#flins fluff

Little legs run towards him. One foot in front of the other. The delicate, gentle pitter patter of feet on the floor. He takes it all in—hardly blinks and hardly lets his focus shift on anything but the sight of his eyes and your smile on a round face coming closer and closer.

His. Yours. Hers. Her face is him and you and neither all at once. A face that is her own and takes up space in his mind with her own precious existence.

“Why hello there, my little light,” he grins, bending down to scoop her up into his arms. She leans in and presses a wet, messy kiss to his cheek. He beams—not a small, polite smile. No. A wide, upturned crescent on his lips that raises her to see the very joy that comes from her existence. “Were you well behaved for Mama today?”

“Mama mad,” she gasps.

Flins gasps too—such big emotions only deserve equally big reactions. “Mama is mad? Oh dear, that’s never good.”

“No good,” she shakes her head, “mama mad this much!”

She holds her arms open wired gesturing at the big pocket of empty space between her little palms. Children are visual learners, you tell him, they need to see to understand quantity.

He raises a brow, feigning shock on his face as he murmurs, “That much? My, my. That’s quite a lot. Is she mad at you?”

“No,” she gasps, “‘m good!”

“That you are,” he laughs, “I trust it. After all, I’ve trusted my little helper to look after Mama, hm?”

He holds out a pinky that she eagerly laces her own with, reminding herself of a promise that only seems to be between the two of them. (Look after Mama for me, okay, my little dove? he likes to tell her. Okay Papa! she always squeals back. It’s an oath they like to keep between themselves—two fae and the safety of their precious human.)

“Mama safe!” She says proudly, pointing to herself with a chubby finger. Flins grabs a hold of her wrist, bringing the tiny little appendage to his mouth before playfully nibbling, laughing under his breath at her squeals of joy. “No! Stop, Papa!”

“Don’t torment her, you fool,” you grumble.

“So I take it that it is I that is the object of your anger?” He sighs in faux misery, “Woe is to me, my darling. After I agonized over bringing my wife a decent catch for her evening meal.”

“Hmph,” you cross your arms, “what if something had happened to you and we hadn’t known?”

“The wild hunt does not attack this island very often,” he assures, “I take great care in ensuring that.”

“See?” You daughter whispers, leaning her forehead against Flins’s as though sharing a quiet secret, “Mama really, really mad.”

“Mama was worried,” you correct petulantly.

He smiles, feigning a look of utmost seriousness as he whispers to your little girl, “Shall we help Mama be less mad? Perhaps she needs some attention, wouldn’t you say?”

It happens quickly. She nods in excitement, and Flins beams in approval. Suddenly, two pairs of soft eyes that remind you of the sun herself turn to look at you, quickly closing whatever gap there once was. Your husband on one side, your daughter on the other. A cool pair of lips press a delicate flurry of kisses along your cheeks and forehead, while a messier pair of smaller, slightly warmer lips attacks the bridge of your nose.

Instantly, you melt, letting out a loose string of giggles. (How could you not? How could you cling to such fickle things like anger and fear when warmth insists on taking up room in your chest—filling you up lighter and lighter. And lighter so.)

“I believe it’s working, wouldn’t you say my little light? Mama is not mad—don’t you think?”

“Mama happy?” She asks you with a beam, just to be sure.

You giggle, rolling your eyes as you give your husband a playful shove as you bring your sweet, tiny bundle of energy to your lap. She looks up at you. Two eyes you’ve loved for so long carbon copied and cradled in your arms like a generous second gift. Your lips and dimples beaming back at you like proof that you deserve to be loved. (Why wouldn’t you? How could you not love all the parts of yourself when they are now parts of her? How could she be anything less than perfect?)

“Yes,” you sigh exasperatedly, “I guess I am. Since my little savior has helped me.”

You poke the tip of her nose. You still can’t decide if it’s his or yours—but that’s the part you like. The part where there is more time for her to grow into herself and show fill up for space in this world. The part where you will be there to learn all of it and know her for every inch of her. The part where you spend the rest of your life watching her and learning who she is.

“May I be forgiven for my dire mistakes?” Your husband presses his head against your shoulder.

You snort, rolling your eyes as you turn to press a chaste kiss to the crown of his head. “Perhaps if you sear me a wonderful dinner from your catch, then yes.”

“Then consider it a deal, my light.”

۶ৎ Flins leans down, giving you access to his silky, wet hair. Even then, you have to stand on your tiptoes to reach. "Don't look..." you whisper, conscious that from this angle, he has a perfect view of your chest.

۶ৎ It doesn't matter how many times you’ve been naked in front of him; you still feel a flutter of self-consciousness under that intense gaze of his.

۶ৎ "As you wish, dusha moya¹." Even if you don't understand the Fae words, his soft, melodic tone tells you everything you need to know: it’s an endearment.

︵ . ︵﹒︵୨ ꒰ Flins ꒱ ୧︵ . ︵﹒︵

You remained focused on washing his hair, the soft scent of lavender blooming as bubbles gathered over his silky locks. The blue of his hair looked even deeper, almost midnight-dark, under the cascading water. Your fingers traced the pointed tips of his ears—those well-hidden features that usually remained a secret, masked by his hair from the rest of the world.

As you followed the delicate curve of his ear, you were too immersed in the moment to realize the exact second his eyes drifted open to watch you. His well-toned frame suddenly straightened, making it impossible for you to reach the remaining suds in his hair.

"Flins? What are you doing?" you asked, straining on your tiptoes in a failed attempt to finish the task.

One of his hands slid firmly around your waist, pulling you flush against him until there was no space left between you. Suddenly, the water didn't feel so cold; a rush of heat took over your body as his hand settled low, just at the small of your back.

"Very well..." His other hand slid through your own wet hair, tilting your head back just as he leaned in, until your noses brushed. "Is it my turn now?"

"Your hair is still—!"

His lips met yours, cutting off the words instantly. He claimed your mouth in a slow, deliberate dance. At first, it was soft and careful—the actions of the gentleman he proclaimed himself to be—but then, the rhythm shifted.

"You smell incredible," he whispered against your lips, the last traces of shampoo finally rinsing away. "Don't tell me you’re getting aroused over this? Such improper behavior for a lady..." His smile was teasing, and entirely too knowing.

Of course he noticed. He could feel every spike in your pulse, every shiver of emotion, —an innate ability of his kind— and It did nothing to help your poor, racing heart.

"What if I am? Are you going to take responsibility for it, my lord?" You decided two could play this game. Even if your body was betraying you, the way your legs pressed tightly together, the way you leaned into him, you wouldn't back down.

"Uhm?" He hummed, a vibration you felt in your chest as he nudged you further up onto your tiptoes.

His wet lips began to trace soft, lingering kisses over your throat. Then came the first nibble—a soft bite that made your breath catch—followed by the cool glide of his tongue as he licked the stray waterdrops from your neck.

A shaky exhale, suspiciously close to a moan, was the only response he needed. He pulled back just enough to murmur:

"It would be my pleasure."

﹒‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

¹Dusha moya: My soul.

۶ৎ Honestly, the fact that the idea came from you surprised him. He’s so used to taking care of others that being the one looked after caught him off guard.

۶ৎ But he could never say no—not to the idea of you giving him your undivided attention while you washed the day away.

۶ৎ Besides, the thought of his girlfriend's hands over him seemed like the perfect way to relax after hours of training, patrolling the city, and a mountain—a massive mountain—of paperwork.

۶ৎ The warmth of the water made his toned, powerful frame go slack, muscles finally unknotting under the steady spray.

۶ৎ His blonde hair grew damp and heavy from the steam, and then... he heard your soft laugh.

۶ৎ He looked down, and the height gap between you was as charming as ever. You often had to strain to meet those deep blue eyes of his, but right now, they were looking at you with pure, unfiltered affection.

۶ৎ "It looks like the paperwork was rough on you today," you teased, taking the bar of soap. The scent of Cecilia flowers and mint soon bloomed into a rich lather in your hands.

۶ৎ Varka didn’t know if it was the tenderness of your touch or the way your hand lingered on each of his scars—cherishing them rather than pitying them—that moved him most.

۶ৎ Your hand came to a stop against his pectoral, right over one of his marks. Suddenly, you noticed the sheer intensity of his gaze. The soft, pinkish flush on his cheeks made it clear that his heat wasn't just coming from the water.

۶ৎ "Jean is far too good at keeping me focused on my job... the boring part of it, unfortunately," he replied, his smile mirroring yours like a natural reflex. He caught your hand, bringing your palm to his lips.

۶ৎ That single, soft kiss made your own cheeks heat up. It wasn't about anything scandalous; it was just the overwhelming weight of how intimate the moment felt.

۶ৎ "Come, let me wash your hair," you murmured, trying to ignore the frantic thumping of your heart.

۶ৎ You took the bottle of shampoo, squeezing the liquid into your palms and waiting for him to bow his head so you could reach, but then...

︵ . ︵﹒︵୨ ꒰ Varka ꒱ ୧︵ . ︵﹒︵

It happened so fast that you barely realized what was happening. One of his powerful arms hooked under your thighs, and with the strength of a man used to wielding more than just a simple sword, he lifted you effortlessly.

"V-Varka?!" Heat crept into your ears and cheeks. Now, you were slightly above him, held securely in his arms. It wasn't just that you were naked; it was the way you could feel every taut muscle of his body pressed against your skin.

Oh, Archons... have mercy.

"I find this much better," he said, noticing your blushing face with a satisfied smile. "Don't worry, I won't let you fall." As he spoke, his other hand settled firmly against your back, making your breath hitch.

You simply nodded and began to wash his hair, the soft strands feeling like spun sunlight between your fingers. You couldn't hide your smile when you saw his expression relax; his eyes drifted shut, and a pleasant, contented look settled on his features. It was an expression of pure peace—one you usually only saw when he was enjoying a good drink.

Once the water finally rinsed the bubbles away, you couldn't help but place your hand over his cheek, thumbing a small bruise. The warmth of your touch made him open his eyes.

He simply observed you—his girlfriend, held close in his arms. You were the woman who had always been there for him, the one who waited faithfully until he returned from Nod-krai's expeditions. How could he not love you?

He leaned in, his nose brushing yours in a deliberate, lingering way that made his intentions clear.

"May I...?"

"Yes," you whispered, not even letting him finish. A soft laugh vibrated through his chest—sounding almost like a purr against your body.

Then his lips met yours. It never ceased to surprise you how soft they were, or how caring he could be. He held you as if you were the most precious jewel in Teyvat. Your fingers buried themselves in his hair, the damp softness welcoming your touch as his lips claimed yours deeply.

His hands, as skillful as ever, shifted your weight until you were straddling him. He held you by your thighs, your back meeting the slight chill of the wall as he moved you just out of the direct spray of the hot shower.

"Don't you have a meeting at Angel’s Share?" you asked, though it was more of a breathless whisper than a real question. You were secretly praying to Barbatos that he’d forget the world existed and just stay with you.

"I'm sure they'll forget... the wine will help with that," he murmured, his nose traveling down to the curve of your neck. The scent of the soap against your skin made him close his eyes in bliss. "And besides..."

You couldn't suppress a shaky breath as his lips began to graze your skin. One of your hands curled into his hair while the other traced the powerful lines of his back. You let your head rest back against the wall, completely undone by him.

"I would much rather spend my night with you."

Scara, the kind of guy who would try to catch you, fail, fall with you, and act like an embarrassed tomato who can’t bear to look that stupid in public. “See that’s the curse you bring to my life, why do I have to see your clumsy face every day to begin with. Useless.” He would stand up looking half irritated, half embarrassed, if the red cheek would be of any indication. And he would hate you even more when you’ll be back on your walk, “You say that but your sweet ass tried to catch me. You may pretend to hate me but your love is showing~”. Congrats on making him walk faster to avoid listening to your (very much true) embarrassing words.

Flins, of course, would foresee your falling from a mile away, and will hold you closer to prevent it. You’ll just end up flustered because of the sudden unexpected closeness while he will feel very content keeping his lover safe and their feet on the ground.

Chongyun is the kind of guy who would look at you all worried with puppy eyes, going “Are you okay?” like you’re on the brim of death. Which you are very much so. From embarrassment. But his reaction makes you forget entirely about the fact that you just fell in front of a lot of people, and will make you focus solely on the fact that this boy worries so much about you it makes him adorable. You can’t help but smile and reassure him and hold him close through the rest of your walk. That is, until he goes into overheat because of your closeness, which he likes very much but still has trouble controlling.

Alhaitham, the kind of guy who, after seeing you trip, would look at you like you’re the dumbest idiot to have ever wandered in Sumeru, will not even offer a hand to help you stand up, and will move on like nothing happened afterward. He would just talk to you like usual. Which… Makes you realise that it’s actually not that big of a deal. You fell, so what? Happens to everyone, right? No need to be embarrassed. Later on, you will catch him watching your step and directing you a bit to the left or the right to prevent you from tripping again. But he will behave like he isn’t doing any of this, as if it was just your regular walk in the city. Nothing new here (I see you).

Kaeya, the kind of guy who would just take this as an opportunity to flirt. If he manages to catch you, he’ll hold you close while saying some corny shit like “careful love, don’t go falling too hard for me”. If he doesn’t realise you’re falling before you already hit the ground, he will present his hand out, asking you “what is such a delightful sight like you doing so close to the ground? Shouldn’t you be way up in the sky, enlightening us all from your light?” Anyway he won’t miss a chance to do those cheesy borderline cringe remarks whenever he can, and of course you falling is the perfect occasion to do one. Of course.

The tags nonchalantly being my arch nemesis.

Oh and this was done in like 30 minutes when I was deeply sleep deprived, and I can't get why my brain is sparkling with ideas whenever I'm a hour away from passing out from lack of sleep??

While you were busy rushing off with a whine, overthinking and already planning how your funeral would go, because Flins was definitely following you around to kill you and quietly dispose of you body. You had upset some sort of lantern spirit and it had snitched to the one light keeper that it could talk to, and now your fate was sealed!

"I'm sorryyyyyy, lantern ghost!" you whined, footsteps leading to Paha isle.

Flins watched you run off, his gaze soft and curious, but a small pout on his lips that went unnoticed. His eyes snapped back to the old shopkeeper when the man began to speak again. "Stop scaring her away, Flins," he sighed and packaged the Rye before handing it to the light keeper, "Just get it done by today," he said, face darkening, almost grim, and placing something extra into the bag.

Flins hummed, his face straight, as he paid for the Rye and took the bag. His eyes downcast. "I will… after all, I know where my lady is going. I'll be a gentleman, as always. Have no worries, Mr. Aleksov." 

The old man nodded, handing Flins a packet of tissues. His grey, tired eyes only sparing Flins a glance before focusing on other customers. "Keep your hands clean, be quick and done with it." The words were quiet, but enough for a wandering Dori to hear, and look over confused with wide eyes.

"Are they… planning a murder?" she gasped, before smirking and looking off into the distance, rubbing her chin, "Heh, I could make good money selling caskets."

. . .

You had wandered over to Final night cemetery, walking slowly across the dark and gloomy terrain. There were ghost candles lit all over the place, and you could've sworn that you heard whispers around you. "save us… save ussss…" you shivered at your imagination, slowly walking up the hill area to try and find the lantern ghost you had seen last time.

"uheee…. mr. purple lantern ghost, where are you?" you whispered, shivering before looking up at the lighthouse. The fog closing in around you. 

The silence around you was deafening, and it was most definitely scaring you down to your bones. Taking you back to the night you had first seen that purple, glowing lantern. 

It had been almost two months ago, when you had wandered over to Paha isle. You had seen some of the wild hunt nearby and killed them, before hearing whispers and hallucinating ghosts in the fog from your sleepiness. You had rushed over to Paha isle by mistake, going the wrong way instead of making your way back to Nasha town in your confused state. 

"Oh," you had muttered, when the fog cleared up, and you had seen the lighthouse guiding you, instead of the comforting bustle of the town you lived in. You were about to turn around and make your way back, before you noticed the purple glow. Almost like it was calling your name, you followed and walked up to it through the fog, finding a floating purple lantern. 

It was almost like it was magical, just hovering there, glowing. No one around.

The words of Aino had drifted back into your mind, as she had made you read story books with her and one of them talked about a magical oil lamp that granted wishes. "No one uses oil lamps in in Nod Krai, I bet its the magical lanterns that carry genies and wishes!" she had nodded confidently. 

You weren't gullible, nor one to easily believe superstitions and follow them without question. Though… it couldn't hurt, right?

Your hands gently placed on the sides of the lamp, rubbing it gently, before you took them back and clasped your hands together. Squeezing your eyes shut and whispering, "puh-lease get me a beautiful boyfriend who's a gentleman and loves me and worships me, please, please, please!" you shook your hands before looking up at the sky with a sigh. 

The lantern had flickered a little, as you hesitated before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on the handle of it. When you pulled back, the lantern shook a little, making you step back worried, and look around confused. You had rushed back to Nasha town after that, brushing off the experience as a dream, until now. 

"Am I gonna die? Oh mr. or mrs. lantern, I'm sorry for kissing your handle," present-day-you whined, before you felt a cold breath against your cheek. 

"What are you doing, Miss Y/N?"

You shrieked, freezing up and quickly back away from the man, holding up your hands in front of him. It was the light keeper. The one you always took a second glance at whenever you used your see him, because whoever got to call him as his partner was destined with unimaginable luck. Flins looked unbothered and even tilted his head to the side, confused.

"I know what you're gonna say!" You whined out, and dropped to your knees dramatically. Flins was strong, he was scary, and even if he took your life because you had upset some lantern ghost, you probably wouldn't fight back just because you didn't want to ruin his beautiful face.

"You do?" his eyes widened for a fraction, before he hummed and nodded, holding the small bag to his side. "I see, I thought I was more… quiet about my advances." he muttered, rubbing his chin gently, in thought.

You sighed and nodded, head downcast, pouting and already thinking over your death. "I didn't know what I was doingggg.. the lantern was just… calling my name!" you gasped out, as he shook his head. "It was not," he corrected bluntly, making you sigh wearily. Your hands buried in the soil. 

A few seconds passed, before you both spoke up at the same time. You blurting out your words. As he spoke eloquently.

"Please don't murder me!"

"Would you grace me with a potential romantic encounter, miss Y/N?"

You both froze, before meeting each other's eyes. equally confused. Flins eyes were narrowed, looking down in genuine confusion and slight shock. The most expressive you had ever seen him. Your eyes were widened, mouth agape slightly, and heat rushing to your face. Did… did the Kyryll Chudomirovich Flins just ask you out? On a date? Were you in heaven?

"What?" both voices spoke out at the same time.

Flins shook his head, looking at you utterly helpless and bamboozled as you stood up and dusted your hands off. “You’re not going to murder me…? B-but you were stalking me and obviously planning to kill me off because I upset the lantern ghost of Paha Isle!”

Flins looked side to side slowly before raising an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon?”

You sighed and lolled back your head before explaining to him exasperatedly. “Two months ago, I went to this place, like—“ you pointed over to some shrubbery alongside a crumbling stone wall, “—over there! I saw this glowing purple lantern and I walked up to it and rubbed it and wished for a boyfriend,” you nodded to him in complete seriousness.

“…so what makes you assume that I’d hurt you for wishing upon a floating lantern?” He raised an eyebrow, beginning to smile a little, starting to understand what was happening. He really wanted to see the look on your face when he revealed the truth now. He had prepared a big speech explaining all of his feelings, but you had thrown his whole planned confession out the window.

You blinked, once, twice, before awkwardly scratching the back of your head. “I’m starting to see that I was being a bit… irrational,” you nodded slowly.

“A bit?” He smiled, before handing you the paper bag, to which you looked inside curiously. Rye, and…

“Cupcakes. I had Mr. Aleksov prepare them especially for your tastes,” he hummed to you, watching as your confused expression flickered up to him before your eyes widened. “Oh! Oh, right, because you were going to ask me out…” you nodded, before pursing your lips and looking up at him confused. “But we’ve barely spoken to one another before this, why the sudden interest in me?”

He curtly nodded, before taking out the familiar glowing purple lantern and fading before your eyes. It only took 2.3 seconds for you to connect the dots, his figure reappearing when he saw that shy, “oh my god, what have I done?” look on your face.

“I was the lantern you wished upon,” he told you gleefully, tilting his head to the side with a teasing smile.

A whine escaped your lips, as you were contemplating burying yourself in the soil right then and there. “After hearing about your wish, I thought that you were a gorgeous young lady that deserved love, and after the… kiss,” he nodded, watching your eyes squeeze shut and hand cover your face. “I thought that I deserved to give you love. I never planned to stalk you, per se, but every time I tried to strike a conversation or anything with you…”

“I ran away,” you nodded, letting out an embarrassed whine and finishing his sentence.

He hummed, before taking the bag from your hands and offering you the cupcake. “My hands are pretty dirty,” you shrugged, still embarrassed and hating yourself inside your brain. “STUPID STUPID STUPID” kept bouncing around in your head.

Before you knew it, the cupcake was pressed against your lips, heat rushing to your cheeks and the tips of your ears, you took a bite out of it. Being fed by possibly the most handsome man in all of Teyvat.

“I’ve had a crush on you for a while…” you mumbled, swallowing and beginning to talk to him softly, as he listened carefully. “You saved me from the wild hunt around a year ago, and ever since then I’ve just thought you were so cool, and strong, and handsome,” you were whining, hands covering your cheeks shyly.

He didn’t hesitate, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss against your lips.

You froze, before feeling his lips dart out and lick up the tiny bit of icing on the corner of your lips, making your squeal embarrassed and quickly look away from him. Hands covering your face, heart beating faster than it was when you thought he was about to kill you.

“I hope you’ll entertain me for that date, my lady,” he spoke softly against your ear, smiling as he knew exactly what he was doing.

Smug bastard.

𝖷𝖨𝖠𝖮 - 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽𝖻𝗒𝖾 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗎 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖾 :𝟢 | 𝗋𝗈𝖼𝗄𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋 𝗑 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌

until this day, you still had barely any clue on how you found yourself in a fake relationship with the famous drummer of the 6REEZE band. 

a famous rockstar and a worldwide known actress. 

the simple idea was ridiculous, you thought. your worlds had nearly nothing to do with each other. 

his was a whirlwind of ear-deafening concerts, endless band practices and makeup so dark it made the amber shades of his eyes seem a little too hypnotizing for your heart to handle. on the other hand, yours was a soft and gentle lifestyle that included playing in heartwarming rom-coms and comforting yet soul shattering movies that left the deepest impressions in the viewers’ hearts. 

the shock that nearly broke the internet on a global scale at the news of your relationship was nothing compared to the way you had nearly screamed while jumping out of your seat when your manager informed you of the next step in your career. 

a break you had taken in the middle of your peak had awakened baseless rumors and provoked a decrease in your fame. and the solution was to date one of the most loved celebrities in liyue. and you still haven’t decided whether you hated your manager or not, yet. 

not that you had the time. 

between interviews, trying to get to know each other as fast as possible with xiao and luring the paparazzis into your supposedly “private” dates to keep appearances, you couldn’t help but catch a tiny teeny amount of feelings for the rockstar. 

xiao was a bit too good at his role. 

the arms around your waist, the hand at the small of your back and the occasional kisses you’d receive on your cheek or forehead to please your fans – sometimes enraging some. it all felt like a bunch of arrows being shot one at a time in your direction, piercing your chest open and urging you to hand your heart over to your fake boyfriend. 

and this whole act was definitely getting to you. 

after attending one of his concerts in the vip section, cheering for him and sending each other smiles, flying kisses and other cheesy displays of affection to one another to keep your fans entertained, you found yourself visiting him backstage. 

the members of his band didn’t know that your relationship was a play. so, seeing you arrive, it was only natural for heizou to prompt everyone else to exit the makeup room, leaving you and xiao alone. 

“you did amazing,” you told him with a soft smile, sitting beside him on the couch. 

you handed him the cold bottle of water in your hands. stupidly enough, your heart clearly didn’t seem to manage getting used to the little touches or affectionate gestures. it hammered against your chest when his fingers brushed yours. nearly leaped out of your ribcage at the grateful smile he gave you, the sharp edges of his face softening and the paleness of his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. 

you sat there in silence, enjoying each other’s company. 

unconsciously, your head ended up resting on his shoulder. but none of you dared to make a move, scared that the slightest twitch would have the other pull away. 

even after you had realized what you were doing. you didn’t budge. his head rested on top of yours and your heart did a little somersault in its cage, jumping all the way to your throat and resting on the tip of your tongue. 

so close to make you spill all the unspoken feelings you couldn’t contain within yourself to him. 

“i have to go back on stage,” xiao whispered gently. 

you masked your disappointment, lifting your head from his shoulder and watching him as he stood up. 

your eyes raked over his back, admiring how the deep v-cut of his shirt revealed a large portion of the skin beneath. 

smooth. pale. slender and toned. and you couldn’t look away when you noticed the way his muscles moved as he arranged his hair and in-ears. how could you, really. 

when xiao turned back towards you, he handed you back the bottle of water, leaning down to plant a tender kiss on your forehead. his lips slowly wandered all the way down your lips, leaving a trail of shivers and heat behind them. your brain didn’t process what was happening fast enough. at least, not before xiao had stormed out of the makeup room, realization befalling him. 

you sat on the couch. speechless. unmoving. paralyzed in your seat as reality dawned on you. 

did the play you were entertaining your audience with get to him to the point he kissed you out of habit? 

but he never kissed your lips before! 

did xiao hold some sort of affection for you that went beyond the limits set by the contract? 

you shook your head frantically, not allowing yourself to go any further with that dumb, delusional, silly reasoning of yours. 

and while you tried to compose yourself before going back to the concert, xiao was leaning against the other side of the door, a hand pressed to his mouth while his face glowed a bright red. 

“what the hell,” xiao mumbled to himself, crouching on the floor. 

𝖠𝖫 𝖧𝖠𝖨𝖳𝖧𝖠𝖬 - 𝗃𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌𝗒 𝗃𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌𝗒 !! | 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗈𝗋 𝗑 𝗆𝗈𝖽𝖾𝗅

haitham was a rational man. he knew it. you knew it. and so did the entirety of sumeru. 

he’s never acted on impulse a day in his life, never made any decision that would ever impact his career in a negative way. he kept a respectful distance between him and his co-stars, easily evaded intrusive questions regarding his romantic life and just did everything possible to avoid scandals. 

it was never enough, seemingly. 

he’d like to blame it all on kaveh, but really, it was mostly your fault. 

after another tiring, early shoot, he caught his friend chatting away with an unfamiliar person. and although he didn’t really care about socializing, he could hardly escape the both of you when you signaled him to approach. so, with a sigh, he made his way towards and you both introduced yourselves. 

“i got coffee,” you told the two men, watching them perk up. 

it only took your manager tapping on your shoulder for you to startle and spill the scalding hot liquid all over haitham’s shirt. after much insistence, and seeing how apologetic you looked, he handed you over the dirty clothing while you promised to bring it back in a pristine condition.

you never imagined such a small incident would impact your modelling career on a large scale. 

truth be told, you were a bit to blame for the lack of precaution you took, despite being so painfully aware of paparazzis following the both of you. sure, you visited him in the middle of the night to hand him back his clothes. and sure, you may have overstayed your welcome, slipping inside his apartment after he’d offered you a glass of water. and maybe you shouldn’t have stayed there for a few more hours, not noticing the time slip by as you both chatted away. 

you surprisingly got along pretty well, despite the terrible first impression he had of you. 

the next day, you were the talk of the nation. several tabloids and social media posts showing pictures of you going into his residence, scandalous captions discussing how you hadn’t come out for several hours. 

so, of course, the only way to appease the morbid curiosity of both your fans was to confirm the dating rumors. 

at least, according to your managers. they didn’t give you much of a choice, posting announcements and leaving you both staring at each other blankly.

it was a simple arrangement. fake date for a few months and break up because your schedules go too busy. 

haitham knew it couldn’t be too hard. his whole career revolved around acting, he could easily fool everyone that you two were madly in love with each other without it affecting his personal life.

and haitham was a rational man. he knew that. 

he had absolutely no valid reason as to why he was glaring from the other side of the room, nose scrunching in disgust as your coworker’s hand slid down your arm and wrapped around your waist. you followed the photographer’s instructions, the both of you executing pose and after pose under his loud praise and encouragement. 

as the perfect boyfriend he was (fake, of course), haitham had come to visit you with a well deserved ice cold drink. the thought of having to reign himself in and avoid making the cup explode in his hand never crossed his mind while he was in line at the coffee shop earlier. 

he was the perfect picture of control, leaning against a wall while his eyes never left you, a few staff  members gawking at him. thankfully for him, none of them seemed to notice the murderous intentions behind his eyes and the way he glared at the man leaning way too close to your face. 

the very sight made him want to puke his guts on the floor. 

and while nothing slipped through his permanently stoic facade, you had no trouble reading through him. you pecked his cheek as you grabbed the drink he brought you, a small huff of laughter escaping you as he just wouldn’t relax his face. 

gently, you traced the slope of his nose, caressing the little wrinkles forming between his furrowed brows. “you look upset,” you remarked calmly.

haitham scoffed. “he looked stupid next to you.” 

his words made you snort. so much emotions for someone claiming that this was purely contractual. in the months you’d pretended to be a loving couple, he’d always kept a distance between the both of you in private. yet the walls he’d built around himself were beginning to crack and crumble. 

not that you didn’t like it. it was simply amusing to watch him try and fail to rationalize the current situation. 

“oh, i’m sure you’d make a better fit,” you giggled, leaning on the wall beside him. 

you pretended to not notice his insistent gaze above you, ignored the little sparks of hope burning away in your mind. when your coworker waved at you from the other side of the room, haitham placed himself in front of you before you could smile back. 

your eyebrows shot up, a playful smile pulling at your lips. “are you jealous, or something?” 

you noted the way he frowned again, confusion morphing his face, his mouth opening and closing a few times. haitham sighed, resigned.

“as if.”

his curt response made you laugh aloud, drawing attention from the busy staff around you. none of them stopped him when he gripped your wrist and dragged you away, your laughter muffled by the door he closed behind him and his lips crashing against yours. 

𝖲𝖢𝖠𝖱𝖠𝖬𝖮𝖴𝖢𝖧𝖤 - “𝗒𝗈𝗎’𝗋𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖺 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗈𝗋” “𝗂 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗈𝗌𝖼𝖺𝗋𝗌” >:( | 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗈𝗋 𝗑 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌

scaramouche stared at his manager like he grew a second head.

“hell no.” 

“hell yes,” heizou insisted. 

there was no way his star actor would refuse such an offer. yet no arguments seemed to make him budge, looking at the red-head with nothing but disgust plastered on his face. the fact that he already convinced him to play in a romance was a miracle to begin with. but heizou really needed a second one right now, if scaramouche would just be merciful enough. 

while he was known on a global scale, no thanks to his incredible talent and his mother’s connections, you had only gotten into the acting scene a few years ago. 

and a dating scandal between two leads of a romance movie was bound to not only attract a bigger audience, but also get you under the limelight. 

unfortunately for scaramouche, it was working before anyone made it official. stupid tabloids about how lovely and oddly attentive he seemed to be with you behind the scenes were already emerging. clips of him wrapping his jacket around your shoulders during late shoots circulated quickly on the internet. the way he peered at you in concern when you sneezed far too many times in a row having people questioning his relationship to you.

and those dumb edits with even dumber songs. can a man not worry about his coworker anymore? 

“you never worry about coworkers,” heizou deadpanned at his complaint. 

and so, scaramouche surrendered to his fate.

the announcement dropped like a bomb above everyone’s heads, your socials exploding with a sudden overflow in followers, comments and intrusive questions filling up your private messages. although you trusted your manager’s plans, you never imagined it’d work in such a short time. part of you was afraid that your fake relationship would only attract negative attention and an overwhelming amount of scaramouche’s – sort of obsessive – fans banging at your door with pitchforks and murderous intents. 

instead, they thought it was hilarious. 

and maybe you agreed a little. you had to suppress a laugh at the almost robotic way in which he approached you, extending his arm for you to take to walk down the red carpet. the premiere was taking place today and it was only customary for the lead actors to be present today. 

you could already picture thousands of comments mentioning how stiff scaramouche looked beside you, standing before hundreds of flashing lights. his hand was hovering over your waist, his spine so straight and his smile so forced. it was a bit ridiculous, given the fact that you two kissed at least a dozen times before your director was satisfied with the result. 

it seemed like scaramouche’s professionalism didn’t follow him outside the set. 

you turned sideways, peering at him. “you look awkward, y’know,” you muttered through a smile.

his head whipped towards you and you could see him fighting back the urge to frown. 

“yeah, it’s because this is awkward," he retorted, his lips quirking downwards. 

you couldn’t help but huff out a laugh. he was oddly endearing for someone so known for being bossy and rude. your hands went up to his collar, carefully adjusting the slightly crooked fabric. you didn’t think he could get any stiffer than this and yet. as your fingers brushed the skin of his neck, you noted how he’d gone completely still, the apples of his cheeks turning redder by the second. 

scaramouche could barely look at you, the slight contact of your skin against his making embarrassment crawl down his spine, so painfully aware of the public setting you were in. and the photographs immortalizing the, possibly, most mortifying moment of his acting career. he couldn’t bring himself to look at you, eyes fixated on the large crowd of paparazzis in front of him. 

you hummed, guiding his hand to rest properly on the curve of your waist. his throat bobbed, nerves eating at him. your laughter reaching his ears sounded like a death sentence to him. 

“you’re not a very good actor,” you giggled. 

that seemed to offend him more than anything else today. more than heizou, who was standing behind the crowd of paparazzis, capturing the moment on his phone like a proud mother, ever did. 

scaramouche turned towards you, a pout pulling at his lips. “i have four oscars,” he protested, almost petulant. 

the sight made you bring a hand up to your mouth, hardly stifling your giggles. scaramouche frowned, his face turning into an even darker shade of red. you didn’t have the brain cells to even wonder how he even managed that, unable to contain your laughter any longer. 

his hand suddenly wrapped around your wrist, pulling you along with him and away from the blinding flashes. and you followed straight behind, grinning and waving at the paparazzis.

𝖵𝖠𝖱𝖪𝖠 - 𝖼𝗎𝖽𝖽𝗅𝖾𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖻𝖾𝖼𝖺𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎’𝗋𝖾 𝗎𝗉𝗌𝖾𝗍 <//𝟥 | 𝖻𝗈𝗑𝖾𝗋 𝗑 𝗆𝗈𝖽𝖾𝗅

you never expected your peaceful days of modelling and travelling around the globe to be so rudely disrupted by a man, of all things. then again, you should have seen that coming. 

no amount of softening your speech and keeping your feelings inside was going to save your doomed relationship. and although it’s been months since your messy breakup happened, dozens of headlines still followed you around, claiming and lying about your mental state. 

“he tried to ruin my career!” you whined to no one in particular, throwing your phone across the room. “why would i miss him!?” 

and maybe you were paranoid but you were almost sure he was the very reason behind why paparazzis and interviewers still bothered to ask you about him. with him being the rich heir of the most influential company in mondstat, it wouldn’t be surprising for you to discover his bribing. 

while you didn’t have the power to turn the tables on him, you sure did have enough pettiness in you  to hit where it hurts. 

and yeah, sure, getting with your ex’s favorite athlete might be a bad look. and maybe dating his favorite boxer made it seem like you were the bitter one. but it wasn’t like you had the time to care, really, far too busy entertaining the media and your fans with more lies than you could count. 

you didn’t know why varka even agreed to fake a relationship with you, and you didn’t care to know. all that mattered was your private messages blowing up with your ex’s rage. 

strong hands wrapped around your waist, pulling you against a sturdy chest. “looks like it worked,” varka said behind you. 

the corners of your lips curled up as you turned to look at him, avoiding the blinding flashes capturing this tender moment. 

“told you it would,” you chuckled. 

with his match starting soon, and feeling the attention on the both of you, you turned to face him fully, arms wrapping around his neck. you didn’t let your eyes linger too long on his, ignoring the little somersaults your heart did at his insistent gaze and the lack of his usual cheerfulness. your fingers raked through his unruly hair, fixing up golden strands that refused to stay in place. 

it was a temporary arrangement. there was no need for you to search for a deeper meaning behind the longing swimming in his bright pools. or the quiet desperation in the way his lips pressed against yours. 

and there was certainly no reason for you to feel your heart sink at the sight of his bloodied face and the fire burning in the blue of his eyes. despite trying to remind yourself that he was an exceptional boxer, nothing could stop the tears gathering at your waterline when he was crowned, yet again, victor, bruises and cuts all over his proud expression.

you couldn’t bring yourself to talk to him as he drove you home. varka didn’t say a word either, teeth pulling at his split lip. he didn’t think you’d care this much about the injuries he’d sustain in his matches when you first presented him with the setup. and he always tried his best to not overwhelm you with feelings that went beyond the limits set by the contract. 

yet varka, in the past few months, has discovered that he never had the strength to refuse you anything. so he didn’t protest when you pulled him into your apartment and sat him down on the edge of your bathtub. nor when you pressed a little too harshly on his cuts and when you didn’t bother being gentle while applying ointment to his bruises. he didn’t have it in him to crack a joke when you threw towels at him and practically slammed the door behind you. 

he’d also realized that it took so little for you to melt into his large hands. so when you walked past him, his fingers gently grabbed your wrist, pulling you into a warm embrace. 

“i’m sorry,” he muttered, lips pressing against your forehead. 

stubborn, you didn’t ease your frown, burying your face into the crook of his neck. you burrowed yourself in his lap, his arms wrapping around your form, rocking the both of you forward. 

“shut up.”

a small smile played on his lips, his cheek pressing against the top of your head. despite the harshness of your words, you refused to let go of him, any attempt of his at moving rendered useless when you dug your nails into his forearms. with a laugh, varka guessed that it wouldn’t hurt to spend the night on your couch, with you clinging to him. 

when the first rays of the sun pulled you out of your slumber, none of you addressed what had occurred. 

𝖪𝖠𝖹𝖴𝖧𝖠 - 𝗉𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌𝖾𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾 !! | 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗈𝗋 𝗑 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌

it was necessary, you tried reasoning with yourself. 

obviously, it wouldn’t make sense that two renowned actors, who were dating nonetheless, would appear so stiff while kissing on camera. it would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it? 

maybe not as ridiculous as your current predicament. as if sensing some hesitation from your side, kazuha tilted your chin so you’d look at him. 

“we don’t have to,” he told you, his tone far too sweet for you to handle. 

he wasn’t completely wrong. the arrangement your managers had put you in was fairly recent. if anything, it would only endear the crew to see the both of you shy away from such displays of affection. 

you’d barely registered the reason why yoimiya was so adamant on making you fake a relationship with kazuha. the only thing you’d processed was his name and the fact that he was going to pretend to be your boyfriend for a few months. 

the very actor you’d set your eyes on since the beginning of your career – and even before then. the same one you’d admired for years and years. the one you were filming a show with, playing as each other’s love interests while the wide public was hit with the news of your supposed relationship. 

you hardly believed the situation you somehow ended up in until today. you wondered if he had to go through the same mental gymnastics you did before showing up at your doorstep. you couldn’t help but hope that maybe, just maybe, him revealing the reason behind his presence as wanting to practice your lines together was but an excuse. 

after all, you were under no obligation to play pretend behind closed doors. yet his attempt at easing your nerves only alarmed you. 

“no, it’s fine!” you blurted out. 

when kazuha chuckled at your eagerness, you slapped a hand over your mouth, deflating like a balloon. you felt a bit stupid, so easily baring your feelings to him unprompted. sure, it wasn’t a direct confession. but kazuha wasn’t dumb enough to miss the meaning behind enthusiasm. you hid behind your hands, the AC not helping the state of your burning cheeks. 

you felt the mattress dip beside you, gentle fingers wrapping around your wrist and prying your hands off of your face. “don’t hide,” kazuha whispered. 

he was so insistent on your eyes meeting his, peering and searching for your gaze until you relented. the softness of his smile felt like a dozen arrows were shot straight through your heart. just as gentle, his fingers trailed up your arm, leaving sparks in their wake, tracing the column of your neck, cupping your jaw. 

kazuha inched closer to you until you felt his leg press against yours. “i’ll kiss you now, okay?”

your eyes were screwed shut, your entire being nearly vibrating with nerves and anticipation, fists clenching on your lap. maybe it was a good idea to practice before your shoot tomorrow, given your predicament. 

kazuha didn’t close the distance immediately, a fond smile drawn on his features at the sight of you. you looked just so nervous that a little, cruel part of him wanted to toy with your current state. his hand rested on one of your fists, thumb caressing soothing circles on your skin until you allowed his fingers to interlink with yours. 

a beat passed. a quiet moment in which your ears couldn’t perceive anything beside the erratic beating of your heart. 

hot puffs of air fanned over your lips. before you could stop yourself, you flinched away from the sensation, wide eyed. a moment passed by as you simmered in your own mortification before you muttered a quiet apology, looking down at your lap. you couldn’t help but feel a bit irritated at yourself. 

“it’s okay”, kazuha chuckled, his knuckle caressing the burning skin of your face. “relax for me, yeah?” 

you didn’t bother complaining about how his presence was anything but relaxing. it felt like every hair on your body was standing straight just from the proximity. any and every contact of his skin against yours lit a fire within the pit of your stomach, flames growing and licking at the little frustration you felt. 

when kazuha leaned in again, he didn’t linger too long on the cute look on your face. 

his lips were as sweet as he was, you thought, sitting straight and unmoving for a few seconds. when he moved them against yours, you felt like putty in his hands, pliant and so quick to follow the pace he set. your fingers gripped at the fabric of his shirt, nails digging into his shoulders when his tongue traced your bottom lip. 

your mouth parted instantly, the small noise of surprise you made quickly swallowed by kazuha. his hand slipped to your nape, angling your head in a way that let him lick into your mouth. you pulled away for a second, your mind spiraling at the suddenness of his actions. 

“don’t do that,” kazuha tutted playfully. 

you felt your mouth dry up when your eyes met his half-lidded ones, the ruby shade of them barely visible through his dilated pupils. you wouldn’t be too shocked if they suddenly turned into hearts. 

and he was so mean, pushing his lips against yours and swallowing your protests and shy mutters, claiming that you could do so much better for him. you didn’t have it in you to deny him or disprove his words, growing dizzier and dizzier with every lungful of air he stole from you. 

so light-headed that you’d forgotten the reason behind his hunger. 

𝖥𝖫𝖨𝖭𝖲 - 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗁𝗂𝗆 𝖽𝗎𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗂𝗅𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖻𝖾𝖼𝖺𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋 <//𝟥 | 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗈𝗋 𝗑 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌

you collapsed onto your hotel bed. every muscle of your body was screeching in pain, sore and exhausted with all the running and fighting you’d done today. the steaming, hot shower you’d taken did nothing to soothe the ache, nor did any of the stretches you quickly looked up. 

with a sigh, you surrendered to your fate, burying yourself in the covers of your bed. 

your loving manager, nefer, had deemed that you’ve done enough romance shows and movies for a lifetime. and of course, what better way to change the trajectory of your acting career than by having you play in an apocalyptic show. really, she could have had you participate in a survival reality show and you wouldn’t have noticed the difference. 

the only thing that helped you pull through was flins playing a role alongside you. despite the contractual nature of your relationship, there was no helping your traitorous heart and its inability to not fall even deeper for him. the arrangement was set purely to draw attention to the show. yet, with every day that passed and with its end nearing, you couldn’t help but hope that, perhaps, flins wouldn’t want this to be over.

you rolled around in your bed, trying and failing to ignore the restless state of your mind. 

but there was no logical explanation behind his endless flirtations and tender attentions. you hoped that there was a meaning behind the hands around your waist when no one was present to witness them. that you didn’t imagine the small flickers of affection in the depths of his hypnotizing eyes. there had to be a reason as to why he was so adamant on kissing your knuckles as a greeting, right? 

the sky roared, making you sit straight on the mattress. 

you could nearly feel the building shake with the intensity of the thunder, raindrops close to breaking the windows. 

just your luck. 

for a split moment, you stared into the darkness of your room, refusing to look at the bright flashes of light slipping through the glass. you contemplated staying up and falling asleep until the storm passed. maybe watch a show to take your mind off of it until your exhaustion would get the best of you. 

another deep, rolling rumble made you scramble towards your bedside table, turning on the dim light. 

you felt a bit stupid, getting so spooked by something so normal. but you were so wide awake at the moment, arms crushing your poor stuffed bunny. and you were so hyperaware of every little noise, all the alarms in your brain going haywire when you heard a rattle from your door. 

you stared at the wooden surface for a long moment, hoping that whoever was behind it would just leave you alone. better yet, that you simply imagined the sound. 

all those thoughts flew out of your mind when a familiar voice called out your name. “it’s just me,” flins added, raising his hand to knock again. 

before he could do so, you opened the door, looking at him through a small crack. your lips jutted out into a pout as flins smiled down at you, taking in the messy state of your hair and the plushie glued to your chest. 

“thought you’d be scared,” he told you. 

something in your chest melted into a pathetic puddle at his words. of course he would think so. despite all his teasing and playfulness, flins was so terribly attentive it made you want to pull out your hair. instead, you opened the door wider, letting him slip inside. you noticed how he’d braided his hair and the near translucent paleness of his skin. his eye bags looked even more pronounced, you thought, guilt twisting your guts. 

he probably sacrificed his well-deserved rest just to check on you.

“i couldn’t sleep either.”

you blinked at him, any remorse you’d felt evaporating instantly. “you’re not good at lying,” you deadpanned, locking the door behind you. 

flins only laughed at your words. he took a seat on the edge of your bed, eyes crinkling, small sparks of joy animating his gaze. you looked away, feeling your heart take on a faster pace. yet when his hand urged you closer, you followed through almost immediately, wishing that he wouldn’t feel the erratic pace of your heart as his thumb caressed the skin above your pulse. 

“do you want me to stay?” flins asked, his voice barely above a whisper. 

his lips traced the inside of your wrist, awaiting an answer you couldn’t provide. when you only gave him a nod, he nipped at the sensitive skin, eliciting a hiss from you. “hm?” he pressed. 

your eyebrows furrowed, frustration painting your features. 

“i do,” you muttered, looking down at the way you shifted on your feet. 

a small huff of laughter tumbled out of flins’s lips. you never looked sweeter to him, he thought, pulling on your wrist and into his embrace. you burrowed yourself into his chest, the both of you buried into the covers. you were deaf to the distant rumbles, ear pressed against his wildly beating heart, eyes widening in disbelief. 

you didn’t dare say anything that would disturb the peacefulness of this moment. when he pressed a kiss to the top of your head, you tried your best to succumb to the fatigue you felt earlier. 

and so, the both of you laid there sleeplessly, praying you’d find a way to extend the contract. at least, until either of you found the courage to put a word on your feelings. or three. 

© mimi-sunny ─ all rights reserved. do not translate, plagiarize or feed into ai.

neapolitan heart divider by : @andromeda-graphics

neapolitan thin dividers by : @bbyg4rlhelps

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