#chasing a mirage

[yostresswritinggirl]

Chase the Mirage

pairing -> Cyno x Adventurer!Reader x Tighnari; poly

word count -> 2.4k+ words

themes -> fluff, established relationship, scenarios and headcanons

(masterlist) (next) Two Akademiya giants, infatuated and hooked to a simple adventurer from the Adventurer's Guild. Absurd as it may seem, for Cyno and Tighnari, their lover is simply lovable like that.

Cyno and Tighnari.

Two prominent names in the Akademiya and Sumeru as a whole, regarded almost in a legendary manner.

When gossipers so willing to waste time on talking about other people's lives speak about the two's romance divinations, they always guessed that they would either be with someone who has the same academic prestige or none at all.

It was only when facts surfaced did they realize that the former was accurate, if only for half of it, at least. Never would they have imagined that THAT person from the Adventurer's Guild, the one adventurer practically glued to the hip with how they frequently take on their commissions, would be romantically involved with - not one - but BOTH of them!

Scary Serious Cyno and Strict Tighnari, and in between is some insignificant, unremarkable, UNEDUCATE-

"I strongly advise you keep that mouth shut." The table of scholars shied away from the polearm embedded in the table in front of them.

"If not for my sharp ears, I would have thought you lot were talking about yourselves," a second voice spoke followed by a hand laying upon the shoulder of the gossiper, grip tightening after every emphasized word. "Insignificant. Unremarkable. Uneducated. Amurta scholars too? What a disappointing batch you are."

Ungloved hands came into view to retrieve the polearm with barely any difficulty, and those who dared raise their heads were swiftly met with a fiery glare, burning them like the sinners they are. Even if not on paper, they felt like they had to atone for something far greater than they anticipated.

"You're lucky that today's a vacation day." A pause. "Forget it, not even worth the joke, what you said was already laughable."

"No need, they've already made a fool of themselves anyways. Besides, we have places to be." And their footsteps echoed throughout the House of Daena as they left, catching the last bits of their conversation before the double doors shut close behind them.

"The joke I thought up in the moment was quite good though."

"I don't want to hear it."

It was true that they were lucky that day, a blessing to have survived, but the rest of the week was devastatingly horrible. Numerous matras catching their gazes, getting banned from Pardis Dhyai seminars that were already as exclusive as they can be; they were more on edge that week compared to the weeks they had an important exam on. And so from one word of mouth to the next, an unofficial rule became sacred.

No matter how absurd it may seem - Cyno, Tighnari, and your relationship, is no laughing matter.

And archons forbid if you were the one to overhear such things. Punishment is always guaranteed when your feelings are hurt.

About Their Worries:

Despite their trust in your capabilities, being an adventurer still puts you in a significant amount of danger no matter how seasoned you are with the craft. At the start, they would coax you to train your combat skills with them, even urging you to practice with their weapons - even if it's not your preferred armament.

There would be a clearing in the forest where you practice, usually with Collei when she feels that her bow skills are lacking. Tighnari and Cyno were content on watching or talking on the side in the beginning, letting you and Collei learn by yourselves, helping each other, etc.

But when you managed to somehow shoot yourself on the foot, none of them trusted you to be alone with a bow ever since.

At times when you do end up getting injured, they'll be doting as they are scolding, genuinely worried for you.

But despite being a simple human, you're also quick to dispel their worries, always rising up every time you fall and assuring them that it's not the end of the world.

There's a worry in their eyes that you can't quite place and they can't quite word, but no matter the doubts festering in their mind, you always find a way to make them smile with your own. "I guess I just used up all my luck by having two magnificent men as my boyfriends, I can't really complain!"

They'll shake their head in exasperation but with a fond smile on their face. On the rare occasions that things did get too dire, you just let them do their thing.

Let them care for you, let them worry about you, let them spend what little free time they have with you; anything to appease them until they're confident that something like that won't happen again.

About Commissions:

Yet even when they had permitted you to go back to your commissions, there's still a bit of their influence hanging over your shoulder.

Like how suddenly all the available commissions are tame in comparison to the ones you dealt with prior to getting injured, how Katheryne kept exclaiming that there are no missions outside of Sumeru available at the time, or how Kamal won't look you in the eye when you realized your usual commissions are now of a lower rank than what you're capable of.

Their scheming became much more apparent when a special commission opened up that specifically requests your assistance.

"They need an extra set of hands to help prepare for a seminar in Pardis Dhyai today."

"Probably just to doll up the place. Who should I approach there, the contact?"

"Yes, it's - " Katheryne starts on auto-pilot, only to halt her own words and shut her mouth in obvious hesitance. That was one of the oddities of today. "It's not specified but I'm sure you can just ask around." You nodded slowly with a skeptical stare, that of which the receptionist ignored by turning to the shelf behind her.

It was only when you saw an uncharacteristically smiley Tighnari standing by the pathway to the site did all the weirdness of today finally click into place. At the sight of your unamused stare, his toothy smile became more smug. "It's nice to see you again, dearest." Followed by him ruffling your hair.

"Tighnari, I was with you and Cyno yesterday." A pause. "Is there even a seminar - "

"But of course! I'm not that foolish to lie to you, now come on, we have hundreds of chairs to lay out." They've done this a million times by now. You know, oh you know for sure that they didn't really need an extra hand to set things up - but when your Forest Watcher took your hand and guided you inside, excitedly talking about today's lecture (where he's the speaker, mind you!), you simply squeezed his hand and let him be.

The rest of your day was expertly derailed after Tighnari convinced you to stay in the duration of the seminar, unable to refuse and as such, your other commissions had to be done the next day. At least the celebration feast for a job well done that day was delicious...

Shortly after hearing about this stunt, your other boyfriend thought it was a good idea to replicate it!

Cyno was ever so thankful that you were gullible when it comes to his advances.

"Save your energy, it's a long walk back. If you have any final words, save them for judgment day."

The terrified scholar had lost all will to talk back from the terrifying glare the General Mahamatra had upon looking down at him, frozen in fear as his hands gripped the burning sand below. Sensing that he wasn't getting up anytime soon, Cyno was about to speak again when a groan from behind took their attention.

"Archooons, you ran off so far, I don't think I can walk back that far again," you whined as you plopped your ass on the sand in front of the scholar. "Can we take a quick break? I'm already out of water... Hey, do you have any water left?"

The shift in tone and personality between you two was... Jarring. Still frozen but not out of fear, the scholar dumbly blinked at your stretching form, looking at him expectantly.

Only when the General stepped close to retrieve his staff did he finally snap out of his trance, looking up to see a stern glare still pointed at him, which flicked over to you for a second to send the message. Right, you asked for water. "I-I think I still have some, yes!" His shaky hands made quick work to retrieve his waterskin, uncapping it for you before handing it over.

"Ahh, you're a blessing in disguise! Thank you!" Graciously taking the waterskin, you were about to drink when Cyno suddenly snatched it out of your hand, earning a 'hey!' from his robbery. But instead of taking the water for himself, the white-haired man simply wiped inside and around the mouth of the waterskin with a spare cloth before handing it back to you.

The reprimanded scholar lived to tell the tale of the sight of the General Mahamatra giving his lover a piggyback ride through the desert, while you wore his headdress to cover your overheating brain. Had it not been for the consequences he faced that day, the scholar would have simply thought that the whole ordeal was a hallucination. If there were doubts about the authenticity of your relationship, that tale gradually diminished the doubters.

About Adventuring:

Of course, there would still be times where their stunts can't keep you near for too long, like commissions outside of Sumeru or simply your desire to go to the other regions.

There's a whole world out there, wondrous and colorful, it's just a shame that neither of them had the free time to see it.

But they know their boundaries and they respect your desires, after all, you're still an adventurer first and foremost. Adventure is in your heart, they only came after and squeezed themselves in. It was your duty as an adventurer that brought you to them and they are grateful for that.

So to stall for time a little bit and show you just how much they would miss you, Cyno and Tighnari usually packs your bag for you on these occasions. Their own little touch reminding you of them even through the simplest of things:

Tighnari always made sure that you have a small medicine kit in your person at all times, little vials filled with organic medicine he prepped himself if you were to fall ill or injure yourself on your journey, where he wouldn't be able to tend to you. There's a mini handbook for it too, explaining the contents, its use, application and how frequent you can use it.

By this time, you must have remembered these homemade medicine by heart already, what with Tighnari lecturing you about them as frequently as he could. But the adorable notes together with the pressed flowers always had you smiling whenever you take it out.

There would also be a random flower well-preserved and sneakily tucked in to your bag, just to drive home how much he misses you and wants you to miss Sumeru enough to come back to them. Make sure to keep the flower safe and bring it back to him when you come back, the smile you receive when you ask him to make it into a bookmark is out of this world.

Tighnari also makes sure you bring enough rations to last you until you reach the next town, filling up your flask with cold water so you don't dehydrate. Sometimes, there'll be warm pita pockets in your bag freshly made by Collei just for you! Just make sure to eat them immediately or else it'll spoil in your bag.

Cyno, he... Well, there's a joke book there, what else do you expect? Well not exactly, more like a joke notepad that you're supposed to read strictly once a day! This is one of the reasons why your lover always asks the exact days that you'll be gone, and makes sure to prepare a joke a day for you to read, like a daily gospel of some sorts.

He wants to make you laugh even when he's not there, and so he makes sure to fill the pad with good material that will surely make you smile. However, unlike his usual jokes, these ones were more loving and yearning. Conveying the underlying desperation of him missing you as the days go by:

"If you were a criminal, I wouldn't have let you go." "You're going to Inazuma, right? Make sure to bring back some snacks, I've been laven-der melons from there." "I love you to the moon and back... But a shorter journey would be preferable."

It's very apparent to everyone around them that you're out of Sumeru for a while - not just because you're obviously not there, but with how they both are around each other more often than not.

Tighnari is quick to be irate, and the General tends to bury himself with Matra work, those days were hell for even minor offenders in the Akademiya. Tense air follows them like a Withering Zone manifests wherever they walk, and it is always a blessing whenever you're back home.

A few steps away from the Akademiya, Tighnari's ears straightened up and twitched suddenly, followed by Cyno's nose wrinkling in recognition. These footsteps and scent -

"Cyno! Tighnari!" The two in question cringed when you stumbled on your own two feet from running, clearly exhausted from the heavy gasps leaving your lungs. But you still made it over to them, hair in disarray and adventurer's uniform skewed here and there, with that smile they've been missing for a month now. "I'm back!"

Chuckling to themselves, Tighnari took the heavy bag off of you while Cyno made it his mission to pat your hair down. "How did your trip go?" And with each hand in their own, the three of you walked out of the city side-by-side, serious Cyno and strict Tighnari freely smiling as they listen to you excitedly rant about your adventure.

Two Sumeru big shots in love with a significant, remarkable, lovable adventurer.

No doubt about it.

I almost went wild and made a whole ass series for this. But no, I must not tempt fate. But damn, this fic is not enough to hold all my thoughts for this.

[ojamayellow]

Transformers Funnies [G1 Style]

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / ?

[transformers-synergize]

synergized traditional sketches

don't usually share this kinda stuff like this, but these turned out cute

[jacksprostate]

Things I won't forgive the fight club movie for regarding the character of Marla Singer, entry C:

The manic pixie dreamgirlification of her own struggle with life and death. The narrator gets to have a serious issue driving his alienation but Marla gets her cancer removed so her pithy statement about the tragedy of death being that she doesn't fall over dead randomly is just a bit Offbeat And Interesting And Edgy haha! She's a real tourist, really, nothing ever stated to be wrong about her. Sure she overdoses. Sure you can see she's got a shit life. But she doesn't get backstory. She doesn't get a life beyond fun little statements that, when her own reason for saying and thinking them is removed, mostly just reflect the narrator. In the book, it is very, very clear. Marla does what she does because she has cancer and is afraid of The Slow Death. The Wasting. The Struggle. By taking that away you even reduce her suicide attempt. It puts it all in this context of nothingness. Sure, you can assume a depth, but I don't think we should be uncritical about the fact that they chose to remove it. Marla Singer is more than an object that bothers the narrator out of the support groups and gets fucked by Tyler Durden. Marla Singer is a person in her own right in the book, and in the movie she's just... not.

[am-1-ty]

If I have to suffer with my lecture doodles then you have to :) behold!! Bored lecture doodles!!!

[modpoppy]

i never made pjo fanart heres some freeze frames from some tiktoks i made

[sparring-spirals]

oh. so. this dream and this vision and this exchange after and everything that has been building to here.

All that rage, all that desperation, Imogen's knowledge that Liliana's judgement is flawed and searching for any reason to understand, searching for a way to bring her out of it. Bring her back.

"Show me" and she does and.

Its- beautiful, its wonderful. Its the unmaking of the world and of history and it feels- so good. For a moment Imogen feels something she hasn't for YEARS. A life and a possibility and a future full of peace she hasnt had for ages, hasnt even bothered hoping for. For a moment, Imogen sees it, but more importantly- she feels it- the freedom, the peace, the dream. Stronger than any vision. She sees it. She feels it.

And she wakes up, and she- unknowingly, perfectly, mirrors her own mothers words, looks around, asks- did you see it? Did you all see that? (I wish you all could see what I could see-)

They didn't- of course they didn't. They saw Liliana, too far gone, spouting nonsense, they saw her reach out, they saw the refusal to listen to reason. They did not see the vision. (They couldn't have. Even if they'd seen it- would they have understood? How could they? No beautiful vision would have captured the thing that left the awe in Imogen's lungs- the peace. The freedom. The finality of, finally, finally, being free of this gift that has only been a curse.)

They didn't see the vision. They saw their friend, tapped on the forehead after hopeless pleas. They've been seeing their friend make further and further excuses for someone they know is a danger, someone siding with people they are working so hard against. That has hurt them. They've seen the way she can't quite denounce Liliana. They've hedged around it: If she's not on our side, will you be okay- You know if she's not on our side, we'll have to-

They've been watching. They're seeing plenty. They did not see the vision. They couldn't have.

They saw a fruitless conversation. They saw their friend rebuffed by someone she loves. They saw her wake up with a strange kind of light in her eyes and- say.

What if its not so bad? (The world ending. Half of the world being eaten. Innocent lives lost. Our loved ones cut down for a fever dream and delusions of power and grandeur. Us, cut down, for some stupid plot for a moon and petty revenge against the gods and a desire to end the world.) They've been watching her, make halfhearted arguments, sidle away. Make increasingly desperate excuses. Ask: What if.

(Its so easy to ask, what if. Its so dangerous. Sometimes the if is used to hide away lives and lives of collateral, of blood red loss. Sometimes the if has already been answered and paid for, and the act of asking is its own form of violence, all over again.)

"Well Imogen, I wish my family didn't have to die for her brighter tomorrow."

And the way Imogen collapses, a little- presses her face into her hands and crumples under the weight of the reminder, like voices piling in after weeks of being in blissful quiet in a forest. Like reality breaking in after a beautiful dream. "You're right. I'm sorry. You're right."

"I swear, I wanna see this through, I do."

"She just presented this vision of- it didn't seem so bad."

And the Bells try to help, to be kind. They say: We understand why this must be hard for you. She's someone you love, its hard to deal with them thinking a different way. What did you see?

They are trying so hard, to reason through it, to balance their own hurt with kindness and sound arguments to lead her back. They want so badly, to lead her back. Have her back.

The problem however, is not the soundness of the argument, is not the reason or the logic- but the overwhelming allure of that sensation- of that promise- of the hope- of the ideal. Of a mirage that already drew Liliana in. That is pulling Imogen's gaze, despite. Despite, despite, despite.

Hope is such a tricky thing to kill.

[coolzvillesuckz]

who's the one reflected in the mirror / is it me or you?

[swivelbot]

Car Chase Aftermath

[eeriansadowtwopointoh]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Chip Chase & Sunstreaker, Mirage & Sunstreaker Characters: Chip Chase, Sunstreaker (Transformers), Mirage (Transformers) Additional Tags: Post-War, Alternate Universe, Art, things that were lost Series: Part 9 of Sudden Art AU Summary:

“Wow, you made this?” Chip Chase rolled around the sculpture, eyes wide behind his glasses as he took in every detail he could.

[tacit-semantics]

Love how quickly the mirage turtles get sent to space like okay we’ve established our setting we’ve got the bare bones of our characters now for the love of god. Send those creatures To The Fucking Moon

[yostresswritinggirl]

Disaster - Chase The Mirage

pairing -> Cyno x Adventurer!Reader x Tighnari; poly

word count -> 2,490 words

themes -> injury, healing, angst with comfort, disliking scars

(masterlist) (next) Two Akademiya giants, infatuated and hooked to a simple adventurer from the Adventurer’s Guild. But their love is powerless in comparison to the danger you face daily.

It started off as any other normal day, and that was why Tighnari wasn't expecting anything.

There were no Withering emergencies he had to tend to, no adventurer dumb enough to bite another mushroom, no incidents in the patrol routes he'd assigned.

It was so peaceful and pleasant, so much so that when the rain suddenly poured as expected of the forest's unpredictable weather, it didn't bother him.

He embraced the petrichor, gazed at the droplets hitting his face like a soothing massage from nature. In the middle of Ghandarva Ville under the sky's shower, he had found peace with himself.

Which is why when his ears picked up the sound of familiar footsteps and saw the approach of his cloaked lover, he gave it no deeper thought, even throwing a smile.

It only fell when Cyno didn't smile back.

That was his first sign, and when the hairs on the back of his neck all stood, each warning became apparent from focus.

The persistent stench of something metallic despite no signs of injury on Cyno, the way his eyes were darkened even after he had pulled down his hood, and the last evidence he needed was the red stains under the general's nails.

He reads the singular word that moved his lips for the rain (and the ringing in his ears) blocked his ability to hear.

"Bismartan."

And he fled without waiting for him to follow.

It was only when he saw your unconscious form surrounded by doctors and healers did Cyno gave him the liberty of the truth.

There was a commission in the desert that you accepted, to accompany a Fontaine merchant group through the desert. At one point of the relatively safe journey, the caravan had to detour upon the sight of camping Eremites.

Past the ruin golem in the Valley of Dahri.

A child of a merchant couple strayed too far from the path in hopes of getting a closer view of the Khaenri'ah technology, and the moment he was in the vicinity, the golem identified its target and shot. In that moment, you pushed the kid out of golem's area of reach.

If not for the fact that he was stationed by Caravan Ribat by that time, he wouldn't have heard the full story.

He remembers seeing the caravan scrambling through the entryway, one merchant cradling a body covered in cloth, in a color that failed to hide the red seeping through. The commotion caused the Corps of Thirty and his entourage to check up on them.

"Please, where is the nearest hospital?! We're in an emergency!"

"What happened here? You don't look like you're from around here, and Bismartan is hours away."

The moment he lifted the cloth to see the damage, everything around him seized to exist.

He was shouting orders, taking you in his arms the next, and soon he found himself sprinting through the forest with the fastest merchant trying to catch up.

"I'm sorry." Tighnari's ears twitched, slowly raising his head from looking at the floor to Cyno.

"What are you saying sorry for?" But he knew why, he knew better than anyone.

You were in the desert, Cyno's territory. Long ago they've had an agreement to keep you safe whenever you crossed either of their territories, to look out for you when the other couldn't.

"For not being there." Looking ahead, the sound of the doctors and nurses scrambling inside became clearer, your breathing too if he would focus. Tighnari wanted to comfort Cyno, but right now all he wants is to close his eyes and forget everything.

Forget this reality.

Forget the world that dared to hurt you.

"It's not your fault."

But he desperately wants to blame someone.

A week had gone by before the doctors finally allowed Tighnari's insistence to discharge you for him to take care of in Ghandarva Ville. While you're not in critical condition anymore, you were still resting 24/7 due to the medicine sedating you.

The forest ranger felt more at ease having you near for him to tend to than to check up on you everyday, trekking through the forests just to reach Bismartan. In the comforts of his home, as he lays you on his bed where you'll be staying for the duration of your stay, he sighs a relief.

"Will they... be okay?"

Cyno turns away from the sight to look at the person peering through the entrance shyly, urging Collei to get inside after getting permission from the general. There they stood side by side, a respectable distance from where Tighnari was silently stroking your bandaged hand.

"They'll be okay." With a shaky sigh, he closed his eyes.

It isn't long before Ghandarva Ville fell into a new routine during your period of rest. Even tho Tighnari made himself as available as he could be, the forest rangers knew he would rather be in the headquarters than outside doing mindless patrols.

Rangers took more tasks, watchers started leading more, and Tighnari's workload easing up. Everyone can feel the unrest in the village but none dared speak up about it, not wanting to sour their chief's already stale mood. They can see it in the way his ears droop, his eyes twitch, his sighs ever so loud.

No matter how much he tries to deny it, he was teethering on the edge of sanity, irritable more than usual.

Cyno, the General Mahamatra, had also been sighted frequently. Unlike before when he'd only visit for important matters or for dinner, this time he was more present than ever before. Half of his time would be used to stay by the village with Collei, assisting in whatever way he could.

Rangers had the rare chance to witness Cyno clearing a Withering Zone by himself, and the many miracles after of him tending to forest ranger work. It wasn't long before they realized his intentions. He was taking up a part of his lover's work so he can focus on nursing you back to health.

Sometimes, if they don't see Cyno, it would be Tighnari out and about to keep the forest rangers together.

But after an incident where the Akademiya paid him visit on a day he was at his limit, the rangers started to appreciate Cyno's presence more when they watched their head forest watcher bare his teeth in warning.

Collei had also been pushing herself to her limits yet carefully maneuvering herself to not overwork to the point of bed rest. This wasn't her first time taking charge for Tighnari, but this was a time that she was needed the most.

Perhaps it was because she knew Master Tighnari and Lord Cyno best, knew that they needed the support more than anything, that she would go to great lengths to be there for them. Collei would be seen entering and exiting Tighnari's hut the most, either to fetch something or to send the reports the others may have.

Every time she leaves their head's dwelling, she would look a little nervous. But Collei would always shake her head and pat her cheeks, the determination quickly brightening her violet eyes as she walks away to her destination.

"This is the third time this week."

Cyno sighed after making sure you were sound asleep once again. Tighnari only sighed by his desk before his hand crumples up the letter he was writing.

The people of Sumeru do not dream, but despite hailing from a foreign land, nightmares won't stop plaguing your sleep. It was only recent that you've become more acquainted with the waking world due to the lowering of your dosage. And after a month, the trauma of the incident still follows you where they couldn't be of help.

Leaving a kiss to your forehead, Cyno made his way over to Tighnari who was starting a new letter.

"You've been here for too long." Leave it to the forest ranger to put things so bluntly. Even if Cyno knew he meant to talk about how he's needed by the Matra sooner than later, it still pained him.

"They can wait, (Y/N) needs us." His hand lands on his lover's shoulder, lightly squeezing it. "And so do you."

The quill in his hand fell from his grip, tainting the unfinished letter and the extra parchment underneath with dark splotches of ink. Tighnari can't even begin to describe what he's feeling right now but he knows he's been scared this whole time, something that Cyno had picked up long ago.

"I can't - I can't finish this letter." Cyno was quick to hold his trembling hand, squeezing it with reassurance before pulling him off the chair for a quick hug.

"I'll take care of it, go rest, I can see the bags under your eyes even in this lighting."

Only when he saw the forest watcher take his spot next to your resting form did he finally turn back towards the ruined table, cleaning up the mess, and picking up the quill. Hearing the soft snores of another did he finally sigh out heavily.

"I'm not sure if I could finish this either." But he starts the first stroke anyways, trying his best to steady his writing hand.

'Dear Uncle Cyrus,

may this letter find you well. There's something that you need to know...'

You can't help the shiver that wracks your entire body despite the fact that you've dealt with this everyday now. And every time, whoever it was between your lovers that spreads the cold aloe vera on your burns, would pause and ask if you were alright.

"I'm okay." You try your best to reassure them with a smile, but they would simply sigh and go back to spreading the balm.

It was like you woke up in a new world where your lovers were replaced. And while you'll never know what had transpired in the day of the accident and the period following up to your consciousness, it was undeniable that the damage wasn't just on you.

The critical injuries were tended to thanks to the vision wielder healers of Bismartan, yet the fact that almost every inch of your body was covered with bandages was testament that you didn't exactly escape scot-free.

Collei would look at the bandages with distant recognition, before assuring you with a bounced back smile that things will get better.

It will get better, it's just a matter of when.

Not just for your body, for yourself, for the itch of adventure - no. Slowly sitting up from your spot on the bed, your gaze wanders to the sleeping faces of your boyfriends. As gently as you could, you cup their cheeks to stroke at the darkening circles under their eyes.

They look so exhausted. Maybe more than you. Who knows what they've been through while you were gone?

"Don't worry about us, focus on your own recovery."

For every pain that shot through your body, there would always be a soothing presence by your side.

For every trip or stumble, a guiding hand immediately steadies you.

So you try your best to smile through it, anything to give back and reassure your lovers that things are going as well as they could. That the nightmares don't bother you, that the uneventful days doesn't eat away at your sanity.

But Cyno and Tighnari are your lovers for a reason.

As you stand in front of the full body mirror, bandages removed to be replaced soon, they do not miss the way your eyes linger on every glaring red patch of skin. Look so distant as your eyes roamed your form riddled with the scars of your sacrifice.

Do you regret your decisions?

As Cyno urges you away to shower, Tighnari picks up the mirror to tuck it away in a corner that you won't have to see.

And then one morning, as you were stretching by Ghandarva Ville with Collei to get rid of your bed cramps and for her to alleviate her Eleazar, familiar visitors passed by looking for you.

You willed yourself to breathe as you watched the Fontaine kid hesitantly take steps towards you, eyes unwilling to meet yours but still trying his best to brave the distance. Cyno and Tighnari weren't there at that time, weren't there when the parents of the kid you saved came all this way to thank you.

"We wanted to thank you for saving our child that day, but we weren't sure where to find you until recently."

How you didn't see this before when he was definitely smaller baffled you, but you were surprised when the kid pulled out a bouquet of pink tulips from behind him. "Thank you for saving me, and I'm also very sorry..."

Get well soon, taking the flowers in your arms, you knelt down to be at eye level with the child. He was pulling the beret down to hide his face which made you smile.

"Thank you, I'm glad you're not hurt." When you do catch a glimpse of his stare, you followed it to a scar on your arm formed by a cut from flying debris. "Those are my battle scars."

"Huh?" Thankfully it was fully healed and in the scarring phase. Pulling your sleeves to show the scar, you traced the discoloration almost lovingly.

"Adventurers always take on dangers to help people, did you know that?" The way his hair bounced as he shook his head yes was endearing. "We get scars all the time, and this one right here, is my scar for successfully saving you. This is proof of me doing a good job and I'm proud of it."

Smiling at the kid, you ruffled his hair with the beret, his mood brightening at your words. More words were exchanged as you asked the boy to be more careful, and to stay safe now that they're leaving Sumeru for another region.

Cyno and Tighnari were surprised to see you outside and waving at someone in the distance, a fulfilled smile on your face as you hugged the bouquet tightly, the dark blue beret on your head almost slipping off.

"And where do you think you're going?"

You had just finished tying your boots up when Tighnari came in the hut, staring at your green and white uniform with obvious distaste. When you reached for the beret instead of the standard adventurer's hat however, it was swept away by Cyno and out of your reach.

"Hey, I need that!"

"Just because you're fully recovered doesn't mean you can go straight back to work." Confused, you heard the shutters of the hut close as Cyno pulls your tie loose. "What if you're not fit to work yet?"

"But you've been monitoring me for a week now, I'm in good condition! H-Hey, wait a minute-!"

The next day, Collei watched you exit Tighnari's hut with shaky legs, huffing and groaning about the soreness preventing you from doing commissions.

You're not fit to work yet, it seems. Especially when your boyfriends now have the liberty to be as clingy as possible.

I'll be honest with you, I had no idea where this was going. But also fun fact, this chapter was referenced in the first one!

@ireallylikehamsters

[saccharine-arts]

I know those eyes, following me Dark and familiar, and deep as the sea I know that face, strange though it seems Younger and kinder, it haunts all my dreams

Thinking about the Count of Monte Cristo Musical lately... it’s so so good. Painted my gothic hero-inspired character Corvus as Edmund Dantes

[yellowhollyhock]

in mirage when they get into a car chase and April is upset about people getting hurt

And Leo's like 'hey now let's not forget who started this thing. we didn't do anything wrong'

(it was the police chasing them)

[theorangedead]

Watched Transformers: Rise of the Beasts tonight and Mirage said fucking ACAB

Anyway I enjoyed the movie and was pleasantly surprised