@shieldofvissai
the solstice games was one of the biggest events of the year for everyone was attending them in the hopes of catching a glimpse of glory for themselves. darius intended to do the same, though he didn’t come here for a glimpse. he came to take it all home to vissai, to prove once more the prowess their kingdom stood for. and maybe to prove to himself that he was worth his people’s admiration, or his father’s pride, though he got the feeling he’d never quite reach that stage.
even without kurgan at the games, darius had been determined to bring his best performance into every single fight. nobody would be messing with vissai if they saw one of them take down every opponent set before him. and so he did.
the bouts came and went in a rhythm his body knew well — steel, movement, breath, impact. clean. controlled. deliberate. he fought like he had been trained to fight, like every correction ever carved into him had settled into bone and muscle alike. there were no wasted movements, no reckless overreach, no openings left behind for someone else to exploit. it was the kind of fighting that didn’t just win — it proved something, even if he couldn’t quite name what that something was.
by the time he left the arena, the sun dipping low and the noise fading into something distant, there was no gnawing dissatisfaction beneath his ribs. no replaying of errors, no quiet frustration clawing at the edges of his thoughts. he had done well. more than well. he knew it, even if part of him still searched for something more out of habit alone. he just wished kurgan could've seen him today, but he was no match for the master of war's duties.
darius pushed into his tent with a steady breath, already loosening the straps of his armor, movements easy and unhurried now that the weight of performance had slipped from his shoulders. dust and sand clung to him, sweat cooling against his skin, the familiar ache in his hands grounding in a way that felt earned rather than irritating. he made it only a step inside before he stopped.
it wasn’t obvious at first. nothing overturned, nothing visibly out of place. and yet something in him caught, sharp and immediate, instinct tightening before his mind had time to catch up. his posture straightened subtly, awareness sharpening as his gaze shifted across the space—and landed.
kurgan.
the reaction was instant and entirely unwelcome. something in his chest pulled tight, sudden and unguarded, before he forced it down just as quickly. for a brief moment, he simply looked at him, taking in the reality of it. he was here. why was he here?
then discipline snapped back into place.
darius stepped further inside, as though nothing had shifted, as though the air hadn’t changed the second he crossed the threshold. his fingers moved back to the straps at his chest, though slower now, suddenly aware of himself in a way he hadn’t been moments ago. “…you’re supposed to be gone,” he said, his voice lower than expected, roughened faintly by exertion and something he didn’t bother to name.
his grip tightened briefly on the leather before he forced it to loosen, continuing the motion with practiced ease. he didn’t look at him immediately this time, choosing instead to focus on removing the last pieces of armor, though his awareness stayed fixed, sharp and unwavering.
“what are you doing here?” the question came steadier, more controlled, closer to what it should be, though it carried a weight he hadn’t intended to give it. he dragged a hand back through his hair, pushing damp strands away from his face, buying himself a moment before his gaze flicked back, quick and assessing — the dust of travel, the stance, the undeniable fact that he was here. did it show how quick his heart thrashed in his chest right now?
darius exhaled quietly through his nose, jaw shifting just slightly as something unsettled threaded through him, familiar in the worst way. “…you came for the games?” for me? he added after a beat, the edge in his voice softer now but no less present. there was a pause, brief but noticeable, before something sharper slipped through despite himself. “or to make sure i don’t embarrass you.” it was meant to sound light. it didn’t quite manage it.