#zenni-writes

“Everything will be alright,” Zhongli said. 

“Assuming Childe’s even here.”

“He will be.”

“How can you be so certain?”

Hu Tao snorted. “Don’t get him started. He's always certain of everything.”

"I am simply coming to a logical conclusion based on-” Zhongli said. 

“Your long-winded explanations are boring.”

“Just because you do not want to listen…”

Akira cleared his throat, cutting them both off. He pointed to a large boat floating at the very end of the dock. “He’s here,” He said. “Shing.”

“And Childe?” You said. 

Akira shrugged. “Maybe. The boss will only want to see you.”

“And we told you that’s not going to happen,” Hu Tao said, crossing her arms with an indignant huff. 

“Suit yourself,” Akira said with a shrug. “I’ve done my job. All that matters is…” He trailed off as groans echoed from a nearby warehouse. The rest of you stopped in your tracks, and you noticed how Zhongli and Hu Tao both moved in front of you, polearms appearing on their backs in a flash of light. You summoned your sword, but took a small step back as Zhongli moved closer to you. 

Suddenly, the door of the nearest warehouse shot off. A pillar rose, blocking it before it crashed into the three of you. Behind it was a deformed delusion holder, with one shoulder much larger than the other. The man - at least, you thought it was once a man - was hunched over, his eyes glossy as he shambled out of the building with legs that were nothing but bulging muscles. Yet, despite all of that, he looked impossibly frail. Below his shoulders were a pair of boney arms that dangled uselessly. You could see his ribcage through his torn clothing, and weren’t sure how he was even staying upright.

You heard cries of pain further down the dock behind you, followed by quick flashes of light. “What is this?” Akira yelled. “This wasn’t supposed to…” Another door burst open, slamming into him and knocking him off the dock. You rushed over to the edge to help him back up, but he was nowhere to be found. Behind you, a second shambling corpse emerged with flames radiating off of his arms. Your heart sank as two more stumbled toward you from further down the dock. Four more dead. Four more you’d have to fend off. But could the three of you do it? Childe had used his delusion on the first three you’d met, but maybe he’d just been showing off. You wouldn’t put it past him. “Zhongli…”

“Stay behind me,” He said without looking back. 

“But…”

“We’ve got this,” Hu Tao said with a wink. You weren’t necessarily surprised by her confidence, but you couldn’t escape the unsettling feeling that washed over you as the shambling horrors approached from all directions. Hu Tao snapped her weapon down, engulfing it in flames. Zhongli’s appeared in his hand, spinning in mid-air before he grabbed it. “Remember,” Hu Tao said. “They’re already our clients.”

You thought Zhongli looked sad. “I know.”

The first body picked up speed, barrelling toward the three of you. Hu Tao moved first, striking the creature in the chest before spinning around and slashing its legs. It went down hard, shaking the dock. Zhongli swiped down toward the second one, kicking his polearm with astounding grace, its blade spinning into the creature’s chest. It stumbled backward before screeching with rage and charged again. A pillar of rock appeared between them, followed by a second one jutting out from the first and knocking the creature square in the jaw. It went down as hard as the first, and you stumbled. A pillar appeared behind you, stopping you from tumbling face first into the water. You shot Zhongli a grateful look, but he and Hu Tao had already moved onto the third. 

A fourth came at you, but you were ready, throwing up a wall of ice to knock it down. You threw your hand toward it and blades of ice erupted from the structure, stabbing the creature through. It howled, bucking from side to side before going still. You let the wall melt, watching as the body crashed to the dock. Beside you, the third was dispelled by multiple strikes to the chest and a blaze of fire to the face. Hu Tao vanished, reappearing by your side in a burst of yellow butterflies. Zhongli stood still, eyes scanning the dock as his polearm returned to his back. “Are you alright?” He said. 

“Yes.”

“There are more watching,” he said, crossing his arms. “But none have transformed just yet.” He looked toward the end of the dock, a frown clear on his face. “But he… he is close.” You followed his gaze and your breath caught when your eyes landed on Shing, perched on top of the boat like a king looking over his subjects. But he looked different than the last time you saw him. His muscles were larger and more toned. His stomach was flatter. His eyes were a sharp blue and you swore you saw a dark purple hue around his form. On his hip over a pair of black pants were multiple delusions all clanging together, the largest of which was Electro. In his hand was a purple polearm and your heart sank. It was identical to Childe’s transformation. 

“Welcome to my dock,” He said. “It’s unfortunate you weren’t here sooner. Your Harbinger is long gone.”

“What do you mean?”

“He left, child,” Shing said with a shrug. “The loss of his delusion was too much to bear.”

“What did you do to him?”

Shing shrugged. “It’s better for Liyue that he’s gone anyway. I was merely doing you and the rest of this city a favor.” 

You didn’t believe him. Not for a second. Childe would never leave something like this unsolved. He would never back down without some kind of fight. Whatever plan he had going on in his head didn’t involve leaving you to the wolves. Could Shing hurt him? You didn’t see any obvious scars or signs of a battle. Childe must have given himself up willingly. But why? And where was he now? “Shing…”

“It’s a beautiful collection, isn’t it?” Shing said, directing your attention to his belt. “I’m only missing one.”

“You are trifling with forces that you do not understand,” Zhongli said. 

“Oh?” Shing said. “I understand them just fine.”

“Look around you!” You yelled. “These people…”

“The weak are consumed,” Shing said. “But the strong… they survive.”

“And how many have survived?”

“I have,” Shing said. “And that is more than enough.”

You heard murmurs from the warehouses, but no one dared to speak up. You wondered how many of them had lost friends to a delusion. How many were tempted to transform themselves just to see if they were strong enough, and how many dead had been forced to do so, terrified and alone? You didn’t want to think of the others. People Shing must have put down in his experiments. 

“Now,” Shing said, holding his hand out. “Your delusion.”

You took a step back. “What good will it do? You have plenty of your own.”

Shing snorted. “All of the elements… working together in harmony.” He raised his hands to the sky, as if motioning to Celestia itself. “For people like me… People that are not blessed with visions, this is our only chance. Become one with the elements, and ascend to the world above.”

“You are a fool,” Zhongli said. 

“Her own mother taught me this,” Shing said, his eyes narrowing as they met Zhongli’s. “But that woman’s sights were set too low. Healing mortal wounds… bah. That’s not enough. Becoming a being on par with the Archons. Ascending into immortality, stronger than even Morax himself… that is a worthy goal.”

“More like a stupid one,” Hu Tao said with an eye roll. “One delusion alone will kill you.”

“You have no idea what I can do,” Shing said. “No idea the power that I hold. And with the Harbinger’s delusion by my side, I am invincible.” 

“You are nothing of the sort,” Zhongli said. “Just a twisted man who chases a power he cannot obtain.” 

“It doesn’t matter what you think,” Shing said. “Now give me the delusion and nobody else will get hurt.”

Despite the pinch of fear in your chest, you raised your head high. “No.”

His eyes narrowed. “Then we’ll just have to take it from you.” He whistled - a high and screechy sound. Dozens of delusion holders poured onto the docks from all directions. They moved much faster than the previous beasts, and you realized quickly that this was a much more dangerous battle. These men and women threw themselves at the three of you with reckless abandon, tossing magic of all kinds and hoping they interacted. Zhongli pulled you out of the way of a particularly nasty mix of Pyro and Hydro before it blew up in your face. Hu Tao vanished for a moment before charging into a group, spear blazing. Zhongli stayed by your side, batting away anyone that came close. You realized very quickly that both of them were avoiding any dangerous strikes, focusing on knocking down whoever they could. You threw a line of ice on the ground, sending a large group sliding down the dock and into the water. The few that climbed up were boxed in by stone. Others swam away. Zhongli knocked away a man coming toward you, and you threw ice at a woman who struck at him. Hu Tao bowled over a group nearby, burning clothing and tossing more into the wall. 

A cry from the end of the dock drew your attention. Stumbling from the furthest warehouse was a man you recognized. 

“Father!”

Everything slowed down as you ran. The fight went on, but all you could see was your father staggering toward you. A transformed beast tried to step in your way, but you knocked it over with a blast of ice to the face. Hu Tao appeared, saying something to you, but you couldn’t hear her as you pushed yourself forward and reached for your father. You saw a flash of purple in the corner of your eye. Shing’s laughter echoed in your head. 

Then, a polearm plunged through your father’s chest. 

She walked through the forest, staring at the map with no guidance whatsoever. It was difficult to tell where she had begun and where everything else ended. All she had to go on were the colors on the map itself. She avoided the creepy green snake place by dodging the green-tinted forest. She saw a woman with blue hair sprinting through a mountainous landscape and kept walking. She climbed a mountain overlooking a field of swords with another woman who was being followed by something that didn’t seem friendly. She moved toward a darker forest where she swore she saw a deer. But all she heard was a loud “EEP”, and she quickly turned around and went another way. On and on she walked, increasingly uncertain where she was going. 

She stopped at the most recent forest, confused when she gazed upon the decaying trees. Her heart was pounding in her chest, though she wasn’t sure if it was the dark energy or exhaustion. Her legs were heavy, and she wasn’t sure she could go much farther. Even so, a part of her felt she should turn around. There was something... off about this new part of the world. Everything was dying. The leaves had been chewed through by bugs she couldn’t see. There was a deep purple mist settling around her feet. She could hear the rolling of a distant river, but couldn’t possibly figure out where it was coming from.

This is not the place for me. 

But when she turned around, she froze. The forest stretched far behind her, further than she had walked in the first place. Light spilled through the canopy, but it was dreary and foreboding. She took a long step back as fear gripped her heart. Which way did she come from? Had she actually gotten turned around? That was impossible…

Right?

A dark chuckle echoed around her even more so than the fox’s had been before. “Hello, little lost one.” A humanoid figure stepped from the shadows, and everything within her screamed to run. His skin was a dark purple with a light glow along his muscles, and his flowing white hair was tied back into a pony-tail. He wore what looked like some version of a kimono, with long, puffy pants and an open, half-vest. One sleeve was massive with a blue interior and a purple ombre as it hung to his knees. A robe was tied around his waist with a demon mask that matched the one on his face. But her eyes snapped to the hook in his hand as he spoke again “You will make a perfect addition to my collection”

A rope snapped around her. She shrieked as the hook tore a piece of her shirt. “You have nothing to fear,” He purred, dragging her back. She tried to respond, but her words died on her dry tongue. “I am Thresh,” He continued. “A servant of the natural order which guides us all.” His head tilted, but she couldn’t tell through the mask if he was staring at her with interest or hunger. “Your soul is… strange…”

She gulped, trying to find any words she could. “Strange?” She choked out. 

He hummed in thought. “It sings of souls I have not yet encountered.”

She tried to breathe. Maybe that was a good thing? She didn’t know, but terror wouldn’t do anything now. “I’m not from around here… I think.”

“You think?” He chuckled. “Then where did you wander from, lost one?”

She tried to recall what she had been doing before waking up on the beach, but very little came to her. “I was walking through the woods… and ran into you.”

“I see,” Thresh said. She wished she could see his face. Maybe then she’d at least know what he was thinking. Or maybe not. Maybe a demon like himself didn’t have normal emotions. “The woods are mysterious… and known to connect many different realms.”

“I’m trying to get home,” That much she knew for certain. 

“Well here you are,” He said. Her heart sank. “The woods are home to many of my friends, and my children.” He paused for a moment before saying, “I have not spoken to them in quite a while.”

He sounded… sad. She hated how her heart longed to help him. “Your friends… or your children?”

“Both,” He said simply. “But I hear their spirits, calling out to me in their suffering. I must find them.”

“Why?”

“I am their caretaker. That is my duty. Nothing more. Nothing less.” He gazed at her, and this time she was certain it was with interest. “You have little idea why you are here, yes?” She nodded. The rope around her slackened, then fell away entirely. The hook snapped back to him, bound by some kind of spirit magic. “Then perhaps you should follow me, lest you wish to stay here, lost and forsaken… forgotten...” 

He paused again. Then, she swore she saw his eyes flash with anger. “No! It would pain me so, to leave a spirit in need behind.” He turned away, dropping a mysterious looking, demonic lantern behind him. “Allow me to show you my home.” As he walked away, she stared at his back, uncertain. Then, with nowhere left to go, she reached for the lantern. It hopped away from her. She scowled and reached again. It moved a second time. Finally, she gave up and followed after it, praying that her guide wouldn’t kill her at the end of the road. 

She expected a lot of things when approaching his home. What she didn’t expect was a beautiful river running under a strange-looking, dark purple gate. Chains hung from it, including another one of those demonic masks that Thresh himself wore. Lanterns lit the river on both sides, though she thought they looked oddly dull compared to the beautiful purple and orange-hued sky stretching out over the horizon. The lantern she was following vanished and Thresh reappeared under the gate. “This is your home?” She said. 

“Yes,” He replied. “Though I apologize for the mess.”

She snorted before she could stop herself. “What mess?”

“You flatter me,” he said as he gazed down at one of his lanterns. “These lights represent my children.”

She leaned forward, peering into the lantern. It didn’t look like anything special to her, but she didn’t dare say that to him. “What are they doing?”

“They each serve a special purpose,” He said. “But many of them have been taken from me.”

“Taken?”

“Yes,” He said. 

She hesitated, then said. “Are you okay?” 

The lanterns dim even more than before as Thresh turns away. When he turns back, his mask fades away, replaced by a partially human face. His beady red eyes stared at her as he gave her a grim sort of smile. “I have been forced to appear a mere reflection of my true self.”

“So this isn’t you?”

“No,” He says. “And I hope it does not scare you away.”

Surprisingly, she wasn’t nearly as scared as she thought she should have been. Instead, she felt… sad, as if she could feel the weight of his pain on her own shoulders. “Not at all,” She said.

He smiled for a moment before his long ears sagged and his eyes shifted toward the ground. “I cannot hold this form for long, as those closest to me have been taken.”

 “Your children.”

“Yes.” Darkness surrounded them for a moment. The weight of a thousand lifetimes dropped squarely on her shoulders. A part of her wanted to reach for him. Maybe even hug him tight and promise everything would be okay. But she still wasn’t certain if he was still planning to kill her. So, she held herself together and said, “Is there something I can do to help?”

His mask reappeared as the lights came back. “No. This matter does not concern you.”

“But I can help,” She said. “I’m different from these other spirits. Surely you see that now.” How she knew that was beyond her. She just… knew it. 

“You are already a lost child.”

“Then you can help me,” She said. “I’ll help find your children, and you can help me figure out where I came from. Does that sound fair?”

He paused. “Very well. Look around the area for my children and bring them home.”

She nodded with a small smile. “I’ll do whatever I can.” 

His ears twitched in what she knew now was a small hint of happiness. “Thank you, lost one.” 

It didn’t take long to find the spirits- purple, wispy things with eerie human faces that stared at her with painful confusion - but it did take her awhile to collect them. She wondered if she would have been better off asking for his lantern, but she had a bad feeling that it wouldn’t react well to her presence. Instead, she was left in the middle of the forest, trying to figure out how to grab a spirit that didn’t want to be grabbed. 

“Hello, stranger,” A familiar fox said, appearing in front of her. “I’m afraid you are messing with things you do not understand.”

“He asked for help,” She said.

“Of course he did,” The fox said. “He is weak and obsessed with souls that are not his to take.”

“He calls them his children,”

Her tails flicked in annoyance. “I should have warned you about spirits like him.”

“I followed the map,” She said. “And it brought me here.”

“True,” The fox said. “But I had not expected you to try and effect the balance of this world.”

“What do you mean?”

“These souls deserve a choice,” The fox said. “I give them that choice. Your little Thresh does not.” The fox shook her head. “He is simply a demon that has ensnared you.”

She hesitated, not certain what to believe. She had felt Thresh’s pain over the loss of his so-called children, but she didn’t think the fox was lying either. Were they two sides of the same coin? Two different ways the souls in this world could go? What right did she have to disrupt that? 

“Oh well,” The fox said. “I’ll just have to work twice as hard.”

“What’s your name?”

“My name doesn’t matter.”

“But I’d like to hear it.”

The fox chuckled. “You can call me Ahri, stranger. I suggest you be careful. Or don’t. It doesn’t matter to me. Good luck in your chase, but don’t expect to beat me.” She looked to the closest soul and whispered “follow.” The soul flickered a bright purple, but as Ahri left, the soul drifted after her. She had a feeling the same trick wouldn’t work for her. But what else could she do? Follow the fox? Maybe that was the safer option.

But… the pain in his eyes… she couldn’t just leave him.

She sighed, looking for more souls. She found a small conglomerate closer to the entrance to Thresh’s domain. Most of them fled, hiding behind nearby trees. Her heart sank. How could she possibly convince them to follow after her?

Follow…

The fox’s voice had been enticing. Maybe she could do something like that?

She took a step forward, closed her eyes, and began to sing. 

The spirits froze. Some drifted toward her. Others just sat there, staring. But she kept singing the most soothing song she could think of. More spirits came toward her. Some landed on her arms. Others in her hands. One even landed on her head, and she swore she could feel it flop onto its side. Could spirits sleep? Did it matter? No, She decided as she drifted back toward Thresh’s home. She had the spirits. Nothing else mattered. 

The surprised look on Thresh’s face when she returned was more than enough. “You have the voice of an angel,” He conceded. “If such a thing exists.” 

She held the spirits out with as much pride as she could muster. “I got them.”

“That you did,” He said. “Seeing my children returned to me brings greater joy than you could imagine.” She paused for a moment as his hands drifted over the souls. “Something is on your mind.”

“What are you?”

He chuckled. “I suppose that is a fair question to ask.” He took a step back and met her gaze. “I am a denizen of this world your people call the spirit realm. Some see me as a guardian. But…” He shook his head. “I see myself as much more than that. I’m a caretaker to these spirits… a father, if you well. And many are lost like yourself.”

“But I’m different… right?”

“That you are,” He said as his head tilted. “Though I am not sure how just yet.” His smile faded and he sighed. “But I’m afraid we have bigger things to worry about.”

Her heart fell again. “What?”

“My lantern has been stolen,” He said. “Without it, I cannot guide my spirits home.” He gestured to the other lanterns. “As you can see, the river is no longer lit as each of them draws on my own powers. But… without my lantern.” His expression turned angry. “My most treasured possession…”

“I’ll find it,” She said. 

His anger faded, replaced by surprise. “You would do that for me?”

She nodded. “Where do you remember seeing it last?”

“I was walking through the woods near here,” He said. “Maybe you can find it there.”

She gave a small, encouraging smile. “I won’t let you down.” 

Wandering back into the forest wasn’t so scary the third time. She liked to think she’d gotten used to the strange fauna around her. She walked with confidence, eyes scanning her surroundings as well as she could. But every direction she looked, she saw nothing. She frowned, stopping in the center of a large clearing. How long had she been walking for? Now that she was thinking about it, she felt like she’d been walking for hours. Maybe even days. Now she had to find the lantern. Without it, she wasn’t certain she would find her way back. 

Would the fox come and save her? She highly doubted it after all that had happened. 

A rustle in the trees caught her attention. She spun around, but a chuckle echoed behind her. When she turned again, it moved to the side. She scowled, but the cackling only got louder. Was a spirit messing with her? She wished she had asked Thresh more questions before coming out here. Or maybe Ahri. Hadn’t she mentioned other spirits? It was difficult to remember after all this time spent wandering through nothing. 

Then, she saw it; the purple lantern she’d been looking for. Unfortunately, it was in the grip of a small, brown racoon… thing. It was dressed in purple and yellow striped pants with a pink rope wrapped around his little waist. The large, straw hat on his head was tied to his chin with a blue ribbon, and held a flute in its pudgy little hands. Or maybe it was a blow gun? She didn’t want to wait around to find out. “Hello… little guy,” She said, taking a small step forward. He didn’t move, but she swore she heard more obnoxious laughter in the trees. “Can I get that lantern from you?”

The creature said nothing. The lantern didn’t move. When she reached for it, his eyes snapped open as he yanked it away. “Wait!” She said. “I need that!”

He peered at her, his smile returning as he sat the lantern back down. Then, he threw a hand out, palm open. She stared at it for the briefest moments, then moved without thinking, throwing out two fingers. The creature burst into laughter. “You win!” He yelled. “Enjoy the lantern!” Then he scurried off, his laughter echoing far off into the night.  

She stared at the spot he’d left. “Thanks?” She said to nothing before shaking her head and picking up the lantern. It glowed brighter in her hands, greeting her the only way a lantern could. Then, it popped out of her hand and landed a few feet away. “Why didn’t you just do that from the beginning?” She said. “You don’t even need me!”

But the lantern just hopped away, leaving her to trudge after it, the echoes of the creature’s laughter still ringing in her ears. 

Thresh had been grateful for the lantern, but he didn’t truly approach her until a few days later when she returned from her fourth incursion into the forest. She didn’t have many spirits this time, but he looked far happier than she thought he should have. She had technically failed in her mission today. Ahri had gotten away with significantly more than her, taunting her all the while. 

“I’m glad one of us is in a good mood,” She muttered as she handed over the relatively few spirits she had. 

“Isn’t it beautiful?” He said, sweeping his hand out over the river. “It’s been restored, all thanks to your hard work.” 

She smiled softly. “We did it together.”

He chuckled. “I suppose.” He shook his head as he ushered the spirits into the closest lantern. She was caught off guard when he met her gaze again, as his purple skin had turned a deep shade of pink. Was he truly embarrassed? She couldn’t remember if she’d ever seen him like that before. “My little lost one,” He said as he caught himself, his skin returning to normal. “You mean the world to me.”

It was her turn to blush. “I’m just doing my job.”

He shook his head. “Come now… I’ve never shown anyone this before.”

She tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

He shook his head, smiling gently. “Trust me. For you it’s the least I can do.” He turned away, walking proudly toward the gate as he left his lantern behind. This time, it let her grab it, choosing instead to yank her along with as much excitement as a sentient lantern could muster. As she passed the gate, a light blinded her. “It’s alright,” Thresh’s voice said. “Just give it some time.”

When she blinked, she gasped. There he stood, his purple skin tone replaced by a pale, human one. His mask was gone, and she could see the small smirk he gave her in its full glory. The lantern floated beside him with cards instead of chain links hovering like some kind of archway above Thresh himself.  His white hair had turned purple, falling in long bangs that reached nearly to his chest. Behind him was a screen with a beautiful, mountainous landscape with a yellow dawn and green bonsai trees. “Welcome to my sanctuary,” He said with a genuine grin. She stared at him, mouth open as she tried to figure out what to say. He blinked, and his smile wavered. “Is everything alright?”

“You’re…” She swallowed, blushing. “Very handsome.” 

His smile returned, but it was much softer this time. “You are the true beauty of this realm.” 

Her eyes widened at that as her face lit on fire. He chuckled, clearly aware. “Do you like my sanctuary?”

“Yes,” she said. “It’s genuinely amazing.” 

He moved forward a step. “You have shown me much kindness over our time together.”  He looked back for a moment, before meeting her eyes again. “This is where I share my most intimate moments… and I will admit, I have never brought someone in here to see it, especially not a human.” He took her hand, his blush returning. “Thank you, little lost one, for everything you have done for me. I hope to repay your generosity some day.”

She smiled, squeezing his hand. “I’d be happy to talk for awhile, if you’re interested.”

His voice lowered. “I’d be happy to listen to your voice every day of my life if you would permit me to.” 

“And you say I flatter you.”

He chuckled as he gestured to a pair of mats. “Will you join me? I’d love to hear what kind of stories you can remember.”

So she did. 

On her seventh foray into the forest, she met a wanderer. And, in hindsight, that was probably the only reason she hadn’t just stormed right off a cliff.

Thresh had been irritated that morning due to no fault of her own. Yet he’d snapped at her when she’d come home with a few less spirits than she had hoped for. I’ve done this every day and you're complaining now? She had said, exasperated. 

You can do better, He’d snapped back. 

You’re lucky I’m helping you at all. 

Is that so? Then you’re lucky I’ve let you in at all. 

She’d stormed out after that, hurt and furious. And maybe he had called for her to come back once or twice, but she didn’t care. No. She was too angry for that. Too furious at him after days - months? - of doing his job to be treated like that. 

Stupid… handsome… demon… man. 

She stopped at the edge of the forest, surprised to see brighter colors. Had she actually reached another forest? She thought he would be trapped in Thresh’s home forever. Could she really just walk away? She didn’t have her map anymore, so she had no idea where she might end up. The last thing she needed was to try running away, only to end up with a much more dangerous spirit, or back to an angry Thresh. 

Bold of her to assume she wouldn’t come back to an angry Thresh already. But that was his fault. Not hers. 

She scowled and took many strides forward, her eyes planted firmly on the ground.Why had they fought over something so stupid? Maybe she’d assumed too much. She had thought they were closer now. He had, afterall, shown her his “sacred room” as he called it. He’d shown her his human form- something which was, quite frankly, needlessly attractive- and continued inviting her in to rest. But now he was turning cold again? Now he was upset that she’d gotten a few less spirits than normal? Now he didn’t want her around? 

And now here she was, rushing right out of his domain with nowhere else to go. 

A hand pressed against her forehead, stopping her in her tracks. “Going somewhere?” A man said. She looked up, surprised to see a pale man with his ridiculously long, white hair tied back with a pink flower band. He had a sheathe on his hip, but held his blade over his shoulder with a turquoise arm that reminded her of Ahri’s tails. He was chewing on a leaf of some kind, and dressed in puffy black pants, sandals, and a vest that showed off his rather impressive physique. 

“Yes,” She said. 

He didn’t let go. “Where?”

“I don’t know.”

“I would suggest not wandering through this place,” He said. “You’re lucky you didn’t run into one of the… unsavory types.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And you’re… not?”

He scoffed as he pulled his hand away. “Hardly. I’m just a wandering spirit.”

“... Didn’t you just tell me not to wander?”

“But I have a sword.”

She scowled again. “Fair enough.” 

He tilted his head. “Something on your mind?”

Yes, was what she wanted to say. Things had been going well with Thresh as far as she knew. Ever since she brought his lantern back, the two had been getting along. He conversed with her like an equal. She was no longer afraid he was going to try and flay her and stuff her body into a lantern. They weren’t any closer to figuring out who she was or where she was meant to be going, but they were at least friends. 

Or she thought they were. The last time she’d come back from collecting some of his wandering children he’d been rather cold to her, as if she was nothing more than a grunt. They’d argued about it and… well…

She sighed. “I suppose.”

He watched her for a long moment. She fidgeted, wondering if she should turn around and hope the lantern was there to guide her back, or ask this stranger to lead her somewhere else. But then, he sighed, took a step back to sheath his sword, then sat down. “My name is Yasuo,” He said, beckoning to the ground in front of him. “And I find that meditation solves many problems.”

She couldn’t stop the eye roll.  “I’m not sure this is a meditation problem.”

“Humor me.”

Eventually, she did. But she was restless. Her mind kept wandering back to the forest behind her. Back to the spirits roaming around. To Ahri. To Thresh. To the other tales she’d read about or heard since she’d arrived. She quickly found herself taping her fingers on her knees, staring at his calm, motionless pose as if it would help. 

He opened one eye in annoyance. “That’s not meditating.”

“There’s too much on my mind.”

“That’s what the meditation is for.”  

She sighed again, trying her best to breathe. It only kind of worked. After another minute or two, he opened his eyes, releasing a long breath before he smiled. “Feeling better?” She nodded miserably and he laughed. “Talking, then. Will that help?”

“I don’t want to bother you.”

“I’m already sitting, am I not?”

“True but…”

“Go on,” He said. “Whatever’s on your mind.”

“... What would you do if…” She hesitated. “If you felt like someone you really cared about… didn’t care for you in the same way?”

His smile retreated, and she instantly regretted her question. When she started to retract it, he held his hand up and shook his head. “I may not understand exactly what you’re going through,” He said. “But I have experienced something similar with my brother, Yone. The two of us… well… our relationship is complicated.” He rested his blade in his lap. “I’ve been searching for him for years, hoping that maybe his soul found rest after our battle so long ago. But I don’t know what I would do if I found him. I don’t know how he feels anymore. Maybe he hates me. Maybe he doesn’t remember a thing. It’s impossible for me to know.”

“So…”

“So you know where this person is, right?” He said. “You can talk to them?”

“Well, yes but…”

“Then talk to them.” He said. “And do it soon, because I promise that you will regret it if you wait too long.”

After a pensive moment, she nodded. “I’ll try my best.”

His smile returned. “Good. Now meditate before you go back.”

“But you just told me not to wait!”

“Whoever it is can wait for five minutes while you get your thoughts together.”

“You don’t know that.”

He snorted. “Then I personally promise to escort you back to wherever you want to go if it doesn’t work out.”

She paused. There it was again. Another option. Another way out. Another chance to return to the life she couldn’t remember. And yet it… bothered her. The idea of leaving things the way they were… of leaving Thresh in his weakness… Even despite his cold demeanor, she wanted to help. 

A demon that’s ensnared your heart.  

She sighed as she sat up straighter and cleared her throat. “Fine,” She said. “Five minutes.” 

“No more,” He said. “And no less.” 

She found Thresh waiting when she returned. His lantern and chain hung nearby a surprising distance away from Thresh himself.  Had he been waiting for her? She didn’t know why. She assumed he hated her now. 

“Lost one,” He said stiffly

“Thresh,” She said. “Is…” She paused. “Is everything alright?”

“No,” He said. But he didn’t sound angry. He sounded almost… scared. She moved closer, hesitant. His eyes didn’t leave hers, and she soon found herself standing directly in front of him. “I… lost you.”

She stared at him. “That is all I am,” She whispered. “A lost one.”

He shook his head. “My actions have been… unbecoming of me. I sincerely apologize if I hurt you.” He reached toward her cheek, but froze and pulled away. 

“You didn’t…” She sighed. “I was just… I don’t know. Everything’s so confusing and I just… I thought that maybe we…” She trailed off and refocused her thoughts. Then, she smiled at him. “Why don’t we sit down out here?”

He blinked. “What?”

“Have you ever just put your feet in the river?” She peeled off her shoes and sat them down beside her. “Is it cold? Warm? Anything you want it to be?”

His confusion turned to amusement. “I’ve never thought about it.” 

“Well let's try it together.” She sat on the edge of the walkway, feet crossed as she stared into the river. It was clearer than she expected it to be. Even more surprising was the fact that she could see koi fish swimming along the rocks, just underneath the surface. Slowly, she unfolded her legs and gently placed her toe in the water. It was warm as if the sun had been brightly shining on it for most of the day. Except there wasn’t a traditional sun in Thresh’s domain, and the fact that the water was warm at all was almost as big of a conundrum as her own arrival. “Come on,” She said, looking up with as wide of a smile as she could manage. “Unless you’re afraid of a little water.”

Thresh scoffed. “I do not fear such trivial things.” 

“Then what are you waiting for?” She dropped her second foot into the water, sighing in content as a few of the koi fish swam up around it. “Your river really is beautiful. I’m surprised you don’t enjoy it more.”

Finally, he sat down beside her. “I’ve never had a reason to,” He said. 

“No interesting visitors?”

“You’ve been the first.”

She blushed, staring down at the water. “I don’t know… Ahri’s pretty interesting.”

“We used to be friends,” Thresh said. “But our paths… diverged.” 

“Now you’re fighting over spirits.” 

“Something like that.” As she met his gaze again, he leaned in. She felt his breath warm on her lips as he brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Lost one,” He murmured. “You… you are different than anyone I’ve met.”

She chuckled. “But we knew that already.”

He brushed through her hair. “Different than that.” 

“But that’s why you showed me this form, right?” She said. “Because you trust me more than you’ve trusted anyone else.”

“And I haven’t shown it well,” He admitted. “I suppose I’ve been… scared of you.” He chuckled, but it was quiet and hollow. “How ironic that this old spirit would be afraid of something like this. Someone like you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Should I be offended?”

“On the contrary,” He said. “You should be proud. You’ve managed to confuse me. I didn’t believe that was possible.”

“Maybe you haven’t lived long enough.”

He laughed at that; loud and genuine. His face flushed a bright red as his ears shifted downward. He brushed a finger under her chin, lifting it ever so gently. “You are entrancing,” He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. And instead of giving him a simple answer, she did the only thing she could think of. 

She kissed him. 

She thought he might recoil. Maybe even push her away. Her heart swelled when he leaned in with a tenderly surprising amount of eagerness. His lips were silky smooth, moving against hers so perfectly its like they were made for each other. One of his hands found their way to her hips and she turned toward him, wrapping an arm over his shoulder. It wasn’t particularly comfortable, so she pulled away from a moment, ignored his quizzical expression, and turned to face him fully. “Lo-?” 

She kissed him again before he had a chance to speak, content when he relaxed back into it, as if she’d never left. She didn’t remember when he turned to better face her, nor did she remember why she ended up across his lap. She might have thought herself entrapped by his touch- ensnared by a demon - but she didn’t care. She just wanted him close. Wanted to feel his lips on hers until the end of time. 

I’ve gone mad. She thought. But it didn’t matter. 

He pulled away and placed a finger on her lips before she could chastise him for it. The fingers of his other hand intertwined with hers as he pressed their foreheads together. His breathing was as labored as hers. Their hearts were beating in sync- final proof that he did indeed have one. “Will you come with me?” He said, his voice quiet. She nodded once, and he whisked her away.

The eighth time she entered the forest was the first time she met death. 

She’d been rightfully distracted, wandering the woods with Thresh’s sentient lantern bouncing around. She’d tried using his hook, but she was such a terrible shot that they’d both agreed that her singing tactic was significantly more effective. Thresh had promised her that he was almost strong enough to leave his home, but she’d seen the agony in his face when he’d stepped just a foot away from the river. 

Their last conversation had been short and sweet, but painful all the same. He’d spoken so calmly, yet the sadness in his voice had rattled her. It was a different kind of sadness. One born of loneliness that he didn’t quite know how to explain. He’d tried to let it go. Tried to turn the conversation back to her. You have done enough, lost one. Yet she kept going back. Time and time again she returned to his side with more spirits. More of his children clung to her now, entranced by her constant humming. 

But her throat was starting to burn with exhaustion. Time was, as the fox said, a finicky thing. She had no idea how long she’d been gone, and still no idea of where she had come from. All she knew is that she wasn’t a spirit. At least, not a traditional spirit. She was immune to Thresh’s lantern. Immune to Ahri’s charm. She’d heard stories of a snake lady that turned humans to stone and wandering spirits that were claimed by obsession or sadness. Thresh told her all of these things, and she had no reason to doubt him. 

You’re not alone, she had said. I’ll help you.

I cannot ask any more of you. 

But that’s what friends are for, right?

Friends… She still remembered the blank expression he had given her, as if the word didn’t exist. Despite his interactions with other spirits, he’d never had a true friend. At least, he hadn’t considered any of them to be. Or maybe she’d read his expression entirely wrong. Surely he thought they were friends at the very least after all they’d been through together. Just all they’d done together was probably far beyond the friend category. But she never pushed it. He was an old spirit, after all. Maybe things just worked differently in his world. . 

 A loud growl broke her from her thoughts. She jerked back, the lantern bouncing to her side. Once it landed, it flopped over, lying lifeless in the dirt. “Helpful,” She muttered as she picked it up. Another growl shuddered through her bones. A white cloud sprung out of the bushes, and a grinning wolf face formed on the front. She screamed as it snapped inches from her face. She barely managed to hold onto the lantern as she finally hit the ground. But the wolf chased right after, howling in triumph. “YES.” A deep voice said. “WOLF KNEW HE SMELLED SOMETHING TASTY!” His gruff laughter made her cringe. “ARE YOU GOING TO RUN? WOLF LOVES A GOOD CHASE!”

“Now, Wolf,” A calmer, feminine voice said. A short girl with long purple hair hopped out of the bushes. Two horns curled off the side of her head, and her white and pink furred outfit covered every inch of her body. On her face was a white mask with red painted around the stilted eyes. “You shouldn’t be so loud! I found you already!” The girl giggled as she tossed her light blue bow into the air, twirled, and caught it with ease. 

The wolf pouted, his ears sagging against his head. “WOLF WAS DISTRACTED.”

“So you want to play again?”

“WOLF WILL WIN THIS TIME.”

“Maaaaybe,” The girl said. Then she looked over in her direction. “Oh? Did Wolf find a new friend?”

Wolf’s pout turned to a wide smile. “WOLF FOUND A SNACK.”

“No,” The girl said. “You found a human! What are you doing in the spirit realm?”

Human. She hadn’t been entirely certain before, but she couldn’t deny the relief she felt at hearing that alone. She didn’t belong here. Not entirely. “I don’t know,” She said. “I woke up on a beach, wandered my way up here, and haven’t been able to go home since.” She didn’t mention that she had yet to remember where home was or what it even looked like. 

“Well, human,” The girl said. “I am Lamb, and this is Wolf. Together, we are known as Kindred.”

Kindred. She thought the name sounded familiar, but she wasn’t certain. Maybe she heard it in a story back at her home? “And what are you, Kindred?”

“A spirit,” Lamb said. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. I could’ve guessed that much. But Lamb’s pose shifted. Her back straightened. Both of her pointed feet touched the ground. She tugged at the strings of her bow. If she could see Lamb’s face, she guessed it would be something close to concern. “Be careful, human.” Lamb said. “Death lingers in your footsteps.”

“WOLF GETS TO CHASE THE HUMAN?” Wolf said, mouth opening wider than before.

“No,” Lamb says. “Her end has not yet come.”

“Death lingers?” She said. Was it because of Thresh? She’d been around so many spirits, so surely that must be it. There were a dozen or more of them clinging to her now, despite the lack of a song. But she could feel a few of them trembling the longer she stood there. 

“WOLF RECOGNIZE SPIRITS,” he said. “WOLF HUNTED A FEW. CAN WOLF CHASE THEM AGAIN?”

She took a step back. “I’m returning these spirits to Thresh.”

Lamb’s stillness was eerie. “I see,” She said. “Then it is best we do not keep you.” She turned away. “Come on, Wolf. Maybe you’ll win this time.”

“WOLF WILL BE QUIETEST WOLF THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.”

“Wait!” She yelled. “What did you mean?”

Lamb looked back “Be careful, human,” She said. “Your kind does not last long here.” When she turned back, the pair vanished into the wind. 

Lamb’s words haunted her for days - Weeks? Months? - after they met. She tried not to show it, but fear had slowly begun to wrap around her heart, far more painful than anything Thresh could have done. She didn’t stray too far from his home, calling to spirits that were close. She saw Ahri in the distance, stealing away the ones that she couldn’t reach. Thresh never blamed her for losing his children, nor did he ever seem upset. If anything, he seemed worried, even though he tried not to show it. 

Death lingers…

“What is bothering you, lost one?”

He was close when he spoke, his warm breath gentle on her neck. She bristled in surprise before taking a slow deep breath and turning to face him. “I met someone,” She said. “They called themselves Kindred.”

His eyes narrowed. “The spirit of death.”

Her breath caught. She tried to dismiss it, but she knew that he noticed. “They didn’t tell me that part.”

“What did they tell you?”

“Death lingers everywhere I go.” She looked away, fingers clenching at her sides. She knew she couldn’t hide her fear. Not anymore. The idea of dying now terrified her. She still hadn’t made it home. She still didn’t remember it. But a part of her had grown to accept it, as her time with him had been surprisingly rewarding. How far they had come from strangers close to death to something much, much more. “Something’s wrong with me, isn’t it?”

Thresh frowned. “There’s nothing wrong with you, lost one.”

“Why would she say that?” She said. “The spirit of death told me…”

“You have nothing to fear,” Thresh interrupted. “Your spirit is strong.”

“But I'm not a spirit,” She said. “Is that what’s wrong? Am I… is my mortal body slipping away?”

Thresh hesitated as he reached for her hand. But instead of brushing her fingers, he went right through. She jerked away and stared at her flickering form. It solidified a moment later, but it was enough to rip her heart out of her chest. “I’m fading.”

“I will figure something out,” Thresh said. 

“I need to go home.”

The pain on his face made her ache to fix it. “If you were anyone else, I would seek to… persuade you otherwise. But…” He sighed. “I understand.”

A screech outside startled them both. Thresh whirled around, his demon form reappearing in a flash. “Azakana,” He said. “What are they doing here?”

“What?”

“Demons,” He said. “They attack lost souls before I can rescue them.”

“But I’ve been gathering all the souls I can!”

His expression turned grim. “There is one lost soul remaining,” He grabbed his lantern and chain. “Stay here.”

“Wait,” She grabbed his arm. “Don’t go.”

“I am a spirit of this world,” He said. “The Azakana cannot hurt me.” 

The door burst in before he could move. A black figure moved with blinding speed, but Thresh was faster, hooking the creature out of the sky and tearing it apart. More flooded the room, rushing straight for her. He struck them all down, his hook moving with expert precision. Soon, the dark creatures turned on him. One slipped through, slicing through his side before he struck it down. He grunted, killing that one as another surged up onto the roof. Blood pooled at his feet. Three large shadows launched his way. One vanished as the hook cut through. Another disappeared into the lantern. But the third dove straight at his heart. 

She moved before she thought about it, leaping in front of him. Something like a blade stabbed through her stomach. She heard a scream before she realized it was her own. The creature was torn to shreds a moment later, but she collapsed. He caught her as more shadows flooded the room. His eyes turned red. He snapped into his demonic form. Lights burst from his lantern, filling the room in an instant. The shadowy creatures shrieked, all turning to dust. Spirits rushed from the room. The lights dimmed. She wondered how many of his children he’d let go to do such a thing… how much he’d lost in an attempt to save her life. 

“Lost one,” He whispered, trying not to move her. “Don’t… Hold on.”

She flinched when she tried to nod. “Thresh…”

“I should thank you,” Thresh said, his hand gentle on hers. “You’ve done things for me that no one else ever has… or ever would.”

“That’s what friends are for, right?” She said breathing heavily. The pain in her stomach was astronomical. The blood was sticky on her fingers. The wound was bad. She didn’t have much time left. 

“Friends…” He trailed off with a light blush on his cheeks. But his eyes were glistening. Tears? Impossible. He was a spirit of this world. Another spirit of death, right? Or something like that? She was struggling to remember as the world faded away. “No… you’re more than that.” He said as his arms wrapped around her. His hand pressed on hers, and she flinched. “This isn’t… your end.”

“I’m afraid that’s not your decision to make,” A soft, childlike voice said. Kindred. “It is her end.”

“No,” Thresh said. “She is not of this world. This wound is not…”

“Her soul is torn,” Kindred said. “Her life is over. Now she must choose; run, or accept it.”

“RUN!” Wolf howled. “WOLF LIKES WHEN THINGS RUN. WOLF GET TO CHASE.”

“She is not yours to take!” Thresh snapped. 

“She is not yours to keep,” Lamb said.

“She is mine,” He said. “She is… my…” She was surprised when he choked on his words. There were tears in his eyes. He’s nothing more than a demon whose ensnared you Ahri had said. But a demon like him shouldn’t be able to cry… right? An old spirit like him shouldn’t be crying over a lost soul like her. 

“It’s okay, Thresh,” She said. 

“No!” He said. “You’re… you’re mine.”

She tried to smile. “Just another lost soul?”

“You’re more to me than that,” He said. “You’ve shown me life. Happiness. You’re more than… a friend...”

“It is her choice,” Lamb said solemnly. 

She reached up and brushed his cheek. “It’s okay,” She repeated. “You have to let me go.”

His eyes slammed shut as he lowered his head to meet hers. “I don’t know what will happen to you,” He said. “No human has ever died in the spirit realm.”

“I’ll remember you,” She said. “I promise.”

She didn’t hear his response. All she heard was Lamb whispering her name as the world faded away. 

When she woke again, it was under a golden tree. “Well, well,” Ahri’s voice said as her fox form peered over her, amused as usual. “It seems you really did meet your end. Or is it your beginning? I still don’t know, but I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

“Where am I?”

“The same place you’ve always been,” Ahri said. “Or somewhere new!”

She scowled as she sat up, eyes locked on the beautiful leaves above her. “What is this?”

“This is a special tree,” Ahri said. “Here, you can collect spirit petals and give them to the spirit that cannot collect their own.” Her tails flicked from side to side. “I wonder who you’ll choose.”

“But I’m dead, am I not?”

Ahri sighed, but it was whimsical. “Take a petal and follow me.” 

She did as she was told, reaching for the closest petal she could. It broke off perfectly into her hand and solidified, like a piece of gold meant just for her. Ahri wandered away, humming to herself. She followed after the fox down the hill. They entered a forest, but Ahri didn’t stop. She broke into a sprint, the petal held tightly in her palm. Ahri seemed to move faster and faster, leaping through the trees and jumping over everything she could. But she ran just as fast, nearly catching up. The forest turned dark. The light faded away. Ahri stopped at the clearing, and she slowed to meet her. 

“It’s your choice,” Ahri said. “I can lead you to the light, where your soul will be safe. Or, you can return to him, and hope he sees you for who you really are.”

Thresh. “How long has it been?”

Ahri shrugged. “Days? Months? Years? Time is finicky in this world remember? Maybe he’ll remember you. Maybe he won’t. If he chooses to lock you away, I cannot save you.” Ahri turned away, her tail brushing under the woman’s chin. “Whatever you choose, spirit… I do sincerely wish you the best.” Then, the fox left, disappearing back into the trees. She stopped once, letting her tails fan out, beckoning the spirit toward the light. 

But the woman smiled, clutching the petal, and shook her head. Ahri nodded in understanding and disappeared. The light vanished, leaving her alone along the river. She could see Thresh’s home in the distance, lit up by the lanterns along the side. She took a step forward, the petal in her hand glowing brighter with each step. He appeared under the archway, his human self barely more than a memory. He wore his mask like he had when they first met. She couldn’t see his expression, but she could see his beady red eyes as he reached for his hook. “It’s me,” She whispered, but he didn’t respond. 

A prickle of fear cascaded through her. It was over. He’d never remember. 

You have the voice of an angel, if such a thing exists…

She began to sing; the same, soft melody she’d sang for his children before. He froze, eyes widening. The grip on his chain faltered. His lantern sank to the ground. His mask vanished, leaving behind the human face she’d come to love. “Lost one,” He whispered as she approached him. 

“It’s me,” She whispered as she held the petal out. “I’m here… I didn’t forget.”

“It’s been too long.” He said..

“Only a moment for me,” She whispered. 

He took the petal. “This warms my heart,” He whispered, caressing her face. “Maybe it was I who was lost the whole time.”

She smiled, taking his hand. “Not any longer.”

“No,” He said. “And neither are you.” 

Childe will tease you about it. Not maliciously and not in front of others, but all’s fair in love and war behind closed doors. Though if you ask him to stop, he will. He doesn’t want to hurt your feelings. He just wants to push your buttons. 

And yet, Childe is also very intuitive. He recognizes when you stop using them and how on edge you look. He almost sensed it when you gave your stress toys longing glances as you tried to avoid them. He confronted you about it, but you just shook your head and promised him that it was nothing to worry about. 

Childe knows better. So, he does some investigating and realizes very quickly that the single toy you had had was torn in the worst possible place. 

Like Zhongli, Childe takes things into his own hands. 

Childe knew many a toy seller in Snezhnaya, but it was almost impossible to find an adequate one in Liyue. The granny nearby was capable and her goods were of high quality, but she didn’t provide Childe with exactly what he wanted. And that wasn’t her fault. She just didn’t have the necessary tools or deft hands to complete the special project. Her son was nearly there, but still Childe felt he would have to look elsewhere to find the right person for the job. 

He got lucky when he found Mr. Ru, a specialty shop owner in the most obscure part of Liyue that almost nobody came to. Apparently he made his living off of providing curios to people who sought the unusual. Childe didn’t know how that could possibly be a successful business model. Except said business was clearly booming as the man was steeped in gold and dressed like a prince. “I can get you what you want, “ The man said. “But it’ll cost you.”

“I can handle that,” Childe said lazily as he leaned on the counter with his usual grin. 

The man raised an eyebrow. “You’re not even going to bargain with me?”

“Are you not going to give me a fair price?”

“My prices are more than fair…”

“Then I shouldn’t have to waste my time.”

The man hesitated, then sighed. “100,000 mora.”

“50,000 and you’ve got yourself a deal.” Childe almost laughed when the man glared at him. “It may be a waste of my time, but I’m no fool.” 

The man grumbled under his breath, but didn’t bother arguing. “I’ll have it done in three days.”

Three days later, you were home alone and a bit sadder than usual. You hadn’t had the time to replace the toy you’d accidentally broken, and the anxiety was starting to get to you. It was difficult, you thought, getting through the day without something to relieve your stress. Certainly not impossible, and you had other ways of dealing with it, but nothing felt quite right. You had half a mind to go to the granny down the street, but knew already she wouldn’t have anything for you. 

The door opened and you looked up. “Childe?” You said, then your throat went dry when you saw what was in his hand. A small, blue whale that shimmered in the sunlight. It was one of the cutest things you’d ever seen, and only slightly larger than his own hand. He beamed when he noticed your expression and sauntered over to you as he held it out. 

“A gift for my lovely partner,” He said with a wink. You took the whale, surprised at how smooth it felt under your touch. You gave it a tentative squeeze, then laughed. It felt perfect in your hand. Not too large but not too small. It even felt surprisingly durable. “And if that breaks, then I’ll have some special words for the owner.”

“No need to go that far,” You said. 

Her forehead fell against his shoulder. and Vergil ran his hands along her side. “Do you have something in mind?”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Her eyes drifted shut. “I’ll be honest, Vergil. I don’t want to think about anything right now.”

Vergil hummed in thought as his hand rubbed along her spine. She shivered - a typical reaction to such ministrations - and relaxed even more against him. “You don’t have to any longer,” He whispered in what she called his “sultry voice”. That elicited another shiver, and he didn’t miss the near silent groan against his shoulder. Once he reached her hip, he wrapped his arm around and pulled gently. She shifted to straddle his leg and earned a kiss on the cheek for her laborious efforts. “In fact,” Vergil whispered as his lips brushed her ear. “You can let go whenever you’d like. I ‘m always here to catch you.”

She sighed again, but Vergil heard a small break in the sound; a very quiet and genuine sob. The day had gotten to her more than he thought. No matter. Vergil could remedy that if she wanted him to. So, he quietly hushed her as he rubbed his hands along her sides. “It’s alright,” He said. “You’re home now, my love. Leave everything to me.”

For a moment, she said nothing. So, Vergil waited, running his hands along her sides and back endless circles as she let herself go. She wasn’t crying, per say. Never that. His love was strong in both mind and body, even in her weakest moments. She’d taught him more about humanity in the year they’d been together then he’d figured out over his entire life. He was always willing to wait however long she needed him to. He wanted to shoulder all of the problems she couldn’t handle on her own, or the ones that he didn’t want her to. 

But finally, after a few quiet minutes, he heard her take a calm and steady breath. “I will,” she whispered. “I’m all yours.”

On most days, Vergil would take that cue and carry her straight to their room. But this time, he nudged her shoulder and said, “look at me.” And when she did, meeting his gaze as he stroked her cheek, he whispered, “What do you want?” 

Her head tilted at that, but Vergil didn’t think it was in thought. Instead, she reached for his hand and pulled it toward her chest. Without a word, she slowly peeled the glove off, finger by finger, gently massaging each one as she worked. Vergil kept his eyes on hers, taking a quiet breath to relax. It had taken time for him to get this comfortable with her. Romance was always difficult for Vergil, as he didn’t always understand it (something else that had taken him far too long to admit, if only to himself). Soft love-making hadn’t been a thing between them, which, looking back on it now, was a severe oversight on Vergil’s part. Every session, Vergil had been in control and she had always responded with overwhelming excitement. She’d always called his name when he needed her to the most, told him she loved him long before he had the courage to say the same.  

All it had taken was a single night and frustrating demon hunt for him to realize that he didn’t need to be in control all of the time. And if he was, it didn’t have to be rough. When it was her promising to make him happy, and her showing him the soft and sensual side of it all, Vergil realized that’s what he’d been missing out on. Now there was significantly more… balance in the romantic side of their life. And, over time, he learned that asking was significantly more “sexy” (as she called it) then just fumbling around until he figured it out. 

Of course, he would never use the word “fumbling”… but that wasn’t important right now.

After she brushed her lips along the inside of his now bare palm, she settled it on her hip and moved to the other hand. “It’s been a long day,” She said as she worked on the second glove. “And I spent all of it overwhelmed and alone.” She tossed the glove away and rested his hand on her cheek. “I want to feel loved.”

Vergil brushed his lips along her neck, nibbling lightly at the spots he knew she loved the most. She slid her hands up under his coat, and he shrugged it off with little effort. “If that’s what you want,” he murmured, making certain that his breath brushed along her ear. “Then I am happy to oblige.” 

He was always fascinated at how quickly her eyes turned cloudy at the simplest of gestures. “Go on then,” She whispered with a coy smile as she shifted to straddle him completly. “Hopefully you’ll take very good care of me.”

Vergil huffed as he slid his hands under her shirt, pulling it up to the base of her bra. She let him pull it off and caught his lips with surprising speed considering how tired she was, and Vergil chuckled as he clipped off her bra and let it fall into his lap. “Someone’s excited,” He said as he squeezed her breast and kissed along her collar bone.

She laughed as she shifted forward on the growing mound in his lap. “Could say the same about…” She gasped as he nibbled on her nipple, leaving the smallest of marks behind as he moved to the other. “You,” She finished, breathless as he moved back to her neck. His hands fell to her waist and gently helped her rock against him. Even through her rather thick pants, he could already smell her arousal; a sweet, addictive scent that only entranced him the longer they were together. And while it would be very easy to get lost in the moment - very easy to chase his pleasure above her own- Vergil held that part of him back, content to roll their hips together as he painted her body with marks of his own. 

No matter what, she was still his. She always would be. 

"Lie back," He said. She didn't respond immediately, electing to press her forehead against his own. And just when he thought she might not have heard him, she fell to the side, pulling on his arm so he followed without thinking. His lips met hers again as his hand drifted to her waistband, unzipping the unwieldy fabric. She gasped as he rubbed his fingers along her still covered slit, and groaned when he quickly found her sweet spot. 

"You have on far too many clothes," She said as she tugged at the edges of his shirt, though it came out as more of a whimper than a tease. 

Vergil sat up, smirking when she glared at him for leaving. His shirt was gone in an instant, but he didn't bother with the rest. Not yet. He wanted to do this right afterall. And when their lips crashed together again- and she found the energy to tug on his hair to pull him closer- he knew he'd succeeded. 

But while he planned to stay like that for a while- gentle rolling of hips and caresses that he knew would drive her wild- she had other plans. Vergil paused as she ran her hand along his pecs, shifting them lower and lower as she used her second hand to keep him locked against her mouth. And when her hand wrapped around his member, something akin to electricity pulsed through him. He bit back a gasp and pulled slightly away. But she was fast, following after him with a small series of kisses to his neck. Vergil took a deep and shaky breath, glaring at her through half-lidded eyes. “And here I thought you were exhausted.” It took everything he had not to groan at her first, languid stroke. He didn’t miss her coy smile as she kissed him again. 

“You’ve re-energized me, my love.”

Vergil gritted his teeth as she freed him from his prison and ran her fingers along his aching shaft. “I know what you’re trying to do,” He hissed as he pushed against her shoulder, pinning her back to the couch. 

She didn’t let go. “Do you?”

“You won’t get away with it.”

She chuckled as she kissed him again. “And yet, here we are.”

He moved quickly, pinning her hands above her head before she had a chance to react. His second hand travelled teasingly down her stomach before dipping under her panties and straight into her dripping heat. She arched into him, but he pulled away before she could find any friction. “You bastard,” She hissed, but her grin told a different story. 

“You have on far too many clothes,” Vergil repeated as he licked his fingers. She stared at him, her clouded eyes filled with intense desire. This was the woman he wanted to see. Confident and brave, but submissive and loving; a delicate balance she managed each and every time. Secretly, he was glad she’d found whatever remnants of energy she had left for him. He’d be a fool to waste it. “Lift,” He commanded as he reached for her pants. She obeyed without hesitation, and both hers and his were quickly discarded.  Removing her panties, however, was a much slower affair. His fingers dragged along her skin as he pulled them away at an agonizingly slow pace. Another quiet whimper was silence as he leaned in and kissed her again, making certain that his shaft ran perfectly against her opening; teasing, but never committing. 

“My, my,” he whispered as he pulled the rest of her clothing off. “Someone’s eager.” He pressed his thumb to her sensitive bud before she could respond. And, as a testament to how riled up she really was, her eyes nearly rolled in the back of her head when he inserted a single finger along her velvety walls. 

“Can you really blame me?” She huffed once she met his gaze again. Quickly, he noted, and he rewarded her with another series of tantalizing circles. The hand gripping hers loosened, but she didn’t move. 

“Good girl,” He said. Her eyes shimmered at the praise as she wrapped one hand around the other wrist. Vergil chuckled as he pulled his hand away, only to push back in with a second finger. She hissed in what he knew was her attempt at masking her pleasure. Commendable, but ineffective when he knew her so well. And as he rocked his hand back and forth as slowly and deliberately as possible, he leaned forward and pinned her hands again, kissing her with enough force to steal her breath away.  She groaned as his fingers reached a more sensitive spot, but he only pressed down on it two more times before pulling completely away. 

“Vergil,” She snapped, lusty rage clear on her face. He chuckled in amusement as he finally relieved himself of the rest of his clothing and propped her legs up as far as she would let him. The moment he settled between, she wrapped them around his waist. A worthless prison by far; he could escape that in a heartbeat. But it was the thought that counted, and Vergil once again rewarded her bravery with a sprinkle of kisses and gentle nibbles along her neckline. He didn’t miss how her hand tightened around her own wrist, or how her legs were shaking against him. 

“Yes?” He whispered as he tugged on her ear with his teeth. 

For a brief second, he thought she might beg. That was such a rare thing from her; something she only willingly did when he made it abundantly clear that that’s what he wanted from her. But then her gaze turned to steel as her eyes met him with a fiery passion that might as well have brought him to his figurative knees. “You know exactly what I want,” She whispered. “And I’d dare say you’re eager too, my love.” 

“How bold of you,” Vergil said. 

Her arms moved to her sides, and she pushed herself up just enough to meet his gaze. “And you love it.”

He growled as he pushed her back against the couch and practically crashed into her lips to kiss her with as much passion and ferocity as he could manage. Finding her entrance was trivial, but he was slow to push himself in. She sucked in a sharp breath, and he waited while her body adjusted. But when he didn’t move, she said, “I’m fine, Vergil. Don’t hold back for my sake.”

His eyebrow shot up as he watched her. Her eyes still had that cloudy sheen they always did in the throes of passion. She was sweating, though he was certain she had come home that way. Her body was shaking, yet he realized it might not have been exhaustion. And while Vergil didn’t like showing hesitation in anything he did, she was too important to him to risk hurting. “Are you certain.”

“Yes,” Was her quick answer as she reached up to brush his cheek. “I may have had a long day, but I’ll always be ready for you.”

That was all Vergil needed to hear. He bottomed out in one stroke, pushing her knees back just slightly for a different angle. Her back arched, pushing him even further as her head sunk into the couch. He waited for her to relax, kissed her as a sort of encouragement, and waited for a nod of approval before he moved again. And despite her eagerness, Vergil refused to rush. Each thrust was slow and methodical, hitting slightly deeper and at different angles until she moaned in pure bliss. “Vergil…” She whispered in pure reverence. And he absolutely relished it. Hearing his name over and over as he made her his again and again…. It was almost enough to undo him right then and there. 

“I love you.” She whispered.

He kissed her again, hiding his own groan of pleasure. Everything about her was perfect. Her body and how it stretched for him again and again. Her unrelenting heat and how silky her walls were as they clamped down on him. The curve of her breasts as he ran his hand over them, or her hips on days he pinned them down. Her voice when it proclaimed her love to the heavens. 

“I…”

He wanted so badly to say it. He’d said it before once or twice, but always when he had time to think about it, and only on special occasions. She was always forthcoming with her emotions. Always willing to share everything with him. But it was always so difficult for Vergil. Words always escaped him when he wanted them the most. 

“I… you…”

Her hand brushed his cheek and she smiled. “It’s okay, Vergil,” She whispered. “I understand.”

No.

It wasn’t okay.

Vergil cared too much to give up. 

He pressed his forehead to hers as he pushed himself in as deep as he could go. She shuddered, but her eyes remained on his just as he always asked. And as the last of him spilled deep within her, Vergil finally found the words he wanted so badly to say.

“I love you.”

Her eyes fluttered shut and her smile widened. “Good boy.”

Vergil scowled in her general direction as he removed himself. Her legs dropped unceremoniously around him as all the tension in her body melted away. He didn’t bother with their clothes, electing to scoop her into his arms instead. “Bath, I’m assuming?”

“Only if you join me so I don’t fall asleep and drown.” She said as her head fell against his chest. 

“Did I not just re-energize you?”

“You did,” She said with a smile. “But then you stole it all, leaving me an empty husk that really needs a nap.”

 “That’s over-dramatic.”

She carefully lifted herself to kiss his cheek and whispered. “And you love that too.”

And Vergil did. 

He absolutely, positively did.