{a/n: TW: mentions of violence and death}
"Hu Tao, you're worrying me... what is going on?"
"You should be worried, Y/n"
Hu Tao and Kazuha came at your house unannounced and were now sitting on your couch looking at you concerned. Your high school friend told you she needed to talk with you, and that made you think the worst things, like someone died on their way home. You felt weak on your knees, so you took a seat in front of them. There was no chair and not another couch, you just sat there, on the cold floor. You couldn't care less, you were worried sick at that point.
Even when the boy spoke with his voice that always managed to calm you down, you were still breathing heavily "Do not worry that much, dear Y/n. And... I'll just stay here for a while, I'll leave you two girls alone shortly, I need to talk to someone else too"
"Just what is it guys?!"
"Y/n... You couldn't hear it when Scaramouche run away with you, but... how can I say it...?"
"Wait, wait, wait, is all this about that stupid tattoo?! Fucking archons, you gave me a heart attack"
"Huh..." Kazuha looked at Hu Tao, then his attention went back to you "Did you already know it?"
"No, I didn't know anything, I still don't know anything, I have no idea what 'it' is, and I don't wanna know anything. Not now, not from you. I told him I would have waited for him to tell me, I told him I wouldn't ask Zhongli, I don't wanna listen to you either"
"Y/n, this is serious, we're not talking about a normal tattoo, that is-"
"HU TAO! I'm serious too. I don't want to know something about him from someone else, he clearly was devastated when you found out, I don't want to hurt him, he'll tell me when he will feel ready"
"He could never feel ready. He could never tell you, you could forget about it, you could keep on hanging around him and one day find yourself in a really dangerous situation. I know you're getting closer and closer, and I know you might fall for him, I also know I shouldn't butt in your business and your life, finally you're having a life worth living, getting out of this house and doing something else beside studying, but I don't want to see you at the parlor. So please, listen to me"
"You're making it sound like he's some serial killer, jeez Hu Tao, it's a tattoo! And no, I don't wanna listen to you, I'm sorry. He's just a friend, I thought I gave you plenty of proofs that I'm not in love with him, cut the crap with this 'you fall for every grumpy emo boy', he is just a friend. And I made a promise to a friend, I'm not breaking it"
"Fatui"
"Huh...?"
"He's a Fatui Harbinger"
"HU TAO FOR FUCK SAKE!"
"Y/N THEY KILL PEOPLE! I SAW IT! I-I don't want you to be at the parlor with their symbol... burned on your forehead like that old man... I can't even imagine it..."
At this point, you knew. Hu Tao made sure you knew even if you didn't want to. There's no coming back, now. You knew it. And you wished you never let them in. Your thoughts were a mess, you heard about a certain Fatui when you were little, but you never knew a lot about it, and for sure you had no idea what a "Harbinger" was. You didn't want to believe her, what was she talking about in the first place...?
"Hu Tao, what the actual fuck are you talking about, he's just Scaramouche... you know him... Are you... saying he killed someone? Did you saw him killing this old man you mentioned? Are you 100% it was him? He is a killer?"
"I never saw him before this year at uni, but I can assure you the Fatui killed a man. We were 16 years old, do you remember? Three years ago. A man was found dead around here, the knife that killed him still in his heart. The police never found any proof. Not even a single thing. It seemed to be the work of a professional. The only thing they had was the symbol made with a burning iron on his forehead. Citizens recognized it like the one of a local gang, a bunch of kids and teenagers who called themselves 'Fatui'. But that was all they had. No one ever saw a member of the Fatui, no one knew where they came from, one day they just appeared out of nowhere. No one had any idea of what they used to do, and to be honest, no one really cared. They just were the center of the attention of everyone for some days, when someone said they got robbed, a relative got sick, or they got fired without reason, it seemed there was always the Fatui behind it. But no one knew any information about anything. Then, after that man was killed, they seemed to disappear. No one talked about them anymore, no one seemed to be on their bad side and eventually everyone forgot about them. But that man... His corpse came to the parlor, I will never forget how dad said that it seemed they burned the symbol even before they killed him. I will never forget his face, that symbol right above his eyes still contorted in pain. Y/n, please. I'm not telling you to stop seeing him, I will probably not do that either... But you needed to know, you have to be careful. They say only the Harbingers and the leader have that tattoo. Before the murder, the Fatui was really famous between kids, lot of rebellious teenagers and kids wanted to join them to feel accepted by someone or something, to feel part of something bigger than them. They say the Fatui had around two hundred kids under their watch. And there was a system: on top, the leader, under them eleven Harbingers, then those who did the dirty work, like agents, and lastly the recruits. Now you realize how dangerous is he? He's either the leader or one of the most trusted ones by them. Don't get too close to him, don't involve yourself fully, don't get on his bad side and always be careful. Hopefully, maybe, one day he will just disappear from our lives. I'm- I'm scared"
"Hu Tao... how can you say such things... He's your friend, you know him. Isn't it 'innocent until proven guilty'? Just because Zhongli said he saw a tattoo that to him seemed like the Fatui symbol, you can't start assuming he killed someone, do you realize how wrong that is...? You're getting too far, I'm sorry, I really am, but... I don't believe you. And even if he is one of the Harbingers, you said after that murder the Fatui disappeared right? Maybe one of them did a mistake and the whole organization fell apart. One of them. Even if you have proofs he was or still is a Fatui, you said there were 200 kids part of it, he could have never done anything, he could just have been in that group of friends... I don't want to assume things, and I won't. I will be as careful as I can, you too, but I want to get close to him, I will. As a friend. And I hope you two will do the same. If you could see how scared he was when we run away... you would break him into hundreds of pieces if you leave him..."
Kazuha spoke for the first time after the argument started, standing up from your couch "Yes, I can promise you Y/n, I will never leave his side. I already knew he was hiding something, but I'm more than sure that we all know the true Scaramouche. I believe we should not be cautious when with him, nothing changed and nothing will ever, like nothing happened and nothing will ever happen to us. I know where your words come from, Hu Tao, but he's not dangerous. You saw him plenty of times. He might get angry easily, but he's not dangerous, I'm sure. Now, I'll take my leave. Goodbye ladies, I hope to see you soon"
The boy left, and you got up from the floor and went over the kitchen without seeing a word. You didn't even know what you were thinking, probably you would think too much so your brain just shut down on its own. Just blank. But one thing was clear, you had no intention to let this thing change anything, nor with Hu Tao, Scaramouche or anyone. <<Why can't just we pretend Zhongli didn't see anything and go on like always...? Maybe it wasn't even that thing, we're risking too much...>>
"Y/n, I'll get going, I've been out all day and I'm tired. Bye"
"Ok, bye Hu Tao"
That was the driest farewell you bid to your friend in all those years.
You heard the door closing behind the girl, and went to lock it, then went back to the kitchen, blasted some happy music through the speakers and decided to make a cake to focus on something else.
Kazuha arrived at Scaramouche's house in less then 5 minutes, more or less when Hu Tao left your place. Ringing the doorbell nobody answered for a while, then a nice-dressed woman with her long purple hair tied in a braid opened the door with a slightly bothered face.
"Good evening Ei. I'm very sorry to disturb you, but I have some matters to discuss with Scaramouche. He is home, right?"
"Hi Kazuha, you'll never disturb, do not worry. And yes, my son is home. He's acting quite strange, I hope you can at least get him out of the music room, he should be there" Ei moved to the side and gestured the boy to come inside, before continuing "I don't know what happened, you know I don't have the best relationship with him, but maybe you can help him. Please, make yourself home, I'll leave you two alone, Makoto is also out. Goodbye Kazuha, hope to see you again in a more fortunate situation"
Ei left and locked the door, and Kazuha took a deep breath, two glasses of water from the kitchen and went up the stairs. Once he reached the music room, he could hear from the other side two songs playing altogether. Scaramouche couldn't possibly be listening to them both at the same time. Was he trying to make his brain shut up?
"SCARA!" Kazuha knocked twice on the door with one of the glasses and the songs stopped. But no one opened. "Scara, it's me, Kazuha, please I just want to talk with you really quick, I'll leave you-" the door bursted open, almost scaring the red eyed boy, who finished the sentence only when Scaramouche got back inside the room leaving the door open, meaning the guest could come in too "-soon"