Rerir x fem!reader while still respecting Rerir x Tholindis
Angsty idea
Rerir only has eyes for Tholindis. She was his past, present and future, even in the hands of death. Tholindis was all he ever thought about, all he ever fought for.
And then there's you, the newest apprentice of Nefer and the latest employee of The Curatorium of Secrets. Of course, Nefer wouldn't take just anybody in. You have a certain affinity towards kuuvhaki and have discovered that you're able to rewind your actions and experiences exactly 10 seconds back in time.
"It may not seem like a lot, but she essentially has the ability to change outcomes and reassess her steps, provided that she acts quickly in her 10 second window," is what Nefer said when she caught wind about you.
Spoiler for current Archon Quest
While out on an intel gathering trip for Nefer, you stumble upon a small box with a ring inside. Seeing as it was in the middle of nowhere, you decide to keep it and only really inspect it when you get home. It's an aged ring, with a sort of deep purple gem in the middle. Something compels you to slip it onto your ring finger and as soon as you do the air splits in front of you, as if a hole appearing out of nowhere.
You've unknowingly opened the moon gate and there on the other side is a white-haired man, ominous in appearance, black bandages wrapped almost all around him, you could only really see one crimson eye where a flash of surprise crosses.
In the next second, the gate closes, the man is nowhere to be seen.
Instinctively and almost immediately you hone kuuvahki into sending you back in time a mere five seconds, when the gate was open. Your arm reaches in, hand makes contact with the man's bandaged arm and with all your might pull him out of the moon gate and into your room.
You fall backwards onto your bed, the man, sorely out of place in your cozy house, sprawled on the floor.
Rerir had abandoned all thoughts of revenge at this point and had already bid his farewells to Tholindis through Columbina. So when he realizes he's back in the realm of the living, he's painfully confused.
You're none the wiser. You have no idea who this man is, only that you thought you needed to save him from that sad looking place.
"...I'm sorry but how did you open the moon gate?" You jumped when he spoke up. Not exoecting a rather gentle voice from his...monstrous looking persona.
"I didn't, it just, happened,"
It was then that he recognizes the ring on your finger. The same ring that he had prepared for Tholindis for their engagement but never got to give her. He's too stunned to speak, but you've already started to offer him your bathroom so he could "freshen up".
"Do you not see how I look like?" Rerir started. Surely you weren't being kind to someone who looked like trouble.
"...I don't judge people by their looks... A beautiful, well-kept lady could very well be a murderer in disguise,"
How ironic that statement was and how it reminded him of his old predicaments with Tholindis.
Before he could even say anything else, Nefer is at your door, with Lauma and Columbina behind her. Something about a shift in kuuvahki energy originating from your house.
Rerir is detained, but he doesn't resist. You on the other hand, was brought up to speed on who Rerir was, along with his terrible deeds.
To say you were surprised was an understatement. It was also a complete mystery (at this moment, at least) how you were able to pull him out of the gate.
Days later after Columbina and the others had assessed that Rerir has, in fact, no malicious intent nor passion for revenge anymore, she releases him into the living world under the condition that he is watched. The decision was made under strict scrutiny, this was someone who had caused a lot of trouble after all, but if there was anyone who understood the importance of giving second chances, it would be your group of friends and Nasha Town.
Of course, that task was put upon you (and under secret supervision by others). You were the reason why he ended up back here after all.
You learn that this isn't an easy task. Despite not having a thirst for revenge he is still tainted with abyssal energy. Something that he has to learn how to control. On top of that, his presence in the living realm seems to stir the Wild Hunt even more, and, curiously, the Wild Hunt seems to be following YOU around. Later, you find out that they're attracted to the ring, not you. However, no matter what everyone tried, the ring would not budge from your finger. Columbina thinks it's the malicious energy inside anchoring itself to you.
"In that case it's best that you let me know when you're leaving town on an assignment. It's safer if I go with you," is what Rerir said, genuinely believing that you had given him his chance to repent for all that he had done.
Rerir, however, had the habit of falling into the ocassional depression and bad moods, brought by memories of his past and burdens of his actions. He lashes out at you one day, hurling accusations about how you had made his life miserable, that you should've just left him in the quiet of that void. There was nothing left in the living world for him, no Tholindis, just pain and hatred. Before he could lose control over his abyssal energy, you step 10 seconds back in time, right when you were about to knock on his door.
You instead turn away and leave on your assignment without him, opting to ask Flins to accompany you instead.
For reasons obvious to you, yet not to others, you continue to avoid Rerir up until he himself seeks you out.
"Have you not been given any tasks these few days?" His appearance had changed drastically while trying to live a normal life in Nasha Town. Gone were the black bandages and gauntlets, replaced by mundane looking clothes that made him look like a scholar instead of an adept fighter. He now kept his long white hair in a bun.
You're unsure how to answer him, for it would be easy to ask around and find out that you indeed were going out on tasks without him. However, remembering that you were supposed to be responsible for him, you decide to answer truthfully.
"I've been out on a couple, I had someone else tag along,"
The confusion that breaks on his face is readable. "You could've asked me,"
You stay silent for a few seconds before carefully replying "...there were days where you weren't in the mood..."
Rerir's eyebrows scrunch up even more, then the tension in his features releases and turns into realization. "You used time reverse,"
By no means was he stupid. He could put two and two together, albeit it was a little cryptic.
"Gods, did I hurt you? Is that why?" He dug his palms into his eyes, attempting to hide his frustration.
"Mm, no, not in the way that you think, at least," you left out the part where you think he was on the verge of it.
"Oh... Oh, that's good, I guess," he sighs, now moving one of his hands to rub his temple. "Listen, I--" how was he going to say that he would like it if you were just honest with him. When his previous life was built out of lies, honesty was so much more important in this one. "If I cause you any harm then by all means, please protect yourself," he started. "And... maybe this is strange to ask of, but I'd rather you don't hide it from me if I do. You don't have to protect me from that guilt," He seemed to take in a huge amount of air, as if lacking the courage to say his next lines but blurting it out anyway. "I promise I'll use that guilt to become better, I won't let it tear me down anymore,"
You meet his eyes of silent determination, you're not sure whether to be in awe or to pull away from the split second of attraction you feel.
"You don't have to promise me anything... I'm not..."
Tholindis
The phrase isn't finished, but the heavy silence that followed fills it in for the two of you. You clear your throat after a moment, changing the subject as soon as you recover. "Uhm, but, I'll try, anyhow. Not to hide things, I mean,"
You hope the heat on your cheeks isn't visible.
He takes it, and eagerly replies "Great! Then come find me whenever you need help,"
and that's where my brainrot ends.
What possible scenarios could we have for this? Feel free to share your ideas!