doubles everywhere

you had seen his recent drawings he left aside at your bedside table, sketches of vishaps with modifications from his recent discoveries. you very much could guess that he was bringing his sketches to life till late.

meanwhile at this chilly cold night, you were simply tinkering with sakura petals dottore had brought for you from inazuma. following his quick trip from the delusion factory, you had asked him to bring you sakura blooms after reading the legends behind them in inazuman culture. so you thought you could do light tinkering, nothing special.

but light tinkering has resulted in you awake way past your usual hours, however your dear doctor was absent from his usual schedule of urging you to bed. not until the sound of the metal door opening, and the sound of boots clacking right your way that you knew you've been found.

"it is far too late, just what have you been up to?"

"playing around with the sakura blooms you got me.." you looked up at him with a small smile before focusing back down to your lab bench. but you're stopped by a gloved hand taking your tools away, while another holds your chin forcing you to look up at him.

"you should be in bed."

"so should you doctor," a light giggle leaves your lips, you're already sitting up surrendering to your lover as your grab onto the hand that was on your face.

"you were away in your experimental lab for far too long as well... i saw your sketches y'know? beautiful, but you're being neglectful 'tore" he simply watches you, how you smile as you speak of him. watches how you slip the leather glove and slowly knead his palm, as you reprimand him.

"you tell me to be in bed, but here you are with tense muscles on your hands. you were writing non stop weren't you?" he doesn't show it, nor will he admit to being caught. but within his mind he's a bit apalled at how you could read into him so easily sometimes. he absolutely disdains being seen weak or unworthy, to him it's offense to his work. yet here you were, an exception. it just felt too normal to be at ease with.

"stop uttering nonsense, it's time to retire for the night. if you're so driven for knowledge, then we can continue tomorrow, you will not conquer anything by losing sleep." to others this may seem he's picking an argument with you, but this is simply how he shows his "methods" of caring. despite how stern his voice is, there's slight softness to his tone. more so, he's already forgotten about the glove that you had shoved into your pocket, his bare hand gently pulling you in front of him as you both exit out into the hall.

as you both exit, that same bare hand is being offered in front of you to link your arm around his own and hold. a gesture you happily obliged, as you link your arm around his you clasp your hand around his. his cold skin growing warm at your touch.

"you are doing something quite silly at night."

"im simply holding your hand, you rarely hold my hand when we're in public"

"i never thought of it as something you wanted to do dear, you simply never ask for such childish actions."

"I'll let go if you'd like."

"...you wouldn't even if I asked, it is unnecessary."

he's jealous under a facade. he never admits to the absolute irk he gets when you're in the presence of another. more specifically he finds it completely distasteful when he sees tartaglia or pantalone within your bubble.

"just what was pantalone telling you that had him wasting your time?" he decided to find you after you're expected arrival seemed to dwindle longer for his patience. only then did he see pantalone ripping your ear off with a grin that made his brain twitch, all while you smiled up at him with acceptance back.

"he was telling me about some new information regarding your deals with him, and wanted me to pass it on to you- oh! he was also offering a greenhouse he recently bought, thought it would aid in my floral research"

now dottore was vexed. he's walking over even closer to you, his steps a bit more bolder than usual.

"whatever pantalone offers you, I can offer you better... and you know that well dear", the proximity between you both has closed where you're mere inches apart. masked face looking down at you, as his thumb brushes against your lips. hes observing you. studying you. reminding you.

"...you are mine, and my responsibility alone. whatever happens with you is under my hand, you don't require outside variables to ail you."

"no need to be upset 'tore, he was only acting as he always was."

"yet his actions are always of inconvenience, trying to take what isn't his for himself. a greedy fool..."

"now you're mad."

"i am simply in discontent with the situation. we were supposed to have our outing an hour ago, i told you he's of inconvenience."

he's already walking off, you catching up to him with a quiet giggle at his behavior.

"i simply put her in place, she was being quite dreadful in the lab and was conducting zero aid when needed. disobedience results in lackluster results."

however in truth this was dottore masking the true specifics of a particular fatui member who had begun acting disrespectful in your presence. it wasn't clear to you at first, the slight condescending behaviour expressed towards you, or the misplacements of lab materials you were supposed to return to him in order to stain your name.

but dottore is always watching what happening behind your back. keeps record of who you were with, and how you're treated in his absence. he's in your shadow, blocking the daggers that are constantly being thrown at you from behind as the 2nd's closest.

he had already known of this fatui agents true intentions 3 days into their appearance at his station. but of course, observed just how far she was willing to go, an experimental test in real time.

but that wouldn't last long, as once he caught wind of her talking complete utter disrespectful blasphemy about you. right in front of him. and well...it might've ticked him just a bit. just a little bit..

"their absence and your recent behavior seem to tell me otherwise doctor."

"i was enacting my authority of a harbinger, and maintaining order as a servant to the tsaritsa. plus you know I've been testing organisms from nod krai, and they've proven themselves quite useful. you cannot ail me for my content on such results dear."

you hum at his remark suspiciously, already walking toward him to his corner desk within your large bedroom. you were dawning a long furry robe that dragged against the floor, almost as if you were encased in snow. yet you were far from feeling any chill, but rather quite warm from the fiery flames of your bedroom fireplace.

he's leaning against the desk, placing his papers down as he takes in your presence. you're now in front of him, in between his legs as he now towers in front of you. in his eyes you looked like a small snow fox beneath him, the image quite endearing.

"i wont ail you any further if you continue your research here."

"...fine, I'll permit it this once, but I'll still be finishing my lab reports. i still have much to do."

"no worries I'll just sit beside you as you share your new foundings from nod krai, i read your research on kuuvhaki and it's quite interesting.."

softly, you grab his mask with both hands slowly. he's bending down allowing you to take it off more easily, but also him consenting to your unspoken question of exposed vulnerability. the mask is found now sitting a top the papers he's placed down, and those rubies now stare at you with little moral soul found within them.

yet even so, you've always found dottore beautiful. his eyes always amazed you, and had you blanking every time you looked into them. they showed determination and madness of the thrill he'd get from newfound knowledge. his eyes complimented him so well, they told stories dottore himself would never tell.

"...may i conduct one experiment?"

"and what might that be darling?"

tiptoeing just a bit, hands clinging to his clothing, you kiss him.

he welcomes your gesture with ease, relishing in the vehemence it gives him. his lips are soft, melting into your own. you can feel the slight smirk as he's pushing down closer to you, clearly missing this type of experimental test dreadfully. he's kissing you back in ways as if he's scowering for data he's desperately driven to recieve. it's eager, it's questioning, it distorts his mind in ways he cannot describe.

you pull away, breathless. him? he's smiling down at you like he's been given the best results of his life.

"zandik.. you're looking at me like you're about to dissect me."

he laughs at your comment, pulling you closer..

"i need to collect more data, if you'll excuse me..."

his mask is long forgotten, those rubies burning in the passion of your fueling love and curiosity for him.

comments + reblogs are appreciated!!! ty for reading ♡