Distant Memories | Scaramouche x Reader

Twenty-Eight

"Bastard!" Xiao yelled, slamming Scaramouche's body into the side of the house. "Do you know what you've done?! Everyone is panicking because you took her!"

"She wasn't getting the right treatment there! All that guy was doing was stalling her death! I'm actually healing her!" Scara exclaimed, struggling to get out of his grip. "I'm the one who has seen this before! I wouldn't expect you or the others to understand something you've never seen before!"

Xiao's burning rage slowly flickered to a small flame, letting go of him so he could explain himself. Scara brushed the dust off his clothes and straightened his hat. "Thank you. Now, can we go inside so I can give Y/n her medicine?"

All he did was nod, following him inside, with his eyes immediately setting on Y/n's unconscious figure. He leaned against a wall and watched as he started preparing medicine. "There is no name for what that bastard gave her, since he created it himself there are no doctors who know it even exists. Fortunately, I experienced it when I had to treat one of the Fatui cadets who spoke up to Dottore."

"And you couldn't just tell Tighnari?" He asked, his eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"You're asking all these questions, how about I asked you one?" He turned around, a soft expression on his face. "Why were you flipping out like that outside?"

He stood quietly, feeling his heart drop as he remembered what was said by Tighnari back at the house.

"It's crystal clear. He didn't leave her side when she fell unconscious, he stopped focusing on his own health because he wanted to be by her side when she woke up. He's in love with her."

The words bounced off the walls of his brain over and over, making his heart hurt more each time it replayed in his head. "I just got upset at something."

"What was it?" Scara asked, walking over to give Y/n her medicine, repeating the same actions he would repeat every hour.

"Why do you care? I thought you hated the world." He sneered. "It doesn't have anything to do with you anyway."

"Suit yourself, now do me a favor and keep this a secret, I don't want them taking her from me again." Scara scoffed, as he helped her take the medication carefully.

"So you've been doing this every day since you took her?" He asked, crouching down next to her and stroking her hair. Scaramouche snatched his wrist as he looked at Xiao with a threatening glare.

"Don't touch her." He demanded, letting go of his hand and going back to what he was doing. "I understand you're her friend, but don't touch her right now. I don't want anyone else to be the first person she sees when she wakes up."

Xiao nodded, taking a step back and watching as he crouched down next to her. His hand caressed her cheek. He felt pain in his chest as he listened to him whisper sweet things in her ear, making him wish that Aether could see him the same way that Scara sees Y/n.

"I just want her to wake up." He stood up, his body slumped forward and his shoulders lightly shaking. "I'm trying my best to keep her in a stable state, but she's just... not responding."

"Maybe you're not giving her the right dosage?" Xiao suggested, placing his hand on his shoulder.

"I'm giving her the medicine three times a day." He sighed, pulling up a stool and sitting next to her. "If I up her dosage then there's a possible chance of overdose. I'm giving her the most I can."

"Perhaps it's time to consider bringing her back to Tighnari," Xiao stated, approaching the door. "I understand if you're hesitant to hand her over, but once you make a decision, I'll be there to support you."

And with that he left, leaving Scara's mind racing at what he said. He looked down at Y/n's sleeping face he growled, quickly scooping her up and following Xiao outside. "Wait!"

Xiao turned around, surprised that he had made up his mind so quickly. He gave a soft smile and gestured for him to follow him. "Come on, I'll help you bring her back," he said.

________________

Tighnari pinched the bridge of his nose as he spoke. "Aether, you've looked everywhere. You'll wear yourself out even more."

"What am I supposed to do?" The blonde asked. "Y/n is missing, Scaramouche is nowhere to be found, and there are no clues as to where they could have gone."

"Then why not go to the obvious conclusion that-" Cyno, who was visiting to make sure everyone was okay, was cut off when Xiao appeared in the room with Scara by his side, Holding Y/n's unconscious body. "-He had taken her."

"Xiao! You found them!" Aether exclaimed, running over and trying to take her from Scara's arms, but he was blocked by Xiao.

"Don't." He stated, leading Scara to the room where Tighnari could learn how to help her, calling the fox-eared male to follow.

Aether turned to Paimon and Cyno with a confused expression after watching them leave the room. "What just happened?" he asked.

"Maybe they're just tired. Don't think about it too much," reassured Cyno. "I wasn't here from the start, but I know everyone is stressed. Try to relax a little."

"I guess you might be right," he sighed heavily and sat down in the chair next to Collei. "I was really worried about her, and even though he knew that, Xiao kept me away from her."

"Trust me, everything will be fine," he said with a reassuring smile, his scarlet eyes glowing with kindness. "Tighnari told me you haven't been eating properly, so I'll go get you some food now and be back. Don't stress too much when I'm gone."

But all he could do was stress, his mind preoccupied by thoughts of Y/n. But soon, he began worrying about Xiao instead. He wondered if Xiao was upset with him, but he couldn't think of any actions that could have caused such discontent.

Paimon noticed that Aether was still feeling stressed, so she decided to offer him some comfort. She gently placed her hand on his head and gave him a reassuring pat. "Don't worry, everything will be okay," she said in a soothing voice. Aether felt a sense of relief wash over him as he took in Paimon's words of encouragement. It was clear that she truly cared about his well-being and was willing to do whatever it took to support him.

Despite his attempt to appear optimistic, his smile seemed weak and sad. He felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort in his chest, suggesting that something bad was going to happen soon.