HAH.

Can I request a angst to comfort Albedo x reader (I’m unsure if I wanna request it as KOF captain!reader) where Albedo and Sucrose are spending a lot of time and reader is fine with it on the outside but on the inside selfishly wants Albedo’s attention. When reader asks for their time so they can go out and do something, Albedo disregards them, not paying attention to them while focused on something with Sucrose and reader decides to leave and finds themselves hanging out with Diluc outside of Mondstadt walls. With Albedo, he finally takes a break and find reader not waiting for him. He goes looking for them when commotions happens and he is informed that reader was in a accident. He goes to Barbara and find reader getting treated for wounds but is also in some type of coma. Albedo is in distress seeing reader not waking up and stays with them till he can’t. This accident starts to affect his work till he gets news that reader is awake. Then apologizing ensue and heartfelt reunification. Angst to fluff comfort

What a lovely request!! Hurt to comfort is one of my favorites! I had so much fun writing this oml albedo is one of my favs. the new summer quests just made me love him more <3 I really hope it is to your liking! It also ended up being rather long I think... Hmm (Side note: hopefully I wrote the relationships in a way you were imagining!!)

"I won't take you for Granted." ~ Albedo x Gn!Reader

Summary: You find yourself missing spending time with albedo, yearning for some time alone with him, only to be pushed away. When you get into an accident, Albedo is forced to reflect upon your relationship, as he misses you more each day.

Characters: Albedo, Reader, (mentioned): Jean, Kaeya, Barbara, Diluc.

Content/Warnings: Hurt comfort/ angst to fluff, description of injuries, reader in coma (you wake up), some cuddles and kisses at the end.

Reader Pronouns: Gender neutral / They/them.

A/n: to the other anon who requested keqing: the fic is in progress and should be out soon ;) + proofread this at 1:30 am so apologies for any typos

(Content below the cut! <3)

You wiped your brow, letting your weapon rest against the wall of your office with a sigh. Training new recruits for the Knights of Favonius was never easy, but you always loved the enthusiasm from the rookies. This particular bunch had been pushing you for harder training, but with the satisfaction of teaching also came the fatigue of combat.

You walked over to your desk, eyeing the schedule you had left lying there. Lunch, perfect timing. It always felt nice to have a good meal after hard training. "But it would be even better with Albedo." You thought. You stretched smiling to yourself. Yes, you would go see if your boyfriend was available for lunch. He was always a good listener, and you would be able to tell him about the eventful training that morning.

Pushing open the door to the office, you spotted Kaeya and the acting Grand Master chatting in the hall. Kaeya gave you a small wave. "Ah, good afternoon Y/n."

"Hello." You waved back. "Hey, while I have you here, have either of you seen Albedo? I'm off for lunch and I thought I'd stop by to see him." You shrugged. Being high ranking knights such as yourself, you reckoned there was good chance that they had seen the alchemist recently.

"Albedo? Hm.." Jean said hand resting on her hip. "I believe he is with Sucrose, in her lab. I don't understand alchemy very well but it sounds like they're working hard at something."

"Thank you, Master Jean." You nodded and walked away, headed for the stairs at the end of the corridor. Albedo was with Sucrose again. You weren't surprised, he was her Mentor after all. You shook off the twinge of what could only be jealousy, as you turned the corner, heading for the door you knew lead to the girl's lab. You gave a quick clear knock, tapping the wood a few times with you fist and taking a step back.

You heard a small scuffle from inside and soon the timid Sucrose appeared on the other side of the doorway. "O-oh! Hello Y/n." She stammered. From the looks of it she hadn't been expecting you. "Are you looking for Mr. Albedo? Let me get him for you." Without waiting for your response, she disappeared again.

You shook your head. Sucrose was always on the shy side, and you hoped you hadn't freaked her out. She wasn't wrong though you had come to her lab several times over the past week, looking for Albedo. Unfortunately, everytime he had dismissed you or apologized, saying he really must work. Then he would turn, and disappear back into Sucrose's lab. You tried to remain low key about the situation. It was common knowledge Albedo was both an incredibly gifted alchemist and not a social butterfly, but you were used to spending more time with him.

You were snapped out of your reverie as the man in question appeared in the door. "Is something the matter Y/n?" He asked, his soft voice monotone and direct.

"Oh, yeah. I was on my way to pick something up from Good Hunter. It's lunch break." You gestured over your shoulder, in the general direction of the town. "I was wondering if you wanted to join me, it's been a while since we've done something." You gave an apologetic smile, trying not to sound to pushy. You knew his work was important, to him and the knights.

Albedo shook his head, expression unchanging. "I am sorry, Y/n, but sucrose and I really must keep working. Alchemy is an ever evolving practice." He had that determined look in his eye that he always got when his work posed a new challenge to him. He made eye contact with the green haired girl, who nodded back with the same enthusiasm. These alchemists held a different level of resolve entirely.

"I understand, good luck in your work." The smile on your face felt a bit more forced than you would have liked. You decided it was time to be honest with your partner. "But seriously Albedo, it's been quite some time since we were able t-" He turned his face away from you pointedly. "... To do something..." Your voice trailed off and you sighed, watching him return to Sucrose's side as the pair worked in tandem leaving you to your thoughts. You closed the door, taking a deep breath.

You turned, trudging away from the lab. You felt a prick of a dark feeling and shook your head trying to right yourself. Surely, there was nothing to worry about. You knew both Albedo and Sucrose quite well, and we're positive that the idea Albedo could be in love with her was out of the question. Then why did you feel so... so bad? You pushed the feeling away attributing it to a mix of you hunger and weariness from the hard morning. You headed for the entrance door, meeting once more with Kaeya and Jean.

"Albedo somewhere else? He always did have a habit of sneaking off when nobody was looking." Kaeya asked you, with a small laugh. You blinked, slightly confused.

"No, he was there. Working as hard as ever." You said, shaking your head and doing your best to look unbothered.

"Y/n is something bothering you?" The acting Grand Master looked at you with tender concern. Something about your body language seemed a bit off, even if your face was as cheery as ever.

You shook your head again, more vigorously. "I mean, nothing personal of course. Those rookies gave me a run for my mora in training this morning though, I'll admit." You faked a yawn, trying to sell the tired act. "Not anything lunch won't fix, in any case." You finished with wave, and you headed out the door, eager to escape the conversation.

You ordered your usual from Sara, who was as kind as ever, and taking your food in a to-go box headed towards the city gates. You liked to enjoy your lunch outside the city walls, though usually you preferred to do it with company. Walks in nature with Albedo were always pleasant. Occasionally he'd find an interesting plant, or a butterfly with an odd pattern and get distracted as he examined it. The alchemist would tell you about the strange flora and fauna of Teyvat and seeing him so passionate about something always made your heart flutter. Albedo was not a talkative person, so the moments where he was deep in thought about a subject brought out a side of him most people often didn't see.

Kind memories of Albedo slowly looped back to him in Sucrose's lab, the way he seemed so intent on what she was saying, the way they seemed almost in sync with their thoughts. You felt bad, for wanting him to yourself, even If it was just for a mealtime. You tried to ignore it, it made you feel selfish, and possessive. You hated feeling jealous, but was it too much to ask for some Alone time with your boyfriend? You missed the way he would sit attentively and listen, and tell you all of his most recent thoughts, show you his new paintings, and let you into his life.

A choking feeling rose in your chest, unable to push the feeling away anymore you felt it wash over you in dark waves. You thought getting away from the city would do you some good. You sped up a little as you exited Mondstadt's walls, yearning for time away from the hustle and bustle.

As you cleared the gates, you met a familiar face. A tall red headed man was in conversation with one of the knights guarding the entrance gate. The man turned away ending the conversation abruptly, leaving the poor Knight looking helpless, and a bit frustrated. When you passed the guard he saluted you with a muttered "Afternoon, Captain Y/n."

The man turned, overhearing the exchange. "Y/n? I don't typically concern myself with knights but, aren't you supposed to be working?" His voice was slightly heated and you guessed whatever conversation he and the guard had finished was not a pleasant one.

"Good afternoon, Master Diluc." You plastered a smile on your face as you walked nearer to him. "I just finished actually, lunch break." You held up the box of warm food in your hands. And then added, under your breath, "I'm of half a mind to not go back today." You walked past Diluc, beginning to cross the bridge.

"Are you planning on eating away from the city?" He asked, taking a few strides to catch up to you. "Yeah, that's the plan. Just me and nature I guess." You couldn't hide the upset tone of your voice this time and the man next to you looked down in concern.

"I'll accompany you. From the sounds of it-" he cast a scathing look back at the guard who flinched under his gaze. "-there's a couple abyss mages running rampant nearby. It's not smart to head out alone."

"Mm.. I'll have a chat with him when I return then." You glanced at the guard who was now positively shaking. "Although, that's a problem for after lunch." You agreed, and the two of you set out away from the city of freedom. Diluc had always had a strong sense of justice, and you knew he would insist to escort you, in the name of caution. You also couldn't find it in yourself to explain you wanted alone time, fearing that if you mentioned anything you might breakdown entirely.

You had met diluc some years prior. You had both joined the Knights of Favonius when you were teenagers and had gotten on well. You kept in contact ever since, and if there was ever an issue you couldn't fix because of your ties to the knights, you would find diluc, and when there was a problem too big for him to handle alone, he would find you. Ever since a coincidental meeting in the middle of the night some time ago has revealed his double life as a vigilante, you had grown to be good friends.

You walked in comfortable silence, which was normal for the two of you, but as the silence hung over you, it gave space for your doubts to fester. Diluc peered at your face, noticing the way you were biting your cheek and how your eyebrows knit.

He cleared his throat, before hesitantly speaking. "Something seems to be bothering you, Y/n." His words were gentler than usual, giving away to his concern.

"No? Nothing." You said. Your voice was full of an exaggerated incredulity, as you tried and failed to act nonchalant. "What even made you think that?"

Diluc sighed giving you an 'Are you serious?' look that you pointedly avoided, turning you eyes to the worn path. "Do you really need me to answer that question?" He was exasperated, and you knew you were caught, but you stubbornly pushed through.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's not like you too worry in any case. Are you okay?" It was all a lie, but you were convinced pretending you were fine would ease the creeping feeling still sitting heavily in your chest. Diluc raised an eyebrow at you. "I think I hold a reasonable amount of concern."

You knew he had a point. Your cool facade surrounding the your troubles had slowly been cracking, as if being chipped away by a chisel of doubt. When your companion had asked you what the matter was, you had barely enough to cover your problems anymore. You crossed your arms tightly, turning to look at Diluc. Under the look he gave you, you sighed and let your arms relax, anxiously drumming your fingertips on the box of food.

"Yeah... Yeah something is bothering me." You admitted. "It's really not a big deal though, I know I shouldn't be upset." You fiddled with the box not sure where to go with the conversation. Truth be told you were hoping the subject would drop, if Diluc pressed matters you would have to admit your feelings out loud.

The man beside you hummed, apparently thinking on it. "Is there any way I can be of assistance?" He said simply. You shook your head, making your way to a large bent over tree, and perched yourself on top of it. Diluc sat next to you.

"I appreciate the offer, but really I don't think you can." You felt helpless at the moment. Could anyone help you? What would you even ask for help with, pulling Albedo away from work, getting the attention you wanted? Of course not, you would sound insane. Your hands shook slightly and you set your food on the ground near your feet, suddenly not hungry, the knot in your stomach taking up too much space.

"Would you like to... Talk? About it?" Diluc's question was gentle. You knew he wanted to help where he could. "I might not have the best advice, but I'd gladly listen to you Y/n."

You were quiet, the offer hanging tantalizingly in the air. You did want to talk about it. Letting your emotions sit twisting around in you like smoke, making you feel sick, was doing you no good in any case. You nodded slowly. "It- Well I know that it's irrational-"

Suddenly there was a loud panting and ruffling sound from the trees behind you and you snapped your head around. Eyes fixed on the scenery with intent, you and Diluc slowly stood, both immediately on guard. Then, from the brush a man stumbled out. He looked like a resident of one of the nearby towns, a basket on his back spilling out mushrooms he had been foraging for moments before. You rushed to his side, weapon drawn and help steadily at the ready.

"Excuse me sir, are you hurt?" You asked urgently.

"N-no I- Abyss mages. Two of them." He panted as you helped him to his feet. The fellow seemed unhurt but thoroughly shaken. "And hilichurls!" You did your best to calm the man as Diluc kept his eyes fixed on the trees.

"You should head back to town, Springvale is near." You soothed. The man nodded, gratefully scrambling away from the trees he had just come from.

"Diluc we need to take care of these as soon as possible." You had slipped into your work mode, voice clear and sharp and you analysed the situation at hand. "This close to the villages... It's a recipe for disaster."

Diluc nodded agreement, his claymore held ready at his side. With that the two of you were sprinting into the foliage, the safety of the city laying priority in both of your minds.

Albedo's hands turned pages in a large book, as his eyes lay fixed on the small vile of strange liquid In front of him. He picked it up briefly, swishing the contents around, before taking a quill to the pages of his journal. He and sucrose had been working with a new ingredient in the lab over the past week, and we're studying it to find out it's origins and how it was to be used, as the reactions they had so far varied wildly.

With a huff, Sucrose dropped a heavy book beside him, pointing to a highlighted passage. "Mr. Albedo I think I found a family of flora which could possibly yield similar results." Her voice was meeker than usual, catching Albedo's attention. He took his attention away from the book, observing Sucrose's weary eyes and slumped shoulders. They had been working tirelessly for days, and it was only natural she be tired.

Albedo nodded at the book. "I appreciate it sucrose. I think you have well earned some rest now." It was a bit after lunch time in any case, and he was starting to get hungry. Sucrose agreed gratefully.

"Uhm- Mr. Albedo, are you going to find Captain Y/n?" Sucrose stammered, and she swallowed hard when Albedo turned to look at her. "Well Y/n has showed up a few times a-and I think maybe you should go see them?" She finished unsurely.

Albedo's expression was unusually soft. He had been planning to see you. Giving a break for lunch was just as much to see you as it was to give Sucrose some rest time. "Yes. I was planning on finding them." He checked the clock that was hanging above the door, noting that at this time you would still be out. You liked to take your time over lunch, stopping to look at flowers or simply enjoy the outside. That was one of the things Albedo loved about you, was that you appreciated nature like he did.

He pulled on his coat which he had discarded in the stuffy lab, and opened the door striding out into the hall. Making his way down the corridor he gave a quick acknowledgement to his fellows as he passed, making his way to your usual lunch spot, stopping by good Hunter as he walked.

His pace was a bit brisker than usual, and as he strolled through the streets he became more engrossed in his thoughts of you. Perhaps he had been a bit harsh earlier, he thought. It wasn't his intention but he would make it up by giving you his full attention over lunch. He was on the tired side from an intensive few days studying, and wanted nothing more to lace his fingers in yours as you talked about your week with him. He could sit in silence and enjoy your company. A small smile pulled at his lips as he imagined it, turning onto the hard dirt path outside of Mondstadt.

He spied your lunch spot, finding it empty. He frowned, perhaps you had gone back to headquarters early. He noticed something was off as he approached the crooked log. A tin a food lay near the base of the log, apparently flipped over and discarded. Shooing a squirrel away from the tipped over contents, he recognized the ingredients as part of your usual order. He stood up quickly scanning the ground. There were small signs of a struggle, the brush behind the log was slightly flattened, several bushes bore broken twigs.

His heart skipped a beat. He shook off the feeling you might be hurt, you knew how to handle yourself in a fight. He stood uselessly eyes glued to that tipped over box of food. The meal was still warm. He remembered a time you told him you asked for hot food on days when you didn't feel your best. 'Something about it is comforting, you know? It's like getting a hug from your food almost!'

The memory of how you laughed about that stuck out in his mind. The feeling something was wrong grew stronger, as his eyes found a set of foot prints. Two sets. From the spacing he gathered they had run off into the forest, offering explanation for the trampled plants. He followed them, something urgent had definitely drawn you away from your lunch. Albedo drew his sword as he navigated his way carefully through the trees. His practiced eyes followed the path, picking up trampled flowers and more foot prints. He marched into a clearing, avoiding some felled trees. Scorch marks. The beaten trail he had been following appeared to go ahead but the alchemist stopped, caution becoming his priority.

"Y/n? Y/n are you here?" He called out. Your voice did not answer but he heard others, a group of people. He snapped his head around when he heard the faint desperate voices. They sounded serious, perhaps urgent. Albedo rushed away from the clearing and towards the voices, heading towards the nearby Springvale. The voices seemed somewhere between him and the town and as he ran, he noticed more foot prints. This time there was one set only.

He rounded a corner spotting a small group of people. Still no sign of you. He reminded himself that there was a chance you were not involved in whatever happened here as he approached the villagers.

"Excuse me, has something happened?" Albedo let his weapon go as he in joined the conversation. At the sound of his voice a woman turned nodding, her face anxious.

"A monster attack, they were staying near the town and a few of the villagers get caught." Her voice was shaky, and clearly she was in shock. "My husband was one of them."

"A couple of the city folk ran in to save them." A man added it, patting the woman on the shoulder to calm her. "Actually it was that Ragnivindr boy. And one of the Knights of Favonius's captains. Can't remember that one's name, Y/n I believe?" He shook his head, trying to recall the details. His description of you matched perfectly and Albedo tensed.

"Where are they now?" Albedo urged.

"Headed back to the city. They cleared those monsters right up but not without consequence." The man sighed, a bit sadly. "That Knight looked pretty badly injured. Had to be carried back, and quickly too." He said, and began to muse about the risk of such dangerous creatures near their town, but Albedo had already turned and began headed for Mondstadt.

The journey back to the city passed in a blur, as Albedo rushed over the bridge and passed the gates, anxious to make sure you were okay. He was unsure where to go first, and decided ultimately to ask Jean. Albedo was remaining calm on the outside but internally he was bordering Panic. He knew you had an instinct for protecting others, but he really could do without you running into battles randomly. Unfortunately, that was part of your job. Albedo steadied his thoughts as he walked into headquarters, logical thinking was typically his strong suit but there was no logic behind emotional distress like this. The only way to deal with it would be to try not to worry. Which currently, was not working for him.

Without knocking he walked into Jeans office, to find her talking to a tall well dressed man, that he recognized as Diluc. The two turned around looking for who was responsible for the sudden entrance. "Apologies for the intrusion." Albedo kept his voice calm, outwardly showing no sign of distress. "I heard Captain Y/n may have gotten into some trouble."

Jean nodded. "I was wondering if you might show up. I was just talking to Master Diluc about it." She looked at him now. "I'm not sure what happened myself, needless to say I'm surprised you took the time to come here."

Diluc sighed, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. It was true that normally, he would not be found in the Favonius headquarters, but something seemed to be off about him. "Yes, normally I would trust that Y/n would have no issue filling you in themselves, but I doubt that is going to happen this time."

Albedo and Jean looked at diluc, with looks of concern and curiousity. Diluc proceeded to fill the two in on what had happened.

There had been more hilichurls than you had expected when the two of you had found their camp. There was only one Abyss mage to be found though, so Diluc and you had jumped in preparing for a hard fight. You were managing well, despite the extra effort needed to compensate for numbers. The second abyss mage however, had used the commotion to sneak up and ambush you, but it's attempt did not go unnoticed. The mage had aimed a cryo attack at Diluc, and without time to warn him you had thrown yourself between the mage and your friend, taking the full blast of the attack.

Diluc had his eyes fixed on his feet. "Barbara is taking care of the injuries now."

"How bad are they?" Jean asked, worry lacing her voice. She felt the Knights were her responsibility, and her deep care for each of them left her with a twinge of guilt.

Diluc didn't answer at first, and Albedo began to fear the worst. If he knew you would be okay he could quell his worries but here... Something like this was out of his control and it made his heart clench.

"Not fatal." Diluc said finally, after some consideration. "I've seen people come out of worse, nothing Barbara can't handle for sure but..." He trailed off.

"Is there something else?" Albedo's question came out a bit sharper than he intended, letting some of his internal feeling slip into his tone. Diluc looked at him, slightly sadly and shook his head.

"No, that's all." He turned and walked out of the office, not paying either of the knights another glance. In truth, there was more too it. Diluc had seen firsthand how lifeless your body had fallen after getting hit. Your skin had been cold and breath faint as he carried your limp form to the cathedral. The way Barbara had gasped as she laid a hand over your chest exclaiming how distant your life force felt. The guilt he felt kept him from telling Albedo exactly what was happening. You had mentioned you had started seeing him before, and the regret Diluc was feeling about your injuries made looking at him a little too difficult.

Albedo was frozen in place as he tried to process what to do next. A dark feeling of guilt and worry was eating at his insides, keeping him stuck uselessly in place. Luckily, Jean provided him with an out.

"Go check on Y/n, Albedo." She said softly. Though you two had not publicized your relationship, the Acting Grand Master was not oblivious to the fact he had grown close to you. "Let me know how bad the situation is when you return, unfortunately I still have much work to do." She returned to her seat, leaning on her desk with a knowing look.

Albedo nodded. "I will, thank you Master Jean." He turned, leaving Jean alone with her work and worries. Shutting the door behind him he began making his way towards the cathedral. He past the large statue in the square, climbing the stairs with haste, and entering the large building.

Inside was quiet, and though the people inside went about their daily lives, praying and chatting Albedo couldn't help but feel a heaviness to the air, pressing down on his chest. He walked as quickly as he could, approaching a small arched doorway in the back of the church that lead to a small infirmary. He rushed through it, nearly running into one of the church's sisters in the process.

"Apologies, miss." He said taking a step back. The nun looked at him with a kind smile, holding her hand up in a friendly gesture.

"No worries. Is everything alright? You seem to be in a hurry." She asked, checking Albedo for scratches or cuts. "You don't seemed to be injured?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm here to see somebody who was brought here recently, a knight by the name of Y/n?"

Even the sister could hear the strain in his voice, noticing the way his brows knit in both worry and hope. The girl's face fell as he mentioned your name, looking at him with slight pity and Albedo's heart lurched. "How.. how bad of condition..." His voice faltered and he clenched his jaw.

The nun rested a hand on his shoulder momentarily. "It'll be okay, Barbara is seeing to the healing now." She gestured to a door down the hall a ways and suddenly Albedo moved by her, heading towards the door.

As he slid by her she let out a cry of protest, but he paid it no mind as he reached for the door. His thoughts were jumbled, only focusing on seeing you okay. He had finally gotten the chance to see you today and he had pushed you away, again. Regret bubbled as he pushed the door open, and took in the sight before him.

Barbara stood near the edge of the bed concentrating as she held her hands over her chest, faint blue light pulsing around her finger tips. You lay unmoving before him, bandages that were quickly wrapped around your chest to stop the bleeding where you were hit had already been dyed red. Your skin looked pale and clammy, the only sign you were still living was the deepening red of the bandages as your heart still beat, if even faintly.

Albedo stopped dead, unable to look away from your body played sprawled on the bed, vision and jacket discarded on a nearby table. Suddenly the nun was at his back again.

"Excuse me sir, we best not disturb the deaconess. She needs full concentration." She said softly. No matter how many injuries the sisters saw too it didn't make it any easier to see people suffer.

"Please, I need to see Y/n." He said as the nun gently guided him away. "I won't leave them alone this time. It's not a good idea t-" The woman hushed him trying to reassure him.

"Barbara knows what's she's doing, she'll have the injuries healed soon sir. Perhaps it would be best to take a walk and come back tomorrow." She suggested and made to return to her work, leaving Albedo alone and stranded.

Barely noticing what he was doing, he began walking, out of the cathedral and towards the Knight's headquarters once again. He knew you would be in safe hands with the sisters, but he couldn't shake the image of your beaten skin from his mind's eye. He dragged himself into the building, aptly avoiding any other knights. He didn't feel like conversation much now. He pushed open the door to his office, half of which was converted to a lab and and moved inside, standing uselessly near his desk.

His eyes moved to the ample amounts of notes that lay in a disorganized mess a top his desk. He always said he would organize them, but it never happened. You had offered to help him telling him that "It might be no fun, but it'll be better together." His hands trembled. He had never reached a state like this before. He had grown so accustomed to your presence he never noticed how much he needed it until it was nearly pulled away from him. Head feeling light, he slipped behind his desk collapsing into the chair. He needed to unwind, to bring his mind into a state where he could return to focus.

His hands opened a drawer subconsciously, reaching for a blank sheet of canvas and a stick of charcoal. It had been a while since he painted anything. He pulled the supplies onto his desk, lazily brushing away studies as he made room for it. Bright eyes scanned the room and settled on a vase of flowers. The beautiful plant within happened to be one of your favorites. Albedo began to sketch, slowly letting the image appear before him. The drawing was supposed to ease his mind but he couldn't help but think how much you would have liked it, the soft encouragement you would give him if you were there, and he slowly sketched his nerves away, left with pleasant thoughts of giving this to you when you were back. You would be better tomorrow, he assured himself, and he would go apologize for missing lunch with you. It wouldn't be much trouble to eat his lunch in the cathedral, as long as you were okay. And with a solid plan in place, his mind was at peace again. If only he knew how it was going to be shattered.

The next morning came and went like usual, and Albedo took the time to fill Jean in on the situation before returning to his work. Come lunch time he let Sucrose go, telling her to be back in an hour and a half. "Sucrose take this time to yourself. Use it how you wish, I will not get in the way of any independent work you decide to do." He said, waving away her rather over enthusiastic thanks as he left the lab, heading to the cathedral.

He took his time walking through the streets the time, appreciating the lively shops, and the way children laughed and ran around the cobbled streets. Usually, this bustling city life was of intrigue to him, observing the haggling and patterns in which people came and went, but he had other things on his mind today. You.

As he entered the cathedral he met no staff as he headed back to the infirmary this time, heading straight to the door without complication. He set his hand on the handle, before deciding it might be best to knock instead. After a short moment, the young deaconess appeared behind the door.

"Ah, Albedo!" She smiled wearily. From the looks of her ruffled skirts and tired face she had been working all night. "Sister Victoria mentioned you might visit. Come in." She stepped aside letting Albedo into the room.

Your bandages were clean, and wrapped properly now, and you had been changed into a light nightgown, your work clothes removed to be clean. You looked so peaceful, lying so still with your hands on your stomach. Too still, perhaps. Albedo approached the bed, taking a delicate hand to your cheek, brushing his fingers against your skin. It was colder than he would have expected. He moved his hand to hover over your nose and mouth, feeling the faint breath there his shoulders relaxed, but something still felt off.

"Have they woken up yet..?" He asked. Albedo was a smart person, and he knew something was wrong but he was scared to draw any conclusions.

Barabara looked sad. "No. Y/n has been unresponsive, even to my elemental magic." She shook her head. She didn't want to say it to Albedo, but she had feared you were dead before she had used her vision to check you life force.

"When will they wake-up." He said shortly.

Barbara paused, not wanting to deliver the news. "I'm not sure, for the time being Y/n is in-" she took a shaky breath. She too had grown to know you better as you had come in with small injuries often, or were with jean working, and this accident had not left her unaffected. "In comatose." She finished unable to meet Albedo's gaze.

That was no issue though, if she had tried he would have avoided eye contact himself. He wanted to tell Barbara she was wrong, that it hadn't been long enough to tell but he was a learned man and recognized the signs himself.

"Albedo I-"

Albedo shook his head. "You did your job to it's full extent, thank you." He said honestly. If it weren't for Barbara, your wounds would never have healed so quickly, or so nicely. "I would like have some time alone."

Barbara nodded knowingly, leaving Albedo to pull up a chair and sir silently beside your bed. He hand found yours and he interlaced his fingers with with yours, but did not feel the familiar squeeze you always gave him when he did this. He had convinced himself you would be okay, only for that small hope to be ripped away from him too.

Albedo was not a very sensitive person. He was logical, and a realist, but you meeting you had brought in a strange yet warm feeling into his life he had never felt before. You intrigued him, and you took the time to understand him and get to know him. Lots of people were either infatuated with his good manners and kind words, but you had taken the time to listen to them, and he was realizing that these past few weeks he had never given you that time back. He had taken you for granted, spent his time with other people, and turned you away in times where he didn't realise how much you meant to him. Now as you lay unmoving infront of him he realized how much he yearned for your company.

Had he made you feel like this? All those times he declined your invites or pushed you away to work. He couldn't help but feel he had treated those situations wrongly, you had only offered him some company. He had been working and he knew you knew that, but he began to think he had treated you to harshly. Relationships like this were new to him, and you were always so gentle and patient. He should have gone with you today, prevented the terrible outcome. His mind ran probabilities, weighing situations against each other as he imagined ways he could have stepped in to stop you, or how the fight could play out differently.

He leaned forward, holding both of your hands gently in his, as the feelings washed over him. How curious, that a single person could move his heart so strongly.

Time passed both to slowly and too quickly. Albedo stayed by your side well into the evening hours. Every once in a while he found himself drifting off to sleep head resting on your chest, desperate to feel the slight rise and fall no matter how irregular it was. When Barbara returned to the room, it was to usher Albedo out of the cathedral, as she began her nightly duties.

"Albedo, it's time for me to see Y/n again, we'll be starting our nightly rounds here soon." Barbara said in a soothing tone. "You should head home for the night, I'll take good care of the Captain."

Albedo nodded slowly, slightly groggy from the half asleep state he was just in. He stood, brushing off his jacket and giving your resting face a look of longing before quietly walking out of your room. Barbara closed the door, and he was alone with his thoughts again. The night ushered in more issues, including the work he had left unfinished that afternoon. He decided that best course of action was to get a good night's sleep and organize his thoughts in the morning, and he walked off into the night.

The next week in the Alchemy lab was dreary to say the least. Albedo's work quality dropped as well as his focus, as he plowed through experiments clumsily. Sucrose was finding herself with random breaks through the day, and had put together they were more for his own sake, than hers. Work was typically Albedo's escape. He would be able to pour himself into his studies, mindlessly observe and take note but he kept finding things that reminding him of you. Maybe it was a color that he thought you would have liked, or some ancient script you would giggle at pointing out how the letters looked like weird animals. Your absence from his life had left a large hole, that no amount of alchemy could fill. He tried painting, but every time he picked up a brush he found himself painting your favorite things, or places, or telling himself he would give you the drawings when you woke up. When you woke up. Your sleeping face was etched into his mind as if with a fine quill.

You were so devoid of life, all because of a stupid accident and he couldn't bear it. Everytime he visited the hope he would find you laying awake and upright grew dimmer, and soon he began to expect nothing more than your still body, cold and unmoving. Everytime he saw you it was accompanied by a pang of guilt, and longing for your return. Every evening when he decided he could focus on work no more he would make his way to the cathedral and sit by your side until dark, and then a sister would usher him out once more and he would leave, only to repeat it again the next day.

His life moved forward in this depressing spiral for days, until one evening as he made to leave headquarters he was stopped by none other than Jean.

"Albedo?" The dandelion knight called out to him and he stopped, preparing to head out the door. Jean walked over to him. "Before you go I have something for you."

Albedo turned around, curiosity piqued. "Sure." He said simply as the woman pulled a letter from her pocket and handed it to him. He studied the seal, recognizing the symbol of the church pressed into the wax. His heart skipped a beat, as he feared both the worst and hoped for the best.

"Barbara told me I should let you read it yourself. I have already seen the contents myself." Jean couldn't keep the smile from creeping into her voice as Albedo slid a piece of paper from the envelope, unfolding it hastily.

His eyes scanned the letter. It was short and sweet, written by one of the sisters. He barely absorbed the content as his attention was taken by one phrase over the rest.

'Y/n has woken up and will make a full recovery, we will keep you updated on their condition and let you know when they are fit to return to work.'

Albedo's heart leapt. As he reread the line a few times. 'Y/n will make a full recovery.' He handed the letter back to Jean. "Thank you. This is wonderful news indeed." A small smile played on his lips, and his soft voice lost the edge it had carried all week. He pivoted on his heel pushing open the door with an enthusiasm that Jean had not seen before, and strolled out of the building.

He felt the pressure that had been so present in his chest for days alleviate as he grew closer to the cathedral. Albedo was practically jogging with the pace he entered the church, throwing open the door and making a beeline for the infirmary. His head pounded, hazy at the good news. It all seemed to be happening so fast, was it possible that after all of that you could be okay? That you were going to be okay? He found Barbara in the infirmary hallway and she gave him a warm smile, different from the sorrowful ones she had given for what had been many visits now.

Albedo paused outside of your door, taking a deep breath, and Barbara gave him a reassuring nod. "Y/n woke up some hours ago, just please be gentle, the affects of a coma can be quite draining."

Albedo nodded pushing open the door carefully and stepped inside. You were sat, looking out the small window on the other side of your bed, but you turned hearing the door open. Your heart fluttered as the blonde figure shut the door quietly and approached your bed, his eyes not leaving yours. You smiled softly, and weakly held out your hand and he took it, relishing in the returned warmth in your fingers as you gently pulled him on to your mattress and into a hug.

Albedo buried his head against your neck, letting you hold him close. The feeling of your hands pressing into his back and on his hair was all he could ask for after weeks of feeling them limp and lifeless.

You pulled away and your hands found each others, fingers intertwined as you laughed gently. "Been a little while, huh?" You hummed.

Albedo nodded still speechless.

"I'm sorry for making you worry, Albedo." You smoothed your fingers over the skin on the back of his hands, and he softened hearing you say his name. Oh, how he had missed that. Suddenly that familiar guilt crept into his throat, tightening it as he tried to speak. He had no idea what he wanted to say, before without thinking: "No, don't apologize Y/n. I'm sorry."

Suddenly the feelings he had felt over the past weeks welled up again and he felt his chest shake as he took a deep breath. You tucked a strand of stray ash blond behind his ear, smiling all the while. "For what?"

"For taking you for granted." He choked out, as the feelings spilled their way into words. "I'm sorry I pushed you away like that. I realise now that time with you is just as precious to me as it is to you. In a way this helped me realize that." He looked into your eyes, and his honest apology made your chest tighten.

"It's alright, I shouldn't have been so pushy. I understand your work is important I just.. missed you?" You sighed, voice week from your recent ailment. "It was selfish, I shouldn't feel entitled to you like that." Finally admitting it was difficult, and you felt a weight lift from your chest yet the feeling remained still.

Albedo leaned in and kissed your forehead gently and you relaxed under one of his rare affections. "Do not feel guilty for expecting that time from me, I admit you were right. Yet with all things there is a balance, my love." He said softly as you took him into your arms once more. It was rare to see him so touchy in a place that wasn't your home, but you welcomed it pulling him into your chest.

"I supposed your right." You agreed. "As usual." You lay against the pillows that were propping you up minutes before, the alchemist laying against your chest. He hummed softly at your joking praise and his arms tightened around you.

And that's how the two of you stayed for a long while. The relief of both of your apologies settled in place of that dark feeling that had previously sat heavily in both of your hearts, as you drifted back, into a more peaceful sleep. The weight of Albedo against you felt secure keeping you anchored. You ran a hand through his hair as you enjoyed the comfortable silence for a bit.

"Barbara told me you came here every day while I was asleep." You murmured.

Albedo turned his head so he wouldn't be speaking into your shoulder. "I did." He said simply and you smiled.

"That makes me feel a lot better, I'll be honest." Your hands worked through a few knots in his hair absent mindedly. "I'm still a little freaked out about the whole thing."

"I'm glad my presence was of some reassurance Y/n." Albedo pressed a fleeting kiss to your cheek, as there was a knock from the door. Albedo stood, your hands lingering for a moment in one another's as he went to open to door. Barbara stood there holding some fresh bandages.

"Excuse the intrusion but I need to check Y/n's injuries once more. I won't be long."

Albedo nodded stepping aside and letting the girl into the room, before stepping out himself. You gave him a look of confusion, wanting him to stay a little longer."Wait Albedo-"

"Don't worry. I'll be right here waiting for you when your finished. I won't leave you again."

You sat silently, nodding slightly.

"I promise Y/n." And with his sweet words echoing in your mind, Albedo gently shut the door to your room. He would not take you for granted ever again.

°•°

Hi this doesn't necessarily have to be a request but what do you think about the concept of dating abyss prince!aether? I think it's a very interesting concept especially since we as fans only know so much.

i was going to write this as a request, but i feel like i wouldn't be able to accurately express how strongly i feel about this in such a structured manner LMAO

so here we go Messy Format, i am so sorry y'all, i've been lacking lately... i promise i'll do better,,

anyways, abyss prince!aether x gn!reader below the cut <3

how would you even meet?

a fantastic question!

so, for Dramatic Plot Reasons, you are actually lumine's second travel partner, right? and you help keep her on track while she searches for answers for aether's whereabouts

like after the dvalin incident when lumine is asking venti questions and receiving vague answers, you are beside her, glaring daggers at the former archon in an effort to get him to talk.

"we didn't save your people just for you to be tight-lipped." you snarl. "this one-sided transaction shit won't fly."

lumine tugs on your arm as a warning and waves apologetically at venti. all of you just encountered la signora and watched as he was forcibly stripped of his gnosis -- of his divine status. venti is already a shadow of his usual self as it is, and your harsh words weren't helping.

"i-i'm sorry venti, ignore them." she apologizes on your behalf. lumine gives you a look of disbelief when you yank yourself out of her grip, but says nothing. "thank you for your information. it really helped."

"like hell it did." you mutter under your breath.

venti gives you a patient smile; the one he gives everyone when he's not in his usual playful mood. "their anger isn't misplaced, traveler," he hums, "i really am sorry that i only gave you more questions than answers, but i promise you: morax is the oldest of us all. he'll have the answers you need."

i think i'll cut that there, because i just want you to understand that at the beginning, you are lumine's backbone

you say what she's too kind to say

her desire to find aether consumes her every waking moment, but she just can't ignore people in need! so she can put her mission on the back burner for just a little longer, right?

wrong. you completely disagree.

you'll let her do what she needs to do when it's unrelated to your quest, but as soon as you're with someone who may possibly have answers, you put your foot down.

sometimes, lumine would joke that you want to find aether more than she does

you don't even know what he looks like. you just want lumine to be happy. she's your best friend

so where does aether come into all of this?

this is where we diverge from the plot.

you first encounter him on a late night walk through the forest.

you and lumine were camping out for the night after a very long day of running around with klee, jean, and albedo

you were feeling restless all day, but you couldn't figure out why

for some reason, for the past couple of days, you've been feeling... watched. you feel like there's someone watching you at every corner.

you're with lumine at almost every hour of the day, but even when you two are apart, you feel those eyes still on you

so you're strolling through the forest, trying to keep yourself sane when you stumble across a small hilichurl camp

it's nothing serious, just a few shooters and one big one with a shield

you easily handle the shieldwall mitachurl and the pyro and cryo shooters

but during your fight, you didn't hear the warning horn calling for backup.

you're dusting off your clothes to head back to camp when you hear something heavy slicing through the air behind you

it's an axe mitachurl

you react far too late to stop it, so you close your eyes and say a silent goodbye to lumine as you prepare for what you assume is the most painful death known to man..

but it never comes.

you crack open one eye to see what has so graciously allowed you to live another day only to find that it's not a what, but rather a who. the mitachurl from before is disintegrating on the ground behind the person's feet, so you open your eyes to get a better look at your savior.

it's a man with long, blonde hair, golden eyes, and peculiar clothing. something starts to click in the back of your head, like rocks sparking to make a fire. do you... know him?

rather than look at the faded body of the monster he just defeated, his eyes are fixed on you, his expression unreadable.

"um," you mumble, "thank you...?"

your savior raises an eyebrow. "are you trying to get me to tell you my name?" when you nod, he huffs a humorless laugh. "you'll figure it out soon enough. but, i will admit, i was under the impression that you were a lot stronger than this."

you blink a few times out of shock. was he insulting you? "pardon me? i just didn't hear the warning horn. it wouldn't have been the first time."

the blonde man turns around and walks away from you, and it's only then that you see the white and gold sword disappearing from his hand. "it would have been your last, had i not stepped in." he turns to face you again. "otherwise, i think lumine would have had to find your body herself."

lumine? he knows lumine? the sparks in your head ignite so quickly that you become dizzy.

"aether?" you say in a hushed whisper. you're far away from your campsite, but you say his name as though it were the most scandalous secret you've ever been told. "is that... are you aether?"

somewhere deep down, you hoped to celestia that you were wrong. you really did. but when aether's lips split into a solemn smile, you feel guilt and panic begin to twist your insides into knots. "y-you're here," you stammer. "i have to go tell lumine--!"

you start to run back but aether is swift, catching your wrist in an almost bruising grip. you whirl around to look at him thinking he would be furious with you, but instead, there's a forlorn look swimming in his eyes. your heart tugs; he looks just like lumine. there was really no doubting that they were twins.

"don't," he shakes his head and lets go of your wrist, "don't tell her that you've seen me."

"why? she's running herself ragged looking for you!" you feel sick to your stomach. he expects you to keep this a secret? this was why you were with lumine -- why you stuck by her side even in the worst of times. it was all for the sake of finding him. "you two could go home and be together again, but you're just... you're going to abandon her?"

aether's face darkens for a moment, but he seems to realize something before it levels out. "i'm... not abandoning her. it's just that there are some things she needs to do -- that i need to do -- before we can leave." he glances in the direction of your campsite; it's like he can sense lumine's presence. the white accents of his clothing and jewelry shine a little brighter as he speaks. "she needs to find her truth. i've already found mine."

you feel suffocated. there's so much going through your head -- so much wrong with this situation. you don't want to do as aether says, but you would be lying if you said you didn't feel power radiating off of him. it's the same kind that you felt from lumine, but aether's was so densely saturated -- so much stronger than his sister's. did he manage to get his old powers back, then? if you were to disobey him... what would he do to you?

aether's eyes flick back to you. "you're thinking that i'm going to hurt you." it's not a question. he knows.

you shake your head but it's useless. he's already picked up on it.

"i guess i'm not as... approachable as my sister." he chuckles to himself. he steps closer to you. "but i'm not going to hurt you. if i was, i would have let that mitachurl do you in."

"th-then what do you want from me?"

"your silence." aether hums. "and," he walks to a tree behind you, picks a windwheel aster from the ground and comes back to give it to you. "your attention."

he wants your attention? "if it's my attention you want," you reply, taking the flower from aether with shaky fingers, "then you already have it."

aether laughs again. he's been doing that a lot, you notice. is there something amusing about this? "i don't mean your attention in that way. in due time, however, i trust that you will understand what i mean."

"what?"

in the distance, you hear the howling of a wolf. the moon must be at its highest now. aether's eyes follow the noise before centering on you again. his gaze softens when he sees you tense under his stare. "it's very late. you should go back to bed." he says softly.

something about his tone makes your breathing become uneven. "what if i tell lumine?" you say. "i-i could tell her everything. i don't have to listen to you."

aether nods. "you're right, you're right. but," he steps away and makes his way deeper into the forest, "i trust you."

and just like that, he's gone, leaving you with the spinning petals of a windwheel aster in your fingertips and the smell of stardust in your lungs.

what then?

you don't tell lumine.

when you got back to camp that night, your best friend was awake and frantic, because she had no idea where you'd gone and because you didn't use your vision, she couldn't trace you with elemental sight

she was so afraid that you'd abandoned her too

you were in such a daze that you didn't know what to say, so lumine assumed that you ran into some terrible danger

it wasn't inaccurate, so you let her believe it

but you didn't tell her the truth.

after that, you begin to see aether more and more often.

mostly in passing, but you notice that he's actually trailing you two

but whenever he catches your eye, you notice that his eyes are locked on you and not his sister

you only talk to him at night, when the world has gone to sleep

aether reveals himself to you when you're alone and jerks you around with his cryptic speech and charming smile

every time, he tells you how much he trusts you, because you haven't told lumine of your nightly rendezvous with him

and every time, the guilt grows stronger.

partially because you're hiding such a big secret from your closest friend

but also because you know when you're falling in love.

what is loving the abyss prince like?

it's suffocating at first.

you shoulder the weight of the world by loving him as much as you do.

at first, you tried to convince yourself that it was hatred.

hatred for the man who forced you to be a liar

hatred for the man who gifted you flowers and exotic trinkets from the nations you hadn't visited yet

hatred for the man who embraced you like you were the most delicate being on the planet

because you came to yearn for his presence

nights when he didn't visit were the worst nights of your life

you almost had withdrawals whenever you couldn't see him

you tried your best to restrain yourself when you two would reunite after a while, but aether could always pick up on your neediness

you hated him, you tried to tell yourself

you hate him you hate him you hate him.

you don't know when that changed.

but you knew and he knew that neither of you were going to make it out of this strange relationship without heartbreak.

aether confesses to you on the peak of starsnatch cliff.

"to the people of mondstadt," he speaks to you over his shoulder as he plucks cecilias out of the ground, "people who confess their love here are fated to be together for eternity."

the very second those words leave his lips, your heart stops. it's a common thing whenever you're with aether. he makes your body do the weirdest things with the littlest behaviors. his words could stop your heart and his smile could make your mind melt. it was wrong -- it was so, so, so wrong -- but you couldn't stop it.

you try in vain to keep yourself calm. "why do you know that?" you ask. you're often blunt with the prince of the abyss. he's told you on multiple occasions that he finds it endearing, since most of his subjects wouldn't even dare look him in the eyes. you hear his tinkling laugh from behind you.

"just a bit of trivia for you." he says. he stands and heads over to you, sitting beside you on the grass with the little bouquet of cecelias in hand. their light fragrance carries on the breeze.

"i've always found mondstadt to be one of my favorite places in this world." aether muses. his eyes close and your fingers itch with the urge to touch his face. his eyelashes are as golden as his hair, long and beautiful. "nowhere else is as tranquil as this place. i've sent barbatos my kind regards more than once."

you gape. "you're on good terms with the anemo archon? but i thought you.." you trail off. aether's told you his story already -- his mission. he's so transparent with you that it makes you want to bury your head in a hole.

aether removes the gloves from his hands and gently strokes the flower petals. "i may be working against the archons, but i'm not that immature. i know guilt when i see it." he looks at you then. you freeze. "i know you feel guilty about this. about us."

"there is no us." you say. the words feel so bitter and disgusting on your tongue. "there's not supposed to be an 'us'."

"and yet here you are." the prince reaches out and cradles your face with a hand. "letting me touch you like we're lovers." he smiles when you don't pull away. you may not notice, but you relax at his touch. his hands are warm and calloused, his fingers and forearms scarred from centuries of battles fought and won. they're comforting to you, no matter how much you want to deny it.

you bite your lip. you can't lie to yourself anymore. you've lied to enough people as it is. you rest your hand on the back of aether's own. "why are you doing this to me?" you ask softly. your voice cracks.

rather than answer you with words, aether leans in and kisses your forehead. your skin sings at the contact. "because you're intriguing." he murmurs against your skin.

you laugh wetly. "you always say that. i need a real reason."

he kisses your cheek. "because you're capable," he continues. "you're mystifying," he kisses your other cheek, "you're trustworthy," he kisses your nose, "and because i..." aether stops and presses his forehead against yours.

you don't think you're breathing anymore. elation has built so much in your chest that you think you're going to burst. "because what?" you whisper. "why do you stick around me so much, aether?"

"say it again." he says. he closes his eyes with a sigh. "my name. say it again."

you obey. "aether."

"again."

"a-aether," you stutter, "what is this about?"

aether silences any other questions you may have with a kiss. it's the ghost of a kiss, really; a barely-there brush of lips that sets off fireworks in your head. "you asked me why i'm doing this." he speaks against your mouth. "it's because i'm in love with you."

you don't mean to say his name again, but it's the only word you can think to say in response. he kisses you properly this time. "aether, i can't," you feel like your very soul is shaking. you're conflicted, but if this goes on any longer, you're going to make your decision. "this is--"

aether kisses you again, drinking in your half-hearted protests. "you feel the same, don't you?" he asks when he pulls away. "i know you do. you wouldn't let me kiss you if you didn't."

"what did you do to me?" you feel a lump in your throat. you've never felt love so genuine -- so pure. but to feel that from the prince of the abyss order? it was tearing you apart. "why do i love you so much, aether? why?"

the prince kisses you. "tell me you love me again. please."

"i love you." the words come straight from your chest; from the deepest, most sensitive place in your body. you mean every word, every syllable. "i love y--"

another kiss. "one more time, star. just one more."

you sniff. you don't know when you started crying, but you are. aether's other hand cups your face, brushing your tears with his thumb. "i love you." you whisper. "so, so much, aether."

aether sighs, finally content. "and i love you. more than there are stars in the sky."

beneath those stars, your abyss prince kisses you tenderly, murmuring words of adoration all the while.

where does your relationship go from here?

from here, nothing changes.

you're so used to lying to lumine that you don't change how behave during the day

your nightly meetings with the abyss prince become more intimate, with you two always touching in some way

he tells you stories of himself and lumine in the past

or maybe he'll tell you of the happenings of the abyss

he does so in order to keep you and lumine out of trouble

aether doesn't hide a thing from you because you've already proven yourself to him

he was drawn to you because of your ability to keep his other half safe

you were helping her reach the answers he wanted her to reach, even after you two became official

at night, aether will sometimes fantasize about taking you along with him and lumine when they leave this world

there's so much he wants you to see, so many things he wants to show you -- to experience with you

but until then, he must complete his work here

there will be nights when aether is too furious to touch or speak to you

he trusts you, but not himself

because he's been the ruler of the underbelly of this world for so long, he feels as though he shouldn't be around you in fear that he will ruin you

that you will become a monster much like him

but really, all you need to do is remind him that you trust him.

kiss him all over, hold his hands, braid his hair, stay close by

because that's more than enough for him to understand that he's not some weapon of mass destruction -- that he's capable of good and deserving of love just like everyone else

he is still just a man lost without his family

he's so torn up about not being able to be around lumine, but the day when he can be around her -- when he can tell her the truth -- is quickly approaching

and it's all thanks to you

because of you, the twins can see each other much sooner than aether planned

you and aether plan to slowly ease lumine into the truth of your relationship when it comes time to tell her

but there will be no more lies. not anymore.

lastly, what is he like as a lover?

lumine told you once that her brother was a very tactile person

he's always been the more compassionate out of the two of them, so he's a hands-on kind of person

something you learn through experience

he's always touching you in some way, be it your hands, shoulders, etc.

he also always takes his gloves off if he's going to touch your skin

very big on cuddling... abyss prince or not, aether just... really likes the warmth of someone else.

aether has a very stern side to him that you see on occasion

mostly when he talks about what he does during the day

his eyes grow dull and his tone will freeze over. his face will lose all of its usual warmth and he'll probably squeeze whatever it is that's in his hands

that's really just a fraction of what he's really like when he's carrying out his duties as prince of the abyss.

also very big on gift giving!! he'll give you little things here and there, but there has never been a time when he hasn't given you something.

i think that aether is a very passionate lover, abyss status or not

but because of his duties, you need to be patient with him. he's prone to moments of panic or lashing out of anger

never directed at you, but things pile up during the day and he has to keep it in to maintain his reputation

✧ i feel like this was not exactly what anon asked for but i'm so?? in love with this idea?? yes yeah.

Project Sekai + Tumblr Posts

me: *watches anime*

me: *posts about anime*

me: *has anime character as icon*

me: *has anime character as header*

me: *has anime quote as blog title*

me: *downloads anime wallpaper*

me: *buys anime merchandise*

me: *learns lyrics to anime openings*

me: *downloads anime openings into itunes*

me: anime

person: wow you’re a weeb lol

me: 

im gonna try and send the whole thing but make the text small !! i hope this works (｡･･｡)

—

being a traveler , you’ve had your fair share of injuries. some worse than others. some … you weren’t quite sure how you healed from them.

some injuries were sourced from carelessness , ignorance , or pride. you did take more care to not get injured after falling in love with kazuha , though. he means the world to you , you can’t imagine leaving him alone in it. you knew he had his worries about you , and as much as he wishes he could follow you into battle .. sometimes you just traveled where he could not follow. he was a wanted man , after all. but you always returned home. always on time , or earlier. you were never late so .. why were you late ?

kazuha paced back and forth, nibbling at his fingernails in his worry. you were supposed to be home from this commission hours ago .. where had you gone ?

his pacing is interrupted by a deckhand knocking on the door of your shared quarters , the place you two had been calling home for a while.

“ kazuha , you have a letter. it’s important. “

he doesn’t say anything other than a quiet thanks as he unfolds the delicate paper , reading the words scribbled down. you can almost see the moment his spine stiffens and his blood feels like ice in his veins. kazuha is out of that door and jumping off the boat in a second , using his anemo vision to aid him in his sprint towards a certain inn.

he’ll be damned if he cares about getting caught. you have docked in liyue anyway , the chances were slim. all he cared about was reaching you in time.

the letter had been delivered to inform your fellow crew of your condition. you’d taken a hit from the blunt side of a mitachurl’s axe. it broke several bones on impact , but your arm had shielded most of the damage away from your ribs. you’d be extremely lucky if your arm healed back completely , though.

you’d been ushered to one of the upper floors of the Wangshu Inn by several adventurers who had found you on their way home , laying unconscious. your arm was obviously broken , making even the seasoned adventurers wince at the sight of it. verr goldet had convinced the green-haired adeptus living at the inn to deliver the letter , your condition was critical and your companions and loved ones needed to be notified of your whereabouts. after running the errand , however , he went back to his anti-social tendencies and disappeared against the mortal eye. he had no reason to be physically present with you .. but maybe he could watch over nearby and make sure you were breathing. just got verr goldet , of course…

you can hear kazuha’s voice pierce the thick fog of your unconsciousness.

“ where are they ?! [ name ] , i- i got a letter they were here and hurt , where are they ?! “ he calls , voice hoarse and you can almost hear the way his heart shatters in it. you don’t have the strength to open your eyes , but you can hear his light footsteps approaching the cot you’re resting on as the door opens.

kazuha falls to his knees beside you, grabbing your unwrapped hand with his and holding it close to him, mumbling incoherent prayers to some god that you’re okay. you peek at him through your eyelashes , moving your hand to pet his hair.

“kazu , you worry too much.” you speak.

a held breath leaves his body , and you can see his shoulders relax. unshed tears shine against his eyes , a shaky laugh leaving him.

“you worried me sick. what happened ? are you hurt ?”

you laugh. a weak sound leaving your beaten body, your hand once resting on kazuha’s hair moving to your shattered arm. “ … yeah.”

kazuha’s eyebrows furrow , and he stands to get a better view of your other arm. With how heavily it was bandaged , and the makeshift splint peeking through the layers of fabric and gauze , it wasn’t hard to figure out just how bad the injuries were. You had other bandages and bandaids scattered around your body , a few small ones on your face. kazu wordlessly presses soft kisses to each of the wounds on your upper body, scooping you into his arms. he’s mindful of your injury , keeping any and all pressure off of your arm.

..

oh how you wished you were in his arms again. the blue sky above you seemed to dull as you laugh. laugh at the gods for cursing you this way. left to bleed out on an expedition in jueyun karst. your previous break had left you with permanent injury in your arm , and though you could move it just fine , the range in which you could was not as good as it used to be. meaning , your entire side was exposed to enemy attack.

you knew how kazuha beat himself up that time. when you first broke your arm , he didn’t leave you alone until you had completely healed. apologies spewed from his mouth for the first few days. he was sorry he wasn’t there to protect you. how long it took him to get to you. sorry for not being the one to find you.

knowing that , you almost hoped he didn’t find you. it would shatter him more than you just not returning home. ah .. home. it was such a warm place. you and kazuha shared many memories there. you grew closer there.

you let your eyes close , the blood loss making your eyelids feel like lead and your limbs feel like ice. maybe it wasn’t your delirious state that made the sky seem dull , as soft raindrops patter against your face , making your spilled blood travel with the water. does death feel warm , you wonder ? as warm as kazuha’s hands around you ? what you’d give to feel his arms around you one last time.

you’re too far gone to realize a warmth does embrace you until you’re physically shaken into conscious. your eyes flutter , and reveal a certain ronin dressed in red clothing. tears stream freely down his cheeks , his words nothing more than gibberish to you. you smile to yourself , cursing the gods once more to give the love of your life the pain of watching you die.

the downpour grows heavier , drenching both you and kazuha as it washes away every feeling from your body. with the little strength you have left , you lift a shaker hand and hold kazuha’s face. a smear of your own blood is left from where you rub your thumb on his cheek , trying to reassure him with what you have.

“kazuha , I love you. don’t you ever forget that.” you murmur , and one of his own hands goes to cover the one holding his face.

“dont talk like that. I’m going to save you , I won’t let you die here.” he speaks , but deep down you both know there’s no saving you. the edges of your vision go blurry as you lose strength to hold your own hand up , and kazuha does it for you.

“swear to me. swear that you won’t forget how much i love you.” you whisper , and you can feel yourself letting your eyes close. if you have any hope of living , you know you need to keep them open. kazuha does too as he ushers you to look at him , to reopen your eyes , to say something. anything.

he can feel his own will draining from his limbs as he hugs your dying body close to his. you’re cold , colder than any cryo beast he’s ever fought. colder than the rain falling down on your bodies. you’re already gone , he realizes. pulling your body into his lap, he wraps an article of his clothing around you as he leans against a rock. letting the rain soak through his hair and into his clothes , he holds you close to him.

“i swear it.”

—

-kreide 🪶

(':

I am gross sobbing-

love again

dan heng x gn reader 3.3k words , hurt comfort + second chance romance this was inspired by one of cardan's letters to jude (from the folk of the air series by holly black) but other that than i have no idea where this was going ++ dan heng might be ooc too but this was very fun to write :,)

the astral express used to be your home.

now, it is nothing more than a sore subject; a burden that presses on your being—a constant reminder that perhaps, there are some things you grow out of, but are forever unable to get rid of. it has taken far too much of your life for you to cast aside, and as much as you wish you could permanently erase it from memory, you aren’t sure if you even want to.

it’s a conflicting dilemma to be faced with. you’re constantly wedged in between two emotions: wanting to forget, and wishing you didn’t want to. there’s something so comforting about holding onto the remnants of the past. and yet, simultaneously, there is also something so devastating when faced with the realization that they belong only to the past; nothing more than a reflection of a bygone time.

still, you’d like to say that you’re faring pretty well. belobog has taken quite the space in your heart, and even though it might only be filling the hole that the express left you with, you’re more than content.

you’ve learned to adapt to the everwinter—the eternal freeze, as they’d call it. and even though it’s sweeping winds have proven to be quite bothersome at times, you don’t really mind. you’ve gotten used to enveloping yourself in a thick coat before exiting the house. and waking up a few minutes earlier than usual to warm yourself with a hot beverage isn’t so horrible.

but most importantly, you’ve begun looking forward to your days, as opposed to letting what happened a few months back tie you down.

it was a moment in time anyone would remember vividly had they experienced it—for a completely haunting reason. even after seven months of solitude; more specifically, seven months of self induced isolation, you can still easily step back into that day, as well as the ones that followed, though those are a bit more blurred in comparison.

when dan heng accused you of being a traitor, you knew there was no going back. in the blink of an eye, everyone on the astral express viewed you differently, and as much as they tried to believe otherwise, they couldn’t shake off the possibility of his words holding some ounce of truth to them; his status was that of a trusted guard, authority held in high esteem.

but he was also your lover.

dan heng was the embodiment of everything you’ve longed for; precious, beloved, sacred. only, that wasn’t enough to quell his misplaced anger towards you. instead, it fueled it even more, and with each day that followed, he made his distaste for you increasingly apparent.

you’ve tried to explain—persistently, and determined to dispel any suspicion he held towards you; desperate to make things right; to make him love you again. but every time you’d catch him alone and free from his duties, he’d glower at you before you could even reach him, and even as you trailed after him with a string of rushed explanations falling from your mouth, he wouldn’t listen. he didn’t want to. he didn’t need it.

he didn’t need you.

and who were you to ask for more? soon enough, even welt and himeko had little to no trust for you. they couldn’t even seem to tolerate you; always making excuses to avoid engaging in conversation, seemingly edging you out of their circle through subtle means.

it was exhausting, and also painful. incredibly so that one silent night, you hopped onto the train, dragging a suitcase from behind and begging pompom to take you somewhere else—anywhere else—and to keep quiet about your disappearance. not that you thought anyone would care, really, but still.

that’s how you ended up in belobog; with a broken heart you’ve tried piecing back together and an unspoken explanation festering in the back of your mind—that you weren’t siding with kafka, simply hoping to reach a compromise with her; a conversation caught and taken completely out of context.

but you’re faring pretty well. and time heals all wounds, apparently, so there’s an obstreperous hope rooted deep in your heart that makes you believe things might just really get better. each day that passes signifies another step inching you closer towards the line of recovery. and perhaps, knowing that one day you might cross it, was enough.

but belebog has been in some commotion lately.

for a reason completely unknown to you, the silvermane guards have been raising a ruckus by the streets every day. causing citizens, in return, to erupt into an uproar in absolute fear of what might follow.

and you’ve resigned yourself to that oblivion. ignorance is bliss, and you had no plan on disrupting the semblance of peace that’s been so graciously bestowed upon you. but the world has an incredibly humorous way of working, and somehow, it seemed hellbent on giving you the answer to a question you had no interest knowing.

“please wait.”

a firm hand encloses itself around your wrist, tightening its grip even further (though still gentle), upon noticing how you were trying to escape.

“y/n—” he tries once more.

“no,” you deny without any hesitation.

everything about this is wrong. the last thing you needed was for dan heng to appear right in front of you, and in belobog of all places. god, this was your home; your newfound sanctuary—did he have to ruin that too? how long until enough was enough?

you despise the way his touch sears into your skin, abhor the fact that even after months, he still manages to get a reaction out of you, and resent that your heart still races seeing the tender look on his face. that treacherous, good for nothing organ.

you level him with a glare before forcefully pulling your hand away from his; the loss of his warmth causes your heart to sink into your chest. “do not speak to me,” is all you say, and then pivot on your heel to walk towards the opposite direction—going to god knows where.

“this is where you’ve gone to?”

the question falls on deaf ears.

“you do not belong in belebog,” he says.

and you want to whirl around to ask him: where do i belong then? the astral express, where you have all cast me aside? but they remain lodged up in your throat, eventually dying when you realize how meaningless it would be trying to argue with someone who has never been willing to listen in the first place.

you continue walking, and each step you take is so heavy that they echo in his ears. dan heng is at a loss for what to do—has been for the couple of months, but he knows better than to let this opportunity slip through his grasp, so he follows, trailing behind you while keeping a distance.

he tries making small talk; starts talking about how he’s on a mission, accompanied with march and a newfound acquaintance who goes by the name trailblazer—claims that belobog is bound for conflict, and that he’s glad to see you, as if he wasn’t the one who pushed you away.

but you pay him no mind. there is no reason to show him any reaction. all you need to do is disregard him until he gives up.

“herta has been trying to contact you,” he suddenly announces. “she is worried; so are asta and arlan.”

“tell them there is no need. i’m alright.” you reply, voice rushed, wishing to get whatever this was over with.

what follows next are updates about everyone you’ve known on the express: himeko, welt, march, and even a couple of researchers have apparently been worried in regards to your disappearance; asking pompom about your whereabouts, and soon trying to find out the answer themselves. and while it washes away a bit of indignation, it holds little to no value to you now.

so what if they were troubled? for all you knew, they deserved it—they wanted you gone, and so you did them a favor by leaving, but now they want to pretend that they care? incredulous.

in a fit of frustration, you take a sudden halt in your steps, prompting him to take a pause as well; his feet rooted to the cobblestone pavement. when you turn to face dan heng, his shoulders straighten to correct his posture and his eyes search to meet yours, but you’re unhappy—displeased, and quite annoyed.

“leave. me.” you demand through gritted teeth, trying to prevent every other word threatening to escape by biting on your tongue.

but he cannot. because if you’ve been faring pretty well, then dan heng has been faring horribly, and if he made a mistake, then it was up to him to fix things.

“i have been looking for you,” he admits.

“you’ve found me, now leave.”

“my love—” he tries to begin, and it nearly kills you.

“do not!” you yell, every emotion you’ve been trying to keep at bay reaching its boiling point; eyes flaring with bitter anger at the term of endearment. “you have no right to call me that!”

you can’t do this anymore. for the sake of your own wellbeing; your pride and sanity, or whatever is left of them—and for every piece of yourself you’ve slowly been regaining. he is not allowed to strut out of your life and slam the door on you only to come back.

“you have no right to be here! leave!”

“come back to us.” to me, he wishes to say, though it remains in the back of his mind. “i am begging you.”

“i will never go back.”

“you do not belong in belobog.”

“i do not belong in the express either; you have made that very clear to me—all of you have.”

“i was mistaken in my judgment.” he tries to reason. and the turn of events is humorous, because this was exactly what you’ve been trying to do a few months back. and now, dan heng is completely aware of how desperate the feeling is. “but i have explained. they were not wrong to put their faith in me, but i was wrong to accuse you—i am sorry. the fault is on me, but please do not blame them for their suspicion.”

“i don’t care. you don’t get to do as you wish and expect me to follow through. i don’t belong here, yes, but whether you like it or not, this is my home now, and you have no right to take me away from here after tossing me aside.”

gesturing wildly with a hand, you continue. “i have been trying to navigate my way through the aftermath of what happened. and i have resigned myself to that loss—so leave me. you have no right to barge into my life and ask me to come back. you have no right to take advantage of my love after taking it for granted.”

the air stills around you then, temperature seemingly dropping a few more degrees, if that were even possible in this everwinter. helpless, you look at dan heng with quiet agony—defenseless and exposed, but most of all, ashamed.

dan heng stares at you in horror, and it makes you want to cry. you needed to get out of here; needed to lick at your wounds and stitch them back shut. god, where did your walls go?

“leave it. i—” you shake your head, unsure on what to say next. your hands fall to your sides, nails digging into the palms of your hands as they clench into fists.

“tell everyone on the astral express that i am fine. there is no need to worry about me.”

and he hates it; the way you speak of your home as if it’s no longer of that nature, but simply a place you once knew of. he hates how you’re right in front of him, within reach, but still out of grasp. and he hates that there is no one to blame for the consequence of his cruelty but himself.

red rimmed, exhausted, and on the precipice of surrender, dan heng’s eyes burn—perhaps he is being too selfish, but even then he doesn’t think he can stop.

“march has been wearing the clothes you’ve left at your station,” he says. and you have no idea where the direction of this conversation is heading, but something compels you to listen anyways. “himeko has been blaming herself for your departure. welt has been persistent in his demands for an answer from pompom. arlan and asta cannot go one day without mentioning your name.”

there’s a slight pause he takes before resuming.

“you have not left just because you did; you are part of the astral express. you will remain a piece of us forever, so please,” dan heng begs, swallowing against a scratchy throat. “come back to us.” and then corrects himself in a broken voice. “to them, at least.”

“enough!” you snap, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“please—”

“you are asking for too much.”

“i will take anything you give me,” he lets out, strained and miserable; unceasing in his pleads. “you can resent me for an eternity, shout at me all you want, curse me unto death, just come home.”

and it’s enough to reduce you into a foolish mess; the patent desperation of it all—longing in his voice, yearning in his eyes. you’ve always had a soft spot for him. it seems that some things never do change.

“you don’t need me,” you whisper, still in disbelief.

dan heng offers you a breathless laugh.

“i do,” he confesses, wearing a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “more than anything else. and i have tried not to need you—not to even think about you, but it’s a losing game.”

he takes a hesitant step towards you, praying you don’t move backwards in response. and when you don’t, it only spurs him on to continue, so he does exactly that; slowly moves closer until you’re only a breath apart from one another.

“when i found out the truth, i have never been more in dispute with myself. it is humiliating being proven wrong, but rather than shame, i felt sorry for not believing you; for not even listening.”

you have no room to cut in. he speaks before you can let out a single word. “i don’t deserve forgiveness. i don’t deserve to even ask for it, or any of this, but i beg you, come home. i am sorry for hurting you—for driving you away, but i’ll be selfish once more and ask you to come home.” hate me at a nearer distance. just don’t be too far away from me.

and for once, you’re rendered speechless; completely overwhelmed. your cheeks flush with heat, and you feel so much that you begin to cry—pathetically sobbing as you fall into him and weakly punch at his chest, somehow still managing to feel your heart skip a beat at the contact.

“why are you here?” you cry, choking between words and hiccups. “you confuse me. i don’t know what any of this means.”

he pulls you in closer, placing your head on his shoulder with a careful hand, allowing your tears to stain the fabric. “i love you.”

“you don’t know anything about love.”

“i do. i know it because it’s you.”

you sob into his shoulder, shaking. “i hate you.”

“i know,” he says, rubbing small circles on your back to soothe you. “but i love you, forever and always. i don’t think i can stop. i have been too careless with you. if you’re willing to let me, i want to fix that.”

“you can’t. i’m a mess.”

so dan heng says, “i love you regardless. i’ll love you always,” but what he doesn’t tell you is i have been killing myself over your absence. you have the power to destroy me, and you don’t even know it—and i have no idea what to do with that revelation.

you could turn into a criminal and i would still fear losing you more than i would death. i would follow you anywhere, even if it meant i had to throw away all my morals—so long as i’m with you, i need nothing more.

though, he’s still quite relieved you aren’t actually evil.

“you won’t.”

“i will.”

“but you left me,” you murmur.

“and i’ll never do that again,” he promises, words dripping with so much honesty that you can’t refute them; sincerity practically emanating from his body.

your pulse quickens. already faltering in your resolve to push him aside, the lump in your throat expands to a quivering voice as you breathe out his name: dan heng.

the way it rolls off of your tongue enthralls him. it’s enough to send him into a spiral—it’s also enough for him to understand what you’re trying to convey.

he pulls you in even closer, eliminating any space between you two as he presses up against your form, relishing in the way you feel in his arms—something he was starting to doubt he’d ever feel again.

really, honest to god, he was definitely made for you.

"i'm sorry. i'm sorry. i'm so incredibly sorry," he apologizes repeatedly while holding onto you. and while his touch is foreign, it is also terribly familiar.

“dan heng,” you call out to him once more.

“yes?” he questions, uncertainty heavy in his tone.

“i cannot go back to the astral express,” you reveal, and he can practically hear how his heart instantly shatters at your words. “not immediately, at least. belobog is a lovely place. i want to stay here for a while.”

and then they piece themselves back whole. “it is nice,” he agrees, arms tightening around your torso like the prospect of letting you go would end him.

“how long until you leave?”

“i am not too sure anymore.”

you pull away slightly to give him a questioning look, and he smiles at your curiosity. “i’ve told you earlier that i have been looking for you. if you are here, then there is no reason for me to leave now.”

“then you’ll stay?” you ask.

“yes,” he tells you. “i will stay.”

“but you have nothing here.”

“i have you.” and that is more than enough for him.

“but the astral express is your home, even more so than it is mine.”

“no,” he corrects you. “the express is where i reside in at most, but my home is wherever you are. and if that’s in belobog, then so be it.”

“you’ll stay here with me? in this cold?”

“yes,” he assures you, lifting a hand to cup your face. as a thumb brushes across your cheek, he starts leaning in until his lips hover over yours. “i’d like to stay with you, and i’d like to keep it that way forever, if you would let me.”

you don’t say anything else, because truthfully, it’s unnecessary to speak in this moment. instead, you find another way to communicate with him by filling in the gap separating you two with a kiss.

dan heng makes a startled sound, shocked at your advances, especially with taking into consideration the circumstance prior to this. but then realization strikes through him, and soon, he’s kissing you back.

it’s slow at first; delicate, unsure if any of this was actually real, uncertain if he even deserved it. either way, he’s mapping every second of this moment onto his heart, eyes slipping shut as he wills himself to be patient with you. but then sweet longing pierces through him, and the kiss turns fervent, wholly desperate, because it has been far too long—and he realizes that he’s wasted too much time.

so he keeps kissing you, and you let him.

warmth floods from your face to your chest to your fingers, spreading like wildfire. belobog is a region of unparalleled coldness—it is always freezing here; the wind is biting, and there’s a permanent chill that creeps through the air. but right now, you are melting into a lovesick puddle as dan heng kisses you with an intensity you’ve never known before; transferring all the love—all the longing, he’s stored up for you through slightly chapped lips and careful touches.

you think of it all of a sudden; how dan heng told you that home is wherever you are—and in his arms, you realize just how true that statement is.

more dots

Good luck to everyone pulling on Zhongli’s banner, I hope he comes home for all yall! To those who may spend money on his banner, please spend responsibly and don’t be like Zhongli.

Thinking about marrying Aventurine and his face when he sees you walking down the aisle.

He's always so cool and confident. Always has an answer, a plan, a way out. Nothing can crack his exterior cover. Except for you.

He's never in his life cried in front of others. But here he was, standing at the altar, tears threatening to blur his vision as he watched you walk towards him.

You looked ethereal. Your white dress trailed behind you and gently sparkled in the sunlight. Your makeup accentuated all the features he already loved about you, and your hair cascaded down your back and framed your perfect face. You looked like an angel. Like salvation.

He did his best to keep his tears from flowing, not wanting to miss a single second of your walk towards him. Towards the rest of your lives together.

As you approached, he held out his hand to help you up onto the altar.

His purple-blue eyes glistened as he gazed into your own. Into his future. A future he never expected to have, at least until you came into his life.

With you he saw a future he wanted to protect and cherish. There would be no more staking it on risky gambles. Not anymore.

Instead, as he placed your ring on your finger, he also placed his most valuable chip in your hands: his heart.

It was all or nothing. And he decided to give you it all. His future, his life, his heart, it was all yours now. You were the best gamble he ever took, he thought, as he said "I do."

Yes.

reblog if your blog is bisexual positive