Chapter Text
“...𝑹𝒖𝒏 𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒕…
...𝑹𝒖𝒏 𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒕…
...𝑹𝒖𝒏…
...𝑹𝒖𝒏…
...𝑹𝑼𝑵…”
↳ ❦ Location: Bunny’s Estate
Flash. Flash.
“Look a little less tense. It’ll make the pictures look more intimate.”
Flash.
“Yeah, just like that. Hold that pose for a bit longer.”
Flash. Flash.
“Everyone take ten, I think we got plenty in this outfit. Get a drink, take a smoke break, do whatever but be back in ten minutes sharp.”
You let out a sigh of relief when you got to drop the pose you were in. You were sitting on your knees with your legs spread slightly while a hand was on your thigh and the other was caressing the side of your neck. The goal was to look sexually appealing since you were modeling a gorgeous silk black robe that hung off your shoulders and ended at your upper thighs. The robe was tied loosely so that it looked as if the silk material was falling off your body, leaving the scene for eyes to wonder. One of your makeup artists ran over to immediately touch you up while your hairstylist made sure you had no flyaways anywhere. After their tune-up, you got off the bed to walk out of your luxurious bedroom. You needed a break from everyone so you decided to stand on your balcony that faced the gorgeous backyard with your pool and lounge area.
“You’re doing amazing!” the friendly voice of Nilou said while she made her way outside. Behind her you saw Cyno and Collei who also had friendly smiles on their faces. It was common for your friend group to follow you to your photoshoots to be moral support.
Nilou was both a model and a dancer, but she was more known for her dancing career. She loved doing choreography for famous artists' music videos but of course, she modeled on the side due to her affluent career. Cyno was a famous movie actor who starred in many “James Bond-like” films where he was the stoic main character. His acting career is what shot him into the big leagues but he also modeled on the side due to brands begging him to feature their items. Collei was a famous influencer who gained popularity by producing YouTube videos about her life and reviewing products for brands. With her fame, she was given the opportunity to model as well. Thanks to their opportunities to model you were able to make some friends in this toxic industry - they were your antidote basically.
“Finally some people I actually like are talking to me,” you hummed with a small smile on your lips. You were known by your team to get impatient easily due to the constant hounding to look perfect. You honestly weren’t picky about your photos but your team made it a huge deal to have this “perfect” image for every picture taken of you.
“Look, you only have a few more outfits to wear and then you’re all done. I was nosing through them earlier and they’re absolutely gorgeous,” Nilou said with a cheery voice.
Today you were modeling for an intimate wear company called ‘Our Skin.’ They were starting to rise in popularity due to their selection of sexy bodysuits, bras, panties, and boxers available for couples. As Sumeru’s highest-paid model, the company practically begged you to wear their products as well as keep them. You had to admit the robe was pretty comfortable so you were glad to get to keep it after.
“Yeah, yeah. I think I need a break after this. I’ve done so many shoots that I don’t remember the names of the last two companies I modeled for,” you joked with a teasing smile. You weren’t lying, unfortunately. You were used to your manager - your “doting” mother - who set up all of your arrangements. She would tell you who, when, and where you were shooting. It was in your best interest to obey and do whatever your mother said.
Your phone lit up with a notification from Twitter. You decided to open it and your eyes grew dark upon reading the headline. “Saizo Breaks Silence - Spotted with Gorgeous Blonde at a Movie Premiere” was the headline of the Tweet. You rolled your eyes and looked at your friends with an annoyed expression. You’d recognize that blonde hair from anywhere.
“I’d advise not checking any of your social media today,” Cyno said with a soft voice. “Now he’s got some new flashy girl to flaunt around despite you two breaking up about two months ago.” You already knew who this girl was. You’ve seen her many times before you broke up with him.
You couldn’t contain the disappointed laugh while you scrolled down to the next Tweet on your timeline. The title of this Tweet was “Evidence of the Assination of Governor Hisame Leads Officials to a Potential Suspect.” Another thing you didn’t find interest in reading. It seemed your timeline was full of nothing but nonsense about your ex, rumors about you, or news stories about important rich people being murdered.
Cyno, Collei, and Nilou were deep in the loop of your previous relationship. You were dating one of the most famous actors in Teyvat who was named Saizo. He was an absolutely handsome man who captivated you at a movie premiere after party you were invited to. The two of you hit things off quickly and acquired a lot of attention due to your status as a model and his as an actor - much to your manager’s happiness. Despite his alluring charms, he was everything but captivating. You finally broke things off after tolerating the toxic relationship between the two of you for half a year. The world was devastated to see such a gorgeous couple break up, but you couldn’t handle him anymore. He resented you ever since the day you finally left.
"You won't survive long without me, I know your darkest secrets. You're too weak to live alone. You'll be crawling back to me in no time..."
“Hey… remember how you wanted a break? Well, how about we all go out drinking tonight?” Collei suggested with a weary grin. She wanted to find some way to cheer you up since your demeanor quickly changed. “Let’s visit our beloved club, The Balladeer. I heard they’re having a special on drinks tonight.”
You looked at your friends with a gentle expression. You truly did appreciate their effort in trying to cheer you up. Although you’d rather lock yourself in your mansion and cry, you figured accepting their offer wouldn’t hurt. “Yeah. That’s fine.” You thought for a moment before going on. “And, no, I won’t get upset if you invite your boyfriend, Cyno.”
Cyno paused for a moment. “I don’t have a boyfriend,” he stated with a flat voice.
You rolled your eyes teasingly and smirked at him. “I’ve heard some things about you. Don’t play dumb,” you hummed. Cyno was starring in an action spy movie that featured four main characters. His new coworkers were named Kaveh, Alhaitham, and Tighnari. You knew of the three but you heard some gossip about Cyno and Tighnari who were getting closer due to them running circles on set.
Collei chuckled at your teasing remarks. “You should invite him. I’m sure he’d love to go out.”
“He’s not much of a clubbing person,” Cyno defended.
“Aw, he knows his lover so well,” Nilou teased.
“He better be there tonight. I’m looking forward to our night out now,” you said with a boastful voice. Cyno sighed in defeat from everyone ganging up on him and caved in, sending his friend a text to invite him out to the club with everyone. It would’ve been more comfortable for him anyway since you already knew that Nilou would disappear to dance on someone while Collei would get drunk off two shots and talk to people.
“Where’s y/n? We’re ready for the next outfit!” The annoying voice of the photographer stung your ears. You groaned before walking back inside with your friends. The man scolded you for being gone for “too long” while you tuned him out. He made you go into your walk-in closet to put on a lacy bra and panty set that hugged your skin snugly. You had to wear a black button-up shirt that was unbuttoned all the way to give off some sex appeal.
The door to your closet opened and revealed the appearance of your mother. “How gorgeous you look, y/n.”
You turned from the mirror and stared at your mother with a blank expression. She had her lips curled into a smile with a lit cigarette between her fingers. “Thanks, Mom.” The air in the room felt stiff with her being near you. Your heart sank a little looking at her tall looming figure that was in a fancy blazer and skirt outfit.
“Listen, I’m sure you’ve heard the news that your ex has a new lover already. However, it’s in your best interest to lay low on the relationships. It’ll be bad press if you’re seen getting into one so fast,” your mother explained after blowing out a puff of smoke. “Blame the double standard of society, not me.”
“Would it kill society for me to have a fun night out with my friends?” you questioned, your voice containing some hints of annoyance. It was hard for you to contain your ill feelings sometimes. Your mother stared at you with a sharpening look.
“Do you plan to openly make out with any man you see tonight? If so, then you are not to go out. I don’t need people talking about how you’re a shameless woman,” your mother replied. She blew smoke again, the smell causing you to want to cough but you held it in. Her eyes stared sharply at you. Typically whatever she said goes as she was used to your submission. It had been this way since you were a young girl since your mother is the reason you have such a high-ranking career.
“No. I just want to go out and enjoy myself. I’m not going to kiss anyone or whatever,” you defended. As much as it would feel good to drown your frustrations in a hot stranger, you didn’t want to anyway. All you wanted to do was drink some fun drinks and dance with your friends.
Your mother stared at you before lightening her scowl. “I don’t see why not. It’ll be good press to hear about how after Saizo came out with a new woman, you decided to have a fun night out with friends to cope. Social media will drool for that information,” she rambled to herself. Everything your mother did was for your career - never for you. You were last on the list of priorities your mother had. Everything was a calculated plan for you to gain more press, more mora, and more everything all for the sake of your job.
“I have to get back out there. I’ll see you later,” you stated while walking past the intimidating woman. She watched as you walked by her to leave the closet. The way her eyes felt on the back of your body made you want to tremble. Being around her made you so uneasy, especially if you two were alone. Luckily she only saw you during work affairs, so you got to spend a decent amount of time away from that witch of a woman.
“Alright, we’re going to take these of you laying down. Lay on the bed as if you were just thrown, so make sure your arms are near your head while your legs are up slightly,” the photographer explained.
You sighed internally and dramatically threw yourself against the bed. Your hair rested behind you while your arms moved up toward your head in half-fists. Your legs were spread slightly with one bent to sell the look even more. You stared at the camera with an alluring expression to which the photographer praised you for being such a natural at this. Despite that enticing smile on your lips, you couldn’t wait for this to be over. You wanted to leave and get far away from here. You couldn’t wait for your night out with your friends tonight. You hoped that your night out tonight wouldn’t be too awful.
・∙.・.⁰・.∙∘⁰・∙.・∘ ✦ ・∙.・.⁰・・∙.・∙⁰.・∙∘
↳ ❦ Location: The Balladeer Nightclub
The sound of music blaring and lights flashing filled the room with so many sensations that it was both enjoyable and upbeat. This club was in a gorgeous glass building and had three levels. The first level even had an open area that had staircases that led to an upper level and even to the second floor that were both crawling with people. Typically only the most rich and famous were allowed on the third floor of the club, which was where you and your friends were. Cyno paid for a VIP booth that was on a raised platform, giving you all a perfect view of the dance floor and bar area.
Tonight you decided to wear a gorgeous (color) sparkly dress that was short with a small slit on the side that showed off your gorgeous upper thigh. The dress was rather short, if you were to move incorrectly your ass would surely hang out. The chest area complimented your bust size gorgeously while the straps of the dress were snug against your smooth, bare shoulders. You styled your hair in a way that compliments the gorgeous features of your face while you wore a beautiful diamond necklace with matching earrings. Your outfit alone costed more than some people’s rent. Everyone else was wearing club attire as well. Nilou and Collei were wearing beautiful blue and pink cocktail dresses while Cyno and Tighnari wore black and white button-up shirts that were unbuttoned rather far with matching paints respectfully.
The night started off with you, Cyno, Tighnari, Nilou, and Collei enjoying drinks together. The server gave you guys a bottle on the house due to him being a fan of Cyno’s movies. All of you enjoyed some expensive drinks together until the alcohol kicked in. Nilou brought all of you onto the dance floor for a good while. It wasn’t long until everyone split up. Tighnari and Cyno disappeared off somewhere while Nilou danced with a handsome man she met. Collei saw some people she knew so she went to their booth to talk and have a good time. This left you at the VIP booth alone which was fine since you wanted to rest after dancing.
Your eyes scanned over the dancefloor that was littered with drunk, dancing people. Very few had the guts to come up and ask you to dance, to which you declined politely since you wanted to rest for a bit. You then began to wonder if sitting alone would make for bad press. At first you cared but then you shrugged it off. Unfortunately, your mother conditioned you to think that all of your actions affected your career. As much as you wanted to break that habit, it was hard due to how well she drilled it into your brain at a young age.
While staring out at others, you noticed a pair of gorgeous purple eyes that were staring at you with interest. The person was in the shadows of the club so you unfortunately couldn’t make out their features. You’ve seen these eyes many times before. Anytime you visited The Balladeer there was a stranger with alluring purple eyes who would stare at you from afar. You couldn’t help but feel so drawn to this stranger. Why were they always mysteriously staring at you? Sure, everyone stared at you because you were Sumeru’s Top Model, but this person seemed different somehow. Their eyes seemed to scream “Come to me.”
Anytime you tried to approach this person, they’d disappear down the hall they were near. Perhaps you felt a thrill in trying to discover who this was. After sipping the remnants of your cocktail you stood up and made your way on the dance floor. People’s eyes lit up since they were excited to get a chance to ask you to dance, but you pushed past everyone to follow the purple pair of eyes that turned to the corner as soon as you stood up. You moved quickly, ignoring the pleas of people asking you to dance for you were eager to know who this was.
You quickly turned and sped down the hall. You admired how well you could semi-run in heels with some alcohol in your system. Your eyes scanned down the hallway and watched as the person turned to enter a room. It wasn’t too long until you entered the room yourself but you were disappointed since the room appeared empty. It was a nice private lounge that had doors leading to a gorgeous balcony area for people who wanted to party on the roof.
Something in your gut was telling you to run - run away far from this room. There was an ominous feeling here as if you were in grave danger. Your instincts were telling you to run yet your mind rejected its pleas. Your legs moved you further into the room, the door now a bit of ways behind you. The room was dim and comfortable, the moonlight poured into it while it shined brightly in the sky. You were surprised there was no one back here. This would make for a nice private lounge for people.
“Don’t you know it’s dangerous to follow strangers into random rooms?”
The sound of the door slamming caught your attention. You quickly turned around and your eyes opened in horror at who shut the door. Your heart began to race when you realized who it was that trapped you in this room. Foolish girl were the words you could hear in your mother’s voice now.
“Hm? Cat got your tongue?”
Those mesmerizing purple eyes belonged to none other than the infamous Scaramouche - Sumeru’s most wanted criminal. He was a man who knew no bounds, the crime scenes he left behind were gruesome for he had no shame. He belonged to a mafia called The Harbingers; members of this mafia were known to be the lowest scum of the earth. All of their crimes involved murder, theft, kidnapping, and any other grotesque topic you could imagine. There were individual underbosses in each of Teyvat’s bustling cities. Everyone knew that Scaramouche was The Harbinger’s Underboss that ruled over the streets of Sumeru.
The man in front of you was dressed in a fancy dark purple suit with a black undershirt. He had a large fluffy white coat over his outfit that had tufts of fur - a signature jacket only worn by the underbosses of The Harbingers. His beautiful purple eyes were accented with red eyeliner that brought out his iridescent irises even more. He had his arms crossed against his chest while he leaned against the door with a disgusting smirk on his face. That smile alone was enough to make you tremble.
Words were trying to leave your lips but you had nothing. The only thing audible to you was your beating heart that pressed painfully against your chest. Scaramouche chuckled and began to approach you, to which you began to back away. Since the balcony doors were open, you found yourself now outside where the cool air hit your body. Scaramouche continued to follow you until your back was backed up against the railing of the roof. With nowhere to go now, you stared in horror while he towered over your cowering figure.
“You seem afraid. What’s wrong, pretty girl?” An amused hum left his lips while he reached out to touch a strand of hair that was within his reach. He liked how soft your hair felt against his skin. It was silky and smooth which was expected of someone with your status.
A hard lump formed in your throat while you stared at him with horror-filled eyes. “Why are you…” you paused before continuing. “Why are you here?” You didn’t get why someone was wanted as him was in a public place. Had anyone seen who he was he would immediately be approached by security. Surely he wasn’t this risky?
“Am I not welcome at my own club?” Scaramouche asked with a playful voice. He let go of the strand of hair he was playing with. “You seem to know who I am.”
Your breath hitched. You were afraid of what he was capable of doing. It would take no effort for him to kill you right here and now. Scaramouche’s gang did target rich individuals so you wouldn’t be surprised if you were a target. However, you weren’t a controversial political figure or any of that sort, so what was the gain of killing you? “Please don’t hurt me… I beg of you. I’ll pay you however much you want but please don’t hurt me.”
Scaramouche couldn’t contain the laugh that left his lips with your plea. The last thing he wanted from you was money. He was loaded himself; he didn’t need any of your modeling mora. Sure, you were extremely wealthy, but it was nothing compared to the funds he had access to. “Do you think I’d hurt you?” You said nothing to which prompted him to speak more. “Use those pretty lips of yours to speak.”
“Y-Yes…” you muttered while looking away from him. The last thing you expected was to feel one of his fingers move to tilt your head up at him. Your eyes stared into his gorgeous purple ones now. With his face in your vision, you began to take in the handsome features of his face. Had he always been this alluring?
“It’s rude to not look at those who are speaking to you,” Scaramouche hummed with an amused grin on his face. The way you were staring at him with those pleading, beautiful eyes made him feel something. The look on your face was so cute yet so prompting. This was the face he longed to get his hands on. “Why would I ever want to hurt you?”
You froze before answering. Was he toying with you? Was this a sick joke to him? “You’re literally the most wanted person in Sumeru. All you do is kill people,” you remarked.
The sassiness in your voice brought out an instinct in Scaramouche. You now looked at him with a puzzled yet annoyed look. He couldn’t wait to make that face of yours drop. A hand quickly grabbed your throat while he pushed you further against the glass railing of the rooftop area. Your head was now pushed down enough for your eyes to see how far away from the ground you were since your upper body was now hanging off the side of the rail. Your breathing was cut off slightly but not enough to make you struggle. You stared in horror while Scaramouche looked down at you with entertained eyes.
“It would take nothing for me to push your beautiful self off this roof,” Scaramouche hummed. The way your hair hung while your hands instinctively grabbed onto his arm that was holding your body back was notable. The grip on your throat tightened slightly so he could pull you back up. Little gasps left your lips while you tried to catch your breath. His hand on your throat loosened so that he could bring his hand up to fix your hair that was disheveled. His touch was soft and gentle, the complete opposite of who he was. “Alas, I do not desire to do that to you. Killing you would do me no favors and I work only for favors.”
You glared at him with such an adorable expression that it made his chest flutter. You were so cute whether you were afraid or mad at him. “What the hell do you want from me?” You didn’t understand why he was here doing this to you. What were his motives really?
Your question seemed to ring in his head for a moment. He smiled at you before gently cupping your cheek, making your eyes look deeply into his. “You.” His answer was simple and straight to the point, so much so that it made you feel uneasy. Your eyes widened while you stared at him in confusion. Was he about to kidnap you to sell you off for mora?
“What does that even mean?” you demanded.
Scaramouche chuckled and took you by the hand. He led you to one of the couches that was on the rooftop area. There was a fireplace nearby that was lit up, the flames illuminating the area. He sat down on the couch while he draped your legs over his lap. He stared down at you with such a possessive yet sweet expression. The feeling of his hand on your back made you jump a little. You didn’t know what he was capable of so you wanted to be alert. You needed to get the hell off of this roof - and fast.
“I’ll put it this way. I’m someone who is feared and hated by all who oppose me. The ability I have to make anyone in this city cower to my beckoning call is one I’m proud of. Then there’s you, someone who is so loved and obsessed over. You’re a mere woman but your status as a model makes people love you,” Scaramouche explained. You were a little lost with his words but you listened closely. “I love the thrill of risks. If something might be bad for me, I want it. You, someone so loved and admired, aren't good for me. I like that about you.”
You stared at him with a baffled expression. Was he… confessing an attraction toward you? Did he have some kink where he liked people who were the opposite of him? Sure, he was handsome, but he couldn’t woo you that easily. “And what if I don’t return your feelings?” Being with him would tank your career. Your mother would have a conniption if she found out that Sumeru’s Most Wanted had an interest in you. You could practically see your career failing now.
His eyes darkened in a playful manner with your question. You had no idea how alluring you were to him. You were something he couldn’t have, therefore, he wanted you more. You were the good of the world while he was the bad. Something about being with someone like you made him eager to have you. His voice lowered while he whispered in your ear, causing you to flush a little. “I always get what I want, one way or another.”
Your eyes widened and you pulled away from him. He found the blush on your cheeks to be adorable. You cursed internally. Something about his words fueled your ego a little. Not only that, but they sounded so enticing to you. Nonetheless, he couldn’t have you and you couldn’t have him. The two of you weren’t meant to be together. “I could never be with someone like you.”
Although your words were full of hurt, Scaramouche took no offense to them. He chuckled and pulled you a little closer to him. You could feel his breath against your ear and neck, causing you to feel warm all over. “Is that a challenge, pretty girl?”
You cursed yourself for the shameless blush that coated your face. You scoffed and moved your legs off his lap. He chuckled and loosened his grip on your body, allowing you to stand up. You crossed your arms and stared at him with an expression that was mixed with annoyance and surprise. “Being with you would absolutely ruin my image. My PR team would never approve of you.”
He hummed and spread his arms against the back of the couch. He looked so inviting and intoxicating at the same time. You were worried about your career, which was a valid concern, but it was merely an excuse. “Bad habits are allowed to be hidden from others.”
You laughed at his remark. What a smartass who seemed to have an answer for everything. “I don’t have bad habits.” You used to, to which they started off as private but became public upon being exposed by someone. You weren’t ready to read headlines about yourself again about something you were doing. You couldn't risk being hurt again.
“You can’t tell me that when you’ve stood here the entire time and talked to me. You could’ve left at any point, yet you chose to stay here with me,” Scaramouche remarked with a cocky smirk. “Could it be that you like things that are bad for you?”
You stared at him with a look of realization. He did have a fair point. You remembered that he never locked the door, so you could have left whenever you wanted, yet you remained here. You clicked your tongue in annoyance and looked off to the side, a gesture Scaramouche thought was cute. “I’ll be taking my leave.” You turned heel and walked away, all of a sudden feeling embarrassed by how short your dress was since his eyes stared deeply at your figure.
How cute your hips looked while you sashayed away from him. His eyes took in the entirety of your figure until you left through the door he led you through. Scaramouche chuckled before whipping out a cigar that he had in his jacket pocket, lighting it with his lighter, and then taking a hit from it. Upon blowing smoke, he stared at the stars and thought of you. You reminded him of the stars above, a beautiful celestial body that was so far away from him, admired by all that looked at you yet understood by no one. Everyone loved you, but did you genuinely love them in return? He wanted to unravel every mystery about you, learn about your life, and have you all to himself. Beautiful was an understatement when he saw you; he’d see you all over billboards and advertisements on every social media platform.
Something deep within him was telling him that he had a shot with you. Sure, you argued against his advances, but your body language spoke otherwise. There were many women Scaramouche knew who would throw themselves at him, yet you rejected the opportunity that others would kill for. It attracted him even more to you. Scaramouche loved the thrill of a good chase - he was like a primal wolf chasing after his delicate prey. He’d have you within his grasp one day and deep down you knew that too.