delicatefestivalcreator - Tumblr blog

delicatefestivalcreator · 9 months

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Y'know what's even more funnier and messed up? What if we add spirit tracks link (Spirit or I like to call him conductor) in this au? Since Niko does appear in spirit tracks as a old man

Poor Niko, he's going to be reliving his traumatic encounter with wind through spirit (and it doesn't help the fact that spirit is literally the spitting image of wind)

Niko, when he meets a train conductor who literally looks like the newbie who scared him shitless back in his pirate days:

@yanderelinkeduniverse @stars-for-thought @imprisioned-in-the-hole @screaming-until-god-hears-me @crestfallenmermaidan @ice-cream-writes-stuff @linked-heroes @justanerd1

I wanted to punch my screen. This one was frustrating to get started but it seemed to get easy once I got a flow!

(I took too long I know! I'M SORRY!)

The bottom rung of the ladder wasn't a position Niko enjoyed. More often than not, this position meant that he was the crew's errand boy rather than a fearsome pirate in his own right.

Dishes to be cleaned, a deck to be mopped, the assortment of chores that the rest of the crew members couldn't be bothered to handle were left to him to deal with. It was an endless cycle of thankless tasks, and while Lady Tetra was a wonderful pirate to lead the crew, Niko was growing tired of the mundane routine. He longed for the excitement of the seas, of heart pounding dangers that made the best stories.

The only source of excitement lately was when captain Tetra had been taken by that giant monster bird and soon after was the brief arrival of an islander who's sister was kidnapped by mistake.

The newest swabbie on the crew was rather strange though, kinda on the quiet side.

In fact, the only time Niko had heard him speak was when he had to convince the captain to let him sail with them.

He even simply nodded when he was introduced to the rest of the crew.

"Hey, newbie," he said, clapping him on the shoulder. Niko remembered having approached the new recruit with a excited smile.

"Learning the way things work on this ship will be tough, but stick close to me and you'll be alright!"

The newbie had simply nodded in response and followed him down below the deck.

It had honestly astonished Niko how fast the new guy finished the initiation trials. (and on the first go too!)

But Niko wasn't going to question his underling's natural skill. (Which may have been aided by his obviously helpful advice)

Perhaps the newbie isn't one for chitchat.

And perhaps he noticed the newbie looking up at the stars with a (lifeless) distant expression on his face from time to time.

As the days passed with the newbie. Niko couldn't help but acknowledge how strange he was, how he would stare at everyone and not say a single word.

Particularly Captain Tetra.

While normally, Niko understood the desire to stare at the captain, as she was the very example of a capable pirate. Anyone who was confronted with her would be fools to not notice her skill and leadership.

But the newbie didn't stare at her like that. Didn't look amazed or in awe. Instead, his expression was...one of detachment, as if he wasn't actually seeing her at all. As if he could look past her, looking at someone else entirely.

It was unnerving, (and Niko sometimes wondered if there was something wrong with him.)

Despite the mystery surrounding him, Niko couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for the new recruit. He was setting sail for his sister's sake.

Even Niko couldn't deny that going so far for someone needed a certain level of inner strength and determination that Niko could only dream of having. (So it was such a confidence booster when the newbie listened to his orders without a single complaint.)

Niko tried to talk to him when they weren't on duty, but he would always brush him off with a shrug, or stared at him until Niko made a quick retreat.

Sometimes, Niko couldn't help but wonder what the newbie was thinking about, but before he make anything out of his curiosity, the newbie left as quickly as he came. (though he did manage to make a spectacular view as he was shot from the catapult)

And for Niko, that was that. He was back to being the lowest member of the crew, barely having enjoyed ordering the underling around.

It was back to mopping the deck, cleaning the dishes, and doing that HORRIBLE laundry.

He eventually pushed the former newbie from his mind the days passed like nothing new ever happened.

Recently though, the captain had been on the trail of some big treasure and had decided to stop at Windfall island to 'procure' some bombs. And of course, Niko was tasked to watch over the ship as the crew made their way to the bomb shop.

Niko couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. There was something about that night that didn't feel right. (If there's one thing he's confident about is his ability to keep track of time, and it should have been daylight already.)

But before he could voice his concerns, the crew had already made their way off the ship. He busied himself with some below deck cleaning. Nothing better to do at a peaceful island.

It was when he was sweeping around the boxes that a loud crash was heard from above, followed by the sound of something moving.

As he looked up towards the ceiling he could hear the door leading to inside the ship swing close, which meant whatever came onto the ship was now below the deck.

..And it was his duty to guard the ship while everyone was gone.

...

After a moment's hesitation, Niko made his way up towards the door way to the stairs, his heart pounding in his chest.

...Not that Niko was scared or anything. He was a pirate after all.

He has sailed along with his crew through many storms! (Even if all he did was hide below deck.)

Along with facing down the most fearsome of sea beasts! (Even if all he did was hide below deck.)

Niko could feel a chill in the air. The ship eerily silent despite the occasional creaking. He tried to peek around the corner, trying to catch if anything else was there or a glimpse of whatever had made that noise.

But there there wasn't a good angle that didn't expose him, just the empty space even as he heard slow footsteps making their way to the stairs.

He cautiously pressed himself against one wall, his hands shaking. The footsteps got closer, and as Niko was about to reach for his dagger, he saw a figure emerge from the shadows.

It was the new recruit.

Niko hadn't expected him to have survived, given what he had heard about the giant bird. The newbie looked around, clearly searching for something, before his gaze landed on Niko.

Niko straightened up, his hands moving to hide behind his back, even though technically he wasn't the one who should have been nervous. "N-Newbie! Wha-what are you doing here?" He stuttered, smiling weakly as if he hadn't been in hiding.

"I-I mean, you're alive! My swabbie Link is alive! The others said you got done in by that bird monster at the fortress, so I had assumed..." He grew quiet before shaking his head and smiling at the newbie.

"Never mind what I thought! You're alive!" He laughed, the tension quickly dissipating as he realized he was just being silly. "What are you doing here? I thought you were dead!"

The newbie, Link, looked at him with that blank expression he seemed to always have, his eyes hiding everything yet nothing at all.

"...I was looking for you," he answered back, the sound of his actual voice making Niko jump in surprise, not having expected a response.

The newbie's voice was scratchy...rough, as if he hadn't had a sip of water in a long time.

Niko couldn't help but feel a sudden sense a unease. "Sure...what do you need?" he asked, his voice betraying his nervousness.

Link cocked his head a bit, his eyes fixed on Niko's. "I need bombs," he said. "I need to locate something."

Niko gulped, "Uh..O-Okay," he said, his voice shaky.

Link nodded and turned towards the rest of the under deck.

"I just...have to do the second rope challenge, and clear the area before the gate to the bombs close, right..?"

Staring at his back, Niko noticed how...thin...his shoulders were.

Actually...now that he focused, the newbie's clothes, they were rather worn out. Torn at the edges, and was that...were those bloodstains on the cuffs of his sleeves..??

Niko flinched when the newbie looked back at him, staring into his eyes before slowly shifting them over to the doorway across the room.

"U-uh..yeah! I bet miss Tetra must've already told you about our latest acquirement huh?" He laughed nervously when he noticed the newbie's eyes narrowing a bit towards the end.

Clearing his throat, Niko quickly focused on the matter at hand.

"So uh! You want the bombs? I guess if you pass the second rope challenge, I can give them to you." Even though he knew he'd get in trouble when the rest of the crew found out, something in the back of his head told him giving the newbie any other answer was a mistake he shouldn't make.

Link nodded, his eyes never leaving Niko's. "Thank you," he said simply before turning back to get into starting position.

As he started to make his way across the hold, Niko couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Something about the newbie just didn't sit right, and Niko couldn't shake the feeling that he was toeing the line with something dangerous.

But he shook the feeling away, telling himself that he was just being paranoid. The newbie was just on the track of finding some treasure, just like any real pirate would.

Yet as he watched the newbie swing across the hold with ease, Niko couldn't help but think that the newbie had done this before.

The closer he swung over, the more Niko grew more and more anxious for some reason.

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he watched the newbie make it to the other side, and Niko tried to smile in support.

"Well done, newbie!" he called, trying not to sound too anxious. "You passed the second rope cha-"

The newbie didn't pause as he walked passed Niko and headed straight for the chest holding the bombs.

"Ah...um, Newbie-" Niko raised a hand, as if to reach out to him, but just as Link finished placing the bombs in his pouch Niko jumped as a familiar voice rang out of nowhere.

"That's mighty courageous of you...trying to steal treasure from pirates."

Niko felt his heart race as his captain spoke to the newbie through the same stone she had, especially when she mentioned stealing. (Miss Tetra hadn't sent him??)

Niko looked towards Link when miss Tetra finished the conversation, hoping that some form of explanation was given.

But the newbie didn't react, just kept his gaze fixed on the chest with the bombs, his hands clenched into tight fists. "Um...so, you have a stone just like the captain huh?" Niko asked, his voice shaking slightly. "You know, you're really lucky... to have her... her attention...uh..."

The newbie didn't respond, his eyes still fixed on the chest.

"I'm just glad..you know...she didn't seem to mind the fact that you were...uh, stealing from her..." Niko rubbed the back of his neck, unsure what to even save right at that moment.

"I mean, I'm sure she wouldn't have tolerated that from anyone else."

The newbie finally turned to look at Niko, his expression unreadable. "Don't worry, Niko," he said, his voice distant. "I'm not stealing anything. I'm just doing what needs to be done."

"What needs to be done huh? Boy, you must really want to rescue you sister." Niko said.

The newbie shook his head, his eyes intense and focused. "I'm not here to rescue my sister." He paused and shook his head again. "I mean, I am...she's my sister..I love her."

Niko took a step back, feeling a sudden chill run down his spine as the newbie looked at Niko, his expression still unreadable. "But I need to reach...the others," he said simply before turning and walking towards the doorway. "I don't know if they'll be there but...I need to see with my own eyes what's true, to see if She's waiting for me at the end."

Niko stood there, feeling a mix of confusion and fear as he watched the newbie leave. Something about him just made Niko feel uneasy, like he was walking a fine line between danger and insanity. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he contemplated what to do, but before he could speak up, the newbie paused.

"Actually...I'd like to ask you something...Niko," he said, Niko flinching as he heard his name spoken.

It shouldn't have intimidated him as much as it did.

"...O-Okay?" The newbie turned on his heel slowly as he began to speak.

"Imagine you woke up one day...and a flood of memories made their home in your head," The newbie began, his voice low and soft.

"Memories of people and places you didn't know existed. That you shouldn't know existed, shouldn't even find familiar," He exhaled through his nose, "But you do, you do and it all makes so much sense even though you know it shouldn't. All those precious memories, but not knowing whether they are real or not." He paused, his eyes fixed on Niko. "What would you do?"

Niko took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. "I...I don't know," he admitted honestly. "I never really thought about something like that before."

The newbie continued to stare, his eyes never leaving Niko's.

"I don't think I can tell what's real in my head anymore," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "And I need to know. I need to know for sure."

Niko nodded slowly, unsure of what to say. "I understand," he said finally. "But...what does asking me do to...help?"

The recruit slowly looked at him, and with the light of the small room, Niko finally got a good look at him for the first time since he was last on the ship.

...and he looked...horrible.

His green clothes looked more worn out than he realized. (And that was definitely blood on his sleeve cuffs.)

He was a bit thinner then he last remembered, skin was so pale, as if he hasn't seen the sun in months, and his hair was almost limp, strands clinging to his face.

His eyes...They didn't focus on Niko...not entirely.

Almost as if the recruit was staring through Niko.

And something told Niko that the last thing he would ever want is his undivided attention.

"...I hate her..." Niko tilted his head in confusion.

"Your captain," he clarified simply, to Niko's shock. "I hate her."

"I-uh-you..." Niko was completely bewildered by the sudden confession. "Why would you say that?"

The recruit shrugged, his eyes blank. "...I can't trust her. I can't trust the witch's vessel. I can't...I can't trust anyone that sides with the vessel..."

He stared off to the side, the corner of his mouth twitching for a moment before looking back.

"If I think about it...l can't even trust you."

Niko took a step back, unsure how to respond. He didn't know what to say to something like that. He could feel the tension in the air, and he knew he wasn't safe.

He wasn't safe at all.

"But..you were nice to Her..." he continued, unconcerned by Niko's state.

"You helped make Her smile."

"Um..." Niko swallowed dryly. "Who-uh w-who are you-"

"She looked so happy when She was up on the crow's nest," he continued, a smile stretching across his face. "The way you helped Her with the rope challenge, the little trinkets you gave Her as a prize."

It was absolutely simple smile, a smile anyone would have as they reminisced about a fond memory.

Just looking at it sent a chill down Niko's spine.

This kid wasn't okay, Niko could clearly see that now.

But he couldn't leave him alone, not knowing what was going on in his head.

(Not knowing if the crew would be in danger if he let the new recruit go now.)

"Look, I know things have been... tough for you lately," Niko started cautiously. "But you have no reason to distrust anyone. At least not us, right?"

The recruit shook his head, his smile quickly fading. "No, wrong," he said firmly. "You and I are not on the same side. You follow the vessel, and I have no interest in being loyal to her."

Niko could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he looked at the recruit, a sense of unease growing inside him. He knew this wasn't the safest situation, but he couldn't just leave the recruit alone. "Listen, I-I know you don't trust me," he began, his voice gentle. "And I don't know what...vessel you're talking about, but I'm here for you, okay? We're crew mates after all."

The recruit stared at him for a moment, his eyes unreadable. "You don't know what I need," he said finally. "You don't know anything."

He stood back and started to walk away, but Niko grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Tell me about those memories." He blurted out as the recruits eyes returned to him.

"What do you mean?" the recruit asked, his voice emotionless.

"You said you couldn't tell what's real anymore. What memories are making you think like that?"

The recruit paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing, Niko thought his question didn't work when he began to speak.

"The memories..." he started slowly, his voice distant. "They're...mine...I think? They feel mine. But...I don't know. It shouldn't make sense, I never even met any of them...or will I? I-"

He pressed his hand against his head, "I can't accept anything yet," he repeated, his voice frustrated. "Not until I know for certain."

Niko let go of his arm, feeling a sense of helplessness. He didn't know what to do or say to help this recruit. He felt like he was out of his depth.

"But..what makes you think the memories are fake?" Niko asks him.

"...What makes you think they are real?" He asked Niko in return.

Niko frowned, unsure how to answer. He had never been faced with something like this before. "I just...I don't know what to think," he admitted honestly. "It all feels so confusing."

"..I suppose.." The newbie said, his tone changing oddly. Niko swallowed, could feel the blood drain from his face as he saw the recruit's eyes turn into pure ice. It was the chilling to even look at it.

Like a raging sea storm that had frozen under a wall of solid ice.

"T-T-The memories, how clear are they?" Niko continued to talk, hoping that if he kept the conversation going, he'd find something that could help him get out of this encounter intact.

"Clear enough to hate your captain." Came the blunt answer.

"O-oh..." Niko really didn't know what he was doing. "O-Ok, um-"

"Do you know how much I want to hurt her?" The newb-Link said, Niko could see how tightly he was clenching his fists.

Niko took a step back, his heart racing. "I-I don't," he said, his voice shaking. "I really don't."

"I thought I knew hatred...when I first laid eyes on my sister's kidnapper." Link continued, his voice low and dangerous. "But this is different. It's like...a thousand knives twisting in my chest, and I can't make it stop."

Niko felt a chill run down his spine.

"I want to squeeze her neck until her face is completely blue." He kept going, taking a step forward.

"Uh, I-I don't-"

"I want to bash her face against the ship's handrail until she bleeds." Link went on, his eyes glowing with anger. "I want to crush her head under my boot until her skull cracks and she stops breathing."

Niko could feel himself starting to panic. He knew that he needed to defuse this situation, but didn't know how. "I-I-" he started to say, but Link cut him off.

"I want to tear her heart out with my own hands." He said, his eyes murderously cold, his voice heated with hatred. "I want to break every bone in her body until she is nothing but a pile of twitching meat and broken pieces."

Niko was horrified by Link's words.

"Link, please, c-calm down," he said, his voice shaky. "We can talk about this. You don't have to do anything rash-"

But Link wasn't listening. He let out a guttural scream, his entire body shaking with rage. "I want to kill her!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty ship. "I want to hurt her so much! So much that she can't even dream of living after what I've done!"

Niko could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up, and he took several steps backwards, feeling utterly helpless. He had never seen anyone like this before, and he didn't know what to do. "Link, please." Niko watched as Link breathed, his chest heaving. "Please, j-just calm down. We can talk about this, you don't h-have to do anything rash!"

But Link didn't listen. Instead, he charged towards Niko, his fists clenched. "That damn witch had something do with this!" he shouted, his voice filled with anger and pain. "I know it. I shouldn't be here! I shouldn't be here without any of them! Without Her!!"

Niko tried to grab Link's arm again, a bad choice that resulted in him immediately lashing out, catching Niko off guard and sending him crashing into the wall. The recruit's fist connected with Niko's jaw, and Niko tasted blood as his teeth bit into his tongue.

Before Niko could gather his wits, he felt hands grasp the collar of his shirt and hold him up against the wall. Blinking away the stars from his eyes, he looked at Link.

And Niko took back what he had previously thought earlier about the newbie's first expression.

The expression Niko currently saw was by far the coldest he had ever seen.

Anger so cold, it was burning.

Link's eyes were empty, like a distant ocean. His lips were pursed in a tight line, his knuckles white as he gripped Niko's shirt. "Did she plan for you to ask me these questions?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "Did she order you to keep tabs on me?"

Niko rapidly shook his head, feeling fear crawling up his spine, was the newbie losing it? Did he think Niko-

"N-no," he stammered. "I'm just.. a c-crew member..a swabbie! I don't know anything about-"

Link cut him off, his voice a cold whisper. "Don't lie to me Niko."

"I'm not!" He cried out, tears building up in his eyes.

"I-I just clean and do the chores! Please don't hurt me!"

Link stared at him for a moment, before letting go of Niko's shirt and stepping away. "...sorry," he said, didn't sound very sorry. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Niko felt relieved, even though he wanted to curl up and cry, but knew that the danger wasn't over yet. The newbie was still clearly not alright, and he could snap again at any moment. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. "It's...okay," he said, his voice still shaky.

"I just hate your captain so much..." Link muttered, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular. "She was so disrespectful to (y/n), and I could barely stand to look at her after that."

...(y/n)? Is that the one he speaks about? Niko never met someone with that name.

And miss Tetra never interacted with someone with that name either.

As Niko tries to make sense of Link's words, the young hero continued to mutter, uncaring if Niko was even paying attention. "She never appreciated Her kindness. Always complaining about Her presence, unworthy witch's vessel. Unworthy of being near such warmth. I need to rid of her, got to make sure everything is perfect."

"But miss Tetra never did anything!" Niko exclaimed. "She was always kind to everyone, even to the most lowly crew members like me!"

Link turned to face Niko, his eyes still distant and cold. "You don't understand," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "The only thing that matters is making sure (y/n) is safe. I can't let anyone or anything get in my way."

Niko watched Link carefully, unsure of what to say. He had never seen anyone so unsettling in his whole life.

"T-This girl...(y/n).." Niko flinched when the newbie returned his focus back at him again.

"S-she...ah..you say she's in those...memories?"

"Yes." Was his answer. "She's there, in all of them. I need to find a way to get back to her." Link said, a hint of desperation leaking into his voice.

"She's in the memories...that you don't know are real-ugk!" Niko felt Link's hand wrap around his neck, squeezing tightly.

"Don't talk about her like that!" Link growled, his eyes burning with anger. "You don't know anything, nothing! so you have no right to talk about her like that!"

Niko struggled to breathe, feeling the grip on his neck tighten even more. "P-please," he pleaded, his voice weak. "I didn't mean anything by it. I just..I just..!"

Link let go of Niko's neck, but his eyes were still filled with rage. "She's real," he said, his voice shaking with emotion. "She means more to me than anything in the world. I can't lose her, she's real!"

Niko watched as Link began to pace back and forth, muttering to himself.

"It's real. It's real. They're real. She's real. She's waiting for me. I'm making Her wait. She's there. She has to be there."

Niko was nervous, very nervous.

No, he was utterly terrified. He didn't know what to do, what to say.

As Niko watches Link pace back and forth, his mind is racing.

He takes a deep breath, trying to steady his frayed nerves. "Link," he says softly, trying to draw his attention. "Link, please calm down. You're not making any sense."

Link continued to pace, continued to mutter, more frantic, more desperate.

"She's real. (y/n) is real. They are all real. I can't lose Her. Lose them." His voice was cracking, his face looking less cold and more upset.

"But I don't know. There's not enough evidence! How can I know for sure? Do I wait? Finish this whole thing? See if the end is the same as I recall? Will she be there? Will I see any of them? How will I-"

Niko watched as Link's voice trailed off, his mind lost in thought. He had never seen the young hero so lost and confused before, and it made him feel uneasy.

Link looked at Niko, his eyes hollow and distant. "I can't lose her," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I can't lose any of them."

"You..." Niko took a moment to think about his words before continuing.

"You're scared she isn't real, that the...memories of her aren't real...right?" He swallowed as Link returned to silently staring at him.

"B-But..the reason you..h-hate..miss Tetra...is because of those memories too...right?"

The recruit was still frowning, and still staring at him, but didn't react negatively.

"I..I mean, I don't really...know this type of stuff, so there always a chance, no matter how small that-" when he noticed Link's frown deepen further, he switched tactics.

"L-Look"I-I mean..I don't understand what you're talking about-"

"You really don't." The recruit suddenly interjected.

'-...But if it WAS real..would..wouldn't you not need to... hate miss Tetra?'

Wind simply looked at Niko.

'...W-Well, no matter WHAT memories you have, y-your body reacts to..things you actually experienced. I-I heard once that every time you experience something, it leaves a mark in your brain and-"

"Get to the point." Niko nodded rapidly.

Right. Sure. To the point.

"The point is that...maybe the memories you have of (y/n) are real. Because...the anger you have for...miss Tetra is real too."

Link blinked slowly, head tilted to the side.

"You remember dates and names right? Locations..faces..and the voices attached to those faces right?" Niko asked, trying to keep his voice steady. "So maybe the memories you have are real too. And if they are, that means (y/n) is real too."

Wind remained silent, his eyes fixed on Niko. The silence stretched on for a several moments, Niko shifting where he stood, his heart pounding harder then it ever had before. Finally, Link spoke, his voice quiet and low. "Maybe...maybe you're right," he said, his eyes still on Niko. "The memories..they are real.."

Niko nodded rapidly in agreement, even if he didn't understand anything that was currently happening. "Yes, yes. I'm sure of it! And if they are real, that means (y/n) is real too. She must be out there, waiting for you to find her!"

Niko watched as Link nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on some distant point.

And slowly, Niko watched as his face shifted from it's despondent expression and blossomed with a animated liveliness he had never seen on his face before.

He truly appeared like a completely different person.

"Thank you Niko," Link said, his voice warm and sincere despite the roughness it held, the difference in his tone was genuinely like night and day. "You've given me a lot to think about."

As he turned to leave, Niko called out to him, his voice hesitant.

"Newbi-Link...are you...(Sane? Stable? Capable in not killing someone?)...okay?" Link paused for a moment, then turned to face Niko, his eyes glinting with...something that hadn't been there before.

"I'm fine, Niko." He smiled, it was..strange..so very alien on a face he never saw smile before. "and I'll be more than fine when it's all over."

And with a pat on Niko's trembling shoulder, he disappeared through the doorway, leaving Niko to watch him make his way out of the hold and disappear up the stairs.

After he could no longer hear footsteps from above, Niko collapsed. his whole body trembling from the whole ordeal he just experienced.

He was unsure of why exactly, but he felt this intensity within him, as if he had prevented something catastrophic that wouldn't have ended well.

Not for Niko. Nor the crew.

And definitely not for miss Tetra.

Niko had prevented something that none of them would have been able to recover from.

(And no one will ever believe him.)

His trembling breath quickened as his eyes grew blurry with more tears.

He had survived something dangerous.

That...thing...wasn't normal. Not human. There was no way that thing was a kid, no way he could be human.

Not with those eyes...those unsettling eyes.

(...no one would believe Niko.)

He didn't even believe himself, and he was the one who endured it.

He survived a demon.

He survived a monster that not even the whole crew assembled would have been capable of defeating.

(No one would believe him.)

No one would believe that the new recruit wanted miss Tetra dead.

Because of memories even he didn't know if they were real.

(No one would believe Niko.)

No one.

Absolutely no one.

As his thoughts spiraled out of control, Niko buried his head in his knees, trying to stifle the sobs that tried to escape his mouth and failing.

It was too much for him to take in.

It was all too much.

The bottom rung of the ladder may have been a position Niko did not enjoy, but he’d take it happily, stay beneath the ship and do all the chores necessary.

He'd do it with glee if it meant the unsettling recruit stayed far far away from him.

Stayed far away and found no reason to see Niko as a target.

Yes, the bottom rung was a good place to be if it meant staying away from monsters like that.

----

"What happened to make you take so long Link? I could not see through the charm."

"I got the bombs, dunno why the charm didn't work." The young sailor shrugged at the King of Red Lions. "Tetra could reach me just fine."

"Ah, I see." The King of Red Lions nodded, his expression unreadable.

"Well, I'm relieved we were able to obtain the bombs without too much trouble. We need them if we're going to speak to Jabun."

"Yes, I'm aware." The young hero replied as he climbed into the sailboat.

As Link settles into the boat, the King of Red Lions turns his head to him.

"Are you alright, my boy? You seem a bit distracted." Link nods, "It's nothing, I'm fine."

The King of Red Lions studied Link for a moment, seeming not satisfied with the answer. "You've had a experience, I can tell. and I can not ignore how you've lately been eating and sleeping less. Whatever it is, it's clearly left you shaken."

Link averted his eyes, not wanting to speak about his experience, not to him at the very least. "It's fine, really. I just need some time to myself."

The King of Red Lions nodded, understanding. "Take all the time you need, my boy. But know that I am always here for you if you need to speak." The young hero didn't say anything, merely nodding at his words.

With that, the King of Red Lions looked forward as Link guided the boat away from Windfall to Outset island.

Leaving the young sailor to his thoughts. Still so far away from the end of this journey. And then there's the other one...

After that...Wind would be met with the portal that would lead him to the good captain's battlefield.

If the captain didn't remember him...didn't remember (y/n)...

...

Wind shivered, pushing away the horrible thought. He took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand.

As he navigated the boat through the ocean waters, Wind reflected on all that had happened to him so far. Waking back up on Outset Island, watching his sister being stolen away by the Helmaroc King, the unexpected reunion with Tetra, and the possible knowledge that his beloved (y/n) might not be real.

He still didn't know how to process it all, but he knew that he needed to keep going.

He had to believe that there was still hope at the end of this.

Finishing this journey is step one.

Step two is regaining his phantom sword. Which involves dealing with saving Tetra from being turned to stone. An unpleasant fact he had to face but he'll deal with it.

Step three, be patient and wait for the portal to the captain's era to appear.

He didn't want to wait, wanted all of this over with so he could stop being left in suspense and know for certain that the memories in his heart were real.

They had to be real.

She had to be real.

And Niko...goofy, silly, cowardly Niko.

Wind hadn't expected listening to the scared little pirate to be so helpful, Wind had spoken to him on a sheer whim.

But the cowardly pirate was right, if his hatred towards Tetra was real, then (y/n) was real as well.

It was such a simple thing, almost flimsy in it's simplicity.

Yet it was enough.

It was enough to keep the Hero of Winds going just a bit longer. if he stopped now, all hope of ever seeing (y/n) again would be lost.

He needed to find the determination to continue, no matter how hard it was.

And he knew that he would.

The Spirit of Courage he and his fellow heroes held would not allow him to falter.

The wind picked up, blowing through the sails of the King of Red Lions, sending Link towards his home island.

The future was as certain as it was uncertain, but he knew that as long as he kept moving forward, he would find what he was looking for.

And he knew that he would find it.

Because the memories in his heart were too real to be fake.

(y/n)...

Sweet, beautiful, perfect, wonderful (y/n). Wind's mind drifted back to memories of her, her smile and her warmth. He remembered the simple moment when he was holding her hand as they walked along the beach, sharing a quiet moment.

He remembered the feel of her lips on his cheek as She cheered for his win during a sparring session. And he remembered her laughter, bright and free, echoing across the camp.

(y/n)...

How he desperately missed her.

Yet instead of being by her side alongside his fellow heroes, here he was...

Here he was. Nobody. Nothing.

Not a form of proof of his trials and suffering that he knows happened. Of the joys of being in Her presence.

Just memories that even he still had doubts about.

But that would change soon wouldn't it?

Soon he would kill Ganon and be in his way to the World of the Ocean King.

And soon after...the War of Eras.

Just a bit more.

Soon...he'll have an answer.

Just...Just a little bit longer...

But it's hard...

It's so hard when when he had to deal with a bossy girl who didn't learn act nice to him until she properly awakened as Zelda. Then, it was as if she wanted him near her all the time.

And back then he, blinded by his own naïveté, had let his delusions of friendship convince him to like someone like her.

Tetra...(blood inheritor/Witch's vessel/worthless/unwanted necessity) was a very smart girl, loath as he was to admit it. A keen eye and she'd figure something was happening if he doesn't play nice and amuse her.

And the King...he would be with Wind for as long as this journey took. There was no doubt he was already looked at with suspicion.

So, loathed as he was to accept, he had to behave. He had to play along. He had to keep stay brave and strong and confident, even when he felt anything but.

As the ship sailed towards the next destination, Wind relaxed against the boat, watching the dark waves crash against the side. The ocean breeze blew through his hair, and he felt a sense a calmness that he had not felt since waking up as he sailed the darkened sea.

He would find the proof that She was real. He would see (y/n) and make up for his failures.

And he would make sure that his mistakes would never happen again.

He'll be reunited with Her and his trusted sword brothers, he'll be away from the Witch's blood heir and he'll be happy. Besides, the guys would be upset if he gave in and killed his Zelda.

(And if they remembered, he had no doubt that they were in the same boat as him.)

And (y/n)...

While there wasn't anything truly worse than losing (y/n).

Disappointing Her was always high on the list.

Wind had promised Her to take Her across the Great Sea. To show Her New Hyrule and teach Her the beauty of sailing.

He needed to keep his promise.

He had to be responsible, had to show he had good self control.

He was going to do this. He had to.

'I'll be good, so don't be mad.' Wind whispered nearly silently, the sound of the waves covering what noise he made.

'I'll be good...' he whispered, wiping the tears that had built up in his eyes on his dirty sleeve. 'So please be real.'

Sweet (y/n) Kind and trusting (y/n). She made the weight of responsibility feel like nothing when he was around Her.

Sweet, kind (y/n), who was always ready with open arms when one of them needed it.

She was what he always imagined a true Angel could be.

He had to keep going. He had to see the end of this.

It's not like Tetra wouldn't be easy to kill when this was all over if she tried to push him.

He could behave.

He would behave.

(y/n) deserved nothing less then a Sword that not just protected her, but made her smile.

He just has to keep going.

"A bit more now." He whispered to the ocean breeze which stole away his words and vanishing them into the darkened sea.

"Not much longer."

#linked universe #yandere linked universe #yandere #spirit tracks #reblog

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delicatefestivalcreator · 11 months

Note

My Honest Reaction to all this:

In all honesty, thanks for answering my ask!

Will there be a part 2 of the "Attention" fic?

infidelity [gn/m.reader]

the answer to that is a solid yes AND a big apology for taking a hundred years to post this. this ask has been in my inbox for freaking months. and it’s mostly because i have been remaking this fic until i got the most satisfying fic LMAO. i’m sorry for taking so long 😭 i hope this is compensation enough. btw this part 2 to this! but honestly, you don’t have to read it lmao.

𖦹 crack taken seriously, hsr mention but this is mostly genshin, this is just a fic of me making fun of cheaters aka you, highly based on that one tweet of the “welcome home, cheater” one, pushing my grand overseer reader agenda like in my early fics teehee <3, sagau, sahsr au

“I should probably go back…”

Jing Yuan begged to differ. The general himself had his reservations about your sudden eagerness to depart. After all, you were a good company — one that amused him to the core and even kept him awake for the better part of the day. You are an interesting being to him after all — much after learning from the exuberant girl from the famed Astral Express suddenly emphasizing your importance when they left you under his supervision.

You, in much simpler words, are adorable in the Luofo general’s eyes. With eagerness and curiosity melding in those gaze of yours that could leave anyone transfixed — wanting and desperate.

You truly live up to the title as the grand overseer across worlds. You were the sole beholder of their sentience, despite the fact that right now, you’re barely aware of your status and your circumstance, it was more than enough for anyone go cherish your presence. How could they not? It was a blessing to see you descend from where you were, behind the great barrier that they all could only stare at when they looked to you for guidance.

Alas, that mattered little, not when you were beside the amused general and his coy smile, fingers raking through your hair; reminiscent of the pattern when he would do the same thing to Mimi when you visited his abode to meet the furry beauty that was his pet.

Quite frankly, you weren’t all too sure if this was something you were used to, being treated like an animal companion, with even the way Jing Yuan’s hand would suddenly roam behind your very human ears, scratching behind out of habit.

The only thing missing was him giving your food to you in a bowl, actually, and you’d be no different than Mimi at that point. Wait. No. You were sure Jing Yuan’s lion also ate out of a golden encrusted plate when you saw his hired caretakers come and feed Mimi.

“Bark for me, won’t you?” The general teased with a purr and it was more than enough for you to pull the plug at your willing compliance.

You removed his hand from your head and only shot him a subtle glare, “That’s a request I can’t honor even if my life depended on it.” You sighed, “I should get going now though, General… I made a promise to help our conductor in sweeping the floors. Apparently Caelus tracked some dirt inside when he decided to lug some trash.”

“Must you really? You’re the grand overseer, no? I believe such a title deserves a limitless freedom in doing whatever it is that they wish,” he coaxed in a suave tone, quick to win anyone over. And honestly, that sounds nice. But you’ve never seen Pom-Pom look so stressed when you saw an unwilling March and Dan Heng drag some trash either wrapped in gold bags or regular black ones inside the express when they came back from Belobog.

You somehow regretted leaving first — but even you had urgent matters to attend to at that moment.

“Ah—!” The lax Jing Yuan jolted at your sudden outburst.

“…Anything troubling you, Grand Overseer?”

“T-Teyvat! I completely forgot…!” Your eyes were blown wide as the panic settled within you. You had promised Nahida you would make it to the Interdarshan championship. She was so excited when she communed with you just days ago, completely elated that even your beloved Wanderer would participate as a representative in a Darshan.

Albeit confused by your sudden squawking, Jing Yuan understood and only watched you pace around while you lamented what sounds to be a rehearsed apology that you will no doubt tell to someone you hold precious.

“How envious, to receive an apology from you even sounds like a great honor.” Jing Yuan teased with a chuckle. “Well then, off you go now. Don’t be away for too long. I rather enjoy our time together.”

“O-Oh, yes, of course… I truly apologize for cutting our time together short. Do give my regards to Fu Xuan and Yanqing if they drop by. I have to go and talk to the crew and also bid my goodbye for now.” You bowed before turning away, briskly walking your way towards the door outside of the general’s office, only to bump into Welt and March.

“Oh! There you are! Ya ready to go shopping?” March held an exuberant energy as she asked, clasping your hand in hers tightly with an excited gleam flashing through her eyes.

Welt, however, was far more observant than March, “Judging from that look in your eyes… you have some affairs you’ve forgotten to tend to, Your Benevolence. Would I be correct in my judgment?”

“It’d be a miracle for you to be wrong at this point,” you laughed amidst your panic. “But yes, unfortunately. March, I hope you don’t mind a little bit of postponement… I have somewhere to be urgently.”

March’s bottom lip stuck out into pleading pout, “But you promised!”

“March, let’s not force them. It is as they say — an urgent affair.” Welt only looked at you with a small nod and an encouraging smile, “Don’t be too worried. I’ll let Himeko and Dan Heng know of your absence. Just be safe.”

“I will definitely come back and visit.” Your smile and reassurance was enough to quell March’s disappointment and Welt’s initial concern. “Please tell Caelus not to track more dirt inside. It’ll only serve to frustrate Pom-Pom further.”

“It’s a useless attempt, but for you, I’ll try,” March winked as she waved to you with Welt.

With a nod to the two of them, you were off to Teyvat — lucky that you have little need for the Star Rail in the first place to travel. Otherwise, it would most certainly take you the entire conceivable time just before you could even come back to one of the many worlds that you oversaw and to a fault, even took care of from afar.

You stepped into the familiar grassy fields of Sumeru’s rainforest, looking up to see that the city isn’t too far off. There was a gentle breeze that blew by, almost like a kiss from a certain archon, but you paid little heed to it. You normally always took your time to appreciate the sights in Teyvat, finding its vast lands and many biomes incredibly fantastical in sight. But even that couldn’t keep you from the fact that you’ve broken several promises that you willingly made to some residents here.

You can only imagine the disappointment in everyone’s faces once you’ve admitted to the fact that… other people may have swept your attention away in the first place — hence your sudden absence.

You owed your first apology to Nahida. She is after all, one of your far more favored archons around, treating her like your own, definitely something that would make Rukkhadevata proud among every other archon out there. And then there’s also a matter of apologizing to your dear Aether, you made another promise to him that you would spend your time with him in Sumeru’s far end by the Realm of Farakhkert to meet the infamous Sorush and the majestic race of the Pari (you once made a claim that Aranara’s are superior, and your endeared traveler was reluctant in protesting to your words it seems).

Now that you thought about it — you were sure you made quite a lot of promises to the residents of Teyvat. A lot of commitments were hammered into your special sanctuary that Aether had built for and with you inside his teapot.

Commitments that you’ve forgotten in favor of space travels with a couple of trailblazers.

Onlookers turned to your direction, completely flabbergasted at your casual appearance. What were you doing in Sumeru city (not that they were ungrateful for your gracious presence) — but it was as if you were solely taking a stroll on your own. Where are your entourage? Was the Acting Grand Sage even informed of your arrival? What about the archons that always accompanied you? Where is Buer?

Best of all, why does your face contort into an expression of what seems to be utter guilt?

You hiked your way to the Sanctuary of Surasthana, refusing any help offered to you by the guards that were courteous enough. You were prepared to face Nahida’s crestfallen look — prepared to start indulging her wishes to make up for the tomfoolery you engaged in. The corners of your mouth trembled as it itched to finally spill out the plethora of apologies that you’ve prepared.

“Oh. So you exist after all.”

Only for your well-rehearsed (by the last minute) apologies to fall apart when the Wanderer’s voice rang from above. You looked up to see him perched on one of the ledges just above the door of Nahida’s residence. He was stationed like a watchful hawk — and he was, constantly on the prowl for anyone suspicious daring to come up to the sanctuary.

Suddenly, a memory of you promising him to go fishing by the coasts of Sumeru had you wincing. And with the way the puppet’s mouth turned up in a smug smirk showed that he was aware of an engagement you swore you’d do with him.

“Ah… I hear you go by Hat guy now?” You tilted your head, giving him a reluctant smile.

“Spare me the meaningless prying. Where have you been?” His eyes narrowed, suspicious and a tad bitter at your absence and incompetence in attending a tiny little leisure that you yourself insisted he join you on. Who the hell even creates plans first and suddenly flakes out? The Wanderer has never felt more betrayed, quite frankly.

You suddenly looked like a guilty spouse that came from a messy affair, with the way you shifted your footing and how you averted your gaze quick. The Wanderer was intolerant of such a behavior however when he finally came down from his little high up spot to face you with no escape. He will summon a void and trap you in it halfway if you so much as make an attempt to escape.

“I’ve been… away…”

“Were you now?” His scrutinizing gaze only served to intimidate you further when he came up close, his nimble fingers tracing against your clothing. “Whose is this?”

And before you, he held a familiar long strand of white hair — possibly acquired when the general of Luofo decided to frolic around with you, coaxing (or coercing, more like) you to give him a much deserved head massage for his hard work (though in truth, he barely did anything that day).

“…A cat.” Technically not a lie. Jing Yuan does exhibit certain behaviors that you can classify as a behavior that a feline has.

“Is it now?” His voice went an octave higher — clearly mocking you if his churlish grin wasn’t enough of a sign about his suspicions of you and your… agendas prior to your unprompted visit in Teyvat.

A terse silence engulfed you and your Wanderer before he flicked away the hair and dragged you inside Nahida’s sanctuary.

“She was disappointed that you were absent the entire Interdarshan event thing. Where in the abyss were you?” The puppet hissed, his grip on your wrist tightening. Somehow you found it far more comforting compared to the times where people would treat you like some fragile object that could break at any second.

What’s not comforting however, were his words. You couldn’t bear the thought of letting Nahida down, and now you’re faced with that very thought becoming a reality that you now have to get through just for the sake of your sanity.

You smiled a little despite seeing the Dendro Archon’s back turned while she minded her own business. There was always something comforting when wasting your hours away inside the sanctuary. Just having to teach Nahida from your old world knowledge about people, and to an extent even teaching the Wanderer with your wisdom that rarely pops out (according to him, with full intent to insult you). It’s not as daring as the time Venti decided to fling you up and catch you or Ei’s insistence on you eating your tenth dango during your walks.

For now however, you had one goal in mind — and that is to make amends with your favored archon and puppet.

Teyvat altogether created an unspoken rule to never ever doubt you — the Grand Overseer. You have a position that transcends even farther than the Primordial One, your eyes that gaze on many universes and worlds. You are the one that took care of the blooming life in each planet that teemed with it, thriving under your guidance.

There was a collective decision among all gods and mortals alike to never doubt your endeavors, much less your love for them. You care a lot about them, and based solely on your constant descent towards their world, it seems as though above all other worlds, you favored them. They were the proof of your benevolence, granting the residents your presence while you walked among them.

Right. That was the case that everyone agreed upon.

However, there was an underlying layer of unease. Heaven forbid may it be doubt; they could never! But perhaps… a tiny bit of uncertainty in the layer of cautiousness as the residents watched you with adoration.

It first started with the wrong names.

When Albedo, Sucrose, and Timaeus wholeheartedly welcomed your help when you visited Dragonspine with Klee. Jean was far too busy with her work and while she wished to, could not have time to bask in your presence after the announcement of your sudden arrival. In turn, you only assured her and relieved her of her added duty in watching over Klee.

Klee was the one to visit big brother Albedo, to surprise him that you were finally back. And you complied. Dragonspine is an extension of Mondstadt, and you had plans to check up on every single resident of the nation.

Suffice to say, you were quickly hooked up in a chair, pulse detectors attached to your temples while you watched Klee doodle away on the floor. For a respected overseer, you certainly were a people pleaser, letting Albedo scan you out of his own volition (Sucrose was fussing the entire time, she didn’t want you to be hurt in the process, after all!).

“Look Grand Overseer! This is you and me and Dodoco!” Your vision was quickly filled with a flurry of bright colors on paper, one that was filled with an abundant amount of red and the other with the colors of your clothing.

“Ah! So it is! Good job, Hook!”

Everyone in silence soon tore themselves away from their work, looking at you with evident confusion.

Klee blinked, tilting her head as she looked just as lost and surprised as the other three researchers in the mountain, “Hook? That’s not how you say Klee…”

Your heart hammered against your ribcage and tried to save it with a cough, “D-Did I now? Ah, my bad… I meant to say was that you… did a great job! It immediately hooked me in!” It was a half-baked excuse — hell, call it a raw excuse even and everyone aside from Klee caught on as the explosive child beamed with pride, just happy that you loved her heartfelt creation.

Albedo eyed you in suspicion before returning to his work.

Then there was your misplaced reminiscence.

In your defense however, Snezhnaya does feel like Belobog. Sometimes… most definitely not because of the fact that both places are constantly subjected in a thick layer of snow.

The Tsaritsa was all but cruel to you. She loved you like any other archon out there and always basked in your presence — even keeping you for herself a week or two longer, leaving the next nation in your rotation of visitation completely restless at your tardiness. However in her gentle kindness was a terrifying beast that laid dormant.

Only then did you catch a glimpse of it on the morning that you and her spent on your appointed room in the palace, both you and the Cryo Archon siting on the balcony while you sipped on a hot beverage, enjoying the mountainous coated in freshly fallen snow.

You sat your cup down and blew on your hands. The Tsaritsa laughed at your actions, pleased that you can truly feel the love she embodied through the cold winds of her icy nation.

“Cold enough for you, Grand Overseer?” She jested with a light tone.

“…Yep…” your teeth lightly chattered. “…T-This place is a lot c-colder than Belobog, I’ll tell you that… B-But not more than Jarilo-VI as a whole…”

All of a sudden, you could feel the creeping coldness from beside you and looked to where the archon sat, her striking eyes looking at you with curiosity… with a smidge of coldness behind them.

“Pardon? Not colder than where?”

Her tone was pressed despite her sweet adoring smile. She took pride in her sovereign kingdom of cryo. It was all for you, to feel the comforting cold after you spent your last stay with Murata in Natlan. This was her giving you love, and suddenly, it wasn’t enough?

The better part of your mind decided to feign ignorance. And you lived to see another day.

And then the sudden secrecy.

By all means, of all people, Zhongli indulged in your stories the most. Whenever you visited Liyue, you were almost always found beside him if Ningguang wasn’t asking for your presence or if you weren’t getting coerced into another drinking competition with Beidou and her crew. And in this case, you were preoccupied with a little something while you accompanied Zhongli in his usual spot.

He listened earnestly to the storyteller while you busied yourself writing a little something on a parchment you had acquired from the Wangsheng parlor when you fetched Zhongli for his break.

And ever so slightly, he’d find himself glancing at your hunched over form, while you stewed in your little activity. He didn’t particularly mind the lack of conversation from you. Having you beside him was more than enough, actually. But it wouldn’t hurt for you to have him be just as engaged in your little agenda, would it?

The former archon peered at your work, only to be faced with scripts that were oddly reminiscent of Liyue’s characters. Albeit there were significant changes that made the language still all too different from his nation.

“…Might you be translating ancient texts, Grand Overseer?” He inquired and was met by a suspicious jolt from you.

It was a text Dan Heng gave you before to practice the language used in the Xianzhou fleet. Only now did you have time to do his little practices upon your descent. You had plans to check up on everyone as soon as you were done in Teyvat, and perhaps impressing Yanqing with your language prowess was a good party trick (and eventually not get bullied into eating something spicy because of your ignorance).

“Ah! N-No—! I— yes. No.”

Zhongli tilted his head and you were quick to recall your flubbed answer, shoving away the parchment into your little pocket. There was a frantic look in your eyes and Zhongli was concerned, naturally.

You used to be so willing in divulging everything to him in exchange for his stories, with the both of you managing to talk from dusk to dawn without fail with him needing little to no sleep and the time dilation that your body couldn’t seem to adjust to. You weren’t afraid to share what you were preoccupied with, and even often let him experience new things from your own world.

So why are you keeping secrets now?

But perhaps, the breaking point was your standoffish nature.

Aether has always cherished his raw connection with you and was proud to wear his closeness to your divinity, not because of infamy, but because of how incredibly special you treat him. While, certainly, you have made the people of Teyvat special on your visits, but what sets him apart from the rest is your adamant expression of affection towards him. For some reason, he was favored alone, not as a part of a collective unlike Venti and his people, or Zhongli and his. He alone was yours to indulge, even more behind closed doors in his teapot realm.

However… something was off after your abrupt visit.

Something had changed when you came home.

You were far more distracted, occupied with that tiny device you always held in your hand. Suddenly, Paimon wasn’t the loudest one in the teapot mansion with the incessant beeping that your phone made. It never did that before, it was always tucked away somewhere, sometimes even letting him place it in his inventory if there was little time to go back into the teapot.

He had always deemed your mode of communication useless. Especially on your travels. It was always so silent, like a useless artifact that you keep on you.

But suddenly it was teeming with life, buzzing endlessly that could drive any man with weak resistance into the threshold of insanity. You’d often pick it up and grant the little device a heavenly smile and proceed to be on it for hours upon hours.

It was a heartbreaking time for him.

It was heartbreaking whenever he would peer at your device, only for you to keep him in the dark as you made some lame excuse.

It was heartbreaking whenever he could no longer recognize your words when you talked about your own anecdotes, throwing name after name at him while he listened intently.

And oh was it heartbreaking when you called him by the name of someone else.

“[Name], have you seen my earring?” He took pride in his informality with you showing your comfortability and familiarity with the renowned traveler.

“Over on the table, Cae— ther… Caether… Aether.”

Not so much with that tiny slip.

Yes. Perhaps that was it. And all the preceding reasons.

Perhaps it was why you sat like a condemned criminal in the court of Focalors, as every archon looked at you with scrutiny and skepticism in their eyes. Only sweet Nahida looked at you in concern. Ah, your poor child. You’d rather her look away than experience the possible punishment you were about to receive.

“Grand Overseer, make no mistake, this is a trial born from the accumulated concerns of us all. This is a trial born… from our love.” The hydro archon’s voice bellowed through the courts. She normally wasn’t one to personally try the defendants, however you were a special circumstance.

You always were.

…Sure doesn’t feel like it…

“M-May I at least know what my charges are…?”

“Infidelity, Grand Overseer.” Ei answered for the collective. “I can only hope you are not found guilty.”

You grimaced. You’re quite glad that this was a private trial, with only the archons, retired or otherwise, gazing at you. Make no mistake however — this was an intimidating position to be in. You may be the Grand Overseer, but you’re quite sure the only thing keeping you alive is their thinly veiled fanaticism and adoration for you. Otherwise, you would have been incinerated long ago.

It might have been your luck. But it was something you would wholeheartedly thank as the moment Focalors slammed her gavel down, the horrifying screech of something you can only classify as a hideous ally pulled you out of your impending doom.

The alarm on your phone rang incessantly, a glaring reminder of your subpar and mundane reality, waking you up from a dream that you could barely remember.

You shot up, only realizing you fell asleep in front of your own computer. You looked up to see your game open, with your beloved traveler gazing down at you with a disappointed frown on his face.

You chalked it up to your awful sleep and rubbed your eyes, closing the game and migrating to the other, where your in-game phone was filled to the brim with messages.

Smothering a yawn in your hand, you can only shake your head.

“My games have been really weird lately. I should probably leave them alone for now. Maybe have fun with Elysia and the girls.” You muttered to yourself but not before powering your computer down.

Truly, your utter cluelessness is bound to drive everyone insane.

Fret not however, they will make it work. They will let you know of their sentience. They will make sure that you are aware of how much they admire you.

It’s only a matter of time until then.

#yandere honkai star rail #yandere genshin impact #self aware au #reblog

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