#devolusion

( fallen leader | @devolusion​​ )

An example, the general said.  An example.  Even now, Kokomi thinks its cruel, wonders if, hours prior, she would have thought of it as the torture Kujou Sara claims to detest.  An example.  What would break an army more effectively than the loss of its leader?

She may as well be dead, she supposes.  She must be, the way — the way Gorou’s face twists when he finds her, finally, in the shack she’d managed to drag herself to after her captors released her.  She must be, the way Gorou’s face goes panicked and horrified, seeing her battered and beaten and bleeding form.  She tries a smile, a faint thing that shows the blood in her teeth, and wonders that she remembers him at all, even hazily.  Perhaps her ambition was too vague to result in such specific losses. To protect them all, after all, is a wide wish. Though, abruptly, she can’t remember what seemed so worth protecting.

Gorou is by her side in an instant, but it isn’t until her hand raises and presses gently to her own chest — her throat is dry, and she feels too fragile, just this moment, to speak — that he realizes that there place where he Vision once lied now sits empty.

An example.  What would break an army more effectively than the loss of its leader?  THE GUTTING OF ITS LEADER.

“I...apologize, Gorou,” she says, voice soft, and even now she means it.  She may not remember what was worth protecting in the smiles of her people or in the smiles of HIM.  But she knows she is sorry. ( from devolusion :) )

     HE KNEW HER SCENT. it had been near him on the battlefield, across from him during meager meals & feasts alike, & beside him at both his best & his worst. he was sure they could separate for years and the scent would remain familiar to his nose. it was so familiar, that he froze the moment he caught it, carried on the wind during their search ( what number search, he didn’t know–––– he had long lost count, yet refused to show his weariness at the thought in any capacity ). in an instant, he was turning, a hurried shout of ❝ this way! ❞ called to the troops that had joined him in what was almost a second thought. he would have gone alone had it been needed, he would not risk the scent fading & losing her trail forever. it had only been the thought that she may have still been in the hands of the enemy that had made him call.

     EVEN WITH THEM TRAILING BEHIND, he was faster than his soldiers. his natural reflexes combined with the desperation in his gait ensured that he stayed a fair distance in front of them. it was a struggle. the parts of him that wanted to linger to allow them to follow easily & the parts of him that wanted to rush to her excellency’s side & leave them behind were constantly at war. 

      & THEN, he caught the scent of blood.

     HE DIDN’T HAVE TO STOP TO KNOW WHO IT BELONGED TO. her scent was wrapped in it, woven into it, & the thought of what may have caused it pushed him faster. he all but rammed his body into the door to the shack, ignoring the vibrating ache that rumbled through his bones. he thought he was prepared for anything ( he was expecting an enemy, a foe, something to bare his teeth at, something to sink his claws into ), but he wasn’t prepared for what awaited him.

      HURT & BLEEDING SHE SAT THERE, & he wouldn’t stop the way his face dropped, his expression twisted, his heartbeat increased to the point he was expecting it to fly out of his chest. there was an emptiness to her eyes that he was almost afraid to name, & it concerned him more than the wounds on her skin & the blood streaking against her teeth. it wasn’t until her hand rose to press against her chest that he could no longer ignore what was right in front of him, & his knees buckled as he leaned towards her, his hands catching & scraping against the ground.    

    ❝ kokomi! ❞

     HER NAME TORE FROM HIS THROAT, titles & formalities forgotten in the face of his grief. the moment he took to compose himself was enough time for the others to catch up with him, their cries of ‘your excellency’ &  ‘you found her’ awoke a protectiveness that he wasn’t expecting, & he snarled at their attempt to approach.

     ❝ don’t touch her. ❞

     A DAY AGO, he never would have dreamed of growling at his own troops ( & later he would hope that they knew it came form a place of protectiveness & fear, not anger ), but for her safety he would challenge the strongest foe, go against the highest order.

     HE REACHED FOR HER SLOWLY, giving her the chance to tell him to stop ( would she? could she? what did she feel? what did she remember? ), but she didn’t. still he made sure to be gentle, to keep her as comfortable as possible as he lifted her into his arms. they couldn’t keep her here, it was no place to heal, no place to deal with the struggle of a sudden lack he had been told came with losing a vision. he could do little else, but he could certainly ensure her comfort.

     HER VOICE WAS ALMOST LOUD AMONG HIS STEPS, quieter than usual, & he couldn’t stop the way he watched her, his expression showing his shock at her words.

     ❝ why are you apologizing? ❞

     EVEN IN HIS SURPRISE, he kept his tone gentle–––– her comfort above all else. there was a sense of laughter among his words, though lacking humor. even like this, there was no hiding her nature.

    ❝ i should be apologizing to you. i’m supposed to look out for you–––– to keep you safe. ❞

      & HE HADN’T DONE THAT. she’d paid the price for it. a price just short of her own life. it wouldn’t stay that way. that he vowed.

   ❝ don’t worry, okay? we’re gonna get you patched up, & then i’m going to get your vision back. ❞

( Tired / Exhausted / Feeling Very Weak - Starters | @devolusion​ )

“Your hands are shaking. You need to stop.”

     SHE’D BEEN PUSHING herself too hard. when she had returned to inazuma, zelda had resolved to take her time & ease herself back into her duties, but there had been so much to do from the moment she had arrived. she had not been foolish enough to think that her little kingdom would not feel the weight of her absence, but she hadn’t thought so much of inazuma as a whole would be effected. the weight of her guilt had threatened to crush her & , despite insistence from several others that things could wait for her readjust, she had thrown herself into taking her place as princess once again.

     EARLY IN THE morning & long into the evening, zelda found herself reading updates, signing documents & discussing with her advisors & subjects alike. she had skipped meals & lost sleep over catching up with the years she had missed, & by the time she made it to her planned visit to watatsumi island, she was exhausted ( & , perhaps, coming down with something, but she had no time to get a proper evaluation to find out ).

     THE MEETING HAD gone wonderfully. not only had it been wonderful to see the priestess again, but she’d had the wonderful opportunity to speak to several former resistance soldiers. she had made it through the day attentive & energetic, & had only had to hide a few yawns. zelda had thought that, with little to do in the evening, she would have retired to her borrowed room & fallen right to sleep. but, her mind was still reeling, her heart beating too fast, & she found herself up & wandering–––– finding a bow & a quiver of arrows somewhere along the way before stopping to shoot at a few practice targets.

     IT MUST HAVE been hours before kokomi’s voice broke through her concentration. she knew her hands were shaking ( her grip on the string & arrow were faltering, her aim was suffering the consequences of her weakness ) but she couldn’t find it in herself to stop.  not when she was feeling the first taste of true freedom that she’d had since returning. a taste of freedom so similar to what she’d felt traveling the world. zelda had thought her wanderlust had long since been quenched, but she was wrong.

     ❝ with all due respect, your excellency, ❞

     THE LAST THING she wanted to do was offend her. someone was looking out for her, someone was concerned for her ( for zelda & not the goddess within––––  at least, that was how it appeared ), & it wasn’t something she wanted to discourage or make others think distressed her. it was kind, & she appreciated it more than words could say.

     SHE JUST COULDN’T bend to the concern. not now.

     ❝ this is the first time since my return that i have had the opportunity to do something i wanted, not something that was expected of me. ❞

     ZELDA ALLOWED THE next arrow to fly. it moved wide, but it still hit the target, & it felt something like relief.

        he’s pleased to see her ——— of course he is / it’s only natural to be pleased at the sight of your lover, after all, and when he catches sight of her over the shoulder of the knight who is giving their report ( quite well, granted, he is utterly riveted with their tale / something fascinating happened just over the way, traces left which are objectively suspicious and perhaps we should investigate further, after all ) his smile widens automatically. the knight doesn’t notice, they’re a new recruit and green around the gills, delivering the majority of his report to kaeya’s chest, or maybe around about his navel, it’s hard to tell at times, and kaeya tips his head to the side : to the little alcove that sits into the wall along her path.

        wait for me a moment, will you? duty calls / in a manner of speaking.

        ❝ ——— thank you, ❞ kaeya says as the knight’s words start to peter off and they’ve begun to shift their weight from side to side, a nervous habit that they’ll soon enough have to learn how to grow out of. ❝ i’ll look into the matter personally, excellent report, ❞ the newbie seems to blossom beneath the praise, finally looking him in the eye, shoulders straightening. how adorable. ❝ try not to give it to my chest, next time, ❞ kaeya’s grin is teasing and slanted, watching as the knight’s face goes red immediately, pale skin giving way to a flush. ❝ my eyes are up here after all. dismissed. ❞

         they run off and he starts forwards, strides long and purposeful before he turns sharply into the alcove and ——— ah, there she is. ❝ i don’t think that new recruit will show their face in front of you again, ❞ she says, amusement sparking brightly across her. how luminous. how beautiful.

        ❝ they will ——— they’re lucky it was me rather than anyone else. they all have to learn how to hold their ground eventually, ❞ he shrugs, arms spreading to each side, before he waves a hand dismissively, grin turning sharp, ❝ but i can’t imagine you’ve come all this way just to speak about methods on building confidence, though i’m certain it would be a thrilling subject, ❞ he steps closer to her, into her space, and laughs blithely when she turns against his body to put his back to the wall / stops laughing when her fingers loop through the metal triangle set into the collar of his shirt ( it looks kind of... well, it’s a choice, jean had said when she had seen it, and kaeya had laughed then, too ) only to meet her gaze with a sharp, considering, warm expression, a smirk still playing across his mouth.

        their noses brush and he looks into her eyes, her eyes, her eyes / wants terribly to stare flagrantly at the lovely curve of her mouth but it’s worth it for the way that her hi ghosts against his mouth before they kiss : him, lassoed and pulled by his neck / and her, guiding his lead.

        oh, how wonderful.

        both her ingenuity and her kiss, of course. kissing elysia is always a treat, nearly as drawing as death before noon, her mouth a SIREN’S SONG to him. kaeya grins against her mouth, leans into her touch / feels the way that her knuckles bump against the tender skin of his throat. want pulses through him and he can feel the urge to laugh bubbling in his throat again : adoring, adoring, adoring. his hands find her waist, thumbs pressing against her sides / and when their mouths part he chases hers, draws her bottom lip into his mouth ( a hint of teeth ) and meets her gaze again, mirth in his eyes.

        ❝ hello, my beloved, ❞ you could argue that he’s CROONING, voice steeped in perilous affection : tea gone, perhaps, just too long. my beloved / my elysia. he pulls her flush against his body and leans back against the wall, body curving gracefully against hers as he kisses her again / again / oh, perhaps just one more time.

        ❝ hmm... i like what you did to my collar just then, ❞ he kisses the corner of her mouth, chaste. this is an easy admittance, there is no armor to crack nor soft, thrumming innards to scoop out. this is one harder to admit : he wants her to crawl inside of him / or maybe the other way around? well, sometimes it’s hard to tell : instead, his hand slides to the small of her back. elysia arches against him, sets her mouth against his jaw / he stares down the inviting curve of her neck. ❝ excellent use of your surroundings... gold star. ❞

@devolusion​ :    ‘  please don’t go.  ’ for malleus from qiqi 

grave suggestions  // accepting

for the most part, an adeptus’ life is a solitary one. one most prioritize their duties & their responsibility to liyue above all else. everything else comes second. material possessions, personal goals & all other earthly attachments come second. even interpersonal relationships with the people they’re meant to serve. malleus is no exception to this. even as the adepti’s youngest & most rebellious, there are rules that he must follow. he’d learned this the hard way many years ago.

they’re not supposed to be here. while many of the adepti have been tasked to protecting liyue harbor personally, malleus is not one of them. in the past malleus might have followed orders obediently as he should. but rex lapis has fallen & as far as he’s concerned his duties are whatever he so chooses. he’s looking over liyue isn’t he? why should it matter how he does it? 

so he’s here now, walking along the docks of the harbor. in one hand he holds a frozen dessert on a stick. in the other he holds a much smaller, much colder hand. over time the adeptus has taken to remembering when baizhu is on outings & away from bubu pharmacy. as kindly & well intentioned as the doctor may be, malleus would rather limit contact with humans affiliated with qiqi. especially anyone who might try & take the child away from him. 

though now the hour is late & as much as malleus would like to keep qiqi with them, it is not their place to forcibly take her away from her home without a good reason. he loathes to admit it but he owes the humans here a great deal. were it not for them, he would have never found his dearest daughter again. & if the price of this reuniting is the briefness of their meetings so be it. 

the pair of them approach the stairs to the pharmacy & qiqi’s grip on malleus’ hand tightens. the adeptus freezes, brows furrowing in mixed concern & confusion as they drop their gaze to look at the other. the girl meets his gaze, something almost sad in her lilac eyes. “ please don’t go. ”  like always qiqi speaks softly & flatly. but this time there’s something...pleading in the words, like the parting will hurt her just as it hurts him. perhaps it does. 

despite the painful twist in the adeptus’ chest, malleus smiles kindly, giving qiqi’s hand a reassuring squeeze as he stoops down to her level.  ❛    i’m afraid i must, little one. but you needn’t worry. this is only a brief parting. i’ll be here the same time tomorrow & the day after that.   ❜  he releases qiqi’s hand, raising his own so he may hold her face. ❛    but if you really miss me while i’m away, all you need do is look up at the stars & call for me. & i’ll be here.    ❜

@devolusion​​ sent:  "— Xiangling-jiejie taught me to make these." And so the little Jiangshi holds her gift up to Baizhu; a simple flower crown. Not well made, but strung with love, that's clear. "For — you."

The flower crown looks like it might fall apart at any moment. Baizhu reaches to pluck it from Qiqi’s hands, touch delicate. (And if Baizhu’s Vision glows by his hip as he strengthens the tied together stems some, well, that’s his business.) He arranges it so it sits comfortably on his head, sparing Gui—who is mixing herbs at his bench and regarding the two with some amusement—a wink. Baizhu turns back to the girl, tilting his head this way and that for her appraisal.

“Thank you Qiqi. What a wonderful gift. I lo—like it very much. You certainly have an eye for picking flowers.”

“ it’s unusual for us / to be sought out like this. ” the twins won’t lie and say they aren’t curious how their connection to their little brother and that fake name got out, although it’s been a few years and they have been known to leave little hints and clues littered about... for the fun of it. they stand before her: identical mirror images with painted faces, all black and white ( black hair, black clothes, black eyes, black kumadori lines set against the stark white painted on their skin ). they almost blend with the shadows except for where they almost seem to glow.

margo laughs coquettishly at the other mage’s words; it would be almost cute if the cicin mages were not, by nature, unsettling. there’s something eerie about the sound, and too sharp for its sweetness. her fingers play along their jaw, delicate and loving and not at all like the claws she can so effortlessly turn on someone — that they can so effortlessly turn on someone, for are they not one and the same?? “ does it?? ” she coos before closing the distance to do no more than brush their lips together in a ghosting touch.

wolfpupy meme.

“yes, that’s plenty obvious now,” he says, grimacing.

dottore wouldn’t be needing to have this conversation in the first place if a certain gaggle of soldiers hadn’t come crawling back, saying someone (the mora devil!) apparently made off with every coin they had on them. said officers are watching from a distance now, as if expecting him to get their money back. imagine! what idiots.