Important If Your In An Abusive Situation You Can Turn Off This Alarm

Hi

I got this comment on a story from my Other AO3 Account this morning.

(Info redacted because I prefer keeping these accounts separate but no one follows me on the side blog I have for that account.)

The story was posted almost a year ago and is relatively “popular” by my average statistics even though it has tropes and themes that are big turnoffs for a lot of people (hence separate accounts). This popularity is undoubtedly because it’s a Marvel Loki story and that fandom is massive.

So there is obviously an algorithm or a bot scrubbing ao3 statistics and leaving this comment on fics that meet a certain metric with the main character of the fic inserted into the comment.

I had a little time to kill this morning so I decided to investigate further. And y’all this is so predatory. Come on this journey with me. It made me mad. It may make you mad.

First, if you go to Webnovel’s website, you HAVE to choose between male lead or female lead stories before you can go any further. WTF?

And that’s weird, but this gets so much worse. This is basically a pay-to-read site that has different subscription models. Which… okay BUT! The authors don’t get paid! Look at that comment again. They’re promising a supportive and nurturing community, but zero monetary compensation. It’s basically, “post your stuff here so we can get paid and you can get… nice vibes?” I mean look at this Orwellian writing:

Using the phrase “pay-to-read model” in the same sentence as “qualitative changes in lifestyles for authors” deliberately makes you think that you can get paid and maybe even make a living on this website. But that’s not actually what it says and authors will not receive one red cent.

Oh but wait, the worst is still to come. In case this breaks containment (which I kind of hope it does) this is where I mention that I’m a lawyer in the US.

I don’t do intellectual property or copyright law but I do read and write contracts for a living. So I went to look at their terms of service. It was fun!

Highlights the first, in which Webnovel gets a license to do basically whatever they want with content you post on their site. This is how they get to be paid for people reading authors’ writing without paying them anything.

Highlights the second, in which Webnovel takes no responsibility for illegally profiting off of fan fic. This all says that the writer is 100% responsible for everything the writer posts (even though only Webnovel is making money from it).

Highlights the third which say that by posting, the author is representing that they have the legal right to use and to let Webnovel use the content according to these terms. So if a writer posts fan fiction and Webnovel makes money from people reading the fan fiction, and the House of the Mouse catches wise, these sections say that that’s ALL on the writer.

So that’s a little skeevy to start off with but the thing that is seriously shitty and made me make this post was that these assholes are coming to ao3. They are actively recruiting people in comments on their fan fiction. And they are saying they are big fans of the character you’re writing about and that they share your interests.

They are recruiting fan fiction writers and giving every impression that you can make money from posting fan fiction on their site and hiding the fact that you absolutely cannot but they can make money off of you while you try, deep in their terms of service which no one but a lawyer who writes fan fic and has some time to kill will read.

I see posts on here regularly from people who don’t understand how this stuff works, don’t understand that they (and others) can not legally make a financial profit from fan fiction. And there are tons of people who will not take the time to dig into the details.

Don’t deal with these bastards. Fuck Webnovel.

that's him that's my dad

Bby Ren

Imagine trying to explain stuff about our time to them to, like smart phones, they'd probably just think you're crazy. Would probably have dustin contact suzie to get more of an understanding what you're even talking about, especially since she knows what internet is

OK, ellie, hear me out, I'm on a run with this idea of like an angelface, who somehow accidentally Timetravled all the way back to the 80's, from our time, (could easily be something to do with gates that somehow keep opening?) And ends up waking up in the woods that apparently all of em live by for some reason, say like eddie or Steve find you, lost, confused, scared and dirty cause god know what ever hell you saw and were in before you finally appeared in hawkins in the 80's.

They end up bringing you in and kind of gather everyone to just try and get things figured out. Get your name, information like where you're from and if you happen to know what even happened.

You end up explaining that you're from a completely different time, in the future none the less, I mean, how hard could it be for them to believe? They've fought and seen stuff far less likely to be real than some random time traveling person, right?

They get to know you, get a little attached and obviously dread of the idea of you having to go back to your time and maybe try and convince you to stay, but ultimately understand that you have to go back

UNLESS its the yabdere fruity four. Not only keeping you trapped with them in whoever's house, I'd assume steve's and would also switch between his and eddies but they're also keeping you from going back to your own time. Like, listen, I've been obsessing a little bit over your yandere fruity four and this idea of some accidental time traveling angelface has been on my mind and I think its mostly cause I started watching time wasters, but like, just having to help them fight something from the upside down again just to get home is just my current brain rot and it makes it better with yanderes. I'm sorry I'm like this oml 😭

hey felly how does it feel knowing you're literally making me feral, this is SUCH GOOD SHIT-

like, super-traumatized angelface stumbling out of a gate in Hawkins after being chased through one by some weird....dog....thing, with horrible leathery skin and way too many teeth and that piercing screech. and just your luck, you keep running through the forest without knowing whether or not you're still being chased, not knowing if you're still in that horrible other world, until you crash right into somebody and hit the dirt on top of them.

Steve, i feel like, wouldn't let you get up right away--he'd grab you by the arms and ask if you're alright, because you're shaking so bad and he can tell you must have saw something terrifying, and will help you up while trying to reassure you that it's okay. whoever you are, he won't let you get hurt. you remind him a little of the kids, his kids, in that moment, and he just hurries you back to the closest house with an arm wrapped tight around your shoulders to keep you close. there's no way you could fake terror like that, and he keeps a close eye over his shoulder, because he knows just what kind of things happen in Hawkins and he won't let someone else fall victim to them, if he can help it. especially not someone as cute as you, even with all that dirt in your hair and your face.

Eddie would be dumbstruck for a few moments, but when you scramble to get up with tears in your eyes and start running again, he chases after you until he manages to catch you. probably gets an elbow to the face or a kick to the shins when he grabs you and you start thrashing, crying and wailing for him not to kill you--but luckily he's pretty good at calming you down and promises he's not gonna do anything of the sort, he just wants to know why the hell a pretty thing like you is out in the woods so late at night? shouldn't you be at home, like, watching a movie or listening to pink floyd or something? and the look you give him when he says that makes him just as confused as you look, the "what's pink floyd?" even more so. and yeah, Eddie's not gonna let you wander around the woods when you're clearly an amnesiac or something--he's gonna take you home and let you clean up, without yet knowing just how much of this particular time you're not familiar with. and show you some real music in the meantime, while he calls the others to figure out what to do with you.

Renren, he is so CUTE!!! XD

USELESS

I am all for yandere single dad!

Not sure if this counts BUT, a yandere dad that ends up falling for the nanny his wife hired to watch their daughter.

A well off business man, finely tailored suit, who's been stuck in a dead marriage with a woman he can't stand.

Although he adores his daughter he rarely has time for her because of his highly demanding job. To make matters worse, her supposed "mother", if you even call her that, doesn't give her the time of day and constantly ignores her

He didn't think his life would turn out like this.

In their college days, he and wife then girlfriend, had been dating for a year before he finally decided to end things after having grown sick of her demanding and entitled attitude.

However, when he tried to break up with her, she announced she was pregnant with his child. Of course he had his doubts and demanded a paternity test. Instead she went behind his back and told his parents.

Both their families were very conservative and had high standings in their communities. So as to save face, they pressured him into marrying her so as to not cause a scandal. So under threat of disownment by his family and the chance of his reputation being ruined for being considered a man who abandoned his child after getting a woman pregnant. He craved and agreed.

The first few years were decent. Despite, the way they got to together, he tried to make the relationship work but it soon became clear she had no interest in that.

As soon as his daughter was old enough to do certain things on her own, his wife stopped wanting anything to do with her. Instead preferring to go out with her friends, shopping and partying as if she was still a single 19 year old college girl.

The few times she isn't out spending large amounts out his money, she sitting at home doing nothing but watching TV or online. All while completely ignoring her daughter.

If that was bad enough, he's pretty sure she been cheating on him. She's constantly going out dressed to the nines in makeup and expensive clothes. She always on her phone and keeps it locked when she's not. And has been very distant as of the past few years.

He has thought about just divorcing her and finding someone else but nothing ever really came of that idea.

He grew up with the idea that divorce was a sin and once a person makes those vows, you can't ever break. Though that wasn't his true concern. His main worry was losing his daughter.

His wife was a vindictive woman who surely do anything in her power to make his life a living hell if he dared divorce her. And that included using their daughter as a mean to hurt him.

The court were they lived had tenancy to reward majority custody to the mother, even if the father is more suitable to raise the child. And knowing his wife, she'd probably claim he was abusive to her and their daughter, which would grant her a higher chance of gaining full custody. And didn't want to risk losing his daughter to her neglectful mother.

So, her surmised it would be better to wait until his daughter was 18 to divorce his wife.

However, things changed when you entered the picture.

A nanny hired by his wife to watch their daughter for a few hours while she was out.

He remembers coming home that day and finding you there in the living room playing with his daughter.

Of course he was shocked and asked what you were doing in his house, but after explaining the situation, he was left furious! His had life their daughter with a complete stranger without bothering to consult him first!?

His anger only grew when you tell him you were only supposed to watch his daughter for a couple of hours, but his wife had been gone all day and no matter how many times you tried to call her, she wouldn't answer her phone.

She didn't even tell you how to reach him or give you a list of things rules for the young girl. She just shoved her daughter on you and told you to watch her. Didn't even pay you before hand. You didn't feel comfortable leaving such a young child by alone, so you stayed and waited for the father to come home.

Feeling bad for you, he decided to just pay you for your trouble and let you go home.

However, when you tried to leave, his daughter grabbed onto your leg and started crying, saying she didn't want you to leave.

This shocked both of you and he tried to convince his daughter to let go of you to no avail. Eventually he asked if you wanted a job watching his daughter during the week days while he and his wife are out, promising to pay you a high amount. Not seeing an issue with that you agreed.

Over the course of a few months, he slowly begins realize he's developed feelings for you.

You're so kind and attentive with his daughter. Always willing to play with her or help her with homework. You even worry about her safety and comfort her when she hurts herself. He sees how his daughter's eyes light up when you arrive. How she come running towards you wanting a hug and you'll happily pick her up and spin her around.

He looks forward to coming home to see you cooking dinner for his daughter and even going as far as making a plate for him.

He hates coming home and seeing his wife there instead of you. He goes resentful of his wife to the point he can't even look at her without feeling disgust and anger.

You should be his wife, not this selfish, leech of a woman. You're the one he was meant to marry, not that wh#re that forced into this sham of a marriage only to open her legs the second someone new comes around.

Surely, you think this way too. All he needs to do is get rid of the parasite taking your place. It'd be so easy too. it's not as if anyone would miss her, she's widely hated by their neighbors and even her own friend group.

The only people he has to worry about is her awful family, but that's not an issue. He can just make it look like an accident and hold a funeral for their families. It'll be the last time they see his daughter. He has no plans of letting them continue to be in their lives after he marries you. And if they become a problem he'll gladly let them join their daughter in hell. The same goes for his parents.

His parents will undoubtedly cause a ruckus about him remarrying soon after his wife's passing, especially with someone they don't approve of. But his parents have controlled his life long enough and it's time for them to understand who has the true say in the family.

Aw he can't wait to see you in a gorgeous white dress on your wedding day. Surely you won't refuse right? After all his daughter will be so sad to see you leave again. You're already a perfect parent to her and he can easily support you with his salary, so you won't even need to work!

There's no reason to say no~

(GOODNESS I loved this and decided to make a little scenario on how I think he got the whole idea for marrying you in the first place. It’s a bit of a rough draft but I still like it! I hope you do too!)

Coming home this early was a blessing he hardly got to enjoy. Usually when he came home at all there was hardly a hello from the woman he called his wife, and dinner was something a day or two old in the fridge.

Today, however, he was pleasantly stunned. You stood there over the stove while his baby girl giggled beside you, adding what looked like food coloring to a batch of batter. Now, what on earth could you two possibly be up too?

A nanny cooking with a child isn’t odd, not in the least. But something about this was different, more domestic and wholesome than just a paid worker bonding with the child they look after. Especially when you gave him that sweet, welcoming look over your shoulder when he announced his arrival.

“Oh! Hello! Sorry I didn’t hear you- we were-“ you were happily cut off by his daughter, who clapped her hands excitedly. “Daddy! Come look! We made silly pancakes!”

He chuckled, walking over as he places his keys down. He watched as you flipped the green pancake over and slid it onto a plate, where his daughter happily added a fistful of sprinkles and handed it to him.

You give a playful smirk and point to her “I think she might be the best chef in the house. Why have me cook when she’s a five star chef?”

He laughed with you and set the plate aside, picking up his daughter to give her a kiss on the head. “I wouldn’t normally approve of pancakes for dinner but…hmm…since you’re such an artist, Daddy can let it slide”.

You all smile and get ready for dinner as he tells you about his day. You genuinely listen, setting his plate down as you sit beside him and ask follow up questions even. While you two chat and talk, he feels so relaxed and even, dare he say loved. This dinner feels like such a dream, until his daughter makes a mess with syrup on the table and starts to tear up.

You give her a worried look and hush her softly, asking what the matter was. “It was an accident sweetie. You aren’t in trouble at all! We’ll get you cleaned up and get back to eating ok?”.

She sniffles and nods her head, wiping her eyes as she looks at her daddy. “I-I just…mommy yells at me for t-things like that and-and I didn’t wanna-“ she continues to get upset, and watching as you coax her down and soothe her made him both relived and upset.

Of course his wife would be like that. Always yelling and belittling people over the smallest of things, making everything a show of drama. She couldn’t even bother to be home and be an actual part of the family, to cook or simply be there for their daughter when she’s learning and growing and needing a person to bond with.

He’s had enough. He’s had enough for years now but now things are finally becoming more clear.

You’re meant to be there, meant to be by his side and help this family finally heal and become normal. In just the two hours of being around you today, he’s felt more of a family bond than the nearly ten years hes been married to that parasite.

He says nothing as he stands in the doorway of the restroom, eyes protectively watching over his daughter and you. Someone so kind and gentle, nurturing and loving. To think he let his daughter be starved of this, to be scarred for so long.

He won’t let this mistake go on any longer.

But papers and money won’t get rid of the disease that is his wife. She’ll go down fighting and might even take the person he adores the most away, leaving him torn apart.

The plan can be made later on when he’s in bed. For now, he thinks, he’ll help wash up his daughter so you all can get back to dinner and story time. “See princess? Nothing bad at all. All cleaned up and ready for more special pancakes!”.

“Silly pancakes” you both correct, you with a knowing smile that he pronounced it wrong on purpose. He gives a shrug, barley hiding his grin “nah, pretty sure I heard you the first time. Special pancakes with princess sprinkles”.

His daughter giggles and hugs his leg, looking up at him “you’re so silly daddy”. He bends down to pick her up, carrying her with one arm as he looks at your smile.

This feels so right. So warm and welcoming. It hurts him to know that you aren’t tied to him- to THIS. You’ll have to leave the house soon, go to your own home where you’re own life is. God, he wants to just keep you here and never let you go! You’re such a bright beacon of light in what this nightmare has become!

While you chat with his daughter at the table, he can’t help but let his eyes admire your fingers. They have no ring, and his wedding band would look perfect on you. Making a statement that you belonged to him. That he loved you and wouldn’t break that sanctity for anything in the world.

He can’t wait to tear the ring off of his soon to be missing wife. He’ll have to sneak your ring size off of you somehow, but the wait will be worth it. This time, he knows he’s doing the right thing.

And he won’t let someone as good as you leave him.

-Mommabean (please tell me what you think! ❤️)

♢ Favorite | Childe

Alternative Title: Yours

Includes: Yandere, Slightly suggestive, Cult, D//rugging, K//idnapping, S/A, N-C kissing SAGAU

Warnings: Slight perv Childe, Yandere, talks of bruises/scares, allusions to past mistreatment (verbal and physical), Childe climbs on top of you and kisses you while ur dr/ugged… so yeah idk what to tag that?

Word count: 3.2k

A/N: closeted pervs, pervs… pervs who’re obsessed with you? mhm… yes, i like that. yes. anyway, i’m working of D.V pt 2 and other stuff but yeah take this for now </3 hopefully this isn’t too messy </3

Intended for mature audiences (17+)

You wondered why you thought you had a chance in the first place – not once since you’d arrived had things gone your way, from the cruel words thrown at you in Mondstatd to the harsh blades that sliced you in Inazuma, ever since you’d arrived at Teyvat things had gone horribly wrong for you.

Now here you were, being chased by the 11th Fatui Harbinger, Tartaglia, for sins unknown to you.

You’d stumbled upon the rough edges of Dragonspine and naively ran straight into the harsh temperament of never-ending winter, hoping the ginger would simply let you be but alas, fate had different plans, and he followed you into the freezing temperatures, bow and arrow in hand.

It had been almost an hour of being lost in the hellish winter lands, but considering he’d been chasing you for days – his patience shouldn’t be surprising.

“Stop making this harder than it needs to be, pal,” Childe mocked, his voice was rough as if he was scolding a child, “you got caught, now give up… this is starting to get really annoying.”

“I normally enjoy this sort of stuff,” he sighs, his voice muffled by the softened snow and fair amount of distance you’d managed to gain, “chasing and hunting, but you… God, you… you really messed up. Showing up looking like that, acting as if you had no idea what you were doing was… disrespectful, matter of fact, that’s what you are; disrespectful and ungrateful, acting like a little kid, and that’s coming from me.”

You wanted to ask what he was talking about, scream and beg him for answers – he spoke as if he understood why you were being targeted, almost as if he wasn’t the one with a finger on a trigger waiting for your next wrong move.

Your body felt weak, you hadn’t eaten in so long — you’d been rejected food and water — your body was fatigued, you were hurting and the freezing temperatures nibbling at your exposed flesh didn’t help. For reasons unknown, as most things were around here to you, you didn’t have to sleep nor eat as often as others — being able to spend the equivalent of days without basic needs, but that doesn’t mean you weren’t growing starved and tired.

The Fatui doesn’t stop talking, he had nothing to worry about — his clothes were warm and his basic human rights had been served, not only was he ridiculously strong but he had every and all advantages over you, from a fed stomach to a good night’s rest and a weapon, you were mere child’s pray to an experienced hunter.

His words were insulting, criticizing your character – which he’d never taken the time to know, you note – to your appearance, the way you moved and acted, nothing was off the table as he tore you apart with words as he waited to rip you apart later.

Is this how you die? — you muse, you decide to tune out his sing-song voice, his words hurt and why focus on more pain when death was basically inviting you over for a cup of tea?

The thought brings tears to your eyes, tears that had been piling up since the day you’d arrive to this hell-hole, you had been home one day – playing games and enjoying life, your life, as pathetic and miserable as it may seem to some, and now you were here; being prosecuted and sentenced for a crime you didn’t even know about.

The people you’d helped, stupid, brainless string of code and characters in your stupid, time-consuming game that didn’t offer any real life consequences (that shouldn’t offer real life consequences) turned their backs on you and left you to die a slow and painful death. How pathetic.

This is how you die — you think, certain of your impending doom.

You were crying, all of your strength now concentrated in your shaking form, tears now streamed down your face – you didn’t notice too busy in your worn self pity to realize, but the harsh temperatures further dropped with the evidence of your sorrows running down your face, with every tear the mountains seemed to weep alongside you; snow now fell at a more frequent pace echoing the water dripping down your face.

“What did I do wrong…” You ask the skies, no longer caring to hide — it was inevitable that he’d find you. Your sobs grow louder the closer he gets and the quieter he becomes, soon – you couldn’t make out whatever cruel remarks he was spouting, probably busy focusing on the meek sounds escaping your weakened body trying to get this over with, he was enjoying your suffering, wasn’t he?

He stops walking (something you vaguely note, too tired to try and escape now), in mere seconds he’s standing behind the rock he’s certain you’re hiding against – all he needs to do is ambush you, strike your chest with an arrow and things would be over with, he’d be back on track to Liyue and off to his next destination. And yet, his hands trembled slightly as he gripped the wooden handle of his bow – he couldn’t bring himself to aim.

But isn’t this what he wanted? He’d asked The Tsaritsa for a longer stay in Liyue for this exact moment, he’d even followed you through Liyue and up until this damned mountain. He would have finally gotten rid of the fake God, the pest that had been making its way around Teyvat making a fool of themselves and everyone around them. He wouldn’t have been so bothered if it hadn’t been someone impersonating you, but that wasn’t the case — the idiot, the absolute bastard, had the balls to make a divine comedy of you and it made Childe sick.

And yet, as he stood above you, only a few steps away, a lift of a finger from ending your life, he couldn’t.

Something deep inside him made him stall, he didn’t understand why until you finally spoke to him for the first time in the almost three days he’d been hunting you like sport.

“At least tell me what I did to deserve this, Ajax.”

Ajax, Ajax, Ajax, Ajax, Ajax, Ajax ,Ajax, Ajax, Ajax, Ajax… you called him by his name.

Ajax.

No one knew his name – more like, no one should know his name, so why did you – some outlander, some weird, demented freak making a mockery of his God know his name?

He let the thoughts simmer in his head; an outlander that knew his name, that knew where they were without even looking at a map, one that navigated the hills and their surroundings like an expert, that had the soil and skies of Teyvat answer their cries, who managed to affect Dragonspine’s weather… you weren’t a freak, he realizes as horror sinks in, and he was the bastard.

He was the bastard that was about to kill God.

The realization comes to him and he almost drops to his knees, as if someone had punched the air out of his lungs, things suddenly made more sense – the reason he was so compelled to follow you, how you seemed to never run out of energy, how things always turned out in your favor even if they shouldn’t, you were God. His God. Of course he’d be moved the way he was, even if his mind didn’t know it, his spirit, his soul did, his body did.

He was about to kill God.

The only thing that had kept him going during his time inside the Abyss, the very thing that gave him hope for a better future, he had chased away and threatened.

You hear the odd sound he lets out – something between a scream and cry, a muddled laugh of pain and confusion – and you’re tempted to look around to see what had happened, you knew Childe was close, so why didn’t he just go and get it over with? Was he… was he mocking you? This had to be an attempt to make this more fun, have you crawl out of your hiding spot so he could pounce on you and kill you in the open so he’d have more space to be creative.

You still want to turn around, after all no matter what you did your fate was sealed — you obviously weren’t leaving the mountains alive, so would it really matter if he killed you against a stiff rock or soft snow? But he beats you to it and bright blue eyes meet yours much to your shock. You feel heart stop.

He doesn’t say anything, whatever episode that had previously consumed him gone, as his hand reaches out and you flinch, instinctively throwing your body back in fear, in hopes he’d leave you alone — his eyes widen and soon fill with sadness but he doesn’t take his hand back, rather, he reaches forward to pull you closer to him, his weapons are nowhere in his person as shaky hands explore you, almost as if looking for something.

He’s hugging you, and unbeknownst to you, while trying to get a feel for your body to see if the familiar warmth he’d feel whenever he acted as your vessel was there; it was, overflowing from your shaking body, further confirming that you were indeed who he thought, who he feared, you were.

“What are you…?” You want to question, your voice comes out barely a whisper above the sounds of wind pounding against the trees.

“Say it again,” he whispers, pulling you impossibly close to his body – effectively shutting you up, “say my name again, please.”

“…” You can’t move, afraid you’d upset him and cause him to shove a knife down your throat or whatever he planned to do.

“Please,” he squeezed you tighter, you choke at the sudden roughness, “I need to know if I heard you well.”

It was a lie, of course, he knew you’d said his name loud and clear, – Ajax, Ajax, Ajax… he could repeat the memory in his head forever and not get tired – with the most adorable pronunciation he’d heard, it was making him feel dirty for the thoughts that flooded his mind in regards to you. You had called him by his name in such a familiar way, a way he’d only heard in his dreams.

“Ajax?” You let out, your body was cold and you just wanted to get everything over with, “I… I called you Ajax.”

“So it is you,” he lets out, a dry laugh coming from his lips, gloved hands grip at your clothed body like a starved man, “hah… you should’ve said something sooner, it would’ve saved us so much time… your highness.”

Completely confused you try to push him off, what was he saying? Your highness? One second he was trying to kill you, then he was asking you to say his name, and now here he was – addressing you as some sort of divine figure? If this was part of his plan to torture you, it must be very effective because you’re soon growing exhausted at the way he’s acting, your time here had been pure and utter misery, and dealing with a two faced man who didnt know if he wanted you dead or close only aggravated you more.

No matter how much you tried to push him off and get him to answer your questions – mote like demands for answers, the Harbinger wouldn’t budge, instead opting to lift you off the ground and carry you. He lifted you without a warning, leaving you speechless for a good while as you try and reason what’s going on, still so caught off guard you don’t even realize you’ve asked him where you’re going until he’s giggling like a high schooler.

Your face might have been hidden under the fur jacket he was wearing, your vision being rendered useless, but you could still hear the smile, the fondness in his voice as he stated what to him must have been the most obvious matter in the world; “I’m taking you home.”

He says it like it’s some sort of joke you’re supposed to get, but you’re left to wonder what it meant as he provided no further context.

He doesn’t let you down, literally, for even a second – making the treacherous journey from your hiding spot to where he’d set up camp with little to no complaints, seemingly deep in thought at what had just transpired in the last hour, you don’t try to make conversations either as your own thoughts consume you.

“I just can’t believe it,” he mumbles, carrying you to what you presume to be his tent, “they had it all so, so wrong… hurting and attacking you, poor little thing. It’s okay, my love, I’ll make it up to you,” he doesn’t seem to expect any answers as he drones on, “so I’m going to heal you and keep you to myself while I figure out what to do with you. Doesn’t that sound nice? Your Ajax will make it all better.”

Oh how lucky he was, meeting and recognizing you before any other man or woman in Teyvat. So what if his original intentions hadn’t been as savory as he wished they had been, the past is the past and you’re safe with him now.

You’re carried inside the tent and immediately handed a bottle of warm liquid you don’t hesitate to down — you hadn’t had a drink or food in days, and even if Childe intended to dispose of you afterwards, who were you to deny yourself of being taken care of, even if it was for one last time.

There was no one around other than you two, you realize – no Treasure Hunters nor Fatui, nor guild members seemed to be nearby. But you didn’t mind, too preoccupied trying to figure out what the blue eyed man could want to do next — you’d accepted your fate but it didn’t mean it didn’t scare you.

It’s not even a few minutes later that you realize you can’t bring yourself to ask anything, your body slowly succumbing to a paralyzed state where you could only feel warmth – while there had been no previous attempts from either of you to talk, Tartaglia too busy buried in his own thoughts to speak to you now and you too scared of setting him off, you realize too late there’s a lot you want to say.

Realizing your now relaxed state (due to the concoction he had you drink earlier on - he knew you didn’t trust him enough to willingly realz around him), Ajax begins to look at your otherwise frozen body, you’re not able to resist as he slowly strips you off your clothes in favor of his spares; ones that left you exposed as he looked over and tended to your wounds, by the time he’s got to use the alcohol to disinfect the cuts on your body you’re inches away from being knocked out.

He was uncharacteristically quiet while assessing your figure, only letting out huffs and grunts when he caught sight of a particularly deep scar or bruised patch of skin he wished he didn’t have to see. He took the moment of silence to think, you must have suffered greatly in the last few months you’d been stranded here – alone, hated, feared, it must have been hellish. The severity of his actions slowly dawned on him, he’d been brash – he hadn’t taken the chance to properly asses you, out of everyone, he should have been the one to quickly notice who you were; he’d been surrounded by imagery and depictions of you for so long, he’d dedicated so much of himself to you and yet, when he stood in front of you for the first time, he acted harshly and like a savage.

His heart aches and he hoped you were as benevolent as he remembered you being, he would work himself to his bones if it meant earning your forgiveness and favor once more.

“I can’t believe they would’ve done this to you, my love,” he finally breaks the silence, caressing your exposed collarbone, a fire now burned in the tent granting his face a gentle orange glow as the sun began to set, “I’ll take you to Liyue where I can heal you better, maybe find a doctor who can do a better job than me, but we’ll be leaving for Snezhnaya soon after you’re better so you can meet… my boss, I’m sure she’ll be ecstatic to finally meet you.”

His voice holds no strong emotion, he can’t bring himself to forgive his actions — he’d been so childish, you probably hated him.

The thought struck his heart cold, you hated him. How was he supposed to live if you hated him?

“I am sorry,” he whispers, finally making eye contact with you, his fingers caressed your skin as if you were made of fine glass, afraid you’d break further if he applied too much pressure, “I acted out, I was stupid, and I hurt you.”

Your eyes were glazed, your head felt like it was floating – but you could still register his words, and maybe it was because he was the first person who’d treated you well, like you were a human, or maybe it was because you were too high off whatever substances was now flowing through your body but you spoke (even though it was too much effort for you to try and say anything too long).

“I… forgive you.” You let out a broken smile, muscles too tired to try anything that looked, well, good but your words were enough for him.

“You’re too kind to me,” he mumbles, slowly intertwining his fingers with your own – ecstasy slowly pumping through his veins as your words settle in, “I’m so lucky to have such a kind God,” he whispers into the crook of your neck, “so let me make it up to you, my providence.”

“Before that though, I…” He pauses, if he took you to Snezhnaya you’d be able to be protected by the Fatui and Her Excellency, you’d help bring their plan to life faster than ever — you’d be able to enact your just revenge with the Fatui by your side, with him as your second in command, however he could always… “I need to make sure I’m your favorite, don’t you think? I still need to make up for what I’ve done.”

God, was he a selfish bastard — but you’d forgive him, wouldn’t you? You’d already forgiven him for being so cruel to you, you’d forgive him for being selfish too, right?

His cheeks earn a sudden pink tint, your favorite; you’d love him, you’d adore him – you’d rule over the land with him by your side, he’d be everything you’d ever need in a partner, in a man.

Once you’d regained your strength, you’d shower him in love, you’d ravage him with gifts, you’d dedicate yourself to him, you might even allow him a chance to worship your body — give him the privilege to explore and devote himself to you like no other had done before. He’d become your most loyal follower, your most treasured creations, he’d become yours. Sure, he would still have The Tsaritsa to serve but when even she worshiped you, she’d understand. He could become a bargaining chip, he’d become yours – your knight in shining armor, in exchange for your help.

There were so many ways he could become yours, he felt a perverted shiver run down his spine.

Hah… he really wanted to be your favorite, to be yours.

They’d all treated you so badly up until he came, he was the first to realize who you were and your worth so surely that allowed him some leeway to cement himself as yours, only yours and only for you.

He slowly climbed above your dizzied body, leaning down to press a soft trail of kisses down your cheeks, his hands still entangled with yours. A soft moan leaves your mouth, earning you a groan from the man, if only you knew how much he had waited for this moment.

“Mmh, ah,” a trail of saliva connects the flushed skin of your neck to his tongue as he speaks, “let me be yours, I’ll…,” a lick is planted near your ear and Childe can’t help but groan at the taste – you were so addicting, “I’ll make it up to you… I’ll become your favorite.”