#for forever and it kept using perish song before she could catch it so perish song was already a running joke

[natjennie]

did I tell you guys omg my sister told me that she was playing pokemon and she was trying really hard to catch lapras and she got her down really low and was on like a turn time limit idk, so she tried a heavy ball bc lapras is big, but it didn't work and then lapras used a move called perish song which kills both the active pokemon three turns later. and my sister summed all this up by saying "lapras said 'call me fat, I'm gonna kill myself.'" and something about the tone and rhythm of that fucking took me out. and now 'call me fat, I'll kill myself' is an inside joke.

#we did a whole bit like 'you think you're funny- im about to be hilarious' #like. it was very funny to me. #and also she had been tryign to catch someone else. a legendary or smthing #for forever and it kept using perish song before she could catch it so perish song was already a running joke #the idea of a lapras with the text 'call me fat? i'll kill myself' edited on it #its really funny to me #pokemon

[ventisehe]

crying on their wedding day, or not / genshin impact / part two

this is the second part of crying on their wedding day. i didn’t add dainsleif and baizhu because i don’t have enough creative juice to squeeze them in. 

requested by: @bakuhoe-is-my-bakubro

includes: venti, kaeya, xingqiu, scaramouche, razor, albedo, chongyun, xiao, kazuha

warning: unedited, not proofread, different variation of not seeing the bride before the wedding ceremony, written before kazuha was released

part one

THOSE WHO WILL NOT CRY

     VENTI

            Although his wings that have soared through the vast open azure skies was as ancient as the winds that swept ever so delicately through the lands that made up Teyvat, although his curious viridescent hues have become quiet witnesses to numbers of renowned and untold tales of mortals across nations, no matter the countless years he devoted trying to cognize the mortals and their atypical behaviors, Barbatos – or Venti, as he refers to himself now – can never truly understand how so many human beings can stay in one place with one person.

                            Before he had even come to be the Anemo Archon, all that Venti knew was how to heed the call of the wind. To him, it was confounding how mortals do not have the similar urgency as he to follow the winds. Even when he had taken the form of his dearest friend, Himmel, and has elapsed through myriad of seasons and centuries, still he soared gently in the air, lyre in his possession as he sung melodies of his own composition and strummed symphonies for those who yearn to hear his voice, and with his braids billowing in his travel to a destination even he cannot tell yet.

            One has made an attempt - and unfortunately, a fruitless one - to make sense to him why some has gone against the heed of the wind, a very peculiar decision in the eyes of someone like him. His form nothing but a mere wisp at that time, nothing but a small creature with little understanding, and he remembered he was seated on the shoulder of his companion as they perched by the edge of a mountain, legs dangling and kicking gently back and forth. They basked in the caress of the wilting warmth as the sun bid its farewell.

                      Himmel was humming a tune with the corners of his mouth curving up and his eyes closed, and Venti's small frame thrummed with delight at the euphony he made.

                And in the serene quiet, his dear friend spoke, "Someday, you'll find yourself wanting to stay somewhere. For something, or for someone. You don't understand now, but when you come to love one thing, you'll always want to be close to their side." Himmel turned to him, a subdued smile etched across his features, and upon catching sight of the sincerity and fervor Himmel in his bright eyes, Venti cannot help but mirror his sentiments and reciprocate his smile the best he can with the body he manifested in.

     "When that day comes, you'll understand why many choose to . . . stay." Venti tilted his head to the side, and Himmel let out a small chuckle once he catches on the puzzlement that he displayed in his actions. "Don't look at me like that. I know you're curious about the whole marriage thing. Who knows, maybe someday you'll find yourself a nice fellow wisp and - "

            All it took for Himmel to cut his statement short and burst out in laughter was how Venti prodded against his neck as a feeble attempt to make him quiet down.

               And as Himmel has predicted, Venti - in time - did understood.

                        Venti was able to perceive the reasonings of mortals to turn their heads away from the beckon of the wind, to live a peaceful and quaint life, some alone, and some with their spouses. Himmel had done his absolute best to explain to him the wanders which are humans, and gleefully watched as Venti attentively listened to every word he spoke.

      However, at the end of the day, Venti was still a free spirit. He can never be tied down to one place, much more to another living being. He will always find himself favoring the whisper of the winds in Teyvat, adrift and letting himself go adrift.

            It was after he had witnessed the life in Himmel's eyes leave, heard his last breath, the whisper of the triumph of Mondstadt in achieving freedom, and his final request as he stroked Venti's quivering figure - A sad smile has been painted upon Himmel's brims as he gazed at the smaller entity weeping under his touch, "I ask only for one last favor from you, my dearest friend. Look after Mondstadt, after our people, for me, and never let everything we've sacrificed go for naught."

                          Venti was still a free spirit, but with what happened to Himmel, he longed to understand how he saw the world. It seemed he understood it differently than he did. And thus, he took the form of his beloved friend, and ventured closer than he had before to mortals.

      The day he found a place in The Seven, the fateful he became the Anemo Archon, Venti has not once missed an event with his people. He celebrated with them in festivities, cried with them in their sorrows, aided them in battles against transgressors or wars within their own mind. He laughed with them, ate with them, drank with them, and his love for his people grew everyday.

          But still, he can never stay for too long.

                      Venti tried to, he really did, for his friends, as his last gift before he lets go of the pain of losing him. But cannot force himself to remain in one place if his heart kept searching for places to explore, people to meet, discover the secrets of Teyvat.

    Hopelessness was beginning to gnaw inside him as hundred of years has passed, and he has already traveled through long distances and saw generation after generation of his people in Mondstadt, and yet nothing he has yet to fulfill his own promise to hos friend.

           Perhaps this was the way it was supposed to be. Maybe only mortals are giving the ability to be content and stay, but the Anemo Archon was forever to be appearing and disappearing - always, always stringing along with the wind.

                      And Venti believed that thought of his, and it stuck to him throughout many more years in Teyvat.

       Not even a dust of faith was left in the ruins of what he now thought of as a vanquished promise, marring Venti with a wound in his heart, and a doubt in his standing as an Archon. However, it was through this belief that took him by surprise when he met a rather strange woman at the last day of the Windblume Festival, and in Stormterror’s Lair, no less.

                    The Honorary Knight, and their odd traveling companion have long been gone after they bid him farewell and a safe travel in his return to his abode – or whatever dwelling was the closest he could denote as home – leaving Venti by himself to reminisce in the ruins of where Old Mondstadt once stood.

                                        The heavens were a color of black dotted with stars and the moon. The wind has grown softer, as though to accompany him in this lonesome hour, leaving chaste kisses against his pallid skin. From afar, the City of Mondstadt remains lit with lanterns and plethora of flowers. Even in this distance, he can oversee the joy that exuded from the people as they celebrated the remaining hours of the festival and take in the fragrance of the flowers friends and partners exchanged with one another. It was a beautiful sight to behold if one sits in such a desolate and dark place, in the very tower that he had confronted Stormterror – no, it was Dvalin now, Stormterror has perished along with the danger of the past.

                                        But a presence – curious, sorrowful – has intervened in the quiet evening Venti thought he had saved for himself. He stood up from the platform where he has previously perched upon and took off to take a gander in the Lair, and it did not take a moment longer for him to spot a figure nearby. There, standing on top of a boulder clad in a crestfallen expression was a lone woman. She was casting her gaze around Old Mondstadt, and the breeze blew her tears away,

            Venti had never seen her before. He had met every family, every person, in Old Mondstadt, and the same was to be said to the generation that followed after them. He knew them well, recalled their quirks and appearances, and this woman has no resemblance to any of them. Has she come from another nation?

                                   Venti made it his point to glide down and noiselessly land behind her, but it seems his efforts have failed him for this stranger spoke the second his feet made contact with the ground.

        "I wonder how this place used to be." You stated, and Venti was unsure whether you have felt his presence or you were speaking to yourself.

   “So, this is Old Mondstadt.” She stated in a murmur. Her voice was laced with awe, but with evidence of forlornity. “I heard rumors about what happened here, and-and the thing with Stormterror too. Archon, I wish someone would tell me the real story of the City of Freedom. Back in my home, we’re not even allowed to learn much about the Archons of other nations. It’d be foolish to just trust rumors.”

                                  There was something about her that piqued his interest. He did not know what it was. Maybe it was the way she talked about Mondstadt, her interest in the history of his city and his people, the sincere sorrow she felt for what the fallen tyrant of Mondstadt had had done to his former subjects, and how he had forced their hands to rebellion to protect their nation.

                            Venti spoke before he can stop to think. “If you’d like, I can retell the story of how Old Mondstadt came to be. I’m well versed in the history of this city, so rest assured everything you’ll hear is the truth.” He carved a smile to his lips. “And I am a Bard, so you have no need to worry about me chatting your ear off. All it takes is an audience and my lyre to get me started. Of course, a private performance will cost you, but since you’re new in the city, I suppose I can – ”

                                  His breath was taken away when the stranger turned to face him, and his words withered from his tongue. Ever seen a speechless bard? It was a sight people will scarcely see.

                Could he ever compose a song to even come close to the lovely view that was before his eyes? Gleaming curious pair of eyes, a smile so eager to listen, hair flitting with the wind as his heartbeat raced –

             Venti was used to captivating his audience with his songs and stories. However, this time, it was he who was captivated, and when he took out his lyre and played a sweet tune to sing the story of his beloved city, with this gorgeous woman listening to him with bright and shining eyes, Venti knew then that he wanted to play for her every song he knew, every story he saw and heard, to the end of time.

                            You told him your name after his song, and you came all the way from the isolated nation of Inazuma. It took him by surprise how you have confidence in him to reveal to him your identity and place of birth. Surely, not everyone will trust a stranger who has appeared out of nowhere who offered to sing them a song. But then again, Venti trusted you as quickly as you trusted him, and now it was his turn to listen as you confide in him.

  You have escaped from your home nation and survived out in the seas under the heat of the sun and threat of starvation for days until a compassionate Captain from Liyue, and her crew found you and delivered you to safety. And it was after your recovery that you fled to Mondstadt, the opposite of the nation you were born in.

                     Venti found himself sitting down in front of you as you told him your story, sight never leaving your frame as he did so. You were no Bard, and you were no storyteller, but he cannot tell the time or noticed the sun has set as you regaled him with story of Inazuma and your life after and before your escape. He was enchanted with the way you spoke, how you looked about Old Mondstadt with saddened awe, the fervidness in your voice – Have I found myself a rival? Thought Venti, eyes softening as you went on about your admiration for the affability and generosity his people have shown you.

                                                          When you left that day, you promised to come back and when you do, you shall ask him to sing to you more of his songs. At first, Venti was hesitant to believe your promise, but to his relief and happiness, when he saw you in the same place in the ruins undoubtedly waiting for him with your eyes closed and relishing in the wind that rushed past you. Venti always came to Stormterror’s Lair to oversee what remained of his old home, but for once, his sights were held torn and you have all his attention.

                   Seeing you keep your promise of return made his day, but when you whipped your head to face him with a smile, waving a hand as you asked him to sit with you, Venti knew that his heart desired yours. Was it a wise decision to fall for someone you've only just met? Certainly not, but he was an Archon who had too much time but too little for those who he holds dear. He cannot afford to be unsure when his time with you was limited.

     So, he decided – when the day is right and the wind is quiet, he shall make his feelings for you known.

            It became a routine for the two of you to meet in Stormterror’s Lair and share your stories with one another, Venti always telling his in songs, as a Bard would. There was never a dull moment between the two of you, and every story told in the ruins were to be fascinated of. And soon, it wasn't just stories. Soon, he was finding out more about you, knowing you better until he couldn't get you out of his head.

                  It became a routine for the two of you to meet in Stormterror’s Lair and share your stories with one another. Venti always told his in the form of songs, as a Bard would, you will always applaud him after, to which he would respond with a melodramatic bow. There was never a dull moment between the two of you, and every story spoke in the ruins and the silence of the night was to be fascinated of.  He was learning more about you, knowing you better, until he couldn’t get you out of his mind when his head falls against his pillow.

    Venti cherished these times he had with you. He knew it won't be long until you were gone. He knew his fate as an Archon – seeing loved ones perish and more to come, and the cycle continued.

                                           He hasn't even told you about his identity.

                          Venti was grateful for the Traveler for pushing him to tell you about his feelings and his standing in Teyvat, but he was still uncertain. What would you say if he confessed to you? What will you say if he admits to being the Anemo Archon? Will things change between the two of you? Will you leave? Venti can’t think about that.

                                                                       Venti grew worried when you didn’t come to Stormterror’s Lair one day, and then another, and his concern grew as days turned to weeks. Everyday he found himself visiting Stormterror’s Lair in hopes of seeing you waiting for him again, but he was always left disappointed. You did not mention going on an adventure or a commission, so his worry was warranted. Were you safe or were you simply sick of him?

                 When the day you finally appeared in the Lair, relief washed over Venti and he practically jumped off the broken tower he frequently resided and made haste towards you. But his footsteps faltered when he found no traces of a smile on your face. He can see the relief and joy, but the smile was absent. From that, Venti’s own beam wilted as he walked over to you with reluctant steps.

      When he came close to you, he opened his mouth to ask how you have faired for the past weeks and question your abrupt disappearance when you said something that took him by surprise.

                                    “I know who you are.”

          It felt like his entire world has stopped for a moment as he stared at you with disbelief smearing his countenance. How ever did you discover the truth? Certainly, he had similarities with his statues, but none of his people nor visitors from outside ever pieced the puzzle together.

                            He averted his gaze, ashamed. Why was he wallowing in shame? Or perhaps was this regret of not telling you sooner? Did you feel betrayed? Will you cast him away?

                      “But how . . . ”

                                            “The man at the Tavern told me, Master Diluc.” You answered. “I was telling him about you, and I guess he thought I already knew of you being the . . . Anemo Archon.”

           “Is that why you were gone for weeks?” Venti questioned, and when you nodded in response, he winced. He can’t help but think of the worse – She’ll leave me.

                          Venti looked away. “Ah, I shouldn’t be surprised. I mean, it is hard to believe someone like me is an Archon.” He laughed out, but the humor was nonexistent in his statement. “So, how do you feel about that?”

                      Venti let out a gasp when you threw yourself to him and enveloped him in a tight hug. Venti froze at your actions and waited for you to withdraw, but when you did not, he slowly accepted your embrace with gratefulness. He didn’t know what you do this, but he was more than happy to reciprocate your actions before he lets you go.

        It won’t matter, anyway. He’ll hear the winds calling for him somewhere soon. Maybe letting you go now would hurt less in the long run.

                    “Are you not . . . angry?” Venti asked as he closed his eyes and rested his chin on your shoulder.

                                    “Oh Archons, no, Venti. I could never hate you.” You assured him in a whisper and from the brokenness on your voice, Venti knew you were crying. “Those times you told me about Barbatos . . . all the stories about his past . . . everything he had gone through . . . ” You murmured, tone lowering. “ . . . you must have been so hurt and lonely.”

                                              He didn’t know why your words shot through him. He can feel tears streaming down his cheeks as memories of his past and the continuous pain of loss and regret caught up with him. Finally, after thousands of years, his false smile was shattered.

          How pathetic. He thought. An Archon weeping in front of a mortal that he is in love with. Could things get any worse?

                  Your hand stroked his hair, comforting him as he cried against your shoulder and in your arms.

                          “I was . . . ” He breathed out, choking as he tightened his grip around you. “ . . . it never stops hurting . . . I keep seeing Himmel, and everyone, and – ”

                He couldn’t finish what he was saying and just relished in the comfort of your arms, breathing in your scent.

                                    “I don’t understand what you’ve been going through these thousands of years, and I never will, but it’s okay now, Venti.” You whispered in his ear, and he can detect the compassion and love lacing your voice. His heart hammered against his chest. “You have me. You don’t have to pretend everything is okay. I’m here for you. I want you to be Venti and Barbatos with me, I want all of you.”

             He couldn’t believe his ears. Did he hear you correctly? You want him?

                    Venti gently retracted himself from you, but his arms remained at your sides. “You still want me, even after I kept this from you?”

         “I want you, Venti.” You clasped your hands over his shoulders, firmly looking into his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere anymore. I’m staying here, with you.”

                 And so, you stayed, and so did he – it was the first time he stayed, and he will never regret it.

One would think that as a renowned Bard in Mondstadt, Venti would push for a grand wedding where all people of Mondstadt are invited to wine and dine together as bards banded together to regale everyone with their music, and as the Archon who values freedom above everything else, a big part of him wanted to. But he thought of you and what you wanted. It took some time for him to deliberate over how selfish it would be for him to make you uncomfortable in your wedding day and agree a small wedding would be a much better option considering how sacred and intimate marriage is.

However, knowing you cannot simply have the Anemo Archon go against his belief, and of course because of your love for him, you have secretly devised a plan with Jean and Kaeya to invite all the citizens of Mondstadt to your reception to celebrate this joyous occasion for the two of you. There was more than enough food and drinks to feast, courtesy of Master Diluc, and you’re sure Venti will be over the moon with this surprise. 

Venti had no family, and those he did consider as family were long gone, just a memory from the past. Even though it is unusual for a groom not to have a best man in his wedding day, Venti claimed he was fine without a best man. He had no doubts in marrying you. When he proposed to you, there was no touch of regret or doubt. Albeit reluctantly, you were in a mutual agreement in that matter, as well. Until, of course, an unexpected tribute arrived offering his services.

Venti was not the least nervous when the day of your wedding came. He did not waste time when he woke up and immediately got to work on his appearance. Jean was kind enough to have his wedding suit tailored for him, an early wedding gift, as she says.

Venti knew of the rule that a groom mustn’t see his bride in her wedding gown until the time she walks on the aisle. But he was just so thrilled for this day that he forgot all about it. And even if he did remember it, who in the world would stop him from seeing you? He has no best man to stop him anyway -

Venti almost choked to death when a hand came to grasp him by his the back of his collar, and he blubbered pathetically as he was thrown off balance and was dragged back to the altar.

“Who are - Master Diluc? What are you doing?”

Diluc let out a huff as he continued dragging Venti away from your house. “Stopping you from upsetting your bride. I’m sure you know that you shouldn’t see your bride in her gown before the wedding?”

“But Master Diluc, as much as I appreciate what you’re doing, you’re not in any position to - ”

“Actually, I am in a position where I’m allowed to stop you from making a mess of your wedding.” Said Diluc. “I’m your best man, after all.”

Venti couldn’t put to words how touched he was, and more so when you revealed to him after the wedding that Diluc has offered to be his best man by his own volition. As thanks, the next time Venti visited the tavern to drink, he paid for a single bottle of wine once. It wasn’t exactly ideal but considering how he had no original plan to pay Diluc for any of the drinks he will consume, this was as good as it gets.

When the doors opened to reveal you in your pretty white wedding dress, Venti swooned, and a large joyous smile stretched across his lips.

A gentle breeze swept in the altar and Venti felt his feet leave the ground briefly, floating in the air as he excitedly watched you walk down the aisle, and it took Diluc’s hand pulling him down by the back of his suit to stop him from floating up above the cathedral.

“My, my, if I knew any better, I would have thought the Archons have taken favor on me and blessed me with a beautiful bride.” Venti said once you join him in the altar and took your hands in his own. “You look beautiful, darling. I might just write another song about you.”

You shook your head, pink tinting your cheeks. “Haven’t you written enough songs about me?”

Venti inched his face close to you, his large smile altering to a soft smile. “There aren’t enough songs to tell you how much I adore you.”

The wedding went on, and when the two of you kissed, only one thing entered in Venti’s mind - I found my reason to stay, Himmel. I just hope you can see this.

The wind blew gently.

     KAEYA

                      Kaeya did not know what to feel when his brother has made it clear once and for all that he wanted nothing to do with him. His dismissive remarks, his heated glares, his cold and aloof treatment – he had known Diluc for so long, and his memories with him in their childhood never grew old in his mind, so it pained him to have his once bright-eyed sibling who aspired to be part of the Knight acting as though they were strangers. No, strangers would have been merciful. He acted as if the bond they had never meant anything to him, and casting him aside and seeing him under the light of contempt was the easiest decision he has ever made.

                                               Even you were not spared from the same fate. The three of you become inseparable the day you and Kaeya were introduced to each other. You’ve done everything together, and it would be a strange sight to see one missing from the group.

                When Diluc has cut ties with Kaeya, you suffered the same fate as he. You poor, poor thing – you tried your best to patch the friendship he no longer wanted to be part of, and Kaeya did not waste time running to your side and picking up the pieces Diluc shattered. It was not an easy feat for both of you to lose Diluc – he lost a brother, and you lost a good friend.

                                 But it was because of your fall out with him that you and he become closer than ever, closer than before, if that could even be possible. The two of you support one another and you go to each other when things get difficult.

             Kaeya will never admit it, and he would rather die than do, but he has loved you for many years. The moment Diluc pulled him into an unknown house, claiming that he wanted to meet someone important to him, and his eyes landed on your form with the sunrays kissing your skin, a wide smile stretching across your face, and a fake sword in your hand, his heart was taken.

                            You were one of the reasons he wanted to become a Knight. Diluc admitted his want to become a Knight, and you expressed the same sentiment, and of course, hearing his friend and brother say so, he became inclined of joining the Knights. I’ll get good training. He thought back then as stared at you, blushing as you braided Diluc’s hair. Then, I’ll be able to protect ( Your Name ).

        Now that Diluc no longer wanted to be in contact with you than more than is necessary, Kaeya grew to be more protective over you. He knew you can handle yourself as you were a Knight yourself and wields a Vision, too, but his heart clenches at the thought of you getting hurt when he could have easily had your back, like he always did.

                                                 Kaeya didn’t knowif you had feelings for him, or for anyone, for that matter. Many times he thought of confessing to you just to rip the band aid off, but he couldn’t. He’ll keep his feelings to himself and continue being the Cavalry Captain that everyone adored, and your own personal protector.

   But it was getting harder and harder to hide his feeling. Everyday he was always under the threat of falling deeper in love with you. Everyday, you always give him more reasons to love you. Waiting for him to come home after taking too long in his work, taking care of him after a nasty battle or when he’s drunk, always checking up on him even if your schedule was hectic, offering him help if you deem the responsibility given to him is too much. How much longer can he pretend that he wasn’t thinking of you everyday and every night?

                                He was pulled back from his train of thoughts when he felt a soft material doused in alcohol perch on the wound blemishing his skin. “Ah, be gentle, ( Your Name ),” Whined Kaeya, stilling himself to refrain from moving and delaying your nurse on his cuts.

                          “We wouldn’t be in this situation if you had only been careful fighting those Abyss Mages.” You reprimanded with a stern glare. “Think of this as your punishment from me. Now, hold still.”

                      “I was fighting Abyss Mages and came back with small wounds. How am I not careful?”

       “You can be more careful.” Quipped you, and finding your chance, you pressed the cotton again his skin, causing the Cavalry Captain to hiss in pain.

                      “Ow, ow, ow – I said be gentle!”

                                         “Oh, you can fight Abyss Mages but can’t handle getting your wounds treated? What a baby.”

                        Kaeya pouted while you pulled away from him. “My dearest ( Your Name ) doesn’t love me anymore.” He cooed. “Tell me, what can I do to make it up to you, hmm?”

                                      You shook your head and placed your hand over his head, beaming. His heart leaped in his chest. “Stop being reckless.” You responded. “You’re the most important person to me, Kaeya. I don’t want to lose you too.”

             Days and days he spent thinking of what you said. He never truly knew how he important he was to you. The thought of that had him sleeping and dreaming of you and your smiles, how the days will be if you loved him the same way he loved you, and the fateful day you owned his heart.

   He had to thank Diluc for introducing him to you. He couldn’t imagine being in a world where he has no one to lean on when he lost the only family he had. You became his rock, someone he could lean on and trust. His friend who he loved more than he should have, the woman he wished to see in his arms someday.

                     But it will never be. He has to protect you. He is always in danger and he doesn’t want to hurt you more if he died and you two are in a relationship. And he had seen firsthand how affected you were when Diluc no longer wanted to be friends with you. He won’t let you go through the same pain if your relationship didn’t work. He loved you too much to let you suffer again.

                                  Kaeya didn’t think he would be able to thank Diluc again after their fall out but he was mistaken.

                            He didn’t know the full story of what had happened the night he got shitfaced drunk in the tavern but woke up the next day to learn he has revealed his feelings for you in front of his brother, and the latter had casually mentioned it to you when you dropped by the tavern to escort him back home.

                      Regret and frustration welled up inside of him and he spent ten minutes walking back in you guest room, trying to explain himself and perhaps even jest about having feels for you but his preparation was all futile when you opened the door just as he was about to.

               Before he can speak, you beat him to it.

        “The next time you get drunk like that, you’re sleeping on the couch.” You chastised, shaking your head and proceeding to turn your back to him to return downstairs. “Freshen up, and head down. I already cooked you breakfast, so hurry up before it gets cold.”

                                              Kaeya stared blankly at the spot you previously stood before smiling. He rushed over to the staircase and looked down to watch you descend the steps. “I won’t keep you long, love.”

                            His smile broadened when he saw redness rush to your cheeks.

Kaeya proposed to you in a way you expected him to propose to you. A fancy dinner at a fancy restaurant where he ordered a fancy bottle of wine and placed the fancy ring he bought into your glass. It was only because you knew him well that you have no accidentally imbibed the accessory. 

Upon receiving your answer to his proposal, the first thing Kaeya did the day after is hunt down for a best man. As a popular and charming Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius, he thought it would be an easy task finding himself a best man but that notion gradually wilted as the date for your wedding approaches, he has yet to find someone to take the position.

In his pursuit for a best man, Kaeya came to realize something. His relationships with others aren’t exactly intimate. They drink and laugh together, but none of them really knew him. Kaeya couldn’t go to them with his personal problems or have their shoulders ready for him to cry on. They were good friends, but not people he would let inside his heart and vulnerability.

There were only two people who knew him behind the title of Cavalry Captain - you, and of course, his estranged brother, Diluc.

The very thought of Diluc sent a shiver down his spine. Diluc hated him and ( Your Name ). He pushed them away, treated them horridly, like they had been nothing to him but strangers with bad memories. Why would he want him to be his best man?

He remembered one day in Angel’s Share, he asked Venti if he could stand as his best man in the wedding and he swore he heard a glass dropping from behind the counter but when he turned, he saw Diluc wiping a wine glass with a blank expression. When Kaeya faced Venti once again, the excitement of being asked of such honorable position has withered and the Bard kindly declined before telling him to ask Diluc to be his best man. He did not.

Who cares about best man? The only thing important to me right now is marrying ( Your Name ).

But when the day of his wedding dawned, Kaeya was in a panic. Behind his charm was a man with a dark past, dark memories, and dark thoughts. He began doubting his ability to give you the life you deserve, began feeling insecurities he thought he had set aside.

He tried his best to remain calm, and for the most part, it worked. Everyone did not find something amiss when Kaeya was interacting with them before the wedding, but someone did, and that someone took him by his arm and dragged him a far and secluded corner after excusing him from who he was conversing with.

“Stop fidgeting with your tie, it’s beginning to bother me.”

Kaeya let out a huff. “Master Diluc, what a . . . surprise that you’re here.”

“You sent me an invitation.” The red head retaliated.

Kaeya had indeed sent him an invitation but he had no recollection of this or whatsoever. He was too wasted to remember.

“The Cavalry Captain losing his cool. Now this is a wedding just waiting to be ruined.”

It was almost like magic how the anxiety that has been eating him up vanished at his brother’s taunt. Kaeya glared at Diluc, opening his mouth to retaliate but before he can even let a single word move past his lips, Diluc turned his back to him and returned to the cathedral, leaving Kaeya in disbelief.

He let out a huff as he stared at his brother’s retreating form. “Bastard still knows me best.”

Kaeya has taken the reins over his emotions again, and he was sure he can keep his composure when you enter through the doors. But he was thoroughly mistaken as he swallowed the lump in his throat when his sight landed on you.

It felt like a dream. How can someone like you love him? In all his flaws, mistakes, and faults, how did you see him as someone you can lean on? Someone you want to spend the rest of your life with?

Surely, he must be dreaming. He’ll wake up in his bed any moment now and realize that everything had been the foolishness of his mind -

Except you continued making your way down aisle, and then you were in front of him with a veil covering your flushed face, and then he was slipping his hands in yours. This was real. You love him.

You leaned forward to him, nose brushing against his. “You look very dashing today, Kaeya.”

Kaeya chuckled. “And you look splendid today, Mrs. Alberich - oh, don’t go shy on me now.”

His smile broadened at the sight of your reddening cheeks. If it wasn’t for the priest speaking right now, he would have flipped over your veil and kiss you.

But there is plenty of time to do that. Kaeya will make sure of that.

     XINGQIU

          The youngest of the Guhua Clan will rarely be seen without a novel in hand. Everyday, Xingqiu will be seen with his friends with a book near him, always different from yesterday. He had read many novels and heard stories from storytellers, but one story he will never get tired of was his story with you.

       Although it may not seem like it, Xingqiu was a hopeless romantic, and he has always imagined seeking a woman to make his bride. However, it will always be something he can only imagine. As a heir of the Guhua Clan, he has responsibilities to keep and adhere, and he has willingly accepted this. Being given the freedom to choose his bride is something he cannot afford. When his father has informed him about offering him to a daughter of another prestigious clan, he has voiced his discontentment and disinclination to the arrangement but has nonetheless followed.

                  What a horror it would have been if he had followed through with the tiny voice inside his head saying to run away because if he did, he would have missed the chance of laying eyes on you and experiencing what many romance novels he read called – a heart skipping a beat.

           It was a tiring charade of formalities and display of pristine etiquette. All Xingqiu wanted was to retreat to a secluded area and continue immersing himself in the book he has picked up from the local library. With how often he reads, the novels in his own house he has already read, twice.

                                And so, he did. He kindly excused himself from the dinner between the families, making up a lie about feeling unwell and needing rest, and hurried over in the fields near his place. It is not exactly rude for him to skip dinner. It is not exactly ideal for his bride-to-be to be late in an important occasion like this so why shouldn’t he exhibit the same treatment as they did to him?

                    When he came to the spot be frequented, he caught sight of an unfamiliar figure from afar. A girl around his age sat on the bench under the tree, in the same spot he always occupied. She wore clothes similar to the families of the clan his family are negotiating with, so it didn’t take long for Xingqiu to learn this girl was related to them. He just didn’t know what her standing was with them.

 She was beautiful, he will admit, but it was the book in her hand that caught his attention. Thus, he approached her, adorning a friendly mask as to not scare her away. It is rather uncomfortable meeting strangers in the dark of the night and somewhere far from civilization.

           “Her hair billowed as she stood by the precipice, golden hues dimming in the dying light as she was left disappointed for yet another century. Her tears stung her skin and her throat tightened, but another century is simply common for someone like her. She will wait for his return, even if every mountain has eroded and all that was left of her was hope.” He recited a line from the novel as he took even ambles towards the girl, and he did not falter as she turned to face him. He offered her a smile and bowed with the elegance that his family taught. “Apologies for my disruption, my liege, but I can’t help but be thrilled to see someone with such incredible taste for literature. Not many are fond of historical fiction. Well, in my case, not many are into literature.”

                                        Her eyes appraised him with wonder as she perfected her posture. “That’s one of the lines in the book. My, even I haven’t memorized a single phrase from any of the books in my collections.” She remarked.

                                “I like to memorize a line or two from all the books I’ve read. It feels like a part of them will always be with me even if my memories fade in time.” Xingqiu gestured to the vacant spot beside her. “May I sit next to you?”

     She let out a laugh, to which sent shivers down Xingqiu’s spine. “You may. It’s not everyday I get to speak with someone with the same interests as me.”

                      He gladly seated himself beside her and immediately, he was greeted with the fragrance of flowers.

                    The girl extended her hand to him, smilingly softly at him. “My name is ( Your Name ),” She introduced herself. “You’re probably thinking you haven’t seen me around in Liyue, and you’re right. My family is here to meet with the Guhua Clan.”

                                                      Xingqiu took her hand and pressed a chaste kiss on the back. “Glad to make your acquaintance, my lady. My name is Xingqiu from the Guhua Clan.”

      Her eyebrows raised in acknowledgment. “Is that so?” She mused. “Then, I must show my sincerest gratitude for letting my family into – ”

               “Ah, there’s no need for that,” Dismissed Xingqiu as he shook his head. “We’re far from the dinner they’re sharing together. No need to be so formal with me.”

          Her smile brightened. “I have a feeling we’re going to get along splendidly, Xingqiu.”

                        Upon returning together to his house and finding an excuse as to why Xingqiu had been outside did he and ( Your Name ) learn that it was them who were destined to be married when they are of age. The disappointment of meeting his soon-to-be bride has dissipated at the revelation, leaving him filled with utmost joy and pride as to having you as his, and from the shy and gleeful smile that wandered to your lips, Xingqiu can tell you think the same with him.

It was to be expected that the two of you will have a luxurious and grand wedding. With the two of you coming from wealthy families, it was no surprise. If you have insisted for a small wedding consisting only of close relatives and friends, your parents will fear some other elite clans will perceive this as them losing power and money and will take advantage of them or simply cut ties with them. You and Xingqiu had no other choice but to respect their requests. Although Xingqiu was secretly relieved you agreed to a big wedding. For him, you deserved only the best of the best, and in this case, larger is better.

Both families came to an agreement that it would be for the best if the two of you are not to see each other for the week before your wedding day. You found nothing wrong with this arrangement. Xingqiu, however, was the opposite of you.

Many times he tried to sneak out of his house to visit you in secret but Chongyun has thwarted this attempts many times. When he goes to adventures with the Traveler, he find himself missing you in mere hours. How can he survive a whole week without communicating with you?

Oh, how foolish of him. He was now allowed to visit you but he can, however, write letters to you.

For the whole week, Xingqiu will be writing to you without ceasing. You’ll have a difficult time keeping up with his letters but you’ll always find time to respond to him. After all, you missed him just as much as he missed you.

Xingqiu woke up before the sun can call for him. He walked around in his room, breathing in and out as he tried to soothe his joy. Chongyun, who was tasked to look after Xingqiu for the whole week, woke up from the sound of his footsteps. When he stepped inside his best friend’s room, Xingqiu held Chongyun’s hands and twirled him around, startling the half-asleep Cryo user.

“I’m getting married to ( Your Name ) today!”

“I know, Xingqiu. I’ve been stopping you from visiting her the whole week.”

Your wedding was held in a beautiful garden where cherry blossoms flutter and the wind was gentle and cool.

Xingqiu always held his composure in any situations and circumstances he encountered. But he was going to admit that seeing you in your wedding dress with the cherry blossoms kissing your skin and tresses every now and then had him malfunctioning.

It took a worse turn when you finally stood before him, expectantly looking at him. A compliment, a playful jest, a seductive remark - but there was none of that.

Xingqiu stared at you, eyes shining with admiration and his lips parted in pleasant surprise.

“Xingqiu, earth to Xingqiu,” You whispered. “You there?”

It was only after you spoke that Xingqiu snapped out of his stupor.

“Get yourself together, Xingqiu.” Stated Chongyun beside him in a whisper.

It took him a while to find him bearings but when he did, Xingqiu smiled at you and pressed a kiss on your forehead.

“Beautiful, just like the first time I saw you.”

     SCARAMOUCHE

            Scaramouche has dedicated his entire life to seeing through what his majesty, the Tsaritsa, desired. His life shall be nothing but a pawn for her to use in her schemes and may her will be done through him and her subjects. If she must dispose of him to make success of her endeavor, Scaramouche will gladly surrender before her eyes and bare his neck for her to cut. He will do anything she commands without a second thought, and anyone who dares get in his way will face the wrath of an incensed Harbinger.                

         It was all about the Tsaritsa. His entire his existence is for his majesty. It was all he ever believed in when the honor of being the sixth Harbingers was crowned over him. With that said, Scaramouche can never bring himself to admit his resolve has been altered upon his discreet visitation to the City of Freedom to conduct a more intimate investigation over the meteorites and the impact it had on the people of Mondstadt.

                      His skull was throbbing, his thoughts scattered, and frustration was beginning to settle inside of him. Scaramouche has just dispatched his soldiers to continue their research on the meteors after his failed attempt to eliminate the traveler. He was left alone in the tranquility of the night, with the remnants of the astrologist’s escape glittering beneath his eyes, mocking him.

     “I should have acted quicker. The Traveler will continue foiling The Tsaritsa’s plans.” Mumbled Scaramouche to himself. “No matter. There will be another chance in the future to finish off the hero of Mondstadt, and I’m sure it’ll come sooner than I expect. I must prepare for that time. I can’t make this mistake again.”

                  A curious hum that echoed behind him had him stiffening in his place and drawing out his weapon from thin air. “Are you interested about the meteors too?” A voice asked.

          Scaramouche turned around, and he found a woman standing behind him a few meters away. She has a beauty that he favors, a smile so gentle that it thawed a bit of ice in his heart, but a scowl made its way to his countenance. She’s taller than me.

  She didn’t look particularly like anyone he would have any interest in knowing, and when she has introduced herself to him after he supplied her with no answer, Scaramouche predicted correctly. She was merely an ordinary folk in any ordinary city with no Vision or any skillset that could benefit him in anything.

                                                    “I must get going.” Curtly stated Scaramouche and he turned around without even bidding goodbye to the woman.

                          “So soon?” You asked. “I thought we could at least talk what’s been happening – about the meteors, the stars.”

              Scaramouche frowned at the mention of the latter and he spun back around to meet your gaze. “The stars? What about the stars?”

                                        You smiled a secret smile. “The stars . . . they’re fake.”

         Scaramouche stared at you with wonder and amusement in his dark hues. He has always believed in that notion, and only a handful came to agree with him. Now, here a lady stands before him, with nothing in particular to offer him, speaking of the truth many has rejected.

                      He examined you from head to toe, evaluating your form before beckoning you to come over to him, saying, “Perhaps I can spare some time to talk.”

                  What was supposed to be a conversation within an hour or so has extended for a day, and when you requested to accompany him back to ship docked in Liyue Harbor to continue your conversation (it surprised him but has nonetheless allowed you to tag along) about the meteors and the stars, it dragged on for weeks.

     But Scaramouche would be lying if he said that was all you discussed about. There was only so much information they can relate to the subject that has intertwined their fates that it did not take long for the two of you to stray from it to favor a more civil conversation. He learned of your mundane life back in Mondstadt where you were merely another dot in the bustle of the city and he managed to extract from you valuable material regarding the Honorary Knight (in truth, you have willingly told him everything you knew about the Hero of Mondstadt and this he was very pleased with). He learned about your family, your work, your past, and your ambition to adventure throughout the lands of Teyvat even without a Vision.

                He thought it was foolish of you to believe you can ever get out of your city without a Vision. There were too many enemies that a simple adventurer like you could easily be overwhelmed with. Not to mention the Fatuis that he and his fellow Harbingers has placed all throughout Teyvat. The thought of you getting hurt, especially by his own soldiers . . . it did not sit right with him.

                                 Arriving at Liyue Harbor, Scaramouche proposed that you come with him. It is no secret that anyone who do not possess a Vision cannot survive if they were ever to embark on a journey. Hearing your desire for an adventure, Scaramouche has come to decide that as gratitude for your pleasant company and for your compliance in giving him information about the renowned traveler, he shall take you along in his voyage, showing you the grandest landscapes, granting your every need and desires, all the while keeping you at his side where he was certain you were safe.

    It was all to thank you, nothing else. It wasn’t because Scaramouche knew he would find himself missing you and the comfort you bring when you leave, nor was it because he was fond of you. Yes, yes, all just to show his gratitude.

              As his soldiers watched as Scaramouche led you aboard in ship with his hand interlocked with yours, they thought the same thing – Scaramouche is never the one to show gratitude to anyone. You had him smitten.

How you were able to fall in love with Scaramouche in such a short period of time is fascinating. Especially with his horrid personality.

But he was different with you. He was gentle, caring, and never raised his voice. The insults remained but there was no venom behind them. It took you quite some time to get used to his belittling remarks but it didn’t evade your perception how Scaramouche begun lessening his insults, opting for a more playful jab instead.

He proposed to you over at dinner. He had just come back from an expedition and came home to a table filled with your cooking. As the two of you are exchanging your stories of what went with your lives when you two were separated, Scaramouche placed his chopsticks away, looked at you straight in the eyes and said, “Marry me.”

How can you say no to such a romantic proposal?

Actually, you made him redo his proposal before you accepted but nobody else has to know about that.

There was no best man for Scaramouche in your wedding. The man was feared by everyone, and his fellow Harbingers hated him. Childe did insist on being his best man at one point but he almost ended up being fried by a lightning bolt. Apparently, the 11th Harbinger pestered him for a whole week trying to convince him to let him be the best man so his actions were justified - just a little bit.

You have to give it to Scaramouche. Regardless of his busy schedule and the current predicament in Inazuma, he managed to find time and opportunity to plan your wedding and marry you without having to worry about the Electro Archon and her subjects.

Scaramouche scoffed at the tradition of not being able to see you on the very day of your wedding. What good would it be? You were going to be his wife, and he wanted to see his wife. He saw himself above tradition, and visited you first thing in the morning at the day of the wedding.

It was no question Scaramouche was an authoritative man but he was more so as he prepared himself for the wedding.

His maids ran about in the room, providing everything he needed and wanted. Scaramouche was not known for being compassionate, but this was the first time they’ve been on the receiving end of his wrath. Normally, he would ignore their existence and not even bother to call them by their names but today, he was different. He acted worse than when he comes home after a failed mission.

The maids knew he was beyond frustrated with the wedding. So, they called to ask for your help.

“Scaramouche, you’re scaring the maids.” You cooed as you came up behind him and placed your hands on his shoulders.

Scaramouche let out a scoff, but you felt his frame soften. He sat before a mirror, and he gazed at your reflection as he placed a hand over one of yours. “Even they weren’t so terrible with their jobs . . . ”

“You’re making things so hard for them. And for yourself too.” You stated. “Marrying me shouldn’t be hard, should it?”

That statement set Scaramouche right, and when you left to carry on with your own preparation and the maids returned to their duties, he was more civil with them. If that’s what you want, then he can endure it.

The hour has finally arrived. Scaramouche has faced many dangers in his life, but it was only now he felt restless. What is taking you so long? He thought you wanted to marry him. Then what’s warranting your late arrival?

At that thought, you finally appeared by the end of the aisle, holding a bouquet in your hands. Everyone in the venue gaped at your beauty, and Scaramouche was thankful you had everyone gazing at you. He didn’t want them to see the dumbfounded and poorly hidden lovestruck expression that crossed his mien for a moment.

But a sense of pride also touched him. 

That’s my bride.

When the ceremony begins, you and Scaramouche were seated side by side. You smiled brightly at him when you sat, but he didn’t any indication that he saw your smile and continued giving his undivided attention on the person conducting your wedding. You pouted heavily at this but said nothing and followed his actions. However, your smile returned when you felt his fingers hooking with yours. It was a small improvement, but it was intimate and loving.

Scaramouche didn’t cry in your wedding but when his arms held you tightly to his chest when evening came and two of you lied down on your shared bed, it was enough for you to know he loved you as much as you loved him.

Maybe more so.

     RAZOR

   Razor rarely experience human interaction, and if he did, it would be abrupt and depending on how the communication was being dealt by both parties, it would either be Razor who parts from them first out of wariness or lacking knowledge of being social or the other would, most of the time for the reason they find it disturbing a human could act so much like a wolf. The humans Razor constantly encounter are the hunters from Springvale and due to their bellowing voices and violence against his Lupicals, he has limited his ventures to Mondstadt unless something calls for an emergency.

        Other than the man who gave him his name, Razor only knew a handful of people – six of them being the Traveler, Traveler’s companion, Bennett, Klee, her big brother Albedo, and the woman he sees as his mentor, Lisa. He can only ever let his guard down when around them, though he was still a wee bit cautious of Albedo whenever Klee drags him to his camp.

                          He didn’t think he could meet anyone else who can consider a Lupical. That was until he met you. You were taking a peaceful stroll around Wolvendom – Archons know why you chose the most avoided place in Mondstadt to walk through – at the same time he was hunting down boars for his Lupicals.

  There was no rescuing or danger involved when he met you. It was a simple encounter, to which Razor was pleasantly surprised with. In almost all occasions, when he is meeting a fellow human being, it would be under rather unusual circumstances. He met the Traveler and her floating friend when they were being attacked by slimes. He met Lisa when she has painted the skies dark as she was singlehandedly fending herself off from a mob of Hilichurls. He met Klee when she was using her bombs to fish. He met Albedo in the middle of a chaotic experiment to which resulted in an evacuation. He met Bennett when he was hanging upside down from a tree when he tried to take an apple from a high branch, and the tree was up in flames.

                   To say, meeting you normally was a breath of fresh air.

      The two of you hit it off almost immediately, or so that is what it seems to you. Although you consider Razor a good friend even in just the few days you have met, he was still very careful of you. He had been deceived by humans before and it may be a little unfair to you since he trusted the Traveler and Bennett almost in an instant, he must first know you are trustworthy.

  And indeed, you’ve proven yourself as such. Perhaps, more so than the Traveler. You have done everything to show him you have no ill intentions against him and his Lupicals – helped him in hunting for sustenance for his family even if you have to knowledge in hunting, helping him broaden his vocabulary, helping him read and write – but it was your sacrifice to protect them that made him truly open himself up to you.

             An Abyss Mage has appeared out of nowhere and has wreaked havoc in their residence. Razor can feel his heart thundering as he raced through Wolvendom along with a few of his Lupicals who he had gone out with to hunt. Upon arriving at their home, Razor has anticipated to see the grass painted with red and wounded wolves whimpering in pain as others try to battle against the Abyss Mage. But to his relief, such image was not implemented into reality. Instead, he found his Lupicals sleeping soundly in their den, and the remains of the Abyss Mage has slowly evaporated in thin air. As the particles gradually disappeared, they made way for your presence to be revealed.

           Razor let out a gasp when he laid eyes on you. Bruised, bleeding, exhausted, but smiling as you happily waved at him with the hand clutching your weapon.

                              You happily advanced towards him, tittering. Razor reached out to take your hand, and reluctantly asked of your welfare. Now he understood why humans ask how one is fairing when they are clearly unwell – they do not know what else to say.

                      “Why would you do that?” Razor questioned as he brought you far from his den to tend to your wounds without waking his family. “You are hurt now.”

    “I can’t let an Abyss Mage hurt your Lupical.” You answered firmly, the smile you wore dissipating as you gazed into his eyes. “I might not be as strong as the Honorary Knight or Acting Grand Master Jean, but I fought well.”

               What was this odd sensation he was feeling? This strong urge to protect you, to take you in his arms and never let you go – what was this? He has never felt like this before. So light, so . . . flustered. He thought this feeling would be gone after a few days, but months has passed and since then, the feeling became more prominent, stronger. All the time he could never get enough of you and there will always be that lingering trickle of pain in his chest when you have to leave for the day. Razor knew you would come back the day after when the night has gone, but it never stopped that little ache.

                          Razor understood that he lacked understanding of feelings, so he confided to Bennett about it. Bennett was almost as clueless as Razor about feelings – almost – but he did know when someone was taking a liking of someone in a more amorous manner. He has filled Razor about exactly what he was feeling for you, and not the kind of feeling that he has for him and the Traveler, but the kind of liking he would have towards a . . . girlfriend? (Bennett had to explain to him the meaning behind girlfriend and it was no easy task).

            “Liking someone like a girlfriend . . . ” Razor muttered, scrunching his face in puzzlement. “ . . . like a mate?”

                                 Bennett flushed at the word but nodded. “Yes, like a mate.”

                                                Bennett tried his best to help Razor confess to you, and this is where disaster happened. Since Razor is mostly uneducated in terms of romantic feelings, he did not feel any anxiety crawling up to him when he decided to admit his feelings to you. The problem is that he has decided to confess in a wrong time and in a difficult situation.

       “You should confess to her after you’ve saved her from danger!” Exclaimed Bennett, beaming at Razor.

                   The latter tilted his head to the side. “Razor doesn’t . . . get it.”

    “Well, in the books I’ve read, the guys confess to the girls they like in a dangerous time. I don’t know how that’s safe, but it works. But since we don’t want to hurt ( Your Name ), you’ll save her before confessing!”

                    Bless his innocent heart, Razor trusted Bennett’s word without a smidge of doubt. His opportunity to admit his feelings came when the two of you saw Reckless Pallad being surrounded by Hilichurls getting ready to pounce on him. The thing is you too knew your way around a battlefield and have efficiently begun fighting off the Hilichurls. Razor watched as you made quick work of rescuing Reckless Pallad and he didn’t even notice himself beginning to pout in disappointment until you were right in front of him again, worriedly gazing at him.

             “Razor, what’s wrong?” You questioned, appraising him. “You’re not injured, are you?”

                                     He shook his head. “Razor not injured.” He confirmed.

        “Well, that’s good, but why aren’t you moving? We need to save that man.”

                            “Razor wanted to confess to ( Your Name ) by saving her.”

       Razor explained the plan of his confession he conspired with Bennett, how he would save you from danger and tell you his everlasting love that he didn’t notice the redness tinting your cheeks and the wide smile stretching across your face.

           Razor only took note of the phenomenon occurring on your features when he has finished elaborating his scheme. He narrowed his eyes curiously. “Your face is all . . . red. Sick?” He asked.

                                                                         Razor didn’t have a chance to further speculate just exactly was ailing you before you took hold of his face and softly placed your lips against him, catching him off guard.

                                      There was a blossom in his chest when you kissed him – this is love, right? Razor decided there and then he liked this feeling of love.

                      Needless to say, Reckless Pallad was left alone for the Traveler to save. Again.

Razor had no idea what weddings were. He has never heard of such thing before. The first time he did learn about it was when he was hanging out with you and the Traveler. The latter mentioned that you and him are invited in a wedding. Razor tilted his head in confusion but when he turned to ask you what it was, he froze. Your eyes were shimmering with joy and excitement. Razor liked seeing you like that.

So when you were preoccupied, Razor asked the Traveler what a wedding was. Perhaps a wedding was some sort of food that he can find in the wild?

After Traveler has explained what weddings are and the concept of marriage as well, Razor did not waste time trying to propose to you. Since he had no money to buy a very expensive ring, he asked Bennett for help to find materials so he can make one of his own. In the end, they had Wagner help them form a ring. It wasn’t exactly the best looking but when Razor showed it to you and asked for your hand in marriage (Traveler helped him with his proposal speech and had to explain that asking for your hand doesn’t mean literal), and he saw the pure joy on your face, he thought it was pretty enough for you.

Razor didn’t know you were happy mostly because he proposed to you but you didn’t tell him. He looked so proud with the ring.

Your wedding was small and only a very few people were invited. Klee insisted on being one of the flower girls and Razor almost agreed until she began spouting about bombs which will detonate in the air and will explode with flowers. Albedo advised Razor not to make her one of the flower girls because Klee, for sure, will bring flower bombs (it will explode with flowers, but the explosion is still there).

Razor chose Bennett as his best man. That was supposed to be a good thing but when the two of those pair up together, they can tend to cause a lot of chaos, unintentionally.

At the day of the wedding, nearly all the invitees refuse to enter the cathedral as they claim there was danger inside. When Kaeya and Jean came to inspect this danger they speak of, both wielded their weapons once seeing a pack of wolves huddled at the front, just before the altar, with Bennett and Razor telling them to behave.

You had to explain to Razor why it was dangerous and made people uncomfortable when there are wolves present in the cathedral. Although Razor was understandably disappointed by this, he conceded and brought his Lupicals back to Wolvendom. To make it up to him, you promised a private celebration will be held in Wolvendom with nobody else but you, him, Bennett, and of course, his Lupicals.

Razor didn’t know why Bennett seemed more nervous than him when the two of them were standing by the altar. 

“I’m going to ruin your wedding, Razor! Aren’t you worried?”

“ . . . but you not ruining anything . . . ?”

When you finally arrived in the cathedral, Razor felt excitement surge in his body and he can hardly stop himself from squirming on his seat. 

But he wasn’t smiling. These emotions . . . he was having a hard time comprehending them. It was good, it was nice, but it was overwhelmingly so.

He could have cried, and he almost did but when you were before him, smiling at him, he couldn’t help but smile back.

His beautiful wife, his Lupical.

Bennett was the one who cried in your wedding.

     ALBEDO

                It was always a fascinating sight to see a traveler meandering through Dragonspine without minding the sheer cold or flawlessly fending themselves off from the enemies lurking around. Even Albedo has some degree of difficult in navigating his way back to his camp without the Fatui spotting him or tailing him. But it was more fascinating to see a young woman standing in the middle of a freezing lake with nothing but her trousers and her brassiere.

                            It was a peculiar meeting, yes, but out of the ordinary people and matters has always endeared him.

    Albedo brought you to his camp as quickly as he can and asked Timaeus to hand you a cup of warm tea and a blanket. After thanking him for his kindness and consuming half of the beverage generously given to you, you introduced yourself.

             You were an adventurer who came all the way from Liyue to embark on a journey to discover the harshness and secrets that laid within Dragonspine, a mountain many do not dare set foot further in. Other than the mentioned reasons, training was a top priority of yours. You claim one cannot go further in their adventure while being comfortable in their current, and he completely agrees with your statement. When Albedo questioned why you had been in the middle of a lake in Dragonspine, you answered that being able to withstand the cold was just part of your training and seeing as he had caught you shivering to close to death, it was not going well.

                            Albedo didn’t think he would see you again after you parted from him, but he was surprised when the next day he found you waiting for him in his camp, a smile on your face as you stand proudly and wave at him.

   Something about you piqued his interest, if his interest was somehow related to how his heart accelerated whenever you come close to him to offer help with his experiment, or when his face grows hot if you offer him a compliment. He thought it was your way of showing him your gratefulness for taking care of you yesterday, so he allowed your presence in his camp, around him. Albedo didn’t expect you to visit again the next day, and the day after that, and so on and so forth. But he can’t say he disliked your frequent visitations, or your presence that always seem to be following him everywhere he went. He very much liked your company and thoroughly enjoyed listening about your adventures and everything you came across in your adventure. They were a good distraction from his experiments. Everything about you set his mind in ease.

             It wasn’t long until the two of you are spending more time together alone. No experiments, no work in mind. It just the two of you keeping one another company and sharing stories about your days, and making banters here and there – whether it be in a walk under the moon, or sharing a meal in Good Hunter, or while he paints somewhere in Dragonspine.

                 Although Albedo was not well versed in the complexity of romance and has deemed relationships to be rather tedious to uphold, but he was knowledgeable enough to know that in the process of his growing friendship with you, he has caught feelings for you.

  This has certainly brought difficulty in his relationship with you. Albedo, although never verbally admitting so, has always thought of feelings as a nuisance. In a relationship, in his own observation, disadvantages trump over advantages. He had seen the irrationality that love has caused, the stupidity. His observation led him to one conclusion – other than being friends with people, relationships is not for him.

           You have put him in a challenging situation. It would have been easy to cut ties with you if you haven’t successfully infiltrated his walls and snaked your way in his heart. The very thought of pushing you away was repulsive to him. Seeing the hurt cross your features – it will haunt him for the rest of his life.

                      The interest he had for you was not interest at all. It was the beginning of love. He should have been more alert, and this wouldn’t have happened.

                                 What if you returned his feelings and your relationship did not work? There was no way your friendship could be salvaged. Isn’t it much better to remain as friends than risk ruining any chance of keeping you in his life?

  No, no, that would be insanely idiotic. It will eat him up. Thus, he treated his feelings for you like an experiment. Dipping carefully, testing the waters – confessing to you.

        He can construct a confession that will perfectly enunciate his feelings for you while emphasizing your freedom to reject him and his desire to remain good friends with you. Surely, you didn’t reciprocate his feelings. All he needed is for you to let him down, and he will hope you can still see him the same way after.

            All his preparations, however, were thrown out of the window when you beat him to confessing.

   Albedo had no idea how struck his expression must have been with puzzlement, anxiety and flatter as he attentively listens to every word that leaves your lips. His heart pounded at everything you were saying – everything he adored about you, you adored about him. Being unable to speak his mind felt foreign to him. After you finished your confession, a beautiful red hue coloring your cheeks as you looked into his eyes with hopefully eyes, all he can do his open his mouth a smidge, and close, and then open again. He must have resembled a goldfish at that time.

                      Albedo couldn’t believe it. You loved him, and here he was expecting to be rejected and thinking relationships were a waste of time.

                                          He was in a dilemma now. Accept your feelings as his heart desired to, or gently reject you for practicality? Having a lover would complicate his life and he will risk so many things that he were used to just to be able to keep his relationship with you fruitful. Was he ready for something like that?

           This was the first time Albedo has listened to his heart. He still remembered how he cupped your face in his hands and pressed his lips against yours, muffling the gasp that tumbled out of you.

                                Albedo might be a stranger to romance but he is an Alchemist and risks are part of his job, and risking coming out of his comfort to be with you was something you deserve, and maybe something he deserved as well.

You knew Albedo was going to propose to you. He was always immersed in his experiments and research that you took the responsibility of tidying up his lab. It did not take long for you to find a small black box nestled in the back inside a drawer filled with haphazardly thrown papers and used pens.

Albedo knew that you knew he was going to propose to you. The two of you were taking a peaceful stroll around Dragonspine and after a heartfelt speech, he knelt down to one knee, he curiously watched as you malfunctioned right in front of him, trying to elect which route of surprise should you take before displaying a less then satisfactory theatrics of surprise.

Nonetheless, the two of you are still happy.

You and Albedo agreed that the two of you will have a small and private wedding. Klee, however, did not. She was less than thrilled to hear about that and went on a whole spiel of the reasons why you should have the biggest and most fun wedding ever, as she said.

“ - then where will a really, really tall wedding cake and Klee is going to make a bomb that will explode in the skies where it will burst out many pretty flower petals - ”

Jean promised the two of you that she will keep an eye on her at the day of the wedding.

Albedo is adamant on two things - a small wedding, and having no best man, and the latter had two reasons. Although he is highly respected in Mondstadt, there was no one he could ask to be best man, and the second reason is that he loves you and is certain that marrying you is something he wants. No doubts. He didn’t need a best man helping him in something he didn’t need help with.

Albedo was also not someone to conform to the ritual of not seeing the bride on the day of the wedding until the very ceremony, but for you, he begrudgingly followed.

On the day of the wedding, Albedo prepared himself without the help of anyone. He prepared his own clothes and had Klee braid his hair (it was a wee bit sloppy and Albedo fixed them when she had her back turned to him and gave her all the credit).

The man reached for the door to visit you but he let out a sigh when he realized that he cannot. He made a promise that today, the first time he’ll see you is when you walk down the aisle. He has to keep his promise. Not to mention Klee blocked his way and reminded him of that (tried to block).

Albedo was a patient man. Patience was nothing new to him. His research and experiments needed patience or they will ultimately fail. It came to the point where being impatient made him uncomfortable. That’s exactly what was happening when he was standing at the altar. Nobody, not even the observant Kaeya himself, can tell Albedo was beginning to lose his patience.

The day had been a little too long. He wanted to see you already. It didn’t matter if the ceremony would take a while before he can kiss you and call you his wife. He just wanted to see you again.

Albedo turned away the moment you stepped inside the cathedral. You were far from repulsive or ugly (and he can never think of you like that), but he had to cast his gaze somewhere but on you. He knew you’ll be beautiful in your wedding dress, but seeing you now with your adorable and shy smile, with Cecilia flowers in your hands, and your eyes fixated on him and only him - Albedo nearly lost his composure.

This time he was sure Kaeya saw it.

“Waah, big sister ( Your Name ) looks soooo pretty!” Klee cooed loudly, causing the guests to let out a few chuckles of amusement.

His impatience was beginning to pierce through him. The moment you faced him, Albedo did not waste time grabbing your hands, and once he did, you saw him visibly soften, as though a huge burden was lifted from his shoulders.

“What happened to you?” You asked, giggling.

Albedo returned your smile. “I’m just very happy to see you.”

The fervor that he exuded when he kissed you certainly supported his statement.

THOSE WHO WILL HIDE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RECEPTION TO CRY SOMEWHERE NO ONE CAN SEE THEM

     CHONGYUN

    Chongyun was known for two things – being an exorcist and having a type of condition that needed his keen observation and awareness.

       He has always disliked his condition. Whenever his Yang energy overwhelms, he must immediately consume an icy treat to be able to soothe his nerves. But it seems he can be thankful for it for this one time. If it wasn’t for his congenital positivity, he wouldn’t have stumbled across you, and your hundred homemade ice cream you smuggled out of your own home.

                      Chongyun had been hurrying to meet his friend at that day. He had just finished an exorcism somewhere in Qingce Village and was rushing to where he and Xingqiu usually meet in Liyue. He was already running late, and who knows what Xingqiu will do if he was late again. He let out a pained yelp when he crashed against your form when he made a sharp turn, and his Yang energy has never been in a more unstable state than when he saw you seated on the ground, groaning in pain, with peculiar looking containers littering the floor around you.

                   Chongyun had profusely apologized for his actions and assisted you in gathering all the belongings he had knocked off your possession. He felt the coldness in the small containers you once held and wondered what was inside. He hasn’t seen anything like this before. He knew his Yang energy was starting to ooze out of him but he underestimated its manifestation until you placed your hand over his forehead. He pulled back away instantly, startled by your actions, to which you immediately apologized.

        “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” He repeated, light blue hair bobbing with his movements as he bowed his head over to you again and again, mortification palpable on his features. “I-I didn’t mean to run – ”

                        “No, no, I should be the one apologizing! I wasn’t looking where I was going and I put my hand on you all of a sudden – ” You were about to continue spewing apologies and explanations when you froze, concern etching across his face. “ - oh, hey, you’re really, really red. Are you okay?”

                  Even when it had been years since his encounter with you, he still gets embarrassed when he remembered that, and you and Xingqiu tease him about it.

                                           He explained to you then about his condition and when you offered him a container you owned containing ice cream you made, that’s when your friendship begun. When the two of you snuck out to a secluded area in Liyue Harbor to gorge on the tons of ice cream you have once again brought out of your house despite your mother’s warnings did he know it would be a friendship that will last long. His only regret was that he introduced you to Xingqiu, and now he must endure double the teasing.

                       One thing he appreciated about you was how ready you were whenever you were with him. You made it your point to know what can cause his condition to act up and soothe him by your words, and always having ice cream with you. And the best part was that the ice cream you give him is always homemade, made by you. His popsicles could never compete to your masterpiece.

    He never really thought of you as someone he would be romantically interested in. Sure, there were instances when his Yang energy would flare up because of having you by his side, when your smile brought upon his own, when his heart raced when you held his hand as the two of you were returning from a commission, when he gazed at you with adoration when you took care of him and fed him cold noodles when he was having a fever (he refused to eat hot noodles even in his illness). Surely, all friends do that with one another, right? And feeling this odd sensation in his chest was normal, right?

                      When he confided in Xingqiu with this, the boy laughed at his cluelessness. It wasn’t surprising. Chongyun did not have a lot of friends so distinguishing friendship and romance was not easy for him. The Hydro Vision holder filled him in with everything he has to know about relationships, and he used some pretty unconventional ways like giving him a too descriptive image of how a man and woman would kiss, and other explicit doings of adults.

         But it did bring light one thing – Chongyun liked you, and of course how he handled such revelation was, simply put, disastrous.

                                      His entire body felt hot, and he was stammering to the point even the ever so eloquent Xingqiu cannot understand him. Normally, when things get like this, he’ll rush over to your place and request for some of your delicious ice cream but seeing as you were somehow part of the reason for this, he had to rely on Xingqiu to take care of him.

                      After learning about his feelings for you, Chongyun have never been more uneasy around you, which was odd, and he was sure you’ve noticed, and yet has never dropped any comment about it.

                     He was always nervous around you. Blushing whenever you come close to him, jumping when you take his hand in his, stammering whenever you praise him for anything, feeling the need to run away if you ask him about how he was fairing – he has lost count just how many popsicles he has eaten just to keep his cool. He has stopped asking ice cream from you and declined any offer from you because he thought accepting your homemade ice creams could lead him to falling deeper in love with you until he couldn’t move on anymore.

             Chongyun didn’t notice your growing impatience. He was so immersed in his own feelings that he didn’t take into consideration how you felt whenever he flinched away from your touch and rejected your treats.

   It took Xingqiu for the growing tension between the two of you to alleviate. He made an elaborate plan to get the two of you together in an isolated place (a broom closet) and has made a claim not to let any of you go until the two of you have confessed your feelings with each other.

                      “Just tell me what’s wrong with you, Chongyun! Why are you acting so weird around me?” You asked him but he refused to answer you just as he refused to look at you.

      You let out a sigh as you reached out to take his hand but when he pulled away from your touch, that was the last straw.

               “If you don’t want to be friends with me anymore, just say so.”

          Alarmed, Chongyun faced you, stuttering. “No! Of course, I want to be friends with you - I mean, I don’t want to be friends - wait, that sounded wrong, and so bad - ”

   Your brows burrowed together in question. “You want to be friends but you don’t want to be friends?”

   Chongyun groaned as he buried his face on his hands. It’s now or never.

                “I like you, ( Your Name ).”

           The silence that followed was deafening for Chongyun. He removed his hands from his face and prepared himself to apologize and beg to continue being friends when he felt hands cup his face, and your lips pressing against his. It was a good thing you had ice cream on you even after he avoided you for weeks. He almost fainted in your arms if it wasn’t for you shoving a finger in his mouth with a scoop of ice cream. 

                                   It was one of the few times Chongyun was grateful for Xingqiu’s interest in romantic tropes because if it wasn’t for him, he wouldn’t have left that room with a blushing but happy face with you.

      Xingqiu smirked as the two of you exited the room, hand in hand and redness coating your cheeks. “Well, well, well, look who - ”

                    “Shut up, Xingqiu,” You and Chongyun chorused. The two of you looked at each other out of surprise and then burst out laughing, all the while the Hydro Vision user stood by the side, sighing.

         “Now, I have to deal with these two’s teasing.”

When Chongyun realized he was ready to propose to you after years of being together, he asked Xingqiu to propose to you on his behalf.

His best friend nearly destroyed his book from whacking the Cryo user for thinking such an inane idea could work. Not only was it not romantic, it was also inappropriate. Xingqiu had to reprimand him for an entire hour proposing that idea but being a good best friend that he is despite his mischievous streak, he vowed to help the man propose to you.

It was no easy task and there were times where Chongyun held himself back and risking yet another proposal plan. He was thankful Xingqiu was well versed with romance and everything entailed with it and knew more ways to help him. After a countless of delays, Chongyun managed to get down on one knee one fine evening by the trails leading to Liyue Harbor, spew out affirmation of his love for you in stammers, and asked for your hand in marriage.

When you accepted his proposal and adorned your finger with the ring, Chongyun discreetly showed a thumbs up to a nearby bush. About three hands popped out from the leaves, offering the same action.

Xingqiu let out a sigh as Xiangling and Xinyan giggled. “Finally.” He breathed out. “Now, time for me to be his best man.”

Of course, Chongyun chose him as his best man. Who else would be a better choice than him? 

Chongyun is firm about Xingqiu being his best man but sometimes he can be a little bit . . . pushy, especially when it comes to something he believes in.

There was a tradition where he cannot see you for a whole week until the ceremony. Chongyun was mildly bothered by this arrangement but nonetheless, since you agree with it, he will respect your wishes and do the same. Xingqiu has over and over again tried to persuade him to visit you at home, and he made some interesting points why he should. He almost convinced him a few times but in the end, he refused to be lured in his trap and stopped the temptation of breaking his promise.

He missed you dearly, yes, and his patience will surely be rewarded soon.

Chongyun, as expected, was freaking out at the day of wedding. Marriage is a huge step for the both of you. You’re not going to regret marrying him, will you? What if this marriage didn’t work? He’ll lose you for you.

Xingqiu had to guide him away from the altar and to a corner for privacy. Other than you, Xingqiu was a person who had been when his condition start acting up and how it worked.

After successfully cooling him down with a popsicle, Xingqiu consoled Chongyun. “I don’t know what you’re thinking about back there but you have nothing to worry about. ( Your Name ) loves you.”

“What if it doesn’t work between us?”

“It will. I’ve seen how you two are. You’re perfect for each other. I think you already know that, and ( Your Name ) does too. Why would she accept your proposal if she didn’t think the two of you wouldn’t prosper together?”

Chongyun murmured. “Pity?”

If Xingqiu had a book with at that moment, he would have smacked Chongyun again.

Once his condition has subsided, Chongyun returned to the altar and Xingqiu stood behind him, waiting.

The moment you arrived, Chongyun can feel himself heating up and his heart pounding against his chest. It felt like his condition was acting up but he wasn’t feeling nauseous or at the edge of fainting. It was a pleasant sort of warmth, the warmth he felt when he first met you.

No. It was the same warmth that travels through his body whenever he sees you, but this time, it was stronger to the point he it almost felt like his condition.

Your smile immediately disappeared when you saw Chongyun flushed red and his eyes averting from yours.

Worry encapsulated you. “Is your condition acting up?” You asked in a whisper.

Chongyun blinked, puzzled. “What?”

Discreetly taking a gander at the audience completely unaware of your interaction, you slipped your hand under your dress and showed Chongyun was a small ice cream container.

“I brought this with me just in case.”

Chongyun decided he made the best decision of his life to marry you.

He took your hands in his and pressed a small kiss on top of one.

“Thank you, love.”

After the wedding, Chongyun immediately visited the comfort room. You tried to follow him but Xingqiu told you there was nothing to worry about, and he was right.

When he entered the comfort room, Chongyun locked the door behind him and headed straight to the sink to splash some water on his face.

One won’t be able to tell Chongyun was crying from the water streaming down his face.

He looked up at the mirror, staring at his reflection as he let out a small, and content sigh.

“I’m married. I’m married to her.” Chongyun tried to hold back his smile, but he failed. “She’s my . . . wife.”

And did it sound nice to call you his wife.

     XIAO

              It was his duties to Rex Lapis, to the thriving land of Liyue, that kept Xiao grounded and his mind temporarily fleeting away from the karmic debts that weighed on his shoulders. If it had not been for the responsibilities laid down on him, he was sure to have succumb to the consequences of his bloodshed from the past long ago. It was the reason behind his creation, to serve the people of Liyue and protect them from any transgressors or anything that could potentially lead to their destruction, and it was all he knew. His existence was all for Liyue, and to seek out the desires of Rex Lapis and accomplish them no matter how difficult and by what means.

    Day and night he oversees every part of Liyue and hears every call of his name and seeks refuge in Wangshu Inn. It was a cycle that has never changed ever since the gruesome war between gods has taken place in Teyvat, and all was same until that night when he heard a cry for help from a distant place, and rescued a strange maiden from the peril she found herself in.

                          Love at first sight disgusted him the most. He can understand, to some degree, that mortals can fall in love with people they have built a caring and trusting relationship with but falling in love with someone who one has no dust of knowledge of their identity was simply unwise and incomprehensible. And yet there he was, leaping from the precipice of a soaring mountain and securing the mortal in the middle of her fall.

               Xiao had no clue why it felt like time has stopped and they have gently floated in the air as he took a gander at the woman in his arms. Scratches littered her features, and twigs adorned her mop of hair, but she still shone brighter than the stars and moon behind her.

   He did not let her speak to him after he has placed her safely on solid ground and he quickly took his leave without even a glance back.

                          When he had painted the lands of Teyvat red with the other Yakshas, he did not blink an eye or feel a bead of sweat trail on the side of his face. But that woman has caused his chest to flutter, and he always find himself thinking back to the day he had saved her. If he had been like any other mortal which has sleep as a necessity, he would find himself thinking of you every morning and every night, longing for another chance to meet you again. What has she done to him? He already has to carry the burden of his sins, and now he must endure this painful curse she casted on him?

              But it didn’t matter now. She was already long gone, for all he knows, and he doesn’t even know her name.

    Xiao already came to accept that she was merely going to fleet away from his mind, a distant memory that his heart will ache every time he remembers her. He had many regrets in his lifetime, and this leaving her behind without knowing her name is one of them.

                                    But it seems to him that Rex Lapis has taken favor of him and has graced his undeserving existence. Xiao had just exterminated a Hilichurl camp getting increasingly close to Wangshu Inn when his ears preened and his pupils dilated – that voice, the same voice that he never thought he’d hear again, was calling out for him again. He did not find the time to dispose of the monsters in a more appropriate location where they will no longer continue their venture towards the inn, and quickly made his way to where he heard her.

           When he arrived, it did not take long for him to spot her standing perfectly still in front of him, hands behind her back. His eyes dilated as he took in her familiar form. Her tresses were no longer matted with twigs and mud, the scratches that once marred her skin no longer present, and a smile has replaced the cowering fear that adorned her visage before.

                   Xiao ignored the increasing heartbeat that drummed against his chest and surveyed the area with a flick of his spear. “There’s no danger.” He remarked after assessing the parameter, his mask dissipating into the night as he returned his gaze back at her.

       She rubbed her arm as she averted her eyes from him. “I spent months trying to find you again.” The mortal woman murmured. “When all has failed, I thought back to that night you saved me, and I called – and you came.”

                                         Xiao did not speak another word, but he was afraid that you can hear how loud his heart was racing. He needed to ignore his selfishness, he needed to leave. “If you’re not in any danger, then I’ll be leaving.”

  He turned around to do as he said, but his eyes widened when he felt your hand around his wrist.

                “Wait, please,” She pleaded, and when he looked over his shoulder, any resolve of leaving her again vanished. She was looking at him with hopeful and vibrant orbs. How can he ever let her down when she’s looking at him like that?

      Xiao let out a sigh and turned back around to meet her properly, but her hand never left him. Were you afraid he might disappear as quickly as he did like last time?

                                    “Don’t go.”

                   “Why not?” Xiao questioned. “If you know anything about an Adeptus, then you understand my duties.”

              She bit her lip as he withdrew her hold. Xiao missed the warmth she gave him already. “I know that but . . . ” She trailed off. “ . . . can I . . . at least know your name?”

                                                Xiao did not give her an answer.

            “Even if we never meet again, I want to at least know the name of man who saved me.” She mumbled softly. “But I’m afraid if I ever know your name, I’ll never get to think of any other man but you.”

                                                    Xiao appraised you, taking in her apprehensive frame. A mortal has fallen in love with an Adeptus? This was preposterous. He saved her months ago, and back then they shared little time together. Too little to gain feelings for him.

    But still, he found himself relenting to your wishes.

                                     “Xiao,” He answered. “My name is Xiao.”

            Don’t look for another man. I’m here. I’m staying.

                   That’s how he met his first and last love, ( Your Name ).

Xiao has lived in Teyvat for thousands of years and is knowledgeable of the culture of mortals, one of them being marriage. He had witnessed humans bounding themselves to another, promising to cherish them, protect them, to love them. For Xiao, marriage is something far from disgusting. Although he cannot understand the need for them to be together under an oath, it was undeniable that many great things and opportunities birthed from them.

However, no matter how beautiful it is for them, it will never stop perplexing Xiao. How is it that one can look at another and know that they’re the one? Are they not afraid to be betrayed? Are humans so willing to have themselves get hurt and offer forgiveness for the sake of love? It’s confusing for him.

Not until you came along that it made sense. Every argument, every disagreement, sleepless nights, every sincere apology, every countless forgiveness, every embrace, every kiss - is this what mortals feel? If so, he’ll endure all the hardships of love if it means staying by your side, and he knew that you feel the same.

Unfortunately, Xiao is not one for marriage.

Not that he does not love you - oh Archons, because he did, deeply so - but the consequences of your relationship always hang in front of him.

 It’s already a risk to let you in his heart and love someone as sinful as him, but the thought of you bearing his karmic debt terrified him.

What happens if the two of you are bound together, and under a contract that Rex Lapis will surely oversee? Will the demons that torment him sink their teeth on your pure and innocent soul? Will he see the life in your eyes wither as you strive to remain with him? And what if you try to break the contract to escape karma? Will the both of you suffer in karma and the wrath of the rock?

Xiao can’t do that to you. This is one way he can guarantee your safety. It hurts him to know he cannot marry you, and it hurt more when he saw the disappointment and pain in your eyes when he explained himself. But keeping you safe is his top priority. He deserved this punishment, he can’t put it over your shoulders too.

But that didn’t stop Xiao from imagining how your wedding could have been if things we’re a little different.

A small wedding in a place of your choice with only a handful of close friends and families. You’ll wear a gorgeous dress and walk up to where he is with the same smile you wore when he met you for the second time.

As you stand before him, Xiao could only imagine the happiness and contentment he would feel at that time. 

He’ll hold you close, hear you laugh, and then he’ll press his lips against yours, sealing you to a promise that everything that he is, and everything that he has, is yours.

He’ll find himself retreating somewhere private. He didn’t want you to see him vulnerable, weak, as he cried for the first time in his life, and for the greatest reason.

He could have a chance of happiness, but he can’t.

It was all a dream.

A dream he will never achieve, a dream of yours that he can never grant.

“Xiao, you’re still awake?”

The man looked away from the moon and looked over his shoulder to see you standing by the threshold leading to the terrace. You were tired, and yet you woke up to tend to him. 

“You know I don’t need sleep.”

“But you always lie next to me. What’s wrong? Something bothering you?”

Xiao did not respond, and you didn’t push any further. He adored it how you know when to prod to a subject or not. You know him so well.

After a moment of silence, you walked over to him and sat  beside him on the railing. You looked up at the moon, and Xiao slowly placed his head over your shoulder.

He felt at peace.

Xiao closed his eyes, dreaming of a day that will never come when he can marry you without anything holding him back.

     KAZUHA

                        Kazuha can no longer remember how long it has been since he was on the run from the shogunate. The Electro Archon and her subjects are on the hunt for Visions of every single person residing in the walls of Inazuma, and he was one of the few who refused to have their Visions confiscated from them. It seems exiling him from his homeland was no longer sufficient and the said Archon has ordered for every so-called transgressor that they banished to be apprehended and have their Visions forcefully taken from them. It was only his luck that Beidou, and the crew she captained, has taken him under their wing and he has been sailing the seas with them since then.

            Has it been months? Days? Or perhaps weeks? Being away from land with nothing but the ocean to take in and his mind seemingly always preoccupied with his doubts and worries has him losing track of time.

   In all honesty, he doesn’t remember the last time he stepped on dry land. Perhaps they did, but it was not a memory that has fleeted a long time ago. All he can think about was Inazuma, the threat of being having his Vision taken, and his past he buried deep within the back of his mind.

            Beidou must have taken notice of his continuous lackluster attitude and has set sail for Liyue for him to take a break from the seas. This, of course, he appreciated though he insisted Beidou that she did not have to dock just for him to clear his mind.

          Back at that time Beidou claimed she knew what is best for him and she should put his trust on him, and with the lack of reasons to refute her statement, Kazuha merely let out a sigh and agreed to land in Liyue.

                         He has never been to Liyue, or to put it more accurately, he has never stepped foot in in the few times the Crux made their return on Liyue. It wasn’t because he hated it there, but he felt more comfortable and more at home inside the ship. The furthest he has gone was on the docks to help the crew load supplies in their next sail. But now Beidou has encouraged him to leave the ship and explore, and implied being forbidden to come aboard if he refused to do as she says.

       When Beidou said she knows what is best for him, maybe she was right. He must admit, even if he was still longing to return to his homeland, Liyue had many sights and delicacies to offer. But the best and most beautiful sight he saw was up on a rooftop when he was resting from hours of mindless meandering in the streets.

                                                              He played with a green leaf that fluttered over to him after it has been carried away by the wind from its tree, and he pressed his lips against it to whistle a melody. The tune was buried under the bustle of the city night but it seems that one picked it up from the terrace just below him.

                    Kazuha saw a girl around his age walk out to the terrace, head moving left and right, as though looking for something. Kazuha did not think much of this behavior assuming she was searching for something else, and he tore his eyes away from her and nonchalantly continued to whistle against the leaf.

                                           “So, that was you who was making that beautiful sound.”

                Kazuha casted his gaze down to see the girl on the terrace looking up at him as she leaned against the railing with her arms crossed, a gleeful smile present on her brims. He pulled the leaf from his lips as he regarded her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to – ”          

          She shook her head, chuckling. “No, no, it’s fine. You can stay there.” She assured, and Kazuha eased on his spot. She stared at the leaf in his hand. “I didn’t know you can make a tune using a leaf.”

                      Kazuha flashed her a small smile. “It’s something only a few can do. It’s pretty hard to master.”

                     “And you’re one of those few.” She remarked. Silence prevailed between the two until she spoke again. “Can you play something for me?”

      Kazuha was bewildered by her request. It wasn’t common to find a foreigner sitting on the rooftop of her household. One would think that their first reaction should be an accusation of trespassing and a demand for identification, but no. This girl was different, you were different.

                    Kazuha did not question your request, just as you have not questioned him of his place on your rooftop. Instead, he granted your wish. He pressed the leaf against his lips and blew, a tune of his own composition sounding in the air.

      He watched in awe as you raised both your hands to your chest and white particles formed above your palm, creating a shape until it formed and bloomed into an elegant wooden lyre. Without saying anything else, you strum the strings along with his tune, and the people of Liyue beneath their feet are unaware of the small haven the two of them created together.

               Kazuha is more than grateful for Beidou for pushing him to go to Liyue. Ever since that night, he has made constant visits to your house. Early in the morning – that’s when Beidou would barge into the barracks and force them out of their beds – he would always be the one out of the door to finish his tasks and leave immediately to visit you, a prominent smile over his face. The crew, of course, has pestered him to tell him of the reason for his constant leaving and he could only let out a sigh of relief when Beidou shooed them away from him and asked them to return to their work. She winked at him right after and whispered, “Go and hurry to your girlfriend.” To which he denied with a shy grumble before making haste to Liyue.

                               Liyue was brighter than the isolationist Inazuma has become, and one of the reasons Kazuha thought this was you. The Crux was like a family to him, and Beidou was like an older sister to him, but you – he has never felt more soothed than in your presence. You felt like home, and it has been so long since he had felt like he was at home. Seeing you smile, hearing you laugh, seeing how you nod attentively as he talked, your arms embracing him when he opened up to you about his past, the music you played together in perfect harmony even without practice – it was all so surreal.

        Kazuha didn’t have to tell you about his growing feelings for you. He knew that you knew.

  It started with a shy kiss, and then a longer one, and the two of you found solace in each other’s arms. There was no music playing, and there were no stories shared – just him with his arms around your figure and lips connected with yours. None of you dare say it but your days together were slowly coming to an end, and it won’t be long until the day comes when he has to set sail to visit neighboring nations.

                  But Kazuha will always come back to you, that he promises.

After a few years of frequent visiting and writing letters to one another, Kazuha has finally decided that it was time for him to propose to you. Beidou - being the supportive big sister she is to him - upon hearing of his plan, gathered her crew to help Kazuha in his objective. Everything from food, drinks, location (they chose the ship), and atmosphere, they provided. As thanks for their dedication and help, they only ask an invitation to his wedding, to which Kazuha replied will surely come even if they did not help.

The crew claimed that they shall be far away as possible from the ship so that the two of you can have your privacy, but Kazuha, and definitely you, as well, heard loud cheering from a short distance followed by a shushing Beidou when you accepted his proposal.

“I thought they said they’d be at Wanmin Restaurant - ”

“To be honest, I didn’t really believe them.”

Unlike the other boys who were hesitant of not seeing the bride for a week until the wedding, Kazuha was actually the one to push this tradition. He disliked it as much as the other boys, but Kazuha loved being able to give you his all. Not being able to see you for a week is a sure way for him to crave for your presence, and once the two of you see each other again, he’ll pour out every love and care for you then.

You were dismayed by this whole arrangement but since it is important to Kazuha, you respected it.

The crew fought for the spot of best man, but in the end, all of them got to be best man. Kazuha did not have the heart to choose one from the crew, so he had to explain to you beforehand that the almost the entire male crew of The Crux are going to be standing with him at the ceremony.

It wasn’t a common occurrence in a wedding but you allowed it. The crew was like his family to him, and if it’s going to make him happy to have them as his best men, who are you to go against it?

At the day of the wedding, Beidou was the one to fret over Kazuha’s appearance. The Anemo user tried to calm her down but after she continually tried to fix his hair for the wedding, he just sighed and allowed her.

“I can’t believe you’re going to be married in just a few hours.” Beidou remarked in the quiet after a while. “To think you were just a teenager when we met you, and our little teenager is a big man now.”

“Nothing’s going to change. I’ll just be married.” Kazuha tried to ease her worries but he knew as well there are going to be major changes. One of being concerning his frequent endeavors with the crew. Once he gets married with you, he’d want to be with you always, to settle with you. But he was so used to the sea, to be living with the crew in a ship. Can he really get used to this coming change?

Beidou let out a sigh. She placed a hand over his head, patting him gently. She would have ruffled his hair but that would waste her effort on making it as presentable as she can.

“Things are going to change, Kazuha.” Stated Beidou, beaming. “And it’s not all bad. Trust me.”

Kazuha nodded, but he was still uneasy. He was ready to give himself to you, but at the same time, he wasn’t ready to leave the crew. 

This thought haunted him even in the time of the ceremony. He should be focusing on the wedding but he couldn’t. 

He needed to talk to you about this. You need to know what’s bothering him.

Was it possible to feel dread for the future while also looking forward to it?

Because it felt like a gust of wind billowed his direction when his eyes landed on you. Beautiful, you’re beautiful. What else can he say? 

Was he really going to marry you? Whatever did you see in him? He was a banished Ronin from Inazuma. There must be some other man more worthy of you.

But you loved him, nobody else.

“Stop gawking at me like that. You’re making me embarrassed.” You murmured, cheeks flushed. He didn’t even notice you standing before him until you spoke.

Kazuha closed his parted lips as he turned away from you. “I . . . uh . . . ” He swallowed. “You look beautiful, ( Your Name ).”

“At least look at me when you say that, Kazu-kun.”

 He looked at you, breathing in before speaking. “You look very, very . . . uh, pretty.”

You laughed a little. “You look very, very handsome, Kazuha.”

You took his hands in yours and gazed into his eyes, smiling. “Things are going to change once we get married.”

A pang of uneasiness struck Kazuha.

But what you said next shocked him.

“After this, I can finally be part of the crew and join you on your adventures in the sea!”

Kazuha gawked at you again, blinking.

Everyone invited to his wedding gasped when Kazuha suddenly kissed you out of nowhere in the middle of the ceremony.

Beidou, and the rest of the crew, however, cheered loudly for the two of you.

After the wedding, Kazuha snuck away from the reception for a while. He found a tree from a short distance and sat on the branch, breathing in the cool evening air.

He caught a fluttering leaf and smiled as he gazed at it and recalled how the two of you met.

Things will change, and soon, he’ll be adventuring with his wife in the vast ocean. Oh, he has so many things to show you.

#genshim impact x reader #genshin x reader #venti x reader #kaeya x reader #xingqiu x reader #scaramouche x reader #razor x reader #albedo x reader #chongyun x reader #xiao x reader #kazuha x reader

[dfroza]

Today’s reading in the ancient book of Psalms and Proverbs

for february 7 of 2020 with Psalm 7 and Proverbs 7, accompanied by Psalm 49 for the 49th day of Winter, and Psalm 38 for day 38 of the year

[Psalm 7]

A David Psalm

God! God! I am running to you for dear life;

the chase is wild.

If they catch me, I’m finished:

ripped to shreds by foes fierce as lions,

dragged into the forest and left

unlooked for, unremembered.

God, if I’ve done what they say—

betrayed my friends,

ripped off my enemies—

If my hands are really that dirty,

let them get me, walk all over me,

leave me flat on my face in the dirt.

Stand up, God; pit your holy fury

against my furious enemies.

Wake up, God. My accusers have packed

the courtroom; it’s judgment time.

Take your place on the bench, reach for your gavel,

throw out the false charges against me.

I’m ready, confident in your verdict:

“Innocent.”

Close the book on Evil, God,

but publish your mandate for us.

You get us ready for life:

you probe for our soft spots,

you knock off our rough edges.

And I’m feeling so fit, so safe:

made right, kept right.

God in solemn honor does things right,

but his nerves are sandpapered raw.

Nobody gets by with anything.

God is already in action—

Sword honed on his whetstone,

bow strung, arrow on the string,

Lethal weapons in hand,

each arrow a flaming missile.

Look at that guy!

He had sex with sin,

he’s pregnant with evil.

Oh, look! He’s having

the baby—a Lie-Baby!

See that man shoveling day after day,

digging, then concealing, his man-trap

down that lonely stretch of road?

Go back and look again—you’ll see him in it headfirst,

legs waving in the breeze.

That’s what happens:

mischief backfires;

violence boomerangs.

I’m thanking God, who makes things right.

I’m singing the fame of heaven-high God.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 7 (The Message)

and importance of having understanding, of knowing the eternal truth in Love and the significance of grace, whether rich or poor, is seen in the lines of Psalm 49:

For the worship leader. A song of the sons of Korah.

Listen up, everyone!

All you who reside in this world, give an ear!

Everyone—rich and poor,

young and old, wise and foolish, humble and mighty—

My mouth will overflow with wisdom;

the reflections of my heart will guide you to understand the nature of life.

I will tune my ear to the words of a proverb;

to the sounds of a harp, I will reveal my riddle.

Why should I be afraid when dark evils swirl about me,

when I am walking among the sin of evildoers—

Those who depend on their own fortunes,

who boast about their earthly riches?

One person can’t grant salvation to another

or make a payment to the True God for another.

Redeeming a life is costly;

no premium is enough, ever enough,

That one’s body might live on forever

and never fear the grave’s decay.

Everyone knows that even the wisest ones die,

perishing together with the foolish and the stupid.

For all die—beggars and kings, fools and wise men.

Their wealth remains behind for others.

Although they wish to dwell in fine houses forever,

their graves are their real resting places.

Their homes are for all future generations,

yet for a while they have named lands after themselves.

[No one, regardless of how rich or important, can live forever;

he is] just like the animals that perish and decay.

This is the destiny of those foolish souls who have faith only in themselves;

this will be the end of those happy to follow in their ways.

[pause]

The fate of fools is the grave, and just like sheep,

death will feast on them.

The righteous will rule over them at dawn,

their bodies, their outward forms, rotting in the grave

far away from their great mansions.

But God will reach into the grave and save my life from its power.

He will fetch me and take me into His eternal house.

[pause]

Do not be afraid of the rich and powerful

as their prestige and honor grow,

For they cannot take anything with them when they die.

Their fame and glory will not follow them into the grave.

During their lives, they seek every blessing and advantage

because others praise you when you’ve done well.

But they will soon join their ancestors, for all of time,

among the tombs of the faithless—a place of no light.

Anyone who is rich or important without understanding

is just like the animals that perish and decay.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 49 (The Voice)

the closing verse of the same in The Passion Translation:

So this is the way of mortal man—

honored for a moment, yet without eternal insight,

like a beast that will one day perish.

[Psalm 38]

A Groan before the Throne

A poetic lament to remember, by King David

O Lord, don’t punish me angrily for what I’ve done.

Don’t let my sin inflame your wrath against me.

For the arrows of your conviction have pierced me deeply.

Your blows have struck my soul and crushed me.

Now my body is sick.

My health is totally broken because of your anger,

and it’s all due to my sins!

I’m overwhelmed, swamped, and submerged

beneath the heavy burden of my guilt.

It clings to me and won’t let me go.

My rotting wounds are a witness against me.

They are severe and getting worse,

reminding me of my failure and folly.

I am completely broken because of what I’ve done.

Gloom is all around me.

My sins have bent me over to the ground.

My inner being is shriveled up;

my self-confidence crushed.

Sick with fever, I’m left exhausted.

Now I’m cold as a corpse and nothing is left inside me

but great groaning filled with anguish.

Lord, you know all my desires and deepest longings.

My tears are liquid words and you can read them all.

My heart beats wildly, my strength is sapped,

and the light of my eyes is going out.

My friends stay far away from me, avoiding me like the plague.

Even my family wants nothing to do with me.

Meanwhile my enemies are out to kill me,

plotting my ruin, speaking of my doom

as they spend every waking moment

planning how to finish me off.

I’m like a deaf man who no longer hears.

I can’t even speak up, and words fail me;

I have no argument to counter their threats.

Lord, the only thing I can do is wait and put my hope in you.

I wait for your help, my God.

So hear my cry and put an end to their strutting in pride,

who gloat when I stumble in pain.

I’m slipping away and on the verge of a breakdown,

with nothing but sorrow and sighing.

I confess all my sin to you; I can’t hold it in any longer.

My agonizing thoughts punish me for my wrongdoing;

I feel condemned as I consider all I’ve done.

My enemies are many.

They hate me and persecute me,

though I’ve done nothing against them to deserve it.

I show goodness to them and get repaid evil in return.

And they hate me even more when I stand for what is right.

So don’t forsake me now, Lord!

Don’t leave me in this condition.

God, hurry to help me, run to my rescue!

For you’re my Savior and my only hope!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 38 (The Passion Translation)

[Proverbs 7]

Stick close to my instruction, my son,

and follow all my advice.

If you do what I say you will live well.

Guard your life with my revelation-truth,

for my teaching is as precious as your eyesight.

Treasure my instructions, and cherish them within your heart.

Say to wisdom, “I love you,”

and to understanding, “You’re my sweetheart.”

“May the two of you protect me, and may we never be apart!”

For they will keep you from the adulteress,

with her smooth words meant to seduce your heart.

Looking out the window of my house one day

I noticed among the mindless crowd

a simple, naïve young man who was about to go astray.

There he was, walking down the street.

Then he turned the corner,

going on his way as he hurried on to the house of the harlot—

the woman he had planned to meet.

There he was in the twilight as darkness fell,

convinced no one was watching

as he entered the black shadows of hell.

That’s when their rendezvous began.

A woman of the night appeared,

dressed to kill the strength of any man.

She was decked out as a harlot, pursuing her amorous plan.

Her voice was seductive, rebellious, and boisterous

as she wandered far from what’s right.

Her type can be found soliciting on street corners

on just about any night.

She wrapped her arms around the senseless young man

and held him tight—

she enticed him with kisses that seemed so right.

Then, with insolence, she whispered in his ear,

“Come with me. It’ll be all right.

I’ve got everything we need for a feast.

I’ll cook you a wonderful dinner.

So here I am—I’m all yours!

You’re the very one I’ve looked for,

the one I knew I wanted from the moment I saw you.

That’s why I’ve come out here tonight,

so I could meet a man just like you.

I’ve spread my canopy bed with coverings,

lovely multicolored Egyptian linens spread

and ready for you to lie down on.

I’ve sprinkled the sheets with intoxicating perfume

made from myrrh, aloes, and sweet cinnamon.

Come, let’s get comfortable and take pleasure in each other

and make love all night!

There’s no one home, for my husband’s away on business.

He left home loaded with money to spend,

so don’t worry.

He won’t be back until another month ends.”

He was swayed by her sophistication,

enticed by her longing embrace.

She led him down the wayward path right into sin and disgrace.

Quickly he went astray, with no clue

where he was truly headed,

taken like a dumb ox alongside of the butcher.

She was like a venomous snake coiled to strike,

so she set her fangs into him!

He’s like a man about to be executed with an arrow

right through his heart—

like a bird that flies into the net,

unaware of what’s about to happen.

So listen to me, you young men.

You’d better take my words seriously!

Control your sexual urges and guard your hearts from lust.

Don’t let your passions get out of hand

and don’t lock your eyes onto a beautiful woman.

Why would you want to even get close

to temptation and seduction,

to have an affair with her?

She has pierced the souls of multitudes of men—

many mighty ones have fallen

and have been brought down by her.

If you’re looking for the road to hell,

just go looking for her house!

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 7 (The Passion Translation)

[jessicadcrazy]

My love for Solas is dangerous...

It would have been kinder if he stayed away, Solas was sure of this as he watched her talk to Dorian. Her laugh filling the empty rotunda once again. It would be nicer in the long run to both of them if he removed all feeling from this, but she was worth so much more. How the world that was this deprived and lost could create someone as amazing, talented, beautiful as she, it still surprised him. Solas shook his head as he stared at the book before him. He had been trying to read it for hours now but each time he would be distracted by a woman.

Eons ago he would have laughed at the mere idea that his work could be halted by a woman. He would have scoffed and ignored it, he was never one for romance and yet it had found him so easily. She tested him, pushed him, listened with interest and that played with his heart. He glared at the book as he heard her laugh again, musical and light, and he gave up. He would never get anything done with his thoughts stuck on her, he needed something to change this. To stop his wayward thoughts, looking back up at the balcony he froze. She was leaning against the balcony with Dorian, they were discussing something intently and he could see all of her.

The way she tied her hair back, leaving a few pieces down in that way that framed her delicate face. The mark of slavery hiding her small but beautiful features, her eyes the same shade as his anchor. The clothes she was wearing were not tight but they did show everything off. Her curves and scars, her entire being was breathtaking. Her smile was addictive and her voice was a song he would never tire of. Was this love or an illness? Solas didn't realize he was staring until their eyes made contact and a flush of red covered her cheeks. Her friendly eyes turned softer and warmer. Her smile became secretive and sweet. He was lost in her and she knew it.

She mouthed something to him, he couldn't quite figure it out until she bit her lip. She wanted him to meet her somewhere? He felt a rush of excitement at the prospect of being alone with her. Being able to talk and relax with just the two of them. She turned away from him and said something to her friend. He watched the male smile knowingly and nod, turning back to his books and then his heart practically run down the steps to him.

“Come!” she said, overly happy as she held her hand out to him. Her marked hand. He felt the trickle of magic and ignored it as he stood and followed her. He would, to the ends of the earth. And that was dangerous, far more then she realized.

“You seem excited Vehnan.” he mused, teasing her faintly as she led him past the delegates and visitors. “Is there a reason?” Solas added and realized, with alarm, that she was leading him to her room. It was too late to back down and his head was filled with many thoughts. Not all of them were pure of heart.

The stairs were long and went on forever, how she managed to climb them all every night was beyond him (he knew she didn't every night as he often found her asleep on his couch). But she did, eager to show him something. He was mildly surprised to find it was paintings she wanted to show him. He looked at the murals of wolves and Halla on her walls.

“I did it myself!” she said proudly, holding his hand at the foot of her bed. He wanted to tell her how proud he was, how amazing they were that she had figured the fade painting out on her own. But his eyes kept moving to the bed before him. It looked soft and there were too many furs on it to fit two of them in.

“You don't like it?” she asked, her smile faded now as she took his silence as disapproval. Solas blinked and shook his head, taking her chin gently and moving the stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“I was taken by the beauty you seem to have captured, but alas, I have been very distracted as of late.” he said honestly. Her smile returned and she tilted her head in that way, that cute way she did when she expected more information on the matter. So...inquisitive.

“By you, my heart.” he mused, finding that blush return as he pulled her closer. His arm wrapping around her waist. He had told himself never to allow him to be this close. But now he was here, he couldn't withdraw.

“S-solas.” she whimpered, their lips mere inches apart, he could feel the warmth in her already and it was a heady combination. He made her this way, just by talking.

“You distract me without being there, such magic you weave.” he mused faintly and briefly kissed her lips. She made a whimper and kissed him back. Maybe she had similar thoughts to him? Their kiss deepened as he lifted her up and placed her on the bed. All thoughts of staying away left him in a rush as she pulled him down with her. She was stronger then he and that made it easier to forget about all the world outside. That is, it would have been that easy. It would have been easier to allow their love a chance. But that would have to be a different world now, as the truth was so much more heartbreaking. This had never truly happened, but oh, he wished it did. To give her that piece of himself forevermore..

The real Solas watched the scene and frowned, desire was dangerous in the fade and even now seeing reminders of what could have been, well it hurt. How many times did he walk away from this? How many times did he dream of this? He had tried to remove any chance of that happening. Evelyn had always been okay with his distance, at least on the outside, no matter the pain she felt each time he said no. Rejection was something he knew hurt her deeply, and still he continued their affair. Who was suffering now because of his mistake? They both were. Solas looked away from the scene of himself with her, moans and whispers of pleasure were enough to remind him why he left. And why he could never go back.

No matter, the fade would show him more painful memories and dreams soon enough. Sighing when the warmth of her room faded into a cold clearing. Two statues guarding the entrance as a ghost of himself and Evelyn walked hand in hand. He went into that determined to tell her the truth. But ended up being a coward. Always a coward when it came to his heart.

“Solas, please!” the cry cut him deeper every time. He pushed through, trying not to remember who had stood alone in that clearing, sobbing because of him. “I love you!” and he loved her, she would never know the true extent of his emotion for her. Because he was walking a path filled with death and darkness, and a light such as her would perish within moments.

Solas carried on walking, through the memories and pain, looking for something he didn't know, something to help his cause. He came to a stop by a eluvian. The day she learned the truth. The day he shattered her already broken heart by revealing how lost they were. How dim the hope of them being together truly was. He had remained so cold in those moments, while pain coursed through her. How many times did he have to hurt her to realise he was the problem? He watched the scene unfold, seeing how she reached out to him and seeing how he dismissed her.

Could he somehow go back and change it? Allow her to come with him and be with him. He was so weak when it came to her love and he knew it was simply fate that they remain apart. They would always be separated.

“There will be a world where we are together, somewhere.” he sighed to himself and walked on. Green smoke wrapping around his memories and leading him further down this path. Was there a world out there where he and she could be happy?

“There will always be hope.” came a soft voice, “For Solas at least, I pray for that.” it danced through the ink and smoke. Solas slowed to a stop and found a edge of the fade that was not his.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said that...” it spoke again, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. Wisdom and Kindness spirits were sat with a woman. Whose hair was tied back by braids and who had her back to him. He knew that woman anywhere. His heart was in the fade, talking to his oldest friends.

“The world is the way we make it, we fight against the flow of time for that very reason.” Wisdom mused as Evelyn stood and began to pace her little cave. He stood stock still as she rolled her eyes and huffed. Obviously displeased at this idea. What did she come searching for?

“I don't want to fight anymore, Wisdom, I just want him. The world, and all it's problems, will never be the way he wants. But does that mean I have to fight him at every turn? Why can't I....” she sighed and slid down, knees to her chest and hands in her hair. She was destroying herself over what ifs.

“Why aren't you enough?” Kindness asked her, “My dear, the dread wolf has always been alone. To have courage to love at all is something we should treasure.” it floated around her, drawn to her for obvious reasons. “Time is not kind, even to the best of us, to you least of all.” it seemed sad at that. Of course, they would love her like he did. Evelyn smiled faintly and leaned on her hand. Happy for the company.

“I can see why he likes to talk to you guys... Maybe one day I will cross his path and give him a talking too.” she joked but he could see the longing in her eyes. Feel the wish in her tone and he could see the damage he had caused on her spirit. He also noted how here, she still had both her hands.

Solas glanced back at his desires and memories, he could...no, tricking her into thinking he was a mere dream was wrong. But then, he could give her something of his to hold onto. Maybe that would be kinder for her? He stepped off his path and walked towards her clearing. Telling himself that it would be better for her to have closure, to have something, but was he fooling himself?

“That may not be possible, the fade holds much and he stopped exploring it’s secrets.” Wisdom said sadly, taking her hands into it's. “But to hope is enough...”

It was this that made Solas stop, the fade held much and in his race to save his people, he had forgotten this. It held dangers and secrets and things worse then death. Including himself. Solas stepped back, back onto the path he had told himself was better for the people. His heart breaking at the reminder of her crying for him and how she still looked for him.

“I am sorry Vehnan.” he whispered and turned his back. He was so close to going back to her that he had forgotten of his lonely future. Maybe one day he could have himself be weak...for now, there was something else that needed his attention. There was always going to be something else

#solas #solas x lavellan #solas romance #help me #i am sorry #pain #feels #lonely wolf

[wesratcliffe]

wesley ratcliffe — pokémon trainer

H O M E T O W N

Wesley Ratcliffe was born in an extravagant mansion in Lumiose City in the Kalos Region. He was raised in the lap of luxury — surrounded by art and culture, showered in any gift that he could possibly desire, and proudly carrying the Ratcliffe name. John Ratcliffe was a respected Trainer and a businessman who specialized in real estate. With the sprawling, lively city of Lumiose as his playground and his father’s fortune behind him, what more could Wesley ask for?

S T A R T E R

Wesley’s first pokémon was given to him when he was just a young boy. A prized, purebred Snubbull that John Ratcliffe was assured would be an excellent battler one day. His Snubbull, who Wesley nicknamed Percy, was a feisty pokémon, keen on battling anything and everything in his path. Wesley was more than happy to oblige, and the two started to become an excellent team. Percy evolved into a Granbull before Wesley left on his journey at the age of sixteen — rather late for most trainers. 

J O U R N E Y

Wesley didn’t think he’d ever go on a journey. He believed that he would take over his father’s business, with his trusty partner Percy by his side. That all came crashing down not long after Wesley’s sixteenth birthday. He was supposed to join his father for a meeting — some real estate deal that John wanted him to witness. Wesley got there a bit early, as the walk to their meeting place was quicker than expected. That was when he saw John conversing with Lysander — the man previously known for his inventions, and now known for being the leader of the extremist group Team Flare. Wesley was appalled to see John being so buddy-buddy with such a wicked, twisted man. Wesley ran away from home out of fear and disgust, as he had no interest in being involved with such an evil group. 

Wesley began traveling, exploring city after city and distracting himself from the chilling truth about his father. He didn’t have any money, and so he started earning it by battling. He and Percy were an excellent team, but one pokémon could only get him so far. It wasn’t long before his team began to grow, and his skills as a Pokémon Trainer grew as well. His travels lead him all across the Kalos Region, and he was swiftly becoming a well-known trainer. Some other trainers expressed their interest in joining him and journeying together. Wesley tried a few times, but always believed he was better off alone. 

John Ratcliffe caught wind of Wesley’s whereabouts and went to confront him. He was enraged — his son? His ultimate pawn to take over the Kalos Region had betrayed him and left? — and the pokémon battle that ensued was catastrophic to the area around them. Wesley, in the heat of his own rage, revealed that he knew Ratcliffe Industries was working with Team Flare. The battle ceased, each of them with only one pokémon left standing. John was quick to threaten Wesley — he would drag him back, and make certain that Wesley was caught in the crossfire should his secret be revealed. Wesley agreed to keep his mouth shut, so long as John left him alone. The two haven’t spoken since. 

Since that incident, Wesley has traveled across multiple regions — Kalos, Alola, and Sinnoh — and simply grown stronger. He’s also managed to acquire a Key Ring and the Mega Stone Gengarite from an elderly couple named Paul and Kim. They saw his eagerness to train, and the bond with his pokémon, and decided to gift him with the rather rare items. His bond with his team is unbreakable, and his ever-growing guilt fuels his need to keep moving and keep battling, all as a distraction from his own issues. 

T E A M

Wesley never had a favorite type of pokémon. He simply caught whichever ones he connected with, not particularly caring about their type. However, he does have a soft spot for Ghost Types. Perhaps its his own desire to disappear and be invisible, or because having them on his team keeps other trainers at a distance, but they are the type he has the most of on his team. 

Official Name: Granbull Nickname: Percy Gender: Male Type: Fairy Dex Number: #210 Dex Entry: More timid than Snubbull, this Pokémon is doted on by young people amused at the contrast between its looks and its attitude. Nature: Adamant  Ability: Intimidate Moveset:  • Fire Fang                   • Scary Face                   • Play Rough                   • Crunch

+ intelligent, loyal, classy – cowardly, grumpy, antisocial

Percy was Wesley’s first pokémon, a gift from his father. Although part of Wesley wishes that he’d caught Percy on his own — especially now, with his growing resentment towards his father — he wouldn’t replace his Granbull for the world. The two have an unbreakable bond, as it was just them for the majority of their lives. Percy can often be found outside of his pokéball, simply because he’s a spoiled Granbull that doesn’t like to be confined. He’s a skilled battler, and although he isn’t Wesley’s highest level pokémon, he is the best at battle strategy. He and Wesley can win an entire battle simply by communicating with glances. 

Official Name: Gengar Nickname: Loki Gender: Male Type: Ghost/Poison Dex Number: #094 Dex Entry: Sometimes, on a dark night, your shadow thrown by a streetlight will suddenly and startlingly overtake you. It is actually a Gengar running past you, pretending to be your shadow. Nature: Naughty  Ability: Cursed Body Moveset:  • Hypnosis                   • Sucky Punch                   • Shadow Ball                   • Dream Eater

+ calculative, clever, fun-loving – deceptive, sadistic, obsessive

Loki was Wesley’s second pokémon, and his first encounter with a Ghost Type. Wesley were just leaving Laverre City and were exploring the Lost Hotel when he felt a chill in the air. Percy was clearly on edge, and far jumpier than usual — which was saying something, as his Granbull was all bark and no bite and was usually quick to startle — and Wesley couldn’t help but feel like someone, or something, was watching them. Cue Loki’s entrance when he was just a Gastly. The pokémon seemed to take a sadistic pleasure in scaring Percy. A battle ensued when Percy had enough of the scaring, and it was no surprise that he won. However, Wesley was intrigued by the Ghost Type and decided to catch him, much to Percy’s displeasure. Loki still takes great joy is scaring Percy, but their fights are more in good fun now. Loki is also the only pokémon that Wesley will Mega Evolve. He’s the strongest out of Wesley’s pokémon, and is often the last one he uses in battle. 

Official Name: Absol Nickname: Salem Gender: Female Type: Dark Dex Number: #359 Dex Entry: Although it’s said to bring disaster, in actuality, this Pokémon possesses a calm disposition and warns people of any crises that loom. Nature: Docile  Ability: Super Luck Moveset:  • Night Slash                   • Razor Wind                   • Perish Song                   • Psycho Cut

+ calm, friendly, earnest – overly protective, jumpy, curious

Salem came to Wesley when she warned him and his team about a rock slide that was about to happen. Absol have a talent for sensing disaster, but unfortunately many people believe that they are the ones that bring disaster. The falling rocks fell directly in the path Wesley would have walked to, and he was thankful to have narrowly escaped injury. Salem, who was incredibly appreciative that this human was grateful for her help, rather than fearful that she’d caused the trouble, decided that she would be joining Wesley. He had no say in the matter, which became apparent when she simply kept following him on his journey through Route 8. She’s been on his team ever since. 

Official Name: Crobat Nickname: Bram Gender: Male Type: Poison/Flying Dex Number: #169 Dex Entry: Crobat sneaks up on its intended prey using wings that barely make a sound. This Pokémon rests by hanging on a tree branch with its rear legs that serve as wings. Nature: Rash  Ability: Inner Focus Moveset:  • Air Slash                   • Confuse Ray                   • Venoshock                   • Leech Life

+ daring, helpful, orderly – abrasive, domineering, serious

Bram came to join Wesley’s team only days after Salem. Wesley and his team — now of three pokémon — were on their way through Connecting Cave when Salem stopped them in their tracks. A flock of Zubat swarmed through the cave, wild and worked into a frenzy. A Fraxure seemed to be on an enraged rampage, and was taking its frustrations out on the Zubat. Wesley, with Salem’s prompting, was quick to intervene and battle the Fraxure. He would have done so had it not been for Bram — a Golbat at the time, and the self-appointed leader of the Zubats — who swooped in at the last second to battle the rampaging Dragon Type. Wesley helped out the Golbat by warning him of Fraxure’s moves, and with their teamwork they won the battle. Wesley took a liking to Bram’s leadership skills, and Bram seemed curious of Wesley as well. Another battle ensued, meant to earn Bram’s respect. Wesley left Connecting Cave with his fourth pokémon. 

Official Name: Chandelure Nickname: Baroque Gender: Male Type: Ghost/Fire Dex Number: #609 Dex Entry: The spirits burned up in its ominous flame lose their way and wonder this world forever. Nature: Quirky  Ability: Flash Fire Moveset:  • Will-O-Wisp                   • Hex                   • Inferno                   • Curse

+ playful, sociable, faithful – naive, childish, fiery

With each passing day of his journey, Wesley came to realize that while he adored his other pokémon, he wanted to add another Ghost Type to his team. He’d defeated the majority of the Gyms in the Kalos Region and was preparing to travel to Sinnoh, but he decided to change his plans last minute. He travelled back to the Lost Hotel, where he met Loki, in search for another Ghost Type to add to his team. He came across a Litwick not long after entering the spooky, abandoned building. He seemed friendly, if a bit inexperience battling wise, and Wesley decided that he would be his next team member. Baroque’s playful, impish nature was a stark contrast to the rest of his team, and would be a great addition with his Fire Type moves. The rest of his team adored Baroque, and became quite protective of his innocence. Despite now being a fully evolved Chandellure, Baroque is still babied by Wesley and the rest of the team. 

Official Name: Froslass Nickname: Willow Gender: Female Type: Ice/Ghost Dex Number: #478 Dex Entry: It freezes foes with an icy breath nearly -60 degrees Fahrenheit. What seems to be its body is actually hollow. Nature: Quiet  Ability: Snow Cloak Moveset:  • Icy Wind                   • Draining Kiss                   • Ominous Wind                   • Blizzard

+ elegant, debonair, flexible – lonely, cautious, cold

Wesley travelled through most of the Sinnoh Region with his team of five. He came across multiple pokémon that caught his eye, but didn’t connect with any of them. His team was getting stronger and stronger, and their ability to work together was unmatched. But something seemed to be missing. It wasn’t until Wesley was on his way to Snowpoint City — just outside of Lake Acuity — when he found what it was. The people of Snowpoint told legends of a woman who had apparently been lost in the snow, and that she now haunted the lakefront with her sorrowful singing. Intrigued, Wesley ventured to the lakefront and following the ominous sounds. That was when he discovered Willow the Froslass. She seemed lonely, as each pokémon and trainer that she approached was scared away. Wesley approached her, challenging her to a battle. She was powerful, and it took using his type advantage with Baroque to win his battle against her. Wesley doesn’t know how Loki and Baroque convinced her to join them — some ghostly conversation he couldn’t hope to understand — but she did. She was the sixth and final member to Wesley’s team. 

#wda: pokemon #wda: task

[haprilona]

Descendit Lunaticus, Prologue+Chapter 1

Title: Descendit Lunaticus Fandom: Final Fantasy XV Genre: Hurt/comfort Rating: T Note: This is a ‘music fic’. Each musical note symbol ( ♫ ) links to a FFXV song that adds to the mood and reading experience. You’re not required to listen to the links while reading, but I highly recommend it! This story was written mostly for the sake of playing with the atmosphere and mood, not for the plot.

I recommend you read this in AO3 as it has drawings, correct formatting etc. to enhance the reading experience. Characters: Noctis Lucis Caelum, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, Prompto Argentum, Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amiticia, Aranea Highwind, Cid Sophiar Relationships: Noctis/Lunafreya, Ignis/Aranea, Prompto/Cindy Word count: 8210 Summary: When Ardyn makes Noctis choose between the Crystal and his friends, Noctis chooses his friends out of brotherly love and dooms the world. A decade later Noctis is no longer the Chosen King fighting to reclaim his throne, but a common hunter whose only purpose in life is his friends and protecting the remaining Lucian civilians from the horrors of the eternal night. One day he is reunited with someone he thought was forever out of his reach, but not in a manner he would’ve wanted.

Also at AO3 & FF.net

                                                        Prologue

              ♫

“Noct, you must go alone.”

“What?”

“If you can obtain the Crystal's power, we may yet be able to turn the tide. Elsewise, we are all like to perish here.”

“Iggy's right. It's our only chance.”

“But what about you?”

“We'll manage somehow! Just get moving!”

“You could still get to the Crystal... if you went on your own. Your friends will have to stay behind.”

Hangar gate closing. Please stay clear.

“You'd better think fast. I don't envy you your decision. Betraying your friends for the greater good - the mark of a monarch! Step forth, Your Majesty! If you wish to obtain the Crystal's power, you must be prepared to lose all else.”

“The hell are you waiting for? The gate’s closing!”

“… I …”

Gate closed.

“I’m not leaving you here to die!”

“Oh, Noct…”

“…I can’t lose you guys, too.”

                                                        Chapter 1

               ♫

“Thanks for the ride, buddy.” Prompto turned the handle to open the van’s door.

“No prob. I’ll pick you up on my way back. Stay safe.”

“You too. Oh!” He turned around his in seat and flashed his fellow hunter a sheepish smile. “Keep the headlights on.”

Noctis faintly smiled to himself. “Ignis told you to remind me?”

“Yup!”

“Alright. Will do. Send my regards to Kimya.”

“Sure thing!”

With a final parting smile, the freckled blond switched on his torch, checked his handgun and jumped off the vehicle.

“Forgetting something?”

Prompto stopped in his tracks, cast a questioning glance over his shoulder and yelped when Noctis threw an empty sackcloth in his face.

“Helps if you can actually carry the potions back here from Malmalam Thicket, don’t you think?”

“Woops! My bad!”

With a shake of his head, Noctis watched his friend’s shaft of light disappear into the oppressing darkness before he stepped on the gas and continued his own journey. His destination was Cape Caem. Aranea Highwind had sent him off to retrieve some old junk that Cid had left lying around. Apparently it was important enough to require him to “get it right now, on the double”. Ever since she had been unofficially appointed as the leader of the former Fort Vaulleroy, she had become even bossier than before. She just loved to put his former royal backside to work. Such a slave driver.

               ♫

The hallowed blue shafts cast from the van’s headlights guaranteed him safe passage without any daemon hindrances. He had personally led a scavenger hunt through the ruins of Insomnia to retrieve all the available enhanced headlight parts and blueprints. Cindy and Cid had secured a year’s worth of food provisions and weapon supplies by building brand new headlights and lamps and trading them with the people of Lestallum. There weren’t many safe settlements in Lucis anymore. Lestallum’s population had tripled when rumours spread of the new lamp technology that kept daemons at bay even within the previously daemon-infested power plant. Besides Lestallum and Hammerhead, the only truly safe settlements were the formerly abandoned Niflheim bases; Fort Vaulleroy in Cleigne, now known as Fort Highwind and Formouth Garrison in Leide which had been renamed Meldacio Stronghold.

Umbra poked his snout out from the backseat and let out a single cheery bark.

“Almost there, boy.”

Noctis pulled the van to a stop and parked it next to an old decayed sign. The sign used to have a cheerful painting depicting a lighthouse on a hill along with a large text welcoming the traveller to Cape Caem. Now illegible, the sign was bent from the middle as if something large had crashed into it. Noctis killed the engine, but kept the headlights on just as Ignis had advised.

So far Caem seemed to have only a few scattered daemons here and there, but one could never be too cautious – especially when he had to succumb to fighting like a regular person with nothing but his Engine Blade tied to his hip and Cerberus, his sniper rifle, on his back. It had been nearly a decade since Noctis lost his bloodline’s powers in Gralea. Both the Crystal and the Astrals had turned their back on him when he refused to leave his friends’ side for the sake of a trap masquerading as an uncertain victory. Darkness had engulfed the world and it was all because of him; he hadn’t been ready to sacrifice his friends for the greater good. He knew this and he carried the burden heavily on his shoulders. It had taken him many years to come to terms with his decision and its results. All he really could do now was plough forward, do what he could with the abilities he did have available and keep those he had been born to rule over safe.

With a weary sigh, Noctis switched on his torch and left the van’s hallowed lights. He trekked to the old house on top of the hill with Umbra by his side. Iris had begged him to retrieve her sewing kit while he was around. She claimed it was for sewing stitches on wounded hunters, but Noctis had a sneaking suspicion she planned on mending his torn prince’s fatigues. Even after all these years, Iris still nurtured a crush on him and spent every moment trying to please or impress him. He had tried to let her know that she didn’t need to put up a show for him and could just be her sweet self and act normal like she did with everyone else, but he was never good with words. He felt sorry for the younger Amicitia. His heart had always belonged to someone else and was no longer his to give away.

The house was in relatively good condition considering nobody had looked after it in its previous owners’ absence. It took him a little while, but he eventually located a faded pink cloth bag containing needles and thread. He put it in his rucksack. The denizens of Caem hadn’t had the time to take anything besides the absolutely necessary when the call to evacuate came. Noctis secretly found it impressive how Talcott had managed to pack his cactuar collection on such short notice.

Cid had left most of his stuff lying around in an unused storage room within the house. As Noctis rummaged through the several pieces of equipment, engine parts and what he could only describe as trash, he felt a chill wind blow from the open doorway.

“Should’ve put on more clothes”, he muttered to himself as a shiver ran down his spine. Umbra’s ears perked and his mouth opened to pant happily. Movement caught his eyes from his peripheral vision. Noctis’ stance grew tense and his hand went automatically to his blade’s hilt, but he forced himself to relax. Umbra wouldn’t act so friendly if they were in the presence of daemons. Slowly Noctis rose to his feet and turned around.

               ♫

His eyes widened and his breath hitched. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

In the doorway stood a girl who uncannily resembled his deceased bride in her younger years. She was barefooted and wore a familiar white summer dress. Her skin was ghostly pale, but she didn’t seem ethereal in any way. Her feet and the hem of her dress were dirty, her skin was decorated with cuts and bruises and her normally perfectly straight long blond hair seemed like it hadn’t been brushed for weeks. Her messy bangs shielded her downcast eyes.

Noctis was paralyzed as a million questions ran through his head. What was happening? Was he hallucinating? Was this truly Luna? But how? She died. He saw Ardyn gut her like a fish. Why was she twelve again? What was she doing here?

Umbra’s sharp bark broke him out of his stupor. He didn’t have time to so much as utter her name before the girl dashed away.

“Wait! Come back!” He stumbled after her. Panic contracted his chest. He couldn’t lose her again!

He chased her down the hill, past the van, all the way to the rocky shore.

“I won’t hurt you! Please, stop!” She kept running. She was surprisingly nimble; whenever he was gaining on her and within arm’s reach, she would suddenly gain an unexpected burst of speed and elude his arms.

“Luna!”

She slowed down and turned around. Panting, Noctis bent over to let his hands rest against his knees as he tried to catch his breath. The girl said nothing and merely waited patiently. Once he straightened up, she began to slowly make her way towards the sea. Noctis followed, but didn’t dare to come too close lest she run away again. She kept going until the sea level reached her thighs and the hem of her dress was soaked. All of this was so unreal. It had to be a dream! But he could clearly feel the icy cold water numbing his calves and feet and the chill wind blowing through his hunter’s uniform. He pinched his arm for good measure.

“Ow.”

He was definitely not dreaming. He could see the girl’s reflection from where his torchlight hit the surface. So not a ghost. Did ghosts have a reflection? His record of horror movies wasn’t exactly impressive. Maybe said movies weren’t the most reliable source for facts, either.

She watched him expectantly and beckoned him to come closer. Hesitantly Noctis came to stand next to her. He nearly lost his balance when his booted feet stepped on something tube-like. The girl knelt down and motioned to him to help her search for something. Noctis followed her example and felt around blindly. He was tempted to ‘accidentally’ touch her arm under the murky water’s cover. Not because he was being a creepy old dude groping little girls – his nose wrinkled in disgust at the mental image – but because he needed to make sure she was real and solid. He was playing around in icy sea water with his dead would-be-wife’s twin for Reaper’s sake! None of this made any sense. He reached towards the girl next to him, but his hands caught hold of whatever he had previously tripped over. As he pulled it above the surface, he realised it was attached to something heavy.

A decayed pale arm broke the surface. Gasping, Noctis let go of it and turned to stare at the little girl next to him with wide eyes. She stood up and watched him silently, her head slightly tilted in curiosity.

“The hell you brought me here for?”

She pointed down to where the corpse lay.

“Who are you and why do you look like Luna?!” He stumbled to his feet and tried to grab her by the shoulders, but she easily sidestepped. He lost his balance and crashed next to the corpse. He turned around and hastily sat up. The girl lifted the corpse’s hand above the surface and held it in front of him. It was a woman’s hand. His eyes settled on the ring adorning one of her slim fingers. He saw a small scar next to the ring. Was it truly…?

               ♫

He took hold of the hand and brought it closer to his face. Though the skin had lost all of its colour and was slimy from years of floating in sea water, and the hand was smaller than the one he remembered holding as a child, he could recognise that small scar anywhere. When Noctis had fretted about carrying a scar on his forehead from his near death experience for the rest of his life, Luna had shown him her hand and told him the story behind her scar.

“They are memories, Noctis. Past experiences that shape us into what we will eventually become.” She always sounded so wise to him, even as a child – especially as a child. “You will remember every story behind every scar for the rest of your life. Even when you are old and your memory is not what it used to be, you will still remember the scars.”

“Is that why Gentiana has a good memory? Does she hide a lot of scars under those robes?”

“Certainly”, she had easily agreed to his childish theory without batting an eye. She had been so ready to entertain his silly ideas in order to get him to ease up and feel comfortable.

               ♫

With a shuddering breath, Noctis stood up and lifted his bride’s corpse from the sea’s icy embrace. Her body was thin as if she had been starving during her last days, but at the same time she was surprisingly heavy from the excess salt water inside. His heart wrenched painfully in his chest when he saw the sorry state her body was in. Her only remaining eye stared emptily at nothing, while the other had been presumably gnawed by sea life. Her cheek had stretching holes through which he could spot the remains of what once were pearl-white teeth. Her small button nose and chapped lips with uptilted corners only confirmed her identity.

He couldn’t even start guessing how her corpse had remained in such a good condition for a decade. It had travelled miles, all the way here from Altissia. Seaweed was tangled between her darkened wet locks. What was left of her once pure white ceremonial Oracle’s dress was now unrecognisable; the bottom was torn all the way up to her thighs and dirtied from years of grime. The cloth underneath her right breast was darkened by blood from the old stab wound. The straps that once held the bodice snugly against her chest had snapped and left her small breasts exposed. Awkwardly Noctis averted his eyes and attempted to lift the useless scrap of cloth to cover her decency.

Splashing of water returned his focus to the forgotten girl beside him. She made her way back to the shore. Noctis followed and kept his eyes firmly glued to the younger counterpart. He didn’t want his memory of Luna to be tarnished by a decayed corpse. He wanted to remember her as young, carefree and healthy.

“I can’t bury her here. I guess I could bury her next to Jared, but… The least I can do is to offer her a proper grave with a coffin”, he mumbled to himself.

Wait a minute.

Luna was dead, her corpse in his arms was proof enough, but what about the girl in front of him? Was she Luna as well? Maybe he could ask her opinion on the matter. She was the one who had wanted him to retrieve her body, after all. Not that he had managed to get out as much as a peep out of her so far, but it didn’t hurt to try.

“Hey, Luna?”

The girl glanced at him over her shoulder. At the same time his hold slipped on the corpse and he had to balance her against his knee to fix his grip. Luna’s head lolled against his chest, her single blank eye staring up at him. With an uneasy shudder he dropped his gaze to the slightly gaping mouth where water trickled down from the corners of her lips. Something moved inside her mouth. A small sea critter poked its head out between her parted lips. Nausea churned his stomach and he hurried towards the shore to set the corpse down on the rocks. He emptied the contents of his stomach a few steps away and spat the foul taste from his mouth before wiping the remaining drops of vomit on his sleeve.

At least he now knew the girl responded to Luna’s name. He’d ask about the funeral arrangements when they were on the road and without a corpse stealing all his attention. Little Luna stood at a reasonable distance and watched his every move closely. Noctis knelt next to Dead Luna and gently pressed beneath her ribs. Water sputtered from her mouth, along with several unwanted inhabitants.

“Man, that’s disgusting.”

He carefully gathered Dead Luna in his arms and walked to the van. Little Luna quietly followed.

“Hope you don’t mind if I put you in the trunk. Don’t wanna scare Prompto to death. One corpse is enough for one day.” He retrieved a plastic bag and with some effort managed to slip Dead Luna inside. The bag wasn’t big enough to cover all of her, so he decided to leave her feet visible. They were more intact than the rest of her and less likely to traumatise any weak-hearted eyewitnesses.

Long untamed grass rustled when Umbra cantered towards the van. He had been patiently waiting by the house for Noctis’ return, but had sensed that something was off and come to investigate. Seeming to recognise his mistress somehow, he let out a mournful whine and pawed at the trunk. It couldn’t possibly be by smell. Noctis was sure ten years of drifting in the sea had washed her from all the familiar smells that Umbra associated with Luna. With all that had happened so far that day, he really should stop attempting to explain everything with logic. None of it made sense.

“Sorry, boy. Better you stick with this one.” He pointed at Little Luna. “Doesn’t talk much, but neither does the one inside.”

Curiously enough Umbra didn’t seem all that interested in the girl. Noctis returned to the house and searched for the components he had originally come to look for. He quietly chatted to Umbra and Little Luna to ease his nerves. He packed everything remotely useful looking he could fit in his rucksack and returned to the van. Umbra hopped to the backseat without so much as a request from Noctis. Little Luna made no move to enter the van.

“Aren’t you coming? Thought you wanted to make sure I wouldn’t disrespect you- her”, he corrected himself. Man, this was confusing.

Little Luna merely shook her head sadly and stared at her toes. What was that all about?

Noctis knelt in front of her and looked up to her glass-like blue eyes.

“Hey. I don’t want you to stay here all by yourself. Even if you’re not Luna, I still want you to come with me, okay? I live in a nice place – well, as nice as nice can be. There’s light, there’s people. Hell, we even have a radio that occasionally works. Entertainment is minimal, but sometimes we get a nice treat with a song or two played from old records. Lestallum still has one working radio station. I’m sure you’d like it there. It’s way better than here, anyway.” He was rambling, but he really wanted this girl to come with him. He couldn’t leave her here in good conscience, even if she was a ghost or just a figment of his imagination. “So what do you say?”

Little Luna lifted her left hand. He noticed the same small scar he had seen on Dead Luna. She offered her pinky to him. With a small chuckle, he lifted his right pinky and shook hers.

“I still remember that, y’know. Been over two decades, but I still cherish each and every moment I had with you.”

Little Luna’s blank face slowly melted into a familiar heart-warming smile. Gracefully she nodded and curtsied. Grinning, Noctis helped her into the van and to settle next to Umbra.

“Seat belt on. No police around, but if Ignis finds out I’m driving with unsecured kids on-board, he’s gonna make me eat beans for a week. Fate worse than de-“, he stopped himself and shook his head. “Way too soon. And not funny. I’ll shut up now.” He secured the seat belt on Little Luna and closed the door before hopping on the driver’s seat.

“I like it when you talk.”

Noctis wasn’t sure if he had truly heard her speak or if it was just his wistful mind playing tricks on him. He peered at her from the rear mirror. She was absently staring out of the window and leaning her chin against her small palm. Nothing suggested she had said anything.

With a faint smile, he started the engine and took his phone to dial Prompto.

“Hey. I’m done here. Get ready for pickup in half an hour.”

               ♫

Prompto didn’t even notice the silent girl in the backseat. Not a surprise considering she was sitting directly behind him. Still, Noctis couldn’t help wondering if he was the only one who could see Little Luna. The drive back to Fort Highwind was pleasant. Prompto kept chattering about the old witch in the woods and praising her potion brewing and cooking.

“Y’know, she’s the one who came up with those runes that protect the havens. That’s why she can be lonesome in the middle of nowhere and not worry about daemons ambushing her in her sleep. Wonder if we could ask her to create some runes for the bases. I mean, I like hallowed blue light as much as the next person, but it’d be kinda nice to have the classic yellow light.”

“Yeah, would be nice.”

“Sooo.” Prompto tapped his feet with restless energy. “What kept you for so long? I mean, I know Cid’s organised mess is a mess no matter what angle you look at it from, but it shouldn’t have taken that long.”

“I, uh, got side-tracked. Had to find Iris some of her old stuff and took a while finding them.” Noctis kept his eyes firmly on the road. He didn’t want his best friend to think he was losing his mind. If he or anyone else saw Little Luna, he would explain. If not, he would know he was finally cracking.

“Huh.”

Prompto subtly eyed his best friend from the corner of his eye. The former king’s unkempt appearance reflected the drastic change in his life. Gone was the lazy and relatively carefree youth who couldn’t get up at a decent time. In its place was a burdened man who was hardened by life and past mistakes. Sometimes, Prompto barely even recognised his friend anymore. Thankfully those moments were few and far between. Noct was still Noct underneath that scraggly beard and unkempt hair.

“So, how’s Iris?”

“She’s fine. You should know, you see her as often as I do”, Noctis replied evasively.

“I know, I know. I mean. She’s liked you for a long time. And it’s been a while. Shouldn’t you, y’know, maybe think about giving her a chance and settling down?”

“Like you do with Cindy?” the former king gave him a pointed glare before returning to watch the road.

“Hey, I’m still working on that! You know how she’s married to her work now. Poor girl barely gets a wink of sleep with how much she’s tinkering in the Hammerhead garage.”

“Yeah.”

Noctis saw Little Luna staring at him through the rear mirror. Her posture was tense and her small hands were gripping the edge of her seat. The conversation had alarmed her, it seemed.

“Afraid Iris will have to find someone better suited for her. I don’t-“, he sighed and rubbed his face with his free hand. “I can’t give her what she wants.” Little Luna’s gaze seemed to soften at that. Was she worried he would move on and forget about her? Fat chance. She had been his pillar since they were children and she had continued to support him from a distance, even when his mistakes cost her life.

“Noct, I know you can’t put the past behind you. I get it. But everybody deserves happiness and a second chance.” Prompto’s voice dropped to a quiet murmur. “Even you.”

“It’s not just about letting go of the past. I’m not the same man I used to be. Even if I could ignore all of this.” He vaguely gestured at the darkness around them. “I can’t just revert back to that kid she took fancy over Reaper knows for what reasons.”

“Yeah, hard to style up your hair without any gel. But you could shave the beard if you miss the good ol’ days.”

Noctis rolled his eyes, but couldn’t keep himself from snorting. He glanced at Little Luna. He wondered what her opinion was on his current look. Probably ‘too old’. Did she share Dead Luna’s opinions or was she forever stuck as a preteen? So many questions. Should he ever get the chance to ask a single question, he would have to spend an hour just choosing what to ask first.

               ♫

“You’re late. I’m not even going to ask why your pants have taken a swim.” Frankly, Noctis had already forgotten about his drenched clothes. Too much had happened in such a short time for him to remember something as mundane as cold and damp.

“Nice to see you too, Aranea.” Noctis hopped off the van. Prompto grinned and waved as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

Aranea had changed out of her usual battle gear in favour of wearing a regular Niflheimian officer’s uniform; a black coat with red trimming and a white front adorned with Niflheim’s pompous red coat of arms. Once upon a time said symbol inspired fear and despair in the opposing side. Now it was a mere relic of days gone by.

“Did you secure the goods?” Aranea was not one to waste time with idle banter.

“Yeah. Got them right here.” He patted the trunk. As Aranea moved to open the trunk, Noctis remembered the corpse he had left there.

Shit.

He took a deep breath and counted to three.

“Why do you have a body in the trunk?” Her voice betrayed no emotion, and her piercing grey gaze spared him no judgement.

“Didn’t wanna leave it lying around. The least I could do is to bury it.”

She lifted one slim brow dubiously, not believing him for a second. “Then why bring it here instead of burying it where you found it?”

Noctis played with his uniform’s cuffs. A nervous tell he hadn’t quite learnt to keep under control. “Gonna need to make a coffin for it first. Didn’t have any tools to make one there.”

“Awfully lot of work for a stranger’s corpse. Did you know this person, by any chance?”

Noctis glanced at the pale unmoving feet poking from the plastic bag and swallowed heavily. His silence was answer enough.

“You did, didn’t you.” It wasn’t a question.

With a defeated sigh, he lifted his weary gaze to meet hers. “It’s Luna’s”, he admitted.

Her commanding posture faltered. “The Lady Lunafreya’s?”

With a solemn nod, Noctis carefully pulled the plastic bag to reveal her.

Aranea didn’t even turn up her nose in disgust, instead her eyes saddened with pity. She had seen too many mangled corpses to be disturbed by them anymore. “Where’d you find her?”

“Near Caem, she had drifted to the shore. I hope to give her a proper burial.”

“Understood. If anyone deserves a hero’s sending, it’s her. Carry on.”

Prompto opened the van’s door to let Umbra out. Little Luna followed the dog and silently watched her surroundings in what Noctis presumed to be fascination. “Oh, hello. Noct, I didn’t realise you brought a friend.”

So they could see her. Did they recognise her, though? Probably not. Most of her public photos and portraits were from after her ascension to Oraclehood. Even if Prompto had seen a picture of Luna as a child, he doubted he would put two and two together. Little Luna looked like she had been through hell and back again. If the actual Luna hadn’t been so mangled and had moved around, he wouldn’t have been able to tell which one was the real deal.

“Isn’t the dog always with him?” Aranea absently commented. Prompto’s brow furrowed in confusion. He glanced at the girl and then back to Aranea, but the dragoon seemed to be looking right through her.

“Well, yeah. But I meant–“

“Is Cid at the garage?” Noctis hurried to interrupt his friend. He wasn’t quite ready to give up on his sane status.

Aranea cast an amused glance to the hunter. “Where else would he be? C’mon, those supplies won’t carry themselves. Get to it.” She marched off, presumably to the command tower where she and Ignis, now her second-in-command, spent most of their days discussing and maintaining order. Ignis had put his diplomatic aptitude to use by taking the role of an ambassador of New Lucis, the united last people of the old Lucis. He was often negotiating trade relations between both the bases, Hammerhead and Lestallium, as well as between New Lucis and other countries, such as Tenebrae and Accordo. Such discussions were mostly done over phone as travelling had become increasingly difficult.

The trains within the continent of Terraverde didn’t operate as they used to, thanks to the daemon outbreak in Niflheim. Most train tracks were in a state of disrepair. The lack of hallowed light technology and seasoned hunters discouraged able men to repair the train tracks. Said lights were only available in the largest settlements, such as the newly founded town rebuilt from the ashes of Fenestala Manor.

Airships were a rarity. Only Aranea’s two airships remained operational within Lucis. Tenebrae wasn’t much better off with only a handful of imperial airships while Accordo had none to its name. Aranea’s ships were mainly used to trade between Tenebrae and Accordo and only for the most important goods, such as medicine. Regular trade was done through sea or car traffic.

Gladiolus, on the other hand, had found his calling in construction work. He, along with a dozen other men and women, had built the underground settlement beneath Fort Highwind where civilians took refuge. He had also been part of building a protective wall around a farmland where Iris and Talcott spent most of their days growing crops and tending to livestock. Said mini-fort was under Biggs and Wedge’s watchful eyes and under the protection of the remains of Aranea’s MT units.

The farmers had managed to grow crops during the first year after the events in Gralea, but as the daylight completely disappeared, they had to get creative to ensure the people wouldn’t starve. Through many months of trial and error, Cindy had managed to invent floodlights that imitated sunlight and enabled crops to grow naturally. Iris’ crops were in high demand and the farmers were ever looking for more fertile land to expand their fields. That was where Prompto and Noctis came along. As well as being seasoned hunters, the two of them were reconnaissance scouts who surveyed areas for daemon territories, fertility of the ground and in turn, places where new settlements could be set up, food could be grown and advancements could be made.

Noctis could almost see the gears turning in Prompto’s head. He shifted weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably.

“So, uh, who’s your friend?”

“A survivor I found hiding in the lighthouse.” Little Luna didn’t seem to even realise she was being discussed. So absorbed was she in taking in her new home. “I’m gonna go take the goods to Cid and show her around. There’s something I wanna talk about afterwards.”

Prompto’s expression immediately sobered. “About the funeral?”

“Yeah.” And Little Luna’s identity. Noctis couldn’t keep it a secret forever. He would have to make sure Prompto didn’t promote her presence in case they were the only ones who could see her. He had to think of a place for her to spend the night as well. His and Prompto’s room came to mind, but he wasn’t sure what to think about sharing his bed with her. The floor was out of the question and he wasn’t comfortable with the idea of having her stay with strangers, even if she wasn’t visible to them.

Noctis took Iris’ cloth bag and gave it to the girl. “Mind helping me with this? Got my hands full.”

Her expression serious, she took it from him and held it like it was the Lakshmi of Altissia. With a fond smile Noctis threw on his heavy rucksack and checked that his weapons were securely strapped on out of force of habit.

“C’mon.”

Cid was cranky as ever, but Noctis knew by now from the pleased gleam in his aged eyes that he had brought him the correct parts. The old mechanic hadn’t paid any attention to Little Luna. She silently stood next to Umbra, her pale blue eyes darting around the garage in wonder. Said garage held several old MA-X Cuirass magitek armours from a time when the base had been under Niflheim control. The hunters utilised the remaining MTs and machines to their best ability to cut the unnecessary human losses. Unfortunately not even Cid knew how to fix the aging machines nor did they have spare parts available.

As the trio left the garage, they passed an MT on patrol. Its gun arm was missing along with its helmet and most of its metal face. Its remaining arm was cut off from the elbow and only few wires poked from the stub. In combat it was no better than a moving target, but in sentry duty it did its job; it could see in the dark and alarm the hunters of any daemon activity or report if any of the hallowed lights went out.

Little Luna’s head turned in every direction as she attempted to memorise and map everything in one go. Somehow Noctis found it endearing. He would always cherish the young ones of the garrison-turned-shelter and admire how the children could maintain such an innocence and sense of wonder when the adults saw nothing past the doom and gloom. He dearly wished he could return to those days in Tenebrae.

“Noct!”

The hunter turned around to face his former bodyguard and advisor. It had taken Ignis many years, but the level-headed man no longer relied on a cane thanks to his thorough training and endless source of patience. Had their roles been reversed, Noctis doubted he’d be anywhere near as competent on his own, relying on senses other than the one he was most used to. He would never admit it out loud, but Ignis’ determination to overcome his then fatal weakness was a great inspiration to Noctis who struggled to find his place in this post-apocalyptic world without his powers. He was just another man now. Not a king, not a prince, not even a warrior with magical capabilities – just another hunter who could be just as easily felled by a stray bullet or a well-aimed daemon claw. He was as vulnerable as the rest of them and not any more capable of protecting his fellow man than a seasoned Meldacio Hunter HQ’s veteran.

“Hey.”

“We heard the news”, Ignis’ soothing accented voice informed him. “How are you fairing?”

“As good as can be expected, I suppose. To be honest, I find myself often questioning my sanity these days.” He glanced behind him where he expected to find Little Luna with Umbra. She was nowhere to be found. Iris’ cloth bag had been carefully tied to Umbra’s back. She was right beside him just a moment ago. He peered beneath the large floodlights, but saw no sign of her dirtied white dress. She couldn’t exactly disappear into the shadows unlike the rest of the hunters in their dark clothes. Had she up and vanished? “More often than I’d like to admit”, he muttered to himself.

“Quite the chance you found her in Caem of all places”, Gladiolus agreed. Ignis said nothing, but Noctis could see from the crease on his forehead and the small twitch of his lips that the svelte man did not believe in such chance. The heavy-built man lifted his large hand and affectionately squeezed his liege’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I know someone with a knack for carpentry. I’ll talk to him and let him know Lady Lunafreya requires a proper coffin. We won’t spare any good materials and make sure she gets the burial she deserves.”

Noctis lifted his hand to cover his bodyguard’s and solemnly held the older man’s gaze. His voice was thick with emotion and gratitude. “Thank you.”

With a final squeeze the tattooed man let go of him and glanced at the former king’s canine companion.

“Is that Iris’?”

“Oh. Yeah, she asked me to fetch it for her. Have you seen her around?”

“She and Talcott headed to Lestallum to get supplies. They’ll probably stay there overnight and return in the morning.”

Night. Morning. Such words were meaningless with no sun or daylight. Still, they clung to old habits and used clocks and calendars to keep track of time. Noctis hardly cared anymore. He left when he was ordered to and returned when he could. He slept when his body was ready to collapse from exhaustion and stayed alert the rest of the time. Passage of time meant nothing to him. All that mattered was survival and looking after each other.

“I see. Do you mind taking this to her dorm?”

“Don’t wanna get your male ego hurt by having a little bit of colour in yours?” the tattooed man joked.

“You know it. Pink’s more of your colour, anyway”, Noctis grinned easily.

“Wuss. Hand it here.” Gladio took the bag from Noctis and felt it in his hands. “Did you use it as fishing bait or something? It’s damp.”

“I, er, tripped while I was carrying Luna back from the shore.” It was partially true.

“You better hope it dries by the time Iris gets back. She’ll snap your scrawny neck in two otherwise.”

“Yeah, well, you can thank me later. I know you secretly think she’s cute when she gets mad”, Noctis gave his old friend a good-natured shove.

“Only when she’s mad at someone else”, Gladio agreed with a chuckle and shoved him back before leaving the two other men alone.

               ♫

They stood in silence for a few seconds, before Ignis cleared his throat. “Is there something you wish to discuss, Noct?”

“What makes you think that?”

“I sense you’re more tense than usual from the tone of your voice. You’re also uncommonly restless. I can hear your boots shuffling against the asphalt.” He should’ve known nothing went past his blind friend. What he had lost in sight, he seemed to make up for with freakishly accurate assumptions based on hearing, smell and touch. That, and Ignis had known Noctis since he was a child. He knew him inside out; every quirk, every habit and every tell.

“I’ve lost something and I’m not sure where to look.” He eyed their surroundings, but still couldn’t find any trace of Little Luna. He knelt next to Umbra, hoping the dog would somehow understand his silent plea to find her for him. Instead the canine took advantage of his master’s current height to lick his cheek. Noctis weakly laughed and scratched behind the dog’s ears. “I’m not even sure if what I lost exists or if it’s a figment of my imagination.”

“Hm. A curious statement”, Ignis commented. “You’ve lost something that may or may not exist. A memory, perhaps? They can be fickle things.”

It slightly unnerved the dark-haired hunter how close the blind brunet hit the mark. A memory indeed.

“You’re right.”

“So, this memory of yours.” Ignis removed imaginary dust from his old Kingsglaive uniform. His uniform was in the best condition of the trio. He took maintaining its optimal condition very seriously. “Does it have anything to do with Lady Lunafreya’s recent appearance, perchance?”

“Right again.”

“It has been a long time since you talked with her. Are you afraid you’re losing memories of your time in Tenebrae?”

He hadn’t really ever thought of that. He held each and every memory very close to his heart and couldn’t even imagine losing a single one. He wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted from Little Luna. To take care of her, perhaps? Make up for past mistakes by returning the love and affection his bride had given him through her actions and letters? Or simply to cling to a physical manifestation of his most precious memories?

“No. Never. Those memories I will carry with me to the grave. They’ve been with me every day ever since father took me back to Insomnia.”

Ignis adjusted his shades. Sometimes Noctis wondered if he wore them for the familiar feeling of having them rest on his nose or to spare civilians from seeing his scars. He suspected it was a bit of both.

“A memory related to Lady Lunafreya, which you’re not entirely sure exists.” Ignis pondered aloud. “Yet you do not believe you’ve forgotten any memories of your time with her. Are you referring to the most recent memories in Altissia?”

“No. It’s-“, he shrugged and belatedly realised Ignis couldn’t see the gesture. “Complicated.”

“I see.”

“No, you don’t.”

A small smile curved the tactician’s lips. “No, I do not.”

Noctis gave Umbra’s head a final pat before standing up to his full height. “Guess I’ll just have to keep looking.”

Ignis hummed. “Best of luck with that. Let me know if you’re any closer to finding what you seek.”

“I will.”

               ♫

Noctis had searched everywhere for Little Luna. He had even gone to the infirmary where Luna’s body had been taken temporarily in wait for the burial. He had taken a small scrap from her torn dress and offered it to Umbra in hopes that he would manage to locate the elusive girl with it, but even that had not worked.

Tired and defeated, the raven-haired hunter made his way back to his and Prompto’s shared accommodation which resided underground along with the other denizens’ homes. It was as modest as the rest of the barracks; a small room with nothing but a single nightstand, a bunk bed and a wardrobe. There was only enough space to move around the bunk bed. Umbra hopped onto the end of his bed and settled down for the night. They had missed supper and would have to wait till morning for food. Dining hours were strict to keep everything going and organised. The garrison had ten thousand people to feed on a daily basis. It would’ve been absolute chaos had Aranea not put her foot down on the matter and made sure everything went smoothly and according to plan.

Prompto was lying on the top bed and fiddling with his camera. Entertainment was sparse. Both men had lost their old Insomnian smartphones after two years of service and had had to replace them with regular Niflheim standardized cell phones. Prompto still brought up King’s Knight occasionally and all the memories they had playing the game. Sadly, their new phones were only good for phone calls. Texting was unadvised to avoid jamming the phone lines. The lines had to be open for long-distance communications between New Lucis and the other countries at all times. Walkie-talkies were given to each hunter, while MTs used a special code signal to report their patrol results to the main computer.

“Welcome back, buddy.”

“Sorry I kept you waiting.” Noctis stripped himself off the weapons, scarf and hunter’s vest before kicking off his old trusty prince’s boots. They had endured surprisingly long. He supposed he had his father to thank for that. King Regis had made sure both his son and the Crownsguard wore clothing made of durable high-quality materials. Noctis changed out of his damp hunter’s shirt and pants. Neither he nor Prompto had proper sleepwear. They and the other denizens of Fort Highwind had long since learnt to be ready around the clock in case of a bold daemon attack. Larger hordes had dared to attack the fort even with the hallowed lights. Fortunately such occasions were rare, but it had instilled a sense of vulnerability and vigilance in each one of them. Always be ready. Always be alert.

“Hey, no prob. You wanted to talk about something?” The freckled blond plopped onto his stomach to peer down at Noctis.

“Yeah. About that girl.”

His clear blue eyes lit up in interest. “She seemed nice. Did you show her where the showers are? She looked like she’s been rolling in dirt the past month.”

Noctis dropped his gaze to his hands. “I, um. I kinda lost her.”

“Well, it’s a big place. Maybe one of the girls took her under their wing?”

“Maybe.” That seemed too optimistic even by Noctis’ standards. How could a little girl just vanish when he turned his back for a second? Granted, she was fast when she wanted to be, but he doubted she would leave him like that without letting him know. At first he had presumed she went back to Dead Luna to make sure she was being treated well and with proper respect, but she had been nowhere near the van or the infirmary. He had backtracked to the garage, but Cid had seen no little girls. He had checked everywhere on the surface level. It wasn’t out of the question that she might be at one of the underground levels, but why would she go there on her own?

“Prompto. I’m gonna say something that will probably make you think I’m going crazy, but just bear with me, okay?”

Prompto blinked at him curiously and rested his chin to rest on his folded arms. “Okay.”

“It was Luna.”

As expected, he didn’t register what the raven-haired hunter was implying. “Huh?”

Noctis sighed, rubbed his face and lifted his head to look up at his best friend. “The girl is Luna. As in the same Luna that is currently very much dead. Don’t ask me how that works. At first I thought I was hallucinating or having some weird visions, but then you saw her, too. And when I lost sight of her, it wasn’t because of her running off on her own. She just vanished the second I looked elsewhere. Kinda like what Gentiana used to do.”

“You said you found her in Caem?” Prompto’s voice was heavy with disbelief.

“Yeah. She showed me where the corpse was. Wouldn’t have found it otherwise. It was in knee-deep water.”

Prompto let out a low whistle. “Wow. Dude, I don’t know what to say. Seems unreal to me.”

Noctis chuckled humourlessly. “Oh, believe me. I’ve been questioning reality a lot for the past six hours.”

“Maybe she just wanted you to save her from being eaten by wildlife and now that that’s taken care of, she decided to leave?”

Noctis lay back on the bed and tossed his arm over his weary eyes. One of Umbra’s ears was pointed towards the conversation in half-interest. “I guess. Was hoping to have a chat with her. She didn’t talk back at all when we were alone in Caem.”

“What would you talk about? I mean, she’s just a kid. Can’t go burdening her with too heavy stuff.”

“I’m not too sure about that. The last time I saw her she was a child. I was, too. When she gave me the ring, she appeared to me in a vision. We were both in Tenebrae, surrounded by countless sylleblossoms and she was there. Right in front of me. As young as I remember her from our childhood.” His voice trembled. He had never told anyone about the vision and how much Luna’s final farewell had affected him. “She was a child, but then she changed into an adult. I don’t think this Luna is different. She reacted when I called her by name and she seemed to understand all the things she should’ve considered as too ‘adult’. She even seemed a little worried when you brought up Iris during the car drive.”

“I completely forgot she was there to hear it! I hope I didn’t upset her or anything.” Prompto hopped off the bed and set his camera on the nightstand. “Think we’ll see her again? I never got the chance to show her the photos we took for her.” He grinned at the sullen man.

“I swear, if you’re even entertaining the thought of taking ‘sultry pictures’ of her, I’ll put you in a box and have you shipped back to the MT factory”, Noctis grumbled.

“I know you wouldn’t do that to me, buddy!” Prompto singsonged. “I’m surprised you even remembered all that. I promise I won’t take any weird pictures, but you can’t deny me a portrait! C’mooon, we don’t have any pictures of her”, he begged.

It was true. The only picture of her he had seen was the portrait next to her wedding dress in Altissia. He wanted a picture of Luna as a memento more than he dared to admit. It already seemed so weird and it bordered on creepy; a man in his thirties fantasising about having a picture of a twelve-year-old girl. He was beginning to wish Little Luna had taken the appearance of how she was in Altissia. Perhaps she thought it was less painful for him to see her the way he remembered her instead of how she was on the day she died.

“Fine. One picture. If we’ll ever see her again, that is.”

#ffxv fanfiction #noctis lucis caelum #lunafreya nox fleuret #noctluna

[jessicakes1994]

I was messing around with ideas and this was made...

It would have been kinder if he stayed away, Solas was sure of this as he watched her talk to Dorian. Her laugh filling the empty rotunda once again. It would be nicer in the long run to both of them if he removed all feeling from this, but she was worth so much more. How the world that was this deprived and lost could create someone as amazing, talented, beautiful as she, it still surprised him. Solas shook his head as he stared at the book before him. He had been trying to read it for hours now but each time he would be distracted by a woman.

Eons ago he would have laughed at the mere idea that his work could be halted by a woman. He would have scoffed and ignored it, he was never one for romance and yet it had found him so easily. She tested him, pushed him, listened with interest and that played with his heart. He glared at the book as he heard her laugh again, musical and light, and he gave up. He would never get anything done with his thoughts stuck on her, he needed something to change this. To stop his wayward thoughts, looking back up at the balcony he froze. She was leaning against the balcony with Dorian, they were discussing something intently and he could see all of her.

The way she tied her hair back, leaving a few pieces down in that way that framed her delicate face. The mark of slavery hiding her small but beautiful features, her eyes the same shade as his anchor. The clothes she was wearing were not tight but they did show everything off. Her curves and scars, her entire being was breathtaking. Her smile was addictive and her voice was a song he would never tire of. Was this love or an illness? Solas didn't realize he was staring until their eyes made contact and a flush of red covered her cheeks. Her friendly eyes turned softer and warmer. Her smile became secretive and sweet. He was lost in her and she knew it.

She mouthed something to him, he couldn't quite figure it out until she bit her lip. She wanted him to meet her somewhere? He felt a rush of excitement at the prospect of being alone with her. Being able to talk and relax with just the two of them. She turned away from him and said something to her friend. He watched the male smile knowingly and nod, turning back to his books and then his heart practically run down the steps to him.

“Come!” she said, overly happy as she held her hand out to him. Her marked hand. He felt the trickle of magic and ignored it as he stood and followed her. He would, to the ends of the earth. And that was dangerous, far more then she realized.

“You seem excited Vehnan.” he mused, teasing her faintly as she led him past the delegates and visitors. “Is there a reason?” Solas added and realized, with alarm, that she was leading him to her room. It was too late to back down and his head was filled with many thoughts. Not all of them were pure of heart.

The stairs were long and went on forever, how she managed to climb them all every night was beyond him (he knew she didn't every night as he often found her asleep on his couch). But she did, eager to show him something. He was mildly surprised to find it was paintings she wanted to show him. He looked at the murals of wolves and Halla on her walls.

“I did it myself!” she said proudly, holding his hand at the foot of her bed. He wanted to tell her how proud he was, how amazing they were that she had figured the fade painting out on her own. But his eyes kept moving to the bed before him. It looked soft and there were too many furs on it to fit two of them in.

“You don't like it?” she asked, her smile faded now as she took his silence as disapproval. Solas blinked and shook his head, taking her chin gently and moving the stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“I was taken by the beauty you seem to have captured, but alas, I have been very distracted as of late.” he said honestly. Her smile returned and she tilted her head in that way, that cute way she did when she expected more information on the matter. So...inquisitive.

“By you, my heart.” he mused, finding that blush return as he pulled her closer. His arm wrapping around her waist. He had told himself never to allow him to be this close. But now he was here, he couldn't withdraw.

“S-solas.” she whimpered, their lips mere inches apart, he could feel the warmth in her already and it was a heady combination. He made her this way, just by talking.

“You distract me without being there, such magic you weave.” he mused faintly and briefly kissed her lips. She made a whimper and kissed him back. Maybe she had similar thoughts to him? Their kiss deepened as he lifted her up and placed her on the bed. All thoughts of staying away left him in a rush as she pulled him down with her. She was stronger then he and that made it easier to forget about all the world outside. That is, it would have been that easy. It would have been easier to allow their love a chance. But that would have to be a different world now, as the truth was so much more heartbreaking. This had never truly happened, but oh, he wished it did. To give her that piece of himself forevermore..

The real Solas watched the scene and frowned, desire was dangerous in the fade and even now seeing reminders of what could have been, well it hurt. How many times did he walk away from this? How many times did he dream of this? He had tried to remove any chance of that happening. Evelyn had always been okay with his distance, at least on the outside, no matter the pain she felt each time he said no. Rejection was something he knew hurt her deeply, and still he continued their affair. Who was suffering now because of his mistake? They both were. Solas looked away from the scene of himself with her, moans and whispers of pleasure were enough to remind him why he left. And why he could never go back.

No matter, the fade would show him more painful memories and dreams soon enough. Sighing when the warmth of her room faded into a cold clearing. Two statues guarding the entrance as a ghost of himself and Evelyn walked hand in hand. He went into that determined to tell her the truth. But ended up being a coward. Always a coward when it came to his heart.

“Solas, please!” the cry cut him deeper every time. He pushed through, trying not to remember who had stood alone in that clearing, sobbing because of him. “I love you!” and he loved her, she would never know the true extent of his emotion for her. Because he was walking a path filled with death and darkness, and a light such as her would perish within moments.

Solas carried on walking, through the memories and pain, looking for something he didn't know, something to help his cause. He came to a stop by a eluvian. The day she learned the truth. The day he shattered her already broken heart by revealing how lost they were. How dim the hope of them being together truly was. He had remained so cold in those moments, while pain coursed through her. How many times did he have to hurt her to realise he was the problem? He watched the scene unfold, seeing how she reached out to him and seeing how he dismissed her.

Could he somehow go back and change it? Allow her to come with him and be with him. He was so weak when it came to her love and he knew it was simply fate that they remain apart. They would always be separated. 

“There will be a world where we are together, somewhere.” he sighed to himself and walked on. Green smoke wrapping around his memories and leading him further down this path. Was there a world out there where he and she could be happy?

“There will always be hope.” came a soft voice, “For Solas at least, I pray for that.” it danced through the ink and smoke. Solas slowed to a stop and found a edge of the fade that was not his.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said that...” it spoke again, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. Wisdom and Kindness spirits were sat with a woman. Whose hair was tied back by braids and who had her back to him. He knew that woman anywhere. His heart was in the fade, talking to his oldest friends.

“The world is the way we make it, we fight against the flow of time for that very reason.” Wisdom mused as Evelyn stood and began to pace her little cave. He stood stock still as she rolled her eyes and huffed. Obviously displeased at this idea. What did she come searching for?

“I don't want to fight anymore, Wisdom, I just want him. The world, and all it's problems, will never be the way he wants. But does that mean I have to fight him at every turn? Why can't I....” she sighed and slid down, knees to her chest and hands in her hair. She was destroying herself over what ifs.

“Why aren't you enough?” Kindness asked her, “My dear, the dread wolf has always been alone. To have courage to love at all is something we should treasure.” it floated around her, drawn to her for obvious reasons. “Time is not kind, even to the best of us, to you least of all.” it seemed sad at that. Of course, they would love her like he did. Evelyn smiled faintly and leaned on her hand. Happy for the company.

“I can see why he likes to talk to you guys... Maybe one day I will cross his path and give him a talking too.” she joked but he could see the longing in her eyes. Feel the wish in her tone and he could see the damage he had caused on her spirit. He also noted how here, she still had both her hands.

Solas glanced back at his desires and memories, he could...no, tricking her into thinking he was a mere dream was wrong. But then, he could give her something of his to hold onto. Maybe that would be kinder for her? He stepped off his path and walked towards her clearing. Telling himself that it would be better for her to have closure, to have something, but was he fooling himself?

“That may not be possible, the fade holds much and he stopped exploring it’s secrets.” Wisdom said sadly, taking her hands into it's. “But to hope is enough...”

It was this that made Solas stop, the fade held much and in his race to save his people, he had forgotten this. It held dangers and secrets and things worse then death. Including himself. Solas stepped back, back onto the path he had told himself was better for the people. His heart breaking at the reminder of her crying for him and how she still looked for him. 

“I am sorry Vehnan.” he whispered and turned his back. He was so close to going back to her that he had forgotten of his lonely future. Maybe one day he could have himself be weak...for now, there was something else that needed his attention. There was always going to be something else.

#solas x lavellan #the fade sucks #feels #solas needs a hug #i am sorry

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for may 7 of 2021 with Proverbs 7 and Psalm 7, accompanied by Psalm 49 for the 49th day of Spring and Psalm 127 for day 127 of the year

[Proverbs 7]

[Wisdom, Your True Love]

Stick close to my instruction, my son,

and follow all my advice.

If you do what I say you will live well.

Guard your life with my revelation-truth,

for my teaching is as precious as your eyesight.

Treasure my instructions, and cherish them within your heart.

Say to wisdom, “I love you,”

and to understanding, “You’re my sweetheart.”

“May the two of you protect me, and may we never be apart!”

For they will keep you from the adulteress,

with her smooth words meant to seduce your heart.

Looking out the window of my house one day

I noticed among the mindless crowd

a simple, naïve young man who was about to go astray.

There he was, walking down the street.

Then he turned the corner,

going on his way hurrying to the house of the harlot—

the woman he had planned to meet.

There he was in the twilight as darkness fell,

convinced no one was watching

as he entered the black shadows of hell.

That’s when their rendezvous began.

A woman of the night appeared,

dressed to kill the strength of any man.

She was decked out as a harlot, pursuing her amorous plan.

Her voice was seductive, rebellious, and boisterous

as she wandered far from what’s right.

Her type can be found soliciting on street corners

on just about any night.

She wrapped her arms around the senseless young man

and held him tight—

she enticed him with kisses that seemed so right.

Then, with insolence, she whispered in his ear,

“Come with me. It’ll be all right.

I’ve got everything we need for a feast.

I’ll cook you a wonderful dinner.

So here I am—I’m all yours!

You’re the very one I’ve looked for,

the one I knew I wanted from the moment I saw you.

That’s why I’ve come out here tonight,

so I could meet a man just like you.

I’ve spread my canopy bed with coverings,

lovely multicolored Egyptian linens

ready for you to lie down on.

I’ve sprinkled the sheets with intoxicating perfume

made from myrrh, aloes, and sweet cinnamon.

Come, let’s get comfortable and take pleasure in each other

and make love all night!

There’s no one home, for my husband’s away on business.

He left home loaded with money to spend,

so don’t worry.

He won’t be back until another month ends.”

He was swayed by her sophistication,

enticed by her longing embrace.

She led him down the wayward path right into sin and disgrace.

Quickly he went astray, with no clue

where he was truly headed,

taken like a dumb ox alongside the butcher.

She was like a venomous snake coiled to strike,

so she set her fangs into him!

He’s like a man about to be executed with an arrow

right through his heart—

like a bird that flies into the net,

unaware of what’s about to happen.

So listen to me, you young men.

You’d better take my words seriously!

Control your sexual urges and guard your hearts against lust.

Don’t let your passions get out of hand

and don’t lock your eyes onto a beautiful woman.

Why would you want to even get close

to temptation and seduction,

to have an affair with her?

She has pierced the souls of multitudes of men—

many mighty ones have fallen

and have been brought down by her.

If you’re looking for the road to hell,

just go looking for her house!

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 7 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 7]

God! God! I am running to you for dear life;

the chase is wild.

If they catch me, I’m finished:

ripped to shreds by foes fierce as lions,

dragged into the forest and left

unlooked for, unremembered.

God, if I’ve done what they say—

betrayed my friends,

ripped off my enemies—

If my hands are really that dirty,

let them get me, walk all over me,

leave me flat on my face in the dirt.

Stand up, God; pit your holy fury

against my furious enemies.

Wake up, God. My accusers have packed

the courtroom; it’s judgment time.

Take your place on the bench, reach for your gavel,

throw out the false charges against me.

I’m ready, confident in your verdict:

“Innocent.”

Close the book on Evil, God,

but publish your mandate for us.

You get us ready for life:

you probe for our soft spots,

you knock off our rough edges.

And I’m feeling so fit, so safe:

made right, kept right.

God in solemn honor does things right,

but his nerves are sandpapered raw.

Nobody gets by with anything.

God is already in action—

Sword honed on his whetstone,

bow strung, arrow on the string,

Lethal weapons in hand,

each arrow a flaming missile.

Look at that guy!

He had sex with sin,

he’s pregnant with evil.

Oh, look! He’s having

the baby—a Lie-Baby!

See that man shoveling day after day,

digging, then concealing, his man-trap

down that lonely stretch of road?

Go back and look again—you’ll see him in it headfirst,

legs waving in the breeze.

That’s what happens:

mischief backfires;

violence boomerangs.

I’m thanking God, who makes things right.

I’m singing the fame of heaven-high God.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 7 (The Message)

[Psalm 49]

Wisdom Better Than Wealth

For the Pure and Shining One

A poetic song by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan

Listen, one and all!

Both rich and poor together, all over the world—

everyone listen to what I have to say!

For wisdom will come from my mouth;

words of insight and understanding will be heard

from the musings of my heart.

I will break open mysteries with my music,

and my song will release riddles solved.

There’s no reason to fear when troubling times come,

even when you’re surrounded with problems

and persecutors who chase at your heels.

They trust in their treasures and boast in their riches,

yet not one of them, though rich as a king,

could rescue his own brother from the guilt of his sins.

No one could give God the ransom price

for the soul of another, let alone for himself.

A soul’s redemption is too costly and precious

for anyone to pay with earthly wealth.

The price to pay is never enough

to purchase eternal life for even one, to keep them out of hell.

The brightest and best, along with the foolish and senseless,

God sees that they all will die one day,

leaving their houses and wealth to others.

Even though they name streets and lands after themselves,

hoping to have their memory endure beyond the grave,

becoming legends in their own minds,

their home address is now the cemetery!

The honor of man is short-lived and fleeting.

There’s little difference between man and beast,

for both will one day perish.

Such is the path of foolish men

and those who quote everything they say,

for they are here today and gone tomorrow!

Pause in his presence

A shepherd called “Death” herds them,

leading them straight to hell like mindless sheep.

Yet at daybreak you will find the righteous ruling in their place.

Every trace of them will be gone forever,

with all their “glory” lost in the darkness of their doom.

But I know the loving God will redeem my soul,

raising me up from the dark power of death,

taking me as his bridal partner.

Pause in his presence

So don’t be disturbed when you see the rich

surround you with the “glory” of their wealth on full display.

For when they die, they will carry nothing with them,

and their riches will not follow them beyond the grave.

Though they have the greatest rewards of this world

and all applaud them for their accomplishments,

they will follow those who have gone before them

and go straight into the realm of darkness,

where they will never ever see the light again.

So this is the way of mortal man—

honored for a moment, yet without eternal insight,

like a beast that will one day perish.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 49 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 127]

God and His Gifts

A song of the stairway by King Solomon

If God’s grace doesn’t help the builders,

they will labor in vain to build a house.

If God’s mercy doesn’t protect the city,

all the sentries will circle it in vain.

It really is senseless to work so hard

from early morning till late at night,

toiling to make a living for fear of not having enough.

God can provide for his devoted lovers even while they sleep!

Children are God’s love-gift; they are heaven’s generous reward.

Children born to a young couple will one day rise to protect

and provide for their parents.

Happy will be the couple who has many of them!

A household full of children will not bring shame on your name

but victory when you face your enemies,

for your offspring will have influence and honor

to prevail on your behalf!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 127 (The Passion Translation)