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XX
"There are two kinds of sparks, the one that goes off with a hitch like a match, but it burns quickly.
The other is the kind that needs time, but when the flame strikes... it's eternal, don't forget that."
- Werner Erhard
XX
On the way to the main control room, Jiyan paused in his step at at the sound of his name. Was someone calling him?
The words that came out, however, were not what he expected.
“Right? Honestly, General Jiyan is so obvious about it,” the voice said.
Ah, so they were talking about him. But what about?
“Please, have you seen how the General looks at her? It makes me feel so single,” another voice said with a snort. Was that..
Wait. Her?
“By her, do you mean Rover? I agree. The way they fight together is amazing too.”
He almost stumbled. Thankfully, he recovered quickly, his reflexes saving him from falling over. A quick scan of the surroundings saw that no one was around, much to his relief.
The conversation continued.
“Honestly, I don’t know who should I envy more – the General, or Rover. They’re just really cute (and powerful) together.”
Laughter drifted out from the voices before footsteps sounded, before fading away into the background.
Together ?
They thought that Rover and him were together?
Well, he certainly respected her. Her skills in combat, the way she handled herself with composure with the occasional wit despite having lost her memories. But that didn’t mean he liked her, didn’t it? They had only known each other for a short while.
And yet…
“General!”
His trail of thoughts broke then.
His musings could be set aside for now – right now he had responsibilities to attend to. Turning to see that it was Lingdi calling him, he approached the man.
“What is it?” Jiyan questioned, his professionalism returning as he dismissed his wanderings for the moment.
“Rover is here,” Lingdi answered as they walked back to the main control room.
His heart skipped a beat. Her? The last time they’d met was during the Riverside Races. During the aftermath where they’d been in the field he had planted. They hadn’t been able to meet up since then, both of them being busy with their respective duties. Nor had they had time to had a proper talk – he hadn’t been able to have a conversation with her about her claimed powers from that Tacet Discord that they faced at the end.
Or did something happen?
Upon entering the main control room, true to Lingdi’s words – Rover was there. Her long black hair tied up in her usual style trailing behind her as she chatted with Xinyu. The conversation abruptly broke off as Xinyu’s eyes widened upon seeing him.
“General,” The man greeted, saluting as he approached them before turning to Rover. “It was nice catching up with you. Lingdi and I will take our leave.”
Before they could say anything else, Xinyu and Lingdi proceeded to make themselves scarce, leaving them alone.
Rover turned towards him, amusement flickering in her golden eyes.
“Hi, Jiyan,” she greeted. “Are they always like this?”
Jiyan chuckled softly as he motioned for her to walk beside him. “For Xinyu, yes. The man can be a little...enthusiastic.”
He hadn’t realized it before, but as they walked around the base, he could sense the stares. The faint whispers, the glances – which led him to a thought: did all of them think that the two of them were dating?
“What brings you here?” He inquired as he forcefully pulled himself back to the present. Considering that it was rare that they could meet, her presence was a gift in itself.
“There’s a Tacet Field that I’m heading to up north,” she explained, pushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. “I could’ve probably asked someone else for backup, but it’s been awhile since I saw you anyway. I figured we could eat together afterward.”
Out of everyone, she chose him?
Did she...
His thoughts came to a stop as realization that she was waiting for his reply dawned. His mind ran through the list of the day’s tasks.
“Very well,” Jiyan agreed, the sight of her smile sending a wave of warmth through him.
XXXXXX
It didn’t take long for him to settle matters at the base, though he did get a raised eyebrow from Xinyu and a knowing smirk from Lingdi who had caught sight of them leaving together. More fuel for the gossip, it seemed. Rover though, seemed to be unaware of the attention that they’d garnered.
“So how’ve you been?” she inquired as they trekked up a hill.
“Well enough. Much of the soldiers have almost recovered, if not fully,” he answered, his eyes scanning the surroundings for more enemies while sheathing his blade before glancing at her. “What about you?”
“Good, though just a little busy,” Rover admitted easily before her gaze flicked over to him with genuine concern. “You’ve fully recovered then?”
He knew what she meant. That fight with the Crownless at the end… They’d had a small talk afterward, where she’d seemed a little regretful. Feeling guilty because he got injured.
“I have,” he answered. His voice was laced with honesty, with no deception or lies within.
Rover smiled. And it seemed as if she was about to say something before her gaze sharpened into focus and her blade materialized once more. “Jiyan -”
“Yes,” he nodded, following the trail of her gaze up northwest – his well-honed senses blaring a warning towards him. “It seems that we have arrived.”
Their conversation faded into a field of silence while they stealthily made their way towards the foreboding presence, the familiar sigil of a Tacet Field’s appearance coming into view. It was quickly apparent that they’d just made it in time as the ground began to rumble, the azure skies above darkening with clouds. All signs of the previously peaceful skies were eventually streaked with grey, with flashes of lightning while ash and dust swirled.
With a crack, flesh and bone started to materialize, gradually taking shape as clouds loomed from above. Long, spindly limbs, faces that held no eyes nor any distinctive human-like features.
Tacet Discords.
The sound of clashing blades and bursts of colours soon filled the battlefield as they weaved through the Tacet Discords with ease. Despite the short time of having claimed her Havoc powers, she utilized them with efficiency – her sole wing adding to her already existing agility.
The two of them fought, their skills complementing each other – with her causing chaos within the ranks as he decimated them with the crushing force of his heavy blade and Qingloong behind him.
As he finished off the Tambourinist, a glow of Havoc energy caught his eye. He whirled around to see Rover in motion. Her blade swung in one palm, the other shoving a crackling swirl of black and purple into the monster’s chest, crumbling it to dust.
Her wing dissipated as she returned to ground, her feet landing gracefully as she turned towards him. Golden eyes scanned him with concern before a small sigh of relief left her.
“You’re fine,” she said.
“I am,” was his response.
The two of them stared at each other – jade on gold and vice-versa.
And for a moment, all was still.
Grey and violet receded back into an endless see of white and blue, while the clouds parted for sunlight to make its triumphant return. The two of them a study in contrast – his lean, muscled frame attired in green and her lithe, willowy form accentuated by onyx.
Rover was beautiful, he’d known. Art in motion when she moved in combat. But this – when after a fight, when the sun highlights her face, illuminating the flicker of amber in her irises – was stunning, too.
“Shall we?” He broke the lull, a murmur that echoed in the minuscule space of silence between them. She was close, the heat from her body almost felt from where he stood.
It was then – then – that he froze, because -
Rover leaned in, just ever so slightly and brushed a stray strand of hair away from his face. Her fingers barely grazing his cheek, a featherlight caress that invoked a warmth he hadn’t known before.
“Agreed,” was her reply, soft before she stepped back. “Let’s go and eat.”
The moment had broken, and yet…
As they left the Tacet Field, the space between their bodies only a scant distance – almost brushing against each other, they talked. Made their way to a grassy hill where they settled and ate. Rover sharing stories from the city, recent happenings with Chixia and the others. Him filling her in on stories from the base, a little about from his past – bits of everything and anything, really.
It was comfortable. He found himself sharing a little more with her, about things he hadn’t really talked to others about. She brought something in him that he hadn’t known he had; her presence a balm to his inner turmoil.
“You enjoy cooking then?” he inquired, finishing off the last of his dessert. To his surprise, the food that she had brought had been solely prepared by her.
Rover nodded, picking up a Loong Bun to eat. “It’s surprisingly enjoyable. What about you?”
“Unfortunately, my responsibilities leave me with no time to cook,” Jiyan admitted. “Even if I do, it’s rather simple.”
She hummed thoughtfully as she chewed before swallowing. “Maybe we could cook together sometime. I could drop off some food for you as well if I visit.”
His first impulse was wanting to decline, but there was something in her words and about the way she said it that held his tongue. So he opted for a different response.
“If it’s no trouble,” Jiyan said finally – and he was rewarded with a warm smile that he hadn’t seen, one reminding him of the sun itself.
Silence fell once more, filling the air between them though it was a seamless and easy one. As orange and yellows and pinks made their way across the skies, dotting the horizon and they watched the sunset; the sun retreating for its opposite brethren – the evening sky to make their appearance.
Upon walking back to the base, their bodies almost brushing against each other’s, it was then that Jiyan allowed himself to make a decision.
Keeping his gaze forward, he laced his hand with hers, twining her slender fingers with his own. The soft feel of her hands against his calloused ones a startling contrast that he found that he rather liked. If he had turned to face her then, he would have seen surprise flit through her features before a rosy blush dusted her cheeks.
But he didn’t, too preoccupied with relishing her touch and her presence beside him.
When they reached the base, it was her who turned towards him first.
“I’ll see you around,” Rover said softly. “Thanks for joining me, Jiyan.”
Jiyan shook his head. “It is me who should thank you.” A small pause. “It is...rare that I find such peace or that I have such a time like this.”
Amusement lit up her eyes. “I’ll be sure to drag you out more then,” Rover teased lightly.
He chuckled. “I look forward to it. The next time, however, I will have to insist on paying.”
“We’ll see,” Rover said, her tone laced with amusement.
She squeezed his hand lightly – a promise, a reassurance – before their fingers parted, albeit reluctantly, before stepping back. “Take care, Jiyan.”
He watched as she set off, returning back to the city. His mind playing back not the memories of the past, but the memories of today.
Jiyan smiled.
...Maybe he did have some feelings for her.