#genshin ogura

[moxie-girl]

genshin npcs vs twitter part 2

[genshinimpactresources]

Genshin Impact | Featured Illustrations: Chiori

Artist: obbs_spl

Download Link (Google Drive)

[transxiao]

"The Battle to Transform My Image"

Story and reviews under cut. From the Tales of the Youkai web event.

You write a story about Oni horns...

Are you worried about the discoloration of Oni horns due to wind and sun? Would you like to know what colors are fashionable for Oni horns? Welcome to our little shop, for all your Oni horn-related needs! We'll help you achieve the perfect image and the best version of you!

A very unique fashion perspective! Maybe I should consider desiging clothes for the youkai? - Ogura Mio

You write a story about human relations...

The protagonist, who isn't very good with words, is hesitating with how to deal with the enthusiastic shop assistants. At that moment, came a self-proclaimed "socializing assistant"! Even though the way he resolved the awkward situation was a bit over the top, the protagonist still accepted the invitation to his social interaction class. In the company of this strange teacher, interacting with people seems to become more fun and interesting...

What an interesting story. But there are some exafferated communiction techniques in this book that you should never try in real life... - Kuki Shinobu

[commonfate]

Furina & Nahida, Thoma & Xiangling, Shenhe & Childe, Chiori & Ogura Mio, Freminet & Keqing, Bennett & Klee & Mika & Noelle, Neuvillette & Yanfei, Raiden Shogun & Venti | G | 1k

They are both new to this place. When lightning strikes like a bolt of anger from the heavens, Furina nearly jumps out of her skin. ‘The sea level isn’t rising, is it? Is it!?’ Furina gasps, running toward the shore of Seirai Island. Nahida leaps and hops in order to keep up with her.

Support me on ko-fi!

[sleepinglionhearts]

Love your art (always)!!! Do you have a backstory/bio for the dark haired anemo catalyst user in your new post? They look so cute/cool! :00

Hello, anon! Thank u for asking!

I think I've posted briefly before about Jun here, but it was part of an ask game and I didn't give his entire backstory (or what I've come up with, anyway, ehe)

He is Jun Ogura, from Inazuma, and has been living in Liyue for quite some time as of late. He is strange man, of a friendly enough attitude, but a cold and ruthless nature.

Was at one point a relatively sweet young man and oldest son in a merchant family. He gained his vision when trying to save the person he loved most from falling to the abyss, but he did not know how to use it and so failed to recover them. He has a grudge against the archons over this and is out for revenge... and the desperate want to become powerful enough to find and rescue his darling.

His despair and pain over his own failure to save them and his desire for vengeance seem to have afflicted him with some sort of immortality - he himself does not know if this is a blessing or a curse: he now has plenty of time to become strong, hunt down and challenge the archons but he is also very certain that as the years have passed, so too has the lover he was so determined to find and rescue.

(Not that he would know it, but that very same love he is missing so much is afflicted with their own curse and mysteriously long life - but that's @reddish-yellowish 's tale to tell as that is HER oc ehehe.)

Kinda got kicked out of Inazuma for some (he'll call it petty) disagreements (read: murder attempts) with the archon there, but this will only be important much later.

He speaks politely, quietly and with a low voice, and just LOVES to talk during combat. A cruel catalyst user who carries a few knives on his person and prefers to get close to his opponent and chat while he cuts them up. Has a tendency to suddenly become aggressive but back off if bored or his attention is caught by something, but is by no means lazy or foolish enough to lose track of his opponent. Good in one on one fights but starts to lose advantage in big groups.

A wanderer who has decided to stay in Liyue for some time and has recently become intrigued by the strange Traveler and their mysterious little floating companion. Makes them both very uncomfortable. Also makes that odd redheaded fatui boy who calls himself a harbinger uncomfortable, and finds it vastly amusing. Will later decide to accompany the Traveler to Inazuma because he has decided he likes them and they make for good fun and less boredom, but also to stir up some trouble because that's just what he likes to do :)

Oh, don't worry, spending time around the Traveler will be good for him. He'll start to change for the better. Become a little more domesticated.

It's not the most detailed or nice backstory, but it's what I've got for him right now. ♡

[npcdoodles]

original picture

[blissfullyapillow]

A beauty that transcends the Sakura Blooms

A beauty that transcends the Sakura Blooms

Genshin Impact

Kamisato Ayato x female reader

wc: 10,128~

Notes: fluff with spice because that’s my special formula (lmao), self indulgent (at this point what isn’t?), black/mixed reader, reader is mentioned to have small hands, reader is eluded to be shorter than Ayato, I wrote this inspired by a tiktok I saw talking about how black readers are typically portrayed in fanfics lol, self love is an avenue to personal growth and new opportunities <3 

Back to Main Masterlist

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Living a peaceful life as a black individual in Teyvat is easier said than done. Being black is not the only part of my ethnicity, but my skin color and black identity is the first and most essential aspect of myself that others see first. 

I’ve traveled to many nations, and the piercing stares have become the norm for me. It makes blending in difficult, but over time I’ve come into my own and developed my self esteem, so I no longer care for the curious glances in my direction. 

Although, having self confidence doesn’t make the insensitive questions any easier to hear. People have asked me, “Why is your skin color brown?” or “Why is your hair like that?” I’ve even heard people make passing comments like, “I’m surprised her hair isn’t braided” and “Oh my, her skin is so exotic, I want to touch her hair.” One of the most interesting comments I’ve received was, “Wow, your lips are so full. I’ve never kissed a woman with full lips before. How about you be my first?” 

…

I think that one speaks for itself. 

I shake my head as I focus my attention on the task at hand. Currently, I’m in Inazuma browsing through the various dyes at Ogura Textiles & Kimonos. I tend to buy dyes, kimonos, and high end silks from Ogura Mio, the shop owner. 

The first time I stopped by to find materials for my next project, I overheard her talking about “new” dyes with a blonde traveler and floaty.. thing. 

After the interesting duo left I asked her if I could try one of her “new” dyes, but she refused. I convinced her by agreeing to trade silk flowers from Liyue, since at that time the sakoku decree was still in effect which put a strain on outsourcing. She agreed to this trade deal, and ever since then I’ve been a regular with my usual haul of silk flowers. 

“Oh, Name! You’re back! I have a new dye to show you and- oh Name, how many times do I have to tell you I don’t need you to bring me silk flowers anymore?” Ogura scolds me like an old friend, but she gratefully takes the flowers from my small hands. In return, she completes our usual exchange with a new batch of her experimental dyes. 

I spot a beautiful hue of blue in the pile, and I’m sure my face reflects my obvious excitement. “Do you need any silks? You’re my only customer who gets a special discount, so make sure to put it to use!” I eagerly eye the new silks Ogura has in stock, and I pick out a natural white shade of silk. I make sure to get a feel for the silk before purchasing it, and I thank Ogura for her dyes and her business. 

“No worries Name, we’re friends, you know. Now, let me know how the dye turns out so I can…” Ogura’s eyes widen like saucers, and her voice comically dies mid sentence. I snort at her expression and open my mouth to tease her, but before the words can escape my lips a voice from behind interrupts me.

“My, it certainly seems business is booming for you.” Wait a minute.

My eyes widen as I make eye contact with Ogura. She raises her eyebrows in shock before she fixes her expression to be less comical. As she addresses the man behind me I feel my heart skip more than a few beats.

There’s no way she’s talking to the person I think it is, right?

I hold my breath before I slowly turn my body to glance at the man. His light blue hair reflects the beaming sun above us as his eyes roam over the various silks and dyes offered by Ogura. I almost can’t believe my luck. The esteemed Kamisato Ayato, or Lord as I should say, is here in the flesh. My cheeks flush as I gratefully take in his natural beauty.

Ayato turns to look at the kimonos, and his purple eyes temporarily meet mine. My cheeks instantly heat up as I freeze in place. I notice the soft chuckle he lets out as he sends a wink in my direction before his eyes return to their previous target. 

Oh, my heart.

I silently will myself to calm down and stop being so awkward when Ayato speaks up. “Would it be alright if I request a custom order?” Ayato’s question shocks not only the shop owner but me as well. 

Ogura, you’re so lucky!

Ogura looks a bit conflicted as she ponders her answer. “I’d love to, but I already have a lot of custom orders for the upcoming festival. I can do a custom order for you, but it may take a bit longer than you’d like Lord Kamisato.” Ogura apologetically bows, but Ayato’s small smile remains on his pretty lips. “It’s alright, no worries.” His simple response dictates the end of the conversation. 

Ogura looks remorseful as I watch her mind work a mile a minute. Her eyes scan the faces of people out and about before they land on me, and her eyes light up.

Oh no. No.

My palms sweat as I aggressively shake my head ‘no’ at her, but she dismisses my concerns. “Lord Kamisato, if you’re interested I know a friend who can fulfill your custom order with the finest of silks. Actually, she just bought silks that I’m sure will suit your tastes.” My feet are rooted to the spot as Ayato takes great interest in her words. “Oh? I’d be delighted to meet them.” With that, I turn on my heel in an attempt to make a break for it.

Ogura knows me all too well and is one step ahead, as I feel her arm link with mine as she all but drags me back to her shop, right in front of Kamisato Ayato- or well, Lord Ayato- no wait, Lord Kamisato. My eyes nervously trail over his elegant clothes until they meet his eyes. My observations were brief, but his clothing seems like a fusion of traditional Inazuma clothing and a suit, an item of clothing I’ve seen on my travels to other nations. 

Ayato smiles gratefully in my direction, and he moves a bit closer to study the silk and dye in my arms. I feel flustered with his body so close to mine. I try to calm my rapid, pounding heart with subtle deep breaths. “Ah, I see. Yes, this silk will do, and the dyes look splendid. Of course, this is all only if you are willing to accept my commission…” Ayato looks at a loss for words as his eyes suddenly look into mine, silently asking for my name, and I hope my nerves aren’t as obvious as they feel. I open my mouth to offer my name, but my nerves hinder my ability to respond.

“Name!” Ogura offers my name for me, and Ayato’s eyes shine with a mischievous glint. 

Hmm, what is this man planning?

“Ah, I see. Well Name, it would be my honor if you accept my custom commission.” Ayato ceremoniously bows in front of me, and some onlookers look at us in awe. I feel embarrassed and way more elated than I should. 

It takes me a moment to respond, but once I do I nod my head in compliance. He curiously tilts his head, no doubt wanting verbal confirmation, and I swear to the Archons if this isn’t the one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen I’ll personally confiscate my vision. 

“Yes! The honor would be mind, Lord Aya- Lord Kamisato!” I embarrassingly correct myself quickly, and bow my head so he can’t see my flushed cheeks. It’s silent for a moment, and I don’t dare raise my head. Ayato’s sweet laughter cuts through the awkward atmosphere, and Ogura isn’t far behind as her own laughter reaches my ears. 

I slowly raise my head and admire the beautiful expression of joy on Ayato’s pretty features. His melodious laughter gradually calms before his eyes gleam in amusement. “Name, you’re an interesting individual. Thank you for accepting my commission. I will reward you with a generous amount Mora once the commission is complete.” In an unexpected action, Ayato moves closer to me and extends one of his partially gloved hands in my direction.

I watch with intense rapture as Ayato gently holds my free hand in his. Ayato gently leans down to press a chaste kiss against the back of my hand, and Archons know it’s taking every fiber of my being not to show how flustered his actions are making me feel. 

My eyes catch Ogura’s wide ones, and although her eyes express shock she’s quick to change her tune and give me two cheeky thumbs up. 

I giggle at that. 

Ayato raises his head to look into my eyes and I admire the resolve that I see swirl within his mesmerizing orbs. 

“Thank you, Name. If you don’t mind, would you accompany me to the Kamisato Estate? Time is of the essence, after all.” Ayato’s words ooze refined elegance and charm, and I find myself agreeing with his words instead of denying his request like I want to.

It’s not like I don’t want to go to the Kamisato Estate, but this is all so sudden! THE Kamisato Ayato is in front of me right now, smiling and actually talking to me, and he even kissed my hand!

In all honesty, I expected him to dismiss me once his eyes roamed my figure. I thought he would turn his head away in disgust as he inevitably looked elsewhere for a commission from someone with a lighter skin tone. 

“Wonderful. If you’ll excuse us, Miss Ogura. Thank you for your business and for the delightful referral.” After a swift exchange of bows between Ayato and Ogura, Ayato leads me to the infamous Kamisato Estate. 

As I pass Ogura I mouth my thanks. I also use the opportunity to express my shock with what I’m sure is an incredulous look on my face.

She simply sends a wink in my direction with a silent “good luck” in reply.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

The trip to the Kamisato Estate is a leisurely one, and this is reflected in the hues of orange and purple displayed with the setting sun. The scenery around us is bathed in a beautiful golden glow, and I admire the golden rays' majestic glow on my skin.

I have to admit, my arms are getting a bit tired from holding all of my materials. Despite this, I refuse to voice my concerns to the Lord mere inches ahead of me. “Name, are your arms tired? I can hold your silks and dyes for you.” My head shoots up to look at Ayato in pure disbelief. 

Ayato chuckles at my expression as I scramble for a reply. “...Can you read minds?” I cautiously pose my question. Ayato blinks owlishly at me for a moment before his melodic laughter graces my ears yet again.

He wordlessly removes the materials from my tired hands, making sure to take it slow in case I rather keep my things to myself. I let him remove the silks and dye from my arms with no resistance. “Thank you, Aya- Lord Kamisato.” I graciously voice my appreciation. Ayato hums to himself for a moment before he voices another question. “Name, what’s your first and last name?” I feel my cheeks warm and I hope he isn’t getting ready to scold me for being improper. Maybe I should start referring to him as Lord Kamisato in my mind so I stop slipping up when I talk to him.

I make sure to speak up before I’m silent for too long. “Name L/N.” I reply. I carefully watch his expression, and it morphs into one of genuine intrigue. “Ah, I see. Such a lovely name for a charming lady such as yourself. Name, if it’s alright with you, may I continue to call you Name? I happen to like how it sounds.” Ayato’s genuine compliment fills me with joy. I’m glad he seems to be accepting of my unexpected last name rather than close minded..

“Of course! I apologize for slipping up with my formalities, Lord Kamisato. It’s very rude of me.” I bashfully apologize to Ayato as I make sure to keep pace with him by his side. Ayato thoughtfully looks off in the distance, and I follow his gaze to what I’m sure is the Kamisato Estate. 

Ayato speaks up, and when I turn to look at him his intense gaze makes it hard for me to look away. “Normally that would be considered rude, but since I’ve been referring to you by your first name all this time I believe it is only right that you refer to me by mine. You may call me Lord Ayato if you wish, but Ayato is just fine.” My jaw drops as I lose my footing, and Ayato is quick to reach a hand out to steady me before I eat dirt. 

Literally.

I quickly regain my balance. Once I’ve steadied myself, I notice that Ayato skillfully maneuvered all of my materials to his other arm in order to catch me before I fell. 

I also notice that Ayato still hasn’t let go of my arm. 

I feel his eyes on me as I attempt to control my erratic breathing from my near fall. “Sorry.” I mumble. “No worries. Although, I think it’d be wise if I continue to hold onto you. We can’t have you almost falling again.” I look on curiously, wondering what he means by that, and a feeling of bliss explodes in my chest as his gloved hand slowly trails down my arm until they rest against the back of my empty hand.

His hand moves to intertwine with mine. He begins walking again, so I have no choice but to follow. I intently stare at our intertwined hands for the remaining duration of our walk.

I fail to quell the incessant flame that colors my cheeks red. I can only hope he doesn’t catch sight of my burning cheeks.

Although I’m beyond elated at this turn of events, it’s hard for me to believe Ayato doesn’t have any ulterior motives behind his actions. Ayato not only accepted a commission from someone whose skills he knows little about, but he kissed my hand and invited me to the Kamisato Estate, all on day one. On top of that, he’s allowing me to call him by first name.

What is this? A fanfic?

I let that absurd thought leave my mind as Ayato and I finally reach the Kamisato Estate. 

Hopefully I can get answers as I complete Ayato’s commission.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

“Ah, milord! You’re back. Just in time for dinner- oh? Who’s this?” I look at the cheerful blonde man in front of me, and his welcoming energy helps to ease the tension in my muscles.

“Ah, Thoma. Thank you, I’ve found someone to fulfill that commission I mentioned to you earlier.” Ayato looks at me in lieu of gesturing in my direction as both of his hands are occupied. For some reason, we’re still holding hands as he has yet to let go.

Thoma, supposedly the cheerful blonde man in front of us, catches sight of our intertwined hands as his eyes glance in my direction. 

A spark of recognition flashes in his eyes, and he sends a dazzling smile in my direction. “Oh, welcome! Since you’re here, why don’t you join us for dinner? Lucky for you, I made extra today.” Thoma’s smile dispels any anxious thoughts I would have, although his recognition doesn’t escape my watchful eyes. 

“Thank you Thoma.” I smile at him, and Thoma returns my smile with a cute laugh. “Well, if you’ll excuse us.” Ayato leads me away, and I wave a temporary farewell to Thoma as I’m guided through the halls of the Kamisato Estate until Ayato leads me into an empty room. 

I gasp as I take in the beautiful interior design of the room. Ayato slowly lets go of my hand as he sets my materials down on a lengthy table in the center of the room. “I apologize for bringing you here so suddenly, but I’d appreciate it if this commission was completed sooner rather than later. If it is alright with you, my retainers can arrange a change of clothes and a bath for you. You may stay in this room for as long as you wish, but I ask that you reside here in the Estate as you work on your commission. That way, you can take all the measurements you need and make adjustments with ease as you progress.” As Ayato relays this information to me, I admire his form as he sits down on the floor below.

I follow suit and sit down across from him. His watchful eyes observe my form.“Of course, I understand. This is honestly a lot, but I’m really thankful for this opportunity so… Thank you. Although, I am curious since you have yet to tell me, and I hope you don’t mind answering.. What exactly do you want me to commission for you?” I curiously eye him, and his calculating gaze catches my interest. 

“Well, I’d like to commission a kimono from you, for myself. I hope that is acceptable.” My eyes widen in surprise, and a giddy giggle slips past my lips before I can stop it. No way! I can finally make a kimono for someone other than my small group of friends, and I’m getting paid for it! 

Wait, before all of that..

“Ayato- I mean, Lord Ayato… um, sorry. I want to ask you another question.” His eyes prompt me to continue, and so I do. “It seems as if Thoma knew something unspoken when you mentioned why I’m here, and your kindness towards me doesn’t make sense at all, considering I should be a complete stranger to you.” Ayato’s eyes glint, and he seems impressed by my astute observations.

“Well done, Name. I’m impressed. Those questions all have an answer, and in due time those answers will be revealed to you. I will return to this room to give you my measurements tomorrow, although if you’d like to begin earlier we may start after dinner.” With that, Ayato stands, but not before he gently brushes his hand against a wayward strand of my hair. 

I’m glad he turns away so he can’t see the goofy grin on my face.

I watch his graceful form leave the room, and I will my heart to slow its rapid march.

Almost immediately after he leaves I hear someone knock before they enter the room. It’s one of Ayato’s retainers, and I’m quickly whisked away for a bath and a comfortable change of clothes. Mere moments later, I find myself seated beside Ayato, Thoma, and Lady Ayaka for dinner.

I don’t even know where to begin, but my addled brain and hungry stomach can only muster enough energy to enjoy the delicious food before me, courtesy of Thoma’s skillful hands.

 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

I approach Ayato privately after dinner and tell him to meet me in my room. His eyebrows raise and a tease smirk settles on his luscious lips. I realize my mistake, so I quickly backtrack before he can tease me about my suggestive choice of words.

Although, I wouldn’t mind being suggestive with the head of the Kamisato Clan.

Okay, I’m getting way too ahead of myself. 

With minimal teasing on Ayato’s end, I lead him to my temporary room. 

I’m elated when I return to my room to see measuring tape and all the necessary materials I need neatly organized across the center table. “Alright then Mr. Kamisato, are you ready for this?” My confidence finally presents itself as I’m now in my element, ready to get to work.

Ayato chuckles in amusement as he dutifully follows my instructions.

 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

I have to admit, being close to Ayato like this in nothing but his undergarments is really doing things to me. I know I need to be professional right now, so although I want to admire his physique I focus my attention on acquiring the numbers I need to work on his commission.

It isn’t long before I finish, quite used to this process and Ayato was pleasantly still for me. 

I raise myself up after measuring the length of his legs, and I ask if it’s okay if I finish off by measuring his bust and waist. As I gauge his reaction, I’m blessed with the sight of his flushed cheeks. A rare sight, I’m sure.

Ayato awkwardly coughs before he nods, giving me the go ahead. I cautiously move in closer in case he wants to back out.

That time never comes, and it isn’t long before I’m finished with everything. “All right Ayato, you can get dressed again-” A muffled sound of surprise escapes me when I accidentally slip on the measuring tape whose length reaches the floor below.

I stumble back into Ayato, and I feel his firm chest against my back as his arms wrap around my frame to steady me. “You appear to be quite the klutz, Name.” I abhor the laughter I can hear in his voice, so I turn around to refute his accurate claim. “For your information, Lord Ayato, I’m sleepy and tired right now. I know you need this commission finished as soon as possible so I wanted to get your measurements tonight, but that doesn’t mean I…” My words get caught in my throat when my eyes raise to catch a glimpse of his face.

His purple eyes are burning flames as they travel across the expanse of my face, and I hate how ecstatic I feel as his eyes trail a bit lower, before returning to my face. “You perv, what are you looking at?” I mumble. Ayato hums, and I have to tear my eyes away from his intense stare. “Name, you’re the one fully clothed. If anything, you’re the perv. You were awfully close to my waist you know? You even had your hands all over my person.” I chuckle in disbelief at Ayato’s choice of words.

Ayato laughs at my befuddled expression, and he pulls me in closer. I relish the feeling of his warm skin against me as I close my eyes in content. 

I know I should pull away and conduct myself in a professional manner, but… this feels nice.

Ayato’s laughter dies down after a few moments, and a comfortable silence envelops us. I keep my eyes shut, unintentionally drifting off to sleep. “Name?” Ayato's husky voice simultaneously arouses me and makes me sleepier. “Hm?” I softly reply. 

He’s silent, and I can feel the rise and fall of his chest against my own. Soon, I really am on the verge of being lulled to sleep. I feel his body shift against me, and soon his arms are around me as his breath fans against the shell of my ear. 

“Thank you for your accommodating attitude, Name. May the Shogun bless you with dreams that reflect the beauty of the sakura blooms.” I swear he presses a kiss to my ear before he pulls away and carries me to the bed. 

Butterflies soar the open skies of my thumping heart, and in a breathless whisper his name falls from my lips.

I feel the way Ayato’s body stiffens, so I slowly open my eyes.

His purple orbs hold a softness I formerly believed they were incapable of holding, and in one swift movement he sets me down on my bed. “Rest well Name, I shall visit you in the morning.” I stare into his eyes, and almost as if we can read the other’s thoughts, we both lean towards the other.

I abruptly stop moving, surprised by my own actions. What has gotten into me? I don’t know this man, I know of him and his reputation, but not him. There’s no need to be hasty here, and in the first place I shouldn’t be thinking about my employer like this.

Ayato watches my movements with hooded eyes, and it seems he has an inkling of what my current thoughts are. He slowly leans forward to press a gentle kiss against my forehead. His hand hovers over my head, but he withdraws it before he whispers a cordial “goodnight” before he moves away. 

I shut my eyes as he dresses himself, and I hear his soft footsteps as he leaves.

It isn’t long before I drift off to sleep with more questions than answers and conflicting feelings fluttering around in my chest. 

Unbeknownst to me, Ayato was pressed up against the nearest wall outside, flushed  cheeks covered by his pretty hands. His closed eyes concealed the whirlwind of emotions that blew the soft petals of sakura blooms into the welcoming winds of his heart.

 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

I had a surprisingly refreshing rest, and my dreams were unexpectedly sweet. Of course a certain blue haired lord was at the center of my dreams, but I think I’ll keep that tidbit to myself. 

My morning is more or less uneventful, as the same retainer from before brings me a change of clothes along with breakfast. It isn’t long before I continue working on Ayato’s kimono.

I ask the retainer if I can see Ayato whenever he is available, and the retainer dutifully leaves to deliver my message. Minutes later, Ayato knocks before entering my room.

“Oh! You’re here earlier than I expected. I won’t take much of your time. I just wanted to know what your favorite color is.” I wait for his response to reach my ears as I mull over the array of dyes I have to choose between, including the ‘new’ blue dye I acquired from Ogura. 

“You’re my favorite color.” My head shoots up and my ears pound as I take in Ayato’s fond expression that’s blatantly directed at me. He moves to sit beside me, and he carefully observes the array of dyes spread out before us. 

I heard that incorrectly, right?

It isn’t long before Ayato hands me the dye of his choice, and of course it’s the ‘new’ blue dye I picked out with Ogura. He picks a second option, an elegant deep hue of purple that graces my eyes. “Ooh, I can work with this! Thanks, Ayato. I know you’re busy so you can leave now. I’m going to get to work.” With that, I begin to work on Ayato’s Kimono.

He stays for a while and watches the process before he stands up to leave, wishing me a pleasant farwell. I finally let out the breath I was holding as my face explodes in a beautiful burst of red.

I would’ve believed I heard his earlier statement incorrectly if he hadn’t whispered the words again in my ear, flustering me all over again.

 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Three hours of peace pass before I hear another knock. I place my work in progress down on the table as I stand up and stretch. I voice a greeting, and lo and behold Ayato walks through the door with a stack of papers in his hands. 

As I stretch my legs I watch him walk into the room with obvious intrigue. He wordlessly makes his way over to the lengthy table I was previously working at. He sets his paperwork down on it before he joins me in stretching. I eye the way his arms stretch above his head, and the satisfied sigh that escapes those pretty lips as his stretch comes to a conclusion.

I admire him for a moment longer before his eyes flutter open, and I quickly avert my gaze in hopes of not getting caught staring. I finish my stretch before I return to the table, but not without catching Ayato's knowing smirk as I walk past him.

Ugh, whatever. 

Once I’m comfortable I continue where I left off. Ayato sits himself down beside me. It takes a moment, but Ayato takes a single sheet of paper from the large pile of papers he brought in. He sits up as he carefully reads it over, pen in hand. 

I come to the sudden realization that he brought all of his paperwork with him to visit me; He fully intends to do his paperwork beside me as I work on his kimono. 

I ignore the flip of joy my heart does as I focus my attention on completing Ayato’s commission.

I pretend I don’t notice the way Ayato subtly moves closer to me.

 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

I allow a yawn to escape as I safely store my work in progress. Ayato only has a paper or two left to sign, and I’ve made decent headway on his kimono. I have to say I adore the contrast of the beautiful blue hue to the natural white silk of the kimono. I’m taking creative liberty with the design, so it’s taking me a bit longer than anticipated to precisely sew intricate blue camellias along the kimono. 

Despite the intricacy of the design I’m sewing, it should only take another measly two hours to finish, three at most. Actually, I should relay this information to Ayato. 

I turn around to do just that, but I wind up staring at Ayato as he reads the words on the paper in front of him. His brows are furrowed, and whatever’s written on the paper is clearly causing an internal dilemma for him. 

Okay, I’m a bit curious..

I return to my previous position beside Ayato, and I sit down beside him. He doesn’t say anything, but one of his hands gently reaches over to rest on top of mine. I ignore how delightful his hand feels on mine in favor of stealing a nosy glance at the paper he’s reading.

I catch a glimpse of the word ‘marriage’ and I abruptly look away. 

Marriage was not the word I expected to see. I feel my cheeks burn as I imagine this isn’t the first time Ayato’s received a letter like that. Why did I think for even a moment that- “Name, I apologize to ask this of you after you graciously agreed to my previous request, but may I ask something else of you?” I feel Ayato’s hand gently curl around mine, and although I know I should pull my hand away I curl mine around his in reciprocation. 

“Yes, you may.” Is my verbal response. I study Ayato’s handsome features, and I take joy in the noticeable way his eyes soften at the sound of my voice. “I originally needed a Kimono for the upcoming festival, but now there seems to be a delightful change in plans, if you will permit.” My eyebrows raise in curiosity, and as a prompt for him to continue. 

Ayato smooths a gloved thumb over the back of my hand, and I watch as he clearly contemplates his next words.

“To be frank, I’m quite tired of all these marriage proposals, and it just so happens a suitable candidate is already by my side. So, if you would do me the honor..”

My mind struggles to process Ayato’s words as he turns his body to face me, and he tenderly grapes both of my hands in his. 

Bashful doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel. I avert my eyes so I don't fall prey to his captivating features, especially his stupid beauty mark.

Ayato leans in close to my ear to whisper against it, “Name, look at me.” I take a steadying breath before obliging his request, and the emotion that swirls in his eyes inadvertently makes me squeeze his hands. He squeezes mine back before he finally voices his additional request.

“Would you do me the honor of being my wife?” My entire body explodes and I’m sure I’m unfortunately as red as a shiny red apple. Ayato studies my reaction for a moment before he bursts into laughter. My heart sinks, thinking he’s toying with me, but before I can remove my hands from his he tightens his grip on my hands as he pulls me against him.

I let out a yelp of surprise as I fall against him. He laughs as his arms wrap me in a hug. “Pardon my bad manners, but your face was utterly adorable. Yes, I want you to be my wife, but only for the night. If rumors circulate about me having a fiance, these pesky proposals will all but disappear from the incessant pile of paperwork I must look over.” 

I contemplate his words, and although the word ‘temporary’ and the fact he is indirectly using me leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, I decide to agree on one condition. “I’ll be your ‘fiance’ under the condition that you tell me the real reason you asked me of all people to sew your kimono.” I look up to see the way Ayato’s eyes reflect genuine excitement and subtle surprise. 

“My, insistent aren’t you? Alright, I agree to those terms.” Ayato loosens his hold on me, giving me the opportunity to escape his arms if I should choose. I remain in his arms and lean my head against his chest. Ayato hums a tune to himself as he holds me against him. 

“I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise to you if I say I may have had some… influence on how we met.” My eyes widen, and my heart pounds against my chest. I honestly suspected as much, as things had gone a little too smoothly with someone as high caliber as the head of the Yashiro Commission. 

“I will mention I’ve seen sparse glances of you around Inazuma, and you have piqued my interest. Not for the ill intent you may be thinking, I assure you, but for other reasons I do not wish to divulge. Not today, at least.” I can’t help but giggle a little at how sheepish that last sentence sounded, and Ayato awkwardly coughs to cover up what I’m sure is a bit of embarrassment.

“Regardless, I have been eager to get to know you personally, and our meeting at Ogura Textiles and Kimonos was just a wonderful event ordained by fate. Does this answer satisfy your curiosity?” Ayato slowly runs a hand along my back as he waits for my response. 

Honestly, it does, but I still have one question. “Why did you want to get to know me?” My words come out a little strained, and I hope he doesn’t question it. As much as I’ve enjoyed my time at the Kamisato Estate, I would hate to realize a man of such power only intended to use me. I’ve endured enough mistreatment from others already.

“Oh dear, it seems I’ve only managed to distress you instead of alleviate your concerns. Alright then, I’ll be completely transparent with you.” Ayato gently places his hands on my shoulders before he slowly pulls me back to look at him. I tentatively look into his elegant purple orbs as he speaks. 

“Do you recall a kimono you sold through Ogura? A furisode kimono with a Same Komon pattern?” I quickly rack my brain. 

A furisode kimono? I previously sold some of my designs through Ogura, which she gave me the mora for, just to see how well my designs would be perceived with the people of Inazuma. Fortunately, they sold out rather quickly, and one of the customers was a sweet young lady who returned to Ogura Textiles and Kimonos just to relay her thanks. 

Oh, wait, that same young lady was the one who bought the furisode kimono I made. From what I remember she was very pretty, kind, and well mannered. ..Now that I think about it, she resembled Ayato in many ways. 

“Yes, I remember. A respectful young lady personally gave me her thanks after buying the kimono. Why? Do you happen to know her-” Suddenly the words die in my throat and my eyes widen in realization. Ayato smiles at me since I finally put two and two together.

“That young lady is my younger sister, Kamisato Ayaka. Remember we had dinner together? Honestly, I learned of you and your work through her. I thought I’d catch a glimpse of the person who made Ayaka’s kimono, so I attempted to locate you. I used some outside help, but I managed to catch sight of you walking the streets of Inazuma. I have to say, when I saw you for the first time you were truly breathtaking, and a beautiful sight to behold.” Ayato all but gushes his admiration of my work and my perceived beauty, and I may as well be putty in his hands.

“O-Oh…” Is all I can shyly mutter. Ayato gently trails a hand down my arm as he silently gauges my expression. “I see, that makes a lot more sense. I’m so sorry for being suspicious of you, I’ve just had a lot of bad experiences with others across the nations and I..” I gulp and take a moment to catch my breath, as the delicate emotions I’m feeling cause my voice to waver. Ayato traces unknown shapes on my arm, and remains a comforting presence as I gather myself. 

“I just don’t want to be hurt again.” I whisper. “I understand.” Is his compassionate murmur of perception.

Although it’s silent afterwards, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest. I usually brush off offensive comments made about me, and I’m used to suppressing my feelings in order to cope with the many stressors of life. Some of those daily stressors are things that others will never experience in their lifetime. 

So to hear genuine understanding and empathy in two simple words, well…

I truly feel that he understands what I mean. 

I close my eyes as I rest my head against his chest yet again, and he happily complies with my actions. “Ayato…” I breathe. “Hm?” He hums in question.

“I’ll happily be your wife.”

His hand pauses its soothing motions on my back, and I can feel more than hear the way his breath hitches as his chest stills on inhalation.

A beat passes before he exhales. His free hand trails down my arm to hold my smaller hand in his bigger one. 

“I’d love nothing more.”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

“Ayato, aren’t I just pretending to be your wife?” The only response Ayato offers to my question is a muffled “yes” against the juncture of my neck.

I shiver as his breath fans across my sensitive neck, but I make no effort to move.

I can hear the gentle pitter patter of the rain outside as Ayato comfortably snuggles against me.

“Wouldn’t this be deemed ‘inappropriate behavior’ by your retainers?” I ask. “It doesn’t matter, I am perfectly able to comprehend and make my own decisions.” Ayato gives me a response that isn’t muffled this time.

With a blissful sigh, I finally relax against him as he pulls me impossibly closer to him. 

Our limbs are tangled together on my bed. Ayato visited my room earlier, and after a few swift knocks he entered my room and plopped himself down beside me.

I was still groggy and not fully awake yet, so I didn’t completely register everything that was happening as I welcomed Ayato into my arms with a soft giggle.

I was tired.

And totally not thinking straight.

Despite that, this does feel nice. Being held like this.

I detest the way my heart beats a steady rhythm against my chest as I feel more at ease than I have over the past couple of days. “Isn’t today that fancy event thing you’re supposed to attend? With the kimono I sewed for you?” I gently run my hands through the light blue strands of Ayato’s hair, and he releases a dreamy sigh against my neck.

“Yes, but that doesn’t occur until later, and that is where you will be presented as my fiance.” My hands suddenly stop moving through his hair. Ayato grumbles disapprovingly at this. He reaches up and uses his hand to guide mine in continuing their former movements.

“W.. Wait, but aren’t I supposed to be trained for that? What if I say something wrong or I make a bad impression? I don’t want it to affect you or your reputation..” I verbally voice my concerns, but Ayato doesn’t reply. 

“Ayato, I’ll continue if you respond.” Ayato’s response is quick after my words reach his pink tinted ears.

“You do not need to worry yourself over something so miniscule, Name. Whether they like you or not is none of your or my concern. From what I’ve seen of you over the course of these past few days, I have no concerns. I’m sure that you’ll be able to handle yourself just fine. You naturally conduct yourself in a manner that is suitable to be my fiance.” Ayato’s words subdue my anxious thoughts, but they have the added side effect of making me blush.

I resume running my fingers through his soft hair, and he hums in satisfaction. “You’re really clingy to someone you hardly know.” “Well, let’s change that.” “What do you-” I cut myself off as Ayato removes his head from my neck to send a charming smile in my direction. 

“You know my favorite color, but what is yours?” Ayato watches my face closely. “I, um, purple. I love the color purple, especially light purple. I like all shades of purple though.”  I answer. “Hmm. How lovely, purple is an elegant and graceful color. It is befitting for an individual such as yourself.”

“I swear to the Archons, Ayato!” I bashfully cover my mouth with my free hand as I look away, and I feel the way his chest rises and falls, pressed against mine, with his boisterous laughter. 

“Are you not used to such genuine compliments, Name?” Ayato teasingly trails a finger down my arm, and I refuse to look at what I know is a teasing smirk on his lips.

“W-Well yes, and um.. you’re really handsome, so hearing those words from someone like you is a dream come true. You’re a genuinely good person as well, so it’s kind of hard for me to believe that you can see me in that way.” I whisper. I close my eyes and take a deep, calming breath before opening them again.

When I look at Ayato’s face, I’m graced with the presence of a pink blush on his cheeks. I pointedly look at his beauty mark that is oh so close to my face, and it takes a lot of willpower for me not to lean in and kiss it. 

I watch as Ayato awkwardly coughs in an attempt to cover his embarrassment, and that action is what leads me into a giggling fit.

How can this man tease me relentlessly, yet the moment I compliment him in return he’s a flustered, blushing mess?

I’m almost tempted to compliment him again, if only to see what other pretty expressions he can make.

Ayato continues to smile at me fondly as my laughing fit slowly dies down. 

My next action is honestly out of my control. I can’t help it when he’s smiling at me with such profound adoration in his eyes. 

I give in to the urge and quickly lean in to press a tender kiss against his beauty mark, and I gaze deeply into his eyes as I pull away.

He’s frozen for a moment.

Or two.

Before his entire face is redder than I’ve ever seen it as he sputters and tries to come up with something to say, only to be at a loss for words. 

“Ayato? Are you okay?” I jokingly ask him. 

It feels very empowering to know I can fluster him just as much as he flusters me.

Ayato covers the lower portion of his face with his bare hands. He looks at the bed in favor of looking at me. 

“Can you give me a second? I need a moment.” Ayato’s bashful words elicit a grin out of me. 

I watch in amusement as Ayato visibly takes a few deep breaths in an attempt to collect himself. “This is a sight I could get used to.” I tease. 

I lean my head against a propped hand, and Ayato’s eyes reluctantly follow the action.

A few moments later, Ayato shyly moves closer to me, and I allow him to wrap his arms around me yet again.

“Please speak of this to no one.” 

“No promises.”

“Name.”

“No promises.” 

I love the way he groans in acceptance as he chooses to bury his face in the juncture of my neck again. 

Oh, this is fun.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

“Don’t apologize.” “Sorry.” “Name.”

This is the fourth time tonight I've apologized. This time it was because I clumsily bumped into Ayato. 

I’ve been sticking to Ayato’s side like glue as he talks to various important figures of Inazuma, and I’m doing my best to remain calm under the pressure of so many judgemental stares.

Ayato has more or less been my rock throughout this entire evening, and I’m beyond grateful to him for it. I can’t help but think that I should show him how much I appreciate his guidance tonight in some way, granted he is the reason I’m in this situation to begin with. 

For some stupid reason the thought causes a perverted smirk to present itself on my face.

I quickly catch myself when Ayato turns to look at me, and his eyes widen at my expression. I wipe the smirk off my lips, but it’s too late.

A similar smirk to my previous one finds its way onto his pretty lips. I can’t help but notice the way his smirk lifts the cute beauty mark near his lips. 

Ayato leans down to whisper in my ear. My cheeks warm as his tall figure lowers to my height. “Wow, Name. I never imagined I’d see such a lecherous look on your face.” Ayato’s breath tickles the shell of my ear, and the feeling causes a pitiful whimper to escape me. I enjoy the way Ayato’s breath catches at the sound. 

Ayato and I are taking a breather in a secluded area so I’m not too worried about someone spotting us, although it’s still a possibility. 

Ayato brought me out into the empty halls earlier when he noticed my stiff shoulders, and the small act of his hands wrapping around mine as he led me away from the prying eyes of the crowd… well..

Let’s just say my heart skipped a few beats. 

And my eyes may have sparkled.

…

Anyway-

My mind is drawn back to the present when his nose grazes the skin of my neck. I let out a gasp at the feeling of his soft lips pressed against my neck. “Ayato-” I grasp the sleeve of his kimono in a futile attempt to ground myself. 

Ayato groans as his lips slowly trail sweet kisses down my neck. 

I jump when the sound of footsteps reach my ears, and my heart lurches.

This is super improper! It’ll be bad for Ayato if someone sees us like this.

“Ayato, someone’s-” The rest of my words are incomprehensible as Ayato gently sucks on a sensitive spot on my neck. Now both of my hands are gripping his kimono, and I hear a startled noise from a few feet away.

The sound of footsteps fade away, accompanied by an awkward cough. I almost care about the fact someone saw us like this, but I can hardly muster the energy to as Ayato’s lips cast a captivating spell on the skin of my neck. Ayato pulls away once the sound of footsteps can no longer be heard. 

Ayato tilts his head up to look into my eyes. “Name.” My name sounds hoarse on his lips, and his name escapes my own in a hushed whisper.

My body acts before my mind can catch up, and I find myself leaning into Ayato’s welcoming lips. Ayato’s groan reaches my ears once our lips finally meet, and the stress from this entire evening leaves my body as I melt into Ayato. 

Ayato’s arms wrap around me to gingerly hold me against him as his body all but sinks against mine.

Our lips mold together perfectly, and if I wasn’t so engrossed in the kiss I would feel embarrassed by the moan I let out.

Ayato’s hand slowly trails down my body until it rests against the small of my back. 

As much as I’m enjoying the kiss, my body’s demand for oxygen becomes too much. I gently tap Ayato’s shoulder for him to pull away, and he languidly breaks our kiss. 

Ayato’s wistful sigh elicits a giggle out of me. We stare into each other’s eyes as our heavy breaths mingle in the short distance between our lips.

“Ayato, shouldn’t we return-” 

His mouth steals the rest of the words from my lips. I squeak when he slowly pushes me back into the solid wall behind me. 

This time I’m the one to pull away, and I blush when his lips chase mine in a desperate attempt to continue our kiss. 

“Ayato, wait please.” His lips abruptly stop chasing mine, and he groans in reluctant compliance. I take in his hooded eyes and ruddy cheeks, and that’s when I know.

This feeling is indisputable, but I still try to resist it nonetheless. “Name, I’m sorry if I got carried away… I..” Ayato trails off, and I quickly correct him before he can misunderstand my actions. “Ayato, honey, you didn’t do anything wrong. If you couldn’t tell, I leaned in too. I just broke the kiss since it may be a bit improper for the Yashiro Commissioner to be caught fervently kissing his fiance against the wall. If you’d like to continue, we’d have to go somewhere private.” Ayato’s eyes widen at my bold words, and I can visibly see the moment he finally registers that someone did in fact walk in on us kissing.

Instead of the panicked reaction I partly expected to see, a devilish smirk upturns his captivating lips.

This man is almost too attractive for his own good.

Actually, no, he is. And he knows it too.

“Alright. Then if my fiance permits it we shall return to the function to give our farewells. It is getting awfully late, and I’d hate to neglect the needs of my pretty wife.” A furious heat blazes across my entire body at his suave words, and he watches my reaction with amusement and another emotion I can not name.

“Ayato, did you only kiss me so someone would see? So they couldn’t question whether I was actually your wife- or, well, fiance.” Ayato’s eyes lower at my words, but I catch the hurt in his eyes.

I hate the way my heart hurts at his saddened expression. He begins to pull back a little, but I tighten my grip on his sleeves and pull him into me again.

“I-I don’t want to doubt you Ayato. I’m sorry, I just… I’m sorry, it’s not you. I believe your actions and your words, you’ve given me no reason to doubt them thus far.” Ayato sucks in a breath, and he allows me to press a kiss against his lips.

My kiss tells him the rest of the words that get caught in my throat. He immediately accepts my kiss, and overwhelming relief relaxes my tense shoulders. 

His acceptance tells me that he understands all the words I couldn’t say; he accepts me nonetheless.

When we part again, this time I’m the one who chases after him. Ayato chuckles as he allows me to kiss him again. “I understand. I don’t mind, we’ll move at whatever pace you are comfortable with. Whatever it is my wife wishes, I am more than happy to oblige her requests.” Ayato pulls away from me, and I watch as Ayato gets down on one knee in front of me. I allow him to tenderly hold my shaking hand in his.

My eyes water as he presses a sweet kiss against the back of my hand, and a tear slides down my cheek when he turns my hand over to press a delicate kiss against the palm of my hand. 

Before he can rise to his feet I practically throw myself into his arms.

“My, what’s gotten you so emotional?” Ayato knowingly murmurs the question despite knowing the answer. He silently holds me against him as more tears travel down the valley of my cheeks. 

It takes a few moments before I allow Ayato to see my tear stained face. He dutifully wipes my tears with a handkerchief. 

There’s no judgment in his eyes, and a well meaning smile placates any concerns I would’ve had. 

Once all of my tears are dried Ayato and I return to the function to give everyone our farewells before Ayato escorts me back to my room for the night.

He follows me inside my room, and he comically walks over to my bed and flops down onto his back. I can’t help but smile fondly at the sight of the esteemed Kamisato Ayato spread out like a starfish on my bed.

“Name, you can do more than just stare. I give you permission to touch.” The teasing lit to his voice immediately causes me to fluster. 

This man will be the death of me.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   ♡　*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

The first thing I register is the soothing sensation of fingers playing with my hair. I coo as I snuggle closer to the smooth skin of my pillow. 

…

Wait.

My pillow doesn’t normally have smooth, warm skin….

I slowly pry my bleary eyes open. I struggle to adjust to the dim lighting of the room as I change my position. “Shh, go back to sleep.” Ayato’s low voice murmurs against my ear. 

I’m silent as Ayato hums, and my thoughts run a mile a minute as I try to remember what happened last night. 

From what I can recall, we changed into our nightwear before sitting side by side on my bed, just talking about how we feel about everything that’s happened and what we’d like to do moving forward. 

Unfortunately I fell asleep during the conversation. I was really tired, and Ayato’s steady pulse against the shell of my ear only encouraged me to rest. 

Now, I all but purr as Ayato plays with my kinky hair. “Did I give you permission to touch my hair?” I joke. Ayato's hand stops its soothing motions. Before he can completely withdraw his hand, I whine and place my hand over his to return his hand to its previous position. 

Ayato lets out a booming laugh as he continues to play with my hair. “It certainly seems as if our roles have been switched, hm?” I can only laugh as I recall an earlier time when Ayato was the one in my position. 

“I don’t mind, it feels wonderful.” I snuggle against his chest. My hand eagerly intertwines with his, and he willingly weaves his hand with mine. As his thumb rubs soothing shapes into the back of my hand, I splay my free hand against his chest. 

My eyes open again, and this time it doesn’t take me long to adjust to the dim lighting. I look at his face to gauge his reaction as I basically feel him up.

I adore the way his eyes squeeze shut and his face explodes in a delightful burst of red. 

“A-Ah, Name, I didn’t take you for the handsy type..” I snicker as he makes no attempt to stop me. 

A comfortable silence accompanies the peaceful atmosphere. My mind wanders, and it isn’t long before I voice a question. “How do you think last night went?” I ask.

Ayato squirms as one of my fingers brush over his nipple, but his hands don’t falter in my hair and his thumb continues its comforting movements. “I think everything went over smoothly. The individual who saw us made it much easier to get the point across; I’m a taken man.” Ayato sighs in content when my hand trails up to play with the baby hairs at the nape of his neck.

Ayato’s hand mimics my action, and I involuntarily shiver when he gives a playful tug to the little hairs on the nape of my neck. Ayato doesn’t say anything, but he resumes his previous playing of my hair, minus the hair tugging. 

I pout.

He isn’t tugging my hair. 

I think back on his words, and my cheeks warm when I remember what he said. “Wait- what do you mean by ‘I’m a taken man?’” “Name, aren’t you my fiance?” “I mean, in theory, yes-” 

I’m stunned by the sound of surprise that Ayato makes in response to my words. 

Did I say something wrong?

Ayato removes his hand from my hair to lift my chin. My eyes swirl with overflowing emotion as his alluring purple orbs stare deep into my eyes. 

“Yes, you were correct when you said ‘in theory,’ but I believe we should change that.” Ayato lets go of my chin and untangles himself from me. 

I sit up in bed as I watch him walk over to the possessions he left here the evening prior. “Ayato..?” He doesn’t respond as he riffles through his things until he finds what he’s looking for.

I get out of bed to see what he’s found. Before I can walk over to him he’s in front of me.

Except he’s kneeling before me on one knee, just like he did last night. 

He wordlessly slips something on my finger, and then he kisses the back of my hand.

“I know we’ve only known each other for a short period of time, but if you’ll allow me, I’d love to know you more intimately. From what I have seen you are an exceptional woman, Name. I have no qualms with letting go of my inhibitions around you, and this is normally a feeling that eludes me in many of my personal relationships. I’d be elated to have you as my fiance Name, not in theory, but in reality. Alas this is only if you’ll grace me with the honor of-” “You’re talking too much.” Ayato’s head shoots up so fast at my words that it’s almost comical. I immediately seal the deal with a passionate kiss against his lips before he can ask the meaning behind my words. 

I lean into the kiss until I fall against him, and he easily catches me in his warm embrace. When we both pull away for much needed air, I give him the verbal confirmation his eyes wordlessly ask for. 

“Yes, I’d love to be your fiance. Hopefully one day I’ll be your wife, if you will ever be so kind as to bless me with the opportunity…” I giggle as I mimic his previously formal tone as he basically proposed to me. His cheeks light ablaze in a color I’m slowly growing fond of.

“I am grateful to have you in my life. Thank you, Name.” “Yeah, yeah. Now kiss me again. Oh, and tug on my hair. I love that.” Ayato’s incredulous facial expression makes me laugh. 

As my bubbly laughter sounds throughout the room Ayato’s fond smile makes me feel at home.

He lifts himself off the floor with me in his arms before he gently places me on my bed. He’s quick to cuddle with me as sunlight streams into the room. Pure elation causes my eyes to water as the sunlight gleams against the ring he placed on my finger.

I close my eyes as I listen to Ayato’s heartbeat. A goofy grin presents itself on my lips, and I’m sure it’ll be a long time before it leaves.  

I feel a tug on the little hairs at the nape of my neck, and a mewl slips past my lips at the pleasant sensation. “Oh? Now that’s a sound I can get used to.” I playfully swat Ayato’s shoulder as his body shakes with laughter.

He presses a multitude of tender kisses all over my face, and there’s nowhere else in Teyvat I’d rather be. 

[galemasters]

Theory: Chiori was a member of the Shuumatsuban

Genshin isn't a game which shies away from having playable characters that are just guys, in spite of the ludonarrative dissonance involved. You have people who have blatantly never been anywhere near a battlefield mowing down hilichurls in droves. This is what makes Chiori interesting.

Chiori is a fashion designer who is also a stone cold badass. Her cynicism and world-weary demeanor suggest someone who has experienced hardship, and she's more than capable enough to physically throw troublemakers out of her boutique. Meanwhile, Charlotte has been tied up and thrown into the lake by a gang of criminals before. There's no need for Chiori to be so tough. Xavier did suggest that being a foreigner has made life hard for Chiori in Fontaine, but then again, we don't know why exactly she left Inazuma in the first place. Maybe it's because she had a Vision around the time of the Vision Hunt Decree... Or maybe she was a spy who was nearly outed and had to skip town to avoid implicating the Kamisato Clan.

I mean, think about it. While Chiori did claim that she doesn't moonlight as anything if the player took the chance to ask her in the Roses and Muskets event, that's exactly what a spy is supposed to say. Not only that, she was speaking in the present tense. Technically, it's true, and you were to look into her activity in Fontaine that's exactly what you'd find. But that says nothing about what she was before she came to Fontaine.

Chiori has all the skills a spy needs. She's capable of saying one thing while meaning another, she has a sharp wit, and more importantly, she gathers intelligence for the Special Security and Surveilance Patrol. Not only that, designing costumes is a part of spy work. Chiori's work on the Two Musketeers film demonstrated some skill in making disguises, in addition to designing fashionable clothing, as she identified correctly that Chevreuse would have a much easier time acting as an innocent older sibling than Ayato. While she does know the Inazuman tailor Ogura Mio personally, this could be because she needed someone to teach her to make costumes.

You might say that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Chiori to be childhood friends with Ayaka, given how professional the Shuumatsuban is. Sayu is very much an outlier. In reality, part of the reason why Chiori was likely a ninja is because it's even more unlikely that a member of Inazuma's artisan class would be childhood friends with Ayaka. Ayaka lacked friends because of her social class, which made it difficult to connect to others her own age. Ayaka mentions in her Story Quest that when she exited her estate, she was accompanied by family and staff. This makes it unlikely that Chiori would even have the chance to strike up a conversation with her. If she was part of the staff, that explains how she got to meet Ayaka and Ayato.

[evoblue]

headcanon dump for genshin impact verse:

Blue is a cryo vision holder. If she were an in-game unit, she would be a 5-star rarity catalyst user with an ascension stat of Cryo DMG. She has a preference for the Blizzard Strayer artifact set and her build should focus on maximizing her Cryo DMG, ATK, and CRIT Rate. Her constellation is Desolatum Glacies.

Normal Attack: Shoots very sharp ice shards and daggers that inflict Cryo DMG. Generates a Forlorn Crystal for every successful enemy hit. Blue may possess a maximum of three Forlorn Crystals. Each Forlorn Crystal increases Blue's Cryo DMG bonus by 5%.

Charged Attack: Consumes stamina and all Forlorn Crystals to throw an icicle spear that deals Cryo DMG. The Charged Attack's DMG will increase according to the amount of Forlorn Crystals consumed.

Elemental Skill: (PRESS) Generates an icicle spear to parry or block an incoming blow. Blue then does a Cryo-infused series of jabs in quick succession. When the spear shatters, it applies Cryo to nearby opponents and grants Blue the maximum number of Forlorn Crystals. (HOLD) Generates a defensive ice casing that absorbs incoming DMG. After a few seconds, the ice casing shatters and deals AoE Cryo DMG proportional to the damage absorbed and scaled with Blue's ATK.

Elemental Burst: Summons a yuki onna, which unleashes a blizzard within a set field, inflicting AoE Cryo DMG and providing continuous Cryo application. Decreases the Cryo RES and Physical RES of all opponents within the set field. Blue is granted the maximum number of Forlorn Crystals.

Blue was born in Fontaine but has been living in Inazuma since childhood ( to parallel her Kalos/Kanto origins) with her aunt. Her parents still live in Fontaine and she hasn’t seen them in years. She also hasn’t seen her childhood friends since they left Inazuma in pursuit of other ventures, so she tends to be pretty lonely and isolated.

Before the Inazuma conflict was resolved by the Traveler, she was entangled with the resistance against the vision hunt decree. She had no desire to bow down to the Raiden Shogun or hand over her vision so she worked as a sort of spy / informant while assisting Sangonomiya.

She currently lives in Inazuma City, though she has made it as far as Kannazuka to pass on her findings to members of the Watatsumi Army. When she's not working for the resistance, she makes a living by taking commissions and working part-time at Ogura Textiles & Kimonos, who are currently short-staffed.

Once the Sakoku Decree is lifted, she has no desire to stay in Inazuma long-term.

[amaranthprincess21]

A Tale Worthy of a Novel: Chapter 1

Fandom: Genshin Impact Pairing: Kamisato Ayato/Reader Rating: Mature AO3 Tags: background Ayaka/Lumine, fuck canon Kazuha has sisters now, she/her pronouns for the reader, Family Drama, Marriage Proposal Fic summary: Being a writer, it's easy to get sucked into the worlds you create. But that's all they are in the end: fantasy worlds and scenarios that you can escape whenever you please. When you marry Kamisato Ayato, it feels as if the lines blur between reality and fiction. And as time goes on, that line gets more and more faint as things you once considered the truth are exposed as lies.

And as Rina looked down the cliff, she realized that the waves and rocks below cracked the shackles that kept her bound to horror. The monster was no more, sinking beneath the waves. She could breathe; the fresh sea air cleansed her lungs. It was over. 

There was a shaky kind of excitement that came with finishing a novel, especially one that had been serialized for the past two years. It was similar to that feeling of being too little sleepy, that jitteriness that tells you you’ve made a mistake. But this wasn’t a stomach-sinking, icky feeling. Your heart was soaring and it felt as if a weight had been taken off your shoulders. This should be the last edit of your novel. And then it would be completed. And before the deadline, too! Well, four hours before the deadline. Still, better than nothing! You quickly shoved the manuscript into your satchel and made for the door.

The Outsuka Manor seemed to be in a tizzy, lately. It felt like more servants were around, which you guessed made sense. It was a pretty nerve-wracking time for the household. You hurried down the stairs, careful to avoid any servants or your… you weren’t sure what to call them, but the elder Lord and Lady Outsuka, the parents of your sister’s husband. You gave them a polite greeting before heading for the door.

“I thought I heard you. Where are you going?” So close. You turned around, seeing your sister stride out of her husband’s study. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a servant there to help her walk. After all, everyone was doting and waiting on her every whim because she was pregnant. And they were just letting her walk? On her own? The nerve. 

“I’m going into the city for some dango milk,” you lied. “Do you want me to bring you back some?” 

“No thanks. Ugh, the thought of it makes me sick,” she said, gagging. It could be the pregnancy, but okay, you wanted to say, but didn’t. Her husband, Lord Outsuka Tsutomo, came out to join you two. He carried a pouch that jingled heavily. 

“You’re heading into town?” he asked. You nodded.

“Yes, sir.” 

“Thank goodness. I was going to send a servant to do this, but given you’re already heading into the city…” He handed the pouch over to you; it was heavy and you stashed it into your satchel, careful not to reveal the manuscript inside. “You need new houmongi. Go to Ogura’s and commission her for at least two.” Homongi? You had one, but given you never accompanied your sister or her husband on their visits to other estates, you never really wore it. Perhaps they wanted you to be more involved in clan affairs?

“Uh… Yeah. Yeah, I can go to Ogura’s. I’ll try and be back before dark, but who knows?” you told them. 

“I’m sorry I can’t go with you, but you know, baby, and all of that,” Big Sister said with a laugh.

“No, don’t worry about it,” you reassured her. Thank goodness she was pregnant and couldn’t go on long trips. How you’d escape to visit the publishing house with her in tow, you didn’t know. You slipped your shoes on and hurried towards Inazuma City. After all, your manuscript wasn’t going to turn itself in.

Hanamizaka was quiet that day. The weather was nice as always. But perhaps it was still early enough in the morning that everyone was still rousing from their beds and getting ready for the day. Hajime was already at work at the blacksmith’s, and you gave him a polite greeting as you passed. You didn’t really know him, but your families were connected, and etiquette and all of that. 

At the very end of the district was Yae Publishing House. No one seemed to be around, so you let yourself inside. One or two editors were already in, but none of them yours. They sat at their desks, chatting with Lady Guuji herself. She was a more frequent figure at work than one would suspect. Although she was the head of the Grand Narukami Shrine, she still visited the publishing house every morning. Their eyes turned to you as you entered. 

“Sorry to interrupt. I have my final draft for Shigeru,” you told him. “I’ll go ahead and put it on his de–”

“Not so fast.” In a blink of an eye, Lady Yae was in front of you, taking your manuscript out of your hands. “Let's take a look," she said, flipping through the manuscript. You stood there, watching her face as she read through the manuscript. Time crawled to a halt as you stood there, watching her read. Was she being slow on purpose? The only sense of time you had were her little nods, the occasional flipping of paper, and the quiet conversation the other editors started up. What if she didn't like it? What if you had to go back yet again and rewrite something? This chapter had been through so many revisions already that you weren't sure you could have a new version done before the next publication date.

"I see," Lady Yae finally said after a tense silence. Or perhaps it was only tense for you. "It's quite good. I'll go ahead and mark it ready for publishing." Your heart leaped out of its chest.

"Thank you, Lady Guuji." You tried not to sound too relieved. Who knew how'd she take that?

"It feels like just yesterday you signed with us, although I suppose it's been a few years now," she commented.

"It has. But I suppose these books took longer to finish than I thought they would," you commented. Shortly after your older brother had taken control of your family and promptly left the country, you'd gotten signed with Yae Publishing House. That'd been three-ish years ago. Maybe getting close to four.

"So, do you have any ideas for your next work?" she asked.

"No, not yet. I was thinking of taking a break for a couple months while I try to figure something out," you told her.

"A break? Well, I do suppose you've been working constantly since signing. Have you thought of taking commissions?" Commissions?

"Um, no I haven't. I've been too busy with the duology to even think about taking on other writing projects." She said nothing, and spurred by the silence, you continued. "Is. Uh. Has the publishing house been asked to write something?"

"No, not officially. I've been thinking of commissioning one of our writers for another serialized piece for a newer publication we'll be starting in a month, but the person I was thinking of is going to be taking a break." The edge in her voice was enough to make you flinch.

 "Well, if I don't have to think of the main premise, I suppose I could take it on," you told her. Her mood brightened immediately.

"Wonderful! Come, let's talk in my office. I don't think this is something you'd want to discuss publicly." I've made a mistake is the first thought you have as you follow her into the small building, into the loft office she had above the printing press room. It was a small space, but it didn't need to be large. It wasn't like she was here 24/7.

"So, what would the premise be?" you asked her, sitting down in the chair opposite hers.

"Has anyone told you about the new publication?" You shook your head. "That's Life has been taking off and as such, some of the other women in the office and myself are thinking of creating a bi-monthly magazine for older women. I have reporters and columnists lined up, but I would like a fiction section in each issue," she explained.

"The premise for our first serial is simple. Our heroine is sold to a prominent bard by her parents, who are strapped for cash. The story would involve the heroine coming into the bard's inner circle and falling in love with him."

"I... So, it's a romance? Just to clarify," you added hurriedly.

"Yes, although I think the better term for it is a ‘bodice ripper.’ They’re all the rage in Mondstadt currently. I recognized the premise may seem a bit outlandish, but I know it’ll do well. Especially if you’re helming the project," she told you. A bodice ripper? Oh no. Oh no no no no no. You only knew two things about the genre: lots of romance and even more sex.

"Lady Guuji, I'm very honored that I'm your first choice for this serial, but truthfully, I don't think I'm the right person for this," you began, and she immediately cut you off.

"So you think my judgment is off?"

"No! No, not at all!" you squeaked. 

“Then I look forward to seeing your outline and first chapter in two weeks.” There was no arguing with her or turning this down. There was a weight on your body as you nodded and bid her farewell. How on earth were you going to write this? Maybe you could get away with not writing a lot of sex scenes. That would take care of one problem. But romance? As the main focus? Every step you took towards Ogura’s Textiles, it was as if your heart was sinking further and further into the ground. 

“Oh, good morning, Miss Outsuka!” Ogura Mio greeted you cheerfully. It wasn’t worth it to correct her. You lived with your sister and her husband; for all the commoners knew, they had adopted you into her husband’s clan. It hurt, but it felt silly to correct anyone.

“Good morning, Miss Ogura. I’ve come to commission two houmongi.”

“Go ahead and pick some fabric and we can get to work.” Choosing was certainly going to be a difficult choice. There were always so many beautiful fabrics in Ogura’s. Just picking one seemed rather impossible. You looked along the racks, eyeing the various bolts. Part of you wanted to ask for prices and pick on that. But you knew if you did, not only would it be humiliating, Big Sister would be furious. It was lucky she got married before your clan completely fell from grace; she married wealthy and got to spoil herself. It was a miracle she was able to secure a good marriage, all things considered. 

There were footsteps and a flash of blue and red caught your eye. Although you wouldn't call yourself friends, you knew the girl who just walked into Ogura Textiles. Her silvery hair was pulled into a ponytail and she was accompanied by a tall man with strawberry blond hair. Lady Kamisato was someone you knew, but you'd never spent much time with her. Her family had much higher status than yours. And besides, both your brother-in-law's family and your family (before yours had dissolved) had served under hers.

Lady Kamisato looked over to you and a sweet smile spread across her face as she gave a small wave. 

“Lady Kamisato, Thoma, good morning,” you said politely.

“Good morning, Miss Outsuka,” she said. She didn’t know better. “A fine morning to go shopping, isn’t it?”

“It is.” What could you say? Would it look bad for your sister's family if you said the wrong thing? But would it be worse if you said nothing? “It’s awfully early for you, isn’t it? Your estate is quite far.”

“It’s true, I had to wake up earlier to be here. But it’s fun to go out and about so early, don’t you think?” You didn’t want to give her the honest answer.

“It is.” There was a beat, you two smiling politely at each other, panic in both of your eyes as you ran out of topics to discuss. “Um, what brings you here?” Shopping, obviously. What were you even saying?! 

“Oh, Thoma’s favorite yukata caught fire and he needs a new one,” she said with a shrug, as if that was a normal occurrence. “How about yourself?”

“Big Sister wants me to get some new houmongi,” you told her. 

“Is she out shopping too?”

“No. She’s expecting, and her husband and the servants are keeping her home as much as possible.” Lady Kamisato’s face lit up.

“How wonderful! Congratulations on the addition to your family,” she said with a wide smile.

“Thank you. She’s not very far along, but they’re being cautious,” you said.

“I can imagine. Pregnancy is a rather scary time in someone’s life,” she replied. “I… Oh my, I’m so sorry. I didn’t–”

“Oh no, it’s fine,” you replied just as fast, trying to make sure she didn’t feel as if she imposed. “It happened years ago. It doesn’t hurt. I’m sure my sister will fare better than our mother did, anyways.”

“R-right.” She cleared her throat and turned the bolts of fabrics. “Are there any you’re fond of?” She was… helping? Sure, you knew her, but this was the most you two had ever spoken to each other. During formal functions when you were younger, you and your brother mostly stuck together. Talking to Lady Kamisato wasn’t something you did. But, as odd as it felt, you needed to roll with it lest you embarrass your sister’s family.

“I’m fond of all of them. It’s a problem,” you sighed. Lady Kamisato nodded and stepped closer to the fabrics, surveying them all. She glanced at you, and then pulled a bolt out. 

“These colors would suit you well,” she told you. The fabric was a beautiful ombre in the colors of the sunset. Hydrangeas just as beautiful, outlined in golden thread, seemed to float in the sky that was the fabric. It was incredibly beautiful, but was this fancy enough? Or would it be considered gaudy? You couldn’t remember the kinds of houmongi Big Sister had when she was cou–

“Is it not your style?” Lady Kamisato’s voice jolted you. You looked over to her, seeing her trying to gauge your expression and there was the faintest look of disappointment on her face.

“No! No, not at all. That’s not it. I’m sorry, I spaced out for a moment,” you hurriedly replied. “I’m just trying to think if it would get my sister and brother-in-law’s approval.”

“I see.” Lady Kamisato nodded.

“Lady Outsuka likes hydrangeas, doesn’t she? If I remember right, the last time she visited the Kamisato Estate, her kimono had hydrangeas on it.” You jumped a little as Thoma spoke up, still going through the premade kimonos. 

“Now that you mention it, I think it did,” Lady Kamisato murmured, tapping her finger on her cheek in thought. “Surely she would approve of a similar design?”

“She does like them.” Lady Kamisato seemed so fond of the fabric. Well, you needed two, right? You could get one in this fabric. ”I think she would be okay with me getting a houmongi with this fabric. That just leaves one more.” Lady Kamisato’s smile rivaled the sun’s brightness as she went back to searching through the bolts, letting you hold the first one she’d picked out. She was awfully pretty when she smiled like that. There was an energy about her that seemed positively infectious as well. You couldn’t help but grin. She sharply turned to the wall of fabrics and pulled out another bolt. 

“Perhaps this one would do?” she suggested. It wasn’t as vibrant as her other suggestion. This one was a pastel ombre with elegant gold and silver embroidery of birds and a flower you didn’t know the name of. It was much more of a mature vibe, but perhaps that’s what you needed? It vaguely reminded you of something your brother-in-law’s mother wore once, albeit hers was more ornate. Again, she looked so excited, you couldn’t bear the idea of letting her down.

“I think this is the one. I can’t thank you enough for your help, Lady Kamisato,” you told her, and she smiled sweetly at you.

“I’m so glad I was able to help,” she replied, still radiating that pure, joyful energy. For a moment, you wondered why you’d never bothered to speak to her before. 

Ogura Mio said the new houmongi would be done in a week, and sure enough, a week had passed and you got word they were ready for you to pick up. It was fairly early in the morning and before your brother-in-law got to work. While it wasn’t a rule, you always told him or your sister if you were leaving the house. But as you approached his study, there were the faint strains of a conversation. 

“... Kanade, I don’t think you should get your hopes up,” you heard your brother-in-law say. 

“What, are you saying she’s not marriage material?!” Your blood froze over as you realized the topic of their conversation: you.

“No, that’s not what I’m–” he sighed. “I mean I don’t think you should assume she’s going to get the best possible suitors, considering… Her family situation.”

“She’s an Outsuka now. She has been since we took her in.” Was that really your sister?! Her voice was ice cold and had an edge sharp enough to put a knife to shame. 

“You know she’s not officially a member of the family,” he said gently, but Big Sister scoffed.

“Tsutomo, she. Is. An. Outsuka,” she spat out. “We are going to get her married, and married well. And soon.” 

“I don’t think she even considers herself an Outsuka since we never truly adopted her,” he pointed out. “She’s still very much a–”

“She absolutely is NOT,” your sister spat. “Either way, the sooner she’s married, the sooner she’ll have a proper family name and not have to dwell on the past.” Every word they said added a stone on your heart, tearing at the fragile skin and pushing it further and further down into your stomach. One more stone and you were sure your heart would fall to the floor. You turned away quickly, bursting through the front doors and plowing into the courtyard.

You were not an Outsuka. Why was Kanade always like this?! Insisting you were a member of a family that you most certainly were not. Tsutomo was nice, but he and his family made it all too clear you were not one of them. You were your sister’s family. Not theirs. To Big Sister, it was as if your real family was somehow a dirty secret, something meant for you to forget. But you couldn’t. You wouldn’t. They had been the ones supporting you, who loved you. Even if they were no longer around.

The sakura tree in the courtyard weeped petals. It felt fitting to the mood. Sitting underneath the tree, you were showered in the soft pink petals. Even they seemed to have weight, your shoulders seemingly sagging as you sat there. No. You needed to leave. You needed to get out. You needed to go on to Ogura’s to pick up your houmongi. Without telling them. If only your brother was still in the country; you could stay with him for a while. 

Standing up, you brushed the petals off of yourself and started the short walk to the gate. But as you got closer, you heard the sound of a horse neighing and then human footsteps drawing nearer. A guest? This early? You stopped for a moment, confused. Lord Outsuka did get visitors, but not usually this early in the morning. Was something wrong? Was something important happening?

A figure appeared at the gate: tall, immaculately dressed. He had a smile similar to his sister’s, yet there was something about it that was… off. Off in a way you couldn’t quite put your finger on. But still, he was handsome and pleasant to look at. 

“Ah, Lady Kaedehara, good morning,” Kamisato Ayato, the head of the Yashiro Commission, greeted you with a gentle smile.

He got my name right.

[kazewhara]

can you do a scenario where genshin boys unintentionally made the reader jealous😳

(with a 🤏 bit of angst and then fluff)

Thank you dearest! I love ur works😭💖

jealousy, jealousy.

masterlist!

# — pairings: thoma, albedo x gn!reader

# — characters: gender neutral reader, thoma, albedo, sucrose

# — summary: why do they have to be so... nice all the time?

# — warnings: n/a

# — tags: hc/drabble format, fluff, a teaspoon of angst, jealousy, healthy communication

# — notes: thanks so much for liking my works!! i didn't know which genshin boys you wanted, so i took a few liberties! i hope you still enjoy it, anon! as always, reblogs and reactions are greatly appreciated! also, this isn't proofread -- none of my stuff is -- so i'm sorry for any mistakes!

✧ — 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚 — ✧

he probably wouldn't know that he was making you jealous

thoma has a very particular manner of speech that's both professional and flirty.. does that make sense?

like, none of us felt scolded when he forced us to pay attention during his housekeeping class, did we? no, we didn't.

his stern side is just as attractive as his playful side, making thoma a bit of a hot topic amongst the single people of narukami island

unfortunately for you, that means you have to make it known from time to time that he is not, in fact, a single man

and even more unfortunate for you, whenever you accompanied him on his errands through the city, you have to sit in silence whenever you see the people he's talking to get flustered by him

you know it's not necessarily his fault -- he's eye-catching, so it's only natural that people would be attracted to him

but sometimes, it kinda feels like he uses that to his advantage without thinking

(he does it on purpose, actually.)

like i said, he doesn't count it to be flirting -- really, he doesn't -- but when you see him wink at the textile shop owner, you suddenly doubt that.

"c'mon mio; help me out just this once, yeah?" thoma pleads with the shop owner.

thoma was sent to the city by ayaka to pick up some new fabrics and you decided to tag along. he was all too happy to take you with him. honestly, only thoma would consider errand running to be a cute date idea. you couldn't knock him for it, though; he was so quick to lace your fingers with his as soon as you stood by his side, and you were always a sucker for your boyfriend.

although, as you watch him try to bargain with ogura mio, you wonder if you're in too deep.

for some strange reason, mio decided to raise her prices last minute. it shocked thoma a lot, mostly because she was known for her generosity towards the kamisato clan. you watched thoma turn on the charm after a few minutes of failing to change her mind, and you saw his tactic start to take effect almost immediately.

"i'm sorry thoma, but i'm losing profit, and i have no choice but to ask for more from my customers, few as they may be." mio reasons.

thoma sighs and thinks for a moment. you'd help him figure this out, but you're distracted by the way his hand is starting to feel foreign in yours. "how about this," thoma shifts his weight onto his other leg, "it sounds like you're losing profit because of a lack of customers. why don't you give me the fabric so we can have miss ayaka promote it for you? sound like a plan?"

you know something’s wrong when you see mio's cheeks begin to match the color of her hair. what could she possibly be blushing for? all thoma did was give a reasonable suggestion, no? the silence drags on and you finally glance at thoma in question...

only to see him winking at mio with his most charming smile.

is he serious? you're literally standing right here.

you drop his hand after a few more seconds, muttering an excuse about wanting to look around. you silently hope thoma notices that something’s off, but he doesn't; he hums in acknowledgement and continues negotiating with the flustered textile shop owner.

now, another thing about thoma: he's very observant. especially when it comes to you

but when it comes to himself, not so much

you try to reason with yourself that this is normal -- that he's just being ni

this is how he always is with everyone, right? even you!

...for some reason, that makes your stomach drop even more. you feel sick.

does he... really treat you no different from everyone else?

you begin to spiral in your own head, fully unaware that you've come to a complete stop

large hands suddenly cover your eyes, making you jump. "guess who?"

it's thoma, obviously. normally, you'd play along, give a couple wrong answers just to see him pout, but right now, you're trying to convince yourself that he doesn't do this with others. by the time you open your mouth to give an answer, thoma's already uncovered your eyes and made his way in front of you, his eyebrows drawn in.

"are you feeling okay?" he asks. "you sorta threw my hand down earlier." he presses the back of his hand to your forehead. your heart pounds in your chest but you hold your breath in an attempt to get it to stop.

you hadn't realized you were so abrupt with him earlier. you give up on trying to talk yourself out of this jealous hole you've dug yourself into. knowing thoma, if you lied about being okay, he'd definitely press you about it later, so you throw your apprehension to the wind.

"do i mean anything to you? at all?" you mutter a curse under your breath as soon as you finish your sentence. that's not at all what you meant to ask, but you couldn't deny that that's what's on your mind. did you mean anything to him?

thoma looks taken aback by your question and pulls you to a less crowded area. "what are you talking about?" he cups your face and you swear he's trying to search your soul with those green eyes of his. "you mean everything to me. everything and more. where is this coming from? did someone tell you something?"

from the bottom of your heart, you know he means that. you twist the promise ring on your right hand. you wouldn't have this if thoma didn't love you -- he wouldn't have promised himself to you during yoimiya's firework show if he didn't love you. but the little green demon on your shoulder whispers thoughts of jealousy into your ear, and it's too difficult to ignore it.

you avert your eyes. "you're a friendly guy, thoma." you start. "i get that. but you're... too friendly sometimes. i just--" your breath hitches. no tears, you tell yourself. "it looked like you were flirting with mio, okay? it looks that way with a lot of people, and i feel like you treat me the same as everyone else."

you exhale heavily as soon as the words are out. it felt nice, letting all of that off your chest. had you kept that to yourself, you think your relationship would have taken a turn for the worse.

thoma's hands don't leave your face. he pulls you in and kisses you so sweetly, you think you see stars. embarrassed, you put your hands on his chest and push yourself away, your face burning. "thoma, we're in public!" you hiss. "why would you--"

"i'm sorry," he says. when he catches you not looking at him, he tilts your head towards him so you are. thoma's always valued sincerity, and one of the ways he shows it is by making intense eye contact. "really, i am. i'm so sorry; i didn't realize i was making you feel that way." you look away shyly, and thoma taps your chin twice, forcing you to look back at him. "is there anything i can do to fix it?"

the little jealousy demon seems to evaporate as he speaks. he's so genuine and attentive; you have no doubt that he'd change if you asked him to. the archons may have blessed you with a vision, but you smile when you realize that that's not the only thing they've blessed you with.

you shake your head. "i don't want you to change your personality for me, thoma." you seriously don't. thoma is defined by his dutiful behavior and his generosity -- if he switched it up, people would surely notice. "i was just-- um." your cheeks begin to flare again. you know you were jealous, but you don't want to say it out loud. "i just wanted to tell you how i felt. that's it."

"is that really it?" thoma says after a brief pause. surely, he's figured it out, because there's a knowing grin starting to split his face. "you were jealous, weren't you?"

you turn around. "okay, look, we talked about it, right? let's go back now."

behind you, thoma chuckles. "you totally were! you were jealous!" he teases, laughing harder when you turn back to glare at him. he takes your hand again and gently rubs the back of your hand with his thumb. "you're cute when you're jealous, you know that? you were pouting a second ago."

"please shut up."

thoma snorts. "alright, alright. but i promise, i'll be more careful, okay? don't you ever doubt your worth again. can you promise me that?"

how could you not, when he looks at you like that? you feel pride swell in your chest knowing that this look -- this look of pure adoration -- was reserved for you and you only.

you hum affirmatively. "i promise. thank you."

✧ — 𝐚𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐨 — ✧

goddamn pretty boys and their stupidly pretty faces, DAMMIT.

if you thought thoma was bad at not realizing when you were jealous, then you're in for a ride with albedo

albedo isn't socially inept, it's just that he's... a little slower on the uptake due to his lack of interest in social interaction

so he'll do things that may be considered intimate with people that aren't you, and while the person he's interacting with may be freaking out, he's just going about his business like everything is perfectly normal

the thing about sucrose and albedo's relationship is that it's strictly professional. anybody can see that.

you don't feel any kind of way about them working in close proximity because it's REALLY obvious that sucrose admires albedo's alchemical knowledge, and albedo cherishes sucrose as his lab partner, so to speak

but sucrose isn't as bad with people as albedo is, so whenever he does something a little odd, she'll hesitate to correct him

today, she takes far too long to do so.

the scene you walked in on was one straight out of a romance novel.

you'd decided to pay albedo a visit since you weren't working for the day. commissions were few and far between, so why wouldn't you want to spend time with your boyfriend? you packed a lunch for the two of you and walked to his lab in mondstadt; thankfully, he wasn't returning to dragonspine for another week or two.

but when you arrived, you saw sucrose pressed to albedo's chest. his arms were wrapped around her in a protective manner; one hand was on the back of her head, pressing it to his shoulder while his other arm was wrapped around her waist.

"are you alright?" albedo asks softly. "that was very dangerous."

sucrose's shoulders are rising and falling quickly. was she scared of something? "yes, i-i... thank you, mister albedo, i--"

"uh..." the noise comes out of your mouth before you can stop it. you couldn't comprehend what you were seeing; your brain launched into analytical mode so quickly that you went blank. the alchemists both look your way and sucrose all but leaps out of albedo's arms, her face nearly vermillion.

"i-it's not what it looks like!" she stammers, adjusting her glasses on her face.

well, duh, you think. you caught sight of the shattered beakers on the ground behind sucrose. whatever substance they were holding was sizzling on the ground. it's incredibly obvious that albedo pulled her out the way to avoid severe injury. accidents like this were fairly common -- this was normal.

but, another part of you starts to wonder, how long were they like that? why did sucrose only pull away when you made your presence known? you quickly try your best to stamp out the ugly feeling rising in your throat and offer sucrose an understanding smile. "what're you telling me that for? i heard the shatter from outside." you're lying. "i'm glad you're alright, sucrose. you're lucky albedo has quick reflexes."

too quick, something inside you hisses. you clench your jaw.

sucrose looks relieved by your understanding. "th-thank you..." she spots the lunch in your hand. "oh, is it that time already? mister albedo, i'm going to take my lunch break; is that alright?"

albedo, who'd been silent this whole time, nods curtly. he's eyeing the glass on the ground with a frown. "go on, sucrose. take your time."

sucrose leaves in a hurry, leaving the two of you alone.

you don't say anything for a while. albedo moves to start cleaning up the mess and you seat yourself across the room while you try to sort your thoughts.

you'd lied -- rather boldly, actually -- about hearing the glass fall. you figured that if you said that out loud, you'd be able to trick yourself into thinking that the incident had just occurred. if that was the case, then that would mean they weren't locked in an embrace for too long. but another part of you -- a part that you've never had trouble keeping in check -- refuses to be fooled. it feeds you suggestions -- suggestions you hate.

sucrose took too long to move, it tells you. clearly, she was enjoying that. how often do you think she does that when you're not around? did you see how albedo was holding her? so tightly; like he cared about her.

of course he cares about her. he has to -- she's literally his work partner. you pinch your nose bridge as you try to reason with yourself. you're so absorbed in your thoughts that you don't hear albedo calling you until he raises his voice. "sorry? did you call me?" you ask, giving albedo the same fake smile you gave sucrose.

albedo doesn't look convinced. for someone who has trouble reading the comfort levels of other people, he always seems to know when you're not alright. teal eyes observe you closely. "something’s on your mind," he says.

"what? no, nothing's bothering me."

albedo makes a sound. "i never said that something was bothering you," he tilts his head to the side. "i said that something was on your mind. so, something is bothering you, then?"

damn. you thought he wouldn't notice that. hell, you didn't even notice. "how'd you know something was on my mind?"

"well," albedo makes his way over to you, "i'd been calling your name for the past... five minutes, i believe. you usually respond right away."

that makes your face burn for some reason. albedo continues.

"that, and you didn't hug me when you saw me." he almost looks dejected when he says that, a small crease forming between his brows before it's gone, smoothed over by his usual expression. "you always show me lots of affection when you visit, but you've been here for over ten minutes, and i've received nothing. therefore, something must be wrong."

you're a little lost for words. you didn't think much of the whole hugging thing, and you're caught between being jealous and being endeared by the way albedo seems to be complaining about the lack of affection. you open your mouth to tease him, but quickly shut it. you should probably address what happened first, but how do you explain that you didn't want to hug him because you thought you'd be able to smell sucrose on him?

"is that so?" albedo says. his eyes widen by a fraction and you slap your hand over your mouth, your face going up in flames. you said that out loud!

"that's, uh..." you swallow back any excuses. there's no point in lying to him. if you don't bring things to albedo's attention, then it may as well be non-existent. you sigh and come clean. "this is... really stupid, but i just... didn't like seeing you and sucrose hugging. it made me feel--"

"jealous?" albedo finishes your sentence. you gape at him. how did he figure that out so quickly? you nod slowly, and albedo hums. "i see... do you think that sucrose has feelings for me?"

"what? no!" you shake your head quickly. "no, i know that there's nothing going on; i saw the beakers, i know you were just keeping her safe." your eyes drift to where the mess once was. "i don't know why i felt jealous, okay? but i did, and it felt terrible."

albedo soaks up your words like a sponge. you can always tell when he's internalizing something -- his eyes seem to lose their usual focus as the gears turn. it takes him a lot less time than you thought it would to understand this. "i'd read once that lovers experience jealousy," he muses. "it's a little interesting to be on the other end of it."

the other end? "have... have you been jealous before?" the words sound ridiculous coming out of your mouth, but albedo nods, unashamed.

"quite a few times, actually. i think the common link is the cavalry captain."

"what?!"

albedo -- sweet, innocent albedo -- frowns at your outburst. "did i say something perplexing?" he must really not know why you're shocked. "i do feel jealous whenever you're around captain kaeya; you two appear very close all the time, and he touches you a lot, so i... why are you laughing?"

you couldn't help it. albedo was so straightforward with you about everything. most people would take that kind of secret to their grave, but not your boyfriend. you double over with laughter. at least you weren't alone in your feelings. it's reassuring to know that it went both ways.

you wiped a tear from your eyes. "i'm not laughing at you, 'bedo, just," you giggle, "i felt stupid for thinking that way. you always know how to make me feel better."

albedo looks adorably confused. "i'm not sure i understand."

of course he doesn't. "don't worry about it." you smile and make your way over to him, planting a light kiss to his cheek. your smile only grows as you watch a faint blush dust his cheeks. "i love you, albedo."

albedo recovers from his moment and pulls you in by your waist. you melt into him with practiced ease and take a deep breath. you chortle to yourself; he doesn't smell like sucrose at all.

"and i, you." his reply is spoken so quietly, you almost miss it. his hold on you tightens a little. "i'd appreciate it if you'd keep hugging me when you arrive. i... i enjoy it a lot."

you struggle a bit to pull away since he's holding you so tightly, but once you do, you kiss his lips softly, relishing in the dusty pink that colors his face. "anything you want, 'bedo."

✧ hey anon! i hope you enjoyed it! i didn't want to over do it and write too much, so if you want this scenario from other boys (cause i actually have more in mind, LOL) just lemme know!

[frieschan]

random thoma headcanons ♡

➳ character/s featured: thoma x gn! reader

➳ unrequested | headcanons // fluff (angst if u squint)

➳ TW: none <3

➳ AN: I got bored and I need to do some requests now so I'm just gonna use this as a warm-up

—THOMA; genshin impact headcanons !

-ˋˏ ღ whenever you're visiting the Kamisato Estate, THOMA can never help staring at you in a daze, even when he's doing his duties as the housekeeper (bonus: Ayaka teases him for it sometimes which makes him blush a ton <3)

-ˋˏ ღ he adores it whenever you help kids during your walks with him, even if you don't like kids! You'd just be playing a little game with a little boy and THOMA has his cheeks hurting from how much he's smiling! He's genuinely ready to explode from how happy he feels.

-ˋˏ ღ this boy cannot keep his hands to himself for the life of him, even in public... You could be speaking with the owner of Ogura textiles and THOMA would shamelessly have his arm around your waist.

-ˋˏ ღ sometimes whenever people deem themselves a better fit for you than THOMA, he'd just pull you away and go home with you. Then he just puts his head on your lap while he's pouting at you, waiting for you to mess with his hair.

-ˋˏ ღ did I forget to mention that he loves it when you have your fingers tangled in his golden locks? He especially loves it when you put his headpiece on him and tie his hair.

-ˋˏ ღ let's just say that THOMA's really touch-starved because of how much of his time his job eats up—so whenever he gets the chance, he will absolutely crash on your shared bed and cuddle you to a drowsy bliss.

copyright © 2021 | frieschan

reblog or like if you enjoyed!

[ruershrimo]

genshin impact x reader: the inventor and their traveller, part 5- the plot thickens?

features kazuha

warnings: no not really except that this is not proofread but I don’t think that counts as a tw?

notes: ehe. I was dead for a while but now I’ve been resurrected

taglist: @apyrose

series masterlist

“You know, although I really wanted to come along, I honestly didn’t expect my father to let me travel with you, much less so quickly,” you mentioned as you took another step forward on the route to Inazuma City. “I hope my little brother won’t cry about me leaving, though.”

“Mhm,” tomo concurred, his cat meowing along as it poked its adorable, minute head out of tomo’s clothes.

Noticing the little feline fellow with alabaster fur and whiskers, you started, “By the way, tomo-”

“Hm?”

“What’s his name?”

“Whose name?”

“The cat’s,”

“Oh, it’s a she, not a he,” he tittered as you resisted the urge to castigate him.

“Her name’s tama,” kazuha responded, his voice echoing his placidity.

“Oh, I see,” you smiled before bending down to wave at tama. “Tama, hello.”

She gave an endearing purr in response.

You halted in your steps. “May I pet her?” you requested, your eyes fixated on Tama.

“Sure.”

Your fingers slightly quivered as they hesitantly came in contact with tama’s soft fur before your palms wrapped themselves around her before you brought her face up to meet yours.

“No need to be nervous,” kazuha reminded you, placing his hand on your shoulder.

“O-oh, right- I’m just worried that I’ll hurt her or anything,” you stuttered, cautiously holding her. She seemed so fragile in your hands, as if she was like how your little brother was as a baby. You cradled her like you did for your brother those years ago, but unlike before, you felt a twinge of apprehension and nostalgia as a response to her nuzzling up to your wrist. You didn’t feel as pure or untainted as when you caressed your younger brother’s hairless head as he bawled continuously (at least, not after that incident).

“Do you want to hold her until we get to the city?” tomo inquired.

Somewhat bashfully, you returned, “Yes.” You didn’t wish to hurt her but you knew that you liked tama. Why would you ever dislike anything that reminds you of your little brother?

With trembling hands, you kept tama in your grasp for the rest of the trip to the city.

You stepped foot in Inazuma City as you gazed at the sprawling sakura petals of perfect pinks and purples of all kinds. Serenity reverberated throughout the city, a stark contrast to the actual state of the country (this fact enthralled you). Though the two seemed equal in size, the amount of people roaming the streets of Inazuma City was scarce compared to Liyue Harbour, and the innocent young children who played around the city were as happy as one could be. It seemed just like Liyue Harbour, and yet, it seemed so different than your home, as if it had a certain essence to it that kept it unique, something that discreetly displayed that this city was akin to a peaceful cedar tree in a violent storm, inching closer to being struck and torn down by force with every passing moment.

“Wait, make sure you hide your visions!” you cautiously warned, your voice in a hushed tone and halting your team in your tracks.

They did as you said, ever so secretly, before you continued to explore the streets.

“Oh, look! Some kimonos,” you noticed, pointing to the floral-patterned fabrics that were hung out on display, tama still in your arms. Tomo had strayed off to visit a food stall. “My mother likes these.”

“Ah, that’s ogura mio’s shop,” kazuha informed you.

“Ogura mio? Who’s that?”

“The lady in the kimono, over there- wait, you don’t know ogura mio?”

“I mean, I’ve never been here before, so-!”

“For all of your life, you’ve only been holed up in Higi Village?” kazuha questioned you, concerned.

“Uhm…” you hesitated for a moment’s respite, desperately digging into the depths of your head in order to seek a desired answer. For all of your life, the only means of attaining knowledge was from the various book collections on the shelf next to your father’s working desk. From this, you learned of everything that made up your vast library of erudition from the unbound education that the books bequeathed to you. Though you would concur learning the fundamentals of nearly everything from mere books was no ordinary feat, you still felt an inkling of embarrassment that clung firmly to your conscience whenever you thought of how you had only been in two different areas your whole life. Although you were exposed to books, you truly knew nothing of the actual world around you. Was it self-imposed containment or a fear of being restricted from fantasy and jejune juvenility? “Kind of.”

“Ah…”

It seemed that you had branded the speech-smart poet speechless.

“Oh, hello!” the lady in the rosy flowery kimono called out, waving, presumably, in your direction.

“Uh, hello,” you greeted in reply. Her sudden geniality took you aback.

“Would you like to join my sewing class? There’s no banner or poster for it yet, but I’m sure that you’ll like it,” she offered. The banner materials were actually supposed to come in yesterday…”

“A-ah, are you ogura mio?” you probed.

“Yes, I’m the owner of this little shop here. Anyway, would you like to join?”

“No, I’ll pass,” you denied, slightly guilty. You didn’t hold the best memories of sewing after trying it 13 years ago-

“Look, I sewed the clothes! Now 哥哥 won’t have to do it by himself!” you jubilated, holding your handiwork up for your mother to be able to look at it with your tiny little arms. Though it seemed even more tattered than before due to your patchwork, you had put in all of your best efforts into sewing it back together with your mother’s extra fabric. “See?”

Your brother stifled a long bout of laughter once you held it up, a little nod to how horrible the sewing was before your mother reprimand him with a hand gesture telling him to cease his laughter and a conspicuous scowl across her face. She placed her palm on her head, attempting to pat it. “Now, it’s the most awful sewing I’ve ever seen, love, but don’t wor-!”

“Both of you don’t like it?” you almost sobbed, the tears in the corners of your eyes blocking your peripheral vision. You had spent hours on it, as atrocious as it looked. Your gaze travelled around the room, searching for your father to comfort you and take care of you.

“Oh, don’t cry-!”

“But you won’t deny it,” you sniffled with a shaky voice, your lip trembling. You placed your work on the floor before you sprinted to your father’s room, your safe haven.

“Is everything alright?” your father whispered, his voice weary and considerate as he peered up from his work.

“Papa, they don’t like my sewing,” you whimpered, your hands rubbing against your watery eyes.

“Oh, I’m sure they didn’t mean any harm behind it, dear.”

“But 哥哥 laughed at me, and mama said it was bad!” you cried.

He got off his seat and carried you to his desk, clearly exhausted. “Well, would you like to read some books for now? You don’t need to cry,” he shushed you gently.

“Okay, papa,” you expressed.

-and you weren’t going to consider dabbling in sewing once again any time soon.

“Oh, but it’ll be fun!” she smiled. “I can teach you how to make it a nice past-time hobby!”

“Ah- no.”

“I presume it would probably do all three of us some good if we were to go to her class,” kazuha grinned at you, his ruby eyes as bright as always and his voice as lullaby-like as a young mother’s to her beloved first child. The tranquil look in his eyes seemed to thaw your icy fears of cumbersome recurrences with its warmth like a hearth in a home secluded deep in a wintery forest. It seemed as if he understood you just like before. Prior to you realising it, your eyes were caught in his like the heat of a fireplace in a warm Mondstadtian room. He took his hand in yours and held it up by your palm, effectively causing you to virtually jolt away from him (but you didn’t, because maybe you enjoyed holding his hand). “…right?”

“R-right,” you stammered, feeling sweaty all of a sudden as you gulped, snapping yourself back to reality. What were you thinking?

“Alright, then! A class with one couple tomorrow, is that alright with you two?”

“C-couple? Ah, no,” you stuttered, your heated condition only worsening and becoming more noticeable to kazuha and ogura mio. Why did that one part of you loathe you so much today? “Also, it’s three people… wait, let me check-!” you dashed off to meet tomo, finding this the perfect opportunity to escape the next few mortifying moments.

“Wait! Is it alright if I ask you to do me a little favour?” she requested as you stopped in your tracks.

“Uh, sure, anything.”

“Well, the poster materials were supposed to come in yesterday, but it hasn’t arrived yet,” she began, resting her face on her open palm. “I fear that some ronin stole it, but I can’t leave this shop and all of the other people who signed up for the class are untrained people in the neighbourhood who I personally know. You seem like travellers, so I take it that you at least know basic self-defence.”

“I see. Well, we’ll try our best, but only kazuha and tomo know how to fight,” you replied, slightly hesitant. (But what could you do to deny a request from somebody who seemed as kind as her?)

“Who are tomo and kazuha?”

Abashed, you realised that you hadn’t introduced you and your travel buddies to her, and you promptly did so afterward before she gave you other details on the poster’s materials.

“Wait, one question- are there any magnetic materials included?”

“So, that’s just what I think we should do, to help her,” you explained. “Byakko Plain should be where it is now, judging by the schedule that ogura mio gave us.”

“Are you sure? Ronin don’t just negotiate nicely, you know,” tomo opined.

“I mean, we shouldn’t really try to initiate any violence so I don’t think we have any other choices.”

“We can come up with some elaborate scheme to force them into giving it back,” kazuha jested.

“Nah, too much hard work. Plus, if we tried to do something like acting, tomo would have to save us all in the end.”

“So, we go to Byakko Plain and then we offer them inventions in exchange for super expensive stuff?”

“Uh, now that I think about it…” kazuha started. “The plan really isn’t the most tactful or pragmatic.”

“Oh please, don’t stress on the inventions part, tomo. Inventions are all I have besides basic necessities, and I can only give them the prototypes because I can’t give my scrap materials or any of my completed ones.” You frowned and pressed your fingers to your temple. “And kazuha, uh…”

“Why don’t we just fight and get him to give the stuff to us?” tomo suggested his voice in a slightly deadpanned tone.

“Well, I mean- the two of you can’t be the only people fighting- what if you’re outnumbered and get hurt? I don’t want to be the only person in the whole group being a deadweight.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t be a deadweight if we fight,” kazuha reassured you with the same pools of eyes that you were met with earlier that day. “We’ll be just fine, and you can even provide us with any external assistance if we were to fight them.”

“Alright, fine,” you sighed in defeat, acquiescing. “You two win, but you’ll have to fight.”

“Okay then, so when are we going?”

“Probably now…?” Your voice tilted at the end, shifting to a higher pitch as if to form an inquiry.

The three of you then made your excursion to Byakko Plain, the ambience just like expected and the air crisp. The grass, a lighter shade of what you were used to in Higi Village, danced and crunched along to the wind blown by the movements of your feet and legs.

“I have a magne-searcher here,” you stated, bringing out the searcher from your satchel before passing one to each of them. “This can help us look for magnets, so we can find them easily.”

“Woah, this feels really high-tech! Do detectives use these?” tomo’s voice sprinkled with childlike wonder as he circled his hand around the handle. You wished you could still have that, for a moment, but you brushed your yearning off.

After a full search on Byakko Plain with the magne-searcher that resulted in no finds for the stolen materials, you guessed that the thief must have already secured his treasure.

“Well, if the materials were supposed to arrive in Inazuma City by yesterday, the thief might have only recently secured it, so maybe they may still be here. Let’s try to find them-!”

“Wait, are you here to investigate the stolen materials?” a man in shaggy clothes called out, his attire the normal clothes of a Konda Villager. His breath was frantic and his eyes had clusters of carmine in them.

“Yes, and who are you-?”

“I was a witness! I was walking yesterday night and found a ronin- uh, I couldn’t see his face- attacking a bunch of people before he grabbed their cargo! I recognised the logo of the materials as one from the Yashiro Commission, so I think it might be related to something happening in Inazuma City,” he panted. “I was in Byakko Plain when it happened, so now I’ve been investigating the whole area- it seems like he’s everywhere and also nowhere at the same time, as if I can feel him but he’s just never there!”

“Okay, mister. I think that ronin may be the thief in the case that we’re investigating as well,” you voiced. “Thanks for the information!”

“Okay, I think the thief should be near here,” you pointed to a random spot in the grass. Near it, there was nothing except a few ancient, fatigued trees.

“Yes, I think so as well. The wind’s whispering knows of nature’s wisdom, and the wind foretells that this is where nature has been disgraced by this crime’s perpetrator,” kazuha mused, his hand resting on his chin and his eyes closed. He sounded crazy to you at that moment, but you didn’t mind.

A thief who has so quickly and swiftly gotten and secured what they have stolen would want to avoid violence. It’s likely they would want to hide themselves after securing what they have stolen, you deduced in your head. They would want to keep themself as hidden and protected as possible, even if they were able to fight as that is not a thief’s objective, so it may be that they might be here for now- where they can be hidden from the residents of Konda Village or any hilichurls who might possibly find them- for this exact reason. There’s no bodies of water near this spot too- maybe this was done to avoid any villagers who wanted water from finding them. The only things near this place are trees and these are trees that can’t house anymore animals in them, which further prevents the materials from any sort of danger. To add to that, there are no ronin of any sort in sight, although many of them live here. To avoid suspicion, if I were a thief, I’d probably try to avoid any of my other members unless I was planning to- with the help of others- immediately ambush anyone who could catch me- and I’ve already established that they probably don’t wish to initiate violence. If they may still attack us anyway without any other aid from their associates, they must either be a lethal opponent in battle who didn’t want to start any battle but is not completely against it or a flat-out narcissist who doesn’t know what they’re doing. Plus, there aren’t many random spots like these that hit all of the criteria for thief’s temporary hiding place, not even in Higi Village, so I don’t think it’s good to expect these spots in an area near Konda Village and Inazuma City like Byakko Plain either. Furthermore, anyone like the guy we met probably wouldn’t suspect that a place like this is a thief’s hiding place.

“But wait, we might be dealing with somebody dangerous here- either that, or they don’t want to initiate violence,” you concluded.

“Woah, I feel like I’m dealing with two geniuses here,” tomo spoke, breaking the seriousness of deduction. Or maybe you’re just an idiot, you thought. “Either that, or you two are just making this up- I mean, isn’t this just some random spot-!”

“You can come out now!” you yelled.

“So you’ve found me,” a husky voice spoke.

“Who are you?” you responded, turning your head back.

Suddenly, at the speed of unrestricted light, a sword charged at your being, before another deflected it.

“Kazuha!” you cried. What if he gets hurt?, you panicked.

“Wait, hold on. I’ll help too!”

“Tomo?”

“You’ve finally gotten some friends, I know! But I’m sorry, ‘cause you won’t have any after I’m done with this!” he roared in the midst of the continuous clanging of swords. His face was obscured, but from his clothing you could tell he was a member of the ronin.

“What-?”

Wait, “finally”? Does he know me? If he knows me, is he attacking them so he can taunt me into going into battle?

“You’re a lot like your brother, y’know? He just waited and let others fight for him like a little coward!”

He knows 哥哥? Wait, I need to press him more. I have to ensure that he keeps talking so that I can get more information. But kazuha and tomo…

Perhaps I can keep talking so that he gets a distraction, and then kazuha and tomo can really strike!

“My brother’s not a coward! Nobody in my family is!”

”Oh, come on! The whole family’s pathetic!” he claimed. You had to prevent your emotions from disquieting your thought process. “The mother, the father, the son, and now the second kid!” He didn’t talk about 弟弟, so he probably only knows 哥哥 and I. But I need to be quick- he’s already distracted, so now kazuha and tomo can strike! They’re already struggling while he looks so calm-

“Oh yeah? Well, would a coward do this?”

You reached into your satchel, rummaging through it before your fingers took notice of your maybe-searcher. Luckily, you still had about five more, which would enable you to toss it at him-

The sweat on your hands felt like it could fill an ocean at that moment as your hands shook violently.

I can’t be the scared little kid I was anymore. I’m not going to let another person get away from me.

Not like last time.

Kazuha, tomo, I’m going to help-!

“Ugh!” a husky scream tore through the swords’ cacophony of collision, the magne-searcher crashing to the ground before you noticed kazuha’s blade knocking the ronin’s into the air.

“Kazuha! Tomo! Are you two alright?”

You rushed to the two, inspecting them to reassure yourself. Fortunately, they were both unscathed. Sighing in relief, you embraced them tightly, almost squeezing them.

“Thank you for helping us,” kazuha choked. “He was an adroit opponent.”

“Wait, let’s tie him up first so that he doesn’t escape. We still need the materials!”

“Ah, where is he-? Oh, a note!” you discovered. It wasn’t there before, so maybe it’s something that that ronin just wrote. Dear celestia, we let our guard down! How can we get the materials now?

“We should see what is written on it,” kazuha grabbed the conspicuous paper from the earth’s grasp. “It might have been written by our thief.”

On the note, in tiny, virtually ilegible handwriting, read:

The materials are all in the ground at that spot you picked. If they aren’t, you’re an idiot. I just put this note here for you to find out why, but anyway, I was watching you and your friends, so I found out you messed up my plans- but eh, it was you, so it was a good thing in the end! I was pretty good at riling you up, right? Anyway, just get the materials. But you want to be an inventor, huh? That’s not a lot like your brother, but you two are almost the exact same, it’s almost creepy sometimes.

P.S.: say hi to Mr Takashi for me.

“What the…?” a murmur of confusion came from you.

“Does he know you? Do you know him?”

“No, but that’s not the weird part. The ink isn’t fresh, so he must have written it a while before, unless it’s special ink which the ronin can’t really afford,” you contemplated. “He said he has been watching us, so I guess that makes sense- and he also said that we should say hi to a mr takashi, so if it all clicks out then mr takashi should be the guy we met before finding the ronin. Also, he said that his plans got ruined because of us… yep, I think it’s safe to conclude that he knows all of this because he was watching us.”

“And he was watching us because of you, I think,” tomo added, causing you to feel a slight speck of guilt. “But it’s nothing that we can’t handle, right? We’ll be fine, especially with two geniuses here!”

“I agree, though most of the credit here can be attributed to you, don’t you think?” kazuha darted his eyes at you, his blood-coloured gaze entwining with yours once again.

“M-me-?” suddenly, you were undeniably embarrassed. Or caught off-guard? …or bashful? You didn’t know. “A-anyway, we’re getting off-topic here. I think I might actually know this guy- something to do with my brother- but let’s not talk about that for now. Let’s just go get the treasure and thank that mr takashi, okay?”

“Okay, commander genius!” tomo grinned cheekily as he did a faux-salute, causing kazuha to giggle.

“So you found him? That’s good,” the man exhaled, finally calm.

“…so he told us to greet you on his behal-!”

“Whatever that man says, I don’t really want to hear it right now. He was a thief!”

“By the way, sir-”

“Hm?”

“Are you a mr takashi?”

“Oh, right!” he facepalmed, almost returning to his previous frantic state. “I forgot to introduce myself,” his cheeks flushed red. “Yes. I’m mr takashi. A-and you?”

You then introduced you and the team to him before he halted the antsy scratching of his neck. “Wait, your name sounds familiar, but I can’t really place my finger on it,” he remarked.

“Well then,” you paused. “You can just call me the inventor.”

The day after the eventful one before it, you were met with your obstacle for the day: ogura mio’s sewing class.

“Now, this is a running stitch! Could everyone try to replicate what I just did with the sewing kits on your table, please? You can ask me if you have any problems with it!”

You tried your level best to emulate her impeccable skill (it was just a simple running stitch, but you weren’t good at sewing, okay?) but your attempts were futile as you realised that you were the only one in the class who desperately struggled to perform simple tasks like poking the fabric with the needle while your fingers were able to come out of that endeavour unscathed.

Anxiously, you raised your hand like a shy school student, your palm only meeting your cheek.

“Yes?”

“I’m- uhm, struggling with this, miss ogura-”

“Just call me mio, dear.”

“I’m struggling with this,” you choked out, your voice faltering. “Please help.”

You felt as if this would be a new start. Travelling with them even made you explore the world out of your inventions, after all, so what could some sewing do to hurt you now?

The other students besides kazuha and tomo sniggered as you presented your failures to mio, though you tuned them out (but to no avail).

It seemed as if you were back in the vicious cycle.

You didn’t have your father to rely on anymore, but you would be fine.

That was what you had promised him. That you would be fine.

Even if you were pathetic and weak and mentally fragile, you would learn to change, you told yourself at that moment. Kazuha and tomo were here, and they would always be here for you to fall back on them, but sometimes you had to learn to be on your own. You could do things on your own now, after all. Kazuha was there, and so was tomo. You could do things on your own, just like how you helped the two.

“Let me see, know… ah, this looks alright. You just have to do this, see?” she entwined her fingers with yours, guiding you through making a simple running stitch. Gasping, you felt a great sense of achievement pour over you, as if you had finally done something.

“Can I try doing it by myself now, please?” you beamed like a little child.

“Of course!”

You did as she had done with you before, poking the fabric with the needle and letting the thread move up and down. Once you did it a few times, a running stitch was made.

“I did it!”

And there it was, that soothing of your younger self once again.

I peer from these threads

And notice their happiness

Is this “something more”?

[npcdoodles]

#>TSHSI STUDPI FUCKIGN EYEBROW

[twsted-princess]

"I suggest you leave now, least you wish to face the Fatui's wrath."

Behold my newest Genshin Impact oc drawn by @itsdiamoon on Twitter!!

Name: Anastasia

Titles: Devitsa (Maiden) of Frost, Grand Princess of Snezhnaya

Nicknames: Ana, Anya, Annie, (Bonbori @raihan-of-sunshine's oc), Nastya (when on a mission), Snowdrop, Snezhinka/Snowflake, (Tsaritsa when she was younger) Little Princess (Childe)

Age: 23 (Physically) 400+

Race: Homunculus

Birthday: 12/6

Gender: Female

Height: 167cm/5'6

Rarity: 5 stars/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Weapon: Throwing Knives

Element: None

Position: Sub DSP

Constellation: Nives Virginum (Snow Virgin)

Nation: Snezhnaya

Occupation: Princess of Snezhnaya, Leading Commander of the Fatui

Affiliation: Fatui

Speciality Dish: Powdered Ice-cubes with a Cup of Cocoa (Turkish Delights)

Likes: Singing, Pressing Flowers, Traveling to the other nations, Her mother

Dislikes: Her mother, Sickness, Feeling worthless, Being stuck in the castle

The daughter of the Tsaritsa and crowned princess of Snezhnaya. Born from a snow-baby the cryo archon breathed life onto, she lived a happy life growing up. As the queen's Little Snowflake she brought warmth into the castle, loving her mother wholeheartedly and was Pierro's dear friend as they were her caretaker. But soon the Tsaritsa grew obsessed with her desire to destroy the old world, beginning to form the Harbringers and increasing the Fatui ranks but she still holds a soft side for a maturing Ana. The printsessa is soon trained in the arts of war, weaponry, military strategies, infiltration, and diplomacy both fair and manipulative along with her daily studies of etiquette and courtly lady skills.

As time goes on both Ana and the Tsaritsa notice that the princess has let to receive a Vision, the notion of the archon's own daughter has not earned the gods favor weights heavily on them. Ana begins to train daily, pushing herself to the limit to prove her drive to both the gods and her mother while the empress's heart grew colder as the Fatui's reach spreads to most corners of Teyvet. One day during a meeting of the Five Harbringers with the Tsaritsa a small ball of light falls slowly from the heavens. The ones gathered watch as the orb swirls and flickers towards Anastasia. Could it be? Could this really be her Vision? Ana reaches out, smiling warmly as she accepts this gift but when the light touches her finger..............CRACK. The light shatters into glass and falls to the ground around the young girl. The gods......rejected her. Her vision was no more. The effect was immediate as the princess fell ill and seemingly nothing would cure her. Now the Tsaritsa is livid, now her goal must be achieved at all cost. Dottore then makes a proposal, the queen desires the power of the Gnosis's correct? What if they use a tiny shard from all seven and place it into Ana thus granting her complete power? Once the princess's sickness left she was

For her personality, Nastya is sincere but sharper then a blade. She acts like a pure lady with all the poise and dignity but is cold to most people as a leader of the Fatui. Through her words, grace and a soft but firm touch she commands the agents to further her will. But inside she longs for so many things. The return of her mother's warm smile, to roam the land of Teyvet freely, and to bring back the former glory of the Fatui.

CV:

Amanda Lee - English

Yui Ogura (Normal), Saori Onishi (Singing) - Japanese