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Childe "I Can Make Her Worse" Tartaglia ([personal profile] monoceroscaeli) wrote in [community profile] insurmountable2022-11-26 09:40 pm
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you hide your face with your disguise // 'cause someone filled your head with lies

[It had been a few days since the hunt for the Great Mujina Youkai had come to an end, having to say goodbye to the kids and to Yoimiya too. The ship that was to take him back to Snezhnaya would be arriving a bit later in the day, and Childe sighs as he sits back in his chair in the tent he's occupying in one such hidden Fatui camp. He had a great time in Inazuma. The country was beautiful, rich with a new culture to learn and all sorts of places to explore and fight new and more exciting enemies. All his things were in order- the gifts that he'd bought to bring back to his family, Teucer's Onikabuto in a little bug box with some food to keep it alive during the trip back- all he'd have to do is wait for the ship and he'd be on his way.

He tells himself that he'd return to the country one day, once tensions between the Fatui and the Shogunate calm down. It was a miracle that he was able to stay as long as he has, evading the Tenryou Commission. He has some people to thank for that, and he won't forget what they did for him while he's been here. Some gifts would be in order for them upon his return.

The Harbinger idly plays with a writing utensil between his fingers. He'd like to bring something from Snezhnaya for Yoimiya, too.

There's a sharp rap at his door, and Childe sighs. He doesn't really want to deal with work right now, perfectly happy reminiscing on the time he's spent in Inazuma before he leaves, but answers with a bored tone to his voice:]


Come in.

[An agent enters, bowing and standing at attention.]

Sir, we've captured a Tenryou Commission spy that was found sneaking around. We've taken her into custody and are awaiting your orders on how to deal with her.

[Childe's eyebrow raises. It should have been hard to find this camp, even by the Shuumatsuban. Somehow, doubt creeps into his mind, but stands from his chair.]

Alright, I'll deal with it myself. At least I can have one last bit of fun before I depart.

[The agent only bows once more, to lead Childe towards the prisoner. He knows better than to argue with the Harbinger, but feels sorry for the spy. The two cross the camp to another tent, the agent stopping him right before lifting the flap for his senior commander.]

She claims to be from the fireworks shop, but we've seen Tenryou soldiers stop frequently at it.

[Before he can answer, the flap is lifted to reveal a certain girl that he'd met not but a few days ago...]
niwabi: (pic#16604455)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-03 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
[ Something seems incredibly off about Ajax. Despite that she's beyond exhausted, the first thing that sticks out to her like a sore thumb is the size of his pupils, they look like they've shrunk into tiny points made by needles. The next thing that's a cause for concern is watching him sway back and forth. There's always a good chance he's also tired considering everything that happened but something about his movements isn't sitting right with her. As he told her in the spa, he's been through death-defying battles, so surely the ordeal wouldn't have drained him... right?

But before she can dwell on that line of thought, his promise assuages her concerns. The smile on her face grows wider, finally feeling some semblance of relief after being forced to go through that horrific ordeal. ]


Thank you, Ajax. I love you. I promise to stand by your side and support you no matter what. Don't ever hesitate to share your burdens with me.

[ It's the least she can do for everything he's had to put up with in regards to her.

Using the little strength she has left, Yoimiya stands up from the chair to pull Ajax in for a warm embrace, overjoyed that they're both still alive. ]


I'm sorry to be a burden but do you mind carrying me to bed? I think I'm ready to lay down for the rest of the evening. You need to get some rest too, okay? We need to get our strength back before we face Dottore.
niwabi: (pic#15963386)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-03 04:48 am (UTC)(link)
[ She truly cannot thank Ajax enough. If it wasn't for his comforting presence... she doesn't even want to think about how miserable and dull her life would be without them. I truly am blessed Yoimiya thinks to herself, snuggling up to him as he carries her to bed, completely oblivious to the inner struggle taking place inside of Ajax's headspace. Unbeknownst to her, Seraphina's hold on Alnair's mind is absolute, and as long as those marks stay on him, she's determined to make Yoimiya's life a living hell before her miserable life can finally come to an end.

Yoimiya has no idea about the true extent of Seraphina's wrath.

Once he lays her down and tucks her in, Yoimiya finally feels a little bit at peace after her body was cruelly used and abused. What little strength she has left is used to snuggle up close with her boyfriend, desperately craving his warm presence to get her through the night. With the delusion around her neck and Ajax next to her, she might be able to get some semblance of sleep tonight. ]


Alright, you've convinced me. I'll try not to worry about him too much. Surely he's got plenty of other endeavors to tackle in Sumeru.

[ She cranes her head to press a soft kiss to his cheek. ]

Thank you again Ajax. I love you...
niwabi: (pic#16275085)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-04 12:27 am (UTC)(link)
[ The sight of Ajax's warm, genuine smile combined with his blue eyes gazing down on her grips and tugs at her heart. No doubt the two of them are in for a rough night's sleep, not even the most hardened veteran would be able to slumber in peace with everything they have on their plate but seeing that wonderful smile spread across her lover's visage is yet another reminder that they made it and lived another day to rest in each other's arms. She's finally able to relax in his hold, feeling safe and secure from the harsh reality that a vile monster wants her dead. Maybe, just maybe, she can fall asleep to Ajax's warmth enveloping her.

I love you too, Yoimiya. Goodnight.

She'll never get tired of him proclaiming his love, it gives her the slightest bit of hope that Seraphina's influence has nothing on Ajax's willpower. This man has been through hell and back, there's no telling how many death-defying situations he's come out of, if there's anyone who can defy the whims of a crazy woman in love, it's him. From the bottom of her heart, she truly believes they will come out of this situation stronger than ever.

With that peace of mind, Yoimiya closes her eyes, nestles her face against Ajax's chest, and eventually, drifts off to sleep. What awaits her is not the sweet dreams of her lover she was hoping for, but instead...

She's all alone, pulled back to that same ocean she saw in the fog of her consciousness. Not a speck of light can reach the place she's at, there's nothing but pitch-black darkness and ice-cold water engulfing her body, her chest hurts, it feels like ice is pumping into her bloodstream, and she's unable to breathe. But instead of being scared, she's simply resigned to the fact that no one can dive in and pull her out. All she can do is accept her fate to sink endlessly into the sea with no hope of escaping.

Alone... ]


---

[ It's only when something soft and warm touches her that Yoimiya finally begins to stir. She blearily opens her eyes, immediately using Ajax's chest as a shield against the sunlight pouring into the room. Although she managed to sleep, it wasn't the relaxing rest she was hoping for. Still, she had a feeling this was going to be the case. Sleeping with a threat looming over them feels like an impossible task.

But... as soon as her vision comes to and she sees the wonderful sight of her boyfriend greeting her with his handsome face, she feels recharged and ready to face the world with him at her side. ]


Mm... morning Ajax.

[ She manages to crack a small, tired smile at him. ]

Breakfast sounds lovely. Does the hotel provide room service?
niwabi: (pic#16270749)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-04 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
[ Yoimiya nods in response, the aftermath of that brutal sex session hits her like a truck, the bruises that were left on her have bloomed overnight, leaving big red marks all over her chest and hips. And her legs... she doesn't dare move them, her whole lower half feels sore all over. She can already see herself falling flat on her face if she attempted to get out of bed right this very second. ]

Are you sure? I'd hate to force you on a fetch quest. I'd like to at least go with you...

[ She already feels awful for being such a burden on Ajax and the lack of good sleep isn't helping her anxiety. Yoimiya grunts and groans as she attempts to move, but try as she might, her legs feel too much like jelly to even slip out of bed, much less make the trip to even a nearby local shop. For a go-getter like her, the worst thing in the world is to be crippled and unable to move. ]

Sorry, I guess I really do need to spend the day in bed. If you don't mind grabbing breakfast from somewhere, I'd really appreciate it.
niwabi: (pic#16907988)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-05 07:10 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Yoimiya nods and puts on her best reassuring smile to see him off. It pains her that he feels the need to go above and beyond for her when none of this is his fault. Seraphina is the sole perpetrator... is what she wishes to believe. Deep down inside, she still can't banish the thought of being partially at fault because she's so weak and ordinary.

But that's neither here nor there. Ajax seems much more rejuvenated than last night and doesn't wish to ruin the mood with her self-deprecation. It's short and sweet but the kiss to the top of her head gives her the warm fuzzies all over. She's so lucky to have a kind, caring, and considerate partner like Ajax. Now if only she could move, she'd be returning the kiss back like crazy. sobs. BUT! Yoimiya isn't about to let her lack of mobility get her down. Determined to give him some form of affection, she props her back against the pillow and blows him a kiss as he departs.

There! Now she feels a whole lot better already. Yoimiya giggles to herself as she gets comfy underneath the sheets, fantasizing about their delicious breakfast from a quaint little cafe. About five minutes after Ajax's departure, there's a knock at the door accompanied by a female voice. ]


Hotel cleaning staff! Are you in need of fresh towels and sheets?

[ Oh! Last night's harrowing events made her forget all about the hotel staff. Yoimiya contemplates sending them away to focus on getting some much-needed rest but after some consideration, she figures it wouldn't hurt to get a fresh change of sheets and towels. Thankfully, she's wearing one of her boyfriend's nightshirts long enough to cover her nude body, so she doesn't feel weird about letting anyone in. ]

Oh, what fantastic timing! Come on in! We used up all our towels last night and some spare sheets would be lovely.

[ Despite being in immense pain, her voice is loud as ever, able to reach the housekeeper's ears even as she shouts from the bedroom. Yoimiya will always have it in her to greet everyone with her warm disposition no matter the situation. With a click, a hotel maid enters the room with a cart full of cleaning supplies and the promised towels and sheets. ]

Sorry for interrupting you. I won't be but a minute.

[ Yoimiya waves off the apology with a smile. As far as she's concerned, this lass is just doing her job. ]

It's not a problem at all. Thank you very much.
niwabi: (pic#16908001)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-06 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
[ The process is routine, not setting a single alarm bell off in her mind as Yoimiya reaches over the nightstand to grab a nearby magazine for her reading pleasure. She hums to herself as she flips through pages of Sumeru's beautiful landscape mesmerized and not at all paying close attention to the maid. It's only when she hears her voice that her attention is pulled away from the magazine in hand. She flickers her gaze over at the maid who is now at the side of her bed and offering her hand. Yoimiya looks at her hand and then back at the maid, the gesture is sweet but there's something about this that's not sitting well with her; hotel staff don't approach their guests without their permission... right? Still none the wiser, she tries not to think too hard about the exchange, brushing it off as her just being an attentive staff member.

Yoimiya gets ready to take her hand but then, stops at the very last second. ]


Wait a second...

[ It's then, a horrible realization occurs to her. ]

Why are you holding your hand out to me?

[ Sure, she might be lying in bed but there's no way this maid should know she's lying in bed because she can't move. Only herself and Ajax are aware of this fact.

The maid doesn't say anything for a few good seconds and simply stares at her guest with a blank expression that turns Yoimiya's blood cold. She closes her green eyes and when she finally opens them, the blonde is met with striking pink irises that will forever be burned into her memories. Before Yoimiya can react, she's suddenly grabbed by the arm and thrown onto the floor, her body hits the the ground with a sickening thud. She screams in pain as she's slammed onto the ground, her body has already been through the wringer after last night and now, it feels like she's getting thrown off a cliff. ]


I'm impressed, you're actually a lot more perceptive than I originally thought. Not that it matters because you're all alone and there's no Ajax to come and save you.

[ Seraphina.

There's not a single doubt in her mind as to who this is. It has to be Seraphina. No one hates her or wants her dead as much as she does. And now, she's hit with another horrible truth; Seraphina has the power to control not just her and Ajax but also everyone around them.

Using the maid's body as her new vessel, Seraphina forces the woman to stand over the weakened Yoimiya, she rolls the blonde on her back and cruelly pulls her arms behind her with full intent of inflicting as much pain on her as she possibly can before she ties her wrists together. Yoimiya cries out, unable to do anything in her condition, all she can do is scream with tears streaming down the side of her face. ]


Let go! Let go of me...! Please, somebody... HELP!
Edited 2024-10-06 00:48 (UTC)
niwabi: (pic#16625302)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-07 12:55 am (UTC)(link)
[ A small ray of light comes in the form of a Fatui Soldier marching into the room to her rescue, Yoimiya looks at him through tear-soaked eyes in a mix of joy, relief, and pain as he brandishes his knife at the maid. Soon, this nightmare will be over, all he has to do is pull her out of the maid's clutches and buy just enough time for Tartaglia to return. But before she can even thank her savior, that small bit of hope is cruelly snatched away from her as soon as the guard stops in the middle of his threat.

One horrible realization after another keeps hitting her. Soon as the Fatui's arms drop to the side and begin to pick her up, Yoimiya realizes the true extent of Seraphina's powers. She can control not just one person but multiple people at a time. The realization becomes even more horrific as she's carried out of the hotel, the other Fatui soldiers simply just allow her to be taken away. Not only that, no one roaming the busy streets of Sumeru City seems to care that she's obviously being taken away against her will, bawling her eyes out, and completely out of function. The worst part of it all, the one that really digs the knife into her heart and cruelly twists it is how a few people just step to the side without a care in the world, as if she is just an insignificant bug.

No one cares about you. You're worthless. Just dross to be rid of as soon as possible.

...

She's right. Seraphina is absolutely right. Not a single soul cares about her worthless self, she should just simply accept her fate to die. If she wasn't around, Ajax could go on grand adventures without being forced to take care of her. She's just a weak human who can't even hold a candle to her lover's incredible strength, so Seraphina truly is the better match for him, they'll be able to brave dangers that Yoimiya isn't capable of.

If she dies then Ajax can finally be truly happy.

Seraphina has successfully whittled her spirits into dust, the light in her once bright gold eyes vanishes, no longer able to fight or scream, the least she can do is accept her death with grace. Yoimiya doesn't even flinch when the maid grabs her by the chin, all that's left of her is the tear-stained face of a woman who is broken beyond repair and ready to accept her death. ]


Ajax... Ajax... Ajax... [ Scared, completely broken, and unable to move, all Yoimiya can do is whimper out her beloved's name between choked sobs. ] Ajax... A-Ajax... I'm so sorry... Ajax...

[ Oh, the look of despair painting her victim's face is simply splendid. A sickly sweet laughter pours out of the maid's lips, seeing Yoimiya in such a pathetic state is like music to her ears. ]

Even when you're getting ready to face death, you sound pathetic as ever. Alnair isn't coming to save you, he'll never love you more than me. Hehe but rest assured, he'll be even better hands. I'll take care of him better than you ever could.

[ The maid motions for the guard to take her away and dump her in the perfect place no one can find her; the ocean. With Yoimiya bound and hauled on his shoulder, the Fatui mindlessly trudges to the edge of the dock, ready to toss her over at any second. The whole time, Yoimiya is unable to do anything but cry and blubber out Ajax's name. The one thought that crosses her mind is maybe that's why she kept seeing herself sinking in the ocean, maybe this was always her destiny.

She's just a stepping stone for Alnair and Seraphina's love. ]


This is your fate, you were always destined to die like this. All alone.
niwabi: (pic#16275084)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-07 09:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The last thing Yoimiya sees before she's dunked into the water is the wicked face of the maid acting as a mask for Seraphina, the sight of that terrible smile and those pink eyes capable of burning a hole into her soul will never leave her mind. But not that it matters, she'll be dead in a matter of minutes, and all her worries will vanish along with her. There will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more Seraphina, she can finally rest in peace without constantly fearing for her life or holding Ajax back.

In a way... Seraphina is doing her a favor. It's painful to go on living in a world where no one cares for her. Might as well just accept the sweet embrace of death and finally, rest for all of eternity.

...

A cold darkness envelops her body just like in her dreams. Once again, Yoimiya sees herself sinking deeper and deeper into the water but only this time, it's reality. Just as she's getting ready to close her eyes to accept death, she can barely make out a blurry figure swimming down to grab her. Before she even realizes what's going on, she feels the brush of warm lips pumping air into her system to keep her prevent her from slipping into an unconscious state. The next thing she knows, she's pulled out of the water and gasping for air until her body is set on dry land. She repeatedly coughs in an attempt to hack the water out of her system. She's still slowly coming to but even in this state, there's only one person who has been desperately trying to save her. ]


Ajax, *cough* Ajax... *cough* *cough* Is that... you...?

[ His voice is the confirmation that she desperately seeks. Slowly, she opens her bleary eyes to see Ajax's face staring right at her. ]
niwabi: (pic#16270735)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-11 02:28 am (UTC)(link)
[ As Yoimiya coughs out the remaining water out of her lungs, her eyesight comes back into focus, finally able to see a not-so-blurry Ajax staring down at her. She fully relaxes the back of her head in his lap, not saying a word for a solid minute. It's hard to process everything that's happened, all the negative thoughts swirling through her head, and every terrible thing Seraphina told her. She still can't believe she's even alive, a small part of her wondering if she's actually lost consciousness in the water and is dreaming this whole thing up.

But no, the longer she stares at Ajax, she becomes all the more assured she's alive. She should be happy and yet, she still can't sake the feeling that maybe Ajax would be better off without her. ]


Thank you... for saving me. I... don't want to think about the outcome if you didn't make that timely rescue.
niwabi: (pic#16270777)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-11 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The heat permeating from his fingers warms her cold, wet body like a furnace. Yoimiya breathes a heavy sigh through her nose and uses the little bit of her energy to nuzzle her face into the palm of his hand, appreciative of his sweet care and concern for her. She's still shaken by the whole ordeal so it takes her a minute to process everything he's saying. Her shivering body cuddles close to him, in need of warmth and his comforting presence. ]

Let's hide in the forest somewhere far away from here. I brought camping supplies in my luggage so hopefully that will keep us tide over until then.

[ She's not sure where they will go but anywhere is better than Sumeru City. There's no telling how far Seraphina's influence reaches but Yoimiya does not wish to find out. ]

Maybe... the aranara can aid us.
niwabi: (pic#16275053)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-11 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Yoimiya huddles close to Ajax, burying her face into his chest to block out the memory of people coldly ignoring her. She doesn't realize that he's taking her in a direction far that isn't littered with people, too scared to even look up and study their surroundings. She doesn't want to be reminded that no one in this world cares about her. ]

They are the nicest little forest spirits that allow people to see sweet dreams. Truthfully, I don't know if they have the power to help.

[ They are sweet forest spirits and here she is, selling them out to a mad scientist who wishes to conduct experiments on them. Maybe everything she's experiencing is divine retribution for being so selfish and valuing her life over theirs. ]

But, searching for them is better than staying here. Anything is better than staying in place filled with people who don't care whether I live or die.
niwabi: (pic#16270735)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-12 08:07 pm (UTC)(link)
[ See? No one cares about you. You're worthless. Just dross to be rid of as soon as possible.

Seraphina's words rear its ugly head to take a swing at her psyche full force. Deep down inside, Yoimiya knows Ajax is speaking the truth, nobody actually wants to see her die, and plenty of people would be devastated if she suddenly disappeared without a trace. She's well aware of all this and yet... she can't banish the images of crowds of people coldly staring at her and even stepping to the side as she was blatantly getting kidnapped out of her head. She also knows that it's not the fault of any passerby, Seraphina was in control over them too. If any of them was of sound mind, surely someone would have jumped in to her resuce.

But unfortunately, the sight of those uncaring faces is hard to forget and will probably stick with her for the foreseeable future. ]


I'll try not to think like that but it's so difficult. When I was being taken away, not a single person spared a glance my way or even tried to step in. I felt so invisible and so utterly worthless as a person.

[ She takes a deep breath, trying to fight back the tears threatening to spill out of her eyes, she doesn't want Ajax to see her in such a fragile state. ]

... I'm sorry I've been so down in the dumps Ajax. I don't think we'll ever know the full extent of what Seraphina is capable of because her powers are truly out of this realm.
Edited (me leaving out a wholeass sentence) 2024-10-12 20:33 (UTC)
niwabi: (pic#16275085)

[personal profile] niwabi 2024-10-14 03:12 am (UTC)(link)
[ Yoimiya doesn't say anything, only giving him a simple nod of her head as she snuggles closer to shield herself from passersby staring at them in contempt. He's right on so many fronts. The whole situation is difficult, but she should at least try to be chipper and not so dreary. She's fairly certain that part of the reason why Ajax fell for her is because of her bright, go-getter attitude, and it feels like she's doing him a huge disservice by being so gloomy. She takes another deep breath to swallow the nervous lump lodged in her throat, swearing to keep her spirits up for his sake. A tough road awaits her but it's the least she can do for both of their sakes.

But at the very least, they're back at the hotel and far away from the prying, cold eyes of the rest of the world. Yoimiya finally pulls her face away from Ajax's chest, already feeling a bit relieved that it's just them with not a single soul around. ]


... You're right. I know it's going to be hard but I promise, I'll try my hardest to stay strong.

[ She glances up at him and is met with a smile so soft that it practically melts her heart. Ajax is trying so hard for her when he's suffering just as much, she can't keep focusing on her own negativity. The kiss on her forehead fills her with a warmth that she's desperately been craving. Wanting to return the sweet gesture, she cranes her head to place a soft kiss on his cheek. ]

For you.

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