Goodbye - Childe

Hi~ could you write something about reader working in an maid cafe and how there boyfriend reacts to it if possible with Draken, Mikey and Baji ?

I hope you know what I mean because I’m not got at writing in English because it’s not my first language

THEY FIND OUT S/O WORKS IN A MAID CAFE

characters — draken, mikey, baji

extras — gn!reader, errors?

a/n — dont worry I understood everything and I hope I did this to your liking. thx for requesting<33

「 Draken 」

Draken, your boyfriend, along with his friends decided on going to a maid cafe that not too long ago opened for business. Before they left they did draw straws and draken lost which meant he had to pay for everyone.

As the rest of them left, he grumbled on his way to the front counter and to his surprise he saw his s/o in a black and white maid costume that hugged their figure quite well showing off... everything, and he couldn't help but think they looked dumb and weird yet amazingly sexy at the same time?

It's a new sight to see, it's slightly odd to him. He never expected you to work here but can't deny that he's not liking it.

When you look at him you see his cheeks dusted in light pink and his eyes scanning your figure repeatedly.

Draken could not stop staring at you and he didn't even hear you calling his name back to back, it wasn't until you stretched yourself over the counter to poke at his shoulder, he came back to his senses.

"It suits you... it's sexy." That's not exactly what he wanted to say but it was the first thing that came out of his mouth. "I'm sorry!"

Now he's caught everyone's attention but you're calmly staring at him. It didn't really bother you, you've said countless times to his face that he's hot, sexy, gorgeous while smacking his ass, but draken gets flustered pretty easily at times despite you both being together for so long.

"It's ok ken. What are you doing here though? I didn't see you as someone to come to a cafe like this." He opened his mouth about to respond to your speculation but you beat him to it.

"Were you planning to cheat on me with someone else?" His face instantly turned cold, visibly pissed at what you just said. He would never.

He placed the money on the counter, turned around and made his way out of the cafe, not wanting to deal with your false accusations.

But you texted him that you loved him and that you'll be sleeping over at his place to which he replied with:

😒I love you too.

And make one of the special sandwiches for me.

A sandwich that your job sold.

「 Mikey 」

The cafe had a sign outside showing that they were selling his favourite snack for a limited time and being who he is he parked his bike close by and went inside.

Entering, he was greeted by a maid ushering him to an empty table. He was slightly confused, he didn't look at the sign displaying the restaurant's name which noticeably had the word maid and cafe in it. He thought it was a regular cafe but he stayed anyway.

You came out to take his order and the cheekiest smile he could muster takes over his face. What he would do to take a picture of you right then and there and tease you about it later, but he left his phone at home.

It's not only to tease you, oh no. Mikey loves you so much to the point it's unbelievable. When he sits down and thinks it over he's actually a simp at times, he's just a lazy simp, and he would love to capture this moment because you look so adorable.

He'll come by again if he remembers the location.

"You look cute y/n."

"Thank you. What would you like to order?"

The entire time he's ogling you and you could feel his eyes on you along with his stupid smirk. He's even calling you over to ask questions about your job. Who made your uniform, what do the posters on the wall mean, will you wear this for me at home and serve me?

When you placed his order onto the table, he pulls you to sit next to him despite you having to work, and you were also the only maid working at that time due to the other's shift coming to an end.

"You already served everyone so you could take a short break." He was right, you did serve everyone already, it was also one of your slow days so you humoured him."

"Open." He held his dorayaki near your mouth for you to take a bite.

That's how the rest of your shift went, him feeding you little pieces of his snack, when someone came and swooped you away from him he'd patiently wait for you in his seat while looking out the glass window.

When your shift is finally over, he drove you home and wished you good night.

The next time he visited, he got a few pictures. He posted one to social media with him showing the camera a peace sign while you sipped on a drink, not paying the slightest attention to mikey.

「 Baji 」

He sees you as soon as he enters the cafe. His eyes are on you hard. He's waiting for you to look at him to see what you'd say when you approach his table.

He's basically mugging you. Lowky looking a bit scary to any of the other customers who caught a glimpse of him.

Only him and chifuyu came, the cafe being a cat and maid cafe was what drew them in, the cat part mostly.

The kitten baji had in his hand was long forgotten but chifuyu's not paying much attention to him whatsoever, too distracted by the kittens surrounding him as if he was their mother. He's a cat dad. mom

But anyway, some random guy you were waiting, started getting a bit closer to you, moving his chair closer to you and consistently drawing mindlessly on the back of your hand despite you moving it multiple times.

You were obviously uncomfortable, any customer that happened to look in your direction could clearly see your discomfort and baji was the first to see due to his previous staring.

"Chifuyu?" The boy raised his head to see baji stretching and smoothing out his pants.

"I'll be back. I have to handle a... situation." His curiosity got the best of him and as he looked past his dark haired friend, he saw the reason behind this sudden situation. Abandoning the kittens in his hands, he viewed the possible commotion that's about to take place.

The stranger glimpsed baji walking up behind you and his once persistent hand slowly quivered back to its side as he forced a smile.

Baji had put on his intimidating face and he didn't expect it to work as fast as it did, but he's grateful.

Slinging his arm around your waist with the other doing the same, he turned you to him and took you in for a hug with your back to the stranger so he could give them a teasing look. You thought that the hug and the fact that he was at your job was so random because you never told him about it

He heard the stranger mutter, they weren't even all that anyway, under his breath and baji was ready to launch himself at the guy but you pulled him outside.

When you pulled him outside he immediately bombarded you with questions from, are you ok, to, why didn't you tell me you were working here? But he does visit quite often either with chifuyu or on his own. Whenever he does, he tries to have his eyes on you at all times and makes you spend your breaks with him.

He even waits for your shift to end so he could take you home. Also picks you up almost every day unless he's busy. He was honestly kinda mad at you for not telling him you were working there because he wanted to help you as much as he can, even if it's just being your transportation.

❥ ⟆ masterlist

A comfort and a warm.

Ft. Childe/Ajax

Cw : Male Reader, Reader's a florist! Story written from Childe/Ajax POV Ooc childe sobs. RUSHED ASF. Not proofread

Summary : Ajax has always been a lonely person who kept his burden all by himself, but not until a certain boy came to his life and lit his hollow soul ablaze.

A/N : its alr the end of the year lol, i just wanna say a lots and tons of sorry for being so inactive, basically school is destroying my sanity and i've been trying to finish my last request (very sorry to the anon) anw im writing this to fill my blog since its so empty

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After the abyss incident Ajax could feel that he was nothing but a living corpse that seek nothing but power, even when his family was always by his side and comforting him every night saying how grateful they were that he came back home in one piece, yes he may physically came home in one piece but what about his inner mind? Is he still the cheerful and innocent Ajax they used to know?

Ajax's family were very much aware about his abyss incident, and they were aware about how his mental condition were worsening when he joined the Fatui and yet they said and did nothing about it.

He had it said to himself that the day when the fatui took him in, "This is the end of my youth and the beggining of my day as a warrior, from today onward i promise I'll be stronger to protect those i care about." And thus he left his innocence behind and built himself a mask that he hoped will cover any remant of his childhood self.

Sure the masks of personality he built worked, but at what cost?

Ajax felt as if he was hollow, he wondered to himself if he was still alive at this point, everything he said everything he do felt meaningless even when he came home to the welcoming arm of his family he felt that something inside him were missing, sure he may looked happy but.. is that what he truly felt?

But even after all of that, he remembers one certain incident where... he met a certain boy that changes his view of world.

He remembers vividly, it was a pretty sunny day on liyue, as always ajax was wandering aimlessly whilst admiring the calming and busy atmosphere and even occasionally saying Hi to whoever he met whether it was colleagues or just someone he happens to know, that's until he stumbled upon a very familiar face, You.

—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–— Liyue 2 Years ago.

"Goodmorning comrade, is the flower selling well today?" I said to the person as i fasten up my pace and jumping giddily, a liyuean florist whom i and the other Liyuean people adored, because of his well known calm and reserved demeanor and a sweetest smile he earned a sweet title by the children as a "Sunflower Boy"

"Goodmorning, what should i call you today eh, Maybe young master?" He said while chuckling softly, Sadly unbeknownst to the liyue people He an Fatui Agent, A cold blooded killer hiding behind the sweet smile face that watches all over the Liyue.

"Aw come on (Name), lets put the work aside" ajax turned his gaze towards you while fiddling with the flower on display, "This looked fresh, when did u picked this qingxin?" He asked.

"Last mission, i found a place with lots qingxin so why not harvest it from there?" Heh last mission huh?

"Wasn't the last mission i sent u on was a bloodbath?" I said to him.

Huft... you sighed, "if you want to talk the details about the last mission we better not do it here, Childe."

"Oh? Calling by my codename rather than Tartaglia huh? Interesting" he chuckled, "is it a one step of getting closer?"

Honestly if i could ho and visit you everyday, I would.

"Anyway Childe, what brings you here?" He asked while organizing the flower bouquet.

"Well, i just wanted to see you. Beside i needed a flower for teucer, how much for this one" he said while pointing to a flower bouquet, "that one pretty, im sure teucer would love it."

"Teucer huh? Wait.. Teucer is here??" He turned his gaze at me completely shocked, "How come is he here? Did he run off again."

"Of course not! He said he missed Liyue and Teucer is teucer he begged to go to liyue with me."

"Heh Teucer always like that isn't he? Anyway here's your flower bucket sir, dont forget we have a meeting at 7PM today" he gave the flower bucket to me and grabbed my hand softly "Keep the money, beside i don't want my own superior to pay and dont't forget send my regard to teucer." He smiled fondly.

Somehow something inside my heart is burning truly, i could feel my face heatin up and my heart racing.

"Shit." I cursed down my breath and pulled my hand away from his, "Well ahem!, since we have a meeting today why dont i go treat you some meal before we began our work hm? You've been a really good assistant to me too these days, how about we go for third round knockout?"

"Sounds good! I was getting hungry myself." He said giggling, "but first i need to clean up the flower store." He hurriedly packed the flower away.

"Here let me help you comrade."

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Even until these day i wondered why you would hold my hand at the first place, Your hand not so fit for a florist, calloused and littered with scars but yet i somehow still adored it, at that time i wished the time could stop. I wished that we could hold hand a little longer.

A lot of people say that my action are getting a little too visible, how i smiled when his face randomly came on my mind or how sometimes he came to my office bringing the paperwork i need to do while smiling brightly, or maybe the time when he take cares of me while i was sick. I remember vividly, he would came to my office bringing me a cup of hot tea while ushing me to take a rest and said that he would take my place for a while, oh how sweet of him.

Even my fellow harbinger friend "Signora" said

"Poor boy tartaglia, can't even confess his feeling to his own assistant? You know that our job is dangerous right? death is not a uncommon thing here, either you will run out of time or..."

"Or what signora." I said my tone coming out coldly

"You know it already tartaglia."

–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—– 1.45 AM Tartaglia Office

I scribbled down the last stack paperwork i needed to fill and submit whilst feeling that in any second my head could've exploded.

Just what time is it? I turned my head over to the clock sitting next to the sofa clearly showing that its past midnight and yet here i am trying to finish of what seem like non ending paperwork, should i just gave up? I have a free schedule tommorow anyway slacking off a little wouldn't hurt right? Right.

Slowly i could feel that my eyes is getting droopy and my body relaxing, i rested my head down to the desk im working at and slowly drifting to slumber.

But clearly before i was completely sleeping i could hear my office door slowly sliding open following with a long sigh of a certain person?? Honestly i was too tired to even look up and checked who it was.

Again before i knew it the next morning i woke up with a jacket draped over my shoulder and a finished paperwork? Half of it are already submitted i wonder, and a little note saying that i shouldn't overworked myself.

Straightening myself up i take off the jacket and inspected it for a little while finding a nametag signed "(Name)" in it. I couldn't help but let out a little laugh, Why do you care so much about me (Name)?

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After everthing you've done for me, how could i repay you? I remembered one single memory where everything changed, both you and me.

-

Sometimes i could walked down the hallway with a bruised and bloodied body, and yet i never came running down to seek the medical staff, i walked myself to your office, where i know you would stay there and do whatever you needed to do, i know this has been the countless time i did it but yet, you never showed anger you welcomed me with open arms and tended my wound with your gentle hand, a hand that healed my inner self.

I knocked softly on your office door, "(Name) are you there? Its me, i got.. problems."

"Be right there" i could hear a faint shuffling and a rushing steps running to the door.

And the door opened, revealing you with a shocked and somewhat concerned face mixed with "I know this would happen" expression, "Well, good evening comrade as you see uhh i got trouble here." I tried to put my usually bright self.

"Get inside and sit down, let me get my medical kit"

I did as he ordered me to, i sat down to the usualy chair where he tended my wound and maybe sometimes where i would drop in and said Hi to him while he was resting.

"Look Ajax i do not want to hear your reason about this injury, im growing indeed tired of hearing your exact same reason." He said while sitting on a small chair and giving me a gesture to open up my clothes, "Open it i need to see the wounds"

"You know that its better for you to seek the actual medical staff and get yourself patched up there"

"Honestly (Name) my injuries heals faster if the one who patched it up is you" i said while smiling giddily, "But anyway thanks for always doing this though, i know i should've gone to the infirmary but yet i came up running to you"

"Sure yea, this might sting a little stay still."

Sting a little? I couldn't even feel anything when my mind is totally centered to how your hand tended my injuries.

When he patched me up, i stayed silent the rest of the time, i thinked about how he still wants to do this despite scolding me for a thousand time already.

"There and its done" he said while giving my back a little rub, "as i said next time dont overdo it Ajax, anyway here's your clothes the weather is really cold today isnt it?"

"Thank you (Name), and could i ask you something?"

"Ask away Ajax"

"Why do you keep doing this, despite of how many time you said to me that i was a nuisance? And the amount of stuff you did to me. Truly it did leave a mark at my heart, You know that time? When we met and talked at your flower shop and you hold my hand? I swear i couldm't get enough of it, and you know i've been holding myself to say this. I Liked you alot! More than friends if you are wondering, its fine if you dont feel the same, atleast i could get it out of my chest" i poured all the feeling i've been holding on for so many days, secretly i hoped that you would share the same feelings with me.

"And (Name) being with you truly healed my inner self, You did keep me sane the whole time you know that?" I laughed, while trying to hold in the little tears that pooled around the corner of my eye.

"Well Ajax, In fact i did share the same feeling with you, I Liked you too! Way longer than you did, i strucked love when i met you on your recruit days, we were on the same teams that day"

He said while Holding our hand together, but this time it was more genuine.

"I.. how could i not know then?"

"Maybe because you're too busy getting that harbinger title"

"(Name) i do not know how to respond to this, truly thank you, Thank you for everything." I squezzed his hand gently, "Thank You."

I never felt anything more happy than this, That day i feel that he has set my hollow soul ablaze.

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Bonus lmao :

"Hey (Name)" i turned my sight to him

"Yes?"

"Could i ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Kiss the injuries it helps them heals faster"

"....."

"No"

(Name) proceeds to smother ajax w little kisses and yes it make Ajax giggle and kicks his feet like a damn toddler

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Note : Thanks i know that this cringe but thank you truly.

Presented to my silly babi @adrifts-home

Jian Yi + He Tian = chaotic siblings energy

- Takemichi Hanagaki appreciation post:

“Hakkai…Fighting on isn´t painful. What hurts more than anything…is loneliness.”

The Gray Raven family + Kamui

Warnings: Profanity, angst.

“Again, does anybody have a lighter?” Price asked a little louder this time.

Soap gently elbowed Ghost on the side. Ghost only turned to look at him, tilting his head a little to show his annoyance.

They were almost in the middle of nowhere. At least they had electricity and water. What they did not have was a lighter, thus Price’s moaning. He was going to light up a cigar.

Ghost knew why Soap was elbowing him. Soap was referring to that lighter in Ghost’s pocket. The one he held personally for himself and himself only.

So, Ghost ignored the sergeant. Price had arrived in front of them by then.

“Simon, you smoke,” Price brought up.

“I don’t have a lighter,” Ghost said.

“You pray with it every night,” Soap muttered.

Price and Ghost looked at him. Ghost was practically glaring at Soap. Soap looked like he wished he had not said a word.

“Am I missing something?” Price asked.

Ghost said nothing and now Price was also looking at Soap rather intimidatingly.

“I… Ghost has a lighter,” Soap said.

“I don’t,” Ghost insisted.

Price now turned his expecting glare at Ghost. That got Soap a little confident to proceed.

“As I said, he basically prayed with it every night before he sleeps,” Soap continued.

“Just this once, Simon, I will lose my shit if I can’t get this cigar lit up,” Price said.

Ghost did not react at first, but seeing that the two of them were not going to let this go, he shot a final murderous glare at Soap before putting his hand into his pocket. He held the lighter in his palm and pulled it out of his pocket. 

Looking at the captain, Ghost almost did not want to hand out the lighter. However, he ended up opening his palm and revealed the lighter that sat on his palm.

It was as if the whole area turned frozen. Gaz had just walked in and saw the reveal. Even he stopped at his track.

The lighter was yours. It used to be yours. It did belong to you. It did not belong to you anymore. It belonged to Ghost now. You gave it to him before your last mission. The mission that got you killed.

Every thing was fine before that—no, every thing was perfect.

Ghost and you were basically a nightmare couple. A nightmare as in badass motherfuckers who got shit done effectively. Sure, there were flaws such as the constant passive-agressive flirting, recklessness, and tense eye contacts, but, damn… the two of you were great at your job together.

That last mission was indeed going to be your last mission because you decided to not renew your military contract and you both were about to get married. Without telling anyone. However, the others just knew. They always knew that the two of you would end up together one way or another.

Then, shit happened. The worst happened. The irony.

You ended up buried under the ground and became a memory. Ghost ended up here, with these three, more bitter than he ever was.

You always had his heart and it was buried with you. Whatever sentimental left in him, it was out of respect of the memory of you. Of the memory you both were about to make and never did.

Price, Gaz, and Soap never brought you up. Not since the funeral. Price tried and Ghost ended up walking out of the room without saying anything, slamming the door on his way out.

This would be the first time anything about you ever came up ever since that incident. Soap had no idea it was the lighter. Ever. So, his heart did not only stop when he saw it, it would blow up if it could. Gaz used to borrow the lighter to do tricks, so he would recognise it from afar. Price had his cigars lit up by the lighter a few times before.

The four of them were frozen there for quite some time.

“So, we don’t have a lighter,” Price concluded before anyone of them started bursting into either anger or tears.

“Yeah, we don’t,” Soap nodded. “Steamin’ Jesus.”

“You know, there’s a stove in the kitchen. You can light your cigar up with it,” Gaz brought up. “I’m about to cook something, too.”

“Right, right,” Price nodded before walking away.

“I’ll help make sure no one’s burning anything down and get us compromised,” Soap stated before leaving the area.

Ghost stayed where he stood a while after they left. He stared at the lighter for some time, thinking about what you might say if you were still here. None of them would be this messy. The four of them would likely be laughing right now of some stupid joke you made.

Maybe you were still here. He might be the Ghost, but you were the ghost now. Maybe you were laughing at them right now.

“Would’ve been nice if you’re here,” Ghost said under his breath before pocketing the lighter back.

Yes.

Okay seriously. Reblog if you're OLDER than 11.

GO GO

GOOD MORNING! FEAT: CHILDE, AYATO, AND DILUC

CHILDE

he sleeps in whale pajamas he's had snice he was 8 years old.

they don't fit him anymore, so he just wears the top to sleep

snores loud af

(please stfu)

plays some stupid ass noise to help him sleep

he can't wake up fast enough to make it to morning meetings

so you usually make breakfast most days

when (if) he does wake up, he'll just stand there. watching you. with his beady little blue eyes "childe, please let go..." you needed to get to a very important meeting in the morning, and your boyfriend just wouldn't let go. and you were running short on time "childe i need to go to a meeting." since you weren't even close to his strength, he had you traped until he wanted you to leave the covers. "just...just 5 more minutes darling." he was drooling on your arm, his leg lazily tossed over yours, forever trapping you. "no, childe. let me go." you started playfully thrashing around to get an attempt to scurry out of bed and run away before he could drag you back in. and the most chide did was let out a groan. and it didn't help that you were getting pretty close to falling back asleep, probably as childe planned. "just.. just 5 more minutes ok y/n? then we can go and-" you took him relaxing to toss yourself out of bed, on the floor, with a thud. "PFFT-" childe stifled laughter, well looks who was finally awake. "FUCK-" you rolled onto your back, groaning in pain "can you wake up now childe?" you slowly made your way back on your feet. "no, well-" his grabby little hands reached out to grab you "no, i can't wake up." and now back to square one, stuck in his arms. "childe-" "shhh shhhh~ shhhh~~~~ go to bed" he was cradling you like a baby, stroking your hair and whispering in your ear. (creepy much?) "ok...just 5 more minutes ok childe?" yeaaa... 5 minutes my ass. it was an hour until childe's alarm finally got him up. and while it was good that you were his secretary because you knew you couldn't get fired. but that meeting had a lot of information that was vital for the fatui's success. well! "y.n~~" he placed soft kisses on your face "good morning~!" "childe... what time is it." you knew you'd overslept, you felt like it was a weekend. "childe." "it's 8.00 AM..." "AJAX!" you flew out of bed, listening to childe's laughs and giggles "GOD FUCKING DAMNIT, YOU FIX YOUR OWN BREAKFAST." going to your closet throwing basically everything out, and put on the collared shirt and pants, then grabbing the tie from the rack. throwing off your pajamas right into cihlde's face so you could avoid being even later with his remarks. then throwing on your dress shirt and jumping into your pants. "need help with your tie?" he was now sitting up in bed, signaling you to come over. "pull me into bed one more time ajax, and i will burn all of your files." "wouldn't dare." he hummed tieing your tie while having a happy grin on his face. then he pulled you by the newly tied tie and placed a kiss on your cheek. "i love you y.n." "yea yea!" you pulled away from him and rushed to the bathroom to fix your hair. hearing childes whines in the background. luckily he was all ready to go to work by the time you got out of the bathroom, looking composed, ready, and professional. but childe...well "you're going to work with bed head?" you motioned to his head. flaming ginger locks flying everywhere "i understand why scaramouche makes fun of you. i would too." "yea but you still love me sooo~" slipping on your shoes, you opened the door for childe to leave... with his hair everywhere. lovely. at least you made it to work at all. waking up in the same bed as childe was war to get up.

AYATO

he wakes up first

it's creepy

and then he'll force you to get up with him, causing some minor fights in the mornings

he'd kill you if you made him miss a meeting

god forbid you to muddy his reputation

but you guys always have breakfast together, you might still be mad from him interrupting your slumber, but you'll get over it (hopefully) "y.n, we have a meeting at 9 sharp." ayato tried to wake you up, but you've been refusing for the past 30 minutes, refusing to get up or letting him go for that matter. you had him trapped in your arms, yes he could break through your arms but he needed to make sure you could get up and stay awake, key word, stay. so the best way to ensure that was to make you wake up with him. "ayato can't we just skip this meeting?" you tossed and turned, digging yourself more into the covers, letting go of ayato "here you go and then you can tell me *yawn* all about it?" "no y.n, get up." ayato made his way out of bed and tore off the covers, leaving you to toss and turn and then groan "this meeting is very important, i trust you'll be able to get up now." he tossed the heap of covers to the corner of your shared bedroom "mhmm." you turned one more time, then sat up showing ayato that you were, in fact, awake, hair a mess. then once you heard the door shut, you flopped back down and went back to sleep, slightly colder. there was no way he could be that mad at you. he was your husband after all! no, he was pissed, very, very pissed "Y.N KAMISATO." you heard the door opening, you had just now gotten up and your husband was booming into your guys' room like a race car. your head crooked like a deer in headlights. "..yes?" yea, he was pissed "how many times did i ask you to get up?" but got he was so hot being pissed "a few? but ayato i said you could just tell me what happens-" "yes, but that's not the same as being there y.n. you do realize that, right? and imagine the embarrassment of telling everyone you couldn't make it, to a 9 o'clock meeting since you slept in?" yea no he was hot mad, definitely "i'll do all my paperwork and turn it in! i'll review the finances! i'll do everything to make it better, okay?" "those are things you've agreed to since I married you." ayato deadpanned at you. usually, agreeing to do your work would make him happier, but he wasn't having any of it. "then... ill get up with you can clean with thoma!!" YES! this was the best idea- "no, we've hired thoma and maids for that very job y.n. just come to breakfast ok?" well, you were right. he wasn't that mad at you after all. and with a kiss on your cheek, you were brought out to enjoy breakfast with the hot and sticky inazuma air, something you also hated.

DILUC

very strict about when he wakes up and goes to sleep 100%

and that also applies to you

he's the kind of guy to like open the blinds first thing in the morning

but on weekends he will just sleep in with you in his arms

so when you won't get up in the mornings, issues... arise "Y.N" diluc busted through the door of the shared bedroom "Y.N L.N." you slowly woke up, but diluc was at your side, shaking you awake. "huh- what? what? are you ok?" you thought someone hurt him, or something had happened in mondstat. but no, you had just woken up late for an important meeting with one of the economical groups in mondstat. "Y.N THE- THE COMPANY GOING TO MEET WITH ANGELS SHARE, GET DRESSED!" he threw clothes at you as you rubbed your sleepy eyes. "diluc..that's your company. that's all your issue" you dug yourself deep in the sheets and tried to fall asleep again "y.n if you don't get out of that bed im going to toss all the sheets off and force you to get up and get ready." "do it, i dare you." that was his final straw, he loved you very much. but that love came to a point. and he really did it, he ripped off the sheets and you curled your body up more. "FUCK!" you flew out strings of curses and groaning. "y.n, get up." he was planning something in his head, something very mean and cruel. he grabbed your ankle and unfolded your fetal position, you kicked and whined. you were already awake, but getting ready was just too much. "diluccc can you put my socks on?" you were just spread out on the bed without sheets, holding up a foot and moving it left to right. "y.n..." he went to the closet and grabbed a pair of socks and put them on you as you smiled at your husband. god, he was so cute. "how about you hand me my fancy clothes you tossed off with the sheets?" you stilled lied there, knowing he would do anything for you guys to be on time "fine y.n." he reached down with a groan and threw your clothes on you for a second time that morning "now get changed." you walked out of the bedroom room, throwing your hands up and twirling, showing off the outfit. "see diluc, i can get ready in time for your meetings!" you smiled at his deadpanned face "fine, i'm sorry for making your morning difficult. i didn't mean to and i won't do it again.." he got out from the chair, placing the newspaper down and engulfed you into a large hug. "i love you y.n." "i love you too diluc." he kissed your forehead as your guys headed out, the maids fangirling over your relationship. diluc could be cute sometimes.

amusing beginnings.

premise: the dramatic prelude of a tale spun by the workings of fate, weaved with strings of scarlet linking futures untold. this is a story of innocence, of unforeseen encounters offering no clue of a romance that will blossom much, much later — this is how you begin together, yet there is no telling if there will ever be a proper conclusion for the prose you call love.

or, plainly speaking, a series of meet-cute scenarios i am far too lazy dedicating individual fics for. i just wanted to sound smart about it.

includes: xiao & itto !

xiao, a friend from an mmo game

moving to a different town and entering a new school in the middle of the year... are inconvenient. friend groups within the class had already been established, and badgering your seatmate to put up with your presence during lunch break or free time outside of lessons when you just don't click together as friends doesn't sound very appealing.

it doesn't help that you aren't extroverted, bumbling and awkward as you try to interact with others more. but if you don't want to feel like a loser for the entire year, you'd have to exert some effort to make friends.

so when you hear about a multiplayer game everyone's been raving about, you thought that was your chance to fit in — after all, if you had common interests with your classmates, couldn't you invite them to play together or something?

thus, you download the game, lament the astronomical numbers of space it took up in your storage, and experiment with the controls until you get more familiar with them.

except some high-leveled assholes who have nothing better to do keep killing your poor level 1 in-game character, armed with a dull sword, starter equipment, and flimsy armor that had no way to defend against level 41 fire blasts, and wait until you respawn to do it all over again. with this hindering your progress, you couldn't complete the main quest in order to advance to the next area.

they taunt you in the world chat, too obnoxiously prideful for someone miserable enough to pick on amateurs, and that's when he appears:

geared in what looks like expensive armor, equipped with rare weapons retrieved from the highest difficulty of dungeons, his name written in bright front and his level, 174, just above it. alatus, his ID reads.

it takes him no more than one move to wipe them all out.

what are you doing? he types in the world chat. hurry up and go before they respawn.

thank you so much!!!!! you reply with a flurry of exclamation points and emotes, shocked that you'd run into someone so high leveled right off the bat. the other players in the server watching the spectacle seem to think he's intimidating and steered clear of him, making a wide circle around you.

though he told you to hurry up, he lingers by your side, almost like he's guarding you. he escorts you all the way until you finish the main quest, not speaking a word and only silently killing surrounding enemies too high for your level.

you wonder if it would be too cheeky of you to send a friend request; he's one of the best in the server, boasting all kinds of achievements and artifacts in his player profile. why would he be interested in befriending a newbie like you?

you're terrible at this, he sends in the chat. this is the first i've seen anyone flubbing basic attacks. don't just press any button you see.

you cringe. his words are harsh but truthful. you kept pressing the wrong buttons to dodge and always receive the brunt of the attacks.

however, you pause when a notification flashes on your screen: player alatus has sent you a friend request! accept or decline?

jolting, you scramble to click accept, lest he take it back last minute. can he even do that? whatever. following that is a present from a friend sent to your mailbox, a pair of level 50 dual blades and defensive armor. they pale in comparison to his current gear, but they're plenty powerful for normal players, especially for an amateur who barely just reached level 7 after grinding some missions (and with help).

old equipment. needed to clear out my inventory, he adds, as if he doesn't want you to get the wrong idea.

you've lost track for the amount of times you've thanked him in the past hour or so, and you try to send more exclamation points and different emotes so you wouldn't appear like a broken record. though i appreciate everything, can i ask you why you're helping a new player like me? you ask tentatively, eager to hear his answer.

there isn't much else you can do at this level. that's all there is to it. and you were pitiful.

...kind of pretentious, but okay...

can i play with you again some other time? you type before the thought of wanting to do so even registers in your mind. not just so you can help me. it's been really fun spending time with you!!!

three minutes of silence pass. your confidence to reach out and make friends shriveled up and died.

sure.

then, later, i usually play at evening or at midnight. our schedules might not line up.

there's no problem! i stay up most nights, too!

then i'll see you some other time. i'm logging off.

relief crashes over you, only dwindling when alatus has gone offline. he was fine with being friends... and promised to play together again in the future... well, maybe not promise, but something like it, and that's enough.

--

the months fly by, and opposed to your prior concerns, you fit in class just fine. playing the mmo game to have a common interest with your classmates was the right move, and it had opened ways for you to connect with others more through other similar hobbies.

but even after you achieved your goal, you didn't drop the game. you're not the most avid player, but you grind dungeons a normal amount, clearing time-limited events if you find them entertaining enough.

it's mostly just to spend time with alatus, though.

alatus, or xiao as you later learned after you exchanged your real names, is quite the charmer. not that you've ever seen his face; he is just... cute, in general. he appears gruff and intimidating, but really, he's an awkward guy who can't act soft because it's “undignified.”

you think he is sweet and kind, though you'll never say it to his face since it'll only make him feel embarrassed. not only does he come to save you each time you tell him you're having a hard time defeating a boss in your private chat, and he gives away precious weaponry and potions to you exclusively as if any other player wouldn't willingly hand over all their gold just to get a piece of it, he makes a great listener.

you have a bad habit of rambling and getting immersed in your thoughts at late hours of the night. you speak of your insecurities, your weaknesses, your fears, and he listens even if he doesn't type a reply all throughout your flood of messages. he keeps his response concise, but they're thoughtful advice, ones that you take into heart. he's a comforting figure, regardless of being a stranger behind a screen.

sometimes, you like to think you're sorta the same for him. xiao isn't as straightforward as you when he wants company, but he asks if you can stay online longer than usual, just to talk or to do the more relaxing tasks in the game. he trusts you to an extent, enough to offer exchanging real names at least.

enough to ask you to marry him.

your in-game character, of course! what else could that possibly mean?! okay, so you may have nearly fallen out of your chair in shock when he sent you a marriage proposal through chat of all things, but that's all it means! nothing more!

there was a couples-exclusive event dungeon, and the loot was desirable. some beautiful skins for pure cosmetic, and also a power-enhancing ring that you couldn't find anywhere else. xiao, the game nerd that he is, couldn't pass it up.

so yeah. technically, you can say you married him.

it was a hot topic at some point. alatus was one of the best players in the server, notorious for his aversion to cooperating with others, and he hadn't married anyone despite all the rewards you could reap with the marriage function.

then there's you, level 47, not especially skilled in anything, not especially appealing in your character's outward appearance, and not especially... notable. the very meaning of an average player, so to speak. he specifically chose you, but nobody could understand why.

well. whatever. the marriage is old news already. the present hottest news is the huge gaming convention to come in two weeks. fans are hyping it up and you'd be lying if you said you weren't excited too. in fact, your friends already made plans with you to come on a weekend.

when you talk to xiao about it, there's a rare moment of hesitance before he types out a reply, almost like the times where he gets nervous before asking you a favor.

are you going too? you ask, grinning to yourself.

yeah, he answers back. a minute and a half of silence.

then, startlingly, do you want to meet up?

you've always doubted the feasibility of choking on air before, but after experiencing it firsthand, you learn that anything really is possible. including meeting the elusive guy you've had a massive crush on, no matter how unlikely it seemed.

--

you are severely late.

but! for good reason! you'd hate to look like a hobo, so you made sure to dress nicely! ...maybe too nicely for a gaming convention where everyone will be sweaty and icky, but better prepared than sorry!

somehow, i'm not even surprised, reads xiao's text — yes! you exchanged numbers! — and you can picture him scoffing at the other end. don't rush and trip in the middle of running. i'm not going anywhere.

you ignore the way your heart skips a beat at that and focus on getting there safely. he said to do just that, after all. but while waiting at the crosswalk, you wonder what xiao really looks like... would he be tall and scary? or unexpectedly soft and cute?

in all honesty, you should've sent pictures of yourselves to identify each other easier at the venue, but against your better judgment, you suggested only describing your attire and keeping your appearances a secret because the mystery is “fun” and it'd be nicer to see each other for the first time face to face. (you've only been trying to prolong your inevitable death, because whatever he looks like, you're bound to fall deeper anyway.)

i'm here, you text to him, beginning to anxiously look around your surroundings. he said to meet up at the entrance, and there are more people than you expected...

i'll find you. stay by the first advertisement banner at the front.

alright!

you bite your lip, clammy hands holding your phone tightly. you're a lot more nervous than you thought you would be. did you look okay? you've asked your friends over and over again if you looked presentable, enough times to annoy them, probably. you styled your hair differently too... you wonder if it looks weird. xiao said he would be wearing a green jacket and dark pants, and he had piercings in his ear, and then you can't remember what else because oh my god, what does xiao look like with piercings in his ear.

you snap out of your thoughts when a path opens up in front of you. first, there are disgruntled noises from people being pushed away, then they disappear like wisps of smoke the second after. quiet gasps of surprise come from the group of girls nearby, and if you had to guess, it would likely be a good-looking cosplayer passing by.

the figure stops in front of you, sneakers in your line of sight where you stare blankly at the floor. slowly, your eyes rake up — dark fitting jeans, a trail of silver chains disappearing under the hem of a green jacket, a white shirt printed with dragons...

you're reluctant to glance anywhere higher above the line of his neck.

“[name]?”

fuck.

it's him.

you take a deep breath, squeezing your eyes shut. then you look up, properly.

you see golden eyes, specks of stars glittering in his irises.

his skin is pale, pink from the warm sun. his lips are pink too, a traitorous part of your mind marvels, slightly parted in surprise and shaped around an o. his hair is dark, tied up into a messy ponytail, sharp tips dyed in teal poking his cheek, framing the sides of his face.

oh no. he's hot.

he is so hot.

and he's staring at you.

“x... xiao?” your voice comes out strangled. embarrassingly. oh god. you are so fucked.

his face grows redder, and he scratches his cheek. “...that's me.”

silence.

you have to say something.

“do you... want to go outside?” he coughs into a fist. “the event has already started.”

“uh, yeah! sure! of course!” you ramble, walking past him in the hopes you wouldn't make a bigger fool of yourself. your face looks weird, surely. “i can't wait to see the cosplayers! they're also announcing a new chapter for the main story today, aren't th-”

“wait.”

he catches your wrist. you stop breathing, at risk of choking on air again.

“it's crowded.” his hand curls tighter. oh no. “don't get lost.”

“i won't, what are you talking about?” you laugh awkwardly. seeing him, hearing him, touching him, is such a strange thing.

“i wouldn't be surprised if you did.” his fingers dip lower, fitting in the spaces within yours. properly holding your hand. oh. oh. “so don't wander off without me.”

“yeah.” you're positively breathless. “yeah. i won't.”

he squeezes your hand. you're not looking at him directly, but you see him tilting his head at the corner of your eye. “...no complaints about this?”

“none at all.”

“okay.” he squeezes again. carefully, tenderly. his palms are sweaty. at least that tells you you're not the only one nervous. “if you say so.”

itto, a delinquent in the downpour

arataki itto is an idiot.

an idiot who keeps picking fights with people he can't beat, and kujou sara tells him off for it. an idiot who grabs the last piece of fried chicken on the table, agrees to thoma's proposal for a battle of rock-paper-scissors to get it, only for itto to lose each time. an idiot who bets on his entire deck of trading cards in his beetle fights, never truly realizing the risk until he'd already lost everything to kamisato ayato.

but arataki itto doesn't regret.

he doesn't regret trying to beat kujou sara even if it's his loss in the end, because she doesn't look down on him for losing and his friends are always there to patch him up. he doesn't regret doing rock-paper-scissors with thoma, because thoma would end up sharing the piece of chicken anyway. he doesn't regret betting on his deck, because ayato is never greedy, and he will always, always give it back to itto and tell him to try better next time.

arataki itto doesn't regret it this time either, even if he doesn't gain anything. even when he's battered and bruised, drenched in the rain, slumped against a wall in the middle of a dark alley. even when the boy he just saved from money-grubbing hooligans didn't spare him another look nor gave him any word of thanks, left him to fend for himself when the men's hostility had already been directed at him. never called for help, either, just allowed him to be outnumbered in a fight, and as strong itto is, there's no way he can beat five bulky guys on his own.

he doesn't regret, but it stings a little.

his entire body prickles with hurt, but at the same time he's unfeeling, numb in the cold rain. his line of sight is getting blurry, too, blobs of color instead of people darting past, streetlights small bright spots like fireflies.

he tries to open his mouth to ask for help, but that stings too. a busted lip, maybe. his voice is feeble, silent in his own ears. it can't be heard over the pouring rain. he tries to sit up straighter, but the effort to nudge his shoulder back exhausts all his energy. he wants to reach out a hand at least, but before he can even try, his body won't listen to him. his eyes close against his wishes.

he knows for sure he isn't too deep in the alley. can't anybody see him? or are they deliberately ignoring him because they don't want trouble? there's nothing wrong with that, really. not everyone has the time to help, or the bravery to approach a big guy covered in wounds. he understands. but he still hopes anyway.

ah, it's cold. the brick wall behind him is rough. his clothes are uncomfortable, sticking to his skin like this.

he forces his eyes open. there, he sees a pair of shoes, forming ripples across puddles when they step closer.

they halt.

they turn the opposite direction.

they leave him alone.

(he doesn't notice the umbrella they leave behind.)

--

he wakes up to someone patting his cheek. someone is speaking, but everything is muddled. it's still cold, and his back is still resting against the brick wall. but there's no rain anymore, only the pitter-patter sound when it hit the pavement.

he wonders how long he'd been shielded away from it.

“...llo... can... stand...”

stand. do they want him to stand? he's afraid that's too much to ask for.

the rain covers him again, icy drops falling on his skin. warmth overlaps with the frost, grabbing his arm, curling it around... something. he's being lifted up. not very effectively, but they're trying.

so he tries his best too. shifting his weight, blinking his eyes open, staying awake. they take him somewhere. it's dry, and when they push him over, it's to a plush seat. they don't complain when he leans his head on their shoulder, possibly soaking their clothes with his wet hair. he has to apologize, but sleep overtakes him.

itto doesn't remember much after that. just a hand on his forehead for some time, parts of his body wiped and wrapped in gauze. a blanket tucked carefully around him, fingertips brushing by his shoulders before they leave.

--

when he fully comes to, the first thing that registers to his mind is a room full of white. white sheets, white ceilings, white curtains. then a head of blue hair, standing by the window.

“oh, you're awake!” ayato exclaims, beyond relieved. “i was surprised when i picked up your call and it was someone else speaking. good thing they rushed you to the hospital, huh?”

“someone took me here?” itto asks, sitting up. “where are they?”

“they took off after i arrived. said they were late to an interview because they had to stay here... ah. that must've meant they probably didn't get the job...” he murmurs, grimacing. “i should've asked for their number so we can thank them properly. no point trying to find them now, though.”

but itto saw them. not very clearly, but he remembers kind eyes glazed in worry, a shirt partly soaked through, and a silver star hanging from their necklace.

arataki itto was never especially smart, but if anything, he is stubborn, and if he put his mind to it, he can do anything.

--

“isn't there any part-time job out there that doesn't pay minimum wage?”

“what? you saving up for something?”

“summer vacation is coming, you know! vacation trips aren't going to pay for themselves,” you sigh, burying your face in your folded arms.

“it's not like you have a boyfriend to spend it with.”

“can't i go on a vacation with friends?”

“and who are these friends you speak of? everyone is dating somebody. they're probably too busy,” she retorts, looking envious. “even xiao has someone when all he does is play games everyday.”

you scrunch your nose. “damn those happy idiots...”

“that aside, i thought you found a good part-time job? you didn't get it?”

hearing that, you turn even gloomier. “i didn't tell you? i blew it. i came late on the interview, and that didn't make a very good first impression. plus i looked horrible from the rain.”

“hm. find a rich boyfriend, then.”

“like who...?”

“kamisato ayato from the other department?” your friend suggests, grinning. “he's good looking. his sister is pretty too, i saw them walking together once.”

you snort. “way out of my league. i'm better off not hoping.”

“don't be like that~ i heard he was going to attend the next mixer. thoma told me himself-”

the door to the lecture hall opens, interrupting your conversation. “is [name] here?” a voice queried, rough and a tad bit too loud.

“right he-”

your friend slaps a hand over your mouth frantically, turning you away from the door. “what are you doing?!”

“what?” you blink up at her, whispering, “he's asking for me, isn't he?”

“didn't you see who it was?” she hisses, shielding you from view. “arataki itto! the one who beat up a senior on his first day as a freshman, remember?!”

arataki itto?

doesn't ring a bell.

“come on, that's just a ridiculous rumor, isn't it?” you wave her off, laughing. “wasn't kazuha rumored to have a criminal record at some point? you should know better than to believe them. so don't worry and let go of me, i'm sure he's not-”

your eyes flit to his sharp eyes, gleaming with intent, and his muscular build that could probably crush your skull with a single hand.

“...going to kill me...” your voice trails of too a whisper, face paling in horror. “on second thought, please be my meat shield?”

“[n-name] is over there!” a terrified classmate points in your direction the moment itto turns to glance at him inquisitively. a snitch! a tattletale! you're never lending him your notes ever again. given that you live another day, that is.

“oh. thanks.”

how polite! thanking him for his contribution in your likely murder!

“wait wait wait, what does he want with me?!” you shrink further behind your friend, but there is no escape. he can see you peeking over her shoulder.

“shouldn't you know that?! did you piss him off or something?!”

“i don't know! i've never seen him before!” you cried. you really haven't! you swear you have nothing to do with him! you don't deal with people who look like trouble! sure you might have dragged a delinquent to the hospital a few weeks before, but he was unconscious and defenseless! he could barely stand! this guy can punt you off to mars!

“you're [name], right?” his eyes sparkle with recognition, just an arm's width away from you now. your friend, traitor that she is, silently moves away.

an involuntary squeak is punched out of your lungs. “y... yes, that's me,” you respond meekly, attempting a wobbly smile. “did you need me for something?”

itto clears his throat, expression similar to that of a constipated man's. “well... that is... i was... how do i say this...”

the deafening silence stretches for what seems like hours. the back of your neck prickles at the attention, everyone's eyes focused solely on the pair of you. you can't read him at all. what kind of offense did you do that he had to come to you like this?

“ah, dang it, 'm not good at things like this...” he grumbles, scratching his head.

eh? what is he not good at? public execution? no, no, he wouldn't go that far right?

“so, what i'm trying to say is-!”

he flails about, thrusting out the hands he'd been hiding behind his back. a bouquet of pink roses, delicate and small, is curled within his grasp. your eyes widen, taken aback, turning even wider when you see the way his cheeks redden, entire face aflame, fingers trembling nervously. his face, pinched tight with restless energy, is nothing but earnest and sincere.

“i admire you a lot! i...” he takes an intake of breath. “i would like to court you!”

and, ever so eloquently, you respond with, “wuh?”