Work Text:
There's a boy sitting next to you, reading in front of the hearth of the fireplace.
His hair is ginger, and messy all over. Faint freckles adorn his face, like the stars in the night sky. His most striking features, his blue eyes, shine like a pair of diamonds in the darkness.
You like him, you think. You like Ajax.
He's glued to you, and you're to him, and his smile never fails to brighten your day.
How could you not like such a sweet boy?
Tonia and Anthon come running downstairs, asking for their turn to play with their older brother. In the blink of an eye, Ajax is chasing after them, the twins' laughter echoing in the room. His father warns them to be careful.
You secretly wish to never leave Ajax's side.
(...)
There's a boy in front of you.
His ginger hair lacks the bright shade of years ago. His freckles exist no more, like the dying stars in the black sky. His eyes don't shine like they used, their purity lost in the never-ending forest outside of Morepesok.
Is this truly Ajax? Or did he get lost in snow, and this guy is just a soulless, poorly made copy?
Your childhood friend would never harm a fly, but he got into countless of fights.
He hurt people, and you don't know why.
There are two Fatui soldiers behind him. They stay still like statues, perfectly trained to follow orders.
You don't dare to even throw a glance at his family. Ajax's father whispers something to a short, old man with a strange blue hat.
Shortly after, the man, the soldiers and the boy leave. You attempt to reach out, but your mother stops you, grabbing you by the shoulders.
The person you once called your best friend never looks back.
Even if he's a fake, even if he's a danger, you don't want him to leave. Not again.
(...)
There's a man and two corpses in front of you.
Blood tints the ground. Your back rests against the wall, knees against chest, attempting to make yourself look small. Everything happened so fast, you barely had the time to register all the events until now, besides the thieves' threats and later on painful screams.
The stranger's Hydro blades dissipate in particles, and he's left staring at the bodies. Red stains his grey uniform and his face too. You want to back away but there's nowhere to run.
He finally looks over at you. Familiarity hits you when his blue eyes soften, and the corners of his lips spread in a sad smile.
You don't want to accept it. You don't want to admit that the real identity of this person is—
A call out of your name bursts you out of your bubble.
Ajax steps closer and crouches down to check on your state. You don't even give him the chance to ask if you're okay, when you tackle him into a hug, face hidden in his chest.
Tears start to stream down. You don't know if it's because everything has caught on to you, or the realization that your childhood friend is back and he still cares about you, despite the circumstances from years ago.
He awkwardly wraps his arms around you. Perhaps, his shy nature never truly disappeared.
When you pull back, he wipes out your tears, brushing his thumbs against your cheeks tenderly. He glances at your mouth, and you understand his wordless question.
You nod, and when his gloved hand grasps the back of your head, he pulls you in to lock his lips with yours.
After all, he's still your Ajax.