you always were ♡

this is currently unedited, but i hope you readers enjoy reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it ♡ i'll fix any mistakes throughout the day once this story is posted ♡

all stories are written by rei; reposts, translations, and plagiarism are not allowed.

Hello! Can I request an angst (with a good ending) scenario of Childe and Diluc (seperate) x reader? possibly them physically harming reader by accident during an argument but it ends good/comforting if that makes sense! ^^

— # 🫐Lingering Pain | Genshin Men ✘ Reader(s) HeadCannons

⤤ Summary: Genshin men are busy trying to do work while you (aka reader) attempt to help relieve their stress, when they accidentally throw their elbow towards their way, with the anger of their vision releasing. Cutting or burning or hitting your arm.

⤤ Notes: I tried to make this as accidentally as possible cause I don’t want to romanticize abuse and etc. So hopefully it doesn’t come off that way. But I will flat out say it seems toxic, so this isn’t romantic. I kinda experienced something like this but it wasn’t physically and more mentally. So sorry if this fic came off too personal. Also apologies to misspelling.

⤤ Characters: Childe & Diluc

⤤ Warnings: Physical Harm + Burns + Cuts - GN! Reader + Angst & Fluff + Toxic + Cussing/Swearing

Diluc | Burns

You entered the room carefully, with a tray of food and grape juice. You noticed your husband working harder than usual, as he had basically all of his attention on his work. It’s been going on for nearly 3 weeks.

It’s been so long, since you had a decent conversation. And due to his heavy amount of work, he hardly even sleeps besides you like he usually does. You wanted to interfered but feared of only annoying him. You kept quiet, but even Jean and Lisa suggested you try and talk to him.

“I brought you dinner” you greet, walking up to behind Diluc. He seemed stressed due to his gestures, and had stacks of papers overflowing. You smile a bit, trying to lighten the mood but nothing seemed to work. Because he didn’t even lift up his eyes from his work.

He let out a muffled groan, as you stood little bit behind him. Noticing how much papers he had to analyze and sign. It did seem stressful.

“A-Are you okay..?” You ended up finding yourself stuttering upon the question. You were scared of angering him.

“I’m fine” he said coldly.

You could tell he wasn’t. You placed the tray of food besides him, and keeping your arms and hands close to your chest. Your lips shivered a bit, but you shook your head.

It’s your husband, he cannot get that mad if I disturb him for a little… can he?

“Diluc you don’t seem fin-“ you started but before you could finish he had slammed his hands on the table in frustration. You grew startled as your shoulders shivered a bit.

“I have work to do honey…” he mumbled in frustration. Gesturing his hand hoping you would walk away.

You let out a sigh of frustration.

“Diluc… you should take a break” you stated, nervously. “You’ve been working way too hard.”

“I just need to finish my work” his voice lowered.

“I know, I know but have you tried to relax yourself?” You continue. Only pushing his buttons.

He let out a cold sigh.

“Can you leave?” He asked but you shook your head, getting frustrated yourself.

“Diluc, you need to take a break!” You raise your voice, which only pisses him off even more. “You’ve been doing so much work, you hardly pay attention to me anymore!”

Diluc became quiet. Biting his lower lip. You could feel yourself getting angry, but you felt like you have held these emotions for too long.

“Diluc,” you started. Diluc glared his attention towards you. “Do you even care about me anymore!?”

Your last question being a yell. He turned around so swiftly, attempting to gesture his elbow so that you could leave. And ever so accidentally, using his vision by a mistake out of anger. Flames leaving from his hands, as they whooshed right by your elbow and arm.

Leaving dark burns right there. You watched as your once flawless skin, now had deep and dark marks on them. You looked at him, to see that his eyes were now widened with fear and sadness. And full of regret.

His eyes had actually darken to that regret. To that guilt. But it didn’t matter. At the end of the day, you gained a burn. From your own husband. You could feel tears form from the corner of your eyes. Not only due to the burns that were given, but because he had hurt you.

You knew and assumed it was an accident. But either way it still hurt. He had a guilty expression on his face, as even he started to form tears in the corner of his eyes. He attempted to reach out to you, but you farted away from him, heading towards the door in a hurry.

“I’ll leave you alone…” you mumbled. “Sorry… sir”

He realizes you said ‘sir’ instead of his name. Which only made quiet rushing tears fall down to his face, as he watched you close the door shut. Hearing your footsteps down the hall, before you climbed up the stairs. Sobbing quietly.

— — —

You laid in bed, trying to fall asleep. It was quite hard though, since your husband wasn’t besides you. You always fell asleep to your husband holding you, or you holding him.

But you could feel his presence by the door frame. He had recently gotten home, from the work he participates in all night. He watched your body, wrapped in the sheets, shifting due to his non-existence presence.

“Dear…” he said quietly. But you don’t bother to turn your head, or gesture your body towards him. You just keep your back towards him, looking through the open window. You didn’t want to speak to him nor talk to him.

He let out a sigh, placing his things down to the corner of the room. You hear him shut the door, and was hoping he was gone. But you could hear his footsteps from inside the room.

“Leave.” You say loudly and clearly. You didn’t want to talk to him, despite how much you missed him sleeping besides you. He let out a sad groan.

“Dear, please…” he stated walking carefully towards you. You didn’t say anything. You just pressed your head deeper into the pillow. He walked over to the other side of the bed, before bending down right in front of you.

You could see him, but you just wanted him to leave. But a small part of you wanted to hear him say sorry and you could hopefully have him sleep besides him again. You could feel him grab onto your wrist, pulling it from under the blanket.

The burns he had accidentally left on your arm. Seeing that it was now purple, only made him feel more guilty. And you couldn’t help but start crying again, sobbing deeply into your pillow.

Diluc let out a sigh pushing most of the blankets off of you, and picking you up.

“Put me down” you sobbed trying to push yourself away from him, but he didn’t listen nor seem to care to those words. As he carried you to the out of the room and into the bathroom, to place bandages on you and your arm.

He continued to watch as you sobbed, before placing you on the counter top, besides the sink. He kept his head lowered, trying to hide his tears, but it was impossible. Since his tears kept dripping down to his jaw and then the floor.

He took the bandages out, but failed to even put them on your arm where the burns were. The burns were small. Very small, but they were visible. And either way he had still harmed you. Accident or not.

“I-I’m sorry” his words parting from each other. He was choking on his words. He couldn’t help but place his head on your shoulder, like he always does when he cries. He always had a strange habit of doing so.

You could feel his tears drip from your shoulders and down your body whiles your stopped. And as much as he had a habit of laying his head on your shoulder, you had a bad habit of playing with his hair when he cried.

You choked out a chuckle from your sobs.

“Don’t cry-“

“I’m so, sorry!”

Childe | Cuts

“What!?” Childe shouted loudly. You crossed your arms trying to not let tears escape.

For the past couple of weeks, your husband has been so obsessed with his work. He hardly even said goodnight anymore. And if you got a goodnight it was always muttered. He’d leave at the most random times to. Leaving around midnight to not even come home until the next afternoon.

It pissed you off, but you could assume it was for work. But it started to happen more often and often, to the point you always thought he was cheating on you.

“You’re cheating on me aren’t you?” You ask, glaring at him. You could see his eyes dart towards you, those dull blue eyes that you once admired.

“Excuse me?” He muttered, trying to not get more angry than he already was.

“You are arent you?” You shouted this time with your arms crossed tighter. “You’re always leaving at midnight, you hardly even talk to me anymore!”

You hear him let out a frustrated chuckle.

“What the hell…” he started but you felt tired of his bullshit.

“Are you cheating on me or not?” You screamed this time, before you felt a deep cut slash into your arms.

He had turned around letting out a shouting sentence, of asking if you trusted him or not. And when he realized he was to angry, accidentally using his vision and abilties by slashing you with a waterblade, his face darkened. Watching blood drip from your arm.

You stared at the blood yourself, as it dripped to the floor. The cut wasn’t deep, something like a paper cut, but it was a long one. You stared at it for a few seconds, as tears rinsed and fell down to your cheeks. You turned around, walking to the door before slamming it close.

Childe could feel his hands shiver, before slamming his head into the table. Which would sure leave a bruise.

“Fuck!”

— — —

You sat on the couch, looking at the cut. It was very faint, but the dried blood was very much visible. And while you were still angry at him, for blowing up so easily and growing so defensive, you felt guilty.

Perhaps you pushed him to his limit. But even so, you kept reassuring and telling yourself that everything would and get better. And that you weren’t wrong to begin with. But your heart felt loss. It’s been 3 hours since that happened, and by now you both would have been in bed cuddling and etc.

Been nearly two weeks since he last held you.

Your eyes widened a bit hearing the door to his office from down the hall open. As you could hear his heavy footsteps get closer and closer until he was in the same room as you. Right besides the couch you were sitting on.

You only lowered your head down even more, when he stood in front of you. But it surprised you when he got on his knees, placing his arms and hands in your lap.

You only lifted your eyes a bit, to see that even he had tears falling down from his jaw. It flowed like a river, which only made your sobs grow louder.

“I’m sorry.” He said before placing and laying his head in your lap. You could feel his tears soak your pants, as he continued to sob. You looked down, realizing how guilty and sorry he felt. “I’ve been doing tons and loads of work, I don’t want you in danger because of my work. That’s why I do it at night”

You could feel him sob in your lap, and you couldn’t help but intertwine your hand into his bright, orange, ginger hair as he continued to sob.

“I’m sorry… too” you can feel yourself mumble with tears flowing as well.

“[Name]…”

@childeluv ‘s content. Don’t steal or plagiarize my writing. Don’t repost in different language either.

neuvillette is aware that he shouldn’t have let you get so close. but he did, and now he’s lamenting the fact that your hands are grasping at his soft horns — his fucking horns, of all places — and he might like it.

uptight and strait-laced, you’ve never known the chief justice to be someone so easily flustered. yet here he is with heat crawling up his neck, so warm that you can feel it against your palms as they ghost over his skin.

you can’t help but laugh at his current situation.

he was vehemently against you coming anywhere near his hair at first, grumbling about how his horns were on the sensitive side and he would rather not have to go into work feeling uncomfortably aware of their presence on his head.

however, you were hard to deny with that little smile on your face and such soft hands grabbing at his arms, tugging him closer. a sweet voice chanting, "please, honey? pretty please?"

neuvillette has never been good at denying you what you want.

it’s how he ends up sitting at your shared vanity. you comb through his long hair, watching him with amusement in the mirror as he huffs and jolts with every brush of your fingers against his horns.

the fact that he was letting you get anywhere near them was surely a testament to his trust in you. he was completely vulnerable here, at your mercy.

“sorry,” you mumble disingenuously, clearly enjoying seeing your usually serious husband falling apart with a simple action. you quickly tie off the end of his hair with a bow and he sighs in relief, thinking that the torment is over.

it's far from over.

he draws a sharp breath when you lean forward and press two gentle kisses on him; one on either side of his head just beside his horns.

neuvillette glowers at you in the reflection, disapproval written all over his face. "stop that," he scolds.

you do, but only because you're worried he might melt into a puddle before your very eyes if you continue.

it becomes a daily routine after that, with him sitting patiently in front of the mirror while you brush and tie off his hair. and you always end it the same way: two kisses, a soft "have a good day at work," murmured against him, and a mischievous little smile that makes him sigh.

he responds everyday with the same two words. "stop that," with a narrow-eyed glare.

the day you do stop, he's confused and irritated.

not only because you have the audacity to throw a wrench into routine again, which you know he hates, but also because he can't figure out why he misses your lips so much.

"what are you doing? i am going to be late."

"hm?" you peer up lazily from your spot on the bed, still half asleep.

"you have to do my hair."

"i thought you didn't want me to, so i slept in today."

your husband is eerily silent for a moment as he mulls over your words. then, he carefully perches himself on the edge of the bed, back turned to you expectantly and still wordless.

no, he would never admit he likes it just a little bit — the vulnerability, the trust, the feeling of your hands threading through his hair, the intimacy of it. hell no.

but neuvillette doesn't have to say a lot of things for you to understand; not when the way his skin heats up says it all; not when you're the first person to touch his horns in centuries; not when he’s saying stop that with such an affectionate glimmer in his eyes.

you give him four kisses that morning, two on either side.

© ALABOADOA 2023 — please do not translate or post my works to other platforms.

Bad day

The Artist and the Gem: Part 1

"I'm pretty sure this only happens in dreams."

Synopsis: An IPC member part-timing as an artist unknowingly spices up her life when a certain colleague comes to her for a leisurely art commission.

Notes: Fem! Reader POV since it's what I'm more comfy writing in for this series. I also have no clue how art commissions work so apologies if it isn't lore-accurate ^^"

Ping!

You groan as you reluctantly reach for your phone for the umpteenth time today, bracing yourself to read your client's incessant texts about your work progress despite it being mere weeks since they first contacted you. Combining that with the fact that your supervisors were piling you with more paperwork these days made it all the more frustrating to deal with.

"Hi again! I feel the need to mention that I have a full-time job outside of my artist life, and also take note that it takes time in general to complete multiple people's commissions over time. I will send you more WIPs once I'm available to do so. Thanks for your patience!"

As cordial as the text sounded when you sent it out, you were like a pot filled with boiling water, ready to burst in fury in the event that client continues to add fuel to the fire. Too angry to continue doing work properly, you excused yourself to get a drink at the pantry.

As the coffee machine whirred to life on the counter, you hear your phone ringing again. Doing your utmost to keep your composure, your trembling hands open your inbox. This time, it was not your current client who texted you, but a new one.

"Hey (username), I find your artworks to be rather intriguing. I saw on your webpage that you're still taking in commissions, so I was wondering if I could trouble you to do one for me."

"At least this one's polite about this," you muttered as you replied to their message with equal respect.

"Hey there! Happy to know that you appreciate my art! My commission list is quite full at the moment, so I'm afraid that it will take long while to complete yours. Would you mind if your commission took a longer time to complete, or would you rather contact me another time instead?"

That should do, you think to yourself as you retrieve your coffee cup from the machine and take a sip of your drink. Your phone rings again.

"It's all good. Take as much time as you need. I'm not in a rush :)"

Your eyes practically lit up upon reading that message. Unlimited time for a commission? In times like these? Is this heaven?? You quickly shoot back another text.

"Very well. What would you like me to draw, then?"

"I would like you to draw a portrait of Aventurine from the IPC."

...

You've got to be kidding me.

You blink furiously at your client's art request, trying to make sure that you did not misread whatever they sent to you.

"That's an interesting request you got here."

Who even is requesting for this from me? A fan from the Aventurine Fan Squad? For all you knew, any of your colleagues could have either chanced upon your art account or decided to knowingly exploit your creativity for their own pleasure. As you type out the default reminder for them to pay up as per your terms, your phone rings twice.

[100,000 Credits have been transferred to your bank account.]

"Say less. Wishing you the best of luck ;)"

You take a huge gulp of coffee as you switch off your phone, evidently more stressed about your artistic career than you already were before. With such a hefty sum of money transferred to you for a singular drawing, chances are that you will have to pool in all of your creativity for this particular commission if it means that your mystery client would be assured to get their money's worth. Taking a glimpse at the nearest clock within your hindsight, you quickly down your coffee before rushing back to your cubicle, ready to check off your task list if it meant more time to draw later on.

---

As you briskly return to your cubicle to work, a certain blond man in green glances at you from a distance and smiles.

Aquamarine Hoshino “Aqua” (星野 愛久愛海) - “Oshi no Ko” - Episode 2

heather

loading...dom subject 2 albedo x sub gn reader

summary: only if you knew how much I liked you but I watch your eyes, as he walks by. what a sight for sore eyes brighter than the blue sky. he's got you mesmerised with i die.

warnings: spoilers for shadows amidst snowstores event, smut, m4sturb4t10n, he is imagining all of this, unprotected s3x, or4l (reader giving), throatfking, rough s3x, penetration (reader receiving), dumbification, angst, I just realised this kinda has yandere implications but very very slight it's not meant to be read that way S2 isn't possessive/obsessive over reader but he does feel bitter over their love for albedo and wishes it was him so he vents it out I won't tag it as yandere but if what I described feels uncomfortable for you then you don't need to read it

(if I ever make a part 2 I'm gonna make it dom reader)

Alone in his hideout, deep within the mountainous Dragonspine, he lets out a sigh of relief as he pulls down his shorts. His eager hand cups the tent, palming his crotch while his teeth bites the glove off his free hand before tossing it aside. He repeats the motion with his other hand while his ungloved hand resumes the movement on his crotch. It dips into his underwear, pulling out his awaiting cock and wrapping his palm over it.

He wishes it was you. He wishes your soft hand was the one rubbing his cock. He wishes you were on your knees, looking up at him with needy eyes. He wishes you were here. But no. He doesn't have to wonder about your whereabouts. You were with him.

He saw the two of you today. That person was carrying you on his back. Fresh bruises and scratches littered all over your body. Goes to show how much of a failure he is. If it was him, he would have been able to protect you. He wouldn't have allowed anyone to lay a hand on a beautiful human such as yourself. He could have been better than that so-called perfect version of himself.

But your eyes weren't filled with disappointment or anger towards that person. Even with droopy half lidded eyes, there was a content smile on your face. The sight sickened him, filling his stomach with nauseating filth that made him want to throw up.

He first met you at midnight. By then most humans should have left Dragonspine. It was that day he discovered you weren't "most humans". You had mistaken him for Albedo — good — and chastised him for staying up late. You noted it would be too tiring of a journey for him to head back to his camp so you dragged him to stay the night at your camp. You cooked dinner for him, fussed over his unhealthy habits — Albedo’s habits more accurately — and asked him about his day. Never did anyone care for him as much as you did. But that blooming warmth was extinguished when he realised you cared for Albedo and not him.

"You can take the bed tonight. I can sleep on the floor,"

"Why can't we just share the bed?"

Your bright face turned into one of embarrassment. "S-share? You...want to share a bed with me?"

He tilted his head. "Yes, isn't that sensible? Humans preserve their natural body heat when they huddle up together."

It's only rational. He didn't understand your hesitation. That is until you two were actually sharing the bed. He strokes his hardened cock, remembering the way your plush body pressed up against his. The way your hot breath brushed against his neck. The way you wriggled under the covers in an effort to spare some distance between you and himself. The way you bit your plump moistened lips and avoided his gaze. Fuck, those lips. What pretty, pretty lips. He wanted to kiss them until they bruised. He wanted to bite them and shove his tongue past them. Or maybe he could shove something else.

His imagination painted a painting of you still on your knees but with your lips parted open. You were trembling under his intense stare that bore into your skull. He was getting impatient, and he felt like he had to use all of his restraint to not give into the urge to stuff his entire cock in your mouth. He groans at the image of your dumbstruck face as you struggle to take his dick. But he rewinds that thought and decides to tease you instead. With a smug smirk, he imagines himself rubbing his cockhead against your moist lips, smearing it with pre-cum. Your eyebrows would furrow and you would force yourself to take all of him. It would be too much for you of course, so you would choke but stubbornly try to continue even when tears clouded your vision. Instead of easing, he would be rougher, harshly grabbing your head and taking control to just fuck your mouth like his own cocksleeve.

He hisses, speeding up his strokes. He wants to cum right now. He needs to cum right now, he needs to cum, he needs to cum he needs to cum he needs to—

White spurts out his cock, tainting the ground. In his imagination, a surprised sound slips out of your throat, muffled by his cock in your mouth. You would gulp, forcing yourself to swallow everything he gives you and he rewards you by patting your head. At last, he relaxes as he calms down from his high, returning back to the present where he is sitting alone on his bed, jacking off to you. So this is an orgasm…

The concept of sex is not completely foreign to him. He has read books about it, and he understands that it is not just for reproduction, but as a show of love and trust. Given your feelings for Albedo, you've likely had desires to engage in this activity with him.

In the days you've spent with him, he noticed the lovesick look in your eyes whenever you looked at him. Thinking he was Albedo, you followed him around like a clingy puppy, went out of your way to prepare meals for him and gave him little trinkets that you thought he would like. What a lucky bastard. To have people who accept him as one of their own, to have a family and to be loved by such a perfect human.

He'll take it all from him. He'll take his identity, he'll take his family, he'll take you the moment the opportunity presents itself. You'll be happy too. He'll profess his love to you and you'll happily accept. He would have you for himself and he'll finally be able to kiss you just like he has been longing to do. He would be able to savour your sweetness. He would be able to savour your body.

Wetting his cracked lips, his hand dips down once again. He adjusts himself to the centre of the bed, ridding himself of his undergarments so he could spread his legs freely. Sweat cascades down his features, his neck burning as he allows indecent thoughts of you to roam in his head.

You would be laying bare under him. He hasn’t seen you naked before but he knows from staring at your body for an ungodly amount of time — he claimed it was just an attempt to sketch you — that you would be fucking hot. He would be looking down at you, desire burning within his teal eyes that would threaten to light you aflame. A carnal flame that yearned to devour you whole.

He skips the foreplay; his mind racing to conjure up a stimulating scenario. Moans reverberated off the cavern walls that he calls his home, serving as an incentive for him to pound into you faster. He wrecks your hole, plunging in and out with such force that makes your eyes roll into the back of your skull. You’re choking on air, choking on your words as you try to call out to him.

“Hah– arghk! Ah–! Albe– mMH! Kkhn...Albedo!”

His daydream disrupted, he winches. Ah, that’s right he wasn’t given a name, was he? Well that doesn’t matter. Once he replaces Albedo he can wipe all memory of him from his mind. He can pretend he has always been Albedo. It would be his new identity, not that he has one in the first place. Although he can enact his plan – dispose of Albedo and take his place – and take you in the process, somehow it...hurt. It hurts knowing that whenever he sees those bright eyes full of adoration looking at him, it is aimed towards Albedo and not him. When you shower him in love, it's full of your love for Albedo and not him. Even if he replaced him, the one you love would always be Albedo and it will always be since you fell for him in the first place.

He grinds his jaws as he forces himself to return to his daydream. He imagines himself fucking your harder, harder, harder, fucking you so dumb that you can’t even talk. He doesn’t want you to talk if you are going to call out for him. He’ll get used to it one day. Maybe. But right now, the thought of you lusting over that disappointing failure his master calls a “pinnacle of creation” makes his fucking blood boil. You scream in pleasure, nails digging into the sheets as he buries himself deep within you. He’s the one making you feel this way. It’s him. Only him. Yes, if he keeps doing this, if he keeps giving you pleasure, you’ll realise he’s the one for you, right? You’ll fall in love with him right? You’ll forget about him, right?!

“Fuck, (Name)! Forget about– hgh– him... forget about him, forget about him! He is worthless, he is nothing! Hah, fuck…I love you! I love you more than he could ever! Fuck, fuck, fuck, (Name), I love you, I love you! Fucking take it!”

He violently slams into you one last time before spilling himself inside you; he’s marked you as his. You squeal, you greedy hole squeezing him and milking his cock. He pants, kissing your cheek as he pulls out. You hand cups his cheek as you return the kiss, smiling as you whisper to him.

“I love you,”

He opens his eyes, his hand dyed with cum. Sweat drips down his body, his entire body feverish and his hair begraddled. Gods, what have you done to him? He lets out a long breath, about to get up and clean himself off.

“Albedo?” he freezes. “Is that you?”

Their reactions to your death

As it says on the tin, the HSR boys' reactions to your death. This is pure angst.

WARNING:

Contains descriptions of death (nothing too graphic, though)

Suicidal thoughts in Aventurine's part

Mentions of Aventurine's backstory

No happy endings, this is pure angst

Characters: Argenti, Aventurine, and Jing Yuan

🌹 Argenti

Argenti knew that taking you traveling with him was a dangerous endeavor. You had some combat experience as a Nameless, and he admired your determination to improve your fighting skills by frequently sparring with him. He warned you of the frequent dangers he faced as a Knight of Beauty in his pursuit of THEIR radiance, and despite his common sense telling him to let you go, neither his heart nor you were satisfied to sever the tender bond growing between you. Against his better judgment, Argenti caved to your pleas to join him on his journey.

At first, the days spent journeying with you were some of his happiest. The love blossoming in his chest filled his entire being, and he often swore to you that you must have been blessed by Idrila themselves because when he was with you, the entire universe glowed with radiant beauty. The world was more beautiful with you by his side, for that was how much of an impact your presence had on him.

Argenti soon came to regret his weak will for allowing you to come along on his perilous adventure. You were making a rest stop on a small planet when the Antimatter Legion invaded, set on destruction. Overwhelmed by enemy numbers, Argenti focused on protecting the citizens and trusted you to handle yourself. Though you were not on par with his strength, he saw you improve during your sparring sessions, and he wanted to believe in your capabilities.

When the battle was over and the dust settled, Argenti couldn’t find you. While calling your name, he forced his battered and bloodied body to move as he searched for you among the rubble. He soon found you, collapsed on the ground in a puddle of your own blood. Quickly rushing to your side, Argenti scooped you up into his arms to inspect your injuries. The gashes in your torso were deep—Argenti knew instantly they were fatal. He didn’t want to accept your death, but no matter how much he called your name, hoping you would magically come back to life and open your eyes, you remained still.

Argenti was no stranger to losing friends, as their knightly profession resulted in many of them dying. He still thought about his fallen comrades with an ache in his chest, unable to fully make peace with their passing. However, you were someone he cherished even more than his fallen friends. You were the first person he grew to love from the bottom of his heart, dare he say even more than his beloved Aeon of Beauty. You were the first person to instill such overwhelming joy and adoration in his being with your mere existence.

Gently taking hold of your hand, Argenti brought your palm to his cheek, his heart shattering at how cold your skin was. He remained like this for a long time, hunching over your body and cradling you close while holding your limp hand in his. He wept. Tears streamed down his handsome face, leaving behind wet trails among the dirt and blood smeared on his cheeks as he kissed the back of your hand the way he did so many times before, only this time would be the last. Argenti quietly apologized to you for not being there to protect you, for allowing you to join him on such a dangerous journey and lose your life because he wasn’t strong enough to resist his love for you.

The day you died, the beautiful universe as Argenti knew it, withered like a decaying rose. The things he once found beautiful were now rendered without that same brilliant splendor. Everything appeared bleak and ordinary. No matter how he tried, Argenti found it difficult to summon the love and appreciation he once had. It was as if you had taken that ability with you to the grave.

Worse yet, Argenti found his faith in Idrila shaken, leaving him questioning his devotion to the absent Aeon.

After all, how can beauty exist in a universe without you?

🃏 Aventurine

After he returned from a mission, Aventurine wanted to spend some quality time with you, so he took you to the local mall with the promise of buying you anything your pretty heart desired, no matter the price tag. Walking hand-in-hand, Aventurine and you were discussing which store to visit next when a man emerged from the crowd and stood in front of your pair. The man looked familiar to Aventurine, but before he had time to place the face to a name, the man drew a gun and aimed it right at Aventurine’s heart, screaming that Aventurine ruined his life and he would get revenge on him today.

The ensuing moments happened too quickly for Aventurine to react. The man pulled the trigger and a loud bang resounded through the shopping center, resulting in a cacophony of screams from the nearby crowd of shoppers. The bullet didn’t hit Aventurine, however. As if in slow motion, he watched you shield him from the assailant and intercept the bullet in his place.

His carefully crafted personal of smug confidence crumbled when you fell at his feet, replaced with rarely-seen panic as Aventurine saw red bloom at the center of your chest like an ugly rose. The terror of losing you overrode any other concern in his mind, and Aventurine barely spared a thought to the assassin, too preoccupied with stemming your bleeding with his jacket, not caring if it became ruined with blood. Somewhere in the background, he heard the man’s angry shouts as he was apprehended and carried away by security, but Aventurine couldn’t focus on that. All he had on his mind was ensuring you made it out alive.

He was so focused on stopping your bleeding, that the only thing that snapped him out of his panic was the sensation of your hand resting over his. Lifting his gaze to meet your pained one, Aventurine watched you mouth “I love you” before falling still moments later. Your eyes glazed over, staring through him into the distance, and Aventurine’s heart sank to the pit of his stomach.

Just five minutes ago he was happily holding hands with you, excited to indulge in a rare day off to spoil you, and how he looked down on your lifeless body cradled in his arms. You were gone and he will never get you back.

The ensuing days were a blur of police interrogations and IPC meetings, but Aventurine was glad to be busy. It was the only thing distracting him from his grief and guilt. It turned out that the assassin was a small company representative he screwed over a while ago for the sake of a mission, and the man wanted to kill Aventurine in revenge. A few of Aventurine’s colleagues said he was lucky to be alive, but that phrase made his stomach churn. Could it be considered luck if he lost you in the end? If so, then he doesn’t want to be lucky anymore.

When your funeral came, Aventurine almost didn’t attend. He couldn’t bear to face you with the knowledge that you gave up your life for his. That he stood here alive and well, while you lay lifeless in the grave because of him. But Topaz and Jade coaxed him out and he went, tuning out the entire procession or risk showing vulnerability.

After the hectic days wound down, the grief came in full force. Once upon a time, Aventurine found solitude as a saving grace after a long day of faking and scheming. Then you came along and wormed your way into his scarred heart, bathing him in a love and gentleness he hadn’t felt in a long, long time. Sharing his home with you was an unfamiliar yet joyous experience, and he found comfort in knowing that you were waiting for him to return each day. However, now his home felt awfully empty and lonely without you, and the silence sometimes choked him. Your things were still lying where you left them before that horrid day, and Aventurine didn’t have the heart to move them, much less throw them away. After all, they held memories of your happy times together, proof that you once existed.

Insomnia became his companion. The grief and guilt weighed on him like a boulder and kept him awake late into the night, turning over possibilities of what he should have done so you would have survived. When his exhausted brain forced him to sleep, all he saw were nightmares. Some nights he dreamt of his mother and sister, and the fires and bloodshed that tore through their little encampment. Other nights he dreamt of being shackled and watching blood run down his fingers while a lifeless body lay at his feet, beaten beyond recognition. Sometimes, he dreamt about being on a date with you, hearing you say “I love you” and then watching you fall lifeless at his feet with a bullet wound in your chest.

Aventurine woke in a cold sweat every time. Usually, when he had nightmares, you were there to keep him company until he calmed down, but now, there was nothing but empty space where you should have been. He did not fall asleep afterward.

Your death weighed like a heavy boulder, suffocating him. It unearthed painful memories and reopened old wounds that never healed. Aventurine lost so much in his life: his family, people, planet, freedom, and now, the love of his life. Everything he treasured had been brutally taken from him, and the constant beatdown made it difficult to summon the will to go on. He might have pulled on a smile for his colleagues at the IPC, but in the solitude of his home, there were nights when he considered ending it all and joining you and his family in the afterlife. He probably would have gone through with those urges were it not for Topaz and Jade’s timely support. Their genuine concern for his well-being helped steer him away from such thoughts.

Having faced so much loss, Aventurine closed himself off from close relationships. He swore to never take another lover after you—he couldn’t bear to lose someone else again—but he does hold your memory close to his heart, much like he does with his family. He packed your things and stored them safely alongside his mother’s items, cherishing them as a memento of you.

Aventurine knows that one day he will reunite with you and his family. Maybe that day won’t come soon, but he finds comfort in knowing it will happen eventually. In the meantime, he resolved to push on and fulfill his goal of taking revenge against the IPC for the sake of everything they had so cruelly snatched from him. Just wait a little longer for him, alright? He will join you soon enough.

🦁 Jing Yuan

Having lived for several centuries, one would assume Jing Yuan had accumulated precious wisdom over the course of his long life. Though he remained humble, Jing Yuan liked to think so, too. Yet, entering a committed relationship with you, a short-life species, was not a wise decision at all. Compared to his long lifespan, your life was like a sparkler: beautifully bright but short-lived. Jing Yuan was fully aware that it would hurt him when he inevitably lost you, but love made people foolish, and he was no exception.

His long life and the loss of his beloved friends and mentor made him jaded, but being with you gave him that little spark of excitement he hadn’t felt in a long time. It felt good to come home to find you waiting for him, and it motivated him to finish his paperwork faster so he could hurry back to you. The lazy days of taking naps on your lap, going on strolls through Xianzhou, and drinking tea together were akin to a dream.

But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. In what felt like a blink of an eye, you started showing signs of aging. Your skin developed new wrinkles and your vision worsened, but otherwise, you were still perfectly healthy. Nevertheless, the sight settled like a heavy blanket over Jing Yuan. It was a reminder that you were slowly but surely approaching the end of your life span. The realization weighed on his heart, turning his time with you bittersweet, but he resolved to make the most of your remaining time together.

After a few more decades, you developed health problems and were no longer as active as you used to be, so Jing Yuan paid for the best doctors on the Xianzhou to care for you, all with the hope of extending your life by just a few more years. Even one or two more would do.

Over the years, you took many couple photographs to capture the fun times but also to leave something for Jing Yuan to remember you by. He used to look upon them with fondness, but now as he browsed through the photos on his phone, his heart sank as he saw how you progressively aged with each new picture while he remained unchanged. Though he knew it was inevitable for your species, it still left a sour taste in his mouth.

A couple more decades passed by, and your figure changed even more. Your skin was wrinkled and your hair white, your vision was poor, and the aches and pains in your body prevented you from being active. Jing Yuan sometimes caught your melancholic gaze on him when you thought he wasn’t looking, and he knew his youthful appearance bothered you. You must have doubted whether he still loved you now that you lost your youthful beauty, but he did. No matter how much you changed, Jing Yuan’s love for you never waned, and he proved it to you by faithfully remaining by your side, showering you in compliments and affections the same way he did when he first fell in love with you.

Time marched on. Jing Yuan watched you slowly waste away in front of his eyes as you grew feeble with every passing year. Your time would come soon, and he would have to say goodbye to you. He was no stranger to goodbyes. He’s lost dear friends in the past, but the longing for his companions and the good times they shared together never quite left. He knew it would be the same with you because despite the short time you had been together, you had left a big impact on him. Capturing the heart of the Luofu General was no small feat, as he often told you with a playful smile. Rendering him practically kneeling at your bedside and grasping your hand with the fear of today being your last was no small feat either, though Jing Yuan never told you that part.

When your time was almost here, Jing Yuan spent all his free time at your bedside, desperately trying to get a few more moments with you. His laidback smile was ever present as he chatted with you and held your hand, but that mask faded when he felt your hand grow limp in his at long last. Though he was heartbroken to watch you go, he was glad that your death was a peaceful one, at least.

He did not cry for you. He had decades to prepare for your death, but your absence did leave a hole in his heart. He sorely missed the playful banter, cheerful laughter, and comfort you provided. Life returned to the same monotony it used to be prior to meeting you, but it felt incomplete without you. His house felt too silent, his bed was too big for him alone, and he still caught himself brewing an extra mug of tea out of habit.

Falling in love with a short-life species was not a wise decision, but despite the heartache Jing Yuan felt whenever he looked at photos of you, he knew he would make the mistake of loving you all over again if given the chance. It just hurt knowing he could no longer make new memories with you.

Maybe if he’s lucky, the mara won’t get him and he’ll get to keep these cherished memories of you and the High-Cloud Quintet until his last days. At least, he hopes such a small mercy can be granted to him.