"No amount of self-sought fury will bring back the glory of innocence." - League Taruko
✧ ━━ 𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐓𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐍 : 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝙻𝙴𝙰𝙶𝚄𝙴 𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙴 ━ @deathdxnces
Haruko knelt at the riverbank, the gentle sounds of the flowing water creating a serene trickling that helped distract him from the storm forming in his mind. His hands moved mechanically, the fabric of the pink cheongsam slipping through his fingers as he tried to wash away the stains of the day. Crimson darkened the stream while he scrubbed, and Tarhos' voice brought him to the surface. A sharp pain shot through his knuckles, a punishment from the healing blisters he had inadvertently torn open. Ivory tiers pressed together in frustration and his ears drooped low to lay across his head - but he knew better than to snap at Tarhos, he knew he was his mirror. To deny it would be to deny his own heart's words.
Drawing in a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused on the sounds of nature surrounding him - using the call of birds, the soft whispers of the trees and the beating life of his lover to relax his bristling nerves. Slowly, the anger that had gripped him began to ebb away, replaced by a sense of calm; only for it to surge back when his fingers caught on a torn hole in the delicate dress. The Vastayan stood deceptively fast, the garment being thrown rather roughly into the damp laundry basket - not caring for the water splashing onto him from the motion, or bothering to hold back his annoyed snarl. His claws carved his agitation into the once flat sand, now torn apart by his relentless pacing. Finally, turning towards his companion with a troubled expression, Haruko sought solace in their connection, hoping to find peace once he allowed himself to try and step into Tarhos' headspace.
The crackling flames cast dancing shadows across the rugged features of the Vastayan, revealing the deep lines etched by life's harshness - of his attempt at mercy and the anguish it brought him. Beyond the gentle glow of the fire, nestled in a cocoon of warmth, lay a slumbering figure - a fragile human girl, the embodiment of resilience and vulnerability that he had sworn to guide. The Vastayan had helped shape her, but in truth ... It was clear that Haruko had poured his entire being into protecting her, a futile attempt to hide her from the world's callousness. The unwavering devotion in his gaze spoke volumes, a silent promise to safeguard her against the storm raging outside their small sanctuary. Yet, beneath the facade of strength, only his lover could see the raw ache of loss that gnawed at Haruko's soul, a poignant reminder of the irrevocable scars that marred their shared past.
And Haruko knew that his efforts, no matter how fervent or driven, could never shield her from every harsh lesson the world held for her, nor how they all awaited just beyond the riverbank. The Vastayan's sharp claws dug into the soft sand. He grappled with the knowledge that he could never restore what had been taken from her - both the bodies in the ground and the dimming of the once-bright light in her eyes. Ionia's beauty had been spoiled for her, the flowers would always smell like her mother's favorite perfume, and the grass would become the fingers that once combed through her hair. How could he ever hope for his hands to hold every memory? He would never be able to hold her in the way that her father had … but he would always hold her in his way; that child held his promise within her now, and he would not leave her to drown in darkness.
He found solace in Tarhos's silent understanding, allowing him the space to gather his thoughts and emotions, and final he lifted his gaze to the Darkin. Haruko opened the doors to his own soul so that Tarhos would share his feelings. A wave of fiery warmth swept through their shared consciousness, a silent promise of unwavering support and companionship in the face of adversity. She would never walk a lonely road. No, she would journey on to light every day - a rising sun over Ionia's devastated land. A red dawn that would clear away evil and bring rise to green pastures dappled with flowers. And he would sweep away any clouds that tried to hide her radiance.
"I know, but we can preserve what is left of that innocence for her, even if but for a moment - Even if it costs all I have left in this body."
With eyes of cornflower petals he regarded her once more, hidden just beyond the golden flames of their camp. They emitted a soft, ethereal glow in the dim moonlight - as if he could see into the very depths of the slumbering soul. Haruko's brows lowered and his voice fell t a murmur,
"She deserves at least that."
