overcoat
inspired by!!
"...Arataka. What are you doing."
Your tone is flat; unimpressed, as he slides one arm out of his coat, leaving the other in.
"...Making sure my beloved employee doesn't freeze her little fingers off, that's what."
He grins at you, a mischievous glint in his eye as he lays the side of the coat he isn't wearing onto your shoulder, shoving your arm in.
i havent written anything for a while so this. might not be up to par with my usual stuff
edited to change reigen to arataka because reigen is his surname i. think
★ ★ ★
Snow pelts against the window as you gaze out the glass, watching the white snowflakes fall to the ground and add to the growing white blanket. The tree's frostbitten branches adorn the sky, their black branches a stark contrast to the almost pure white of the freshly fallen snow.
You can't really focus on the view, though.
Arataka sits at his desk, his legs propped up on the wood. the fading light of the setting sun backlights him, casting a golden rim of light that traces the outline of his body. One leg crossed over the other as he takes slow drags of his cigarette, and his eyes, half-lidded, aren't fixed on you — though yours is fixed on him — as he reads a newspaper, the grey paper crinkling each and every time he adjusts his grip.
You can barely keep yourself from stealing glances at him, trailing your eyes from his shiny leather dress shoes up to where his fingers delicately grasp the cigarette, held close to his mouth.
Thank god he doesn't notice; you're practically drooling over him like some dog.
Arataka calls your name, and the way it flows off his tongue makes your heart skip a beat.
"You can go home now," he says plainly, not looking up at you. He rolls up his newspaper with a hand, setting it on the desk as he brings his legs down.
Not so much as a "how do you do"...
You bring your gaze up to meet his, smiling politely despite your disappointment.
"Thank you," you say to him, beginning to pack what little things you brought.
"Ah... It's snowing quite heavily outside, though..." He mutters to himself, cradling his chin in a hand.
You hum in response as Arataka brings his gaze to look at you, watching as you slip on your jacket.
"Mmm, I suppose I wouldn't mind...
Shall I walk you home?"
It's nothing more than an act of politeness, but it makes your heart flutter. He's usually so... Indifferent to you.
Sure, he's brought you out to eat with him — alone, a few times, but you doubt that really matters to him. Maybe he has heartfelt conversations with you occasionally, his laughs twisting your stomach into knots, but that's just a way of paying his employees.
He's not interested you or anything. He clearly doesn't care, what with how he behaves around you.
Though you can't see it — too preoccupied in wearing your jacket, which is definitely not going to be enough to shield you from the cold — Arataka's scanning your face, analyzing every little feature for some kind of reaction.
Please react in some way, he's screaming to himself. Please tell me that you love me, too.
People are so easy to read! Why are you so hard?!
You finish off buttoning your jacket just as Arataka's done securing his scarf around his neck.
You step out the door, Arataka opening it for you like a gentleman. Your cheeks flush, and it seems like his do, too — but that's just the change in temperature! There's no way he's blushing, right...?
...The walk is relatively quiet. Neither of you really initiate conversation, the both of you more than content to be together in a comfortable silence.
You can't help but steal glances at your employer every now and then. His blonde hair is a wonderful contrast to the pure white of the snow that coats the ground; his eyes, not really taking much in (you're not surprised; he hasn't really expressed much interest in anything) seem to almost... Sparkle, when those dark irises reflect the shimmering white of the snow; his cheeks are flushed from the cold, a lovely colour against the cooler tones of the pathway you both walk on.
You only realize that you've been staring for a few moments too long when his eyes meet yours. Your face heats, and you cast your gaze to the pavement in front of you, trying to ignore the loud beating of your heart in your ears, focusing on the way your boots crunch the snow.
...Out of the corner of your eye, you can still see Arataka. His cheeks seem to... Redden, slightly, before he quickly shifts his eyes to the buildings to his side.
...That must be your imagination, right? There's no way he just... Blushed, right?
You hug yourself slightly, the cold getting a bit much. You really wish you hadn't brought just a thin jacket to keep yourself warm.
Rapidly clenching and unclenching your fists, you can feel your fingers almost fall off regardless of the mittens you wear.
You risk a glance at Arataka.
He seems to be doing fine, based on how he's acting: his hands in his pockets, his gait even... You gaze longingly at the thick coat he wears, and he notices this, grinning smugly.
"Finally regretting your choice of winter clothes, huh?"
You blush, huffing in annoyance as you shove your hands in your jacket's pockets.
"Oh, come on. I'm fine."
He hums uncertainly at your words, fixing you with a worried look for a moment before it's wiped off his face, replaced with indifference, maybe even annoyance.
"You should plan for the future more often. You need to think of all the ways things could go wrong, so that you can prepare for them before they happen and take you by surprise."
You roll your eyes at his words. Of course he'd use this as an opportunity to lecture you. He's always doing that.
"...I'm fine, Arataka," you repeat, flashing him what you think is a reassuring smile. Arataka just frowns slightly, his eyes searching yours for some reassurance.
...He doesn't fine any.
He's quick to hide it, though. What if he's overstepping his boundaries? What if he's being too concerned about you? What if you don't like him back?
He sighs in feigned exasperation, beginning to undo his coat.
"...Arataka. What are you doing."
Your tone is flat; unimpressed, as he slides one arm out of his coat, leaving the other in.
"...Making sure my beloved employee doesn't freeze her little fingers off, that's what."
He grins at you, a mischievous glint in his eye as he lays the side of the coat he isn't wearing onto your shoulder, shoving your arm in.
You scowl, but find your cheeks flushing. The warmth of his body pressed up against yours comforting, serving as a means to hinder the frigid cold that bites at your extremities. This is definitely a step up from just now.
It's not like he's deliberately pressing himself against you, he's just trying to share the coat, thats all. It's not like he's deliberately snaking his arm around your waist, he's just trying to keep you warm, making sure you're comfortable.
...It's silent again, the two of you walking together as one.
Your gaze is trained on the snow, the ice turning gold with the light of the setting sun as you crunch the snowflakes under your feet.
When you steal glances back to Arataka, you see his face disinterested. His eyes are empty, his expression neutral as he walks alongside you on the empty sidewalk, not meeting your gaze.
It's a little... Disheartening to see this, especially when he looks so attractive — the golden light of the sun reflecting in his dark brown eyes, half lidded; the dirty blonde of his tousled hair settling nicely above his eyebrows; his skin, almost glowing in the setting sun's golden rays.
He brings his eyes to meet yours as you stare at him, and you quickly avert your gaze, blushing.
You keep your eyes off Arataka once he notices you staring at him for the upteenth time, though it's hard to not cast brief glances back to him every once in a while.
You're getting a little more used to feeling his body pressed up against yours under the thick coat, your expression neutral, the blush gone from your cheeks — now only there because of the cold. You can sort of say you've calmed down now, your heart beat normal, your breathing even.
Arataka, though he appears to be calm, is freaking out.
He struggles to keep his breathing even, fighting to ignore the rapid beating of his heart, trying to ignore the butterflies he feels in his stomach.
You played along when he teased you, you didn't argue when he started to share his coat, you didn't say anything when he put his hand around your waist—
...Should he try... It, now?
You reach your little flat, and you thank Arataka for walking you back as you slip his coat off your arm. You're more than a little disappointed to leave his side, missing the body heat already as you begin to climb up the stairs.
...Before you can get too far, though, Arataka is following you up.
"...Arataka?"
You arch a brow at him when you reach your floor.
"Oh, come on," he says, a grin in his voice as he leans in close, close enough to feel the warmth of his breath ghosting on your face.
"You're definitely still cold."
He tilts his head slightly, and as his half-lidded eyes fall to your lips, he speaks in a voice smoother than a heated knife through butter.
"...I could help you with that."
Your cheeks flush. He's not... Asking to kiss you, is he?
You nod in response.
Arataka's grin widens, and he leans in...
Before abruptly pulling away, quickly undoing the scarf around his neck and throwing it in your face. It falls into your hands just as he's sprinting to the stairs.
"You should plan for the future more!" He calls from the stairwell, his voice echoing as his heels click with each step he takes.
"You'll catch a cold!"
You stare at the green scarf in your hands, the fabric soft as it tumbles between your fingers.
Arataka's scarf.
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Abstained.
A/N: a repost from my old blog (@ayayabaroque) with a few tiny revisions, based on Kung 'Di Rin Lang Ikaw and Sa Ngalan Ng Pag-Ibig, both by December Avenue <3
Warnings: Sumeru Archon Quest spoilers, (Use of Scaramouche's real/given name) horrible English </3
If you aren’t the reason to love, would I stop my heart from getting hurt?
Kunikuzushi was beyond saving, he was impossible to love. His own creator abandoned him, his only friends left him, and being faced with his own immortality, he knows that you’ll leave him too.
You believe that though your flaws of mortality remain, you would do your best to stay by his side for eternity.
But as he drifts of into the company of another, a scholar by the name of Haypasia, you question if he is worth the trouble of loving.
“Scaramouche, it’s been only 2 days after your most recent visit to Haypasia, would it be possible to ask you of one thing?”
He merely scoffs, dismissing the idea of resting, if it meant showing affection to his most devoted follower.
It is a true wonder you haven’t left him yet, despite how inconsiderate he is towards your personal feelings.
If it isn’t you, then it won’t be at all, I won’t hope for us anymore.
The Doctor offered you revenge, wealth, and power, all you had to do was to betray Kunikuzushi.
But you couldn’t bring yourself to put him in a much more dire situation, thus you decline.
Yet do you truly feel this way about him?
“You never truly cared for me, Haypasia has been showing her dedication and devotion to me ever since she made contact with her new-found God.”
Scaramouche seethes, venom spilling from his mouth
“If I were you, I’d do exactly as Haypasia, in hopes to win over my companion again.”
I’m shivering and I can’t move, my heart can’t force myself to love you anymore.
It proves true that the snow-ridden land of Snezhnaya is not suit to your tastes,
but if it means staying as far away as humanly possible from Scaramouche, you’d go through whatever length to ensure his happiness.
For Haypasia's happiness too, yet not yours.
If the frostbite and cold doesn’t take you, then may the fake god abrew in Sumeru take your life.
You once believed that you would take any step toward a brighter future for you and Kunikuzushi, but it seems near impossible to achieve that, if he is in the glory of another.
Do you truly love him now?
If it won’t be us in the end, I’ll stop myself from loving someone else.
“I vow to stay by your side for eternity, let the damned wake, and let the souls who mourn, do so with agony. I will shield you from the world and all it’s cruelty.” —yet you, who makes such sacrilegious promises, only to succumb to sheer cold, and a slight pang of jealousy toward his “first” follower.
If you couldn’t love another, you might as well die with the vows you’ve made to each other.
That way, when he succeeds in entering godhood, he won’t remember you anymore.
But if I don’t remember who we were, who’ll cry in the morn for us?
Before setting foot into Sumeru, you haven’t even heard of Irminsul.
Much less known that Irminsul contains the memories of everyone, which holds little to no regard from Scaramouche, until he caught wind of what recently happened after his downfall.
“They have been pronounced dead. I believe you have no use for them anyway, since Haypasia is your one and only follower, am I correct?”
Il Dottore, 2nd of the Harbingers, announcing your death to the former Harbinger has his mouth agape and speechless.
He descended into madness, believing that it was all his fault, his status, his arrogance, and his vile nature that caused your death.
Shortly after his defeat, he was assigned to carry out a task for Lesser Lord Kusanali and the Traveler.
Enter Irminsul and attempt to find more information on the Descenders of Teyvat.
In his subconscious, his new-found information on the erasure of existence from the Traveler has his full attention. Perhaps, if he never met you, if he never tainted his self-image, you could live happily together with him in his next life. With the knowledge of Irminsul, he begins infiltrating its memories in hopes to have his soul reborn into your arms again.
I’m letting go, since I can’t move anymore. But would I stop your heart to yearn for another?
He succeeded in erasing The Balladeer’s existence of this world, but it was in vain. You couldn’t hang on to the tiny bit of life you have anymore, and withered away from his grasp. In all the years of his life, he has never experienced such grief in his life.
His mind, though hazy, tries to cling on to what little memory he has of you in the back of his mind. Kunikuzushi was impressed to say the least, you really did love him, even if he wouldn’t love you anymore. At the cost of the recognition as a God, the price would be his only source of hope and warmth.
“Until the end of our time,
until our hearts feel nothing anymore,
even if forever ends, I’ll wait for you in the name of love.”
-
A/N: i wish that i too, can be erased by irminsul. that sucks.
Stay safe, keep yourself hydrated, and continue on treading your path in life, with hopes of success. Believe in yourself, and stay positive. <3
-1, Yuan
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