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You lay, curled up, under the blankets you share with the sixth Harbinger, and let the tears you've been fighting for weeks fall. Scaramouche is currently in a meeting with the other eleven harbingers so he won’t be around to see you cry.
Some of the Fatui soldiers have been… bothering… you lately. Nothing physical, they probably know Scaramouche would notice that immediately and that he wouldn’t let that slide, but that doesn’t mean the words don't bother you. They keep misgendering you. At first, you tried to give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they just didn’t know. But time went on and they didn't stop when you corrected them, they just got worse. The soldiers started saying you weren’t good enough for a Harbinger, that the Balladeer deserved a normal, regular, wife.
Somehow, they even convinced you that Scaramouche wouldn’t care and that he couldn’t do anything to them because they served a different Harbinger. They were lying, of course, Kunikuzushi swore on the Gnosis he was made to hold that he wanted you as you were, as you are. The soldiers’ words still hurt. You know that if you asked, if you told him, the Balladeer would take care of this for you. But if the soldiers were right? Kunikuzushi could never abandon you, that was not a question, but what if he truly had no authority over those soldiers? You know how far he would go for you, but you don’t know the consequences he would bear with such actions. You’d decided long ago to keep this to yourself, to not trouble your partner, no matter how disgusted those names and titles that are. not. yours. make you feel. You would cry it out then face those vile soldiers, You would not allow them to see how they affect you.
Of course, as soon as you allowed yourself to fall fully into your tears, Scaramouche opened the door to your room.
“UGH, the meeting was awful, Trataglia would not shut UP about some fight he-” Scaramouche was not supposed to be back yet. “What are you doing in bed? Whats…” He wasn’t supposed to see you upset. “Are you… crying? Darling, what- who did this.” Fuck.
“Kuni! You- you’re back early,”
“Don’t. Don’t ignore my question. You’re crying and I will not allow whatever thing that caused this pain to exist a second more. I can’t stand seeing you like this. Let me fix it.”
“Please Kuni, I’m O-” The glare he’s giving you makes you pause, He’s daring you to try and finish that sentence with tears still running down your face, “Fine, but, please come hold me?” He makes no noise of affirmation, yet he’s already climbed into bed and wrapped you in his arms. He’s tense, probably holding back all the rage he must feel. When you hesitate to begin speaking he gives you a small squeeze. It’s enough.
“Some of the soldiers have been bothering me… saying that I’m not good enough for you,” he scoffs at that, “and-”
“ ‘And’ what, traveler.”
“And,” you take a deep breath “they’ve been misgendering me. Using a name that Isn’t mine, calling me ‘she’, and saying you were just– just using me for my body.”
“Traveler-”
“I know I should have told you. Really, I do. I know you would have taken care of it for me, but they said you’d get in trouble since they aren’t your soldiers-”
“And you believed them?”
“I didn’t want to take the chance! I know how far you would go for me and I didn’t want you to lose everything here over something I could… handle.”
“Clearly, you can not ‘handle’ this.” Scaramouche leans in closer as he talks, “But that's okay, what kind of Harbinger would I be if I couldn’t squash some pests for my partner~” with that Scaramouche presses a kiss to your lips. “Now, come and point out these bugs so I can handle them for you.” The two of you climb off the bed, and Scaramouche helps clean your tears so you are ready to face the halls of the Fatui headquarters.
The walk to the meeting room Scara decided to use was tense. The Harbinger looming beside you has his arm around your waist, which isn't a problem, the problem is how everyone the two of you walk past is staring at the open display of affection from the great Balladeer. You want to look away, but when you try to lower your head Scara leans down and whispers into your ear, “Raise your head. You are far above all of these people- I will not have you act like you are below them.” and so you're forced to face all the staring eyes as you walk through the halls.
When you get to the meeting room the first thing you notice is how big it is, the second is the dias with a chair, which would better be described as a throne, on it. Scara walks up and sits on the throne with such confidence it’s like he’s made to be there. But then where are you supposed to go? There aren't any other chairs, and while Scara has said he’d be happy to have you kneel beside his throne now doesn’t seem like the time for that. Your confusion is cut off when Scara speaks, “Come sit.”
“On your lap?”
“I said sit.” he gestures to the throne that he’s already sitting on and levels you with that glare that dares you to disobey.
“On your lap then,” you say walking towards him.
Once you’re close enough Scaramouche drags you forward onto his lap. He gives you a glance to make sure you’re settled before asking, “Love, whose soldiers was it.”
You’re a little surprised at the direct question, you don’t normally speak much in more official or formal settings. “Some of Tartaglia’s skirmishers.” at a raised eyebrow from Scaramouche you add on, “Sir.” It always feels weird to call your Kunikuzushi “sir” but with the grin Scaramouche sends down at you now, you might start saying it more often.
He whispers you an oh-so-quiet “Good boy.” before the Balladeer addresses one of the soldiers in the room, “You.”
“Y-yes Lord Harbinger,”
“Go fetch Tartaglia. Tell him to bring his Scrimishers. tell him it’s an order from the Sixth.”
The soldier rushes out, “Yes lord Harbinger!” and the two of you watch him scurry out of the room.
It does not take Tartaglia long to arrive, probably excited for a good fight, with his Scrimishers behind him. Scaramouche holds you closer when they walk in and glares down any of them who so much as glance at you.
“Ah, comrade!”
“Tartaglia.”
“Why have you asked for me? It’s not like you to ask for aid with a battle.” even from here you can see Tartaglia’s eyes sparkle at the thought of a battle that even the Balladeer would need help with.
“Nothing of the sort,” Scaramouche dismisses, then turns to you, “Darling, which ones.”
You look through the crowd of soldiers and pick out a Pyroslinger, two Anemoboxers, and a hydrogunner.
Scaramouche presses a kiss to your temple and whispers, "Perfect. Let me handle everything else for you." before addressing the soldiers again, "You four, stay. The rest of you are dismissed. Leave." none of them were foolish enough to ignore a direct order from the Balladeer. Except Tartaglia.
"so not a battle then. what do you want with four of my skirmishers Balladeer?"
"they have committed a slight against what's mine and thus, me. It will not bear my ignorance any longer."
Tartaglia looks like he is about to speak, but one of the boxers cuts in before he can, "Lord Harbinger we have done no such thing-"
In an instant, Scaramouche was above the man, pinning him to the ground with his foot, while you are sat safely on the throne.
"As. I. Said. You four seem to have forgotten what is Mine. And, forgotten how to treat what belongs to a Harbinger with respect." As he speaks Scaramouche grinds his heel into the skirmisher. You're sure he would have crushed the man's rib cage then and there if Tartaglia didn't interrupt,
"Not that I don't believe you comrade, but would you mind filling me in? They are my soldiers after all."
"If you wish to pay for their crimes with them Tartagila, I will gladly include you. I have half a mind to already with your inaction."
"You know I am always available for a spar Balladeer, but what have they done?"
"Each of them has gone out of their way to insult my partner, to call them vile things, repeatedly. They will not be leaving this room in one piece."
The pyro slinger interrupts this time, "Lord Harbinger! Surely multiple powerful soldiers are worth more than some gir-" You flinch as the skirmisher's head lands a few feet in front of you.
Tartaglia nods as he finally realizes the full situation. with a dark look in his eye, he says, "I see. I'll leave this to you then Balladeer. Shall I tell the Doctor to collect them when you've finished?"
"If he wants to scrape the mess off the walls."
Tartaglia just gives a hum of acknowledgment before leaving the room.
It’s a touch surprising when Scaramouche turns away from the three living soldiers and walks back to you, “Do you want to stay Love? It will be messy. You can go back to our room if you wish.” And you realize in this moment, this is your Kunikuzushi. Worried that if you see what he is willing to do for you, that you too will abandon him.
You shake your head no, “It’s okay if I stay?”
“As you wish.” He turns around, once again the Balladeer, sixth of the Fatui Harbingers.
He did not lie to you, It was messy. He was stained red by the time he was done with that which used to be men. When he turns back to you, you can see him relax, relieved to see you still sitting where he left you. He walks over to kiss you and you allow it, not caring about the viscera that ends up on your face afterward.