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funtarou · 20 days
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israel is a settler colony.
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funtarou · 2 months
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in light of israel's looming invasion on rafah, south africa implored the icj to call for the protection of palestinians with new preliminary orders. the icj denied this request, insisting that its january orders would be sufficient enough in ensuring the safety of people residing in rafah.
we have all seen how israel responded to the icj verdict earlier this month. they have all but intensified their attacks on palestinians, their favorite of whom seem to be children. this will end in a bloodbath. palestinians, already malnourished and living in literal tents, will be bombarded, they will be shot, they will be slaughtered. and when i say palestinians, a lot of them are actual toddlers. the videos coming out of this are proof enough.
at this point, it has been made amply clear that palestinians will never experience safety in their own homeland. a lot of the families in gaza are trying to raise funds to get out of it, because there's nowhere left to go.
there is nowhere left to go. if these people don't get the funds necessary to escape, they will die.
it's vital that you go to operation olive branch's spreadsheet, choose a family that resonates with you, and donate as much as you can to their gofundme. every last dollar counts. one dollar could be the difference between life and death for a family. please don't fall victim to the bystander effect. your contribution counts, however little it may be. and whether you're able to donate or not, spread this to as many people as you can. each second we stay silent is a second an entire family is brutally massacred.
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funtarou · 2 months
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There's one charity that I haven't seen shared here personally, and that's Care for Gaza.
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They're shared a lot on twitter as a reputable on-the-ground relief source. You can donate to their gofundme to help their efforts here.
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funtarou · 3 months
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funtarou · 3 months
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This is not including all the children who are lifeless underneath the rubble and not including the ones that were obliterated to the point where they cannot be identified. Free Palestine
Video: X: FisunGuner
Song @iamkarimmm
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funtarou · 3 months
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Hello Everyone!
Today is the first day of the weeklong strike for a ceasefire in Gaza.
I have realized that I do not think the message has spread far, at least on this website. This might be due to the lack of internet in Gaza, it has been down for days. Not much can be said by the citizens there, it's like some people forgot about them. I encourage all of you to share this post, or make your own, letting everyone know about this strike. This is something that should transcend the aesthetic of your blog. My blog was a gimmick blog, but for this week, it is a blog for spreading information and awareness.
Bisan Odwa (@wizard_bisan1 on instagram) has called for this strike. She is a journalist from Gaza, who has been experiencing this horrid violence for 15 weeks. 107 days. 2568 hours.
These were the images she posted, calling for this strike:
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Reblog this, share this. Do not stop until every supporter of Gaza knows what we must do this week.
Free Palestine, Free Gaza, Ceasefire now!
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funtarou · 4 months
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i don't know if this is how i request so i apologise if i get anything wrong!
could you please do the childhood crush with capitano but instead of capitano, it's pantalone? it's okay if you don't wish to do this!
(p.s. this is my first time requesting, pls go easy on me)
♡ 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡 ♡
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synopsis: When you were a child, you decided to befriend an orphan who always seemed to be by himself. He would not forget this act of kindness.
includes: pantalone w/ gn! reader
notes: Of course, this was quite fun to write! I hope you all enjoy it. (It gets very fluffy towards the end <3.)
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Sneznhaya was one of the worst nations to be poor in, you decided from an early age. You had to have some kind of thick jacket to survive even the warmest days (which was still borderline in the negatives) otherwise you would die so quickly from frostbite. You had to have some kind of fireplace in your house and also a stable firewood source otherwise you’d freeze to death too. You had to be smart about preserving and salting your food because of the cold, and much more difficult tasks that would be easy to do in other nations. All of these factors were part of the reason why orphans did not last very long, unfortunately (unless you were pulled into the House of Hearth… would that be a blessing or curse?)
Even though you were dirt poor, you were still more fortunate than a lot of people in poverty. You had a house, albeit a small one. You had a bed, though it felt like a stone-cold rock most of the time. You had parents who cherished you, although sometimes you did not see them for the whole day since they worked hard so you could go to school instead, even though you should have been working to bring income in. Of course, you kept all of your complaints to yourself. You were far better off than most kids.
The first time you met the boy was on your way home from school. You had exited the raggedy building when you came across a boy with rather well-kept hair. Usually, the children around the slums were untidy and uncaring about their appearance. Yet his looked fine, at least better than average around here. But what drew you in was his brilliant purple eyes. You had never met anyone with that eye color. You didn’t realize you were staring at him until you noticed his eyes were on you. Your words died in your throat of embarrassment, so you quickly nodded your head at him and speedily walked away.
You hoped that you wouldn’t see the boy again, because you didn’t think you’d be able to look him in the eye again. You were the kind of person who cringed at even the slightest dumb thing you did a long time ago and knocked your head against the wall thinking about it. But, it seemed that the Tsaritsa did not answer your prayers because you saw the same boy again the next day. And the next day. And for the entire week. And soon, you realized that his eyes were always trained in the same direction - the school. You connected the dots quickly, mentally prepared yourself for conversation, and strode up to him.
The boy immediately noticed you as you pressed your back against the wall, leaving a bit of distance between the two of you. You didn’t want to invade his personal space.
“So, I’ve seen you here every day. How come?”
Silence.
“Not much of a talker, are you?”
Silence.
“You want to go to school, don’t you?”
“...!”
The boy’s breath hitched for a second and you knew you were right. He turned his gaze from you and looked back at the building, where children were being dismissed. You didn’t need to ask why. It was obvious that he had to work instead to survive. The two of you stood in silence when, all of a sudden, you came up with a genius idea.
“How about I teach you instead?”
The offer had the boy’s neck snapping back to you. “What?”
“Yeah! After school ends, you can come to my house, and I’ll teach you what I learn, and other stuff too. It’ll be like real school, minus the yelling and the crowds and the other annoying things!” The idea seemed better and better the more you spoke. 
He raised his eyebrows in surprise but a look of caution quickly overtook his face, purple eyes conveying a look of distrust.  “What do you want?”
“What do you mean?”
“What’s your motive? Surely you don’t think I’m that naive to believe you.”
You were taken aback. “I-I mean… I don’t really know what to say. I’m just a kid, I don’t really know what ulterior motive I would have. Does wanting to become friends with you count as one? You really look like you want to learn, so I just wanna help you,” you said plainly with a hint of confusion in your voice.
For the second time that day, the boy was taken aback, because he could see that you were being genuine and he couldn’t understand why. You were being kind from the bottom of your heart, and he couldn’t comprehend why you would do this for a stranger.
You tried to ignore the piercing look the boy who was only your age managed to give you. “So can I assume you’re taking the offer? I’m [Name] by the way!”
The boy uttered his real name, and everything began from there.
Every day you invited your newfound friend into your house. Your parents were never home until late, so it was easy to do so. And so began the lessons of you teaching him everything you knew and learned in school. You taught him how to curve the letters of the alphabet correctly. You helped him to learn to read your favorite children’s books. You told him what you remembered of your teacher’s boring rambling about Snezhnaya’s history and that hey, oxygen came from trees! (He knew that, the boy said. He wasn’t that dumb. You pouted.) But the thing he was best at was math. As soon as you taught him the basics, he was speeding through the questions faster than you.
You watched in amazement as he whizzed through the questions without even needing to use his fingers to add (which you still did sometimes, embarrassingly enough.) He was completely focused on it, writing his answers in handwriting that got better every passing day. And soon enough, he handed you his answers to check. It started to become less of a surprise when he got all of them right on his first try, as you compared his work with the one from your homework. 
“You got all of them right again!” you cheered as you shook his shoulders in excitement. “Haha, you’re better than me at this point. I can’t do mental math as well as you can.”
“I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you.” If there was one thing you knew about your friend, was that he was a good sweet talker. You’d seen him talk his way out of situations that you would surely die in, and also compliment you like it was nothing.
“At this point, you can become an economics! No, wait… I think it’s called an economist? Or an accountant? Something to do with numbers and counting!”
Something twinkled in his eyes. “Do you really think that?”
“Mhm! You’re the smartest person I know. You adapt to everything so quickly. It took me a long time to get these concepts down yet you did it easily.”
The boy did not say anything but his shoulders relaxed under your touch, and then he spoke. “I’m going to become rich.”
“You are?” you asked, hopping onto the chair next to him. Everyone, regardless of anything, has dreamed of becoming rich. But the way he said it with such firmness had you drawn in.
“Money is the lifeblood of this world. No one can survive without it,” the hardened and steely look in his eyes and voice made you stiffen for a second. “Even the Gods desire to let it flow between their fingers.” 
You looked at him for a few seconds before grabbing his cold hand and squeezing it. “I believe in you,” you declared resolutely. Your friend’s harsh look dissipated and a smile came onto his face. You loved it when he smiled. “Just remember me when you’re rich. Share a bit with me, hm?” you laughed.
But the boy did not laugh at what you meant to be a joke. “I will,” he said firmly. “I’ll give you as much as you want and more.”
Since then, you spent more and more time with him, even outside the regular tutoring sessions. Once you had opened yourself up to him, he had responded somewhat in kind. He liked to talk about things he read in the paper after you taught him to read. Out on the streets, he would ask you about words he saw on shop windows’ he didn’t know yet. Your favorite activity was when you’d give him something to read out loud to you, enjoying how his stumbling grew from frequent to occasional. But when it came to other topics he kept his mouth thin and shut. You never commented on it, but you could see he didn’t have a good relationship with anyone else. It seemed that he held some kind of animosity toward a good chunk of people. Especially the upper class, even some of the kids as you noticed that some of them weren’t very nice to him. Even the Gods themselves weren’t spared from this.
You didn’t know what kind of childhood he had, and you didn’t pry. It wasn’t your business, and furthermore, you wanted him to remember the happier memories he made with you instead. You showed him how to build snowmen and snow angels. You once threw a snowball at his hair and immediately regretted it as he launched a tickle attack back at you. The orphan was your best friend and you soon realized that you had a crush on him. You would lie in bed, rolling over as you thought about the kind of wedding you’d have him with. You would have kids and then the two of you would soon be grandparents and then the house would be so much more lively and fun and- you smushed your face between your pillow. Enough of that! You first had to make sure both of you survived this hellish place to even make it to adulthood.
It got to the point where you wanted to share some of your meager rations with him too. He was always hungry, and you were too but you wanted to help him out as much as you could. You would sneak a good portion of your bread or anything that wasn’t messy under the kitchen table, slip it into your sleeve quickly so your parents didn’t know. You gobbled down your sparse dinner in seconds, not wanting to leave your friend standing outside in one spot for too long. You went into your room and quickly locked the door, glancing at the window near your bed. You pulled the curtains to the side, and there he was! Opening your window always warranted a flurry of snow flying into your face but seeing his face light up was worth it.
Years passed, and the two of you were older, almost adults. You had left school since the only available schooling in the area was for younger kids only, and now worked in a miserable job like most people. But you always made sure to try and visit your long-time friend, who seemed to be busier and busier these days. You had a feeling he was up to something, whether it was good or bad, legal or illegal, but you didn’t pry. His absence had begun to cause you to seek out other company, for it was not good for one to be left alone in their thoughts in this kind of situation. 
Who was your company? The neighborhood kids, of course. They reminded you of when you were younger, even though it was just a few years ago. They always gathered around you when they had time off from their barely paid labor, and you made sure to teach them the same things you taught your crush a few years ago. But you soon learned, it was rather hard to do that when they were so exhausted from working. Tiny hands were already calloused from the back-backing jobs and they were asleep in an instant afterward.
So you did what you could. Having a couple of hours of rest made a big difference to growing bodies, you reminded the kids. You took their shifts on different days and at different times, making sure you wore as many layers as possible so you wouldn’t be caught. The employers wouldn’t take much notice anyway. They didn’t care who did it as long as the work was done. The only thing you did not anticipate was your long-time crush finding you. 
“[Name]?” The callout of your name made your heart freeze. “Don’t worry, it’s just me.” You then recognized the voice as your childhood friend. Turning around, you pulled down the hood and uttered your friend’s name, which you cherished dearly.
“I was looking for you, and I find you here, working in someone else’s place. What are you doing?” The boy’s voice was hushed, laced with a hint of something else underneath. Worry. Concern. Distress. What if you get sick? Get hurt? Get caught?
“Look… I did not mean to worry you. I just, it hurts me to see the little ones spending so much time working. I just want to help them.”
The boy had known you for many years, yet neither his mind could ever comprehend why you were so kind to others. It never benefitted you, only served as extra weight and a burden on your shoulders. “But you already have long shifts to work. Your body can’t handle this…”
“Hey, who was the one who managed to run away with you all those times? I’m pretty strong! Furthermore, as long as I keep the hoodie up, they won’t recognize the difference. Those people don’t care as long as the work gets done. They’re just little kids, you know. Just like we were. Some of them haven’t even learned proper Snezhnayan yet, but they’re out here slaving away and working to the point of exhaustion. I just… can’t. If I can help them keep even a fraction of a childhood intact, I will.”
The boy’s heart was moved by your kindness innumerable times. “But, aren’t you just a kid as well?”
“I am,” you agreed. “But I’m still an older one. Just a bit more until we’re adults, you know. I’ve already had my time. I’d rather help the others now. Besides, it builds stamina and work ethic,” you laughed, trying to lighten the mood.
Your friend didn’t say anything. There was nothing he could really say, after all. This was just how life was like. But it was days like these where he remembered the promise he made to himself and you - neither of you would have to deal with this ever again, soon.
The boy moved to help you, which surprised you. “You don’t have to, you know. I’m sure you’re busy with other things.”
He shook his head. “I’ve been wanting to spend time with you for a while. I’ve missed you.” You blushed and nervously laughed at his straightforwardness. He could either pretend to be oblivious to your intentions, trying to make you say what you wanted out loud. Or just be so blunt that it caught you off guard.
“Heh, I’ve missed you too. You know, I have a good story for you…”
Since then, your friend had popped up more and more frequently, making your lovesick heart pound. Even if you had nothing left to talk about, you made something up, if only to keep him next to you for a few more minutes. You think he knew what you were doing, but he didn’t comment. You loved him for not exposing you like that. Despite the circumstances of your life not being very great, you always felt great around him. Until one day, you woke up with a splitting headache. Odd, but not unbelievable. You must have pushed yourself too hard yesterday. Your body feels so, so cold, but you have to go… have to go to work, and see your friend. You inched yourself to the edge of the bed, but you did not make it to the end.
You woke up to the hazy sight of your parents and a man. Presumably a doctor, considering how awful you feel right now and his white lab coat.
“It seems your child has… they must have stayed out in the cold too much… overworked… the medicine is quite expensive though, at least… that’s the minimum though…” the words were blurred together for you. Despite your fuzzy mind, you already got the gist of what was going on by the pain-stricken look on your parent's faces. They couldn’t afford that. You went back to sleep.
The next time you were woken up by the voice of the one who held most dear. You didn’t open your eyes, but you knew he was there, from his comforting voice as he stroked your arm. “I told you… overdo it… but that’s just how you are… too kind… make sure… better… love…” Your consciousness drifted away again.
The next few days you did not remember well, until your parents barged into the room with tears in their eyes, holding some sort of package. A sip of water and something fell down your throat, and you were soon asleep again.
You woke up the next day, feeling significantly better than before. Your parents were moved to tears, and they quickly recounted what had happened. Someone knocked on the door, and when they opened it, there was nothing but a package and a note left there. Inside was the medicine you needed, yet they did not know who placed it there. But you already knew the only person who’d do that for you.
You recognized the handwriting on the note as your friend’s. It was almost laughable. When you were first teaching him, he could barely form the letters properly, but he had practiced far more than you ever did, resulting in the pretty curves of words on a surprisingly strong piece of paper. You idly wondered how he managed to get it.
This medicine will make you better. Don’t worry about how I got it.
I have decided to leave this place for a while and pursue the dream I told you about. At first, despite my resolution, I was not sure how to go about it. But after seeing the things that happen to you, to a good person, I made up my mind to attain what I desire.
I would like to write more, but I’m afraid I do not have the time right now. But, do not worry. I will come back for you.
Please don’t push yourself too hard until then. I promise, soon you will not have to suffer any longer. Until then, thank you for believing in me.
The note ended there.
Even though your mind was still fuzzy from the fever, the contents of the letter quickly snapped you out of a stupefied daze. He left? Just like that? Of course, you weren’t mad at him for leaving. After all, you encouraged him to go for it, to at least try so that he wouldn’t meet the same fate as most people who lived in the slums did. But you didn’t even get to say goodbye. No hug or anything. No time to tell him how you felt. The reality of that made your heart sink.
You weren’t able to leave bed for a few days but as soon as you felt better again you roamed the streets, looking for the familiar tufts of black hair. You trudged through the thick snow, checking all possible spots he could be in, but to no avail. He was gone. It was as if he never existed too - the only thing you had to remember him by was this note. You thought about him every day, hoped for his success in his endeavors, and a small part of you hoped he thought about you too.
When you became of age, you were approached with an offer from the Northland Bank. You’re completely baffled at first, and a bit scared. Mostly Fatui members worked there, and why would they approach a low-class citizen like yourself too?  But the offer was too tempting, the money calling your name and empty stomach more than ever. Your position was one of the lowest, simply making sure you had a perfect customer service smile as you directed customers where to go for their issues, but it paid damn well compared to the jobs in the slums. You worked hard and humbly, unaware your job was pulled behind the scenes by a… certain rising Fatui member.
A few years went by, and your position only went up. You weren’t really sure why when there were much more qualified Fatui workers than you but you gratefully accepted it. You had gotten used to the daily routine of greeting customers and helping them with their accounts. A while ago, you remember the bank being in a slight uproar over something.
“What’s all the commotion about?” you questioned. The bank was usually a quiet place.
“Northland Bank is now under the control of someone new! A new Harbinger has control of all the banks now!”
“Oh really? I didn’t expect that.”
“No, no, no - it’s not just that. You need to look at the picture of him. He’s jaw-dropping!!” your co-worker squealed as they shoved the newspaper into your face. You chuckled and dropped your eyes to the paper, but your smile immediately disappeared, and your face contorted into one of disbelief at who you saw. You snatched the paper out of their hands and practically pressed it to your face.
It couldn’t be. But the hair, the way his lips curved, the flutter of his eyelashes when he smiled. It was way too similar. You skimmed the article for more information. Pantalone, the new ninth Harbinger, was now the wealthiest among them… in charge of Snezhnaya’s economy and money supply… ambitious and promising.
You shakily put down the paper. The one in the papers was your childhood friend. So this was where he was all these years? Working for the Fatui? He’d been in the same nation the whole time and you didn’t know. But, that was a relief at the same time. At least he wasn’t somewhere far away.
“You looked like you’ve seen a ghost,” your co-worker chuckled. “Did his beauty stun you that much?”
You nervously chuckled and nodded in agreement, trying to organize your thoughts. Your childhood friend had achieved the dream he told you about so long ago. He didn’t just become rich, but a Harbinger at that, one of the most powerful positions in Snezhnaya and the world - he became Pantalone. And furthermore… he had grown up to be such a handsome, classy man. Your heart raced just thinking about him, as all the childhood memories rushed to your head. Did he remember you? No, no, that was countless years ago. He had the most luxurious life one could ever imagine. No way he would remember the random friend he made that long ago.
But that was okay, you thought as prepared to start working again. You were okay with burying these feelings again. You would be happy seeing him from afar, happy that he was living the life he deserved.
A year or two had passed since Pantalone was officially inducted as a Harbinger. Even though you decided you would be happy observing him from afar, it didn’t stop you from cutting out the articles of every newspaper Pantalone was in. You couldn’t help it - it had been so long. When the Harbingers were gathered in Snezhnaya, you’d brave the crowds and peer around for him. Some days you did not manage to see him. Your view was mostly obstructed by the cheering citizens, but one day, you were able to see him up close. It took your breath away. He was ethereal… You had to beeline it out of there before you started to get too emotional. The only thing you had yet to be aware of was that the ninth Harbinger himself saw you. Yes, he had always been keeping a close eye on you, staying his distance only for your safety. But that was soon to change.
It was another normal day at Northland Bank. The only noteworthy thing was that someone important was set to visit soon, so everyone was expected to be on their best behavior. It wasn’t anything new though - many people wanted to see the richest bank in Teyvat.
“[Name], could you go retrieve the documents of this client for me, please? Their name is…” your co-worker called. You nodded, after all, you had to return some files to the room as well. You got up, hands full, and headed to the room when your co-worker called for you again. 
You turned around to face her and kept walking backward, ready to listen to her request when suddenly her face turned very pale. It looked like she was mouthing something to you and making an ‘X’ with her arms. Of course, you were confused by this gesture, so you turned back around to see what was wrong. But your vision was blocked by a black wall, one that had bits of blue and silver embroidering it, and before you could stop your legs from moving, you walked smack right into it.
“Watch it, dear,” a pair of hands reached out to steady your shoulders. “Make sure to watch where you’re going, hm?”
Your heart felt like it was stuck in your throat. That sleek voice was all too familiar, and the feeling of the bands of bejeweled rings through the gloves was a tell-tale sign of who it was. The visitor to the bank today was the Ninth Harbinger, Pantalone, and no one told you.
“Such a hard worker, aren’t you? So diligent,” the voice purred, his arms moving from your shoulders to down your arms, smoothing out your clothing and releasing you. Should you look up? Would that be disrespectful? You should respond though, right?
“Yes,” you said meekly. “Yes, sir,” you quickly corrected yourself. A moment of silence passed, and you think he was expecting you to raise your head, but you kept your stare on his well-polished shoes, which probably cost more than everything you own.
“Excuse me then, sir,” you stated timidly, desperate to get out of the situation. Before Pantalone could say anything, you bowed your head even more and speedily walked away, making sure to lock yourself in the files cabinet room. If you could scream right now, you would, because what the hell just happened?!
Outside, Pantalone was left with his usual smile. But inside, he was truly pleased - he was finally able to touch you after countless years. Oh, but the way you didn’t even look at his face left him slightly wounded; he wanted to see your eyes tremble with emotion and see your soft lips up close. But he did not need to worry. He would be seeing much more of you after all. Walking out of the bank, he left everyone in shock.
You prayed that you would not have to go through something like that but nope. Every day, Pantalone would come into the bank with the excuse of inspecting and observing the premises. But you knew that was a damn lie because all you could feel while you were working was his gaze on you. He would not hesitate to come up behind you and watch you work, making you nervous and almost mess up, with his silky compliments going to your head. He smelled so good and his hair bounced with practically every step, his voice had deepened to a velvety smooth one. 
It was impossible for your childhood crush to not come creeping back up. The only problem was that you could not bring yourself to muster any conversation, so it was primarily Pantalone speaking. The only thing he managed to wring out of you was “Yes, sir” or “No, sir.” The most embarrassing part of this was that everyone in the bank knew what was going on. Yet the Harbinger did not seem to care. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it, as if he was sending out an undeniable message that said “They’re mine.”
Pantalone knew he had many admirers, people who lusted after him and his wealth. Yet the only one he had eyes were was you - the only person who had stayed with him since the miserable days of his childhood. He had been separated from you for so many years, building his reputation and wealth, slowly but surely, keeping you in mind as he worked tirelessly. Even when he became a Harbinger, he had to keep his distance and sort out any possible enemies. But now, he could finally have you all to himself.
Pantalone had caught you after your shift ended. As soon as you exited the bank, he was right there waiting for you, with that smile you deeply loved yet would not admit. You looked to the sides to see if there were any possible ways to escape, but he had trapped you.
“My dear [Name], why don’t we take a walk together? The weather is not too bad today.”
And that was how you found yourself in your current situation, walking side by side with your crush. Your throat felt dry as Pantalone spoke.
“You’ve been quite cold,” he feigned hurt. “It wounds me so that my dear childhood friend would forget me.”
You don’t know what came over you, but you immediately responded to that. “I didn’t forget. I could never forget you. I remember everything,” you blurted out swiftly. “I just,” you stopped walking and stared at the snow-covered path, thinking of what to say. Pantalone stopped walking too. 
“It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you, I do very much in fact, it’s just that I don’t really know how to act since you’re a fancy Harbinger now and I’m just me, a normal person. And I didn’t really know if you’d still wanna talk to me since you have way better people to interact with anyway, and plus-”
“[Name],” Pantalone interrupted you. “Look at me.”
Hesitantly, you dragged your eyes from the ground to his face. His smile was gone, and his expression was unreadable, but he spread his arms to the side and uttered two words. “Come here,” he beckoned. That was all you needed as you jumped into his arms, pressing your face against his chest. 
His hand stroked your hair and you melted into his touch instantly. “Darling, I can’t fathom how or why you would come to such a conclusion, but it’s quite the opposite. You are the only one who occupies my thoughts. The one who was the only light in my childhood. The one who saved me and helped me, expecting nothing in return.” His voice was soft as he held you tighter. “You are the only one I want.”
Your heart rate had increased significantly at his declaration of love. This was too much to process, so you opted to just squeeze your arms around him tighter. He got the message and allowed you time to take that in. Finally, you lifted your head up and peeked at his gorgeous face.
“Are you mad at me?” you said regretfully.
“I can assure you I could never be upset at anything you would do. That face is too adorable to be mad at,” he chuckled. You gritted your teeth. Why did he have to be so damn suave all the time?
His finger came to hook under your chin, making you raise your head more. His thumb playfully stroked your lips, wanting nothing more than to claim them as his.
“May I?”
You did not respond and instead jumped at the opportunity to surprise him, capturing his perfectly soft lips in yours. Clearly, he was not expecting that as his eyes widened, but he promptly bounced back by responding with more passion. And Archons, it was amazing. You didn’t really know what you were doing, but he took control flawlessly. He withdrew from the kiss, enjoying your breathless expression.
“I’m taking you home, to your new home,” he corrected himself. Smiling at your wide-eyed look, he pecked your lips again. “Surely you did not think,” he kissed you again, “that you would be away from me now? You’re going to live with me, of course.”
“I d-didn’t know we were just diving straight into- mhpm!” Your lips were not being spared from Pantalone’s greedy assault.
“I have had to deal with being away from you for years, not being able to feel you or talk to you, dealing with people who meant nothing to me. Do you know how painful that was?” Pantalone spoke genuinely and cupped your cheek. “I hope you do not plan to deny me, for I intend to spend as much time as possible with you starting now.”
You reached up and intertwined your fingers with his hand on your cheek. “Well… that sounds very good to me. I’ve missed you so much,” you agreed shyly, gazing into his loving eyes.
“Good,” Pantalone placed a gentle kiss on your forehead. “We have a lot of catching up to do, don’t we, my love? Ah, and we’ll have to organize a new wardrobe for you, meals, products, assigned maids…” he continued to list off new items that you would have. (He promised the best for you, after all.)
You sweatdropped, slightly lost at his rambling. Did you really need all of that? But, you’d think about that later. You tugged at his arm, interrupting his mumblings.
“Come on, let’s go home, okay? I have a story I’ve been wanting you to read for me…”
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funtarou · 4 months
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There is a heart wrenching video of a father who went to buy biscuits for his son only to return and find out his son and the man's wife had both been killed by an Israeli air strike. He is seen putting the pack of biscuits in his son's hand and saying "take it with you to heaven".
There is an indescribable pain to all of this, and I don't know what Israel thinks it's doing by ripping everyone's heart out like this if not to make the whole world resent the mere mention of it.
I don't think the question we should be asking at this point is "how do you justify this?" anymore, even if rhetorically. We need to understand that it is simply irrational to expect an occupying power that built itself on ethnic cleansing to provide any means of reasoning.
This is genocide, you don't debate genocide and you don't rationalise genocide.
I don't care what you do, but speaking about Palestine doesn't suffice anymore. Speak louder, force people to have uncomfortable conversations, call whoever the heck your representative is, go out to rallies if you can, push others to do the same - this is unlike anything we have seen.
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funtarou · 6 months
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how you can help palestine
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Donations
palestine children's relief fund
palestine red crescent society
help bring down israel's weapon trade - palaction
save palestine - islamic relief canada
click to donate - arab.org
send medical supplies to gaza - palestinian american medical association
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Petitions
petition to investigate war crimes committed by israeli military
demand ceasefire - amnesty.org
open call for immediate ceasefire
american government call for immediate ceasefire
american government to stop funding israeli military
ceasefire and increase humanitarian assistance - oxfam au
location specific petitions
gaza call for ceasefire - oxfam (UK)
end israeli occupation - parliament uk (UK)
email your MP - medical aid for palestine (UK)
stop fuelling genocide - action network (USA)
call congress and demand a ceasefire - uscpr (USA - they provide a script of what you should say, so don't worry about it)
australia call on israel to stop attacking palestinians - apan (AUS)
sign to send letter to MP for ceasefire - nccm (CANADA)
ceasefire now! - ijv (CANADA)
cessez-le-feu et un couloir humanitaire - le mouvement (FRANCE)
write to your député - assemblée nationale (FRANCE)
skydda civilbefolkningen i gaza! - mittskifte (SWEDEN)
singaporeans call for immediate ceasefire (SIN)
contact your elected reps and demand a ceasefire (GERMANY)
write to the EU demanding a ceasefire (EUROPE)
template of letters you can send (EU)
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Campaigns
friends of al-aqsa
❥ UK-specific
urge your MP to speak up for palestine
hands off al-aqsa
stop administrative detention
petition for UK to stop arming israel
❥ International
boycott puma — email them to end their partnership with israel
boycott coca-cola
palestine action
join the resistance
islamic relief canada
urge your MP to rally for ceasefire
text campaign for people living in USA
text CEASEFIRE @ 51905 to call for a ceasefire
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please let me know if you have any more links. i will add them to a follow up post.
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UPCOMING PROTESTS
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funtarou · 7 months
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If anyone ever came up to me and say Blade is weak cuz he technically lost that fight to Jingliu,
My baby girl's prodigy ability us smithing, not sword fighting. Sword fighting is basically a side thing for support, his main knowledge is making the sword and I bet you he made the sword Jingliu is using
Edit: okay maybe the last bit was wrong, but still, you don't go see a swordsmith vs swordmaster fight and expect the swordsmither to win
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funtarou · 9 months
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I didn't know living alone in an unfamiliar city brings a whole different kind of loneliness
0 notes
funtarou · 9 months
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I THINK I ACCIDENTALLY MADE A ENEMIES TO LOVERS STORY WITH CHILDE'S CHARACTER AI BOT WHILE TRYING TO LEARN ABOUT HIS LORE
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funtarou · 10 months
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Is it just me, or is the only Xianzhou originated characters that is called by their full name is only Dan Heng and Jing Yuan
Like, the other characters are called by their given name/first name. It's evidence by the fact their name doesn't have any spaces, which means it is their given name and not a combination of their surname-firstname (ex: Sushang, Yanqing, Qingque, Yukong, Tingyun ect except Dan Heng and Jing Yuan)
So, I can understand why the characters called Jing Yuan by his full name and no one calls him Yuan, he's the general after all it would be impolite to call him by his first name.
But why are the Astral Express crew still calls Dan Heng with his full name (well, by the recent event, I assume Dan Heng is a sort of disguise name? But still-). Was it a mistranslation? Or is Dan Heng more comfortable to be called Dan Heng and not just Heng? Is he that closed-off that the Astral crew still use a formal way of calling him? Because Welt Yang (who is not of Xianzhou origin but has a Chinese coded name) is called "Mr. Yang" by March.
Again, am I overthinking it? Probably
Can it just be a translation issue? Possibly
Will I be writing HSR fics of Jing Yuan and/or Dan Heng with this in mind? Yes
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funtarou · 10 months
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|| fatherhood. ||
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girldad!kiyoomi x fem!reader; wc: 1.2k of pure struggle; cw: reader is not present in the picture, imagine whatever happened to her, mid 50s kiyoomi, sad ish?, im thawing out cut me some slack, kiyoomi is a gorl dad missing you a/n: fuck you kevin hart, i wanted to watch a comedy movie and not BAWL. alexa play daddy issues
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Kiyoomi guesses it’s been a while since he has missed you. 
Kokomi takes up every minute, every second he has to offer— not that he minds it. Maybe sometimes he hates it, hates being so preoccupied with her that forgets to miss you. The last thing he wants to do is forget you, even when he is old enough that his already greying hairs start to fall out.
You’ve been gone for long enough that he has forgotten what you felt like in his arms, how you smelled when he hugged you close to his chest. He hates that his senses are giving up on him.
But he hasn’t forgotten everything about you. He hasn’t forgotten the way you rolled your eyes at him whenever you disagreed, how you always latched onto his arm whenever you got scared watching a horror movie, how you kissed his forehead twice for each mole he has— because she does the same.
Kiyoomi is glad to have Kokomi in his life because everytime he looks at her, he sees you. It’s not a stretch when someone asks if he misses you and he says no, because he never will. He might forget what you feel like but he will never forget you, the you who gave him the best gift in the world, his daughter, his baby. 
The more she grows up, the more she resembles you. As he grows older, he sees Kokomi growing older and it’s bittersweet. He’s proud of her for everything she’s achieved in her life and proud of himself for bringing up his amazing daughter. It was tough at first, balancing his career and her, but with everyone's help, it was possible. It takes a village to raise a child, but what good is a village if it has no head. That’s what he felt like when he was just starting out, he felt lost without you to help him. He had his team, his village, to support him through thick and thin but he used to miss you. 
As the team grew and so did your daughter, he realised everything was indeed good. He feels proud of them as well, Atsumu, Bokuto, Hinata, Komori, everyone. 
He likes to believe you would’ve been proud too— of Kokomi, of the team. 
But he especially misses you today. Seeing your daughter off to college, he remembers your face glowing when you used to talk about milestones of your baby’s life and her going to college.
“Kiyo, she’s gonna be amazing I know it.”
“Yes baby, she will be,” “You have to lay off her though.”
“What”
“I know you'll be crying the day she goes to college and fussing all over her. Ugh, especially with boys”
“No, I won’t. Except boys, I don’t trust those hormone ridden monsters”
“Of course you don't, darling. Because you never were one, right? You were a toddler and straight up went to being an adult.”
And then you rolled your eyes at him the same way Kokomi is doing right now, “Dad, I’m going to be honest with you, I can’t swear off boys. I just can’t–”
“Yes, you can. Promise me.”
“Dad—
“Promise me that you’ll be my little girl forever, never leaving me, ever.”
“We’re literally standing in front of my dorm room. You’re gonna have to leave at some point.” She narrows her eyes at him, still holding onto his hand.
He notices that. There were a lot of things he saw of you in her but she was his daughter too, he notices the way she’s picking at her nails, a nervous habit she’s has had ever since she was 5. She doesn’t want him to leave, not with the grip she has on his hand. 
“You know I am here for you, right?”
“Yes, dad and I love you too.” Never good at words but they both managed, understood each other even though you weren’t there to do the talking for him.
“He’s bein’ mean again, y/n!”
“Tsumu you know he doesn’t mean that, he appreciates the thought you put into this gift.” “Yeah, I’m surprised he could think at all”
“Kiyo!– Tsumu, he means it’s great, he’s just affectionately dumb.”
He takes in a deep breath, the tingling sensation at the back of his throat feels familiar and he lets out a chuckle because he’s really going to cry now. Standing at her dorm room’s door, his heart feels heavy, and he’s looking at her now, ready to start a new chapter of her life, all on her own.
He cups her face and plants a kiss on her forehead, “One for me–” He kisses her temple, his hand holding the back of her head as she reaches out for a hug, “–and one for mom.”
She’s holding onto him tightly now, her fists balled up with the back of his jacket balled up in her fists, she mumbles, “I’m gonna miss you so much, dad. Promise to visit me, please?” 
“Every weekend, Kokomi, I promise.” He smiles and wraps his arms around her, cradling her head as he lets his jacket soak up her tears. He feels happy and he knows you would’ve been happy too and that’s all he needs to know.
Kokomi starts to draw back but he tightens his grip on her, and with a shaky voice, he whispers, “Give your old man a few more minutes more, please sweetheart.” 
Kokomi hums and they both stand there silently, until she breaks the silence with a ‘hey dad?’ and this time Kiyoomi hums in response, pulling away to look at her and finally let go.
“Mom would’ve been really proud of you.” 
Oh.
Kiyoomi doesn’t realise he is crying until he tastes the salty tears in his mouth and Kokomi wipes his cheeks, “And I am proud too. One more thing–” With a smile as she goes on her tippy toes to kiss his moles, “–One from me and one from mom.” 
Kiyoomi guesses it’s fine he didn’t miss you a lot, he never had to.
“And dad?”
“You weren’t serious about the ‘here every weekend’ thing though, right?”
“How much do you wanna bet at least one of your uncles will be here every weekend?”
Kokomi begins to whine in defiance to his response but is interrupted by a wailing Atsumu rushing towards them with Hinata, Bokuto and Komori in hot pursuit.
“Our baby’s all grown up!” Atsumu cries from behind Kiyoomi, sniffling and pushing him out of the way as he rushes to bring Kokomi into a bear hug and pats her head rather desperately, “Don’t forget about us, yeah?? And don’t forget us, we’re all here for ya. Also boy’s are disgustin’, ya won’t like ‘em anyways–”
“Why’s everyone obsessed with tha-”
In a flash, she’s squashed between 4 middle aged men bawling their eyes out and preaching they’re thoughts and views and promising to lay their lives down for her as she starts tearing up with them, telling them to take care of each other as well as her father since she won’t be there everyday.
Looking at this scene, Kiyoomi thinks his village did just fine. Plus he guesses it’s okay he didn’t get to miss you a lot because he believes it’s better to never not stop thinking about someone than miss them.
And he thinks– no he knows, you’re proud of him.
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☆⌒ (ゝ。∂) ©️ all credits belongs to @koitarou 2022, do not repost, modify or translate my work on any platform. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden.
☆reblogs, likes and comments are super appreciated!
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funtarou · 10 months
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a sparrow in the storm.
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summary: though many plucky suitors have tried unsuccessfully to vie for your hand, Jing Yuan has to be the most persistent of them all.
notes: 6.7k words, fic, fluff, lovers to exes to lovers, author's notes
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You’ve had many arrogant suitors over the years, but this newest one might be the most arrogant yet. 
A row of sumptuous gifts line the entrance to your room, and when you properly step inside, you’re greeted by a spray of flowers: orchids, pink roses, and white lilies, the perfume of which makes you dizzy. You snort as you make your way to your desk, waving your hand to the various servants who are abuzz in your room. 
“Get rid of all of them,” you instruct.
“All of them? Are you sure?” one of them questions.
“Yes. I don’t want to see a single petal left in here. Make sure you return all of the gifts, too,” you snap, and they all bow as they rush to carry out your orders.
You sit in your plush desk chair, and it’s only now that you see the red-ribboned, cream-colored letter  sitting on your desk. You don’t open it before tossing it aside.
Many people have tried to win your hand over the years, as the sole heir to the alchemy commission. One of your mothers has a noble, storied family line, dating back to the very beginning of the country’s founding, and your other mom is praised as a genius in the alchemical field. It’s no wonder those who want a taste of wealth and power flock to you like flies. You’ve managed to successfully ward all of them off so far, either with flat rejections, threats, or, in the rare case, by matchmaking them with a different prospect. 
But your newest suitor, a general? A newly minted nobleman, granted a title for his contribution and victories in the recent war? It’s only been a few days since he’s arrived back in the capital, but he’s been sending you an endless stream of presents since his first day in the city, no matter how many times you return them or burn them in the yard for his slack-jawed couriers to watch. It isn’t just physical presents, like rare silks and flowers, either. It’s reserving your favorite restaurants for you to dine in, all expenses paid, and hiring the most famous musicians to woo you with sweet love songs outside your window.
It’s disgusting, frankly, and every rejection just seems to spur him to try a different approach.
You're no stranger to dalliances, courting your fair share of lovers over the years, starting with a snowy-haired soldier you met in your youth to traveling musicians and merchants. But you were clear to all of them: this would be a passing fling and nothing more, for you had no desire to bind yourself to someone as of yet.
Marriage, after all, is a political game, and you would only enter it once you had a hand that would ensure your success. You would have to marry eventually, but you plan to do so only on your own terms. You want someone who can bring glory and wealth to your house, who wouldn’t try to usurp your position or play games over power, who would be a prudent match, and who’s intelligent enough to keep up with you. Love is not a necessity, but a potential bonus, as you do not often have the habit of mixing business and pleasure.
When you dine with your mothers in the evening, you tell them as such. They are long used to your schemes and strategies, and only smile at you over glasses of wine and plates of tenderly steamed white fish.
“This general courting you should meet your expectations then, no?” your mother poses. “He’s recently been awarded a noble title, and he was clever enough to claim victory against our enemies with minimal loss.”
“And–” Your mom winks at you, nudging your mother. “--He’s handsome. I hear all the eligible girls and boys send him proposals, but he turns them all down. It seems he’s set on someone. I wonder who?”
“Hah.” You spear a piece of marinated cucumber with your chopsticks. “Well, I’ve refused his advances, and I will continue to refuse them.”
“A pity!” your mom groans. “Just when it seems like someone meets your exacting standards. What is it about him, then, my dear child, that you dislike so?”
“I dislike his attitude,” you say bluntly. “And, more to the point, I detest being pressured like this. He doesn’t even have the sincerity to meet me in person, and gives me favors I never asked for. If he is hoping for a love match, then he shall be sorely disappointed.”
“How cold,” your mother says. “But I understand your reasoning. But would it not be prudent to give him a chance? We have never pressured you to get married, as you know, but…”
“But?” You arch an eyebrow.
“What your mother means to say,” your mom interjects, “Is that we want you to be happy! And this could be a good opportunity for you. Your pool of suitors is dwindling, and if you wait too long, you may not have a partner at all.”
“Which is to really say,” your mother says, putting her utensils across her clean bowl, “I will force your hand if you do not make a choice soon, or at least make an effort to. This general meets all of your standards, and an union would be beneficial to all of us. So try to hear him out… or I will make you.”
“Mother, what you’re giving me is the illusion of choice. Will you force me into a marriage against my will? What if I do something drastic? What if he is a foul villain, and you doom me to unhappiness, in your haste to settle a match?”
“Well, that would be most unfortunate for you. But I am your mother, and mothers are allowed to be unfair, no matter how old you are,” your mother says, and your mom tries to hide a laugh as she leans into your mother’s side.
“What’s the name of the general, again?” you say sourly.
“Jing Yuan,” your mother says. “Now, why don’t you try to meet his courier tomorrow? You could stand to learn a little more about him before you cast such hasty judgment.”
The next morning, you rose early, pacing around the gardens until the general’s daily present was delivered. If nothing else, he is punctual, sending presents around noon, in between the breakfast and lunch hours. But what would it take to get him off your back? Insult him at the next commission meeting? Hire someone to place a curse upon him and his household? Or march over to his residence and start a commotion, burning something down in the process?
But, no. Your mother has all but threatened you to play nice, and, as loath as you are to admit it, she does make a certain sense about gathering information on him. It is prudent to have knowledge of your enemy if you wish success in battle.
At noon, one of your servants comes to find you. To your surprise, a young boy trails after her, wide-eyed and open-mouthed as his head whips around, taking in the sights of your garden, fresh and fully bloomed at this time of year. There’s a sword strapped to his back, and when he sees you, he waves.
Is this part of the general’s plans? Does he really think a cute child would be enough to make you throw yourself at his feet?
Still, you guide the boy to one of the garden’s open-air pavilions, shaded by rose bushes and intricate wooden carvings, pillows cushioning the hardness of the benches. You wave for refreshments to be brought over, chrysanthemum tea and sugar cubes and egg tarts and red bean buns, certain to tempt the appetite of a child. And you are right, for the boy immediately picks up a bun, munching without a care in the world.
“So, what brings you to the chief of the alchemy commission’s residence?” you say mildly.
“I’m Yanqing, and I’m here on behalf of the general. He’s worried because it doesn’t look like you’re happy with any of your presents, and he wants to know why.”
“Ah, I see.” You smile at the boy, whose cheeks are stuffed with pastries. “It’s quite simple. I do not like them.”
“Then what do you like? … is what he said to ask if you said you didn’t like any of your gifts.”
“Anything that doesn’t come from him,” you say bluntly. 
“Oh.” Yanqing tilts his head in confusion before his eyes light up, springing up in his seat as he leans forward. “Well, the general is pretty cool, you know! He’s the youngest person in years to be awarded a title! And he’s the reason we won all those battles in the war so quickly! His strategies are genius, and it’s like he knows what the enemy is thinking every time he makes a move… He even trained me! I’m the best with the sword, you know, but the general is stronger than me! So he’s pretty impressive!” 
You want to smile at the way Yanqing presents the general, clearly expecting you to be impressed with the general’s credentials. “And what is your relationship with the general? Are you his child?”
“What? No, no, no! Our relationship isn’t like that. I’m just his disciple!” Yanqing flails, waving his hands wildly. “He wouldn’t let relationships distract him on the battlefield! He never even left his tent when the other soldiers went out to town!” 
“So he wouldn’t love me if we were in a relationship together?” you ask dryly. “I would just be a distraction?” 
“No! He would definitely treat you well! He treats everyone well! That’s why everyone loves him! All the soldiers, and townspeople, and everything!” 
“Ah…” Yanqing perks up at your tone. “So he’s a philanderer.” The boy deflates.
“He wouldn’t! He wouldn’t do that! The general would be loyal to you!” Yanqing insists, slamming his fist down on the table for emphasis. 
“He sounds like a scoundrel,” you note. 
“I promise he’s not!” 
“I don’t know, Yanqing. It sounds like he would leave me alone to fight in battles all day, all the while flirting with all his soldiers, and then come home once in a while to assuage his guilt.” 
Have you teased the boy too much? He slumps morosely in his seat, poking idly at his egg tart. 
“Why don’t you go home for today?” you say gently. You’ve had your fun, and it wouldn’t do to prod at the boy anymore. 
“Before I do, is it okay if I give you one more present from the general?” he asks.
“Go ahead,” you say patiently, as Yanqing fumbles in his pocket and takes out a small wooden box. It’s unadorned, and you flip it open cautiously. Inside lies a single knotted tassel with small jade beads. The threads are in your favorite colors, instead of the traditional red.
“He made it himself,” Yanqing explains as you take the tassel in your hand. 
The general is skilled, if nothing else. The knot looks like a small, symmetrical flower in your hand, and you finger the clear jade beads. 
“I’ll accept it,” you say slowly. 
“Really?” Yanqing perks up. “That’s great. He’ll be honored to hear that.” 
“Does he have a matching one?” you inquire dryly. 
“I think he said he was hoping you would make one for him one day.”
“He might as well wait forever.”
Yanqing pouts, but still remembers to thank you for the food and the courtesy of hosting him before he dashes off. 
You end up placing the tassel in one of your desk drawers, hoping Jing Yuan doesn’t read your acceptance of his gift as some sort of positive sign. To you, it’s nothing more than an odd memento from a curious man, and there’s something amusing about the image of a bloodthirsty general painstakingly threading jade beads onto an elaborate tassel. 
But your courtship is going to stop at this, if you had any say in the matter.
— 
The best defense is a good offense, and the only way to win a battle is to gather knowledge on your enemy. With that reasoning, you send a letter to Yanqing (who doesn’t bother penning a reply before running to your house to inform you he’d be delighted to show you around) and prepare yourself to visit Jing Yuan’s residence. 
You go by foot, keeping your clothing plain and simple to dissuade unwanted attention. His residence– gifted to him for his achievements in war– is situated in the northern part of the city, a quiet residential district, away from the hustle and bustle of the city center. You’re not sure what you expect when you arrive: something ostentatious, or enemy heads hung on his gate to ward off visitors, perhaps.
Instead, you’re greeted with a modest wooden building, surrounded by a stone gate, and Yanqing bouncing in front of the entrance.
“Welcome to General Jing Yuan’s home,” Yanqing says formally, though he’s rocking on his heels. “I’m glad you decided to come by today! Are you–”
“No, I’m not going to accept his proposal,” you interject.
“Oh. Well! I’m more than happy to show you around, still! The general was also really happy that you took an interest in him and your future– his home!”
“If an enemy took interest in him, would he also be happy?” you ask.
“Yes, because he’d undoubtedly draw the enemy’s attention on purpose as part of his plan,” Yanqing replies seriously.
“Lovely. What’s on the agenda, Yanqing?”
Yanqing leads you through the gates and into the courtyard, showing you the pond, rows of flowered bushes, the stone pathways, and then the open-air hallways which ring the courtyard. As Yanqing guides you through the building, you note that there are hardly any servants around. Each room is all polished wood and fresh sunlight, with minimum furnishings, save for a flower arrangement or a tasteful painting. 
The last stop on the tour is a bright, airy room clearly intended for guests, with a steaming teapot already prepared on the table. Yanqing courteously pulls out a seat for you to sit in, pouring you a cup of tea without any further prompting. 
“Let me give you some refreshments,” he says. “It’s not right to have a guest over without giving them something to eat.”
“No, you don’t need to bother. I–”
“Don’t even worry about it,” Yanqing says, and dashes out of the room before you can deter him further.
You sip your cup, a pleasant jasmine brew, leaning back as you contemplate the ink brush mountains scroll across from you. Did the general come home often? His home is far too neat and quiet to imply consistent use. You haven’t run into him, either, so it is possible Jing Yuan is out… though whether this is a blessing remains to be seen. Perhaps you could pry more information out of Yanqing in the meantime.
Footsteps spring down the hall, and without looking at the doorway, you remark, “You know, Yanqing, I’m starting to suspect this general of yours is scared to meet with me–”
“Am I? I didn’t realize.” You whip your head towards the sound of the deep voice. Where you expect Yanqing to stand is a man with snow-white hair and relaxed, golden eyes, an amused quirk to his mouth.
You exhale sharply, your thoughts, once so orderly, tangle together like a ball of yarn. It couldn’t be. Of course you’re expecting to run into the general at some point, have half-hoped for it, but what you haven’t expected is that the general is also your first lover, someone you’d courted  many years ago in your youth.
“Jing?” you say, blood roaring in your head.
“Surprised?” he says, lounging in a chair. “I told you I’d be back, didn’t I?”
At that moment, Yanqing bursts into the room, a plate of snacks balanced in his arms. “I’m back!” Heis gaze darts around the room, from your tense expression to Jing Yuan’s casual smile. “General! When did you get here?”
“Just now. Actually, Yanqing,” Jing Yuan says, “Why don’t you go out into the courtyard and practice your form? My guest and I have much to discuss.”
“... Okay, general.” Yanqing places the tray on the table, and hesitates; his eyebrows furrow quizzically as he glances from you to the general, but he only bows before darting out of the room, despite his obvious curiosity.
“I’m sure there’s much you’re curious about,” Jing Yuan says pleasantly. 
“I do. So perhaps you could humor me and explain what you’re trying to accomplish,” you say coolly.
You swear there’s a glint of amusement in his eyes even as he lowers his head deferentially. “As you wish, my liege.”
Your relationship with Jing Yuan started when you were young and, like all youth your age, felt the stirrings of rebellion– against who, or what, didn’t matter quite as much. Reckless, chafing against the loving restraints of your mothers, and eager to make something of yourself, you decided the best way to do so was to throw yourself into a relationship, hopefully one they didn’t approve of.
That’s when Jing Yuan caught your attention, though you only knew him as Jing back then. A soldier in training, with a shy smile and a quiet countenance, his hair short enough to stand in unruly, snowy tufts at the back of his head, you hadn’t thought much of him when he was first introduced to you. He was sent to guard your mom’s alchemical business, and would bow to you wordlessly whenever you visited. 
You were more practiced in matters of business, alchemy and politics, but even with your limited knowledge you could tell he was talented with a sword. When a thief tore through your mom’s shop, hunting for rare herbs to sell on the black market, he had unsheathed his lance with lightning-quick precision, and in a few swift, well-aimed strikes, the thief was on his back, Jing’s lance poised at his throat. 
You watched from the back of the shop, lurking around the storeroom, as Jing handed the herbs back to your mom, who thanked him profusely. 
He noticed your gaze, and smiled at you. “Are you okay, my liege? You weren’t hurt, were you?”
You tossed your head. “I’m fine. You handled him before anything could happen.”
Still, your interest in him was piqued after that day. So on a restless, cloudy afternoon, with the smell of a storm sharp in the air, you sought him out at your mother’s store, as dutifully guarding the entrance as ever.
“Do you have time for lunch?” you asked him. “I would be honored if you could join me for a bite to eat.”
Like an inquisitive cat, Jing tilted his head. “It wouldn’t be right for me to abandon my post in the middle of my shift.”
“You’d hardly be a good guard if you keeled over from hunger,” you pointed out, “And you don’t have to go too far, besides. We can just stay right here.”
“I could hardly refuse a request from you, my liege,” Jing said.
With his permission secured, you brought out the meal you had packed back home. It was simple, nothing more than a few meat buns and some tea, and the two of you sat and ate on one of the stone benches outside of your mom’s workshop. If you were to court someone, you had to dine them first, didn’t you?
“Why did you become a soldier, Jing?”
“Because it was the only path open to me,” he said easily. “My skills wouldn’t find much purchase elsewhere.”
“And what sort of skills are those?”
“The art of combat. I also dabble in chess, occasionally, though I couldn’t have made a living off of it.”
“Chess? Why don’t you play me in a round sometime? I’d love to see your skill,” you said keenly.
“If you find my skills desirable, then I would be honored to,” Jing said.
“Speaking of desirable… is there anyone you’re interested in?” you posed, watching his reaction from the corner of your eye.
Jing chewed his bun instead of responding, though the tips of his ears reddened. “No… Not in particular.”
“There’s someone I’m interested in,” you continued, taking note of the way he inhaled so sharply he started coughing. “I’m hoping I can grow closer to him.”
“Ah– Is… is that so…?”
“Yes. I think I’d be able to do so with your help,” you said, emboldened by his reaction. You smiled prettily at him, in a way you’d learned to do to charm the nobles at any social gatherings you intended. “So… Do you think we could see each other again?”
Jing’s eyes darted away, and he seemed for all the world like a small sparrow, pecking at the crumbs of affection you offered. “If… If you would be pleased by my presence, I would… be flattered to see you again.”
Like your first encounter, your relationship with Jing proceeded in much the same way. You meticulously planned every outing, reserving restaurants and reading up on festivals in advance, eavesdropping on gossiping maids to learn of the most popular spots for couples in the city. Jing was content to go along at your pace, never brooking a word of complaint even as you, looking back, realized how any other person might have been annoyed at your single-mindedness and desire to always get your way.
He was agreeable, and unerringly polite, and clumsily sweet in all the right ways. He offered his arm for you to hold as you strolled about, and tolerated all your badgering for chess games, even when you grew so competitive you could play for hours without stopping. Sometimes he brought you flowers, single stems of white lilies or sprigs of plum blossoms you would set proudly on your desk until the perfume faded and the petals wilted.
You liked him. You liked him, because he was endearing, and went along with all your antics, even the ones that could have gotten him in trouble if the two of you had been caught. Once you had asked him to meet you in the middle of night, when the fireflies were thick in the air like stars on earth. 
“My liege, are you sure about this?” he whispered as you waved to him from your window. 
“Of course! Do not back out on me now, Jing!” With your hands for purchase, you set yourself on the window ledge, experimentally lowering one leg over the other side.
“Please, let me help you,” Jing said quietly, and offered you one of his hands. You took it, swaying unsteadily, and Jing quickly reached for your hip to help you balance. His hands, you remembered, were calloused, with clever, slender fingers, his touch like sunlight. He flushed at the contact, though didn’t let go of you before he could guide you over the window and set you onto the grass below. Until you reached a small hill a good dozen minutes away from your home, he shadowed your steps, always just a pace behind, and always on guard for threats you couldn’t make out in the dark. With his warm gaze which never drifted from you, and the sea of fireflies, you couldn’t help but feel like no threats could touch you.
“Let’s catch some fireflies,” you suggested, once the two of you reached your destination. “Don’t you think that’s a romantic activity?”
At your words, Jing swiftly cupped his hands around a soft glow, and you crept closer. He slowly unfurled his fingers to reveal his captive, a firefly that pulsed with light like a heartbeat. “Is this to your satisfaction?” he asked.
The firefly spread its wings and flew off his palm. The two of you watched its path, an afterglow of light trailing through the sky. “It’s beautiful.”
“It is,” Jing said, but he wasn’t looking at the firefly anymore.
You cleared your throat. “So, Jing. In such a romantic, late-night setting like this… when two young people meet in a clandestine manner… What do you suppose would happen?”
“Any manner of things, I suppose.”
“True, but there’s one in particular that’s on my mind.”
“My liege…?”
“Jing, I want to kiss you,” you said plainly. His face shone in the light. 
“Y… You do?”
“I’ve been courting you for the past few weeks. Why wouldn’t I?” you said impatiently. “But before we go any further, I want you to understand that this is only for fun. Don’t worry; I don’t expect marriage talks to come out of this.”
“Marriage?” Jing repeated, tasting the word on his tongue.
“Yes, marriage. But we’re young. We’re allowed to have our fun, aren’t we? I have a business to inherit, and you have dreams of your own, surely. We need not get in each other’s way. But, for now…” You placed a hand flat against his chest. “Do you want to kiss me?”
Jing’s eyelashes fluttered as he looked down at your hand; slowly, he brought his own to press against yours, keeping your touch captive against his chest. 
“Yes,” he said quietly.
And on a midsummer’s night, with only fireflies as your witnesses, you shared your first kiss with Jing. He tasted like sweat and mint, and his lips were chapped, but you wouldn’t have traded that moment for anything else.
For the rest of your courtship, the two of you would act like the lovers you saw wandering the streets of the city. You spent all of your freetime with Jing: bought skewers at a vendor so you could feed him by hand and watch his face redden, convinced him to take you on a boat ride and glide through the canals, feed the wild sparrows nesting in the eaves of your house.
It was only once your studies in business management and alchemical laws increased, and Jing had to be called away for longer and longer stretches of time to train, that you decided your relationship was too much of a strain on your schedule to continue. Better to end the relationship here, when the two of you were still on good terms, than to watch it shrivel beyond repair.
You explained as much to him on the day you broke up with him. “We said we would keep it casual, didn’t we? I don’t want it to become too much of a burden in our lives. Besides that, I do not plan to take any of my relationships seriously unless it’s with the expectation of marriage, and I don’t plan to do that unless my lover meets all of my expectations.”
“What are those expectations?” Jing asked.
You tap your chin thoughtfully. “Well… they must have a title if not a lineage, and have enough fortune to be a boon to my house. They must be intelligent, thoughtful, cunning and ambitious, but not to the point they attempt to limit me or usurp my position as heir to the alchemy commission. And they must be able to keep up with me and assist me in my goals for my future business.”
You thought Jing would make a joke about your lofty expectations, but he only said simply, “And you would marry someone who met all those?”
“Well, yes. Though my mothers keep telling me to lower my expectations.”
What is he thinking? For once, Jing’s eyes are hooded, the perpetual sleepiness replaced by something you can’t place a finger on; the closest word you have for it is hunger. 
“Then, my liege…” Jing takes one of your hands, as reverentially as he would touch the emperor himself, and places a chaste kiss along your knuckles, his lips grazing against your fingers. “I’ll come back for you one day, but let us say goodbye for now.”
You didn’t think much of his words at the time; it was simply a parting from a soldier who had always done everything much too seriously. You did, however, entertain a brief fantasy that Jing would come back and elope with you, but that passed like the rain during the summer: sudden, intense, and gone more quickly than it arrived. You were busy, and though you flirted once or twice at social functions over the years, took on all manners of temporary lovers, your main focus was always on your duties towards your house. 
You lost track of Jing over the years, and you chalked it up to a natural consequence of time and distance. Jing became a memory you could look back fondly on, a foolish first relationship that you chased after with a youthful arrogance… until he showed up in front of you again.
“You really had no idea that I was the one courting you?” Jing Yuan’s voice is amused, sleepy, but each word possesses a certain gravity. He’s a careful speaker, you think. Someone who weighs the measure of everything he says. He sits across from you at the table, fingers steepled as you talk.
“I didn’t read any of your letters,” you say coolly. “Nor was I expecting an old fling to start pursuing me again, when none have in the past. We ended on clear terms.”
“Does it change things, now that you know who I am?”
“Not at all. In fact, it’s even more disappointing to realize it’s you courting me. I would have thought burning your presents was answer enough to your proposal.”
“I simply thought you were dissatisfied with what I bought you,” he says easily. “Material objects are easily replaceable.”
“And did I not spurn your disciple as well?”
“Yanqing is a child, though he dislikes being called such. He’s talented with a sword, but his conversational skills are lacking.”
“And,” you say pointedly, “You are an annoying, insufferable man.”
“Ah,” Jing Yuan says. “Also easily remediable. Shall I prepare an entirely separate estate for you to live in, and stay silent forever after in your presence, so you need not fear seeing or hearing me?”
“Have you no sense?” you snap. “Do you really see nothing wrong with my behavior? Do you not understand what rejection is? Must I send a tutor to your household?”
“Ah, but that’s because you’re doing everything on purpose, not out of ignorance,” he says smoothly. “I know you well enough; you only have eyes for your dreams and goals, and little attention to spare to anyone else. So playing these little games with you… this is the only way you will turn your gaze to me, is it not? My dear liege–” Jing leans closer to you, and you wonder why you never realized the boy you thought was a little bird is actually a lion– “whether you accept my proposal or not, whether you find me a detestable nuisance or a respectable ally, I am satisfied as long as you think of me, with fondness or with loathing. As long as I occupy your mind as much as you occupy mine, then I will be happy.”
“You are an insidious man, and I shudder to think of the state of the city if someone like you somehow managed to crawl up the ranks,” you say flatly.
“Then shall I give up all my wealth and all my titles for you? You only need to say the word.”
“Are you mad?”
“Only if love is a form of madness, my liege.”
“I should never have gotten involved with you.”
“You cannot change the past,” Jing Yuan says, and you want to flick him in the forehead.
“Which is a shame.” You gulp down the rest of your cooled tea, slamming the cup on the table. “At the very least, stop sending me things I don’t want. No flowers, no presents, no love songs. It’s distracting.”
“Of course.”
“Then…”
“Will you stop by again some time?” he says pleasantly. “I’ll be sure to inform the guards to let you in if you ever stop by, no matter the time or circumstance.”
“Confident, are you?”
“Have you given me any reason not to be?”
“... Hah. Never mind. I need time away from you to clear my head.”
Jing Yuan simply lets you go with a smile, and as you step outside his estate, you had a feeling it would not be your last time visiting.
After your visit to Jing Yuan, true to his word, he does not send you any presents, nor couriers or musicians to pester you. You would be relieved with the sudden peace if you didn’t suspect he had something else planned. The next few days pass with little fanfare, until an afternoon in which your mom requires your assistance managing her inventory.
“My darling child, did you hear?” your mom says conspiratorially, lowering her face next to yours as the two of you sort through dried herbs.
“Hear what, mom?” you ask. Your mom loves to gossip and chatter, and hears news from all corners of the city thanks to the customers filing through her alchemy shop. Though it is usually your mother who indulges her, you don’t mind listening occasionally as well. It’s always prudent to know what is going inside of the city, after all.
“The general… the one who’s been courting you… has been seen with a few lovers!”
“And why is this my business?” you say, expertly bundling a few dried stalks together. “Should I congratulate him on fooling multiple people to find him a viable partner?”
“Why… they say there’s talk of him marrying one of them soon.”
You crush the herbs in your hand, dried green flakes escaping through your closed fingers. “Is that so?”
Your mom watches you in amusement. “I thought you didn’t care for him.”
“I do not. I find myself loathing him even more now, in fact, as he seems to be a man who can’t keep his word.”
For the rest of your time with your mom, you fume and plan ways to curse Jing Yuan as you stack containers of herbs in the cool, dark storeroom. Ah, you see how it is. For all of his grand declarations, as soon as he gets tired of you, he has no problem finding someone else, does he not? But– and a sudden jolt of embarrassment shoots down your spine– that is all idle gossip. It is the height of foolishness to believe something without verifying it for yourself. Perhaps that man has made you lose your mind through sheer annoyance; certainly, your intelligence seems to have lowered after prolonged contact with him.
You should be rejoicing. It shouldn’t bother you to hear that he might have found someone else. It shouldn’t, but…
You take a breath. No, if you let yourself go down this path, then you would fall into a spiral of doubt. Perhaps you should seek the source of your frustration to quell your nerves. But, before that, you would need to prepare a few things.
You march into Jing Yuan’s residence like a soldier heading to battle, heedless of anything around you. No servants stop you, wide-eyed as they are, and even the occasional guard only bows at your presence (Yanqing once told you that Jing Yuan had hired more people after you complained about the lack of personnel). You stalk through the house, searching for the general; he can’t hide behind a forest of varnished wood and lacquered bowls forever.
It’s in his office that you find him, relaxed and poised at his desk as he pours over some documents, head in his hand like he’s liable to fall asleep at any moment. 
“General,” you say, all acidic politeness as you stride up to his desk, slamming your hands down so hard the corners of the page flutter. 
“My liege. If I knew you were coming, I would have prepared some snacks,” he says mildly, but you don’t miss how all his boneless relaxation melts away, replaced by an alert interest, though he doesn’t move a single inch.
“Don’t bother.”
“Are you okay, my liege? Though your harsh words and fiery wit are normally music to my ears, it seems as if something is bothering you.” Jing Yuan eases forward in his chair, face right in front of yours so you can count all of his eyelashes.
“You…” You bite your lip. What were you doing? You aren’t even engaged to him. You have no right to be jealous of who he chooses to spend his time with; it is not uncommon for eligible bachelors to test the waters with multiple partners, as you know from firsthand experience. But you couldn’t back down now. “You… are you planning on finally settling down?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I just wanted to know if I could count on you being out of my sight forever if you’ve found someone else.”
Jing Yuan cocks his head. “Ah, I see. You’re worried I no longer care for you. I find your lack of forthrightness charming as well.”
“You’re not answering the question.”
“What would you do if I said I had?” he remarks.
“I’d send you a thousand presents as thanks in return for all the ones you flooded my room with,” you reply tartly. 
“Well, I can’t have that, can I? Where would I put them all? To answer your question, my liege, you are the only one whom I will ever devote myself to. You are all I think about. All I do is for you. The idea someone could take your place would be as foolish as a candle becoming the sun,” he says simply.
You twist your hands. It is a grandiose declaration; from anyone else, you might have laughed. But Jing Yuan spoke each word with a measured sincerity. You think if you were to ask him to burn down the city and crown you as the ruler, he would do so with a smile. 
“There are rumors around the city about you and your lovers,” you venture.
“There are rumors about you, too, speculating that you have a hidden lover you jealously hide from the public view. People love to talk; I could not walk around with even a friend without gossip sparking.”
You let loose a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. So it is nothing more than idle tongues wagging… and the gossipers of the city would rejoice at the news they could share after today.
Jing Yuan doesn’t seem all that surprised when you take a pouch out of your pocket and slide it across the desk. He unveils a tassel with intricate knots vaguely in the shape of a lion head, made with strands of soft yellow and white, interspersed with small amber beads. Jing Yuan says nothing as he examines it, holding it as if it were an offering to the gods.
“Yanqing said it, didn’t he? That you hoped I would make you a matching tassel?” you say. “You can take this as an answer to your proposal. This should quell any rumors of potential lovers for either of us.”
“My liege, I may just kiss you,” he murmurs. 
“Then hurry up and do so.”
And Jing Yuan reaches for you across the desk, papers flying as you ungracefully prop yourself on top of all his important paperwork, ink smearing, pens clacking to the floor. His hands are on your face, cradling you like a promise, while he kisses you with an increasing hunger that leaves you breathless. You run your fingers through his hair, tugging the silky soft strands to pull him closer, and he surrenders to your touch.
This is a prudent match for your family, of course. Jing Yuan, as your mother once noted, has power. Money. Fame and glory. He is loyal. Devoted. He can keep up with you, does not quail under your words, and has no schemes of vying with you for power.
But more than that, more than his titles, you want him. You want the man in front of you and, this time, you would not let him go.
874 notes · View notes
funtarou · 10 months
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A flower, little swallow bird and lion
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Characters : Jing Yuan × fem!reader (romantically; wife-husband relations), Yanqing × fem!reader (familiar; mother-son relations).
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[Author Notes]
- Firstly, hi everyone, I'm alive, just kind of busy with bunch of things in life and a bit lazy/burned out to write.
- Secondly, I was having this idea for God knows how long, so my apologies if it does not make sence at some point.
- Thirdly, maybe a little OOC, and kind of self-ship? (or how it is properly called?).
Anyway, just some cute idea of birthday celebration/preparation of gifts. We don't have official birthdays for hsr charecters so this is purely my headcanon.
PS. It is a bit connected with another piece that I wrote "A family of three" so, if you are interested, you can read it here (^-^)/♡
Apologies for typos and mistakes! Thank you for reading!
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Small intro: - Name : [Name] - Age : ??? - Occupation : the advisor of the Luofu region - Status : married - Path : [choose any you like] - Element : [which you like]
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- You were sitting in your study, analyzing documents from Sky-Faring Commission as well as reports from your colleagues-advisors of other 5 Xianzhou ships. Sky-Faring Commision with Madam Yukong as its head was and is the main body which regulates trade within Xianzhou Luofu, between the Luofu and other Xianzhou regions, and between Xianzhou and other ships, planets, alliances, stations and so on. Now, there was a proposition to ally and trade with "Trade Alliance of North" and you, as one of Advisors, will lead the diplomatic mission, so yeah, you had more than a mountain of documents to read and review.
- You were busy reading reports, when you heard door to your study open. Blonde head peaked out of the door.
"Yanqing, dear, come on in,- you said with warm smile, while putting documents aside. Boy smiled and ran to you."
It's been a few years, like what 50? from the day you and your husband, the General Jing Yuan, decided to adopt Yanqing. For outlander 50 years is half of their life, but for a long-lived person as you are, it was like 1-2 years. You still remember day, your husband brought home a small 4 year old boy. Now Yanqing was 6.
Yanqing run to you with a big smile:
"Mommy! It is dad's birthday next week, right?"
"Yes, yes you are",- you answered while hugging boy. He looked at you with serious face,- "Mom, I want to make dad a giant surprise!,- he said while his eyes were beaming with excitement. You looked at him, feeling warmth inside your chest.
- Yanqing, even though he was still young, always respected both you and Jing Yuan, and always spoke with some kind of determination, when he was having some ideas. Like that he will be as good at sword and martial arts as Jing Yuan or as good at calligraphy as you. And these words weren't just something silly, that every child said. Yanqing indeed was trying his best every time and was getting progress quite quickly. Of course when he did lose or make mistakes he was getting sad as every child would, but his childish determination and idea of being strong as Jing Yuan and being able to protect his loved ones someday was strong so he was trying his best.
"Okay Yanqing, what do you want to prepare for dad?"
"I want to give him the best sword in the world!,- boy said,- mom, can we buy dad a new sword from Artisanship Commission? Or even some rare one from another Xianzhou Ship? I can... I can earn money if it will cost too expensive! I... I will sell one of my swords, if there will be need! And if mom will agree one of her, from her collection. But I will buy you another one when I will grew up! Or when I will be as great warrior as dad!,- boy said while taking a bag from his pocket,- here is all my pocket money that i didn't spend and saved, we can use it!"
- You smiled and patted Yanqing's head. Your son was very considerate and so cute. He was ready to sell his favorite sword and spend his money to buy gift for Jing Yuan. You are raising him in right direction. To be kind, and not stingy. To be ready to help close ones.
"Haha, no need Yanqing, Mom has enough money, you can keep yours,- you said while standing up,- let's go to Artisanship Commission and see, what they can recommend. If you won't find good sword for dad, I will ask my friend from another Xianzhou ship about good swords, okay?"
"But what if mommy will spend all dad's and her money?"
"Then let's buy a sword with mom's money, and cake and other things with yours, deal?,- you asked blonde boy. He pounded, thinking and then nodded,- yes mom, let's do it this way! Now let's go while dad is busy, or else he will find out about our surprise and gift!"
- When you arrived to Artisanship Commissiom you met Master Gongshu and explained him what you were looking for. Yanqing's eyes were sparking with joy from the sight of all different swords, bows, spears, but mostly swords.
- After an hours of choosing, boy saw sword that "spoke to him". After asking Master Gongshu about this sword, he said that it was new one and was just finished this morning. A rare metal, was used to carve it's blade, the gold and a fine wood were used for it details and handle. Yanqing asked you and Master Gongshu whether you can buy it or not. Then as if stricked by lightning he asked if there is a possibility to carve something on sword's blade.
"What do you want to write, Yanqing?,- you asked while Master Gongshu was preparing instruments. Blonde boy thought for a moment and said,- can we carve [name of your favorite flower], little swallow bird and Mimi's head? So we would always accompany dad! Even if he won't use it, he will look at it and fell less homesick when he is not at the Luofu"
- You smiled at your son and looked at Master Gongshu. He, in his turn sketched his head in a deep thought. After that, he asked you to wait a few seconds, and he excused himself. Yanqing was worried that he somehow offended Master from Artisanship Commission, but you quickly reassured him that it was not the case.
- Master Gongshu returned with another young man, who introduced himself as Master Ling. He was the person who knew the methods of carving on blades. After telling him Yanqing's idea, he handled you a paper for you to draw sketch of [name of your favorite flower], swallow bird and lion. Yanqing was a bit scared to draw, because he understood that you can erase things on paper, but not on sword. But he wanted to draw it himself. After you proposed your help he agreed, after all you have an amazing skills in both calligraphy and ink art paintings.
- After few minutes [name of your favorite flower], lion and little swallow bird were finished and your son was beaming with excitement to see your art of blade. Master Ling told you that he will need a few days to finish work. (Drawing on blade required being careful, not to break the blade itself and for it to remain useful in future, and for art, quotes etc. to look beautiful).
- The rest of the week was busy for all your family. Meetings of 6 Advisors from all Xianzhou ships, as well as meetings between 6 Generals of Xianzhou ships. Mountains of paperwork for both you and Jing Yuan. Calligraphy lessons with Yanqing, sword and martial art lesson with Yanqing, other lessons that Yanqing had.
As a long lived person you sometimes thought that your life is kind of routine and boring. And you were grateful and thankful to your husband and Aeons that few years ago Jing Yuan brought home Yanqing and you decided to adopt him.
- June 21st. You woke up and carefully not to wake up person next to you, you got up. Jing Yuan was peacefully sleeping, but when he felt that you were missing he in his sleep furrowed his brows. You chuckled and gently kissed his forehead before going to the main hall of your estate.
- You carefully wrapped gift that you just finished yesterday. Then you felt someone tugging your pajama. You looked down and saw Yanqing standing there with drawing in his hand.
"Mom, dad is still sleeping?,- he asked,- should we wake him up?"
- After his words you looked at clock on the wall, it indeed was 10 a.m. Well it is weekend so that's why everyone were at home and you and Jing Yuan weren't hurrying to work.
- After you nodded you took all your presents and went to your shared with Jing Yuan bedroom. Yanqing happily run there and the pocked Jing Yuan's arm. After that, General lazily opened his eyes and looked at person who woke him up. Seeing Yanqing before him, small smile appeared on General's face.
"Happy birthday dad!,- Yanqing said while handing to Jing Yuan drawing of three of you,- this is for you!"
- Jing Yuan smiled and sat on the bed, while taking drawing from Yanqing.
"Thank you Yanqing,- he said while hugging small boy. Then he looked at drawing. There were three of you, standing in your estate garden, happily smiling. Of course it was not "ideal piece" by some famous artist, some lines were crooked, but General liked it with all his heart."
"It's not all presents!,- Yanqing exclaimed,- wait.. where is it?...???. Oh here,- he said taking carefully packed box,- Here dad! This surprise me and Mom bought you!"
- Jing Yuan with surprise looked at boy and then at you. You just smiled and asked him to open the box. Jing Yuan listened to you and soon saw a beautiful sword, with gold accesories. When he unleashed sword a big smile appeared on his face.
"Look dad, it is [name of your favorite flower], a little swallow bird and Mimi. [flower name] stands for mom, swallow bird is me, and Mimi for Mimi! When you will be abroad and miss home you always will have us with you,- Yanqing said while looking at Jing Yuan"
- Jing Yuan sat there surprised and speechless and then he carefully sheathed sword and putted it away. After that, he stood up and hugged both you and Yanqing.
"Thank you, both of you,- the General said.
You patted his back, - Happy birthday honey!
Happy birthday dad!"
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[NOTES]:
- Fun fact, [Name] did not spend her son's money on cake she putted it away then to hide it in one of the closets, so Yanqing would find them, and think that it is another allowance he saved but forgot about. Oh, and Jing Yuan did not know about this sword until his birthday. [Name] paid for it from her own account. Oi and Jing Yuan have this drawing that Yanqing did on his office table at the Seat of Divine Foresight! Even tho Yanqing is now 14, and asks General to put it  away (he is a bit  embarrassed of his childhood drawing) Jing Yuan still keeps it there, because it is very dear to him. And sword with flower, little swallow bird and Mimi is placed at the best place of his collection of weapons. He, in fact did take it with him, when he is not at the Luofu (even though he sometimes did not admit it).
- Why Yanqing is swallow bird (martin)? Because Yanqing's atk, E skill before battle and ult animations have birds in it, so I decided to make it like this.
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funtarou · 1 year
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