#celespeko

It was to be expected.

Tensions had been rising, not through her directly but with muffled shouting and one too many empty bottles at the end of the night.

It was inevitable that they would ambush the place, her sword had been drawn the entire week.

But why now?

A quick eye confirmed all 3 had been dragged to safety, leaving her in a haze of gun smoke and choking blood.

Room to room, slice, thrust, though it wasn’t flawless her blood surely was less spilled than theirs.

At last, silence, silence but the ringing of gunshot in her ears and the faint dripping of blood down her sword and person.

She knew who had opened the door before even turning.

“...P… Pekoyama, dear?-” Even in such a place, such a sight, Celestia still managed to worry about her. Foolish, said logic. Welcome, said her heart. She tried to ignore that. Tools didn’t have hearts.

“You shouldn't be here, Celestia.” It was cold, colder than she meant it to be. But it was better that way. Better to be cold than vulnerable. Better to be as frigid as steel than as warm as the blood dripping down it.

Please go away.

“I wanted to see you.”

“You’ve seen enough.” Finally, enough will to turn around, to meet those worry filled eyes that mirrored her own, steely ones.

Please leave.

“Don’t you remember what I told you before? I cannot be loved.”

Stop loving me

“I am a tool. A weapon.”

You’ll only get hurt

“Now, do you see? I am…not human”

I’m not worth it.

That would be it. Decisive, final, it was almost scary how easily such words rolled off her tongue.

She saw the other make a crinkled frown, disgust. At what, she couldn’t tell, though the scent of blood was still thick in the air.

“You are not-“

It was only a moment’s pause. Celes was always stubborn about this.

“I am. My only purpose to serve as a shield for him. This is all.” A faint gesture at the bodies littered around her, evidence of a scuffle on ripped sleeves and a small cut across her cheek.

Barely audible muttering, a sigh.

Then, with no warning, the swordswoman found arms wrapped around her and a raven-haired head resting on her shoulder, prompting a sharp gasp and her sword to clatter on the floor.

“Just… just shut up. Please. I have seen your best and your worst, but God dammit Peko Pekoyama, I still love you…”

Peko bit down on her tongue to stifle a rebuke.