Some After Party Kinda Thing :^)

[video]

Genshin Impact 2.5 - Anime Version

Prince of Abyss [Aether x Male Reader]

Notes: Instead of being Lumine as Princess of Abyss, Aether will be the prince while Lumine will be the MC.

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Hello! Can I request an angst (with a good ending) scenario of Childe and Diluc (seperate) x reader? possibly them physically harming reader by accident during an argument but it ends good/comforting if that makes sense! ^^

— # 🫐Lingering Pain | Genshin Men ✘ Reader(s) HeadCannons

⤤ Summary: Genshin men are busy trying to do work while you (aka reader) attempt to help relieve their stress, when they accidentally throw their elbow towards their way, with the anger of their vision releasing. Cutting or burning or hitting your arm.

⤤ Notes: I tried to make this as accidentally as possible cause I don’t want to romanticize abuse and etc. So hopefully it doesn’t come off that way. But I will flat out say it seems toxic, so this isn’t romantic. I kinda experienced something like this but it wasn’t physically and more mentally. So sorry if this fic came off too personal. Also apologies to misspelling.

⤤ Characters: Childe & Diluc

⤤ Warnings: Physical Harm + Burns + Cuts - GN! Reader + Angst & Fluff + Toxic + Cussing/Swearing

Diluc | Burns

You entered the room carefully, with a tray of food and grape juice. You noticed your husband working harder than usual, as he had basically all of his attention on his work. It’s been going on for nearly 3 weeks.

It’s been so long, since you had a decent conversation. And due to his heavy amount of work, he hardly even sleeps besides you like he usually does. You wanted to interfered but feared of only annoying him. You kept quiet, but even Jean and Lisa suggested you try and talk to him.

“I brought you dinner” you greet, walking up to behind Diluc. He seemed stressed due to his gestures, and had stacks of papers overflowing. You smile a bit, trying to lighten the mood but nothing seemed to work. Because he didn’t even lift up his eyes from his work.

He let out a muffled groan, as you stood little bit behind him. Noticing how much papers he had to analyze and sign. It did seem stressful.

“A-Are you okay..?” You ended up finding yourself stuttering upon the question. You were scared of angering him.

“I’m fine” he said coldly.

You could tell he wasn’t. You placed the tray of food besides him, and keeping your arms and hands close to your chest. Your lips shivered a bit, but you shook your head.

It’s your husband, he cannot get that mad if I disturb him for a little… can he?

“Diluc you don’t seem fin-“ you started but before you could finish he had slammed his hands on the table in frustration. You grew startled as your shoulders shivered a bit.

“I have work to do honey…” he mumbled in frustration. Gesturing his hand hoping you would walk away.

You let out a sigh of frustration.

“Diluc… you should take a break” you stated, nervously. “You’ve been working way too hard.”

“I just need to finish my work” his voice lowered.

“I know, I know but have you tried to relax yourself?” You continue. Only pushing his buttons.

He let out a cold sigh.

“Can you leave?” He asked but you shook your head, getting frustrated yourself.

“Diluc, you need to take a break!” You raise your voice, which only pisses him off even more. “You’ve been doing so much work, you hardly pay attention to me anymore!”

Diluc became quiet. Biting his lower lip. You could feel yourself getting angry, but you felt like you have held these emotions for too long.

“Diluc,” you started. Diluc glared his attention towards you. “Do you even care about me anymore!?”

Your last question being a yell. He turned around so swiftly, attempting to gesture his elbow so that you could leave. And ever so accidentally, using his vision by a mistake out of anger. Flames leaving from his hands, as they whooshed right by your elbow and arm.

Leaving dark burns right there. You watched as your once flawless skin, now had deep and dark marks on them. You looked at him, to see that his eyes were now widened with fear and sadness. And full of regret.

His eyes had actually darken to that regret. To that guilt. But it didn’t matter. At the end of the day, you gained a burn. From your own husband. You could feel tears form from the corner of your eyes. Not only due to the burns that were given, but because he had hurt you.

You knew and assumed it was an accident. But either way it still hurt. He had a guilty expression on his face, as even he started to form tears in the corner of his eyes. He attempted to reach out to you, but you farted away from him, heading towards the door in a hurry.

“I’ll leave you alone…” you mumbled. “Sorry… sir”

He realizes you said ‘sir’ instead of his name. Which only made quiet rushing tears fall down to his face, as he watched you close the door shut. Hearing your footsteps down the hall, before you climbed up the stairs. Sobbing quietly.

— — —

You laid in bed, trying to fall asleep. It was quite hard though, since your husband wasn’t besides you. You always fell asleep to your husband holding you, or you holding him.

But you could feel his presence by the door frame. He had recently gotten home, from the work he participates in all night. He watched your body, wrapped in the sheets, shifting due to his non-existence presence.

“Dear…” he said quietly. But you don’t bother to turn your head, or gesture your body towards him. You just keep your back towards him, looking through the open window. You didn’t want to speak to him nor talk to him.

He let out a sigh, placing his things down to the corner of the room. You hear him shut the door, and was hoping he was gone. But you could hear his footsteps from inside the room.

“Leave.” You say loudly and clearly. You didn’t want to talk to him, despite how much you missed him sleeping besides you. He let out a sad groan.

“Dear, please…” he stated walking carefully towards you. You didn’t say anything. You just pressed your head deeper into the pillow. He walked over to the other side of the bed, before bending down right in front of you.

You could see him, but you just wanted him to leave. But a small part of you wanted to hear him say sorry and you could hopefully have him sleep besides him again. You could feel him grab onto your wrist, pulling it from under the blanket.

The burns he had accidentally left on your arm. Seeing that it was now purple, only made him feel more guilty. And you couldn’t help but start crying again, sobbing deeply into your pillow.

Diluc let out a sigh pushing most of the blankets off of you, and picking you up.

“Put me down” you sobbed trying to push yourself away from him, but he didn’t listen nor seem to care to those words. As he carried you to the out of the room and into the bathroom, to place bandages on you and your arm.

He continued to watch as you sobbed, before placing you on the counter top, besides the sink. He kept his head lowered, trying to hide his tears, but it was impossible. Since his tears kept dripping down to his jaw and then the floor.

He took the bandages out, but failed to even put them on your arm where the burns were. The burns were small. Very small, but they were visible. And either way he had still harmed you. Accident or not.

“I-I’m sorry” his words parting from each other. He was choking on his words. He couldn’t help but place his head on your shoulder, like he always does when he cries. He always had a strange habit of doing so.

You could feel his tears drip from your shoulders and down your body whiles your stopped. And as much as he had a habit of laying his head on your shoulder, you had a bad habit of playing with his hair when he cried.

You choked out a chuckle from your sobs.

“Don’t cry-“

“I’m so, sorry!”

Childe | Cuts

“What!?” Childe shouted loudly. You crossed your arms trying to not let tears escape.

For the past couple of weeks, your husband has been so obsessed with his work. He hardly even said goodnight anymore. And if you got a goodnight it was always muttered. He’d leave at the most random times to. Leaving around midnight to not even come home until the next afternoon.

It pissed you off, but you could assume it was for work. But it started to happen more often and often, to the point you always thought he was cheating on you.

“You’re cheating on me aren’t you?” You ask, glaring at him. You could see his eyes dart towards you, those dull blue eyes that you once admired.

“Excuse me?” He muttered, trying to not get more angry than he already was.

“You are arent you?” You shouted this time with your arms crossed tighter. “You’re always leaving at midnight, you hardly even talk to me anymore!”

You hear him let out a frustrated chuckle.

“What the hell…” he started but you felt tired of his bullshit.

“Are you cheating on me or not?” You screamed this time, before you felt a deep cut slash into your arms.

He had turned around letting out a shouting sentence, of asking if you trusted him or not. And when he realized he was to angry, accidentally using his vision and abilties by slashing you with a waterblade, his face darkened. Watching blood drip from your arm.

You stared at the blood yourself, as it dripped to the floor. The cut wasn’t deep, something like a paper cut, but it was a long one. You stared at it for a few seconds, as tears rinsed and fell down to your cheeks. You turned around, walking to the door before slamming it close.

Childe could feel his hands shiver, before slamming his head into the table. Which would sure leave a bruise.

“Fuck!”

— — —

You sat on the couch, looking at the cut. It was very faint, but the dried blood was very much visible. And while you were still angry at him, for blowing up so easily and growing so defensive, you felt guilty.

Perhaps you pushed him to his limit. But even so, you kept reassuring and telling yourself that everything would and get better. And that you weren’t wrong to begin with. But your heart felt loss. It’s been 3 hours since that happened, and by now you both would have been in bed cuddling and etc.

Been nearly two weeks since he last held you.

Your eyes widened a bit hearing the door to his office from down the hall open. As you could hear his heavy footsteps get closer and closer until he was in the same room as you. Right besides the couch you were sitting on.

You only lowered your head down even more, when he stood in front of you. But it surprised you when he got on his knees, placing his arms and hands in your lap.

You only lifted your eyes a bit, to see that even he had tears falling down from his jaw. It flowed like a river, which only made your sobs grow louder.

“I’m sorry.” He said before placing and laying his head in your lap. You could feel his tears soak your pants, as he continued to sob. You looked down, realizing how guilty and sorry he felt. “I’ve been doing tons and loads of work, I don’t want you in danger because of my work. That’s why I do it at night”

You could feel him sob in your lap, and you couldn’t help but intertwine your hand into his bright, orange, ginger hair as he continued to sob.

“I’m sorry… too” you can feel yourself mumble with tears flowing as well.

“[Name]…”

@childeluv ‘s content. Don’t steal or plagiarize my writing. Don’t repost in different language either.

When people first meet the twins, they think that Aether is the chaotic one and Lumine is the stotic one, until they realize their mistake when Lumine tries to stab whatever problems they have and Aether has to stop her.

Can I request a angst to comfort Albedo x reader (I’m unsure if I wanna request it as KOF captain!reader) where Albedo and Sucrose are spending a lot of time and reader is fine with it on the outside but on the inside selfishly wants Albedo’s attention. When reader asks for their time so they can go out and do something, Albedo disregards them, not paying attention to them while focused on something with Sucrose and reader decides to leave and finds themselves hanging out with Diluc outside of Mondstadt walls. With Albedo, he finally takes a break and find reader not waiting for him. He goes looking for them when commotions happens and he is informed that reader was in a accident. He goes to Barbara and find reader getting treated for wounds but is also in some type of coma. Albedo is in distress seeing reader not waking up and stays with them till he can’t. This accident starts to affect his work till he gets news that reader is awake. Then apologizing ensue and heartfelt reunification. Angst to fluff comfort

What a lovely request!! Hurt to comfort is one of my favorites! I had so much fun writing this oml albedo is one of my favs. the new summer quests just made me love him more <3 I really hope it is to your liking! It also ended up being rather long I think... Hmm (Side note: hopefully I wrote the relationships in a way you were imagining!!)

"I won't take you for Granted." ~ Albedo x Gn!Reader

Summary: You find yourself missing spending time with albedo, yearning for some time alone with him, only to be pushed away. When you get into an accident, Albedo is forced to reflect upon your relationship, as he misses you more each day.

Characters: Albedo, Reader, (mentioned): Jean, Kaeya, Barbara, Diluc.

Content/Warnings: Hurt comfort/ angst to fluff, description of injuries, reader in coma (you wake up), some cuddles and kisses at the end.

Reader Pronouns: Gender neutral / They/them.

A/n: to the other anon who requested keqing: the fic is in progress and should be out soon ;) + proofread this at 1:30 am so apologies for any typos

(Content below the cut! <3)

You wiped your brow, letting your weapon rest against the wall of your office with a sigh. Training new recruits for the Knights of Favonius was never easy, but you always loved the enthusiasm from the rookies. This particular bunch had been pushing you for harder training, but with the satisfaction of teaching also came the fatigue of combat.

You walked over to your desk, eyeing the schedule you had left lying there. Lunch, perfect timing. It always felt nice to have a good meal after hard training. "But it would be even better with Albedo." You thought. You stretched smiling to yourself. Yes, you would go see if your boyfriend was available for lunch. He was always a good listener, and you would be able to tell him about the eventful training that morning.

Pushing open the door to the office, you spotted Kaeya and the acting Grand Master chatting in the hall. Kaeya gave you a small wave. "Ah, good afternoon Y/n."

"Hello." You waved back. "Hey, while I have you here, have either of you seen Albedo? I'm off for lunch and I thought I'd stop by to see him." You shrugged. Being high ranking knights such as yourself, you reckoned there was good chance that they had seen the alchemist recently.

"Albedo? Hm.." Jean said hand resting on her hip. "I believe he is with Sucrose, in her lab. I don't understand alchemy very well but it sounds like they're working hard at something."

"Thank you, Master Jean." You nodded and walked away, headed for the stairs at the end of the corridor. Albedo was with Sucrose again. You weren't surprised, he was her Mentor after all. You shook off the twinge of what could only be jealousy, as you turned the corner, heading for the door you knew lead to the girl's lab. You gave a quick clear knock, tapping the wood a few times with you fist and taking a step back.

You heard a small scuffle from inside and soon the timid Sucrose appeared on the other side of the doorway. "O-oh! Hello Y/n." She stammered. From the looks of it she hadn't been expecting you. "Are you looking for Mr. Albedo? Let me get him for you." Without waiting for your response, she disappeared again.

You shook your head. Sucrose was always on the shy side, and you hoped you hadn't freaked her out. She wasn't wrong though you had come to her lab several times over the past week, looking for Albedo. Unfortunately, everytime he had dismissed you or apologized, saying he really must work. Then he would turn, and disappear back into Sucrose's lab. You tried to remain low key about the situation. It was common knowledge Albedo was both an incredibly gifted alchemist and not a social butterfly, but you were used to spending more time with him.

You were snapped out of your reverie as the man in question appeared in the door. "Is something the matter Y/n?" He asked, his soft voice monotone and direct.

"Oh, yeah. I was on my way to pick something up from Good Hunter. It's lunch break." You gestured over your shoulder, in the general direction of the town. "I was wondering if you wanted to join me, it's been a while since we've done something." You gave an apologetic smile, trying not to sound to pushy. You knew his work was important, to him and the knights.

Albedo shook his head, expression unchanging. "I am sorry, Y/n, but sucrose and I really must keep working. Alchemy is an ever evolving practice." He had that determined look in his eye that he always got when his work posed a new challenge to him. He made eye contact with the green haired girl, who nodded back with the same enthusiasm. These alchemists held a different level of resolve entirely.

"I understand, good luck in your work." The smile on your face felt a bit more forced than you would have liked. You decided it was time to be honest with your partner. "But seriously Albedo, it's been quite some time since we were able t-" He turned his face away from you pointedly. "... To do something..." Your voice trailed off and you sighed, watching him return to Sucrose's side as the pair worked in tandem leaving you to your thoughts. You closed the door, taking a deep breath.

You turned, trudging away from the lab. You felt a prick of a dark feeling and shook your head trying to right yourself. Surely, there was nothing to worry about. You knew both Albedo and Sucrose quite well, and we're positive that the idea Albedo could be in love with her was out of the question. Then why did you feel so... so bad? You pushed the feeling away attributing it to a mix of you hunger and weariness from the hard morning. You headed for the entrance door, meeting once more with Kaeya and Jean.

"Albedo somewhere else? He always did have a habit of sneaking off when nobody was looking." Kaeya asked you, with a small laugh. You blinked, slightly confused.

"No, he was there. Working as hard as ever." You said, shaking your head and doing your best to look unbothered.

"Y/n is something bothering you?" The acting Grand Master looked at you with tender concern. Something about your body language seemed a bit off, even if your face was as cheery as ever.

You shook your head again, more vigorously. "I mean, nothing personal of course. Those rookies gave me a run for my mora in training this morning though, I'll admit." You faked a yawn, trying to sell the tired act. "Not anything lunch won't fix, in any case." You finished with wave, and you headed out the door, eager to escape the conversation.

You ordered your usual from Sara, who was as kind as ever, and taking your food in a to-go box headed towards the city gates. You liked to enjoy your lunch outside the city walls, though usually you preferred to do it with company. Walks in nature with Albedo were always pleasant. Occasionally he'd find an interesting plant, or a butterfly with an odd pattern and get distracted as he examined it. The alchemist would tell you about the strange flora and fauna of Teyvat and seeing him so passionate about something always made your heart flutter. Albedo was not a talkative person, so the moments where he was deep in thought about a subject brought out a side of him most people often didn't see.

Kind memories of Albedo slowly looped back to him in Sucrose's lab, the way he seemed so intent on what she was saying, the way they seemed almost in sync with their thoughts. You felt bad, for wanting him to yourself, even If it was just for a mealtime. You tried to ignore it, it made you feel selfish, and possessive. You hated feeling jealous, but was it too much to ask for some Alone time with your boyfriend? You missed the way he would sit attentively and listen, and tell you all of his most recent thoughts, show you his new paintings, and let you into his life.

A choking feeling rose in your chest, unable to push the feeling away anymore you felt it wash over you in dark waves. You thought getting away from the city would do you some good. You sped up a little as you exited Mondstadt's walls, yearning for time away from the hustle and bustle.

As you cleared the gates, you met a familiar face. A tall red headed man was in conversation with one of the knights guarding the entrance gate. The man turned away ending the conversation abruptly, leaving the poor Knight looking helpless, and a bit frustrated. When you passed the guard he saluted you with a muttered "Afternoon, Captain Y/n."

The man turned, overhearing the exchange. "Y/n? I don't typically concern myself with knights but, aren't you supposed to be working?" His voice was slightly heated and you guessed whatever conversation he and the guard had finished was not a pleasant one.

"Good afternoon, Master Diluc." You plastered a smile on your face as you walked nearer to him. "I just finished actually, lunch break." You held up the box of warm food in your hands. And then added, under your breath, "I'm of half a mind to not go back today." You walked past Diluc, beginning to cross the bridge.

"Are you planning on eating away from the city?" He asked, taking a few strides to catch up to you. "Yeah, that's the plan. Just me and nature I guess." You couldn't hide the upset tone of your voice this time and the man next to you looked down in concern.

"I'll accompany you. From the sounds of it-" he cast a scathing look back at the guard who flinched under his gaze. "-there's a couple abyss mages running rampant nearby. It's not smart to head out alone."

"Mm.. I'll have a chat with him when I return then." You glanced at the guard who was now positively shaking. "Although, that's a problem for after lunch." You agreed, and the two of you set out away from the city of freedom. Diluc had always had a strong sense of justice, and you knew he would insist to escort you, in the name of caution. You also couldn't find it in yourself to explain you wanted alone time, fearing that if you mentioned anything you might breakdown entirely.

You had met diluc some years prior. You had both joined the Knights of Favonius when you were teenagers and had gotten on well. You kept in contact ever since, and if there was ever an issue you couldn't fix because of your ties to the knights, you would find diluc, and when there was a problem too big for him to handle alone, he would find you. Ever since a coincidental meeting in the middle of the night some time ago has revealed his double life as a vigilante, you had grown to be good friends.

You walked in comfortable silence, which was normal for the two of you, but as the silence hung over you, it gave space for your doubts to fester. Diluc peered at your face, noticing the way you were biting your cheek and how your eyebrows knit.

He cleared his throat, before hesitantly speaking. "Something seems to be bothering you, Y/n." His words were gentler than usual, giving away to his concern.

"No? Nothing." You said. Your voice was full of an exaggerated incredulity, as you tried and failed to act nonchalant. "What even made you think that?"

Diluc sighed giving you an 'Are you serious?' look that you pointedly avoided, turning you eyes to the worn path. "Do you really need me to answer that question?" He was exasperated, and you knew you were caught, but you stubbornly pushed through.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's not like you too worry in any case. Are you okay?" It was all a lie, but you were convinced pretending you were fine would ease the creeping feeling still sitting heavily in your chest. Diluc raised an eyebrow at you. "I think I hold a reasonable amount of concern."

You knew he had a point. Your cool facade surrounding the your troubles had slowly been cracking, as if being chipped away by a chisel of doubt. When your companion had asked you what the matter was, you had barely enough to cover your problems anymore. You crossed your arms tightly, turning to look at Diluc. Under the look he gave you, you sighed and let your arms relax, anxiously drumming your fingertips on the box of food.

"Yeah... Yeah something is bothering me." You admitted. "It's really not a big deal though, I know I shouldn't be upset." You fiddled with the box not sure where to go with the conversation. Truth be told you were hoping the subject would drop, if Diluc pressed matters you would have to admit your feelings out loud.

The man beside you hummed, apparently thinking on it. "Is there any way I can be of assistance?" He said simply. You shook your head, making your way to a large bent over tree, and perched yourself on top of it. Diluc sat next to you.

"I appreciate the offer, but really I don't think you can." You felt helpless at the moment. Could anyone help you? What would you even ask for help with, pulling Albedo away from work, getting the attention you wanted? Of course not, you would sound insane. Your hands shook slightly and you set your food on the ground near your feet, suddenly not hungry, the knot in your stomach taking up too much space.

"Would you like to... Talk? About it?" Diluc's question was gentle. You knew he wanted to help where he could. "I might not have the best advice, but I'd gladly listen to you Y/n."

You were quiet, the offer hanging tantalizingly in the air. You did want to talk about it. Letting your emotions sit twisting around in you like smoke, making you feel sick, was doing you no good in any case. You nodded slowly. "It- Well I know that it's irrational-"

Suddenly there was a loud panting and ruffling sound from the trees behind you and you snapped your head around. Eyes fixed on the scenery with intent, you and Diluc slowly stood, both immediately on guard. Then, from the brush a man stumbled out. He looked like a resident of one of the nearby towns, a basket on his back spilling out mushrooms he had been foraging for moments before. You rushed to his side, weapon drawn and help steadily at the ready.

"Excuse me sir, are you hurt?" You asked urgently.

"N-no I- Abyss mages. Two of them." He panted as you helped him to his feet. The fellow seemed unhurt but thoroughly shaken. "And hilichurls!" You did your best to calm the man as Diluc kept his eyes fixed on the trees.

"You should head back to town, Springvale is near." You soothed. The man nodded, gratefully scrambling away from the trees he had just come from.

"Diluc we need to take care of these as soon as possible." You had slipped into your work mode, voice clear and sharp and you analysed the situation at hand. "This close to the villages... It's a recipe for disaster."

Diluc nodded agreement, his claymore held ready at his side. With that the two of you were sprinting into the foliage, the safety of the city laying priority in both of your minds.

Albedo's hands turned pages in a large book, as his eyes lay fixed on the small vile of strange liquid In front of him. He picked it up briefly, swishing the contents around, before taking a quill to the pages of his journal. He and sucrose had been working with a new ingredient in the lab over the past week, and we're studying it to find out it's origins and how it was to be used, as the reactions they had so far varied wildly.

With a huff, Sucrose dropped a heavy book beside him, pointing to a highlighted passage. "Mr. Albedo I think I found a family of flora which could possibly yield similar results." Her voice was meeker than usual, catching Albedo's attention. He took his attention away from the book, observing Sucrose's weary eyes and slumped shoulders. They had been working tirelessly for days, and it was only natural she be tired.

Albedo nodded at the book. "I appreciate it sucrose. I think you have well earned some rest now." It was a bit after lunch time in any case, and he was starting to get hungry. Sucrose agreed gratefully.

"Uhm- Mr. Albedo, are you going to find Captain Y/n?" Sucrose stammered, and she swallowed hard when Albedo turned to look at her. "Well Y/n has showed up a few times a-and I think maybe you should go see them?" She finished unsurely.

Albedo's expression was unusually soft. He had been planning to see you. Giving a break for lunch was just as much to see you as it was to give Sucrose some rest time. "Yes. I was planning on finding them." He checked the clock that was hanging above the door, noting that at this time you would still be out. You liked to take your time over lunch, stopping to look at flowers or simply enjoy the outside. That was one of the things Albedo loved about you, was that you appreciated nature like he did.

He pulled on his coat which he had discarded in the stuffy lab, and opened the door striding out into the hall. Making his way down the corridor he gave a quick acknowledgement to his fellows as he passed, making his way to your usual lunch spot, stopping by good Hunter as he walked.

His pace was a bit brisker than usual, and as he strolled through the streets he became more engrossed in his thoughts of you. Perhaps he had been a bit harsh earlier, he thought. It wasn't his intention but he would make it up by giving you his full attention over lunch. He was on the tired side from an intensive few days studying, and wanted nothing more to lace his fingers in yours as you talked about your week with him. He could sit in silence and enjoy your company. A small smile pulled at his lips as he imagined it, turning onto the hard dirt path outside of Mondstadt.

He spied your lunch spot, finding it empty. He frowned, perhaps you had gone back to headquarters early. He noticed something was off as he approached the crooked log. A tin a food lay near the base of the log, apparently flipped over and discarded. Shooing a squirrel away from the tipped over contents, he recognized the ingredients as part of your usual order. He stood up quickly scanning the ground. There were small signs of a struggle, the brush behind the log was slightly flattened, several bushes bore broken twigs.

His heart skipped a beat. He shook off the feeling you might be hurt, you knew how to handle yourself in a fight. He stood uselessly eyes glued to that tipped over box of food. The meal was still warm. He remembered a time you told him you asked for hot food on days when you didn't feel your best. 'Something about it is comforting, you know? It's like getting a hug from your food almost!'

The memory of how you laughed about that stuck out in his mind. The feeling something was wrong grew stronger, as his eyes found a set of foot prints. Two sets. From the spacing he gathered they had run off into the forest, offering explanation for the trampled plants. He followed them, something urgent had definitely drawn you away from your lunch. Albedo drew his sword as he navigated his way carefully through the trees. His practiced eyes followed the path, picking up trampled flowers and more foot prints. He marched into a clearing, avoiding some felled trees. Scorch marks. The beaten trail he had been following appeared to go ahead but the alchemist stopped, caution becoming his priority.

"Y/n? Y/n are you here?" He called out. Your voice did not answer but he heard others, a group of people. He snapped his head around when he heard the faint desperate voices. They sounded serious, perhaps urgent. Albedo rushed away from the clearing and towards the voices, heading towards the nearby Springvale. The voices seemed somewhere between him and the town and as he ran, he noticed more foot prints. This time there was one set only.

He rounded a corner spotting a small group of people. Still no sign of you. He reminded himself that there was a chance you were not involved in whatever happened here as he approached the villagers.

"Excuse me, has something happened?" Albedo let his weapon go as he in joined the conversation. At the sound of his voice a woman turned nodding, her face anxious.

"A monster attack, they were staying near the town and a few of the villagers get caught." Her voice was shaky, and clearly she was in shock. "My husband was one of them."

"A couple of the city folk ran in to save them." A man added it, patting the woman on the shoulder to calm her. "Actually it was that Ragnivindr boy. And one of the Knights of Favonius's captains. Can't remember that one's name, Y/n I believe?" He shook his head, trying to recall the details. His description of you matched perfectly and Albedo tensed.

"Where are they now?" Albedo urged.

"Headed back to the city. They cleared those monsters right up but not without consequence." The man sighed, a bit sadly. "That Knight looked pretty badly injured. Had to be carried back, and quickly too." He said, and began to muse about the risk of such dangerous creatures near their town, but Albedo had already turned and began headed for Mondstadt.

The journey back to the city passed in a blur, as Albedo rushed over the bridge and passed the gates, anxious to make sure you were okay. He was unsure where to go first, and decided ultimately to ask Jean. Albedo was remaining calm on the outside but internally he was bordering Panic. He knew you had an instinct for protecting others, but he really could do without you running into battles randomly. Unfortunately, that was part of your job. Albedo steadied his thoughts as he walked into headquarters, logical thinking was typically his strong suit but there was no logic behind emotional distress like this. The only way to deal with it would be to try not to worry. Which currently, was not working for him.

Without knocking he walked into Jeans office, to find her talking to a tall well dressed man, that he recognized as Diluc. The two turned around looking for who was responsible for the sudden entrance. "Apologies for the intrusion." Albedo kept his voice calm, outwardly showing no sign of distress. "I heard Captain Y/n may have gotten into some trouble."

Jean nodded. "I was wondering if you might show up. I was just talking to Master Diluc about it." She looked at him now. "I'm not sure what happened myself, needless to say I'm surprised you took the time to come here."

Diluc sighed, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. It was true that normally, he would not be found in the Favonius headquarters, but something seemed to be off about him. "Yes, normally I would trust that Y/n would have no issue filling you in themselves, but I doubt that is going to happen this time."

Albedo and Jean looked at diluc, with looks of concern and curiousity. Diluc proceeded to fill the two in on what had happened.

There had been more hilichurls than you had expected when the two of you had found their camp. There was only one Abyss mage to be found though, so Diluc and you had jumped in preparing for a hard fight. You were managing well, despite the extra effort needed to compensate for numbers. The second abyss mage however, had used the commotion to sneak up and ambush you, but it's attempt did not go unnoticed. The mage had aimed a cryo attack at Diluc, and without time to warn him you had thrown yourself between the mage and your friend, taking the full blast of the attack.

Diluc had his eyes fixed on his feet. "Barbara is taking care of the injuries now."

"How bad are they?" Jean asked, worry lacing her voice. She felt the Knights were her responsibility, and her deep care for each of them left her with a twinge of guilt.

Diluc didn't answer at first, and Albedo began to fear the worst. If he knew you would be okay he could quell his worries but here... Something like this was out of his control and it made his heart clench.

"Not fatal." Diluc said finally, after some consideration. "I've seen people come out of worse, nothing Barbara can't handle for sure but..." He trailed off.

"Is there something else?" Albedo's question came out a bit sharper than he intended, letting some of his internal feeling slip into his tone. Diluc looked at him, slightly sadly and shook his head.

"No, that's all." He turned and walked out of the office, not paying either of the knights another glance. In truth, there was more too it. Diluc had seen firsthand how lifeless your body had fallen after getting hit. Your skin had been cold and breath faint as he carried your limp form to the cathedral. The way Barbara had gasped as she laid a hand over your chest exclaiming how distant your life force felt. The guilt he felt kept him from telling Albedo exactly what was happening. You had mentioned you had started seeing him before, and the regret Diluc was feeling about your injuries made looking at him a little too difficult.

Albedo was frozen in place as he tried to process what to do next. A dark feeling of guilt and worry was eating at his insides, keeping him stuck uselessly in place. Luckily, Jean provided him with an out.

"Go check on Y/n, Albedo." She said softly. Though you two had not publicized your relationship, the Acting Grand Master was not oblivious to the fact he had grown close to you. "Let me know how bad the situation is when you return, unfortunately I still have much work to do." She returned to her seat, leaning on her desk with a knowing look.

Albedo nodded. "I will, thank you Master Jean." He turned, leaving Jean alone with her work and worries. Shutting the door behind him he began making his way towards the cathedral. He past the large statue in the square, climbing the stairs with haste, and entering the large building.

Inside was quiet, and though the people inside went about their daily lives, praying and chatting Albedo couldn't help but feel a heaviness to the air, pressing down on his chest. He walked as quickly as he could, approaching a small arched doorway in the back of the church that lead to a small infirmary. He rushed through it, nearly running into one of the church's sisters in the process.

"Apologies, miss." He said taking a step back. The nun looked at him with a kind smile, holding her hand up in a friendly gesture.

"No worries. Is everything alright? You seem to be in a hurry." She asked, checking Albedo for scratches or cuts. "You don't seemed to be injured?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm here to see somebody who was brought here recently, a knight by the name of Y/n?"

Even the sister could hear the strain in his voice, noticing the way his brows knit in both worry and hope. The girl's face fell as he mentioned your name, looking at him with slight pity and Albedo's heart lurched. "How.. how bad of condition..." His voice faltered and he clenched his jaw.

The nun rested a hand on his shoulder momentarily. "It'll be okay, Barbara is seeing to the healing now." She gestured to a door down the hall a ways and suddenly Albedo moved by her, heading towards the door.

As he slid by her she let out a cry of protest, but he paid it no mind as he reached for the door. His thoughts were jumbled, only focusing on seeing you okay. He had finally gotten the chance to see you today and he had pushed you away, again. Regret bubbled as he pushed the door open, and took in the sight before him.

Barbara stood near the edge of the bed concentrating as she held her hands over her chest, faint blue light pulsing around her finger tips. You lay unmoving before him, bandages that were quickly wrapped around your chest to stop the bleeding where you were hit had already been dyed red. Your skin looked pale and clammy, the only sign you were still living was the deepening red of the bandages as your heart still beat, if even faintly.

Albedo stopped dead, unable to look away from your body played sprawled on the bed, vision and jacket discarded on a nearby table. Suddenly the nun was at his back again.

"Excuse me sir, we best not disturb the deaconess. She needs full concentration." She said softly. No matter how many injuries the sisters saw too it didn't make it any easier to see people suffer.

"Please, I need to see Y/n." He said as the nun gently guided him away. "I won't leave them alone this time. It's not a good idea t-" The woman hushed him trying to reassure him.

"Barbara knows what's she's doing, she'll have the injuries healed soon sir. Perhaps it would be best to take a walk and come back tomorrow." She suggested and made to return to her work, leaving Albedo alone and stranded.

Barely noticing what he was doing, he began walking, out of the cathedral and towards the Knight's headquarters once again. He knew you would be in safe hands with the sisters, but he couldn't shake the image of your beaten skin from his mind's eye. He dragged himself into the building, aptly avoiding any other knights. He didn't feel like conversation much now. He pushed open the door to his office, half of which was converted to a lab and and moved inside, standing uselessly near his desk.

His eyes moved to the ample amounts of notes that lay in a disorganized mess a top his desk. He always said he would organize them, but it never happened. You had offered to help him telling him that "It might be no fun, but it'll be better together." His hands trembled. He had never reached a state like this before. He had grown so accustomed to your presence he never noticed how much he needed it until it was nearly pulled away from him. Head feeling light, he slipped behind his desk collapsing into the chair. He needed to unwind, to bring his mind into a state where he could return to focus.

His hands opened a drawer subconsciously, reaching for a blank sheet of canvas and a stick of charcoal. It had been a while since he painted anything. He pulled the supplies onto his desk, lazily brushing away studies as he made room for it. Bright eyes scanned the room and settled on a vase of flowers. The beautiful plant within happened to be one of your favorites. Albedo began to sketch, slowly letting the image appear before him. The drawing was supposed to ease his mind but he couldn't help but think how much you would have liked it, the soft encouragement you would give him if you were there, and he slowly sketched his nerves away, left with pleasant thoughts of giving this to you when you were back. You would be better tomorrow, he assured himself, and he would go apologize for missing lunch with you. It wouldn't be much trouble to eat his lunch in the cathedral, as long as you were okay. And with a solid plan in place, his mind was at peace again. If only he knew how it was going to be shattered.

The next morning came and went like usual, and Albedo took the time to fill Jean in on the situation before returning to his work. Come lunch time he let Sucrose go, telling her to be back in an hour and a half. "Sucrose take this time to yourself. Use it how you wish, I will not get in the way of any independent work you decide to do." He said, waving away her rather over enthusiastic thanks as he left the lab, heading to the cathedral.

He took his time walking through the streets the time, appreciating the lively shops, and the way children laughed and ran around the cobbled streets. Usually, this bustling city life was of intrigue to him, observing the haggling and patterns in which people came and went, but he had other things on his mind today. You.

As he entered the cathedral he met no staff as he headed back to the infirmary this time, heading straight to the door without complication. He set his hand on the handle, before deciding it might be best to knock instead. After a short moment, the young deaconess appeared behind the door.

"Ah, Albedo!" She smiled wearily. From the looks of her ruffled skirts and tired face she had been working all night. "Sister Victoria mentioned you might visit. Come in." She stepped aside letting Albedo into the room.

Your bandages were clean, and wrapped properly now, and you had been changed into a light nightgown, your work clothes removed to be clean. You looked so peaceful, lying so still with your hands on your stomach. Too still, perhaps. Albedo approached the bed, taking a delicate hand to your cheek, brushing his fingers against your skin. It was colder than he would have expected. He moved his hand to hover over your nose and mouth, feeling the faint breath there his shoulders relaxed, but something still felt off.

"Have they woken up yet..?" He asked. Albedo was a smart person, and he knew something was wrong but he was scared to draw any conclusions.

Barabara looked sad. "No. Y/n has been unresponsive, even to my elemental magic." She shook her head. She didn't want to say it to Albedo, but she had feared you were dead before she had used her vision to check you life force.

"When will they wake-up." He said shortly.

Barbara paused, not wanting to deliver the news. "I'm not sure, for the time being Y/n is in-" she took a shaky breath. She too had grown to know you better as you had come in with small injuries often, or were with jean working, and this accident had not left her unaffected. "In comatose." She finished unable to meet Albedo's gaze.

That was no issue though, if she had tried he would have avoided eye contact himself. He wanted to tell Barbara she was wrong, that it hadn't been long enough to tell but he was a learned man and recognized the signs himself.

"Albedo I-"

Albedo shook his head. "You did your job to it's full extent, thank you." He said honestly. If it weren't for Barbara, your wounds would never have healed so quickly, or so nicely. "I would like have some time alone."

Barbara nodded knowingly, leaving Albedo to pull up a chair and sir silently beside your bed. He hand found yours and he interlaced his fingers with with yours, but did not feel the familiar squeeze you always gave him when he did this. He had convinced himself you would be okay, only for that small hope to be ripped away from him too.

Albedo was not a very sensitive person. He was logical, and a realist, but you meeting you had brought in a strange yet warm feeling into his life he had never felt before. You intrigued him, and you took the time to understand him and get to know him. Lots of people were either infatuated with his good manners and kind words, but you had taken the time to listen to them, and he was realizing that these past few weeks he had never given you that time back. He had taken you for granted, spent his time with other people, and turned you away in times where he didn't realise how much you meant to him. Now as you lay unmoving infront of him he realized how much he yearned for your company.

Had he made you feel like this? All those times he declined your invites or pushed you away to work. He couldn't help but feel he had treated those situations wrongly, you had only offered him some company. He had been working and he knew you knew that, but he began to think he had treated you to harshly. Relationships like this were new to him, and you were always so gentle and patient. He should have gone with you today, prevented the terrible outcome. His mind ran probabilities, weighing situations against each other as he imagined ways he could have stepped in to stop you, or how the fight could play out differently.

He leaned forward, holding both of your hands gently in his, as the feelings washed over him. How curious, that a single person could move his heart so strongly.

Time passed both to slowly and too quickly. Albedo stayed by your side well into the evening hours. Every once in a while he found himself drifting off to sleep head resting on your chest, desperate to feel the slight rise and fall no matter how irregular it was. When Barbara returned to the room, it was to usher Albedo out of the cathedral, as she began her nightly duties.

"Albedo, it's time for me to see Y/n again, we'll be starting our nightly rounds here soon." Barbara said in a soothing tone. "You should head home for the night, I'll take good care of the Captain."

Albedo nodded slowly, slightly groggy from the half asleep state he was just in. He stood, brushing off his jacket and giving your resting face a look of longing before quietly walking out of your room. Barbara closed the door, and he was alone with his thoughts again. The night ushered in more issues, including the work he had left unfinished that afternoon. He decided that best course of action was to get a good night's sleep and organize his thoughts in the morning, and he walked off into the night.

The next week in the Alchemy lab was dreary to say the least. Albedo's work quality dropped as well as his focus, as he plowed through experiments clumsily. Sucrose was finding herself with random breaks through the day, and had put together they were more for his own sake, than hers. Work was typically Albedo's escape. He would be able to pour himself into his studies, mindlessly observe and take note but he kept finding things that reminding him of you. Maybe it was a color that he thought you would have liked, or some ancient script you would giggle at pointing out how the letters looked like weird animals. Your absence from his life had left a large hole, that no amount of alchemy could fill. He tried painting, but every time he picked up a brush he found himself painting your favorite things, or places, or telling himself he would give you the drawings when you woke up. When you woke up. Your sleeping face was etched into his mind as if with a fine quill.

You were so devoid of life, all because of a stupid accident and he couldn't bear it. Everytime he visited the hope he would find you laying awake and upright grew dimmer, and soon he began to expect nothing more than your still body, cold and unmoving. Everytime he saw you it was accompanied by a pang of guilt, and longing for your return. Every evening when he decided he could focus on work no more he would make his way to the cathedral and sit by your side until dark, and then a sister would usher him out once more and he would leave, only to repeat it again the next day.

His life moved forward in this depressing spiral for days, until one evening as he made to leave headquarters he was stopped by none other than Jean.

"Albedo?" The dandelion knight called out to him and he stopped, preparing to head out the door. Jean walked over to him. "Before you go I have something for you."

Albedo turned around, curiosity piqued. "Sure." He said simply as the woman pulled a letter from her pocket and handed it to him. He studied the seal, recognizing the symbol of the church pressed into the wax. His heart skipped a beat, as he feared both the worst and hoped for the best.

"Barbara told me I should let you read it yourself. I have already seen the contents myself." Jean couldn't keep the smile from creeping into her voice as Albedo slid a piece of paper from the envelope, unfolding it hastily.

His eyes scanned the letter. It was short and sweet, written by one of the sisters. He barely absorbed the content as his attention was taken by one phrase over the rest.

'Y/n has woken up and will make a full recovery, we will keep you updated on their condition and let you know when they are fit to return to work.'

Albedo's heart leapt. As he reread the line a few times. 'Y/n will make a full recovery.' He handed the letter back to Jean. "Thank you. This is wonderful news indeed." A small smile played on his lips, and his soft voice lost the edge it had carried all week. He pivoted on his heel pushing open the door with an enthusiasm that Jean had not seen before, and strolled out of the building.

He felt the pressure that had been so present in his chest for days alleviate as he grew closer to the cathedral. Albedo was practically jogging with the pace he entered the church, throwing open the door and making a beeline for the infirmary. His head pounded, hazy at the good news. It all seemed to be happening so fast, was it possible that after all of that you could be okay? That you were going to be okay? He found Barbara in the infirmary hallway and she gave him a warm smile, different from the sorrowful ones she had given for what had been many visits now.

Albedo paused outside of your door, taking a deep breath, and Barbara gave him a reassuring nod. "Y/n woke up some hours ago, just please be gentle, the affects of a coma can be quite draining."

Albedo nodded pushing open the door carefully and stepped inside. You were sat, looking out the small window on the other side of your bed, but you turned hearing the door open. Your heart fluttered as the blonde figure shut the door quietly and approached your bed, his eyes not leaving yours. You smiled softly, and weakly held out your hand and he took it, relishing in the returned warmth in your fingers as you gently pulled him on to your mattress and into a hug.

Albedo buried his head against your neck, letting you hold him close. The feeling of your hands pressing into his back and on his hair was all he could ask for after weeks of feeling them limp and lifeless.

You pulled away and your hands found each others, fingers intertwined as you laughed gently. "Been a little while, huh?" You hummed.

Albedo nodded still speechless.

"I'm sorry for making you worry, Albedo." You smoothed your fingers over the skin on the back of his hands, and he softened hearing you say his name. Oh, how he had missed that. Suddenly that familiar guilt crept into his throat, tightening it as he tried to speak. He had no idea what he wanted to say, before without thinking: "No, don't apologize Y/n. I'm sorry."

Suddenly the feelings he had felt over the past weeks welled up again and he felt his chest shake as he took a deep breath. You tucked a strand of stray ash blond behind his ear, smiling all the while. "For what?"

"For taking you for granted." He choked out, as the feelings spilled their way into words. "I'm sorry I pushed you away like that. I realise now that time with you is just as precious to me as it is to you. In a way this helped me realize that." He looked into your eyes, and his honest apology made your chest tighten.

"It's alright, I shouldn't have been so pushy. I understand your work is important I just.. missed you?" You sighed, voice week from your recent ailment. "It was selfish, I shouldn't feel entitled to you like that." Finally admitting it was difficult, and you felt a weight lift from your chest yet the feeling remained still.

Albedo leaned in and kissed your forehead gently and you relaxed under one of his rare affections. "Do not feel guilty for expecting that time from me, I admit you were right. Yet with all things there is a balance, my love." He said softly as you took him into your arms once more. It was rare to see him so touchy in a place that wasn't your home, but you welcomed it pulling him into your chest.

"I supposed your right." You agreed. "As usual." You lay against the pillows that were propping you up minutes before, the alchemist laying against your chest. He hummed softly at your joking praise and his arms tightened around you.

And that's how the two of you stayed for a long while. The relief of both of your apologies settled in place of that dark feeling that had previously sat heavily in both of your hearts, as you drifted back, into a more peaceful sleep. The weight of Albedo against you felt secure keeping you anchored. You ran a hand through his hair as you enjoyed the comfortable silence for a bit.

"Barbara told me you came here every day while I was asleep." You murmured.

Albedo turned his head so he wouldn't be speaking into your shoulder. "I did." He said simply and you smiled.

"That makes me feel a lot better, I'll be honest." Your hands worked through a few knots in his hair absent mindedly. "I'm still a little freaked out about the whole thing."

"I'm glad my presence was of some reassurance Y/n." Albedo pressed a fleeting kiss to your cheek, as there was a knock from the door. Albedo stood, your hands lingering for a moment in one another's as he went to open to door. Barbara stood there holding some fresh bandages.

"Excuse the intrusion but I need to check Y/n's injuries once more. I won't be long."

Albedo nodded stepping aside and letting the girl into the room, before stepping out himself. You gave him a look of confusion, wanting him to stay a little longer."Wait Albedo-"

"Don't worry. I'll be right here waiting for you when your finished. I won't leave you again."

You sat silently, nodding slightly.

"I promise Y/n." And with his sweet words echoing in your mind, Albedo gently shut the door to your room. He would not take you for granted ever again.

°•°

Decided that maybe i should post here too 0-0 ✨

Drew a fanart of Hu Tao <3

you let out an audible groan after you see dan heng peel another orange for you, "dan heng, please. please tell me how you peel the oranges without getting splashed with orange juice," you pleaded, leaning your head on the man's shoulder as you wrap your arms around him.

the express was quiet tonight. everyone was asleep, and it was just you and dan heng lurking in the kitchen for the night. you woke him up because you were bored and needed someone to talk to. at first, you felt a little guilty for your abrupt arrival, but dan heng reassured you that he was not asleep (even though he yawned and rubbed his eyes when you woke him up).

dan heng only shakes his head, continuing to peel the orange, "you need to be quieter."

you only huff in response, throwing your head closer to the nape of his neck, "c'mon! please? i need to know how you do it! if i don't, i'll just keep getting juice in my eyes," you urged.

he chuckled in response, and he even sounded relaxed, for a change, "that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't ripped the orange out of my hand mid-peel."

your eyes bulged and dan heng could not resist the smile forming on his lips, "first of all, i did not rip it out. i grabbed it. second, i wanted some autonomy for a change!"

dan heng playfully rolled his eyes, "if your autonomy means juice getting splattered all over the kitchen, then i suppose it's a good idea to keep this orange out of your reach," his sarcasm prevailed.

you huff, leaning your head into dan heng’s neck. then, you get an idea. your arms⎯once wrapped around his shoulders⎯made their way around his neck. your fingertips led to the beginning of his chest, and you had to stand on your tiptoes to progress a little lower.

you feel dan heng tense up at the contact, and you wonder if you've taken it too far. you're about to remove your body from his, but you feel his muscles relax. you find that, when dan heng relaxes, it's like his entire body turns to mush. he's easier to scare, easier to prod at, easier to touch; you know this because of your observations, and most definitely not because you willingly choose to notice these things.

"what are you doing?" dan heng turns his head to meet your grinning face. his eyebrow is quirked up in the same inquisitive way it always is. the sight makes you beam even further, and you swear you could see dan heng turn a little red.

"i'm cold," you simply say, pressing yourself closer onto him, "is this... okay?"

dan heng stares at you. he looks into your eyes with nothing but admiration. he stares at you like you are his definition of beauty: of all the things he has seen whilst traveling on the express, it seems that his eyes are only truly mesmerized when they land on you. you are the one for him, his eyes describe.

alas, you are too preoccupied with other things to think about this. as dan heng tries to formulate his answer, your hands reach down to his and snatch the orange out of his hands, jumping back and hitting one of the countertops by accident. you wince, but shortly get over the pain after seeing the orange in your hand.

dan heng stares at you in momentary shock. at first, he tries to process what just happened. did you touch him to feel him, or only to get the orange? did you mean it? was it worth it? his mind spiraled with questions similar to those.

however, his worries were set aside when he saw you narrow your eyes, waiting for him to make a move. and he realizes that everything is going to be okay. there’s no worry around you; there’s never been.

the dim light of the kitchen can only illuminate so much. dan heng is grateful that you couldn’t see the way his previous expression melted away. he takes two strides towards you and you’re already backed into the counter. you prop yourself up, holding the orange close to you, as dan heng comes closer.

“you’re going to make a mess,” dan heng advises you. he sounds like a nagging husband. you let yourself be amused with the comparison at first, but then the implication of your thought kicks in, and you find yourself subconsciously inching away from dan heng. he only comes closer, almost making his way between your thighs.

“am not,” you hide the orange behind your back, “and if you want it, come and get it,” you prompt with a smirk.

dan heng’s eyes narrow: not in an annoyed way, but rather, in a challenging way. his arm slinks behind your back and tries to reach your hand, but you throw your arm in the air. you hold the orange up in the air for a while, moving your arm in all sorts of different directions while dan heng tries to grab it. the dim kitchen is lit up by your conjoined laughters.

when you try to take the orange with your other hand, dan heng’s hand interlocks with yours midair, keeping it in place. with your temporal shock, dan heng manages to grab your wrist that holds the orange, trapping you in his grasp.

you blink down at him several times, wondering how he’s managed to get you in this position. the orange was still in your hands. you could choose to hold it tenderly, or drop it to the ground. there were more oranges anyway.

“can i have the orange back?” dan heng asks, looking up at you in such a way that could rival a star’s glow.

you take a second to answer his question. now you can look at him: finally look at him. his hair, though tussled and messy, falls into his face in perfect waves. he is as tranquil as the ocean itself, but he still has rough currents.

his eyes are never wary around you. they are calm and peaceful, always gazing at you in the quietest ways.

did his lips always look so soft? or were you just imagining things?

you lower the orange down with your hand, and dan heng removes his hands from yours. you take your other freed hand and bring it over to cover the orange, in case it falls. when your covered hand meet’s dan heng’s open one, you look up at him with mischief in your eyes.

the hand once covered the orange moved to peel off a piece of skin. but, since you never knew how to peel oranges, your peeling method was disastrous: juice squirted out of the orange, and it landed perfectly under dan heng’s eye.

you snickered a little bit, then you began to laugh a little more loudly than permitted. dan heng was left with a deadpan expression, no longer in shock or disbelief. in hindsight, he should have known there was something like this coming. but what can he say; he loves you too much.

“i’m sorry!” you say in between laughs, your hand (the same one that got orange juice on his face) covered your mouth as you laughed. “i’m sorry,” you giggled.

“what did i tell you? i hope you know you’re gonna be cleaning⎯” dan heng is distracted by your thumb making contact under his eye, where the juice was sprayed. he’s stunned momentarily, eyes watching your thumb carefully as you wipe the juice off his face.

with the excess juice on your thumb, you do something so provocative that dan heng is eternally grateful for the dim lighting. you take your thumb and put it in your mouth, sucking the juice off your finger. the sight makes his eye twitch a little, only amusing you further.

you cover your next laugh with the paper towel that you use to wipe off your finger, “i’ll clean up the orange juice,” you tell him, sliding off the counter, “but isn’t this just more proof that you need to teach me how to peel oranges?”

“i think this is more proof that oranges need to be taken away from you,” dan heng counters, bemusement evident in his tone. he faces away from you now, trying to fight his blush from earlier (and now).

you gasp, “but isn’t this just a good way to teach me?! i just wanna peel my own oranges, man. what if you’re not here and i’m stuck orangeless! i don’t even wanna think about⎯mmph!?”

dan heng sticks an orange slice into your mouth.

he tries to ignore how you had just said that you’d be sad without him, even if you were probably referring to the oranges.

dan heng puts his fist up to his mouth, trying his best to contain his own laughter at your puzzled face. you chew and swallow the orange, only to look at him with bewilderment.

“what was that for!?”

“you were talking too much,” he shrugs. you kick his shin.

on the kitchen island, you see that one side of the orange hasn’t been fully peeled like the other. one side⎯the side you just ate⎯had no white strings on it. it was a perfectly naked orange.

the other side had lots of white string. this was also the side that sprayed dan heng.

while you may not know much about peeling oranges, you know how to remove string. you grab the orange once again, this time peeling the white string off of the orange fruit. you’re extremely focused, and dan heng thought you couldn’t get any cuter. how marvelous it must feel to fall drunker and drunker in love with you every minute.

when you get rid of the excess string, you look up at dan heng with hopeful eyes. you’re showing him what you just did; you’re expecting something. dan heng goes to open his mouth to say something, but he’s interrupted by an orange slice colliding with his mouth.

“not so nice when it’s you, huh?” you poke his chest, grabbing a slice of orange for yourself. you two chew in silence as you both finish off an orange slice.

“you do realize you could have used a slice from the half that didn’t have any white stuff, right?” dan heng tells you after he finishes eating. you set the orange on the counter as you wipe your hands off.

“yeah, but i wanted to do more work,” for you. you wanted to do more work for dan heng. you didn’t want him to always peel oranges for you. you wanted him to take a break. to relax. to enjoy himself for once in his life. even if it was a little thing such as peeling the white strings off of an orange, you hope that you can bring him the tranquility he never had before.

but little do you know, dan heng has been doing the opposite thing for you. he peels oranges so you don’t have to; because he doesn’t want you to work so much. he peels oranges to make life easier for you, because he knows how you get during the night. he peels oranges when you cannot, so you know that you always have someone there to guide you to the light.

dan heng is speechless. he only stares at your smile, completely different from earlier in the night. it’s toned down, more quiet, more sincere. you look up at him with anticipation lurking within you. you look up at him with enthusiasm and excitement and stars. it was criminally easy: how dan heng was able to love you.

but he couldn’t tell you. not yet, anyway.

“you’d stop peeling after the second orange,” dan heng jokes, poking your cheek. you puff them up in an attempt to shake his finger off, but he still stayed. you unpuffed your cheeks and rolled your eyes.

“i would not,” you cross your arms and stick your tongue out at him, “you know what, i think i’ll ask mr. yang to teach me. then i’ll be a real peeler master.”

a selfish part of dan heng wants to stop you and teach you himself. a selfish part of him only wants you to himself. it seemed stupid and moronic to consider mr. yang as some sort of rival, but he couldn’t ignore the way his heart stopped at the mention of someone else. maybe it was because that meant these nights between the two of you would be over.

but with the smirk you give him after your sentence, dan heng knows these nights will be far from over. he leans onto the counter with one hand propping him up.

“if you say so. i can’t wait for the day to arrive,” dan heng says, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

he hopes the day that you learn how to peel your own oranges, never shows up.

yeah