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Thwap!
Went Lorelei’s weapon as it embedded itself into the wooden training dummy in front of her. The sound echoed noisily across the training grounds, but she wasn’t satisfied with that. Dislodging the silver edge, Lorelei tossed her braid over her shoulder and stepped back, working her arms to get ready for another swing. The sun had still been high in the sky when she had begun, but now the moon was beginning its ascent; yet this didn’t stop the hunter. War didn’t stop. Monsters didn’t rest. Neither would she. Every swing, every step, needed to be perfect, or else what would the point be? It was up to her to do her best, to protect the ones that depended on her. She couldn’t falter now.
Behind Lorelei, the wooden doors opened quietly, unbeknownst to her. She was too caught up in her swing to realize someone was stepping closer. It wasn’t until she sensed the presence getting closer did she turn around, her eyes slightly widened.
Ashe stood there, his brow furrowed and a small frown evident on his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” He said.
Lorelei shrugged and turned around again, adjusting her grip on her weapon. “You didn’t.” She responded simply, trying to concentrate.
There was another bout of silence at that, until Ashe stepped to her side, making her turn to face him again. “I didn’t see you at dinner. You’ve been here all day, haven’t you.” It wasn’t a question, Ashe knew the answer, he just wanted to hear it from her.
Lorelei shook her head. “I visited Lumiere this morning. We went on a ride together,” she explained quietly. She knew she wouldn’t be able to get any more training done today. Ashe was just about the only one who could coax her to take a break and rest, even when she didn’t want to. It was annoyingly endearing. “I haven’t been here all that long, I just want to perfect this method, and then I’ll take a break.” She promised, about to take another step before Ashe suddenly placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I think you’ve trained enough today,” He replied gently, his hold softening as Lorelei turned to him again. Suddenly, his frown broke into a calm smile. “I know you want to help as much as you can, but if you’re too exhausted after training, it will all be useless.” He explained. Sensing some hesitation in her, Ashe tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. He knew how hard she had been training just by how loose her braids had become. Locks of hair were loosened here and there, but she still looked like his Lorelei. “Why don’t you turn in for the night? Please?” Ashe whispered.
Sighing, Lorelei paused, looking between him, her weapon, and the wooden training dummy before nodding silently. Ashe took her free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you.” He murmured before letting her put her weapon away and follow him out of the training grounds.
She still held the tension of training in her stance as she walked. There was a sense of purpose in each step but also some frustration. Ashe might have won this time, but she couldn’t be kept from her work for too long. Tomorrow will be a new day. Lorelei set her gaze ahead of them as they walked, allowing Ashe to take her hand again, despite her current mood. As he drew tight circles on the back of her hand with her thumb, she tried to remind herself that his insistence was out of love.
Ashe didn’t let go of her hand again until they returned to their shared room. There, it was clear that Lorelei was still worked up from training. She took off her boots haphazardly, not caring to undo the laces first and leaving them in a heap on the floor before removing her gauntlets and pauldrons, at least giving them the courtesy of being placed atop a dresser. She was just going through the motions, her mind clearing somewhere else.
Through it all, Ashe watched her silently, green eyes carefully following her movements without judgment. Lorelei acted as if he wasn’t there; finally sitting on their bed with a brush in her hand and a braid in another. Hastily, she undid the braid before trying to run the brush through it, only to be met with resistance. Training had loosened her braids just enough to cause tangling and after several hours of activity, a few brushstrokes would prove to be very difficult.
“Lei.”
Still, she could try. She knew she was strong, she just needed her hair to-
“Lei?”
Damn it, that hurt. Maybe she should try brushing a little more forcefully instead of quickly. That might-
“ Lorelei.”
Ashe finally stepped in, stilling Lorelei’s hand before she could make another stroke. Quickly, she turned to him, her frustration softening when she saw the worry in his face. “You’re going to hurt yourself, Lei. You need to be more careful.”
Lorelei dropped her head slightly, her eyes finally resting on the brush and seeing a small clump of hair within the bristles. She hadn’t realized she was being so harsh. It was only then could she feel the dull throbbing in her head. Has that been there before? Goddess, she really did need to be more careful. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t considered what she was doing. “I…I’m sorry, Ashe. I guess I just… I guess I was still thinking of my training.”
“I know,” He murmured, taking the brush from her. “Why don’t I brush your hair for you? You can tell me what’s on your mind.”
Lorelei paused for a moment before nodding, moving to sit on the floor, resting her head between Ashe’s knees as he began slowly untangling her hair. For a moment, they were silent, as Ashe slowly worked through her hair, undoing the remaining braid and detangling her ends before inching further up her hair. Each stroke sent Lorelei further and further into relaxation, even more so when he began running his fingers through her hair.
“Now…do you want to tell me what’s been troubling you lately?”
Lorelei slowly opened her eyes, looking ahead as she remained silently for another moment. The sound of the brush slowly moving through her hair was the only sound between them for the seconds in between their conversation. Ashe knew better than anyone about her struggles. She had hidden her self-sacrificing tendencies well, up until their reunion, when she took an arrow meant for him. Ever since then, he had been extra vigilant, doing what he could to reassure her that her efforts were enough, that there was no need to push herself too hard. Sometimes, though, Lorelei wondered if that was true. Was it enough? What if she wasn’t quick enough next time? What if her strength failed her? What if-
“Lei?”
Ashe’s voice gently brought her back and Lorelei lightly shook her head. “I’m just scared,” She whispered. “That I’m not trying hard enough. One misstep and something bad could happen. It’s my duty to keep everyone safe, to keep you safe. If I can’t do that then…what’s the point of all of this?”
The man behind her sighed as he gently scratched along her scalp, loosening the last knots in her hair. “You’re so strong Lorelei and I don’t just mean physically,” Ashe began, earning a slight grin for her, “You’re one of the bravest, most determined people I know. You train relentlessly and despite your own worries, you always look out for others first. I just wish you knew how amazing you were.”
“Maybe I could one day. With your help.” Lorelei suggested, earning a low chuckle from Ashe, who leaned over to plant a kiss on her temple. “I’ll do what I can.” He replied. By now, her hair was silky smooth, but Ashe brushed through it a few more times, enjoying the sight of his love finally taking a moment for herself. When he finally stopped, Lorelei went to stand up, before promptly being sat back down by Ashe, who shuffled to the bedside table and rummaged through a drawer.
Watching with silent curiosity, Lorelei waited until he returned, this time sitting on the floor by her side. In his hand he held a small mirror, which he gave to her. “Take a look.” He instructed her with a small smile.
Lorelei held up the mirror, taking in her appearance. Ashe made quick work of her unkempt hair. It hung in careful waves from the braid, and it shined slightly in the light. She carefully ran a hand through her hair, realizing how soft it felt. “I’m impressed, you did a good job.” She said, earning another chuckle from the man. “I’d let you do this again,”
“I hope so,” Ashe began, wrapping an arm around her. “You know I like taking care of you, Lei.”
Lorelei’s grin widened a little as she rested her head on his shoulder, looking into their reflection. Maybe she could get used to this. If Ashe was offering, well, she wouldn’t let it go to waste. “I know, Ashe. Thank you. For everything.”