fandom: genshin impact
sleep deprivation AU. Short oneshot
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As per usual, I was watching a trial go down in the palais mermonia.
It was a particularily boring one - actually, it had seemed as if the whole week had gone completely bleak.
I stayed up later sometimes... Taking nightly strolls, sitting by the lakes, lying down and looking up at the stars with some sweet desserts as a 4AM snack... Sometimes, I scared the melusines with my antics, but oh well.
I blankly looked down at the glorified stage below, the dazzling oratrice mecanique d'anylyse cardinale, the iudex, chief justice, hydro dragon, otterman, whatever you wanted to call him too, resting my face on the back of my hand, legs crossed on the seat.
I was zoning out. Sigh, again.
...But by the time I'd snapped back to the world of the living and practical, the court case had ended. The verdict had been settled, and I hadn't paid enough attention to know what it was.
My eyes drifted closed, though I forced them back half-open.
Did... Did I even sleep last night...? I don't remember going to my room... Or even going near a bed...
I could barely keep my eyes open, but I knew I couldn't fall asleep here.
I decided to finally stand up, yawning, though I immediately felt myself going lightheaded and dizzy, and it was like my full body was an ice cold anchor slamming against the handrail for support. After a couple moments of dizziness and numbness clouding my head like crashing waves, they evened out - and I took a deep breath and stood up properly.
I walked around the chair and to the spiralling steps, which I had no energy to walk down, but oh well.
Every time I stepped down a step it was like my soul left my body for a moment - until the gentle clack of my shoes against the wood below summoned it back to me.
...Exhaustion...
What time was it? I couldn't bother to check... But I knew it was far too early to sleep. And didn't I have something else planned...? Some interview with a charming pink-haired girl, or something... Oh bother, I could just ask Neuvilette later.
One thing was for sure; my lack of sleep over the past few weeks was certainly noticeable. Sometimes I'd get event managers or Neuvilette himself to question my wellbeing, as I looked a little worse for wear. I even tried coffee at one point, though I found its acrid bitterness disgusting, even doused in milk and sugar. Not to mention the throat-burning sensation of the stomach acid crawling back up your esophagus after you drink it... Eugh... It didn't even keep me awake. Maybe it's like percocet where you're supposed to feel an effect but only do after two or more... Whatever.
When I finally took the last step, I accidentally thought there were more steps, and almost tripped at the realisation there was only more floor waiting for me instead of stairs. Once I regained my position and hastily looked left to right to make sure no one saw my flunk, I walked outside and decided to sit down at a bench near the Fountain of Lucine. Except, well, I immediately retreated back to my room inside the palais mermonia after a couple minutes, as the summer sun was both hot and sickening - a bad combo with the humid, hydrated air. I felt like I was melting already. Once I got to my room, I barely had the energy to brush my hair or even change into a night gown for a nap, simply faceplanting into the gentle, silky sheets.
It was only then I'd realised how tired I was. I could barely get up to set my alarm for two hours and a half... But I had to, so I did, and, reluctantly changing into a night gown in order not to crumple my carefully-ironed suit, I finally lied down and let consciousness leave my body for a while.

...

When I finally woke up, to the elegant music (which had grown to annoy me due to the fact that it meant I had to wake up already) of my alarm, lazily reaching out my arm to turn it off, missing, and sadly ending up having to sit up and open my eyes to turn it off, I decided by that point I should just get ready, and so I groggily got up and stretched. After having a nice full-minute-long staring contest with my wall, I decided to get up and go to the meeting already.
Once I had my suit on, my hair and teeth brushed, and a couple self-checks in the mirror, I was ready to go. ...And tired, but a lot less than before!
A day in the life of a sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiightly -sleep-deprived Furina.