𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐘 [𝐃𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐆 𝐗 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑]

─︎ тнree || nιcĸnaмeѕ ─︎

─︎─︎─︎─︎─︎─︎─︎─︎─︎

─︎─︎─︎─︎─︎─︎─︎─︎─︎

5000 BC - MESOPOTAMIA

Abundant things are taken out of context in this world, and it can occasionally tarnish people's connections without disinclination. Sensing hostility drifting off the woman, Druig contemplated how to address his negligence without having to face her wrath.

"I don't think it's very smart to ask someone you called insufferable to review combat," she acknowledged, slightly chuckling. "I guess you forgot that I also lurk among the humans and hear things."

"Y/n, I didn't actually mean it. It was a joke." Druig deduced, realizing the predicament he got himself into. Of course, it would be him to ask the best combatant to train after calling her insufferable. Just his luck.

"Was it?" she taunted, heaving a blade up into the air and clasping it by its handle repeatedly. "Choose your next few words carefully, darling."

"I was joking with Makkari. I didn't mean it. If you saw my face, you'd know I was joking!" Druig chattered, preventing himself from stammering uncontrollably at the nickname. He would do a lot of things, but randomly stuttering was not one of them.

"Okay, that's enough." Y/n chuckled. "I know. Makkari told me you were joking. I just wanted to see you shit your pants. I don't have super ears, unfortunately."

"What exactly did she tell you?" Druig questioned, praying his friend hadn't divulged his genuine intentions. If she had, he wondered how Y/n would react. Would a look of revulsion disperse onto her expression without indecisiveness?

"That you wanted to join my practice. My answer is no, by the way." Y/n said, refusing to allow the man to utilize more of her eternity. To not grow attached, wasting time with others would do just the opposite.

"Please? I'll leave you alone for a week besides when we are training?" he recommended, running out of alternatives. Just thinking of being Druig-free for an entire week engraved a smile on her face, and visualizing the equilibrium provoked her to approve reluctantly.

"You got yourself a deal. Get ready for your personal hell, Druig," she mumbled with a smirk, brushing her fingertips against the rigorous brink of her favorite dagger. A crimson red garnished the handle along with polished, golden insignias, inciting it to be gratifying to the eye. "I will enjoy this more than you will ever know."

"Who knows? Maybe I'll change your mind about me?" Druig suggested, internally finding her threat slightly startling.

"In your dreams, Druig." she countered.

"Oh, you have no idea." Druig retorted.

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Throughout the week, the two Eternals practiced their fighting capabilities, and it was apparent who was better. The female's elaborate movements appeared agile and sophisticated, occasionally utterly distracting Druig from his training. However, despite the agreement they retained, Druig's flirtatious remarks never ended.

"You look stunning today, darling." he'd proclaim when they would sneak off to the seashore, feeling the sand shift downward under his feet with each stride he took. Saltwater would crash onto the cliffs encircling them, reflecting the crescent moon exceedingly.

"Of course you would say that out of all people." she'd reply, scoffing to conceal the fluttering sensation originating in her stomach. "Stop with the darling, will you?"

"It's romantic, Y/n." Druig would respond. "Some people actually enjoy being called that."

"Well, I don't." she would declare hurriedly, striving to execute their training as quickly as possible so she could perhaps interpret why these unusual sentiments bombarded her whenever he was around.

"Okay, I will stop calling you that nickname, love." Druig would reply, making the female give up. Nothing seemed to deter him. Each time he was told to stop with the nicknames, he appeared to always have a new one in mind, some more ridiculous than others. Currently, in the middle of a prolonged training session, they settled on a blanket that prohibited the bothersome sand from grazing their smooth skin.

"Love, may I ask you something?" Druig asked.

"You already did, but sure," Y/n replied, scanning her blade for any dents. "Don't make me regret it."

"Why do you practice combat so often?" Druig asked. "I mean, surely you can't enjoy doing it so often."

"If you don't enjoy doing it, why are you here?" Y/n countered, not keen on the thought of completely answering his question.

"I asked first," he said, extending his hand out to latch onto one of her daggers. Unfortunately for him, she immediately slapped his hand away. "Ow."

"You deserved it, and why are you just now asking me that question?" she inquired.

"Answer it." Druig urged gently, not willing to leave without a genuine explanation.

Y/n explained with reluctance, "Mistakes get people killed. I have to be perfect at what I do so the others can't get hurt."

"So you're afraid you're not enough to defeat the deviants and protect us?" Druig speculated, making the female crumple her eyebrows in turmoil.

"I didn't say that exactly, idiot," Y/n remarked, setting down her knife in the collection of them.

"You do know that you are enough, right?" Druig questioned. "You don't need to prove that you are qualified for this with training. In my eyes, you can beat anything's ass." Since her eyes first landed on the deviants, she knew how much of a danger they were. No one had ever reassured her she didn't need to worry about her skills or feel unable to meet others' expectations, but Druig did. No matter how much she didn't want to admit, it was something she needed, and she was glad it was Druig who had told her.

"Despite how charming that was, don't forget I can also beat you up too," she commented, rolling her eyes as the nervousness constructing within her heightened.

"So you think I'm charming? Does that mean I have a chance?" Druig gasped dramatically. "I'm flattered."

"Don't let it get to your head, Druig." she let out, quelling a giggle. "Now, why are you here if you don't like training?"

Druig responded, a smirk evident in his expression. "Because you're here." Again, like the majority of their conversations, a flirtatious comment escaped his lips, compelling the female eternal's heart to twinge in adoration. Shoving the sensation aside, she wondered whether the words he confessed were true or not.

"You undoubtedly have a way with words." Y/n laughed sarcastically, hearing the wind swirl and the ocean become tranquil. "Your flirting doesn't work as much as you think it does."

"Maybe not yet. One day, it will." Druig replied. "But I meant what I said, though. That wasn't a lie, Y/n."

"Maybe there's more to you than meets the eyes, Druig." she considered, disregarding the lively acceleration of her beating heart.

He stated, "There definitely is."

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[THOUGHTS? SORRY FOR THE ERRORS!ANY IDEAS, LOVES?]