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savage-rhi · 7 months

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Mending Shadows // Chapter 18

Summary:

Y/N was a simple Scavenger of Lucis, until meeting a deadly blow at the hands of an infected creature. At the crossroads of death, they are found by Niflheim’s cryptic Chancellor with his own agenda. Now bonded to Ardyn Izunia, and tossed into the world of Niflheim, Y/N struggles to cope with their new life as an Imperial Icon all the while battling their feelings toward their fate and that of Ardyn’s.

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Ardyn felt the chill wind of the fall season card through his hair like delicate fingertips. His skin prickled with a tingling sensation that could’ve easily lulled him to sleep while he sat in the tall grass. The fields were becoming a stale gold, signifying that harvest would come to a close. He contently chewed on the end of a grass stalk while contemplating the best way to go about keeping himself warm while traveling the country. Healing the sick was hard enough during the summer season, and the bitter cold was more relentless than the scourge itself. Ardyn furrowed his brows at the thought. Knowing that many would perish from the elements before the plague would ever take root.

A shuffling noise in the distance pulled Ardyn out of his thoughts. His eyes quickly darted up to meet the source. The soft eyes of Aera greeted him as did her genuine smile. Her blonde hair tangled in the wind as the dead grass drifted across her white dress. She waved at him, exclaiming her relief to have found him out in the fields.

Ardyn rose to his feet, and he didn’t hesitate to sprint toward his beloved. It had been three months since they had seen each other. Three months without written word aside from Ardyn’s exploits being paraded around the kingdom. He smiled so big it hurt his cheeks. Aera looked as beautiful as the day he had fled the citadel and took to exile to escape confrontation with Somnus. He couldn’t say the same for himself. His hair was disheveled, his facial hair had sprouted into rough patches, and his clothes were torn from the elements. Living among the poor and deprived, Ardyn knew he appeared less than, yet the faithful gaze Aera held for his eyes made Ardyn feel like a king. He never needed a crown, not when he had her.

As Ardyn ran toward Aera, he reminded himself of his goal: he would prove to Somnus that sacrifice wasn’t necessary. The people of Eos could be saved if everyone looked out for each other, and if he were allowed to use the gifts the gods had bestowed upon him. Ardyn knew in his heart of hearts this would work. It had to. Why else would the gods put him to the task? Even if he were to die in the end, his own sacrifice wouldn’t be in vain. So long as the sun could shine upon people like his beloved, he’d do what was necessary. He acknowledged the blessings of the six for being united with a human being who understood his possible end fate, and yet, still encouraged him to do right by his heart. Ardyn almost always cried thinking it over, the weight of responsibility that Aera had entrusted to his principles.

A sound of broken flesh and bone pierced through the sky of the fields. Ardyn’s joy turned to shock as his body froze. His eyes widened with terror, seeing a giant blade sticking out of Aera’s abdomen. Her gaze was lifeless as was her body that was bleeding out, staining a small group of white sylleblossoms that were in her path.

“Aera!” Ardyn shouted with agonizing rage. His throat scratched from how loud he projected his voice. He snapped his body out of the trance it was in, and used the force of all his might to reach her.

Just before he could bend down and pick up his beloved, the pool of blood surrounding her body began to combust into flames. Like the scourge, the fire ran up Ardyn’s limbs like serpents and made their bites. Ardyn screamed until the air in his lungs ran dry from the scorching heat. He was encapsulated by fire, and plunged into an oblivion that not even his library of memories could fathom. The world disappeared into light and shadow, and he fell into a deep darkness.

Somehow, he felt gravity return to him and landed on his stomach with a thud. He coughed many times, dry heaving like a fish out of water as he scrambled to his knees. His body quaked, realizing that the fire had been just his imagination, or so it seemed.

Ardyn gasped when he became encircled by a ring of reds and oranges. Speckled bits of green cackled against the flames, adding to the foreboding presence the fire invoked.

“What is the meaning of all this?!” Ardyn bellowed. His terrified confusion ushered out reason as he stood on his feet, trying to find an exit. After spinning in circles a few times, he felt a whoosh of air brush past him, knocking him back onto his knees. Through an agonized groan, Ardyn looked up.

Ifrit the Infernium stood tall not more than a few feet from him. His intimidating horns upon his head, decorated like a massacred crown of bones, glimmered against the cast shadows of the flames. Anger chiseled his features as he scowled toward the immortal who had become his captor.

“You again!” Ardyn exclaimed. “If it’s vengeance you seek for what I’ve done to you, fine, but leave Aera out of it! You dare use memories of my beloved against me?!”

Ifrit nearly looked insulted as he shook his head, and continued to stare Ardyn down as if he was a puny bug that deserved all the weight of his foot. The red in Ifrit’s eyes grew as he took in a deep breath, and made his proclamations:

Thy suffering is your own undoing, Lucis Caelum. I need not lurk into one’s sentiments to bring forth harm. You do plenty upon yourself. I merely seek to deliver a message through reckless dreams.

“Then what is it that you want?!” Ardyn yelled. He could feel Ifrit’s rage radiating off of his skin, matching the intensity of the flames that began to dance around with more fervor.

A reckoning is coming for thee, Adagium. Thou giving courtesy where thy didn’t bequeath unto me. You will see soon enough. This is but a taste of wrath.

Before Ardyn could snap another question, Ifrit gestured with his arms and guided the flames to a singular point. The fire twisted, bending like metal until it was a roaring sword, and Ifrit let out a snarling scream as he rushed and jabbed the entire weapon through Ardyn’s body. Like the vision from Verstael's laboratory, Ardyn wailed as his heart and flesh melted off his very bones. He could even feel the microscopic end of his nerves combusting into ash.

Rising from the bed, Ardyn yelled. He let out a grunt, feeling his body collide into something soft yet formidable; another body. His hands immediately went for the shoulders, grabbing onto them with the intent of forcing more of his weight onto the intruder. His movement ceased the moment his blurred vision came to, and he was staring into the startled eyes of Y/N. He was too stunned to move, unsure of how to properly respond. Through the haze of waking up, and feeling the remaining terror of his vision, Ardyn spoke.

“What are you doing in my bed?”

Y/N let out a breath, trembling under his touch. “I heard you from the hall. You sounded awful, and I got worried. I tried to wake you.”

“Oh dear…” Be it exhaustion, or feeling awkward, it was the only response Ardyn had at his disposal. He certainly wasn’t in the mood to discuss what had caused him to leap from slumber as if he had fallen on a bed of nails. His right arm lazily let go of Y/N’s shoulder, and he sighed into his palm while rubbing the last of sleep from his eyes, not believing he had dreamed again so recently. The skin on his chest quivered from how cool the room was, and how it contrasted with the warmth that still lingered from Ifrit’s touch.

Ardyn let out a small gasp when he felt Y/N seamlessly pull him into an embrace. His face and chin rested in the crook of their neck while he felt their arms wrap around his shoulders. Their fingers felt through the end strands of his hair, sending a pattern of goosebumps along his spine. Warmth blossomed in Ardyn’s pulse as he made a face against them, while adjusting his head so he wasn’t so intimately attached. His amber eyes held confusion while he glanced at the doors to his chambers.

“A relative of mine used to hug me like this when I had a bad dream.” Y/N murmured. “You look like you needed something to keep you tethered.”

“I could’ve snapped your neck.” Ardyn forewarned tiredly. “Next time don’t be hasty to see what’s wrong. I have instincts that I can't control.”

“I’ll remember that the next time I stop what I’m doing to give a crap about you.” Y/N countered in jest, grinning for the moment against him. He didn’t sound amused, but the small smile he wore as his lips pressed to their shoulder suggested a part of him was humored.

Ardyn sighed, closing his eyes for the moment while he gathered his thoughts. He couldn’t recall the last time someone had held him in this fashion. The only soul that came to mind was Aera. He felt compelled to remain still, if only to sense a fraction of what that used to feel like. Sadness briefly plagued his eyes when it dawned on him that Aera wasn’t holding him, but another. His heartbeat dampened, before his ears began to fixate on the gentle murmur of Y/N’s pulse, and the soft exhales of their breath. He felt like he could fall back asleep against them.

His nerves stammered all throughout his body, and Ardyn felt his scourge and the terrible entities within himself hum with a pleasant vibration that traveled over every inch of his form. It felt so overwhelming to be touched that his brain felt drunk off of it. The pleasure soon came to a grinding halt as he grimaced, and gently pulled away.

“While I appreciate the compassion,” Ardyn cleared his throat. “I didn’t consent. Next time warn me if you intend to do something like this again.”

“My bad,” Y/N muttered, gazing elsewhere out of embarrassment.

“Quite alright,” Ardyn nodded. He gestured with his chin toward the door after earning Y/N’s sight again. “Why don’t you run off? I’ll be out in a little while. I need to gather myself.”

Y/N glanced over his face, occasionally stealing a glance of the scars on his chest before they smiled and nodded.

“I’ll be in the kitchen if you want to talk.”

“I’ll take you up on the offer.” Ardyn mused for the moment. His eyes followed Y/N as they climbed out of his bed and headed out of the room. As soon as Ardyn heard the familiar click of the door close, he let out a deep breath he had been suppressing. He fell backwards onto the mattress, and adjusted his legs. Feeling an uneasy tug in his pants. Two thousand years, body to the brim filled with daemons and darkness, yet he was still just a man at the end of the day, in all the ways one would think. He was livid.

Ardyn made a show of coming into the kitchen an hour later. He enthusiastically shoved the door open, nimbly traveling along the tile floor as if he were a shadow. He strolled through with a one track mind, barely registering Y/N who was sitting on a stool by the kitchen island. They watched him carefully, noticing he seemed more peculiar than usual. It wasn’t out of the realm for Ardyn to be quite odd in the morning. Being of a nocturnal breed, the sun wasn’t kind to him and neither did it offer pleasantry to Y/N given both their sicknesses. Sun allergy, as Ardyn liked to playfully call his aversion, didn’t seem to foot the entire bill for his behavior.

“You alright?” Y/N piped up, their voice casting a subtle echo in the kitchen as Ardyn hummed in reply. He ignored the question, gesturing to a black mug that was steaming with a citrus scent that roused him.

“You made tea?”

“Yeah,” Y/N smiled with a nod and pointed to a plate nearby on the stove counter. “I made you a breakfast parfait. I don’t see you eat much in the morning, but I know your sweet tooth is borderline criminal if last night is anything to go by. I figured I couldn’t go wrong there.”

Ardyn chuckled, shaking his head. “How maudlin of you.”

Y/N gently blew against their own glass of tea they had prepared and graciously sipped while Ardyn gathered the food, drink, and a utensil. He then took a seat across from them. Their eyes curiously went over his appearance. He looked like a mess; tussled hair, sleep still sticking to his eyes, and his body draped by a thin robe that he didn’t bother to tie up properly. He looked like an ordinary middle aged man, and not someone with begrudging power. Still, he was beautiful in his own right. That much Y/N would allow themself to admit.

“I see you have taken to surveilling me with great precision.” Ardyn mused, briefly meeting Y/N’s surprised gaze before he experimentally tried out a morsel of the parfait.

“How do you mean?” Y/N asked curiously.

He looked at them as if it should’ve been painfully obvious. Nevertheless, he grinned for a brief moment after finding satisfaction with the flavor. “A parfait and a lemon tea have never been so on the nose. You must find me fascinating enough to dedicate to mind detail such as this.”

The tired glare Y/N shot at him had Ardyn chortle.

“It’s only because you're predictable,” Y/N said in their defense. “Every morning you either have lemon tea or a can of Ebony. Evenings, you usually inhale enough wine that would kill twenty men. ”

“I do hope you’re aware you’re only further proving my point.” Ardyn countered in jest.

“At least it goes to show that I do pay attention to detail, despite someone hinting otherwise.”

Ardyn smirked at their bold sarcasm. His eyes darted between theirs and the cup they held. “Perhaps I could return the favor?”

“Oh?” Y/N raised their brows at him, smiling soon after. They felt childish as did he.

“Oh yes,” Ardyn slyly countered. He didn’t say a word, letting the anticipation run its course while he ate a good portion of the parfait. It was only when Y/N looked on the edge of their seat and their confidence waned did he speak up again.

“You seldom eat breakfast because it upsets your stomach. I only assume you’re bearing the brunt right now on my behalf. Sometimes you walk on your tip toes down the hall, thinking no one will hear you sneak into the library. You’re quite fond of nonsensical subjects and theory. When comfortable in the presence of company, you act quite featherbrained, and if its any consolation, you’re quite adept to listening to others at your own expense.”

Y/N felt like a deer caught in the headlights of a moving vehicle. Too stunned to say anything. He truly had been paying attention to them, despite his body language suggesting he couldn’t care less most days.

Ardyn suppressed a laugh, quite please with himself. “I believe I’ve offered plenty in compensation. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Shut up,” Y/N murmured against the rim of their cup, taking another sip. It was the only thing they had to help them save face. They ignored the laugh that left him, and went about eating their own breakfast.

With no Imperial Help running around, Ardyn’s residency felt dormant but not in a way that was uncomfortable. Y/N felt an amity with it just being the two of them. The peace seemed to have an effect on the scourge as well. Y/N could feel it slither within their veins, but not at its usual grinding pace.

“What’s on your agenda for today?” Y/N asked. They watched Ardyn furrow his brows, seemingly unimpressed while his schedule began to line up in mind.

“I have a meeting with the Tenebrae Ambassadors from the Gala, and of course a recap of the night with the Emperor. I may or may not meet with Commander Pierce. That all depends if I’m feeling favorable after all is said and done. How are you on your medication?”

Y/N dug through the pocket of the robe they had been wearing, pulling out the small tube. They popped the cap open and counted, making a face.

“Six left.” They muttered.

“I can run by Verstael and fetch you more.”

“Can I ask you something?”

Ardyn shrugged, and gestured for Y/N to continue.

“Why don’t you let me go to Verstael for the suppressants? Zegnatus Keep is out of the way from where you normally go for work.”

“Is your first impression of him still the same from last night?”

Y/N gave it some thought. “I would say so.”

“Then you very well know why.” Ardyn said as a matter of fact. He offered a small smile to lighten the blow of his firm tone.

“From the way you’ve talked about him before, I thought you two were friends.”

“Within an arms reach,” Ardyn corrected. “Verstael is the man who freed me from Angelgard. I owe him a great deal, nevertheless, he’s a politician and a war monger. Not someone whom I can fully rely on. I may have stepped on his toes last night as well. He was none too thrilled about my decision regarding the war fund allocations. Knowing him as well as I do, he’ll be sour for a time. I don’t wish for you to take the brunt of his vexation. Hence, why I’ll continue to obtain your medication myself.”

“Oh,” Y/N made a face. It seemed the more they learned about the ins and outs of politics, nothing was as it seemed. Partnerships were acts, and friendships were evidently a means to an end. They had no idea Verstael was the one to have found Ardyn, and that spurn on many questions they were too tired to ask.

This revelation surprised Y/N, and they couldn’t help but wonder what kind of hold Verstael and Ardyn both had on each other. One thing was certain though, Ardyn was in the hot seat and it was their fault even if he didn’t say it out loud. The comments Ravus made too also danced around in Y/N’s head from last night, especially the bit about Ardyn using them in the end. Despite contradicting the prince of Tenebrae, Y/N knew he was right. They had made their peace long ago that this partnership with Ardyn was one of mutual benefit until the end game. Nothing was personal. Except, it slowly felt as if it was becoming more personal. Their heart and mind muddled in the confusion of it all.

Ardyn debated with himself before speaking, seemingly catching onto the fact that Y/N was thinking more deeper about the subject than they should’ve .

“Did you have any dreams?”

Y/N’s mind immediately traveled to Ardyn’s tongue generously licking at their neck and biting with reckless abandon. It took every ounce of will power to keep their face from giving away their shame.

“Not that I can think of,” Y/N lied. Thus far there was nothing in their bond that suggested telepathy could be an option, and for that, Y/N was thankful. “Yourself?”

“A nightmare,” Ardyn admitted. He finished the last of the parfait, and took a long sip from his lemon tea.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really,” Ardyn said with a slight glare, though not at Y/N. "I must say it was rather grotesque if anything.”

“Then why did you bring it up?”

“I enjoy making small talk?”

“I’m calling bull on that.”

Both Y/N and Ardyn chuckled at the formers remark. He sighed in defeat, deciding to enlighten them with an uncomfortable truth.

“Not everything is your fault nor is it about you. So take your mind off whatever contrition you’re self imposing.”

“I need to remember that I’m a reflection of you.” Y/N said aloud, repeating what he had told them last night.

“Exactly.” Ardyn murmured.

There was a warmth in his eyes that seemed to be battling a darker side of himself, and Y/N couldn’t tell if they should have been feeling scared or honored at the fact.

The serene moment took pause when the doors to the kitchen flew open ceremoniously.

“Good morning!” Tuti sing-songed with a high pitch shrill.

Ardyn grimaced and took a long drink from his lemon tea to hide his disdain. Y/N too scrunched their face, and offered Ardyn an apologetic roll with their eyes toward their mutual friend. He merely held up a hand, shaking his head and smiled for a brief moment to let Y/N know they had nothing to fear before he went quiet.

“I managed to catch the tail end of the after party, and it was a hoot! I hope you two had fun at the Gala! Everyone looked so stellar, even if I was running back and forth between the kitchens and toiletry closet!” Tuti exclaimed, brimming with energy that could rival the rays of the sun itself.

“Glad to hear it, Tuti.” Y/N smiled. They raised a brow, gesturing at the vase with red flowers in it, and a golden silk ribbon tied neatly round. The shape of the flowers reminded Y/N of the flared buds of sylleblossoms, but to their knowledge, such plants only came in blue.

Tuti did a double take, giggling when she realized she neglected to speak up about the present she had been parading around.

“Y/N, these came in for you this morning! I found them near the entrance to the Chancellor’s residency!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Come have a see!”

While Y/N got up from the table to inspect the flowers, Ardyn felt the blood drain from his face. His whole body began to tremble as his eyes fixated on the red petals.

“Who are these from?” Y/N asked curiously, still in disbelief as they read the little note that was attached to the vase. “Thank you for your companionship last night. You are a light Niflheim should aspire to be. Sincerely yours, Loqui.”

“Red sylleblossoms are not even in season! It must’ve cost a pretty gil to pull this off!”

“Man, if one dance can do that…” Y/N mused with a murmur, laughing to themself as Tuti joined in.

As the two divulged in conversation, Ardyn couldn’t hear them. Their jolly voices were drowned out by a series of sounds. A sword slashing across flesh, the gushing pulse of blood hitting marble, and screams beyond reckoning. Then came her face. His Aera coiled up in his arms, clinging to the last of her life. The citadel of two thousand years prior, and the field of wheat blinked in and out of time, but the tragedy remained the same. The laughs of his brother, Somnus, vibrated through Ardyn's body and the scourge screeched inside him as he saw blood dripping from his beloveds mouth, staining her skin.

Ardyn was shaking so much that he didn’t notice himself dropping his cup of tea. He didn’t hear it crash to the ground as he got to his feet. He didn’t hear the startled gasps from both Tuti and Y/N. He didn’t hear Y/N attempt to plead with him as rage boiled behind his eyes to where he had a spark of madness. He couldn’t focus on anything but the damned flowers, and their rich color. He couldn’t separate Aera’s blood from the petals, and he wanted nothing more than to destroy them in one fell swoop.

“C-Chancellor I’m--I’m---!” Tuti stammered as Ardyn came barreling toward her with his arm raised high. She was too shocked to move out of the way, and in a single motion, Ardyn made his strike with all the resentment and anger that engulfed him.

Tuti tumbled to the left, somehow managing to save the flowers and vase as she fell down. Shock carried across her face when she didn’t register any pain. Dumbfounded, she looked to where she was once standing, and gasped in horror.

Y/N was slumped on the ground, writhing in pain as they clasped the side of their face. Their body quivered from the force of Ardyn’s impact. The scourge further amped their shocked nerves, causing them to let out an agonized groan when they attempted to move their jaw. Blood pooled down their nose and dripped into their mouth, and as Y/N tasted their own fluid, they began seeing the very images that provoked Ardyn along with something else.

Y/N blinked rapidly from shock, and time shifted.

They found themself locked in mortal combat with a man who wielded a blue sword. There was a determination in his eyes that was frightening, and all Y/N wanted to do was to end the battle quickly without bloodshed. Nonetheless, it seemed their opponent had another intention entirely. He was kin, and he had every instinct to kill. Despite years of wisdom, and years of lessons with the sword, Y/N felt fear begin to take hold of their resolve. The man counterstriked, and pierced their left shoulder with a spear that tore through flesh like a knife to butter. Y/N gasped aloud. They felt their heart shattering much like the bones in their chest from the impact. Their blood felt so cold against their skin that they quaked. Y/N stumbled backward, holding onto the spear while attempting to gather themself. They could hear the rushing sound of footsteps coming for them, but hadn’t the strength to look up. They braced themself, knowing a blade would be coming down their neck if they didn’t pull the weapon out in time. “Stop!” The grueling sound of steel cutting flesh and cloth tore through Y/N’s ears. They stared helplessly at the blue eyes of the blonde woman, and watched the light in her gaze begin to fade as she fell. Horror didn’t amount to the emotions that flooded throughout Y/N’s body. They tore the spear out from their shoulder, fell to their knees, and desperately cradled her in their arms. The shocked screams from the audience fell on deaf ears, as Y/N held onto the only voice in the world that mattered. “Ardyn…” She weakly whispered. Her hand shuddered as she reached up to touch Y/N’s cheek, right at the spot where Ardyn had struck.

A pounding headache had Y/N blink rapidly, and they found themself no longer on the kitchen floor, but in the living room bundled up on the couch. As they came to, they slowly began to register Tuti who was fanning them with her right hand while her left held a cold compress to their face. For a split moment, Y/N wasn't seeing Tuti but the woman who had perished in their arms. Her face and Tuti's kept molding in and out of each other, like one rewinding a tape to play it back again.

“Aera?” Y/N muttered, feeling the name slip past their tongue as if they had known it for years.

“Y/N!” Tuti exclaimed, ceasing her motions.

“Tuti?”

“Shh, try to be still.” Tuti sniffled, wiping away at her eyes before going back to her ministrations. “I finally got your nose to stop bleeding. I didn’t think you’d wake--”

“Ardyn…where’s Ardyn?” Y/N swallowed, feeling their eyes tear up from moving their mouth. It felt as if their whole jaw had been crushed. A part of their subconscious feared it was broken.

Tuti furrowed her brows. She averted her gaze, casting her angered yet morose expression away from Y/N. It was as if she wanted to spare them her own ill feelings.

“He’s…out. He’s at his meetings for the day. He won’t be back until nightfall.”

“I need to see him--”

“Shh,” Tuti shook her head, glancing at Y/N warmly while trying not to cry all over again. Her eyes were so pink that it worried Y/N that she may have popped a few veins.

“For now, let’s get you to feeling better, hmm? Please, just take it easy. You gave me half a scare.”

Y/N sighed and the world began to tilt on its axis. Their left eye throbbed with a heaviness that was comparable to a rock being chiseled away by a dull hammer. It was futile to argue with Tuti in this state, not when they felt like they had experienced being hit and stabbed in one go. The showdown in the old palace couldn’t have been legitimate, yet it felt so intimate that Y/N’s brain had difficulty differentiating between what was real and not.

Ardyn hit me… Y/N repeated to themself, trying to get their mind to see reason. Adrenaline continued to pump through their body as did the scourge. They softly gasped when the thick black tendrils of the plague crept up their chest, zigzagging to their face until it reached the point of impact and nestled there. Y/N grimaced while a writhing throb could be felt underneath their flesh. It made the hairs on their arms stand at attention while imagining worms crawling in and out of bloody pockets of skin.

“I’m…” Tuti sniffled, feeling herself choke up after seeing the scourge consume a chunk of Y/N’s face. Feeling overwhelmed, Tuti let go of the compress against Y/N, and used both her hands to wipe away at her eyes.

“What’s the scourge doing to you?”

“I’m not sure…” Y/N admitted. “It feels weird. It’s like its excited.”

“Oh Y/N…”

“I’ll be alright,” Y/N hoarsely said, furrowing their brows. “I don’t know what’s happening, but I’ll be fine.”

“Did he knock out a few of your brain cells, how can you say that?” Tuti whispered in a harsh gasp. “I feel so awful. You shouldn’t have got in the way. He was after me, not you.”

“The flowers.”

“Beg pardon?”

“It was the flowers,” Y/N swallowed. The corner of their eyes began to tear up. “Something about them, set him off.”

“If this is because of Loqui being kind to you, I don’t care if he’s the Chancellor, I’ll wring his neck if he tries to hurt you over something so damned trivial! His behavior wasn’t an excuse!”

Y/N had never seen Tuti this lit up before. Her anger was a quiet rage. Y/N imagined years of indoctrination from the empire had ingrained into her that women were not to show great resentment, but now Tuti’s kettle was starting to boil over.

“Tuti,” Y/N pleaded while reaching a hand to gently clasp Tuti’s left wrist. “I’m not excusing what happened, I know this sounds crazy, but I don’t think he meant to hurt either of us. I could see it in his eyes, something spooked him.”

“You’re damned right it’s crazy!” Tuti exclaimed. “Oh gods, Y/N, he hit you so hard you were screaming at the top of your lungs. I thought he caved in your skull! Your nose was bleeding so much…”

“Tuti,” Y/N murmured. It dawned on Y/N that it was a meaningless effort to explain their theory, especially when they realized it would require having to divulge to Tuti that they were bonded to Ardyn through the scourge. It wouldn’t take too long to put the pieces together that Ardyn was Adagium, and then both parties would be jeopardized.

No matter how loyal Tuti was, nor sincere, Y/N knew they had to keep this to themself. It didn’t mean the situation wasn’t frustrating any less, especially when they felt alone while trying to untangle their consciousness from another. The battle was scary, but even more so was that Y/N couldn’t tell themself from Ardyn. They were one in the same. A single heartbeat and mind, converged into a vortex of sensations that the human brain couldn’t fully fathom.

“Bleedthrough,” Y/N whispered to themself, feeling their nerves twitch from shock. Y/N dwelled on Tuti’s earlier words, how they were screaming at the top of their lungs when they couldn’t recall anything like that transpiring. It would make sense, that the body would be in full panic while the mind was trapped elsewhere.

“Tuti?”

“Yes?” She whispered, tampering down her anger for Y/N’s sake.

“Did Ardyn…react in any way?”

“Y/N, I really don’t want to talk about him. Right now, I just want make sure you feel better.”

Tuti had set a boundary, and Y/N didn’t have the heart to break it down. Y/N furrowed their brows in defeat, and once more Tuti began to fan their face while ensuring the cold compress was tucked comfortably against Y/N’s sore cheek.

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