Archons x male reader
Candle lights flicker, rain drops onto the ground.
7 souls captured in the heart of darkness.
The candle, extinguished.
Credit to the artist who drew the art in the story cover.
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The soft crunch of snow underfoot filled the air as Y/N sprinted through the frost-covered forest, his breath coming out in white puffs. The cold nipped at his cheeks, painting them a rosy red, but he barely noticed. Laughter bubbled up from his chest as he glanced over his shoulder, catching sight of Focalors hot on Venti’s heels.
"You won’t escape me this time, Venti!" Focalors called out, her voice full of playful determination.
Venti, ever the trickster, laughed in response, darting between the trees with a mischievous grin plastered across his face. "You’ll have to catch me first, Focalors!"
Y/N giggled as he watched them, his feet moving swiftly through the snow. This spontaneous game of chase had been Venti’s idea, of course. It was supposed to be something fun to do, something to get their blood pumping on this cold winter day. And so far, it had been a blast.
Venti ducked under a low branch, his speed unmatched, but Focalors was relentless. Her sharp eyes locked on him, calculating his every move. She pushed herself faster, closing the gap between them, the snow swirling in her wake.
"Y/N!" Focalors called out. "Help me catch him!"
Y/N grinned, nodding as he changed his course, trying to flank Venti from the side. The wind nipped at his face, but the thrill of the chase kept him warm. As Venti darted between another pair of trees, Focalors made her move, cutting him off with a graceful leap. Venti skidded to a halt, his eyes widening as he realized he was trapped.
"Not so fast, bard!" Focalors smirked, her breathless laugh echoing through the trees.
Venti, undeterred, spun on his heel, ready to dash the other way, but he never got the chance.
Before he could take more than two steps, Y/N lunged forward, tackling him to the ground with a joyful shout. Venti let out a surprised yelp as they both tumbled into the snow, a burst of powder flying up around them.
"Gotcha!" Y/N beamed, his face flushed with victory and the cold.
Focalors joined them a second later, her laughter ringing out as she flopped down into the snow beside them. "We make quite the team, Y/N!"
The three of them lay there in the snow for a moment, their laughter mingling with the quiet winter breeze. The chase had left them breathless, their bodies warm from the exertion despite the cold surrounding them. Above them, the sky was a soft, wintry blue, with pale sunlight filtering through the bare branches of the trees.
Venti, ever the good sport, chuckled as he lay sprawled on his back, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths. "You two really are something else. Ganging up on me like that…"
Y/N laughed, propping himself up on his elbows to look down at the bard. "Hey, you’re the one who started this whole game. Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it!"
Venti’s eyes sparkled with mirth as he smirked. "Guilty as charged. It was fun, though, wasn’t it?"
Focalors nodded, her playful grin softening as she looked up at the sky. "It was. Sometimes, it’s nice to just… be in the moment like this."
