Thoma And Hu Tao Come Home! 

Imagine wearing matching hoodies with chongyun.

♤ Deus Vult - II

Translation: God wills it

Includes: Self Awareness, Yandere, (Implied future) Harem, Religious, and Cult AU

Warning: Yandere, talks of religion, mentions of death, implied k/idnapping, implied dru/gs, paranoia, obsessive behavior, existentialism, manipulation, weird (sensual?) behavior, off-putting behavior displayed.

Word count: 4.9k

A/N: Finally, after 2-3 months… it’s done! Hope you guys like it and that it makes up for the wait.

This was written with mature audiences in mind.

Zhongli was a man of traditions, he liked things done a certain way — the way they had always been done. Today, as Teyvat awaited your awakening, this particular trait found itself shining more than ever.

Were these truly the finest silks the land had to offer? Maybe the scholars were wrong and this shade wasn’t your favorite, did he have time to reread that passage and confirm it? Are the flowers truly at the center of the tables; they don’t quite look right to him.

A perfectionist in every sense of the word, Zhongli’s thoughts raced around his head with such intensity it made him overthink the very act of breathing.

It wasn’t like the others were much better, the Crux had run into trouble — albeit carrying important passengers such as the Yashiro Commission's Kamisato Ayaka and Thoma, even the Raiden Shogun (much to a certain poet’s annoyance and distaste) and the ever-loyal Kujou Sara, even the Anemo archon himself, who is known for his care-free nature, was running around the premises fixing a few of his last-minute arrangements, all while the Ordus Favonius finalized the preparations for your escorting with the help of the Millelith and other high-ranking officers from around Teyvat. The halls of the palace, courtesy of Zhongli and Albedo who spent weeks using their powers and knowledge to create the most serene and prestigious building they could humbly offer you, were all but bustling with chatter and high energy — maids and servants of the highest caliber ran around cleaning and fixing what was out of order, chefs and cooks from all corners of Teyvat prepared their dishes and finished their courses.

It had been a long, long time since Dragonspine had been this lively.

His thoughts are broken by a high-pitched voice, one he’d grown to associate not with its owner but rather her companion, shouting his name. As a man who’d lived over six millennia, it took the former archon much self-control not to turn around and tape the floating “emergency food”’s — as she had been so nicely nicknamed by the Traveler — mouth shut and trap her in a crystal for a good hundred years; there wasn’t a moment to spare, not to mention they should be watching over you and not prancing around.

“Zhongli, Zhongli!” Paimon’s voice rang and the aforementioned turned around and found himself standing face to face with Lumine and her friend, both looking excited and slightly panicked, a mix that set off alarm bells in the, slightly irritated, god's head.

“Hmm? Traveler, Paimon,” he acknowledged them, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as he took in their heaving chests and panted breath, what exactly could be so important as to have them leave their post - thought the former-archon, “shouldn’t you be looking over Rem*?”

There’s an accusatory tinge to his voice that has their floating companion’s eyes widen and let out a nervous laugh that has his heart stop in his tracks – a laugh like that from Paimon meant something, good or bad - big or small - happened, things shouldn't be happening –– not now.

“About that,” Paimon explains, a long pause hangs in the air before she whispers hurriedly, “they’re with Mister Albedo right now, you see– they’ve woken up and, well, there seems to be a tad bit of a problem…”

Albeit a whisper, it seems everyone must have heard, or maybe it was due to the sudden change in Zhongli's demeanor that caught their eye, because as soon as the words are uttered silence fills the once noisy halls. Questioning gazes are sent between guests and the people around the premises: had they heard right? Were you truly awake? Others note the last few words; a problem? Were you alright? Had they brought in the wrong person?

Some continue working while others are too stunned to continue their tasks, opting to gossip amongst themselves.

“They’ve woken up?” Zhongli asks again as if in utter disbelief, attempting to confirm what he’d heard; he’d waited for this day for so long, to have this news delivered to him, and yet he found himself doubting the words spoken to him. He turns a blind eye to the gawking gazes from the workers and focuses on trying to control his thumping heart.

“Yes.” Paimon laughs again, clearly uncomfortable by the atmosphere that now presented itself in the room, almost hoping everyone would turn around and go back to their tasks rather than ogle at the trio but she couldn't bring herself to blame them for their interest.

“Very well…” He pauses, trying to collect his thoughts and not to turn into the giddy mess his body wanted to become, “everyone; let’s hurry up, there’s no time to waste,” Zhongli says, his voice commanding - he doesn’t even spare anyone a glance, too doused on the adrenaline pumping through his veins as the news settled in, “do not disappoint our providence.”

After that, it doesn’t take long before Venti, who’d overheard the news from his hiding spot as he tried to rid himself of some responsibility, and himself are running down the intricate hallways to find you. The next few hours after your awakening had been meticulously planned, they were originally meant to meet you with their fellow archon, and yet they can’t help themselves but be drawn to you.

Beelzebub would be mad, not only was she behind schedule but she wouldn’t witness their god’s first waking moments but honestly, Barbatos didn’t mind nor did Morax.

When they arrive at your chambers, a temporary accommodation - of course (as they all wished you move into their respective regions), they’re greeted by your puzzled stare. Your figure was almost lost in the sea of silks and pillows that had been laid around you but your aura was too strong, it was impossible not to recognize who you were.

“Your highness,” Venti awed, his eyes widened in admiration and disbelief – so many years chasing after you finally felt like they'd paid off, “you’re here, finally!”

It takes Zhongli, his long-time friend (and technically co-worker) to slap a hand on his shoulders and force him to stay put for him not to throw himself into the bed beside you and drown you in thousands of years of pent up love.

“Behave yourself,” he mutters just loud enough for Venti to hear, his stone-cold exterior betrayed by the golden glow in his eyes as he took in the sight before him, “your grace," he cleared his voice, "apologies for my companion and his sudden actions, we’re all simply overjoyed for your arrival.”

There’s a silence that seems like it’s meant to be your cue to say something but nothing comes to mind – your mind drowning in what you can only describe as a drunken haze –, something that wasn't particularly helped by the fact you had no idea what was happening.

“I’m sorry but,” you laugh awkwardly, hoping to alleviate the tension in the room, “what’s going on?”

This felt like a dream, a dreadful dream where you were seized in your sleep and taken to some sort of historic chateau and forced to play the role of a sovereign or divinity. You were surprised you hadn’t shrieked at the blonde woman who had been staring at your sleeping form when you’d woken up, you would have thought your reaction would’ve been more aggressive and confrontational - cuss words being cried and more throwing of cushions or even punches and kicks, instead - you timidly inquired about your locations, too drowsy (which would later be confirmed to be due to the liquid Albedo has you ingest earlier) and with little memory to react normally. The woman, whose name sounds familiar - Lumine -, answers with all but too much eagerness, her tone pleasant as she beams about how you’re in Dragonspine and Teyvat before an ocean of thanks are sent your way as she credits her achievements and efforts to you – some sort of deity in her life that had aided her in trying and tough times. Unfortunately, you can’t quite say you remember the woman in front of you — something that shocks her greatly and seemingly sends her into a panic when you inform her.

“Oh heavens,” she mutters, looking around in a panic, her previously joyous exterior now replaced by an uneasy look in her, honestly, soft and lovely face, “Albedo…”

She looks at you once more, golden-brown eyes filling with sorrow as she asks once more; “Are you certain you don’t remember me?”

“Or Paimon?” Her companion, a floating pixie of sorts, asks - her high tones contrasted by the downcast look in her eyes and your heart breaks at the sadness your words seemed to bring.

“I’m sorry but no.” You admit, your memory is all but a gray fog; your past feels dream-like, you remember being a student of sorts and working a job, some sort of family, and few friends, but everything felt like it was coated in a layer thick goo making it impossible to properly recognize or even tell apart what was fantasy from reality. You’re mortified to admit it but you don’t even really remember the faces of your parents or if you even have siblings or relatives at all, even less about any hobbies or interests, the only true indication something was off being the uncomfortable thumping of your heart — if it weren’t for that and your concerning lack of memory nothing would’ve felt too wrong at all.

A blond man came into the room after that, he'd been fetched by the two - who'd rush to find him, he carried a notepad and seemed confused - about what you didn’t know, you had little to no clue what was going on in your head, it was practically impossible for you to try and guess pretty much anything - he came to a halt beside the bed you laid in.

“Your highness, it’s an honor to finally meet you — I’m Albedo, Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius and your humble follower,” he bows, his turquoise eyes analyze you in, what you think is, marvel and affection once he stands back upright, “the Traveler told me you seem to be suffering from some sort of memory loss and since I’m the one who brought you here - it’s my responsibility and duty to look over your health, I'll make sure to see all matters that pertain to your health personally.”

“I… I see.” You murmur, overwhelmed by his looks and the words coming out of his mouth — neither made much sense to you but at this point, your head is pounding and you’re too weary to try and figure either out. How a man could look so handsome and elegant, yet adorable and pretty baffled you – much like the beauty Lumine seemed to unknowingly have.

He took a bunch of tools, none of which you were familiar with or looked particularly modern, and began examining you while the blonde woman left with her friend. It took him a couple of minutes before declaring nothing was wrong other than your seeming memory loss.

“We’ll perform a couple of tests to see what could have happened,” he says, he begins putting his things away before a thought seems to come to him having him correct himself, “if that’s what you want, of course, if you find my analysis wrong - please tell me.”

“I think you're right,” you nod, “...and it'd be nice to fix it.”

It’s then when the two figures come into the room followed by Lumine and you find yourself where we started a while ago.

“It seems they’re suffering from some sort of amnesia,” Albedo explains to the two confused men, “their memories aren’t clear and it seems like they don’t recall much.”

“And how did this happen?” Venti asks, his voice shaking — did his god not remember him? All of the sacrifices and vows he took in their name?

“We’re not sure, it might have to do with them being asleep for so many years,” the alchemist sighs, “or it could be that they were away from Teyvat for too long, it’s possible that when they came back their memories were affected — whatever the case is, I’m sure it’s not irreversible.”

The archon nods, though it’s clear they’re attempting to mask their disappointment.

“Well, if that’s the case,” the shorter god exclaims, clapping his hands in an attempt to cheer up the mood, “then we better fill them in!”

“Right,” amber eyes break away from you, finally allowing you to breathe, “if I’m not mistaken, dinner should be ready too, I’m sure you must be hungry.”

Zhongli turns to address you, his eyes take a sudden glow; one filled with love and admiration and you’re taken aback, you instinctively want to shield yourself away from the intensity in his eyes but force yourself to nod - albeit stiffly.

“I… I guess.” You mumble – you hadn’t been paying much attention to your body - you weren’t starving but eating something would be nice, you think to yourself.

“Lumine,” Venti looks at the outlander, “go tell the others to set the table while we prepare our highness for dinner.”

"We haven't introduced ourselves," the taller male realizes, his eyes widening in embarrassment, he coughs into his hands before bowing – similarly to how Albedo had done, "My name is Zhongli, though you might have remembered me as Rex Lapis or Morax – I'm the former geo archon in charge of Liyue, and the oldest of your followers. I want to humbly thank you and, if you would allow me, serve you for as long as I am of use to you."

"I'm the archon in charge of Mondstad, Barbatos the anemo archon, though I have been going by Venti," the short bard follows his friend's suit, bowing down as a sign of respect, "I want to thank you, not only for your blessings but the protection you have extended to Mondstad. For as long as you want me to, I am honored to serve you personally."

"There's no need to bow," you wave your hands nervously, shocked by the humble actions performed by the two men, "and there's nothing to thank me for... I have no idea what you're even talking about."

"That's only because you've lost your memory," Morax said, "it's only natural we attribute the good in our life to your kindness."

"And don't try and argue us on that," Venti smiles, "now, let's go! We should be getting you ready for dinner~"

You’re led to a luxurious bathroom, one you’re certain isn’t yours based on how expensive and elegant everything looked - albeit a bit old fashioned, maybe extremely old fashioned -, and told to strip bare and climb onto an already, suspiciously to your liking, prepared bathtub that’s probably bigger than any tub should be.

"You two will be here?" You ask, you had thought they'd escort you and wait outside yet neither made a move to leave.

"We can't," the amber-eyed archon cleared up, "we need to make sure nothing happens, it would be a tragedy if anything were to happen to you and we weren't there to prevent it or help you; we wouldn't be able to forgive ourselves."

You stared at them baffled, you might not remember much of your life prior to these last few hours but you were certain you were in no position of power or significance to need such care and attention.

"It's not like I would die if you weren't here, though, I won't fall over and hit my head and, like, bleed to death underwater." You mutter under your breath, it was getting hard not to be overwhelmed by the amount of care and detail they seemed to dedicate to you – it's almost as if they thought you'd touch the water and evaporate!

It seems your words only concern them more, the mere thought of your death seems to have caused Zhongli an internal heart attack as he tries not to lose his composure – Venti's eyes widen almost comically as he tries to convince you to let them stay.

"Your grace, don't even say that as a joke!" Venti pants, as if in physical pain, "W-we have to stay here and look over you! You can't be left alone because... what if you do fall underwater a-and bleed to death, we wouldn't be able to live and -!"

“Fine, fine!” You finally comply after Venti almost bursts into tears, "Just, turn around while I get ready!"

You don’t quite understand why you’re doing as you’re told, then again — you didn’t understand much at all. You slip off the sleeping garments and awkwardly make your way into the tub, the water splashing and signaling the men to turn around and make their way to service you (much to your embarrassment).

"You don't have to do this," you squeak when you feel long fingers find their way to your shoulders, "I can wash myself, t-thanks!"

"Please," you hear a deep voice near the shell of your ear and you almost jump into the water, "I've wanted to do something like this with you for such a long time."

"And you're pretty tired, right?" A sing-song voice peaks beside you, "Why don't you let us take care of you?"

"... Okay." You let out, trying not to enjoy the feeling of their hands massaging away your stress.

"Ah," you hear Venti moan, excitement evident in his voice, "you're too kind to us~"

A few minutes go by of pure silence, the only sound is the rustling of the water and soap against your skin.

“When can I go home?” You ask, finally breaking the silence, you might not remember much and you were certainly growing to enjoy the pampering but you know this is not your home; though familiar, as are the faces that surround you, you just feel it somewhere deep in your gut that this isn’t where you belong nor where you’re from.

“Hmm? Your grace,” the bard laughs, his voice as charming and delicate as a dandelion floating in the wind, “but you are home.”

“I’m not,” you shake your head, a million and one reasons as to why this isn’t your home come to your head and yet you find articulating them hard, like a child struggling to reason with a parent, “Why don't I remember anything?”

The thought bothers you greatly, the lapse in memory - this vast blank space that now resides in your mind - aggravated you, it made you feel as if you were less you than before, your memories were vague and they left an ache in your body; you felt incomplete.

“It must be distressing,” Zhongli agrees with you, his hand comes to rest against your bare skin, “but you’re safe, no harm will ever come to you here - we’ll accompany you until your memory returns and continue to do so afterward.”

“Zhongli is right,” Venti nods enthusiastically, “you’re the most precious person in Teyvat, your happiness and safety will always be our priority.”

There it was again – those names that felt familiar.

“Exactly, Beelzebup, Barbatos, and I will always be there for you,” Zhongli says, “even if this doesn’t feel like home to you today, eventually it will.”

Morax, Barbatos, and Beelzebup, Lumine, and Albedo — why did they sound so familiar? Like something you should know, like something you knew but forgot, it was such a distressing feeling it made you want to scream.

“Is something the matter? You look concerned.” Venti asks, his hand resting upon your bare shoulder as if trying to ground you.

“No, not at all,” you shake your head, they don't seem to believe it so you add, “I’m just tired, that’s all – it's just been very eventful.”

They nod in understanding, your lackluster answer seemed to be enough, before resuming washing you – fresh smelling soaps and fragrances were used with no hesitation, all which looked particularly expensive much to your surprise – it felt wrong to have such luxuries used on you. You notice that their touches are delicate, not too soft but not too harsh, almost a fleeting in their contact but concrete enough you knew they had happened - they kept treating you as if you were a doll made of the finest of porcelains and you’d crack under the slightest of pressure; which, considering you had two gods, and one of them is known as the Ruler of War, who'd fought their fair shares of battles and wars it’s safe to say that there was a chance you’d break if they weren’t careful (even if they tried to convince themselves they couldn’t possibly harm you).

Something (read: your health being affected) neither they nor Teyvat, in its current state, could handle — not when changes seemed to be coming from all horizons and especially when they’d been waiting nothing short of several millennia for your arrival. It stood without a doubt to everyone, even those that didn’t believe in you as God, that you were perhaps the most important person in the continent, a being whose mere existence meant more to the earth and the ones walking on it than any other had or ever would.

By the time you’ve stepped out of the bath and re-dressed in new clothes, which you can only call more “period” or “world” appropriate, you’re given a couple of minutes to yourself.

"We'll be waiting outside your door to escort you," the geo archon says, his posture almost mimicking that of a butler, "call us when you're ready."

They soon left you alone with your thoughts and a pounding headache that ambushed you.

From the moment you’d gained consciousness, you’d been victim to, what felt like, a wave of headaches that came and went as they willed. Your overridden senses had blocked most of the pain out, the constant new stimulation of new parties and their reactions in addition to your lack of awareness and dizziness left little to no time for your brain to process the pounding headache that is currently tormenting you – it was almost as it was attempting to make up for the time it hadn't been there.

The bed you’d once laid in had been made, its sheer size and luxurious look overwhelmed you — you rack your brain in an attempt to figure out the multiple questions that plagued your mind; where on earth were you? What was Teyvat or Dragonspine? Who were Barbatos, Beelzebup, and Morax? Why did their names and Lumine’s sound so familiar? Who brought you here?

Who were you?

Were you truly some sort of respected being? Were you originally from here at all? All memories, all vague and messy memories, you had depicted you living an almost horribly mundane life, one where you were just another faceless person in the sea of society. No luxuries, no titles, little to no friends, was there even a family? This was a world so different from the one you seemed to have come from, filled with people you simply didn’t recognize, and yet here you were, practically shoved into a situation you didn’t understand nor consent to.

You sniff as you feel tears well in your eyes, you let yourself flop into the bed, the same that felt foreign on your skin but was seemingly made for you; you were crushed.

Your questions were ignored or you couldn’t even voice them, too scared and bewildered to even make a peep. That and the fact that when you’d finally gotten the chance to be with people who seemed to at least have some idea of what was going on your brain seemed to give out on you - giving in to the peer pressure and letting them do as they pleased -, you wanted to slap yourself and berate your idiotic, foolish actions.

“A dinner where my question will be answered,” you mutter, remembering the offer made by Zhongli, “…”

If you were honest, dinner didn’t sound particularly appetizing – not with how sick to your stomach your worries made you – but you wanted answers, desperately so. You sough once more, you take a glance at the room, making sure to note if anything looked fake - like a set for some television show - hoping this was maybe a cruel prank -, before making way to stand up and call for one of the two men who’d been assisting you, as they put it, when something catches your eye.

A couple of feet away from the bed laid a vanity, one you hadn’t paid much mind to at all before, but it currently seemed to emanate a certain glow, it was mesmerizing with the way it seemingly dyed its surroundings a captivating purple and you find yourself almost not noticing the pair of amber-brown eyes that minded you through the glass.

“…!” You gasp, instinctively climbing back into the bed and far away from the vanity — a blond man looked at you, his face youthful and reminiscent of Lumine’s, his eyes were somber yet they held a tinge of hope as they softened at your shocked reaction.

“It’s alright,” the man says, he raises a gloved hand and touches his side of the mirror, “I just wanted to see you, I won’t harm you - ever.”

You almost want to reach out to him, walk up to the vanity and mimic his movement to see if you could touch him; “… Where am I?”

You unconsciously crawl the bed to get a closer look at the figure speaking to you – had you lost your mind?

“Hmm, they haven’t told you?” He inquires, his eyebrows furrow — you don’t question why he knows there are multiple people.

“No,” you add quickly, almost as if trying to defend them, “but they did say I’m in Teyvat.”

“Then you know.” He looks at you quizically, as if that were the answer to all of your questions and you were foolish for not knowing it.

“I’m supposed to know,” you insist, growing slightly agitated — why did everyone assume you knew and get disappointed when you didn’t instead of telling you, “but I don’t, I don’t even remember what happened before I got here, damn it and no one has tried telling me either, I'm just – ugh!”

“Please, calm down, I'll explain it for you,” the man sighs and his voice suddenly takes a softer tone, "it must be upsetting to not know and I don't blame you for being annoyed," he’s deep in thought before continuing, “Teyvat is another continent from yours, it’s, how can I say it, simply another world. You were brought onto Teyvat because they,” he motions behind you, “think you’re their God.”

”Me as their God?” You want to laugh, a god? You? Please, you’d make a better clown than a god, “Are they… are they insane?”

“Probably,” the man laughs, your heart skips a beat at his smile, “at least now you know where you are.”

“And another world? How is that… why?”

“It’s just how things are sometimes,” he doesn’t bother to try and explain it further and you don’t pry — it was all too much, “I know you probably don’t believe me, but things will become clear in due time.”

“You’re right, I don’t believe you,” you mumble, other worlds and godhood? You want to laugh.

“As I said, things will make sense eventually,” he shrugs, his next words confuse you, he seemed more relaxed than before, “if you ask me, while you’re certainly special, I don’t know if I think you’re Rem.”

“Gee, thanks.” You look away from him but still answer.

“Do me a favor,” he continues, paying no mind to your dry answer and clear doubt, he rests his cheek against his palm, “don’t tell anyone you met me.”

“If I told anyone a man in a mirror started talking about me being God and inter-world traveling I’m sure no one would believe me if I tried,” you finally return your gaze to the man.

Silence rings as you both stare at each other, seemingly taking in the other’s presence – it's not awkward, the silence feels comfortable and you find yourself quickly growing fond of the mysterious man.

“What’s your name?” You finally ask, and he lets out a chuckle before answering.

“Aether, and yours?”

“[Y/N]."

“It’s a nice name,” Aether comments though it seems like he might have already known it, “it's good to know you’re safe… take care until we meet again, alright?”

“You're leaving already?” Your heart suddenly feels heavy at the thought of the only person who'd attempted to explain and listen to you leaving, "... Take care too, Aether."

"... if you ever feel like things are too much with them," he adds, his voice turning serious once more as if detecting the sadness in your tone, "tell me and I'll take you away, darling."

After his curious words, he turns around after taking one last longing glance at you, and just like that he’s gone.

As you take in what had transpired in the last couple of hours, you feel yourself wanting to cry and simply sleep forever; from claims of godhood in your name to waking up in an unfamiliar bed, surrounded by strangers… that uncanny feeling of familiarity that gnawed at your mind, the encounter with a mirror man, and the fact you just… went along with everything.

You stand up, lazily rubbing your eyes and looking around, you hear your stomach groan – you're hungry –, it's then you remember the two men standing outside.

Weren't you just lucky a banquet was now being held in your name?

marius: [says something]

vyn:

vyn: come here

marius: no

vyn: just come here

marius: no, you’re gonna hit me

bubbie was born today!!!!!!

say happy birthday to bestie

Character Teaser - "Kaedehara Kazuha: Moonlit Breeze" | Genshin Impact

The journey following his escape from Inazuma will be long and fraught with peril, something Kaedehara Kazuha is well aware of.

The moon floats in the sky, and a gentle breeze blows by. Though a storm is coming, the ronin shall brave it with song and wine.

thoma must be so warmTT

“Let Natsu go!”

hi love! what do you use to create your images, as well as the fonts for your images??

ouu, i gotchu, babe.

ibispaint is one of the main ones i use, it’s great for changing the colours or manga panels and you can also draw and add in fonts using the app!

canva is my go-to app for banners, it’s got a lot of different fonts and effects you can use—i also use it to animate some of my pictures for my pinned posts.

pics art is a good one as well from what i’ve heard, personally it’s not my thing but it might work for you!

for fancy fonts like this one: 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐎

i use this website, you can just copy and paste them!

https://lingojam.com/FancyLetters

for gradient texts you can follow this tutorial:

https://metawin.tumblr.com/post/654452107473256448/how-do-you-make-your-text-coloured-in-tumblr-like

and for symbols you can’t find normally like these: ❃ ♛ ✧

you can use this!

https://coolsymbol.com

i hope i could help you, love. if you have any questions feel free to ask and i’ll try my best to help out!

through the fire and back again.

masterlist!

# — pairing(s): aether, kazuha x gn!reader

# — characters: gender neutral reader, kazuha, aether, paimon, raiden shogun/ei/baal, gorou

# — summary: a request from @lovely26: "reader pushing aether and kazuha (separate) from baal's attack during the archon quest."

# — warnings: archon quest spoilers!!, hc/drabble format, violence, injury, swearing

# — tags: canon compliant, hurt/comfort, angst, fluff

# — notes: my first ever req on this blog !! i love this a lot bc this particular scene made me cry, like i love kazuha so fuckin much, dude :( i hope you like it and, as always, rbs and reactions are always appreciated!

✧ — 𝐚𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 — ✧

you got into a fight with aether that morning.

in hindsight, you feel terrible knowing that you just added more weight to his shoulders. he was working himself to the bone day in and day out, even if it was reluctant on his part. you could only watch as aether tightened his fists behind his back each time he was given a new task. even when you tried to lighten the load for him, he would brush you off with a half-hearted smile, mumbling his apologies into your skin whenever he got the chance.

something was wrong and it was only getting worse.

the morning it happened, you tried to stop aether from doing anything. you begged him to just sleep in for once -- to allow himself a moment to just breathe, even if it was for a second. when he refused, you became desperate.

"aether, i don't want you to hurt yourself out there!" you cried, frustrated tears forming on your lashes. "please just listen to me for once, i just--"

the traveler yanked his hand out of yours. he was fully glaring at you now, not a single ounce of mirth or kindness swimming in his golden eyes. it terrified you. "if you try to stop me from making progress one more time," he hissed, "then we're going to have to end this."

and that was the end of that. you gaped at his back as he left and couldn't muster up the courage to find him in fear of losing what little happiness you had left. you stewed in your indignation for the rest of the day until the sky began to crackle.

it was as if the air itself was laced with pure electricity. in the land of electro, that should have been a good omen, but to you, it only made your stomach drop lower than you have ever felt it. perhaps it was because you hadn't seen aether all day, but whenever supernatural things occurred, he was usually at the center of it all. you dropped what you were doing and let your feet carry you as fast as they could.

only the archons would know why you ended up at tenshukaku. when you saw the backs of the resistance as they waited on the steps, you sprinted over to general gorou, who grabbed your shoulders with thinly veiled panic in his eyes. "what are you doing here?" he asked, gently pushing you backwards. "if aether finds out that you're here--"

"he won't do a thing," you said, holding your ground. "something felt off, and now i'm here. you know i can fight, so at least let me help."

you were half-lying. while you possessed a hydro vision and could most definitely fight -- kazuha could attest to your skills -- that's not what you were there to do; you were there to collect aether and get him to safety. gorou eyed you warily. you could tell he was trying to figure out whether or not he should let you stay.

it was no secret that you were the legendary traveler's most important person; unfortunately that title preceeded you. you hated that people thought aether was your knight in shining armor. you were just as good a fighter as he was, and the only reason he'd made it this far was because you had his back. you didn't flinch as gorou scanned you closely before he sighed.

"fine," he let go of you and pointed to the entrance to tenshukaku. "we're on standby. stand at the front by kazuha and be ready. clear?"

"crystal."

after taking your position beside kazuha, you didn't have to wait much longer. you were right to be on edge; the sky became impossibly dark over the shogun's residence, and the thunder threatened to deafen you. you saw kazuha flinch and cover one of his ears with a hand beside you. before you could check on him, gorou suddenly gave the order to advance. you're confused, but you obey.

you see him at the top of the stairs. he's staggering as he makes his way out, but he looks relatively unharmed. you release a breath you didn't know you were holding and open your mouth to call his name, but as soon as you do, the hairs at the back of your neck stand at attention.

you will never be able to explain what you saw that day.

you'd heard of the musou no hitotachi in stories, but never in your life had you ever thought you would see it before you like this. reality itself seemed to tear apart before your very eyes, revealing nothing but an ominous violet eye. it's quickly replaced by the raiden shogun, who lunges out of it at breakneck speed. the soldiers around you are stunned into silence as they watch who the shogun is aiming for.

no. no, no, no, no.

she's aiming for aether.

she's going to kill aether.

things go blank after that. maybe your body moved purely on instinct and mind-numbing adrenaline, because really, everything is a blur.

you hear kazuha's choked gasping until suddenly it's not there anymore. you're not there anymore. you don't exactly know when and how you got here, but you've shoved yourself between aether and the shogun's blade, taking the full force of her attack.

there's so much to feel in this moment. part of you recognizes the feeling of raw power and determination; the very same sensation you felt the day you received your vision. you dimly, very, very dimly feel aether's mortified stare burning holes through your skin. if you had the chance, you'd laugh at how stupid he must look.

but the most obvious thing you feel is pure agony.

you were quick to activate your vision to somehow soften the blow of the shogun's blade, but as everyone with common sense knows, hydro and electro don't mix. and as expected of the electro archon, her strikes are powerful -- your arms rightfully feel as though they're going to fall off.

they can't. you know that that's no longer your decision to make, but if you fall here -- if you lose this stand-off -- who will protect aether? who will love him in your stead? with a sharp cry, you pour all your strength into pushing the shogun's blade up and away from your body, ignoring the way you can feel blood starting to soak your hands. perhaps the hydro archon took pity on you, because you successfully parry the raiden shogun's blade.

there's no time to celebrate. immediately, the shogun's shocked expression smooths itself out and she lunges again -- for you, this time. she'd clearly done it with intent to kill, because you barely managed to block the strike, and the strength of it sent you flying back down the stairs, where the resistance soldiers barely managed to catch you.

after that... well, you don't know what happened after that. when you come to, you're laying in an unfamiliar futon bed. you blink rapidly, groaning when the sunlight nearly blinds you. to say that you're in pain would be a vicious understatement. your arms are stiff and numb, your ears are ringing, and every breath you take feels like someone is cutting at your insides with each inhale.

you cough, wincing at the metallic taste in your mouth. the events in front of tenshukaku plays out once more in your head, and you groan again, louder this time. intervening and basically stopping the musou no hitotachi would be a fun story to tell people once you've recovered, but as of right now, you feel nothing but regret.

the regret is quickly replaced by relief, though. because at the end of the day, you managed to save aether's life. surely, you tell yourself, he retreated with the resistance after that incident. you smile bitterly as you remember the argument you had before. maybe he hates you for getting in his way like that, but you could make peace with that; so long as he's alive then--

"you're awake! traveler, they're awake!" a high-pitched voice cuts through the persistent ringing. you can't move your neck too much, but you manage to turn enough to see who yelled. it's paimon. she's frantically looking between you and the sliding door. "paimon's so glad you finally woke up!"

"finally?" you croak. "what are you--?"

a pair of footsteps stops near paimon before there's a soft thud and a sudden weight on your torso. you crane your neck up a little to get a better look at your visitor. as soon as you spot golden hair, your lungs close, forcing you to cough.

"oh, paimon will go get water! paimon'll be right back!" the little fairy disappears into her cloud of stars. she returns quickly and helps you sit upright to drink the water, but makes the sudden decision to leave you alone with aether.

the silence is so loud.

you have no idea what to say to him. the last time you'd spoken, he was threatening to break up with you. you were already prepping yourself for the post-break up healing process, so why..?

"it's been three weeks." aether finally speaks. he looks up at you, his eyes red-rimmed and watery. was he... crying just now? "you were asleep for three weeks."

wow. there's a lot to unpack. you say the first thing that comes to mind.

"why are you," you pause for a second to cough, "here? i figured you'd break up with me."

aether grimaces. you wonder what's going through his head. you continue: "if you still want to break up, then..." you suddenly feel a new pain blossoming in your chest. it brings you to tears faster than any cut ever could. "i won't stop you, i--"

"you wake up from a three week long coma after saving my life and you think i'm just going to dump you?" aether looks horrified by your words. stray tears drip from his eyes. "i visited every single day after--" he chokes up. "after what happened. i'm sorry; i shouldn't have been so mad at you, i know you were just looking out for me, and i-- archons, this is all my fault--"

you cut him off then. "aether, i saved your life because i wanted to." you rasp. breaking up or not, the fact remains that you are wholeheartedly in love with the traveler from beyond the stars. you would do it again in a heartbeat -- suffer the same wounds over and over and over if it meant that he got to live another day. "i did what i did because i love you; no other reason."

aether sniffs and avoids eye contact. you can tell him it's not his fault all you want, but that probably won't change a thing for him. you can't convince him otherwise either -- not in this state. you're bruised, battered, and numb; you're not in any position to tell him to stop worrying. but that won't stop you from trying. "c'mere." you beckon him over.

he does as you say.

"a little closer."

he's a few feet away now.

"just a liiiiittle closer, c'mon."

aether hesitantly obeys. he's close enough that you can feel his shaky breathing. you rest your forehead on his, suppressing a hiss of pain from the movement.

"i love you." you whisper. you can sort of see him flinch. "i'm glad you're okay."

there's a long pause before aether chuckles shakily. "that's my line," he whispers back. "i'm sorry. i'm so, so sorry. i don't know what i can do to make it up to you, i--"

"don't do anything," you interrupt. "i don't want anything from you. just stay alive; that's all."

aether sighs. "...that's all?"

"that's all."

✧ — 𝐤𝐚𝐳𝐮𝐡𝐚 — ✧

despite being one of the most level-headed people you have ever met, kazuha somehow also manages to be one of the most reckless.

granted, he almost always had a reason, but that didn't change the fact that you developed a fear that his recklessness would get him killed someday.

it didn't help that kazuha used his anemo vision to his advantage each time, channeling the element to boost his speed whenever he needed it. you sometimes wished you could hide it from him, but it was obvious why that was a terrible idea.

as a compromise, you decided to aid him in his ventures. you figured that so long as you were present, you could, at the very least, pull him out of danger at the last second; your own electro vision granted you enough speed to match him at times. you relied on your own battle prowess to keep up with your boyfriend -- something he greatly appreciated.

because the last thing you would ever do is clip the wings of someone like kazuha. you may as well be the updraft that keeps him in the air.

the fact remains, however, that you will lag behind him at times. kazuha is trained to be quick -- to avoid the eyes of others. his quick thinking is what usually leads him to victory most of the time, even in a pinch. so sometimes, you don't even get the chance to help before he's finished the job.

"you're too fast, kazuha," you panted one day after training with him. "what if you get hurt?"

kazuha hummed, tapping the hilt of his katana. "what guides me through battle is not the possibility that i may fail, but that i will succeed without a scratch."

you frowned at him. "and what if i can't be there to help you when you need it the most?"

bandaged fingers hooked themselves under your chin gently, tilting your head up. kazuha leaned in and kissed you with all the gentleness of a passing breeze. "you are always with me," he said. "and if i may be completely honest, i would much rather be hurt than watch you injure yourself on my behalf."

you couldn't say anything to that.

all you could do was hone your skills.

if you were faster, stronger, more agile, maybe you could keep up with him -- surpass him, even. kazuha thought your desire to be better than him was endearing, but he accepted the challenge. he trained alongside you as often as he could, and you found that you started to make progress.

you were quicker during hilichurl ambushes and fatui run-ins, but if neither of you broke a sweat, you felt it didn't count. you somewhat longed for the day you could completely protect kazuha with your new skills and brag about how much better you were.

when you got your chance, however, your self-imposed competition was the last thing on your mind.

to bear witness to the musou no hitotachi was an honor, especially as a citizen of inazuma. especially as an electro vision holder, you felt as though you could someday produce something of your own -- something as legendary as the raiden shogun's musou no hitotachi.

it was a childish dream, but vision holders are, after all, known for their ambition.

your heart all but stops as you watch the raiden shogun target the blonde traveler. you'd grown close to him during his time here, and whenever you weren't training or helping the resistance on the front lines, you were asking him how you could help him find his lost sister. he opened up to you and you to him, and you thought it safe to say that you'd found a truly close friend in him. but as he -- and the rest of the resistance -- looked death straight in the face, you found yourself paralyzed.

this wasn't what you trained for. this wasn't what you dedicated all your time to. you were supposed to be like the very lightning that you commanded and yet here you were, as stagnant as the air you breathed.

move. move!

a sudden gust of wind from your left nearly knocks you to your feet. you finally get your body to move, hoping to see what just happened. you don't see what produced that wind, but you immediately know who.

you whirl around to see kazuha resisting the shogun, his own blade suddenly looking flimsy as he tries his hardest to push it back. your stomach threatens to rid itself of it's contents when you notice the electro vision glowing beneath his own. somehow, kazuha managed to reactivate tomo's vision and is using both to save the traveler.

it's enough to startle everyone, even the shogun, but it's not enough.

while he does successfully manage to push the shogun back, he also succeeded in making himself a target. again, the shogun strikes, this time he sword aimed right for kazuha's chest.

you're actually not sure how you managed to get there in time. kazuha did it with the help of two visions, but you? you only had the one. perhaps it was all the electricity in the air that came to your aid when you needed it the most. you felt as though you became a stray bolt of lightning for a split second, rushing in front of kazuha in the nick of time.

as for the plan? there was no plan. you just knew you needed to keep kazuha safe. that's been your main goal for months: to keep kazuha alive. you force yourself between kazuha and the raiden shogun's blade just in time, but you don't bring your blade up in time to send it away. you barely hear kazuha's shattered cry of your name before your world begins to warp itself. after that... you don't remember what happened very well.

you're suddenly forced back down the stairs with kazuha, but you don't exactly know how you got there. there's screams and battle cries coming from every which direction and you can just barely make out the figures of the resistance soldiers advancing on tenshukaku, but only one voice stands out.

"...no, no, not again, not again!"

it's kazuha, you realize. even as your consciousness fades, you hear him yelling your name.

when you come to, the first person you see is gorou.

he's leaning on the wall with his arms crossed and eyes closed, his ears flicking every so often as he listens for any signs of trouble. the haze of your mind doesn't clear itself completely, but you squint at him, wondering why he's keeping watch over you. gorou's ears suddenly go completely still and his eyes fly open, fixing themselves on you. "you--"

"uh, good morning?" you wince at the sound of your voice.

gorou blinks a few times. you can't see it from here -- there's too many painkillers in your system for you to make sense of anything -- but his tail begins to wag upon seeing your face. "don't strain yourself," he calls as he exits, "let me go get the healers."

after an extensive check-up and another strong dose of painkillers (since apparently, hydro healing wasn't enough), you think yourself ready enough to ask questions -- ones that gorou hesitates to answer.

he reluctantly informs you that the raiden shogun's blade went straight through you. she was visibly shaken by your sudden presence -- apparently, it must have been because she had intended to kill someone, but it certainly wasn't you. the traveler took advantage of her distraction and rushed her as soon as you went down while kazuha sought medical attention for you as quickly as he could. the doctors said you were lucky that the shogun's blade was fashioned out of pure electro energy. the wound seemed to cauterize itself after being formed; at the time you were impaled, you mostly fainted out of shock. you were severely -- almost fatally-- injured, but you survived.

gorou had a strained smile when he told you everything, his eyes dropping to your bandaged torso.

"in all the time that i've known kazuha," he said, "i've never seen him so shaken before."

you don't ask what that means. instead, you find out firsthand.

after teasing gorou for a few minutes about his constantly wagging tail, he leaves again, presumably to go back to work. he and kokomi must have their hands full after the incident. you lean your head back on the wall and shut your eyes to pass the time, but your peace doesn't last long. your nose suddenly twitches and you open your eyes.

it's kazuha. he's okay.

rather than focus on how he looks, you're preoccupied with the fact that he's standing before you at all. tears of relief spill over almost immediately. "hey," you greet him breathlessly. "how are--"

"are you an idiot?"

what?

"i-i'm sorry?" you barely manage to get the words out. kazuha's voice doesn't sound like it belongs to him. it's rough and abrasive; it's everything he's not. you try to convince yourself that maybe he just needed water or something. that has to be it, right? "what did you say?"

kazuha finally looks you in the eyes but you feel like you're looking at a stranger. his crimson stare is frigid and unforgiving. it's a look that's reserved for people who cross his path -- not you. you jaw shuts with a soft click as he speaks again. "i asked if you were an idiot." his fists tremble at his sides. "you must be, if you were willing to throw yourself in harm's way like that."

is he... is kazuha upset with you? this wasn't the first time you've taken the brunt of his frustration, but your stomsch drops as you suddenly wonder if this would be the last. "i put myself in danger every day, kazuha; what made yesterday any different?"

"yesterday?" kazuha treats the word as though it's offended him personally. "you think that that happened yesterday?"

"yes..? kazuha, where are you going with this--?"

"it's been two weeks." his voice wavers. you see vulnerability creep up on him, nearly bringing him to knees. the knowledge that you've been unconscious for two weeks doesn't shock you (no pun intended) as much as you thought it would considering the severity of your injuries, but it seems that saying it out loud was enough to crack kazuha's entire being. he's lost his usual manner of speech, switching it out for something more straightforward.

"well," you gingerly slide your hand over your abdomen, wincing when you touch the bandaged area, "i'm fine now, so--"

kazuha's beside you in an instant, his fingers locking around your wrist. he's still as swift as the wind he commands. you don't have the strength to pull your hand back, but you whimper quietly when his grip tightens. he lets go immediately. "fine? you call this," he gestures at your body, "fine? you almost died, and you--" kazuha fixes his eyes on your lap. "you think everything is fine?"

clearly, you've misspoken. you don't get to apologize.

kazuha continues, pushing a hand through his hair. "do you have any idea what it's like watching the one you love die before your eyes?"

you don't answer. guilt wires your jaw shut. kazuha's fingers twitch in place. by now, he would've grabbed your hand as means of grounding himself, but he looks almost repulsed by the ides of touching you. almost as though he's afraid of you.

"if you came to my aid because of that foolish challenge, then you're the biggest idiot i have ever known." he grumbles. "if you saw me handle the shogun once, you should have trusted that i would have made it out of there unharmed."

"it's not you i didn't trust, kazuha." you finally find your voice. you don't feel as combative as you sound, but admittedly, you're frustrated by the way kazuha seems to have twisted your motive for doing what you did. "if you were in my position, would you honestly believe that the shogun wouldn't have killed me on the first strike? do you think i help you because i want to be better than you?"

your hackles rise as soon as you finish your sentence. does he really think that little of you? were you alone in your feelings this entire time?

"why else have you been so eager to improve?"

"because i love you, kazuha." your confession is heartfelt, but it lacks the feeling behind it. your body heats up as indignation begins to boil over. "you're not just some rival, you're my lover." you lower your voice. "or at least i thought you were. perhaps i was mkstaken."

that gets kazuha's attention. his eyes are on you in an instant, his expression crumbling. "no, that's not what i--"

"to my knowledge," you hold up a hand, cutting him off, "lovers do what they can to protect each other, even if it meant puttting themselves in grave danger in the way i had. so forgive me for using my new strength to keep you safe -- i didn't realize it would upset you so much."

kazuha grabs your hand and reaches out, cupping your face gently with his free hand, his thumb stroking your cheek. "dove, please, that-- i was just-- i thought i was going to lose you."

you lean into his touch despite yourself. you've never been able to resist him, even when you're furious with him like this. "i thought the same, kazuha," you whisper.

there's a tense silence. the two of you were well-aware that your biggest issue was your overwhelming concern for one another. you knew how deep your love ran for him, but perhaps kazuha underestimated just how far you would go because of it. it's reassuring, knowing that he's not genuinely mad at you, but you can't deny how much he's hurt you just now.

as if he can read your thoughts, kazuha sighs, breaking the silence. "forgive me, my star." he leans forward, pressing his lips to your forehead. he sounds like the kazuha you fell in love with all over again, his words coated with the sweetest honey. "i was out of line. i was just--"

"worried?" you finish his sentence. kazuha nods when he pulls back, his eyes downcast. you think he looks a little like a scolded child. the corners of your lips twitch. "i know all too well how that feels, kazu'. i understand."

"i thought... that you weren't going to wake up."

"i know."

"i thought i was going to be alone again."

there it is. the root of the problem. you hold your other hand out and kazuha takes it, pressing your knuckles to his forehead with a shaky breath. you give a moment to himself. it seems like he's committing your skin to his memory; solidifying the fact that you're really here -- that you didn't leave him behind. the very thought of doing so scared you almost as much as it did him.

"i'm not going anywhere, kazuha." you say. you feel him squeeze your hands tightly. "i'm right here. i always will be."

kazuha doesn't respond for a second. he doesn't move, but you notice his shoulders are shaking. "kazuha--"

"you know," he chuckles, his voice shaking, "i actually can't think of any poetic ways to express my love for you. can you believe that?"

you blink a few times before snorting. "it's a welcome change."

"you wound me, angel." kazuha looks up at you then. his eyes are teary, but none fall. "i love you. thank you for staying alive."

it's spoken like a prayer, soft and reverent. you smile. "i love you too, kazuha. more than you'll ever know." you pat his cheek and he holds your hand in place, pressing fleeting kisses to your palm. "'till death do us part, kazu'."

kazuha hums in agreement. "'till death do us part."

(waaah it's finished! it's not proofread, nor do I know how many words it is, but @lovely26 i do hope you enjoyed it! thanks for the req and thank you everyone else for reading!)