turn the lights on, honey, honey, i don't wanna hide

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/41433780.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: M/M, Multi
Fandom: 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game)
Relationship: Kaedehara Kazuha/Scaramouche/Shikanoin Heizou, Kaedehara
Kazuha/Scaramouche, Kaedehara Kazuha/Shikanoin Heizou,
Scaramouche/Shikanoin Heizou
Character: Scaramouche (Genshin Impact), Kaedehara Kazuha, Shikanoin Heizou
Additional Tags: rated t for scara's potty mouth, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations,
Kinda, Established Kaedehara Kazuha/Scaramouche, Angst, Shikanoin
Heizou is a Brat, that needs to be a tag, they/them pronouns for
shikanoin heizou, featuring: heizou's leash and collar ???, thats literally
what their rope is, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Huddling For
Warmth, Scaramouche is Called Kunikuzushi (Genshin Impact),
Scaramouche is Bad at Feelings (Genshin Impact), Domestic Fluff,
kazuha's just a sweetheart
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2022-09-02 Words: 5826

turn the lights on, honey, honey, i don't wanna hide

by spryzzi_xxed

Summary

“I’m not jealous, Kazu, aiya.” Scara rolled his eyes, sighing long and tiredly.
“It’s fine. I’m just saying, you know.”

Kazuha shrugged. “I still apologize, though. I guess it does seem like I like
Heizou quite a bit. Which… I do,” he mumbled, seemingly ashamed.

“You know, if you like them so much, just ask them out,” Scara said, letting
out a quiet chuckle. “Certainly seems like you want to.”

Kazuha jerked up to attention, jaw dropped. “...what?”

“You heard me."

or where kazuha, scara, and heizou navigate polyamory, and maybe scara needs to figure
himself out too

Notes

title + in-fic lyrics from collide by rachel platten

 anyway this is for my boyfriend cuz i wanted to write him something but i had a lot of fun
writing these three might write more of them in the future, im not sure!! we'll see :D

also i stole hu tao's aiya phrase and made scara use it bc i feel like he would

See the end of the work for more notes

I don't know why I keep playing these dumb games

Love is not a competition

And no one's winning when I'm pushing you away

Sometimes darkness is a prison

Turn the lights on, honey, honey, I don't wanna hide

Turn the lights on, honey, I'm surrendering tonight

Although I'm not perfect, I feel perfect in your eyes

Turn the lights on, honey, I don't really wanna hide, not tonight

Come and crash into me 'cause I want us to collide

Scaramouche loved his boyfriend, he really did.

But Kazuha could be so damn oblivious sometimes.

“They offered to let me accompany them on their next investigation!” Kazuha beamed as he
unlocked the door to the old Kaedehara home. “They said the one they were looking at picking up
is all the way on Yashiori, and it’s been a long while since I’ve been out that far, it’d be quite nice
to go with them.”

Scara settled himself into the armchair of the main room while Kazuha sprawled himself over the
couch. “Then go,” Scara said, leaning back and crossing his legs. “Being stuck on Narukami
fucking sucks, I get it. Take an adventure with your little detective.”

Perking up from where he was hanging his head down, bright eyes looking upside down at Scara,
he eagerly asked “You wouldn’t mind?”

Scara shook his head. “That police fucker is the only other person to talk to when the pirates aren’t
here,” he said. “Go hang out with your friend, or whatever the fuck they are,” he ended with a
snicker.

“What do you mean?” Kazuha pushed himself up to sitting, head tilting curiously. “Heizou’s my
friend, that’s correct. What else would they be?”

Scara let out a scoff. “The way you always talk about them makes it seem like something else, you
know.”

Kazuha’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry- have I made you feel like I don’t appreciate you? That was not
my intention, they’re just so interesting, and quite enjoyable to be with, and I always love telling
you about my day, I didn’t think about that.” He ducked his head, hands squeezing together in his
lap.

“I’m not jealous , Kazu, aiya .” Scara rolled his eyes, sighing long and tiredly. “It’s fine. I’m just
saying, you know.”

Kazuha shrugged. “I still apologize, though. I guess it does seem like I like Heizou quite a bit.
Which… I do,” he mumbled, seemingly ashamed.

“You know, if you like them so much, just ask them out,” Scara said, letting out a quiet chuckle.
“Certainly seems like you want to.”

Kazuha jerked up to attention, jaw dropped. “...what?”

“You heard me. Go with them on their little detective trip. Ask them out. If they’re spending so
much time with you, I’d bet my ass that they will accept.”

“I…I’d agree that they would,” Kazuha said, “they’re quite the flirty type. I’m just- surprised at
you . I’m dating you. Why would you allow me to ask out someone else? Is that not being disloyal
to our relationship?”

“ Aiya , you’re clueless,” Scara groaned, head falling back against the back of the arm chair. “It’s
not being disloyal if I give you permission . Have you never heard of this? I’m pretty sure that
pretty blonde friend of yours, what’s-his-face, Aether? Doesn’t he have two partners?”

Kazuha opened his mouth, then closed it again. “I… didn’t think about that.”

“So smart, yet so dumb at the same time.” Scara uncrossed his legs and leaned down to rest his
elbows on his knees. “I don’t give a shit if you date other people, Kazu. You’ve been letting me
stay here, in your family home, for the past four months. I don’t doubt your- feelings, or whatever
the fuck. If you wanna date police boy, whatever. Just let me know when it happens and I’m fine.”

Kazuha was still staring at him with eyes the size of dinner plates. “You’re sure? Truly?”

“Duh.”

Scara wasn’t prepared for Kazuha tumbling off the couch and into his arms. Finding his face
suddenly pressed into Kazuha’s sternum, he froze up for a long moment, too long, because Kazuha
pulled away just as quick. “Sorry, sorry,” he rushed, stepping back. “I know you are not very
physically affectionate, I apologize.”

“It’s- it’s fine,” Scara huffed out, mind reeling from the sudden rush of warmth. “You’re welcome,
by the way.”

Kazuha grinned at him, his smile brighter than the sun itself, and Scara fought to keep a blush from
rising to his cheeks. “Thank you,” Kazuha breathed, eyes sparkling. “I didn’t- I wasn’t- thank you.
”
“Yeah, yeah,” Scara mumbled, curling down into himself to try and crush the rising emotion.
“Whatever makes you happy.”

“ You make me happy, you intolerable man,” Kazuha said back, a hand slipping under Scara’s chin
to tilt it up so he could press their lips together. Scara grunted, his turn now to look wide-eyed at
his boyfriend. Kazuha leaned their foreheads together for a brief moment before pulling back. “My
turn to cook?”

“Yeah,” Scara replied, dazed. Kazuha ruffled his hair as he moved away, and Scara buried his face
in his hands.

Fuck , he was getting soft.

When Scara gave Kazuha permission to pursue a relationship with Heizou, he didn’t quite realize
that meant he’d be meeting them. And seeing them again. Far too often.

Heizou was annoying .

Kazuha and himself had never been very physically affectionate, more so by Scara’s preferences
than Kazuha’s. It was never a problem for either of them, or not one Kazuha had ever mentioned, if
it was.

When they would settle together in the living room after a long day, Scara would always tuck
himself into their armchair while Kazuha took the couch, enough space between them to make sure
Scara didn’t feel suffocated, yet close enough that Kazuha could reach over if he wanted to. Scara
had never had a problem with this.

And yet, watching Heizou tuck themself into Kazuha’s lap on the couch made his chest squeeze .

Heizou swung their legs in the air from where they were hooked over Kazuha’s thighs.
“Scaramouche, my friend!” They grinned, one arm hooking around Kazuha’s neck while the other
reached up to press the back of their hand into their cheek. “I’m still waiting for the day you greet
me with something other than a scowl.”

Scara growled. “I’m still waiting for the day that you don’t come in here and start pushing all my
fucking buttons.”

Heizou laughed, beaming bright. “I guess we’ll both be waiting quite a while, hm?”

Kazuha shoved his elbow into Heizou’s back, making them let out a loud huff. “Zuzu-”

“Be nice,” Kazuha warned, rolling his eyes. “Both of you are unbearably stubborn, I can’t handle
your constant arguing.”

Heizou whined. “Aw, but Zuzu, he’s just so fun to pick fun at!”

“I won’t be as fun when I come over there and throw you to the ground.”

Heizou’s eyebrows raised. “Ooh, how forward! You might be a bit too small to do that, though. I
have more muscle than you’d think!”
Scara scoffed. “As much muscle as someone who’s five foot can have.”

“If I’m five foot, that’d make you, what- four foot six?”

Heizou yelped as they suddenly found themself dumped onto the floor. Wide, pouty eyes lifted to
see Kazuha leaning down, an amused smile on his face. “Heizou. Be quiet.”

The aforementioned let out a long sigh. Scara snickered, aiming a satisfied smirk at the redhead.
Kazuha settled back into the couch, shooting Scara his own glare. “You are encouraging them, I
hope you know.”

Scara crossed his arms. “I’m just making sure they know I bite back.”

Heizou waggled their eyebrows. “Ooh, kinky.”

Scara’s cheeks burned. “I will fucking kill you, you insufferable bitch -”

The grin that spread over Heizou’s face absolutely did not make Scara’s heart pound faster, did not
make the pink on his cheeks turn darker. They were annoying . Scara only got along with them for
Kazuha’s sake.

For Kazuha. That was it.

And yet, as Heizou climbed laughing back onto Kazuha’s lap, Scara’s heart only continued to
constrict.

He pushed it down.

It would go away, he was sure.

If there was one thing Scara was sure he would never be good at in relationships, it was talking .

And with Kazuha standing nervously in front of him, head ducked, clad in an adorably soft set of
pajamas, having just asked in a quiet voice, “ hey, can we talk? ” Scara was instantly stressed.

“Um, sure,” Scara replied, shuffling in place from where he stood in the hallway between their
bedrooms. He wasn’t sure how this was supposed to go. Serious conversation was- not his forte.
So he stood there, waiting for Kazuha to take the next move.

Kazuha glanced up, hovering for just a second longer. “I guess- we could perhaps sit down
somewhere? One of our bedrooms?”

“Yours is fine,” Scara grunted, chewing at his lip. He trailed Kazuha to sit on the bed, a good two
feet of space between them.

A long exhale from Kazuha, and the other began. “I- this isn’t incredibly serious,” he started, “but-
I’ve been thinking about it for quite a while. I just wanted to check in, I suppose.”

Scara hummed, relaxing only a little at the reassurance that it was nothing all too bad. A better
partner might have asked what was wrong, tried to comfort the nervousness from the other, but
Scara could only nod his head to acknowledge Kazuha could continue.
Kazuha twisted his fingers together and apart as he searched for the words. “I just- with Heizou. I
love you both very dearly, you know this- or I hope you do- and with their constant pushing and
teasing towards you, I wanted to make sure that they were not overstepping? Because if their
actions truly bother you, I can talk to them about it. Heizou does it in good fun, but if it makes you
uncomfortable at all-”

“Kazuha. Breathe, for fuck’s sake,” Scara interrupted, hesitantly reaching out a hand to Kazuha.
“Relax. I don’t give a shit about Heizou’s little games. Really. They’re- Heizou’s got a personality
, that’s for sure. But if they make you happy, then it’s okay.”

Kazuha chewed on his bottom lip, eyes flickering all across the room. “But- but if you don’t like
them, then I don’t want to make you feel- neglected, or like I’m ignoring your needs, or-”

“ I don’t hate Heizou ,” Scara groaned, falling back onto the bed. “There, I said it. They aren’t
horrible . I guess.”

Kazuha went quiet, looking back at Scara with a slowly growing smile. “...Is that you admitting
you like them?”

“ What? No, absolutely not, I-” Scara sighed at Kazuha’s smug expression. “Okay, maybe. Only a
little bit.”

“Sure, darling.”

Scara choked, blinking up at Kazuha, cheeks heating up. “Hey, you can’t- that’s not-”

Quiet giggles filled the room as Kazuha stood up, reaching forward to grasp Scara’s hands and pull
him upright, almost making him fall face-first into Kazuha’s chest. Looking up into his beaming
face, Scara felt his chest clench.

Kazuha leaned forward onto his toes, pressing a kiss between Scara’s brows. “I love you,” he
muttered, squeezing Scara’s hands tight.

Scara blinked rapidly at the rush of emotions making his eyes burn . “I…” Fuck, I love you too. So
much.

“It’s okay,” Kazuha said, pressing their foreheads together, taking advantage of Scara’s lack of
protests against the affection. “I know. You don’t have to say it; I know it’s hard for you. But I
know.”

Scara let himself press deeper into the touches, to bask in the affection for just a brief moment. But
as his eyes began to water, he pulled back, turning his face away, the idea of hiding all weakness
too deeply ingrained in his mind to simply let go of. “Yeah. Yeah, okay. I’m gonna…”

Kazuha let him go, fully understanding. So understanding. It didn’t help the press of emotions on
his heart. “Go ahead. Goodnight, Scara. Thank you for talking with me; I know you don’t enjoy
such topics.”

“I- yeah. Goodnight, Kazu.”

He slipped out of his boyfriend’s room and into his own, shutting the door and thumping back
against it. Fuck , he hadn’t been that emotional since- probably the day he agreed to date Kazuha.
Months ago. He was getting better at emotions, becoming more accustomed to the affectionate
words and actions of his boyfriend, but in such large amounts- it was still so hard.
He pushed himself up, immediately falling into his bed.

Sleep would help.

While Kazuha didn’t bring up that night’s conversation again, it was obvious that he took the
words to heart.

Specifically, the words where Scara reluctantly admitted to his liking of Heizou.

And the little bitch seemed to think this an adequate justification for offering their house up to
Heizou whenever the detective may need it, or want it. It was a large house, and had more than
enough room for three, but Heizou had their own place they normally stayed at when off work and
not with Kazuha. Heizou was never around without Kazuha also being around.

Except- with this new invitation, Heizou was more often than not coming back to the Kaedehara
home in the evenings. Whether Kazuha was there- or not.

Which left them in the current moment, with Scara bustling around the kitchen to try and distract
himself from Heizou, leaning against the counter, teasing remarks spilling from their lips despite
Scara’s ignorance.

“You know, I can kinda see why Kazuha likes you so much,” Heizou drawled, messing with a
napkin on the counter. “You act like a complete ass, but you’re genius. I don’t know how you got
away with what you did without ending up on a wanted list, but somehow you did. I could say
you’re lucky, but I don’t believe in that- I think you’re just a lot smarter than you present yourself
as. Or maybe it’s just some Fatuus talent, that you’re all so good at twirling around the law-”

“Heizou. Shut the fuck up.”

Heizou paused, the new napkin-crane they had been twirling around caught between two fingers.
“Oh? Did I strike a nerve there? Fine, if you don’t feel like revealing whatever super-secret stuff
I’m sure the Fatui has going on, that’s fine, didn’t expect you to, since you’re all so loyal-”

“Would you shut your damn mouth?” Scara snarled, spinning around and accidentally knocking a
glass to the floor, the shattering entirely lost on him. “I don’t know who the fuck you think you are
today, but that’s too far .”

The crane fluttered to the floor, resting atop the shards of glass. Heizou’s eyes were wide, lips
parted, as they stared, As soon as Scara caught their gaze, their eyes dropped. “I- right.” They
shuffled in place, not saying another word.

Scara scowled. “I don’t know how the hell you even figured out I’m a harbinger, but I don’t want
to hear another word about it. I’m here now. Don’t go digging into my past.”

Heizou’s fingers curled. “You’re here now,” they mumbled, a quiet scoff. “Plotting something, I’m
sure, Fatui are never just here , I don’t-”

Scara was moving before he even knew what he was doing, and then he was pressed chest to chest
with Heizou, hands digging into the counter and pinning them in place. “The fuck did I just say?”
Scara hissed, watching Heizou’s face go pale. “Aiya, you don’t know when to shut your mouth , do
you?”

A hand shot up to grasp at the rope wrapped around Heizou’s shoulder, pulling it forward,
Heizou’s head jerking with it. Scara ignored the quiet gasp and just leaned closer. “I have cut
myself off from the Fatui. They are not mine anymore. That does not mean I can’t make you
disappear from the face of Teyvat if I want. I won’t, because Kazuha likes you, and I like him. But
that is a threat , you hear me?”

Scara’s gaze was harsh, and yet- he watched Heizou’s pupils blow out over the green of their eyes,
the skin of their cheeks beneath Scara’s fingers heating up with red. With more awareness of
exactly what situation Scara had placed the two of them in, he realized his entire front was pressed
against the other, hand pulling at the rope that was attached to his choker , his thigh pushing
between the others legs-

He shoved away from the other with enough force to have him stumbling to stay on his feet. Scara
watched with wide eyes as Heizou collapsed back against the counter, chest heaving, mouth
dropped open, dizzy eyes staring at the wooden floor.

I… did that?

Scara let out a long breath, feeling a rush of something filling up his mind. It was- something like
the power rush he would get when he was still with the Fatui, but this was different. With the
Fatui, it was always something selfish. He demanded their submission, forced them to follow his
orders, and when they didn’t, well, it was entirely in his right as harbinger to punish them.

This felt more… affectionate .

They were cute like this.

Scara focused back into himself only to realize Heizou had their eyes back up on his face. Scara
winced as a rush of new emotion fell onto them, curling in their stomach with a wave of nausea.
His eyes flickered back and forth, mouth dropping open to say something, before he sealed his lips
and pushed out of the kitchen, leaving a still flushed Heizou.

Practically throwing himself into his bedroom, Scara collapsed back into the mattress. The pressure
of Heizou’s gaze was gone, but his mind was running a mile a minute.

Heizou was… cute?

They were annoying, but with their face flushed and red, cocky demeanor wrecked with one swift
move, eyes staring up at him with something akin to- resignation? No, that wasn’t it. It was
something like the new recruits would always have in Snezhnaya, that same hopefulness, that same
eagerness to follow orders.

Fuck, they even had a choker. A leash and collar . Scara had been practically choking them, and
they got all blushy?

Scara laughed . It was all so much, but it was so funny to him. Heizou, renowned detective, always
so confident and put together, and they just wanted someone to order their pretty little face around,
didn’t they?

He threw an arm over his face with a long groan.

Screw that stupid cute detective.

And screw Kazuha, too, for dating the bitch in the first place.

Scara was fucked .

When a knock sounded on his door, at least an hour or two had passed.

Scara looked up from where he had curled himself in bed, a book grasped in his hands. The door
opened, and Kazuha peeked his head in, white hair spilling loose over his shoulders. “There you
are!” He beamed, pushing farther in and plopping himself on the bed. “I hope Heizou wasn’t too
much for you? I wasn’t aware they’d be here with you.”

His heart squeezed as his mind flashed back to earlier, but he shoved it down. “I can handle them in
small amounts,” Scara muttered back. “It was- fine.”

There was no way Scara was going to ruin Kazuha’s bright mood right now with the drama that
happened earlier. And, maybe, he just didn’t want to have to explain what happened after . Because
he still wasn’t sure himself.

“Then are you alright to come back out and sit with us? I’d love to spend the evening with both of
you.”

Scara was less than eager to see Heizou again so soon after, especially not knowing what they
would say, but for Kazuha, he could never say no. So he nodded, taking the hand Kazuha held out
and letting himself be led back out.

Heizou had draped themself across the entire couch, head tipping back to look at the two. A hazy
smile grew on their face. “Scara,” they called, stretching an arm out. “Good to see you again.”

Fuck, they - Scara shook his head, scowling. “You saw me an hour ago.”

“Yeah, but then you ran off and left me all alone!” They whined, fingers snagging on Scara’s
clothes and tugging. “So mean! I thought you would at least finish what you started!”
Shut the hell up- Scara glanced back at Kazuha, who was looking between the two of them,
confused. Scara just crossed his arms. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Kazuha knocked Heizou’s hand away from Scara. “I don’t know either. Did…something occur? I
thought it went alright.”

“Oh, it went amazingly!” Heizou grinned, flipping themself to sit rightside up. “Someone over
there was just a little bit mean, leading poor me on like that!”

“Leading you- the fuck? I didn’t do shit!”

Heizou sighed drearily, entirely ignoring Scara’s words. “I mean, tugging me around like that- I
don’t know what you expected! Are you really so oblivious to not know what you’re doing? I don’t
believe that.”

“Are you really so oblivious to not know when someone’s angry at you?” Scara hissed. “You were
probably pushing all my buttons on purpose, weren’t you? Just wanted me to get pissed enough to
drag you around by that leash of yours, did you?”
Heizou just smiled, propping their chin on their hands. “If that’s what you want, I’d let you.”

Scara's face burned. He spun on his heel, breathing hard, and sent a hesitant smile to Kazuha. “I
need- a moment.”

Hands grasped at his. Scara looked up to Kazuha, worriedly clutching his hands. “That’s fine. Go
ahead. I’ll talk to Heizou, make sure they stop bothering you- you should tell me these things,
Scara, I want to make sure you’re comfortable.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll deal with it. I just- need a bit. I’ll be back.”

Scara pulled himself out of Kazuha’s grasp, pushing out of the house without hearing a word from
behind him.

Outside, it was quiet. Not the same heavy quiet of the house, but the quiet of background noise. A
distracting quiet. It lifted a weight from his heart, let him breathe a bit easier. Made the emotions
less crushing.

It was all too easy to let his mind empty out. The Kaedehara home was, fortunately, set quite a bit
out from the main city, leaving Scara alone between groves of sakura trees, the wind blowing pink
petals into his hair. With the sun setting, evening darkening the sky, it cast a beautiful scene.

Scara brushed his fingers through a cloud of purple, his catalyst shimmering to hover above his
free hand while the other crackled with electricity. With a puff, the color dispersed into burgeoning
petals of sakura blooms, blowing to wash over his skin.

His catalyst sizzled with spikes of lightning.

Something snapped at his back.

Scara spun around, catalyst swirling a circle of electro around his body. The trees were empty, but
the air had hushed, heavy with dread, and Scara backed himself against a sakura tree, body freezing
stiff.

His vision began to fog as the air misted up, damp and weighted. Little drops of perspiration settled
themself on Scara’s face, the open catalyst sagging with wet pages.

Someone giggled from behind, and he whipped himself around, once again seeing nothing.

A branch shook.

He looked up for only a second before blue magic blossomed into existence and closed in around
him.

“Heizou, what are you doing?”

“It’s all in good fun!” Heizou argued, leaning back against the cushions of the couch. “I didn’t
know that was a sensitive topic!”

“Didn’t he tell you? ”

“I mean- yes, but- come on, Zuzu, he’s a Fatuus! A Harbinger! I find it hard to believe anyone
could just cut themself off, especially when they directly serve the Cryo archon!”

Kazuha shook his head, sitting down next to Heizou. “You’re right. I don’t know what happened
between him and the rest of the Fatui, but- he was being serious about it not being a good topic for
him. You have to respect his boundaries, Heizou. I know teasing is in your nature, I know you
aren’t a very serious person, but- I like both of you. I need both of you to make an effort at getting
along with each other. Not pushing his buttons .”

Heizou sighed, head dropping to lean on Kazuha’s shoulder. “I know. I’m sorry, Zuzu.”

“Tell that to him, not me.”

Heizou winced, and Kazuha jabbed an elbow into their side. “Ow! Okay, okay. I will.”

Kazuha pressed a kiss to the top of their head, leaning on them in silence. It lasted for a beat, then
another, and- “you know, if you really do want someone to, oh, what were his words? ‘Drag you
around by that leash of yours?’ You could’ve just asked.”

Heizou sputtered, and Kazuha only laughed, wrapping his arms around them and pulling them
down on top of himself. The room felt empty with Scara’s departure hanging heavy, but Heizou’s
weight on top of him was a welcome distraction.

Scara would come back when he was ready.

A door slamming jolted Kazuha out of his slumber.

Kazuha blinked, lifting a hand to rub at his eyes. He was still on the couch, Heizou like a
deadweight on top of him, but the weather had changed to rain, pattering heavy onto the roof. A
normally calming sound, but calm wasn’t quite an option once Kazuha looked over at the door.

Scara had come back, although it had to be sometime early morning now with how dark it was. He
was soaked head to toe, chin down to his chest as he leaned against the wall on unsteady feet.
Blinking a little bit more, Kazuha realized that the rainwater dripping from his clothes was stained
red .

He jolted off the couch, Heizou falling onto the floor with a loud yelp, but Kazuha was more
focused on his other partner. Scara looked up, and Kazuha felt his heart squeeze at the dark purple
blooming over his cheek and eye.

“Oh, darling, come here,” Kazuha breathed, arms folding under Scara’s shoulders to hold him up.
“Come, come, sit down. Let me take a look at you.”

“Scara?” Heizou asked blearily, sitting up on the floor. They stared blankly for a good five seconds
before their eyes widened. “Scara! Shit, what happened to you?”

Scara opened his mouth to reply, but the only thing that came out was a cough, blood dripping from
his lips. Kazuha swore, helping Scara sit down before rushing to the kitchen, yelling as he went.
“Heizou! Figure out where he’s wounded, put pressure on anything that's bleeding heavily!”
Heizou scrambled to their feet, hands reaching out to Scara’s clothes before pausing, glancing up
hesitantly. Scara let out a laugh, grinning with bloody lips. “Where’s your confidence now,
detective?” He croaked. “Fucks sake, just help me out of these clothes.”

The abundance of hanging accessories on Scara’s clothes made the process a bit difficult, but
Heizou made quick work of Scara’s upper half, leaving him in only his shorts. The wet clothes
were thrown to the side, finally giving a clear look at the wounds sustained.

Scara’s torso was covered in frost, shards of ice digging into his skin. Heizou brushed over the
frosting, instantly jerking their hand back as Scara hissed. His skin seemed to be breaking with the
frost, and Heizou didn’t want to aggravate it more than necessary. “Fuck,” they hissed, voice
raising to call out. “Kazuha! Do you have bandages?”

The aforementioned hustled back into the room, arms full of rags, strings, and rolls of the same
bandages he used to wrap his hands. “Archons,” he muttered as he saw the extent of the damage.
“Scara, what…”

Scara just laughed, face pained. “I knew it was coming eventually,” he murmured. “You’re right to
be worried about my status, Heizou. I left the Fatui, but- that’s not allowed . I’m a target now. And
so are both of you.”

“ Oh .” Heizou looked down, backing up to let Kazuha start carefully pulling out the ice, a needle
and thread tucked between his fingers to sew up the wounds. “I- you really did leave.”

Scara scoffed. “What, you thought I was lying? I may not like you, but I won’t lie to you.”

“Awh, you sure you don’t like me?”

Kazuha glanced back at them with a warning look, but Heizou paid more attention to Scara’s
reaction. His face- softened , eyes losing their glare, and dare they say it was probably the closest
thing to affection they had ever seen Scara show. It disappeared just as quickly as Scara grit his
teeth, Kazuha pulling one thread tightly closed and moving to another wound.

“Heizou, could you get a blanket? Or a few?” Kazuha asked, eyes not leaving his work. “We’re
gonna need to try and warm him up, get rid of the frost.”

“Yeah, yeah, I can do that-” They shuffled back to where they knew Kazuha’s bedroom was,
scooping piles of blankets before bolting back.

Scara himself was- shaken. Everything was so cold , colder than Snezhnaya, a cold that froze his
veins and fogged his thoughts. Kazuha’s threading of a needle through his skin felt more distant
than anything, only truly hurting when he tugged enough to pull at the cracking white skin. Kazuha
was always warm, but every brush of his fingers against Scara’s stomach felt burning, a beautiful
yet painful touch.

“That’s the last big one,” Kazuha said, starting to unroll bandages and tugging Scara forward to
wrap them around his back. “I’ll wrap your torso, then we’ll warm you up. Some hot chocolate,
maybe?”

Scara just let out a shaky breath, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. Something inside
him felt the warmth of Kazuha’s skin, the warmth of his body here inches from his own, and
yearned. Fuck, he was so cold, and he had almost lost. Trapped in the shield of a Mirror Maiden,
body slowly freezing over as Cryo cicins flit around his head, Scara would’ve been taken from
Kazuha. From both of them. Kazuha would’ve been heartbroken.
The thought of not ever seeing Kazuha again, fuck, even Heizou, made him feel nauseous. But
Kazuha was right there. He was there , in front of him, and Scara carefully wrapped his fingers
around Kazuha’s wrist, squeezing tight. Kazuha’s eyes flickered up, but Scara just looked down,
breathing heavy.

Something soft and warm draped over his shoulders, and Scara couldn’t help the sigh that escaped,
free hand pulling the blanket closer around him. Heizou’s worried face appeared in his sight,
sitting down next to him and reaching out to brush over where Scara had Kazuha in a death grip.
Scara blinked. His vision was blurring. His cheeks were growing damp.

Kazuha looked like he was about to cry as well, hands pulling back nervously. “Scara…”

“No.” He shook his head, reaching out to pull Kazuha back in, one hand gripping at his and the
other grabbing onto Heizou. “Don’t- not that name. That’s what they named me. I don’t want you
to have anything to do with them.”

Heizou leaned in closer. “That’s not your real name?”

Scara shook his head again, eyes wide and wet.

“What is, then?”

Fuck, he hadn’t gone by his true name in- centuries . It was always Scaramouche, the Balladeer,
Scara, Harbinger number six. His old name had- so many bad memories attached to it. But it was
okay. He could forget about those.

His voice came out in a whisper, so quiet and hesitant to say the name he hadn’t said in far too
long.

“Kunikuzushi.”

“Country destroyer,” Heizou mumbled. Scara felt a tear slip down his cheek.

“Hey, it’s alright,” Kazuha said, squeezing Scara’s hands. “You’re with us now. We’ll help you.
Kunikuzushi .”

“That’s such a mouthful,” Heizou commented. “So long. I could call you Zuzu too now, couldn’t I?
Not that, though. Maybe Kuni?”

Scara sobbed .

No, not Scara. Not anymore. Not with them. Kunikuzushi- Kuni? No one had ever given his birth
name a nickname , and Scara had always felt- somewhat derogatory. Possibly because Childe was
the origin of such a nickname.

Kuni. He liked that.

Kuni slumped into Heizou’s side, digging his face into the latter’s shoulder to hide the tears.
Heizou was stiff as a board against him, arms hovering nervously, and Kuni dragged the one
twined with his own hand to his chest.

The blanket was tucked more firmly around his shoulders, and another warm body slid in on his
other side. Kazuha hooked his chin over Kuni’s shoulder, arms wrapping firm around his middle.
“This alright?”
Kuni nodded, sniffling. “It’s- nice.”

Beneath him, Heizou shifted. “Uhm. Should I…”

“Just hug him back, you fool.”

Still, they hesitated. “Sca-Kuni, are you sure? Me, too?”

Kuni clutched their arm tighter, sagging low enough to bury his face into Heizou’s side, Kazuha’s
weight heavy at his back. It was so warm . So, so warm. And while his body may still be covered
in thawing frost, his heart felt near to bursting. The centuries had embedded within him a need to
suppress every emotion, to focus on duty, nothing more. Duty to the Tsaritsa. Except- he didn’t
serve her anymore, did he? Scaramouche did, perhaps. Not Kunikuzushi.

Kazuha wasn’t the Tsaritsa. Heizou wasn’t her, either. Neither of them were the same ruthless ruler
she was. They didn’t require him to be someone molded to their service, trained to perfection. They
didn’t want him to be that. They just wanted him to be happy, didn’t they? To be able to feel .

Seemed it only took a night of fighting for his life to truly be able to feel. To be able to show it .

Kuni didn’t know if he would be able to still be so open about his desires when the night was over,
when the adrenaline and the tears had ran their time. Wasn’t sure if he wanted to be. But- it was a
start. An opening. For all of them.

Heizou’s hand rose to pet at Kuni’s hair, nails dragging softly against his scalp, while Kazuha
trailed kisses over his neck and shoulder, arms warm though the bandages. Kuni sighed, tears
slowing.

He was here. He was… safe.

How long had it been since he’d felt safe?

Too long.

Luckily, with Kazuha and Heizou at his side, he had all the time in the world now, didn’t he?

I'm a stormy ocean, but you're steady

And I'm a commotion, but you get me

Too many emotions, but you let me

Let me blossom in the dark

Turn the lights on, honey, honey, I don't wanna hide

Turn the lights on, honey, I'm surrendering tonight

Although I'm not perfect, I feel perfect in your eyes

 Turn the lights on, honey, I don't really wanna hide, not tonight

Come and crash into me 'cause I want us to collide

End Notes

im only really active on tiktok but if u wanna see me cosplay kazuha come follow me!! if u
ask to be moots ill follow you back :)

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