Work Text:
Sara doesn't know how she keeps doing it, but in every fight they have against the resistance, she always manages to get caught in that same little nook, cornered by the same priestess that has been haunting her dreams for many nights now.
This wasn't the first time something like this happened between the two of them. And whenever it did happen, Sara always found herself at disadvantage.
Despite their difference in height, Kokomi looked tall from where Sara was hunched over due to her wound. She watched as the priestess approached her with a kind but menacing grin on her face, each footstep leaving an impression on the sand where they stood.
The priestess floats on air as she wields her catalyst and Sara must admit, it was hard to take one's eyes off of her. Despite her kind and soft exterior, her presence was demanding. Each stride of hers held power but with a certain grace, it was hard to look away. She is the embodiment of a true leader; a formidable foe against the Shogun. If she was the last person Sara will have to see, then she wouldn't mind.
Nonetheless, now is not the time to be thinking of such thoughts. They were in the middle of a battle where Lady Luck was not on the Raiden's side. Sara puts pressure on her stomach where her wound laid fresh. She already told her troops to fall back and retreat, but she didn't want to be seen limping back to the camp because of a small injury. Taking a little detour, the general finds herself in a familiar corner, staring at a beautifully familiar face.
"We meet again, Kujou-san," Kokomi said, taking long strides towards the General. The head of the resistance made gestures with her hands, willing tiny drops of water to seek shelter on her fingertips. “It must be fate how I keep finding you here." Sara watched as the priestess formed a small school of fish with her vision. A fish finds itself booping the general's nose and Kokomi lets out a small giggle. She continues to speak, "In quite a submissive state as well, to say the least."
The pink haired maiden wore a smirk with that remark. Whether Sara's face was red due to being irritated or flustered, she didn't know. But what she did know is that she won't lose to that comment. "You speak of fate as if our encounters aren't just the product of you desperately looking for me." Sara took a step forward inching closer to Kokomi, "Tell me, divine priestess, do you think fate enjoys seeing us together a lot? Or do you simply wish to see me every chance you get?”
Sara was proud to see the stunned expression that painted Kokomi's features. Her face may hold no signs of being flushed, but as Sara observed the other's pretty visage, she saw that the tips of her ears were sporting a pinkish shade. How cute, she thinks. The general found it amusing how the woman in front of her can actually be at a lost for words, but instead of a laugh, a wince was to be heard coming out of her mouth.
"Are you all right?" her question comes as a surprise for Sara. Yes, she may have been joking about the priestess looking for her just earlier, however it didn't occur to her that she'd actually show any concern for her well-being. Maybe she blushed a bit at the thought of someone caring for her, but she knew better than to keep her hopes up.
"I've been in worse shape before," Sara said, hoping to dismiss the topic early.
A curse escaped Kokomi’s lips, "Well, you shouldn't be," the priestess muttered, her voice too hushed to be heard and yet the general didn't miss it.
If Sara thought they were already close before, then Kokomi proved her wrong by moving closer to where she stood.
Kokomi dragged out the silence in between them as she tried to look for the right words to say. Her hand hovered over Sara's wound and she whispers a silent apology to the general. The air was heavy around them and Sara found it hard to ignore the ghost of Kokomi's touch fluttering on her skin.
As if deciding a hand on her wounded stomach wasn't enough, the pink haired maiden placed a palm on Sara's cheek, forcing her to look her in the eye.
"Let me heal you," the priestess said, casting the silence away.
She holds her as soft as feather on water. Sara can't help but float on the feeling of Kokomi's fingers against her slowly heating face. It was hard to stay on the surface, not when she was drowning at the sight of Kokomi's beautiful, electric eyes that rivaled the purple lightning of Inazuma's islands. The head of the resistance was filling up all her senses and it felt like taking a dip in a tranquil sea; comforting yet unfamiliar.
Sara remained silent. She didn't want to say yes, but she didn't want to say no either. She let the quiet answer for her, and Kokomi was not having it.
"Please," the priestess says, keeping her ocean eyes locked on Sara's, "Let me heal you."
The general scoffed despite what her mind really wanted to do. She looks away and breaks their eye contact, which felt like an exhale for Sara. Kokomi frowned at the action, but now Sara's mind was clear enough for sentences to be woven together and spoken, "Surely, there is something that you want from me."
She let out another wince as she spoke. The wound was probably deeper than she had expected. Curse those stray halberds that were thrown, she thought. Sara pinched a small patch of skin on her elbow to try and divert the pain she was feeling elsewhere. The pain will grow numb eventually. If Kokomi has any ulterior motives for her offer, then Sara can certainly tolerate her wound when she declines.
They were silent again; a long and suffocating quiet that seems to be familiar for both of them. Their encounters were always like this. It felt like time was stretching itself out for them to say whatever they wanted to say to the other, but they can't. They won't. They'll try but they'll fail so they'd rather let the silence speak on their behalf. Some things were better left unsaid, anyways.
But not this time, to Sara's surprise.
Kokomi didn't want anything from the general. Although some insider information might be useful, that thought didn't occur in the priestess's mind. "It pains me to see that you're hurt."
"We're enemies."
"I know."
"We can't help each other."
"I know.”
"I hate you." The words came out of Sara's mouth and it didn't feel good. She blurted it out as an act of self-defense but now she regrets it. Saying she hates her was unnecessary and untrue and uncalled for. She opened her mouth to apologize but Kokomi was quicker to speak. "You do?"
Her voice was soft as a whisper, but Sara can hear the hurt that was laced into those two words. If she could turn back time, she would do anything to take back what she said. No, I don't hate you. Quite the opposite actually, she thinks to herself.
But that's not what she says. Sara doesn't like being vulnerable, and the last thing she wanted was to let Kokomi see her at her weakest (which was quite ironic to say the least, given their current situation).
Instead, the general says, "I have to," in the most sincerest voice she can muster. She didn't want to hate her, but they were both on different sides of the war.
Kokomi chose not to respond to that anymore. Whether she took that silent answer positively or not, Sara didn't know, but she will not dwell on it, because Kokomi probably hated her too. Or at least had to.
"I'm going to heal you," the priestess says, now without question in her tone. With the conviction she showed, Sara knew that rejecting her would be futile. "Do what you want. I am at your mercy," was her simple reply. Kokomi looked up to her and gave her a small smile which made butterflies flutter inside the general's wounded stomach.
Sara watched as long, slender fingers began trailing the wide expanse of skin on her body, igniting some kind of flame deep inside of her. Kokomi's hands were cold as she manifested cool droplets of water on the tips of her fingers.
Her touch was gentle and soft, Sara felt as if she was being touched by a ghost. Slowly but surely, she can feel her wound getting mended. The general felt somehow relieved as the pain in her stomach gradually subsides. She let out a sigh of relief at each healing touch Kokomi leaves, which the priestess memorizes and carves into her own mind.
But, archons! How did they end up in this situation? They were enemies, to say the least. They aren't meant to help each other, heal each other, share a moment with each other, whatever the fuck they were doing right now. Each trail of hydro against her skin makes Sara yearn for more of Kokomi’s touch; there but not there, leaving warmth in their wake despite the cool water on their tips.
Everything felt too much for Sara, but she knew it were far too few. She closed her eyes and asked for forgiveness from the Shogun (if Baal would spare her some time) for whatever she was feeling. The priestess had cast her spell, and she was slowly falling for it. Kujou Sara may have a strong facade, but she was weak against women who can make her kneel with one word, with one touch, with one look.
It didn't even occur to Sara that her wounds were already healed and she was holding her breath for nothing. All that was left was the time, the air, and the space in between them; Kokomi was so close yet so out of reach.
Kokomi saves Sara from doing something stupid by distancing herself from the dark haired woman, "It seems as if you quite enjoyed that, general." A smug expression was painted on the priestess's face. The general kept a downward gaze as she tried to hide her blushing face in her hand.
"I've always subjected myself to enduring the sting of a purified onikabuto’s remains to ease whatever pain I was feeling." Sara scratched the back of her neck as she tried to avoid Kokomi’s stare. "Your healing is pleasant and soothing. I guess I've never had the luxury of solace from another hand before..."
It was Kokomi's turn to blush at the general's remark. How can she say that so casually and expect Kokomi to not think about it too much? Regardless, unlike Sara who had a hard time hiding the redness of her face, the pink haired maiden just shrugged it off with a question. "Oh? Don't you have any healers in your camp?"
"I was never really comfortable with them. Their methods are quite harsh, so I try my best not to get injured during our battles."
Ah, yes. The mere mention of battles made the general snap back to their reality. They were enemies. Two individuals who had different prospects in the future. Any sign of comfort and trust Sara has shown to the other quickly dissolved in the air that left the faint essence of a war's aftermath.
But that didn't stop Kokomi from being kind to her. The priestess gives her the softest of smiles as she hummed in response, "If you..." she paused for a bit, hesitating if she should continue or not. She decided with the former. "If you ever find yourself in a similar situation," she points at Sara's stomach where her wound once were, "You can always come here and I'll help. I'll be waiting for you."
She'll be waiting for Sara, whatever there is to wait for. The raven haired woman remained silent, but gave Kokomi a nod.
"I guess that concludes our usual meetings?" she punctuated with a giggle. The priestess tried to walk away, but Sara notices how slow her strides were, as if she wanted to be stopped. Hence, why she grabbed her hand and said, "Wait!"
The general inhaled, then exhaled. "Thank you for healing me." Kokomi looks at her and suddenly the ground looks quite interesting. "You have my regards," was the priestess's short reply.
"Is that all?" Kokomi asked, staring at the way Sara was still holding her hand. The general quickly flushed and let go of it.
No. "I suppose." Damn you, Sara.
Kokomi sighed and walked towards Sara. The priestess grabs both the general's hands and holds it close to her heart. "I just want you to know," Kokomi stops, looking for the right words to say then continues, "That even though I have to hate you, I simply cannot. And I don't know if I want to."
She brings Sara's hands close to her face and presses a gentle kiss on her knuckles, "I hope you know that I think about you more than you think I do," and with that, she lets go of the general's hands and scurries off.
Sara curses at herself for not doing anything. She stands there and remembers the feel of Kokomi’s lips lingering on the top of her knuckles. She doesn't know how many times she felt her face heat up during their encounter but she can't help the blush that paints her features. She was fucked and there's nothing she can do to flush these feelings down the drain. Archons, help me, Sara prayed. Maybe not to the Shogun, lest she wants to find out if she can withstand divine punishment.
After making sure that she was alone in that little nook she likes to call theirs, Sara slowly brings her hand up to her lips and presses a small kiss to where Kokomi left hers.