Post by Sophie on May 17, 2024 23:21:48 GMT -5
Time is not static. Everyone perceives time at different speeds. It is not even consistent for each individual. In the heat of the world’s largest naval engagement in history, seconds were spent like a ten yairen piece in the hands of an elementary schooler in a dagashi shop. Now, however, a single second seemed to be endless in Reito’s mind.
For the past month she had been at sea, one single day was more exhausting and stressful than the rest of her life combined. All she could think about was getting to the safety of her palace, collapsing on the ground, and weeping. Except before her stood something she did not predict. A girl with the face of her mother’s killer stood in the entrance way. A girl she loved. A girl she hadn’t seen in years. A girl she hadn’t allowed herself to think about since...
“Rui?” The name escaped her lips as her heart twisted and thoughts raced. What was she doing here? Reito tried to gather up all her exhaustion and feelings and stuff them back in the bottle she just began to uncork. That cat would not go back in the bag. Her legs wavered and gave way beneath her. Tears flowed uncontrollably as the stress of everything completely overwhelmed her.
Rui stood in shock. The love of her life. The person she looked up to most. The beacon of hope and stability for an entire empire had crumpled onto the floor, bawling, like a newborn baby. Rui’s heart and hope shattered. She started to walk toward the door. “I’m sorry. I never should have come here.” As she tried to leave and felt a weight pulling on her back leg. The Empress had latched onto her.
The feeling’s brewing inside her heart were indescribable. A mix of happiness, agony, longing, and fear. Rui stared down at the girl. A girl. The girl. Sniveling on the floor. Something no one else had or would ever see. “Perhaps we should give the girls some space?” The voice of Nishimura broke the jello thick tension in the room. All three of the maids in the hallway quickly cleared out.
“C- can we go to your room?” Reito nodded to Rui’s question. The two teenagers quickly shuffled down the winding hallways of the palace. Once in the former Princess’s room the two stood around awkwardly. Reito was still sniffling as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. Neither knew what to say, or how to start.
Neither girl could meet the other’s gaze. While sheepishly looking toward the floor, Reito asked. “What are you doing here?”
The tone struck Rui’s heart. Was she not wanted after all? “M... my mom hit me. I ran away and kind of... ended up here.”
The pain in Rui’s voice made Reito’s heart sink. She finally looked up and saw her pain. She saw her fear, anxiety, her shame and her worries. Without another thought, Reito's arms wrapped around Rui. The two cried into each other. For several minutes neither dared break the hug as the two allowed their pain to show through. Rui held on tightly as if she let go for even a second, Reito would go back to Hawaii.
“I’m here.” Reito said through tears. “I’ll protect you. I won’t let that monster anywhere near you.” She pulled back and looked Rui in the eyes, as much as she could through their tears. She again began to sob. For the first time since her mother passed she let down her guard, and every emotion that came with that flowed. She sat down on the bed and placed her face in her hands.
Rui quickly sat next to her and tried to comfort her. “It’s been so hard. It’s been so fucking hard Rui.” Reito bawled out. “Ever since mom was killed its been all up to me and... and I just can’t fucking handle it. And now these fucking psychopaths attacked us. We’re at fucking war with the largest nation we’ve ever been at war with. I’m sixteen how the fuck am I supposed to win a war?!” Reito gasped for air between words as she wept as she spoke. “We barely held them off in Hawaii. They could have finished us off if they wanted to but they ran. So many women died because of the orders I gave. We lost so many ships. We’re going to lose so many more. Because of me. I can’t take it. I can’t take all these deaths on my shoulders already. I can’t handle thousands more. What if it’s millions? What if the war never ends? What if we lose because I can’t lead us to victory? What if I fail and she kills me too?” Reito collapsed onto the bed gasping and panicking.
Rui steadied herself as best she could and then held onto Reito. “I’m here for you.” She assured in a calming voice. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you. You are the greatest woman I’ve ever known. You will win. No one will hurt you, because I will never leave your side.” A bit presumptuous, but she was hoping Reito would want that too.
She did seem to calm down, and even catch her breath finally. Though now she started hiccuping. She finally looked up to Rui, her mascara fully wrecked making her look like a raccoon. “You don’t hate me? For shutting you out?”
“Of course not!” Rui answered back quickly. “I just missed you so much. I saw how much pain you were in. It took everything in me to not just break in and give you a hug. I’m here now. I won’t ever let you go.”
“Thank the spirits.” Reito shoved her face into Rui’s stomach and held on for dear life. “I’ve missed you so much.”
Rui smiled a bit and ran her fingers through Reito’s pink hair. Though her smile faded as she thought for a minute. “Reito?” Her voice shook only a bit. “What did you mean, when you said what if she kills me too?”
Immediately Reito pulled away and looked at the other wall. “I...” She didn’t know how to proceed. Rui may hate her mother, but this, this was something else entirely. “You... you can’t tell anyone this. Only five people know. Myself, Nishimura-kas, Minister Tomori, Minister Imamura, and...”
“And..?” Rui pressed.
“Your mother.” Reito answered. Rui looked concerned but nodded. “My mother didn’t die of an aneurysm. She was murdered. An admiral that...” Reito paused. She had no idea how to share the totality of the circumstances that led to her mother’s death. “Your mother is a traitor. She’s leading an organization of traitors within the government and the navy to overthrow the office of the Empress. My mom figured it out and was about to arrest her second in command when she shot her. Your mother had my mother killed.”
Rui froze. She simply could not take on this information. Her mother had always been nothing but loyal to Kumosenkan. Right? Rui began to cry again. She made the physical motions of crying but no tears came out. She was simply out. “No, nononono no! That can’t be true! My mom is a monster but she would never go that far!”
Reito looked to Rui, concerned. “She has, and I have the proof to back it up.”
“Then why haven’t you just arrested her?!” She snapped back.
Reito recoiled back and answered sheepishly. “The Admirals... they’re loyal to Ku- I mean her. I don’t know how many but even one is too many.”
Rui again just froze, unsure what to do, how to react, or what to say. She settled on, “I’m so fucking sorry.” She bawled out and got on the floor to bow. “I am so so sorry. I can’t apologize enough for what my mother has done to you. I am sorry for standing by her after and during her crimes. I will spend the rest of my life atoning for her actions.”
“Rui...” Reito shook her head and leant down to pick the girl up off the floor. “You didn’t know. You couldn’t have known. I didn’t know until after... after it happened.”
The girl would not budge from the floor. “Please. Please forgive me. I will do anything to atone.”
“I forgive you.” Reito assured. “Please get up.”
“As you wish ma’am.” Rui answered and stood.
“No.” Reito rejected. “Please. Everyone else on earth calls me ma’am. Or your highness, Empress. Please. I want to feel like a normal girl. At least with you.”
“I’m sorry, Reito.” Rui smiled as much as she could make herself.
Reito looked between each of the girl's eyes and smiled through her tears. She placed a hand on her cheek. “I’m so happy to see you.”
Laughter escaped Rui’s lips through the crying. “I’m so happy to see you too.” She wiped away a tear and met Reito’s gaze. “I was so scared. When I heard the news.”
“Well, here I am.” Reito smiled.
“There you are.” Rui smiled back.
Reito was the first to lean in. Rui was happy to reciprocate. For the first time in almost three years, the two lovers kissed once again. The kiss quickly escalated from a chaste pressing of lips together to a passionate swapping of saliva. The two girls pressed themselves into each other. Until finally one of them broke away. “Sh- should we?”
“Lock the door.”
For the past month she had been at sea, one single day was more exhausting and stressful than the rest of her life combined. All she could think about was getting to the safety of her palace, collapsing on the ground, and weeping. Except before her stood something she did not predict. A girl with the face of her mother’s killer stood in the entrance way. A girl she loved. A girl she hadn’t seen in years. A girl she hadn’t allowed herself to think about since...
“Rui?” The name escaped her lips as her heart twisted and thoughts raced. What was she doing here? Reito tried to gather up all her exhaustion and feelings and stuff them back in the bottle she just began to uncork. That cat would not go back in the bag. Her legs wavered and gave way beneath her. Tears flowed uncontrollably as the stress of everything completely overwhelmed her.
Rui stood in shock. The love of her life. The person she looked up to most. The beacon of hope and stability for an entire empire had crumpled onto the floor, bawling, like a newborn baby. Rui’s heart and hope shattered. She started to walk toward the door. “I’m sorry. I never should have come here.” As she tried to leave and felt a weight pulling on her back leg. The Empress had latched onto her.
The feeling’s brewing inside her heart were indescribable. A mix of happiness, agony, longing, and fear. Rui stared down at the girl. A girl. The girl. Sniveling on the floor. Something no one else had or would ever see. “Perhaps we should give the girls some space?” The voice of Nishimura broke the jello thick tension in the room. All three of the maids in the hallway quickly cleared out.
“C- can we go to your room?” Reito nodded to Rui’s question. The two teenagers quickly shuffled down the winding hallways of the palace. Once in the former Princess’s room the two stood around awkwardly. Reito was still sniffling as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. Neither knew what to say, or how to start.
Neither girl could meet the other’s gaze. While sheepishly looking toward the floor, Reito asked. “What are you doing here?”
The tone struck Rui’s heart. Was she not wanted after all? “M... my mom hit me. I ran away and kind of... ended up here.”
The pain in Rui’s voice made Reito’s heart sink. She finally looked up and saw her pain. She saw her fear, anxiety, her shame and her worries. Without another thought, Reito's arms wrapped around Rui. The two cried into each other. For several minutes neither dared break the hug as the two allowed their pain to show through. Rui held on tightly as if she let go for even a second, Reito would go back to Hawaii.
“I’m here.” Reito said through tears. “I’ll protect you. I won’t let that monster anywhere near you.” She pulled back and looked Rui in the eyes, as much as she could through their tears. She again began to sob. For the first time since her mother passed she let down her guard, and every emotion that came with that flowed. She sat down on the bed and placed her face in her hands.
Rui quickly sat next to her and tried to comfort her. “It’s been so hard. It’s been so fucking hard Rui.” Reito bawled out. “Ever since mom was killed its been all up to me and... and I just can’t fucking handle it. And now these fucking psychopaths attacked us. We’re at fucking war with the largest nation we’ve ever been at war with. I’m sixteen how the fuck am I supposed to win a war?!” Reito gasped for air between words as she wept as she spoke. “We barely held them off in Hawaii. They could have finished us off if they wanted to but they ran. So many women died because of the orders I gave. We lost so many ships. We’re going to lose so many more. Because of me. I can’t take it. I can’t take all these deaths on my shoulders already. I can’t handle thousands more. What if it’s millions? What if the war never ends? What if we lose because I can’t lead us to victory? What if I fail and she kills me too?” Reito collapsed onto the bed gasping and panicking.
Rui steadied herself as best she could and then held onto Reito. “I’m here for you.” She assured in a calming voice. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you. You are the greatest woman I’ve ever known. You will win. No one will hurt you, because I will never leave your side.” A bit presumptuous, but she was hoping Reito would want that too.
She did seem to calm down, and even catch her breath finally. Though now she started hiccuping. She finally looked up to Rui, her mascara fully wrecked making her look like a raccoon. “You don’t hate me? For shutting you out?”
“Of course not!” Rui answered back quickly. “I just missed you so much. I saw how much pain you were in. It took everything in me to not just break in and give you a hug. I’m here now. I won’t ever let you go.”
“Thank the spirits.” Reito shoved her face into Rui’s stomach and held on for dear life. “I’ve missed you so much.”
Rui smiled a bit and ran her fingers through Reito’s pink hair. Though her smile faded as she thought for a minute. “Reito?” Her voice shook only a bit. “What did you mean, when you said what if she kills me too?”
Immediately Reito pulled away and looked at the other wall. “I...” She didn’t know how to proceed. Rui may hate her mother, but this, this was something else entirely. “You... you can’t tell anyone this. Only five people know. Myself, Nishimura-kas, Minister Tomori, Minister Imamura, and...”
“And..?” Rui pressed.
“Your mother.” Reito answered. Rui looked concerned but nodded. “My mother didn’t die of an aneurysm. She was murdered. An admiral that...” Reito paused. She had no idea how to share the totality of the circumstances that led to her mother’s death. “Your mother is a traitor. She’s leading an organization of traitors within the government and the navy to overthrow the office of the Empress. My mom figured it out and was about to arrest her second in command when she shot her. Your mother had my mother killed.”
Rui froze. She simply could not take on this information. Her mother had always been nothing but loyal to Kumosenkan. Right? Rui began to cry again. She made the physical motions of crying but no tears came out. She was simply out. “No, nononono no! That can’t be true! My mom is a monster but she would never go that far!”
Reito looked to Rui, concerned. “She has, and I have the proof to back it up.”
“Then why haven’t you just arrested her?!” She snapped back.
Reito recoiled back and answered sheepishly. “The Admirals... they’re loyal to Ku- I mean her. I don’t know how many but even one is too many.”
Rui again just froze, unsure what to do, how to react, or what to say. She settled on, “I’m so fucking sorry.” She bawled out and got on the floor to bow. “I am so so sorry. I can’t apologize enough for what my mother has done to you. I am sorry for standing by her after and during her crimes. I will spend the rest of my life atoning for her actions.”
“Rui...” Reito shook her head and leant down to pick the girl up off the floor. “You didn’t know. You couldn’t have known. I didn’t know until after... after it happened.”
The girl would not budge from the floor. “Please. Please forgive me. I will do anything to atone.”
“I forgive you.” Reito assured. “Please get up.”
“As you wish ma’am.” Rui answered and stood.
“No.” Reito rejected. “Please. Everyone else on earth calls me ma’am. Or your highness, Empress. Please. I want to feel like a normal girl. At least with you.”
“I’m sorry, Reito.” Rui smiled as much as she could make herself.
Reito looked between each of the girl's eyes and smiled through her tears. She placed a hand on her cheek. “I’m so happy to see you.”
Laughter escaped Rui’s lips through the crying. “I’m so happy to see you too.” She wiped away a tear and met Reito’s gaze. “I was so scared. When I heard the news.”
“Well, here I am.” Reito smiled.
“There you are.” Rui smiled back.
Reito was the first to lean in. Rui was happy to reciprocate. For the first time in almost three years, the two lovers kissed once again. The kiss quickly escalated from a chaste pressing of lips together to a passionate swapping of saliva. The two girls pressed themselves into each other. Until finally one of them broke away. “Sh- should we?”
“Lock the door.”