how could i ever forget // outside the morning was cool and wet

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's not often Ajax finds himself getting his head slammed down onto the hood of a car, least of all a cop car. Usually it's him doing the slamming.

But today the young man finds himself denting the hood, the sound of metal caving in under his head ringing in his ears. Not exactly the ideal situation he was hoping for, but he figured sooner or later he'd have a run in with the cops due to the sensitive nature of his profession, but that doesn't mean he has to like how inconsiderate they are with him as they cuff him and throw him in the back of the paddy wagon. Not that he was considerate to them when he was discovered, as evidenced by the blood all over his clothing and knuckles from the fight he'd gotten into with them. How he managed to avoid getting shot is beyond him- plenty of shots were fired, but that hadn't stopped him from knocking a few of them out.

It's just too bad he'd been instructed that he couldn't kill anyone, or else he'd of gotten out of there without being caught.

The lights of the police station are bright, almost too bright from the contrast of how dark it was outside. Ajax squints as he's dragged inside, held tightly by two cops who hurry him through the station, but not fast enough that he doesn't catch a glimpse of the secretary behind the desk as they come in. Pretty, blonde, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. Gorgeous eyes, ones that catch his attention almost immediately as he's being shoved towards the back, shining with a radiance that captures him instantly. His eyes lock with hers, feeling something silent yet powerful surge through him from this tiny, insignificant interaction. He doesn't even have a moment to think further on it, before he's so rudely interrupted.

Get moving.

The curt voice of the bigger cop on his right cuts through the moment, anger welling up in Ajax's chest and something dark stirs in his core. If he wasn't cuffed and being restrained, he'd turn that guy's face into a new work of art, something so abstract some insane art collector would gladly pay millions for it.

No sooner had Ajax been ushered in, he disappears from sight as he's taken back into an interrogation room, the mysterious blonde no longer in his sights, now getting shoved into a corner of a room.]

What's with this? Don't you even have the courtesy of giving me a chair to sit in, at least?

[From outside of the room, muffled noises of a scuffle as the cops lay into Ajax can be heard, the loudest of which is a thud of a body slamming into a wall, accompanied by a groan from the ginger kid. Though little do any of them know, their real problems haven't arrived just yet, waking from their slumber right outside of the city...]

Comments

[niwabi]

[ Behind the desk of the Fontaine Police Station sits a bored blonde who has lost count of the many times she's hummed and hawed over the course of this dull, uneventful evening. Having already finished half of her workload for tonight's shift, she's searching for any means to kill some time; which includes texting a friend from her home country of Inazuma. ]

( 10:33 pm )

Yoimiya:
Another long boring night of file sorting. (；￣Д￣)
Please tell me your evening has been more thrilling than mine.

Shinobu:
Define thrilling.
I'm spending my night at the detention center trying to bail some knuckleheads out. Boss and the boys got hauled off for disrupting the peace.
They were dueling a rival gang in a card game until Kujou Sara caught wind of them being loud and obnoxious...

Yoimiya:
AGAIN??? (⊙_⊙)

Shinobu:
Again.

Yoimiya:
WWWW (≧▽≦) Make sure you give those boys a good beating!
Gotta go, I hear some ruckus outside. Looks like they're bringing someone in for questioning.
Talk to you later!!!! ヾ(＾ ∇ ＾)

[ For the umpteenth time this evening, a heavy sigh spills out of her lips. At least I was able to get some sort of laugh tonight... Yoimiya muses to herself, setting her phone to the side before any of her superiors walks in on her slacking around. The job itself pays well and she's grateful for the opportunity to work in another country but it's the farthest thing from exciting, every day becoming more mundane than the previous as she sorts through names and writes up court summon letters. Once again she sighs, bored out of her mind while typing up a notice for a guy who got caught trying to scam some poor sap. Same old song and dance. Her gaze flickers back over to her phone, chuckling in amusement at the Good luck message sent by Shinobu. By chance, she glances at her lock screen with the group photo she took with her friends before traveling off to the Hydro nation.

Fontaine is a beautiful country full of incredible technology but truly, she misses her parents and friends back home in Inazuma.

But that's enough reminiscing for tonight, there's still work that needs to be done. As she's adding the finishing touches to the letter, her ears perk up at the sounds of the door slamming open, her attention focusing on the two police officers rushing in a very dangerous-looking guy with blood all over his clothing. She's trying not to make it seem obvious she's intrigued by the sudden common but one look into his eyes is enough to draw her in. Curly ginger locks, eyes blue as the ocean surrounding Fontaine, dashing good looks... he's the best thing she's seen all evening. Even as he's being ushered to the back, Yoimiya is unable to avert her stare, feeling a powerful rush blazing within her body.

That was strange. Geez, her life must be that unexciting if she's admiring a criminal's handsome face. On the plus side, some form of excitement has finally entered the building. Quietly, she starts working on the next court order, carefully honing in on the inquisition taking place in the room behind her. She can hear the sounds of a body slamming against the wall, punching, yelling, the ginger letting out a painful groan. It's hard to hear what the officers are saying, only able to make out one part of the conversation. ]

Scumbags like you don't deserve the slightest bit of courtesy. Now, tell us what you were doing. There's no doubt in my mind you have some connection with them.

[ Yikes. Yoimiya doesn't know what's going on but if the blood splatter all over that mysterious man isn't already a huge red flag, sirens blaring in her head the more she listens to the yelling from outside the interrogation room; the guy in custody is bad news. All of the fist flying and shouting has her full attention, completely oblivious to the unknown entity slowly slithering its way into the station. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax has absolutely no way of defending himself without making this situation way bigger than he's allowed to make it be. All he can do is take another punch to the gut from the officers who are clearly pissed about what he did to them prior to getting cuffed. His face gets slammed into the wall, gritting his teeth as pain radiates through his entire skull from the strike, wishing he could fight back even a little bit. But orders are orders, and to escalate this would endanger everything- so he can't do anything but take it, and mouth off.]

I plead the fifth. Don't you know my rights? You didn't even bother to read them to me. Not that you care about a lawsuit, right?

[A knee connects right with Ajax's stomach, doubling him over before a well-aimed punch knocks him to the floor, hearing a sickening crunch of something breaking in his chest. That's a rib for sure, he thinks, fighting through the pain to stay conscious.

Cut the crap, kid. We've been on this case for months now, and you're not walking outta here without giving us some answers.]

Sorry...ngh. Can't help you, don't know what you're talking about.

[One of the cop's feet comes in and kicks him right in the side, causing Ajax to cry out in pain again as he lies on the floor. At this rate, he wouldn't be surprised if he "accidentally" died, but there's no way he's going to let them take him out here. Not that he's in any position to be doing anything about it at the moment, but he'll escalate things if he has to.

Meanwhile, something black, something dark emerges from the shadows of the city. The light emanating from the station isn't great, but it won't stop it from finding the source, the pulsing outward like a signal tower. For so long, it, they have been looking for this.

From underneath the door, a jet black, as dark as the night itself, slime squeezes into the station. The linoleum floor seems to stain the colors of a far distant galaxy as it makes its way across it, a grotesquely beautiful pattern of stars painted black and purple left behind in its wake. The creature has no interest in Yoimiya, though it doesn't ignore her- only makes a note that a being in here radiates with a dangerous power it needs to be aware of. Slipping past the front desk and into the interrogation room, it crawls up the wall, in full view of Ajax. The cops have their backs to it, not noticing how it slides upwards onto the ceiling, but even through Ajax's brutalized face, he can see it. His eyes widen as he stares up at the ceiling, but the smaller cop is more focused on their task than to follow his gaze.

Hey, go get something else to convince this guy to talk, will ya?

A creature like he's never seen before, stretching downward from the ceiling, wrapping its all-consuming tendril around the bigger cop who'd growled at him to start. It snakes quickly around his head, silent as it finds the guy's eye and begins to feed itself into it. The entire scene plays out in front of Ajax in slow-mo, the cop's face freezing in surprise as he feels something entering into his body through his eye, the eyeball moving just slightly to the side to let it through- until the entirety of it is gone, leaving only the trace of purplish black stars as a streak across the leathering skin of the cop. There's an eerie silence as he stands there, face contorted into something more terrifying, body quivering as the creature adjusts to its new home. Ajax's jaw drops in horror, not knowing if he really saw what he just saw, or if all of this was a nightmare and he just needs to wake up.

I said, go get something-

The smaller of the two men slaps the other with the back of his hand against his chest in irritation, but never gets to retract it. The monster grabs the wrist of the smaller cop, pupils dilated and veins popping out from his neck, staring at his former partner now with an intensity that only can come from the voracious appetite of the abyss. It cuts off the cop mid-sentence, before the creature heaves him through the door with an unworldly force that shatters the wooden frame around it, sending the cop sliding across the floor and slamming into the front of the station right in front of Yoimiya.

Ajax feels as if his breath has left his body, like he's unable to breathe and paralyzed from the horrifying sight of the monster in front of him. It turns its head back towards him, black tendrils seeping out from the skin on the guy's arm as it reaches towards the ginger. He can't...he can't die here, not like this. Struggling to stand, he fumbles himself pushing up against the wall to get to his feet, eventually managing it as he stares down what he believes is his own death, but he won't give up here. The creature lunges, and thankfully he's agile enough to dodge and get around him, running out back towards the front area.]

Let's go!

[It's the only thing he yells the second he's out, looking over to see if the secretary was still sitting there. Everything happened so fast, he doubts she had time to react to it yet.]

[niwabi]

[ At a certain point, listening to the suspect cry out in pain becomes too much for her. Although she can't see what's going on, she can hear every punch thrown at him, every time his face gets slammed into the wall. The sharp crack causes her to wince, such an awful sound pulls at her stomach, making her feel sick. She winces, bringing her hand over to her chest as if she can feel his excruciating pain from his broken rib. Sure, there's a good chance he's done something beyond horrible, but this interrogation is going too far for her liking. At this rate, he might actually die.

Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, she picks up on more of their conversation; Hey, go get something else to convince this guy to talk, will ya? Her golden eyes grow wide with shock, absolutely stunned that the two are such dirty cops that they are willing to stoop so low.

To hell with it. Who cares if she receives a reprimand for what she's about to do, it's better than listening to someone's murder. Everyone has their rights and for all she knows, this guy could have done nothing wrong. No longer taking this sitting down, Yoimiya slams her hands down on her desk, mentally preparing herself for a screaming match with her coworkers. However, before getting up out of her chair, the eerie silence that falls afterward sets off alarm bells in her head. It's difficult to ascertain what's being said next but Yoimiya is given no time to react when all of a sudden, one of the police officers comes flying out through the door with a force unlike anything she's ever seen before. The blonde's jaw hangs open as the cop slams into the floor in a heap, the sheer power of that throw surely crushed a few bones, his body convulsing and twitching in ways she didn't think was humanly possible.

It all happened so fast that she's unable to register what in blazes is going on. Did the man in custody do this? Shaking, she slowly looks up to see the suspect in question. He's battered and bruised so there's no way he had the power to do this. It's then, that she finally pays attention to the linoleum floor now stained with a hideous black and purple pattern reminding her of the galaxy, if it wasn't so distorted, the stars shimmering across the floor might have been beautiful. Her eyes dart across the floor, following the residue until she comes face to face with a horrible creature so foul, so terrible that not even her worst nightmares could conjure up.

Unable to move, Yoimiya is paralyzed with fear from the sight of this monster. What's even more horrible is how she's vaguely able to recognize the true form of the abomination, it's taken over the body of the other police officer, leaving him with black leather flesh and a warped wicked face. Trembling, all she can do is scream in terror. Maybe this is what she gets for wishing for a bit more excitement in her life.

BANG!

A shot is fired. The sound alone is enough to pull Yoimiya out of her panic-stricken fright. Looking down, she notices the cop lying on the floor, using his remaining energy to pull out his gun and fire a single shot into the monster.

Get out of here Miss Naganohara!

Even if she didn't approve of his methods, she still feels terrible about leaving her coworker behind, especially since he seems to be prioritizing her safety as a civilian. But at the same time, she can't afford to die. Not while her parents back home need her. Unfortunately for the police officer, the shot doesn't even make a dent in the monster's skin, the flat shell simply falls to the floor. Now with its attention turned on the cop, horrible gurgling sounds escape from the creature's contorted mouth as it trudges over to the fallen man, picking him up by the neck.

Realizing there's nothing she can do at this point, she takes the advice of both men, grabbing her things and making it a mad dash to the mysterious ginger. He might be a wanted criminal but their chances for survival drastically go up if they work together. This man could have easily left her behind while he escaped but from the way he yelled out to leave together, he's clearly not heartless. Not wasting any time, she holds onto his arm cuffed behind his back, knowing that he probably needs a bit of extra support as they make their way to the front door.

However, Yoimiya does make one mistake and that's looking back. From the corner of her eye, she sees the helpless officer writhing. Not even using a fraction of its strength, the creature easily crushes his neck. The color drains from her face as she watches her former associate's head limply fall to the side. Already a horrible sight, what shakes her to her core is that this isn't the end of the monster's lust for blood. Even with the corpse in its grasp, it uses its sharp claws like a blade, sadistically puncturing a hole clean through the dead officer's chest. ]

Oh... oh... oh my god.

[ At a complete and total loss for words, she's speechless, never having seen this much blood oozing out in all her life. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's known that monsters and other aberrations exist in Teyvat, and have been since since written records from ancient times. How old those scripts are is anyone's guess according to Ajax, who doesn't concern himself with history all that much unless he needs to know for a job- which isn't often- but the information is widely spread enough with enough witness testimony and a few captured monsters here and there for the populace to know that outside of cities, there's always a risk even in modern times to get caught by one. You can kill them all you want, but they keep coming back, and researchers still don't know where, how or why that is. But what is surprising, is that one has bothered to crawl into the city, gone undetected, and seemed to be looking for something, or someone.

And as his heart races with fear, his body pumping with adrenaline, Ajax can't help but feel that this monster is definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, here for him.

The bullet bounces off of the monster, the cop being lifted by his neck, it's all Ajax can do but stare on in horror at the sight of the creature snapping the cop's neck as Yoimiya grabs a hold of one of his restrained arms. He barely notices for a moment that she's joined him, his eyes wide with fear and his legs trembling from the sight of the blade that punctures through the cop's chest. It rattles him enough that all his instincts finally kick in, turning towards the door and jerking his head at it.]

Open it, or we're next! C'mon!

[The urgency in his voice can't be understated, and would be slamming the door wide open if he were able to. But of course, he had to be handcuffed in the worst situation possible, as the monster admires its handiwork before violently dislodging the body from its blade with a sharp sweep of its arm. Off the dead cop slides, hitting the floor with a sickening thwop, blood spattering every which way as it covers the floor, seeping out from the body in a pool. It turns towards them, a strange wicked expression of joy at the sight of Ajax and Yoimiya in front of it, lumbering towards them slowly. It made sure that they couldn't leave, so there's no hurry.]

[niwabi]

[ Even with the urgency in his voice, he definitely doesn't need to tell her twice. Hands shaking, she reaches for the door handle, swallowing down a sob from the stomach-turning noises taking place behind the pair. Given the nature of her work, she's heard of violent crimes but this is her first time witnessing someone killed right in front of her eyes, on top of it being such a brutal death. She steels herself, trying not to let the noises get to her. All they have to do is make a run for it, call Wriothesley for help, and soon this nightmare will finally be over.

Except there's one problem. Yoimiya pushes on the door, only for it to not open at all. Her eyes grow wide at the realization, body trembling as she gives it another attempt. Still nothing. ]

Huh?! It's not budging...

[ A combination of desperation and adrenaline begins to kick in. Letting go of his arm, Yoimiya throws her whole weight against the door, slamming the side of her body against the bulletproof glass in vain hopes of forcing it open. Damned if she gets hurt doing this. Between cuts or being turned into a human shish kabob, she'll take the glass shards any day. With no regard for her safety, she's trying with all of her might, tackling the frame over and over again but to no avail. As she contemplates shattering the glass with a nearby folding chair, Yoimiya stops dead in her tracks, horrified at the sight of that same galaxy-like substance painting the floor now also oozing out of the door gap. ]

Eeek—!

[ Immediately backing off, she thanks the Archons for narrowly avoiding the repugnant purple slime. Looks like they aren't escaping out the front, the creature made sure of that.]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax's eyes dart between Yoimiya and the monster who's edging closer and closer to them from across the station, until now it's gotten too close not to give it his full attention. He's waiting for the unmistakable noise of the door opening, but all he hears is a soft thud, once, twice, and a "huh?!"

The door isn't opening. Yoimiya is slamming her whole body against it, and without skipping a beat he joins her, ramming his shoulder into it as hard as he can over and over again, cursing the bulletproof glass. He can't do anything with his hands like this, and it's only a matter of moments until they're caught between a rock and a hard place. And to make matters worse, the slime from the creature is oozing out of the door itself, daring them to touch it with how it seeps out onto the floor and towards them, as if it too, were alive.

Ajax backs off as well, horrified that this thing has managed to trap them in here like animals, wishing now that he was still getting beaten half to death in the interrogation room with the cops instead. That, at least, would've proved to be a less horrific death than what they're about to experience, and Ajax does the only thing he can do, prepare himself to fight or die trying.

A sick, twisted smile appears on what might of been called a face of the monster, happy with this outcome. Now, all it has to do is finish what it came here for. The dark tendrils that had reached for Ajax before slither out from underneath the skin of its arm, reaching towards the the criminal, letting out a pleased gurgle that bubbles and pops out of somewhere around its throat.]

Hey, [he begins, slowly backing up towards the wall that only lies a few feet behind them,] listen, it's coming for me. You need to run and get out of here when the opportunity presents itself. You can't die here.

[He doesn't plan on dying either, but he also doesn't want to see this innocent girl get slaughtered in the process.]

Don't hesitate, okay? Run.

[He glances over at her, his ocean eyes deeply serious, his tone even and calm to give her something to lean on so she can gather the courage just to save herself. He can't make her save herself, but he hopes she digs up something deep from inside herself to do it.

Just as he finishes, his gaze lands back on the monster, who sees its own opportunity- and lunges right at Ajax, determined to get a hold of him. Ducking and rolling out of the way, the monster's whole body slams into the wall, sending small chunks of concrete flying outwards and onto the floor. Ajax turns in terror, realizing that whatever had entered that guy's body made it even more dense than what a human could ever dream to be, and how much more dangerous this has become. He wishes his hands were free, at least then he could fight back, but he can't imagine kicking the thing. He'd break his foot instantly, or that thing would just slice it off before he even had the chance.

His eyes scan for Yoimiya now, wondering if she decided to take off in the midst of that short scuffle, hoping that maybe he'd catch a flash of blonde heading towards a different exit. What a day, if he survives this, he's demanding at least ten times the pay than what he was supposed to get for this job >:| ]

[niwabi]

[ Never before has Yoimiya felt so weak and helpless in her entire life. She maps out the police station in her head, there's the fire exit in the back but with how fast and powerful this aberration is, they'll be caught before even making it to the emergency door. Trapped like rats with little means to escape, it's starting to feel like their only option is to accept their untimely deaths.

If they by some chance make it out this alive, Yoimiya promises she will never complain about being bored ever again. Ultimately, doesn't look like she'll receive a chance to appreciate life, time ticking with each passing second. All she can do is watch in horror as elongated tendrils spurt from the skin of it's arm, stretching out to grab the man standing beside her. If she was in the right state of mind, she might have noticed the monster seems to be here specifically for Ajax but as she backs up to the wall right alongside him, the only thought in her mind is praying for her death to be as swift and painless as possible.

Suddenly, his voice snaps her out of wallowing in the depths of despair. She sends a glance his way, carefully listening to everything he has to say. The revelation that the monster is here for him shocks her to the core. A tempest of questions swirl around in her head but there's not enough time to ask. She's left stunned by his selfless request, it would be so easy to use a helpless girl like her as bait while he makes his escape. Criminal or not, no one deserves to die in such a brutal matter. ]

Then you'll be left all alone with that thing. I...

[ I can't bear to see you die.

For some inexplicable reason, her heart sinks at thought of him dying. It's more than just her moral compass, every fiber of her being aches and twists at his demise. This guy is a complete and total stranger to her, on top of possibly having connections to some terrible organization. Why is she so torn up over him?

She doesn't get a chance to finish that train of thought, the monster surges forward, hellbent on capturing it's target. Yoimiya barely has time to react, dodging just in the brink of time by throwing herself on the floor. Slowly, she looks up, her face paling at the sight of the hole in the wall left by the creature. Just being on the receiving end of that tackle would have ended their lives in an instant.

Her whole body sputters and shakes as she stands up, glancing back and forth between the hallway leading to the back and the mysterious ginger. No longer conflicted, Yoimiya knows what she has to do.

Gathering all of her courage, she makes a run for it but in a different direction that Ajax might not expect. Instead of sprinting to the back door, she maneuvers to the desk, recalling there's an extra set of handcuff keys inside the draw. An indescribable feeling snaps within her, as if a burning flame just got cranked up to the hottest degree, her fight or flight instinct kicking in to the fullest. If this truly is her end, she at least wants to die fighting.

She takes a deep breathe before exhaling, setting her sights on the sickening warped smile of the monster. Once again, it turns its attention towards Ajax, making its way over to the young man with it's limb outstretched. That cursed thing looks way too pleased having it's prey trapped in a corner, she can't take this any longer. ]

BACK OFF YOU FREAK!

[ Armed with only a folding chair, Yoimiya rushes into the fray. Putting all of her power into this strike, she slams the metal chair right onto the monster's head. While it's certainly not enough to knock it out, the creature hadn't been expecting the blonde to stay and fight back. A vicious roar spills out of it's mouth from the contact of the object bashing into it's skull, staggering back, dazed and confused as the world spins around it. Adrenaline pumps through her veins, keeping a firm hold on the chair that now has a dent in it due to the monster's tough exterior, but she's still not going to back down.

Behind her soft golden irises lies an intense fire burning behind them as he locks stares with Ajax, sending him her answer. It might be stupid but she's either going to escape with him or die trying. ]

Meeting up after the hospital visit

[monoceroscaeli]

[Weeks go by, and Ajax remains in the hospital for one of them as his body finally regains the strength to move again. The damage done to him was more extensive than he thought, but the doctors were surprised that he was able to recover as quickly as he had. Most took far longer, but Ajax's condition improved more rapidly than they'd ever seen. Secretly, he wondered to himself if it was because of that strange power inside of him, but even in private moments, he wasn't able to summon it back. Still, he went home and continued his recovery, got a new phone, since it seems that Yoimiya hadn't found his at the police station. He wouldn't worry about that now- it might of been destroyed or just lost, and the odds of someone finding it and being able to open it were slim to none. If anything, it would be wiped just to be able to use it, and that's no issue to him.

Once he feels like he's well rested enough and able to function like a normal human being again, he sends a text to Yoimiya:]

Hey, it's Ajax. I'm out of the hospital and can finally move around again. Can you spare a moment this week?

[He stares at his message for a moment, thinking back to their confrontation in his hospital room. Deep down, he knows she'll answer, and that he shouldn't worry. It's still wild to him how they both share this strange connection with each other, having found no answers to that since the night they'd awakened to their new power. As much as Nizhnii has been experimenting on people like them, there's not much out there for information, and he knows it's going to be a dangerous endeavor to obtain it.

But that's something he has to talk about with her- and hopefully they'll be able to figure out exactly what they've become. But for now, he'll wait with baited breath for her to answer him, his heart beating a little harder with anxiety when he lets his mind drift to the possibility that she might ignore him and that he might never see her again. It's ridiculous and unlikely, but she knew his darkest secret, and logically, why should she even give him the light of day? Even if lining their stories up would only serve to benefit him, maybe she's changed her mind?]

[niwabi]

[ Yoimiya's injuries weren't anywhere near as severe as Ajax's and thus, shortly after their conversation, she's discharged from the hospital. After what felt like forever, she's finally free to go on and live a normal life for a few weeks, free from eldrich horror monsters, free from the terror that is the Nizhnii company, and free from dealing with Ajax.

...

Being away from him should feel like a relief. There's no excuse for his actions, the role he plays within the corporation is reprehensible and she's better off staying far away from someone who kidnaps people for a living. But try as she might, she couldn't stop thinking about him, her thoughts kept wandering right back to him, wondering about his recovery and unable to stop fretting over his condition. It's strange, the logical thing to do would be to forget all about him and move on with her life, she rationalizes it's all thanks to this mysterious bond linking the two of them, but she isn't unhappy.

Because of how distressing the whole ordeal had been, Yoimiya was given an extended break to mentally recuperate. Aside from shopping for necessities or grabbing food, she hasn't been outside much after experiencing a living nightmare. Day after day, she checks her phone, waiting for his message with bated breath. This is just a mutual agreement, they need to work together in order to get the police and the Nizhnii corporation off their back but even so, Yoimiya just wants to know if he's okay. Worn out and still exhausted, she's lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling when her phone suddenly vibrates. Of course, deep down inside, she knew he would eventually message her. About fifteen minutes later, he'll receive a response. ]

Hey. Glad to hear you're feeling better.
I sure can. When is a good time for you to meet up?

[ From the bottom of her heart, she means it. Although she's still a little upset and not sure how to feel about him, she's so beyond happy to hear back from him and know that he's made a full recovery. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[She gets back to him faster than he expected, his phone buzzing on the coffee table in front of him as he relaxes on his couch. His chest tightens in happiness to see it, tapping out a quick message in return.]

Honestly, I've got a lot of free time as I recover, so whenever you're free is perfectly fine for me. Even today, if you're not busy.

[Maybe, he might not of tried to seem so eager to see her, but being separated from her for even this long has felt like an eternity. Every fiber of his being buzzes and begs to see her, waiting anxiously for her response.]

[niwabi]

[ Oh! That was a fast response. The message puts a smile on her face, her heart strangely racing with happiness to see him. During their separation, these fast few weeks felt like she was missing a piece to her puzzle and now, she's about to feel complete. ]

My job is letting take an extended break after everything that happened, so I have plenty of free time on my hands. Today sounds great! Whenever you're ready, we can start off by meeting at Café Lutece then figure out where to go to discuss the plan.

[ A few seconds later, the message is followed up with a: ]

( •̀ ᴗ •́ )و

[ A sign that she's feeling a little better. Soon, Ajax is about to learn the horrors of her signature kaomojis. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[He's not really familiar with kaomojis, so he takes a minute to scrutinize that little face...he's pretty sure that's a good sign.]

Haha, alright then. Meet you there in a half an hour or so? It's not like I'm really doing anything.

[Which is horribly true, there's nothing else to do but watch TV and rest his body.]

[niwabi]

[ Just you wait, Ajax. By the time she's done with him, he'll be very familiar with kaomojis. ]

Alright! I'll see you there. ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

---

[ True to her word, Yoimiya arrives at Café Lutece on time, sporting a much more casual outfit than the prim and proper secretary blazer and skirt he saw her wearing on that fateful evening. The café remains as popular as ever, busting with people and melusines needing to get their caffeine fix before going to work or after a long day's work. Admittedly, she did pick their starting location because she's got a hankering for a frappuccino. But before she orders herself a nice, cold drink, she keeps her eyes peeled for Ajax. Bright ginger hair and a tall frame that towers over her short stature, he should be easy to spot from a mile away. ]

► Early morning next day! 🏞️

[niwabi]

[ True to her word, Yoimiya allows Ajax to stay at her apartment for as long as he wishes. As much as she really enjoys the eye candy that his his bare chest, the poor guy really needs something that isn't a towel around his waist. They make a quick stop back to his place to pick up some clothes and take care of anything else he needs to before staying away from that horrific scene. Before they realize it, the day passes and morning comes. And with a new day means that the time has come for them to set their plans into motion.

It's training time!

They're up so early that it's still dark outside when they depart, which makes it perfect for sneaking in undetected. They take his car, parking a good distance away from the entrance and any cameras once they get there. As soon as she steps out of his car, Yoimiya wastes no time rushing over to get a good view of the park safely away from the eyes of the rangers. Just from this distance, she can see trees for miles and of course, it wouldn't be Fontaine's park if there wasn't some sort of body of water somewhere inside and she's positively pumped to see it in person. For their excursion, she's wearing an outfit perfect for training and to keep her obscured. And just for that extra bit of protection, she made sure to wear a pair of sunglasses and a ball cap over her head. ]

Wow... so this is Fontaine's National Park.

[ Goodness, she's heard about the park's majesty but seeing it in person is an experience like no other. But!!! As excited as she is, she needs to focus... even if she can't help but tell Ajax everything she's heard about one of Fontaine's greatest wonders. ]

It's even more splendid in person! I read that there's a breathtaking waterfall in the center of all that green. Hehe, I also heard rumors that ancient pirates from centuries ago have their treasure buried somewhere in this park but no one's been able to find it.

[ She's like an excited kid, eating up tall tales like she's gorging out in a candy shop. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[As unsettling as it was to return to his apartment, he did quickly to gather some things and take care of any business there to prepare for an extended leave of his apartment. The marks all over the place were eerily reminiscent of the vision he saw when he activated his powers. It's a feeling that shakes him down to his core, but he won't let that feeling wear on his visage- not in front of Yoimiya. He needs to be strong, inside and out, for both their sakes.

Which is why they're up and sneaking into a national forest. No doubt the authorities would be on the lookout for any trespassers, but he's pretty sure his car won't be found easily where he's parked it. He exits the car in his own hiking gear, cargo shorts and a t-shirt with a backpack and a hat that's currently put away. The glow of the setting moon and a clear sky does give them a bit of light to be able to see, which is good- he doesn't want to have to bust out the flashlight.]

That seems like a bit of a tall tale, [he exclaims, laughing at her excitement.]

But if you manage to find yourself a map, then I don't see why we can't go looking for treasure as we spend some of our time here.

[From out of Ajax's backpack, a wire cutter is procured- they're not getting in with the fencing that's up. It doesn't look like it's an electric fence, and he'll count themselves lucky that it isn't. This would have been much harder had it been. He walks over to it, studying the fence and how he can cut it just so so that it's not obvious in case a ranger or someone walks by that there's a hole. He's sure he's found a good spot, starting to snap through links till he has a shorter door cutout. He leaves one side uncut- so it can function as if his cutout has hinges on a door- so they can "open" and "close" it when they come through and only by close observation can someone see it's been cut.]

There. C'mon, let's go. That treasure won't find itself.

[Ajax shoots a wink back at her, before he bends the chain link fence open for them both, stepping through to the wide wilderness in front of them.]

[niwabi]

[ As tall as the tale is, there's still hope in Yoimiya's child-like heart that they might be the lucky ones to come across centuries-old treasure. Ajax Volkov and Naganohara Yoimiya, a man from Snezhnaya and a woman from Inazuma find an ancient treasure from Fontaine has a nice ring to it. How cool would that be????

But before she gets too caught up in hunting down a treasure that may or may not exist, they must get past the first obstacle; the fence. She's dead quiet while watching Ajax pull out a wire cutter to carefully cut a hole for them to sneak in, thanking their lucky stars it's not an electric fence they're dealing with. Ajax's skills with tools sure are impressive, it's amazing how he was able to make the hole big enough for them to slide in while still keeping it fairly unnoticeable. She shoots him a bright grin at his words, thrilled to hear him feed into her silly fantasy, and without missing a beat, she carefully slips through the hole.

Now that they're in, the pair finally get to see the park in full. As expected, it's stunning. The blonde has to force herself to stay quiet so as not to alert the rangers. The grass is lined with blue flowers that have a luminescent glow underneath the moonlight, the path ahead of them leads to an expansive lake with water that will no doubt be as clear as the finest crystal. ]

Beautiful...

[ Yoimiya's voice is barely above a whisper as she takes in everything. ]

Fontaine truly is a majestic country.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Successfully breaking into the park is one thing; finding somewhere safe to train with magic powers is another. Ajax's eyes scan the area, having never been to this park himself before, to see if there was any obvious trails so they could stay away from them. But there's one thing he'll never regret- getting a view of the park under the moonlight like this. It's not unheard of for people to go camping in a national park for a bit, and he wonders if there are others who are getting this stunning view of the lake. The flora glows in the darkness, shimmering with a pretty blue, not so unlike Ajax's own eyes.

He too, stops for a moment to take in the natural beauty of the area, before chuckling quietly as he lets his hand rest on her shoulder.]

There will be plenty more opportunities to appreciate the view. For now, let's go. Where there's a lake, there are campers who will spot us if we don't move. We should try to stay quiet too, to ensure no one knows we've been here.

[He inclines his head to take a route around the lake, beginning their journey to find a refuge to hone their skills, without knowing if one existed. Tall grass and trees greet their path as they make their way through the park, his eyes peeled for something that might resemble a cave.]

...This might be easier said than done, [he'll say after a bit, tone quiet as they make their way through the woods.] It might be worth our while to explore over the ridge there. This isn't bearing us any fruit at all.

[niwabi]

[ Just from this distance, the view of the lake ahead of them is stunning, the scenery is so beautiful that it looks more like a fairytale than reality. It's so hard to peel her eyes away from that gorgeous backdrop, it's only when Ajax places his hand on top of her shoulder that she's finally able to snap out of her reverie. She looks up at him with a sheepish smile, biting her bottom lip to prevent a giggle from slipping out. He's right, there's a good chance campers are out by the lake. As much as she would like to get a closer view, they need to find a spot less likely to have a crowd of people.

But... there's another beautiful sight that Yoimiya can't help but take an interest in.

Ajax's eyes.

They're such a beautiful deep shade of blue. The way his eyes shimmer with the moonlight's glow beaming on him is truthfully more spectacular than any lake in Fontaine. His eyes truly are as deep as the ocean itself, it will be so easy for her to get lost in his depths. If he let her, she wouldn't mind drowning in him—

Ooookay. Focus, Yoimiya, focus! There will be time to admire the park and Ajax's eyes later when they're all alone. What has gotten into her lately? She's always been a little shameless and lacking filter but she's been losing complete control of her urges ever since they slept together and thanks to the mark, those said urges have spiraled into an insatiable appetite for Ajax. With a nod, she sends him a smile to try and shake these obscene thoughts out of her head. ]

Right! Finding a secluded area is our best option. Luckily, there seems to be a lot of tall grass and trees over that way. We'll have to stray away from any noticeable paths.

[ After double checking her backpack's straps, she carefully marches on while staying hidden amongst the grass and trees. Throughout the journey, she keeps her eyes peeled for any signs of a cave or some hidden foliage tucked away from prying eyes. So far no luck but what Yoimiya does notice is a fluorescent blue willow tree standing proud in the middle of a vast lake. They're still a good distance away from it but goodness, that tree is massive. ]

Oh! Ajax, look at that tree up ahead! Isn't it stunn—

[ But before she can say anything else, Yoimiya is cut off by the voices of a young couple walking along a path not too far away from them. ]

That willow tree sure was beautiful, wasn't it? But not nearly as lovely as you.

Oh, you! Hehe, thank you for taking me out here. This was an amazing experience. I didn't realize you were such a romantic~

[ Just their luck. Of course they run into campers. A giggly, giddy couple completely smitten with each other nonetheless. Without another word, Yoimiya quickly grabs Ajax's hand to take cover behind the nearest tree she can find. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[He swears he catches her staring into his eyes a little too intensely, and he feels his own body shift and quiver lightly at the thought of those golden pupils staring deeply into his own. It would be a wonderful sight to see that from a prone position, with her on top and caressing his face while they-

Ajax is glad it's dark. He can feel the power of his own mark make his pants a little tighter, and he's sure if she could see it it wouldn't be good for them while they're trying to find a place to train. This is like an actual mission, not a nice walk in the national park to enjoy each other's company. He tries to banish those thoughts, focusing on the task at hand as they trek through the brush and trees in the hopes of finding something suitable. Heading up towards the ridge, it breaks to reveal the giant willow tree, seemingly glowing against the night sky, towering over the lake it resides in. He can see the island around it, a perfect place to go fishing if anyone was asking him, but those thoughts get cut short at the sound of someone else's voice.

Yoimiya's fast action gets them cover before they're discovered. He crouches down and close to her, keeping them both pressed up against the tree as they listen in on their conversation.]

I just wanted to make this a memorable trip for the both of us. It's nice and private up here, so...

[Ajax can hear the guy making his moves on his girl, and the unmistakable noises of the young couple making out reaches his ears. He sighs with a small amount of exasperation, feeling like they're getting held up and making out sure is something he'd like to do right about now with Yoimiya. He can feel that urge getting slowly threaded into his mind the longer they sit there, wishing they'd leave so they can keep going and hopefully give him some kind of control of himself.]

...I love you, [the woman exclaims, when they finally stop kissing to admire the scene before them.] Let's go back to our tent. I think we should continue this down there.

[Ajax's free hand that isn't holding Yoimiya's comes up to cover his own face. Stop. Putting. Thoughts in his head.]

► Next day, it's off to work we go! 💼

[niwabi]

[ Finally, after what felt like a long nightmarish vacation, the day has come for both of them to return to work. Playing Super Smash Brothers with Ajax and having that downtime to act silly with him was the perfect way to finish off their break. Last night's sleep was the best she'd gotten ever since that harrowing night in the police station.

It's weird to go back to work after everything they've been through but life goes on, Yoimiya has always had a knack for putting her best foot forward and taking on whatever challenges await her with a smile, and today shouldn't be any different. Despite her job boring her to tears, a small part of her feels somewhat relieved to get back to normalcy, going back to her mundane work as a secretary should help take her mind off strange marks, unknown powers, weird voices in their heads, and eldrich monsters coming after them.

Yoimiya made sure to get up bright and early to prepare a bento for not only herself but for Ajax as well. She never would have guessed that the terrifying events on that fateful evening would eventually land her a roommate but hey, she's not complaining. There's no way she can send Ajax back to his horrific apartment, not when a monster is lurking around with knowledge of his home. And well, there's no denying she's become attached to him, he's brightened up her day and she'd feel a little lonely without him around.

Dressed and ready to take on the world, Yoimiya walks over to Ajax, presenting him with a homemade bento. ]

... Take care of yourself out there, okay?

[ She might not necessarily enjoy his line of work but duty calls and he has to earn mora to make a living. Besides, it's not like she particularly enjoys her job, either. She's seen how corrupted some of the people in the police are, the ones beating up Ajax in the interrogation room are a prime example of bastard cops. ]

Don't you dare get caught by any of my coworkers, you hear? I can only make so many excuses on your behalf.

[monoceroscaeli]

[The idea of getting up for work and going back to his "normal" life isn't one he's ready for, but as his alarm goes off in the morning to make sure he gets up and gets ready, he can't help but feel incredibly strange about it after the events of the last two weeks. Waking up in an apartment that isn't his own, next to a wonderful girl he met by happenstance and all the horror that happened to them afterward...it's still a bit surreal as he walks into the kitchen to grab a small bite to eat before he heads out for the day. Getting greeted by Yoimiya in a cute secretary's outfit catches his eye, and he hardly hides that he likes what he sees in front of him as he takes the bento out of her hands.]

No guarantees, of course~

[He says with a little sing-song to his voice, examining the bento box now. It's nice, and he's never gotten a real bento box before. It's always been those dinner ones from an Inazuman restaurant that aren't true bento boxes. But the gesture absolutely touches his heart, and he smiles and plants a nice kiss right to her cheek in appreciation.]

Be careful yourself. Being on alert just in case things suddenly go south isn't a bad idea. Also, thank you, this sure beats going out for fast food for lunch. Remind me to return the favor with a bit of my own home cooking.

[He grins as he snatches a banana to snack on for now, not too worried about having a full meal after just waking up.]

And have a good day at work. I'll try to see if I can dig anything up for us today.

[niwabi]

[ Of course he can't guarantee he'll stay out of trouble, she's silly for thinking otherwise. Trouble is practically his middle name and one of the many traits she likes about him. Oh well, all she can do is hope that her cover story keeps him out of harms way.

She beams at the kiss, the sensation of his lips in the afterglow of a sunny day, just what she needs to get through a mundane day at the desk. Might be a boring job but she's thankful to have Ajax to come home to. ]

Do what you can. I'll try to do some digging on my end whenever I have downtime.

[ Shouldn't be hard to find time to do a lil searching on her phone between paperwork and typing up court summons.

Feeling ready to start the day, Yoimiya stands on her tiptoes to give him a small peck on the lips, his taste rejuvnates her, making her feel powerful and ready to seize the day. ]

I already can't wait to come home. If I can make a request, I'd like to try a Snezhnayan feast.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Luckily for them, both their jobs will give them a level of access to records and information that might give them a lead on all of this. What's terrible is that they'll have to be careful not to arouse suspicion...but he hopes that in time, they'll eventually have something to go off of to figure out what this is all about.

For now, they'll have to get back into the swing of things.]

You got it. I've already got a couple of great dishes in mind. I'll pick up the ingredients on my way home, I guarantee you won't have them all here.

[He'll make her a dinner to remember, but with that, he has to turn from her to grab his keys.]

I'm not sure when I'll get back. If there's no job, it might be early...if there is one, who knows. Hey...listen.

[He gets suddenly serious, realizing that this is part of the reason why they had the fight in the hospital to begin with. He doesn't want to go on a sour note, but he feels like this is something he needs to say to her before they start being "normal" again.]

I know you really disapprove of what I do for a living, and truthfully I'm no fan of it either. It's just...[he says as he looks down at the ground,] ...something I have to do.

[niwabi]

[ Happy day! Yoimiya feels like she just won the jackpot. Not only does she not have to cook or grab takeout, she gets to try Ajax's delicious cooking, and to make it extra better, she gets to try dishes she's never had before. Her tummy is already hungry just thinking about it... she can't wait!

But before she could do an excited dance, she picks up the serious aura surrounding him. It doesn't take much for her to realize what he's about to talk about and sure enough, he brings up his job. She doesn't say anything for a minute, wanting nothing more than for Ajax to say his piece. ]

Hey, I know I was really harsh on you back at the hospital and I'm truly sorry about that.

[ There's not an ounce of hesitation within her as she reaches out to take his hand and intertwine their fingers together, her thumb skims across the side of his side for extra reassurance. ]

I'm not gonna lie, I still don't approve of your job and I don't think I ever will. But you've really proven yourself to me these past few weeks and I can see that there's more to you than your shady job. You're a good guy, Ajax and I feel safe around you.

[ There's a part of Yoimiya that wishes she could be more supportive of his job but as it stands, she doesn't think she'll ever understand the horrors of his job. But if there's one thing she can do, it's be supportive of Ajax himself. ]

So... you do what you gotta do, okay? And please don't hesitate to let me know if there's any way I can help you. We're in this together, after all.

[monoceroscaeli]

[The gesture of taking his hand alone is enough to make him feel a little better about it all, warm and comforting against his skin. Never could he ever blame her for being mad, and if he's being honest with himself, he's not so sure if she was being too harsh on him. He's aware that what he does is beyond despicable, and he wouldn't stop her from holding it against him. But the fact that she isn't makes him grateful beyond words, so he'll not take that for granted.]

Well, I'm glad you think so well of me. I really appreciate all your support.

[He squeezes her hand once, before letting go of it and beginning to look forward to the rest of his day, which is hopefully easy and not filled with doing a bunch of shady things to get to a target.]

Well, it's about that time. I'll see you when we both get back, okay?

[He places a kiss to the top of her head, offering a warm smile along with it.]