Midnight thought that popped into my head…
If you watched Spirited Away, do you remember a bunch of little black soot balls that carried coal around?
What if the reader also works at the academy and has made herself a bunch of those little robots to fetch tools when she needs them? Imagine working on something with these little goofballs running around, making high-pitched robot noises and being useful at the same time, what a dream.
The second part is, what if some of them started running to Xiangli Yao's office (and Academy too) to get tools (screwdrivers, hammers, etc.) because they couldn't find them in our office due to some errors (or some other reason)? Which led to a funny little investigation of missing items?
Honestly saw it as already established relationship, but could be used as push-to-confession maybe?
Can definitely see something like this:
-My little babies would never steal!
-Your… babies?
-Erm, never mind…
Honestly, use this however you like if you do, the possibilities are endless and fun, no matter how you twist it, I have just come up with an example.
A/n: this was awfully sweet, but even with that I didn't imagine it would turn out this long. I do hope this is what you had in mind. I really enjoyed writing this. And hey, first Xiangli Yao fic! Yipeeee
Contents: Xiangli Yao x Reader, she/her pronouns, fluff
Words: 4221
Ko-fi
Steel Hearts
Little pitter-patters of feet echo down the empty corridor, the sound accompanied by the low mechanical buzz that could be said to be a coo or a call. Xiangli Yao had yet to get used to the new tiny companions around the Academy, although they made for an endearing sight when they got together to work. Xiangli Yao steps to the side of the corridor, slowing down his step as he notices a few Aideroids rush past diligently, carrying a few empty petri dishes, box of gloves and some unlabeled material samples. He tilted his head as they passed by, clicking and clacking without paying him any mind, like a line of ants as they made it straight for their queen - you. It would seem that the confusion of the recent incidents at the Academy have rubbed off on the Aideroids as well, otherwise known as Assistive Intelligence Droids, judging by how scattered they seemed after your own office has been subjected to a little... disaster, to put it plainly. It has pushed you to share an office with your colleague until the renovations are done, and while you had adjusted well, the little droids would always stop by the old office or by his own next to yours before finding you at last.
Xiangli Yao admired them and once he had run into a droid in the corner of his office that had gone down due to battery problems. He had fixed it up for you then. The droids weren’t admirable by looks alone, but by their design as well with their creator behind them. Although they seemed to be a nuisance of a sight for Mortefi, even he commented on their usefulness. The only thing everyone was against was to make them capable of flight. You agreed that the sight of so many droids buzzing about wouldn’t be quite comfortable.
He continued on into his office, looking over the report he had yet to finish, one he was looking forward to writing out. The half done pages reeked of promise and satisfaction, as they would come to represent the best part of the job in Xiangli Yao’s eyes. The end, the fruits of his labor. He hummed something low in his throat as he glimpsed an error in his grammar, making a mental note to fix it up later as he swung the door open and closed it behind it, failing to notice that the door had been creaked open already. Muscle memory brings his feet to his desk, and as he goes to put his papers down he is greeted by several singular eyes looking up at him, all scattered on and around his desk. He blinks at them in surprise, and for a moment they mirror his confusion and shock in equal measure, but as no command or response comes from his mouth, they swiftly return to their ‘work’ at his tools. One Aideroid was carrying the rubik's cube he liked to keep in his office, oftentimes fidgeting with it when he came into a slump during work hours. The Aideroid chucked it over the edge of the desk with a ‘kahooo’ and another similar sound came from below, where another droid caught the cube. Another droid was already halfway to the door with screwdrivers and small container of oil he uses to treat his prosthetic arm - had the door been unlocked, the little droid would have managed to escape the office with Yao’s belongings.
“Hey, hey, hey- now, little friend. It seems you have plans for my things-” he speaks to the droid with a light laugh in his tone as he manages to pluck back the oil and screwdrivers from its clasping hands before it could truly clasp down. “Has Miss. (L/N) been in such desperate need of oil that she sends you to take mine?”
The droid looks up at him and the lenses of its eye narrow and zoom in on the towering figure of Xiangli Yao, yet, ever loyal and determined to assist you, the droid lets out a disgruntled beeping sound, almost like a little howl. Its arms stretched upward, waiting for the tools to be given back to its hold.
“Ah, no, my friend. I’m afraid I cannot give you these back” he says and turns towards the desk just as the droid carrying his cube walks by, and Yao swiftly takes the cube back as well, and then the microscope from the next droid, and a few pencils from the next few. By the time he’s up to his desk again, he feels as if he went through an attempted robbery, his arms full of his things and behind him he hears several voices of dissatisfied and demanding droids. He holds onto his lighthearted demeanor, a gentle and amused smile plastered over his lips as he sets back his belongings on his desk and back onto the shelves. “Miss. (L/n) would not want you to rob her colleagues, would she now? I know you don’t like returning to her with empty arms, but I can’t be giving you my own research and tools so easily” he tells the droids as if they’re a bunch of kids and for a moment he expects to be greeted with more protests as the droids all but stare at him in grave silence. Thankfully they do not pose more verbal danger, and scatter to climb onto one another and skillfully open the door before moving out again. Xiangli Yao can only stare at the space they occupied, still trying to acknowledge what has just happened. He was about to shake the thoughts of before he remembered the droids he passed in the corridor, now realizing the tools and materials they carried were his.
Black bolded letters lined every page, and page after page you scanned the book for the chapter you needed to fuel your brain for power which you desperately needed for this experiment. You sigh in disappointment as you find the chapter of your favorite book ripped out, leaving the next chapter as some distant tale you were yet to understand. You close the book with a thump and push it aside, returning to another set of letters on your research paper and the propped up tubes and test tubes and cylinders before you. Testing biological matter and the effects of the Waveworn Phenomena on them came with its limitations, but for all of those you managed to achieve quite a few breakthroughs in the last few years.
You found yourself just short of other achievements, it was just an arms reach away yet you were stuck. Not understanding where you began to go over the same papers again, going through numbers, chemical formulas and the hypothesis at the start, but the important puzzle piece was yet to be revealed to your mind. The sound of small feet do not alarm you as they buzz behind you and move about the office. They came and went the entire day, bringing you your torn book and some other less important things at the moment, yet you acknowledged their need to be of help- it was in their code. Just like animals which flee or fight naturally when confronted with danger, the Aideroids wanted to help when confronted with your frown and furrowed brows. They knew something was amiss, so by bringing you all the tools and materials you previously praised them for, their droids’ minds hoped to see and hear the praise once more to know their daily task had been fulfilled. Yet, the last few days have been filled with your stagnant moods with not a sweet word in sight. The loss of the comforts of your own office was palpable even with the adjustments you’ve made - nothing can beat having your own space to do with as you please.
Your head hands low over the papers, forehead resting on your clasped palms as you let your eyes close. Searching for the answer deep in your mind, you fail to see the way forward and your mind swiftly wanders to imagery of the open fields, summer days and your favorite food stalls. Aideroids made their way up the side of your desk, carrying the microscope between them in their strong little arms, and as they set it before you with a small thump, you looked up to see it, a look of confusion falling over your eyes. “Now, why have you brought me this, AIDE?” you ask the droid group who coo at you in unison. “I already have a functional microscope..” you added, sighing at their attempt to assist you with no success. But before you can reprimand them and ask whose microscope they’ve taken, you see more of the droids climb up the desk with a glove box and unmarked materials sealed in small boxes. At that you were a bit more alarmed. Sitting up straight in your chair you feel a wave of anxiety come over you as you’re made to guess whose research they just snagged up with no pardon. “AIDE, where did you get this?” you asked as you took one of the sample bags one of the droids offered you. You carefully unpacked it and took a quick look inside, a bit more relieved to find it was only dirt samples from god knows where. But the other baggies held materials you weren’t trying to mess with, judging by their looks alone through the translucent bag.
The droids coo and click, and on your watch monitor you can see the transcribed text that they were trying to convey.
‘Xiangli Yao’s office, Baizhi’s office’.
You had to physically stop yourself from face palming at the sentence. Your little helpful companions resorting to stealing from your fellow colleagues, one of them a renowned genius? You thank god that most of them have already left the Academy for the day, and others were on break.
“Please, give the rest of those to me… I’ll have to give you another code input, this can’t happen again - you can’t just take other people’s belongings” you gently scold while the many pairs of eye just look at you, mechanically blinking and adjusting their lenses as they try to comprehend why you didn’t like what they’ve done. You have already gathered the things they took, carefully cradling the items in your arms as you tell them to stay in the office while you go and return them - hoping to also clear your mind with this brisk walk.
You turn the corner from your current office, closing the door behind you and your mind is running, hoping your droids haven’t done any damage, even if you have put all the necessary codes into their system that avoided damaging things, but who's to say they can’t malfunction or accidentally push somethin or-
“Ah! Xiangli Yao!” you nearly squeal as you run into him when you turn to go down the corridor leaning to his office, and like a kid caught with their hand in the candy jaw, you flush with items that are obviously his in your arms. You take a few steps back to put a more professional and comfortable distance between the two of you. You swallow the lump in your throat, hoping the warmth you felt wasn’t as visible on your skin as you imagined it to be.
“Ah, Miss (L/N), it is you, and with quite an interesting assortment of things in tow” Yao greeted back, his eyes quickly catching on to the items in your hold, a warm smile pulling on his lips. “I was just about to pay you a visit. It would seem your Aideroids have been up to some mischief as of recent”
“Mischief?” you countered almost instantly, and be it fatigue or the knowledge that the droids weren’t mischievous by their nature, you almost took it as an insult. “Oh, you misunderstand. They aren’t mischievous, Xiangli Yao. They just.. need some code tuning” you added with a stubborn shake of your head, holding the items closer to your torso.
“Oh? And is that why they have resorted to taking my things without being given permission beforehand?” Yao retorted, his voice a warm honey. Was he teasing you?
You couldn’t muster up a laugh, your lips pressing together in a tight line out of some nervousness for feeling so cornered. “Xiangli Yao..” you began, sighing as you nearly trailed off - he had his point, yet you couldn’t let your little droids be subjected to any form of insults, even in jest! “That doesn’t mean they’re mischievous. Although their objective is flawed in execution, something I’ll have to fix later, I assure you they did not mean to deprive you of your own ability to conduct your work. This is why I have come to return your belongings by myself and.. apologies on their behalf - although the fault is also mine own for not having foreseen such a thing happening with them” you told him, nearly rushing through the entire sentence. “AIDE has told me some of these materials are also from Baizhi. Do you mind taking back the ones that are yours?”
Xiangli Yao looks on at you, letting you speak and he nods at the question. Did this make you so riled up, or was it him? He had to admit, he felt rather weak in his word arsenal now. This has in no way ruined his day, nor has he meant any offense to you with his quips. The interaction it all led to between the two of you felt sweet to his heart, as most encounters between the two of you during the day felt almost artificial, all work no soul chatter which he found himself craving to have with you. And both of you needed solo time to recharge, but now it felt like there was emotion behind it, there was a heart. Yao wasn’t about to simply let it go to waste. But what does he say to make you more at ease?
“Of course. Here, why don’t you come to my office, I’ll also help you sort the other items out that belong to Baizhi afterwards” he offered as he took back his things, and also some more to lighten your load as some seemed at the point of slipping past your fingers. “Your droids are quite skilled to unlock doors previously locked - have you taught them to pick at locks?” he asked, his tone genuine as well as he recalled an occasion where he overheard Mortefi complaining to you about AIDE ‘breaking into his office’.
You sigh at the memory. “No. I have not taught them any of that. Their objectives and codes only revolve around listening to my orders and helping me work, I genuinely don’t know where they got it to pick locks..” you tell him as you walk side by side to his office. His presence felt as if he was pressed right against your side, even if there was comfortable space between you, or perhaps that was just you overthinking the situation. Xiangli Yao’s company was always welcome, you wished your paths crossed more often during work, but alas..
“Admirable, really” Yao comments, looking up ahead and hastening his step to open the door with his elbow, leaving it wide open for you. You walk in and you can already tell AIDEs has been through here. Xiangli Yao sets down the items he had in his arms, returning the ones that belonged to him to their right place.
“Have..have they damaged anything of yours?” You cautiously asked as you looked around, almost expecting to see broken glass or torn papers.
“Oh no, they've done no harm. They were quite adamant on taking my things, however” he chuckles. “The group that I encountered in my office even wished to scold me for not allowing them to take the items back to you. Kahooting at me and beeping, heh. They even picked up the oil for my prosthetic” he said as he turned back to look at you, noticing how your brows curled in a worried expression, the cogs and wheels turning so loud he could nearly hear them from where he stood.
You sigh for the nth time, your shoulders slumping as you shake your head. “I'm really sorry for this, they really aren't like this. I'm assuming that the loss of my office, which was coded as their own ‘HQ’ , impacted them more than I imagined. They wouldn't do any of this otherwise “ You adjust the few small items in your arms, the sample bags stacked on top.
Xiangli Yao hums in acknowledgement. “I understand that. Thankfully, that is an easy fix until your office is done and ready for use again. I often see the little guys lingering in front of the locked doors of the office.. makes me think they’re rather sentimental about the place” he nodded thoughtfully, and as he talked he approached you again, taking the items from you even after you tried to give a word of protest.
“Although, I also have a suspicion it is not just the loss of their ‘HQ’ that is making them behave like this” Yao added as he motioned towards the door again, having you walk out first. You did as he requested, but you closed the door behind him before he could try to. You look at him quizzically, brows furrowed in confusion.
“What do you mean?”
“Well..the droids’ objective is to help you reach an end in your research or daily tasks, yes? Have you perhaps not been able to reach an end of your work that the droids' could physically see? This is just my hypothesis but..uhh..” he trails off as he notices the weight of your stare, his eyes going back to the path ahead, focusing on going to Baizhi’s office. Was he being too prodding?
You couldn't deny that his words held some water, but a part of you wasn't ready to simply say what you thought. The AIDE were a bunch of robots you created, scraps of metals and wires, and giving them any form of sentimental intelligence aloud felt wrong. Even if you treated them kindly and softly like puppies and cats countless times, you weren't going to risk being seen as soft and fragile in your workspace, in front of Yao no less. He wasn’t cold in any way, or unkind to either robots, people or animals - but you felt silly in your treatment of your helpful companions.
“Are you saying that the droids may have a.. small flaw in their system? Their code could use some fine tuning, that's for sure…” you replied, trailing off as you thought about it, relieving him of your gaze in the meantime.
“Yes, that is what seems most plausible, although I do not know their code as well as you do”
You nod and just shrug, too tired to think of inputting more codes and numbers, but you knew the task was unavoidable. “Yeah…I'll take a look at the codes once I'm back. Uh, you know where Baizhi keeps her things?”
“Not exactly in the way she has her things organized…but, we can just leave them in an orderly place. I can explain the situation to her in the morning for you, no worries” Xiangli Yao is about to hasten his step again but you make it a point to beat him to it, opening the door for him and keeping it open. You hear a huff of a laugh behind you but you do not immediately turn around to face him and see his expression. Yet when you do take a look, your heart jumps in your throat as he passes by you, giving you another one of his warm smiles.
You feel stiff compared to him, he who seems so carefree and professional.
“You don't have to do that on my behalf. I'll just talk to her myself” you slide in next to him above Baizhi’s desk. It looks rather empty with how well organized it looks. Papers piled neatly on one end next to the simple lamp, pens in their pen holder, a few other things carefully tucked over the desk but besides that, there was nothing else on the desk. Everything else had its place on the shelves or in the drawers. You have to hold back your awe at it, remembering how much of an ‘organized mess’ your desk is.
“It wouldn't be an inconvenience, Baizhi and I have a task we have to do together tomorrow,” Yao said as he sat the sample bags down along with the little boxes.
You find yourself not knowing what to say, and suddenly you feel as if you're standing too close for comfort, your neck feeling too warm and you decide to pace away, taking in the office - one you have probably visited before but that fact wasn't important right now.
“Coohoo, clack?”
You both turn around and see several eyes staring back at you around the doorframe.
Xiangli Yao chuckles as he sees that the little droids have, once again, managed to snag something of his to bring to you - this time the Rubik's cube from before. They murmur among themselves when they see him, and one at the front almost hisses when he approaches. The others rush in with the Rubik's Cube in tow, rushing straight to you.
“Ah- not again…” you grumble as you crouch down to welcome your rowdy robot children in, taking the cube away from them as they crowd around your feet and tug lightly at the tail of your coat. “I'm really sorry, Xiangli-”
“No, no, please, no need to apologize. Now that I look at this, I have a feeling they're trying to lift your spirits. Surely, AIDE realizes a Rubik’s Cube has no other use but momentary play”
You look up at him, joining in the stare group made from your droids who all can't seem to take their eyes off of him.
“That…could be it. Hah, a rather cute thought, isn't it? I should give these guys a bit more praise, I think..” you feel yourself cracking slowly, the exhaustion and the weight of your unreached goals making your mind a fuzzy place. You feel your cheeks go warm again and cast your eyes down swiftly to take a look at your droids again.
“Quite so. Do you need help with the coding?” He suddenly asked as you rose to your feet, taking a careful step over the grouped up droids. You stumble and feel Yao grab onto your elbow to stabilize you. “Careful-”
“Thanks.. here's your, uhm, cube” you mutter as you hastily hand him the Rubik's cube even before you get to stand back properly on your feet.
The droids coo in unison, first in surprise and then in relief when you don't fall.
“And no, actually, I should be fine with doing the coding on my own. It will only take a bit, but anyway- I'd rather not be in your way any more than I already am.” You said as you found your feet again, the droids already gathering around your feet again and looking up at you and Yao unblinking.
“In my way? Miss (L/N), you’re not in my way. I am offering you my help of my own free will, not out of pity or anything similar” he assures you and soon joins you in looking down at your droids when you fail to respond. This time he can’t help but notice the flush on your cheeks, but he doesn’t comment on it for your sake.
“These little ones are.. quite something” you added as your eyes gazed over them all, listening to their lenses “blink” and observe.
The droids huddle closer, almost climbing up over the other to reach better heights to either of you. His words from before strike you once more in that moment, and you find yourself thinking deeper about the issue at hand - although can you really call it an issue? The droids have done nothing but try their best to be of use to you, and not only in your work but in your mood as well. Would it be so wrong to treat them with a little more humanity? The droids seemed to favor Xiangli Yao in some ways too, as most of the items they brought back to you were his.
“Xiangli Yao..”
“Hm?” He tips his head to the side, looking over at you as you still observe the little ones.
“Could you actually..help me with these guys a bit? I think I want to do more than just coding changes, I'd like to add some more features - and you have more experience in this field than I do”
Xiangli Yao feels his heart swell with something he can't quite describe coherently in that moment, but he knows it is making him feel fuzzy and energized. “Of course! I'd love to - spending some time with these droids is going to be a time well spent”.
Although he loved the droids on their own, he was more so looking towards spending time with you. And where the droids were is where you are.
Ⓒ n0tamused. Do not repost, translate, edit, and/or copy any of my works. Likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated.
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Warning: rating 18+ for accidental pregnancy, references of s*x, maybe ooc?
-It had been very sudden, something neither of you were expecting.
-You were terrified to tell him, as most people were even to scared to approach him in general.
-Except for you, when three drinks too many you ended up tangled between his arms in his bed.
-Thus you ultimately decide that you’re actually a chicken and opt out of saying anything until it started to become more and more obvious you had been hiding something big.
-He could sense the change in the tides rather swiftly, picking up on all your habits, the standoffishness you had been exhibiting, the way you had become secretive, how he could sense something was different. You looked different, and though it had been months since he last touched you, he could feel a difference.
-He couldn’t figure what he had done to make you change so much in such a short amount of time, he partially wondered if you had another lover, if you were getting attention elsewhere. That could be the change, someone who is fulfilling your needs better then he ever could.
-You however, were panicking with each incoming day as your bump grew larger and larger, your hips widening, your breasts also larger and far more tender. Your body was constantly changing, and with that came the worst case of morning sickness Baizhi had seen in a long time. She tried her best to give you some natural remedies that wouldn’t hurt you or the baby in your womb but to no avail nothing helped except to hideaway and sleep off the nausea off.
-Calcharo was beginning to worry, something the man hadn’t thought he was capable of in so long, the coldness that enshrouded him, he never thought someone as warm as you would find a way to melt through.
“This is the third com they’ve sent within the last few months that they are still away on an expedition. I think they might have defected sir,” One of his men say to him. He says nothing in return, his eyes cold and calculating. He wonders about the timing, wonders if you had enough of one night with him. Fine. Let it be that way.
-About 20 weeks go by, your bump is out and you’ve been in hiding for far to long. Guilt consumed you, knowing that your child deserved a father, but the question was simple, would he be a good one? He was cold, men and women of all kinds feared him, his enemies loathed him, a target on his head at all times. What kind of life would that be for your child?
-And you would protect your unborn child, in whatever way was necessary.
-And then he finds you, in passing, at the market. In fact, he sees you before you see him, and he struck in awe, your belly swollen, hands cradling the bump hidden beneath the fabric of your dress.
-This is what you had been hiding? You were with child? Was it his? Was it someone else’s? How far along were you? Why did you hide it? Why did you hide? His thoughts races a million miles an hour, his body paralyzed in place as he watches you converse with the townspeople. An old granny, putting her hand on your stomach, a smile emitting from your lips.
-However all he can think about is how he had been shut out, how he had been given no choice, how he didn’t know, how much he had missed. It hurt him to admit but he was mad, and not because you had done any of these things, but because he already knew why without having to ask.
-His position, his work, his source of income. The dangers he brought just by existing in the same space as you, he knew why.
-But he is a stubborn man, and views his responsibility of raising his unborn child as a higher priority then the Ghost Hounds. So his feet begin to travel in wide strides, strait towards you, pushing through the crowd of people in the heart of Jinzhou.
“Y/N.” His voice is quiet but startles you in whipping around, arms flying to your bump. To hide it maybe? Your not sure, it feels like the right thing to do. His presence is overwhelming, his scent familiar, but when you look into his eyes to see nothing but pure hurt you’ve understood you’ve made the wrong choice in not telling him. Your eyes well with tears faster then you can comprehend, your emotions on heightened hormonal train wreck.
The granny stands quietly behind you, a pillar in your current pregnancy when you had come back into Jinzhou for check ups with Baizhi. She had offered you a bowl of ramen from her shop telling you that it was okay you couldn’t afford it, you had another mouth to feed. Once you had stabilized another job within the city you had been constantly visiting her to pay back your due to her kindness. She knew of the man standing in front of you, you had only spent most of your time talking about him.
“Why don’t we take this inside children, its rather busy in the market today,” Her wizened words pull Calcharo from his stupor, his hand reaching to you to guide you into the grandmothers ramen shop.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He sounds almost desperate as soon as you’ve walked into the silence of the shop, he doesn’t care, “You just left. You lied.”
“I thought I was protecting them,” Your lips trembled, he had every reason to be mad, even if you didn’t think the leader of the ghost hounds would want anything to do with family or raising one of his own.
“From me?” He whispers.
You stay silent, guilt raising the bile in your throat, your stomach flipping. With shaky hands you feel the walls of your throat closing up, a gagging motion coming from your gut as you turn to beeline for the bathroom. In an instant your on your knees in front of the toilet, holding onto your stomach and the rim of the toilet bowl as this mornings breakfast makes it way out of your body.
-(Baby Calchalator isn’t a fan of cheesy eggs on toast apparently)
-You can’t hear anything, your body is reverent with chills, shaking violently with each outburst.
-You almost don’t recognize his touch because he is so gentle.
-His hands slip around the strands of your fallen hair, pulling it back as his other hand rubs soothing circles along your back. He was on his knees, one on each side of your body, holding you tightly in place.
-Once you’ve finally calmed, his hands reach under each arm to help you to your feet, a task that usually had been taking the wind out of you and a task he did effortlessly.
“I’m sorry I left.” You whisper after a few moments of silence.
His eyes were defeated, head hanging low as his eyes trained on the tips of his shoes, “If you don’t want me to be here I’ll leave, I’ll do whatever you think is best for you and our child.”
-And-oh god-
-He wants it, and your hearts racing because he wants your child, he wants to be there, to raise them on his principles, to take their hand and guide them through life, and he wants to be there doing that with you.
-He’s stern now, feeling fear for the answer to come from your lips. On one hand he knew he would bring danger, in was in his nature and nothing good ever followed once he collected of his debts from his line of work. He knew he was rigid, bound by a staggering fate that he would cycle through each contract till one eventually took his life. Would he leave his child without a father out of fate or because of a decision of the one person who made him change his mind on everything? Because on the other hand, he never knew how quickly he’d embrace the idea of having his own kid. He could already feel the twinge of hope taking root inside of him, hope that you would let him stay, hope that he would get to hold that little baby in his arms, hope that would be his reason to shape into a man his child would be proud to call their father.
You don’t hesitate, “Stay.”
-His eyes snap to your eyes, checking for honesty, he’s in disbelief. Stay? Stay.
“You’ll still have me? Despite everything?” He’s cautious, will they just leave him again? Will they change their mind? His fear is masked with a stoic thin line of his lips pressed together, emotions securely hidden behind his eyes. They tell you nothing, you don’t know what he’s thinking, but you can feel his pain, the hurt, the betrayal.
“You’ve proved me wrong,” You say, looking at him, “I don’t think there is anybody else who deserves this more then you do, and I am so sorry that I almost took that from you.”
-It was the most honest apology he’d ever received, and in no time you were in his arms, in the confines of the bathroom where no one, not even granny, could see the tears that fell from the ghost hounds eyes. His heart had been beating so fast, his hands felt frozen solid and yet he grappled you in, his hands finding solace on the growing bump.
(AN: This was 100% self indulgent. Should I make this a series?)
The father has brought back a new food source from the river, as spring has slowly crept back into the Yixian formation, which means his many children - including our girl Yanna - will be receiving their first taste of crawdads. This will help them later in life, I am certain, just not now... Well, yes now, its feeding her, but shut up.
Jinzhou, China, 125 MYA. Featured species: Yutyrannus huali, Palaeocambrus licenti
Yanna's father 'catching' a Palaeocambarus licenti crayfish, a well preserved crayfish from the Yixian formation with several full body fossils. It is likely that young Yutyrannus huali would've eaten them, as their small size, protein content, and soft meat would allow them to get a nutritious meal from a relatively small target, the only issue would likely being catching the little water rats.
Also yes, in Yanna's baby view, the crawdad is miku'd. YOU CANNOT STOP ME.
some miscellaneous wuwa photography just to round it out. details on where each shot was taken below the cut :3
virtual photography masterpost .
the first image is from mt firmament, i believe that's a scale of the past image i got? it's very pretty, though! iirc, that location is where the trial for that exploration quest where you have to help complete this like. worship ritual thing? is. idk
second image is at averado bank, taken at the start of the exploration quest you get following the end of the carnevale main quest!
third image is from ragunna :) i was absolutely enamored by the fact an npc was petting a kitty and couldn't resist taking a picture hehe
fourth is from zani's story quest! i was trying to get a picture of the angel statue and accidentally captured a BEAUTIFUL shot lol
the fifth is somewhere random in rinascita dont ask me where idr
and the last two images are ones i took in a friend's world when he came over and played on my pc a little. he was right before the grandwarstorm ii quest, and you KNOW i had to get a picture of that fuckass moon thing.
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Resonance (Jiyan x Fem!Reader x Calcharo) [Chapter 2 : Fake]
[Jinzhou]
You are seated comfortably in your office, your fingers tapping restlessly on the table as you read through the documents before you. There's a certain Mercenary Group causing trouble around Huang Long known as the Ghost Hounds. "Hmmmmm." your eyes shifted from paper to paper. It was evident how visibly angry you looked at the moment.
You are well-acquainted with this notorious group, particularly with their leader, Calcharo. "This guy..." you muttered, staring at his image on the screen, your teeth gritted in anger as you unknowingly gripped the documents in your hands. You have been investigating him for three years now, but you always struggle to locate his whereabouts due to the group frequently changing locations.
"Zhi Yu." you called, prompting your personal assistant to rush towards you. "Yes, Madam Secretary?!" he nervously responded, sensing your fury. For you, enough is enough. Calcharo has pushed you to your limit.
"Could you provide me with all the information we have on the Ghost Hounds and their leader?" You couldn't bear it any longer. This group had been abusing their power, even resorting to killing innocent citizens of Huang Long. While you understood the nature of mercenaries, you couldn't stand idly by if they continued to harm the innocent. "Okay. Fuck this! I'm going to hunt down this group myself." With a forceful slam of your hand on the table, you rose abruptly from your chair and grabbed your coat.
"M-Madam Secretary! Where are you going?!" Zhi Yu asked, well aware of your impulsiveness. As the Secretary of Justice, you needed to be as safe as possible. "Don't say a word of this to anyone, especially not to the General." you ordered, fixing a stern gaze on your assistant. "B-But Madam Secretary! You can't take action like this without a direct order from the Magistrate!"
Ignoring his protests, you continued towards the door. "I'll do my best to return before midnight." You stated before shutting the door behind you.
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
[Desorock Highland...]
Jiyan clashed with waves of Tacet Discord with his broadblade, slicing through the air with grace and might. He was ready and cunning, anticipating their moves. His eyes, though carrying a hint of fatigue, were sharp and focused throughout the battle.
He had overexerted himself in his battles, to the point where Jiyan could barely hear the battle's sounds over the ringing in his ears. His arm ached with every swing of his sword. His heart thudded in his chest as he heaved for breath. He was close to Overclocking, but he shoved that realization to the back of his mind.
"Major Yue Xiu requesting immediate evacuation at Desorock Highland. I have discovered a nest of TDs hiding in a secret cave. I cannot seem to shake them. Aid is needed ASAP." Jiyan transmitted before making a hasty retreat, the exhaustion now difficult to ignore.
He stabilized his breathing as he marched back to the safety of the position they held. His eyes scanned the battlefield before his gaze fell on his trusted Lieutenant, Qiang. He relayed the information as Qiang readied more soldiers. He then tended to his most important duty: To lead by example.
The General wasn't always a man of many words in front of his soldiers, but he could roar against the TDs, and his army respected and followed his lead.
The day's triumph belonged to them.
With the sun setting, Jiyan gave the necessary orders to secure the area before he retreated to rest.
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
You headed to the Port City of Guixu, as this was the last lead you had on the Ghost Hounds. Despite the presence of Tacet Discords roaming around, you chose to maintain a low profile to avoid drawing any unnecessary attention if there were indeed any Mercenaries in the vicinity.
Quietly, you entered the abandoned building and meticulously inspected each floor. Upon entering each room, you found nothing but traces of leftover food. "So they were really here." you mumbled under your breath as you continued to investigate the area.
You ventured back outside and wandered around until you reached a corner where you spotted a few members of the Ghost Hounds engaged in conversation. You crouched down, intending to approach them stealthily. "Hahaha! Did you see the looks on those villagers' faces? They didn't think twice about handing over all their food supply!" exclaimed the male mercenary, grinning as he rummaged through his bag.
"Is this how the Ghost Hounds operates? Exploiting the vulnerable?" You seethed inwardly as you listened. You were about to circle around to find a better position to attack when one of the mercenaries, who was urinating, caught sight of you. You locked eyes with him for a few seconds, but before the man could react, you had accidentally activated your Resonance Liberation Skill, triggering a massive explosion in the area.
The man in front of you was charred to a crisp, but the others managed to shield themselves from the sudden attack. The explosion also caught the attention of the Tacet Discords, drawing them towards your location.
"Shit!" you hissed, seeing the countless of TDs heading your way. You couldn't believe you momentarily lost control. You had no choice but to fight them off while ensuring the Mercenaries wouldn't seize this opportunity to escape. "Let's go!" exclaimed one of them, prompting the others to flee alongside him. "Not on my watch!" you grinned, excitement gleaming in your eyes as you sprinted at incredible speed, flames trailing behind your feet.
You unsheathed your broadsword, poised to strike the fleeing criminals, when suddenly an Inferno Rider appeared in front of you. "An Overlord class?!" Your eyes widened in shock. You realized the challenge ahead, knowing that you shared the same element. The Overlord Tacet Discord standing before you possessed a strong resistance to fire.
One of the Mercenaries made a rash move despite the looming threat. "Don't move! That's not a Tacet Discord you want to provoke!"you warned. You couldn't afford to lose all of them. You needed them alive. With a single casualty from the accidental release of your skill earlier, you couldn't risk making the same mistake again.
Despite your warning, the man defiantly moved, and in just a single swing of the Riders's blade, he was burned into ashes.
Your eyes darted around, as you strategized to devise the best plan to defeat the TD before you.
"Wanna make it out of here alive?" you asked, locking eyes with the frightened Mercenaries beside you. "I need your cooperation to execute my plan." You added. "And why should we trust you?" one of them questioned, skeptical of your proposal. "Because you have no other choice." your expression conveyed the seriousness of your words.
Upon hearing your plan, the Mercenaries swiftly diverted the attention of the Inferno Rider, granting you the chance to charge up your skill. You allowed yourself to be engulfed by your own flames, the intense heat causing the concrete beneath your feet to slowly melt. You moved with lightning speed, disappearing and reappearing in front of the Inferno Rider, delivering a powerful punch infused with flames on your knuckles. However, the TD quickly recovered and launched its attack, which you swiftly countered. Your movements resembled a graceful dance, exuding elegance and precision.
While you may not possess the same strength as Jiyan, but you can stand your ground like a true soldier. You shielded the Mercenaries from the Rider's deadly blade by blocking its attack. The force was so strong that you could feel your strength waning. You persevered, knowing Jiyan would have done the same. You exerted more force on your blade, pushing until the Rider's blade pierced its own skin.
As it screamed in agony and stopped its movements, one of them cautiously asked, "Is it over?" But before you could respond, the Rider erupted in flames, prompting you to swiftly move out of the way. The intense heat emanating from the TD made the Mercenaries feel as though their skin was being scorched. You glanced at the them with concern, but in an instant, as you shifted your gaze, the Rider stood before you, face to face, ready to strike you with its blade.
Your eyes widened in shock, knowing you had little time to react.
Just as the blade was about to reach you, a sudden bolt of lightning struck from out of nowhere, intercepting the attack. And the next thing you knew, the Leader of the Ghost Hounds, Calcharo, appeared in front of you, his blade blocking the the Inferno Rider.
With a few clashing of swords and a single activation of his Liberation Skill, the Tacet Discord dissipated as if it had never existed.
"C-Calcharo!" the Mercenaries muttered, their voices tinged with fear.
Calcharo scanned the faces of the Mercenaries as they let out mutters of his name, their fear was a bitter addition to his satisfaction. He didn't expect these FAKES to be a threat, it was more of an insult to his pride as the Leader of the Ghost Hounds.
"Hold your tongue."
Calcharo aimed his blade at one of the fake Mercenaries but fixed his gaze at you, who remained calm and composed. If there was one person who intrigued him in this dingy place, it was you. You could have been anybody, a soldier, a bystander, a Mercenary, or an innocent. Yet, the sight of you standing in the midst of this chaos held his attention.
He stepped closer, his sword now pressed against your throat, leaving you in a position where you could either step back or yield to him.
"I'd like to know why a high ranking officer from Jinzhou is here, surrounded by rats."
His voice carried a serious tone. He wasn't one to judge, but this situation called for an explanation. The fake mercenaries around him shuffled on their feet, eyes cast downward, some showed signs of fear, others defiance.
"Care to share your story, officer?"
Calcharo remained vigilant, ready to strike in an instant, but for now, he wanted answers from the officer in front of him.
