honeys-fiction

[honeys-fiction]

Hidden Intentions (PT. 2)

Fickle Tides (epilogue) 

Diluc’s Route: Pt. 1, Pt. 2

Here’s part two! Enjoy!

-Honey

Warnings: maid outfit, suggestive topics,

"I-is this really necessary..?" 

Stuttering, you gripped the skirt of the black maid outfit bashfully.It had been another few weeks after the incident in the city. You gradually forgot about the argument, falling back into your natural rhythm with the scarlet-haired male. On this day however, when Elzer led you to the steps of the Winery instead of your usual daily briefing at the porch of your cottage, you'd never have guessed you'd be ushered into the head maid uniform. "I mean, it's just cleaning, right?"

Adelinde assessed your uniform with a hand under her chin. She hummed, reaching forward to smooth out your sleeve. 

"Your task today is indeed cleaning. However, current outside influences require you to look the part as well."

You tilted your head, confused. Outside influences? 

Adelinde sighed. "Master Diluc is having guests visiting the Winery tomorrow. As for whom, a Fatui ambassador."

Your eyes widened, face going pale. It can't be time for that, can it? You were nowhere prepared-

"Not the one you're thinking of, my dear." She spoke soothingly, having guessed the reason for your panic. "At least, Master Diluc is fairly certain of that. Regardless, if you're to be working in the winery when they visit, it'll be safer for you to blend in."

"But why visit the winery, of all places?" 

"I'm sure you're aware of Mondstat's alliance with the Fatui, correct?" When you nodded, she continued. "Well, they've essentially taken that to mean they should have a tour of Mondstat's largest supplier of wine. Given that alcohol is a driving factor in our economy, we believe they've taken an interest in Dawn Winery because of this. Which is why Master Diluc wishes to take any and all precautions to prevent the winery's trade secrets from falling into enemy hands. If they get an inkling of what goes on here…"

"...Then they can cripple one of Mond's major lifelines." Your mind began to put the pieces together. At least, the pieces that were a very likely outcome, of course. Adelinde turned her back to you, continuing her tour of the servant's corridors. 

"Precisely. Which is also why you must remain hidden. If it gets back to Fatui higher ups that the adventurer who challenged the Eleventh Harbinger is training under the one marked 'Persona Non Grata,' then you could be put in serious danger." She looked over her shoulder at you from beneath her lashes. "Take this as an opportunity to learn how to work from the shadows. I know Master Diluc is training you in the streets after dusk; but there is only so much to be gained from vigilantism, and much to be learned from infiltration."

You should have known Adelinde would be in Master Diluc's inner web. She was in a prime position to gather Intel for him and the Guild he worked with.  

She led you down passageway after passageway, showing you all the twists and turns into every supply closet, every laundry room, both door's and their pathways to and from the kitchen, and all other information required of being a part of Dawn Winery's staff. So this is why you never saw so many personnel out and about the main halls of the winery… 

Try as you might, you could do nothing to prevent the headache from forming after Adelinde continued to pack your head with information. You were still reeling from seeing the fifth bathroom as you walked through the hallways of the winery when Master Diluc made his appearance. 

He stepped out from what you recognized, from your now over complicated understanding of the wineries layout, as his study. He glanced in your direction at the sound of your footsteps. There was a glimmer of something different in his eyes that you didn't recognize, but it was so brief you couldn't begin to. 

 "Good morning, Master Diluc." Adelinde greeted him with her hands folded over the front of her dress in a curtsy. A heart beat went by, where you recognized your situation and followed suit. He huffed in amusement, crossing his arms over his chest as you stared down bashfully at the pristine floor boards. 

"Informing our new Head Maid, are we?"

"Don't you worry, Master Diluc." She smiled in a teasing manner, and suddenly you realized where Captain Kaeya got his personality from. "I'll make a proper maid out of this one yet." 

You sputtered, nearly choking on air as he chuckled along with her. 

"H-hey! You try thinking straight after having your head stuffed with every nook and cranny of this place!"

Adeline snickered. "I did, once upon a time. You'll survive, Cecilia."

"Cecilia?"

"Your name, for now." Master Diluc informed you, his stoic mannerisms returning. "We can't afford to take any risks. So, as of today, you are Cecilia Lockhart, Assistant Head Maid of Dawn Winery. You were born and raised in Springvale, and became a maid at the winery to support your family."

You made sure to retain as much of what he was telling you as you could. 

"Cecilia Lockhart… Springvale…" 

"The rest of the staff are informed of this as well. So they'll be able to vouch for you should the need arise. Adelinde will show you where you'll be staying tonight at the end of the day."

When you gave him a dazed look of confusion, he grimaced. Maybe this was a bit much for you to handle all at once.

"When I said we can't afford to take any risks, I meant any. You'll be sleeping in one of the rooms set aside for the Heads of Staff in the winery. And, of course, training today and after supper is canceled. Should any Fatui Agents come lurking around, it'll help your alibi." He stepped forward, placing a hand on your shoulder comfortingly. “I know this is a lot for you so suddenly, I apologize. But we must cover all our tracks as best we can.”

Your gaze remained on your feet. It was indeed a lot to take in. Even after months of shadowing Master Diluc during countless days and nights, he still managed to blindside you. In the current situation, however, what flustered you most was your state of dress. Never before had Diluc seen you in any kind of skirt or dress like you were currently wearing. The unmistakable feeling of warmth rushing to your cheeks made you shift nervously. You felt exposed under his gaze.

Adelinde cleared her throat, and Diluc released your shoulder awkwardly.

“I’ll- uh,” he adjusted his tie tensely, before dipping his head to you both. “I’ll leave you to it. Please let me know if either of you need anything at all.”

And he was gone down the hallway. 

Adelinde snickered lightly while you watched him leave, dazed. Your new name ran through your head in an endless loop. He was right, this was far too much to take in all at once. It seems Adelinde was on the same page, because she ushered you to continue down the hallway. 

“We can go over more tomorrow before our guests arrive. For now, let's get the chores sorted.”

Soon you found yourself near the vineyard, hanging the Wineries laundry out to dry with some of the other maids. The sun was gentle on your backs, wind playful as it lightly rustled your uniform. When you hefted another large, water-logged blanket over the clothes line, you heard girlish giggling from down the line. It seemed to move up the line of maids, and try as you might to look at what they were laughing at, the blankets and various other pieces of laundry prevented you from doing so. But you didn’t need to see what caused their lack of composure when you had heard familiar reactions in the street if Mondstat. The kind of bashful, blushing laughter that accompanied one of Mond’s greatest sweet talkers…

“He really has put you to work, hasn’t he?”

Your shoulders sagged forward with your sigh. You heard him move past a maid with an overly sweet ‘s’cuse me darling,’ her obnoxious snickers following soon after.

“Captain Kaeya. Better not let Master Diluc catch you fraternizing with his staff.” You greeted him codly. You actively refused to face him, knowing you would catch a flirtatious smirk and gleaming eye borne of your comment. 

“Look at you, folding laundry like a proper maid. Do you think Master Diluc would let me borrow you sometime?”

You hissed. You knew he was doing this to get a rise out of you, but it was so damn difficult to let him get away with poking at you so easily. 

“If he does, I'll wrinkle your shirts purposefully!”

“I’d rather you wrinkle my sheets, doll. Especially dressed like that.” 

The nearby maids hearing his remark squealed. Did he always have to be so vulgar around you? You grumbled, turning your back to him while you mercilessly manhandled the slipping sheet into place on the line. 

The rest of the maids began to pick up their empty baskets, returning to the winery after finishing the laundry. ���Goodbye Sir Kaeya~’ followed nearly as they passed him. When you picked up your own to follow, he placed a hand on your shoulder to stop you. 

“Come now, why so cold?” He tutted you in a faux pout. “After all those times I bailed you out of trouble, and you treat me like trash? How cruel of you.”

You glowered at him. While he did save you from punishment a handful of times, most of those were because of him! He loved to orchestrate trials and tribulations for you behind the scenes, because he ‘loved how you handled yourself.’ 

“What do you want, Kaeya Alberich?”

“Oh? Are we on a full name basis now? How close we’ve grown.” He purred. An arm looped through yours, softly tugging you behind the safety of the blankets. Here, between the rustling of damp cloth in the wind, you were hidden from prying eyes and ears. 

Tossing your basket to the ground aggressively, you crossed your arms over your chest. 

“Spit it out, I haven’t got all day.”

He sighed, raising his hands in surrender. “Very well, I won’t keep you for too long. I just wanted to do some- well, inquiries into a personal investigation of mine.” 

“Huh?” You raised a brow at him. “Investigation?”

“I’m sure you’ve noticed the Fatui acting behind the scenes as of late, no?” When you nodded, he smirked. “Good. Well, more than likely, this is because their diplomatic lobbying for certain demands with the Knights have failed.”

You narrowed your eyes. They’ve been talking with the Knights? It isn’t that much of a surprise that civilized diplomatic meetings haven’t gotten them anywhere, considering their past with Mond and the Knights. But what could they be pushing so hard for?

“How long have they been making demands?”

“Since the month before last. Nearly every other day at that, poor Jean.”

Lisa would probably have concocted a stronger coffee for her due to this complication, you assumed. 

“Two months? That’s an awfully long time for them to keep matters of their desires in the Acting Grandmaster's Office. What do they want?”

He snickered suddenly, placing a hand over his chin with a wicked grin. 

“Hehe, say, when have you spoken so eloquently? Is Master Diluc rubbing off on you?” 

“Stop changing the subject!” You seethed, yet your face burned crimson and your ears practically boiled on the sides of your head. If his intention was to tease you this whole time, you’d be better off just leaving! 

He snickered, “Alright, fine. No more teasing. As I said, the  Fatui have made certain demands of Mondstat. However, they are most unusual, more unusual than anything they’ve ever demanded of us thus far.”

“One, they want the Darknight Hero to be brought into custody.”

You scoffed. “Like that wasn’t something they’ve been trying for ages ago.”

“Indeed,” Kaeya affirmed. “However, they never specified whether or not their identity should be made public, merely that they be brought in.”

You hummed in thought. It was strange that they were willing to allow the Knights to keep his identity a secret, if they’d even be able to catch him in the first place. You doubt the Knights could, considering his background and the Acting Grandmaster’s involvement. Perhaps turning the Knights on Master Diluc was more of a way to distract him from foiling further Fatui plots. 

“Second,” Kaeya continued. “Is that they want all adventurer’s listed under the Adventurer’s Guild of Mondstat to be housed within the city walls; and to return to their homes, unless otherwise instructed, at a set curfew.”

Jaw dropping, you stared at the Calvary Captain in shock. 

“What? There’s no way they can make demands like that!”

“Were that the case, they would have worked something out behind the scenes without going through Jean first. But, it seems they’ve now been pushed to such lengths. And given that the public of Mond is currently worried for the safety of their adventures with the recent abyss attack, it wouldn't be wise to ignore it.”

You were technically still under the jurisdiction of the Adventurer’s Guild of Mondstat. While you hadn’t been doing any of the run-of-the-mill commissions you were expected to, Master Diluc had worked out a deal with Cyrus and the rest of the Guild’s leadership; allowing you to do commissions for the winery exclusively. This way you wouldn’t lose your job for shirking your duties. 

It seems that ended up being a double edged sword however. Since you still counted as an adventurer, you would be forced to return to the city, and, depending on the proposed curfew, unable to continue training with Master Diluc. Not that you wouldn’t be able to, but your nightly activities would certainly be way more illegal. 

Had Tartaglia caught wind of Diluc’s involvement? He didn’t seem like the type to purposefully prevent you from improving. In his eyes, the stronger the opponent, the better. No, this was more than likely the work of another harbinger or something of the like. If Childe lost to you, and the public caught wind of it? That would be a fairly large blow to their hold on the Knights of Favonius. For a Harbinger to lose to an Adventurer would mean that it's possible for any to lose. 

“Jean’s not going to consider it any time soon, right?”

“Of course not.” Kaeya scoffed, crossing his arms indignantly. “She hasn’t since these demands began. A little bit of added pressure from the Fatui behind the scenes isn’t enough to make her cave either.”

Giving your current situation a thought, you sighed. “I take it Master Diluc is well aware already, then?” Leave it to Diluc to withhold information in a major crisis. You groaned, rubbing your face with your palm. The sun suddenly felt way too hot, the breeze too chilly. Why could he never trust you? Especially with vital information pertaining to yourself! You were a grown woman for Archon’s sake! “Then that ‘Ambassador’...”

“Could be a scout looking for you.” He finished coolly.

“And you came all this way, just to tell me this?” He placed a hand over his heart in an overly dramatic manner at your tone. 

“Why wouldn’t I warn a dear friend when their life is in peril? Especially when a certain special someone in their life is keeping them in the dark.”

“I see what this is,” you scowled. “You’re just here to stir the pot, like always.”

“Perhaps. But I really did come by to check in, you know.” He ruffled your hair as he brushed past you. “I’ll leave you be, then. I have important matters to discuss with ‘your Master Diluc.’”

You flushed, seething, grumbling aggressively as he sauntered away with jovial snickers. Captain Kaeya, always trying to get under people’s skin and watch them crawl. And while you did catch him red handed, that didn’t mean he hadn’t succeeded. 

…

The sun shone softly through the lavish curtains, the wind rustling them aside to allow the golden rays to illuminate streaks of his office. 

Where Master Diluc now paced. Arms crossed with a hand on his chin. He remained lost in thought. Thoughts pertaining to the present situation of the winery, of his work, of you, the Fatui…

‘Troublesome, Troublesome…’ 

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his ornate office door. Three precise knocks against the heavy wood, a maid.

“Master Diluc, Sir Kaeya wishes to speak to you.”

The crimson haired male let out a heavy, exhausted sigh. Great. He composed himself by the window, gazing out at the vast expanse of vineyard that lay below his window.

“Very well,” He sighed. “Let him in.”

He didn’t turn when the door was opened, then shut. Nor when a single pair of footsteps walked confidently to the expensive sofa, making himself comfortable against it’s plush cushions.

“You seem awfully excited to see me, Master Diluc.” He spoke coyly. “Miss me?”

“Hardly,” Diluc huffed. He began to drum his fingers against his forearm impatiently, a habit he must’ve picked up from you. Another way you’ve become a royal pain in his-

“Come now, I can feel the excitement from all the way over here!” The couch rustled, he must’ve leaned forward. “Aren’t you curious about what brought your dear brother out this far to see you?”

“If this is about the Fatui’s demands,” the pyro user sneered. “I’m already well aware. You’ve no need to provide any of your insight on this matter.” 

“Oh, so you are in the know!” Kaeya chuckled. “She thought so too.”

Diluc froze. He didn’t. Slowly, the owner of Dawn Winery turned towards the Cavalry Captain. 

“Is that all it takes to gain your attention nowadays? Interesting…”

“Kaeya. Alberich.” Diluc hissed. His eyes burned with a wild tempest of emotions. “What. Did. You. Do.”

The Cavalry Captain leaned back on the sofa, placing his hands behind his head and crossing one leg over the other nonshalontly. 

“I merely did what any good friend would do and let her know the details you’ve been keeping from her. Like she wouldn’t have found out on her own anyways.”

Great. Diluc pinched the bridge of his nose, irritated. Leave it to Kaeya to purposefully cause chaos, leaving him with even more of a mess to deal with. Not only does he have to appease the Fatui ‘Ambassador’ later this evening, he now has to appease you. 

It was bad enough that his plan to hide you amongst his staff was already backfiring on him. When he saw you that morning in uniform, seeing you in white stockings, ruffled apron and frilly headband- Certainly not at all what you usually wore. He feared you might end up being a distraction now more than you already were to him…

“She has a right to know, Diluc.”

“And I was going to tell her in due time, Sir Kaeya,” He spat. He was losing his temper quickly, and he was not in the mood for this conversation. 

“Would that have been before, or after the Fatui inevitably force the Acting Grandmaster into a corner, and you lose any chance to fully prepare her to face Tartaglia?” Kaeya chided him. He knew all the buttons to press after all. Never mind how he knew that last detail in the first place. 

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Oh?” The cryo user sneered. “It’s not? Are you so sure?” 

Diluc narrowed his eyes. “What do you know?”

Kaeya, in a rare show of gravitas, leaned forward with a steely gaze.

“Master Jean is spread thin these days, you know.” He began sternly. “She can’t keep both the delegates of Snezhnaya and the people of Mond entertained forever. One side has to give eventually, and unless you let our little trouble maker take care of herself, it’s not going to be the Fatui.” 

“I’ll-” Diluc ruffled the back of his head anxiously. “I’ll figure it out.”

“You better do that soon. Or She’ll do it for you.”

Then he was alone once more, in his office. The sun rose higher, the wind no longer toying with the curtains.

So much to do and so little time…

‘Troublesome, troublesome…’

…

Next day started off without a hitch. You got up and dressed yourself in the head maid's attire (albeit with a little bit of help from Adelinde), and followed Adelinde down to the main floor to prepare for the guests arrival. Granted he wasn’t due until later that afternoon, the staff’s collective work started well before the sun rose. 

Fighting back a yawn, you stood besides Adelinde as she briefed the other maids on their tasks for the day. When prompted for further input by Adelinde, you responded with further tasks as scripted. If you were to really look the part of Assistant Head Maid at the Dawn Winery, you needed to act the part as well. 

After the maids left and Elzer finished briefing his staff, the three of you returned to the second floor to continue preparing the guest rooms. By the time dawn finally peered over the horizon, you had dusted, swept, and further prepped two of the three rooms you were assigned. 

You were tired, and more than ready for lunch, but continued on to the last room. Determination burned in your heart. The flames of confliction stoked from yesterday’s meeting with the Cavalry Captain still roared. You cleaned with anger, fluffed pillows with as little aggression as you could manage, and shook out rugs with a force to be reckoned with. You were willing to prove to him that you were more than capable to face this issue head on, through the ways of the maid if you had too!

Grumbling quietly to yourself, you hauled your supplies into the last room. This one, surprisingly, was not another bedroom. It looked like another study. Books were stacked on every shelf, papers and documents placed neatly into folders on their own shelves or in drawers. The curtains were closed, a small sliver of light managed to shine through velvet curtains. Judging by the layer of dust that coated everything, and the cobwebs gathering in nearly every corner, this room hadn’t been used in a very long time. 

It seemed you had unconsciously saved the room with the most work for last. Still, you tied a handkerchief over your nose and mouth and set to work. Pulling back the curtains and shoving the window open, a pleasant breeze blew in. A delightful contrast to the musty air that was dominant before. You then gathered all the cobwebs, dusted and swept as much as you could. 

The sun had risen higher in the sky when you started on all the detail work. Wiping the groves of the ornate furniture, brushing off books and brushing out curtains. All that was left was a painting set on one of the walls still visible between bookshelves and other documents. 

It was a rather beautiful oil painting. An eagle rose proudly above a branch, wings stretched out majestically. Each feather was giving meticulous detail, it wasn’t hard to imagine how much time was spent on this piece. The frame it was in was equally gorgeous, carved cedar flowing in leaf like patterns around the frame. And while you would’ve been disgruntled about the thought of cleaning all those groves, you suppose for this particular painting you could let such feelings slide. 

You were still staring at the painting when someone walked in.

“Oh, good. You’re already here.” It was Master Diluc. He peered through the doorway, a handful of documents in one hand. “I was hoping it would be started by the time I got around to starting in here.”

You turned away from the painting to stare at him, perplexed. “Starting?”

“This room is more of a storage room for all the winery’s older documents than it is a study. I wanted to take an account of everything that’s here before our guests arrive, as well as stash a few more documents. I suppose it should be unspoken, but nevertheless, no one besides you, Adelinde, Elzer and myself is allowed in this room.”

You nodded quietly, a stoney look on your face. Ah, that’s what he was afraid of. The silent treatment. Or at least, unwilling responses in this case. He knew you’d still be upset, which is precisely why he came prepared. 

“It’s nearly noon. Have you eaten yet?”

You shook your head. He figured as much already, of course. This wasn't the first time you forwent basic necessities to finish your work as fast as possible, powering through hunger and drowsiness. He supposed he hasn't exactly been setting a good example himself in that regard. 

“Here,” he pulled out a small breakfast cake, wrapped delicately in paper, from behind his back. “I know you’ve already finished most of your tasks this morning. Take a break. You have more than enough time to do so.”

You observed it for a moment. A peace offering, is it? Then he already knew you were aware of his crimes, meaning Kaeya told him yesterday. You knew he mostly visited to stir the pot, as usual. But the growl in your stomach at the thought of something sweet and filling was too loud to ignore, or hide. Curse him for knowing your weakness…

You sighed, taking the cake from him and setting down your rag. He motioned to the chair behind you, and you half-heartedly took a seat. While you peeled open the paper and nibbled on your cake, he began checking over the bookcases and shelves, checking off a list with a quill he summoned from a flash of gold sparks. Oh, you forgot you could do stuff like that too. 

You watched him work while you ate. He skipped over one of the bookcases which you realized was filled with old books and novels. At the bottom shelf, you recognized thin children’s books, well loved and worn from use. Some of the novels fared no better. You reckoned the late Master Crepus read these to Diluc and Kaeya when they were little. Perhaps even to him by his father. 

After you had your fill of watching him, you turned to the painting again. The eagle remained, wings spread and talons stretched. Each piece of bark on the branch was a collection of purposeful strokes, same as each leaf of pine on its twigs. 

“That painting,” Diluc remarked from behind you, drawing your attention to him once more. “Was done by my father. Many years ago.”

He must’ve paused his work while you were studying the painting, as he stood with his checklist at his side. He gazed at the painting fondly, a gentle twinkle present in his crimson eyes. 

“I remembered he spent quite a long time on this particular one, though I was still very young so it’s very likely I was just rather impatient." He seemed happy to have a chance to talk about his father, if his relaxed stance and visage we're anything to go by.

"What was he like?" You asked softly. The loss of a loved one can be rough on one's psyche; you hoped recalling the memories of his father would be pleasant for him, and not do the opposite. you were relieved when a small smile quirked the corner of his lips.

"He was a great man," he began with warmth in his voice. "Kind, selfless, and respectable. He was well loved by Mond, and it's thanks to him that Dawn Winery is so reputable, more so than in the past anyways. He gave all that he could to help others. It was him who inspired me to become a knight in the first place. I only wish I had his composure, he never faltered in the face of adversity…"

He trailed off, face falling blankly, brows furrowing. You knew he was starting to go into unpleasant memories.

"Just because you couldn't see it, didn't mean that he was always composed." He removed his gaze from the painting as you spoke, instead meeting your own. "I'm sure you gave him more than your fair share of trouble as a child."

He chuckled, smiling fondly once more. He looked you right in the eyes, confident and truthful as he spoke his next words.

"He would have loved you."

Butterflies exploded in your chest. Your face burned hot, cheeks flushed and rosy. You couldn't do more than stare at him with wide, stunned eyes. After a few moments, you regained your composure. 

“I-I see. Well,” you coughed, clearing your throat before attempting to hide your embarrassment by turning back to the painting. “Don’t take that as a sign that you're back on my good side. I’m still quite angry with you.”

He winced. Of course you were. While he loathed to admit it, Kaeya was right. He should have let you in on what was going on sooner. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he was putting you in more danger than you were already. You should’ve known what was coming for you.

“... Of course.” He turned back to his work, the scratching of the quil against paper once again present. “You have every right to be angry with me.”

Even though the words ‘I’m sorry,’ or something close to it anyways, never left his mouth; you knew. Master Diluc was a headstrong, prideful man. But even Diluc apologies, albeit in his own, discrete way. 

Your cake was finished, so you crumpled the wrapper and stuffed it in your pocket. It didn’t take you too long to finish up the rest of the room. Picking up your supplies, you left Diluc to his work and returned your supplies. 

Adelinde met you at the bottom of the stairs. 

“Oh good,” she greeted you with a relieved expression. “You’ve finished. I was worried it’d take you longer, we’ve just received word that our guests are going to be early.”

“Really?” You said perplexed. “Trying to catch us off guard?”

“Perhaps,” She agreed. “Nevertheless, we must make sure the other maids are on track and we get ourselves cleaned up. I’ll inform Master Diluc in the meantime.”

Leave it to the Fatui to try and pull a fast one. While Adelinde headed back upstairs, you went to the courtyard. With any luck, the maids will have finished up with their tasks. But you knew the urge to gossip would slow things down. 

When you opened the doors, instead of being greeted by the maids chatting over idle brooms, you found a pair of them standing rather defensively. In front of them was a man that was unmistakably a Fatui agent. Dressed in a black and red coat, hood drawn back with a half mask concealing most of his identity. He seemed uninterested, yet you knew that it was very likely his laid back mannerism didn’t match his words. And judging by the reactions the maids had to his presence, they didn’t.

“Good Afternoon,” you greeted calmly.

“Miss Lockhart!” One of the maids squeaked. The two of them snapped to attention, yet the slump of their shoulders told you they were relieved to see you. 

You dipped your head to them, a sign that they could continue to attend to their tasks. All too happy to continue sweeping, they sped away to the opposite side of the courtyard. The agent, however, didn’t seem too pleased that you had interrupted him.

“Welcome to Dawn Winery, is there something I can assist you with?” Each word was delivered carefully and tactfully. It could be likely that the Fatui didn’t actually know what you look like yet, as you doubt Tartaglia would’ve told them. He probably knew better than to let them get in between your rivalry. Still, it’s possible they knew enough of what to look for. You hoped your cover was deep enough to conceal you.

“Nothing.” He responded gruffly. “I was just here to inform Master Diluc of our early arrival.”

It was suspicious, you thought, of how open they were with their arrival. While it would’ve been rude to show up early unannounced, it would have been a good opportunity to catch you off guard. Perhaps he blew his cover, and used it as an excuse to bury his tracks? It was in poor taste for him to wear his uniform in broad daylight if that were the case. 

You nodded, dipping into a polite curtsey. 

“I see, we thank you for the warning. Please let us know if there's anything we can do for you in the meantime.” You turned to continue your rounds of the courtyard, when he stopped you.

“Hold on a moment,” he grunted. You turned back to him. “How long have you worked here?”

“Two years,” you believed that was the time frame Adelinde gave you. 

“I see, where are you from?”

“I’m from Springvale, I became a maid to support my family. Is something wrong?” Awfully bold of him to question you about such personal matters right off the bat, before even asking your name no doubt.

“No, no,” he dismissed it with a wave of his hand. “I simply wished to get to know you better, Miss…?”

“Cecilia, Cecilia Lockhart.”

“Miss Lockhart.” He bowed briefly. “Thank you, Miss Lockhart. I hope to be seeing you again.”

The smoothness of his voice and the wink he gave you said it all. He was gathering information under the pretext of flirting.

“Of course, Sir. Good day.” After giving him a proper curtsy in return, he finally was on his way. You watched him leave for a moment. Did he interrogate all of the staff? Did Adelinde know? She must’ve assumed he would when she came inside, and knew he would do the same to you the moment he saw you. All the better for her not to be present to make things suspicious. 

Your rounds were finished quickly, and Adelinde returned to help finish up with the courtyard. You saw Master Diluc walk the vineyards with one of his employees, inspecting to make sure nothing was amiss before the guests arrived, no doubt. If the agent was still about, he made sure to stay clear out of sight now that Diluc was present. Still, you didn’t let down your guard even as you helped polish the lamps and windows. Letting your guard down was the easiest way for failure. 

And failure was not an option.

[honeys-fiction]

Hidden Intentions (PT. 1)

Fickle Tides (epilogue) 

Diluc’s Route Pt. 1

Instead of doing normal parts, I decided to make two separate outcomes for both Diluc and Childe, Mayhaps, both, in the future. Without further ado, enjoy!

-Honey

Warnings: combat, arguments, mentions of people being tied up, mentions of human trafficking, no spicy yet

Months went by after that fateful day within the Cathedral. Barbara came in shortly after Master Diluc had left, and made another attempt to heal you. Surprisingly, your body took her healing. It seemed while you were asleep, and thus still under the effect of your own vision, her's was useless to you. When you woke your spell was broken, leaving her free to work her magic. That shaved at least a week or two off your recovery period. As soon as the nuns would allow you, you set out to Dawn Winery to begin your training. He must’ve had one of his own watching you, because he was waiting for you on the steps of the Winery when you arrived, arms crossed and expression resolute.

As he said, your training began immediately. From the moment you arrived until sundown, you two sparred until one of the maids informed you that supper was ready. He’d nearly beaten you to a pulp, wearing you down with his attacks and little to no breaks in between sessions. Walking to the dinner table that night was nearly impossible, but the meal that awaited you was well worth it. 

After your meal, Diluc prepared to attend to his Darknight duties. Before he left, he informed you that a vacant cottage was set up for you to stay in, considering you were going to be spending much of your time at the Winery from there on out. It was cozy, a bed already made and a small pantry stocked with healthy ingredients perfect for a well-balanced diet. It seemed he was more dedicated to your training than you initially thought…

A cooking pot was tucked into an alcove near the pantry, and a table next to a bookshelf lay beneath the window. You were delighted to see a little reading nook decorated neatly with plush pillows; the perfect spot to bask in the day's sunlight while not training or running errands.

The morning you awoke, you were informed by Elzer, Master Diluc’s personal butler, of your first task. It was in Mondstat City, so you were able to grab your personal effects after you finished your task. By the time you returned to the Winery, it was already time to train again.

The cycle continued, complete your tasks for the Winery, train, eat, sleep. It was grueling the first couple weeks, but you began to improve. Occasionally Diluc would give you the morning before training off, but never once did he let you escape your sparring sessions. When the time came that you could finally hold up against him longer and the dirt that would cover your back began to lessen each session, he decided to extend your lessons. 

One night, after dinner, instead of bidding you goodnight, he handed you a cloak and a mask. When you merely held them in confusion, he informed you that you were to begin shadowing him on his late night missions. He reasoned it would strengthen you against different types of enemies, and get you accustomed to working late into the night on little sleep. 

The first night was by far the most unusual experience you had with the man.

"So I just… Sit here?" You rubbed lightly at your cheek with confusion, half your face hidden beneath the mask and hood. 

Moonlight illuminated your view from the rooftops of Mondstat. Master Diluc, now dawning his Darknight attire, crouched just in front of you. The two of you were currently spying on a suspicious group of individuals he'd seen while attending to business in the city that morning. And sure enough, they were beginning to get up to no good in the darkest hours of the night. 

He sighed, "Yes. Right there. Not down there or over somewhere else. Right. There."

You huffed, pouting as he continued to observe the suspicious group loitering around a spare cart. Master Diluc was awfully hell-bent on keeping you out of trouble despite being the one bringing you into trouble in the first place.

You shifted, foot shuffling against the shingles of the roof. His shoulders squared at the sound, head tilting in your direction. 

"I'm not going anywhere!" You angrily whispered, to which he shushed pointedly. "How am I supposed to learn anything when I'm stuck up here like a fledgling on house arrest?"

"You'll have your time to fly, but right now you need to watch and learn."

The small gathering below began to make their move, voices rushed and excited. 

Diluc ushered you closer to the edge of the roof. When you crouched beside him, he motioned to the group below. 

"Now, what do you see?"

Your eyes raked across the soon to be crime scene aptly. The cart was empty, small enough for a single horse, or two men, to hall. It wasn't near any points of interest, tucked away into an alley between two shops that had long closed for the night. 

At a glance, they looked like a bunch of drunkards or delinquents looking for trouble. But the gleam of silver and gold in their pockets was unmistakable to you, a seasoned adventurer.

“Treasure hoarders? What are they up to so deep in the city?”

“Good eye,” Diluc commended you briefly. “Most wouldn’t have noticed since this particular bunch has forgone their usual attire, but they still need some way to be recognizable to their comrades.”

He turned back to your targets thoughtfully musing, “As for why they’re so active in an area they usually avoid, that remains to be seen.” 

“Remains to be seen in which it’s on a need to know basis, or that they’ve managed to outsmart the great Darknight Hero?” You snickered when he scoffed, but even you knew it was near impossible to pull the wool over the eyes of Master Diluc.

“What would you learn from a lesson you were given answers to? You pride yourself on being quick, yes? Figure it out.”

Ignoring his chiding comments with a huff, you returned your focus to the treasure hoarders. Currently, they were nosing into a window of what you recognized as the jewelry shop. Quite the haul, albeit difficult to pull off. The street you surveyed had regular patrols from knights, a high stakes reward with little chance of evading capture. What was so important that treasure hoarders if all things would risk confrontation? 

You thought back to a recent visit to the jewler. Elzer had informed you one morning that an heirloom needed some tending to by a professional, so you ferried the priceless cargo to Mondstat yourself. The jeweler was more than happy to take on a commission from the young Ragnvindr, and all but pushed his other requests to the side. It was practically ready the next day, so whatever the treasure hoarders were after wasn’t technically any of Diluc’s concern (if he wasn’t as justice-driven of course). 

Though, you did remember the jeweler mentioning he had another heirloom commissioned by another wealthy family. Less well known then the Ragnvindrs, yet had a long history nonetheless. The heirloom was supposedly a headpiece with magic abilities. Some members of the family claimed it could keep you young, others stated it brings good fortune and wealth. For all anybody knew it could be hearsay, but for those desperate enough to maintain their status, skepticism never mattered. 

Making it enough of a decent target for ransom. 

Diluc watched you from the corner of his eye as you worked through the treasure hoarder's motives. Your hand had a habit of cupping your chin while deep in thought, eyes narrow and brows furrowed. The glimmer in your eyes when you connected the dots made him smirk. You were indeed quick. 

“Is it the headpiece after? The one commissioned by the- er, those…” You pressed your palm to your forehead in a confused manner. “Oh what were their names again…?”

“That’s not important.” With a wave of his hand, Diluc regained your attention. “I believe it is indeed that headpiece.” 

“Surely it’s not really magic, is it? The sorry thing was nearly rusted to pieces last I saw it.”

“Of course not. It’s nothing more than a bit of a knight's helmet, from hundreds of years ago. What matters is its importance to it’s owners. Something I’m sure you're well aware of already, so I’ll spare you the details.” 

He stood suddenly, peering down over the band of thieves that were now picking at one of the window frames. His cloak rusted faintly in the night’s calm wind, hood nearly dropping from his head. 

“But, why interfere? I mean, sure they’ll have to pay ransom and lose quite a bit of money; but why are you specifically wanting to get involved?”

“This is much more than just thievery and ransoms.” He spoke harshly and to the point. “It’s about nipping this infestation in the bud. If I were to allow them to take the headpiece and successfully earn ransom, they’ll be encouraged to try elsewhere. Soon they’ll have spread throughout Mond, and go after a bigger prize. You must never allow such behavior to take root in the city, no matter what cost.”

Too busy eyeing his prey, he didn’t notice your scowl. You didn’t understand why he thought it had to be him specifically to solve this issue, or why you didn’t just grab a knight or captain on patrol. Surely they ought to know something like this.

Yet, you knew he wouldn’t listen to your reasoning, especially not now. So you kept your mouth shut.

“Right then,” you eagerly sat up on your heels, ready to swoop down and put your training to good use. “So, what's our next move?”

“I am going to take care of the problem. You are going to sit here and observe.”

“What!?” 

“Just sit still and behave for once.”

The Darknight Hero dove from his perch before you could protest further. Yet you could not help but set your initial anger aside in favor of watching him work. His movements and form was flawless, each punch and kick was practiced and certain. Without giving any of the treasure hoarders a moment to breathe, he had them all defeated before him.  

….

“I get that you have your ‘reasons for everything’ and all, truly. But, Isn’t this a bit… excessive?”

Severely bodies hung upside down from different lamp posts down in front of the shop. Some struggled as they began to reawaken, others drooled unconsciously over pristine cobble. 

“I’m merely setting an example. Any sane individual will think twice before attempting any mischief for quite some time. Even you, no?”

You stepped back from the man as he turned to you. “Is that a threat?”

“It will be if you keep getting up to no good. Keep in mind what I am capable of, or I might hang you out to dry as well.”

“So it was a threat!”

The morning after your first patrol, it was Elzer who roused you from a corpse-like sleep to attend to your task for the day.  Despite your obvious fatigue, Elzer merely handed you a cup of coffee with a smile. That afternoon Master Diluc knocked you around more so than usual. Your sleep deprivation dug it's talons into your moments, slowing you down and allowing him to get some good hits in. You were covered in bruises by the time he decided to show you mercy. Though he was not merciful enough in your eyes, as he still dragged you back to the city as dusk fell.

That continued for sometime. Your days seemed to lengthen, and you found it much easier to keep your eyes open through hazes of drowsiness. Less sleep was no longer an issue for you, leaving you no trouble as a night owl. One thing seemed to remain constant over the many long nights and patrols, Master Diluc only allowed you to shadow him, but never intervene. 

Many nights there was nothing to involve yourself with. A pickpocket here and there, but Diluc always took care of it before you could mention it, so it never concerned you. It was the nights where bigger crimes began to seed that began to make you frustrated.

"So, what's the objective tonight? More roof sitting? Or will we spice it up a bit and do some wall sitting?" 

Diluc sighed, rubbing his eyes with his gloved fingers. "I've said this many times, and though I have no desire to speak the same words once more, I'll do so for my own peace of mind. It is better to watch from up high than below. I know the past few nights haven't been eventful-"

"At all!"

"But. We need to watch for anything that might be occurring without our knowledge."

Irritated, you let out an obnoxious groan, falling back from your seat on the barrel tucked behind a shop near the west gate. 

"You know, we might be able to spot more if we actually split up. There's no reason for two pairs of eyes to be watching the same block!"

"You are not ready." Here it comes, the same speel you had been hearing for months. "It would be too risky to separate when you're still training. If you encounter a disturbance, Barbatos knows you wouldn't inform me first, I may not be able to help you in time."

"What if I promised you I'd come find you at the first sign of suspicious activity?"

Diluc gave you a look of disbelief, eyes narrowed and frowning. You hated when he did that. 

"I would!"

"I know for certain you would not."

"Even if I don't, what's the point of all that train- mph!"

Your words were muffled by the sudden grasp of leather, it's force pulling you against the wall and out of sight.

"Quiet!" He whispered suddenly. He pulled you behind him and peered around the wall. 

Within moments, the soft, but preset pads of footsteps echoed down the street. From across the alley where you were hidden, a dark figure loomed from the shadows. It seemed someone else was trying to remain hidden under the moonlit sky. 

Pressing a hand to his shoulder so he knew it was you, you glanced around his form at the figure. Master Diluc was ridged under your touch, focus set fully on the figure stalking around corners and through darkness. 

Light bounced off their mask, black metallic colors with hints of red and silver. 

"A Fatui agent? What are they doing here?" You whispered, leaning to get a closer look. But Diluc had already gripped your arm in an iron hold, pulling you away from the corner and down the alley. Remembering your situation, you tried to muffle your surprise as best you could, but it was rather hard when he was tugging you through twists and turns like the wind. 

"Diluc? What are you doing?"

He ignored you. Finally, you reached the back door of his tavern, Angel's Share. The usual bustling atmosphere that bled through the thick cobble walls was no longer present this time of night. Pulling a key from his back pocket, he unlocked the door and maneuvered you in.

"Wait, Diluc!" You grabbed the hand that held your arm, forcing him to a halt. "What's going on? We should be watching him right now!"

He shook his head. "Something much larger is at hand. Something much too large for you to handle currently."

"What?! If the Fatui are up to something then we need as much help as we can get! We have to tell the Knights."

"They won’t make it in time, I’ll handle it. Stay. Put.”

He swung the door shut before you could retort. As your fists banged on the heavy oak door, you heard the click of the lock as it sealed you in the empty tavern. The iron fittings hardly rattled as you knocked a final hit to the polished wood. 

The backroom to the tavern was almost completely dark, save for the moonlight drifting in from a small window at the top of one wall. Too high up to reach, and too small to squeeze through if you could make it up there. Dejected, you rested your back against the cobble wall, sliding down to the pristine stone floors. 

Why did he do this to you? All that training, just to push you away the moment you could put it to use? In all the nights you trained with him thus far, never had he lost his cool like that. Well, not enough to lock you in a tavern, that's for sure!

You were fuming. Sure a Fatui Agent was no small order, but how are you meant to face Tartaglia again when your own mentor won’t let you get real experience? The thought of losing to that ginger because of Diluc’s coddling made your blood boil and stomach twist. 

Master Diluc never seemed the suffocating-mother hen-type to you. Well, before you became his pupil, of course. From watching him interact with his employees around the winery or his customers whenever he had the shift at the tavern, he never once attempted to directly prevent anyone from attempting anything. But as soon as you encountered him that fateful night, discovered his secret alias as the Darknight hero and worked alongside him on occasion, and then allowed him to take you under his wing; it’s like he thinks anything and everything will shatter you like glass. 

You would have never suspected such a thing to come from that night long ago.

…

The night was cold and the streets were dark. The soles of your boots clicked against the slate beneath you, breath leaving you in pants as you ran through the city. Your pursuers were not far behind you, the echo of metal and chains bouncing off the walls of empty shops and unconscious homes. How a group of bandits made it this far into Mond was beyond you. So much for the knights standing guard…

A bottle of electro sailed past your head, annihilating a lone lamp in its path. You shrieked why it burst near your face, ducking and stumbling to the sound of jovial cackling behind you. 

“You can’t run forever, lass! Come now, make this easy for all of us and sit still like a good girl!”

You just had to stumble upon a bandit plot unfolding when returning to your apartment after a day of commissions. It didn’t help that you were still new to the City of the Wind, the layout still unfamiliar to you. Your luck ran out when you skidded to a halt at a dead end tucked away in a darkened alley way. Unless you were suddenly able to sprout wings, there wasn’t a hope in celestia that could save you now. Your vision glimmered uselessly at your hip, having received it shortly after your transfer. You were more likely to blow both you and the bandits up than save yourself currently. 

“There’s nowhere to run, lass.” One loomed closer and closer, the hammer in his hand glinting in the starlight. “Come quietly and we might be more gentle with you!” 

Cursing under your breath, you prepared to summon some form of hydro. Weapon, shield, a few sprinkles, anything!

He marched forward, twirling his hammer with his wrist. “I reckon you’d fetch quite a nice price on the market. If not all of you, a kidney or two will do!” He hefted it over his head, ready to swing it down on your head at a moment's notice. You gasped, frozen in place-

The whistle of many somethings shooting through the air startled you both, accompanied by the rattle of chains. Sharp arrowheads pierced the arms of the bandit. He dropped his hammer with a cry as blood splattered to the ground. His lackeys made noises of shock, but they too were subdued, wrapped in chains. A figure leapt from the roof over your head, landing in front of you noiselessly. Draped in a dark cloak with a white and gold mask upon his face, he stood proud in the night. 

The bandit leader grunted, struggling to stand amidst his bindings.

“Well well, if it isn’t Mr. Darknight Hero! I was wonderin’ when you’d show your ugly mug!” 

The Darknight Hero stood steadfast. The chains holding the bandit clunk together as he heaved himself to his feet.

“Naturally, we’ve prepared for you!”

A bottle of hydro fell before the Darknight Hero. He lept back, crouching over you to shield you both from the splash with his cloak. A glimmer of purple, and you were suddenly yanked into a pair of arms and placed behind a crate at the back of the alley as the electro shocked the remaining puddle. 

“Stay put,” the figure declared, ushering you further behind the crate. His cloak billowed behind him as he spun on his heel and leapt back into the fray. Despite his wishes, you peered around the wooden crate. The sounds of glass breaking, the clang of metal and sounds of agony echoed through the alleyway as the bottled elements blinded your vision. 

Soon, the bandits were subdued by the strange magic-like chains produced from the Darknight Hero’s gloves. He stood amongst their defeated forms, eyeing them for any sign they might strike back. After a moment, he turned to where you were peeking from behind the crate. Sighing, he began to step towards you.

However, as he did so, a hand gripped his boot. His attention was thus placed upon the bandit below him, and not the one cowering behind the corner with a throwing knife in hand. The bandit shouted, throwing the knife towards the cloaked figure. He ducked, the knife bouncing off his broken mask with a crack. 

Your eyes widened as you gasped. “No!” Your hand shot out before you could stop yourself. A burst of hydro materialized from your palm, shooting out and hitting the knife-thrower square in the face. The Darknight Hero was evidently relatively unharmed, as he knocked the bandit below him out with a well placed stomp.

You clambered out from your hiding place. Standing awkwardly by the box, the cloak figured sighed. Scarlet hair fell from behind the hood, the mask shattered on the cobble floor. Wait, red hair…

“Hold on. Aren’t you… Master Diluc?” You stuttered, praying to Barbatos you got his name correct. Names and their faces were still a little fuzzy for you.

He paused, currently in the middle of gathering his fallen foes. He lifted his head, allowing his hood to shift to reveal crimson eyes and fair skin. That was indeed Master Diluc of Dawn Winery, if you remember your commission on his property right. 

He ducked his head back down to the bandit he was tying. “I’d appreciate it if this incident stayed in this particular alleyway, though I have means of ensuring it does if you happen to be loose-lipped.” 

You couldn’t prevent yourself from gawking at him. First, he saves your life. And now, he’s threatening to silence you?!

“Why would I!?” You spat. “You aren’t exactly dressed to appear in the morning papers after a night of heroism! You think I’d blab to the nearest knight and screw over, potentially, the only one capable of anything around here?”

You don’t know where your sudden attitude came from, and you certainly meant nothing towards the knights. You supposed you were only ‘peeved’ on account of the fact you were chased around half the night by completely avoidable circumstances on their behalf. 

He hummed, amused. Perhaps you could say something right after all.

“Then there shouldn’t be an issue here. Your… Y/N, transferee from the Fontaine Branch of the Adventurer's Guild, if I’m not mistaken?”

Stuned, you stared at him dumbfounded for a moment. He really has this whole ‘vigilante protector of the night’ thing down pat.  When you didn’t respond, he huffed.

“I heard you caused quite a bit of trouble for yourself, and were transferred here in the hopes the ‘lack of trouble’ might keep you out of it. I keep tabs on any potential threat to Mondstat, regardless of the threat level.”

Oh. So now you're a threat!

“Threat?! A Threat!” You hissed. “I’ve just spent the majority of my night being chased around by BANDITS, of all things, and you call me a threat!”

He gave you a stern look, and you remembered that it perhaps wasn’t such a smart idea to be shouting in a random alley at this time of night.

When you quieted, he turned back to his task.

“You’re hardly a threat on your own. Anyone who has any amount of confidence in themselves would have become acquainted with their vision by now. On the other hand, you are certainly a threat in the sense that trouble finds You.”

“And what does that make you? You found me.” You blurted. You weren’t doing much to prove yourself as tight lipped, you sure hoped placing your hands on your hips and puffing out your chest made you look like you’d meant to say that.

He raised a brow. Staring at you like you’d grown two heads, crimson eyes glowing beneath the hood. Finally he shrugged, moving on to the next bandit.

“I suppose I cause my own fair share of trouble. Least I can certainly say I pick up after myself.” Crouching down, he waved you away with a hand. “You’d better get yourself home. It’s late, and there's only so many knights out for patrols tonight.”

As you trotted past him and out the alley, he called after you over his shoulder. 

“Just remember I’ve got my eye on you.”

And that was how you became his biggest pain in the neck.

…

“What the hell was that about?!”

The walk back to the winery that night was tense. Diluc released you from the back room of the tavern, cloak dirtied and scorched. Adelinde was going to have a field day with him once she saw the state of his clothing.

He was silent. His pace never slowed on the dirt path back to the winery. 

You groan in exasperation. “Diluc! Hold on a second!”

You broke into a slight jog to reach him, clutching onto the back of his cloak. At that, he finally halted dead in his tracks, leaving you to stumble into his tense broad back at the sudden stop with a yelp. You stumbled back, waving your arms to catch your balance. He remained still, facing down the path back to Dawn Winery. 

“Why’d you lock me in Angel’s Share? If we stayed we could’ve both taken him just fine!”

The only movement from him was a clenched fist. His jaw tightened, and his head tilted. Oh, silent treatment. You’d been around him long enough to know when he was and wasn’t willing to give you an answer. 

You groaned, tugging your hair in frustration at his antics. “We’ve been at this for months now, Diluc! All this time, all that sparing, and not once have you let me take care of things for a change! Why bother training me if you’re not going to let me do something with it?!”

“Enough,” He growled. Diluc began to move again, swift strides taking him in the direction of the winery. You had to jog to keep up with him. “I meant what I said. You’re not ready for any of it yet.”

His voice was strained. You could tell he was holding back his emotions, liable as they were to make him blow up in your face. But your own prevented you from appreciating that choice.

“According to you, I’m never ready! When will I be ready?!”

“Drop it Y/N!” He barked, his anger echoing across the wilderness. You fumbled, tripping over your own feet in your startled state. “You’ll be ready when I say you're ready! Now quit pestering me.”

He continued down the path, steps heavy and enraged. Never in the years you’ve known him had he lashed out at you in  such a manner. Solemnly, you followed after him down the road, the cold night seeping into your frame. 

You slept restlessly that night, not arguing when he acted like it had never happened the following afternoon. 

[honeys-fiction]

THE FICKLE TIDES FIC IS AMAZING?? ITS SO GOOD??

Weehee thank you very much! Hopefully I can get part two written soon!

[honeys-fiction]

Fickle Tides

Childe x Fem!Reader x Diluc

Diluc’s Route: pt. 1

Weeheee, I return for now! I’ve been mulling over this one for awhile, the idea came to me one day and I had to write it. I’m planning a part two eventually, but for now, I hope you all enjoy this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it!

-Honey

Warnings: Blood, fighting, death, slight nsfw mentions, foul legacy childe, buckle up this is a long one

The chaotic choir of the surrounding battleground began to blur from the back of your mind as you fought to keep up with the vicious blows from your foe. The raging tide he was determined to unleash unto your body threatened to wash you away; the Harbinger hell bent on fulfilling his mission. 

The knights and your comrade's were preoccupied with their own opponents. But you were in no position to look out for them. For whatever reason, the Eleventh Harbinger, Tartaglia himself had zeroed in on you the moment his feet hit the battlefield, the stalemate between the Knights of Favonius and rebellious protectors of Mond, and the ever-fiending Fatui had snapped under Snezhnaya’s recent attempt at sending the nation of the wind into chaos. What had been a favor called in by the Acting Grandmaster had now put you directly on Childe's shit list.

"Zoning out in the midst of battle?" Water whizzed past your ear, and you ducked in time to doge his swipe at your skull. "How coy!"

He snarled with a sickening grin on his face. Twin blades formed from hydro clashed against your polearm. Your own hydro attacks were almost swept away by the sheer force of his own. In a battle of the tides, it was very clear who had the stronger current. 

"Come now, is this the best you have to offer?" He chided you, circling you with threatening intent. "I thought such a close connection to the Acting Grandmaster of Mond would have more of a bite to her!"

His next attack nearly sent you through the crumbling wall of the ruins he'd sent you flying into. You'd led the Knights in after recent Fatui activity warranted their concern, and surprisingly the concern of a third party, the Winery Tycoon Diluc. As you reeled from the impact, you could faintly hear a distinct blaze of pyro from a chamber a ways away from you.

"And I thought-" you sputtered, hoisting yourself up to lean against the wall behind you. "The Eleventh Harbinger would know when to keep his mouth shut!"

You threw your weapon in his direction with deadly speed. He laughed, his form disappearing into waves of hydro. Within moments he was on you again, forcing you out of the corner he placed you in and back into the fray. 

"Fighting talk, I love it! Don't be shy, give me your worst!" 

This guy was down right psychotic! 

Blow after blow, twisting and dodging; it was all beginning to weigh on your well-being. With a swing of his hydro glaive, you were knocked on your back with the wind stolen from your lungs on impact. He was above you next you blinked, the tip of his weapon at your throat and his boot on your chest. 

He licked a bit of blood from his lips, a result of a few lucky hits, with glee. 

"Severely outmatched, but giving it your all nonetheless. I commend you!" 

You snarled, pushing at his foot. You wheeze when he leaned his weight down to grin wickedly in your face. 

"Such tenacity! If only you weren't in my way, I could've taught you so much," he delivered a kick to your side, leaving you coughing into the floor. "Seeing weakness give way to strength has always been a guilty pleasure of mine, but I suppose I'll have to settle for Mr. Persona Non Grata for now."

Your hand shot out to grab his ankle as he turned away. He hummed, tilting his head at your resistance. 

"Still going? How cute." 

You grunted, lifting your head off the cobble. "You- leave him be. We're not finished yet-"

"I think we are. A weakling like you surely can't last for much longer. But I suppose I can humor you a bit-"

His ankle was suddenly swept out beneath him. He landed on his back with an oof, your form taking its place on his stomach. He caught the wrist that held a newly brandished dagger of hydro at his neck, surprise evident in his eyes. 

"See," you bared your teeth in his face. "I don't pride myself for being a fast learner for nothing!"

An impressed smirk greeted your snarling visage. Hydro weapons weren't something you'd managed before, but with such a versatile vision like hydro, and a life or death situation like this, you were able to make the connections quickly. 

Your exchange was interrupted with a deafening crash. The floor beneath you shuddered as the walls seemed to ripple with the explosion. One of the walls gave way to a great force, taking both the Harbinger's and your own attention away from each other. The two of you were frozen as the unmistakable forms of abyss mages and other abyss creatures poured from the newly formed portal.

You were off each other the moment the first elemental blast began flying your way, tucking behind whatever cover you could to gather your bearing.

"Tch. Using rumors of both Fatui and Mond presence here to draw both of us in, awfully clever." He clicked his tongue across from you, eyeing his new foes eagerly. The more you thought about it, the more this situation made sense. The Fatui would have as much reason to dig into these decrepit ruins as the Knights, the main reason both parties were here in the first place was because they thought the other was involved. The fact he'd managed to jump to that conclusion so quickly is what surprised you. 

"Archons, and I had the Knights just where I wanted too," he muttered.

"None of that matters right now," you snapped. "What matters is that the Abyss Order is put back in their place before they cause more damage."

He regarded you for a moment, eyeing you carefully before returning his gaze back over the edge of your makeshift cover.

"You're hardly in any position to fight, princess. So I don't know what you're suggesting in that state, if you even know yourself."

You scoffed. "Fighting isn't all I'm good for, obviously. If it was, I wouldn't be here cowering behind a poor excuse of a wall with a poor excuse of a Harbinger!"

He glared at that, but at least you had his attention.

"You have another form right? Foul whatever the fuck?"

"Foul Legacy, and it's not exactly the most energy efficient, especially after all that energy I wasted on you."

"Forget about that for a moment," you got to work removing your gloves and tying loose cloth around the worst of your injuries. "As I said, my abilities range far from just dealing damage. Like some other hydro users, I can also heal. And through that connection, I believe I can keep you on your feet; long enough to give both Mond and the Fatui a fighting chance anyway."

He looked perplexed, watching you work with disbelief. "What, so like an electro slime battery or something?"

"More like a candle wick," you corrected, standing beside him to gaze out from behind your cover. "The energy I can give you will run out eventually, and the damage I can heal and drawbacks I take over will affect how long I can keep you up. And I'll need to keep contact with you, so I won't be able to fight while I'm doing it either."

"Why are you telling me this?" He shook his head. "No, more like why. Why are you even suggesting this? I did nearly kill you just now, you know."

"The Abyss Order is a common enemy for both the Fatui and Mond. If they win here, it will be all the more easier to win elsewhere. Wherever they please. I'm sure even now the Knights and the other Fatui have already jumped to that conclusion." Your determined eyes captured his own, forcing him to stare back with little to no choice. "So use what I give you wisely."

He chuckled darkly, eagerly sliding his arm around your waist and pulling you close. 

"Forcing me to fight with one arm. Though, I always enjoy a challenge!"

Electro crackled around you, purple sparks from his delusion blinded you. The arm around you grew tremendously, steam nearly burning you to a crisp. Before you knew it, you were cradled in one armored arm with ease, floating much higher above the ground. The fur from his cloak tickled your cheek, all you could do was stare at the crimson one-eyed mask that dwarfed the original size of his head.

He clutched you tighter, an abyssal glaive materializing in his free hand. 

"Hold on tight, princess," his voice was rougher, deeper. Taking your cue, you frantically wrapped your arms over what you could of his broad shoulders and neck, activating your vision just as quickly. 

He kicked off against the ground with a crack of thunder, tearing through your new enemies with practiced ease. Each slash and thrust of his spear rippled through abyssal muscles. The Harbinger tore through his foes with creations of hydro and bolts of electro.

Your vision glowed with renewed effort as you felt the strain of his burden seep into the palms of your hands.

A stray cryo missile crashed into the shoulder he shielded you with. With your power healing his every wound on creation, he merely rolled his arm before slicing the offending cryo mage in half with a burst of hydro.

"Hehe," his laugh rumbled you in your perch against his chest. He blocked a flurry of arrows with his free arm effortlessly, ducking over you so the strays broke against his back. "I could get used to this, girlie. You ever considered joining up with the Fatui?"

"Over my dead-" you yelped when he cut you off with a jostle of his arm. You gripped the fur of his cloak tighter, the threat of being dropped at this current height not very tempting. He chuckled into the top of your head. Whatever mindset from being able to use this powerful form freely had put him in, it certainly made him more touchy. He repositioned you with another lighter nudge.

"Pity, I think we could get on quite well."

You huffed your fluffy cover. "You just want to use me as a glorified medkit so you can rampage as you please." 

"Not entirely!" He threw his spear at a mitachurl looming over a knight, using the opportunity to lean in close to your ear. "Though I might enjoy another opportunity…"

The large palm that squeezed your thigh with the light scrape of claws only served to fluster you more. The bright flush that covered you practically made you glow red. 

"J-just hurry up already! I can't keep this up forever, remember?!"

Your palm thudded against his broad chest, though through your connection with your vision, you could tell your hits only felt like small love taps in his current state.

He was thoroughly amused with your little rebellion. "So violent!"

With his free hand outstretched, his spear came soaring back swiftly. The knight gawked at his looming presence, and you were almost certain he thought Childe was another creature of the abyss. You heard a brief exclamation of your name far off behind you, but before you could blink, Tartaglia was already shooting off toward his next victim. 

You could feel the power stored in your vision waning. Though no matter how the strain of his transformation weighed on you, or how your muscles burned with each breath; you managed to push through your strife with determination. 

As Childe ravaged one enemy to the next, you passed both knights and fatui fighting for their lives against the abyss. It seems your previous prediction was correct. Knights and Fatui soldiers now fought together, covering one another's weakness and maximizing strengths. A brief moment of reprieve came when a chamber was deemed clear. As Childe searched for a way forward, his large head turning every which way, you could see a few of your comrades. Amber was helping a fatui pyro gunner finish off some stray hilichurls, though she gasped when she spotted you tucked away in Foul Legacy's arm. 

"Y/N!"

"It's alright!" You called back the best you could. Thankfully, Childe turned towards the commotion with added interest, briefly allowing his boots to hit the ground when Amber hurried towards you. She hesitated beneath his one-eyed mask, but her worry for your safety took over her initial terror. "I'm not in any danger, where are the others?"

"Grandmaster Jean is rallying in the western chamber, while Master Diluc is held up in the northern. I believe Captain Kaeya is still with Lady Eula in the chamber just below. But are you sure you're-"

"Lord Tartaglia!"

Amber jumped with wide eyes, turning to the gunner she'd teamed up with. 

"Where's the rest of the Abyss?" Tartaglia's gravely voice did little to faze the gunner, and he snapped to attention hastily. 

"Everywhere but here, sir! Though we believe there's an Abyss Herald to the north most chamber-" 

Childe's mask gleamed eagerly as he turned to a looming wall to the north. "You know what to do from here."

You felt him tense up, the muscles in his legs and forearms seizing. You scrambled to tuck yourself as far into his chest as you could. Amidst your struggle, you could hear Amber shriek just as Childe kicked off the ground with the force of a meteorite.

"That's Tartaglia?!"

You squawked as he charged at the wall with a mighty leap, using his free arm to break through effortlessly.

"Oi!" You shouted over the crumbling rumble best you could. "I'm not exactly indestructible you know!"

"I'm aware, princess." You were barreled into the hard armor of his chest when he dodged an incoming spell. "You've survived this long, haven't you? I think you can take a little more now."

"I- I think-" you cried out when a blast shoved you into the sharp point of his shoulder. "I think most of my injuries are from you tossing me around like a sack of flour!"

"Was that before or after the Abyss interrupted us?" He grunted when a blow from a hydro mage smacked against his head, sending a bolt of electro over his shoulder with confidence. "I was just starting to enjoy myself, too."

From over a hill of rubble, a great bird of pyro soared above your heads. It swept up much of the abyssal forces in its path in a torrent of flames. The figure of Master Diluc vaulted over after it, tucking into a roll when a mitachurl swung his axe after him. It was promptly blocked by Childe's spear as he moved to cover the winery owner with his floating form. 

You heard him groan, popping your head over Childe's shoulder. He'd risen to his feet, and was raising his clamore to swipe at Tartaglia's back, more than likely thinking he too was from the abyss. 

"Wait! Master Diluc!" Childe grunted when you threw yourself over his shoulder, nearly kicking his mask off in the process. 

"Y/N?" He gasped, dropping his stance. "What in gods name's are you doing?!" 

It was then he noticed your glowing palms, the power of your vision seeping into Childe's back where you placed them. 

"It's alright, this is Tartaglia. Where's that Abyss Herald?"

"Quit squirming!" Tartaglia smacked your ass in annoyance, bouncing you roughly when you yelped over his shoulder and kicked your legs out at him.

"Hey!" Diluc snapped sharpley. 

"I know, I know. Easy on the merchandise."

"Oi! I am not merchandise!" Childe chuckled when you managed to knee him in the ribs, though your knee bounced off more than anything.

"Where's the Herald?" You asked again.

"Like I'd tell you of all people." Diluc chided. "I'm not about to give you an opening to get yourself in trouble again."

Huffing indignantly, you glared at the man in black with mild annoyance.

 "I am not in trouble-" he raised a brow in disbelief. "Don't look at me like that. Look, Abyss Heralds are too much for either the Knights or the Fatui alone in their present state-"

"And that somehow makes your case any different?"

You glared again, "Don't interrupt me. In our current state, yes it does make a difference. With me keeping him up, I believe Tartaglia is the only one who could stand a chance. If we don't get that Herald off the stage as fast as possible, we're done for." 

Diluc merely continued to glare into what seemed like your very soul. However, once he saw you would not break under his gaze, he growled angrily. 

"It's in the chamber just above. I was trying to regroup with the Grandmaster, before I was rudely interrupted, that is. Once I've gathered up who I can, we'll sweep back after you for backup."

Childe tugged on the back of your legs zealously. You slid over his shoulder and back into place cradled within his forearm with a squeak. 

"For fuck’s sake, would you stop manhandling me!" 

"Well if you'd settle down for a moment I wouldn't need to!" He hissed, steam billowing out from between the crevasses in his mask. "We need to keep moving if we want to defeat that Herald in time."

The call of your name over his shoulder is what stopped him from immediately rocketing through the ceiling, turning with a muffled groan to allow the Darknight Hero your attention.

"Don't you dare die on us," crimson eyes burned with hidden emotion in a face of false indifference. "The Acting Grandmaster would never forgive me if I led one of her best contacts to her death."

You could only smile and nod briefly. In seconds of finishing his demand, Childe's patience had worn thin; and you were once more soaring through the air at high speeds.

As Foul Legacy pulverized the section of ceiling in his way, you briefly thought back to what Diluc had said; and wondered if he'd be safe from the absolute mayhem Childe was causing. But when floating above the newly formed hole in the floor of this new chamber, when you spotted the tall, looming form of a foreign creature; you knew it was the last of your worries. For the moment, that is.

The Abyss Herald barely held any sign of shock at your arrival. It's tall, slender figure, strange armor and lanky limbs. Mist and frost fell from it's upper chest and shoulders in waves. This one was clearly cryo. 

"Well, well," it hissed in a scratchy shudder, much like the scrape of an ice pick on ice too thick. "Seems humanity's quest into the abyss' secrets has paid off.”

You hadn't a clue what he was inferring, nor had you any time to dwell on it. The Herald was stalking forward, past frozen remnants of Knights and Fatui stuck forever in horror and dismay. Projectiles of ice formed behind it's back in a perfect circle at a wave of it's hand.

"Curious, curious." It's grating voice made you shiver. "I wonder, just how long can you hold that…"

It's head shifted, and you felt an icy chill sink into your body as it stared at you directly with eyes unseen.

"Oh… it appears you are unable to hold it alone at the moment, hm?"

Childe's arm instinctively tightened around you. His dual glaive came to life in a flurry of hydro and electro, a low growl leaving him. The Abyss Herald stood unbothered. 

"No matter. What the Abyss Order has planned for today is of utmost importance to the Princess. I will not allow anyone to get in the way of her will."

Ice splintered as the icicles split behind the Herald. The sharp projectiles launched themselves at Foul Legacy. If it wasn't for the sheer speed Childe could move, he wouldn't have been able to dodge in time. 

Bolts of electro shot towards the Herald. However, all that remained was a cloud of mist when the charge faded. The chamber was eerily quiet, both you and Childe searching for where the Herald would appear.

A hiss of frost behind Tartaglia was your only warning before your palms burned with excruciating pain. Childe cried out as the Herald sank his long claws into his shoulder.

You quickly healed the wounds as soon as Childe managed to dislodge the Herald from his back, expecting him to retaliate immediately. However, he retreated a much further distance away.

"What…?" You glanced up at Tartaglia, thoroughly lost. When the Herald began to chuckle, you began to put the pieces together.

"Humans have grown keener since I last spilt their blood with my claws. But you can't keep her away from me for much longer." The Herald charged low to the ground, talons scraping against stone leaving sparks in his wake. "I'll tear her to pieces, and freeze you next!"

You knew the Herald was on the right track. The best way to finish the two of you off was to either separate you both, or kill you first. If the Herald managed that, then Childe's limit would be reached faster and he too would fall to the Herald. 

However, as Tartaglia continued to desperately keep his distance, you began to ponder. The Herald was trying too hard to close the distance, when he'd shown earlier that he was capable of ranged attacks. Was he not confident in his abilities? Did he not think he could hit you with Childe protecting you? Or was he incapable of producing those kinds of attacks again for a time?

It was when the Herald managed to swipe the arm that cradled you that allowed you to connect the dots. The frost that once flowed from the Herald's armor had thinned to be nearly non-existent. More than likely, he had exhausted his elemental skills fighting the Knights and Fatui because he assumed his prey wouldn't be any stronger than he anticipated. 

This would also explain why the Herald was attacking almost brashly. If he didn't finish this quickly, he would have no time to recharge his abilities. And if he didn't keep moving under Childe's tracking, then Childe too would notice his weakness. It was only because you were in the position you are in that you had the luxury of studying your opponent. 

The cost of keeping Foul Legacy up was beginning to take effect. Breathing was getting harder by the second, and while Childe had managed to keep you out of harm's way for the most part, your injuries from your battle with him before and lucky shots from the Herald sapped your strength. You didn't have much time left, either.

"Childe!" 

"I'm a little busy at the moment, sweetheart. Whatever you want from me is going to have to wait until I can put this bastard six-feet under." He managed to grab the Herald by its face when it tried to swipe at you again, tossing him away. 

"Listen for a moment! He's exhausted his elemental abilities fighting earlier. Which means he probably can't avoid your attacks like earlier!"

The eye of his mask gleamed briefly, his head tilting in your direction slightly.

"You sure about this girlie? If you're wrong it's your head on the line."

"I'm certain! Besides, if he could, he would have been using his icicles to pick me off by now."

The Herald snarled. "Meddlesome wench!"

In a last ditch effort, it kicked off towards you once more. By the time it had reached you, Tartaglia had already materialized away on the opposite side of the chamber.

"Give me a boost, princess! Let's send this fucker right to hell!"

Channeling all the power you could spare, your hands began to gleam tremendously. Raising his spear skyward, hydro flooded the upper portion of the chamber. With a shout, Childe sent the newly formed hydro whale unto the Abyss Herald. 

The Herald gave a final cry that was ultimately drowned beneath the power of the attack. The floor beneath you cracked and shattered, and without the strength left to hover, you both fell with the rubble caused by your combined final strike.

The wind whipped past you as the two of you followed the debris downward. Tartaglia landed with a loud clap of lightning, still cradling you to his chest as he crouched on the balls of his feet; puffs of steam escaping his mask in bursts with his deep, exhausted exhale. His glaive fell to the ground beside him, his arm coming up to shield you from the world, covering you with his large form. You panted into his neck, arms near limp clutching at his chest in fatigue. The glow of your palms had dimmed considerably, and the light of your vision flickered weakly. Your power was spent, and soon your consciousness would be too. You could barely register the light sting of his claws as he clutched the underside of your thigh a little too hard in his adrenaline rush, nor could you hear the clash of weaponry and elements come to a close as the two sides triumphed over the third. 

The portals to the abyss closed, and what remaining forces left behind were all being quelled swiftly. 

Tartaglia grunted, steam engulfing the two of you as he released his Foul Legacy. Even once he returned to normal, he still hunched over your trembling form, head hung low and arms caging you in as he caught his breath momentarily. He fell backwards onto his butt with a laugh.

"Archons, that was exhilarating! Never have I been able to keep Foul Legacy up for so long, with so little effort. That power, the fight, it all felt almost euphoric!" He panted gleefully, hand rubbing up and down your shoulder absentmindedly. "Right, princess? What say we go another round, eh?"

When you didn't respond, he pulled away briefly to peer down at you. You were still panting into his shoulder, palms still glowing against his chest. He frowned, shaking you lightly. 

"S'all right now girlie, you don't have to keep going. It's over now." 

You tensed up with great effort, a final bright burst of energy seeping into his body. He couldn't help but close his eyes in content, the after effects of Foul Legacy nothing but a near memory. 

Your power had ceased, but you still clung to the fabric of his jacket feebly. The puffs of your breath tickled his neck. Your eyes fluttered open, though in the end, you only managed to keep one open just enough to gaze up at him.

"Man, I'm impressed," Childe's finger drifted below your chin, caressing it lightly as he helped you to meet his eyes. "Even I wasn't awake this long after the drawbacks of my first transformation. You are really something else, girlie." 

He could tell you were fighting to stay awake, trying to find some form of energy left to remove yourself from his care. He huffed, shaking his head. 

"It's alright, sleep. I'll make sure you get back to Mondstat safely, you have my word."

You looked him in the eyes as best you could, silently judging him to his promise. But fatigue outlasted you, and your head slumped into his shoulder at last. 

He sat there a moment, holding you as the Knights and Fatui began to recollect themselves after a hard fought victory. He could hear calls of your name in the distance, daylight peaking through cracks in the ancient chamber.

"Falling asleep on a Harbinger so easily," he eyed your relaxed visage foundly. "How very naive. Though I suppose you didn't have much of a choice. You're lucky I'm a man of my word."

With that, he hoisted you into his arms, and carried you towards the calls of your comrades. 

His final strike on the herald was perhaps a little overkill. The chamber below their battle ground was covered in mountains of rubble and debris, making it difficult to traverse with you fast asleep in his arms. The debris also made it difficult to tell whether or not the Herald had actually perished. What if it had managed to escape at the last second? With you out for the count and him at his limit with Foul Legacy, neither of you would stand a chance. 

All the more reason to regroup with some friendlier faces. 

It seems most of the people who were in this chamber before had relocated before the ceiling came down. At least, Childe was only seeing hilichurl and abyss mage remains littered beneath cobble and old timber. 

He worried you’d passed on in his arms, with your lack of movement and shallow breathing. You were sickly pale, cold and clammy. The faint puffs of air that brushed against his neck, along with the slow pulse in your wrist he checked often, were all the indicators left of your survival.  

After quite a bit of maneuvering through the rubble, echoes of your comrades calling your name reached his ears. You didn’t stir to the noise even as Tartaglia brought you closer. 

“We mustn't be too hasty, Outrider. We still don’t know if any enemies remain in this domain.”

“But Grandmaster, we can’t leave her alone with a harbinger of all things! If the abyss doesn’t get her, he will!” The voice was frantic. Scuffling soles over stone and dust indicated someone pacing.

“I understand your concern. I too am worried for her safety. However we cannot afford to separate when there could be more danger lurking about. I won’t lose more knights today.” 

There was a scoff, heavy steps began stomping their way across the chamber. 

“Enough. I’m going after them.” A man spoke gruffly, intending to leave no room for discussion or rebuttal.

“W-wait! Master Diluc-”

“I’m not staying put while a Fatui Harbinger runs amok with one of our own at his mercy. Besides, I’m not a knight, so there should be no problem.”

“That’s exactly the problem! Why are you here in the first place!”

It was then that Childe had crossed into the vicinity. He could see the conflicting figures turn towards the sound of his steps from beyond the dust. The Acting Grandmaster stood with her sword drawn in front of the Outrider with a broken bow. The man besides her had his lips pressed into a scowl, claymore poised threateningly. When they saw what he carried, their expressions morphed in an instant.

“Y/N!”

Amber took a step towards the two of you, but was stopped when Master Diluc snarled. 

“What did you do to her?” His words dripped poison and malice, crimson eyes burning with fiery rage. They flickered down briefly to your battered form tucked away in the Harbinger’s arms. From a distance, Childe was sure you looked lifeless. 

Still, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of angering a man known for being a thorn in the Tsaritsa’s side. He continued, marching closer to the cautious people of the wind. 

“I did nothing.” He sneered. “Well, almost nothing. The lil’ one here tired herself out while we fought that Herald.”

The Grandmaster’s eyes widened, sword dropping slightly. “The Herald? Did you finish it off?”

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

“What do you mean maybe?” Diluc seethed. 

Childe grinned coyly, shrugging again. He could practically see the wrath boiling his blood from where he stood. Oh did he enjoy riling the ever-so-stoic Master Diluc. 

“You mean to tell me you purposefully took her into danger, forced her to fuel your bloodlust like a battery, and you don’t even know if you finished the job?” 

“One, I did not force her, she practically threw herself at me-” Oh he loved the look Diluc gave him at that. “Second, it’s not here tearing your comrades apart, no? Therefore it may live to fight another day, but it’s surely in no condition to continue today. I consider that a win.”

“And, I will say,” Tartaglia shifted you in his arms slightly, causing your head to lull closer to his as he smirked haughtily. “I certainly look forward to another opportunity to do it again.”

Sparks sprung from the bloodied claymore eagerly, Diluc’s grip tightening. Childe was certain he would’ve lunged had it not been for Grandmaster Jean’s intuition. 

“Nevertheless-” she allowed her sword to disperse into the atmosphere, carefully lowering her stance in a show of nonaggression. “We appreciate your help in defeating the abyss today, and we are thankful to the Fatui as our allies.” 

Tartaglia chuckled. Smart woman, remembering diplomacy in such a situation. Striking up another confrontation would severely damage the diplomatic facade that prevented an all out war between Snezhnaya and Mondstat. The first battle before the Abyss interrupted could be excused under the guise of being led astray by a third party. Now would be inexcusable. It would certainly be a rash decision for the Winery Tycoon of Mondstat and former Knight of Favonius to attack a Harbinger. It seemed Master Diluc had realized that himself. He huffed, his claymore disappearing in a haze of sparks. 

“Now then,” Childe began to walk once more, continuing passed the trio even as Amber reached for you as he passed. “I’m sure the lot of us are all beaten enough, best we all return to Mond and lick our wounds while we muse over recent events.” 

He could hear Diluc begin to follow with a fire in his step, the two knights following suit. 

As much as he’d love to pick a fight, he allowed the Knights to peacefully lead him and his subordinates back to Mond. 

....

Light gleamed through an open window as white curtains danced in the gentle breeze. You stirred, eyes fluttering. A feathered pillow cushioned your head, which began to ache the instant you opened your eyes. With a groan, you turned over beneath the white blankets.

There was a gasp to your left, a door being pushed open and feet bounding to your side.

“You’re alive!”

Begrudgingly, you peaked at Amber from beneath your arm. She was leaning over you, hands pressed into the mattress. She looked as though she were about to burst into tears any moment. 

“We were so worried! You haven’t woken up in so long! Barbara didn’t know why she couldn’t heal you, the Fatui haven't left yet-” you began to tune out of her rambling, feebly pulling yourself up against the headboard. Man, everything aches. It felt like you ran a marathon and climbed a mountain in one sitting. You hissed when a particular angle tugged on your torso. Bandages clung to your sides, patches and gauze littered what couldn’t be conveniently wrapped or didn’t need the full extent. 

“Woah, easy there!” Amber helped you upright, hand squeezing your arm comfortingly. “You're still pretty roughed up. But If you’d like, we can take a walk. I’m sure the others would love to see you up and about, and some sun and fresh air may do you some good.”

You snickered to yourself. “Coaxing a freshly woken soul from their sick bed so soon. Are you trying to get me into trouble?”

“I know that if I don’t offer, you're going to get up and get yourself into trouble on your own anyways. I’d rather be with you for whatever happens than leave you to your own devices.” 

You allowed Amber to assist you out of bed as you both chuckled, sliding on some loose clothing that wouldn’t rub too harshly against your wounds. Holding onto one of her arms, you limped out of the Cathedral’s medical wing slowly. Much slower than you’d like, but there wasn’t much you could do in your present state. 

Your walk took you down past the Knights headquarters, where a few Knights you’d recognized from the battle greeted you enthusiastically. Amber informed you that the Acting Grandmaster and the Captains were all hard at work trying to mend the loosened ties between the Knights of Favonius and the Fatui. Such work included trying to inform the public in a way that would let them know what happened without causing the people of Mond to gain more resentment for their alliance. If anybody could pull such a feat off, you were sure no one was more up to the task than Jean. Meanwhile, the Fatui were recovering in the Goth Grand Hotel. Most had returned to their homeland, though a few stragglers remained. You briefly wondered if the Eleventh Harbinger was among them…

Your path meandered carefully down the steps towards the plaza above the main square, and continued downwards. Amber was rambling again, something about wondering how Master Diluc got sucked into the battle (which you quickly shushed her about, as it was not common knowledge that he was there in the first place). As far as she knew, you mused, he was just an ex-knight turned winery owner. She wasn’t aware of his nightly habits or his elusive meddling into the Fatui’s business. You set to keep it to yourself, the less people knew about his vigilantism the better. 

Just as you were nearing the square, one of your legs gave out. Amber squawked as she lept to catch you, shepherding you over to a nearby bench. 

“Sorry,” you breathed, slightly winded with soreness. “I guess I underestimated the drawbacks a tad bit.”

“Maybe you should rest here for a while. I bet a snack will perk you right up! Wait here!” 

She was off before you could stop her, dashing over the railing and gliding into the square. You sighed, repositioning yourself on the bench best you could. A small rest wouldn’t hurt. 

It seemed you were not the only one in dire need of rest. Near the steps down to the left gate, you could see the aforementioned wine tycoon locked in a conversation with one of his workers. He must be hard at work covering his tracks. It’s bad enough he wasn’t in the cover of his Darknight attire when he was pulled into the fray. But a Harbinger had seen him on the scene. Sure they already knew who he was, but this was solid proof to use it against him in public. If he didn’t land himself a good alibi first, of course. 

He must’ve caught your stare, his eyes flicking over to you briefly before he did a full double take. You laughed and waved as he stared at you like he was seeing an apparition, but it seemed his employee wouldn’t let him leave their conversation. He turned back to them reluctantly, almost seeming determined to end their talk as fast as possible. 

It seemed the world had other plans for you as well, as someone called to you across the plaza. 

“Comrade!”

Your head whipped a tad bit too fast over toward the source. Tartaglia himself waved to you, before gleefully walking over to you with a smile. As if you were a close friend seeing each other after a week apart.

He marched right up to you, paying no mind to the people of Mond gawking at the Eleventh Harbinger casually wandering the streets. You tripped over your words, wholly unprepared to see him again so soon, if at all. He merely chuckled, leaning down before you could form proper words to ask him what he was attempting in broad fucking daylight. 

He placed both hands on your cheeks, pressing a kiss to each side as he tilted your head to meet his lips with an exaggerated mwah. You were aware this would be considered common between very close friends in his country, but the thought did little to prevent the burst of rose red that practically melted your skin. He grinned toothily at your expression, squishing your cheeks as he did.

“You had me worried, comrade! I thought you were never going to come out of that cathedral! You certainly look a little worse for wear!” 

Childe, on the other hand, hadn’t a scratch on him. There were no signs of weariness, only untamed energy that was poured into over the top actions and boisterous laughter. Maybe you had gotten a little ahead of yourself with that last burst of healing…

For all you know, he could’ve been cooped up in the city of the wind, high off the energy you gave him with no way of unleashing it onto something without causing a diplomatic catastrophe. 

“No thanks to you! You caused half of these asshole!” 

He tossed his head back with boisterous laughter, as if you’d said the most amusing thing he’d ever heard. 

“I suppose you're right. Though I must say,” his expression shifted in a way that made you wonder if you were still sleeping. His features were gentle, and it seemed as though he were remorseful. He smiled, and you could swear it was genuine. “If you weren’t in such a state, I’d probably be worse off myself. I owe you one, girlie.”

You could only sit in shock at his words. Was he thanking you? The Eleventh Harbinger of the Fatui, the man who tried to kill you days ago, was thanking you? 

“Y/N!” Amber came running up the stairs, narrowly clipping the shoulder of Diluc’s employee as she went. She skidded to a stop on her heels as soon as she noticed the Harbinger before her, a soft oh was all she could muster in that moment. Childe still held your face between his palms, you had to squish your cheek further against his hand to even glance at Amber. He merely laughed, letting you go and stepping back to a comfortable distance. 

“Well well, the little Outrider! Taking care of our dear comrade here, hm?” 

She cautiously approached you, placing a paper bag beside you on the bench. “So-” She laughed nervously. “I didn’t know you were still in town! What’cha stick around for?” 

“If I knew any better, I’d say that you didn’t want me in town.” He smiled in an overly friendly manner, but the dark lilt to his voice betrayed him. 

“N-no! It’s not like that at all!” Amber sputtered. “I just figured out of all the Fatui, a Harbinger would have more important things to take care of in Snezhnaya…”

He chuckled. “I’m only joking. I supposed I do, but the business I have with the lil’ princess here is more important than that.” 

Tilting your head, you gave him a confused look. “What business do we have? If you're trying to get me to join the Fatui, you can forget about it.”

“I’d never!” He laughed. “What I wanted to say was far more intimate than that.”

You blushed. Intimate? Was he going to ask you on a date? Would you even accept it if he was? 

“Firstly, I wanted to thank her for her help back in those ruins. While I could have handled it myself-” He cut himself off with a chuckle as he noticed your glare. “I wouldn’t be in as good of shape as I am.”

“Secondly, Next time we meet,” he grinned determinedly, lips pulled in a grin. “I want to have a rematch. You and me, no interference, no distractions.”

At first, you deadpanned. A rematch, intimate?! He snickered at your reaction. 

“What's the matter? Were you expecting something else?” 

You shook your head, a fire in your eyes. “Not at all. In fact, you’re on, pretty boy!” 

Bracing yourself on the arm of the bench, you pushed yourself to stand best you could. Amber reached out to help you, but you quickly brushed her away. 

“I’ll train even harder, and I’ll grow even stronger. I’ll beat you for sure next time.” The fire you met him with nearly knocked the breath from Tartaglia’s chest. He smirked down at you.

“Looking forward to it, comrade! Though I must warn you, I won’t go easy on you next time.”

“Don’t you dare.”

The both of you continued to stare each other down. The world was all a blur to you, Amber’s attempts at getting you two to calm, nor the wary looks of the witnesses to his challenge could pull your gazes apart. The promise of a rematch was far too tantalizing, to beat a Harbinger, the Eleventh no less, in battle. That was your new goal, and you were willing to do whatever it took to put him in his place.

“What’s going on here?” The sentence spoken with such hostility was enough to tear you two away from each other. Both of your heads spun towards the source, meeting the smoldering crimson eyes of Master Diluc. 

“My my, to meet the renowned Uncrowned King of Mondstat in person, what an honor!” 

Diluc glared at him directly. It would take little to blow his cover. One off comment from the Harbinger, and all of his hard work keeping his identity a secret would be for naught. Though it seemed Childe had other plans for the moment, content to poking the bear anyway he saw fit. 

          “Tartaglia, Eleventh of the Fatui Harbingers. Quite a title. I’m sure you can understand that your actions at this moment are causing quite a stir, especially from someone so reputable.” He sneered.

“Ah, forgive me.” Tartaglia laughed, ruffling the back of his head in faux embarrassment. “I tend to get carried away when faced with an exciting new challenge. Surely you can relate? You look like a man more than capable of holding his own on the battlefield.”

His threats, though carefully concealed from your audience, struck their mark within the winery tycoon. He grimaced, crossing his arms.

“That was a long time ago. Now, if you would please stop harassing our citizens, I’m sure we can all get on with our days peacefully.” 

“But Master Di-” You started, but ended up stumbling over your words as your knees shook. Diluc stepped to your side as you wobbled slightly. He placed his hand on your wrist and pulled it to his bicep, beckoning you to hold onto his arm for support.

“You should be in bed. You still have a long way to go before you're fully recovered.” 

Tartaglia stepped up eagerly. “Allow me, it’s the least I could do after what happened with the Abyss Order."

“You’ve done enough.” Diluc snapped. “I’ll take them back. You’re a busy man, I’m sure you have your own fair share of work to do as a Harbinger.”

He began walking at a slightly brisk pace, seemingly forgetting your injuries in his haste to put as much distance between the Harbinger and you as possible. Your hands wrinkled his sleeve in your desperation to keep moving steadily. Looking over your shoulder, you could see Tartaglia pout slightly, before grinning at you once more. He spun on his heel, the crowd parting as he made for the Goth Grand Hotel. Amber quickly grasped the bag of snacks, hurrying to catch up with Master Diluc.

The walk back to the Cathedral was quiet. Thankfully, as soon as Childe went his separate way, Diluc slowed, matching his steps with your slower, injured gait. You noticed with a small snicker that he deliberately chose the path that veered opposite of the Knight’s HQ. He brushed off Amber’s attempts to take over, stubbornly helping you up the stairs and towards the large entrance to the church. Passing by all the nuns and patrons straight into the medical wing. He located your room with curious precision, shepherding you into bed diligently. Amber, having been informed that her presence was needed before the Acting Grandmaster by a Knight patrolling the Cathedral, left the paper bag on the nightstand and left.

To your surprise, Diluc sat himself down in the chair at your bedside with a huff. Crossing his arms, he stared out the window over your head as you peered into the bag containing a set of Mondstat hashbrowns. You nibbled on them awkwardly, Master Diluc seemed too deep in thought to be much of a conversation partner. 

           Little did you know, as you munched away on the much needed snack, Diluc was running the last half hour in his head over and over. Every little small shift in the Harbinger's stance, the change in his mannerism when speaking to you opposed to speaking with Amber or himself. The overdramatic greeting with unnecessary kisses. All of it set ablaze to his impulse control. One more gripe and he was certain he wouldn't be able to prevent himself from marching out the door to confront the Eleventh head on. But as he glanced at you briefly, watching as you zoned out while nibbling (not noticing the crumbs that stuck to your cheek, common to your flighty behavior), he knew it was better to sit and stew in his wrath than make any sudden moves.

          "I know what you're thinking, and I won't allow it." He finally stated with a heavy sigh. You glanced at him, perplexed. "Don't give me that look, you know exactly what I mean."

           When you continued to stare at him in confusion, he huffed in exasperation. 

           "You of all people should know that man is dangerous. You fought him when he wasn't taking you seriously. He'll kill you, Y/N. I'm not going to let you fight him again."

           Hastily swallowing your last bite and wiping your mouth with a little too much aggression, you retorted. 

           "I will. That bastard needs to be taken down a peg, and I'm the one who's going to do it."

            "And what makes you so sure you can pull it off? Most of your injuries are because of him, you know!"

            It was your turn to sigh in agitation."You weren't there, I kept him on his toes long enough to know I can do it again, and if I train enough-"

          "He said it himself, he's not going to hold back," he cut you off, anger hardening his features. "All it'll take for him is to activate his delusion and you're done."

          "Will you stop cutting me off!" You shouted at him, your hands curling the bedsheets. "I may not be capable in my current state, even if I was uninjured, but I can be! I'm not going to let him get away with claiming he won a fight that was never finished!"

         "And how much are you willing to give to do so? He gave up his humanity taking on Foul Legacy, are you willing to do the same?"

       "And what if I am?" 

       This time you were in a staring contest with Master Diluc, Uncrowned King by dawn, Darknight hero after dusk. While Tartaglia's gaze unsettled you, ocean blue as deep as the lightless depths; Diluc's was a raging firestorm, unyielding even in torrential storms. But you refused to shrink from his glare. Finally, he stood.

       "Fine." He grunted bluntly. And for a moment you thought that was the end of it, that he'd turn and leave you to toil. But he remains, crossing his arms with a new breath of determination.

        "As soon as you're done healing, you are to come find me at Dawn Winery. We'll begin your training every day before the sun begins to set."

       Your eyes widened. It baffled you enough that he gave in, but to actually offer to train you personally? That was a proposal you absolutely could not pass up. As you were aware of his nightly duties, you were more than aware of his ability to dominate the battlefield. Only his title could make abyss mages quake in their bubbles, Fatui agents hold their breath, and beasts cower. You'd be a fool to decline. 

       "Deal! You won't regret this Master Diluc!"

        "You say that like I'd given you a choice. And I'm not doing this for free, so you can forget about miscellaneous commissions for a long while." He paused, resting a hand on his hip. "I'll be putting you to work around the winery, which should ensure you stay in shape in between sessions. A win-win I suppose."

        You nodded eagerly. "That sounds fair to me."

        "Good." He turned to the door. He paused at the door frame, hand locked on the handle. "Get some rest. The sooner you're no longer bedridden, the better.”

        With that, he left you to your own devices, and to eagerly await the day you could finally begin your training.

        You were going to knock that ginger on his ass.

….

Tartaglia lay awake in his hotel room that night, hands resting behind his head. Moonlight beamed from the lavish windows, curtains pulled back to view it’s full glory. The cool night time air was nothing compared to the frigid storms of Snezhnaya, allowing him to rest unbothered on top of the comforter. His torso lay bare amidst the cool air, marred and battle worn from years of carrying out the Tsaritsa’s will. There was a scar from nearly every major battle he threw himself into, all but his most recent.

He’d tossed and turned restlessly during his stay in Mondstat. At first, he wondered if it was left over energy from your vision. It may have been at the start of the week, but now even he knew that what kept him awake at night was no longer your vision, but you. Tartaglia’s mind poured over every detail of your encounter with him. From stalking you from the shadows like prey the moment you stepped into the domain, to your battle where you fought tooth-and-nail for a battle you couldn’t even hope to win. And finally, to that endless sea of power that flooded his veins at your touch. He could only dream of keeping Foul Legacy up for so long before that day. In a way, after being able to wreak havoc as much as he wanted with your assistance, he felt satiated almost. Until the following days, where the hunger for battle was renewed tenfold, and the itch to experience that feeling again plagued him.  

The thought of you fitted perfectly into a single arm of his Foul Legacy filled his head every second of the day. Tearing through enemy after enemy while you clung to him so desperately was the biggest thrill he’d felt in a very long time. 

Seeing you today was a relief to him. If you died, there was no chance he’d be able to chase that adrenaline rush ever again. He’d never get to fight you seriously, or watch your blood drip from his blades. He wouldn’t see how you smiled like you did at your comrades in the domain, or how you looked at him in such an uncertain way…

He huffed, rolling onto his side. Curse you, for never giving him a moment's peace anymore. Still, he eagerly awaited the day you’d both fight again. Maybe you didn’t have to fight first, he didn’t care.

But next time, he was going to take you seriously.

[honeys-fiction]

Rules

Note: Any of these maybe subject to change every once in awhile, I promise to keep this updated with whatever I feel needs to be changed.

What Fandom(s) I write for:

-Genshin Impact

What I’ll write:

-Headcanons

-fics

-yandere

-NSFW(depends on the type, I’ll add what I don’t feel comfortable with as they appear.)

Note: any situation with characters below the age of 18 will be aged up.

Another note: Please specify if you want the reader to be male, other wise I will lean more towards female, though I’ll try to keep it nonbinary (especially important for smut). I do write for w/w and m/m couples, so don’t be afraid to ask!

What I won’t:

-ABO

Who I’ll write for:

-Albedo

-Beidou

-Childe

-Dainslief

-Diluc

-Eula

-Ganyu

-Jean

-Kaeya

-Rosaria

-Xiao

-Zhongli

Prompts:

Yandere prompts 1

Yandere prompts 2

Mini-Fic prompts 1

Smut/Fluff Prompts

Learn more about the author!(pls let me know which list this is from, I’ve numbered them so it’s easier!)

personal questions 1

personal questions 2

personal questions 3

Personal Emoji questions

Feel free to send me feed back! I’m a growing writer, so every lil bit of constructive criticism helps!

[honeys-fiction]

Update

Hey guys! Wow it’s sure been a while hasn’t it? I know I promised to keep up with this blog and Dreadnought, but unfortunately life caught up with me and I was no longer able to continue wrighting. That being said: I have some sad news.

I will no longer be writing for BNHA as of this moment. I’ve moved on from the fandom and I don’t really have the motivation to continue writing for it. I do apologies for the commissions I never got to and the people I’ve kept waiting, but as I said, life swept me away.

However, I will now be writing for Genshin impact. If you follow my side blogs, you may have already notice my change in focus lol.

I honestly don’t know what's going to happen to Dreadnought. I do want to continue it some day, as it is a story very near and dear to my heart. However as I am now, I cannot continue writing it if I know my heart’s not fully in it.

My rules list will be updated if your interested in where I am moving, but I will not blame you if you decide not to stay. I will save the commissions I have not gotten to in case I manage to find a lil bit of spark, but for now, I will only be doing Genshin related lists. I am truly grateful to you all, and I hope I can continue providing content you can enjoy.

Thank you, I promise to do my best,

-Honey 

[honeys-fiction]

HEYY! Can I please have a pirate dabi x siren reader thank you. 💕💕💕

Hi! This one took me a bit to spin, but I hope you enjoy it!

-Honey

Warnings: Slight angst depending on how you read it, hinted soulmate au, mentions of drowning and gore

Pirate Dabi x Siren Reader

You were beginning to understand why your kind hated pirates so much. Ever since you were a small child (no larger than a cod, no less), your parents warned you about ships that reeked of blood, whose masts bore the dreaded Jolly Roger. By the time you were old enough to strike out on your own, your head had been filled with stories of sirens whose songs were somehow ineffective against the sailors, who then speared or captured their predators. 

But that information did little to help you when food in most regions became scarce. Most common vessels were hesitant to travel alone, and it was much harder to lure men overboard when more than one ship was present. It wasn’t uncommon these days for ear plugs made of cork or wax to be found on board. Your prey had become wise to your kind’s tactics. 

That left you starving. The ships who filled their crew’s ears were able to fish more freely without worry in large fleets. What large fish you could survive off of were harder to come across, and what smaller fish were left weren’t large enough to satiate you. If humans could get smart, you could too. 

Your most successful strategy of late was to tie the fishing nets that trailed behind the vessel to tap fish as they went to the bottom of the ship. It was easy to snag the rope along the barnacles that grew on the waterlogged planks. Then, you’d wait for them to send someone down to free the nets, following them deep beneath the waves to avoid detection. Occasionally, they’d just cut the nets loose and move on. But if you did it enough times, they would be forced to free their remaining nets in hopes of returning home to make a profit. You’ve gorged yourself of plenty of individuals who were tasked with freeing the nets.

Unfortunately, that leaves you in your current predicament. You had gotten cocky with your recent successes, that you didn’t take into account the fact that eventually, they’d catch onto your trick. 

You barely gave the ship a once over as soon as you saw the nets that trailed along the sides of it. Your stomach growled, leading you to hastily approach the nets. What you didn’t see was the damned black flag flying proudly atop the highest mast, and just how shallow the nets actually were. Your vibrant scales were all too visible to eyes that were already searching for you.

The moment you gripped the edge of the rope, a larger net whose opening was tied with weights was dropped on top of you. Within moments, the rough texture of the net threatened to tear your scales from your body and strangle you the moment you moved. All you could do was struggle and hiss as the net was lifted from the water. 

They dropped you harshly against the wood of the deck, various sounds of triumph echoing around you at your appearance. You growled, tail thumping against the wood threateningly. If they weren’t careful, you could easily crush their fragile bones under the powerful muscles of your tail.

“My, my! I apologize, I thought I taught my crew to treat our guest better,” a deep, weathered voice crooned. A man, whose large hat and stature made it impossible to see the top half of his face, stepped out in front of you. His towering frame was intimidating, somehow dwarfing yours. 

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am called All For One, my real name is of no importance. I am the captain of this lovely ship. And you are?”

You hissed as he stretched a hand towards you, claws raking into the deck. He pulled his hand away with a chuckle. “I understand that we are different species, but surely you don’t treat your fellow sirens so rudely?”

He turned to a scrawny man with unruly grey hair, no doubt his second in command. "Have her taken down below deck, I bet we can make a fortune off those scales of hers."

You shrieked as men began moving closer to you, tail whipping out at their legs. However, all that did was further restrain you in the mass of tangled rope. It was all too easy for them to pin you to the deck and restrain you completely. Yet, through the mass of sadistic smiles and raggedy appearances, one pair of eyes caught your attention. You'd only caught a glimpse, but what you'd see nearly made you pause your struggles. Vibrant blue eyes gazed at you through a part in the mob of men struggling with your thrashing form. There was a strange pull that stung your chest as soon as your eyes met. They seemed solemn, a look so out of place it distracted you from resisting. 

With a harsh shove of your head into the weathered wood, you were out cold.

When you came to, splintering wood replaced the sky where you lay in a heap on the floor. They had taken the liberty of laying you in a shallow dip of metal built into the flooring. It was rusted slightly from the salt water that was barely two inches deep. If the metal clasps that kept you firmly rooted to the floor were anything to go by, you weren't the first siren they'd caught.

You could barely lift yourself off the floor into a seated position. Craning your neck as far as you could, you looked over your tail for any signs of missing scales. It was a little worse for wear, a few of your scales were loose, most were covered in scratches and dirt from the deck. If they were really going to skin you, they hadn't started yet. 

A door opened somewhere in the room. You winced as a bright light from the crack of the hatch blinded you momentarily. The spines on the back of your tail rose as you hissed, baring your sharp teeth to your potential assailants. But only one man entered, and the sight of him completely disarmed you.

Those same staggering blue eyes from above deck once again took your breath away. Their vibrancy reminded you of beautiful, clear tropical waters. You swore you could swim in the depths of his eyes. 

With the oil lamp in his hand and the lack of humans beating you into submission, you were able to get a better look at him. His hair was black as night, yet from the crimson roots you could tell it was dyed. His face was marred with ragged, rough burns. He had a few piercings, and wore mostly black. He was a little taller than some of the humans you'd eaten, but you weren't sure if he was even worth eating. It looked as if he'd missed a few meals.

He eyed you with a seemingly bored expression. 

“S’matter? Not what you were expecting?” His voice was raspy and harsh, as if he hadn’t drank water in days. 

Your eyes narrowed into slits, a low hiss thrumming deep in your chest. He rolled his eyes, setting the lamp on a small nightstand near the doorway. He held a bucket in his free hand, tossing its contents over your drying form. You would have screamed if it wasn’t fresh ocean water that hydrated the portion of your skin and scales that rested above what little water lay below you. He crouched in front of you with his hands resting on his knees. You appreciated the motion, as it allowed you to watch his every move without having to fear a sleight of hand. Not like you’d be able to do anything if he did decide to harm you, the chains keeping you tightly to the deck left you defenseless. 

“Listen,” his hand went to rub the back of his neck, a low sigh of frustration leaving him. “I hate this as much as you do, and since I’m nearly dead anyways, I figured we could make a deal.”

You cocked your head. That wasn’t anything close to what you were expecting from this encounter. A pirate going against his crew? Nearly dead? It was hard to believe.

“What kind of ‘deal?’” You were hesitant to accept any kind of deal from him, but if he was being sincere, it was better than getting your scales peeled off. 

He hummed at your willingness. “Obviously, I haven’t had a good relationship with my employers. Since I’m out the door any day now, as soon as that sadistic bastard makes up his damn mind; I wanna make life a little harder for him.”

“You’re doing this out of spite?”

“Pretty much. I’ve been working on this for quite a bit now, helping you is the final nail in the casket. So? You interested?”

You were certainly intrigued. What kind of horrors had this man faced to turn to a siren to help get back at his own crew? For all you know, this could be a trap. Yet, something about those eyes… The clouded, dull pools of blue with a slight spark of something rippling across its surface… 

You didn’t think you could’ve said no even if you tried. 

“Okay,” you answered with suspicion. “I’m listening.”

From what you could tell, a day had passed since the man you came to know as Dabi told you his plan. If he could start a fire somewhere on the far side of the ship, then all you had to do once you snapped the weakened chains, courtesy of Dabi before he left you that night,  was slip through the hole he’d create with one of the bombs he’d pilfered. Then, since they would be too distracted to wear earplugs, you’d sing to them, luring as many as you could into your territory. As for Dabi, he stated he didn’t care what happened to him after that. Whether he died on board or drowned or perished in the explosion, he couldn’t care less.

The strange tug in your chest from before had returned when you spoke to him the night before. It was a strange feeling you couldn’t quite place, but you thought his eyes seemed...nostalgic. That stinging feeling in your chest only intensified when he left, turning into a pang that nearly kept you up all night. 

Your nails scraped the metal beneath you in anticipation. Any minute now, and you’d hear the crew begin to panic as a fire started above deck. And then, hopefully, an explosion that would release you back into the sea. You examined the link in the chain he’d pried open. He’d done it to all the chins that bound you. All you had to do was pull them, and you’d be free. 

The more you were left to wait, the more you began to wonder. Were you really okay with Dabi dying? Would you really be able to leave him for dead at the hands of a furious crew, or to drown in the ocean? You didn’t have an answer to any of those questions. You’d only known him for a little over a day and already you didn’t like the thought of him leaving.

A loud shout echoed throughout the ship. Followed by a series of what sounded like gunshots and curses that trailed to the other slide of the ship. You flexed your tail, preparing to spring free from the chains. Something fell into the water on the other side of the wall to your left, and then the wood splintered with a great bang. You would have been too stunned to tug yourself free if you weren’t expecting it. Sea water began to flood the hole in the hull, making it all the more easier to slip through the side. 

You felt as if you just had a breath of fresh air, sighing as salt water rejuvenated your poor skin and scales with sweet, sweet relief. Swiftly, you swam to the opposite side of the ship and lifted your head above the surface. The front half of the ship was consumed in flames, and the back half was slowly beginning to dip below the waves. The night air began to sting with smoke and ash. Pirates were screaming and shouting, shots firing in the dark. Remembering your deal, you produced a sweet gentle melody. 

After a few moments, the first head leered over the gunwale. The sailor looked dazed, gaze clouded by your song as he all but fell over into the water. He was then promptly crushed by a falling mast that had caught flame, sinking him far below the surface.

The next couple managed to stay a float longer, but all that fell were eventually drowned by the water they unknowingly inhaled. If only you weren’t consumed with worry for the scared man, you would have eaten well. 

Minutes went by since the last body fell into the murky depths, so you fell silent. You weren’t sure what you were waiting for, you’d done your part. There wasn’t anything left for you here, not among the accusing crew, nor amidst the final throes of a ship going down. 

You then saw a familiar back hit the gunwale. Jet black hair hung ragged against his scared neck. Dabi Appeared to be talking to someone on deck, a pistol gripped loosely in one hand. You wanted to call out to him, but before his name could leave your lips-

Three shots rang out in the cold, dark night. The back of his white tunic was splashed with red and torn by three separate holes. He keeled over backwards, seemingly in slow motion, falling motionlessly into the sea. 

You couldn’t help but cry out, diving down to him. Blood was already pooling in the surrounding water where he drifted. Hooking your arms under his, you tugged him a ways away from the vessel where you wouldn’t be spotted. 

“Dabi?! Dabi!” You shook him, holding his cheeks between your scaled palms. He was still breathing from what you could tell, each breath growing more shallow than the next.

“H-hey doll,” he sputtered, eyes drooping open. “How nice of you to hang around…”

Tears filled your eyes, making him smile sadly. 

“Come now, don’t cry on me. We both knew this would happen.”

You shook your head, sobbing as you watched the color drain from his face.

“It’s strange… but I get the feeling I knew you before.” He coughed, blood spraying into the water. “Not that it matters now, but…

“I’m glad that it was you,” he smiled weakly, “that helped me take em down…”

His eyes fell close, head slumping forward. Clutching him tightly to your chest, you began to weep, wails echoing across the sea. Despite how final his last moments felt, you couldn’t stop your mind from going a mile a minute, trying to think of some way to prevent the inevitable. But as the beat of his heart began to slow against your chest, a thought struck you.

There was a process to turn a human into a siren. It had to be willingly on both ends, but if you could just get him to that place-

You gripped him tightly to your chest, dipping back below the waves and swimming swiftly towards your destination. With any luck, you could save him from his wounds. 

[honeys-fiction]

Prince Merman!Bakugou x mermaid!reader, she’s engaged to Prince! Merman!shoto but when they go to dinner at the neighbouring kingdom Bakugou falls for her? You decide on who ends up with whooooo 😙

Hi! Thank you for the  request, sorry it took so long! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

-Honey

Prince Merman! Bakugo x Princess Mermaid! Reader

Stupid customary dinners, stupid royal responsibilities. Bakugo, the Prince of The Western Sea Kingdom seethed in the over the top, gaudy room he and his family were waiting in. His fiery orange tail thumped against the luxurious lounge chair he lay in, much to the chagrin of his mother, the Queen.

“Katsuki,” she started with a groan. “What did I say about manners when visiting as guests?”

He snarled indignantly. “Manners with those Eastern bastards? Like hell! I told you I don’t wanna be here!”

“And I said you didn’t get a choice!” She hissed through her teeth. “And keep your voice down! We’re honorary guests to the celebration of King Enji’s son’s engagement. This is an important time in your life and duty as Prince! You should be grateful!”

Despite the usual hierarchy of the sea races, his mother was the more assertive of the current ruling family. His father, the king, fell into the assistant role. Though they did rule together, most of the time it was his mother who had the final say. 

Which meant that his father, currently sitting respectfully in his seat, couldn’t do anything to persuade his mother into letting him stay in their home land. He had more important things to do than attending a dinner full of snobbish nobles. Don’t even get him started on the prissy, stuck up youngest Prince of The Eastern Sea Kingdom. Ever since the first time Bakugo saw the red and white merman, he’d wanted nothing more than to tear his scales put with his teeth. He bet this ‘bride-to-be’ was no better. She was probably just as full of herself as her fiancé. 

Bakugo huffed, rising out of his seat and making a beeline for the door. 

“Where do you think you’re going?!” His mother shouted after him.

“Out! Dinner’s not for another three hours, right? I’m not spending it being nagged by an old sea hag!”

“Why you-”

Let him go, dear,” his father intercepted the fuming woman with a sigh. “Better he cools off now instead of holding his anger for dinner.”

The blond was already swimming aggressively down the hall. He needed to feel fresh ocean water on his gills before he ended up taking his anger out on some poor servant. 

He went through doorway after doorway of the large castle. Navigating the different lavish halls would get any foreigner lost. Finally, he found the door to one of the many balconies that littered the many floors. He pushed through it with little regard for whoever may be on the other side. He really hoped he would be finally blessed with sweet, sweet silence. 

His hopes were dashed when a soft, startled gasp rang out from the edge of the balcony. His usual rude scowl however, would not stay on his face for the life of him.

Before him stood one of the most beautiful, innocent looking mermaids he’s seen. Her delicate features contrasted perfectly with the colors of her scales, her figure clad in golden accented raiment that complimented the colors of her drapery. She was royalty, that much he was certain of.

Her eyes, pools of the most delightful assortment of colors, left him entranced in her gaze. The skin around her eyes caught his attention. They were slightly red, as if she had just been crying.

“G-good evening,” she breathed, obviously flustered by his abrupt entrance. “You must be Prince Katsuki Bakugo of The Western Sea. I am Princess Y/N L/N, of The Northern Sea. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Ah, shit. Of course he’d end up meeting the princess set to marry the half-n-half bastard. He grunted, sizing her up like she’d challenge him to a fight.

Once she realized that she wouldn’t be getting a proper response, she turned back to the coral reef that lay below the balcony. Despite himself wanting- or so he told himself, to leave, he instead swam to her side, gazing out at the moonlight ocean with her. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Her eventual response lulled him momentarily. He was never really one for taking in scenery, but maybe if it was with her… He could find himself enjoying watching the night’s inhabitants drift about the colorful structures. 

“You don’t look too happy for somebody who’s about to be married to ‘one of the most attractive mermen in the Many Seas,’” he stated bluntly, mocking Prince Todoroki’s reputation amongst the populace. “Why?”

She sighed, massaging her temple. “I apologize if I’m not being very good company. Forgive me.”

“That’s not an answer, Princess.”

“I don’t want to talk about it. How can I be a good Queen if I divulge my personal troubles to a stranger so easily?”

He was silent at that. She had a point, and he respected her to some degree. At least she was cautious about her actions, unlike most of the loose lip, careless royal women that crossed his path.

It appeared that she took his silence as him taking offense, as she sighed, “I’m sorry for snapping, I have a lot on my mind. Nevertheless, that was rude of me.” 

“No,” the words were tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop himself. Gods, what was she doing to him? “I shouldn’t have assumed you would be comfortable talking about it with a stranger.”

They stood quietly, listening to the soft thrumming of life around the castle. 

“Did you fare well on your journey here?” She was twiddling her thumbs, looking down at her hands nervously. “I hear the currents on the western seas are unpredictable at this time of year.”

Bakugo scoffed cockily, “Only if you don’t know what you’re doing. My people are born for rough treatment.”

He noticed her eye him in her peripherals, before looking  away with a blush. 

“I see. Those are very good qualities to have…” She might have thought she was sneaky, but he knew exactly what she meant. Especially since she was still checking him out. 

“So, how long have you been stuck here for?”

“A few months now, I think. I’ve lost track of time.”

They continued chatting, the conversation flowing between them pleasantly. Soon two hours had passed, yet they still weren’t tired of each other.

“I suppose with how long we’ve been talking,” she giggled to herself. “We’re not really strangers anymore.”

“Huh?” He looked at her bewildered for a moment. “Yeah, I guess so.”

She looked towards the surface, gazing up at the shifting sky of their world. Sucking in a sharp breath, she began to speak hesitantly.

“The reason I’m not happy is because I don’t want to marry Prince Todoroki.”

His eyes widened. Though she still refused to look at him, he could see the tears building in her eyes. 

“It’s an arranged marriage, then?”

She nodded, sniffling to herself. “King Enji arranged it with my parents. After all was settled, they forced me to move here in preparation for the wedding.”

Her hands covered her face, her shoulders trembling as she sobbed.

“I just want to go home…”

Without thinking he rushed to pull her into his arms, cradling her head to his chest as he shushed her. 

“Sheesh, has half-n-half really been that terrible to you?” He swore he was going to cause a scene at dinner if that was the case.

“No, no- It’s not that. Me and Prince Todoroki are friends. It’s just that neither of us want to get married. Besides, he loves the Prince from the Southern Sea.” She pulled away from him, rubbing her eyes. “Sorry”

“Don’t be. You know,” he took her hands into his own. “You’re too pretty for him anyways.”

She blushed, smiling sheepishly at him. “You’re just saying that.”

“No, I’m serious. C’mon now Princess, you should know I mean what I say by now.”

“W-well,” her blush increased ten-fold, turning the tips of her pointed ears red. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

A clock rang somewhere in the castle, signaling the last hour before dinner. 

“Ah, that late already!?” She rushed for the door. “I have to get ready for dinner, my handmaidens must be throwing a fit! See you at dinner!”

She was gone before he could respond. He found himself cursing the passage of time, wanting to spend all night with her if he could. Maybe if he could impress her parents, who would undoubtedly be at the dinner… 

They’d see that he was the better option.

With newfound determination and a smirk on his face, he swam swiftly to his guest room to prepare for dinner.

[honeys-fiction]

Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of content these past few months (especially you guys waiting on your event pieces, I am so sorry). I’m getting my but moving on requests now, keep an eye out!

Thank you for your patience! 

-Honey

[honeys-fiction]

Hey just a heads up,

If you repost some ones art work, despite it being water marked 'do not repost' and the artist has 'no reposts allowed' in their bio, I despise you :)

Especially if your first move is to delete the comments calling you out, and gaslight them if the try to further get you to remove stolen work. If you know that you're a 'bad person', how bout remove the work you stole from someone else and quit reposting things that aren't yours for clout <3

Note: this isn't directed at anyone who gets the artist's permission to post first WELL BEFORE they post WITH CREDIT, some artists allow reposts

Sincerely,

-a pissed off bee

[honeys-fiction]

I've decided I will start writing for kny! I've updated my rules list, and may add more characters in the future. I'm all caught up with the manga so I'm good on spoilers (tread with caution if you aren't tho)

I'm excited to start!

-Honey

[honeys-fiction]

Master list is updated! Sorry it took so long!

[honeys-fiction]

Hi! Can I request Siren! Bakugo with a Mermaid Reader? Maybe he hears her singing and decides to show her his song? Love your writing btw ^-^

I was actually really excited to start this as soon as I saw it in my box! It’s a really cute and sweet idea, I hope I did it justice!

-Honey

Siren Bakugo x Mermaid Reader

Bakugo was getting awfully tired of the same routine. His hate for normality only grew during the rise of summer. Warmer waters meant that more of his kind would travel to the usually colder areas he called home. Mating season was coming, and he hated every bit of it.

His parents had gotten on his back when he refused to choose a mate before he left the pod; despite the fact that they themselves went out of their ways to bring him what they thought were suitable partners. It wasn’t his fault they had shit taste in people. 

None of the other sirens that approached him were worthy of being called his mate, either. Usually, when a siren wished to court another siren, they would sing a unique hymn in hopes of catching their desired mate’s attention. But all who tried to sing to him failed. None of the songs he heard were even remotely interesting or unique to him, so it wasn’t unusual for him to turn away another wannabe suitor. 

He hadn’t approached anybody himself. Happening upon another siren was rare outside of mating season, but no matter how lonely he was drifting through the seas alone months at a time, his feelings never changed. If he had his way, he would remain in solitude till the end of times. If only sirens weren’t so social, then he wouldn’t have to deal with the ache in his chest as he spent another year in silence. 

He was spending his day as he usually did, surveying for any passing ships to crash as he sunbathed on an outcrop near the coast. Another sign that mating season was coming was the dwindling number of ships that frequented the area. They knew better than to sail through during this time of year. Only the foolish and inexperienced took that risk.

His gorgeous, streamline orange tail slapped against the rough surface of the outcrop in frustration. He hated lying around all day, preferring to stay active by hunting and patrolling his territory. But he’d be damned if he didn’t sink the one ship that's been giving him hell for the past few weeks. A small fishing vessel taking advantage of the warmer, nutrient rich upwellings of the season to fish the more rare and expensive fish that migrated in. But in doing so, have been clogging the native reef, and his home, with fishing lines and other actions that destroy the reef. He picked this place for a reason damn it. 

He was about to dive back under the waves and continue his search when a soft, gentle tune caught his attention. It was relatively close, carried along and amplified by the ocean air that swept through the shore. Intrigued, Bakugo slipped back into the sea quietly, setting out to find the source of the melody. 

As he swam through the crystal blue water, the soft sound grew the closer he got to the edge of the coastline. The melody grew clearer, allowing him to appreciate the angelic notes that settled smoothly into the forefront of his mind. He paused behind a large rock as his proximity allowed him to make out lyrics to the enchanting melody. 

Each word was sung gracefully; notes strung together fluidly to create the most beautiful noise he’s ever had the pleasure of hearing. He’d be more than happy to relinquish his hold on life if it meant he’d be able to spend the rest of eternity bathed in the heavenly aria that kept him rooted in place. 

Finally, he managed to gather enough willpower to peek over the side of the rock, finding an equally captivating sight. The divine figure of a woman rested on a smooth outcrop, back turned to him as she gazed out across the horizon. Her tail was a gorgeous hue; the flowing, graceful shape much different from his own swift and lithe form. She continued to sing, unknowing that she was being watched. 

He knew in that moment that she was what he didn’t know he wanted. Who knew that he’d find love in a completely different race. It was unusual for a siren to choose a mermaid, but not unheard of. All he knew is that he’d rather die than let her slip through his fingers.

He patiently listened to the rhythm of her hymn. He didn’t want to be rude and ruin her song by butting in at an impromptu moment. 

His tune began low, allowing hers to fade in her throat. As his voice steadily grew, she turned to him in shock, eyes wide with apprehension. From his place before her, he could see the effect his song had on her as her poster relaxed and her eyes became foggy. His song would have a stronger effect on her, considering they're different species, and only sirens have full immunity to another siren's song. As his song continued, he waited patiently for her to leave her perch and join him. He could see the longing to do so in her eyes, the glimmers of yearning to get as close as she could. Yet she remained rooted in place.

Despite her odd behavior, he continued. Taking it upon himself to go to her, his tail pushed him gracefully through the water towards her seated form. His song never paused, lulling the mermaid into relaxing fully in his presence. 

As he came closer, he noticed why she remained on the rocks. A yard of fishing nets were tangled around her tail, constricting the beautiful, glimmering fins to her sides. They were hooked and knotted around the sharp edges of the rock face. Judging by the scratch marks and few loose strands, she had been tearing at them for a while. 

She began to fidget once he was in arms length, tail jerking against the artificial bindings. Despite his song obviously having the desired effect on her, she was still notably frightened. He felt the fear in her eyes tug painfully at his heartstrings. His chest ached to pull her close and shield her from the horrors that plague the ocean; brushing past the fact this was very out of character for him.

The siren attempted to ease her with a soothing, gentle grasp to her shoulder and a firm look in his eye. He could feel her tremors under his palm. He continued to sing to her, delighted as her shaking dwindled under his gentle hand and soothing song.

Bakugo hummed his tune while he examined the knotted mess trapping her to the rock. With one of his sharp claws, he cut through the mass of netting in one swift movement. He watched her flex her fins, a gentle chirp of appreciation gracing his ears.

After ensuring he'd freed her from the rest of the netting, he motioned for her to join him. The ash blond helped her ease herself into the water with her approval. He could feel nothing but the warmth of her body against his, and the utter jubilation when she made no move to remove herself from his arms. 

She gazed up at him with sweet, doe eyes. His heart swelled as he watched her bask in his song with adoration. If he had to pluck every star from the sky to have her continue looking at him like that for even a second more, he'd make sure to snare every constellation for her attention. 

He wrapped an arm around her waist, his free hand tangling with one of her own. Upon closer inspection, he noted that she didn't have a mark on her neck near her gills, which usually indicated she had a mate. His findings almost made him break his rhythm with a purr. 

They waded there, and as she joined his song, held onto one another amidst the sinking sun and rising tide. 

Bakugo continued to sing with his new found love; knowing after he got her comfortable in his- their home, he'd have work to do. No human would sail these waters again, he'd make sure of it.

[honeys-fiction]

Sooo I've been slowly getting into Demon Slayer,

I think I might be interested in writing for some characters.👀👀👀👀

-Honey

[honeys-fiction]

Now that mermay's over, I'm going to finish up and post the mermay requests first, and then move on to finishing the others as usual.

Thank you for your participation!

-Honey

[honeys-fiction]

Pssst, these petitions still need signing!

[honeys-fiction]

I just saw the mermay event and read the rules to make sure this is okay so— would you please do a mermaid Hawks and a pirate reader with yandere prompt 1 from the second of the yandere prompts? Please and thank you! Have a good day/night! —:3

I wasn’t sure if you wanted hawks to be the yandere or reader, so I just went with what was most comfortable with. Hope you like it!

-Honey

Warnings: Yandere themes, slight hints of drowning

Mermay: Yandere Mermaid Hawks x Pirate Reader Prompt 2 #1

“Baby, I asked you a question. If you know what’s good for you, you better answer me.”

The ocean beat against the hull of your ship relentlessly. You and your fellow crew struggled both on deck and below to keep your ship from sinking. Already you’ve helped to plug several holes in the ship; but no matter how fast you work, more holes just keep appearing.

Your boots slipped on the deck with another lurch of the ship, sending you crashing into the gunwale. With a firm grip on the wood you hauled yourself upright and continued to your post.

“Captain!” You heard the first mate cry. “We’re going to sink at this rate, we have to turn back!” Your captain continued to hold the helm firmly in place, shouting, “No! We’ll continue! We’ll lose the rest of the fleet at this rate!”

Your crew was a part of a large fleet of pirates that went sea to sea looting and pilfering what they could get their dirty paws on. While you didn’t necessarily agree, it was a better life than what you had before; and certainly paid more.

“Where did this storm even come from?!” The first mate stumbled past you, heading up to the captain.

“Who gives a shit. We can’t let ourselves fall behind!”

Another large lurch had your gaze falling to the abyssal black waves beneath you. One wrong move could send you tumbling into the frozen depths, doomed to drown amidst the storm. In that brief moment, you could have sworn you saw a sudden flash of color. It was almost as if a fire had sparked under the roaring waters.

You hurried to tug the riggings to the sails back into place. None of your fellow sailors had caught sight of your plight, too focused trying to stay aboard. 

“Brace!” Your captain called suddenly.

A massive wave hit the side of the ship. Salt water clogged your senses, blurring your vision. The impact caused you to loosen your hold on the ropes. Next thing you knew, you were sucked over the side of the ship and into the ocean.

If the water hadn’t shocked you before, falling headfirst into the sea sure did. The sudden below-zero assault on your body had your muscles seizing and body frozen. All you could do was watch the surface drift farther from you as you sunk, vision slowly going black as your body struggled to hold your breath. The last thing you saw was a strange silhouette entering your peripheral. 

Slowly, you felt feeling return to you. The first thing you registered was the strange, cold feeling that enveloped your body. It was almost as if you were floating through the sky, beyond the reach of gravity. Next was the rough texture that held both of your wrists behind you. From what your drowsy mind could tell, iron cuffs kept your wrists drifting behind you, most likely chained to a wall. Finally, you managed to get your eyes open. 

What you saw nearly sent you back into shock. You were in a cell of sorts, one that had bars that seemed to be made from the rough husk of coral. The walls were a much smoother texture, probably sandstone from the color. 

You were definitely underwater. Your hair fanned around your head, getting in your eyes and caressing your face. You found yourself unconsciously holding whatever breath was left in your lungs, tugging at your restraints as you struggled to find a way to the surface. 

Your face began to feel hot, the lack of oxygen no doubt turning your face red. A violent cough ripped its way out of your chest, no longer able to hold your final breath. But as you watched the bubbles of air rise to the ceiling, and eventually disperse into the surrounding water, you realized you could somehow breathe. 

From outside your cell, you heard someone laugh. It was gentle and mirthful, a sound you assumed you’d hear from angels if you somehow ended up at the gates of heaven. 

“That was really cute, dove,” The voice, undoubtedly male, chuckled. “You humans always have the cutest reactions.” 

You turned your attention to the coral bars. A man with gorgeous blond hair and beautiful golden eyes floated in front of your cell. He clutched a small satchel in one of his hands. With his divine features, you were almost certain that you did make it into heaven. But what brought you back to reality was the stunning crimson tail that took the place of his legs. The crimson scales shined like rubies in the light. His fins were decorated with gold fittings and jewelry, meaning that whoever he was, he was important. 

Mermaids were known to exist in your world, but they rarely made themselves seen. They were more concerned with their own affairs with the other sea-people and sea creatures in their own world. Humans must’ve really done something to piss them off for you to be taken instead of left to drown.

He leaned himself on the rugged coral, eyeing your form with interest. “You know, you should thank me. I was the one who saved your life.”

“Who are you? Why am I here?” He pouted at your questions, tail flicking out behind him. Still, he rose upright.

“I am Prince Keigo Takami, but most people call me Hawks.” Oh, you were in deep shit. You heard the name Hawks on your travels. He was the Prince to one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms under the sea. One that had been more aggressive with sailors traveling in their waters. 

“As for why you’re here, I was interested in what you could do for me,” he insinuated. With a wave of his hand, the coral began to shift, allowing him to pass through. He swam through the water with effortless regality, closing the distance between the two of you with a few flicks of his ruby tail. The closer he got, the better you could comprehend the size difference between the two of you. He was much larger than yours, his hand could easily wrap itself around your neck and break it like a twig. He circled your floating form, fiddling with the collar of your linen shirt. 

“W-what do you want from me?” You couldn’t prevent the waver in your voice even if you tried. If he didn’t intimidate you before, he sure did now. 

“Aw,” Hawks purred into your ear. “No need to be scared, darling. I just have a few questions for you. If you answer them nicely, then I won’t be forced to resort to more- well, forceful, measures.” 

His tail curled around your smaller frame as he rested his head near your ear, hands holding your shoulders in place. You could feel the sharpness of his nails through your shirt, as well as the hidden promise that they’d rip you to shreds if you didn’t comply. 

You nodded solemnly. If you had any chance of getting back to the surface, it was through compliance. 

“Good girl,” he cooed. “Now, I know your ship is a part of that damned fleet that’s been going around stealing whatever you could get your grubby little hands on. So, what was your next target? Where were you planning on heading next?”

Your mouth sealed itself shut with a sudden burst of courage. You’d be damned if you sold your captain’s plans out to the creature that’s was probably going to murder them first chance he gets. Your crew and the fleet had come so far since you joined them. Sure you all had to do terrible things to get where you are now, but you’d be nothing without them!

“Come on now, little one,” sharp nails closed around the skin of your throat, drawing themselves across lightly. “I thought we had a deal? You said you’d cooperate with me.”

The water churned harshly as he thrust himself in front of you with intimidating swiftness. His hand moved up to grip your chin roughly, forcing you to gaze into his eyes. 

“Baby, I asked you a question. If you know what’s good for you, you better answer me.”

You whimpered as his grip tightened, you wouldn’t be surprised if you had bruises by the end of this.

“We w-were headed west, towards the Shrouded Isles,” you gasped. Your pain only increased. 

“Oh, really?” He leaned in close, hardened gaze never leaving yours. “I can tell if you’re lying, you know.” “I’m telling the truth, I promise! Let me go!” You thrashed against his brutal hold, nearly crying in relief when he relented. 

“See?” He murmured smoothly, brushing your hair away and petting your head. “Was that so hard? I didn’t want to hurt you, but you left me no choice. That’s all I wanted to know.”

You waited for him to turn and leave, but he stayed; gazing at you with strange, adoring eyes. “What are you going to do with me…?”

“Oh, don’t worry, angel.” He beamed down at you, holding your face gently between his large palms. “You’ll be safe down here, I promise.”

“What?!” You blurted. “You can’t keep me down here!”

He merely laughed, as if everything you did was funny to him. “Oh no baby! You’ll be able to leave the cell and stay with me eventually. You just need to… adjust.”

“No! I don’t belong in the sea, I’m human!” Despite your protests, his tail curled around your frame once more as he held you tenderly to his chest.

“Not for long, love. You never belonged up there, your true purpose is down here, with me.”

Even under water, you could feel the tears burn your eyes as you began to weep. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“Truth is, I’ve been following your vessel for awhile now. My old man’s been getting on my case about finding a suitable mate; you know how it is, royal business.” He reached for the small satchel he carried in. “When I saw you, and how you interacted with those ruffians, I knew you were perfect.” He produced a strange glowing blue vial from the pouch, popping it open.

“Now, the transformation is going to be rough at first, but I’ll be by your side the whole way.”

“No!” You fought against his iron grip. “I don’t want this, you can’t do this to me!”

“Shshsh it’s okay dear!” He shushed you, drawing the vial to his lips. “I already gave you the first portion earlier anyways, couldn't have you drowning on me.”

“Now, hold still, this might burn a little!”

You saw him cut into his lip with his canines, drawing blood into his mouth. He downed the concoction before moving his lips to your own. With a harsh grip on your jaw, he forced you to take the mixture into your mouth and down your throat with soothing rubs to your neck. 

It ran a burning trail down your esophagus, like you swallowed boiling salt water. Your vision began to darken as you screamed into his palm. Your vision went black, with those striking golden eyes stealing the last of your consciousness.