You should've been annihilated, falling to your death and being covered up by the pathetic excuse of a malfunction. People would naturally wonder how Dottore's most prized possession could have a flaw but no one would dare to question the sixth Fatui Harbinger.
What you didn't expect was for Scaramouche to change his mind at the very last second, wrapping his hand around your loose shirt to prevent you from falling into the deep body of water. You were able to support yourself by keeping your heels fixed to the edge, in addition to his assistance.
But perhaps he wasn't so nice. Maybe he was just toying with you. He enjoyed playing games as long as they were played according to his set of rules. Scaramouche told you to wear a shirt which coincidentally happened to be the same thing saving you from destruction.
You shifted your gaze from his hand to him, an unconcerned expression displayed on your face. If you didn't irritate him enough before, you certainly did now.
He wanted you to look desperate, to plead and beg for mercy. That was his definition of satisfaction and you weren't giving it to him, hence why he wanted you dead.
"You don't know how badly I want to kill you right now." The raven head muttered, loosening and retightening his hold on your shirt.
Just by looking down, you could tell the damage would be severe. Your entire body would be shattered but that wasn't a problem for Dottore. He'd just fix you up and hand you over to Scaramouche like brand new.
"Then do it." You let out a sigh as you returned your attention to the boy. "If you really want to get rid of me, let me go."
Scaramouche interpreted it as a personal jab. This was an act of defiance and he would never ever let someone talk to him like that without repercussions. "Are you not afraid of dying?"
"Why do you do that?"
He was perplexed, unsure of what you meant. His movements grounded to a standstill as he waited for you to continue.
"Why do you speak to me as if I'm human?" You queried of him out of genuine curiosity.
You've been observing his behaviour since the first time you met and were quick to notice something. Despite his rude remarks about you being a robot, he always treated you like a mortal.
Scaramouche appeared to be debating whether or not to respond, or maybe he didn't know either. He shook his head and gave you a snide look, completely dismissing your question. "Are you afraid of death? Yes or no?"
There was a moment of deafening silence. A silence you and the boy had grown all too familiar with. The answer was so straightforward.
No.
Why does he keep asking after you've given him that similar response a million times? It's as if he was waiting for you to change your mind. You weren't designed to be afraid, nor would you fear death.
Your lips divided to give him a simple response but nothing came out. Why weren't your words coming out? That's when you felt it. Although the answer was ingrained in your head, a small part of you was fighting back. The pain was obviously not a problem and death itself was not a concern because you knew you'd be remade. So, what was there to be afraid of?
Before you knew it, you were being pulled back up and pushed to the ground next to him. He ignored you and took a comfortable seat on the cliff, his legs dangling over the edge.
You expected something different to happen. The Scaramouche you knew would've dropped you the moment you opened your mouth but this one was strangely different. He removed his hat and set it on his lap, gazing down at everything beneath him as if he owned the world. Though this time, he seemed more at serenity.
After a short period, he looked over his shoulder to see if you were still on the ground. And just like predicted, you were. He rolled his eyes, irritated by your simple-minded nature. "What are you doing?" His hand patted against the area beside him. "Sit."
You were astounded by his calm demeanour and thought it was too good to be true. This was certainly another one of his tests. Regardless, you scooted over there and adopted his posture.
The view from above Mondstadt was truly magnificent. Something about it seemed so heavenly, as if nothing but peace remained. Sitting here can cause anyone to pause and reflect on life, allowing them to appreciate its many aspects.
"What is it about humans that fascinates you?" The raven-head wanted to know, squinting in disgust while still looking below him. "They're all weak....fragile and easy to break."
You exhaled a long-held sigh as your body relaxed. What were you supposed to say?
"I guess I'm just trying to fit in." You responded in the most direct way.
The harbinger, however, was unsatisfied. He glanced over to you, a disappointed expression on his face. "Don't lie to me." He looked you in the eyes and tried to find your weak point, usually his tactic for making people fearful. "I don't care how you answer so be honest with me."
His final words felt reassuring, like you could rely on him outside of your line of work. They say you should never trust a harbinger but you felt compelled to disagree. You saw a completely different side of him, without the prejudice of being his robot.
Or rather you were unwittingly walking right into his trap. Scaramouche's danger stemmed from this. Until the very end, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between his sincerity and his manipulation.
What was the point of lying if he could already read you like a book?
"I'm not sure... When I see them, I feel..." You couldn't find the right words to express your emotions.
"Jealous?" Scaramouche responded on your behalf.
At the word, your lips pressed tightly together. "That description bothers me.....Envious, I suppose."
"Jealous." He retaliated. "You're jealous that they can feel things you can't. Sadness, joy, excitement, love. All of it. They can do things that you can't like enjoy a nice meal or take an amazing nap."
"...Yeah..." In that moment, you didn't feel so alone anymore. Even though he couldn't relate to your struggles, you had the impression that you were being heard. It felt like you were speaking with someone who had already gone through and understood your anguish. It just so happened to be the same person that hated you.
A heavy weight had been lifted from your shoulders. This strange bottled feeling you had to keep hidden from Dottore was finally released but was it to the right person? Of course you trusted him but how were you so sure that he trusted you?
You needed to find out.
"What was your life like before joining the Fatui?"
Scaramouche straightened his back, clearing his throat from the discomfort. He didn't expect that topic to come up out of nowhere. "Just because I asked you a question, doesn't mean we're friends. Leave my personal business alone."
So he didn't. "You're right. I'm sorry for that." With a warm smile, you offered an apology.
You closed your eyes and lifted your chin up to the sky. Scaramouche was quick to notice your change in behaviour. His indigo eyes were drawn to your side profile before relocating to his lap where the rested hat laid. He sighed exaggeratedly, giving in. "I didn't really do much. I mean, I wandered from place to place. That's all." He answered, making sure to keep all specific details out.
Your eyelids lifted and you tilted your head to him, watching the boy tinker with one of his hat's curving hooks. "Do you ever get lonely sometimes?" You asked. "I'd guess so, given that you basically push everyone away."
His hands paused then laid flat on the hat. It took him a while to respond but the reply you received was solid. "No."
You accepted it with a slow nod of your head. "I see."
The time you spent with Scaramouche flew by rather quickly as the sun set. He stood up and put his hat back on, slowly starting to walk off. "I got stuff to take care of right now. Meet me here tomorrow, same time as today."
You were stunned that he wanted to see you again, even making plans to do so but hey- progress was progress. "Okay." He was able to head back to the hotel after receiving that confirmation. Still, you had one last thing to do, especially since his back was turned to you.
Scaramouche
Health 100%
Affection 17%
A delighted smile crept on your face as you read the last section. "Opening up to people can help you gain perspective and find solutions that you may not have been able to reach on your own." You thought back to what the web said.
Slowly but surely, you'd gain his trust.