Summary: Gojo Satoru could be a complete tease, outside the bedroom and inside the bedroom. Sometimes, you played along with his antics, because why not? The reward would be sweet, or so he promised. But sometimes, it was just too much, leaving you hanging on the bridge of madness, leaving you with nothing but a flame of desire within you, a flame that only he could put out.
Relationship: Gojo Satoru/Reader
Rating: E
Words: 2.6K
Content Warning: consensual sex, edging, unprotected sex (don't be silly, protect the willie), breeding, orgasm denial (?), pet names (babygirl, baby, darling), fingering, etc. (let me know if I forgot something).
Note: This is my first time writing smut, but I've caught up to the manga and man, I just had to do something with myself. This is pure porn with no plot at all, so ehe. Hopefully I haven't missed any typos or grammar. Reblogs, likes, and comments are appreciated!
On the other hand, writing this has been an experience because how the fuck do write people long smut? How do they put words together and make it sexy at the same time? Like damn.
cross-posted on ao3
You had heard of the name Gojo Satoru way before the start of high school. How could you not? Every sorcerer had heard of that name at least once: the wielder of six eyes, the strongest jujutsu sorcerer, the honored one... his name brought a sense of dread to his enemies while awakening feelings of admiration within his comrades.
You had heard plenty of him but didn't encounter him until the start of jujutsu high, where you had the unfortunate (or fortunate?) chance of being his precious kohai.
Up to that point, you had heard about how playful, annoying, and teasing Gojo Satoru could be, but it was only after meeting him that you realized how much of a playful, annoying, and teasing bastard he could really be.
It had all started in high school. You hadn't questioned his antics during that time, simply letting him touch you whenever the opportunity called for it. Whether that be a slight brush of your hands as you passed something to him, or him brushing something across your shoulders, afterwards playing with your hair as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
Remembering such memories never failed to bring a smile onto your face.
Gojo Satoru had always been a tease, during his youth and his adolescence. Normally, you played along his little games, more than eager to tease him back and make him crack.
What had started with innocent touches during your youth had turned into seducing prods, demanding more, wanting more, seeking more out of your body. You were all too eager to deliver, but sometimes, sometimes, even you couldn’t keep up with his enthusiasm.
You loved the feel of his large hands groping your tits, squeezing, pulling, brushing against your hard nipples, before teasing them with that wicked tongue of his; loved to feel his digits on your clit, gently caressing and petting the little bud nonstop, as if he wasn’t preparing to make you scream afterwards. With a soft growl of his, he would reassure you every time you cried out for him, desperately asking him to just put it in, please, and you loved it even more when he delivered, his long fingers finally sliding home within your pussy, fingering the shit out of you and granting you that sweet release you had been longing from him.
You loved him and his little game of teasing, but sometimes, you hated him for this exact reason.
You hated him for making you crave him so much, for putting you through hell, just to get a taste of his fingers, his mouth, his cock. Anything he was willing to give, you would gladly accept.
It didn’t matter whether it was his fingers, his mouth or his cock, he would patiently wait, he would listen, as if you weren’t trashing within his hold, moaning, practically crying his name with every breath. “Satoru, ah, Satoru… please.”
Satoru was too good at ignoring his own desire, his cock practically leaking, begging to be touched, but he wouldn’t have it. Without you saying the words, at least. He adored the expression on your face whenever you felt desperate, the breathless sighs leaving your parted lips, along your twitching thighs that rose into his hand, sucking and clenching around his fingers, and the filthy sound your cunt made with every push and pull… it was all too addicting.
Even if he tried, Satoru couldn’t, wouldn’t stop, no matter how much you begged for mercy.
“Relax, I got you,” he murmured, leaning over your sweaty body, kissing you on the lips, effectively cutting of the moans. Their tongue danced around each other, moaning against each other’s mouth as Satoru massaged your right tit as his other hand maintained a fast pace within your poor cunt, feeling it twitch with every push and pull, brushing against that spot that had you gush against his digits. Desperate for more, you ache more into his palm, in hopes of him acknowledging your neglected clit.
Though, you knew that he wouldn’t show you any mercy, that bastard. The pleasure was just too much.
Sometimes, he was too much for you.
You wouldn't have it any other way.
Kissing your red cheeks and trailing kisses across your neck, Satoru kept the fast pace of his fingers, curling his fingers slightly up, brushing against that spongy spot once again, leaving you a moaning, twitching mess beneath him.
Hands grasping his hair, you held on tightly as he left soft pecks across your neck and shoulder blades.
“Ssh, it’s okay babygirl.” He chuckled at the whine that escaped you when he pulled his fingers out, switching his attention to the swollen bud, gently petting your clit before slapping it, before gently petting it once again. He stuffed you full of his fingers once again, continuing his fast pace within you. “Just take it like this. I know you can.”
Cocky little bastard. How can he be this collected when you felt his cock twitch against your thigh whenever you grinded on him? It was hard, tip swollen an angry red and leaking precum from all the grinding, but here he was, acting as if this wasn’t affecting him in the slightest, as if he wasn’t yearning to be inside you.
A long sigh left your lips as you clenched on his fingers that were assaulting your drenched pussy, blushing at the wet sounds it created. It would have been embarrassing any other day, the way you were soaking his palm, but today, you couldn’t care any less.
“Fuck… please, please give it to me.”
He growled underneath his breath, a crazed look on his face, smirking as he witnessed you desperately trashing within his hold. “Just tell me what you want, and I will give it to you,” he promised, placing loving kisses against your reddened cheeks. “You just have to say what you want, darling. Use your words. You can do that much, right? I haven’t fucked you dumb, right?” He asked, slowly pulling his fingers out to gently massage your clit, slapping it occasionally, chuckling as moans left your mouth. “What do you want me to do? Tell me what you want, I’m not a mind reader, baby.”
“Satoru…” you drawled out, meeting each other’s gaze. Satoru didn’t look away from you, daring you to back out, to not voice out your wants. You bit your lip, the uncomfortable ache within you making it unable to stand still. “Please, make me come. I want to come so badly. Please.”
That was all he needed to hear. If there was something that Satoru loved, it was you desperately begging him to make you come. He was sure, this feeling would never leave him; there would never be a day where Satoru didn’t want to hear you cry out of pleasure, begging for him.
You were his needy little girl, all spread open, wet, twitching and ready just for him.
Satoru loved to see you desperate, desperate for a kiss, desperate for his fingers, desperate for his cock.
He loved teasing you, making you beg, wrecking you, before starting the process all over again.
"There you go. Was that so hard to admit?" His cockiness and the smug smile on his face would have annoyed you any other day, but today, you let it slide, focusing on the way he played with your clit, prepping you up for what was about to come. "You know I will give it to you. All you have do is be a good girl and ask."
Placing a hand on your stomach, Satoru began his unforgiving assault with his other hand, and fuck, if it wasn’t what you needed. His fingers expertly bully your cunt, pulling and pushing, brushing over your sensitive spots within you, and you trashed, and trashed, and trashed. His hand on your stomach held you down, and you could do nothing but shake like a leaf underneath his demonstrations.
He leaned over you body when you grasped his shoulder, scratching his back as you bucked against his hand, and fuck, was it fucking hot. Quiet murmurs of his name and repeated, dragged ‘yes’ were the only thing that left your lips, encouraging Satoru to give you more, more and more.
“C’mon baby, you’re close, aren’t you?” Tugging at your aching bud, he massaged it quickly, up and down, left and right, before repeating the process, bright eyes never leaving your teary gaze. “Come on my fingers, baby. Give it to me.”
“Fuck-Satoru… I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come!”
You felt as if you were spiraling, finally having found the exit of a labyrinth. You could practically feel the edge, just a little more, and you were sure you would tip over.
That would be the case, if it wasn’t for Satoru pulling out of your pussy after hearing those words, grasping your thighs as you struggled against hold, having been left an empty, unsatisfied, and twitching mess.
"You piece of fucking shi-"
His lips met yours, interrupting the string of profanities, smiling against your mouth and grinding his hips against yours, cock laying heavy against your pussy, its wetness spreading across his length. “I’m sorry, baby. Need you to come on my cock instead, missed you so damn much,” he growled, adjusting himself between your spread legs, his knees placed against your tights, gazing at the sinful treasure presented in front of him.
Messy hair, swollen and puffy lips due to all the kissing, sweat covering every inch of your body, it was a view to behold, and it was all his to defile.
Adjusting himself so that the tip of his length grazed your sensitive clit, he teased you by tracing his tip over your bud and netherlips, brushing back and forth, occasionally tapping the swollen button, ignoring and shushing the little whines that escaped you. “Hold on tight, baby. You not going anywhere without coming on my cock.”
You had plenty of sex with Satoru, he was practically insatiable. Though, no matter how many times you had intercourse, it never lost its magic, each time different than the other, but always leaving you satisfied, sated, and with a delicious ache between your legs.
Even now, prepped and dripping, he was big enough to make you breath hitch as he pressed into you inch by inch, gauging your reaction, observing whether it was okay to continue. You both groaned as his cock slid home, feeling him twitch inside you, deliciously dragging his length within your cunt.
You bit your lip. He filled you up too good, and you could do nothing but tighten around him.
Satoru’s thumb brushed against your lower lip, releasing it from your bite before lovingly caressing your face. You would have thought the gesture as romantic and sweet, if it weren’t for the fact that he was balls deep and rock hard within you. Stroking your chest, playing with your nipples, he playfully swirled his hips against yours, smirking as you rotated your own hips as well, before settling his hands on your waits, experimentally thrusting his cock into you.
"Don't try to stifle your moans. I want to hear you scream my name."
Satoru knew how to work his fingers against you, inside you; whether to be slow, teasing you with the barest of touches or firm, so that his digits could prod just the right places that had you groaning, and he definitely knew how to work his hips against your own, fervently pounding himself inside without abandon, clutching onto your waist, as if it was the only thing grounding him down to earth, and you could do nothing but cry out and take it, take it, take it.
Satoru was a beautiful man, always has been, but at that moment, above and inside you, he looked ethereal. With his white hair tousled, covering his beautiful eyes, gazing down at you, admiring the way your pussy clenched onto him as he repeatedly pounded in you, you were reminded of a starved beast, a predator ready to devour his little prey that laid baren in front of him.
You wouldn't have it any other way.
"You like that, baby?" He punctuated his words with a swirl of his hips that had you moaning loudly, his cock dragging across your walls beautifully, scratching that itch within you. "You look so fucking hot," he growled, before thrusting hard, admiring the way your breast bounce with every thrust. "You gonna make me come so hard, you would like that, wouldn't you? Want me to come inside you, fill up your empty pussy, baby?"
You bite your lip, gripping his wrist desperately, clenching and unclenching uncontrollably as his assault continued, anchoring yourself against his hand. Just the image of him coming inside you had you frenzied, so much so that you could only moan out loudly, holding onto him:
"Yes, fuck, please, yes. I want it so bad. Please, come inside of me, Satoru!"
Groaning at those words, he pounded away into you, and with every drag, you tightened around him, feeling him twitch, feeling as if you were ready to burst, but desperately trying to hold back your fast approaching orgasm. He was so close, you could feel it, and you wanted to feel him become undone within you, with you, filling your pussy up as you finally let go. Clutching his haunches, you rhythmically met his thrust, wordlessly encouraging him to fuck you faster, harder.
Gradually, his controlled thrusts turned sloppy, a telltale sign of his approaching orgasm. You grasped his shoulder, making him bent down so that you could mutter against his lips ‘Come with me, Satoru,’ before kissing him, tongues dancing and hips bucking wildly against each other as you hold onto him tightly.
Satoru knew how to wind you up, whether that be with his teasing antics or without, but the outcome always had you reeling, spasming mess against him, desperate to catch your breath as you finally let go of the tight coil within you. Satoru, on the other hand, wouldn’t let up, fucking you through your orgasm as he too finally tipped over the edge, groaning uncontrollably and grinding against your clit, fucking his load into you. The feeling of it had you smiling against his mouth, content and sated for the time being, and you absentmindedly massaged his neck, tugging at his hair as Satoru finished within you, thrusting slowly against you for the last time before stilling within you.
Without a hurry in the world, he kissed you, gently and sweetly, trailing pecks all over your cheeks and jaw, before ultimately placing a short peck on your lips once last time.
And with that, he straightened his posture, slowly pulling out of you with a breathless sigh, smirking in perverse satisfaction as cum drippled down your slit. The view had him throbbing uncomfortably. Therefore, he nudged your sensitive clit with his cock, toying with it, all the while ignoring the high-pitched whines of protest, leisurely smearing your wetness across your inner thighs, before carefully sliding his tip into you once again, groaning as he did so.
You haven't known how much of a tease Gojo Satoru could be, but with time, you had learned that his playful nature was, in fact, very much present during bedroom activities. You could say that you hated him for it, but the promise of sweet release after an endless amount of teasing always had you aroused, and Satoru was someone who kept his promise.
And till now, he always made good of his promises, so that at the end of the day, you let him have his victory price.
Summary: Whether it be fucking or making love, Satoru Gojo knew how to pleasure you like no other, either by playing rough, building up your pleasure with fast and precise strikes, or by sensual, slow rolls of his hips that certainly weren’t lacking in their intensity. Loving him and being loved by him was a gift from the heavens itself, one you were sure to treasure, as long as you both were willing to.
Relationship: Gojo Satoru/You
Rating: E
Words: 1.7K
Content Warning: consensual sex, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it!)
Notes: JJK makes me sad, so I wrote porn to stay delulu. I also realized I find it very hard to start writing without a certain setting or scene in my mind, so I'm surprised how I was able to write this at all. Hopefully there are no typos or grammar errors. Reblogs, comments, and likes are appreciated!
cross-posted on my ao3
Fucking was the act of sexual intercourse between two willing individuals, a play between two people that were sexually attracted to each other, joining together as one to chase that sweet release. They would grind into each other desperately, sweat lingering on their skin as they sang their song into heaven with their orchestrated moans and groans, the lewd slaps of skin meeting skin becoming the instruments in this act of pleasurable play.
Sex was like a dance between two cosmic stars, and the collusion would result in a heavenly explosion within the unlimited void that is called space, making way for new stars or planets to be born.
Making love, on the other hand, could vastly differentiate from that feeling of simply fucking someone. Making love could be like a calm wave crashing into the beach that was eager to meet sand, a simple but continuous push and pull of waves; a slow swirl of hips grinding into each other, simply enjoying the feeling of being connected as one body, one soul, performing the simple act of loving each other by giving each other everything they had, a push and pull between hips as one set of legs desperately clenching around a waist, aching up to grind onto his pelvis, meeting the delicious thrusts from her lover halfway. All throughout the act, they would squeeze each other's hands lovingly, never shying away from each other's gaze, unashamed at the pure lust in each other’s expression.
Though, making love could be rough too, just like enraged, powerful waves crashing into each other continuously during stormy weather, loud in their clashing, repeatedly colliding into each other no matter how many times it happened, with no regards to what might get destroyed in the end. Hands would tightly grab onto her hips, as if ensuring that she wouldn’t dare escape his clutches, tugging her forward to meet his thrust halfway, pounding his hard cock frantically into her wet cunt, and she would take it, and take it, and take it, all what he had to give, and she would scratch on his broad shoulders, drag her nails down his shoulder blades as his cock insistently prodded her sensitive spots, latch into his hair and neck as she clenched around him with each drag into her.
Sex was a delightful act, but sex with Gojo Satoru was otherworldly, an act that could be sweet and sensual, loving and time consuming, but so so worth it in the end. The sweet release you longed for only a small reward in the sight of the act of loving each other endlessly, shamelessly, however you wanted and in any way you wanted.
Satoru knew how to play you like a violin, knew exactly which string to pull to make you sing a certain way, knew that rubbing that little bud between your legs as he continued to rock into you would make your legs shake like crazy, sensitive as you were, or how to angle his hips to graze that one spot, growling as you squeezed his cock in the most delicious way in retaliation.
Sometimes, Satoru would be in a playful mood, and he would tease you by sliding his length against your warmth, back and forth, back and forth, deliberately dragging the tip of his cock against your swollen clit, watching as your wetness spread all over length, biting his lip to hold in a groan at the marvelous sight you made, laying on his bed, all spread out in front of him as you played with your tits, squeezing the rosy nipples that he so desperately wanted to latch his teeth onto. You would swirl in tandem with his hips, whining, begging for him to finally, “Put it in, please…”
Such a fixen you were, how could he deny you? Groaning under his breath as he repeatedly tapped the tip of his cock against your throbbing button before dragging the length back and forth against your wetness, then slowly feeding his cock into you inch by inch, before returning to nudging your clit teasingly. “Can’t wait for it, huh? Want it so bad, do you?” he breathlessly asked, as if he wasn’t rock hard and throbbing himself, desperate to finally feel your tight cunt, to relieve the ache that only you knew how to ease, reaching the edge he was so familiar with.
“I just want to feel you, want you inside me so bad.”
It felt like the whole world was shifting whenever you were joined as one, groaning at how tight you walls gripped into him as finally gave into your demand, sinking inch by inch into your warmth, reaching out to hold your hands in his, lovingly squeezing them as he slowly but surely bullied his cock into you.
“Fuck,” Satoru growled as slid home, wetness and tightness he longed to feel surrounding him, and he had to hold himself back from going wild, lest he couldn’t last long with you.
Nothing else mattered when you made love, not the breathless screams and moans you let out with every drag into you, or the lewd squelch when he rocked vigorously into your pussy, the headbroad of the bed banging against the wall with each surge forward. Not once did his eyes shift away from your figure, lingering on your fucked out expression, from your rosy cheeks and your plump lips that he so desperately wanted to sink his teeth onto, to the enticing bounce of your tits that swayed in tandem of his thrusts.
What a sight you made, and all that was for him. You put a spell on him, Satoru couldn’t explain the effect you had on him otherwise.
Without losing his rhythm, he grabbed the back of your tights, leaning his body weight forward, placing your legs on his shoulders, whispering a breathless, quiet ‘fuck’ under his breath as the new position had you squeezing his cock even tighter than before, his pelvis deliberately rubbing against your clit with each surge forward.
Satoru leaned forward, thanking the heavens for your flexibility, groaning in pleasure as this position had him reach even deeper within you. His chest grazed your breasts, and you leaned forward, kissing him slowly, smiling against each other's lips. The sweet gesture was a total contradiction to the way Satoru furiously pushed his cock in and out of your wet pussy, nudging the sensitive places within you that had you shamelessly moaning against his lips, your hips wiggling in his hold.
“Satoru…” you whimpered, grasping his hips, your legs beginning to spasm involuntarily, pussy clamping on his hard cock, as if trying to milk him dry to the last drop of his seed. You squirmed, arching your hips up, desperate to meet his thrust halfway as you felt the telltale signs of an orgasm approaching, “I’m going to come…”
“Yeah? You going to come for me, be a good girl and come on this fucking cock?”
“Uh-huh.”
He kissed you sweetly on the forehead, pushing away the strands that gathered around the crown of your head, before caressing your cheeks, brushing the corner of your lips, leaning forward to place a small kiss on your lips, muttering against you, “Look at me when you come. I want to watch you come apart for me.”
You were shaking like a leaf in his hold, sensitive from all the touches, your eyelids feeling heavy, and you so desperately wanted to throw your head back and moan to your heart's content, but you resisted, gazing into his blue eyes, whimpering as each drag across your sensitive walls took you one step closer to the sweet edge you were desperate to reach.
With one last peck on your lips, Satoru straightened his posture up and leaned on his haunches, one hand grasping at your thigh to keep you still as he rubbed little circles on you throbbing clit, losing his steady rhythm as he continued to pound into you, feeling his cock throb, balls tightening with each push into you. The ear splitting sound of your love making and the feeling of Satoru within you were all you could focus on as you finally reached your end, gushing all over his hard cock that was frantically pounding into you, prolonging your orgasm.
“I’m going to come,” he muttered feverishly, wildly ramming into you, wanting to release his seed deep inside of you, to fill your pussy up with all he had. “Fuck, I’m going to come. Let me come inside of you,” he uttered, flicking the little nub to and fro despite your oversensitivity. “Will you let me come inside of you?”
You bit your lip to keep from wailing out an answer, instead nodding frantically in reply. You dared not look away from him, noticing little details as he fell apart for you: how his brows pulled together in concentration, the way he bit his lip to keep his groans quiet without any success, the sweat on his temple and the way his fringe stuck to his sweaty forehead; felt his cock piston in and out of you before he came to a sudden halt within you, and you felt his cock twitch and spasm inside of you as he reached his release with a loud groan, his seed filling you up and spurting all over your walls. The immense happiness you felt was indescribable as you laid on his bed, completely fucked out but smiling, admiring Satoru, caressing his hair, dragging your hand down his chest before settling on his waist, stroking his skin lovingly as you waited for him to finish, catch his breath and calm down.
Whether it was fucking or making love didn’t really matter to you, for their love always found a way to make its presence known, whether that be by little touches or gestures during the pleasurable act or by declaring your love for each other with words. And sometimes, as he and you laid bare, still shaking from the intensive orgasm, sated and happy, facing each other with little smiles on your faces, there was simply no need to vocalize such feelings either, for your love for each other can be seen through your eyes. As it was said, the eyes are the window to the soul, and someone had to be blind to ignore the way blue eyes glinted with love, adoration and passion everytime Satoru looked at you.
Summary: Two times Naito hated her, one time were he just couldn’t get enough of her, even when they were destined to fight each other.
TW: Brief mentions of blood and death, but nothing too detailed.
Word Count: 2.5K
A/N: Enjoy the ride, enjoy the ride (final A/N also at the end of the chapter because I don't wanna spoil anything)
feel free to reblog + like + comment if you liked my writing and enjoy the reads!
cross-posted on ao3
chapter one / chapter two / chapter three (current chapter)
The development of one’s life was fascinating. How someone could be affected by one’s environment so greatly, even if certain genetics had been inherited by the parents; how circumstances seem to affect a person more deeply than they might let on; how a child’s mental process changed with the flow of time, maturing alongside the physical vessel…such elements had a great influence on one’s being, or so Naito had learned.
Circumstances, whether those be good or bad, made him grow up faster: countless battles gave him scars that he wore as accessories, though that experience also made him wiser, which was useful as a teacher. Whether he had won or lost, Naito made it his mission to learn something out of the (mis-)fortune.
He had matured. He grew up both mentally and physically, expanding his knowledge and craving his own path. Whether that path was the right or the wrong one that couldn’t be known, but Naito knew was that it was the path that he chose to follow.
His principles, his choices, his actions. After so much time wasted, he understood what it was to stand for what represents his choices as correctly as possible.
With this realization came the flow of question that had no clear answer, other than his own opinion on the matter:
Could a momotarou and an oni ever love each other in earnest, as it was between lovers? Would it be possible for them to overcome the rotten history that stemmed in between them, for them to see the person who they are for, to cherish each other’s presence and find home within the other’s arms?
Was there potential for growth, for change?
So many questions and no clear answer.
Naivety was not a trace Naito possessed, for every trace of that had left him with his growth, but it wasn’t naivety that made Naito answer with a ‘yes’. Hope bloomed within his heart for the next generation: with every year that passed, with each school year he taught in the academy, he could only wish that the youth had a chance to spur this change.
Was it so wrong of him to want change? He liked the thought of not discriminating someone because of some physical (or psychical) attribution his partner might possess. The thought of not discriminating someone because of some physical (or psychical) attribution his partner might possess sounded rational, right to him. Why would he, or other people, care about such trivial things in the first place, when all that should matter in between lovers was the feeling they awoke within each other?
To love a person was to love them along their flaws they might possess, to gently right their wrongs, to tenderly take their hands into their own and walk the chosen path they craved for themselves. To be with a person requires effort, effort Naito was willing to give, instead of ignoring the butterflies that had been churning inside his stomach for ages whenever he thought of her.
Her face. Her voice. Those plush lips that curled upwards so deliciously into a wicked smirk whenever she was ready to spout a witty remark back at him. Her bright eyes, so contrast to her comments and practically a window to her soul, revealing the true feelings, showcasing her pain and suffering she continuously went through, her joy, her amusement, her love she was fortune enough to continue to experience.
She was like a book for him, easy to read and get lost in, and he was already too invested in her story long before he realized.
Sometimes, Naito questioned when his attraction even started. How he didn’t realize her ensnaring hold she had on his mind ever since they met each other for the first time had been beyond him. All he could recall was the churning within his stomach as he first laid his eyes upon her sauntering figure, black eyes crashing into her own eyes, unable to tear his gaze away anywhere else; all he could think of was the following adrenaline rush he experienced when he realized she was on pair with him, matching him in every step in their dance of death.
As much as it had disturbed him for harboring such strong intrigue towards his enemy, Naito tended to respect those who had worked to achieve the power they yield now.
Though, no matter his personal feelings or thoughts about her, one thing had always been clear to him: they were on the opposite sides in this endless war. That much had been apparent to him when he first encountered her, though the reality of their circumstance became more clear as he watched countless oni fall by her hand that second time they had met at the basement.
What a shame it had been, to see her on the other side of the board whenever they had an fateful encounter.
On rare occasions, when he had a moment to himself, Naito had ask himself, could they have been friends if it weren’t for this endless struggle, this continuous war they found themselves to be a part of?
In his younger days, Naito would ask himself such bizarre questions, and the answer and conclusion would come find him whenever he saw a glimpse of her blood smeared appearance, shamelessly looking him in the eye, a decapitated head gripped tightly its hair.
As much as she had effortlessly captivated his attention, Naito remembered the growing hatred he had felt towards her, remembered the anguish she had caused him by just doing her part of the job.
At that time, Naito had convinced himself that there wouldn’t, couldn’t, be anything between them. Considering their history and the emotional pain they had inflicted on each other (even if it was unintentional on their part most of the time), the damage had been long done.
Time flies and opinions (even hardheaded ones) change, like a leaf slowly transforming its color from green to brown with the change of season. Admittedly, Naito hadn’t thought this would apply to him as well (like the oblivious youngster he had been), but with growing up and learning to become an adult, starting to teach the next generation of onis within the academy, a change of heart was soon to follow him after.
Holding on to hatred that the conflict had been causing, on to rotten believes some of the older generation might desperately try to clutch onto was irrational, and Naito was anything but irrational. Being rational and efficient was one of his top priorities, and if holding onto principles some old geezers were trying to uphold, he would make the effort to escape those clutches.
And what a decision it had been. Definitely for the better, if he could say so himself.
It had been hard, at first, to not react he way he had been used to react, the way it was expected of him to, but a change of heart was what he desired, which required a change of structural changes in his thoughts and behavior; growth and patience for the process was needed to achieve such goal, something Naito was willing to practice.
Lost in his thoughts and unaware of his surroundings, Naito hadn’t heard the approaching figure, getting startled from the sudden question directed to him: “Hey, what are you doing?”
He slammed the notebook shut, quit to hide his scribbles and thoughts from the woman who had approached and wrapped her arms around him from behind, nuzzling into his neck. He felt lips graze his throat, softly traveling up and down the path of his neck. It was tingling wherever her lips touched, like a feather was softly grazing his skin. He sighed at the sensation, eagerly craning his neck to give her more space to place kisses across, basking in the loving bliss his partner showered onto him.
“Nothing concerning. Just got lost in my thoughts. Why are you doing up so late? It’s past midnight already,” he mumbled, gently squeezing the hand that rested on top of his shoulder.
He held his breath as the kisses traveled painstakingly slow from his neck, to the underside of his jaw, to his cheek, paying special attention to the tattoo on his cheek before she placed her chin on his shoulder. “Well… if a certain someone didn’t decide to leave the bed, I would probably still be asleep,” she whispered, tugging at his hands, coaxing him to get up from his office chair and leave the office behind for tonight. “I can’t have you walking around tired all morning tomorrow, love. What would you students say, hm?”
“They would have to deal with it, simple as that.”
“…That sounds incredibly inefficient for you, my love. You need to get some sleep in.”
Midnights were especially hard for him, his mind overflowing with memories that he was eager to note down. Nonetheless, he complied easily as his partner led him towards their shared bedroom and helped him get comfortable on their bed, eagerly joining him after and resting her head on his shoulder, shamelessly cuddling into his side. She was especially cute tonight, he thought as he shivered not only because of the cold, but because of the anticipation.
“What were you writing about?” she whispered curiously, as to not disturbed the quiet between them too much, tracing different shapes on top of his chest. The continuous coos of owls that lurk in the nature, along with the soft tingles of her finger wandering all over him was sure to lull him to sleep. “Something I should worry about? You won’t make me have to go through your stuff to know, right?” she added teasingly, leisurely moving her index finger over to the left side of his chest – right above his heart.
“Not at all,” he mumbled, slightly adjusting his position so he could play with her hair. “Just thinking about past evens and alike, you know how it is,” he confessed, nuzzling into her hair before placing a short kiss on top of her head.
“Oh, about what, exactly?”
“About our past…” he uttered vaguely, glancing down to the woman snuggling close to his chest. She looked at him, unblinking, urging him to spill the beans. He smiled down at her, slowly rubbing circles on her shoulders. “I just thought about all the events that brought us here. Kiyomizu Temple, to be precise.”
She huffed, squirming at the thought of the happenings. “Not really a bedtime story I like to think about, to be honest. It’s more like a nightmare.”
Naito hummed in agreement, still rubbing comforting circles on her shoulder and down her upper arm. “I know, but I just remember being surprised seeing you there all of a sudden. If it weren’t for Kyouya, who knows what would have happened.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t attack me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you didn’t but nonetheless, I was surprised.”
“Kyouya helped explaining the situation to me but even then, seeing you help the injured onis definitely helped me keep a cool head and not jump to conclusions,” he explained, his hand slipping from her upper arm to her hip, caressing as much naked skin as he could reach, before tugging and pinching at her, urging her to lay on top of him, which she complied happily by swinging her leg over his waist.
“I wasn’t expecting you to help anyone. I think that was the first time I saw you look so compassionate, and I think that was also the first time I admitted to myself that you weren’t just a momotarou trying to destroy all of us. You were just as lost as I was, I can see that now.”
“Hmm…” placing a peck on his nose, she teased, “That sounds like love at first sight to me.”
“Not at all.”
“It’s unnecessary to lie to me, I can tell when you’re lying or not, darling.”
Naito grumbled quietly under his breath, though a small smile was slowly etching into his face at her antics, far more amused and relieved than he liked to show. It would bother him far more if he saw her hung up on the past and lose her self-confidence and happiness because of it; he would rather have her annoy and tease him than her mopping around, overthinking all the fights and situations they had to go through to become who they are now.
“I thought of how different you looked compared to all the other times I saw you. I’m still curious on what exactly made you change your mind and help us out that day, but I’m grateful, nonetheless,” he said, absentmindedly caressing her cheek with his thumb, feeling her skin getting warmer as seconds passed by. “You were so gentle with Mei, I felt like it was the first time you dropped the pretentious act you seemed to put on around everyone.”
They looked at each other, unable to look away. Why would they, even? After witnessing such ugly events for a long time, he learned to appreciate the beauty in the smallest things, and her eyes, her eyes that were on him, the lovely crimson that slowly spread from her cheeks to her ears, was the prettiest thing he had the fortune to admire.
“Children have no business in this conflict. I’m just glad I could somehow, someway help… glad to have the opportunity to prove my worth.”
“You don’t need to prove anything,” he said, the intense stare practically daring her to disagree with his statement. “Anybody who can’t see your worth is a fool in my eyes.”
She smiled at him, his words meaning far more to her than she could ever try to describe.
Painstakingly slow, they inched forward, unabashedly making their intentions clear to each other.
She was eager to have his lips on her own, eager to reliving the excitement she knew he could give to her, her eyes darting back and forth between his eyes and lips for any sign of discomfort, but founding none. On the contrary, the small smirk told her just how much he wanted her, as well.
Kissing her didn’t feel like fireworks going off; it felt familiar and smooth as she gently pressed her lips onto his, like a river that flowed nonstop, the current powerful enough to sweep him up alongside. He wouldn’t mind getting lost in it, more than happy to be swept away. Eagerly reciprocating, he moved alongside her, feeling his heart beating and fluttering like crazy with each drag of her mouth on his. His hands inched towards the back of her neck, and she gasped as he jerked her forward, pulling her impossibly close. Their bodies pressed together, breathing heavily, but unwilling to stop the shared passion. Her lips were soft, moving passionately against his, fueling his own desire.
Everything she was willing to give, he unabashedly took.
Naito couldn’t really answer the question of whether onis and momotarous could leave their dispute behind and love each other as they all deserve to be loved. Hatred was always going to exist, the past was hard to forget and even harder to forgive, but he was glad that he had found his own path, pleased that hatred hadn’t overpowered his heart and mind.
He couldn’t answer the question with certainty, but, tangled up in his lover’s arms and having her in his arms as well, he could say for himself that yes, it was a possibility, indeed.
A/N: Thank you all for reading my fic so far! Hope you have enjoyed my writing. I had something completely different planned for this fic because when the idea first came to my mind, I thought of a scenario where Naito and MC meet again (as the third time) but instead of fighting him, she helps him, which is them 'becoming lovers' part. So the first two chapter represent the enemies part (the first and second time they met each other) and the third repesents the lovers part.
I also had this idea in mind that with each chapter, the character are going to grow up and mature. So the first chapter represents the youngest Naito and him doing the things that is expected of him, the second chapter where he start to question everything a bit, and the third chapter where he is already on his own path. So yeah, I thought writing it like this would be fun and interesting.
Summary: Two times Naito hated her, one time were he just couldn’t get enough of her, even when they were destined to fight each other.
TW: Mentions of Violence
Word Count: 1.3K
A/N: I am hyperfixated on this dude and I don't like it, but I am already down bad, so just enjoy the reading :)))))
feel free to reblog + like + comment if you liked my writing and enjoy the reads!
cross-posted on ao3
chapter one (current chapter) / chapter two / chapter three
Was it possible for a momotarou and an oni to love each other? To overcome the deep hatred countless battles and the everlasting war had caused, to break the chains of that same hatred that had started with their ancestors and had taken root ever since then?
A typical and most rational answer to these questions would be no.
No, momotarou’s and oni’s could never love each other. With the way the two races were going at each other’s throats all the time, one could even bet that they could not even learn to love each other, even if they wanted to.
How could love grow in the first place, when two individuals were on the different side of a coin?
Whether you were an oni or a momotarou, similar beliefs would be drilled into the younglings: don’t hesitate to attack your enemy, don’t show mercy to your opponent if you don’t want to be fresh meat, kill the enemy that was in front of you, or you will be the one to get butchered instead.
In a world where it was kill or be killed, how could love prevail between two different races?
That typical ideology was what Naito had learned in the earlier days as well: show no mercy to your enemies, for your enemies weren’t going to have an ounce of mercy for you either. This principle was the norm in both momotarou and oni training, and since his early practice in the academy and his early recruitment, Naito followed it to a tee.
So, he did what he had to do to survive, to prevent the extinction of the oni: he killed.
He had become a devil for his enemies, but a beacon of hope for his people.
That was Naito to his people: reliable, diligent, efficient; vicious, cruel, a menace he could be to his enemies. And he was fine with it. If it meant he could contribute in any way, he would gladly become a devil that needed to be feared.
Ever since his early missions in the combat unit, Naito had been someone who was considered undefeatable. Just the mention of his name brought shivers down his opponent, caused fear to manifest in the unfortunate momotarou that had the misfortune of facing him.
Victory should have been his; it was within his hands. What could mere creatures infested with bacteria do to him?
Maybe, he had been overestimating himself. Maybe, it had been time for someone of his caliber to drag his ass down from the cloud it had been perched on, for as much as Naito had been powerful enough to deal with even hundreds of momotarou, he couldn’t beat that young momotarou who had arrived as backup, waltzing into the scene as if she was walking into a fashion show.
Naito had been unmatched for a long time…
…until he finally met his fated match.
He hadn’t anticipated someone like her in the field, as the momotarou hadn’t been anticipating someone like him in the field, either.
Having newbies in the field wasn’t anything that should have been surprising, though. After all, he had been there, too. But it still had surprised him, seeing a newbie climbing the imaginary ladder, already having been promoted to be a deputy commander. How impressive, indeed.
That should have been the first telltale sign for him to not underestimate her. He could only shake his head now whenever he thought back on it. He had been overestimating himself and severely underestimating her, which had been an amateur mistake, one he had reflected on severely.
He had been one step away from finishing his victim off without batting an eye, when the momotarou had been snatched from underneath his feet by a thin trace of black string that was made of bacteria, practically flinging the person far away from Naito.
“So, you are the one that had the higher ups acting up,” were her first words, flouncing towards him as if they weren’t in a battlefield but in an exhibition, and she was a piece of art that had to be admired. She might as well have been a piece of carefully and thoroughly made craft, the typical suit and pants for the momotarou was stunning on her; she would had been mistaken as a model… if it had been a fashion show.
“…and I don’t know who you are, unfortunately, but that doesn’t matter to me, for your demise is near.”
Younger Naito had been so full of himself, now that he thought about it. He had smiled jauntily at the way her pink lips had curled up, finding slight amusement at the clear aggression and cockiness she was showing. Aggression, an emotion that could make oni, momotarou or human temper flare, making them act more irrational than they were used to; Cockiness, a behavior that could led to someone’s downfall relatively quick. He would play her like a doll that she was.
Naito might had severely underestimated her during that fight, but looking back at it, he could console himself at not being the only one who had done that grave mistake.
“As if you could kill me that easily, don’t confuse me with the usual momotarou! If you don’t want to die, I advise you to take this fight seriously,” she had said, her voice silky smooth, as if they weren’t about to fight each other. “Now, shall we dance?”
And dance they did, a dance of life and death, that is. He had gone all out with his attacks, aggravation leaked into his movements; the usual calculated and calm strikes replaced by impatient, nonstop onslaught. Though, no matter how fast he struck, with that damn ability of hers, he was reduced to nothing but a gawping speculator, unable to do anything but watch as she dodged and moved in pure elegance, as if she really was ballroom dancer, performing tango with her partner.
Naito would never admit it to anyone else, but she had managed to impress him with that one encounter.
Not only had she been able to keep up with him, dodge his attack in wonderfully strange ways, she fought back as well, manipulating her summoned weapons and using her underlings in the most effective way with the help of her strings. With a mischievous glint in her eye and a never faltering smirk on her lips, she had pressed on, eventually resulting in their dance to end in a tie.
Often times, he thought back to the lady that had been fighting him that day and wondered, will I see her ever again? Not because he wanted to see her, but because she could become a rather bothersome pest for the oni’s. His job as a combat unit member was to eliminate the momotarou that stood in the way of the oni’s goals, therefore it was his duty to remove every obstacle that tampered with their goals.
What an exciting night it had been for the young adult. Someone could actually keep up with him. It had stirred something within him, she had managed to move something deep within him. A flicker of fire she was, a motivational factor that fired Naito on; the conclusion of their fight had been a clear sign that pointed out the fact that he needed to be better; he had to practice more, become stronger, for if she could keep up with him, that meant that she would improve in her techniques as well, to follow through with the momotarou’s plans.
How tragic. The more he thought about it, the surer he was that they could have gotten along particularly well, if only they had been on the same team.
Too bad she wasn’t an oni.
How sad it was: they were each other’s obstacles that needed to be finished off.
Summary: Two times Naito hated her, one time were he just couldn’t get enough of her, even when they were destined to fight each other.
TW: Mentions of Blood, Violence and Death
Word Count: 2.1K
A/N: This chapter is a bit darker than the first one, so be aware of that and read accordingly to that. Hope it hurts in the most wonderful ways :))))
feel free to reblog + like + comment if you liked my writing and enjoy the reads!
cross-posted on ao3
chapter one / chapter two (current chapter) / chapter three
Was it possible for a momotarou and an oni to love each other? To overcome the hatred that had been accumulating ever since the early days, which was one of the causes of the continuous war oni’s and momotarou’s had to partake in? Would they be able to let the gashes they had inflicted on each other heal; to evade the teachings that had been engraved within their young minds and find their own path to walk on?
Could a momotarou and an oni ever face each other without noticing the faction the other person represents? Could they see behind the façade and spot the hidden personality that laid deep down in slumber? Could they overcome the layers of hatred and actually see that individual for themselves, and not a race that person was a part of?
His younger self wouldn’t even hesitate to give the answer that was expected of him. Without a trace of doubt, the expected words would have slipped out of his mouth: “No, oni’s and momotarou’s are enemies. There is no way love could bloom between two individuals that differ from each other in every way possible.”
That would have been his answer if you asked him when he was younger.
Right now, though? He wasn’t so sure anymore, as his faith had been shaken too much by the events he had to witness so far.
…Maybe. Maybe, if the pair was independent enough from all the gruesome happenings, could separate work and private life effectively, could see the person for who they really were and what they stand for, then maybe, they could learn to love each other in earnest, as it should be in between lovers.
Sometimes, during lonesome nights when insomnia hit Naito particularly hard, he was left wondering how it would feel to love someone to the point that it wouldn’t matter where they came from, what they did in their life to become who they are, what their background was like… all that would matter was the feeling they could ignite within each other with just one look, one touch.
In those particular nights, he felt more lonesome and hopeless than ever.
He would shake his head, rid himself of such foolish thoughts, for he had a duty to perform, friends and families to protect. Wishful thinking for the future wasn’t going to bring him anything, not when the universe was hellbent on giving him one hardship after another.
The years had hardened his soft heart: with every gruesome death he had the misfortune to witness, the invisible walls within his heart would rise even higher, so much so that it would be impossible to cross over. That childish naivety that every kid possessed had left him long ago, replaced with bitterness, as the reality of the situation had finally sunk into him.
Through the hardship the universe kept pilling onto him, he learned that the world wasn’t as black and white as the teachings had made it seem out to be.
For every friend he lost during an unexpected ambush, he would let blood rain onto his enemies, drowning, quenching them in their own and his blood; for every mother, every child, every brother that was caught in the crossfire, he would hunt down his prey nonstop, interminably searching for his hunt until justice was brought upon.
He truly had become the bane of his enemies.
But for the sake of his people’s rights, he would do it all over again.
So, even when his utmost inner self felt horribly disgusted with himself, feeling particularly shackled to his responsibility whenever he glanced down at the bloodied corpses that laid within his vicinity, unmoving, simply staring blankly at the sky above, he would continue on with his duty. Even if it destroyed him on the inside, seeing all the blank faces staring at him as he looked from above, masking the anguish he felt with having to take lives as a means of survival, he had no choice but to fight on.
He stared at the lifeless mass, observing the different emotions they had displayed on during their last seconds, before inevitable death had taken their life from them: some expressions displaying clear anger at having died by his hand, some fearful, having stayed wide eyed even after they had taken their last breath ever. Different emotions and expressions on every man he swept his gaze on, though one thing was the same: none of them blinked, breathed or moved in any way, for the soul had left the vessel long ago.
…was this what his people witnessed when they were clutching to stay alive with all their might in naught, seconds away from departing this life?
The more this scenario seem to happen, the more aware he become of his own feelings, the helplessness he felt every time without a fail, the feeling of being bound to his responsibility.
Afterwards, without a fail, he would ask himself, was this the right path to take, what could have been avoided, what could he have done different?
Was this the right path to take?
If not, what was the right path to take in the first place, and did he have the luxury of choosing which path he wanted to take?
In times like these, Naito realized just how fast he had grown up, how hardship made him become a man; a person that clearly differed from his younger self, not just physically, but mentally.
Though, every win was accompanied by a loss. You win some, you lose some.
And right now, he felt the heartbreaking lost.
It shouldn’t have been this complicated, and it definitely shouldn’t have led to what he was witnessing right now. The patrol unit had been doing thorough research in the area, and had provided an appropriate gateway for the combat unit to finally strike the momotarou where it hurt. They took the opportunity and, accordingly to the information provided, had split into two groups: the first team had been tasked with ambushing the momotarou within their own building and take everyone they came across down, whereas the second team had been assigned to stay in the base and await the enemy that was surely on their way there.
The Momotarou had foolishly planned an attack on the oni base, not expecting the combat and patrol unit to be two steps ahead. When Naito had found out about this, he had insisted on being assigned on the second team, though all was for naught, for he found himself leading the first team to the momotarou base.
What went wrong? The information couldn’t have been false, he thought when they arrived back to their own base, walking down the silent hallway, the ‘tack, tack!’ of his heels the only sound that echoed in the long corridor, dark eyes darting back and forth, overly cautious of his surroundings.
The more he trudged along, the clearer became the trail of blood that was smearing the floor, as if somebody had been harshly dragged along them. That didn’t faze him. What did faze him, however, was the pile of corpses that laid in one of the rooms, fresh blood flowing down from the pile, creating a blood river with the way it flowed from their open wounds. They had been carelessly stacked on top of each other, as if they were nothing but trash that was to be collected. The culprit of the massacre was standing nearby, handkerchief in hand, cleaning the blood-stains that decorated her face, a small pout on her pink lips.
“…it’s you,” she uttered when she heard Naito come close, turning around to face him, dark eyes meeting her own. Naito had to strain himself from showing any kind of vulnerability in front of her, masking his pain behind a façade of calmness.
Both of them stepped forward, sauntering towards each other, coming to a stop in the middle of the blood painted room. And amidst his own despair and anger that clouded his mind, Naito recognized the emotions swirling within her eyes perfectly: sadness, rage, despair… similar emotions to what he was experiencing.
Eyes were the window to the soul, and hers certainly showed the anguish within them.
“Imagine my surprise when my boss called me, hacking and coughing, appointing me as the new commanding officer. He told me with his last breath… ‘make them suffer as they made us suffer…’. Imagine my surprise when I arrived too late, and saw all my subordinates already dead. It’s not a good feeling, is it?” she said, practically twisting the dragger that pierced his heart with every word she told. Bittersweetly smiling, she continued, pouring all her feelings into her words, not daring to hold anything back. “How are you feeling? You must be in pain, right? You must feel the same pain I am feeling right now… you must hate me, right?” she asked, tears brimming at the corner of her eyes, though, she exhaled slowly, calmly, in hopes of collecting her thoughts, not allowing herself to let him see her precious tears.
In contrast to her, Naito looked as calm as ever, though only he felt the storm brewing within his soul as he observed the broken woman before him.
“I sure hate you right now for killing my team, but no matter. I took my revenge, and I shall be content with that. All I can hope for is that they are resting peacefully right now…
…So, are you going to take revenge as well? Shall we dance once more, Naito-kun?”
At that moment he realized, the two might be part of different factions, but they sure shared similar attributes, feelings and thoughts. How else could she have known that he wanted to strangle her to death, to make her feel the pain his subordinates felt when they were dying at her hand?
What had his comrades, his friends thought about while she had slaughtered them like she was killing squealing pigs? Were they calling for him with their last breath, or had they been fighting with all their might against this monstrous momotarou?
Could Naito have saved them, if he had been swifter with his mission?
Among the fury that was clouding his rational thinking, he remembered asking, “Where are the others? What did you do to them?”
“Others… you mean the supporters?” quirking an eyebrow at the glare she received, she cheekily answered, trying to provoke Naito even more than he already was. “Well… unfortunately, they left already. I would have loved to give them a piece of my mind. Don’t worry though, I made sure to give that doctor a nice scar to remember me by. What was his name again… Kouta, Kouya, or was it Kouji?”
He felt a lump form in his throat at her words, hissing out, “…if anything happened to him I will-“
“Relax… as I said, I only gave him a nice accessory that he has to wear now, if you catch my drift,” she jested, narrowing her eyes at the oni in front of her.
Naito might start to despite having to go the length he had to go to prove himself and defend his and his people’s rights, but as long as the momotarou didn’t abandon their foolish ideals, they would have to fight on; the weak didn’t get a say in the decision making, though the oni were anything but weak, and for them to prove that, they need to fight on…
…to the bitter end.
So, fight on he did. Matter of fact, both of them did: not wasting more time than necessary, they both summoned their abilities, blood versus bacteria; blood umbrella against black strings, going against each other without an ounce of mercy, hellbent of killing each other and taking revenge for their fallen comrades. With a heavy heart he fought on, even whenever he had to pierce through his slain acquaintances due to her annoying strings manipulating them; he kept on pushing, dancing and prancing around with her, just like the first time they had seen each other.
Joke was on them, for both of them were mercilessly shackled to their responsibility of serving their people, trapped within those obligations they had to fulfill; even when they didn’t want to attack, fight, kill… they had to.
So, with a hardened heart and resolution flowing within their veins, they kept going against each other, even when their morals and personal thoughts were at dissonance with their actions, for to reach their own goal, they need to latch onto the principle that were drilled into them since they were young:
In this side of the war, it was kill or be killed…
Summary: She was one of the Seven that ascended to Celestia and archived the title of the Pyro Archon. Her heroic actions during the Archon War were a folk tale within the lands; she was honored till this day by her people. They would praise her accomplishments, talk of how she wielded her sword strongly, skillfully, bravely; how she defeated the enemies and lead her troops to victory, ensuring her people’s safety within her land.
She climbed the ranks, ensuring that one of the seven divine seats at Celestia was reserved for herself.
As history glorified her achievements, all she remembered was the hardships she endured to get to the end of the rainbow. All the past friends and lovers she lost due to war; the blood, sweat and tears she shed to secure the well-being of her people.
This was not only her story to tell; it was their story to share. All the hardships they endured, the loses and disappointments, it was theirs to tell. Together.
This will be their tale that will be written down in history: the reunion of two Gods. A story of what could have been and of what will be. A story of the memories they will make together; the once lost love growing within them once again, as it should have been from the very start.
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Read the prologue on: AO3
Relationship: Zhongli x Reader / Zhongli x Original Female Character (because I hate writing Y/N or using first/second character POV.)
Rating: E
Trigger Warning: Description of Death, Violence and Blood.
Author`s Note: Hello! Thanks for reading my work. Comments, Likes, Reblogs (yadayadayada you know the deal probably) help me keep going! So I appreciate every like, reblog and comment! If you have any theories on what might have happened, let me know (winkwonk).
The scenery of snowfall might give a feeling of protection to some people: the gentle fall of snowflakes all around a person, decorating the nature beautifully might feel joyful, the snow blanket coating everything around might give a sense of security, as if it hides you from the corrupt world all around you. But for her, snow was just a bitter reminder of what she had lost. Even a glimpse of snow makes her tremble, and not because of the cold. Every time she saw snow, her mind is filled with blood. Blood coating the pure white, turning the once snowfield into a bloodbath.
She remembered the awful stench, the horrifying scene of piled bodies of humans and adepti all around the mountains edge.
What was once a beautiful view was tainted with death and destruction.
Some might believe that death and war was familiar for her, but the sheer gruesomeness of this place even baffled her.
She took slow steps into the battlefield; every step forward made a sickening crunch under her feet. Nose scrunched because of the reeking corpses, she went through the bloody mess, sweat lingering on her skin despite the raging blizzard that was happening all around her. She kept a keen eye open in case some poor soul survived to tell the story of this massacre, but alas, the only thing in sight were the remains of the soldiers, large gashes on their bodies, some still gushing with blood, but the soul within the vessel long gone.
Every instinct told her to turn away, to get away from this place as fast as she could, but she kept on walking, grip tightening on the handle of her weapon.
How many minutes she spent on walking around, she wasn’t sure, but the more she kept on moving forward, the more she could hear a lullaby being sung. It would have sounded lovely if it weren’t for the hiccups interrupting the melody every two seconds. A broken lullaby it was, as the voice was gentle, but the sniffles and chokes were a dead giveaway to the immense sadness and heartbreak the singer felt. Someone must be grieving, she thought. What happened in this place?
She came to a stop once she heard the lullaby more clearly and found herself in a field of bloodstained glaze lilies, the once beautiful flowers tainted with specks of blood. She felt dizzy; there was a lump in her throat that makes it hard to breathe, every inhale hurt her throat. There was a throbbing in her head and a burning sensation in her eyes, but she couldn’t pry her eyes away from the sight before her.
In the middle of the bloodstained flowerbed on his knees was Morax, cradling a body closely against his chest, humming the melody to the woman and gently tracing her cheek. It wasn’t hard to recognize who he was holding: the God of Dust, Guizhong. A naïve person might assume she was asleep, but the telltale marks of death were unmistakable. Gone were the once intelligent eyes, replaced with an empty look. She stayed quiet to give him time to grief and to show her respect to the Dead, but she must not have been discreet enough.
“What are you doing here? How dare you show your face around here.”
Morax wasn’t looking at her as he spoke, still stroking Guizhong’s cheek tenderly. His voice resonated all around the mountain, the once gentle humming tone gone, replaced with a resentful ring that could bring thousands to their knees. Was she anyone else, she too might have fallen to her knees and begged for mercy, but she stood still, slowly sheathing the claymore into its holder.
A bit bewildered at his tone, she replied, “What do you mean what am I doing here? Someone sent for me. Do you know what happened?” Her eyes darted between Guizhong and Morax, an unsettling feeling spread within her the more Morax took his time to answer. For some reason, she felt like she was walking on thin ice, like any wrong push and she would topple down. She felt on edge, seeing the emotional mess of Morax, of someone who was usually so reserved and calm.
Something is terribly wrong here, she thought.
Morax tucked Guizhong’s hair behind her ear one last time before delicately laying her down to rest in peace. A polearm manifested itself into his hand as he stood up, a scowl on his face, amber eyes piercing through the God before him. With lightning speed, Morax dashed forward, ready to strike the God down, if it weren’t for the withdrawn claymore acting as a shield.
“What is your problem?!”
“I don’t show mercy to traitors.”
“Traitors?” she questioned; the once hesitant behavior replaced by irritation at the accusation thrown at her. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“There is no use for lying,” Morax growled, “I shouldn’t have allied with the likes of you. That was my mistake, but you clearly don’t feel any remorse for breaching the contract, so I won’t feel bad punishing you, either. I will make sure you regret the day you decided to go behind my back.”
Millions of questions were swarming around her head with no answer to any of them. All she could do, as Morax was too enraged to think about his actions properly, was to dodge incoming attacks as much as she could and not engage in the fight.
“Breach of contract, you say. Has grief overtaken your mind that you can’t even think straight anymore, Morax?”
“Karma will find you for what you have done. Mark my words.”
What nonsense is he talking about, she thought, a snarl on her face at his roundabout way of speaking. A hot flush grazed her face as anger slowly took over; she began to swing her weapon around, trying to create some distance between them, uncaring of damage she did around the flower field, around the final resting place of Guizhong. A tiny part of her was remorseful because of the disrespect, but all she wanted to do was to get away from this place as soon as possible; to get away from him. As she attempted to avoid the tip of the polearm once more, Morax succeeded on slashing her on the chest, dangerously close to where her heart is.
“You can’t run from fate forever; take what is coming for you,” said Morax, not a hint of the God she knew him as was present in him. Instead, all she saw was a ruthless Adeptus, ready to strike the enemy down, ready to strike her down. As a one last attempt to put distance between them, she spun her claymore around in an arch, forcing him to step back. With a small huff, she placed her hand on the cut, feeling blood soak through the chest bind and soiling her hand in the process.
She was tired of unnecessary fights happening around her. Her movements were sluggish as she supported herself by leaning on her weapon, a snarl on her face, anger and disappointment creeped into her voice as she said, “Fate will have to wait since I have no idea what I should be punished for. Tch, what a waste of time. I have better things to do than entertain this nonsense… and I thought you needed me. What a fool I am.”
On that day, she remembered leaving him behind; she turned around and went to assist her troops at the front line, who had requested for her aid for a while. She had been foolish; had she known which nonsense she was going to receive when she got there, she wouldn’t have left the forefront in the first place. So, she left him; she left to help her people with no regret at that time.
She should have regretted it, though. If she thought back to that day, a lot of things popped up within her mind that she regretted not doing. Actions she could have done differently; actions that could have changed everything. For the better or for the worse, she didn’t know, but in the end, she could have avoided the death of her beloved person. She regretted not arriving to help her people sooner, not listening to the advice of the council; she regretted not handling the misunderstanding with Morax sooner. Instead of clearing the issue, she left him behind with the hatred that was clearly taking root within him.
She learned the hard way: actions have consequences.
What a fool she was, indeed.
That day was unforgotten by Liyue’s people as it marks the day they lost one of their beloved Gods. Still, they carried her values within their hearts, honoring the God of Dust till this day.
It marked the day where two Gods lost one person they cherished to the hands of Death.
A memorable day it was, where they lost the slowly blooming love for each other due to war.
Summary: Having sent the invitation to the God of Dust and the God of Geo, the day has finally come to gather and lay down the basis of the contract between the Rulers. Though, nobody said that it would be an easy task to do (for both sides, really).
Relationship: Zhongli x Reader / Zhongli x Original Female Character
Rating: E
Trigger Warning: none
Words: 6.3K
Tagged: @aine-ayase
A/N: Thank you for the likes and reblogs everyone, it keeps me going! I am kinda excited for this chapter, so another A/N at the end of the chapter because I need to rant about my thoughts. Happy reading! Feel free to share any thought you may have about my characters and chapters so far.
Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Read this chapter on: AO3
The news of the victorious battle seemed to have reached the faraway land long before the troop stepped back, having evoked a festive atmosphere within their homeland, so it had been a pleasant surprise to see a crowd of civilians welcoming the soldiers back. A jovial occasion it had been, for words of pride and happiness had rung out from left and right as they marched through the streets, accompanied by the enthusiastic cheers and shouts. Restless but glad they were to be back home, and this greeting seemed to lift the spirit of most of the group. Though, the same couldn’t be said for their fire lady, for she had far more important matters to attend to, and as much as she had the desire to join the festivities, duty called.
Before their departure from Wuwang Hill, she had informed Ajay of the sudden development and ordered him to gather the head of each department in the council room upon her arrival, and as much as she lacked the lust to attend the meeting, an official discussion with the generals was in order to establish specific articles that need to be considered within the contract.
She still couldn’t believe she had let Yana talk her into this mess. How foolish. Just the thought of having to tolerate other Gods left a foul taste in her mouth, and as much as she wished to back out now, the letter had been sent days ago, over and done with. She would be damned if she cancelled their plans, she had got a reputation to uphold, after all. Though, it certainly couldn’t stop her from inwardly hoping that they would decline the offer and call the whole thing off themselves. That would make things surely easier for her.
The generals were already seated in the council chamber waiting for her, and as soon as she arrived with Ajay and Yana following in tow, the five generals hastily stood up from their seats in show of respect, straightening their posture as the watchful gaze of their lady seized them up. Azra had been stationed near the entrance, standing as still as a statue, obediently guarding everyone without so much as a peep. At first, she hadn’t planned on letting Azra attend at all, for she wasn’t even a council member yet and wasn’t supposed to know what was being spoken, but after much begging and bugging from Azra and a promise of being silent, she had allowed the girl to be present during the meeting.
Walking to the conference room, she took her regular spot, standing in the middle of the chamber and gesturing for everyone to take a seat. After a moment of silence, tension high in the air, ready to commence the meeting and more eager to get to the main point, she spoke up, “Today, we have gathered to discuss the alliance with the Rulers of the Guili Assembly. I assume Ajay have informed each of you of the development?” After receiving confirmatory nods from each attendant, she continued, “Very well. In particular, we are here to talk about specific articles we should insist on and where we should take caution of. As much as Yana had been insistent on how the God of Geo wouldn’t dare turn back on his word if a contract is in play, I still think it is important to think of our priorities before agreeing to any contract. We can’t risk anything. Any loopholes in the articles, the lord wouldn’t hesitate to exploit them. We need to play this smart, ladies and gentlemen.”
Silence followed her words, each of the attendant deeply in thought about the issue in hand. Baqar, the general of the army unit, was the first one to dare give his opinion after receiving confirmation to speak up, “If I may inquire, why even proceed with this plan? As I see it, there is nothing crucial we would get out of this alliance. We have the numbers and the manpower, so I wonder, why even proceed with this, when we wouldn’t get anything beneficial for us? What would we get at the end of all our efforts?”
Her obnoxious laugher rang in the room at the response. Why indeed, she thought and pointedly looked at Yana, who exaggeratedly sighed, staring the general down from her spot. “It is beneficial for us because, simply put, we don’t want this war to drag on, and it is better to have more friends than foes during war time. With two sides united, there will be less of a chance of enemies attacking us, and even if they dare, with this alliance, it would be a child play to defeat anyone standing in our way.”
“But who is to say that they are not our foes?” asked Baqar, frowning in displeasure at the suggested idea.
Yana rolled her eyes at the stubborn man and mumbled a ‘Not this again’ under her breath, massaging her temple in circular motions with her thumb. She looked drained of the conversation already, but the God couldn’t help but find this whole scene quite entertaining, chuckling softly as she watched Yana calmly explained once more, “I don’t see a reason to doubt them. To this day, they haven’t made a single move towards us that implied their desire to conjure our lands. If they had ulterior motives, wouldn’t you think that they would have made a move by now, after so many years since the war started?”
“The snake knows when to bite. In this game of war, practically everyone on the board has a potential to hurt us, even if they haven’t done their first move. For all we know, they could be plotting for the perfect timing, which we give them by trusting them in the first place.”
Clearly trying to hang on to her patience, Yana nodded at the response but still wasn’t convinced by the logic behind it. “I understand your criticism, but to simply refuse to cooperate with others because of a chance they might betray us is also, in my opinion, quite irrational. You are overlooking the chance that they might not betray us at all. An opportunity would be lost, in this case. It is good to be cautious, but we shouldn’t let fear affect our decisions,” exclaimed Yana, heated up, scowling and glaring fiercely at the general who shook his head adamantly, unsatisfied and unmoved with the comeback.
A hand had been raised for a long time during this back and worth, the lady who had raised her hand polite enough to not cut into the conversation, so she gave the general of the intelligence unit, Jale, permission to speak. “I see why you hesitate to agree with such alliance as well general Baqar, but in my opinion, there are far more advantages of accepting this proposal than just not risking it in fear of what might happen, so I agree with Yana in this case. I also believe this would give us a perfect opportunity and reason to spread our informants farther into the south-east side of teyvat, hopefully.”
Deep in thought of the idea, the God hummed and nodded in understanding, somewhat satisfied with that. Turning around, she faced a man who was around his mid-thirties, appearing hesitant and timid to even dare utter a word, so she called out, her tone scornful enough to bite away any grit left in him, “General Eren, you have been silent this whole time. Is this topic too boring for you? What are your thoughts on this subject, if I may be so bold to question?”
The general of the defense unit, Eren, looked frightened of being called out, his form slightly shaking under the sharp gaze of the God with everyone’s attention turned to him. Straightening up, he cleared his throat before speaking up. “I- uh, my lady, I think- maybe…” he stuttered, put off with being in the center of the attention. Breathing deeply in and out for a few seconds to shake off his nerves, he spoke out once more, this time more comprehensible, “My lady… I think it is certainly an important proposal to consider… we shouldn’t cast it aside so easily, so I agree with Yana’s arguments as well.”
“Hmm,” she stared at the general questioningly, a frown appearing on her face at the answer. “But you appear to be unsure of it, or are you just lost, general? Why so vague?” she asked, slowly approaching Eren, observing the tremors worsening with each step closer to him. “Or are you trying to hide something? Is the situation along the borders that worse that you can’t even give a proper report along with an answer, or are you too ashamed to voice your inefficiency to me? As a general, I expect a detailed report of the happenings within your unit, and as a general, I expect you to contribute to the matter at hand. So, tell me, general, what do you think we ought to get out of this contract regarding our defense system?”
Eren, stuck speechless at being confronted so directly by his leader, visibly shuddered, stuck with fear at the intense gaze upon him. Trying to avoid her eye, he glared at the floor, shame boiling within him at the spoken words; he felt ashamed of being ridiculed in front of his comrades. He slowly inhaled and exhaled, trying to calm down before daring to look her in the eye: the quiver in his voice a show of his weakness, but the eye contact a clear show of stubbornness and willpower. It was somewhat impressing to her. “My lady, as it stands right now, our unit is still headstrong at defending our borders from any kind of attack from the outsiders, even despite the low numbers within our unit…” he explained, confidence raising with each word he voiced out, “More manpower along our borders would definitely be advantageous for us, considering the fact that most of our men are on the offence.”
General Baqar cut in, enraged at the implication of these words. “I completely disagree with such sentiment. If we do agree on an alliance, our priority must lie in strengthening our offensive power, because that will help us win this war. As General Eren has mentioned, our defense system is doing fine as it is, so I see no reason sending more men to a unit that is doing fine. Our priority needs to be our offensive system!”
“With all due respect, do you even understand what you are implying, General Baqar? Are all the lives of our folk not important to you or are you just that inconsiderate and power hungry? If our defense falls, we might as well execute our people ourselves, because I assure you, ignoring our defense would certainly lead to the same effect!”
“Power hungry?! How dare you! I’m trying to make us win this war as fast as possible so our people don’t have to live in fear anymore, and you dare to question my motives and call me power hungry?! Insolent little kid…”
A certain switch had been flipped: the once fearful Eren was gone, hesitancy replaced by enragement as he spat out, “Insolent little kid you say, but to me, it seems as if you are just an old grumpy grandpa that is too stubborn and prideful to accept any other opinion!”
“YOU LITTLE BRAT-“ swiftly standing up in rage, general Baqar would had dashed off towards Eren and start a fight if it weren’t for the cold and harsh tone of their lady bellowing: “Hold your tongue and remember where you are.”
Wide eyed, the two of the generals stayed rooted onto their seats, mortified at having lost their façade not just in front of her but also in front of the other generals. Frowning in displeasure, she looked back and forth between the men and addressed them, “I won’t have two children throw a tantrum as if they are arguing over who has the bigger shlong. In this room, we don’t fight over our opinions when we can peacefully talk it out. Everyone is free to voice out their opinion in a civil way.” At her words, the two loosened up, leaning back onto their seats, but still glaring at each other with clear hostility. “I don’t need anyone inside this room to get along with each other. You don’t have to be friends with each other, and I simply do not care if you are or not, but I expect every council member to put their differences aside and converse with each other in a civil way, is that understood?”
Still angered with each other but not wanting to test the Gods patience, they agreed, “Understood, my lady.”
“Very good,” she said. The almost-fight and her outburst had left the room in a stifling silence for a while, the generals within the room too afraid of putting a wrong foot forward and displeasing their lady even more. She frowned at them in annoyance, wanting the meeting to proceed, but apart from the sniggering Ajay, who had his legs casually crossed, leaning against his backseat comfortably as if he was watching his favorite theater piece, nobody made a peep, and nobody seemed willing to start a conversation in fear of awakening her wrath once more.
How annoying. Now she really did wish that she hadn’t let Yana talk her into this mess, for all of this wouldn’t be necessary in the first place if she had just said no. She and her friends would have been outside enjoying the festivities her people had prepared for their return, but here she was, tolerating these geezers and their temper tantrum.
Mountain Aocang was a beautiful location with no civilization anywhere near as far as she knew, and despite the fact the road to the Mountain may be a painful and tiring one, it had been decided it would be a perfect spot to meet with the two Gods. After the horrendous but (slightly) entertaining meeting of watching old people arguing like children with each other and Yana noting down the important topics, she, Yana, and Ajay had decided to prepare themselves to depart as soon as possible. The journey had been enjoyable with Ajay on her side, their personal mission was being as infuriating as possible to make Yana’s temper explode. In her humble opinion, it had been hilarious, seeing the strategist all red-faced with anger. It certainly had brought up her spirit after the meeting.
It didn’t take long for her temper to rise again, though.
The two Gods were late. With the praise she had to hear and endure about these two, she would have assumed them to at least be a bit disciplined, at least she had expected it from the God of Dust, since she was seemingly the brain of the group. The clever and wise God of the two, as people like to exaggerate, she thought, rolling her eyes. With clear bite in her voice, she uttered out, “For ‘respectable and honorable’ Gods,” she made quotation marks with her fingers to emphasize her point, “I would have thought that they would have the courtesy to arrive on time. Foolish of me to expect the opposite though. Joke is on me, I guess, how disappointing…”
As soon as the notification they had been waiting for reached them, they had set up to leave sooner rather than later for the location in Minlin to avoid being late and possibly offend anyone (according to Yana’s words), but seeing as these two Gods didn’t have the common sense to show the same respect, she just felt, once again, even more foolish for letting Yana talk her into this mess.
“Have a little patience, my lady. They will surely arrive soon enough. They wouldn’t have bothered responding to us if they weren’t interested in our proposal, would they?” The ever-logical strategist reasoned, any fueling the fire boiling within her even further. “Maybe we have arrived a little bit earlier than planned. They will surely be here soon…”
“Hmph. Spare me your excuses, Yana. I really don’t want to hear that from you right now. I am already agitated as it is,” she spat out, falling back against the hard piece of rock she was leaning against, crossing her arms over chest. “And why are you trying to defend them in the first place? Let them squirm in front of me, I say. Wouldn’t that be a funny sight, them trying to come up with an acceptable excuse?”
She and Ajay chuckled at that while Yana simply watched them laugh, a scowl on her face, unimpressed of the way they were behaving. “No, that would not be funny. That would be a very rude thing to do,” Yana said and started to pace in front of her two friends. A clear sign for an incoming lecture, the God thought, rolling her eyes. “We will all be respectful and civil to our guests, as I am sure they will be with us. Do you remember what you have said in our meeting, about being civil with each other, yes? Your words apply here as well, I would think. I know you don’t like them, but please try to control yourself for once. You are representing our lands, so you need to start acting like it,” Yana lectured, ignoring the fierce ‘I do control myself!’ from the God before switching her attention to Ajay, who was leaning comfortably against a tree trump, seemingly unbothered with what was going on around him, smiling tauntingly at Yana. “Ajay, don’t encourage her remarks. I know you can control yourself way better, so at least try a bit to keep her in control. I don’t care if you two joke around with each other for hours when we make our way back home, but right now, we need everyone in top shape.”
“But where would be the fun in that?” said Ajay, cheekily grinning.
“This is not a time for fun! We are here for business. Fun comes when we are back at home.”
The only thought being wrapping this meeting up and getting it over with already, the God replied, interrupting the bickering between Yana and Ajay. “I am not promising anything. I still have half the mind to get up and just leave this place, so I will not promise to anything I know I will not hold, but I will hear what they have to say. Maybe we will, by some miracle, come to a satisfactory decision all together.”
“Let’s think of it like this, my lady. We took so much time to come here to meet them, it would be a shame to not listen to them, at least. We definitely don’t want to go home with our hands empty, do we?”
As much as she would like to disagree at that, Yana had made a fair point once more, which was unfortunate for the God as she was eager to get this over and done with. “Yes, you are right about that at least, Yana. Unfortunately, all of this would have been a waste of my time if I just got up and left now, so we will at least discuss about an alliance and hopefully make the best of it,” she grumbled out, albeit unwillingly.
“Well… let’s hope we get something out of this, whether it be a contract or just an amusing show with a good laugh afterwards, it doesn’t really matter to me. I would like both though,” Ajay commented before blowing a raspberry at Yana, trying to rile her up more than she already was.
As much as she found the banter amusing and appreciated Ajay’s attempt of trying to make her loosen up, it wasn’t enough for her to fully relax and ignore the storm that was building up within her with each passing second. She was practically on her toes for their arrival.
After the worship she had to listen to and endure about these two, she was expecting to be blown away and awed by their presence. The longer and harder she thought about them, the more questions rose in her head. What made the God of Dust so popular that her reputation preceded her when she was seemingly frail as a fly; was the God of Geo really as powerful as everyone made him out to be or was he just another pathetic God she had the unfortunate chance of meeting so far; was there even a possibility of an satisfactory contract between them or would this be all in vain?
How annoying. It is such a beautiful day too… such a beautiful day to be anywhere but here.
And as much as she had tried not to think about their looks (because she wasn’t interested in such aspects; why would she care about anyone’s appearance?) her mind simply had wandered exactly to that out of boredom. How did she expect them to look, was Guizhong as beautiful as people made her out to be, would she be like as fragile as she imagined her to be, or would she be more ruffled up? Would the God of Geo as roughen up as she thought he was or was he more on the delicate side as well, just like she thought his partner?
So many questions with no clear answer to any of them, unless she stayed and found out herself.
So, she had decided to stay, trying to appear relaxed and indifferent on the piece of hard rock she was leaning against (Celestia forbid she showed any sign of vulnerability in front of their guests) as if it was a throne especially crafted for her. As she waited for the two Gods to arrive to start the negotiations, she closed her eyes and tiled her head back, enjoyed the feeling of the wind tracing her cheek and ruffling her ponytail up in the progress.
Was it mere seconds, minutes or hours they waited for their guests to arrive, she wasn’t sure, and she certainly didn’t appreciate almost being stoop up, but to avoid any conflict on the first second, she uncharacteristically hold her tongue. When she heard the telltale sign of someone approaching their little group, she called for attention, creasing any further bantering between her friends.
She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting from them. Though, regarding the God of Dust, everything appeared as she imagined her to be and more. With every step she took, the wind would blow the light brown hair and the long blue sleeves of the Hanfu in such a way that show casted the beauty of the God. Guizhong looked every part of the eternal being she is, enchanting and pristine, with a touch of fragility. Though, she couldn’t help but compare Guizhong to a doll as well: delicate and tame looking, the image of a pure maiden; a breakable doll if one wrong move was done against her.
On the other hand, everything she had thought about the God of Geo to this point had been proven false. She thought the lord would at least show a bit resemblance to the element he was representing, maybe she had thought he would be bigger, stronger, showing slight resemblance to a rock, being sturdy and stony, but as far as she could see, he was anything but that. The God of Geo looked much more put together, slimmer, taller than she thought he would be, donning a skintight white top that had loose ends, accompanied with black slacks.
Did he even have an ounce of muscle under that uniform? Where is the power he was representing? He looks like a twig, I bet I could just snap him in two if I tried, she thought, scowling and examining the newcomers with an unimpressed attitude
Though, it wasn’t his whole appearance that threw her off. It was a part of his appearance that she had not been expecting…
“Huh… you have horns,” she uttered, shamelessly pointing at the two horns sticking out of the mop of chestnut hair. “How interesting… for some reason, I did not expect that,” she said, tilting her head slightly and jeeringly smiling at the half man in front of her. “No one told me you would be so horn-y, my lord.”*
The quiet sigh that escaped Yana spoke millions of words, though she ignored it in favor of watching the lord, expecting him to react any kind of way: an outburst, a curse, or even a witty comeback, but she was disappointedly rewarded with nothing but an arched bow. Unfortunate it was, for she would have liked to see him lose his cool and control. It certainly would have lifted her spirit. They stared each other down, amber eyes drilling onto ruby eyes, the two of them acting dominant and make the other one give in, both Gods refusing to tear their gaze away from each other.
His eyes are a very beautiful color though, she admitted begrudgingly, admiring the bright amber as they outshine his complexion. Though, she swore to herself, those thoughts would never leave her lips.
Realizing the situation at hand and wanting to intervene, Yana cleared her throat to pull the attention to herself. “Welcome, my lord, my lady, we have been eagerly waiting for you. Thank you for accepting our invitation,” she said, nodding in respect to each of the Gods while Ajay simply smirked, childishly wiggling his fingers as a greeting. “I hope the journey has not been too troublesome.”
“The journey has been mostly pleasant, thank you. We have encountered a bit of trouble on our way, hence our delay, but it has been dealt with. Apologies for making you wait. I hope there is no ill will towards us,” he explained, surprising her even more. She had expected his tone to be squeaky, like a little mouse in distress, but was left disappointed as it was far away from that. It was masculine and rich, low and deep, laced with a slight rumble; his words were practically dripping with honey.
A half assed explanation, combined with stuck up mannerism, she frowned, practically squinting at the man, even his voice is annoying to hear. How irritating can someone be just by being themselves?
Ever the symbol of frailty, the God of Dust laced her fingers together in front of her chest and softly spoke, “Allow us to introduce ourselves properly before we start our business.” Placing her right hand over her heart and slightly bowing, she first introduced herself, “I am formally known as the God of Dust, but you may call me Guizhong. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She straightened up, gesturing towards her stone still partner, “And this is, as you know, the God of Geo, though he simply goes by Morax.”
“Thank you for your introductions. I will introduce everyone as well,” said Yana. “I am Yana, and I am the right-hand man of my lady. I am also a strategist. That over there,” She gestured towards the man, who was leaning against a tree branch and tipping off an imaginary hat as an acknowledgement. “Is Ajay, our left-hand man. Pleasure to meet you and thank you for accepting our invitation once again.”
A surprised noise escaped Guizhong as she looked Yana up and down before addressing the woman, “Right hand man… I must say that I am surprised. I had assumed that you are a God or at least an Adeptus from the way your manners are, but it seems you are just a regular human.”
Her brows shot up at the words she just heard, blinking owlishly at Guizhong. Did I hear that right or did my ears deceive me? But with the way Ajay had guffawed, practically doubling over with laugher, slapping his kneecaps, she could assume that no, she hadn’t heard it wrong. Offended with being confused with Yana, implicitly being looked down upon, she openly glared at Guizhong, not trying to hide her rising annoyance and displeasure in any way.
Wasn’t Guizhong supposed to be smart? With the way she had acted just now, one would think that these two Gods must be sharing one brain cell together. Just the thought was able to make her snort.
Clearly flustered by Guizhong’s kind words, Yana rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly and stated, “I- uh, yes, I’m not an Adeptus or anything, I’m just a human, but- uhm, thank you?”
“If you want to talk to a God, then you are looking the wrong way. I am right here,” she uttered with clear spite in her voice. She had her right leg propped up on the rock and had put her elbow on her knee, leaning her head comfortably against her palm. “Let’s not waste any more time idling and get down to business, shall we?
“I assume we all have our common goal set, seeing as how you have accepted our invitation, yes? Because even as we speak, the Archon War rages on all around Teyvat, and we don’t know when it will all come to an end. So, in hopes that we will support each other during these times, Yana has come up with the idea of a contract between our lands. Yana, if you will,” she said, gesturing for Yana to hand over the secured scroll to the two Gods. “You can read our articles of the contract from there, but the basics of our conditions are based on the concept that, if we go to war, you will lend us an hand, as we will do the same for you, and if we make peace with a foe, we make it together as a team,” she explained and watched as Morax attentively scanned the articles of the contract. “I’m sure you have a few conditions yourselves, so feel free to share your thoughts about the contract as well, or if you have any further questions about our articles, we are always ready to answer them. We wouldn’t want to hide anything from our new friends now, would we?”
She watched as Morax took his sweet time to study the content of scroll in his hands and haughtily crossed her arms across her chest, shaking her head disdainfully at the God in front of her. Hadn’t he heard a word she just said? There was nothing hard to understand she just said now, was he trying to get under her skin by wasting her time even more?
“Article 4…” declared Morax, politely handing over the scroll to Guizhong to analyze the content in detail as well, “About this so-called mechanical support, are you referring to the Guizhong Ballista in particular?”
“Look how smart you are…” she sneered, satisfaction creeping up within her being as she took notice of the slight twitch of his eyebrow, of how his lips turned slightly downward in displeasure, though no words of protest left his mouth to vocalize said displeasure. “Yes, with mechanical support we especially mean the Guizhong Ballista. We would like our inventors to work closely together with yours, in hopes that more of these weapons would guide us in our defense within our lands, or maybe even improve the last version of the Ballista.”
“With all due respect, my lady, are you sure your inventors are capable enough to lend a helping hand in developing a better version of the weapon? It was created with the help of an Adeptus and Guizhong, after all, so pardon me if I am doubtful of your assistance.”
She laughed breezily at his words as if he told her the funniest joke on Teyvat, although deep down, she was practically sheeting, trembling with anger, and as much as she would love to jump of this rock and show him how helpful she could be with her fists, she held it in. She wouldn’t let him get under her skin. “Why of course! I am sure that they are capable enough aid your team in any way possible.”
“This arrangement is reasonable, the more the merrier I would say. Your inventors are welcome to join us,” stated Guizhong. “A little diversity here and there is sure to help us in the long road, and even then, I’m sure our teams could both benefit massively by learning from each other.”
Morax nodded in agreement, seemingly content for now. “That we can agree upon, then.”
“Though, if I may inquire…” uttered Guizhong, fiddling with the hems of the Hanfu, unsure whether she should bring up the question in mind, anxiously averting her eyes back and forth between her and Yana.
“Yes, Lady Guizhong, do you have a question regarding the contract?” questioned Yana, politely urging Guizhong to continue.
“No, not about that in particular, not right now at least, but I can’t help but question your motives with this alliance. Considering our locations in Teyvat and how far away our lands are, I would have assumed that you would have preferred someone closer to your territory. From my perspective, that would be the more logical decision. So, I wonder, why exactly have you chosen us?”
She deliberately looked over at Yana when she heard the question, urging her to answer the question, seeing as this whole idea was hers in the first place. “Well… during these hard times, it is important to consider who you choose as a friend and as a foe. I admit, having an ally that is closer to our lands would be more favorable for us, but an alliance with someone simply because they are near our lands is also quite illogical. Furthermore, a little birdie told me of your deeds, so I came up with the idea and presented it to my leader. It is that simple.”
“So the choice had nothing to do with you?” Guizhong asked, looking at the ill-tempered God in particular.
“I don’t tend to eavesdrop on gossip, so no, I wasn’t me who propose the whole idea, but as Yana said, she presented an interesting case and convenient arguments. If I remember correctly, humans have a passing phrase for that: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. How fitting, wouldn’t you say so?”
“If that friend doesn’t turn out to be a wolf disguised in sheep clothing, then yes, I would agree.”
She scoffed at Morax’s provocative words. How dare he presume her intentions without any verification? She was ready to retaliate at the foul claim made against her, though was swiftly interrupted when a figure, clad in soft purple, black and green, materialized out of thin air with a flash and landed promptly in front of the Gods. He kneeled before them, face turned downward as he addressed his leaders, “Rex Lapis, there is an issue near Yaoguang Shoal. Your urgent assistance has been requested.”
Those words were enough to turn a switch within Morax, and how fascinating it was for her to witness the God of Geo shift into the role he was known for: the Warrior God, the Groundbreaker, merciless to anyone who seem to stand in the way of his success. Morax issued clear authority as he addressed the adeptus kneeling in front of him, “Has this anything to do with our earlier encounter, perhaps?”
“Yes, my lord.”
The announcement was so sudden. One minute they were talking, the other minute they were in a haste to depart. Stricken with worry but eager to leave and assist her people, Guizhong urged her partner to action, “We have no time to lose, Morax. We ought to head out for Yaoguang Shoal as fast as possible.”
Grunting out his agreement, amber eyes swept up the lax form of the Pyro God, unmoving, still comfortably sitting on the rock, leering at him from her spot and seemingly in no hurry to get up and join them in their quest. “Now is the time to show us how loyal to the contract you are, no? If there is to be an alliance, then I request your aid in this fight.”
“Hmm,” Delicately tapping index finger against her bottom lip, she languidly took her time to thinking about whether to actually move and help them, or to disregard anything he just said. The decision wasn’t hard to reach. “No, I don’t think so,” she said, smirking at him. “Why would I bother to fight alongside you? I don’t see your signature on the contract, hence the contract is not in power yet, so no, I am not required to do anything if the alliance is not agreed upon. Though… when you are ready to accept and sign the contract, then I am more than willing to stand by your side.”
Finally, she though gleefully, noticing a glimpse of pure rage within those amber eyes, as if over time, a flame had been lightening up within him. She came to a conclusion: Morax was excellent at keeping his cool and composure, but as it was commonly said: “the eyes are the mirror of the soul and reflect everything that seems to be hidden**”. To her, it was as if he was an open book: easy to read the words on the pages, no matter how hard he tried to conceal and protect the content. An open book he was, a book she would have the utmost pleasure to tear apart if it meant discovering and exposing his ire for her own amusement.
Evidently not impressed with her behavior and blatant disrespect, he cast one last scornful look to see if she would crumble under the pressure and give in, though that seemed to be his own wishful thinking. Before he joined his companions retreating figure, he looked over her one last time, declaring loud enough for her to hear his next words: “We will see each other again.”
No one told me you would be so horn-y* = People, I wrote this sentence when I was writing the first chapter, when I thought about it I was like yep, something our MC would say lol
The eyes are the mirror of the soul and reflect everything that seems to be hidden** = A Quote by Paulo Cuelho
This chapter was so much fun to write because of the banter, it was hard to keep a good balance between sassy MC and Morax, but I hope yall enjoyed it as much as I did! Feel free to share any thought about the characters and chapters! And thank you for reading <33
Summary: After a notification of an unexpected ambush in Wuwang Hill, she was confronted with the aftermath of the battle.
Relationship: Zhongli x Reader / Zhongli x Original Female Character
Rating: E
Trigger Warning: none
Words: 5.4K
Tagged: @aine-ayase
A/N: 5.4K words of world and character building. Gotta set the basis for the ball to roll yoknow. Thank you all for the likes, reblogs, and comments! It keeps me motivated (: Anyway, back to reading!
Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 3, Read this chapter on: AO3
After years and years of battling enemies without a second hesitation, it could be assumed that one would adjust to see the aftermath of one’s own action, would get used to get blood on their hands, but even to this day, it remained as a struggle, knowingly sending her people, friends, and supporters to their potential death, and it won’t get easier as time goes on.
What if this was the last time she would see them, she always thought afterwards. What if there will be no ‘we will see each other’ again?
No matter how many times a person was confronted with a similar situation, coping with the consequences of one’s own decision wasn’t as simple as people might thought it would be. This was a hard learned lesson from the Gods younger days, when she was but a careless soul, wandering Teyvat with her faithful companion, and it became clear to her once again as she gazed at the destruction of Wuwang Hill.
A stone hearted being someone had to be, to not even feel slightly disheartened at the view of the once peaceful place, mercilessly burning down to ashes.
It was upsetting to see the drastic change in a place that she had fond memories of, a place that was once so full of life. She remembered the times when she and Ajay returned home from their many travels and took a rest on the lush field. A place full of bloom it had been, she remembered, so lush and green, a natural habitat for exotic animals; a perfect location to lay down late at night and admire the blinding stars, shining like diamonds, decorating the dark sky like accessories. Though, those days were long gone, as the view of glowing stars was blocked by the non-stop rising smoke all around, wildfire surrounding every corner of the place. All she witnessed now was the once formerly lively hill burning down to crumbles; the smell of smog was heavy in the air, replacing the previously sweet scent of Qingxin flowers.
How worthless could a God be, if said God couldn’t even minimize the damage done around the vicinity? As if they were ready to burn down the world around them, just to taste victory after all was said and done.
She felt pathetic as she surveyed the damage done by the enemy and by herself. She should be feeling some relief, seeing as the ambush had been successfully suppressed with no major causalities on their side. Though, confrontation with the horrible results of the battle considerably dampened the joy of the win. Burnt leaves crunched under her feet as she examined the damage done around the fields and reminisced back to the formerly verdant hills. The air was getting stuffy because of the number of fires blazing around that were yet to be extinguished. Her throat was closing up with every inhale as it got harder to breathe through the smoke.
But amidst the chaos, she had spied as Azra and Yana, along with a group of healers, rushed around to set a tent for the injured, secure and far away enough from the fire to treat the wounded safely. Though her injuries were starting to itch and fatigue was wearing down on her bones, she put herself together to offer them her help. For whom would she be, other than a pathetic and worthless God, if she was sat down and twiddled with her thumbs while the wounded suffered; who would she be as a ruler of her people, if she couldn’t even manage the chaos properly?
Despite the warning signals of her own bodily injuries and exhaustion, she deliberately ignored them and got a grip and herself. With a goal set in mind, she slowly but surely made her way to the medical tent. The more she walked, the clearer she could make out Azra, holding up a soldier who was limping, walking with difficulty; every movement resulted in him grunting in pain, and as she rushed forward to help, she heard Azra’s frantic voice, encouraging the soldier along, “Hang on there a little more, sir! It’s not far away. We are almost there…”
When she reached them, she gently placed her hand on the man’s waist and put his arm around her shoulder to support his weight along with Azra. “You can lean on me more. You need to get treatment fast.”
“My lady! It’s okay, you don’t need to help at all! I’ve got it. I can get him there fast enough!”
“Hush, Azra. Two helping hands are better than just one.”
A grunt left the soldiers lips; it was clear that he was in pain, but he wasn’t willing to show his weakness in front to the God. In between clenched teeth he muttered, “My lady… You don’t have to worry about me. Thank you for your generosity, but the little lady here is more than enough help for me.”
She looked over at the man, though he wasn’t looking at her, avoiding her piercing gaze. As she looked him over, she spotted several cuts on his cheeks and jaw, along with ash marks here and there. Though, she also noted the severe gash on his right thigh: the source of his limb. A bit irritated at the stubbornness of the soldier, she urged them forward without further ado. “Hold your words, soldier. I won’t take no for an answer. Might as well save your energy.”
Slow and steady, they walked the little distance to the two medical tents, big enough to host at least 20 people in each tent. When they entered the shelter, she was greeted with medics’ rush around and past them in hurry, occupied with the tasks at hand. Yana was there as well, talking to one of the medics at the corner of the tent, far enough to not disturb anyone. The young medic Yana was talking to noticed them and the injured soldier, eyes widening at the state of the man, hurriedly gesturing to one of the treatment couches as a signal to bring the man over there. As Azra and her carefully laid him down, mindful of his injuries, the medic said, “Thank you for your help, my ladies, I will take care of it from here on.”
“You’re very welcome,” said Azra, before turning to her. “My lady, I will be outside helping others if you need me,” And without waiting for a respond from her, Azra dashed outside in a hurry, leaving her looking at the exit, scowling in annoyance at not getting a word. She will get it later, she thought, but left it at that for now, for Yana was gesturing for her to come over.
As anyone in the vicinity, Yana was looking disheveled, though unlike some of these people, she was probably used to it at this point. The neat looking, always tidy woman the God knew her as was gone; her once stylish ponytail was all tangled up, and her clothes were all burned up and ripped. To restrict the amount of smoke she inhaled, she had smartly covered the lower half of her face with the signature cloth given to the council members.
Once close enough, Yana wordlessly tied a piece of cloth around the God’s chest and started placing various items such as herbs, burn lotions, water bottles and lots of bandages in the sling. When all was set and done, Yana simply said, “Go on, help us tend to others. You should see a group of medics near the pool of water. Bring the injured here if their condition is severe. Go now. We will talk later,” Her tone left absolutely no place for argument; a clear sign of insistence within her jade eyes as they were practically burning holes into her ruby ones, a show that signaled she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“You didn’t need to tell me to do that. I was going to do it anyway…” she muttered under her breath but relented. Without further ado, she departed with Yana, stepping out of the tent into the wild once again, sprinting down towards the place Yana had pointed out for her. She had seen some healers rush towards there as well, so she assumed that most soldiers were scattered around that area, at least she hoped they were nearby.
It didn’t take long to arrive to the location Yana had described. Just as the rest of the scene, this place was ruinous as well, though not as much as the rest since the small spring had prevented fire from spreading. From above the cliff, she could see men and woman, dirtied up but resting near the water: some were soothing their burns with the cold water and bandaging their wounds while the more serious injuries were being treated by healers. She descended, mindful of the sling on her chest, the ‘thud!’ that followed alerting everyone in the vicinity of a newcomer’s arrival. Panicked and injured the soldiers were, fear wouldn’t stop them from hastily reached for weapons, ready to defend themselves once more.
It didn’t take much for everyone to recognize who was in front of them though: their lady’s signature red-black hair as distinguishable as hellfire burning bright during an endless winter night, and to her surprise, cheers and claps erupted once she had been recognized, several different voices shouting all together ‘Long live our beloved God!’. She had anticipated angry complaints, seeing as operation didn’t go as smoothly as expected, but to receive some short of approval awoke a tingly feeling within her. At least her people were proud of her, as she was proud of and grateful for them. The thought brought a small smile on her face: she wasn’t alone in all of this. Gesturing to the items she carried, she said, “I have water, bandages and burn lotion. Please hand these out for those who need it. Does anyone need any help with applying and bandaging?”
With those words, everyone got to work: the less wounded helping tended the more wounded while some were taken to get more professional treatment. She was busy wrapping up a young man’s shin and torso after cleaning the blood and disinfecting the slashes as effective as possible. Looking at his face, one could guess that was not much older than Azra, probably around his mid-twenties. When she finished up tying the gauze, she stated, “All done. Though we should still get you to a medic. Just to ensure that everything is okay.” She wrapped his arm around her shoulder, grabbing his waist to hoist him up, ignoring the protests from the young soldier.
“No… my lady, no need for any of that. It is nothing serious, after all. I can walk by myself.”
“You are not the first one to say this and you probably won’t be the last. Let me help you.” Tightening her grip on his side, they slowly but surely started to walk back to the shelter. “This is partially my fault you are like this, after all.”
Frantically shaking his head in disagreement at the implication of her words, the young man immediately began protesting, much to her amusement. “No, my lady! This is not your fault. It is an honor to serve you any way possible. These wounds will close up over time, though they will always carry the memories of my commitment to you, my lady.”
What wise words for such a young soul. I wonder, has he always been so wise or has the circumstances made him this way?
“Tell me, soldier. Why are you even fighting this battle? You are so young; do you not have a family to provide?”
She wasn’t sure what brought up this question, other than the fact it tickled her curiosity. She couldn’t help but fathom why someone would be willing to put themselves in danger at such a young age, when all she had been trying to do these past years was to preserve the youth.
He must not have been expecting this question either, for he looked rather perplexed, head tilted slightly, pondering over his answer. “No, my lady, I don’t, but… I think, even if I had my own family, I would still want to aid you, for it would ensure my family’s protection and their future.”
“An honorable answer that is,” she murmured, pleased of hearing about his devotion to the cause, but not entirely satisfied yet. “Though, what would you do to protect those you love? How far would you go?”
“My lady, what is this questioning all of sudden…” he muttered, only to receive an answer apart from an arched brow, prompting him to answer. “I think… if it guarantees my family’s safety, I would do anything.”
“Anything?”
“Anything.”
“Even if it hurts your pride in return?”
“We can’t be thinking about such little things in these dire times, my lady…”
Why can’t we, though?She was a God, reigning over her lands over thousand years, proving over the years that she, all alone, could secure her people’s safety. There was no need for her to show any type of compromise, was there? A force to recon with, that was what she was. She knew this, as did her enemies. For power was given to every God, but using that power efficiently all depended on the God in itself.
But could she still so stubbornly hold onto these believes, when even a man not even half her age, could easily put aside his pride for the sake of his loved ones?
“Maybe you are right,” she simply said, for she had no desire to argue against his believes. Respectful she could be towards different opinions, but understanding such mentality? If the cards were not on her side, she would simply make do with what she had. She was no coward that hid behind anyone else; no weakling that needed a treaty to win this war.
Most of the unit had already gathered just close enough to the tents by the time they arrived. Most of them were resting on the ground, battered up but clearly eager to leave. Amongst everyone was Azra as well, still running around and supporting others as much as possible, despite the injuries that covered her arms as well.
“Someone, bring this man to the medics!” she commended, carefully handing him over do the capable hand of the healers, before pointing over at the man Azra was slowly carrying over. “Him as well, please.”
With the obedient ‘Yes, my lady,’ the medics brought the two soldiers into the tent for further examination, giving her the opportunity to have a necessary chat with Azra, who, by the looks of it, was eager to rush away once more.
“Azra, come here! We need to talk.” She instructed.
“Couldn’t it wait? I think I saw a few people left that needed help…”
“No. Yana already had me assist mostly everyone, and I assume you have done your job far enough as well,” she said sternly, arms crossed over her chest disapprovingly, scolding her for being inconsiderate for her own selfcare. “But have you seen yourself? I don’t need you to strain yourself more than you already are.”
“No! No… my lady, I’m really alright! It’s just a few scratches. I will go see a medic later, but I feel fine enough to move!”
“Absolutely not. This is a command, Azra. Go get treatment, now. The battle is over, and the worst has already passed. I don’t need your condition worsening because you didn’t get a checkup sooner.”
“But you are far worse than I am, my lady…”
So concentrated about everything and anything that happened so far, she had forgotten her very own injuries, although they weren’t bothering her as much as before. “But at least I had the decency to dress my injuries. You haven’t even done that,” She countered back, “Are you questioning my order, Azra?” she prodded, smirking at the immediate denial and frantic ‘No, no, not at all!’. “Then do as I say. I promise, if I need you, I will call for you, but first most, you need to take care of yourself.”
“Very well, but please don’t hesitate to call me whenever you need.”
“Of course,” she said, nodding in satisfaction, relieved to finally have convinced Azra to go get treatment as well. Stubborn little punk she was. Azra usually went out of her way to please her, disregarding everything and anything around her. Where does she find the will to be so energetic all the time, she wondered, must be because she is still so young.
Now that everything had calmed down enough, she herself could sit down and rest, even if it was for a few minutes. A short moment that was desperately needed, for she had much to ponder about.
It could have been far worse, she reckoned, if it weren’t for the notification they had received on time. The results could have been far, far worse, and even though the battle had been won, the war would still rage on, for most of the enemies had escaped her clutches like the dogs they were, their tail between their legs.
Unfortunately for her, that meant she didn’t know who the mastermind behind all of this was.
Fortunately for them, it meant that they got to live a little longer.
Alas, had she been a plain downgraded God, the matter would have been merely dropped; forgotten and forgiven, no question asked. But not in her book, for she intended to figure out who would be foolish enough to challenge her, even if it took years to unravel the mystery.
For in this game, it is kill or be killed, simple as that.
So deep in thought, she hadn’t realized that someone had been calling for her, not until she was prodded at her upper arm. “I heard you and Azra talk. Nice pep talk, I must say. If only you practiced what you preached, you know? Sometimes you are such a hypocrite,” Yana mockingly said, though her tone indicated that she was anything but in a playful spirit. It dripped with clear displeasure, and for a moment, she felt bad about how she talked with Azra. Was this how mothers talked to their children? She couldn’t really remember, but she imagined it to be this way. “Come with me, I will patch you up. We still have to talk, anyway.”
They walked off from the group in search for some privacy, Yana practically dragging her all the way to settle on top of a cliff, far enough to not be heard by unwanted ears, but close enough to keep an eye out for any unexpected development.
“Sit down,” commanded Yana, gesturing to the unspoiled spot on the grass. Slightly annoyed at being told what do, she uncharacteristically shallowed any complaint and complied, for it was slightly unnerving, seeing the polite and calm act Yana had kept up until now. A convincing façade it was that fooled everyone around them except herself. It was like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode. One wrong move and the bomb might just explode on her face.
“Undress,” Yana said, examining the needed treatment and carefully readying them up.
“Hah?! This is going so fast… we should have dinner first.”
Clearly hanging on by her last string of patience, Yana glared at her pointedly, growling out once more, “Undress.”
“Okay, okay, calm down…” slowly, she began undoing the wraps around her stomach and forearm, unrevealing the injuries that lied underneath, wincing slightly at the still tender flesh. The burns nothing too serious as they were mostly healed up, but they were very ugly to look at in her opinion: a bright, angry mark decorating the skin with various other cuts and scars.
The cooling effect of the cream felt nice on her hot skin, and she felt instant relief as Yana gently applied the lotion on the burns, massaging the areas unhurriedly with soothing motions. The same up and down movement on her forearms felt heavenly, making her relax even further. Though she flinched at one particular pull, she thought nothing of the mistake, but evidently, each passing minute it became clear that Yana’s mind was somewhere else. The once tranquil and relaxing kneading became rash pulls; it felt like each wound was being stretched too far. Wincing at a harsh pull, she almost growled out, teeth clenching in pain. “Are you deliberately trying to hurt me now? Be gentle, it hurts.”
“If you weren’t so reckless this wouldn’t have happened. Endure it.”
“You speak as if what I did was deliberate.”
“Deliberate or not, what I’m saying is that you should be more careful. Sometimes, even you, somehow, underestimate the power you yield,” Yana deadpanned. “Turn around. I need to lotion your back, too.”
She wordlessly obeyed, flinching at the rough application on her lower back, though she simply clenched her teeth and endured the painful sensation. At one harsh move that seemed intentional, she snarled, a flash of aggravation practically pouring out with each of her words. “What is up with you?! I have been tolerating your actions, but only because we are friends. If it were anyone else, I would have them punished already.” she spit out, turning around to give her a piece of her mind, though stopped halfway because of the sight of her emotionally destroyed friend.
It was a rare sight, the usually calm and collected strategist wasn’t prone to easily lose control over her emotions, but each time it would happen, it tugged at her heartstrings, for it wasn’t usual that she got so hysterical. It was upsetting, now even more so, since the clear source of the distress was the God herself.
“You want to know what my problem is?!” Yana said, voice trembling more and more with each word uttered out. “My problem is that you are hurt! Every time we go to battle, you get hurt somehow, but no matter what happens, you still insistently think that you don’t need any help! I have told you, time and time again, it doesn’t need to be this way, but you are just so reckless and stubborn! It’s infuriating!”
“We are not doing this here-”
“You don’t even realize it because you are so focused on helping everyone but yourself, but there are so many enemies out there to hurt you!” Sobs wracked through her friend and more tears were shed, but they were dried away hastily. “You think this ‘sudden’ ambush just happened, out of nowhere, to just test the waters?!” she pathetically laughed, small tremors wracking her body. “We are at war! There are so many out there to get you, something could happen to you any moment! Who would protect us if you are gone? Have you ever thought about that?”
“You need to calm down,” she spoke softly, despite feeling irritation churn within her being. The previous words had hit deep, but right now, the priority lied in calming her friend down. Gently, she placed her hands on Yana’s shoulders, tenderly rubbing them, coaxing her to relax. The shivers considerably lessened along with the hiccups and sniffles, although the tears were still non-stop streaming down. “Ssh. It’s okay, I’m here,” she muttered, gently guiding Yana’s head to lay on the crook of her neck as she tenderly rubbed her back now. “I know it has been stressful, and I’m sorry I have been adding to that, but you don’t need to worry, I’m still here.”
They stayed like that for a while, just tightly holding onto each other, as if this would be the last time they would have the opportunity to, embracing each other until the hysterics diminished to nothing but to small snivels. How unattractive,she thought endearingly, teasingly pointed out, “You look so ugly when you cry.” She smiled as a small grin bloomed on her friend’s face as well, tenderly tracing her cheek with her thumb. “You feel better now?”
Slowly nodding her head, Yana croaked out, “Yes… thank you. Sorry I was being so difficult all of a sudden,” They separated, but Yana still clung tightly into her hands, refusing to drop them from her hold. “Did I hurt you too much?”
“No… don’t worry about it. It wasn’t that bad, nothing I couldn’t take.”
“What I said before is true though. You don’t really think this sabotage was spontaneous, do you? It seemed like almost all the attacks were directed towards you,” Yana pondered, evidently back to the role of the stoic strategist she was. “There were strangely a lot of vision holders as well, mainly cyro visions, for some reason. Do you think…”
She nodded in confirmation. It was surprising at how many vision holders she had to battle with, though maybe they were looking too deep into the issue. Maybe it was simply unplanned; an ordinary God merely wanting to test the waters, and alongside, her patience. “Yes, I have taken notice of that as well, but I’m not sure if that is relevant at all. I mean, you have a cryo vision, yet here you are,” she clarified. “Who knows who really is behind all of this…”
Though unconvinced, Yana seemed to accept her reasoning for now. “You’re right, but we should definitely keep a closer eye on every foe around us,” She said, a thoughtful expression crossed her face, pondering on which God, out of the thousands that existed, could possibly be behind this scheme. “As I said before, someone is out there to get you…” It was clear that Yana was hesitant to breach this topic once again after the insistent rejection to the idea, but convincing the God was an important key to keeping up with the current game. “What I wanted to talk to you about is actually the idea of an alliance with God of Dust and God of Geo…”
Not this again, she sighed heavily, rolling her eyes at the mention of the God of Geo. How she wished that Yana would drop this subject, but that was just a wishful thinking. Just hearing about him made irritation raise its ugly head within her; any mention of that name was enough to cause small tremors throughout her being. It was hard to describe as to why she felt and reacted so strongly the way she does, for all she knew, they haven’t even met once during their long lifetime.
Why is it that he could have such an effect on me without even being here? Dear Celestia, I don’t want to meet him, ever.
Separating their hands as she crossed them over her chest, she scowled at Yana for bringing the topic of him up again. “We have talked about this, and I’m adamant about it. There will be no such alliances with anyone, for we don’t need them.”
“You are being irrational! You are being reckless, stupid, and irrational! How long has it been since it’s been only us? Sure, we have survived, but how long do you think this war is going to go on for?” Yana spread her arms, a furious look on her face as she spat out, “You are just too stubborn to accept any sort of help coming from anybody! Are you that desperate to prove your worth to ignore everything around you?”
“Watch your tone and how you speak to me, Yana. You are testing my patience and generosity- “
“Once you start thinking rationally, I will gladly show you the respect I know you deserve, but until then, you need to hear what I have to say,” Yana said, taking a few seconds for herself to calm down, for she knew if she wanted to sway the God, she needed satisfying facts and not angry, emotional talkback. “As I have mentioned before, the God of Dust may not be powerful, but the mechanics she has been building over the years has made up for that- “
“What good could such devices bring us?! We don’t need a weak God to drag us down. I could just squash her and her precious devices under my feet- “
“Physical power has no value if you’re just going to swing it aimlessly and hope it will hit something! Guizhong has incomparable wit, and she has proven time over time how clever she truly is. Yes, in a battle, I think you can easily overpower and end her, but I don’t think she would let you get to that phase, to be completely honest.”
“That gives us a reason to be even more on edge around them!”
“Why keep them in an arm’s length, when you can just keep them closer?” Yana tacitly asked, a small smirk forming at the corner of her mouth as she finally saw a spark of interest within those ruby eyes. “’Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer’. That’s what humans would say, my lady. I won’t ask why you are so doubtful about this. I don’t think they wish to harm us if we don’t give them a reason to, but wouldn’t it be beneficial for us to watch them closely, if you have your suspicions about them?”
Such a way of wording Yana had, it felt fascinating; it was almost like she was luring hungry men to bed to get what she wanted, and in this case, the God had taken the role of the hungry men. Tempting and wisely her words had been, which left her unable to argue with that logic. Yana was absolutely right.
“Let’s say I’m convinced with the God of Dust’s abilities, what about the God of Geo? Do we really need him on board with us is the question here, I suppose. He is as powerful as I am, I have heard. If he decides to betray us, I’m afraid I would not sit idly by and let such an act pass; the outcome of the clash would be destructive, I doubt this world could handle it.”
Yana felt a tremble down her spine at the emotionless yet unyielding voice of her God, and for a moment, she felt afraid. It rendered her speechless for a second and hesitant to continue, but she had to settle this matter. “My lady… from what I’ve heard, he is an honorable being when it comes to contracts. Surely, he wouldn’t dare betray his own believes just to spite you...”
“Heh. Sometimes, I think you are too naïve for this world. How endearing… you don’t understand what actions a Gods would possibly commit to gain dominance over others they see as lowly beings…”
“Even still, keeping a close eye on our foes is a smart move on our part!” desperately, Yana tried to change the perspective to have the upper hand once again. “My lady, hear me out. It has taken us more than a day to arrive to this location. The God of Dust and the God of Geo reside in Guili Plains, which is far closer to Wuwang Hill. If we had an alliance with them sooner, their own forces could have assisted us, and this sabotage could have been handled far sooner. If we want to have an upper hand in this war, we need to spread our horizons. This alliance could be beneficial for both sides: they help us one time, we help them another time. One hand washes the other…”
“I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all…” she muttered angrily, though accepted the argument at the very last; she had come to a decision. “Yana, write a message to Ajay and inform him on the situation. I’m sure he is eagerly waiting to hear from us. Come see me once you have done that. An audience with our possible allies is in order.”
The God of Pyro* and Hand of Justice* write to invite the Rulers of Guili Assembly to discuss a contract for a possible treaty between the Ruler of Aegeon and the Rulers of the Guili Plains. As the archon war wages on, we wish to make a proposal or alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together and a generous mechanical support. Therefore, we would like to extend a formal invitation to the God of Dust and the God of Geo. The settlement of this treaty is to be discussed in detail personally.
