#anyway seriously though LOOK AT AETHER GO

[the-gayest-sky-kid]

LOOK AT HIM GO

[sixosix]

i want you for worse or for better | aether

synopsis your ex, aether, asks you to be his plus one; you were doomed from the very beginning.

tags wc 2.8k, gn!reader, modern au, profanity, getting back together, exes to lovers, humor bc i cant take my own writing seriously, ft 4GGRAVATE!!!

notes ty to @earthtooz and @naosaki helping me brainstorm w this one… our big brains were on the same wave while cooking.

Aether moved around a lot. He was never the type to settle down. It was in his blood to explore the world and leave only a trace of him behind. He was something like a hero, coming in at the worst time and leaving them better than before. You couldn’t say the same about his effect on you, though.

You told him of this before, and he slumped over and rested his head on your lap, “I don’t even mean to. Are you at least swept off your feet by my heroic deeds?”

“I was so charmed I only dated you because you have overthrown the government,” you said.

Aether had laughed then, and kissed you sweetly. You couldn’t fool him for a second—how you melted to the kiss spoke for itself. You loved him for so much more than that.

But you also knew that it wouldn’t last long. Aether warned you about it, too; you couldn’t even be mad. How could you blame anyone but yourself when you deliberately brushed past all the warning signs?

“I don’t stay,” Aether told you, at the time. “If you want to do this…”

“I know,” you said, at the time. “I know what I’m getting myself into. So will you just kiss me already?”

Well, you should’ve known, too, that falling out of love with Aether wouldn’t be as easy as falling in love with him. Not when he kissed you like he would never leave, anyway. You were doomed from the very beginning.

“You’ve been staring at your phone for a worryingly long time now,” Tighnari said, eyeing you from the top of his cards.

You were seated on Alhaitham’s living room couch, the four boys lounging on the floor playing TCG. Cyno was winning effortlessly against Kaveh, but against Tighnari, he found himself at a loss. Alhaitham was continuing Cyno’s winning streak on his behalf, while Cyno was down two rounds from playing with Tighnari. You had been playing, too, but your phone lit up and displayed a name that had you dropping your cards and hiding your screen from your friends’ view.

You bit your lip and reread the message for the third time. The previous texts had been months ago, with him wishing you a happy birthday. You replied with a Thank you and a red heart emoji, because the <3 emoticon felt too intimate.

“Aether texted me,” you murmured, then braced yourself for the explosion.

It was Kaveh that did. “Aether? As in your ex, Aether? That Aether?” Kaveh demanded.

“Do you know other Aethers?” Alhaitham quipped, then placed a card that had Kaveh clutching his head and groaning.

“Shut up,” Kaveh hissed, mostly because he lost. “The point is—that’s your ex! What did he say?”

You buried your face on the couch pillow, hating how your heart was racing. Like you were still in high school, or something, and not a full-grown adult who was having a crisis over their ex texting them. “He said hey are you up?, all lowercase, no comma.”

“No comma,” Kaveh repeated with a suspicious look on his face.

“No need to be so wary,” Cyno said. “His intentions don't appear to deliberately cause any 'comma-tion’.”

Tighnari’s ears dropped along with his face.

“Do you get it?” Cyno seemed proud that he was able to come up with that one right away. “There was no comma. It was a wordplay on commotion—”

“Did he also say what he was texting you for?” Kaveh interrupted loudly. “If he wants something, send a picture of us and tell him you’re busy.”

“Aether’s not like that,” you murmured in defeat.

Kaveh was making him out to be some sort of playboy. Aether wasn’t, which made you worry more. You didn’t want to entertain someone who left you, but you still cared enough to wonder if something came up and he needed you.

“You’re going to reply?” Tighnari asked.

“Yes,” you said, typing out a what’s up? and hitting Send. You didn’t know why you had butterflies in your stomach—you used to shower with Aether back when you were still together; there was no need to be so nervous. “He’s your friend, too, you know.”

“You were our friend first,” Kaveh said. “And he broke your heart. That’s not something to be taken lightly.”

You felt warm, a smile blooming on your face. “It’s okay. I wasn’t that affected.”

“You were,” Kaveh, Tighnari, and Cyno chorused.

“Fuck you,” you said, smile dropping.

Aether was typing again. You sat up straight and watched the three dots do the worm on the bottom of your screen. 

hi :) how are you?

Ugh. Furiously, you typed, aether spit it out. did something happen?

okay okay

You expected that he just wanted something. Something had to have come up for him to text you after months. That didn’t make it hurt any less, though. Maybe Aether was a playboy; the way he played with your feelings almost qualified him for it.

But then you think back to when Aether was still in Sumeru, lighting up the room, lighting up a fire in your heart. He was everyone’s favorite, too, not just yours. And even if Kaveh and the others denied it now, they hadn’t been able to deny him back then. Aether helped them out in ways they didn’t know how to repay. Aether made you so happy, to be thinking so negatively about him like this.

Aether sent: i’m invited to aymar’s wedding and i wanted to ask if you would agree to be my plus one

why me?

you’re the first person i thought of.

Perhaps he wasn’t in trouble—he was trouble enough. What were you getting yourself into?

i thought you didn’t want to get involved with Aymar anymore

i can’t turn down an excuse to eat free at a buffet

You sighed. You wouldn’t, either.

You frowned at your screen, wishing it was Aether in front of you instead. Maybe if you could read his expressions instead of reading between the lines of his texts, you could figure out why he invited his ex, of all the people he knew.

besides, Aether continued to text, this is probably aymar’s way of showing us that she’s over me. she has a groom now and all that

Aymar had the biggest crush on Aether, and she never hid it, even when you and Aether were dating. But despite her advances, she was a sweet girl who was just as infatuated with your ex as the rest of Teyvat was. Maybe this was her way of apologizing.

However—

she didn’t even invite me wtf

haha well is that a no?

“Guys,” you spoke up, grabbing your friends’ attention. Kaveh was still losing miserably. “Have you heard news of Aymar’s wedding?”

“Oh,” Kaveh looked thoughtful, “yes. We were invited.”

“What? Was I the only one not invited?”

“Maybe it’s because you got to date Aether and she didn’t,” Tighnari said.

You rolled your eyes. “Well, Aether’s asking me to be his plus one—and I’m going to say yes don’t look at me like that.”

Alhaitham, Cyno, and Kaveh wordlessly clear their expressions.

“Oh,” Tighnari frowned. “We weren’t planning on going.”

“We have to now!” Kaveh said. “We have to, if Y/N’s going.”

“Is this too much?”

You checked yourself out in the full-length mirror, performing a little twirl that had Kaveh clapping. Alhaitham sat beside him, briefly looking up from his book. Tighnari and Cyno were elsewhere, picking shoes for you that would be in the range of ‘cheap’ and ‘expensive, but not because I care about what Aether would think’.

“Of course not,” Kaveh said, giving a thumbs up. “You look great!”

You turned to Alhaitham next, who didn’t hesitate: “Looks good. Might as well wear yellow, too.”

You flushed hotly at his implications. “I’m not dressing up to impress him! This is a formal event, which he happened to invite me to—as friends.”

“Right,” Alhaitham drawled. He could at least pretend to believe you, but that would probably be asking too much from him already.

Kaveh nudged Alhaitham, with a bit more force than necessary. “Cut Y/N some slack.”

Alhaitham sighed imperceptibly, turning his full attention to you. “This would probably be the closure you needed,” Alhaitham said, and you recognized his way of comfort for the way it is. “You’ll find out that you’re over him after this.”

“You’re right,” you said, breathing in deep. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“So,” Kaveh stood up. “Is that what you’re buying? Let’s make haste—Cyno reserved a spot in the line for you!”

Excitement bubbled in your chest as you held the fabric to your chest.

You were definitely not over Aether.

As soon as you felt yourself fidgeting nervously a block away from the ceremony, you knew. As soon as a car rolled in and he stumbled out of the car, tripping because he was waving at you, you knew that you were so not over him.

You tried to blame the heat of the sun for how warm you suddenly felt, but you could be referring to the other sun making his merry way to you, his smile bright, all teeth. His braid could almost be a tail from how it waggled as he jogged over.

“Hey,” Aether, charming and beautiful Aether, gold and warm—your ex, Aether—breathed out, “you look great.”

“You, too.” Aether looked maddening in a suit, in the best way possible. You felt lightheaded and choked out, “Very dashing.”

“Yeah?” He grinned.

“Yeah,” you said, then turned away in case he saw the raw, unfiltered want on your face.

“Shall we?”

How cheesy. Still, you felt yourself flush as you linked your arms with his, like you were a couple. Kaveh was going to kill you—after he killed Aether first.

Aymar’s wedding was startlingly grand. You think she might just have invited the entirety of Sumeru; you might even find Lesser Lord Kusanali here, maybe. 

You found your friends and settled beside them while Aether awkwardly sat on the far edge. He seemed reluctant to have space from you, so you pulled him closer.

“Hey,” Tighnari greeted him. “How have you been? You stopped sending us letters.”

Aether looked extremely uncomfortable. He must be feeling Cyno’s stern stare. “Haha. Well, yeah.” 

The ceremony went as usual. The groom was someone you didn’t recognize; he looked like he was from Sumeru, all big and intimidating—the complete opposite of Aether. Aymar’s tastes changed drastically. All the same, you cheered along with the crowd when they kissed.

You haven’t been able to attend many weddings yourself, though you could always appreciate how emotional the newlyweds got. Vows were always the sweetest to hear. You’d never seen Aymar smile so wide before; then again, it was only fitting. This was her wedding day. Not that you’d know, though.

You glance to the side, catching Aether looking at the newlyweds kiss with an unreadable expression on his face. He looked like he longed for it, but that didn’t seem right. Weddings tied you down. Aether didn’t want to be tied down.

Kaveh clapped the loudest, which snapped Aether into clapping along as well.

You wondered what Aether was thinking. You wonder if he was thinking the same. Looking at the happy bride and the teary groom—could this have been you and him in another life?

Hah.

That’s a funny thought.

You bit your bottom lip to distract yourself from feeling your eyes go hot.

Aymar beamed at you two as she bounded over. “You came!” she said, though it was directed at you.

You wanted to tell her you weren’t even invited, but you felt like that would ruin the moment. Plus, it was literally her wedding. You were glad you ended up here after all the years you spent knowing each other. You smiled back, genuine, and leaned into her hug.

“Of course,” you said. “You look beautiful.”

Aymar blushed. “Thank you. You two look great as well!”

Aether shuffled beside you. “Thanks for inviting us.”

Aymar had that look in her eye that spelled suspicious.

But the past was the past. You weren’t going to get jealous when Aymar was quite literally married, and Aether wasn’t even your boyfriend anymore. “I’m glad you’re happy, Aymar,” you said.

Aymar glanced between the two of you, then finally at you. “I hope you find happiness, too, Y/N. Soon, hopefully.”

The reception started. While your friends were busy hoarding the food, you and Aether were left alone. He looked uncharacteristically nervous—it made you pity him. He was the one who asked you to come with him, but he must have felt out of place the entire time. Everyone thought he would never return, after all.

You traced the rim of your glass, hoping to appear nonchalant. “So, what have you been up to while at Fontaine? Finally moving off to Natlan?” you asked, then bit back a Find any other flings, too?

Aether sighed, twirling his champagne flute before taking a long sip. “Didn’t do too much, honestly. I spent most of my time there thinking.” His eyes flicked up to yours. “Lumine already found her place here in Teyvat, and I…”

Oh.

You were glad you held back from being petty while Aether was genuinely distressed over his journey to self-discovery. Again, you weren’t an asshole. And you still cared about Aether, despite everything, because he was hard to hate. With a sad face like that…

“Sorry,” you muttered. You didn’t mean to make him remember Lumine.

Aether laughed softly. “It’s not like that. It took me a while, but—I had already found my place, too. I was just too dumb not to realize it sooner.”

You wanted to chide him for calling himself dumb, but he was looking at you like he was waiting for you to get something. You blinked, feeling lost.

Aether tilted his head. “It’s with you.”

Your mouth hung open. “What?”

Aether went to repeat it, but Cyno and Tighnari had come back with plates heaping with food. Cyno had one on each hand, unabashed. He sat on his seat and said, in all seriousness, “We might have finished all the catering.”

Tighnari chuckled, “We didn’t, but you two should hurry and get your fill.”

You didn’t get another chance to talk with Aether privately during the reception, but it was still good fun. Aether seemed to warm up to your friends again—or, rather, your friends seemed to warm up to him again.

You shared laughs, food, and toasts with the newlyweds—but your favorite had to have been sharing glances with Aether all throughout the night.

You and Aether went ahead. Cyno and Tighnari didn’t seem surprised when you told them that you were letting Aether take you home, which would have certainly been a blow to your dignity had it been in any other situation.

“So,” you started, “what made you realize you wanted to get me back? Did you have some revelation while in Fontaine?”

“Yes, actually,” Aether said, his hands brushing against yours now and then. “For every sight and couple I saw, I just kept thinking about how you would’ve loved it there.”

“Oh.”

Aether looked bashful. The moonlight highlighted his blush well. “I thought it was because we had just broken up at the time, but I never stopped thinking about you.”

Aether kept going, but you were already sold. You already wanted to get back with him the moment he texted you with all lowercase and no commas. You were fooling no one. Not Alhaitham, not yourself. “What, so you want to take me to the City of Love?”

Aether looked at you fondly. “You would always be the first one I’d think of.”

“I curbed your wanderlust…?” You were fishing for it at this point, but being deprived of Aether’s affections for a long while did that to a person.

You felt outmaneuvered. Shouldn’t you be letting him chase after you a bit more? Why were you discarding your pride just like that? Over your ex?

Your not-ex-anymore now-boyfriend-again smiled. “You became my reason to stay.”

Well. You were doomed from the very beginning.

“Aether!” Paimon shrieked from the other room. “You have mail!”

“Alright, alright,” Aether sighed, lazily pulling himself up from his bed and trudging to the living room. Paimon held a brown envelope.

Aether opened it and withdrew the contents, puzzled.

“Ooh!” Paimon gasped. “Two invitations for a wedding? Is it for Paimon, too?”

Aether ripped the other envelope, heart stuttering at the sight of a familiar name inked on the vellum paper. He blushed. “This is—!”

“Huh? For Y/N?” Paimon snatched the invitation from Aether’s fingers. “Why was it addressed to us? Maybe they were mistaken…”

Aether read something on the back of your invitation. “I don’t think it was mistaken.”

Written with a ballpen, it said, Hi, Y/N! It’s Aymar! I don’t know Aether’s address and none of my colleagues seemed to know where his residence would be…? (Probably because Aether wasn’t even in Sumeru.) But I assumed you would be staying together, so here’s my invitation for you both—I hope you can come!

Aether recognized an opportunity when he saw one.

extras!

the ending was rlly vague so let me add: aether was planning to go back to sumeru for you already and the wedding invitation was a perfect excuse—he flew out back to sumeru literally the next day.

earthtooz was making out with alhaitham & art was making out w kaveh during the reception which is why they dont show up during the end thanks

cyno brought his tcg deck and made tighnari bring his own—thats what they did during the afterparty lol

don’t ask if paimon was floating or if she was on the ground. sometimes we dont have to question things.

aymar was a name i just grabbed from the list of sumeru npcs—i don’t actually know if i butchered her personality horribly. if i did, forgive me.

THANK YOU FOR READING HOPE U ENJOYED!! LMK WHAT U THINK <3333 comments/rbs get a kiss from aether

[missnancywritesfanfic]

Grocery Shopping ft. Anemo Boys

(Based On Stuff My BF and I Have Done)

Characters: Venti, Xiao, Heizou, Kazuha, Wanderer(Scaramouche), Aether

Contains: Modern AU, Everyday Life, Fluff, Swears

A/N: I was at the grocery store and the idea popped in my head 🥰

--

VENTI - Humming Along To The Music

From the moment you stepped inside to the moment you leave. He will be humming. Tapping his finger to whatever royalty free song is playing over the speakers. You used to asked him why he never listened to his own music when you were shopping.

"But if I did that, then I'd be ignoring you. Isn't it better to be together in the moment?"

"Yeah, in the moment of Funky Town for the thirtieth time? I'm flattered."

It gets worse with every trip. It slowly evolves into mumbling the lyrics, then singing the lyrics out loud, swaying along to the music, and sometimes full on dancing with no remorse. Not a single bone of shame in his body, and you have to watch your boyfriend shake his ass while you facepalm.

"I am never taking you shopping again."

"We both know that's a big fat lie, babe. You love having me around~"

God, you hated his smug grin. Let this shopping trip be done as soon as humanly possible.

XIAO - Carry All The Groceries/Steer The Cart

He will always man the cart. Don't you dare take it away from him, he has pouted at you before when you absentmindedly grabbed one and started shopping.

You seriously have no clue why he enjoys it so much, but you can't complain, it gave you time to actually focus on picking what you wanted. And you didn't have to worry about navigating traffic in the aisles. But he will nudge the cart into you when you're taking too long, you'll always turn back to meet his glare.

"Are you done yet? We need to get a move on."

"Hey, I am the chef of the house. If you don't like how I pick the ingredients, you can cook for a change."

That'll usually shut him up. He'll still silently nudge the cart into you though, after a while you get the idea and pick up the pace. When you finish shopping, he will always take the heavier bags. Even when you offer, he insists that it isn't an issue and leave you with the lighter bags. Sometimes nothing at all.

You appreciate his help, not like you wanted to carry them anyways. You still have to scold him about being delicate with the eggs.

KAZUHA - Cannot Decide On What To Take

"Baby, for the love of god, please pick a thing and stick with it!"

You've been in the aisle for over five minutes, he can't decide on what kind of rice to buy. This isn't a price issue. Kazuha's stuck thinking in the longterm: What kind of rice is best? Should we buy a bulk bag to last longer? Which type will work best with dinner tonight? (It's Jasmin. Always Jasmin. Cheap and reliable.)

You don't care! You just want to be in any other aisle but this one! But you're being hypocritical, you've done the exact same and everytime he'll give you a specific look. Nothing else, not a frown, not even a smug grin, just a look.

"Okay, but why does this package say sugar-free but it has the same level in the nutrients on the back?" You pause and glance over, you frown. "What?"

"I haven't said anything, dear."

"You don't need to. I know that look, it's Kazuha for I'm Judging You."

HEIZOU - Comparing Item Prices

He's the type of person to lay out all his options and pick the cheapest one with the best quality. There may be meat on sale today, but he knows it's only because they're going to expire soon. This can be useful at times, no need for bottom tier food in your household.

But that's not the worse of it. Like many middle aged home owners, he will deliberately check for mistagged items so that he can get them at a discount price. There's an air fryer he's been eyeing for months that's too expensive for a leisure purchase, until the day he spots that it's been mistagged for thirty dollars cheaper than normal.

"Heizou, honey, we can just wait until it's actually on sale..."

"Ah ah~, the price labelled is the price offered. I will be taking my prize!"

"You're insufferable."

You're at the checkout, silently apologizing to the cashier and manager that are trying to find a way out of this predicament. Unfortunately for them, he gets the airfryer. And unfortunately for you, he doesn't stop using it for a loooong time.

WANDERER - Buy Old People Snacks

He doesn't like sweets. He visibly cringes everytime you pass by the bakery section or candy aisle, and you have a horrible sweet tooth that can never be quelled.

However, he's gotten into the habit of picking up dried cranberries of all things. Now, usually you don't pass judgement on his choices, despite him making it clear he doesn't care if you. Regardless, you can't help poking fun at him every once in a while.

"Pfft, nice choice granpa."

"Shut up, you shovel junk down your throat like it's your day job."

"Yeah, but at least I act my age."

"You mean five?"

If you ever, and I mean ever, try to take some for yourself. He will smack your hand away and give you the nastiest glare. Don't bother with whining or fake tears, you should've thought about that before insulting his food choice. You won't be able to steal any of his food for a good month.

AETHER - Asking Permission To Buy Stuff

You have no clue where it comes from. Before you started dating him, he and Paimon were impulsive spenders. They used to empty literal shelves and have more food then they knew what to do with (Paimon usually ate most of it in record time). But now, when you're heading down the aisle, he'd sheepishly hold a box of cereal, maybe cookies, or even fruit snacks- and give you the biggest puppy dog eyes possible.

"Aether, you are a grown man. You can buy whatever you want."

"Really?"

"Yes! Buy ten of 'em if you really want to!"

Okay, maybe that's a bit overboard. But you needed to exxagerate to make your stance clear. Maybe he was trying to be considerate of you? But you always split the bill when it came to paying for groceries, a couple extra dollars wasn't going to kill you. Especially not with your shared salaries.

But if you're not careful, Paimon might end up eating you out of house and home. So maybe he had the right idea about clearing these choices with you first.

[sentientgolfball]

“why don’t we use some of your toys?”

Swiss and Rain maybe pls and thank you 💖

You would not believe the internal debate I had over who was using the toy. Anyways hope you like size queen Rain <3

When Sunshine brought the little stack of mail to the den, Swiss immediately knew. He’s bought plenty of toys in his time to recognize the box. The only thing he didn’t know was who it was for. He could’ve just looked at the label, he knows this, but where’s the fun in that? He needed to know who he’d need to convince to let him watch while they use it for being such a helpful little ghoul and bringing it to them. 

He went to Cumulus first. She was the only one in the den who had a toy collection to rival his own. She had just shrugged her shoulders when he presented the box. He tried Dew next, him and Aether were always experimenting. He didn’t get the chance to ask though, stopping short of knocking when he heard the breathy little moans from their room. Phantom was his next bet. The little new summon was always trying something freaky by himself, maybe he finally decided to buy something of his own instead of borrowing. No luck. Aurora shook her head, but did inform him she was waiting on some new lingerie pieces so he at least had something to look forward to. When Cirrus saw she just smirked and told him to go talk to Mountain. 

Swiss practically ran to Mountain’s room, thrilled at the idea of getting to watch the big guy take himself apart. When Mountain saw it he blushed a deep shade of green. 

“It’s uh not mine…it’s Rain’s. He just wanted my help picking it out.” 

Sure enough when Swiss finally checked the name in the label it did indeed have Rain’s name on it. Swiss bolted to his room, knocking on the door. 

“Oh Rainy! I’ve got a little treat for you” he called in a singsong voice. 

“It’s open.” 

Swiss does not expect to see a naked water ghoul when he pushes through the door. He stands there, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. He nearly drops the box from the sight of Rain sitting pretty on his bed, waiting. 

“What? Oh come on, did you think I couldn’t hear you knocking on everyone’s door?” Rain laughs at him. 

“No I’m glad you finally brought it to me Sparky, I was getting tired of listening to Aether and Dew for the past hour” Rain beckons him with his finger “Bring it here.” 

Once Swiss’ brain finally catches up to the scene in front of him, he saunters over to Rain and places the box in his waiting hands. He pulls him into a quick but filthy kiss. 

“Better give me a damn good show.” 

“When have I not?” 

Swiss chuckles and brings one of Rain’s chairs to the foot of the bed and sits down. He folds his arms casually over his chest while he watches Rain open the box. When he finally pulls it out Swiss whistles and stares in awe. 

“Sweet Satan Rainy.” 

“Like it?” 

“What the fuck are you gonna do with it? Nine Hells that thing is bigger than Mountain.” 

It was absurd really. He seriously couldn’t fathom Rain taking it, let alone a human. Who the fuck was this even for? There is no way that is comfortable. Fuck he couldn’t wait to watch to him struggle. 

“Don’t you worry about that” Rain purrs “all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the show.” 

Rain shifts around to dig through his nightstand for the bottle of lube. He bends at an awkward angle, throwing his tail over his shoulder to give Swiss a perfect view of the plug buried in his ass. He grabs the bottle and tosses it over his head so that it lands on the bed before slowly running his fingers up his thighs. Rain turns his head to watch Swiss when he swirls his fingers around the plug before sliding it out of his hole. Rain softly moans when it pops out of him. It’s shiny, dripping with a mix of his slick and lube. He tosses it to Swiss who barely has enough time to let go of his dick to catch it. 

“Have an appetizer” Rain says as he shuffles around to get comfortable. 

Swiss licks it clean, groaning at the taste. 

“Cherry flavored? Didn’t peg you for the type.” 

“Borrowed it from Rora.” He shrugs. 

Once Rain has all his pillows situated the way he needs, he leans against the headboard. He grabs the dildo and pops the cap on the lube, squirting a generous amount into his hand. He strokes the toy slow, spreading it around. Swiss strokes himself at the same pace. 

“Fuck yea baby can’t wait to watch you use that thing.” 

Rain lays down to be flat on his back, bringing his knees to his chest. He grabs the dildo with his tail, taking a moment to position the tip of it against his ass. He takes a deep breath, exhaling through his nose as he pushes it into him. He goes slow, torturously so in Swiss’ opinion but fuck he couldn’t get enough of it. Rain only gets a few inches of it in before he pauses, claws dimpling his skin. 

“Come on Rainy” Swiss urges “wanna see it stretch that pretty little hole open.” 

Rain slowly slides it out of him before sinking more of it back in. He bites his lip, muffling the groan that slips out. Swiss couldn’t get enough of it, watching it disappear inside of him inch by inch and realizing just how much was still left to go. Fuck he was happy to sit there all night if it meant watching Rain cum all over himself with the thickest cock he’s ever seen shoved up his ass. Seeing how slow Rain was moving, it just might actually take all fucking night.

[lumiconic]

“ all i see tonight ”

✧ slow dancing at a party with 6REEZE (not a sequel to 'if you'd say you love me' just in the same setting!)

✧ kunikuzushi, venti, kazuha, heizou, aether, xiao ; idol au ; not proofread

request from @darthvada ! i hope you enjoy and once again sorry for the wait :'))

  the lights are swirling above you, beaming a blue and white glow upon kunikuzushi's scowling face. it's almost enough to make him look pretty, with his sharp, feminine features and expensive suit matching his shiny dark hair, but the perpetual look of fury on his face always ruins what could otherwise be a contender for the role of main visual.

  "why do we have to do this, exactly?" he grumbles, swiping his blunt bangs off of his forehead. even his motions are angry, you think with a wry smile, and he seems to take that personally, narrowing his eyes. "what's funny?"

  "nothing," you say, shrugging slightly. "and... i mean, no one's forcing you to, but it's supposed to be a party. we're here to celebrate you guys!"

  "whatever." he cuts his eyes towards heizou, dancing with a pretty green-haired girl in a purple tuxedo. "look at him. how does he not get embarrassed when he's so obviously trying to show off?"

  "i don't think heizou ever gets embarrassed," you say dryly, placing one hand on your hip and tilting your head. "seriously though, if you don't want to dance, you can go home. i'm sure xiao has already taken his leave."

  "no," he says quickly. "that's fine. i'll just stay here until everyone else is done. i don't really wanna walk home in the dark." you nod, shifting your attention back to the others. as the lights pass on and off of your face, throwing you into sharp clarity and then blurry shadows, kuni resists the urge to look, just to watch the way it reflects off your face like you're underwater.

  the two of you stand in silence, both watching the couples dancing. it's so hot in here, kuni thinks, pulling his collar away from him as he wipes sweat off his forehead. he really should have gone home by now. why is he even still here?

  maybe because you look so pathetic, standing here on your own. yeah... pathetic. lonely, even. that sounds right. it would just be rude, not to mention boring to go home at this point. he shoves his hands into his pockets, looking down at the floor.

  "um, kuni," you start. he blinks, looking over at you. there's a faint flush on your cheeks. "would you dance with me, maybe? it could be more fun than just standing here, right? only if you want to." you extend your hand, your lips slightly pursed as you wait for a response.

  once again, you look so pathetic holding out your hand like that. he stares at it for a second. he can see that your nails need clipping, the gleaming gold polish chipped. he can't possibly refuse -- the expression on your face is so earnest, so hopeful, and -- anyway, he doesn't want to risk offending the person in charge of all his deals.

  he hesitates for barely a second, then says, "okay. fine." as he takes your hand and you move slowly towards the center of the room, he's sure you can feel how sweaty his palm is, which makes him want to snatch it back instantly. there's something so embarrassing about the idea of you being able to feel his nervousness.

  wait, no, it's not nervousness, because he's not nervous! it's just because it's hot in here. that's all. and of course it's hot, with all the people crammed into the room, and why is he here again? just because he didn't want to hurt your feelings? it's so ridiculous, the way his brain is going into overdrive over nothing at all. why is he always like this around you?

  seemingly not noticing his dilemma, you say, "here, you lead", gingerly guiding his hand to your hip, and his face bursts into color. he dips his head, trying to hide it from you as you continue to fix your position. "have you ever done this before?"

  "no," he manages to get out, clearing his throat. "no, i haven't. is that -- is that a problem?"

  "no, that's fine," you hum, in the same calm, reassuring tone you usually use towards him. from anyone else, it would only aggravate him more, but it's different somehow. "technically, i should lead since i have more experience, but you're a bit stronger than me -- "

  he smirks, and you glare. "a bit, i said, and it's only because you do more training. anyways, it'll be easier with you leading. just follow what the others are doing, and i'll tell you if you need any help. okay?"

  he nods without answering. you almost ask if he's nervous -- his fingers, interlaced with yours, are clenching so tightly that it nearly hurts -- but that might lead him to refuse dancing entirely, and his eyes, softening into an almost gentle focus as you begin to sway back and forth, are shining so brightly under the lights.

  after a few minutes, his instincts from years of dancing seem to take over, and he starts to time your movements to the quiet classical music being played in the corner of the room. a step with a loud chord from the piano, a sweep of his arm as the violin crescendos. it's easier and easier to follow his lead.

  of course, he had no reason to be nervous. his arrogant exterior makes it hard to believe it sometimes, but he's so talented. sometimes, it takes your breath away.

  "this isn't so bad, right?" you ask. he takes a moment to respond, shaking his head as if coming out of a dream. "i mean... i don't hate it, but it's not my thing." his response is typically clipped, said with an edge, but it doesn't quite feel the same as usual. maybe it's the tight grip he has on your arm, as if he's afraid you're going to slip away.

  "oh, it's not fun?" you say, slightly disappointed. "sorry, i thought you might enjoy it. since dancing is your thing, and all."

  "not this kind of dancing," he says, a small grin on his lips. the usual kuni smile, more of a smirk than anything. "but it's fine. i'm starting to get it."

  "naturally." you smile back, and his eyes glimmer just a bit brighter.

  the violin player goes into a solo, notes climbing higher and higher, and he steps sideways, pulling you into an unexpected twirl. you follow without hesitation, spinning on your heel, easily able to keep your balance with his firm grip above your head.

  "don't trip," he says as soon as you regain your footing, grinning with your hair falling over your face, and you're about to ask what he means when in a heartbeat, you plunge into a dip.

  the position is so fragile, like both of you could fall with one finger. one hand on his shoulder and the other clasped in his palm, and the world snaps into clear focus as you stare into his eyes. his eyebrows are furrowed as if concentrating on something; you can feel your heart pounding in your chest.

  and then he smiles, features just as sharp and cold as ever, and you think for the thousandth time, he always looks so angry. but, then -- with his teeth gleaming, one of them sharp as a fang, and his hair hanging over his eyes -- just then, it doesn't feel like the emotion gleaming in his eyes is anger. or even anything less than joy.

  the hand clutching yours feels too warm for that.

  it's odd enough that venti isn't wildly parading around in the midst of everyone else to show off his outfit, even moreso that he's not dancing at all. you've been looking for him for a while now, but when you finally find him standing against the wall, playing his violin with the rest of the orchestra, you're so surprised your jaw drops."haha, what?" he asks, still playing as he focuses in on you. "is it really that shocking?"

  "i-i mean, i didn't know that you even played the violin," you sputter. "i thought you played the lyre? that old harp thing?"

  "i used to take lessons when i was younger." venti shrugs with a smile, finally setting the violin down with a nod to the other orchestra members. "i wanted to join in, since i had no one to dance with... " he sighs, batting his eyelashes as he looks at you.

  you roll your eyes, but laugh, turning and stepping towards the other people dancing. "okay, okay. i got it." he follows eagerly, flitting beside you like a bird; his footsteps are always light, gentle and soft as though he's being carried on a breeze. he's not the dancer that kuni is -- not even close -- but he has his own charm, all the same.

  "so, how are you feeling about an entire party, just for you?" you ask, settling into a spot away from the thicker parts of the crowd. "well, not you specifically, but still. this is pretty impressive, even for 6REEZE. you've just been climbing higher and higher, lately."

  "i like to believe it's just for me," he says, winking, and tucks his arms onto your shoulders. you blink at the sudden contact, goosebumps running up your arms, but -- it's just venti. that's just how he is. always attached to someone; clinging to heizou's elbow as they walk together or leaning on aether's shoulder during a moment of rest. you shouldn't be as surprised as you are.

  venti's warm green eyes watch you closely as you relax, following the simple pattern of the music. he's one of the taller members of the group, and it's easier to keep up with him, even though he still has far more grace than you. you tentatively put your hands on his waist, and his eyes crinkle as he smiles.

  there's silence for a while, both of you comfortably quiet. xiao shuffles past you two, clutching a plate of cheesecake. venti waves hello and gets an blank, icy stare back. you smile, casting your gaze up towards the ceiling.

  "about 6REEZE, i think you're right, though," he says unexpectedly.

  you look down again. "hm?"

  "we're getting really popular, really quick." he laces his hands behind your head, turning slowly in a circle. "did i tell you, i heard aether's solo viator playing at the supermarket earlier? i actually like that we're becoming mainstream!"

  "i mean, it was only a matter of time. you guys are all... " you blow out a breath, and your hair drifts upwards slightly. his gaze tracks the movement of each strand before it falls back into place, and you examine his hair more closely in turn as he tilts his head up.

  it's a party, so he's not wearing his signature braids today, hair falling around his face so that he has to shake his head to get it out of his eyes. even so, the luminescence of the glowing blue strands remains, so that it seems even brighter in the dim light. you press a lock of it behind his ear, and your breath catches in your throat as he locks eyes with you.

  it's something you've done a million times before interviews or photoshoots, fixing his hair or smoothing a wrinkle in his clothes, but with the two of you barely inches apart, your fingers only separated from his stomach by a piece of sheer fabric, it feels almost painfully intimate. your fingertips brush over his neck as you pull your hand back, and his lips part slightly without noise as though there's a word that caught on his tongue as it was leaving his mouth.

  then the moment passes, and you clear your throat. "s-so, you heard aether's solo, right? that one was unexpectedly popular. i'm really happy for him. xiao's just released, so i think... oh!" you nod. "yours is next! it'll be called carmen dei, and i think barbara is going to compose for it. you know her, right?"

  "yeah," he says, hesitating. "wait... so, she'll be the one writing the music?"

you nod. "why, is that a problem?"

  "um, well, not a problem, but i was hoping to maybe -- like, do the music myself?" his eyes go to the side, and you can feel him tense up, the draw of his shoulders and torso tightening. "so it's my solo, not SHOGUNATE's, you know? when i'm done with this whole idol thing, i don't want my reputation to be all about me not singing my own songs."

  you've heard out his complaints about the way SHOGUNATE ENTERTAINMENT micromanages every aspect of his idol persona a million times, but this is the first time that he sounds actually serious about it. you nod slowly. "i get that, but... lyre and violin music isn't exactly... "

  "marketable?" venti says wryly. "yeah," you sigh. sometimes you're surprised by how down-to-earth he can be, considering how he normally is. he waves his hand before brightening. "hey, wait! i play the guitar, too! that's definitely marketable. everyone loves a cool guy with a guitar."

  you're surprised for a moment, then not at all; of course, he would play three different instruments. only venti. "yeah, we could work with that. so, you can sing, dance, and play the violin, lyre, and the guitar? is there anything you can't do?" you question teasingly.

  he leans in closer, and you can see every shade of green in the depths of his eyes. you're suddenly hyper-aware of how close you are to each other. "yeah, here's something. i can't stop myself from falling for you," venti quips, the smirk on his face huge and pronounced.

  "oh," it escapes your mouth more of a sound than a word. you stare at him, your own eyes as wide as plates. he holds it for a few seconds, then bursts into laughter that seems to billow to life on the wind, filling up the room. you see other people turning to look at who's making so much noise as heat rises to your face, ducking away so that they don't connect you with him.

  "why are you like this?" you groan, pressing your hand to your forehead to shield your face, and his expression settles into a fond, affectionate smile, resting his chin on your shoulder. "come on, [name]. you know you love me."

  "... yeah," you say, and fold your fingers through his, swaying slowly with an exasperated, yet fond expression. "i do."

  you can't see his face; you couldn't possibly know what he was feeling, not with his heart hidden away from you behind every joke made specifically to trick you that it's exactly that. just a joke. but with his eyes closed -- all long eyelashes and softened brow -- and his lips pressed together, head on your shoulder, he can almost pretend that 'love' of yours was the kind he's dreamed of for so long.

  "you know you love me," he repeats in a whisper, so quietly he's barely making any noise, and you're so focused on the music that you can't hear, and maybe that's for the better. "so is it really my fault that i love you?"

  kazuha has never been one for events like this, preferring the simpler solitude of working alone in his room or with only a few other people. though he's at least slightly more social than xiao, he tends to skip out when it becomes a larger gathering. it's especially annoying if everyone else is doing something that he has little interest in. he always ends up feeling painfully awkward and leaving early.

  which means this situation, in which he's standing stiffly in the corner and white-knuckling a glass of sparkling apple juice, is his absolute worst nightmare.

  he's been trying to get himself to join the other boys and you, spread out through the room, for a while now. venti is telling some story that has aether in hysterics. the corner of kazuha's lips turn up as he sees your expression, looking very confused but still laughing, a look that he’s seen on you a million times. being around you always feels so comfortable, like coming home after a long time away; though he doesn’t know if you feel the same, he always wants to be with you.

  he catches himself a moment after thinking that. it’s not – not like that. he only means it because you’ve been friends for years. of course, he would prefer to be with someone who’s so close to him. it’s a simple, understandable thought. the way he feels about you is strictly friendly. still… even though it is – it is – he could never voice it aloud. no need to think about why, he thinks, idly swirling his juice. 

  oh – speak of the devil, he thinks surprisedly, then with a smile, as your gaze alights upon him. you grin, giving a quick goodbye to venti and then making your way over to his side. as you approach, his posture relaxes, grip on the glass loosening. 

  “hey, kazu,” you say, leaning on the wall beside him. his stomach flutters at the nickname, simply nodding back as he doesn’t trust himself not to get tongue-tied. 

  you sigh, seeming tired as you glance over at him. “how’s it going? ah, you know, you're old enough to drink.” you gesture at his glass. "can i get you something else, maybe? i know i need something stronger than apple juice to get myself through this."

  his heart leaps at your words – thank god that he’s not the only one who doesn’t want to be here – and he smiles sheepishly. "ah, i probably shouldn’t. i’m something of a lightweight, i wouldn’t want to embarrass myself in front of all these people. are you also feeling out of place?” 

  “yeah, i’m not really sure what i’m supposed to be doing. i’ve slow danced, but this feels different. i don’t have anyone to do it with, either.” you click your tongue, disappointed. “and i got all dressed up, too.” 

  kazuha does a double take; with the room steadily darkening as the sky outside turns to a velvety black, he hadn’t taken in your outfit, assuming you were simply wearing another tuxedo. but no, now he sees every inch of it. silky silver fabric the color of fog, shimmering like water as you shift your weight, and spiraling threads of midnight blue embroidery on the hem and sleeves. the fabric swirls around your hips and shoulders, with a ribbon pulling it in at your waist, and you look…

  heart-achingly beautiful. but that’s no different from usual. sometimes he think he could drown in it.

  he’s vaguely aware that he’s probably losing the last shreds of his dignity with every second that he’s unable to muster a response, and he forces himself to lift his eyes back to your face. you’re smiling slightly. 

  he swallows, aware of the burning color on his face. “you look nice.” you do a little twirl, clapping your hands and laughing, and he almost loses it again.

  “would you, uh… would you want to dance?” you ask, pointing over your shoulder. there’s a faint blush on your face. his heart speeds up, keeping his even expression with some difficulty. “we can’t leave, at least not for a bit – it would be ridiculous for us both to leave from 6REEZE’s own party, but…”

  he blinks. “you want to dance? you mean, together?”

  “of course!” you beam, taking his glass of cider and and clasping his hand. “don’t forget, i’ve known you for a long time! you know how to do it – your cousin does ballroom dancing, doesn’t she?”

  “yes, that’s right,” he nods, unable to muster a better response. the feeling of your palm against his is distracting. “i’m not as good at it, though. i can try… ”

  “that’s okay.” you tug him away from the wall, placing the glass on a nearby table, and put your hand on his hip. he shivers at the contact, fingers threading through yours, and hesitantly matches your stance. “you don’t need to be nervous,” you hum, guiding his arm around your waist. your voice is quiet – words blooming like smoke off your tongue, and he’s the only one who can hear them. “you’re the one who knows how to do this, so just take it slow.”

  “all right,” kazuha agrees, following the music as it picks up and stepping back and forth. you note, as soon as he starts feeling more comfortable, that he moves as smoothly as a professional. he’s elegant, that’s the only word for it. as graceful as a leaf in the wind. you twirl around him, catching and releasing hands, with a smile as your fingertips meet again.

  someone in the room has started singing, another musician with the orchestra, maybe. the words are too quiet for you to make out, but kazuha’s head starts to move gently with the high and low notes, chin bobbing as he spins away from you. he’s wearing earrings, you realize, long dangling silver things that twinkle with every movement. it’s a wonder they haven’t gotten tangled in his hair yet.

  the singer grows louder, her voice silky and warm, and you stretch up to your tallest stance, twirling around him in a burst of misty cloth, faster and faster but never losing your balance, and at the longest note where you can practically feel the singer’s chest aching, he catches you into his arms. your back to his front. you can feel his chest rise and fall with each breath.

  he releases you as soon as he seems to realize, and you step back. there’s a second of silence where neither of you knows what to say, and then you shake your head, regaining your bearings. he ducks his chin, pinching the back of his hand as though he’s in a dream. 

  “i know you don’t like it, so thanks for being willing to dance with me,” you say cheerfully, tilting your head. he nods, blinking rapidly like someone who spent too long looking at the sun. his ponytail has come undone at some point, platinum locks spilling around his ears. honestly, dancing, and dancing with you are two different things, but… 

  he stammers, nervously, and it breaks your heart a little but makes you grin, too, “thank you to you, too. it’s not – it was really nice, so – ”

  in a heartbeat, you lean in and kiss him on the cheek; he stops midsentence, and it’s like fireworks are exploding in his head, temporarily blinded. your hair tickles his skin. you smell like expensive shampoo. such a tiny contact, and yet it feels as though his heart will belong to you forever after this.

  you pull back, and kazuha’s face is bright red; from where your lips met his skin, it feels like flames are spreading across his face, heat bursting, prickling at him just under the surface. you look embarrassed too, opening your mouth and closing it like you weren’t planning on doing that. but god is he glad that you did.

  for the first time, his fingers tangled in soft fabric and your hand in his, it feels like maybe he can admit how he feels. like maybe, he has a chance.

  as always, heizou is the center of attention; he’s danced with at least three people since the party started. you’ve seen him clumsily switch between partners, waving goodbye to one person and flitting off to be with someone else. to his credit, he seems to do it smoothly enough, but it’s still hard not to laugh seeing him pop up in front of yet another potential partner with a flirty smile.

  maybe you shouldn’t have laughed, it seems to have baited him over. and now, your time has come. 

  “please, please, please,” he begs, clasping your hands and opening his eyes as wide as he can to make them sparkle. it’s a move that you’ve seen him use on countless fans but that doesn’t quite work on you anymore. you tilt your head down, looking at him blankly. “please what?”

  “dance with me, of course! i have no one else to go with, so help!” he pops the ending of his words on the tip of his tongue, like a bubble. you blink slowly. “there’s like, a hundred people in here that would happily accept if you asked, you know.”

  “yeah, yeah,” he waves his hand. “but that’s the problem! until now i’ve just been warming up. i don’t want to ask just anyone, i’m saving it for someone special. soo… what do you say?” 

  “what.”

  he’s practically on his knees, headband falling out of his hair. you poke it back in and he barely seems to notice. “please. i’ll give you free merch. i’ll let you cameo in one of our music videos. i’ll credit you in my solo for inspiration – ”

  “okay first off, you don’t have that power, second, i do and i don’t even want it.” you press your lips together. “but… fine. if it’ll make you stop asking.” 

  he looks so happy, apples of his cheeks pink as he pumps his fist and pulls you towards him, that in that moment you can’t even be exasperated. you’re mostly invincible to his charms – you have to be, while dealing with his ridiculous requests and flights of fancy – but every now and then you remember why he’s so incredibly popular. those shining eyes and hair the color of expensive wine; and of course, he spends an exorbitant amount on expensive skincare products. ah, the life of an idol whose job is to be pretty…

  “i’ll lead,” he says, easily settling into the stance. you nod. your hand curls over his shoulder, the other going to his waist, and you don’t realize until he turns a faint shade of pink that your fingers are on his bare skin. 

  “oh – i’m s-sorry,” you stammer, pulling your hand back like you’ve touched fire, and now your face is burning as you scan his outfit and see that his high-collared shirt, for whatever reason, is open on the sides. you hadn’t noticed because the hem is tucked neatly into his slacks. “i can just hold your arm instead – ”

  heizou clears his throat. “it’s fine, if you’re okay with it, you can just… yeah,” he trails off as you place your hand back where it was. 

  “okay,” you mumble, swallowing thickly, fingertips brushing over his side. you can feel how warm his skin is, the muscles of his stomach; it feels improper almost, and you prepare yourself for heizou making a million comments about it, as is typical behavior from him.

  but as he starts to move, stepping carefully in a circle, being careful to avoid his shoes catching in the fabric billowing around your legs, you see he’s looking everywhere but at you. his face is still shaded pink. you marvel at seeing him flustered. it’s… cute. 

  as soon as you think it, you shake your head at yourself, focusing on the dance. just the dance. you only agreed to get him to stop begging.

  a few minutes go by as you get your bearings, tentatively following his movements. you pride yourself on being easy to imbalance (in many ways), but heizou is a bad dancer. it’s a wonder that the people he was with earlier were willing to put up with it. there’s something almost lovable about it – the way he stumbles every now and then as his shoes slide across the slick floor, long fingernails skidding over your wrist as he loses his grip. you can’t help but smile.

  “people are looking,” he says, whispering it into your ear as you bend backwards into a dip. you can practically feel him straining to hold you up with one arm in a lazy grip around your back. despite yourself – despite how little you know about dancing, how little he seems to know about dancing – you’re having fun, and you can’t bring yourself to care, laughing as you say, “let them look!” 

  he looks shocked. you understand, of course; normally, you’re not the kind of person who revels in attention from others, not the way that he is. but you’ve been the manager of 6REEZE for so long now that you’re starting to get used to it, and this isn’t something you would do normally, either. but for now you can delight in it instead of spending too much time thinking.

  funny how he of all people is having that effect on you.

  a flute player starts up in the orchestra, the other instruments softening to let the fast-paced, sweet music drift through the crowd. it settles like a fine, light mist over the dancing couples. against your better judgment, you speed up your movements, pirouetting between two others and letting go of him for a moment – you see his eyes widen as you vanish, only to reappear a second later and grab his shoulder again, pulling you back together. today is a day for surprises.

  he’s wheezing with what might be amusement or exhaustion, and you can’t help but join in, and you stare into his eyes and they sparkle like precious gems. those peridot-colored eyes. for just a second, you can study every bit of his face. he’s almost unfairly gorgeous.it takes a tiny internal struggle to pull yourself away as his laughter turns to confusion, and you pretend as though nothing has happened when you return to the dance. 

  he knows, though; he saw the feeling in your gaze. you know he knows. and the space between you has narrowed.

  “have you ever heard that a mole under your eye means you’re going to have bad luck in love?” you ask, tightening your grip as he spins clumsily. “you have two of them, so doesn’t that mean you’d have double the bad luck?”

  heizou blinks, side-stepping another couple. “hmm, maybe, but it’s fine with me. i’ve heard people say it makes me look more mature, so i can put up with something like that. especially since i’m able to naturally counter it with my good looks, y’know?” 

  “you’re so shallow,” you say, eyes glimmering. if it was anyone else, you’d feel bad talking to them in such a way, but heizou always provokes you to this kind of immature banter. it feels natural, real in a way that not much in the idol world is. real the same way your arms around his shoulders are. “imagine if you acted like this without being the main visual. you’re lucky you’re pretty.”

  his mouth opens into a perfect O for a second – your heart catches in your throat – and then softens into the same playful smile as always. “if all i’ve got going for me is my looks, then i’d happily use them to charm you!” he hums. “no matter how long it takes. i won’t give up.”

  and all you can do is laugh. how could you say that he’s already succeeded? 

  maybe it’s unfair, but you’re not expecting to see aether with anyone as you approach him, much less a pretty blond girl with a expensive-looking flower clip in her hair. not because he’s shy, exactly – more cautious. he doesn’t have as many admirers as the other boys and it’s no secret (at least to you) that it makes him… well, hesitant.

  but he’s smiling, and something clenches in your stomach; not jealousy, maybe confusion. his happiness always makes you feel the tiniest bit bitter, because it makes you wonder how anyone could see him like that and not fall in love with his smile. 

  “hey aether,” you say, tapping his shoulder and smiling at the blond girl. “nice to meet you, i’m 6REEZE’s manager, [name].”

  “ohh, you’re [name],” the girl says, tapping her chin and smiling slightly. she glances at aether. “nice to meet you. aether’s said a lot about you, you know – ”

  “okay, thanks for that,” aether cuts her off, speaking through gritted teeth. he turns to you. “this is lumine, my twin sister. she’s a member of 4BYSS.” 

  your eyes pop. “your sister is in 4BYSS?” 

  he starts to laugh and lumine rubs the back of her neck sheepishly. 4BYSS is a very popular girl group under MRX Entertainment consisting of four members who always wear masks during their videos. when 6REEZE was first marketed they were considered as their ‘male counterpart’ until it was made public knowledge that they had been put together by SHOGUNATE – to know that aether’s twin is also a famous idol is just…

  “wow. so the idol talent runs in the family?” you say, shaking your head disbelievingly. “i can’t believe i never knew this! aether, you should have introduced us sooner.”

  “sorry. i try to keep my family and my friends separate, since my sister likes to tease.” he glares at her. she giggles, covering her mouth, and flicks her hand. “whatever, it’s not like i’m doing anything wrong or lying. after all, aether has quite a few stories about – ”

  “okay,” aether interrupts for the second time. your lips tug up as lumine frowns. “i think you should go get something to eat, lumine. you seem… out of it.”

  “fine,” she huffs, and then her eyes light up. “oh! since i’m going, why don’t you two dance together? otherwise, you’ll have only danced with me this whole time and that’s just sad. plus – well, you know. be brave, little brother.” she pats you on the shoulder, squeezing just a bit as she winks at you, then flutters away towards the food. 

  aether pinches the bridge of his nose as you turn to him, amused. “that’s… wrong. she’s three minutes younger than me.” 

  “what a cutie,” you say with furrowed eyebrows, before you cross one arm over your chest, tucking it under the other nervously. “um, so what she said about dancing, do you wanna?”

  his eyes light up and he beams, and you blink when he nods excitedly instead of hesitating with “yeah, sure!” but then again, you shouldn’t be surprised; aether is the kind of person who always agrees to things. you, really, really hope he’s not just trying to make you happy. 

  you place your arms over his shoulders. his silken gold hair is in a high ponytail that curls over his back, messy bangs out of his face, and he’s wearing bracelets. light, silver things – herringbone, you think absently, smooth and delicate – that make soft jingling noises as his wrist moves, taking your hand.

  the music picks up, and you’re off; a light but firm grip on your hip, fingers ready to let go of you at any time. it’s almost a surprise how good he is at it– but not quite, because it’s still him, and he is nothing if not a hard worker. he’s not good at things by chance. and yes, you can feel the undercurrent of supporting strength in his muscles as you step, hand clasped in his high in the air.

  he is steady. as always.

  you sweep your arm to avoid bumping into a giggling, pale-haired boy in an top hat as he spins in a circle. aether looks after him with a grin, still keeping up with you even as his gaze drifts. “it’s kind of nice to see you like this,” you say without thinking. 

  he raises an eyebrow, attention shifting back. you feel heat creeping up your neck. “what do you mean?”

  “i-i don’t know. relaxed? cheerful?” even you know how it sounds, saying that aether, the friendliest and most positive member, is not normally cheerful. there’s really no way to articulate what you mean – that you know his usual optimistic demeanor is a facade? that you can tell he’s exhausted? no, that’s not something you can say aloud. you half-shrug, twirling away. “you just seem… happier lately. less stressed?”

  he nods. “yeah, since my solo came out, um… ” he trails off, looking embarrassed, his nose dusted pink. his blush always starts there. it’s taken you a long time to figure that out, since he almost never gets flustered. you incline your head slightly for him to continue. “i mean… it ended up being really popular! a lot of people know me now. and that’s… it’s cool, right?” 

  your heart melts a little. “of course! i know how hard you worked for that,” you hum, fingertips grazing over his back as you shift your position. he turns on one leg, sweeping the other out behind him to maintain his balance. he’s gliding more than moving, without stumbling a single time. the music bleeds into your ears, and he’s humming. the lights drift over his face. his gaze seems far away, swinging your arm out and stepping back and forth. you try not to smile.

  one of his bracelets catches the light, as though a spotlight has alighted onto aether’s wrist; he pivots on his heel, leaning back so you can lean forward. his shoes tapping on the floor. you tilt just a bit too far, bumping into him – and you’re flooded with the scent of orange blossoms and cinnamon. you’re not sure if it’s body wash or if he just smells like that. you wouldn’t be surprised.

  he turns you around by the hand, fingers curling over yours, and says suddenly, “thank you.”

  you blink as you face him again. for a second you think you imagined it, because his eyes aren’t on you. “for what?”

  “believing in me,” he says, tightening his grip on your waist – color bursts over your cheeks and you open your mouth – and then you’re whirling through the air as he spins in a circle. you laugh out of disbelief; with anyone else you might be afraid to move, worried he’d drop you, but… it’s aether. you don’t think he’s even capable of that. 

  time seems to slow down, the moment stretching into an eternity. you can see head and shoulders above everyone else, but the only thing you’re looking at is him; and his smile, his eyes are as bright as the sun. 

  you expected xiao to leave within the first hour – hell, the first ten minutes – of the party, but he lasted over two hours before finally slipping out. you’re a bit proud; even as an idol, he doesn’t have much experience with these kind of events, only speaking when he has to and going silent entirely when he’s too tired not to. you understand it, of course. he’s supporting the whole group. 

  you give a quick excuse to kazuha and head towards the door that xiao took. as soon as you step through the doorframe, you’re hit with a blast of cool air, a welcome difference from the stuffy atmosphere inside the main room. the hallway is empty. 

  “xiao?” you call. “are you here?” 

  there’s no response, but your gaze catches on the one door that’s slightly ajar. you approach it, peering inside, and find him sitting on the room’s windowsill, staring out over the city. you clear your throat and he turns his head; even at night, the golden lights shining from both skyscrapers and houses is almost blinding, and he’s bathed in it. the sharp lines of his face seem softer.

  “hi,” you say. he seems to be registering your presence, and returns, “hey,” tilting his chin up. “why are you here?” 

  you frown, lined with a teasing edge, at the same moment he realizes it sounded rude, and you see his brow furrow. “sorry. that came out wrong. i just meant… ”

  “i know what you meant,” you answer, the corner of your mouth lifting up. “i was looking for you. i thought – maybe you would want some company?” 

  his eyes spark with something that could maybe be happiness, maybe anticipation. “yeah. that would be nice.” it comes out like a mumble, as do most of his comments; and maybe you’re just hoping for it, but it sounds like there’s a bit of genuine gratitude in there.

  you sit down on the windowsill beside him, admiring the view of the city. if it were a truly perfect evening, it might start raining, lending an air of peacefulness to the scene, but nothing in real life is that perfect. for now, it’s nice just to sit with him like this.

   “so, why’d you dip?” it’s easy to guess the answer: that he simply got tired of pleasantries. you’re surprised when his face screws up, propping his chin up with his hand. “i’m not a good dancer.”

  “yeah you are!” you protest. “what are you talking about?”

  “not at slow dancing.” xiao glares at nothing in particular. “i don’t have any practice. i’ve never done it.”

  you can’t help but smile a bit, turning to face the window. you speak a bit haltingly, pressing your palm to the glass. it’s smooth, cold. raindrops fall between your fingers. heat runs to your face as you talk. “i’m sure you could pick it up. do… do you want to practice?” 

  he doesn’t answer for a long moment, and you glance at him out of the corner of your eye, stomach churning. his lips are pressed together, a tiny flush lighting up his pale face, and he finally says, “okay. if you want to.”

  you slide to your feet, fumbling with your phone for a second and landing on a playlist of classical music. you press the play button and drop it on a table before turning to xiao, who looks slightly lost. soft music starts to leak into your ears, and you press a bit closer to him, searching for his frame in the dark. when you place one hand into his, laying the other tentatively on his hip, he stiffens for barely a fraction of a second, then relaxes.

  “sorry,” he mutters. “i don’t know where to put my hands.”

  “here,” you whisper, guiding his tense fingers to your waist. there’s something a bit too clumsy, a bit too endearing about the gesture for it to be embarrassing. “and just keep the other one where it is. and then… step, one, two, move your arm… ”

  he’s a quick learner, naturally. he wouldn’t be such an amazing group center if he wasn’t. you were expecting it. but still, it barely takes him a few beats to pick up the measure. dancing in this empty place is so different from the other room you were in before. there’s a million less things to focus on and at the same time, a million more. every bit of him a tiny miracle. 

  it’s not quite dark, not with the shining glow of the city’s skyline outside, but you can only slightly make out the general shape of xiao’s features. soft cheekbones, full lips and dark hair. he’s still got a hint of sternness in his expression, but his eyes shine slightly; yellowish, with pupils like a cat’s. 

  connected in the slow rhythm, swaying with your arms around him, you can hardly breathe. or maybe it’s that you don’t want to breathe, not quite – you don’t want to disturb the moment. it feels like you’re moving through molasses, slow and sweet and wonderful. his grip relaxes as you go, his steps and sweeps of his arm become smoother, until he’s moving just as evenly and fluidly as you. neither of you speaks.

  there’s a plunking sound, like someone’s dropping pebbles into a puddle of water. you look out the window. it’s raining, the lights starting to go dark as the raindrops running down the glass distort the city’s horizon; xiao barely seems to notice, though you catch a hint of a gentler look on his face in the last bit of gleaming gold before the rain obscures it entirely. 

  the shadow cast by the drops on the glass forms itself on the wall behind you, scattering over your face. it’s slightly blue, mostly black, almost silver in places. just like a movie. “it’s perfect,” you whisper to yourself, and xiao doesn’t give any sign that he’s heard, though he moves just a bit faster as if something is spurring him on.

  you shift your weight slightly, rest your head on his collarbone. the room is quiet, and if you strain, there’s the orchestra music from the main room, layered under the gentle piano pouring from your phone and curling through the air like smoke. you can hear – can feel – his heart beating. even with everything else, at least for this moment, that could be your favorite song.

© lumiconic ; please reblog and follow if enjoyed

[writing-with-gremworm]

"If I had the chance, I would still choose you." (Part 1)

--

The first time I died was at the World's End. The abyssal tendrils encroached from a sinister center and consumed all that remained, both the living and the non-sentient. I don't know if you cried for me, but I thought you called my name.

The second time I died was at the hands of the man who killed our father. He was supposed to be my real father, but even if blood dictates he is, I have no love for him.

The third time I died, I was poisoned in your tavern. Everything seemed fine until blood, not wine, flowed from my lips, pouring onto the countertop below. My hearing faded before my vision, accented with a constant ring, your face contorted with despair.

I lived countless times, though this is the first time I remembered such deaths. Is there a reason for this? I couldn't tell you. I want to find the truth. Though, I want to make the amends I never made first.

"Diluc, we need to talk," I say, looking up from the beverage I hadn't finished.

"... Kaeya, I already told you to finish that drink and go. I've tolerated you for this long since there was another stubborn customer, but you have to go." Diluc sighs in annoyance, cleaning the glass in his hands before glaring at me.

"Normally I would say something playful and leave, but I have something to tell you before my trip to Sumeru." I begin, looking at Diluc seriously.

"If this is some new way to bother me, then drop it. I see no point in dawdling like this." Diluc scoffs, pulling the rag he was washing the glass with taut in his hands.

"Diluc, just hear me out. I won't bring this up again."

"... I ... ask you to leave." I bite my lip and sigh, this was getting nowhere.

"I'm sorry, for lying to you. Don't forgive me. I know you won't anyway. That's it." I smile sadly. Truthfully, I wanted to say so much more. I wanted to tell him everything I was thinking and feeling, I wanted to tell him I would always consider him my true family. I knew that even if I told him nothing would change, but there was some vain hope in me, "I'll be off then. Make sure not to be so lax with your hours next time, I might really keep you up for the whole night drinking." I add playfully, hoping to lighten the mood.

I turn around. I don't want to see what kind of expression Diluc is making. I can already guess it. I leave quietly after that and head off to collect the last of my things for my journey tomorrow. As I look around my quarters I take note of the papers on my desk. I know it's meaningless, but I decided to write a letter to Diluc anyway.

--

"He's gone." I sigh, looking at the half-full glass Kaeya left behind. This was unusual for him, even on his worst days, he tended to choke down the stuff with reckless abandon.

"Did he mean it? ... He really doesn't get it, does he?" I mutter, shaking my head and cleaning up the rest of the Angel's Share after locking the doors. I had come to terms with the fact that Kaeya had lied to me long ago. It wasn't exactly hard to piece together after doing my own research into why Crepus died. There were other lies, understandable lies. It was never the falsehoods that made me angry with him.

"... But why is he apologizing now? Usually, he'd speak his mind anyway... No, no I can't ask him. I know what kind of position he's in, he'll come back. ... Won't he?" I felt uncertain. I knew Kaeya would usually bring up anything he truly wanted to say again, but this time felt different. This time, felt serious.

"He said he's leaving for Sumeru. I'll talk to him when he gets back." I mutter to myself.

--

"Ah, Aether. Can I ask you for a favor?" I smile politely and place a hand on my chin.

"A favor? I can do that, but what do you want?"

"You see, Diluc and I had a disagreement, so I was hoping you'd be willing to give this to him in my stead." I hold out the gift I had prepared for Diluc. I wanted to change it up a little, so this time I opted to give him something practical.

"You should give it to him yourself. You still have that chance. If you had an argument that was bad enough you don't want to talk, that's all the more reason to." Ah, right. Aether doesn't have that choice.

"I-I see. Then you win. I'll give it to him tomorrow night." I don't particularly wish to rub more salt on Aether's wound.

The next night, I head to the Dawn Winery on my own. In other timelines, I had brought Aether, and he had picked grapes. I felt it was necessary to go alone this time.

"Haiz, it's not like he'll even want to converse with me."

"It's not like who will want to converse with you?" Diluc says, walking over to me with a complicated expression.

"Ah, Diluc. Don't tell me you missed me?"

"What is this?" Diluc pulls out the letter I had written. I blinked in surprise, I had never sent the letter, so I was a little perplexed as to how he had gotten it.

"Don't tell me you snuck into my room. You knew I'd be home in a few weeks." I tease.

"Think what you like, what matters now is what you wrote here. Should I read it to you? Or do I need to ask again? What is this?" Diluc's expression is more serious than normal. I wince a bit. I hadn't realized he'd take it so poorly. Though, perhaps some part of me did, since I had opted to write it down rather than tell him after our previous encounter.

"Ah, well you see." I start, thinking over where to begin, "I guess I should start with the first part, right?"

"Just explain."

"Right. Okay. You've known for a while who I was, my origin as a Khaenri'an. You may have been less familiar with my bloodline. As nobility yourself, I suppose it may have occurred to you that it could tie into how easily I adapted to the etiquette of high society despite our messing about." I look at Diluc carefully, measuring his gaze as he taps his arm impatiently, "As for the start of the letter, it's true that I lied about being our father's ... Your father's murderer. I felt responsible for it at the time."

"I knew it wasn't you. I've done some research into the truth of Crepus's death. Move on, I'm listening." Diluc's tone is a bit terse, but considering the discussion, I get it.

"Then I suppose the part you were the most confused about was that I still wished to call you my brother despite it all?"

"No, the part that I want you to address is this; 'Diluc, I have known for a long time that you would never forgive me. After coming back this time, I knew I had to at least apologize. I value you, and because of that I need to be honest with you. Khaenri'ah is not a place I consider home, nor do I wish to go back. If I must leave Mondstadt, then I will be saddened, but I understand. I know that when my identity is revealed I will be cut out, but until then, I hope you will remain my brother.'"

"Ah, that. I don't think it truly needs to be explained."

"Why do you think this will change how people see you? Do you think any of us are narrowminded enough to think you're twisted because of something you didn't choose? Kaeya. Look at me. Do you think so little of me that you assume I would call for your exile? We all have secrets, we all have reasons for silence. You never meant to send this to me, did you? Or when you did, you were going to leave quietly after telling Jean the truth, right?"

"..."

"I know you, we grew up together. You weren't the kind of kid who liked lying. You were so bad at telling lies back then that we got caught stealing wine from the cellar. Do you remember that?"

"I-I do. But that-"

"You were a child, forced by an adult to play a role you never asked for. Stop and think, do you really believe I blame you for that?"

"But you've ..."

"Been angry with you? Of course I've been angry with you, you constantly hurt yourself to protect everyone's ideal image of you. Hell, I believed it too."

"..."

"Kaeya, I don't care if you're the prince of Khaenri'ah. I don't care if you still have attachments to those who abandoned you. I just hate seeing what you've become."

"... You ... think it's your fault ..."

"It IS my fault! I wasn't there for you."

"You were grieving."

"I was your brother."

"So? You believed I killed him, however brief that may have been, you didn't know."

"I should have known!"

"No, you couldn't have known. You were a kid who was just torn away from the only person he allowed to consider his family."

"And you were a kid who lied because you thought it would be less painful to be alone than to have a brother who belonged to another country."

"Diluc-"

"Shut up."

"..."

"Kaeya I care about you. If we're being honest, then I should tell you this too. Kaeya I never got close to you because I became the person you pretended to be."

"Diluc you-"

"I killed people, countless people, and I don't regret what I did."

"..."

"You may have pretended it was your fault, but I actively hunted the people responsible for killing Crepus, the ones who convinced him to become a part of the Fatui."

"He- was a part of the Fatui?"

"Don't you think it was a little strange how easily you were accepted into our family by him despite your distinctive pupils?"

"He was a kind man."

"He was a smart man, and he did love us, but that's not why you were accepted by him initially. Kaeya, I need you to understand that he wasn't a good person."

"Diluc you- you've been carrying this belief alone, haven't you. Is he a bad person? Or did he just do bad things?"

"He was a bad person. I suppose it runs in the family."

"You are NOT a bad person. You have a strong moral code and a sense of justice that is rare even among the best people. Your methods may not align with the knights, but you're not completely wrong."

"But I'm still a murderer Kaeya."

"And you're my brother. Isn't it my job to be understanding at times like this?"

"Not for murder."

"Well, maybe not for murder, but I don't think that you were wrong. Diluc, I still want to be your brother. Is that okay?"

"... Hah, after everything. Do you really want to be my brother? A brother to someone like me who is willing to kill for his ideals?"

"I'm willing to be your brother because it's you."

[sisterprocrastinator]

Mushy May 2024

Here is my attempt at one of @forlorn-crows' prompts

Day 4: Wound Tending/First Aid

Alpha & Omega

SFW except for the f-bombs

780(ish) words

Pretty divider courtesy of @ghuleh-recs (thank you 🖤)

Ao3 link

Alpha takes a tumble from his motorcycle and Omega and Aether are there, as always, to fix him up/take the piss.

Ficlet below the cut.

Alpha blinked slowly, eyes not quite tracking, unable to focus.

“Alpha?”

He felt as though he was underwater. The pressure in his skull and the echoes of Omega’s voice and the fuzziness he was feeling all combined, making his head swim.

“Meg?”

Again with the echo.

Alpha shook his head to try and clear it and oh fuck, was that a mistake. Pain shot through his skull like the worst brain freeze he’d ever had times a thousand and he thought he was going to pass out.

“Alpha, keep still! You’re going to make it worse.”

Alpha huffed a laugh.

“No shit, Sherlock!” he gritted out, clenching his teeth against the pain that still radiated out from the back of his head. “What happened?”

Omega laid his palm across Alpha’s forehead and the relief was almost instant. He whimpered, the cool tingles of quintessential magic washed over him and he closed his eyes, sighing as Omega’s healing energy got to work.

“You came off your motorcycle, Alfie,” Omega said gently.

Alpha snapped his eyes open and moved to sit up only to be forced back to laying on the ground again by another flash of pain and the big quint’s palm on the centre of his chest.

“Fuck,” he cried, feeling like he was going to puke. A thought occurred to him. “Oh shit, Meg. Is my bike okay?”

Omega chuckled and resumed sending his soothing magic.

“Only you would be laying crumpled on the ground, fractured skull, possible broken collarbone and be worrying about whether the bike’s okay. You’re such an idiot, Alpha!”

“Should we move him?” another voice said.

Aether. It was Aether. Alpha couldn’t see him but he could feel his magic working in the background to numb him, intertwining with Omega’s.

Omega hummed and tilted his head, casting his pale blue eyes over Alpha.

“Give it a minute and he should be stable enough to try.”

Alpha whimpered, reaching up and weakly grabbing at Omega’s sleeve with his good arm.

“The bike, Meg. How is the bike?” he whined.

Omega glanced over his shoulder towards it and then met Alpha’s eyes again. His expression was grave and he shook his head sharply.

“It doesn’t look good, Alpha. I’m sorry.”

“Noooo! Seriously?”

Omega shifted, putting one arm under Alpha’s knees and the other around his shoulders. He gripped and stood, lifting Alpha up and cradling him to his body. Alpha gripped onto Omega’s jacket, burying his face against the ghoul’s solid chest. He didn’t even notice the pain in his head and his shoulder now as the quintessence got to work.

“Fucking hell, Alpha, the bike will be fine. It’s just a bit banged up but I’m sure it’s fixable. I was just messing with you.”

Alpha looked up at him through long lashes and the kind look on the quintessence ghoul’s face had him tearing up.

“Really? The bike's going to be okay?”

Omega snorted a laugh and rolled his eyes.

“You’re such a dick, Alpha. Yes, it’ll be fine. Come on, let’s get you back to the infirmary and get those wounds fixed up properly.”

He set off, being careful not to jar Alpha too much as he walked.

“And the bike?”

“Ifrit will take care of it. How the fuck did you manage to come off it on the driveway anyway, Alpha?”

Aether chimed in, relishing in Alpha’s certain humiliation because he’d just remembered how this had happened and he groaned when he realised that Aether had seen the whole thing. Of course he fucking had.

“He was showing off in front of a group of Siblings. He pulled a wheelie and fucked it up. Then he fell. I wish I’d been recording it.”

Alpha cursed when he realised what was coming next. He looked over to Aether who was grinning as he came to the same realisation.

“Fuck off, Aether. No!”

“What?” Omega said, confused.

“The CCTV covers the whole of the driveway. It will have captured the whole thing. I’m sure by dinnertime everyone at the Abbey will have seen it.”

Alpha groaned and buried his face further into Omega’s chest.

“You should have left me there to die, Meg. Put me back, let me have some kind of dignity at least!”

Omega laughed a belly laugh and he carried on walking towards the building like the absolute sadist that he was.

“Don’t be so dramatic. Just own it and take it like a ghoul. You do dumb shit, you deserve it.”

Aether cackled and Alpha hissed at him, uncaring that it made his skull throb.

He was never going to be able to live this down now. Ever.

[can-of-pringles]

It's morning and now I'm finally able to talk about the ritual last night! I tried taking some pictures and videos but they're not the best quality because my phone is so old :'( anyway I'll mostly talk in bullet points for the whole thing. The videos will be posted separately. (And maybe pictures if I can't fit them here)

My first ritual and concert was amazing and I totally would want to go again! Seriously words can't describe the experience lol

I saw a lot of cosplayers so that was cool

The weather and heat wasn't too bad once the sun went down and my dad and I got good seats in the shade

I was nervous about having to go through the metal detector because I have an insulin pump but they were understanding and I got scanned by a wand instead.

After we got in we immediately went to the merch and got tour tshirts and I got my Plushia! Here's a picture of him after the concert

I love Plushia so much and I held him up for the concert a bit at first

There were people with kandi (which my dad was surprised about but I was like see I told you lol) and I did a bit of trading! I don't have pictures of the bracelets rn but I got a red bead one that says Copia, a yellow one that says Banana Boy (which I'm unsure of the reference unless it's about.. Aether(?) Eating a banana in that one picture?) And then I got another red one that says Hail Satan lol. So thanks to those people! I hoped you liked mine, they were first attempts ha.

Our seats were good and I sat on the aisle which gave me a good view. The only thing that was annoying is the person sitting in front of us was vaping almost the whole time...

I'm very glad I brought my ear protection... cause it was very needed!

Amon Amarth was great and I even had fun doing the rowing part lol. It was cool to see them fight the inflatable dragon/sea monster and also to see the two Vikings fighting with swords and shields

Once Ghost started playing it was absolutely incredible and I was so excited. Seriously I can't believe I saw Papa in real life!

All the songs were great live. The only thing was maybe the bass slightly overpowered some of the songs? But that could be where I was seated. My body was vibrating so much from the sound!

Here's my pictures

I used to be slightly annoyed by how popular MoaC has gotten but it's absolutely amazing live so I guess you could say my opinion has changed

They played Rats closer to the beginning than I thought they would

Square Hammer and Dance Macabre were so good live! I was definitely dancing the whole time despite my feet absolutely hurting :') (and I wore regular tennis shoes! There were people there wearing heels and platforms 💀 their feet must've hurt..)

I'm honestly really happy that I got to see Copia before anything happens...

He was talking about the heat and then was joking about having an ice cube down his pants and who wants to be the ice cube (which of course the audience all screamed lol)

He also mentioned wanting to go to Franklin's (which is a popular barbecue restaurant here in Austin)

The Ghouls and Ghoulettes were amazing too! Though I still have trouble telling them apart.. I've pretty much memorized all the names but it's matching the name to the Ghoul that's difficult for me

I didn't think they'd play Mummy Dust because I wasn't sure about the confetti situation but they did! And afterwards someone gave me some Mummy Dust! (Picture taken after the concert)

Something I'm a little disappointed about that I did was I checked my bloodsugar after the show and I basically missed their bowing and stuff. (I had to look down at my meter so I didn't really get a good look) I wish I would've waited a bit but that's entirely on me.

Ok now.. time for some slight negative thoughts. This isn't directed at the band though, I'm blaming the venue. But the show honestly felt rushed. There wasn't much time in between songs, the Ghouls cut the holding the note bit short, Copia didn't interact with the crowd as much, he didn't ask us to bark like dogs which I was a little disappointed about lol. He didn't do the usual marijuana bit and just did Mary on a Cross which was odd. And near the end he even said 'we usually do this long spiel about you going home and then encores but we need to use all of our time so we're just going to cut to the point' (not word for word obviously) so I guess the venue was really rushing them.... which sucked. Amon Amarth didn't feel rushed (though I'm not very familiar with them so idk) but anyway negative thoughts aside it still was a good concert!

I'll be posting some videos soon after this post goes up.

[koditama]

Hm.

DAY 2: Shriek

happy tickletober <3

ship: xiaoven

words: 1,013

Summary: Venti should probably keep his voice down if he doesn't want to attract more trouble.

READ ON AO3

[A/N: day 2 <3 im following my own tickletober prompt list, so my prompts will be different from alot of others'! hope you still like this one :P]

“Don’t flinch, you’ll make it worse.”

Venti sucked in a quick breath through his teeth, retracting his wrist from Xiao’s hand. “Seriously, Xiao, I’m ok.” He is, really, it’s just a scratch. An annoying scratch that’s going to get in the way of his lyre playing for the rest of the day, but by tomorrow it will be fine. 

Xiao doesn’t seem convinced, but sighs anyway. “If you say so.”

Venti and Xiao had seen earlier in the day that Aether had been running from one side of Liyue to the other just to finish some commissions. He looked incredibly tired, and Venti offered them both to do his last one so he wouldn't have to return back to Dihua Marsh and could rest instead.

“Really?” Aether had said, practically beaming. “That would be a great help! Thanks guys!”

Truthfully, Venti hadn’t asked Xiao if he was down to help, and at first it didn’t seem like he was. After seeing Aether’s face though, Xiao let a small fond smile slip onto his face and nodded his agreement. “Please, allow us.”

The commission was to defeat a ruin guard. Simple enough, except killing the one ended up angering a few more in the area without either of the vision holders noticing. Just as they were about to finish the commission, Venti was nearly hit by a homing missile.

“Barbados!” Xiao had yelled, appearing by his side just in time to pull him out of the way.

Venti had smiled up at Xiao. “My hero.”

“Shut up.” So quick to blush…

The ensuing fight led them both to this point. The worst of the injuries were a few soon-to-be bruises on Xiao’s arm and Venti’s wrist scratch, but Xiao was determined to make sure Venti wasn’t hurt beyond that.

“Is this necessary?” Venti asks, raising an eyebrow at the yaksha, who has removed Venti’s cap in favor of checking his head for any lumps or bumps. “Yes.” He says, seriously. It makes Venti giggle.

Xiao continues checking everywhere, eventually making his way to Venti’s waist. “Alright, if you really are fi-”

“Ah!”

They both freeze. Venti steps away, rubbing his side and huffing out a nervous laugh. “Sorry, that-”

“You’re injured.”

“Huh?” Venti tilts his head. “Oh! No! I’m really not Xiao, I-”

“Let me see.” Xiao says sternly, walking towards Venti as the other backs away slowly. “Venti, if you are injured I have to see.”

“But I’m not!” Venti whines, covering his sides. He’s clearly not convincing enough, because Xiao reaches out to hold him by the hips and inspect his sides. To Venti's credit, he does try to stay relatively quiet, the key word being ‘try’. He positively shrieks trying to jump back but not getting very far with Xiao’s vice-like grip on him. “X-xiao! I’m fi- AH!”

“Clearly you are not- can you stay still?” Xiao sounds a bit annoyed, reaching to pull the tie on his corset off. “I need to see the injury.”

“It’s not an injury!” 

Xiao glares a bit and Venti has to slap his hand over his own mouth to keep from helping again when Xiao gives his side, no longer adorned with his corset, a particularly firm squeeze. 

Venti, once again, shrieks. “OKAY! Okay, lehehets be done now ohokay?” He tries to squirm, but Xiao stops him.

“Why?”

“...huh?”

Xiao blinks. “Why should I stop?”

Venti feels his face start to heat up. “Well, because…just because.”

“It tickles?” Xiao asks, blatantly. Venti chokes, eyes widening, and Xiao just stares. “Right? That’s why you are yelling?”

“I wasn't yelling.”

“Yes you were.” To prove his point, Xiao wiggles his fingers against Venti’s sides, and the bard yelps, grabbing the other’s wrists. “See? Yelling. People are supposed to laugh when they’re tickled.”

Venti scoffs. “Yeah, well. Maybe if you were actually tickling me properly, I’d laugh.” A pause. “No. Xiao-”

“Hm?”

“That is not an invitation.”

“Hm.”

“Xiao, please. Listen to me. What’re you- ah! Nohoho!” Xiao’s fingers start scribbling over Venti’s sides. Not only does it send him into hysterics, but Venti slowly falls to the ground trying to cover his sides. Xiao simply sits next to him, wrapping an arm around his back and pulling him close. 

“XIAHAHO PLEHEHEASE!” Venti shrieks, pushing as hard as he can against Xiao’s hands on his sides to no avail. Xiao had always been stronger than him, even more so when Venti is…incapacited such as this. “STOHOHOP IHIHIT!”

“Hm.” Xiao hummed, slowing down his fingers and tilting his head to make eye contact with the bard. “You’ll attract enemies if you continue to scream.”

Venti’s loud screeching had died down to more normal levels of laughter, allowing him to take a few breaths. “Nohohot my fahahault!” He whines, still pushing at Xiao’s hands. “Stohohop it- it tihihickles!”

“Clearly.” Xiao sounds deadpan, but Venti can see the small fond smile forming on his lips. It makes everything all the more flustering, and makes Venti’s heart skip a little beat. In a sudden burst of energy, he surges forward to place a chaste kiss on the yaksha’s lips.

Xiao stills, his hands go from scratching lightly at Venti’s sides to holding his hips firmly to kiss him again before he can pull away. Venti smiles against the kiss, throwing his own arms around Xiao’s shoulders and climbing into his lap fully. He loves moments like this, soft moments full of laughter and smiles and warm feelings, and he knows Xiao does too. 

Xiao is, of course, still a menace, and he kneads a little into Venti’s hips causing him to squeak and pull back. Xiao places light kisses on Venti’s face as the bard puts very little energy into pushing at his chest to get away. “Ohohkay thats enohohough…” Venti says, finally wrapping his hands around the other’s wrists and gently pulling them away. “We should get back and turn this commission in for Aether.”

Xiao nods. “Yes.” He leans in, gripping Venti’s chin lightly and pulls his face close enough that their lips are practically touching. “Later.”

[thessalian]

Thess vs Western Expansion

There's going to be more playing later - I'm in the exploration phase I tend to enjoy, so that's all fun. However, needed a bit of a break after trying a thing what I tripped over and should have known better than to really try...

First off, lemme dump that drone data back at base. Just so it's not nagging me, and-- Oh! I can have a chat with Zo! That's cool!

Oh. Oh, honey. Honey, the Chorus should be listening to you way, way more. I mean, I know that there'd be no game if there weren't any obstructive idiots, so you were kind of hard-wired into this frustration, but ... still.

So I've deposited my drone data and at least given Zo someone to talk to through her existential crisis. So now what? Question marks, that's what. Still stuff left unexplored in the Daunt, after all. Not much, but some.

Buuuuuuuut there's a rebel outpost in the way. If I want to make it a little easier for my allies to get over to this side of the mountains, maybe I should clear that out.

You don't seeeeeeee meeeeeee... Heeheehee. POONK.

I do love it when I can get through these without anyone firing at me. Now. What's over here?

Fire Bristleback hunting site. Cool.

Yes, I know I can override - and actually ride - the Bristlebacks. ...Oh, fine, I will ride the damn Bristleback.

You are CHONK, dude. I have decided I will not look too far into how fast you go.

Right. Back over we go so we can check out... Oh. We have Burrowers and Clawstriders in the way. Aaaaand I was not as careful about stealth as I should have been.

Wait. The Bristlebacks came back? I was only away for like ten seconds! Okay, now everything wants my face. AAAAA!

HOLD STILL SO I CAN WALLOP YOU, CLAWSTRIDER!

Ofuckofuckofuck...

Okay. Finally. Now, what is over there that I went through that idiocy for?

...Metal. Flower. I figure I have to deal with DEMETER for that. And DEMETER is last on the list (even though I'm technically at a level where I could do that, but still). Boo.

There's apparently a loooot of debate about which of the subordinate functions one should go for first. AETHER is apparently the lowest level one but is the longest to cope with and involves two big bosses, and POSEIDON is more about the sneak, but if I deal with DEMETER first, I get rid of the damn red blight all over Plainsong. I'm going to have to think on that while dealing with side questy stuff.

Anyway. Back to the hunting.

Huh. Another bit of rumour. Talk of another chef! Awesome!

Wait. Machine riders. How are so many people riding machines now?!? Well, it wants me to follow them, so I guess I'll follow them.

.........Charger racing. Seriously.

COMBAT Charger racing?!? You have got to be kidding - okay, fine, I will try this.

OW OW OW OW OW THIS IS BULLSHIT OW.

I made surprisingly good showing, but I didn't win, so I don't get to ask questions. Fine. Y'know what? I don't need these answers that badly. I have a world to save and more to the point? That fucking hurt. No more Charger racing. Yeah, call me a weenie if you want to, Tenakth machine-riders, but I think you'd rather not die.

And another rebel outpost nearby! I can clear that easy.

...They have a Ravager?!? Oh, fuck those guys.

Also they're smart and have sentries in the foothills. Still, no problem. I can cope with this.

Ugh. I'm going to have to break cover to get the leader again.

And knocked RIGHT off my perch. BUT I GOT YOU JUST AS IT BLEW, YOU SONUVABITCH!

And one last sentry aaaaaaaaaaand ... done. And there's ... ancient ruins over there. I should go look at those.

Car graveyard under and around a ... billboard. And collecting things that apparently will be required for something, somewhere, later. Mooooooooore collectibles. *sigh* yaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

LIZARD! Lizard give me your skiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!

YEEEEEEEEES LIZARD SKIIIIIIIIIIN! Also there's a peccary. I think I need those bones too! YAAAAAAAY!

Can I shoot the scorpion?

I ... can shoot the scorpion. How I have a whole "crunchy scorpion" when I shot it point-blank with a precision arrow I have no idea, buuuuuuuuut...

Okay, there's a campfire and I should probably start thinking about dinner. The Old World ruins can wait.

Wait. Hang on. Lemme check something.

...Those ruins have a metal flower. They're gonna have to wait. So I'll think about what to do next while I prep dinner.

Yep. More food than just some grapes and some corn thins is required. Lacy Person's chicken katsu curry it is. And then I'll see what I can upgrade, do some hunting, maybe find a Tallneck. Chill stuff.

[lokittystuckinatree]

LCU (Loki Cinematic Universe) Rewatch Part Three here we come!

Thor: the Dark World

Oh Gods I forgot how…indescribable this movie is. I have no words. The outfits and settings look so real and the elves look so fake?

Me every time I see Loki: oOmMgGg Hiiiiiiiiiii 😘

“Mother did I make you proud?” And the whole way he handles this scene…How did anyone ever take him seriously - no wonder he went off the rails, that’s his greatest fear

“Do you not feel the gravity of your crimes” ok this is pure speculation but going off of what we know about Loki’s moral and emotional system - he’s capable of remorse and empathy, but he tends to compartmentalize and bury guilt and shame, repress and conceal his true feelings, and rationalize, minimize and justify his actions instead of accepting what he sees as weakness, so yes, I’d imagine that deep down he absolutely fucking feels it. And it don’t feel good.

Loki justifies his imperialism genocide and violence in an imperial genocidal militaristic society but the second he becomes king he decreases military intervention something something (one of the good bits of Ragnarok)

“I don’t enjoy hurting people” But Odin does. And so Loki pretends to.

BOOOOOO Odin no one likes you BOOOOOOO SCREW YOU

oMggg Sif hiiiiiii. Look at her, Thor. LOOK at her! With your eyes! She prettyyyyy

Odin and Thor: talking about Thor’s love life. Loki probably: rocking back in forth in his cell because no one’s ever gonna love him. Another Loki at the same time: chasing his soulmate across spacetime because she pulled a Loki on him and he finds that endearing

The sets and ambiance of Asgard are gorgeous how do I move there

Yet another obscure character I don’t remember, Darcy’s in the comics now I’m so proud, Selvig’s lost his last marble, so have I Selvig, so have I

The weird gravity/time space anomaly/warp thing in that abandoned building actually makes for a fun scene. You cannot change my mind on this. The Aether is pretty creepy though ngl.

Thor and Jane are so cringe together. I love them. They also break my heart

The plot of this movie is really…something

Loki and Frigga’s bond actually makes me teary I know they didn’t have the best relationship it was strained and toxic at times but omg they care about eachother so much I’m getting emotional…she genuinely was the only person Loki truly loved in a healthy way. And he fucking lost her. FUCK

Cut to me relating to Loki so much it makes me physically recoil. I’d get into why but I’m not trauma dumping today.

“I don’t know why Loki helped the dark elf get into the palace”…lol stop lying to yourself you know the reason very well. You have the same resentment and lust for chaos inside you that Loki does…that desperate grief that makes you want to burn down the world that burned you. you know. I see my worst in Loki, and his story gives me hope that I can change. There’s a good chance I will die young (medical shit) and Loki dying young also gives me comfort.

This movie is peak Loki. I just fucking adore the little shit. I just aahfhkjkmng *aggressively squeezes*

Heimdall is underrated

Someone on discord said Frigga autocorrected to Fridged on their phone and Frigga’s dying and that’s all I can think about rip…bruh this scene hits a lot harder after my dad’s death ✌️

HE WASNT EVEN ALLOWED AT HER FUCKING FUNERAL FUCK YOU ODIN DRINK BLEACH!!!!Anyways I forgot how cinematic and heartbreakingly beautiful the funeral was

YOU CAN SEE THE SPARK LEAVE HIS FUCKING EYES IM GONNA FIGHT ODIN IN A DENNYS PARKING LOT. I’m ending on the Loki illusion scene for tonight because it’s 3 am and I’m in emotional distress.

How can anyone watch the illusion scene and the deleted bits and actually believe Loki is a cold hearted psychopath? I have this fucked up headcanon that Loki almost attempted suicide after Frigga’s death and either stopped himself…or Thor showed up right on time. I can’t prove it but I know it’s true by gut instinct.

There’s something so weirdly profound about someone who seeks out death being unkillable. Character who thinks he represents death actually represents life. That’s something the Loki series actually did well. They definitely screwed up his character in places, but I can see the backbone of what they intended. I don’t know how to explain this, but I don’t ship Sylvie with TVA Loki, I ship her with Pre-Ragnarok Loki. Aka, I characterize TVA Loki as closer to OG Loki than he is thus far.

There’s a tiny detail about Loki that makes me go feral. You have to psychoanalyze a little, but Loki doubts his brother even cares about him, so whenever Thor says he feels betrayed and threatens him, Loki smiles. It means Thor cared. It means there’s hope. Negative attention is better than none at all. Disappointment is better than apathy. I wish I didn’t know how he feels.

[nibsthoughtcorner]

The Fallen Angels: An Analysis of the Traveler Twins

Oh look

A Genshin Impact analysis

This goes under that “1 AM Epiphany” category

No, seriously. I went on a mental spiral about this at 1 AM.

But let’s get to it before this gets too long.

As the title suggests, I propose that the Traveler twins’ story arcs (whether intentional or not) seem to have similarities with the Christian fallen angels.

Lemme explain.

In the very beginning of the story, when we see the flashback of The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles fighting the twins, we see that both of them have wings.

And if you look back, they aren’t just one pair of wings with three segments. No. They are three separate pairs of wings. Six wings in total. Now what other Christian figure has six wings? The Seraphim. A powerful group of angels. And we do know that the twins are powerful, but we don’t actually know the extent of their power if it were to be fully restored. So it really raises some questions, the main one being: are they supposed to be angels of some sort?

It makes sense, at least thematically, if that were the case.

But why do I call them “fallen”? Simple.

When they lose their powers, their wings disappear, which is also a common thing with fallen angels. When an angel falls from heaven, their wings are taken away. And with the Sustainer serving as a heavenly being, the fact that she blatantly stole their powers and sent them hurtling down from Celestia is as obvious a comparison as any to falling angels.

On top of that, The Abyss twin’s arc is strangely reminiscent of the backstory of Lucifer (at least from what I know).

Think about it. The Abyss Twin is not only cast out, but clearly holds a form of rage against Celestia just as Lucifer felt wronged by God. The Abyss Twin also goes on to amass legions of creatures also scorned by the heavens and regarded as evil by the common people. And that Abyss Twin then goes on to be regarded as evil themselves (at least by the common people).

You see what I’m saying?

It’s quite fascinating in my opinion, especially since Genshin is no stranger to Christian references (they’re literally using the Ars Goetia like a baby name book for their archons-)

Though while the arc of the Abyss Twin has clear parallels, I’m not so sure about the Traveler.

They seem to be oscillating between the opposing forces. They’re clearly framed as a hero, but as pointed out time and time again by the Genshin community, they’re becoming more and more jaded. So I wonder if they’re “caught in the middle” in a sense. The Traveler learns about Teyvat through a biased perspective (the bias coming from Celestia and their whims, of course, since they exert power over Teyvat through the archons and Visions…and the occasional giant nail of destruction, apparently)

Whereas the Abyss Twin goes through the world with the perspective of the Abyss (the closest equivalent of Hell).

If things keep going the way they’re going in Genshin, then this may mean that the Traveler’s arc is a slow descent, as is the case with fallen angels.

Another small thing to point out is that the twins are intrinsically connected to light. Lumine’s name means light, and Aether’s name means “sky” or “heavens”. And Lucifer’s name literally means “light bringer” (yay more parallels). Plus the Traveler can purify things (such as Dvalin’s tears) just by touching them. They really aren’t being subtle about it.

Now, since I’m still stuck trying to level up characters and enhance weapons and get better artifacts, and haven’t even started Liyue’s archon quest, this is all the evidence and knowledge I have that doesn’t involve me spoiling myself. So, if I make another part to this to add new thoughts based on new information, don’t be surprised.

In any case, I swear by this analysis, and if you liked it, feel free to like and comment. Discussion is more than welcome!

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this, and stay tuned for the next theory/thought/character analysis/1 AM Epiphany

~Nib

[italeean]

Tickle the boredom away

You can find the summary here

A/N: Hi everyone, come state? 💚🤍❤️ (how are you?) I sincerely hope you’re fine ^_^ As you already know if you read my previous posts, I finally finished high school and I’ve been catching up with my friends and family these week (so please forgive me for the inactivity) 😅 Anyway, this fic is a request that I enjoyed writing very much, and I sincerely hope you’ll like reading it as well!! As always, suggestions and support are always appreciated. I wish you all a great week!!

DISCLAIMER: This is a tickle fic, if it's not to your taste I don't suggest you read it

‘AW MAN, I’M SOOO BORED!!’ a loud whine, followed by many annoyed groans, resonated throughout the Chasm’s Bed, where six people and a flying lavender melon were stuck. Shinobu, Yelan, Yanfei, Paimon, Xiao and Aether subtly glared at Itto, who had been complaining for hours because they were currently stuck and they had nothing to do except resting up a bit. ‘I knew I should’ve brought my Onikabuto with me... that way we would’ve been able to watch a Onikabuto fight at least..!’ ‘Boss, if you had brought your Onikabuto, it would’ve been alone, so there wouldn’t have been a fight anyway’ Shinobu corrected the leader of the Arataki Gang.

‘Man you’re right... it would’ve been so sad’ the oni let out a sigh. It wasn’t his fault if that place was so boring, though!! Even eating roasted lavender melons sounded boring because the six of them had already eaten plenty and chatted by the fire. Now Xiao and the Traveller was resting, the girls were speculating about how to get out of there and Paimon... well, actually Paimon was still eating.

After a little while, Yelan called everyone’s attention ‘Guys, listen. Yanfei, Shinobu and I are going to check the whole place again to find a passage or a way to escape. You can stay here and rest a bit more, and look after the Yaksha, too. His wounds are healing, but he hasn’t completely recovered yet’ Paimon followed them immediately, saying she was tired of someone’s whines and complaints.

‘Well compadre, now it’s only the two of us and the little guy over there’ Itto’s comment was followed by Xiao’s irritated growl, as if he’d heard him. However, he was still asleep and Aether made sure that his friend didn’t wake him up.

At least for 30 minutes.

‘Hey man, look! Doesn’t it seem like he’s healed? Let’s ask him how he feels’ the taller guy made his way towards the sleeping boy. The blonde glanced at Xiao; the wounds were did look better, but that didn’t mean the Yaksha didn’t need more rest. Maybe waking him up wasn’t exactly the best idea, even though Ittp’s intentions were good. ‘Heyo, little guy... can you hear meee? Are you awake?’ the shorter guy opened his eyes and glared at the noise source in front of him, not even trying to hide his annoyance. ‘What do you want?’ he asked with a snarky tone, also because he’d been woken up

The Traveller wasn’t too worried about the situation, they were just having a conversation after all. He just needed to make sure Itto didn’t say anything inappropriate or irritating for the Yaksha and that Xiao's patience didn’t abandon him, given how short-tempered he is. Easy enough, right?

Absolutely, completely, 100% WRONG. Not even 10 minutes later, the adeptus looked like he was going to fight someone. And that someone was a certain oni. ‘Who the hell are you calling short?!’ he asked fuming. ‘Man, no offense seriously, but what are you? 4′7 or something, right? You can’t deny you’re short hehe’ ‘I’m 5′3 and my height is perfectly average. Actually I could beat you up before you manage to say Onikabito... or whatever insect you like’ Itto’s attempts to have a friendly talk with the yellow-eyed guy weren’t exactly going as Aether expected... or hoped.

Then, he suddenly had an idea to fix the situation without Shinobu having to look for a new boss for the Arataki Gang. ‘Yeah, I bet Xiao and I could win a fight against you in less the two minutes even though we’re not as tall as you’ he looked at the shorter guy, silently asking him to play along ‘I just gotta do this!’ he started squeezing the oni’s sides, making him burst into a fit of giggles, while the dark-haired guy watched the scene with a confused expression. ‘Mahan whahahat arehe yohou dohohoihing?’ although he was laughing, the red-eyed guy had an expression just as confused as Xiao’s. What did he do to deserve that?

‘I’m tickling you of course’ Aether replied with a cheerful smile, which in that context meant nothing but trouble, while digging between the ribs ‘You were so bored earlier... if you laugh for a while you won’t be bored anymore, right Xiao?’ he glanced at his friend asking him to come and help. The Yaksha rolled his eyes at the playful antics, but he also saw an opportunity to stop that constant whining, so he approached the duo, crouched down and squeezed Itto’s kneecaps and scribbled behind the area, making the oni fall down, laughing harder than before. ‘Guhuhuhuys Ihi’m seherihihiohous hehehere!! Juhuhust yohou wahahait uhuntihihil I- WAAHH nohOHot THEheherehE’ 

The blonde had taken advantage of his friend falling down to pin his left arm down and go to town all over his defenseless armpit, a spot that never failed to make the leader of the Arataki Gang squeak like a little kid. Xiao, on the other hand, wasted no time in straddling him and squeezing his hips and sides, but he needed to be extra careful to not be bucked off by Itto, who was laughing and squirming like crazy.

To make it all much worse for the poor oni, Aether was being a ball of sunshine, teasing him and laughing along with him, while Xiao was completely silent, only focused on wrecking him, which was flustering in its own way, and the white-haired guy couldn’t tell which method was making him blush the most. Better yet, which method would’ve made him blush the most, if he wasn’t the mighty leader of the Arataki Gang. ‘WhahAHAt dIHIhid Ihihihi ehehevehEHEHen doHOHoho? Ihihihi dohon’t DEHEheheseherve ThiHIHIs’ the overly dramatic comment only earned him some harder squeezes and quicker scribbles and soft scratches, which made him want to crawl out of his own skin.

‘CohohompAHAHAdrehe... hahavehe mEHEhercy ohohon meHEHE ahahat leAHAhast yohOHou- WAITWAITWAIT NOHOHOHO’ the red-eyed guy was trying to talk his way out of that situation when the Yaksha had the wonderful awful idea to skitter his ten fingers all over his tummy, his ultimate death spot that always made him howl and reduced him to a puddle of giggles.

‘Ooohh looks like someone’s boredom is gonna fade away really soon’ oh no. Itto could barely handle a set of hands on his stomach, let alone two!! However, Aether didn’t seem to care too much about it because he quickly pinned his hands down with his knees and wiggled his fingers just above the dreaded spot to build some anticipation; then, when Itto closed his eyes for a second, he descended with his hands to help his friend and the leader of the Arataki Gang found himself being tickled by twenty fingers on his worst spot.

‘THIHIHIS NAHAHAHAHAHAT FAHAHAHAHAIR COHOHOHOME OHOHOHON’ the oni let out his boisterous laughter, which brought an amused smile on the Traveller and Xiao’s faces (although the latter would never admit it). Maybe it was a bit unfair though, the blonde was tracing his abs softly but quickly, making sure to leave no spot untouched, and the shorter guy was rapidly poking his lower tummy with one hand and wiggled a finger inside his bellybutton and teased the surrounding area with the other. Itto tried so hard to kick or move his hands, but he was pinned, so he laid there and let his friend tickle him until his laughter went silent, which was sign that he’d reached his limit.

Obviously it wasn’t the first time he had a tickle fight with Aether, given his playful attitude, so the blonde knew his boundaries and stopped as soon as he noticed the silent laughter and made Xiao do the same. Itto took some deep breaths and rubbed his torso to get rid of the ghost tickles, then after he recovered, surprisingly quickly, he sat up and said ‘Whew..! That one was a real match’ while smiling widely. ‘So, did you have fun?’ the Traveller asked while smiling cheerfully as well. ‘Ummm... I still feel a bit bored actually’ the taller guy replied. 

His friend immediately got the hint and pounced on him again, ready for the second round.

‘Gotcha!’ Itto exclaimed while he caught a very much surprised Aether with one hand and scooped up Xiao with the other, bringing them both on his lap. ‘Let’s see how you like this’ he started squeezing the Yaksha’s side with the hand that was holding him and blew countless raspberries on the blonde’s tummy, right over the bellybutton. Giggles began to pour out from both guys, who were having fun, despite being still stuck (although one of them would never admit that).

Things got a turn when Aether managed to counterattack, which made him get the upper hand, but he started getting both Itto and Xiao, who was tickling both of them with one hand, too. Itto was defending himself, too, and he had the advantage of knowing Aether’s death spot and soon after, thanks to the blonde, he found out Xiao’s. Before they knew it, they got into a huge tickle fight that ended with a tie, since there was too much confusion to determine a winner.

When the girls got back, worried because of the strange noises and howls that were echoing throughout the whole place, they found the trio sound asleep. The oni was sitting up with his back against the wall, Aether’s head was laying on Itto’s lap and Xiao was resting his own head on the taller guy’s shoulder. All three of them had a soft smile on their faces, especially Itto, who finally wasn’t bored anymore.

And he was going to think twice before complaining again... maybe.

[razorblade180]

Adjustment period

Aether:*walks into base* I’m back! Good evening to anyone whose arou-

He turns the corner to see Keqing, Ayaka, and Nilou sitting in chairs. They all look at him like a kid getting caught stealing a cookie; as Kokomi stands before them healing three bloody noses and a thick bruise that went across the bridges of all their noses.

Aether:…

AKN:….

Kokomi:Sup.

Aether:Umm how?

Ayaka:It is not what it looks like!

Keqing:No one was mad at anyone!

Nilou:Am I missing something?

Kokomi:No you’re perfectly fine. They’re just panicking.

Aether:So what happened to get all of you to look like raccoons?

[40 minutes ago]

Ayaka:Nilou settling in?

Keqing:On my way to see her now. Haven’t heard any problems or questions yet.

Ayaka:Think she’ll make captain?

Keqing:Not my call. I doubt it though. Her teams are pretty set in stone. She’ll probably be like your brother or Noelle. No need for her to rush. We can take the process slow.

Ayaka:You’re really taking this seriously. I feel kinda bad; I assumed you’d be jealous like when I showed up and avoid me.

Keqing:I was not jealous when you showed up.

Ayaka:….

Keqing:Okay, I was put off but it was nothing personal. Also I didn’t avoid you. It made no sense to involve myself when Chongyun was perfectly suited for showing you the ropes.

Ayaka: *smiles* It’s fine. I was a little envious of you. Everyone looks up to you and holds you in high esteem. Aether gives you so much responsibility because he knows you can do it. It’s flattering trust.

Keqing:Sorry but you’re reading too much into that. I just can’t stand jobs not being delegated to the best of their ability so Aether put me in charge so it wouldn’t drive me up a wall. “Knock yourself out” he said. Just like how he gives you freedom, time and flexibility because that’s what you desire.

Ayaka:Yes, that became more clear overtime. No wonder he’s made this place so calm with many personalities. He gives everyone the time of day.

Keqing:Exactly. Now we give it to Nilou. It’ll be awhile before she’s up to strength and he’s gotten the things she needs. We just have to make her feel invited to promote improvement. *knocks on door* Nilou? Are you there?

Nilou:*opens door* Hello. What’s going on? 3/9/9

Keqing and Ayaka:…..

Ayaka:You use a blade, correct?

Keqing:Wanna spar?

xxxxx

Aether:Ah, so pettiness happened.

Kokomi:More or less. I saw them sparring with wooden swords and then they managed to whack each other all at the same time. It was actually pretty impressive besides painful.

Keqing:I was doing my job.

Ayaka:And you know I like seeing foreign swordsmanship. It felt appropriate considering Nilou’s unexpected and rapid growth.

Keqing:Exactly.

Aether and Kokomi:….

Nilou:If it helps, I could feel the tension from the start and went along with it anyways. Then after the first swing I realized they were serious about this hehe. It was actually quite engaging. I also wanted to know how I stood up against incredible people like you both. I see why many put their faith in you!

Ayaka:(Oh she felt like me…)

Keqing:(Darn it! Was I jealous!?)

Ayaka and Keqing: *hugs Nilou* You’re incredible too.

Nilou:Awwww. Thanks guys.

Aether:Is this what happens when I show interests in swordsman, tension?

Kokomi:I think it’s admirable.

Aether:Okay, you’re in charge of healing the next “sparring session”

Kokomi:Please do us both a favor find a bowman. They’re all so nice and at least aim at targets.

Aether:They really are just bundles of care aren’t they?

[Somewhere else]

Amber and Gorou: *happily eating*

[ninthfeather]

Ho Ho Ho Hello! 🎅🏻

It’s „funny“ that seemingly it was a tumblr wide bug that questions got eaten! I saw other blogs complaining about it as well!

Anyway it’s an interesting thought!

Do you have headcanons if any characters might be badly wounded or even die in the end battle? For the drama?

DCMK Exchange Secret Santa

Ugh, I thought it was just a me problem; I tried to save a partial answer as a draft and instead of saving it tumblr froze and the ask disappeared into the aether :/

So, I think there will definitely be injuries, but Gosho has not been very interested in having anyone seriously injured in a way that they don't eventually heal completely from. The sole exception is Kansuke (my beloved) who was injured pre-canon and was presumably created as a character with an injury-related disability. Gosho likes to play fast and loose with medical stuff specifically so that his characters can survive injuries with fewer effects than they'd have IRL, and I don't think he's gonna stop doing that for the finale.

As for deaths, I think there's a chance, but Gosho is, once again, much more comfortable killing people off For Real in the backstory than in the present of the story. He has done it, but a lot of the notable incidents were earlier in the series; I think as DC went on he became (understandably!) more nervous about making permanent alterations to the cast.

I think there's a very good chance that at least one of the spies will either get killed or be thought dead for an extended period of time. I think Camel is probably at the highest risk of this; I think Rei would be a narratively resonant and painful choice too but that he's too popular for Gosho to do that with. Hidemi could also be in danger, but it's been a while since she's been a foreground character and killing her off would not be as impactful now as it would have been like a decade ago.

I think probably most or all of the Japanese police will survive; Takagi's gonna have a near death experience for sure and Sato's gonna lose her mind about it for a bit but they'll both pull through. If Gosho lets the Nagano police be involved, they'll also have some close calls probably. Megure might get shot again, but again, I don't think he'll be killed or seriously injured.

Heiji is also gonna be injured, probably in a way that looks very serious, but again, I think he'll recover without issue. If KID is allowed to show up for the DC finale, he will probably seem to be dead at some point but will turn up later completely uninjured. Ran, Kogoro, and Sonoko will all be in serious peril but none of them will actually get hurt except maybe Kogoro.

As far as antagonists are concerned, I don't feel like the series can end with Gin alive. I would bet on Akai being the one to kill him, but I could be wrong. Probably several other major Black Org characters will also die (specifically of falling off something/being buried under debris/something else indirect), and I would be willing to bet that Vermouth will go out in a way that makes the police believe her dead but leaves Shinichi suspecting that she survived.

I'd *love* if Shinichi got injured in some significant way, because I think it would be symbolic of the impact of this whole thing on his life and because it would increase the Shinichi & Kansuke parallels that I live for, but I do not think it'll actually happen. Every single "Shinichi is injured in a disabling way post Black Org showdown" fanwork lives in my heart, though.

On a related note, I really feel it would be more narratively satisfying if Shinichi ended up with some sort of heart issues post-APTX-4869-cure. I know the part where the temporary cures caused heart issues/were super dangerous was just Gosho's way of making it so he could have Shinichi be fullsize occasionally while still keeping him as Conan most of the time, but at this point, with all of Ai's fussing, it'll feel a little narratively cheap to me if he goes back to being a teenager with absolutely no health complications whatsoever.

I hope you're having a wonderful day and thank you so much for the ask!

[meowww-ffxiv]

Mordred took G'raha with him for the Nanamo variant dungeon.

.

Meowdred: Bleh bleh. It stinks down here.

G'raha: Oh.... That's mold. You need to put your bubble helmet on.

Nanamo: Your-- I beg your pardon?

Meowdred: *had conjured a bubble around his head* Whoaaa thanks. You really saved me there, Raha. ^u^

Nanamo: Can I have one?

(all three of them wore bubbleheads)

.

G'raha: I hear the gigas were once enslaved by the people of Thanalan.

Nanamo: Regrettably, that was true. Our forefathers exploited the giants for their hardiness for physical labor.

Meowdred: Hopefully, the rest of the big lads are much deeper underground, and maybe one day we can talk to them without getting a club swung at our faces for an icebreaker.

Nanamo: Do you believe that could happen?

G'raha: Take heart, Your Grace. We miqo'tes were also once slaves, brought across the sea by the Allagan Empire. Life and freedom find their ways, no matter how dark the mud.

Nanamo: Thank you. :0

Nanamo: *pulling Meowdred aside* You must NOT lose him, do you understand?

Meowdred: Isn't he soooo good? Isn't he the best??? ^w^

.

Nanamo: Mordred!!! You're not seriously going to-- to butcher those crocodiles we just killed!

Meowdred: Hmph. I suppose they're not going to yield good hides considering how much damage they took.

G'raha: Although maybe we should roll them back into the water and vacate this place quickly, in case other predators show up.

Meowdred: Oh nah they're meaty. *stuffs both of them into his bag which magically tucked away 2 giant crocodiles no problem*

Nanamo and G'raha: [Tails.jpg]

.

G'raha: Are you checking the waterways' mechanisms?

Meowdred: I'm trying to. But I'm gonna be honest. I can't see. :[

Nanamo: It's not that dark, is it?

Meowdred: I suppose not. But I'm pretty blind.

Nanamo:

Nanamo: What.

Meowdred: I'm nearsighted. I can only see you in a blurry pink form from here.

G'raha: He has very keen aether sense and spatial awareness, Your Grace.

Nanamo: I am hardly five yalms from him, though.

Meowdred: Yes ma'am.

Nanamo: This is lunacy... They said you never missed even a bird in the sky with your flames, unless those Ala Mhigo liberation stories had gotten far out of hands.

Meowdred: I don't aim with MY eyes... >.>

Nanamo: What does that mean.

G'raha: Oh look! A winch. We should pull it. Hahaha.

.

Nanamo: I have never seen you smile quite so much, Mordred. 👀

Meowdred: It's been a hard thirty summers on this wretch of a star, Your Grace. I'm overdue for smiles.

Nanamo: Nothing to do with present company?

G'raha: Erhem. Ahem. Eurgh.

Nanamo: Why, G'raha, are you alright? I still have my canteen of water if you need any.

G'raha: Oh I'm fine!

Meowdred: *already pouring water for him*

Nanamo: I See.

Meowdred: And for your question, aye, it's got everything to do with present company.

.

G'raha: You have extensive alliances with the Amalj'aa people, Mordred?

Meowdred: Yeah. They're fine metalworkers, and one of my black ma-- blacksmith mentors was an Amalj'aa.

Nanamo: Hm? Why don't you finish that sentence the way you meant to, Mordred?

Meowdred: Because I don't wanna go to jail, Your Grace.

Nanamo: I find it impossible to imagine any sort of jail you would tamely sit in, but very well. I will not press your secrets. Considering it is probably already known by most anyway.

Meowdred: Hey, I can keep secrets SOMEtimes. I keep state secrets.

Nanamo: By forgetting about them?

Meowdred: I can think of no better way, honestly.

.

(about the plundered treasure room)

Meowdred: D'you see a body?

G'raha: No. And I don't know whether to be glad or concerned.

Nanamo: Brrr, I am quite firmly of the former mind. Perhaps these guardians were tasked with cleaning up the aftermath?

Meowdred: Huh, that's a thought.

Nanamo: Why are you sticking your hand into the construct's mouth! It breathed fire just a moment ago!

Meowdred: *pulls out a femur* Aha. Incineration.

G'raha: 😬

.

Meowdred: *rolling the defeated gladiator mammet's head off* These are some pretty intricate machineries.

Nanamo: Are you going to put him back together after you are done with that?

Meowdred: To be fair, Your Grace. I just finished getting my ass beaten flat like naan by this thing. I don't fancy making it functional again just yet.

G'raha: Come, now. Give yourself some credit. You were scarcely singed.

Meowdred: My eyebrows...

Nanamo: Oh, hush. I shall loan you my kohl once we return.